Spellbinders™ Spring Blog Hop and Giveaway Day 2

Greetings blog friends!  Happy May Day!

This contest is now closed. Please visit the Spellbinders Blog to see the remaining open contests! Thank you!

Welcome to DAY 2 of Spellbinders Spring Blog Hop and Giveaway!

Since today is May Day, I have some little May baskets to share with you!

I created the patterned paper for each basket using a Letter Press technique with Spellbinders™ Grand Impressabilities. The baskets were cut with the Square Petal Top Box die template only I curled the petals open. I added a handle and a cute tag. Believe it or not, these are quite easy!

Supply List:

•       Spellbinders GI-005 Flower Delight

•       Spellbinders LF-012 Square Petal Top Box

•       Spellbinders S4-191 Dahlia #2,3

•       Spellbinders LF-127 Grand Scalloped Squares #6

•       Clearsnap Colorbox Inks – pink, mint, heliotrope

•       JustRite You Inspire Me

•       Scor-Pal Scor-Tape – ½”

•       Buttons Galore & More – white, pink buttons

•       Xyron Permanent Adhesive

•       Ribbon – mint, pink, purple

•       Pearl cotton – white

•       Purple Buttons

•       Glue Dots

•       White cardstock and text paper

•       Black ink

•       Yellow tissue Paper

•       Magnet sheets

•       Viola plants or candy

First of all, I’ll show you how to make the letter press paper that I used for each of the baskets. I chose to do 3 colors and mix and match the handles, tags and base of my baskets. Each basket, including base box, handle and tag require just one 8 ½ x 11” piece of cardstock and a sheet of text or printer paper which is optional.

We’ll start with Grand Impressabilities Flower Delight, 2 magnet sheets, Colorbox Petal Point Enchantment ink and re-inkers for the pink, heliotrope, and mint plus white cardstock and text weight paper (printer paper).

I cover my work surface with plain newsprint. On that I place the 2 magnet sheets one on top of the other face up. These will hold the Grand Impressabilities in place while I ink it. I discovered 2 magnets are much stronger than one and really hold my paper and Grand Impressabilities together tightly! Next, I place a piece of cardstock (or text weight paper ) on top of the magnet. The Flower Delight Grand Impressabilities lies on top of the paper.

The magnet holds the Grand Impressabilities tightly in place so the paper under it will have a stenciled pattern of the Flower Delight. I dab the ink over the Grand Impressabilities using one of the Colorbox Petal Point inks. I use a twisting motion as well to work the ink into the small spaces of the flower centers. The goal is to ink the Grand Impressabilities! The stenciled sheet is a bonus!

In this photo, you can see the inked Flower Delight Impressabilities as well as the stenciled paper that was under it. A bonus sheet for another project! After it’s all inked, I place it on the Grand Calibur base plate with a sheet of newsprint over my base plate (under the Impressabilities) to catch any excess ink and keep my base plate clean. Next step is to carefully lay a piece of white cardstock over the Impressabilities. Once it’s in place, I hold it in place with one hand while I lay the embossing mat over it. Place the pink embossing plate on top. Hold the sandwich snuggly together and run it through the Grand Calibur™ machine.

The letter pressed sheet! The inked pattern is crisp and embossed! The actual inking of the Grand Impressabilities takes a little time, but the whole letter press process is really quite easy! Because I used a pigment ink, the Grand Impressabilities still has enough ink for a second generation print. The second time I use text weight paper which is on the inside of my baskets. Repeat the sandwich layers - base plate, newsprint, Grand Impressabilities, text weight paper, embossing mat and pink plate. Run it through the Grand Calibur machine.

The result will be a very pastel letter press sheet. I used my Xyron with Permanent adhesive to fasten the text weight paper to the back of the letter press cardstock sheet. I was able to easily cut both layers with the Petal Top Box die template and the Grand Calibur machine for my baskets.

Now we’re ready to make a basket!

These are the die templates for the basket and tag: Square Petal Top Box & Dahlia

 First, cut the Petal Top Box on the dark side of the letter press paper with text paper backing.

(I forgot to take a photo of this step earlier so this photo shows a stencil pattern paper rather than the letter press paper.)

By laying the Petal Top Box die template very close to one end, there will be enough paper leftover for the handles and tag. Cut but do not emboss the Petal Top Box!

I chose not to emboss the box template with the Grand Calibur machine because I didn’t want the emboss line across the petals. Instead, I scored the lines for folding with my Scor-Pal and stylus. No score lines across the petals!

