Faux Metal Top Note Butterfly Thanks Card

Faux Metal is a technique I haven't done in years.  When I first did it I'd build up several layers of embossing and then press a stamp into the molten powder.  I recently saw Diana's Faux Metal Tin Ceiling video tutorial on YouTube and it made me keen to have another go at the faux metal technique using an embossing folder.   It's a lot less fraught - embossing a cooled piece with a folder as opposed to putting a stamp into molten powder LOL!   While I really liked the tile effect that Diana produced I decided to use a Top Note die cut shape as my faux metal piece.

I die cut the Top Note from Sahara Sand CS, covered it with VersaMark ink and embossed with silver embossing powder - and I did that twice.  After the piece had cooled I ran it through my Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder and I got this wonderful looking faux metal shape as a result - fab!

I didn't want to cover it up too much so I went with a die cut butterfly and a sentiment on a Night of Navy side opening A6 landscape card.  I chose the gorgeous patterned paper for the butterfly first and that led to me using navy and vanilla as my colour combo.  I scored lines on both sides of the butterfly body so I could put 3d foam pads under the wings to pop them up.  I used some Night of Navy ribbon as antennae and added  2 silver glimmer brads.  I used a Memory Box label die for the sentiment but cut off the outermost end parts and added rhinestones.  I sponged Night of Navy ink around the butterfly and the label before attaching them to the card.

Here's the inside and the envelope where you can see I used more of that gorgeous paper!  I really enjoyed making this, it was fun to revisit an old technique but use new tools with it.  Embossing folders hadn't been invented when I last did the technique - how on earth did we manage without them?!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Thank You Kindly set
CS: SU! Night of Navy, Sahara Sand & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: Prima 'Spring Tide' from the Madeline Collection
Ink: SU! Night of Navy, VersaMark
Tools: SU! Top Note & Beautiful Butterflies Bigz dies, SU! Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Memory Box Bistro Label die
Embellishments & accessories: silver embossing powder, SU! Night of Navy grosgrain ribbon, SU! glimmer brads, SU! Basic Rhinestones, silver nailheads, 3d foam pads

Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub

While on Pinterest a while back I came across a recipe for a homemade lemon sugar hand scrub and decided I'd have a go at making some.  It's so easy to make, Stephanie gives the recipe and instructions on her blog post here. 

After I'd made it I must admit I found it a bit too oily for my liking.  So I scooped it all out of the jar, discarded about half of the mix and then I added more sugar and stirred in some Vaseline.  I will try using half olive oil and half Vaseline for the next batch I make up.  I also added a few drops of  lemon essential oil and some lemon zest.  Once I was happy with the texture and consistency I placed the mix back in the jar.   I've been using it for the past couple of  weeks and I really like it.  It's a lovely pampering treat if I get dry, chapped hands from being out in the cold or have had my hands immersed in water a lot.  It's perfect to use after I've got inky too!

I plan on making more scrub to give as gifts and I wanted to be able to decorate the jars.  I realised the fruit slice from the SU! Tart and Tangy set would be the perfect thing but I didn't buy that set when it was available.  So I had a look at eBay and picked up a used Tart and Tangy set for under £5 - marvellous!  I can now decorate my scrub jars!  I stamped my 3 slices with Memento Dandelion ink, punched them out with a 1 1/4" circle punch and added Dazzling Diamonds to the edges.  I attached the slices to a Crumb Cake circle which I'd stamped with the Victorian Lace background stamp in Soft Suede ink - popping 2 slices up.  I layered the Crumb Cake circle onto a larger Barely Banana circle.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Tart & Tangy set, SU! Victorian Lace background stamp
CS: SU! Barely Banana, Crumb Cake & Whisper White
Ink: Memento Dandelion, SU! Soft Suede
Tools: SU! 1 1/4" circle punch, circle Nestie dies
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dazzling Diamonds, Dimensionals

Two Cards for the Simply Stampin' Challenge #44

This week's challenge at the Simply Stampin' blog is a colour challenge and the colours are Not Quite Navy, Early Espresso, River Rock and Very Vanilla.

