Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Pretty Paper Dress



Whoo hoo!  Here it is!  This project even exceeded my expectations and that hardly ever happens! Hehehe...  Howdy,  my fellow Creative Creatures!  I've been dying to get this project to you.  It did take me a little while to get it ALL finished, but it was well worth the wait.

I was going through Pinterest and found a lovely card where they used this template.  At least that is what I'm assuming.  I thought it was way too, big for a card and that's why it turned into an altered art project.

At the bottom of this blog entry there is a different link than the one I used, but I believe the template is the same.  The other site no longer has this template, but I did find you one by Googeling paper dress template.  If you want to use it on a card, then you will have to print it out a little smaller than its original form.  ALSO, the top of the dress is a too small/narrow to fit nicely with the waist of the skirt.  That is why the card had such a huge ribbon around the waist?!  You might be able to see how I remedied the problem as well.

This entry is not as much as a tutorial as it might be a warning when you use this template.  The things to watch out for.  Make sure you fold the pleats quite tight and I would definitely use a heavier paper.  Maybe even a paper that does not mark up too much when you make a hard crease.  You have to very strategically fold and press the skirt just right to fit with the top.  I would have just made another bigger top, but I didn't have any more of this paper and I thought the paper was dead on.  I just couldn't use another in its place.

I crafted another bottom of the top/bodice that was a bit wider.  At least as wide as the top of the skirt was, then used dimensional double sided tape and put the top on top of that. Hehehe...Confused yet?  Just keep it in mind when you are making yours.  The bottom of the top should be a bit wider at the bottom or make and paste your skirt then draw the top to fit.




Check out that hanger!  Don't ya just love it?!  It's just some craft wire that I fashioned into a hanger.  Then I took some of that furry looking yarn and wrapped it all around the wire.  I used tiny glue dots to keep it in place at the ends and it also keeps the hanger in place on the paper, too.  Then I just tied that little ribbon around the top.  Not only to cover up the wrapped wire at the top, but to mirror the ribbon on the dress.

This flower is hand made.  Actually, everything on this project is hand made.  Just take strips of paper, glue dot the ends shut, then put them in a nice circle.  I used small glue dots for this.  I tried putting them all together then taping it all in the middle, but it didn't come out perfect.  I used a lot of dots, but it worked the best for a perfect finish.  Then use a circle punch for the center.  (I used left over paper from the dress.)  Then I cut up a few strands of that pearl and also used glue dots to adhere them just slightly under the center of the flower.  Voila! (If I were to do this again, I would make another layer of petals that are just slightly smaller, for more depth.)


I put the pink ribbon over the dress with double sided tape and then used this tiny ribbon with a pearl on top of that for more pow.  Using more of the stranded pearl, I decorated around the neck of the dress. The little butterfly was just some nice paper I had.  I cut it out and used a thick foam dot to adhere.  It matches the shape of the bow and of course, its pink colour keeps everything coherent.


The other smaller flower is one of those cheapy paper flowers with a bit of pink, glitter glue put stealthily around the edges.  The flower insert is just a paper punch cut out with a pretty pink pearl to tie it all together.

How about the frame?  Left over papers and a few other scraps that matched are just rolled up and placed on double sided tape.  It's all on an old, repainted frame, but you could also use a box top.

I bought nothing to make this project.  Everything you see here was handmade with stuff I had laying around.  Scraps, ribbon from gifts, old frames...I do have a lot of stuff, though. Hehehe...


The bottom of the dress is one of my favorite parts about this project.  This awesome, fuzzy embellishment is from Webster's Pages.  Isn't it just gorgeous?!  You would not believe how I tied all of this together.  I had some papers and this template sitting on my desk.  I threw this card full of ribbon on top of it, by chance and it just jumped out at me.  Perfect!  Of course, I had to go a bit over the top and use this pearl all around the top of the edging.  Serious glam, here!


So, you choose the paper or papers you would like to design your dress in, along with embellishments for it. Then choose your background.  I chose a frame that was just slightly largely than my background.  I used two different colours for it. Then I left some room on my frame, around the edges, for the rolled up paper tubes.  However, it did look pretty darn good without the paper tubes.  I then made all of the embellishments that surround my dress because it looked a little lost on the background without them.  I found some matching ribbon for it to hang on the wall.  I used two different kinds and textures, then made a smaller bow of the stranded pearl.   (I actually acquired this ribbon at a party.  I asked the host if she would be discarding it and if so, could I have it. Hehehe...)

