Hilary Kanwischer

Primitive Country Banner...

I love creating banners, I've done them for the 4th of July, Christmas, Halloween and everything in between, and I've decided to create yet another one, just because!  This banner was made using a bunch of dies from Sizzix, which I will list below, and I will also list some hint's and tips for creating your own.  I hope you enjoy! And since it's pictured a bit small here, might I suggest...to click on the photo below and it will enlarge it nicely for you! ;)

Below are a few close-ups, since the banner above is a bit hard to see. 

I used these dies from Sizzix

Primitive Stars

Flowers 3D #2

Tags #3

I also used, liquid walnut ink, wooden clothespins, spool buttons, wooden spools, eyelet trim, quilting batting, misc wooden buttons, vintage dressmakers patterns, vintage fabric, clear star pin, floss and heavy gauge wire.

To make my banner, I first cut tags from heavyweight white cardstock, and soaked them in liquid walnut ink for about 5 minutes.  I also threw in some wooden spools and mini-clothespins to the walnut ink and soaked them the same way, then laid them on paper towels to dry.  Then I got to work on my stars, and I made these by die cutting them, sandwiching them between batting and adhering them together. 

To decorate the tags when they're dry, adhere a scrap of fabric to the tops of the tags, then adhere some eyelet trim to the bottom.  Then add the stars, buttons and misc embellishments to create 4 tags total.

To make the pom-poms, I cut several layers from a vintage dressmakers pattern using the flowers 3D #2 die, I used only the one scalloped edged of the die, then stitched the layers together and bunched all the layers till I acheived the "pom-pom" look.   

Below are some pics...

To finish your banner, glue each tag to a wooden spool using hot glue and lay them out on your table alternating tag then pom-pom.  Insert wire creating a loop on one end, then threading your tags and pom-poms and finally finishing with a loop on the other end.  

I hope this inspires you all to create a banner of your own, they are sooo much fun to make and with Sizzix, they're not only fun, but quick and easy too! ;)

Thankyou all so much for stopping by!  Have a fabulous weekend, and check back soon!! ;)

I'm back and with a post too!!!! :)

Wow!!  I can't believe I haven't posted anything in a month!  Truth is, I was really sick for almost 4 weeks, with the flu, it was horrible! It seriously kept me in bed for weeks, but I'm happy to say, I'm finally back!! ;)  And....I'm posting on the Sizzix blog today!  I did a layout, which I haven't done in quite a while, so I decided to get back to my roots and create one.  I chose to do some fabric embellishments and all the details and how-to's are on the Sizzix blog today, just click here! I hope you enjoy! 

And btw...that's my sweet, sweet little niece in those photos, isn't she a doll, I love her so.  :)  

I also created a couple of really cute knitting projects, one a cozy for my iPhone and a sweet braided matching wristlet.  I hope you enjoy, these were quick and easy, and they'll be on my Etsy site as soon as I get the chance to list them.  

Hey!! And last but not least.....Have you all heard of this company called, "Easy Canvas Prints??"  Well, they make the most amazing wall art from canvas!  I had one done not too long ago, of one of my favorite photos in Vermont, and was blown away when I opened it up!  It was GORGEOUS!!  The colors were amazing and the quality, is in a class of it's own.  Seriously, folks, check em out!!  With Father's Day approaching, wouldn't this make the best gift??  Here's my canvas!!

Have a great weekend everyone, and thanks so much for stopping by!! ;)

Baby beanie...

Oh I'm fast becoming hugely addicted to knitting.  It's a lot of fun and it's something I've always wanted to learn how to do.  I've started with smaller projects just trying to get my feet wet, before I dive into bigger more complex projects.  Below, I've created another little baby beanie using white and bright pink ultra soft yarn.  I hope you like it.  :)

 

Thankyou so very for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed my knitting project. 

Fluffy Bird Ornament...

Hey Guess what?  My first official blog post is posted today at the Sizzix blog!  I'm so excited!!!  Here's a peek, and for more details, just click over to the blog here!  Enjoy!!! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! ;)

Mother's Day card & tag...

