Spring Tag Challenge 2024

Here we go again! Five tags with "spring" theme for the eCal, SCAL and Create Facebook page. 

Tag #1: First posted was a bee hive, the cut file being a portion of a design from Simply Crafty SVGs' Buzzing Bees Box Card. I added a little hang tag hole at the top.

Tag #2 - A real simple tag here, again by Simply Crafty SVGs.

Tag #3 - I made this one for my sis-in-law's birthday. Will finish off the back or make a folded open card for the sentiment. The printed flowers in the ovals were a font, as was the flower in the center of the tag.  Then print-2-cut on my cutting machine.

Tag #4 - The tag idea for this one came from Pinterest. However, I made the carrots myself. I used air-dry modeling clay and formed the carrot portion with little lines across. I cut some pine tree leaves and rolled them up and stuck them into the top of the carrot. I let the carrots dry for a full day. Painted them orange, and after dry I used to some light brown over the crevice area, then wiped the light brown off, leaving it only in the lines.

Tag #5 - Not sure where a saw a tag idea on this one, but redesigned all parts of it myself. Lots of layers and foam pop-outs. Background is layered with two different digi papers.

And, that's a wrap up for spring tags, 2024.

Happy Spring!

Sunny is 5!

 Can't believe my youngest grandson is 5 years old. And, a funnier or sweeter little guy I've never known.

He began to get very interested in Harry Potter, although he has not seen the movies or read the books. However, his older brother, age 9, finished all books and has now seen all the movies. My daughter has made both of them their own wizard capes. So, that's why I made him this card for the occasion.

This card has a double-walled front inside of which are chibitronics lights. These are made to work by negative/positive copper tape that engages with a battery and the small triangle-shaped lights. The battery is made so that where the copper tape is there is a flap (either paper or acetate) that is set so the copper tape does not engage until you push down in that area. For more info, you can check out You Tube tutorials for chibitronics. In the photo you can see the larger glitter star is the place where you push down to engage the copper and light the stars up. I added silver vellum behind the stars so it diffuses the light a bit.

All of the writing and the sun is done with gold htv, which I pressed onto the cardstock in my heat press. Yes, you can use htv on paper! Looks like embossing.

After I had purchased an HP-related gift, which I wrapped with HP paper, he changed the theme of his birthday to Spidey (baby Spiderman, I guess?). So, I made him a t-shirt to wear at his birthday party.  I altered the Spidey image and  added the balloon with the "5" to go along with it.

I also designed some digital paper to wrap his other gift and the gift bag for the t-shirt.

And, that's it! 

Happy Birthday, Sunshine!

A New Baby on the Way!

My daughter's dear friend, Rachel, had a baby shower, so I wanted to send something along for her since I could not make it.

I've made many of these onesie boxes over the years, which you can see if you scroll down the blog. It's been a while, but I was so happy to make it for her.

The cut file for the onesie box comes from SVG Cuts' 3D Numbers Party SVG Kit. It's the cupcake box, which holds four cupcakes. However, I made panels and added onesies which I decorated two with HTV and two with Jet Pro SoftStretch.

I make lots of reinforcements inside and out to make the box really strong. After opening the gift, they can take out the onesie insert, and use the box as a memory box or for anything they wish.

The darling deer, giraffe and elephant images were painted by our dear friend, Regina Benedetti. She's an amazing artist.

Here are the HTV onesies I decorated.

And, these are pressed using Jet Pro soft stretch.

Once the onesies are rolled up, I stick a baby sock into each one to act as "the cherry on top" of the cupcake.

We wish Rachel only the best, and can't wait to see baby Powell.♥

Happy, Happy Baby!

January-February 2024 Birthdays

 First, my daughter. She took up sewing and is knocking it out of the park. I made this card using a pattern from SVG Cuts' Dress Shop Kit. I altered it just a bit to add a photo of her in a smock she made. Also, I snuck and took a photo of the fabric she used to make her smock, and used it as the accent strip on the front of her card. The background is digital sewing patterned paper (printed myself).

Then it's the hubs birthday. I used the money tag as his card.

This card was made with a clear plastic lipstick container made for hang tags. I altered the photo of the ground hog (his birthday is ground hogs day), and added his mustache and beard and lips directly onto the ground hog image. Yes, that's actually his real beard, mustache and lips. I then added the banjo, because the money was for him to purchase some banjo dvds he's been wanting. If you look at the back there's a zipper pull tag to open the inside money area, which I cut on my Solo.

I also got him some boxer shorts, so it was only appropriate that I make this boxer shorts box. The pattern came from SVG Cuts, and is called Boxer Shorts. His actual boxer shorts fit perfectly into it. Additionally, I designed the digital paper  pattern used on the box.

Then, for my son-in-law, I made a year in review for his 40th bday. This was done in Affinity Photo.

And, a second one of these for a niece who turned 50 this year.

Happy Birthday, Fam!

12 Tags of Christmas - 2023

On the first tag of a tags I made a Christmas tree, with a few gifts and a golden star.

