Stamping with Noel

Big Shot Embellishment on Sewn Coffee Sleeve

The inspiration for this handmade end of the year teacher's gift is a sort of compilation of past projects (click on the title links for a closer look at any given project):

1. My Felt No Sew Big Shot Coffee Sleeves -
   
   
   
   This original project is one of my highest viewed projects on my blog - I guess there are a lot of you out there crafting handmade gifts for coffee addicts like myself. While I still use one of my original coffee sleeves, this time around I wanted to break out my sewing machine. This allows my finished product to be machine washable. I also chose to line my sleeve with fusible fleece for added heat protection.
   
   
2. My Fabric Flower Book Mark
   
   
   
   I love folded fabric flower embellishments for a feminine touch.  I used the same technique used to create my bookmark flower, however this time around I used my Circles #2 Die and the Big Shot to create my simpler denim flower.  I was also inspired by the use of hair ties for some stretch on this book mark, and used one on my coffee sleeve too!
   
   
3. My Upcycled Baby Clothes Art Journal
   
   
   
   I am enjoying upcycling my children's outgrown baby clothes into giftable items - nothing goes to waste and the fabrics themselves bring back a variety of wonderful memories!

I usually give sets of thank you cards for end of the year teacher gifts - I don't know a teacher out there who doesn't have a use for them with all the other gifts that come piling in!  And, they can be as quick and easy or as detailed as you have time for!

What are you doing for end of the year teacher gifts?   

Upcycled Easter Grass Basket With Handmade Flower

Last week my preschooler came home with the cutest upcycled basket of easter grass - but, me being me, I just had to do something more with it:

I love the simplicity of the original preschool project - strawberry basket, pipecleaner, wax paper, soil and grass seeds!  My woven ribbon and handmade flower additions are almost as easy to throw together.  

Handmade Easter Flower "Tutorial":
(These simple notes should suffice, but let me know if you need more help!)

   

1. The Base layer for this flower is a simple 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch.  To give the shape more texture, I roughly snipped between each scallop to about 1/4" from the center of the circle - some snips went deeper than others, it was all rough cutting.  Once the petals were created I bent each petal in half into a valley fold for depth.
   
   
2. The next layer is a 3/4" Circle Punch also roughly snipped and folded. 
   
   
3. The final layer is a single flower form our 5/8" Flower Trim - yes, I'm using every last flower from the 2 yd package!
   
   
4. Attach all layers with a simple gold brad.

This flower came together very quickly and adds a little spring charm to an already cute upcycled project!  It could just as easily be added to a card or any other spring project, but it wouldn't be the same without the flower trim.  Buy yours today - click here! to start shopping.

Handmade Gifts With the Big Shot: Upcycled Fleece Hand Warmers

 

This upcycled fleece hand warmer started life as a toddler sleeper!  Actually, I was able to create 5 hand warmers from a single sleeper. 

With a single pass through the Big Shot with the Bigz Scallop Circle Die, I had two layers of patterned fleece fabric cut to shape which were quickly stitched together and stuffed with pearl barley.  Now the hand warmer can be heated in the microwave whenever a little extra warmth is needed. 

What can you do with your Big Shot? 

Click on the Big Shot Projects category in my side bar, or search for handmade gifts, and see if you find some inspiration!

Masculine Valentine from Upcycled Treasure!

A couple years ago I was gifted with the perfect recycleable products for masculine cards ... these leather upholstery samples!  Fabric Sample books of all kinds work beautifully with the Big Shot and your craft projects.

They were buried in my bedroom closet, far from my craft room, but yesterday they were uncovered - just in time to make this masculine valentine!

I didn't think the framelits (Hearts a Flutter in this case) would cut through the leather sample, and I was correct.  But because the thick leather was actually a thin layer on top of a thicker felted fabric, the framelit did cut through the leather and I was able to peel it off the fabric backing (see below).  

