Snowman Thanks with Sizzix

Hello, my Sweets! I hope you all had an amazing Christmas day yesterday, filled with love, happiness and the spirit of the season!

It truly was the most wonderful Christmas here at my house. I am so incredibly blessed to have had both of my adorable kiddos and both of my sweet parents to celebrate the day with, and boy, oh boy…. was Santa ever good to me!

Now that the holiday is over, I am finding myself in serious need of thank you cards. So I’ve pulled out a few of my favorite Sizzix Tim Holtz goodies to make some fun winter-inspired notecards to share with you today. These little cuties are quick and easy to put together, good for making in bulk, with special emphasis on being mail-friendly.

I am a sucker for cute snowmen, and this little guy gets me every time. I love Tim Holtz’s blueprints. So quirky and fun, and better yet, easy to color. I pulled out a few markers and Distress inks to brighten up his snowy  scene, and added a quick stamped sentiment and embossed snowflake background.

Here’s a few easy steps.

Cut a panel of kraft cardstock to fit the front of a standard A2 card base, and emboss with the snowflake embossing folder from Tim’s Snowflake Pattern & Plaid Set.

Swipe the raised portions with Picket Fence Distress Paint.

Cut 3″ x 5.5″ panels of white cardstock and stamp the snowman from the Framelits Snowman Blueprints stamp and die set in the center of the paper.

Color frosty and add Broken China Distress Ink to the edges of the panel using an ink blending tool. Add stamped sentiment, and tie hemp around the bottom. Machine stitch the paper, if desired. Then top it all off with a few stamped and embossed snowflakes.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Wishing you all a wonderful, quiet, and peaceful day!

Supplies:
Sizzix Framelits Die Set 6PK w/Stamps – Snowman Blueprint
Sizzix Texture Fades Embossing Folders 2PK – Snowflake Pattern & Plaid Set
Sizzix Big Shot Machine Only (Powder Blue & Teal)

Sizzix Tutorial- Happy Day Tag

If there’s one Sizzix die I seem to turn to again and again, it has to be Tim Holtz’ Tag & Tie die. So useful for so many projects, and truly the perfect size for creating art tags, mixed-media tags, or simple gift tags. This past weekend, my little Missy was invited to the 16th birthday of her good friend, Connor, and I found myself in need of some last-minute gift wrap. So once again, I turned to my Tag & Tie die to put together a package with a fun, grungy, masculine flair. Perfectly suited for a 16 year old boy.

While shopping at the beach the other weekend, I made a purchase in a funky little lotions and potions store and came away with a cool vintage looking bag. Thought the print was great for a masculine design, but unfortunately the bag was too small to be of much use. It did, however, make a great belly band, mixed with my all-time favorite kraft wrapping paper. And I had enough pieces left over to add to my grungy collage-style tag. Love it when things work out like that.

I found lots of random odds and ends from my stash pile to use, too, and got a bit messy with inks, stamps, and embossing powder. Such a fun process, and I must say, I’m always tickled when I can break out some supplies that don’t tend to get a whole lot of use at my house.

One thing I love about collage design is that no two finished projects ever look exactly the same. That, plus it allows you the freedom to play and experiment and be a little crazy. If you’d like to give collage a try, but aren’t sure how to get started, here’s a few steps I used to create this tag.

Begin by die cutting the tag from the Tag & Tie die from patterned paper. Although most of the print will be covered up, using patterned paper does add peek-a-boo detail to the finished project. Ink up a large background cling stamp with clear embossing ink, and lay the stamp face up on your work table. I used the BasicGrey Diamond Background cling stamp from their new Grand Bazaar collection. Flip the tag over, and press the bottom of the tag onto the inked stamp. Lightly press on the tag on a few areas only, and then pull it off. You’ll end up with a nice, random imprint, darker in some areas and lighter in others. Cover the image with embossing powder and heat set using an embossing heat tool. I love Donna Salazar’s Mix’d Media Inx embossing powder in Leather. Beautiful brown color with a glaze of bronze.

Using a strong adhesive, preferably a liquid adhesive like tacky glue, apply dabs of adhesive to a few areas of the tag and cover them with scraps of torn paper strips, like my leftover bag pieces.

