Izbzee

Posy Pockets

These are so fun and easy to make....

I whipped a few out the last couple of days after designing the pocket in SCAL 5 Pro.  One piece for the main pocket and 2 bands to go around the top and the bottom of the pocket.  The skycut required about 1 1/2 minutes to do the cutting and scoring.  Once you have added the inking, texture and embellishment, assembly is accomplished with a seam in the back and gluing the bottom edge together.  Glue on the bands and add your hanger.

I used wire for the hanger, but ribbon, twine or other fibers would work well.  Fill the pocket with whatever your heart desires.  

Silk flowers were used in the 2 pockets above. 

For this pocket, we added Spanish Moss (green) and a paper air plant (file from Creative Fabrica).  The air plant was made using white sketch paper and colored using some spectrum noir markers and the Ebrush by CraftwellUSA.  

No watering needed.... EVER!  

Labels ( Label Creator Font found here) are printed with an inkjet printer on tissue paper.  Let dry for about 15 minutes before using Matte acrylic medium to apply to the pocket.  You can add some additional inking around the edges once the medium has dried to cover the edges of the label that was applied to the pocket.  

While some of the details can't be seen in the images, you can also use a scoreboard and score some lines from the back of the piece to make the pocket look like it has some ridges  like a can might have. Then use a ball stylus to emphasize the ridge a bit.   This is a great way to add some additional texture and interest to you piece.  You can also use an embossing folder to add interest. Lots of options to make each pocket unique and have your personal touch.  

Thanks for stopping by and hoping that you've set aside some creative time this week.  Enjoy it! 

* Affiliate links have been used.  

 

Thanksgiving Hydrangea Wreath

What a fun project this was.  I'm so excited to share it with you.  You'll find all the assembly details over on The Artistry.  

Beautiful rich fall colors, faux wood plaque and more.  Hope you'll enjoy looking at it as well.  

the music box

It's been a while -- and this project has been in the making for several months.  Just kept hitting some snags with the build. I do need to thank Sandy Stark from SimplyCraftySVGs.com for the hexagon box and base.  They're perfect!

 

 

You'll need
Hexagon box and base file (currently not available for retail sale)
African Violets (Dreaming Tree - Alluring Floral Bundle)
Cyclamen Leaves (Lia Griffith)
Wood Texture Background (Creative Fabrica)
cardstock
printer
electronic die cutting machine and software (eclips2 and eCal3)
WRMK's Foil Quill
Gold Foil
4 x 2 round styrofoam
box knife
Music box with turntable (the forks for the music box in this instance have been disabled) NationalArtCraft.com
EZSound Box - Front Play from InvitebyVoice.com
Audio file (MP3 - MelodyLoops - Spring Flowers)  or track of your choice (make sure you have the appropriate license for use)
Lineco Bookbinder Glue

Print, foil, cut and assemble the box and base, leaving the top of the box off. Do not glue the box and the base together yet.  You'll have two pieces. 

Add music to the EZSound Box according to manufacturer's directions from the instruction card in the packaging or from the video on the website.  It's really easy!   

Position the music box without the turntable attached on the top of the foam, with the turntable spindle as near the center of the foam as possible.  The spindle should be facing up.  Trace around the box with a pen. 

 

Place the EZSound Box on the top farthest from the music box and trace.  Using a craft knife or box knife, trim out that area.  Trim out the area for the turntable as well.  The foam and boxes should fit snugly in the foam. 

Secure the foam and boxes in the hexagon box.  Glue the hexagon box to the base.  Using a little dye or pigment ink pad, apply a little ink to the top of the spindle of the turntable box.  Carefully lay the top of the box centered and press lightly.  This will mark the placement of the hole in the top.  Using a punch, place that hold and glue the top to the tabs of the hexagon box.  Secure the turntable to the music box spindle.  you will need to turn the turntable to wind it up so it will spin.  I have about 1/4" of space between the top of the box and the turntable.  




Add your choice of decor to the turn table.  

Spring always reminds me of my Grandmother's yard and the violets that grew wild in the grass.  I'm using a file from Dreaming Tree from the Alluring Florals Bundle - African Violets (file pieces were reduced by 50%).  The leaves were from a file from Lia Griffin's site (paid membership).  

 

Hope this inspires you to do a little Spring crafting.  Nurture your heart and soul with creativity this week.  

ATC and a little mixed media

The eclips/eCal Facebook page is having another ATC challenge - CELEBRATIONS!   and all of the elements used to create the ATC must be designed and cut using the eclips and eCal. 

