Card with flowers in a box

Hi everyone, Janja here!

For today's post, I used one die from each of this year's releases and prepared the card in a box. I like to combine dies with each other. 

For the card we need:

• white card base: 10.6" x 5.3", folded
• black cardstock: 5" x 5"
• two patterned paper: 4.8" x 4.8" and 4.8" x 2"
• white and color cardstock
• texture paste and stencil
• stamp
• embossing ink and white embossing powder
• heat gun
• white pigment ink pad
• white pearl cardstock and transparent foil for the box

We prepare several cutouts with the die 3D flower #5.

The cutouts are molded with a shaping tool and assembled. 

Once we have selected patterned paper and cardstock trimmed to the desired size, we cut out a hole in the smallest of them in the form of an oval with a die from the basic set oval (4th die from the center).

Place a stencil on paper and apply texture paste over it with a spatula. 

While the textural paste is drying, we cut out another oval from black cardstock. We stamp the sentiment and treat it with hot embossing technique. The edges of the oval are shaded with white pigment ink. 

We place cutout, which is now seen as a blackboard, in the previously prepared hole. The edges are masked with a white oval frame. We use the basic die sets: an oval and stitched oval (4th die from the center).

With nets cutouts we enliven the background of the card. At the end glue flowers and greenery (the leafy vines die and the Lacey rose die). 

When a card is delivered in person, it's best if it is stored in a box. 

A box is made 0.40" greater than the base card. The height is 0.79". In the box cover we cut out the opening (4.5" x 4.5") and on the inner side of the box cover clamp foil, with double-sided adhesive tape. At the end, decorate the box cover. 

Our card is now neatly and securely stored. 

And don't forget on our April challenge - anything goes. You still have time to share your projects with us till the end of the month.

Dies, which I used at work: 

Thanks for looking. 

Janja

A beautiful underwater world

Hi, Janja here!

The new CottageCutz flourish & flowers dies are already on my desk. But before I start with them, I want to lead you in a beautiful underwater world. Let's see what is hiding in the coral reef.

For the card we need:

• white card base: 10.6 x 5.3", folded
• blue or patterned paper: 5 x 5"
• patterned paper in the sand color: 5 x 1"
• white and color cardstock
• distress inks: peeled paint, mowed lawn, worn lipstick, dusty concord, festive berries, aged mahogany, mustard seed, rusty hinge, pumice stone and black soot

First, we prepare cutouts shaded with distress inks. We prepare a larger number of cutouts, because the card is made inside and outside.  

For corals, underwater plants and coral reef, I used the die - under the sea. The die offers a lot of elements that you can optionally attach to the background. Some of cutouts are fixed directly to the background and for the remaining we use adhesive pads.  In this beautiful environment, I added a crab, a starfish and a fish.  

In the interior of the card, the background is prepared the same way as the front side of the card.  From the white cardstock we cut out a circle (the largest die of a set) for text. The edges are covered with the stitched circle frame (the largest die of a set). With the remaining cutouts we create a beautiful underwater world.  

And don't forget on our April challenge - anything goes. You still have time to share your projects with us till the end of the month. Two lucky winners will get the nice award. Dies, which I used at work:

Have a nice day. 

Janja

Decorated Nautical Frames

Before I start with today´s project I would like to tell, that I'm very sorry that I had to remove some of your projects from our first challenge. Namely some linked projects didn't use only CottageCutz dies (which is the only restriction our Challenge has). You are more than welcome to participate at our challenge, but please, use only CottageCutz dies and not any other dies. Thank you. You still have time to participate till the end of the month. Your project can be linked at the end of this post.

We all collect many photos from our vacations and what do you think about custom frames for such photos? Or to frame the quotes you like. I will show you how to change two ordinary wooden frames into these two:

Supplies:

Two wooden frames for photos size of 4 x 6 inches

Cardstock: White Cardstock for die cuts

CottageCutz Dies: Listed Below

Distress Ink: Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Weathere Wood, Rusty Hinge, Fossilized Amber, Hickory Smoked 

Embossing Powder: gold and Distress Vintage Photo, white and grey watercolor paint from a tube or white acrylic paint

Other: Scissors, Paper trimmer, Sizzix machine, VersaMark stamp pad

1. Let's start with first frame. Color the surface with brush and white paint first. Let it dry.

2. Now color the surface gently with grey paint. Apply small amount of color on your brush and be gentle by applying the color otherwise grey will totally cover the white paint.