It took me a good full day to make everything, but I enjoyed every step.  If it were by popular request, I would make a tutorial with pictures and detailed step by step instructions for any or all parts.

Here's the link for that template/pattern:http://www.stardel.com/vv/2012/04/25/dress-template-by-card-crazy.  If you make one yourself, be sure to share your pictures!  Now get off your booty and get scrap'n!  Until  the next time!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Making It Happen



It's Sunday evening and my eyes feel like they are going to pop out of my head. Hehehe...
I had to squeeze in another blog.  I try for 2 a week and I can't believe it was that long ago that I did an entry.  Right now I have so much going on, it's tricky to choose what I want to blah, blah, blah about.

The three digital layouts below are from Bella Gypsy's, "Make It Happen" collection.  As you know B.G. is one of my favorite digital suppliers.  They are just so versatile.  The colours are fantastic.  They offer huge collaborations, kits and collections.  It's never the same.  They do whimsical, cutzie, sophisticated.  Always changing, just like me.  I like a little bit of everything.  For me, the bigger a kit, the better.  Especially, when I want to use an occasion or event where I took a lot of pictures.

For instance, the birth of my first child.  "Click, click, click".  Be sure to read the journaling on the last page.  Especially, if you are in the mood for a little giggle.  Awe, he's so tiny! Hehehe...





I was checking out Pinterest to do some scraplifitng.  I love the stuff on there, but when I finish my layout and then look at the place where I got my inspiration it hardly ever even resembles the original.  I guess that's a good thing.

I want to do an instructional tutorial for a download that I also got on Pinterest.  It's a template for a dress that you paper craft.  I finished it all up and it looks...AMAZING!  I can hardly believe that I made it.  It looks like something someone else with a lot talent made. Hehehe...

I am sure you will love it and have your own ideas on how to make it beautiful and yours.  Be ready for it, but until then, happy scrapping!

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Parisian Mini



Whoo hoo!  A super, happy Saturday to all of you out there in cyber land!

I have finally managed to get my butt up to the attic, where all of my actual, traditional, scrapbooking things are.  Although, I'm in the middle of at least 3 different projects, this Paris one has been really fun so far, as expected.  I'm working with just pink, black, white, off white, silver and gold.  

My pictures are pretty pathetic.  Why on earth would we take such lame pictures of Paris?!  A little too much Parisian beverages of the alcoholic sort perhaps?  It wasn't the first time I've been there and I'm sure I'll go back again, but this trip was special. It was for my hubby's and my 5th year wedding anniversary.  Although, that was 3 years ago.  I still can't believe it was 3 years ago.  It feels like just yesterday. We go out once a year for a weekend away from high maintenance children and it really is a needed experience.  

Paris is a super, super place to visit.  The architecture is amazing and of course the food is good.  We stayed at a lovely little hotel not far from the Arc De Triumph and did the typical toursity stuff.  The Louvre had about a 4 hour wait to get in.  So we ditched that.  I had already been there and it was definitely an awesome museum.  A must see.

So here is the start to my mini Paris Album.  It has to be a mini because I only took a dozen pictures or so.  A small sized book is best for that.  This is a 6x6 and I have to say, totally lame for pages with dimension.  Ugh!  I will no longer buy these sleeve type books.  They just can't handle any kind of thick embellishments and I love embellishments. I may try to figure out if I can somehow dissect it and make a different kind of book, but with the same covering.  If it is a success, I will be sure to let you know how it goes. 

I really wish I had some kind of set or collection for this book, but alas, not.  I just gathered my color pallet through all of my collections and made no special purchases.  This means a lot of home made stuff and a dash of extra creativity.

OK, enough blah, blah, blah...  Enjoy the pictures.  I will be posting the other pictures as I get them finished.




 
My rather mundane attempt at layering.  Not sure if it is lack of skill as it is a lack of cash for an abundance of coordinating goodies.  All the same, we make do with what we have.




The above page is pretty cool.  I'm digging on that transparent tag.  I've always loved black and white.  It seems like a timeless classic.  Does that make any sense? Hehehe...




There you have the beginnings of a mini, filled with terrible pictures and much needed bling and glitter, for it is Paris.

I have another huge project in the works, but I don't want to spoil the surprise.  So, I'll just be showing little glimpses of the work in progress.

Have a restful and wonderful weekend!