The standard and bigz dies, on the other hand, worked beautifully on thicker materials like these samples.  The Top Note Bigz Die has long been my favorite for cutting leather, but any regular sized die works well - as seen by the Circles #2 Die sample also used on this card.  I suggest using our multipurpose liquid adhesive when adhering the leather pieces to your card.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Noel

Leftover Rubber Turned Stamp ... With the Big Shot

This feminine birthday card is for you!  I've received several comments from readers who love my hand cut stamps from leftover rubber, but swear they can't cut any better than they can draw ... and insist that they can't draw, hence they stamp.  Grin.  If you are afraid that you fit in this category, help is on the way!  There is always more than one way to accomplish anything.

The card above was done with a diamond stamp cut from leftover rubber ... but I didn't hand cut it!  Instead I used my Big Shot and the Lattice Bigz Die, or rather a small portion of the Lattice Bigz Die.  This die has stealth versatility - seeming so one note when you first look at it, but just needing a little coaxing to get a variety of results.

So never fear.  Whether you consider yourself artistic or not, you too can add a custom flair to your stamped projects.  You just need to look around your supplies and see what you can come up with!

Supplies:  Big Shot, Lattice Bigz Die, leftover clear mount rubber, Whisper White card stock, Marina Mist Classic Ink, Daffodil Delight 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Word Window Punch, 1/16" Circle Handheld Punch, Whisper White Baker's Twine and Pearls Basic Jewels

Another Scrap Rubber Stamp: Coffee Bean for You and Me!

Here is a customized masculine Christmas card I made for my hubby this year using a hand cut coffee bean stamp ... for indeed, our Christmas morning can not begin without a cup of Joe and a personalized card includes personalized messages and images!

While Stampin' Up! offers a wide variety of rubber stamp images, it is always nice to add that little detail that is all yours!  When you cut your own stamps from the leftover rubber from a new stamp set, you add a little of your own personality to your art for no extra cost.  That is green/recycled/upcycled crafting at its best! 

My Coffee Bean stamp is just one example of this.  I cut the general shape from the scrap rubber from a recently purchased clear mount stamp set.  The line down the middle was then cut out with an exacto knife - I only cut through the top of the rubber, not the foam mount!

The background text is done simply in Word, and adds that personalized message that makes this card extra special!  I lined up where I 'thought' the text should go and printed it on scratch paper cut to the size of my project.  Then I tweaked where necessary until I had everything printing where I wanted.  It may not be noticeable, but the text is printed with the appropriate RGB codes for Chocolate Chip (104 73 71) and Early Espresso Ink (80 57 49)! 

So think of the message that you want to convey and then get creative!  And don't throw out that left over rubber too quickly when mounting your stamps ... you never know what image you might need to create!

Supplies:  Crumb Cake and Early Espresso Card Stock, Scentsational Season Clear Mount Bundle (Includes Scentsational Season Stamp Set and Holiday Collection Framelits Dies at a 15% discount!), Basic Pearls Jewel Accents, Real Red 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon (retired), Multipurpose Liquid Adhesive, Red Sharpie (to color the pearls)

My One Hour Fall Acorn Wreath!

Today I want to share a little of my fall decor crafting with recycled and upcycled items. This acorn wreath may look time consuming, but it came together in less than an hour!

A little history behind the wreath ...

Walking home from preschool each day, my four year old daughter stops to pick up acorns from a huge oak tree at the church near our house while our puppy plays in the nearby grass.  Some days I'm impatient and want to move along, and others I'm content to let them have their time - but rarely do I actively encourage the dawdling.  Well, at least until recently.

In looking at fall crafts around me (at the stores, at homes nearby, online - my eyes are always open), I've picked up on the fall current trend to coat anything and everything with natural materials.  Twigs are glued around tin cans to create vases, mini pumpkins are glued to wreath forms, and acorns - well, acorns are everywhere and on every project imaginable!

The supplies ...

This wreath is built upon a simple straw wreath form from my local craft store and uses masses of hot glue, hundreds of acorns, a silk flower torn off an old scare crow decoration, a few brown felt leaves cut with my indispensable Big Shot Machine and a retired leaves die, and a piece of retired Chocholate Chip Grosgrain.  

Your turn ...

Check out your craft room for basic supplies and your surrounding environment for natural materials - you just may find that you have all the supplies you need to create a lovely Fall decoration or gift item!    

Card Made With Another Handmade Honeycomb Stamp!

