Tool Box Gift Box - tutorial

Time for the new anything crafty goes challenge at

Love To Craft!

We are a month long just for fun challenge site.

Won't you share what craft project you've made with us ?

This month I am sharing a "gift box" I made from scratch.

I knew the recipient likes chocolate oranges,

so I wanted to make something fun to present them in.

I also added a gift card.

Basic how to's:

Use your math skills to create the size of box

and ends you will need to hold your treats.

I used chipboard to build my box with.

A heavy duty double sided adhesive tape was used

to hold it together. 

This photo shows the pattern for the end 

I made from scrap paper, ready to be traced

onto the chipboard then cut out with scissors.

The ends of the box cut out with holes punched

at the tops to push a dowel rod through to

create the toolbox handle.

Assemble with your favorite heavy duty adhesive.

I painted my chipboard pieces with glossy

acrylic craft paint after it was assembled. 

Once again, put those math skills to use 

to create a tray to fit in the top of the toolbox.

I used red card stock for the tray.

The tools were created with a die set from Stampin' Up!

Silver metallic card stock for the metal parts

and Crumb Cake stamped/sponged with ink

for the wooden parts.

I added a small envelope on the underside

to hold the gift card.

Ignore the Merry Christmas sentiment ;)

It just so happens that is what the project

was actually made for,

but I wanted to wait to share it with you now.

I thought it would make a fun design team

project for the month of June, Father's Day. 

I ran a piece of dowel rod through two holes

punched at the top of the ends.

It is removable to get the treats out.

So much work - but fun making it ! 

Thanks for looking, have a great day :)

Father's Day digi scrap page

Today's project is a digital scrapbook page celebrating Father's

since June 18th is Father's Day (USA) this year.

I created this page with a kit by JMC Designs called Sea Shanty

and a template (slightly altered) from Dagi's Temptations.

This particular page was created in Photoshop Elements 14.

The quote printable was found at 

simpleasthatblog.com 

by doing a google search.

I'll add photos later.

It was originally created as my design team project for 

Digitally Made (thus the watermark).

Since we recently acquired a sponsor, I needed to change my project

to use their products. So, I'm sharing it with you today.

By the way, this months theme is to use 

a quote on your project if you are interested in joining us !

This is a challenge for 100% digital projects,

meaning nothing handmade. 

Thanks for looking =)

Oak Tree Father's Day Card

What perfect timing for the new sketch challenge

at Operation Write Home ! 

I already knew what stamp set I was going to use

for a Father's Day card for my dad

and had a word art created to print inside of it.

It was just a matter of taking the time to

decide how I wanted to design a card with the 

oak tree image from the Lovely As A Tree stamp set.

This sketch posted today was perfect for the card 

I wanted to make!!!!!

Stamp sets were from Stampin' Up!

Lovely As A Tree

Woodgrain background

Teeny Tiny Wishes

Crumb Cake, Textured Early Espresso, Very Vanilla card stocks

various inks and an aquapainter to color the image

scoring board to create the embossed edge around the front panel

two antique copper brads

foam dimensional dots and a scrap of chipboard for dimension

oval Nestabilities die

I drug a Crumb Cake ink pad across the top of the 

woodgrain stamped piece and ran the edges of the

sentiment panel along the ink pad, too

Here is sketch #255 from OWH.

CLICK HERE to see all of the

sketches that have been posted.

Just came across this challenge blog, 

 my card will be perfect to enter the

Masculine Card/Project Challenge

http://modsquadchallenge.blogspot.com/2015/05/masculine.html

Thanks for looking =)

My Top 14 Cards Created for OWH in 2014

The end of another year, wow. Mom and Dad were right: the older you get, the faster time flies !

Here are my favorite 14 cards of those that I made to donate to Operation Write Home the past year.
They do not include any glitter to keep our heroes safe and I try to make them as flat as possible (difficult at times!) to survive the mail system. What a task to choose just 14 of all that I made (some of which I never even shared on the blog) last year. You can see more by clicking on the Operation Write Home Cards label on my sidebar.

I'll share my favorite cards sent to family and friends (not OWH friendly since they were extra bulky) tomorrow.







My top 14 cards , posted chronologically:

January 20        Chain of Hearts pop up card, tutorial included.

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/01/chain-of-hearts-card.html

I always include extra paper in each card I make for

Operation Write Home.

It is more important to include extra paper for "interactive"

type cards that don't have much space for writing to begin with.

February 1     Playing in the mud guy cards created for a challenge to use browns on masculine cards . Click to see a fun motorcycle card, too !
http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/02/operation-write-home-card-bowl-2014.html

February 23    Created for a sketch challenge at OWH.

This was the first time I tried to create a word art image

to save as a PNG/digital stamp to use another time.

I also used a scrap of fleece die cut for the heart. Tutorial.

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/02/you-make-my-heart-race-card.html

February 25    Created for the wood grain technique challenge as well as to help fill

 a call for cowboy cards. Several tips on this post,

such as how I make faux rusty tin star embellishments.

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/02/woodgrain-technique-cards.html

March 9    A set of bright cards for a sketch challenge - and a tip for making "faux" layers.

 http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/03/owh-sketch-challenge-215.html

These particular cards are also a favorite from the past year as they were chosen to be used

as the inspiration for a Midweek Throwdown challenge at OWH a bit later in the year:

make a feminine and a masculine version of the same card.

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/05/birthday-clown-cards-for-girls-and-boys.html

March 23   Any Hero card created for a sketch challenge. Several tips shared on this post.
http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/03/owh-sketch-challenge-217.html

March 26    Purple and yellow challenge - I attempted to use those colors on a masculine card
thinking that there were sure to be many floral type cards submitted! I do try to concentrate on masculine cards more than feminine cards since they seem to be in short supply (as you can see since many of my favorites from this year are guy cards!).
http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/03/purple-and-yellow-challenge-flamed.html

March 31    Faux Sepia tone photo masculine card for a sketch challenge.  One of my all time favorite techniques to do with my car image stamp sets. Tutorial.
http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/03/faux-antique-auto-photo-owh-sketch.html

April 3   Card created "fore" the Father's Day Challenge. I really like the layout on this one.
http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/04/fore-fathers-day-card.html

May 14th    Created for the Missing You challenge at

Operation Write Home. Fairly simple cards -

other than it was a bit tricky lining up the two step alphabet stamps ;)

Now I understand why clear stamps are preferred by many stampers 

(these are red rubber).

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/05/missing-u-cards.html

May 24th     Suspended star flip card and tutorial. This card reminded me of Captain America (images of Chris Evans as Captain America popping into your heads, now ? You are welcome !) and was created for the Memorial Day blog hop at OWH.
http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/05/suspended-star-flip-card-tutorial.html

June 3   Sketch challenge card. I love the detailed die used on this fairly simple card.
http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/06/sketch-challenge-card.html

October 7th     Created for the ODBD challenge at OWH:

use snowflakes on a card, but not a Christmas card.

Check out the fun sketch for the peekaboo window placement that I used, too.

http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/10/owh-odbd-snowflakes.html

November 4      Suspended heart embossed/letter pressed card for the ODBD challenge at OWH.  Despite how complicated this looks, it isn't too difficult to make and actually is much quicker than water coloring images for many of the cards I make.  Tutorial.
http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2014/11/suspended-heart-love-card-owh-odbd.html







Be sure to head back to the inlinkz page at Operation Write Home to see many more bloggers sharing their Top 14 of 2014 !

Thanks for looking and Happy, Healthy, Crafty New Year to You !

Father's Day Card

This card was created based on sketch challenge #226 at Operation Write Home.

