Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas

Hello Everyone!!!

Just a quick post to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. This is from me and my assistant, Buddy.

He posed for a few pictures for the holidays.

Look, he is getting ready to start a post on the blog. He dressed up so he can deliver a few packages of catnip to his favorite kitty friends.


Here he is resting up. He's taking Rudolph's place this year on the Santa run. 

This is my cat Buddy and he really does let me dress him up and he poses, he's such a ham. He is always by my side almost like a dog. 

Anyway, from me and Buddy, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas.



Tuesday, December 16, 2014

JOY

Hello everyone,

Welcome to Karen, my newest follower.

Oh I am late in getting this post out here on my blog. Sorry!! I am back today with what is my last Craft-Dee BowZ post here for 2014. CDB will have a few more posts left to finish out the year and then will have two new designers starting in January. Make sure to check out the Craft-Dee BowZ blog for the last of this years' posts.

These stair step designs have always fascinated me and they are tricky to cut. So, I recently bought a stair step die from Accucut and decided to use that card design for this, my last Craft-Dee BowZ project for this year.

Let me share this card with you.


I used a typewritten designer paper to mat the front while I used an embossed white card stock to mat the back.


 On the steps I used a cut out of the word JOY using that same designer paper



Here is a close-up of my bow. I made a triple loop bow and positioned it up by the top step, allowing for the card to be closed and mailed.

SUPPLIES USED ON MY PROJECT
Stamps:  Sizzix - Holiday Joy (Stamp & Die Set)
Paper/Card Stock
: Green CS, White CS, DP
Ink: Memento - Olive Grove, Peanut Brittle, Rich Cocoa
Dies Used: Sizzix - Holiday Joy(Stamp & Die set), Word Play Alphabet, Accucut - Stair Step Die
Accessories
Craft-Dee BowZ  tool,  ribbon, embossing folder, dimensional foam, Starform Stickers (used as border on the front panel over the DP)

I am submitting this card to the following challenges:

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I will be back soon,



Thursday, December 11, 2014

Season's Greetings

Hello Everyone

Todays card is monochromatic with a splash of color. And of course it's a Christmas card. LOL. Since this card is cream and white, I used a red backdrop instead of a white background to showcase the detail of the card.


This card design came to be after using some of the dies from MFT DieNamics Blueprints #14. Have you used any of the Blueprints yet?? They're great, you can make your own card design, because you have many options (dies) in each set. I suggest that you cut each of the shapes out of white CS and store them with the dies. Then when you want to design a card, pull the shapes out, move them around and decide on your final design. Then cut the shapes out of the paper you want to actually use on the card.Easy and fun.

SUPPLIES USED ON MY PROJECT
Stamps:  Inky Antics - Filled with Joy
Paper/Card Stock
: White CS, Cream CS, Red CS(Under the sentiment)
Ink: Memento - Rhubarb Stalk
Dies Used: My Favorite Things - DieNamics Blueprints 14
Accessories: Pearls, Spectrum Noir markers, Glossy Accents, Snowflake Embossing Folder, Circle Punch, D
imensional Foam

I am submitting this card in the following challenges:
Thanks for stopping in today. Have a great week.




Tuesday, December 9, 2014

A Turkey Revisited

Hi Everyone

I want to welcome to my newest follower, Pamellia. Glad to have you joining me.

I wanted to post this right after Thanksgiving but I got busy and I just forgot. So, let's regress to a few weeks ago, Thanksgiving. I hear some laughing. OK OK

I live in the greater Cincinnati area and ever year the Cincinnati Enquirer, our local newspaper, holds a contest, Dress the Turkey. They publish a large line art drawing of a turkey in the newspaper.. The contest says to dress it however we want and submit it. They give a deadline and the winners and others are published on Thanksgiving Day. I love Zentangle® and since there is so much open space on the turkey, I decided to tangle this cutie.


After I tangled this turkey I colored it with Pan Pastels to add to his personality. I loved how this turned out,  and wanted to share this before Thanksgiving was long gone.

Well it time for you (and me) to come back to the present, back to preparing for the upcoming Christmas holiday, you know, the shopping, the decorating, making cards and all the other things we do at this time of the year.

I am submitting this to the following challenges:

Have a great week.


Sunday, December 7, 2014

Fool the Eye Bow

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for stopping back to check out how I achieved this triple loop look while only making a double loop bow. Maybe I should call this look the stairstep loop bow, because the loops look like they are in a stairstep position, one on top of the other.



Well you think you are seeing 3 loops but its a trick. Let me say this will only work with wired ribbon, because you are manipulating the ribbon and the wire holds the ribbon right where you have positioned it.

 I am using a black and silver wired edge ribbon and it's 1 1/2" wide

First, I started out making a double loop bow, like usual. And of course I am using my Craft-Dee BowZ tool.

This is the 1st wrap of ribbon around the pegs.

This is after the 2nd wrap of ribbon.

I have tied the ribbon ends and this forms the knot of the bow.

I've removed the ribbon from the tool  and I have pulled the loops out and now you can see there are 2 loops on either side of the knot.

 Fluff them out somewhat



Now I have positioned the loops one on top of the other. At this moment the loops are the same length and they are stacked.(A double loop bow has 2 loops on either side of the knot)

 Top view, - from the top it just appears to look like an ordinary single loop bow because the loops are actually stacked one on top of the other.

 Here is where the trickery begins.
The top loop is the loop that gets manipulated. See how I have started to dent it in to the center of the loop, down towards the knot, somewhat. Think of it as you are making a pleat. I started that dent about 1/3 of the way up from the knot. If you do the dent in the center of the loop then you will have these two loops being the same size and you won't achieve a stairstep effect.


