Mason Jar Thank You Tags

Whenever we travel we bring back 'omiyage' (gifts).  If you are not familiar with the term, then you are not an old Japanese person like me.  The 'omiyage' are often given to those who helped take care of your house or pets and/or for those who may have given you traveling money. I made these tags to attach to the omiyage to our sweet, helpful neighbors and the pet watchers. My neighbor is a fellow card maker so I designed the first tag to have removable die cut words so she can later use them on her cards. I used the Sizzix jar stamp on acetate with permanent black ink (Staz-On) and cut it out with the die included in the set.  I hand cut the stamped label and glued it to the jar.  I only glued down part of the jar so that the 'thanks' can be removed.  To save time I used pre-cut Paper Accent tags that I purchased from HM Ben Franklin Crafts.

Using the same Sizzix set, I made a shaker tag.  I stamped the words on the acetate window and cut a second jar shape from thin foam to form the cavity for the sequins.  Since this tag is going to someone who didn't already get a calendar from me this year, I added one that I just happened to have *wink-wink*.  I plan to tie the twine into a loop so that the calendar can be hung up. The 'thanks' die is from Taylored Expressions and came as a freebie with my order, but I am sure it is available for sale.  I had fun making special 'gift' tags to go with the omiyage and I hope that they convey to the recipients how much I appreciate their help.  Thank you to you, too for taking the time to read my blog post.  I hope it was enjoyable and that you will return again to see more of my craft work.

Bark-day Card

Just a quickie post today before I send this card off to my sister who is a true dog lover.  I previously made another card for her but then 'discovered' a Paper Smooches birthday set that was hidden in my collection of birthday paper crafting stuff.  Since I was short on time I used a pre-cut and scored card blank from the Pebbles 'Birthday Wishes' pack of 36 sheets.  To this I added some paper doily pieces (that were lying around my messy desk) because I felt the party hat print was a bit too strong and overwhelmed the Paper Smooches dog and bird. (Of course I could have chosen another card blank print but the silly animals WERE wearing party hats....hahaha!)  I printed the words on a die cut Paper Smooches banner (set not shown in the photo).  (Tip: Some clear word stamps can be bent and stuck on the acrylic block before stamping so the words align with the shape of the banner.)  To finish off the balance of the card I added the cupcake and balloon die cuts from the Pebbles 75 piece (yes 75!) pack of die cuts. Oh, the stamped Paper Smooches birthday animals were die cut, colored with Copics and adhered with foam square adhesives.

I recently picked up a bottle of Ranger Glossy Accents. I noticed that some bloggers were using it as a glue because it is clear and has a tiny tipped bottle.  It's been years since I used this product to add a shiny surface to my paper crafts so I did a last minute application to the balloons and cherry. It does take awhile for the liquid to dry but the result is worth it.  Everything old is new again....yay for old products revisited!  Hope you have fun shopping for these products at HM Ben Franklin Crafts. New PS products are in the store and the birthday set is there too!

Chalkboard Tags and Bags

After attending a craft show in another state, I picked up some Trader Joe's products for a gift.  I was influenced by the Joy of Crafting show to dress up the edibles with some chalkboard labels.  I think that by simply adding some cute tags and packaging the nuts in cello bags (Heiko) the treats get elevated to something really special (like what you might find in a gourmet gift basket).  I used the Paper Smooches stitched tag die on chalkboard paper (from a pack at Ben Franklin Crafts). I wish the photo showed the stitched lines because they really add a nice touch.  These tags are erasable because I used the Marvy white bistro chalk marker. I don't have great handwriting so it is nice to be able to wipe off mistakes and the recipient can reuse these tags too. Oh yes, I added the Yummy Sticko chalkboard sticker to make the bags look more professional.

 I think this black American Crafts bag (12 in a set) is the perfect item to upgrade the TJ goodies.  I used the Hero Arts stamp with white ink and opaque white embossing powder. The cool part about the stamp is that you can change out the word 'chocolate' with other words included in the set.  I punched holes in the top of the folded bag and tied it with the elegant Heiko ribbon which was on sale at BFC.

If you have all your supplies in one place, it's simple to whip up some attractive packaging to turn supermarket products into gourmet edibles.  Hope you will check out all the supplies HM Ben Franklin Crafts has to offer you.  Thanks for visiting this blog site today!

Birthday Card and Wrapping All in One

This was a quickie because I forgot.....shame on me.  I really should make my husband's card and gift during Christmas because his birthday rolls around so fast. This year we went on a trip just before his birthday too!  Anyway, enough excuses.....here is the card and wrapping that I came up with in a flash.  I used Sizzix dies to cut the background panels and oval. The stamps I used for the character and sentiment were from an Art Impression set.  I used Memento Ink and Copic pens.

For fun I added a Ai shaker spiral which animates the handy man.  Oh yes, the banner was stamped (Paper Smooches) on Doodlebug (Hip Hip Hooray 6x6 pad) cardstock and die cut with another PS product. The tiny Making Memories square copper brads were affixed to give the feel of hardware.  By putting the image and sentiment on a black paper bag (American Crafts) and stapling the banner to it, I was able to create a card wrapping....quick and easy!  (Luckily, the gift was a pen so it fit easily in the bag!  LOL!)  In the future I hope that you will plan ahead (unlike me) but sometimes a card wrap is a simple solution that can save the day.

K.I.S.S. Vintage Valentines

 As a child, I loved the excitement and mystery of Valentine's Day especially because of the classroom mailbox for 'mailing' those sweet sentimental cards between classmates.  As an adult I still scour antique stores looking for those cards of my past, but sadly nice ones are hard to find or very pricey.  When I saw this year's Authentic Valentine 12x12 paper card stock with the cute set of 12 vintage Valentine cards on a sheet, I eagerly bought a few sheets in the hopes of recreating my childhood memories.  This first card was a real K.I.S.S. (keep it simple sweetheart) Valentine...just cut out the card, tape it to the card from the Authentic card pack and attach the die cut sentiment.

This card was inspired by my mothers photo albums. When I accidentally found an old package of photo corners in a drawer (I know I had some black ones somewhere....), I knew this card was meant to be.  I used some stickers from a Mambi chalkboard package and put the 'then' one on the front rounding the corners around the tab.  The 'now' sticker is on the inside of the card where I plan to put a current photo of my husband and me and use the card on a scrapbook page.

The final card is based on the romantic Victorian Valentines that I sometimes see in antique shops.  I am a big fan of the Victorian era and I love the artistic renderings of cherubic children shown on century old cards.  I hope you enjoyed seeing my attempt at 'K.I.S.S.' Valentines to recreate the past. These are my Valentine's Day card to you, my wonderful blogland friends!  Happy Valentine's Day!

Love Notepad

 Way before Valentine's Day I purchased some Dear Lizzy items from HM Ben Franklin Crafts.  I put them aside and then 'found' them under other supplies.  Although they were intended for V-day, I thought they would still be appropriate for other occasions.  When I found the Dear Lizzy supplies, I also came across some Sierra Pacific blank notepads with magnetic closures....such a messy desk! It was so simple to cover the kraft paper notepad with DP in a dictionary print and glue on the die cut (Dear Lizzy set) 'love' and envelope. An epoxy heart and Dear Lizzy button were added for embellishments.

Of course I had to add an 'extra' calendar to the inside.  For the back I was inspired by the craft gods to attach one of the Dear Lizzy vellum pockets...it fit perfectly!

 The whole pocket existed exactly as shown and has room on the card enclosure to write reminders. It might be appropriate to tuck a gift card or cash into the pocket if this notepad will be a present.

The Dear Lizzy pocket set has several very charming colored vellum pockets.  I really love the die set too, because it not only has the 'love' and envelope dies but contains a sweet scallop rectangle, bow, hearts, and a feather. I think this project turned out surprisingly well considering that it was done with 'finds' from my desk.  I guess the 'craft gods' were being exceptionally helpful to this messy crafter....thank you!  I had fun creating this simple notepad for love notes.

Valentine Bear Hug Tag

 Here's a simple to make Valentine tag. First, I stamped the Art Impressions image on marker paper (from a tablet purchased at HM Ben Franklin Crafts) and colored it with Copic pens.   I cut it out and affixed it with foam squares to a large tag (cut with a Little B die) that had the bottom edge punched with a Little B lace border.  The bear image in the photo looks like it has a line around it but that's just the shadow...bad photography. The bear looks a bit spotty too because I was experimenting with a technique involving the Copic blender pen.  The banner which was cut with a Paper Smooches die was stamped with the words from another Ai stamp set. (I inked up the words separately and eyeballed the placement on the banner.) I applied Distress ink (tea dye) to all parts of the tag to give it a vintage old bear look. Oh yes, the 'Hugs!' word was stamped on the pillow heart because that's how the recipient (a blogger friend) often ends her posts.

Here's what the tag looks like on the gift in a Heiko cello bag (needed a bigger one).  The pretty ribbon with the lace edge is a Heiko product too. (I think it was on sale at BFC or maybe I got it from Celebrations.) Hope this post has shown you how simple it is to make a tag to dress up your handcrafted gift.  Happy Crafting!

Valentine Besties Spiral Journal

When I bought this Bestie clear stamp, I also found an Xcut impression folder with curly ques that matched the girl's hair style so I knew I had to get it too.  First I impressed the marker paper and then stamped the image in the opening of the frame.  After coloring with Copic pens, I rounded the corners with a punch.  Since the spirals of the Sierra Pacific blank journal were too tedious to fit with the printed cardstock (Pebbles), I opted to leave a border of the kraft paper colored journal exposed (kraft paper is very chic now). I positioned and glued the clothes pin dimensional sticker (Crate Paper) so that it looks like it is holding the impressed sheet.

Here is another journal made with Authentic paper. I wanted the framed 'love you' words to look like a painted wrought iron sign so I die cut it with the Spellbinders die (the striped paper is the back of the flowered cardstock) and heat embossed it with opaque white powder.  The die cut words were made using the Taylored Expressions die.  Both embossed frames on the journals were colored with Pebbles Inc. chalk. The backs of the journals were covered with matching cardstock to attractively finish the projects.  HM Ben Franklin Crafts has lots of Sierra Pacific kraft or colored lined/blank journals which can be quickly crafted into sweet Valentine journals that anyone would be happy to receive as a token of your affection.  I hope you'll try to make one and that you have enjoyed your visit to my blog site.  Please return often and leave a comment if you have the time.  Thanks!

P.S.  When you give this journal to a friend, don't forget to clip a pen to the spiral spine and stick (another ' EXTRA' calendar to the inside of the cover.

Besties Valentine Card

As I mentioned previously, I love the Besties images and so, of course, I had to make some cards with them.  I found a lovely 5x7 Spellinder frame die that had a blank space perfectly sized for the Bestie image. It was an easy job to die cut the frame and stamp, then color the image (with Copic pens). I intended to make a mostly white card but somehow I just couldn't bear to leave it so, ah, well 'bare' so I added a ribbon, small heart and sticker.

Here is another version of the same card made with sparkly paper behind the die cut piece.  I wanted to use a different color scheme so I tried magenta, red, and pink.  To keep it simple, I just added a printed ribbon ad heart button.  The supplies in the photo below were purchased at HM Ben Franklin Crafts, the craft store in Hawaii that makes crafters smile everyday!

Valentine Shaker Ornament

Recently, HM Ben Franklin Crafts has begun carrying new lines of clear stamps including one called, My Besties.  I love the wistful, ' Margaret Keane' eyes on these stamps so I bought all three of the Valentine series. I had planned to make a heart-shaped shaker card but after using the Little B dies to cut out two large hearts from Crate Paper printed cardstock, I decided to make a shaker hanging ornament instead.  I used the small heart die to cut the opening in the front heart and backed the opening with acetate.  I cut another matching piece from a thin foam sheet and glued it to the back of the front piece.  After filling the foam heart cavity with heart confetti and sequins (from BFC), I put  a line of glue around the small heart and sealed the confetti/sequins with another large die cut heart.  (The back of the printed cardstock has the typed words so you only need one 12x12 sheet to make both ornaments.)

The Copic colored Bestie image was affixed to the piece with foam squares, then lace (plus a Heiko ribbon loop) was added before the edges were sealed with Beacon 3 in 1 glue. To finish the back of the ornament I added some paper leaves and flowers (from Lupicia tea shop). I left one of the backs blank to write a Valentine message and the other has a mini calendar....yup, still got a 'few' more....*wink-wink* to give away. I hope that you will check out the new stamps arriving currently at HM Ben Franklin Crafts.....betcha can't get just one!

Baking Valentine Treats

After I found these Wilton paper baking products at HM Ben Franklin Crafts, I decided to bake up some treats.  (I saw a low sugar sweet potato brownie recipe on 'The Chew' that I believe will be just perfect.) However, I didn't want to introduce you to these pretty heart-shape cups and pans after I used them (a day or so before the 14th) because then it would be too late for you to get some.  If you aren't a baker you can always fill them with purchased cookies or candies (also available at BFC).  I plan to bag the baked goods in Heiko cello bags and tie them up with some fancy ribbon.  Well, that's it for this quickie post.  Hope it encourages you to plan ahead for heart day!

Valentine Folded 'Tuck-In' Note

I saw a cute project in a magazine called, Daphne's Dairy (no.7).  The magazine supplied a pretty printed hearts which could be folded into a mini envelopes or notes.  (I love this magazine because of all the free stuff (tags, calendars, etc.) that are included with each issue.)

I decided to use the largest heart in the Little B die set I purchased at HM Ben Franklin Crafts.  These dies also impress some 'x' stitching marks which although they don't show in the photos are very attractive.  The paper I chose was from the Pebbles Valentine collection sold this year at Ben Franklin Crafts.  (Be sure to select a card stock that has one side that can be written on.)

You can see how easy it is to fold the big heart into an envelope shape which can be embellished with twine and a resin heart brad (Crate Paper) from BFC. I used a pliers to bend down the arms of the brad to they would not show on the inside of the envelope.  The resin heart was then glued down to the envelope flap. 

To add more interest to the inside of the note, I rubbed on two sentiment images from the Crate Paper rub-on Valentine set (available at BFC.)  This Valentine project is a super easy but delightful way to make a sweet note to include in a lunch box, backpack or briefcase.  Make one today and send a little love into the world.  It's not just for Valentine's Day!