321 Stamp: Launching Creativity

New Diagonal Simply Scored Plate

I know I am WAY behind on posting projects - so I'll be back with some project photos soon but I had to share this info and video about a brand new product that is an add-on for Stapin' Up's awesome Simply Scored tool. We have a new diagonal plate insert that lets you easily make envelopes and diagonal embossed accents. Check it out and then the item # is 125586 -- and it's $11.95. Remember that you need to original Simply Scored, item #122334, $29.95 to use the diagonal add-on insert.)

Enjoy the video and see you soon.

Christmas Countdown Calendar

Happy Veteran's Day! This project was a big hit with my customers and it was totally inspired by the amazing Paula Wright. I did change up a few things to make it easier. The biggest change was the title. Paula's was tiny die cut letters -- very cute but I knew that lining all those up and gluing them on would be a challenge. So it was My Digital Studio to the rescue. I LOVE using our digital crafting software to make custom titles, in just the color that I need (in this case Cherry Cobbler to coordinate with the Frostwood Lodge Designer Series Paper.) Also her focal point was a cute card stock tree, but I really wanted to use the wonderful Winter Wishes felt accents that are in the Holiday Mini Catalog (item 124108). The mittens and holly look great together and the Christmas wreath is also a great match.

Magnet sheets behind each number from the great 25 & Counting stamp set is what holds each "day" to the front of the metal CD case and then they all fit inside for storage. I love using our glue sticks to attach paper to the metal tin. Everything else is glued on with the Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue (with the green top.)

The Cherry Cobbler Satin Quilted Ribbon was so perfect for a hanger -- it's so sturdy. And I love how you can flip the ribbon hanger inside the tin if you want and use a little table top decorative easel to hold your countdown calendar. Here's a peek at how the ribbon was put inside the tin, with the designer paper glued over the top with glue stick to hold it in place. Plus when the lid is on the tin, it holds the ribbon as well.

A couple of years ago Stampin' Up offered some retired CD-size packaging tins for sale -- but those are gone now so I just searched for CD size metal tins online. The images are stamped in Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green ink, punched out with the 1" Square Punch and then layered onto a Cherry or Green mat punched using the Postage Stamp Punch. That white scallop is from the Scallop Squares Duo Die for the Big Shot. These were fun to make and really not very difficult at all.

Christmas Ideas - Stampcation Style

I cannot believe what a blog stranger I have been! I've been busy with classes and workshops and life in general. I had shared some great Halloween ideas from the wonderful Stampcation event that fellow demonstrator Linda Heller and Shantaie Fowler put on in late Sept. -- now it's time for their Christmas vingette. So many great ideas. I defintely need a white sparkly Christmas tree to decorate in all handmade paper ornaments.

The tree closer up:

On the little table by the tree, the Dear Santa set from the Holiday Mini makes a great keepsake for the milk and cookies left on Christmas eve. (I would love to have had this set when my kids were younger and have them stamp a note for Santa and then write inside -- those would be great keepsakes to add to a scrapbook and look back at when they're all grown up.)

Here are some ornaments made with the Big Shot snowflake die:

Love these and how the Pillow Box used vertically becomes a little pouch to hang on the tree and hold treats or a gift card. I love scavenger hunts to make the kids find their gifts and there could be clues inside of these! The first photo has a Pillow Box pouch and a Top Note die ornament.

Not sure if you can tell the finer details of this idea, but it's a garland made by simply stitching lots of punched paper circles together with a sewing machine.

Check out this amazing advent box.

There are lots of paper mache boxes like these in craft stores this time of year and they're pretty easy to cover with Stampin' Up's Deisgner Papers for a custom home decor item. (I like using our Glue Sticks when I'm covering paper mache, notebook covers, even metal with paper. Works great).

Hope these ideas have inspired you!

Stampin Up' Cookie Stamps

Stampin' Up has introduced a new product that I love -- silicone cookie stamps just in time for the holidays. The Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps are item # 125152 and are $16.95 in the US. (Just check my online order link on the right to get your own set.) There are three designs (a snowflake, heart and jack-o-lantern) that easily snap on and off the wooden handle. I made the cookies with my daughter using the sugar cookie recipe that is included with the directions. There is also a shortbread cookie recipe included. I chilled the dough and also rolled the balls of dough in granulated sugar before baking and stamping and found that my stamp did not stick.

