December Stash Challenge ~ Ink

Hello Friends!!! I can't believe the holidays are almost here and I'm sooooooo not ready. Heck I'm still making holiday cards for my sister to send and of course they are supposed to be in the mail to her tomorrow. Hmmmmmm better get my behind into gear. Today's challenge is another Use your Stash Challenge. Hubby was asking me what I wanted for Christmas and boy when I started to think about it I was like ummmmmm I have a TON of craft stuff and do I really need more stash?? Well of course I need more in my stash but I better use what I have for now.

So today we are going to use INK. It can be ink to stamp; ink from markers; ink to enhance your cuts; even ink from pens to do your journaling. I decided to use ink to stamp a Christmas Card.

I used versamark ink to stamp the image and words and then used blue shimmer embossing powder. The great thing about this color of embossing powder is that it doesn't shimmer unless the light hits it just perfectly so it's a subtle shimmer.

The blue die cut behind the stamp was cut using the Cricut Circle Exclusive Sophie Cart.

Now I hope you'll play along and use your ink stash and join in the challenge. Happy Crafting :o)

---Caroline

Use Your Stash - Use Your Holiday Paper

Hello all! I feel as though I have been gone for years!! Life has and still is pretty crazy around here and it doesn't look like that is changing anytime soon. My craft room doubles as the dining room during the holiday season and I just got back in this week - it still isn't set up in real working order. That being said I am going to share a project I did last year and never shared - and then when I consider the amount of work that went into them  - how the heck did I not post them?? And it will serve as a reminder that I have done this before.

And yes - this week's challenge is to use your holiday paper - that's right I said it - you have to USE it. I know, I feel your pain, I may have one or two stacks that I have multiples of (or maybe even 4 or 5). I decided it should be this week's challenge because I have to challenge myself or I won't be able to do it!! It's so hard! I have projects to get done and that paper needs to be cut!! So steel yourselves and join me!

So without further ado, here are my projects!

Remember when there were no Cricut carts with Chinese takeout boxes?? These are Chinese takeout boxes that I made last year using a George file from Cindy McEvey's blog - the file did not quite work like I needed to so Caroline re-created it for me and it was the solution to my problems but they took for-ev-ah to cut! and look at all the pretty paper I used! With the addition of a mini cupcake wrapper they are the perfect packaging for glitter ornaments, which you can see on my personal blog here. 

And I was nuts enough to make almost 30 of these because they were the goody bags for my daughter's class. I am shuddering right now as I realize that most of them probably went straight in the trash - but that's not why we do it right? And of course now there are several carts with takeout boxes including Sweet Treats and I think Art Philosophy. 

So I can't wait to see what you make with all your pretty paper! I am getting into my room no matter what this weekend! After cookies get done, dance tickets sold, pageant practice over....SIGH. Happy Crafting!

--Allison

December Technique Tuesday ~ Crinkle Ribbon

Wow it's already December's Technique Tuesday. where has the time gone? This month we have a really EASY tutorial on how to make crinkle ribbon aka seam binding ribbon. I love the look and feel of the crinkle ribbon. It's very soft looking and not very stiff. There are plenty of sites that sell ribbon already crinkled but for the cost I prefer to buy it and dye it myself.

I purchased rolls from Amazon. I like the eggshell color cause it seems to have a slight ivory tint to it. Make sure you get the rayon seam binding. In order to dye them you will need the following items:

* Seam binding
* Mini Misters
* Liquid Reinkers (I'm using Stampin Up reinkers but any wet ink will work)
* Gloves (if you don't want ink on your hands)
* Freezer paper (or other protective paper (like wax paper))
* Water
* If you want to add a hint of shimmer then you sill need some perfect pearls and some alcohol ink blending solution.

Step 1:
Cut the seam biding for the size you want. It can be a little or a lot. That's the beauty of dying your own ribbon.

Step 2:
Spray the ribbon with a little bit of water. Scrunch the ribbon into a ball.
Step 3:
Fill a mini mister 2/3 of the way with water. Add a few drops of ink to the water. The more drops the darker the color. The less drops the lighter the color. If you want the shimmer add a little scoop to the water/dye mixture. Add a drop or two of alcohol blending solution. It helps bind the shimmer to the water/dye mixture.

Step 4:
Spray the ribbon and use the ribbon to pick up the excess spray on the freezer paper

Step 5:
Scrunch the ribbon in a tight ball

Step 6:
Continue to spray/pick up ink to achieve the color you want


Step 7:
If you want it to dry super fast hit it with your heat gun for a little while. Be sure to move the heat gun around because the ribbon will burn if you leave the heat in one place.
NOTE: If you don't want/have a heat gun leave the seam binding in a ball and let it dry on it's own. Depending how much water/dye you used will depend on how long it takes to dry.

Continue the stops above for additional colors. If you want to mix colors start with the lighter color and then apply the darker color and use as little or as much as you want.


Another way to dye the ribbon if you want a darker color start with your water/dye mixture to get a base color


then add a few drops of ink directly the to paper you are working on


Then use your ribbon to pick up the ink but be sure to do it slowly as to not get to much color in one spot


Here are the completed colors.