I love making my mother cards, and with Mother's Day slowly approaching, I took time to create another for her.  Did you know that everytime I go to my mom's house, she still has displayed all the cards and things I've made for her throughout the years? They are all nestled in her hutch for everyone to see, and it re-affirms to me why I love crafting so much.  This was also made for Therm O Web, using all of my favorite adhesives and you can find the details of this card on the Therm O Web blog here.  I hope you enjoy!

Have a great week everyone, thanks so much for stopping by! ;)

Sweet little vintage Easter caddy...

This weekend for Easter, I'm headed up to Cocoa Beach with my children, to my brother's house to celebrate the day with my family.  I have a ton of nieces and nephews who I cannot wait to see, and I always love to bring them some little goodies just to show them how much I love them.  When I saw this little caddy die from Sizzix, I knew it would make an extra special basket to hold Easter goodies. The caddy is super easy to put together, and below I've added some photos to show you just how easy it is to create, then all that's left for you to do, is to add some sweet embellishments.  I also decided to create a small gift tag to insert into the caddy, just to make it a little more special.  I hope you enjoy! 

To make your caddy, and gift tag, you will need the following dies from Sizzix:

Tiny Tabs

Primitive Hearts

Bigz Die Tags #3

Scoreboards XL Caddy Die

I used all of these dies with my Sizzix Big Shot

I also used Vintage Photo distressing ink, Seasonal Stickers from Tim Holtz, (Idea-ology), pattern paper from Simple Stories, natural quilting batting, buttons, bakers twine, and some handmade crepe paper fringe. 

To make the caddy, you will first want to die cut the caddy using your favorite pattern paper.  

Score and lightly distress all the sides with Vintage photo distressing ink.

Using SuperTape from Therm O Web, adhere tape to the corners of the pieces as shown.

Simply peel off the top layer of the SuperTape and press all the sides into the stand, and voila!! Your caddy is complete.  You can now embellish with anything you'd like and what makes this project so special, is that you can use this caddy die for any Holiday, use it for birthdays, special occasions, and teachers, it's just perfect! I embellished my caddy with vintage Easter stickers and handmade crepe paper fringe.

For the tag, I simply cut two tags, one from paper and one from quilted batting, machine stitched them together, added a cut primitive heart with a vintage Easter sticker, added a button, some bakers twine and a small tag from the Tiny Tabs die, stamped with a sentiment.  

When your caddy is complete, fill it goodies and give it to loved ones. They'll love it for sure!

Have a great Easter week, and thanks for stopping by! ;)

OH HAPPY DAY!!!

I have been patiently waiting for today, trying to hold back the news of what I'm about to say was almost killing me, April 1st couldn't get here fast enough for me and why you ask??  Because I have been invited to be on the first ever......

Can you just feel the excitement?  And I am surrounded by huge talent in the wonderful world of die cuts and below a huge congratulations to the rest of the team, whom I am super excited to work with...and they are.....

Tiffany Johnson

Richele Christensen

 Tamara Tripodi

Ronda Palazzari 

Shelly Hickox

Gretchen Schmidt

Jeanne Streiff

Tammy Roberts

Amy Friend

Trisha Ladoucuer

Jan Hobbins

Anna-Karin Evaldsson

Melony Bradley

and this wonderful team is lead by non-other than:

Tammy Tutterow

I am sooooo excited and beyond thrilled to be a part of the Sizzix Design Team, and I look forward to sharing with you all the amazing projects you can create with Sizzix dies!! ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Vintage Easter...

Spring is just about here so that can only mean one thing...Easter is right around the corner.  So I thought I would help jumpstart some Easter projects by starting off with a pretty, little vintage Easter card.  I used a few different Therm O Web adhesives, such as a SuperStik glue stick, SuperTape and my favorite 3D Zots to make this card and below I've posted some photo's to show you just how I used each one.  To make this card, I also used a vintage diecut, some lace, quilting batting, buttons, a banner, some handmade fringe and a cotton ball.  I hope you enjoy!

