Elmo and Cookie Monster Bags

This morning when I should have been cleaning my house, (BORING!!!) all I could think about was crafting. I was anxious to see if I could adapt the treat bag I demonstrated yesterday to look like Elmo and Cookie Monster. It really didn't take long, because I hadn't put away a single one of the things I used yesterday (how shameful!), and this is what I came up with. 

I used the Stampin Up Scallop Border punch along the top of the bag and I used the same 2 1/2 inch circle punch from yesterday's project to make the mouths. Elmo's nose is a 1 1/4 inch orange circle and the cookies are 1 1/2 inch kraft colored circles. To make the chocolate chips I used some brown ink on an ordinary pencil eraser and I sponged the edges with brown ink. Use any old scalloped circle punch to take a bite out of each cookie. Hope this inspires you to make something creative today.

Check out the video I posted yesterday for complete instructions on how to make this treat bag without a die!

Angry Birds Treat Bags

Have you ever seen something really cool on the internet and wondered how it was made? That just makes me crazy and I can't stop until I figure it out. Well, I saw a picture of some Angry Bird Fancy Favor Treat Bags but there were no directions and I have no idea who designed them. (Whoever came up with this idea did an amazing job! Thank you :-) I am pretty sure that the original bag design used the Stampin Up Fancy Favor die but I don't have that so I had to improvise.

This is my version of an Angry Bird Treat Bag and it is made without a die. I did use several punches because I have lots of them in my stash, but you can experiment with whatever you have.  Go ahead and give it a try. This super stinkin' cute treat bag will just make you  feel happy!

 P.S.       The embellishments for the pig were made using the following punches
      
Nose: 1 1/2 inch circle punch in green ( I sponged the edges with a coordinating green ink for added definition)  
Nose Holes: 3/16 inch hole punch (I used my Crop A Dile) Put a scrap of black cardstock behind the holes and apply nose to treat bag using a piece of foam tape or a dimensional glue dot
Eyes: Made just like the Red Bird's except I pupils are more centered 
Eyebrows: Punch a piece of black cardstock with a 1 1/4 inch circle punch. Punch the same cardstock again with a 1 1/2 inch circle punch - centering the 1 1/4 hole in the center of the 1 1/2 inch punch. Cut the resulting ring shaped piece in half. Stack the halves on top of one another (so both eyebrows will be the same) and trim the pieces to the desired size
Ears: Stampin Up Large Oval punch in green with Stampin Up Small Oval punch in black layered on top

One Sheet Wonder - A2 Cardbox with Attached Lid

I'm calling this project, A2 Card Box with Attached Lid, a "one sheet wonder" because it can be made with a single 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of cardstock. The box is super simple to assemble and can hold 4-6 fully embellished cards and envelopes. It will measure 4 1/2 inches  x 6 inches and is 3/4 inch deep with an attached lid. You can embellish it any way you like. 


My samples feature baby animals cut using the Create A Critter Cricut cartridge and a cute coordinating patterned paper. I was able to make this entire gift sent in just over and hour (thanks to my huge  pile of paper scraps!)

Retro Apron Card

Today's project is a retro inspired apron card. This project can easily be adapted to use as an invitation, gift card holder, or thank you card. It doesn't use very many supplies and is fun to make. Check out the video tutorial, give it a try and let me know what you think.


 I really like polka dots. In fact, I just noticed that I have used them on my last three projects. Guess I am going to have to go outside of my comfort zone and start using some of the other beautiful papers I have in my collection. It's soooo easy to get into a rut! (lol)

Stand Alone Treat Holder with Acetate Window

This is the same Stand Alone Treat Holder that I posted earlier. This one just has a window on the front instead of and embellishment. I used a 1 3/4 circle punch to create the window. Then I placed a piece of acetate on the inside of the holder to cover the hole. I also used a different border punch this time. Believe it or not, it took me less than 5 minutes to make this treat holder from start to finish and most of that time was spent cutting and scoring. I just love quick and easy projects! Check out the video tutorial, give  it a try and  leave me a comment. I'd love to know what you think. 

Stand Alone Treat Holder Tutorial

Just thought I'd share instructions for making a cute little Stand Alone Treat Holder. It can be made from just 1/3 of a sheet of 12 x 12 heavy weight cardstock. (We all know I am frugal!)  If you ever need favors, this project is super quick and oh so easy. Feel free to embellish it with whatever you have on hand. I used some of my favorite old stamps.

Later today I will post a picture of a variation of this treat holder. I used a punch to make a window  in the front of the holder so you can see what's inside. I covered the punched hole (from the inside) with a piece of acetate. Everything else is exactly the same (except you don't have to add additional embellishment to the front of the holder to dress it up.) Super simple!

Itty Bitty Thank You

I needed a quick thank you note for a new friend.  One pink flower was  lying on my desk (I made it when I was practicing my flower making technique) so I rummaged through my scrap pile and found a tiny piece of patterned paper that was an awesome match! That's how this little 3.25 x 3.75 inch card came together. It may be tiny but it turned out really stinkin' cute.

Believe it or not, every single thing that I used to make this card was already lying on my desk. I guess a little chaos isn't always a bad thing :-)

Paper Flowers

I haven't posted anything in a while because I have been incredibly busy. My oldest son graduated from college. Since he will be living and working in Wyoming, we helped him move there and get settled.  My youngest son started a summer internship with Google in Boston, so we moved him out of his apartment, put his stuff in storage (AKA - our basement) and helped him get on his way. Needless to say, there hasn't been much crafting going on at my house lately.

Today I decided I needed to get back into the swing of things. I wanted to try my hand at a new technique for making paper flowers.  I made these three thank you cards in a very short amount of time. I want to experiment with some different colors and types of flower centers. I will post more soon

Purse Invitation

Next week I'm having a Thirty-One party. Each month Thirty One has a special promotion. This month's special allows guests who spend thirty one dollars to purchase any purse for half price so I thought it would be fun to make purse shaped party invitations. I wanted them to be inexpensive and easy to assemble. In just a few minutes I was able to make these really cute cards! Best of all they fit into a standard A2 envelope and DO NOT require additional postage:-) I hope you enjoy the video tutorial for this project.

Easter Card

I just wanted to take a minute to post a very simple Easter card that I made today. I hope you have a happy Easter and that you make time to do something you truly enjoy. Happy crafting!

Quilted Card Tutorial - Old Mill Wheel Pattern

I had a great time teaching a "Quilted Card Class" yesterday and decided to post a tutorial for one of the cards. This technique is fun and it is super quick to make an awesome card. Go ahead, get out those scraps that you've been saving and give it a try!

This Just Quacks Me Up!

This darling treat bag was made using the EASY 3x5 Treat Bag that I have shown you in the past. (Check out my video for instructions on how to make the bag)To make the face I used a 4 inch oval cut with my Cricut (using the George and Basic Shapes cart)and the Penguin Face with Eyes Stamp from Peachy Keen Stamps (PKK-16) The feet and head feathers were made with the SU Five Petal Punch and the wings were made with the SU Scallop Circle Punch. I embellished with chalk, sponging, a white gel pen and some Glossy Accents on the beak. Super simple to make and it won't break your budget.

I saw a very similar design on another site (I thought it was peachykeenstamps.com) but it used a different sized bag. If you know who originally came up with this design, please let me know so I can give them credit for their cute idea.

Quilt Blocks Galore!

Oh my gosh! I have looked at hundreds of quilt block patterns and just about every single one can be adapted for card making or scrapbooking. I have made so many quilt block cards that some might say I'm obsessed. I am going to teach a class on this technique soon and the hardest part will be deciding which pattern I like best.

FYI, this is an awesome way to use of those beautiful scraps you just can't bear to throw out. The fun part is selecting colors and patterns that will look good with the block style you are working with. Go ahead and give it a try. It is sooooo addicting!!

Wow! A New Look

My blog now has a new look! Feel free to take a look around. Click on a few buttons and see how things work. I love the new "video" button in my navigation bar. If you are looking for a video tutorial that I posted in the past, you don't have to search through old posts. Just click on the video tab and you will be taken directly to my YouTube channel. I am anxious to hear what you think about the new design.

Blog Under Consturction

My blog is getting a face lift and I am super excited. Jennisa at Once Upon A Blog Design Shoppe is working wonders and very soon my blog will have a whole new look :-) As soon as things are back in order I will be posting new spring projects and video tutorials. Please check back soon and let me know what you think.

P.S. Looking for a blog designer? Visit uponablogdesignshoppe.blogspot.com

Two Pocket Treat Holder

Today I'd like to share a cute and inexpensive project. This is not my own idea. I have seen several video tutorials on the internet about how to make the two pocket treat holder in various sizes. Most people put candy or a small treat in one side and a little note in the other but I though it might also make a great gift card holder. Wouldn't it be fun to put a two pocket treat holder on someones desk with a little Ghirardelli Chocolate Square or gift card tucked in one side and a note in the other? I think it is so stinking cute.

I wanted to use a scrap of paper I already had but it wasn't double sided and this project calls for double sided paper. No problem! I made the holder and then lined both pockets the same way I would line an ordinary envelope (If you don't know how to do this, check out my video on how to line and envelope) I put a note card in the front pocket and a gift card in the back pocket.

Happy Scrapping,
Vickie

P.S. Angie Kennedy Juda just posted a video tutorial on how to make the Two pocket treat holder on her blog www.chicnscratch.typepad.com

Valentine Gift Card Holder

 I should be doing chores around the house but crafting is much more fun! I made a Valentine gift card holder for one of my sons (Ok, maybe it really is for his girlfriend.) Both of my boys are in college which means I am always looking for little treats that I can send  to let them know that I'm thinking about them. I will  pop a restaurant gift card inside and send him and his girlfriend off on a little date (The Subway card is just a sample. They are not going to Subway for Valentines Day!)

I will put together a little video tutorial on how I created this 4 inch x 4 inch gift card holder. Maybe I can do that tonight if I get my chores done - LOL!

Sharon's Card

My friend Sharon just loves the quilt block cards that I have been obsessed with lately. Tonight she told me that her favorite pattern was the first one I ever made. I decided to throw together a quick card for her. Just thought I'd share.

I used night of navy and old olive cardstocks, both from Stampin Up, and some pattern paper from my scrap pile. (I told you I have hoarded a mountain of scraps :-)

Valentine Card

Tonight I took out all my Valentine's goodies and decided to have a little fun. I used the Spellbinders Heart Squares die and SU stamp set called P.S. I Love You to create a card. I also used  Basic Gray, Real Red, and Whisper White Cardstocks and a piece of 3/8 inch wide satin ribbon. The white layer was embossed with a Fiskars texture plate on my Sizzix Big Shot. Hope you feel inspired to make some Valentines of your own! :-)

Easy 3x5 inch Valentine Treat Bag

I showed a sample of this cute little treat bag about a year ago but never got aroud to posting a video tutorial. This project is super simple to make and is absolutely perfect when you need to give someone a "little something" or you need a quick favor.

You have probably already figured out that I hoard all of my scraps and the left over sheets from my paper stacks (yes, even the ugly ones!) This is my kind of project because it allows me to use things I already have (yahoo!!)  Hope you give it a try.