Happy Birthday Banner

Today I Created | A Birthday banner for a special co-worker

This birthday banner is for a friend who loves roses and is quite an accomplished gardener. I wanted to make something that reflects her green thumb. I still need to add her name to the banner so this is not the complete project. Luckily she just uses her initials so I only need to add two more pieces.

I created these by first printing the flower images from the Graphics Fairy. These are such lovely floral images. I scaled and printed the images so that they were 5.5" x 7" (I used InDesign to crop and print the images at the same size but you can also size them in Photoshop.)

I trimmed each image to create a rectangular pennant and then used the Tim Holtz, On the Edge, Ornate die to add a festive edge along the bottom of each piece. To finish this off, I sewed a ribbon along the top of all of the pieces.

Now that Halloween is upon us, I am turning my creative energies to work on my projects for the upcoming Triple Play Blog Hop. This is an exciting creative challenge and I can't wait to see what the other designers create. Click on either the Triple Play Blog Hop Sizzix button or the link to see what the blog hop is all about then visit each Thursday for the next seven weeks to see each new challenge.

Elixer Bottle

Today I Created | An Elixer Bottle Label

I created a collection of old medicine bottles not too long ago. Then recently I saw this fish bone image on the Graphics Fairy blog. Today I decided that they somehow belong together in a project.

I first took the fish image into Photoshop and added more background to fit the dimensions of my bottle. I then studied a few old labels and discovered that old serif faces were popular back then so I found a font called Fusty Saddle. I thought up"Bone Trader" as the name on the bottle since it seemed to work well with the image of the fish bones.

I printed, trimmed and roughed up the edges a bit and attached it to an old medicine bottle. Just another Halloween decoration to spook up around the house.

Tim Holtz Halloween Costume

A couple of days ago I had tried a technique of stamping with bleach on a t-shirt. I first stamped bleach and then paint and sewed an applique shape on a t-shirt.

That t-shirt was my Halloween costume for work. I was a Tim Holtz Grunge Groupie. I also carried an alcohol ink applicator and a Distress ink pad. Unfortunately, it didn't win any prizes but it was very comfortable.

The best part was that, unexpectedly, I had a Skype video conference with Tim regarding a project.  I was able to show off my costume and he had a good laugh. Good times!

Halloween Collage

Today I Created | A Halloween Collage

I was digging around on the Graphics Fairy site again looking for some Halloween decorating inspiration. As usual I found some wonderful images.

I started with a background of an Antique Sheet Music and removed the headline in Photoshop. Next, I added the skull and colored it to match. I then took this image into Illustrator so that I could play with type in the headline.

I love fonts and this one is called Aquiline Two. Isn't the capital H beautiful! I used the word "Nocturnes" that was inspired by a Natural History print of moths. I colored the font to match the browns in the sheet music.

I also printed these butterflies because they were a beautiful shade of Halloween orange. I cut out the butterflies and mounted them with pop-dots so they "float" above the background. The second photo is kind of dark but you can see how the butterflies float.

I am also announcing that I am joining an extremely talented group of designers in the Triple Play Blog Hop thanks to a dear friend, Karen Burniston. Beginning November 4th there will be a creative Blog Hop of over 60 talented designers all using Sizzix dies. The designers will create something different every Thursday for six weeks. Be sure to click on the Triple Play Blog Hop button beginning November 4th.

Thank You card

Today I Created | A Thank You card

I created this thank you card using the Sizzix Ticket Strip die and the Tattered Floral die. I used the Tim Holtz acrylic stamps for the ticket image and left the center of one ticket empty so that I could add the word "Thanks".

I am also announcing a slight change to the format of my blog. Because I have been attempting to create something everyday, I tended to work towards quantity rather than quality. My day, like most people's, is very busy so I don't always spend as much quality time creating as I would like.

So beginning today I am going to attempt for more quality projects but with a little less frequency. I will still create something everyday but I will now allow myself more time to design and create even if it means that I don't post everyday. My goal is to enjoy creating something everyday.

Bleach Stamping

Today I Created | A Bleached-Stamped T-Shirt

Two things I know about bleach: 1) It can ruin your clothes if you spill it and 2) It is a liquid.

The reason I mention these two points is because I began to wonder if you could "rubber stamp" with bleach, sort of a "reverse rubber stamp" by removing color rather than applying color.

First I die cut the Decorative Accent and Elegant Flourishes shapes out of adhesive craft foam and mounted them to a piece of acrylic. This created the "rubber stamp". I also used the Accent die to cut an extra piece of adhesive-backed t-shirt fabric.

Next I poured bleach onto a paper towel in a shallow dish to use as the "stamping pad".

