Blog hopping with Kelleigh Ratzlaff

Welcome to my little neglected corner of the 'net!  If you're coming from Kelleigh's blog, you're in the right spot!  Don't forget - if you leave a comment on each participant's blog, you will be entered to win a $10 gift card to Kelleigh's shop at Pixels & Co.

What a great way to start iNSD weekend, right?!?!

I've had this little project rolling around in my head for a few months now and, after two back-to-back computer crashes, I was finally able to create it!

This quirky little box is for my sister-in-law who has worked so very hard in the past year to lose over fifty pounds!  She looks great and I plan to tuck a gift card to her favorite store in the box so that she can go shopping for something new to wear.  A new swimsuit, perhaps???

To create this gift box, I used Kelleigh's Hourglass box cutting file (it's also available as a jpeg/png/pdf for hand cutting too!) and a polka dotted paper from Kelleigh's Summer Lovin' mini polka dots paper pack with a bikini shape from the Silhouette store.  

I used a scallop and circle punch to create space for the sentiment.  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches and the ruler ribbon is from Joanne Fabrics. 

This turned out to be such a fun gift box!  I can see this with some suntan oil or suntan lotion samples tucked in for someone who is headed on vacation or who is into tanning. 

I hope you enjoyed my project and I hope you are inspired to create something off the page!  

Thanks for hopping along with Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs' Blog Hop!

Your next stop is: Rachel's blog.

**Don't forget if you leave a comment on each participants blog you will be entered to win a $10 gift card to Kelleigh's shop at Pixels & Co.**

Monster Candy Dispenser

So, I totally planned this project for a blog hop that Kelleigh Ratzlaff was having today.  The idea hit me as I shopped her templates in her store.  I was super excited to come up with a unique way to use her candy dispenser template so I shopped for the perfect papers to use for my project - and I found one that was PERFECT! 

And here is my adorable not-so-scary monster candy dispenser:

and a side view of those sharp teeth:

and... then I realized that Kelleigh's blog hop was to showcase her newest template - a Seed Packet Card template - that will be in her shop on 4/26/12.

You can head over to Kelleigh's blog and see what her team and a few of the Hybrid Chicks did with her template.

After adding a digitial paper to Kelleigh's template, printing it and assembling the template, here's how I created my monser candy dispenser:

I used my Big Shot with my Spellbinders' circle dies and cloud dies from My Favorite Things.  The clouds are what I used to create his eyebrows.   To create his teeth, I simply cut a strip of white felt and then cut triangles along one side.

The maribou is attached with hot glue.

And there you have it - a monster candy dispenser that is totally adorable if I say so myself!

I'm linking my candy dispenser up to the following challenges:

• Crafting for all Seasons - 2W - #25 anything but a card   (2nd wk)
•  Inky Impressions -  SIO - anything goes
• Simon Says Stamp - anything goes

Hybrid Frankenstein box

Wow...it's been a while since I posted.

I thought I'd share with you a Frankenstein box that I created.

Now, there are a ton of different Frankenstein boxes all over the internet but I thought I'd give making one a shot and share with you how I made mine.

First I started off with Kelleigh Ratzlaff's Top Heavy box template:


I printed the lines onto white computer paper. After cutting out the paper template, I used it as a template to trace around on my black cardstock. Cut and score all the lines of the black cardstock piece.

Assemble using double sided tape on the side tab to form the box. Assemble the bottom of the box - glue the bottom flaps so that you don't lose the goodies that you stash inside!

Paperclip a green digital paper to one side of Kelleigh's template. I chose Elise's Pieces Designs' Spooky kit for the green paper and the stitches in the kit.


I used the transform option in PSE to manipulate the digital paper so that the already-inked sides of Elise's paper lined up with the sides of Kelleigh's template. Next, I added a few digital stitches to my Frankenstein face.

Print the green paper with the stitches. I also printed extra green paper so that I could create Frankenstein's eyes.

Adhere Frankenstein's face to one side of your assembled box.

Create his eyes by cutting out 2 white circles, 2 smaller black cardstock circles and one larger green circle cut in half to form his eyelids. (I used my nestibilities dies and my Big Shot). Adhere to Frank's face - I used my Tombow adhesive tape runner.

For his nose, I cut an oval shape from black cardstock. Add to Frank's face.

I drew Frank's mouth on in pencil and then used a black sharpie to go over my lines.

To create Frank's hair, I eyeballed and cut a strip of black cardstock. Cut some notches in the strip. (This is when I would have loved to have Martha Stewart's drippy punch or grass punch!!!)

