Button Snowflake

Button Snowflake

This snowflake used either as an ornament or a tree topper is a great way to display all those white and translucent white buttons your mother or grandmother left you in their button jar.   With these special buttons the snowflakes would be a great way to share a treasured memory with your close relatives.   

This would also be a great inexpensive “bulk craft” for a church children’s group or a school classroom art projects.  To keep the project to one session, pre-glue and paint the snowflake. Then allow the kids to decorate their snowflakes with buttons, trim and markers.

Materials

• Popsicle sticks (4 per snowflake)
• White & translucent white buttons (assorted sizes)
• Large decorative white buttons (for the center)
• Lace & trims
• DecoArt Snowflake White acrylic paint
• White Glamour Dust Ultra-Fine Glitter paint (optional)
• Green chenille stems
• Clothespins (optional)
• Clear fishing line (optional)

Also Needed

• Craft glue
• Glue gun
• Wire cutters

Instructions

1. Glue four Popsicle sticks together in a “snowflake” pattern then allow the glue to dry.
2. Give the snowflake two coats of white paint and allow the paint to dry between coats.
   1. Spray paint the sticks white before gluing them together if you are mass producing the snowflakes.
3. Flip and repeat.
4. For a nice shimmery finish on the snowflakes apply one or two coats of white ultra-fine glitter paint to the front of the snowflake.  Allow paint to dry.
5. Glue lace to the snowflake for a more Victorian effect.
6. If needed cut the shanks off buttons with wire cutters.
7. Lay out your buttons on the snowflake.  Graduate the sizes of the buttons starting with the larger ones in the center.  Use the smallest buttons on the ends of the snowflake.  Choose a large decorative button for the center.
8. Glue the buttons down and allow the glue to dry.
9. Attach a hanger to the snowflake.
   1. Glue a green chenille stem to the back of the snowflake (center).  If your tree is not green use a stem of a matching color.
   2. Mount your snowflakes on clothespins so they will clip to the branches.  Paint the clothespins green first so they will blend into the tree.
   3. To hang your snowflakes suspended in a window tie a long strand of clear fishing line to the top of the snowflake.
10. You are then ready to display your snowflake.

Duckie Punch Art

Duckie Punch Art

Continuing with my new fav craft, punch art, I will be posting some of my spring punch art.  I can’t say this duck is an original idea, in fact I looked extensively on-line before I started my project, but it combines the best of all of the great ideas I found and added a few unique touches of my own!

I like this craft because it gives you so much more range of die cuts than simply using your punches alone.

My ducky used a lot of different punches so you probably won’t have all of them – the challenge with punch art is to make the project with the punches you have on-hand.  So let me know what you used to create your masterpiece!

Punches Used

• 2 inch circle punch (body)
• 1 inch oval punch (remove piece from body)
• 1.5 inch circle punch (head)
• 1 inch daisy punch (feathers)
• 1 inch folk heart punch (beak & feet)
• 1 inch cloud punch (wing)
• Regular circle punch (eye)
• Zig-zag chain punch (water)
• Small circle punches:  ½, 1, 1.5 & 1¾ inch (bubbles)

Paper Used

• Yellow cardstock
• Orange cardstock
• Light blue cardstock
• Black cardstock

Also Needed

• Glue stick
• Scissors
• White paint
• Small piece of natural sponge

Instructions

To start off with you will need two graduated circle punches.  As long as you have a “large” circle punch and another that is about one half an inch smaller you can make a ducky “easy-peasy”.  Lots of punches other than the cloud can be used to make the wing; a small heart leaps to mind.  A tiny heart can also be used to make the beak and feet.  Cute duck feet can also be made from a small flower punch.

1. Sponge paint the blue cardstock with the white paint and sponge to create a lacey effect for the bubbles.
2. Punch all shapes needed.  You will also need one additional punch of each shape punched from black to create a 3D effect.
3. Glue black punches on each colored shape.
4. Remove unneeded portions of the punches.  Use a small oval punch to remove a piece of the duck’s back.  I don’t have one the size I needed so I grabbed my Stampin Up bird punch and used the wing to make the “divot”.
5. Glue punches together.
6. Layout your scrapbook page or homemade card and enjoy!

Punch Art Leprechaun

Punch Art Leprechaun

I love the punch art leprechauns I have ogled lately on the web but I don’t have the correct punches to pull it together.  So I set out to see if I could make one with the punches I had on hand.  And I succeed fairly well I think!   A little re-cutting of the punches, something I just recently “discovered”, was required but overall the project fell easily into place.