I had a pre-washed t-shirt with a layer of aluminum foil and paper towels inside so nothing would soak through. I then stamped the bleach onto the flat t-shirt. I found that the color lightens as it dries.

After the bleach dried I used acrylic paint on the same foam stamp and printed on the shirt. I sewed on the extra fabric die cut shape as an accent. Finally I sewed random stitches on top of everything to add some detail.

Things I learned from this: 1) bleach can be a unique and unpredictable art medium and 2) bleach does not affect adhesive craft foam so you can use it for other projects.


Additional Note: I wore this t-shirt as my workplace Halloween costume. I was a "Tim Holtz Grunge Groupie". Please see my post on October 28th to find the unexpected result of my costume choice.

Halloween Gift Tag

Today I Created | A Halloween Gift Tag

I created a variation of this tag yesterday for the gift bottle. I changed the look a bit to allow for more space to write a note to the recipient.

Decorated Halloween Gift Bottle

Today I Created | A Decorated Halloween Gift Bottle

I was invited to a casual Halloween party and needed to find a Hostess Gift. I decided on bottles of non-alcoholic beverages but they looked too plain.

I found a couple of beautifully felted pumpkins and tied them to the bottles with black and orange ribbon. It created a festive look. I know the hostess is very crafty so she can use the pumpkins for her own projects afterwards. I also printed out a tag using the same graphics that I used to make the Halloween coffin a few days ago.

Halloween Card

Today I Created | A Halloween card.

I found this adorable image of a cat inside of a pumpkin in one of my old books. I used this to create a Halloween card.

First I printed the words on a piece of cream cardstock, cut it to 4.5" x 6" and ran it through the Cobwebs, Texture Fades. I inked it lightly with a bit of Distress ink. Next I printed the pumpkin image on a separate piece of paper so that it would not have the cobweb texture on the image.

I adhered black ribbon to the cream cardstock and adhered the Pumpkin image. I inked the edges of a blank card then attached the cream cardstock on that.

Finally I tied two buttons together and glued that on top.

Keep Calm and Scrap On

Today I Created | A sign that reads: Keep Calm and Scrap On

Today was one of those days that drain your creative juices. By mid-afternoon, the idea for this sign started to form.

I love the story behind these signs from WWII England. I changed the color to a soft blue because it was more relaxing.

Coffin Box

Today I Created | A Coffin Box covered in a spooky collage

This project was intended to be a painting project. I die cut the coffin box out of coated chipboard thinking that I was going to paint and add some torn paper to the outside of the box.

I started looking through some of the images from the Graphics Fairy (thank you Graphics Fairy and thank you to my dear sister for telling me about your site). I found the image of the skeleton and realized that it would fit perfectly inside the little coffin. Of course this got me thinking about all of the other spooky images that would work perfectly for the outside of the coffin.

I used the Halloween dictionary page, the creepy spider, the bat, the skull and the sheet music border to create the collage sheet. I printed it out and glued it to the outside of the coffin. I added the purple rub-on type before assembling the box. I painted the inside with black acrylic and adhered the skeleton inside.

Here is the Halloween collage sheet I created for the coffin box.

Christmas Photoshop background and Tag

Today I Created | A Christmas background image in Photoshop

I started to create a project that included 50+ tiny die cut flowers, a styrofoam ball and a (really hot) glue gun but as it neared completion I realized that I didn't really like the results. I went to my computer to see if I could be inspired by the Graphics Fairy.

What I eventually created was a background image. I used a beautiful end paper and began by making it wider. Next I added the reindeer image but changed the color to match the background.

I added French sheet music to add a little more Christmas cheer. And a Christmas headline. Finally I added a fancy frame to add some formality to the layout.

I changed some colors, erased parts, faded images and just tried to digitally distress some edges. This could be used for a Christmas card. If you would like a larger version of this file then please leave a comment and I'll link a bigger file.

I had fun playing in Photoshop with so many lovely images. This was also a lot less painful than using a (really hot) glue gun.


After I created this background I decided that this would also work as a tag. I had to work a few changes but I like the way it turned out.

Halloween Tea Light Party Favor

Today I Created | A Halloween Tea Light Party Favor

I admit that I love using the Tim Holtz, Paper Rosette die. It tends to give everything a party feel.

I first printed and die cut the owl that I found from the Graphics Fairy using the center shape from the Paper Rosette die. Next, I cut and assembled the Paper Rosette. I used a brayer and white acrylic paint to highlight the edges. Then I inked the edges of the Owl center and glued that to the front of the Rosette.

