Altoid Specimen Tin

Even if I haven't been posting like crazy, I've been making like mad. I've hit one of those periods where one inspiration leads to another, and so on, until I can't possibly keep up with all the ideas in my head!

There are about three hundred things on the go in my studio, but I wanted to make sure to share something before you forgot about me. So, I finished up this specimen Altoid tin to show off today.

The outside paper is from Communique. The inside is lined with vintage music paper. The butterflies are fussy cut from Butterfly Specifics - Old Curiosity Shoppe.

All those little specimen labels are from THIS new collage sheet set. I'm including two pages in this set. One page is filled with blank labels and the other filled with descriptions (low key fairy themed). While there aren't editable text areas, if you have basic photoshop/photo editing skills you should be able to add text on top of the image file, adding your own descriptions.

For authenticity, I recommend viewing THIS tutorial to create an aged glass look.

  A little bit of fake grime makes a big difference!

Inside those jars are all sorts of wee things. Twigs, roots, petals, bones, glitter, moss... basically anything that fit inside those little vials.

All the bits used:

Artifact Labels - 2 PDF collage sheet download

Mint tin
Mini vials

Communique (exterior paper)

Old Curiosity Shoppe (paper butterflies)
Music paper

Wee bits to fill the vials

Metal card/Label holder

Glue/Paint

Garden Goddess Cards with 60 Second #G45videotutorial

Spring eluded me. There was snow on the ground when I awoke, and more was expected by the end of the week. I’d been daydreaming of buds and blooms forever. With that in mind, I made a simple set of six bright and cheery Garden Goddess cards to get me through the lingering winter weather.

There’s a lot of fussy cutting in those cards, but the assembly is simple. The exact same steps are used to create the entire set of six different cards.

To begin, fussy cut loads and loads of flowers and leaves from the Garden Goddess collection. Loads. A lot. More than you think you’ll ever use. You’ll also want to cut out some figures which will be the central focus for your cards.

Next, I create a bunch of crumply, colored background sheets. My set includes three themed colours used in the Garden Goddess collection: green, pink and yellow. I prepared backgounds in each of the colours using Clearsnap Decades Dye Pad Antique Moss, Clearsnap Decades Dye Pad Precious Pink and Clearsnap Decades Dye Pad Venetian Lace to match perfectly.

To create the backgrounds cut plain white paper smaller than the folded card size. Spritz with water and crumple into a loose ball. After crumpling gently roll it on the Clearsnap Decades Dye Pad of your choice. Unfurl the crumpled paper, then smoosh in some additional colour. Unfurl again, lay flat, and let dry.

The cards are created by layering a cut piece of Garden Goddess paper, a crumpled background and a round frame cut using the Square Tag & Clock Dies, all in the same colour theme, on top of a plain white card.

With the base in place, a goddess is added (I added wings to mine), then flowers, and a Garden Goddess sentiment. Most of the embellishing is kept to the bottom and sides, with a couple of flowers added to the top corners. The focus is the Goddess in the centre of each card.

I couldn’t resist adding a few butterflies from Flutter as a final touch.

I have a #g45videotutorial video to show you just how easy these come together.

 

That wasn’t so hard right?! You got this!

Here are all of the bits you’ll need to create this entire set of Garden Goddess cards.

Garden Goddess Collection papersClearsnap Decades Dye Pad Antique MossClearsnap Decades Dye Pad Precious Pink
Clearsnap Decades Dye Pad Venetian Lace
Square Tag & Clock Dies
Flutter

Printed Fairy Wings on Transparency SheetPlain white paper
Water
Plain white base card
Foam spacer squares
Glue

Tooth Fairy Exchange Altoid Tin

I decided that it was time to finally update my "Tooth Fairy Letter PDF" . There's not a thing wrong with it, it's cute as heck! But I think THIS is a fun change...

There's A LOT chocked on to that sheet. All of it to ensure a smooth lost tooth transaction. All scaled to fit inside a Altoids style tin.

There's letters and envelopes, certificates, receipts and other nice bits to celebrate the moment.

I sort of can't wait until I'm ultra old and loose all my teeth so that I can use this myself! 

**VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: I absolutely do not want to loose my old grown-up adult teeth and do not really want to use this kit for my own tooth exchange.

If you've got a little one with wiggly teeth, or are quite old and expecting a repeat visit from the Tooth Fairy, the listing for this jam packed page can be found HERE.

And if you don't have any altoid tins on hand, don't fret! You can always tuck the bits inside an envelope instead... or maybe a jar! or perhaps a shoe! Your brilliant mind will come up with something.

A Visit to Wonderland Part II: Wee Wonderland Accordion Book with Tutorial

A second Wonderland post?! A second post WITH a tutorial?! We ARE all mad here.

My second project today is a teeny weeny hardcover Wonderland album. 

Psst... If you haven't already visited my other Wonderland post, pop over to Part I: Messy Mixed Media Wonderland Character Cards

This sweet little album made with a Matchbox Ticket Journal - Black and a bit of card-stock, has cut out window so that the pics can be slipped out and changed.

So let's get to it!

To begin, you'll need a Matchbox Ticket Journal - Black

Remove ONE of the tickets. This makes just enough pages to fold into a book properly.

Skipping the first and last ticket, cut/punch out a window in the remaining tickets.

