Recycled Paper Pumpkin Box

It was Paper Pumpkin to the rescue again, but not in the way you might think!  Yesterday was our annual Kaleidoscope Stamper's group Christmas pot luck, and we all had the opportunity to bring a gift for the gift exchange. You know the kind - everyone picks a gift in their turn or steals a gift that someone else has already chosen.  Lots of laughs and fun for everyone.  We were supposed to wrap the gift to make it look as attractive as possible.  I chose the Pop 'n Place Tags Bundle for the gift I gave and I needed to find a box that would be big enough to fit the bundle but not too big to decorate nicely.  That's when I spotted my last Paper Pumpkin box, ready to take out to the recycling bin.  It was exactly the right size, but I needed to find a way to cover up all that bright orange, to make it look Christmassy!  Here's how it turned out:

• As you can see, I used Winter Frost Designer Series Paper to cover the top and sides of the box. What you can't see is that I used the Smoky Slate 12 x 12 Textured Cardstock to cover the bottom and back of the box.  
• I wanted to maintain the way the box closes, so I traced the sides and cut them out of the DSP to fit the shape of the flaps.  Everything was adhered with either Sticky Strip or Tombo Multipurpose glue.\
• I used the Northern Flurries Textured Impressions Embossing Folder to add the snowflake design on the strip of Coastal Cabana on the top.

• Have you had a chance to play with the Gift Box Bigz L die?  It creates some beautiful paper bows that look especially nice when you use the Silver Foil sheet to make them.
• Do you recognize the embellishment on the front?  It's one of the Festive Flurry Ornaments from the kit of the same name.  They are so versatile!  I told you they were.  Remember?  If you follow that link you'll find a video tutorial on how to assemble them.

Anyway, my box was the first chosen, so I guess Paper Pumpkin and the Festive Flurry Ornament Kit did the trick.  By the way, the gift that I ended up with after my turn was done (there may or may not have been some stealing involved) was a beautiful piece of wall art stamped by the lovely Kristin Noble, one of the Kaleidoscope demos.  I wanted to share a photo of it because I love what she'd done, but also because I wasn't the only one who really wanted that gift and the others wanted to case her wonderful design.

Amazing, no?  Leave a comment for Kristin to let her know how beautiful this project it!

Let me remind you that there are only two days left in Stampin' Up!'s great Holiday Sale!  I don't want to have to disappoint you with news that you were too late for all those amazing price reductions!  I want to let you in on a little secret here - tomorrow, the last day of the sale - there are going to be some surprise 24 hour deals.  This is so hush hush that I don't even know what they are, but I know they will be incredible! Visit my blog tomorrow for all the details!  

Here are the supplies used to upcycle the Paper Pumpkin box.  Just click on each link to take you to my On-Line Stampin' Up! Store for more information or to order:

• Winter Frost Specialty Designer Series Paper
• Smoky Slate 12" X 12" Textured Card Stock
• Coastal Cabana 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
• Festive Flurry Ornament Kit
• Silver Foil Sheets
• Gift Bow Bigz L Die
• Big Shot Die-Cut Machine
• Northern Flurry Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Die
• Sticky Strip
• Tombow Multi-Purpose Adhesive

Big News A-Comin'!

I just wanted to let you know, my dear and favoured readers, that there is some big news coming on November 20th.    It's Stampin' Up!'s Holiday Sale and it's going to be HUGE!  I don't have any of the details yet, but I know that it's going to start with a 24hr. DOORBUSTER that you're not going to want to miss!  Check back here tomorrow, November 19th and get ready to do all your holiday shopping!

Have you made your Stampin' Up! Wish List for Christmas yet?  Why not write that up and then give it to me as well as to your loved ones and they can order through me!  I can manage your list to make sure that you don't get duplicates!  And I will provide gift-wrapping for anyone who would like that done.  

To sweeten the pot, on top of the awesome deals that I know Stampin' Up! will be offering, we will make this sale period also two Mystery Hostess Contests!  Everyone who orders through me will have their name entered in a draw to win Hostess Benefits for all the orders that come in during each week, one draw for orders that come in Nov. 20 - 26 and another draw for orders that come in Nov. 27 - Dec. 2.  You will be able to order on-line using hostess codes which I will reveal tomorrow!  You can also call or email me with your orders.

Each order gets one entry in the draw, and you will get an additional entry for every $50 you spend!  This is really the time to get those stamp sets or tools that you want for yourself or for other crafters on your list!

I'm busy designing some Christmas cards for my last Christmas Stampers' Dozen for the year.  You will make 12 Christmas cards, 3 each of 4 designs on Thursday, Nov. 21 starting at 6:30 pm.  I will need to have you REGISTER HERE, by Tuesday, Nov. 19 so I will have time to prepare your projects.  The cost is $30 or $25 for Stamp Club Members or for those who place an order of $20 or more.

