Cards featuring Rare Oddities by Graphic 45

I really enjoyed creating these cards. The ideas flowed freely! I will be teaching these in Woodstock and at Stamp Scrap n More in Mundelien this September.

You probably can't tell, but there is a transparent front to this card that lets the floral paper below show thru.  I used a witch hat die cut from QuicKutz in black glitter paper, and a die cut from Tim Holtz's Alterations line (the witch on a broomstick).  I just cut the broomstick apart from the witch. I used chipboard to cut just the broom bottom. Then I sprayed it with Color Bloom Spray from Prima (empress gold). I wrapped some string around the top and attached it to the broomstick

On this card I used black chipboard to cut the cat, and glossy accented it with a thin coat for some shine.The web is from Tim Holtz's Alterations line, the spider QuicKutz.

This is my favorite of these cards. I used white acrylic paint with a brayer on a skeleton stamp from Tim Holtz, stamping onto cream cardstock. Which after dried I covered with walnut stsin distress ink. The darker you ink the brighter the skeleton will appear. The frog die cut is from QuicKutz, the corner from a Sizzix die.

I used a frame die from Spellbinders on this card. Once a cut the frame, I ran it thru my Vagabond with the silicone pad and the impressions plate to emboss it. While the cut was still in the die, I rubbed some inka gold from Viva Decor onto the exposed parts. This highlights the embossing. The bats are from a Sizzix strip die. The paisley pieces are from QuicKutz. I used brass studs in the corners of the cut out card.

Next time I'll show you the beautiful book I created with this paper line.

Until then thank you for looking!

Potions Book with Graphic 45 "Rare Oddities"

Im so pleased with how this book turned out! As soon as I saw this paper line I had the shaker box idea. I wanted a book to feel good in my hand, and have the look of something you would use everyday like a bible. So the cover is a one piece construction of thin chipboard that is scored and folded. I then covered it with black cardstock, and canvas on the outside like a real hardcover book. The insides are pages glued together with paper hinges. That is strips of cardstock scored and folded and the pages glued to them. My hinges had a 1/4" gap on two scores, creating room for the thick shaker boxes. Once the pages are glued together the end pages are glued to the cover creating the book.

This is the first of three shaker boxes, and as the others, it sits besides a tag pocket. I accented the book with some die cuts. The spiderweb is from Tim Holtz's Alterations line. As is the spider. The top window of the shaker box has skull and crossbones from one of Tim's strip dies. The bottom window contains small shells.

Vintage Cards

These are the cards I created with the "Junke Gypsy" line from Marion Smith Designs. I played with feathers and a stick from my front yard to give a woodsy feel to the egg card. On the roses perfume card I added a vintage button a paper flower to some cheesecloth. I felt it gave a romantic feel to the card. My favorite card was the Happy Birthday card, where I die cut the hot balloon in several different papers with a die from Spellbinders. Then layered them together after sanding and inking. I also used Tim Holtz Alteration thinlit die for the harlequin background, and a QuicKutz starburst to mat the happy birthday. It's just a fun card. The butterfly card I kept simple. I added some basic elements to keep the botanical feel. I used dies from Sizzix Tim Holtz Alteration line, and burlap ribbon with a vintage button.
Enjoy!

Getting Back in the Swing of Things

My long absence came after a severe back injury. I was sewing up a storm after the holidays, and needed something in a tote, but when I lifted to put the tote back I forgot to bend my knees. Four days later my lower back went into spasms and those lasted about 24 hours. After sessions of acupuncture and weeks of physical therapy I was able to walk without a cane. Pulling out my crafting supplies I had put away for the holidays was not an option. So finally I am getting back to it.

This album is done with the new collection "Junke Gypsy" from Marion Smith Designs. I love the eclectic designs and the colors of this paper line. I found it very inspirational. I really needed to find some mojo to get me going again.

The size of this book is 8 1/2 by 8 1/2. I used some vinyl material over the binding. Securing it down with Fabri-tac. Then I went through my stash to find elements I felt were eclectic as the papers.

 I added flip outs and pockets for all the beautiful cut outs that this paper line had. Got to love the hot air balloons. The die cut is a Spellbinders die. The Banner on the left page is Tim Holtz on the edge banner die where I added a border to embellish it.

 I added these flips so I could include the envelope that was a cut out from the paper line. In order to see the beautiful design I felt it was better to make the envelope a flip, instead of putting it in a pocket.

 A vertical pocket and a waterfall of flips also was created to accommodate all the cut outs from this paper line. I tried to include as many as I could. There were many!

 The page on the right is actually an accordion fold out that I secured with a ribbon and bow.

 The book ends with a double pocket, and a rosette.

Even the back cover got a little something elegant.

I hope you like this book as much as I liked making it. This will be a class in Woodstock, and Mundelien this August. You can always e-mail me for more information.

I have a set of cards from this paper line I will post another day. Then I will post my Halloween things I am currently working on.
Till Then
Thanks for looking!
Kim