Kusudama Ball

May is here!! Time to break out the shorts and flip flops right!? HA HA HA We lost the last little tiny patch of snow in our yard a few days ago. I have even managed to get a little sunburnt a few times in the last few weeks. I am also proud to say both my kids passed their Hunters Safety Ed class YAY!! Ok back to crafting :D This weeks theme was something May Day themed. I, at first, went right for the most obvious. A little cone with some paper flowers. Then I sat back and thought about it and remembered this link I had saved a while back with a project I really wanted to make. I thought OH!! This would be PERFECT! Its called a Kusudama Flower ball. Uses some origami folds. I got out my papers and went to work! I even made another one in blue for my Grandma. ~*Jen*~

Here is the tutorial link http://foldingtrees.com/2008/11/kusudama-tutorial-part-1/

I picked out my papers and for this project I went with a lighter weight cardstock so it would be easier to fold.

Folded them all



Started gluing the individual petals

Then glued them into 5 petal flowers

Each half of a ball takes 6 flowers

Then you glue each half together add the buttons and bling and hang!

A flowery wreath

I was so happy to be able to start/finish this weeks project because it was something I had origially started a few weeks back and had sat over in my craft corner staring at me and taunting me every time I had walked past it asking why I had not finished it yet. It really was a time consuming project because it was all hand cut and formed. I got the idea for this on the DCWV blog and they had displayed these flowers at their booth at CHA. The tutorial for that can be found here...

http://dcwvinc.blogspot.com/2011/03/tutorial-poinsettia-flowers.html

But I must warn you they take alot of time to make but I am sure your up for the challenge right?!

I traced this petal pattern to the back of my cardstock and started to cut them out. The circle is used as the center piece to glue the petals to.

Here is a few of the petals after I had started to fold them and wet them with water

Gluing the petals to form the flowers

~*Recipe*~

~*DCWV cardstock

~*Black ribbon, tule and buttons

~*Paint brush for watering the backs of the petals

~*Time, lots of time

~*Jen*~

Hippity Hoppity!

Easter is on its way....Its odd that it is so close to my birthday this year. Usually its not this close but thats ok I dont mind having a few holdiays to celebrate in the same weekend! To make things even better my kids have this Friday off too! YAY 3 day weekend! This last Sunday we officially took our last snowmachine ride of the season. It was a beautiful ride up to Monument Mountain. We even got sunburnt! Now its time to take the 4 wheeler out and take the studs off the car. We have already started to plan our summer fishing and hunting trips. I thinks its ok to say spring is here....now ;) Bring on the sunshine! This week I was able to craft an Easter card. It was alot of fun making. I inked the eggs and that gave them a great dimension. They almost look like REAL eggs. And the bunny well....I almost wanted to eat him he he he. Have a wonderfully blessed Easter holiday!

Got out the Gypst and laid out my card and embelishments

Got my paper on my mat and started cutting!

Inked the edges of my eggs and glued my card together!

~*Recipe*~

~*White, brown and purple carstock

~*Inks of various colors

~*Gypsy Wanderings, Doodlecharms and Accent Essentials Cricut cartridge

~*Green fun fur yarn

~*White gel pen

~*Yellow ribbon

~*Yellow bling

~*Jen*~

Put a little 'spring' in your step

Ahhhh I so thought spring was finally here. But then Alaskan Mother Nature laughed at us all and dumped a bunch of snow on us!! I was starting to see my grass before that and now its covered back up under a nice blanket of white. Today the sun is out in its glory so maybe it will melt a little snow off. My kids actually had their bikes out a few days ago and were able to ride for the first time this season. Now they have to wait again. For my project this week I wanted to do something a little spring-y and bright. My friends and I have been trying to meet once a month to make a monthly project and spring banners was our project this last time. I use a tag from Gypsy Wanderings and layered it up with a few rounded corner squares from George Basic. The front is from Gypsy Font. I cut it out in blue then smothered the letters in glue then layered on the Martha Stewart glitter in my own color mix. The flowers are a mix of different sized Accent Essentials flowers. I curled up the ends of the petals to give it a more 3-d look then added a button and some *BLING*> I added an accordion rosette to pop up the letters. I think this is a new thing for me to do! A banner for each holiday! Now off to try and think of ideas for our next monthly project.... ~*Recipe*~ ~*K&Co cardstock ~*Blue Martha Stewart glitter ~*Gypsy Wanderings and Font, George Basics and Accent Essentials cartridges ~*Yellow button ~*Blue *BLING* ~*Jen*~

Tri-fold shutter card

This weeks projects was a good one! I have never made a tri-fold shutter card before and I could not wait to try! I am always looking for fun and new ways to fold a card. It really adds a little extra :) I really love how it turned out and have added it into my 'list of ideas of ways to fold my Christmas cards for next year'....yah I know I am crazy! I start planning my Christmas cards almost a year ahead. It takes me a little while to make 50 cards by hand so the more planning I can do the better! Ok so onto the card! ~*Jen*~ ~*Recipe*~ ~*DCWV Black Currant cardstock ~*Cricut cartridge Gypsy Wanderings, George Basic Shapes, Gypsy Font ~*Black ribbon ~*Pearl accents

Picked out my paper (I actually broke into my all time love Black Currant stack for this card*gasp* yes I know its a shock)

Laid it out on my Gypsy (I love my Gypsy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Put my paper onto my cutting mat

Cut and folded the base of my card

Cut all my layered pices

Started to adhear the layers

Its starting to look like a card!

Added my embellishments

All done!!