Solera Paper Crafters January 22 Class

Well I decided to play catch up for those that have purchased scrapbook or card kits from me.  I always put directions in my kits, but I thought that if you wanted to make additional cards at home with your own paper, you could certainly do that just by looking at the finished cards or scrapbook pages.

Here is the finished card that I taught at the Solera Papercrafter Group on January 22.  WOW I did say catch up didn't I.

Well this group is in a 55 and older community.  Some of us have limited income so I decided to give them templates for folded cards.  That way they can continue to make additional cards at home.

This first card is called Double Dutch Fold.  You can find several examples on You Tube, but some of the papercrafters in the group do not do computer.

Here is the finished card!

I used an Anna Griffin Lace Die and Tim Holtz Tattered Rose die cuts.  The individual flower pieces were distressed using Daisy White Close to my Heart Ink.  And the 3-D effect of the flower was achieved by using the McGill Paper Blossom Molding Mat and either the 5MM or 6 MM Molding Tool.  After all the individual flowers are molded, they are placed on top of each other making sure you off set each petal.  The final step was to place a gem in the middle of the flower.

This fold is called Double Dutch because you have a fold coming down from the top and also two folds coming from either side.  The top fold meets the two center folds.  

I think it really turned out pretty good.  We are sold out of this kit!

Solera Papercrafters July 10 Workshop

Well it's that time again.  Actually, it's been that time but I've been super busy.  Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month, Patty and I get together and teach card making and scrapbooking to our fellow artists here at the Solera Community where we live.  It's fun teaching and I love to share, so I'm going to show you all what we did this last week.  On the 2nd Thursday of the month, I make 1 card and a 2-page scrapbook layout.  Patty does two cards.  My Scrapbookers come 1/2 hour earlier to complete their pages and Patty teaches the first card.  Then as soon as my Scrapbookers complete their layouts, they go over and finish making the first card.

Here are the layouts I did this week.

I found these incredible layouts on sale and picked them up for my Scrapbookers to complete.  We only charge $6.00 for the two pages, so they have to be pretty simple.  These particular layouts come completely cut and ready to go.  Just add glue, decide what embellishments you wish to pop-dot, antique your items and add photo mats. Walla!  Done.  The base page is grey with large white circles.  There is a 10 x 10 star paper centered in the middle.  A 10" x 1/2" striped paper is added across the bottom of the star paper.  Grey/White bakers twine is added to the red tag which is pop-dotted on the left.  The grey and white star is glued to the tag then pop-dotted to the page in the spot that does not go over the photo mat.  That allows room for the picture to be added.  The date banner is also pop-dotted under the 4 x 6 photo mat.  White paper was glued under the thick telephone dial which already came printed with the sentiment.  Three gems were added to the upper left corner and 1 gem was added to the "O" in the word Shot on the banner.

The base on the right side of the 2-page layout used the same grey paper with white dots.  Red bakers twine is added to the navy blue tag and glued to the top of the page.  The sentiment was first glued to the blue and white star, then both were pop-dotted to the page with the star resting on the blue tag.  Another 9" x 1/2" striped paper was added under the sentiment.  A 8 1/2" x 1/2" star stripe was added under the striped paper.  Then we added the 3 photo mats.  Blue/white bakers twine was added to the peach tag and yellow/white bakers twine was added to the green tag.  Both tags are pre-printed with the sentiments and star.  The blue banner is pop dotted over the tags.  The red/white star is placed in the center of the blue banner.  3 gems are added to the blue banner and another 3 gems were added just above the 4 x 6 photo mat.  The red arrow was placed targeting the words on the tag.  All the pieces in both layouts were inked around the edges with light blue ink.  All in all, these layouts are pretty darn cute.


The inspiration from the card I chose to do came from Pinterest.  Then I went to my scraps and paper stash to pick the pattern paper and color card stock I used here.  Some of the paper is Close to My Heart.  Some is SEI and My Mind's Eye.

 Working from the base, I chose a Robin Egg blue cardstock 81/2 x 11 and cut it in half.  The yellow base is 4 x 5 1/4.  I then trimmed red cardstock to 10 pieces of 1 1/4 x 1 1/4 square.  I corner rounded the 2 opposite edges of each piece.  I then chose 10 different pattern pieces of scrap paper and trimmed those to 1 1/8 x 1 1/8 and again corner rounded the 2 opposite edges.  Close to My Heart Star Spangled Blue Ink was used for the sentiment stamped on Close to My Heart white 2 3/8 x 1 1/8 piece of paper which is mounted on a 2 1/2 x 1 1/4 piece of red cardstock.  Last but not lease, I threaded blue and white bakers twine through a green button and tied a bow.  Then used a glue dot to adhered to one of the puzzle pieces.  It took me awhile to choose the color layout so the yellows, blues, greens and reds were distributed through out the card. But I love the final look.  My students had a choice of a green, blue or yellow button since I encourage them to make their own layout.

