I didn't think I would ever get a chance to do the July calendar. I have
not had any access to my craft room for about 6 weeks now. We replaced
all of the floors in my house with a beautiful barn wood vinyl plank
flooring. I love them but I would never do the entire house at once
again if I had it to do over. It has been so disruptive. I'm starting to
go stir crazy not being able to sit at my craft desk. To top it off,
there were issues with the flooring in my craft room and I am now
waiting yet another month for them to come back and redo it.
While
I couldn't dig through boxes to find whatever parts and pieces I needed
to make my mother's July calendar, I realized last night that I just so
happened to have access to my June Paper Pumpkin kit. Without my color
printer I couldn't make my own paper this month so I figured I would
create an alternate project from the kit and get this business done.
Let's see how it turned out:
This
is 100% kit contents, with the exception of some liquid glue I managed
to muster up. While I would have generally done a patriotic theme for
the 4th, it is her birthday month so I think this is a much better
choice. If you are playing along, make sure to download your free July Calendar Download here:
Sadly,
no matching pen this month. On the bright side, I found out that silly
woman just displays the darn things and doesn't use them anyway.
Normally I would have a paper pack release available for you but the
July release is behind schedule, like everything else in my life right
now. I do, however, have some kits still available in my Etsy Shop from
the May 2018 Paper Pumpkin "Manly Moments" (available only in the US). It is rare to find masculine kits and cards,
Last card for the day, it was a marathon weekend for sure. I decided to participate in this week's Tic Tac Toe challenge #045. Let's take a look:
I think the line I choose is pretty obvious haha, Yellow-Stripe-Thanks. They said yellow stripes but my stripe background stamp refused to give me a good clean print, even with my Misti. Being the crafty person I am I knew the perfect way to solve my problem. I made my own paper, which you can pick up free from the Charm Shop. I must have subconsciously been thinking about the other challenge I was working on over at Just Add Ink#406 because my layout worked into it perfectly.
Here's your crafty tip: For my sentiment I re-hashed some components from the December 2014 Paper Pumpkin kit. The color didn't work with my design so I hauled out a black copic and re-colored it. Easy peasy! I always hang onto my extra parts and pieces from those old kits, you just never know when they will come in handy.
Enjoy! For more inspiration follow me on instagram @craftedcharm where I share additional projects and designs.
~Sherry
Today's inspiration share is courtesy of Freshly Made Sketches. Let's see what I came up with for challenge #FMS331:
For this challenge I did a simple wash with sky blue Peerless water color onto some scrap Bristol water color paper, I also used Peerless dark green on a larger sheet to make my die cut. I used a gold gel pen to draw in the veining. It is quite a clean layout. By the way, the sentiment is from the March 2018 Paper Pumpkin kit. I just loved it! Apparently my cat did too because she decided she wanted to help me paint, and now she has green paws the little stinker.
Today I have a quick share for you courtesy of a March 2018 Paper Pumpkin alternative card and TGIF Challenge #153. I chose Charlotte's card for my inspiration. Let's take a look:
Here's your crafty tip: To get an aged "shabby" distress look on my papers I used a very watery paintbrush and painted on some white Gesso. Then I crumpled up my papers, ripped them, tore them, and roughed them up. I like the look of the white wash over top of the papers. The cat is optional!
I couldn't find any lace in my stash so I used a border punch to get the look and put the pieces behind my layer.
I was inspired by the flower seed envelopes in the March 2018 Paper Pumpkin kit but I thought the kit contents were more geared towards Mother's Day, and I still needed to finish some Easter projects. I decided to deconstruct the seed packet and come up with a template to make my own. Let's see how it turned out:
Let's make it:
Cut a sheet of designer paper to 8 1/16 x 8 1/2 inches
On the 8 1/16 side you will score at 9/16 and again at 6 1/16
On the 8 1/2 side you will score at 1/2 inch and again at 4 1/2
Fold on all score lines
Use the diagram below to make the appropriate cut outs
Not only does this fit seed packets, but my original intention for my Easter project was to use it for a gift card holder. Here's the bonus, it fits the gift card with the backer perfectly!
I have been dying to use this striped paper from the Spring Paper Collection that I designed, and this was the perfect project I needed. I also created coordinating gift tags that fit the largest oval from the Stampin' Up Stitched Shapes Framelits. Be sure to pick up both from the Charm Shop for your own projects. Super springy and super cute right?
Such a cute project and paper pumpkin alternative. I foresee a few spring gift baskets in my future, for Mother's Day, with some custom made seed packets in them. But seriously, aren't these the cutest Easter Gift Tags ever?
This month's Pumpkin is a special anniversary kit. All kits came with an extra gift. Let's see what was included:
Here are some sample cards made from the kit, and the anniversary gift, courtesy of Stampin' Up:
I haven't started playing with my kit yet but I was very inspired by the flower seed packets to use for an Easter project, so I deconstructed one and made a template. I'll be sharing that later on! If you missed getting the special anniversary kit I have one available in my Etsy Shop (US Shipping Only).
I guess I can't get enough of the January 2018 Paper Pumpkin kit supplies. One of my challenges today is courtesy of CASology. When I discovered this challenge I knew it would be right up my alley. You all know that I love clean cards with lot's of white space. CASology challenges are all about a clean and simple card that would be quick to mass produce if you wanted to.
As you can see, the challenge theme is "together". I went through my stamps and came across the Weather Together Stamp Set and coordinating Umbrella Weather Framelits. While I was planning the card out in my head I glanced over and saw my Paper Pumpkin kit, I quickly decided that the copper foiled hearts would be super cute as the top of my umbrella. I used the envelope to die cut the handle and then did a second one on some scrap black card stock that I pieced on. I used the inside of the card from the kit to cut the strip for my sentiment.
Here's why I love this card: This is the definition of clean and simple (CAS). I did a white matte over a white base and the star of the show is the super simple umbrella and sentiment. Talk about easy to reproduce. Everything is pieced together so if you make a stamping mistake you haven't ruined the whole card, and definitely won't need to start over again. This card can be done assembly line style.
I am totally in love with that copper foiling. So what's the verdict, did I hit the challenge?
Today's crafty share is a sketch challenge courtesy of CAS(E) This Sketch. I created a Heartfelt Love Notes Paper Pumpkin alternate card, well gift card slider really, using this weeks sketch. I think it turned out super cute.
If you have played with the January kit, then you know that the card is smaller than an A2. My version here with the addition of the pull tab perfectly fits inside a standard size envelope.
I used two of the adhesive banners to make the pull tab for the slider and sandwiched the white insert between them. I keep a stockpile of removable glue dots on hand that are perfect for attaching gift cards to projects just like this. You can write your message to the receiver and then attach the gift card with the removable dot, when they pull off the gift card it doesn't damage the card itself.
{This post was not paid for or sponsored, all products used were personally purchased. Any affiliate links that may have been used are at no cost to you.}
The only thing I added to the kit was a piece of black card stock and some ink. All things most of us generally always have on hand. Paper Pumpkin Kits are so versatile you would be amazed. Last week I shared a money saving ribbon hack that I used to color my white ribbon from the kit.
Here's your crafty trick for adhering vellum when you don't want the glue to show: I bought a small xyron sticker maker a while back because I thought it was just what I needed to attach small and intricate die cuts to my cards, and I was right. It's perfect, but I also realized it was perfect for attaching vellum. Sometimes it isn't always ideal in your design to have a place to hide your glue dots.
Look at how flawless it comes out. Securely attached and not even a hint of glue. It was definitely worth my $6 investment. My mother bought me the larger Xyron Creative Station for Christmas that I plan to use for doing large and intricate die cut panels that go on card fronts. There is nothing more annoying than trying to trace your glue bottle around those intricate details, you always get it seeping out once you place the panel down on your card front.
{This post was not paid for or sponsored, all products used were
personally purchased. Any affiliate links that may have been used are at
no cost to you.}
Hello my friends, today I am sharing with you a super cute valentine treat box.
