Birthday Bird House by Sue Smyth

Hi! Couture Creations Designer Sue Smyth here today. I love to make little off-the-page gifts and decorative pieces. Creating this standing bird house with everyday items and Couture Creations dies
is so easy to do. Just follow the instructions below.

I have used a small terracotta pot, which I have painted with gesso and misted with colored sprays.
I like to flick over other colors to give the pot an aged mossy look.

Add a faux bird nest and bird to the top of the pot, along with moss, feathers die-cut leaves and sticks.

To start, hand draw a bird house shape onto thick chipboard. Tip: If you struggle, just download a template from the net.

Smear the bottom of the house with texture paste and stamp into the texture paste with the Vine Frame Embossing Folder. Allow to dry.

Note: Clean the embossing folder immediately with water and a sturdy brush.

Paint the pot, chipboard house and a sturdy stick with white gesso. Allow to dry.

Spray the house with a selections of mists. Note: I have used a coffee and olive spray. When dry,
brush over the house with a little gesso to highlight the raised texture paste.

Cover the roof with Double-Sided Tape and peel off the backing with a Handheld Piercing Tool.

Cut four or five scallop rectangles from a terracotta colored cardstock using the Scallop Rectangle Nesting Dies. Trim off the long ends of each.

Layer the scallop cardstock over the tape, overlapping each strip, just like a tiled roof. Keep layering until the roof is covered.

Flip over the house and trim off excess cardstock from the roof with a Craft Knife.

Swipe gesso over the scalloped roof. Use a Paper Piercer to flick up each little scallop to resemble a dimensional roof top.

Cut a small scallop circle and circle from scrap cardstock using the Scallop Circle Nesting Dies and Circle Nesting Dies. Layer with Foam Mounting Tape and attach to the front of the bird house.

Use the Fence Die to cut a fence from white cardstock and adhere it to the top of the painted pot. Use a hot glue gun to attach a thick braided ribbon below the fence.

Attach an organza bow to the front of the pot using 3D Glue Spots.

Decorate the pot with paper roses, a faux bird nest and bird feathers. Cut leaves from green cardstock using the Ivy Die.

Adhere the house to the painted stick and insert the stick into the pot. Note: I have wedged a large piece of styrofoam into the pot to hold the stick secure.

Add finishing touches like a scroll with happy birthday, tiny daisies, moss and painted sticks. Make some handmade flowers using the Retro Flowers Die and a brad and secure them to the top of the house.

You can personalize the house to your taste and to that of recipient. Happy crafting!
~Sue

Couture Creations Supplies:
CO723041 Scallop Circle Nesting Dies
CO723040 Circle Nesting Dies
CO723047 Scallop Rectangle Nesting Dies
CO723531 Secret Treasures Collection - Ivy Decorative Die
CO723524 Secret Treasures Collection - Retro Flowers Decorative Die
CO723488 Sophia Collection - Fence Decorative Die
CO723642 Harmony Collection - Vine Frame Embossing Folder
CO721964 Double-Sided Tape
CO723963 Foam Mounting Tape
CO723817 3D Glue Spots
CO721986 Handheld Essentials Tool Kit

Just for You by Patti Hamil

Hi! Patti here today with a sparkly card to share! Purple is my favorite color, so I decided to make a purple card! I used the Cheerful Embossing Folder from the Elegance Collection and the Ivy Decorative Die from the Secret Treasures Collection. 

 

Ink the top half of the Cheerful Embossing Folder with purple ink. Note: Make sure to ink the folder really well and to cover it completely.

Trim the excess white cardstock from the edges of the embossed piece.

Next, cover the cardstock with a light shimmery ink.

While the shimmery ink is still wet, apply Ultra Shimmer Embossing Powder and heat to set.

It's hard to see in the photo, but after embossing the cardstock has a really pretty shimmery look.

Use Double Sided Tape to secure the embossed piece to a card base cut from purple cardstock. The Couture Creations tape works wonderfully for heavy pieces like this that tend to "curl" at the edges. The Double Sided Tape keeps the cardstock right in place!

Cut two banners with the Craft Concepts Banners Nesting Dies; the largest banner from purple cardstock and the second largest banner from white cardstock. Outline each banner with a purple marker. Add a handwritten sentiment to the white banner. Adhere the white banner to the purple banner with Double Sided Tape.

For the finishing touches, add a purple flower, three ivy leaves cut with the Ivy Decorative Die and a white bow. Create a similar card with any of the Couture Creations embossing folders. The wide array of patterns are suitable for many occasions!

I hope you liked the card. Thanks so much for visiting!
~Patti

Couture Creations Supplies:
CO723282 Elegance Collection - Cheerful Embossing Folder
CO723531 Secret Treasures Collection - Ivy Decorative Die
CR721244 Craft Concepts Banners Nesting Dies
CO921985 Double Sided Tape

Just Dreamin' Layout by Sue Smyth

Hi! Couture Creations Designer Sue Smyth here today. My Daughter just loves to day dream, and here she is on our friends boat. Who knows what she is thinking.

I just love the Secret Treasures Feather Die, and here I have combined it with real feathers to 

embellishment my layout. I have several ways I like to alter the feathers and today I will share one of them below.

Designer Tip: Use Couture Creations Gemstones to embellish lace borders.

Step 1. Cut several feathers from white cardstock and light-weight chipboard using the Feather Die. Adhere the white cardstock to the chipboard.

Step 2. Use a fine tip pen to doodle in lines over the feather.

Step 3. Spray the feather with water to blend the pen ink.

Step 4. Allow to feather to dry naturally to enable the pen ink to bleed. Blend the ink a little with your finger if needed. Hint: Use a white gel or paint pen to add spots or highlights.

Happy Crafting!

~Sue

Couture Creations Supplies:

CO723516 Secret Treasures Collection - Feather Decorative Die

CO723531 Secret Treasures Collection - Ivy Decorative Die

CO721994  Pink Diva Gemstones

CO723545 Damask Delight Paper Pad