The Kraft Journal ... Challenge 94 ... Bangles and Bows

What do you think of when you see the words "Bangles and Bows"???  Well, I think girlie, feminine, sweet and pretty.  So when I saw this week's theme for The Kraft Journal, I knew that was what I wanted to do for my project.  So I went to Picasa and searched my collection of vintage images for one that was girlie and started from there.  Here is my project for this week's theme ...

What a cute and unique way to give a gift of cash!  And don't you love how I folded the bill so the recipient couldn't tell the denomination?  I'm sneaky like that!  Here are all of the details ....



Supplies:

• Buff Scroll Postcard Shipping Tag - Kraft Outlet
• Sheer ribbon, seam binding and beads - my stash
• Clear plastic 'window' for money - Packaging from Tim Holtz "Ruler Ribbon"
• Inkssentials 'Wonder Tape' for adhering 'window'
• Sentiment sticker - SRM Stickers
• Brown ink - Stampabilities

Tools:

• Scissors and kraft knife
• Computer and Ink Jet Printer

Tips:

• When 'fussy cutting' a pair of small, pointed tip scissors are best. And remember, turn the paper, not the scissors.
• Use a sharp kraft knife for cutting small bits and 'interior' cuts.
• Don't be afraid to use unconventional products like packaging in your projects.

Now isn't that a sweet way to dress up a gift of cash?  I think anyone would love to receive a gift like that!  Thanks for visiting today, and don't forget to visit The Kraft Journal and participate in t his week's challenge.  Blessings,

PS ... I have some great news ... HUGE news ... coming up soon, so stay tuned for a big announcement within the next week or two!  B.

The Kraft Journal Challenge #93 ... Inside and Out Treat Bag

"Oh No, It's Monday again!"  Well, I love Mondays because that is the day that I can share new projects with you for The Kraft Journal's challenges!  It is such fun being a part of the Design Team there!

This week's challenge is "Inside and Out" and while there are many ways you could interpret that, I got to thinking of all the things you might find 'inside' and decided on a treat bag with something fun inside!  Here is a picture of my project ...

I wanted the treat bag to look like a piece of 'Indian Corn' ... the same as 'Candy Corn' except it has a chocolate flavored bit at the bottom.  Here are all of the details ...

Supplies:

• Cotton Drawstring Bag
• Tim Holtz Vial Label Stickers
• Darice Hemp Cord - Earth Tones
• Small Manila Shipping Tags
• Brown and Orange Sharpie Markers (you could also use paints or inks!)
• Epiphany Crafts Round 25 Bubble Caps
• Epiphany Crafts Round 25 Metal Charms
• Black Ink - Stampabilities
• Ranger Black Embossing Powder

 Tools:

• Epiphany Crafts Round 25 Shape Tool
• Darice Heat Tool
• Scissors

Doesn't that make a cute treat bag?  Please go check out the projects of the other TKJ design team members, and maybe even create a project that shows your take on the 'Inside and Out' theme!  Blessings,

Watch Us Wednesday ... Tutorial for The Kraft Journal

I love when it is my week to share a tutorial with the folks over at The Kraft Journal!  It gives me a chance to show a project in a more in-depth way, and share it with you here on my blog.  This week I have shared a fun mini-album that is most likely the smallest and easiest one I have ever made!  Here is a picture ...

and here are the inside views ...

Binding ... so EASY!

The album measures only 2 1/4" x 3 3/4" by about 1 inch thick.  The 'pages' are made from #778 Mini Lunch Bag Kraft Envelopes.  I simply punched three holes in the end of each envelope after I had adhered the patterned paper from Pebbles, Inc.  The tags inside are #963 Small Brown Kraft Shipping Tags, and are tied with #958 Twill Tying Tape in Natural.  I simply threaded small lengths of the twill tape through the holes in the tags and stapled the tape to the tags. 

Please check out the full tutorial at The Kraft Journal for all the easy steps ... did I say it was a very EASY mini album to make???  Thanks for stopping by today!  Blessings, 

Moxie Fab World "Jars of Joy" Challenge

Let's face it!  One of THE hottest trends right now is that of canning jars.  You know, Ball, Mason, etc., etc., etc.  So it's no wonder that Cath of Moxie Fab World chose to hold a challenge with the theme or .... yup .... canning jars!  You can find all the details RIGHT HERE.

And here is my take on the challenge ...

Part One is a Christmas card.  I used an image from Kraft Outlet's 'Between Prim Friends' Vol. 2  that I printed using Picasa set at 5 x 7".  Then I cut the image out, folded a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11" in half (to make it 8 1/2 x 5 1/2") and traced the image onto the paper, placing the right edge on the fold.  Next I cut out the card shape, and adhered the image to the card.  After inking the edges on all sides, I added some Maya Road 'Latte Brown' corded twine, threaded a vintage button with the same, added a couple of holly leaves cut from patterned paper and a tag I printed on my ink jet printer.  Then I finished off the whole thing with some 'Gold' Stickles on the candle flame, and 'Platinum' Stickles on the edges of the star, holly, and jar lid.

