Scrapping by Design

I made this birthday card using a combination of stamping and a punched shape.

The pink card stock and the paler pink scrapbook paper is stamped Hero Art’s Leaf With Stitching Stamp. I used a pink die ink for a subtle background effect.

The flower is a punched shape, and I have placed a rhinestone in the center.

The Happy Birthday Sentiment is also a stamp.

It’s a simple enough little birthday card and looks better in real life than it appears on screen.

Valentines Day is approaching so I decided to see what a Popup Valentine Ball would be like.

I made these pop-up ball using the Sizzix BIGZ Dies 3D Ball PopUp.

Its cut on the Sizzix 655268 Big Shot Cutting-and-Embossing Roller-Style Machine.

Additionally, you need a Sizzix extended cutting pad to handle the length of the Bigz die.

I made a similar popup ball ornament at Christmas. The video demo is here: Popup Photo Cube Using the Biggz Die.

I decorated this with ruffled lace at the top and bottom. I found it quite challenging to work with the lace as it seemed difficult to get the top and bottom parts of the ball to fit together properly and to “stay stuck”.

Other embellishments are circles punched from a paper doily, a pujchy art flower, and small flowers created with heart shaped punches. I gave the heart shaped flowers a rhinestone center.

I hung the popup Valentine ball ornament with a pink ribbon.

This hand made Valentine card uses Valentine themed scrapbook paper and a paper doily of the kind that you buy in packages at the Dollar Stores.

The stamped image is a lilac by All Night Media.

I stamped it with black pigment ink then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. (The Ek Success EKHG01 Coloriser Heat Tool is getting top rankings. Apparently it has two heat settings. That would sure make it handy for embossing on vellum).

I colored the lilac with Twinkling H2Os.

The image is blocked on red metallic paper.
I added a small gold heart sticker and glued in place a short length of pears.

I have made a few other cards using this design but converted them to a birthday theme.

This hand made I Love You Valentine card is created with a lot of help from the Cricut 29-0001 Personal Electronic Cutting Machine.

I cut the I Heart You shape with the Cricut Font Cartridge, Mini Monogram.

The background is scrapbook paper, but I customized the solid pink paper by stamping with a Hero Arts stamp using a darker shade of pink for the ink.

The inner border is cut with a border punch.

The two hearts at the bottom are cut with the Provo Craft Cricut as well, and the string of pearls is something I found in my stash.

I think this hand made I Love You Valentine is going to go to my granddaughter.

Valentine’s Day is coming fast. I made this toddler’s valentine card using the iris folding technique. It’s in the shape of a train, given that the little boy who will receive the card  is fascinated with trains just now. I’ve used bright, primary colors, since those are the colors that appeal to young children.

If you haven’t done iris folding before, there is an Iris Folding Video Demon at this link.

The word “Valentine” is created with alphabet stickers, as is the XO at the bottom.

I have given the big wheel some dimension by attaching it with a pop dot.

The tiny hearts are made with a craft punch.  I have added glitter by placing small dots of red Stickles Glitter Glue here and there. Stickles Glitter Glue is available at Joann.com and elsewhere.

Inside this toddler’s Valentine card, I have placed the cutout shape of the train, created when I made the iris folding cut. I have decorated it a little bit.

The hand made Smiley Owl Valentine card that I posted about a couple of days ago is online at Associated Content. Anyone interested in the complete instructions for making this card will find them there.

The link is: Make a Hand Made Smiley Owl Valentine.

Some days I just have to experiment. This altered art item is made from altered cookware packaging. From time to time I like to dabble in mixed media art using ephemera and found objects.

It all started when a friend gave me a box of cookware as a birthday gift.  When I unpacked the pots and pans, I discovered that each item was packaged with an unusually shaped piece of packaging.

The packaging spoke to me and begged to be turned into something I didn’t know what, at that time — but something.

I also resolved that whatever supplies I used would come from my stash — which is plentiful.

The finished project is shown above. I decided it was a wall hanging, although if laid flat on a table, it could be a functional holder for potpourri, candy, a candle, a flower pot, etc.

Here is the video demonstration showing what I did:

The supplies I used were Luminiere paint (Halo Blue Gold), a birthday card used for the images,  silver metallic ribbon and small, white artificial flowers. I decoupaged with Mod Podge and used Zip Dry to attach the metallic ribbon.

I have some more pieces of this packaging material. Some day soon they will become another item of altered art. I’m not sure what, but somehow I’m seeing a big sunflower in my mind.

I made this stamped Owl Valentine Card for the young boys on my list.

The owl stamp is by Inkadinkadoo Stamps.  I stamped it on a purchased scalloped circle, using brown dye ink

I used Fun Flock to add color to the hearts. I used red fun flock and a beige color.

Next, I cut a slightly larger scalloped circle using Nestabilities Scalloped Circle dies and the Big Shot.

The card is a reddish pink card stock, with layering created with colored scrapbook papers.

The word smile is cut with the Cricut 29-0001 Personal Electronic Cutting Machine, using the Cricut Font Cartridge, Mini Monogram.

I added some beige Fun Flock to the letters as well.

It’s quite a cute little Owl Valentine, I think. In real life, it is less pink than it appears in this picture.

One of the creative women in my CST email group sent me a card that was enclosed in an envelope made from a recycled calendar page. She used labels for the “from” and “to” information, since writing on this envelope was not possible.

I was impressed. So much so that I began using my old calendars to make envelopes. Here are the advantages, as I see them.

• Envelopes made from recycled calendar pages are “green” or good for the environment.
• The envelopes are cheaper, almost free. The cost of the glue is the only expenditure.
• The envelopes are a somewhat stiffer paper than most envelopes, so it gives added protection to delicate cards and embellishments.
• It’s easy to make an envelope that fits every card you create, since each envelope is custom created for the card you are planning on mailing.
• The envelopes are colorful, eye catching and attractive.

Here is a video showing how to make the envelopes — although I suspect most crafters need no instruction in this type of project.

One viewer left a message asking if I have a tutorial for the card that I show in the video.

I do not — but the card contains a shaker box. I have a tutorial explaining how to make a shaker box. It is at this link:  How to Make a Shaker Box

Re the envelopes made from recycled calendar pages, obviously, you could use any suitable paper — magazine pages, junk mail, etc.

I have a great tip regarding Sakura Quickie Glue pens.

First, let me say that I love these glue pens. They’re good for so many things. I use them for applying products like glitter and Fun Flock and more.

However, I have had a wretched problem with the pens drying out. It seemed that every time I wanted to use my glue pen, I would have to toss out the old one and make a run to the craft store for a replacement. It was getting frustrating.

I posted a question to my email craft group, Canada Stamp Talk, and sure enough, one of the talented members gave me the solution.

She advised me to dip the end of the pen in melted candle wax after using. Then, store the pen upright in a glass or jar, with the tip end pointing down.

Apparently the same idea works for white gel pens. I have the same problem with them drying out — and I like white gel pens quite a bit as well.

This sounds like a wonderful solution for both the Sakura Quickie Glue Pens and the white gel pens. Thanks,  Canada Stamp Talk