Winter Village - Completed Project

Hello everyone!

Back at the beginning of November I designed a village with 12 buildings and some stoops.  I called it the "Blank Canvas Village" because it was designed to showcase any desired theme, paper collection, or mixed media techniques.

I took my chipboard village and turned it into a winter village.  I chose this theme so I could play along with Linda Coughlin's Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas.

The paper, techniques, embellishments etc. that I used on each of the 12 buildings were in some way inspired by the corresponding tag that Linda designed.

Winter Village - Building Twelve

Hello everyone!

Here I am with the last building in my Winter Village - Building #12, Tomorrow I will post a recap of the entire village.

I've had a super fun time playing along with Linda Coughlin's Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge.

It's been especially fun to see how her tags have inspired a variety of different projects from other crafters who have posted their responses to the challenge each week.

Winter Village - Building Eleven

Hello everyone!

I'm up to Building #11 in my 12 Buildings of Christmas project.  It's hard to believe there is only one more building to complete and then it will be time to do the finishing touches on my Winter Village.

The tags in Linda Coughlin's Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge have been a great inspiration and I think I am on track to meet the December 19th challenge deadline.

Winter Village - Building Ten

Hello everyone!

Here's Building #10 of my Winter Village inspired by the week 10 tag Linda Coughlin (aka the Funkie Junkie) posted on her blog in the 10th installment of the Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge.

Winter Village - Building Nine

Hello everyone!

Here's Building #9 in my village - wow there are just a few left of the 12 total buildings to do!  I've been having a great time playing with mixed media and embellishments as I work on the buildings as part of the Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge.

The challenge is to make something (anything!) inspired by each one of the 12 tags that Linda Coughlin (aka the Funkie Junkie) designs and posts on her blog, The Funkie Junkie in the 12 weeks leading up to Christmas..

But instead of "tags", I'm making the "12 Buildings of Christmas".

Winter Village - Building Eight

Hello everyone!

I'm back with Building #8 in my Winter themed village that I am decorating to play along with the Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge.

The challenge in a nutshell:  each week, starting in September, Linda Coughlin (aka the Funkie Junkie) presents a new tag on her blog, TheFunkieJunkie.blogspot.com.  The challenge is to make something (anything!) inspired by each one of the 12 tags.

Winter Village - Building Seven

Hello everyone!

Here's Building #7 in my Winter themed village.  It's the tallest building in the village and stands about 11" high.

I'm decorating the buildings to play along with the Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge.  In the challenge, Linda Coughlin (aka the Funkie Junkie) presents a new tag on her blog, TheFunkieJunkie.blogspot.com every week.  The challenge is to make something (anything!) inspired by each one of the 12 tags.

Instead of "tags", I'm making the "12 Buildings of Christmas", and using my "Blank Canvas Village design.

Winter Village - Building Six

Hello everyone!

I'm at the halfway point of completing my "12 Buildings of Christmas" as I participate in the Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge now that I have Building 6 done.

The challenge is to make something (anything!) inspired by each one of the 12 weekly tags Linda Coughlin (aka the Funkie Junkie) presents on her blog, TheFunkieJunkie.blogspot.com and get them all done by December 19th.

Winter Village - Building Five

Hello everyone!

I'm back with Building #5 in my Winter themed village that I am decorating to play along with the Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge.

The challenge in a nutshell:  each week, starting in September, Linda Coughlin (aka the Funkie Junkie) presents a new tag on her blog, TheFunkieJunkie.blogspot.com.

The challenge is to make something (anything!) inspired by each one of the 12 tags.

Instead of "tags", I'm making the "12 Buildings of Christmas".

Winter Village - Building Four

Hello everyone!

Building #4 of twelve in the Winter Village which means I'm one third of the way to completing  my "12 Buildings of Christmas" as I participate in the Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge.

This building's decorations are fairly simple because only small portions of the upper walls will show once it is placed in the village.

I added the two trees just so the building wouldn't look to stark in this photo - they'll both be hidden by other buildings in the project.