To recreate my card, first cut and score cardstock that will fit a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card, then set aside.  Ink the edges of a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch piece of pattern paper, then diecut some quilting batting to fit the front of your card.  Adhere a piece of lace trim around the top of your card as shown.  Then using your SuperStik gluestick, glue the center of the batting and adhere to the pattern paper.  Do the same for the die cut and adhere to the center of the batting, (this will help the layers stick together as you stitch around the diecut with your sewing machine).  Apply a piece of 1/4 inch SuperTape at the bottom edge of your card and adhere glittered fringe to the bottom.  Diecut a banner from cardstock and ink the edges, then stamp sentiment to the front of the card and using 3D Zots, adhere the banner to the top of the diecut as shown.  Adhere 3 small buttons and a cotton pom-pom for the bunny's tail, then to finish the card, apply 3D Zots to the pre-scored card, in all the corners, then lay your card front down on top.

Thankyou all so much for stopping by and I hope this inspires you to start creating for Easter.

"Love" Shadowbox...

I love these painters trays by 7 Gypsies!!  So much so, I had a few of them stashed away the minute they hit the market but was a bit intimidated as to how I wanted to use them.  This past January, I got an email from Me & My Big Ideas asking me if I would do some projects for them for CHA, and I was totally excited!! One of the kits they sent me was their new "Family" scrapbook kit and I immediately fell in love with the colors of the kit, and I new exactly what I wanted to make.  I wanted to make a shadowbox. So with their kit of fabulous papers and embellishments, (I also added a few from my old stash), I made this one.  I also used fabric from Sweetwater which matched perfectly and it gave my shadowbox more texture.  I really like how it turned out.  I hope you enjoy!  I posted lots of pics and close-ups below.  

 

I hope you enjoyed your visit! Stop back soon!! ;)

Spring is in the air....

Butterflies are natures way of telling us that Spring is in the air, and the cold, harsh winter is behind us.  So therefore, my project this month, shows you how to create 3D butterflies using just punches and Therm O Web's 3D Zots.  I love the look of 3D embellishments and these are so easy to make, you'll find yourself creating these in numbers and using them on all your spring projects.  I created a "Spring" frame, showing you what the butterflies look like on a final project and below I have created a step-by-step, to show just how I made them.  This frame was also made for CHA using the new Spring kit from Me & My Big Ideas.  I hope you enjoy!

here are a couple of close ups...

Here's how I made them.  First you need two different size butterfly punches and a mix of pattern paper.  I punched a big butterfly followed by a smaller butterfly, inked the edges then set them aside.  I then used Therm O Web's 3D Zots and with a pair of non-stick scissors, I cut one in half, (one 3D Zot will make two butterflies).  Lay the 3D Zot down in the center of the bigger butterfly and lay the smaller butterfly on top, then curl up the edges to give them life and that's it!  So easy to make.  To finish them off, apply a small, petit Zot onto the top of the small butterfly and press a small pink button onto it.  Your butterflies are finished and ready to adhere to your projects.  Below are some photo's to guide you.

I hope you enjoyed my project and I hope it inspires you to create some of your own.

Sizzix and St. Patty's Day...

Oh happy day yesterday!!! I was the guest designer over at the Sizzix blog yesterday and below is the project that was posted.  I love Sizzix, I love their dies, but my favorite by far...is the mini-rosettes, by Tim Holtz, Alterations.  I love this die, because I love making rosettes, they appear on almost every project I make, but they can be time consuming to create.  When I saw this die looking back at me, it was literally saying, "I made this for you, now buy me!!!"  I grabbed it and haven't looked back! haha!! ;)  So for my St. Patty's Day project, I made a little wall-hanging and 4 leafed clover project.  I covered everything in glitter which gave it a more vintage appeal, (thanks Martha Stewart, I LOVE your glitter), and really like, I must admit, how they both turned out.  For the 4 leaf clover project, I used Sizzix, tiny-tabs by Tim Holtz and hearts sizzlets.  I hope you enjoy! 

Thankyou all so much for stopping by!  Have a great weekend. :)

Patriotic Clay Lollipop Ornaments...

It's no secret here...I love to make ornaments!  I'll make them for any Holiday, any time of the year.  The ones I made here though, are by far my favorite.  I just love them!  I've made them before, and you may even remember them from a while back, but I just couldn't resist making them again.  They are also available for purchase here! I made these with Sculpey, oven bake clay, coarse glitter, antiquing medium, painted sticks wire hangers and silver metallic ribbon.  I hope you enjoy! ;)

Thank you all so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed my lollipops.  

