Flamingos in the Tropics

Hey, Crafty Friends!! 

Boy, is it HOT! I don't know where Spring went but it's long gone and hiding!

My kids are already out for summer break and they are enjoying all the sunshine. swimming, running, lots of screaming laughter... that's what we're down for in these next couple of months. All of which reminds me of my of my childhood days growing up in Hawaii. Tropical weather and visits to the zoo where at the foot of the entrance gates flamingoes await visitors. Yup, those were the days. They were a bit stinky but those flamingos sure were pretty! Lots of these majestic birds standing on one leg or rubbing beaks, occasionally spreading their wings for a stretch. How I want to share memories like those with my children.

So, when Blank Page Muse released my good friend Pam Bray's newest stamp set, it brought back all kinds of feels! I immediately fell in love with these stamps!! And when Kim (owner of Blank Page Muse) and  Pam asked if I would like to create with these stamps, I literally squealed!! I've always loved Pam's designs and of course, I had to jump at the opportunity! What's even better is that all of these stamps are made of deeply etched red rubber! So I know the impression is gonna be amazingly crisp and clear! And boy, was I right! It makes a HUGE difference, especially with detailed stamps such as these!

And in the spirit of my childhood memories, I created this #10 sized Tropical Flamingo Card.

Supplies Used 

Pam Bray Flamingo Row (Blank Page Muse)

Tim Holtz Tropical Dies (Sizzix)
Tim Holtz Stitched Ovals (Sizzix)
Tim Holtz Labels (Sizzix)

Mixed Media Paper (Strathmore)

Sun Drenched (Paper House)

Chalkboard Stack (DCWV)

Cardstock- Light Green, Orange

Vellum

VersaFine (Tsukineko/ Imagine Crafts)

Tim Holtz Distress Markers- Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Hickory Smoke (Ranger)
Clean Color Real Brush Marker- No. 052 Bright Yellow, No. 023 Scarlet Rd (Zig/ Kuretake)

Eileen Hull Blends- Leaf, Frog, Melon (Clearsnap)

MISTI Stamping Tool (My Sweet Petunia)

Hemp Twine

Mixed Media Glue

Foam Adhesive
Aqua Brush (Pentel)
Stylus

I started by stamping my faves from the set... FLAMINGOS!! I stamped them onto mixed media paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink.  Then colored in m images using my Tim Holtz Distress Markers. First coloring most of the bird with Worn Lipstick. I blended out the color using a water brush then went back in to add a second layer using Picked Raspberry to add more depth. Then colored the beaks with Hickory Smoke.

Once I was satisfied with my coloring and the images were completely dried, I cut out both flamingos by hand with scissors.

I die cut monstera leaves out of light green cardstock using Tim Holtz's Tropical Dies by Sizzix. I cut 3 leaves altogether.

Then shaded around the edges using Eileen Hull's Blends inks in Leaf, then in Frog.

After the ink was completely dried, I used a ball stylus to add dimension and shape the leaves.

Using the leftover scraps from my flamingoes, I stamped these little stemmed flowers using more Versafine ink. I didn't need the stems so stamping the entire stamp perfectly wasn't necessary. As long as all the flowers were intact I was good to go!

I colored these dainty flowers using, my Zigs in Bright Yellow, blended out toward the center with a water brush, then added Scarlet Red in the centers and blended outward with the water brush.

Once the flowers were all dried, I fussy cut them out, then creased each petal down the center to give them more dimension.

For the hibiscuses... again used dies from the Tropical set, and die cut from orange cardstock. I shaded along the edges using the Melon Blends ink.

I separated each petal from the flower and creased and folded them, then re-attached them to the cut-out centers with glue.

Disassembling them then re-assembling them gave them a whole lot more dimension.

For the card base, I cut patterned paper from PaperHouse's Sundrenched collection
to measure 3-3/4" x 9".

I used my Xyron Mega Runner to mount it onto a 4-1/8" x 9- 1/4" card base made from 110 lb white cardstock.

