Posts Tagged ‘Handmade Cards’
A Tote Box with Gift Cards
Aloha, all!
What makes this gift box with note cards special is that it’s made with TWO boxes made from the Sizzix Box #2 Die to create a little tote. How cool is that? I learned this technique at one of the Late Night Stampers Pre-Convention Stamp Camps in Salt Lake City earlier this month. What a great idea for using this die!
Something else that makes it special is that I used Stampin’ Up!’s new Wood Sheets for the boxes. I bought a couple of packs of the wood sheets to try them with various Sizzix Dies just so I could answer your questions before you decide to order some. I’ll make some of my comments/findings at the end of this post.
For this tote, I cut two of the Box #2 shapes, and made all the folds EXCEPT the two for the top flap. I left those intact so they’d stand up nice and s
traight. After I put the two boxes together, I lined the inside of the tallest part with Designer Series Paper. (All the DSP in this project are from the Razzleberry Lemonade set of papers–gorgeous set!) Then I punched the top of one box with the Word Window Punch. At the Stamp Camp, we then put the boxes together and punched the word window punch through the second box. Can’t do that with the Wood Sheets because the two Wood Sheets glued together don’t fit into the punch. I found that out the hard way, so had to use a Craft Knife to cut the handle out of the second box. Won’t make that mistake again!
All the cards are 3" square gift cards. Four of them fit nicely into one side of the tote, and I put the envelopes in the other side of the tote.
Now for my comments about the wood sheets:
The good:
- They cover a whole Bigz XL Die, so there’s little chance you’ll cut one wrong.
- Our punches cut them nicely.
- They really do have a pretty wood grain.
The less good:
- They are textured wood on only one side. So, for a project where both sides will show–as in the above project–the other side is a white plastic-type paper. You may or may not be happy with that effect on your finished project.
- They fold nicely on the straight of the grain, but do not fold so nicely against the grain. I had to cut or file rough edges of wood grain off in several places even where the scores were very good.
- They are thick, and will not work well where you have lots of folds. For example, I could not use wood sheets for both the cover and inside of a Matchbox made from the Sizzix die.
- While you can stamp on them, the ink from my classic stampin’ pads did bleed a little into the wood grain.
- I understand from others that they do not do well with heat embossing. They’re too heavy and the wood grain is too fragile for dry embossing.
My bottom line: I made a nice, wood-grain looking card using Creamy Caramel Card Stock and the Woodgrain Background Stamp stamped in Chocolate Ship. Until I find another "a-ha" use for the wood sheets, I’ll just stick with what I’ve made from my test packages.
Subscribe to the comments for this postHappy Birthday, Harry!
Aloha, all!
Yesterday, June 3rd, was my husband’s birthday. While we had already celebrated with a trip to Moloka’i, Hawaii, in March (for both our birthdays), I still took him to lunch and a local garden, and had a few gifts I’d picked up on the mainland for him.
BUT I CAN’T BELIEVE I FORGOT TO MAKE HIM A CARD!!!! I think my brain is still mush from that long trip through Oregon to Maryland and back. But I made a card before I gave him his gifts. So wall was not lost.
The perfect card set for me to use, given that he’s now manager of our local Duplicate Bridge Club, was Card Games. This is the first time I used this set, and I think I’ll be using it more now that I’ve figured out how to make some colors work. There will have to be some more color combinations, because the coordinating Designer Series Paper (Jackpot) has more Very Vanilla in it than Whisper White, which is the color I think of as being on the front of playing cards.
To make the cards stand out, after stamped them in Real Red and colored them in (with Summer Sun, Tempting Turquoise, and Green Galore), I covered them with Versamark and then clear Stampin’ Emboss Powder, which I heat embossed to make the cards shine. The added touch of some Real Red 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, and a birthday greeting from On Your Birthday.
The good news is that none of these stamp sets or accessories is on this year’s Last Chance List! But there are plenty of other things that are. Be sure to go over the list (buttons for Stamp Sets and Decor Elements are at the right) and let me know if there’s anything you’d like to order–before it’s too late!
Siimple Flower for Springtime
Aloha, all!
I know you’re not going to believe it, but it’s still winter here in East Hawaii. Not that that’s a bad thing. The palm trees and flowers and topical plants just love the rain. "We are in a rainforest, after all," is a sentence oft spoken and heard around here.
