Monday, June 29, 2015

"Box in a Bag" Tutorial

Good morning, CardMonkey friends and followers!

...and thank you for your sweet comments over the weekend about my "Box in a Bag" I made for the Original Disney Pixar Blog Hop. 

Please don't be "intimidated" (as one commenter said she'd be) to try this project on your own. You'll be surprised how downright easy it is to make. 

I realize many are more visual learners, so I created this handout for when I teach this project. Perhaps this will help you to try it yourself?



Re-reading this above, I realize that I didn't mention how to affix the "bag" around the "box" in the tutorial. All you have to do is cover the 1" high Box raised lip, all the way around, with a firm adhesive such as Scor-Tape. Then, starting at one short end, wrap the piece marked "Bag" around the base, butting the bottom edge to the very bottom fold line of the Box.  The last bit of the Bag should overlap where you have your adhesive to seal. Then VOILA! Add your decorative strip to the top of the bag, then your handles, and you're done!

Have fun!

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Disney-Pixar Blog Hop: Card Set in a "Box in a Bag"

It is my great pleasure to again participate in the original Disney-Pixar Blog Hop, as I have every time since its inception four years ago! 

Here, Disney scrap/craft fanatics from around the country create a wonderful blend of Disney- or Pixar-themed projects.

Trending this year in papercrafting is a hot new way to gift a set of cards. Called a "Box in a Bag," it creates a firm base around which a designer paper is adhered, and then the decorating is purely up to you! 

Here's my Disney bag stuffed full of Disney notecards:


To make this bag, I first created a base from Close To My Heart Black Cardstock. The base was cut 5.5" x 3.5". I then scored 1" on each side and corner-cut each corner (diagonally) so the 1" sides could fold up to form a box bottom.  I secured the corner tabs with Scor-Tape, and set aside.

Next, I cut a piece of Disney cardstock (the red) 5" high x 12" wide.  I secured Scor-Tape all around the base of the box and then wrapped the paper to the base, securing the paper around the base as well as vertically to close the wrap.  

I found a scrap of the black alligator-skin patterned paper in my stash -- I think I got it at Michael's, years ago. It would be perfect for my trim. I cut a piece 2" high x 12" long, and scored it lengthwise to create a crisp fold that I could put over the top of the bag.  I also secured this with Scor-Tape.  I finished off the edge of the trim with two lines of Resin Rhinestones ("Dazzling Diamonds") from The Buckle Boutique.  

Next, the handles.  I decided I wanted to give it a little more of a finished look, so I created two handles from the black alligator-skin patterned paper, folding it on top of itself and securing with Scor-Tape. I put jewelry jump rings at the bottom edge and fed some jewelry chain through eyelets I punched into the bag with my Crop-A-Dile. 


Here's a peek at the inside of the bag, with the cards stashed inside.


Next up, I made six notecards to fit inside the bag -- each has a finished size of 3x3" when folded. Complementing Disney paper was used for the rear three cards, just layered atop of matching cardstock scraps.  I created the Mickey head for two of the cards by welding circles together using the software with my Silhouette Cameo.  The one on the left was cut using metallic silver paper -- hard to see in this picture, sorry. The one on the right was cut using the same rhinestone resin sheet from The Buckle Boutique. Those two Mickey cards were stamped using sentiments from Close To My Heart's August Stamp of the Month.  The stamp in the front "Dreams Do Come True" is from a set in my stash.



Finally, I needed to create an envelope to fit my wee cards. This square envelope with the heart on the flap is a file from the Silhouette Online Store, easily cut two-up on a 12"x12" mat, from Daisy White CTMH cardstock.

Thank you for taking the time to learn how to make your own "Box in a Bag", and for joining me on the Disney Pixar Blog Hop. It's time now for me to move you down the road to the next wonderful project.  Just WAIT until you see the fabulosity that Marisa has in store!!!!  

CLICK HERE to jump to Marisa's post.

Do visit the entire group of fantastic Disney projects. Here's the entire Line Up:















Monday, June 22, 2015

Quick Thank You Card Using "A Ton" Stamps

Happy Monday!

I've been spending an inordinate amount of time trying to clean my craft room, and I keep getting distracted by all of the fun stuff I have to use!  (Can you say: "Attention Deficit??")

One of the great new stamps I've gotten in the mail recently is a set by a "couture" stamp manufacturer called "The Ton".  They have some pretty layered floral stamps that I'd been eyeing up, and this "Wild Peonies" spoke to me. It stamped beautifully in CTMH Honey Exclusive Ink, with the leaves in CTMH Topiary.

