Tuesday, November 26, 2013

EZ-De's Autumn Table Runner


Materials: 

Burlap 28” x 15” 
Muslin 9 1/2” x 19” 
Blumenthal Lansing Favorite Findings™ Wood Simply Leaves 
Clearsnap® ColorBox Crafter’s® Ink by Ann Butler - Tangelo, Sunshine 
Clearsnap® ColorBox Crafter’s® Ink - Jungle
Embroidery floss
Clover® embroidery needle 
5/8” Brown gross-grain ribbon 
Iron

Instructions:
   
Place Get-it-Straight™ Laser Square in Multi-Mat™.  Place muslin onto Multi-Mat™ with 9 1/2” edge facing up and hold in place with magnets.  Measure in 2” from right edge and 1 1/2” from top edge.  Set laser on 3”. 

Ink first EZ-De’s™ triangle stamp with Tangelo ink. Stamp first triangle, with flat edge facing left and point aligned on laser line.

Ink second triangle stamp with Sunshine ink, stamp next to orange, using laser to align. 

Ink third stamp with Jungle ink and stamp next to yellow triangle. 


Move laser to bottom tip of stamped triangles.  

Reapply Tangelo ink to first stamp and stamp about 1/2” from outside left edge with flat side facing down, using laser to align flat edge with points of top triangles. 

Continue stamping with Sunshine, then Jungle, then repeat twice more for 9 triangles on the edge.  

Continue stamping 3 on opposite edge, then 9 on opposite side, using Laser Square to align as you go. 

Heat set ink with iron. 

Embroider with running stitch around each triangle with coordinating embroidery floss.  

Stitch wooden leaf buttons into 4 corners of stamped images as shown. 

Use Fabri-Tac adhesive to mount stamped muslin centered on burlap.  

Use Fabri-Tac adhesive to mount ribbon to cover edges of muslin. 

Remove strings from long sides of burlap to allow for raw edge approximately 1/4”. 

Remove strings on short sides of burlap to leave 1 1/2” raw edge.

Place burlap onto Multi-Mat™ and use magnets to hold edge in place.

Take approximately 7 strings and tie into knot, then continue along edge to end.  Repeat on opposite short size of burlap. 



Thursday, November 21, 2013

'Tis the Season Card

Created by Lisa Rojas, Stampin' Queen Creations
Give The Queen A Call!

The holidays are right around the corner (geez, did I just say that?) and we all need to get ready to create our holiday cards.  I will be sharing two different cards, this one and another for December.  When you're creating cards for the holidays you want them to be simple but pretty!  Of course with the Get-it-Straight Laser Square you'll have the simple part down!  And with your creativity if you choose to design your own, or even if you recreate this one, you'll definitely have the pretty!

'Tis the Season Card
Finished Size- 4 3/4"W x 7"H

Materials

Cardstock- Dark Green, Burgundy & Off-White
Holiday Pattern Paper
Holiday Themed Stickers
Pearl Stickers
Ribbon- Green
Ribbon Thread- Gold
Blending Stump
Holly Rubber Stamp

Instructions

Gather all of your supplies.  Cut papers as follows-
Dark Green- 4 3/4"W x 7"H, Burgundy- 3 3/4"W x 5 1/2"H
Off White- 3 1/4"W x 3 1/2"H and Pattern Paper
4 1/4"W x 2 1/2"H.


Run burgundy cardstock through the
Grand Calibur machine with die cut.

Stamp holly on off white cardstock.  Color with color
pencils.  Blend colors with Gamsol solution and a stump.

Run ribbon through bottom of card.  Attach gold thread ribbon to cardstock with needle.
Ink edges of papers.
Adhere stamped cardstock to
burgundy cardstock with Zip Dry.

to align papers

and adhere papers together with Zip Dry glue.

Align pearls to the top of the card with the
Adhere sticker to the bottom of the card.



















Tuesday, November 19, 2013

KellyCraft Multi-Mat Product Review

Reviewed by: Lisa Rojas, Stampin' Queen Creations
Give The Queen A Call!




