KittieKraft: Cottage Cutz

Cottage Cutz

December 25, 2017

Merry Christmas From Our House to Yours

Good Christmas morning. I searched my files to find my all time favorite Christmas project made using the Cottage Cutz Mountain Lodge set and Rustic Sign and Trees set. I put lots of work into creating this snowy mountain lodge scene but it was well worth it. We have been having mild weather here in Florida with the highs in the low 80s and lows in the 50s. The only way I can dream of a white Christmas is to look back on all of my fun snowy holiday projects from the past.

Bob and I wish you all a very blessed and merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Here is a link to the original September 3, 2012 blog post with full description of how I made this wonderful snowy lodge scene.

Dec 25, 2017 12:01:00 AM | Christmas, Cottage Cutz, Die Cut, Snow, Winter

September 15, 2014

Inspired by…….

Good Monday morning. I hope you had a wonderful and restful weekend. I sure did.

A couple of weeks ago, my good friend and paper crafting artist, Broni Holcombe honored me on her blog as an artist she is inspired by! What a total thrill and honor that is for me. Not only is Broni one of the most talented coloring artist in the paper crafting community but she is also one of the sweetest people I know. I have had the privilege of serving on two design teams with Broni, Splitcoaststampers Dirty Dozen and Rubbernecker Stamps. I have also entertained Broni as a houseguest and she is a treasure. If you aren’t already familiar with Broni’s work then you need to get a cup of coffee and hop on over to her blog, Splashes of Watercolor.

Along with this honor, Broni asked that I answer a few questions and share a couple other artists who inspire me.

So, here goes the questions!

1. What am I working on?

For the past couple of weeks I have been working on creating dimensional die cut projects and step by step written instructions for a class I will be teaching at The Collins Group trade show being held here in Orlando at the end of the month. I will be representing Impression Obsession products and I am very excited that I will have my first opportunity to meet Mitra Friant, the owner of Impression Obsession.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I don’t believe my favorite genre differs much from others who love crafting with the exception that I am obsessed with adding dimension to almost everything I make. I have been paper crafting for about ten years. My style of card making has had a pretty dramatic change during that time. My love of creating scenes has progressed over the years from adding scenery around stamped images with artists pen, brushes and sponges to creating dimensional die cut scenes and dimensional floral projects. Die cut images have taken the crafting industry by storm and it doesn’t appear the storm will calm any time soon.

Here are a few of my all-time dimensional favorites.

3. Why do I create what I do?

I am driven by a desire to continue pushing the envelope and creating realistic dimensional scenes with extreme detail and creating natural looking floral designs that can “almost” pass for real. I started paper crafting as an outlet to reduce stress. When I sit at my desk and start working on a project my mind is overtaken by the creative process and none of my work day problems can share the space.

4. How does your creative process work?

It is hard for me to describe my creative process. I design by the seat of pants and rarely know at the beginning how my finished project will turn out. I usually begin by choosing a pretty color combination and a couple of dies and just go where they take me.

And now I get to nominate a couple lovely ladies who are inspiring to me!

Jeanne Streiff- Inky Paws

I first got to know Jeanne on Splitcoaststampers and we first met several years ago when she came to Florida for a Paper Crafting show. I have entertained Jeanne in my home and have had the opportunity to see her several times over the years. We have served together on the several design teams.

Jeanne is known in the paper crafting community as a master coloring artist with many different mediums. Jeanne’s talent and inspiration has influenced much of my craft spending over the years. LOL! She hosts several different challenge forums on Splitcoaststampers and was member of the first Dirty Dozen design team. She serves on several different company teams including Impression Obsession, Sizzix, Stamps of Life, The Paper Loft, Taylored Expressions Baker’s Dozen and ShinHan Art Materials.

Julie Warner- The Write Stuff

Julie became a member of Splitcoaststampers in 2007 and two years later became a member of the Dirty Dozen. She is known for her gorgeous water coloring and unmistakable style. She is also a Copic certified Copic designer. I have been inspired by Julie’s gorgeous creations for years and have enjoyed getting to know her while taking part in the SCS daily challenges.

Julie serves on several company design teams including DRS Designs, North Coast Creations, Our Daily Bread and Serendipity Stamps.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have enjoyed my Inspired by…post . I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to share my admiration for these talented designers who have inspired me.

Sep 15, 2014 12:01:00 AM | Cottage Cutz, Creative Expressions, Impression Obsession, Marianne Design, Poppystamps, Sizzix, Taylored Expressions

December 17, 2013

Another Snow Village Tag

Good Tuesday morning. I love the houses in the paper from the Snow Village pad. Tags are the perfect way to use up left over pieces of designer paper and I took a few photos to show how I make a fast and simple one.

I attached the paper to the tag with ATG adhesive.

I didn’t have enough to cover the whole tag but it didn’t matter because the snow layer would cover it.

I cut the Cottage in the Woods using green, and cut the house section out again using white and cranberry. I cut the green house off and attached the white one in it’s place. I added a couple sprigs of pine and red punched circles to the roof for holiday decoration. Smile

I turned the tag over on a piece of white cardstock and used it as a template to draw the outline for the snow ground cover and cut it out with deckle scissors.

I crimped the snow piece with my wave crimper.

I attached small pieces of mounting tape to the back of the trees to hold them in place when attaching to the tag base.

I attached the snow section over top of the landscape and attached it to the tag.

I punched a 1/4” circle in the paper to match the hole on the tag and attached a multi loop bow to finish. This tag only took a few minutes but turned out so cute.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day.

