Pretty Little Favor Bag

I imagine my craft room might look a lot like some of yours (well, at least the more chaotic ones!).  I always seem to have extra bits and pieces from projects that I leave on my work area.  I try to organize them so I'll remember to use them.  Soon they are overflowing and you could do an archeological dig through the layers that accumulate on any horizontal surface to discover what I have been working on for the past few weeks (...or months).  I actually prefer having these things sitting around because I sometimes find interesting combinations that I my not have put together if everything was neatly tucked away.

When I was making the Hope card (see THIS POST if you missed it), I tried a few different versions of the size and layers for the word "Hope."  I couldn't let them go to waste, so I put the extras together and used one of them to decorate this tiny favor or gift bag.

I have lots of cartridges that will cut bags and I can easily design my own bags and boxes to cut with one of my electronic cutters but sometimes I do prefer to use a regular steel rule die - particularly if I need to make a large number of the same item.

I recently bought this Tim Holtz bag die from the Alterations line by Sizzix. 

The die makes a tiny shopping bag that is easy to assemble.  It looks very authentic when you use a piece of a larger paper bag and run it through a manual die cutting machine (or the Vagabond if you have one). 

I first saw this die at Absolutely Everything, when I took the classes with Tim Holtz last spring.  They had lots of sample bags made up and decorated.

The bags had a vintage look and were done in mostly browns and subdued colors.  Many of them were inked for grungy and distressed effects.

I decided to try making a totally "ungrungy" bag using a pretty pink cardstock from Martha Stewart and some ruffled ribbon from May Arts for the handle.  The "hope" sentiment that was the wrong size for my card would fit the bag perfectly.

To assemble the bag, you need to put adhesive on the long side flap.  I also added a bit of adhesive on the two short side bottom sections.

The bag is designed so the bottom flaps will interlock.  First you fold in the two side tabs...

...then you fold down the long "U" shaped section.  Scor-Tape is my favorite adhesive for holding bags and boxes together.

The last section folds and tucks under the "U" shaped piece and the points of the "U" shaped piece lock it into place.

Instead of stapling a string handle to the front and back of the bag, I add some Scor-Tape to the two narrow sides on the inside and then adhered the ribbon to the bag.

The Scor-Tape will hold the ribbon securely so long as nothing very heavy is added to the bag.

The two sided cardstock makes the bag look finished inside and out.

I glued my extra "Hope" cut to the front of the bag.  You could add some flowers or other embellishments to decorate the bag.

I simply placed a few pink pearls on the first letter and the final flourish to accent the word.

I think I am going to enjoy trying all sorts of different versions of this bag.  I'll tell you more about the pumpkin bag another day.

We had a very busy weekend so things are a little off schedule again - lots of irons in the fire these days!  I may be making another trip soon - somehow I think that craftroom is never going to get sorted out!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  For the rest of the month, everyone who leaves a comment on my blog will have a chance to win this Sizzix "Scrap Pink" set.  You can see more photos and details at THIS POST.  For more chances, you can leave a comment everyday for the rest of the month - but just one comment per day please.

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Hope Card

I love to get surprises in the mail.  So when I heard about Webster's Pages new "Sprinkles Craftbox," I had to give it a try.  This is a new program at Webster's Pages.  You can order a box for just $10 (postage included in the US) and a little box of goodies comes right to your mailbox with ingredients for a crafty project (or two or three...).

When the box arrives, the contents are wrapped in this pretty paper.  This little extra touch makes it fun to open up the package (adding some suspense even though the box is previewed on the site before you order it).

Here are the things that arrived in the first box for September.  I am a collector/hoarder of their fabulous trims and ribbons and the cameo embellishments are great accents.  Best of all, each kit includes a yummy cookie with (you guessed it) frosting and sprinkles on top!

These are the items that came in the second box.  The notebook will be very handy for keeping track of crafty inspiration.  It would also make a nice little album.

The pages inside have an interesting combination of grids and lines - perfect for sketches.

You can't tell from the photo but the pages are very thick cardstock so they will be quite durable.

Inside the box and on the back of the cookie is their tag line for the Sprinkles boxes, "because you deserve it" (by the way - the cookies are very tasty!).

There are a limited number of craftboxes available each month so be sure to watch the Webster's Pages site, blog or Facebook page to find out when you can order the November box.  They will sell out quickly.

I thought the inner wrapping was so pretty - I couldn't let it go to waste.  I decided to use it for a few cards.  This is more of a wrapping paper than a typical scrapbook paper and it has a nice shine.   I carefully cut a card layer of 3 3/4 inches by 5 inches, centering the design of the paper so it would be symmetrical.  (If you don't know how to do this, I wrote about it HERE using a cut shape).  I cut a layer of pearly ivory textured cardstock from American Crafts as a mat for the patterned paper.

The card base is Core'dinations textured cardstock.  I used my Sizzix ribbon die that is the same as the one in the special set I am giving away this month (see below).  The large pink ribbon is cut from the same cardstock as the base.  The word "Hope" is from the Cricut Home Decor cartridge.  I cut the word at two inches with a shadow layer of the same ivory pearl cardstock that I used to mat the top layer.

I thought the card needed just a little something more to finish it so I added small pink pearls at the ends of the ribbon...

...and at the top. 

I am happy that I was able to reuse a bit of my special package to make something that might cheer up someone else.  

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  For the rest of the month, everyone who leaves a comment on my blog will have a chance to win this Sizzix "Scrap Pink" set.  You can see more photos and details at THIS POST.  For more chances, you can leave a comment everyday for the rest of the month - but just one comment per day please.

Thanks to those of you who have been asking about my Dad.  He was discharged from the hospital yesterday but has to go back to the rehab area for a while to do physical therapy and get his strength back.  I hope to get down to see him again next week.  It is hard to be so far away...

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Snow Day - and a little Valentine project

Happy Thursday - it is the next to last day of my time as Guest Designer at Everyday Cricut.   If you have arrived from the Everyday Cricut blog welcome!  If you are visiting my blog for the first time, I hope you will find lots of interesting and helpful information.  At the top of the right column you can click to subscribe by email or follow this blog if you want to keep up with my projects and tutorials. It has been a very busy week and I have so many more Valentine's projects on the go - I hope you will continue to visit my blog to see them in the coming weeks.

Today on the Everyday Cricut blog I posted another card...

...and a cupcake holder - both made with the Ornamental Iron cartridge.

I have a tiny pink tree that I will be decorating for Valentine's Day.  Last year, I saw these heart shaped ornaments at Michael's and picked them up to make some new decorations for my tree.  I used the "floor wax" method to make glitter ornaments.  These have been very popular and many of you probably know how to make these and have made some of your own.

If you are not familiar with the process you can read more about it at THIS POST.  It is fun and easy to do and the effect is magical!   I first heard about these from Joy and I have made many ornaments in the past two years.

I used two different shades of Martha Stewart glitter - the red is Garnet and the pink is Tourmaline.  The heart ornaments are fairly small and don't take as much glitter as the large ones I did for Christmas.

I cut the words "adore" and "love" from the Home Decor cartridge at one inch.  I used white "Wall-pops" vinyl and kiss cut it with the settings blade 4, medium pressure and medium speed.  You do not need the deep cut blade to cut vinyl - it actually cuts more easily than paper.

The words are very thin so the vinyl will easily wrap around the ornament and stay smoothly adhered with no bumps or bubbles.

I may add a few more words to the variety of hearts.  These ornaments just need a little dressing up to be ready for the tree.

When you make these ornaments it is a good idea to save the boxes they come in so you can pack them away safely.  All of the ornaments I have made are still looking great with no loss of glitter noticeable.

I am hoping to have a chance later today to record some video lessons on how to make a few of the projects I have been sharing this week.  It has been a very busy week and today we had the distraction of the huge snowstorm!  Fortunately we didn't lose power.  I hope you haven't had problems with the storms.

The TV weather map tonight was something to see - white nearly everywhere.  There is snow on the ground of every State in the lower 48 except Florida - now that's unusual!

The snow was wet and sticky on the side of the house.

The outdoor tress are buried halfway and the strands of lights on the deck are partly under the snow.

 You can just barely see the tip of the candy cane that marks our front walkway.

There are walls lining the paths through the snow - about 16-18 inches deep here.

 Fortunately we have a snowblower and my husband is an expert at clearing our paths and driveway.

The snow is piled high on the deck railings and clinging to the trees.

As long as we are safe and warm inside it is fun to see the changes this amount of snow brings.  I am planning to stay inside as much as I can and hope to spend most of the day crafting!

Have a great day and be sure to check back to see if I have posted any of the videos.  I have a few more things to finish up for tomorrow - one of them is very tasty!  I'll also have a little surprise to tell you about to finish out the week of Guest Designing on Everyday Cricut and I think you will like it!


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