Valentine Ornament Anyone?....

That's right...I said Valentine ornament!

I know it's crazy that we just took down the Christmas tree decorations, but over at The Cutting Cafe, the hits keep coming and the holiday festivities never stop!

So let's go see what I've made using the following cut files...

Heart Trio Card

By enlarging this heart to desired size and duplicating it twice, I was able to join the sides together and paint it black, crackle it and then paint it red. The weathered wood appearance makes this faux wooden ornament look so pretty with die cut flourishes, ribbon, berries and wire hanger.  

About 6 of these would look fabulous scattered around the Valentine tree.

Using the Heart Trio Card again, I made three different smaller ornaments and continued with the rustic, primitive look.

These hearts were different shapes and cut out from an old BINGO card for stability.

Some hearts got twine, others received moss, but each has a cute vintage sentiment, berries and bow.

For a larger table display or inside of a cabinet, I chose to use A-Z Letter Set and create my own X and O sign that I've covered with decorative cork sheets.

What's really fun about this set is that I turned the O into a shaker! 

 And finally, here are some little tags that could substitute as ornaments as well.  With the twine loop on them, the possibilities are endless.

For these I used the following:

Heart Trio Card Set and Mini Card and Envelope Set

Regina designed this file to be a tri-fold card, but by cutting down the perforated lines, I was able to make three tags/ornaments.  

Here you can see that I've lightly secured the envelope fold under a gently glued heart.  This allows for you to open the envelope and write a tiny message inside for the recipient.

Side view....

And there you have it.  

Four different and unique ideas to gift or decorate with and all of them from the fabulous files of 

The Cutting Cafe

Biggest of hugs to you and Happy Crafting,

Lisa xx

 All DT projects are posted at The Cutting Cafe Blog on the 7th and 21st of each month. We'd love for you to visit and be sure to leave a comment for Regina. She selects one lucky person to receive 3 FREE files of their choice!

Is That a Vintage TV I See?....

 Hello, hello, hello!

It's another post for The Cutting Cafe and as you guessed, it's all about Christmas!

Regina let us pick our choice of file for this one and I couldn't resist using several, so let's get started so I can show you how to make your very own Vintage TV.

I am in love with anything vintage and when I thought of how to make a TV, I knew that if I used Regina's Configuration Box file, I could make these little ornaments come alive.

Below is the box that I used and then using my cutting machine I designed the "face" and "frame" of the TV.

Old televisions had legs and so all I used was a triangle piece that I rolled, glued, colored and sized and then adhered to the underside of the configuration box or TV.

The antenna base is a little shaving off a Styrofoam ball and a toothpick cut in half and colored black with copics for the antenna ears. The dials are just circles cut out and several layered on top of each other for depth.  The gingham bow is sporting this wonderful sentiment also from Regina's store called, Christmas Bag Topper .

And you see a little tease of that gorgeous holly that also comes from the Christmas Bag Topper.

Let's take a look at the other one now.

Now you can really see that gorgeous holly.

The Merry and Bright Sentiment is also from this set.  

And there you have it...

2 Vintage TV's (the shows playing come from The Tim Holtz Festive Ephemera Pack), but these wouldn't be possible without the incredible Configuration Box from Regina's store!

So stop on in for all your last minute Christmas needs for stock up for next year!

The Cutting Cafe

All DT projects are posted at The Cutting Cafe Blog on the 7th and 21st of each month. We'd love for you to visit and be sure to leave a comment for Regina. She selects one lucky person to receive 3 FREE files of their choice!

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Lisa xx

12 Tags of Christmas #12

I'm doing a little happy dance. I made to the end of the 12 Tags of Christmas 2015.

Here he is on display...

I drew my inspiration from Linda's 12th tag below with her use of plaids, corrugated cardboard, the holly leaves, the tag, the metal embellishment and the twine/hemp bow.

I used all of the same elements but changed up their perspective on my project. For example, the hemp is a bow on Linda's tag and it has become the edging of the sweater on my star snowman. The holly is green on hers and I've made mine a wooden texture.  Everything seems similar but used in a different way.

Here they all are together at last!

Linda has extended the contest for another week so if you are still thinking about joining in or needing a little more time, you are in luck! Also, a huge thank you goes to her store, The Funkie Junkie Boutique for supporting this challenge.

Hugs and happy crafting,

Lisa xx

12 Tags of Christmas #11

She started at number one. I blinked and good grief, here we are at number eleven already!

There's only one left but the fun keeps coming.

Here's Linda's texturaly scrumptious tag 11.

Like I said before. I love trying to duplicate Linda's style on a different medium other than a tag, but sometimes that offers up a challenge.  For example, this tag has a translucent appearance to it and trying to make fabric translucent is a task. SO, I decided I'd use one of them plastic folders you put paper reports in and use that as my star snowflake structure.

Above are the plastic stars and to the side are the products I used to achieve my duplication of textures.

Close up of the string of lights cut from the Cameo and double layered, colored and heavy powder embossed.  Happy Holidays sentiment comes from The Cutting Cafe.

The bag is very CAS with the continued theme of snowflakes.

I've since added a bow and leaf to the handle, but forgot to take a picture of it.

There you have it, number 11 and all inspired by The 12 Tags of Christmas and sponsored by Linda's store, The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Hugs and happy crafting,

Lisa xx

12 Tags of Christmas #9 and #10

I have never in my evers seen a peppermint mocha latte drinking snowman star and that's a shame because he's ADORABLE!  I'm not tooting my horn on how precious this guy turned out, because I have Linda to thank for the guidance and inspiration from her tag.

