Chocolate Bunny

Happy Sunday!!!

Everyone has a crafting style whether they know it or not and I certainly have mine. When the new bundle came out from Dreaming Tree I knew I had to put my own spin on that egg bunny. I did and I hope you like him. He is from the Easter Frolics SVG Bundle.

I started with his eyes, a simple change really. I ungrouped and released compound path, turned the eye up with the lashes on the top outer edge at an angle and choosing both the outer and inner eye clicked on it to make a compound path. Duplicate it and flip it horizontally.

The next alteration evolved his arms and hands. I added an extra node with a corner affect onto his inside wrist so he had more of a wrist to me.  I thickened his arm a bit then added an extra node to the back of the upper arm just under the shoulder. Look at your own upper arm and see that it dips in just a tad before it extends down to your elbow. This is why I added the node. To give it that tiny dip.

The hair on his little head was next. Just a tiny movement of a few nodes in a bit to give the hair a bit more movement so to speak. I duplicated it to put another piece to the top portion of his head as I don't do bows on the tops of boy heads. It wasn't going to be covered otherwise so he needed another hair piece. This time I made the peaks of the waves much less. Adding dark brown pen for lines of hair as well to this piece.

His nose was a tiny bit triangular for my liking, so I deleted a few nodes on the lower sides of either of his mouth line and it softened the nose to more of an oval.

For his teeth I made to rectangles and overlapped them at the top the welded them together. I got teased a lot when I was a kid because I had two big front teeth. Well I grew into them but a bunny just needs the teeth to me. I clicked on the bottom node on one side and made the bottom line a rounded line. Do the same at the top but this time use the control bars on the nodes to make it a inside curve. Save it duplicate it and weld one over the tongue just under the smile. Cut the top teeth out of white and glue over the top of the black teeth. I used a C3 Copic Marker to shade the inside of the teeth a bit.

The last thing I altered was making a small oval for the tummy  to go under the carrot. I know that the brown was supposed to be his tummy but I needed to go Whimsical all the way. I can't do it half way I wasn't taught that way. "If Your going to do something, Do it Right" (Mom Quote).

I printed my dot paper using Echo Park Dots and Stripes Winter. I liked the brighter blue. Easter always has brightly colored eggs and my egg couldn't be any different not if it belongs to me LOL.
I cut my base of my egg bunny making him a chocolate bunny which my grandson and I share a smile over. He used to call chocolate milk  Chocolate Bunny. A thing that eluded me till I looked at the Quick Bunny on the package, He was indeed a chocolate bunny. Wise grandson I  would say.
I used Cinnamon Bazzill Card stock for my bunny but without the Quilted embossing folder he just looked to plain. I added brown "stitching" to the edges of my bunny using a Stampin up Chocolate Chip Pen. I used Mocha Divine Bazzill Card Stock for the base. I really didn't make this up or plan on these names of the products being like this but it is funny eh?

I embossed the tail as well as doing stitching around the edges. To make the tail the way I did I centered each scalloped piece in the center of my virtual mat and cut the scalloped piece in half using the knife tool. Using a rectangle the same length of my cut I welded the rectangle onto the edge of the scallop. Click on the nodes and move the two end pieces to angle as you have seen these tabs many times when you glued 3d pieces. Draw a score line and center it to the edges of your cut scallop. You will put this flap through the slit you will make in the large tail piece. Repeat this process for the small one and make a duplicate of each. Cut slits in the large piece with the larger half scallops in the center. Glue your tail onto your egg back or use 3d zots. I used the Zots.

I adhered the butterfly to the side of the egg by his hear as if he were whispering into the bunny's ear. I decided today that I would add the white dots for the eyes using Ranger White enamel and Black Enamel for the freckles. There was a slight mishap and I dragged my pinky nail into the wet black freckle so he got side pieces to his mouth and a few more freckles than I intended. Oh well, roll with it right? Anyhoo that is my take on the egg bunny and I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave me a message if I confused any of you with my instructions. Thanks for stopping by on this cool but sunny Palm Sunday. Many Blessings and Happy Craftin' Yall! Blessings, Sharalyn

Supplies
Bazzill Card Stock: Mocha Divine, Cinnamon, Black Bird
American Craft Card Stock: White, Apricot
Doodle Bug: Orange Print
Echo Park: Dots and Strips Winter Collection: Artic,
Stampin UP: Light Pink Print
Ranger: Enamel Accents: Black, White
Pearlescent Chalk for the cheeks
Copic Marker C3
Orange Gingham Ribbon from Stash

3d Zots
Tonic Funky Glue
Silhouette Cameo                                                      




Ignore the green cast on the one side of the bunny photos, Opie the 16 lb Maine Coon decided he needed to blog the light.

