Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Gift card...

What? It's only 3 days 'til Christmas?? How did that happen?

If you're like me, you're still finishing up the last-minute shopping, baking and gift making....yikes!

I've been so crazy making projects, I haven't had time to post them....plus, I don't want to spoil anyones surprise by posting their gift early since a few of my family members and friends do read my blog occassionally ;)

So you can look forward to seeing what I made everyone for christmas soon but for now here's a last-minute gift card holder! This is pretty easy to make and looks very professional.

You start with a piece of card stock that's 4-1/4" x 11" and score it at 3", 5 1/2" and 8" on the long side. Then stamp all over that piece if you want a pattern on it. Make sure you stamp both sides. I used the poinsettia from the Season of Joy stamp set and stamped it with Real Red ink.

Next, you fold it on all the score lines and assemble it to look like this photo. Note: Make sure you don't put adhesive on the innermost fold. Just put your adhesive on the outside edges or your pocket will end up glued shut and you won't have any place to put your card.


Once your piece is assembled, use the Word Window punch to make the opening in the middle for your card to go in. I punched it once in the middle, then carefully lined it up and extended the punch once on each side so that the opening is wide enough. To make the circle notch in the center I used the 1/2" circle punch.

Decorate or stamp a sentiment on the inside if you'd like. I used the "holly jolly" stamp from the Christmas Punch hostess stamp set and punched it out with the Curly Label punch.

Then Decorate the front as you like I used the big square word stamp from Season of Joy again and framed it with a piece of Garden Green Card stock. Cut a wrap from decorative paper that is around 1"wide by 7.5" long. Then attach your front piece to the center of your wrap. Wrap it around your gift card holder and glue it together on the back. Make sure you don't glue it to the holder so that the recipient can easily slide it off and get to that gift card faster!!

Hope you enjoyed the directions for this. Here's a final photo of the front all assembled:

Happy Holidays!!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Glass Etching on Candle Holder...

Here is a simple and really cool gift to make. I found this cool square glass candle holder and knew I had to make it into something. I've always wanted to try glass etching so this was the perfect opportunity. I cut out a snowflake shape out of contact paper using the Big Shot and the Sizzlit Snowflakes Die. I stuck it all onto the front of the glass (both the positive and negative shape). Then peel out the snowflake shape, leaving all the rest so you're left with the outside negative shape stuck on. The etching cream will etch whatever is NOT covered so that's why you need to do the negative shape. Make sense? Then you just follow the directions on the etching cream bottle. Mine had me cover it with a thick layer (wearing gloves), wait 5 min and then rinse off.... and ta dah..... it's etched. Cool, huh?

Hope you enjoy trying some of your own....I want to make some wine glasses next!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Snowflake Cube - 2 ways

I've been so busy lately doing projects lately I haven't had much time to blog! I just started making my Christmas cards (all 60) this week... You'd think that I'd learn to start earlier but every year it is the same last minute rush to the holidays!

Here's a gift I made that was quick and easy. It's a glass cube that I bought at a local craft store. It has a hole on the top (or bottom, depending on how you turn it) so it's perfect for filling. I made one of these this summer for a birthday gift (check out this post) and thought that it would be fun to do a holiday one.

To decorate the cube, I used the snowflake die, Snowflake #2, and cut it out using a piece of white décor elements vinyl with my Big Shot. I love how you can get the vinyl in sheets and make your own die cuts using any Big Shot die! Plus, they just added a whole bunch of new colors that are on sale now!

I attached the snowflake to the cube and filled it with Hershey Kisses and then tied it up with some thick Striped Grosgrain ribbon. Isn't it pretty?


Then when the chocolate is gone, you can turn the cube around so the hole is at the bottom and fill it with a small string of lights. Here's how that looks. I didn't realize that the lights I bought were on a green string...a white one would have looked better but it still looks pretty.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

One-layer Christmas Card

Wow. We had a ton of snow this week. It took my husband and I around 4 hours to clean out our driveway and sidewalk. I think it was around 18 inches of heavy wet snow, more where the plow pushed it in at the ends!

Here's a super easy Christmas Card for those of you making last-minute cards. It only uses one layer of card stock! I used whisper white card stock for mine. I cut a piece of paper using the top note die using a scrap paper (doesn't matter what color) and used it as a stencil. Hold it down onto the white card stock and sponge along the edges with blue to create that cool shape. Then leave your template there and stamp some snowflakes on top using the Serene Snowflakes set. I Left room on the bottom for my sentiment "Merry Christmas" from the Many Merry Messages stamp set.

This card is quick and easy but looks fantastic!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

It's snowing!

Since it's snowing today I thought I'd upload some snowflake cards! This is a card I made for a workshop I had last month but haven't had a chance to post yet. I used night of navy card stock for the base and the Platinum shimmer paint to get the shimmery effect on the card stock. To get this fun sparkly/splattery effect, I mixed a bit of the platinum shimmer paint in a mini spray bottle with some rubbing alcohol. I didn't use any special ratio, just added it and tested on a strip of paper until it looked sparkly enough! Then I sprayed it on the night of navy paper and let dry for a few minutes before making my card. I think it looks really pretty on the dark paper. Then I stamped the large snowflake from Serene Snowflakes using a sponge to apply the paint directly to the Stamp. I framed the image with a piece of Brushed Silver Cardstock. Then I stamped "sparkle" from the stamp set Warm Words using the same method of sponging the paint directly onto the stamp and then stamping it. Then I finished it off with some silver cord! Love all the sparkles on this.

Here's another card I made using the platinum shimmer paint. This time I used Brocade blue cardstock and ran it through my Big Shot using the Movers & Shapers Die to create the window. Then I stamped Snowflakes around the front using the Serene Snowflakes stamp set again. The Sentiment "Seasons Greetings" is from the Many Merry Messages stamp set. To add shimmer paint, i just used a sponge to smear it along th edeges. It looks really pretty in person! Then I put a piece of white cardstock on the inside and stamped a small snowflake on it. Hope you are having a nice snowy day!

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