Holiday Fabric Coasters
This month at Craft Project Central there are certainly some fantastic ideas for gift giving this Christmas or all year round for that matter. This project from Julie Edmonds is no exception. These fabric coasters are so cute but you will need the tutorial to get it right. Please take a look at Julie’s blog, and leave her a comment.
Don’t forget if you want to make these cute coasters, then you need to visit Craft Project Central and subscribe for the month of November. As just $10.00 for 10 projects it is truly amazing value.
Bye for now, Kris.
My beautiful girls
Every week I get a newsletter from Sudsol which is an online group for Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators and it contains a number of challenges. This week’s scrapbook challenge works perfectly with a photo of my two gorgeous girls and my eldest granddaughter taken at my nieces wedding.
I layered a piece of the gorgeous Morning Mocha Specialty Designer Series Paper (this paper has a raised flocked effect, so not just pretty to look at but gorgeous to touch) onto a 12 x 12″ sheet of Basic Black card stock. I attached the photo to a layer of Basic Black cardstock which has been punched along the lower edge using the Pinking Hearts Border Punch. I wrapped a piece of Very Vanilla Velvet Designer Ribbon (to be released on 1st December) around the bottom of the page and added my flowers. The flowers are made using the Fancy Flower Punch, 5 Petal Flower Punch and the Boho Blossoms punch. I used 1 flower in each shape from Real Red card stock, distressed and separated each into two layers, scrunched them and then stacked them onto a small Filigree brad which has a medium Clear Rhinestone Brad throught the centre. 
I attached the flowers to the page using Mini Glue Dots.
I punched 6 leaves from Old Olive card stock using the Blossom Petals Builder Punch, separated them, scrunched them and opened them out again. I used Crystal Effects to join the leaves together and attached them behind the flowers.
You can tell this is my style, fairly simple with all the emphasis on that gorgeous photo.
Bye for now, Kris.
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This week’s sketch at Sunny Challenges and Creations comes to us from Vicky. As well as using the sketch we must have a Christmas theme.
It’s a great sketch and who can’t use another Christmas Card at this time of year.
I embossed a piece of Whisper White card stock using the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder. I wrapped it with Cherry Cobbler 1/2″ Seam Binding and tied a knot. I attached the Whisper White card stock to scored and folded Cherry Cobbler card stock. I inked the tree image from the Lovely as a Tree stampset using Garden Green and Early Expresso Stampin’ Write Markers and stamped onto Whisper White card stock. I coloured in some of the leaves on the tree using my Two-Way Glue pen and added Dazzling Diamonds. I added a mat of Early Expresso card stock and attached it to the right hand side of the card front using dimensionals. I inked “bright & beautiful” from the Beautiful Season stampset using a Cherry Cobbler Stampin’ Write Marker and stamped onto Whisper White card stock.
I punched the image out using the Large Oval Punch. I added a Scallop Oval punched from Garden Green cardstock and then attached it to the card front, partially over the tree image using dimensionals.
I really like this card and think I will be making more of them for Christmas this year. I’m not sure if you can see the sparkle in the close up of the tree, but it looks amazing in real life.
For more inspiration visit Vicky and Gwen and then when you are ready pop in to Sunny Challenges and Creations and add you card to Mr. Linky. As always we look forward to seeing what you have created.
Bye for now, Kris.
Star Book Mini Album
Isn’t this a fabulous book. I’ve always wanted to make one of these and now I can because Monika Davis has provided this fabulous tutorial for the month of November at Craft Project Central. Monika doesamazing work, so please visit her blog and let her know how much you enjoy it.
Don’t forget to visit Craft Project Central and sign up for this month. Fabulous value at only $10.00 for 10 tutorials.
Bye for now, Kris.
Card sketch Scrap page
I really like the sketch this month at Craft Project Central, however I used the sketch to create a scrap page instead of a pretty card. This page also features my first attempt at making the paper medallion “lollies” that are featured everywhere on the net at the moment.
My gorgeous granddaughter was flower girl for my niece recently and in this photo she is showing off the ring she got specially for the day and of course her nail polish. She is a very girly girl.
