You are viewing posts tagged with ‘animated’

Mechanical Paper Carousel Horse that works!

April 4th, 2010 | Posted in: Craft Projects | 46 Comments »

Today I bring you something a little special. I have been wanting to create something like this ever since I saw Crissy Armstrong’s gorgeous carousel horses.

I have spent a couple of months thinking about the design and how I would design the mechanics to make it work the way I anticipated and after a number of failed attempts I can now share with you my ‘Mechanical Carousel Horse” made from cardstock and a popcycle stick, hehehe.

I plan to write up the instructions for the template I have designed and will be offering it for sale on my site in the future. In the meantime, I hope this inspires you to think outside the box.

This idea was hurried along as I would love to be a part of Crissy’s new design team.

Scroll to the bottom to watch a video of the carousel horse working.


It does turn smoothly, I was just being awkward. Also I am sorry about the lighting, the phase was out of sync with the camera.

I would like to share this project with the following sites:

  1. The Pink Elephant – (M) Pastels
  2. Papercraft Weekly – (T) Open Challenge
  3. A Spoon Full of Sugar – (T) Shaped cards (hmmm wonder if this counts?)
  4. Tuesday Taggers – (T) – Bugs (I have butterflies)
  5. Crafty Creations – (W) Anything Goes
  6. Lil red wagon – (W) Spring (Flowers, butterflies… )
  7. Charisma Cardz - (Th) Animal Magic
  8. Colour Create – (Th) Your choice of pastels
  9. Stamp Something – (F) Pink Somethings
  10. Pile it On – (S) Animal-riffic

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Wish me luck in my quest to join Crissy’s Design Team. :)

Hugs to all. Have a Happy Easter.

Zoe xxoo

46 lovely Comments >>
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Rocking Horse Birthday Card

February 12th, 2010 | Posted in: Craft Projects | 48 Comments »

Hi all, hope you have had a great week this week!

It’s my nieces 1st birthday coming up and I wanted to make something special. I was looking around SquiggleFly for some cute images and came across this rocking horse. I had one of those snap moments where an idea just clicks and so I purchased the image straight away and began to put my idea into action.

I tinkered about with an idea for the rocking assembly and then designed it up on my computer.

By pushing the pendulum the rocking horse and night scene rock back and forth. It works better when you actually rock the card itself. I think I need to increase the height to reduce some friction.

Here is a video of me showing it working. I even left a snippet of me being embarrassed at the end so you can see the creator behind the scene! hehehe

I used October Afternoon pp to create my bedroom scene and coredinations pink and turquoise cardstock.

I changed the colour of the digital image to a medium grey before printing so I wouldn’t have a harsh black border. I coloured the image with copic markers and then went around the edge of the cut out using the same colours. I designed the night scene on the computer and again coloured with copic markers using a light blue around the moon and stars for a whimsical effect.

I then designed up the elements for the scene window and room and assembled it all together. I haven’t yet decided if I will turn it into a card or possibly add some string so it can be hung.

I had a few challenges in mind as I created my layout, selected my papers and embellishments this week.

  1. MojoMonday – Sketch
  2. Papertake Weekly – Sketch
  3. Embellish Magazine – Ribbon, turquoise, brown and pink
  4. Lexi’s Creations – Spotted or Striped
  5. Kaboodle Blog – Spots and Stripes
  6. Creative Belli – Ribbons
  7. Inky Impressions – Charms
  8. Paper Play Challenges – Birthday for someone special
  9. C.R.A.F.T. – Digi Colouring
  10. Stamp Something – Something Cute

Thanks for stopping by and a special thank you to each an every one of you who brighten my day with your comments.

Take care

48 lovely Comments >>
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Heart strings

January 31st, 2010 | Posted in: Craft Projects | 30 Comments »

Love is all around and I thought it was time I made a true valentines card. :) I went to my local craft store Blossies yesterday and picked up some gorgeous valentines papers. The choice is a little overwhelming! The papers I used today are from the ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘Be Loved’ range by My Minds Eye.

I was sitting outside last night having a coffee when all of a sudden my gears were ticking and I was again thinking of mechanical cards! I thought how cute would it be to have a 3D heart!

The idea didn’t stop there however. My heart had to move!  You simply pull on the ribbon and the heart flattens and then let go and it springs back.

I played around for a while and came up with a technique but it’s pretty messy. When I get a moment I am going to try and find a cleaner way to make it work, but you get the idea.

I was originally trying to put another heart in the centre to hide the elastic, however the card join was too tight and so the technique wasn’t working. But I think the rose flower is not too bad. I inked it red and then added glitter embossing powder to make it sparkle.

I showed it to my other half this morning and as he was playing with it, he made the heart move rapidly and turned to me and said “Watch. The heart is pulsating with love”.

I thought that was so sweet and afterwards I said, “I needed to share that line with my friends”.

Hope you have enjoyed my little spark of creativity.

This week with valentines approaching my card falls into the following challenges:

  1. Caardvarks – Red Heart Challenge
  2. Lexi’s Creations – Valentines
  3. My Time to Craft – Elegant Rose
  4. A Spoon Full of Sugar – Freestyle
  5. Your Next Card – Anything that sparkles (Sparkly Rose)
  6. Crafty Angels – Paper Folding
  7. Cute Card Thursday – Bloomin Flowers
  8. Die Cuts R Us – Ribbon
  9. Creative Belli – Hearts
  10. Little Red Wagon – Hearts
  11. Inky Impressions – Valentines
  12. No Time to Stamp – Red & Heart
  13. Just Rite – Valentine Love
  14. Secret Crafter – Hearts
  15. Paper Garden Projects – Pulling on your heart strings (I just came across this site and I think my project fits in nicely)
  16. Corrosive Challenges – All you need is love

Thanks for stopping by. Thank you so much to everyone who leaves comments. I truly appreciate them and you really make my day.