I also made a set of three gift tags.  These were printed via Picasa, set at the 'Wallet' setting.  I adhered the whole 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of 8 images onto a piece of kraft card stock, then cut them out, inked and decorated them.

The touch of Stickles on the outer edge of the stars gives them a dimensional feel, as if you can actually see inside the jar, that I really like.

Thanks for visiting today!  And check back soon ... I have a couple of other projects for challenges that I hope to share soon.  Blessings,

The Kraft Journal Challenge 91 "Recycle/Reuse"

Hey there!  Back again with another project for The Kraft Journal.  This week's theme is "Recycle/Reuse" and my 'inspiration' was a stack of chipboard coasters at a local Outback Steak house a few weeks ago!  Yes, that's what I used as the base of the pages in the mini album that I made as a birthday gift to my husband.  Here are the coasters that I used ....

And here are all the things I gathered together to make the album ...

I went through my stash of older things, and things I had set aside for just such an occasion.  If you look at the stack of trims, the strip of denim fabric is from an old hat that I no longer have, the white ketchup cup on the top left came from a local fast food restaurant, and I used that for the sunflower on front of the album.  And the patterned paper (top right corner) is a DCWV stack that is 70% recycled contents.  And that's just the beginning!  Here is the mini album that I made ...

The title is simply the letter 'U' from chipboard that I inked and then heat embossed with green embossing powder.  The ketchup cup is inked with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in 'Mustard Seed'.  Here are the other pictures ... most taken on our travels over the years, and please, don't laugh!  Some of them are so funny!

Left photo is one of our first dates ... I already knew he was 'the 1'!  Photo on right is one of hubby at an open air concert at Chastain Park in Atlanta.

Left - Hiking near Signal Mountain, TN Right - Sitting in the sun on the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta

Left - Autumn Leaves Special train ride from Atlanta to Chattanooga, Right - near Aspen, CO

Left - In front of Margaritaville in New Orleans, LA, Right - A garden somewhere in LA

Left - Our first trip to Pike's Peak in CO, Right - a glacier somewhere in Alaska ... hubby fell on the ice!

Back Cover

And here are all of the details ...

Supplies:

• Cover and corrugated leaves - C-Flute Corrugated Kraft Paper
• Canvas mushroom on cover - Canvas Rectangle (separated and cut out)
• Patterned Paper - Die Cuts With a View "The Green Stack - Woodland" (8 x 8" stack)
• Felt center of flower - Hobby Lobby
• Yellow Ink - Ranger Tim Holtz 'Mustard Seed' Distress Ink Pad
• Brown Ink - Stampabilities
• Embossing Powder - Ranger 'Forest Green'
• Burlap - scraps from my stash
• Ribbons and trims - all bits and pieces from my stash
• Cardstock - various, all were just bits and pieces from my scrap drawer
• Binder rings - who knows!  I've had them forever!
• Kraft letters on first picture - Pebbles, Inc.

As you can see, I used a LOT of scraps and bits and pieces and things I have had for a while.  For this project I took the philosophy of  'use up the old stuff'!

Tools:

• Scissors, ruler, kraft knife
•  EK Success 'medium' corner rounding punch
• We R Memory Keepers "The Cinch" for punching holes in coasters and cardboard

That's it!  The album would have come together really quickly, but I spent lots of time looking through old pictures!  And the best part ... my husband really LOVED the album!   Thanks for visiting, and come back soon!  Now that we are back from our 2 week trip to the beach, I should be posting more things soon.  Blessings,

The Kraft Journal 'Quick as a Bunny' Challenge

When I got the assignment for this project for The Kraft Journal, I asked our DT Lead, Beth Moore, if it meant to make a quick card, or a card with a 'bunny' on it.  Her response?  "Whatever you think it means to you!"  So I got to work and started looking for a vintage image of a bunny that was not Easter bunny-ish, and found this very cute and very feisty bunny image on Flickr.  But while I was at it, I decided to make it a quick to make card as well.  Here is my project for this week ...

When I saw the image I thought immediately of a 'you can do this', or a 'you did it' type card, and I think it's pretty cute.  Here are the details ...

Supplies:

• Light Kraft Cover Weight Card Stock - Kraft Outlet
• Canvas Fringe Trim - Kraft Outlet
• Orange Card Stock - Bazzill Basics 'Card Shoppe' Card Stock
• Stickers - SRM Stickers
• Seam Binding - My Stash
• Brown Ink - Stampabilities

Tools:

• Martha Stewart / EK Success Paper Trimmer
• Martha Stewart / EK Success Scoring Board
• Scissors, Craft Knife, Ruler
• Computer and Ink Jet Printer

I hope you have enjoyed your visit today!  Don't forget to visit The Kraft Journal to check out the other inspiration projects, and make your own project for the challenge.  Blessings,