Chipboard Boxes with Kelli.....

Ok so totally not what I had planned for this months tutorial by me but the computer went on the fritz and I don't have photoshop on the laptop which is where I stored my original tutorial so this is what were doing now!!

It's really simple and I am sorry about that guys, but time was short for this one!! 

Ingredients needed:
5 - 4x4 chipboard or matboard pieces
5 - 4x4 patterned paper pieces
pebbles or dew drops
ribbon ( 20 pieces between 4 and 6 inches long)
hole punch
adhesive(ATG, red lined tape used for mine)
Stamps of choice:  I used images from Bombshell sets, Rose's Portrait, Cherry Bomb, Sacred Heart Art, and Sugar Daddy

Step 1:  Adnere patterned paper to each of the 5 pieces of chip boar or mat board.

(I used the ATG for this)

Step 2: Punch 5 evenly spaced holes on 4 of the paper coverd boards.

TIP: If your punched out pieces DO NOT have adhesive on them save them for confetti!

Step 3:  Using a very strong adhesive(i used red lined tape) adhere the four sides with the holes to the base that does not have holes. 

(as you can see I chose for the patterned paper to go on the inside of this one as I knew it would be sitting on my desk...I have made others that have the patterned paper showing on the outside of the bottom because they are sitting on clear shelves...)

Step 4:  Once all the sides are attached thread the ribbon pieces through the holes (as shown) to hold the sides together.

( I said 4-6 inches on the ribbon depending on how well you can tie small things...I have chubby fingers and do not do well with small ties so I used 6 inch ribbon, but then cut off quite a bit at the end...)

Step 5:  Adhere the pebbles or dew drops around the top and bottom of the box using red lined tape or liquid glue.

Step 6: Decorate as you would like, I used images from the sets mentioned above and adhered them to each side....

Here is the final project...

Simple but very very useful!!!!  Get some chipboard and start making those boxes to store things in!!! 

July Bombshell Hump Day Hop!

Greetings Everyone! Alison here. Can you believe July is almost over? Where is the Summer going? The good thing about it being the end of the month is that it's time for our monthly blog hop! I'm really excited this time around, because we have some newbies with us! I'm thrilled that our hopper list is expanding! But before we get to our list, let me show you the challenge.


It's a color challenge! I love doing color challenges, you have the option to make anything with your fabulous Bombshell stamps, as long as you use at least 3 of the colors shown in the sample above. I found this beautiful color palette at Design Seeds. I don't expect your colors to be absolutely exact, but please try to be as close as possible. You are welcome to use all of the colors in the palette, but again you are only required to use 3. This is going to be a lot of fun!

I, myself had a great time using these colors. And I am anxious to see what our participants have created. And I am sure you are too! So let's get hopping! Here is the complete hop list.

Bombhshell Blog: http://bombshellstamps.blogspot.com/ 

Alison: http://alisonsrandomthoughts.blogspot.com
Alaine: http://missalaineousmosaics.blogspot.com/
Jennie: http://piratejennie.blogspot.com/
Kelli: http://www.cajunstampingqueen.blogspot.com
Terra: http://www.moresmearedink.blogspot.com
Laura: http://craftylittlewoman.blogspot.com/
Meredith: http://www.papercanteen.com
Fiona: http://idontdostraight.blogspot.com/
Ike: http://suzy-ikesworld.blogspot.com/
Kapree: http://kc-consultant.blogspot.com/
Cheryl: http://inktrap.blogspot.com

Happy hopping! And remember, YOU can play along too! As long as you have some Bombshell Stamps of your own, and you sign up for our next hop (starting August 1st) then you can join in on the fun! Have a great day!

Technique time: Glittery by Name....

I like glitter and recently I've been going cold turkey so it was time to put this right!

The following method isn't a new one but I've NEVER used it, so it was a learning experience for me.

You will need:

Clear Acrylic (look at packaging if you don't have any in your craft cupboard)

Staz-On Ink (or any ink that will work on smooth, non- porous surfaces)

Clear glue (make sure it dries clear)

Glitter, LOTS of glitter!

A paintbrush to help tidy as you go

An understanding family!

First of all work somehwere where it won't matter if you dump glitter everywhere and don't wear a your best outfit!!

Set your acrylic down on a piece of paper:

I gave it a wipe over with a tack cloth first.

Next ink up your stamp and carefully stamp on the acrylic:

I like to cut my image out but you can use the whole acylic sheet as your card if you want- in this case place your stamped image carefully on your acrylic sheet.

Now FLIP YOUR STAMPED IMAGE OVER!!!

You're going to apply the glue and glitter to the back of the image-you'll see why at the end!

Start to apply the clear glue to the outer edges of your image:

TIP: start at the point furthest from you and work TOWARDS yourself. This way there is less of wiping your hand through the glue/glitter accidentally as you apply glue to another area.

