Festive Paper House Decor... 12 Days of Christmas Ornaments Bloghop

 

  

Hello creative friends! Welcome to DAY FOUR of the 12 Days of Christmas Ornaments Bloghop. Pop over to Try-It, Like It for the details on all each days ornament tutorial. 

 

 

Today I am sharing how to create this adorable festive birdhouse ornament. This is a fun stash-busting project and can be done using what you have on hand. All you need is a few paper scraps, buttons or metal findings and ribbons & trims, this sweet house is ready to adorn the tree!

I was inspired by the red & white checks on this 1 1/2" wide wired burlap trim - it's perfect for the rooftop of my whimsical little bird house.

PLEASE NOTE: This was put together in a free-form fashion... like one of those recipes that you throw together using a handful of pantry staples. This project came together with ease and the size was determined by the size of my paper scraps & width of ribbon trim that I selected for the roof. No precise measuring! 

Let's get started!

To begin: from my stash I found and cut two matching strips of patterned paper. My paper has a distressed painted texture on both sides and I made width match the wired burlap trim I am using for the roof which is approximately 1 1/2" wide

Overlap the two strips together like a "plus sign", then glue together with white craft glue. Next cut a matching triangular peak to support roof from top and bottom of one strip. This overlapped section will be the base of house. When glue is dry, fold up the sides at edges of the base section. Punch a series of equally spaced holes along each edge. I used six – this may vary depending on your size paper. Keep in mind that an even number of holes are needed to complete stitched X shapes along each side.

 

Using a contrasting yarn, embroidery floss or baker's/burlap twine, stitch house walls together using a cross stitch "X" pattern and and knot off on the inside.

Completed house with all sides stitched – no glue necessary. 

I cut a section of a decorative wired burlap trim, folded in half, then folded edges over twice to add extra dimension. Any kind of ribbon or even decorative paper could be used. Cut a matching size section of patterned cardstock and fold in half. 

For extra stability, adhere the piece of scrap patterned cardstock using double-sided tape. For this step, I opt for a dry adhesive method as some glues may seep into and discolor ribbon. Please use your choice of adhesive based on your materials.

Create a hanger by tying a knot to form a loop with green burlap thread. Poke a small hole in center of roof with a pushpin and feed through keeping knot on the inside. To add extra detail, I strung on a bead cap. 

 

 

 

To create a base, I mount a red cardstock rectangle on the bottom that is slightly larger and added a thin natural burlap twine around the base. I nipped the tips off the corner edges with scissors.

To add a roof overhang, I cut and adhere a piece of red cardstock below that is slightly wider on each size under burlap roof piece. To finish: I glue the roof assembly onto the house structure using white craft glue and set aside to dry.

 

 

 

The finishing touches are a keyhole brad embellishment glued to the front of the house and a beautiful tied bow made of burlap ribbon adhered with a heavy-duty glue-dot. This ornament is so adorable! As you can see it can fit in my hand. Fully embellished this house is about 3 1/2" tall and 2 1/2" wide.

This ornament comes together easily using a minimal amount of supplies. Grab up all the little bits and bobs and make a whole bunch in different colors and sizes! These will be my handmade ornament gifts for family this year.

 

I invite you to join me and subscribe to my YouTube channel where I will share a video process of this ornament in a different color and pattern range on December 8th! While you are there you can view a video on a mixed-media Junque Fairy ornament.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment and your contact information spelled out {ie: youremail at service dot com} and I will be happy to respond. 

 

Thank you for stopping by. Check back for more fun projects!  :) Sb

Trim the Tree with Handmade Holiday Ornaments...

Hello creative friends! Handmade holiday gifts are my jam – especially ornaments. It's a tradition that I share with my Grandmother which has spread to other family members too. I am also into all sorts of art & crafts, sewing and of course, I just can't resist making ALL THE THINGS! 

That being said, I am excited that my creative friend Janet invited me to be a part of a special handmade event where each day brings a new craft tutorial to follow along and make some new handmade holiday ornaments... the 12 Days of Christmas Ornaments!

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To visit all the stops for the 12 Days of Christmas Ornaments visit Janet at https://tryit-likeit.com/12-days-of-christmas-ornaments/

Here's the list of all the Ornament Makers in this bloghop:

Day 1 – Janet Trieschman: Fabric Ball Ornament
Day 2 – Donna Wirthlin: Santa Fabric Star
Day 3 – Natalie Shaw: Waterslide Decal Ornaments
** Day 4 – Susan M. Brown {sbartist}: Festive Paper House Ornament ** YOU ARE HERE
Day 5 – Michelle James: Old World Santa Ornaments
Day 6 – Julie Nyanyo: Felt and Button Stars
Day 7 – Christie Troxell: Pinecone Flowers Wood Slice
Day 8 – Gail Griffin: Bejeweled Decorative Ornament
Day 9 – Katie Adams: 3D Laser Cut Reindeer Ornament
Day 10 – Janet Trieschman: Alcohol ink Ornament
Day 11 – Terry Ricioli: Rustic Wood Slice Ornament
Day 12 – Janet Trieschman: Christmas Tree

Thanks for stopping by – I hope you enjoy creating along. Merry Christmas and Happy Making. I'd love to hear about what type of ornaments you like to make. :) Sb

Dimensional Paper Delights... Designer Crafts Connection Dreaming Tree Bloghop

 

Greetings everyone -- today I am part of a special bloghop! The Designer Crafts Connection is delighting us with dimensional papercrafts using SVG patterns from Dreaming Tree. My project has all the holiday feels and brings back my love of dimensional papercrafts with a fun twist -- using my high-tech Cricut and SVG patterns combined with cardstock, patterned paper and old school tools from my stash.

If you dream it you can make it with SVG files from Dreaming Tree...

CLICK HERE to hop on over to learn more about these fabulous products!

Be prepared to be delighted with projects for any theme or occasion at Dreaming Tree... and a large selection of FREE designs! Pick your project, download the digital package, pick your papers and put your electronic die cutter to work! I love my dies, stamps and fussy cutting and use my Cricut for vinyl projects. This is the first time I have used my machine to make something with paper.

I was so excited to find several pop-up card designs. I enjoy learning the art of making pop-up mechanisms and Dreaming Tree made the process enjoyable. I frequent a little shop that sells cards like this and with the Tis The Season Pop Up Cards SVG Bundle, I'm happy to try them myself. It also gives me a reason to get a jumpstart on making my handmade holiday cards. 

The hardest part was deciding which card to make first and which of my treasured patterned papers to use. I decided on this lovely My Minds Eye snow pattern paired with a coordinating solid blue and a prized sheet from one of the retired Basic Grey holiday lines. I have the big 12" x 24" mats so I load up my papers on both ends and set up the cut files in CDS interface.

I did a little modification to the SVGs by combining the card base and the trees so I could cut them all from the same sheet of patterned paper. This worked great though the interface still decided to move things around on me.

**PLEASE NOTE** The patterns and assembly instructions use solid core cardstock. When using patterned paper, plan to make an extra set of trees that are inverted (flipped horizontal) from the original cut design. I had to go back and do this so that when I assembled I would have my beautiful snowy pattern showing on all sides and not alternating with the white backside of the paper. Not a big deal -- I now have things cut to make two cards.

Time to cut! I was a bit concerned that the delicate details would tear or not cut all the way through.

The blade whirls and dances around and 

the software tells you the progress.

Wowee! I have the Cricut Expression Air II which is 

a few years old and it did not disappoint.

The removal of the cut pieces is the hardest and most time consuming step. It requires a delicate touch, and a lot of patience. The reward is a ready made card phrase for another project (I wonder how to remove that all in one piece)!

This is really impressive. The resulting design on card 

front is approximately 2" wide by 4" tall.

Solid blue cardstock is up next for the envelope.

This Basic Grey snowflake pattern will be the accent for the 

envelope flap and also the inside papers for the card.

This beautiful snow spritz design is so tiny. I am amazed by how perfectly cut each shape is... even the tiniest dots the size of a marker spot. I use my Cricut spatula tool to gently lift the tiny pieces off the tacky mat.

The negative space design leaves me with lots of free coordinating embellishments to use later.

I also cut out the ONE PIECE CHRISTMAS TREE FAVOR BOX (FREE SVG)

out of a green patterned paper from DCWV Christmas Stack.

This little box is quick and easy to cut and assemble with a bow. 

I will have fun filling these with girly gifts or some sweet treats.

Now with all my pieces cut, its time for the FUN part... embellishing!

I really enjoy the assembly process and taking time to add little extra touches that make handmade cards really special. The tree pieces are very detailed so I didn't want to apply ink to them. Solution: I dusted off my "old-school" scrapbooking dry pastels and brushed on a bit of color with a soft bristle paintbrush to cover the white edges. Quick and easy and the brush easily gets into all the small nooks and crannies.

To add some sparkle, I gently swiped the edges of all patterned

paper pieces with silver distress stain dauber.

For the star, I added some craft glue and sprinkled glitter the old-fashioned way.

I filled with candies and secured the top with a silver twist tie. 

I added a swirl of pom-pom garland to complete 

this adorable whimsical tree... ready to gift!

Assembling a Dreaming Tree pattern is easy-peasy -- you cut/prepare all the pattern pieces following the PDF provided, then assemble by following along with a video. Before final assembly of the card and envelope bases, I used double-sided adhesive tape to sandwich some scraps of sparkly tulle behind the cut outs. This quickly adds a bit of sparkle and shimmer.

 

I finished off the card and envelope with some icy colored gems.

Let It Snow... Let It Snow!

I love how the pop-up dimension really ups the WOW-factor!

What dimensional delights

will you create with Dreaming Tree?

CLICK HERE to jump over to the beginning of the Dreaming Tree Designer Bloghop at the Designer Crafts Connection blog to view more inspiration and projects using Dreaming Tree SVG designs. 

If you are getting a jump start on your handmade holiday creations --  enter Dreaming Tree's "Christmas in July Own 'Em All" giveaway! Click here for details.