Truck image, Hero Arts Past Times
Sanded and Crackling background stamps, Stampin' Up!
Happy Father's Day, All Year Cheer 2 stamp set, Stampin' Up!
Vanilla, Kraft, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Early Espresso card stocks
and inks, Stampin' Up!
Gold embossing powder and Versamark ink
gold mini brads
sponged ink along edge of Kraft card




TIP: Use removable sticky notes to ink portions of a rubber stamp if you do not have a marker to easily put ink where you want it. I cut a sticky note to cover HAPPY and DAY in order to ink FATHER'S with Versamark ink then removed the sticky notes to stamp FATHER'S onto the Chocolate Chip banner. You could do the same thing to ink HAPPY and DAY, but it was easy enough for me to just dab ink from the corner or my ink pad onto each of those words.

Thanks for looking =)

Fore! Father's Day Card

Father's Day  Challenge at Operation Write Home.

Fore! and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets from Stampin' Up!
Kraft , vanilla and textured gray card stocks
scrap of plaid decorative paper, unknown
paper piercer
various classic inks to color in the image
Word Window and Label punches, Stampin' Up!

Thanks for looking =)

Father's Day Card

I spent the morning (most of the day actually!) making this "card" for my dad.

I spent the afternoon baking a home made apple pie (his Father's Day gift from me) and a couple of side dishes to take to their house for supper.

I had the intentions of making a simple card, nothing too time intensive. Definitely nothing with cars or trucks this time since it seems I am always using the Classic Convertibles or Classic Pickup stamps sets from Stampin' Up! for his cards.

Once I got to the craft dungeon though, things evolved and I made this - the card that won't fold =)

Since I was on a roll, I made one similar to it for my mom. I wanted to make her a Thank You card for taking care of Kitty and my flowers while we were out of town. I'll post that card tomorrow.

Dads card started with going through some scraps of decorative paper. I think I spent an hour alone trying to decide what scraps to use, trying to match them with card stock colors. Yes, the decorative papers were not from Stampin' Up! so most of my card stock did not coordinate.

Anyhow, long story short, after much fiddling around and changing of my mind, this is what I came up with.

I used precut chipboard letters (you'll see what they look like on my moms card when I post it later). They were flowery ! My original intention was to cover them with decorative papers, but I was having a tough time finding something I really liked and that would work with other papers, etc. In the end, I drug out my trusty craft paints and crackle medium.

Lightly sand the chipboard letter because there is a semi glossy like surface to it. Coat with Gesso, basecoat with dark gray craft paint, coat with crackle medium then add a thick coat of white acrylic craft paint. Lightly "fly speck" with dark brown acrylic craft paint on an old toothbrush; run your thumb across it to splatter. Allow to dry well between each step !

Distress edges of the decorative paper and adhere to the base card. Mine was Night of Navy card stock, 12" long, scored at 4" and 8".

Hot glue (or super sticky double stick tape) the letters onto the papers.

Add a little bit of white acrylic paint to the top of the decorative brad (Stampin' Up! Hodge Podge Hardware), lightly wipe off so the paint stays in the depression.

Stamp (Night of Navy ink) saying onto strip of card stock (Going Gray), trim then sponge White Craft Ink onto the edges of the card stock. Happy is from the Happy Everything stamp set by Stampin' up! and Father's Day was made with Snap Stamps. 

Attach the brad to the strip of card stock with the saying to the top of the chipboard letter with hot glue. 

Thanks for looking =) 

Father's Day Card 2011

Unless otherwise noted, all items used are from Stampin' Up!, many of which are now retired.

