Jeweled Tree Topper

This week I've spent time tweaking the Jewels and Jewel Ornaments.  They do get shabby after a while.  They are looking a lot better!  I got a new tree to hang the Jewel Ornaments on and it is dynamite....at least I think so!  I hope it travels well.

Every time I'm at a show I look at the trees that hold the ornaments and think they need a star topper, so

finally I've made a couple.

The Nova Star Jewel stamp happens to be my favorite for an ornament because it is larger and stands out more on a tree.  It was also large enough for a star topper on the size trees we use and it gives the tree a completed look.  I will admit it probably would not quite cut it on a 12 foot tree, but on a smaller one it looks good!

After working on these for a whole week and was just about done, I remember a tip I got from Betty Bennett.  I really could have used it, but kind of forgot about it.  Last night I quickly put together one jewelry piece using her suggestion.  I will share it with you and I think it is going to change our whole approach to putting these pieces together. 
she suggested using Funny Foam to layer up the pieces instead of the
3-M mounting tape that we cut into little pieces to raise layers.  You can cut it into small pieces like we do with the mounting tape or cut out the whole shape and glue it to the underside.  I will do some instructions on it in the future!  Thanks Betty! 
I've also included a pic of some Easter Eggs with Toppers that I have been working on.  I'll talk more about them next week!  We're off to Lawrenceville, GA!  Stop by our booth and say hello!

Challenge 37 - Follow your Heart

Our Outlines Monday challenge theme this week is to.....

Follow your Heart: Use Hearts on your card.

We would like you to join this challenge for a chance to win a $25 Shopping Spree at Outlines Rubber Stamp Co.  To enter the challenge you must use only stamps from Outlines; only one entry allowed  Please add the URL to your actual blog post or online gallery to the InLinkz you will find at the end of this post. Please do not link to your main blog.  Also, please link back to our challenge in your blog post  or gallery..

So let's see what our design team has created for you this week.

Jeanne Streiff

Stamps used:  E-807 Tall Heart Cake,  I-552 Small Dot Background

Jenny Gropp

Stamps used: F-693 Triple Heart, AA-845 Tiny Happy Love Day

Julie Warner

Stamps used: I-797 Split Layering Collage - Baby, AA-834 Tiny Congratulations

Kecia Waters

Stamps used: I-1005 Hearts for You

Lisa Silver

Stamps used: D-884 Venus Jewel

Sue Kment

Stamps used: AA-845 Tiny Happy Love Day, F-1141 Valentine Posy Centers

Challenge 36 - Feeling Blue Winner

Using Random.org a winner was chosen from last week's Feeling Blue Challenge:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

4

Timestamp: 2012-01-30 02:32:50 UTC

Congratulations to Sophie!

Please contact us for your winning prize of a $25 shopping spree at Outlines Rubber Stamp. And thank you to everyone who joined in on the challenge. We hope to see you again this week.

Still Touching Up Toppers

Hi all!
Sick of Christmas yet?  I can't be because I'm still working on fixing our display tree for our ornament toppers.  I'll be playing with Christmas all year!
I'm embarrassed about my topper from last week.  Mandy (my daughter) said that it looked really floppy.  I kind of ignored her and made up some excuse about not being able to get the petals to poof because of the

kind of paper and the crystal lacquer.  When I really looked at them and realized how droopy they were,

which is totally unlike the look I like to give them, I realized I had to do something.  I guess I just got

lazy last week. Take a look at the difference in the photo this week.  It's one of those things you shouldn't get lazy about.  The really, really great thing about having to revisit them was coming up with a new way (for me) to lift the petals and I think it's the easiest and best way I have used.  GLUE DOTS!!!!  Roll them into a little ball and insert under the petals. In one case I used 2 rolled together and in another

case I used one half of one.  I realize there is a whole world of different glue dots out there, hopefully whatever you have will work.  I had two different brands and tried them both.  Each worked a little differently, but both worked. One of the bonuses was that if some of the glue dot got stuck to the ornament ball and had to be moved to another spot it did not take the finish off of the ball.  I do have to move on to the jewels but that still means Christmas!  I will be adding a jeweled star as a tree topper next week.
See you then.
Kathy

Outlines Challenge 36 - Feeling Blue

Our Outlines Monday challenge theme this week is....

"FEELING BLUE"

Use Blue as the main color.

We would like you to join this challenge for a chance to win a $25 Shopping Spree at Outlines Rubber Stamp Co.  To enter the challenge you must use only stamps from Outlines; only one entry allowed  Please add the URL to your actual blog post or online gallery to the InLinkz you will find at the end of this post. Please do not link to your main blog.  Also, please link back to our challenge in your blog post  or gallery..

So let's see what our design team has created for you this week...

Jeanne Streiff

Stamps used: 1002-I Olivia

Jenny Gropp

Stamps used: H-213 Flower Medallion 3

Julie Warner

Stamps used: H-81 Sunflower, D-134 Leaf 1 Medium,  B-1054 Script Thank You

Kecia Waters

Stamps used: K-704 Christmas Layering Collage

Lisa Silver

Stamps used: E-680 Flower Power Square Large

Sue Kment

Stamps used: D-310 Friendship is...

Challenge 35 - Love is in the Air Winner

Using Random.org a winner was chosen from last week's Love is in the Air:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

8

Timestamp: 2012-01-23 02:57:13 UTC

Congratulations to Stacy!

Please contact us for your winning prize of a $25 shopping spree at Outlines Rubber Stamp. And thank you to everyone who joined in on the challenge. We hope to see you again this week.

Christmas Extended Again

Well, I'm still working on sprucing up our display tree of Ornament Toppers, so that's what I have to show again this week.  I'm still creating with the Poinsettia and Holly Toppers, there are so many directions to go with these.  I've never made any out of printed paper, so I felt the need to go in that direction.  I just did not want the normal Christmas colors, so I went back to my Graphic 45 Le Cirque paper pad.  I chose the one pictured which is not very characteristic of Christmas, but I like the way it came out.

I had embossed one in gold and one in black sparkle, not knowing which way I would like it.  I thought the gold would not stand out enough.  When it came time to place it on an ornament I liked the subtle color of the gold embossing.  This meant I had the black embossed one left and rather than discarding it

I made it into a card not even intended for Christmas. Kind of funky, but funky can be fun.

One other addition was softening the edges of the solid color paper with Viva's Paper Soft -Stone Grey.  Working on these toppers I've come up with some new hints that I will share with you throughout the year.  Last week and this week on the toppers I gave them stamped images and a coat of Crystal Lacquer before cutting them out.  Try this, you will be pleased with the results.

(1) Embossing will not chip when cutting out.

(2) The finished project will be much more durable than just plain cardstock.  It will give it a glossy

     finish that is also pliable and does not crack.

That's it for now, back to the stamp room!

 Kathy