Little baby beanie...

I have always wanted to learn how to knit.  I have tried and failed, time and time again, and I always seemed to end up frustrated and I would walk away with nothing to show for my efforts, the other day... changed all that!! ;) I forced myself to sit and finally learn and I think I got it!!  Well....the knit and purl stitch, haha!! I ended up with a little baby beanie, that started out as just a circle of knit stitches and towards the end, I even got brave enough to throw in another color, cuz by that time...I was on a roll! ;)  And since I'm a pom-pom junkie, I made one to sit on top.  I'm sending this to a friend who happened to have a baby girl, the same day I finished it and I hope she likes it.  Now I'm hooked, and want to make a lot more...maybe I'll even try learning a new stitch or two.  ;)

Thankyou all so much for stopping by! ;)

Folded paper border....

Hi everyone! I know a lot of you are hoping Spring comes soon, but as for me, since I live in the South...I long for more Winter!  So, I created a vintage Winter wall-hanging using papers from Bo Bunny's, "Snowfall" line, rusty metal snowflakes, quilting batting, foil snowflakes, chipboard embellishments from Tattered Angels, glittered letters from K&Company, a large cinnamon stick, rusted bell and wire for the hanger, and pompom fringe at the bottom. I'm going to show you how I made the pretty folded paper border used at the bottom using one of my favorite adhesives, SuperTape.  I love SuperTape for so many reasons!  When it comes to adhering heavier embellishments, creating borders, (like the one below), or just when you need that extra "support" of a stronger adhesive, nothing works better than Therm O Web's, SuperTape.  It also comes in a ton of different widths so you always have the size you need for your project.  For my project, I used the 1/4 inch.  I hope you enjoy!

 

This is how I made my folded paper border:

First cut 2 strips of pattern paper 1 x 12 and then a strip of cardstock 3/4 x 12, (you can trim of any excess to fit the size of your project).  Then, using your Therm O Web, 1/4 inch SuperTape, adhere it the length of the cardstock on both edges as close as you can get it.  The reason for this is, you want the center free from any tape so you can machine stitch the layers down. Now take your strips of pattern paper and free fold it back and forth to create "folds".  Remember...it doesn't have to be perfect, in fact it looks better if it's kind of messy.  Once your pattern paper is folded adhere it to the strip of cardstock that has the SuperTape on it.  This will keep it firmly in place.  Then, when your strips have all been adhered, bring it to your sewing machine and stitch right down the middle.  It's completely secured now, then when your ready to use it on your project, cut it to the desired length, distress it if you'd like and adhere it to your project using the same SuperTape.  Below are some pictures to help guide you.

I hope you enjoyed my project!

Handmade Crepe Paper Trim...

Hi everyone! With Valentines Day rapidly approaching, I thought you could use a few more ideas on gift giving. I made a gift bag and tag that anyone would love to receive, (especially if the bag is filled with chocolate kisses), and these were a lot of fun to make. Why were they so fun to create you ask? Well it's because I made my own crepe paper fringe, which was super easy to do, and it adds just that bit of vintage that I crave so much. So below, I'm going to show you just how easy it is to make your own fringe and I'm going to show you a couple of finished projects using that oh-so-fun fringe. I hope you enjoy!

And I couldn't resist picturing this little yummy kiss....

You can basically make crepe paper fringe in any color combination, any thickness, (you just add more layers), and also any length you'd like, it's so versatile, and fun!!!  Did I mention fun??  Here's how I made my fringe, and I used pink and white for my mine.  First, cut 5 strips of pink and white crepe paper about 18 inches long.  Then using a SuperStik permanent glue stick from Therm O Web, dab a few spots of glue along the middle of the crepe paper, (I love using this because the idea here is to keep the paper layers lined up for the next step and I'll explain that in a bit).  Then add another strip of crepe paper on top and continue to dab a small amount of glue down the middle at various places.  Repeat this for all the steps, until you have 5 alternating pink & white layers.  Now grab your length of crepe and head over to your sewing machine.  Your going to want to machine stitch a straight stitch down the center of the strip, (and how nice that your layers will keep together while your sewing).  After you've completed this step, take a pair of sharp scissors and cut about every 1/4 inch or so, down both sides of the strip, being careful not to cut your sewing in the middle.  Now comes the fun part....just crumple in your hands, and ruff it up until it becomes nice and fluffy and fringy!  Now your ready to cut it as you need it for your projects.

