Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Game On: Last-minute Super Bowl decor


I wanted our football fun this weekend to be about more than binge eating and hollering at the TV. I wanted it to look festive. After all, it's not every day your team makes it to the big game. But I'm short on funds and time, so I opted for a few quick creations. I hope they score with you!



[Warning: Seahawks fans, you may want to turn away now, as this here is a Bronco blog... Okay, so I suppose these ideas could just as easily be created in blue and green, but why bother? Know what I'm sayin'? ;)]

Pass the Pigskin
This will be the only thing about the big game that will suck—football straws.



Game Gear (Supplies You'll Need)
* Brown paper (I used a sheet from Glitz Design.)
* 2 1/2" circle punch (I used a Fiskars punch.)
* White gel pen (I used the Gelly Roll Pen by Sakura of America—LOVE this pen!)
* Scissors
* Stapler
* Paper Straws (These cuties are from Queen & Co.)
* Washi Tape
* Bottles of Orange Soda (or green, if you must)

Do It To It
Here's the straw play by play:

1. Punch two circles from brown paper.



2. Fold circle in half lightly (not a crisp fold).



3. Cut along edge to transform circle shape into football shape.



4. Draw football detail using gel pen.



Calling a Time Out: When it comes to white pens, this is like a two-point conversion—twice as nice! I am not a Sakura affiliate in any way. I simply adore this pen. And, as you may know, a good white pen can be harder to find than a Seahawk who knows how to play offense. ;)



5. Repeat. Each straw requires two footballs.



6. Wrap footballs around straw, back to back, (leaving enough room at top for sipping) and staple in place.



7. Secure straw to bottle of soda using washi tape.



One Born Every Minute
Broncos fans are from suckers, but that doesn't mean a tasty lolly won't hit the spot come game day.

There will be no delay of game when it comes to making these lollies; they're quick.

Game Gear
* Suckers in your team colors
* Washi tape (decorative tape)
* Small star punch (I used the Epiphany Crafts star, which is the perfect size for so many things!)
* Stapler

Do It To It
1. Wrap top of sucker stick with a strip or two of washi tape (decorative tape).



2. Cut end of tape into a dovetail shape.



3. Punch a small star from patterned paper and staple to tape.



The fans certainly won't get restless with these sweets being offered in the stands.



Hey, I call interference on this play!


Outta Site Uprights 
I plan on making a dip similar to the one shown here. If I don't fumble in the kitchen, that is.

Image Credit: GetCreativeJuice.com

Good news is, I'm halfway to my goal with the completion of my paper-straw goal posts.


Game Gear
* Paper straws (Mine are from Queen & Co.)
* Stapler
* Patterned paper (I used sheets from Crate Paper [blue polka dot] and My Mind's Eye [orange].)
* Letter stickers (Mine are from the Bella Blvd. Sophisticates sheet.)
* Baker's twine (I went with blue and white from Whisker Graphics.)
* Scissors

Do It To It
1. Pinch end of straw to flatten. (I used Style Stix from Queen & Co.)



2. Pinch center of second straw to flatten.



3. Staple two straws together in a T (right angle) fashion at the flattened points; cut away excess straw (creating an L shape). Repeat on opposite end to create U shape.



4. Flatten center of U piece and top of new straw piece. This will be the center of your post (the part that sticks out of the ground above Jimmy Hoffa's resting place.



5. Staple pieces together to complete goalpost.



6. Repeat. You'll want both ends of your field to have goalposts, even if one of them will remain unused.


7. Create two small banners using scraps of paper, stickers, and twine, and attach to posts.



It's no Mile High, but my guacamole field is will still support the team in its own small way.




Flag Flavor
Raise those flags, sports fans; you now have an easy cupcake-topper idea to add to your party playbook.

Cut up paper straws into smaller strips and top them with crafting supplies for a fancy flag on your cupcake play.


Game Gear
* Paper Straws (same as above)
* Flag punch (Fiskars)
* Patterned paper (same as above)
* Star punch (same as above)
* Stapler
* Foam squares/dimensional adhesive
* Bling (I went with the sparkling Doodlebug Design variety.)
* Letter stickers (I opted for the Bella Blvd. Sophisticates—the blue was perfect!)
* Scissors

Do It To It
1. Punch piece from patterned paper. I used paper from Crate Paper (Maggie Holmes—blue polka dot) and My Mind's Eye (orange). I used the Fiskars flag punch.



2. Flatten straw piece near top.



3. Attach sticker to flag. I wanted to do DB, but I paused for slang, bag-related reasons. Maybe I should put DB on Richard Sherman's flag instead, eh? So I went with D. The Sophisticates stickers from Bella Blvd. were just the ticket.