Make all the folds. Before assembly, curl the petal edges by rolling the paper over a round pencil. Use 1/2” Scor-Tape to fasten the box together.

Cut 2 – 1 x 7 ½” strips from the leftover paper to make the handle. I used ½” Scor-Tape™ to fasten the ends together with about a 2” lap to form a 1 x 13” strip. I added 2 strips of Scor-Tape at each end of the handle to fasten it inside the basket.

For the tag, cut Dahlia #2 out of the letter press leftovers. Stamp the verse on a scrap of white cardstock with black ink. Then align the Dahlia #1 die template around the verse, tape in place, and cut. Fasten them together and punch a 1/8” hole at the top. Use Pearl Cotton to tie tag to the basket handle.

Tie a ribbon bow around the basket handle near the tag.

Thread pearl cotton in 4 buttons. Fasten one to each side of basket edges.

Voila! A basket!!

The finishing touch is tissue cut with a scalloped edge. I used Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Squares #6 to cut 6 pieces at the same time! I used 2 sheets in each basket.

These baskets can easily be filled with candies, a tiny gift or a tiny plant. I chose tiny Violas to fill each of my baskets. I tucked 2 plants into a Styrofoam cup that I had trimmed short. The tissue paper hides the cups. The little flowers are so cute peaking around the tags and handles!!!

The Spellbinders™ Spring Blog Hop will begin April 30th, and will end on May 5th, 2012. It consists of 16 individual and one grand prize drawings.  Enter the Spellbinders™ Spring Blog Hop by visiting the participating blogs each day.

From each Blog Hop post, click on the Blog Hop "Enter HERE" at the end of each blog to open the entry form. You may only enter once from each blog each day.

Spellbinders™ will randomly draw one winner from each participating blog to receive all of that day’s products. The Grand Prize Winner will be randomly drawn from the pool of entrants that sent entry forms from each and every participating blog during the 48 hours each blog was open. For the full list of official rules please click RULES.

**Enter the Contest by Clicking Here**

I hope you enjoyed your visit today!  Why not give this Letter Press technique a try!!!  This technique can be used on all the Impressabilities.   Feel free to contact me with any questions.

For even more inspiration, hop over to Iwona’s blog .  I know she’ll have something wonderful to share!

Here’s a list of all the participating designers and their blog links:

Monday, April 30th

Darsie Bruno

Debbie Seyer

Lesley Langdon

Tuesday, May 1st

Judy Hayes – You are here!

Iwona Palamountain

Wednesday, May 2nd

Beate Johns

Christine Emberson

Windy Robinson

Thursday, May 3rd

Yvonnne Van de Grijp

Tina McDonald

Heidi Van Laar

Friday, May 4th

Teresa Horner

Michelle Woerner

Saturday, May 5th

Linda Lucas

Angela Ploegman

Theresa Momber

 

Questions?  ContestQuestions@Spellbinders.us 

No entries will be accepted at this email address.

Spellbinders Spring Blog Hop

Spellbinders Spring Blog Hop started today!!! There's a giveaway, too!!!

It's a great opportunity to see projects created by the new Spellbinders Design Team members! And, of course, catch up with a few of us repeat members!  I'll be posting a project tomorrow.  Stop back to learn and be inspired!

Today's featured designers are:
Darsie Bruno
Lesley Langdon
Debbie Seyer

My Blue Green Goddess

No more Splendid Circles today!!!  Hope you enjoyed the different ways to use them!

I have a totally different project to share today!!!!  I've been waiting to share this project!

I created this goddess for CHA using Julianna Hudgins' Jewel Goddess die template by Spellbinders. This was a work of joy!  Totally fun for me to work with fabric and Spellbinders die templates!!!

I cut this goddess on the diagonal from natural canvas. Cutting it on the diagonal helps the shape be more curvy!  If it was cut on the straight grain, it would be more flat even when stuffed.
I coated the canvas with white Gesso.  That stiffened the fabric and made a good base for my color.  It also prevents the edges from fraying.

The color is many layers of Cosmic Shimmer watercolors (Lavender Shine, Holly Leaf) painted on plus Bronze Blush Shimmer Mist. The swirls were created with Cosmic Shimmer drawing ink. I sprayed it all with a clear sealer when I was happy with color.  Because all the colors are water based, any moisture could make them run if they weren't sealed! 
Love this color combination!  Believe me I had no intention of addinng the green netting when I started.  That is not a favorite color of mine.  It just turned out that I had that color netting!  It worked!

