Valentine Garland

Here is a quick and easy decoration for Valentine's Day!

The die I used is the Garland from the Vintage Kitchen collection.

I have fond memories of cutting strips of paper and gluing them together as a child making paper chains to decorate our Christmas tree. But with this die is there is no need to cut or glue! Each strip has interlocking slots at each end and all you have to do is join them together!  Keep adding links until the chain is as long as you'd like. This is a great activity for kids to do too.

Make a chain to decorate for parties, special occasions, and seasonal decor. Hang flowers, letters or photos from it to personalize. There are so many ways to use this die.

It also fits around your wrist so you can cut it from leather or fabric to make bracelets! There are three different designs on the die. Each link can also be used as a bracelet and the negative space has lots of uses too (see here).

To assemble a chain, hold a strip with your thumbs over slots on either end and raise one hand above the other. Press one slot under and one slot up so one slot is depressed and one is raised. Now curl the strip so the slots meet and connect the strips to make a chain. Repeat. And that’s it!

If you want to keep this as a permanent garland, you can staples or glue the slots together. If you want to store it flat, just take the links apart and store for the next time to conserve space and prevent the chain from being crushed in storage.

Here are some more Valentine projects to inspire you...

Quick and Easy Valentine Cookie Box by Lisa Hoel- visit her blog for how-to's!

Here's a Round Robin banner I made with some friends last year... a fun way to create together. 

Read about it here.

Romantic Canning Jar tags- how-to here...

Happy Valentine crafting everyone! See you in two weeks...    Eileen

Soft tag by Olga

Hello all,

today I would like to share with you my new tag. This time I created a soft project which can be gifted to anybody as expression of gratitude. Or like an addition to a main present.

I used tag die for the base and flourish and a butterfly to decorate it.

The products I used:

Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (Powder Blue & Teal)

Sizzix Originals Die - Flourish, Beautiful

Have a nice day!

Olga

Come back to hexagons

Hi everyone!! I come back to hexagons again using Sizzix dies. After selecting my fabrics  I had kept for something especial, I finally decided I wanted a nice grandma garden quilt. It won't´be very big , but enough to enjoy sewing nice hexies.

First of all I cut out a lot of   cardstock  hexagons  with  658317

Sizzix Bigz Die - Hexagons, 1" Sides #2, so quick so easy.  Then I did the same with the fabrics  and die 658318 Sizzix Bigz Die - Hexagons, 1 1/4" Sides

I try to sew  the hexagon fabric  through the corners on the wrong side , so I don´t need to cut  the thread  on the right side and I save time. Maybe you do the same.

And here it is my first big and " round" block finished and two more ready to sew a new round.

I love the idea to spend some time watching a movie on tv after a long day and have a rest sewing my hexies.

I will show some progress in my blog Las labores de Mercedes  if you want to follow me. 

Hope you have a nice week and start February full of ideas using Sizzix dies in this blog. 

See you next Saturday with a new Valentine project. 

Love

Mercedes

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¡Hola a todo el mundo! Vuelvo de nuevo con hexágonos utilizando los troqueles de Sizzix. Después de seleccionar mis telas que tenía reservadas para algo especial, decidí que quería montar un quilt , no muy grande. Haciendo un jardín de la abuela.

Primero corté  un montón de hexágonosde cartulina  con  el troquel de 1” de lado     658317

Sizzix Bigz Die - Hexagons, 1" Sides #2,             super fácil y rápido. Luego hice lo mismo con las telas y el  del 1.1/4” de lado 658318 Sizzix Bigz Die - Hexagons, 1 1/4" Sides

Intento siempre coser las esquinas  por la parte trasera del hexágono  , así no tengo que cortar el hilo  por delante y ahorro tiempo. A lo mejor tú haces lo mismo.

En las fotos puedes ver mis progresos y cómo he montado el bloque “ redondo “ a partir de los hexágonos.

