Criss Cross Card

Today I am sharing information about one of my favorite card styles. It is called a "Criss Cross" card because the front flaps of the card criss cross over one another. Now this is not a new style and I certainly didn't invent it but I am sure some of you have never seen one before.  This card has a unique look and great visual interest. At first glance you may think it is complicated but it's actually quite simple. All you need are some fun print papers, cardstock, a paper trimmer and some adhesive. You can embellish it any way you like. Come on, give it a try!

Slider Treat Box

Wow! I have been super busy at work this week but today I took time to finish a few projects and put together another video tutorial. I want to show you how to make a "slider treat box." It has an outer sleeve and an inner base that slides out. I filled my box with 5 Rolo candies but I'm certain there are other treats that would fit nicely. The finished treat box is 4 1/2 inches long, 1 inch wide and 3/4 inch tall. I hope you enjoy this quick little project and that you will check back to see what I share next.

Stacking Rings Baby Card

The card I am demonstrating today was inspired by a project that I saw on Pinterest. It is made with a piece of punch art that resembles the "stacking rings" baby toy. Everyone has owned or at least seen one of these toys before! To create the focal image you will need a few punches. I used three Stampin Up punches - the wide oval, word window and small heart. Check out the video below for complete step by step instructions.

Punch Art Bunny Number 2

I'm back to share another quick and easy punch art project. The punch art bunny I am demonstrating today would be a great embellishment for an Easter treat bag or gift tag and it's easy enough to mass produce quickly. I love the fact that it can be made with a very small amount of card stock. Dig out your circle and oval punches and give this project a try. This little bunny is sure to make you smile!

Candy Bar Treat Box

Today I am sharing instructions for making a "Candy Bar Treat Box." This was the table favor we used on the second day of Scrap-fest. It is made from a 6 x 6 inch piece of card stock and it can hold a standard size candy bar (I used a Snickers Bar.) To make it you will need an envelope punch board, a strong adhesive, a paper trimmer and a pair of scissors. You can embellish it however you like.  If you've been looking for a unique way to use your envelope punch board, give this project at try.  I think it is really cute!

Camera Card & Matching Envelope

If your are following my blog you must be totally confused. First I disappear for almost an entire year and now I am posting twice in the same day. I'm just trying to share some of the Scrap-Fest projects with you so don't expect me to keep up this pace.

The project I'm sharing now is a cute "Camera Card & Matching Envelope." It is made with the envelope punch board and it goes together super quick. I rummaged through my sentiment stamps and found some that go with the theme. "Oh Snap!" is my favorite! My son says that all the time so it just makes me smile to have an excuse to use that stamp.

Hope you enjoy this project.

Carrot Treat Holder

Scrap-fest opened tonight with a Pinterest party. Guests were asked to bring a card, scrapbook page or 3D project they made after being inspired by Pinterest (or just about any other source) and we provided yummy snacks that were also inspired by Pinterest. The projects were really awesome and I had a great time!

I have so many projects to share with my friends that it's hard to pick my favorite but I can't wait to show them the "Carrot Treat Holder." It's another quick and easy project that uses minimal paper supplies. If you have a paper crimper and fringing scissors you can use them for this project but they are NOT required. Check out my video tutorial for the whole scoop.

Punch Art Bunny

Oh my goodness! I have had so much fun making this adorable little punch art bunny. He would look darling on an Easter card, scrapbook page or even a baby card and he's really quite simple to make. Check out my video tutorial for complete step by step instructions.

Sneak Peek!

Scrap-fest Starts tomorrow so I am busy getting all my things ready to go. I don't have to travel far but it's embarrassing to be in the middle of a demonstration and realize you left your tools at home. Packing is definitely the hardest part!

Since I have so much to do tonight, I though I'd share a sneak peak. This is a little hinged lid treat box similar to one that all our Scrap-Fest guests will receive along with a video tutorial which gives step by step instructions for making one yourself. It is a really easy project that can be adapted for just about any occasion. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Thanks for stopping by.

Back after a very long break!

If you have been patiently waiting for me to post new projects to my blog then you will be happy to know that several new things will be posted in the next couple of days.

My life has been in a bit of a tail spin over the last year. Both of my sons have finished college and flown the coop. They each took jobs which required then to move to the other side of the country. My youngest son has married and my oldest son is engaged to be married. My job responsibilities have increased a bit and I have traveled several times. With so many things going on in my life, I simply didn't make the time to blog. Well, now I'm back and I will make a real effort to post more regularly.

Beginning on Friday, I will start posting projects from our fall Scrap-Fest. This two day scrapbooking event is a fundraiser for our local sports stadium. We hold Scrap-Fest events in the fall and spring of each year so if you are ever near West Virginia you can contact me for more information about these events. During Scrap-Fest I demonstrate all kinds of paper crafting projects (cards, punch art, 3-D projects and scrapbook pages.) The guests each receive written project instructions and links to video tutorials so they can go back to see things they might have missed during the live demos. The projects I will be posting over the next week are all from Scrap-Fest. Hope you come back soon to check out what you missed.

