More design possibilities from one image...

We had a weekend full of activity and visits with family and friends.  It was nice to have some time to relax.  Now I have a million and two things to do before I leave for Nashville very early Thursday morning.

Thanks for all of the kind comments about the weathervane transformation that I posted yesterday.  Once you start playing around with the Silhouette Studio software you can quickly learn to transform shapes into patterns with just a few clicks.  I wish some of the features that are basic parts of this software were included in the Cricut Design Studio, Gypsy or CraftRoom.  I still use those programs on occasion but I can make my lace designs much more quickly and accurately using the Silhouette software.  The results are also unique since I don't have to work from stock images to create the designs.

Here are a few more variations that all started from the single image of the weathervane.  To answer the question about dragging in the image to trace - I just made the Silhouette software window smaller so I could see my desktop and then clicked on the photo and dragged it over to the mat in the software.  Then I made the window full screen again.  I did this on a Windows Vista 64 bit laptop with the basic (free) version of the Silhouette software.

Here is another design - a frame - that started from the same image.  The possibilities are truly endless and you can create whatever you imagine!

Here is an even more complex doily - once again based on the weathervane image.

I added the photo here to make it easier for you to see the original weathervane so you wouldn't need to click back to yesterday's post.  I know that a lot of you want me to do some videos showing the process I use to make these designs.  I will try to get started on those very soon, but I probably won't have time to post any until after my trip.

There are a few more things I want to mention.  

1.  Several of you have commented that the word verification for comments now has two words and it is much more difficult to read than it used to be.  I put the verification on when I got tired of screening and rejecting spam comment messages (some of them were really offensive and I didn't want my readers to see these).  The word verification codes seemed to work very well to keep the spam out but I don't want you to be frustrated when trying to comment.  It took me a while to see how to get the word verification turned off but I think I finally got it done!  Let's see how it goes with the updated Blogger spam blocker.  I'll expect to see lots more comments with the "squiggly word problem" solved!

 

2.  You may have noticed that I haven't been posting any design team projects for Creative Charms lately.  They are going to be moving in a new direction and I'll have some more information to share about the changes later today (I hope).  In the short term, there will be a good opportunity for you to replenish your stash of Creative Charms goodies.

3.  I'll be away in Nashville at the end of this week attending a blogging conference.  I hope to learn a lot from the programs offered.  I have a sneaking suspicion that I may be one of the "more mature" attendees.  In the materials the organizers sent ahead of time, they mentioned wearing flats to walk through the hotel and changing into your "cute shoes" for the sessions.  Unless I can find some "cute shoes" like the ones in the photo above (my little neighbor was wearing these on Saturday), I think I'll just be one of the boring (but comfortable) people!

I am very happy to have my camera back to normal since there are all sorts of great photo opportunities in the hotel complex.  I hope you aren't getting tired of photos!

Have a great Monday - Happy President's Day!

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Design Inspiration from a Weathervane

Saturday was a beautiful day so we went out to have a few adventures!  After a quick stop at my favorite stamping and crafting store, we had lunch and then headed out to the Fruitlands Museum to see a new art show in one of the museum buildings.

Fruitlands was the site of the short-lived utopian community that Bronson Alcott (father of Louisa May Alcott who wrote Little Women) and Charles Lane attempted in 1843.  If you'd like to know more about it, you can read an earlier post about Fruitlands where you will find a link to the official site.

There are several buildings that house various parts of an eclectic collection (Shaker, Native American, paintings...) in addition to this farmhouse where the Alcotts stayed during their attempt at living off the fruit of the land.

You may wonder what this has to do with papercrafting...

The title to the blog post from a couple of years ago was "Inspiration is Everywhere".  I have said that often in the time I have been writing this blog.  You never know what you will see that will inspire a new project, so you just have to keep your eyes and mind open to the possibilities.

A lot of people have been writing to me with questions about the Silhouette machines that I have been using since last spring.  I do find that they cut more precisely than my Cricut machines but the main reason I enjoy using them is the freedom I have to create my own images in the Silhouette Studio software.

I liked the weathervane on one of the buildings at the museum.  The design of the weather vane is interesting - I think it looks like an ornate clock hand.

I zoomed in on my image and then took a screen shot of the portion of the design that interested me.  Then I could drag that image into my Silhouette Studio software (the free version included with the purchase of the machine) and do a trace of the shape.

