If you are still looking for some last minute 4th of July card ideas, here are some from past years, plus you can check the last two days on my blog!
I hope you and your family are having a wonderful holiday! If you need a last minute 4th of July card or project idea, I hope you found some inspiration right here!
I saw a cute little white wood crate stamped with stars that inspired me to make this 4th of July Patriotic Crate With Daisies. I used Real Red Cardstock and aged it a little bit with some Soft Suede sponging on the edges and even the front and back. I loved how just the red crate turned out by itself!! The Wood Crate Framelits Dies really make it easy to make this box for treats, gifts or little notecards. So cute!! Check out the video below on how to use these dies!
To make my crate look patriotic for the 4th of July, I die cut some stars from the same framelits package out of the Gold Foil Sheets, Whisper White and Night of Navy paper. You want to be careful glueing something to the crate because of the slits in it, in between the “boards”, so something doesn’t stick from the inside!
Next I stamped daisies in red, white and blue to go in the crate. I used the Daisy Delight Photopolymer Bundle to stamp and punch. The Daisy Punch is back in stock now after being SO popular that it was backordered for awhile! You will want to get one on your next order!
When you stamp the daisy, stamp it with one petal straight down, close to the edge of the paper, so that the punch will be in the correct position. Otherwise you will have to cut around your stamped image to get the punch to fit in right. A lot of times the punch looks like it is never going to fit around that daisy exactly right, but if you are patient and just keep working with it, you will get it in the perfect position to punch the daisy.
To make stems, I covered a piece of scrap cardboard with some Emerald Envy green cardstock and then cut that into thin strips. I glued one end to the back of the flower and folded the other end back so there would be something to glue to the bottom of the crate. To make the filler stuff for the crate, I cut very thin strips of the green cardstock and then crumpled up the whole pile of it with my hands to get it “smooshed”. You could also use a Paper Crimper.
Fun project! Certainly the Wood Crate Framelits Dies can be used for lots of different occasions and purposes! Here is another project I made in the beginning when I received the dies: Click Here!
Watch this Stampin’ Up! video for more ideas!
It’s not too late to make a 4th of July Patriotic Crate With Daisies for your home 4th of July decorations, but if you don’t have the framelits yet, save this idea for when you do order them and then make this crate before you forget!
If you are going to a 4th of July party or picnic and want to take a little something, or if you just want an easy decoration for your house for the 4th, try making this Uncle Sam 4th of July Patriotic Favor.
This favor/home decoration came about when my husband asked me if I could use this tin for anything. I think he got it for Christmas with some kind of treats inside. At first I said no because my daughter would make me throw it away on her next visit after helping me organize most of my craft stuff back in February. But in the next second I thought, maybe I can make something out of that for the 4th of July! Yes, a crafter’s mind always at work when there is something ready to go in the trash!
I simply took a piece of Real Red cardstock and wrapped it around the tin after adhering some white strips of Whisper White cardstock cut about 1/2″ wide. Then I wrapped around about a 3″ wide strip of Night of Navy blue cardstock around the bottom.
For the Uncle Sam, I die cut a scalloped circle and a smaller regular circle with the Layering Circle Framelits Dies for his face and his beard. You can choose whichever sizes you like for your project. To make his face, I also punched a 1/2″ Circle for his nose, and then sponged some Blushing Bride ink on his face and nose and added a bit of Crumb Cake ink as well. Just use a marker to make the eyes and mouth.
Uncle Sam’s hat is just a scrap piece of Whisper White and a few strips of Real Red with a brim punched from the Classic Label Punch out of Night of Navy cardstock.
And then I found several different stars already punched in my box of scraps so I used those around the tin. Just use what you have to decorate your creation!
Put some cookies or treats inside a cello bag and drop inside the decorated tin along with some red shredded paper or just use as a piece of 4th of July home decor! I have a few 4th of July decorations! You knew I would, right?!
It’s fun to have a few decorations around even for holidays like the 4th of July or to take as a little gift to the hostess of the pool party, picnic, or family gathering. See if you can make an Uncle Sam 4th of July Patriotic Favor out of something you already have….a paper towel roll, a tin, a Pringles can, some other kind of can, whatever you have! It’s fun!