Here's my finished card.  It was inspired by a find on Pinterest --

I started with a plain piece of cardstock that had a light layer of Gesso.  I masked off a section of the gelli plate slightly larger than the ATC dimensions, brayered on some paint and pulled a print.  I added a few additional pulls of color  to the print using some stencils (cut with the eclips) and additional pink and white and yellow paints until I got the desired results. 

Using the eCal software, size a vertical rectangle to 2.5 x 3.5, set the line to Print 2 Cut Cut.  Create text on an arch.  I used Funky Mother for the fun text.  Fill the text with color (I chose black) and set the stroke to none.  Change from cut to Print 2 Cut Print.  Print, make sure you select registration marks.  Since the cardstock has some tooth from the Gesso and gelli print, you can opt to use some embossing powder and a heat gun to add a little more texture to the card.  I used some Ranger Black embossing powder. 

Now for the cutting.  Place the gessoed paper on the mat and following the print 2 cut directions, cut the ATC. 

I found a fun cupcake graphic at Creative Fabrica and decided to use the base of the cupcake as the stencil.  Size it to approximately 2 inches high with keep proportions checked. Cut using stencil material or regular cardstock.

 

Position the cupcake stencil on the ATC base as desired and using some watercolors and a water brush, add some additional colors.  Let dry. 

Add some sprinkles to your frosting.  I used the sprinkles in the original design, grouped them together and created a small stencil for those and added a little more color. 

 

Add additional details using a Micron pen.  For a little extra shine, use a sparkle brush and let dry.

 

Thanks for dropping by!  Hoping you have built in some creative time this week! 

 

 

 

 

Revisiting Sunny Sunflowers

I love sunflowers!  And this post always brings a smile to my face.  I got a little "inky" from all the eBrushing, but it was truly worth it.  Originall published April 2015, I'd like to share this one again. 

 

I'm so excited to share that I'm on the Craftwell eBrush team for another term.  I wanted to start off this term with some sunshine!  And sunflowers  seem to fit the bill!  They have always been a favorite of mine and it's been a pleasure to watch them turn their heads towards the sun in our gardens in years past.  My friend, Diann, is fabulous photographer and it was her photo that has inspired this project.

This project, cards and box to store them in,  is based around a stencil created using a file from SVGCuts.com  (my box files can be found here and here)  Once I got started ebrushing the flowers, I couldn't stop at just one!  So I made up a set of cards and a box to store them in.  Cards are standard A2 (4.25 x 5.50) size.  8 cards and envelopes will fit into the box easily. 

Plan on using both the negative and the positive elements from the flower petals cut.  I added a square (basic shapes) around each of the 2 layers of petals available in the eCal shapes library.  Cut with your cutting machine (I use the eclips2)I also added a circle similar in size to the center of the flower petal shape and cut that as a separate element to be used during the stenciling process.   You'll want to resize as needed, just be sure to resize all the pieces you'll be using to make sure everything fits. 

Since the negative area of the stencil has lots of little pieces that are not connected to each other, you may want to use a little bit of repositionable glue on both of those layers as well as the circle.  You'll find you'll get a crisper edge. Set aside until needed. 

Choose your colors (I used Spectrum Noir's LY3 and OR1, EB5, EB8 and GB3).  I also used GB3 and EB3 along the outside edges for additional contrast on my finished card fronts and to add details on the flowers.

Using the eBrush and the LY3 marker in the SN adapter - with the top layer of your stencil secured on your cardstock, make sure your marker is in the sweet spot and spray lightly.  You may choose to deepen the color with a second layer... it's purely up to you.  Watch the video below to see how I used the other pieces of the stencils to work on my sunflower. 

Here are a few more pictures of this project.

Both layers of the stencil have been used and the center has been sprayed and some of the detail work completed.  You can use a white paint pen (mine was a Sharpie) to add a few highlights.

The sunflower cardstock is cut to 5.00 x 3.75.  Additional layers are cut slightly larger.  To a few of the other bases, I added a dark brown before applying the standard card base.  Most of my top layers began at 5.25 x 4.00 and trimmed if needed. 

These will make a beautiful gift for a special friend of mine. 

Thanks for dropping by.  Stay tuned, more to come! 

Noel

Loving the layers in this card  - the last version of our cards for this holiday season. 

Created in eCal3 and cut with the eclips.  The flower measures an inch! 

You'll need:
eclips2
eCal3
White cardstock for all the cuts
12 x 12 Colored stock for card bases ( cut to 5.5" square card base)
Poinsettia SVG (a file in my SVG folder, no attribution given)
Spectrum Noir markers (DR5, DR6, JG6)
mini domed jewels (stash)
Glaze (FSJ)
Lineco glue
Scor Tape
Glue dot

Cut all the elements.  Weld the letters together for the base.  Cut another layer of letters -- I chose to unlink them and cut separately.  Glue the letters to the welded layer.  I started with the L and left the O to glue on last.  Set aside to dry.