4. Attach lettered flag to squished area of straw piece using stapler.



5. Punch small star from patterned paper, and make your star shine almost as brightly as Peyton Manning with some stick-on bling, like these Jewels from Doodlebug Design.



6. Attach star to flag using dimensional adhesive.


7. Wave your Denver flag proudly and enjoy the Bronco stampede.


Find yourself with all of your team-related alphas picked off? No worries. You can create some of your cupcake picks without letters and paper. A little washi will do the trick.


Guests will huddle together around the cupcake plate with these flags on the field.


Ladies, you don't need Tom Brady to make your Super Bowl party super cute. Simply grab a few items from your stash—no holding back—and snap to it.  Hike, hike...

Enjoy the game!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Cupid's Arrow: A Washi Tape Treat




Need a quick Valentine that doesn't suck? These should, ahem, point you in the right direction!

Washi Arrows


Supplies
* heart suckers
* washi tape in 2 varying widths
* fine-point permanent marker (I used Sharpies)

Do It To It
1. Adhere two strips of wider washi to sucker stick, extending the tape approximately 2" beyond end of stick. 

2. Cut ends of tape closest to sucker to a point that points towards the sucker. 

3. Layer thinner strip of tape over center of wider tape (both front and back) and cut sucker ends to point.

4. Make a dovetail cut to outside end of tape and cut some fringe to complete your feather. This is the fun part! 

5. Write a little love note on feather using permanent, fine-point marker. 

6. Call Cupid and tell him you have his arrows ready to rock and roll. (800-LOVE-YOU)

Love Buds


If a bouquet of flowers is more your speed, you can use most of the same supplies (and a couple of punches) to make these botanical beauties!


Do It To It
1. Punch hearts from patterned paper (or cardstock) using heart-shaped punch. Note: Approximately 5 hearts per flower.

2. Punch small hole in base of each heart. Note: Hole should be the size of your sucker stick, if not slightly smaller.

3. Thread punched hearts up stick and fan out around sucker to create flower.

4. Add leaves using by wrapping a strip or two of washi around sucker stick, beneath hearts. Note: This will also hold hearts in place. 

5. Write a little love note on tape using a fine-point journaling pen.

6. Call the florist and tell him he has the day off; you've got this!

Supplies
* heart suckers (Target)
* basic hole punch
* washi tape 
*  heart punch (I used Fiskars scalloped heart)
* fine-point permanent marker (I used a Sharpie)



Cost
I think the complete project was only $4 for 32 suckers. 

* Suckers = $1/pack of 8 @ Target
* Crafting Supplies = $free.99, because I used supplies I already had on hand

Cheers! 

Thursday, January 23, 2014

4 Fresh Crafting Trends (and a groovy giveaway!)

What's hot in crafting at the moment? So many amazing delights! I was tickled gold when Studio 5 asked me to share a few of the freshest CHA trends to make a splash at CHA (the Craft & Hobby Association trade show) earlier this month. Here's a look at the trends we're discussing on today's show:

1. Go for the Gold
It's a gold letter year, my friends. Metallics have been on the uprise for quite some time now, but it's clear gold is the leader of this pretty pack. 


Here are just a few of the brand new gold goodies I spotted at the show:

Gold washi tape, as part of the amazing DIY Shop release from American Crafts. This line includes many fun elements in a neutral palette, including a lovely assortment of metallic tapes.


Get your gold on in a glittered fashion using the Wow! Glitter from American Crafts. It's big on sparkle and comes in a pack of four metallic shades.


BasicGrey
Candy Dots... Mmmmm... They look good enough to eat. And they're self-adhesive, which makes adding a splash of gold easy as pie candy!
Image Credit: BasicGrey


Cosmo Cricket
I can't get over how cute these kraft treat bags are from Cosmo. Will you be my Valentine? Because I'd sure love to send you a little bit o' sweet in one of these beauties.



Crate Paper/Maggie Holmes
When it comes to gold, Maggie Holmes has been a trend leader in the crafting market. Since before my own Maggie was born, she's been singing its praises and incorporating it into her home decor and crafting projects. So it's so fun to see how she's also added this striking color to her product lines with Crate Paper, including Styleboard, her newest release.

Label-maker tape never looked so good! Thanks, Maggie and Crate Paper! Can't wait to play with these stickers.



Everything about these rub-ons wins a gold medal in my book. The horse-horse, the hearts, the camera, the sentiments...all of it is award-worthy!




I ADORE this bitty, heart-filled Brag Book! With Valentine's Day on the way, I seeing it getting much love in my life. 


