It's All About the Packaging

I love giving gifts, but even more I love wrapping them.  When packaged with a handmade flair the recipient knows how much you care about them.  This beauty of a gift is based on a Takeout Box and then banded with a custom designed handle/wrap of Birthday Bouquet DSP.

I cut (2) 3.5" x 10" strips of DSP for the belly band handle.  I glued the top 3" of the two pieces together and punched an oval hole to create the handle.  A tiny scrap of Tea Lace Doily is tucked in the very top end of the handle for a touch of added love.  Then the rest of the DSP is folded out to each direction and wrapped around the box and glued to itself on the bottom.  This way the band can be slipped off.  I used three ribbons to decorate the box, White Seam Binding, Pool Party Glitter Ribbon, and Bermuda Bay Stitched Ribbon.

For the tag I stamped on Shimmer White with Blushing Bride and then I layered a piece of Vellum Card Stock over top for a muted look.  To secure the vellum I used Silver Metallic Thread, not only is it pretty it's functional and made it so I didn't need to hide any glue.  To finish the tag I added a layer of Blushing Bride Card Stock and a Metallic Foil Doily. 

Idaho Road Trip Chronicles

I have been working on recording my memories from our latest family vacation.  Last June we drove over to Idaho to visit my son and his wife and then we all headed to a family reunion at Bear Lake.  After the reunion a bunch of us went to camp for a few days in Sun Valley and Craters of the Moon.  It was all tons and tons of fun and working on my scrapbook is bringing back all those awesome memories.

I am working both in a full size 12" x 12" format and a variety of Project Life pocket pages.  I am using the Let's Get Away Card Collection and Accessory Pack mixed with Project Life stamp sets Moments Like These and Day to Day.  For my first page, which is the title page of my album, I also pulled out my set of Little Letters Thinlets.

I love this page of Nicholas and Jennifer taken at Yellowstone.  He was so excited to have us visit them and was eager to show us around.  I am so dumb I didn't realize how close he lived to the Park.  We drove out to his house, he asked what we wanted to do, and next thing we were at Old Faithful--the home of Yogi and BooBoo.

Product List

Let's Get Away Project Life Card Collection [137907] $16.00	Let's Get Away Project Life Accessory Pack [137908] $10.00	Project Life Moments Like These Photopolymer Stamp Set [138740] $16.00	Project Life Day To Day Photopolymer Stamp Set [135785] $26.00
Project Life Paper Clips Thinlits Dies [138284] $25.00	Little Letters Thinlits Die [133730] $29.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $7.00	Bermuda Bay 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131197] $7.00
Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad [131171] $6.50	Tangerine Tango 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [111349] $7.00	Tangerine Tango Classic Stampin' Pad [126946] $6.50	Melon Mambo 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [115320] $7.00
Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad [126948] $6.50	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045] $7.00	Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad [140931] $7.00	Tag Topper Scalloped Punch [133324] $23.00
Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00

Feelin' Blue?

I was contemplating what stamps and inks to use for this sketch challenge hosted by Hand Stamped Sentiments when I instantly felt a blue mood coming on.  Not a sad mood, but the need for a crisp and clean blue and white palette to set off the happy style stamps from the Birthday Blooms set.

My exact colors are Marina Mist, Archival Basic Black, and Whisper White.

Simple Stripes

My post for today's Monday Montage Blog Hop is all about cool stuff.  To start I have black watercolored stripes on Shimmer White Paper.  I made them by using an Aqua Painter, Momento Ink Refill, and the Stripes Stencil.  To easily make great looking stripes try using a stencil as a guide.  The stencil kept my stripes straight and fairly evenly spaced yet I still have that hand painted/not so perfect look.

Filling the card front I have arranged a bouquet of teal and aqua Botanical Builder Framelit flowers along with a Botanical Jewel and Basic Rhinestones.  Giving the card a sweet style I used an image from the Suite Sayings stamp set on Vellum Card Stock and a Basic Black Bakers Twine bow to tie it all up.

From Dara Gloden

To Julie Warnick

A Sketch That Was On My Mind

Last night I sat down and put together this month's Paper Pumpkin Kit.  I had just a few leftover pieces and a watercolored background scrap that were just begging to be combined for a sweet early springtime card.
I had the Freshly Made Sketches challenge on my mind and knew it
would be the perfect fit for my last card of the night.  

 The laser cut flowers were remnants from the kit and the Itty Bitty Accent flowers were punched with scraps of the sheets of the laser cut flowers.  What was nice is that I just peeled and stuck them in place on my card.  The Watermelon Wonder greeting comes from the Sunburst Sayings stamp set.  At the bottom I added a piece of Sweet Li'l Things Washi Tape to finish the sketch challenge.

CASE

Totally inspired by a card design by Kate Morgan I made my own version of the Flowering Fields stamp set card.  I stamped the wildflower images with Archival Basic Black across a panel of Shimmer White card stock like Kate's inspiration card.  Then I watercolored the images with some of my favorite colors, I just started going for it.  I let the finished flowers dictate my card stock choices which are Lost Lagoon and Perfect Plum.  In the end it's a pretty closely CASED card with bit of my own flair.  Thanks Kate!

Gettin' Glimmery

What could be better than glimmer, glitter, and rhinestones on a card?  I love sparkle, I'm obsessed, I'm addicted, I'm happy when things shine so I say bring it on!  This pink pretty is loaded with sparkly details.

The Bloomin' Heart Thinlet cut from a piece of Love Blossoms DSP and stamped with flowers from the Bloomin' Love set is very subtly accented with Dazzling Diamonds Glitter.  I have also used three Glimmer Papers; I included some black, silver, and the newest color Blushing Bride.  The thanks greeting was cut using the Greetings Thinlets and the strip of black pattern paper is a scrap from the Neutrals DSP Stack.

Hurry Before Time Runs Out

 This Sunday is the last day for earning the Hello Sale-a-Bration Stamp Set.  So, before time runs out be sure to get yours!!  It is a versatile set of images that you will definitely want in your stash of stamps.

I love the playful style of the Hello images and how perfect they mix with the It's My Party DSP.

It's like they were meant to be together.

A few details for this card:

Start with a Mint Macaron card base.

Cut (2) Crumb Cake polaroid frames from the On Film Framelits (retired) and glue them together for a crisper appearance.

Unwind the mint threads from the black in the It's My Party Thick Bakers Twine.

Tie mint twine threads in a no knot bow and staple to frame.

Pop up the party hat with a dimensional.

Last thing, add pieces of It's My Party Washi Tape and Enamel Dots.

Global Design Project Challenge

One of my very favorite blogs for challenges, well let's be real here I lurk and have never participated, is Global Design Project.  There team of designers is chuck full of amazing artists who share hand crafted projects that inspire, Inspire, INSPIRE!  I loved their challenge last week but couldn't find a few moments to stamp and play along, but this week I'm all over it--yeah!

Product List

Suite Sayings Wood-Mount Stamp Set [140709] $29.00	Botanicals For You Wood-Mount Stamp Set [141234] $0.00	Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131198] $7.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $7.00
Love Blossoms Designer Series Paper Stack [140548] $8.00	Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad [140931] $7.00	Basic Black Baker's Twine [134576] $3.00	It's My Party Enamel Dots [140554] $4.00
Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00