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Welcome! This is the place where I share my artsy and crafty projects. I am an evolving artist these days ... finding myself enjoying less of the cards and mini albums that I have made for years, and turning to art journaling and more artistic endeavors. I have always enjoyed some craft or other, and some of my earliest memories of my mother helping me make paper dolls and other crafts. I am now in my 60's and finding myself more passionately enjoying creating beautiful things and learning new skills and techniques and products.

While you are here I hope you will find inspiration and ideas for making your own projects, however any images or projects you find here are my personal property and should not be used for your own monetary gain, or for contests or challenges. Thank You!

2/25/2013

The Kraft Journal - Use Any Sketch!

This week's challenge for The Kraft Journal is to use any sketch you choose to create a project using either Kraft Paper, or any or the great products available from Kraft Outlet.  For my sketch I went to one of my 'Go To' sketch challenges, and the 'home' of my very first design team position, Unscripted Sketches.  The sketch I chose is 'Sketch 189 + a Piggyback', and I always loved doing the piggyback challenges, so that was fun too!  Here is the sketch I followed ...




The Piggyback part of this sketch was doing something special with the circle, like layering, inking, making it a focal point, etc.  So I chose to make it the focal point by using a vintage image I found online.  I also layered it with some coordinating card stock and popped it up with some foam dots.  Here is the card that I created based on the sketch ...




And here are the details ...

Supplies:


Tools:
  • Cuttlebug and Classic Circles Small and Scalloped Circles Small Spellbinders Dies
  • EK Success Medium Corner Rounding Punch
  • Marttha Stewart / EK Success Paper Trimmer
  • Martha Stewart / EK Success Mini Scoring Tool
  • Scissors, Ruler, Kraft Knife

This is a great card, very easy and you could easily make a bunch by this sketch to have on hand.  Thanks for stopping by!  Blessings


2/18/2013

The Kraft Journal ... White on Kraft


Monday is always a creatively inspirational day at The Kraft Journal, and this Monday is no different!  Our challenge this week is 'White on Kraft' and there are so many different ways to take on that challenge!  I decided to kick a plain brown paper bag up a few notches and make it frilly and girly and pretty ... so please tell me what you think ...




Is that girly and blingy enough for you?  Don't see any kraft?  Well,  here's another view so you can see some kraft ...





A cute, girly gift bag, perfect for a small gift or a gift card!  This was very easy to make, but took a little bit of planning and prep before starting.  Let's go through the steps:

1 - Leaving the bag flat (unopened) take on strip of eyelet lace @ 3 1/2" long and place it so that the bottom of the lace is at the bottom of the bag.  Draw a pencil line where the top of the lace will be.

2 - Using a ruler, move up toward the top of the bag in 3/8" increments, drawing a pencil line up to about 2" from the top of the bag.

3 - Using a double sided adhesive (Inkssentials 'Wonder Tape, Scor-Tape, Glue Arts Ribbon Adhesive, etc.) put a line of the adhesive 3 1/2" long just under each pencil line on the bag.








4 - One at a time, remove the liner from the tape and add a strip of lace cut at about 3 1/2". 

5 - Fold over the top of the bag so that the serrated edge is just above your top row of lace.

6 - Mark another pencil line just below where you need your top row of lace to go so that it layers over the top row on the base of the bag. 

7 - Add the adhesive and lace.  The lace should be facing 'up' on the top of the bag so that when you fold it over it will fit just right with the rows of lace on the body of the bag.






8 - With the top of the bag folded down, punch two holes through all layers, about 3/4" from each edge.

9 - Run a pretty ribbon through the two holds, the ends falling over the lacy side, and tie into a pretty bow.  (About 12 to 16" of ribbon)

10 - Add a few blingy flowers to the lace and to the center of the bow.

And there you have a lovely and unique gift bag.  Here are some more details ...


Supplies:

  • Small Kraft Paper Sack
  • White Cotton Eyelet Lace (See note below)
  • Deep Pink Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon
  • Inkssentials 'Wonder' Tape
  • Petaloo Flora Doodle Mini Jeweled Paper Flowers
  • Glue Arts Mini Adhesive Squares (To adhere flowers)




Tools:
  • Ruler, Scissors, Pencil

Note:  Due to budgetary restrictions, I often look in unusual places for crafting supplies.  The white eyelet lace came from an old fabric store out in the middle of the country about 30 minutes from my home where they have lots of older styles of laces and trims at a really good price.  The grosgrain ribbon came from an Ebay purchase that was a great deal!  There were no manufacturer labels on either.  Please don't be afraid to shop around for your products!

And there are your instructions on how to make a gorgeous, girly and blingy gift bag from simple supplies!  Thanks so much for visiting today, and Blessings,


2/13/2013

The Kraft Journal ... Watch Us Wednesday Tutorial

Hi there!  Today is my day for the 'Watch Us Wednesday' tutorial over at The Kraft Journal, and since tomorrow is Valentines Day I chose to make a super cute, and surprisingly easy mini album that fits inside a small heart shaped candy box.  Here are a few pictures ...




 The picture above is of the candy box ... it holds three pieces of wonderful chocolate ... I threw out the brown liner, and kept the white 'honeycomb' liner to use as a template for cutting the pieces for the accordion mini album.















So, now that you've seen a few sneak peeks, run right over to the blog The Kraft Journal, and find out all about how you can make one for yourself!  And hey!  Have a wonderful Valentines Day!!!  Blessings,


2/04/2013

The Kraft Journal #107 "Seeing Red"

This week's theme at The Kraft Journal is 'Seeing Red', and as we're almost to Valentines Day, that would be an appropriate enough theme ... don't you think?  So for our challenge this week I made a very cute, and quite 'in your face' tag with lots of red!  Here's what I made ...




Here are the details ...

Supplies:
  • Large Kraft Shipping Tag - Kraft Outlet
  • Crepe Paper - Walmart
  • Patterned Paper - Crate Paper
  • Sentiment Sticker - SRM Stickers
  • Ribbon - JoAnne's Ribbon (local store)
  • Brad - Epiphany Crafts Round 14 Brad and Bubble Cap
  • Needle and thread - my stash



Tools:

  • Cricut Expression and Plantin Schoolbook cartridge
  • Scissors, pinking shears
  • Epiphany Crafts Round 14 Tool




To make the flower:  Cut a length of crepe paper streamer to about 18 - 24" long.  Using a needle and craft thread, baste along one side, about 1/4" from the edge, making about 1/4" long stitches, pulling tight every few inches.  At the end, tie in a large knot, then cover it with a drop of glue to keep it from pulling out.  Then, using a circle of scrap card stock, glue the crepe paper in a spiral, in toward the center.  Add an embellishment to the center ... it could be a sentiment like I used, or it could be a button, flower or other embellishment.

Thanks so much for joining us today!  Come back soon for another project.  Blessings,