Pinks Petal Passion Pop out Swing card

Another version of the wee little A7 Pop Out Swing card for which the Tutorial was shared here...

So just more colour added to the Petal Passion papers & extra Lots of Happy flowers...

And here you have the coloured and uncoloured versions side by side... which do you prefer?

A7 Pop Out Swing Card with Tutorial aka The Small, Wee One!!

Definitely a card on the cute scale in the flesh!! Proving that small can be so beautiful!!

And seeing as it is Fancy Fold Friday... here's a tutorial for you...

Craft Spa Recipe
And sorry to my US followers as this is very specific to rest-of-the-world A4 card/C7 envelopes and centimetres measurements... as preciseness is key... I will try to convert for a sensible card from US Letter cardstock/envelope... but in the meantime can anyone tell me the size for a standard US envelope about half your A2 size!?

Card Blank - Thick Whisper White -14.8 x 10.5cm  (5 7/8" x 4 1/8")
Inner Panel - Thin Whisper White- 10.8 x 10.1cm
Tabs - Thin Whisper White- 7.2 x 1.3cm (x2)

Paper Front 7cm x 4" (10.1cm)
Paper In-Sides 3.2 x 9.7cm (x2)

(D) Basic Black Card 5cm x 6cm  
(St) White Card 4.5cm x 10cm pp
where (D) is for die- cutting and (St) is for stamping & punching and pp is per person

SU! Products used
Petal Passion Papers (RETIRING SOON)
Lots of Labels dies (RETIRING SOON)
Everyday Label Punch
Lots of Happy Card Kit stamps (fussy cut flowers)
Perennial Birthday (greeting)

Tutorial

1. Place larger (Card Blank/14.8cm L) cardstock panel LANDSCAPE onto trimmer
2. Score at 7.4cm
3. Bone fold (valley)
   
   
4. Place smaller (Inner Panel /10.8cm L) cardstock panel LANDSCAPE onto trimmer
5. Score at 3.6 & 7.2cm
6. Z Bone fold (mountain/valley)
   
   
7. Place smallest (Tabs/7.2cm L) cardstock LANDSCAPE onto trimmer (x2)
8. Score at 3.6cm (x2)
9. Bone fold (mountain) (x2)
   
   
10. Decorate all panels.... 
11. Die cut front of Card Blank (Tip for easier/straighter cutting...
    I used a piece of Grid Paper and marked out a 3.7cm line (ie half of the 7.4cm width) to aid the eye... this was temporarily stuck onto the underside of my thin (Metallic die) plate so everyone could use it all the classes... worked like a charm!
12. Die cut Basic Black Lots of Labels frame
    
    
13. Stamp greeting AND Everyday Label Punch 
14.  Faux Stitch using thin end of your Basic Black Stampin Marker (Tip- just draw 3 stitches at a time- easier and faster - and neater too!!
    
    NOTE - this Tutorial assumes that you have already created a Pop Out Swing card and so know how to stick the parts & Tabs in ...  but if not... then please visit this Tutorial here for further pictorial instruction...  points 7-17
    
15. Adhere Z folded Inner Panel to RHS of open card blank (note: valley fold of Z Fold panel to LHS when stuck )
16. Fold over front of Card Blank. (with Z folded panel folded)
17.  Apply glue through aperture onto top of Z fold panel (ie to RHS of aperture) 
18. Adhere Basic Black Label frame
    
    
19. Open up Card blank. Open out Z folded panel to the right.
20. Adhere 2 Tabs to top and bottom (fold to outside)
21. Open up Z fold section with Tabs out to left, apply glue on top of Tabs and fold Card Blank onto the glued Tabs
    
    
22. Adhere all other parts... 
    

Wonderful Wreath Santa now fully Stitched!

Quick share of my update to the Santa with Legs Gift Box project... I had a few ladies wanting a class to make them and as I was prepping... my Stitched Frames dies turned up...so it seemed rude not to use them!

So his face and hat are now stitched dies. And his moustache, nose and boot cuffs are now all faux-stitched too...

Now that's better!

The Stitched Shapes Framelits are unfortunately now out of stock and unorderable...but I hear a rumour that some will be back in next week...

Jems Monthly Blog Hop - Santa Pants with Legs!