Iré enseñando mis progresos en mi blog Las labores deMercedes por si quieres seguirme. Espero que tengas una estupenda semana y empieces febrero lleno de ideas que el blog de Sizzix puede ofrecerte.

Cariños

Mercedes

Setting the table

With Valentines just round the corner, this month I chose a rather lovely bundle of Cotton and Steel blenders paired with some Kona Snow and the Equilateral Triangle Die (658663) with my Big Shot machine.

I'm not one for making a huge deal out of Valentines, but with the new year has come a renewed effort to rid my home of clutter.  Its working!  The easiest spot to de-cluttered was the table, often found piled with papers, laptop, post, handbag, ... you get the picture.  So what better than to celebrate with a new table runner.

I had a rough plan, which I mapped out on EQ7, so I knew to cut 22 patterned triangles and 70 background.  To manage my time and fabrics easier, I cut 5" strips from my fat quarters of cotton and steel, and the same again across the width of fabric for the background.  This meant I could manage the fabric cuts to maximize yield.

you can get 7 triangles from one FQ strip or 14 from a full width of fabric strip.  Layer up your fabrics and position them just over the previous cut line with each pass through the machine.

I started by making background half hexi's from 3 triangles. a total of 22 of these. 

then laid everything out, to piece patterned triangles to the half hexi's and then into strips. Once you have 2 strips, joint these together. 

Trim the ends, ensuring you have 1/4" beyond the points for seam allowance.

measure your top, add borders, mine were 4" finished, layer up, and quilt as desired. 

Of course the pattern creates the perfect opportunity for some fancy quilting!

I trimmed up the runner after quilting and used the left overs from the fat quarters and the 2 1/2" strip die (658328) to cut my strips for a scrappy binding.

I'm really pleased with the result, and its making it easier to keep the table clear too!

If you haven't seen already, pop over to my blog to see what I used to keep the runner in place. 

This runner is 60" x 24" and is just perfect for my table.  I hope you'll give the equilateral triangle die a go, and create something beautiful in time for Valentines too.  

Snug as a bug!

That's what I'll be when this little lap quilt is complete -

 

I decided to try to use up all of the wool fabric that I had - so this really is a scrap quilt - which is already becoming a favourite before it's quite finished - maybe partly because the weather forecast is for much colder weather and I will be able to curl up under this beauty!

To get the most out of the pieces of wool I had I decided to cut more squares and rectangles in different sizes - I have already cut out rectangles using Bigz die 658113 - 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" unfinished

 http://www.sizzix.co.uk/product/658113/sizzix-bigz-xl-die-rectangle-4-x-8-finished-4-1-2-x-8-1-2-unfinished

 

and squares using Bigz Die 659838 - 4 1/2" unfinished square - http://www.sizzix.co.uk/product/659838/sizzix-bigz-die-square-4-finished-4-1-2-unfinished

using the Big Shot machine, and then

I also cut out some 3 1/2" unfinished squares with die http://www.sizzix.co.uk/catalog#q=657608 

and some 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" unfinished rectangles - http://www.sizzix.co.uk/catalog#q=657625

Finally I cut a few 6 1/2" unfinished squares - using the Big Shot Pro http://www.sizzix.co.uk/product/656250/sizzix-big-shot-pro-machine-only-periwinkle-w-standard-accessories and die http://www.sizzix.co.uk/catalog#q=657264d 

My plan was to create 12" finished blocks - so I could make some using all of the 4"/8" shapes and some using the 3"/6" shapes --

The photo below shows the lay out for the 4"/8" pieces

 and this photo shows the layout for the 3"/6" pieces. ( the photo is a cheat because the proper one came out a very strange colour so I laid out another block but didn't have enough rectangles!!!)

I had enough pieces to make a total of 16 blocks which I decided to lay the pieces out randomly, but took care to make sure that the colours and patterns were mixed in each row.

