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Gnomes are all the rage! Who knew? I'm enjoying this free stamp set I earned last month through a fun challenge from Stampin' Up. They sure spoil us demos rotten!The rest of ya'll can get it beginning January 4th in the Occasions Mini Catalog.
This is one of the cards that will be available as an option at the 2012 Birthday Bash on January 7th. There's 12 different kinds, so there's one that will suit every person on your list! Be sure to RSVP before I close the event on January 2nd. Hope you can make it--I love hanging with my gnomies!
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Ok, ok, I teased you all about the Labels Collection Framelits and then didn't show you what I made! here is another sneak peek of a card that will be available in my Birthday Bash card buffet on January 7th. It's super girly and sure to delight even the most veteran of papercrafters on your list. Read the details here and RSVP no later than January 2nd!
I stamped the gorgeous label, one of four in the new Apothecary Art stamp set, and then used the coordinating Framelit to die cut it out. Then I used the next size up of Framelit to die cut a mat on the Big Shot, too. There are six of these labels just like there are hearts in the Hearts Collection. I didn't even use the largest one, if you can imagine that! That one's going to be awesome for home decor... imagine Decor Elements chalkboard labels, or pennant banners.
Sign up for the Birthday Bash and be the very first to try out the new Framelits, new papers, new stamps like the gorgeous Apothecary Art set, new embellishments like yummy pleated satin ribbon, and much more from Stampin' Up's new 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog!
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Ahh... it's good to be back! I love Christmas, but I've been itching to get back in the saddle. I have a TON of fun things to do in January, like design 12 different birthday cards for the January 7th Birthday Bash event. So yesterday and today I just play-play-played all day long. I love my job!
I am in the process of narrowing it down to the final 12 cards to make the cut--but this light and playful one will surely be on the list. I think it will be perfect for those "tween" birthday girls that are sometimes a little hard to stamp for.The colors are Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder and Lucky Limeade.
I used two brand new--no wait, THREE brand new products on this card--can you spot them? The first is the adorable Jelly Bean brads. The second is the new Sweet Shop patterned papers. And the third is the brand new Stampin' Up accessory for the Big Shot--Framelits! This one is the Hearts Collection Framelits and it cuts six different sizes of hearts. It's awesome because you can use them nested together, separately, or even make frames for scrapping, too. I was super naughty when I pre-ordered and got not only the Hearts Collection but also the Labels Collection... don't tell Santa!
LOVE the Framelits... it's like punches on steroids!
There's still time to RSVP for the Birthday Bash, and make this and other super cute cards for all your favorite family and friends, but don't put it off! Here's the scoop--
I hope you can join us--I know you're all itchin' to stamp after a busy holiday season. This is a great way to get a lot of cards done in a hurry, and make something special for each person on your 2012 calendar.
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I have a ten year old boy, and you know what that means--any Christmas celebration is going to include at least one gigantic set with a zillion and eight (actual count) tiny litttle pieces to add to our collection and crunch underfoot for the next few years. Dan got Legos in his stocking; Legos from Mom and Dad; Legos from Grandma and Grandpa Z; and money from Grandma and Grandpa G... you guessed it, to buy more Legos. He even managed to get Legos in his classroom gift exchange, would you believe?! No surprise that Dan declared this Christmas "the best ever," and that was before we decided to take the kids to Legoland Chicago on our way back home.
We had a very nice, low-key Christmas. Mike's only sibling, Mark, and his wife Megan, hosted us in Indiana. I have to show you a photo of the other side of their cat, Nutmeg. She has a perfect heart in her fur!
Kind of ironic considering Nutmeg is not a very nice kitty. Try to pet her, and if you're lucky, all you'll get is hissed at. Anyway, back to my narrative... Mike's parents came and we all enjoyed too much good food, services on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, and a lot of fun presents. Here's a pic of the best in-laws a girl could hope for. I think they really liked the My Digital Studio photo calendar of themselves and the grandkids.
Natalie has much more varied interests and enjoyed a larger variety of presents, although she did go nuts at the Lego store with her Christmas money as well. Her very favorite gift? a 2x3 foot artist's pad plus her first set of oil pastels. Watch out, world! The Art-eest is in residence!
