More Sonobe Origami Christmas Ornaments

Now that I'm getting the hang of these things, they're actually kinda fun. I figured out a little trick for getting them together. At first I was having a really hard time keeping the right shape. They kept ending up getting oblong. So what has really helped me is to start the top with 5 pieces together using THESE directions, then make several groups of 3's using THESE directions and just work the 3's in. So much easier than one piece at a time, and so much easier to keep the right shape.

So anyway, I wanted to make more, but I didn't want to use up all my DSP, and then it hit me! Remember that wrapping paper that SU had in a mini catalog last year? It works wonderful for this! Thinner paper is so so much easier to work with, and you don't end up with as many gaps that way either.
So after I made that one, I thought, well I have tons of other wrapping paper too! So at about midnight I decided to attack my closet and get out some wrapping paper. When I say attack my closet, I'm serious . It's a tiny little closet with everything packed in like sardines. My Christmas tree box in on one side, the wrapping paper box is in the middle and the other side is literally just piles of stuff, plus a whole bunch more stuff on top of everything else. So to get to the wrapping paper, I had to take all the junk off the top. Meanwhile the pile of junk to the left of the wrapping paper box is steadily squeaking and slipping. The majority is not boxes. Just loose stuff that just got crammed in there. Everything started to fall. I was trying to hold up the closet and hollering for my husband to come help me. We got everything back in though. It was pretty darn funny. Kinda dreading having to do this again when it's time to decorate for Christmas.
This one is made from foil wrapping paper. This was so much harder to work with. I don't think I'll do it again. The red was fine since it was just a little foiled, but the silver was like working with aluminum foil. I do like the result though. It's really shiny.

Supplies used-SU wrapping paper (can't remember what it's called), I *think* all the other wrapping paper came from hobby lobby. They have great wrapping paper by the way.
1/4" grosgrain ribbon in White, Bashful Blue, and Silver (retired).

Stamp Something Challenge 17

Good morning! I hope your having a good Friday! This week's Stamp Something challenge theme is "Back to School". I was pretty lost at first as to what to do for this challenge, but then I thought why not an altered composition book with tabs. I mean who want's a plain one when you can have a pretty one .-Stamps-Priceless
-Paper-So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Rose Red, Basic Black and white cardstock; Cutie Pie DSP
-Ink-Versamark
-Accessories-Saffron and Bashful blue 1/4" grosgrain, Pewter HPH, and Round tab punch.

Origami Christmas Ornament

I saw one of these in gallery on SCS the other day, but with no directions. So I googled till I found them. It's modular origami called a Sonobe 20 point star.

You will need 30 squares of paper for this. I used 3 X 3, which I think makes a really nice sized ornament. Then follow THESE directions on how to make a Sonobe which is apparently what the individual folded pieces are called. It looks like there is actually a bunch of different stuff you can do with these aside from the star. VERY IMPORTANT...Make sure these are all folded the same way. If they aren't they will not go together. I ended up having to refold a bunch, because I had been folding mine both ways. I didn't realize it made any difference. Look at the 8th picture in the tutorial link above. If you fold the top left corner down, do them all that way. You can fold the the right down if you want too, just as long as they are all the same!! I hope that makes sense. There are a bunch of different websites telling you how to assemble these. I started off using one that was linked from the Sonobe tutorial. That one is HERE. But I found the visuals on THIS one much better. They are put together slightly differently too, and I had better luck with the second.

Here it is partially assembled. You can see that there will be several holes in this where they connect. I think this paper is just a tad too thick, so things don't fit quite as nicely. I used the biggest most obvious hole to put ribbon is so I can hang it on the tree.

And here it is all done!


The only supplies used white grosgrain ribbon and a bunch of DSP from the prints pack. If you are using 6 X 6 you'll need 7 1/2 sheets, or not quite 2 sheets of 12 X 12. I really wanted to use Dashing DSP for this, but there is now way I'm sacrificing so much of that gorgeous DSP. I've gotten very stingy with my Dashing since it has started to get low.

Time for me to go clean the house. I haven't done a thing all day but mess around with this thing and playing around on SCS. Hope you all have a great day!

Always

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. I haven't been feeling that creative. I've got new SU stuff coming Tuesday though. New stuff always makes me feel more creative. I didn't order much this time, but I got Upsy Daisy (which I LOVE) and two of the new In Colors. I can't wait!

Here is a card I just finished making for my husband. No occasion, just because I love him . This card was inspired by Markie's Mom on SCS. Faith has amazing attention to detail. You can see her card HERE. She used SC160 which I thought looked perfect with this set. I love the dots on her card too, but my signo gel pen only works when it wants to now, so I pierced instead.
-Stamps-Always
-Paper-Ruby Red, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky and white
-Ink-Soft Sky, Ruby Red and Blue Bayou
-Accessories-SAMJ, Paper Piercer, Mat Pack, Stampin' Dimensionals

Stamp Something Challenge 16

Good morning! Well today is Friday, time for another Stamp Something Challenge. The theme this week is Birthday Somethings, only things are a little different. The design team has the week off and the guest designers are filling it. They have out done themselves! Head on over to the Stamp Something blog to check out their awesome creations! Have a happy Friday!

I did it!! Well sort of =)

So I've been lost in my own little world the past few days. I followed a link to Michelle Zindorf's blog. If you haven't been there before, go NOW! I'm almost positive I've been to there blog before, but I guess I must have lost the bookmark(I know I wouldn't have gone there and not bookmarked it), but now I've got in my google reader. Anyway, she makes the most incredible cards I've ever seen! She even has tutorials . I've spent most of the last two days at her blog and trying her techniques. I think I'm finally kinda getting the hang of it. I was having trouble not making my skyline a perfectly strainght line. You should see my trashcan . It's almost ridiclous the amount of paper I've went though. So worth it though! Unfoutunately I went through the last of my Whisper White when I was first trying this technique out, so by the time I had a small idea of how to do it, I was out, lol. I have some GP and PTI white also, but they don't seem to work. Not smooth enough I guess.

The first card is on glossy white. The paper did not want to take as much ink as I was giving it, so I had to keep heat setting, but I stilll kept smearing stufff. This one looks sloppy, but I thought I'd post it anyway. The second, I'm much happier with. The tutorial I used for these two cards can be found HERE. I drew on some shadows with a basic black marker like she shows in THIS tutorial.

This one is my most recent attempt. Hopefully I'll get the hang of this one of these days. Every time I try it looks a little better than the last, so I guess it just takes a lot of practice. I used Very Vanilla cardstock on this one. This card measures 4.25 X 5 BTW.


-Stamps-Happy Harmony
-Paper-Glossy White (first card), Very Vanilla (second card), Soft Sky and Not Quite Navy
-Ink-Not Quite Navy, Soft Sky, Black Staz-on
-Accessories-Paper Piercer, Mat Pack, sponges and Brayer.

Season of Joy

I love making Christmas cards! Well, for that matter, I love Christmas and everything about it. Am I the only one that listens to Christmas music while making my Christmas cards? I don't care if it's 105 outside, I'll be singing along with let it snow . I really need to get a move on! I make all my Christmas cards different, so it takes me forever!

Anyway, I was looking at the new catalog the other day, and noticed the card on page 52 where the bottom edge is folded up and torn. I LOVE that look, so or course I ran right to the stamp room. I cut my cardstock to 4.25 X 9, then scored at 4.25 and 8.5. I would recommend stamping on that little edge before you fold it up though. My first two attempts were very smeared! Then I just tore it and folded it up. I used mini glue dots to keep in in place, while still giving it a little bit of dimension. I'm gonna be so sad when I run of this gorgeous DSP .

-Stamps-Season of Joy, Crazy For Christmas (retired)
-Paper-Real Red, River Rock, Old Olive and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Dashing DSP
-Ink-Whisper White (craft), Real Red, Olive Olive and River Rock.
-Accessories-Stampin Dimensionals, mini glue dots, Real Red grosgrain, corner rounder punch