Nonetheless, this morning I felt like I needed a bit of spring to brighten my day before I begin my chores. I have been thinking about making a card based on one shown in the March 2009 issue of "CardMaker" magazine, and today seemed to be the day to try it out.
My take on the card uses the Sizzix "Simple Flower" Embosslit. The embosslits not only cut the flower out, but emboss the floral image on the paper. For today’s card, I used Card Stock Vellum. I took each cut/embossed flower and placed it face down on an embossing surface. Then I used an embossing stylus to gently press dots into the flowers. Finally, using a blender pen and stamp pads, I placed some color lightly on the back of the flower. I used the side of the blender pen rather than the tip to try to avoid coloring in any of the embossed lines and dots.
I finished the card with some Certainly Celery leaves cut from the Stampin’ Up! Sizzix exclusive "Birds and Blooms" Sizzlits, and a greeting from the stamp set, "Heard from the Heart."
I’ll be teaching this technique with all of the Embosslit flower dies the first week in May. If you’re interested in joining one of my classes, just call (808.854.6145) or e-mail me, and we’ll get you all set up!
Meanwhile, you can order any of the Stampin’ Up! products shown in this card any day, any time, by visiting my website, www.RobinStamps.StampinUp.net!
It’s Easter Seasion – Part II
Aloha, all!
Once I got started on Easter cards with the swap that I showed off here on Monday, I just couldn’t stop. I had to go find out what else I had in the way of Easter stamps that I could use for greeting cards.
Sock Monkey to the rescue!! OF COURSE SOCK MONKEY would show up! I had decided at the beginning of the Stampin’ Up! year in August 2008 that I would send a Sock Monkey to my grandchildren through this year. Easter is no exception. That Sock Monkey Accessories stamp set has just the CUTEST BUNNY EARS!
But this all started up at the same time that I finally received my very own personal set of the Circle Scissors Plus and Glass Mat. OK, how do I do the Sock Monkey and the Circle Scissors Plus fit together? Well, by putting that Monkey in a Circle, of course!! What I did here was cut the stamped image out with the Circle Scissors. Then I cut a small strip of a circle with which to outline the image, and then I mounted all on one of the Stampin’ Up! Carousel Notes. He’s finished off with some of the Designer Series Paper from "Walk In the Park" which will be features in the Occasions Mini Catalog which will debut on April 1, 2009.
Do those circles make everything pop or what!? Want a demonstration? Just call (808.854.6145) or e-mail me (robin@robinscraftroom.com) and we’ll get something set up right away!!
More Fun with the Sizzix Texturz Plates
Aloha, all!
I have family visiting from the mainland this week. But I still managed to get some time in the Craft Room before they arrived so that I have something to share with you. Now that my Sizzix Big Shot has its permanent home, everything that ends up on the table in the Craft Room usually also ends up being run through the Big Shot! Today’s card is no exception. If you are on my newsletter mailing list or if you’ve recently clicked on the Techniques and Tutorials tab, above, you have already seen this card. But today I’m bringing it to the Front Page!!
When I look back at cards that I’ve made over the last couple of months, I realize that they would have been MUCH classier if I’d had some texture in the paper or card stock. Now, every time I stamp paper or card with rubber and ink, I ask myself, "Would this look better with a bit of texture?" And, of course, the answer these days is a very definite, "Yes!" (with the exclamation point there every time).
For this card, I used one of the Sizzix Texturz Plates from the Stampin’ Up! Backgrounds I set. Don’t you think it make the card so much more elegant? Click here for the recipe for making this card, along with a tutorial for tying that stress free knot.
Now off to do some touring with my cousin! And while I’m out and about in Hawaii, you don’t even have to track me down if you want to order something. All you have to do is go to my website and click on "Shop Now." Is that cool, or what?! On the other hand, if you want to ask a question or learn more about a product, you can try me on my cell phone (808.854.6145) or e-mail me and I’ll get back to you as soon as I get back to the computer.
Happy Stamping!
Honolulu Regional – Part V – Make & Takes
Aloha, all!
Finally I have finished unpacking (from a short trip to Honolulu–go figure!!). And I finished the one project that I didn’t get done while I was at the conference. For one thing, it was a 3-dimensional project (using the Sizzix Big Shot, of course!) and I didn’t want it squished (that’s a paper crafter’s technical term that relates to what happens when you put 3-D paper projects in a piece of luggage that’s going on an airplane).
There were 6 projects, but I have to tell you that I had a really hard relating to the scrapbook page that needed a picture of snow to make it complete. Yes, there is snow on Mauna Kea this year, but not as much as last year. (But that gives me an idea for the project, so you may see it here later).
Three of the projects were made using a stamp set that will be featured in the Occasions Mini Catalog, which is being previewed beginning tomorrow (ssshhh!) The set is called, "Soft Summer" and is definitely on my wish list. I’ll give you more information about it as we get closer to the time when you can order it (and if you love a watercolor look and are ready for spring flowers, you will LOVE this set!)
The little yellow basket is made with the Stampin’ Up! exclusive Baskets and Blooms Sizzix die. This is a super easy little basket to make, and it can be made in the shape shown here, or it can be shaped so that it is perfectly round. In either form, you’re going to love it for favors for Easter events this year!
Now for a little hint for my fellow demonstrators who may have bought this die back in the fall, and would like to encourage your customers to purchase it now. There is a slight change (for the better in my humble opinion) that makes this a much easier basket to put together. The bottom of the basket is different in the version that is now for sale, and is the one that was featured at the Honolulu Regional. The flaps that have to be folded up (or down depending on your preference in putting the basket together) are fewer, and wider and are much easier to handle. Here’s a picture so you can see graphically what I mean. The newer version of the bottom piece is on the left, and the older version on the right. Wish I had the newer version! But I’ve learned how to make the earlier one work, so I guess I’ll be saving my $$$ for stuff in that luscious new Mini Catalog!
Oh, and the project with the Tangerine Tango flower with the white outline? That’s made with the Tangerine Tango "Patterns" Designer Series Paper. Unlike regular Stampin’ Up! card stock, the Designer Paper has a white core. And this is how this flower was made: The paper was cut using the Sizzix Stampin’ Up! Simple Flower embosslit. The embosslits emboss the paper as well as cut it out. Then we used a sanding block like an emergy board and sanded away the color from the surface of the edges which had been embossed. Thus–White Outlines!
OK–enough for today. Are you intrigued by some of these projects? If so, I’m ready to get you started with the latest Stampin’ Up! products. But first–be back tomorrow, March 1st, because YOU are going to be able to order some sneak peaks from the Occasions mini-catalog–to help you get your Easter projects started! Any questions? Call (808.854.6145) or e-mail me any time!
Honolulu Regional – Part IV – A project I just had to copy!
Aloha, all!
One of the "Workshop Wow" demonstrators at the recent Honolulu Regional conference showed a sample with a stamp set that one of my stamp club members, Barbara, just ordered. It arrived while I was in Honolulu; today I called her to ask if I could please use it for one of the projects for next week’s Stamp Club Meeting. As she’s in the midst of moving from a rental house to the home she and her husband have been building, she seemed happy not to have something else at her house that she would have to move (lucky me!).
The project was a pop-up card, and I had actually promised my club a pop-up card at the March meeting. So all the stars came together, and I (shamelessly) copied one of the projects from the Workshop demonstration. It would be much cooler to see this in a video (pop-ups really cry to be shown in motion!). But video is out of the question this week with all that I’m doing. So here’s the card without motion:
First the outside of the card. The stamp set is "Just Buzzin’ By" which features bees, hives, honey pots and two lines of text. Just the cutest bees! If you keep bees, you’re not going to be pleased either with the cuteness or with the old fashioned hive pictured here. But those of us who are into cute and not bees I’m sure just love it. Note that the wings on the little critters are a bit on the sparkly side. For the front of the card, I used two-way glue and Dazzling Diamonds. The yellow color is Summer Sun, and is it bright!
The inside is the really clever part. When you open the card, the bee hive pops up and the two little bees on the top, attached by way of little plastic strips (cut from transparency film) just bounce around as cute as can bee (sorry). 