Trim around the edges of the tag, then sand over the paper, removing any areas that weren’t glued down and adding a well-worn distressed finish to the tag. Add a bit of Frayed Burlap Distress Ink to the edges of the tag.

Now add a few more stamped and embossed images. This time I used fun vintage designs from Tim Holtz’ Haberdashery stamp set from Stamper’s Anonymous and white embossing powder. My “happy day” sentiment came from BasicGrey’s Small Things clear stamp set, stamped in gray ink onto kraft cardstock.

I crumpled my sentiment strip to give it some wear and tear, then layered it with an old Tim Holtz ticket. Tacked them both to my tag and secured them with a couple of quick hand-stitches. Die cut the hole re-inforcer from black cardstock and added it to the top of the tag along with a bit of ball and chain. Add a few final embellishments, and you are done!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and hope you enjoyed my quick tag tutorial using my favorite Sizzix die. By the way, the Tag & Tie die is on sale right now (wink, wink)…not that I’m enabling, or anything…

🙂

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Supplies:
Cardstock: The Kraft Outlet, Stampin’Up
Patterned Paper: Pebbles, Inc.
Die: Sizzix
Stamps: BasicGrey, Stamper’s Anonymous
Ink: Stampin’Up, Ranger, Tsukineko
Embossing Powder: Donna Salazar Mix’d Media Inx for Clearsnap
Trim: May Arts
Ticket: Tim Holtz
Photo Corner: Therm O Web
Button: vintage
Chipboard: Leaky Shed

Just a Note with Prickley Pear

Hiya Sweetie Peas! Happy Friday and Happy Spring to you! Goodness, how wonderful it is to say that. I’m just hoping Old Man Winter is listening, and will take a cue now, and go away.

Today I’m back with another guest designer project for Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps. This time, a little note-card in neutrals that features one of my most favorite Prickley Pear red rubber images, Dandelion Bunch.

I am quite taken with the natural “wildflower” look to this Dandelion Bunch image, and tried to give my card design a natural vibe to go along. So lots of layers of neutral cardstock here, in grey, kraft, and mustard yellow. I know what you’re thinking……It’s not often I sport a cardstock-only design. I think we just might need to alert the presses…

The image was stamped onto watercolor paper using a “faux” water-color technique. The simple sentiment tag was made from scrap water color paper and the beautiful script Just a Note red rubber image. Final step was adding a kraft paper butterfly die cut using the Mini Butterflies die set. I’ve got the full step-by-steps up on the Prickley Pear Rubber Stamp blog, if you’d like to learn more.

So now that spring is officially here, I’m thinking it’s time to put away all my snowmen and break out my spring decor. Thankfully, I already have several new spring bunnies to add to my collection this year, including my new paper mache buddy from this week. I thought some of you might get a chuckle to see how she turned out. I don’t think paper mache is quite my medium.

What I wanted was this. But that’s not quite what I got.

I guess I need to keep practicing!

Everyday Life with Sizzix

Recently I dug through an old box of scrappy supplies. I guess that familiar adage, out of sight, out of mind, holds as true for scrappy stash as it does for anything else….because I’ve sure been neglecting this poor little box of goods.

Seems if I can’t see my loot, it doesn’t get used……
So out of the box came a big pile of stuff that’s now plopped onto the middle of my desk. Although I’m pretty disorganized to begin with, this new mess is already driving me crazy, getting in my way, and making me dig for every little thing.

But…that little trick seems to be working. I’m using my stuff, if for no other reason than to just get it out of my way.  A bunch of old goods ended up in Jon’s mini album that way. And here today, on my little card.  Now, mixed with some of my new Sizzix dies and embossing folder, old supplies seems almost new again. And I find the line between caring about what’s new and what’s old, dulls a little bit.

Of course new is always fun, too, and I do love the new Sizzix goodies. I used Eileen Hull’s new Polka Dots & Starflowers Textured Impression folders and gesso to create the de-bossed background, and her new Pleated Ruffle #2 decorative strip die on the text-print border across the middle. That’s Tim Holtz’ Movers & Shapers Mini Butterfly again, die cut in felt this time. And the new Framelits Leaves stamped and die cut from water color paper. I’ve got the complete step-by-step directions up on the Sizzix blog, if you’d like to learn more.

Today the girls and I are going to start painting our paper mache bunnies. Hopefully a coat or two of paint will transform my bunny from a blob of newspaper into a boutique beauty.

