Procrastinate!

Several months ago I saw a fun and sassy sign in a consignment store that said, “Procrastinate it frees up time to craft!”  I knew then and there that I would be making something using those words!

I made up several of these for Christmas gifts.  It was perfectly suited for a choice few of my friends.  (wink, wink, I won’t name names!)  It starts with a simple frame (mine were purchased at the Dollar Tree).  I cut scrapbook paper to fit behind the glass and then cut the words from vinyl with my Cricut and rubbed them onto the glass.  The flowers and ribbon were applied using Zots 3D dots. 

The process of creating the flowers was so much fun!  I went on a four day crafting getaway and made these during much of that time.  Addictive?  I should say so!  This is how they came to be:

Step 1.  Lots and lots of flowers were cut from heavy scrapbook paper using my “Tattered Florals” Tim Holtz die and Vagabond cutter.  The finished flowers are layered so it takes 2 or 3 cut flowers to create one finished dimensional flower.

Step 2.  I rolled the petals around a skewer to shape them.

Here are several of the die cut flowers shaped and ready to get dipped into the hot UTEE

Step 3.  Holding a flower with teezers I dipped it into the melted Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel also known as UTEE.

Step 4.  Once the entire front of the flower is coated with UTEE I lift the flower out letting excess drip off.  It may still be a little gloppy but that gets fixed in the next step.

Step 5.  I placed the gloppy UTEE coated flower onto a craft sheet and began heating it with a heat tool.  The excess embossing enamel melts away and forms puddles on the sheet.  Using tweezers I moved the flower out of the puddle and continued to heat until all of the petals had a smooth glossy finish.  Lastly, I sprinkled some micro beads onto the flower while the petals were still melty.

 

Here are several of the smaller flowers all beaded up.

 

Step 6.  I layers the different shapes and sizes onto one another using Zots 3-D Dots.  Here’s a whole pile of finished flowers ready to go onto the frames.

I really like how much texture and dimension the micro beaded petals have!  I think choosing a really heavy scrapbook paper that had some printed texture on it really added to the success of this project too.  Let me know if you give it a go!

Hugs and Happy New Year!

Suzanne

Metal Embossed Backgrounds

My friend Cathy Varner showed me this easy metal embossing technique and overnight I became totally addicted to it!  Just ask Cathy, I think I texted her a photo of each and every one I made! There is something about  the depth of  texture and shiny surface that just makes me need to make more, and more, and more.

To start, Cathy cuts up cereal box cardboard and then brushes glue on each piece and wraps it with aluminum foil.   Any glue will do, even Elmer's.  Glue the front of the board and glue the foil flaps that wrap around the back to anchor the foil in place so it won’t slip when embossed. The cardboard can be cut to any desired size.  For a card front I cut my cardboard to 5.25” by 4” to layer onto the front of a standard 5.5” by 4.25"" card.  Cut first, then glue the foil on. Once the glue is dry the foiled piece can be put into an embossing folder and run through whatever your squishing machine happens to be.  Mine is a Vagabond.

For my machine I use the Sizzix-Big Shot Pro Accessory  - Solo Platform, Shim and Wafer Thin Die Adapter.  I flip the #2 tab over and through the machine.  Only Tab #1, my two clear cutting mats and the embossing folder go through at one timeHere they are all sandwiched and motoring through.

Each squishing is like magic and I never tire of the process.   I think I have borrowed every embossing folder from friends within a 50 mile radius to do this technique!

In fact when I ran out of cereal boxes, I discovered that there are many other kinds of the same weight of cardboard that could be gathered from all over the house and used! 

Once they’ve been embossed, these metallic pieces have so much potential.

 

They can be left shiny or distressed.  I love alcohol inks so that is my go-to for adding color to the pieces. 

 

 

This is the card that Cathy gave  to me for inspiration.  Alcohol inks in browns were used with Graphic 45 paper for the focal image.

This is my “bubble fish” card using bottle, lettuce and stream alcohol inks for coloring the background.  It has added layers of teal and brown papers.  The image is from a sheet of Graphic 45 paper.  I placed PWA Bubble Beads on the swirls but they really don’t show well in the picture.

 

The raven card above was a collaborative effort with my friend Sarah Payne.  She chose green tones of alcohol ink mixed with butterscotch for the background of the raven.  (An unmounted stamp that might be from Invoke Arts)

The raven piece was layered onto black paper to make it pop out a little bit.  The edges were textured using 1/4” O’So Sticky Tape and Lettuce colored micro beads.  This was then layered onto the embossed background also colored with the green inks.

