Saturday 18 July 2009

Tea Bag Gift Box Template

All credit is given to Lotti (Stampalotti) for this template, as all the measurements given are the ones she used to make the one she sent me. And the measurements I used to make mine.












































Hopefully these scans will print out at the correct size.
Click on scans to see the details - The dotted lines are the score lines. Solid lines are the ones you'll need to cut or punch.

Scan 1. This is the outer case. Cut out with the measurements provided. Now I didn't use a score board, all I used was a very small embossing tool and a ruler, this was because I didn't actually draw the guide lines on my card as I didn't want them showing. I used double sided tape as opposed to glue, this is just my personal choice, you use what ever your comfortable with.

Scan 2. That's the inner case. This is where your tea bag envelopes are going to go. The middle section is what is going to be the top of the box. I've just noticed, where the small shaped cut out pieces are (on the sides) I've put glue or tape, you actually glue or tape ON THE OTHER SIDE. So when you fold it to stick it, these pieces will be inside the box so therefore need adhesive on the other side.

Scan 3. This is the envelopes for the tea bags. You'll need to cut three of these. When you punch the half circles, to make sure they match up fold it along the length ways score line (the one running top to bottom on the left hand side of the photo) You'll notice there are three different coloured measurements. Score the first envelope using the RED measurement, second envelope using the GREEN measurement and of course the third using the last measurement. So why three measurements, that's so they'll nest inside each other nicely. The blue measurements are the over all dimensions.Once you've cut all your pieces this is when you want to decorate them. Once decorated, just assemble.
This doesn't have to be just for tea bags, I made mine to hold chocolates. Looking at it you could alter the measurements to have it hold small photo's, ATC's, whatever you like.If you need more details or something explained just email me.Take care, keep smiling and have fun

Thursday 16 July 2009

Raisa and the reluctant Reindeer :o)

ROFL, I just HAD to show you this. Raisa my Finnish friend has been off on holiday in Lapland. When she said she was going I told her to stroke a Reindeer for me, LOL, and this is as close as she got. She says in her blog she had to chase after it to get the picture, doesn't that just conjure up a comical scene in your head like one of those slapstick silent movie chases :O)

Wednesday 15 July 2009

How I made the flowers for the Pack a Picnic Gift Box

I had an email from a lady named Diane from South Carolina USA who asked for a little more information on how I made the flowers for the Gift box. Sooooo, I thought I'd have a go at a tutorial LOL. So bear with me as this is my first time (blush).... Oh and small photo's to get them all on, so click on them if you want to see more detail...









Here are the tools I used (ignore the white tool, I used that on another flower, sorry) The card is about the same weight as Bazzil card, but this is two tone - dark pink one side light pink on the other.
1. Punch out two large daisies, two medium daisies and one of the little daisy.









2. With the tear drop punch or any punch that will give you a notch, punch each petal end on both of the large daisies, until you have these...





3. Put the flowers (both large and medium) on the foam mat then with the etching tool (that's the one with the pointy end and the scoop on the other end) or follow this link HERE for tool substitutes, score down the middle of each petal (wrong side of the card or what will be the underneath of the flower), keeping the point as flat to card as possible, and press as hard as the paper or card will allow...





Until you have these...









4. Then glue the flowers together, I used Art Glitter Clear Adhesive, but any quick drying glue will do. I say quick drying because you're going to be moulding them and you don't want them to slip whilst you're doing that...



















5. Then with the shape mate (that's the one that looks like an embossing tool) place it in the centre of the flower and with circular movements go round and round the centre until the petals have raised...



















6. Take the littlest daisy, again on the foam mat and with the shape mate "stroke" the petals right way up until they have curled...















7. Then glue the little daisy into the center of the large flower and on the foam mat with the Shape Mate really push down into the flower so as all the petals raise up. You may want to do those circular movements again, it really all depends on the thickness of the card/paper you are using...










8. Then with the scoop end of the etching tool I pulled the center petals up and pulled the bottom petals down...
















PHEW!!! So there you have it. I got my inspiration from these two ladies. They are what I would call experts at making flowers...
http://peejays-crafty-bits.blogspot.com/search/label/Tutorial - The flower tutorials are towards the bottom of the page.
I made some other flowers that were going to go on the gift box before I decided on which design I was going to go for...










All the flowers were made with Vellum/ parchment paper and EK Success Retro flower punches as were the leaves on the bottom flowers and the leaves on the top flowers is a punch by L-Em. The stamens on the top flowers (big and small) where made with a snowflake punch and a Cuttlebug snowflake die :o) Hope I haven't confused you too much, the links above give much better tutorials.
Right I'm off to catch my breath :o)
Take care & keep smiling

I see wonderful things...

