Flake Bag: version 2.0

Version 2.0 is a custom job. Her whole beautiful Christmasy house was done in black, white and red. She liked the smaller snowflake bags I had done but wanted something that went with her signature look so we here are. What a great little gift bag. I used a supper fluffy yarn through the button to add a little pizazz and tie the black in and anchor the snowflake. Of course the ribbon is Stampin' Up double stitched RedReal ribbon. Just lovin the classy sassy little bag.

Santa Clause is comin' to town!

As promised Santa all in red! Apparently my mood changed and I went with a bottle neck tag instead of a one sheet box, I will add the simple one sheet box directions to my Ode' to my Brown Santa. So this is one of the teacher gifts I made this year I am pretty smitten with my new santa design and will put it on the docket for next years holiday workshops. To put this in perspective you can see this is just a 8.4 oz bottle of cider, personal size. Santa's head is made of a sizzix die (scallop circles) and 3 hand punches (wide oval, 5 petal and 1/2" circle punch). You can't really tell in the picture but I used whisper white textured card stock for his beard and stash. Hope you got a giggle out of him like I do! Merry Christmas!

Ode to My Brown Santa

Most of you already now I might be a little crazy but this might remove all doubt. I made this for my favorite Santa...the one who wears brown and delivers to my door year round. Thank you thank you my dear Brown Santa with out you I would have no Stampin' Up product and how sad would that be? Since my Brown Santa is delivering tonight I made this up but I am sure it will be just as cute made up with Red with a black ribbon around his belly! I will post the instructions with the basic red Santa. This is once again based around a one sheet box! I got his cute face idea from a fellow demo... http://flowerbug.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/12/big-shot-club.html . adjusted the size of the beard scallop and the project but I LOVE that little face...thanks for the inspiration Jackie!

Football Box

Okay so I was worried as soon as I found out my son had a male teacher! And for none of the normal reason's I am sure. How does a crafty mom who makes crafty things for teachers gifts going to make something for a male teacher and not make him feel like he got a frufu girly gift? Well I thought and I thought real hard and this is what I came up with, a twist on the one sheet box. Matthew's teacher happens to be the football coach and big into sports in general. This is totally a non SU paper (when your in a pinch you improvise!) but the ribbon is. I filled it with a yummy treat and I will be making a tag to go on it but I was so thrilled how it turned out I had to share right away.

FYI - I made this flyer with my awesome software...my Design Studio by Stampin' Up!

Birthday on the go...

I made this tag because I didn't have time to make a card. And it turns out I really reallly love this tag. The color palete matched the wrapping I was using but I like it so much I ran home after dropping my daughter off at the party and made another. Turns out I really like the tag tied to a plain jane gift bag. Who needs to buy different bags for every event? Just bulk buy the plain white and enhance it with a tag that matches the event at hand. Simple, Cheap and oh soo cute. ( I actually just used this tag and tied it to a build a bear box...wrapping and tagging all done!)

Tags, tags everywhere.

Start with a tag...largish I know, just big enough for a greeting and names, but now that you have made your adorable tag with your 5 petal punch and Boho Blossom punch you are ready to gift here are some ways you can use this great tag...
Bottle Tag...punch a hole and attach a hair band or ribbon to tie around your bottle neck. (notice I did the exact same tag in pink...use the same tag style for any time of the year)
Belly Band...add a band around a box and make the tag the bow.
Bag Tag...make a plain bag sing with an adorable tag. (You can see this idea at work in the birthday bag post)

Flake Bag

So simple but oh so adorable. Based on a brown gift bag that pretty much is a shunrkin' grocery bag. Using the Wide Oval Punch to create a handle and a couple well placed items...bag oh cuteness!

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it I'm about to loose control...