You can find SVGs galore on

Dreaming Tree Website HERE

Find lots of creative inspiration at the Dreaming Tree Blog HERE.

Thanks so much for visiting! Sb :)

** This is a sponsored post. Dreaming Tree provided SVG digital products for use in this project in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions. My ideas and opinions are my own.

Add a little BLING to your #Cre8time... with Rinea® Foils and Designer Crafts Connection

If you have arrived for the StencilGirl Products and Amazing Casting Products Bloghop... please CLICK HERE for my stop on the hop.

 

Hello everyone! Today I am excited to be a part of a bloghop featuring Rinea® Double-Sided Paper Foil from Global Crafting with the Designer Crafts Connection. This paper has made my paper folding dreams take on a whole shiny new dimension!!! 

Rinea® Double-Sided Paper Foil is a wonderful option for creating dimensional ornaments and whimsies from folded paper. This SPARK-ling paper has become a new favorite to create folded paper designs I have been wanting to try... and my project I'm sharing has added BLING to Spring!!! 

Back before the holidays GlobalCrafting provided each of the Designer Craft Connection designers with Rinea® Double-Sided Paper Foil to use in our creations - we had so much fun with these papers that we have been challenged again to "Rock Your Sparkle with Rinea®". To pop over to the beginning of the hop CLICK HERE to see all the stops on the hop!

Rinea® Double-Sided Paper Foil is a specialty craft paper imported from Germany. It is made up of a thin sheet of paper sandwiched between two layers of thin aluminum foil - the paper gives it sturdiness and stiffness while the foil gives it the shininess and the malleability to maintain the shape however you bend or fold it. It is more than just origami paper due to the specific thickness and the quality of the foil used, making it ideal for many interesting crafting ideas. The paper does not wrinkle like foil and does not cause painful cuts like thick sharp foil can. 

The paper comes in many interesting colors with shiny, matte, and embossed surfaces giving you lots of options to play with and combine. I have selected a magenta star pattern and pale pink matte finish for today's creation.

To my delight, when cutting my papers to size, I discovered that the backside of the pink matte Rinea® Double-Sided Paper Foil is a lovely gold color... a bonus for my planned paper folding, saving me a step of gluing two sheets together to get this effect.

For my project I cut one square to 6" square and the other about 5" square. I made a test using scrapbooking paper first that was 4 1/2" square and it was hard to make the folds in the finishing stages due to the thickness of the paper.

I love Origami, Kusadama and other styles of paperfolding... and have loads of books with fabulous patterns. For my project I selected a practical pattern from "The Origami Handbook" by Rick Beech... the Easter Basket. For the last bloghop, I created a folded pattern from the same book that I combined several modular sections to form a beautiful bracelet. I encourage you to look this book up at your local library!

This pattern has many steps, though I find making multiples are easier when doing sections of the folding in stages. You can see how much folding this shape has to be done, putting the Rinea foil to an extreme test of durability.

The common problem with Origami and Kusadama folding is that with more intricate shapes, the paper becomes very hard to manipulate due to it's thickness {or lack thereof}. Rinea® Double-Sided Paper Foil solves this issue while providing a metallic {solid or textured} finish in a variety of colors that lends itself to folding and holds it's shape.

No scraps of Rinea® Double-Sided Paper Foil goes to waste as I even quickly fashioned some coordinating blingy Easter grass for these mini baskets. I cut thin slivers {approx. 1/16"} with my paper trimmer, but you can certainly use scissors. I tried using my fringe scissors that cut five strips at once - though they were a bit thick for this purpose. I ended up cutting them all in half to make them thinner. The green shreds are how the strips look straight from the trimmer... LOVE the curls!! I think Quillers would love this paper. A quick, gentle crumble and circular swirl between my hands and perfect grass is done!

This basket is the result using the two-tone pale pink with gold. The basket is only one 6" square paper and the handle a folded 6" long by 3/4" wide strip. I've filled with the green Rinea® shred and a couple wooden vintage mini decor. The best part... NO GLUING!!

This basket is the result using magenta star paper. The basket is only one 5" square paper and the handle a folded 6" long by 3/4" wide strip {which is how it ended up a bit taller of a handle}. I've filled with the pink Rinea® shred and teeny Darice mini eggs and one vintage painted wooden egg. I finished off with two tiny satin bows added with a mini glue dot.

A perfect way to show off 
mini vintage Springtime decor!

Oh the possibilities!!! These little baskets would be great for party favors or place holders. I'm totally making Grinchy gifts with these at Christmas and filling with those funny coal shaped chocolates - LOL! 

CLICK HERE to jump over to the beginning of the "Rock Your Sparkle with Rinea®" Bloghop at the Designer Crafts Connection blog and find more SPARK-ling inspiration and projects using this gorgeous and versatile foil paper!

You can find more information

and ideas at the Rinea® website

www.globalcrafting.com

Find loads of folding ideas using Rinea Foil on Pinterest

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Thanks so much for visiting! I hope you are inspired to try out this unique paper and fold up something beautiful! Sb :)

** This is a sponsored post. GlobalCrafting has provided products for use in this project in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions. My ideas and opinions are my own.