Explore and Scan N Cut, Studio news and Crafty thoughts

So wonderful to be back with a new computer operating system 8.1 that works, and 2 new cutting machines in my arsenal - the Cricut Explore and the Brother Cut N Scan.  Oh, the projects I can share with you!

Everyone wants to know which is better.  I say they are a team.  Like a washer/dryer, shampoo/conditioner, or coffee/cream, they are a duo and I need them both.  With these two machines, for the first time, I can do everything I need to do.  Provocraft and Brother, you complete me. If you can save up, and if you can , get both of these, you will see what I mean.  They work side by side on my craft table, and I go back and forth between them on the same project.  I think of them now, as one machine, if that makes sense.  So now my projects are often hybrids, no more just cricut, but a combo of the best of both worlds, morphed into one.

I have been working on wiring my studio, getting a cat cable 5 to bring in internet, clearing and painting , and crafting in between.  Now, I have been remiss at photographing my works and posting due to some camera/reader /PC issues, but I ordered the Galaxy 5 , because of the camera, and I think I will be up and running again with a very visual blog.  I am feeling more like Art/Paper/Fiber than Cricut Melody, as I am expanding my horizons, and working again on textiles.  (spinning, crocheting, sewing, felting, weaving, carding, making yarn) so I may change the name of the blog.  I am a little afraid you won't be able to find me if I do, so I might just add it somewhere in the header.

So I have a paper creating area, and a fiber area, and it seems I can never keep both of them organized at the same time.  It reminds me when I lived in a huge 2 story "teacher mansion" in Illinois, which was rented out to me as part of my contract. Five bedrooms and a sunroom, huge porch, finished basement and I could never keep the upstairs and downstairs neatened up for company at the same time. Alas, I moved to California , before ever reaching that goal.  So , here I am, attempting to get it right this time, a work in progress, but nearing it's finish. Everyone seems to create such pretty studios, mine looks more like a factory.  I can not resist filling up a space with another machine  or workspace.  I don't do well with machines on shelves and like everything up and running in their own space.  It looks bad, but feels good, when I can just enter a space and have it all ready for me.  You would gasp if you saw it, but think of the convenience of having everything plugged in and ready to go.  Once I start crafting, I am really not looking around my craft room, but lost in the creative moment.  It sets up somewhat like my classroom, with lots of centers.  Thinking about teaching kids in there, and having them play with  everything.  I think they are so more capable , than perceived, and so limited in the offerings at school in the art department.  I get tickled imagining them delighting in the use of the cuttlebug,  fiskars, Tim Holtz electric, the big Shot and then learning the Expression and personal machine, Cricut Anniversary, the Pazzles, and all the little crafty tools we use, like the envelope punch, cinch, cutting boards, to name just a few.  And then I would show them how to blend roving  into different colors on my carder and spin yarn, and then felt it and , well , you get the idea.

So, I hope to get some pics of projects up with my new toys.  I also ordered the Ipad Air and the wireless adapter - I am really looking forward to using this.  Wishing to re-connect with my friends and blog followers here.  Love hearing about what you are doing  and looking forward to your comments.  We have so many crafting adventures ahead , with all of the technology available to us, to assist us in our creative endeavors.  They will never replace our creative mojos, but are so much fun to help us reach new craft heights with our creations.  We really are fortunate to have such an extensive and exciting array of tools available to us.  Have a great week-end, and may you all find the time to sneak in a little quality crafting time .  .  .

Bird Cage and Butterfly Shape Cards with Matching Envelopes

Thought my birthday month would be the perfect time to come out of blog hibernation and share some shape cards with custom envelopes. The cards are super-sized, and to make the envelopes, I just placed the cards on the paper , folded the envelope paper over the card, with room to spare all around, and left a flap at the top.  ATG the sides, little drops of hot glue for added strength, and if the paper is flimsy, reinforce the sides with paper that matches the cards.