AHHHHHH!
Stampin' Up has some mighty amazing things coming up here for us. I am really having a hard time containing my enthusiasm so this is the best place to release. Okay so first is the new Occassions Mini Catalog and um horray for clear stamps or at least having the options. Also tons of new punches in an all new style, they are easy to store! Hoooray! Then we move on to the Sell-A-Bration Mini hollllly cow kids the options are amazing AND they have invited us to choose from the catalog as well from some select stamps giving us ooodles and ooodles of choices for our free stamps/products...that is right there are papers and even a punch on the list of Sell-A-Bration items.
for a peek at the SAB
http://204.228.150.61/catalogs/NovCatalogs/SAB_10_US.pdf
for a peek at the Mini Occasions
http://204.228.150.61/catalogs/NovCatalogs/OccasionsMini10_US.pdf

Ladies here is what I want to say...better book your workshop now cuz I am going to one busy mama January-March with these amazing deals and items coming. :)

Man I need to refocus soo much to do and these amazing new things are so distracting!

More and more purses...oh my

here are more...I went into production on these cute bags. I might be addicted to cute things if you would like to help me unload them they are 5.50/per. Let me know what style you want or if you would like a custom purse that can be arranged as well. You can also find them on my artfire page.

Halloween Treat Bag

Okay so I am obsessed with purses, what of it! This is a fun gift bag based on a lunch bag well this one is a little smaller and black but you get the idea. This project I made for an upcoming class super easy to duplicate for any occasion. What a fun favor bag this would make for a party. This bag has a Velcro dot closure so it can be used again and again. Stay tuned for measurements and instruction.
Thanks to Becky for her awesome inspirations...http://inkingidaho.blogspot.com/2009/07/paper-bag-purse.html

Stamps • Batty for You (116576; set of 8; $23.95)

Paper • Old Olive card stock: 5" x 7-3/4", 5" x 4-1/4"
• Rich Razzleberry card stock: 2" x 2"
• Whisper White card stock
• Night & Day Specialty DSP: 4-3/4 x 4-1/4

Ink • Basic Black Classic Stampin’ Pad
• Old Olive Classic Stampin’ Pad
Stampin’ Up! Accessories
• Scallop Circle Punch (109043, 15.95)
• 1-3/8" Circle Punch (104401, 15.95)
• 1" Circle Punch (109046, 10.95)
• Black 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (115605, 7.95)
• Rich Razzleberry 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (115613, 9.95)
• Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430, 3.95)
• Velcro Dot
• Paper Sack

Build A Bear Party Favor

This is so dang cute. I covered a mini composition book with Whisper White Cardstock and stamped the build a bear image on the cover the pack contains 4 crayons so the kids can dress the bear as they see fit and place him/her in the setting they want it to be in. Also included is a mini bottle of bubbles a compass and a couple pieces of candy. If I had it on hand I would have used a black ribbon to tie off the bag but the first week of school has enough running to the store that I didn't bother. These favor bags are heading to school with Ally to share with her new classmates for her birthday this Friday. The boys get a boy bear and the girls get the one you see hear. This is a great new stamp set that is one of several items that are Build A Bear, Ally was so excited when she saw them in the new Mini Catalog that she squealed and wanted them all for her birthday.

Live With Passion

This is my latest creation...so it looks like somethin was nibblin at my flower I guess I should have looked at the flower before I started to watercolor it! This is a card I am doing for a Super Saturday for a friend. If you want this card kit I would be more then happy to put a few more together.
I used one of my favorite stamp sets for this one...Inspired by Nature (111656, $23.95). The card kit is just $1.50 and that includes an envelope so if you want to do it at home you will want to buy the stamp set but if you want to come and hang out with me you can borrow my stamp set! It is very sad that I have to bribe my friends to come and visit me but there you have it!

Reduce- Reuse -Recycle

For the environmentally conscious stamper I know you are looking for what to do with the cast off rubber from all of those stamps that you mounted...need I say more?

