MFT Blueprints 5 - Tag Builder Die-namics tags

I have another post for Anna's Craft Cupboard today featuring the fabulous Blueprints 5 -  Tag Builder Die-namics by My Favorite Things.

There are so many wonderful elements included in this die that I thought I would make a few tags to showcase some of them.

This Tag Builder Die-namic includes a solid tag with a stitched edge that you could use on it's own but I have used it for the back of all of these tags.
It also includes two other tags.  One has a rectangular window with stitching around that (bunny and hippo tag) and the other has a square window with a smaller rectangular opening below it. (house tag)
They also have an opening for string or ribbon to go through and two different types of reinforcements for this.

One of the greatest things about this tag die, in my opinion, are the different ways you can die-cut your sentiments.  You get the fishtail label (bunny), the banner (hippo), the rectangle piece in the square window die (house) and there is a larger fishtail flag too.  They only fit smaller sentiments but there are usually a couple of these in most MFT stamp sets.

There are many other fun parts to this die too such as little hugs and kisses and hearts.
And even the left over parts from "windows" being cut out have stitching around their edges too, so you get lots of useful extras to use on something else :)

I decided to try making a shaker tag from the two window tag.
I've never made one before and I was really happy with how it turned out :)

This is how I made my shaker tag if you'd like to give it a try :)

• I used the solid tag to cut an acetate piece for the shaker front and a back from white card.
• I used the tag with the 2 windows to cut a front from purple card.  I also used it to cut some foam leaving the lower rectangle window in place. Because the sides of the tag are so tiny I thought I would try this instead of using foam mounting tape.  I had never done this before and it was SO much quicker and easier :)  I just used the die to cut it and then glued it to the back tag piece.
• I used the heart confetti die from this set to cut out some hearts in pink and purple and put them inside the shaker window.
• I glued the acetate sheet on top of the foam piece and then glued the purple piece on top of this.
• I cut another of the 2 window tags from white card and stamped the "Be Happy" from the MFT Happy Hippos stamp onto the rectangle window piece. I glued this in place over the foam in the bottom window.
• I stamped the house and heart banner from the MFT Up In The Air set, coloured them with Copics and cut them out. I used glue and glue dots to adhere to tag.
• The birds from the MFT Happy Hippos set were coloured with Copics, cut out and adhered.

I think this might make a nice tag for a new home or housewarming gift or maybe even for a wedding or engagement?

Trumpet Bunny Tag 

Ingredients :

Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes paper

MFT Strike Up The Band  (for bunny and sentiment stamp)

MFT Up In The Air (cloud stamp)

white card

On this tag I tried using paper for the top layer rather than cardstock. 

I used the solid tag die to cut a white cardstock back and the light blue paper from the Watercolor Wishes pad and the rectangle window tag die to cut the dark blue paper from the same pad.

It ended up being a lighter tag, but it is still sturdy enough and the papers look beautiful together.

Hippo Tag

Ingredients :

Doodlebug Spring Things Paper

MFT Happy Hippos ( for hippo, hat and sentiment)

white and pink card

I really love the banner die! I have wanted one for a long time, I think they look fantastic. 

I curved the sentiment stamp slightly and stamped it onto white card and then used the die to cut it out.  Then I folded the banner along fold lines and glued them down so that it was fairly flat. You could leave it though if you wanted to and then the banner would have more height.

Making these tags has been so much fun!!!

They are a great way to use up all those little bits of card and paper you have saved.

And they're a great way to use those extra stamps you've coloured and then done nothing with too.

When I was making my hippo cards last month I had coloured this hippo and the birds I used on the house tag and cut them out but then decided not to use them.  I actually just put them in the plastic sleeve the stamps come in for safe keeping and they were there ready and waiting to be used :)

I LOVE the Blueprints 5 Tag Builder Die-namics.  It's perfect!

I can't wait to make some more for Christmas presents :)

Thanks for dropping by today :)

Kathy

Wild About You

I have a post for Anna's Craft Cupboard and a handmade gift rather than a card to share with you today :)

But firstly I'd like to tell you a little about a new tool I bought a few weeks ago, the Tim Holtz Stamp Platform.