This sounded quite sombre and I'm usually drawn to bright and cheery colour combos.  Also River Rock is not one of my fave colours as I said in my post yesterday so I was definitely feeling a tad daunted by this challenge!  I pondered a bit, opened up drawers, looked at stamps, papers, punches and dies and then gave that up when inspiration failed to strike.  So on to plan B - get the SU! catalogue out with the aim of selecting a stamp set to use which would mean at least I had a starting point.  I ended up wanting to use the Ornate Flowers and Trendy Trees sets and rather than choose between them I decided to make two cards.

My initial reaction to the colour combo was it appeared to lend itself to masculine cards so I was surprised when the Ornate Flowers set leapt out at me when I was browsing the catty.  Anyway, I decided to go with it and see where it led me.  I remembered seeing a Not Quite Navy patterned paper when I'd rummaged earlier so I dug it out, cut it to the size I wanted and then realised the background was white rather than vanilla.  Hmmm, I decided I still wanted to use the paper so I set about shabbying it up a bit to tone down the white.  I stamped the Texture wheel on it a few times with River Rock ink and then added River Rock ink with a sponge dauber.  I knew I wanted to use the rectangular solid flower stamp from the set as my main image so I stamped that in Not Quite Navy ink.   I stamped the flower twice - once in River Rock and again in Early Espresso and cut the flower and centre out.  I was just getting ready to cut the vanilla panel when I wondered if the stamped image would fit within the rectangle frame in the Textured Impressions Embossing Set  - woohoo, it fit perfectly!  So after embossing the frame I cut it out, popped it up onto an Early Espresso mat and then layered that onto a larger River Rock mat.  Before adhering the River Rock panel I stamped the sentiment, added the Early Espresso ribbon and three brads. Lastly, I popped up the flower and the flower centre.

I stamped a Very Vanilla panel for inside the card.  For the envelope, I stamped the flower three times without re-inking using Not Quite Navy ink and cut them out.  I popped the front flower up with Dimensionals.  I love stamping a frame onto an envelope as somewhere to write the recipients name and I thought the bird frame from the Four Frames set would be a good choice for this card.

So onto the second card which is more masculine - actually I think it would work for either sex really - but as there are no flowers, scallops, decorative edges, ribbon or bling I would probably stick with this being a card for a man!  I made a side opening Not Quite Navy A6 landscape card and kept to a very simple CAS layout.  After stamping the trees I cut them out with the 1 3/8" circle punch and I layered them onto 1 3/4" Early Espresso punched circles.  I cut my Very Vanilla panel and decided it looked too stark as it was.  The Texture wheel stamped in Not Quite Navy ink after stamping off once first put paid to that issue and I added Early Espresso CS strips.  I stamped the sentiment onto River Rock CS and punched it out with the Word Window punch.  I adhered the tree circles to the Very Vanilla panel, popping up the centre circle.

The Funky Forest wheel simply stamped in Early Espresso ink on the front of the envelope and on a Very Vanilla panel for inside the card finished off nicely.  Considering I felt quite daunted by this colour combo I'm fairly happy with how these cards turned out!

I hope you'll play along with us at Simply Stampin' this week - you don't need the exact colours, you can substitute for a similar SU! shade if you need to.  Just remember to use at least one SU! stamp, punch, die or patterned paper in your creation - and have fun!


Supplies for Best Wishes card:
Stamps: SU! Ornate Flowers, Sincere Salutations & Four Frames sets, SU! Texture wheel stamp
CS: SU! Not Quite Navy, Early Espreso, River Rock & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: SU! Rose Red Prints Designer Series Paper pack
Ink: SU! Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rose Red & Chocolate Chip
Tools: Rectangle frame embossing folder from SU! Designer Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Set,  SU! Mat Pack & Paper-Piercing Tool, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Early Espresso 1/8" taffeta ribbon, SU! Vintage brads, SU! Dimensionals

