Storage Ideas - Ribbon

As I've been crafting for some time now, like most crafters I have lots of ribbon. I have been keeping my Create and Play Club ribbons still on their spools in a separate container, but as I collect more types of ribbon I may change this method of storage.

I drink lots of  Moccona Coffee, and have found the jars to be excellent for ribbon storage. I keep each colour in a separate jar, and store the jars in a deep drawer that is meant for files. I read  a book that suggested that visual people should store things in clear containers and I have found that it works better for me.

 I'm not a naturally well-organised person, but having spent ages cleaning out my craft room, I determined for it not to return to its old chaotic state!

Happy creating,

Helen.

1 Stamp Set 2 Ways

Here is a birthday card that I made using the Memories Collection stamp set. I thought that the stamps looked a bit like poinsettias, so using the same materials, but different colours, I made the Christmas card below.

I used cardstock from the Super Assortments So Mod paper pad. In the Christmas card, I stamped the flowers onto red card and glued 2 images together to make each flower. In the birthday card, I stamped the same flowers onto 2 different shades of pink card, cut the centres from the darker pink card and glued them to the lighter pink flowers.

 The edges of the birthday card were inked with pink ink and the Christmas one with Venetian Lace ink. I used the same inks to colour the lowercase chipboard letters, but they didn't stand out enough so I highlighted them with white and black gel pens. The "birthday" and "Christmas" words were stamped using the alphabet from the Creative collection stamp set. I also highlighted the leaves with a white gel ink pen that was smudged to give a more subtle look.

I share some more Christmas cards soon!

Happy creating,

Helen.

Gift Card Holder

A very clever friend of mine, Frances Byrne, showed me how to make these terrific gift card holders. Above is what the front of the card looks like, and here is the inside:

As I'm giving my nieces I-tunes gift cards this Christmas, I'll be making a few of these.

Frances has posted a video link that gives directions for this card. Check it out here.

I have used a sheet of Gulfstream Foundations cardstock for my card base and embellished it with items from the Santa's Workshop kit. To make the speech bubble inside the card, I traced the frame of the speech bubble die-cut onto white card and cut it out.

Happy creating,

Helen.

Shaped Cards - Christmas Present

Here is another shaped card made with the Doodlebug Essential's Santa's Workshop Collection kit.

To make this card, draw a square  the size that you would like your finished card to be onto a piece of stiff card, then draw a few loops at the top of the square, to look like ribbon on top of a present. Cut out this shape. This is your template.

Fold in half a piece of green card that is the same width as your template. Place the template onto the green card, with the left side of the template against the fold of the green card. Trace and cut out.

This is what the inside of the card will look like when finished. I added a die cut from the kit that a message can be written on.

Now to embellish the card:

1. Trace the square part of the template (without the bow) onto a piece of patterned paper. Cut this out and put aside.
2. Cut a strip of red card that is the width of the piece of patterned paper you have just cut out. Adhere to the top of the patterned paper. (I used part of the strip of one of the patterned pieces of paper that displays the company's name and is usually cut off and thrown away. Don't waste anything! :) )
3. Adhere a sticker and a die-cut from the Santa's Workshop kit to this patterned piece of paper. 
4.  Accordion-fold a piece of red tulle so that when gathered at the bottom, it will cover the bow part of the card. Staple the tulle a couple of times at the bottom to hold its shape. Attach to the front of the card base with double-sided tape. If necessary, trim the tulle.
5. Using double-sided foam tape, attach the patterned and embellished piece of paper to the front of your card. If desired, add a journalling die-cut from the kit to the inside.
6. You're finished!

This shape can also be used to make birthday cards. All materials used are available from Create and Play Club. Please contact me if you wish to place an order :)

Happy creating,

Helen.

Shaped Cards - Christmas Tree

I like making unusually shaped cards and construction cards. Making a tree-shaped card is relatively easy. Onto a piece of stiff card, draw a triangle that's about the size of the card that you want to make, then draw a rectangle at the bottom for the trunk. Cut off the bottom left hand corner of the triangle part, then cut out the rest of the tree. This is your template.

(You could use the Large Bunting die for this project to save some time. Remember, for every nesting die set that you purchase from Create and Play Club this month, you will receive one free! I'm going to buy this bunting nesting die and the scalloped bunting nesting die set as I think that they will be great to use in many Christmas projects. Contact me if you would like to place an order.)

Fold in half a piece of green card that is the width and length of the template. Place the cut-off end of the triangle part of the template against the fold of the cardstock, then trace. Cut out through both layers of the card.
Now all you need to do is embellish your card.

This is what the inside of the card looks like.

This is how I decorated the tree:

1. Trace the tree template onto a sheet of double-sided adhesive jak paper (Available from Create and Play Club).
2.  Carefully peel off one of the layers of backing paper from the jak paper, and adhere it to your card base.
3.  Trace the base of the tree template onto a piece of brown card. Cut out and stick to the base of your card.
4. This is where you can use up all of your paper scraps. Cut varying pieces of co-ordinating patterned papers into strips. The width of the strips is up to you. You can make them all the same width or vary them if you like. All the papers that I used in this card come from the Doodlebug Essentials Santa's Workshop Collection.
5.  Starting from the top of the tree, layer the strips onto the sticky top of your card. Trim each layer of papers to fit the card base as you stick it down.
6. Place a layer of double-sided tape along the horizontal join of each paper layer. Place varying colours of velvet scalloped ribbon along the strips of tape. Trim to fit the card.
7. I added a die-cut from the Santa's Workshop Collection kit to the bottom left corner of the tree, and an elf cut from one of the papers to the tree top.
8.  Add some Glitzin Glamour, and you're finished!

Tomorrow I'll show you another shaped Christmas card.

Happy creating,

Helen.

Ann's Birthday Card

My cousin Ann's birthday was on Monday, and as usual, my card will be late! (Those November birthdays sneak up on me!)

Here is another card made with the Doodlebug Essentials Colorwheel kit. This time I made the card from a piece of double-sided printed card that is provided in the kit. The bracket shape on the bottom edge of the card front was made by tracing one of the die cuts. (Don't throw those left-over pieces out - they make great templates!) I then inked the edge with Artichoke ink.

The row of dots in the middle of the card front was cut from a piece of the patterned card, and then edged with a black pen to make it stand out.

 The section in the middle of the card was also made by tracing some of the die cut frames from the kit onto white and green card, and then cutting them out and inking the edges. (Of course if you already own dies in these shapes, you can then cut them out with your Cuttlebug to save time. I'm just trying to show you how versatile these kits can be).

Happy creating,

Helen.

November Specials

Create & Play Club | November 2012 Promotions

 

Create and Play with Couture Creations Nesting Dies

 

Take advantage of our November special and add to your nesting die collection.

 Buy One Get One FREE Promotion is available until November 30th 2012

Create and Play with Provocraft Cricut Expression V2 

with a BONUS FREE Cricut Cuttables Stamp Kit

Purchase a Cricut Expression V2 Machine and receive a Bonus FREE Cricut Cuttables Stamp Kit.

A fabulous Christmas gift idea.

Lets you create your own clear stamps from any cartridge image you choose.

Create your own stamps for any special occasion.

 

This offer is available until 30th November 2012 or while stocks last.