But I’m not holding my breath!

Eileen Hull Polka Dots & Starflowers Set

Eileen Hull Pleated Ruffle, 3-D #2

Stephanie Barnard Sizzix Framelits Die Set 6PK w/Stamps – Leaves

Deena Ziegler Sizzix Bigz Die – Banners

Tim Holtz Sizzix Movers & Shapers Magnetic Die Set: Mini Butterflies

Sizzix Movers & Shapers Accessory: Base Tray

Sizzix Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies

Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutting Machine

Holiday Treat Poppers with Sizzix

This weekend was spent in making a few last preparations for our Thanksgiving festivities. The menu is planned and the table is all set, including these cute little treat poppers I made to dress up our place settings.

I think they are going to add a lot of fun to our holiday table this year. Just a little added extra surprise for everyone. I filled these with my kiddo’s favorite candies, but you could fill them with any number of small sweets or gifts, or notes of gratitude and Thanksgiving. You could even personalize them with your guests names, for an instant and adorable place card. Better yet, they are soooo quick and easy to make with the Sizzix Treat Popper die by Brenda Walton. You can create a whole table full of happy treat poppers in no time.

I think your guests would love them, and you will love how easy they are to make. Here’s a few quick steps for putting them together.

The Treat Popper XL Bigz die comes with the fancy popper and sleeve wrap, so begin by simply die cutting the pieces using your favorite patterned paper or cardstock. Fold the pieces along the score lines, bend the popper into a box, and secure with strong adhesive.

Tie off one end of the popper, and fill with treats.

Then tie off the other end and add the die cut sleeve.

Now have fun adding a few embellishments. I added buttons and die cut circles made with Framelits Zig Zag Circles dies, followed by some fun harvest theme cardstock stickers. The circles are popped up with foam adhesive for a bit of dimension. The leaves are die cut from Brenda Walton’s Holiday Greenery Sizzlits Die.

Then some hand-stamped banner strips. And a bit of fringed crepe paper for the ends. If you’ve not made any of that before, it’s super easy, too. Just cut a bunch of strips of crepe paper and stack them all together. I used five layers here.

Run the stack through your sewing machine, stitching down the center of the strips. Using scissors, make small snips about every 1/8″ apart along both sides of the crepe paper, being careful not to snip all the way through the center stitching. Then fluff the layers and adhere small sections to the end of each popper.

So festive and fun! Such a great addition to your holiday table or special gathering. Change out the papers and embellishments to create party poppers for any theme or event. I think they would be fabulous as ornaments on your tree, or tied to the top of pretty packages. Or how about numbered with a Christmas countdown and used as an advent calendar? Oh, the possibilities!

What would YOU do?

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Supplies:

Sizzix:
Brenda Walton Bigz XL Treat Popper Die
Brenda Walton Sizzlits Large Holiday Greenery Die
Framelits Circles, Zig Zag Dies
Magnetic Platform
Big Shot

Cardstock: The Kraft Outlet
Patterned Paper: Imaginisce
Cardstock Stickers: WeRMemoryKeepers
Stamp: Stampin’Up
Trim: Papertrey Ink, May Arts
Buttons: Foofala
Ink: Clearsnap
Crepe Paper: Craft Supply
Adhesive: Therm O Web

Enjoy Life GiftBag with Sizzix

I’m getting a very late start to things. It’s just such a busy and happy day for us here today. Not only are the wee folk finally both officially finished with school for the year, but my parents arrived last night, as well. Now I can finally give my sweet mom her overdue birthday present and the little heart pillow I made her for Mother’s Day. And since I’m doing some gift giving today, of course I need some pretty gift packaging to go along. Sizzix dies to the rescue!

I don’t always have the right size gift boxes or bags on hand, but I’ve learned that it’s quite easy to make your own packaging, like this little gusset gift bag. I love that you can modify the size to suit your gift and that you can perfectly customize it for any theme or occasion. And made from scratch from just a bit of paper, this gift bag costs way less than the store-bought variety.

For the basic construction of the bag, start with a single sheet of thin paper or even wrapping paper. I used an 8.5 x 11 piece of thin kraft paper layered with a sheet of dictionary paper. You can use a 12×12 sheet, or even paper from a roll, depending upon what size you want the finished bag.

