I just couldn’t resist these darling baking dishes while shopping the other day.  And well of course I had to make a couple of tags to go with them!

So using my JustRite Christmas Stamp Ensemble and my Flourishes Poinsettia and Boxwood set, I did just that and made some matching tags.  Doesn’t that pretty little poinsettia make a perfect accent!  The circles were all cut using the Classic Circle Nestabilities.  The center sentiment was popped up on dimensionals.

The holly and bells on the border were colored in with markers.  I also used my Nestabilities to cut the round card base.

A portion of the circle Nestabilities hangs over the fold on the card stock to create a card base.  (After I photographed this I realized it might be confusing because I used red card stock to show how I cut the card base with the die cut, but the actual card base on my tag is white.)

Flourishes Poinsettia and Boxwood - Set of 10 Stamps

And now that I’ve photographed this I can slice up and eat the bread!  Well it’s actually sort of a fruit cake.  So confession time… I like fruit cake!  Yay, I think I’m in the minority there!  Well all the more for me!  hehe  I do plan on giving these as gifts, but before I do I will fill them with something that tends to be more universally popular like banana bread!

 Have a great day!

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Stamps: Flourishes Poinsettia and Boxwood; JustRite Christmas Stamp Ensemble

Papers: SU! Real Red, Garden Green, Very Vanilla

Inks: SU! Real Red and Garden Green Craft and Markers

Accessories: Classic Circle Nestabilities, Cuttlebug, McGill Pine Punch, Striped GG Ribbon, Gold Cording, Gold Brads

I just love making these little miniature boxes.  Aren’t they cute!

Last week I made one for a door hanger project and promised a template for it this week.  So here it is.. more or less.  lol

I tried to make it such that the template actually printed to the size/measurements shown on the template.  However, I could not get it to be exact.  Sorry I’m so computer challenged.  However because of the angles and shape of the template it is relatively easy to tell where the folds and cuts go without doing any measuring.

So the easiest thing to do is simply print the template, cut it out and then just trace around the outside of it.  As long as the proportions are kept the same, the template will work fine to make a smaller or larger size box. When I printed it out the longest measurement (which shows as 9″ on the template) was just over 8″ in actuality.  So it printed a little smaller.  The picture of the boxes at the top of this post shows this smaller box in front (”friend”) and the actual measured to scale box is shown in back (”thanks”).

If you do want to make a box the exact size as the template and you want to measure it, I have all the measurements on the template in a 1/16″ scale, ie 4/16″ instead of 1/4″.  This was just to keep it consistent.

Here is the template:  4blog115boxtemplate.jpg

Here are some pictures of the box construction.  Just a note.. on the “Flap” I used a corner rounder punch to round the corners.  On “Bottom B” and “Bottom D” I used scissors to snip off a small triangular shape at the angled corners as shown in the pictures below.

All folds are in the same direction.

The Glittering Christmas paper on the green box is from Flourishes.

And it’s done!  If you have any questions, just ask.  I will answer them as soon as possible which will most likely be next week.  Got a big weekend planned.  Tonight is a craft night of sorts at our church, and I will be teaching a couple of ladies how to make a few cards.  And then tomorrow is my 17 year old son’s homecoming dance.  There are 14 couples in his group.  He has organized the whole thing, has everyone showing up at our home for pictures to start the evening off (14 couples and parents) and then 2 huge limos will come to take them to dinner and the dance, etc.  Plus they are all returning here around midnight after their haunted house adventure to watch a movie in our little home theater.  Should be some crazy fun.  He is my last of 4 sons and I am cherishing every minute of it.  They grow up so so so fast…

Finally… the BLOG CANDY!  A Muse has just released the coolest set called “Hero Mail”.   $2 from the sale of each set goes to Operation Troop Aid.  Well I just love the set, and so I bought 2… one for me and one for you if you are the winner!  I’ll have it up on my blog sometime next week.  It’s a perfect set for Veteran’s Day!

Hope everyone has a great weekend.  Oh and if you do make a box or two and post them somewhere, PLEASE leave me a link.  I would LOVE to see them!!

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Stamps: SU! Everyday Flexible Phrases

Papers: SU! DSP Autumn Vine, Really Rust, Sage Shadow; PTI White

Inks: SU! Really Rust Classic

Accessories: SU! 1/2 inch Striped Grosgrain; McGill Leaf Punch

Beate’s Inspiration Challenge today was the perfect chance to use my new SU! set called “Eastern Influences”.  Here is the inspiration photo.

And here is the card I made that was inspired by it.

The image was made by coloring directly onto the rubber with markers and then spritzing with water before stamping.  After stamping the flowers were colored in with a Pretty in Pink marker.

I wish that SU! made brown brads.  With each new catalog I search to see if they have finally decided to carry them.   But they still don’t, so I make my own.

Using the antique brass brads and a pair of tweezers, I push them into my Chocolate Chip Craft stampin’ spot.  Then I quickly and lightly spray them with Clear Finish.  I push them into the stampin’ spot again then use my heat gun to dry them.  I love the matte finish it creates.  But I’m still hoping that the next new catty will be the one!

See what the other challenge team members have created today using this beautiful photo as their inspiration.

Jennifer Buck
Charmaine Ikach
Silke Ledlow
Danielle Lounds
Dawn McVey

Hope you get a chance to play, too.

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All products are made by Stampin’ Up!.
Stamps:  Eastern Influences
Papers: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, DSP Parisian Summer
Inks: Close to Cocoa Classic; Chocolate Chip Craft; Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Bravo Burgundy, Pretty in Pink, Blush Blossom Markers
Accessories: Taffeta Ribbons in Kraft and Very Vanilla, Brad, Flower Fusion

Beate’s inspiration piece this week is a console table from Pottery Barn.  Well I couldn’t help but be inspired by that big beautiful bouquet of orange tulips.  The tulip stamp that I used is from Flourishes “Thank You” set.  One of the fun things about clear stamps like this tulip image, is that they can be bent and shaped.  So even though this tulip naturally curves off to the right (the tallest of the three tulips on the card), I was able to bend the stem to appear almost straight for one of the tulips and then even more for the third tulip in the bouquet getting it to lean to the left.  Also with some masking I was able to use just the leaf part of the image to stamp a leaf on the left side of the stems.  It looks like I have several different images.  How fun is that!  The designer paper is from Basic Grey’s “Scarlet’s Letter” collection.

Check out the cards made by the other Inspiration Challenge Team members.  Hope you can play along!

Danielle Lounds

Charmaine Ikach

Dawn McVey

Jennifer Buck

Silke Ledlow

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Stamps: Flourishes “Thank You”; A Muse “Happy Birthday”

Papers: SU! Basic Black, Old Olive, Very Vanilla; Basic Grey “Scarlet’s Letter”

Inks: Versafine “Onyx Black”; SU! Old Olive Classic and Barely Banana, Only Orange, Certainly Celery, Old Olive Markers

Accessories: SU! Corner Punch, Brads, Raffia, Black Gel Pen

Have you been playing along in the Dare To Get Dirty Challenges over at Splitcoaststampers?  I was so happy when Rose Ann asked me if I would be one of her sample makers for her adorable flap card challenge.  Of course I said, “Yes!”  This was so much fun!

I used Inque Boutique’s “Bella Flora” and “Phrases & Sentiments” sets.

The magnets that I had were not very strong, so I had to change the placement a little from Rose Ann’s tutorial.

Rather than have the bottom magnet under the inside sentiment panel, I placed it on the outside of the lower flap.  It was incorporated into the design by adding a flower image over it that I stamped on a thin piece of card stock.  I was able to cover the magnet on the underside of the upper flap, too, since these two thin pieces of card stock were the only things between the two magnets.  I decided I actually liked the magnets this way since the bottom one was no longer underneath the area where I might want to write a short note to the recipient.

I also played in Kittie’s challenge.

Before leaving for CHA I ordered all of Kittie’s “Cause A Scene” stamp sets.  Well they were waiting for me when I got home.  So, I just had to play along in her challenge today!  This was the first that I had used these stamps and tried to make a scene.  So be gentle!  lol  It will definitely take some practice, but even my little itty bitty attempt here was a huge amount of fun.  I can tell I’m gonna like playing with my Kittie Kits.

I used Inque Boutique’s “Phrases & Sentiments” set for the sentiment.  The brown frame around the oval scene was a sample piece of hand pounded bark paper that I was given from the Amate Studios people at CHA.

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Flap Card

Stamps: Inque Boutique’s “Bella Flora” and “Phrases & Sentiments”

Papers: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Taken With Teal, Cameo Coral, K & Company DP

Inks: Timber Brown Stazon, Chocolate Chip Classic and Marker, White Gel Pen

Accessories: Decorated Brad, Rhinestones, Oval Punch, 3/4″ Circle Punch, Coluzzle Circle Template, Magnet

Scene Card

Stamps: Rubbernecker Kittie Kits “Cause A Scene”; Inque Boutique “Phrases & Sentiments”

Papers: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, K & Company DP,  Amate Studios Hand Pounded Bark Paper

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Garden Green, Old Olive, Soft Sky, Summer Sun

Accessories: Gingham Ribbon, Circular Clip

Have you heard about the Dare to Get Dirty 08 Challenges going on this week over at Splitcoaststampers?  Here is a card for Christine’s challenge.

This beautiful floral image is from Inque Boutique’s “Victorian Flourishes”.  The sentiment and background script are from Inque Boutique’s “French Fancy”.  It is watercolored with SU! reinkers.

I did something kinda fun with the sentiment on this card.

Only part of it is showing on the card front.

The other half is on the inside of the card.

I used good ole Scotch tape to cover the part of the sentiment I didn’t want to stamp.

After inking the sentiment, I removed the tape and stamped.

Quick and easy and there are no worries about any ink getting on the unwanted part of the sentiment.

Since this is such a simple layout, I added lots of dimension for more depth and to add interest to the card.  I love my corner punch!

Hope you can find some time to play along with the Dirty Dozen Design Team and Alumni in the Splitcoaststampers DTGD 08 Challenges this week!

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Stamps: Inque Boutique’s “Victorian Flourishes” and “French Fancy”

Papers: SU! Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Cameo Coral

Inks:  Versafine Onyx Black; SU! Reinkers Glorious Green, Certainly Celery, Cameo Coral, Creamy Caramel, Bashful Blue, Black Gel Pen

Accessories: Pearl Brad, Ribbon, Corner Punch, Aqua Painter

I had been planning to make a card with my Crystal Clear Card Stock for some time.  However I hadn’t been inspired as to what exactly I wanted to do.  Then today as I was sitting somewhere “special” I happened to look at the picture hanging on my powder room wall.  (Yes, you can now guess where I was sitting!  *blushing*)

Oh my!!  That has been hanging there for at least 10 years, but only today did it become the perfect inspiration I had been looking for.  Guess that just goes to show you, you never know when or where inspiration will strike!  hehe

The main image is stamped with Flourishes newly released “Poppy Patch”.  I watercolored it using SU! reinkers.

As I was making this card, I took a few pictures.  First I cut out an oval from some regular card stock and taped the frame to the back of the acetate for a guide.  (The acetate was a half sheet measuring 5-1/2″ X 8-1/2″.)  I made sure that the frame was placed on one side of the card stock so that when I scored and folded it (to make a regular 5-1/2″ X 4-1/4″ card) the image would be centered on the front.

Next, using one of the crown images from Flourishes “Mardi Gras” set, I stamped one in each “corner” of the frame with White Stazon.  I then used a white gel pen to connect them with some faux stitching.

Finally I taped the acetate card to a 5-1/2″ X 4-1/4″ piece of Blush Blossom card stock.  I made a smaller card from Really Rust card stock and taped that to the inside of the acetate card.  With the regular card stocks taped to both the front and back of the back section of the acetate card, no adhesive is visible.  The main image is adhered to the front of the smaller card inside the acetate one.

Every Wednesday on Sharon Johnson’s Blog “No Time To Stamp?” she has a “May I Suggest” theme.  This week she has asked all of us on the Flourishes Design Team to get in the act, too, and give a suggestion of our own.  What I would like to suggest is that you consider the versatility and ease of the wonderful Flat Back Pearls.  I have put some copper pearls on this card today instead of brads.  I love brads, but with the clear card stock, they really are a problem.  What do you do with the metal fasteners?  They show through and there’s no easy way to prevent it.  But with the flat back pearls, “Voila”.  No problem.  They have a small little adhesive on the back so there is no need for any fasteners.  Just something to consider the next time you are using acetate or even making a one layer card.  The pearls are perfect for these, too, because there are no fasteners to show on the inside of the card either.

Check out the other design team’s posts today for more tips or suggestions:

Sharon Johnson

Leslie Miller

Julie Koerber

Faith Hofrichter

Linda Duke

Sharon Doolittle

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Stamps: Flourishes “Poppy Patch” and “Mardi Gras”
Papers: Crystal Clear Card Stock (Acetate), Blush Blossom, Really Rust
Inks: White Stazon, Really Rust Classic and Reinkers in Really Rust, Ruby Red, So Saffron Always Artichoke, Marker in Chocolate Chip, White Gel Pen
Accessories: Copper Flat Back Pearls, GG Ribbon

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Just a note:  This may be my last post for awhile as I’m off to CHA!!  So please be patient with me.  I plan to have a laptop at the convention, but getting it hooked up may be an issue for my limited computer knowledge!  If I’m computerless, I will respond to your posts and emails when I return.  Hope everyone has a great week!

My “Siberian Iris” set from Fourishes arrived yesterday! Couldn’t wait to play with it! I made a couple of fun little baskets.

