Strike a Pose

I did another lo of my grandparents! Used the latest Swirlydoos kit for this one, too.

Inked and distressed the edges on everthing, added some GM. Used another old stamp that I haven't played with in awhile. Made some more carnations using the Stampin' Up scallop punch then added some Prima leaves and hydrangeas. Added some bling. Small mulberry buds, silver buttons, and silver jewelry to fill in the spaces.

Family Portrait

Here's another page using the Antebellum Beauty kit from Swirlydoos. An old family portrait that I received from my mom. The papers are all from the kit. I added my own Prima hydrangeas, leaves, bling, Dusty Attic cb, and Smooch Spritz.

The three large flowers were made using the Stamping Up scallop punch. Here's the tutorial. Super easy to make so I am sure I will be making more of them really soon! An Artisan Elements frame by Pink Paislee was spritzed and inked then placed under the flower cluster. I used TH alcohol ink to change the color of the crystal haning from the chandelier. I used an old stamp that used to be a fave. You know-you love it so you use it all the time. Then you realize you use it all the time so you stop. And, then you just forget you even have it. Well, I am trying to use some of those "loved but forgotten" tools and techniques.

Highly Respected Citizen Dies of Strychnine Poisoning

Did I get your attention? Here's the newspaper article that explains:

September 5, 1901

Mr. John M. Lemasters, an aged and highly respected citizen living 3 miles north of Middletown, the edge of Pike County, died at 9 o'clock last Friday morning, from the effects of a dose of strychnine. Whether the drug was taken with suicidal intent or was the work of some other persons is not known and perhaps never will be.

It had been Mr. Lemasters' custom to keep whiskey in the house, and to take a dram each morning before breakfast. This custom was inaugurated as a cure for a stomach trouble, and his liquor was bought in the gallon quantities, put up in quart bottles. On last Friday morning he took his usual dram, but remarked after swallowing it, that the whiskey was as bitter as quinine. He took his seat on the front porch to await breakfast, and started to read a paper. A few minutes afterwards, however, he was seen to fall forward in a convulsion, and these continued from that time until his death some two or three hours afterward. Doctor's Hollingsworth and Regg were both summoned, and at the suggestion that he be given whiskey, he said not to get it out of the old bottle, as he was poisoned from that bottle. That was near as he ever came to whether it had been taken on purpose or otherwise, and it is to be regretted that he failed to leave no doubt about it.

After his death his 'old' whiskey bottle - the one from which he did not wish to drink - was found, empty, but with many grains of undissolved strychnine sticking to the sides of the bottle, from the very bottom there of to the mouth.

John is the older gentleman seated in the front row with his wife to the right. He is surrounded by his children. This picture was taken in 1900 which is the year prior to his death.

I used the current Swirlydoos kit to complete this lo. The circle in the background is the one I made to demonstrate how to use your edge punches around a circle. All the flowers are from the current kit except the hand-made tissue flower. The bling, tag, and cb numbers are from my stash.

Love is...

Well, these are all starting to look the same to me! I used one of the sketches from TCR for this one. Another pic of my grandparents. This one just reminds me of mobster days--I guess it is the car in the background and how Grandpa is dressed. lol! He definitely was not in the mob.

I added some Prima flowers from my stash. All the pp and the rub on are from this month's kit. The Prima pearls are from a past kit (I think), the stick pin is from my stash, and I added another tissue flower. They just go so well with these papers and pictures! tfl!

A new way to use your edge punches

Wanna use your edge punches to create a border around a circle or oval like this?

Well, here's a trick I learned at the 2010 CKC. It works best with the punches that have a lot of paper "missing." I have found the best punch is the Apron Lace punch by Fiskars. The Threading Water by Fiskars works almost as well. Martha Stewart's Double Ring punch works great, too. You need an edge punch that allows for some overlap when placing it on your desired shape. So, let's get started!

Gather up your desired papers for the edge punching and your shape, adhesive, scissors, inks, and distressing tools (if desired).

First, cut your strips of paper that you will be using to edge the shape. I cut my strips 7/8 inch wide and needed three 12 inch strips to complete the edge around this 9 inch circle. Then, edge punch your strips.

Now, ink the punched edges if you like. Ink the edges of the circle.

I ran my circle through the Zutter after I inked it. I think it makes the whole process a lot more forgiving. No one will notice if you were off a little here or there because the edges are all distressed and uneven to begin with. kwim?

Now, here's the secret. Are you ready for this? If you have ever sewn you will be kicking yourself for not thinking of this sooner! You need to use your scissors to snip up to the edge of the punched design in between the scallops.

Do this for all of your strips so they look like this.

Now, run your adhesive along the back of your circle right along the very edge of the paper.

Now, you can begin attaching the punched strip of paper to the circle. The snipped paper allows you to overlap the cut edges in the back so the strip will fit around your desired shape (just like when you are sewing). It should look like this on the back.

Just keeping going with it.

Just add on another strip and keep going. Here's the finished product.

Hope you enjoyed my first tutorial! Show me what you come up with! Thanks for stopping by!