Thanksgiving Table Decor

Have you started planning your Thanksgiving Table Decor? I decided this year that I would make a place card of sorts that each guest can journal on.

Here is what the inside looks like:

I used the Envelope Punch Board to create the envelope to hold the journaling card.

I decided that my inner card would be 3" x 7" so I found on the Envelope Punch Board that my Chocolate Chip card stock needed to be 8-1/4" x 8-1/4".

Per the instructions on the punch board, I lined up the left edge at 2-3/4" and punched and scored.

Next, I turned my paper counter-clockwise and lined the "tail" up with the score mark I just made. I punched and scored again. I repeated it on the other two sides and finally had this:

I trimmed off one of the small flaps at its score mark so that I would have an open top. I also had to trim the two larger flap to create this:

The only adhesive I used was two lines of Fast Fuse on the outer most flap:

Here is my finished envelope:

I used the following supplies to embellish it with:

• Very Vanilla cardstock
• Epic Alphabet stamp set
• Gratitude For Days stamp set
• 1-3/8" Circle Punch
• Scallop Circle Punch
• Burlap Ribbon
• Tangelo Twist ink
• Tangelo Twist cardstock
• Autumn Wooden Elements
• Pumpkin Pie Blendabilities - Darkest

I hope you've been INKspired to use Stampin' Up! to decorate your Fall Feasts table. Check out Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration for a fun centerpiece from Shellie! 

Spring Layout

Today we've got a layout sketch challenge at SSINK. If it INKspires you; we'd love for you to play along!

At first when I saw this sketch, I was a little intimidated. I couldn't figure out what pictures I wanted to use with it. However, I was lucky enough to spend an entire day working on sorting pictures and playing in MDS last weekend, so I was able to create this. Once I started sorting pictures, I knew my landscape pictures from Rolling Hills would work perfectly.

I may have mentioned a time or two how much I love My Digital Studio. Since it's release in 2009, Stampin' Up! has continued to update and improve it. I love all the functionality and playing around to find new things I can do with it. I wanted to share a brief tutorial with you on how I was able to line up the flower "punch" in the background, and also fill it with one of my pictures.

As you can see at the bottom of the picture above, if you're working on a photo book, the first two pages are your front and back cover. That means that page number "one" will stand alone in your book; two and three will be a spread, etc. If you want to work on your spread pages side by side so you'll know what it will look like when printed, choose one of the pages you're working on, go to View in the top menu bar, and choose Page Spreads. This is what your work area will now look like:

In order to span an image across both pages, you first want to start by putting it on one page and sizing it to roughly your desired size.

Next, you'll want to right click on the image and choose Span Pages at the bottom of the list.

It will now look like this:

Do you see the buttons in the middle of the right hand column under Punches? The ones that say "color fill, match color, paper fill, photo fill." This is where you'll go to fill your punch shape with one of your pictures. Just click on photo fill, a box will pop up where you can view your folders with your photos in them; you can choose your photo, and Voila!

I hope you love MDS as much as I do! I'm always happy to answer any questions you may have about it. If you haven't already, make sure to stop by Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration to see what the other designers have created as well!

Mds Download - Digital Download

$19.95

Subtles Flower Brads Pack - Digital Download

$1.95

Fun Flowers Shapes - Digital Download

$1.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Mad for March!

March is here! Can you believe it? Today is the day for my monthly featured project as part of the Design Team at Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration. I chose to make one of the popular Card In A Box.

March Madness is almost upon us! This card can be given to your favorite player or fan! I wanted to create the illusion of a hardwood floor, so I stamped the Hardwood image in Chocolate Chip ink on Baked Brown Sugar Cardstock. I then took a foam brush and brushed Crystal Effects over the top to give it that sealed effect. The "Heart. Spirit. Soul. Champions" is from a digital download for My Digital Studio. The {free} embossing folder from the Sale-A-Bration catalog screamed basketball at me when I first saw it. I was going to dry emboss the grooves in the ball as well; but I got tired and the cat started trying to help, so I decided to free hand them with the Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker instead. The full supply list can be found after the tutorial.

To start making the "box" you need a 12" x 12" sheet of cardstock. Trim it to 8-1/2"x 12". Next, use your Simply Scored Tool to score along the 12" side at 2-3/4", 5-1/2", 8-1/4", and 11".

Once, you have done that, trim the cardstock down to 6-1/2" X 12".  Then score along the 6-1/2" side at 2-3/4".

Use your paper snips to cut along the shorter score lines, making flaps. Trim the shorter side of the 1" flap off, and cut the bottom part at a diagonal to make it easier to glue together. Fold on all score lines.

Put Sticky Strip on the little tab to hold your box together. Before you glue it together you will want to decorate all of your panels. On the above example, my hardwood pieces were 2-1/2" x 2-1/2". The bottom panels would have been 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" if I had chosen to decorate them.

To create the inserts to glue your pop-up items to, you will use the 2" strip we cut off earlier. You will cut it at 4-3/4". Make sure that the 1" score mark is lined up near the 4-3/4 when you cut. Perhaps the picture will make it more clear.

The result is that you have a score line at 1" from each end when you cut it down. You will then cut this piece in half; resulting in 2 pieces that measure 1" x 4-3/4". Fold on the score lines and put sticky strip on the little tabs. Glue these to the inside of your box so the backs are facing each other. Here's a downward view to clarify.

If you want your back flap to stand up, glue a piece to the back that measures 2-1/2" x 6". The great thing about these cards is that you can fold them flat and send them in a large envelope! 

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the tutorial. I hope to see you tomorrow. If you stop by, you might just see a fun gift card holder with tutorial! Psst! With the new supply list below, you can click on any of the items and it will take you directly to my online store to order them!

Basic Black 12 X 12 Smooth Card Stock

$5.95

Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock

$8.50

Tangerine Tango 8-1/2X11 Card Stock

$6.95

Baked Brown Sugar 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$6.95

Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad

$5.95

Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker

$3.50

Hardwood

$17.95

Athletic Department Stamp Brush Set - Digital Download

$7.95

Crystal Effects

$6.25

Decorative Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

$0.00

Big Shot Die-Cut Machine

$99.95

Stampin' Trimmer

$29.95

Paper Snips

$9.95

Simply Scored

$29.95

Sticky Strip

$6.95

Snail Adhesive

$6.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Gift (Pizza) Box

As you might have learned in previous posts, I've been doing a lot of soul searching, goal setting, personal life coaching this year. I have a dear friend who is going through her own goal setting, decision making period right now; so I decided to get her a journal and make her a tool for her own life mapping.

I didn't want to just hand it to her in a bag, and my gift wrapping skills at Christmas were atrocious; so I decided to make a "pizza" box to put it in. You may have seen mini versions of this on Pinterest. The mini ones were all I was able to find online, so I decided to create a tutorial to share with you for a larger version while I was making mine.

My journal measured approximately 7" x 9" so I started with two 12" x 12" sheets of paper. I chose the Pool Party cardstock for my base so it was nice and sturdy; and a piece of Designer Series Paper from the I Am Me package for the top. I primarily chose to use the DSP since it's double-sided and I would have a pattern on the inside and outside. 

For the base, I used the Simply Scored tool to score at 1-1/2" on all four sides. Or if you only want to have to turn your paper once; 1-1/2" and 10-1/2" on one side, then turn 90 degrees and repeat. Next I cut along the score marks to create flaps. Finally I used Sticky Strip to adhere the flaps to the sides of the box to complete my base. 

I wanted to make sure the top would slide over the base, so I scored it at 1-3/8" on each side. Or 1-3/8" and 10-5/8" on one side, turn 90 degrees and repeat. In order for it to open like an actually pizza box, I cut the flaps entirely off on the part that I wanted to be the "bottom." I created flaps on the other end and again used the Sticky Strip to adhere them to the sides. Then I put Sticky Strip across that entire bottom strip to glue it to the back flap of my box. 

Here is the finished project with the lid open. Anyone else think that they always have a ton of leftover tissue paper, but can never find it when packaging a gift? 

Finally, here is my completed box tied with a bow and gift tag. I realized while writing this post that there was even more symbolism with the gift box than I had intended. I did choose the DSP for the "world view" on the inside. I didn't realize at that time that the paper was called "I Am Me." Most ironic and least intentional was that the friend who this gift is for is constantly craving pizza right now! 

Thanks for stopping by today. If you would like some other box ideas created from paper; check out Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration where our design team members have shared an assortment. 

Supplies used:

  Cardstock: Pool Party

  DSP: I Am Me

  Stamp sets: Simply Sketched, Express Yourself

  Ink: Basic Grey, Pool Party

  Embellishments: Whisper White 5/8" Organza Ribbon, Gold Baker's Twine

  Punch: Scallop Tag Topper

  Tools: Paper Trimmer, Simply Scored, Bone Folder, Paper Snips

  Adhesive: Sticky Strip

Envelope Punch Board Treat Box

Greetings! Are things getting back to normal for you after the holiday craziness?

This is the treat box I created today as the featured designer at Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration.

I created a photo tutorial on how to recreate this box. You can get to it by clicking the Stylin' Stampin' link above the pictures.

Inky love,

Darcy