Recycled Materials

Well it looks like we escaped the five inches of snow we were supposed to get. I was so happy to wake up and see the sun shining brightly. I'm definitely ready for spring.

It seems like every one is concerned these days with being green and recycling. Recycling is not a new concept to artists and crafters. We have always been ahead of the trend when it comes to reusing materials. We often did to help keep the cost of a project under control.

A couple of years ago I ordered some French Martini glasses. When I opened the box I found the glasses wrapped in an unusual paper rather than the traditional bubble wrap. There was a note in the box asking me to recycle the paper. I couldn't bring myself to put it in the recycling bin so I kept it for use in a future project.




Here are some cards that I made using recycled materials. The white card uses the packing material as a background for the heart and the gold card uses ribbon that was recycled (came wrapped around a lounging set).


Love Card Directions:

Fold a sheet of white card stock in half lengthwise and emboss using the embossing folder of your choice. I used Sizzix Damask and medallions.

Cut a two inch heart out of patterned paper using the Cricut Home Decor cartridge. Using the same cartridge set the dial to one inch and cut the word love out of pink card stock. Set the dial size to 1 1/2 inches and cut two flourishes out of blue paper.

Cut a rectangle out of recycled paper. Center the paper on the card and apply with raised glue dots. Attach heart to paper using raised glue dots. Apply pink glitter around the outer edges of the heart. Attach a pink bow to the top of the heart and glue small pearl to the center of the bow.

Glue flourishes along the side and bottom of the recycled paper. Attach flowers to the flourish using small brads. Attach glittered flowers to the top of the flourish.

Glue the word love at an angle across the top of the card. Apply a small butterfly at the top left of the card. I used Flora Doodles butterflies.


Je t'aime Card Directions:

Fold a piece of white card stock in half lengthwise. Cut a piece of gold card stock 8 inches long x 2 1/2 inches wide. Cut a piece of light gold patterned paper 8 inches x 2 1/2 inches. Glue paper and card stock to card. Cut a piece of 1/2 inch wide gold ribbon to 9 1/2 inches. Glue ribbon over the center seam where the two papers meet.

Cut a piece of bronze metallic card stock 6 1/2 inches x 4 1/2 inches. Cut a piece of patterned patterned 6 x 4 inches. Glue patterned paper over bronze card stock.

Cut a piece of black card stock approximately 3 inches x 1 7/8 inches. Stamp a face image onto a piece white card stock. Color the image using color pencils. Spray the image with Tattered Angles pearl Glimmer Mist. After the image dries trim it fit onto the black card stock. Glue the image to the card stock. Glue the black card stock onto the patterned paper.

Stamp Je t'aime at angle across the left top of the patterned paper.

Attach the bronze card stock to the card using foam dots.

Using a fleur de lys craft punch, punch two fleur de lys out of gold card stock. Cover the fleur de lys with gold glitter glue and glue opposite corners of the bronze card stock.

Make a small bow out of the gold ribbon and attach to the top of the card using a raised glue dot.

History As Art

I love history especially 18th century French History and I am always looking for ways to incorporate history into my art work. Since I've always been intrigued with Marie Antoinette I decided to do a project devoted the much maligned Queen of France.

I simply don't have the studio space to keep all of my finished projects so I often give them away. I would rather send the finished work off to someone who will display it rather than box it up and store it in my basement. My daughter Brittany asked her friend Mitch if he would like my Marie Antoinette project? Mitch is also intrigued with Marie Antoinette and knows even more about her than I do. He is such a fan of Marie Antoinette that he volunteered to take it sight unseen. I have enjoyed working on this project. Now that I'm finished I am going to miss Marie but I did promise to send this to Mitch and he is patiently waiting to receive it.




Here are the directions for the Marie Antoinette project:

Print a picture of Marie Antoinette on glossy photo paper. Mine was wallet size (2 1/2 by 3 1/2).

Cut a mat out of card stock 1/4 inch larger (on all sides) than the picture.

Cut a piece of white card stock 4 inches by 5 1/2 inches. Emboss the card stock using the embossing folder of your choice. I used Sizzix damask and medallions.