Our friends in the fancy pantalones also offer a vibrant gold 12x12 cardstock that is sure to make a sparkling statement.



My Mind's Eye
Got your eye on gold? Mind this tidbit: MME makes a mean gold metallic print. They've put together these cards in 3" x 4" and 6" x 4"—perfect for pocket scrapbooking. Love!


Adding a lovely feeling to your surroundings has never been easier than it is with these sweet cards. I so want to frame this one and put it in my sweet girl's room.


Or you can make your own paper projects using the Charmed Record It! paper pad, which includes a lovely variety of 6" x 6" papers.


 Gold washi in a sturdy plastic tube? Doesn't get much better than this.




SC is known for their awesome assortment of font stickers, so it's an extra special treat to see that font flair combined with a vibrant gold glitz. Thickers have never shined so bright.

Image Credit: Studio Calico


2. Glampers
Pack your bags, friends! We're going on a retro ride in the cutes campers in town.


Glampers are an emerging trend on the crafting scene, and I'm delighted to share a few of those with you here today. 

Fancy Pants Designs
The little die cut glampers in this line make my heart happy. I have a million things I want to do with them. Decorate the front of a frame, make a card, create gift tags, add them to a page about my own glamper... and the list goes on!
Image Credit: Paper Crafter's Corner



My dear friends at Lawn Fawn were kind enough to surprise me with this special treat at CHA. They know I have a crush on glampers, and the Happy Trails stamp set and dies absolutely made my day. Thank you, Kelly Marie and Mike!

Image Credit: Lawn Fawn blog


My Mind's Eye
Glampers AND chalkboard? Get outta town! I can't get enough of these two trends, and seeing them together is the ultimate!

Image Credit: Paper Crafter's Corner

Webster's Pages
Party Time, indeed! Can it be anything but a party when this bright line from Webster's Pages is involved? It also includes 12" x 12" glamper paper AND vellum. Hooray!

Image Credit: Webster's Page



3. Sequins
Tune into the sequincy frequency! This bit of glitz & glam makes my glitter-loving heart happy. 


Inspired by the confetti trend, sequins are quickly rising to the top in the brilliant Bling category. And the colors are A-MAY-ZING! Here are just a few of my favs:

Chic Tags
How's this for a treat—wood sequins! Isn't that a grand idea? Just imagine the creative possibilities attached to these cuties, from topping them with glitter to spritzing them with spray ink. *swoon*



Doodlebug
Doodlebug? More like Drool-dlebug. I mean, bitty bottles of sequins in a rainbow of colors? How can we do anything but drool?

Image Credit: Doodlebug Design


Hazel & Ruby
I stopped in my tracks the moment I laid eye on these beautiful bottles of sequins. Yes, they are sold in these tiny tubes! Isn't that divine. Hazel & Ruby is where it's at, my friends!

Image Credit: Hazel & Ruby blog


Image Credit: Hazel & Ruby blog


Studio Calico
Monochromatic color packs are oh, so perfect for creating an ombre look or just adding a splash of color to your creations!



If you know Teresa Collins, you know she knows her colors and always adds a sophistication to her creations. We're so lucky to enjoy that in sequin form with the release of several different sequin packs. And each includes sequins in four unique sizes, adding all the more variety to life.





4. Vellum
Yes, you read that right. Vellum is back, baby! But it's not limited to the basic vellum of yesteryear. You'll also find it in fun patterns, colors and textures. 

Here are a few if the voluptuous vellum pieces making their way on the crafting scene:






Crate Paper: The Maggie Holmes Styleboard Collection




Win It Before You Can Buy It
Want to win a sampling of BRAND NEW delights before you'll even see them on store shelves? Good news: I'm giving away a sampling from each of today's trendy categories. The prize pack includes items from the following generous companies: American Crafts, Chic Tags, Crate Paper, Doodlebug, Fancy Pants, Hazel & Ruby, My Mind's Eye, Studio Calico, and Teresa Collins Design. Wowee! That's a bundle! 

Entering is easy. Simply leave a comment here, letting me know what your favorite trend is crafting is at the moment (from this line-up or otherwise). You have until Friday, Jan. 31 to enter, at which time I'll randomly select a lucky name to take these awesome elements home. Please include your email address with the comment so I can reach you if you win.

TV Time
It's always more fun to see these sweet treats on the big screen...well, the screen that is. So I invite you to watch my Studio 5 television segment covering these trends here. Thanks for your incredible support!

Bonus
The trend fun isn't over yet. Head on over to the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog for a look at five more CHA trends I can't get enough of. I think you'll be happy you did. 

Cheers!