My honey was thrilled with Amazon gift cards and special "Come to the Dark Side" coffee. He's easy to please! I loved watching him get to really relax and just hang, play video games and read. He works SOOO hard all year round.
All in all, a very pleasant Christmas. There was more snow on the Lego Chicago model than there was in real life, though! Fine by me--holiday traffic is bad enough without the weather being uncooperative.
It's great to be home, sweet home, though! For now, anyway--my next Stampin' Up trip is just 3 weeks away! And guess what Dan wants me to bring him as a present when I come home? LEGOS!! : )
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I am doing a blog overhaul--pardon the mess while I'm under construction this week. Some things may be moved around, and some links may not work temporarily. Feel free to use my contact button or leave a comment if you can't find something that's normally here. Hopefully everything will be new and improved shortly.
Enjoy the sneak peek of the Everyday Enchantment papers, brads, and stamps--all coming soon to a Sale A Bration workshop near you. Have a wonderful Christmas, and be sure to pop back in for January's new blog series!
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"Today I will live in the moment. Unless the moment is unpleasant, in which case I will eat a cookie." taken from my friend Caroline's FB status
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Christmas got you swamped? Winter got you down? Plan now for something fun after the holidays! Join us for my 5th annual BIRTHDAY BASH 2012 on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Bring your calendar and make as many birthday cards as you want--Just ten dollars for the first five--and then only a dollar each for as many more as you care to make!
This event is BYOA—bring your own adhesive. Pre-order a SNAIL refill when you RSVP for just five dollars more! RSVP no later than January 2nd: (920) 261-3962 or [email protected]
The 12 designs will cover all different types of birthdays—male, female, teenager, children, seniors, etc. All projects will feature new stamps and products from the 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog (starting January 5th)and sneak peeks from the Sale A Bration 2012 brochure (starting January 24th)!
You don’t want to miss this party and the presents I have planned! Hurry and reserve your spot—space is limited.
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Lookee what came in the mail Saturday! These are the invitations to the exclusive Manager's Reception event at Leadership Conference, in San Antonio this year. I am SOOOOOO excited! Isn't this a cool invitation? The fan was in a Timeless Portrait DSP sleeve with a red satin ribbon. Stampin' Up sure knows how to add those great little touches and set the tone for a party to remember!
This Wisconsin girl is sure looking forward to Texas in January! I wonder where the next one will be? Getting to travel the U.S. and the world (mostly for totally free!) is one of my very favoritest perks of being a demonstrator. Contact me today for information on how you can join my group and start making your own dreams come true, whether you just want stamps supplies out the wahzoo, need to earn some extra money, want to make new friends, or long to travel the world.
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Well, "A Simply Scored Christmas" and all it's 15 3-D projects are over, and it's back to mostly regular cards and scrapbook pages for me. I did discover I am about forty Christmas cards short, so that's my goal for today. I will be glad to be done with Christmas! By this point in the year I have been demoing Christmas for four months already!
When I designed the card for my downline Christmas Shoebox Swap last week, I had one leftover typewriter embossed, so I grabbed some DSP scraps to just throw together something quickly and get it off my desk. Instead, I wound up making a little punch art vase and flowers and it turned into this cutie--which was promptly glommed by my husband for a retiring co-worker. But that's ok--at least I managed to get a picture of it before it headed out the door!
The typewriter set You're My Type is in the 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog (I got the one I mailed to myself yesterday, and I've already heard from some of you that yours has arrived as well!!). I used the Large Oval punch for the vase, Paper-Snipped the greens, and then used layers of the Boho Blossoms punch with Daffodil Delight brads. The Designer Series Papers are from First Edition and Domestic Goddess. TIP: I used the Color Spritzer Tool to add a little static so the overall effect wasn't too clean and sterile.
Ok! Enough goofing off--I have 40 more cards to make! I am sending out over 8 different designs this year--wonder which one you'll get?! make sure you keep your contact information as well as your birthday card updated with me, and you'll be sure to get handstamped mail at least twice a year.
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Whew! We made it! Today is the last day of my December 2011 blog series featuring the Simply Scored board. I hope you all come away with a lot of ideas for using your brand new toy, or at least found some fun sneak peeks and inspiration for embellishing along the way.
I had an entirely different project planned for today, but I have not been feeling well at all lately and definitely am not mentally up to a multi-step, highly involved photo tutorial today. So, I prepped this little guy and I know you'll get a lot of good out of it this Christmas--probably more than the big detailed project I was planning, anyway, right? We'll save the big project for another day when I am feeling more capable!
It does hold a dozen cookies, so this is a nice big pouch, unlike other door hangers you may have seen out there. To begin, you'll need a 5x12 piece of textured or smooth cardstock, and a 7x9 piece; your Simply Scored, Sticky Strip, and punches and the Big Shot as described below, if you want to make my punch art Santa Claus.
You can get one door hanger from a sheet of 12x12. TIP: use good quality cardstock, not the cheapo stuff, because once you fill that pouch, you don't want the hanger to rip and destroy all your hard work!
The 5x12 piece gets no scores... just die-cut a circle out of one end. This is for the doorknob, and I used the 3-inch circle die (item #122125) and my Big Shot. If you don't have that die, you can use your Coluzzle or Circle Scissors Plus to get a large enough hole. I tried the 2.5 inch circle punch but it wasn't quite big enough for more doorknobs.
Score the 7x9 inch piece at 1,2,7 and 8 inches on the long side (pictured above), and 1 and 2 on the short side (not shown). Snip out the corners, leaving tabs, as shown below.
That pocket just gets Sticky Stripped at the bottom first, and then along the sides, and stuck to the long 5x12 piece. Decorate as you wish. Mine is made from Lucky Limeade textured cardstock and decorated with the Tasteful Trims die for the Big Shot, with the addition of the handy-dandy Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets to the back, to make adhering it ridiculously easy and SO not messy!
That's really all there is to the door hanger itself. The Santa is easily made by cutting a Scallop Circle die in a little less than half and attaching it to a rectangle of Pink Pirouette. His hat is free-handed (sorry) and decorated with Mica Flakes (Holiday Mini Catalog, Item #124115). The nose is the small oval punch, and the mustache is the FIVE PETAL FLOWER PUNCH WHICH IS ON SALE FOR DIRT CHEAP WHILE SUPPLIES LAST ON THE CLEARANCE RACK!! Seriously, they just threw all the old-style whale-tail punches on the Clearance Rack at a steep discount, and you can get all the punches I used on Mr. Santa here for really cheap if you hurry--www.lyssa.stampinup.net
Other punches used--and yes, all currently still available on the Clearance Rack and on sale in the old style--are the 3/4 inch circle punch (eyes), the Boho Blossoms punch (pom-pom on hat), and the Scallop Border punch (hat brim). If you are a punch art fan, or a scrapbooker, go check it out! Ask for your Christmas or birthday money early if you have to--this sale is worth it!
Ok! All good things must come to an end. Thank you for joining me for "A Simply Scored Christmas." You can find the 15 photo tutorials in this series and many more through the link on my sidebar, or look for a specific one by keyword using the search feature. All of my tutorials are free, so do the papercrafting world a favor and pay it forward by sharing what YOU love, too, ok?
Got a little sneaky peeky for you in today's photo tutorial! Welcome back to "A Simply Scored Christmas." If you are just joining us, please look back beginning with December 1st, 2011, to see all the posts in this fun new blog series. Today is Day 14 of 15, so we're almost through! And I have to say I will be glad to have this accomplished--it may have been a bit over ambitious to do a blog series in December! But I hope you'll come back tomorrow to see what I chose for our finale!
The sneak peek item we're going to be using today (well, in addition to the gorgeous pleated riding Hood Red satin ribbon I have already shared previously) is the new Designer Cuts cards and envelopes set. This is a gorgeous set of two different laser-cut designs on Very Vanilla, with wonderfully luxurious Blushing Bride envelopes to match.They are just stunning. I tell you, if I had my wedding invitations to do over, I'd use these!
I took one of the designs and made a little Slim Box with it and today I'll show you how easy it is to make a box from any regular sized A-2 card.
Here's the two designs that come in the set. I just threaded satin ribbon through the one lace border design and it was so pretty I'm not sure I'll do anything else to it! But we're going to use the lovely laser cut heart design for our Slim Box.
