Little Labels

Depending on which colours and stamps you use, these can be cute or elegant or fun or anything you want them to be! Plus, it's a great way to use up scraps.

Supplies
Cardstock: solid coloured CS of your choice, Whisper white
Tools: scallop punch, 1-1/4" circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch
Optional: matching 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, clear embossing powder, watercolour pencil crayons, blender pens

Directions
Stamp an image onto Whisper White CS. The image can be larger than 1-1/4", as long as there is a part of it you'd like to punch out. If you want to, emboss the image with clear embossing powder.

Punch out the image with the 1-1/4" circle punch. Make sure you use the punch upside-down so you can see exactly what the punched image will look like. If you want to, use the watercolour pencil crayons and blender pens to colour the image.

Punch out a 1-3/8" circle from matching CS and a scallop from matching CS.

Adhere each layer to the next. Voila!



To add ribbon: cut approximately 4 to 5 inches of matching 1/4" grosgrain ribbon. Loop the ribbon around (no need to tie a knot; just use a little bit of adhesive where the ribbon crosses itself to hold it in place.) Punch out a second scallop shape (this will be the 'back' piece). Place the ribbon loop on the back scallop. Apply adhesive to the front scallop (the one with the layers and the stamped image). Matching up the edges, adhere the front to the back, with the ribbon sandwiched in between.

Some ideas...
~wine glass tags
~gift box or bag tags
~glue a toothpick between the two layers and use as plant picks, dessert picks, appetizer picks, cake decorations...
~clothes hanger decorations
~string them together to make a mini-garland
~attach to a small chocolate or other wrapped candy
~attach a magnet to the back

Live Your Dream Coaster Box

This box was inspired by Barbara (http://zeitfuermich.blogspot.com/) It's simple and beautiful, and you can easily personalize it to suit your intent and your space. I have to admit I cheated just a little: the box will hold Sharpies, not SU! markers, but I wanted the markers to match the box in the picture!

Supplies

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral, Old Olive, Whisper White

Tools: Crop-A-Dile, scallop punch, 1-1/4" circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch

Ink: Cameo Coral, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip

Stamps: Live Your Dream

Other: Chipboard sheets (I didn't have coaster, so I cut my own), Aleene's Original Tacky Craft Glue, Hemp twine

Directions

Cut 5 3-1/2" squares from chipboard. (I used several passes of my paper trimmer to achieve this).

Cut 5 1-1/2" squares out of CS. Mix and match colours to your taste.

Adhere CS squares to chipboard squares.

Using the Crop-A-Dile, punch a hole in each corner of each sqaure. I measured it out for the first square so the holes would be evenly spaced, and then lined that square up with the others and punched them out too. If you're going to use thicker ribbon or twine, make sure it will fit through your holes twice! If you want to, you could add eyelets at this point.

Run the edges of each square over the Chocolate Chip inkpad to define the edges.

Using approximately 3" - 4" of hemp twine for each knot, loosely tie the corners together, forming the four walls of the container. Then tie the bottom on, re-using the bottom holes of the four walls.

One knot at a time, add a dab of white craft glue (I use Aleene's because it dries clear) to each knot. Pull the knot tight and hold it for a couple of seconds until the glue sets. (I did this at my computer, went on Splitcoast, opened up the gallery of new submissions, clicked on 'Slideshow', and enjoyed the show while waiting for all 12 knots to set!) Trim the ends of each knot.

Cut a 2-3/4" square from Whisper White CS. Stamp with small flower stamp. (I inked the stamp with Old Olive and Cameo Coral markers.) Run the edges of the square over the Chocolate Chip ink pad.

Ink and stamp the large flower image on a scrap piece of Whisper White CS. Punch out with the 1-1/4" punch. Run the edge of the circle over the Chocolate Chip ink pad.

Punch a scallop from Chocolate Chip CS and a 1-3/8" circle from Old Olive CS.

Adhere the flower image, Old Olive circle, and Chocolate Chip scallop together. Adhere the element to centre of the 2-3/4" square. Adhere the sqaure to the box.

If you want to, you can decorate each side however you want. I chose to embellish one side and leave the rest plain. The colours are gorgeous on their own!

Summer by the Sea and Seaside Sketches

I love these two stamp sets by SU! They're feminine but not cutesy, and the lend themselves well to almost any colour choices. The instructions here work for any of the four cards.

Supplies

Cardstock: 5-1/2" x 4-1/4" Whisper White CS
2 pieces of 2" x 5-3/8" coloured CS for colour panels (I used Ruby Red, Barely Banana, and Bashful Blue

Scraps of coloured CS to mat your stamp (I used Bashful Blue, Perfectly Plum, Ruby Red, and Certainly Celery)

Whisper White CS (for stamping)

Ink: Basic Black ink pad

Stamps: Seaside Sketches and Summer by the Sea

Other: clear embossing powder

heat gun
watercolour pencil crayons

blender pens

Directions

Score the Whisper White CS at 2-1/4" from each short end. Fold the sides together. They should meet in the middle, making a gatefold card.

Adhere the 2 pieces of coloured CS to each 'gate' of your card. If you want to add texture, use a background stamp and VersaMark ink before adhering, or use the scoring blade of your paper trimmer to create a grid pattern.

*Note: on one card, I used Bashful Blue CS for the base and only added one panel (in scored Barely Banana) to the left hand panel.

Stamp your image onto Whisper White CS. Emboss with clear embossing powder.

Colour your image with the watercolour pencil crayons. You don't have to cover every little bit; the blender pens will 'carry' the colour. I like to layer my colours a bit; for example, I use a light brown with just a touch of red for skin tones, and yellow and brown for hair. The wonderful thing about watercolour pencil crayons is that you can customize your image for the recipient of the card, matching hair colour and skin tones.

'Paint' over the coloured image with the blender pens, making sure to clean the tip between colours.

Cut out your image. I usually just 'eyeball' it, since the trimmer ensures perfectly square corners.

Measure your cut out image. Add 1/4" to each measurement and cut out a mat from coloured CS. Mount the image on the mat.

Mount the mat on your card. Careful, you can only adhere one half of the image or you won't be able to 'open' the gate!

The First Real Post!

This is probably one of the easiest projects I've ever done...and one of the cheapest too! It's a great way to use up scraps.

You'll need a composition notebook (I got mine in a pack of 4 at the dollar store). The ones I bought have a taped spine, not a spiral bind. Choose 2 or 3 coordinating papers (cardstock and/or patterned paper), and go to town!

I've given specific instructions here for the pink cherry composition notebook.

Supplies
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Stamps: SU! Tart and Tangy

Punches: scallop, 1-3/8" circle, 1-1/4" circle

Embellishments: 1/4" Pretty in Pink grosgrain

Cherries Bling from Heidi Swapp


Directions
Using markers to ink the cherry stamp, create 'designer paper' by stamping the image repeatedly on Whisper White. This will be the top front of the notebook.

Hold the 'designer paper' against the notebook. Mark measurements. Cut to size and adhere to notebook.

Hold the Pretty in Pink CS against the notebook, lining it up with the bottom of the 'designer paper'. Trim and adhere to notebook.

Repeat with Pretty in Pink CS for the back of the notebook. (I just used Pretty in Pink for the whole back, but you could mix papers on the back too.)

Measure and cut 14" of Pretty in Pink 1/4" grosgrain ribbon. Adhere the ribbon to the notebook so that it wraps around and can be tied at the side. Make sure the ribbon covers the seam between your two front papers.

Cut the Certainly Celery CS to the length of your notebook. I cut mine to 4-1/2" x 1-1/4". Score the CS so that it matches the spine of your notebook. My score lines were 1/2" from each long side, creating a 1/4" section in the middle.

Adhere the Certainly Celery CS to the notebook. I suggest using a very tacky tape for this step.

Tie the ribbon in a bow to keep it out of the way.

Using the scallop punch, punch a scallop from Whisper White CS. If you want to, use a paper piercing tool to poke a small hole in each scallop for added interest.

Punch a 1-3/8" circle from Pretty in Pink CS. Adhere to the scallop.

Punch a 1-1/4" circle from Whisper White CS. Adhere to the pink circle.

Attach cherry Bling (Heidi Swapp) to the centre of the circle.

Use a dimensional to adhere the accent to the front of the notebook.

This would make an excellent gift for a young girl...they love writing notes!

Some other ideas:
decorate with baby-themed stamps for new parents to keep track of feedings (really useful for families with newborn twins!)
use school-themed stamps for a teacher's gift
decorate with Christmas stamps and use the notebook to record which presents you've already bought, and for whom

Patience, please!

I'm trying this out...something new. I'll try to get it set up ASAP!