While all of that was drying, I used Alcohol Inks in Sunset Orange, Terra Cotta and Purple Twilight to add some color to a clear glass tea light holder. Finally, I wrapped the glass with a piece of ribbon by The Paper Company Studio.

Atlas Paper Flowers

Today I Created | A set of paper flowers from Atlas pages

I noticed that there are a lot of flowers cut from dictionary pages for sale. These are so versatile because they are just black and white.

I decided to die cut my own flowers using pages from my old atlas. The beauty of these atlas pages is that they curled so nicely. They also took the Distress inks very well. I used the Tim Holtz, Tattered Florals die. I glued tiny buttons in the middle of each flower.

Art Nouveau Bookplate

Today I Created | An Art Nouveau style bookplate

I love the Art Nouveau style, especially their flowers and fonts. I found this lovely French soap label at the Graphics Fairy and was immediately drawn to the flowers. With a little bit of Photoshop magic, I created this bookplate.

3D Flowers

Today I Created | 3D paper flowers

This is really just the start of a project. I'm not sure how I want to use these flowers. I've seen these used in some amazing ways so I wanted to make some for myself.

It starts off as a flat die cut that you roll around a pointed stick (I used a chopstick). I added some Stickles for sparkle and pink "pearl" buttons in the center. The leaves were a separate die cut; Flowers, Branches & Leaves set.

Addendum: I finally used these leaves and flowers on a tag challenge here.

Bottle of Poison

Today I Created | A poison bottle label.

I started off with the image of a skull from the Graphics Fairy. I printed this on a sheet of cardstock leaving lots of space on the left side of the sheet.

I then ran this through the Poison, Texture Fades. Since the cardstock was white I used the Antique Linen Distress Ink to age the entire paper. I used a paper edge distresser to roughen the edges of the cardstock. I applied Tea Stain Distress ink to give it more age. Since I felt that it was still too bright, I sprayed some Suede, Glimmer Mist on the corners.

After this was completed, I realized that this label needed to be attached to something. I had an old-looking, hand-blown bottle that looked just old enough and odd enough to perhaps hold poison.

A perfect Halloween decoration. Enjoy!

Baby Card

Today I Created | A card for baby Nathaniel Liam

A friend had a baby this past weekend. I wanted to make a card to celebrate the happy occasion.

I started with an image from the GraphicsFairy. I changed the color to a soft blue and added a cream-colored background before I printed it.

I admit that I am a Basic Grey hoarder. I love their designs and have quite a large stash. This was a great way to use up a bit of the Wisteria pattern paper.

I cut two background pieces of coordinating paper, attached a bow and mounted this to the white card. I die cut the scalloped circle using the Sizzix Clear Die Circle, Scallop so that I could center the paper pattern. I die cut the phrase "Baby Boy" from a Sizzlits die and added that below the ribbon.

Finally I cut the illustration with a circle cutter, centered it within the scalloped circle and adhered it to the top of the card.

Welcome baby Nathaniel!

Old Japanese Illustrations

Today I Created | A card using an old Japanese illustration.

I have been inspired by Karen, the GraphicsFairy and her wonderful selection of vintage images. I started looking through some of my old books for images. I found a Japanese book with some wonderful illustrations but unfortunately I cannot read Japanese.

I found this sweet image of a young woman with a quilt and an origami crane. On top of the quilt appears some papers (a scrapbook perhaps?) and on top of the papers is a pair of Japanese scissors. She reminded me of all of the crafts I enjoy.

I scanned the image, changed the colors in Photoshop and added the type. A very simple project today.

Custom Bookplate

Today I Created | A custom bookplate.

I have an old book written about the love of books. In the back there are lists of suggested reading for various categories. In this section I found some lovely images of people reading.

I decided to design a bookplate using one of the images. I plan to print these on label stock, trim them and give them as gifts to friends that love to read.

Layered Flowers

Today I Created | Layered Grungepaper Flowers

I really enjoy coming up with new ways to use images from the GraphicsFairy. I made layered flowers using flower images (and birds, butterflies and old paper). I plan to add these to cards and scrapbook pages.

I printed out the images then adhered them to Grungepaper. I die cut several styles of flowers and began layering the images. For the centers I glued small images to the back of clear buttons and on the front of little tags then glued these to the front of the flowers.

I kept the colors on the printed flowers intense and softened the look by layering with images of old paper in the middle. Here are some closeup shots.

This is linked to It's a Blog Party.

Old Bottle Collection

Today I Created | A Collection of Old Bottles

I had a couple of these old bottles but I found more at a garage sale today. I just had to have them.

I love the purple tint that these old bottles develop over time in the sun.

Today I created a collection of old bottles as if I need another thing to collect.