Here's one of the cards I designed:

• This features a new set for me, Colour Me Christmas, a fun little set especially for you copic marker geniuses!  I just used two Stampin' Write Markers in Island Indigo and Pool Party.
• Silver Glimmer Paper made awesome snowballs!
• The sentiment is from More Merry Messages, which is still available, though not in the catalogue.

• The silver frame around the little reindeer is actually created using the 4th largest Circle framelit on the Island Indigo snowflake sheet of Winter Frost Specialty DSP first.  I lined it up close to the top so I would have room for the sentiment at the bottom. 
• After that was cut, I lined the DSP up on the Silver Foil sheet and centered the next smallest circle framelit inside the circle opening in the DSP.  I removed the DSP and sent the framelit and foil through the Big Shot.
• I adhered the DSP and foil together and added the 1/8" Silver Ribbon.  

• In the meantime, I stamped the Colour Me Christmas image in StazOn Jet Black ink and coloured it in, as well as stamped the sentiment in Island Indigo on the Whisper White flag.
• After adhering it all together I tied a little knot around the ribbon with another small piece and popped the sentiment up on Dimensionals.

I hope I will see you at my Stampers' Dozen, but if you live out of town or are unable to make it, you can purchase any of the supplies I used by following the links below which will take you to that product in my Stampin' Up! On-line Store:

• Color Me Christmas Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Color Me Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• More Merry Messages Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• More Merry Messages Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Winter Frost Specialty Designer Series Paper
• Silver Foil Sheets
• Island Indigo 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Jet Black StazOn Pad
• Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker
• Pool Party Stampin' Write Marker
• Island Indigo Classic Stampin' Pad
• Silver 1/8" Ribbon
• Silver Glimmer Paper
• Circles Collection Framelits Dies
• 1/2 Inch Circle Punch

Merry Christmas As You See It

Life has been good but busier than normal the last couple of weeks.  As you may remember, every year around this time, I get geared up to organize a Christmas event at our church called, "One Night in Bethlehem".  We turn the church into a Bethlehem market place at the time of Jesus' birth and people take part in interactive displays, crafts and a drama is performed.  Add that to my already busy business life and time becomes precious!  It also flies by and so it is that Friday has rolled around again and it's time to show you another As You See It Challenge design, 008 this time.

Here's the sketch by the talented Amanda:

It has a little bit of a shabby-chic feel to it but not over the top.  Here's my take on the sketch:

• In keeping with my retreat designing duties, I've again used DSP from the Winter Frost collection.  I love how it uses a lot the blue-greens we have currently:  Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana, Island Indigo and Pool Party.
• I used the Perfect Pennants Bigz L die to die cut the two doily shapes in Coastal Cabana and Silver Foil.  Underneath those I added a Tea Lace Paper Doily folded just off of halfway for half-circle of slightly different lengths.
• The stamp set is A Banner Christmas, and I also used the small snowflake from Snow Day, inked in Encore Silver Metallic Ink, on the Whisper White flag.  

• See that blue rhinestone?  Yes, it's one of our Rhinestone Basic Jewels coloured with a turquoise Sharpie.
• I used Bermuda Bay 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon to tie a little fork bow for the top.

That's all there is to it.  You could definitely make one like this!

Don't forget, there is a Mystery Hostess Contest on now.  Here's the Hostess code for it: H7CWVP3K

Add that code to any on-line orders you make and you will be entered into the draw to win all the hostess rewards for any orders that come in this week, extra entries for every $25 you spend.  And with 25 stamp sets at 25% off, there are going to be a lot!

If I can make my goal of selling 25 stamp sets during this week, for helping me do that, I will draw two more names to receive free stamp sets up to $25 in value!

Stamps:  Snow Day (w131892; c131895); A Banner Christmas (w130252; c130255

Paper:  Winter Frost Specialty Design Series Paper (132341); Silver Foil Sheets (132178); Smoky Slate Textured 12 x 12 Cardstock (132131); Coastal Cabana (131297), Island Indigo (122923) and Whisper White (100730) cardstock

Ink: Silver Encore Metallic Ink (132142); Classic Stampin' Pads in Island Indigo (126986)

Accessories:   1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Bermuda Bay (131206); Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246); Tea Lace Doilies (129399)

Tools:  Perfect Pennants Bigz L die (123126); Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch  (119275)

A Banner Christmas

Bermuda Bay 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Snow Day Stamp Set

Perfect Pennants Bigz L Die

Encore Silver Metallic Ink

Tea Lace Paper Doilies

Rhinestone Basic Jewels

Winter Frost Specialty Designer Series Paper

Scrapbooking: Returning to an Old Passion

The first thing that got me interested in papercrafting was scrapbooking, mostly because I liked keeping a family history and secondly, because I loved all the adorable stickers we used to use.  What frustrated me about it though, was I was always running out of "E"s or "S"s or "T"s!  I'd have a whole page of alphabet stickers left except that all the "E"s were used up, so it was next to useless, unless I wanted to display the word "vacuum" or something as unlikely!

