I saw a neat tutorial on You Tube to create a boxy envelope for dimensional flowers, and thought I would give it a try. However, instead of 110 lb cardstock, I used chipboard, like I would to create an album cover. I lightly scored with an Exacto Knife and then folded the piece back, reinforcing it with some decorative Duct tape. This would probably be easier either making a smaller box, or having a much larger piece of chipboard. I used what I had on hand, as it was just a trial (and one that I will certainly use, even though not perfect).

My card measures about 6″ x 6″ x 1.5″ – the 1.5″ being the roses that is on tope of the card. So I measured my chipboard to be an 8″ square, scoring at 6.5″ along each side and one end. This makes up the back of the box, the bottom, and the two sides – you have to cut out a little square along the bottom on each side that is 1.5″ square – fold your pieces in and reinforce with the Duct Tape. then you will need a 6.5 x 6.5″ square of chipboard for the front – secure in place with the Duct Tape – perhaps even on the inside. For the top and the flap cut, 6.5″ x 4.5″, score along the long side at 1.5″ for the top, cut the corners on the 3″ side, and then secure to the back with Duct Tape.. Cover each folded piece of cardstock with Duct Tape as well, if you have not already done so. Then cut some paper to place on top of the Cardstock – I chose a light yellow, so the address would be easy to see by the postman. You can embellish the card as well if you like. Slip the card inside, secure the flap with either Score-Tape or some other glue, and it is ready for posting!

Using HFC Cherry Blossom Retreat paper, a Die’sire die in gold, and a sticker from my stash. Making Cherry Blossoms is a snap! The leaves are also a HFC die, but can’t remember what it’s called, I love the “tendrils”.

And boom! 15-20 minutes later, and I have a card!

Happy crafting everyone!!

Stuck at home for a few days, means more time to craft! This card is a three-fold made by Heartfelt Creations, and the paper is from them as well. Making the Asters is so easy, you just have to curl the petals back with your ball tool, and then turn them over and press the centers. I like to use three layers on my Asters (and my Wild Roses). The hardest part of this entire card was trying to keep glue off of the gold cardstock! On the very back panel, I also have a little lace pocket with two tags.

I’m very pleased with the way this turned out – One might almost say it’s semi-professional!

Using some of the HFC Cherry Blossom Retreat, I thought I would play around with the fun pop-up cards I’ve seen on-line. It’s a little tricky, but once you get the hand of it, it becomes really fun and easy-peasy. This is only the 2nd or 3rd one I’ve done, so if I can do it, you can too!

Here is the pop-up inside

Isn’t it cute?! I think it turned out really well, and the cherry blossom are super fast and easy to make. Just adorbs!

So this post is a year old! But I just wanted to revisit my cake decorating, I really need to get back to that! Aren’t those yellow roses lovely?

It’s been a little while since my last post. We’ve been busy! Not only did we get a small Hawaiian vacation since our last post, but I made another little mini-Album to put the Hawaii photos in, and a cake for a couple of my co-workers. Dr. Ray (nickname) and the boss had birthdays 2 days apart, so I really had no other choice but to experiment with a new carrot cake recipe, and use up some of my “practice” flowers. I just sorta threw them on haphazardly, and I think the cake looked nice, in a messy sort of way.

As to the album, it’s not quite what I expected, the colors are very bold, and the artists from Heartfelt Creations are amazing, as usual, but this particular paper pad (Tropical Paradise) perhaps would have been better suited to cards than a mini-album. Oh well, live and learn. That’s the whole idea of this blog, comparing my newest and current endeavors to previous ones, learning and improving as I go (hopefully).

Drop me a line, and let me know what you think. Here is a link to a little video I did of the album: https://youtu.be/SyDmibuZUj4

Once again, I let myself get lured into making cake-pops.  They are so cute!  I was looking (yes, on pinterest) just browsing, really, when I came upon some cake pops that looked like roses.  Roses!  I can make some fairly good roses out of gumpaste, and it seemed like a no-brainer. I had conveniently forgotten the joy of trying to swirl the cake pop into melted chocolate without having the cake ball fall off the stick. Or how difficult it is to have the correct consistency of melted chocolate so they aren’t too stiff.  Too late.  I was committed, and planned on taking 30 rose shaped cake-pops to church on Sunday. (Why? to “show off” how sweet I was?) By the time I was done, I really needed to get to church ‘cuz I’d said several bad words that day. I had some repentin’ to do.

First of all, I apparently made the mistake of using too much frosting.  Then, since I had never made “chocolate clay” before, while the cake pops were in the ‘fridge, I proceeded to work the chocolate.  Boy, that stuff is greasy!  After I finally managed to get it to a somewhat thinned consistency, I find that you can’t really make it as thin as you normally would for gumpaste, and that it easily cracks.  And doesn’t hold its shape too well until it cools again. So you have to hold each petal for about 3-5 minutes. Each. Petal. Things were coming along swimmingly, and I was on the second petal of the second row when. . .well, see for yourself:

The pretty little thing fell off its stick. Of course it did.  I’ve done some more research.  I went to Wilton, and went to Craftsy and Pinterest, and now I know that I made my cake balls too big. And I used too much frosting. And I probably left them in the ‘fridge too long.  And I’m starting to wonder if the people in the videos I saw, who were making the cake-pop roses were actually using real cake, because, seriously, I don’t think there is any way this could work.  The cake is just too heavy.  But you all can try for yourselves.  I’ve already done the research for you, perhaps you’ll have better luck.