Lawnscaping #70

Finally, I actually am blogging my Lawnscaping card with enough time!! Seriously, I play each week, but always forget to actually blog my creations. I think I might just have to do a long post one day.

This week's Lawnscaping Challenge is Polka Dots. I wanted to include some polka dot paper and piece together a creature. Since I already had some black and white polka dot paper from the Peace Joy Love Collection, and the skunk from the Into the Woods Stamp Set, I thought I would make a cute black and white skunk. I even paper pieced the scarf from my Winter Owl stamp set, although had to trim and sketch in the fold to make it fit the skunk.

The sentiment was created using American Crafts Stamp Makers, the "Christmas" from the Winter Owl stamp set and the "Happy" from the "Bee Happy" sentiment on the Gnome Sweet Gnome stamp set. The tag is from the Peace Joy Love Collection papers, and the brown woodgrain is from the Into the Woods Paper Pack.

Xyron's 30 days of Holiday Projects: Countdown Calendar

Confession time... I've been listening to Christmas Music for over a week now. Some of you may not think that you have to wait until Christmas, but I never followed that rule. And today's project just needs a little Christmas song to make it just right.

Today's project is super fun, and super easy. Everything is modifiable for both people with and without die cut machines, or die cuts.

To start, I grabbed a Tolsby frame from Ikea. The reason that I really like this frame is that it is double sided and comes with a stand that won't get knocked over by little (or big) hands. And at 99 cents... Can't beat that! I started by taking out the thin plexiglass that is in the frame.

I used both my Silhouette and hand cut (because of course I forgot to count the cover page...) the pages. Each page is 3.25 x 5.25" and has two hole punches on the top. For the Silhouette cuts, I just made rectangles to the correct size, and double checked that the holes would work. All of the paper is from Studio Calico's Magical line, and the embellishments are from American Crafts.

I used a couple of rings that I had lying around. Most craft stores have them for under a dollar apiece. I think I just eyeballed where the ring and the paper would go, but if you are going to machine cut, I would practice with scrap paper before running your nice cardstock through, just in case you have to change the placement of the holes.

I then cut out all of my numbers, 1-25. If you don't have access to a manual or electric die cutting machine, you could easily draw each number, print on white paper, or use stickers.

I then ran all of my numbers through my Xyron 9" Creative Station. Once they were turned into stickers, it was super easy to attach them to each page.

The white paper that I used to mount all of the numbers on was cut to 2.75 x 4.25". I used my Xyron Mega Runner to attach them all to each of the patterned paper pages.

 

Once the white cardstock was attached, I placed all of the numbers next. The trick with this, is that if you are completely perfect it looks great, and if you are a little haphazard (like me) and don't try to force it, it also looks great.

Once all of the numbers were placed, I used my white Signo Uniball pen to add some faux stitching, which makes the dark kraft paper look similar to gingerbread now.

Lastly, use stickers (these are American Crafts Peppermint Express Remarks), dimensional adhesive, some great gems and other patterned papers to decorate the cover and important days. I wanted this to be a perpetual calendar, so I'm not going to specify any days other than Christmas and Christmas Eve.

Now, my kiddos have a non-candy advent calendar that is self-contained (important with a toddler and pre-K kiddo!), and can teach the little one her numbers as she gets older.

 

See, it turns just easy!!

Supplies Used:

Xyron: 9" Creative Station, Xyron Mega Runner, American Crafts Imaginisce (Colors of Christmas Collection) Bling, Studio Calico patterned papers (Magical: Christmas Eve, Seasonal Sights, Candy Cane Lanes, Holiday Joy, Chalking it Twice, Making a List), American Crafts Peppermint Express Remarks, American Crafts/Imaginisce bling, American Crafts dark kraft, TOLBSY Ikea frame, rings, Signo pen, Neenah cover stock

We R Memory Keeper's Guest Designer

FROM the We R Memory Keepers Blog:

Hello! I am Heather Conklin. I'm super excited to share with you how much fun I had creating for We R today! I live in Washington State with my wonderful husband, two little girls, and not-so-miniature schnauzer. I teach high school art during the day, and craft on nights and weekends when the kiddos head to bed. I've been crafting since 2004, but have been creating my entire life. I was so happy to see the wonderful colors of the Harvest Collection as they went perfectly with our recent family photographs.

CARD:

I love using all of my little bits and pieces for cards. For this card, I covered a card base using my Xyron 9" Creative Station, then used parts of the title strips from each paper sheet, and strips from the Fall Collage paper to add various patterns to the card base. Then, I simply added a ricrac ribbon and used dimensional adhesive with one of the Embossed Designer Stickers for a sentiment.

LAYOUT (2 PHOTO):

Cut down a sheet of Autumn Sprig to 11x11". Cut a 10x10" piece out of the middle out of a sheet of Pressed Flowers. Glue the 11x11" on top of the square frame of Pressed Flowers. Cut off a strip of the Fall Collage sheet and place it on the bottom third of your layout. Mat a 5x7" and wallet sized photo each with the leftover of the Pressed Flowers sheet. Place the 5x7" off center, and position the wallet in the photo's negative space.

Using a die cut machine, cut a doily out from the November Mist sheet and cut that in half. Position these pieces behind the photographs. Cut off the circle from Fall title, use some dimensional adhesive and place it over a few of the Embossed Designer Stickers. Use another of the Embossed Designer Stickers on the corner of your large photograph. Use Glossy Accents to highlight the white areas of the large orange flowers.

LAYOUT (1 PHOTO):

Cut down a sheet of Honeycomb to 11x11". Cut a dark brown piece of cardstock to 11.25x11.25". Glue the Honeycomb paper to the brown cardstock and then to a piece of vanilla cardstock. Cut a piece of Type Set to 8x10".

Corner round two alternate edges and glue down. Cut a piece of Pressed Flowers to 5x7" and corner round the opposite corners. Glue down, then using a contrasting marker, add faux stitching.

Mat your photo with a light cardstock, then take some of the leftover scraps of paper to make a collection of banners.

Place these under your photograph before you adhere it. Cut a circle, then layer a few of the Embossed Designer Stickers over it for your title. Die Cut a branch from cardstock, then add a few more of the Embossed Designer Stickers.

K-CUP HOLDER:

I cut the K Cup holder with my die cut machine using quality cardstock. Fold on all of the score lines, making a tube. The outermost section is the one next to the circles on the end. Adhere each edge flap as you go. When the K Cup holder is put together, add your decorative papers. For this one, I used rectangles of November Mist and a strip from the Fall Collage sheet. Make sure that you score your paper before attaching it to your holder. I then adhered circles of paper to each of the K Cups, then added a Embossed Designer Sticker to each of them.

Lastly, I tied the K Cups into the holder with some jute twine and tied a button to the bow.

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Thanks for looking at today's post. Thank you again to We R Memory Keepers for having me guest design for you!!

Here is the link for the Silhouette File that I made for the K Cup holder LINK. Let me know if you make one, and link me up!

If you really like the photographs (and you are in the greater Seattle area!) make sure that you check out MG-B Photo or check out her Facebook Page. Michelle does some amazing work!

AUTHENTIQUE PAPER: Traditional Holiday Stockings

Head on over to the Authentique Blog to see this wonderful tutorial using Authentique's Tradition Collection and some wonderful Petaloo products! There's even a chance to win some great Authentique papers!! You'll even see me break out the Xyron Creative Station on this one!