I  wanted a center focal point that wouldn't block out all that gorgeous ocean scenery. So, I die cut an oval out of vellum using Tim Holtz's Stitched Ovals. I ran the oval through my Xyron Crative Station with a 5" permanent refill cartritdge. Then adhered it to the card front.

I anchored the oval with a palm tree cut from black chalkboard paper die using the palm tree die from the same Tropical die set.

I attached foam adhesive sheets to the back of the flamingos and attached them to the oval then arranged the flowers and leaves and tucked in loops made from hemp twine.

I thought the "I'll stand by you... Today, Tomorrow, Always" sentiment went perfectly with this pretty pink couple. So I stamped it onto more mixed media paper and die cut it out using a label from the Tim Holtz Labels die set and shaded the edges with Eileen Hull's Sunshine blends ink.

And at the very last minute, I decided to re-mount the card front with a black mat mad with more of that deep black chalkboard paper. It gives a nice balance of black throughout the card, don't you think?!

And here is my finished card...

CLOSE-UPS

I hope you enjoyed this card tutorial and definitely take a peek on over to Blank Page Muse!! Pam Bray has so many more amazing stamps sets you need to check out!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Until next time...

HAPPY CRAFTING!!

~Mitsyana

Pineapple Picking (Paper Edition)

Hi, Crafty Friends! I'm baaaaack!! Back again with Team Xyron and lots of crafty fun!!

This week we'll be partnering up with Paper House and sharing with you all cool creations made with their awesome paper collections and Xyron adhesive.

Today, I'm feeling tropical! I took one look at these foiled sheets and just knew exactly what I was going to make!

I've always been an island girl. In fact, I was born on an island then raised on another island. In fact, if it weren't for meeting my husband, I'd probably still be there now. Growing up, when we would have P.E. class, we would do these exercises called "Picking Pineapples". It consisted of us standing with our feet spread apart, then bending over touching the ground 3 times with both hands, once in front, below, and slightly behind you. We called them "Picking Pineapple", the rest of the US probably knows them better as "Cherry Pickers"! LOL

So, after taking a trip down memory lane, I bring you my version of Picking Pineapples- Paper Edition!! No bending or sweating involved!! HAHAHA! Don't tell anyone but I sat on my butt the whole time!

I used papers from Paper House's Sun Drenched Paper Pad to create today's fun project.

Supplies Used

Sun Drenched Paper Pad (Paper House)

Tape Runner (Xyron)

Eclips 2 (Sizzix)

Pineapple Box SVG File (Lori Whitlock)

ColorBox Premium Dye Inkpad- Olive (Clearsnap)

ColorBox Stylus and Tip (Clearsnap)

I knew right away that I wanted to use Pineapple Box SVG file I had by Lori Whitlock.

 I loaded it into my software. and it looked like the picture of the left. I wanted at least cut two boxes from one 12"x 12" piece of paper. So, I resized it to 8.5" wide (with the keep proportions box checked). 

 I like to cut each like-colored shapes together. To do this, I right clicked and selected "ungroup". then removed the pineapple crown.

Then, I right clicked, clicked "copy" then clicked "paste". I rotated my second image so that both could fit the cutting mat. 

 I saw yellow and gold patterned paper in the pack and immediately it screamed PINEAPPLES at me!! The color and pattern were absolutely PERFECT!

I inserted it on my cutting mat into my machine and hit "cut".

I folded and creased all the crease lines and used my Xyron Tape Runner on all the tabs to adhere. This little guy packs some serious adhesive punch!!

Each pineapple needs 2 crowns. 1 regular and one mirrored. Just highlight what you want to be mirrored, right click, click "transform", then "flip horizontal (mirror)". Then multiplied as needed.

And as luck would have it, on the very next pages to my yellow and gold paper, this palm tree leaf/frond paper. I took each mirrored frond pair and attached them together with mire tape runner. Making sure to lay one regular cut and one mirrored cut back to back. Again, PERFECT!! Well, sort of. 

First, it needed a tad bit more color. So, I inked it with ColorBox Olive dye ink smoothed and evened out the color using my stylus tool. Now, look how gorgeous these crowns are!! And the fronds pattern gives them the look of textured leaves too!