Folded Frame Card

Oh my gosh! It has been a long time since I posted on this blog but that doesn't mean I haven't been a very busy scrapper. I recently co- hosted a Scrapbook Getaway Weekend  at North Bend State Park. Instead of traditional thank you cards Michelle and I decided it would be fun to send out "do it yourself card kits." We wanted to encourage everyone to continue using the scoring tool that they received as a welcome gift at the Scrapbook Getaway. If this is your first time to visit my blog, just click on the video link below to see complete step by step instructions.

Don't fret if you didn't receive a card kit. You can use your own papers and stamps to complete this fun and easy project. The video contains all of the cutting and scoring information you need.

P.S.  If the video doesn't appear above, just go to the top of my blog and click on the tab labeled "videos" and select the one called "Folded Frame Card". You can enlarge any video to full screen size by clicking on the lower right hand corner of the video screen or click on any picture to see make it larger. Happy scrapping!

Simple Santa Card

I wanted to design a super simple Santa card that could be made with or for kids and was inexpensive to mass produce. This is what I came up with.

• Begin with a black standard 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base. 
• The red layer is 4 x 5 1/4 inches. 
• The white fur is a 2 x 4 inch strip that has been scalloped on both long edges (I used the Stampin Up Scalloped Edge Border Punch). Secure fur piece to card as shown
• The belt was made with an 8 1/2 x 1 1/4 inch strip of black faux leather specialty paper but plain black cardstock will work just fine
• Cut 5 1/4 inches off  the black strip and use a 3/16 hole punch (or Crop A Dile) to make 2-3 holes in the right side of the belt as shown.  
• Lay the belt across the card horizontally. 
• Cut the remaining piece at 2 1/4 inches and round the ends using a 1/2 inch corner rounder (or Corner Chomper). 
• The remaining piece should be trimmed to 1 x 1 inch. It will be used to create the belt buckle. 
• Put dimensionals (foam tape) on the back of the 2 1/4 inch belt piece and secure over the left side of the belt (with the rounded end about 1/2 inch from the edge of the card)
• Make the belt buckle by punching silver metalic paper (or brushed silver paper) with the Stampin Up Curly Label Punch - layer over center of belt (use a dimensional only on the right side of the belt)
• Place the 1 x 1 inch black square in the center of the silver piece. 
• Decorate inside as desired. 

Hope you give this fun little card a try. It's sure to make any little or a big kid smile!

Ribbon Weaving

Ribbon weaving looks so much more difficult than it really is and it makes a great focal point for a card. This monochromatic card is simple yet elegant because of the ribbon weaving and embossed detail but it was fast and fun to make.

If you remember weaving strips of construction paper in grade school to make one of those ugly paper placemats then you know everything you need to know in order to make this very grown up card! Just use the same technique with ribbon instead of paper. Use a hand held punch or die to create a negative on a 4 x 5 1/4 inch piece of solid colored cardstock then emboss it. Create a slightly larger base card  (4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches) from the same color of cardstock. Layer the ribbon weaving behind the negative and apply both to the base card using dimensionals (foam tape).  Embellish with ribbon and pearls.

Quick and Easy Baby Shower Card

I bought two adorable baby outfits for a friend who is expecting her second child then realized I didn't have a card. I went to my craft room, took out my Big Shot, scalloped oval Sizzix die and Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder and in just a few minutes my problem was solved. I cut the Scalloped oval twice -once in blue and once in white (It's a boy!)  I ran the white oval through the big shot to add the cute polka dot texture and surrounded it with the blue scalloped border. The neck hole was made using a 1 3/4 inch circle punch and the ribbon was just secured in place beneath the edge of the bib and tied. The whole thing was popped up on may base card with dimensionals (foam tape). What a sweet little card and nobody has to know how easy it was to make :-)

I Modified My Treat Box Again!

Wow! It really is starting to feel like fall. The weather is definitely cooler, the leaves are coming down fast and last Sunday we had Trunk or Treat at church. I made 100 treat boxes, stuffed each one full of candy and a spooky treat and watched the kids light up when they received a cute little treat box instead of  plain wrapped candy.

This week I also got a special request from my friend Michelle. She wanted a pattern for a treat box that was the same height and width as the Halloween Gable Treat Box but only 1 inch deep. Her church will be hosting a statewide event for ministers so they need to make an inexpensive table favor for each person. So I went back to my scoring tool and modified the pattern one more time! The new box is super stinkin' cute. It can be made from a piece of cardstock that is just 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches. Wow that's even more economical to make than my previous attempts :-)

Hope you are enjoying the cool fall weather and that I have inspired you to pull out you craft supplies and make someone smile!

To make the 3 1/2 tall x 3 inch wide x 1 inch deep Gable Treat Box:

• Cut your cardstock 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches
• Score the 8 1/2 inch side at 1,4,5, and 8 inches
• Score the 6 1/2 inch side at 1, 2, and 5 1/2 inches
• Trim, fold and assemble just like the original Halloween Gable Box (Check out my videos for a tutorial)
• Use a 3/4 inch circle punch to make the hole at the top of the box
• Rounding the corners is optional. 
• Cut decorative paper for the front of the box at 2 3/4 x 3 1/4 inches

 FYI - the spider on my sample was made using the EK Success Tarantula punch and some 5mm googlie eyes and just in case you are wondering, the ministers will NOT be getting Halloween themed boxes. I just couldn't resist making one last spider box :-)

My First Project with the Silhouette Cameo

 I just got a new Silhouette Cameo machine and completed my first project! This image (design id #33682) only cost  $0.75 and it was super simple to figure out how to use the machine. I watched a few You Tube tutorials on how to cut with the Silhouette and was pretty confident that I knew enough to successfully complete this owl treat box. The cut file did not contain any type of instructions for assembly but things were pretty straight forward. I just used the picture as my guide (That's how I assemble most things anyway. LOL)

I haven't had much experience with the Cameo yet but today I am loving it!!!

Tall Gable Box

I wanted to make 100 treat holders for an upcoming Trunk or Treat at our church but I just couldn't think of  anything that would hold the items I purchased. Everything I bought is long and thin. Well, after some  consideration, I decided to modify the gable box I demonstrated earlier this month. The Tall Gable Box I'm demonstrating today can be made from a single sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 inch cardstock but looks very different. The  box  is 3 inches wide x 8 inches tall and is 1 inch deep. 

You might be thinking that making 100 of these would be expensive but it's not! I purchased 2 packs of black cardstock for just $5 (each pack contains 50 sheets). That means each box will cost just 5 cents to make. I am using up a whole pile of left over Halloween patterned papers from stash (Yes, I have been hoarding paper again!!) and I also plan to use  a mountain cardstock scraps for the embellishments. So you see, this project will actually help me clean up my craft room,  get my creativity flowing and  make a few little kids happy. Wow that's a bargain for just $5!!

Tutorial for Top Note Treat Box

I received am email  request from one of my followers for instructions for this project that was originally posted in July 2011. Well, once upon I time I knew where my written directions were, but somehow they have been misplaced. (imagine that!) I thought it might just be quicker and easier for me to show you what I did. The cool thing about this project is that it can be made from one single 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of cardstock. I did use some small scraps and a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch piece of patterned paper for embellishment but you can decorate yours any way you like :-) It also uses the Stampin Up Top Note Die, which is one of my favorites. 

Halloween Gable Treat Bag

I know it has been a while since I posted, but I have a really good excuse! My husband and I took a cruise to Bermuda and had a fabulous time. Shortly after we arrived home, our youngest son returned from his summer internship in Boston. He has now accepted a  full time job in California and next week will move 2570 miles away (pass me a tissue please!) You may remember, earlier this summer we helped our oldest son move across country so he could begin a full time job in Wyoming. I am exhausted!! We have packed and moved and packed and traveled and unpacked so many times that I'm starting to feel a little disoriented. My life should be back on track after the middle of this month but it will be a lot lonelier around here.

Today I worked on a little Halloween project. It was inspired by a box that I saw in a craft store. I thought their treat box was adorable but I had no idea how it was made. It only took me a few minutes with my SU scoring tool to create a pretty close replica. Hope enjoy the tutorial that I have prepared.

Straight from the Nest Birthday Card

Last night I realized I needed a birthday card for my brother so I decided to give my new Pink Cricut Expression Machine a test drive. I know, I know, there is absolutely no difference between my regular Cricut Expression Machine and the pink one, but the pink one just makes me feel happy. Besides it was an early anniversary gift from my wonderful hubby. Guess I drooled at the advertisement one too many times and he got the hint!

 Any whoo, I made this cute owl card using my Straight from the Nest cartridge. The card is 5 x 5 inches so I cut the owl (on page 30 in the handbook) at 2 3/4 inches. The branch (on page 42 of the handbook) was cut  at 1 1/2 inches. (I think - My memory is not what it used to be!) Even the sentiment (page 67 in the handbook) is from this adorable cartridge. I used a stamp from my stash to create the banner and kept the color palate very simple but I could not resist the temptation to bling it up just a bit - I added Glossy Accents to the beak and a few brown mini brads along the bottom of the card. Now if I can just find some wrapping paper, I'll get this gift in the mail.