August 2014

Judi Kauffman’s back as a guest designer. She’s created two stunning projects – Get ready for some Shimmer Sheetz fun!

Thanks, Joset. I thought it would be fun to use alcohol ink-altered Shimmer Sheetz as the starting point for two very different projects.

Both the crate and the card include Elizabeth Craft Designs’ Crystal Flower and Crystal Flower Overlay dies. I’ve loved them since the day I saw Els’s first sketches. The Walnut Hollow Mini Crate is another favorite of mine. It’s the perfect size for cards and envelopes
or a passel of pens.

I decorated only the front of the crate, but you could make more flowers and decorate all four sides. That way, you could use it for a centerpiece viewed from any angle. Fill it with lemons and laurel leaves, wrapped candies, or a potted plant in a saucer! You may need more than one package of Shimmer Sheetz if you decorate all sides, depending on how many flowers you use per side.

I hope these projects will spark your creativity in some way. Change the color combination to suit your décor. Use flowers on gift boxes, plant picks (Shimmer Sheetz is waterproof), ATCs, tags or other kinds of cards. Experiment, play, and most of all HAVE FUN!

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the CRATE –

1. Base coat crate with French Gray Blue. Allow paint to dry. Add a second coat if needed.

2. Cut one 5” x 12” piece of Fire Opal Shimmer Sheetz as follows:
Cut one piece 5” x 6.5” (this rectangle will be cut into strips for sides of crate in Step 6),
one piece 4” x 5” (for one end of crate). Remaining piece will measure 1.5” x 5” (set this piece aside for leaves).

3. Cut a second 5” x 12” piece of Fire Opal Shimmer Sheetz as follows:
Cut one piece 5” x 6.5”. Cut a 1” x 6.5” strip from this piece (for side of crate, see Step 6).
Set aside the remaining 4” x 6.5” piece for solid flowers. Cut one piece 4” x 5” (for the other end of the crate). Remaining piece will measure 1.5” x 5” (set this piece aside for leaves).

4. Alter the 5” x 6.5”, 1” x 6.5”, and two 4” x 5” pieces (for side strips and ends of crate) with Stream, Espresso, Gold Metallic, Twilight Purple, Aqua and Raspberry alcohol inks (or any colors you choose). For the best effect, use at least three colors. Allow some of the original Fire Opal surface to remain visible between the dappled inks to keep the surface sparkly.

5. Alter the two 1.5” x 5” (leaf) pieces with Stream and Gold. Alter the 4” x 6.5” piece (for solid flowers) with Raspberry, Gold, and Twilight Purple. Note: Alcohol inks dry quickly but be sure that the pieces are thoroughly dry before starting the next steps.

6. Cover the back of the 5” x 6.5” piece, the 1” x 6.5” strip (from Step 3) and the two 4” x 5” (end) pieces with double-sided adhesive sheet. Cut the 5” x 6.5” piece into five 1” x 6.5” strips. Combined with the 1” x 6.5” strip from Step 3, you have a total of six strips, three for each side of the crate.

7. Make a paper template for the ends of the crate. Trace the opening onto the back of the
4” x 5” end pieces. Use a craft knife to cut out the curved opening.

8. Adhere the Shimmer Sheetz strips and end pieces onto the crate.

9. Die cut two 5-leaf branch and one 2-leaf branch from each 1.5” x 5” piece. Die cut three Crystal Flowers, two large and one small, from the 4” x 6.5” piece.

10. From one end of the unaltered 5” x 12” piece of Fire Opal Shimmer Sheetz, die cut three Crystal Flower Overlays, two large and one small (set aside the rest of this piece of Shimmer Sheetz for the card project).

11. Bend the petals up on all flowers and flower overlays. Bend the leaves along the score lines. Using Power Tabs for a super strong hold, attach the alcohol ink-altered Crystal Flowers to the crate. Refer to photo for placement. Cut tiny strips from the Power Tabs and use the strips to adhere the Crystal Flower Overlays. Add an adhesive-backed pearl to the center of each flower, varying the size of the pearls to fit the larger and smaller flowers. Use tiny strips cut from Power Tabs to adhere the leaves.