I joined the blocks into 4 rows of 4 and then joined the rows - so I have a lap quilt measuring 48 1/2" square.

Just a note that I still only used a 1/4" seam and I pressed the seams flat open on the wrong side to try to reduce bulk at the seams.

I like it so much I'm going to add another photo -

I'm going to back the quilt with either a plain wool or fleece - I'll show you a photo of it finished next week.

And just as I was going to finish this blog - one of my friends, Alex, suggested that there were enough pieces left to make a cushion so I trimmed the remaining pieces to 3 1/2" squares and laid them out like this -

 

 which when stitched together became a cushion front -

which then just left this -

I'm very pleased to have used so much of these beautiful fabrics and will show you the finished quilt and cushion next week - along with a lovely valentine project.

Keep warm this week - I'm hoping for snow to go and play in with the grandchildren - we can hope.

Angela





Snowflakes and winter layout by Karine

Hi everyone,

Here is a seasonal winter page with a picture of my son & me taken a few years ago 

Supply list:

Cardstock: Scrap Plaisir

Glitter paper: American Crafts

Papers: 4heures37, Carta Bella

Stickers: Very Merry Kit EntreARTistes

Stamp: Bloomini Studio

Ink: Black Versafine

Masking Tape

Spray ink: Mister Huey's Studio Calico

Dies:

658300 :  Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit

659994 :  Sizzix Bigz Die-Snowflakes #3

Select a soft colour combo: beige, pink and icy blue. Sprinkle the whole with glitters by inserting an American Crafts paper. Splash some white spray ink and your page is done!

The two snowflakes are cut out of a Glitter Pow! Paper from American Crafts. It is really the ideal paper to use on your winter lay-outs. The snowflakes are stapled (not glued) for more volume. Simply add some golden stickers and some masking tapes strips put down here and there.

Finish by creating fake snowflakes with the help of your Mister Huey’s ink spray.

Have a lovely day!

Karine

Bonjour tout le monde,

Une petite page hivernale ce jour, bien de saison avec une photo de mon fils et moi-même prise il y a quelques années :)

Matériel :

Cardstock : Scrap Plaisir

Papier Paillettes : American Crafts

Papiers : 4heures37, Carta Bella

Autocollants : Very Merry Kit EntreARTistes

Tampons : Bloomini Studio

Encre : Versafine noire

Masking Tape

Encre en spray : Mister Huey's Studio Calico

Dies utilisés :

658300 :  Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit

659994 :  Sizzix Bigz Die-Snowflakes #3

Sélectionnez un combo couleur tout doux à savoir : beige, rose et bleu glacial, parsemé le tout de paillettes en intégrant un papier American Crafts, saupoudrez d'encre en spray blanche et votre page est prête !

Les deux flocons sont découpés ici dans un papier Glitter Pow! American Crafts juste parfait pour illustrer et accompagner vos pages hivernales. Les flocons sont agrafés et non collés pour plus de relief. Complétez simplement avec des autocollants dorés et des petits bouts de Masking Tape collés ici et là.

Terminez en simulant des flocons blancs avec votre encre en spray Mister Huey's.

Bonne journée !

Karine

With love....

Valentine's day is almost upon us again so I am dedicating the next three weeks to creating a few different cards  in a variety of styles featuring some of the new Sizzix dies.

This week I am showcasing a lovely little Thinlits set called Happy Home designed by Craft Asylum which makes a cute bird house, perfect for fresh, clean contemporary styles I've also used the Meadow Sweet paper pad from Craft Asylum which complements the die collection beautifully.

 I began by die-cutting the main body of the bird house from the wood grain paper before using the heart die to cut an aperture in the centre. I then cut the trim for the roof and attached it to the birdhouse using adhesive foam pads before mounting onto a brown die-cut bird house to create a sense of dimension.

