Walnut Hollow & Quietfire Design Blog Hop - Enter to Win!

All the projects have been posted - and they are amazing!  

There is still time to enter to win our grand prize - and it's an awesome prize!!

To be eligible for our grand prize, your work is simple:  Please leave a comment on each of our blog posts, nine on the Quietfire Creations blog and five on the Walnut Hollow blog hop posts here: http://walnuthollowcrafts.wordpress.com/   So that will be 14 comments in total on two different blogs from September 29, 2014 to October 3, 2014!  The winner must be a resident of North America.  

You can go back and comment at any time on any of the blog posts to be eligible, but you should finish by midnight Sunday October 5th PST.

We will draw the prize on Monday October 6^th, 2014 and the winner will be announced shortly after in a separate blog post. We look forward to seeing your comments!  Tell your friends!

List of Blog Hop Posts with links:
Wanda
Teresa
Chris
Sherry
Kathy Jo
Sara
Holly
Yogi
Chris
Judi
Yvonne
Robyn
Suzanne
Chris

Good Luck!

and Happy Thanksgiving to all the Canadians! 

Happy Father's Day, Barista! with the help of Walnut Hollow

When we first acquired an espresso machine, I made a mental note never to learn how to use it....  You know - in the theory that once you do it, it's your job....
 

So to celebrate x number of years of making Americanos for us, I made our barista (and Dad unit) this sign for Father's Day.  (He also got a blue bandana so he can be part of Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen, except he wore it every way *but* they way he was suppose to!  He always has been our Kitchen Chemist - and he has an apron to prove it!)

To make this, I chose a Walnut Hollow pine base.  I adore this shape! It's called the River Road Signboard and measures 12" x 9". I planned on painting it, but I love bare wood so much, I just left it.  I went with coffee coloured papers, but you could use any colours.  I tried a blue cup, but it just wasn't working for me, to I stuck with black.  Once my barista reads this, he'll probably demand a different colour....!

Instructions:

1. Before you start gluing things down, you might wish to add a hanger to the back of the board!  I was so excited about working on it, that I didn't even think of it until we went to put it up on the wall!
2. Cut one black rectangle measuring 11.25" x 5", one rectangle in dark patterned paper measuring 11-1/8" x 4-7/8", one rectangle of light coloured patterned paper measuring 10.5" x 4" and layer as shown.
3. Enlarge the Barista image to 10.75" wide and use the Silhouette Cameo (or other electronic cutting machine) to cut two Baristas, one from white and one from black cardstock.  Layer the black behind, slightly offset, using it as a drop shadow and adhere together.  Center and mount on layered cardstock panel.
4. Enlarge the cup and steam cutting file to 5" wide and use the Silhouette Cameo to cut the cup from black cardstock and the steam from white cardstock (Staples #65).  The drop shadows  images were cut from Core'dinations textured cardstock.  Assemble as shown.  (The cup and steam should be available on the Silhouette Online store tomorrow in a design called Coffee or Tea card)
5. Use Pop Dots to attached the cup and steam to the board as shown.

Thanks for dropping by! Hope you're enjoying Father's Day.  Now we just have to decide where to go for dinner!
Suzanne

Supplies:
Quietfire Barista lettering on Silhouette
Walnut Hollow River Road Sign
Graphic 45 Kraft Recollections

Queen of Hearts Blog Hop - Thinking of You Centerpiece

Welcome to the 5th Annual Queen of Hearts Blog Hop. And Happy Valentine's Day!
Thanks for dropping in!  It's our very last day and we hope you've enjoyed your hopping.  Make sure you leave a comment on all the blogs to be eligible for a prize.  There is more information below.
Here is my contribution to the blog hop:

I've had this Walnut Hollow Basswood Canvas for some time.  It finally told me what it wanted to be!

The basswood canvases are just like regular deep canvases, except they're all wood.  When you flip them over, they are like a shadowbox, or - keep flipping - a container....
 
I think I've been hanging around in the "wrong" magazines lately and I was after a shabby chic look. This is what ultimately happened.

 Here are the supplies you will need for this project (thumbnail links for Quietfire products are below):

• Walnut Hollow Basswood Canvas 6x6" Item 29619
• Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Paints in Bundled Sage, Stormy Sky and Picket Fence.
• Tim Holtz Foundations Box Corners
• Sand paper
• Quietfire Design Rubber stamps: The Longest Journey, I Wouldn't Have Missed Being Your Friend, To Create and Don't Let Yesterday
• Distress Ink Pads in Stormy Sky and Bundled Sage
• Glue Dots, Pop Dots and Double-sided Tape
• Spellbinders Grand Calibur, Labels 22 and Foliage 2
• Ranger Distress Cardstock in Bundled Sage and Stormy Sky
• Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper

Instructions:

1. Paint Basswood Canvas with Stormy Sky Distress Paint.  Allow to Dry. Using Bundled Sage paint the second layer and allow it to dry. Don't worry about perfect coverage.  We're going for the shabby look in this project. Use Picket Fence to paint the final top coat and allow to dry overnight.
2. Use Picket Fence Distress Paint to intermittently cover the Foundation Box Corners. Allow to dry.
3. Sand the painted surfaces with 120 grit sandpaper and wipe with a damp cloth.
4. Use Stormy Sky Distress Ink to stamp the sentiments all the way around the base as shown in the accompanying photographs. (Bundled Sage is a bit too pale)  Normally I would go with an ink that shows more detail in the fine lines of the lettering, but I'm staying with the shabby look for this project, so Distress Ink is perfect.
5. To create the sentiment label, use Stormy Sky Distress Ink to stamp "I Wouldn't Have Missed Being Your Friend" on Specialty Stamping Paper and when dry, die cut with Labels 20. Sponge around the edges with Stormy Sky and Bundled Sage Distress Ink. I wanted a border, but the next size label was much bigger. Too big. So I asked myself "What would Becca Feeken do?"  Well, I'm not sure she would have done this, but it comforted me somehow and allowed me to charge ahead....  Cut two Labels 20 from Stormy Sky Cardstock. Use Glue Dots to attach the one coloured label to the back of the sentiment label so there is a small border showing at the top. Use more Glue Dots to attach the second coloured diecut so there is a small border showing to the bottom of the sentiment label.  See photos below.
6. Die cut two leaf flourishes, as shown, from Foliage 2.
7. Use Pop Dots to adhere the sentiment label to the box and Glue Dots to adhere the leaf flourishes to the base and the label.
8. Use Glue Dots or Double-Sided Tape to adhere the Foundation Box Corners to each corner of the Basswood Canvas to create a container.  There are small screw holes on the underside of the Box Corners should you wish to use them.
9. Add floral container and flowers.

And there it is!
Make sure you leave a comment below to be eligible for a prize and you must visit Wanda's blog today, too!
There is still time to go back to all the blogs and leave comments before midnight tonight.

And make sure to link a piece of your "love-ly" artwork to our Queen of Heart blog post on Quietfire Creations at this link:  http://quietfirecreations.blogspot.ca/2014/02/welcome-to-queen-of-hearts-blog-hop-and.html before midnight tonight.
Thanks so much for visiting and playing along!

Here is our Blog Hop Schedule and the dates each designer will be posting (Click on each person's name to go to their blog):

Feb 10 - Holly and Teresa - setting the bar!
Feb 11- Sherry and Jutta
Feb 12 - Wendy and Terre
Feb 13 - Yogi and Robyn 
Feb 14 - Suzanne (you are here) and Wanda
 
For a chance to win…. Leave a comment below before midnight PST February 14, 2014. A winner will be randomly chosen from my list of comments and your name will be posted on February 15, 2014. For more details AND to enter in the Queen of Hearts Challenge, please visit http://quietfirecreations.blogspot.ca/

Now leave a comment!  Good luck!

Here are the thumbnail links to the Quietfire products used in this project:

I wouldn't have missed Distress Inks Don't Let Yesterday To Create is to touch The longest journey Specialty Stamping Paper Core'dinations Distress Cardstock Magic Removable Tape Foliage Two Spellbinders Labels 20 Grand Calibur Glue Dots Double-sided Tape

InLinkz.com

& Baby Makes Three!

Years ago, our family began attending French Family Camp annually.  During set-up the first year here on the Island, I shouted "Michel!", expecting my little guy to come running.  Instead there was this deep voice in the adjacent campsite replying "Yes?"  That started a friendship with a wonderfully talented and diverse family. 

Big Michel's son Adam was always a dynamic part of the camp experience when he was there!  Well, Adam is "all growed up now" and, with the love of his life, introduced a beautiful baby girl into the world 16 days ago.

Michel with the deep voice passed away last year, missing the birth of his grandchild Evangeline, but he lives on in part of Evangeline's full name.

As well as lettering a poem written by her grandmother, I created this for Evangeline's room.

When I first thought of doing this, it occurred to me that I should frame it. But where am I going to find a shadow box frame? Nope, I didn't have a clue where to get one here in town. So I pondered and scratched my head and finally had a Eureka moment in the shower.

Walnut Hollow to the rescue!  The original plan for these Walnut Hollow plaques was to create book covers with them....  ahem.  Not any more! 

I hated to cover up the pine, but I thought this called for pure white. 
Okay, I confess, I knocked the white back a bit with Raw Sienna to match the watercolour paper better.
You may find these plaques on the Walnut Hollow site here.  My mind hasn't really gone to home decor for a while, so I was so really very happy when I thought of this!
Three coats of paint later...  it was just like card-making.

The Floral Oval was cut from Arches 140lb HP watercolour paper. Lettering was done with gouache and a Mitchell Roundhand nib.  The flourishing was also gouache and a  Esterbrook 357 Vintage nib.  A bit of Pan Pastels were added over top of the flourishing.
I had one of those little zig-zag hangers (thank goodness!) and glued it to the back and it was good to go!
Other items used in this project are in the thumbnail links below.
Thanks for having a look!  Suzanne

Floral Ovals Grand Ovals Wonderful Wings Foliage Two Arches Watercolour Paper Mitchell Roundhand Nib Grand Calibur

InLinkz.com

CHA 2012 - Quietfire Style

I had no plans to make a video from my photos at CHA, but then somehow this just happened....  I think it helped me process the whole thing.  I'm still in recovery mode.

You can watch it here or on YouTube.  I hope you enjoy it!



If you watch it here, this is the little blurb:

Here are my very quick impressions of some things I saw at CHA. I took almost 100 photos on the floor and it wasn't nearly enough! (I didn't plan on making this video when I was there.)

The first part is a little two day vacation at Santa Monica and then on the CHA.

Why such fast music? It mirrors the event! Every time you turned around there was more eye candy. Amazing people, amazing displays, amazing talent.
A huge thanks to everyone who demonstrated their products for me, who put up with me taking their picture and who greeted me like a long lost friend!
See you next year!

P.S. You can stop the video any time if you need to see a photo for longer!

Welcome to the Quietfire Design Butterfly Blog Flutter!

Quietfire Design would like to introduce you to the new Butterfly Circles stamp set!  Here is my project using the new Butterfly Circles.

Just comment below and you will be eligible to win a grab bag of Quietfire Design rubber stamps valued at $50!   We will be giving away five grab bags in total and all the names will be drawn on Friday, January 20^th at midnight PST, one name from each blog, so you have lots of time to enter!  Tell your friends!

The Butterfly Circles rubber stamps will remain on special at 20% off throughout the Blog Flutter!

Here is our schedule:

Sunday, January 15th: Yogi   

Monday, January 16th: Suzanne  (You are here!)

Tuesday, January 17th: Robyn  

Wednesday, January 18th: Monica  

Thursday, January 19th: Wanda  

 Each Design Team member will randomly choose a winner from their list of comments, so make sure you’ve commented on each blog.

All winners will be posted on the Quietfire Style blog on Saturday January 21^st. If you are one of our lucky winners, please contact Suzanne privately with your snail mail address within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.  (Email address is in the sidebar of the Quietfire Style blog) 

Happy Fluttering  and good luck!!

______

A Butterfly Counts - Walnut Hollow Clock(if you're going to be at the CHA conference, you will see this clock at the Walnut Hollow booth!)

Supplies

Walnut Hollow Round Clock, Small  Item #53212

Walnut Hollow Quartz Clock Movement for 19mm (3.4”) Surfaces  Item #TQ700P
http://www.walnuthollow.com/

Quietfire Design Butterfly Circles Stamp Set

Quietfire Design Butterflies/Dragonflies Stamp Set
FabScraps High Tea Cardstock
White Cardstock
Spellbinders Nestabilities:  Butterflies Two,  Grand Circles
VersaMagic Purple Hydrangea Ink
Jacquard Textile Super White Acrylic Paint
Ranger Distress Crackle Clear Rock Candy Paint
Ink Blending Tool
Distress Inks: Tattered Rose, Brushed Corduroy, DustyConcord
Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Eggplant
Be Creative Double-sided tape
Hole punch

Instructions:

Preparing the wood:

Paint the Round Clock with Neopaque White paint.  Allow to dry and give second coat.  Sand surface if needed or desired.  Apply a fairly thick coat of Distress Crackle around the edges of the clock as well as a couple of inches in from the top edge on the surface and allow to dry naturally.

Use the blending tool to rub on Brushed Corduroy and Dusty Concord to highlight the crackle.  Rub off the excess with a paper towel.

Preparing the paper:

Cut High Tea and white cardstocks to fit clock using Spellbinders Grand Circles as shown.

Stamp Quietfire Design quotation using VersaMagic Purple Hydrangea.  When dry use blending tool to shade in some Tattered Rose colour.

Stamp small butterfly using Purple Hydrangea ink, then cut the image out.

Layer the circles using Be Creative double-sided tape.  Find the center of the layered circles and punch a hole the same diameter as the clock hole.  Attach the cardstock layers to the clock surface. 

Cut four tiny butterflies from the Nestabilities Butterflies Two.  Leave the diecut in the die and using the die as a stencil, color the exposed paper with Purple Hydrangea ink.

 Color the hands of the clock movement with a few drops of Eggplant Alcohol Ink.  Leave the second hand uncolored.  Allow to dry.

Following the instructions on the package, assemble the clock movement with the clock.  Make sure the hanger is oriented so the quotation on the front reads correctly.  Punch a hole in the butterfly cut-out and slide it over the shaft of the movement.  Do not glue or tape it down.  Curl the wings slightly.

Attach the four diecut butterflies at the noon, three, six and nine positions on the clock face.

Add a battery and hang to enjoy!