Here's her Tag 9 from The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas 2015 and what doesn't scream out to you on this baby?  I mean, there's garland and a beverage and merriment sentiments and snowflakes and a beverage and jingle bells and a beverage and WOW, seriously wonderful.  So...I tried to utilize as many of those things as I possibly could between the snowman star and his little bag.

Also, as you know, this challenge continues to be sponsored by Linda's store The Funkie Junkie Boutique and boy howdy, does she have some incredible wonderful items that are just flying off the shelves. Hit the link above and check it out for yourself if you've never been there before. Plus, she has THE BEST prices!

Here's my tag 10 and of course my inspiration from Linda's tag 10.

I just dove right into every aspect on her tag. I loved the wintry pines, the frothy white texture, the aged gold and printed word.  Each of these elements I tried to reproduce on my snowman and bag.

There's still 2 more tags in the 12 Tags of Christmas Challenge and still time to play along!

Thank you so much for your visit and I hope you found some inspiration here.

Biggest of hugs and Happy Crafting,

Lisa xx

12 Tags of Christmas 2015 Ornament # 3

I don't know....I don't know what's happened here.  

It began as a challenge where I selected a theme. A primitive look was what I was going for, but then you sew them up and put their little eyes on and before you know it, you're dressing them in a little knitted decorative sweater, sliding small paper colored boots on them and making a rad reindeer hat.  

I really feel like I've lost control here....

I suppose that means that I'm completely inspired and the muse has taken over.  Let's get real.  How fantastic is Linda's tag 3 here?  It's a warm sweater hug on a tag, is it not? It's got all kinds of crazy merriment and Christmas gaiety to make anyone smile!

 This little star snowman just wanted to be a part of that.

 

And when he's done spreading Christmas cheer, he has a cozy spot to rest.

Complete with holly and snowflakes. 

There's still so much time to join in this, so very fun, challenge at The Funkie Junkie, hosted by Linda and sponsored by her store The Funkie Junkie Boutique, so please check it out and see for yourself.  

Hugs and Happy Happy Crafting to you ALL,

Lisa xx

12 Tags of Christmas 2015 Ornament #2

It got silly... 

I saw Linda's second tag (below) for the 12 Tags of Christmas 2015 and the black background spoke "top hat" to me.  I think it should go without saying that when a top hat is present, so should a mustache be.  Am I right?

Staying with her perfect color scheme, I tried replicating them and then the essential Christmas elements of the tree and snowflakes.  

Here's the carrying case for this ornament.

Thank you to Linda and her shop, The Funkie Junkie Boutique for sponsoring such a kick butt challenge.  So much fun!

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Lisa x

12 Tags of Christmas 2015 Ornament #1...

She's at it again y'all.  Linda at The Funkie Junkie is hosting her annual 12 Tags of Christmas and it's off to an incredible start.  I was stumped when I saw her classy poinsettia tag below and had no idea where her inspiration would lead me.  

Obviously, that vibrant yet rustic flower was a main focus but then I was so drawn to the background colors of her tag.  The combination of these two elements made it a no brainer. I had to implement them both.

If you follow my blog then this next sentence will be a regurgitation of past statements, BUT...still valid none the less.  Months back I purchased a creamy color table cloth at The Dollar Store and have found endless ways to use the mass amounts of material it provides.  Yet again, here is another one.  

Cutting out a cardstock star as my template, I cut out two from the material so that I could glue them together.  Once almost glued, it was stuffed with polyfil, then fully sealed. It then took a trip to the sewing machine and the process of making this primitive looking snowman star ornament began.

Ornament #1

The eyes are adhesive gems that I colored with black copics. The nose is a prong from an orange brad. The material was distress inked with TH Old Paper DI.  Glitter was added for snow at the edges of the star. The rick rack was aged with TH Vintage Photo DI and then dabbed with TH Old Paper Distress Paint.   The holly is cut from Spellbinder Holiday Holly Twigs and Leaves set. The snowflake is a blue Dollar Store foam piece that I aged with Old Paper Paint too. The scarf is material purchased from The Funkie Junkie Boutique, as were all my other supplies, unless otherwise stated. 

The jury is still out as to whether or not I like the ornament case being a suitcase box or not. I still wonder if maybe I'll go with a gift bag down the line.  Either way, that's what I have for this one. It's cut from Kraft cardstock and then crackled with a medium between tumbled glass and white paint.

The star is foil tape covered white cardstock that was stylus embossed and folded. The snowflake was an extra gift from The Funkie Junkie Boutique on my last purchase.  It too was cardstock and I've made them both to look like aged metal.   A little raffia bow, a ho ho ho tag and some distressing on the edges and my little suitcase is ready to hold the ornament gift.  

I'm incredibly curious to see how the rest of these ornaments will turn out as this challenge proceeds. 

If you enjoyed this post, please consider joining in the fun.  You have until December 20th to complete your creations based on her 12 Tags of Christmas inspirations. Linda is also offering 3 fabulous prizes as well AND everyone who participates in all the challenges will receive a 15% discount off the entire purchase order during the month of January.

**UPDATE**

Couldn't take it. Didn't like the suitcase, so I made this instead...

Much better ;)

Thank you SO very very much for all your time. I know I'm wordy, but I hope you enjoyed yourself.

Big hugs and Happy Crafting,

Lisa xx