Stamp with Annette

Christmas to Valentine's... Take 1

Last week I mentioned that I didn't get to finish my 12 Weeks of Christmas email series - for various reasons - but I still wanted to share the projects with you. They're awesome! Some of us might actually start getting ready for Christmas 2012 now, but that would not be me. I'm doing good to be ready for today! So to make these projects relevant, I decided to turn them into Valentine's ideas. You get one today, one tomorrow and one on Friday. :-) I hope you enjoy them. Here's the project for today:

These wonderful gift bags were made by my friend Karen. She used the Letters from Santa Designer Series Papers to make the bags and the Stocking die for the Big Shot to make the tag. Here is my Valentine's version:

I used Basic Black (12X12), Whisper White, and Real Red card stocks. The hearts were made with the Heart to Heart and Small Heart punches and the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit. I embossed some of the hearts using the Stripes and Perfect Polk-a-Dots Embossing Folders. Here's a little detail for you:

For the handles, I used 5/8" Basic Black Satin Ribbon and 1/4" Real Red Grosgrain. I just put Snail on the back of the grosgrain to attach it to the satin ribbon.

Next time you need a gift bag, just grab this pattern and some of your scrapbooking supplies and make one to match the fabulous card I know you will already have made! :-) Download Gift_Bag_Pattern

Come back tomorrow to see the stocking die turned Valentine!

Happy stamping, everyone!

Annette

More with Mittens

This was our second project at stamp club Monday night.

 
We cut two mitten shapes from Baja Breeze card stock, and stamped using the Serene Snowflakes stamp set and Whisper White Craft ink. We used Tombow Multi to glue the two pieces together, leaving the top open, so a gift card could slide down in. We used the Eyelet Border punch on two strips of Whisper White card stock and layered them to create a cuff. The snowflakes are made using Whisper White card stock and the Snowflake punch. Whisper White Organza and a Rhinstone Brad added just the right finishing touch. As promised, I'm sharing the pattern: Download Mitten Pattern_ideas

This pattern also works to create a card that fits in our medium envelopes. I will try to share a sample next week.

I also have some Christmas ideas that didn't get sent out with my 12 Weeks of Christmas. (craft shows, family Christmas things, no internet... just a few of the things that got in my way...) But these projects are too great not to share! So, next week I will be sharing my remaining three Christmas ideas (it's not too early to start getting ready for next Christmas!) along with how I have used those ideas to create some fun Valentine projects. I hope you'll come back to check them out!

Have a great weekend! Hope you find some time to stamp. :-)

Annette

Tri-Fold Shutter Card

We made this card at stamp club this last week:

And open:

I had been wanting to try one of these for a long time. They look very complicated but are actually pretty easy. Cutting all the layers is what takes time. You could just stamp the bakground and eliminate that step if you wanted. But I wanted to use the Love Letter Designer Series Paper. I love this paper!

I promised my stamp club girls that I would post all the measurements. I created a PDF that shows all of the cutting and scoring lines. ( Download TriFold Shutter Card - Just click to get it.) Begin with a 5.5" X 12" piece of card stock. Score at 2", 4", 8", and 10". Turn the card stock and cut  - 1.5" from each long edge - from the 2" score line to the 10" score line. I used my Fiskars paper trimmer, but a straight edge and craft knife would work as well. It is easiest to fold all the score lines the same way and then adjust the middle section. When you finish, your folds should look like this:

You end up with eleven small panels to decorate. I decided to just do a single layer of Designer Paper on each section. My layers were as follows (width X height):

striped paper: 1.75" X 5.25" (need 2) and 1.75" X 2.25" (need 2)

Riding Hood Red paper: 1.75" X 1.25" (need 4) and 3.75" X 2.25" (need 1)

Basic Black paper: 3.75" X 1.25" (need 2)

The greeting we used is from the All Holidays stamp set. I don't own that set, so I opened My Digital Studio and used the stamp brush set from there. I just printed it out on Very Vanilla card stock, and we punched it out. Love it!

We also used: the Big Shot and the Ovals die, 1/2" and 3/4" circle punches, Decorative Lable Punch, 3/4" X 15/16" oval punch, Paper Daisies, Riding Hood Red Classic ink, stampin' sponge, rhinestone brads, Dimensionals, distressing tool on the Cutter Kit, and Basic Black 1/4" Grosgrain.

I know this one is a little confusing. I would really like to make a short video, because when I show you how to do it, it really isn't hard. I have a new little video camera, so I may try to do that next week. In the mean time, happy stamping, everyone!

Annette

Preparing for Sweetest Day

Have you ever celebrated Sweetest Day? I haven't either, but this year I might. It happens on the third Saturday of October, this year that's the 20th. It was first celebrated in 1922 as a way to remember orphans, shut-ins, and the under-privileged. It has evolved into a day to remember those who are special to you. I'm thinking my college student may feel under-privileged; I think I will send her something. :-)

I made this box using this pattern.( Download frybox.pdf ) I just printed it on Rose Red card stock and cut it out. I used Dashing Designer Series Papers along with Certainly Celery and So Saffron card stock, the scallop circle punch, white and celery grosgrain ribbon, and Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware to finish it off. The shreddie paper is little strips of Certainly Celery card stock that have been run through the crimper. (I love having matching shreddie paper!) Add a little bag of cookies and you have sweets for the sweet.