                                                       Bird Cage Card and Matching Envelope
                                                      

Trimming the pieces after tracing flap, making strips to reinforce envelope sides .  The envelope is made from white butcher paper.

  

Some card details , along with pics of glued fold that attached shapes together.

 

 

 

 

 

The fold that attaches is not even visible, just hot glued together.

The bird cage is from Tim Holtz die, and the dragon fly was cuttlebugged from a soda can.

 

Butterfly Shape Card w/Matching Envelope

Shape cards are fun to make and you can attach 2 shapes together yourself by folding at the top and gluing (Bird Cage Card) or punching a hole and tying sides together (Butterfly Card).

 

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Winter Altered Ticket Designs

Happy New Year 2013!!!

Glad to be back from my hiatus and looking forward to sharing crafts with all of you again.

I have a fun bottle cap project on the CricutFANatics Blog, as I am one of the designers for January 7, 2013c with lots of pics, so swing by and say hello or just be a lookie loo.

 Today I would like to share some details of  Winter Altered Tickets I made for a wonderful Swap on the Cricut Message Boards.

As always, I hope you enjoy seeing how these turned out.  I will be getting some back in return from some of the other crafters in the Swap and I can hardly wait to see what they look like. I will post these for you too, as soon as they arrive.

PHOTO GALLERY OF WINTER ALTERED TICKET DESIGNS

Snowflake Details:

Angel Christmas Details:

Snow Man Details:

 

Last but not least, Candy Cane Details:

 

 

BEAD FLOWER SPRAY

SPRAY WITH BUTTERFLIES, FLOWERS, PINK AND WHITE PEARLS

 

PINK FLEURS AND RIBBON WITH CRYSTAL BEADS, HANDMADE ROSES, AND PEARLS

FALL SPRAY WITH FLOWERS,BEADS, PINECONES, CRYSTAL BEADS AND BERRIES





There is something so beautiful about flower bead sprays.  I am always in awe as to how they turn out.  All that loveliness on wires gives the illusion of floating in air.  They are so graceful with their lovely arcs and delicate surprises at every turn. I love making these.  It is very calming as you can not hurry. Just take your time and go into a creative Zen mode with these.



 

Vintage Style

Beautiful Bag, Tag, and Card Sets

These are  beautiful bag, tag and card sets I received in a swap. Imagine sending these to someone with a special gift tucked inside.  These have become a favorite to make and receive.

Handcrafted Copper Clip Board

 

Thought I'd share some pictures that I have taken of my crafts, that are sitting alone and neglected on my computer.  So much nicer to share them with all of you. A friend of mine attached the wires and alligator clips after stripping off the rubber.  The embossed copper  went through the cuttlebug in the herring bone folder.  I crunched up the piece above it, cut a small square with pinking shears, and attached a shiney copper penny directly on the copper painted canvas.  I wrote calligraphy on an altered paper rubbed with a copper ink pad and a gold one for highlights.  Why so much copper?  The person I made this for loves copper.  I thought this would be fun as a clip board for her important notes and to help her get a good copper fix.

Coming Soon. . . More Soda Can Creations!!!

If you haven't tried this, you are missing out on some great fun.  And when you send these to your friends, they won't believe their eyes.  It is amazing that we can make so many projects re-cycling our aluminum drinking vessels.  Not only do we create something fabulous, but we are going green at the same time.  The best of two worlds .  Who knew crafting could be considered community service.

Spider on a Chunky Charm

Halloween Tim Holtz Dress Form

Dress up Dolls of the Bony Variety

Skeleton Super Models

Halloween Fashion and Macabre Finery

I used Halloween Flowers, that I altered from my stash and little bits of touille , bling, and whatever seemed spooky, to add to TH dress forms and skeletons from Michael's. I used a hot gun, and colored the gems with an orange copic pen (YR04) I love these skeletons!!! They are just like dress up dolls, but of the bony variety.  Over half a dozen I think for 4.99 and I get them every year.  Here are some close ups of the gals and details of the dress forms. Can you pick out some of the Halloween flowers I blogged about below???