Hope you are having a fantastic and crafty weekend!

Take care

30 lovely Comments >>
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My All Out Challenge Attempt

January 16th, 2010 | Posted in: Craft Projects | 5 Comments »

Howdy all.

Today I thought I would challenge myself to a big multi-challenge! I made my way around a few challenge sites and looked at how I could combine them into a SUPER challenge. hehehe

It actually turned out quite well, as Mojo Monday was based on a sketch, Simon Says Stamp on a technique (Shabby Chic), Stamp Something on a colour combo (Blue & White),  Daring Card Makers with holes (Hole in One) and finally but not least Just Magnolia using a sentiment (Thank You).

So I got my thinking cap on and started by selecting my papers. Of course it turned out I didn’t have white card the right size to make a square so I was already off to a bad start so I found the lightest colour card I had and thought I will just cover it up! I worked out what papers and ribbons I was going to use for the different elements of the sketch and then began to work out how I would bring them together with the other challenges.

For the Daring Card Makers section of this challenge I had an idea to create a turn wheel with little messages. (hope it was daring enough for you… hehehe)

For Simon Says Stamp I distressed, tore and layered. Using Blue and white for Stamp Something’s challenge I tore white homemade paper and joined it using blue eyelets. I then layered it on top of a paper lace ribbon.

Finally I want to share with you an old technique of mine that I haven’t used in a while. Because I come from a stamping background I was always heat embossing. I have so many different coloured powders it is ridiculous. Cleartops would have to be some of my favourite for their quality but the best gold one I have is by Hampton Art Stamps. It’s unfortunate that there are so many that are not very good, and I think that this can help to put people off as they can imagine they are all like that. OK moving on, I am rambling!

This is Tilda completely coloured using embossing powders. It’s just for a different look. But I think it’s a good idea to mix up your techniques now and then. I have noticed there isn’t many people heat embossing these days. Maybe this technique might get those powders out of the drawer!

Finally, My little Thank You Tag for Just Magnolia , neatly hidden behind a big tear in the bottom right corner.

Phew… well that was my SUPER multi-challenge attempt. If you have any questions about any of the elements I have used, feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

Oh and I always, always appreciate all your comments. They bring a smile to my face and make my day! Thank you.

Til next time,

Happy Crafting!

5 lovely Comments >>
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Swing Me…

January 6th, 2010 | Posted in: Craft Projects | 9 Comments »

This project has been moved temporarily as it will be featuring in an upcoming Australian magazine Scrapbook Creations.

For those who were waiting for details on how to make this frame, I have made a design template that will be available in the magazine and then also available later this year on my website for those who are unable to get access to the magazine.

Thank you all for your comments and feedback and helping to boost my courage to send my work in.

Happy Crafting!!

9 lovely Comments >>
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Entering my first ‘challenge’

January 4th, 2010 | Posted in: Craft Projects | 7 Comments »

I have been watching other people entering some great challenges across some fantastic blogs and I have been hanging out to have a bat!

So I had a bit of a look around and was immediately inspired by the sketch over at “The Pink Elephant Challenge“.

I also added some glitter embossing powder and rhinestones for a touch of bling to take part in Crafty Creations Glitter and Bling Challenge

I have a fascination for making things that ‘do’ something or can be ‘played’ with, and thus the idea to create what I am now nicknaming “The Window Flip Card”.

I was experiementing with this card so I didn’t go through the stages of a step by step guide, however I will do soon.

Then you just push or pull the tab to switch sides.

I am waiting on some new stamps to arrive later this week so I will hopefully have some time to create another one with a guide then!

Would love to hear your feedback!

Happy Crafting!

7 lovely Comments >>
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Animated 21st Birthday Card

January 3rd, 2010 | Posted in: Craft Projects | No Comments »

My younger cousin Steff turned 21 last year and I wanted to make her something special for a keepsake.

Steff was learning sign language a few years ago and somehow we picked up this funny ongoing custom where we ‘wiggle’ our ears to one another when we see each other. This lead me down the path of creating an animated card. Steff loves and collects everything to do with elephants so it was a given that I would have to implement an elephant on the card.

After a little bit of thought and some research on Dreamstime (stock images) I found the perfect image to use for my idea.

Technique

I printed the image multiple times and cut around each image. My plan was to layer the images to add dimension. (plus I needed the layers to hide my device!)

I wanted the ears to wiggle so I somehow had to come up with a way to make it work. After some experimenting (and a lot of hacking) I manged to find a way by joining the ears on each side together with some wire that was attached to elastic. The ribbon was attached to the centre of the wire and when you pulled on it the elastic would stretch and then spring back when released.

I layered the multiple cut out images on top to disguide the mechanical devide I had created.

After completing the elephant I began working on the background.

I distressed some papers for the background by adding ink to the edges and using a nifty distressing tool that is a little plastic holder with a V cut out and a knife in the centre. (you could also use scissors)

I then attached the elephant and additional embelishments as well as a little tag that shared a memory of mine from our childhood.

If I make another animated card like this in the future I will attempt to take some step by step photos.

Happy Crafting!

I would love your feedback >>;
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