It all started a year and a half ago.  I was at the CHA summer show in Chicago and found this fabulous new product tool from KellyCraft Innovations called the Get-it-Straight Laser Square™.  This new product makes layering your cards and scrapbook pages a breeze.  I am one of those crafters that can't draw a straight line with a ruler, so when I found the Get-it-Straight Laser Square I knew I was in love.  The more I worked with this tool, the more I loved it.  I never thought I would find a new tool that I had to have as much as the Laser Square...until now.

It's finally here.  The product that I have been waiting for over 6 months!!  The new Multi-Mat
from KellyCraftInnovations in the best new product on the market!

KellyCraft Innovations has just released a great companion for the Laser Square.  The Multi-Mat is a multi-purpose work surface that is designed to work hand-in-hand with the Laser Square.  It has a special cutout area that the Laser Square fits in perfectly that allows you to use the Laser Square without slipping.  The Multi-Mat is self healing and magnetic and provides you a safe surface for setting eyelets or using a piercing tool.  It comes with four small magnets that you can use to secure your project in place on the mat as you work.

These two products are a MUST HAVE for any crafter's tool kit and  I am so excited to be able to share this wonderful news with you.  The Get-it-Straight Laser Square has changed the way I design my projects.  It no longer takes me hours to finish my cards and scrapbook pages because I'm not spending that time trying to make sure everything aligns perfectly, so it frees up my time to add more details to my projects and get more projects created.  By adding the new Multi-Mat,  KellyCraftInnovations has designed the perfect products for any crafter's tool kit.  Be sure to add them to yours!  And for me...I have fallen in love all over again.  Thank you KellyCraft for making my life even better than before!!!


Friday, November 15, 2013

An Attitude of Gratitude



This past year, I was challenged by my supervisor at school to pick a word to define my school year. The word I choose was Positive because I felt that I needed to work on getting back to my more positive upbeat self. I really wasn't sure if having a word would make much difference, but it has certainly helped me to focus on the positive things in my school life. When I saw the title of a blog hop I recently entered, I thought that Gratitude would be a great word for me to embrace in 2014 at home and at work. I wanted to make a Gratitude journal that I could write in each night and list at least one thing I was grateful for on that day. I am learning that for many things in life, it truly is mind over matter. Having the right mind set may not solve every problem, but it is a great way to start!



 Supplies: 

Frosted Paper Pack - Close To My Heart 
Always Grateful & Frosted Cardmaking WOTG Stamp Sets - Close To My Heart 
Silver Glitter Gems & Silver Baker's Twine - Close To My Heart
Slate & Crystal Blue Ink Pads - Close To My Heart 
Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge - Close To My Heart 
My Creations Journal - Close To My Heart 
Various Ribbons- Close To My Heart 
Scotch ATG 
Glue Dots 
Pop Dots

1. First I gathered my supplies.


2. Next, I started with a  5x7 card base using the frosted paper pack and added several layers.



3. I love the stamp set Always Grateful. One of my favorite sayings is featured on that set, "Gratitude Turns What We Have Into Enough." I added a set of stamped trees with some snowflakes in the background to create a soft, whimsical look.


 4. What project would be complete without some bling, so I added several silver glitter gems.



I took the finished card and slid it into the front cover of the My Creations Journal. For the finishing touch, I tied ribbon on the spirals on the side. Now to get started writing down all of the things for which I am grateful!




Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Free Shipping November


We are happy to announce
FREE Shipping 
during the entire month
of November 
for purchases made on our web site
so now is the time to order
and get your Christmas Shopping done Early!

Get-It-Straight Laser Square

Multi-Mat

EZ-De's Stamp Sets
Easy Design Elements for Stamping by Ann Butler

Jimbo Lojik Stamp Sets
 Laser Skins
Everything is in stock and ready to ship!

Monday, November 11, 2013

Ruth's Jam Cake: Yum, yum!

I came up with an idea a few days ago to create an illustrated cookbook of family recipes that we traditionally have for holidays. I can't tell you how many times my son Michael has called to get my recipe for eclair pie or coconut cake or chicken and dressing. He needs this cookbook. I knew it would take a while, but wanted to make it really personal. I tried to think of all the ways I could make it special but was stumped on the format. Illustrations? Too much time involved. Plain recipe cards? Not for this artist. And then I thought, "Well, duh. I'm a scrapbooker. I teach scrapbooking." I just don't always connect the ease of creating pages with other tasks.