I hope this project inspires you to create your own crepe paper fringe, and thanks so much for stopping by. :)

Recycled Valentines Gift Bag...

Hello everyone!  Have you started thinking about Valentines Day?  I can't believe February will be here before we know it!  So to start you off with a fun and quick, Oh....and resourceful Valentines project, I thought I'd show you one you can create in no time.  This is soooo simple, you'll want to make them, not only for Valentines Day, but also for Birthday parties, Teachers, Friends and other Holidays. I used, of all things, a recycled paper tube from a roll of paper towels and I also used Therm O Web's 1/2 inch SuperTape to create this project.  I hope you enjoy!

Below are some directions to help you in creating your own.

First, cut the tube from a paper towel roll to approximately 3 1/2 inches, (or however long you'd like the bag to be).  Then wrap Therm O Web's 1/2 SuperTape around the top of the tube and down the middle of the back.  Lay your tube down on a piece of pink felt and roll the tube using an exacto-knife to trim the excess, and making sure the edges of the felt are secured in the back.  Then pinch the bottom of the tube and machine stitch it closed.  Then to finish the bag, simply embellish with felt flowers, gingham ribbon, a hand-dipped / hand stamped "I love you" tag, lace trim, buttons, twine, and a white glitter heart.  Then fill your tube with chocolate kisses.

I hope you enjoyed this project!!  Have a great week everyone!! ;)

 

No sew Christmas gift bags....

Hi everyone!  Are you all ready for Christmas?  I cannot believe how fast it's approaching, it seems like yesterday I was trick-or-treating with my kids and now I'm wrapping presents, it's just hard to believe.  For my project this month, I thought I would create some very quick, no sew gift bags, and for those of you that know me, know that it's hard to create anything without my sewing machine.  These, however are so sweet and easy to make, you can make a bunch of them in no time, you just need a few ingredients from your stash of supplies.  I used pattern paper from Echo Park, some gingham ribbon, glittered trees, (which are gift tags that I found at Pier 1 Imports), glittered bells, some bakers twine a small circle punch, trim and some chenille and tinsel pipe cleaners.  The Therm O Web adhesives that I used, include SuperTape, Sticky Tape Runner, and 3D Zots, (basically, my standard adhesives when I create anything these days, they are all awesome!).  Below you will find some photos to help you create your own, along with some directions.  I hope you enjoy!

 

Here's how you make them.

First cut 2 pieces of pattern paper 5 1/2 x 11, score and fold.  Then using Therm O Web's 1/4 inch SuperTape, tape along each side, and another small piece on the top of the other edge, remove the red layer, add a pipe cleaner and press down.  (Don't tape the top however, don't laugh, I've done it before!!).  Then using a small circle punch punch a notch out in the top of your gift bag.  After completing these steps, it's just a matter of embellishing the front of your bag. I diecutted 2 circles from cardstock and pattern paper, used 3D Zots and my Sticky Tape Runner to adhere them to the front of my bag.  Use 3D Zots to adhere the glittered Christmas tree and sentiment, then top with a glittered bell, tied with bakers twine. To finish, adhere a strip of SuperTape around the bag and add trim. When you are finished, fill the gift bag with treats and give to a teacher, a neighbor or a friend.

Below are some photos to help guide you in making your own.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Yummy marshmallow snowmen...