To begin, you'll need the Designer Cuts card set (or another 5.5x8.5 card that has a laser-or-die-cut front panel); your Simply Scored tool, Sticky Strip; and stamps, ink, ribbon, Designer Series Paper, etc to embellish.
Cut your card in half on the scored line (this is 4.25 inches). Then, cut those two halves down to 4.25 square so you have two identical squares, one with the laser-cut in the center. If you are recycling a used card and can only use the front, cut yourself a piece of coordinating cardstock that is 4.25 square.
Score at 1/2 an inch from all four sides on both pieces, as shown above. The box is just half an inch tall, hence the name "slim."
Snip up the corners to the fold line and use Sticky Strip to assemble the base first, then the top, holding it on the base as you make it so you know for sure the lid will fit the box.
I lined my box interior with Red Glimmer Paper on the top inside, to show through the laser-cut heart. You could also just leave it open, for a peek at the contents inside.
For the bottom interior, here's another sneak peek. This is one of the Sale A Bration Designer Series Papers that you can earn for free during January through March! Gorgeous designs--AND--SQUEE!-- there are matching embellishments and stamps. S'all I'm sayin'.
I finished my Slim Box off with a stamp from You Are Loved, page 40 in the 2011 Holiday Mini Catalog, and a little pearl decoration. One pearl is never enough! I started with the largest pearl in the Basic Pearls set, and using my flat-tipped tweezers, added the smallest pearls all the way around the perimeter. I always add a drop of Crystal Effects when I'm done, which slides down into the grooves and ensures the baby pearls don't migrate anywhere.
You are going to LOVE the 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog, and it falls during that magic time of year, Sale A Bration. Be sure to book your party ASAP as my calendar is getting dangerously full! I'd hate to have to turn you down because you waited to long and now we can't squeeze you in! Let's get you and your girlfriends together to restock your supplies after the big Christmas crafting rush and see what is fun and new for 2012.
Welcome to the 13th photo tutorial in my December 2011 blog series, "A Simply Scored Christmas!" Today's super-cute mini tutorial featuring the Simply Scored scoring board from Stampin' Up comes from a project by my downline Jane B.--thanks, Jane!
I forgot to take a photo of the card when it is open, but the top of the coffee cup flips up to reveal a gift card inside the cup. How cute is that? Coffee lovers will "flip" over it!
To begin, you'll need a 4.25x11 piece of cardstock, Designer Series Paper for your cup, neutral cardstock for your cup cozy and lid, Sticky Strip, and the Simply Scored tool; plus stamps, punches, ink, twine and whatever else you want to decorate it with. The Paper Crimper is fun but if you have the Simply Scored you can use that if you don't own the crimper.
Score your cardstock at 1.25 and 6 and 5/8 on the long side, as shown here by the Simply Scored place markers, which are exclusive to this board and available only from Stampin' Up. Get the skinny on this awesome tool here: www.lyssa.stampinup.net/Simply Scored
Use Sticky Strip to make the pocket, and put a self-adhesive Velcro tab on either side of the top flap. Jane also put a dimensional inside her pocket before she closed it up, so that the gift card would not slip down to far and be hard to get out. Smart girl!
Cut a cup shape from Designer Series Paper (Well Worn, item #122359) and a lid from Very Vanilla, Whisper White, or Basic Black. if you know you'll be making more than one of these cuties, you might want to cut a more permanent template to use, from something sturdy like the cardboard backing from our Designer Series Paper packs.
My cup is embellished with Hemp Twine, a crimped strip of Crumb Cake cardstock, and the Tiny Tags set punched out with the Jewelry Tag punch. I also used the Jewelry tag punch to notch out a little sipping hole in the rim of the cup.
Scored your cup lid at 1/4 inch and 5/8 inch as shown above, which really adds dimension. Another wonderful perk of the Simply Scored board is that, unlike other popular older scoring tools, it has lines every 1/8 inch, so no matter where on the board you need your small measurements, you've got them.
Add your cup lid to the upper flap, and the cup body to the lower pocket of the card, and you're all set! Go out for a mocha and pick up some gift cards to your local independent coffee shop to give as last-minute gifts this Christmas.
