Sites of the week

Well, I promised a box template today, so I am delivering a box template today. Of course I had to make another sample, tho! This box uses the PaperTrey set, Out On A Limb. I did not get this set when it first came out, but then I kept seeing GORGEOUS creations made with it and I realized that it really fits my style and I will get a lot of use from it. So, now I the proud owner of yet another PTI set!

Here are the previous open and closed samples, and the template. **Click for larger views**

Please note that the template is not to scale is drawn for you as a reference to the directions. If your box “bows in” a little at first, don’t worry. It will stabilize when you add your decorative layers. If you have any questions, just let me know. My email link is under my pic.

Tony went to OU {University of Oklahoma} and is very much a Sooner fan, along with all his OU buds. A couple of his friends married UT grads {blasphemy according to Tony}. I made this for one of the girls that went to UT we are friends with.

In Texas, they say “If you don’t like the weather, just wait 10 minutes.” Maybe not literally, but from day to day there can be some drastic changes! This week has been CRAZY. Monday night we were under a Tornado Watch, Tuesday it lightly snowed, Wednesday it was 80 degrees, Thursday is snowed 5 INCHES! {I know some of you have no pity on that!} and today it is sunny and cool. Here is a pic from yesterday’s snowfall.

I’m sure you already know this, but just in case you have missed it, Julee has super fun sketches every week {called Mojo Monday}. I consider myself lucky when I get to play because I am always taken an extra step with these sketches…I LOVE THAT!! This card is for this week’s Mojo Monday {#27}. I love to use my Bellas on these sketches, too. For some reason they just go hand in hand for me. This week I pulled out Goodluckabella. Isn’t she cuuuute!?! I could say that about all the Bellas, tho! I started with a base of Garden Green and then matted my Certainly Celery, which was run through the C’bug with the Swiss Dots folder, with white cardstock. I then used layers of Garden Green and white to complete the layers of the sketch. The Bella is colored with Copics and there is a touch of sparkle on the bucket, which I don’t think showed up in the pic, that I did with my clear Spica pen.
I have laundry to fold and a box template to create on the computer before I go to eat lunch with Susan. Mmmmmm…On The Border chips and queso with an iced tea.

ETA: eclectic Paperie has this Cuttlebug embossing folder in stock!!! I know that a lot of people are on the hunt for it, so run and get it!!

See you manana… ABC Friday!!

YAY!! My Favorite Things will be releasing TWO new sets tonight. I am sure that you have seen a peek {or a few peeks} at the sets that are coming out, Ride ‘Em Cowgirl and Punch A Bunch. I am going to show you a slew of projects that I have been working on with these. At the end of the post is more information about how you can become the next guest designer {My Favorite Guest} and about the release party at SCS tonight.

From Ride ‘Em Cowgirl…

This one uses this week’s Sketch For You To Try. When I first put this sketch on paper, I wasn’t so sure about it, but I am LOVIN’ IT! I didn’t think it was “me” at all, but it turns out that it is, or at least I can make it that way. LOL!!

I didn’t mean to use the same color scheme on this one, but it turns out that I did inadvertently. The DP is from Basic Grey. It’s one that I have had in my stash for awhile now. It doesn’t exactly say “country” to me, but I think that it really works here. I got the charm in the jewelry section at Hobby Lobby. They have so many fun charms there!!

This one is way outside my “norm.” I do not do one layer cards, but I had this idea in my head and just went with it. It isn’t my favorite for sure, but that’s not to say I don’t like it. It’s a Fabriano card that I started by stamping the cactus. I then went and looked at several people that I have seen do scenes and attempted to use their sketching ideas {see Leigh’s card HERE for what I mean}. I watercolored in the ground and sky. The cactus is colored with Copics.

From Punch A Bunch…

I like when I can do both simple and more complex projects with a set. This card exemplifies “reproducible” in my book. The layout is clean and simple and the main image panel is striking, yet also simple. I think a set of 6 of these cards in a plastic card box would be a wonderful gift {in fact someone that I know will be getting it as a gift!}. I bottom panel is embossed with the new Swiss Dots embossing folder. I am going to wear that folder out I think!!!

I must be off my rocker crazy to think that coloring and shading several small panels was a good idea!! LOL!! I do like the end result, but it seemed like I was a colorin’ fool for much of one night {and a morning}. Again with the purple, you ask?? Truth be know, it is not really my favorite color; however, I love the shades of purple Copics that I have. The “trend people” say that purple and yellow are gonna be “hot” so I guess I am just so trendy…LOL!!! {If you know me, you are most likely laughing!} Having purple candy to start with may have been part of that, too! Anywhoooo… This is a little gift ensemble that I came up with. I will have a template/directions for this box that holds six Ghiradelli chocolates on Friday. The flowers in the center of the oval are cut out and have Swarovski crystals in the center {bling bling!!}.

