More Christmas Gift Sets!

Hello all!! How is your New Year going so far? Mine has been filled with spending days with my grandsons and stamping/preparing for an upcoming stamp camp.

On the 2nd, my upline held her annual Christmas brunch for her team. We each bring a passing dish and make a gift for exchange. It is supposed to be around $5, but I think I went over!!

Actually, all these supplies I already had on hand and I used up some of my retired dsp and card stock.



The round box is a paper mache box which I covered using the Sweet Slumber dsp from last year. Using my Tombow glue I applied the dsp to the box. I had just enough dsp to wrap around the box and the ends met each other. The strips on the sides of the box are added to help disguise the seam I covered up!



I then filled the box with a set of 12 notecards which I've had forever! I stamped them with my Flower Fancy set, very simply, and used the Define Your Life set for the sentiment.



The desk calendar was made using a 4 x 6 acrylic frame and more scraps of the Sweet Slumber dsp. I recently was part of bulk buy for the mini calendars, and that is what I used on here. Some of the elements here are inside the frame and some are outside to create a 3-D effect. The butterflies are made with new Butterfly Embosslit in the Occasions mini.

I just love putting together gift sets like this, for any occasion! You can give an awesome gift to someone for very little cost, yet it looks like it cost a bundle!

Enjoy your Saturday!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Kathleen's Christmas Gift

Hello all!!! Here's another gift set I made for another good friend of mine, Kathleen. I met her about three years ago at a vendor fair and she's been hooked ever since!! So not only did I gain a good customer, but a even better a friend!!

I had displayed the framed card I gave my friend Deb at club this month and Kathleen just fell in love with it! So, I knew what I wanted to do for her Christmas present.

Again, the frame came from the clearance rack at TJMaxx for $5.50 and initially was pink! And a little beat up, but I knew I could cover that with paint. I used cream colored acrylic craft paint for the frame.

Now she LOVES purple and her entire bedroom is done in purples and the shabby chic style, so that is what I was going for. The background dsp is the retired set that went with Carte Postale. (Can't remember the name!!) The size of the frame is 5 x 7.

The "artwork" starts with a base of Shimmery White, 3 x 5 1/2, I think! I used a scrap piece of card stock to create my inside mask so I could evenly score an inside frame. Not as evident in the photo, but it's there!

Next I cut three pieces of card stock in Pale Plum, Kraft and Kiwi Kiss. These pieces fit just inside the scored frame. The Kraft piece was stamped with Soft Suede using the grass from Inspired by Nature, which the cone flower also is from. I then torn the edges, just to add a little character.

The flower was colored with my Old Olive, Choc. Chip and Perfect Plum markers and stamped onto Shimmery White. I outlined the flower edges with my Elegant Eggplant marker, but it didn't show like I hoped. Once I cut the flower out, I mounted it onto the card base with dimensionals. I used a flower button from the Playground set and some off-brand stick on pearls.

The neat thing about this is what I used for the "glass". I knew the glass that came with the frame was going to be too thick once I added the button and pearls, so I got out my thick window sheets and cut it to fit the frame! Perfect replacement!! I initially just place the window sheet in the frame and then laid the artwork over it, but once I had the back closed I could tell where the window sheet gave away at the edges, and I didn't want dust and dirt getting in. So, I ran sticky strip around the inside frame and then laid the window sheet back down.

Around the edges of the frame, the raised swirly parts, I very gently and lightly, daubed the Champagne Mist shimmer paint until I had the look I was going for. I did it a little heavier on the inside scrolls and lighter on the outside.


I also made her a set of 12 monogrammed notecards, again using the purples! The card base is Pale Plum and I used Rick Razzleberry and the purple dsp from Rallzeberry Lemonade.

These cards also use the new Butterfly embosslit, available January 5th, and the new scallop edge punch. The frame stamp is one of the Sale-A-Bration sets, Vintage Labels, which you can earn for free with a $50 order in Jan, Feb and Mar!!!! Her initial was stamped in Pale Plum with the Lovely Letters set.

I also threw in some older SAB sets I had, which she didn't, and of course chocolate!! It was a hit.

Happy Stamping and Happy New Year!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

Deb's Christmas Gift

Hello all!! I hope you are finding time to spend with your family and friends this week, as well as some stamping time! I have the whole week off work and both of my grandsons here! (I have now retreated to my stamp room to preserve my sanity!!! LOL!!)

This gift set I put together for my BFF, Deb. Are 40 year somethings supposed to have BFF's? Too bad, I do! Actually we have been friends since we met in 1990 when we both started our pre -reqs at the community college for the nursing program. We have since gone through our bachelor's and master's programs together and have watched both of families grow through the years. And I wanted to really give her something from the heart this year as she, and her husband, have been so good to me over the past couple of years when I needed it.

She was just amazed at how everything looked liked you would find it in a store! She kept asking me, “Did you really make these?” She knows I stamp and she buys cards from me all the time!! When people only see the cards you make they don't realize all the other possibilities out there too!!



The picture frame I found on clearance at TJMaxx. I backed it with a piece of groom’s dsp and then laid my card front over it. This actually was a card to begin with, but someone suggested I should frame it and so I did! And I think it made a lovely gift.