Halloween Fashion ShowSkeletons & Dress Forms

My New Halloween Project

All those Halloween displays at  Michael's have made me want to start creating for Halloween now.  They know exactly what they are doing, using their marketing voo doo to get me to buy ahead.  So I started to wonder, what could I create for one of my favorite holidays, without digging into my pocket book just yet, and it came to me.  Halloween Flowers.  I had flowers already made that I could alter. Little creepy crawlies , skull heads,and webbing.  So I decided to go forward with this concept in between my more seasonally appropriate summer crafting. Will post my flowers here, with the hopes that it will inspire others to do the same, have fun, and save some cash on Halloween Embellies.

Halloween Flowers- A Different Kind of Bouquet

Have you ever sent anyone a Halloween Bouquet? I haven't, but thought it would make a great Happy Hauntings gift, so I am going to start making some flowers from the dark side.  Hope to have a big stash by Halloween. Sharing with you my first attempts.

Work Ahead for Halloween , Make Spooky Fleurs!!!

It is so much fun to make flowers for Halloween.  Adding skull heads, spiders,webs and anything spooky creates that creepy, crawly , ambience you are trying to evoke.

Neon Flowers are Perfect for Halloween

Amazing Gift Bag Making Tip!!!

When you make a gift bag, you simply wrap your chosen paper around a cereal box!!!

2 12x12 papers
ATG gun these together
Wrap around a box like you are wrapping a present, but leave the other end open.
Use you ATG to glue it along the seams.  I like to cut 2 small rectangles, to fit the outside and inside bottom, to give it a special finished look.
 
That's  it. You already know how to make this, because I am sure you have wrapped presents before, so you will be an expert right from the start!

For variations, you can use border punches on the paper before you wrap it, for an especially custom look.  Bling, floral bead sprays, lace, stickles, you name it.  You can make these as simple or as dramatic as you like.

Check back for pics of the 2 bag sets I am working on for a swap.  Hope you try these, they are simply fabulous, and the recipient feels you have truly spoiled them , and you know what? - you have!!!.

Floral bead sprays, and Halloween Chunky Charms

It seems when life gets in the way of creating,  my blog seems to be most impacted.  So I am happy to be back to breathe life into it once more.  Love sharing pics with all of you, and hope to show you what crafts I have been working on.  I am learning how to do floral bead sprays! Wonderful tutorials on youtube, with easy instructions.  Oh my, these are incredible embellishments to add to your handcrafts.  I am also working on some halloween related swaps, and having fun with chunky charms of the spooky kind.  This is a great way to use up all of the skeleton beads I purchased at a local bead and gem faire.  I am trying to make them look Halloweenie and elegant.  Can I succeed? You be the judge.  I thought adding bling to the skull heads, would add a sophisticated  touch .  Trying not to go cutesy on these.

Classy and Elegant Altered Style Skeleton Keys

I purchased the skeleton keys from Home Depot.  Another swapper noted that it was hard to find these keys as they are all the rage to alter.  After sitting at Home Depot for two years, the keys were flying off the shelves according to a sales associate. The jewelry was found at a thrift store and repurposed for this project.  The gold roses were from a necklace that I took apart. I am always tearing up my own costume jewelry when I see an element I can use, and then wonder why I have no earrings or bracelets to wear out when I need them. Oh well,  Art before Beauty I guess. The "jewels" were glued with 2 part epoxy, and the Ranger Tag was black and then I embossed it with black embossing powder.  I really like the black on black effect. The lace is from my almost discarded curtains (going from vintage to Asian in my living room). I will be receiving 3 keys in return, and will post them as soon as they are received.

I am hosting a Charger Plate Swap with the most wonderful ladies who are so creative and fun.  I wanted to give them some prizes for their participation. I am sending them crocheted flowers, metallic flowers and some cute little stencils for decorating pastries.