Papercrafting: Musical Monogram

 

I am "Other Mother" to one of my bestie's daughters who is expecting her second child next month. The parents-to-be own a music store and Dad and Grandpa both play guitar. As part of their baby shower gift I made this framed Musical Monogram. 

Supplies

• Coordinating Papers
• Music Themed Alphabet (I downloaded from Creative Fabrica)
• 12x12 Shadowbox Frame
• Paper Punch
• Embellishments
• Double Sided and Foam Tapes

I selected the letter I needed from the alphabet I downloaded, sized, and imported into Cricut Design Space. Putting some things I learned last month in a workshop to use, I added a guitar from the CDS store and "sliced" a guitar image out the body of the top layer of the letter, then cut two guitars from silver glitter cardstock and layered them onto black pieces I also cut. 

I created two background layers for the Z using the Contour feature to remove the detail from the white layer, leaving it solid, and then using the Offset feature in Design Space to create the black background.

I used foam tape on the back of the white layer to attach to the black layer. 

To finish, I used some textured rhinestones as shown. The top layer of the monogram is black glitter paper. Can you tell there's a "Rock Star" theme here?

I've said before I stock up on these frames whenever they're a BOGO at Michaels. They are so perfect for making home decor or gifts like this one. 

I grabbed a large star punch from my punch collection and punched out a few stars which I attached with foam tape. Et, voila! 

I also found this great little book to include along with the other items in their gift. Looking forward to meeting my newest Grandbaby. We won't be grandparents biologically, but I get to play Fair Grandmother! 

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Papercrafting: Faux Chocolate Bunny Cards

 

My inspiration for this year's Easter cards came from a classic Easter staple, the foil-wrapped chocolate bunny. I used dark brown cardstock and glitter cardstock.

Supplies:

• Dark Brown Cardstock
• Pastel Glitter Paper (Recollections)
• Foiled/Marbled Background Papers (Recollections)
• White Cardstock (110lb)
• SVG File (I downloaded a set from Creative Fabrica)
• Cricut Cutting Machine
• Cricut Design Space
• Self-adhesive rhinestones
• Foam Tape
• Tape Runner

I used these papers by Recollections at Michaels for the background panels. I had these in my stash but was thrilled to find they still carried the Spring Marbles stack and picked up another one during their recent sale. 

I found a collection of bunnies at Creative Fabrica, downloaded, and selected the one I wanted to use. 

A moment of self-congratulatory pride...drumroll please! The middle of the top layer was empty and I found an egg design in Cricut Design Space and added it to the middle! Please clap!

This idea was inspired by foil-wrapped Chocolate Bunnies so I used dark brown cardstock for the bottom layer (used the offset tool in Design Space to create) and then cut the glitter layers. 

I attached the glitter layers to the "chocolate" layers using foam squares.

The thing I love about the Recollections papers is how well so many of the patterned papers work with solids. Being a paper hoarder, I have stacks from different years and they work together. I chose solids from the Spring Pastels stack to coordinate with the Spring Marbles papers and the Glitter Stack is also Spring. 

 

As always, my cards are 5x7 and the panels are 4.75x6.75 and 4.25x4.5. I attached the marbled papers to the solid using my ATG tape runner, then attached the layered panel to the card, then the "Chocolate Bunny" to the center using foam tape.

To finish, I grabbed my stash of self-adhesive rhinestones and added as shown. Now, family and friends have a calorie free Chocolate Bunny!

I did versions in pink:

Blue

Green

Lavender

When I make multiples, I use the same image even if I do different colors to make it easy to keep the settings in the software and machine the same and not confuse myself! 

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Sundays on Silverado

Papercrafting: Layered Disney Inspired Train

 

Walt Disney said that he wanted Disneyland to be a place for everyone, young, old, and in between. And one of the things we love is riding the Disney Railroad around the park. Since Mr.Chocolate likes trains period, I made him something special for a recent birthday that captures both! 

