"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY" . . . AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!

I'll admit that today's MISM project isn't as snappy as a 10-minute card, but it definitely takes less time to complete than you might imagine.  I whipped up two of these cute tea cups bright and early Saturday morning, and I think this one might be one of the projects at my next Inkerbelles' class.  Brenda Quintana was the mastermind of this adorable tea cup and saucer project, designed to hold eight Hershey's Kisses, although I didn't have the candy at the time the photo was taken.  Stampin' Up! products used to complete this project include:

Stamp Set:  Happy Day

Card Stock:  Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay

Designer Paper:  Eastern Elegance

Punches:  2-1/2" Circle, 2-3/8" Scallop Circle, 7/8" Scallop Circle, 1-1/4" Scallop Circle

Sizzix:  Circles Collection Framelits

Accessories:  Tea Lace Paper Doilies, rhinestone jewel

As I mentioned in the title of this blog post, today is my 10th anniversary as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  TEN YEARS!!!!  I knew that I'd been playing with paper and stamps for a while now, but this anniversary puts it all in perspective . . . paper and I have been tight for more than TEN YEARS!  Besides the hours of time spent creating with stamps and ink, this anniversary is a reminder that my demonstratorship is responsible for many of the friendships that I've enjoyed during the past TEN YEARS--some of those stampin' friends still join me at class each month, and I enjoy them so much!  So, Happy Anniversary to me and HAPPY MONDAY to you!

"HAPPY DAY" BOX & CARDS - BONUS PROJECT AT CRAFT PROJECT CENTRAL

This pretty fun box and card set is so bright and cheery. It is easy to assemble and would make the perfect gift for a friend, family, co-worker, or neighbor. This project would also be great for a class, showcasing the Happy Day Stamp Set and Eastern Elegance Designer Series Paper. It will be sure to brighten anyone’s day!

A fun box and card set, indeed!  The creative Holly Krautkremer designed this lovely project as a BONUS tutorial, which can be found at Craft Project Central.  Qualifying for the bonus tutorial is easy . . . just subscribe to two or more months in a row, put the Craft Project Central badge on your blog, or refer a friend to the site.  When your friend subscribes, just let us know!

ANOTHER "CARD IN A BOX" OR "BOX CARD"

Today I'm sharing another box card and hope that I haven't shared it already.  I don't think I have.  It's one of my favorite "card in a box" designs, mainly because the little box seems quite full.  It's hard to believe that this is actually a card--something that will fold nearly flat and fit into an envelope, but it definitely did.  I used the same designer paper and the Envelope Punch Board to make the envelope, but I didn't get a photo of it.

Stampin' Up! products used to complete this card include Flower Shop stamp set, Pansy punch, 3/4" Circle punch, silver glimmer paper, Blossom punch, Secret Garden Framelits, and Sweet Sorbet designer paper.

WOO-HOO OWL CARD & GIFT BOX

This sweet little owl will warm the heart of any owl lover.  The coordinating card and gift box are both easy to make and feature some of the lovely Framelits sets from Stampin’ up!

I am in love with the owls!!!!!  The talented designer of this ensemble is Tanya Bell, and you can find her tutorial at Craft Project Central.

A MASCULINE CARD FOR "MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY"

Today's MISM project is a card that I designed for my February Inkerbelles' class, and I think it has the perfect mix of texture, layers, and visual interest.  The following Stampin' Up! products were used to complete this card:

 

Stamp Sets:  Hardwood, Perfect Pennants

Card Stock:  Very Vanilla, Marina Mist, Crumb Cake

Ink:  Crumb Cake, Midnight Muse

Sizzix:  Chalk Talk Framelits, Banners Framelits, Woodgrain embossing folder

Accessories:  Linen thread, designer button, Stampin' Dimensionals

MINI CUP TREAT HOLDER

When you need a quick remembrance gift for friends or family, this project fits the bill. The mini-cup holds candy treats, small gift items, a Keurig coffee cup, or whatever you choose!   This tutorial also features a coordinating card, envelope and gift bag.