I love the imagery of bees and honeycomb!  Stampin' Up! has offered many beautiful bee images over the years, but I don't believe we've ever offered a honeycomb stamp (although I could be wrong!).  Recently I shared with you my upcycled craft for creating your own honeycomb stamp with scrap rubber (click here for the honeycomb stamp tutorial).  Today I decided that my original honeycomb stamp was too large for the bee images I own and set out to make a more petite version.

I will note that, when you make a smaller stamp, it takes a lot more stamping to create a honeycomb background.  My spacing definitely became more haphazard as I moved across the card! Perhaps I should make several and group them all on a single clear block in the future?  

If you are interested in additional bee inspiration, check out these prior posts:

 

Handmade Lemon Hand Scrub

 

Large Honeycomb Stamp Card

 

Simple Bee Notecards

     

Pottery Barn Inspired Notecard

Next to bees, my other fetish is roosters, but I see they are definitely not represented on my blog!  I think I need to get to work.  Do you have a favorite image or theme you like to use in your art work?  Share in the comments section below.  Maybe I can find a new favorite!

More Uses for Paper Scraps: Upcycled Back to School Corner Bookmarks

Anyone who has taken classes with me, or who has followed my blog, knows that I love to use up my paper scraps - preferably in a fast and easy project!  These Back to School corner bookmarks couldn't be easier, and are dressed up with scraps of Designer Series Paper & more.  I'll tuck these in my daughter's backpack with her back to school supplies as a handmade gift to brighten her first day of school - but they could just as easily be used as a back to school gift for a teacher in your life! 

The pattern for these bookmarks has been around for awhile, with each paper crafter adding their own tweaks to make it their own. 

Here are my extra project tips:

1. This project is perfect for using up scrap card stock too!
   
   If you have large pieces of card stock that are smudged, printed or stamped on the one side (yes, I save these scraps too!), use the 'dirty' side of the card stock as the inside of the bookmark.  Simply cut away an extra triangle of the flaps (as shown on my pictorial tutorial at the bottom of this post).  The back of your bookmark will no longer be square, but the 'dirt' won't show!
   
   
2. Don't make your embellishments too thick!
   
   
   
   Remember, these bookmarks will be marking a page in a book.  This is not the time to use half inch deep flowers or other large embellishments.  Keep your decorations as flat as possible - using punches makes this easy!
   
   
3. Have an old card front you love?  Use it!
   
   From this:
   
   
   
   To this:
   
   
   
   Details from old cards can readily be pulled off and used as decoration for these corner bookmarks.  Scrap card stock, scrap DSP, and scrap embellishments ... that is a completely green/upcycled gift for back to school!
   
   
4. Put your bookmark on a card front as an embellishment!
   
   These bookmarks can just as easily decorate a card front as a book - and if you mount it on a card front temporarily, it makes a practical embellishment your recipient will use for years to come!

To download a free 'fast and dirty' simple pictorial tutorial (how is that for a play on words?), click here.

Scrap Rubber Honeycomb Makes a Sweet Card!

Today I want to share with you my technique for a homemade honeycomb stamp!  I think it has been about a year since I've shared with you one of my upcycled custom made stamps from scrap rubber. (Yep, I don't like to see anything go to waste!) 

Note:  If you've missed my prior projects, click the following links -

• Homemade Camouflage blog post can be found here 
• Faux Mosaic Stamps YouTube videos - how to create the stamp can be found here and then how to use it here

To create my honeycomb stamp used in the card above, you need a clear or wood mount stamp set that has sufficient leftover rubber - I prefer clear mount as explained below and used the large section left over from the Morning Post Alphabet Stamp Set.  Once you have a piece of rubber large enough for your chosen honeycomb size, you simply cut the shape directly from the rubber using your Craft and Rubber Scissors (these really are superior than any other scissors for this use).  You are now ready to stamp away!

    

Technique Tip:  Do not worry if your stamp is not perfectly shaped, or if your stamping is not evenly spaced ... the final results will be recognizeable by all!  And if you create your stamp from clear mount rubber, it will be much easier to stamp a full sheet of honeycomb without resorting to the stamp-a-ma-jig! 