Supplies for Thinking of You card:
Stamps: SU! Trendy Trees set, SU! Texture & Funky Forest wheel stamps
CS: SU! Not Quite Navy, Early Espresso, River Rock & Very Vanilla
 Ink: SU! Not Quite Navy, River Rock & Early Espresso
Tools: SU! 1 3/8" & 1 3/4" circle & Word Window punches, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dimensionals

Two Vanilla Spice Cake Birthday Cards

Mmmmm, Vanilla Spice Cake sounds rather nice!  These are two cards I made from a project pack my SU! demo Joanne put together for us for our last Stamper's Ten meeting.  I was chuffed to be using some new goodies from the Mini catty!  Oh my goodness, the Spice Cake papers are so gorgeous and I couldn't wait to try out the new Blossom Party die seeing as I'm such a flower lover! 

Both cards are side opening A6 size made with Very Vanilla CS.  For the first card I die cut the flower shapes, sponged the edges with Soft Suede ink, used the Paper-Piercing Tool to add some shaping and layered the bloom together with a Glimmer Brad.  Before attaching the blossom to the card I added Little Leaves die cuts that I'd also sponged.  The scallop border and Little Leaves are made with River Rock CS - the first time I've used this colour as it's not been a fave up to now.  It's taken 5 years for me to warm up to More Mustard so maybe I'll get to like River Rock at some point LOL!  I have to say it does go rather well with Very Vanilla and the Spice Cake papers.

I finished the insides and envelopes of both cards at home and as I was sitting down ready to do just that the doorbell rang.  It was the postie delivering some new Hero Arts stamps - so I just had to use those for my sentiments inside!  I added a strip of the yummy Spice Cake paper and another scalloped border.  For the envelope I stamped the leaves and then added a flower cut out from a piece of Spice Cake paper.

This second card really showcases the gorgeous Spice Cake papers - it really is hard to choose between all the patterns, each design is so lovely!  The More Mustard panel was embossed with the Polka Dots folder and cut at an angle so the circles could overlap the edge at a sloped angle.  Each circle was sponged with Soft Suede ink before being glued to the card.

Here's the inside and the envelope.  For my previous card I used a non SU! envelope with a diamond flap.  For this card I used an SU! envelope and they don't have diamond flaps so I usually decorate the front of the envelopes.  This time I glued a strip of patterned paper along the edge of the flap - and I rather like it! 

Supplies for blossom & leafy card:
Stamps: SU! Happiest Birthday Wishes set, Hero Arts Luscious Frames clear set, SU! Best Blossoms set
CS: SU! Very Vanilla, Pear Pizzazz, More Mustard, Pool Party & River Rock
Patterned paper: SU! Spice Cake DSP pack
Ink: SU! Soft Suede & Pear Pizzazz
Tools: SU! Blossom Party die, SU! Little Leaves die, SU! Scallop Border punch, SU! Paper-Piercing Tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Glimmer Brad, glue dots


Supplies for patterned circles card:
Stamps: SU! Happiest Birthday Wishes set, Hero Arts Luscious Frames clear set
CS: SU! Very Vanilla, More Mustard & Pool Party
Patterned paper: SU! Spice Cake DSP pack
Ink: SU! More Mustard & Soft Suede
Tools: SU! Circle punches in various sizes, SU! Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Penguin Thanks So Much Shaped Card

Oh my word, just look at that adorable penguin - cute or what?! I received the PaperTrey ink stamp set and matching die - amongst other fab goodies - from Michelle from the Card Grotto as a Christmas gift. I squealed in utter delight when I opened the package LOL! I just had to use the goodies to send sweet Michelle a thank you card.

It's been a while since I made a shaped card so I decided to use my new Sizzix Flowers Framelits dies to make the card base and layers.  To make the card base I cut two black flowers plus a white one and I glued the white one to one black shape so I had somewhere to write my message.  I joined the two shapes together by punching a hole through both shapes and tying them together with Pumpkin Pie ribbon and some silver cord.  Even though the card isn't joined apart from being tied together at the top it still stands up!  I stamped the penguin, die cut him and added some colour with marker inks and a blender pen.  I stamped the sentiment, punched it out with the Word Window punch and attached it to the white layer with a Pumpkin Pie brad.  I popped the cute penguin up with 3d foam pads.  I simply embossed the envelope flap with a dotty embossing folder to finish off the card.
 

