3D Summer

I have had a great summer crafting til my heart's content and I thought I'd show just a few of the 3D items I've made so far.

The first is a concertina box, inspired partly by one of Lauren Meader's templates that everyone has been making lately, but I used some instructions from an American SU demonstrator, Danni's Designs, that I have had favourited for absolutely ages. I thought I'd make myself a little card organiser box, fill it with random cards and store it at work, for those last minute birthdays that I'm always forgetting.

I didn't use the thread on the side as per the instructions as I wanted to put some inserts in, but now I wish I had as the sides do stick out a bit, but never mind! I used textured Cameo Coral (I'm trying to teach myself to like this colour, but I still can't decide on it; it's not pink enough and it's not orange enough!) and some retired Ginger Blossoms DP and I love these colours together!

I added the inserts after putting it together rather than before, so they were a bit fiddly to put in, but they gave the whole box a bit more weight, making it more sturdy. This is going to come in so handy at work next year, rather than constantly being a day late with birthday cards!



Recipe:


Stamps: Embrace Life
Papers: Cameo Coral textured, River Rock, Whisper White, Ginger Blossoms DP
Inks: River Rock, Cameo Coral marker
Accessories: River Rock ribbon, pale pink eyelets from stash


The next one is another one for work! My classroom has very limited on-hand storage. I have lots of cupboards, but not a lot of work surface space to store things so I made a stationery desk set to go on my little table next to my teacher's chair that can store lots of little things, but doesn't take up too much space.


I used the Filed With Flair template by Lauren Meader, but extended it so it would fit A6 sized envelopes and cards, and other small sized pieces of paper (i.e. junk!) that I get at school that I need to do something with. I made 3 of the files and a tray to put them in, then set about making some matching drawers.

For Christmas last year I made an advent calendar from a set I bought at the NEC, which consisted of 24 matchboxes bascially. Using this same idea I made 3 large drawers that were the same width and depth as the tray. To strength the box and cover up the layers I added extra pieces of cardstock to the sides and back and voila, my set was born! I found these huge brads in my stash that I got from QVC ages ago when I first started card making and didn't like but they were perfect for the drawer handles.

As you can see at the minute it is being used for stamp storage for all my new stamps that I have yet to find a proper home for. I actually need to go and buy some more boxes to put them in but haven't gotten round to it yet.

Recipe:

Stamps: None

Papers: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Always DSP all from Stampin' Up

Inks: None

Accessories: Pumpkin Pie grosgrain ribbon, Oval Punch, Oval Scallop Punch, Primas, Brads from QVC and Papermania


And the last one I'm going to show you is my favourite of everything I've made this summer. I had an idea for this box whilst laying in bed trying to drift off to sleep one night and had to get up and draw out the plan before I forgot it! I have seen umpteen boxes with a cupcake stuck onto the front, but you can still see the box behind the cupcake and the sides usually stick out as well. I wanted to make an actual cupcake shaped box and here it is. It is an open topped box but it looks like a real cupcake!!



To make the base look like a proper cupcake case I just sponged some 1/2 inch strips of Close To Cocoa and stuck them to the base. This gave the box some great dimension too. The topping is randomly stamped with the swirl from Season of Joy in Regal Rose for a tone on tone effect and then using my Dazzling Diamonds glitter I added some sparkle to the main parts of each swirl. I topped it all off with a ribbon and bow in matching Regal Rose and a strawberry from the Tart 'n' Tangy set.


I made some 4x4 inch cards and envelopes to go inside and they fitted perfectly. 4.5 square cards would have worked too but I liked the cuteness of the 4 inch ones. A6 sized cards worked as well, but you could see the tops of the envelopes over the cupcake topping.



Here's picture of all 4 of the cards I made. the box could easily hold 6 I think but I stopped at 4. Some of these designs are from the Andrea Walford Crazy for Cupcakes set and easily adapted to a smaller sized card.



Recipe:
Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes, Season of Joy, Tart 'n' Tangy

Papers: Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose, Whisper White, Sweet Always DSP

Inks: Close To Cocoa, Regal Rose ink pads and markers, Summer Sun, Real Red and Certainly Celery markers

Accessories: Silver Brads, Regal Rose 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Chocolate Chip Taffeta ribbon

So what have you been making this summer?

A Passion for Papertrey Challenges 11 and 12!

I have completely forgotten to do the Passion for Papertrey challenges recently with all the other things I've been doing so here's the last two challenges.