Purse-onel Note Book

This is just ridiculously cute if I do say so myself...and I do. Once again just a little composition book. Covered in Designer Series Paper and closed with amazingly cute hardware. This notebook would make a great door prize, party favor or thank you gift...but don't tell Jennifer cuz she is gettin this one! So fun to give gifts that make you giggle. I used 1" wide grosgrain ribbon for the purse handles although I would have used one a bit thinner if I had it on hand. I have lined the inside of the covers with a coordinating Designer series paper to cover up the glued in ribbon and the brad backs. So cute inside and out!
I would like to give credit to Becky for the inspiration on turning this notebook on it's side to make it into a purse. Here is her project...http://inkingidaho.blogspot.com/2009/08/tiny-composition-notebook-tutorial.html Becky is brilliant you should check out her blog.

My little purse book

I made this so I would always have a place to write a note or thought or shopping list. Well always until I fill it up and need to make another. The base of this project is a mini composition book, you can find these pretty much anywhere office supplies are sold...Walmart to Walgreens. This is a great project to pull out the scraps for. Cut pieces for the front and back apply with lots and lots of Snail or use a glue stick! :) Sand around the edges...this will actually help get the edges down better as well as giving a nice finished look. I used a solid textured cardstock for the "binding". I soo love my taffita ribbon and antique button, I might actually giggle to myself when I pull this out of my purse but shhh don't tell anyone. The ribbon you see on the top is attatched to an adorable mini paper clip...it's my page keeper. Use an elastic hair band for the closure. I affixed mine with a large brad on the back and a rhinestone brad on the front to loop around. Simple simple but oh so chic.

On Board Journal...jr

So simple yet what a fun impact. I made this for my dear sweet friend and birthday twin. The base is a cute 5x5 art journal (108495, $6.95) the pages filling it are very vanilla card stock so it is easy to add pages that match up perfectly. Also it is perfectly sized to use the fun spiral punch. hehe I love having the fun tools to make my cute projects. On this one since I wanted her to be able to use it for her journaling and pics and memories from her European vacation (can you believe she left me in boiling hot Fresno to go to Europe over our birthday!). This is a great size to throw in your purse or backpack so you can grab it to jot thoughts down anytime, you know like that ah ha moment you had that you can 't remember now, ah the fleetings of my little brain. I opted to leave the inside blank as well as the canvas on the front. Stamping on canvas is a great look I just wanted it to be personal for her. And yes, I did thread the ribbon through the button and tied it. The Taffita ribbon is nice and light weight ribbon so it makes this kind of thing quite easy. Have fun with your next project challenge yourself a little and just remember....There are no mistakes only opportunity for embellishment!

Recipe Box Set

As promised I made a box to but the cute recipe cards in. I made these with much gratitude for my kids amazing teachers. They have been so wonderful this year. I put these boxes together pretty simply. I will enter that info a bit later cuz I have to run and be a mom cab now, but I wanted to get this project posted.

Ice Cream Scrapbook Page

Okay so I must have a real sweat tooth this week but i just thought...Go BIG or go home. and since I was already at home...well I think you can see that I went really big. And since it is National Scrapbook month I thought might as well put this huge cone in a scrapbook. This is an 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 scrapbook page. And yes the ice cream has a cherry on top. A sparkly cherry, he he love the bling . As you can tell this is essentially the same project as the card just on steroids. And I am sure you noticed the darling dinky card in front of the scrapbook page, that was made by Sarah my 5 year old daughter. She likes little things. Too cute.
So the only differences are size and the cherry so here is how...
Paper
Scraps of your favorite ice cream colored card stock
Coordinating printed paper
Creamy Caremel CS for the cone
Pink Pirouette CS page base

Accessories
Scallop Circle #3, Sizzix Bigz dies, 113469
Chocolate Chip Classic Stamp Pad, 100908
Stamping Sponge, 101610
Chocolate Chip 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon, 111367
Stampin' Dimentionals, 104430
Jumbo Brads, 112533
Rose Pink, Fine Cosmo Glitter, 108796

