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.
Finally some holiday pages
Last year my husband and I took a caravan trip to Cooktown and I have not scrapped any of the photos – of which there are many. Anyway this week two challenges inspired me to start. Late Night Stampers posted a scrapbook challenge – any scrapbook page – so I used the Sketch Challenge at Sudsol this week.
The page is pretty simple really. I have used Crumb Cake as the base for my page and used Basic Black to mat my photos and the title. I used my computer to print my journalling onto Very Vanilla card. I used Marina Mist and the Tasteful Trim Bigz Die to cut my “ric rac” and double sided “ric rac”. The title is cut from Marina Mist card using the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet.
I really wanted to focus on these amazing birds. We didn’t have our camera with us when we saw the first Cassowary so we were very excited to get these photos at a little place called Etty Beach, just south of Innisfail.
Hopefully I will be inspired to scrap some more photos from our holiday.
Bye for now, Kris.
A new way to use brads
My downline Shirley made some fabulous earrings from Stampin’ Up! brads to swap at convention this year. She posted a link to a tutorial on Rachel Ricks blog. It’s a great tutorial, easy to follow and my presentation box was inspired by hers.
I bought the earring hooks and the jump rings at Spotlight here in Australia. They were pretty inexpensive and all I had to do was add the brads to complete the earrings. These are made with lilac Circle Ice Rhinestone Brads – I know they don’t really look lilac in the picture – blame my photography. My granddaughter took one look at these and said can I have some Nan? – so I thought I had better make a small presentation box.
I found a tutorial ages ago by Kirsten Aune which gave directions to make your own matchboxes. I made my match box from Crumb Cake card. I punched a hole in the cover using the Curly Label Extra Large and then embossed it using the Finial Press Embossing Folder. I wrapped the cover with some Pretty in Pink 1/4″ grossgrain ribbon and added a flower which is made using the Boho Bossoms punch – large flower in Whisper White and 6 pointed flower in Pretty in Pink. I added an Antique Pewter brad to the centre and attached the flower over the ribbon using Mini Glue Dots.
I think it looks very professional don’t you?
Bye for now, Kris.
Is that a button
Yes it is, 30 in fact. I have been wanting to try a button bracelet since I first saw them posted online. I followed a great tutorial put together by Patty Bennett. I found the elastic she mentions at Spotlight here in Australia and I used a darning needle that I had at home because I couldn’t find a beading needle. Anyway it went together very easily. I used buttons from the Neutrals assortment and I think it looks really gorgeous. I have also been trying my hand at some earrings made from brads, so will pop in and show you those later on.
I’d really love to hear what you think of my bracelet.
Bye for now, Kris.
A Little Flower Box
The tutorial for this box was shared by Madeline Morcelo at Inkspiration 4U and also on her own blog The Stamping Studio.
I used Crumb Cake cardstock for the construction of the box. I also used up some of the very gorgeous but now retired Presto Patterns Designer Series Paper. This paper comes white and is embossed with various designs also in white. You need to add colour to see the design. I used Crumb Cake ink and a sponge to add colour to the paper. I added extra colour to the edges of the pieces to give extra dimension. My flower is made using Ridinghood Red Cardstock and the leaves are Always Artichoke cardstock. I cut the 2 each of the large flower and smaller flower on the Island Floral Die. I also punched 2 flowers using the Fancy Flower Extra Large Punch. The leaves were also cut using the Island Floral Die. I separated each of the flowers and the leaves using the bone folder to curl the cardstock on both sides until each of the flowers and the leaves separated into two pieces. Once separated, I scrunched them up really tightly and opened them out again. I stacked the flowers onto a Vintage Brad, first the 4 small flowers, then the Fancy Flowers, then the large flowers and lastly the leaves. I made sure that the petals and the leaves were staggered to give a nice effect. Once I was happy with the flower I used Mini Glue Dots to attach it to the front of the box.
The box is quite a good size but I haven’t decided quite what to do for the inside, so when I do I will come back and show you.
Bye for now, Kris.
Thinking of You
I made this card using two challenges, the Just Add Ink colour challenge and the Clean and Simple sketch challenge.
I started with a base of Perfect Plum and added a layer of Whisper White card. The middle section of the card consists of a Layer of Pear Pizzazz. I punched one edge of Baja Breeze card using the Eyelet Edge Punch and attached it to a piece of Whisper White card. I wrapped this layer with Whisper White 1/8″ Taffeta Ribbon before attaching it to the card. I stamped “thinking of your” from the Three Little Words stampset using Perfect Plum ink. I inked an image from the Silhouette Sentiments stampset using my Perfect Plum and Pear Pizzazz Stampin’ Write Markers and stamped onto Whisper White card. I punched the image using the 1 1/4″ circle punch and added a Perfect Plum 1 3/8″ circle before attaching it to the card. Lastly I tied a bow with Whisper White 1/8″ Taffeta ribbon and attached it to the card using a Mini Glue Dot.
I love the sketches at Clean and Simple and Just Add Ink but don’t always get to play along, why don’t you have a look for yourself.
Bye for now, Kris.