Now I have never seen yellow peonies before so I kind of think I made them up, but I like the yellow and green for today. The "Thank You" stamp is from Heidi Swapp -- and frankly, no matter what ink I used or paper I used, the stamp was just plain ol' blurry.  I can't recommend it, though I think I got the mini-set for about $1.00 at Michael's so who am I to complain?  I went over the sentiment in a marker, of course, after I finished my stamping of the flowers, and naturally, it smudged. Oh well. We hand-crafters can't always be perfect, right? 

I matted it up with some CTMH Topiary and Black papers, and sandwiched between is a scrap that I discovered in my clean up/out.  Just a quickie card, and back to clean up. Phew, I just cannot believe how much STUFF ... I mean, crafty goodness ... I have up here in my Paper Jungle!

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Celebrating Evan's First Birthday

 
 
It's hard to believe that this time next week, my adorable grandson Evan will be ONE year old!  Whew, that year just flew by. 
 
I have had the privilege of being Evan's primary daycare provider for the past year, tending to Evan on the three, occasionally four, days a week that his Dad Josh was at work, and while his Mom Emily had to sleep following her overnight shift as an ER nurse. Just recently, Evan started to go to a real "school" (where his sister Charlotte attends) half-time -- a day or two a week -- and he's still with me for another day or two each week. 
 
Family and friends are gathering next weekend to celebrate the "superheroes" ...Evan who's turning one, and his Dad who just turned 30 (POW!) in May. Since the theme is "Superheroes", I used a darling font file I found in the Silhouette Online Store, and primary colors of red, yellow and blue, to make the celebratory banner (above).  I hope the birthday boy loves it!
 
I also made the mini-banner above Evan's smash cake (at right), used in the professional photos below:
Here are just a few pictures of Evan, taken by professional photographer Elizabeth Moore. "Pot" (hubby John) and I bought the session and the copyright to the photos, as our gift to Evan and his family, for Evan's birthday.
 
 
 
 
 


 
P.S. :  I also made the ties Evan wears in the photos above.
 
 
 

Happy Birthday, Little Man.
 



Tuesday, June 16, 2015

"Ice Cream Dream" is the Featured Stamp of the Month

Summer, officially at least, is right around the corner though here in the Philadelphia area, we've already had our first heat wave of the season, with temperatures skyrocketing into the 90's for four consecutive days. School is out soon, and a favorite activity in our neighborhoods is the arrival of the ice cream truck. Does your ice cream truck play that incessant, irritating song too? 

To celebrate the happiness of ice cream and summer, Close To My Heart's June Stamp of the Month features a vintage ice cream truck and ice cream cones. Isn't it just fun?  You can get your SOTM for only $5 with a qualifying $50 purchase on my CTMH website, www.cardmonkey.ctmh.com.  Here are two of the cards I recently made using this cute stamp set:









This card (above) features the funfetti of CTMH's "Confetti Wishes" paper pack and embellishments. The panel that I stamped and then colored with ShinHan Touch Twin markers was die cut using Dual Stitched Rectangle Dies from Lil' Inker Designs.



My ice cream cone banner on this card combines CTMH's "You're Da Bomb" Operation Smile stamp set with its "Totally Irresistible" sentiment with five delish ice cream cones,twine and brads.

Monday, June 15, 2015

CTMH Announces Stamp Sets to Retire August 31. Shop NOW Before They Are Gone!

As I promised yesterday, (OMG, three blog posts in a row!!) I am dedicating this post to letting you know which stamp sets are retiring FOR GOOD from Close To My Heart, effective August 31, 2015, to make way for the brilliant new stamp sets due in the 2015-2016 Annual Inspirations catalog, due out September 1.  

What I have done is this:  I've copied photographs of the stamp sets so you'll be able to actually see the stamp sets. The first "sheet" will be the Retiring Fonts; the following seven pictures ("sheets") below can be cross-referenced with the lists below, to determine the stock number and title of the stamp sets on each picture.  I've shown them as listed, left to right, top to bottom, and hopefully I've matched them all up correctly.

For your information, the pricing on all of the stamp sets are as follows:
A Stamps are $6.95 USD
B Stamps are $9.95 USD
C Stamps are $13.95 USD
D Stamps are $17.95 USD
E Stamps are $29.95 USD

Any of these stamp sets can be ordered through August 31, 2015, and will be in stock. Please order your stamps directly from my Close To My Heart website, by going to http://cardmonkey.ctmh.com

There, look for and JOIN the party marked RETIRING STAMPS. 

In June, July and August, if there are enough orders to qualify for HOSTESS BENEFITS, I will raffle off the Hostess Stamp set of the winners' choice(s). These stamp sets are exclusive to party Hostesses -- and YOU have a chance to win with each retiring stamp set you purchase!  

That's right -- for every stamp set you purchase from now through August 31 whether or not they are retiring, you will have one chance to win a FREE Retiring Hostess Stamp Set of your choice!!!   And you MAY win more than one!!  