I started with 12″ x 12″ Whisper White textured card stock and sponged on some Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint. I wanted it to be sparkly but subtle. I made my medallions using Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight and Rich Razzleberry Designer paper from the Brights Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack. These can be a little time consuming and you do need to use a couple of hands to get everything together but I think they are just gorgeous. I’m sure to be making more of these. I decorated the “lollies” with scallops and circles punched from matching card stock. My buttons are from the Brights Designer Buttons and I have tied Whisper White 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon through the holes.
I used the same Designer paper to add the layers behind the photo and punched the long edges of the Pacific Point Designer Paper using the Scallop Trim Border punch. I also wrapped this section with some of the gorgeous Whisper White 5/8″ Organza Ribbon and tied a knot. My daughter Sarah took this photo and she had already “photoshopped” it for me so it was just a matter of printing it out.
I’m not sure if you can see the sparkle in the close up of the Whisper White card stock but it really does have a lovely shimmer to it.
I am really happy with this page, simple but lovely. Let me know what you think.
Bye for now, Kris.
Thinking of You Gatefold
Here is the last of the Make & Takes from Regional Training. It is a Gatefold card but I love the closing mechanism on this one. We did a really cool background using the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder and a brayer to get a subtle dotted background on the card front. The trim on the Daffodil Delight card stock is Lucky Limeade 1cm Ruffled Ribbon which is very pretty.
What’s really cool are the closing mechanisms. One of the things I don’t like about a gate-fold card is that it is nearly impossible to keep it closed. This card uses firstly the brads with the linen thread wrapped around them to keep it closed. But it also uses the image itself to help keep it closed. The frame for the image is attached to the left hand side of the card front (as you look at it). The thinking of you is also attached to the frame so it stays on the left hand side when you open the card.
But the image itself is attached to the right hand side of the card front (as you look at it). So when you close the card, these to pieces kind of lock into each other as well.
I think you will agree with me the projects that we made at Regionals (or at home later as the case may be) were all amazing. They took a stampset which I knew I didn’t want into something which I now know I can use and use well.
I guess that’s why they call it Training – we actually get to learn something!
Bye for now, Kris.
Lion Circus Box
This is another of the Make & Take’s from Regional Training. We constructed this little box using three Real Red Scallop Envelope Dies. It also uses the Under the Big Top stampset and the Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper. I love how it looks like one of those beautiful caravans that you see in Circus parades (in the movies mostly). So bright and cheerful.
Inside are four 3 x 3″ note cards and envelopes. The Real Red and Daffodil Delight match the circus idea perfectly – just like the Big Top. The little elephant on the note cards is really gorgeous balanced on the ball and the Lion jumping through the hoop is just very cute.
Another project which took me from my comfort zone and made me think about different ways of presenting projects.
I guess the thing that really came over for me at Regional Training was to think “outside the box” and look at new and interesting ways to use the same products.
Bye for now, Kris.
Scrap Page Make & Take
The stamp set we received as part of our registration for Regional Training was Under the Big Top. This is not a stampset which I would normally be drawn to buy. Firstly you have to colour it and you all know how much I love that. Secondly I thought that it would be fairly limiting in its use. However, I think it looks fantastic in this cute 6 x 6″ scrap page. I couldn’t resist adding a photo of my granddaughter Jae celebrating her latest birthday.
I love all the attention to detail in this page, the line of bunting across the top right hand corner and the flags. The colours are bright and cheerful and I thought the M & M’s on Jae’s birthday cake matched the colours perfectly. It was a fun page to make and although there were a lot of parts to the page it came together fairly quickly.
Not my usual style but I really like it.
Bye for now, Kris.
Holly Berry Bouquet Gift Wrap Ensemble
Here is another tutorial from Craft Project Central. This is a gorgeous ensemble of gift wrapping ideas using the beautiful Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Paper. This fantastic set was designed by Laurie Zoellmer.
If you would like the step by step tutorial for this project, then subscribe to the month of November at Craft Project Central.
Bye for now, Kris.
More Swaps
Today I am going to show you a few of my favourite swaps from Regional Training.
Kim Kaese
Linda McAllister
Christy
G. Bartils or R. Nolen
Casey Snart
Some amazing stuff there. If any of you have blogs which I haven’t listed, then feel free to let me know the details and I will be sure to update them with a link.
Over the next few days I am going to share with you the make and takes we made on the day (well I made mine at home but the projects were given to us on the day.)
Bye for now, Kris.
Stamping with Kris 