What Am I Doing??

Well, here's a project for all you "green" people out there... my husband likes to purchase Raisin Bran cereal in those HUGE boxes at Sam's Club, and they really are nice boxes... corrugated cardboard rather than the single layer that most boxes are. I really am tired of crushing and sending them to the curb so I made these paper holders. (Watch out you "Cropper Hopper" people!!)
After cutting them down, I decoupaged them with white paper first (just so the cereal box wouldn't show through the scrapbook paper) and then I decoupaged Handsome Hunter cardstock on the bottom and scrapbooking paper on the top portion. Then added a ribbon around the seam and a card holder from the brass Hodgepodge Hardware set. Finally, I thought the inside needed something, so I cut felt-backed vinyl and tacked it down with tacky tape on the inside. Hope you like it!

Rag Purse

It's been awhile since I've posted, I know! But you might find this interesting: a rag purse made by cutting scalloped squares with the Big Shot machine. Since I don't need a purse, I turned mine into a sock yarn & double-pointed needle holding bag. I've been meaning to make a case for all my double-pointed needles and now I have one! I put a lining inside to hold them all around the edge.
The great thing about this is that the Big Shot will cut up to 9 squares of fabric at a time!! Forget the charm packs!! LOL

Nuggets & Cards Gift Box

I saw this somewhere, so it is not my idea, but this particular one is my design. You can download a PDF file with directions HERE.

The directions include making the one here (structure only, not stamping!) and also how to make one with a solid clear box top.

These make great Christmas or anytime gifts!

And I had so much fun making them that I made another. This one is much sturdier as I made the bottom of the box out of the single layer white cardboard that comes in a pack of designer series paper.

Using the Sweet Treat Cups

This is part of a video we did for this November Stamp Camp which shows how to use the Sweet Treat cups and also the technique for embossing with dye ink pads. Hope you enjoy it!

Mitered Corners

I have several of the SAR (Some Assembly Required) sets and have made them by stamping and cutting, but these dies are great!! Here's a card I made that uses a technique I teach often of how to miter the corners when wheeling a border around the edges. In this example, I used the clear embossing cartridge and the Baroque Border wheel from Stampin' Up! The directions for the mitered corners are in a PDF file on the right. This card opens and was stamped with the Christ is Born stamp set with fluid chalks and the pop-up tree that was all cut with the new XL Christmas tree die. Here's a shot of the inside of the card:

Cardinal Card Candy

The chickadee was such a hit I thought I'd also make a "realistic" cardinal. We'll all be ready for making Christmas cards with these two birdies!! Here's the picture and the directions can be downloaded here. Hope you enjoy these birds!!

Using the Big Shot

After reading so many posts on different sites and also from having my own customers make mistakes with the Big Shot, I decided to make a movie showing all the different dies that I use with it. My friend, Stacie, and I like making these informative videos, and we hope you enjoy the humor of them, too!
Unbelievable as it is, the "sewing/quilting" industry is now introducing die cutting machines for applique work and the price of the machines those companies are selling is astronomical! I use the Big Shot for all my applique work, too! Just adhere the adhesive bonding material of your choice to the back of the fabric, run it through the die cutting machine and you've got your appliques! I made a St. Patrick's Day flag by die cutting different shades of green hearts and them ironing them onto plain white muslin and then stitching around the edges and stitched the stems.