Unicorn Carousel

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

Have you ever taken an image or die and put a twist on it?  When I saw the AI gazebo die (#5361 WC Gazebo set), it reminded me of the fair and the horse carousel.  So I decided to make the gazebo a carousel and the horses are now unicorns.  😄 

My card was fun to make but a little challenging due to the interactive mechanism.  This card can be just as adorable without making it move.

I die cut the gazebo with gold foiled cardstock and cut the slits to extend the bars behind the unicorns.  I decorated the gazebo with patterned papers from the #5939 Fairy Garden PP.  For each layer of the background, I cut slits for the mechanism by placing the gazebo die cut over each and marked with a pencil.  Then I roughly cut slits out of each so that the mechanism will work through all layers.

  
                                                        Pic 1

 I then made little tabs for the unicorns to ride along by cutting four 1/2" discs from cardstock and four 1 x 1/4" strips (see Pic 2).   Fold the strips and adhere to the paper discs as shown in Pic 2.  Feed the strip part through the slits to the back layer and adhere a round paper disc.  At this point, you can test to make sure these discs slide nicely up and down.  If they get stuck, just take an X-acto knife and shave a little off the sides of the bars to widen the track.

 I used the My Favorite Things Up and Down interactive dienamic as a template for my card.  Since this die set is for a larger mechanism, I had to make my own "T shaped" mechanism (Pic 3) to make it work for this card.  This was my challenge but I finally got it to work.  I used the MFT plastic spinning discs where the track goes through the disc.  A bead or button may work better and you wouldn't have to feed the track through, but I didn't think of that until later.  

                    Pic 2                                                            Pic 3

  Place double layered foam tape around the edges on the back side, making sure you don't hinder the mechanism.  Place onto the card base.

I stamped the unicorns (#5225 - Castle cubbies) with memento black ink onto copic friendly paper and colored them with my copic markers listed below.  After coloring them, I die cut with the coordinating dies as well as die cut an extra one of each with heavy duty cardstock to layer behind for stability.  Adhere each of the unicorns onto the paper discs showing through the front side of the card.

So, that's my card for today.  Hope you enjoy it!

Remember to put a "twist" on some of your stamp/die sets.  It's fun to see where your imagination might take you.  Make sure to share with us by entering the bi-weekly challenge for your chance to win a free stamp set.

Copics used:  N0, N1, N2

R20, Y11, G40, BG000

Mini Magnets

 Art Impressions challenge this week is Tiny Treasures.  I used the AI Castle Cubbies for this challenge, which includes a castle, a knight, a damsel, two unicorns and three dragons.  I thought this would make a cute little refrigerator magnet for the little ones to play with.  You know how your grandkids always play with the magnets on the fridge, well here's one for their tiny little fingers.  I made these with magnetic tape and they die cut nicely with the dies that are included with this set.  I cut one and then turned the magnetic tape upside down and cut another one.  Peeled the tape off the backs and stuck them together so that both sides were magnetic.  I used double sided tape to adhere the colored image and, tada, you have a cute little magnet.  Did the same with the castle and popped out the windows and doors.  Each piece is magnetic and movable so the little ones can rearrange and play all day (well, until their attention span wears out 😂)

This would be cute to make with the other cubbies sets.  Can you imagine the little bus or the barn with the animals?  Very fun and easy to do thanks to the dies included with these stamp sets.  One word of warning, these magnets are tiny so beware of your youngest little ones getting ahold of them.  

Have a great day and stay crafty!!

Addicted to Dies

  Art Impressions is having a challenge this week - "To Die For" - and, I don't know about you, but I am addicted to dies.  I had a great time creating this card for their challenge.  Problem is, I couldn't stop die cutting and adding more to the card.  Hope I didn't go overboard, but I sure think it's cute.  I used the Art Impressions alphabet dies, Castle cubbies, double stitch rectangle (for the mini window cutouts) and also the tag die (for the saying).  I love these cute little dragons and unicorns from the Castle cubbies stamp set.  Their faces are just too adorable and make me smile.

  The alphabet dies are such a great way to add pizzazz to a card.  These letters are just the right size for a card or layout.  I triple die cut each letter and stacked them to add dimension.

  Hope you enjoy my card and it brings you a smile!