Easter Present #2

SVG Cross File 

I noticed all the chatter and pics on foiling, on Facebook Scan n Cut, and I thought these would be

perfect for foiling and Easter.  I hope you enjoy making these.  Here is the pattern link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xuiaVbCSZZF43rRm0prfCyhH0LESkfwR/view?usp=sharing

Happy Easter!

Easter Bunny Pattern

A couple of Scan & Cut users expressed an interest in my Bunny Pattern, so I thought I would post it as a little Easter present for those interested.  

Remember, this is designed for 1/8th inch material (cardboard).  The assembly slots are sized for that.  Should you want to use card stock, you will have to make adjustments to them.

Happy Easter!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=17VqcY_xMMOvUL4gw2wNOa590Mxmt6IRo

https://drive.google.com/open?id=15cRYaHAKmB_VnHwGBVKT9OabIiip-Uzc

Sports Memory Quilt

I made this for my Grandson.  Mostly Hockey, but some baseball shirts, as well.  It is large,

5' x 8', and was not easy.  I made the quilt top, w/striped sashing, but it was too heavy and large

for me to quilt it on my little sewing machine.   So, I had it quilted.  It was the best decision,

the lady did a beautiful job, she outlined the number and shapes in each block.  It was well worth

the $200 quilting fee.  It turned out awesome!

 

Sock Monkey Xmas Tag

Sock Monkey Xmas Tag

I was looking for a Gift Tag for Xmas when I found this little Sock Monkey I designed several years ago

.  He's cute, so I thought I would share this with you.  This is a .pdf file, I have reversed one monkey in case you want both sides with image.  Tail included.  Merry Christmas.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V83iXjsrZMnebELQS0hMhx7eDlJXzgk1/view?usp=sharing 

Free SVG Brownstone House Pattern

This is a pattern that I designed five years ago.  The cutter I was using was fussy with small cuts, and I just abandoned the pattern.  now that I have my nifty, handy-dandy Scan-n-Cut, I decided to haul it out and give it a try.  I think it turned out well.  It is my prototype, and I hope to add it to my Etsy Store.  I might add a two-story house also.  If you like it and want to give it a try

If you like the pattern, and want to give it a try, click on the link below to get.  If you make it, I would appreciate if you would give me your comments and suggestions to improve the pattern.  

The Roof is just a 6 x 9 rectangle, folded in half.  The housed has side tabs to glue together, and the tabs on the bottom should be folded in, and glued to keep the lantern square.  I made a liner of blue copy paper.  You can select any color you choose, to give it a different look.

The wreaths and bows are tiny.  The Scan-n-Cut did a nice job cutting them, but, personally, I don't like working with little tiny pieces.  They do look cute though.  The Tree is glued INSIDE of the house front window.

Check out the reflection in the window.

I also made it in heavy brown Kraft card stock, and used an electric candle in it.  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tLLmQ1gL1NB52mA3h-6OE2tHK0jUNoMF/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sP5BuGSVa9vtPai-R-oeZ5v9g-pzd2F-/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NcaF8rLM-8Um06tBofStXTYmKFi250_a/view?usp=sharing

Free Snowman Pattern

I made this little guy three years ago.  I needed to make one, so I revamped the pattern and made it.  He is just so cute, I thought I would share. 
 

Snowman Instructions

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uOFlsBnPsnRHcJUoWYAebjoTh0Tqcge0

 Snowman Middle

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ENoA-mWnf5Derk1XtAANyNyD5fjvHAn6

Snowman Parts

https://drive.google.com/open?id=14BLQupSHwb_fK1aPYZ3bYI5Q03Mpa-lI

  Snowman Sides

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1W5-mBL4obI3rJIU8S2C2Odi1Wd2mQpGD

Now in my Etsy Shop:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GordonsStudio

Easy Lampshade Cover

Easily Handmade or Digital-Cut

As you can see by my sporadic posts, I am a lazy blogger.  It is not that I don't have a million ideas, maybe I have too many!  I do not focus on one craft, but I cross-craft all the time.  Coming from a time in my life where money was tight,  I also favor cheap, efficient, and useful.