I had read quite a bit about it before buying it and it definitely lives up to the hype.
It is absolutely wonderful!
I have only had it a few weeks but I feel like it's an essential tool now.
I will never stamp without it again!
And I wonder how I ever did without it!

There are so many great things about this stamp platform but I thought I would write down in no particular order....

 My Top 10 Reasons Why It's Brilliant  

1. You can stamp and re-stamp until you're satisfied with your stamped image.  This will save SO much paper.  No more throwing away images and cards because you're not happy with how they've stamped.
2. You can use it with rubber and clear stamps.  You simply turn the lid over which is really quick and easy. "Rubber" and "clear" is marked on the lid.
3. The top has an easy to see grid moulded into it which lets you position stamps more easily and allows for perfect placement. This is particularly great with clear stamps if you are using letter stamps, sentiments or are trying to get something in a straight line for example.
4. It's very sturdy and well made and easy to clean with a baby wipe.
5. Measurements along the top and side in metric and imperial and these won't rub off.
6. You can use any size of paper in it!
7. It's great for hard to ink images like background stamps or other stamps that you have trouble with.
8. Very easy to use and gives a great image without the need to press down as hard as you do with a block. Fantastic for people with arthritis or other issues with their hands/arms.  Less pressure needed.
9. Perfect for stamping identical cards, such as invitations or Christmas cards.  
10. I can finally stamp a sentiment straight onto an almost finished card without ruining the whole thing!!!!! Yay!

If you do any stamping at all, you need one of these!
As you can probably tell, I really, really love mine :)


Anyway, onto the actual project :)

I had the chance to play with a new MFT stamp called Wild About You.
There are 4 different African animals in this fun set and it could be used for so many different types of cards.
But I thought I would use it to make a cute baby gift and instead of buying a gift bag I decided to make my own.
Well, I didn't exactly "make" it to be honest, there was no sewing involved at all.
But I bought this plain calico bag and decorated it :)

I have never stamped on fabric before so I can't speak from experience. But I did some research and found that there are inks specifically for fabric but that you can also use Pigment Inks and heat set them to make them permanent.
I decided to try Brilliance Graphite Black.
I don't think it would matter too much what ink I used though as this is not something that would be washed much anyway.
I could have also coloured the giraffes but I liked the more plain, graphic look.

So here's a little about how I made the bag, if you'd like to give it a try too :)

• I measured the bag (25x29cm) and cut a piece of paper slightly smaller.  Then I stamped the giraffes in a row as I would on the bag, trying out different spacing until I was happy.  I decided I liked the look of 5 and worked out that I needed to start 1" from the edge and move the piece 1.5" after each stamping.

• I cut a piece of card smaller than the bag and placed it inside, in case the ink went through onto the other side of the bag.  

• I wanted the giraffes to be in a line across the bottom of the bag and because of the bag's size it meant I had turn the bag around and have the bottom of it against the top edge of the Stamp Platform.

• You would also usually put your work into the top left corner of the Platform and hold it in place with the super strong magnets.  But with this bag I had to work from the right hand side instead.  This is because there is a raised edge on the left and top of the Platform whereas the right side and bottom are flat to allow for larger pieces than the platform to be used.

• I could have kept moving the stamp across the lid instead of moving the bag but then it wouldn't be quite as even and straight along the bottom and you get messy fingers and there's extra cleaning, etc. So it is best to leave the stamp in place and move the bag across.

• I positioned the stamp where I wanted it on the lid to stamp my first giraffe.  I put the magnets on top and even though they were going through 2 pieces of fabric plus a layer of cardboard, it held it in place easily.  These magnets are very strong and you need to be a little careful with them.  It is best to slide them into place if possible rather than picking them up.

• I had to stamp, re-ink and repeat to get a good enough image.  This was only because I was stamping onto fabric though. 

• I took the magnets away and moved the bag across 1.5", replaced the magnets before re-inking and stamping again and repeated until I had my 5 giraffes.