I added the ribbon loops and netting to the front and back before I put the goddess together. I gathered the netting and sewed it on top of the goddess.  The ribbon is one continuous piece that I looped and sewed in place over the netting.  Oh, I colored the silk ribbon (from Creative Impressions), too!!! It matches that way!

I added the gold trim after the goddess was completely together. All pieces were cut from Spellbinders Precious Metals Premium Craft Foil.  The two anchor pieces at the top edges of the skirt are the corner piece in Persian Accents.  I trimmed off one of the elements on each edge.  Those little pieces are what's along the ribbon. (I cut many more, of course!)  I slid each one under the netting edge, glued in place with Beacon Quick Grip.  The back does not have them!

For the top, I twisted 2 pieces of 24 gauge gold Artistic Wire together.  I shaped it with a loop at the top and curved it to match the goddess top.  The ends (hidden inside) have a loop shape to keep them from pulling out.  After the goddess was completely together, I tied a strip of netting and a piece of ribbon around the loop.  The little gem hanging from the ribbon was cut from gold craft foil, too.  It's a shape from Jewel Goddess.  I added a gold gem to it!  Perfect for a necklace!!!

My next step was to sew her together. I marked the wire placement and stitched just the very top edge together. Then I put the wire in place, adding some Quick Grip glue to the ends to keep them in place. I stitched below the wire to the top of the skirt on each side.  I did not stitch over the wire.  If you look closely you can see a tiny gap in the stitching.

I added all the gems once the assembly was done.  Most are Imaginisce Heat Set Crystals applied with the I-Rock tool.  I filled in with a few other crystals from my stash.  I colored a few of the clear ones with blue and green Copic markers. 

I even made the stand!  Yes, a little obsessed!!!!  It certainly would have been easier to use a wood base but I couldn't find one in any store near me.  This base is made of several layers of foam core cut into circles and glued together.  I filled the edges with light weight spackle.  I painted it with Gesso and colored it Cosmic Shimmer watercolors. It's sprayed with a clear sealer, too.  The post is 2 strips of a twisted wood trim that I had in my stash.  I discovered if I glued it together back to back it created a nice spiral dowel!  I wrapped more of the gold wire from end to end fitting it into the grooves. 

The goddess is stuffed with fiberfill.  She basically just sets on the post.  I added Beacon Fabri-Tac to the post to keep her from coming apart easily.

I hope enjoyed this goddess project!  I sure enjoyed making it!  May it inspire you to try cutting fabric or felt with you Spellbinders!!!!



Happy creating!
-judy

Supplies:

S4-363 Jewel Fantasies
S5-078 Persian Accents
S5-079 Persian Motifs
LF-013 Jewel Goddess
LF-114 Grand Circles
F-012 Precious Metals Premium Craft Foils Assortment
Spellbinders™ Grand Calibur® Machine
Imaginisce, Green, Clear Heat Set Crystals, I-Rock Tool
Cosmic Shimmer, Lavender Shine, Holly Leaf Pearlescent Watercolors, Bronze Blush Shimmer Mist
Creative Impressions, ½" White Silk Ribbon
Artistic Wire, Gold 24 Gauge Wire
Beacon Adhesives, Quick Grip, Fabri-Tac Glue
White Canvas
Blue, Brown Markers
Green Nylon Net
White Fiberfill
White Light Weight Spackle
Clear Matte Sealer
White Foam Core Board
Spiral Wood Trim

Splendid Circles Wedding Card

Another Splendid Circles card.........

........that's a lot more involved than yesterday's card!  Lots of layers and pieces!

Because I thought it would be very hard to describe how to assemble the medallion, I cut another set of the pieces so I could post photos.

The card base is ivory, a square card that's 5 5/8" x 5 5/8".  The next layer is brown pearlescent paper cut with Grand Squares #4.  I cut the circle opening in the center at the same time using Grand Circles #1.  The ivory color around the medallion is the card base showing through the circle cut out.  I also embossed the brown mat with Grand Impressabilities Fancy Flourish.

Now, for the medallion parts!

The 4 gold corner scrolls are cut and embossed from Spellbinders Premium Craft foil.  The die template is from Antique Frame and Accents.

The embossed piece is Labels Twenty-Four cut from paper I sprayed with several colors of Cosmic Shimmer.  I embossed the paper before I cut it out with M-Bossabilities Regal. 

Splendid Circles #4 with #3 in the center was cut and embossed from brown pearlescent paper.  The tiny gold circle was cut and embossed with the two smaller Splendid Circles, #1 & 2, from gold foil.

The 4 pointed star is from Persian Accents and cut and embossed from gold foil.