There! isn't that cute? I know I'll use this idea over and over again. I hope you are getting lots of ideas from this tutorial blitz, and if not for right now, then tuck them away for later. When the series is all done after the 15th, I will make a compilation of links in a single post and then you can bookmark it so you don't "lose" the ideas, but all my photo tutorials are always free and always available under the link in the menu. Enjoy!
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Howdy, folks, and welcome to Day 12 of my December 2011 blog series featuring the new Simply Scored board from Stampin' Up! I hope you are enjoying all the cute free tutorials I have collected to share with you. I particularly love today's little 3-D coffee/cocoa cup. I have seen this around on the internet, but made some adaptions to allow you to get two cups from a sheet of 8.5x11, and to make life a whole lot easier on you, so sit back and enjoy a cuppa while you see how quick and cute these are to make!
To begin, you'll need a 4.25x8.25 piece of cardstock plus scraps to punch, Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets, your Simply Scored tool, Sticky Strip, and the 2.5 inch and 1.75 inch circle punches; plus stamps, ink, ribbon, etc, to embellish. And something yummy to put inside!
No need for the handy-dandy place markers on this one--just score your cardstock every inch on the long side as shown above. Then turn your paper 90 degree and score it at 1.5 inches on the short side.
Notch out the little end flap as shown, and clip up to the fold on all those one-inch scores. Add Sticky Strip on the flap, but don't peel it off just yet. We're making the handle next!
Use the 1.75 inch punch to make a slightly-more-than-half circle notch in a scrap piece of cardstock that matches your cup, as shown above.
Then, position the 2.5 inch circle punch on the scrap paper directly over the half-circle (shown below), so that when you punch, you will wind up with a perfect crescent.
The fact that it is a little more than half a circle gives us enough space to score a quarter-inch from those ends. That's what we will now position on the Sticky-Stripped-flap of our cup, pictured below.
You can see how the handle ends are tucked neatly away where the cup comes around and joins, keeping everything tidy as well as sturdy. Now, for the bottom! I came up with a neat and quick way to finish that off.
Punch out a 2.5 inch circle of scrap cardstock the same color as your cup, that has been backed with Multipurpose Adhesive Sheet. I ADORE this stuff. I'm on my third pack! And that's really sayin' something, because this stuff comes in a pack of twelve 12x12 inch sheets. You can punch it, hand-cut it, trace it, die-cut it--just about anything, and it sticks like nobody's business. Love it.
NOTE: if you want the inside of your cup to look just as finished as the outside, make two of these circles--it's a snug fit, but the second one will go right down inside on the bottom, too.
Fold all the flaps on your cup bottom in, starting with opposite flaps, then the next pair of opposites, then the next, and finally the last pair of opposing flaps. Position the sticky circle over them and press down firmly.
Doesn't get much more spiffy than that! Decorate your mug any way you like. I used the soon-to-be-available Tea Shoppe set from the 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog with my Wisteria Wonder and Chocolate Chip mug (color scheme inspired by the purple Swiss Miss cocoa packet I happened to have.)
There are three more tutorials to go this week--stop back to get your daily dose of inspiration for those last minute teacher, neighbor, and co-worker gifts that we always wind up scrambling for. And if you've enjoyed this series, please feel free to leave a comment--it's easy and it means a lot to us bloggers. Some days all I get are spam comments for cheap purses, enhancement drugs and knock-off designer boots. I purposefully leave the commenting process as easy as possible for YOUR sakes, certainly not mine!
See you tomorrow for more of "A Simply Scored Christmas!"
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Welcome to Day 11 of 15 in my blog series, "A Simply Scored Christmas." I am SO enjoying showing you all the fun things you can create with the new Simply Scored board, and I am SO excited for those of you who have decided to get it or already know you're getting it for Christmas! You will love it.
Today's project is a great little pocket for cocoa or other goodies, all done up like Mrs. Claus' apron. TOO CUTE! Thanks to my fellow demo Judy M for an apron swap where I got the measurements. You could adapt this to any occasion--how cute would it be done with the Domestic Goddess papers?!! Here's the backside: love the bow on the butt!
To begin, you'll need your Simply Scored, 6.25x8.25 cardstock, Sticky Strip and Ribbon. To make Mrs. Santa's apron, I used Riding Hood Red (mostly to have an excuse to use my dee-licious RHR pleated satin trim from the upcoming 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog--hubba-hubba!), the Very Vanilla velvet ribbon from the 2011 Holiday Mini catalog, Neutrals Glimmer Brads, Silver Glimmer Paper, and the Scalloped Oval, Oval and Scallop Dotted Ribbon punches.
Score your cardstock on the short side at 1, 2, 5.25 and 6.25 inches, as shown above. Turn your cardstock 90 degrees and score it at 5 and 5.5 on the long side, pictured below.
Then cut out the flaps as shown below.
Form your pocket and use Sticky Strip to adhere. This is a nice sized pouch, which will hold lots of different things, from cocoa packets or candy bars to a homemade s'mores kit or microwave popcorn.
Notch out one side of the apron and use the discarded piece as template to make the other side match.
Then have fun embellishing your apron! Sticky Strip is reccomended for adhering the ribbon. If you need Sticky Strip or anything else, you can shop 24/7 in my online shopping website, www.lyssa.stampinup.net or you can also email or call and I'll hook you up. There's still time to order and receive supplies and gifts before Christmas--but you do need to hurry! My last pre-Christmas group order goes in on the 14th.
These apron pockets would make cute favors for a women's luncheon or a kitchen shower, I think. I hope you'll visit again tomorrow and see what I have "cooked" up for you for the next installment of this blog series! And who knows, there may be some more sneak peek products or stamp sets showing up to whet your appetite for the new mini catalog... because I'm evil like that... but you love me anyway, right?! Right??!!
As soon as I saw this great vintage typewriter set in the upcoming 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog, I knew it was coming home with me on my very first pre-order! I know you guys don't have your new Mini's yet (they'll be arriving late December and the GO date is January 4th) so I hope you'll forgive the tease! And it's a pretty big tease--not only am I showing off the new Riding Hood Red ruched satin ribbon, I also used two different items that will be Sale A Bration reward choices on this card. I'm tellin' ya... book your Sale A Bration workshop NOW!
There's a variety of cute sayings to put on the paper, so You're My Type is a really versatile stamp set. Look for a card made with it to be available on the buffet at my 2012 Birthday Bash event on January 7th--registration is now open!
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Welcome to the blog series, "A Simply Scored Christmas!" I am delighted to have you along for these fun photo tutorials featuring the awesome new Simply Scored tool from Stampin' Up. This is the 10th in a series of 15 tutorials, ending on December 15th, 2011.
Today we're going to make this fun little votive lantern I originally designed for my Convention 2011 presentation featuring the Flirtatious product suite. I never got around to posting instructions for it, and I have been asked several times to do so--I guess this is finally it! If you love that Flirtatious suite as much as I do, be sure to check out the archives for August 2011, and my last blog series, "31 Days of Doilies."
These are super quick and easy to put together and will be useful for a huge variety of decoration situations, from weddings and showers to banquets, Christmas and much more!
I'll take a moment to stress that this is a flammable, paper lantern, and only good quality fake candles should be used with it, or you should use a glass insert that is at least 3.5 inches tall so that no cardstock is exposed to flame.
To start, you'll need four piece of cardstock measuring 3.5x2.5, and two half-inch wide strips that are 11 inches long; Sticky Strip, the Lace Ribbon Border Punch, your Simply Scored tool, and any embellishments you want to use.
Punch the Lace Ribbon Border punch once directly in the middle of the right hand long sides each of the four panels, as shown above.
Next, score each panel at 1.25 inches on the short side, as indicated by the place markers above.This will allow the holder to curve around naturally as opposed to bending or cracking.
Then, lay out all your panels in a line with the punched edge on the right.
Butt the panels up directly alongside one another. Put Sticky Strip down the length of the two long strips of cardstock, and attach along the row of panels, top and bottom. It should look like this when you are done:
If you need to transport the candle holders to a location such as a wedding reception, leave them flat like this and they will take up vastly less space than if you finished them off. You can put a little of the red backing tape from the Stick Strip back onto the place where it is exposed on the tabs.
Otherwise, use the little tab ends with their Sticky Strip to wrap around to the other side and finish your candle holder.
Embellish as desired. If you use faux candles, the sky is the limit--you can use ribbon, glitter, rhinestones, punches, Mice Flakes--anything you want, but I like the simple prettiness of the Lace Ribbon Border punch for most occasions. I usually do cut a liner of vellum for the inside, to diffuse the fake candle light and make it look more realistic.