I used the markers to color the flower.  Blend both reds together on the bottom layer, use the darker of the two reds for the middle layer and the lightest red for the top layer of the flower.  Glue the layers together and using a drop of the glaze, add the jewel.  Set aside to dry. 

Cut card bases.  I'm using a 5.5 inch base for these cards as they will be hand delivered.  Glue the letter layer to the base, using a glue dot, attach the flower.  Add a sentiment to the inside of the card.  Use a clear adhesive sticker to close the card and deliver to your recipients! 

Thanks for stopping by today!  Wishing you all the best as you continue to create during the month!  #eclipsecalmaker

12 Tags Overview

The 12 Tags of Christmas Challenge has come to an end.  Over 60 tags were shared on the eclips/eCal FB page.  I hope you've taken a few minutes to browse the album and take a peek at all the creative shares over the last 12 days.  If not, the album on the page is always available for viewing by members of the group. 

Details regarding all the tags I created for the challenge are in the links below.   

tag 1: https://bit.ly/2OjLU9K

tag 2: https://bit.ly/2P1t78u

tag 3: https://bit.ly/2OlUTrd

tag 4: https://bit.ly/2zjyMfu

tag 5: https://bit.ly/2zkQW0u

tag 6: https://bit.ly/2Di0VYI

tag 7: https://bit.ly/2QdoTY1

tag 8: https://bit.ly/2Ol6KWu

tag 9: https://bit.ly/2SE0Kvk

tag 10: https://bit.ly/2SGxljU

tag 11: https://bit.ly/2SFx1lv

tag 12: https://bit.ly/2CWI3gP

Hoping your creative time continues through the upcoming holidays and provides your heart the nurturing it needs.  Thanks again for dropping by. 

#eclipsecalmaker

 

2018 12 Tags of Christmas - Tag 6

Today marks the half way point in our #eclipsecalmaker 12 Tags of Christmas.  I hope this will become an annual event.  It's been so much fun! Check out what our other gals are creating on the Facebook page. 

Such a simple tag.  This one uses a tea stained sheet of white paper. Once again, use the Print2Cut Print feature in eCal3 (and in previous versions) for the sentiment.  I used pattern fill for the stocking (from the Basic Shapes library) on the right.  The stocking on the left is colored using the eBrush and Spectrum Noir marker. Color the holly and heart using markers. Add a couple of pop dots to add a little more dimension and tie a bit of twine around the cheesecloth. 

You'll need:
Tea -Stained cardstock *(1 8.5 x 11 inch sheet)
Sizzix eclips2 and eCal3 software
mica (Mixed Media Supplies)
eBrush (SN adapter)
Spectrum Noir markers
Digital paper
Blending tool
ink
Glue/adhesive
Glossy Accents
Unbleached cheesecloth, twine
Tea bags, water, ground cinnamon, water, foam brush

*Tea-staining your own cardstock is easy.  I use about 2/3 cup of boiling water and 3 regular size teabags and an 1/8 tsp of ground cinnamon for a little deeper color (and it smells good, too).  Let steep and cool a bit. You can dip the paper, but I prefer to use a foam brush and sweep across the paper.  After that has partially dried, I add a few drips and while the drips are still sort of "puddled" I use a lid or the bottom of the mug to create some additional markings.  Let dry.  If necessary, using a dry iron (no steam), press the paper to flatten.  You can also sprinkle with a little bit of water and wrinkle the paper.  Just be careful not to tear it.  Because I was doing some print to cut, I wanted a smooth paper for this one. If you want to wrinkle your paper, consider scanning and printing.  You can add some additional depth and texture with ink and a blending tool or the eBrush and markers. 

Hope you'll drop back again tomorrow!  Happy Crafting! 

 

 

spook-tacular!

Zombie Wedding from SVGCuttingFiles.com was perfect for this year's anniversary celebration for our oldest son and his wife.

 

The paper-pieced figures were eBrushed using Tombow Markers and a few glossy highlights were added using SN Clear Sparkle pen and Journey Glaze from Fun Stampers Journey.  one 12 x 12 sheet was enough to cut both figures.  I left the cuts on the mat and masked and sprayed until all the color was applied. 

My card is made using 1 piece of  8 x 11 white stock and a 2nd piece measuring 6 x 8 1/2.  Fold the full sheet of card sso it is 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches.  Score the 1/2 sheet 1/2 inch from the left side.  Crease.  Apply some adhesive to the scored 1/2" and adhere to the back outer edge of the card so it will measure 11" wide.  You will be folding this to  meet the center of the card. Do not close.

