Playing With My Big Shot
I saw some fabulous flower garlands made with circles of fabric on the Once Wed blog and immediately knew that they would be easily made using the Circles #2 die and the Big Shot. In fact these garlands are the reason I bought this die.
I had some felt lying around so decided to have a go. I had enough to cut 6 circles of each of the 4 sizes, All you have to do is fold the circles in half and then in half again and stitch them in the folded corner. String them together and join in a circle. Then I attached them to hair elastics for my granddaughters to wear. Cute aren’t they?
Here you can see Elyssa proudly showing off her new hair decoration. This one is made with 6 of the smallest circles on the die. It actually cuts 4 different sized circles at the same time.
While I had the Big Shot out I used my Flower Folds die and some more felt I had to cut out the 3 smallest flowers on the die. I layered them and then used some old SU buttons I had lying around to add to the centre. I used linen thread to attach the buttons and at the same time attach the flowers to the hair elastics. I am already planning a trip to collect more material. I think they would be fabulous in organza or chiffon or satin….mmm.
Here is Abigail modelling her new hair decoration “Made By Nan”. I guess these sorts of things are what I truly love about my Big Shot. I don’t have to use it just for papercrafts, there are an endless array of projects that can be made using material as well. With 4 granddaughters, I can see me making lots of these in the future.
I’d love to see some of the projects that you have made using your Big Shot and materials other than paper.
Bye for now, Kris.
Some Scrapbooking
As you all know, I am not much of a scrapbooker. I love it but just don’t get around to it often enough. Last week we had our five eldest grandchildren sleepover all together for the first time and so I decided to make a page to remember how gorgeous they all are now.
I used Crumb Cake as the base of my pages and stamped them with the Sanded Background using Crumb Cake ink and sponged the edges with the same ink. I added strips of Garden Green card with one edge punched with the Scallop Edge Punch and tied Pumpkin Pie 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon around them. I ran the circles of Garden Green card through the Big Shot using the Petals a Plenty embossing folder. I used my Timeless Type Junior Alphabet to cut the letters from Basic Black card. The photos are all matted on Basic Black card as well.
To add some decoration to the page, I cut the Little Leaves Sizzlet using Garden Green card. I added flowers that I punched out using the 5 Petal Flower Extra Large Punch and also the Boho Blossoms Punch. I scrunched then, separated some of the layers to give dimension and added Basic Black brads and also a large 1/2 pearl from the Pretties Kit (now retired). To finish off I used my Beautiful Wings Embosslit and Pretty in Pink card to add some butterflies to the page as well.
Here you can see the largest butterfly from the Beautiful Wings embosslit. Can you believe that you get 5 butterflies on the one die. I used the smallest one on the leaves on the top of the left hand page and the others spread over the two pages.
All in all I am most pleased with these pages. I guess the best thing about it is that I have recorded how much fun we had and how much Ron and I enjoyed spending time with all these gorgeous kids.
Till next time, bye for now, Kris.
Thoughts & Prayers
I love this stampset and use it quite a lot, especially for those hard to make “Thinking of You” and “Sympathy” cards. This was the first set I thought of when I saw the Stamping 411 sketch this week.
I think that Certainly Celery is a gorgeous colour, so soft and it teams well with many colours. This time I decided to take the colours straight off the Colour Coach. These colours are the Creative Combination on the back of the Certainly Celery card. I stamped Soft Suede card with the Sanded Background and then sponged the edges using Soft Suede ink. I used my Pretty in Pink and Certainly Celery markers to ink up the image from Thoughts and Prayers. After stamping it on Very Vanilla cardstock, I cut the card into thirds and layered each piece onto Certainly Celery card. I attached them to the Soft Suede card and wrapped the whole piece with Pretty in Pink 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon. This piece was then attached to the Pretty in Pink base card. I stamped “Thinking of You” from the Three Little Words stampset onto Very Vanilla card using Soft Suede ink and punched them out using my Word Window Punch. I layered this onto a piece of Certainly Celery card I had punched out with the new Modern Label Extra Large punch.
I’d love to hear what you think.
Bye for now, Kris.
A Big Shot Workshop
As you know last weekend I held a great workshop with my friend and customer Michelle. Well Michelle’s Mum, Norelle requested that I show lots of Big Shot projects. I also took along some retired cardstock and all my dies so that everyone could have a play after the demonstration.
