Gretchen Barron: DSP -- Tea Party

DSP -- Tea Party

March 06, 2009

New Matchbox Die Treasure Chests!

Now, I wish I could say that I came up with this idea! Wouldn't that be nice ... but not so! Dianne Shiozaki shared the idea on a Demonstrator discussion group. She had received an e-flyer from a craft company with a picture of a matchbox dresser that can be made with normal household objects that usually get thrown away! Dianne posed a challenge for someone to take this idea and use it with the Big Shot and the new Stampin' Up! Exclusive Matchbox Bigz Die that will be available beginning April 1st in the Occasions Mini Catalog. Well, you know me and challenges! And since my preorder goodies from the Occasions mini just happened to come the night before, there was that die, just begging to be used! Igot up early this morning and started playing around and this is what I came up with. Isn't it cute? I actually made two of them and let me tell you, they are so quick and easy to make. The exclusive Stampin' Up! Die both cuts and scores your cardstock. The base of the box doesn't even need any adhesive to hold it together. That's how wonderfully this die is designed. The top of the box just needs a tiny bit of adhesive on one flap. A few folds and it's all together, beautifully. I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard that four little Nugget candies will fit perfectly inside the box, making it a great quick little project for teacher gifts, door prizes or just anytime you want to let someone know you're thinking of them. In addition to the box, the die also include 3 exclusively shaped tags that can be used with the boxes or with other projects!

Anyway, on to this project. I made three of the boxes, one each in Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink and Almost Amethyst. I made all the tops in Almost Amethyst. I used Sticky Strip Adhesive on each of the box top flaps to hold them together and used Sticky Strip as well to adhere the Tea Party Designer Series Paper around the assembled chest. A 2" piece of 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon serves as the drawer pulls, held in place with the adorable new Flower Assortment Brads. I wrapped a piece of DSP (2 5/8" x 10") around the assembled drawers, securing it all around with Sticky Strip. I wrapped a generous piece of the new 5/8" Satin Ribbon (again available April 1st from the Occasions Mini Catalog), leaving enough to tie a bow on the top. Oh my gosh, this new ribbon is so beautiful and easy to work with! The tag is made with one of the tags on the Die and the new set (yes, from the Mini) called Great Friend. The butterfly antennae are from the Pretties Kit! (click on the pictures to see larger images) I punched a tiny hole in one butterfly wing and tied a loop of Linen Thread thought it to attach the tag to the bow! This little treasure chest will be sent to a special friend and each little drawer will hold some tiny secret Stampin' Up! surprises! I can't wait until she receives it!

Here's the other one that I made, using Good Morning Sunshine Designer Series Paper. It was constructed in the same way, using the colors Pacific Point, Summer Sun, Old Olive and Chocolate Chip. I made some little mini tags to go inside the drawers using the stamp sets Cheep Talk, WOW Flowers and Short & Sweet! Oh, the tag on this little chest uses the new Scallop Oval Punch and the Oval All Stamp set, another sneak-peek at the good things to come in the Occasions Mini Catalog!

If you would like to order any of the stamp sets, papers and supplies that you see presented on my blog, and don't currently have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator to assist you, I will be glad to help you with that. To order, you can e-mail me or call me and place your order directly with me or you can order directly from my Stampin' Up website here. Just click on "shop now" at the top of the page. Your order will be shipped direct to your door!

Check out my previous posts for information about Marker Clubs that are forming now, a Big Shot Class-On-The-Go that you can order from me, and some great new Easter Setsthat are now available from Stampin' Up!

Don't forget as well that Sale-a-Bration is on! This is the Stampin' Up! BIG sale of the year. With every $50 purchase, you receive a FREE Sale-a-Bration product from the brochure (includes Stamp Sets, Ribbon and Papers). Click HERE to see the brochure online!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you come back soon!!!

Blessings, Gretchen

Posted at 07:54 AM in Big Shot, DSP -- Good Morning Sunshine, DSP -- Tea Party, Gift Items | Permalink | Comments (13) | TrackBack (0)

March 03, 2009

Big Shot Buddies for Easter!

