Sunflower Stamping!

Magazine Holder Tutorial

Remember this card holder from a few days ago?

I promised the dimensions and instructions, but couldn't seem to put them into words without pictures, so I've got a set of full pictorial instructions for you today! I adapted a mini magazine holder to hold regular 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" cards. Also, I intentionally made it from 81/2x11 carstock instead of 12x12. I made a couple of cards to go inside, and it looks adorable!

If this doesn't make sense, please let me know, as it was completely made up by me! You will probably find a much better, more convenient way to assemble it once you've made one, so remember this was my first try!

I made my magazine folder/card holder in 2 different colors, but you could just as easily make it all in one color and add some DSP too.

Recipe (for cards and holder) -

Stamp sets: Season of Friendship, Level I hostess set Best Yet

Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red, Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Summer Sun

Cardstock: *8-1/2x11* Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red, Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Accessories: Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red, & Baja Breeze striped grosgrain ribbon, hemp twine, Whisper White medium envelopes, Circle punches: 3/4", 1", 1- 1-3/8", 1-3/4"; magazine holder template & dimensions

To make the magazine holder, I started with somebody else's template for a smaller magazine holder, but had to change it to fit 4-1/4"x5-1/2" cards. To keep from using 12x12" cardstock, I made the holder in 2 pieces instead, then made each piece from a separate color of cardstock. Basically, it's a box (the bottom portion I'll be making in Kiwi Kiss) with the angled piece sticking up out of the inside of the box (the Baja Breeze part). Starting with the top portion, I drew up a quick picture with the dimensions. Just click on it if you need to see it better.  

   

Simply cut a piece of cardstock that is 5-3/4" x 10-1/2".

Now score it 4-1/2" from each side, with the paper positioned LANDSCAPE. Use your bone folder to crease each scoreline.

With the creases down the center like an open book, you will measure and mark 1" to the left and right of the score lines at the TOP of the cardstock. 

Next, measure 2-1/2" from the bottom on the left and right sides, then draw a diagonal line to connect the two.  (If you look closely, you can see the diagonal pencil line on my cardstock.)

Cut along the diagonal lines.

This piece will fit into the box we'll create for the bottom.

To make the bottom, cut a piece of cardstock that is 6-1/2" x 9-1/2". Score 2-1/2" from all 4 sides. This will leave you with a 1-1/2" section in the middle, which is the finished width of the holder.

    

Crease with your bone folder. Cut the 2 vertical creases from the bottom up to the first horizontal fold, and again from the top down to the first horizontal fold. If this doesn't make sense, you can see the cuts in the next photo if you click on it. (Sorry; forgot to photograph that step!)

With the side that is to become the inside of the box facing up (the folds are like valleys), place strips of Sticky Strip as shown, with 4 on the left side and only 2 on the right.

Now flip the cardstock over, and place more Sticky Strip as shown: this time with 4 on the left and 4 on the right.

 

Flip the cardstock back over so the side with the uneven amount of Sticky Strip is facing up, and the side with only 2 strips is to the right. Peel the plastic off the 4 strips on the left, then position the upper piece in the center of the box bottom.

*It's a good idea to check the size of the upper piece before peeling the strips off, and trimming any parts that don't quite fit into the bottom correctly. 

Now just fold up the back parts and press the Sticky Strip to hold the pieces together.

Next, peel off the plastic from the 2 Sticky Strips on the right, along with one of the now vertical strips in the FRONT and one on the BACK (that can't be seen in this photo). If that doesn't make sense, look at the picture to see where the plastic is peeled off and copy it! :-) 

Fold up the flaps on the right over the ones you already folded on the left. It will now look like this on both the front and the back. Peel off the remaining plastic strips and fold the last 2 flaps up.

Embellish as desired! *Now that you know which parts show when complete and which don't, you'll know where to stamp if you want to stamp it before assembling.

 

OK, this was CRAZY long, and probably all backwards, but hopefully you get the idea and it will work for you. Be sure to let me know if it's wrong in places. I'm sure I'll end up rereading it later and correcting all sorts of things.

Be sure to email pictures of your creations!

p.s. - yes, I know my butcher block table needs to be refinished desperately! ;-)

Season of Friendship Cards and Magazine Holder

Boy, I'm in the doghouse for posting this so late, aren't I?!! Well, hopefully it won't disappoint!

Here's my magazine holder and cards made with my new Season of Friendship set:

 

Cute, huh? I adapted a mini magazine holder to regular 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" cards. I made a couple of cards to go inside, CASEing a few from online... sorry, I can't remember from where at the moment. (I'm in such a hurry to get this thing posted finally!) The magazine holder would look really cute with the bottom covered in DSP, then more on the cards to match. However, I was trying to keep these cards and the holder simple and with fewer supplies because it's for one of my Christmas classes.

