November 25, 2009 at 04:03 (Cards)
Tim Holtz is a fantastic stamping artist that specializes in Grunge. His work is such beautiful eye candy I could stare at it for hours. Anyhoo, he is having 12 tags of Christmas which includes give aways and prizes. So, check his blog every day, leave a comment and you just might win something!
Check out Tim Holtz's blog
November 22, 2009 at 00:21 (3D Items, Anything BUT a card, Christmas, Magic Box)
Tags: box, Christmas, grunge, Magic Box, stamping
Magic Box – Christmas Grunge
I had one more request to hold a magic box class at Simple Pleasures – my local independent stamp store. I held my first Christmas Magic Box class in July 2009, but a few students missed it. The paper I used for the summer class was discountinued, so I had to create a new box for my fall class. So here it is for all to see.
I call it Christams Grunge because I distressed all the decorative paper with a razor blade. One could use the blade of a pair of scissors, or heck, they make special distressing tools. That’s on my wish list. I originally chose this paper because it allowed me to make a red box – which seems more traditional for christmas. It didn’t meet my mom’s approval, however, because it’s not elegent. So, I guess there’s no compromize – you can’t dress up grunge!
Magic Box – Christmas Grunge Outside
Lid of the Magic Box Christmas Gruge
The lid top is deocrated with a square gift tag.
I used Sizzix swirl die cut for the sides of the lid. Just trimmed one or two swirls per side.
I used a Martha Steward snow flake punch to decorate the sides as well as the inside.
No snowflake is complete without a gem or something sparkly!
The trick to adhering the swirl is to use a glue pen. And because it’s a small element, place your glue on the die cut in dots, as opposed to trying to draw a line of glue. Just a little tip!
Magic Box Christmas Grunge Inside
Of course, the magic happens when the lid is removed from the box. The sides spring open and lay flat revealing a christmas scene in the middle. I have a gift card holder surrounded by christmas grunge floating shapes.
I incorporated some snow flakes into the inside of the box. Brings continuity to the project.
Here’s a close up of the gift card holder. I added a tiny bit of ribbon and some snowflakes and gems.
Here is a photo illustrating the mechanics of the project. I use a triangle wedge to support the gift card holder. I poke the transparency / acetate into the bottom decorative paper to support the floating christmas grunge elements.
Believe it or not, I only used three piece of 12×12 to make the box. One piece of decorative paper and two pieces of red cardstock (one for the lid and one for the box). I used accents of blue and green paper here and there. No stamping on this one.
Check out all the other Magic Boxes on my blog!
November 8, 2009 at 16:27 (Baby Shower, Cards, Pocket Card, Thank You)
Tags: baby, Baby Shower, carriage, homemade, stamping
Homemade Baby Boy Card Thank You Set
I recycled big time for this homemade baby boy card thank you set. This truly was a joint effort. My sister had the vision for the belt buckle and layout. I contributed the denim, paper selection and the stamp selection. We had purchased a bag of belt buckles at a garage sale…and they have sat in the stamping cabinet for months. I was just about to toss out an old pair of jeans (which happened to rip in a very inappropriate spot!). But our creativity melded together just in time for a baby shower gift for my next door neighbor who is having a baby boy in ten weeks.
Homemade Baby Boy Card Thank You Set – The Card
Front of the Baby Boy Card for the Thank You Set
Baby Boy Card Inside
A quick note about this baby boy card and thank you set. The base paper is brown – purchased in a reem at Xpedx. The denim is an old pair of jeans cut with pinking sheers then frayed. The striped paper is DCWV from some paper pack. The ribbon I bought in a spool at Xpedx. To make the belt, we actually taped two strips of brown ribbon to a piece of paper to give the belt shape and to make it double wide because we didn’t have any wide ribbon that looked nice with the buckle! We added gromets to the ribbon to make it look like a belt. And used scrappers floss to tie on the little thank you tag.
Can you mail these cards? Maybe if you used a bubble envelope. Otherwise, I’d recommend hand delivery.
Homemade Baby Boy Card – A Thank You Set
We made 10 of these cards for a thank you set. Then I needed a box to put them in. I was going to make a slide out box, but it would have taken four pieces of paper and I didn’t feel like making a huge piece of paper and folding it into a box. So, I opted for a card / book type contraption. I made this once before for another baby gift and really liked it. So, here you go!
Here is the inside of the gift box.
Cards tucked into the baby boy thank you set with one pulled out.
I decorated the back of the pockets
As you can see, the inside looks great whether the box is full of thank you cards or empty. I used acetate (write on transparency sheet) to create pockets to hold the thank you cards. I tape that to the brown card. Then I decorate the back of the panels to hide the tape from the transparency as well as to make the box look nice when it’s empty.
Now for the outside:
The box when fully open
View of the front and closure of the baby boy thank you card set
back and closure of the baby boy card set
spine of the baby boy thank you card set
Phew, that’s a lot of photos. You may or may not believe this, but I only used two pieces of decorative paper to create all 10 cards and the box. I used a lot of solid blue and brown to create the structure of the cards and box and to frame the white pieces.
Not sure if you noticed how the brown ribbon ties are attached. I just folded over the brown ribbon, then used a little brad to attach them. I attached the brad prior to adhering the inside decorative panel…so the brad tines are hidden by the inside blue panel. I printed out the welcome baby on the spine in Word Art then colored with copics.
The stamp has a sticker on it that says, “1998 Embossing Arts Co.” I picked it up at a garage sale. I also colored that baby and carriage with my copics. Not sure it shows up, but I gave the baby some soft pink cheeks! The stamp has words below it that say “look who’s here…” but I decided to not use that part.
The thank you words are from a My Sentiments Exactly stamp set. I think that’s about everything.
The card are traditional card size, but I threw in some oversized envelopes due to the bulkiness of the belt buckles. I also threw in a book of stamps. Even if she doesn’t mail them…stamps are always needed! =)
I’m sure you’re wondering how long it took to make….too long! I’m pretty sure there’ s over 8 hours in this project. Hmmm…would have been cheaper just to buy a gift! But not nearly as fun! =)
Stamping With Princess 