11/20/2014
Bubble Lanterns
These lanterns are made by wrapping vellum around a battery operated LED tea light, then wrapping a die-cut piece around the vellum. Lots of colors for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. They can be hung on a tree or mobile or in a window, or used as stand-alone decorations. Available as finished lanterns or make-it-yourself kits in my Etsy shop.
11/10/2014
Holidays Are Coming!
Been so busy designing new items for the holidays, I've been neglecting my blog! Let's start this year's parade of new pretties with these glittered LED tea lights. Combine for whichever holiday you celebrate, or mix and match for fun:
For Christmas: red, green, white, silver and gold
For Hanukkah colors: blue, white and gold
For Kwanzaa colors: red, green and black
For New Year's Eve: gold and silver
In my Etsy shop or click on the picture to go directly to the listing.
9/12/2014
Halloween Lanterns
Halloween is the next holiday coming up. Here are some lanterns for decorating - they use battery operated LED tea lights (included) instead of candles, so they're safer. In my Etsy shop (or you can click on either picture to go directly to that listing) as fully assembled items or DIY kits.
9/1/2014
Where Did Summer Go?
September already! I've had a hectic summer but still had time to work on some new things which I'll be sharing over the next few weeks.
I created some bold, bright and beautiful neon earrings:
and expanded the color selection for the metallic-edged diamond shaped dangles:
Both are available in my Etsy shop - or you can click on either picture to go directly to that listing.
5/3/2014
Hexagon Treat Boxes
My brother and nephew own a computer repair shop - on the other side of the country. So it's not practical to take my computer to their store for repairs - at least not for hardware repairs. But they can log on and look at everything on the hard drive to ascertain problems - e.g., why was my computer running slower and slower? In researching the problem I discovered multiple system files that seemed to be replicating themselves to the point where I was running out of hard drive space. Worried it might be a virus, I contacted my nephew, who concurred and was able to clean things up so that I am now using less than 25% of the hard drive.
Of course, I wanted to thank him. I knew he likes nuts (cashews and pistachios) and trail mix. That makes a nice thank you but in what kind of container? What would make it special? Mason jars came to mind, as did gift bags. But, of course, I have my Silhouette Cameo paper cutting machine... what could I make?
How about hexagon shaped (6 sided) boxes with (acetate) windows to see what's inside? Oh, these turned out just too cute!
Each of these boxes holds about 2 cups (candies would work, too, but my nephew shuns sweets). The tops fold down into an attractive spiral design. I also made a smaller version that holds half as much bulk treats or 5-6 cookies: |
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These would be nice display cases for trinkets, too! All are availalbe in any/every color possible in my Paper Goods Etsy Shop as finished products (contents not included) and as make-it-yourself kits.
4/20/2014
Sticky Note Holders
I found some bold and bright sticky notes in neon colors - the green, orange and yellow pads made me think of citrus fruit. Voilà! Covers for those note pads with lemon, lime and orange slices on them. Refreshing and fun. Available in my Etsy papercraft shop, BarbarasBeautys2, as a finished product (individually or as a set of all 3) and as a make-it-yourself kit.
4/2/2014
New Silhouette Designs, New Etsy Shop
Those tea light candles appeal to me so much that I created many more. The light from the battery operated tealights create a soft glow through
the vellum paper used for the windows. The vellum comes in white, colors and preprinted. Great inspiration!
Left to right (click on the photo to see a larger copy):
Card Suits (all 4) in red and black with white vellum
Floral in black with pre-printed black and white vellum
Music Notes in black with pre-printed black and white vellum
Chinese Dragon in black with red vellum
Rosebuds in rose or burgundy with pre-printed rosebuds on vellum
Lavender and Lace in lavender with lavender vellum and real lace
And my favorite (of course) with my kids as babies (a lo-o-ong time ago!). I used Paint Shop Pro to remove the background of the professionsal photos (4 different photos), then printed them on white vellum. The cardstock structure matches the turquoise on their outfits (which I also made - bib shorts with pullover shirts). |
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NEW SHOP FOR MY PAPERCRAFTED GOODS!
My original Etsy shop (BarbarasBeautys) was set up for quilled items and I want to keep it that way, so I created a second shop for all other paper crafting items: BarbarasBeautys2. It includes finished (fully assembled) items and do-it-youself kits (pre-cut paper/cardstock pieces).
3/5/2014
See What I Made Using My Silhouette Cameo!
I've been on a creative surge with ideas for pretty things I can make with my Silhouette paper-cutting machine - and I want to share!
Check out my gallery then
to purchase the finished products, or the supplies to make them,
or to purchase the Silhouette Cameo cut lines (.studio file). Price list here.
2/06/2014 I've put this in my Etsy shop as a finished product and also as a DIY kit so you can make your own! |
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2/05/2014
Valentine's Day
Battery operated tea lights have become one of my favorite objects of inspiration. Valentine's Day is one of those special occasions that call for candles but it's unfeasible to use real candles with paper products (duh!). Tea lights make it possible to create lovely candle holders.
I modified my quilled candle collars to have heart shapes made from 2 teardrop pieces. Thin teardrop shapes (silver or gold) between the hearts look like candle flames. The gilded edge paper catches the flickering light from the tea lights.
Iris folding creates gorgeous hearts in these Valentine's Day cards, one made with printed papers, the other made with foils. My Silhouette Cameo paper cutting machine came in handy for cutting the cardstock.
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As long as I was using the machine, I designed and cut a lantern using - yes - a battery operated tea light. Windows are cut from vellum. This picture shows all 4 sides.
Click on any photo to see that item in my Etsy shop.
1/25/2014
Give It A Try!
I created a DIY (Do It Yourself) kit for anyone who wants to try Iris Folding without buying a lot of supplies. See this item in my Etsy shop. (Also available as a finished product.)
1/5/2014
New Year, New Craft, New "Toy"
I've been wanting to try a new (to me) craft: Iris Folding. Iris Folding is a papercraft technique in which a design is created from strips of color-coordinated paper folded lengthwise, then placed over a pattern or template. The result is a spiralling design that resembles the iris of an eye or camera, reminiscent of parabolas we use to make in geometry class in high school.
I keep reading that the center of the design is the iris, but it makes more sense to me that the iris is the colored paper, just as the color in our eyes is the iris - the opening (center of the design) would be the pupil of the eye or aperture of a camera lens.
Iris folding originated in Holland, where designs were made using patterned paper cut from the inside of envelopes. That has expanded so any light weight paper can be used: the inside of envelopes, to be sure, but also origami paper, scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, or pages of magazines, even ribbon.
The process is fairly easy, requiring no more skill than painting by numbers (numerous YouTube instructional videos are available):
- A pattern is placed under the opening of a design cut into card-stock paper ("die-cuts"). Work is done on the backside so the design shows through the opening on the front.
- One-inch strips of paper are folded lengthwise, then taped in place (according to the pattern) on the backside. The holographic foil on the left of the photo below, under the tape, will be used in the center opening/aperture) of the design.
- I like to glue another piece of card-stock on the back to hide the "loose ends" of the design. However, as you can see in the photo above, this is a tri-fold card which has a flap to fold over behind the front of the card.
- The finished design (center in the photo below) is so pretty!
Ready-made die-cut cards are available at craft stores. I had several styles on hand (see above) and tried them all. And quite quickly, I wanted more!
Performing internet searches for "iris folding" produces endless examples and templates (patterns). You can "google" almost any design (shapes, flowers, animals, things, etc.) and there's a pattern available. What is far less available are die-cuts. If you're quite talented, you might be able to hand cut designs. I decided to buy a new "toy", a Silhouette Cameo Paper Cutting Machine.
Silhouette has an online store with thousands or designs you can download (small price individually or via subscription, and occasional sales). It didn't take long, however for the creative artist in me to develop my own designs and projects. What better project to kick off the New Year than a variety of calendars? Available in my Etsy shop, of course!
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