Create a Fanciful Easter Egg Tree

If you're still wondering whether or not to order the Wicker or Weaver dies from Ecstasy Crafts, here are a couple of photos that might help you see how these dies work! The difference between the Wicker and Weaver is the size of the strips . . . quarter-inch or half-inch strips.

The die plate cuts the solid blue paper as shown; the design
of the die keeps the strips together allowing you to more easily weave the paper strips.
You can also cut the lighter paper in strips using the same die, but you
would cut the ends to separate the strips.
When you are finished weaving, you tape all of the strips securely
on the reverse side, and then cut the weaved piece to the size or
shape you want. Clever, eh?

The Magenta order arrived yesterday . . . yahoo! Some beautiful stamps as we always expect from Magenta, as well as a replenishment of their two latest paper lines that we've loved . . . Emotions & Color Me Softly.


Some randomly chosen stamps in the big brown box from the little brown truck . . .

And two new sample cards from Helene & Nathalie . . .

by Helene Metivier for Magenta

Stamps:  0606.Q; 0602.F; 07.623.G
Colored Pencils & Tombow Markers

by Nathalie Metivier for Magenta

Stamps:  0597.K; 07641.H; 14.623.K; 0605.E
Colored Pencils; Distress Ink

If you're in my From the Heart Valentine's class today, this is your bonus "Take and Make" card featuring Memory Box paper and dies, as well as the 'Coffee Bean' Candi!

by Debbie Gaetz

I don't know if you've read about all of the new colors and patterns for the Candi that we love to use at Art 'n Soul. Here are some pics from the Candi booth at CHA . . . including a photo of the stamp set they're now offering to use with Candi!

Now  you're going to be able to use stamps designed
to use with the Candi!

I think you're going to have a lot of fun finding out how versatile the Candi is, especially with all of the new colors an designs coming out. I hope you enjoyed looking at these marvelous card samples . . . I know I did!




From Outlines just in time for Easter . . .

Create a Fanciful Easter Egg Tree

"Back from Atlanta.  It was a great show and we met so many nice people!  Well as promised, some basic directions for creating some very pretty Easter Eggs for hanging.  A bare branch from outside is a nice way to hang them, no need to go looking for that special tree.  I was lucky enough to find one that actually had a bird nest in it!  Cute addition!  I perched a little yellow chick on it.

I found the eggs I'm using at Pier One.  These were a good find because they are styrofoam which means

you can poke your wire into the center for hanging.  They did not look like they were styrofoam because

there was a hard coating over it.  I removed whatever they had at the top to hang it with and there was

a nice opening to stick a wire into!  I added glue to the wire to be sure it held. You can probably get plain old white styrofoam eggs and decorate them, I haven't tried that yet.

(1) I used paper from Graphic 45-Once Upon A Springtime paper pad. There are lots of nice papers in this pad for this project.

(2) I used stamps from our Mix and Match Posie Series.  For this particular one I used all the same

posy in all four sizes: Pointed Posy X-Large, Large, Medium & Small. Usually I use only the medium, small    and extra small and mix and match them.

(3) Stamp and emboss with gold embossing powder.

(4) Add glitter to tips.  I used a Quickie Glue Pen and Cupid Micro Fine Glitter from Art Institute which we

 offer on our website. This glitter is transparent so it doesn't show to its full potential over the blue paper, but it was the effect I wanted to achieve.

(5) I put a coating of Crystal Lacquer over the Posies, let dry and then put a coating on the backside

 before cutting out.  This will give a nice gloss and make the Posy more durable.

(6) I cut out along the edges and poked a small hole in the center to put the wire through.  I used the wires from Flower Soft that we also offer on our website. They are white and very fine and pliable.

(7) I added some of our crystals to give it some bling but not too much.  Light rose and Aquamarine were my choices.

(8) Before placing petals on the eggs bend them all forward and down so they will embrace the shape

of the egg.

(9) Have fun doing these and get creative with the posy shapes and combining papers!

You probably saw the eggs last week that had beads hanging from them. This adds a beautiful look!

They are sold in fabric departments attached to a ribbon.  No stringing of beads involved, just snip one

off and attach to the underside of the petal!

Have a great week and stay warm!"

Kathy

Later tonight or Monday morning, I'm hoping to post all of the extraordinary work I saw when the Art 'n Soul Journal Club met on Friday. There are lots of photos that take a lot of time to edit for the blog, but it's worth the effort.


"Talk" soon!