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.

About Time!

Hey Y'all!!!

Finally a new blog Post! I have finally ordered my new Sizzix Eclips 2. It will take 7-10 days to ship but since it is a matter of a few hours from my house getting here shouldn't take long. I have cleaned and rearranged my room and had thought I could patiently wait for my new machine... Then Dreaming Tree released the new kit Making Time.
After I picked my jaw up off the floor I started thinking about what papers I would use to make this amazing kit. I kept telling myself PERFECT, this will be the first thing I make with my new machine. I kept seeing more and more beautiful clocks and then Jeannie Lassey posted her gorgeous clock. I prayed for my Silhouette to please cut the clock out for me and not eat my paper tearing it to shreds in the process. I only had to recut one piece and the rest I carefully cut what didn't cut out all the way with an exacto knife. I think I would have used my teeth if it were possible I wanted to make this beautifully done design. That said lets begin. ;)

I cut the main part of the clock using Bazzill Passionately colored cardstock. The flowers were cut using Bazzill Pinkini and Rainforest was used to cut the leaves. I used American Craft Cherry cardstock to cut the accent pieces.  The patterned paper I used is New from Carta Bella called Spring Market. This is digital paper that I printed you can purchase it in packs from Snap Click Supply, as well as Cherry on Top.  I did not use "print to cut" on this as mine has not been working right in the Silhouette program. I printed the cardstock pattern on 8.5 x 11 white American Craft Cardstock.

My accent pieces that are cut from Bazzill Passionately are embossed with Sizzix Flourishes emboss folder and inked using a round distress ink blending tool and Aged Mahogany distress ink.  

Note:
I did not have a 1/4 inch clock work so I used a 3/8 inch clock work. Cut one foam core board and two templates. That made it fit a bit tighter and it didn't stick out to far.  The Clock Work was purchased at Hobby Lobby. 

I watched the Tutorial from Dreaming Tree once all the way through, then as I put together my clock I watched stopping the video when I was slower than Leo. I inked the flowers with Stamping up Cameo Coral, using a Soft Suede pen for the center tips of the flowers. That wasn't quite the look I wanted so I used aged mahogany distress ink for the edges. I liked it so much I used it on the rest of the clock even the green leaves. I had the centers Leo used in my stash, they had been gifted to me among some other wonderful things. I used my flower shaping tools from McGill but I do use dowels as well at times.

This is a beautiful clock and the kit is just amazing!!! I have more ideas using some purchased feet I had in my closet and I'm thinking about something I think will be cool for the tall clock as well as the Humpty dumpty clock. I have no idea who I would give it to but I am sure God will supply the person. Thanks so much for stopping by and reading my blog.
A side note if you will allow me. Thank you all to those that read my blog posts and click on the links I provide. Your clicking through and purchasing from the links allows me a small blessing and I can now purchase a new machine. Though it does not pay for the machine it does help. Thank you, Thank you Thank you! I am sure there are those that understand a fixed income. Many thanks and Happy Craftin Y'all!
Blessings, Sharalyn

Making Time Kit

Supplies
Bazzill: Passionately, Pinkini, Rain Forest, Black Bird
American Craft Cardstock: Cherry
Carta Bella: Spring Market
Mahogany  Distress Ink
Cameo Coral, Soft Suede Stamping up Ink
Bling
Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive

Birds of a Feather in Love

Happy Saturday Y'all!
I hope you're all having a nice day. It is windy here with some clouds but overall the weather is nice. I wish I could say that for everyone. I am thinking of y'all that are freezing and those of you suffering with the flu. I know many are affected. You all have my prayers.

I am sure some of you have read that I am going to be purchasing a Eclips 2. I wish I could say that I love my cameo and that I am sticking with it but over the years the new software has not be user friendly. There are other reasons but I won't go into it.  I have reached my patience limit and I have decided that I prefer crafting to not. Therefore I will be buying an eclips 2 as soon as I am able, that and a ton of card stock. I am in serious need.

I started with the blank tall lantern from Spooky Soiree SVG Kit. You can find the blank lantern in the extras file.  I used one of the free Valentine's files that Mary Bonk shared. The other collections I used were as follows Romantic Flourishes SVG Collection,  and Robins Return SVG Collection, Free Valentines Day SVG.

I began by adding the corner flourishes from the freebies to the blank lantern sizing and welding them as I went. You will need to ungroup and release compound path (if your using silhouette) to weld these pieces and not loose your score lines.  I knew I wanted to add a bird so I found one in the Robbins Return Collection. I added the little cuts to the body to look like wings. I added the ornament from Valentine Country Home and welded it to the flourish for the bird. I also made a small circle for the eye and then subtracted it from the body. I will say that this is the second lantern I made as I stopped at this point and was going to call it finished except for some embellishment but It was to plain for my liking. I will post a photo of it at the bottom of this post. I do like it but it is different.
Here is where this one differs, I opened my pdf of Romantic Flourishes and found number 15. I loved this one but the heart would need to be welded to something if it were to cut out in one piece. Ungroup number 15 and use the flourish welding the heart into place at various places. I made different sizes as well as multiples of the heart so that I could do cut outs on some of the hearts.
You may need to go back and delete nodes so that you get a smoother cut, I did.

I used Carina Gardner Valentines digital paper from Snap Click Supply for my panels. I print my own paper. I wish I could say that my silhouette does the print and cut wonderfully but that was the last straw for me. It quit working this past summer shortly after they did yet another upgrade. I have tried to get it to work again but to no avail.  I have tried to get help from customer service that didn't work our well for me either. In order to use the paper I had in mind I printed it out then cut it by hand.
Assemble the lantern as instructed by Mary on the video from Spooky Soiree.
I added some feathers, flower sprays, and ribbon roses along with my love ribbon I think I have had at least 7 years!
So there you have it my Valentine Lantern using Spooky Soiree SVG Kit.
I look forward to seeing your ideas if you should decide to make this. Please feel free to share your photos on SVG cuts or Pinterest or on my facebook page, Shara's Paper Creations.

Thank you so much  for stopping my and reading my blog. To the Silhouette users that are having no issues I am very happy your not having issues. I thought about it a lot and decided that if Mary is still using her eclips and has a counter full of machines she doesn't use, well maybe I should switch as well. I just got very tired of becoming frustrated every time I wanted to make something. Thank you all for stopping by and Happy Craftin' Y'all! Blessings, Sharalyn

Spooky Soiree SVG Kit
Romantic Flourishes SVG Collection
Valentine Country Home Elements Collection
Robins Return SVG Collection
Free Valentines Day SVG


Vintage Valentine's Paper Pack
This is where I buy my digital paper.

A Cup of Love

Hey y'all,

I have enjoyed crafting and finding time to write on my blog again. I was quite busy for a while much more than I care to be. I am very much a one thing at a time person. LOL

I wanted to make a card for our pastor's mom. I understand she is having quite the birthday party. I wanted it to be our gift to them for his mom. I had decided I would make the very cute tea cup box card from Garden Party Box Cards SVG Kit by svgcuts.com  but then thought maybe I should ask if she drank tea. The answer was no but she would drink coffee from a cup and saucer. I thought the tea cup box card would work.

I started on the card but nothing was working, I just wasn't happy with it. I tried to make what I had do but I still wasn't happy with it. I told Mark this a.m. that I needed to start over and that is just what I did.

I cut the body of the card out using Blackbird Bazzill card stock. I used paper from Graphic 45 Bohemian paper collection for the accents and back piece. I edged the accent pieces with a black Copic marker and adhered them after writing Happy Birthday on the back and attaching the steam piece I made first.  I took my time writing first in pencil then going over the top with a memento Ink black marker, erasing the pencil afterwards.

 I wanted this card to be as if he had purchased the card himself to give to his mom. With that thought in mind, I chose not personalize the card with mom or her name.  I added few flowers with enamel dots for the centers.

I began to add all the flowers but I really wanted the cup to look like a coffee cup instead of a tea cup. As I stared at the bottom accent piece on my virtual mat it came to me to make a swirl of steam using the saucer accent piece. I added a another smaller narrow one to the center cutting the tap off and deleting nodes to make sure it looked correct. Once I got it the shape I wanted I welded the two pieces together and did a test cut. It needed a bit more tweaking. I adjusted the tabs to look like the ones Mary has so often used on her files. and kept the score line in the same area.  I adhered the fold of the cardstock vellum steam swirl over back top of the card. Make the accent piece for the back slightly larger and adhere the accent piece over the fold to hide it.  I took a photo of the writing because it turned out so pretty. I may not be able to make anything look that pretty again. If you look closely at the photo you can see how I hid the vellum tab with the back.  The swirl I cut for the inside of the card was a silhouette file cut from Stampin up Card Stock Vellum as was the steam swirl I created. I am sure Mary has something in her files either for free or purchased that would have worked as well, I just didn't take the time to look for one.

I cut the envelope and  inserted the card. I  look forward to showing  our sweet friend and pastor how to open the card for his mom. I hope she is blessed by this handmade gift.
Thank you for stopping by and visiting with me. Many blessings my dear friends and Happy Crafting Y'all!
Blessings, Sharalyn

Garden Party Box Cards SVG Kit

Supplies
Bazzill Card Stock-Blackbird
Graphic 45- Bohemian Collection
Card Stock Vellum- Stampin' Up
Copic Marker-Black
Enamel Dots
Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive (tacky glue)
Silhouette Business Addition
Silhouette Cameo

Autumn's First Pumpkin Cottage

Afternoon Y'all,
Hooray!!! It is the first day of Autumn and my Very Favorite time of year!!!!!! After a long hot summer I enjoy the crispness of the air and yes the wind. My Husband Mark hates the wind as it messes up his yards.  He is very blessed to make yards look amazing, so please don't tell him I enjoy the wind as well. It is very fitting that I should share  on this first day of Autumn,  my design of the Pumpkin Cottage SVG Kit. Lets get to it then.

