Friday, September 28, 2012

Happy Summer Days Layout

 
Hi everyone, today I wanted to share with you one of my recent layouts.  I made this one to submit for the SEI design team call.  Unfortunately I didn't make the cut this time, but I can share it with you.
 
 
I love the bright colors of this Echo Park paper collection, Summer Days.  I chose this picture of my daughter's and in-laws at the Aquarium because the colors worked with the paper.  I made the pinwheels from squares of paper to add a fun touch and custom embellishments. 
 
Supplies used:
Cardstock: American Crafts
Patterned Paper: Echo Park - Summer Days
Stickers: Echo Park - Summer Days
Rhinestones - Queen & Co. and Recollections
Adhesive
Paper Trimmer
Scissors
Ruler
 
 
Thanks for looking ~ Michelle ~

Friday, September 21, 2012

Jump Layout

I thought I'd share a layout I made for my youngest daughter's baby album.  She's two now and I'm still way behind but I've definately made some progress on it.

 
I cut strips of purple, pink and blue polka dot paper and wove the together to create the background.  It's a pretty simple layout but I think the background adds some punch.
 
Thanks for looking ~ Michelle~

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Hey Sunshine Card

I wanted to share another card I made with my Bella Blvd goodies.  This one uses paper from their Sunshine & Happiness line and alphabet stickers from their Birthday Girl line.  I love both these lines and they work well together. 


I love the pop of the pink and green colors.  The sun is fussy cut from a sheet of patterned paper and adhered with pop up adhesive.  Aside from the base, with a few cuts of paper and adhesive this card is simple and quick to put together.  To make the base trim a piece of cardstock to 4 1/4" x 8 1/2" and score it at the 5 1/2" mark.  Then trim a second piece of cardstock to 3" x 8" and score at 4".  Once you adhere the patterned paper to your cardstock bases attach the smaller base to the larger base in the center.  It too is simple to make.

Supplies list
Cardstock: American Crafts, Patterned Paper:  Bella Blvd, Alphabet Stickers: Bella Blvd, Ink: Close to My Heart, paper trimmer and scoring tool

Thanks for looking ~ Michelle ~

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Gable Gift Box Tutorial

As many of you might know I've written several tutorials for Craft Warehouse as part of their design team, but I've finally written a tutorial to feature here on my own blog.  I've been wanting to do this for a while and finally here it is.  Today I'm going to share with you step by step instructions to make this beautiful Gable Box. 


 
Supply List
 
Patterned Paper or Cardstock
Scor-Pal or other scoring tool
Bone Folder
Scalloped oval die / punch
Decorative border punch
Corner Rounder
Hole Punch
Paper Trimmer
Scissors
Ribbon
strong quick dry adhesive
 

  
First trim a piece of 12" x 12" patterned paper (you want this to be a heavier paper so it can support itself) or cardstock to 8 1/2" x 11".  Here I used Crate Paper's Little Bo Peep line.

 
Next lay the paper lengthwise on your score board (or other scoring tool) and score at 1/2", 3 1/2", 5 3/4" and 8 3/4". 
 
 
Flip your paper so it's vertical with your score board and sore at 3" and 6 1/2".
 
 
Next use a bone folder to pre-fold on the score lines. 
 
 
With your paper lengthwise, cut slits on the score lines from the bottom to the score line perpendicular to it, flip your paper and do the same on the bottom.  Your paper should be solid in the middle and have flaps on the top and bottom, and look like this...


Cut off the top and bottom pieces on the side with the 1/2" flap so just the center on that end is remaining.
 
Now it's time to make the handles.  For this I used a scalloped oval from my Spellbinders Nestabilities dies.  I used the 3rd from the largest oval.
 
 
For this I had to fold my box in half at one of the score lines and line up and run each handle through the die cutter one at a time.  Make sure to fold down all the flaps so that only the piece you want to is cut.  It can be a little tricky but I just eyeballed it and mine came out nicely.  If you have a punch you could use that too.
 
