Gift Packaging - Brown & Blue

I've mentioned before that I enjoy making my own gift packaging, although I'm not sure the recipients really appreciate or even pay that much attention to the package. Still, I like to do it, especially if the gift is tiny. The package pictured here is nice for things like jewelry or cash, but I think it's most commonly used for treats, such as Hershey's Kisses and other individually wrapped candies.

This particular package is called a sour cream container, after the little pouches of sour cream that you frequently see in restaurants. You can find a well-illustrated tutorial at Splitcoaststampers.

The creative prompt over at Wednesday Stamper this week is brown combo, so I chose a blue and brown color palette for this item, with a single stamped flower for the tag.

Artist Trading Cards - Wednesday Stamper/Two Tone

Now that I'm working 8 hours a day, I'm fiercely protective of my free time, and I don't always use that time efficiently because I'm spending too much of it deciding what I want to do. Tonight, I want to make ATCs, but I also want to finish a book I'm reading so I can stock up at the library again before the weekend. So I challenged myself to stamp something quick and easy, so that I'll have time left over for reading. The current topic at Wednesday Stamper is Two-Tone, and that helped me narrow down my color choices, which really did save time. For the second ATC, I used mostly scraps (have I mentioned that I never throw out even the smallest bits of leftover paper?). Now, I'm off to finish my book. Maybe I'll get done in time to do some more stamping!

Twinchies

Today's challenge at Wednesday Stamper is to use a "twinchie" format for our stamped project. A twinchie is a 2x2 inch square piece of artwork, and I was completely unaware of the term until today. I'm note sure how I missed the boat on twinchies, but here are my first two. I think I'll probably like this size a lot better than inchies. Stamps and ink are from Stampin' Up!.

"Thank You" Card with Eyelets

The current challenge at Wednesday Stamper is to use eyelets in our stamped work. For this card, I stamped both the background and the greeting, then added eyelets for threading the ribbon. Since eyelets are one of my favorite embellishments, I added some more at the bottom of the greeting just for fun. All stamps, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

Stripes - Wednesday Stamper

The current theme at Wednesday Stamper is stripes. For this card, I used a forgotten but recently rediscovered sheet of blue and white striped scrapbooking paper, and heat embossed the flowers with Versamark ink and Winter White embossing powder. I've been challenging myself to limit my color choices, so this may be the first in a series of very simple cards.

Wednesday Stamper - Trees

The current theme at Wednesday Stamper is trees. I cheated a bit -- not exactly trees here, but I did use branches. The girl is a stamp from a retired Stampin' Up! set, and I've been using her a lot lately after several years of not knowing what to do with her. This is a tiny greeting card, measuring only 2-3/4 inches wide by 4-1/4 inches high.

Stars, Mini Composition Books, & Blog Giveaways

The theme this week at Wednesday Stamper is stars. Ha, I thought, I have lots of stamp sets with stars. This will be easy. Wrong! It seems that I gave all those sets to Erin and Tara before I moved. However, I did have one star remaining in my collection, so I was able to complete the card I had in mind. I had my heart set on making those little embossed star charms. All stamps and supplies are from Stampin' Up!.

I recently had the pleasure of winning this wonderful little inchies box (below) from Nikki Wheeler, who was a participant in the One World-One Heart event. It's even more beautiful in person! Thanks, Nikki! I'm now busy making some inchies to fill it up.

Speaking of blog giveaways, be sure to visit Susie at Creative Rainbows for a chance to win one of two great prizes. I have my eye on those little owl earrings!

And here's a mini composition book I decorated a few days ago. These little books are so easy to embellish. I simply covered this one with paint samples from the local home improvement store, used a Krylon gold leafing pen along the edges, and tied it with a wired ribbon and a bead.

Wednesday Stamper - Asia

The theme this week at Wednesday Stamper is Asia. I gave all my Asian stamps to my nieces before I moved, except for this bamboo background stamp, which I use often. For this card, I stamped the bamboo with Versamark ink on glossy white cardstock, then rolled it with a brayer and 2 shades of blue ink. I found the charm at a gem and jewelry show a few years ago, and until now wasn't sure how I would ever use it.

Wednesday Stamper - Charms

The challenge this week at Wednesday Stamper is to make a charm with stamps. For my charm, I punched a hole in a tiny scrap of mat board, inked it with Versamark, and used multiple layers of gold embossing enamel. While still hot, I impressed it with a bamboo leaf stamp. For safekeeping, I've attached it to a stamped ATC. Thanks for looking!

I hope to have my photo studio set back up this week (although in a much tinier space in this house than the last), which should result in some much improved photos.

Wednesday Stamper - Autumn Colors

The prompt this week at Wednesday Stamper is autumn colors. The green background in the card pictured above was made by lightly applying ink to glossy cardstock, then stamping with Versamark ink, followed by another brayered application of green ink. Other materials include grosgrain ribbon and mulberry paper. All stamps and cardstock by Stampin' Up.

Wednesday Stamper - Mulberry Paper

My artwork has been a bit subdued lately, so today I chose to use some screaming color for Wednesday Stamper, where the challenge topic is handmade/mulberry papers. For this card I used my current favorite technique - brayering onto white glossy cardstock. When applied this way, I think the color is so much juicier, and it yields a suedelike appearance, which unfortunately is not visible in this photo. I love the ragged look of mulberry paper, and I always make sure it's soaking wet before I tear it, in order to get that distressed look.

Wednesday Stamper - Open Theme

The challenge at Wednesday Stamper is currently an open theme, so I'm sharing a stamped greeting card in one of my favorite stamping styles. I love to do multi-layered backgrounds, typically with a text background stamp, or sometimes with musical notes or other all-over textures. Here I've used "French Script" from Stampin' Up!, and have added a floral stamp and a subtle leaf stamp. For the greeting, I've used the same layering technique, but without the background text. I also enjoy using gold cord, so I've wrapped it around my greeting here.

This will be going out in the mail in the next couple of days. Who will be seeing this in her mailbox? Hmmm, maybe it's you.....

Wednesday Stamper - Buttons

The challenge this week for Wednesday Stamper is to use buttons in a stamped project. Here, I've used stamps from Stampin' Up!, and a lonely button from my box of treasures (there it is, trying to hide in the bow). Unfortunately, this photo doesn't really show the metallic cardstock, or the metallic ink I used on the black background, or even the beautiful detail in the button. I may try another photo later.

Now, it's time to take a few days off from cards and stamping. I think I'll work on some bottle cap charms next, and maybe experiment with shrink plastic. I'm also working on a "seven" collage, but probably won't finish that today.

Wednesday Stamper - Hats

This is my first submission for the Wednesday Stamper challenge, where the current topic is hats. I was a little late getting around to this, so I had to stick with some basic stamping and layering, but it was still fun and stamping always makes me happy, no matter how simple my project is. All stamps are from Stampin' Up.