Constantly Stamping

Artisan Wednesday WOW - Quite the Pair Valentine Heart Box

Hi everyone! Welcome to another Artisan Wednesday WOW blog hop. Just in case you are joining us for the first time, let me explain. Each week the ten members of the Stampin' Up! Artisan Design Team post projects that are created primarily from a box of goodies we receive monthly from Stampin 'Up! Our blog hop makes a complete circle. At the end of every post there is a "next" button that will take you to the next blog until you end up back where you started. If you are hopping, then you should have arrived here from Cindy Schuster's blog. And don't forget to check back during the week because we are also sharing our Leadership Display projects too.

For the past few years I have altered a little heart box of chocolates for Valentine's Day. It has really become a tradition. You can see a few of them here, here, and here. Typically they are very feminine with lots of flowers and such, so this year I would shake things it up and be a little more trendy with my design.

To make this I stamped the new Hardwood (133035) background stamp in Crumb Cake ink on Crumb Cake cardstock. (If I haven't said this before, then let me just mention that I adore this new background stamp. I want to use it on practically everything I make.)

I placed the lid of the box face down on the stamped image so that I could make sure I had everything lined up exactly where I wanted it. Then I traced it with a pencil and carefully trimmed it out. I erased any pencil lines that I may have missed and then glued it to the front of the box.  The key to a perfect fit is this next step. I used a standing block and sanded the edges until they were smooth and aligned perfectly with the lid.  I did some sponging around the edges with Early Espresso ink as well.

For the sentiment I used the Quite A Pair set (#133179) and colored it with markers and stamped it on Whisper White cardstock. I used Real Red for the sentiment, Summer Starfruit for the pear, and Early Espresso for the stem. I punched it out with a 1-3/8" circle punch and layered it on a circle of Real Red cardstock that I cut using the Circles #2 die. I used to the 1-3/4" Scallop Circle punch and punched a scrap piece of Tangerine Tango cardstock to put behind the layered sentiment. I wrapped some Cherry Cobbler bakers twine around the box and tied the bow on the box so that it could be opened later. The arrow was cut with a die from the Label Card Thinlits set (#133479). I snipped it into two halves to make it longer and then placed the sentiment over top using Dimensionals.

I hope you have enjoyed today's project. Now be sure to hop on over to see what Erica Cerwin and the rest of the design team have created.

Artisan Wednesday WOW - Hexagon Hive Valentine Card

It's time for our Artisan Wednesday WOW blog hop. It's Febuary and we have a new box of goodies to work with. Valentine's Day is only a week away and today's card would be perfect for your "honey". Sorry...I just couldn't resist! I love that the color palette stretchs beyond the traditional Valentine's Day favorites. It was inspired by the Fresh Prints DSP Stack: Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Costal Cabana, Crumb Cake, and Whisper White. I used the Hexagon Hive die (#132965) to cut one of each piece of cardstock. I suggest using some wax paper between the framelit die and the cardstock to make removing the pieces easier. I also suggest putting a bowl or some type of container next to your Big Shot to catch the pieces in as you punch them out. You need to keep every little piece (except for the wax paper...you can throw that away).

Carefully dab some glue on the back of white "hive" piece and adhere it to a piece of scrap white cardstock. Now just begin working this something like you would a jigsaw puzzel. Once you are sure you have all the pieces where you want them, then you can begin gluing them down. In places where there is a hole you can slip the colored cardstock down into it so that it is flush with the hive. For the places where there isn't a cut out, then just glue the piece where it lines up with the pattern. There are some places in the corners where you might need to be a little creative, but it is possible to fill everything in and make it look "complete". Small hearts punched from matching cardstock add to the Valentine theme and help draw the eye through the maze of color down to the sentiment.

Use markers to color the sentiment from Perfect Pennants (#133230) and then punch it out with a 1-3/4" circle punch. I suggest you punch it out before stamping the heart with Crumb Cake ink...it makes it a little easier to center. Be sure to stamp off before stamping. Finally, use the coordinating Starburst Framelit to die cut a piece of Real Red cardstock and then put everything together with Dimensionals. Some linen thread helps to break up the visual pattern just a bit and softens the over look. Mount everything on a Real Red card base and you are finished. Use an adhesive eraser to remove any stray adhesive to achieve a professional finish.

Now be sure to hop on over to see what Erica Cerwin and the rest of the design team have created.

 

Sweetheart Treat Bag Card

With Valentine's Day only a few weeks away, I thought it would be a good idea to take a break from sharing Leadership displays and show this card instead. I used a Crumb Cake cardstock base, layered on Real Read cardstock and then added a layer of dsp from the Fresh Prints DSP Stack (#132996). Then I used one of the Sweetheart Treat Bags on the top. I had to trim the top down just a little so I decided to used the Scallop Border Punch to give it a pretty edge. I think it would be awesome to slip a gift card, cash, a photograph, a love note, or something into the bag as an extra little surprise.

The striped banner is included in the kit with the treat bags. Then I just stamped some tickets from the "That's the Ticket" stamp set (#128075) and used a sewing machine to stitch them to the banner. I created a flower with the same DSP stack and the Blossom & Pansy punches, added some Linen Thread, a Cherry Cobbler button, and some sweet heart  pins I purchased at the fabric store. To give the card a vintage look I sponged Crumb Cake ink on just about everything.

Be sure to check back soon. I have tons of display samples yet to share and don't forget about our Artisan Wednesday WOW blog hop as well. Hugs!

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Sweetheart Treat Bags Three Different Ways!

