I’d like to introduce you to my special guest…My talented friend and Sr. Designer, Heather Wombacher! She has made the sweetest, “Wee Little Spring Basket”, and has generously offered to share the “How-to” with us! I look forward to seeing how your lovely creation turns out! Enjoy this special post by Heather:

Happy Spring everyone!

My Wee Little Spring Basket is the perfect size for wee little treats and small doses of love for your family and friends.

This isn’t a traditional tutorial but hopefully you can see where each supply was added or how it was used so you make your own.

Let’s get started! Yippee are you skipping with glee?

Here is what you will need:

• Small peet pots from your local nursery or garden shop (or an empty yogurt container)
• Robin egg blue crepe paper
• Opaque shrink plastic
• Mocha brown chalk ink
• Layers of Color Vintage Rose and Acanthus Leaves stamp sets
• Silver German Scrap
• Teal blue Binding tape
• 5″ of your favorite robin egg blue wired ribbon
• Embossed wallpaper
• Robin Egg blue paint
• Brown paint
• Teal blue watercolor pencil or other coloring medium
• Glue
• Teal glitter glue
• Small hole punch
• Something for the handle-I used bark covered wire- I know way cool stuff!

Step1: Stamp Vintage Roses image onto shrink plastic with brown chalk ink. At this step you could also color in the image as you please. I just left it plain Jane, pretty as it is. Then shrink according to shrink plastic directions.

Step2: Using your embossed wallpaper, cover the container. Do this to your liking. I lined my paper along the top of the container, then wrapped it around and glued it, letting it hang over the bottom edge. Then with scissors, I cut slits from the paper edge to the bottom of the container which made tabs to fold and glue to the bottom of the container. You can also lay it down on the paper, roll it along and trace a pattern.

Step3: Make a paint wash by using one part robin egg blue paint to 2 -3 parts water. Paint evenly over the paper-covered container, then with paper towel dab off the excess so that the paint stays in the crevices but not on the raised portions. Let dry. Do the same with a wee bit of brown paint but, water down even more, so it is more like a stain. Repeat this process to your liking.

Step4: Make a basket stand by taking several layers of crepe paper (I used 5) and cut a circle at least 3/4″  larger than the pot bottom. Staple the circles together in the center then fringe the edges by making 3/4″ cuts all around. Glue to the bottom of your basket. Ruffle and poof to your liking.

Step5: Make a rosette from your ribbon by pulling one side of ribbon wire tight, then glue seam to fully encircle. Glue shrink plastic roses to ribbon center.

Step6: Attach your Silver German scrap trim to the top edge of the basket and punch holes for handle.

Step7: Make a fringe fan with crepe paper and glue to the inside of pot where you want your rosette to go. Stamp Acanthus Leaves on card stock, color, glitter and cut out. Attach it on the diagonal as a back drop to your Rose vignette.

Step 8: Glue Rose vignette to front of your basket. Next attach handle and tie with binding tape.

Voila! A wonderful Wee Little Spring Basket to fill with goodies to give to a friend or to celebrate Easter!

Thank you, Heather! I hope this put a “wee little spring” in your step today…it did for me! See more of Heather’s lovely artwork in her gallery.

May God add gleeful layers of color to your day,

Jessica and I enjoyed making card samples to show at CHA.  Here is one that I made from coffee filters. A quick and easy project with a unique look…

The coffee filter is colored with Tsukineko’s Walnut Ink spray in Lilac and Cherry Blossom.

The edges are cut with pinking shears. The smaller pocket is cut from a 2nd coffee filter & then glued on top of the first one. Stamps used in this fun project are Flutterescent, Garden Borders, Merci Bouquet & Beaded Frames.

May God richly bless your day with layers of color,

I LOVE glass drops!

They remind me of when raindrops puddle in the center of Nasturtium leaves. They glisten and magnify the leaf veins beneath. So beautiful!

I’ve collected three sizes of glass drops and made them into pretty little things with Layers of Color art stamps. They make quick and easy gifts.

Pretty Little Thing

I decorated a bottle with this pretty little thing. It could also hang from a drawer knob or table lamp switch.

Pretty Little Thing Tutorial

1. Take a glass drop (this one is approx 1 1/2″), set the flat side down on a piece of cardstock and draw around the outside edge. Cut this circle out and then cut another out of felt for the back.
2. Stamp on the cardstock using Layers of Color Backyard Birds and Merci Bouquet (flowers). Add color with colored pencils then put PVC clear drying glue on top of the entire picture and press it to the flat side (back) of the glass drop.
3. Paint glue along the edges and dip the glass drop in microbeads, and allow  to dry.
4. Then crisscross  ribbon across the back, glue it in place and glue the felt circle on top of that creating a neat back.

Easy peazie lemon squeezie!

Close Up

One more pretty little thing using Merci Bouquet and another bird from Backyard Birds.

Pretty Tiny Thing

This pretty tiny thing is made on the glass drops that are normally used in floral arrangements. This is a tiny drop under 1″. You can put a magnet on the back or a pin back, or add it as an ornament to your artwork. The tiny wild rose from Layers of Color Merci Bouquet fits perfectly inside this size glass drop.

Pretty Glass Weight

Glass Weight Tutorial

This pretty glass weight is made from a glass drop that is approx 2 1/4″. It takes less than 10 minutes to make!

1. Stamp the butterfly design with VersaFine Onyx Black using Layers of Color Butterfly Collector on colored cardstock.
2. Set the glass drop on top of the stamped image, draw around the outside of the glass drop then cut out the circle.
3. Glue it to the back of the glass drop and glue decorative trim to the edge.

Voila, a pretty little gift in a jiffy!

Side View

Now you can grab a bag of glass drops & Layers of Color art stamps, invite some friends over, and have a gift making party!

Enjoy!

Has your heart ever been touched by a story of a stranger’s tragedy and you wished you could do something to help ease their pain? The tragic story of Jaimie Cates broke the hearts of  friends, Erin, Denise and Ann and motivated them to gather their resources to make a difference in this 11year old girl’s life. They started “Spread the Love” campaign, and the blog, “Stamp Something for Jaimie”, created with the dream that hundreds of people would extend love and hope by making and sending cards to Jaimie.

Spread the Love features making cards for Jaimie, Stamp Something’s Special Card Drive Challenge, an international blog hop Nov 2 – 9, and prizes from multiple stamp companies. Prizes include 6 LAYERS OF COLOR ART STAMP SETS from Layers of Color Art Stamps online boutique!

Read Jaimie’s story,  and learn more about the blog hop, sponsors and prizes on Stamp Something for Jaimie blog.

The blog hop starts on Katharina’s blog. If you came here from Jennifer’s blog, then you’re on the 28th blog on the list.  Before hopping to the next blog, I’d like to share some of what I made and sent to Jaimie…

I made a butterfly pin for Jaimie created from one of the new release stamps from Layers of Color. The butterfly stamp image was enlarged three times and drawn onto Shrinky Dink paper with Sharpie markers and Prismacolor colored pencils. After shrinking it in the oven I bent it slightly while it was still warm, then glued a pin to the back. I chose a butterfly for the symbolism of  joy, faith and hope…

I also made a felt envelope to display the pin. Inside I put a hand stamped butterfly card with words of hope and love and included a small handmade journal for Jaimie to write her thoughts and prayers. Each page of the journal is decorated with a different butterfly stamp and decoratively punched edges. I prayed for Jaime as I created it. Included in my gift package to her is a card for Jaimie and her father…

This card features two Layers of Color new release stamp sets. All nine new releases will be revealed at Layers of Color Autumn 2009 Stamp Release Party on this blog Nov 14-15. You’re invited, please join us!

Thank you for spreading the love today! The most valuable thing you can do for Jaimie and her family is to lift up their story and their needs in prayer to God. Pray with all your heart and pray often. I’ve personally witnessed many prayer miracles and learned that even if God’s answers are not what I wanted, that He eventually shows me His good purpose in them.  Our Father God listens to each word we speak and knows each tear that drops. Prayer will bring us closer to Him, which will fill the God-shaped void that exists in every human being. Thank you for saying a prayer for Jaimie.