The card by itself…

The chocolate box closed by itself…

…and open…

If you didn’t see where I said it above, I will have a template/directions for the box here on Friday. Sorry if that sounds sassy, but I am just trying to avert the “can you give me directions?” emails.

MFT RELEASE DETAILS:
My Favorite Things is having a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday, March 5 from 9-11 p.m. Eastern time. Lots of fun is planned including finding out how YOU can be the next MFT Guest Designer. Head over to the MFT forum on SCS to find out all the details and join us there on Wednesday night.

Don’t forget to try the MFT Trivia HERE for a chance to win BOTH of the new releases!!

I have been in love with this TCP image for quite sometime and I finally have it in my hot lil’ hands! The new Project Of The Month also features the same image. Sprinkle {the cat} cracks me up!! I started with a sketch of this layout and went from there. The flowers in the image inspired me to use a Cuttlebug die that has been under-loved. I layered the flowers and topped them off with a Bella Bauble. In my head I saw cute swirlies going off of the flowers and used the paper piercer to create those swirlies. Not exactly the image that I had in my head, but it’s gonna have to work for now. I don’t have a lot to yipyap about today. I need to wrap up the last couple things for the MFT release tomorrow.

If you are interested in winning some MFT stamps, you can see the MFT Trivia thread HERE, or you can go to Kim’s blog {see 2/25 post} where she is giving away a little blog candy. I’ll be posting a round-up of cards and a bunch of other projects using the new releases tomorrow. See ya then.

First I have to say…

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM & DAD!!

On Saturday, Verve released THREE new sets. I just wanted to share a few of my creations with these really fun sets.

These first couple of samples use the Easter Elegance set.
The first card was originally a Z-Fold card, but I got so frustrated trying to photograph it that I glued down the top part of the Z. LOL! The basket was created using the Round Tab Punch from SU!. I stamped the Twill background horizontally and vertically to create a weaved appearance on the basket. The background on the Soft Sky is from Cornish Heritage Farms.

This one has a base created from PTI white cardstock that was run through the Cuttlebug. The ribbon is from American Crafts and the decorative pin was purchased from eBay and is from Heidi Grace. The eggs are colored with Copics and mounted on dimensionals. Detail shot follows…

This card uses the set Anniversary Birds and my favorite paper, American Crafts. I {heart} these lil’ birdies!! I created the rectangular scallop panel by punching two scallop squares and gluing them together. I bothered me that I could see the seam, so I wrapped ribbon around the center and then hot glued a bow to the top. You can see another sample that I did using this set in THIS POST.

Last, but not least, here are a couple from the set Thankful Blossoms. The first one is uses the small open flower {which I colored with Copics} to create my own DP. I coordinated the colors with the large open flower to create a focal point. The centers on all of the cards have Crystal Effects. I pierced the paper under the sentiment as a last second thought, and I really like how it looks. I will have to put that one into my memory bank to pull out for future use.

Next, I have a little Hershey Stick Holder. I know that I will be making these over and over again {directions follow the pics}. I used PTI white cardstock and stamped the two small flowers images all over. The top portion is a square Nestability folded in half.

Side View…

Hershey Stick Holder Directions…

1. Cut cardstock to 3×11″; stamp, color as desired
2. Score at 5 3/8 and 5 5/8
3. Punch out optional window (optional)
4. Place 3 strips of double side tape across the inside back and place 3 Hershey stick on top of the pieces of tape {the pieces of tape and the Sticks are perpendicular to each other}. I put thin pieces of black cardstock on the sides bc I liked the way that it looked. This is another optional step, but I just wanted to let you know what I did.
5. Fold to close. **Note: I put a piece of ds tape across the top of the Sticks so that the top flap would stick to them. This is completely optional. I just liked it to close a little “tighter.”
6. For the “topper”: I used a square Nestability folded in half, but you can use any square/rectangle that is cut at least 3″ wide.

I really stink at writing directions on my blog, so if you have any questions, let me know. Even with that being said, please note that this is a template I created. Please do not use my intellectual property for your own gain. I am not saying that I invented how to fold paper this way, but rather don’t take my idea and my directions for submissions.

You can get all these sets {as a bundle package} on special HERE. You can also see more samples on the blogs of the rest of the Design Team, or in the Verve Gallery.