A Quick Teacher Gift

It's the last day of school for my kids today. Sometimes I think it seems cruel that they make them go so late, but as a Mom, I'm glad because the summer can be crazy busy in it's own way. I wanted to make a quick gift for my youngest's teacher. Quick is of the essence these days with all that we have going on at the end of the school year. I am sure her teacher is looking forward to a summer of relaxing without 20 eight year olds to deal with every day, and I think that the Beach Bum stamp set is a set that says summer fun all over!

I started with one of the Party Favour boxes from Taylored Expressions. These little boxes make a simple gift just that much more fun! They come cut and scored, and a strip of high tack adhesive is all that's needed to put it together. I took a strip of designer paper from the Beach Bum Key Ingredients kit and two of the border stickers from the sticker sheet from the kit to adorn the front of the box. I stamped the tree and punched the image out with a 1 1/2" circle punch and framed it with a scalloped circle cut with a Nestability. I stamped the tree top on the green cardstock from the kit and popped it up, and added the beach ball on pop dots too. I had originally stamped the sentiment "Thank You" from the Beary Special Accessories set directly on the box, but wouldn't you know, I got it crooked. So I stamped it again and punched it out in a circle and adhered it over my first attempt.

I picked up the clips some time ago at the dollar store, but they also sell them at Staples. I stamped and coloured four different images (twice each) and layered them on scalloped circles cut from the cardstock included in the Beach Bum Key Ingredients kit. I positioned them back to back over the clip adhering them with a pop up glue dot, sealing them with dry adhesive.

These little clips make great bookmarks, but for a teacher these just might be the most fun a paper clip can be! I have yet to see a teacher's desk that didn't have 4 or 5 stacks of paper on their desk waiting for distribution to the class. I hope these will help keep her organized and smiling!

Quick, cute and functional...everything you wanted a stamping project to be! Have a wonderful day and keep smiling!

Laura

Recipe: Stamps: Beach Bum, Beary Special Accessories (Taylored Expressions) Paper: Choice Snow White, cardstock from the Beach Bum Key Ingredients kit Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black Accessories: Copic markers, 1 1/2" circle punch, Scallop Circle Nestabilities, Favor Box (Taylored Expressions), jumbo paper clips (Dollarama), pop up glue dots, red line adhesive, stickers from Beach Bum Key Ingredients kit

Mini Bookcase with Drawers

Hi Everyone, 

Have you had a chance to read through this blog - because it is just full of inspiration! You can sign up for the newsletter to this blog (on the right hand side) and that way - all the updates come right to you!

Today's project is a little birthday present that I created  for one of my dear friends who is a writer. I wanted to give her something that she could keep on her desk that could hold some office supplies like paper clips, thumb tacks, etc. I love the papers from the Key Ingredients and I adore Taylor's newest stamp set Branching Out and used both of these to create this little mini chest with drawers.

In each of the drawers I put a little special something in it and one of my favorite things in creating this project was to create a little special drawer for a secret stash of chocolate :) YUM! 

It was really simple to make this project - it goes very quickly because the boxes are super simple and easy to make. 

TO CREATE THE BOXES: 

To make them you need a 5 x 5 piece of cardstock, scored at 1.5 inches from the edges, and then folded and adhered. To create theses 6 boxes took about 15 minutes! Very quick! Here is a little tutorial with pictures how to make the boxes:

1. I used my The Tiny Dancer Collection paper that comes with the Easter Key Ingredients kit from Taylored Expressions to create my drawers

2. Cut cardstock to 5 x 5 inces

3. Score cardstock at 1.5 inches from the edges

4. If you don't have a Scor Pal - you can use a Paper cutter - just place where it needs to be scored and use your scorer along the path of the blade.

5. Cut the paper along the vertical fold only until the middle

6. Fold and adhere

7. Use a mini circle punch (1 "punch) to create a half circle to create room to pull the drawers out

8. Your 2 x 2 inch card is ready to be decorated and filled!!! 

TO CREATE THE HOLDER FOR THE BOX: 

After you make the boxes - you can create a little shelf to hold them in - I created a box that was to hold the drawers in. All you need for this is a piece of cardstock that is 8 3/16 by 5 1/2 inches to hold two of these drawers. The cardstock is then scored at 2 inches, folded and adhered. Here is a little tutorial on how to make these drawer holders:

1. I used the beautiful and heavy cardstock from Taylored Expressions (comes with the Easter Key Ingredients kit) and measures 8 1/2  x 11 inches

2. I cut the cardstock to 8 3/16th by 5 1/2 inches and then scored at 2 inches from the edges.

3. No Score Pal? No problem  - you can use your paper cutter as a scorer - just run the scorer through the tracks of where the blade would run

4. Cut vertically up the folds towards the middle (2 cuts going up on the bottom and 2 cuts coming down from the top)

5. Fold and adhere.

6. Your rectangular box (4  3/16  x  2 inches) is now ready to hold two little drawers!!

Then all you have to do is to adhere and create levels to your mini chest by stacking them up. I created three levels. And then decorate as you like. 

This project was really simple - because all the papers in the Key Ingredients kit coordinates and it comes with built in accessories such as the felt flowers, brads and matching ribbon. Everything is already ready at your fingertips! 

Since this is a gift for one of my dear friends - I used this beautiful sentiment: We are friends forever in sunshine and shade! Isn't that sentiment just the sweetest! It was fun to stamp the tree from the Branching Out set on either side and decorating them with the emerald liquid pearls for leaves and brads for flowers (an idea that was inspired by Donna Baker). I stamped and cut out the tree branch from this set and also two little cutie owls from the Branching Out coordinate set and then tired a little bow from this sheer ribbon. On the front of each of the drawers, I attached these super cute felt flowers with these cute glittery brads - all of which come together as part of the Key Ingredients kit. 

