Thursday, October 31

Boo!

I like to carve pumpkins, put up Halloween decorations, and most of all, make treat bags for Trick-or-Treaters on this day of the year.  For this one, I was so busy at work, I only got to do some decorating last night.  So nothing fancy, just enough for one night.  And last night also was when I made my Halloween treat bags to give away.

My favorite technique for treat bags is the Sour Cream Container.  It's quick and easy, and often makes people think "how did she do that?".  I know because that's exactly what came to mind when I first saw one.  There is a nice tutorial at Splitcoaststampers (click here).






Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  Cloud 9 Designs, leftovers
tools:  Stampin' Up
misc.:  Halloween stickers
adhesive:  Scotch


I hope I get rid of all of them as quick as I made them...  Happy Halloween everybody!

'Til next blog!

Saturday, October 26

Gourdy Gourd Gourd

I'd like to pause my World Card Making Day Celebration, well, in a different way.  Today was actually a pretty crafty day.  I have had many chances but kept passing them up with a lot of excuses.  But finally I attended my first gourd art class conducted by Julie Sitzema, Lady Gourdiva of Pilliwiggins Garden.  I have always loved Pilliwiggins gourds, since seeing them for the first time at the Royal Craft Show in Castle Farms.  I have several of them in fact, beautifully nestled in our dining area.  

The class was divided into three sections - the first part being the history of gourd art.  This is followed by the different steps in making gourd art, from growing and prepping, to the crafty side of it all and finishing.  The last part was giving the attendees a chance to play with little gourds.

A few years ago, Julie sent me small gourds to play with.  But since I haven't used gourds before, I got "scared" of even trying.  After attending Julie's class, I now have a better understanding of gourds and the right way to handle them. 





It was a treat to see the Lady Gourdiva's creations.  And what's more, she brought extra gourds in the raw for us to take home and do the entire process again by ourselves.




I started drawing a design on my little gourd during the class.  Then I took it home to try and test different media on the gourd.  So far so good, but I'm not yet done.  You can see here that my gourd is waiting to dry. 




I can't wait to finish my first gourd project.  I hope it won't take long for me to do so.  But for now, I'm really glad that I attended this class.  It sure was inspiring!

For more information about anything gourd, visit the Pillywiggins Garden Website.  And if you live in Northern Michigan, you can have a chance to see (and own) beautiful gourd art by the Lady Gourdiva herself at the 5th Annual Winter Fantasy Art Show in Petoskey, MI on December 14th. 

'Til next blog!

Friday, October 25

WCMD Day 25

This is going to be a quick post as I get ready for a project this weekend.  Halloween is just around the corner, and I have to get going.




Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  leftovers
image/sentiment:  RAKed
tools:  Spellbinders, Janome Sew Mini, Unity Bow Maker, EK Success
embellishments:  ribbon, trim
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape


TGIF!  'Til next blog...

Thursday, October 24

WCMD Day 24

I call this an elementary card.  I have all these leftover elements on my desk, and this is all I can put together.  I guess it's one of those times when all you can think of is... bleh.  So here it is...



Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  DCWV, leftovers
image/sentiment:  RAKed
tools:  Stampin' Up, Tim Holtz
embellishments:  Dew Drops, baubles
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape



'Til next blog!

Tuesday, October 22

WCMD Day 22

Just before I started writing this blog post, I got one of those New Product Alerts from Joann.com via email.  What came as a shock to me is that one of their "new products" is the Hannah Montana "Ready to Rock" stamp set.  I know that the Miley Cyrus controversy kinda winding down, and we already know that she has changed her image a "whole" lot.  And I respect her choice to do so.  But why is the crafting market still pushing for a new Hannah Montana stamp set?  Well, I don't know if the Hannah Montana shows are still being shown on TV, and maybe still available on DVD.  I guess there is still a market for Hannah Montana.  But I definitely am not in that market, never been.  I'm not saying I don't like Miley Cyrus.  In fact, I like a lot of her songs, even her latest hit.  I was just never into Hannah Montana.  

I guess I just needed something else to write about before I share with you today's card. 






Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  leftovers
image/sentiment:  Verve
ink:  Tsukineko
tools:  Spellbinders, embossing folder (Sizzix, Cuttlebug), piercing tool
embellishments:  flowers, button, hemp, ribbon
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape


'Til next blog!

Monday, October 21

WCMD Day 21

So I skipped a whole week.  Bummer!  But I'm here for a comeback.

But before that, let me make a confession.  I have a big bunch of RAKed images, embossed cardstock, scrap paper, die cuts and other leftover materials.  I just can't let them go.  You would think that it's a good thing because I try to maximize these materials until they're actually gone.  The downside of this though is, it's not giving me a chance to use a lot of my other "new" stash - from dp, cardstock, stamps and a lot of other things.  A lot of them I bought long ago, and have remained in it's "new" state.  And this is one of the main reasons why things are piling up in my planet.  

And now that I'm another year older, I decided to let go of the old and in with the new, at least in the crafting side of me.  

But before I actually do that, I want to utilize these materials for a few more times, at least for my World Card Making Day celebration.

And so, today's card has a lot of my leftover materials.  The image I colored with Copics to go with my color scheme.




Materials used:
cardstock/dp: DCWV, leftovers
image/sentiment:  RAKed
ink:  Copic
tools:  Spellbinders, Fiskars, Stampin' Up
embellishments:  pearls, rhinestones
adhesive:  Scotch, mounting tape


'Til next blog!

Monday, October 14

WCMD Day 14

Well, DH and I were out of town this weekend. That's my excuse. But I'm hoping this post will even things out. 

While in Kerrytown in Ann Arbor, we chanced upon an Artisan Market. The array of craftiness was refreshing, and not the typical I see here up north.  It's nothing big, but it was exciting to see more unique and different crafts.


We kept walking and checking out stores. But as soon as Hollander's caught my eye, I was ecstatic. It's a big store of paper, paper and more paper! Different kinds made in different ways coming from different locations. The walls were covered with shelves and racks filled with big sheets of paper. And the assortment of Japanese Washi Paper is divine.  They also have other stuff but definitely related to paper, like journals, art and book binding materials, some books among other things like a good selection of bone folders.  When DH saw all the paper, he said I can have something like that when we win the lottery. I guess I'll keep on dreaming, haha!






Now let's talk about prices. Well, it's a bit more than what you would normally pay for. A big sheet of washi paper averages at about $17. When I was in Japan, I get them for about $5-10 per sheet.  But if you're a paper addict, who cares sometimes? No, I didn't buy a single sheet of any paper. I did get a metal spatula meant for make-up foundation though... hee hee! Yeah, I was a good girl. I suppose if I bought at least a sheet of paper, I might end up not using it because I paid so much for it. Kwim?

Still, I had a great time at Hollander's. Just being there was a super treat.

'Til next blog!

Saturday, October 12

WCMD Day 12

Earlier this year, I made the wedding invitations for my college girl friend (click HERE to see).  During the process, I made samples for her to choose from.  The card base of today's card is one of the samples I showed her.  It's cut with Cricut.





Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  leftovers, vellum
image/sentiment:  RAKed
tools:  Cricut, Spellbinders, Unity Bow Maker
embellishments:  rhinestones, ribbon
adhesive:  Scotch, mounting tape


'Til next blog!

Friday, October 11

WCMD Day 11

Here's a quick card I made for today.  I experimented on using yarn with the Unity Bow Maker, and I really like the result!




Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  DCWV, leftovers
image/sentiment:  RAKed
tools:  Martha Stewart, Spellbinders, Unity Bow Maker
embellishments:  yarn
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape


'Til next blog!

Thursday, October 10

WCMD Day 10

I've had this stamped image for quite a while.  I got it from an image swap long time ago.  World Card Making Month is a good reason to finally use it.  It was hard to color though.

A few days ago, I shared measurements for the EK Success Round Binding Edge edger and corner punches.  I had the same issue with the Stampin' Up Scallop Trim Border Punch and the matching corner punch.  I just checked the Stampin' Up website, and they don't have the Scallop Trim Corner Punch anymore.  I wonder why???

Anyway, here's the measurements for the SU Scallop Trim Border Punch and Corner Punch:
  • 3 13/16
  • 5 11/16
  • 7 9/16
  • 9 7/16
You can see with the card below that I was able to use both punches together.  I'm glad.




Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  leftovers
image/sentiment:  RAKed
ink:  Copic
tools:  Martha Stewart, EK Success, Stampin' Up
embellishment:  fabric tape, ribbon


'Til next blog!

Wednesday, October 9

WCMD Day 9

Here's a quick card I made using a shape cut with Martha Stewart Circle Edge Punch.  The shape was too big though, so I cut it to fit my card front.  Then that cut piece I adhered inside the card for continuation.




Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  ColorBok, DCWV, leftovers
image/sentiment:  RAKed
tools:  Martha Stewart, Spellbinders
embellishments:  rhinestones, flower accent
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape


'Til next blog!

Tuesday, October 8

WCMD Day 8

I love the colors of Fall!  Thus the inspiration for this card - the colors at least.  I also played with the micro hole punch, randomly punching that bottom piece you see on the card.  See the black cardstock in the middle?  It's actually part of a packaging from a stamp set, but I can't remember the brand.  I just kept it for future use, as usual.




Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  leftovers, recycled packaging
image/sentiment:  RAKed
ink:  Stampin' Up
tools:  EK Success, Spellbinders, Unity Bow Maker
embellishments:  rhinestones, ribbon
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape


'Til next blog!

Monday, October 7

WCMD Day 7

The best word to describe my card for today is CIRCLES.  I used the Martha Stewart Circle
Edge Punch and the Inkadinkado Circle Stamping Gear.

And to make it more fun, I'm entering this card in Our Daily Bread Design's World Card Making Day Celebration.  All you need to do is make a card using any of their stamps and dies, and you're in.  All participants will get a 20% off coupon from the ODBD Store, which is valid the entire World Card Making Month.  Fun, right?