Firstly I demonstrated how to make this cute little bag/treat holder using the ever versatile Top Note die. After cutting the Top Note shapes, I trimmed one edge so that it was flat and then ran them through the Big Shot using the Finial Press Embossing Folder. To make the box I cut a piece of Whisper White cardstock 6″ x 5 1/2″. On the 6″ side I scored at 2 1/2″ and 3 1/2″ and on the 5″ side I scored at 1″ and 4″. I cut the 2 1/2″ and 3 1/2″ score lines on each side up to the 1″ score line. I used sticky strip to hold the box together. Then I added lengths of Marina Mist 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon to the box and then using stricky strip attached the embossed Top Notes to each side. Next I cut the leaves using Wild Wasabi cardstock and the Little Leaves Sizzlit (and the Big Shot) and attached them to the front of the box. I cut a tag from Lots of Tags (also using the Big Shot) and stamped the words from the Great Friend stampset using Marina Mist ink and then sponged the edges with the same ink. I attached this to the front of the box over the leaves using mini glue dots. Using Marina Mist card I ran the Beautiful Wings embosslit through the Big Shot and attached one of the smaller butterflies to the tag using a dimensional. Everyone love this little bag/treat holder and so do I.
Next I demonstrated how to use the Movers and Shapers to cut two Ornaments which were overlapping from the front of the card. I used the large swirly motif from Baroque Motifs and Cherry Cobbler ink to make the “hangers” for the ornaments on the card front. I stamped Seasons Greetings from Many Merry Messages also using Cherry Cobbler ink. Then I showed everyone how to brayer ink into the Petals a Plenty Embossing Folder and how this coloured the White cardstock. By brayering the whole of the folder I was able to get both sides of the cardstock to colour differently. I punched out two ornament shapes using the Extra Large Ornament punch and attached them to the inside of the card through the cutouts I had already made. I tied some Old Olive 5/8″ Satin ribbon around the Whisper White card and attached it to a piece of Cherry Cobbler cardstock. I absolutely love the way you can cut out the shape and create a card all at once using the Movers and Shapers Die.
This last card everyone made. I kept is simple because I wasn’t sure how experienced some of the attendees would be. The Whisper White card is run through the Big Shot using the Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder. The bauble from the Tree Trimmings stampset was stamped using the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig and Real Red ink. Then the “strings” were drawn using a Real Red Stamping Write maker. “Very merry” from the Short and Sweet stampset was also stamped using Real Red ink. Real Red 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon was tied around the top of the Whisper White card. Lastly the whole piece was attached to a folded Real Red card.
I think everyone had a great time and were surprised at the many different ways and dies there are to use in the Big Shot. The Embossing Folders and the Beautiful Wings Sizzlet were a huge success.
If you would like me to show you how to use these great products then contact me k.mcintosh1@optusnet.com.au and we can organise a get together.
Bye for now, Kris.
A Simply Unique Challenge
Well that’s not entirely true. I recently joined a group called SUDSOL (Simply Unique Demonstrators Sharing On Line) and this is the first time I have completed one of the challenges.
This is another Christmas card but this time I decided to make it in blue’s. I love blue for Christmas Cards. I started with a base card of Night of Navy and rolled it with the So Swirly Jumbo Wheel using Night of Navy ink and sponged the edges using the same ink. My next layer was actually a scrap from another card, a piece of Whisper White which I have run through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder. The next layer is a piece of Baja Breeze and I have stamped this with the large swirl from Priceless using Baja Breeze ink and again sponged the edges using the same ink. It has been attached to the card front using dimensionals.I stamped the dove from A Wish For Peace using Night of Navy ink onto Whisper White card, sponged the edges with the same ink. I used double dimensionals on the left hand side of the piece so that it would be lifted above the Baja Breeze piece.
Another relatively simple card but I am quite happy with how it has turned out.
Bye for now, Kris.
My First Christmas Card
for this year. I have a couple of Christmas card stamp-a-stack nights coming up and when I saw the Stamping 411 sketch this week thought I would make a start on some cards for them.
I have used very traditional Christmas colours Real Red and Old Olive. I think these colours look lovely, especially with the addition of Whisper White. I ran the Whisper White layer through my crimper to add some texture (as a change from using the Big Shot). The Real Red cardstock has had the bottom edge punched with the Scallop Edge Punch. I then stamped the star from the Christmas Classics stampset using Real Red Ink. I layered the Real Red cardstock onto the crimped Whisper White piece and wrapped it with Old Olive 1.6cm Satin ribbon (loooove this satin ribbon). I stamped the tree and greeting from Christmas Classics in Old Olive ink on Whisper White card and sponged the edges with the same ink. I added an Old Olive Cardstock layer and attached this to the front of the card over the ribbon using dimensionals.
I am trying to come up with some fairly simple designs for some ladies who will be attending a class with me for the very first time. I would like them to see that they don’t need lots of things to make pretty cards. Have I succeeded? I would love to hear what you think.
Bye for now, Kris.
Watercolouring
I am posting these projects from the Brisbane Regionals because my friend Gwen keeps asking me where they are.