The title to this post were the words uttered by Howard Carter in 1922 when he first looked into the tomb of Tutankhamun, and they were what I saw when I opened a parcel sent to me by Lotti. This VERY generous lady sent me the parcel as a thank you for the Whiff of Joy stamp kit I sent her. She said she was making something as a thank you, and I presumed she meant a card. Then the parcel came and I said to my Dad "Wow, that's one big card", then I opened it up and was totally lost for words...

















































Isn't it just lovely. And it's not just the gift.It's the time, effort and thought that went in to it that really makes it so very special. I've only done little photo's so as to fit them all on, so click on them to see the details.
In the first picture you can see some pink and yellow paper, that's a tea bag gift box Lotti did for me to make up myself, it was Lotti's tea bag gift box that inspired my After Eight gift box LOL, well I wasn't to sure if my friend would drink herbal tea, but I do know she likes chocolate and I always have a box of After Eights on my desk so there was my excuse for making one :o)
In the next picture is a fabulous little organizer (well that's what I call it), made from matchboxes and coasters, how cool is that :o) and she put all those little bits and pieces in. I've already used one of the little handbag charms, they're so cute.
In the third (that's my son's thumb, bless him) and fourth photo's she's made a folder with stamped images in, and let me tell you there are TONS of them, it must have took her aaaages to do all those. I really like the way she's used envelopes as the pockets, very ingenius. In the fourth phot is a small sample of the stamped images she sent, and I have to say I LOVE the little Pan stamp, and I had to show the one of the Stamp Shop.
Then next of course is the Tea bag gift box, I think maybe this is my favourite :o) I don't know why, I just think it's fabulous.
And lastly Lotti also put in three of the loveliest clear stamps, and here they are stamped up ready to go into my Stamp Catologue. Those children stamps are just gorgeous, they remind me of the artwork of Jessie Wilcox Smith, she did the most gorgeous paintings of children. And who wouldn't fall in love with that dog, I didn't realise he was a Dalmation till I inked him up, and he's got a wonderful expression.
So there you have it, my truly wonderful gift from an exceptionally talented and generous lady. By the way did you see all the links to her blog? Just a small hint :o)
Take care, keep smiling and don't forget to Blog hop, you don't know what you might be missing out there.

Monday 13 July 2009

Tilda Insert and card box - Gift set card

Quick post, loads to do, but here's the insert to the Tilda card and the box I made to put the card in...
























Quote on the left panel from The Quote Garden, both sentiments are computer gererated. Fonts used - Monotype Corsiva and Kingthings Annex , free font from dafont.com (kisses). Spotty paper - Bearly Mine Designs and Tim Holtz mini mask in the corners. Stole the scalloped edge of the box idea from Emilie, have a look, it's sooooo pretty :o)
Right I'm off
Take care & keep smiling

Tuesday 7 July 2009

Just Magnolia Challenge 12 - Tilda Gift Set Card











I didn't think I was going to get this card finished today, but I did and I'm very pleased with the result. This card is to go with the Pack a Picnic gift box and Tea bag gift box I made for my friend Michelle's birthday and is also my entry for the Just Magnolia week 12 Challenge - So Charming...















Card size - A5 - 21cm x 14.8cm

1. Stardream pearlescent pink card (base)
2. Heart swirl DP from Bearly Mine Designs Designer Extreme Vol. 1 CD Rom. The hearts were painted with Shimmerz Blingz Poinsettia Pink.
3. The ovals were cut with Nestabilities and the embossing was done with Impressabilities Flowers. To get the nice smooth edge (no embossing) on the dark pink card, I first cut the oval but left it in the oval die, then using this stack - A plate, B plate, Tan mat, card with nestabilitie (Nestie on top), Impressabilites plate, B Plate and then two pieces of card and then run it through my Cuttlebug twice. Found that little tip on the Wizard website, though it wasn't for the Cuttlebug, but I though I'd give it a go to see if it worked.
4. Tools used for the flowers can be found on my Pack a Picnic post. The leaves however on this card were made with L-Em Ash branch punch. I had to stand on this punch to get it to work !!!
5. The Magnolia Tilda stamp is coloured with Derwent Coloursoft pencils and Sansodor, and her shoes were painted with Smooch Siren. When I stamped Tilda I used Versafine Onyx black Cube so as to miss the little cross stitch heart on her apron, then after cleaning the stamp I inked just the heart with Versafine Crimson red and using a stamp postioner then stamped the heart onto the apron.
6. The charms and chain I got off eBay except the little handbag which was in the parcel that Lotti sent me (photo's of which will follow soon).
If I've missed anything it's because those details are on the Pack a Picnic post, so here's a photo of the whole Tilda gift set, just got to add chocolates and little prezzies :o) ...















Take care & keep smiling

Sunday 5 July 2009

Tea bag gift box - well sort of






Here's a little tea bag gift box I made to go with my Pack a Picnic gift box. Well it started out as a tea bag gift box, but I changed it to an After Eight gift box :o) For those of you who don't know what an After Eight is, it's a wafer thin after dinner mint, mint fondant covered in dark chocolate mmmmmm .......






















































I won't bore you with the details again they're pretty much the same are the gift box, except for the DP used for the tea bag envelopes was made by me on the computer, and the After Eight logo on the gift box was made by scanning the wrapper and changing the colours with my graphics program (the front and back of the box are identical). This was inspired by part of a gift sent to me by the extremely lovely and talented Lotti, I'll show you some photo's of the parcel she sent, I was overwhelmed by it, not only by the generosity of it, but by the time, effort and thought that went in to making it. BUT I'm afraid those photo's will have to wait until I've made the card to go with these gift boxes as I'm hoping to finish it in time to enter it into the Just Magnolia Challenge this week.
So take care & keep smiling