Fun bit- sprinkle over the glitter, work a small area at a time, especially on a fiddly design like this:

Apply the glitter then shake off excess:

As you are working over a piece of paper (remember I mentioned that at the beginning?!) you can now tip the excess glitter back into the glitter container.

TIP: Flick the image with your finger sharply over your paper to get rid of the excess glitter (some sticks through static)

Use a soft paintbrush to sweep away the remaining excess glitter:

  So now apply glue to the next area of your design, add glitter, clear off the excess, tidy with the brush and carry on!

Your design will eventually like:

Which looks blobby and odd but if you flip over the image to the side you stamped on you will see:

The stamped lines still show over the glitter- cool eh?!

I like to leave my glittered image overnight to make sure it is completely dry before making my card.

You'll find that as it dries the glue and glitter settle more and look much neater.

Here's my card I made with a beautiful Koi Carp stamp I glittered.

I hope you have a go at this technique- it's REALLY addictive, I'm on my fourth go as I write, and as  result I'm twinkling gently , covered in a thin layer of glitter, so is the computer, my desk, the Beagles, the kids, my husband (I said you needed an understanding family!!)

Happy Crafting!
(a very) GLITTERYKatie!!!

xxx

Ms. July's "Summer Daze" Challenge!

It's July and time for a new challenge! It's Kathi and I'm stepping in as Ms. July for Ms. M.I.A. to set the challenge!
My challenge to you is to create a project that screams SUMMER!!! It could be a beach scene, a bathing beauty, Cruiser nights, motorcycle road trips, Luaus, Tiki Bars, or a sailing scene.
It's an easy-peasy challenge since there are so many wonderful Bombshell Stamp sets that will work with the theme.
Now you didn't think it would be that easy, right? *evil grin* To make things just a tad bit more challenging, you must include at least one hand-made embellishment that features a Bombshell Stamp.
Post your take on the challenge here on Bombshell's Blog and/or Bombshell's Forum for chances to win a fabulous prize.
The deadline is July 31st!
Here are the fabulous projects from Bombshell's fabulous Bombshell Girls and Pin-ups!

Mary G. using Harley Bikes and hand-stamped ribbon:

Alaine used Rise and Shine and made some floral buttons:

Meredith using Mermaid Treasure

Mary Anne using Hawaiian Girl and Hula Girl

Stempelientje using Bombshell Angel

Play along with us by sharing your project in the Inlinkz below!

July's Sketch Challenge!

Here's July's Sketch!
Here's my take on the sketch!

Mary G. using Hawaiian Girl and Hula Girl with Banner Sayings:

Meredith using Butterfly Queen and Butterfly Dreams

Stempelientje using Homeward Bound

Alaine used Lotus Garden

*******
Feel free to take the sketch and make it your own, by flipping it, flopping it, or taking one element from it! Just share your sketch-inspired project with us for a chance to win a fabulous prize!
Add your direct link to the Inlinkz below!

Bombshell Stamps Guest Designer Call!

The time has come once again to start the search for Bombshell's next six Monthly Pin-ups (Guest Design Team)!

Do you have what it takes to rock the Bombshells? Then we want to show off your goods! The term is for six months and starts October 1st. This is an open call to everyone.

Applications must be received by midnight PST on September 14, 2011. Can't wait to meet you!

Click HERE to find out more!

Good luck!!!

Asian Themed Inspiration

Hello all. We have these FABULOUS new stamp sets over at Bombshell Stamps, and we thought it would be fun to show off some of the Design Team's inspirational work with these stamps.

The Koi Tattoo set features an intricate Koi fish, waves, and a sentiment while the Lotus Garden set has lotus flowers, Koi, and water ripples.


The most important thing (aside from the sheer beauty of these stamps) is that sales from these sets will be donated to Japan's relief! $5 from the purchase of this stamp set will be donated to Japan's Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Together we can rebuild homes and lift spirits.

So  lets show off a little of these incredible stamps? Check it out below!

Alaine chose to go simple with Koi Tattoo:

Kathi made a backyard Koi pond with Lotus Garden.

Alaine has a second project using the Lotus Garden and making magnets (Tutorial earlier this week):

Dawn Knight made this fun card with these awesome stamps from Lotus Garden

Thanks for joining us today to look at the new stamp set release. Now I hope you hop on over to the store and snap up these sets! And don't forget to come back later this week for a new SKETCH CHALLENGE! Kathi has out-done herself this time - the sketch is AMAZING!

Bombshell Tutorial - Fabric Hair Flower

Hello there my beautiful Bombshells!!  Happy Friday!!  I'm here with you - with a second tutorial for you today!!  My darling teammate the ever gorgeous Ms. Alaine Bombshell has brought you an AMAZING magnet tutorial to adorn your fridge, magnetic white boards, etc.  I'm showing you how to create something that will adorn YOU!  