Solera papercrafters 02/27/14

Here we are again at Solera in Beaumont teaching our 3 card class.  I had two cards this week and I also plan for the refreshments and prizes.  All in all we have a lot of fun.

My first card was pretty simple. A blue card base with an embossed white front which was antiqued with chocolate brown ink.  Each circle is layered and the two larger layers are glued down, then ribbon was added around the card.  The Happy Birthday is a CTMH stamp and layered on the same cardstock as the base card.  All the circles are antiqued and the Happy Birthday is pop-dotted.  Then bakers twine was glue dotted to the front....Easy!

On my next card, I again used a CTMH stamp and water colored pencils to color the flower.  All the pieces were antiqued and the CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge was used to make the tag which is pop-dotted to add another layer to the finished card.

Solera Papercrafters 02/13/2014

Wow have I really been away that long....I better just get my act together and sit down more often to share.  This week we had our Solera Papercrafters Group Valentine's Party.  Everyone brought a little something to share and Patty and I taught our cards and scrapbook pages.  We live in a retirement community and charge only $6.00 for a 3 card class.  If the girls want to do the scrapbooking pages, they pay an additional $3.00.  If they don't do the cards but just the scrapbook pages they pay $6.00 total.  So you see, we keep it pretty simple.  I found some great paper and die cuts from My Mind's Eye and put together this 2 page layout.

This page was created for 3 pictures to be placed in the center.  The oval tag with the heart will be placed between two of the pictures and is pop dotted.  The embellishment in the lower right is also pop dotted.

This page will hold 1 4 x 6 picture and 2 4 x 5 pictures.  The 3 embellishments here are all pop dotted.  Not bad for just $3.00.

It was my turn to do one card this week.  I found my inspiration on Pinterest.  I used all Close to My Heart paper.  A Martha Stewart punch for the black lace.  Cheery Lynn nested dies for the scalloped circle and regular circles.  Close to My Heart Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge to make the daisy. Darci embossing folder for the white lace. Close to My Heart stamp for the sentiment and a Candi embellishment for the center of the daisy.  The faux stitching on the daisy was created using Close to My Heart pen .05.  The Candi embellishment is pop dotted on the daisy and the scalloped circle is pop dotted on the card.

An Anna Griffin Giveaway

Well Northridge Publishing is giving away one of Anna Griffin's amazing card kits.  I saw Anna on HSN and this kit is to die for.  Well don't really die...but you will oooo and ahhhhhh a lot!  Take a look and let me know what you think!

http://northridgepublishing.com/2013/10/friday-giveaway-anna-griffin/

Cherry Tree Shoppe Class 09/28/13

Well, one of my girlfriends just called and wants me to teach a class at her home....she wants me to do the cards that I did at the Cherry Tree Shoppe in Beaumont.  So I thought that it would be a good time to post them here while I'm still thinking about them.

Witch at Spa card – Black base card size is A2.  Take 8 ½ x 5 ½ and score at 4 ¼.  Fold card.  Antique White web 4 x 5 ¼ paper with black ink and adhere to card base.  Stamp image on white 4 x 3 ¼ piece of white cardstock and color using markers.  Copics I used are:

                Broom E 35, E37, G14

                Stockings and Bubbles  YR16, V06

                Face E21, YG13

                Stars Y08

                Hair E30, E33, E35, E37

                Hat 100, YR16, V06

                Boots G14, Y21, Y17

                Cauldron 100, C1, C3, C5

Antique Edges of white cardstock with Grey.  Adhere to black 4 ¼ x 3 ½ cardstock.  Adhere layer card to card base.  The stamp is from Impression Obsession called Spa Day and the inks I used to stamp and antique are Close To My Heart.

Ice Cream Cone Card – Black base card size is A2. Take 8 ½ x 5 ½ and score at 4 ¼.  Fold card. Stamp image on white 2 x 4 ½ piece of white cardstock and color using markers.   Copics I used are:

                                                                Cone E53, YR21, Y21 and Y32

                                                                Sprinkles YG07, V04, Y38

                                                                Face W1

                                                                Wavy part W0

                                                                Background C1, 0

When coloring is complete, distress outer edge of white cardstock.  Distress pattern 2 ½ x 5 paper.  Adhere stamped image to pattern paper.  Set aside.  Distress 4 x 5 ¼ purple stripe.  If desired, antique with purple or black.  Adhere ribbon to lower half of purple stripe paper.  Adhere stamped image to purple stripe.  Adhere washi tape to bakers twine.  Adhere to purple stripe.  Adhere layer card to card base.   Attach owl.  This stamp is also Impression Obsession.  Distressing Toll and Inks are Close To My Heart.