Winter Village - Building Three

Hello everyone!

Here's Building #3 in my Winter themed village.

I'm decorating the buildings to play along with the Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge.

In the challenge, Linda Coughlin (aka the Funkie Junkie) presents a new tag on her blog, TheFunkieJunkie.blogspot.com every week.  The challenge is to make something (anything!) inspired by each one of the 12 tags.

Instead of "tags", I'm making the "12 Buildings of Christmas", and I'm in a bit of a catch-up mode because Linda's already on week eight!!

Winter Village - Building Two

Hello everyone!

I'm back with Building #2 in my Winter themed village that I am decorating to play along with the Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge.

The challenge in a nutshell:  each week, starting in September, Linda Coughlin (aka the Funkie Junkie) presents a new tag on her blog, TheFunkieJunkie.blogspot.com.  The challenge is to make something (anything!) inspired by each one of the 12 tags.

Instead of "tags", I'm making the "12 Buildings of Christmas".

Winter Village - Building One

Hello everyone!

If you read yesterday's post, you saw the new project I designed called the "Blank Canvas Village". It starts off as a collection of plain chipboard buildings which can be decorated with any paper and mixed media and embellishments you choose.

Well, my theme is Winter with a little Christmas thrown in because I am using the Blank Canvas Village to play along with the Fifth Annual 12 Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie Style challenge.

Blank Canvas Village

Hello everyone!

I have a different kind of project to share with you today.  Instead of building a finished project  around a specific theme, I have instead designed a village that you can take in any direction you choose.

In other words, the village is a "blank canvas", ready for your imagination to take it in any direction. Decide on a theme, and then use paper, mixed media, and/or embellishments to decorate the buildings along that theme.

The village has 12 different buildings of various sizes, shapes and heights.  The tallest building stands 12” and the entire village will fit on a 12” x 12” base.

Rusty Pumpkins

Hello everyone!

Today I have another Halloween project to share with you – I call it Rusty Pumpkins.  Now, the pumpkins don't have actual rust on them, but they kind of look like they do, don't they?

I had wanted to do another Halloween project , but with the holiday fast approaching I knew it had to be something much less complicated than my other project.  I had pumpkins on my mind, and when I saw a video with Prima's Rust Paste, the idea for "Rusty Pumpkins" was born.

The pumpkins I designed are made out of chipboard with paper bag stems.

Haunted Mansion Construction Videos

Hello everyone!

I have uploaded the construction videos to YouTube for the 2016 Haunted Mansion.

There is also a Materials & Cutting Guide, as well as Templates, and Windows & Doors files up on Dropbox.  These are all PDF files which can be downloaded for free.

Haunted Mansion

Hello everyone!

As the weather turns cooler and the leaves begin to change where I live, it's time to think about Halloween, and designing a new haunted house.

This year I was inspired by several Tim Holtz products – the 2016 8x8 paper stash, "Materialize", the "Rickety House" die, and the Halloween-themed Idea-ology products.

The "Rickety House" die was the jumping off point for my house design.  I took inspiration from the porches, the many windows and the roof design.  As is the case with most of my designs, this house is built around a secret compartment – but more on that part later.  The house is entirely made of chipboard and paper.

The house uses different types of lighting.  There are three LED tea lights – two in the dormer windows and one in the front entrance.  Windows on three sides of the house and the square tower are illuminated with strings of tiny LED lights.

Anglerfish & Mini Album - Construction Videos

Hello everyone!
I have uploaded the construction videos to YouTube for both the Anglerfish and the Mini Album that fits inside the fish.

There is also a Materials & Cutting Guide for both projects up on Dropbox, as well as Template files for the Anglerfish. These are all PDF files which can be downloaded for free.

Anglerfish

Hello Everyone!

Today I have a new project to share with you - it's an Anglerfish.

This original design is made entirely of chipboard and paper.

I used the Graphic 45 "Voyage Beneath the Sea" paper collection. I included lots of metal embellishments since the paper collection has a Steampunk vibe as well as the underwater theme.