The first card is for challenge 11 which was to make a thank you card. I tend to make lots of these but never any with a man in mind, so that's what I did with this card. I kept it fairly simple using some of the cardstock and papers that Steph sent me a while ago. (Sorry to hear Steph has stepped down from A Passion for Papertrey and I wish her all the best!)

Recipe:


Stamps: Wise Owl and Out On A Limb Revised both from Papertrey Ink


Paper: Chocolate Chip and Glorious Green from Stampin' Up, Summer Sunrise (I think it is anyway), White and Father Knows Best DP from Papertrey Ink


Inks: Chocolate Chip, Glorious Green inks, Close To Cocoa, Creamy Caramel and Pumpkin Pie markers all from Stampin' Up


Accessories: Glorious Green eyelets, Sizzix Flowers, Vine and Flourish set, Labels 4 Nestabilities


The second card is for the current challenge which is to make a CAS card. CAS stands for clean and simple and basically I take this to mean a card without a lot of fuss! I think my card qualifies for that. Nothing fancy except a little bit of masking and a ribbon bow and button to fill in the corner.



Recipe:


Stamps: Wishing You from Papertrey Ink


Papers: Raspberry Fizz, Spring Moss, white all from Papertrey Ink


Inks: Raspberry Fizz from Papertrey Ink, Kiwi Kiss from Stampin' Up (I thought I had bought the Spring Moss one but I couldn't find it so I couldn't have bought it. It is now on my new PTI order though)


Accessories: Spring Moss button, Raspberry Fizz swiss dots ribbon, Pink embroidery thread

Inspiring Inkin' Challenge #8

I can't believe we have been doing these challenges on my Stampin' Up team's blog for 4 months now! This fortnight's challenge is a colour one, using colours that I noticed on a card whilst brwosing through the SCS Gallery one day last week.


The colours are Kraft, Taken with Teal, Orchid Opulence and Regal Rose, plus a neutral. I chose Confetti White as it was a new cardstock for me and what a gorgeous colour and quality it is. It has these lovely little pieces of confetti mixed into the cardstock and the little flecks of colour look so beautiful.


The side twist was to use punches, which I always find so easy to add on to a card. The Stampin' Up punches coordinate really well with certain stamp sets and are perfect for sentiments.



Although you can't tell in this photo, I cut about an inch off the front of the Kraft base and added a piece of scalloped Orchid Opulence to the side. I really don't understand why so many people hate this colour. I just love it!


I used Taken With Teal and the vines stamp from Fresh Cuts to create a corner vine effect and then added flowers from the same set in Orchid Opulence and Regal Rose, popped up on dimensionals and with half pearls from the Pretties Kit.


I added the sentiment and then chose where I wanted the butterflies to go before drawing a very faint line with a pencil for the butterfly trails. Using my paper piercer and piercing template, I pierced a few holes to create the trail, before rubbing out the pencil lines. So quick and easy to do yet such a lovely effect.


Anyway head over to the challenge blog and leave us a comment to your card.


Recipe:


Stamps: Fresh Cuts and Live Your Dream


Paper: Kraft, Taken With Teal, Orchid Opulence, Regal Rose, Confetti White


Ink: Taken With Teal, Orchid Opulence, Regal Rose


Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Pretties Kit, Paper Piercer

Inspiring Inkin' Challenge #7

This fortnight's challenge over on my Stampin' Up team's challenge website is to make a Surprise Pop Up card using this technique from the Splitcoast Stampers forum. I have never made one of these cards and neither had Amy and Elaine, the other 2 ladies on the Inspiring Inkin' design team. It looks like a very complicated technique, but actually it's quite simple. You just have to make sure you make the cuts and folds in the right place.


First I stamped a piece of Pink Passion with the same ink for a tone on tone look using the small 10 petalled flower from Petal Pizzazz. I also did this on the Lovely Lilac piece for the back.



You then have to make the cuts and folds on the middle section so that it comes up, like this. The insert is attached to the smallest fold so that when you pull it, the main image panel automatically folds up.



And when the insert is completely pulled out it reveals a hidden message inside. Just a little hint though if you do make one of these cards and want to use your Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to get the message straight, do it before you stick anything together as the main image panel even folded all the way up, gets in the way of the sheet.

Recipe:

Stamps: Petal Pizzazz and Curvy Verses

Papers: Pink Passion, Lovely Lilac, Barely Banana, Whisper White

Inks: Pink Passion, Lovely Lilac, Barely Banana, Green Galore

Accessories: Clear gem brads from the Pretties Kit, Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon