The Artisan Design Team’s March box of products is all about spring!  As I type this, there are 8 inches of snow that just fell so I’m even more excited for you to see all that we have for you this week.  Some of you may have already seen the projects since they are from Stampin’ Up’s Facebook Showcase posted last Friday.  If you have come over from amazing Jeanna, welcome to the next stop.  If you are starting here, just continue around using the next buttons until you get back to me.

Spring is the time for baskets, don’t you think?  Something about them just makes me happy.  I thought it would be fun to show you this variety of little baskets made for my sons’ teachers.  They are all made basically the same way but with slight variations.  To start, get some little peat pots (you know, the ones for starting seeds).  They are readily available right now at home stores.  There are different shapes and sizes and they are super inexpensive.  Get a few while you are there.  You will want to make more!  I took each of the three pots and painted them with Gesso.  This is an acrylic surface prep and I think you could use acrylic paint instead if that is what you have.  Paint it on haphazardly.  You don’t want total coverage.  Set it aside to dry.

While you are waiting, take some floral wire and cut enough for a handle (be generous, you can trim extra later).  In the middle, wrap the wire around a pencil to get the curves and then fold each side down to create the handle.  With your Piercing Tool, poke a hole where you want the handle to attach. Made sure it isn’t too close to the edge since the pot is really soft.  Bend the end of the handle to a 90 degree angle and put through the hole then bend it the rest of the way up to attach it completely.  I used needle nosed pliers for this.  Do the same for the other side taking care not to pull too hard on the already attached side.  I spritzed Daffodil Delight Seam Binding with water then crumpled and let dry.  I created the bow first and then wrapped around another piece of Seam Binding and attached at the front using hot glue. Then the bow was attached using hot glue.  Yes…the bow is an illusion.  It looks tied on but it isn’t.  Most of my bows work this way since it is so much easier to tie the bow separately!  I filled a 4″x6″ Cellophane Bag with candy treats and tied with more Seam Binding.  Then I added filler and the bag and placed a flower on the side (details below).

For the blue basket, just a couple of changes.  First, I sponged a little Old Olive ink over the Gesso to give a mossy look.  Use a light hand!  The ribbon is Soft Sky Seam Binding but otherwise the same technique.

 I got a little more ambitious for the third basket.  I tore a piece of Modern Medley DSP and attached it to the pot using Mod Podge.  Once dry, I put on some more Gesso to tone the paper down a bit.  I chose to leave off the handle and instead added a button to the bow before attaching.  Very Vanilla Seam Binding was the ribbon of choice for this one.

Ok…the flowers.  These were really fun to do and pretty simple once you get the technique down.  The Spiral Flower Die is your best buddy on this!  Choose your DSP (I chose Watercolor Wonder for the first two and Kaleidescope for the third).  Cut out two of the spirals flowers.  Spritz them with water, crumple them, re-straighten them and then roll them up at the same time to give a fuller flower.  Using your Silicone Craft Sheet as a base, add a dollop of hot glue to the bottom and secure them together.

Using your Piercing Tool, poke a small hole through the center of the flower.  Take a piece of floral wire and bend the top down and “smoosh” it together to create a closed hook (kind of like a shepherd’s hook).  Push the other end of the floral wire through the hole you made and pull until the hook creates your center.

Then using floral tape, wrap around from the base down about 1/2″ inch to create the flower’s sepal.  This also keeps the flower from slipping back down the stem.  Place the stem into the basket, trimming to the right length as needed with wire cutters.

I am pretty sure it takes almost as much time to write this as it did to make it.  Really, it isn’t hard and the results are so worth it.  These would be lovely as a spring party decoration or as favors for a spring shower.  I hope like these as much as I do.  I think this might be one of my favorite projects I have ever made!

Okay, off to go visit the awesome Mercedes Weber.  I can’t wait for you to see what she has created!  Make sure you hop around the whole loop to take a look at beautiful creations by the whole team…you’ll be happy you did!

Click HERE to purchase any of these wonderful Stampin’ Up products.

Ink:  Old Olive; Paper:  Watercolor Wonder DSP, Kaleidescope DSP, Modern Medley DSP; Accessories:  Daffodil Delight Seam Binding, Soft Sky Seam Binding, Very Vanilla Seam Binding, Big Shot, Spiral Flower Die, 4″x6″ Cellophane Bags, Rose Red Button, Silicone Craft Sheet, Peat Pots, Floral Wire, Floral Tape, Gesso, Mod Podge, Hot Glue

 

The Artisan Design Team’s March box of products is all about spring!  I admit it.  I have full on spring fever.  After last week’s beautiful projects, I can’t even wait to see what everyone has to show you this week.  If you have come over from amazing Jeanna, welcome to the next stop.  If you are starting here, just continue around using the next buttons until you get back to me.

On Saturday I had the privilege of presenting at the Northern Virginia Stampin’ Up Style Regional Event.  This event was coordinated by Rose-Ellen Eastman with the assistance of Michelle Suit (both such amazing stampers!).  Over 50 Stampin’ Up demonstrators got together to share ideas and creativity.  Such a fun day!!  Events like this are another of the many reasons to be a Stampin’ Up demonstrator!  When Rose-Ellen asked me to be a presenter I have to admit that I got really nervous.  What to make?  I immediately decided that I wanted it to be a “makable wow”.  Meaning that it would have wow features but still had to be easy enough for new stampers to make.  While the product list is a little longer for this than I originally intended, the card is definitely one that can be made by any level of stamper.

