Christmas is coming

Christmas is going to be here before you know it but here's a fun craft to do today.  These little gingerbread houses were made with the milk carton die.  We saw a couple of these at convention and I knew that I would be trying some.  I'm not sure how many I'll make but I'd like to have a whole village on my window sill.  I don't have any candy stamps so I had to make do.  The gumdrops on the left one are 1/2 half of an oval punch.  The suckers on the right one are just small circles.  Then on the gumdrops and the lollipops I used some of the chunky glitter.  The house on the right still needs something.  I'm thinking about candy canes above the door.  I'm just waiting for my next order to come so that I can use the set called "Jolly Jingles Bits".  Anyway I think that's the name.  I'm going to use it to try and make some advent calendars.  I've been giving advent calendars to the youg people in my family for about 40 years.  Always looking for some new pattern or idea and this set will be great.  Well, I'm so tired that I'm not even sure that any of this makes sence.  So I'm heading for my bed. 

Playing around

Today I've just been playing around with some ideas for a masculine birthday card.  Here's a couple that I came up with.  Very simular cards but different stamps.  Do you like the dotted scallop ribbon border with the bakers twine threaded through it?  I saw that on some one's web page but I don't remember whose.  But I really like the effect.  It makes the ribbon more masculine. 

The other calendar

Here's the secon calendar that we'll be doing next week at the calendar class.  I'm not sure that this is then final version but you get the idea of what it will look like.  This calendar will be $2.00.

So now you can be thinking about weather or not you want to take this class. 

Calendar Class

Next week is the first of my special classes for this fall.  On Thurs., Aug 18th. is the calendar class.  We'll be making two different calendars.  You can make either one or both of them. These make good gifts for teachers, neighbors, co-workers or anyone that you need an inexpensive gift for.  They're easy enough that you'll be able to go home and make a lot more of them.  There are two different styles and here's the first one.  This is an easle calendar that shows three months at a time.  This calendar will be $4.00.  Tomorrow I'll show you the other one.

Brian's box from convention

When we were at convention Brian Pilling showed us the cutest little box made with the milk carton die.  I never saw it on the display boards so I didn't get a picture of his but here's one that I made.  It still needs a tag.  I have another one somewhere that has a tag but I don't know where it is right now.  Anyway you start with two of the milk carton pieces.  Cut off the tabs on one of the pieces.  Using a bone folder or just your finger or whatever you use, crease all the score lines.  And you'll need to add a couple of score lines.  The mile carton doesn't fold in at the top all the way around so you'll need to be sure that this little box does fold in.  So just use a bone folder and add the couple of score lines that you'll need.  It's as clear as mud, right?  When you try it you'll see what I mean.

Here's the bottom of the box.  In my opinion this is the hardest part.  And you can see that I didn't get my exactly round.  Just do the best that you can to get it shaped nice.  If anyone has any ideas on how to do this better please let me know.

And here's another picture with the top open.  I used bakers twine to tie mine shut but you could use the 1/8" ribbon.  And it works best if you punch your holes before you assemble the box. 

I just love this little box and I'll be making a bunch more before Christmas but it can be used any time of the year.  In fact I think that this will make the perfect Halloween treat box.  And I can see it with candy hearts and little Easter jelly beans.  Just try it and I'm sure you'll like it.

New classes

Last night was our regular demo meeting and this is the card that won the card contest.  This stamp set is Open Sea.  It's in the summer mini and if you want this set you need to order it before the end of August.  This card was made by Heidi and I'm not sure what her last name is.

Did you notice that I've added some extra classes into my schedule?  There's a calendar class, a Christmas planner class, a Christmas card stack and a class for Christmas tags.  And when I get my order on Friday I'll be trying to figure out an Advent Calendar and then adding that to the schedule.  I will be posting some samples as soon as I get them made.  The calendar class is coming up in a couple of weeks so be thinking about weather you want to do the class.  We'll be making two different calendars and they're so simple that you can go home and make a bunch more for stocking stuffers, teachers gifts or just small gifts for anyone. 

Simply Soft

Here's another card from card class.  The flower is from Simply Soft and the greeting is from Style Beautiful.  The background piece is Wisteria Wonder and it's embossed with the Elegant Lines folder.  I love this folder.  You get such sharp lines with it.

Today is the first day of August and Stampin Up! announced a new promotion.  If you like designer series paper then this offer is for you.  If you buy three packages of DSP you'll get a fourth package for free.  This offer doesn't include the speciality papers on page 183 or the Hostess paper on page 11.  Just let me know if you need any paper.  Or maybe you just want some paper.