Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween! Here are some treat bags I made ... I got the idea for these little favors while I was looking at apartments this summer. The property manager gave me this adorable little favor that housed a few pieces of candy. All it was was a strip of cardstock; nothing too fancy! I kept it to use as a template for my own treat bags some day. They're so cute and simple, you can use them for any occasion or holiday!

So here's how to make your own treat bags:

1. Cut a piece of 12x12 cardstock into 3 strips measuring 10 7/8"long  x 3 1/4" wide. 

2. Take each strip and score it at three points along the strip. Starting from the bottom and moving up, here is where to score: 3 7/8", 5 3/4", and 9 5/8". 

3. Fold the three areas that you scored; a triangle-shaped box should be formed.

4. Trim the top edge of the strip with your favorite pair of fun scissors or punch. 

5. Pinch the bag together at the top, then punch a hole.

6. Cut some alternating cardstock into 2 1/4" squares. Stamp the squares then apply to the front of your bag with glue. 

7. Punch a hole into a little plastic bag and fill it with candy. Thread some ribbon through the back of the bag, then the bag of candy, the front of the bag, and then the flap. Tie your ribbon and attach a tag if you want!

Supplies: 

Bazzil cardstock 

Sizzix Scallop Tag die

Stamp-shaped scissors

Ranger embossing powder

Doodle Twine

Happy Halloween!

I've been so busy working on Christmas (and even Thanksgiving) projects, that I completely forgot about Halloween! I couldn't let myself go to sleep last night without making SOMETHING orange/black/purple/green. So here's my spooky contribution to All Hallow's Eve ...

I first painted this cheap little frame black. Then, I cut a piece of cardstock to a 5x7 shape. I made some tags to resemble the Tim Holtz Artful Dwellings dies, then embellished them with stamps and bling. The black film strip in the back is actually a Bazzil die cut that I had no idea what to do with up until now. 

Anyhoo, I hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween! If you have any leftover candy, I will gladly take it off your hands. ;)

Supplies:

Graphic 45 - Le Cirque paper
Bo Bunny - purple dot paper
Jenni Bowlin - Halloween paper
Bazzil Just The Edge
Peeled Paint, Brushed Concord, Rusty Hinge, and Black Soot distress ink
Doodle twine
Crackle Accents

Autumn-inspired birthday card

I'm not a huge purple person, but I will admit, it's a lovely fall color - especially when you pair it with orange! Hence the color palette for this card. :)

There's this die from Sizzix that cuts out all these cute little leaves, branches, and acorns. I thought they'd be great embellishments to this card. I cut them out on white paper, then inked each one using some distress ink.

I happened to have some leftover flowers from Danielle's graduation card that seemed to match my color scheme perfectly. I just love flowers!!

Oh, and something I need to add to my Tips & Tricks section. When you find some paper you really love, but two sheets. You never know how quickly that paper will sell out! I love the plaid paper I used for Ashley's card and wish I had bought another piece. Ah ... you learn ... :)

Supplies:

Jenni Bowlin paper - Halloween
Bazzil cardstock
Mulberry Street - paper flowers
Sizzix Decorative Strip die - Autumn Gatherings
SEI - Homestead paper

Mini clipboard

A short while ago, I was wandering around Creative Crafts when I stumbled upon the cutest thing in the world ... mini wooden clipboards! (If I wasn't so anxious to start working on one, I'd have a picture of what they look like un-decorated.)

These things are so cute and sooo tiny. And because people like doctors and nurses carry around clipboards all the time (or do they?), I thought a mini clipboard would be a great gift idea for my friend Ashley.

I first traced the clipboard over some leftover Jenni Bowlin "Haven" paper, then glued to both sides. I cut out a silhouette from the same paper line and distressed it along with the sides.  Finally, I tied some black ribbon through the clip.

Just look at how small it is:

Since these little clipboards were only $0.99, I'm going to have to get myself one the next time I'm in Corvallis. :)

Supplies:

Jenni Bowlin Haven paper
Black Soot distress ink
Martha Stewart custom stamp kit

Baby boy card

Our friends Ryan and Kate are expecting their first baby in a few months. We are sooo excited for them and can't wait to meet little Tristin someday!

It's so funny, I had bought this orange and white polka dot paper a few months ago, just because I love polka dots. The back had all this cutesy little kid stuff on the back which I didn't see myself using anytime soon. As I started rummaging through my scrap drawer, I instantly zeroed in on this paper, which is perfect for little boys! I cut up some squares and attached them to some orange cardstock, then stamped a couple sentiments.

Supplies:

Peeled Paint & Walnut Stain distress ink
Bazzil cardstock
The pattern paper ... hmm, I'll get back to you on this one!

