Spread Your Wings & Fly!

Today I'm super excited to be Guest Designing for Top Dog Dies.

Top Dog Dies is a new online store that offers their own brand of wafer-thin and steel-rule dies, along with dies from brands you already know and trust, including My Favorite Things, Lawn Fawn, Taylored Expressions. Savvy Stamps and Cheery Lynn Designs. Top Dog Dies is also the leading U.S. retailer for Tattered Lace, a new line of intricate dies designed by British designer Stephanie Weightman.

Top Dog Dies is also doing a GIVEAWAY for the whole month of April. Everyone who comments on my blog will be entered for a chance to win! The winner will receive $50 worth of exclusive dies from Top Dog Dies (their choice!). 

All you need to register via the Rafflecopter app on the page to enter. Deadline to enter will be Wednesday, April 30 at midnight Central Standard Time.

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Ok, onto my project!
Top Dog Dies sent me 3 different dies. (shown in picture below).
Steel-Rule Die (Circle Mini Album) and 2 Wafter Thin dies (butterfly and Bella Doily Die)

At first glance I was all set to create a mini album because, after all, that's what the die was intended for.  But I decided that was too simple and expected to I decided to use it on a layout instead.

So here's what I created.

I cut out 3 of the doily shapes from white card stock and layered them on the background papers.

I cut out the butterfly shapes from some Imaginisce patterned paper (Welcome Spring) .  I added some rhinestones to the centre of the butterfly bodies.

I cut out 2 of the circle mini album shapes from patterned paper and used them to create a 'flap' to reveal another photo below.  (you could easily add more photos & journaling here). (on the Top Dog Dies I'll share I attached the layers together).

If you hop on over to the Top Dog Dies blog I have a tutorial of this project posted there.

Supplies used:
Top Dog Dies (Wafter Thin Dies: Butterfly & Bella Doily; Steel-ruled dies: circle mini album)
Imaginisce: Welcome Spring collection (patterned papers, die cut tags, rhinestones)
Core'dinations Colorcore Cardstock (white)
American Crafts (White Thickers, Slick Writer marker in black)
Maya Road (twine)
Xyron (Megan Tape Runner)
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L (foam squares)

Thanks for stopping by today.

Don't forget to leave a comment her on my blog for a chance to win $50 worth of TDD exclusive dies!

"Sweet & Sassy" (Blog Hop with Perfect Paper Crafting & Simple Stories)

I'm thrilled to be taking in part in the Blog Hop with Simple Stories and Perfect Paper Crafting.  Today is the last day of the blog hop and I want to thank you for joining me on my blog.

I was thrilled to be able to be given the opportunity to play with this fabulous tool. 

I received the Perfect Layers - set of 3 different 'rulers' each with 4 different measurements. The possibilities are endless and definitely make creating mats so easy!

I decided that I would mat my photo with a few layers and then mat the papers on my layout as well.

So I began layering my photo. I first printed it with a white border and then matted it onto some turquoise card stock. I adhered the photo to the card stock first and then used the 1/4" measurement to trim around the photo.

I then matted the turquoise card stock onto some orange card stock using the 1/8" measurement.

I matted a piece of black card stock onto a piece of the diagonal striped patterned paper using the 1/4" measurement. I then matted that entire piece onto some orange card stock using the 1/16" measurement.

Adding layers is a great way to add dimension to your work.  After matting your pictures you could also adhere them to your layout using foam squares for even more dimension. I decided to just adhere my main photo flat because I wanted to pop up my title instead.

Here's my finished layout.

Here's a few close-up shots.

Supplies Used:

Simple Stories (DIY Boutique collection: Patterned papers (5111, 5109, 5103); Stickers 5141,  Chipboard Stickers 5128) DIY Office Card Foundations 5123, Icon Burlap Stickers 5150

Silhouette Cameo

Simple Stories Silhouette Cut Files ("always remember" and "sweet & sassy")

Perfect Paper Crafting (Perfect Layers)

Core'dinations Colorcore Cardstock (TH Kraft Core)

The Twinery (turquoise twine)

Xyron (tape runner)

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L (foam squares)

Thanks for stopping by ... have a fabulous weekend!!

