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.

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!!