Happy Holiday Card Set: Project Inspiration Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book

Check out this exciting video on how to create the Happy Holiday Card Set found on page 76 of the Autumn/Winter Idea Book! Ready to create for yourself, join me for my October Christmas Card Club on Tuesday, October 4th when we will be creating a set of these cards ourselves!

Tuitorial for Dying Flowers & ribbons

Normally when we think of dyes around Easter we think of dying Easter Eggs, but what about dying flowers too?? Believe me, they can be just as much fun! Follow this step by step tutorial and I am sure you will love the results!

Supplies needed: Paper towels, Wax Paper, shallow containers, water, re-inkers, paper flowers, neutral colored ribbon (White Daisy or Colonial White) and heat gun.

Begin by adding just a little bit of water into a shallow container: approx. 1/2" deep.
Add desired amount of re-inker to the water.

Stir the re-inker until the color is mixed up.
Gently place ribbon into the dye-water mix.
For darker colors, allow the ribbon to stay in the mixture longer.

Pull the ribbon out of the ink mixture and lie flat on a piece of wax paper.

Using a paper towel, gently blot the ribbon on the front side.
Flip the ribbon to the backside and repeat the blotting.

Allow ribbon to dry.
If time needs to be expedited, use a heat gun to dry the ribbon faster.

Dying Paper Flowers.
Begin with assorted flowers (paper or crocheted).

Dip the flower into the ink mixture so that it is completely saturated.
Note: be careful as the flower will then become very fragile.

Place the flower on a piece of wax paper.
Blot with a paper towel.

For lighter colors, let the flower dry on a paper towel.
This will pull more of the color from the flower out:
giving a pastel look.

The upper flowers have dried on paper towels.
The lower flowers were dried on wax paper.
The difference can really be seen in the two Crystal Blue flowers below.

Once the flowers have dried, use them in your projects!
Below are cards that use both the dyed ribbon and flowers!

If you live local to the Harrisonburg area, we will be playing with this technique tomorrow (Monday) at the Shocker's crop! We will be making the above cards, but if you aren't a card maker, you can still come and play: just use your flowers and ribbon on your scrapbooking layouts! For more details, click here.

Sucker Cover Tutorial

Learn to dress up an everyday sucker for your next special occassion.

These are the little treats Nicholas helped make for his preschool friends for Valentine's Day! He ws so very proud when he walked into school carrying them this afternoon!

To begin, gather the needed supplies. Paper Trimmer with both cutting and scoring blades, Soft Set Eyelet Tool & Mat, Mini Glue Dots, Tulip Exclusive Ink Pad, 2" x 2" Acrylix Block, B&T Paper (from the Perfect Day paper collection), Tulip & Colonial White Cardstock, Heart Sucker, (D1194) All My Love Stamp Set.

1. Begin by cutting the B&T paper to 7 1/4" x 2 1/4". Cut the Tulip Cardstock to 1 3/4" x 2". Cut the Colonial White Cardstock to 1 1/2" x 1 3/4" .

2. Next, ink the heart stamp of choice with Tulip Exclusive ink and stamp onto the Colonial White Cardstock. Add sentiment "Be Mine" if desired.

3. Next, using the backside of the B&T paper, score the paper at the following measurements:

2 1/2", 3", 5 3/4" and 6 1/4". Fold the paper at the score lines.

4. Using the Soft Set Eyelet tool and the setting mat,
punch a hole in the center of the 5 3/4" score line.

5. Adhere the stamped heart piece to the Tulip mat and then adhere both pieces to the front of the sucker cover. This is in the middle section. Press firmly to secure.

6. Place a Mini Glue Dot on the back of the sucker and then weave the stick thru the hole. Once the sucker is in the desired spot, press the sucker lightly to the back of the cover so that the Mini Glue dot attaches.

7. Apply three-five Mini Glue Dots to the bottom of the flap of the cover.

8. Fold the cover over so that it meets the front. Press firmly over where the glue dots are positioned so that the flap creates a seal.

The project is complete.

Embellishing Snowflakes Tuitorial

CTMH has outdone themselves this season with these beautiful Dimensional Element snowflakes! They are beautiful...and when decorated, no two are the same! I have used these snowflakes to adorn trees, gift packaging, cards, and much more! The snowflakes add that simple, final touch to gift packaging and gift giving this holiday season!

1. To begin, punch out the
snowflakes from the carrier sheet.

2. Using the finishing files, sand down the little "knobs"
left by the carrier sheet.

3. Use an fingertip sponge dauber, and ink of choice,
to color the snowflake.
For white flakes, skip this step.

4. Ink the entire snowflake with the color.

5. Cover the snowflake with Bonding Memories Glue.
This should be used graciously.

6. Position the snowflake over an enclosed container,
or wax paper, and cover the snowflake
with Prisma Glitter.

7. Lightly spray the snowflake with aerosol hairspray
to seal the glitter.
The more inexpensive the hairspray,
the better (as due to the higher alcohol content).

8. All done! YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL, UNIQUE SNOWFLAKE!
Experiment with the amount of color,
and shading for even more unique designs.

Supplies used:
Dimensional Element Flurrys
Finishing Files
Sponge Daubers
Exclusive Inks
Bonding Memories Glue

Prisma Glitter