Spring Is in the Air

Morning all,

Spring is late this year so any way to bring spring into your home is a welcome sight. I shouldn't complain as I am not in feet of snow or slush or anything of the like. I am just ready for shorts, bare feet and warm weather. I love when the cactus is in bloom and gives us such a wonderful array of color. To fill some of this need of which we are lacking, I made the Apple Blossom Lantern from the Spring Has Sprung SVG Bundle. The paper is a favorite of mine and one I know I will use a lot in the future. It is Called Spring Market by Carta Bella. I printed my paper but this paper might have to be purchased in large quantities and kept hidden from hubs in safe place. I love this collection that much. Kuddos to you Carta Bella this rivals another favorite of my by Graphic 45. Lets get to the lantern though.

I didn't do anything special to this amazing file except my choice of paper. I buy from Snap Click Supply online and print my paper. I chose two papers, one with the flowers the other with the white wood look for spring. I chose two more for the vellum.  In the past I have used pigment ink and a sponge to make colored vellum. It is messy but works quite well. I asked in the eclips group if anyone had printed on vellum as yet. Cheryl Hoogenstyn Becker said she had tried and that you couldn't use a laser printer that it melted and wanted me to ask her how she knew. Um, no thanks Cheryl, I really could imagine what had happened and I was really sorry for her loss.
Since the CSI system I purchased was pigment ink I was pretty confident that my Stampin Up Card Stock Vellum could go through the printer and do quite well. It did but I did have to keep an eye on it as it ended up with some ink catches on the bottom of the paper. I set both sheets aside I had printed from the Spring Market collection to dry while I cut the rest of my lantern peices. The pink is a lattice look paper I printed onto the vellum, they were both heat set with my heat tool on low.

The leaves were cut using Bazzill Rainforest, blossoms Pinkini and Pollen for the stems. Ink the leaves using Tim Holtz Distress Ink forest moss and festive berries for the flowers . I used a sponge dauber and softened the edges doing small circles to the inside of the flower as well.  I drew lines onto the petals with a really red Stampin up Marker. Using a Crushed Curry marker from Stampin up I made small dots for the pollen and tipped the very edge with the crushed curry.

I had cut the framing bars at the top of the lantern using white but it just didn't look right so I printed another wood look paper from this collection and recut the framing bars. I also inked the edges of the bars with a copic C3 marker.

The top piece took me a hour to figure out what I wanted. I wanted one of those beautiful knobs Tim Holtz sells but I didn't have any and knew I wanted to get this up for y'all. Digging through my stash I found a decorative brad plate and a small flat bead and the crystal look button. I used Ranger Glossy accents to glue them together and left it alone for an hour to dry. The brad plate came from some of the things I was gifted with from Close To My Heart. I did order some of those beautiful knobs and some hinges as well. I have my eye on a few more pieces from Tim Holtz I just know will come in handy some day and having it on hand to use is better than trying to figure out what do I do now????
The enamel dots are from My Minds Eye, Lost and Found Record it Collection. I bought about 4 or 5 packages of those as I knew they would be something I would use again and again.

The White Card Stock I used for the base of the Lantern was My Mind's Eye, My Colors. That was the first time I used this cardstock and I really liked it. It is a smooth cardstock and I think It would print very well if my printer could accept it. I tried but it is a thick cardstock and it did not like it. I found it cut very well with the eclips and was wonderful to work with. I will purchase more of this cardstock in different colors to use as bases, or card bases. Both will be great.