Double easel Die Cut Beware Card – Start with a 6 x 12 black base and on the 12” side, score at 6” and 3”.  Fold to create base of card.  Cut orange pattern piece at 5 ¾ x 6 and adhere to 3” base fold.  Lay card flat and adhere ghost in window, bats and spider web.  Take 5 ¾ x 4 ½ pattern orange and on the 4 ½” side, score at 1 ½ and 3.  Fold to make easel.  Repeat with second pattern orange piece.  Adhere to card base.  Cut 7” x 2 ½ grave piece to fit and attach to second easel.  Adhere two ghosts at graves.   Attach black pumpkin to left side of first easel.  Adhere the words BEWARE to front base of easel.  Size tree to front easel to make sure card will close without bending the tree.  You might have to cut ¼ “ off the bottom of the trees.  Attach first tree to front of easel.  Add pop dots to left side of second tree and adhere to first tree making sure to offset.  Adhere ghosts though-out the tree.  Adhere skeleton to front of first easel at base of tree. The Web, Window, Pumpkin, Skelaton and Beware are cut from Cricut October 31 cartridge.  The bats, graveyard, tiny ghosts and tree are Memory Box Dies.  The ghost in the window is a Sizzix die.

If you have any questions concerning any of these cards, just send me an email and I'll explain a little more. 

Sisterhood of the Traveling Scrapbookers and Cardmakers 10/10 class

Well it was time to put Scrapbooking back in the mix since I haven't done it in awhile.  So, I found some great paper on sale from My Mind's Eye and decided to make a Halloween 2 page layout for the group.

What I wanted to do here was to teach the group how to match pattern paper.  So, this one is really busy.  I really like how it turned out.  All the paper is My Mind's Eye.  It's not a brand that I use much, but it was a great sale and I couldn't pass it up.

The diecuts were cut using Cricut Craft Room FREE Theresa Collins Image of the Week.  I actually cut a bat border and a skull border.  And, I cut enough for the people who confirmed....then I got another email from someone who wanted to join us and I couldn't say no....so, I revamped the page and cut the borders apart.  It actually worked out better to cut them apart.  After backing the purple "Spooky" Title with black, we used a white gel pen to ink faux stitching on the black and the Close To My Heart black liner pen to pin faux stitching around the "ticket".

I used the Graphic45 Steampunk stamp Something Wicked This Way Comes to stamp in the oval cut from a Sizzix die.  Ye,s I still use my Sizzix even after I purchased my Cricut and Silhouette.  I can't seem to part with it.  But, I know that day is coming.  I also used the flourish stamp in the Close To My Heart Stamp set C1466 Instant Memories to stamp on the skull.  The photo mats are cut 4.5 x 6.4 to allow a border around the pictures.  I also showed them how to cut photo corners out of a 2 x 2 piece of black cardstock.

The diecuts are all pop dotted and really that's it. Patty (my cohort in crime) get to split the $6.00 we collect from each student to teach this group, we really love the friends we made here and try our best to come up with fun ideas.  I get another $3.00 from those that wish to take the scrapbook section of the class.  By shopping the internet for great deals, I was able to pull this 2 page layout off for only $3.00 plus shipping.  I still have a lot of paper left over and will be able to make quite a few cards for the troops.

This was my week to make 1 card/project for the group plus the 2 page layout.  I purchased the Close To My Heart Clear Treat Tubes (6 tubes with lids 4 3/4 x 1 for $5.95).  During Shop Hop, I was able to find some SRM Halloween stickers.  If you haven't used these, you are missing out.  You get enough stickers on the sheet to make 12 of the same projects.  The Happy Halloween and Candy Corn came on one sheet, and I also purchased a second sheet of borders, which I cut in half to put around the bottom of the tube.  So to complete this project, I first used the Close To My Heart 2" Scallop punch and some orange pattern scrap paper.  I then used the Close To My Heart 1 1/4" circle punch which matched the candy corn sticker with the circle exactly!!!!!  I then cut a purple piece of scrap paper and attached the Happy Halloween sticker.  The cat came from my stash.  A few years ago I purchased these diecuts (12 to a page)...not sure where they came from but the diecuts were 2 each of 6 different images. Cats, ghosts, scarecrows, pumpkins, monsters and can't remember the last one...anyway, these have slits in them to put in quarters....they were suppose to be used as Halloween treats instead of candy.   I let the group pick out which die cut they wanted.  I also let them pick out which border they wanted to wrap around the bottom of the tube.  We punched a small hole in each of the three elements we chose.  We wrapped Halloween black, white and orange bakers twine 3 times around the tube, tied a knot, attached our 3 elements and then tied a bow.  I brought a large container of M & M's and each person filled their tube....another project completed for less than $3.00 each.  It was another great class and everyone enjoyed themselves.