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Lanterns

 

I was asked to create some lanterns for some table centerpieces for a friend.  She needed 10 lanterns.  I remembered a post from a few years back where another designer for SVGCuts had altered a file and added some windows to the basic lantern file.  I figured that would work.

A pack of AC Cardstock in crimson paper was perfect!  Some greenery, berries, ribbon and a tealight and some "snow" finished these off perfectly.  They were ready to add to the other decor being used for the centerpieces.

The skycut C24 made easy work of all the cutting... including the transparency for the windows.  Bearly Art Precision Glue was used to glue the side walls and bottom piece together.  I did use some scor-tape to adhere the transparency to the inside walls.  

You can find the lantern file here and the adaptation for the windows and more here.  

I don't have a pic of the finished tables yet, but hope to have one soon.  

 

 

Wonderland Themed Hat

Spring is on hold for the moment.  More snow in the forecast, but Spring is definitely taking a hold in the studio this month.  

Using the Victorian Top Hat and Round Candy Box file from SimplyCraftySVGs.com, I added a few more fun details to decorate the hat.  

The roses are found in the Top Hat file.  I reduced the size of the round candy box to make the pocket watch and added a couple of beads to create the fob.  The hands of the watch are an old die and there's a brad holding the hands in place.  The clock face is a file from CreativeFabrica.com and the "crocheted" lace edging is a file from SVGCuts.com

Using the rabbit in the Spring folder of the SCAL library, changed things up a bit and only using the rabbit's ears added those behind the rosette with printed hearts on it.  

Add a band of tulle and tie in a trailing bow at the back.  Sprinkle a few extra hearts around the brim as a finishing touch.  

The hat stand is included in the Top Hat file.  There's so much you can do with this file -- I'm looking forward to creating another version of the hat in the near future!  

Hope you'll have some crafting time soon.  

Files used in this project:  
Victorian Top Hat
Round Candy Box
Battenburg Lace and Crocheted Lace 
Clock Face - Template 17

It's in the book.

SVGCuts' Attic Treasures Kit has one of my favorite go-to files. The book.  It's so versatile and can be made for any occasion.  Today's project is for a birthday and could also be used to celebrate meeting a reading goal.

You'll need:

Attic Treasures SVG Kit (SVGCuts.com)*
12 x 12 cardstock (Bazzill, Neenah)
EZ Sound Module (Light Activated) from InviteByVoice.com

Audio file (about 2 minutes long)
Adhesive, Lineco Glue, Scor-Tape, Foam Mounting tape
ink
blending tool
Scoreboard, bone folder
Electronic Die Cutting Machine (Sizzix eclips2 and eCal3)
Optional - printables

Cut all pieces needed for the book as well as an embellishment pieces.  I added an image to the spine of the book and used the print 2 cut feature in the eCal software before cutting. Ink the edges of all the book pieces for an old book look if desired.  My sister says this book looks "ancient!" 

Cut another piece at 4 3/8" x 5 1/4" to cover the sound module.  Use a 1/2 inch punch to create an opening for the sound module sensor. 

Lightly score the "pages" on the sides of the box in 1/8" increments and add a little ink with the blending tool to highlight the lines. 

Assemble the book and "pages" as shared in the assembly video here. Decorate the book cover as desired.  I chose not to use the panels in the file for this project or other decorative elements provided in the folder.

Following the directions included with the sound module, record your audio.  Remove the backing from the module and place in the box. 

Decorate the 4 3/8" x 5 1/4" piece of cardstock as desired. Apply some foam mounting tape to the back.  Do not remove the release paper.  If desired add a 2nd layer of tape. Set this layer in place and remove the sensor.  Close the book. 

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hoping your creative time is filled with a little magic!  Enjoy. 

*An affiliate link are used in this link.

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! 

brushing off the dust and cobwebs

It's been a busy sort of spring with all sorts of fun projects .... however, I haven't published a post in nearly a month!  And here's the reason why:  I have an agreement with Invite By Voice not to publish anything I create for them until they have published it on their social media.  It's hard to sit on so many fun ideas for this long, but I hope you'll agree that it will be well worth the wait once they publish....

AND:  Mom care has sort of taken over our lives too.  Things are changing a bit here and we have had to "up our game" to stay on top of things regarding her care. 

Now back to crafting again so let's see:  a recent ATC Challenge brought this little goodie forth.  I'm still hoping to add a few little details, like a book and some reading glasses, but for now, this project was a fun create using the eclips2 and eCal3. 

The adirondack chair is a free file from SVGCuts.com and the umbrella is from the Summer folder in the Basic Library on eCal.  I purchased the vintage label shape from the eShape Store and the sentiment is from Creative Fabrica.  The blanket is a rectangle and just folded and crunched a bit.  The background image is a photo I purchased for commercial use and modification -- I used photoshop to add the watercolor filter.  and removed a couple of people from the photo.  Then placed the image on the mat in eCal and created a clipping path using a rectangle the size of the ATC card and used the print 2 cut option in eCal3.  So much fun! 

I really enjoy playing with the ATC size cards -- and here's the link to a grouping  of ATC's I made last year. 

Father's Day is just around the corner - a couple of weeks away.  Haven't sent out this year's cards yet, but they are made and I'll create a separate post for those in a couple of days.  In the meantime, how about checking out the cards we sent out a couple of years ago....  the post is here. 

And lastly, as we gear up for summer holidays, last year's fun included a fun 4th of July marquee --all the details are here. 

Thanks so stopping by and I hope you'll enjoy revisiting some of my past posts and will be looking forward to what's coming in the next couple of weeks.  It just might turn into project OVERLOAD! 