Make the dent to both of the top loops.

 See how I have brought the ribbon from the top loop in more toward the knot. This defines the fake top loop even more.


 Here is a different view.


 Here is a view from the top after working with both top loops.


 Here is a side view. See how that top loop looks kind of swirly. The top loop is just bent in, in a pleat fashion, to give the illusion of another loop. 
That's all there is to this bow. Its a great bow especially if you don't have enough ribbon to make an actual triple loop bow. I like this look because of the stairstep look.

 I hope the pics help you to see how I designed this bow. This bow does fool the eye, doesn't it.

Thanks for stopping back today. Now it's your turn to make a double loop bow with a stairstep effect.And wouldn't  that bow would look great on a gift.

Have a "bow"tiful day

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Craft-Dee BowZ Christmas Blog Hop

Merry Christmas Bloggers!!

Welcome to the Craft-Dee BowZ Christmas/Holiday blog hop. If you arrived here from Monica's blog then you are in the right place.If you didn't and you want to partake in the blog hop and become eligible for the prize then you will want to start at the beginning and leave a comment on each designers blog.

Barbara (You are here)

WOW!!!,  have you had a good time on the blog hop? It's the last one for this year and I am the last blog in the hop.

Let me share with you my card.


Let me start by saying that the bow on this card is a double loop bow. I know you are looking at the bow and you're saying I see 3 loops on each side of the knot. Well........it's a fooler.

I will be back on Sunday to post the photos and the explanation of how to achieve this fool the eye bow. So please stop back on Sunday to see how this bow is made. It's really easy.


See..... that bow looks like its a 3 loop bow. 

Check out that red ribbon under the bow, I pleated it and attached it to the face of the card. Again this is so easy to do because it's a wired ribbon. (My favorite kind of ribbon.)
I tied the double loop bow onto the red pleated ribbon, using a piece of gold leaf ribbon. 


Since I used a digital image with a blank banner, I stamped the Joy to the World in that banner section using VersaMark and Gold detail embossing powder. I wanted to add more dimension to this card, so, I decided that since there are holly leaves in the image, I would use my holly branch Sizzix die as that dimensional accent.Adding crackle accents to the pieces left the leaves looking more realistic. And adding white paint to the edges gives a snowy/frosty look.


Here is a final view from above. 

Thanks for joining us for the Craft-Dee BowZ Blog Hop. Leave a comment to be eligible to win your own Craft-Dee BowZ tool.The winner will be announced on Saturday Dec. 6 and don't forget to stop back Sun, Dec. 7 when I will post the pictures of how to make a double loop bow look like a triple loop bow.


SUPPLIES USED ON MY PROJECT
Image:  The Graphic Fairy (digital)
Stamp - My Favorite Things - Holiday Subway Art (Sentiment)
Paper/Card Stock
: Red CS, Cream CS, Green CS, DP 
Ink: VersaMark
Dies Used: Sizzix - Holly Branch
Accessories
Ribbons (3), Gold detail embossing powder, Craft-Dee BowZ  tool, Dimensional foam

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

In the meantime, stay warm.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Merry Christmas

Hi Everyone,

Well, today is the 1st Tuesday of the month and that means it's my turn to post at Craft-Dee BowZ. This month's theme is Christmas/Holidays.

Here is the card I made for this month's theme.

My Santa stamp is so old but my most favorite Santa stamp ever. I added stickers for the ornaments, the sentiment and the pine bough. For the background panel I used a sheet of paper that depicts images of Santa. Those images are about the size of a postage stamp. I used vellum to tone that paper down since I wanted my stamped Santa to be the focal point.

I glittered the ornaments and colored the pine bough with an alcohol marker.

The bow is a multi loop green sheer organza ribbon. I love working with that type of ribbon. It makes the best bows.

Here is a closer view of the bow.

Reminder - Please set aside a few minutes to join us in out blog hop. The hop starts tomorrow nite at 10:00 p.m. ET and ends Saturday at noon.

Leaving a comment at the Craft-Dee BowZ and on the design team members individual posts will make you eligible to win the prize of the Craft-Dee BowZ tool.

Hope to see you at the hop.

SUPPLIES USED ON MY PROJECT
Stamps:  Old stamp of Santa - No longer available 
Paper/Card Stock
: Red CS, Vellum, DP
Ink: Distress Inks - Vintage Photo
Dies Used: Peace - Poppy Stamps Die
Accessories
Ribbon, Glitter, Quickie Glue Pen, Outline Stickers, Spectrum Noir markers, Craft-Dee BowZ  tool, dimensional foam

I am submitting my card to the following challenges:

Thanks for stopping in, see you soon



Monday, December 1, 2014

Peace

Hello Everyone

Are you getting in the spirit?? how's the shopping coming along??

Well today is December 1 and it's time for the December Challenge over at Craft-Dee BowZ

Here is my inspiration card I submitted.

This ribbon is spectacular. Red with woven stripes and gold confetti-like pieces on it. I also added a little of a gold colored leaf ribbon.

That panel with the swirl on it, is paintable wallpaper. (I've had it for years) I used alcohol inks to color it and the coloring turned out fabulous.The panel was too pretty to cover up with anything else so I just added a die cut "Peace" on it to finish it off.

SUPPLIES USED ON MY PROJECT
Paper/Card Stock: White CS, Red CS, Gold Paper,DP,  Paintable wallpaper
Ink: None
Dies Used:
Accessories
Ribbons, Alcohol inks,Craft-Dee BowZ  tool

I am submitting this card in the following challenges:

Thanks for stopping by. I will be back tomorrow with another post and card for Craft-Dee BowZ. Hope to see you then