Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Tuesday Tutorial from our DT Coordinator Lisa




Isn't this purse just divine.  I begged Lisa to create a tutorial for us and she was kind enough to honor my request.  Without further adieu...here is Lisa.

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday!! I hope you are having a great week!! It's Lisa from A Mermaid's Crafts here today to share a tutorial with you on how to make a Spellbinder's purse!! I first saw this purse on the Spellbinders blog HERE and just loved it. I didn't have the same dies to make their version, so I had to alter it to fit what I had on hand. Once you understand the basics of the purse, it's easy to adjust the measurements to fit any die cuts that you have available.


SUPPLIES:

- Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities Labels 23
- Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities Labels 4
- Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 4
- Spellbinders Grand Calibur
- Paper
- Adhesive
- Flower Shoppe cartridge, or any decorative flower
- Large circle punch
- Crop-a-Dile or hole punch
- 20 gauge wire
- Beads
- Magnetic closure
- Ribbon
- K Andrew Designs stamps


1) Cut two sets of the largest three shapes from Grand Nestabilities Labels 23…this will be the base
2) Cut the largest three shapes from Grand Nestabilities Labels 4...this will be the top of the purse
3) Cut the largest three shapes from Nestabilities Labels 4...this will be the tag


4) Adhere the three layers together for the front and back panels


5) Cut at least 1/2" off the top of each base panel so you have a flat surface. I cut them down so that the sides are 5” each



6) Using a large circle punch, punch a little less than a half-circle on the front panel


7) Cut a piece of cardstock 10” x 8”
8) On the 10” side, score at 4 1/4" and 5 3/4"…you want a 1 1/2" section in the middle
9) On the 8” side, score at 1 1/2" and 6 1/2"
10) Fold along all of the score lines
11) Cut the center score lines on both sides


12) Fold into a box and adhere sides together



13) Adhere to the piece with the punched half-circle


14) Punch to match the base


15) Adhere back panel to box


16) On the top panel, score 3/4" inches from the center in each direction. The 1 1/2" will be the width of the purse...matching the width of the box we just created


17) Decide where you want the handles to go and punch a hole on either side of the middle section. I punched 1” from either side


18) Attach eyelets


19) Add a handle. I used 20 gauge wire and beads, but you could also use ribbon
20) For beaded handle: cut 1 foot strip of 20 gauge wire, string beads in a pattern you like, attach to purse. I used a bead on the inside and wrapped wire around it to hold it in place


21) Adhere top flap to purse using strong adhesive


22) Mark where other side of the magnetic snap will go so that it lines up with the one we added to the top flap and attach to base of purse


23) Time to decorate!!


24) Kristal's Fashionable Friends stamp set is perfect for this!! I used "You've got purse-onality" :)


25) Add a flower to cover the magnetic closure. I used Flower Shoppe and added blue rhinestones, but you could use any flower or even buttons and ribbon


And the finished purse!!


Here's another example using the same dies. I had a question from someone who didn't have Spellbinders, asking if the purse could be made with a Cricut and it definitely can!!


I created this purse with Elegant Edges. The construction is basically the same but the measurements are different. There are already so many pictures, I won't include them but here are the key measurements needed to make the purse using Elegant Edges. This one is taller because I wanted the bird cut-out included.

BASE OF PURSE – Page 56
1) Cut two of the shadow at 8.25 x 6.75
2) Cut two of the shift at 8.25 x 6.05
3) Cut two of the shift at 7.60 x 5.60
4) Cut 1” off the top of each panel so you have a flat surface

TOP OF PURSE – Page 25
1) Cut the shadow at 9.75 x 6.25
2) Cut the shift at 9.75 x 5.80
3) Cut the shift at 9.00 x 5.20

TAG – Page 25
1) Cut the shadow at 3 x 1.73
2) Cut the shadow at 2.60 x 1.50
3) Cut the shadow at 2.20 x 1.27

BOX
1) Cut paper at 12 x 9.5
2) Score 12 side at 5.25 and 6.75
3) Score 9.5 side at 1.50 and 7


I hope you enjoyed the purse tutorial!! If you make one, please stop by my blog (indymermaid.blogspot.com) and let me know...I'd love to see it!! And please be sure to enter my one year blogaversary giveaway while you are there :)

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Simply Sunday Challenge - Easter Blessings

Winner for the last Simply Sunday Challenge – Green, White, Plus One Color is: #9 Julie M!! Woohoo!! Congrats!! Email me for your prize!!

