A Special Thank You Note

I needed a special thank you note for my In-Laws, who just watched our boys so we could take a long weekend away for an anniversary trip.  So, I pulled out some of my favorite paper by Authentique's "Seasons:  Summer" line and some stamps and made a card.  So thankful for their help while we had a vacation!  I am going to enter this in Simon Says Stamp Challenge for this week:  Anything goes!

Be sure to stop by on June 10th to see a page made with the same beautiful paper line by Authentique.  You're gonna love the blue and yellow goodness for your swimming and summer pages!

Supplies:  

Authentique Summer Two Card Stock

Authentique Summer Three Card Stock

Authentique Summer Enhancements Card Stock

Close to My Heart Stamp (Bicycle, Thanks, to)

Our Day Bread (You!)

Tape Measure twill tape

Yellow Card Stock

Cream Card Stock

Heart Doily (JoAnn's)

Close to My Heart Cricut Artiste Cartridge (blue tag with zig zag edge)

Close to My Heart Ink

The Perfect Strawberry Box for Teacher

When I first saw the paper strawberry boxes, I knew this was going on my To Craft list!  And I am going to enter this in Moxie Fab World's Gift Packaging Challenge.  And I knew how I was going to make the strawberry seeds:  Art Glitter!  I used the Close to My Heart Cricut Artiste Cartridge to cut the boxes at 6".  I used the Art Glitter Metal Ultra Fine Tip and Dries Clear Adhesive to make my seeds.  The glitter is 207 Spring Creek Ultrafine Transparent.

I actually made the basket ages ago for a design team try out (maybe Pink Paisley?) and then did not have time to make enough projects for the application.  So, I pulled it back out and matched the my strawberries and leaves from my paper stash.  The handle has been embossed with a Swiss dot embossing folder from Provocraft.  The heart border is a Fiskars punch.  I tied my boxes closed with a ribbon and filled them with Lindor truffles.  I was running out of room in the basket, so I cut a few extra leaves and just wrapped them on the red truffles.
I can't let this year go by without a special something for my son's teachers.  After Sandyhook and the tornado in Oklahoma, it is important to let her know she is valued.  I do feel it is a bit like Mother's day though...how can we thank them enough?!  Well hopefully, a little homemade gift and some gift cards will help them to know they are valued!

So Ready for Summer

I am so ready for Summer.   I can't wait to visit the beach and I want my feet to look their best.  This year I am planning on glamming them up with Art Glitter, my Cricut and Cameo to make glitter tattoos for a great price!  Today I am sharing my first attempt at my own glitter tattoo at the Art Glitter blog HERE.  And don't worry if you don't have a digital cutter, Art Glitter has ready made stencils for the perfect tattoos!

Supplies
Art Glitter Sticky Paper
Art Glitter Body Glue
Art Glitter 175 Retro Red Ultrafine Pearescent Glitter
Art Glitter 278 Poppy Ultrafine Opaque Glitter
Art Glitter 47 Vine Ultrafine Opaque Glitter 
280 Lime Rind Ultrafine Opaque Glitter
Press n' Seal cling wrap
Cricut or Silhouette Machine or other digital cutter

More with Middles

I was so happy with using a paper border print in the middle of a page, that I decided to try it again!  For the page below I cut the page at 6"  and glued it to the other end.  I cut my marquee shape with Cricut's Storybook cartridge and hand cut away a portion on one side to high light the great flames in The Robin's Nest paper!  I love the look of the Mango flame with the Plum Fleur!
To embellish the page I added a mix of flowers from Prima, Close to My Heart and die cuts with Dew Drop centers.  I kicked up the Want2Scrap black swirl bling with the addition of The Robin's Nest Diamond Dew Drops i the Abracadabra mix.  This mix is my favorite for Halloween projects!  And the title is made with K& Company letters with the year in stickers by the Robin's Nest.
Be sure to check out the Flame line at The Robin's Nest before the end of May!  It is 20% off through the end of the month!  And give the beautiful border papers from The Robin's Nest a chance to take front and center!

Supplies
The Robin's Nest Mango Flame Border Paper
The Robin's Nest Plum Fleur Card Stock
Black Card Stock
The Robin's Nest Abracadabra Dew Drop Mix
The Robin's Nest Summer Dew Drops
Want2Scrap Black swirl
Black Stickles
Gold Stickles
Prima Flowers
Button
K&Co Letters
The Robin's Nest White Alpha Stickers

Try it Tuesday: Copic Marker App for the Iphone and Ipad

Did you know there is an app for Copic markers?  This app has some built in Combos for skin tones and hair, grass, etc and you can build your own combos too!  All the current Copic marker colors are displayed with the Copic name, number and a color swatch.  So next time you see a blog post or Pinterest post with a combo you want you just add it to a WANT list!  You can make a list of markers you own so don't buy duplicates, called My Markers!  The Combos are linked to "My Marker" list and will let you see visually through the use of a little check mark in bottom right corner of the color swatch if you have that particular color.  The app also allows you to store/add your own favorite combos.  
For some reason, I was unable to find the MarkerPal when I searched for it in the app store, so you can use this link to find it:  http://appstore.com/markerpal I believe the app is $3.49 or $3.99.  Go ahead and try this, you will love it!  

Beautiful Borders Make Magical Middles

If you scrapbook, you may feel the need to coordinate your pages that face each other.  I love to have a two page spread and today I am sharing how I use a beautiful border print to create a magical middle.  This is a great way to make sure you have two pages that coordinate!  Cut up one border and make an embellishment.  For the matching page, just use the border as is!
For the page above, I made a cut above the flame border and glued the extra piece over the page label at the bottom.  I then cut the guitar using my Silhouette out of some scrap paper.  I laid the guitar over The Robin's Nest Flame matching up the guitar neck with the bottom of the border and traced the bottom of the guitar with a pencil.  I fussy cut the flames in the guitar handle using an Xacto knife and cut the guitar with my scissors.  The guitar cut with the Silhouette was then used with chalk ink and a pen to create the inlays of the guitar.  I really wanted the fame to be the highlight of this guitar so I did not cut an actual inlay piece, instead I just used ink.  The back ground ticket paper is DCWV and I used The Robin's Nest Sun Yellow Classic Glitter card stock to repeat the color of the flames.
For the second idea, cut up one page and glue together with outside edges joined in a new way!  Below I used this technique on The Robin's Nest Black and White Holly card stock.  I just made a cut between the two border prints and lined then up along the white print edge.  And if the prints do NOT line up exactly like this one did not, just add a strip of colored card stock or ribbon in the middle to blend the two perfectly!  See below for before the page as is and the altered border.

The Robin's Nest Chilli Flame Border
The Robin's Nest Sun Yellow Classic Glitter Cardstock
The Robin's Nest Black and White Holly
The Robin's Nest Red Glitter Rope Cardstock
The Robin's Nest Swirl Border
Moniami Gabby Flower
DCWV Tattered Time paper (tickets)
Black Card Stock
Cameo
Silhouette Guitar file
SCAL2 (optional)
Chalk ink
ribbon

Art Glitter Paper Cake Part One

Do you need an idea for bridal or baby shower favors?  How about a beautiful paper cake that can be a table centerpiece as well?  Above is a sneak peak of top of the cake.  Be sure to visit the Art Glitter blog HERE.  to see the rest of this project and the trail of butterflies up the side of the cake!  Below find the details on the box construction.  These instructions are for a three layer cake with a total of 54 boxes.

Instructions:

Box Cutting:

1.  For the bottom layer, cut 18 box bases in the Close to My Heart Artiste cake box with a width of 9 inches, using your patterned paper.  I used K & Company Ancestry.com paper.
2.  For the middle layer,  cut 18 box bases in the Close to My Heart Artiste cake box with a width of 9 inches, using your patterned paper.  I used K & Company Ancestry.com paper.
3.  For the top layer,  cut 18 box bases in the Close to My Heart Artiste cake box with a width of 9 inches, using your patterned paper.  I used K & Company Ancestry.com paper.

4.  For the bottom layer first row, cut nine box tops in the standard Close to My Heart Artiste cartridge to match the box base in size 9 inch patterned paper.

5.  For the bottom layer second row, cut nine box tops with a welded rectangle at the end of the box top, in white card stock to match the 9 inch box base.

6.  Line the Heartfelt Creations Die up with the score line on the box top and run the top through the die cut machine.

7.  For the middle layer, cut 18 box bases with a width of 7 inches in patterned paper in the patterned paper.
8.  For the middle layer bottom row,  cut 9 box tops in the standard Close to My Heart Artiste cartridge to match the box base in size 7 inch patterned paper.
9.  For the middle layer, second row, cut nine box tops with a welded rectangle at the end of the box top, in white card stock to match the 7 inch box base.
10.  For the top layer first row, cut nine box tops in the standard Close to My Heart Artiste cartridge to match the box base in size 9 inch patterned paper.
11.  For the top layer second row, cut nine box tops with a welded rectangle at the end of the box top, in white card stock to match the 9 inch box base.

So, when you are finished with your cutting you should have the following:
18 quantity box bases in patterned paper 9 inch wide
18 quantity box bases in patterned paper 7 inch wide
18 quantity box bases in patterned paper 5 inch wide
9 quantity box tops in patterned paper to match 9 inch box base
9 quantity box tops in patterned paper to match 7 inch box base
9 quantity box tops in patterned paper to match 5 inch box base
9 quantity box tops in white paper to match 9 inch box base
9 quantity box tops in white paper to match 7 inch box base

9 quantity box tops in white paper to match 5 inch box base

Box Assembly Instructions:

1.  Using the score marks made with the cutter, score your box bases and fold along score lines.

2.  Using the score marks made with the cutter, score the box tops and fold along score lines.

3.  Glue the box bases together using tabs.

4.  Glue the box tops together using tabs.  To glue the detailed cut of the lacy die side, trim the tabs down to show die detail and glue closed with a glue pen.  

5.  Place matching box tops on the first row of the top cake layer and glue the 9 pieces of the layer together.

6.  Place white box tops on the top row of the top cake layer and glue the 9 pieces of the layer together.

7.  Then glue the top row on top of the bottom row of the top layer.  This layer is too small for holding favors and is just for show.  By gluing them together, the cake will be more stable and decorations of flowers are easier to place.

8.  Repeat steps 1-4 for the middle cake layer pieces being sure to not glue the finished boxes together.

9.  Repeat steps 1-4 for the bottom cake layer pieces being sure to not glue the finished boxes together.
When finished assembling your boxes, you should have nine boxes for each cake layer like the two boxes below, for a total of 18 boxes per layer (one row same color top, one layer white top).

To finish the cake, be sure to check out the post today at the Art Glitter blog HERE.