Friday, October 31, 2008

No. 21

Sunday I showed you the 20 cards I designed using 1/2 of the I wish Simply Scrappin' kit and 1 sheet from the Old Saint Nick Rub-On assortment. What I forgot to mention is that although the kits will include materials and instructions to make 40 cards, you will actually have enough textured card stock, designer paper, self-adhesive die cuts and rub ons to make several more cards. You would only need to provide some of your own kraft card stock and envelopes.

This is one of the cards I designed with the "left-overs" and it's just as cute as any of the original 20 designs. So what I'll do is use up the rest of the left over pieces on other designs and include them all in the instructions. You still will only have enough card bases and envelopes to make 20 cards from the kit, but this way you will have some flexibility in terms of the designs you choose to use. Or, if you prefer, you can add your own card stock and envelopes to those in the kit and make all of the designs.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Saffron Noel

I admit, these colors are a bit unusual for a Christmas card, but sometimes you have to get away from tradition. On this card I used the big on Christmas set to stamp the noel in stazon black ink on whisper white card stock. I used my stampin' write markers in so saffron, certainly celery and real red to color the sentiment, decorated the ornament with some so saffron and certainly celery brads and added a real red mat.

I then took a certainly celery card base and added a so saffron mat, which I stamped with an image from the holiday trinkets set in so saffron ink. I wrapped some 5/8" certainly celery grosgrain ribbon around the so saffron mat before I attached it to the card front. Finally I added the main image with dimensionals. Certainly it's a little different, but I bet it will stand out in a crowd!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Christmas Heart

Has it been twelve days yet? After I finish this post I'm going to have to go back to count. After all, I don't want to bore you all, but then I have to live up to my 12 days of Christmas in October promise, too.

Anyway, this is still one more easy Christmas card. I started with the image of two skaters from the Winter Post set. I embossed them on vellum using basic black craft ink and clear embossing powder. Then I used the stained glass window technique and colored them on the reverse side of the vellum with my stampin' write markers. I cut a piece of whisper white card stock to the same size as the vellum so that the coloring would show up better and attached the vellum to the card stock using my double rectangle punch and 1/4" real red grosgrain ribbon. This is a great way to attach vellum without using any adhesive!

I mounted the whisper white card stock on a bigger piece of real red card stock and attached it to the certainly celery card front. I then stamped the sentiment from the Heard from the Heart set in basic black craft ink and embossed it too with clear embossing powder. I love the way this sentiment works with this image, because the couple of skaters look like they're totally letting Christmas into their hearts! In fact, this may just be a perfect card to give to your favorite couple!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

baja breeze Christmas

Yet another simple Christmas card. This time I used the emboss resist technique. I stamped the tree from Snow Swirled and the Merry Christmas sentiment from Cardinal Christmas in versamark on whisper white card stock and embossed it with clear embossing powder. Then I sponged on some baja breeze ink and added a pacific point mat. I stamped the snowflakes from snow swirled onto a baja breeze card base in baja breeze ink, wrapped the card front with pacific point striped grosgrain ribbon and attached the stamped and matted image to the card front with dimensionals. It doesn't get any easier than that!

Monday, October 27, 2008

Merry and Bright

Remember this little set from last year's holiday mini catalog? I was so happy to see it back in this year's big book! It's such a fun set and so easy to use!

This card is actually based on a card I received in a swap last year from one of my demo sidelines, Karen Murphy. Truth be told, I like Karen's card much better, but I was trying to CASE it from memory and that didn't work out as well as I would have hoped. So it turned more into an "inspired by" card, rather than an actual copy.

Of course, the curly label punch is new this year so that was my addition. I love how the snowman fits perfectly into the curly label shape and how the greeting from this set fits perfectly into one of the images from the Cute and Curly stamp set that comes in the punch bundle. The card is fairly self-explanatory, so rather than continuing to yak I'll just post the recipe:

paper: lovely lilac, bashful blue, almost amethyst, whisper white
ink: basic black, lovely lilac, bashful blue, whisper white craft
stamps: merry and bright, cute & curly
accessories: silver brad, blue gingham ribbon, curly label punch, dimensionals

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Make-A-Stack On the Go by Mail

I am so excited about tonight's post, because I've been wanting to offer this type of "stamp-a-stack" by mail for quite a while and never had quite enough time to finish it until now. And to be completely honest, one of the reasons why I was able to complete this today was that we lost power for some time this afternoon, which mean that I couldn't do some of the other things I should have been doing, and actually had time to finish up these cards.

Since this was to be a class by mail, the challenge for me in making these cards was to keep the supplies very limited. As such, these 20 cards were made using 1/2 of the I wish simply scrappin' kit, 10 pages of kraft card stock (for the card bases), 1 yard each of real red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon and kraft taffeta ribbon, and 1 sheet of the Old Saint Nick Rub ons. I used the chocolate chip sheet of rub ons, but the white rub ons would work just as well, with the only difference being some reversal of chocolate chip and whisper white textured card stock.

I think my favorite thing about these cards is that they are all unique and so simple to put together! All you need is your own adhesive. And since we're using rub-ons, there's not even any need for stamps and ink. In other words, this would be an absolutely perfect class for the people who (gasp!) don't want to stamp.

So are you ready to order? Here are the details:

You will receive instructions and materials to make the 20 cards pictured in the photo in this post. Your cards will vary only slightly depending on whether you are using the white or chocolate chip rub ons. All of your card bases will be pre-cut, but they will not be pre-scored (so you will have to fold them yourself). Your textured card stock and designer paper mats (from the I wish simply scrappin' kit) and any additional card stock pieces needed to complete the cards will also be pre-cut, and you will receive 20 kraft envelopes.

To complete the cards you will need: adhesive, scissors and a popsicle stick or bone folder to apply the rub-ons.

The cost of this Make-A-Stack On the Go by Mail class is $25.95 per person + 4.80 shipping for up to 2 kits. Shipping will be $9.80 for 2-6 kits and free for 7 or more kits shipped to the same address. In addition to free shipping, anyone who orders 7 or more kits shipped to the same address will receive a free level 1 hostess set of her choice.

So invite your friends over for a fun night in and get a head start on your Holiday cards. Gather orders at your event and submit them as a catalog show for even more hostess benefits! Contact me at stampwithdiane@comcast.net for more information.

Edited to Add: The instructions for this kit will actually include additional designs that you can make using the pieces you'll have left over from your kit and adding your own card base and envelopes. See this post and this post for two additional designs.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

All party and no stamping

sorry -- no time to upload anything today. We shopped, cooked, prepped, carved and entertained all day and night long. I'll try to do better tomorrow.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Happy holidays

So I've been without my stamp room for nearly a week and I'm really reaching for stuff to post -- can you tell?

I'll be the first to admit this card doesn't quite do it for me. But it wasn't until I uploaded it here that I finally figured out what's wrong with it. It's the wrong size! the standard 4.25x5.5" card front leaves too much green. If I had made a 3x6" card the balance would have been much better.

Maybe after our pumpkin carving party is over and I have my stamp space back I'll re-do the card. In the meantime, please don't judge me too harshly. Here's the card recipe:

Stamps: Big on Christmas, Classic Backgrounds
Ink: real red, green galore, so saffron, stazon black
paper: real red, green galore, whisper white
Accessories: red beads, real red striped grosgrain ribbon, crystal effects.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Bravo Cardinal

You guessed it. I liked my first coaster card so much I had to make another one, this one with the Christmas Cardinal set. As with the last card, this one is super simple. I stamped the cardinal in bravo burgundy ink on a round coaster. I sponged on some creamy caramel and bravo burgundy ink. I punched two 3/16" holes with my crop-a-dial and wove through a bravo burgundy 5/8" grosgrain ribbon. I attached the coaster to a handsome hunter mat which was attached to a bravo burgundy mat and then attached the whole thing to a creamy caramel card base. As a final touch I stamped the sentiment in the lower right hand corner.

Tune in tomorrow for another simple Christmas card!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Christmas Flowers


I'm just going to keep the Christmas cards coming this week. I guess you can call this portion of the blog the 12 days of Christmas in October! For Today's card I used a ruby red card base. I stamped the image from A Flower for all Seasons with stazon black ink on whisper white card stock and colored it with my ruby red, old olive and more mustard stampin' write markers. I then punched out a semicircle with my 3/4" circle punch, added an old olive mat and a ruby red button. I think I probably should have threaded the button with some natural hemp twine, but it was packed away in a hard to get to spot so I just did without. If you didn't have the earth elements buttons, you could make a faux button with the 1/2" circle punch and the 1/8" handheld circle punch or, better yet, the double circle punch.

The sentiment comes from the Cute and Curly stamp set. I stamped it on whisper white card stock with ruby red ink and trimmed it out by hand. I then added an old olive mat punched out with my curly label punch.

I wrapped a piece of 1/4" old olive grosgrain ribbon around a piece of more mustard card stock and attached it in the center of my card front. Then I attached both of my stamped pieces and the card was done.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Christmas Sleigh Bells

Here's another super simple Christmas card. The base is brocade blue, with a square bravo burgundy and creamy caramel mats. The image from the Sleigh Bells Ring set is stamped with bravo burgundy ink on a white round chipboard coaster. I used a crop-a-dial to punch 2 3/16" holes through which I threaded some 5/8" bravo burgundy ribbon and tied it in a double knot. I also used the eyelet setting part of the crop-a-dial to create a dotted boarder, but to be honest, I'm not sure I would do that again, because I found it really hard to maintain even spacing around the perimeter.

I used a stamping sponge to add some creamy caramel ink to the entire front of the coaster and used a stamping sponge with bravo burgundy ink to add color to the coaster edges. Then I just attached the coaster to the card front and stamped the sentiment in bravo burgundy ink to finish off the card.

The thing that makes this card so easy is using the coaster, because it gives dimension and does not require cutting. However, if you do not have a supply of coasters, you could achieve the same effect using the coluzzle circle cutting system with very vanilla or naturals vanilla card stock.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Glitter window joy

Here's another quick and cute Christmas card. This time I used the Season of Joy Stamp set. I started with a piece of whisper white card stock on which I stamped the main image full of sentiments in real red ink. I then added an old olive mat. I folded an old olive card base and trimmed a real red mat 1/4" smaller than the base in each direction. I wrapped a piece of white taffeta (complete with a cheater bow) around the real red mat and attached the main image in the lower right hand corner. I then punched a scalloped circle in the upper left hand corner and attached a square piece of clear con-tact paper to the back, so that the sticky side faced through the opening (you can also use a piece of clear packing tape for this glitter window technique). I sprinkled the opening with dazzling diamonds to create the glitter window. I then stamped the flower in real red ink on a piece of whisper white card stock and centered the image in the scalloped opening, attaching it to the back of the real red mat. Then I simply attached the real red mat to the card base and the card was done.

If you're wondering why all of a sudden I seem to be stamping a lot of quick but cute Christmas cards, the answer is pretty simple - I'm preparing samples for a stamp-a-stack on the go. A stamp a stack on the go is a hybrid between a traditional stap-a-stack and a workshop. There is a hostess who invites friends to her house to make Christmas cards. The guests pay a fee to make several cards each of several designs. If they like what they see and want to make a purchase, they get a portion or all of their class fee applied to their purchase price, depending on the size of their order. The hostess receives all the hostess benefits if the total sales from the night reach the qualifying amount.

Sound like fun? If you live in the Chicagoland Area you too can host your own stamp-a-stack to go. Contact me at 847-452-8285 for details.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Raindeer Christmas

Here's a fun and easy Christmas card in one of my favorite color combinations: night of navy, bashful blue and silver. I started with a bashful blue base and added a night of navy mat. I then added a strip of the bashful blue patterns designer series paper. Below the strip I stamped the greeting from Holidays and Wishes in encore silver ink.

Next I stamped three reindeer in the encore silver ink on whisper white card stock and punched them out with the small tag punch. I added some basic gray taffeta ribbon behind each tag and finished each tag of with a large tag piece punched out of night of navy card stock. To finish I just attached the three tags to the card front with dimensionals.

I love how quickly this card comes together and how elegant it looks when it's done!

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Sock Monkey Halloween

Poor little sock monkey. I'm afraid with all the excitement of new stamps, I've ignored him lately. Well, since his accessories set comes with a Halloween accessory, I thought it was only fair to let him come out and play at least once before Halloween.

And doesn't he just look too adorable in his Ghostly Greetings designer series paper pajamas proudly holding his Jack-O-Lantern? Of course I paper pieced his outfit and face, and painted his lips, hat and bottom using my ruby red stampin' write marker. The pumpkin was colored using stampin' write markers as well, in old olive, chocolate chip and pumpkin pie.

I attached the image (stamped in chocolate chip on very vanilla card stock) to a larger piece of creamy caramel card stock, added the sentiment from the Chills and Thrills rub-on assortment and decorated using 1/4" grosgrain ribbon in chocolate chip, old olive and pumpkin pie. I then attached it to the old olive card base decorated with a strip of pumpkin pie card stock that I ran through the crimper.

I really love this card and I will mail it out on Monday to my niece and nephew. I'm sure they'll love it too!

Friday, October 17, 2008

Faux Frosted Christmas

Here's another card we made at the Faux Frosting Technique class this month. In this card we used the faux frosting technique to create clouds and snow. Here's the recipe:

Stamp sets: Merry & Bright, Best Yet (Level 1 hostess set)

Card Stock: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Whisper White

Ink: Gong Gray, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, real red, creamy caramel, pumpkin pie, old olive, Whisper White craft

accessories: large oval punch, 1.8" handheld circle punch, red gingham ribbon, sponge daubers

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Faux Frosted Cupcake

Here's a card we stamped at this month's technique class. The technique was faux frosting, and what better card to demonstrate it on than one with a giant cupcake?

I used 2 stamp sets to make this card, and both of them are part of this month's Birthday promotion, where with a single $20 purchase you can get 20% off the price of 8 different stamp sets. Obviously I couldn't pass up that kind of a deal, especially since I really love these two stamp sets!

Anyway, here's the card recipe:

Stamp sets: Simple Birthday Thanks, Crazy for Cupcakes
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Regal Rose, Whisper White, Windsor knot designer series paper
Ink: basic black, regal rose re-inker, whisper white craft
Accessories: word window punch, 1/8" handheld circle punch, pink bead duo, crystal effects, sponge dauber, riding hood red taffeta ribbon, paper crimper, dimensional.

Simple Cardinal

Tonight's card is a blatant copy of a design by one of my demo friends, Nadine Amy. Nadine used to live in Illinois but now lives in Georgia, so we don't get to see each other in person very often. However, Nadine usually participates in our demo group swaps, and this layout was the one she used for our Holiday mini swap. She had used the Home For Christmas set with this layout, but I thought it would look just as elegant with the Christmas Cardinal set.

Really, this is a perfect card. It's not too complicated or fussy, yet I think it's relay striking. And it's easy to put together, too, because there are no fancy techniques to worry about and the accessories -- striped ribbon and hemp twine - are a snap to put together.
I just love this layout, Nadine! Thanks for sharing it with us through the swap!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Thanksgiving Favor

Tonight's project is another class project for November's class at the Hillside Library. It's a Thanksgiving candy treat similar to the two Halloween treat holders I showed previously, which can also be used as a place card holder (thanks to Julie F. for that brilliant idea!).

(edited to add: I'm so sorry for not posting this earlier. Something clearly went wrong with the photo upload and I havent had a chance to fix this post until now. HOpe you like the treat holder!)

Monday, October 13, 2008

Golden Snow Swirls


Tonight's card is a sample for a class I will be teaching at the Hillside library in November. I was asked to design a class for beginner stampers with two Christmas cards and a Thanksgiving place card/treat holder. I know thissounds easy, but actually anyone who ever met me knows that designign simple cards is absolutely the most difficult task anyone could give me. Let's just say I could find a way to complicate boiling water.

With that in mind, I can only hope this card is not too complicated for beginner stampers. I started out with a piece of naturals ivory card stock on which I stamped the tree, small snowflake and sentiment from the Snow Swirled set with real red and kiwi kiss inks. I then used the ticket corner punch on the corners and the zig gold painty to accents some of the dots on the tree.

I cut a real red mat to size and stamped it with the middle size snowflake from the snow swirled set in encore gold ink. Again I used the ticket corner punch and layered the image on top of the stamped real red mat. I attached the real red mat to a larger kiwi kiss mat and inserted gold brads in all four corners. Finally I attached the kiwi kiss mat to a naturals ivory card base.

I know it doesn't look like much in the photo, but in real life this cardis very pretty, with the gold encore ink and the gold painty giving it a nice shimmer. I just hope the class participants will enjoy making it.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

True Elegance Class by mail

I know it's been a while, but this weekend I finally had a chance to put together a new class by mail. This time the class will include materials and instructions for making five 3.5x5 inch note cards with envelopes and a coordinating box to store the cards (closed box pictures in photo on the left.) This set of cards would be perfect to keep for yourself or to make as a lovely gift.

The best part about the class kit is that it will include a variety of different accessories. To make the box and the cards you will use pieces of:

1 1/4" pink pirouette grosgrain ribbon;
5/8" striped pink pirouette grosgrain ribbon;
1" doubles stitched chocolate chip ribbon;
pretty in pink and chocolate chip taffeta ribbons;
Hidden Garden Rub On Assortment;
Flower Fusion Too;
Round fire rhinestone brads;
Pretties Kit; and
True Elegance Accents & Elements (1 sheet of each of the 4 designs).

All you'll need to make these projects is your own adhesive (I recommend sticky strip or other similarly strong adhesive to make the box). Also, I used sentiments form the All Holidays set on two of these cards. If you too would like to include sentiments other than those included in the True Elegance accents and elements, you will need your own sentiment stamps and a chocolate chip ink pad or marker.

The cost for materials and instructions will be $20 + 4.95 shipping (for up to 4 class kits shipped to the same address). Class kits will be shipped no later than 15 business days of my receipt of payment.

This class by mail will be available now through November 15. Anyone who orders before October 31 will receive materials and instructions to make a bonus 6th card.

To place an order e-mail me at stampwithdiane@comcast.net with the quantity of kits you'd like to purchase, your mailing address and your preferred payment method (I accept checks, master card, visa, discover and paypal). As always, happy stamping!

Friday, October 10, 2008

Peppermint Patty Holder Template

I received so many e-mail asking me for this peppermint patty holder box pattern and, regrettably, I wasn't able to answer individually because this week was really quite a tough week for me. I confess, now that blogger has a delayed posting feature, I tend to do a lot of stamping on the weekend and then I prepare and pre-schedule my weekly posts. So even though it looks like I spend time on-line daily, there are times when I'm just too busy.

In any case, please forgive me if it seemed like I was ignoring those of you who wrote in your requests. I wasn't! I just did not have time to send individual responses and had to wait until tonight to create and post a template.


Please keep in mind that this template is not drawn to scale, so be sure to follow the measurements. Start with a 3x7.5" piece of cards stock. Score at 0.5 and 2.5" on the short side. Score at 0.5, 2.5, 3, and 5 inches on the long side. Cut 1/2x2" panels off at one end as shown on the right side of the template. cut along the score lines where you see the dotted lines on the template. Cut the other tabs on a diagonal. Punch out your desired shape (a circle or scalloped circle works very nicely). Attach 2x2 inch piece of acetate on the inside of the lid. Decorate the outside of the box as desired. Use sticky strip or another strong adhesive on the 1/2x1/2" tabs, peel and fold to form the bottom of the box. Fold the lid over. Decorate the back as desired and decorate the contents of the box as desired.

I sure hope this template makes sense and that you'll be able to use it for Thanksgiving or any other occasion. Enjoy!

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Holiday box


Here's another of the party favor/trinket boxes we made at the library class this week. It's a regular 2,4,6,8 box made out of handsome hunter card stock stamped with the holly image from the holiday trinkets stamp set in handsome hunter ink. I used the 5/8" wide real red grosgrain ribbon for the closure and decorated the front with an ornament image from the holiday trinkets set stamped on whisper white card stock punched out with the 1 1/4" circle punch and in real red and accented with the gold painty and gold elastic cord. I layered the image onto a 1 3/8" circle punched out of handsome hunter and layered that on top of a scalloped circle punched out of real red card stock.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Mini ScrapBOOk

Here's a fun little project I put together recently. It's a mini Halloween scrapbook made with double sided designer paper. In this case I used some retired Creepy Crawly designer series paper I had left over from last year. Much as I love the current Ghostly Greetings designer series paper, I do miss Creepy Crawly. There was something about that color combination of pumpkin pie, really rust and more mustard that I just loved!

Because the Creepy Crawly paper is no longer available, obviously this little book will be a one of a kind. But keep watching this blog because very soon I hope to have a new class by mail to make this mini scrapbook in a holiday theme.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Winter box


Here's a fun and cute winter treat holder. It's easy to make, too! I just took a 6x6" piece of whisper white card stock and wheeled on the snowflake pattern with my jumbo wheel in ballet blue ink. I used sticky strip to form the wheeled card stock into a sour cream container, using my paper crimper on each end. I wrapped a piece of double stitched bashful blue ribbon around the container. I stamped a label form the Punches Three Level 1 hostess set in ballet blue on whisper white and punched it out with the scalloped square punch. I layered this tag with a scalloped square punched from ballet blue card stock. I then attached the tag to the double stitched ribbon using silver elastic cord.

Monday, October 6, 2008

small gift box

This Wednesday I'm going to teach a class at the Itasca Community Library on making various party favor and treat boxes. The first three boxes will be pretty familiar -- a triangle box, a sour cream container and a 2-4-6-8 box -- but for the fourth and final box I wanted to do something a little different, so I created this one sheet box.
It's called a one sheet box because you can make it from one sheet of 11x8.5" paper. The top is hinged open and can either be held securely closed via a tied ribbon or through a more non-conventional method.

The box we'll be making at class is this Thanksgiving themed box. I used old olive card stock, the With Gratitude stamp set, and chocolate chip, pumpkin pie pie, old olive, ruby red, more mustard inks. In this side view you can tell how the lid of the box ties behind the stamped fall image.


This is what the prototype looked like. I liked the red box so much I decorated it with some retired designer paper and for decoration added a simple set from the punches three level 1 hostess set.

And this is what the red box would look like open. I'm still trying to figure out what would be the perfect thing to put into a box like this. Maybe some cocoa packets or tea bags or coffee packs or maybe some yummy cookies? If you get some great ideas let me know!


Now, based on your response to the peppermint patty box, I'm guessing you will want the template for this box (I apologise for the peppermint patty box --as soon as I get some free time I will post the template for that box as well). Luckily I promised all the class attendees templates for the boxes, so I had to put one together, and here it is. Have fun!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Bella Dream

I was so excited this weekend to get my new Bella Toile background stamp. I just love it. It makes usch a gorgeous background -- you hardly need to do anything else on a card. Here I started with a pacific point card base and added a baja breeze mat. I stamped the bella toile background on whisper white in baja breeze ink. I wrapped a piece of the double stitched baja breeze ribbon around the white layer and attached the white to the baja breeze mat. I then stamped the image from the Dreams Du Jour set in pacific point ink on whisper white cards stock, added baja breeze and pacific point mats and attached it to the card front with stamping dimensionals.

I know that I will find lots of fabulous ways to use this background stamp in the future, but for now I'm just thrilled that it will help me put together cards when I need to make one in a hurry.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Happy World Card Making Day

It's World Card Making Day! I hope you had a chance to celebrate by making a card or two or twenty :-). If you haven't had a chance to stamp yet, no worries. I don't think anyone would mind if you stretched the holiday to a World Card Making Weekend.

And if you're looking for a way to make fun quick cards look no further than this World Card Making Day limited time special from Stampin' Up! Starting today through October 11 you can order the Simply Sent Card Elements and Simply Sent card Kits at 20% off their regular retail price.

Simply sent card kits include absolutely everything you need to make your cards, from card stock, to stamps, ink, envelopes and even adhesives! You can literally start creating right out of the box.

Simply Sent card elements include the card stock, designer paper and self-adhesive die cuts plus, in some cases, some accessories, so you can make cards immediately. They do not include the coordinating stamp sets, inks, envelopes and adhesive, so they're great for stampers who already have basic supplies.

I've been playing with the Christmas simply sent card elements kit and I was amazed at how quickly I could put together a bunch of fun cards. At Christmas, quick and fun cards are key, especially with as many cards as I usually send out. I think I'll pick up a couple more kits while they're on sale this week and put all the cards together during my November Holiday Card Stamp-a-Ton. Woo hoo! I just love it when Stampin' Up! helps me eliminate some of the usual holiday stress and rush!

If you'd like to order some Simply Sent Card Kits or Simply Sent Card Elements just click on the shopping logo in the upper right hand corner of the blog or contact me at stampwithdiane@comcast.net.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Fall peppermint patty holder

Tonight's projects is a little peppermint patty holder. My holder is fall themed and would make a cute Thanksgiving favor, but change the colors and images and you could use it for any occasion.

The box is the perfect size to hold one decorated peppermint patty. I used old olive card stock to make the box, with a little acetate in the scalloped circle. The images are all from the Autumn Harvest set, stamped in kiwi kiss ink on the old olive and in basic brown on the whisper white. I used an aquapainter and pumpkin pie, kiwi kiss and always artichoke inks to color the pumpkins and the leaves. I used the scalloped circle, 1 3/8" and 1 1/4" circle and corner rounder punches, as well as a stamping sponge to color the edges of the whisper white card stock.

Because a lot of the times it's hard to get an idea of the size of the project when I take a close-up photo, I also wanted to include this picture of the treat box next to a regular size card. As you can see, it's really quite small, but cute!