Monday, October 20, 2008

I'm dreaming of a Pink Christmas (& Better photography light on the cheap!!!)



First the card, then the rambling about lighting your photos (made me so happy that I wept!) :O)

I can't get over the wicked sweet sentiment in the Little Paper Shop's Snowflakes set: ("Snowflakes are the Flowers of Winter.") You know me, i loves me some flowers (and snowflakes are my favourite Christmas stamps) so snowflake flowers...I'm a sucker for that! :O)




To make these snow-flowers,
I just used speedy two-tone stamping:




Step 1: Cover stamps in ink (Pink Pirouette)
Step 2: Add a couple lines of marker (Pixie Pink)
Stamp 'em


To Embellish:
  • Pierce along the lines
  • Stitch along lines with pink thread
  • Cut 'em out (don't snip those threads) :O)
  • Add beads (with Crystal Lacquer)


The leaves:
  • Cut leaf shapes out of cardstock with text printed on it
  • Shade them with Pink Pirouette & Pixie Pink
  • Cover them with Stickles (Crystal Ice)
This purse measures:
3 & 7/8" high, 2 5/8" wide, & 2 2/8" deep (at bottom.)


You can download the
template for the purse box here

How it's made:



To make this purse box the fast way, just print the template on cardstock
(though you will see lines on the inside of the box.) To have a box with no lines, make the template and trace it over a sheet of cardstock (trickier to see where to score, but ultra tidy) I printed mine, lol.




To make a quick perty background, arrange snowflakes onto an acrylic block. They fit nicely in with each other.



Cover stamps in ink (Pink Pirouette)



Add a couple lines of marker (Pixie Pink)



Stamp 'em all over the box & then assemble it:



The handle is made with two large white glass beads, little pink seed beads, & silver wire. To see one way to make a beaded wire handle please see this post. The bag is closed by punching holes & tying with silver cording.

Details at a glance:

Stamps:
{Snowflakes} Little Paper Shop (background on card done with paisley from Double-Line Doodles.)
Cardstock: Naturals Ivory with stripes done using a Scor-Pal (glittered with a Sakura Stardust pen) tutorial here. Whisper White for snowflakes & Pixie Pink for main card.
Ink: Pink Pirouette & Pixie Pink
Accessories: Sticky tape, 2 shades of pink embroidery floss, paper piercer, needle, Pink gems (dollar store), wire, pink seed beads, Crystal Ice Stickles. Silver cord, hole punch.


& this made me weep with joy when I saw the difference it made to how true the colour was in my photos and that they were all in focus and not yellowed, sigghhhhhh:


I have Light!

The photos for this tutorial were all taken inside in the dead of night. I'm still no pro, but now I gots me a work light! (1000 watts of halogen beautimusness.) It was only $40.00 (Canadian) and it's lovely. I'll post a bit of the details about it if anyone is interested in it. [I am now going to dance around the room with it kissing it (after it cools down, because it's hot.) Oh how I love it Passionately! (jumping up and down, heeheehee!)]

Thanks for readin' Sweet Stampers!! :O)



P.S. Like purses?
You can find 144 (& counting) templates & tutorials here.

22 comments:

Heather "Hev" said...

This is ever so pretty :) I may actually try it :)

I keep all of your emails as they are such a source of inspiration - thankyou ever so much Mel :)

Tiff said...

Mel, Please could you please post more details about the lights!

Shari said...

OH WOW - what a beautifully gorgeous card and bag. Love the pinks - don't have those snowflakes but I can use old stamps I have. Thanks for sharing Mel - your work is always awesome.

Jessica Diedrich said...

SO cute, Mel! Love that sentiment too and the colors you used are awesome!!!

Barb said...

I am LOVING the pink snowflakes!! Great project!

Cindy Haffner said...

Wow, wow girl you ar always amazing.

Kim Etherington said...

Pretty, soft and elegant. Me likey! That is one of those lights for painting reno's etc.. atleast that is what we used one for. Great that you found something!! I need something in my dungeon!

Anonymous said...

Mel I love these projects!!! Like you I luvs the snowflakes and I luvs pink. Ok now about lighting everyone knows it is ALL about the lighting just ask Oprah..lol. Have a great week and as always thanks for sharing.

Debbie/Phx AZ

Anonymous said...

Awesome as Always Mel!
And...Yes please more photo and lighting tips. I love seeing your creative process and the results. Any chance you have the occasional failure? Highly unlikely I know, but I could learn so much from seeing a master's piece they considered not worthy to print with maybe some highlights about the why and where for?

hugs from a sister demo - Jean

CreativeMish said...

Beautiful pink snowflakes! I am very impressed!

Jami said...

LOVE that card - the scoring is ingenious, and all those stitched circles!! You never cease to amaze me girl!
hugs, Jami

Melanie said...

I adore those stitched circles!!

Hey, you stole my title for a post I have drafted to run next week LOL!!! (minus the parenthetical info, har har!)

Anonymous said...

Hi, I love your pink snow flakes. Please post more about the lights. I hate being tied to certain times of the day to take photos.

Elena said...

Mel, now I will love winter even more! Your snowflakes floowers are gorgeous!!! Very beautiful deatiled work! Love the purse also! And the handle idea is fantastic! Thank you for your inspirational tutorial!

ScrapMomOf2 said...

Beautiful! Love your new light! Wow!

Shirley said...

Just gorgeous! Both are stunning on their own. TFS, Mel.

Risa said...

OMGosh....your porject is too cute! I adore your beautiful snowflakes and the sentiment is too lovely for words!

Julia said...

Love the pink snowflakes Mel!! You always add a wonderful twist!

Maria said...

Wow, you've got a major photo studio going there! It really helps to have good lighting! I have like 4 lamps in my room all using "craft bulbs", 2 to take my photos, one for my desk area, and one main light. LOL! Sometimes, I have all of them on all at once.

Oooh, I love a pink Christmas. . I think it's ideal for Christmas!! It has such a soft look and you did fabulously on your purse and card. Love the sewing on your card too!!

Beautiful!!

Carri D said...

I Love this card! How beautiful and great instructions too.

Tonniece said...

oh wow, I think pink might be my fave color now, I mean I never thought of pink as stunning, BUT I GUESS YOU SHOWED ME IT IS.
Awesome as always.

OOOOOOOWW Love your lights too. When I get moved I will have to get a good light set.

Unknown said...

Just a tip about your lights....when you have to replace a bulb....handle with a tissue, if you use your fingers you will leave skin oils on the glass which draws all of the internal gases to the spot and drastically cuts the life of the bulb.
DUH what trivia I know!! (35 years in electrical business!!)