back to the drawing board

a couple of easy gift tags i made using this week's make it monday tutorial over on the papertrey ink blog.


supplies
cardstock: [vanilla] a muse studio
patterned paper: [the holly and the ivy/christmas past collection] graphic 45
stamps: [label/little labels set, sentiment/tremendous treats: christmas set, button card/button boutique set] papertrey ink
ink: [onyx black versafine] tsukineko, [walnut stain distress ink] ranger
steel dies: [pint jar, jar & lid, jar labels 2, button card collection] papertrey ink
accents: [fabric buttons] recollections
fiber: [twine] papertrey ink

and one more way to wrap up a small gift - i found this little pail at my local craft store and added a few stamped images to make it look a bit more christmasy. a couple of details - the snowman's scarf is made from denim and his earmuffs are flocked.


supplies
cardstock: [bubbke gum, orange, white] bazzill basics
patterned paper: [bright stripes/colorful christmas collection] my mind's eye
stamps: [snowman doodle frame, tag/kids sentiment bubble set] purple onion designs
ink: [onyx black versafine] ranger, [jet black stayzon] tsukineko
accents: [bubble gum flock] doodlebug designs
fabric: [denim]
fiber: [blue & white twine/soiree collection] pink paislee
other: [green pail] michael's

a quick little gift box/treat container i made for the purple onion designs blog this month. i used my silhouette to cut out the box - then pieced together some die-cuts and stamped images for the award medallion which holds the lid closed.


supplies
cardstock: [kraft] a muse studio, [white] neenah paper
patterned paper: [eskimo kisses 6x6 paper pad] basic grey
stamps: [merry christmas logo] purple onion designs
ink: [weather vane by jenni bowlin] ranger, [bamboo leaves memento] tsukineko
accents: [pink star rhinestone] darice
punch: [2-inch scallop circle] ek success
steel die: [double-ended banners] papertrey ink
digital die-cut: [box by lori whitlock] silhouette store

i haven't sewn in a while - except on paper. so i pulled out the instructions for this quick gift bag that were part of the online sewing class i took last summer - home ec. i was a bit rusty - but able to pull off something that i think should be reusuable for a while.


supplies
fabric: moda [green polka dots/recess collection by american jane & poopy field pink/oz collection by sanae]
ribbon: crate paper [orange with flowers]
thread: mettler [brown]
tag: avery [shipping tag]
stamps: papertrey ink [stem/flower fusion #1 set & flower/flower fusion #2 set], unity stamp co [sentiment/to the moon & back kit]
ink: clearsnap [chestnut pigment ink & rouge chalk ink/colorbox], impress [basil/fresh ink]
steel die: papertrey ink [flower fusion #2]
sticker: sassafras [scallops/cherry flag banners]
accent: darice [clear rhinestone]
size: 9"x12" [gift bag], 2 1/2"x4" [tag]

a few weeks back i walked through the garment district on my way to buy some popcorn. i will walk many, many blocks for garrett popcorn. along the way i visited a couple of bead shops and ended up with this little 5" tall brown bag full of beads - well not really full, like half full. and then, of course, i decided to save the bag just in case i need a little 5" tall bag for something in the future. turns out that something ended up being a gift bag, stamped up with purple onion designs stamps, for some future gift giving purpose.

stamps: purple onion designs [doodle flower set]; paper: strathmore [watercolor]; ink: ranger ink [jet black/archival ink];  paint: bienfang [new gamboge, sap green, hooker's green, primary blue &cerulean blue/watercolor brush pens]; liquid accent: ranger ink [glossy accents]; metal: making memories [black brads], darice [20-gauge copper wire]; die-cut: sizzix [scallops/tim holtz collection]; tools: janome [sewing machine]; other: [brown bag].

my second project from my online sewing class - a drawstring top gift pouch. of course, the awesomest thing about this little bag - i made it about 6x8 - is that now when i can't remember how many stops it is to 42nd street i no longer need to pull out my iphone. i'll just check my bag. before i leave next year i plan on buying like a bazillion yards of this fabric. lucky for me, the store i shop at in the city - they are the ones who designed the fabric.

fabric: the city quilter [nyc subway black & nyc subway white/times square collection], ribbon: [black/grosgrain].

made this gift box about a year ago using a couple of purple onion designs stamps. then it ended up in this year's issue of holiday cards and more - a special issue from paper crafts magazine. the magazine has been out for a while, but you can still find it in stores or online here. a complete list of supplies & instructions for this project can be found on p.101.

these are the 2 projects that i had in scrapbook trends stamping idea book that came out a couple of months ago. both feature purple onion designs stamps, and i think i've shown both projects on here before. the decorated wooden bag was one of the projects i made when i was trying out for the pod team. and the card was made to show off the date me stamps set when it was released last fall. and speaking of new stamps, there is a new stamp release over at pod and 'til the end of the month all stamps are 25% off.

[wooden box supplies] paper: mustard moon [printing press series], basicgrey [recess collection] & some scraps; stamps: purple onion designs [doodle flower set, paisley set]; ink: stazon [jet black], ranger/tim holtz [black soot distress ink]; paint: making memories [black]; pen: sakura [black glaze]; ribbon: basicgrey; embellishment: heidi swapp [butterfly]; other: wooden bag, black buttons.
[24/7 card] cardstock: bazzill basics [yosemite]; paper: sassafras lass [pocketfull of rosies & sunshine lollipop collections], basicgrey [black tie collection]; stamps: purple onion designs [date me set, stitches set]; ink: stazon [jet black]; chipboard: fancy pants designs; rhinestone: ki memories; font: al modern type.

i'm way ahead of schedule this year - already thinking about mother's day. the "M" is from the homegrown hospitality alphabet and the flowers are from the doodle flowers sentiment set both by purple onion designs . i made a matching card too, but not going to share it til mother's day. and, this just happens to fit the current challenge going on over at the paper crafts blog. hopefully i'll get a chance to make a few other things for the challenge some time this week. probably going to try and make a card set.

a call went out last year for projects that re-use packaging. so i emptied out pillow box full of making memories epoxy shapes and decorated it up for valentine's day. you can find the directions for making the box in paper crafts newest special issue 225 cards & gifts. and all next week on the moxie fab and paper crafts blogs they will be posting lots of projects from this issue and giving away lots of prizes. check it out. they've already posted a few projects and a challenge. 

i usually don't participate in any of the many challenges/contests
posted on all the blogs out there. i just don't have the time.
but i had a few extra minutes earlier this week,
so i gave this one a shot over at this blog.
all paper is scenic route and the owl stamp is pink paislee.

 here's a quick gift wrap project i created for a challenge over at purple onion designs. i used a small paper mache box i found at a craft store and the merriness stamps by purple onion. be sure to go over to the purple onion blog and see what some of the other design team members came up with. and while you're there be sure to check out the challenge michele has posted. you have 'til sunday nite to create a holiday gift wrap project, post it in your gallery/blog, and then link to it on the purple onion blog. the winner gets some holiday purple onion stamps.

netflix on xbox is awesome. i've been anxiously waiting for this feature ever since they announced it earlier this year. now i'm not stuck with just hbo's current line-up. now i have tons more to choose from. and in case you were wondering, cod4 on veteran level is pretty challenging. i beat the game last weekend on an easier level. but now i'm trying to get all the achievements i possibly can. i think it's gonna take me a while. but i have all next week.
and here's fallish gift tag i made for purple onion designs. it doesn't even feel like fall here anymore. it's been freezing all week and it's supposed to be even worse tomorrow with the wind chill. people are saying that this is supposed to be a snowy winter here in the northeast. i hope their right because i'm definitely learning how to ski this year.

paper: scenic route, ki memories (the leaves); stamps: purple onion designs

 crazy busy this week with school. then my 10th grader came down with something today. probably the flu and hopefully i don't get it. i've been working on a christmas project for scenic route this week. i should have it finished up soon. then i've got to get started on christmas cards. i swear next year i'm making my christmas cards in july. here's a project i made for the purple onion creative team call a while ago. i used 3 different stamp sets for this one - doodle flowers, and then paisley set and stitches set for the butterfly.

just watchin the election coverage on tv tonite and finishing up some cards for purple onion designs. i have a couple of cards to share later this week that i made with a some new purple onion stamps. and i have a set of stamps to give away soon. so check back later this week for that. for now though here's a mini take-out box i decorated last week. the flower was die-cut from plastic packaging and then stamped. paper: sassafras lass; stamp: tim holtz; chipboard butterfly: heidi swapp

 

i decorated this little box real quick earlier this week. but i didn't want to take a pic of it until i had candy to put inside of it. so i searched the school for m&m's today and no one had any. how is that possible? so i had to stop by the store after school today and get some. then i accidentaly bought peanut ones instead of plain. oh well, they worked. i have a couple of more halloween projects that are almost finished up. i'm gonna try and finish them in between soccer and football games and the stack of tests that need to be graded.

school is in full swing, games have started, and now i have papers to grade tonite. i've even had time to make a couple of things for scenic route. here's what i came up with using their new birthday line called surprise. if you want the instructions for how to make it you can find them on the scenic route website here. and i hate when other people do this, but i have some cool news to share. but i have to wait a few more days.

and another halloween project. this one was really quick, but a bit messy. the lid on the wood box was kind of tight, so if i painted the container i probably wouldn't have been able to get the lid back on. so i decided to use ink to get the container black. had ink all over my hands and my shirt, but it worked pretty well. and the ink came out of my shirt when i washed it.

and on another note, i went to the met this past week. there was this really interesting piece of art in one of the modern art galleries - a real, used to be alive, shark in formaldehyde. i just didn't know what to think of it. the batteries in my camera died, so i couldn't get a picture. it's on display for the next three years and i'm definitely getting a picture next time.