Christmas Boutique Items

Below are some of the items we'll be making on December 12th at my Christmas Boutique!

2010 Coaster Calendar

Treat Bag with Tag

Grocery List

Gift Card Holder

Snowman Treat Bag and Tag

Dry Erase Board

Though it's a bit hard to see because it's already packaged, this is a small dry erase board made from a 4X6 acrylic frame. I got the idea from Diana Gibbs and her Artisan Award submission. They are quick and easy to make. Design a 4X6 panel and slide it into the picture frame. This can be adapted to any size frame, acrylic or glass. The A2 box instructions are at Splitcoast Stampers. Just follow this link. I used an overhead transparency (are these outdated or what?!) as the acetate sheet for the top of the box. The box is designed for holding a set of A2 sized (4.25X5.5) cards and envelopes!

Halloween Treat

Here is a small Halloween treat box that we made at camp this month. I used a box pattern from Stampin' Up! (#33) and printed it onto Pumpkin Pie cardstock, cut it out, scored, and added some sticky strip. The Trick or Treat is a stamp from the Holiday Best level 1 hostess set. I used the Basic Black and Old Olive markers and my Versamarker (on the pumpkin) to color directly onto the rubber stamp before stamping. Many say it looks like an apple pie box from McDs, but it is smaller than that. It is large enough to hold a few pieces of Halloween candy or other small gift items!

CFH is now OWH!

On September 12th, Cardsforheroes.org celebrated its first birthday and has kicked it up a notch. They have changed their name to Operation Write Home. Check out their new website and read about the reasoning behind the name change. My summary is "they wanted to kick it up a notch."

I sent off a box of 72 cards this morning for their 'Tis the Hero Challenge. I also ordered my new self-inking stamp with the new Operation Write Home logo!

I'm getting into Christmas gear, so I'll be posting some new creations soon!

Fall Theme

Next Sunday, I have a Project Share meeting with the other members of the T.O.P.I.C.S. group, and the theme of the meeting is Fall. We're doing a shoebox swap (which means you bring a project for everyone else to stamp) and a card swap (which means you bring a finished card to swap with everyone else).

The first photo is of the project I am bringing for others to stamp. It uses the new stamp set called Autumn Days with the Baby Wipe Technique. The colors I used on the baby wipe are Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, and Rich Razzleberry. I used the baby wipe to ink up the Happy Thanksgiving greeting from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set, and I love how it turned out. The idea for this card comes from Darcie Helt found on Splitcoast Stampers, and I modified it slightly.


The next card is the finished card I prepared to swap. Thanks to my friend, Kirsteen, for the inspiration to use the Lovely As A Tree stamp set and the Magic Pastels technique off the Stampin' Up! Workshop WOW DVD (check out her awesome samples). Thanks to my friend, Penny, for letting me borrow the stamp set! I really think I need to buy this classic set. The card layout was inspired by Michelle Hoffman's post on Splitcoast Stampers. The With Sympathy greeting was added from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set, unfortunately out of a need for a sympathy card, and it really turned out to be a nice card. The cardstock colors are Very Vanilla and Chocolate Chip.

The quick version of the Magic Pastels technique is this: I inked up the tree image using Sahara Sand ink and stamped off once on a scrap paper before stamping onto my cardstock so the image is light but visible. Then, I colored in the image using the Stampin' Pastels. After it was colored in, I inked the tree image again in Chocolate Chip ink, and using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to line up the image, I stamped over the colored image. This technique can be used with many different images, but it seems particularly suited to this tree image.

On Board Book Basics Wall Hanging

While I made five additional clear envelope brag books for the daycare teachers, completion of the project was such a mad rush that I didn't get a chance to photograph and post pictures of them. They were all unique, and they were extremely well-received on Friday by the teachers.

This wall hanging was made as a gift for the school itself. The On Board Book Basics (small 5"X7-1/2") are covered with Pink Flamingo designer series paper. The stars were cut using the Big Shot Stars#2 die. The words were cut with the new Many Thanks sizzlit and the Billboard and Naturally Serif (Thanks, Penny!) decorative strip sizzlits. The pieces are held together using the pewter Jumbo Brads and Real Red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon. I also used the Photo Corners punch and lots of Tombow Multi adhesive! I'm happy with how it turned out.

More Clear Envelope Brag Books

Here are some more clear envelope brag books that I've been making for teacher gifts.