The stampset we received with our registration was Every Moment and those of you who know me, know that this would not be my first choice because I am not drawn to colouring in. However, I was challenged by Gwen and my downline Jenny to complete the projects. The images were all coloured using the aqua painter and ink pooled on the lid of the ink pads. All the images were stamped onto SU’s watercolour paper using Black Stazon Ink. Tips were shared with us on how to go about our watercolouring and I have to say that while I probably wouldn’t say it is a favourite technique, I am glad that I perservered and finished the projects. The Fancy Favour Box was my first project which I did whilst at Regionals and it is probably not the best watercolouring job, however, I am really pleased with the card and the little notecard. We also used our spritzer, a tool which I fail to use often enough, even though I love the way it adds so much texture to a project. So for those of you who never venture out of your comfort zone to try watercolouring, may I suggest that you do, as the end results can be very satisfying.
Bye for now, Kris.
Just Add….
Shimmer Mist. When I saw what my friend and downline Shirley(you must check out her owls) had done with the Just Add Ink Challenge 36, I thought I had better take a look at the sketch. My interpretation of the sketch is very literal but I knew immediately that I wanted to try a technique that we are learned at the Brisbane Regionals using Shimmer Mist and re-inkers.
I have used the new technique on my butterflies. I mixed some Champagne Shimmer Mist and some Pretty in Pink reinker in an old brad container that I had. Then I used a sponge dauber to apply the ink to the All a Flutter butterfly. Not too thickly or it will go into the crevices and not leave a nice impression. Then I stamped onto Whisper White card and cut them out. You probably cannot see it but they are all shimmery and just gorgeous in real life. I punched one edge of Wild Wasabi cardstock using the new Scallop Trim Border punch. I layered a piece of Chocolate Chip card which I had run through the Big Shot using the Elegant Lines embossing folder on top. I tied a length of Pretty in Pink 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon around these two pieces of card. Then I layered the Wild Wasabi/Chocolate Chip piece onto the left hand side of Whisper White card. I added the butterflies using dimensionals under the wings and SNAIL in the centre of the butterfly. This makes the wings “lift” a little. The greeting is from Three Little Words and I stamped this using my stamp-a-ma-jig and Chocolate Chip ink. Lastly I added 3 of the new Basic Pearls into the circles created in the Chocolate Chip card by the Elegant Lines Embossing folder.
What do you think? I love it.
Bye for now, Kris.
A Hostess Gift
Yesterday I held a workshop for a great customer and friend of mine (Hi Michelle). I thought I would share with you the Hostess gift which I made for her. The tutorial for this Love Notes Presentation Box was shared by Amanda at one of Steph’s downline meetings. Thanks Amanda for a great tutorial.
I’m not going to share the instructions with you but I will tell you that I used Sahara Sand to make the bottom of the box and also the divider. I used a medium window sheet to make the lid of the box and tied it with Whisper White 1cm Taffeta Ribbon.
I will share with you how I made the little 3 x 3 notecards to go inside.
I used Whisper White cardstock cut 6″ x 3″, scored and folded to make the 3″ x 3″ card (I actually used 12″ x 12″ sheets as it is more economical to cut). The Christmas notecards (or tags) were stamped using 6 different “reds” from the core colour groups and I matched the ink to the 2 3/4″ x 2 3/4″ layer of card, e.g. Real Red ink with Real Red cardstock. The 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ Whisper White squares were stamped and then run through the Big Shot using the Petals a Plenty Embossing Folder and then attached to the card fronts. The image is from the Christmas Classics stampset – one of my favourite Christmas stampsets.
The For You gift cards (or tags) were made in the same way using Whisper White and then I used Early Expresso for the next layer. Then I stamped the For You Flower using Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Soft Suede and Marina Mist ink. They were then punched out using the Fancy Flower Extra Large Punch and attached to the front of the cards.
I love the way this set turned out and I am very grateful to Amanda for sharing her versatile box with us.
Bye for now, Kris.
My Third Swap
I finally found my third swap card and had time to photograph it.
This card uses Whisper White and Rich Razzleberry cardstock. I am finding it very hard to not use Rich Razzleberry, at the moment it is my favourite colour, especially in this combination. The Rich Razzleberry cardstock has been run through the Big Shot using the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder and layered onto Whisper White card which has been through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder. I wrapped this with Old Olive 5/8″ grosgrain ribbon and made the bow using a large Clear Rhinestone Brad and a small piece of Old Olive 5/8″ grosgrain ribbon. I attached the bow to the wrapped ribbon using Mini Glue Dots. I stamped the image from Friends Never Fade onto Whisper White card using Rich Razzleberry ink and cut one of them out. The other two were matted with Rich Razzleberry and Whisper White before being attached to the bottom right of the card. The image which I cut out is attached on the top right hand corner using dimensionals.
I love this card, it turned out so elegant.
Well that’s the end of my swap cards, now all I need to do is photograph some of the fabulous cards and 3D items which I received from the other attendees at the Brisbane Regionals.
Bye for now, Kris.
Stamping with Kris 