One of the best things about being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is getting to know other demonstrators, such as Nancy Dawson, who designed this ensemble.  Nancy is a stampin' whiz, and a sweet lady!  Her tutorial for this fabulous ensemble can be found at Craft Project Central, and you might want to visit her blog for even more creative inspiration.

A FLASHY SUIT FOR SPRING

There's a story behind this card.  My son recently got a new suit to wear to the funeral of a friend's dad.  Surprisingly, Chad (my son) really, really liked his new suit, which was quite surprising for me because he's such a t-shirt and shorts kind of guy.  When my dad got a new suit recently, Chad needed to send him a card, congratulating him on finally finding a suit that he liked.  It's my understanding that daddy has been looking for a new suit for quite some time and, instead of making a dark blue or black suit card, I chose this colorful, flashy paper for it.  I used the Silhouette Cameo to cut the card and then added some Stampin' Up! Brights Candy Dots for finishing touches.

On the day that Chad and his friends went to the funeral, they stopped for lunch afterwards.  As they were standing outside the restaurant, a man who was on his way in said, "You guys sure do look sharp!  Did someone die?"  Around the same time that the words left his mouth, I think he realized that three young men dressed in suits during the middle of day was an indication that someone had, indeed, passed away, and he obviously knew that he'd stuck his foot (both feet) in his mouth and began apologizing.  Chad and his friends got a good laugh about that, but they also laughed with the man when they told him that yes, someone had died.  I was proud of Chad for being a good friend and actually wanting to offer a supportive presence (along with his other friends) to the one who had just lost his dad.  And I think that my dad really enjoyed getting this flashy Spring suit card!

GOOD AS GOLD CARD SET

This set of cards and presentation box are made using the note cards and embellishments from the Good as Gold Card Kit from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  You will be able to cut the note cards to create the designer series paper for the cards and box.  The Happy Watercolor stamp set works really well as the focal point for the cards.  The presentation box is created using the Envelope Punch Board.  You will have five cards and most of the embellishments from the Good as Gold Card Kit left over for more creations, or you could make two sets and give one away!

I'm so impressed with the way Kris McIntosh has used the contents of that card kit, and that handy presentation box is the first of her projects that I'm going to make--love that!  Have you subscribed to Craft Project Central yet?  That's where you'll find the tutorial for this ensemble designed by Kris, but you might also want to visit her blog for more creative inspiration.

MINI BOX CARD

I've made box cards before, but I recently came across Linda Creech's instructions for making a mini box card.  How fun to be able to make two of these cards from one sheet of card stock!  The first photo shows the card folded flat for mailing.  

I made this card to send to my great-aunt, Betty, and I hope that she'll be able to figure out how it's supposed to stand.  The movement of the card is actually quite natural, so surely it will reveal itself to her--I hope!  The little note that I adhered to the back reads, "Great!  You found my note back here!", and I think she'll get a kick out of that.

Stampin' Up! products used to complete this card include crochet trim, Champagne glimmer paper, Small Heart punch, rhinestone jewels, Bitty Butterfly punch, Elegant Butterfly punch, Circles and Starburst Framelits, and Starburst Sayings stamp set.  My original intention was to use Stampin' Up! designer paper; however, while putting away some paper pads, those die-cut flowers fell out and I decided to use them with the coordinating papers.  Right now, I'm thinking that this fun card will be one of my upcoming class projects because it's as fun to make as it must be to receive!

DAHLIA FLOWER WALL ART

This Dahlia Flower Wall Art will brighten up any room in your home.  It is very easy to customize the colors to match the colors in any room.  Multiples of this art can be made and hung together to cover a larger space on a wall.  The card coordinates with the wall art, and makes a perfect duo when making it as a gift.  This would make a great class, too.

I think this is just such a gorgeous project, and I'm looking forward to following Christy Fulk's awesome instructions for making this project!  Her tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central, and you might also want to visit her blog for even more project inspiration. 

A FUN PROJECT TUTORIAL FOR "MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY" . . . AND A WINNER OF THE FREE CPC SUBSCRIPTION!

