Sunburst Technique and a NEW stamp!

I have one more lovely project to share with you today.  I have been fascinated with the "sunburst technique" lately, and just had to try it for my last Hostess club class.

For the card, I started with a 4 x 5 1/4" piece of card stock -- any color is fine as you are going to cover it up with the designer paper.  Next, cut some designer paper of your choice into pie shaped wedges -- I found it easiest to start with a 6x6" piece of designer paper and then cut it in wedges with my paper cutter.  You can use a bunch of scraps, too -- just cut them into wedges.  Here I used designer paper from the Tea for Two designer paper pack from the spring catalog.  Apply adhesive all over your 4 x 5 1/4" piece of card stock -- then add your paper strips.  I started by putting the diagonal strip across the center of the card first and then built the rest of the way around from there.  Don't worry about pieces hanging off, as you will just trim the edges when you are done putting your pieces on.  The central image, is also a new single stamp called Botique Blossom and is only available through March 31st -- visit my website for more details.  I stamped the flower in So Saffron ink, then colored the stem green with an old Olive marker, and then dipped a sponge dauber in Calypso Coral ink and added coral ink to the center of the flower and the tips of the petals.  Next, huff on the stamp to re-moisten the ink and stamp on some white card stock.  I then cut it out with the window frames framelits.  Adhere the paper strip background to a folded So Saffron card base.  Add your stamped flower image and it's frame to the front right corner and trim off the excess that hangs off the edges.  That's all there is to it!  A perfect way to use up a bunch of scraps of DSP.

I also did this technique for a scrap book class I recently did -- for this one, I used the free Sale-a-bration designer paper available for free right now with a $50 order.  For this technique, I left some space between the paper strips to let the background paper show.

So, dig out those dozens of scraps of designer paper that are taking over your craft space, and give this sunburst technique a try!  You'll be surprised at how easy it is and how lovely the final result!

Spring/Easter stamped candle

Happy Thursday!  Today I'm sharing a simple, yet awesome, project that you can adapt for any holiday or occasion -- a stamped candle!  This is one of the projects we made in our recent stampers' hostess club.  It was, by far! the most popular project.  So, without further ado, here is what we were creating!

Those little bunnies on the candle on the right, are a new little single stamp called "Ears to You" that is available only through March 31st -- check out my website to see how you can aquire this adorable little stamp!  On the stamp, there is the words "Ears to You" under the bunnies, but I separated the words from the stamp so I could make it a little more versatile.  For the candle on the left, I used stamps from the new set -- Secret Garden -- available in the new Spring catalog.  It also has a set of matching framelits that you can use to die cut all of the images.  Lovely set with many possibilities!

To make the candle, start with a sheet of white gift tissue.  Ink up the image of your choice -- for the bunnies here, I colored the different bunnies with markers to create a triage of color.  For the flowers, I used several different ink colors -- Primrose Petals, Pool Party, Wild Wasabi, and Real Red -- and stamped the images in a line on the sheet of tissue paper.  Now, cut fairly closely around the margins of your stamped tissue images.  Lay your stamped tissue pieces over you candle in the location you want them to be.  Drape a sheet of waxed paper over your images/candle and wrap the ends of the waxed paper to the back of the candle and hold the ends together tightly with your hand -- try to be sure there are no wrinkles in the waxed paper covering your stamped images.  Now, take a heat gun and gently heat the images through the waxed paper -- you will start to see your stamped tissue images melting into the side of the candle.  Heat just enough to melt the images in.  When finished, gently peel off your waxed paper -- if a couple spots weren't all the way melted in, replace the waxed paper and re-heat a little.  That's all there is to it!  So simple, but so versatile!  Think Christmas gifts for co-workers, decor pieces for a themed party, holiday decor, etc.

For the base of the candle, I used a strip of Pool Party or Primrose Petals card stock -- 11 x 1 1/2" and a coordinating 1" strip of designer paper from the More Amore dsp pack from the Spring catalog.  I punched the top edges of the card stock with the scallop trim border punch, and attached the strip of DSP over top.  I then adhered the entire piece to my candle using sticky Strip.  Some ruffled Pool Party ribbon and Primrose Petals stitched satin ribbon completes the look.

Hope this inspires you to create your own lovely Easter centerpiece!  I put my candles on a long narrow tray with sparkly Easter egg filler around them.  They look stunning, if I must say so myself.:)

Sale-a-bration is almost over -- ends on March 22nd -- so if you haven't gotten your Sale-a-bration FREEbies yet, be sure to hop on over to my website and see what you can get for free this year -- a free item with every $50 purchase -- AND, in addition, a free pack of silver glimmer paper with a $150 or more purchase.  Whoo Hoo!  LOVE that silver paper.

Have a wonderful crafty day!