Motorcycle Birthday
I love the single stamps that are available in the new Autumn/Winter catalogue. Today I used the Motorcycle stamp to complete a card using the sketch challenge at Stamping 411 this week.
I started with a base card of Basic Black. I added piece of Tangerine Tango Designer paper from the Brights Designer Series Paper Patterns Stack to the bottom of a piece of Very Vanilla card. I wrapped the join with Basic Black 5/8″ Satin Ribbon and attached it to the Basic Black card. I added a square of designer paper which is the reverse side of the piece I used on the bottom of the card. I stamped the Motorcycle stamp onto Very Vanilla card using Black Stazon ink. I also stamped “happy birthday” from the Bring on the Cake stampset onto the same piece of Very Vanilla card using Black Stazon ink. Then I used my Tangerine Tango Stampin’ Pastel and blender pen to add some colour to both images. Lastly I added a bow tied using Basic Black 5/8″ Satin Ribbon.
Funny thing about the Designer Series Paper Patterns Stacks – my friend Shirley has been telling me for months to buy them and now that I finally have, I can’t believe I waited so long. The stack has 40 sheets of designer paper, 2 each of 2 designs in 10 colours. So now I have designer paper in all the colours in the Brights collection. Fantastic.
This stamp is really detailed and if you love colouring your images, then this one lends itself to lots of possibilities.
I did think this was going to be a male type birthday card, but I think maybe it is a little too girly. Might have a look and remake it in another colour. What do you think?
Bye for now, Kris.
An Inspired Challenge
This card I made for the Sketch Challenge at Sudsol this week. I know this is the second challenge for them I have posted this weekend and that’s because having had all week, I only just completed the two challenges. Nothing like a bit of pressure.
I used Rich Razzleberry for the card base and added a layer of Certainly Celery which has been embossed with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. I stamped the reed image from the Inspired by Nature stampset using Certainly Celery ink onto Whisper White card. I stamped the flower image using Rich Razzleberry ink over the top of the reeds. I layered the image panel onto a piece of Rich Razzleberry card which has one edge punched with the Eyelet Edge Punch. I stamped “just for you” from the Just Believe stampset using Rich Razzleberry ink onto Whisper White card and punched it out using the Word Window Punch. I added a Rich Razzleberry Modern Label and then attached it to the card front using dimensionals.
This is a super simple card but the image packs so much punch you don’t need to do much to create a beautiful card.
I’d really love to hear what you think.
Bye for now, Kris.
Ava’s Birthday
My scrapbooking is very haphazard and really depends on whether I have photos to match the particular layout which comes my way. This week the Scrapbook Sketch Challenge at Sudsol seemed to go very well with my youngest granddaughter’s birthday photos. I think these might be the only photos of Ava that I have scrapbooked (shame on me), because she is really adorable. Anyway in honour of Ava here is my layout.
I started with 12 x 12″ Basic Black Textured cardstock and added a strip of Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper 12 x 5″. The next layer is Basic Gray cardstock 12 x 7 1/4″. My photos are attached to the Basic Gray layer and then I added Garden Green scallop edge pieces which I cut using the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die. The scallop pieces have been wrapped with 1/2″ Chantilly Crochet Trim. On the bottom left I attached a double bow tied with the same ribbon which also has a large Clear Rhinestone Brad wrapped over the middle of the bow. On the top right hand side I attached a cupcake. The base of the cupcake from the Create a Cupcake stampset has been stamped using Chocolate Chip ink onto Very Vanilla card and punched out using the Build a Cupcake Punch. The icing from the Create a Cupcake stampset has been stamped using Cherry Cobbler ink onto Very Vanilla card and punched out using the Build a Cupcake Punch. I stamped the heart from the same stampset using Tempting Turquoise ink and punched it out using the smallest heart from the Heart to Heart Extra Large Punch. I added a small Basic Rhinestone for some bling. The title has been cut from Cherry Cobbler card using the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet.
This photos shows a close up of the double bow. Now I know there are lot’s of you who are “bow challenged”, however, if you do a simple google search for “bow tying” you will find lots of videos and step by step photo tutorials to help you.
This is a close up of the cupcake. I think the Clear Rhinestone on the heart just finishes the image perfectly and it also picks up some of the colour from the smarties on the top of Ava’s cake.
My scrapbooking is usually all about the photos. I only use small amounts of embellishments so that it doesn’t detract from the photos and the memories. What do you think? Is this your style?
Bye for now, Kris.
Another Gift Box
This cute gift box was designed by Deanna Tam for the Summer Edition of Inkspiration 4U. I used the Newsprint Designer Paper and Whisper White card, only thing is it should have been Very Vanilla card, oh well. I really do have to stop working in the dark!
This shows the side view of the box which is made using the Petal Cone Die or the template that is available on the Inkspiration 4U website.
This shows the top view of the box which is decorated with a Basic Black Scallop Circle (Bigz Die) and a circle of the Newsprint Designer Series Paper. The flower is made by punching 6 1 3/4″ scallop circles and 6 2 3/8″ scallop circles from Newsprint Designer Paper. I followed Deanna’s instructions for making the flower and I really love the effect.
Even though I muddled up the cardstock colours, I think this little box has turned out really lovely.
Bye for now, Kris.