The two gold pearlescent circles were cut and embossed with Splendid Circles #3.

I forgot to show one piece in this photo.  It's a circle ring cut with Standard Circles LG #6 and Standard Circles SM #5.  It's shown in the next photo.

Here you can see the ring which fits behind the Splendid Circle. If you look at the card you can see the gold showing through the smaller openings.  I glued the ring to the back.

The gold star is glued to the gold ring.  I added a small gold brad in the center.

This next photo shows how I put the gold Splendid Circles behind the Labels Twenty-Four.  I've also fitted the gold corners onto each point.  These 2 pieces just fit together so well!  A little glue holds them in place.

I added the Splendid Circle with 3D Foam Squares.  The gold center is also mounted with 3D Foam squares.

The assembly is pretty easy now that you see how it all fits together, right???  Once the pieces are cut, it doesn't take long to assemble.

The Labels Twenty-Four that was sprayed could be replaced with a pretty foil, a different color of pearlescent paper or even a patterned paper.  It would have a totally different look!  And be quicker to make!



The wedding verse is from a little clear set of stamps by KaiserCraft.  I heat embossed the verse with gold embossing powder. 

Thanks so much for visiting!!!  I hope you enjoyed this card!
Hugs,
-judy

Supplies:

• LF-126 Grand Squares
• S4-114 Standard Circles LG
• S4-354 Splendid Circles
• S4-353 Labels Twenty-Four
• S5-078 Persian Accents
• S5-083 Antique Frame and Accents
• EL-002 Regal
• GI-004 Fancy Flourish
• F-012 Precious Metals Premium Craft Foils Assortment
• Spellbinders™ Grand Calibur® Machine
• Clearsnap, Top Boss Watermark Ink, Smooch Spritz Sea Kiss
• KaiserCraft, CS917 Wedding Mini Clear Stamps
• Cosmic Shimmer, Bronze Blush Shimmer Mist
• Creative Impressions, Antique Copper Mini Brad
• SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L, 3D Foam Squares, Adhesive Sheet

Other supplies: White, Tan Cardstock, Brown, Gold Pearlescent Cardstock, Gold Embossing Powder

Prayer Circles Card

Here's another card featuring Spellbinder Splendid Circles!

This one is just a little bit more work but not much! 

Again, I've cut and embossed the Splendid Circles all at one time.  This time I've used all the die templates.  Then I sanded each piece to reveal the core color of the Echo Park paper.  It accents the embossed areas of the Splendid Circles! 

I threaded a narrow satin ribbon in the biggest circle.  It's not real obvious against the light colored card background.  If you look close you can see it.

I added some tiny pearls around the edges of the small center circle and placed a large pearl in the center.  All the Splendid circles are fastened to the card front nested together.

I embossed this card front with Spellbinders M-Bossabilities Valor.

The last thing I added is the circle verse from JustRite.  (These stamps have been discontinued but hey may still be available in some stamp stores or online.Or maybe you have some in your stash!)  I stamped the verse first and then cut the circles.  I usually do that.  For me, it's easier to align the die templates around the stamped verse.  I mounted it with 3D Foam Squares.

Not so hard, really!!!  The sanding adds a lot of detail especially on the center two circles.

Are you wanting this set of Spellbinders Splendid Circles?  It's a great set! 


Tomorrow, I'll have a more involved card again created with Splendid Circles. Please stop back!
Have a great day!
-judy

Spellbinders Supplies:

S4-114 Standard Circles LG
S4-116 Standard Circles SM
S4-354 Splendid Circles
ES-003 Valor
Spellbinders™ Grand Calibur® Machine
JustRite Stampers, Kaleidoscope Stamps
Want2Scrap, White Pearl Bling
SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L, 3D Foam Squares
Glue Dots, Mini Glue DotsIvory Cardstock; Cobalt Paper; Blue Alcohol Ink; Beige Marker; Ivory ⅛" Satin Ribbon

Birthday Circles Card

Today, I have a fairly quick card to create with Spellbinders™  Splendid Circles! 

The three larger circles were cut and embossed all at one time by nesting the die templates together.  I sanded the paper lightly to highlight the embossed areas.  These circles have such great detail!  They're one of my favorites!

The card front was embossed with a new Spellbinders M-Bossabilitites™ embossing folder.  This pattern is called Elite.  The great thing about these folders is that they emboss 2 different patterns depending on how the folder is folded!  You can see all the different folders on  the Spellbinders website.