The candle I just covered up the label on the front and wrapped some ribbon around the neck and the body. And yes, that is a contraband butterfly punch but the current SU! one is too big and my new butterfly embosslit comes today!!!! (Pre-order for the new Occasions mini & SAB starting on January 5th.)



Then I made a set of 10 monogrammed notecards for her. She loves red, so I used my leftover Riding Hood Red and Bella Rose dsp. I am so happy with how they came out.
And, one of the best parts is this only cost me around $10 to put together! I also put some lotion/bodywash in I bought after Christmas last year on clearance. But, most of all she loved it and that is what makes me happy!!



I also gave her the button wreath card I made for GCA68. She thought the buttons were purchased that way and then I put the bird and branch on it. I think I told her three times that put the wreath together myself!

Happy Stamping!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #69 - Gift Giving Time!

Hello all!!! We are certainly in that time of year where the thought of giving gifts is utmost on our minds. And while many of us love to give to give gifts, we also love to be as "frugal" as we can be!

The challenge this week is to create a gift worthy of giving to either a friend, neighbor, teacher, co-worker or even the postal carrier!!! Look around your house and see what types of containers you have left from cookies, chips or coffee drinks and let your creative side take over!

My sample for you this week is an altered cookie tin with a stamped candle inside. I used the Christmas Cocoa dsp currently in the Holiday mini to decorate the outside of the tin. And since the lid already had a red trim, I went that and left it plain. The top of the lid was covered with dsp cut out with the clear circle die and then I sanded the edges to take off the tiny bit that hung over. As I was sanding I noticed I was also distressing the red trim and just took off from there! The top layer was cut from the scallop circle die and I centered it with the snowflake flocked portion of the dsp.

I used my Mover & Shapers die for the ornament tag back layer and the ornament punch for the top layer. I do so love my Big Shot!!!


For the candle inside I used my Beary Christmas set and I also stamped the tissue paper in Real Red and Soft Suede with the snowflake to help jazz it up some.

I can't wait to see what gifts you come up with week!!

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by December 12, 2009 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner the next day. If you upload your card to SCS, PaperCraft Planet, Stampin' Addicts or Stamp TV, please put GCA69 in your keywords. That way everyone can see all of the wonderful creations at once!

Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenges and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it! And yes, my challenge is open to everyone who visits, even if you live outside the US!

Happy Stamping!!!!

~~~Ann~~~

GCA #20 - It's a Wonderful Gift!!

In keeping with the gift giving theme from last week, and knowing that many of us out there are making every effort to find cost effective ways to provide Christmas gifts, this week's GCA focuses on an cute card portfolio, perfect for any occasion!! And my third tutorial!!

I first saw this card portfolio by someone on SCS at least 3 years ago. I made some then and gave away as gifts and even had my Stampers Club make them one month. They were a hit, but then I found other new creations to try and forgot about this set. At my upline's most recent meeting, I volunteered to demo something and thought this would be perfect for the time of year it is!

These card portfolio's are quick and easy to make, and the perfect gift for someone on your list!!

Supplies you will need:

* One sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock. This is the portfolio itself.

* One piece of ribbon approx. 25" long.

* Scoring tool

* Hortizonal slot punch

* Sticky strip

* Scissors

* Stamp set of your choice

* Cardstock colors for cards of your choice

Step 1:

Score the 8 1/2 x 11 piece at 5 1/2" (along the 11" side). Turn your cardstock 90* and score at 2 1/4". Now you need to make an upside down "V". This will make folding of the portfolio easier. Starting at the 2 1/4" score mark, go down to the outside edge on each side in a "V" shape. The easiest way I have found to do this is make a template of the entire portfolio, and then I can just put that over where I need my "V" to be.

Step 2:

Using your bone folder, fold over the score lines and create nice crisp, clean folds. On the inside pocket edges, place on strip of Sticky Strip on each pocket. Regular adhesive is not strong enough for this project.

Step 3:

Using the hortizonal slot punch, or whatever you have, punch 2 holes on the outside "short" edges, keeping them in the middle of the portfolio and straight. These are your slots for the ribbon which will hold the portfolio shut.

Step 4:

This is the really fun part of creating your portfolio design and the cards to go with it!! Depending on the the type of embellishments you put on your cards, you easily put 5 cards on one side and the envelopes on the other.

Step 5:

Close it up and tie it shut with your ribbon! You're done!

To be entered in the challenge drawing, make a card using the different dimensions, and limitations, for your card , upload it either to your blog, or to an online gallery and post a link to your card to this blog entry as a comment by December 12, 2008 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner through a random number generator and post the next day.

Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenge and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it!If you upload your card on SCS, or Paper Craft Planet, please put GCA20(NO SPACE IN BETWEEN GCA AND 20) in the keyword section. That way everyone can look at all of the creations at once! If you've been waiting to join in the fun, jump on in and have some fun!!

Now remember, your card portfolio DOES not have to be Christmas theme related. Mine is a set of 2 Thank you cards. And don't forget to decorate the envelopes too!!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~