Bodacious Boxes

I just  love pretty boxes! It doesn't matter if I buy them or make them, there's just something so inherently special about a beautiful container that just grabs me ya know?  Anyway, I was making a box to hold a set of calendar pages and I just kept making more and more of them! lol  I have one to hold a set of calendar pages for myself and one for my friend Barb. Then I made one for a set of cards. The pages of my calendar fit inside a magnetic frame, and the same kind fit inside an acrylic frame for the one I made for my BFF.

This box is made from crumb cake and primrose petals card stock. Decorated with Tea For Two dsp, primrose petals & Crochet Trim ribbon, Antique Brad, Artisan Embellishment roses, Apothecary framelit, Blossom Petals Builder punch, and From The Heart stamp set.

Natural Composition Specialty card stock, Antique Brad, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, crumb cake and early espresso card stock, Windows framelits, Apothecary Framelits, From The Heart stamp set and Crochet Trim ribbon.

Antique Brade, Vintage Wallpaer embossing folder, very vanilla and early espresso card stock, crumb cake ink sponged, Apothecary Framelit, From the Heart stamp set, Mocha Morning retired dsp.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are the last two Valentines, for the men in my life. The frogs went to my son and the mushy one is for my husband.

 

 

This is the lovely surprise I got from my Secret Sis, in the Valentine's Day Swap for the Pink Pajama Party Girls Blogging group. I had such fun opening the box and I LOVE all the stuff:) Isn't that heart shaped box just gorgeous? It's full of pretty lace too (big sigh) Pearl brads, decorative clothespins, a cool bookmark, some library book cards, gorgeous paper pack, a beautiful Valentine and wonderful hand cream. How did she know that my hands are constantly dry lately??

I ate the candy right away cause I was starving after Physical Therapy lol!!

THANK YOU DORLENE!!!

The Last of My Valentines

Since many men are kind of "challenged" when it comes to Cupid Day, I send pretty Valentine's Day cards to all the women in my life. My Sisters in Law and dear friends. These are the last two card styles and I'm done, ready to get them in the mail. Some designs were so pretty that I made 2 or 3 of them. All together I'll send 16 Valentines to strong beautiful women who I am honored to know and/or be related to.

You know what though? Even my big tough brother likes to get cards from me in the mail:)

Project Details
Stamps
Card Stock & Papers	Very Vanilla, Primrose Petal
Ink
Accessories	Artisan Embellishment Kit,
Tools	Fancy Fan embossing folder

Project Details
Stamps	That's The Ticket
Card Stock & Papers	Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Twitterpated dsp.
Ink	Cherry Cobbler
Accessories	Antique Brads, Striped Ribbon (clearance rack)
Tools	Vintage Wallpaper and Square Lattice embossing folders

Valentines

I'm nearly done, I have three Valentines left to make! I'm sending them to family and friends who live far away. It's one of the ways I keep in touch with everyone.

I have seen something like this first one on Pinterest somewhere. I'm not sure how it was different because it's been a while ago. Anyway, it was in my head, so I made it.

Project Details
Stamps	Teeny Tiny Wishes
Card Stock & Papers	Whisper White, Pink Pirouette
Ink	Pink Pirouette
Accessories	Basic Jewels- Pearls
Tools	Word Window and Modern Label punches, Elegant Lines embossing folder

I got this idea from Dawn Olchefske. I really like the whole puzzle concept, and I want to try it with the butterfly embosslits too.

Project Details
Stamps	Teeny Tiny Wishes
Card Stock & Papers	Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Soft Suede
Ink	Raspberry Ripple
Accessories	Primrose Petals Stitched Satin ribbon
Tools	Fashionable Hearts Embosslits, Word Window and Modern Label punches, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder

Ribbon Storage

I used to store my small collection of ribbon like Becca, from Amazing Paper Grace does. Since I've become a Stampin' Up! Demo I've been using a lot more ribbon and it comes on much larger spools. My Upline, Pam shared this idea with me and I LOVE it! I found this VCR/CD storage thingy at Goodwill for $4.00. In fact, I have two of them. Spools of any size fit on the rails and if a row is not full, there is a bar you can use as a bookend type deal to keep them standing up. I can cut a small piece of ribbon off, or remove the entire spool easily. Now that this one is full, I'm going to ask my husband to attach the other one on top of this one. Then I'll have a tower of four rows. Right now it's sitting on the futon, which I wish would mysteriously vanish in a puff of smoke so that I could put a table there.... but that's a whole other story!

The interesting thing is, Pam found one similar to this on ebay. This is very cool too, I like it a lot, but I prefer my 4.00 Goodwill find:) We both think it could be made out of foam core as well.

The spice rack on the left holds non Stampin' Up! embellishments. Ya gotta love thrift store finds.

Valentines

I have some Valentines to share today. The first one you've seen, but I added a Valentine ticket to it.

Project Details
Stamps	That’s The Ticket
Card Stock & Papers	Print Poetry dsp stack, Very Vanilla
Ink	Raspberry Ripple
Accessories	dimensionals
Tools	Lacy Fan embossing folder

Project Details
Stamps	Tiny Tiny Wishes
Card Stock & Papers	Print Poetry dsp stack, Whisper White, Twitterpated dsp
Ink	Raspberry Ripple
Accessories	dimensionals, Basic Jewels Pearls
Tools	Lacy Fan embossing folder, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch

Project Details
Stamps	That’s The Ticket
Card Stock & Papers	Twitterpated dsp, Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze, Whisper White
Ink	Cherry Cobbler
Accessories	Basic Jewels Pearls, mini envelope is hand-cut
Tools	Lacy Fan embossing folder, Fashionable Hearts embosslits

All Kinds of Stuff

You all know how our storage systems and the organization of our craft rooms, or studios as I prefer to call them are constantly evolving. Two things I added last fall are still working for me, even after I've added a lot more product and I wanted to share them with y'all. I looked at ink pad storage shelves that you buy for 50 to 60 dollars and I just hated to spend money on that rather than on ink pads and punches and stamps, ya know? So I made an ink pad storage system from foam core. I've been very pleased with it, especially since I now have all the Stampin' Up! colors of ink pads. If you think this is something you'd like to try, here is the link for directions: foam core storage.

 This is that whole section of my studio now with much more product and it still functions very well for me.

This was around 19 dollars at Lowes, it's from Closet Maid and was meant to be a shoe rack. I just tacked a piece of foam core on the back to keep the punches from falling out. Eventually, I'd like something that has shelves for each punch, but until I can rearrange space this will do. Uh... that rearranging space involves getting rid of a futon that we never use, but some husband I know just swears we might need some day.  {rolling eyes} lol!!

I just love these paper storage tabs. They were made by Cori Kozak with My Digital Studio. You can get them here.

The last thing I have to share is this sample board I made to show how well Stampin' Up! products coordinate with color and patterns. This is just for one set of designer series paper, but every set coordinates with card stocks, inks, ribbons and other different products. I thought this would be a great way to show new stampers how the products match so beautifully. What do you think?