Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Triple Treat Card Set and UStamp Announcement

My second project has been posted on the I ♥ the Holidays session of UStamp.
I used the single stamp Triple Treat to make this pretty Christmas card set which features weaving, braiding and floating images.  It would make a great technique class.  Info is available HERE.

Even as one great session is winding down designers are working on the next one!

For this one every single current paper from the main catalog and the Holiday Mini will be used including all the cardstocks, DSPs, Simply Scrappin' Kits, and all the basics like watercolor, vellum and glimmer paper.


Early Bird Registration is now open.  Click on the Blinkie below to sign up!

Monday, August 29, 2011

Peekaboo Frame Pop-up Beach Chair Tutorial

As I was experimenting with the new Peekaboo Frames Big Shot die I was happy to discover it could be used to make a pop-up beach chair. It is remarkably easy to make too!
I chose a feminine theme for this retirement card but it with a change of papers and a few modifications it would could be masculine as well. 
I  kept the front very simple by "fussy cutting" the floral image to fit the card and adding the layered sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.

To make the pop up chair portion of the card:
1.  Tape a 2-1/2" X 4" piece of striped DSP on the Peekaboo Frames die.  Carefully line up the stripes.
2. Place it striped side down.
3. Open up the flaps.

4. Bump the two flaps together, lining up the stripes.
5.  Press the loop down.
6. Lightly crease the ends.
7. It will look like this now.
8. Pick it up and fold it in half with the stripes to the inside.
9.  Lightly crease the top of the side pieces.

10.  It will now look like this.
11.  I made little rectangular tubes of DSP to make the pop up.  For the back one score a 1"X 3-1/2" piece, at 1/2, 1-1/2, 2, and 3.   For the seat score a 1" X 1" 2- 1/2" piece at 1/2, 1, 1-1/2 and 2.  Attach these to the underside of the chair sections and adhere to the decorated card.
Below is a close up of the purse and book.  The purse is made with the cupcake punch and the book uses the DSP from the paper stack with the words.
Another view:
As this post is rather long I will post the details of the other Peekaboo Frames projects from the blog hop later in the week.  If you missed the blog hop and are looking for more ideas for the Peekaboo frames you can see this post.  You can still do the blog hop too as all the posts continue to be linked in a circle.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Stampin' Addicts Holiday Mini Blog Hop

Welcome to the Stampin' Addicts 2011 Holiday Mini Blog Hop.  If you have been hopping along in order, you just had the treat of seeing Holly's Stocking Punch projects.  I am so glad I have that punch so I can try Holly's great ideas!

For my projects I am featuring the Peekaboo Frames Bigz XL Big Shot die.  This nifty new die has five mini frames with attached centers that can lifted to reveal what is underneath.  My first project uses it in this traditional manner.
The ghost is hidden under the little lift-the-flap cover.  I printed the white layer with the sentiment and the ghost using My Digital Studio and added the round frame on top.  The ghost is from the Holiday Blitz digital stamp set which comes with the MDS software - no extra download needed!

For my next project I bent the centers backwards so they formed stands for the frames.
Each of these miniature frames now can stand alone and they make a perfect place to show off tiny works of art.  The circle frame art has a background of diluted reinker colors on watercolor paper.  Once it was dry I stamped the "Create" and the tiny little butterfly.  The frame on the right has a medallion design with pearl accents.  The largest frame (still very petite!) has roses made from white taffeta ribbon that I dyed with reinkers and twisted to form the flowers.  See the stem and leaves?  They are outlined with the new Dazzling Details iridescent glitter glue. Really pretty in person!

Next up is another Halloween project- a mini luminary.
This uses two of the scalloped frames.  The centers are bent backwards and scored to form a two-sided luminary.  Vellum cardstock lets the light show through.  The cute pumpkin face and hat are from the Jack Of All Trades stamp set in main catalog and the teeny tiny images are from the new Festive and Fun set in Holiday Mini.  I will have more pictures to explain how this is made on Monday.

And last is a retirement card.  I used the double-windowed die cut to make a pop-up beach chair.
I took the piece and flipped the middle to the outside to make the back and seat.  Then I lightly creased the thin strips to form the arms of the chair.    This one is a bit hard to describe so if you are interested I will have a tutorial on Monday.   The umbrella is made with the pennant and boho blossom punches and the purse is made with the cupcake punch.

EDITED:  The details of the first 3 projects can be found in THIS POST and the pop-up beach chair tutorial can be found HERE.

Now it is time to hop on over to Paula's blog to see her projects featuring the "25 and Counting" stamp set.   Have fun!!





