Paper Dolls

I know I gush sometimes about the things I make, but this is one I really want to brag about....



Three regal flower fairies that have articulated arms, legs, and heads: Mom, Big Sister, and Baby Blue

I have been madly making a few paper dolls for my niece.  She loves fairies, so I thought she might like some fairy paper dolls.  So I flipped through some free clip art sites and found an articulated paper doll body, a variety of faces, and the wings.  The flowers are from a Studio 490 stamp set called Alphabetically Art.  Each doll is made with nine of these flowers that I then cut out and added some color with Copics.  The faces were black and white, so I used my Copics to match the girls faces to the limbs. 



The wings flap when you jiggle the popsicle stick.



I made slits in the back of the flower and put tabs from each wing through the slits.  This gives the wings extra stability and a fluttering effect.

Inside each flower is a matching gem





See how the arms and head are two different clip art pieces



Note the articulated arms and legs.  You can change her pose.  I love creating something you can play with!





 

 

 



 

Pop up Cracker Favors

Another Gift Idea

 

The holiday shopping and events have taken me away from the blog for the last week, but I have still been crafting.  Like a Chirstmas Elf, I have been making gifts for school secretaries, teachers (you saw those in a previous blog post), and crafting friends.  In the past I have made paper trees, Swedish Stars, decorated frames, and more. 

 This year, I opted for more of a New Year's theme to my little favor. 

I found inspiration from a project I had seen years ago and wanted to tweek and make it my own.  The one I had seen held a group of post cards.  I wanted to make mine smaller and more of a "favor" size.  This is 2" x 2" plus the cracker ends (roughly 3' x 2").  So sweet and fun.  I think they would even add a festive feel to the table as name cards.

 Pull the sides and the cracker splits open to reveil a holiday greeting.

 Papertrey Ink provided the stamps for the cracker pieces.  The patterned paper is Authentique.  The cardstock and inks are Stampin' Up.  I added a little baker's twine to the cracker ends to bring it to life, but don't know the brand.

Hope these bring a little pop to everyone's lives!

 

Card Gifts

More Cards for Gifts

 

 

I am still stuck in the box rut, but his time I made a smaller box without the acetate window.  I used My Mind's Eye Six by Six Gnome Sweet Gnome patterned papers. 

Gotta love those cute little gnomes and mushrooms.   The other basic gingham patterns included in the paper pack are adorable, too.  Something about them reminds me of the 80's and my childhood.  The paper is paired with My Favorite Things' felt and Bazzil paper.  The ribbon was from my Local Scrap Store.  It is so rough and rustic, it seems perfect for a garden-y themed set of cards.

Spellbinders dies made the scalloped oval and ovals. 

I also cut out some of the gnomes and mushrooms from the patterned papers to embellish the cards.  Hopefully I can stop this terrible addiction to making boxes, but not before the Holidays!



Can't Stop Making Gift Boxes

More Gift Boxes

...stuck in a rut, but it's so fun in this rut. 

I have been having so much fun creating these gifts, I can't seem to stop making gift boxes filled with tags and cards.

 

In this latest round, Authentique  Curiosity 6" x 6" patterned papers and Bazzill pair beautifully with October Afternoon's Sidewalks stamps.  Of course, I also had to add a little So Saffron ribbon from Stamin' Up.

 

Notice how there is tons of negative space on the cards.  I usually have to fill it all in with color or pattern.  Not this time. 

 

Check this one out...mostly white paper.  No ribbons, not a button on it...nothing but white space.  And somehow, I really like it. 

 

 

Maybe this is the start of a new minimalism phase for me.

I doubt it.  That sparkle, color, and bling is just too pretty! 