Spring to me says soft colors and a soft look to cards.  Naturally Subtles colors and vellum came to mind.  I cut my base from Whisper White.  Then I cut a panel of Whisper White and one of White Vellum to exactly the same size.  They are 3-3/4″ x 5″.  I cut another panel out of White Vellum to 2″ x 4-3/4″ then set that one aside for a bit.  Using a left over scrap of White Vellum, I stamped the flower from Petite Petals five times using Versamark ink and then heat embossed with Whisper White Stampin’ Emboss Powder.  I pulled the 2″ wide panel back out and scored, using the Simply Scored Scoring Tool, at 1/2″ and 4-1/4″.  Then I stamped the sentiment from Regarding Dahlias in Versamark ink and embossed with Whisper White Embossing Powder.  Now for the fun part!  Using my sponge dauber and Pool Party ink, I started applying ink to the back side of the flowers to create a pop of color.  I used the #1 setting on my Stampin’ Heat Tool (it is the low setting) to set the ink.  Since vellum is basically plastic, the ink just doesn’t absorb into it.  The heat allows the ink to dry faster so you can proceed on with the card without waiting (because I have no patience!).  Take the sponge dauber and apply ink to the back of the 2″ panel too.  Because it doesn’t dry quickly, you have time to apply the ink in a way that makes you happy.  You are going for a soft, watercolor-y look so don’t worry about really even application.  Use the heat tool on that panel too to help the ink dry when you are ready.

You have all the parts now, just how to put it together?  Concealing the adhesive is always the hardest part of using vellum for me.  I used quite a few Glue Dots for this one, all selectively placed.  Cut five pieces of Whisper White Baker’s Twine about 5″.  Attach the top of the twine to the vellum using Glue Dots (place the Glue Dots where you want the flowers to go).  Once you have all the stem tops on, punch out the flowers you stamped with the Petite Petals Punch and attach them on to the same Glue Dots you put down.  After they are all attached place three Glue Dots behind the vellum panel (on the back side of three flowers) and attach the vellum layer to the Whisper White layer of the same size.  Run your adhesive on the bottom of the back side of the Whisper White panel and secure the other ends of the stems behind the layer.  Now for the horizontal layer.  You scored the edges to help you wrap that panel around to the back of the design layer.  Using more Glue Dots, attach the panel securing from behind.  Take that whole panel and attach to the card base using Dimensionals.  Top off the flowers with Basic Pearls and you are done!  So soft and pretty, don’t you think?!  And no adhesive in sight!

Oh, and if you are not in the mood for Subtles?  How about a Brights version instead?  I made one in Rich Razzleberry to show as well!  (You can click on it to see it larger) Now can you see a whole pack of these made in pretty spring colors?  Yep…me too!  It is on my list to finish up!

I’ll be back tomorrow with the latest from Freshly Made Sketches and then later in the week with a set of cards I am using for a workshop this week.  More pretty spring things to show!

Okay, off to go visit the awesome Mercedes Weber.  I can’t wait for you to see what she has created!  Make sure you hop around the whole loop to take a look at beautiful creations by the whole team…you’ll be happy you did!

Click HERE to purchase any of these wonderful Stampin’ Up products.

Stamps:  Petite Petals, Regarding Dahlias; Ink:  Pool Party, Rich Razzleberry, Versamark; Paper:  Whisper White, White Vellum Card Stock; Accessories:  Stampin’ Heat Tool, Whisper White Stampin’ Emboss Powder, Sponge Daubers, Petite Petals Punch, Basic Pearls, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Whisper White Baker’s Twine

 

The Artisan Design Team’s February box of products has been fantastic.  This is our last week using it but I know you have found lots of inspiration from the projects created by the team.  If you have come over from amazing Jeanna, welcome to the next stop.  If you are starting here, just continue around using the next buttons until you get back to me.

So I told you that you would see a lot of the Hexagon Hive Thinlit from me this month.  I wanted to show you its flexibility and the team has shown other amazing ways to use it too.  For today, I have another way to cut down “the hive” to create a new look.  First, I ran the Bermuda Bay Card Stock through the Big Shot (using waxed paper between the paper and the die make it release easily).  Once I had that, I flipped the thinlit 180 degree and lined it up with the existing cut hexagons.  This allowed for all the hexagons to be cut through for the shape I wanted.  It doesn’t necessarily line up over the whole thing but the center is your focus.  The just trim off the extra to get this shape.  I filled the hexagons with prints from the Kaleidescope DSP that were also punched out using the hive.  I glued this onto a base to add a little stability (just loosely hand cut out of a scrap).  The middle hexagon is up on a Dimensional.  I added some little flowers punched with the Boho Blossoms Punch using Crushed Curry, Strawberry Slush, and Bermuda Bay.  The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes and the banner end was punched using the Hexagon Punch.  Basic Pearls add the centers to the flowers.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing my projects this month.  Up next week is a brand new box of products.  Hmmm, think spring!!

I’ll be back tomorrow with the latest from Freshly Made Sketches and then later in the week with more Leadership Display projects.

Okay, off to go visit the awesome Mercedes Weber.  I can’t wait for you to see what she has created!  Make sure you hop around the whole loop to take a look at beautiful creations by the whole team…you’ll be happy you did!

Click HERE to purchase any of these wonderful Stampin’ Up products.

Stamps:  Perfect Pennants, Gorgeous Grunge; Ink:  Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie; Paper:  Watercolor; Accessories:  Big Shot, Ampersand Embossing Folder, Aquapainter, Water Spritzer