Bella Carta

Stocking stuffer ornaments - complete with pattern and how to

Have an old wooly sweater that you just can't part with? Or just pick one up at the thrift store for an easy to make Christmas gift that doubles as an ornament for a gift card holder.

This is super easy, just take your stocking template - pin it onto your sweater (right sides together) I used the band on the bottom for the top of the stocking. Cut two. Unpin your pattern and stitch up, down one side around the heel and toe, up the next side. You can stitch in a piece of yarn for the loop holder. The band - top of the stocking is not seen shut. I used the edge of the pressed foot as my guide. Turn inside out and place a gift card (or not). For extra fun, you could add buttons or other decoration.

You can see from my pics,I played around with the exact shape of the stocking - till I found what I wanted.  For easiness :-) just click right here ------->   Download 2537_001 and you'll get a PDF of the stocking that you just click and print.

Dollar Store Makeovers {ATU44}

Our challenge this week for All Things Unity is to go buy something
at the dollar store and use it in your All Things Unity project. 

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!! And right up my alley!

 

I bought a square baking pan (yes, it was just $1 at our local Dollar Tree) and used the bottom to hold a scrap book layout built on a 6 x 6 page size.  I added a layer behind it (that was 6.5 x 6.5 in) and it nicely filled the space.  If you wanted to go for more, you could always paint the baking pan (remember to use a primer first to help it stick to that metal finish).   I also bought a 2-pack of these poinsettia ornaments at the Dollar Tree - they are super glittery, and the little floral pick I used on the top with the pinecones and red bird. 

The stamp is Christmas List from Unity Stamp Co. The paper is some scrap I had left over (but I think its K & Co.) and I used a bit of ribbon between the pieces that is ruffled grosgrain from Stampin' Up.  The background cardstock is Really Red textured from SU, the green is Always Artichoke.  I used my crop-o-dile to punch holes in the top for hanging, and added some striped red wide ribbon.   

 

Sherri Thompson is a guest designer this month at ATU and is also the sponsor:  make sure you go check out the All Things Unity blog for the details.  
 

Play along!!!!! Simply make a card, scrapbook page or altered item - anything goes as long as you use Unity or Ippity stamps.  And if you link up for our challenges during the month of November--you could win our November Prize Package {to the side}! This month our sponsor is Sherri’s etsy for an {ippity} package worth $20.  You can find her shop at www.sharecropperskits.etsy.com. Create anything (i.e. card, scrapbook page, altered item, etc.) using your stamps  by Unity or Ippity 

****Please use only Unity and Ippity stamps in your creation.****

**Be sure to mention ATU in your post. **NOTE:: Please be sure to link to your specific POST about ATU not just your blog! 

3. If you load your creation up in an online gallery, please use the keyword ATU44.

4. This challenge will end on Saturday, December 10th at 11:59pm EST. So be sure to link up before by then!

5. You can link up as many times as you would like!  But make sure that each entry is new card using Unity/Ippy stamps. 

on a roll ....

 

 
Do you have these?   Those little cardboard rolls leftover from your toilet paper?   Yep - I thought so.   Do you realize you're sitting on a gift wrapping goldmine?   Yep ... its true.  With a little glue or that lovely "pink" tape - the double sided sticky stuff (i.e Sookwong tape) or a hot glue gun (or your choice of adhesive).

Simple pinch one end of the tub shut and use some double sided sticky tape on the inside.  Place your gift in there (these are perfect for jewelry, anything little or a gift card), pinch and tape together the other side.  You can make these flat or you can pinch the other end in opposite direction like a sour cream packet. 

I wrapped mine up with some twine, and if you really want to get fancy - you can add a button.  You could use yarn or some ribbon or some plain twine to wrap these up too.

 

Imagine these with a fun halloween treat inside or maybe a praline?  yum!!!

 

fall bookmarks

 
 

Remember these? One of my fav. projects !  They're featured over at TLC Parentables <---- go check them out TONS of fun and nifty ideas to use your paintchips! http://tinyurl.com/42loyzl

Here's a picture of my nephew working on the bookmarks with me:

 

 

batty!

 

What happens when my papercrafting and jewelry making worlds collide??? earrings!!! 

These are punched from Echo Park (Apothecary 6 x 6 stack) using a Martha Stewart punch, I added a few seed beads - and they have MOTION!  They'll swing and sway with your every move.

 

 

digital fun

 

 

Here's a little digital project I've been waiting to share with you!   (I wanted to make sure that the finished project reached the recipient first.).  A group of friends all across the US recently got together and made digital, as well as regular, scrapbook pages for a retirement package.  Our theme was "Oh, the Places You'll Go"  and the idea was to have Betty go on a series of adventures - in an local near us.  Then everything was compiled into one book and sent to the recipeint.  Typically on the weekends (or Saturdays at least) I am at our local pet store with adoptions of cats and kittens on behalf of our local shelter.