Cut another mat out of the same color card stock as the first mat making it 1/4 inch larger on all sides than the embossed white card stock.

Cut a piece of patterned paper 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches.

Using the Cricut Home Decor cartridge cut a 1 inch crown out of white card stock. Cover the card stock with glue and sprinkle gold micro beads over it. Shake off the excess and let it dry.

Using a small fleur de lys paper punch and gold textured paper punch four fleur de lys. Glue a small pearl in the center of each fleur de lys.

Glue the photo to the smaller mat. Then glue this to the embossed card stock. Glue this to the last mat. Attach the matted picture to the patterned paper using dimensional glue dots.

Glue the fleur de lys in the corners of the embossed mat. Make a small bow with purple ribbon and glue it to the top of the embossed mat, centering in between the fleur de lys.

Glue the crown to the patterned paper above the picture. Add small pearls to embellish the crown.

Trim the stems of three calla lilies and use one of the trimmed off pieces to wire the lilies together. Use a dimensional glue dot to attach the lilies to the of the embossed mat. Tie a bow with sheer white ribbon and use dimensional glue dots to attach the bow to the lilies.

Thank You Card

It's finally stopped snowing and we have a temporary reprieve. Monday we are supposed to get some more snow. This last storm was so bad that the snow plows were ordered off of the roads because it was too dangerous for them to be out. Until the roads are able to be plowed we are all stuck at home. That's fine with me. I view this as an opportunity to head into my studio and start working on my projects. There's good in everything, you just have to look for it.

This is a card that I made for my husband's co-worker.






Poodle Thank You Card:

Using the Sizzix poodle die cut one white, one grey and one pink poodle out of card stock.

Assemble the poodle using pink for the feet and the collar and grey for the face and legs. Use a black marker to color the eyes, nose and to draw a mouth. Using narrow pink ribbon tie a small bow and attach it to the poodle's tail. Use opal glitter glue to highlight the poodle's feet and collar.

Using the Cuttlebug thank you embossing folder emboss a piece of pink card stock. Lightly sand the embossing to highlight it. Attach the poodle to the embossed card stock using foam dots.

Using the Sizzix and the Hello Kitty decorative flower strip cut flowers using pink and green card stock. Cut off the flowers from the pink card stock and glue them over the matching green flowers. Glue small golden beads to the flower centers. Highlight the edges of the flowers with opal glitter glue.

Fold a piece of ivory 8 1/2 by 11 inch card stock in half and crease using a bone folder.

Glue the flowers along the edge of the card stock.

Cut a piece of brown card stock to frame the pink card stock. I made mine 1/4 inch larger on all sides. Glue the embossed thank you to the brown card stock. Attach the brown card stock to the card using foam dots.

Tie a small bow using brown and pink dotted ribbon and glue it to the top of the card above the embossed thank you.

Using the Cricut George cartridge cut a 1 inch Thanks out of brown cardstock. Attach it under the embossed thank you.

Anniversary Card

Wow! I can't believe it. In less than a week the Washington metropolitan area is being pelted with snow again. We finally were able to dig ourselves out on Sunday after receiving three feet of snow and now so far we have received another two feet with no end in sight. Oh well there is nothing that I can do about it so I'm going to spend some time working on my craft projects.

I'm still infatuated with my Cricut and wanted to use the beautiful shapes from the Home Decor cartridge to make an Anniversary card for my husband. I cut out all of the shapes that I wanted to use and then stared at them for quite a while trying to make them work on a card. After much rearranging and what-if... here is the finished result.

Here are the instructions for the Anniversary Card:

Using the Cricut Home Decor cartridge cut two 2 inch swirls out of bright pink card stock.

Using light orange card stock cut one 1 inch butterfly.

Cut four 1 inch flowers- one pink, one bright blue and two med. purple out of card stock. Next cut three double leaves and two single leaves using green card stock. Cut 4 flower centers using yellow card stock.

Cut a 2 inch heart out of bright pink card stock using the Cricut Doodle Charms cartridge.

Cut the word love out of bright pink card stock.