Fold in the two sides so that they just slightly overlap in the middle.

Secure the flaps with strong adhesive. Then fold up the bottom of the bag 1″. Open the bottom fold as shown.

You now have sort of a top and bottom “flap”. Fold down the top flap halfway and fold up the bottom flap so that it slightly overlaps. Secure with strong adhesive.

Using a bone folder or scoring tool, score 1/2″ in down each side of the bag.

Now you can open up the bag, using the score lines on the side to create a valley fold.

That is the basic construction. Trim the top down some if you wish.

Add color with watercolor pencils and gelatos to match your papers or theme. I also sanded my bag so the kraft paper beneath shows. You know how I like to have my junk look old and distressed…

Then blend the color using a wet paintbrush. Here you can see that I’ve started the process at the top.

To close the bag, punch two holes about an inch apart at the top of the bag. Thread ribbon through the holes to the back, wrap the ribbon around to the front and tie.

Now decorate your bag. My mom likes flowers, so I made a big shabby flower for the center of my bow using the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals and Tattered Leaves dies.

Simply die cut several of the flower shapes from a variety of patterned papers. I used My Mind’s Eye’s The Sweetest Thing 6×6 pad for mine.

Ink the edges of the flowers with brown ink and crumple each flower layer lightly in your hand. Smooth them out slightly and start stacking them together. I added 4 layers of flowers, and then added a hemp bow in the center.

Then added the next smaller flower shape embellished with a custom bubble cap on top.

Adhered the flower to the gift bag, along with a few extra trims, a pair of leaves inked and folded, and a ticket tag for the sentiment.

Now it’s time to let my mom open her presents!

Thanks so much for stopping by, my friends! We’re in the midst of Tropical Storm Andrea here in North Carolina, but life is good! Happy weekend to you!

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Supplies:

Sizzix Bigz Die – Tattered Florals
Sizzix Bigz Die – Tattered Leaves
Kraft Cardstock, Dictionary Paper: The Kraft Outlet
Patterned Paper: My Mind’s Eye
Ticket Die Cut, Cardstock Sticker: Authentique
Round 25 Shape Studio Tool and Round 25 Clear Bubble Cap: Epiphany Crafts
Trim: Stampin’Up, Offray, Craft Supply
Ink: Clearsnap
Adhesive: Therm O Web

Warm Thoughts

Hi everyone and happy Wednesday to you! I’m sorry for not being around much to visit with you all these past few days. My visitor has arrived from California, and we are busy taking in the sights. Since he’s never been to North Carolina, I’ve been giving him the full tour.

So far I’ve taken him to historic downtown Apex, lunch at our famous Salem Street Pub, dinner at a local hot-spot barbeque joint for some real NC bbq, and even out for frozen custard. Oh, and we’ve checked out a shop or two, including my neighborhood Wal-Mart Market Center. Snicker. Snort.

Let the good times roll, people!

Although I’ve been a busy little bee, I do have a card to share with you all today. Made with a mix of Jillibean Soup papers and Unity stamps. A few buttons and frills, and my favorite kraft cardstock. Love this warm color combo for fall.

Thanks so much for stopping by everyone! We’re off for new adventures today. Perhaps since we checked out the Wal-Mart yesterday, we’ll have to stop by the Tar-jay next……..

Woo Hoo!!

All Good Things

Hi everyone, and Happy Monday! Less than a week now to go until Christmas. Think I’m slowly, slowly checking things off my to-do list, however it still feels like there’s an awful lot left to accomplish. Think it’s about time to don my Wonder Woman Cape. Anyone else feel in the same boat?

Today is a bit of a bittersweet day for me. It’s my very last week with The Kraft Outlet. I’ve had a wonderful year working with these wonderful products, and I’ve loved every minute. But as the title says, all good things must come to an end. 🙂 This week’s challenge at The Kraft Journal is an easy one. Simply link up your favorite project that uses kraft paper to play along. I sure had a hard time picking my favorite. If you’d like to take a peek, you can see it here. Any guesses?

I do have a card to share today that I made for the Prickely Pear Rubber Stamp blog. I used their adorable red rubber image, Kitty & Bird.

This sweet image does make me smile. I think it would be perfect for any cat-lover on your list, or any animal-lover, too.