We are going to create a fabric hair flower.  This technique can easily be used and applied to make this into a pin, headband, or an embellishment for a throw pillow or handbag.  I learned the technique from my darling friend Joanne here in her video tutorial.  I simply translated it to fabric!! 

First thing is to pick your fabric.  For a hair flower I typically use a solid color fabric.  I've found that when I use a heavy pattern that it sort of gets lost in the folds and doesn't stand out well.  If you do want to use a pattern, I'd stick with polka dots, stripes, etc.  Something simple.  I, of course, for this project used my Bombshell Stamps!!  I purposefully did not color them in as I didn't want to create too much of a pattern.  

I cut my fabric into a relative 10" square.  I say "relative" as I'm not huge into measuring when I do a project like this.  I'm a big fan of eyeballing it.  =)  You will then trim the corners off rounding them slightly.  Now, with any light colored pencil draw a spiral pattern starting at the outer edge and working in.  I then stamped my images at random.   Most of them will get covered up in the process but you will see bits and pieces of the images peeking out here and there amongst the flowery folding.  

 I've used the following sets: 

• Bombshell Angel
• Ahoy Sailor

I used the flower from Angel and the tiny anchor and ship's wheel from Sailor.  I stamped them using Momento ink.  Not that I have any intention of washing this but in the event that it gets wet somehow the ink won't run. 

Now is the time to plug in those hot glue guns!  You can certainly use fabric glue but I like the hot glue as it dries so fast and holds really tight.  The next step is to cut out your spiral.  Again - don't worry about being perfect.  Everything in this process gets "fussed" up when you start the folding process.  You can use regular scissors, as I've done here, or you can use pinking shears or any kind of decorative edge scissors - as long as you know they can cut through fabric.  

 

After cutting out your spiral you'll want to slightly crinkle the fabric up in your hands.  I had to do it a lot as I used cotton duck fabric which is rather stiff.  Now you are going to begin creating your flower. 

You want to slightly pinch the fabric starting from the outer most edge and start rolling in towards you (where you started drawing your spiral).  A dab of hot glue every inch or so will keep your flower nice and strong.

 

Keep on rolling in...

Pinch and roll...muss the fabric around a bit until you get it looking how you like then hot glue.  The tighter and smaller your flower folds the tighter and smaller your flower will be. 

 If you want a floppier and looser looking flower - do just that!  Keep your rolling loose in your hands and glue in fewer spots.  I sort of went somewhere in between.

 

Keep rolling!

And please...pardon my oh so shabby French Manicure.  It's about two weeks old!!  (hangs head in shame)  But at least I've got a rockin' tan going on!  (wink!)

Rollin, rollin, rollin...

Keep that fabric rollin...

By now your spiral should be resembling a flower!  

Don't worry...we'll fluff and primp and bling it out at the end!

Keep gluing!!

When most of your fabric has been used up start holding the center for a better grip and keep rolling that fabric!

We'll fold over and fuss up those outer edges at the end.

Almost done!

Once you've used up all of your fabric, you should have a small circle of fabric left which was the center of your spiral.  That will end up being the "finishing" piece to hide all of the insides of your flower. You will keep rolling and gluing until the small circle is a flap, of sorts, that needs to be glued to the back of your flower.

And Voila! (this is the back)

Here are the pieces that I've assembled for my hair flower/pin.  I have a sturdy barrette, a large safety pin, a circle of fabric - cut using my Nestabilities, a ship's wheel charm, a few scrap pieces of ribbon (not pictured) and my flower.

 

You will now hot glue your circular piece of fabric to the back of your flower...as neatly as possible.  This is to cover up all of the raw edges of the back of your flower.  

More hot glue ladies!  You will run a large bead of hot glue for your barrette, positioning that first.  You will then run a smaller bead of hot glue for your pin, positioning it near the barrette.

Take your scrap pieces of ribbon - I needed three because I used a bit of wider ribbon and glue them carefully down hiding the beads of glue holding your barrette and pin.

There we go...nice and neat.

And VOILA!  Here is our finished product!!  I added some red and white baker's twine pulling in the very loose nautical theme adhering the ships wheel charm with a tiny dab of hot glue after I added a rhinestone brad through the center.  I glued the ends of the twine bow down with teeny dots of hot glue making sure everything is on there securely.  I then took my snips and cut up the edges a bit fraying them all intentionally to give my piece more "movement". 

So...what do you think?  I love how it came out!!

I promise you...I know it looks like a lot of steps but it's really not.  I take lots of pictures to make sure I can explain this technique clearly.  But it really only takes about 15 minutes or so to make one of these!  Let me know if you have any questions!!

I hope you have enjoyed and been inspired...BOMBSHELL style!!