For today's MISM project, I have a tutorial to share.  The project is a Hexagon Box/Vase, which is created with a Candy Box Punch Board.  The punch board is one of the available items in a bulk buy that ends tomorrow (March 18th), so let me know if you'd like details about the bulk buy group and how to get a Candy Box Punch Board for yourself.  

HEXAGON BOX/VASE TUTORIAL

Step 1:  Score the 6" x 10-1/4" DSP at 1-3/4" and 4-1/2".

Step 2:  Place the DSP on the board, lined up with the vertical purple line, with the 1-3/4" scored section at the top of the board, and punch.

Step 3:  Slide the DSP to the left so that the half-diamond is flush with the raised diamond shape on the board, and punch.

Step 4:  Slide the DSP to the left so that the diamond shape that you just punched fits around the raised diamond shape on the board.  This time, you need to punch and score.

Step 5:  Continue sliding the paper to the left, repeating the process of punching and scoring.

Step 6:  Use scissors to cut between the 1-1/2" scored sections to create the flaps for the box bottom.  The smallest scored section on the end can be removed.

Step 7:  Fold on all scored lines.  Place adhesive on the narrow edge, fold it toward the inside of the box, and then fold the other end of the DSP onto the adhesive.

Step 8:  Put adhesive on one of the bottom flaps.  Place that flap on top of the flap that is across from it.  Repeat the process for the remaining flaps until the bottom of the box is secure.

Step 9:  Punch a 2-1/2" circle from card stock, and adhere it to the inside bottom of the box.

Step 10:  Weave a strip of card stock that's approximately 1/2" x 8-1/2" through the diamond-shaped openings at the top of the box.  Adhere one end of the card stock strip to the inside back of the box.  Pull the other end until the opening of the box/vase is the size that you want, and then adhere that end of the strip to the other one.  Obviously, if you don't wish to use a card stock strip, you can use ribbon instead.  Decorate the box/vase as desired.

It's a cute little project, huh?  I hope you've enjoyed the tutorial!

And now . . . the winner of the FREE subscription to Craft Project Central (drawn from those who left a comment HERE) is . . . 

Patricia Gessner

who wrote, "Oh how pretty and fun! Great ideas."

Patricia, please email me at randari at hotmail dot com

 so we can get your subscription going.

"JUST SAYIN'" CARD TOTE

This adorable stationery set includes six single-sided note cards and six 3” x 3” mini cards, as well as matching pencils. Carry all of the items in a cute tote with a separate pocket for each!

I am so excited about this stationery set and can hardly wait to make one (or three)!  Yapha Mason designed this project, and her tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.  Have you subscribed yet?  I feel sorry for you if you haven't, but there's still a chance to get a FREE subscription if you've left a comment about my project posted HERE.  I will draw the winning name and announce the winner with my "Make-It-Snappy-Monday" blog post tomorrow!

TUTORIAL: TALL CANDY BOX WITH WINDOW

Today I'm sharing the easy tutorial for using the Candy Box Punch Board to create a tall candy box with a window.  The finished box, excluding the top closure, is a generous 2" x 4.25".  

Step-by-step instructions are provided on each of the following photos:

Step 1
Cut card stock at 8" x 8.5".  Score at 2, 4, 6, and 8 inches.  Rotate card stock and score at 2" along the bottom.  Cut between the 2" sections along the bottom to create flaps, and cut off the 1/2" x 2" piece on the edge.

Step 2
Line up the score lines with the purple line on the board to determine where to punch the diamond shapes in the paper.  Note:  You'll need to use scissors to cut a half-diamond on the right edge, but this can be done after the box is folded into shape.

Step 3
Turn the board around to access the scallop edge punch.  Center the paper, using the triangle guides on the board, to create a scallop edge at the top center of the scored sections.  This all makes sense when you have the board and can see things better.

Step 4
If desired, use a die to create a window on the front of the box.  Adhere a piece of acetate to cover the window opening.

Step 5
Fold the paper as shown to get ready to assemble the box.  Place adhesive on the 1/2" strip, and then fold the other side of paper onto it.  Use scissors to notch the part of the paper that wasn't punched earlier.  Complete the box by folding and gluing the bottom flaps into place.