Supplies:
Stamps: PaperTrey Ink Winter Penguin set, sentiment from SU! Trendy Trees set
CS: SU! Basic Black, Whisper White & Brushed Silver
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Pumpkin Pie & Basic Gray
Tools: Sizzix Flowers Framelits dies, PaperTrey ink Winter Penguin die, SU! Word Window punch, Crop-A-Dile
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Pumpkin Pie grosgrain ribbon, silver cord, SU! Pumpkin Pie brad, 3d foam pads

Medallion To You From Me Card - CAS-ual Fridays CFC #36 Challenge

Here is my second card made for the CAS-ual Fridays Penguin Suit challenge which was to make a black and white card with no other colour allowed.  I so enjoyed making the first card I just had to make another! 

I used a 5 1/4" square white card base again.  I stamped the SU! Medallion stamp, trimmed the white panel and mounted it to a black mat.  I die cut the Memory Box Woven Circle shape and mounted that to a larger white circle.  I stamped the sentiment, die cut it out and I popped it up over the Woven Circle.  I added clear rhinestones for a touch of sparkle to finish off the front.

I don't normally add mat layers inside white card bases but when I opened the card I found some black marks - goodness only knows how they got there!  Anyway, I added a black mat with a white panel stamped with a part of the Medallion image in the bottom corner.  I stamped part of the image again in the corner on the front of the envelope to finish off.  I think the SU! Medallion stamp is gorgeous - so elegant!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Medallion stamp, sentiment from SU! Best Yet set
CS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Basic Black & Whisper White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: Memory Box Woven Circle die, circle Nestabilities dies
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Basic Rhinestones, 3d foam tape

Black & White Just A Note Card - CAS-ual Fridays CFC #36 Challenge

I came across the CAS-ual Fridays Penguin Suit challenge this weekend.

You have to make a black and white card - no other colour allowed, not even a smidgen.  I love black and white cards and I had the perfect stamp in mind - on loan from my crafty friend Lesley - so I had to join in.  I started off by stamping the image, trimming it and mounting to a black layer.  I then stamped the sentiment in the bottom corner of my 5 1/4" square card blank, added the image panel, added black grosgrain ribbon tied in a knot and rounded the right hand corners.

 Inside I stamped just a part of the stamp in the bottom corner.  Lastly I added a circle element to the envelope flap.

I really don't think you can go wrong with a black and white card, they seem to come together quickly, especially if you keep to a CAS design.  I found after making this card I was really keen to make another one so stay tuned for another post today with another card for the CFC #36 challenge!

Supplies:
Stamps: Penny Black 'Berry Red, Snow White', sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps Say it with Style clear set
CS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Basic Black & Whisper White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper, 1 1/2" & 1 3/4" circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: black grosgrain ribbon

Very Vintage Friends Grid Card - Simply Stampin' Challenge #43

This week's Simply Stampin' challenge is a sketch - and it's a good one, so versatile!  You could use stamps, patterned papers, die cuts or punches and this layout would suit many different card styles.  I really hope you'll play along - please just remember to use one SU! image or sentiment in your creation, thank you!

I decided to challenge myself a bit further and use three colours I don't use a lot - More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Soft Suede.  Teamed up with Crumb Cake and with a hint of Old Olive it turned out quite well I think!  I used the Vintage Vogue set and the matching Very Vintage wheel.  I stamped the wheel on Very Vanilla CS 3 times using More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Soft Suede inks and I cut tiles measuring 1 3/4" square.  I stamped the friends stamp in Cajun Craze ink, cut out the tile, stamped the Texture wheel over the top in Crumb Cake ink, stamped the friends stamp again in More Mustard ink and cut out the F.

Using markers and a blender pen I added some colour to the images here and there.   I stamped the flowers in More Mustard and Cajun Craze inks - stamping off once first and then rock and rolling - and I cut them out.  I edged each tile with Soft Suede ink using a sponge dauber.  I then placed the tiles, flowers and F in a shoe box and gave everything a very liberal spritzing with Champagne Shimmer Mist alcohol spray.  I cannot capture that in the photo - you'll have to take my word for it that this card is a very sparkly little number in real life! I added brads to the flower centres and popped them, and the F, up with Dimensionals.

I stamped a Very Vanilla panel and sponged the edges with Soft Suede ink for inside the card.  I added a bit of colour again to the image and a More Mustard CS strip.  I stamped the envelope with the wheel in Cajun Craze ink and added another Mustard strip to finish off.  Please do join in with us at Simply Stampin' this week and make a card with this fab sketch, I'd love to come and see what you make!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Vintage Vogue set, SU! Very Vintage & Texture wheel stamps
CS: SU! Crumb Cake, More Mustard & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, More Mustard, Old Olive & Soft Suede
Tools: SU! Blender Pen, SU! sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint in an alcohol spritz, SU! brads, SU! Dimensionals

Button Buddies Flowers Thank You Card

This is the card I made to give Jan and Alan to thank them for our Christmas gifts.  I forgot to take a photo before giving them the card so I had to get it back from Jan to snap a pic!  Jan gave me the Button Buddies set - and some buttons - for Christmas so I had to use those on the thank you card!

I stamped the flower in Pretty in Pink ink several times to make a background and I then stamped the flower 3 times in Rose Red ink, punched them out and popped them up.  I threaded thin Rose Red CS strips through the buttonholes and attached the buttons to the flowers with glue dots.   The sentiment labels are made with Memory Box die cuts and I added Certainly Celery brads to match the buttons.

Here's the front of the envelope.  The leafy stamp from my In Stitches wheel made great stems for my flowers!   I stamped one flower in Pretty in Pink, one in Rose Red and the third one again in Rose Red without re-inking.  I stamped Celery dotty centres, punched them out and popped the flowers up.  I love using that gorgeous shaped frame on envelope fronts!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Button Buddies, Thank You Kindly & Frames with a Flourish sets, SU! In Stitches wheel stamp
CS: SU! Pretty in Pink, Whisper White & Rose Red
Ink: SU! Pretty in Pink, Rose Red & Certainly Celery
Tools:  SU! 1 3/4" Scalloped Circle punch, SU! 1/2" circle punch, Memory Box  Chadwick Label & Bistro Label dies
Embellishments & Accessories: SU! Subtles Designer Buttons, SU! Subtles brads, 3d foam pads

Collage Background Butterfly Friend Card

This is a card I made using the Hero Arts/Sizzix 'Collage Background' stamp and embossing folder combo set.  My friend Jan and I were at the Glitter Pot together a few weeks back and we both liked this combo set very much when we saw it.  There was another combo set we liked as well - in the end we bought one set each and agreed to share them both!

I stamped the whole image in Early Espresso ink on Very Vanilla CS, embossed using the matching folder and stamped and embossed the large butterfly separately.  The embossing folder in this set embosses only the flowers, large butterfly and the 'friend' portions of the image.  I added colour to the image and butterfly by sponging various coloured inks on with daubers.  I've also added some shimmer by using a clear Stardust pen to highlight some of the flower petals, the 'friend' and the butterflies.   I trimmed the Vanilla panel, sponged the edges with Espresso ink and mounted it on an Espresso mat which I layered on the front of a Rich Razzleberry card base.  I glued the body of the butterfly flat to the card but put Dimensionals under each wing with the backing paper still on so the wings will stay popped up.

I cut a Very Vanilla panel for inside the card, stamped the Music Background stamp randomly in So Saffron ink and stamped a butterfly in the corner.  I sponged colour on the butterfly and inked the edges of the panel with Espresso ink.  I stamped, die cut and sponged a butterfly for the envelope flap as well.  I also used the clear Stardust pen to add shimmer to the wings of the butterflies.

I took a close up photo of the popped up butterfly to show the shimmer you get from using the clear Stardust pen.  So hard to capture in a photo but it's such a lovely shimmer in real life!

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts/Sizzix Collage Background stamp and embossing folder combo set, Hero Arts Music Background stamp, butterfly from Hero Arts Antique Flowers & Butterflies stamps & dies combo set
CS: SU! Rich Razzleberry, Early Espresso & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie & Early Espresso
Tools: Embossing folder & die from Hero Arts/Sizzix combo sets, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: clear Stardust pen, SU! Dimensionals

Yellow Flowers Birthday Cheer & Wishes Card

Here is my CASEd version of this fab card I saw on Pinterest made by Maile Belles.  I loved the raised panel with the die cut flower shapes and wanted to make my own version.  You could use punches as well for this - but because most punches don't reach that far into a panel I think dies are the better option.  I liked how Maile had used debossed CS behind her flowers but I fancied using some pretty paper instead.  I went looking in my patterned paper stash for something to put behind my die cut panel and I came across this yellow and white flowery paper.  I hardly ever use yellow, I just don't gravitate towards it.  However, I thought as the pattern wasn't too busy it would be perfect to sit behind the cut out flowers.  I've added a pop of dramatic black to offset the yellow and white.

I started off with a white 5 1/4" square card blank and I added the black mat layer. I cut a square of white textured CS, stamped the sentiment and die cut the 3 flower shapes.  I glued the patterned paper square to the black mat and then popped up the white textured panel over the top.  I threaded white twine through the buttonholes and attached the buttons to the flower centres with glue dots.  To finish off the card front I added a teeny die cut butterfly with a rhinestone.  

This photo shows the inside of the card and the envelope flap. I really like the design of this card, it's CAS but kicked up a notch.  Earlier today while browsing Pinterest I saw a card pinned by my friend Kelly where a leafy branch die had been used instead of flowers - lovely - and another idea to try!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Cheer & Wishes set, inside sentiment from Penny Black
CS: PaperMania white square card blank & canvas textured CS, SU! Basic Black
Patterned paper: SU! Beyond the Garden DSP pack
Ink: SU! Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: PaperTrey Ink Beautiful Blooms II #1 die collection, SU! Beautiful Wings Embosslits die, XCut small circle punch
Embellishments & accessories: black buttons, white twine, SU! Basic Rhinestones, glue dots, 3d foam tape

Clematis Happy Birthday Card - Sketch n Stash Challenge 78

My sweet friend Michelle from the Card Grotto designed the sketch for the Sketch n Stash 78 blog challenge and I really wanted to make a card using it as it's a fab layout.  I almost ran out of time, I just made it at the last minute!  For some reason time seems to have just run away from me and it wasn't helped with me being poorly which meant no crafting for a few days.

 
Anyway, I've put together a simple card using Lasting Impressions papers which I have had in my stash for YEARS and my brand new stash item is the Clematis stamp from Woodware.  When I went rootling among my buttons I found this big green one which was a great match to the green paper I'd used - the button has been in my stash for years also!  I stamped the image onto the green paper first, cut the entire image out, stamped again onto the pink paper and cut just the flower out.  I've popped up the flower with 3d foam tape.  I used my EK Success Circle Scissor Pro to cut out the black circle.  After gluing down the sentiment strip I was ready to position the main image and I realised it wasn't going to look quite right after I'd placed the button.  So a little adjustment was in order - I snipped off a couple of leaves and repositioned one of them behind a different petal - much better!  I threaded paper strips through the buttonholes, attached the button with glue dots and that was the card front finished.

I can't call a card finished until I've decorated the inside and the envelope but I shall do that later.  I thought I better upload the card to my blog before the challenge entry time expired!

EDITED TO ADD:
Here's what I did inside and to the envelope.

Supplies:
Stamps: Woodware Clematis clear stamp, sentiments from Hero Arts Yummy Treats clear set
CS: Glitter Pot thick white CS
Patterned paper: Black Licorice, Kiwi & Raspberry papers from Lasting Impressions
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: EK Success Circle Scissor Pro, XCut & EK Success flower punches, 1/4" circle punch, Crop-A-Dile
Embellishments & accessories: large green button, 3d foam tape

Die Cut Gift Packages - Simply Stampin' Challenge #42

This week's Simply Stampin' challenge is To Die For - to create something using die cut shapes.  I opted to make 3 little gift packages using 3 different SU! dies  I had great fun putting these together using a mixture of old and new supplies.

 First up is a gift pouch made with the Top Note die.  I cut 2 shapes from Crumb Cake CS and stamped the leafy background in Crumb Cake ink.  I stamped the cherry image in Wild Wasabi ink and then just inked the fruits with a Cherry Cobbler marker, stamped after stamping off once first and punched them out with a 3/4" circle punch.  I added Crystal Effects to the fruits so they're raised and shiny.  I added glue to the stalks but popped up the leaf and cherries.  After adding the sentiment I punched holes for the ribbon and added Early Espresso hole reinforcers.

 I scored a line on each of my Top Note shapes and glued them together to form the pouch.  Then I added a Decorative Label on the inside so I could write a message.  I inked the S.W.A.K. stamp with Cherry Cobbler ink and stamped off twice on scrap paper before stamping on the label.  I wrote my message, wrapped my little gift in tissue paper and attached it to the bottom of the pouch with a few glue dots.  I then tied the pouch closed with Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon.  The little gift that went inside was a tube of Carmex cherry  lip balm - hence the use of the cherries and lips stamps, very apt I thought!

Next I used the Mini Milk Carton die to make a gift box.  The mini milk carton boxes are so sweet when they're assembled!  I die cut the box from Early Espresso CS, assembled it and added Calypso Coral patterned paper and a punched Early Espresso Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border.  I then inked up my new Triple Treat Flower stamp - I LOVE it!  I stamped on Very Vanilla CS, inking once in Espresso ink, again in Calypso Coral ink, I punched out the two shapes and added an Antique brad to the Calypso Coral centre.  I attached the Coral flower to the Espresso one with Dimensionals and then popped the flower up on the box.  I wrapped a necklace in tissue paper, popped it in the box and then used a mini bulldog clip to keep the carton closed.  I'm not sure why, but I  find miniature versions of objects really appealing - the carton and mini clip are just so adorable!

The last gift package is made with the Pillow Box die.  I die cut the box from Lucky Limeade CS and stamped the Funky Forest wheel in Limeade ink across the die cut before assembling the box.  I made a tag using plain and scalloped circle punches and a stamped tree from the Trendy Trees set.  I punched a hole in the top of the scalloped circle, threaded the tag onto the white grosgrain ribbon and tied it around the box in a bow.   I haven't got a gift in mind yet for this particular package - it's very nice to know I have a little gift box waiting in my stash when I need one!

So I hope you'll play along with us at Simply Stampin' this week and get cranking those shapes out to make something fabulous!  I'm die-ing to see what you come up with LOL!


Supplies for cherry lip balm pouch:
Stamps: SU! Button Buddies, Growing Green & Just Believe sets, S.W.A.K. a la carte stamp
CS: SU! Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Crumb Cake, Wild Wasabi, Cherry Cobbler & Early Espresso
Tools: SU! Top Note die, SU! Word Window, Modern Label , 3/4" & 1/2" circle  punches, Crop-A-Dile
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon, SU! Crystal Effects, Dimensionals & glue dots


Supplies for mini milk carton:
Stamps: SU! Triple Treat Flower a la carte stamp
CS: SU! Early Espresso & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: Calypso Coral patterned paper from SU! In Color DSP stack
Ink: SU! Calypso Coral & Early Espresso
Tools:  SU! Mini Milk Carton Bigz L die, SU! Fancy Flower & 5 Petal Flower punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Antique brad, mini bulldog clip from SU! Clips Assortment, SU! Dimensionals


Supplies for pillow box:
Stamps: SU! Trendy Trees set,  SU! Funky Forest wheel
CS: SU! Lucky Limeade, Rose Red & Whisper White
 Ink: SU! Lucky Limeade & Early Espresso
Tools: SU! Pillow Box Bigz die, SU! 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" circle punches, SU! 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch, Crop-A-Dile, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, SU! Dimensionals