Friday, November 30, 2012

Free Gift Tag For You!

Hi Everyone,

I was goofing around with gift tags this morning and created one that I thought you might like. It was made using Graphics Fairy and Dover Publishing images. I plan to layer it, decoupaging the layers and adding ribbon and other embellishments. Hope you can use it too!


 

You know the drill I'm sure but just in case, click to enlarge then right click to save.

Love ya!
~Deb~

I'm so Excited, and I Just Can't Hide it!

Shoot now I'm going to have that song stuck in my head all day LOL! I got some fabulous news today and I want to share my excitement with all of you wonderful followers! I've been asked to be a guest designer for Gecko Galz! My first ever! My month isn't until July 2013 so they gave me plenty of time to gear up.

If you're not familiar with Gecko Galz, you  should definitely check them out. The specialize in mostly vintage/retro images and their stuff is so fun! The images are VERY reasonably priced and she's fellow Texas resident so I'm even supporting locally. I love that!

and they have GREAT Freebies and tutorials!

Here's the link, go right now and check them out and then look for me in July!

 Celebrate with me!

Love ya,
~Deb~

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Finished Explosion Boxes

Well there done! As promised TWO explosion boxes. One female and a masculine one...ah a change up! I wanted to do something a little off the beaten track. Like me a bit quirky and definitely different. Turned out that the masculine one is my favorite so far. Which do you like better? Please comment and tell me your thoughts and opinion.

Hers



Top view (that's a gift card holder in the back)




Side view



Closed View

 


 
 
 

His

Closed front view

Top view

Semi open view (so you can see the stage and pop dots)

Top view

Close up of graphic
 
Supplies for hers:
 
K & Company papers - Geo Floral
Recollections metal embellishments & flowers
DCWV Paper for crown
Beads from stash
Bamboo skewer
Ribbon from Dollar Tree
Pink feathers from Pick Your Plum
Sentiment from Ginger's House
 
Supplies for his:
 
Colorbok paper - Vintage Treasures
Bead Landing gears & keys
Jolee's Boutique pocket watch
24 gauge copper, gold, & sliver wire
Glossy Accents
 
 
Well that's it and I'm dying to know what you think of the tutorial and the completed projects. If you use the tutorial please link up in the left hand column so we can all come see what you made!
 
Love ya,
~Deb~
 
 
 

Life is Beautiful!

Nothing more to say other than enjoy!

 

Click to enlarge and right click to save. Don't forget to comment and tell me what you think of it! Hugs for everyone.

Love ya,
~Deb~

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Laugh for the Day

 
Clcik and watch...we've all felt his way about something! For me it's a die cut I've been trying to get at Michael's every week for the last month. Still don't have it  :(
 
Enjoy!
 
Love ya,
~Deb~

Kind Comments!

I want to thank everyone for all the kind comments I've been getting latley. Honestly, without them I don't know htat I would keep creating free stuff to give away or take the time to blog at all. I have only a small following so far but since it's only been a couple of months I think it's going well.

If you comment, I WILL answer each and every one. That's a promise, so if you have a question come back and check. The response will be there usually with in a day or two.

I'm a transplant to Texas so I'm going to say this Texan style...

Ya'll are the BEST!!!

Love ya,
~Deb~

Explosion Box Tutorial

WARNING!!! This is a picture heavy post and may take some time to load in your email or browser.


It's here! I've had several requests for this tutorial on the explosion box with the cake center that I made. You can find the original here. I've tried to make this as simple as possible but it is a lengthy process and you will need to set aside 1-3 hours to complete this depending on your level of craft skills and the tools you have at hand. It's worth the time, I've gotten rave reviews on them.

P.S. If you have a cricut, silhouette etc, you can do this in 1/2 the time with perfect results using a cutting program for the squares and paper. What I'm teaching you is the way to do it by hand. I have a cricut but it's a pain to get it out, set it up and I haven't mastered it yet anyway. Someday I'll find the time to organize and learn. In the mean time by hand it is!

So here we go...

Tools Needed:
    
     Scissors                         Rough Sandpaper
     Paper Cutter                  Fine Sandpaper for buffing
     Exacto Knife                 Pencil
     Bone Folder                  Ruler (clear if you have it, makes things a bit easier)
     Paint Brush                   Brayer (don't have one? Heavy books work too)

Recycled Materials Needed:

2 sizes of empty ribbon spools
A box from cereal, pop/soda, crackers etc. (in other words thin chipboard)
       Cut the box into the following size pieces:
               3 1/2"x3 1/2" square, you will need 5 this size
               3 3/4"x3 3/4" square, you will need 1 this size
               3 3/4"x 1 1/4" rectangle, you will need 4 this size

Craft Supplies Needed:

Acrylic Paint                     Embellishments
Double Stick Tape              Glue (such as glossy accents or something that dries clear and fast)
1 Sheet of 12x12" fancy paper
2 Sheets of 12x12" coordinating paper


  1. Cut the edges of your ribbon rolls flush with the ring. Don't do what I did and cut it to close. It's best if you have the bottom area still on and you're going to sand it smooth anyway.

  2. Using the rough sandpaper first, go around the edges to smooth then buff the scratches out with the fine sandpaper. I like to use a nail buffer for this part. It's easy to hold and flexible but use what ever you have on hand. If you have a graphic heavy spool like my Toy Story one you may want to sand the graphic off a bit too.

