COTTAGE BOX OF CARDS

I'm pleased to present the project that I designed for Craft Project Central this month!  I had a lot of fun creating this project, and following is the introduction that I wrote for it:

You will be amazed at how quick and simple it is to make this cottage-style box with its stone-like exterior—a technique that you are sure to use again and again.   The assortment of greeting cards feature the Hearth & Home Thinlits dies, and two of the cards are styled for Christmas but could easily be made for winter events and occasions.  You will definitely appreciate the many design and embellishment ideas featured from beginning to end in this tutorial, and don’t be surprised if you find a use/need for cottage boxes in several rooms of your house.  This ensemble would be great for a stamp camp or class project.

One of the best things about being a Craft Project Central designer is that I have the opportunity to share a month's worth of awesome tutorials by giving away a FREE one-month subscription.  Getting your name entered for the drawing is very, very easy . . . all you need to do is leave a comment about my project HERE.  On Monday, October 19th, come back to my blog to see if yours is the winning name.  It's really that simple.

FRY BOX CARD FILE & TREAT BOX

The holidays are fast approaching! Have you ever found yourself needing one more card, last minute gift, small treat, or party favor?  In this tutorial, you’ll learn alternative ways to use the Stampin’ Up! Fry Box Bigz L Die to make a mini treat box that’s perfect for overnight guests’ “pillow gifts,” table favors, or hostess gifts for workshops, and a larger file box that holds note cards. This box is a perfect way to organize your fall and winter cards, and it also makes a thoughtful gift. Instructions for the cards are included in the tutorial. This would make a great class project as well!

I love the idea of this entire ensemble, and it's a gorgeous one!  It was designed by Buffy Cooper and her step-by-step tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.  Have you subscribed yet? 

THANKFUL FOR THIRTY DAYS

Get ready to give Thanks every day during the month of November by creating this project in October!! You will make thirty cards that you can send out, one for each day of the entire month. They are cute and flat for easy mailing! Plus you’ll make an Open-Top Box so that the cards are easy to store and access when you need one. And you’ll learn how to alter a pre-made journal to coordinate with the cards. Use the journal to document and keep track of those that you are thankful for! Make this for yourself, and make a set to give – what a wonderful gift of thanks and also to pay forward to another!! 

The tutorial for this creative project, which was designed by Julie Beltramo, can be found at Craft Project Central.  It's definitely a handy project!

HAPPY HOWL-O-WEEN TO YOU

It’s time to decorate for Halloween – a most fun holiday!  This can be a fun time of year for the fun little treats you can leave on your co-workers’ desks or give to your child’s classmates and teachers.  And what better time for a little fun than Halloween!!  J   This collection encompasses a fabulous Twisted Easel card decoration and Halloween treat gifts perfect for anyone in your life.  This project uses the wonderful new Howl-o-ween Treat Stamp Set, coordinating Boo to You Framelits set, the new Sweet Hauntings Stamp Set, and our fabulous Envelope Punch Board to create some fun goodies. 

The tutorial for this festive ensemble can be found at Craft Project Central.  It was designed by one of this month's guest designers--Wendy Klein.

HALLOWEEN SQUASH BOOK WITH PUNCH ART

Preserve your Halloween memories in this fun and festive faBOOlous squash book! Featuring the Happy Haunting Designer Series Paper and some too-cute-to spook Halloween punch art, this squash book is the perfect showcase for your photos. It would also make an excellent product based class, club project, or a fun gift to give with the matching card. Note: Includes instructions for both full sized and smaller sized squash books.  And remember, if you don’t celebrate Halloween, this project can easily be adapted to any theme or occasion!

The tutorial for this fun project, which was designed by Yapha Mason, can be found at Craft Project Central.

"MAGIC OF THE SEASON" ACCORDION SCRAPBOOK

Introducing a fun and festive accordion scrapbook for the holiday season. It’s quick and easy to assemble, takes just a few supplies, and it makes the perfect gift for moms, grandmas, teachers, friends, coworkers and more. Follow the tutorial and you’ll be adding photos in no time! And remember, this great accordion scrapbook can be adapted to any season or occasion! 

This is the September Bonus Project at Craft Project Central, and it was designed by Michelle.  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!

HALLOWEEN MIXED MEDIA GIFT SET

Deck your haunted halls with this canvas that mixes Stampin’ Up! Products with other media to make this lovely ghoulish canvas. Give this as a spooky gift with the matching card. This would make a hauntingly fabulous class project or hostess gift! And remember, if you don’t celebrate Halloween, this project can be adapted to any occasion!

The tutorial for this project, which was designed by Amanda, can be found at Craft Project Central.

MEN NEED CARDS, TOO

This nautical themed project includes five cards, five note cards, and five mini cards. All cards come with matching envelopes, and are contained in a coordinating box. The cards are blank, but this set includes assorted messages that can easily be attached to a card as needed. This set is a great gift for husbands, brothers, and sons that enjoy writing letters, but have difficulty finding cards without butterflies, flowers, and pastel chevrons.

If you enjoy making cards, then you already know how challenging it can be to come up with masculine designs.  This lovely, masculine set, designed by Boni, will help us all!  Her step-by-step tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.

READY FOR FALL

Do you ever feel that you are always buying or creating new decorations for seasons, holidays, events, etc.?  I certainly feel that way, and for a good reason . . . I'm guilty of doing just that.  I've recognized a few reasons for this madness:  

~  I don't have a good place (or ample space) to store wreaths and decorations and/or 

~  They're not easily accessible from the attic and not protected well enough if in a storage building and/or

~  New seasonal/holiday merchandise looks so fresh and appealing in stores and/or

~  If I buy new things and bring them home, I know exactly where they are (for now) and can put them to good use (for now).

Recently, I created this Fall vignette in a corner on my porch.  The good news is that I didn't spend very much on it since the floral arrangement was already being "stored" on my dresser for the past two months (since I cleaned out my closet).  It most certainly didn't belong in the room, but I didn't want it to get ruined or forgotten.  To enjoy it until Fall arrived, I placed some lighted twigs in the mix, but I don't turn the lights on while it's on the porch.  I maybe spent $5 on the decorations around it.

Once I had a pretty corner on the porch, the door needed something Fall-ish.  Clearly, this wreath wasn't going to work.  Fortunately, I recently saw this video make the rounds on Facebook, and it looked easy enough.  My sweet mother (and you know mothers have everything you need) gave me some wire hangers yesterday and, when I got home with them, I pulled out the roll of burlap and the Fall flowers that I recently purchased and put together this wreath:

And now my porch doesn't look like a mix of seasons--only Fall, and my investment was less than $15.  If I end up having to throw it all away to make room for Christmas decorations, at least there's not a lot of time and $$$ involved, right?  Of course, the flower arrangement will have to move back to my dresser.  ;-)

HOWL-O-WEEN FUN!

It’s time for some old fashioned Howl-o-ween Fun!  This project features the Howl-o-ween Treat Stamp Set and the coordinating Boo to You Framelits Dies.  Also highlighted is the Happy Haunting Designer Series Paper…and bit of sparkle from Silver and Black Glimmer Paper!  The project set includes a sweet 3 -1/2” x 5” note card and lined envelope…perfect to send out a few spooky words to a friend or loved one!  There’s also a wand for your little one to wave in casting a spell on a friend or foe…and there’s also two games to keep everyone busy.  First up…there’s Trick or Treat Tic-Tac-Toe!  What will you choose?  The crossbones X or the skull O?  Either way it’ll be hauntingly good fun...and fun that you can take with you using the game packaging made featuring the Envelope Punch Board!  Finally, who doesn’t remember the ball-in-the-hole game?  Super easy to make, there’s nothing ghostly about these little games…they’re just good old fashioned fun! And remember, if you don’t celebrate Halloween, this project can be adapted to an any occasion fun set!

You'll have fun creating this project, which was designed by Sue.  Her complete tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.