First Project of the New Year! Welcom 2015!

Happy New Year Everyone! Welcome 2015! So long 2014!

Every new year I set a goal or "resolution." This year I just want to be healthier and continue to be crafty. I hope to post at least once a week some of the different projects I've been working on.

So....here goes....

My first project for 2015 is an altered cabinet. I purchased the unfinished cabinet from my local Goodwill.

I figured it would be perfect altered with Graphic 45's French Country paper collection.

I started by taking apart the cabinet by removing all the hardware. I then painted all of the wood with black acrylic paint.

Next I measured all the sides and pieces of the cabinet. The height of the cabinet is taller than the paper in the 12x12" G45 French Country collection. So for the longer sides I used a piece of the rooster and hen border to cover the seams between paper strips.

Once I had finished cutting and laying out all of the pieces of paper I wanted to use, I distressed the edges with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain ink. I used Mod Podge for furniture to adhere the paper to the painted cabinet. Using a plastic putty knife I pressed out the extra glue and any air bubbles.

I covered the doors as well. The larger square door was easier than the smaller heart doors. I used an x-acto knife to trim out the heart openings.

Once all the paper was adhered, I let it dry for about 2 hours. After which I covered every edge with the Mod Podge to seal it. I waited another 2 hours before installing the hardware to the doors.

I really like the wired piece that came with the cabinet and tacked it back to the larger square door.

Next I adhered pieces of paper to the backside of the cabinet to enclose the shelf. I did this to both the top and bottom portion of the cabinet.

Then using a cereal box I created a back to the cabinet using black cardstock.


My next step is to create altered pieces to place in the cabinet. I'm so excited to have finished this cabinet as it has been sitting in my "To Do" bin for a few months.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my first project for the 2015 year.

#Graphic45, #G45, #French Country

Steampunk Banner Using G45 and the Cricut

Good Morning Everyone,

Above is the Steampunk Version of a Halloween banner I saw on Xyron's Facebook page a few weeks ago. I love the original banner. So I decided to first make my own Halloween version then I decided to create a Steampunk version. I used paper from Graphic 45's Steampunk Debutante collection along with cardstock from Core'dinations. The keys and hot air balloon are from the Victorian Romance Cricut Cartridge.

The quote is from Edger Allen Poe; one of my favorite authors.

Here is a picture of the original banner I saw on Facebook.

I thought it was very cute, and something I could create with my Cricut and the Happy Hauntings cartridge. So here is a picture of my version of the Halloween banner.

I used paper from Die Cuts with a View and various embellishments I had in my brad and rub-on drawers. The pattern papers are inked with Walnut Stain Distress ink by Tim Holtz.

I hope you find this inspiring and create your own version of the banner.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sassy Studio Designs Challege for September 13th 2012

Good Afternoon Everyone!

I'm very excited to submit my first entry in the Sassy Studio Designs Challenges. This week was a sketch challenge.

Here is a picture of the sketch:

Here is my take on the sketch:

I decided to use the SSD Steampunk Vivian image. I used paper from Graphic 45's Steampunk Debutante, Core'dinations Vintage Collection, Copic Markers and Dew Drops. The card measures 5.25 square and is distressed with Tim Holtz Tea Dyed ink.

I hope you like it. Please leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by!

G45 Botanicabella Altered Notebook

I absolutely adore Graphic 45 paper! I recently found a few sheets from the Botanicabella Collection in my paper stash. I decided to create an altered notebook with the pages that I had.

Here is a picture of the completed notebook cover.

Supplies used in this project:

• (2)-12x12 sheets of Graphic 45's Botanicabella Collection Botanicabella #4500045
• (1)-12x12 sheet of Graphic 45's Botanicabella Collection Ode to a Butterfly #4500053
• Golden yellow cardstock 
• (1) 8.5x11" shimmery white cardstock
• Composition Notebook
• Adhesive for book making and paper ( I used Glue Arts High Tac and Perma Tac)
• 1/8" pop dots
• sharp scissors
• Wild Honey Tim Holtz Distress Ink
• Ink distressing tool
• Red gems in 2 sizes
• scotch tape
• metallic thread
• Heritage Corner punch from Fiskers
• Zots for Bling
• craft knife
• bone folder
• ruler
• other embellishments

 Directions-

-Using High Tac or other book making adhesive (Mod Podge for example), outline the edges of the cover of the Composition notebook. NOTE: Do not cover the black spine with adhesive.

-Center one (1) sheet of the Botanicabella 12x12 paper over the adhesive so that the edge abuts the black spine so that the red with gold design is facing up.


-Smooth paper down on the top of the notebook

-Trim the over hang along the width of the notebook leaving about 1" on paper past the edge of the cover.

-Take the bone folder and placing the notebook on it's cover run the bone folder around the edge of the cover. This creates a crease line-making the next step so much easier. 

-Fold the paper over the edge of the cover on one of the short sides and the long side. Place the ruler on an angle that connects the inner and outer corner of the folded paper. Using the craft knife cut along the edge of the ruler. Be careful not to cut through the cover. Remove extra paper and adhere the flaps to the cover. Repeat process on the other corner.

-Repeat this entire process for the back cover using the second piece of Botanicabella.

-Cut two pieces of golden yellow cardstock to fit within the cover of the notebook (if using a smaller or larger notebook than the standard composition notebook, cut the cardstock so that it rests 1/8" in from the long and short sides of the cover.) These inside pieces measure 9.5x6.75"

-Using the Wild Honey distress ink ink the golden yellow cardstock around the edges and adhere to the inside of the back cover.

