July 8, 2011: Shadow Box

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This 8x8 shadow box was the door prize I made for my June Class. I think it turned out really well and I was very pleased with it! I used scraps and leftovers from my last wedding album.

The shadow box itself is an inexpensive one from my local craft store - I love the little rope detail on the front. I often do shadowboxes in the 8x8 size - they are just plain fun. I usually purchase either an 8 x 8 or a 10x10 shadow box - the 10x10 gives a "floating" effect.

For my page (and the wedding album!) I chose the now retired Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper, and used Crumb Cake and Baja Breeze cardstock. The seam binding ribbon is also Baja Breeze.

The carnations are made using the 2 3/8" and the 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punches, crumpled up and held in the middle with a Brad. The roses are cut with the Fun Flowers XL Bigz Die and hand formed.

Shadow boxes are great since you can really go to town on embellishments - you are not limited to what can fit in a page protector!

July 6, 2011: Flower Topped Paperclips

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This is one of the favors I gave out at my last class. :) I try to do a handmade favor for everyone - just a little something to say "thanks for coming." Not everyone can win the door prize, s it's nice that everyone has something they can take home. I think this is one of my favorites to date. :)

I make a lot of these little paperclip toppers, and they are so simple to do! I get my paperclips from an online bulk buy group, but you can also get them at large office supply stores. Just look for the 4" jumbo ones.

For this one, I took vellum and stamped it in Regal Rose Classic Ink with Always Elegant, which I am SO thankful did not retire! It was my first free set at this past Sale-A-Bration, and I'm so glad I got it. It's super versatile!

From the center of each stamp I punched a 1 3/4" Scallop- Circle Punch - eight of them for each paperclip - then scrunched them up. After layering them together I punched through the middle with the 1/16" Handheld Punch. You could also use the Paper Piercer and the Mat Pack, which has a much longer "reach" and use larger scallops.

I held the scallops together with a Filigree Designer Brad and attached it to the paperclip with Mini Glue Dots. My bulk buy paperclips have a flat plate on them, but if you get yours from the office supply you will need to add a cardstock circle to the back to cover the glue dots - a 1" Circle Punch should work fine. Or, in the past I have attached a 2 3/8" Scallop Circle in contrasting cardstock to add to the overall look. The sky is the limit with these!

Take a peek at my blog sidebar - I refilled my Etsy shop!! I'm super excited. Several of the cards haven't even hit my blog yet. :)

I'm having some difficulty with the non-SU supplies for the shadow box class - I think I'm going to have to change projects. I'll hold the shadow box class for another month. :)

December 31, 2010: Last of the Christmas Wrap

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My Christmas gifts this year were fragile, so careful packaging was a must. However, it also needed to be cute, inexpensive, and lend itself to mass production in a tight time frame. After trying a few different options, I finally settled on this "semi-homemade" version.

I purchased the burgundy bags at my local craft store ($.79 each but I had a 20% off coupon for my whole purchase). I printed the brush set "Christmas Postcard" from Stampin' Up's My Digital Studio on kraft paper and colored the poinsettias and holly in with colored pencils. A small tag also in kraft with jute twine and a small star Christmas ornament (65% off sale) completed the look.

The stamp on the back of the tag is not SU, but I used Cherry Cobbler ink which matched the bags quite well. I think CC is my favorite red; Real Red just doesn't have that rich look to it. I also like how CC fits in with the vintage look. :)

I'll start posting my actual Christmas gifts tomorrow. Oh, and check out what I spent several hours last night doing - www.aocnaturalbuilders.com. It's a website for my Dad's construction company. Still more work to be done, but it's a start. :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

December 29, 2010: Crafty Wrapping Paper

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I love wrapping things in newsprint! I love the graphic lines, the dramatic coloring, and the interesting contrasts. Ordinarily, I wrap presents in the Wall Street Journal since it has a lot of small text but not a lot of pictures and ads.

This package was a departure from my usual style, I admit. I used the cable guide section of the local paper because it had these great red lines through the text (and I also thought it was appropriate for a box filled with vintage video games!) The red worked perfectly with my SU wide striped grosgrain ribbon. This one is the retired Riding Hood Red, but it is very similar to Real Red, which is still available.

I used scalloped circles cut from additional newsprint fashioned into cones for the ruffle-ey "bow" at the top. Love it!

Another thing I love? SU's ribbons are really high quality, yet all are less than $1 a yard - even this wide grosgrain. What a great value!

October 20, 2010: Hangar Sale Favors

Pin It Now! This is the prototype for the favors for the first customer's at Mom's hangar sale this weekend. Technically it's something of a barn sale, but Dad's airplane hangar is both large and available. :)

Mom's stocked the sale with tons of new and eclectic merchandise, so if you are local you really should check it out. It's between Newport, Washington and Priest River, Idaho - just follow the signs.

There is amazing furniture, Christmas ornaments, lamps, candelabras, rhinestone pins, high-end florals, etc. There is even a resin rams head that will look smashing on someone's wall. It really doesn't look like an airplane hangar...more like a upscale boutique.

Anyway, I volunteered to make the favors. Mom had already bought the fleur de lis magnets (she LOVES fleur de lis), and I added the charms pop-dotted to vintage paper punchies. I really love how the packaging came together! Now I just have to make 29 more. :)

September 27, 2010: Fairy Tag

Pin It Now! This is the packaging with the custom tag I promised yesterday. Isn't it cute?

I know my coworker decorated the baby's nursery with sage green and pictures of fairies, so this is what I came up with. The stamp set is Recollections and the wing is from Stampin Up's Beautiful Butterflies die. I carefully folded the win and stamped it with the fairy's wing so it would look like it was supposed to fit.

It doesn't show in the picture, but I added a fair bit of superfine glitter to the edges of the wing, the stamped portion of the wing, the skirt and the dust she is blowing.

Super cute!

September 26, 2010: Crochet Blanket for Baby

Pin It Now! This is the blanket I made for the fourth baby at work in the last year. I thought it would be the last for a while...but now there is a fifth on the way. I just keep crocheting!

Shown folded in half, this blanket is one of my signature stroller blankets with the hole in the middle.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the adorable packaging and themed tag that I whipped up. :)