Apply a fine neat line of glue to the bottom edge and crease of each ticket, again skipping the two end tickets. Don't go too crazy with the glue because you want to make sure you can slip pictures into the pocket that will be created.

Fold the Matchbox Ticket Journal - Black so that you have something that looks like this.

Cut a piece of plain card that is larger than your ticket book. Mark the center point, then mark where you will need to score to create the 'spine' of your book.

Score and fold the cardstock to create the cover. Bending the card back and forth to make sure that the fold is 'loose' makes fitting everything together a bit easier.

Cut the cover paper for your book larger than your folded card. Notch each corner and fold as pictured. **Remember to glue your cover to the BACK SIDE of the cover paper.

Fold the paper over the edges and glue into place. Once again, score the spine edges and fold back and forth. Again, this makes the spine loose and helps to fit everything together.

Glue the first and last ticket to the cover you've created. Do not glue the spine. Fiddle and fart around until everything fits and folds perfectly.

Now you can slip pictures in the pocket pages you've created! Add snips and bits, creating your own little Wonderland album.

Don't forget to decorate your cover too. I've added a bit cut from the Tiny Alice Book Covers Collage Sheet, along with a Medium Bronze White Rabbit Charm.

Tip: You can chop the loop off many charms with cutting pliers. Use a metal file to smooth the cut edge. A dab with an ink pad on the filed area will camouflage the area.

And, ta dahhhh! You're done!

Ready? Here are all the bits I used:

• Tiny Alice Book Covers Collage Sheet

• Medium Bronze White Rabbit Charm

• Matchbox Ticket Journal - Black

• Hearts & Clubs Card Suits Scrapbook Paper

• cardstock

• glue

• ink pad

A Visit to Wonderland Part I: Messy Mixed Media Wonderland Character Cards

AlphaStamps is visiting Wonderland once again with this month's Alice Accordion Book Kit, and so I hopped along for the trip.

I've got two projects to share today, and, hold on to your pantaloons, I've got a tute too! I'm breaking this post up into two parts to try to keep things orderly and under control (Ha! Funny, right?) For the second project post, please hop over HERE.

But first, some Messy Mixed Media Wonderland Cards

My set includes the Tweedle boys, the Hatter, the Hare and the Queen. Each being assigned a card suit in this Playing Card Set - 4 Suits (Alice is probably off somewhere drinking something she really shouldn't.)

Ahh, the Hatter. What a nut.

These cards were made simply. The background is old paper with an oval of Hearts & Clubs Card Suits Scrapbook Paper on top. I painted the corners of the background so that when the top layer is in place, they match the suit. 

The top layer is just painted and inked and stamped, not covered in paper at all. When put in place, I've filled the suit crevice with Glossy Accents, and the whole thing grunged up.

Then it was just a matter of adding fussy cut characters and a matching sentiment from the We're All Mad Here Collage Sheet. 

How cute would these be used as name place cards at a tea party?! Gah! Now I need a tea party. Maybe we should have an online mad hatters party where we fussy cut, eat cookies, and tell inappropriate jokes. You in?

Here are all the supplies I used for Part I: Messy Mixed Media Wonderland Character Cards:

• Hearts & Clubs Card Suits Scrapbook Paper

• We're All Mad Here Collage Sheet

• Playing Card Sets - 4 Suits
• Glossy Accents

• paint

• old paper

• glue

• foam adhesive squares

• ink and stamp

Ok, now lets pop over to Part II: Wee Wonderland Accordion Book with Tutorial

A Full Moon Mobile

Some people love the sea... I love the night sky and light of the moon. I've made myself a little mobile so that I might have a slice of that celestial magic inside.

I'm really pleased with how it came out and it was really quite simple. I even have a tutorial for you below, but first a  couple of notes about this project:

• Don't fret if you can't find the wooden shapes I used. You can absolutely cut your own from cardboard

• Really, really, really play around with balance to find where the best placement of your stars and moon, and also where to place the hanging wire.

• I 100% DO NOT recommend this project for above a baby crib. Bark, fishing line, glitter and tiny stars that might come loose may all pose a danger to little ones. Don't risk it!

• I only decorated the front of the pieces because I'll be hanging my mobile against a wall. If you want to suspend yours you may want to decorate both sides of your stars and moon.

Okay? Okay.

Here are all the things I used:
Wooden circle and stars
Old sheet music
Glue
Acrylic Paint
Nail file
Glitter
Twig
Acrylic stars
Fishing line

And, finally, here's how it's made it:

If you make your own, please tag me when you're showing off. It really is the best compliment and it helps promote my little crafty mess making heaps and heaps. Plus, I just love to see what you're making ;)

NOW GO MAKE SOME MOON MAGIC!!!!

Playing with colour and good advice

Inspiration has struck and left me dizzied. I can't seem to focus on one idea long enough to finish before having another idea I *need* to work on. 

This collection of colourful pieces did not start out as experiments in colour but here we are.

I had made myself a sheet of vintage medallions and nice words that could be strung together into encouraging words with a specific intent. This was not that intent but I think they're rather fun and I have been in dire need of a jolt of joyous colour.

Stringing words together to produce lovely sentiments is one of my favorite activities. The results often feel like messages from the universe.

Sometimes they provide solid words advice or much needed positivity.

And while I plan on following through with my original plans, I think this colourful distraction was a valuable creative experiment.

Feel like playing too? I have a three page pdf download available HERE