Blast From The Past - Sizzix Christmas Favour Box From Christmas 2013

I have been wracking my brains trying to think of a festive idea to use as a gift idea for all the bags of starlight mints I bought back from Las Vegas …..that filled my suitcase to bursting point!
And then I remembered my Sizzix Bigz XL Shaker Box Die (Item # 655134), that hasn’t seen the light of day for at least two years!!!  OMG, it was perfect!

I used it to cut the red striped card from Payper Box I got a few weeks ago which just spelt Christmas to me!  Not wishing to waste any scraps, I stuck the piece that came from the window in the bottom of the box as a background to the sweets.

The inside of the box didn’t look quite right, it needed a little something else …..

…… but it had to be flat,  so I decided to punch some red scallop edged hearts and then add a Christmas message using a white gel pen, sorted!

I used Marc’s band idea from his Christmas cards to make one for the boxes to stop them flapping open, using a strip of contrasting red card …… and creasing it using my box maker board.

I then made the sentiment decoration using my Stampin’ Up scalloped punch, scraps of card and gold, white and silver  Christmas circles from Craftwork Cards http://www.craftworkcards.co.uk/products/1585/in-circles-christmas-gold-silver.html

The felt holly leaves and berries were from this years Hobbycraft Christmas collection  but I just couldn’t find them on the website to make a link! I think a tub of 12 cost about £2.99/3.00.

I made twenty six boxes in all, some of the decorations on the band vary, because I ran out of the holly, so it was an excellent opportunity to use up all my other bits and pieces that have been hanging around in my Christmas embellishment box for far too long!

Sizziz Gift Card Holder – Gift Voucher.

I really should use my BigShot more!  I bought it all those years ago for the box dies …. they are brilliant for when I am stumped for a presentation box …. but I just don’t use them often enough, and when I do, I am blown away all over again by how fantastic they are!!!

So ……..  a friend asked me to make a gift voucher ….. and immediately I thought of my Gift Holder Die (658189 Sizzix Bigz XL). It is so simple to use and put together, but looks so professional.

I chose a double sided paper that looked classy and sophisticated from my New Leaf 12 x 12 Pad (Dunelm).

I had to make the voucher itself and side plate from scratch …. using Papyrus font, printing on the reverse of the patterned paper and then mat and layering both on silver mirror card.

The final touch was a jewelled snowflake on the fastening tab on the front (as I made it just before Christmas I used one of the large plastic snowflakes I found in a charity shop awhile back.

Done and dusted!
http://www.countryviewcrafts.co.uk/658189-sizzix-bigz-xl-die-wbonus-textured-impressions---gift-card-holder-and-snow-village-set-16246-p.asp

Wonderful, Wonderful Times With Marc – Marc’s Sizzix Pop Up Christmas Card

This is one of Marc’s 2013 Christmas cards.  I can’t give you any detailed instructions as to how he made it,  but hope the pictures coupled with a few comments here and there from me will paint the picture for you.

The base of the card is made using a Sizzix pop up card die
http://www.sizzix.co.uk/product/658048/sizzix-pop-n-cuts-magnetic-insert-die-star-3-d-pop-up
And embossed using the Cuttlebug Three Kings embossing folder:-http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cricut-Cuttlebug-Three-Embossing-Folder/dp/B006RK4PFI

The inside is equally stunning and detailed, Marc used a Darice 4.23” x 5.75” Embossing Folder – Stars Code: DEF-1218-63

http://www.crafterscompanion.co.uk/darice-c1875/embossing-folders-c1505/4-23-x-5-c1878/darice-embossing-folders-p21235

I think Marc encountered a few problems when fitting the silver embossed inside involving quite a bit of trimming that he hadn’t expected, as it slightly overlapped the outside of the card, which it shouldn’t have done …..

My only claim to fame on this project was the band that goes round the card, an idea I think I may need to copy for some of my cards ….. I printed bands, about 3/4 in deep in Landscape (in Word) using Papyrus font size 20 ….. Marc then cut them out, glued the end together and added a few tiny peel offs. A band is such a special touch on any card

The back of the card is equally as detailed.

Stunning and such a lot of work …… can you believe Marc made of 100 of them, he is so much more patient than I am!.  If I have left anything out or Marc has anything to add I am sure he will in the comments box, which I will then add to this post to help further.

Popcorn Favour Boxes

A friend asked me to make some little gift boxes for her daughters 16th birthday sleepover, she quite liked the thought of a popcorn box, but also loved the Martha Stewart Monarch Butterfly punchies she had seen me use on another project.

I’ve used my Sizzix Bigz XL Takeout Box  Cat. No. 655420, for the project, which couldn’t be easier to put together.

I’ve printed the card using a free striped digi download design from http://www.scrapbookscrapbook.com/

I printed off five sets of the girls names, and cut them out using the smallest Nestabilities Label No. 4 I had, then layered them on red card.  To make the boxes individual and an extra special memento of the party, I put one girls name on the top of the box, and then added the other four friends names round the sides (I hope that makes sense).