One of the beautiful new papers in the new Stampin’ Up! Catalog is the Foil Frenzy Specialty Designer Series Paper and is perfect for making boxes and bags for gifts such as this 2-4-6-8 Box. This 12 x 12 kraft paper has foil designs printed on it, twelve sheets with 1 each of 3 single-sided designs in 4 colors. It is beautiful and you will want it in your stash for making that special gift bag or box or card. The dots on this box I made are all gold (In case they look green in the photo with the glare!).
I punched two holes in the top, after pinching the top together and the sides in a bit. The ribbon I chose is the gorgeous Gold 3/8″ Metallic-Edge Ribbon. You will want to add this ribbon to your order for those really special projects…..well, if you can hold off on not using on every project because it is so elegant!
The greeting on the front is stamped from the Label Me Pretty Stamp Set and punched out with the 1 3/8″ Circle Punch. I adhered it to a piece of Gold Foil punched with the Pretty Label Punch. (This punch is presently backordered until July 10th but you can still order it.) Actually you will want to get the “Bundle”, the punch and stamp set, so you can save 10%! And you’ll just want both of them even if you weren’t saving 10%! For another embellishment, I adhered two Gold Faceted Gems on each side of the label.
Here’s how to make the 2-4-6-8 box: It’s very easy and has been around a long time. No pattern required!
In the photo below you can see that 1/2″ strip where I applied the Tear & Tape Adhesive.
Now that you know how to make a 2-4-6-8 box, go try one yourself! You might like to use computer paper on your first one to see how it works. Use the Stampin’ Trimmer or the Simply Scored scoring board to to do the scoring.
If you make your 2-4-6-8 Gift Box or Gift Bag with the Foil Frenzy Specialty Designer Series Paper, you will have a special box indeed!
What says summer more than a cute melon theme for some gift bags and notecards?! This is the June 2017 Paper Pumpkin Kit from Stampin’ Up!, all designed for you and ready to create in a cute box with everything you need for the project! Going to a friend’s house for a swim party or barbecue? Just stick a little treat in one of these gift bags or wrap up some of the notecards for a little hostess gift.
Paper Pumpkin is by subscription only, so get signed up now so you will be on the list for the July Kit to be shipped to you mid-July. Once you are a subscriber, you can also look at any past kits or refills that Stampin’ Up! is offering if you want to pick up something you missed.
You can subscribe by the month or if you are ordering regular products from Stampin’ Up!, choose a prepaid option in the Online Store and perhaps boost your order total to earn Stampin’ Rewards! You will receive an email detailing how to set up your Paper Pumpkin account and a code to put in the Promo Code box so it will identify you as a prepaid customer.
or
Either way, the fun will arrive in your mailbox around mid-month. No risk, no obligation. Skip a month now and then if you need to. Get an extra kit for a friend or loved one. The Paper Pumpkin fun never ends!
One of my favorite new designer papers from Stampin’ Up! in the new catalog is called Whole Lot of Lovely. Now I say one of my favorites but, so far, I think every pack of paper I have ordered is my favorite! I think Stampin’ Up! did a bang up job this year on the designer paper. And you know that in person, every paper looks even a million times better than just the picture in the catalog.
Here is the rest of the paper. I guess I didn’t count evenly! There are 12 sheets of paper in the package, double-sided.
There’s no way any photo can really show how pretty this paper is. I see lots of potential projects with each different pattern.
If you look in the catalog or on the back of every package, you will see the colors listed that coordinate with these designer paper. I find it most handy to look on the back of the package for the coordinating colors, but since they are written in pretty small print, I usually just take a Sharpie marker and write out the colors, larger, on that white chipboard that backs the package. That way I can see at a glance what colors I might us rather than having to grab my reading glasses!
These are the coordinating colors: Basic Black, Crushed Curry, Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party, Powder Pink, Soft Suede, Tangerine Tango, Tranquil Tide, Whisper White.
If you missed the easy little gift bag I made yesterday using the Whole Lot of Lovely Designer Series Paper and the Gift Bag Punch Board, click HERE to see my post or click on the photo below.
When I received my new catalog order the other day, as I quickly skimmed through the papers in the Whole Lot of Lovely Designer Series Paper, this pattern with the black background and little flowers just struck me that it would make a pretty gift bag! Of course the inside with the white polka dots is also really cute….which side to use??!
Instead of looking up directions online for how to measure, score, and fold the paper to make a gift bag, I pulled out my Gift Bag Punch Board. The instructions are printed right on the punch board so I didn’t have to go looking for them. A scoring tool is tucked right into the board in a storage slot. You can make the bag so that the sides are just straight, or you can score it as you make it so that the sides are gusseted and fold in a bit on the sides. This bag is basically a 3 3/4″ square size, but you can make various sizes with the punch board.
To finish off the bag, I just punched two holes in the top and threaded some new Pool Party Shimmery Ribbon through. Very pretty ribbon! I also made a little tag using a stamp in the Label Me Pretty Stamp Set. I die cut that with the Stitched Shapes Framelit Die and layered the tag on a die cut scalloped circle made with the Layering Circle Framelit Dies. I used some Linen Thread to tie the tag onto the bag. Linen Thread is a valuable product to have in your collection to use in many ways, sometimes as a visible accent and sometimes are something that doesn’t detract from the rest of the design.
Here’s the Stampin’ Up! video you can watch about the Gift Bag Punch Board and see how to use it.
I urge you to take a good look at the new designer papers in this new Stampin’ Up! Catalog because I think they are especially beautiful this year! I would say this Whole Lot of Love Designer Paper is my favorite, but then I’d say the Delightful Daisy paper is my favorite, but then I’d love the Foil Frenzy Paper, too! So look them over and let me know which ones are your favorites! Then try making your own gift bag with one of your favorite papers and the Gift Bag Punch Board!
I’m sure with all the excitement over the new Stampin’ Up! Catalog, you would enjoy watching some new Stampin’ Up! product videos to find out more about the great things you are seeing in the catalog!
For yourself or someone who doesn’t have a lot of craft supplies and would enjoy making all these cards from one kit! You can even get a refill! The Soft Sayings Card Kit is on pages 10-11 of the new catalog.
You might recognize this Oh So Eclectic Bundle and Suite from the samples on the front of the catalog. You will find the beautiful papers and everything in this suite on pages 132-33. One of my favorites! It’s on my order!
While I don’t have THIS Embossing Paste, I have used a similar product as few years ago on picture frames in THIS POST and THIS POST. At that time, it didn’t occur to me to use it on cards! You can color the paste with ink refills if you want, and use the Decorative Masks (stencils) and Palette Knives to apply the paste.
Isn’t this Love Today Planner Kit the cutest thing?!! I just love the designs on the pages and the colors! I’m just wondering, for myself, would I use a planner? If I’m not sure I would use it as a planner, though, I could use it as sort of a daily or weekly scrapbook or journal. Sara Douglass at her OnStage demonstration, used it more as a scrapbook/journal writing in what she or her family did that day or week, added a few small photos, embellishments, etc. Let me know what you think about the Planner! Planners are certainly a hot, trendy item out there in the world! The dates are not preprinted in this planner so you can start it now, not wait until January, and you can buy the Refill for another year.
If you are relaxing on the weekend or if your Saturday is a rainy day like ours might be here in Houston, enjoy watching these Stampin’ Up! videos showcasing the new products just like you are at the movies!
Everything is ready for you to order now from the new Stampin’ Up! Catalog!
Soon you will be able to make this very cute little paper crate with the Wood Textures Suite, coming in the new Stampin’ Up! Catalog! This was my first try and to put something inside, I grabbed two of my Mother’s Day chocolate covered strawberries and put them in a little bag and stuck them in the crate! The crate is small but large enough to cram two gigantic strawberries inside!