I started with choosing my accent papers from my Silhouette digital papers I had purchased. I wanted to try out my new continuous ink system. The cost of it at start up was expensive but I am grateful I can now print without worrying how much ink I am using. This will be a learning process for me and I will share along the way how things are going. So far the print to cut feature is being a mite picky but I will learn how to use it. Upon the advice of Deb Maurer and Jeannie Lassey whom have these systems I chose pigment ink by Cobra Ink Systems. No I do not get a commission by adding the name.
I printed on white card stock but the color didn't "pop" to my liking so I tried American Craft carrot card stock but still not to my liking.  After thinking about it a while I chose lemon Yellow to print it on.  I got the affect I  was hoping for but the machine said it would not read the registration lines so it would not cut it out for me. I decided that was ok with me and cut it out with my Tim Holtz Snips. They are only 5 inches long but I like the handles and the seriated edges they blades have. It was much easier to "fussy cut" with them.  I purchased them in a small craft store in Big Bear but I have checked and Amazon has them as well.

I cut the base of the  Pumpkin Cottage SVG Kit out of Pumpkin Patch Bazzill card stock. Appropriately named eh? lol.  I had purchased digital papers from Snap Click.com for the step and door. The door was a Carta Bella paper collection called Hello Fall and the Step was a Bo Bunny Collection called Forever Fall. I printed those on white American Craft smooth Card Stock. I think I prefer the textured but my printer doesn't always love that so we shall see what I purchase more of to print on. I cut off the back of a brad I had in my stash and added a tiny glue dot to adhere it to the door.  I forgot to turn off the cut lines off the step when I was printing so I had black cut lines. I did my best to hide them  with a dark brown distress ink.
Those cut out just fine. You can use the actually collections if you have them but I did not so I used the digital versions.
I cut the base and other brown elements using a favorite of mine Bazzill Mud Pie. The window frames and roof were cut using Bazzill Mocha Divine. The roof accents were embossed with cuttlebug Argyle emboss folder then inked with Archival Brilliance Cosmic Copper ink. I try to purchase the re-inker when I buy a new ink pad as you never know when they will discontinue that ink and it is cost effective to re-ink your pads rather than continually purchase new pads. Occasionally I have to purchase new dew drop pads of the copper as they fall apart after a while from my use of them, particularly in the Fall.
The flowers in the window box were inked with Stamping up real red, only orange and rich razzleberry inks. I believe these can still be purchased on ebay though they are older inks.
enamel dots were added to the centers. I have quite the collection of them so I use whatever I feel matches.

I used a dark brown pen and added diagonal lines to the widow boxes as well as edging all sides with the pen. I cut the vellum for the windows using Stampin Up cardstock vellum and setting them on some scratch paper, I used a smooth leaf stamp from Basic Grey I dropped drops of yellow orange and red onto a baby wipe. Use the baby wipe as your stamp pad and the smooth leaf stamp to the colors onto your vellum. Let them dry and adhere to the back of the pumpkin Cottage window body with the stamped image facing the outside. This keeps the ink from smearing. You could use any smooth stamp but  I like having the shape as well as the colors.
Looking through my stash I found some sunflower buttons I cut the shank off of and hot glued into place on the vines. I also found a scarecrow sticker that fit in well and the rake that was added next to the pile of leaves was in my stash as well. Almost all of my buttons come from Buttons Galore and More.

The leaves are from my stash and are from a SVG collection called Autumn Elements SVG Collection . I measured them and they are sized at less than an 1/2 inch long. If you keep your measurements locked you should be able to type in .50 in the length and it should give you a width as well. Set your machine to cut at a slower rate so it does not tear your design. Also make sure you turn on the overcut markings to help with this. This is if you have a silhouette machine as that is what I design and cut with. I used a little hot glue to get the piled look.
The kitty in the widow effect was added to one of the extra vellums I cut for the two other windows. This was done with a silhouette shape of a cat and then print and cut feature on my silhouette.  Part of the nice thing about my silhouette is that I can change the size of a print or the direction to fit the piece I am wanting to put it on.
The welcome mat on the step was a half cloud shaped sticker with a woodgrain print on it from Carta Bella The story of fall paper Collection I had in my stash. I simply wrote welcome on it with a pen.

There you have it a lengthy explanation of my Pumpkin Cottage SVG Kit .  I enjoyed this kit very much and am looking forward to making a Christmas version of some kind. Again it will be hard to choose papers as seemed to be the thing that took me the most time but isn't that the way it is with us creative people. Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my blog. Many blessing to you on all this first day of Autumn and Happy Crafting Y'all!!! Blessings, Sharalyn

Pumpkin Cottage SVG Kit

Bazzill Card Stock
Pumpkin Patch
Rainforest
Mocha Divine
Mud Pie
Leaves American Craft
Apricot, pomegranate, sunflower
Mc Gill Flower Shaping Tools
Buttons Galore and More
Stampin up Ink Pads, Markers
Hot Glue
Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive
Silhouette Cameo
Silhouette Business Addition
If you have any questions feel free to contact me on my facebook page Shara's Paper Creations and I will answer. Opie Kitty says Nite all.