Stampin' Up! stamp sets:

Highways and Byways

Classic Pickups

Antique Autos

Well Scripted

All Holidays

Supplies from Stampin' Up!:

12x12 Whisper White card stock

Basic Black card stock

Real Red card stock

Basic Gray ink

Watercolor pencils

Blender pen

Gingham ribbon

Black grosgrain ribbon

Circle brad

Vellum

Key tag punch

small oval punch

circle punches

Stampin' sponge

Texturz plate

dimensionals

Tombow glue

Not from Stampin' Up!:

Striped ribbon

staple

computer printed font, hand cut

die for the card

Shiny silver card stock

silver Signo pen

computer generated sentiment on the vellum

I stamped the trucks first then masked over them to stamp the Highways and Byways background stamp. I always keep my masks (usually made from sticky notes) in the same stamp box as the stamps I made them for in case I need them again.

Here is a tutorial on masking:

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/masking_basic/

Thanks for looking =) 

Father's Day Cards

I've seen the new Stampin' Up! Idea Book and was sad to see that there are no new automotive stamps to speak of. I loved the old now retired Classic Convertibles and Classic Pickups sets, was hoping that they would introduce another stamp set similar to those. There is a new farm themed set with an old 1956 Ford pickup. It has the bed full of apples and a sign on the tailgate; I doubt I buy it since it has such limited use for me. I like classic muscle car and hot rod car stamps since my friends and family are into them. I don't know that they would care for a card with "Fresh Apples" on it  =)

I've used those two Classics stamp sets so much for cards for my dad that this year I decided to make a card with a photo of his show truck on it. The card folds at the top; it is 4 1/4" wide by 5 1/2" tall.

Supplies all from Stampin' Up!:
Basic Black, Whisper White and Metallic Silver cardstock
5/8" black satin ribbon
Whisper White craft ink - to stamp on ribbon, set aside to dry at least 24 hours before handling
Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set
Texturz plate

The above card I created for my dads birthday earlier this year. It is an easel card, the instructions can be found here:

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/easelcard/

Supplies from Stampin' Up!:
Glossy White, Basic Gray, Basic Black card stock
Basic Black ink
colored pencils
scalloped border punch
white crayon
sponged Going Gray ink over the colored image (Crayon Resist Technique http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/crayon_resist/ )
to get a sort of faded, antique look to the colors.

The stamp sets are Classic Convertibles, Classic Pickups, Antique Autos, Highways and Byways background stamp  and Birthday Best , all by Stampin' Up! and all are retired.
The gray satin ribbon was bought elsewhere.

Thanks for looking !

Pickup Truck Shaped Gift Box

marker is for photo purposes only, to keep the bed cover up

I do not have step by step photographs for this project or a pattern, sorry. Since I am new to blogging and don't have any recent projects to take step by step photos of, I am posting some of my favorite past projects that I did photograph once complete. I will try to describe how I made them as best I am able.

This was truly a make it as I went along project with absolutely no instructions. I looked at a photo of the truck I wanted to recreate, made a few sketches and just started cutting, adjusting, gluing, etc.

I used metallic gold card stock for the truck, Basic Black card stock for the tires and bed cover "lid" to the truck bed box. Both are from Stampin' Up!

The chrome grille, wheels and mirrors were made with a scrap of silver metallic paper from some packaging my mom gave me, knowing that one day I would probably find a use for it. Perfect that it ended up being used on a project for my dad !

The headlights were cut from old drafting vellum scraps I had in my stash.

The windows are Whipser White card stock from Stampin' Up! that were detailed with Classic Black marker and ink with an aquapainter.

The tires and wheels were both punched out with circle punches. I used a permanent black marker for details on the wheels and grille.

Red indoor/outdoor acrylic craft paint for the stripes.

Aquapainter and classic Black ink for details on the truck body.

The truck is constructed of two side panels, an open top box for the bed, a piece that had been notched along scored fold lines on either side to bend and adhere to the sides creating the hood and cab. Sticky strip and Tombow liquid glue were used to hold the various parts together.

The bedcover is sort of like a box top with one end glued to the back of the cab and cut to make a "hinge". The bed cover lifts up, but still attached to the back of the cab, to reveal the goodies in the bed and a card attached to the underside of the cover.

Thanks for looking !