Digital products from Scrap Girls:   St. Croix collection, Florid Overlay "today"

for weekend reading

 

Most of you know I love books and reading!   I took my digital image from Squigglefly that I showcased on Monday, and stretched it into a bookmark size.   I used glue instead of dimensionals to adhere the layers to each other - so the bookmark lays a bit flatter.  And stickles for the chocolate covered cherries.  Three different ribbons are used at the top.

 

blooming on a sunny sunday!

I haven't been posting because Typepad has not been cooperating!.  Anyway, on my own, I figured out a "work around" I can upload pics to other photo sharing site (flickr) and embed them here.  But it adds a few extra steps :-(

 

 

 Anyway, I have a bunch of projects to share - as well as a kitten update.  So hang in there, I'll get this all squared away soon.

In the meantime - here is another of these fun  brown paper sacks - you use these instead of an envelope. My card is made from embossed cardstock, with a sheet of pansy colored vellum (I think this is long retired K & Co), buttons and twine complete it.  The best part - the wild flower seed packet is easily detached for the recipient.  The whole thing slides in or out of the envelope for the user. 

Spring forward to butterflies

 

Today I'm participating in a blog hop celebrating all things butterfly!  The lovely Eva has assembled a butterfly bog hop and the challenge is to create something with butterflies. It can be a card, a layout or any type of a project, as long as it has butterflies on it.   If you want to play along, just link your creation up at Eva's blog: http://evafromca.blogspot.com/   Even if you're not up to making a butterfly creation - you can still go visit Eva's blog and get the full list of people playing along and she has PRIZES!!!!  Yes, prize available to anyone who visits her blog.

I had just purchased these fabulous chipboard butterflies and thought they would be perfect for this project.  The sentiment is a digital image from Squigglefly.

 

I have some previously posted projects from my blog collection that used butterflies - and wanted to share them with you again.   Some are digital, some are paper crafts, some are home decor - mixed media, jewelry.  This was my blog banner almost two years ago (various kits from Scrap Girls)

 

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This project was inspired by a project on the Club Scrap showcase, and it features the Unity Stamp Co. stamp set "Bevy of Butterflies" on Tim Holtz grunge paper (like grunge board, only lighter and flexible!) and distress inks.  I punched a few smaller butterflies to match, then doodled them with my pigment ink pen.   Its in a shadow box style frame from IKEA (this is RIBBA in 5.5 in x 5.5 in) and features a metal tag {wander} also from Tim Holtz, and I removed the glass from the frame.  I sponged the inks on the grunge paper (inks in Dusty Concord, Broken China, Peeled Paint, Mustard Seed, Orange Marmalaid and Worn Lipstick) in a ROY G  BIV pattern, then stamped over it and cut out.  I found my Tim Holtz/Tonic scissors works great for cutting the grunge paper! 

 

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This is a little wall hanging, its 3.5 x 5.0 in. in size.  I made two - one is for the Houston museum.   I thought that deep purple background looked like the night sky, with a rainbow of butterflies fluttering by.  The colors are Mambo Melon and Rich Razzleberry - new from Stampin' Up! The paper is from K & CO - Que Sera collection (I think this is on clearance at Mikes, you should grab it while you can!).  The stamp is from Unity's Kit of the Month (KOTM) for June 2009.

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The stamp is from Unity's Kit of the Month (KOTM) for June 2009. The colors are Summer Sun, Berry Sorbet, Melon Berry and Raspberry Fizz from PTI.  The paper is from K & CO - Que Sera collection (I wish I had bought more of this paper!).

 

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And one more project a fiber necklace with glass pendant - these butterflies are electric blue!  Don't you love that red fiber - and I worked some turqoiuse blue fibers in there to match the pendant.

focus on: Upcycled Purple Poppies

 

I had a chance this weekend to catch up on a few projects I had in variouse stages of completion around my house.

In a year where I've selected the word "focus" as my word - actually getting projects completed seems to me like a good way to get started. 

These flowers are made from satin type, polyester (not nylon) blouses that I buy at the thrift store.  I wash them, just to make sure they're clean (although I believe the thrift store cleans everything), and then they get cut up into circles to make these flowers.  I used a beautiful shade of eggplant purple and some blue/grey to make these.  I then hand bead the centers, these are with galvanized silver 8/0 seed beads.  Best part?  the poppies are on a pinback, so it can be unclipped from the purse.  You could wear the poppies on your favorite jacket, and put something else - like a vintage pin on the purse.

 
The purse is also from a thrift shop.  It is definitely "very gently used" with only slight wear on the bottom.  I decided it was the perfect purse to showcase my purple poppies.  The purse is grey cable knit.  The interior is lined in a soft grey material with two open pockets, one large zippered compartment and a magnetic snap. 

This purse is available for sale at my Etsy Store:  Handmade by Rebecca