I colored the bee hive using Blender Pens and Classic Ink pads, first applying a layer of Barely Banana, then a bit of More Mustard, and finally some accents with Close to Cocoa. Again, the bees have wings of Dazzling Diamonds. For these little critters, I used Heat and Stick Powder. This way my stamp club can see two different ways to use the same glitter product.
And wouldn’t you like to have one of these cards?! Barbara will certainly let me use this set for the next couple of weeks to make gifts for my customers. If you order at least $50 online, not only will you get a FREE Sale-A-Bration Stamp Set or paper or ribbon bundle, but you’ll get a Bee card from me, with the instructions for making it!
This offer is good until March 4th. The reason I’m extending it over the weekend is that, beginning on March 1st, you will be able to pre-order several sets from the Occasions Mini Catalog! Yes, even though the mini catalog doesn’t officially debut until April 1st, sets with an Easter theme will be available for purchase as early as March 1st! And you are still eligible for a FREE CATALOG, until Stampin’ Up! has given away 22,000 copies of the catalog.
So this is a great time to think about placing that online order! If you need any help in placing an online order, or if you wish to place an order directly with me, don’t hesitate to call (808.854.6145) or e-mail me; and I’ll get right on it!
Happy Stamping!
Robin
“Wild Mind” Stamping!
Aloha, all!
OK, it’s not all stamping. But believe me it’s all of the "Wild Mind" variety. I’ll not take up much of my crafting space to explain. Here is a quote from notes about Natalie Goldberg’s book, "Wild Mind."
"Here is compassionate, practical, and often humorous advice about how to find time to write, how to discover your personal style, how to make sentences come alive, and how to overcome procrastination and writer’s block–including more than thirty provocative "Try This" exercises to get your pen moving."
At this point, I’m not so into "writing" as I am into "style." I spend a lot of time looking at how other people use the Stampin’ Up! products that I represent, and I base a lot of what I do on that. So "my" style has been more the style of others. Understand that I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I am crazy about the style that Stampin’ Up! is presenting in its latest catalogs, and the style that some of the most amazing SU demonstrators are using amazingly creatively.
After the writing class last night, though, I decided to break away from what’s "out there" in the paper crafting world, and just create–with some restraints that I placed on myself. Tonight, the restraints were:
- I have to have something easy to create for my friends who are coming to my Stampin’ Up! Open House tomorrow–and I promised them a Valentine project!
- I have to use ONLY the Sizzix and Designer Series Paper that came in the box that arrived on my doorstep today.
- Beyond that, I can use plain colored card stock and any stamps and other accessories that I already have.
OK–there were 6 packs of Designer Paper that arrived. Only one had any kind of vague resemblance to what might be considered "Valentine" value. The DSP is called, "Sweet Slumber." The colors are Rose Red, Baja Blue, So Saffron, and a background color (Sahara Sand).
Of the Sizzix materials that arrived, I had the Box #2 die as well as the Naturally Serif Sizzlits Alphabet.
So, where to start–the box of course! And, some of the Sweet Slumber dotted paper. The nice thing about the Sweet Slumber is that it’s cover weight paper. It’s of the same basic thickness as Stampin’ Up! card stock. So it can be the framework for a card as well as for anything that the Sizzix Big Shot has to offer. This is a lot different from the Designer Paper Stampin’ Up! has been making. The little box will hold some nice treasures, and is the item on the left in the photo above.
OK, now some cards. Hmmm. Well, the number of papers in the DSP pack is limited–2 of each design. So I had to be judicious in case several of those who are coming on Saturday want to make the same project. So I decided on one 4" x 4" card and one 3" x 3" card. Neither of these is mailable in the U.S. But, hey, my ladies are going to be making these ON Valentine’s Day. So they’re probably going to be handing them out. So no problem! The 4" card is in the middle and the 3" "Love Note" is on the right. OK, now who would have thought that I’d be making Valentine’s gifts and cards using Baja Blue and So Saffron?! Not I, for sure!!!
Tomorrow I’ll show a close up of that box that I made with the Sizzix Big Shot and the Box #2 die. That was amazing (not my particular design, but what the Sizzix could do!) because I made that box in less than 10 minutes!! If I hadn’t had to think about how to decorate it, it would have been even less than that! The Sizzix cuts and scores the box, and there’s only one little spot where you have to glue it!
