Fairy Lantern

I got a little black lantern from Alpha Stamps, and decided to alter it using a fun collage sheet designed by my very talented friend, Nichola Battilana.
Here's the lantern, before. Isn't it cute?

And after:

I painted white stripes with gesso, and filled the lantern with moss and faux flowers. The tiny fairies fit right in! (It was easiest to make this by removing the back panel of glass in the lantern.) I then took tiny triangles of paper and glued them onto thread to make colorful banners to string all around the top of the lantern and along the back.

Copic markers gave the white daisy ribbon coordinating centers. I sure love those markers!

I've known Nichola, creater of the fairy collage sheet, through Craftster for years. She does the most amazing magical work. If you get a chance, check out her blog, Pixie Hill. She made some fairy lanterns, too. I think it's funny that she also put a pennant banner on one of hers. Great minds, and all that.  

Big Top Tunnel Book

In my last post I featured a couple of peekaboo cards made with the chipboard frame set from Alpha Stamps. Here's what else I made with one of those sets: a fun little tunnel book using one of my favorite themes: the circus!

Here's a photo of the book when it's flat, just so you can get a good idea of its size. The frame set itself is 4" x 4". I added a little cardboard for the peak of the tent. 

The Tiny Circus and Circus Parade collage sheets are probably my favorites from Alpha Stamps. I used images from both of them, plus some striped Graphic 45 paper, for this project. 

Sadly, it's really difficult to photograph the depth of the book. I would guess it's about 2" wide when opened. You can just barely see the string of stars on a wire which hangs across the middle of the opening in the tent.

 

Here's the side view, where you can see the accordion folds and see the depth a bit better. There are about five layers of images, causing, as the sign proclaims, "controlled mayhem". I drew those juggling pins that are scattered along the bottom, using some Google images for reference. Now I want some old juggling pins. I found some real beauties on eBay!

Figuring out the logistics on how to make this tunnel book was a bit of a challenge, but lots of fun. I have one more set of those cards. I may have to do another.

Peekaboo Card Tutorial

How cute are the new Peekaboo cards from Alpha Stamps? This month the swap at Alpha Stamps is all about Peekaboo cards. They're so versatile! I made a couple of very different designs with my cards: a beach card and a spooky Halloween card. It may be early summer, but is it too early for Halloween? I think not! Here's how you can make your own.

For this card, cover the sides of both pieces of chipboard frame set with scrapbook paper, and then use a piece of paper tape on the left side for a hinge. You can't really see the tape on the Halloween card, but it is visible on the beach card below. On the outer section of the card (the piece with the hole in it) glue on a section of small white picket fence. The fence comes in an 18" long section, but it's easy to clip a section off with pliers. Trim the other three sides with black and white braid. Clip the tines off of two black brads and glue them on the corners. This will cover any fraying caused by cutting the braid.

 

Some black stitched leaf ribbon makes a nice spooky vine for the pumpkins. To adhere those pumpkins, carefully cut a few pumpkin pods in half (I used a box cutter) and glue them down with E6000. Find a good image of the moon, and paint the back of it black, as you will see it when the card is opened.

See how the inside of the card shows through that hole? I used an image from The Black Cat collage sheet, and to add a little spunk, I gave the cat some 3D cat eyes. Make sure, when you place your elements on the inside of the card, to pay special attention to what shows through the hole when the card is closed. Save a few surprises for when the card is opened.

Here's the inside of the card. See how the fence, some of the pumpkins and the back of the moon show through the hole? I love the surprise on the inside of what you can't see from the outside.

In case you're not feeling that Halloween vibe just yet, here's a card that's a little more seasonally appropriate: a fun day at the beach!

And, the inside:

Happy card making!