Have you seen the new Sweetheart Treat Bags? The kit comes with 12 heart sacks, 12 die-cut labels, 12 pre-cut pieces of Pool Party Baker’s Twine for only $4.95 US. I filled my bags with heart-shaped Valentine York Peppermint Patties...my weakness...yummy!

I thought it would be fun to come up with a few different ways to decorate the bags. First I decided to go with a clean and simple design. I just punched the banner with the small heart punch and then replaced it with another heart punched from red glimmer paper. I had to reinforce the back side in order to keep the heart in place, but I love the look of the heart being flush with the tag.

On this tag I stamped a super fun greeting from the Yippee-Skippee! stamp set with Jet Black StazOn ink. I used the fine tip of a Real Red Stampin' Write marker to fill in the word "love". Isn't this sentiment adorable?

Finally, I used the "hi" from the Label Card Thinlits Die (#133479) to cut a piece of Basic Black and a piece of Real Red cardstock. I cut a tiny heart from red glimmer paper using the Owl Builder Punch (#118074). This is an awesome die set with lots of fun shapes plus the large die creates a fun flip card. (TIP: it helps to place a piece of wax paper between the die and the card stock when cutting the smaller images.)

Now that Leadership Convention, the Artisan Design Team is going to start sharing the display projects that we created over the next several weeks. We each made 24 projects, so there is lots to see. So be sure to check back soon.

Another Expressions Thinlits Card

Today I have another card to share with you using the Expressions Thinlits Dies. Seriously, I didn't know if I would like these word dies, but I am really enjoying them. I know it may seem a little early to be making a Valentine, but in the stamping world it is always good to be working at least a few months in advance. Of course, I had to do a little creative letter surgery (again) for the word "you", but I am so thrilled that it worked.

To make this card I used some Brights DSP in Real Red and cut out a heart with a die from the Hearts Collection framelits. I die cut another piece of Whisper White card stock with the same die and then stamped it with the script stamp from Background Builders (#129150). The Basic Gray ink was just a little too dark, so I "stamped off" on a scrap sheet of paper first. Then I inset the white heart into the opening so that it was flush with the red polka dot background.

For some reason I have wanted to stitch on my cards lately...it must be something about this time of year. Anyway, I used the Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack along with the Stampin' Pierce Mat and Paper-Piercing Tool to punch holes around the edges. Then I hand-stitched through the holes. It does take longer to do it this way, but I just really didn't feel like getting my sewing machine out for just a few cards. Besides, I love how I have more control over where the stitches go. After I finished the card front, I mounted it all on a 4.5" square Basic Black card base.

Valentine Boutique Boxes

I knew from the minute that I saw the Boutique Boxes Designer Kit (#129306) in the spring catalog that I would love them. You can use them exactly as they were intended, or you can do what I did and turn them inside-out and decorate them. They are super easy and fun to make. For this project I used the Hearts a Flutter stamp set and stamped all over the box with Real Red ink. Then I assembled the box and and sponged the edges with Early Espresso ink.

The ticket images in the That's the Ticket stamp set were the perfect addition. I stamped on the leftover section of the box, so I didn't even need any additional card stock. The Ticket Duo Builder Punch is designed to work perfectly with this set. Here's a little tip: I actually tied the top of the box closed. But never fear...I left the bottom of the box open so that I could add treats later. It also makes it easy for the person who receives it to open it without destroying the packaging. I added a Cherry Cobbler button and some hemp jewelery twine (non SU) for the bow. Some of you might be wondering what to do with the remaining pieces of the kit? Well, I will have some ideas on that to share with you soon, so be sure to check back.

 

 

 

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Catalog Inspired Valentine Note Card

You can't tell it from looking at my blog, but I have been stamping a lot lately. Only one problem, I can't share anything I have been doing because it is for an upcoming Spring event. So I decided to take a look through the catalog and see if there was anything that would inspire me for a quick card to share here. I found it on page 119. That is one of the many things I love about the catalog...the samples. There are about 300 ideas in the current catalog. I say "about" because I think I counted about ten of the samples twice. LOL! I did make some changes to this already adorable little 3"x3" note card, but there is no denying that this is a case.

I started with a Pretty in Pink note card and stamped flowers from the Bordering on Romance set with VersaMark ink and then heat embossed in Whisper White. I tied on a little bow with ribbon from the Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button pack from Sale-a-bration. The sentiment is from the Delightful Dozen set. I used Island Indigo and Raspberry Ripple markers to color the words and omitted the heart. Then I punched it out with the Decorative Label punch. The butterfly was made using Twitterpated DSP and the Elegant Butterfly punch. I added a small flower made with the Itty Bittly Shapes Punch Pack and then added a small pearl to the center.

I will continue to try to have something to share at least a couple of times each week, so don't give up on me. See you soon!

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Hugs & Kisses Valentine Card

If you read my last post you know that my husband and son both caught a good look at the Valentine's Day card I was making. So I thought I would throw them a curve ball and make another one. Now they don't know which card I am planning on giving them. Not that it really matters...my guys really don't care about stuff like that. But the good news is that they know that I am at least giving them a card, so they better get it in gear and shower me with lots of awesome stuff for Valentine's Day or they are both in BIG trouble! LOL!

This card is built on a Crumb Cake card base, layered with another piece of Crumb Cake that has been embossed with the Woodgrain embossing folder. The letters are cut with the Typeset Alphabet Bigz Die out of red glitter paper. The heart is punched with the Small Heart punch. I added a Tea Lace paper doiley (129399), tied on some Island Indigo bakers twine, and added a red button. The ticket is from the Artisan Embellishment Kit (#`129328) from the new Spring mini catalog.

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