Now time to hop on over to Lisa’s blog. May you go with God’s blessings!

Black and White Flower Pot Card

This paper card is made very similar to the Paper Garden Card from my last post. The main difference is in how I created the leaves and the flower. I used VersaFine Onyx Black on white paper. You can create a tag and tie it around the stem and give it as a gift. Imagine all the colors and fun you could have making many of these! No “green thumb” needed!

I stamped the leaves from Layers of Color Nature Walk art stamps and then enlarged them on the copy machine 225%, cut them out and glued them to the base.

Alternate Card

This alternate card has a simple pot and hand drawn leaves. It has a lovely fine shimmer as I featured Ink Potion No. 9 on the entire card.

Side View

The card stands on its own like a picture frame, using ribbon and cardboard.

Back View

I used recycled cardboard for the base, which is cut as one piece. The stand is cut separately and glued on with the ribbon. If you make it as a gift and want the entire back to match in color, spray paint the entire back and stand before gluing together.

Paper Flower

Layers of Color Polka Dot Love art stamps are stamped on white cardstock, cutout and glued to the base. I added a clear plastic dot over the “Thank U”.

Alternate Flower

Look how pretty the colors and shimmer enhances this flower! VersaFine Onyx Black stamps right on top of the Ink Potion No. 9. I used a metal button for the center.

Paper Flower Pot

Layers of Color Garden Borders makes a beautiful pot rim. Layers of Color Polka Dot Love dots and sentiment decorate the pot. To create the illusion of roundness to the pot, sponge black ink lightly on the edges.

Thank U 4 visiting today!

Paper Garden Card

This is more than a card, it’s a gift! Its a continually blooming garden that brings lively color to your day. And it’s fun to make! You’ll want to “plant” one for yourself, as well as for those special people in your life!

Garden Stand

It stands on its own as a garden made of paper. The base is cut from recycled cereal boxes and the stamped, cut, and colored paper is glued on top. Ribbon holds it in place, just like a standing frame. You can make a tag with a note on it and hang it from the stem.

Flower Pot

The pot features Layers of Color art stamps, Nature Walk and Garden Borders. Both are distressed in the same ink color as the decoration to create a false curve and dimension to the pot (VersaColor 158 Lapislazuli). The pot is a basic shape that would also be beautiful decorated with other Layers of Color art stamps, imagine the possibilities!

Leaves

The two leaves are made by layering multiple leaves. One leaf from Layers of Color Nature Walk art stamps is stamped with VersaColor 158 Lapislazuli on white card stock, then colored in with Prismacolor colored pencils (X18 leaves). Layer from tip to base as shown.

Flower

The base underneath the flower is simply card board cut into a circle. All the little flowers (and strawberry) from Layers of Color Nature Walk are cut out and glued on top of the circle. Use the same coloring method as the leaves, placing clear dimensional dots on the centers of the large flowers.

3D Flowers

The main flowers are cut between the petals and bent upwards to enhance the 3D effect. Imagine the various colored flowers you could “grow”! You wouldn’t even need a green thumb!

But you might get one if you get smudged with green ink!

I’d love to see how your garden grows! Let me know if you “plant” a paper flower and I’ll come visit your beautiful paper garden!

My eldest daughter, Jessica gave me this fabulous gift for Mother’s Day! She decorated a candle with Layers of Color art stamps. The results are stunning aren’t they? I adore the color, and texture. I’m so blessed by my children and the love my creative daughter put into this artful gift.

Candle Art Gift From Jessica

Nature Walk and Dotted Delights Stamps Decorate This Candle

Bird-day Party Art Stamp

A Beautiful and Special Gift

Details of Depth and Textures

If you’d like to try this unique technique that Jessica invented, please return here, as I’ll be doing a tutorial on this artful candle in a few weeks. I hope you found this marvelous idea as inspirational as I have!