Friday, April 29, 2016

Faith

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2016


Today’s project was an Easter gift for one of my wonderful neighbors. She follows my blog so I couldn’t post it until after Easter without ruining the surprise…. smile. Part of the gift will be a small easel on which to display the art. I like creating these small “art” pieces that can be changed out with the seasons or holidays. This project would also be beautiful on the front of a photo album.

Supplies:

·       Any of the Arnold Grumme paper making kits
·       A sunny window
·       Blender, strainer, cello sponges and soft towels
·       Scraps of white paper (think junk mail, etc.)
·       Mold: glass dessert plate (there are hundreds of “molds” available using common things)
·       Beacon ZipDryTM adhesive, double sided foam tape
·       Scraps of white card stock to die cut
·       Die: Quiet Fire Designs™ “Faith”
·       SpellbindersTM Grand Calibur™ die cutting and embossing machine
·       Tonic Studios™ Nuvo Mousse™ # 804N Mother of Pearl
·       Light peachy pink and pale green water base ink pad (match the peach color of the mat board)
·       ½” flat synthetic paint brush

Instructions:

1.     Follow the instructions found in any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits to create white slurry and cast one or more of the flower/leaf castings. 
2.     Allow the casting to dry.
3.     Use the brush to lightly apply the peachy pink ink to the flower petals.
4.     Apply more ink toward the center of the flower as shading.
5.     When the ink is dry, apply the Mother of Pearl Nuvo Mousse lightly to the flower petals.
6.     Apply the green ink to the leaves, varying the amount of color.
7.     Die cut 3-4 of the word “Faith”. Layer and glue them together.
8.     Attach the Paper casting to the top center front of the mat board with double sided foam tape.
9.     Attach the word below the paper casting.
10.  Place it on a small easel to display.



Friday, April 22, 2016

Winter….Summer

©Michele Emerson-Roberts  2016


Enough already! I’m ready for some warmer weather! The fruit trees are starting to bud, then we have another freeze! This is confusing for the trees and my body… smile. When I remembered this stamp from IO, it expressed what I was thinking. BTW: I’m really having fun with these backgrounds. They almost create themselves.


Supplies:
  • Any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits
  • A sunny window
  • Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels
  • Scraps of blue and ivory or white paper (think junk mail, etc.)
  • Die:  Impression Obsession Dragonfly #DIE253-U
  • Spellbinders Grand Calibur™ Die cutting & Embossing Machine
  • Westcott™ paper trimmer & scissors
  • Beacon ZipDryTM adhesive
  • DecoArtTM Media Fluid Acrylic™ & Mister (shades of blue)
  • Sea sponge
  • Stamp: Impression Obsession “Winter/Summer” #D13353
  • ColorBox™ Chalk ink pad blue (to match the handmade paper color)
  • Iron if you want the paper to be smooth
  • ¼” round hole punch
  • Various short pieces of ribbons and fibers

Instructions
  1. Follow the direction for paper making found in any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits or books to make slurry from the white/ivory scraps.
  2. Create one or more sheets of heavy-weight white/ivory handmade paper.
  3. When the sheets of paper are dry, iron them to make them smooth.
  4. Cut them into a tag shapes 6 ¼ x 3 ¼”. Save the extra pieces for other projects.
  5. Water down the Fluid Acrylic paints.
  6. Use the sea sponge to dab and swirl the paints onto the handmade paper pieces. (see sample)
  7. Allow paint to dry.
  8. Repeat the paper making process, creating one or more sheets of medium blue heavy weight handmade paper.
  9. Iron the paper to make it smooth.
  10. Die cut the Dragonfly from a small piece of the medium blue handmade paper. Note: I save the fall out pieces and toss them into the paper making bin for future use.
  11. Stamp the saying “In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer.” onto the bottom of the tag with blue Chalk ink.
  12. Attach the Dragonfly at an angle to the top of the tag with Beacon ZipDry™ adhesive.
  13. Punch a hole at the top of the tag.
  14. Insert the fibers and ribbons through the hole in the tag.
  15. Place the fibers through the loop and tighten the loop.


Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Spring Fling

Featured in Blog Tonic USA

Michele Emerson-Roberts


Spring is just around the corner! It is time to start creating the table decorations for the annual “Mother Daughter Tea and Luncheon”. Every year I host this neighborhood event on my patio. It has been delightful through the years to watch the little girls become teenagers and then adults. Many move away and form families of their own but many return home each year to participate in the event. We have some who bring their little girls along and make it three generations! As always each participant will take home one of the table decorations.…..I know this year’s little bags will be treasured for years to come.
Spring Fling
Instructions:
  1. Die cut all of the base pieces for each of the two bags from the matt white cardstock. 
  2. Die cut and emboss the lace overlays for each bag from the glossy card stock (Note: you will want lace on both sides of the bags.)
  3. Apply the Mother of Pearl Mousse to the lace overlays and a small scrap.
  4. Assemble the bags (do not add the handle on the Kensington bag yet).
  5. Attach the lace overlay die cuts to the bags with Tonic Craft Tacky glue.
  6. Attach the handles to the Kensington bag.
  7. Punch “buttons” from the scrap of pearlized glossy scrap. Attach them to the closure on the Chelsea flap and the handles of the Kensington bag.
  8. Fill the purses with the greenery and tiny white flowers.


Supplies:

Monday, April 18, 2016

It’s the Cat’s Meow!

Featured in Blog Tonic USA

Michele Emerson-Roberts

I am so blessed with my four legged friends, Bitty Kitty, Sir Spotly (Jack Russell Terrier) and Rebel (German Short Haired Pointer).  Each is unique with their personalities and all fill a huge place in our hearts. They get special treats when they are especially good. Keeping the treats handy but out of their reach has been a challenge and finding a container for the treats was not easy…….Tonic to the rescue!
It's the Cat's Meow
Instructions:
  1. Die cut the window frame from “Toby’s Sill” 4 times from 4 pieces of white cardstock.
  2. On two of the die cut windows, place the kitty silhouette insert in the lower left corner, the flower vase from “Harvey’s Ledge” in the lower right corner, and any of the other inserts in the top corners.
  3. Run through the machine to cut and emboss.
  4. On the remaining two windows repeat with “Harvey” in the lower left corner.
  5. Use the soft sponge to add some shading with the tan water base ink.
  6. Attach the die cuts to the four sides of the treat container with Tonic Craft Tacky glue.

It's the Cats Meow  2
Supplies:

Friday, April 15, 2016

Safe Travels

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2016


My favorite nephew graduates this May with a double degree Geology and “land management”.  He is following his dad’s and grandpa’s footsteps and going into the oil business. He will be working towards an MBA next! I wanted to make something special for his graduation, and since he’ll be taking a long trip, I think the little travel box will come in handy for him. Following Arnold’s philosophy of “repurpose, restyle, revamp, restore, renew and recycle is such fun!
  
Supplies:
  • Some ivory heavy weight handmade paper left over pieces
  • Tan chipboard (I used the back side of a cereal box)
  • Black card stock for card base (4 ¼ x 5 ½ folded) scrap for layering, envelope
  • Graphic 45 Topography papers for layering
  • Recycled small rectangle black box (I used an eyeglass frame box)
  • Dies:  The PaperCut™ # PCDIE019 Triple Flag (Card Making set); #PCDIE020 Triple Flag Layering set; Joy Eiffel Tower #6002/0486; CheeryLynn #B360 Steampunk Hot Air Balloons
  • Spellbinders Grand Calibur™ Die cut and embossing machine
  • Westcott™ paper trimmer & scissors
  • Scor-Pal™
  • ColorBox™ Chalk Charcoal ink pad
  • Various small travel word stamps
  • Beacon ZipDryTM adhesive, double sided foam tape
  • Iron if you want the ivory paper smooth

Instructions:
  1. Die cut the Eiffel Tower from the heavy weight ivory handmade paper.
  2. Die cut one each of the hot air balloons from the tan chip board.
  3. Die cut a layering panel from the newsprint cardstock with the Paper Cuts card die.
  4. Die cut layering flag pieces from black and ivory scraps. Layer and attach to the “flags”.
  5. Cut a G45 “numbers” scrap for the right side of the card.
  6. Cut a G45 “City names” piece for the front of the card.
  7. Stamp the travel words onto the ivory flag shapes.
  8. Stamp the words Safe Travels onto a small piece of tan chip board.
  9. Layer the “safe travels” stamped piece onto a black scrap, then a tan scrap.
  10. Cut a piece of tan chipboard to be a bit smaller than the box top.
  11. Cut a piece of black cardstock a bit smaller than the tan piece.