This past weekend, I was up in Tallahassee for our big "family" Christmas, which was a lot of fun, because I hadn't seen my brothers' or sister or even my mom and Aunt and Uncle for a very long time.  My sister hosted the event and what a great turnout we had.  The house was bustling with kids of all ages, (including myself...haha), and the weather was cool and crisp, (something we don't get to experience very often here in S. Florida).  So because I was going to be surrounded by numerous nieces and nephews, I wanted to make them a yummy treat, in addition to the Sundae Crunch Cookies and homeade fudge that I slaved over the night before, so I thought I'd try my hand at some fluffy marshmallow snowmen, and I have to admit...I think they turned out rather cute.  Totally easy to make, all you need are marshmallows, chocolate chips and kisses, strawberry fruit roll-ups, pretzel sticks, royal icing and toothpicks to keep the marshmallows together.  I then sprinkled the plate with shaved coconut, created a "North Pole" candy cane sign, and stuck a bottle brush tree in the middle to create a north pole paradise.  I hope you enjoy!!  They sure did!!! Before I had a chance to grab my camera and photograph them eating them up, they were already devoured, so enjoy the "before" pics.  

Have a merry week and thanks for stopping by! ;)

Winter Wonderland...

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I could create Christmas decor all year long and really never tire of it, it just brings me joy! So for my project today, I created this sweet little Winter Wonderland scene, on top of a wooden block, complete with a picket fence, snowflakes, a flying reindeer, a white bottle brush tree, snow and glitter. I used several different types of adhesives from Therm O Web, including my favorite, SuperTape, and 3D Zots and also, Super Stik permament glue stick.  This was very easy to make, you just need a few different items from your stash.  I used a small wooden block, (about 3x3), papers and chipboard embellishments from Cosmo Cricket's "Mitten Weather" collection, a small bottle brush tree from Melissa Frances, glitter letters from K&Company, tinsel ribbon and a white wooden picket fence from my craft store, buttons, SnowTex snow, and chunky glitter from Martha Stewart. I hope you enjoy!

Here is how I made my block.  Measure sides of block and cut pattern paper to fit all sides.  Then using your SuperTape, tape all the sides, including the top, peel the top red layer off, then lay your papers down.  When all sides are completed, lightly sand edges for a perfect fit, then distress the corners with distressing ink if you so desire.  Adhere a wooden picket fence to the back of the block, using hot glue.  Adhere bottle brush tree to the center using a 3D Zot.  Then adhere snowflakes to the fence and block using SuperTape.  Using the SuperStik glue stick, adhere "Joy" letters to the front, then adhering smaller snowflakes to the bigger ones using 3D Zots.  Wrap tinsel ribbon to the bottom of the block adhering it with 1/4 inch SuperTape.  Then to finish of your project add SnowTex snow to the sides of the block, fences, snowflakes and reindeer, and finally sprinkle glitter on the snow before it dries, shaking off the excess.  Below are some examples of how I used the different adhesives.

I hope this project inspires you to create your own little Winter Wonderland block.

Vintage Christmas tags with red, glittered bells...

I absolutely loved these tags when I first saw them on Beatriz Jennings' Etsy shop and instantly had to have them. I've been waiting for a chance to use them and when I signed up for a Christmas tag swap, I knew right away, these were the ones I was going to use.  I simply downloaded the tags, printed them out, inked the edges, and added a white scalloped border on the edge.  For the tops of the tags, I added red gingham ribbon, red glittered bells and bakers twine.  To finish them, I stamped "to" and "from" with black ink and added a vintage epoxy charm in the bottom corner. I hope you enjoy! ;)

here are some close-ups...

And to include in the swap, a little gift for Gloria who was gracious enough to host the swap.  I wrapped up one of my handmade gingerbread, and wrapped it up with a mint-chocolate candy cane.  

I hope you enjoyed this little project.  They were ultra-fun to make.  :)

 

Creating a Christmas Catchall...

With the Holiday Season in full bloom, I thought I would share a fun Christmas project with you.  I'm sure many of you have already started with Christmas projects and this one is, as usual, very easily adaptable to fit any Holiday or Season.  I think I may use this to store my Christmas cards this year, I never seem to know what to do with them when they arrive in the mail, and throw them away??? NO WAY!!  So this little Catch-All will be perfect to hold those wonderful cards that grace me during December.  This is very easy to make, but I can't take full credit for the actual design of the Catch-All, that came from Linda Albrecht, I just altered it for Christmas.  I hope you enjoy! :)

here is the side view...

