Treat Boxes

This weekend, I felt the urge to experiment more with my Sizzix Matchbox Bigz XL Die (#114890, $42.95) that I purchased from Stampin' Up! With basically two diecut pieces of cardstock or other material, you can create wonderful multi-use boxes that are perfect for party favor, sweet treats, and small gifts. I worked with several types of cardstock and made versions of a baby shower treat box, a Thanksgiving prayer box, and the Halloween treat box pictured below.

I chose a rust colored textured cardstock to make the box out of. The tray insert portion actually requires no adhesive to put together (though you can add it for extra security). The sleeve portion of the box takes a small strip of sticky strip tape to construct. The diecut medallion on the top of the box is but one of the three choices you have to cut out with this Bigz XL die. I used a 2" strip of decorative paper with a Halloween theme to create the box band. Finally, the decorative topper--a whimsical jack o' lantern--is part of a new Stampin' Up! set called 'Pumpkin Patch' (#116499, $22.95) that was introduced in the Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini Catalog (see sidebar). I chose to fill my treat box with some lusciously juicy Sunkist Tangerine Jelly Belly beans. Trust me, the box contents were not long for this world.







May whatever treats you find stuffed in your inbox today be sweet and juicy! More importantly, smile and keep crafting...

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

Yesterday, the Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini Catalog went live. You can now order items from this lovely 39 page mini-catalog via my Stampin' Up business website (clink link in the sidebar) or from your favorite Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. The catalog has a great array of holiday (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) themed stamp sets, embellishments, gift ideas, and projects. It also features the introduction of a new line of Build-A-Bear Workshop themed items. Finally, there is the introduction of the forthcoming jewelry line and a software suite called 'My Digital Studio'.

Today's card project features many items that you'll be able to find and purchase from the 2009-2010 Holiday Mini Catalog. This project uses Stampin' Up! Riding Hood Red cardstock (now retired) and decorative paper from the 'Merry Moments' DSP pack. The red cardstock is cut to 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" and scored at 4 1/4". The decorative paper mat is cut at 4" x 4 1/2".



Using Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock and the new stamp set 'Delightful Decorations' (#116517, $21.95; p. 24) and the coordinating 'Ornament Punch' (#116794, $15.95; p. 25), I created my decorative elements using Stampin' Pads in Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, and Bermuda Bay. I chose three of the holiday ornament stamps and onced stamped, cut them out using the coordinating punch.



Once my ornaments were stamped and cut, I decided to use some Stampin' Up! Gold Elastic Cording (#109867, $4.95; p. 27) to tie a bow around the stem of each ornament for a bit more sparkle and visual interest.



I thought the ornaments looked right at home on this sheet of Designer Series Paper with green pine boughs scattered throughout. This paper is found in the 'Merry Moments' collection in the 2009-2010 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog (#115672, $9.95; p. 160).



The decorative paper and ornaments called out for a traditional holiday color--red. So, I chose to go with a piece of the unfortunately retired Riding Hood Red cardstock (from last season's In Colors selections).



Using the Stampin' Up Tag Corner Punch (#107215, $6.95; p. 186), I contoured all four corners of both my base cardstock and Designer Series Paper mat. I then attached the mat with Stampin' Up! SNAIL Adhesive. The ornament pieces were attached with Stampin' Up! Stamping Dimensionals to give the card some depth and a focus on the ornaments. Finally, I decided to use a sentiment from another new stamp set entitled 'Four The Holidays' (#116921, $13.95; p. 19).



The sentiment was stamped with Basic Black ink and the card was complete.




Though the Christmas holiday season is yet a few months away, now is the time to be thinking about what design and format your holiday cards will take. If you've never made your own holiday cards, now's the perfect time to look at some of the marvelous ideas Stampin' Up! offers and get your feet wet and your brain oozing creativity. Some of the best gifts and rememberances are the ones that come from the heart--and from the hands.

I'm going to be hoping for snow this year(yet, again!) and wishing you all a very creative Wednesday! Keep Crafting...