Dreamweaver Thanksgiving Parade

This is the first of new weekly Thursday posts by the entire Dreamweaver Team. This week, we had a challenge--to create a Christmas card using non-traditional colors. I had so much fun with this that I created two! I have chosen to only post one today, so be on the lookout for a purple glittered Christmas card in the future....... Meanwhile, here she is:

So, if you haven't guessed, my nontraditonal color choice is orange, blue, and ivory. The skater was easily created by running the stencil through my manual die cut machne. Then, I used a Versamarker and embossing powder on the skates (silver and white). Three colors of Ranger Adirondack Ink (Peach Bellini, Orange Sunset and Terra Cotta) were used to stencil her face, coat, and Season's Greetings tag. I used Fun Flock on the fur, hair and earmuffs.

The snowflake details were created with almond colored shrink plastic. I cut it out with Spellbinders Dies and sanded it. Then, I used a snowflake stencil (two different ones, actually) and Brilliance Moonlight Ink to add the images. I must have had some blue in my stencil brush, because the color shifted when I heated the project. I loved the result, though--so I kept it. I used a Copic marker to outline the image.

I punched the guide hole on the snowflakes using my Crop A Dile. Of course, even the large hole would not have been big enough for the brad once the pattern was shrunk. Because of this, I heated the plastic with my heat gun and punched it again when it was still warm. This did the trick, and I was able to push the brad though and create the look I wanted.

The paper is a Graphic 45 Christmas paper. I just fell in love with doing this project, as I was amused by the challenge and pleased with the results. I couldn't help but giggle as I thought about how, between this card and its diametrically opposed glittery purple sister, I was creating Christmas cards in Halloween colors. If nothing else, it gave me a fresh perspective on Christmas tradions. Give it a try sometime--and check in next week for more Dreamweaver goodness!

Christmas Recipe Box

The store I work at has started playing Christmas music and, while I do sort of think it is too early, it was wonderful to listen as I taught this class. It was half of a workshop that I ran twice with my friend and coworker, Claudia. She taught a cookie recipe book, while I taught this box. When I created it, I thought of it as simply a cute recipe box that someone would fill with the special family recipes that you only use for Christmas. I worked on it, though, I got to thinking about what a great gift box it would make! (Just fill it with stencils and glitter for me, please!) Also, I was thinking I will probably put mine on the mantle as just a cute Christmas decoration.



The box started as a $1 recipe box. I created the project adding a chipboard roof, Graphic 45 paper and Co'ordinations Cardstock. The box, of course, opens (for all that glitter to fit into!).

The doors, which are made with the Creative Imaginations Real Wood paper (the thicker Cherry wood), also open to reveal the cute Santa image. In the students' version, you can't see the back of the brads that make up the door handles, as they are hidden with the cardstock backing.

The images and the colorful frames are all from the Graphic 45 paper. The wooden frames are that real wood paper again, cut small and run through the Xyron. The "icicles" are a ribbon stuck under the eaves with Glue Dots.

So, do any of my Dreamweaver followers recognize the roof? It is the Dreamweaver fish scales stencil run through my embossing machine with the Co'ordinations cardstock. It was then sanded and trimmed to make the cute roof. The slight white "frosty" shimmer comes from Metallic FX in Moonstone just rubbed over the top with a finger. It sticks in the texture to create the look. Then, I added white Liquid Applique, which I heat set for a puffy snow look.

Finally, the cute Santa. He, too, was taken from the paper and mounted on chipboard. I then cut out around the Santa. What you can't see in the picture is that the reverse of the same Santa (there was a front and back on the paper) was cut out and pasted on the back. You can see his belly poking out from behind the chimney on the back of the box. I took my two sided Santa and colored the black parts with a journalling pen. I then added white flock and a fantastically beautiful red Art Institute Glitter. He was just the finishing touch I needed!

Dreamweaver Christmas Card Class

Here are the cards for my Christmas Dreamweaver Stencils class.
This card was made with four different types of paste--black matte, glossy white, regular and crackle. The moose antlers were crackled and then stencilled with pigment ink. The moose was enhanced with two colors of Fun Flock. The string of lights was pasted with the regular paste, and then covered with a Versamark marker and Zing metallic green embossing powder. The bulbs were covered in beautiful Art Institute Glitter. Finally, his antlers were enhanced with embroidery floss and beads.



I love the technique used on this one. The ornament was pasted using the regular paste. I then enhanced the dimensionality by adding a little shading of Distress Ink. With a technique I learned from Lynell herself, I overlayed an all over holly stencil and used pigment ink in green to stencil the pattern. While it was still wet, I added UTEE and embossed. The silver was added with a Versamark marker and tinsel embossing powder. The berries are red Stickles. The word "celebrate" was pasted in Glossy Black and Metallic FX was thrown on it while wet, making a lovely, shiny effect.




This card used silver embossing paste and pearlescent embossing paste on acetate. I stacked the two images. The silver image is in the back. When dry, I flipped the design and added alcohol ink to the back. I enhanced the berries with Stickles. It was simple, but is striking in person. I just love it.




Simple, simple, simple. All glossy black embossing paste with Metallic FX thrown on while wet and berries enhanced with Art Institute Glitter.






This one was honestly probably my favorite. Fortunately, it was also one of the simplest ones to do. I used the double sided sticky backed paper by Dreamweaver, cut to the size of the stencil. Then, I soaped the back of the stencil, and attached it to the paper. I used light green transparent Art Institute Glitter on the leaves. I carefully added the yellow beads to the center. Then, I poured a pink transparent Art Institute Glitter on the flower. Using a stencil brush, I stencilled on some pigment ink in dark green and burgundy to add dimension to the flower. The glitter took it beautifully. The secret is to use a high quality, transparent glitter, because it accepts and reflects the colors better. After I was happy with the look, I VERY carefully peeled the backing off of the stencil (put the stencil down on the table and peel the paper up off of it). Then, I poured the Art Glitter opaque color Martini over the whole piece. It was really fun to do!