  3. Use a thick fast drying glue to put the smaller spool on top of the larger one.
 
  4. Paint your "cake". Here's a tip, if you're painting it a bright color, paint it black first, the resulting top color is brighter. I didn't do that because I wanted a more muted look but try it, you might like it!

 5. I've done two coats of paint here. Set it aside to dry while your working on your box.

 6. Choose your paper and get your empty box, it's time to get out the cutter. (I told you I was addicted to Rock Stars)

 7. Cut your pieces for your box as described above.
 
 This is what you'll have for cut chipboard.

 8. Place your first piece 1/2" in from the edge in the center of one side, using glue or double stick tape. using a thin ruler as a spacer, put your next piece down, then the third forming a row. Using the center piece as your guide and your ruler as your spacer place the two side pieces on. 

 It should look like this.

 9. Flip your paper over and using a brayer push down on the chipboard pieces to secure firmly. You can also put some books on top of it for about 20 minutes or so if you don't have a brayer. The point is to get it smooth and flat.
 
 10. Flip your paper back over and measure then draw lines 1/2" around all sides.

Here's a close up of the drawn lines.

 11. Cut out the squares you just drew as shown.

12. Using your scissors, cut from the corner of the paper to the tip of the middle chipboard piece as shown on all four corners.

 
 13. Using your ruler, miter your outside corners by lining up the ruler on two corners right to the peaks of the chipboard and then cut with an exacto knife. DON'T THROW THOSE CORNER PIECES AWAY!!! You will use some of them later.

This is what it should like like when all corners have been mitered.


14. SLOWLY bend up your sides. If you go to fast your paper may crack. If your using really heavy paper like I did, it helps to score it a bit on both the front and back to give it a little extra "spring".


 15. Glue or tape down your sides all the way around.
 
 16. Grab those corner pieces you saved it's time to use them! They will go in the corners as shown here.

 17. Glue them down.

 18. Choose your coordinating paper for the inside of the box. I liked this orange and pink swirl pattern since the box had big flowers.

 19. Flip it over and use the reverse side to draw and cut on. The one I chose was tough to see because of the pattern so I'll show you some close ups.
 
 20. you can barely see my lines here but I first drew around the box, then measure in 1/8" all the way around so there would be an inside border as shown below.

21. Check to make sure of the fit before gluing down.


 22. I used white Aleene's tacky glue for this tutorial so you could see it easily. While it works, I would use double stick tape for a clear glue.
 
We're almost there! Lets move on to the cover.

 23. Following the same steps you used for the box, place your lid pieces on your chosen paper. I used the same paper that I used on the inside of the box for continuity but you definitely don't have to. Measure the same 1/2" all the way around and cut as you did for the box. (refer to steps 8-17 if you need)
 
 24. After it's glued it will look like this. Now this is where I vary from most tutorials you will see. I don't like having flaps on the outside of my lid showing so I glue all the edges down. You'll see in the next step how I make that work.

 25. Cut yourself some 1"x1" scraps of your coordinating paper. Score them down the center and either apply tape to the edges of them and stick the corners together or use glossy accents and glue them in. You may have to hold them shut for a couple of minutes each but it's worth it to me not to have those ugly outer flaps.

 26. Using your corner scraps form your outer box paper, cut a piece just shy of 3 3/4"x 3 3/4" square and glue to the bottom/inside of your lid.
 
 27. Cut strips of the same paper just shy again of 1 1/4"x3 3/4" rectangles for the inside edges of the box. You'll need four (4). Glue them in. Run a bone folder around it just to make sure they are in flat and to help seal them down.

 This is the finished top.

 Put your top on your box and VOILA! Cute explosion box.
 
Lastly, decorate your "cake" with embellishments of your choice and then glue it to the center of the box. You can decorate the inside box flaps and the top of your box too.
 
 Well that's it, I hope this was an easy to understand tutorial and you find it helpful.
 
If you still feel lost and want to watch a video, I found a good one on you tube. It's LOOOONG, eight videos in all (although only 1-5 are really pertinent), but he does a good job explaining and you see every step and mistake he makes. Here's the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGa5gerjtcs by Jim the Gentleman Crafter. He uses structure strips which I don't, and he puts the flaps on the outside of the box lid. Other than that, it's the best video I have found.
It took me all day to create the box, take the pictures and write the tutorial so tune in tomorrow and I'll show you not one, but two finished boxes!
Love ya,
~Deb~

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Sunday, November 25, 2012

Freebie Word Art!

Just a quick freebie for you. After all the looking around at blogs I've done today, I thought this was kind of appropriate. Enjoy!

 
Click to enlarge, right click to save.
 
Love ya,
~Deb~

Discounted Gift Cards

Many of you may know about this but I didn't so I thought I'd share for those who were in the dark like me. I didn't even know places like this existed. Wow! Check this out:

 

This link is for Michael's store, which I go to a lot. There are 165 cards available for sale.

http://www.giftcardgranny.com/store/michaels/

This is the general link and they have gift cards for all most anywhere you can imagine.

http://www.giftcardgranny.com/

I'll let you know if I score a card and what my discount ended up being.

Love ya,
~Deb~

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Save Those Cards You Get!

Here's an adorable idea to recycle all those Christmas cards you get each year. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!