#KSDNOV Alter Something!

The November challenge over at the Kraaft Shaak (a great kommunity over on Google +) is to alter something.

I was sitting in my craft room trying to think of what I could do when I saw this.
 

This has been hanging in my room just like this for at least 2 years. It's a Puffs tissue box. Already quite beautiful, I had pulled the top up to make a hanger for it, stuck some wood excelsior in it for a nest, then promptly forgot about it. So I decided it was about time to finish this project.

This picture shows the back of the box as well as some other items I thought I would use.

Here is the side of the box. I needed to cover the logo so I stuck flowers on top. The green flourish started out as silver like the ones you see in the bottom corner. I covered the silver flourish with green glitter to make it match the box.

 

Can you see the mistake I made here? There is a lump of hot glue where I had originally put the outer bird. When I put the branch on I decided I would rather have the bird perched on the branch.

Here you can see the completed project. I have glued some more flowers on the box to cover that hot glue mess. I really like the way this turned out, and that it was pretty enough that I didn't need to add too much to make it look great!

 

Thanks for looking!

Cathy 

Arrrrg!

When I remembered yesterday that it was "Talk like a Pirate" day I decided I need to make a little something in honor of the day. This started out as a recycled small flat rate shipping box. I cut the window in the front, then tore, inked, spayed, and even burned some tan cardstock to get that weathered parchment look. I wrapped and glued these papers around the outside, then decorated the inside with papers and Cricut die cuts. I even used sand for the beach. All die cuts are from the Life's a Party cartridge.

Thanks for looking!

Cathy

What I did during Kraaft It Together

So Saturday was our monthly Kraaft It Together, and I was able to go for the first time. I stayed in the hangout the entire 6 hours. We had a blast just chatting and kraafting together.

I got my last matchbox done for the swap I'm in. This time I went with a bakery window theme. I prepped the exterior box like I did the other 2, only this time I added an awning over the window. I put cupcake paper inside for the "wallpaper" and stamped, colored and cut out a cupcake. The trickiest thing was figuring out what to use as a cake stand. I needed to put the cupcake on something or it would look like it was floating. I also wanted something that would add dimension. I finally thought of using Shrinky Dinks. I sketched out a stand and cut it out. I was hoping I cut it large enough that it would shrink to the correct size. Well, I lucked out on the first one and it turned out the perfect size. I'm thrilled to have completed my swaps and will get them in the mail this week.

Excuse me... the birdfeeder is empty

 





 

 

I also put a quick card together inspired by a t-shirt I saw in a catalog. I just used my Cricut to cut out a squirrel and made the background with scraps. I used my LetraTag to print out the saying.



Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over,
 she became a butterfly.

The other thing I worked on was my mixed media book. I received a blank book for my birthday and I started working in it yesterday. When I started I was thinking about a romantic page about my husband and myself. As I worked it seemed to go a different direction so I just followed that. I ended up with the sparkly butterflies and flowers, but was still looking for a love quote when I found the quote about the butterfly. This was in the same catalog I found the squirrel inspiration in. It seemed to fit the spirit of the page perfectly. I'm very happy with the way this turned out and I'm looking forward to learning new techniques for my journal.

Thanks for looking!

Cathy

Tiny Art

I was inspired by Sandra ArtfullyMade's matchbox art that she has been posting on the Kraafter's Kommunity over at Google+. She also has a great blog (it's in my blog roll - Artfully Made 4 U) go check it out.

So I couldn't find any mini matchboxes in my stash so I made a little box, finished dimensions 2 1/2 x 1 1/2. I used tissue paper for the background.

I then a CTMH stamp set, colored with alcohol markers and fussy cut for the pictures. I took some scraps of green tissue paper, twisted them up and glued with hot glue to add dimension. The flowers were glued on top. I wanted the butterfly to be loose so I glued it to the end of a strip of plastic packaging and glued the other end behind the flowers.

To finish it off I made a lid from a scrap of paper, then tore out the middle to make a frame. I wrapped it with ribbon to create a hanger. The quote was found on the internet.

 

 

Thanks for looking!
Cathy

Mixed Media 3 - Complete?

I think I'm done with this wonderful challenge, at least for now. I have really enjoyed getting inky, my fingers are oh so pretty.

So today I stamped some flowers from another CTMH set that I won. I don't remember which one at the moment and am too lazy to go downstairs and look right now. I colored some of them with matching alcohol markers. I also stamped Believe in Yourself on a scrap of white paper and inked it with the same distress inks. The larger flower is made from copy paper. The other flowers are just ones I had in my stash. I inked the wooden laser cut bird the same way Heather did in a former KIL show.

I found a matching piece of scrapbook paper in my collection and mounted it on a piece of cardboard packaging, then glued my mixed media piece on top. I added twine to help cover the seam where the papers met. I added shimmer tape and rhinestones to bling it up.

After I figured out where I wanted everything I glued it all down with hot glue and put the piece in the shadowbox frame. I shopped from my craft room for everything I used on this project, including the frame.

Right now I'm happy with the end result but I'm open to adding things in the future if the mood ever strikes me. Now to find a home on a wall somewhere.

Sorry about the glare in the photo. I know I need to work on my pictures.

Thanks for a great challenge, Heather.

Thanks for looking!

Cathy

Building a church for church

One of the things I help out with at church is Children's Church. I made this as a prop to be used during pledges. It is about 18 inches tall to the steeple, made from a Silhouette file. I used poster board as the main part of the building and used my Martha Stewart scoreboard to emboss the siding. I really enjoyed making this, including finishing the inside with wallpaper, moulding and carpet. The greenery on the outside is from various Cricut cartridges. The base is foam core board wrapped in green cardstock.

    

Thanks for looking!

Cathy