On the second day of Tags I folded lots of circles, and put them all together with joy.

On the third day of tags I lit a candle bright, with a Merry Christmas ribbon sentiment. 

On the fourth day of tags Santa came to say, "a Merry Christmas" with a wink to you.

On the fifth day of tags the weather called for snow, and we wore our stocking caps and cozy mittens.

On the sixth day of tags Santa can to visit us with his fuzzy beard and pom pom red hat.

On the seventh day of tags Mrs. Santa followed suit, with her sweet embroidered apron, glasses and cute bun.

On the eighth day of tags a little penguin waddled in with a polka dot hat and plaid scarf.

On the ninth day of tags I wore a reindeer sweater, the ugliest of sweaters you've ever seen.

On the tenth day of tags Frosty sang a song to me, with a plaid scarf to help him keep warm (but not melt!).

On the eleventh day of tags the cold weather made me shiver, and wear a snuggly stocking hat for warmth.

On the twelfth (and last) day of tags, a tag is what we get, with a ho ho ho and gift from me to you!

Always a fun challenge to participate in, but how many new tags can we make each year! We'll see!

Here's wishing lots of Christmas joy to all of you.

Happy, Happy Christmas to you all!

Sunny's Box of Fun

 Since big brother recently received cool boxes of fun stuff, it was only fitting to make little brother his own box of fun. This little 4-year-old loves little things and containers. He loves taking marbles and pouring them into another container, and then another, and then the dump truck, and back into a container. So I made this box over in his favorite themes.
Obviously, he loves Bluey, Gabby, Mickey Mouse, Molang and the like. So, I tried to use a few on his box.

I made small boxes, mostly 2.5"x2.5" and decorated in different themes.

Then filled them with small trinkets related to each theme.

They all fit into the box for lots of fun. Sorry, Mommy, that you may inadvertently step on something small and pointed. But, I think you've had lots of practice with things like this.

Merry Christmas, Sunny!

 

Harry Potter Box (Addendum) Pt 2

 Related to my last post, Harry Potter Book Box, I decorated another box (addendum), adding more printables, many of which would not fit in the original book box. I didn't make this box, just added the overlays and binding.

The binding was done similar to that of the original book box. I used kraft-tex paper with gold htv for the design.

The box I used was a shirt box with a magnet fastener on the front flap. I scuffed up the shiny finished and added the digi cardstock to it, as well as some gold paint at the folds.

I added many printables obtained from Wizardry Workshop. Many of these printables were free. There are some reserved for Patreon, which I gladly joined because I wanted to support his amazing HP memorabilia. Thanks, Danny!

Inside view of the box. You can tell I just about filled it up.

If you saw the original post you would have seen a letter of acceptance to Hogwart's. For this box I made another letter and left it blank. Also made it a little smaller. He can write his own letters and use his sealing wax as the closure.

Speaking of sealing wax, I had gifted him a sealing stamp of the Hogwart's emblem. To go along with this newer box I bought him a set of sealing stamps with the four houses emblems, a 9-3/4 stamp and a DA (Dumbledor's Army). There is a brown fabric cover on the little box, so I used htv and pressed on the Hogwart's emblem on the front.

This next one is the OWL (Ordinary Wizarding Levels) study guide and the test. You can see Ron studying the study guide in the dining hall in one movie. In another you can see them taking the wizarding text, all folded open.

Next we have a menu to the Leaky Cauldron. Danny mentioned that the pricing was all correct as of the time he visited the Leaky Cauldron at Harry Potter World in Florida (probably a few years ago by now). And, added some house emblem stickers.

Next, a map of Diagon Alley, printed on 11"x17" paper.

And the Programme for the 422nd Quidditch World Cup, along with three tickets.

Here is a printed Maruauder's Map, made at 11"x17". These can also be printed on 8.5"x11", as well as even larger tiled sheets and glued together. There are also lots of inserts you can make and glue into the map, including stair cases and foot prints.

Next we have a couple of more books, one on astronomy and one on chiromancy.

Next we have two howlers. The first is Ron's, which he receives from his mom after he took the family car to get he and Harry back to Hogswarts. It came to him while in the dining hall. The second one was sent to Harry when he returned back to the Dursley's home after he and Dudley were attacked by dementors.  I didn't realize that howlers can come in many different versions. I'd like to see others, if they exist.

Then there's the Daily Prophet newspaper. Printed on 11"x17", then put two together for a full spread of 22"x17".

And, lastly, the Quibbler magazine.

Along with all of the printables, I made some flying keys. My grandson has a secret room under the stairs in their home. It is a place he can go to read. It has a little book shelf, a bean bag/pillow area, and is such a cute little unfinished area. You'd never know it was there if you opened the hall closet. There's no indication of what lies behind. I also made some floating candles. I set these all up on Christmas Eve, after the kids were in bed.

I think that may cover it. This was great fun...a bit obsessive on my part, but so worth it.

May the Force Be With You...Oops, wrong movie franchise!

...Always