Valentine Projects

Okay, ladies! I know I have been a total slacker about blogging. My downfall all started around Christmas when I became super lazy and started watching all kinds of Christmas movies. Then I started super couponing and have become completely addicted to it.

What is super couponing? Well, go to this blog and read all about it. I have been saving a TON of money using coupons and matching them up to sales. I have been getting all kinds of things free or nearly free by going to CVS and Walgreens and playing the "Drug Store Game." It really has been amazing.

Anyway, I am working on getting my stamping act together and sharing some projects that I did for Christmas and had planned on showing you as well as newer projects and classes I've been working on.

So, for today, I'll share the Valentine gift I made for Kyle's teacher. Isn't it adorable? I bought these pails at the $1 section at a local craft store. I used my Big Shot and raw Decor Vinyl to decorate it. I am so happy with how this came out.


Kyle and I also made his little valentines to pass out to his class. We bought heart shaped suckers from the Dollar Tree. He used the retired set, Wild About You to decorate the front. Mini Glue dots were used to hold the sucker on the cardstock. Tip: Kyle insisted his valentines have the bow tied around them like the example I showed him. Well, tying 24 ribbons around the little sucker stick was not going to be easy, so I decided to cut a short piece of ribbon and tie it into a know. Then I used a mini glue dot to adhere it to the stick. So much easier!

So, there---2 projects for you! Stay tuned for more posts this week! Happy snow day!

Sweet Treats!

I've mentioned that the Holiday Mini catalog has all kinds of great things in it that you will just HAVE to have. One of my favorite things in it is the Sweet Centers stamp set and the Sweet Treat Cups. You can put just about anything in the cups, as long as it fits. I've seen samples where people have actually made water globes with them.

While I love the stamp set and the fact that it takes care of at least 3 holidays, I love that you can use Sweet Treats cups without it. And, you can also use the Sweet Centers stamp set without using the cups!

So, how does it work? Well, you will want to use the 1 3/4" circle punch or the new Stampin' Up! Holiday Movers dies for the big shot to punch out the circle for the cups to fit in. You will want to cover the open back of the cups with either a square piece of cardstock or cut a 2 1/2" circle to cover it (and then trim the excess). Before adhering the cardstock backs, I like to use my Cutter Kit to make a perforated X on the back. This way, the receiver can easily punch in the back to get the treats inside!

Here are a few more samples:

Valentine Treats for Kyle's Teachers

The night before Kyle's little Valentine exchange at school, I stayed up late working on his teachers' gifts. I decided to make this adorable accordion box and set of matching cards. I used the Candy Lane designer series paper and the Sweet Stems stamp set. I included envelopes, of course, and a little cello bag of Hershey Kisses.

I just love the Sweet Stems stamp set. We will be using it in my Stamp-a-Stack on the 24th. I still have spots available, so let me know if you'd like to join us.

Yummy!

This is a super quick project that uses the Top Note die for the Big Shot. I found this idea on Dawn Griffith's blog and fell in love with it because of its simplicity. The stamped image you see is from the Yummy stamp set found in the Sale-a-Bration catalog. You can earn it as well as 5 other items for free with each $50 order from now until March 31. If you haven't see the catalog, check out the pink catalog to the right.


I took the above idea and came up with this idea for Kyle's school Valentines. He stamped them himself and wrote his name on the back of all 22 of them! I stamped the greeting and the ants to help him out. I was surprised at how quickly he did them. I thought we would need 2 days, but we finished in a little over an hour, I think.

A few of them have some shadow stamping (tapping the stamp a couple of times or dropping the stamp) and quite a few inky fingerprints. This one actually has the greeting in the top right, where as most of them had the greeting in the bottom right. I had planned on using mini glue dots to attach the Hersey kisses, but they wouldn't work. I had to use Sticky Strip instead.

February Newsletter Valentine Project

Here is an easy little Valentine treat you can make super quickly! This treat holder holds a little cello bag of candy. I used my new candy obsession---Sweethearts.

1. Cut a Real Red piece of cardstock to 3 1/4 x 8 1/2.
2. Score at 1, 4 1/2, and 5".
3. Use Scallop Edge punch to scallop the edge of the 1" section.
4. Stamp this piece as you wish.
5. Cut a small cello bag to 3 3/8".
6. Fill the bag with candy (you don't want it to be too full!).
7. Place the bag inside your pouch so that the open end is near the crease of the 1" flap.
8. Close the pouch and use your Crop-a-dile or hole punch to punch two holes in center of the 1" section---these punched holes will go through all layers--bag included.
9. Use ribbon to tie the pouch closed.

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Happy Heart Day
Inks: Real Red, markers
Paper: Real Red, More Mustard, Whisper White
Other: Crop-a-dile, White grosgrain ribbon, Iridescent Ice embossing powder, Versamark, heat tool, Scallop Edge punch

Candy Heart Purse

This is another project the ladies made at my Valentine Treats Class. It uses one clear envelope, a velcro dot and Coluzzle ovals. Easy and so cute! If I had a daughter, this is what she would be passing out for Valentine's Day!

1. Use Coluzzle to cut a large oval from cardstock and the next size oval from Designer Paper.
2. Adhere to ovals together and fold along the long side.
3. Use Crop-a-dile or hole punch to punch two holes along crease for your ribbon handle.
4. Tie a 10” piece of ribbon through the holes.
5. Use a bone folder to make sharp creases on the clear envelope flap. Fold up the bottom of the envelope so that it touches the flap creases—use bone folder to get a sharp crease.
6. Apply a strip of Sticky Strip at the top back of your envelope pouch. Adhere it to the inside of the cardstock oval at the crease.
7. Insert candy of your choice in the envelope. Fold up the bottom.
8. Adhere a Velcro dot to the inside flap of your cardstock oval and close your purse. When you are ready to give this as a gift, you can pull of the envelope flap covering and close the “bag.”
9. Decorate as you wish.

Love You Much projects

There are only 2 more days to order the Love You Much Bundle at 20% off. For $44.14, you get the fantastic Love You Much stamp set, coordinating 3 heart punch, and awesome Candy Lane designer series paper. January 31 is the last day for this sale. After this date, you can still purchase each product individually at regular price.

Here are a few projects I've made using the bundle:

Hershey Kiss holder--holds 4 kisses


1. Start with a piece of 4 1/4 x 5 cardstock.
2. Score at 1 1/2, 3, 4 1/2.
3. Stick Hershey kisses to the inside with mini glue dots.
4. Fold over under the little flap and adhere it to the inside.
5. Decorate as you wish!

Okay, please excuse the messy stamping on this project. I was in a hurry and the ink smeared! I didn't have time to go back and redo it.

This card was copied from Aly Schilling. I used the textured Chocolate Chip cardstock, which I have rarely used. I must say that I see the draw of this cardstock and have resolved to start using it more--especially since I have 2 packs of it stashed away! I love the look of it. It jazzes up even the most simple project.


Candy Heart Pull Box

1. Start with a 4 x 7 1/4" piece of cardstock.
2. Score it at 3/4, 3 1/4, 4, and 6 1/2".
3. Use Sticky Strip to adhere the small flaps together.
4. Use the Horizontal Slit punch to make a slit at the top of both sides of the box--this is for your ribbon.
5. Cut a 20" piece of ribbon. Slide it through the slots so that the ends are coming out of the front and back of the box.
6. Insert your candy heart box in the middle so that it pulls down the ribbon.
7. Let the box settle to the end of your cardstock box and tie a knot or bow at the top. Now, when you want to get the candy, all you do is pull the ribbon up--you don't have to untie it.
8. Decorate as you wish.

I made a belly band for my box---did you notice my textured cardstock?! See, I'm on a roll! My belly band measured 3 x 7 1/4---score the same as above. Don't you love my sparkly image? I used the Faux Diamond technique to make it all pretty. After your image is complete, smoosh your Versamark pad on top of it. Make sure the whole piece is covered. Sprinkle Iridescent Ice embossing powder on top and heat it. That's it. Just be sure not to overheat it or you'll lose the "sparkliness."

Valentine Paper Cone

This is one of the projects we made at my Holiday Treats Series Class: Valentine's. It's really simple and super easy to make! The cone uses the large scallop die for the Big Shot. A big thank you to Angie Juda for sharing this terrific idea. The small cello bag is filled with pink and red M&M's. Yummy! I think I will be making these for Kyle's class.

Directions:

1. Cut a circle from Designer Paper with your circle cutter or using the Big Shot scallop circle.


2. Adhere a 1” piece of Sticky Strip to the bottom left edge of the inside of your circle.


3. Gently bend your paper to form the cone shape.


4. Fill a small cello bag with candy of your choice.


5. Decorate as you wish.

Big Shot Pennant Pouch

Okay, since it's a snow day, I thought I'd post another project from my Big Shot Class last night. Maybe you'll have time to make a few today, unless you're big on sledding and playing in the snow---which I am not. At all. Thank goodness Kent is home today to take Kyle outside. I will take him out for a while, but I'm not all that happy about it!

All of the ladies chose to make two of these pouches rather than make a banner. They also made a pocket card using the Pennant die which I will share another day.

This pouch used 3 of the small pennants---2 from cardstock (Close to Cocoa) and one from Designer Paper (new Candy Lane paper!). Attach the two cardstock pennants together with sticky strip or mini glue dots along the edges to make a pouch. Add your DP pennant and decorate as you wish. I used the Love You Much stamp set (new from the catalog and part of the Love You Much bundle--which is available at 20% off only until January 31!). I set two of the jumbo eyelets at the top and added some of the Rope Twine from the Holiday Mini. Wouldn't this be a cute pouch to hang from a doorknob? Add some candy and treats. So fun!

Big Shot Pennant Banner

I held the last of my Big Shot Club classes last night. This class focused on the XL dies and the Texturz plates. This banner is one of the projects I showed them using the XL Pennant die. It's very simple, but could be jazzed up by adding some stamped images and accessories like rhinestone brads.

I'll share a few more projects using the Big Shot over the next few days, so stay tuned!

Love You Much Class--new due dates!

I am so excited to share an upcoming class with you. During this class, you will make 4 standard sized cards, 4 Love Note size (3x3), and 9 tags. We will also create the adorable briefcase shown which fits everything you make. Isn't this a perfect valentine gift for someone special?

Cost Option 1: $25, includes all the supplies you need to make a kit. **
Cost Option 2: $64, includes the Love You Much bundle (Love You Much stamp set, Candy Lane Designer Series Paper (we use 2 sheets for the project), and the Heart to Heart punch) plus the additional supplies needed to make the kit. *makes the class only $15!!!

**please bring your own adhesive (don't forget a refill!) and a paper cutter with scoring blade!!

Date: Friday, February 6
Time: 6:30 PM
RSVP & Payment: January 26
**I am able to push back the RSVP date because SU has worked out some backorder issues with the bundle. Please let me know asap, if you wish to attend!

This class may take up to 3 1/2 hours, depending on how quickly you assemble your cards.

CLASS TO GO OPTION
Not able to attend the class date? You can choose my Class-to Go kit which will include step by step directions with photos and the consumable supplies you need to complete the projects.

To complete the projects as shown you will need the following:
VersaMark Pad
Basic Brown Classic ink pad
Chocolate Chip Classic ink pad
Close to Cocoa Classic ink pad
Kiwi Kiss Classic ink pad or refill
Pink Pirouette Classic ink pad or refill
Riding Hood Red Classic ink pad & refill
So Saffron Classic ink pad or refill
Sticky Strip and other adhesive
Scallop Edge Punch
1/16” handheld circle punch
1/8” handheld circle punch
Scallop circle punch
Tag corner punch
Designer Label punch
Heart to Heart punch
Blender pens

*****of course, you can modify the projects by using what you have on hand!

Payment is the same as above. Your step-by-step handout of 34 pages will be emailed to you once payment is received.

This Class-to-Go kit is not available for purchase to other Stampin' Up! demonstrators. If you are a demonstrator and are interested in this class, please email me directly".