Once the house is assembled I used a craft knife to cut a strip of the wood grain paper to act as the pole on which the birdhouse stands. Next, I took the sheet of paper with the bird and branch printed on it before trimming to the size of my A6 white base card. I tore the sheet in half applied it to the top of the card onto which I had printed the legend 'make a little bird house in your soul' which was the title of a song released in 1989 by the American band They Might be Giants. it's such a cheery song and never fails to lift the spirits when it comes on the radio as it still does from time to time.

Before attaching the assembled birdhouse I used a pattern makers wheel to add a faux stitch effect around the edges which I adore as a finishing touch to many of my cards.

The last detail is provided by a double length of knotted twine. It's such a sweet little card and one that I would be more than happy to receive myself. i do hope you approve?

Hello friend - speech bubbles

 

 

I wanted to create a card with speech bubbles for today and I combined dies from Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 8PK - Basics and Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 6PK - I Heart This for this week's card.

 

 

I started by diecutting the larger speech bubble directly into a piece of white cardstock. I then added vellum behind the speech bubble on which I had stamped my sentiments.

 

I diecut two smaller speech bubbles and added them around the larger speech bubble. The final touch was a few enamel dots.

 

Supply list:

Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (Powder Blue & Teal)
Sizzix Accessory - Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 8PK - Basics
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 6PK - I Heart This

Cardstock
Vellum
Patterned paper (Snap)
Enamel dots (My Mind's Eye)
Stamps (Winnie & Walter)
Embossing powder (Artemio)
Ink (VersaMark, VersaFine)

 

---o---

 Jeg ville lave et kort med talebobler, og derfor kombinerede jeg dies fra Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 8PK - Basics og Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 6PK - I Heart This til denne uges kort.

Jeg startede med at udstanse den store bobbel midt på et stykke hvidt karton. Derefter satte jeg et stykke vellum bagved udstansningen, hvorpå jeg havde stemplet min hilsen.

Slutteligt udstansede jeg to små talebobler, satte dem rundt om den store og pynede med et par enkelte enamel dots.
 

Ingredienser:

Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (Powder Blue & Teal)
Sizzix Accessory - Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 8PK - Basics
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 6PK - I Heart This

Karton
Vellum
Mønstret papir (Snap)
Enamel dots (My Mind's Eye)
Stempler (Winnie & Walter)
Embossing powder (Artemio)
Sværte (VersaMark, VersaFine) 

Butterfly card

Hello to all, here is my new butterfly card:)

Sizzix products:
Sizzix Big Shot Machine 657900
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 8PK - Butterflies, Intricate 659971
Sizzix Framelits Die Set 12PK - Fancy Cards 659967

Other products:
Pion Design papers; Paris Flea Market, Prima sentiment sticker, glue, douplesided tape.

This card is cabinet model, you can make the size you like.  Cut the two bigger backgroundpapers  size you like, the smallest one usind die from the set Sizzix Framelits Die Set 12PK - Fancy Cards 659967 . Cut the butterflies using Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 8PK - Butterflies, Intricate 659971 and make them finished. Finally place these all together like above:)

Happy crafting, Minna

*    *    *    *

Moi, tässä uusi perhoskortti joka on cabinet mallinen.

Sizzix tuotteet:
Sizzix Big Shot Machine 657900
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 8PK - Butterflies, Intricate 659971
Sizzix Framelits Die Set 12PK - Fancy Cards 659967

Muut tarvikkeet:
Pion Design paperit; Paris Flea Market, Prima tarra, liimaa, kaksipuoleista teippiä

Leikkaa kaksi isointa taustapaperia oman makusi mukaan:) ja pienin stanssilla setistä Sizzix Framelits Die Set 12PK - Fancy Cards 659967 . Leikkaa perhoset stansseilla  Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 8PK - Butterflies, Intricate 659971  ja tee ne valmiiksi. Lopuksi kokoa kaikki yhteen kuten kuvassa:)

Mukavaa keskiviikkoa, Minna