I've been researching other recipes that are good for cookie stamps as the secret is to have a dough that does not rise too much -- so that means no baking powder or other leavening agent. Having said that, I have heard about people having great results with cookies that rise more by stamping them AFTER they come out of the oven so you get the impression to stay in the warm cookie and not just "bake away" as it rises.

Here's a video from Stampin' Up that shows the cookie stamps in action.

 

I packaged some cookies up for a workshop hostess (hi Kym!) in one of the cute Kraft boxes from the Holiday Mini catalog (item # 124106 (4 boxes for $2.95) -- and then forgot to take a photo. The boxes are a very nice size and the cookies fit in perfectly. I put them inside one of our large cello bags first so they would stay fresh.

Enjoy stamping on cookies!

Fall Holidays Inspiration

I promised some ideas from a great stamping event I attended in Orlando in late September. It was organized by fellow SU demonstrator Linda Heller and her amazing stamping friend Shantaie Fowler. So let the eye candy begin.... first, Halloween ideas -- I love how a tag from the Two Tags Big Shot Die becomes the background for each element of the Spooky banner (such a versatile die):

Now on to Thanksgiving and many things made with the amazing Spice Cake suite of products from Stampin' Up's Holiday mini catalog, which includes paper and matching fabric. Check out the whole table:

Look at this amazing tree. Shantaie made this and click here to see more info on her blog about it.

A beautiful wreath featuring Spice Cake Fabric rosettes...

Paper strip pumpkins from Spice Cake Designer Series Paper...

And what Thanksgiving table would not be prettier with these simple cream napkins dressed up with a simple strip of Spice Cake fabric sewn on and then a matching napkin "ring" made with the paper and buttons and a die cut leaf. (those giant buttons are also part of the Spice Cake suite and available in my online store.)

So many beautiful ideas for some fall crafting!

A Halloween Skinny Bag Pencil Treat

I love Halloween ideas with candy of course, but when I saw our new skinny bags in the Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini catalog, I knew that pencils would fit inside these great new bags (in addition to the obvious things like stacks of M&Ms, Smartie's and any skinny wrapped candy.) You get 50 bags for just $2.50 so what a great item for school treats or to give to trick-or-treaters!

I got my pencils last year at an after holiday sale at a big discount so keep that in mind for next year. Of course all the dollar stores are full of Halloween pencils right now. I slid in two pencils, sealed the bag with the little self-sealing strip. Then to glam it up a little I punched out a Decorative Label punch in either Rich Razzlebarry or Wild Wasabi (how nice that my pencils matched SU colors!). I folded the punched shape in half and used a stapler to attach it to the bag. The staple is hidden by my cute punched shapes stamped with images from Spooky Bingo Bits.

Here's a full view of both styles I made (sorry it's blurry). The image is punched out with the new 1" Square Punch and layered onto a punched Postage Stamp shape in either black or Pacific Point. Mini Glue dots hold the images over the staple.

And of course I covered the staple in the back as well with another punched out image from the same great stamp set.

You can order Spooky Bingo Bits from my online store.

A Top for the Fancy Favor Box

Stampin Up's Fancy Favor Box is one of my favorite die cut boxes we offer to use in the Big Shot Die Cutting machine. I love how large it is -- 3 1/2" tall; 3" wide and 2 1/4" deep (and the sides are gussetted if you want to fold on those score lines for a cute bag look instead of a box.)

At convention this summer I loved this idea to use the same die -- and then just cut off the bottom taps, flip it upside down and slide over the box for a topper with the same pretty edge as the box.

You just punch two holes and thread ribbon through to close the top edge.

Here's the display from convention so you can see how the bottom tabs were removed to make the topper.

You can always click on a photo to see it larger and the Fancy Favor bix is available using my Order Online link in the right column. It's never too soon to start thinking about Christmas!

Petite Pocket Big Shot Die Becomes a Box

In my last post introducing the Petite Pocket die I promised to share a box made from the die. It's so easy to do. Here's what it looks like dressed up with a paper band -- and it's big (considering it was made from something called a Petitie Pocket!) It's 4 1/4" tall and each side is about 2 1/4" wide.

You first cut out four Petite Pocket shapes using your Big Shot machine. Just cut out the whole envelope -- four times. I used Marina Mist card stock for mine.You're going to then use a paper cutter to cut off one skinny side flap from each one -- just be sure you cut the same side flap off of all four. You're also going to shorten what would be the back wide flap if you were making an envelope. Shortening it to 2 1/8" turns them into perfectly angled box bottom flaps. (I just lined up that bottom score mark on the 2 1/8" mark on my cutter and then sliced them off -- easy to measure and make them the same length.