Whenever in doubt, layer, layer, layer!  This card has a total of six layers.  In my opinion layers always take a card up a notch.

I hope you’ll give this technique a try – if it brings you half the joy and contentment it has me it’s so worth it!

Hugs, Suzanne

Another Dose Of Pity

I’m throwing in another dose of pity for those that can’t join us for the annual Pennywise Arts retreat.  This is my project for the Pity Party swap hosted on the PWA Yahoo Group.

Sometimes when I have too much time to ponder a project, I end up getting in much deeper than I would if I had waited until the last minute.  This was one of those times.

From bottom to top the layers are brown cardstock, olive cardstock, a distressed file folder inked with a music stamped background (unknown company – unmounted stamp).

The brown daisy shaped doily is an SVG file that my dear hubby created for me just for this purpose.  (I’ll gladly share the file in SVG or SCAL if you email me!)  I covered the doilies with mixed brown and black embossing power.  While the embossing powder was still warm and melty I sprinkled on a mixture of yellow, brown and  gold micro beads. Then a little more gentle heat was added to set them.

The nests and the eggs took the longest to fabricate.  The nests were made from two different fibers wound together around my fingers and kinda lassoed together.  The brown fibers were very hairy so the nests all had haircuts.  Ü  The eggs are little bits of polymer clay, baked and speckled with blue and brown acrylic paints.  Each nest was glued to a branch and then layered onto the card.

The final touch was the momma bird, the leafy ribbon from May Arts and some paper flowers that came in a jar.

Using all of the same supplies and inspiration I created a variation of this card for the retreat exclusive Flight of Fancy atc swap.   My retreat shoebox project uses all the same items and has a third dimension to it.  Can’t reveal that for 24 more days!  Ü

Hugs, Suzanne

* The bird stamp is from Stampers Anonymous and the sentiment is from Studio G.

Chocolate Sings

Our Cuttlebug Queen is at it again!  PWA designer Julie Imsland uses her Cuttlebug more than anyone I know and it’s often for some big beadie ideas!  This time she has taken the “Beaded Cuttlebug”  Embossing Technique to new sighs.

Here are the basic supplies that Julie used this time:

(Not shown:  O’So Sticky Powder)

To create your own singing chocolate ATC just tear a piece of background paper vertically to cover half of the ATC.  Follow the directions on the PWA website for doing the Beaded Cuttlebug Embossing Technique using Encore Ultimate Metallic Gold Ink by Tsukineko, Allegro Cuttlebug Embossing Folder by Provo Craft and  Pennywise Arts Clear Ultra Fine Micro Beads.

Stamp Credits:

Candy/Cupcake Stamp by Hero Arts

Caption Stamp by Hampton Art Stamps

Erin Go Braugh

Michelle McCarthy used the same texturing technique with this great shamrock card as she did with the hearts one posted here.  So get out your Cuttlebug and texture folders and see what kind of magic YOU can create!

Happy Green Day!

Hugs, Suzanne

Never Too Late For Love

Valentine’s Day may have come and gone but it’s never too late to show some love to a friend.  PWA Designer Michelle McCarthy created an atc with so much detail and interest I had to ask her to share the “how to” and she quickly fired back an entire tutorial with pictures and everything!  Woweee!  Be sure to read all the way to the end because Michelle shows how to create that cool background!

Supplies:

CS for top
CS for background
Any punch
Any colored Micro beads
O'so Sticky Tape or sheet
scissors

Directions:

1.  Using any punch of choice, punch out from your chosen top CS.  Make sure you leave space around edges to trim later.

2.  Turning punch negative upside down, cover opening with piece of O'so tape, leaving front side with exposed tape.

3.  Now dip and cover in chosen micro beads

4.  from back, unpeel O’so tape and attach second or background piece (For instance, I wanted the heart to be solid red, so I added the red CS to "fill in" anything the micro beads may have missed.)
 

5.  Now using your scissors, trim away around your punch, thus creating a frame around your micro beads shape.  And there you go, O'So simple!

 

Bonus!  Technique for background of ATC:
 

1.  It really has to be seen in person for you to totally get the effect.  All you do is add any shape or piece (I used the punch out from the heart I used to create the upper technique).