The Candy Box Punch Board is available for purchase until 5:00 p.m. EST on March 18th via the bulk buy group for which my samples were made.  If you'd like information about how to order this AWESOME tool, let me know!  Between now and March 18th, I'll have one more tutorial to share for the Hexagon Box/Vase shown below:

The Tall Candy Box and Hexagon Box/Vase are examples of alternate projects that can be created with the Candy Box Punch Board.  To see projects created according to the Candy Box Punch Board's intended design and purpose, see THIS BLOG POST.

SPRING WREATH

Have you had enough of Winter?  Are you ready for Spring?  This beautiful floral wreath is the perfect project for the upcoming Spring season!   Full of color and fun flowers, this wreath is sure to delight!  It’s perfect for Easter and would look beautiful as a wall decoration or as front door décor.

Can you see all of the floral detail in this wreath?  Really?  Did you take a second glance?  Dani Dziama designed this project, and it is stunning!  Her complete tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.  If you haven't subscribed yet, what in the world are you waiting for????

CANDY BOX PUNCH BOARD

As a member of the Creative Team for a bulk buy group, I was sent this Candy Box Punch Board a while back and had way too much fun creating with it!  I have a die that will cut and score candy boxes and, although I have really enjoyed using it, I hardly ever am able to get the ends lined up perfectly.  With this new punch board, I don't have that problem.  As you can (barely) see, the easy-to-follow instructions are printed on the board, and it is a breeze to create gorgeous candy boxes in a flash with this punch board!  Check out this cute creation that I think looks like an oversized piece of candy . . . or a petite vase:

I used the diamond shapes that were punched from the designer paper to decorate a coordinating card.  In the last photo, you'll see how I glued some of those diamond-shaped scraps back-to-back to create a neat adornment for the candy box.

I don't know why I didn't think to remove the card from this photo, but isn't the standing box adorable?  And here is one more candy box for today:

I hope you'll check back because I have two more projects to share that I created with the Candy Box Punch Board and, since they are a product of manipulating what the board was intended to produce, I will also have tutorials for you.  If you are interested in purchasing this awesome new product, let me know!

"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY"

This week's MISM project is just a tad late, but I had that beauty to share yesterday from Craft Project Central.  Now that the time has changed and we look forward to Spring (even though there's still a lingering threat of snow in many places), I thought I would share a cheery jar of flowers with you.

Ever since I first saw Stampin' Up!'s Too Kind stamp set, I have really, really liked it.  I didn't rush to order it, though, because I just wasn't sure that I needed another floral stamp set.  I go through this almost every time that I fall in love with a floral stamp set, and then I usually decide that it's okay to own a lot of floral images.  After all, flowers may be flowers, but they're definitely not all the same.  As you can tell from today's MISM project, I finally got this adorable set . . . and I love it!  It's so very easy to stamp the flowers on top of the stem, even without using the Stamp-a-ma-jig, and don't the flowers look so pretty in that jar?  The jar image is from Perfectly Preserved, which is a stamp set that I believe Stampin' Up! retired way too soon, and it's one that I will continue to use.  Other Stampin' Up! products that I used to complete this card include:

Card Stock:  Daffodil Delight, Basic Black, Whisper White, Champagne Glimmer paper

Ink:  Basic Black, Soft Sky, Daffodil Delight, Crushed Curry, Pear Pizzazz

Stamp Sets:  Too Kind, Perfectly Preserved

Punch:  Small Heart

Accessories:  Fringe Scissors, Linen Thread, Stampin' Dimensionals, Aqua Painter

RETRO FRESH ALBUM & CARD

Are you ready for a vacation? This little mini album is perfect for those precious memories and photos. You can take it with you to work on while on vacation, or use it as a brag album after your trip.  This is also the perfect present for someone who loves to travel and take photos, and there's even a coordinating greeting card!

