With Sympathy

 Seems I have been working to complete a lot of Christmas cards, but have missed working with Susan's other beautiful flower dies.  Today I created a sympathy card using the "A Way With Words" Sympathy die by Quietfire.  

The flowers I added to the card include Susan's Garden Dogwood above the sentiment.  Below the sentiment I used Susan's Garden Hydrangea.  Susan's also has a smaller hydrangea in her Susan's Garden Note Hydrangea die set, so you have a choice of two sizes.  The larger white flowers were created using the Susan's Garden Anemone dies.   For pretty little fillers,  the small flowers were created with the daisy dies in the Garden Patch - 1-inch & Mini Daisy & Chrysanthemum die set.  These little daisies match the flowers in the design paper.

In the corners, I added ECD  White Velvet Peel-off Sticker Corners and also White Velvet Peel-off Corner Sticker Lines across the upper and lower portions of the card. 

Below are links to all the products I used from Elizabeth Craft Designs:

1020 Susan's Garden Hydrangea

1009 Susan's Garden Dogwood 

1003 Garden Patch - 1-inch & Mini Daisy & Chrysanthemum

1005 Susan's Garden Anemone

1060  Quietfire With Sympathy

30115 Susan's Garden PanPastels Kit 1 

808 Susan's 4 pc Tool Set

810 Susan's Molding Pad

PSF 102 100lb Soft Finish Cardstock

7003 Velvet Flower Corner Peel Off Stickers

1149  Velvet Straight Lines Peel Off Stickers

 

Dogwood Happy Birthday

Today I needed to make a birthday card and wanted to try a pretty technique Anita Izendoorn did on a few cards I saw on the Elizabeth Craft Designs Facebook page using one of the A Way With Words dies by Quietfire.  Elizabeth Craft Designs has 12 different Quietfire sentiment dies you can choose from, to do this technique.

The Happy Birthday was die cut four times, using the Elizabeth Craft Designs Soft Finish 100lb Cardstock.  If you use the Elizabeth Craft Designs Clear Double Sided Adhesive, it is very easy to layer the die cuts on top of each other to create a "stack", otherwise, you can glue the sentiments together.  Layering the sentiment gives a lot of dimension to the die cut. I love how this turned out.

This is a 6"x6" card.  Using a smaller piece of card stock (5 3/4"), I used a Tim Holtz die for the open die cut at the top of the card.  This piece was cut off a quarter inch below the bottom of the die cut design.  The rest of the strip was cut 1 1/2 "  deep for the bottom.  A piece of pearlized card stock was cut 5 3/4" and the two pieces were glued to it.  I had planned to attach these pieces over the pearlized card stock with dimensional tape, but changed my mind because I wanted to add dimensional flowers.  The Sentiment was attached over the open space (showing the pearlized card stock below it).

Susan's Garden Dogwood dies were used for the pretty dogwood branch.  It was attached with Glue Dots.  I encourage you to watch Susan's YouTube Dogwood video to see how to assemble these beautiful flowers.  Did you know that Susan now has her Susan's Garden Club Blog which has so many gorgeous projects with written instructions? I encourage you to sign up and Follow her blog so you receive all new posts.

 Be sure to watch all Susan's YouTube videos and follow her blog for a lot of inspiration.  You too, can become a Paper Gardener!

Below are links to the Elizabeth Craft Designs products used:

 1009 Susan's Garden Dogwood

Susan's Flower Tool Kit

30117 Susan's Pan Pastels Kit 3

1054 Quietfire Happy Birthday

PSF102 100lb Soft Finish Cardstock

510 Clear Double Sided Adhesive 

 

 

Season's Greetings

I saw on the news that snow has already fallen, but thankfully not where I live.  We are having beautiful Autumn weather.  

The holidays will be here soon and it will be time to send greetings to our friends and family.  Today I have a card I designed using Susan's Garden Notes Poinsettias.  I used Goosebumps Clear Texture Spray to achieve the speckle on these red poinsettias.  Behind the poinsettias are sprigs of Susan's Garden  Notes Whitepine Boughs.

The sentiment is one of the Way With Words die cuts by Quietfire.  It was die cut using shiny gold card stock.  The background is a piece of design paper I had in my stash.  To border the design, I used Elizabeth Craft Border Peel Off Stickers.

Have you started creating your Christmas cards yet?

You can use the links below to find the products used from Elizabeth Craft Designs:

1090 Garden Notes Poinsettia

1091 Whitepiine Bough and Pine Cone

1057 Quietfire Season's Greetings

1061 Border Peel Off Stickers

 

 

Recycled Cigar Box

 

 

You know I am always excited to show you beautiful projects using Susan's dies.  Today I have an Autumn themed recycled project to show you.