To make it even easier, I am limiting my pages to 8" x 8". That size is larger than a standard 6" x 6", which would require small type for these older eyes, yet not so big as to be unwieldy in the kitchen where a 12" x 12" book might require too much counter space just to keep it open.

My KellyCraft Get-it-Straight Laser Square makes lining things up quick and easy. (It actually took me longer to set the type and print out my recipe than it did to assemble the page.) The title block is set using the Duetica Lettering Arts Woodwynds font, one of my favorites and available only from Duetica.

Here's how I made the first of what I hope to be many pages for this personal cookbook:

Supplies
KellyCraft Get-It-Straight Laser Square
Solid Cardstock, Olive  Green, 8" x 8"  and scraps to die cut (Bazzill)
Printed paper, 7 1/2" x 7 1/2"
Printed Paper with doorway smaller than 6" tall (Bo Bunny)
Photo, fussy cut
Spellbinders Shapeabilities, Jewel Flowers and Flourishes, S5-168
Spellbinders Shapeabilities, Classic Scalloped Rectangles, S4-133
Dew Drops, The Robin's Nest
Glue Dots, large dimensional (for photo) and small flat for recipe card titles.
Score Tape, 1/2" width
Colorbox Pigment Ink, Chestnut Roan, pink, purple
Xyron Machine with permanent adhesive
Recipe and title block set on computer and printed on cream cardstock
Brown Sharpie, Fine Point

Directions
Note: All of the pieces are sponged on the edges with Chestnut Roan ink.
1. Line up the solid cardstock in the corner of the Laser Square. Set the guide at 1/4" and adhere the printed paper to the cardstock.
2. Use Spellbinders dies to cut three swirls (from green cardstock scraps) and two medium and two small scalloped squares (from printed paper scraps). Ink all the edges with Chestnut Roan ink. Run the swirls through your Xyron machine.
3. Line up the photo in the center of the arched doorway and adhere with two large Glue Dots. Line up the top of the doorway paper using the Laser Square and adhere. Adhere swirls around the photo.
4. Adhere title block to top of page, lining up the top of the block about 3/8" below the printed paper , which would be 5/8" from the top of the green cardstock. Add a portion of one of the die cut swirls to the block.
5. Adhere the recipe cards to the larger scalloped squares. Write "Jam Cake" and "Icing" on the two smaller scalloped squares and adhere just above the recipes.
6. Angle the top recipe card and adhere it to the page. Turn the page so that your Laser Square light lines up with the top of the recipe card. Bring the light guide down to about 3/4" from the bottom of the top card and adhere the second recipe. They will be aligned perfectly. The Laser Square makes this so easy!
7. Attach the recipe title blocks to each recipe and add Dew Drops randomly around the swirls.

Now, I know where to find this recipe when I'm ready to make this awesome cake and I won't mind anyone seeing my recipe book anymore, since the pages will be interesting and the sheet protectors will keep them clean. I have several that have been around for 40+ years and you can see fingerprints in flour, pastry, oil, etc. of the ingredients of the dish I was preparing at the time. (That may be sentimental to some people, but I'd rather leave a legacy of neatness.)

This book will hold a special place in my kitchen, reminding me of all the love that went into the preparation of each dish and the preparation of the book.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Get-It-Straight™ Laser Square Video

Here is a video from the CHA Summer Show showing the versatility of the Get-it-Straight Laser Square


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

EZ-De's Video Summer CHA

Here is another video from CHA Summer showcasing the versatility of the new EZ-De's Stamp line created by Ann Butler


Friday, November 1, 2013

FREE Shipping during November


We are happy to announce
FREE Shipping 
during the entire month
of November 
for purchases made on our web site
so now is the time to order
and get your Christmas Shopping done Early!

Get-It-Straight Laser Square

Multi-Mat

EZ-De's Stamp Sets
Easy Design Elements for Stamping by Ann Butler

Jimbo Lojik Stamp Sets
 
 Laser Skins
 
Everything is in stock and ready to ship!