Rose Parade

Happy Friday People!! Just wondering how many of you tune into the Rose Parade each year?  Can you believe that even tho we live in Southern California, I have NEVER been to the actual parade?!  No parking, too many people, better view on the TV!!  LOL!

BUT! Today the E-Team is putting on our own parade using T!m Holtz's Alterations Paper Rosette Die!! This die is so fun and has so many possibilities!!  And I'd even wager that if paper was allowed on the actual Rose Parade floats, you'd see this die in use!!

I played around with lots of ideas but the one I'm sharing today is my FAVORITE!

I'm seriously considering making this for my Christmas place settings.  Can you just imagine making some dipped cake pops sprinkled with edible glitter and placed at each setting?  OH YEAH!!

Ok...enough about my Christmas decorating!! On with the details of this!!  I pulled out my hoarded BoBunny Snowy Serenade Crystal paper and using my Big Shot (sandwich was the Essentials Platform, extended cutting plate, die (foam up), paper and another extended cutting plate) I cut (2) 2" x 12" strips with the die and 4 center pieces. I did the mountain/valley fold thing and used Scor Tape to connect the two ends. I would recommend NOT placing your tape on one end before making your mountain/valley folds.  Unless you are much better than I am about knowing which way the ends will finish.  Just saying.    The written directions that come with the die are very easy to understand with step by step photos to clarify.  I attached the center pieces on each side of the Rosette.  Then I added some extra sparkle along the edges with some Glossy Accents and Doodlebug Sugar Coating glitter. 

I then pulled out my Spellbinders Create a Flake 1 dies and cut and embossed enough snowflakes from Pure Luxury cardstock  so that I could make the topper and the hanging snowflakes double sided (that way the topper will look pretty from the front and the back!).  After embossing the flakes, I used large sponge daubers to add Distress Ink in Faded Jeans and Broken China to the alternating layers.  I then smooshed the entire flake into my Tsukineko Glue pad and sprinkled more of the Doodlebug Sugar Coating glitter on the top.  OOOOOO!!!    Here is a close up which might give you a little better idea of all the sparkle that this has in real life!! Yes, I still need to upgrade my photo equipment.  Or hire someone with more photography experience!! 

I used some silver cording (retired from SU years ago) to hang the smaller snowflakes off the large topper.  I then used a combination of Scor Tape and glue dots to connect a lollipop stick in the middle of the two large toppers. 

Did you notice the matching base for the topper?  Believe it or not, that was made using the Rosette Die too!! I knew I needed the base to be more sturdy to hold the topper and the truffle/cake pop that the topper would be placed into.  So I taped two 2"x 12" strips of DCWV metallic paper back to back and ran them through the Big Shot with the same sandwich as before.  This is a tighter squeeze with the second layer of paper, but it worked several times with no consequences with my machine! You could cut each piece separately, but then you would have to line up all those little scallops perfectly to tape them together.  I'm lazy!   I had to pull apart the scraps of paper from the cut image a bit in spots, but again, it was no big deal.  Instead of flattening out the rosette completely, I placed more Glossy Accents along the bottom ridges and held it against a 1 3/4" punched circle base made from the same paper until the glue set (very quick).  I then took a 1 3/8" punched circle and adhered it to the inside of the cup with thick dimensionals that I had from past scrapbooking days.  Wah-Lah!! I am now able to make custom cake pop holders for what ever occasion I might need them!!

Now, not that I don't think all of you are worth the effort of making homemade cake pops or truffles, but time did not allow me to go to that effort.  Instead, my "cake pop" treat is actually the tip of a small Styrofoam egg that was painted/glopped with what several different blue shades that I have in my stash of craft paints. I then sprinkled with Martha Stewart's Carrara Marble Coarse Glitter while the paint was still wet.  CUTE base without baking!! Something to keep in mind if time gets crunched!!



Supplies:  Paper:  BoBunnySnowy Serenade, DCWV, Gina K's Pure Luxury.  Inks:  Distress Inks in Faded Jeans and Broken China.  Accessories:  Paper Rosette die, Big Shot with Extender Platform and plates.  Spellbinders Create a Flake 1, SU's 1 3/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches, Tsukineko Glue Pad, Scor Tape, Glossy Accents, SU's retired silver cording, DoodleBug Sugar Coating glitter, MS Carrara Marble Coarse glitter and lollipop stick.

Just FYI:  some other materials that I was able to cut with this die include:



TenSecond Studio Metal~~by itself and taped to a paper backing.  Again, the double layer sometimes  required some separation of the cut from the paper in a spot or two,  but not a big deal.  Paper snips or just a firm tug did the job each time!

Double layers of paper

I'm experimenting with one of the Toad's old oxford shirts.  The die gives enough of an impression that you can see the perforations and could use the impression to cut around the outside of the die shape.  But I need to see if adding a stiff backing would work better so that the folds will hold.  And maybe cut better.  I'll let you know how that turns out once I have time to experiment more.

Now, you don't want to stop looking here!! Make sure you check out what other inspiring creations the E-Team members came up with using the Rosette Die!!

Broni Holcombe

Latrice Murphy

Linda Duke

Linda Ledbetter

Micki Harper

Sherry Cheever

And Me~

Starla Nelson

After you've checked out all the eye candy, head on over to the eclectic Paperie blog and leave a comment telling which project(s) was your favorite!  There is going to be a give away with Rosette Die in it!!

Thanks for dropping by again today!! Let me know if this parade of Rosette's inspires you to create something with it!! I'd love to see where YOUR creativity take you!!  Till then~~