This is an old wood cigar box which I thought would be perfect to make beautiful with Susan's Garden Notes Chrysanthemums and Susan's Garden Woodland Leaves.  It is pretty ugly, isn't it.  You can pick up cigar boxes, for very little money, at most any cigar store.  These boxes make great gift boxes for birthdays or the holidays.

Here is how I transformed this box into a gorgeous box anyone would love to receive. First cover the cigar logo.   I created a square to cover the center of the top of the box.  (I wanted to keep as much of the wood showing as possible, so I only covered the logo.)  It was matted with a piece of black card stock, then a smaller rust mat.  I used a piece of textured off-white card stock for the next layer; this layer was sponged around the edges with Old Paper and Tea Dye Distress Inks.  Next a frame of wine card stock was cut and attached over the outside edge of the off-white layer using dimensional tape under it, to give it some dimension.  On top of the wine frame, I added one of the ECD peel off line stickers.  Once all these layers were attached to each other, the frame was attached, with 10mm Double Sided Tape, to the cigar box.

 Using the Chrysanthemum die, die cut chrysanthemums using different colors of card stock. There are a total of 13 flowers on this box top.  I used wine colored card stock, bright yellow card stock and the rest were die cut using white card stock and were shaded with Susan's PanPastels.

 

 

 The above 2 pictures show the pieces used for each chrysanthemum.   For complete instruction on how to create Susan's Garden Note Chrysanthemum, you can watch Susan's YouTube Video at this LINK.  Susan has 15 new videos on Susan's Garden Club playlist on YouTube that will be very helpful in creating your projects with her dies.

 Using Susan's  Garden Woodland Leaves,  die cut a lot of leaves using some white card stock and some Kraft card stock.  The different card stock gives a variety of shades.

All the leaves were first shaped, using Susan's Flower Tool Kit.   Working on a Teflon Craft Mat, all the leaves were colored using a variety of colors from Susan's PanPastels; yellows, greens, orange, rust, bright red and dark red.  The PanPastels blend beautifully creating such beautiful fall colors.  Use a sponge to add the colors which makes it easy to quickly color.  There will be PanPastel dust on your craft mat, so don't forget to pick this dust up with the sponge and blend it over some of the leaves.  If you check the links below, you will be able to purchase two of the PanPastels in a Bundle at a great savings.

 Looking at the picture above, first layer a lot of the Woodland Leaves down the left side and across the bottom of the top of the box.  Attach the Chrysanthemums with dimensional glue dots.  Add as many Elizabeth Craft Designs Curvy Leaves as you like for fillers;  they were die cut using white card stock then sponged with green PanPastel then a little rust around the edges, then  shaped with Susan's Flower Tool Kit.  There are also branches from Susan's CountryScapes Wood 1 die set that were die cut using dark brown card stock, then glued under the leaves.  There is one Elizabeth Craft Designs Berry Branch tucked in that was colored with the wine (dark red) PanPastel.

This is the inside of the box.  A piece of designer paper was placed in the bottom; is a beautiful wood box, so I didn't attached the design paper.  On this box, there was a cigar commercial on the inside of the lid that needed to be covered with a piece of design paper.  Elizabeth Craft Designs Border stickers were added around the edge of the design paper to frame it.  One of Susan's Garden Woodland Leaves was attached on the inside of the lid.

A box decorated with Susan's Garden dies would be a beautiful gift in itself, or you could add a little surprise inside too.  Do you have something you could recycle and make beautiful?

Below are the Links to products I used from Elizabeth Craft Designs:
 
1087 Garden Notes Chrysanthemum
1092 Susan's Garden Woodland Leaves
992 CountryScapes Wood 1
Susan's Tool Kit
30115 Susan's Garden PanPastel Kit 1
30116 Susan's  Garden PanPastel Kit 2
30117 Susan's Garden PaPastel Kit 3
       OR you can purchase PanPastel Bundle 30115/30116 on SALE

730 Curvy Leaves
758 Berry Branch
507 10mm Transparent Double Sided Tape
1060 Border and Corner Peel Off Stickers
1034 Corner and Border Peel Off Stickers

Christmas Waves a Magic Wand

Good Morning.  Today I am joining the Quietfire Design Team with a Christmas card created with the Christmas Waves a Magic Wand rubber stamp.  I invite you to see my Christmas card over at the Quietfire Blog at this LINK. 

