I’ve got a secret

I’ve got a secret…its TOP SECRET! I can’t tell you, yet. I am only authorized to say stay tuned, I’ll have more info on Monday. It has to do with Spellbinders, CHA and good stuff.

In the mean time, I’d like to share a layout I did of my charming and delightful son, Spunky. I used paper from Worldwin, Fancy Pants. Ribbon was also Fancy Pants, Foil and Rub N Buff from Amaco, Brads from Creative Impressions, and a black pen from Copic. The tag, stickers and rub ons are from 7 Gypsies, ink from Ranger, and a variety of adhesives.

7 sets of dies were used, including Indulgence Font, Excalibur Font, Star Nestability, Classic Circle Large Nestability, Tags 5, Blank License Plate, and Tags 5 stamps.

To make the Blank License Plate have something embossed onto it, I cut the letters from the Excalibur font. I was lazy and used some left over photo paper that was in reach. Next I ran the letters thru my Xyron 150 temporary adhesive machine thingy, with the front of the letters down to receive adhesive. I placed them adhesive side down and right to left on the license plate. Then I cut and embossed the license plate with a piece of Amaco foil in the Wizard Die Cut and Embossing System and got this result, a license plate with the textured side of the photo paper embossing the metal, and the words spelled out just as I planned.

Next I used some Amaco Rub N Buff to distress down the metal, to remove the shiny newness of it and to make the embossing pop. Check out the texture from the back side of the photo paper! From here you can put the layout into a scrapbook and move on. I had more work to do.

Since this layout was going to Anaheim for the CHA booth, I had to make the metal sturdy. I die cut a blank license plate from chipboard. I flipped the embossed metal license over and filled the back side with glue. You can use any acid free liquid glue you like or have on hand, I had some Plaid Papier handy and used that. I filled the backside and around the letters and let it dry overnight. Once dry, I used a few drops of the same glue and attached the chipboard plate (that I edged in black ink) to the back side. I inserted these cool brads into the plate and attached the whole thing to my layout. Yes, the plate was touched and pushed on for 4 days, but the metal & embossing were not damaged.
I recommend filling the back of embossed metal with liquid glue if it goes through the mail on a card or is in a place where curious fingers will push on it.

A Cinderella Story…

Once upon a time there was a family that adopted a Bull Terrier named Willie. They loved him and pampered him and he had a good life. Willie slept in the bed with the older brother, no matter how many times the younger brother switched beds just to snuggle up the big warm bed-hogging dog.
Willie joined the family as an adult dog and he did what he pleased, much to the dismay of his people mommy. He lacked manners. He ran through the house, slept on the furniture, and enjoyed every bit of Bully mayhem he caused.

Fast forward a few years, and the younger brother is a newly wed, with a new house and a nice yard. “We must have a fence around this yard”, he proclaimed. “We must have a dog to go inside of it!” he proclaimed. “Not just any dog, we must have a Bull Terrier!” he proclaimed. “OK”, said his bride, not truly knowing what she was getting herself into, having only heard legends of Willie’s antics.

There was a puppy available, he was 17 weeks old and weighed 17 pounds. Half of that was in his head alone! After several days of observation and many names tossed about, they decided to call the puppy Buster. It was a fitting name.

You may be thinking, I’ve seen that type of dog before. Yep, if you are 29 like me (and have been 29 a few times, like me) you will remember Spuds MacKenzie, the Budweiser Beer dog. Maybe you are thinking of Spot, the Target dog. Yes, both are Bull Terriers. They look so sweet, don’t they? Bull Terriers are described accurately through the breed name. Bull, as in big hard head, body like a potato, and stronger than they think they are. Terrier, a perky, active, wiggly dog. Now put those together (think Tazmanian Devil) and let that run through your living room, circling the coffee table with your favorite shoe in their mouth.

To be continued…


Die Cutting on Video