Slim Jim Inspired Gift Box

I have not posted to my blog for a very long time! I have still been crafting all this time, a little sewing of handbags as well. I have made some videos too, but nothing that needed a post for measurements. This gift box I made was modeled after a Slim Jim box, and I thought it would make a perfect paper craft project. So here is the video, and below are the measurements and scoring.

Card Stock: 

9" x 8 1/4" score long side at 2", 5 7/8", 8" score short side at 2", 6 1/4" then go back and score at 1" down to first horizontal score line, then at 7 1/4" down to first horizontal score line

8" x 5 1/4" score long side at 2", 5 7/8", score short side at 1/2" on both edges

Designer Paper:

3 3/4"x 3 1/2"

3 3/4" x 1 3/4"

Diorama Card

I decided to make a Diorama card today using my newest May Spellbinders monthly club dies. This month has these word borders which have many great uses. I also used rectangle dies from C.C. Designs. The pretty papers are from Echo Park. Here is another view:



I probably won't be posting here on my blog much. I don't get many visitors or comments, and it takes time to do a good blog post, so I haven't had the ambition to do so. I do however get lots more attention from my Pinterest boards(link at sidebar), Instagram, and my Splitcoast Stampers board. So if you'd like to see what I've been making, check those links out.

Thank you for taking the time to visit, I hope to see you around my other pages!

Smiles All Around

I'm playing along with the Your Next Stamp challenge #87 following the sketch AND color theme this time:

The cute animal images are from the YNS Box Full of Cuteness set that I colored with Letraset markers and fussy cut out. The layout was easily made with YNS stitched circle dies and papers from Woodlands, Hugs & Kisses, and Just for Fun 6x6 paper pads. I stamped the card base with the YNS Mini Heart Ink Splatter before gluing anything down. It helped fill in some of the blank spaces. I glued the animals down at fun angles, then added a sentiment from the YNS Smiley Happy Critter Crew Set One. To finish it off, I added some YNS gumdrops in matching colors.

Very cute, and a perfect card to send for any reason. Thank you for visiting!

House Mouse

I recently bought my first House Mouse stamp, this one is called hopeful mouse. He's so very cute. I quickly colored him with Copic markers, and fussy cut him out. This image is very small, so I decided to pair him up with a large tulip from a piece of 12x12 paper from Echo Park Happy Summer collection. I fussy cut the flower out, added a small strip for grass, and the sun is a sticker from the same collection. I had a Stampendous 'hello' sentiment stamped out, but didn't like the look of it anywhere on the card front, so I just left it without one.

I am joining in the Anything Goes/optional let's eat theme at House-Mouse Challenge blog, that I found recently through Annie.

Thanks so much for visiting!

Coffee Rush

I have missed quite a few of the Your Next Stamp's challenges. But I am happy to have found some time to make a quick card. I'm following the sketch this time for challenge #86:

The sentiment just makes me laugh! It comes from the YNS set What Not Sentiments One. The little go cup is from the YNS Ellie Loves Lattes set that I quickly colored with Spectrum's and fussy cut out. All the patterned paper is from the YNS Crazy for Coffee pad. I also added some YNS gumdrops as accents.

A cute and fun card for any coffee drinker(like me!) Thanks so much for having a look!

Magical Birthday

I decided to color with my Copic markers to get me back in the mood for crafting. It has been a few months since I picked up a marker, and decided to use this cute image from C.C. Designs called Nymph Lucy. I bought her awhile back, and am just now inking her up.

She is stamped onto Bristol 300 Series paper and die cut with a C.C. Designs die. Everything on this card except the paper and ink are from there. I have lots of their stuff :) I kept a simple design and did add some Wink of Stella to her wings and flowers for a bit of sparkle.

I have found a new challenge blog through Aletha, called Papercraft Business. They are on their 5th challenge, which is an anything goes theme, with the option of Birthday. It is a month long challenge, but I happened to come across them yesterday :)

Thank you for visiting today!