Monday, August 22, 2011

Upcoming Blog Hop and Weekend Happenings

Demonstrators at Stampin' Addicts are busy preparing for this weekend's Holiday Mini Blog Hop.   The new mini catalog is bustin' with incredible new products so you will NOT want to miss this preview.

My projects are not quite done as we have had a busy and VERY fun weekend at our house.  On Saturday we took our 1969 Camaro to the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit.  1.5 million people come to this and over 40,000 cars participate making it the world's largest car event.
We were fortunate to have been guests of a law firm that Tom works with which hosts a party at their office located on Woodward Avenue.  So we had a wonderful place to park and watch the continuous flow of cars cruise by.
You can see a couple of classics behind us.  It was great to hear all the engines as they passed by.
Leah really liked this 1965 Mustang fastback.

Then on Sunday we celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary.  Our anniversary is later in the week but we had all the kids home for the weekend so we went to a favorite place of ours.  It is an old estate turned bed and breakfast with a lovely restaurant.  The boys will be back to college at the end of the week so this is our last weekend together.
We had a super time!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

DSP Holiday Collection

The Ustamp I ♥ The Holidays session is in full swing.  This is the first of my two holiday projects.  If you are looking for tons (40+ to be more exact) of ideas for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas you can click HERE for all the information on how to sign up.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Petite Pocket Star Box Tutorial

Today I have another of my Petite Pocket experiments.  This time a star shaped box- a few snips and extra score lines and you have it!
Here is how to make it:
1. Cut five pieces of DSP 4" x 6".  You only need this portion of the die cut so lay the paper on that section of the die when cutting.
2. Cut through the center of the bottom flap up to the score line.
3. Fold on the score lines- mountain, valley, mountain- as shown.
4. Adhere pieces together side-by-side with the side flaps facing the outside.
5.  Trim the bottom flaps as shown.  Apply sticky strip to the flaps.
6.  Cut a base for the box.  I used the largest flower from the Fun Flowers Die.  Using the five petals as a guide, adhere the upper portion to the base shaping it into a star.
7.  Here is the top view.
As you can see, I have really enjoyed this new die.  Other tutorials for the Petite Pocket can be found HERE.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Petite Pocket Hexagon Boxes with Triangle Box Inserts

OK- I really had fun coming up with this one....  triangle boxes nested inside a hexagon shaped box all made with the Petite Pocket die!!
And also another hexagon box with the tabs folded to the outside.

The directions for making the triangle boxes can be found in yesterday's post HERE.

The hexagon boxes are made like the one in THIS POST with a couple a small changes.  I put the fancy notched flaps at the top instead of the bottom.  On the blue and red box, I folded the flaps to the inside to help hold the triangle boxes in place and on the brown box I folded them to the outside and adhered them down.

Also very important for the blue and red box:  I scored the side flaps 1/4" from the outside edges and folded on that line before adhering the six sections together.  That made the box enough larger so that the triangle boxes fit inside.
These could be filled with treats and it would make a very nice gift.  What a fun way to use a variety of coordinating papers!  I found the triangle boxes work best with the lighter DSP.
Cardstock or DSP works well for the larger box.  The two sided paper is nice when the flaps are folded to the outside.
I used the Petite Pocket as an accent for the coordinating card.  The 3/8" Quilted Satin Early Espresso Ribbon looks great on a masculine card.
I have yet another idea for tomorrow using this die-- so stay tuned!  All my Petite Pocket tutorials can be found HERE.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Petite Pocket Triangle Tutorial and Flap Sided Box

When I discovered the Petite Pocket die could be used to make triangle boxes I was so excited.  These go together so quickly I made a bunch (I have a super cool project with them tomorrow!)
This is the first I have used the Flirtatious Specialty Paper.  Such pretty doily designs!

To make the triangle box:
1. Using the Petite Pocket Die, cut three pieces of DSP.
2. Trim the long flaps to 1-1/2" by lining up the tip of the side flap with the 1-1/2" inch mark on the paper cutter.
3. Fold side flaps in on each piece.
4. Apply sticky strip to the side flaps and adhere all three together side-by-side. (Tip- Keep sticky strip close to the fold.)
5.  Cut the top and bottom flaps on an angle as shown. 
6. Adhere the sides together to form a triangle shaped tube.
7. Fold the bottom flaps in and adhere.  After filling box, adhere top flaps with temporary adhesive.

Another Idea!
This is a four sided box where the "fancy" flap is folded to the outside. The bottom flaps where cut at 2".  Refer to step #2 above and line the tip at 2" instead of 1-1/2".

I am on a roll and will have more Petite Pocket Projects tomorrow!  You can see all my Petite Pocket tutorials HERE.