Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Good Morning!

Today will be my last post for 2009.  I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to my  friends Barbara Diane Ramsey, Rachel, Deanna,  and Pat.  Thank you SO much for  taking the time to leave me all the kind comments.  I really enjoy reading them.  Also thank you everyone else for visiting. Wishing everyone a Wonderful Holiday and a Happy New Year! :)

Here is today's card.  This is the front of the card.  I used the embossing  folder for the sentiment.  It's very simple.


Here is the inside. 
 
 Here is another one.
 

Hugs,
 
                             Helen                                                                                                                                                                         

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Another quick card

Good Morning!

Today I like to share another quick card.  I CASE this card from Sunny Stamping Studio.  I used Shimmery paint but it didn't show here.  There's not much to this card just the Medallion stamp but I like it.


 Thank you for stopping by.

Helen                                                                                                                                                   

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Last three Ornaments

Hello

These will be my last three ornaments to share.  I love how this blue and white turn out and so did Joan.  Blue is Joan favorite's color.  I've made these ornaments before using just one color.  It didn't turn out as nice.  So I thought it would look nice with white and it did!


 This one is burgundy and silver.  Mary Jo was pretty exciting to have this so I assumed she liked it.
 
 This is my last Kusudama.  I really enjoy making this ornament and I hope Pat is enjoying having it on her tree.
 
 Thank you for stopping by.  Have a great day.

Helen                                                                                                                                                 


Saturday, December 19, 2009

Quick and Easy cards

Good Morning,

We are having our first snow today in the Delaware Valley.  The children are all excited waiting  to go outside.

 Today I like to share a few cards that I've made.  I saw the technique on Patty Bunett's blog. I followed her tutorial but I couldn't get the same resolve like hers.  So I eliminated one of her steps.  I can't believe the image when it came out.

I finally can say " quick and easy" cards. 



  

 
Tip:  Look at my homemade Stamp-a-majic!  I used my children leggo pieces as my stamp-a-majic.  It's not very attractive like the store bought stamp-a-majic but it does the same job.  I cut the clear box that hold the sizzix dies cut for the mate.  It's work great and I used them all the time.
 
Thank you for visiting.  Have a great day!

Helen                                                                                                                                                  

Friday, December 18, 2009

Origami Mobile and Baskets

Good Morning,

Here are some of the items I've made using the weaving origami ribbons.  This first picture here is a mobile and it's a very big one.  It's at least 4 feet long.  Here is the top part.

Here is the bottom half.
 
You can also made basket from them.   This first basket here I assembled them close together.
 
 This second one here I decided to have some space between the pieces.  You'll have to cut the ribbon extra long when you are making them.
 
This last one here I assembled them like a diamond shape.
 

 Thank you for visiting.  Have a wonderful weekend.

Helen                                                                                                                                         

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Weaving Origami Lantern Ornament - part 4

Hello,

Today we will be assembling the ornament or at least I am. This is the piece from the tutorial.  It is very difficult to assemble this ornament using paper. So if you are going to make the ornament I would recommend that you use polypropylene ribbon. 

I will be using these pretty ribbons.  These pieces will fit like puzzle pieces.  Your piece should have four legs like this.  
 
See how the pieces fit like puzzle pieces?  Take the two pieces and insert one leg into the other piece's pocket.
 
The excess pieces should come out in the center. Repeat with the other sizes.
 

 
Take a fine pointy scissor and  snip off the excess pieces; be careful not to snip off the triangle.
 
Decorate any way you like.  These pieces can be made into many different projects.  I will share a few items that I've made using these pieces tomorrow.

When sharing your finished ornament using my tutorial, please give me credit by place a link  to my blog.
Thank you.

Helen

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Weaving Origami Lantern ornament - Part 3


Hello again, turn the piece over. And insert the strips like shown.
 
Repeat with the other two strips.
 
Pull all the strips through.  This will tighten up the center pieces.  This is the bottom.
 
Turn it over.   I drew a zigzag line under each center strip to show you how you are going to create the center. Under each  strip there is a pocket  where you are going to insert each piece through.
 
The zigzag line is on the bottom strip. See how I turn my strip and the zigzag line is on the top now?  Tuck the green strip under the purple strip and pull it through.  Cut that excess part off.  See next picture.
 
Next tuck the white strip  under the green one.  Pull it through.  Cut off that excess strip.
 
The red strip will go under the white one. Missed that shot.  Cut off that excess strip.
 
The purple strip will go under the red one pull it through.  Cut off that excess piece.
 

Congratulations! you did it!  Your finished piece should look like this.  You will need two of this pieces for the lantern ornament.  I will show you what you can do with these pieces.


Thank you for visiting. Have a great day.

Helen


Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Weaving Origami Lantern Ornament - Part 2

Hello again,

Here is part 2.  Since the pieces were folded in half, you should have two layers on all four strips.

We will start with the green strip first.  Place your piece like shown with the green strip vertically.  Fold the first layer down.


With the bottom layer, fold to the right, creating a right triangle.
 
 Then fold it down toward the front, making another right triangle.
 
 And tuck that part under the first  layer.  See picture.
 
Fold it up and crease well.
 
Rotate to the purple strip.  Fold the top layer down.  This will hold the green piece in place. See picture.  I am holding the purple piece down.  It just didn't show in the picture.
 
Make the same triangle fold and tuck under.  See picture.
 
Rotate to the red strip. Fold down the red top layer.  This fold will hold the purple piece in place.  Note: don't let go of your fingers or all the folds will loosen and mess up the piece.
 
 Make the triangle fold and tuck the piece under.  See picture.
 
 Rotate to the white strip.  Fold down the white top layer.
 
Make the triangle fold and tuck under.  This white piece will hold everything together.  See next picture.
 
There is a pocket  under the green strip. See the bottom picture.  Insert the white strip into it and pull it through to the other side. It was very hard to push the white strip through.  You can use a tweeter to help push it through.

 
Pull the white strip through.
 
 Your piece should look like this.  It is very hard to assemble this ornament using papers.  I would recommend you use ribbon if you want to make the ornament.  Also the wider the ribbon, the longer the strip will be. 
 
You are almost there!

Helen

Monday, December 14, 2009

Weaving Origami Lantern Ornament - Part 1

Hello,

Thank you for visiting me today.  I hope you will join me this week to make this one of a kind ornament for your tree.   I joined the "25 days Christmas swap" over at SCS.  I made the ornaments for the swap and the gals wanted to learn how to make the ornament and I thought I'll share it with my dear blog readers.

It had so many steps that I had to divide the tutorial into four parts.  Thank you for your patient gals.

I always used polypropylene ribbon.It's smooth and slippery. But it was hard to work with when I first learned to make it.  Therefore, for this tutorial I've decided to use papers, since paper is not slippery.   I would recommend that you use the same color papers that I used.  This is the most challenging tutorial for me.  I hope you will enjoy it.

You will need 4 strips - 1/2" x 12".  Snip both ends like shown.  (You will need 8 pieces total to make one ornament).


Fold them in half.
 
 Take the green piece and the red piece and place them like shown here. (vertical)
 
 Take your white (neutral) piece and place it inside the red piece and place the green piece   inside the white piece.  Another word, it's weaving with double layers.
 
 Take the purple piece (from the right side) place it inside the green piece and  the red piece inside the purple piece.
 
 Pull it tight and you should have this.
 
End of part 1.

Helen