Instructions
Cut Scallop Circle from each of your selected ice cream colors. Trim off the bottom to make a scoop shape. Ink up your sponge with chocolate chip ink and brush along edges of scoop and of you DSP. Use the dementionals to stack your scoops to give them well demention! For the cherry use heat and stick powder to apply a nice coat of glitter. I trimmed down the ribbon to make the stem of the cherry. Punch a hole in the top scoop to apply the cherry.
For the little card "You just cut a little cone from a brown peice of paper. and then you get a flower and you cut one of the pedals off and put it on there with some sticky glue then you glue it onto a square peice of paper then you put it onto a card peice. Then it's just a pretty card."...Sarah

On Board Birthday Allbum

I just finished this project. It is a birthday album/ sign in book for my mother-in-laws mom's 90th birthday. I cut the pages to size and set them on the tables at the party we left spots for the pictures to go and let the guests at the party sign the pages. I can 't wait to get all the parts together.
This is one of the new albums Stampin' Up brought out with the latest catalog. I am soooo loving it! It is a 3 ring chipboard album it holds page protectors that fit a 8 1/2 x 8 1/2" scrapbook pages! Ingenious! trim a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet down and you have a nice size to work with.
Paper
Urban Garden Designer Series Paper, 112042

Accessories
On Board Album, 112456
Eyelet Border Punch, 113692
Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, 109064
Pretties Kit, 109114 (the beads at the bottom of the ribbon)
Modge Podge
Sponge brush
Sanding blocks, 103301

Instructions
Cut your DSP to fit the On Board Album ( I cut it just a tiny bit bigger then the cover the extra will come off in the sanding). I choose to layer so I cut the papers down and did the eyelet punch along the edge before I even opened my modge podge. Apply a layer of modge podge to your album and lay the paper on smoothing and making sure you didn't miss any spots or that the modge podge didn't dry too fast. Apply one side at a time then sand the edges to smooth off the exess and make it look like it was made to be that way. Repeat on all sides then add your layers but this time add the modge podge to the layer rather then the album this will keep you form having too much glue on your project. Sand all your edges again. I finished mine with the taffeta ribbon and threaded on the beads, the beads add a little bling as well as give a little weight to the bottom of the ribbon.

Ice Cream Card

I scream you scream we all scream for ice cream! With the temperature out here at at 84 when I was dropping the kids off at school at 8 am! yikes! There doesn't seem to be relief from the heat today. So I am giving you my way to beat the heat.
Stay in the cool house and craft! This will also help with the waist line over diving into the tub of ice cream in the freezer!
This fun card is just punch, scissors, ink and sponge. I was giong to add some sparkle but haven't quite done that. The sparkle gives it kinda an icy look, too cute.
This is one of the projects we are doing at Stamp Club this week.

Paper
Scraps of your favorite ice cream colored card stock
Coordinating printed paper
Creamy Caremel CS for the cone

Accessories
Scallop Circle Punch, 109043
Chocolate Chip Classic Stamp Pad, 100908
Stamping Sponge, 101610
Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, 109067
Stampin' Dimentionals, 104430

Instructions
Punch Scallop Circle punch from each of your selected ice cream colors. Trim off the bottom to make a scoop shape. Ink up your sponge with chocolate chip ink and brush along edges of scoop and of you DSP. Use the dementionals to stack your scoops to give them well demention!

Recipe Cards

I made these recipe cards for my sons class. They were putting together a cooking basket for the schools carnival, silent auction. I absolutely love this stamp set, From the Kitchen of - 114964. For one it is adorable but more then that it is so simple to make an adorable completed project with 2 stamp pads (you could do it with one but I like to put in the yum factor stamp in red!) and some card stock 1 neutral ( I went with confetti card stock, 102028) and several colors of your choosing.
The 1 inch circle punch, 109046, is perfect for punching out the category stamped images (ie, breads, desserts...). Make a mass of these and tie a ribbon around them and you are set! i would finish it with making a little tag with the from the kitchen of stamp. I am also working up a project involving a box. I am pretty happy with it so far we will see if it is worthy of posting when I am done with it.