Computer generate and print Happy Anniversary on the front and slightly to the left on white card stock.

Fold the card stock in half and emboss using the embossing folder of your choice. I used Sizzix medallions, frames and damask. Place the embossing folder side ways below the printed Happy Anniversary and emboss. Then move the folder down slightly next to the previous embossing and emboss again.

Glue the scrolls along the edge of the card. Cover the flowers with glittering glue and sprinkle with micro beads to match the flower colors. Let them dry completely. Glue the yellow centers on the flowers. Glue the flowers on the scrolls and glue the leaves underneath the edges of the flowers.

Emboss the heart with a dotted embossing folder and sand the heart to highlight the dots. Attach the heart to the card using foam dots. Attach a bow to the top of the heart.

Apply glue to the word love and cover with Martha Stewart pink flocking powder. Let it dry completely and then glue it to the card above the heart.

Apply chalk and opal glitter glue to the edges of the butterfly for highlights. When dry, glue the butterfly to the top of the card.

Hello Kitty Valentine's Day Boxes

Here are some cute little boxes that I made using my die cut machines.



Here are the directions for the take out box:

Using a take out box die cut 2 take out boxes from scrapbook paper. I used the Sizzix take out box die. Assemble boxes.
Cut Hello Kitty holding a heart from the Cricut Hello Kitty cartridge.
Cut several hearts using the Martha Stewart filigree heart punch. Glue hearts around the sides of the box.
Cover one of the filigree hearts with glue and sprinkle Martha Stewart pink flocking powder over it. Let it set for a couple of minutes then shake off excess powder. Glue this heart over the heart that Kitty is holding.
Cover Kitty's bow with glue and cover with pink micro beads.
Using a die cut machine cut several flowers from felt. I used the Sizzix build a lilac die. Attach flower layers using a small brad. Highlight the flower petals using opal glitter glue.
Cut leaves for the flowers from craft foam. Glue leaves to top of box and layer flowers on top of the leaves.
Make a handle for the box using a red chenille stem and attach to the box. I twisted mine in loops in several places for a textured effect.
Attach a bow to the handle and glue Kitty above the bow.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and it seems like I've been spending most of my free time in my studio. Valentine's Day is such a fun holiday. How can one not embrace a holiday where flowers and chocolate are the main gifts?

I always sent my daughter a card and chocolate while she was away at college to let her know that we were thinking of her. This year even though she is studying in Germany I will still be sending the card and chocolates.

Here's the Valentine's Day card that I made using the Cricut Paisley cartridge.




Bee Mine Directions:

Using plain cardstock computer generate a greeting at the top of the card.

Cut a 3 inch scalloped heart using the Cricut Doodlecharms cartridge and emboss it using the Cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder. Glue small pearls around the edges of the heart. Use foam dots to adhere the heart to the background.

Cut a 2 1/2 inch bee using the Cricut Paisley cartridge. Add dimension to the bee's wings using Martha Stewart micro beads. Use foam dots to adhere the bee to the heart.

Punch 5 hearts using the Martha Stewart filigree heart punch and glue to the top and bottom of the card.

Punch 4 hearts using a heart punch and glue randomly to the background paper.

Use the Martha Stewart doily border punch for the pink lace border and glue to the edges of the background paper. Glue the background paper to the card.

Tie a small bow and glue it to the corner of the background.

Cookie Cannister

Every Christmas I make cookies for friends and family and I'm always trying to find a unique way to package them. I recently purchased the Cricut Snow Friends cartridge. the snow men were so cute that I wanted to use them on the containers. I found a clear plastic paint can at Michaels.
I cut a 3 inch snow man using the Snow Friends cartridge and embellished his scarf with glitter glue.

Next I made several snowflakes using a Martha Stewart snowflake punch and glued them to the can, embellishing the center of the snowflake with glitter glue.

I cut 4 lengths of ribbon (2 purple and 2 turquoise) and tied them to the handle at one side of the can.

I placed snowflake shaped sugar cookies in a plastic bag and tied it with turquoise and purple ribbon and tucked the bag inside the can.