Xmas Box o Cards and Tags

Office Gifts that Are Fun to Make

 

I got together with a good group of friends and scrappers last week and one girlfriend was working on these gift boxes with an acetate window to show off the cards and tags inside.  It was so cute, I had to make my own version.  Of course, I could have found the directions online, but I always like to fiddle and play and create my own patterns (and lots of mistakes along the way...LOL).  So after making a couple different versions, I came up with this one made from 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock.  I also raided my stash for some old favorite xmas papers.  Theresa Collins' Christmas line from a year or two ago, Noel.  It is still beautiful and elegant.

 

 

I filled one section with four embossed cards.  In another section, I put sayings for the cards.  They say Happy Birthday on one side and Thanks on the other.  I also added a couple blanks.  In addition, there are directions and some foam adhesive to adhere them to the cards. 

 

 

 

The last section is filled with gift tags for the Holidays.  For these I used Papertrey Ink's Party Poppers stamp set.  I love the tiny phrases and amazingly delicate designs that stamp up beautifully! The die is Stampin' Up Framelets Labels nesting dies.  Such an elegant shape for a tag.

 

These were so fun to create, I am going to give them as teacher gifts.  Off to create a couple more...

Advent Vignette

Altered Advent Calendar

My children have begged for a Lego Star Wars Advent calendar for years.  These things cost about $40 and I would have to buy one for each boy.  On a recent trip to Target, I found this cute tree shaped advent calendar.  It is about 24" tall and has 1.5" boxes for each day.  It was painted an unseasonal, buttery yellow.  Well, I can change that.  I painted the whole thing with Making Memories kelly green paint and a foam brush. 

I used Mod Podge to cover most of the surface with Theresa Collin's Christmas Cottage papers, washi tape, and chipboard number stickers. I just love the way that it turned out.

And my boys are not too disappointed in a lack of Legos, since I have filled it with chocolates.  Who argues with chocolates once a day? 

Note that I built a little vignette for the advent tree.  I have a few paper reindeer I made a few years ago and a Santa I made at the same time.  These have been on display four years and the reindeer antlers are looking a bit rough.  It is a good thing I can make another...

 

I have to apologize for my not great photos.  I usually pride myself on good ones, but the poinsettia lights and cloudy days have made it challenging for me. I should stick to water droplet photos...

Making No Glue Boxes

I have been enamored by making boxes without glue lately.  Here is one for my SIL's Birthday.

 

Gotta love those Prima Flowers. 

 

 

 

The patterned paper is 6" x 6" Stella Rose by My Minds Eye.  I have now used all but two pieces of the pad. I really love the contrast of the teals, greys, and yellows. Gorgeous!

The grey is a Bazzill cardstock and the ribbon is SU Almost Navy ribbon.

The box measures 1.5" square and 1" tall.

 

 

 

I would have shown you the card, but I sealed it up before I photographed it.  Ugh!  I could have opened it up and put it in a new envelope, but I had the box attached, so it is for my Sister-in-Law's eyes only. 

Hope you have a wonderful birthday! 

The gift inside is handcrafted by an amazing jewelry artist.  Here is a link to her Etsy Site:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/seafairiesjewelbox

 

Christmas Crackers

Papertrey Ink Favor It Box 8

Christmas Crackers

 

Every year my family has a big Christmas feast complete with Christmas crackers. 

 

For those of you unfamiliar with the tradition, each guest has a cracker.  You hold onto your cracker and the person's sitting next to you.  On the count of three, everyone pulls and pops resound.  Out falls a paper hat, a joke, and a prize.  My favorite prizes are in the musical crackers with whistles and sheet music.  One year, I couldn't play because I kept laughing every time it came to blow my whistle..We Wish You a Merry Christmas was missing a few notes.  Alas, we all had aching bellies from all the laughter.

 

 When I saw Papertrey Ink had a cracker die, called Favor It Box 8, I was over the moon.  I ordered it as soon as I saw it.  Now the die is only $25. To buy 12 crackers costs that amount, so what if the fillers are costing another $25? I know the family will love them and we can customize them for the years ahead.  I was able to find the snap mechanism, paper hats, and silly jokes on the Internet.  I am still waiting on those fillers, but had to start assembling them.  Then I had to show you how cute these are!   

