I just had to pull out the Big Shot Join in the Cheer die cut strip and try it on some glass ornaments. The question was – which adhesive would work best? I’ve done some experimenting so you can skip the parts that didn’t work! I started by running the die cut through my Big Shot machine using a 3 x 12 inch piece of Real Red. After I cut the individual words apart I tried using my Xyron (machine), glue dots, Snail adhesive and Crystal Effects to adhere the words to the glass balls. They all stuck to the ornaments – at least at first! To make a long story short, the only adhesive that held up well before, during, and after was the Crystal Effects. Yes, it takes a bit longer to allow for drying – but the end results were great! Here are the ornaments – minus the “cheer” because the Xyron adhesive didn’t hold up at all and I scrapped that entire ornament and will have to remake it!
Hummmmm, they could use some bows! So what are you waiting for? Get busy making ornaments! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Category: Holidays
Christmas ornament
It’s almost time to start decorating for Christmas – or at least getting ready to decorate! Can you believe how fast this year has gone? So this week I’m going to feature ornaments that you can make for your tree or packages. 
This ornament is a porcelain disk that I bought at Michaels. The stamp set is Season of Simple Grace. I stamped the image – using my Stamp a ma jig – in Versamark on the ornament and embossed it with Gold Embossing powder. This takes a little bit of time and the ornament gets VERY HOT before the powder begins to melt. And it stays hot for a while! Patience is required here! Take a gold paint pen and go around the side and then add a star punched out of Brushed Gold card stock. I adhered it with a mini glue dot and then pierced a hole through it. The half pearl is from the Pretties Kit and is adhered with Crystal Effects. Sorry the picture is a bit blurry!
You could easily add a “to/from” on the back and attach it to a present – or it could be a present on its own! Have fun trying this ornament! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Shrek and Fiona
I took a silly turn yesterday while trying to finish up some Halloween treats that have to be mailed today. Look what I came up with! It’s Fiona and Shrek!
The pattern for the candy boxes came from here (Stamp a Little Love Baby!)- (which makes these cuties!)
Here’s what I changed – 
Shrek is made from Kiwi Kiss card stock for Top Note Die and Ruby Red for the box. His eyebrows are the 1 3/8″ circle punch punched with the scallop circle punch. His eyes are the 1″ circle punch (both Kiwi and Whisper White) and the centers are 3/4″ circle punch. His nose is the small oval and his mouth is drawn with and Old Olive Stampin Write Marker. His ears (or whatever those are!) are the 1 3/4″ circle punch rolled into a cone shape and held together – and on – with Mini Glue dots. He has a bit of Ruby Red Stampin Pastel for his cheeks – just a touch!
Fiona has the same things – but a bit more!
Her eyes have 3/4″ circle punch center of Brilliant Blue and she is sporting Ruby Red Hair (front and back) Her lips are the Ruby Red Stampin Write Marker and she’s wearing a bit heavier blush of Ruby Red! (Such a looker!) So there you have it! I’m wondering what other characters we can come up with now! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Witches Hat to Santa’s Hat
I made these little witches hats using the tutorial I found on Wendy’s blog. Aren’t they cute!
Then I made them into Santa Hats!
Fast and fun! I found that you need to use Crystal Effects to hold the pom poms – so be patient! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Holiday Lineup
This is such a fun set! Here are my first attempts at using it – simple cards!
The first card is watercolored on watercolor paper. The DSP is Bella Rose (my favorite!) I usually go back and highlight my watercoloring with Stampin’ Write Markers – kind of cheating, but it works for me! Isn’t Rudolph funny!
The snowmen are also watercolor – using the In Colors and Ski Slope DSP from the Holiday Mini. Check out the snowflakes from the mini – so fun to use!
And last, but least, the elves! Here I used SWMs to color them and the Ski slope paper again!
Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Big Shot page and more
Here’s my boy – off to college sporting the Big Shot Tulip and Serif Essential dies! If he only knew!
The little picture decorations were made with the top of the Tulipe die. And I just kept going with the Big Shot – 
This is the 3-D ornament. And here are some Basket and Bloom dies – 
It’s just too easy and way too much fun! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Halloween Tree
My friend, Julie, was telling me about some paper trees that she’s making – and it got me thinking (and creating!) This is the idea that I did last Christmas – just using Halloween paper! The instructions for these trees can be found here. 
It’s hard to tell – but instead looping the strips, I used my bone folder and curled them up. Then I tore apart a Halloween headband that I found at the dollar store and glued it to the top. 
The little bats are plastic rings that I cut apart and used glue dots to attach to the tree. Very spooky! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Holiday Projects
It’s Holiday crazy around here! I keep bouncing from one thing to another – so I thought I’d better share before it gets way to confusing! Let’s start with Halloween. These are the Martha Stewart test tubes. The pattern for the holder can be found here. (Lisa Sommervilles blog!) I loved the labels that came with the test tubes so I included them in the design. The set is Batty for You and All Holidays and the DSP is retired – but you can used the darling new Halloween DSP! (I have to use this up before I open a new pack!)
Continuing on with Halloween – here’s the Decor Elements piece that convention goers could order. I chose a round jar – just to make it as hard as possible for me!
But Christmas is around the corner too! So I covered some 2 x 2 wooden blocks with the Holiday DSP and added some various chipboard letters and some candle cups to make a display for my mantle.
Does this give you Holiday fever? Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Halloween Rub Ons
I ordered the Halloween Rub Ons and couldn’t wait to use the faces to make a few gifts for my next door neighbors grandchildren. This has become sort of a “tradition” – giving their grandchildren something cute at Halloween. 
The little jars were purchased at Michaels for a dollar! After rubbing on the faces, I put a 1 3/4 circle (punched with the wonderful new circle punch) in Chocolate Chip on the top and added a little wooden piece that I found in my “odds and ends” box. To make it brown, I rolled it over the Timber Brown Stazon pad. A piece of a stick would be really cute here too. The leaves are die with the Big Shot Birds and Bloom Flower Pieces die and all of it is adhered with Tombow Multipurpose glue. If you look closely, you’ll see some of the border rub ons around the bottom of the jars. With the little piece left over, I made a tag. Add some ribbon and raffia – it’s finished! I think these would be even cuter with just candy corn in them, but I hesitate to give unwrapped candy as a gift. So I found some candy corn Hershey kisses – and they’re pretty yummy! (I HAD to sample them to make sure they were edible!) Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Big Shot Halloween
Are you ready for some Halloween? Here’s a decoration made with the new Big Shot – and the Scallop Circle die. I cut the cardboard packaging with the circle and then some of the retired Halloween DSP and covered the circle front and back.
The letters are the Serif Essentials and the spiders are from Batty for You. Can you see the googlie eyes on the spider? I punched through the scallops with the Crop a dile and connected the circles with black grosgrain and some pony beads. Easy and fun to make! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran