Pretty Presents Wreath

The Pretty Present Designer Bows kit in the Holiday Catalog has punch out pieces to create quick bows for decorating.   I used the bow pieces to make this quick-to-do Christmas wreath.

The classic Santa image and the polka dots give this a retro feel.   (And we are big on retro at my house!)  The boxed ornament makes a simple gift either on its own or with the wreath.  

Complete instructions for this can be found by joining the Wrapping Up the Holidays session of UStamp!

  

Octagonal Candy Box and MDS Candy Wrappers

Two of my design projects for Wrapping Up the Holidays are sweet treat related.

The first is a candy box made from three Decorative Window Gift Boxes.  

This is really sturdy and makes a pretty centerpiece or hostess gift.  The outer section holds ALOT of candy and the inner window box is for a special homemade treat.  The see-through pocket card is made from the  leftover window boxtops.

The second project is created entirely with My Digital Studio and the Snowy Soiree Ensemble download.

I designed the custom candy wrappers to fit Ferrero Rocher candies. The wrappers are made by stretching one of the punches that is included with the download.  By overlapping punches and varying the number, the wrappers can be made for two, three or four candies.

Both tutorials are available by joining the Wrapping Up the Holidays 2013 session.  

 

Neighborhood Christmas Party

Super quick Christmas party invitations using My Digital Studio.

I knew I wanted to use the classic car embellishment from the Days of Christmas kit but wanted a more retro looking background than those that came with that download.  The Designer Series Paper from the Snowy Soiree Ensemble fit the bill.

Once I had the text on I grouped everything together, copied and pasted it four to a page and printed them out.  Then I simply mounted them each on a cardstock base.   How quick is that?   Now to do some baking for the party....

Down the Chimney Box and Gift Card

Ho Ho Ho!  Santa's on his way-- down the chimney with lots of toys!  

I really enjoyed creating this set which kicked off the Wrapping Up the Holidays session.   Not only is the santa a cute decoration, it is a gift box perfect for small treats.  The package-shaped card is a gift card holder.  If hand delivered the bow can be left 3D as shown here or if slightly flattened it fits in an envelope for mailing.

We have 40 projects focusing on packaging and gift ideas to help you Wrap Up the Holidays!  The blinkie below is linked to info.

 

I'm So Grateful

One stamp + one pack of Designer Series Paper = three different styles.  I challenged myself to make three cards that used the same products but were each unique.   I love that Stampin' Up's DSP paper is themed yet has such a great variety of patterns that they can be used beyond the season.

The first card has pretty typical fall colors but I paired it with Island Indigo to make it pop:

The second has a fun contrast of Costal Cabana with the tans and browns of the DSP and a geometric layout.

And for the third I focused on the delicately designed Soft Sky pattern to make a more vintage feminine card.

Stamp set: Chalk Talk

Designer Series Paper: Sweater Weather

Blossom Punch Christmas Tree

I have always loved tiny things.  I remember watching as my grandpa built my wooden doll house.  I spent hours decorating it with bits of paper, fabric and yarn.  I had a box for a bed with a scrap of pretty fabric for the bedspread.   My mom helped my sew a tiny pillow with a pillowcase.   I cut pictures from magazines to hang on the walls, crocheted little rugs for the floor and even rolled a miniature roll of toilet paper for the bathroom.

This miniature Christmas scene (my design project for the Knock Out Punches session of UStamp) would have fit the living room perfectly.

I was looking for a pretty color combo to use for this and settled on Crisp Cantaloupe, Raspberry Ripple and Gumball Green found in the Birthday Basics Designer Series Paper.   The tree is covered with Blossom punches and topped with a Raspberry Ripple bow.  The door with a festive wreath could also be used as a card front.  I especially like the tiny wallhanging and presents (one is a gift bag!)  Guess I haven't really grown up!

The coordinating card has a Santa owl peeking out of a wreath.

A full tutorial for this project is available by joining UStamp with Dawn and Friends Knock Out Punches. 

  

Washi Tape Halloween Card

One last Halloween project for the season.  This one is amazingly quick thanks to the Witches Brew Washi Tape.  The super cool thing about Washi Tape is it is repositionable.  You can put it down, peel it up and re-stick it.

To make this, I stamped the Halloween image from the That's the Ticket stamp set in the center of a 3-3/4" X 5" piece of Whisper White cardstock then layered four varying lengths of Washi Tape in an overlapping pattern around it.  (This is where the repositionable part came in handy!)

Next I tore three small pieces of black patterned paper from the Neutrals Designer Series Paper Stack and tucked them in the corners.

All this is layered on a Tangerine Tango cardbase with a little strip of dotted DSP peeking out at the edge.

Nothing scary here!