I took some pictures along the way in case anyone wants to make one, too.

First decide what size and shape you want your “basket” to be. Here are some examples or ideas. I also included a template with each section numbered 1-7.

You will need to make and cut out a template of your desired basket shape. Then trace around it 4 times placing each one side to side. On the 5th section do only 1/2 (or a little less) of the basket shape. Then do one more full basket shape and finally a 7th section which is just a tab for gluing. This 7th section should be less than 1/2 the width of your template (and the same width or less of section #5). Be sure to add a couple of tabs on sections #2 and #6 with the #6 tab being a little taller. If you want to have three decorated sections, add another tab to section #4. This tab should be the tallest of the three as it will be the back row. Cut out your basket and score all the sides. Fold the basket so that the tracing lines will be on the inside of the basket.

To add patterned paper, make another template that is 1/4″ less in height and width than your basket template. Trace 4 of this smaller basket shape on the back of whatever patterned paper you are using. (This step is optional. You can, of course, stamp images on the basket or even leave it plain.) Turn your cut out basket over so that all the tracing marks (if you have them like mine does…) and adhere your patterned paper to sections #1-4.

Apply adhesive to the outside of sections #5 and #7.

Adhere section #7 to the inside of section #3 to form a rectangle. (If section #7 is smaller than section #5, make sure it is glued on section #3 far enough away from section #4 so it equals the measurement of section #5 and forms a rectangle.)

Adhere section #1 to the outside of section #5.

Make sure that your sections will fold flat for mailing.

Decorate as desired!

Basket 1 - Celebrate
Stamps: “Siberian Iris” and “Many Sentiments” both sets from Flourishes
Papers: Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, DP is SU! “Prints”
Inks: Jet Black Stazon, Always Artichoke Marker, Reinkers in Always Artichoke, Old Olive, So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Elegant Eggplant
Accessories: Eggplant GG Ribbon, Rhinestone Brad, Butterfly Punch

Basket 2 - Happy Mother’s Day
Stamps: “Siberian Iris” from Flourishes
Papers: Always Artichoke, Lavender Lace, Very Vanilla, DP is SU! “Prints”
Inks: Always Artichoke, Lavender Lace, Always Artichoke Marker, Versamark, Chalks in Lavender Lace, Almost Amethyst, Bashful Blue, Not Quite Navy, Always Artichoke, Old Olive
Accessories: Black Embossing Powder, Rhinestones, Prima, Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Ticket Punch

**These little baskets were designed using a folding technique from a card in my mother’s vintage collection. It was a Hallmark Historical Collection card and was a reproduction of a card printed in the late 1800’s by Raphael Tuck & Sons, London.**

Lori Craig has organized a Bible Verse Challenge over on Splitcoaststampers. “We’ll each create an on-going altered journal, rolodex card, scrapbook page, ATC or recipe card project… Each month we will choose a verse and get to stamping. We’ll add that piece to our collection.” Here is my first scripture card, the storage box and dividers.

Isn’t this a wonderful idea and challenge! I am just now joining in for the month of April. I plan to make this more than just a year long project.. perhaps a life long project. The scripture card hangs from the picture hooks in plain view all month. As I create the next month’s card, I will simply take the old one off from the hooks and file it under the month in which I created and memorized it. It will be easily available if I choose to refer back. Oh and another easy change each month could be the ribbon around the hangers. Thank you, Lori, for such a meaningful and awesome challenge!!

The finished box measures 5-3/4″ wide X 4-1/2″ tall X 3″ deep. Each scripture card measures 4″ X 5-1/4″. The center of the holes for the eyelets on the scripture card are 5/8″ from the top and 1″ from the side of the card.

The holes for the brads are placed 1/8″ from the top and 1-1/4″ from the side fold on the box.

These are just the regular inexpensive picture hangers that measure 7/8″ in length. The holes for the brads are placed 1/8″ from the top and 1-1/4″ from the side fold.

Each divider card measure 4-1/2″ X 5-1/2″ not including the tab.

Box and File Cards
Stamps: Full Calendar, Sanded
Paper: So Saffron, Always Artichoke, SU! DP “Le Jardin”
Ink: Always Artichoke
Accessories: Tab Punch, Brads, Picture Hangers, GG Ribbon or Organdy Ribbon

Scripture Card:
Stamps: A Light Unto My Path, Carte Postale, French Flair
Paper: So Saffron, SU! DP “Le Jardin”
Ink: Not Quite Navy, So Saffron, Jet Black Stazon
Accessories: Jumbo Pewter Eyelets, Crop-A-Dile, Rhinestone