Happy Sunday, everyone and welcome to another fun Simply Sunday Challenge!! Easter is almost here, so our challenge today is Easter Blessings...create a project to celebrate Easter!! My design team has created Easter Blessings cards and projects featuring a variety of my stamp sets!!

Before we get to the Design Team projects, have you seen my latest stamp set available for preorder: Of Mice and Lil Men:


Head over to my online store and order yours today!! I have a limited number that will be available for shipping on April 1!!


Okay, let's see what the awesome Design Team has come up with for today's challenge!!

Ildi’s project features the Fall-o-ween and Amazing You stamp sets
Visit Ildi’s blog HERE

Lisa’s project features the Scripture Sayings, Fall-o-ween and Winter Wishes stamp sets
Visit Lisa’s blog HERE

Amanda’s project features the Of Mice and Lil Men stamp set
Visit Amanda’s blog HERE

Charlotte’s project features the Amazing You and Food For Thought stamp sets
Visit Charlotte’s blog HERE

Cheri’s project features the Fall-o-ween and Scripture Sayings stamp sets
Visit Cheri’s blog HERE

Christel’s project features the Food For Thought stamp set
Visit Christel’s blog HERE

Debbie’s project features the All About Animals stamp set
Visit Debbie’s blog HERE

Heather’s project features the All About Animals stamp set
Visit Heather’s blog HERE

Jana’s project features the  Scripture Sayings stamp set
Visit Jana’s blog HERE

Jessie’s project features the Winged Things stamp set
Visit Jessie’s blog HERE

Larelyn’s project features the All About Animals stamp set
Visit Larelyn’s blog HERE

Letillia’s project features the Food For Thought stamp set
Visit Letillia’s blog HERE

Miranda’s project features the Scripture Sayings stamp set
Visit Miranda’s blog HERE

Jennie’s project features the Splashtastic Summer and All About Animals stamp set
Visit Jennie’s blog HERE

Challenge Requirements:
  1. Post any Easter Blessing project of your choice & link up by 4/7/12
  2. Post as many projects as you want that fit the criteria
  3. Make sure my blinkie is up on your sidebar, and your blog post entry is linked back to my blog Getting Cricky
  4. Leave a comment here
  5. HAVE FUN & spread the word!
  6. The winner will receive a surprise K Andrew Designs Stamp Set!!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Tuesday Tutorial on Wednesday

Happy Hump Day boys and girls!  Faith here taking over Kristal's blog again to bring you the next installment of our Tuesday Tutorial.  Yes, I know it's actually Wednesday, but Tuesday got away from me and I didn't get to post this yesterday.  So...instead of making you wait to see something as awesome as what our JR DT Member Christel of the blog One Scrappin' Sista has planned for you, I decided to go ahead and post it today.  I promise you won't look at dominoes the same ever again.

Don't forget to head on over to her blog and leave her some love there too!  Christel thanks so much for such a fabulous tutorial!

Friday, March 16, 2012

Getting Cricky In Like a Lion Blog Hop!!

Welcome to the "In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb" Getting Cricky Blog Hop!! We're so happy you could join us for this month's Getting Cricky Design Team Blog Hop!! Throughout the hop, you'll see NEW ideas for creating cards and projects with my stamps sets!!


Each of my stamp sets benefit charity. At least $1 per stamp set goes to benefit the charity noted on the stamp set package. I am donating to the following charities: Cancer Angels, Storefront Shelter for Homeless Children, Intrepid & Fallen Heroes, E. Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Doorways Shelter for Women & Children (Domestic Violence), Wayside House for Women, Camp Good Days & Special Times, Adopt a Classroom, and Autism Research Institute. I will donate $1 for every stamp set sold, retail or wholesale to the charity noted; and over time I believe this will add up to some wonderful miracles for these special people. So you can feel good that each time you purchase a K Andrew Designs art stamp set, someone around the country is receiving some good help!

My stamps are all made and assembled here in the USA, which is very important to me. This ensures all product materials are safe and that jobs are being provided and maintained here in America. You can learn even more about my stamps (and pick some up for yourself) by visiting my online store:


My stamp sets are perfect for cards, layouts, and so much more...

Have you seen my newest stamp set, available for pre-order??!! Of Mice and Lil Men:


Head to my store to order...I have a limited number that will be available to ship April 1st!!

Okay, let's get this hop started!! Your first stop is senior design team member LISA of A Mermaid's Crafts!! Hop on over to her blog and see what she has created!!

........................................

Sunday, March 11, 2012

NEW Release: Of Mice & Lil Men plus Giveaway!

Hi everyone,

As soon as you read this, I will be traveling down to Orlando, FL to take my son Jasper to have his heart MRI & Cath done at the children hospital. Everyone please say a prayer for him. This tells us how soon his open heart must be performed. Jasper is in 5'th grade.

Dont' forget to vote for the Scrap N Easel and enter my giveaways for two of these awesome easels--just scroll down.

Also dont' forget to enter our Simply Sunday challenge--scroll down for next post.

Today I want to share with you my newest release that will be shipping April 1'st. It's called Of Mice & Lil Men. I have two little boys that I kept in mind while designing this set. Where does the mice come in? From their love of my very close friend Susan who absolutely loves rats! My boys loved visiting her and playing with her rats-they were amazed by Susan's rats--and all the things they could do! They could even take metal lids off cans--that was pretty cool! lol!

If you are interested in preordering this set, hop on over to my store K Andrew Designs and reserve your copy. I only have 25 to start off with!

I will give away ONE copy of YOUR favorite stamp set of mine, if you leave me a comment telling me what you would make using this NEW release!

Ways to WIN your own choice of K Andrew Design Stamps:

1. Leave me a comment telling me what types of projects you would make using my newest set Of Mice & Lil Men
2. SHARE this giveaway on your blog, twitter, facebook, or pinterest (ONE entry per type--this could be up to 4 on each of these)
3. Like my page Getting Cricky on Facebook
4. Post my blinkie on your blog



Love,
Kristal

Simply Sunday Challenge - Color Challenge!!

Happy Sunday, everyone and welcome to another fun Simply Sunday Challenge!! Thanks to everyone who participated in our last challenge, Argh, Matey. The winner is #1 - Julie M. Woo-hoo!! Congrats!! Email me for your prize!!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, our theme today is a Color Challenge: use green, white and one other color. Your project does not have to be a St. Patty's Day project, as long as you used the required colors.

Have you seen my latest stamp sets, All About Animals and All In The Family??



Visit my online store today to order your own set, or to see the entire line!! Plus, when you spend $25 or more, you get a free mini stamp set!! Click on the picture below to shop now!!


Okay, let's see what the awesome Design Team has come up with for today's challenge!!

Shawn’s project features the Positive Thoughts stamp set
Visit Shawn’s blog HERE

Amanda’s project features the Positive Thoughts stamp set
Visit Amanda’s blog HERE

Anita’s project features the Hooty Owl Images and Hooty Owl Accessories stamp sets
Visit Anita’s blog HERE

Charlotte’s project features the Fashionable Friends stamp set
Visit Charlotte’s blog HERE

Heather’s project features the Fashionable Friends stamp set
Visit Heather’s blog HERE

Jamie’s project features the Winged Things stamp set
Visit Jamie’s blog HERE

Linda’s project features the Hooty Owl Images and Hooty Owl Accessories stamp set
Visit Linda’s blog HERE

Patti’s projects feature the It's Valentines stamp set and
Visit Patti’s blog HERE

RhoLynda’s project features the Splashtastic Summer and Fall-O-Ween stamp sets
Visit RhoLynda’s blog HERE

Veronica’s project features the Owly Hoo stamp set
Visit Veronica’s blog HERE

Didn't the DT do an absolutely AMAZING job??? I feel so blessed to have each one of them on my Design Team! Please make sure to leave them a comment, and if you have a chance, leave all of the participants a comment. It really makes one's day!

Challenge Requirements:
  1. Post any Green, White and One Other Color project of your choice & link up by 3/24
  2. Post as many projects as you want that fit the criteria (no back-linking, please)
  3. Make sure my blinkie is up on your sidebar, and your blog post entry is linked back to my blog Getting Cricky
  4. Leave a comment here
  5. HAVE FUN & spread the word!
  6. The winner will receive a surprise K Andrew Design stamp set!!