hanging treat box

Hiya all, I'm just popping up some instructions for the treat box that I showed over at Divas for our Valentines Samples. I'm really pleased with how these turned out, and its something I will be doing again. I orginally found the instructions over at Splitcoast Stampers however everything was in imperial measurements. I took the concept and made up my own measurements!! You will need to use the image below to help you understand the measurements etc.

You will need to begin by cutting a sheet of cardstock into 2 peices, 15cm x 30 cm. You can use double sided patterned cardstock or something like plain Bazzill. Take one sheet of the cardstock and mark in 2cm and 4cms from both sides. Next mark 10cm and 12cm from the bottom. Score all these lines. Cut away the excess which is marked by the shaded section on the above image. You will also need to cut in the little 'tabs' which are marked with arrows. Next you fold and adhere the box together. Punch a hole in the hanger section. Next - decorate....

I decorated mine by adding pale pink card to both the front of the box and the inside of the hanger. I then added some Maya Road Felt, a large heidi swapp heart outline, a strip of the Little Yellow Bicycle paper. I cut out one of the Teresa Collins journal cards and added a popped up rubon which was also on pale pink card and cut out. Finally a button with loooong string. A great little idea for all occasions... I'm thinking a few movie tickets and some chocolate hanging off a bottle of bubbly - I'd love that as a birthday gift!!! I've seen them also done hanging off waterbottles with altered labels on the bottles - and the box filled with sweets and a thank you card - it was a baby shower gift.

Don't forget to share your creations in the Diva Gallery!!

Chocolate Heart Pouch

Supplies:

1 Sheet Cardstock

Pattern paper

Embellishments

Ribbon

Button

String

Sewing Machine

Hole punch

Cut two large hearts from Cardstock. Add some strips of pattern paper. Using a sewing machine, stitch around the heart leaving an opening at the top - backstitch at start and finish. Pop some small chocolates or lollies inside. Punch a small hole through the centre, in the in dip of the heart. Thread though some ribbon and tie in a bow. Add other embellishments. Give to someone special.

Quick back to school layout

Hi all, I wanted to share a super fast and clean lined layout - perfect for those back to school layouts. My middle child, Jack, started Prep today and up here in Qld that means full time school. He wasn't keen to go but I settled him really fast, snapped a few photos and left. I got the photos developed today (of course) LOL.

1. Cut Black CS 8.5x11. Cut white CS 8x10.5 and adhere to centre of black. Allign 2 4x6 photos as shown. 2. I've used Scenic Route Strips paper for this but its not essential, just 2 matching pattern paper will do.

3. Cut 1 paper 8x1.5, the other 8x0.5. Adhere to top and bottom of photos as shown

4. Choose a small journal spot - a sheer, a rubon, a stamp.... I used a Kelly Panaccini Stamp on white cardstock with red ink.

5. Cut out journal spot and mount onto another circle of Cardstock (I've used the scallop circle by Stampin Up)

6. Add the date to the centre of your journal spot - I've used Basic Grey and Making Memories stickers

7. Adhere to the bottom of your right hand photo, overlapping the photo and the paper strip.

8. Add your title - I've used the word prep, created with white Scenic Route alpha stickers

9. Finish off your layout by adding some journalling along the top of the larger upper strip of paper and add a small arrow pointing to your title. The arrow is a felt Maya Road arrow and I've used a clear strip of dymo printed labelling for the journalling.

There you have it - a simple layout, using not many materials and recording a great moment!!

a video for you

No laughing at my very poor videoing. Especially for Helen and Michelle (and all those beginner sewers out there). I apologise for the video shake too, I was holding the camera with one hand and trying to do everything else with my other hand LOL.

Don't forget, you can do this in any size, just make sure you allow for the extra room when you fold your book shut. Diary covers make a great gift - and diaries are now in the cheap shops for a few dollars each.

Embellish the front with whatever you like, iron on or sew on transfers are cute.

Winners of RAK

I've decided that both Helen and Amy can have some cityscapes and bats.
Amy, I'll give you yours on Wednesday night, Helen, I'll pop yours in the mail soon.
Thanks for playing!

Faking it!

I recently posted a card on my personal blog which I got a lot of questions about the technique I used to achieve that card. So I thougth I'd pop the instructions on here for FAKE BRAYERING and simple masking.

I started with a cuttlebug cut out of a city skyscape in black. I also have a small bat cut using the cuttlebug. I've cut a piece of very vanilla cardstock from Stampin Up to the same width as the skyscape and slightly taller. This cardstock will be the background we will be inking and masking.

To create the moon, I cut a small 1.5" circle using my Fiskars shape cutter templates. You will need to keep both the circle and the surrounding cardstock for this project. Place some double sided tape (nonpermanent) to the back of the circle and place it on your background card - double check its where your moon needs to be.

Taking a sponge (a seasponge or soft makeup sponge are ideal), apply dabs of ink to the background starting at the top edge and working your way down to halfway, then continue again with the second colour working from the bottom edge to the middle. Be sure to blend the two colours slightly at the midsection. This process will take lots of dabbing and lots of reinking your sponge. The ink will come out at its darkest colour. I've used Buckaroom blue from Stampin Up for the sky, and Wild Wasabi by Stamping Up for the horizon.

Take your 'circle' moon mask off and then place the outside template so that the moon is only showing through. Ink up your moon, again working from one side and dabbing ink inwards. One side of the moon will be darker than the other.

Apply your cuttlebug pieces over your background and there you have it - a fake brayered and masked background sky. Effective isn't it?

My original card (here) was stamped with the owl and branch, which was then masked separately by stamping onto paper and cutting the images out and sticking over the top of the card. I then followed the same technique as above, creating a mask for the moon, inking the top and bottom of the paper and then using the outside mask to do the moon. I did add more ink around the moon to give a misty feel. I used watercolour paper for that card too - just because it was on my desk at the time.

I want to see your attempts too please! I have some cuttlebug bats and skyscapes here in a little pack ready to send off with some sweet goodies for one lucky person. Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner this time next week. Don't forget to tell your friends about our free classroom blog too - full of great little projects :)

Thanks Helen

Thankyou so much Helen for a great little gift idea and for doing this for Divas.