Hen's Den Freedom Hop TODAY!

 July 1st is finally here!  I can't believe that school just ended for us this past Friday and July 4th is THIS WEEK!  The Hen's Den Design Team has come great tutorials and tips for you.  Here are the deets:

Hop to all of these places and leave a comment at each one between July 1st and July 6th.  On July 7th we'll pick a lucky commenter from random to win a TON of crafty prizes.

Anita Mulcahey

Moriah Macdonald---that's me!

Carolyn Lontin

Janet Bagnall

Nicolle Kramer

Charlie LaBonte

Facebook Page for The Hens' Den

If you hit all of our blogs and leave a comment not only are you are in the running for some great prizes, but you also get to see all the wonderful things my teammies have created and learn some new tricks.  It's a real win-win!

Charlie sent us all some great papers from the Anthem line by Bo Bunny.  I thought I'd share a paper-piecing home decor project with y'all today.  Grab a glass of lemonade or iced tea (I myself will be hopping while drinking my Grandma Poppy's famous homemade sweet tea warm off the stovetop) and get ready to get excited for the 4th!!!

I have a love-hate relationship with paper-piecing.  I love the look, but I sometimes get frustrated with the fussy cutting.  Like a moth to the flame, I continue to play with this technique 'cause the finished project is always too cute!  This project will have us fussy cut a daisy "Americana" style.  The first thing I did was stamp the daisy on some white cardstock.  I quick-and-dirty colored the center with a couple shades of yellow Copics.

So my husband just looked over my should as I was typing and asked "Why are there red arrows on your picture?"  I bet y'all are asking the same thing!  Well, see the messiness?  They great part about the paper-piecing in this project is that all that will get covered up or cut off.  Love it!  No need to worry about those little uh-ohs. :)

Next I stamped the daisy again on all the Anthem papers that had patterns I wanted to see peeking out of the daisy.  This can be a hard step for some folks- myself included.  It might mean that the best part of the paper is in the middle, but it's worth it in the end.  The extra details that are in a smidgin of the paper can really pop in the final piece.  Let's face it folks, the paper was meant to be cut. ;)

Once you've stamped out the daisy on all the papers, you'll need to begin cutting.  I can't emphasize how important it is to have good light and sharp scissors (in that order!).  I started cutting as the sun was setting and really should have turned on a light sooner! ;)  Matching up the petals to the black and white image was a little tricky until then.  My eyes just aren't what they used to be.  LOL!

My husband just piped in again and asked "Why did you stamp the whole daisy if you were just going to use a small piece?"  Good question (don't tell him I said that!).  You don't have to do that.  I wanted the flexibility to play around with the patterns and switch things around if it didn't quite jell.  The other reason, I was pretty sure I could use the leftovers to make a bunch of cards or tags.  Waste not, want not. :)

For me it's the petals with the blue/star/red splotch that are my favorite & the ones that were the hardest to cut.  The design was like 1/4 of the way in and 1/3 of the way up.  But then again, now that I've made the first cut I will really want to use the paper more!  Saving myself from paper hoarding!!! :D

Okay, okay, I digress.  More about the daisy!  As I cut each part I puzzle pieced it to the daisy.  I would recommend removable tape.  I kept bumping everything and then having to start over matching it up (again lighting- if I had turned the lights on sooner...).  I didn't glue as I went because I wasn't sure I wouldn't switch some petals around in the end (and I did).  Once I had it the way I wanted I glued the base of the petals- NOT the top.  Why?  I didn't want to fussy cut all the tops of the petals again.  Instead I kinda peeled the petals up and cut about 1/4 of the way down of the white underneath so that essentially there is a white circle shape under this daisy.  (This pic is from BEFORE I cut the white)

A new Homegoods opened up nearby.  Dangerous I know!!!  I decided to check it out last week and there in the clearance aisle was this lovely frame- $3.50!  I knew exactly when I saw it (and then whe I saw the price) that I was going to use it with this project.  Ahhh, love it when everything comes together.

I mounted everything to a 4x6 piece of the "Country" paper from the Anthem line.  I added the stars in circles from the sticker paper and the sentiment from the chipboard.  I love the Americana feel of this and had a vision of having a bow so I added Mon Ami Gabby burlap ribbon to top it off.  I am seriously crushing on this creation!!!  I still have more to play with and may have to make a banner or wreath to add to the collection. :)


Now don't forget leave a comment here and then head over to Carolyn Lontin.  You'll love what she has in store for you, I know I always do!

I've got my flag and am singing my way here:
ColourQ- Challenge 196
Simon Says Stamp- Patriotic