Friday, February 26, 2016

“Grateful Heart”

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2016


Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and love is in the air! I have so much to be grateful for, with my husband Charles is at the top of the list. I have had this set of stamps for several years and have always loved the verbiage--but one keeps calling me. I knew it would be perfect paired with the swirly heart die and a new embossing folder for his Valentine’s Day card.


Supplies:

·       Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits
·       A sunny window
·       Blender, strainer, cello sponges and soft towels
·       Scraps of white or off white, light and dark pink paper (think junk mail, etc.)
·       Beacon ZipDryTM Adhesive
·       Envelopes to fit cards (or make your own with the AG envelope template)
·       Scor-palTM
·       Scrap of tissue paper
·       Die: Impression ObsessionTM DIE126-U Heart Swirl
·       Embossing Folder: Couture Creations CO724383 Hearts Ease Collection  
·       SpellbindersTM Grand Calibur die cutting machine
·       Stamp: JustRite™ CR04450 Greateful Heart set
·       ColorBoxTM Blush Rose Chalk Ink pad


Instructions:

1.     Follow the instructions found in any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits to create one or more sheets of heavy weight rose colored speckled paper.
2.     Add more white or off white scrap to the slurry and create more sheets of paper. You want several shades of rose colored handmade paper. (Create more sheets if you are going to make numerous cards…..one sheet will make 2 cards.) 
3.     When the lighter shade of paper is dry, fold and tear it (you want the deckle edges) to make two pieces 5 ½ x 8 ½”.
4.     Score and fold to create a 4 ¼ x 5 ½” card.
5.     Die cut one of the swirly hearts from a darker shade of handmade paper.
6.     Emboss the words on the front of the card.
7.     Stamp the “Start each day with a grateful heart” sentiment on the piece of tissue paper with the Chalk ink.
8.     When the ink is dry attach the stamped tissue paper to the upper left of the card and the swirly heart to the bottom right of the card with ZipDry™

Note: the embossing folder has wonderful words: Believe, Explore, Wish, Beauty, Imagine, Hope, Love, Joy & Dream. So sorry that the words did not show up better in the photo.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Paper Mache Fairy Treasure Box

Featured in Blog Tonic USA

Michele Emerson-Roberts

Fairy Treasure Box
Turn a simple paper mache box into a fairy treasure that little girls and big girls alike will love to receive.
I have fond childhood memories of being told stories of the wee “fairy folk” who lived in the forests and glens back in the old country. My maternal great grandfather’s folk were from Ireland……and passed down those stories that we still tell and share today. The treasure box will be a gift for a new addition to the family to keep all her treasures in and hope that she will remember the stories to pass on to her kids.
Supplies:
Several Sheets of White Card Stock
8” Round Paper Mache Box
DecoArt American Acrylic paint: Red
1” Foam Paint Brush
Tonic Craft Tacky Glue, Double Sided Foam Tape

Instructions:
  1. Paint the box inside and out with the red acrylic paint. 
  2. Allow the paint to dry. Wash the brush.
  3. Die cut the “Eternal Glade” in whole plus 2 extra of just the fairy.
  4. Center & attach the whole die cut to the box lid. 
  5. Layer the two extra fairies with tiny pieces of foam tape between layers and place on top of the whole die cut.
  6. Cut strips of the white card stock 3 ½” wide (you will need enough to go around the box). 
  7. Punch both sides of the strips, carefully lining up the design on each edge.
  8. Attach the punched border to the outside of the box (lining up and overlapping where needed) with Tonic Tacky Craft glue.
  9. Place some white paper shred inside of the box and fill it with “treasures”.

Friday, February 19, 2016

"The Buddha Book”

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2016


I love journals and handmade books, and I add several new ones to my collection each year! My favorites are handmade books with "content". You may remember the “Knots Prayer” book from my Jan. 1 blog project which was filled with quotes.  This "ribbon bound" journal is one of the easiest books to create and making multiples is a breeze.  Match the quotes to the paper theme. They make marvelous gifts! I often create books a certain size because I have odd size papers etc. I had a stack of long skinny scraps of handmade paper, mat board scraps and some wallpaper pieces that were perfect for the covers. I will list the measurements for my book, but please do not be stuck with this size - make your book whatever size you want. Even though my book is "landscape" oriented, it can also be made "portrait" oriented. Remember if you don’t have handmade paper to use for your book you will need to make as many pages as you want.

Supplies:

  • Matboard: back cover 4 x 9", front cover 4 x 1" and 4 x 8 ½”
  • Pages: 3 ¾ x 8 ¾" handmade paper
  • Scrap of tan heavy weight handmade paper for the temple
  • Wallpaper for covers: two pieces 6 x 10 1/2"
  • Solid color paper for inside the covers: two pieces 3 ¾ x 8 ¾”
  • SpellbindersTM Grand Calabur cutting and embossing machine
  • Die: Joy Crafts Orientals 6002/0229
  • Tonic® paper trimmer & scissors
  • Ruler, sanding block
  • Japanese screw punch & 1/8” bit
  • Beacon ZipDryTM adhesive, old cc to use for spreading the ZipDry™ adhesive
  • Double sided foam tape or dots
  • Approx. 24” of ½ sheer gold ribbon to match the wall paper for binding
  • Clearsnap™  light brown Chalk ink pad, Stylus™ handle & tips
  • Fine point pen to write the Buddha quotes
Instructions:

  1. Die cut the Buddhist temple from the scrap of tan handmade paper.
  2. Lightly sand the die cut to bring out some details.
  3. Use the Stylus™ and light brown ink to shade around the edges. 
To create the journal:

  1. Cut the 2 pieces of wallpaper 1 ½” larger than the mat board.    
  2. Spread a thin coat of ZipDry™ adhesive onto the back side of the wallpaper.
  3. Center the mat board piece for the back cover onto the wallpaper.
  4. Miter the corners, leaving a tiny bit more than the thickness of the mat board.
  5. Apply additional adhesive to the flaps if needed.
  6. Secure the flaps to the other side of the mat board.
  7. Apply the adhesive to the back side of the wallpaper.
  8. Place the two front cover pieces of matboard onto the wallpaper, leaving ½” between the two pieces.
  9. Miter the corners and wrap the flaps to the back side.
  10. Apply a thin coat of adhesive to the matching papers and place in the back sides of the covers.
  11. Measure ¾” from the top and bottom hinge part of journal and two places in between.
  12. Use the Japanese Screw Punch to create holes.
  13. Place the pages inside of the covers, mark and create holes in all of the pages. (Remember the pages are a bit smaller than the covers.)
  14. Bind the journal using the ribbon to weave in and out of the holes, starting and ending at the top.
  15. Tie a bow.
  16. Attach the die cut with double side foam tape or dots.
      17. Fill the book with quotes

Note: You can find a lot of videos on the internet showing how to create many different ribbon bindings.




Friday, February 12, 2016

“AG Butterfly Plant Pick”

©Michele Emerson-Roberts  2016


January in Southeastern Arizona sometime is a little grey and dreary. Plants are resting and dreaming of sunshine and new growth. It is a good time of year to reflect back on the past year and start making plans for the current year. Creating the paper cast butterfly and small potted silk ivy is a breeze and makes a great gift. I keep several of these on hand as “cheer up gifts. It is a perfect gift for someone who is ill or in the hospital…….. the last thing they need to worry about is watering a plant!


Supplies:

  • Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits
  • Casting mold: CP Butterfly
  • A sunny window, heat gun or microwave oven
  • Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels
  • Scraps of white paper (think junk mail, etc.)
  • Beacon QuickGripTM adhesive
  • Silk Ivy plant, moss, flower foam, small terracotta pot, white plastic coffee stirrer
  • 24 gauge green wire, Coiling Gizmo™
  • Two ½” flat backed white pearl hearts, 1/8: flat backed round pearl, 2 small spaghetti beads
  • Wire cutters
Instructions

  1. Follow the direction for paper making and casting found in any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits or books to make slurry from the white scraps.
  2. Cast one (or more) of the butterfly molds.
  3. Dry the castings in a microwave oven, with a heat gun, or place it in a sunny window.
  4. Create the antennas from the green wire and the Coiling Gizmo™.
  5. Attach the spaghetti beads to the body of the butterfly, the antennas & flat backed round to the head and the two hearts to the wing area, the coffee stirrer to the back of the butterfly with QuickGrip™ adhesive.
  6. Place the flower foam inside the pot.
  7. Place the moss on top of the foam.
  8. Cut the ivy plant apart.
  9. Insert the silk ivy plant pieces into the moss covered foam.
  10. Insert the butterfly plant pick into the pot.


Friday, February 5, 2016

“A Face in the Crowd”

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2016


Faces are so wonderful. Each one is different (even though they say that we all have a “doppelganger” out there). Face molds are one more thing I collect. This one is actually a metal jewelry finding. It makes a great mold for paper casting and polymer clay. She is a bit exotic, maybe from Tahiti?
  
 Supplies:

  • Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits
  • Microwave , heat tool or a sunny window
  • Blender, strainer, cello sponges and soft towels
  • Face mold (I used a metal jewelry piece)
  • Scraps of off white, tan & brown paper (think junk mail, etc.)
  • Spice in a brown color (great way to use up those outdated spices and it smells good too!)
  • Beacon QuickGripTM Adhesive
  • Envelopes to fit cards (or make your own with the AG envelope template)
  • Scor-palTM (Love the new 1/8version)
  • BowEasy™
  • Approx. 24” of brown 7/8” Grow Grain ribbon
  • Craft knife and cutting surface
  • Scissors 
Instructions:

  1. Follow the instructions found in any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits to create a face casting. (I always make extra!)
  2. Dry the casting.
  3. Add more brown scrap to the slurry and create a sheet of heavy weight handmade paper (Create more sheets if you are going to make numerous cards. (one sheet will make 2 cards)
  4. Sprinkle the spice onto the damp paper.
  5. When the paper is dry, fold and tear it to make two pieces 5 ½ x 8 ½”.
  6. Score and fold to create a 4 ¼ x 5 ½” cards.
  7. Use the craft knife to cut a slit wide enough for the ribbon to fit at the left fold of the card.
  8. Insert the ribbon, overlap the ends a tiny bit, cut it and adhere the ribbon to the card.
  9. Use the BowEasy™ to tie a bow.
  10. Attach the bow to the ribbon.
  11. Attach the casting to the front right of the card with the QuickGrip™ adhesive.