Construction - Metro Gear Box

Hello everyone!
I just uploaded to YouTube a two part video series showing the construction of the Metro Gear Box.

This box can be made in whatever size you want and in the video I explain how to measure to make sure the box will be the right size to hold whatever you want to put inside.  The video also explains how to measure and make a lid that will fit properly on the box.

The main feature of the box is the moving gear assembly.  I used the new Tim Holtz Gadget Gear #2 die in my version.  These gears will interlock and turn properly.  There may be other gear dies that could work as well, but this is the one with which I am familiar.

Metro Gear Box and Mini Album

Hello everyone!

Today's project is a box and mini album that showcase Laura Denison's (Following the Paper Trail) first digital paper collection which she recently introduced, "Metropolitan Gallery".

The theme for this project is gears/steampunk. The gears on the top of the box all turn - the big gear turns the medium sized gear, and the medium sized gear turns the small gear.  I designed the box to hold one of Laura's mini albums - the "Split Paper Bag Album".

Enchanted Projects - Construction Videos

Hello everyone!
I have uploaded the construction videos to YouTube for both the Enchanted Castle and the Enchanted Mixed Media Album that fits inside the castle.

There are also Materials & Cutting Guides for both projects up on Dropbox, as well as the Castle Template files. These are all PDF files which can be downloaded for free.

Enchanted Mixed Media Album

Hello everyone!

I've finished the mini album that hides in the Enchanted Castle (see the post dated 4/27/2016) – and here it is, the Enchanted Mixed Media Album.

I wanted to do something a little different with this book, so I decided to switch up the content and also use a binding technique I hadn't used for a while.  So I added lots of pages and inserts with watercolor paper and used the super flexible binding method called sewing on tapes.  The book features the same paper as the Enchanted Castle – Graphic 45's "Enchanted Forest".

Enchanted Castle

The Enchanted Castle is a three dimensional paper project made entirely out of chipboard.  It sits on a 12” x 12” base and the height of the tallest tower is 15”.  It includes a hidden compartment that holds a coordinating mixed media mini album.

The Castle features Graphic 45's Enchanted Forest Paper Collection.  From the first time I saw this collection with the princesses and princes and fairies I knew I wanted to design a castle around the paper, and I wanted the castle to have lots of towers.  If you count the turrets, the project has thirteen towers so I think I met that goal!

Construction Videos & Cutting Guide - Steam(punk) Locomotive

Hello everyone!
I have uploaded all of the construction videos to YouTube for both the Steam(punk) Locomotive and the Mini Album that fits inside.

There is also a Materials & Cutting Guide which includes the templates and Mini Album quotes up on Dropbox.  This is a PDF file which can be downloaded for free.

All Aboard!! The Steam(punk) Locomotive

I've had the idea of a locomotive project in the back of my mind for quite some time, and finally decided to actually do it.

I based the design for this project on several early steam locomotives. It's been interesting learning about them and how they work.  I've taken some artistic license, of course, and for all you train enthusiasts out there, please forgive me if I get my terminology a little confused.

The project is entirely made out of chipboard, both medium weight and light weight.

It has several sizes of wood dowels for structural support and design elements.  And of course, it has decorative paper.

Like many of my fellow paper crafters out there, I have a lovely stash of paper collections to choose from when I work on a project.  I decided on Graphic 45's Steampunk Debutante because it's one of my favorites and with a name containing "Steam" it's perfect for a steam locomotive, don't you think?  I think this is my fifth project with this paper collection!

Valentine Tunnel Card

Hello everyone!

I am back at long last with a new project.  It's a simple little tunnel book that could be used as a Valentine Day card.

I used Graphic 45 Mon Amour Ephemera Cards and a few sheets from the coordinating 6x6 paper pad.

I also tried out a product I had not used before -Sizzix Paper Leather - to use as the flexible binding to join the front and back covers.

The image on the front is a magnetic closure which holds the gatefold cover closed.