 

I stamped the envelopes to make this more "gifty" (!) and because they will be seen while in the holder. I'll probably offer my stampers the option to make this quick-and-easy version, or one with two of each cards. They are pretty stamping-intensive, simply because you have to ink, cleanup, then re-ink with other colors quite frequently, due to all the leaves on the cards, holder and the envelopes.

I think it's  a reallly neat, colorful - and simple - project. Once I figured out the dimensions of the holder, it was really simple to put everything together. I'll come back and add the dimensions and instructions for the holder tomorrow; first, I've got to make some adjustments to this one, as it was the first try, and therefore not perfect! I'll also add instructions for the cards (which, by the way, are landscape, which doesn't seem to show up in the picture.)

Hope you like!

OK - here we go with the particulars I promised:

Recipe -

Stamp sets: Season of Friendship, Level I hostess set Best Yet

Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red, Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Summer Sun

Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red, Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Accessories: Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red, & Baja Breeze striped grosgrain ribbon, hemp twine, Whisper White medium envelopes, Circle punches: 3/4", 1", 1- 1-3/8", 1-3/4"; magazine holder template

You know what? I'll never get through a how-to without visual aids.It would be like trying to teach someone how to tie their shoes without being able to show them.

For a tutorial with pictures, click here.

Fancy "Wallpapered" Pop-up Card!

I wanted to make something to showcase the new Fall/Winter Designer Series Paper, Bella Rose, but ended up using just 2 of the Chocolate Chip papers for a card, so you don't get to see the rest of the beautiful new colors, including Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, and Pink Pirouette. I did, however, use Pink Pirouette cardstock and ink, so you can at least see that!

I call this a "Wallpapered Pop-up Card", because I "wallpapered" the inside of the card to hide the pop-up mechanism! For wallpaper on this card, I used the tiny polka dot patterned NEW Bella Rose�DSP and ran a piece of Pink Pirouette through the Cuttlebug using the Swiss Dots embossing folder.

Want to know how to make one of your own? Here are the instructions in ten (thousand!) words or less:

Let's start by constructing the pop-up part of the card, which I call the pop-up "mechanism". Cut a piece of cardstock approximately 3"x2", and score it crosswise down the middle.

Now use paper snips to�make 2 cuts�across the folded edge up to app. 1/2" from the end so that you end up with a small tab in the center.

Score the tab with your bone folder on both sides.�Pop out the tab so that it�folds in the opposite direction from the original fold you made. You will end up with something that looks like a stairstep, like this: �

To make the "wallpaper" for the insides to cover the pop-up mechanism, choose two papers or cardstock colors, and cut them to the size you'd like. Now you'll want to cut L-shaped cuts into each - in opposite directions for top and bottom. Refer to the photo here:

In my demo, I am using pink for the card bottom and the Chocolate Chip DSP for the top, hence the direction of the L cuts. To make the cuts accurately, fold your pop-up mechanism like you did in the above photo to score it with the bone folder, then draw an L in the desired direction on the front of your wallpaper. I cut mine with paper snips and shaped them up a bit with the Hobby Blade. You'll probably need to play around with the placement of the pop-up mechanism and the cuts for a bit - I know I did! - so that is why I have not attached the mechanism to the card yet.

Once you're satisfied with the way your wallpaper lays on the card, you're ready to attch the mechanism. I just use SNAIL, but your adhesive method of preference is fine. Run your adhesive around the tab on the back of your pop-up mechanism, WITHOUT getting any on the tab itself.

I've found the best way to get the pop-up piece aligned properly is to attach one side first, then partially close the card to allow th second side to attach itself.

Once your pop-up mechanism is attached, your ready to "wallpaper" the inside. Add your 2 wallpaper pieces with SNAIL by hooking the L-shaped cutouts under the tab and securing.

To add your pop-up cutout, it's best to place a Dimensional or 2 directly on the "stairstep" tab rather than on the cutout piece. This way, you can align the bottom of your pop-up cutout with the bottom of the stairstep so that the card closes easily.���

Now simply decorate your card front and insides as you'd like! I chose to decorate the inside bottom, but you can just as easily decorate the top instead, or both for that matter.

�

Hope you enjoy! Please leave any comments or email me with questions if I've confused you!

Cute Christmas Stocking Stuffers!

My upline, Wendy Randall, sent instructions for this C-U-T-E idea, which I've included below. These little paper "candies" would be adorable as gifts for your kids' classes, hung on your tree as ornaments, or just placed in a cut glass bowl on your coffee table! They're the perfect size to hold Hershey's Kisses, peppermint candies, or BEAUTIFUL JEWELRY for Christmas! (hint, hint!) They're made with Stampin' Up!'s Designer Christmas Paper, "Dashing", and the SU! supplies listed below:

Designer Paper - Dashing, cut into 4x6" pieces #109150 $9.95
Gold Cording #109867  $4.95
1" Circle punch   #109046   $10.95
Real Red or Always Artichoke grosgrain ribbon  #109034 $4.95
Greeting Glue  #106650  $3.95
Party Punch #101497 hostess set
Vanilla cardstock  #101650  $7.50 (app. 2 1/2"x 3")
3/4" Square punch #107273  $10.95
Real Red Classic ink pad #103133  $5.25            

Instructions: 1.  Stamp the 'Merry Christmas' stamp on vanilla cardstock.  Punch out the center with the 1" circle punch.

Punch 1/16" hole in dot between words and insert both ends of cording, then tie ends together.  Set aside.

2.  Score background paper pieces at:  1 1/4" --- 2 1/2" --- 3 3/4" --- 5".

Fold in half so that there is a 1 1/4" end remaining. Glue the remaining 1" piece to the 1 1/4" piece to form a tube. In other words, a 1" and a 1 1/4" scored end piece will overlap and be glued together.

 

3.  Mark a line in pencil 1/2" from each end both sides and punch 1/2 of the 3/4" square punch in the triangle shape lining up the points with the edge of paper and punch.  Do this on all edges. (refer to photo)

4. Pinch the paper together around the punched out area as in the photo, and tie with ribbon.

Insert a piece of candy, then tie the remaining side, catching the gold cord of the tag made earlier.

Voila! Too cute!

Instructions for the Orange 'Jar of Thanks'

After looking at the photos of the "Jars of Thanks" in the previous post, I decided you might want the instructions to make one of your own, or at least the "ingredients", so I chose the bright, cheery orange one.

First of all, if you really want to put everything in a jar for a gift (these make GREAT teachers' gifts!), make sure you find a jar with an opening big enough to get your notecards into! The cardstock colors are Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, and Summer Sun. However, when I went to use my wheel for the background leaves, I found that I didn't have a Pumpkin Pie wheel cartridge, so I used Only Orange, and I like the way it turned out in the end. I did use Old Olive and Summer Sun inks, but you'll only need yellow ink for the wheel - I didn't stamp anything in Summer Sun with stamps.

So, to make the cards, cut 4"x6" cardstock in all three colors, and score at 3" to make the cards 4"x3" finished size. They will fit nicely into the mini envelopes that come with the gift cards on page 169 of the SU! catalog - item #107312. (You can make it easy on yourself and make the cards 3"x3" to fit in the mini square envelopes, because they come in packs of 40 without notecards - makes it less expensive.)

Using any leaf wheel, wheel backgrounds onto the cardstock in matching inks. I left the inside of the cards blank, and just decorated the fronts. I consider myself the PUNCH QUEEN or the PUNCHMEISTER, and believe in using punches LIBERALLY!! Simply break out the following 2 punches and punch one of each color for the front of a yellow, a green, and an orange notecard: the Scallop Circle & the 1-3/8" circle OR the 1-1/4" circle. I then used "A little note of thanks - just for you" from the Circle of Friendship set, stamped it in Old Olive and Pumpkin Pie (or Only Orange) onto all 3 colors of cardstock, then punched them out with the 1" circle punch. Next, I stamped "Thanks to You" in small font (from an old set) on the 3 colors of cardstock again only using 2 ink colors, and punched them out using the Large Oval punch. (In other words, I stamped in Old Olive on the Old Olive cardstock, and in Only Orange on both the Pumpkin Pie cardstock and the Summer Sun cardstock.)

Now, simply layer the circles and scallop together with SNAIL adhesive to be a "flower" for the left side of the card, and place the oval on the lower right, or however you prefer.

Now, to make the little notepad above, take any notepad that will fit in the jar you're using. I bought the 12-pack of 3x5 notepads from Office Depot. Cut a sheet of cardstock - I used Pumpkin Pie - 3x8-1/2". Wheel the cardstock just like on the cards. Holding the wheeled cardstock up to the front of the pad and even with the bottom, fold it up over the top and then down the back of the notepad. I then scored mine along the folds I'd just made, just to make it look neater. Attach the cardstock to the back of the pad with SNAIL adhesive. I took a piece of the new 5/8" Old Olive grosgrain ribbon and tied it around front cover. Embellish the rest of the front - I used the same punch "flower" as on the cards, and then made another punched flower without stamping the circle. I attached a button to the center of the unstamped flower using linen thread, then used a dimensional to attach it to the ribbon. Whew - we're almost done!

Still want to make the jar? It's simple: cut a square the size of the front of the jar you've chosen (mine was 3-3/4"x2-3/4") and wheel it with the leaves. I used Pumpkin Pie and Only Orange ink for mine, attached it to the front of the jar, and tied a Pumpkin grosgrain ribbon around the jar and through the square by using the horizontal slot punch to thread the ribbon through. ( I told you I'm the punch queen!!) I printed the "Jar of Thanks" words on my computer, then cut it out and attached it with dimensionals. I used a paperclip from the HodgePodge Hardware set to attach a tiny bit of Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon. Then just make a punch "flower" and tie it around the neck of the jar with hemp twine or linen thread as your gift tag, and you're done! Stand back and admire your beautiful creation!