NOTE: you can technically use the Lace Ribbon Border punch on both right and left sides of each panel, but be aware that does lead to a weaker, less sturdy lantern (and more work if you are mass-producing). Super pretty, though!
Thank you for viewing my blog today, and I hope you will check back often for free Stampin' Up ideas and paper crafting inspiration. If you are a demonstrator, feel free to take a look at my demonstrator motivation and inspiration blog (link on the top bar) for business inspiration, too. It, too, is free, just like all my tutorials. Love what you do and share what you love!
For today's edition of "A Simply Scored Christmas," I've got a mini tutorial of a cute little gift box that I designed to hold 8 coasters made with the Big Shot 3.5 inch circle, cork, window sheet and Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets. I love making those for all sorts of occasions, and they make a fantastic gift, so a great presentation box is a good addition to my gift-giving repertoire.
Thanks for joining me! If you are new to my blog, be sure to peek back beginning with December 1st, 2011, to see all the free photo tutorials in this series.
The above picture shows the box closed; below is the box opened, with the coasters inside.
To start, you'll need a 10.5x5.5 sheet of cardstock, Sticky Strip, the Simply Scored board; and stamps, ink, punches, ribbon or what have you to embellish the box to match your coasters. I made my paper flower from First Edition specialty DSP (chopped to slivers with the super-sharp Paper Snips) and the French-inspired cardstock embellishment is the wonderful Side Notes in Bella Chateau, from page 190 of the 2011-12 Idea Book & Catalog. There is also a 3.5-inch circle etched from the Paper Doily Large Sizzlet that I got at Founder's Circle this past fall, a sneak peek from the Occasions Mini Catalog that goes live on January 5th!
I know it's pretty, but don't get distracted--we have work to do!
Score your cardstock at 1, 4.75, 5.75 and 9.5 on the long side, as shown by the place markers above (a Simply Scored exclusive feature). Score at 1 and 4.5 on the short side (not shown).
Snip up to the score lines as shown, like a tyical box. The difference is that this one is not two pieces, but has a hinged lid. So it's actually a little less work than a regular two-piece box and lid. You can find endless variations of the "clamshell" or "pizza box" style on the internet.
Use Sticky Strip to assemble the bottom part of the box first, then close the lid and assemble the remaining flaps while the box is closed. This ensures that you will get a lid that is not too tight for the box.
One last step before you're done--if you are indeed using the box for coasters, run a piece of Stick Strip from corner to corner diagonally across the bottom of the box, and adhere a ribbon tie to help keep the coasters stacked neatly. The box fits them so well, it is not really necessary, but stamping is all about those little touches, right?
Have fun with this project, and let me know if you need to order supplies for the coasters or anything else. There is STILL TIME TO ORDER BEFORE CHRISTMAS--both for your own projects, or for anyone on your list who loves papercrafting. I also have gift certificates, payable in any amount, which I can deliver right up to December 24th (secretly, if need be!).
AND I offer free gift wrap in December! How easy is that? Call me today and get that list checked off! And check back tomorrow for another fun scoring tutorial.
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Remember the Easiest Ever Paper Star project from a couple days ago? I decided to see if it could be done with two 12x12 sheets instead of two 6x6's... and it can! It looks amazing--a plate-sized paper star! I left mine on the Simply Scored board so you can get an idea of how big it is. The Silver Glimmer Paper snowflake in the center is the Snowflake #2 die for the Big Shot (#113460, page 220 in the 2011-12 Idea Book & Catalog).
I'm guessing that this can be done with a smaller measurement as well as I larger one--maybe I'll try 3x3 next!
Today is all about making the decorations for the Song of My Heart Stampers annual Christmas party tomorrow. I can't wait! And I also have to make 13 cute tags for a cookie exchange later that night. I'd better get off the computer and get my backside in gear! I'll be back at noon to post the winners of the 10 free scrapbook layouts blog candy--don't forget to enter, if you haven't already!
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Outside of card: "Some people are only alive because you're too tired to dig a hole in the woods and bury them." Inside: "Sorry you had a yucky day! Hope tomorrow's better."
I really think this would sell.
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