Blossom & Burlap Christmas Tree for Donna Salazar

I've been working on a very special Christmas decor project that I finally get to share with you today. I created this Blossom & Burlap Christmas Tree, featuring one of Donna Salazar's fabulous Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms dies. There are just over 100 Bitty Blossom flowers decorating my tree. 

These beautiful flowers come together so fast, and I'll share a little secret with you. Our church is a 30 minute drive away, making it an hour round trip. Gary prefers to drive most times, so I put that hour to good use making flowers for my stash. I pre-cut Bitty Blossoms and take them along with my flower making tool kit. I can easily create a dozen or more on each trip. For today's project I've used those blossoms along with burlap, lace, and gold metallic fabric mesh to create a tree to decorate our Christmas dinner table.

Tips and Techniques

I bought a paper mache cone at my local craft store, imagining a Christmas tree covered with Bitty Blossoms. This is what I came up with. I started by adhering swirling rows of Bitty Blossoms. A tutorial for my Bitty Blossoms can be found HERE.

Then I filled in-between with tufts of layered burlap, lace, and gold metallic mesh and mini pinecones picked from our daughter's yard. 

My sweet friend, Lisa, came across this simple gold star as I was creating and offered it to me. It couldn't be more perfect to adorn the top of my tree. 

All in all, it's the Bitty Blossoms that really shine on my tree giving it such a festive holiday feel.

Donna Salazar Products

GCD Studios ~ Antiquities Collection

Spellbinders ~ Bitty Blossom Dies

Other Products

Burlap

Lace Panel

Gold Metallic Mesh

Gold Metal Star

Craft Essentials ~ Birch Round

Pine Cones ~ Yard

Darice ~ Paper Mache Craft Cone – 13.75 x 5 in

Helmar ~ 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy holiday preparations to stop by.

I'd like to wish each of you a very merry Christmas. 

~ Blessings ~

Wedding Decor ~ Guest Designing for Something Tattered

I have been invited to guest design for Something Tattered with their gorgeous stamps.

I've created two coordinating wedding decor sets to share with you.

My goal was to create pieces with lovely details that would be easy to reproduce for a wedding.

Burlap is hot right now for weddings. I've always enjoyed combining grungy, earthy items like burlap with more elegant designs and textures as you will see in this first set. 

Close-ups and Details

Amour is love and a perfect sentiment from the AMOUR Amour Stamp Set for this die cut at the corner of the Table Number decor piece. 

I simply used a 5 x 7" photo mat as a base, cutting the burlap just larger than the mat and fringed the edges. This Opulent Ovals Spellbinders die was the perfect size to stamp the lovely sentiment and was tied with a bow of jute twine. 

Many of the Something Tattered stamp sets have gorgeous and unique flourishes.  I stamped and heat embossed this gem from the Fleur De Lis Bird and Arrow Stamp Set below the table number. This frame could be easily repurposed as a home decor piece by switching a photo for the table number.

The Twine Flowers are hand crafted with instructions located on my blog here. 

This is a quick and easy gift bag that could be used as part of the wedding table decor. I used a larger Opulent Ovals die that was another perfect fit for the larger Amour and gorgeous flourish. Both of these images are from the AMOUR Amour Stamp Set. Once again a simple jute twine bow adds a bit of rustic elegance.

The burlap bag is premade from SRM Stickers. Burlap does not stamp well with delicate stamps, so I pulled out a sheet of cork from my stash. Not only did it look great with the burlap, but these fabulous images stamped with perfect detail on it. I selected this medallion image from the Frieze Stamp Set since it included a heart in the motif, so perfect for wedding decor. The cork and lace are glued into place.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My second set is for a more elegant wedding.

Close-ups and Details

I used another 5 x 7" photo mat for the table number piece. I stamped this image from the Swirls Stamp Set in white and then heat embossed with a pearlescent embossing powder. The design really pops and shimmers in real life. Again this piece can be used for home decor by swapping a photo for the table number.

Under the table number, I used a different flourish from the Fleur De Lis Bird and Arrow Stamp Set. It is stamped in black and heat embossed with clear embossing powder ~ a great trick I learned to get the lovely raised image, without stray bits of "black" embossing powder showing up on the background.

It is hard to see in the photograph, but I stamped "veins" on the butterfly wings with the July Juillet Stamp Set image to add another layer of dimension before sprinkling with Twinkle Dust Glitter. The butterflies are cut with Wonderful Wings dies. I used a pearl flourish for the butterfly trail, but you could also use liquid pearls for this.

Finally, here's a shot of the little organza bag that could be filled with white mints as a table favor. Or, how sweet would these be filled with bird seed to toss on the bride and groom after the ceremony?

I inserted a piece of cardstock into the bag to avoid the ink going through to the back of the bag and used Jet Black Archival ink to stamp this stunning medallion image from the Frieze Stamp Set. Although the ink is black, the image is a beautiful soft gray on the white organza. 