The boxes are finished off with a Martha Stewart butterfly on the top and one of the sides. Done and dusted!

Elephant Birthday Card

The brief was simple for this card …… elephants!

I used a Sizzix die that I have had for a while, cutting out four elephants on my BigShot .  I stuck them, using foam pads for extra dimension  onto a check background, which is actually green graph paper, to continue the squared effects.

I’ve added faux stitching, a bead eyes and a ribbon on the tails to complete the elephants.

The card is completed with a sentiment, broken into three parts using self adhesive letters and backed on red card.  If I were to make this card again, I don’t think I would put in the mouths, they seem a bit low to me.

Tim Holtz Tattered Florals and Leaves.

I am so guilty of desperately wanting Tim Holtz’s Tattered Florals and Leaves dies only to leave them unopened for several weeks in a corner of my craftroom  ….. if only I didn’t have to go to work!

But, I have finally been able to have a play, and I love them.  I have started out with a very simple idea, making some gift tags as I hate these horrid bow things!

I’ve used a variety of papers to see how patterns, thickness and textures work. This gold one is made from quite expensive embroidered gift wrapping  paper that I bought, only to find that it’s almost impossible to wrap with!  The centre is a snowflake brad with a clear flat back gem super glued in the middle.

My favourite is this red one.  I just love the paper. It came in my lovely parcel from Poundland in a sort of collage pack of bits and pieces.   It’s really thick spongy paper with the most fantastic texture. Unfortunately there wasn’t much of each colour, so I only made eight flowers like this. I am really hoping I can find some more similar paper on my travels, as I would love to make a Christmas wreath along the same lines.

Once the flowers/tags were made up, I put a piece of double sided  foam tape on the back so that they can be stuck on a parcel.

I’ve made up a box in various colours and papers and am curious to see if they take off when I put them in the staffroom.

Tim Holtz Caged Bird Decoration

I am so terrible about getting something “I must have” and then I leaving it unused for ages.  So with Christmas coming I wanted to see if I could use this Tim Holtz die to make a tree decoration for “special” people instead of giving them a Christmas card this year.

Well I have and I love it, so much so that this is mine and it will stay in my craft room, it ain’t going nowhere!

But I will make more!  I cut out two of everything to make the decoration strong and substantial. using a white glitter card to cut the cage from; it cut like a dream.

I’ve used jump rings to attach the tiny clear glass hearts, which I hope I can find more of on e-bay for when I go into mass production.

It didn’t take that long to make and I am thrilled with the results …… now to find some more hearts …….

I gave this example to my mum and look what she has done with it

She’s put it in a shadow box picture frame, with blue paper as a background.  I love it.  I am going to make a few more as presents, but perhaps use an A5 sized frame.

Workman’s Tea and Cookie Card

I never know what I am going to be asked to make next ….. but this one takes the biscuit!!

 
I have a lovely lady who always asks me to put her husband in all of the cards I make for him, and always in his dungarees!

This time she wanted him with a big cup of tea and cookies……

The images are a mixture of digi scrapbooking from http://www.scrappindoodles.com/ and clip art.

The man and his clothes are made Sizzix Bitty Body dies.

Not sure about this one!!!??

Sizzix Bigz XL Carry All Box

I feel really guilty because yesterday I was so negative about my Sizzix suitcase die, so today I thought I would redress the balance by saying how much I LOVE this die (Bigx XL Carry All 656279).

I only got it last week after Lisa (Craftfairy) told me how good it was. It’s brilliant!  It’s so easy to put together, despite there being 6 parts to it.  To make it a little bit stronger I have added a piece of card to the bottom.

I am going to use the plain wood and metallic effect boxes for Fathers Day with a few sweets in, but I can think of lots of other ideas on how to decorate them for different themes, especially Christmas.

I have cut out a whole pile of them, ready on my desk to put together, I wanted to try as many patterns of card as I could to see how the look of the box changes.

Most of the patterned card came for Paperbox at NEC Hobbycrafts in March.  I wish I had got more of the wood effect when I saw it.  The metal effect card  is from a card/paper stall on Penkridge Market (Staffs) and is ideal for masculine type boxes.

Sizzix Suitcase Die

Aghhhhh, yesterday I turned the air over Wolverhampton  blue,  you are looking at the sum total of over two hours work, for just these three ************* little cases!

They look so cute, but I find them a nightmare to put together and look right.  I wanted the die (Sizzix Bigz XL Bag/Suitcase 656115) as soon as I saw it, but was so disappointed with the first few results that the die was put away to gather dust ….. until yesterday ……

With a week off for Whitsun I thought I would try again … but my bin is overflowing with the rejects once more!

I have written this post as a record for me to refer back to, should I ever want to try again.  I think my problem is wanting to use patterned card, in the end I cut two bag sides the same using just the one side of the die and two bags shapes (front and back).

Putting it all together and gluing it neatly seemed to evade me too ……

Is it just me?  Has anyone else encountered any problems? This has beaten me good and proper…. and it takes a lot to make me throw in the towel!