Okay, I'll admit it! I'm having entirely too much fun trying to come up with cute little characters that I can create using my Big Shot and the Top Note Bigz Die. Last fall I introduced you to Frankie & Friends, at Christmastime Frosty was a big hit. And now, just in time for Easter, meet my Big Shot Bunny and her pal, Chic! Aren't they just delightful? This fun duo will be just two of the projects (4 projects total) that customers will be able to make at my Big Shot Bonanza Class on March 22nd and 23rd.

The class is FREE to anyone who has purchased a Big Shot Die Cut Machine and/or Starter Kit from me. For those that haven't committed to the Big Shot yet (you notice, I say "yet"), the class will be offered for a $20 registration fee. If you do not live in the Decatur area and would like to purchase a Class-On-The-Go kit, your fee will be $25, which includes S&H. The Class-On-The-Go option will include detailed instructions with photos for all 4 Big Shot Bonanza projects for March (you only see two of the projects here, but all 4 will be great!), pre-cut and scored cardstock and designer papers for all four projects and any needed embellishments. You will also receive a 6x6" sample of each of the Tea Party Designer Series Papers (perfect pastels for Easter). All you will need are your own adhesives, inks and stamps. Class-To-Go-Kits will be mailed beginning March 15th, in plenty of time for you to create wonderful Easter projects for family and friends. Order by clicking on the PayPal link below.

Posted at 07:03 AM in Big Shot, Class-On-The-Go Kits, DSP -- Tea Party, Easter | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)

February 18, 2009

Tea Party is Today's Featured Designer Series Paper

Tea Party Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up! is sweet, delicate and full of fresh, spring colors like Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Basic Gray, Almost Amethyst and So Saffron! It's just plain cute and oh, so pretty! For this first card I used this week's MoJo Monday sketch. The card base is Almost Amethyst with a layer of So Saffron on top and a layer of the Amethyst DSP which has been texturized with the Big Shot and the exclusive Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate. A bit of the DSP is mounted on Certainly Celery and off-set from center before adding the focal image, from the Level 3 Hostess Set Dream a Little (ask me how you can earn it for FREE) is stamped on Whisper White and mounted on So Saffron. I colored in the flower using Blender Pens and ink. The bird is stamped in So Saffron and the sentiment is punched out with the Large Oval Punch. A bit of 1/4" Certainly Celery Grosgrain ribbon finished off this happy little card.

For my second card using Tea Party DSP, I switched gears a bit to the elegant Fifth Avenue Floral Stamp set. I stamped the rose using Black Stazon On directly onto the Saffron pattern from the DSP pack and did a little shading with a blender pen and some Certainly Celery ink on the inside of the flower to give it a little depth. The stripe background is cut using the Big Shot and the Top Note Bigz Die. The PolyTwill ribbon is from the Sale-A-Bration catalog (yes, you can earn it for FREE -- ask me how). The leaves are punched with a Large Oval Punch, shaded a bit with some ink on the edges and run through the Paper Crimper to get the corrugated effect. I stamped the inside of the card and the envelope with flower images from the Stamp Set. The sentiment is from the set Bella Blossoms (on the Dormant List but still available).

Finally, I have the perfect little project to use with Tea Party Designer Series Paper! It is an adorable little pocket card with what else ... a tea bag in the pocket! The darling little pocket is created using the Big Shot and the Scallop Envelope Die and a bit of the DSP. It creates a perfect place to tuck in a tea bag, pack of gum, wrapped chocolate wafer, gift card or even $$$! On the outside of the card, I used the Yummy Set for the sentiment (Sale-A-Bration) and the new Simple Friendship set for the Butterfly. I also used the new Eyelet Border Punch at the bottom for a lacy effect.

So, what do you say? Is it time for tea yet?

And finally, don't forget to check out my DSP samplers. I've extended the deadline for ordering these through February 22nd. You get a BIG 6x12" sheet of each of the DSP papers in each sampler, enough to make dozens of cards and scrapbook pages, without the expense of purchasing entire packs of each collection. You can check out all my DSP samplers HERE or by clicking on my Online Store Window in the left side-bar.