2.  Apply to a background piece with a little glue to keep it down.

3.  Run the whole piece through the die cutter with a chosen Embossing Folder.  Now sit back and admire the technique!  It's embedded into the larger piece of CS and is very cool!

             

Thanks so much Michelle!  I LOVE this card!!

Time Worn

This is a really fun ensemble by Jennifer Toussaint.  For supplies she made a trip to the dollar store.  I love the dollar store!  I’m always finding interesting things to add to my craft stash from there.  Give me ten bucks and an hour or two at Dollar Tree and I’m in heaven!

Jennifer set out to make the note pad and as an afterthought the magnet came to be.  I think they are both fabulous and I especially love the cracked glass look of the magnet!

Here’s how she did them:

The Magnet:

Square rubber stamp of moon and sun by Inkadinkadoo

Vanilla cardstock

Chipboard piece of same size

Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel

Versa Mark Pad

Copper, black and gold micro beads from Pennywise Arts

Watch pieces

Magnet piece

Craft glue

Black pigment ink

Various markers

Directions:

Stamp sun and moon stamp with black ink and let dry on cardstock. Color in with choice of markers and then cut piece out to edge of image. Press into Versa pad and then cover with UTEE and heat to melt with heat gun. Quickly do this 3 times. On the third time sprinkle the piece with micro beads and time pieces. Let dry and then crack the piece by bending. Attach this image to piece of same size chipboard. Using brown marker color edges and back to match the design (or color of your choice). Attach magnet to back with craft glue. Let dry.

The Note pad:

Small notepad from Dollar Tree

Cardstock in vanilla to fit double the size of whatever notepad size you choose (they have several sizes)

Beaded ribbon from Dollar Tree

Same sun/moon stamp

Black pigment ink

UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel)

Various stickers and word cut out pieces

“In The Sky” rubber stamp set from Stampin’ up

Markers to coordinate your magnet piece colors

Distressing kit from Making Memories

Time worn looking stickers

Directions:

Fold cardstock in half over the pad of paper and trim to fit. Stamp the sun/moon stamp in the middle of the front of the piece of cardstock with black ink and then cover with UTEE and heat gun emboss the image. Color in as desired with markers. Stamp star stamp from the “In The Sky” set around image and on the back. Emboss with UTEE. Distress the front and back by crumpling the piece of paper several times then rub the small green and brown distress inks over the piece thoroughly to make the crinkles stand out as though it were time worn. Adhere the front and back of the piece of cardstock to the notepads front and back with adhesive. Cover the flip side of the beaded ribbon with adhesive and then adhere to the front of the notepad wrapping around to the underside of the front cover. Embellish the front of the notepad cover with stickers of your choice.

What fun things have you made from items purchased at a dollar store?  We’d love for you to share them with us!  Just email me a good quality photo and I’ll post it for you!  suzanne@pennywisearts.com

 

P.S.

Designer Michele Aiello Zendejas found these cute heart boxes at The Dollar Tree!

http://pennywisearts.blogspot.com/2010/03/beautifully-boxed-and-beaded.html

I Love A Party!

Everyone that knows me, knows how much I love a party.  It doesn’t even have to be a really big whoopdy-doopty shindig.  Just a friend or two, some good conversation, some good eats,…. that’s all it takes for me to be completely and utterly “party-fied”! 

Michele Aiello Zendejas designed this fun party hat card that has been embellished to the hilt (in Michele style) with brads, charms, paper clip, clear micro beads and embossed stamped tiles.  The purple and lime green colors make me wanna plan a party!  Oh, ya,… I almost forgot that I am!  I’m in the thick of planning the PWA party of the year, our annual shoebox retreat!  Now that’s a party to look forward to!  Wish you could all be there!  Ü

Hugs, Suzanne

Snow Angel

One of two snowmen in the Pennywise Arts fat book swap came from PWA designer Julie Imsland.  Julie was super creative in making her snowman into an angel and here’s how she did it…  The snowman body is covered in three white felt circles which have been aptly adorned with the basic snowman outfit of eyes, nose, scarf and heart.  (Everyone knows that snowmen have hearts!)  To keep her man’s head warm Julie created a hat from an old tube sock (clean of course!)  The wings were made from scalloped chipboard that she found at Michael’s last summer.  She cut each board in half to get the shape shown.  Painted white and run through her Cuttlebug, Julie added embossed snowflake texture to the background of the wings before rubber stamping snowflakes over the top with gold ink and adding them to the back of the snowman to create her warm hearted snow angel.