An 18th birthday present

I am attending an 18th birthday tonight after my class and I thought I would share the packaging and card.

I purchased a necklace and matching earrings with the help of my daughter.  I hope that the young lady in question likes them.  However, the packaging was very ordinary and I thought I could create something much nicer.  I made a basic 3″ square box from Crumb Cake cardstock.  The lid has been cut from Crumb Cake cardstock as well and embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.  I cut an opening in the lid and covered it with a piece of window sheet on the inside.  I cut my flower using Perfect Plum cardstock and the Floral Fusion Sizzlit.  I added a small Clear Rhinestone brad in the centre.  I punched a couple of leaves from Certainly Celery card using the Two Step Bird Extra Large Punch. 

Of course then I had to make a card to match.  This time I used Very Vanilla card with a layer of Perfect Plum card which is punched along one edge using the Scallop Trim Border Punch.  I added a layer of Crumb Cake which has been embossed using the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder.  I stamped the greeting from the Bring on the Cake  stampset using Perfect Plum ink onto Very Vanilla card.  I rounded the corners and sponged with Perfect Plum ink.  I added a flower and leaves made the same as the box.  I really like the saying – it says “Not just a year older, but a year better”.

The last thing of course is how to package  the present.  I started with a C5 envelope (165 x 230mm) which I sealed.  Then I trimmed down the length of the envelope to about 6 “.  I scored in 1” on the two sides and the bottom.  Then you need to open the envelope on the score lines and fold up the little triangle at the bottom to make it sit flat.  Open the envelope out flat and leave it to one side while you make the covers.   Cut your cardstock slightly wider than the distance between the two score lines on the sides and long enough to be able to punch out the handles at the top above the top of the envelope.  I used Crumb Cake card which is again embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder.  I scored a line just above the embossing and used the Large Oval Punch to make my handles.  (NB punch your handle  before the cardstock is embossed.)  Once you have embossed,  then I just use sticky strip on the envelope inside the score lines.  Add the front and back covers while the envelope is still flat, then fold up the triangles on the bottom of the envelope and add some adhesive.  To decorate I stamped “happy birthday” from the Perfect Punches stampset using Perfect Plum ink onto Very Vanilla cardstock.  I cut the mat from Perfect Plum card  using one of the dies from the Lots of Tags Sizzlits.  The addition of the little flower and some leaves completes the decoration.  I cut a piece of Certainly Celery 5/8″ grosgrain ribbon to tie through the handle.

I love making simple gifts like this.  It is so nice to be able to co-ordinate everything.

Well, my ladies will be hear for the class any minute now, I’d best be off.

Bye for now, Kris.