Good Mocha Morning!

I am so excited to share today's post with you!  This is one of my latest wreath creations.  It was inspired by my friend and customer, Marsha.  She created the most gorgeous collage frame at my class, using Mocha Morning DSP.  I love the yummy colors in these papers!  I was curious as to how they would look in a large wreath above my fireplace.  I was going for a vintage look.

I covered a few of my Spice Cake buttons (soft suede, from my stash:) with punched circles of the DSP.  I added Antique Brads to the crumpled flowers and to the embossed butterflies.  I love how it turned out.  Stay tuned for another Mocha Morning project, coming soon.

Before you go, just a few reminders about Stampin' Up! retiring products and new things to come:

Get them before they are gone! The Retired Accessories and Definitely Decorative (including Décor Elements) lists are now available and won't stay around for long, as these are limited in quantity and can sell out fast.  Some are even discounted from 25% up to 70% off!!!

I highly recommend placing your orders early as things will sell out. If you have not yet completed your collection of the 2010-2012 In Color ink pads, card stock, markers, refills, ribbon, you'll want to get them ASAP!  

SUPER GOOD NEWS:

I am offering a special that you'll want to enjoy:  If you order $50. in product through me (before tax and shipping) any time between now and the end of May, I will give you the upcoming new big catalog --- for FREE.  You can spread the $50. out throughout the time remaining until the end of May, as long as the cumulative amount comes to $50.  You can order online or during a class... and don't forget that ordering $25. at a time could earn you a free class, too, so it's all good and all fun!!!

Things to note:

• Classic Ink Pads: will be replaced with a new exciting "firm foam pad" being introduced with the 2012-2013 annual catalog.  The Firm Foam pads offer better ink coverage and, in turn, better stamped images.
• Craft Ink Pads:  will no longer be offered, except in black and white.
• Stampin' Stampin' Write Markers: only select markers will be available individually (will still be offered in color collection assortment packs).
• 12" x 12" Textured Card Stock:  will no longer be offered.
• 12" x 12" Smooth Card Stock:  will only be available in select individual colors and color collections assortment packs.

Wreath Tutorial Update

Remember the wreath I made with our Spice Cake DSP?  It was posted on Nov. 1, 2011.
http://nannastamps.blogspot.com/2011/11/wreath-tutorial.html 

Here's an update on it!  I added lots and lots of leaves (stamped and cut) from the stamp set Gently Falling.  I love this set and love the colors in the DSP, so it was a marriage made in Heaven.

If you haven't made your wreath yet, get busy and make one for the holidays.  They're so much fun to make and you'll love the end results.  If you do not have the simply scored tool to create the medallions (lollies) you can order one from me.  The catalog # is 122334.  Let me know if you need buttons, ribbons or DSP to make your wreath.  Enjoy!

Wreath Tutorial

Here's a bonus post today.  I wanted to get my holiday events schedule posted, because it's the beginning of November, and I wanted to post my wreath tutorial.  I'll be posting more wreath ideas soon but wanted to share how to begin one.  This is the wreath we made at my Simply Scored class last week.  I kept it fairly simple because it was for a class.  More embellishments can be added as you feel you're ready to do so and as you start having more ideas for things to add.  This one does have a ton of buttons and antique brads on it, so it's pretty nice.

Here's the wreath.  It uses DSP from our Spice Cake Product Suite, along with the coordinating buttons.  I also used some of our antique brads.  All products are Stampin' Up!

Here's a close-up of some of the medallions so you can see how they overlap.

Here's the back of the wreath.  I tore strips of our fabric and wrapped it tightly around the wooden wreath base.  I added one more strip to tie the last end, so it wouldn't come unwrapped.  I let it hang down and made 'v' cuts in the ends of the fabric strips.  I don't have a hanger on it because I thought I'd be hanging it over my wreath hooks.  I may need to go back and tie on a hanger to make sure that I don't mess it up when I hook it over the wreath hook.  Tip:  This sized wreath will fit onto a 12 X 12" piece of cardboard, if you do not have a wooden form.  I just really like working with the form.  I had my carpenter cut them for me.

You start with our Simply Scored tool.  Here, I'm showing a strip of CS that I started scoring at every 1/4."  I sponged it so you could see the score lines better.

Close-up.

 Even closer:)  I used the smaller tipped end of the stylus.

Once you get it all scored, you start accordion pleating the entire strip.  This just shows how it's started.

Here's a strip that's finished being folded.

Another view:

Next, you overlap the ends and glue it.  Hold it in place a while to get the glue to hold tightly while it sets.  It dries fairly quickly.  Tip:  We used our Liquid Tombow glue (green cap:)  Keep a baby wipe handy, to blot the glue off from your fingers as you work.

Now flatten it and adhere it to a circle on the back of it.  Here's what the back will look like.

On the front side, I added another circle.  I actually put a drop of glue right down into the center and then glued on this punched circle.  Tip:  The size of punched circle you use depends on the size of your medallion.  This wreath uses 1" and 1 1/2" strips to form the medallions.  The fuller ones have 2 strips glued together before attaching to the punched circles.

You can layer different sizes of medallions to add further texture.

Here's a series of close-ups of the medallions, so you can see how they are embellished.  I used hemp inside the buttons.  You could also try linen thread.

Tip:  The antique brad goes through a punched circle which is glued on top of the original punched circle.  It does not go through all the medallion.  Tip:  Be sure to flatten the back of the brad before gluing so it doesn't stick up too high and make it difficult to glue.  You'll need to hold all your embellishments in place until the glue starts to dry and adhere.

Once you get all your medallions finished, arrange them onto your wreath base until you get a design you like.  You can always add more medallions or embellishments, if you feel like you have any gaps or uneven places in your design.  Try to keep it circular and balanced.  Tip:  I made 2 of these wreaths.  The first one, I used the Liquid Tombow to adhere the medallions onto the wreath base.  I clamped them so I didn't have to hold them until the glue dried.  When I made the second wreath, I attached them with my hot glue gun.

And here, again, is the finished wreath.  I am actually thinking of adding some leaves to it later, so come back soon and check it out.