Isn't this a trendy ensemble?  I love the look that Monika Davis, the designer, gave to this project!  Her complete tutorial for this awesome project can be found at Craft Project Central.  Have you subscribed yet?  You won't be disappointed!!!!

"TEA FOR TWO" DESK SET

This is a project ensemble that I designed last April for Craft Project Central, and I am still using the tissue cover and postage stamp dispenser in my stamp room!  Did you get the instructions for this ensemble when it was posted last April?  If you didn’t and you’d like to, you’ll want to subscribe to April 2013 before it is deleted from the site on April 1st, to make room for April 2014 projects! 

LET THE FRINGE BEGIN!

Once again, I have designed a project for Craft Project Central this month, and I'm so excited to share a photo of the ensemble today!  Perhaps you’ve looked at Stampin’ Up!’s Fringe Scissors and wondered what—besides paper grass—you can create with them.  My tutorial will show you several fun projects that feature the Fringe Scissors . . . how to create a closed-loop bow, an open fringe bow, a fun Ombre fringe card, and twisted fringe trim for cards, scrapbook pages, gifts, and other projects. 

Your Fringe Scissors will definitely not gather dust once you check out my tutorial and all of the fun things you can do with them!  As in the past, I am offering a FREE subscription to the tutorials in this month's edition at Craft Project Central.  To be entered in the drawing, just click THIS LINK and leave a comment on today's post which features my project.  You'll know you're at the right place if you see the same photo that's pictured on my blog today.  The winner will be announced with my "Make-It-Snappy-Monday" post on Monday, March 17th, so there's plenty of time to leave a comment.

BUTTERFLY PANSIES FOR CREATING PRETTY CARDS - CARD CHALLENGE #33

I needed to make a sympathy card today and, for my jumping off point, I used Craft Project Central's Creating Pretty Cards - Card Challenge #33.  This month's sketch is quite an easy one, and now is a good time to mention that you could win a FREE one-month subscription to Craft Project Central if you create a card and upload a photo of it HERE.  Just scroll down until you see the "Add your link" button, and then share the card that you created for the challenge.

I love the subtle shimmer in the Shimmery White card stock!  In the close-up photo, you can see how the shimmer shows through the punched and inked flowers--it's so pretty!  Other Stampin' Up! products used to complete my card include:

Card Stock:  Crumb Cake, Shimmery White, Elegant Eggplant

Ink:  Elegant Eggplant and Daffodil Delight ink refills; Elegant Eggplant, Crumb Cake, and Wisteria Wonder Classic ink

Stamp Sets:  Hardwood, Loving Thoughts

Punches:  Elegant Butterfly, Bitty Butterfly, and a retired Butterfly punch 

Sizzix:  Deco Labels Framelits

Accessories:  Taffeta ribbon, brads (retired), aqua painters, rhinestone jewels

Don't forget to follow the sketch, create a card, and upload it! 

ANOTHER "SPIRAL FLOWER" ROSE

Two days ago, I shared a rose card for my MISM project that was created with Stampin' Up!'s Spiral Flower die, and today I'm sharing the second card which was made for my parents.  From the close-up photo, you can see more of the details which include the stapled "thanks" sentiment, dimension of the rose, and the pretty ribbon and twine.

I really liked how vintage and feminine this card turned out!  Stampin' Up! products featured in the making of this card include:  

Card Stock:  Crisp Cantaloupe, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White

Stamp Set:  Another Thank You

Sizzix:  Spiral Flower die, Secret Garden Framelits

Punches:  Eyelet Border (retired), Scalloped Tag Topper

Accessories:  Tea Lace paper doily, Natural Trim ribbon, Sweet Sorbet Accessory Pack (twine), Epic Day This and That designer paper

"ZOO BABIES" BRAG BOOK & CARD

This easy to assemble Brag Book makes a perfect gift for the proud new parents or grandparent, and it will easily hold 10 photographs.  The “photo” theme is carried throughout with the “faux Polaroid frame” card!  Faux Polaroid frame cards are very trendy now, and sure to be a hit!

How cute is this set?!?!  I love the color combination and the sweet design that Laurie Zoellmer chose for this project.  Her complete tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.