There is no way I would have even thought of attempting this project if it wasn't for my new Tim Holtz Stamp Platform.
The first stamping of each giraffe was very light, even though I used a very juicy ink pad and the stamp platform.  So I had to re-ink the stamp and stamp each one at least twice to get a good image.
And without the stamp platform I wouldn't have been able to do this or line the giraffes up and get them straight either :)

After making the bag I made a tag to match using the MFT Die-namics Blueprints 5 Tag Builder Die.
This die is wonderful and makes the most gorgeous tags!
I do have other tag dies but this one is my new favourite.
It is just so cute!!!

I used American Crafts smooth Kraft card for the base,
Lawn Fawn watercolor wishes paper for the background and I cut the grass using the MFT Spring Scene Builder Die-namics.
The giraffe was coloured with Copics and popped up using X-Press It Foam Mounting Squares.
The little wooden sentiment is from  Jillibean Soup Wordfetti - Celebrate.

I could put various little baby goodies inside the bag but what I intend to do is to buy a board book.
Maybe 'Giraffe's Can't Dance'? That is a great book and fits the giraffe theme perfectly.
And perhaps later on the bag could be kept as a library bag?
It would be just the right size for a toddler and their smaller books and I think it would be very cute too!  :)

Kathy

Viking Henry

I have used another of CC Designs awesome new Viking stamps on my card.

This one is Viking Henry and he is super fun and just perfect for those, usually tricky, guy cards.

I saw a new challenge at Kraft+ and was very inspired by their graphic :)

I used an embossing folder on Kraft card and rubbed a white craft ink pad lightly over the top to highlight the pattern.
Then I cut out some hexagons from Winter Fun paper by Carta Bella and adhered them to create the background.

I am so glad I found this challenge.
The theme is actually "what's the buzz?" and it's about bees.
So I definitely thought outside the box and changed things up quite a bit :)
I wouldn't have create a background like this without seeing the challenge graphic and I really love the way it has turned out :)

This little viking was so much fun to colour with my Copics!

Thanks for dropping by today :)

Kathy

Heidi with Headband

I have a card to share using another new release stamp from CC Designs.

This one is Heidi with Headband. She's very sweet isn't she ?!

I coloured her with copics, cut her out and popped her up on some Basic Gray Persimmon papers.
I white embossed the sentiment onto grey card and corner rounded the edges to make a little file tab.


I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges :

Simon Says Stamp - Stamp
Ribbon Girl - Anything goes

Thanks for dropping by today :)

Kathy

Happy Hippos Birthday

I have another card today for Anna's Craft Cupboard featuring those Happy Hippos from MFT :)

This really is an adorable set!
I used a different hippo and bird this time with a birthday cake and I created a little background scene for them too!

I used the MFT Spring Scene Builder Die-namics with papers from Lawn Fawn's Watercolor Wishes pad.  These papers worked so well with this die! They all coordinate beautifully and have light and dark areas of colour, giving them a real watercolour look. Plus there's none of that extra work (and talent) that's needed for painting!  Bonus!

Once I'd created the little background scene I rounded the corners and glued it to a Kaisercraft square white card.
I coloured my images with Copics and cut them out and I used X-Press IT foam mounting squares on the hippo and balloons to make them "pop" and give the card some added dimension.

Thanks for dropping by today :)

Kathy

Viking Nancy

It's Release Day at CC Designs.  :)

I have made a card with another one of the awesome viking stamps from Roberto's Rascals.
This is a Viking Nancy.
And she really is Fabulous isn't she?!

The sentiment is from an old CC Designs set.
But I just had to use it because I think it is so perfect for her!

It's such a wonderful release this month!
I really am in love with all of the vikings!
And there are some really pretty CC Designs girls too that I will share on my blog soon.

Thanks for dropping by today :)

Kathy

Viking Kids

It's nearly new release time at CC Designs and I have a sneak peek for you :)

I've used a new stamp set called Viking Kids and it is absolutely brilliant!

All 4 of these gorgeous vikings are in the set and it's definitely a "must have" in my opinion!

They were so much fun to colour and you could be so creative with them.
I really love these little guys :)

Head over to the CC Designs Blog to see some more sneak peeks from the design team.

And if you leave a comment there, you might even be lucky enough to win a prize :)

Thanks for dropping by today

Kathy