For the CARD –

1. Use the leftovers from the third piece of Fire Opal Shimmer Sheetz as follows:
Alter a 4” x 4.5” rectangle with alcohol inks used for sides of crate. Alter a 3” square with alcohol inks used for Crystal Flower solid shapes used on crate. Alter a 1.5” x 5” piece with alcohol inks used for leaves. Leave the remainder unaltered.

2. Cover the back of the 4” x 4.5” rectangle with double-sided adhesive and adhere to a
5” x 6.5” piece of green pearlescent cardstock, centered 3/8” from top edge. Create a 5” wide Stand Up Helper card base from the same cardstock using the bracket shape die twice
(.75” from right and left edge, leaving only 1” in front of the cuts).

3. Die cut a Crystal Flower Overlay from the altered 3” square. Die cut two small and one large Crystal Flowers from unaltered Shimmer Sheetz. Die cut two 5-leaf and one 2- leaf branch from altered 1.5” x 5” strip. Bend the leaves on the score lines for dimension.

4. Emboss the flowers with Dancing Leaves folder. Sand flowers to reveal the silver core in the Fire Opal Shimmer Sheetz. Wipe with a damp cloth or paper towel. Place a faceted gem in the middle of each flower, varying the size to fit the flower. Surround the gems with five Orange/Silver Glitter Dots, spacing them so there is a Dot centered at the base of each petal. Bend petals upward for dimension. (Use the largest Glitter Dots for the large flower, the second-to-largest Dots for the smaller flowers.)

5. Assemble the card front: Refer to photo. Add two pieces of Ribbon Fantasy Peel-offs in Gold below the Shimmer Sheetz rectangle. Add narrow strip from the Ribbon Fantasy leftovers just above the Shimmer Sheetz. Using whole or partial Power Tabs (partial = small strips cut from Power Tabs), attach the Crystal Flower Overlay to the background and then adhere the dimensional embossed flowers and leaves.

6. Attach the card front rectangle to the Stand Up Helper card base. Add a strip of Ribbon Fantasy Peel-offs leftovers at the front edge. Optional: Add a die cut or peel-off greeting.

Reminder: Weigh the card before mailing it to determine the postage needed. Shimmer Sheetz is light as a feather but I used super heavy cardstock so my card weighs over an ounce, plus the lumpy, slightly fragile gems require padding and extra postage. Substitute die cut circles for the gems (circles are part of the die sets), use 80# cardstock, and the card will be flat enough to mail in a plain envelope for a single first class stamp.

SUPPLIES:

Elizabeth Craft Designs –
924 Crystal Flower Set 1
923 Crystal Flower Overlay Set 2
730 Curvy Leaves
SS 0218 Shimmer Sheetz in Fire Opal
803 Metal Adapter Plate (*Required for cutting Shimmer Sheetz)
501 Adhesive Sheets 5” x 12”
For card:
792 Stand Up Helpers 1
7018 Glitter Dots Peel-offs in Orange/Silver (for card)
E106 Dancing Leaves Embossing Folder (for card)
1276 Ribbon Fantasy Peel-offs in Gold

Walnut Hollow –
23873 Rustic Pallet Mini Crate

Ranger –
Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks in Stream, Espresso, Gold, Purple Twilight, Rust, Aqua and Raspberry and Metallic Mixatives in Gold (or colors of choice); Tim Holtz Ink Applicator Tool

DecoArt –
Americana Acrylics in French Blue Gray

Other – Cutting/embossing machine (Cut’n’Boss, Big Shot, Cuttlebug, or other); Craft knife, gridded ruler, cutting mat, paint brush, sanding block, adhesive-backed pearls and faceted gems (manufacturers of choice); Power Tabs (Tombow); Green pearlescent cardstock for card (manufacturer of choice)