More Wooden Trivets

This trivet has also been made as a Christmas Gift.

I purchased a set of "Iron Works Ornaments" from Scroller On-Line but didn't like them for ornaments and decided to change it slightly in order to use it as a trivet pattern instead. So I made sure that the pattern was uniform all the way around. I deleted the hanger hold and added a triangle shape to match the other cut outs. I was pleased with the end results.

You can see a picture of the original "ornament" by clicking the above link. Here is a picture of the altered pattern:

Here is a picture of the finished trivet:

I was surprised by the variations of color in this piece of red oak.  I used a butcher block stain on it so that it can be used in the kitchen and be food safe.

Thanks for taking time to look at my work and visit my site.

Happy Crafting ! ! !

Brenda

I Am Very Honored

Recently I noticed on the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog that they were doing a challenge for farm animals so I entered my farm animal birthday banner into the mix for that week's challenge. I made the top 5!

I have to admit I do not know how to OR where to display the "blinkie" they gave me. If I could figure it out I certainly would display it.

Here is a link back to the Birthday Banner and here is one to the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog where I won!

If anyone knows how to display that "blinkie" and cares to leave me a comment on how do it I would appreciate the help! (Computer savvy I am not!)

Happy Crafting Everyone!

Brenda

Another Of Many Wooden Trivets

I've been back in the wood shop making more Christmas Gifts.

A friend of mine seen these and said, "they are to pretty to set a hot pan on. If I get one I think I will hang it on the wall"

To that I said I don't know why you could not do both. Use it for it's intended purpose and/or for a decoration.

This patten also came from my Cricut. It is from "Paper Lace."

Here us a picture of the pattern:

This pattern, as in the ones I have used from Cricut before, has also been altered. At 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock on the pattern's 2nd outer layer, was a three point tulip that, I felt, threw off the design, so I hid the contour on my Cricut Design Studio, and cut the design without those "flowers" in the pattern. Then I took on of the arch cuts, put in into the space, traced, and cut another arch into the pattern so that it was fluent.

My only challenge to cutting this on the scroll saw was that the small triangles on the outer most ring were fairly small. The smallest cuts that I have done to date. The more of them I cut the more nature the cuts became and the easier it was to do.

Here is a picture of the finished Wooden Trivet:

I am very pleased with the way this turned out.  The cuts are improving with practice and time.

Happy wood working ! ! !

Brenda

Challenge Completed

I love challenges. I belong to a scrapbooking message board where each month we post one challenge and then if we can we do something to meet that challenge and post our results.

The challenge this time was to use at least one thing or multiple things that we have purchased but have not used or rarely use. This was a great challenge because I have a ton of things that I loved when I seen them but then got them home and put them on the shelf and never touched them.

Here is my completed challenge item:

 

I made a card using the following items that were previously purchased and not used or rarely used:

Santa Stamp (never used)
Copic Markers (rarely used)
Stickles (Glitter) (rarely used)
Liquid Applique (rarely used)
Nails Heads (rarely used)
Paper Flowers (rarely used)
Half Pearls (rarely used)
2 Printed Papers (never used)
Shimmer Lime Green Cardstock (never used)
Heat gun (rarely used)

Here another view so that you can see some of the details.

 

I made a few of these while I was at it (to save time later.)

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Vacation Lay-outs Part 2

A little more of Bree's vacation photos.

When they went on vacation, some of the things that they did was what the adults wanted to do. The history part. I had to laugh because Bree never wants to go places where she will learn something about the past. She is more of a live in the present kind of person and doesn't want to look back. She complained about the history part of the vacation but went on and on about the ocean and the "spooky" parts of it.

This 2 page lay-out is all about her first trip to the ocean.

I kept things simple and clean on the lay-out and used the items I had on hand which included a Martha Steward border punch, various dies, and Cricut Cartridges. Two beach themed printed papers make up the background and accents.

Page one is the view from their hotel and various sites on the beach.

 

Page 2 of the lay-out was her and her friend playing in the ocean for the first time.  

It may be awhile before I get back to the scrap-room to do the last lay-out but I will post it when I get there.  I have one challenge to complete and one Christmas Ornament exchange to complete before I scrap again.  Not to mention work on Christmas gifts.  

I can't believe that Christmas is less than 90 days away.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Simple Vacation Scrapbooking Lay-Out

Several years ago, Bree, our daughter was invited to go on a vacation with one of her friends and family. We allowed her to go and she surprised me with many photos of her trip.

Today I am sharing a very simple lay-out of part of her trip. (There will be another lay-out or two soon but for now just the one 2-page spread.)

Here is the first page:

I use a sheet of 12 x 12 printed paper to do the squares and pulled out the colors in that paper for the cardstock to mat her photos and make the journalling box. To make the title, ric-rac, and scallop boarder, I used various dies that I had on hand. I used paper flowers with silver brads in the center for accents on the page.

Here is the second page:

On this page I numbered the pictures and they coincide with numbers in the journalling box.  Here is a closer picture of just the journalling box:

I use brads to accent the landmarks.

