Thursday, February 16, 2017

Wacky Watercooler February 2017 Spring Fever Blog Hop

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day this week. I know for some of you you're still getting winter storms so you'll probably welcome our thoughts of better things to come with our Spring Fever Blog Hop which runs from today through Saturday February 18th, 2017.  Hopefully no matter what your weather situation, you'll be able to have happy Spring thoughts.  

The Wacky Watercooler blog hop is a circular hop so no matter whether you start at the beginning of the list or enter at some other point, if you continue moving from participant to participant you'll always wind up where you started. 

This time around I'm very excited to be starting off the hop, so you're either beginning or ending at my site.  Hope I don't disappoint.  There are a total of 8 other talented paper crafters following me who're all eager to share their creative and exciting projects with you, so I hope you'll relax, settle in and enjoy the hop! 

My First Project - Sparkles:  
It seems I'm caught up in Sparkles and Birthdays this week, so it's appropriate that my first project combines both.  This is a fun birthday/gift card holder I've made for a very special girlfriend of mine who absolutely "sparkles" in everything she does.  

Supplies:
Stamp Sets:  Love Sparkles #143183
Card Stock:  Whisper White and Smokey Slate, Silver Glimmer Paper, Silver Foil Card Stock
DSP:  A Little Foxy Designer Series Paper Stack #141637
Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Big Shot, Mini Treat Bag Framelit, Balloon Pop-Up Thinlet #142753, Star Blast Edgelits#142763, Tom Bow Glue, Basic Rhinestones, Stitched Rectangles (Non-Su)

 
This project started with a Mini Treat Bag made with the dies of the same name.  Since my friend is such a glam and glitzy girl, I chose this beautiful designer paper from the "A Little Foxy Designer Series Paper stack to go with my gray and white theme. It was perfect.  Note:  You need two 6x6 sheets to complete the mini bag.

I absolutely love the Star Blast Edgelits.  They just instantly create happiness and excitement on a project.  For this bag I cut both a Smokey Slate and a Silver Glimmer Paper star blast image.  I attached them with Mini Glue dots at the base so the stars would still bob and move around once they were adhered to the bag front. For some additional glam I added a strip of silver foil to the Smokey Slate card stock base and adhered this piece on an angle across the bag. 

For the sentiment I stamped the "Sparkle" sentiment In Momento Tuxedo Black ink on a scrap of Whisper White card stock and cut it out with a non-SU stitched rectangle die.  I added some silver foil stars and Basic Rhinestones to complete the sentiment piece.    

The inside gift card was made with a piece of Whisper White card stock that measures 5 1/4" x 3 7/8".  The overlay was made by cutting a piece of Smokey Slate card stock with the Balloon Pop-Up Thinlet.  

I added touches of Silver Glimmer paper for the balloons and stars and some small Basic Rhinestones.  I cut two Smokey Slate bows using the Bow die cut from this set for the handle on the card.  The sentiment "It's Your Day" is from the Love Sparkles stamp set.



The back of the insert has a 2" by 3 7/8" piece of the designer series paper across the bottom. It was attached with a small amount of Tom Bow glue on three sides. The gift card slides in length-wise in the center. The sentiment "happy birthday" was stamped at the top of the insert with Momento Tuxedo Black ink. 


My Second Project:  A No-Cut DSP Gift Folder CASE

My second project is also birthday related and uses products from the Party Animal Collection in the Occasions 2017 catelogueMy inspiration for this project came from the very talented Diane Barnes, who has been making what she calls a "No-Cut Patterned Paper Gift Folder" since 2008.   

Here's What I Came Up With:

This is the front of the folder.  

Inside the gift folder are two side pockets where you can add notes.  I've left mine blank so I can personalize for the fellow I'm going to give this to. 


This is the back view of the gift card holder. The Pacific Point bow on the side is the gift card pullout. Because of the additional pull-out, you would have to custom make an envelope to hold this card.


Supplies:
Stamp Sets: Balloon Adventures #142823, Love Sparkles #143183, and Avante Garden (143272 - Happy Birthday)
Ink: Emerald Envy, Watermelon Wonder, Pacific Point
Paper: Party Animal Designer Series Paper, Silver Glimmer Paper
Card Stock: Emerald Envy, Tangerine Tango, Watermelon Wonder, Pacific Point, Whisper White.
Accessories: Balloon Pop-Up Thinlet Dies #142753, Star Punch from Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack (R), Banners Framelits #132173, Lots of Labels Thinlet Dies #138281, Emerald Envy Bakers Twine, Dimensionals, Tear N' Tape, Tom Bow Glue, Simply Scored, Trimmer and Big Shot.
Side view of the Gift Folder

The blue tab on the side is for the gift card.  It is tucked into this side-seam.
 