Decorated Brads

Today I Created | Brads decorated with old graphics.

I love the old printed graphics of flowers and birds that I found on the GraphicsFairy blog. I wanted to create small brads that included these images.

I first adjusted the graphics in Photoshop and then cropped them to fit in small circles. I printed them and used a circle punch to cut them out.

I glued the small images to the head of a MOD brad and placed an epoxy sticker on top to seal it and add dimension.

I used one to help build a bow. The old graphics are just wonderful.

Spooky Halloween Banner

Today I Created | A Spooky Halloween Banner

I am in the Halloween spirit and wanted to create a Halloween decoration. I found some wonderful skeleton images from the GraphicsFairy.

First I printed the skeletons on cardstock. I trimmed them to size along with pieces of plain orange cardstock. For the skeleton banners, I sprayed them with Periwinkle Glimmer Mist and while they were still wet, I sprinkled copper Perfect Pearls to make them appears rusted.

Next I ran the orange banners through the Cobwebs Texture Fades. I edged everything with black Distress Inks. I then sewed all of the banners onto a piece of ribbon.

I created the black and orange Paper Rosettes and attached them to the front of the orange banners. Finally, I attached the bit of bling to the bottom of the skeleton banners just to add a bit of sparkle.

Haunted Halloween Card

Today I Created | A Haunted Halloween Card

I had been thinking about making this card for quite a while and finally had all of the materials to actually create it.

I wanted to use the clear plastic Sizzix packaging as the material to die cut clear ghosts. I had bought a pair of extended cutting pads and the plastic packaging was perfectly suitable for die cutting. I cut six pieces from the Ghosts #3 die. These cut very nicely and saved some plastic from going into the trash.

I used both Cosmo Cricket and Basic Grey papers to decorate the front of the card. I used the Phrase, Boo die for the front.

Next I cut seven black pieces of the Sizzix Pumpkin 3-D pop-up die by Karen Burniston. I assembled these as instructed and placed them in the middle of a folded 6" x 7.5" black card. I glued the ghosts to the folds of the "pumpkin" so that they float when the card is opened.

This was such a fun card to make and I like that the packaging plastic cut so nicely.

Happy Haunting!

Hocus Pocus Card

Today I Created | A Halloween Hocus Pocus pop-up card.

My sister had given me a bag full of googly eyes and I didn't have a clue as to what I wanted to do with these. Well, it will be Halloween soon so I decided to make something "scary" using these eyes.

First I die cut the tree using the Tree, Scary die and glued googly eyes to the branches. Next I die cut a Sizzix Spinning 3D Platform by Karen Burniston and mounted it to the center of a 6"x6" card. I glued a piece of Halloween paper to the spinning platform and then glued the tree to that.

The front of the card has a shape by DaisyD and the spider is from the Spider & Spiderweb pop-up die.

The card lays flat when closed with eyeballs and arms sticking out of the side. As you open the card the tree spins and is presented facing the viewer. As it spins, the eyes also move about in a friendly, scary way.

Paper Doll Card

Today I Created | A paper doll thank you card.

I discovered a wonderful site: http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/
The shared graphics just make you want to create all kinds of wonderful things.

I wanted to create a Thank You card for my friend that took me out on a garage sale hunt. She loves vintage things so I thought that a vintage paper doll would be the perfect graphic to use for a card. This lovely blonde paper doll even looks like my friend.

I first created the card layout in Adobe Illustrator using the doll and the dog images. I added "ribbon" that I scanned and changed the color to match the light teal color. Next I created a plaid background for color. On the same cardstock I had also placed the dress to be cut out later.

I printed the card then carefully cut around the top half of the paper doll. I folded the card in half being careful not to bend the doll so that she stands straight up. I then cut out the dress and placed it on the doll.

I printed the inside of the card separately on plain paper, trimmed and folded to fit then glued inside to hide the cut-out of the back of the card.

Thank you Karen the Graphics Fairy!

Completed Global Card

Today I Created | A card to contain the 3-D pop-up globe

Two days ago, I made a "globe" out of old atlas pages and the Sizzix 3-D pumpkin pop-up die by Karen Burniston. I decided to make a more graphic card using this so I removed the globe from the white cardstock it was originally mounted on.

First I cut a piece of chipboard with the same 1/2" gusset. I attached  Cosmo Cricket's, The Boyfriend, Study Hall paper to the outside of the chipboard card. Next I attached the Homework paper to the inside of the card.

The text box on the front is by Little Yellow Bicycle, Journal Tablet and the lettering is Sizzlits Playground font dies.

Inside, I printed the words on a piece of the Homework paper. Then I reattached the globe to the inside of the card.