Making Your Own "Love Stamp"... Priceless

Hate the rising cost of stamps?
Well here's how you can make your own!
True, this "Love Stamp" Tag won't get your package delivered, but it will make sure that it is well-received!


I designed this tag using the handmade Prima-style paper flowers that I created using Valita's great tutorial (see previous post), and scraps of paper and ribbon that I had on hand. First I measured out a 2.25" x 1.75" rectangle from my patterned paper. Then I applied my rub-on and attached my paper flowers with mini brads and glue. Next I matted my patterned paper on white cardstock which I trimmed with decorative scissors. Next I cut a 3.5" x 2.5" piece of blue cardstock. I rounded the bottom corners and mitered the top corners. Using a slot punching tool, I added a hole through which I threaded my ribbon. Finally I mounted my "stamp" onto the tag with foam tape.

Materials:

• Patterned Cardstock: Blossom "Sisters" Bird/Light Pink from Bohemia collection from My Mind's Eye, Red/White Hearts Double Sided Mulberry paper from The Paper Company, blue cardstock from Brights series by DCWV, white cardstock by Hammerhill
• Accents: mini circle brads and Simply Stated Baby rub-on by Making Memories, paper flowers - handmade
• Fibers: ribbon from Target's $1 Scrapbooking line
  
• Tools: Paper Edgers Stamp decorative edge scissors from Fiskars; Paper & Ribbon Slot Punching Tool by Making Memories; rounded corner punch, retro flower punch & daisy punch from EK Success; embossing stylus tools by Royal & Langnickel

Finished Size 2.5" x 3.5", exclusive of ribbon.

HP's Activity Center

I found another great website with hundreds of FREE print projects. It's HP's Activity Center and right now they're featuring a whole bunch of great holiday downloads, including these fun 3D Holiday Ornaments.

Stuck for some last minute gift wrap and tags? I found these cute tags and stickers on HP's site. You can also print out your own gift wrap and boxes. Not to mention dozens of creative cards and paper for your very own family newsletter. Already done with all of your holiday cards and gifts? HP also has calendars and party kits for the New Year!

Happy Holidays Everyone!
~ Angela

Holiday Boxes and Bows... Oh My!

Here are a couple of gift boxes that I created for the holidays. I got my inspiration from a number of different online resources. The box is your basic origami box. There are a many great websites offering instructions on how to create this box. To find them, just enter "origami box" into your favorite search engine. One of the best is Kristina Werner's video tutorial which can be found on her blog. I chose one patterned paper and one solid paper to create my box. Then I tied the two color schemes together with my bow and accents.

The paper bow is my own variation of the tutorial which can be found on SplitcoastStamper's website. However, instead of cutting and gluing 13 individual loops, and using multiple brads, I used fewer strips of longer paper and just one long-pronged brad.
Here's how...

Materials:

• 6" x 12" piece of double sided paper
  (Note - heavier double sided cardstock will also work,
  but it will be more difficult to manipulate)
  
• brad/paper fastener with long prongs
  (you can find these at your local office supply store)
• paper piercer (or a thumbtack, for an inexpensive alternative)

Instructions:

1. Cut eight 10" x 3/4" strips and one 4-1/2" x 7/8" strip of the double-sided paper.
   Tip: First cut your paper into two 6" x 10" and 6" x 2" rectangles. Cut the eight strips from the larger piece and the small strip from the 2" piece.
   
2. Pierce 3 holes down the center of each of the 10" strips: 1/2" from each end and one in the middle.
3. Pierce 2 holes in the 4-1/2" strip: 1/2" from both ends.
4. With the prongs facing up, place the end hole of one of the 10" strips on the brad, inside pattern side up. Using a figure eight pattern, place the center and second end holes on the brad. Always keep the inside pattern facing up on the brad.
5. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat step 4 so that the loops form a plus sign.
6. Continue with the remaining 10" strips, rotating so that each new loop falls in between existing loops.
7. Finish with a single loop made from 4-1/2" strip. Bend prongs to secure bow.

Bonus Tip! Since I knew that I would be attaching this bow to my paper box, I pierced a whole in the center of the lid of my box. I then inserted the brad from the inside of the lid so that the prongs protruded up on the outside of my box. Next I put my box lid over a jar, so that I would have a stable surface to create my bow. Once I finished my bow, it was already neatly attached to my box! Voila!

: : :

I based the design for my personalized tag on Nichole Heady's Mini Gift Cards. I love the simplicity and elegance of Nichole's design! Since I didn't have her stamps, I decided to use a graphic from a Digital Kit instead. I chose the holly leaves from Kate Teague's "Berry Days" Kit which I downloaded from the Two Peas in a Bucket website. I finished it off using Font Diner's Rickles font, my Marvy Uchida Mega Scalloped Square Punch, and some ribbon. I attached my gift tag to my bow using a small safety pin.

Finished size of boxes approx. 4.25" square x 2.75", exclusive of trim.
Bow is approximately 4-1/4" across.
Additional photos in my online portfolio.

Holiday Frame Ornaments

Here is a super quick and easy (and inexpensive!) holiday idea that would be a great project to do with the kids. I designed them as ornaments, but they would also be wonderful as package decorations and as gift tags.

Here are the basic instructions for the base:

1. Cut a 3" x 6" piece of patterned cardstock.
   (Heavier cardstock works better for this project than the lighter weight patterned paper.)
2. Fold in half to form a 3" square.
3. Using a 1-3/8" square punch, cut out a hole in the center of one of the squares.
   Note: I really like using EK Success' square punch for this project, because I can simply insert my paper all the way into the punch until it stops. And then I center the punch visually on the paper and squeeze. That's it! No measuring required! Of course, if you do not have this punch, you can cut out the square with a craft knife or scissors.
4. Glue your 1.5"-1.75" square photo in place.
5. Glue the frame closed.
6. Attach wire or ribbon to hang ornament.
   

That's it! Now it is up to you to embellish as desired. My only caution to you is to not go too crazy with the embellishments, especially the heavier ones, as the base is only paper. And also keep in mind that you want your ornament to hang straight, so you may need to balance out an embellishment on one side, with an additional one on the other side.

Blue Snowflakes Frame Ornament
Finished Size approx 3" x 4.25", exclusive of wire hanger.

I attached snowflake brads to the top corners and wrapped the ends of a length of wire around them to form the hanger. You could also attach eyelets and thread ribbon through.

I then added a playful plastic snowman using mini glue dots. Finally I attached three plastic snowflakes using jump rings. I really like the dangling effect that I achieved here!



Red & Green Striped Frame Ornament
Finished Size approx 3" x 3.25", exclusive of ribbon.

I chose to have a photo on both sides of this ornament. Simply do steps 3 & 4 on both sides of your cardstock.

I added a sheer cream ribbon as a hanger. To attach it, I carefully cut a slot through the top of my photos, where the pictures meet the frame. I then slid my ribbon through.

Hint: use a thin piece of metal or plastic to help guide your ribbon through the slot.

I then knotted my ribbon at the top to form a loop and tied a red bow around my ribbon at the top of the frame. Finally I adhered a ribbon poinsettia to each side of the frame using glue dots.

Enjoy!

Guten Tags

This was my third entry in Paper Craft Magazine's online "hello-themed" Gallery Idol contest this past April. For this "card" I decided to create a series of tags, each printed with the word "hello" in a different language. I also used a technique called dry embossing using Lasting Impressions' stencils to create the various 3D elements on each tag. I added color and contrast to my images by highlighting them with ink. I also added dimension to my project by using various levels of foam tape to adhere my elements. I accented some of the bugs with vellum wings and "antennae" made from silver florist wire. Finally, I bound all the tags together with two very large brads.







Want to see more of this project? Check it out in my online portfolio!

To learn more about dry embossing, check back for a future post...

"Miss You" Envelope Book

This is a little project that I sent to my husband while he was away on his last business trip. The finished book measures 3" x 4.75".

The front features a string and grommet closure. The back has faux stitching detail and a sentiment printed on a transparency film and attached with eyelets. I also inked the edges to give it an aged look.

The flap opens to reveal five pockets containing tags with "Missing You" sentiments - also printed on transparency film and attached with eyelets.

I got the instructions for this project from one of the Weekly Webisodes on the Paper Wishes website. You can find the webisode for this project here and the instructions here.

This is another (more feminine) version that I designed. This one features a hook-and-eye closure and a ribbon accent. I sanded the edges for a worn look. I also added some faux stitching on the back, this time with white "thread."

Thanks for looking!