3. Take the second frame and Gathered Twigs or any other brown distress ink or dye ink ink pad. Apply the color directly with the ink pad on the frame as shown on the photo.

4. With the Anchor and  Maps and Spyglass die cut the Anchor, Map and Spyglass out with some white cardstock. 
5. Apply Versamark stamp pad on the whole surface of the Anchor and  Spyglass die cut pieces and embossed all these pieces with gold embossing powder.

6. Apply Versamark stamp pad, but this time just on some spots:

7. Now embossed all pieces again with Distress Vintage Photo embossing powder.

8. You will get rusted look, because after powder will melt, it will mix up with golden powder.

9. Now cut out all other pieces out of white cardstock. I used following dies: Lantern, Crab and Paddles and Rope Ladder. Rope was colored gently with Weathered Wood distress ink. All orange pieces were colored with Rusty Hinge and Fossilized Amber distress ink. Pedals were colored red and the Lantern were colored with Hickory Smoke and Brushed Corduroy distress ink. Also map was partly colored with Brushed Corduroy and partly with blue distress ink

10. Glue all pieces on both frames.

Now all you have to do is to design some quotes in Word and print them or frame photo from your vacation.

I hope this inspires you to decorate your own frame which you don't like or you just want to give them special look.

Have fun creating!

CottageCutz Challenge #1 - ANYTHING GOES

Hi, Vladka here. 

My dear craft friends. I´m so happy to announce this. Today we are starting our first CottageCutz challenge. This will give you the opportunity to show us all your great projects made with Cottage Cutz dies. I´m so excited and can't wait to see them.

How and when?

Challenge will take place every month. It will be open with my first post within the month and it will be closed at the end of the month.

At the end of these posts, "Add your link" button will be available that you will be able to add link to your project. You do not need a blog to link up. You can also use social network sites (as Facebook...), or photo sharing sites (as Google +...). If you are not familiar how "Add your link" is working, I prepare this screenshot for you - click on the image to enlarge it.

Every challenge will have his own theme. So please, make a project which will represent the theme of the month and please use only CottageCutz dies. You can show us cards, invitations, boxes, decorations or any other project made with CottageCutz dies.

And this is not all. Every month two lucky winners will be randomly chosen and will get gift certificate for Scrapping Cottage store. Great, right?

And now it's time to start and let's start very simple - the theme for our first challenge is ANYTHING GOES.

Let me show you what I've created. I used dies from Nautical release to create Nautical table setting. Are you interesting how I did it?

Supplies:

CottageCutz Dies: Listed Below
Cardstock: white, red and two shades of blue Cardstock
Distress Ink: Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs
Other: Scissors, Paper trimmer, Sizzix machine, black and yellow marker

1. With Captain and Sailor Owls die cut all die pieces out with white, red and two shades of blue cardstock. Color the front of the hat with black marker and beak and claws with yellow marker. Glue all the owl pieces together as shown on the photo.

2. With Paddles and Rope Ladder die, cut the paddle out with some white cardstock and colored it with Brushed Corduroy and Gathered Twigs distress ink or any other brown ink.

3. In the Word, design the name and print it with your printer on white cardstock. Before you cut out the oval, put the CottageCutz Stitched Oval die on the paper, so that the name will be displayed in lower part of the oval. Use the biggest stitched oval shape (sixth from the center). Glue paddle and the owl on it. Now you have a name holder for the table setting.

4. Cut the life preserver out with some white and red cardstock. Use Life Preserver die for this and color the twine with some light brown distress ink as Old Paper. Glue all the pieces together as shown on the photo. Use live preserver as napkin holder.

5. For some more decoration you can also cut out the ship's wheel or anchor, color it with brown distress ink and put it on the table.

OK, this is is my projects. And now go back to our challenge a little bit more. As I told you before, two lucky winners will be randomly chosen and will get gift certificate for Scrapping Cottage store.

First one will get gift certificate value of 50$...

... and second one in the value of 25$.

Isn't that awesome?

You have time till 30th of april to participate. 
Both winners will be announced in the same post as new challenge (for May) will begin.

All you need to do is take your CottageCutz dies and start creating! 
Please, use just CottageCutz dies!

Have fun and don´t forget to show us all your projects.

"Add your link" button is available under the list of used dies.

P.S. Sorry, but I have to write this. Because some linked projects didn't use only CottageCutz dies (which is the only restriction our Challenge has), I was obligated to remove them from the links. You are more than welcome to participate at our challenge, but please, use only CottageCutz dies.

An InLinkz Link-up