And here is a close up of just one of the photo boxes so you can see the number in the corner:

In order to pull the two pages together I used the same colors, same map paper and same flowers.  I also used ink to "dirty" things up. I do not like those flowers when they are plain.

It felt good to be back at my scrap table.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Another Fret Work Trivet Using A Cricut Pattern

Once again I am using my Cricut to produce a pattern for wood working.

Here is the original cut pattern:

And once again to stream line the pattern I need to remove certain parts of the pattern:

So that pattern became this:

Now with the pattern changed and easier to cut I got busy. I am feeling better about my finished pieces and I am ready to start saying they are going to be gifts for Christmas. Here is the finished Pan/Pot Trivet:

I have a few more of these to make before I am done and I am on a mission to make each one different for each person I work with. I would also like to do more ornaments.

Happy Crafting ! ! !

Brenda

Using The Cricut For Woodworking

Recently I started showing you some of the scroll saw (fret work) pieces that I have made.

This new found love of creating lots of sawdust has sent me on a mission of finding scroll saw patterns. There are patterns all over on the web but the best ones you have to pay for. I do understand that but for right now I am a novice at scrolling and want patterns that look complicated but really aren't and since I am practicing I don't want to have to pay for patterns.

The other thing is that I am in a "Christmas frame of mind" and I have started to make a few gifts for family, friends, and co-workers. My ultimate goal was to make each of the girls I work with something special. Something that not everyone would have. Since they all have their own homes and most love to cook I thought a Trivet would make a nice gift.

With that said this had me thinking of what I already owned that could help me on my quest. I sat for hours looking through my dies and then turned to my Cricut and started looking through the endless booklets to find the perfect pattern. Why stop there, I want each of them to have a unique Trivet.

I found several things in booklets that are able to be cut with the Cricut, scanned into my computer and then printed off so that I can use the printed copy as a scroll saw pattern. I ended up with 14 that I want to make but needed to start with one and then I would expand.

I am sharing the first of what I hope is many Trivet pattens and show you how I changed the pattern slightly to make it easier to cut and more streamline in design. This one comes from the "Ornamental Iron II" Cartridge.



I think it is fine just as it is but because I am just learning to use the scroll saw and the less I a have to turn the wood the easier the pattern is to cut. So I wanted to alter the pattern and get rid of the "nubs" off each corner. Here is a picture of what I am referring to (the area the red arrows are pointing to.)



That pattern became this:



Then several hour later that pattern became this Trivet:



I learned a lot through this process and I am finding that this time consuming form of art is a lot of fun. I am hooked!

The entire time that I was cutting that Trivet I was thinking of my dad and wondered how many hours it took him to cut out the beautiful clocks and shelves that my mom still has. He loved his woodworking.

I am going to be working on more of these Trivets as well as more Christmas ornaments as time goes on. I have so many things that I want to try.

So many times we have more stored treasures than what we know. Today my treasure is my Cricut and those cartridges that these works of art are taken from and can be converted into other forms rather than only use them for scrapbooking or card making.

With that said I say "Happy Woodworking   ! ! !"

Brenda

Thank You Notes

I love Pinterest.  It is not a secret!  I find so many things there that I want to try.  Most of the time the items that I pin just sit there on a board but they are there if I ever want to make them.

My mom called the other day and needed some Thank You notes.  So to the crafting table and to my computer I went.  I found this amazing card.

What is funny is that when I started backtracking to go to the person's blog to see how they made it, because let's face it, you want to see instructions if they are there, she said that she has also scrap lifted the idea.  Here is a link to "Created By Rosie" to see the card that caught my eye....  but then also please go to "Stamping Sanity,"  to see the card that inspired Rosie in the first place.  It is amazing the difference just changing the color makes.

It was Rosie's card that really caught my attention but wanted to give both girls a shout out because I thought that was fair.  So mine is actually a scrap lift of a scrap lift.  I have to be honest as well.  I also was going to change the colors but the colors I tried just didn't pop.  So I went back to Rosie's white on mid-grey.

I used the embossing folders I had on hand and scraps in my bin.  I also used the dies that I had so the shapes are a little different but it has the same feel to it.

Here is my scrap lift:

And since I made multiple cards one more picture:

 

My mom liked the cards and I would have made her a few extra but I ran out of ribbon and scraps of white and grey.

I wonder how many times a scrap lift is scrap lifted and how it changes through those lifts how the changes occur.  Scrap lifting evolution?  

For me too this card was all about finding a way to use those scraps and what I had on hand, which sometimes is a challenge in itself.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Santa Ornament

Well it is official, I am addicted to my scroll saw.  I am having so much fun with it.

Here is my newest cut. 

I tried a technique, and put two pieces of wood together and cut both at the same time.  It worked without an issue. 

This is cut from 1/4" Red Oak, and the finished piece is about 4 1/2 inches long and 3 1/2 inches wide.  I found the pattern in a book called, "Scroll Saw Christmas Ornaments," by Tom Zieg. 

There will be more ornaments being cut.  I am practicing with these before I move to bigger things. 

Happy Crafting ! ! !

Brenda