Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator - Coldwater, Michigan - KatheD@gmail.com

Thursday, April 25, 2013

April Showers Blog Hop adventure




Aren't Llama Blog Hops awesome?  I ♥love♥ seeing all the creative and inspiring projects!  You may have hopped here from Jackie's page (where there are some beautiful blooms as a result of her April Showers), but if not there are many ways to get there.  The Back button below will take you directly there, the Next button below will take you to Stephanie's page (the same amazing Stephanie who creates the banners and buttons for our blog hops!),  and if you continue clicking on Next buttons at each following page, you will get to Linda's after you've visited all the other pages between here and there.  If all else fails, you can click on Home to find a clickable list of all the hoppers!

My projects this month are craft-room Spring Cleaning - ideas that needed to be finished up and cleared out.  Last year I had a few (ok, it was a LOT) too many 1/2" strips of designer series paper and I made some different quilt-block themed birthday cards.  Here are the two newest cards, which make it a set of six:


stamp set - Petite Pairs; ink - Primrose Petals; card stock - Primrose Petals, Baja Breeze; designer series paper - Patio Party; punch - large oval, Big Shot with Bitty Banners framelit; Stampin' Sponge

card supplies: stamp set - Priority Mail (hostess); ink - Primrose Petals; card stock - Primrose Petals, Summer Starfruit; designer series paper - Patio Party; punch - Curly Label
envelope supplies: stamp set - Make a Cake; ink - Midnght Muse, Stampin' Write Markers - Summer Starfruit, Midnight Muse, Primrose Petals


I didn't know what I was going to do with a set of birthday cards, until the Relay for Life team where I work announced that they'll be holding an auction of goods and services the rest of us donate - so I made a box to keep them together (I still have some of those 1/2" strips):


box supplies: card stock - Window Sheet, Baja Breeze textured (retired); designer series paper - Patio Party; Big Shot with Top Note die
visible card supplies: stamp set - Bitty Banners; ink - Midnight Muse; card stock - Baja Breeze; Big Shot with Bitty Banners framelit;   3/8" stitched satin ribbon - Primrose Petals; Stampin' Dimensionals

 When I made the Thank You card that I showed you in the Spring-a-Bration blog hop I first stamped and matted the sentiment in Wild Wasabi, but that card really needed the extra pop of Riding Hood Red.  The Wild Wasabi piece has been on top of the useful-bits-and-pieces pile at the side of my work space for a while, and it just needed a simple card:
stamp set - Perfectly Penned; ink - Wild Wasabi; card stock - So Saffron, Wild Wasabi;  designer series paper - Storytime; Big Shot with Labels Collection framelit, Stampin' Dimensionals

My last project is a synthesis of three obsessions - Pinterest, Altoids tins, and (obviously) paper crafting.  I accidentally came across an altered Altoid tin on Pinterest and, like a certain potato chip, I couldn't have just one.  I learned that credit cards (or rewards/loyalty cards) fit inside, so I decided I "needed" one.  One of the samples was done with dimensional Mod Podge, so I temporarily added that to my mental shopping list.  Fortunately, before I spent money at an out-of-town big box store, it occurred to me that Crystal Effects would work!  I used retired paper & ribbon because they coordinate with the mini photo album I carry, but this project would work with your favorite choices from the current catalogs, as well:



stamp sets - Easy Events, Papillon Potpourri; ink - Soft Suede, Not Quite Navy; card stock - Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze; designer series paper - Elegant Soiree (retired); 3/8" pleated satin ribbon - Baja Breeze (retired), miscellaneous scrap of unkown origin ; buttons - Vintage Faceted, Twitterpated (retired); Crystal Effects

It was a lot of fun, and I'm thinking there may be mini sewing kits and jewelry boxes in my future crafting plansMy best advice is use Crystal Effects under the paper as well as on top; if the paper isn't completely stuck to the tin it will raise up at the edges or bubble up in the center - I did the bottom of the tin first, and didn't take a picture to share with you, but you can ask me how I know if you want. ;)  Also, be sure to let each layer (I have one on the edges, two on the bottom, three on the top) dry thoroughly before adding the next.

Please hop on by selecting one of these buttons to see more fabulous April Showers projects:





9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kathe, these are beautiful!! Every one is my favorite, I think. And your little box is fabulous.

Christine said...

Kathe, love your quilt cards and am enthralled with that little altoids box. So cute and what a neat little Mother's Day gift with something special inside.

Created by Kath said...

Love the altoid box, now I need to buy some do I can try it too!

Patrice said...

Love your card - I hope you'll link up at 52 Card Pickup this week!
http://www.oldbackporch.com/2013/04/52-card-pickup-217.html

Jackie said...

Oh, to have the patience to do that stunning quilt block. Just amazing!

Jackie said...

Kathe, the quilt blocks are just stunning!

Terri said...

thanks for explaining about the tins. I bought some tins a while ago and attempted to alter them but couldn't quite get it figured out. I'd love to learn more about how you did the tins. :)

Debbie Martin said...

Thanks for reposting your pics! Love your cards and the box you created for them. I especially love the tin and plan on using that for an upcoming class.

That Little Nut said...

What great projects! I need a tin for all the cards that won't fit into my wallet, and I really love how you did yours - thanks so much for taking the time to do a tutorial, as well.