Although I absolutely love all of those beautiful, and intricate designs on sites like SVG.cuts, and the various cutting machine websites, I hate to invest all that time and money into something that is just a decoration, and not a useful, and practical design element.

So here is an easy, practical, cheap, and easy lampshade cover-up.  Although this is designed for a lampshade up to 12 inches high, you can find longer paper than scrapbook paper to make for a taller lampshade.  Here is a picture of mine:

This was an old lampshade destined for the garbage.  It had a torn and stained pleated cover that I tore off.  A plain white-plastic lampshade was left.  I took five pretty scrapbook papers, and pleated them, punched 1/8th holes in the top of each fold,  over-lapped and glued the papers all into a round, 

and strung some floss around the top and tied to fit.

Now I actually created a digital-cutting pattern to make mine.  I just made 1/2 inch perforation lines along the folds (mountain and valleys for origami folders.)  I put 1/8 inch circles along the top, and let my machine do the hard work.  This is a simple design, and I think most crafters with digital-cutting machines can do this.

For those without a digital cutter,  There are excellent crafting tools to create the crease lines for the mountain and valley folds, and punches for the holes.  If you are into Origami, this should be a snap for you!

It cost me less that 2 dollars, if you consider how expensive shades are now, that is a real bargain!

It's just a simple design, but it's effective.  You could easily change your lampshade for the holidays, or change of seasons without the high cost of buying new.  

If you have some extra time, come look at my tiffany-style lampshade designs (2) on Etsy.  GordonsStudio at Etsy.

Paper Pine Wreath

 Welcome to my insanity.  Every Christmas, for a number of years, I tried to figure out how to make a wreath, or garland out of scrapbook or construction paper that looked real.  I failed again, and again.  This year I decided to try watercolors to make them look real.  It worked!  Was it a little time consuming? Yes.  Was it fun? Yes.  I found that painting the leaves was rather soothing, and a no-brainer that I could do while watching TV in the evenings. I used white, green, and black watercolors.  I used dark green in the middle, then some lighter green, black underscore, and white on the tips. Keep in mind, painting is not a craft that I have any skill in.  I made patterns of three different pine boughs, and cut them out in various shades of green.  Here are some pictures of the finished project, and the leaves in progress. 

If anyone is interested in the .svg files for these, just send me a note.

Dr. Seuss Baby Shower

Seussian Decorations!

I enjoyed researching all the Seuss Decorations on Pinterest, and I borrowed or adapted a few!

I thought  I would share the results, in case I can be an inspiration to someone else!

My version of Truffalo trees.  They made beautiful and colorful centerpieces, especially with primary colored tablecloths.  I made them with a dollar tin bucket from the Party Store, some 'plaster of paris', pvc pipe cut to differents lengths, and styrofoam balls with tissue paper 'blooms'. I used yellow duct tape to cover the pipe, and construction paper zigzags covered in clear sealing tape.

Below are two pics of a Memory Box I made, the lid, and the inside of the bottom.  Mom's love these, so nice to have one place to keep all the little memories in.

I like to do a chair, to match the theme, for the New Mommy to sit in.

This was 4 dollars at a thrift store.

 Some other decorations!

Favors!

One Fish, Two Fish 

I made the bar a Seuss-shi Bar!

Green Eggs

I made a snack I found on Pinterest!

A good time was had, by one and all!

Good Luck with your celebration!

If you have any questions, leave a note.

Dracula's Epithaph

Forty years ago, we had our first Haunted House to celebrate Halloween.  You heard it right, 1976!  We were among the first haunted houses around.  Crooked shutters, windows lit up with skeletons and ghosts, black lighting and fluorescent paint, sound effects, a 6-foot casket and a real Dracula in a tuxedo, smoking cauldrons, we had the whole works and we made them by hand  because they were no such decorations on the market yet.  The whole neighborhood participated.  

Well, enough reminiscing.  This is the epitaph we wrote for Dracula, on one of our Styrofoam grave stones.  I used a soldering gun to engrave the stones.  I thought someone might like to use this for Halloween.

  Happy Halloween!

