Chipboard Picture Frame

I'd like to share another gift I made. This one is for my husband's grandma... Here's what she'll receive in the mail in the next few days:

You may recognize the wrapping paper and ribbon from last year's Holiday Mini... yes, I'm a hoarder. ;) The tag is made using the Fresh Cuts stamp set.

When she opens the package up, here's what she'll find:

Inside I've created a frame for my sons' school pictures:

I think this is a great way to create something extra special out of those little pictures.

The base of the frames are chipboard, layered with cardstock and Urban Garden DSP. The hinges are made using 2 strips of ribbon sandwiched in between the chipboard and outside layers of cardstock/paper. Here's a close-up:

The stamp sets I used are Inspired by Nature and Calendar Alphabets & Numbers.

To get the different colors on the floral image, I used the marker to stamp technique. Since the Baja Breeze color doesn't come in a marker, I use the edge of the ink pad to color the petals of the flowers before I colored the middle of the flowers with a Not Quite Navy marker. To get the textured look, I bounced the markers on the image to create a sort of pool of ink in those spots. Give it a try!

Happy Stampin!

Bag it and Tag it!

Here's a Bag-A-Lope we made at the Packages & Tags class:

What'a "bag-a-lope" you ask? It's a bag that you make out of an envelope by cutting off one end, scoring it on the other 3 sides (on this bag, we scored 3/4" in from each edge) and puffing it out into a bag. Click here for a basic tutorial.
Here's a close up of the tag. We used Little Felt Flurries & Filigree Brads.


And finally, a gift card tag made with Moose You (which is also retiring... sniff, sniff... I just LOVE this set!):

I got the idea for the layout of this card from my blogger friend Tracy.
And here's a close-up of Rudolph's nose:

Tip: to prevent the ends of the brad from catching on the gift card, I taped over them with a piece of scotch tape.


Thanks for looking! And, as always...

Happy Stampin!

Box It...

Like most people, I've been extremely busy preparing for the holidays, on top of regular life stuff. We're getting ready to go out of town for the weekend, but I wanted to share the projects we made at my Packages & Tags classes yesterday.

Here's the first one... a box:

Here's a close up of the tag--notice I used A Tree for all Seasons stamp set which has been around for a long time, but will be retiring at the end of the current catalog sales period.
If you happen to be searching to see this set in the catalog, you won't find it... it's on the dormant list. So to see the set, you'll need to go to the shopping page on my website and look it up.

Retiring Stamp Sets Announced and ON SALE FOR 10% off!

Stampin' Up! has just released the list of Retiring Stamp Sets. Check out the links for the list in both alphabetical and numerical order. Although these sets will be available to purchase until the end of the Fall-Winter '08 IB&C sales period (January 18), Stampin' Up! is offering a 10% discount off of these sets now until December 23!

AND, would you believe, they are also offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders of $70 or more through December 23! If you've been holding out on getting anything on your wishlist, now is the time to place your order! Shop now at my Stampin' Up! website!

SPRING-SUMMER 09 CATALOG PREORDER SPECIAL: $10 reserves your copy of the catalog (available to order from starting January 19, 2009), which includes priority shipping to your door as soon as I receive them, $5 coupon off your first order of $50 or more, and a little something extra from me. This offer is only available through me to US residence and will be good until December 31. Email or call me to reserve your copy today!

Happy Stampin!

Ornament Exchange & Gift Bag

I sure hope my friends at Stitch & Gab aren't reading my blog today. If you are and you don't want to see my ornament for our exchange, stop reading right now! :)
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I couldn't wait any longer to share the ornament and gift bag I made for our ornament swap that's coming up next week, so here here it is:

Here's a close-up of the tag:

The ornament is knit and felted. I used a pattern for a man's boot sock as a guide for the shaping of the sock--I cut the stitches from the pattern in half and got the perfect size for an ornament.

The gift bag is a Bag-A-Lope, where you tranform an envelope into a bag. If you are interested in learning how to do this technique, I have a class scheduled on Thursday, Dec. 11, called Packages & Tags where this will be one of the techniques I'll be teaching. Contact me to sign up!

Well, I can't promise this will be the last of my holiday gift postings. I've always had a difficult time with surprises... yes, I'll admit, I used to search the house for Santa's stash as a child. I've even been known to blurt out someone else's surprise (sorry, Sis!). It's not that I don't like surprises... I actually LOVE them! I just have a REALLY hard time knowing something really cool is coming and either not knowing everything about it or not sharing it with someone! I will try to keep my gift postings to projects I have made for my loved ones who I don't think check my blog. :)

Happy Stampin!

Glittery Butterfly card

Glittery Butterfly card
Originally uploaded by bbstampin

Here's a card I made using one of the sets available for 20% off with the Catalog Sampler Special (see post below). This card is made using the Dreams Du Jour stamp set. The other supplies used are Curly Label Punch Bundle, Urban Garden Designer Series Paper, brads, grosgrain ribbon and COSMO GLITTER!

Catalog Sampler Special: Dec 1 - Jan 18

Now until January 18, you can get 20% off of any of the stamp sets pictured in the Catalog Sampler brochure with a $20 order (click here to see the brochure). Here's a list of the savings!

This offer is available online or with orders placed directly with me. When placing an order online through my website, add all of the regularly priced products to your shopping cart. Once you have entered at least $20 in products, there will be an option on the shopping cart page to add any of the stamp sets from the Sampler brochure with the 20% discount. There's no limit to how many sets you can order with the discount, once you've ordered $20!

Happy Stampin!