Grateful For All Things

Haven't posted here for awhile, I've had a lot going on in the last two months. The first of February was horrible. Had some major family issues that put me in a very depressed state. Had to make myself go about the day, and that wasn't easy. By the end of the month life got much better. Sometimes life has to pour on you before you see the sun again.

With all that going on, I decided to change jobs. I had been working in the same store for 5 1/2 years, but it was time to move on to something better. I am back to factory work, which is what I've always done. I will be working the afternoon shift starting this Monday, and will have to adjust to that some, but I will carry on!

And another helping on my plate is that I've been remodeling our only bathroom during all this. It's almost finished, and will share a few pics that I've taken so far in another post. I'm really happy with the way it's looking and coming together. It was terribly outdated, unsightly, and we've lived in this house for 10 years, so it was time I got a new bathroom!!!

With so much going on, I haven't had much time to craft. This card I made last month, and was really quick. I cancelled my Unity monthly stamp subscription. I love the stamps, but I have so many, and they just aren't getting used. I do however, love Unity's monthly sentiment kits. They are not a subscription, just a new kit every month to purchase or not. This larger sentiment is from the January 18' kit. Paired with some pretty patterned paper, and a Spellbinders die, and it was done.

I'm hoping to get more time to craft, I have loads of new stuff that I haven't even touched yet! One die set that I'm excited about using makes pop up cards. I would like to make more interactive cards rather than the ones I've been making for years. And speaking of cards, I haven't sent any since Christmas!! So behind on them.

Thanks so much for visiting, and I hope to get around to visit you as well!

Panda Pop Up Card

I've recently been making interactive cards, a change from the ordinary. I'm not really bored with regular cards, but I've been making them for so long it does kind of feel like the same old thing. This is the front of the card. Not a lot going on, but the inside is what will be displayed:

I started by die cutting the pop up element. I've had this die set for some time, and don't know why I haven't used it more! It's from Elizabeth Craft Design, and unfortunately, all of the other die sets have been discontinued. :( The designer is Karen Burniston, and she has went on and made a few new sets with another company, but so far, nothing like these. I have been on the search, and have found a few other companies that sell similar sets, so those will soon be in my collection!!

Those adorable Pandas are from Unity Stamp Co. and is from the kit Plenty of Pandas. I've always loved Pandas since I was little, and I enjoy using them in my paper crafts. After stamping, I fussy cut them all out, and stamped some images on the inside. I die cut and punched a few hearts to add in as well. I love the one on the front, like he's holding up a big heart, so cute!

Thanks so much for visiting, and I'll be sharing some more interactive cards soon!

Magic Slider

I haven't made a magic slider card before, so I decided to use this cute kitty from the Paper Smooches stamp set called Party Posse. It looks a little plain from the start, but then.....

a little magic starts to happen!

And the full reveal. I colored the kitty with my Copic markers, and stamped some hearts from the PS set Group Hugs. I also used the largest heart to stamp all over the card base. The frames were die cut and tab was punched. I chose a sentiment from the PS Lovely thoughts set. It's perfect because I'm giving this to my friend, and she has cats! I hand cut it into a banner and added some enamel dots.

I am joining the Paper Smooches Monthly Challenge, which has an Anything Goes theme:

Thanks so much for visiting!!

Valentine Fawns

I purchased this brand new stamp set from C.C. Designs called Fawned. They are just too cute not to have! The two fawns are separate stamps, so you can use them on many occasions.

I die cut a C.C. Designs stitched tag from Bristol smooth 300 series paper, and put that in my stamp postioner to line up the two images, and stamp them at the same time. I used Copic markers to color them in, then stamped the little heart and sentiment.

The papers are from a retired C.C. Designs pack as well as the matching enamel dot on the tag. The card base is Sahara Sand from Stampin' Up! I made this for my husband, he's a hunter, so I thought he'd like to the two deer. :)

Thank you so much for visiting!