MEANT TO BE   

By Sonny Smarra

This short novel is geared towards teens, but it is a great read for all fantasy lovers.  It is an engaging  'coming of age' story that I am sure you will enjoy.  Try a sample on Amazon, or buy for only $1.00.

Support a young, aspiring writer!

 CLICK HERE TO TRY A SAMPLE:
http://www.amazon.com/Meant-Be-Sonny-Smarra-ebook/dp/B013V3VQK0/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1439614414&sr=8-13&keywords=Meant+To+Be

Angels on High

Angels on High

 

I saw this for sale (made in wood)  on a website.  Since I don't have woodworking tools, I decided to make it with foam board.  It is light and easier to work with, and to store.  It is about 6 feet tall.  It is done in layers.  I cut the a full body as the first layer.  I cut the pieces, allowing for gaps between pieces.  Here is a picture of most of the layering done, and before painting:

Layering the Feathers

After all the layers were complete, I painted the front and the back with Bin Primer/Sealer.  I am putting it outside, under a covered porch, so I wanted to seal it.  The next step was painting it a dark brown.

At this point, I started layering on color.  As you can see, I did not do a solid coat, more like dry brushing.  I also high-lighted areas with different colors.  Then again after the antiquing process.

 
This is the completed painting phase.  If you like this, you could stop here.

I sprayed this with a Sealer/Primer.  Then, I used a antiquing wax all over the angel, as in the first photo.  The 'Peace' sign was three layers and I used the same process as above.

I am posting two pictures of the patterns.  If you enlarge them by 550 percent.

Baby Shower Decorations

Zebra Chair

This shower was for a special Baby Girl, named Vada.  The Theme was Animal Toys.  Oh, and lots and lots of Pink!  Today's Blog will be the chair for the Lady-in-Waiting.  The chair went through many stages and changes, because I really did not know where I was going with it.

I bought this chair, about 10 years ago, for $4.00.  I painted it to match a dining set, and it has been used for 10 years.  New dining set, new use for chair.

I painted the chair with pink stripes, twice.  This is the first stripe version.  Then I decided to put the Zebra's head on, and the stripes did not match the chair.  For the Zebra's head, I found a photo of  a zebra on Google, and made a large grey and white pattern.  I cut the silhouette out on a white foam craft sheet.  Then, I cut out the stripes on pink.  An exacto knife cuts it like butter.   Then I decided it needed a body, I made another pattern, moved it cut it, and shaped it to fit the chair.

The stripes did not match the body, so I repainted it.  I just sketched in a few stripes to match the body and free-handed the rest. 

 This is the completed giraffe.  I added a nose, eye, a full mane, a flower, black hooves, and a tail.


It was great fun to make.  I love letting my imagination go wild.  In later blogs, I will post the matching centerpieces, shower umbrella, and a Memory Box I made as a gift.  I hope you enjoyed seeing the steps in creating a chair into a Zebra.

Super Hero Baby Shower Gift

Memory Box

I have spent the summer working on future events, and could not post any pictures before the actual event.

For this Baby Shower, the theme of the Nursery and the Shower was Super Heroes. 

I created embroidery files for my Sister, who owns a Viking embroidery machine, for one of her signature quilts.   I turned those files into graphics for a Super Hero Memory Box.  We often coordinate gifts.  Here are pics of the front and back of her quilt:

 

I use a 14 inch round Kraft box.   Next,  I design graphics to fit the dimensions of the box.  I have a printer that prints 13 inches wide, and I use matte coated paper 13 x 19 inches.  Below is the design printed out.

I use Artist's Matte Medium (as glue) and a 'credit card' to apply to the box.  The 'credit card' is the absolute best tool for smoothing paper over a glue.  Believe me,  I have tried every type of adhesive, but the Matte Medium provides the best permanent adhesive.  I also use the matte medium as a top coating.  It is very durable.  Below are photos of the covered box.

Box with Lid

 Box Lid

Box Interior

Box Bottom

I have been giving the Boxes, at Baby Showers, for 15 years.  The  Moms come back years later and tell me how much they love it.  It keeps 'little memories' safe and in one place.