Materials used
cardstock/dp:  leftovers
image/sentiment:  Our Daily Bread Designs, Inkadinkado
ink:  Stampin' Up, Tsukineko
tools:  Martha Stewart, Inkadinkado, Spellbinders, Unity Bow Maker
embellishments:  rhinestones, ribbon
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape


Click HERE to join Our Daily Bread Design's World Card Making Day Celebration.

'Til next blog!

Sunday, October 6

WCMD Day 6

I can say that EK Success leads the way in edge punches.  Aside from their own line, they also make punches for Martha Stewart and Stampin' Up.  For a certain period of time, EK Success released matching corner punches with some of their edge punches, like Martha Stewart.  But even though the design is the same, it's not as user friendly as the Martha Stewart Around the Corner line.  There are no instructions anywhere that tells of the paper measurements for the edge punch and corner punch to work together.  A perfect example is the Round Binding Edge Edger Punch.  I was lucky to find the matching corner punch for this particular design, but then I learned that the paper measurements is not the same as the Martha Stewart's, which is 3.25, 5, 6.75, 8.5, and so on.

So I decided to find the measurements for this particular punch set myself.  And I'm sharing it right now, so whoever has these two punches will hopefully enjoy them more.

For the Round Binding Edge Edger Punch and matching Corner Punch, you need to cut squares and/or rectangles with these measurements:
  • 3.25
  • 3 9/16
  • 3 15/16
  • 5
  • 5 11/16
That's as far as I went.  I don't need to make bigger sizes for cards anyway.

While I was in the process of figuring these measurements out, I ended up with a bunch of rectangles cut with the round Binding Edge punch.  I used them to make this card:




Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  leftovers
image/sentiment: RAKed
ink:  Copic
tools:  EK Success, Stampin' Up, Spellbinders
embellishments:  buttons, bauble
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape


 'Til next blog!

Saturday, October 5

WCMD Day 5

I have a love-hate relationship with my Cricut machine.  I like the fact that I can cut any shape I want for any project I have, especially the ones in bigger quantities.  During those times, I'm glad and thankful that I have the CE.  But I have such a small craft room that I don't have space for my CE to just be laying there and available anytime I need it.  And that's the reason why I don't use my CE as often as I should.  And that's the part I hate.

Anyway, this card has a cut piece from Cricut.  The edge punch and Spellbinders die I used went really well with the purple base.  And guess what?  My card has a bow too!  Woot!


 
Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  leftovers
image/sentiment:  Cloud 9 Designs
ink:  Tsukineko
tools:  Cricut, Spellbinders, EK Success, Unity Bow Maker
embellishments:  flower, ribbon
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape


Have a great weekend, crafty reader!  'Til next blog!

Friday, October 4

WCMD Day 4

Last year, I made a card for Unity's World Card Making Day challenge (click here to see).  For some reason, I made another base to use in the future, only this one had a hole in the front.  So I decided to make a card with this base for today.  Looking through my leftover materials stash, I was able to make this card:





Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  leftovers
image/sentiment:  Inkadinkado
ink:  Tsukineko
tools:  Spellbinders
embellishments:  spiral paper clip, pearl accents, rhinestones
misc.:  Inkadinkado embossing powder
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape


'Til next blog!

Thursday, October 3

WCMD Day 3

I made a card with Kanzashi Flower a couple of years ago (click here to see).  And as usual, I kept the extra flowers.  Wow, it's been that long?  The flower in this card is 2 years old!




Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  leftovers
image/sentiment:  RAKed
tools:  EK Success, Martha Stewar, Ranger distressing tool
embellishments:  button
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape


'Til next blog!

Wednesday, October 2

WCMD Day 2

I haven't had the chance to use those decorative tapes.  Yeah, the washi tapes, and some other kinds.  I have acquired some rolls, but they've been in hiding.  So for today's card, I made sure to use them.



Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  DCWV, leftovers
image/sentiment:  RAKed
ink:  Copic, Ranger
tools:  Spellbinders
embellishments:  washi tape, fabric tape, rhinestones, ribbon
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape

'Til next blog!

Tuesday, October 1

World Card Making Day

Since I started  blogging, I have always celebrated National Craft Month, Scrapbooking Month and World Card Making Month.  But I've been slacking for the past few years due to real life stuff.  Well, I want to bounce back.  For World Card Making month, I want to create a card a day.  It doesn't have to be extravagant.  No work or real life happenings will get in the way.  As long as it's a card a day. 

Well, since it is World Card Making Month, you might want to check out your favorite craft stores.  I already know a good number of them having special sales starting this weekend in celebration of World Card Making Month.  It's making my birthday month extra special!

Most of the materials for my first card are leftovers from previous projects.  In fact, one of my goals this World Card Making Month is to use up my leftover supplies.  However, the edge punch I used is actually new.  It was a steal at TJ Maxx for only $7 - around the corner punch set by Martha Stewart.  And did you see the ribbon?  I want to overcome my fear of ribbon this month as well.




Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  Chatterbox, leftovers
image/sentiment:  RAKed
tools:  Martha Stewart, Spellbinders, Unity Bow Maker
embellishments:  ribbon
adhesive:  Scotch, Glue Dots, mounting tape



I want to celebrate my birthday month with lots of craftiness.  Here's to us card makers!

'Til next blog!