 

Christmas Candlelight

 Have you seen the great selection of new rubber stamps by Bianca Petroschi now available from Elizabeth Craft Designs.  She has a line of stamps in high quality cling-mounted deep etched red rubber plus another line in clear photopolymer for easy see through positioning.

 

The stamp by Bianca that I used today is called Christmas Candlelight.  I stamped the image three times on the new Elizabeth Craft Designs Soft Finish Cardstock.  This card stock has beautiful texture and comes in two different paper weights. Copic Markers were used to color the stamped images.  Glitter was added over the candle flames and dimensional berries were created with Love Letter, irRESISTible Pico Embellisher. I used the entire stamped image in the back, then cut out only the smaller candle from the second stamped image, then cut out the two poinsettias from the third stamped image. The poinsettias were shaped with Susan's Flower Tools.  The three layers were attached together with dimensional tape to give it a three dimensional look. 

 

I chose to create a stair step card.  For the large center section, I used Fitted Frames 3 Curvy Rectangles for a background.  I die cut the frame - which is one plate that includes all the frames - in both red and green card stock.  I alternated colors fitting the frames back together.  On the side panels, I used the heart die cut and a few of the dots from unused frames to decorate.  

For a background for the candles, I used Susan's Garden Notes Carolina Window.  I backed it with a piece of light blue Shimmer Sheetz.  There is dimensional tape between the window frame and Shimmer Sheetz.  To add more foliage behind the candles, I added Susan's Garden Notes Whitepine Boughs.  

Below are the links to products used from Elizabeth Craft Designs:

RS017 Christmas Candlelight

PSF101 85 lb Soft Finish Cardstock

Susan's Flower Tool Kit

1063 Fitted Frames 3 Curvy Rectangles 

1086 Garden Notes Carolina Window & Shutters

1091 Garden Notes Whitepine Bough & Pine Cone

SS0227 Iris Sampler Pack Shimmer Sheetz

Lots of Glitter

What is Christmas without a little glitter!  It is so fun to work with the Elizabeth Craft Silk Microfine Glitters.

Today I worked with the Elizabeth Craft Designs Snowflakes and Stocking Solid dies for my main design.  I also used the small snowflakes from Karen Burniston's Spiral Circle Pull Card dies, and Susan's Garden Notes Whitepine Bough dies.

This is a 6x6 inch card.  The white background was embossed with the ECD Snowflakes embossing folder.  I had to emboss it twice to cover the entire front.  

All the Snowflakes and the Stocking were die cut using the Elizabeth Craft Designs Clear Transparent tape that was attached to white card stock.  You want to make sure you place the dies on the side with the Transparent Tape so when the cover is pulled off the tape, you will have the sticky side to add the glitter.  The Stocking was also die cut this same way.

By watching Els YouTube Video, I learned how to use the glitters.  I used the Soft Teal and Lavender glitters for the Snowflakes.  I combined the two colors on one of the snowflakes.  

 To frame the scene, I added Elizabeth Craft narrow Transparent Tape around the edge of the embossed card stock.  The Soft Teal and Lavender Glitters were used around the frame.  Don't forget to rub the glitter once it is attached to the tape -- this brings out the shine.  

The stocking was also glittered. The glittered white top was glued to the stocking just along the top edges; this made it a little dimensional.  The Elizabeth Craft "Merry Christmas" was die cut on more Transparent Tape and Solar Gold Silk Microfine Glitter added.  I added a chunky type glitter, from my stash, to the Pine  Bough.  The snowflakes, Pine Boughs, and Sentiment were glued to the card front.  The Stocking was attached with dimensional Tape.  ECD Alphabet Stickers were used for "Dad" on the Stocking.

Working with the Elizabeth Craft Designs Silk Microfine Glitter is so fun and always looks so beautiful.  There are 40 different colors plus remember, you can use your Copic Markers to color the Warm or Cool Diamond, to create your own special color or shade the colored glitters to make them darker.  I hope you will give it a try. 

You can click on the links below to find the products used from Elizabeth Craft Designs:
757 - Snowflakes
932 - Stocking Solid
916 - Spiral Circle Pull Card
944 - Merry Christmas
1091 - Garden Notes Whitepine Bough & Pine  Cone
E126 - Snowflakes Embossing Folder
629 - Soft Teal Microfine Glitter
620 - Lavender Silk Microfine Glitter
638 - Solar Gold Silk Microfine Glitter
506 - 6mm Transparent Double Sided Tape
510 - 101mm Transparent Double Sided Tape
814 - Upper Case Alphabet Letters Gold
1281 -  Lower Case Alphabet Letters Gold

 

Another Susan's Garden Pine Cone Tutorial

Yesterday I posted a tutorial on how I make Susan's Garden Notes Pine Cones.  I talked with Susan this morning and she explained that it is not necessary to use YES Paste to create her Garden Notes Pine Cone.  I have a short tutorial below to show you a very easy way to create them.

We all usually have small gifts we need a gift box for during the Holidays.  Today I used the new pine cones I created for this box.  This is a die cut box I purchased last year in a clearance.  On the front of the box I used one of the Elizabeth Craft Designs Gold Lace Frame Peel Off Stickers.  On the handle, I used one of the Christmas Peel Off Stickers for the Sentiment.

I created Red and White Susan's Garden Notes Poinsettia for the front.  The petals were die cut using white card stock then sprayed with Goosebumps Clear Texture Spray.  After the Texture Spray was dry, I sponged on red ink.  The Texture Spray is clear and shows the color of card stock used.  Under the Poinsettia, I added a few die cut Garden Notes Whitepine Boughs, then attached two of the Garden Notes Pine Cones with glue dots. 

PINE CONE TUTORIAL

Die Cut a bunch of the seeds (petals) using brown card stock.  Shape each one with the small loop tool from Susan's Flower Tool Kit.  For each pine cone, die cut two of the base pieces.  

Use the large stylus to shape (cup) both bases.  I use two pieces to make a stronger base.  Glue the two pieces together.  Try to have it shaped to resemble the shape of your finished pine cone. 
 

To assemble the pine cone, you will need glue and tweezers.  I used the glue Susan recommends, which is Beacons Kids Choice Glue.  I purchased it at Joann's Fabric.  The tweezers I use are the self-closing tweezers from Susan's Tool Kit.

 You can assemble the pine cone by leaving it on your craft mat, but I found it easier to hold it between my fingers until I had added seeds half way down.  I then put it on the craft mat and finished adding seeds.  Start at the tip of the pine cone and add one seed, then add three on next row, and continue all the way down, alternating each seed, continuing in rows - it is like putting tiles on a roof.  If using the tweezers, you just dip the bottom end of the seed in the glue and attach it where you want it. 

This is a quick and very easy method for creating your pine cones.  I know a lot of you have had trouble finding YES Paste, so I hope you are excited to know you can build your pine cone with your regular glue.

 Here is a picture of two of my finished pine cones using this method to assemble.  (The little white beads are pearls I dipped in glue and added coarse glitter to -- I know someone will ask me about this.) 

You can purchase the following products by clicking on the link below:

1091 Garden Notes Whitepine Bough & Pine Cone
1090 Garden Notes Poinsettia
Susan Flower Tool Kit
1291 Gold Frames Peel Off  Stickers

Susan's Garden Notes - Pinecone Tutorial

 I have had many of you write to tell me you purchased Susan's Garden Notes Whitepine Bough & Pine Cone dies and asked if I would do a tutorial.  I know Susan is working on new videos but until they are released, I have a tutorial below on how I create her pine cones.  

Before I do the tutorial, I will tell you about the card I made using the pine cones.  I love "bling" on Christmas cards so decided to experiment creating Susan's Garden Notes Poinsettia with the Elizabeth Craft Designs Red Metallic Shimmer Sheetz.  I know that the Shimmer Sheetz emboss beautifully when using an embossing folder so experimented by die cutting the poinsettia using the Red Shimmer Sheetz and seeing if I could add the detail in the petals using Susan's Leaf Tool from her Tool Kit -- it worked great.

 

I created the Garden Notes Poinsettia on the upper left corner of the card, by using 3 of the large 5-petal die cuts.  The petals were shaped just like I do when using regular card stock.  I found it necessary to use glue dots to layer the petals because glue was taking too long to dry on the Shimmer Sheetz.

Under the Poinsettia, I added a lot of the Garden Notes Whitepine Boughs, a few Garden Notes Holiday Holly Leaves,  plus three of the Garden Notes Pine Cones I made for this tutorial.  The ornament I used is one of the Elizabeth Craft Ornaments 2 dies.  I die cut the ornament twice using Red Metallic Shimmer Sheetz.  One of the ornaments was attached to a piece of the Elizabeth Craft Double Sided Transparent tape.  The base ornament die in this set was die cut using Silver card stock.  The red Ornament, with the Double Sided Tape, was attached over the silver ornament.  I wanted to make the poinsettia on the ornament dimensional, so I pulled out the petals of the extra ornament, shaped them with Susan's Leaf Tool, and attached just the base of each petal over the poinsettia on the ornament.  I used a very small piece of Elizabeth Craft Double Sided tape to attache each petal.  The center of the poinsettia was die using shinny gold card stock.  The little circles were glued over the circles in the middle of the poinsettia.  I also used the same circles for the larger poinsettia at the top of the card.   The finished ornament was attached with glue dots at the end of the Whitepine Boughs.  The sentiment used is one of the new Quietfire dies -- it was also die cut using the Red Shimmer Sheetz.