But more of that tomorrow. I also have another hint to make this box a bit better (in my humble opinion!) And, while Valentine’s Day will be over, don’t forget that there’s Easter and Graduations and Weddings and Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and summer parties–this box die is going to be a treasure that you’ll definitely want to have all year long!
Valentine Blitz!
Oh, my, where has the week gone?!
I know!! It’s been spent on my own personal Valentine’s Blitz! First I had to make sure that I got Valentine’s cards made and mailed out to my Mainland Valentines. Yes, I have one special Valentine right here in East Hawaii; but there are lots of other Valentines, too. Then I had some local Valentines whom I needed to remember. And, of course, I got carried away and started stamping and gluing everything in sight that was red (Real Red, Rose Red, Riding Hood Red, Ruby Red) and pink (Pretty in Pink, Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Pink Pirouette) or even looked like Valentine’s Day (Candy Lane Designer Paper for starters).
So now I can take a breath and start on something different. To begin, I made yet another gift card set in a card with a "diaper fold" pouch. These things are just SO EASY to make! I’m thinking already that this may be my Christmas 2009 card (and it’s definitely not too early to start thinking about Christmas cards if there are 80 – 100 to make!)
But I digress. The photo at the left shows the "pouch" made by the fold, with the little note card slipped into it. For mailing, the card inserted into the pouch as shown on the right makes the entire card just the right size to fit into a standard card-sized envelope (Stampin’ Up! "medium" envelopes).
The paper that I used comes from a new Stampin’ Up! Designer Papers set called, "Tea Party." I cut one of the fun fanciful flowers from the large print side of the paper to make the decoration on the note card.
Stampin’ Up! has a full product line of cards and envelopes, including Note Cards (3" x 3" folded) and the envelopes to match. The U. S. Postal Service does not permit mailing of a card the size of a note card. But using one that fits into the pouch makes mailing a snap.
If you’re interested in the directions for making the diaper fold pouch, they’re right here on my blog. For this and for instructions for making some other fun projects, just click on the tab above that reads, "Techniques and Tutorials," and scroll down the list.
And to purchase any of the products used in these projects, you can go to my Stampin’ Up! website and order online–or call (808.854.6145) or e-mail me and I can order for you. If you’d like to see a catalog before ordering, you can click on the link to the right, "Our 2009 Spring/Summer Catalog." Or, again, call or e-mail me and I’ll get a copy out to you!
Happy Stamping!
Back to Basics I
Aloha, all!
Beginning today, I’m trying to get back to some basic stamping and card making.
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When the Fall/Winter Idea Book and Catalog first came out, I was really taken by the Eastern Eclectic theme of many of the stamps and papers. For a Christmas gift to a special friend this year, I made a set of stationery using one stamp set–Eastern Blooms (111626)–and my favorite Designer Series Paper set-Green Tea ((112040). For those of you who have been using Stampin’ Up! Products for awhile, you probably noticed that the Green Tea paper is the same design as the Ginger Blossom design in the Spring/Summer 2008 Catalog. But Green Tea uses the new colors for the 2008-2009 Stampin’ Up! year. Whatever year it is, I just love the design.
I am especially exciited about the way that Eastern Blooms works with the Green Tea paper. So I’m going to be featuring some of that over the next few days. On January 1st, I’ll share how I used the papers with one of our newest stamp sets from the 2009 Spring/Summer Idea Book and Catalog. Just a quick peak to picque your interest in what’s to come!
Today’s card uses one of the designs from the Green Tea DSP, as well as one of the stamps from the Eastern Blooms stamp set. It’s accented with the 5/8" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon in the Baja Breeze color (111375), along with the Certainly Celery card stock. While it may not be easy to see with this photograph, I dry embossed the flowers from the stamp set using the Floral Frenzy Classy Brass Template (111807). I’ll be using this template throughout the next few days. The Classy Brass Templates are so exciting to use with the coordinating Stampin’ Up! stamp sets!
I hope that you’ve enjoyed using your Stampin’ Up! products for your Christmas and other holiday projects. And I’m sure that you’ll enjoy continuing to use them in the New Year. I can guarantee that they will be many new stamp sets and accessories for us all to use as we enter the Spring! Stay tuned here for news albout them all!
