A Little Gift

Hi again ... sorry, but today is going to be a bit of a "Post-fest" as I've got some catching up to do. Life really overtook me at the weekend!

Anyway, enough about me. This is Post 2 of my stint as a Guest Designer at Top Tip Tuesday and it's time for the Mid-Challenge inspiration post.

A quick recap - our challenge is Box Clever, so we're looking for your box-makes or even altering an existing box. Our sponsor for this challenge is the lovely Melissa at MelJen's Designs who is giving a prize of 4 digi images of your choice to the lucky winner of this challenge. Don't forget that you too could feature as a Top Tip Tuesday Guest just by leaving a great tip!


I've made this cute little gift box (with an attached card - OK, I know Samantha said no cards, but I'm hoping that this one's acceptable!) which is just the right size for holding 3 tealights or some small chocolates. This one will be going to a friend who lent me some boots and clothing ideas for my trip last Friday to see the Rocky Horror Show!!!

My project recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White, which I cut, scored and folded following this tutorial at Splitcoast Stampers. Now, here's my Top Tip for you : If you're using a template or instructions you've not used before,make your project out of thin card first....it saves making a mistake and wasting a sheet of expensive cardstock! Luckily I followed my own advice so this is not the voice of experience :o)
  
• Decorative Edge - was done using one of the inbuilt "Decorative Embossing Lines" on my Ultimate Pro
• Embossed Heart Border - was also made using my Ultimate Pro, this time with the additional embossing board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats. This board really is my favourite and I get soooooooooo much use out of it!
• Design Papers - are from the Summertime Luxury Paper Collection which was a magazine freebie
• Sentiment - is another magazine freebie, this time from a Special Occasion Stamp Set. I've stamped this "Thank you" directly onto the cardstock using Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black. It's the first time I've stamped directly onto Centura Pearl, and I'm not sure I've got it quite right as the ink has gone rather blurry. Any tips would be gratefully received!

Anyway, that's my very simple box ... do head on over to Top Tip Tuesday to see what Anda (also a GDT) and the Design Team have come up with for Box Clever and don't forget to come back and show us your makes! This challenge will finish on Monday 27th May.

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenge:

• DDC #63 - 3-D Creation at Digi Darla's
• Challenge #6 - More than One Fold at Hobby Cutz Challenges - Second Entry

Catch you later!

Hugs, Helen x

Fiesta, not Siesta!

Good morning all from a very excited Casa de Crafty Mamma Mia. Why, I hear you ask? Well today is the start of my 4 week residency as Guest Designer at Top Tip Tuesday ... thanks for having me girls!!!!

Today is my  first challenge with the team, and the title of this one is Box Clever - this means make any kind of box. Our sponsor for this challenge is the lovely Melissa at MelJen's Designs who will be giving a great prize to the lucky winner of this challenge. Don't forget that you too could feature as a Top Tip Tuesday Guest just by leaving a great tip! 

Melissa has been kind enough to provide the DT with some images to showcase, and here is my box featuring one of Melissa's 'furry friends':

My project recipe is as follows:

• Box Base - made from Centura Pearl Card in Dark Chocolate which I cut to 10.5cm x 29.6cm (half an A4 sheet longways) and then scored using my Ultimate Pro to make the Wedge Box shape
• Design Paper -is by Paulette at Create with TLC and is called Fiesta Time. This was a goodie on Paulette's blog just last week as Paulette was celebrating Cinco Mayo ... the timing couldn't have been more perfect!
  
• Image - this hot dog is Chili Chihuahua and he is one the cute animal images you can get from  MelJen's Designs. I used the "out of the box" technique with the smallest rosette from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats - rather like a die, as I don't have a die-cutting machine. However, I find this technique works just as well, even if it's slightly more time consuming! I de-bossed the rosette shape around the image before cutting it out and bringing this canine cutie to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Sombrero - CT2, CT3, CT4, TB5, JG2, CR9, CR10, CR11
• Chihuahua - TN3, TN4, TN5, PP2, PP3
• Poncho - JG1, JG2, TB5
• Chillis - CR9, CR10, CR11
• Outline - GG1
• Background - Craf-T Chalk in Light Blue and Bronze Gel Pen
• Ribbon - was recycled having been cut from one of my daughter's jumpers! (Does anyone hook these lengths of ribbon over coat hangers when hanging a garment?)  

I think this box would be great for small Birthday presents (like make-up or hair bits that teenage girls tend to  give each other) or in a different size as Wedding favour boxes ... and it was oh so easy to make too!

I hope you'll come over to Top Tip Tuesday and see the wonderful Boxes made by the rest of the DT - we'll be back with our mid-challenge inspiration next Tuesday.

I would like to enter this project into the following challenges:

• Challenge #56 - No Squares Allowed at Dream Valley Challenges
• Challenge #35 - Anything But a Card at Delicious Doodles

Hope you have a great day,

Hugs, Helen x

A Great Box of Tricks!

Hi,

This is just going to be a very quick post from me this afternoon as I'm still feeling rough ... and it's not a DT post either (still keeping up one of those resolutions!)



At the weekend, my youngest daughter went to a Birthday Party and was giving the Birthday Girl several pairs of earrings. She needed something nice to put the earrings in, so I said I'd make a box - at this point I should add that I haven't made a box before, only envelopes! So, out came my Crafter's Companion Ultimate Pro, and in a very short space of time this was the end result:

My recipe for this project was:

• Cardstock - Centura Pearl 300gsm in Purple from the Pastels pack which I measured, cut and scored using my Ultimate Pro to the right size
• Embossed Hearts - using the shape for envelope corners from the Ultimate Pro 
• Heart shaped Sticker - from my daughter's stash

I made up the box using the in-built Boxer Lines and following the instruction book which was very clear. And here's a closer look at the lid:

 

I would like to enter this project into the following challenges:

• January 2013 Competition - Anything But a Card at Crafter's Companion - Second Entry
• Anything Goes at Crafter's Digital Art Center

I can see I'll be making more of these boxes as they're very quick and easy to do.

Enjoy the rest of Thursday.

Hugs, Helen x