Valentine Hoot Box and Mini Card

Using my SU bitty box and envelope die with my sizzix big kick, I created this adorable gift box and card set for Valentine's Day. The owls are from Sassafras' Olivia & Pals clear stamp set, the flower petal is an older SU punch, the heart is a Marvy scallop heart punch and backround flower is also a Marvy Punch. The cardstock is a personal favorite collection called Classic K McKenna from K&Company along with Soft Vanilla from Stampin' Up!® and Tan CS from The Paper Co. Other supplies used: Brown satin ribbon, light and dark pink rhinestones, Chocolate Chip ink, Regal Rose Marker, stamping sponge (to distress edges), Glue Glider Pro with high tac adhesive, Glue Arts' ribbon adhesive and mini adhesive squares. I displayed this project at the CHA Craft SuperShow this past Saturday. This is a close up view of the gift card and box top. Scroll down for more photos.

Some design notes: I used mini adhesive squares to make & attach the ribbon loop under the punched flower. If you don't own this punch, you can substitute with a similar size flower. To create the 2 toned owl, I stamped once in chocolate chip, then once using the Regal Rose brush marker to color and stamp. I trimmed out the heart shaped face and adhered to stamped brown image. I trimmed around owl shape and mounted to layers on mini gift card. For edging on card, I used a stamping sponge dipped into ink pad. I drug along CS to distress. I freehand cut the mini pink heart from the wing portion of the owl I stamped in Regal Rose.

Don't forget to dress up the outside of the envelope. Here I used the scallop heart punch with a lightly patterned solid CS from the collection so I could write the name of the person I was giving it to inside the heart. Again, I edged in brown ink to make it pop!

This shows a view of the inside of the mini gift card with the ribbon wrapped around the inside. I added a tiny verse from a retired SU set, called Be Mine, but you can add in your own stamped verse or set up a message on your computer and print out. I edged Vanilla CS with rose marker.

My CHA Travel Experience

I am back from the CHA Craft SuperShow and retailers tradeshow in Anaheim inspired by the creativity that surrounded me. I had demonstrating Glue Arts' adhesives while leading make-n-takes at the consumer and retail shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is always great to see the wonderful Glue Arts gang and get to hang out together for a few days. Participating in the PJ Party Live event Friday night brought stares (at our pajamas & slippers) and fulfillment in showing crafters how to make a winter hat mini album. My experience at this year's CHA show ended with a day of walking the show and getting creatively inspired by the wonderful new products and talent that surrounded me. Here is a peek of my travel diary. I will post show previews later this week. If you want to veiw the captions, just click on the slide show to view at larger size in Picasa.

From One Coast to Another

Today I head to Anaheim, California for the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) Consumer Super Show and Retailer’s Show. I can't wait to see all the crafty goodness. I will be participating in the PJ Party Live hosted by Tiffany Windsor on Friday evening. See my earlier post with a sneak peek of the winter hat project we will be doing. I will be at the Oh My Crafts booth helping with make-n-takes earlier in the day as well as on Saturday. Then the retail show starts Sunday, where I will be working in the Glue Arts booth. Monday, I will get to walk the show and see what fun products will soon be released. Then, Tuesday I travel home to my family and pooch, whom I will be missing and sending loving until I return from one coast to another!

This card is one I created for my Father-in-Law’s birthday. Hope it inspires ideas for a masculine birthday card. I wanted to send him some warm Birthday wishes in the month of December. I promise to post some more projects when I return.

I'm baaaack!

I am baaaack now in more ways than one. Yup, I know I have been missing in action on my own blog {how pathetic is that!}, but it started with being sick twice between Thanksgiving and Christmas and constantly playing catch up throughout the holiday mayhem. Then, you factor in a 2 week haitus to Philly to see family, including the 19 hr. trek during a record-setting snowfall in the northeast and a 17 hr. return trip requiring blink eyedrops about every two seconds of the last 4 hours and as many caffeine drinks that my bladder would allow given our limited stops. Yes, December began and ended in the blink of an eye, but I promise to do multiple project postings to show you what creative things I have been up to during my absence!

As you may know, the big Craft and Hobby Assocation Winter show in Anaheim, CA is fast approaching. This is a peek at the winter hat mini album I created and will be presenting with Glue Arts at the Inspired at Home Pajama Party Live event. So whether or not you are one of the lucky attendees making this at the CHA Craft Super Show special event, you check throw on your PJs and slippers and check out the live broadcast of this event!

Since everyone's budgets are pinched tighter by holiday spending, ya'll are probably ready for a sale. If you have been wanting to try out Glue Arts' adhesives, now is the time. Save 10% from now until the end of January using the promo code JAN10 during checkout.

A PEEK INSIDE THE CHA SUMMER SHOW ’09

Well, I have been back from the CHA Craft & Hobby Association tradeshow & CHA Consumer SuperShow for a little over a week, and I am finally getting together a slideshow to show you some of the goodies that grabbed my attention. All of the manufacturers that I spoke with were so nice and I have to say how impressed I was with the quality of design work that was represented. The papers are some of the best selections I have seen in years! Kudos to all the awesome designers that made that happen. From cute snowmen and bright colors for Christmas to fun halloween designs that will make you howl and some of the most beautiful petal and pearl embellishments a girl could want, the summer show was full of eye candy! You will see a mix of products, project samples (some blurry, sorry, but at times I was cruising faster than my shutter speed and pulling my case and juggling my camera). But hopefully, these will give you an idea of some of the wonderful products that will be available this fall at your favorite online or local retailer. I put the photos in alphabetical order by manufacturer. If you want to view individual photos, go to my Picasa gallery.

Join me at CHA!

The countdown has begun and I am preparing the class kits for the Flip, Flap Purse class that I will be teaching this Saturday, Aug. 1 from 9-11 am at the CHA Craft SuperShow being held at the Orlando Convention Center. 

You have seen some other peeks at this fun purse, but I would love to see some friendly faces in the class room. Go to the show link for more information on admission and class sign up fees.

Also, on Friday, I will be working at the Glue Arts booth so be sure and stop by to say hi and do a fun make-n-take project.

I  promise to give you a report on all the great new products unveiled at the Craft and Hobby Association summer trade show. Soon, I will also be posting some fun variations of the flip flap purse project soon.

Sign Up for my CHA Craft Supershow Class!

Most of you who have been involved in crafting have heard of the CHA tradeshow that happens twice a year in the Craft and Hobby Industry. It is where craft manufacturer’s role out their summer and winter releases and buyer’s decide on which products and lines will appear in their retail and online stores. This year the show is in Orlando, FL — how exciting — just a little over an hour’s drive from my house in Melbourne! Following the industry show, there will be a 2 day event open to CONSUMERS, called the CHA Craft Supershow, and I will be teaching a class for Glue Arts. You can go online to register for this class, only $15 and quite a deal. It will be held on Saturday, August 1st from 9 - 11 am. Tickets for the show are sold for 1 day and 2-day passes. Click here for a list of retailers offering discounts on admission and check out the list of craft exhibitors & activities here. For general information about the show, visit the website.

Just look at this adorable Flip Flap Purse/Album that I will teach you how to make. I have included some additional photos showing it unfolded and one close up that are not shown on the CHA Supershow website. All class supplies for this project are included. We just suggest bringing a pair of scissors for assembly. It is also a great opportunity to try out Glue Arts’ adhesives. So all my fellow Florida stamp and scrap pals, be sure to sign up so I can have some familiar faces in my class! And designer friends who are traveling to CHA, be sure to sign up, too! I am so excited about this event and hope to see you there! Only 75 spots available, so sign up as soon as possible!