Family Frame

With Valentine's Day coming up soon I thought I'd create a frame of my family - people that I hold VERY close to my heart!
So I created this simple card stock frame along with some Xyron adhesives.

I began my picking my card stock colours and then cutting to the sizes that I needed for the cutout shapes that I was going to do. I used my Silhouette to cut out the shapes.

Here's the cut-out pieces. I used "Always & Forever Frame" and "3D Easel". 

I sized them larger than they are originally when you open up the files.

You'll notice that I cut out 2 hearts & phrases in pink & red - that's mostly because I wasn't sure what colour combo I wanted to use. Turns out it was a good idea because I used both!!! (you'll see how in a moment)

I took the turquoise banner and ran it through my Cuttlebug to emboss it. 

I did the same with the turquoise half circle.

I then used a stylus and my paper trimmer to score some lines on the backside of the grey coloured card stock photo frame.

After the scored lines were created I used a sanding block to sand the embossed lines (on the 'right' side of the card stock).

I printed out a 5x7 photo and then adhered that (using the Xyron small tape runner) to a piece of black card stock that I cut to 5 3/4" x 7 1/2" (the same size as the grey frame).

I put some adhesive on the backside of the grey frame and then adhered that overtop of the black card stock and my photo.

I ran the turquoise label through my Xyron 1.5" Sticker Maker and then .... 

.... adhered it to the bottom section of the photo mat.

I ran the pink phrase and ran it through the Xyron 1.5" Sticker Maker ....

.... and then adhered the phrase to the turquoise label strip.

Now comes the part when I use the red card stock!! 

I took the phrase and cut it apart so that I could use just the "&".

I put some adhesive on the "&" with the Xyron Mini Sticker Maker and then ....

... adhered it overtop of the pink phrase.

Next I used some of the foam squares (Teresa Collins collection) and placed them on the backside of the pink heart shape.  I had already tied some Maya Road red twine around the heart.

I then placed the heart on the upper right portion of the photo frame overtop of the turquoise half circle shape.

Here's a look at the stand design. Cute huh?

A couple side views to show you.

 And a view more pics.

 Supplies: 
Xyron (Mini Sticker Maker, 1.5" Sticker Maker, small tape runner)
Core'dinations Colorcore Cardstock (Gemstones (pink), Tim Holtz collections
Silhouette Cameo
Maya Road (red twine)

Thanks for stopping by today!
Hope you have a fabulous weekend!!

More holiday projects

Hi there,
I've got another little holiday project to share with you today for the Xyron 30 Days of Holiday Projects feature.

I created this Christmas tree from paper petals which I designed on my Silhouette machine.

If you're interested in creating one of these trees you can download my FREE file HERE.

Steps:
I took a piece of white paper (printer paper is a bit thin - so I used some non-textured white cardstock) and rolled it into a cone shape. I stapled the edges so that it would stay shut.


After creating my cut file I cut strips (12" x 3") of patterned paper (Crate Paper: Bundled Up collection) and placed them on my cutting mat, then placed it through my machine.

I then rolled the ends (pointy side) to make it curl. You can use a pencil, pen .. whatever works best to roll the edges slightly.

I then put some Xyron Double Sided High Tack Tape around the bottom edge.  I peeled off the protective layer from the tape and then began adhering the petals around the bottom edge of the cone.

When I began the 2nd row (etc) I just overlapped a bit and carried on with adhering a strip of tape around the cone and adhering the petals.

 Here's my finished tree.

I just love the mix of patterned papers & the fun cheerful colors.

At the top of the tree I adhered 2 Maya Road flowers together using Xyron High Tack Adhesive Dots . I made sure to press the flowers together when they were over the top edge of the tree.

Supplies: Xyron (Double Sided High Tack tape, Double sided High Tack Adhesive Dots); Maya Road flowers, Crate Paper (Bundled Up collection), white cardtsock, Silhouette Cameo

Thanks for stopping by!!!