Supplies:

• 8x8 Shadowbox Frame (Michaels)
• Disney Themed Background Paper
• Red, Yellow, Black Cardstock
• Train Cut File (Silhouette Online Store)
• Foam Tape and Foam Squares
• Digital Cutting Machine (Cricut Explore Air 2)

He's got quite the Disney collection and this idea was inspired by a Funko Pop I got him for Christmas. Walt conducting his Railroad which he did occasionally do around the park.

I used one of my go to frames from my stash and then cut the background paper to size. 

I imported the SVG file from the Silhouette Online Store into Cricut Design Space , sized, and then duplicated the original and removed some of the cut out portions using the Contour feature in the software. I assembled the layers using foam tape and foam squares. 

I tacked the background paper to the back of the frame with double-sided tape then attached the train to it and assembled the frame.  

I also made him a coordinating card! 

He was very surprised and happy! 

Papercrafting: Valentine's Day Cards Sweetheart Day by Recollections

 

Recipents have received these, so now I can share this year's Valentine's Day cards I made for family and friends. 

Supplies:

• Sweetheart Day Valentine's Stack (Recollections, Michaels)
• Pink Foil Cardstock (Recollections, Michaels)
• Pink 110lb Cardstock (Recollections, Michaels)
• Layered Cut File (Designbundles.net)
• Digital Cutting Machine (Cricut Explore Air 2)
• Tape Gun
• Self Adhesive Rhinestones

I am hopelessly and forever  in love with new papers when they come out. So despite always having leftover papers from previous stacks, I see a new one and I'm like Doug the dog from "UP" when he sees asquirrel! 

This collection has a combination of printed, glitter, and acetate papers. I used the white glitter sheets as the bottom layer and the pink foiled paper for the top. The image is from a mega bundle I bought during one of Designbundles.net Dollar Deals. I attached the two layers using foam squares. 

I cut and scored the pink cardstock into 5x7 cards. Then used white cardstock, pieces of patterned paper and pieces of acetate from the collection as panels. 

I love printed acetate! It gives a certain extra something. I am hoping to see more of it included in the future stacks I know I'll buy! 

Creating, Cooking, and Cardmaking...how I show my love! 

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Gift Making: Framed Snowglobe

 

We live in a town small enough to see the same people regularly. We always go to the same Checker at the grocery store and every Friday we get takeout from our local Mexican restaurant. The owners live in our development, and when I call our order in (we are creatures of habit get the same thing each week) it's only a confirmation of "the usual". So I like to make a little something during the holiday season and this year, I saw something similar and knew what I'd make: A Framed Snowglobe!

Supplies

• Plastic Ornament that comes in two halves. Craft stores, Dollar Tree etc. 
• Frame
• Scrapbook Papers
• Mini Ornaments
• Misc Embellishments/Fillers

I cut the snowglobe base from aqua glitter cardstock and then a scallop circle and panel from Christmas scrapbook paper. 

I cut the Christmas paper to fit the frame (5x7) put the glass back in and put the backing back on the frame. This is a great project to use up things you may have from other projects or things that you picked up because they were cute and hadn't used yet, but I repeat myself. I found these cute tree ornaments at Walmart and had some stocking stickers in my stash!

I attached the scallop circle to the glitter background with foam tape to give it just a little dimension.Then I filled the ornament half with faux snow, seasonal sequins, and a couple of jingle bells. 

Then I went about constructing my snowglobe. The best part is, since you're only using half of each ornament you can make twice as many!

I had some mirrored snowflake rhinestones in my stash so I added one as a tree topper with another tiny rhinestone in the middle. The stockings were stickers from a previous year's cards. 

You'll be working upside down here. Run a line of hot glue around the edge of the ornament then flip your layered snowglobe over and attach. You have a few seconds to align if needed and don't worry if there are spots where the glue isn't totally attached. You may have a couple of things slip out if they're tiny like the very small red sequins but no worries! 

To finish (and to really make sure your contents stay in) run hot glue around the edge and attach a coordinating pipecleaner! TIP: Do this in small sections at a time so you can make sure your pipecleaner is good and stuck! Once that's done, use some hot glue to attach your completed snowglobe atop your frame!

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