Good luck and happy shopping!

Retiring Fonts:


Sheet 1:


Sheet 2:


Sheet 3:


Sheet 4:


Sheet 5:


Sheet 6:


Sheet 7:





RETIRING FONTS:
A1117
A Typeface
B1416
Keyboard Uppercase
D1469
Polka Dot Alphabet
D1507
Urban Alphabet
D1522
Glamour Lowercase
D1537
Glamour Uppercase
E1026
Vogue Alphabet
E1027
Framework Alphabet
E1028
Hopscotch Alphabet
E1029
Marquee Uppercase
E1030
Handwritten Print


Pictured on Sheet 1:
A1146
Sincere Expressions
A1147
Hanukkah Celebration
A1150
Charming Chevrons
A1152
Joyful Wishes
A1153
Hope
A1155
Quick Cards—Japanese Blossom
A1157
Quick Cards—Island Greetings
A1161
Beyond Measure
A1162
Bright Spirits
A1165
Capture the Day
A1166
Quoth the Raven
A1167
Keep Your Chin Up


Pictured on Sheet 2:
A1168
O Holy Night
B1403
To You and Yours
B1419
Joyful Birthday
B1428
Look to the Light
B1432
Love This
B1438
Banner Wishes
B1442
Belated Birthday
B1452
Funky Blossoms
B1453
Frightfully Fun
B1456
Born to Roam
B1457
Tweet Me
B1459
Celebrate Love


Pictured on Sheet 3:
B1461
Happy Mail
B1462
Lovely Birthday
B1463
Thankful Heart
B1464
Puppy Party
B1465
Glitter Glam
B1467
You Mean the World to Me
B1468
Merriest Christmas
C1504
Fall Harvest
C1506
Flakey Friends
C1522
Creepy Creatures
C1533
Fabulous You
C1556
Paisley Perfect


Pictured on Sheet 4:
C1557
Polar Bear Holiday
C1559
Always Grateful
C1561
One-Way Borders
C1562
Mary and Babe
C1570
Lifting Spirits
C1576
Pick a Posey
C1578
Camper Crazy
C1584
Feathers
C1588
Great Job
C1589
Lifetime of Happiness
C1590
Delightful Ditty
C1591
Merry, Merry


Pictured on Sheet 5:
C1592
World Traveler
C1594
Treasure Friendship
C1595
Hello Summer
C1597
Rainy Day
C1598
Noel
C1600
Happy Birds
C1601
Nursery Charms
C1602
Magical Moment
D1540
In the Background
D1541
Fast and Furious
D1543
Country-Born
D1544
Distressed Backgrounds


Pictured on Sheet 6:
D1550
Happy Autumn
D1552
Magical Days
D1553
Yuletide Greetings
D1554
Christmas Village
D1559
Geometric Backgrounds
D1578
Flight of the Arrows
D1584
Big Hug
D1600
Here We Go
D1602
A Budding Friendship
D1603
Shreddin' the Slopes
D1604
Season of Thanks
D1609
Seaside Greetings


Pictured on Sheet 7:
D1612
Teacher Appreciation
D1613
Best Christmas
D1614
Reason for the Season
D1616
Have a Happy Day
D1618
Build-a-Cake
D1627
Your Own Kind of Wonderful




ALL HOSTESS SETS ARE RETIRING (Not Pictured), including:
YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN THESE STAMP SETS:

A1163
Practical Planning
A1169
Well Wishes
B1454
Thanksgiving Wreath
B1455
Be Jolly
B1458
Cuddly Salutations
B1477
Exotic Flower
C1587
Sing Glory
C1593
Hats Off
C1596
Happy Hexagons
C1613
Paper Bird
C1614
Tagged With Love
D1608
Better With A Friend
D1615
Sweet As Sugar




ALL WOTG STAMPS ARE RETIRING (not pictured), including:
These stamp sets are included only with the Workshops on the Go; all of the WOTGs are retiring August 31, so be sure to look these over in the catalog, or online. 
D1606
Chalk It Up Scrapbooking Workshop
D1619
Seaside Scrapbooking Workshop
D1620
Confetti Wishes Scrapbooking Workshop
D1621
Pathfinding Scrapbooking Workshop
D1622
Wanderful Scrapbooking Workshop
D1623
Brushed Scrapbooking Workshop
D1624
Pathfinding Cardmaking Workshop
D1625
Snowhaven Cardmaking Workshop
D1626
Yuletide Carol Scrapbooking Workshop
D1649
Blossom Cardmaking Workshop
D1650
Jackson Scrapbooking Workshop



Any questions?  Feel free to leave a comment here, or drop me an e-mail at cardmonkey@comcast.net.  

Thank you, and I sincerely appreciate your support of my Close To My Heart business.