Each box contains a slit on top. To add the crown to the box simply insert into the slit, fold back the crease line and adhere to the under side of the box lid.

And tah-dah... here are my awesomely funky pineaaple treat boxes...

I filled each of these with yummy chocolated but you can put whatever you like.

And these would totally be a hit at a Luau themed event or party!!!

I hope you enjoyed today's project! Who knows, maybe they will inspire you to do your own paper pineapple pickin'!!

Whoa, that's a mouthful! Hahaha!!

Till next time...

HAPPY CRAFTING, EVERYONE!!

~Mitsyana

Victorian Inspired Cantilever Jewelry Box

Hello, Crafty Friends!! Happy Thursday! 

I'm super excited to be back with Team Xyron today. We have partnered up with Paper House all week to bring you fantastic projects all week! 

And today, I made this Victorian Inspired Cantilever Jewelry Box.

I absolutely love brooches and pins. My mother is a fanatic. She wears a brooch on almost every outfit she has on. She was the one who started me on my brooch loving journey. She has given me some over the years and a few I still have till this day. Some were old and passed on to me, and some were brand spakin' sparkly, shiny, and new. 

Even though I love the bling and the shine of the new, I love the older ones more. They have a history. They tell a story of the people who have handed it down. And now their story become my story. Because my family and their history is a big part of who I am.

And even though I love these little shiny badges of pride. They all have one thing in common, a need for space. I hate when the get jumbled up on one another. I don't have a ton of brooches so a massive jewelry box didn't seem appropriate. So instead, I made this little jewelry box to store and house them neatly.

Supplies Used

One Big Happy Family Paper Crafting Kit(Paper House)

Creative Station Lite (Xyron)

3" Sticker Maker (Xyron)

Big Shot (Sizzix)

Eileen Hull Cantilever Sewing Box (Sizzix)

Memory Hardware - Montagnac Antique Cord Chain - Copper (Prima Marketing Inc.)

Vintage Mechanicals - Flowers Large (Prima Marketing Inc.)

Chipboard

Brads

Hot Gue Gun

Rubberband

Scissors

I started by cutting 6 pieces of chipboard to 5"x 6". 

I also cut 3 pieces each of the Grandparents Tags (Blue Floral) and One Big Happy Family (Burnt Orange Print) down to 5"x 6" pieces.

Then, ran the patterned paper through my Creative Station Lite. Once through I gave them a good burnishing with a bone folder to ensure maximum adhesion.

I peeled back the protective film and attached a sheet of each patterned paper to each chipboard piece.

Now that the chipboard is double sided, I die cut 6 drawer boxes using a Cantilever Box Die (making sure to place the chipboard piece only over the drawer box section of the die and placing blue floral side down).

Then, I folded up the drawer walls along the crease lines.

While the sided are folded up, secure walls by wrapping a rubber band around them. Then add hot glue to all 4 corners.

Repeat for all 6 drawer boxes.

Next, Hot glue two boxes together along its shorter walls. This is will be your bottom base drawers.

 I repeated the same step above for the lever pieces using the Love Lives Here paper. These pieces measured 2-3/4" x 6"(before die cutting).

I fastened the levers with brads, arranging them diagonally and then attaching with brads.

 I die cut the 2 feet and the 2 lids and hot glued them in place.

I cut a metal embellishment in half (one for each side) and adhere to tops. Then I topped with a flower (only glue down to one of the drawers).

At the last minute, I added these copper chains by just taking out the brads and inserting the prongs in between the links before inserting back into the holes.

And here is my finished jewelry box for my pins!!

I absolutely love it!!

I hope you enjoyed today's project! If you would like to see more creative inspiration please stop by Facebook and visit the Xyron and Paper House pages.

And as a special treat, Xyron is giving away a prize package! YAY!!

All you have to do is visit their page and comment on any of the Xyron/Paper House projects posted during the week! Easy Peasy!

I hope you were inspired and 

HAVE A SUPER CRAFTY DAY!!

~Mitsy

**DISCLAIMER**

This was a sponsored post. I did receive product to endorse prior to making this fabulous project. However, the designs, ideas, and opinions on this blog are 100% my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the companies above.