 The crackers are made from Theresa Collins Christmas Cottage papers, washi tape, and embellishments.  I even tied them up using her fiber and bakers twine.  I love this Christmas Cottage line, the texture is like linen and the designs are just my style for the Holidays.

 Christmas dinner should be even more special with these gems at each place setting!

Foggy Mornings are Impressive

Morning Dew / Morning Do?

 

 

My oldest son brought this leaf to my door this morning.  He thought I would like it.  He carefully delivered it, so as not to disturb the water droplets. 

 

He is amazingly considerate and he knows me so well, I dew love it (I can't help it, my Dad has trained me in the art of puns).  Even though it started as a silly pun, I like the idea of the...

morning dew or morning do...

off to run errands.

 

Favorite Papers Revisited

So here is it is, another "using up old stash" project....

EAT

In the notion of revisiting favorite paper lines, I rediscovered Basic Grey Nook and Pantry. I made several recipe books with this paper line when it first came out, but I hoarded the papers in my favorite kitchen colors: yellow and green. 

 

Of course, I thought I would use these for something special,  and stashed them in a drawer.  Until, I decided to revisit a few favorites... I also ran across a pressed particle board book and I converted into a kitchen wall hanging.

 

Each layer of patterned paper is backed with a layer of Old Olive SU cardstock and distressed. 

 

 

I punched extra holes and strung up the sign using SU ribbon. 

The SU lace edging adds an elegant touch.   And I think the velvet rickrack is by Mya Road, but I have had it in my stash so long, I am not sure. 

 

This is now hanging in my kitchen and it adds a bit of retro fun to the space!

 

 

 

Peony Lady Card & Box

Peony Lady Card and Box

 

 

I have been trying to revisit some of my very favorite papers of all time.  Graphic 45's Steampunk Debutante is one of those lines.  I bought a ton of it, because I loved it (and still do).  So I decided to rescue it from the recesses of my paper storage and to make something with it. 

 

 

 

A good friend of mine has a birthday today and I thought it was the perfect time to use those fav papers.  I also broke out a set of stamps I have never used, Studio 490 Alphabetical Art.  I used the flower to stamp of some cardstock.  I then cut out each one, conditioned the paper, and layered them up to make a beautiful peony flower.  The paper is white core, so I colored the edges with my Copics to soften to look.  I added greens, blues, and oranges to make it look to be copper.  

Pretty...

The lady is from a Stampers Anonymous stamp.  I stamped her in black Memento and colored her with my Copics.  Each limb and the head are attached with brads, so that you can move her arms, legs, and shake her head. 

  Gotta love an interactive card!

 

 

 

 

 

Since it was such a dimensional card, it needed a box. Time to break out more of the papers and some Copics to shade the pretty lady's face in.

 

 

 

 

 

I am particularly found of the section with a watercolor effect shading her cheek and chin.

 

 

I added some Tim Holtz tissue tape and decorated the inside of the card in a snap!

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Renee!

Royal Rose Ball

So what have I done with all my rolled roses?

 Royal Rose Ball

 

 

I die cut them from the Royal Rose die by My Favorite Things and Red Riding Hood Red cardstock from Stampin' Up.  The centers of half of the roses are stick pins with pearls on the ends.  These pins are holding the roses in a Styrofoam ball I bought at a local craft store.  The remaining roses are glued onto the ball using Tacky Glue. 

 

This works great as long as you don't use the rose ball as a soccer ball...whose eight year old boy would do such a thing?...

 Yes, mine did and you could have used his eyes for saucers when he saw one of the flowers fall off.  Not a problem, a little more Tacky and all was fixed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wrapped the ball with a ribbon, tied it, and tacked it down with the roses with pins. 

Then I tied it to my ceiling fan in my guest room.

I think it is a vast improvement to a plain white ceiling fan.