That is all I did to make this lantern as I said the paper was the star in this case.  I followed Leo Kowal's video Tutorial when putting it together. He cracks me up with some of his comments. One was " and I have pearls all over me" lol You aren't alone in this Leo Dear.
Thank you so much for all your kind remarks on Dreaming Trees Facebook page. Honestly the design is wonderful and picking your papers can make something really pop! Check out Carta Bella's Spring Market and I think you will love it too. Leave some for me to buy y'all.
Thanks Again for stopping by and visiting my blog and  Happy Craftin' Y'all!!!
Blessings, Sharalyn

Making Time for the Important People in our Lives

Hey Y'all,

I know y'all have people in your life that are just special and my church family are special. Our pastor is one of those people that we feel especially close to. He tells the same corny jokes that my hubs does and makes me laugh. I like that. I know because he told me he likes cards and with  his birthday approaching soon I knew I wanted to make a special card for him. Unfortunately it took me a lot longer than I had planned as I designed the card completely myself. Though this was not in my plan I am pleased with the outcome.  I will add a photo of the card I designed at the bottom of this post but lets get to the clock.

This is where Making Time SVG Bundle comes in from Dreaming Tree. In this amazing bundle are three clocks. Versatility does not describe this bundle! I have seen many amazing versions of this clock but the one that fit perfectly for my pastor was the design Bobby Fort came up with. It is with great honor I present to you my version of the Tick Tock Clock with honor to Bobby Fort for his amazing design. I added a few changes such as the gold frame to tie in the hands and handle. 
 I am making another version of this clock with a few changes to the one I made here. 
 I had white foam core board but I found out later it also comes in black. This works well when you do the cut out for the window. I used a black marker around the edges of the foam core otherwise to make them less noticeable from the outside. Also using a brown marker on the gears to hide the white core of the metallic paper. Little touches like this go unnoticed to most people but it adds a finished look to me and is the reason I do these things.

Start with the foam core board by making a rectangle  on your template. I tried to do this in ecal which I am still new to and forgot to save the size of the rectangle. As a result I do not have the size I used. I also couldn't figure out how to do things quickly in ecal so I resorted to using silhouette Business addition of which I can save as a SVG.  I can tell you it was about 3 inches wide and about an 1 1/2 high. Make about 3 duplicates or copies of this rectangle . One is to use in your foam core template, one to use in your base and one to make your frame. 
Using one of the rectangles for your template ungroup and release compound path. Holding the shift key select your rectangle, the hole for the clock work and the template then modify and subtract.  Find the clock front base and panel and do the same making sure your openings line up. Don't forget to regroup your score lines to you base. 

Using the offset key I made a frame wider than the one Bobby Fort had done. This was a preference of mine but you do not need to make it as wide if you don't like the look. Set this aside to cut out later.   I had only been able to find a brass, or gold looking handle and although I had a black handled clock work I felt the gold looked much more elegant. I used the gold for my frame to tie in all the metals. While looking for the handle at Michaels I found the small gears over in the Tim Holtz section and really liked the size so they were added to the top left of the clock. I adhered them using Tonic Funky Glue. This was the first time I tried this glue purchased from Scrapbook.com. It was on sale and the tip was similar to the old bottles of Scotch tacky glue. The Funky Glue by Tonic is on sale being the same size as Scotch at the price of 2.30 ea. I was very surprised when the gears stuck to the paper. I usually have to use glossy accents or something of that nature. It is my opinion that this glue is just as good as Scotch. 

To keep dust and the paper gears from getting destroyed I made a "window" using overhead projector transparency. Cut a rectangle slightly larger than your "window".  I purchased my box of overhead transparency many years ago from Staples. It was a bit costly initially but I have used it many times over and I'm not in danger of running out any time soon.  Glue the transparency to the inside of you base before you put the foam core on. DO NOT PUT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR CLOCK ON YET. 

 I cut extra gears next in various sizes to use for the inside. I did not have the sizes for this either as Bobby Forts Blog Post was not up yet.  Edge the gears with a brown marker or ink pad to hide the white core of the metallic paper.  Begin adhering the gears to themselves using 3d foam squares or circles offsetting some as you would see in a clock. In some cases I used several foam squares onto each other to add depth. Try them against your window every now and again to make sure your achieving the look you want. I added brads cutting the ends off with wire cutters and adhering them to the center with glue dots.  When you have to look you want secure the gears to the inside wall of your clock. This is where I think I can improve this by attaching a small box to the inside of the clock. That way the whole gear system is contained and you don't need to be concerned about the white foam core edges showing on the inside. I have another idea about how to attach the gears inside the box as well.  Stay tuned, if it works I will write it all up when I reveal my other clock. 

The handle was attached through two cardstock pieces adhered to themselves then glued to the top of the clock.  It would have been better if I had remembered to make holes in the top and secured it through the top of the clock before I finished it. My thought was to strengthen the top with extra foam core or cardstock.  It all worked out. ;) 

Follow Leo's amazing video tutorial on how to assemble this clock and your done. You have a clock that will be a show stopper. Everyone that has seen these clocks I made all said the same thing. "It's a working clock too!"

I made another clock for my best friend for her birthday using the dogwood clock style included in the bundle.  The paper I used was Graphic 45 Botanical Garden. I showed this beautiful paper to my bestie when I purchased it and she admired it greatly. It said something on the paper that I just felt described our friendship. It says "A Cup of Tea warms the soul like a good friend". My Bestie is never afraid to speak the truth to me always in love and I value her friendship. I didn't do anything special for this clock but did use the preview feature when I cut the paper for the center. A feature sorely missing I feel on other machines. I was able to capture the saying without mishap which in the past was very likely.  
Well those are my clocks and I am pleased to report that both clocks and cards I made were well received. Thank you for being patient and waiting for this write up. I had a full week and was still tired from last week on Monday this week! I know y'all have had weeks like that as well. Pastor Tom's card took extra time and while a gave him the clock I told him I still had a card coming for him. He said oh? My reply was I am picky to which I was rewarded with a smile. I also attended a small beautiful wedding this weekend and I will enclose a photo of it as well. The kit I used is Orchid Events SVG Bundle. 

Here is Pastor Tom's Birthday Card.

I need to do some tweaking to the design still but would like an opinion. Would you want to purchase this card design for a small fee? The money would help supply my paper habit and bring you great designs. Leave a comment below and let me know if your interested in purchasing this box card design. Thanks so much for stopping by and reading my blog and Happy Craftin' Y'all!!!!    Blessings, Sharalyn

Supplies for Tick Tock Clock

Graphic 45: Steampunk Spells

Bazzill Cardstock: Blackbird

Recollections Foil Paper: Copper and Gold

Recollections Copper Brads Medium

Tim Holtz: Handles and Gears

Brown Marker

Transparency: Staples

Glue dots and 3d foam squares

Tonic: Funky Glue

Sizzix Eclips Cutting Machine: SVG Tools

Flowers For Juanita

Hey Y'all,
I hope your having a great day and that your staying warm. We are finally getting some winter weather here. I know it wont last as our trees and plants are already getting their leaves.

I was on the Paper Crafting with Electronic machines today and saw an original design that sparked an idea for a card for my best friends birthday. I know she will like it as she likes everything I make even the not so hot stuff lol. Anyhoo lets get started. My new machine has not shipped yet and I am still struggling a bit with remember how to use SCAL so I used the silhouette program to create the card. I had until the 7th to get this done and I still have two more cards to make one will be easy but the other will take some thinking and designing yet and that one is due on the 8th. Lets get started.

Start with the egg crate box card from Easter Box Cards SVG Kit. Make a duplicate of the center piece from the egg crate box. Using the knife tool cut the handle off of the box card center piece and the eggs in the middle of your other piece. If you aren't sure you cut the eggs of straight then double click and make the nodes (small grey boxes) show up. Delete the extra nodes until you have a straight line to the edge. Using the extra top portion you cut off weld it to your center piece with the eggs removed. I use align tool to make sure I have it on there straight. If you don't get it on straight the first time click undo and try it again. Group that piece and set aside.

