Friday, May 27, 2016

Do More Of What Makes You Happy


I have a Design Team card up on the Just Imagine Crafts/Kreaxions Punches Blog today.

A “Honeycomb” embossing folder, some black, white and yellow cardstock and some embellishments, along with the Kreaxions 4 in 1 punch #918 make a happy, little bee card.
… So I’m off to do more of what makes me happy … paper crafting.
 
 
  I used the Kreaxions punch with no insert to create those cute little border strips.
 

 
 

 

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Oh Happy Day

... and this is what I did with one of the die cut flowers I made. 
 
 

 
Hope you can join in the challenges for the Turtle Soup May Mini Crop.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Die Cut Flowers

I'm sharing a post for the Turtle Soup May Mini Crop.  My challenge is to make a die cut flower and use it on a project.  Be sure to check out the forum for the rest of the May Mini Crop Challenges.

If you purchase flowers to add to your layouts and cards it can get expensive. And chances are you never have the right ones to match your project. Making your own flowers is an option … but there are so many tutorials out there … oh the choices!

I love making die cut flowers and I’ll share with you how I make mine.

I use my Cricut and the Flower Shoppe cartridge to cut my die cut shapes. By using a burnishing tool, a toothpick or small round dowel stick, along with some ink and a pearl or brad I add form, shape and dimension to the die cuts.



You can go from this:




... to this


 
From this ...
 
 

 
To this ...
 
 
 
I cut shapes at 2", 1 1/2", 1" and 1/2".
I rolled the edges of each shape with a toothpick.
I then inked the edges and glued the die cut shapes on top of each
other, starting with the largest and working to the smallest.
I then added a pearl or brad in the center.
 
 

Saturday, May 14, 2016

So Delightful

If nothing ever changed, there’d be no butterflies.


 Today I’m sharing a Design Team card on the Just Imagine Crafts/Kreaxions Punches Blog.
Be sure to check out the blog to see what the rest
of the Design Team has been up to this month.
 
I created this card using the B Stencil, the Circle Cutter, the Kreaxions 4 in 1 Punch #901 and Positioning Parts 6.8 (small).
The little butterflies are the negative pieces left over from punching the circle. I love how dainty they are. 
This is one of my favorite punches.
 

 

Thursday, May 12, 2016

OTR Blog Hop

 
 


 
 

Today Team B hosts the Off the Rails Design Team BLOG HOP. It runs Friday May 13 through Sunday May 15th. Please visit each blog and leave a comment as you're hopping along. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Joan http://thegovsplace.blogspot.com/ * you are here
 
 
 
and end here on the OTR BLOG: 

http://offtherailsscrapbooking.blogspot.com/
 
 
Leave a comment on my blog and you will be entered into a drawing
for a RAK from me.  One random winner will be picked.




For my Blog Hop project I completed a layout of Gracelynn and Faith-Anna.
I used the butterflies that I  did the tutorial on previously.
 
 
 




 
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Origami Butterfly - Off The Rails Scrapbooking Tutorial

I'm sharing this tutorial over at Off The Rails Scrapbooking today - there are many tutorials out there on how to make an origami butterfly, but I thought I would share a step by step tutorial on how I make mine. The nice thing about this butterfly is that it’s easy and you should have everything to make it right there in your stash.




 Supplies you will need:

~ Paper of your choice (nothing too thin or brittle)
~ Scissors
~ Ruler
~ Pencil
~ Ink pad (color of you choice)
~ Glue
~ Thin wire

For my butterfly I cut a 4 X 4 inch square. 
 The smaller the square the smaller the butterfly will be.



Fold your paper in half both ways.

 
 
Then fold your paper diagonally both ways.

 
It should look like this.
 



Now fold the center folds inwards to make a big triangle that is open at the bottom.




Next fold the top layers on each side upwards towards the top.
 

 
 
Turn your paper over.


Now fold the corner of the solid piece upwards over the edge.




Flatten the center only ~ not the edges.

Turn your paper back over.  Fold the little triangle forward and over and
glue it down with a dab of glue. Normally you wouldn't use glue
in origami but I it’s necessary because of the wire you will use for the feelers.




Ink the edges of the butterfly if you wish to do so.
Cut a small piece of thin wire and make the feelers. 
Attach the feelers with a glue dot.
 



Last step … with the little triangle facing inwards pinch
your butterfly together and flatten the crease.
Attach to your project.




 

 

 


 

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Turtle Soup/National Scrapbook Day Mini Crop

The other day while I was in Hobby Lobby to use my 40% off coupon I noticed that scrapbooking paper was 50% off. It’s not like I needed paper, but Paper Studio had a really cute themed stack “The Great Circus Company”. It was just to good of a buy and to cute to pass up. If you’re a scrapbooker/paper crafter I’m sure you understand.

I know I’m not the only scrapbooker/paper crafter who has a lot of “themed paper“. I have Christmas paper, Halloween paper, Valentines Day paper, fall paper, birthday paper, school paper, … and the list goes on and on. I don’t think I’ll ever use up all the paper I have.

This brings me to my challenge for the Turtle Soup National Scrapbook Day Mini Crop. Think outside the box. Create a layout, card, tag, ATC or altered project and use themed paper for other than what it was meant for.

I used the “circus” paper to create a layout of Isaac at the petting zoo.

Be sure to check out the details for this challenge in the Turtle Soup forum. You’ll also want to check out the rest of the challenges from the Design Team … and be inspired.



 

Monday, May 2, 2016

May DT Sketch Reveal at Turtle Soup


I can’t believe it’s May already! … And it’s time for the May Design Team Sketch Reveal at Turtle Soup. Bev Code gave us this great sketch to work with. I flipped the sketch on its
side and then went to work. I went through my stash and found all
of these supplies just waiting to be used.
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

Be sure to check out the forum at Turtle Soup to see what
the rest of the Design Team did with the sketch.

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Dance like no one is watching

May first and that means the Design Team Reveal is up at Off The Rails Scrapbooking. The colors of the mood board this month are so bright and fun and the theme is “dance”.



  When I googled dance photos and found this one it screamed ME … love this photo!



 
I’m so thrilled with the way this canvas turned out. I might be keeping it for myself. J





I created this canvas using a variety of mixed media art supplies and distressing techniques.
Be sure to check out the blog to see what the rest of the talented Design Team came up with for this month’s mood board. I’m sure you will be inspired.