Birthday Ideas

These projects were all made with Mark's Finest Papers products.
The first is the new Frames and Flourish stamp set with Basic Grey Capella paper. This is for Speedy's Friends challenge to use a die cut on your card (I used the Nestabilities Fleur de lis).
Ladybugs and Carnation stamp set with mint colored cardstock were used to make an apron gift card holder and the Sizzix die Baskets and Blooms was Stampin' Up.

Baskets & Blooms Valentine Treat

A simple treat holder made with the Baskets & Blooms Sizzix die and the Big Shot. Retired SU paper and the Pricelesss stamp set, Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon and silver eyelets. the bear is holding chocolate wrapped with the Sending Love specialty paper from the Occasions mini, box is filled with these and strawberry candies.

Inspiration Challenge- Come and Play!

This week I am the hostess for our Three Amigas Weekly Challenge (TAWC). My favorite challenges are inspiration pieces and this one has so many possibilities. A branch with some cherry blossoms, eggs, Easter images, the colors. My sample uses Stampin' Up's A Good Egg with Pirouette Pink cardstock and Bella Birds designer paper. The template for the basket can be found on Splicoaststampers under TLC213. I hope you can join us, there is no time limit, no restriction, only the motivation to get us stamping. If you upload your creations, please include the keyword TAWC or send me a link and I will add your creation to the challenge page.
Thanks and have a very happy week!
Check out these awesome creations:
Anne Harada
Julie Alberda

Basket Tutorial

Cut a 12"x12" paper into four 6" squares.
Using a pencil, lightly make a line from corner to corner making an X on one side of the paper.



Cut a 2" square and adhere to center. Each point will line up with pencil marks to help you in positioning this directly in center.
Score around white square with tip of bone folder.
Cut on pencil lines to cardstock square on all sides.


Stamp center as desired.
Erase pencil lines.
Add decorative edge with scallop punch if desired.


Bring all side edges up and overlap slightly. Adhere. (You can make this shallow or more cup-like, however you like it).


Cut a 12"x1" strip and adhere to basket inside for a handle. Embellish as desired.

These are super simple to make and I like that one sheet of cardstock will make 4 baskets. You can assemble all of the baskets without the handles and stack them up for easy storage and complete the addition of the handle at a later date as needed.

Big Shot Valentine Treats

This week I will be sharing some treat container ideas for Valentine's Day. I figure if I get everything made, packaged up, and set aside I may be a little less tempted to eat up all of the chocolate and candies. we'll see...
Both projects use the Stampin' Up Big Shot dies- the Baskets and Blooms and the Small Pillow Box along with the Riding Hood Red designer series paper patterns. For the basket I used the hearts from Simply Said along with the heart from the new upcoming level 2 hostess set A Little Somethin'. I also used 3 silver eyelets along each side seam and wove the taffeta red ribbon through the center ones and made a bow.
The little pillow box came together in a snap. Filled with candy and tied with linen thread and added Iridescent Ice embossed hearts punched from A Little Somethin' heart and added pearl.

Money saving tip: I scour through the after Christmas decorations to scoop up all of the red things that I can find and use them for Valentine's Day. By now (if there's anything left) it is marked down to 70% off at least. This is where I got the red crimped filler and I also got some clear bags, red wrapping and ribbon.