I decided I wanted to make the card a bit more 3d that the first version I made. I duplicated another center portion and cut the handle off. Using flower bucket from April Avenue SVG Collection made 4 copies, this was to weld two of the buckets to the piece I just created. Set the other two aside to cut out of white. I used a C3 Cool Grey Marker to add shading to the white bucket. Glue the two buckets to your center piece you created.
I used the smallest flowers from Garden Party Box Cards SVG Kit to make my flowers and the next piece. Make a circle .061 wide and take 5 of the flowers arranging them around the circle Weld them together,  making 4 copies total of the piece you just created.  Weld one to the top portion of each bucket. This will be your base for you bucket and flowers. Cut 12 flowers or just cut extras and throw them in your "parts" box. I find it really handy to cut extras. Cut two of your leafy greens out of green cardstock. I used AC Grass Green. Adhere your greenery to the top portion of your bucket. Be sure to line up your greenery with the leaves on the brown center portion. Shape your flowers and glue them onto your greenery. Add your centers using whatever you would like I used some small orange rhinestones. Set  it off to the side.

To make the Awning start with the narrower trim for the egg crate. ungroup and release compound path. This is to remove the center triangles, delete the extra triangles.  Make a rectangle W 4.087 x 0.944. Line up the long side of the rectangle to the trim piece and weld. Add score lines at the edge of your rectangle and about a 1/4 of and inch from the top of the awning. The top score line will be your valley fold and the bottom score line will be your mountain fold, group together. I used the same thin trim and cut it too look like zig zag trim. You can do this with your machine using your knife or you can use scissors after you cut it. Glue your zig zag trim to the edge of your awning and adhere your awning to the top bar of your center piece. I used the Metallic dots to add "nails".

The Sign is just a round rectangle sized at W 2.235 x 0.469 H. You can add holes for brads but I used metallic dots I get at Simon Says Stamp they are made my Hero Arts. I was going to print on the sign but I hand wrote it instead. My new Machine had not arrived yet and I am unfamiliar yet with Print and Cut on my Eclips2. ( it arrived that afternoon.) Glue the sign to the second bar centering it as best you can.

Now for the main part of the card body. I used the wheel from September Afternoon Collection.  I cut two from black then made another copy of the wheel and traced it. The size was W 2.066 x 2.066 H. Make four copies. Arrange the wheel on the lower right side of the egg crate box and weld into place. Do this to both pieces. You will need to remove the holes from the other piece with the straight edge top and flip it before you cut it. I also trimmed about a 1/8 of and inch between the score line in the top of the card body and the zig zag as I felt it was a tad long for the cart. Weld the two pieces back together.  To make the little peg foot on the other side I made a small rectangle and cut the inside corner at the bottom off. It is hardly noticeable it was that small but correct if that were a cart your looking at on the street. That is what I thought anyway. Cut 4 as two will be needed for your panel on the leg. Weld the rectangle to the bottom piece opposite the wheel. Using the other two traced wheels cut those out of your panels colors. I used a slightly darker color brown for mine and though I thought about it I decided not to emboss them with the wood panel look emboss folder. I felt it would not be the appropriate size. Instead I added shading using a dark brown pen to the panels, wheels and the small peg leg for the cart. I used dimensional to lift the panels and brown wheel from the card but you can glue them into place if your mailing. The dimensional do add weight. I will be handing this to my friend so I didn't concern myself with the weight. Glue your Black wheels to the top of each brown wheel and add a metallic dot for the center.


The trim for the edge of the box card is the wide piece of decorative trim. Remove the triangles the same is you did above and cut out of white cardstock. I cut a wide decorative trim using Bazzill Admiral and adhered it to the top of the white piece, then ran it through my emboss machine using a Quilted emboss folder I purchased from A Cherry On Top. Mary mentioned it in one of her tutorials but I really can't remember which. I glued the embossed piece to the top of the box card. Cut 3 and use scissors to trim off the extra on the short edges of your cart.

Continue making the box card as you would normally. If you are new to making box cards follow along with Mary on the video for the Egg crate card when your ready to put your card together.

That is my card I hope you enjoyed it and I apologize for the long post. Trying to remember every thing I did and not make this to wordy can be a challenge. Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my blog post. This card will be given to my best friend tomorrow for her birthday on the 7th. I created this card with her in mind and that is the reason it had to be perfect. She is very special to me and deserves my very best. Thank you again and  Happy Craftin' Y'all!!!
Blessings, Sharalyn

This is a photo of the first draft of the card. I thought you might like to see it.