True To Life Photo Cube

I like unique ways of displaying my pictures.  My scrapbooks are for when you have the time to go through and give attention to the story being told.   Not all of my guests have the time (or desire) to spend with and get lost in my scrapbooks.   Some of them just want to casually skim over the pictures as they pass by, or steal a quick peek when they are perched on the couch.

So, I made a photo cube!  This way I can smile every time I see it because I will recall the memories of those trips, and other people can laugh and say to themselves "Wow, what a weird looking family."

I used one sheet of Kraft paper to score and cut a pattern to make a 3x3 block.  The Artiste cartridge has a cut for this (page 45), but I just get in the habit of sketching things and doing it myself.  Although the Cricut would make it easier now that I'm thinking this through...

I used some jubilee paper scraps from last year and coordinating cardstock and inks because they were just so summery and blended well with the kraft paper.

This cube holds 4 pictures.  Each picture is popped with a fun sentiment from various stamp sets in my collection. Some sets are retired but I just can't get rid of them because they are perfect for big statements in little spaces.

I've said it before...when you find a stamp set you really like...you better get it because you never know when it will be retired.

My husband is always about "the adventure", so I thought it was perfectly fitting to use this sentiment on the top of the block.  Every day I wake up, I'm thankful for my happy, fun, never-ending chore filled adventure.

Stamps:  True to Life, Hello Blooms, Washi Wonder, It's Your Day.

Inks:  Honey, Cranberry, Indian Corn Blue, Black

Paper:  Kraft, Jubilee, Honey, Cranberry, Indian Corn Blue, Sweet Leaf

Thanks for looking!

  

View the 2014-15 Inspirations Book and NEW Seasonal Expressions online 

and when you are ready, please order HERE then click "Kathy's Online Gathering".  

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2014-15 Annual Inspirations

NEW Seasonal Expressions 2

Two jars, Six holidays, Twelve wraps!

We recently wrapped up a two-part workshop creating a total of 12 wraps for some glass canisters where the idea is that they can stay out all year long and all you have to do is interchange the wraps according to the time of year.  I know...brilliant! 

Everyone received 2 jars.  We used the Cricut to create a stencil out of vinyl for the jars and then used glass etching cream on them.  Each set of jars read "Sweets" and "Treats".  Then we designed 2 wraps each for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  After the first of the year, we got together for part 2, and created wraps for Valentines day, Easter, and 4th of July.

This was not my Mom's favorite project.  She reminds me of that quite often.  I, on the other hand love love loved it!

As always, it's super exciting to see how each person changes the projects to accommodate their tastes, and sometimes I find myself thinking "Darn...why didn't I think of that!"  I just love all the creative people I am surrounded with every month when we get together to create!

We needed 15" to reach around the canisters, so I just added a 3 1/4" section to the 12" length, and it worked perfectly.  After it was all put together, we used Velcro type fasteners to attach them in the back.  When using the ribbon, we found that the Velcro didn't adhere very well, so we ended up Stapling it to the ribbon and now those suckers stay on the jar until you take them off!!

The Halloween jar wraps used images from the CTMH Artbooking cartridge.  You cant see the spider hanging over the web very well in the picture, but I have it attached by a piece of clear acetate backing leftover from the bitty sparkles embellishments packaging (I know...brilliant...again!).   "Waste Nothing"...isn't that the crafters motto?  The spider sort of bounces and vibrates a little every time the jar is moved.  It's a little freaky.

We only needed 2 pieces of self adhesive Velcro for each jar.  Worked very well.  After the wrap was designed, the Velcro was the last thing to apply.  We applied half of the Velcro (the fuzzy side) first, and left the rough side attached.  Then we pulled the adhesive backing off the rough side, wrapped the wrap around the jar, and pressed the edge of the wrap on top of the exposed Velcro, making sure the wrap was aligned when the ends met. 

I only have one of the Fall/Thanksgiving wraps to show here...someone mistakenly walked off with my wrap and left me theirs which was all messed up.  (I HAVE to believe it was a mistake...'cause who would do that...right?)  The one that they left me was not meeting my attention to detail standards at all.  Oh wait...it was my son...That little sneak!  And he took it to his teacher, so that was the end of that! 

I had such fun creating the Christmas wraps.  I think they were the easiest to design and put together.  But then again...everything with Christmas is fun!

The Valentines wraps however were a different story.  I had such a hard time coming up with designs for that one.  I don't know why.  So let's move on...

Easter was such a hoot with the bunny head in the front, and the bunny "buns" in the back.  I think that one was everyone's favorite.

I can't wait for the 4th of July to wrap my wraps.  These turned out so well, I might just consider putting them on in June so I can look at them for a whole extra month!  With a house full of boys, I can kind of do what I want with the decorations.  I think the only reason they notice these jar wraps is because they are wrapped around jars FULL OF CANDY!  Hey...I know how to get their attention.

 
To decorate the top of the jars, I'm looking for that "just perfect" knob, or drawer pull to sit on top and finish it off.  I have one of those super powerful neodymium magnets under the lid, and it will hold the knob very tightly to the lid.   So that too can be interchanged with the holidays.  This gift just keeps on giving!

This project was so popular, we had people asking for extra kits and custom etching stencils to give  as Christmas gifts.  Some hid gift cards inside, some stuffed them with things individual to the recipient.   Again...surrounded by uber creative peeps and I love it!

Thanks for visiting!

Halloween Party projects

Every year about August I start thinking of this great Halloween party I'm going to have.  So I plot and plan...then poof.  It's the middle of October and I chicken out.  I justify it by telling myself next year will be even better!  Guess what...next year I'm going to have this really awesome Halloween party!

We made a bunch of stuff during the planning stage, here's some of it.  I'll add more pictures later when I dig the rest of the stuff out of the box (translation:  I'm too lazy to take those pictures right now).

Frankenstein box for the invitation, made with CTMH Cricut cartridge. (yes, I was going to hand deliver them because I'm not normal)

 Treat tubes for party favors, made with Art Philosophy Cartridge and Halloween Perfect Fit stamps

 Halloween box for prizes made with CTMH Moonlight paper and complements

I know this looks like an upside down bat...but it's really a right-side-up owl!  We thought this would be a good alternative to the "You've been boo'd" knock-and-run game that the neighbors like to tease us with.

Fun Fall designs

We live in Phoenix, Arizona.  So when someone talks about the Fall, we reply "Who, and are they hurt?"  Bottom line:  we don't really get to experience the greatness of the Fall season.  Instead we have Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin box made with CTMH papers and their Cricut cartridges

Candle wrap for table decoration, made with CTMH Cricut cartridge

 

 

 

  Mini Magazine box to hold cards, made with CTMH Cricut cartridge

 Card with 3-D leaves and Moonlight paper

3-D Pumpkin Place card holder and table decoration, made with CTMH Cricut cartridge

Christmas Gift Tags

Have you ever have one of those ideas that seemed brilliant at the time?  Well...I have brilliant ideas ALL the time, but my Mom (she's not here to defend herself so I'll blame it on her) agreed that having a booth at a Holiday Boutique the weekend before our own Open House was a brilliant idea.  It was...at the time.  Now, 3 days beforehand, we are acting like beheaded chickens but strangely enough, we are still laughing and enjoying every minute of it!

We have been working on these Christmas Gift Tags to sell.  I apologize for the bad pictures.  We've added "Learn to take good pictures to post on the blog" to our list of must-do's.  But I think they get the idea out there at least.