Hello and welcome to the Monthly Jems Blog Hop... with a theme of Christmas Decorations.... well apart from mine maybe... though it is quite decorative  - and it sits nicely on the mantelpiece - so please just stretch your imagination with respect of the theme....

But as I am now packing to go off to Telford for the On Stage event this weekend - there isn't a minute left to make something else.... Though as you read this I am actually at On Stage.... and I know I will be having a fabulous and inspiring time with my wonderful Stampin' Up! family & friends!!! Can't wait....

But hold on...that wasn't my original concept! That was just Santa pants with legs as the title says... here you go! It was supposed to have red smarties in the thin cello bags as the legs...but I guess I must have eaten the smarties I had been hoarding! So this was Plan B...

Great quick and simple project... for a gift, or treats, or a gift card - or even as a decoration! Fancy making your own? Well here is what to do... 

(1) Take a White Gift Box, remove the acetate sleeve (I have another plan for that for another day!)
(2) Cover with 3" squares of Real Red cardstock. (6 squares needed if you cover the bottom too)
(3) Cut 2 pieces of Real Red cardstock 3" x 7/8" from your scraps... score LANDSCAPE at 1" & bone fold
(4) Die cut 2 Basic Black large Christmas Stockings. ( or 4 if you want to back the finished boots off - which I did for neatness...)
(5) Cut a 3/4" x  A4 long Basic Black card strip - and a 3/4" Square too... (legs!)
(6) Cut (or punch) a 1" Silver Glimmer square
(7) Cut off 2 Pom Pom Trim lengths with 4 bobbles per length

(8) Faux stitch all your black pieces with a white gel pen (optional!)
(9) Assemble all parts... note my legs are stuck to the bottom of the box and then covered with the last 3" Real Red card square

But then I remembered my Wonderful Wreath Santa.... and I found one of my samples too... So Plan C came into force... and the head was quickly added... and then he just had to have arms and mittens to finish him off!

The Basic Black mittens are just the ends of a large stocking die cut ... and I cut 2 more pieces of Real Red cardstock 3" x 7/8" from the scraps (again scored LANDSCAPE at 1") to pop his arms onto... remember to stick these onto the gift box before you stick the Real Red squares on the sides...!

For those of you without the moustache die that I used back in 2014... and without the poinsettia die used for the 2015 version... I reckon that the Foxy Builder Punch tail would do a great job for that moustache....

So there you have it... time to pass you onto the lovely Julie... just click on the NEXT BLOG icon below...

Or going backwards... click on the MISSED ONE? icon and go to the lovely Sarah's blog...

Balloon Numbers Duo - Before and After!

Hopefully the last of my quick shares! This card will seem familiar... but my class was supposed to be based on the Number of Years stamps & Large Numbers Framelits... rather than Balloon Celebration & duo punch... 

So why not numbers as balloons...works for me!

And before and after? Well I reckoned a quick bit of Faux Stitching with the thin end of my marker pen around the Balloon numbers and circle aperture just finished everything off...

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Number of Years Sneak Peek - 50 already!?

I thought it was high time I opened up my pre-order box...

And shared a make using my favourite stamp set in the Spring Summer catalogue - Number of Years -  coming your way soon...only about 8 sleeps to go!

But I like to start off really simple after Christmas...

Which is mainly due to the fact that I pack everything away from my dining room/classroom! Which means that I can't actually find anything without spending hours searching and unpacking!!

So this was a simple tag & wrap in a rush for my brother before he packed his suitcase to go back to the States... He was blown away... talk about a man in denial about reaching the great 50... LOL!

Now as most things I used are not yet available (unless you are a demonstrator!) - a few notes!

The numbers in this Number of Years set are amazing... I think the largest I have ever possessed... standing about 2" high...with dies to match!!! Yippee! And you have lots of other words and TH's, NDs etc - a gorgeous flower/leaves stamps combi - and the cool banner too. Trust me these are must haves and keepers in your crafting arsenal!!

Probably too subtle to see in the photos... but... I also used the clear Wink of Stella brush to add some sparkle... coming your way very soon... Also a must have and a keeper in your stash!!

The tag is die cut using the Project Life Cards & Labels die set... a set that is definitely not just for Project Life and scrapbooking...

