Paper Pleasing Ideas

Controls Freaks April Blog Hop !!

It is that time of the month again ...  ... NO, not that time !!  The Freaky blog tour is here and so you know you are going to be inspired with a TON of Stampin' Up! only projects.

You may have gotten here via Wendy (did she not have some AMAZING stuff ?!?), or if you clicked in here, no worries.  Our hop goes all the way around, so you can start and finish from this point !!

The theme this month was weddings, Mother's Day, florals, etc ~ all things summery and getting us thinking of warmer weather.  Well, wedding was easy for me, since my sister just got engaged over Easter.

I designed a wedding invitation and favor using elegant eggplant and white.  I kinda went off of the idea in the catalog, since it already had the pocket on it.  The front of the invite is embossed with the elegant bouquet folder.

Here is the favor up close and the invite folded open.  The ribbon holds it shut for the mailing, and then pocket holds the RSVP card, registry information and you could even slide a photo in here!!  Their names were printed on the computer, and I used My Digital Studio to make sure the colors were a match, that is PERFECT !

 I had to make a card for the Mom's out there, as well.  I wanted something springy and cheerful, so I pulled out my Tea Party DSP, and some of the pink satin.  This was pretty straight forward to put together.  The stamp is from Well Scripted and the punches are trio flower and pinking hearts from the not-so-mini Catalog.  I used textured amethyst CS for my base, so I wanted to leave more open space on the card.

Now, it is time to see more of the show!  Click on the picture below for the next stop ...

Tootles, have fun and happy hoppin' !!

 

 

Control Freaks Blog Hop !!

Tomorrow starts another Blog Hop with more than 15 Stampin' Up! demonstrators from all over Canada and USA.  This is the group that I swap with.  We call ourselves Control Freaks because we are very picky with the quality of our swaps, and that they ONLY use Stampin' Up! products.  We want to be able to show these cards at our classes and workshops, for as many samples as we can get.

The blog hop tomorrow will give you some AWESOME ideas for Mother's Day, Weddings and floral themes.  This should give you plenty of inspiration, and I hope you will come back for a great hop.

Top Note Gift Bag Tutorial

This is the bag from the Control Freak Blog Hop post HERE.  From 1 piece of 12 X 12 DSP, you can get 2 bags, but I will be showing one in this tutorial.

  You need  1 piece of  6 X 11.5 DSP.  I had originally tried 6 X 12, but the Die did not cover the edges then.  I am using one from the Sending Love collection.  That way, the inside of the bag is decorated, and the outside is all SPARKLY and PURTY! 

You also need a Top Note die, though I am using 2.  I cut the blush blossom one on the stitching, so that I could mat them together.

You will also need a scoring tool, scissors, and sticky strip.  The embellishments are up to you, but I'll show you at the end how I finished mine up.

Starting with the 11.5 inch side across the top of your scoring tool (please remove your cutting blade!), you need to score at these intervals - 1  1/8,   2  1/4,   5  1/2,  6  5/8,  7  3/4,  11.  Then, placing your 6 inch side across the top, score at 1 1/2.  Fold on all score lines.

On the bottom, you need to cut out the far corner on the score lines.  Then you need to cut the score lines so you will be left with two wide panels and 2 narrow panels.  The two narrow ones will have a score line running through them, but do not cut them.  Click on the picture to see it better.  You need to get a ruler and lay it on each one of the uncut score lines marking it at 2 1/2 inches.

OK, so now you need to lay that ruler on the mark and the corner of the bottom score line, and score it on the angle.  Click on the second picture fora good look at what it should end up like.  Do this on both narrower panels.  Fold them into what will be the inside of your box.

Put a length of sticky strip on the narrow piece at the end, right along the score line.  Then remove the liner and fold the DSP around to make the box.

Fold the two narrower flaps in, and using another piece of sticky strip, adhere the two final flaps together to complete the box portion.  Now, to create the flap.  If you are using two pieces, glue them together and then score it right in front of center.

Add a couple pieces of sticky strip to the back of the top note, making sure to have it on the side that is after the center line.  Click ont he picture or a better view of that.  Then stick it to the back of the bag, keeping the score line a smidgen above the top, so it is easier to fold over.

To finish it off, I made another flower (Tutorial Here), and used a brad from the not-so mini catalog to attach it.  I also used up some of the vanilla half pearls from the pretties kit along the top.  The base of my flower is punched from the DSP to coordinate it all.

I used a velcro dot to  hold it closed, covering the back of the brad to hide it.  It really is super easy, and at 4.5 inches tall, it can hold a lot of stuff!

Have fun and happy stamping!!

 

Control Freaks Blog Hop - Spring / Easter Edition

Welcome to the Control Freaks Blog Hop for March.  You probably just arrived from seeing all the marvelous creations at Wendy's Blog.  If you didn't, don't worry, we have made it a complete circle, so you will see them all!

If you are reading this on Friday Night, please be patient as you go through the posts because the tour doesn't officially start until tomorrow morning!  We are posting a little early to get all the kinks worked out for a nice tour on Saturday!

I had fun making these projects for you.  The first one is perfect for everything that you may need to package up for gifts.  It would be great for kids in Sunday School, teachers, anyone that you want to give a quick something.

   I created a gift bag out of Sweet Pea DSP, and then made a flap for the top out of the Top Note Die.  It was embossed with the Finial Press folder, and the stamp set I used is the Eggcroutments from the not-so Mini Catalog.

I stamped the eggs in lovely lilac, bashful blue and pretty in pink, and propped them up in my certainly celery "grass".  The sentiment on top is also from the same set, stamped in lilac and punched out with the Designer Label.  Tutorial Available Here !

My next project is a card for spring.  You could use it for an anything kind of card, since the sentiment does not cater to any specific occasion.

I used the Finial Press folder again, and the Inspired By Nature stamp set.  I colored the silhouette images with almost amethyst, certainly celery and close to cocoa.  I matted them on celery and cocoa, rounding two opposing corners for effect.  The sentiment is from Nature Silhouettes, and I used the markers to accentuate the larger words.  I also tore the edge of the card, just for a little something different.

Well, that all for me folks, hope you enjoyed the creations here. Now you are on to the next stop ...

 

Control Freaks Blog Hop - February Edition

Well, I am part of another Stampin' Up! only Blog Hop, with my fellow Control Freaks Swappers.  There is such talent out there and I am so honored to have been invited to join these elite stampers!

You may have come here from LeeAnn, but if you just clicked in don't worry!  We have made it to be a continuous circle so you can start and go all the way around back to here again.  Let's get started.

For my projects this time, I started with the color.  I wanted to play with one that I do not use very often - sage shadow.  I cut the butterflies with the Beautiful Wings Embosslits, and also stamped the butterfly from Butterfly Accents, and cut it out.  I glued the vellum butterfly to the cut out one, and put some Frost White Shimmer paint on both the butterflies.

I ran the sage CS through the Perfect Polka Dot folder (only halfway), and added the satin ribbon over the area where there was a bit of a line from the edge of the folder.  I used THIS TUTORIAL to make my image layer, the sentiment from Well Scripted.  The pearls are from the Pretties kit.  Now for the completion of the duo...

This is a matching box I designed as a special birthday gift.  I used all the same products, but they are so versatile that you have so many different outcomes!!  This box measures 2 3/4 X 3 and about 1 1/2 inches high.  It holds 6 bigger chocolates, and is perfect to have a quick gift ready in a short amount of time!!  ( Tutorial Now Available )  I really like this box, because it has a flap to keep it shut.

But this is the end of my post, so now you need to head over to the next spot on the tour, Erin.

 

Control Freaks Blog Hop - Stop # 8

 You have either reached the 8 stop on the Blog Hop or just got here.  BUT, don't worry, it is a continuous circle, and it will take you right back around here!  YAY - you don't have to miss anything.

I am so excited to show these cards to you.  I made them quite a while ago, and remember, all projects on this tour are Stampin' Up! only.

This is my Love Quilt card, based on a card I just taught in one of my last classes.  One of my girls, made hers with this set, and gave me the idea for this one.

I used the I{heart}Hearts stamp set, and rose red, regal rose, pretty in pink and white CS.  I did some faux stitching with my white gel pen.

I then created the Love panel, using Lovely Letters, and one of the hearts punched out.  I also used the ticket corner punch, and the mat pack to pierce the edges.  THe heart was covered with crystal effects, and some dazzling diamonds.  I attached it with dimensionals, and then the panel was attached the same way.  But now onto my FAVORITE CARD!!

  My first ever easel card.  I was so excited to show you this card, it was sooooo hard not to post it !!

I used the lovely glittery Sending Love DSP, and faux stitched the black around it.  I used the new punches, and dies.  The stamp sets used are Three Little Words, and With All My Heart.  I used the half pearls from the Pretties Kit, and the organza ribbon.  I am really LOVING this card and I hope you do to! 

Brandi Wiggins.