These are so quick and easy to whip together for any occasion but today I spruced them up for a simple little valentine treat box to give as co-woker gifts. Here's what you need:
For the belly band I used the 8 1/2 x 1 strips of paper. Flip it over to the side you don't want showing and very lightly score it at: 1, 3, 5, and 7. Then with your fingers lightly bend it at each
of the score lines. Specialty designer paper can be a bit fragile and hard scoring/burnishing can crack your paper. Wrap it around your box and use some good adhesive like fast fuse to stick the ends down in the back. There should be a slight overlap.
I very rarely buy colored ribbon unless I purchase a complete coordinated set with paper and ink. Here's why: when I occasionally purchase a specific colored ribbon for a special project I use about 5 inches of it and the rest sits on the shelf. What a waste. I have rolls of ribbon that I have invested my hard earned dollars into and worry that it may never get used. I'm guessing you have to.
I generally stick to purchasing white ribbons (especially when I find a really great one like the metallic edged) and then I use my Stampin' Blends (any alcohol marker will work) to "dye" it to match. No waste, and you always have a beautifully matched ribbon on hand. Who doesn't want to save money? Look how fantastic the Night of Navy looks with the gold edge. These markers are such a great investment.
Tie the ribbon around the box, use some scrap pieces of the designer paper and die cut the small heart from the Lots to Love Box Framelits set, and pop that up on dimensionals. Now if you were giving this to a loved one instead of a co-worker you could stamp a sentiment from the Paper Pumpkin Kit (like XOXO or LOVE) to the front of the heart. Since these are co-worker gifts I didn't want to make it awkward so I just added the little heart for Valentine's.
Happy crafting!
-Sherry
Missed your Paper Pumpkin kit this month? Pick one up today:
The January 2018 "Heartfelt Love Notes" Paper Pumpkin kit has arrived! It's super cute, and just in time for Valentine's Day. Let's check it out:
When you are a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, no matter what the project is, you get an exclusive stamp set that can't be purchased anywhere else. Ever. They will never be for sale separately online, in a store, or available in any catalog. I love my paper pumpkin, and even if I don't love a particular project I can always find so many alternative project examples online that I never have a kit that goes unused.
This month's kit makes 16 cards with envelopes, and the stamps are so adorable. These sentiments are so awesome they can be used year round. I've used them several times already, before I even started working on my kit.
Here's what this month's kit includes:
Heartfelt Love Notes Photopolymer Stamp set
Stampin' Spot ink cube in Rich Razzleberry
16 card bases (8 each of 2 designs)
16 white die-cut note cards
16 craft envelopes
2 die-cut banner sheets
2 die-cut vellum sheets
2 sheets copper foil die-cut labels
6 yards of metallic edge ribbon
80 enamel shapes (40 each of 2 colors)
75 dimensionals
125 adhesive dots
Instruction sheet
Wow, that's a lot of stuff. Use what you need now, save some for later, create new projects, the list is endless. There's a lot of crafting going on around here.
If you aren't currently a subscriber just jump on over to the "Exclusive Stamp Sets" page to get the details. As a subscriber the kits are $19.95 (plus tax) per month all in, everything is included, even the shipping. I also throw in some crafty surprises for my personal subscribers.
While it may be too late to get in on the action for this kit at subscription price, I do have one available. I always have a couple extra in case one of my subscriber needs to pick up an extra kit to add on to their own subscription, or something happens to their shipment. My kits are available for $26, which includes priority mail 3 day shipping to you. Sorry, I can only ship to the US. Just click the link below and it will take you to checkout.
All images are the sole property of Sherry Espinoza unless otherwise stated. All content is the sole responsibility of Sherry Espinoza. When sharing information from this blog you must credit Sherry Espinoza at mycraftedcharm.com
Artist, Graphic Designer, and Paper Crafter. My favorite moments in life are when I finish a project and think "this is so stinking cute I just can't stand it"!
