Michelle's Crafty Corner

Vintage Vogue Valentine and Paper Lace Directions

I am working on club projects for the January 8 and I have to be careful I don’t try to do too much.  One time, my club gals were at my house until 1:30 a.m.!  Yikes!  Not that I mind but sometimes I get a little carried away.  There are just soooo many awesome things I want to share and I have trouble narrowing it down.  We usually do 3-4 projects at club – a couple of cards, a 3-D item and a scrapbook layout.  I was going to do 4 projects on January 8 but I think we will have to do 3 – the calendar project is going to take a little longer than I thought and we just have to do a calendar project for 2010. 

I will show you the calendar soon but right now, as promised, here is the card with the paper lace and project directions for the paper lace follow.  I used the new Vintage Vogue set with the clear mounts and can I just say the clear mounts are amazing!  They have such a nice feel to them and they have finger indentions on all four sides, not two like the wood.  Being able to see where I was stamping was also a real plus as I wanted my backgrounds to be tight but not overlapping.  I made two versions – one using Pretty in Pink ink and Chocolate Chip as the accent/”aging” color and one using Pale Plum and Perfect Plum with Creamy Caramel for “aging”.  The sentiment is from the L1 Hostess set, Holiday Best.  Let me know which color combo you like best!

As promised, here are the directions to do Paper Lace (inspired by JANine TINKlendburg).

1. Cut a long strip of cardstock 1 ¼” wide.  I used a 12” length for my 2” circle.

2. Punch the edge with the Scallop Border or the Eyelet Border punch (I prefer the Eyelet).

3. Run your lace strip through you crimper and then flatten it back out slightly.

4. Put a continuous strip  of Sticky Strip (“female duct tape”) at the very bottom edge of your strip.

5. Peel off the red layer of the Sticky Strip and then begin gathering and sticking your lace strip to what you are bordering.  You will want to use the crimping to gather by smooshing the crimped pieces together just like you gather fabric.  If you are having trouble or don’t sew, just fold it a little every 2 or 3 “crimps”, bringing the lace strip in toward your circle as you go to make it go around.  Be careful as you are gathering that you don’t gather it too tight or it will tear at the top.  Also, keep smoothing your circle as you go to prevent it from getting “squished” in the gathering process.  If it gets squished, it won’t lay flat when you are done.

 
   

6. Gather and stick all the way around and overlap slightly at the end and cut away any excess.

7. “Age” your lace if desired by using a sponge dauber to apply the ink of your choice at the edges and lightly in random areas to mimic an aged effect.  Voila’!

This technique can be used on all kind of shapes - circles, ovals, sqares, hearts...  TTFN!  Michelle 

Valentine Ruffle Box using the Stampin'Up! Fancy Favors Box

It seems way too early to be thinking about Valentine's but I got inspired by a Christmas box on Kimberly van Diepen's site and realized that Valentine's would be here before I know it so I had better get busy especially since I want to do another Mommy and Me class and an Open House for Sale-a-bration and the new Occasions mini, finish club projects, plan a Stamp a Stack, schedule our annual ski trip plus other things I am sure I am forgetting at the moment.  Wow, the list just goes on and on but there is just so much time and so little to do...wait a minute, reverse that!  Haha - anybody know what movie that comes from?  It was a favorite book of mine as a child and has been made into a movie with a remake a couple of years ago.  Anyway, check out this darling little favor...

 

Isn't it cute?  I love this little box and it was very easy to make.  Here are some short directions:

1. Using the Big Shot and the Fancy Favors Box die, cut out your box from a 6" X 12" piece of Pretty in Pink CS.

2. Cut 2 strips of DSP 2" X 12".  SNEAK PEAK!!  I used the new Sending Love Specialty DSP from the Occasions Mini (coming out Jan.5).  It is so pretty and sparkly - I wish I could afford many, many packages so I could make EVERYTHING with this paper!!!

3. Accordian Fold your DSP (fold it back and forth) and then smooth it back out.  Put a strip of Sticky Strip (a.k.a. duct tape for girls) along the bottom of the DSP on the side that will face OUTWARD.

4. With your box still flat, remove the protective backing from the sticky strip on the DSP and gather it along the top edge (see picture below).  Kimberly did hers with the box assembled but I kept getting the DSP stuck in the wrong place and found it easier to do it flat. 

5. Adhere both pieces of DSP to complete the ruffle overlapping slightly at the end.  Add sticky strip to the tabs as shown and then assemble your box.

 

6. Adhere the decoration of your choice to the front.  I used the Large Oval Punch and Scallop Oval punches with the Valentine's stamp from the L1 Hostess set Holiday Best in Real Red Ink.  I also used  Real Red "Paper Lace" and I will publish those directions with my upcoming Vintage Vogue card (another SNEAK PEAK!!) in a day or so.

TTFN!  Michelle
 
 

EASY Gift Card Holder just in time for Christmas!

Some folks are just hard to buy for so what are you gonna do?  Buy'em a GIFT CARD but how to personalize a gift card????  Make a handmade gift card holder, silly!  This gift card holder is so easy and takes like 5 minutes to make - the most basic design only requires something to cut with and something to score with plus an adhesive (tape will work if that is all you have!).  I will show the directions using my fab Stampin'Up! goodies but you can substitute with materials on hand for what you don't have.  Here we go...

1. First, cut your paper (I used Merry Moments DSP) to 5 1/4" X 6".

2. Score the 5 ¼” side at ¾” on both sides.  Score the 6” side at 1 ¼” and 3 ¾”.

3. Cut out the ¾” width corners and then cut the flap at a slight angle – here is a picture at this point.

4. Using a corner rounder punch, round the corners of the the top and bottom flap.  You will have to fold in the sides to punch the short flap corners.

5. Using a 1” circle punch, cut a semi-circle thumb slot in the short flap.  See picture below.

 

6. Fold at the score lines to form your holder.

 

7. Make a belly band to hold the holder closed.  For the vertical band, you will need a 6” by 1” strip.  For a horizontal band, you will need a 9” X 1” strip.  Fold the band around the holder (not super tight, it should slide on and off!) and adhere at the ends.  You can add a stamped and punched tag (or not).  Here are 3 samples – two using the Christmas Punch hostess set with the matching punches and one using no stamps or punches at all!!  You decide how you would like to make it.

 

I hope this is helpful to you at this busy, busy time of year.  TTFN!  Michelle