The post that supports the weathervane wouldn't work for my design so I needed to edit the image after tracing.

Another great feature is the ability to edit the image point by point.  I was able to delete points to take away the central post of the weathervane.

For my purpose, I wanted a totally symmetrical image so I did some additional editing to make the shape symmetrical above and below the horizontal line.

With the base image ready to go, I mirrored and rotated it.  Then I added a shadow behind the delicate lacy design.  This screen shot shows the image I created using the weathervane shape.  I haven't had a chance to try cutting it yet and I may make a few alterations before I try to cut it out with my Silhouette Cameo.

Would you know by looking at the design that it started from a weathervane?
Do you like the idea of making designs this way or does it seem like too much work!

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Washi Tape Resource

Happy Saturday!  This is the start of the President's Day weekend and there are all sorts of sales to be found both online and in stores.  Have fun doing some bargain hunting if you are in the mood to shop!

It is also the start of a school break week here in New England.  Traditionally, this is a week to take a ski or beach vacation.  This year, with little to no snow, the need for a warm weather trip is less pressing (it was 53 degrees yesterday!).

As you may have guessed from yesterday's post I needed a bit of a break to try to sort some things out.  The pillow in the photo was in one of the trend display areas at CreativeWorld.  The sentiment expressed the way I was feeling perfectly! 

We saw lots of washi tape being used at the various booths at CreativeWorld.  I think I first wrote about washi tape (Japanese paper tape) back in 2010 after a trip to see our son in San Francisco (that post is HERE). My friends who went to CHA said it was also extremely popular at the show.

I was searching around a bit for some more background information and I found an incredibly thorough blog post that will give you tons of information and inspiration for using washi tape.  Rather than reinvent the wheel, I will give you a link to MelStampz for a fabulous washi tape roundup!

Please be sure to leave her a comment to say thanks for the wonderful resource she has provided (you can tell her I sent you!).

I hope you have a great weekend and, if you have vacation plans for next week, have a wonderful time!


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Just one of those days....

This can be very true.

I am trying to work something out.

Blogger doesn't want to upload my photos.

I'll try again later in the day - otherwise I'll be back tomorrow.

I hope your day is going better than mine!

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Kusudama Balls - Thanks Everyone!

Thanks to everyone who left a comment or emailed me about the folded flower balls.  I know now that these are called Kusudama.  I thought I'd share the links and comments in case you want to try making one (or more!) of these.  I've also added a few more photos of some of the variations of these balls that I saw at CreativeWorld.  I hadn't had a chance to search for directions and I appreciate that you all were very helpful.  I will definitely try to make some of these soon.

Stephanie said...
That flower ball you were wishing you had a tutorial for...I made one a year or so ago. It's called kusudama ball. Here is the link to my post. In the post is a link for the tutorial. Fun to make, takes a bit of time.   
Here is the LINK to her post - she used polka dot papers and they look so fresh and pretty together!

open backed

Yelowflower said...here is an excellent tutorial on that flower ball, hope it helps

The site with these tutorials is called Folding Trees.  The authors stopped posting at the end of 2009 but it is a great resource for lots of paper projects.

Here is the LINK to the tutorial - Part I

and here is the LINK to Part 2

around  a light

Linda D said...
You may already know this, but in case you don't... I've seen a tutorial for the folded paper flowers on the foldingtrees website. They're called Kusudama. I checked and it's still there. Hope this is what you're looking for.

not kusudama

Wendy said...Thank you for posting all of these pictures from when you were at Creative World. I love seeing all of the beautiful, imaginative items that people have made!Here are a couple of url's for how to make what you called "flower balls." I believe they're called Kusudama, and are a form of origami. I had bookmarked them awhile ago, with the intention of making them. Still haven't made any, though....

lots of variations

Carol said...
Great pictures!! There is a book about kusudama. It is called "Kusudama Ball Origami" by Makoto Yamaguchi. Very easy instructions (mostly diagrams). It has a lot of designs, too.

cornflowers

Eula (AKA Hettie)  said...
I am a paper nut (origami and cardmaking)who follows your blog religiously. The paper flower balls are called kusudama. They are Japanese in origin and the word kusudama translates to medicine ball. Originally (ages ago) they were not made from paper, but with herbs and grasses and plants thought to bring medicinal healing. For a really eye popping look at some with directions on how to make them click HERE.  
Be sure to check this out - there are lots of different designs to see on that site.