-Create a pocket on the liner for the cover by placing the back side of Ode to a Butterfly on an angle across the liner. Using the corner covering process from above to adhere the pocket to the liner. Using scraps from the Botanicabella cardstock cut a strip of butterflies and adhere as a pocket edge and wrap around the back of the liner.

-Adhere liner to the inside of the front cover.

-Cut a piece of the the white shimmery cardstock to 3.5x5" Using the Heritage punch, cut all four corners of the cardstock

-Distress with Wild Honey ink and apply title (I used a "Dream" rub-on)

-Thread clock face embellishment (or embellishment of choice) on to the metallic thread. Using the cheater method attach the thread to the title block.

-From the paper scraps of the Botanicabella paper cut out seven butterflies. Create dementional butterflies by using pop dots to layer two of the butterflies together. Adhere two of the butterflies to the front cover around the title.

-Attach one to the center of the pocket liner on the inside cover. Attach the last butterfly (flat) to the top right corner of the cover liner.

Attach the red gems to the bottom of the front cover as pictured.

A Steampunk Morning

Good Morning!

It's finally Friday here in New Hampshire. I woke up this morning wanting to watch Return to Oz. If you  haven't seen this movie you should. It's a great 'what-if' movie. Anyway...

Last night was a great night at the Steamy Swan Society's first movie night event. We screened League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The event was a hit! We had about twenty-five plus people and plenty of goodies including popcorn (a movie staple), warm brownies, cookies, soda, and mini pies. As a group, we look forward to having more events like this in the future. We are currently working on a Masquerade Ball, Victorian Tea, and a Murder Mystery Theater.

I'm so happy to find people in my area that are into the culture/genre that is Steampunk. So this post has some of my recent projects that incorporate aspects of the Steampunk world.

Steampunk is basically a what-if scenario. What if technology didn't progress the way it did? What-if everything was still powered by steam? This genre takes on properties of popular fiction during the mid 1800's through about 1910's. Julies Vern for example.

3D Mandala using Assorted papers and Embellishments

A paper pin for the Mystery Murder Event

A card for a time traveler (i.e. Birthday)

Love Graphic 45 paper

  Thanks for stopping by and reading. Have a great day!

Technique #1- 3 Tier Stamping

3 tier stamping is a fun and easy way to create a layered card or background for a scrapbook page. This technique uses three layers of paper that gradually shrink in size. When stamped this layering creates a cascading effect with the stamped image. When practicing this technique, it is easier to use a stamp that has a flourish image.

You can find a printable version of these directions here.

Materials-
-(1) 8 1/2x11" piece of white cardstock
-(1) 8 1/2x11" piece of colored cardstock
-(1) stamp with a flourish
-(1) card base of 8x5 1/2" folded in half
-ink in your choice of color (chose an ink that won't run when using the distressing ink like Memento)

-distressing ink a coordinating color to the ink used to stamp the flourish-this should be lighter than the stamping ink
-distress ink applicator
-ashesieve
-1/8' pop dots
-fibers or ribbon for embellishment

Directions-
-Cut the colored cardstock into three pieces measuring (1) 3 3/4x5 1/4, (2) 2 3/4x4 1/4, and (3) 1 3/4x 3 1/4"
-Cut the white cardstock into three pieces measuring (1) 4x5 1/2", (2) 3x4 1/2", and (3) 2x3 1/2"
-Using a small piece of adhesive, layer the three white pieces of cardstock so that the smallest piece is on top (You may have to dull the hold of the adhesive by pressing and lifting your finger off of it)
-Ink up the stamp using selected color
-Stamp randomly across the three layers of white cardstock making sure the flourish overlaps the layers of paper.
-Continue inking and stamping (for this size card about 3-4 times)
- Peel the three layers apart and apply distress ink using applicator tool.
-Adhere the stamped pieces to their coordinating sized background paper.

IMPORTANT- Check your stamped images to make sure they are going the right way and mimic the stamp image across the layers.


-Adhere the top and middle layer together by centering the top layer over the middle.
-Wrap ribbon or fibers to embellish around the top and middle layer.
-Use pop dots to adhere top two layers to bottom layer.
-Adhere bottom layer to card base and enjoy. 

Steampunk Altered Art Shadow Coffin

Good Afternoon Everyone!

It's sunny and hot here in New Hampshire USA. Laundry is drying in the sun and I have finished another Steampunk themed project. I bought the coffin at Michael's and the paper from Stamping Memories in Belmont NH.

This item is available on ebay

Front of the outside-

 Inside the coffin-

The pattern paper is from the Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante collection. I used some of Tim Holtz's Wild Honey distress ink around the edges of the paper.

I used denominational foam under the flowers in the left side of the coffin and the corset on the right side.

The charms are jewelry pieces in my collection of embellishments. The loop opens to add more charms or to change the assortment. I spray painted the gears using Krylon paints.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Entry for Core'dination Online Crop Challenge #3- Antiquing

Two and a half hours to go!

So on with the show....

Challenge #3- Char-Antiquing

I decided to use papers from the Chocolate Box with Graphic 45 Steampunk paper to create layouts of one of the costumes I created.  Here is the final layout. It is a two page spread.

I cut and antiqued the banner pieces that rest under the Graphic 45 paper on both pages.

I also antiqued the photo mounts. Then ripped them around the pictures.The gears are cut using the Indie Art cartridge for the Cricut. I also used real gears that I got at Lowe's.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!