March Technique

My upline Tina has asked a couple of us to monthly post a technique for us to share. Debbie Modrowsky and I are going to be taking turns posting a technique. I volunteered to  do the first month. I have a monthly technique class so I'll be posting mine after my class. Don't want to spoil the surprise for my students! I thought it appropriate to do something you could use for the spring. It's a basket. You could use it for Easter or put paper flowers in or however you'd like to decorate it. I found this basket on several other people's site, so I'm not sure who exactly made the first one, so I'll mention the two that I adapted my basket from. I initially found this basket in a larger version on Michele G gallery, who is also a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, the other was on Lisa Lynne's. If you go to either site they have their directions with pictures. I didn't go through the picture thing, so hopefully my alternate instructions will make sense. If not, click on their site & the pictures will probably help. I know I do much better with pictures, so maybe next time. Here is a picture of the finished project.

3D Basket

By Michele G & Lisa Lynne

Adapted By Cyndy Ponczek

SUPPLIES

5 ½” square piece Cardstock

5/8” x 7 ½” matching piece cardstock

embossing folder or texture plate

1” circle punch

Big Shot or other embossing machine

crop-a-dile

coordinating brad

coordinating ink

Simply Scoring tool

Bone folder

scissors

adhesive

DIRECTIONS

1.   With 5 ½” square piece of cardstock, score at 5/8”, 1 ¼”, 1 7/8”, 3 5/8”, 4 ¼”, 4 7/8”

2.   Mark center of same side you just scored (2 ¾”)

3.   Turn cardstock and score at 1 ¾” and 3 ¾”.

4.   Now mark diagonal lines from the center mark you made in step 2 to the score lines next to them (1 7/8” & 3 5/8”). Do this on both sides.

5.   Cut away that triangular piece you just made in step 4.

6.   Now fold all your score lines and cut the score lines you did in step 1 up to the score lines you did in step 3.

7.   Ink texture plate or embossing folder, place scored piece of cardstock, handle, & 2 one inch punched circles on plate & run through Big Shot.

8.   The center of the basket is the triangular piece, bring one of the strips nearest the triangle & match point to point, trim off the excess on the one side. Repeat with other side, adhere down.

9.   With the next strip to center match points & adhere.

10. With top strip, match both sides and adhere or use grid paper to square basket.

11. Fold 1” circles in half and adhere over center sides of basket, covering up the overlaps.

12. Using a crop-a-dile, punch a hole in the center of the half circle & bottom of handle and attach with brad.

13. Ready to fill with goodies!

February Swap

Well March has turned out to be a busy month. I was finally able to go to a meeting that my sidelines have been having. I missed February's meeting & got my swap made late, so I brought it to the March meeting. I did copy this from Jacqueline Lostritto. She didn't stamp the box, so I changed that. I used the Wisteria cardstock. This would make a great little hostess gift or a "thank you" to someone.

Hope you've enjoyed this. Still learning how to use this site. I finally learned how to make a watermark, so hopefully I'll be putting that on my creations! Next step is to make a signature. I was able to have some help update my blog and now have a link to my Picasa gallery and other links as well. If you have any suggestions or comments, please let me know. I'm also hoping to get my retired stamp sets and accessories online soon. My basement is getting a bit full and need to make room. 

Octoberfest 2011

Well I realized I never posted this stuff. This was from the Girl Scout Octoberfest I do every year. We have such a good time. After the basket pictures are pictures of the class I taught. I did two classes. One was making a wreath using paper rosettes and the other class was making a banner for the fall. The last picture was of a group that came and played for us Saturday evening after dinner. They were there the year before and really enjoyed them, so I guess Hook invited them back.

We had a great time this year. Got to see some old friends and make new friends. The weather was fabulous too. Here is this year's basket. This will be perfect for collecting all the veggies from my garden. I even finished the handle! After it was done, Debbie sprayed an oak stain. I just love it! It gives it that vintage feel to the basket.

 This is Debbi Zvanut our basket instructor. Debbi is a great teacher. She had been Camp Director of Hoover a while back and also had been a sailing instructor. She and her husband have a sail boat and go sailing as well. She made up 2 sizes of baskets. I had asked if we could do this basket and most of those in the class did the medium size which was really a larger size basket. Class was 3 hours, but some worked on their basket in the afternoon and then again after dinner. 

Here is Debbi helping Dot work on her basket.