This is the front of the actual gift card holder that I designed and added to the card.  It comes complete with it's own little tab on the side that I cut out with the Balloon Pop-Up Thinlet Dies.  I slid this into the side seam created by the fold in the card stock and it fits snugly inside. 
Here you can see I just created a small pocket on the reverse of the holder that the gift card can just slide into.
I loved the fact that there are all kinds of neat little folds and hiding places on this gift card holder. And, although I basically CASED Diane's design I like adding my own take on a project, such as adding glue on some folds so that the package didn't come apart and I also created a square gift card holder that I could tuck into the side seam. 

Assembly:
Because Diane happily shares her template and fabulous instructions for this Gift Folder, on her blog, I've provided this link so you can check out her post on this topic.  I'm sure you'll be just as eager as I was to create one or maybe several of this fun gift card bag(s).  Whatever you do please acknowledge her and drop her a comment, let her know I sent you.  

Project Three:   Avant Garden Spring Card
With Spring just around the corner and a plethora of birthdays coming up in March and April I decided to make a simple card using the Avant Garden stamp set for my third project.  You can't buy this stamp set, but you can earn it for free during Sale-A-Bration with the purchase of $60.00 CDN from any of the other Stampin' Up! catalogues currently available.  

I stamped three of the bouquet images on a piece of 3 1/2 x 3 1/2" Very Vanilla card stock.  I water coloured the flowers and stems with Sweet Sugarplum and Pear Pizazz inks.  To get the fullness in the image, I restamped three more floral images, painted them and fussy cut them out attaching various bits and pieces to the original stamped flowers with dimensionals.

Well you've come to the end of my projects for this hop and I hope that I've inspired your creative side in some way.  Now it's time to move on to the wonderful Kath Rick's blog so she can wow you with her projects.  Have fun and remember to leave some comments along the way..... we love to hear from you.



Heidi Weaver


Happy Stamping!
Penny Token's Stampin Spot

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Penny, your first gift cardholder truly sparkles and is perfect for your glam and glitzy girl friend! What a beautiful gift you created. Your second gift folder is festive and perfect for that fellow! I like the addition of the gift cardholder. And last, but not least, your Avante Garden card is beautiful! Love your color of choice and the soft background you created.

Penny Hanuszak said...

Thanks Marie for stopping by. I had fun with the two gift holders and you're right they are perfect for both of my friends. The last card was a labour of love and will be given to my mom for her 95th birthday on April 4th.

paper bag create said...

Beautiful projects and my fave is the Sparkles gift card holder and the matching mini bag...Love your matching sets...they totally rawk. Cute card with the Avant Garden...I feel a CASE happening soon. :)

Created by Kath said...

What fun projects! I'm loving the sparkle this week has had.

Penny Hanuszak said...

Thanks Kath. Yes, lots of sparkle this week. You'll laugh, but I had originally created my first project for the Watercooler Wednesday challenge, but then realized it was Clean and Simple, so moved it over to the hop! What fun!

Jackie said...

Penny, beautiful projects. I love the bag with the "flourish" attached at an angle. So cool.

Penny Hanuszak said...

Thanks Jackie. Glad you like the bag, it's kind of my favourite too although I'm quickly falling in love with the Avant Garden stamp. Love the mini bag thinlet.

Heidi Weaver said...

Oh my goodness, Penny. If my challenge had been anything other than a clean and simple, your card would have been beyond perfect. Love all the sparkle and all the products you've combined. For something that is really all neutrals, the design and choice of dies really makes it outstanding. I have to buy those Star Blast edgelits. You and Kath have convinced me. The "no cut patterned gift holder"? Incredible. And the Avant Garden card---gorgeous. I just got that stamp set and love all the wonderful samples I've seen. Your combination of colours and the fullness created by the addition of the fussy cut blooms makes it a real Wow!

Penny Hanuszak said...

Wow Heidi thanks for all your kind words. Glad you liked the Star Blast and gift bag. Such fun. I'm still shaking my head that I made that originally for the CAS. Too funny. Anyway it's nice and glittery and I know my friend Gail will like it for her birthday. Yes I love all the samples of the Avant Garden too. Who says there are too many flower stamps. Can't wait to play with that one more.

Heather Hopson said...

Yes,.... you have inspired me Penny! All your projects are beautiful and well done. The added instructions are excellent! Just got both the Birthday Blast and the Avant Garden sets and now I can't wait to use them. Both the gift card holder's are awesome and what perfect cards to give someone Special. I love what you have done with the Avant Garden flowers. Lots of depth and the fussy cutting was well worth it.

libbystamps said...

Love you projects this month! My fav is the folded folio. These are so much fun to make. Your choice of color was great! Thanks for sharing!

Penny Hanuszak said...

Thanks for stopping by Libby. I love that folio too. In fact I think I'm making one for the next Masculine challenge for a special guy on my list. Such fun and a great way to manage those extra sheets of DSP you're not sure what to do with. Love the pattern and simplicity to make.

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