Juhi's Handmade Cards: 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Live the life you've imagined

.....I want to take this message forward into the new year, might not be possible at all times but I guess it's worth trying.

Now onto the crafty stuff.....well this is my first attempt at a "mixed media"....I'm not sure if it is truly "mixed media", or for that matter what would qualify for "mixed media"? But I had loads of fun making it and I love the end result.

I started off with the black quote and border against a bright red and gold background. I covered this with a thick layer of Mod Podge only to realize that I don't like it at all! So I added the sunflowers and an MDF corner......now I liked it even less! Then I sprayed walnut stain ink over the entire canvas only to discover that Mod Podge is non-porous meaning that the walnut stain ink would only be absorbed by the sunflowers and MDF embellishments....so wiped it off the remaining canvas and rubbed on distress paint in "fired brick" with my fingers...added a metallic butterfly and some hand-made copper wire spirals to finish it off.

I even added a homemade cardboard stand/easel to the canvas.

I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out the quote and the border.

Thanks for visiting!

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Monday, December 23, 2013

Handmade plastic straw snowflake tutorial

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I have always been fascinated by snowflakes, even more so probably because I haven't seen any in real life :(
I tried out these super easy (and inexpensive) plastic straw snowflakes and loved the results!
You will need:

Plastic straws - mine were 8.25" long
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Fevicol / Elmer's Glue
Fine glitter / diamond dust
Scissors
Stapler

I began by flattening the straws in the center by stapling, this makes it easier to layer the straws.

Using hot glue, glue together 3 straws at their centers, making an angle of approx 60 degrees. The base of my 6 armed snowflake is ready.

Cut 12 1.5" straw pieces and make angular cuts at the ends as shown below.

Hot glue pairs of the straw pieces to make 6 "V" shapes as shown in the photo. Hot glue takes about 30-40 seconds to cool and set, you might want to lay the pieces together at the desired location, apply hot glue and let it set without disturbing.

Glue the "V"s between the arms of the snowflake.

Cut out 12 1/2" straw pieces and make angular cuts at one end.

Glue them to the snowflake tips and your snowflake is ready.
Cover the snowflake with any clear drying glue. I applied a thick layer of fevicol with a brush.

Pour glitter and let it dry....once dry, re-apply glitter over any left over patches.

I just loved how they turned out.

These would make lovely Christmas tree ornaments, since I don't have one, I covered part of my stairway wall with them, much to my husband's dismay and daughter's delight :).
Hope you enjoyed the tutorial.

Linking to:
ANONYMOUS STAMPS DECEMBER CHALLENGE
Card Mania Challenge - CMC# 36 Winter Wonderland
Melonheadz Friends - Anything goes
Oh La La Creations - Challenge #146 Winter Wonderland
Get Inky Challenge - Challenge 20 : Winter Snow

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Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Happy Christmas

Another Christmas card to share. Have used Christmas theme die-cuts for the sentiment and focal image.

Linking upto:
Kaboodle Doodles - Challenge 202 - Christmas Colors
Always Playing with Paper - Merry Monday #88 {Use an Animal on your Christmas card!}
Unstampabelles Challenges - Challenge #30 - Christmas(no stamps)

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Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Season's Greetings

Here's my first Christmas card this season, this card looks so much better IRL....too bad the photo turned out so bad :(
I used my latest craft buys - Lindy's Stamp Gang star-burst sprays and an MFT chevron stencil for the first time on the circular panel. Haven't quite got the hang of it yet, but love the result, nevertheless.
Linking upto:
Color Throwdown #272

Scapper'sDelight Challenge #13 Christmas Time
Ruby's Rainbow Challenges #69 "It's Christmas"
Inky Impressions Challenge #138 - Christmas Ornaments

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Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Wedding anniversary shadow box

Shadow boxes have been on my mind for long, last week I finally got around to making one. I made this for my parents who celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary this November.

I first painted the MDF shadow box black and added some patterned paper at the edges and inside the box partitions. Added photos in three partitions and covered everything with a generous layer of Mod Podge. I finally embellished the box with MDF, chipboard and metal embellishments.

Supplies used:

12x12" MDF shadow box
Gesso and Black acrylic paint
K & Company patterned paper
Mod Podge
Tim Holtz tattered floral die
Tim Holtz distress paint
Mdf embellisments from here and here
Metal embellishments are from a RAK from Mallika
Flower centers are from my stash

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Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Happy Birthday

I've been extremely busy preparing for Kriti's second birthday party, which was yesterday...will be sharing pictures soon. I did manage to sneak in some time to make this card.....

The flower is a chipboard Tim Holtz tattered floral die-cut colored with distress paint. The base chipboard flower is layered on top with an organza die-cut with the same die.
Linking up to: CAS(E) this Sketch #55

Thanks for visiting!

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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Photo Magnet Tutorial

Photo magnets are incredibly to make, things you would need:

Soft Magnet sheet (I got mine from here). You could use an old fridge magnet
Mod Podge
Card Board
scissors/corner rounder/die.
Brush or any other applicator

Here's Kriti busy with the supplies :)

First up I die out the cardboard, magnet sheet and photo. I used a Tim Holtz alterations die as it can cut through cardboard and magnet easily.

Put all the layers together with Mod Podge and cover the photo with a generous layer of Mod Podge (you could use Glossy accents or any other glue and gloss) and you are done!

Hope you enjoyed this short tutorial.

Thanks for visiting!

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Sunday, November 24, 2013

Welcome, Baby!

A super quick post for a super quick card, love how this came up. Have die-cut the giraffe from packaging cardboard using a sizzix originals die. I've had this die for more than a year and never got around to using it, until I discovered it can cut through fabric and cardboard with great ease.....now the possibilities are endless!

Linking upto:
CASE this sketch #55

Thanks for visiting!

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Saturday, November 2, 2013

Happy Diwali!

A very quick post to wish all my readers a very happy Diwali and to share some last minute Diwali tags I made last night.

I would have loved to make and give something for Diwali but its been really hectic at work and also at home lately. All I could come up was these....
And here are all the Diwali gifts ready to go.

Here's wishing all the readers of my blogs a very happy Diwali and a prosperous and crafty year ahead!

Thanks for visiting.

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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Sponge Bob Themed Card

I made another one of my trademark 7 page cards on order recently, this time featuring Spongebob Squarepants.

I had some Spongebob chipboard die cuts lying in my stash for more than year (thank God I managed to find them on time!)

This is the first time I've made a project based on under water/beach theme and I love the result.

Thanks for visiting!

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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Nameplate for a teenager

I like to make personalized gifts for all the kids whose birthday parties Kriti is invited to...I was at a complete loss about what to make for my neighbor's teenage daughter (I had already gifted her a scrapbook last year)....so I came up with a nameplate for her room...I hope she likes it.

And here the nameplate all wrapped up.

Linking upto: Itsy Bitsy anything goes challenge - the background PP and alphas for "room" are from Itsy Bitsy.

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Sunday, October 27, 2013

Personalized Baby Photo Frame

Even though I have been MIA from my blog for a long time I have been crafting regularly, mostly on various home improvement/decor DIY projects, custom orders and personalized gifts. I am just a beginner when it comes to home decor DIY (have been working on making my own curtains, fitted sheets, tea light holders and so on). I believe most of my DIY projects are not good enough to share here.....might start sharing some once I get better. Will be sharing a few of the custom orders too in the coming weeks...now onto the baby photo frame.

I started out with this cheap looking metal 4x6" store bought photo frame ...

and converted it to this using washi tape, 3-D chipboard stickers and a few embroidered butterflies.

applied a generous coat of Mod Podge all over the washi tape for protection.

And here is the package all set to be gifted to my little neighbour......for the packaging I've taken a plain brown paper bag and stamped baby elephants on it....love the end result!