St. Nick mini book

I know, I know, it's not even Halloween yet! Thing is, Christmas falls upon us so fast, so we papercrafters need to get busy early on so that you have lots of ideas for the holidays. :)

This is a mini book that I just finished for Paper Mermaids. The paper is from the Fancy Pants Designs "St. Nick" collection; a blend of nostalgia and nonconventional Christmas colors (i.e., light blue and grey).

For the cover, I embossed a piece of cardstock with a Sizzix Texture Fades folder, then cut out some Christmas stockings and "hung" them above the fireplace-cardstock using fun red and white floss. I then cut a strip of paper and applied two kinds of ribbon across, then finished the page with some chipboard.

Here's a look at the other pages:

Supplies:
Fancy Pants Designs - St. Nick paper
Sizzix Texture Fades embossing folder
Sizzix Snowflake die
Walnut Stain distress ink
LePen - brown
Tiny Type
Thickers - white vinyl letters
Spellbinders die

Wooden baby satchel

My dear friend Anna is expecting her first little one and I (along with a congregation worth of people) am more than excited for her and her hubby! Anyhoo, I had the idea of making something for the baby's room, and instantly I thought of this wooden purse I found at Creative Crafts in Corvallis.

The front and back are covered with a light turquoise and white stripe paper, with some Peter Rabbit lovin' on the front. I applied my favorite crochet ribbon along with a Bo Bunny trinket.

For the back, I created a banner and attached a couple Prima flowers.

Here's what the inside looks like:

I figure Anna could put some words of advice, pictures, safety pins, and anything else inside this little satchel ... These little purses are so cute, I'm going to have to make myself one someday!

Supplies:

Graphic 45 - Once Upon a Springtime paper
Bo Bunny paper
Walnut Stain distress ink
Prima flowers

Birthday envelope & tag

One thing I love about papercrafting is your scrap pile/drawer/bowl ... there are so many creations just waiting to be made from all your leftover paper, ribbons, and embellishments!

This birthday envelope and tag is one example. Pretty much every piece of paper was a scrap from another project. Fortunately, everything seemed to tie together quite well.

For the envelope, I folded up a piece of October Afternoon paper then stuck some goldenrod cardstock on top. I cut out an owl from some Jenni Bowlin Halloween paper, applied crackle accents, then set it next to some Prima flowers. I added a Sizzix button die then stamped the envelope using my Martha Stewart custom stamp kit.

For the tags, I used some Graphic 45 Fashionista paper and Spellbinders dies. I also put my Sew Easy Stitcher to the test ...

Supplies:

October Afternoon - Yellow Bikini paper
Graphic 45 - Fashionista paper
Sew Easy Stitcher w/Scallop attachment
Prima flowers
Sizzix Scallop Tag die
Sizzix Button die
Jenni Bowlin - Halloween paper

Gift basket tag

Here's a tag I made for a gift basket auction last Friday. This particular gift basket was jam-packed with all sorts of fun things to pamper yourself with -- a hair appointment, chocolate, candles, jewelry, and much more. It made me think of the ultimate girl's night out -- hence the theme of the tag!

I wonder who won the gift basket ... and more importantly, if she'd like to share any of that chocolate?

Supplies:

Bo Bunny paper
Sizzix button die
Prima flower
Martha Stewart punch
Tiny Type
Black Soot distress ink
Lots of girly-ness

Mini book

Here's a mini book I made for my mom. I still have some journaling to do, not to mention, to find a recent picture of the two of us.

Paper Mermaids recently got in this fabulous line of paper called Summer's End. I thought the paper would go great with a little wooden album I found while I was in Bend this summer.

To start off, I traced each piece of paper then inked the edges with my distress ink. I used the "Card" paper for most of the sentiment areas, then applied some pearls and bling.

Supplies:

Fancy Pants Designs paper - Summer's End
Peeled Paint & Broken China distress ink
Bazzil cardstock

Sweet & simple birthday card

I love the challenge of making cards or scrapbooks with my friends' favorite colors in mind, especially when it's a color I don't naturally gravitate towards. My friend Jill loves the color yellow and has a simple, elegant style, so I wanted to make her a card that resembled all of those traits.

After spotting this yellow paper a few months back and using it for another card, I instantly enjoyed playing with the color yellow and was excited to use it for Jill's card.

Paper Mermaids carries these lovely wooden buttons ... thankfully, I had grabbed a few, and found the perfect home for one of them as the focal point of the card.

I ran some yellow floss through the button then centered it on my favorite crochet ribbon. I think I like yellow now ... :)

Supplies:

October Afternoon - Yellow Bikini paper
Scattered Straw distress ink
Bazzil cardstock
We R Memory Keepers - yellow floss