The tag is stamped with the Amour image I've used previously along with an image from the Fleur De Lis Bird and Arrow Stamp Set. A seam binding bow and little white flower add an elegant finishing touch.

I hope you've been inspired to create the table decor for your special wedding using Something Tattered stamps. Not only are their designs gorgeous, but the quality of these lovely stamps matches their beauty.

Something Tattered Products

AMOUR Amour Stamp Set

Swirls Stamp Set

Frieze Stamp Set

Fleur De Lis Bird and Arrow Stamp Set

July Juillet Stamp Set

Other Products Used

Burlap Table Number

Something Tattered ~ AMOUR Amour Stamp Set

Something Tattered ~ Fleur De Lis Bird and Arrow Stamp Set

5 x 7 Ivory Bevel Cut Mat

Burlap

Beige Cardstock

Craft Cardstock

Jute Twine

Prima Lace ~ Alencon Collection

Darice ~ Hemp Cord - 10#, Earthy Colors

Ranger ~ Archival ink, Jet Black 

Clearsnap ~ Embossing Powder, Clear

Spellbinders ~ Opulent Ovals

Font ~ Jelica Delicious Cake

Helmar~ 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

Sizzix ~ Big Shot

Tim Holtz ~ Grid Blocks

Darice ~ Heat Tool

Burlap Bag

SRM Stickers ~ Burlap Bag

Something Tattered ~ AMOUR Amour Stamp Set

Something Tattered ~ Frieze Stamp Set

Craft Cardstock

Jute Twine

Prima Lace ~ Alencon Collection

Darice ~ Hemp Cord - 10#, Earthy Colors

Spellbinders ~ Opulent Ovals

Ranger ~ Archival ink, Jet Black

Clearsnap ~ Embossing Powder, Clear

Clearsnap by Donna Salazar ~ Mix’d Media Inx - Sparrow

Helmar~ 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

Sizzix ~ Big Shot

Tim Holtz ~ Grid Blocks

Elegant Table Number

Something Tattered ~ Swirls Stamp Set

Something Tattered ~ July Juillet Stamp Set

Something Tattered ~ Fleur De Lis Bird and Arrow Stamp Set

Ivory Card Stock

Zva ~ Pearl Flourish

Want2Scrap ~ Teardrop Pearls

Want2Scrap ~ Baby Bling - Pearls

Clearsnap by Donna Salazar ~ Mix'd Media Inx, Jasmine

Ranger ~ Perfect Medium

Ranger ~ Archival ink, Jet Black

Clearsnap ~ Embossing Powder, Clear

Ranger ~ Perfect Pearls, Heirloom Gold

Clearsnap by Donna Salazar ~ Twinkle Dust Glitter, Pralines and Cream

Sparkle and Sprinkle ~ Opaline Embossing Powder

Helmar~ 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

Sizzix ~ Big Shot

Tim Holtz ~ Grid Blocks

Darice ~ Heat Tool

Elegant Bag

Something Tattered ~ AMOUR Amour Stamp Set

Something Tattered ~ Frieze Stamp Set

Something Tattered ~ Fleur De Lis Bird and Arrow Stamp Set

White Cardstock

Wild Orchid Crafts ~ Open Roses 10mm, white

Michaels ~ Organza Bag 3 x 4”, white

Ranger ~ Archival ink, Jet Black

Spellbinders ~ Opulent Ovals Dies

Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

Sizzix ~ Big Shot

Tim Holtz ~ Grid Blocks

Thanks for stopping by! I treasure your comments.

~ Blessings ~

Birthday Card Details for ScrapThat!

Birthdays are always a special time of celebration. My husband, Gary, had a birthday earlier this month, and I created this card for him. We rarely celebrate on our birthdays so having this card to give him helped make it a special day. Yes, we did celebrate this past weekend by having all our children gather here with us for dinner and a sweet time of fellowship together. 

I created this card using the April ScrapThat! Kit featuring the Donna Salazar Natural Beauty Collection. The colors and designs of these papers are so perfect for a masculine touch!

Birthday Card

MK

Tips and Techniques:

Stamping ~ Each of these banner flags except the bird was stamped using a variety of stamps from Donna Salazar (Ruler), Tim Holtz, and Inkadinkado. The red heart was also heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I love you was hand written and Happy Birthday was created with my printer. 

Doodling ~ I doodled around the edges of most of the flags. 

Distressing ~ I used my Tim Holtz distress tool around the edges of the mat and the flags were inked on the edges. 

Handcrafted Flowers ~ I used scraps of the kit paper with Donna Salazar's Rose Creations dies to create these sweet flowers. I inked them with brown distress inks to keep a masculine feel. The centers are the kit pearls colored with alcohol ink. The leaves were also cut from kit paper scraps, but with Donna's Bitty Blossoms dies. They were pinched to add veins and colored with green distress inks. 

Cording ~ I had one small piece of the kit cording left. This cording is so gorgeous that I pulled the scrap apart and tucked it into my cluster. 

Chipboard ~ I inked this Dusty Attic piece in greys and black soot Distress Inks, then covered with clear embossing powder and heat set for a glossy finish. 

Burlap and Bow ~ I backed a strip of the burlap with iron on interfacing to give stability, then spritzed with spray ink in a color similar to the burlap. I cut a strip and adhered it around the front to the back of the card, trimming even at both edges. Then on top of that I adhered sheer ribbon leaving a length on both ends long enough to tie a nice bow. The front mat is adhered over the ribbon to the front of the card.

I'm hosting the ScrapThat! April DT Challenge. All you need to do is include cording, fabric, thread . . . on your project. Stop by the forum for all the details and to enter your project. I'll be drawing a name to select a random winner for a package of gorgeous Prima paper, and if we get more than 10 entries I'll be selecting a second winner to receive 6 of my handcrafted twine flowers in a variety of sizes and spring colors. We only need two more entries for me to give away my special prize. 

Don't forget about Amy's April Sketch Challenge. All the details can be found here. 

Our ScrapThat! store can be found here. We are currently accepting new subscribers. 

Thanks for following me on Bloglovin:

Thanks for stopping by! I treasure your comments.

~ Blessings ~ 

"The Journey Awakens the Soul" Details for ScrapThat!

We are so happy to have Andrew added to our family. This photo was taken before their October wedding ceremony as he contemplates his future with our Elizabeth. 

I created this layout with the gorgeous ScrapThat! April kit featuring Donna Salazar's Natural Beauty collection and gorgeous Prima Flowers and Trinkets.

"The Journey Awakens the Soul"

MK, EAO, FAO

Tips and Techniques:

Corded Paper Rays ~ This close-up shows the lovely dimension much better!! I've been inspired by Frank Garcia's work with cording and thought I'd put my spin on it for this page. I cut the paper from this upper corner in toward the center of the page. I reinforced each point with an additional little triangle of paper, then pierced each point. I knotted the end of a length of cotton crochet thread and used a needle to pull the thread through a point leaving the knotted end on the bottom. I extended the cord across the page and pierced another hole near that edge and pulled the thread through to the back. I also adhered each paper point in place. 

Burlap Banner ~ I cut the kit burlap into banner flags and tucked one between each point. 

Handcrafted flowers ~ I used thick handmade mulberry paper with rose creations dies to create these dreamy flowers. The centers are the darling EAO Maya Road Metal Rose Trinkets. 

Corded Hearts ~ This gorgeous Prima strand of corded hearts was just perfect to extend the corded points and banner. 

Flowers ~ These Prima flowers are so gorgeous that I left them as is. The small white flower is handcrafted with the same mulberry paper and Donna Salazar's Bitty Blossoms dies. The leaves are from a scrap of kit paper colored with distress inks and pinched for dimension. 

Gears ~ I used Donna Salazar's Sprightly Sprockets dies to cut gears from a scrap of thin chipboard. I painted them black, then dabbed with a gold paint dauber and while still wet, heat set to bubble and add texture. 

Chipboard ~ My friend, Mandy, gave me the tag and bird chippies while I was working on this page and they were a perfect fit. I painted them, then lightly inked to highlight the raised designs. I used a scrap of jute from the burlap to tie onto the tag. The flourish is by Blue Fern Studio, which I also painted and inked. 

Title ~ The metal title piece was silver. I applied alcohol ink to color.

Scrapping Everyday Miracles has posted their April Sketch Challenge. They added a card sketch too, so there are two sketches to work with. I look forward to seeing your project posted there. For the sketches and challenge details, go here. 

Thanks for stopping by! I treasure your comments! 

~ Blessings ~

Tybee Beach ~ The Scrapping Stamper June Sketch Reveal

This is an older photo of our daughter, Maria, playing with a friend in the sand at Tybee Beach, Georgia. I enjoy the contrast of grunge and bling as you can see in this summertime layout using 100 Days of Summer paper and stickers by Simple Stories. 

The Scrapping Stamper June Sketch Reveal:

Here is Shannon's wonderful June Sketch:

Be sure to stop by Shannon's blog to see what her talented design team put together for this sketch. 

The Simple Stories paper and stickers along with Petaloo flowers really made this page come together rather quickly for me. Other than distressing, I cut the two pieces of loosely woven burlap and dabbed some random spots of gesso to place behind the photo and journal blocks. I found the burlap at Michael's in the floral department as a burlap garland, so it's only about 8 or 10 inches wide ~ perfect for cutting up for my scrapbook pages. 

This photo reminds me of one of my favorited Bible verses which I penned along the flourishes printed along the bottom of the page. "Psalm 139: 17-18 ~ How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand." 

I have entered this in:

ScrapFIT Weekend Warm-up: Sticker challenge (just for fun) **

Word Art Wednesday: Use an encouraging or uplifting sentiment on your project. **

The Happy Scrappers Monthly Challenges: The Great Outdoors **

Simple Stories: Create a project using Simple Stories Simple Basics Papers - Used 100 Days of Summer **

Thanks for dropping by! I treasure your comments.

~ Blessings ~