Artistic Etchings Mini Box and Card Set

Hello, crafting friends!

Sorry for the long blogging break, but life gets crazy when school starts! I'm so grateful for these years raising my daughters, and I hope I can squeeze every little bit of joy out of every day we have while they're young, even when the days seem long and repetitive. I never could have imagined how much a heart could love other people without those girls!

I hosted my first Stampin' Up event this weekend, and I had an absolute blast! Thank you so much to all of you who attended. I got to introduce quite a few ladies to the joys of paper crafting, and nothing could make me happier!

I would love to start sharing project directions and photos on my blog, so here is the first installment for your idea file! Thank you to fellow demonstrator Angie Kennedy Juda for the great inspiration!

Mini Pizza Box with Matching Mini Cards:

Mini Pizza Box:

You'll need: 5 1/4 by 9 1/2" piece of Basic Black card stock with an extra piece for punching circles, 2" length of white satin ribbon, 3" square of Designer Series Paper in Real Red, Whisper White card stock for stamping, 2 1/2" and 2" circle punch, Real Red and Basic Black Classic Ink, Stampin' Dimensionals, strong adhesive, and the Artistic Etchings stamp set from Stampin' Up.

1) Score the black card stock at 1", 4 1/4", 5 1/4", and 8 1/2" across the long horizontal side and at 1" along both vertical edges. Cut from the edge of the card stock up to the first score line on both horizontal sides.

2) Fold ribbon over and glue to bottom of 3" square paper to create a pull tab.

3) Stamp the medallion image on white card stock with Real Red ink. Stamp another image of your choice over the medallion in black. Punch with 2" circle punch and layer over a 2 1/2" black circle. Adhere layered circles to 3" square with Stampin' Dimensionals.

4) Attach 3" square to top of box. Assemble box by placing a strong adhesive (like sticky strip) on the outside of each small square tab, folding them to the inside.

Mini Cards:

You will need: 3" by 6" piece of Basic Black card stock with extra for punching circles, 2" circle punch, 2 3/4" square of Tempting Turquoise Designer Series Paper, 2 3/4" square of white card stock, 4" piece of white satin ribbon, 2" circle punch, Whisper White card stock for stamping, Tempting Turquoise and Basic Black Classic Ink, Snail adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals, and the Artistic Etchings stamp set from Stampin' Up.

1) Score and fold black card stock at 3" to form card base.

2) Stamp "Amour" from Artistic Etchings set on square of white card stock in Tempting Turquoise and adhere to inside of card.

3) Stamp medallion in Tempting Turquoise and overlay with the image of your choice in Basic Black. Hand cut around medallion or punch with 1 1/2" circle punch. Layer over a 2" black circle. Layer circle images over 2 3/4" square of Designer Paper with Stampin' Dimensionals.

4) Tie a loose knot with satin ribbon and adhere under main image.

5) Adhere 2 3/4" turquoise square to front of card base.

To alter the look of your project, any combination of Designer Series Paper and matching ink can be used. Have fun!!

Jessica

My Latest Card Creations

Hello, friends! I haven't been in much of a card-making mood this summer, but I did manage to use up a bit of my paper stash this week. I had a blast with the Devonshire paper set and found myself using it over and over again. I think the huge flower patterns just speak to me. :) I also used the "Friends 24-7" stamp set from Stampin' Up.

I made this one out of an ATC that I created using the Botanical Bliss stamp set from Cornish Heritage Farms. I used the same set to stamp the twill tape. The background was stamped with "Friends 24-7" of course, my favorite set!

Happy Stamping, dear friends!

My First Quilt

After seriously SIX YEARS ((!!!)) I finally finished my first quilt. It's a McKenna Ryan applique wall-hanging I started to practice my free motion skills before moving on to her "On the Farm" pattern. I think it turned out cute for my first try, but after my first experience with monofilament thread, I'm wondering how in the world I'll ever get through the bigger project with my sanity intact. If any of you have any monofilament secrets, please share!

Sing

This sweet little chipboard birdie is a page from a Stampin' Up chipboard album and features Prima and paper flowers, a grungeboard flourish, and freshwater pearls. The buttons are strung on beading wire for a 3-D effect.

Dream

I guess I'm in a wall decor mood this week! I just finished this wall hanging using a vintage print and lots of paper flowers. I love this vintage music paper from 7 Gypsies!

Time to Spread Your Wings

I just bought Delight in the Details by Lisa Pace, and it is jam-packed with inspiration! She loves to create little vintage goodies to hang all over her house, and she was the inspiration for this project.

Easy Digital Silhouettes

I love having pictures of my daughters absolutely everywhere, and I've been dying to incorporate silhouettes into my home decor. Silhouette pictures are so vintage and classic, and these are very easy and inexpensive to make!

Here are the steps:

1. Take a profile picture of your subject. Bear in mind that the profile picture has to be exactly from the side. If one part of the head or body sits at the wrong angle, your silhouette will look odd.

2. Size your photo on the computer so that the size of the subject fits into the area you wish to frame. Print the photo. (Quality/color doesn't matter.)

3. Outline the silhouette in pencil and cut out.

4. Trace the silhouette on the back of black paper. (Keep in mind which direction you want the final image to face.) Cut out.

5. Layer the silhouette onto background paper. Matting with several layers of contrasting paper gives a nice effect.

Home is Where the Heart is ...

This afternoon I finished what I hope will be a really fun end-of-the-school-year thank you gift for my daughters' amazing teacher, Mrs. Persons. With the exception of the sky, which is painted, and the clouds which I made out of gesso, the entire picture is made of ... you guessed it! Paper!


I drew the picture on the canvas first, and then created tracing paper templates for each layer, distressed each piece with ink and applied the pieces in layers from the background toward the foreground. The butterfly, flowers, and grass are 3-D elements. What a fun project!

Love Sign

I created this sign to go with my set of hanging layouts. It's SOOO sparkly and fun! I painted an 8x8 canvas with Scattered Straw Distress Crackle Paint and distressed it with Vintage Photo ink. I rubbed Stickles around the edges and brushed the edges of the canvas with black ink.

Then I created a background out of patterned paper and distressed it with ink and a Tim Holtz flourish mask. Of course, I had to add some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Gold as well!

I decorated grungeboard letters with acrylic paint and distress ink and then stamped words over the letters in solvent ink. I distressed the edges in black and added green Stickles lightly with my finger.

I decorated one corner with a grungeboard key and some stickers and bling. On the lower right, I layered an acrylic fragment backed with patterned paper, a crackled butterly with wire antennae, and a spiral flower made from patterned paper. This was my first attempt at "scrapbooking on the wall," and it's been one of my favorite projects ever!!

Vintage Gift Box

I've been a busy scrapper this weekend. Sometimes I just get into a groove and can't quit no matter how hard I try! I'm neglecting my laundry as we speak, but some things are just more exciting than laundry!

I finished this cute box on Saturday, and I can't wait to finish the little nesting boxes that go inside! I painted it with pink acrylic paint, decoupaged a vintage label on the front, and crackled and distressed it. I then glittered some paper leaves with Stickles, attached a Prima flower, and stuck in a vintage-style hat pin. What a fun Mother's Day surprise!