Supplies:

Paper: Easter Key Ingredients Kit

Stamps: Branching Out and Branching Out Coordinates

Ink: SU! Rose Red

Accessories: Scorer, Paper Cutter, ruler, (Ribbon, felt flowers, brads - all come with the Easter Key Ingredients kit), adhesives, 1"circle punch (Martha Stewart), Liquid Pearls

This was such a fun project and a quick one too - and once everything was folded and stacked - it was so much fun to decorate and fill it up! I still love that one drawer with a secret chocolate stash! Thanks so much for visiting!

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Sankari 

Oh, Nuts!!

Happy Monday everyone! Today I have a cute little cookie box to share with you. I am in love with the new Whimsical Wishes set "Branching Out" and "Branching Out Coordinates". I knew I wanted to use them for this project. I recently went to La Madeline and bought these yummy almond/pecan nut cookies. They were so pretty and perfectly sprinkled with powder sugar that I wanted to make a cute container for them and give them away to a new neighbor that just moved next door. I started with the super adorable square favor boxes from Taylored Expressions. I embellished the box with some scalloped paper and ribbon. The buckle and the card stock from the tag are all from the Taylored Expressions new March Key Ingredients. To complete the project I added some Zva Creative crystals around the circle and scalloped paper. I really like how it turned out. I can't wait until tomorrow to give my new neighbor this little treat. Well, that's all for me today.
Until next time,
Ana Wohlfahrt

Egg-stra Special

During the sneak peeks, you may have seen the egg box I made for a dozen Cadbury Mini Eggs. Well, Taylor asked if I thought the Taylored Expressions Window Favor Boxes would work for an egg box, and they work perfectly! As a matter of fact, it makes it MUCH easier because you don't have to fuss with measuring and cutting the box! All you have to know is how to create the egg insert!





So, here you go:


1. Cut a piece of cardstock measuring 5 3/4" x 3 1/2" and score the two ends at 1/4". (this will make the "inside" length of your egg insert 5 1/4" and able to fit inside the favor box)













2. Flip the cardstock over to the underside and measure and mark at the following:

The 5 1/4" side - 3/4", 1 15/16", 3 5/16" and 4 1/2" (make sure you measure from the score line you made and NOT from the edge of the paper)


The 3 1/2" side - 1/2", 1 3/4" and 3"

3. Now center your 5/8" circle punch at the intersections of the measured lines you drew and punch out your circles.

4. For the two middle, end circles, fold the 1/4" scored end before punching to enable the punch to reach.

5. Double stack dimensional tape on the underside of your insert. This helps to keep the center from "drooping" and keeps the insert in place.

6. Place insert into box.

7. Add eggs and embellish center as desired.

8. Embellish outside of box, add some acetate to the inside of the window and tie with ribbon!

I hope this helped you to create a simple and quick little Easter treat!

SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Sweet Spring (Taylored Expressions); Ink- Onyx Black (Versafine); Paper- Pink Pirouette (SU), Easter Key Ingredients (Taylored Expressions), acetate; Accessories- Copic markers, Plain and Scallop Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Taylor's Tiny Twinkles, 5/8" circle punch (Marvy Uchida), white grosgrain from Easter Key Ingredients (Taylored Expressions), window favor box

Teacher Gift

When I was thinking about a project to create for today's post, I thought a teacher's gift would be a cute idea and something that I'll be needing soon! This is a card and a box containing some supplies for a teacher. I used the A Year of Sweets 3 and A Year of Sweet Sentiments sets. The box I used is the Window Box that you can find at Taylored Expressions. I used the Distressed Stripes Cuttlebug folder on the lid before assembling the box, and then I added a little frame around the window with Plain and Scallop Oval Nestabilities and some acetate behind the window. Here's a view of the inside of the box.

I put a sticky note pad, paperclips and push pins in the box. If you notice, I created a little divider to separate the paperclips and push pins. I cut a 4 1/2"x 1 13/16" piece of green cardstock and scored it at 1 1/2", 2" and 2 1/2".

Glue the "mountain" fold together and attach inside the box and add sticky notes, push pins and paperclips.

As far as the frame around the window in the box, I used two Plain Oval Nestabilites for the outside part of the frame and Scallop Oval and Plain Oval Nestabilities on foam dimensionals for the inner part of the frame. If you've never made a frame using your Nestabilities, it's really very simple. Just take two different sized dies that nest (along with the paper and cutting pads) and run it through your die cutting machine according to the instructions for your particular machine. Here is a picture of how the dies should look before going through the machine.

I use a Cuttlebug, so the dies would actually be ridge side up. (They're pictured ridge side down so that you can see how they are nested). For the Cuttlebug, your sandwich for cutting would be Plate A, Plate C, Spellbinders dies ridge side up, paper/cardstock, Plate B.

And there you have your teacher gift set! If you haven't tried the favor boxes available at Taylored Expressions. . .trust me, you will LOVE them! They make an adorable little project quick and simple!

SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- A Year of Sweet 3, A Year of Sweet Sentiments (Taylored Expressions); Ink- Tuxedo Black, Versamark (Tsukineko); Paper- Prism, Dark Chocolate (PTI); Accessories- Copic markers, double stitched grosgrain in Wild Wasabi (SU), Distressed Strips Cuttlebug folder (Provocraft), Plain Oval and Scallop Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders)