Graphic 45 Le Romantique Necklace Gift Box

One last post to say good bye to 2011, and prepare to ring in 2012!

A project sheet is available from Graphic 45 on their blog for a beautiful necklace and gift box that I designed for them. It would be a fantastic gift for a friend or family member that is sure to be enjoyed and appreciated because of its unique style.

Wishing everyone a very safe celebration for New Year's Eve tonight and a very blessed and prosperous 2012

B-

Another Sneak Peek From Ruby Rock-It!

Really enjoying these peeks through the keyhole for hints as to what is coming next!!

I promise you are going to LOVE this line!

B-

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, and thank all of you who come to visit, I really appreciate the company and comments!

May your spirits be bright and your homes filled with love <3

B-

(Card was created from the Basic Grey Advent calender Blitzen product)

Joy of the Season

The gift that will bring me the most joy this season arrived on Sunday night. It was tied up with love, delivered with a knock on the door and the delivery person disappeared into the night. Attached there was a hand made card that had a very thoughtful note written inside, that read:

 (outside of the card)

"Merry Christmas Sister Olsen"

(inside the card)

"Dear Sister Olsen,
Thank you for teaching us how to be more like Jesus. Please be fragel with this.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hope you enjoy my brothers."

Sami

p.s. Do not let dogs chew!

I have been teaching the same children in primary at church for almost three years, and I love them very much and appreciate the lessons that we have all been learning together for that time. They will be getting a different teacher in the new year and I will be getting different children, some will even be the siblings of the children I have been learning with. If you want to know what pure love is, give love freely to a child and they will share that rare and precious gift with you. And I think that this is the best gift you can receive during the holiday season.

B-

Ruby Rock-It Sneak Peek and Holiday Projects

It is paper crafting heaven when the sneak peeks start to fly, and Ruby Rock-It is sharing their first with us!

If you look into the keyhole closely you will get a very good idea of what is to come!

Also on the Ruby Rock-It blog the design team is sharing projects about their holiday traditions, and the projects are beautiful and very inspiring!

I also share a fun and easy recipe for white chocolate peppermint coated popcorn, yum!!

B-

Hambly Transparency Christmas Card Tutorial

About a month ago a made a set of cards to donate to the Festival of Trees, a yearly fundraiser for the Primary Children's Hospital. It was one of my favorite cards I have made using Hambly transparencies and I wanted to share how it was made here.

These cards were easy to make a bunch of in a short time and looked beautiful when bundled together and tied up in a big white tulle bow. They would make a wonderful gift as well!

Start by picking your card stock and ribbon colors, I wanted to have a bright and fun combination that was a little different than the traditional so I went with an lighter green and vibrant pink.

Trim out a panel of the deer, cut the card stock to the same size.

Then stitch around the left, top and right edges.

I then put in two colors of glitter, a pretty light pink and a white by Doodlebug.













The bottom was then stitched closed to create a shaker panel.

Tie the ribbon around, mine is a delicious Midori pink bias, and then adhere to the card base with dimensional foam adhesive.

I did stamp a beautiful Graphic 45 greeting in black ink on the inside of the card to finish it off.

B-

My Mind's Eye Christmas Trees and Card

I have so much fun stuff to share it is going to be overload, but that is what happens after a terrifically crafty week!
First I wanted to share one of my Paper Craft rejects from the Card Creations 10 call. I just love this card, and there are some other fun things that I have crafted that match so it seems like perfect timing!

It is mostly My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Christmas, but that delicious red gingham is from ABC Primer by Graphic 45 and tied up with some gorgeous Midori metallic ribbon, yum!!!

This cute card will hold a gift card in the front pocket and a sweet holiday greeting on the inside.

The trees are made from turning the tussy mussy cone upside down and then punching out lots and lots of circles and adhering with a hot glue gun. Die cut stars from hot drink wrap for a vintage looking topper. These coordinate perfectly with the projects from this post.

And if you still need a little inspiration and like tutorials, Ellen let me share a guest post in the CLASSroom for the 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist. You will find the step by step for the tag I created there.

I hope you are having a Fa-La-La-La Saturday, we went and picked out our tree and Laurel has begun putting on the lights. It has been one of those days that has been filled with the spirit of the season for me, a sweet nativity by the primary children at our church's Christmas breakfast, everyone singing Silent Night after the children's performance brought tears to my eyes.

Blessed and grateful!
B-

Graphic 45 Gift Box Tutorial

I know there are a lot of tutorials going into the posts right now, hopefully you aren't sick of them!
It is just that time of year where we have a lot going on and every little bit of help makes a difference and can save a lot of time!

This box can be used to share goodies or even light weight gifts, and the little window shares a peek of what is inside.

1) Cut the paper for the bottom of the box at 12” x 12”, score at 3” and 9”. Turn paper and score at 3” and 9”.
2) Trim into horizontal scores to vertical scores, apply adhesive to top of flaps and adhere to back of side flaps.
3) Cut the paper for the lid of the box at 8” x 8”. Score at a little less 1” and and a little more than 7”. turn the paper and score at just a little less than 1” and and a little more than 7”. (Remember with a lid we need barely a titch!!) To make this easier for the titch purposes, you can turn each edge as you score and just move it barely away from the left edge and use the 1” channel to get that tiny titch adjustment.
4) Trim into horizontal scores to vertiacl scores, carefully use die cutting system to cut window. Apply adhesive to the flaps and adhere to bakc of side flaps. Apply dry adhesive to inside of lid and adhere tranparency piece in place.
5) Cut 4 1/2” x 12” strips and adhere around box and lid to resemble gift wrap.
6) Remove tag from sheet and adhere to lid with dimensional foam adhesive.

I hope this inspires you to share the holiday spirit with those around you!!

B-

Graphic 45 Gift Tag For a Gift Card Tutorial

It is easy, cute and is the perfect size for holding a gift card! I made one in Graphic 45 and one from My Mind's Eye 12 Days of Christmas. Whimsical or vintage, same instructions work for both!!
























1) Cut tag base at 3 1/2” x 7”. Cut card pop out at 4 1/2” x 3 1/2”, score at 1/4”, 1/2”, 4”, 4 1/4”. Turn paper and score at 1/4” and 1/2”.
2) Fold along all the lines, trim into the corners and remover the corner pieces. Punch hole with circle punch. Adhere transparency to back.
3) Place Score Tape along the left, bottom and right edges. Start with bottom and adhere edge to back of tag. Adhere left and then right edges to back of tag, careful to maintain box shape of the popped out piece.
4) Remove tags from sheet and adhere underneath window, on top of tag, and below window. Trim top corners of tag at an angle.
5) Punch hole in the center at the top of the tag, tie bow with ribbon.

Today is Chloe's 19th birthday, so hard to believe!! The time has certainly flown, she is an amazing young lady and I am very blessed to have her in my life!!

Here she is just four short years ago when she was almost 15.




















And this is her at a scholarship award ceremony this spring sporting a similar do!

I know I am biased, but she has always been completely adorable, but she has matured into a beautiful, kind, generous and intelligent person who is always completely amazing me! She has recently started a blog that is intended to be a place that she can share her creative spirit, thoughts and some insight into her mind and life experiences. 

Anyway, happy Friday! Happy December and Happy Holiday preparations!

B-