 
Now use your corner rounder to round the corners of the handle.  I did this after I cut my handles but you can do this before to make it a bit easier to handle.
 
 
Okay, now we can assemble the box.  On the inside of the box apply scor-tape to the two non handle top flaps, the two opposite flaps on the bottom, and the outside of the 1/2" flap on the side. 
 

Though the picture shows this step before I rounded the corners the scor-tape can be applied at any point, but I recommend you apply it when you are going to need it. 
 
Starting with the 1/2" side flap in the middle remove the liner from the scor-tape and create the box by joining the small flap to the inside of the other end to form the box.  You may need to fold the flaps out of the way for convenience.
 
Then remove the liner from the two top flaps and fold them in and adhere to the inside walls of the box.
 
 
To create the bottom of the box fold in the two flaps without scor-tape first.
 
 
Then fold remove the liner and fold down one bottom flap with adhesive.
 
 
Then repeat with the other flap.
 
 
Now you have a completed box and you are ready to embellish.
 
 
You could embellish this lovely little box however you'd like but I'm going to quickly show you how to make your own decorative edge fan fold flower.
 
First cut a strip of patterned paper 1 1/2" x 12".  Next punch one of the 12" sides with a decorative border punch, like the Martha Stewart one I used here.  I like this one because it makes it simple to score and fold and looks pretty. 
 

 
Next take your score board or scoring tool and on the front side of the paper score at every low point. You may have to move your paper around to line up the points to score.
 
 
Now flip the paper over the so back side is facing up and score at every high point, or the middle point of each scallop, again you might have to move your paper to get it to align properly.
 
 
Now use your bone folder to accordion fold the strip of paper.
 
 
When you are done it should look like this.
 
 
Now I like to take the two ends and meet them together to get the circle shape.  Then apply a small strip of scor-tape to the back side of one edge of the folded piece of paper.
 
 
Remove the liner and attach to the other end to create a circle.
 
 
Next cut a small square or circle of scratch paper and apply a generous amount of a strong, wet, quick dry adhesive to the scratch paper and fold the pleated circle down so the decorative edge is on the outside of a flat circle.  Hold in place to allow time to set (I like to find something heavy to set on it for a few minutes).
 
Embellish the center with a brad, button or a decorative fussy cut flower like I did.  When it's all dry attach the fan fold flower to the box.
 
Use a hole punch to punch two holes in the top of each handle and close with a length of decorative ribbon.
 



Thanks for looking ~ Michelle ~
 
 
 
 
 















 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Bella Blvd Birthday Card

Well I haven't posted anything this past week as I was busy working on my submission pieces for the Bella Blvd design team call.  My go to store for scrapbook paper didn't carry any Bella Blvd so I had to order online and by the time it arrived I had a little more than a week to create my entry pieces.  I did create a few extra projects, so I had more options and I wanted to share one with you here today.


I created this recessed window card specifically to use the WISHES banner on, I just thought it would work well together.  The rest just fell into place.  I love the font of the alphabet stickers, and wanted to make sure to use them.  The green square is attached with pop dots as is the happy birthday sticker.  The scalloped edge is a border sticker that I cut into three pieces.  On the four corners  used my epiphany crafts punch to punch out the center of 4 flowers from one of the patterned paper pieces.  The epiphany crafts punch, punches and adhere's the paper to an epoxy shape.

Supply list -

Cardstock - American Crafts

Patterned paper -Bella Blvd - Birthday Girl

Stickers - Bella Blvd - Birthday Girl

Punch / epoxy shape - Epiphany Crafts

Adhesive - ATG tape gun, pop dots and glue dots

Paper Trimmer

Scoring tool

scissors


Thanks for looking ~ Michelle ~

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Home and Garden Welcome Announces Guest Designers

I was excited to recive a happy email yesterday, I was offered a guest designer spot in December for Home and Garden Welcome.  I'm excited for this new opportunity and look forward to a new challange soon.  You can check out the Home and Garden Welcome Blog and their online store here.

~ Michelle ~