Attach Frankenstein's hair to the box.

Hot glue an eyelet on each side of the box (I would have LOVED to have 2 miniature wood flower pots to paint and hot glue for the bolts!! I did that in the past for a Frankenstein glass block light I made - it was perfect!!!)

Optional: I cut a narrow strip of black cardstock and attached it with brads to the top of the box.

Optional: I sewed a button on the back of the box and hot glued gold cording to the underside of the flap to keep the box closed when held by the handle.


Wouldn't he be cute greeting your kids at breakfast Halloween morning???

That's it for me - hope you enjoyed my little Frankenstein box!

3/29 It's a Blog Hop featuring Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs!

Oh my....has it really been 4 1/2 months since my last blog post? Yepp...it sure has. What better way to get back into blogging than to join in on a blog hop!!!

Kelleigh Ratzlaff's Creative Team at The Digichick is having a hop (appropriate for this time of the year huh? LOL). There are 22 extremely creative artists joining in on the fun!

One lucky hopper (that's you!) will win a $10 gift certificate to Kelleigh's store just for commenting on her blog post with your vote for your favorite Creative Team project from the hop. One lucky Creative Team member will win $10 in PayPal cash for earning the most votes!! The Blog Hop contest winners will be announced on Thursday, April 8th on Kelleigh's blog.

So, what did I make? Well, one of my favorite things to do is to take a template and "do it" differently than it was intended. Earlier this month on The Hybrid Chick, I turned Kelleigh’s Heart Purse template into a Bridal shower/wedding favor. Make sure you check it out! Almost makes me wish I was getting married again.....almost!!!!

So for Kelleigh's blog hop, I decided to use her Take-Out box template.



I also used Lil Dude by Jennifer Fox, Nikki Epperson, and Melissa Bennett to create my project. I just love the papers in this collab!!!



and here is what I created:





and yes, that really is Kelleigh's Take-Out Box template!!! Wanna know how I made this using that template?

First I opened Kelleigh's large sized Take-Out Box template. I worked with the "lines only" layer - hide or delete all other layers. Next I erased the lines that would create the top flaps of the box. Then I rotated the lines layer on the canvas and enlarged it until it was as wide as my canvas. I copy and pasted the lines only layer onto my patterned paper. I changed to color of my score lines to white by adding a new layer over top of the lines, flood filling the new layer with white and then hitting "control + G" to clip the white to my score lines.

Next, I printed a full 8.5 x 11 sheet (borderless) of the green paper from the kit on Epson Matte Double Sided Presentation Paper. Then I turned the presentation paper over and printed a full sheet (borderless) of the patterned paper along with the lines of Kelleigh's template that I changed as above.

After cutting around the edges of my template, I scored all of my dashed lines and creased my scores. The triangular shaped pieces of the template were scored and folded inward instead of outward. On a regular take-out box, the pieces fold outward and then are folded against the outside of the box. This is what it will look like scored and ready to assemble:



Next, I made a faint pencil mark along the fold of each of the triangular shaped pieces and then used my crop-o-dile to punch the holes.



See above photo to see where I positioned the holes on the template.

Next I took one end of some embroidery thread and threaded it through the holes the whole way around twice ending in the same space I began.



After pulling the strings to form my basket, I tied a knot and snipped the loose ends of the thread close to the knot.



To create the handle, I cut a narrow strip of coordinating paper the length I wanted my handle to be. On both ends of my handle, I folded approx. 1/2 inch to the underside. I then punched holes at each end of the handle for the brads.



Positioning the handle on the tightened embroidery floss in the center of the basket, I added the brads to secure the handle in place. Repeat on opposite side.



To finish my project, I decorated the sides of my box/basket and the handle.





And that's my project for the blog hop! Make sure you check out all the stops on the Blog Hop (just keep in mind that those participating are all over the world and in different time zones so be patient and check back later in the day if a post on the list isn't up!)

Here are your Blog Hop Stops:
Kelleigh
Tracy
Sally
Laura
Juli
Julie
Christy
Dana
LuAnn <---You are here!
Jacinda
ViVa
Dalis
Holly
Sharyn
Karen Lewis
Linda
Alice
Mel
Sunghee
Carolina
Debbie
Kim

Don't forget to go back to Kelleigh's blog and leave a comment at the end of her Blog Hop post with your favorite Creative Team project for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to Kelleigh's store.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy the hop!!