To finish off my card, my bees are stamped from the Nature Walk Stamp Set (I think I will emboss them in black next time around) and my greeting is from the retired Just Buzzin' By stamp set.  I hope you will forgive me, but I just couldn't resist using a theme appropriate greeting, even if it is no longer available!  If you did not purchase this set before it retired, you could always computer generate your greeting and print it onto cardstock.

Have you come up with any additional uses for leftover rubber?  I'd love to have you share with me!  Please leave a comment below.

The Perfect Earth Day Project!

Earth Day is here and with it this fabulous wreath made by my dear friend (thank you so much Stephanie for letting me share it with everyone!):

You all know how much I love to hear "I was inspired by you ..." just before someone shares a finished project with me.  All of my harping on using your garbage/product packaging for craft projects, my love of bottle caps, and all of my 3D flowers made from recycled materials has paid off BIG TIME!  This fabulous wreath uses up a huge amount of colorful packaging that otherwise would have ended up in the landfill, as well as over a dozen bottle caps, and - look at that! - Stampin' Up! brown paper packaging for a bow!  I can see little bits of my art throughout this wreath, but have to admit she has taken all of these ideas and executed a truly inspired piece of art!

Tip:  while Stephanie hand cut each and every one of her flowers, I recommend using the Big Shot to make quick work of this time consuming task!

Happy Earth Day Everyone!

Non-craft Craft Supplies: Handmade Lemon or Lime Sugar Scrub 'Spa' Gift

This beautiful handmade gift using one of my favorite non-craft craft supplies (glass jars) came about when I decided to create a natural homemade scrub for my tired dried out winter hands.  I was so pleased with the results that I needed to create a second for a dear friend! 

The recipe has been cobbled from various recipes I found online ... you can find brown sugar scrubs, coffee scrubs, scrubs with essential oils, and more variations than you can imagine.  I personally liked the idea of a lemon scrub, and found recipes that used lemon juice, lemon essential oils, and lemon zest.  After viewing all of these recipes, I chose the items I wanted to use and started playing.  Once my lemon scrub was completed, I made a second batch using lime!

My Lemon (or Lime) Sugar Scrub Recipe:

1 1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice (about 1/2 lemon)
2 tbsp honey
the zest of one lemon or lime

Mix all ingredients together and place in a jar.  Contents will separate over time.  Simply stir before using. 

I decided that a pretty little concoction like this needed a special jar and label ... if for no other reason than to keep family members from thinking it is a kitchen condiment.   Luckily the mixture does not require refrigeration, but I think I need two jars - one for my master bath, and another to place near my kitchen sink!

While you could purchase a special container for this gift, I chose to stay 'green' and use a jar I had on hand.  For my gift version, I chose to use the same fruit jar I used over a year ago for a handmade holiday gift (see my glass etched candy jar here).  This simple jar has lovely lines and I love the impression of urn style handles.  I have found many ways to upcycle this jar over the last year.  

I painted the lid of my jar with Sun Yellow Rustoleum spray paint.  The tag is stamped on Very Vanilla Card Stock with a decorative stamp from one of my favorite stamp sets, Artistic Etchings, in Daffodil Delight Classic Ink and the bee from another favorite set, Nature Walk, in Jet Black StazOn.  It is then punched with the large Oval Punch and layered on Basic Black Card Stock punched with the Scallop Oval Punch.  No matter how much I rely upon my Big Shot, it will never replace my punches for quick and easy projects.  I love using these two punches to create tags!  Finally the tag is tied on with burlap twine.  

Are you looking for more ideas like these?  Sign up for my newsletter today.  Not only will you receive inspiration and ideas in your inbox each month, you will also receive information on upcoming classes, including advance notice of my handmade gift classes - a customer favorite.

Happy Crafting,

Noel

Fabric Flower Bookmark Tutorial

After I shared my perfect handmade gift for young girls project (my handmade journal with flower bookmark post seen here), I received several requests for more information and/or a tutorial on the bookmark itself.  So here are some directions as well as closeups of the bookmark to help clarify.