Materials

• 2 inch peach circle
• 1 ½ inch peach heart
• 1 ¾ inch black square
• 1 ¾  inch green square
• 2 ½ inch green square
• ½ inch black circle x 2
• ½ inch peach circle
• 2 inch rusty brown scalloped cameo x 2
• 2 inch rusty brown mustache
• 1 inch Stampin Up bird punch wing x 2
• 1 inch gold square
• ½ inch black square

Also Needed

• White paint pen or white paint (apply with a toothpick)
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Corner rounder

Thanks for taking a peek. I hope you enjoy this tutorial.   I would LOVE to hear from you! . . . . . . . buggalcrafts

Photo Tutorial

Punch all pieces needed. I did not have a punch small enough for the small gold and black squares so I free-handed them.

Cut pieces as shown. I used a punch to cut the shapes because it gives a cleaner cut.

Glue beard to face.

Glue ears behind the head.

Glue hair on behind the ears.

Glue pink circle behind the mustache and then glue them in place.

Glue the circle in place for the nose.

Round the corners of the small square and the rectangle. My rectangle was a little small so I recut a larger one.

Glue the black retangle to the hat.

Glue the eyebrows in place.

Glue the brim of the hat down.

Glue the small gold square to the hatband.

Cut a small black square and glue it to the buckle.

Add a glint to the leprechaun with a white paint pen.

Valentine Card Die Cuts

Valentine Card Die Cuts

I’ve been fooling around working with my punches lately – learning what uses they can be put to other than punching say a heart from cardstock.  So with Valentine’s Day coming up my thoughts went to sending a Valentine card!

Materials

• Square punch
• Heart punch
• White cardstock
• Black cardstock
• Red cardstock

Also Needed

• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Black marker
• Ruler/straight edge
• Mini stamps
• Ink pad

Photo Tutorial

Assemble supplies.

Punch out 2 white and 2 black of the square. Punch 1 of each color for the heart.

Glue the black shapes behind the heart and one white squares to create a 3D effect.

Draw an upside down V on the envelope using a straight edge to create the envelope flap.

Cut along the lines.

Glue the envelpoe flap to the second black punch.

Trim around the edge of the envelope flap leaving a thin border.

Glue the flap on the envelpoe.

Glue the heart seal on the envelope.

Stamp or write a message on the envelope.

The finished project!

Thanks for taking a look.  As always I ask for a comment and look forward to responding!

Mini Sheep From a Cloud Punch?

Mini Sheep From a Cloud Punch?

My last post was making a sheep from an oval scallop punch but my first try was with a Fiskars’ large cloud punch. I never was really happy with it but I’ve kept tinkering with it and I think I have it right!

Thanks for taking a look.  I’d love it if you leave me a comment and tell me your thought!

Materials

• Fiskars large cloud punch.
• Recollection 0.5 inch circle punch
• Recollection 2 inch square punch
• EK Success 0.5 inch folk heart punch
• EK Success 0.5 inch tulip punch
• Light blue cardstock
• White cardstock
• Black cardstock
• Yellow cardstock
• Pink cardstock
• Dark and light green cardstock

Also Needed

• Scissors
• Glue stick

Photo Tutorial

Assemble supplies.

Punch shapes: 3 blue & 3 light green squares. 1 black & 1 white cloud. 6 black, 6 dark green, 3 yellow &3 pink tulips. 4 black & 1 yellow circle punch.

Line up the green squares and draw a slanting line across the blocks. You can use 2 blocks by cutting the second block. Then flip the excess over and cut it again for third green piece.

Glue the green pieces to the blue squares.

Glue the matching shapes together – White cloud to black cloud. Black circle to black circle. Yellow circle to 2 black circles. Black heart to black heart x2.

Cut two narrow strips to make the legs.

Glue the two black strips together and trim the overlaping edges.

Cut the strip in half and then cut a notch in the end of each strip.

Glue the legs to the back of the sheep.

Cut the two folk hearts in half.

Glue one each to the sheep body approximately where the head will be.

Glue the head to the body and then glue second ear behind the sheep;s body.

Glue all the pieces on the hill. Then you are ready to glue this on a card.

Punch Art Sheep Card

Punch Art Sheep Card

I LOVE sheep and have found LOTS of versions of a Punch Art Sheep Card on-line!  SO I am presenting to you my version of the Punch Art Sheep Card.

Tutorial

Materials Needed

• Punch Art Sheep
• Wescott 1/16^th Inch Circle Punch
• Paper Studios 1’ Circle Punch
• Recollections 3” Scalloped Circle Punch
• Light Blue, Medium Blue & Olive Green Cardstock
• Pink & Yellow Cardstock Scraps

Also Needed

• Elmer’s Disappearing Purple Glue Stick
• Scissors
• Pen
• Ruler

Photo Tutorial

Assemble materials. Make one Punch Art Sheep (see link to tutorial above). Punch other shapes needed: One cloud from white cardstock and three from medium blue cardstock. One 1” circle from yellow cardstock and one from black cardstock. Eighteen 1/16th inch circles from yellow & pink cardstock. One 3” circle from light blue and one from olive green cardstock.