Then it's time to glue the remaining side flaps to the side of each envelope that you cut the flap off. I used Tombow Multipurpose glue. This photos shows all four glued together right before I glue that last flap to make the box rectangle.

I got this idea from Fran Sabad at a demonstrator idea booth during convention and I just altered the length of the bottom flaps so they more closely matched the width of the box. They make a very sturdy bottom by folding in all four and gluing them to each other.

For that top you can see in the larger photo I just folded in the two opposite top flaps and punched holes in the other two flaps and added the little reinforcement circles cut by the die and then threaded through some Crumb Cake Seam Binding.

These are so fun to make and I know will hold a nice cello bag of homemade candy or fudge for neighbors at Christmas time.

Petite Pocket Envelope Gift Card Holder

I noticed the new Petite Pocket Big Shot die immediately when the new catalog came out. And my first question was — will it hold a gift card? Here's visual proof of the answer!

It sure does and here's a look at the front all gussied up with punched flowers and bling. I punched an oval window in the front before assembly so the front of the card showed through -- just wish I'd had one that was a better match for my Blushing Bride card stock.

The die also cuts two little circles that are designed to be attached as the closure -- sort of like those work place envelopes that you don't seal but instead send items around to different people and they unwind the string to get inside. (remember those and the distribution lists on them? They're still around but boy has the internet and the ability to share documents electronically decreased the need for those!) So instead of the circles here I attached more punched flowers as the closure. Just be sure to attach the one on the envelope before you assemble it! My brads are from the Vintage Trinkets and check out how the medium size stick on rhinestones fit perfectly in the recessed space that is really a little faux button brad. I just tied the Baker's Twine to the brad on the flap and then you wrap to close.

Love this die and I'll be back with more ideas of things to make with it -- including a pretty big box!

 

A pull-up candy bar surprise

Here's a great project when you want to surprise someone with a sweet treat -- in this case a full size Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar that's been wrapped in the pretty First Edition newsprint style Designer Paper from Stampin' Up and then hidden inside a card stock "tube" to be revealed when the recipient pulls the ribbon.

Here are dimensions and scoring instructions to make the candy bar sleeve (and at the end I'll post measurements that I use when I do not wrap the candy bar.):

6” by 6” Marina Mist Card Stock (stamp it as you like, I used Marina Mist ink and the Nature's Walk stamp set for a tone-on-tone look. The label was made with the Four Frames set and the words came from Teeny Tiny Wishes -- a must-have word set!)

Test the square’s “grain” and score along the side that bends easiest for neater folds. (So the most “bendable” direction is horizontal in the Fiskars Trimmer or your scoring tool.)

Score at 2 ½” — 2 ¾” — 5 ¼” AND 5 ½” from one end.

** The wide panel closest to the ½” side flap is the front. Punch a little down from the top of this front flap with the Word Window Punch BEFORE assembly & with the wrapper open flat. This will create the slot that you will thread your ribbon through later.

I wrapped my candy bar in a piece of the newsprint paper that was 6 inches wide and 6 1/2" tall. I needed that extra 1/2" to be able to tape the ends closed with SNAIL adhesive and then I crimped them a couple of turns in the Paper Crimper to give it a finished look.

Seal the card stock sleeve closed using Sticky Strip or the liquid Tombow Glue. Cut a piece of wide ribbon 16 ½” long. Here's a look at the candy bar pulled up so you can see how the ribbon is wrapped around the bottom of the candy bar, which is then slid down into the sleeve.

You'll be threading just the ribbon on the front of the candy bar through that Word Window slot that you punched on just the front panel. When it gets to the bottom it stops and it's easy to slide the candy bar out of the ribbon. (I've also attached a Gift Card to the candy bar before so that surprise pops up when you pull the ribbon.) I just tied linen thread around my ribbon tops -- and you want to tie it close to the top of the candy bar so it holds it in. This was a nice way to keep it "manly looking" since this one was a Father's Day theme.

And here is a look from the back so you can see that there is NO slot there, just in the front.

Here are those adjusted measurements to make the sleeve a little smaller when you use a candy bar just in its wrapper without the added bulk of the designer paper wrap: Use a 5 ½" wide by 6” card stock square and score at: 2 ¼” — 2 ½” — 4 ¾” AND 5” 

These are so much fun to make and like I said before, stick a gift card onto the candy bar with a couple of mini glue dots and it's really a treat!