MY TUTORIAL FOR CREATING SUSAN'S PINE CONES

This is the die set used for the Pine Cones.

 In order to shape the pine cones, you need to use a thick paste.  I use "YES!" Paste which I have seen in both Hobby Lobby and Michael's Craft stores.  You can use your 40% off coupon on it.  I have not used it, but Susan told me you can also use clear silicone caulk from the hardware store.  I like to work on a small piece of Teflon Craft Sheet so I can leave the pine cones on it until they have dried for a day.  Use a craft knife and put a small amount of Yes Paste approximately the size you want the pine cone on the Craft Sheet.  I like to let the paste sit and dry out a while so it is not so sticky when I add the petals of the pine cone.

 While the glue is drying out a little, I die cut a lot of the Garden Notes Pine Cone petals, using brown card stock.  Working on the foam mat, shape each petal with Susan's small Loop Tool, from her Flower Tool Kit.  You don't need to worry about which side is the front or back, but you do want to try and pull the tool down from the top to the bottom of each petal (or bottom to top).  This shapes each petal so the bend will be on each side and resemble a real pine cone.  In the picture, at the top right, you can also see I have die cut the bottom piece that will go on each pine cone.  I add this piece as a last step.  I find it easier to work on the Teflon Craft Sheet, then lift the pine cone off and place it on the bottom die cut.  

 When I create pine cones, I like to work with 4 to 6 at a time.  After the YES Paste has dried out a little, you can use your fingers to shape each one.  I find it real handy to have baby wipes handy to clean my fingers when the paste sticks to them.

 When you are adding the petals to the paste, you want to start at the pointed end, using. the smallest petals.  You can use the self-closing tweezers from Susan's Tool Kit or your fingers.  I like to use the tweezers.  Start with one small petal on the very end.  Next add three petals going across in the next row.  As you add petals in the following rows, you should try to alternate them.  I like to push the wide end of the petal straight down in the paste then push it down to flatten it.  If your paste becomes too dry, lightly mist it with water and it will become sticky again.  Be sure to LIGHTLY mist because you don't want it to be too sticky or it will be hard to handle.

Continue adding petals all the way down to the base.  Don't worry about which petal you pick up to add.  You want to try and add the smaller petals at the tip and use the larger ones at the base, but a variety makes a nice pine cone.  If you see gaps in your pine cone, you can find a small petal and push it it.  

I am showing you this picture to tell you that if you decide you have too much paste and don't want your pine cone so long, that is easy to fix.

o

When your have too much paste, take your tool and cut down next to the petals, and drag the extra paste away.  Don't waste the paste -- put it back in the jar.

Once you cut off the extra paste, you will probably need to add a few more petals right on the end to finish it off.  You can kind of shape it more if you want, but don't smash down the petals too flat.  Your pine cone such look similar to this.  Every pine cone will look a little different - just like in nature!

 Let your pine cone sit for 6 to 8 hours, or until the next day, to dry.  The pine cone will hold it's shape after drying for a while, but will still be wet on the bottom (next to the Teflon Craft Sheet).  You can use a small spatula type tool to run under the pine cone and place it on the die cut bottom.  It will be sticky enough to stick well.  You may need to use scissors to trim some of the paste and/or die cut bottom piece down to the shape of the pine cone.  Now you are ready to add them to your project.  I like to use glue dots to adhere them to my projects.

I hope this tutorial helps you to create your pine cones. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comment sections below.  

 Susan's dies make these pine cones look so realistic!  Have Fun. 

The following linked products can be purchased from Elizabeth Craft Designs:

1090 Garden Notes Poinsettia
1091 Garden Notes Whitepine Bough & Pine Cone
1088 Garden Notes Holiday Holly & Berries
Susan's Flower Tool Kit 
762 Ornaments 2
SS0214 Red Metallic Shimmer Sheetz 
509 Double Sided Transparent Adhesive
505 Double  Sided Transparent Tape
1056 Quietfire Merry Christmas