To create a3D effect glue one to three of the darker shapes to the white cloud, sun and 3” circle.

Using a ruler or other straight edge draw a line dividing the 3” circle in half.

Cut the circle in half.

Glue the green half circle to the 3” blue circle.

Glue the 1/16th” circles randomly to the green part of the 3” medallion.

Glue the sheep, sun and cloud in place.

Glue your Punch Art Sheep Medallion to your card and it’s ready to mail to brighten someone’s spring day!

Thanks for taking a look.  I’d really, really like to hear from you.  Please drop me a comments. buggalcrafts

Punch Art Sheep

 

Punch Art Sheep

I bought my medium SMALLISH (to me) cloud punch on clearance with the intention to create a flock of sheep grazing on a card.  When I got home the first thing I did was try to make a sheep.  He did come out cute and I’ll show you him later but he is so tiny and I really wanted a bigger sheep.I did a search of the web and all I could find were sheep facing front using a scalloped circle punch.  So I created my own side facing sheep using my oval cameo punch AND my new cloud punch.   I have been “getting into” making 3D punches so I added another dimension (ha! ha!) to my sheep.

I hope you enjoy my newest baby!

Tutorial

Materials Needed

• Fiskars’ Medium Cloud Punch
• Fiskars’ Large Scallop Oval Cameo Punch
• Paper Studios 1’ Circle Punch
• Wescott 1/16^th Inch Circle Punch
• Black Cardstock
• White Cardstock

Also Needed

• Elmer’s Disappearing Purple Glue Stick
• Scissors
• Pen
• Ruler

Photo Tutorial

Assemble materials.

Punch shapes needed: 4 clouds & 1 oval cameo from white cardstock, 8 clouds, 1 cameo & 2 circles from black cardstock, and 1 circle from yellow cardstock.

To create a 3D effect glue one to three black shapes to the white shapes.

Glue 2 black cardstock scraps together.

Trim the pieces into a 1” by ½” rectangle and then trim a piece from the bottom to make two sets of kicking sheep hoofs.

Glue the tail behind the sheep body on one end. Glue the head on the other end in front of the body. Glue the legs in place behind the body.

Glue the ears on either side of the head.

Thanks for taking a look.  I’d really, really like to hear from you.  Please drop me a comments.   buggalcrafts

Handmade Cardinal Die Cut

The finished product.

 

Handmade Cardinal Die Cut

I love cardinals so when I found the instructions on how to make these cute little red birds on-line at Blinkin’, Thinkin’, & Inkin’ I had to make them and adapted the instructions to fit my purposes.  My birds are a little bigger than then ones by Ellen so if you need some tee-tiny ones check out her directions.

They are super easy, super cheap, and super cute!

They would be adorable perched on a fence, branch, or highline wire on a handmade winter greeting card.

Materials

• Red cardstock
• Black cardstock
• Yellow cardstock

Also needed

• 1 inch scalloped circle punch
• Hole punch
• Mini heart punch
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Red ink pad – 2 shades
• Black permanent marker

Photo Tutorial

Assemble supplies..

Punch a red 1 inch circle, 1 yellow regular hole punch, and 1 mini black heart punch.

Cut the 1 inch circle in half. Cut down one of the half circles to make a wing.

Glue the mini heart on the bird’s “head” as shown in the photo. Run the black perament marker around the half circle and the wing for defination.

Cut the yellow regular hole punch in a triangle as shown in the diagram. Run the black marker around the edges. Glue the beak on the bird’s “head”.

Dab red ink pigament on the bird with a cotton swab.

The finished product.

Thanks for taking a look and as always I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Valentine Gingerbread Angel Revisited

 

Valentine Gingerbread Angels Revisited

Christmas is over and my mind has turned towards late winter and spring crafting.  So last night after making several examples of one of my last year’s Valentine project, Gingerbread Angels, for a friend on Listia I decided to re-work the project.  The wings just don’t look right to me – maybe if the hearts making the wings were larger?   I set myself to ponder the matter and it didn’t take very long!

That’s because recently my eyes were opened to the infinite ways your punches can be used other than to just punch out the same old boring shapes.  See my Pinterest board Using Your Stampin Up Bird Punch for the examples of creative uses for a bird punch that inspired me.

So giving the desire to re-work the angel’s wings and my newly acquired punching skills I quickly came up with a punch to use – ok, it was the first punch I picked up but I did have to play around with it for a few minutes!!!  A cameo punch cut in half turned out to be perfect to give my baby Gingerbread Angel flight!