  

1. Follow the original tutorial to create the fabric flower, ensuring that your centers line up creating a space through which to place your brad.  Remember recycled old clothing works great for this project ... a bit of old denim, maternity clothing, a child's favorite dress with a stain.  You can personalize this project while making it 'green'!
2. Cut two flowers using the smallest flower on the Island Floral Bigz Die - one out of milk carton (yes my magic material rears its head again!) and another out of felt.  This flower is perfect as it has a small hole in the center through which you will thread your brad!
3. Push a decorative brad brad through the middle of the milk carton flower and on through the fabric folded flower.  You can use a little hot glue between the layers for added stability.
4. On the backside of the flower, hot glue a pony tail holder to the prongs of the brad and proceed to put the prongs through the small brown felt flower from step two. Again you can add extra hot glue just before adding the flower for extra strength.
5. Open the brad and firmly press down.Measure out your ribbon so that when assembled your bookmark will fit around your chosen book or project.  When your recipient wants to use the bookmark with a larger book, the pony tail holder will give the necessary stretch.
6. Fold one end of your ribbon around one end of your pony tail holder and glue closed (again I used hot glue).  The glue should not touch the pony tail holder itself.
7. Repeat with the other end of your ribbon being careful not to twist the ribbon.

Your bookmark is now complete and ready to use.  I've found this is a great gift for both the little girls and the teens in your life - and even adult women are happy to be the recipient.

The Big Shot is a power tool in the world of handmade gifts.  Do you have Christmas money to spend?  Contact me and I'll help you make those dollars stretch further and earn you extra product when you purchase your Big Shot!  

Happy Crafting,

Noel

Up a Notch Junior Legal Pad Covers

Today I want to share a few samples of the Junior Legal Pad Covers I've been creating for my craft fair in Santa Barbara, CA this upcoming Saturday (for more information see my calendar). Those of you who were tiring of the digital samples can heave a sigh of relief (although almost any project created in My Digital Studio could be replicated in paper and ink!).

Back in July I shared a picture of a Jr. Legal Pad Cover I had done in one of my classes (see blog post here). This is a simple project requiring only one sheet of 12x12 Card Stock and a sheet of patterned paper. This time around, however, I wanted to add 'something' to the original design to complete the project which has been created and recreated by so many crafty individuals.

My simple Up a Notch addition? A basic belly band/closure using a pony tail style head band snipped and threaded through a piece of Designer Series Paper which was squashed between two pieces of milk carton (all three layers were cut with the Big Shot and the Circles #2 die and punched with the Crop-a-dile). Yes, milk carton continues to be a go to supply in my craft room (see other milk carton craft projects here). This little recycled/green embellishment acts as a handmade button and adds just the right touch to the cover. This closure can also be reused later as a simple bookmark!

This just goes to show you that taking a project up a notch does not require big changes or a lot of work.

Are you in or near Santa Barbara and looking for some last minute holiday gifts? Why not stop by the December 3rd Holiday Boutique or attend my Last Minute Holiday Gift Class on December 10th or 11th? All information can be found here.

Happy Crafting,

Noel

What to do with old greeting cards?

With the holiday season approaching, and another batch of holiday greeting cards on their way, I'm returning to some of my favorite upcycle projects for the multitude of cards that came into our home during past years.  Because, let's face it, I can't really keep each and every one in a shoebox in my closet.

The following simple project is one of my favorites ... simply adhering your card front onto an otherwise simple gift bag!

The card that was sent to you last year has now become a gift bag for giving this year! 

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• You can use blank/solid color gift bags you purchase at a local store - or even better, make this upcycle project even 'greener' and use one of those store bags you've been given while shopping.  Simply ensure that your card front covers the logo completely!  You can mat the card with card stock if necessary.
  
  
• You can reuse both commercially purchased greeting cards (example on the left) or hand made greeting cards (example on the right) - either way, you are now adding hand crafted charm to your holidays!
  
  
• If you have time, add a bit of ribbon, stamping, or even use a Stampin' Around Wheel across your bag a few times before adding the greeting card embellishment.  With just a little extra efffort you will take your bag 'up a notch'.
  
  
• A little sparkle goes a long way - why not add a bit of Dazzling Details irridescent glitter glue?  Just highlight a few spots on the existing card and create a lot of wow for very little effort.
  
  
• And remember, this works for the upcoming holiday season as well as for birthdays, baby showers, weddings and other occassions.

Have fun creating upcycled gift bags with your old greeting cards.

Happy Frugal Crafting,

Noel