Milk Carton Valentine

I'm sharing this milk carton box I made for the Unity Facebook color challenge. It's one of my favorite color combos!!

Before assembly, I stamped the heart with versamark all over the card, then heat embossed in white. I put the box all together, then searched for stamps to use on it. This carton is the same size as a school lunch one, so I chose another heart for the front which is a good size stamp. I lightly colored the flowers with alcohol markers, and fussy cut it out. Both hearts are from past kit of the month's from Unity Stamp Co.

I chose a sentiment to go along with the theme, it's from the Unity sentiment kit called love is a magical thing, and fit perfectly into the open space of the heart. The top is decorated with bits of scraps, and a small close pin to keep it shut.

Now it's all ready to be filled with Valentine treats! Thanks for stopping by!

Background Stamps

I love my background stamps, and I haven't used them for awhile. They have so many more uses than just stamping the image like I've done here. This is a new stamp that I got from Unity called Love{in the background}.

I inked it with Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide ink, and used my stamping tool. The stamping tool is great for background stamps, because of their size, sometimes you don't get a good impression. It's stamped onto Whisper White card from Stampin' Up!.

The sweet sentiment is new as well, and is from the January 18' sentiment kit from Unity. I die cut it out with a stitched rectangle die from C.C. Designs, and then hand cut the bottom into a banner. I lightly sponged all the edges to give more depth, and added only a few embellishments.

I did get another background stamp along with this one. It is covered in clouds, many coloring options with that one. It will be fun playing with these! Thanks for your visit! 

Cute Penguin

I'm finally getting to play along in the Your Next Stamp challenges! I've missed the last few, and decided to follow the sketch they are offering this time:

I've used the YNS stamp set called Winter Wonderland Phoebe. The images are colored with alcohol markers, and the penguin is fussy cut out. I also used YNS dies, patterned paper and matte enamel dots on this.

It makes a cute card to send this Winter, and just a little bit of sparkle from the glimmer paper. Thanks so much for visiting!

New Begining

Just because it's a new year, doesn't mean time for a new start. My new beginning came in December after much needed soul searching. I feel blessed for this, and a huge weight has been lifted from me. I am more happy now than I have been in a very long time, and that's a wonderful feeling! 

It's been a long time that I started a new scrapbook album. I have been making small journal pages, but this is a 12"x 12" page, and perfect for starting off a 2018 scrapbook. I chose one of my favorite color combinations, and pretty papers that I've been saving for "that" special project. All of the images are stamped from various Unity kits in matching inks. Unity has the most lovely sentiments and quotes, and this album will be filled with them.

The numbers were die cut twice for a shadow affect using an older Sizzix alphabet set. Perfectly sized too for larger pages like this one. I am quite pleased with it, and am looking forward to making more pages and memories in the days ahead. One quote that I will keep with me in my mind and heart is: Let Love In, Give Love Out".

Thanks so much for your visit,

Watercolor Look Snowman

Hello, and Happy New Year to you!! I'm sharing another snowman card today that has a watercolored look. I've had this cutie for awhile now. The artist is Susan Weckesser, and it's a Unity Stamp Co. itty bitty kit called One of a Kind Winter.

Since this is a smaller image, I die cut a tag from C.C. Designs in watercolor paper, and positioned it all in my Stamp Perfect Tool. I colored the stamp with Distress and Stampin' Up! markers, spritzed generously with water, then stamped. I dabbed off the water from the stamp, colored again, and spritzed lightly the second time so more details would show through. It gives that watercolored look without all the effort! ;) The small snowflake is from the Unity kit Winter Frosty.

I paired it up with some cute retired papers from C.C. Designs, stamped the sentiment and made into a banner, and added some loops of silver thread. A simple basic card, but I really wanted the snowman to be the star!

Life has been going quite well. I've had a few emotional, and trying last few months. But, I've been blessed with a new outlook, and have been happier than I have been in years. I thank you for your visit and kind words!