And the stitching around the numbers and the tag is faux stitching - care of my hand and my Project Life pen

Small Easter Basket Tutorial

When I posted my large Ferrero Rocher Easter Basket on Mothers Day  I said that I had been creating baskets of various sizes… so for those of you still creating last minute projects for this weekend – here is a step by step tutorial for a smaller version.

This one is big enough to hold 2 Cream Eggs or lots of minis … but has been designed so that you can make 2 from one piece of A4 cardstock….. I could have made a one-piece basket including the scalloped flap but I would only have got one from an A4 piece of card – and this way is actually more robust as well…

Edited March 2018 to add US Letter Card and inches measurements... (please note that these inches measurements are specific to US Letter sized card)

So first how to cut the card pieces for the 2 baskets…..
1. Cut A4 cardstock PORTRAIT at 15 cm
(US Letter card PORTRAIT to 5 7/8")
2. Cut (this 15cm/5 7/8" wide piece) LANDSCAPE at 12cm (x2)
(US LANDSCAPE 4 3/4" [x2])

3. Cut (the remaining 62mm/2 5/8" wide piece) PORTRAIT at 5 cm (US PORTRAIT 2")

4. Cut (the 5cm/2" wide piece) LANDSCAPE at 6 ½ cm (x4)
(US LANDSCAPE 2 1/2" [x 4])

5. Cut (the remaining 12mm or ½” wide piece) LANDSCAPE in half at 14.8cm
(US Trim remaining piece PORTRAIT to 1/2" and then in half LANDSCAPE to 5 1/2")

Or one basket recipe in short…. Crumb Cake Cardstock 12x15cm ;  5 x 6 ½ cm (x2) ;  ½” x 14.8cm
OR for US Letter... 4 3/4" x 5 7/8", 2" x 2 1/2" (x2); 1/2" x 5 1/2"
 
And now how to cut and make the basket……
1. With large panel PORTRAIT on trimmer... Score at 4 ½cm & 7 ½cm. (US 1 3/4" & 3")
2. Bone Fold

3. With panel LANDSCAPE on trimmer... Cut the top & bottom sections using the Cut Bar … ie cut from each outside (or top & bottom) edge to the score-line (aka 0 to 4½cm then 7½ to 12cm on the Cut Bar or US 0 to 1 3/4" and 3"- 4 3/4").

At the following measurements... 3, 4½ , 6, 9, 10½ & 12cm along the Top Ruler Bar (US 1 1/8"; 1 3/4"; 2  3/8"; 3 1/2"; 4 1/8"; 4 3/4")
Thought these pictures showing the last cuts (at12cm/4 3/4" on the Top Ruler Bar) might help those of you that are less familiar with a Stampin ‘ Trimmer…

4. Faux stitch using a white Signo gel pen (optional!) . Tip –  focus on just doing 3 faux stitches at a time – lot neater – and faster too!

5. Pull the LH & RH sections upwards & towards each other to form the top of the basket

6. Adhere on about 1cm (US 3/8") of overlap
7. Pull up next LH & RH sections & line up so that bottom corners meet & adhere

8. Pull up next LH & RH sections & line up top corners on top edge of basket & adhere

9. Fold up central section & adhere

10. Trim off top edge of basket

11. Score 2 small panels at 2 ½ cm (aka 1”)
12. Scallop Tag Topper Punch 2 shorter sections to form the 2 flaps
13. Faux stitch 2 flaps on shorter sections & long narrow strip for handle too!

14. Adhere longer sections of 2 top flaps on the inside
DO NOT GLUE THE SHORTER SCALLOPED SECTION DOWN ON THE OUTSIDE! NOT YET!!!

15. “Stretch” long narrow strip with bone folder to form a curve
16. Place ends through slots in scalloped flaps & adhere ( glue dots on the back of the central scallop make this a very easy job!)
17. NOW adhere the scalloped flaps!

18. Ink up, stamp & punch flowers & greeting & adhere
And here are another couple of versions made for out Team Weekly Colour Challenge WWWU this week.The WWWU challenge colours this week are  Island Indigo, Crisp Canteloupe & Pistachio Pudding.
 
So here we have one with and one without the faux stitching….. From a straw poll – 100% voted for with stitching…. but if you are making at speed…here is an example without!!

I will be back sometime soon with the dimensions for this larger version I made back in March. That one was made in exactly the same way….