made from cupcake papers and doilys

Frann said...Creative World sure looks like it was a fun show. What a great variety of inspiration! I was going to give you the name of a book with directions for the folded flower but I see that you can get them from foldingtrees. com. I have made quite a few of these individual flowers but have not put them together into a kusudama ball. I put each one on a wire stem and make bouquets. I have a couple of suggestions for when you make them. Once each petal is folded, the papers are very springy. I found that I had to use a strong adhesive and clip them until the glue dried or they would pop open. When I assembled the petals into flowers, I did the same. They do take a bit of time to make. Each flower (the 5 petals and assembly) took about 1/2 hour for me but I don't work very fast.
Have fun with them!

More doilies used to make flower balls

Sarah also emailed me with the link to the Folding Trees site - thanks!

Just one more funny thing to show you today - this was part of a display for a paper company on the first day.

There are lots of samples and you can tear off strips (neatly) from the perforated tops of each color pad.

Here is the same wall at the end of the show - somewhere along the way, the neat tearing stopped!

A week from today, I'll be in Nashville.  I am very excited that my camera lens is back from repair - I just picked it up yesterday.  It will be much nicer to have it for my trip and also for taking project photos.


Have a wonderful day - we are still enjoying a virtually snowless winter.  If you have lots of snow please be careful!


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Some Eye Candy from CreativeWorld

 

Many of you have asked for more photos from the trade shows in Germany.  I was saving CreativeWorld for last since we spent nearly all of our time in this hall once it opened.  I have some of my photos edited to share today.   I hope you find them interesting and that they give you some inspiration for future projects.

The tiny flowers on this egg were made with a special tool and punch set that I think Mandy will be carrying at Scrappy-go-Lucky.  The glue that you use with this system is specially formulated and can be applied to styrofoam.

"Smash" type books and systems were popular and these tiny stickers (with adhesive on only part of the back) would be fun to add to your journal.

Valentine's Day has come and gone but this very large teacup full of hearts would be cute all through the year.

In one of the "trend" areas there were lots of lampshades made by simply winding ribbon around the frames.

You might be able to see the wrapping a bit more clearly in this photo.

There were also square and rectangular light shades covered with natural style printed papers.

Here is a closer view of the simple geometric patterns.

Lots of different styles of balls and stars were on display.

This style is made from foiled paper squares and uses origami techniques.

Strips of paper in alternating colors connected with string and beads for spacing.

These could be made for any holiday or just general decoration.

The layered paper flowers also use beads as separators.

Many of these shapes were cut with Spellbinders dies.

They look very sweet "growing" in a little garden in a wooden tray.

I am not generally fond of owls but I thought this one was rather cute.

We saw lots of decorated bags.

The giraffe and the striped bag were adorable.  These bags are so simple to put together and make any little gift seem extra special.

The more elaborate folded flower balls were also popular.  I have seen something similar done with fabric and I am looking for good directions for making these folds.

There was a lot of jewelry making included in the show.  I thought this array of beads was pretty - it goes on for several table tops in both directions.

Washi tape (Japanese tissue paper tape) was everywhere.  There are so many patterns and colors.  I have been using this tape for a while and the possibilities are endless.

These hearts were die cut from a piece of cardstock covered with strips of tape.

The same technique was used for these Christmas trees.  Washi tape is often used for clean and simple projects in bright colors but it is very versatile.

 

Can you see the tape on this card - it has a totally different look.

Pete, who came from the UK to demonstrate for Sizzix, made these flags with washi tape.  Do you recognize all of them?

There were many creative displays that were also practical for order taking.  I particularly liked this rainbow wall of ribbon, that was a treat for the eyes.

These sorts of displays are great to photograph and can be used for interesting page backgrounds in a digital project or printed and used as paper.

That's probably enough photos for one day.  I'll have another installment or two to show you some more of the things that I found interesting at the show.

I hope you had a great Valentine's Day.  I made dinner at home and we had a quiet evening.  I got some good news - my camera lens is ready to be picked up.  After all of that searching for the original receipt, Nikon didn't end up covering the damage under warranty - oh well!  I missed having my good camera on this trip to Germany and I am happy that I'll have it when I go away again next week.

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