Happy 4th!

I picked up cut files for a patriotic box card at the Silhouette Online Store. You can see the directions for assembly HERE.

I made three, and I’ve already given away two. They fold flat and slip easily into the huge envelope I made with the corresponding envelope cut file.

Materials? Lots of paper and glue!

Easter Baskets

Nichol Magouirk creates the best paper home decor projects. This is the second time I’ve used one of her brilliant ideas. You can find her carrots in a basket HERE. 

I made two of these and took one to the neighbors’ house for a back porch table centerpiece.

I used cut files from the Silhouette Online Store for the basket and the carrots.

Bo Bunny Double Dot papers in orange and green

Lasting Impressions - Citrus Checks paper

Silhouette - cut files

Neenah Desert Storm card stock

Ribbon, twine, paper grass, brown brads

Leprechaun Trap

The kind folks at SVG Cuts provided a free cut file for the “Gold Coin Inn Leprechaun Trap.” Martha Stewart Crafts asked them to create a trap. It was fun and easy to do. If you don’t have an electronic cutting machine, they have templates available for this project to print and cut with scissors.

There’s a coin hanging inside the inn to lure the Leprechaun inside. Once he steps in to get it, he’ll fall to the bottom of the box!

I used paper from my stash, cream and two shades of green. The “fence” and the lattice in the windows were punched with Martha Stewart Craft’s deep edger punch, Garden Trellis. I picked up the coins, the moss, the band of sequins, and the materials to make the ladder at Michael’s. I used Martha Stewart Crafts metallic gold paint the ladder.

Maple Manor

I recently discovered an online company, SVG Cuts. They have terrific cutting files for the Silhouette. (Files are also compatible with other cutting machines.) I think I bought one of the most complicated designs they have. What a way to start! I also got caught up in the voting for SVG Cuts' bid to win Martha Stewart's "American Made" contest. And win they did!

Here are all the pieces for my project.

Mary and Leo (SVG Cuts) shoot terrific videos of their projects. The video, brief printed directions, and common sense made the Maple Manor easy to assemble.

I took the manor outside to get some pictures.

The Maple Manor looks best at night.

The back of the manor has an opening, and battery powered tea lights make the windows glow. I made a stand for the middle light.

The top of the tower lifts off, and I put a light there too.

I took this last picture in the dark.

Same Project in Miniature

I made some much smaller patriotic rosettes to give as gifts. Smaller as opposed to the big rosettes I made in my previous post.

I put sand in glass jars to stabilize the stems.

The secret to success is the glue. I used Beacon's 3-in-1 Advanced Craft Glue. Good stuff.

Happy Fourth of July!

4th of July Home Decor

I saw these paper rosette flowers on Nichol Magouirk's blog HERE, and I'm not ashamed to admit I CASEd her brilliant idea. I love patriotic projects.

I used papers from Bo Bunny's Anthem collection.

Rosettes were cut and perforated using Silhouette Cameo.

I also used Stampin' Up's Daydream Medallions stamps and Floral Frames framelit dies.

The "celebrate sunshine" stamp is Warble from Dear Lizzy and American Crafts. The sunshine definition is a Technique Tuesday stamp from the Bring on the Sun set.

Also used in this project: paper doilies, star cut file (Silhouette), vintage buttons from my stash, Lawn Fawn hemp cord, lots of hot glue, dowels, white embossing powder, Memento Blue Danube ink, Ranger Dusty Concord ink, Hero Arts Red Royal and Navy inks, Neenah solar white card stock, and various ribbons.