Now in traditional with our Technique Tuesday tutorials you can win some crinkle ribbon. You can either have it dyed or you can have un-dyed ribbon so you can dye it yourself. All you need to do is leave a comment here. Winner will be announced on Tuesday December 13th.

December Product Challenge ~ Punches

Hello Caroline again. And yes today is Sunday. I'm sad to say the weekend is almost over :o(

So I had the best intentions of crafting ALL day today ... well you know how those intentions go. Turn on my cricut .... well attempt to turn it on and nothing happens. Really??? Are you kidding me??? I NEED to craft. I NEED to get Christmas cards made I don't have time for a broken cricut. Check the power cord ... firmly in the cricut and firmly into the power outlet. Okay I know I'm getting a new E2 for Christmas but it's not Christmas yet and I NEED my cricut NOW. Well fast forward ... my power cord is dead. Dig out the baby bug power cord and I'm back in business or so I thought. In walks hubby and he needs help with his computer. Finish that and it's time to get ready for dinner ugh. Today has not turned out to be my crafting day.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO needless to say my project for you today is unfinished. Well sort of unfinished. Let me explain. While sitting in my craft room trying to think of what today's challenge should be I sit and stare at my wall'o'goodies and it hits me. We have all (or most of us) been enabled to purchase paper punches. I mean who doesn't love those Martha Stewart Punches???? As I'm looking at them I'm realizing that I don't use them as much as I should.

So the light bulb goes off and I decide today we are going to use our punches. In trying to work on Christmas cards (that's a whole nother story) I see my Martha Stewart Branch Punch. Okay I'll use that for a Christmas Card.

So while my punch item is complete the project is not. That being said here is my inspiration for you today

A wonderful Cricuteer Lorraine has a fabulous video on how to make these wreaths using this punch. I've been so afraid to use this punch cause it never turns out the way I want. But whala Lorraine to the rescue.

Now it's your turn. Let's see what you do with your paper punches!!!! Happy crafting.

---Caroline

December Sketch Challenge

Hi Everyone!!!! Caroline here. Nope it's not Sunday and you haven't missed the weekend. Allison has been caught up with some work stuff this week and asked me take over for her for this sketch challenge weekend.

I have some large shoes to fill and was a little nervous cause she's the queen of layouts but she did hold my hand and give me the sketches to work with :oP

Layout Sketch

Card Sketch

So I've been trying to scrap my wedding pictures ... it's only been 5 years so why not start now.
Considering I haven't done layouts in a very LONG time I'm pleased with the way these turned out. On the black embossed panel I used white/clear smooch spritz to tone down the black.

Now for the card
Close up of the charms

The little snowflake squares are foil tape run through the cuttlebug and then dyed with alcohol ink.

The charms were made with beads and mini jingle bells. Now it's your turn. Let's see your take on the sketches.

---Caroline

Use Your Stash: The Lesser Loved Paper

Diane from My Time To Craft here again with a use your stash challenge.

We all have them. Those sheets of scrapbook paper that make us wonder what in the world we were thinking. Maybe you're addicted to paper stacks but some of the paper just isn't to your liking. Maybe you can't pass up the $2.99 price on a package of paper at Tuesday Morning. Whatever the reason, now you have all this paper you're pretty sure you're never going to use, but you don't want to just recycle it. So, what's a girl to do?

Think small.

Many times the paper that we do not love can often be used in small doses on other projects.
In going through my stash, I came across this paper.

I'm pretty sure it came from a stack about four years ago, but I really couldn't figure out what I would use this for...until I looked closer. If I avoided the "water damage" areas, the white speckled areas make for a good snowy sky. So, I took my scalloped circle punch and found just the right area for my project.

I decided I wanted to try making decorative magnets from the flat glass stones in the floral department. On the flat side of one of the stones, I used the smallest amount of Stickles and spread it across the surface. I let it dry completely to prevent the glitter from clumping up once I glued it together.

On the scalloped circle, I added a torn scrap of another blue lesser loved paper for the ground and cut a holly leaf to look like a tree. Out came the Stickles again for some sparkle and a gold pen for a star.

Once everything dried, I added a thin layer of glue to the back of the stone and pieced them together.

Once that dried, I glued a magnet to the back.

So how will you use your lesser loved paper?

Sketch Challenge - Holiday Cards

Happy Black Friday! Diane from My Time to Craft here as your guest designer. The holiday season is upon us I'm sure plenty of you were out and about early this morning working on that holiday list, but don't forget about the holiday cards. Today I've created a simple sketch for use help get those cards under way.

As with most sketches, you can make this as simple or complex as you like. I find I usually start out very ornate, but by the time I get to the end, my cards are really simple (I just can't seem to assembly line craft).

This time of year, my Martha Stewart punches are often the tool of choice. If it's not the branch punch, then it's usually the holly.

In this first one, I used the holly to make a circular area behind a corrugated star that I inked with gold and wrapped in Holiday Divine Twine.

For the second, the holly created a traditional wreath. I love the crinkly Wassau paper used as the square in the first picture and the lace here.

I would love to see what your holiday cards are looking like. As with all PCWC challenges, follow the sketch or don't, it doesn't matter. Just have fun!

- Diane from My Time to Craft