Assemble the card:
  1. Refer to photo for placement. Use ZipDry™ adhesive to attach the numbers piece to the right side of the card and the precut flagged newsprint piece to the left side of the card front.
  2. Attach the city manes piece to the left side of the card with small pieces of foam tape.
  3. Attach the Eiffel Tower to the lower center of the city names piece with tiny pieces of foam tape.

Assemble the box:
  1. Layer and attach the tan and black pieces to the box lid.
  2. Slightly overlap and attach the two hot air balloons to the top of the box.
  3. Attach the safe Travels layer piece to the lower right corner of the box lid.                                 


Friday, April 8, 2016

Celtic Bookmarks

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2016


Wow! It is hard to believe that it is already March! Where did January and February go? Several family members have birthdays later this month so I had better get busy. Lucky for me I already have a stash of handmade paper to grab, but in case you don’t, follow the instructions below. The bookmarks are quick and easy to make, and are always a big hit with the book lovers in my Irish heritage family.


Supplies:
  • Any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits
  • A sunny window
  • Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels
  • Scraps of white/ivory and green paper (think junk mail, etc.)
  • Dies:  Tonic #184 Celtic Dreams Collectable Set 
  • Tonic Tangerine™ Die cut and embossing machine
  • Tonic Advantage V blade paper trimmer & scissors
  • Scor-Pal™
  • Tonic Craft Tacky™ adhesive
  • 12” each of Winter White seam binding, olive green Organza ½” ribbon, and fibers for each bookmark
  • ¼” round hole punch
  • Iron if you want the paper smooth

Instructions:
  1. Follow the instructions for paper making found in any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits or books to make slurry from the white/ivory scraps.
  2. Create one or more sheets of medium weight white/ivory handmade paper.
  3. When the sheets of paper are dry, cut several pieces 2 x 9” and 3 ¼ x 6 ¼”.
  4. Clip the top corners forming a tag shape. Save the extra pieces for other projects.
  5. Repeat: making slurry from the green scraps and cutting the sizes when the paper is dry.
  6. Die cut the center design on the long bookmarks with the long Celtic die.
  7. Die cut two of the square die shapes from the tag shape.
  8. Die cut the words “with love” from green scrap.

Assemble the bookmarks:
  1. Layer and attach a piece of the green handmade paper behind the long white bookmark.
  2. Layer and attach a piece of handmade white paper behind the long green bookmark.
  3. Layer and attach a piece of green handmade paper to the back of the tag shape bookmark.
  4. Punch a hole at the top center of all the bookmarks.
  5. Attach the die cut words at an angle at the top of the tag shape being careful to not cover up the hole.
  6. Insert the seam binding, ribbon and fibers through the hole. Insert the tails through the loop and tighten.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Inspire

Featured in Blog Tonic USA

Michele Emerson-Roberts


Even though spring is not officially here in Southeastern Arizona, the temperatures are rising a bit each day and the trees and flowers are starting to bud. When they are in full bloom it is a wonderful site to see! Until that time comes I will just have to make do with some lovely flowers created with another of my favorite Tonic dies.
Inspire (March 16).JPG
Instructions:
  1. Cut and score the black card stock to create a 4 ¼ x 5 ½” card.
  2. Use on of the rectangle layering dies to cut the opening in the front of the card.
  3. Die cut the honeycomb screen several times to create the insert. 
  4. Attach the honeycomb insert and ivory backing piece to the inside front of the card
  5. Die cut numerous leaves from the olive paper.
  6. Die cut several each of all the flower shapes from cream paper.
  7. Punch flower stamens from scraps of black cardstock.
  8. Add shape to the flower petals and leaves with the Floral Crafters tools.
  9. Apply glue with the Nuvo pen to the tips of the stamens, sprinkle with charcoal glitter
  10. Repeat adding olive green glitter to the leaves and Diamond glitter to the edges of the flower petals. (Note: always return the excess glitter to the bottle.)
  11. Layer and assemble the flowers. Attach the leaves and flowers to the upper left side of the card.
  12. Stamp the word with black pigment ink onto a scrap of cream paper. 
  13. Sprinkle with Jet Black embossing powder and heat set to emboss. 
  14. Layer the stamped piece onto a scrap of black cardstock and attach to the lower right of the honeycomb insert with tiny pieces of form tape.


Supplies: