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

Anniversary Shoe by Tracey Cooley

Hi! Tracey Cooley here today. My cousin has been married for 25 years and she has a small shoe problem...problem being which of her 150 pairs of shoes should she wear! A while ago I created an altered shoe inspired by our very own Sue Smyth and my cousin admired it greatly, so for her anniversary I decided to create her a show in her favorite color.

Most of the flowers I have embellished this shoe with are made using the Couture Creations Victorian Square Nesting Dies, a great set of dies to make easy flowers with!

Cut 3 of each of the smallest 3 Victorian Square Nesting Dies, with 1 of each size being a different color or shade form the others. Cut 3 quarters of the way into the die-cut at each point and layer onto a brad making every third layer the alternate color. Spritz with a bit of water to loosen the paper fibers and scrunch together one layer at a time. Then, unravel your scrunched layers to form your flower. This is a great way to make your flower look a little different from the everyday.

The black flowers in the shoe are created the same way, but when finished, have been spritzed with spray adhesive and sprinkled with pink glitter.

  

Keep on Creating!

Couture Creations Supplies:
CO723225 Fantasia Collection - Dazzling Doily Die
CO723048 Victorian Square Nesting Dies
CO721994 Pink Diva Gemstones
CO721996 Crystal Gemstones
CO723505 Sophia Collection - Marant Die

Sophia Die Week - Happy Haunting with Pam Bray

Hi! Pam here today giving you a bit of Halloween inspiration. I am sure by now you have a few of your favorite Halloween photos printed and would like to do up a few layouts, so I would love to show you how I used some dies from the Couture Creations Sophia Collection to add some fabulous depth to my layout.

I used the Connexion Die at the top of my layout along with the Stella Die. I added a few roly poly flowers and placed a Vintage Gold Self-Adhesive Gemstone in the center of each of the flowers.

I used just the Stella Die at the bottom of my layout, and again, added a few roly poly flowers. I just love making them because they are so easy! Using one of the Circle Nesting Dies and your Sharp Point Scissors, cut a spiral into each circle you have die-cut. (I used the 2-inch circle Nesting Die for my flowers.) Then, using the tweezers from the Handheld Essentials Set, roll the paper into a tight circle and secure with a dot of glue.

I made a few flags and added them to my page. I adhered stickers to each flag with Foam Mounting Tape.

I fussy cut two images of a little girl sitting on a pumpkin and several postage stamps from patterned paper and created layered 3D embellishments by placing Foam Mounting Tape between identical images.

I hope you have enjoyed my layout and think about trying the Sophia dies on your projects!

Hugs,
Pammejo

Couture Creations Supplies:
CO723506 Sophia Collection - Connexion
CO723483 Sophia Collection - Stella
CO723040 Circle Nesting Dies
CO721990 Vintage Gold Self-Adhesive Gemstones
CO721986 Handheld Essentials
CO721963 Foam Mounting Tape

Sophia Die Week - Intricutz Wreath Card by Dana

Hi! Dana here today sharing a Christmas card that I created using some of the gorgeous dies offered by Couture Creations. I used the NEW Wild Holly Embossing Folder, from the Wrapped In Joy Collection, on the patterned paper base of my card. I put together a layered wreath with cuts from my favorite Dazzling Doily Die and two dies from the Sophia Intricutz Die Collection.

Follow these steps to assemble this card:

Step One: Select two different colored pattered papers. Trim the papers to fit inside each other on a card base. Emboss the top pattered paper with the Wild Holly Embossing Folder. Adhere the patterned paper layers to the card base with Double-Sided Tape.

Step Two: Select three shades of green cardstock. Cut one piece of green cardstock with the Dazzling Doily Die. Cut three pieces of another shade of green cardstock with the Connexion Intricutz Die. Cut the last piece of green cardstock with the Assouline Intricutz Die. Attach the die-cut layers to the front of the card with Foam Mounting Tape with the Dazzling Doily die-cut on the bottom, the Connexion die-cuts in the middle and the Assouline die-cut on the top.

Step Three: Highlight the flower centers of the Assouline die-cut with Red Lust Self-Adhesive Gemstones.

Step Four: Add a sentiment to the center of the wreath.

Step Five: Finish the card by adding a gold bow to the bottom of the wreath.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Couture Creations Supplies:
CO723593 Wrapped In Joy Collection - Wild Holly Embossing Folder
CO723225 Fantasia Collection - Dazzling Doily Die
CO723506 Sophia Collection - Connexion Intricutz Die
CO723491 Sophia Collection - Assouline Intricutz Die
CO721993 Red Lust Self-Adhesive Gemstones
CO721984 Double-Sided Tape
CO721961 Foam Mounting Tape
CO723039 Precision Trimmer

Sophia Die Week - Dance by Cathi O'Neill

Hi! Cathi O'Neill here today with you sharing a layout for the Sophia Die feature this week. All she wants to do is dance! I have that Don Henley 80s song running through my head now! My daughter is addicted to ballet, and as she goes up grades, her teacher has encouraged her. She wants to be a professional dancer and it is great to see her so passionate about something. It is a competitive world but if she is serious about this, we will be here to help her along. (Though the idea of long distances travelled for all of this is something I wouldn't mind not having to do, lol!)

This layout showcases some of the new Sophia Intricutz Dies. I just love the amazing flourishes in the Sophia collection. I chose to use the Lanvin Die and the Stella Die, cutting them out on white cardstock and misting them with Shimmerz sprays.

I used the Fresh and Fun Magical Embossing Folder for the background paper for the fussy cut image of my daughter. I used the Couture Creations Sanding Block to bring up the pattern.

Next, I took the Fantasia Collection Dazzling Doily Die and cut it out of white cardstock. I cut the doily in half and inked it with Walnut Stain Distress Ink using the Couture Creations Sponge Daubers.

I then started layering the papers for the layout, putting down the embossed cardstock first and the lace, tucking the doilies underneath and arranging the flourish die cuts on top. I then took my fussy cut photo of my daughter secured it to the page using 12mm Foam Mounting Tape.

I added several pieces of ballet themed chipboard from Molossi and a few flowers, and placed the photo there in the scene. I got my inspiration for this type of layout from the gorgeous work of Britt Sviggum and really wanted to try it!

I added some molding paste through a damask stencil, some gorgeous script and crackle pattern stamping and bright mist to finish the page. I had a lot of fun making this!

Thanks for stopping by today!
~Cathi

Couture Creations Supplies:

CO723279  Fresh and Fun Collection - Magical Embossing Folder

CO723483  Sophia Collection - Stella Die

CO723482  Sophia Collection - Lanvin Die

CO723225 - Fantasia Collection - Dazzling Doily Die

CO723060 - Sanding Block

CO723061 - Sponge Daubers

CO721961 - 12mm Foam Mounting Tape

Peace on Earth with Patti Hamil

Hi! Patti here today sharing a technique that is easy, but beautiful, especially for holiday cardmaking or scrapbooking. I started out with one of the gorgeous Wrapped In Joy embossing folders. I chose the Champagne and Holly Embossing Folder because I wanted to color the little holly leaves  different colors for a festive feel.

Here are a couple of close-ups of the finished project.

First, I gathered supplies, the embossing folder, my trusty tweezers, markers and some gems.

I colored in the embossed leaves and berries with several light colors of markers. I used pink, blue, green and burgundy.

After coloring the design the magic starts! I then rubbed iridescent ink over the entire embossed image. It lightens the colors and adds just the right amount of shimmer!

 I used Aztec Gold Glitzin' Glamour to highlight the little berries.

This is a large card design, so I added an embossed strip across the two sections where the two embossed papers joined.

I thought a little bird would look perfect on this card, so I cut a piece of cardstock with the Dove of Peace Die and colored it with the same blue marker and Shimmers ink I used to color the embossed cardstock.

This is how it looked.

 

I used the Picture Frame Nesting Dies to frame my sentiment. I embossed a small piece of gold paper with the Champagne and Berries Embossing Folder to use behind the little frame as a backing.

I added a few matching blooms and some gems to finish the card. The result is a very striking card made with simple techniques. I hope you enjoyed this technique too!

 

Thanks for stopping by today!

~Patti

Couture Creations Supplies:

CO723606 Wrapped In Joy Collection -  Champagne and Holly Embossing Folder

CO723407 Endless Dreams Collection -  Dove of Peace Die

CO723215 Picture Frame Nesting Dies

CO721989 Seaspray Self-Adhesive Gemstones

CO721981 Aztec Gold Glitzin' Glamour