Stamped my image in black ink on white watercolor paper and then trimmed around the frame. I added color with my Prismas which were blended with Gamsol. Layered the image with pretty patterned papers and a journaling card from Fancy Pants.

Added a cardstock sticker and a mini paper clip. Some lace and seam binding and a vintage button from my collection. Stamped the With Christmas Goodwill sentiment in black ink on a strip of patterned paper and added it to the bottom.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! And here’s to wishing all of us a very productive week finishing up those holiday to-do lists!

The Kraft Outlet Let it Snow

*This is my second post for the day. Please scroll down to see my Prickely Pear Rubber Stamp project for this week.

Hi everyone and happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We had some crazy days here at our house, but it was wonderful, nonetheless.  Pete finally had his very belated 16th birthday party sleepover, which was long overdue from this past September. And then as soon as the house cleared, Nik brought in her friends for her turn at a sleepover. Now it’s finally quiet in the house, and I feel like I need a whole new weekend to recover from my weekend. 🙂

Today is time for a new challenge at The Kraft Journal. This week’s theme is Let It Snow.

I absolutely adore snowmen, so I took advantage of our snowy theme to ink up my new Lawn Fawn stamps, Making Frosty Friends and Frosties. Lawn Fawn is our product partner this week on the Glue Arts blog, so you will be seeing more of these cuties from me coming up soon. As a matter of fact, I love them so much, I’m going to have a hard time leaving these guys alone!

Started my card with a base of patterned paper and added a layer of Buff Ivory Coverweight Cardstock followed by Lunch Bag Kraft Cardstock. I stamped two different snowflakes from the Frosties set in pearlescent sky blue Brilliance ink on the kraft to create my own patterned paper with a metallic finish.  Edged the kraft cardstock with white paint and then stitched the layers together for some extra detailing. Added pleated twill and White Twill Tying Tape across the card along with a vintage button and a glittered chipboard snowflake.

Stamped the two snowmen from Making Frosty Friends on a separate piece of Buff Ivory Cardstock and trimmed them out. Colored their carrot noses and coal buttons with Prisma pencils and gave them a light wash of blue-gray color around their edges to give them an icy feel. Paper pieced their scarves using Lunch Bag Kraft Cardstock and then tucked the snowmen behind the trim. For the sentiment, I layered an American Crafts Flair button on a Round Metal Edged Grungy Prim Tag and added them both to the center of the chipboard snowflake.

Hope you’ll play along with our Let It Snow challenge this week at The Kraft Journal. All of our followers who participant in our challenges for the month of December have a chance to be featured on our “Feature Me Fridays” posts as well as be entered to win a $15.00 Kraft Outlet Store Voucher!  The more challenges you enter this month, the more chances you have to win!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! For more stampy inspiration from me today, just scroll down. Hope you all have a wonderful day!

The Kraft Journal- Tags or Gift Cards

*This is my second post of the day. Please scroll down to see my Prickely Pear Rubber Stamp project for this week.

Hi again, everyone! It’s Monday once again, and that means that it’s time for a new challenge at The Kraft Journal. This week, in honor of the upcoming holidays, our theme is Christmas Tags or Gift Card Holders.

I have been having so much fun creating holiday tags this year. Love how a fancy tag can dress up a plain kraft wrapping, which is my favorite look for the holidays. For this gift tag, I used some of my new wintery stamps and a Large Kraft Shipping Tag from the Kraft Outlet.

I stamped and embossed snowflakes directly on the tag and added a sentiment tag that was stamped on Brown Kraft Coverweight Cardstock. That adorable sentiment is from Prickely Pear Rubber Stamps, and the snowman and snowflakes are from Lawn Fawn.

Stamped the snowman on Buff Ivory Coverweight Cardstock for contrast, trimmed it out, and added it to the tag along with a snowy hill made from white cardstock and a glittered candy cane. A bow of Victoria Seam Binding, Red Baker’s Twine, and Hang Tag String finish things off.

Hope you’ll come and play along with our Tags & Gift Cards challenge this week at The Kraft Journal. All of our followers who participant in our challenges for the month of December have a chance to be featured on our “Feature Me Fridays” posts as well as be entered to win a $15.00 Kraft Outlet Store Voucher!  The more challenges you enter this month, the more chances you have to win!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Wishing you all a wonderful day.