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

37 Weeks by Patti Hamil

 

Hi! Couture Creations Designer Patti Hamil here today. I wanted to show how to create a layout using scraps. I had some pieces left from the Damask Delight paper that I wanted to use. The colors were perfect for our daughter's photo taken during the last week of her pregnancy!

First I decided to take my smaller scrap, which was a striped pattern, and cut several sizes of circles using the Circle Nesting Dies. I started laying out a basic pattern that I liked for the page. Once I liked the look, I used Double-Sided Tape to adhered the circles to white cardstock. I took a green and blue marker that matched the paper and did some "faux stitching" around the larger pieces.

 

I wanted some blooms on the page, I'm a flower junkie, so I decided to just make some by hand. Very easy. You can use any of the Couture Creations Floral Nesting Dies or Circle Nesting Dies. For this type bloom cut 3 circles, 2 the same size and one smaller.

I then took blue ink and a Sponge Dauber and inked the edges of the die-cut layers.

I then layered and pinched them together. I crumbled each die-cut up first and then carefully unfolded it, then attached the layers together. Then you can just play with the petals until you get the look that you like! I used the cut off part of a stem from a manufactured flower, the kind that have the twisted ends, you can fray it and it makes a great flower center!

I needed some accent blooms, so I used the Retro Flower Die to make 4 flowers. I placed a  Moonlight Self-Adhesive Pearl in the center of each flower. I layered two flowers together for each little bloom.

I placed circles and blooms in several places and added a few Seaspray Self-Adhesive Gemstones as accents.

Here is another close-up of the little cluster.

 

Here you see the larger bloom and the little ones around it.

 

Thanks for stopping by today!
~Patti

Couture Creations Supplies:

CO723545 Damask Delight Paper Pad
CO723040 Circles Nesting Dies 

CO723524 Secret Treasures Collection - Retro Flowers

CO721989 Seaspray Self-Adhesive Gemstones

CO721994 Pink Diva Self-Adhesive Gemstones

CO721998 Moonlight Self-Adhesive Pearls

CO721956 Sharp Point Scissors

CO721954 Precision LED Tweezers

CO723623 Sponge Daubers

CO721984 Double-Side Tape

Not Without my Mickey by Tracey Cooley

Hi Creators! Couture Creations Designer Tracey Cooley here today. I am loving the new Secret Treasures and Madeline collections of dies and the Harmony embossing folders that have been recently released! Here are a couple of ideas on how to use them. 

My youngest daughter has just started Primary school and I remembered that I had not created a layout for her first day of Kindy. I remember this day very well as I tried my hardest not to get upset when I dropped her off, but alas, I am a sook and blubbered all the way home. She was so little! Her favorite toy at the time was Mickey Mouse. She was so excited to go to Kindy, but NOT WITHOUT HER MICKEY!

Tip: A great way to add a mat to your lace die-cut is to trace around the edge of the die itself and then cut out the shape with Precision Scissors.

Cut a lace die in an alternate color. Note: I used the Les Fleurs Ornamental Lace Die.

The Circle Nesting Dies are just perfect for making a silhouette of Mickey Mouse! Simply cut one large circle and 2 small circles and voila! Add a bow to one ear to turn Mickey into Minnie.

Flowers: Cut 3 large Retro Flowers and 4 medium Retro Flowers. Ink the edges of the petals if desired. Spritz with water and press center into a mouse pad or molding pad. Note: I used a Sharpie for the large flower and a paintbrush handle for the small flower.

 Once dry, pinch each petal to give a 3D effect. Next adhere layers alternately to form entire blossom.

Leave the larger petals off to make smaller blossom. To make the flowers a little more special, spray with spray adhesive and sprinkle with glitter. If desired, add a Gemstone to finish off the flower center.

I seem to use a certain size of my Self-Adhesive Gemstones more than the others, so I have found a great way to use leftover gemstones to make flourishes. Simply draw a flourish, freehand or with a stencil, and add gems. Try mixing several colors of gemstones.

Keep on Creating!

Couture Creations Supplies:
CO723524 Secret Treasures Collection - Retro Flowers Die
CO723552 Secret Treasures Collection - Bird Song Die
CO723517 Secret Treasures Collection - Party Banner Die
CO723527 Secret Treasures Collection - Classic Chevron Die
CO723534 Secret Treasures Collection - Square Plaque Die
CO723243 Madeline Collection - Les Fleurs Die
CO723040 Circle Nesting Dies
CO723635 Harmony Collection - Journal Cards Embossing Folder
CO721994 Pink Diva Self-Adhesive Gemstones
CO721984 Double-Sided Tape - 12mm
CO721961 Foam Mounting Tape - 12mm

Live Your Life Out Loud Card by Adriana Bolzon

 

Hello there everyone! Couture Creations Designer Adriana Bolzon here today sharing a card I created with two of the latest dies from the Madeline and Secret Treasures Collections.

The gorgeous doily in the background is created with the Les Fleurs Doily Die. I inked the edges with brown ink and a Sponge Dauber.

The floral cluster was created with the Aurora Vine Die (leaves) and the Retro Flowers Die (pink blooms). I cut several flowers using the Retro Flowers Die, curled the edges of the petals over with a very thin stick, glued them together and placed a Cafe Creme Self-Adhesive Pearl in the center of each flower.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Couture Creations Supplies:
CO723243 Madeline Collection - Les Fleurs Doily Die
CO723530 Secret Treasures Collection - Aurora Vine
CO723524 Secret Treasures Collection - Retro Flowers
CO721999 Cafe Creme Self-Adhesive Pearls
CO721962 Foam Mounting Tape
CO723623 Sponge Dauber

New Baby Set by Sue Smyth

Hi! Couture Creations Designer Sue Smyth here today. Nothing says baby more than a cut rocking horse, so creating a card and pick is a snap with the NEW Secret Treasures Rocking Horse Die.

Insert the pick into flowers or use as a present topper.

Rocking Horse Instructions:

Paint a die-cut Rocking Horse with Hot Pink Glitzin' Glamour Glitter Glue.

Drench the horse with white glitter to fill the gaps and create a smooth surface.

Shake off the excess glitter and allow to dry.

Tattered Bow Instructions:

Tie a bow with organza or silk ribbon.

Hold the bow in place with a bamboo skewer and heat set.

Retro Flower Instructions:

Die-cut 6 flower shapes with the smallest Retro Flower Die from pink cardstock. Pierce a hole in the center of each flower with the Paper Piercer from the Handheld Essentials Set.

Insert a small brad and splay flowers around brad.

Wet each flower and scrunch with fingertips. Unfurl and heat set to hold in shape.

Embossed Card Base Instructions:

Emboss white cardstock with the Cheerful Embossing Folder and rub over with chalk pad.

Assemble card and pick as pictured.

Couture Creations Supplies:

CO723518 Secret Treasures Collection - Rocking Horse

CO723524 Secret Treasures Collection - Retro Flowers Die
CO723282 Elegance Collection - Cheerful Embossing Folder

CO721974 Hot Pink Glitzin' Glamour Glitter Glue

CO723041 Scallop Circle Nesting Dies

CO723040 Circle Nesting Dies
CO721986 Handheld Essentials Set - Paper Piercer