Since my patterned papers had lots of black in them, I decided to use some additional black to frame the larger background piece.  Add a smaller rectangle with backing to the front of the card at an angle.  You'll need some foam tape under the heads and upper portions of the figurines when securing them to the front of the card.  They make quite a statement I think. 

I created a sentiment using Cherry Swash and Funky Mother fonts.  I wanted the curl on the Cherry Swash "S" to be on the bottom of the letter, so I flipped it horizontally and vertically.   The O's are merged and the command Union in the eCal3 software make them one. I created 2 inset shadows in different colors (green and white) and 2 eyes as well.  After a little fiddling and a test cut, I decided to do a print to cut with the sentiment.  The eyes were cut separately and glued in place.  I think if I were to do it again, I would probably add a white stroke to all the lettering and maybe not weld any of the letters together.  I did like the layered look of the first test cut, however, the Have a and Anniversary didn't cut cleanly enough for my liking.  It was a paper issue, and not the machine or software.  I've had success before cutting 1/8" high letters with no difficulty at all.... this paper just didn't cut clean. 

To make this even more unique, I added a recordable audio button (light sensitive) to the card.  This proved to be a bit of a challenge with the button I purchased and the software isn't compatible with MAC or with Windows 10.  We were able to find an older PC with Windows 7 and complete the recording.  There are other recordable buttons on the market.  You might want to check a few of those if this is something you would like to try.   

Once the button was secured in place, adhere the edges of the back piece at the top and bottom.  You can leave the edge at the center fold open if desired.

 

 

Supplies used*:
1 - 12 x 12 cardstock, Whipped Cream (Fun Stampers Journey)
Zombie Wedding (SVGCuttingFiles.com)
Sizzix eclips2 / eCal3 software
2- 8 x 11 cardstock, white (stash)
Patterned paper (stash)
eBrush
Tombow Markers
Journey Glaze
Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen (clear)
Scor-Tape (1/4")
Lineco Book Binding Glue (Amazon)
Recordable audio button (Invitebyvoice.com) and audio file (Tubular Bells Ringtone  was a free download)

No affiliate links are used in this post.  I am not being compensated by any company/entity. 

 

Hope you have some crafting and/or creative time planned into this week's schedule!  Nurture your heart today! 

 

paper quilt 1

Oh!  How I wish my eyes would cooperate and let me cross-stitch again, but I tend to go cross-eyed anymore regardless the size of the stitches... so I'm falling back on some paper quilting to ease that "itch" if you will. 


This 12 x 12 paper quilt was fun to create and I'm excited to share this quick tutorial and background file with you.  The shoes are available in Hazel's Wicked Witch SVG Collection at SVGCuts.

You'll need:
Cardstock - 2 butter cream fromFSJ and similar textured piece from AC Cardstock
eBrush, SN adapter and Spectrum Noir markers
Sizzix eClips2 and eCal software (or your preferred electronic cutting machine)
Hazel's Wicked Witch SVG Collection (shoe, buckle optional)
SVG paper quilt background (my design for you to download and use - personal use only)
stamps (whatever's in your stash)
embossing powder (Ranger fine detail white and black)
Versamark inkpad
Heat gun
Weave embossing folder
Embossing machine (Big Kick from Sizzix is my go to)
Blending tool (optional)
ink
pop - up dots, scor tape, Lineco quick dry glue

Open your machine's cutting software, place the background SVG on your mat (download link in the supplies list above).  In this case, I created a 10 inch square and arranged my "patches" on the square.  Open a second page (mat) and place the shoes on the mat,  resize to and copy and paste 9 shoes on the mat.  You can also cut the buckles, but I chose not to for this quilt.  Make legs and stockings to fit.  Play around with basic shapes to get what works best for you. 

Cut

Emboss the patches using a weave embossing folder.  Color the patches as desired.  I used Spectrum Noir markers and the SN adapter with my eBrush.  It made pretty quick work of things.  If desired, spray again along the edges for a little more depth.
I wanted a light texture on the windows of my framing mat.  So I used the blending tool and some ink to add a little bit of color along all the cut edges and outside of my 10 inch square. 


Color the shoes with the eBrush and a black SN marker.  The color is smooth and blends well (no streaking). You can heat emboss using stamps and embossing powder as desired.  Color the stockings and stamps as desired. 

Glue the stockings to the shoes.

Now, it's time to assemble.  Center the 10 in square on the 12 in backing piece of textured cardstock.  I used pop-up dots on the back of the patches and place in their respective places in the 10 in mat.  Glue the shoes in place as shown or however you wish.  As an afterthought, I glued some brads in place I had from a long ago collection from StampinUp.  They were perfect since they have little stars on them. 

Frame as desired.  Paper quilt 2 up next!