Looking through the window

My final challenge with Scrap It Girl is to create an ornament.

I love to make ornaments … they are a great way to use up some leftover supplies. And who doesn’t want a beautiful, handmade ornament for their tree?!

This design “came to me” while wandering through Hobby Lobby on Black Friday. I picked up the new Window and Window Box die by Tim Holtz, knowing I already had a Christmas tree die by Sizzix and a Martha Stewart punch at home.

I cut out the window and window box with chipboard and then painted them with Picket Fence Distress Crackle Paint. Once dry, I used Archival ink in Coffee to edge the window and to cover the window box. A dabber that fits on your fingertip is perfect for this.

I added a piece of acetate to the back of the window and then used the Xyron machine to adhere the punched branches to the front of the window. Then I glued the flower box on and added berries made with Stickles. The trim on the window box is a Piccolo piece covered in Titanium White 3D Enamel Gel.

I cut the tree out of green cardstock and trimmed it down to fit behind the window. I added rhinestone ornaments and then used pop dots to adhere it to the back of the window. I then applied another layer of pop dots and adhered the blue paper (Basic Grey) to the back.

I attached a Tim Holtz brad and used that to hold the tinsel in place.

Finally, I put in a couple of holes and attached a bit of wire to the top to hang it. I made the curly area by wrapping the ribbon around a pen.

I love all of the little details in this … I’m making a few more for gifts for my friends and family.

Now it’s your turn. Create your own holiday ornament and post it on Scrap It Girl’s website for your chance to win a great collection of gifts.

Technique Thursday: Around the Border Punches

Martha Stewart’s Around the Border Punches can create breathtaking layouts and designs — if you know how to use them.

While both punches can work independently of each other, if you want to go all the way around the border of something, each side of your paper must measure to one of the following:

3 1/4″

5″

6 3/4″

8 1/2″

10 1/4″

12″

You can mix them up as you choose (like a 5″ x 6 3/4″ photo mat or a 10 1/4″ x 3 1/4″ strip), but each side must be one of the measurements above. Once you have that figured out, you are ready to punch.

With different sizes, you can make frames, journaling boxes, photo mats and more.

There are two punches that come in the Around the Border set.  There is a corner punch and an edge punch. Both have wings that fold out or down for use and then fold back in or up for storage.

Step 1 is to punch each of the corners of your paper.

Then, grab the edge punch and line up the corner you punched with the design printed on the punch itself. When properly aligned, you will not see the silver pattern at all.

Punch once, then move the paper to line up with the border or edge design printed on the punch. In this case, the silver pattern should fit perfectly within your punched area. Once lined up, punch again. Repeat this process until you are at the edge of your paper. Then, turn the corner and start again.

You can also use the punches independently of each other.

Here I used only the corner punch …

Here I used just the border or edge punch:

NOTE: Crooked edges are what happens when you don’t keep the paper up tight against the guide …

You can also use the corner punch to punch the folded corner of your card, like this:

 

To do this, only open one wing on your corner punch. Line the edge up with the edge of the paper, like you normally would. Then, find the little mark on the side of the punch and line that up with the fold of your card …

And punch.

Stop by Capture A Memory today from 2-6 p.m. and try out these awesome punches for yourself!

 

 

 

 

Back to scrapbooking

Somehow the days just flew by … I hadn’t realized how long it had been since I last posted.

But, I assure you, I have not been idle.

Like you, I am sure, I have been scouring the net for new products to be released at CHA. I am using Pinterest to keep track of my wish list. There are so many great new products … in addition to pretty papers, there are awesome new stamps and dies from Tim Holtz, Art Parts and stamps from Wendy Vecchi, Liquid Pearls from Ranger and much, much more.

I have also been working on some projects for an upcoming technique-based plan in the works. I can’t tell you all just yet, but I will probably have an announcement in early February.

Of course, I have also been crafting. This is a page I challenged myself to do …

This style — with a small grouping in the middle and a lot of white space — is a popular trend. Personally, I have trouble leaving so much white space. I figure if it’s not needed for journaling, you should add an additional photo or make the pictures bigger. So, following this style was difficult for me, but I think I managed to pull it off …

I used the Martha Stewart Around the Page punches to create the border. The patterned papers are from Memory Box. The green flowers are from Prima. The others are from Bo Bunny and the leaves are from Petaloo. I used Copic to airbrush the large blue flower and the green leaves. Then, I added a few gems and brads from my stash and some chipboard letters from Maya Road, stamped with a Wendy Vecchi background stamp, colored with Distress Stain and then highlighted with Distress Ink.

What do you think?