Keep on creating and nurturing your soul. 

 

 

 

 

2018 - going, going, gone

2018 has been a full year.  Lots of good things have happened overall and even the not to great stuff wasn't all that bad when you think about it.

I've really enjoyed my creative time so much more this year.  A few artsy and fun classes from penwork to gelli plate/art and general play with paper, clay and fabric.  Grateful for it all. 

I've decided that for me, it would be fun to recap the year with a few pictures of some of my favorite projects....  you can check the archives by the year and month for the whole year's worth of fun.   

January the Valentine Ornament box.  File from Lori Whitlock - Halloween house adapted for the holiday. 

February a little clay play.  Love using Sculpey, stamps, mica and more.  This was among my favorites for some mixed media play and design team work for Mixed Media Supplies. 

March Lots of pastel colors and a touch of non-caloric chocolate for this fun dimensional card from Simply Crafty SVGs  was a favorite for the month. 

April  A sweet shadowbox card using G45's Secret Garden.  File from SVGCuts.com

May  ATC sized gelli prints -- and digital stamps.  So much play fun! 

June  quick and easy card using a digital stamp from RGStudio360. 

July -  July porch decor using a recycled shelving side panel...

August - we got an early start with October crafting with this paper quilt. So much fun kicking up a few heels! 

September  The Geodesic Pumpkin from SVGCuts was a perfect addition to the mantel for September and October! 

October  brought more than a change in the weather.... it's also anniversary time for our youngest son. We went a little overboard on this year's card, but it was so worth it! 

 

November I couldn't pick just one project for this month, so I'm sharing two!  The first was a fun 12 Tags of Christmas challenge.  All of the details for this one including a video can be found here. 

Dreaming Tree also put out a bevy of great files to work with in 2018... among my favorites was this cutie! 

December   Our Gnomie tree - I love my laser etcher and I've loving having found a new way to showcase some digital artwork using wood pieces from my stash!  

I hope you've enjoyed this review of my year. Crafting is my respite -- my discovery for the year.  I've loved taking the online classes and exploring more ways to develop my talents and play.  I'm grateful to my family for their generosity in time, space and respite. 

We look forward to a fabulous 2019 -- carving in creative time each week. Hoping you're doing the same! 
My word for 2019 - Inspire

Cards of the season

This card inspired by this Z-fold card made by Lisa (found here) is our primary Christmas card for this year.  I love how it turned out.  I didn't have the dies for the label or anything I felt was quite similar, but I did have an SVG set of nested labels I'd gotten from Penny Duncan a few years ago in my SVG vault of files.  So, opening eCal3 and gathering all the needed files, I got started on creating my own z-fold version of this card.

You'll need:
eCal3
Sizzix eclips2
cardstock (script print-paperstudio, black-FSJ, white-Neenah 110 lb)
bone folder
adhesives (scor tape, Lineco glue, glue dots)
White or holographic gel pen
Nested Labels (Penny Duncan)
Bethlehem and Nativity SVGs (123rf.com)
Sentiment stamp

due to the fact that Penny holds the copyright and is the creator of the label file, I can't share my SVG file with you.  these were fun to make and once all the pieces are cut, it's very rewarding to put them together and see the final results.  I know our friends and family will enjoy them this year. 

Thanks for dropping by today.  Hoping you're enjoying some creative time in your craft space this 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 8

Have you been watching the FB page?  Lots of wonderful reveals this week.  We have some amazing makers!

Today, I'd like to share my 8th tag. 

another base of tea stained paper, a little bit of stenciling  using a doily cut over the print2cut printed tag.  The altered heart shape from the basic shapes library is filled with a digital paper pattern and also used the print2cut print feature in eCal.  I wet the back of the paper very lightly and scrunched the paper a bit for a little more texture.  Lightly inked the edges and added the stitching with a black ultra-fine Sharpie.  Wrap the heart with some twine and add a silver heart and glue in place.  Spritz with a bit of mica for a little more shine.  My photo doesn't show it well. 

You'll need:
tea-stained paper (1 8.5 x 11 sheet)
Sizzix eclips2 and eCal3
digital paper
lacy doily  (SVG Cuts)
Printer
Sharpie
unbleached chesecloth
twine
ink
blending tool
Mica (Mixed Media Supplies) in water - to spritz and add a little bit of shine. 

2018 12 Tags of Christmas - Tag 5

It's day 5 and I hope you're enjoying seeing all the fabulous tags on the Facebook page and are looking forward to the rest of the week's reveals.

For this tag, I chose a file from SVGCuts' Merry and Bright SVG Kit, resizing the cardinal card pieces to fit the tag.  I love how easy the this file cut and went together.  Using the Nest feature in eCal 3 - you can group all the pieces of similar color in a group and not waste a bunch of paper.  Fill the mat with desired colors according to the placement in the software and let the eclips do all the work. 

The sentiment is print2cut print directly on the tag.  For a little more detail, consider using an embossing folder. 

You'll need:
Cardstock, patterned paper (can be digital and use the pattern fill option on the color palette)
Sizzix eclips2 and eCal3 software
ink
blending tool
unbleached cheesecloth, twine
mini black brad
glue/adhesive of choice

Open eCal 3 and open the Basic Shapes library.  I used a tag I found in the library.  Size as desired.  Using the font tool, type your sentiment and size.  Set to print2cut print.  Print then cut the tag.

Open the cardinal file and size to fit on the tag.  As soon as you have everything sized, separate into colored sections.  Cut  Emboss and shade the pieces as desired.   Finish.  I added a pop up under the wing for a little more dimension.