To assemble the card, I fastened the circles together with 3D Foam Squares from Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.  Then I wrapped a short piece of the ribbon around the circles and fastened it together on the back.  I tied a separate bow and attached it to circles with a Glue Dot.  Much easier than trying to wrap the ribbon around the circles and then tie the bow!!!

I cut the narrow flag from Spellbinders Nautical Frame and Accents from white card stock.  Then I stamped the birthday verse on it in black ink.  I tied it to the bow with cord.   Finally all is mounted on the card front with 3D Foam Squares under the ribbon and under the verse.

Pretty easy, huh?

For a different look, the Splendid Circles could easily be cut from multiple colors of paper.   Cut 3 sets and mix and match to make 3 coordinating cards!

Happy Creating!
-judy

Supplies:



S5-082 Nautical Frame and Accents

S4-354 Splendid Circles

EL-001 Elite

Spellbinders Grand Calibur® Machine

Echo Park Paper Co, - Summer Days

Glue Dots - Mini Glue Dots

SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L, White 3D Foam Squares

JustRite - Just Because Set

White, Ivory Cardstock

Black Ink

White cord

Aqua Sheer Ribbon

Published in Create: Vintage!!!

I'm so excited to have a project in Create: Vintage published by Northridge Publishing!!!! 

  

It's been quite awhile since this project was selected.  I'd forgotten when it was scheduled to be published.  A few days ago, I came home to find a package with 2 copies of Create: Vintage, my returned project and some goodies!!!  So exciting!!! 

Above is my Vintage Frame as shown in the book. 

.......and here's the frame.   You may remember it as I had it posted on my blog at one time.  I had to take it off once Northridge asked to publish it. 

The image is from Artistic Outpost's Gatesby set of stamps. I stamped it on glossy cardstock so it looks almost like an old photograph.  I added shading with Vintage Photo and Antique Linen inks.

The background piece with lattice edge was cut with Spellbinders Lattice Rectangles.  The paper was a rustic light beige color before I inked it with various Distress inks!!!  I added old buttons, bits and pieces of lace, some pearls, a stick pin with year 1922, and stained fabric roses and seam binding used as ribbon. 

This was a fun piece to put together.  The lattice piece was a cast off from another project!  I just added lots of stuff to it!!!

Thanks so much for stopping!
Hugs to all!
-judy

Floral Burst Card

I wrote this blog post on Friday night.  I thought I had it scheduled to post on Saturday.  Guess not!!! 

This is the card I created for the Fond Memories Spring Workshop! 

 The tan around the edge is just background color. The card is white.
This features one of Spellbinders™ new Cut-Fold-Tuck shapes. These are all amazing! They might look hard but they're really easy!!! This is probably one of the easiest cards I've created for the workshop!!! A change for me!!!
If you'd like to see the other cards, go to the Fond Memories blog. 

Supplies:
Spellbinders™ S5-113 Floral Burst
Penny Black 30-105 Gratitude
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Doodlebug Hello Spring paper
Doodlebug Bakers Twine
Lime green card stock
White card stock

Happy Creating!
Judy

Fond Memories Workshop

A sneak peak .....

Of a card at the Fond Memories workshop on Saturday!
Looking forward to seeing lots of stamping friends!
Happy Creating!
Judy

A Sewing Tag

I put together this sewing tag with bits and pieces that I cut while demoing at CHA.  All these shapes are new Spellbinders die templates layered onto a #8 manilla tag.

The sewing machine and buttons are from a new set by Nina B Designs for Spellbinders™, S5-088 Sewing Elements.  I cut it from scratch art board made by Royal Langenickel.  I sanded the embossed areas to reveal the copper color.  It's perfect for this vintage sewing machine!  The words "Made for You" are cut from the same board.  They are from a new Donna Salazar set called Girlie Grunge Labels, Spellbinders™ S5-084.   Under the sewing machine is a brown scrap of thin wood.  Yes, it's actual wood that's very thin.  I stained it with Distress ink.  I didn't use a die template to cut it, rather it's what was left after I cut notebook edge strip from Becky Fleck's S4-359 Office Supplies set.  The striped piece was cut with a die template from Spellbinders S5-094 Labels and Tags.  The background print shape is a new shape from S5-096 Jar Labels.  Behind that I added a piece of Kraft paper cut with the largest of a new oval set, S4-356 Floral Ovals.   It's one of my favorites of the new shapes!   I stamped the tag with a sewing stamp by Tim Holtz and added Distress inks to the edges.   I tied on some seam binding ( appropriate, huh???) and a scrap of lace fabric.

This was fun to put together!!!  A scrap tag!

Thanks for visiting!

-judy