Here are photos and instructions for the newly designed wings.  Please take a minute or two to look at the old tutorial, Gingerbread Angels, as there are some good suggestions there and some tips to make this project without having the punches I used.

Materials

• Light brown cardstock
• White cardstock
• Pink or red cardstock
• Scrapbook paper
• Baby rick-rack or other trims
• Narrow ribbon

Also Needed

• Scissors
• EK Success Large Slim Paper Punch – Gingerbread Man
• Fiskars large squeeze punch – 2” cameo
• Heart punch (0.25 inch)
• Small diameter hole punch (1/4^th inch)
• Glue stick, Elmer’s purple
• White glue

Photo Tutorial

Assemble supplies.

Punch shapes needed – gingerbread man from brown cardstock, icing from red or pink cardstock, mini hearts from red or pink cardstock, mini hearts/folk heart from red or pink cardstock.

Cut comeo punch in half.

Glue rick-rack on arms and legs.

Glue wings on the back of the Ginerbread Angel. Turn over and adjust the wings to look the best.

Allow the glue to dry and then trim rick-rack edges.

Glue icing decorations on the front of the angel. Vary the shape of the mini hearts.

Thank you for reading my post. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial.  If you have any questions or something is not clear, please let me know so that I can improve the tutorial.   

Please take a moment to leave a comment and rate this post.

Thanks again. 

Scandia Jul Chipboard Ornaments

Scandia Jul Chipboard Ornaments

Scandinavian style decorating is such a popular theme this year that I couldn’t resist buying some “Making Materials” when I saw these on CLEAREANCE on Oriental Trading!   I can’t say that the way I decorated my ornaments is in anyway at all authentic.  I looked extensively on-line but did not find any pre-made ornaments or tutorials on this style of ornament.   What gives there?  So here is MY version of these ornaments!  There are so many ways to go with these items that I haven’t even explored them all yet!   So check back and see what photos I’ve added.

 “Making Materials”:

• Scandia Jul Holiday Diecuts
• Chip Art Christmas Assortment
• Scandia Jul Paper Pack
• Scandia Jul: Chip Ornament Deco Set
• Small Eye Hooks
• Large Jump Rings
• Red, White & Green Trim:  Ribbon, Rick-Rack, Tri-color Yarn
• Large Diameter Hole Red & Green Wooden Beads
• Jingle Bells
• Rhinestones
• Ornament Hangers

 Also Needed:

• Foam Glue
• Plaid engine red (2702) shiny craft paint
• Mod Podge
• Paint Brush
• Punches
• Scissors
• Wood Skewer

 Instructions:

Chip Art Assortment: 

1. Trace the shape of the chipboard item on the paper.  I like the lines of the paper skewed a little so they are not vertical or horizontal.   Be sure that you turn the paper over for the “other side” of the ornament or your shape will not face the right way.
2. Paint the edges of the ornament to coordinate with the paper.  I choose red.
3. Cut out the 2 sides of the ornament.
4. If there is not a hole to thread and ornament hanger through screw an eye hook into the top of the ornament so it hangs evenly.  Be sure this is a SMALL eyehook so it won’t split the ornament.  Add a large jump ring.
5. Glue (Mod Podge) the paper shape to one side of the ornament and allow it to dry.
6. Repeat Mod Podge coat if needed.
7. Repeat both steps for the other side.
8. After both sides are dry cut tri-color trim (ribbon, rick-rack, yarn, etc.) and thread the trim through the jump ring.
9. Thread a red or green bead on the trim. If you don’t have a red or green beads simply thread any wood bead on a chopstick and paint it. Allow to dry, repeat coat if needed.
10. Settle the bead over the eyehook, flush with the ornament.
11. Tie a knot right above the bead and slowly pull it tight.  Insert an ornament hook before you tighten the knot completely.
12. Another alternative is to simply thread tri-color yarn through the hanger hole then tie a loose bow.  Tie jingle bells on the ends of the yarn.

“Wood-tone” Die Cuts: 

1. I tried the rub-on cross-stich stickers with the Ornament Decorating Set but just was not happy with how they showed up.  They were really light on the “wood-tone” ornaments and you can’t see them very well.  They would show up better on a white ornament and I plan to try this later.
2. Punch shapes from the scrapbook paper and glue them on the ornaments.  I use a wood skewer to apply dots of glue.
3. Accent with the rhinestones from the Ornament Decorating Set.
4. Thread tri-color trim through the hanger holes in the ornaments and then tie a knot.  Insert an ornament hook before you tighten the knot completely.
5. If desired, thread a red or green bead on the trim before knotting.  Or tie bells on the loose ends of the trim.

Thanks for taking a look.  I’d love to hear your comments.

buggalcrafts a.k.a. Melba