How to Embellish A Die Cut - Sizzix Easter Basket & Eggs 655016

A thought I would start sharing how to embellish your die cut, to make it special.

I am going to start with the Easter Basket & Eggs die cut.

This first photo shows the die cut after it has been paper pieced.  Everything in the picture is the entire die cut, so first I die cut it from the brown that I chose for the basket.  Then I die cut the green grass, but I did not cut the entire die cut out again I just cut a piece of green slightly bigger than the grass area.  Then I die cut the red egg, pink egg, blue egg and yellow egg.

The die cut itself has perforations for each section to help guide you.  So I used tiny cuticle scissors to precisely cut each section out. 

Lay the brown die cut down as the foundation and start gluing the colored pieces into place.  If you trimmed carefully, it should all fit together like a puzzle.  I like to use Sakura's Quickie Glue pen; it is the size of a pen and puts out a thin line of glue like a pen line.

The picture above is how it should look once you have all the cut out pieces glue down.

Next I add some pen work to imitate the grain and such of a basket weave.  Then with my Whispers Strokes marker to make the grass lines.  Then I used Sakura gelly roll pens to add the decorations to each Easter egg.

Art Journal Every Day # 16 - Critters, Critters, Critters

Sorry for the long delay in posting the next page in my art journal.

This is the next page in my Art Journal that I am doing as part of the year-long project that Julie Fei Fan Balzer is hosting. You can check it out here: Art Journal Every Day

There is a Pluggers cartoon that was very appropriate to a house that has as many critters as we do.  Each section of the page tells a little about each of the dogs that share my life.

 
This page is all journaling except for the cartoon, which was the spark for this page.  I did the journaling with my Whispers Strokes marker.

First Scrapbook Party

Yesterday I held my first scrapbook party and I did ok.  I brought my Sizzix and Cricut and we talked and had a ball.
When I get home from Ohio, I will tell more about it.   Happy Mother's Day to all the moms.

Art Journal Background Prep

I prepped two pages for art journaling.

The first one is chalked around the edges and then I chalked over one of my new stencils.

I think this came out very cool.

The next one is just direct to paper inking with Cement colored Antiquities Ink Pad by Ranger.

I like the subtle texture that it gives the page.

I got the idea of prepping your page backgrounds from Julie Fei-Fan Balzer.

May FabShopHop Update

Have you been hopping along with the May FabShopHop?  I have gotten started and so far have found 23 bunnies.

I also found 1 bonus bunny.  This is something that I haven't seen before.  It says there are 10 bonus bunnies randomly in the various shops and can be in the same shop as a regular bunny.

If you find all 10 bonus bunnies you are entered into a drawing for a random prize.

Don't forget to sign up for newsletters and contests at any of the shops that interest you.

Update on the Army Cathedral Window quilt

Over the weekend I was able to get a lot done on the Army Cathedral Window quilt.  I got 6 rows finished and attached to the main body of the quilt.

I have to cut about 125 more of the black inset squares.  Hopefully later today I can set up the rotary cutting mat and get cutting.  Unfortunately, although the sewing machine is all set up in my bedroom, so multiple times a day I can just set and sew for a few minutes or more.  But the rotary cutting mat is bigger and I have to set that up either on the living room coffee table or the kitchen table. 

I have a small pile of denim cut from old jeans and 1 uncut pair of jeans built up.  Hopefully I can get them all cut into the circles for future quilts.  The store easier in less place once they are cut.

I have an excited new variation of the Denim Cathedral Window quilt that I am eager to do; but I am trying to finish the Army Cathedral Window quilt first.

May FabShopHop

May's FabShopHop has started (see the link on the left side of the page). 

The FabShopHop is an online fabric store hop.  There is a long list of online fabric shops and you go to each one and find the little bunny. 

And their are really awesome prizes.  If you find enough bunnies you are entered into th drawing for the fancy prizes.

This time the prizes are Janome Jem 760 Platinum sewing machine or 50 yards of fabric or the Go! Fabric Cutter from Accucut.

I have won once before but it was only a yard of fabric, lol.  But I still won something.  And the inspiration from all the different shops will get your creative juices flowing for sure.



Be sure to look for the blue bunny for May.  And good luck!

This bunny is NOT clickable, click on the one on the left side of the blog, to register and start finding that 'wascally wabbit (like Elmer Fudd, lol).