Plain Jane Cigar Box - first attempt

So we have these really nice friends who live in Germany (I think I might have mentioned them before?) and they were nice enough to send Reilly a postcard from Germany for his Felix the Rabbit project in his class. They also kindly sent the German version of Felix the Rabbit with the postcard. (Wasn't that nice? Now he has a keepsake to boot). So I wanted to send back a little goodie to Saskia who is their 10-old-daughter because she wrote Reilly the letter, as a thank you. So I made up these little notecards and the Plain Jane Box as a stationery holder. I finished the whole thing off with a beaded pen. I think they came out cute, but the postage to send them to Germany is a whole different story. HIGHWAY robbery I tell you....Ugghh!

So here's the scoop....(the pictures are awful - sorry - please forgive me?). The box is from you guessed it PTI. It's made of chipboard and I covered it with DCWV paper. I can't seem to find them on their website at the moment, not sure what's up with that....but just do a search on Plain Jane cigar boxes and you will find them. Back to the project....in all honesty.....I had some trouble getting the paper to stick (since we are being honest, I had quite a bit of trouble with this little box. I think I thought it would be a quick doodlie doo and off to the races....it wasn't.) I would not recommend covering the hinge of the box....that is where my trouble started. I also would recommend sanding the box lightly with sandpaper or a file block, I think it would get the paper to stick a little better. I have one more....I am going to try that and I will report back. So I covered the box with three different patterned papers (inside and out) and adhered them with glue stick. I normally have no problem with chipboard and glue stick....maybe this was a fluke? I traced the center out of the middle and cut it out of the top piece of paper. Then I stamped Saskia's name using the Doodle Alphabet on a white piece of paper....colored it and sponged it, then adhered it underneath. I then covered the inside cover so you wouldn't see the paper. I liked how that came out. I used a prima for the dot of the "i" with a little purple blingstone in it. The hinge of this is covered with a fabric tape that I found at archivers (it's really cool stuff and comes in a pack of four different designs.) I also used this on the inside hinge. Trust me, after redoing the hinge with paper, cardstock, ribbon and then the tape.....just leave the hinges alone....for the love of life....it would have been sooooo much easier. I added hardware to the top and bottom and threaded a piece of organdy ribbon through it. (note - add the hardware prior to putting the paper on the inside - guess who didn't do that?).

The note cards were actually a snap compared to the box. Sheesh...at least they were speedy.

I made a total of 12 notecards in three different colors. I also banded the envelopes together with a scrap piece of patterned paper to make them look "fancy". I didn't line the envelopes mostly because I didn't think a 10-year-old would really care. Anyway, all the stamps are from my Bella friend Em. The Bella's are still my fave....but she has lots of other stuff too...check her out at Stamping Bella. She is from Canada (sounds like Kuh-nay-duh) har har. Seriously, she is so sweet and I love love love her Bellas and their Fellas. I used the new PTI spring moss paper, Almost Amethyst and Lovely Lilac cardstock. The images are all stamped in pallette black ink on PTI white cardstock. The patterned papers are leftovers from the box. I embellished with different ribbons most are SU or PTI and added bling as I saw fit. Oh, I forgot the words were printed out on the computer prior to cutting the paper. All the images are watercolored with my SU markers and an aquapainter. I used these Bella images in case you want to find them fast Emmybella, Jammybella and Superbella. I could go on and on about all the new bellas and my want of the bellas and fellas, but I won't. I hope you likey as Em would say.

Until later....Happy Stamping.

In case you thought I was slackin'.....

.....I really wasn't. I decided to get on this spring cleaning kick and well, I'm REALLY bad at it. I get really motivated for about 10 minutes and then I get interrupted or decide that something else should be done instead. Needless to say...my normal procrastination level (high) has zoomed up to exorbanant levels as of late. Sadly, this is the reason you are now seeing my easter card sample. I hope you can modify it for another occassion...but I really liked the way it came out, so I opted to share it with you. I always manage to take my photos at the most inopportune times, so sorry they colors are a little goofy. Someday, I will figure out my Photoshop program (volunteers?). This uses the PTI set Everyday Blessings. I know I always say this....but I hafta....it is the greatest set. I love all the sayings and the crosses are beautiful. I am not really a "religious" person per se - spiritual is a better description - anyway I nearly always find an occasion (sympathy, first communion, weddings, easter, etc.) when a nice cross comes in handy - this is the set. TRUST ME!!!! =) The first picture is the card closed. The paper is the new PTI Aqua Mist. It is lighter than cool carribean but darker than soft sky. If you haven't tried the cs yet....I highly recommend you treat yourself to the white. Then you will become addicted and have to have every color like some other people that I know. hee hee.

I forgot to order the PTI patterned paper so I used the soft sky polka dot paper and it worked well enough. There was a slight color difference, but non stampers and most stampers aren't going to give you a bad report card or anything. So I used my scor-pal (heard of this yet? You will want one - sorry - enabler!) to make the tri-fold card. It helps you with multiple and accurate scoring. Anyway, it scored this little baby in a flash. I then took my scalloped marvy punch and punched one side of the flap halfway, made a little mark on the other side, lined it up and punched it half way as well - it made a pretty little oval. Then I embossed my cross right in the middle. No worries about missing the mark, that's the beauty of clear stamps. I wrapped the ribbon (white grosgrain SU) around and met it at the edges of the two flaps. Added a prima flower and hardware to attach the two flaps and then found these little beads (that I had used on a Christmas Tree skirt that I made for my grandma about 10 years ago-told you I needed to clean) and added them to the flower and the hardware. The saying is from Just Hatched and is stamped in the coordinating PTI ink. The card is held closed with a half a glue dot on the ribbon and attaches to the hardware so you can open and close it.

This shot shows the inside of the card. I also embossed the saying in gold. Simple as that it was done-a-roo...so why didn't it get mailed until yesterday? Procrastination - is an ugly disease my friends. So is momnesia.

I just received in my hot little hand (20 minutes ish ago) the Anniversary set for PTI. I can't wait to play. Fun stuff. I will try to stamp something with it so that I can share. I also got Out On A Limb right before Easter and it hasn't met any ink yet either. Soon....soon....I hope.

That's all for today....Happy stamping.....I hope to have more goodies for you tomorrow. Depends on the rugrats ability to nap....so far....not so good. Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!