First I used a scalloped chipboard shape from Melissa Frances, then using heavy chipboard I cut 2 more pieces, one 5x7, (for the front), and one 2 1/2x7. You'll then want to cut the 2 1/2x7 in half on the diagonal, (these will be your side pieces). Cover all the chipboard pieces with pattern paper using Therm O Web's 1/2 inch SuperTape for the scalloped piece and Sticky Tape Runner for the rest of the pieces.  Lay all the pieces in front of you so you can begin to see the design, then embellish the front piece with buttons, trim, rub-ons, crepe paper, vintage tinsel, Christmas bells, pinecones and sprigs and of course a little candy cane.  Also, be sure to add a diecut sentiment, popping it with 3D Zots.

Below are some photos to help you create your very own.

To finish, adhere all the sides together using hot glue and let dry.  Poke or punch 2 holes in top corner and thread a length of heavy gauge wire through the holes twisting up and around to secure.

I hope you enjoyed this little project and I hope it inspires you to create one of your own.

Thanksgiving is in the air...

Hello everyone!  Can you believe Thanksgiving is a mere 3 weeks away?  Where has the time gone and is it really November already?  All I can say is, "Wow"!!!  Time really does fly!  Anyway, as Thanksgiving approaches I've decided to create a card to celebrate the day, and if you are hosting on that special day, I've also made some place cards for your holiday table and a small gift box to hold a small little gift just for saying, thank you for coming.  I hope these projects inspire you to create a more "handmade" holiday.  All of these projects were created using my favorite adhesives from Therm O Web, 3D Zots and Sticky Tape Runner.  I hope you enjoy!

When I made the gift box, I first painted a chipboard tag and a paper mache round gift box with Magnolia White Acrylic Paint from Delta.  Then when the pieces were dried, I sanded the edges, distressed them with Vintage Photo Distressing Ink to give them a rustic look.  I wanted to keep the theme neutral so I stamped the images with the same distressing ink, then cut them out.  Adhering them was easy, I simply used the Sticky Tape Runner to adhere the images to the tag, then for added dimension, I used 3D Zots.   For the place cards and Thanksgiving card I used the same adhesives in basically the same way, adhering first your images, then popping them with dimension.

Have a wonderful, handmade Thanksgiving!! :)

Halloween Candy Cone...

This is such a fun project to make and you can easily alter this to fit any occasion, whether it be a Holiday, a Birthday or a sweet little gift to brighten a day. Make sure you use a very strong adhesive so your papers and embellishments don't fall off when you hand this over to your recipient. :) I used Therm O Web's, Super Tape and 3D Zots for my Halloweeen Candy Cone. Below you will find some helpful instructions when it comes to making your own.

and here are a few close ups for you to enjoy...

Here are some helpful instructions for making your own cone. First purchase a paper mache cone at a craft supply store. Place a 12x12 sheet of pattern paper print side down on your table and using a pen, roll and trace your cone to make a template and cut out. Using Thermo O Web's Super Tape, place tape along the top and bottom of cone and along side one edge of your paper, then carefully adhere your paper to the cone.

To make a paper rosette, simply trim a strip of paper 1 1/4 x 12, and score every 1/4 inch or so, then accordian fold the entire length. On one end, apply a strip of Therm O Web's Super Tape and join the ends together. Using a scrap piece of cardstock adhere the flower down. Ahere a Therm O Web 3D Zot to the front and add a super cute cat sticker to the front. Using another piece of Super Tape on the back, as shown below, adhere the rosette to your cone.

To finish the cone, apply a strip of Therm O Web 1/4 inch Super Tape around the top and bottom of the cone, and adhere crepe paper trip trim. Using a small dab of hot glue, glue a rusty bell to the bottom and an orange and black pipe cleaner for the handle. Fill cone with confectionary delights and sit back and admire what you made. Make sure you make one extra of these if you plan to give them away, because you'll want to keep one for yourself. I hope you enjoyed this fun little project. :)

Briar Rose

I love, love, love this new Fall kit from Cupcards {to go}!  It has sooo many beautiful papers and embellishments you'll use every inch of kit for your designs.  Make sure you check out the gallery here to see many more ideas from the ultra-talented Design Team.  Enjoy!!!  Below are my designs.  :)

I hope you enjoyed!  Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!!! ;)