Paper
Neutral Card Stock (whisper white, very vanilla, naturals white or ivory would all work well)
1 color card stock per category desired
Accessories
From the Kitchen of Stamp Set, 114964
Basic Grey Classic Stampin' Pad, 109120
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad, 103133
Snail, 104332
1 inch circle punch, 109046

Instructions
I stamp everything out first then do all the cutting and punching of the items, this helps keep things look like you stamped the straight! Easy Peasy!

Card Wallet

This a is a great gift set. I just held a class last month making the same project but with a different stamp set and papers. Well I guess the only thing that was the same was the fact that it had a set of 4 cards and matching envelopes and a cute holder for the set.
This is a great project simple and makes a wonderful gift. This can be done with your favorite stamp set and your color pallet de jour. Absolutely no limits to this project and always a crowd pleaser.
This is a set that I took inspiration from another demonstrator. Used her pattern for the card holder itself but the rest is all me. Here is how.

Paper
8-1/2x11 Card Stock

Accessories
Sticky Strip
Ribbon

Instructions
Score 8 ½ x 11 sheet of Card stock at 2 ½ (down the 11" side) and 5 ½” (across the 8-1/2" side). Cut a notch in the center of the pocket, from the edge of the page up towards the score line at 2-1/2", it will be a smallish triangle. Place sticky strip on the out side edges of the pockets and fold up to make the pockets. Fold in half and you have your wallet. For closure you have a few options. I used a magnet on this one it proved a little tricky when I was showing others. I like the ribbon trick. punch holes on both sides of your closed project about 1/2 inch in and equidistant from top and bottom. Thread the ribbon threw from the front to the inside back out the closest center back hole and in threw the other back hole then back out the last hole. This adds a little better hold of your cards on the inside and closes with a great bow on the outside.

My boy and his frog

This is my boy and his frog ribblets. I think I was in a rut with girly pages so I went bold on this one. For the film strip effect on the edge I used Stampin' Up's spiral punch (108341, p 184). For the background typing on the So Saffron card stock I looked up the definition of frog and printed it on the card stock I think it adds a great texture and actually makes since to the page.

Bakery Bag

For my inaugural post I am introducing my award winning bakery bag. I know I know you are soo excited you can't stand it. Take a couple of nice slow breathes so you don't pass out. Okay now that you are back I will give you a little background on this project.
I am a firm believer in finding inspiration everywhere! I don't know if I have just conditioned myself to make it so but I can find an idea for a stamp project just about anywhere. Maybe that will be a fun challenge for later. So I saw the cutest demi baguette in the grocery store and even though it was more expensive to buy then the full size one I had to have it! So after enjoying the baguette and some great cheese with my hubby I started looking at the bag that it came in. And darned if I couldn't make one out of a 12x12 piece of DSP! Throw in a transparency and some embellishments and Abracadabra. I will follow with the steps that make up the Abra and the Cadabra so you can make your own. I would love to see what you do with this!
Paper
Any Designer Series paper: 10"x12"(I used Urban Garden)

Accessories
Medium Window Sheets: 3"x11" (I also use transparency they work great for this and a cheaper)
Sticky Strip (104294, I use this for the bottom flap, there is more pressure on that joint)
Bone Folder/Scoring Blade

Instructions
1. Score Designer Series paper vertically at 1-1/2", 2-1/2", 3-1/2", 7", 8" and 9"
2. Remove excess paper from bottom according to pattern (I will email you one just message me). This will reduce bulk when you make the final fold in your bag.
3. Crease score lines using bone folder. Fold score lines at 2-1/2" and 8" inward and all other score lines outward creating an accordion fold.
4. Adhere window sheet to opening between right and left accordion folds.
5. Crease bottom score line using bone folder, and adhere using Sticky Strip.
6. Decorate bag as desired.