Tag Size: 6 1/4" x 3 1/8"

Dec 17, 2013 5:39:44 AM | Cottage Cutz, Die Cut, House, Memory Box, Scene, Snow, Winter

July 31, 2013

Splitcoaststampers Dare to Get Dirty Day 5

Today day five of the Splitcoaststampers Dare To Get Dirty week long challenge event. This event is a special thank you to all of the fan club members who support the site all year long. Have you had a desire to be on the Dirty Dozen design team? This special week of challenges will give you tons of opportunity to be inspired and to show off your wonderful and creative projects right along with the current Dirty Dozen team as well as the team alumni members. Are you a member of the Splitcoaststampers Fan Club? If not go here to check out all the benefits of being a member. If you are a member hop right on over the special challenge forum here.

My project is today was made for Bev’s DTGD13BevMom challenge with the Cottage Cutz Rustic Sign and Trees paired with the Memory Box Leaping Deer. The frame was made using Spellbinders Grand Squares.

I started by cutting out several of both sized trees. I used the negative of one of the cut trees to create the silhouette trees in the background. I held the negative firmly in place on glossy white cardstock and sponged ink to fill in the opening using my Color Box stylus and foam tip. I moved the negative around and added a few darker silhouette trees in the foreground and several lighter trees to appear in the distance. Here are a few step by steps to show sponging in the trees using the negative.

I attached the tree scene to the card base and attached the double mounted frame over the scene with mounting tape. The frame was made using shimmer cardstock sponged with gray ink to give the appearance of silver.

I attached the three front trees to the frame first but left the tops unattached so I could tuck my two additional trees in behind them. I secured the back trees in place with mounting tape, tucked the deer in place with mounting tape and then secured the front trees in place with three layers of mounting tape so they would stand out even with the frame. The deer was colored with an aqua brush and vintage photo and walnut stain reinker. I added a few sprigs of pine and tiny flowers to the deer just for a touch of whimsy. Here is a closer view.

I know this is sort of a strange color blue to use for this project but I really love how it turned out. I may have to try it again with all normal Christmas colors.

You can check out my double matted frame tutorial if you would like to see how I create my frames. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day.

Paper: Baja Breeze, Glossy White, Shimmer White, Kraft, Regal Rose Ink: Baja Breeze, Distress Ink Vintage Photo , Walnut Stain , SU Going Gray Accessories: Cottage Cutz Rustic Sign and Trees , Memory Box Leaping Deer , Spellbinders Grand Squares , Martha Stewart Branch Punch, Waterbrush, Color Box Stylus and Foam Tip , Fiskars 1/8" Circle Punch , Mounting Tape , Glossy Accents , Glue Dots, Paper Piercer , Metal Adapter Plate , ATG , Big Shot , Teflon Bone Folder , Guillotine Paper Cutter

Jul 31, 2013 12:01:00 AM | Christmas, Cottage Cutz, Die Cut, Frame, Martha Stewart, Memory Box, Scene, Spellbinders, Trees

December 25, 2012

All Is Calm, All Is Bright

Merry Christmas! My project today was made for the Splitcoaststampers Technique Lovers Challenge to use some type of spraying. I decided to pull out my color spritzing tool which has only used once or twice ever. You know we just have to have something and then when we get it we never seem to use it? LOL!

I started by creating a hand cut mask for the ground area and a punched circle for the moon and secured them onto my watercolor paper with repositionable adhesive.

I applied the faded jeans distress ink to the sky area with my ink blending tool and smoothed to even out the color. I removed the moon mask, left the ground mask on and spritzed the sky area using my spritzer tool and faded jeans distress marker.

I used my marker to apply ink to one tree at a time so I could place them around in the scene the way I wanted them instead of in the straight line border. I used a tiny brush and a rich mixture of reinker and water to paint and fill in the trunks of the trees.

I finished the scene by adding the tree shadows using a dry brush wiped directly across the ink pad and applied with a stippled motion. I completed the card by mounting a double matted frame to highlight the scene. It sure looks cold but I love the crisp and calm feel of this scene. I thought it was perfect for Christmas day.

Thank you for stopping. I hope you are enjoying a wonderful and blessed day with your family and friends. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Glue Glider Pro Plus Refill, Repositionable 40'

Stamps: Impression Obsession Small Tree Border Paper: Cream, Not Quite Navy, Watercolor Ink: Distress Ink Faded Jeans Accessories: Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool , SU Color Spritzer Tool, Spellbinders Large and Small Labels, Brush , Mounting Tape , Hand Cut Paper Mask, Circle Punch , Glue Glider and Repositionable, Distress Marker Faded Jeans

Dec 25, 2012 12:01:00 AM | Christmas, Cottage Cutz, Die Cut, Impression Obsession, Snow

Pink Paislee Snow Village, 6x6 Petite Paper Pack	Memory Box Dies, Cottage in the Woods	Inkssentials Surfaces, Manila Tag #8	Fiskars Paper Crimper, Wave
Fiskars Paper Edgers Deckle	Impression Obsession Dies, Fir Sprig Set	Fiskars 12-23508897 Hand Punch, 1/16-Inch, Circle	Nesting Paper Punch, Circle 1/4"
High Tack Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape, 1/2	Accents, Glossy	Tim Holtz Tonic Retractable Craft Pick	Memory Box Dies, Metal Adaptor Plate
ATG Kit, Advanced Tape Glider	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Tonic Paper Trimmer Guillotine, 12x6	Silver Glimmer Paper

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