The other thing was that it took so long to complete a scrapbook and every time I'd have to put all my paper and equipment away, only to drag it all out the next day.  I decided that, unless I was creating scrapbooks on line, it was not for me.  Having said that, there are some enormously talented scapbookers out there who create pages that are literally works of art, and I really admire their artistic ability.

So one of the things we were asked to design for the retreat this weekend was a scrapbook page.  I left it for near the end because I was intimidated by the thought!  Scrapbooking has come along way since my sticker days.  But I gave it the old college try and here's what I came up with:

• I used the same products I have been using all week. 
• I love the Typeset Alphabet dies!  As long as you have paper, you have all the letters you need!  No more Alphabet stickers!  I used chip board and Soft Sky cardstock to cut these out and the Two-Way Glue pen to stick them together and on to the base.
• I discovered that, to make the rosettes, I prefer to use the Simply Scored Scoring Tool rather than the Designer Rosette Bigz Die.  That way I can control the thickness of the pleats and I get a better score, making it easier to accordion fold.
• Jumbo Sticky Rounds are essential when making rosettes, and a glue gun to hold the ends together.

I don't know if this little experiment will get me back into doing scrapbook pages or not, but it was fun to try again!

Don't forget that this week only, until Monday, Oct. 28, Stampin' Up is offering 25 stamp sets for 25% off.  My goal is to sell 25 sets.  I also have my monthly Mystery Hostess Contest running at the same time and every order will get you an entry in the draw to win all the Hostess rewards for orders placed this week. You will also get an additional entry in the draw for every $25 you spend before tax and shipping.  And to sweeten the pot, I am going to draw an additional 2 entries for free stamp sets up to $25 in value!   How's that for motivation!  Check out all the stamp sets on sale here.  If you are ordering on line use this Hostess Code: H7CWVP3K!  I need your orders by noon on Monday, Oct. 28!

THANK YOU THURSDAY!

This week's Thank You Thursday's are a "big" deal! We hope you enjoy this assortment of Big Shot accessories!

	Hearts a Flutter Framelit Item # 130159 Regular Price: $30.95 Discount Price:  $23.21  25% off
	Honeycomb Textured Embossing Folder Item # 129378 Regular Price: $9.95 Discounted Price: $7.46  25% off
	Envelope Liners Framelits Dies Item # 132172 Regular Price: $32.95 Discounted Price: /$24.71  25% off
	Alphabet Press Textured Embossing Folder Item # 130916 Regular Price: $9.95 Discounted Price: $7.46   25% off
	Window Frames Framelit Item # 129021 Regular Price: $32.95 Discounted Price: $24.71  25% off
Stamps: Everything Eleanor (w131987; c124164) Paper: Winter Frost Specialty Design Series Paper (132341); Smoky Slate Textured 12 x 12 Cardstock (132131); Silver Foil Sheets (132178); Textured 12 x 12 cardstock in Island Indigo (132132); Coastal Cabana (131297), Pool Party (122924) and Whisper White (100730) cardstock. Ink: Classic Stampin' Pad in Island Indigo (126986) Accessories: Subtles Designer Buttons (130030); In Colour Boutique Details (130938); Frosted Finishes Embellishments (132150); Whisper White Baker's Twine (124262); Jumbo Sticky Rounds (127852); Tea Lace Paper Doilies (129399) Tools:  Big Shot (113439); Designer Rosette BigzXL die (125594); Typeset Alphabet Bigz Dies (127553); Festive Flurry Framelits (132193); 2 1/2" Circle punch (120906); 1 3/4" Circle Punch; Deco Labels Framelits (130102);2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch (118874); Simply Scored Scoring Tool (122334)	Chalk Talk Framelits Item # 129983 Regular Price: $30.95 Discount Price: $23.21   25% off

Snowday Joy

As a former school teacher, I remember well the days of the first snowfall!   Someone would exclaim, "It's SNOWING!!"  and that would be it for the day, pretty much.  Noses would be pressed against the window watching the little flakes of snow come down, tentative at first, then with more and more enthusiasm, until the ground began to turn white. 

They could hardly wait to get out in it, even though it was almost a guarantee that someone would come in soaking wet, someone else crying because they slipped and fell, and at least two or three more in trouble for throwing snowballs.

But it was always fun watching the unfettered joy it would bring to the kids as they slid, danced and created awesome snow sculptures. There are days when I really wish I could recapture that joy, without all the concerns that adulthood brings with it.

I hope my next card recaptures it a little, with two stamp sets, one appropriately named Snow Day, and the other called Banner Christmas.  This is another in the series of designs for our weekend retreat.

• I'm getting a lot of mileage out of the Winter Frost Specialty DSP for these designs.  This one is Island Indigo with Whisper White Snowflakes.
• The main Whisper White panel is layered with Coastal Cabana cardstock.  The snowman is stamped with Smoky Slate and stamped of twice before applying to the cardstock, so it would be light enough.
• I added the toque (Canadian snowman, definitely) and scarf in Coastal Cabana ink, the eyes, mouth and buttons in StazOn Jet Black, the carrot in Tangerine Tango and the arms, though hard to see here, in Early Espresso.

• I stamped the Joy Banner stamp in Coastal Cabana ink and used an Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker to add the Island Indigo shadow.  I then hand cut the individual banners.
• I tied two fork bows, one on either end of a Bermuda Bay 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon and attached the banners to it using glue dots.  I then added it to the card front, putting each bow in one of his hands.

I'm thinking of using this cute fellow to document my progress, selling stamp sets during the 25th Anniversary Stamp Sale from Oct. 22 - 28.  I'm aiming to sell 25 sets and I could add one more element to the snowman for every three sets I sell!

Here are photos of all the sets that are on sale for 25% off:

So, I've already sold 4 sets, so I've added his face.  He needs a name - Sheldon!  What do you think?  Don't forget that for every $25 you order you also get an extra entry in the Mystery Hostess Contest.  Hostess Code is H7CWVP3K!  I need your orders by noon on Monday, Oct. 28!

Each feature added equals 3 stamp sets sold.  Next thing Sheldon gets is a nose!

Stamps:  Snow Day (w131892; c131895); A Banner Christmas (w130252; c130255)
Paper:  Winter Frost Specialty Design Series Paper (132341); Smoky Slate Textured 12 x 12 Cardstock (132131); Coastal Cabana (131297) and Whisper White (100730) cardstock.
Ink:  StazOn Jet Black (101406); Classic Stampin' Pads in Smoky Slate (131179), Coastal Cabana (131175), Tangerine Tango (126946) and Early Espresso (126974); Stampin' Write Marker in Island Indigo (131262 as part of the Regals collection)
Accessories:  1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Bermuda Bay (131206)

StazOn Jet Black Ink Pad

Winter Frost Specialty DSP

A Banner Christmas Stamp Set

Bermuda Bay 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Smoky Slate Textured 12 x 12 card stock

Snow Day Stamp Set

More Victorian Christmas

Well, I don't know if this next project is truly Victorian, but it could qualify depending on the paper you choose and the ornate details you add.  I actually remember some ornaments like these when I was a child, but I'm not quite that old!  I'm talking about honeycomb paper ornaments like this one:

I found a great tutorial for this at Splitcoast Stampers, by Becca Feeken, so check that out.  It makes the process very clear.  

The procedure is not difficult at all, but it is time consuming and a bit tedious, but the results give you a lovely ornament to hang on your tree.  It involves die cutting 18 ornament shapes from the same DSP.  You cannot use cardstock for this.  The lighter weight the paper, the better.  It would have been better, had I owned a larger die for an ornament shape.  It would not have been so fiddly and you would have seen the honeycomb more easily, but this size was the only one I had.  I'll have to try one with just the largest circle framelit and see how that works.  

You save one of the negative spaces to use as a template.  You fold all 18 shapes in half vertically and one by one add glue dots to the inside at the locations marked "1" on the templates and marked "2" on the outside after which you add another shape and adhere it using the glue dots at the #2 locations.

I won't go into any more detail here, because the tutorial link is so informative and easy to follow.  I used Winter Frost DSP for my ornament, and if I ever have another 4 hours free, I might try a bigger one using Modern Medley or book pages or something similar.  Here's another look at it and a list of the supplies I used.

• On this photo, you can see that I added some Dazzling Diamond Glitter to the edges of the paper, using a Two-Way Glue Pen.
• The "crystal"  I used at the bottom is actually two Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons glued together with glue dots around the Pool Party Seam Binding ribbon.

Paper:  Winter Frost Design Series Paper (132341)

Accessories:  Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons (127555); 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon in Pool Party (125582); Sticky Strip Adhesive (104294); Glue Dots (103683); Island Indigo Baker's Twine (125575); Two Way Glue Pen (100425); Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter (102023)

Tools:  Holiday Ornaments Framelits (127816); Big Shot (113439); Bone Folder (102300)

And just a quick reminder, that you have ONLY until Monday night to join my team for only $25!  Don't leave it to the last minute and end up being disappointed.  I don't believe this offer will ever be repeated!