The Wood Textures Suite contains a stamp set, Wood Words, and the Wood Crate Framelits Dies plus two ribbons, cello bags and the Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack. The patterns in the paper stack are all wood grain looks of various kinds on both sides of the paper, so when you have the wood grain on the outside of the crate, it will also have a similar wood grain look on the inside. The stamp set is very cute and useful with a very pretty flowery stamp for perhaps making note cards to go in the crate or even to decorate the crate. There are quite a few words in the set to go with the crate or notecards. Lots of creative possibilities with this whole suite. The ribbon I used to tie my cello bag closed is the 1/4″ Copper Trim. This is a real interesting ribbon because you can leave it as is, like you see at the top of my bag, or you can pull it apart to make it wider and give it a different look. If you don’t like it, you can pull it and it will go back to its normal shape.
For some decoration on my crate, I just cut a Delicate White Doily in half and put it draped over the front and the back. If you want stamping on the crate, be sure to stamp the paper before you assemble (note to self!)!
If you are interested in Stampin’ Up! products and need a new Stampin’ Up! Catalog which will go live on June 1st, please send me your contact information and I will mail you a complimentary catalog. If you already have a Demonstrator you want to continue working with, she will have a catalog for you.
In the meantime, be sure to check out the Retiring Products and the Clearance Rack. There are some great bargains on the Clearance Rack, things you can use for upcoming holidays and other stamping projects. But hurry, because I see there are not as many items left any more!
You might be doing some shopping this weekend, so here is how to recycle your shopping bag and make a Birthday Gift Bag. We often have these plain kraft bags in our stash at home, so use them to make nice gift bags and save a trip to the store to buy one! Even if the store name is printed on the bag, it can often be covered up with cardstock and the recipient will never know!
To decorate this small shopping bag, I used some Stampin’ Up! retiring products. The Warmth & Cheer Designer Series Paper Stack is on sale for only $4.00. I started with wanting to use that paper. One side of each sheet is more Christmas-y, but the other side is absolutely non-holiday. There are plaids and stars that you can use for lots of other occasions and would be useful making masculine cards.
Once I chose the star pattern to use, I picked the coordinating color Delightful Dijon Cardstock on which to layer the 6″ x 6″ piece. Since stars are great for lots of occasions like birthdays, graduations, patriotic holidays, congratulations and more, I decided to make some stars with the Stars Framelits Dies (on sale!) If you place one star framelit die inside another you can make the outline stars – and then you still have the center star that you cut out! For the stars, I also used some more of the Warmth & Cheer Paper Stack as well as some Gold Glimmer Paper. Why not have some sparkle on a birthday gift bag??! The greeting is stamped in Garden Green Ink with a stamp in the Big On Birthdays Photopolymer Stamp Set.
Here is a close-up of the decorated front of the gift bag.
Be sure to take a look at the Warmth & Cheer Designer Series Paper Stack on the Retirement List until May 31 or while supplies last! You can see some baby cards I made with this paper HERE. And if you want something to suit a lot of purposes, you might want to pick up the set of Stars Framelits Dies at a discount! And don’t forget the Clearance Rack!
Recycle those cute shopping bags with all your stamping supplies into birthday gift bags or whatever occasions you need one for!
A week from today, May 1st, you can get your hands on the Eastern colors and designs coming in the new Eastern Palace Suite by Stampin’ Up! During the month of May, Stampin’ Up! will be offering two different suites of products that all coordinate to make beautiful cards and projects. Click the video above (it will go to YouTube) to see a group of people gathering together to stamp with the new Eastern Palace Suite! New In Colors, new ink pads, stamps, and more!
Click the flyer above to read the details!
The Eastern Medallion Thinlits themselves will help you make beautiful projects!
These Bundles will be available to customers May 1, 2017 through May 31, 2017. This will ease your waiting for the new Stampin’ Up! Catalog!
The Eastern Palace Starter Bundle is a little more for the beginning stamper and you receive the Very Vanilla Notecards and Envelopes FREE!
The Eastern Palace Premier Bundle has everything! Besides the new stamp set, ink pads, designer paper, and stickers, it also comes with tassels and the Eastern Medallion Thinlits Dies. For a FREE gift, you will receive the brand new Very Vanilla Thick Cardstock and Envelopes.
Remember, these Bundles cannot be ordered until May 1st, but in the meantime, you can check out the Retiring Products List by Stampin’ Up! The easiest way to check if an item is still in stock is to look it up in my Online Store. If it comes up, it is still available to purchase!
Watch the Stampin’ Up! video and enjoy dreaming about the Eastern colors and design coming in the new Eastern Palace Suite by Stampin’ Up!
Two of the items on the Stampin’ Up! Retiring Products List are the Pyramid Pals Thinlits Dies and the Playful Pals Photopolymer Stamp Set which can help you make easy animal party favor treat boxes and more! It’s an infinite number of cards, party favors, gift boxes, party decorations and more that you can make. Fill these Pyramid Pals with candy or a treat or just make them for fun or for a decoration. Just think of the fun you could have with your children or grandchildren if you make the box and then they help you decorate the pyramid to make an animal. Or just make a pyramid box, decorate with some designer paper or stamping or perhaps a clear window cut out, and use it as a party favor or gift box. Use the stamp set to decorate the boxes or just to make cards and other projects.
Both the Playful Pals Photopolymer Stamp Set and Pyramid Pals Thinlits Dies are still available as I write this post, so if you think this is something that would be fun and useful to own, grab it while you can. All retiring items are available until May 31 or while supplies last.
The Playful Pals Bundle may not still be available but you can order the dies and stamp set separately. It’s a fun and different product to use!
In case you are looking for some last minute Easter papercrafting ideas, here are some of my projects from past years! Even if you don’t make this exact project, it might just give you an idea of something close that you want to make with the supplies that you have!
I think the Circle of Spring Easter Card is a beautiful card to make with that pretty wreath that you can customize for any season or occasion. You can just stamp the wreath with the Circle of Spring Stamp Set and then easily color it in with markers or an Aqua Painter. If you have the Wonderful Wreath Framelits Dies you can cut out the wreath and then adhere it to the front of your card.
The Easter Lamb Easter Card is one of my favorites! I loved that Easter Lamb stamp from last year in the Occasions Catalog! The background was stamped with the Watercolor Wash Background Stamp.
The card with the Easter cross is actually pretty easy and you can make it with any little flower punch or die you have! I accented each flower with a little Rhinestone Jewel in the center. The back layer is embossed with an embossing folder, don’t remember which one.
You can also make an oval Easter egg-shaped card if you have the Layering Ovals Framelits Dies or the older retired Oval Die. Then the egg is colored with the curved swish from the Work of Art Stamp Set.
I used the Easter Lamb again on the Easter Basket made with the Berry Basket Die (retired). There are many ways you can make a little Easter basket, much like you would make a gift box.
And the last card is the Emboss Resist Watercolor Easter Egg Card. It’s fun to make by stamping with Versamark Ink on Watercolor Paper and then embossing with Clear Embossing Powder and watercoloring over it. The embossing resists the watercolor so it’s almost like when you dye Easter eggs but first write on the eggshell with a wax crayon! Remember doing that as kids?!
There are lots of fun spring and Easter papercrafting ideas, just find some project you like and go for it!
In case you are looking for some last minute Easter papercrafting ideas, here are some of my projects from past years! Even if you don’t make this exact project, it might just give you an idea of something close that you want to make with the supplies that you have!
I think the Circle of Spring Easter Card is a beautiful card to make with that pretty wreath that you can customize for any season or occasion. You can just stamp the wreath with the Circle of Spring Stamp Set and then easily color it in with markers or an Aqua Painter. If you have the Wonderful Wreath Framelits Dies you can cut out the wreath and then adhere it to the front of your card.
The Easter Lamb Easter Card is one of my favorites! I loved that Easter Lamb stamp from last year in the Occasions Catalog! The background was stamped with the Watercolor Wash Background Stamp.
The card with the Easter cross is actually pretty easy and you can make it with any little flower punch or die you have! I accented each flower with a little Rhinestone Jewel in the center. The back layer is embossed with an embossing folder, don’t remember which one.
You can also make an oval Easter egg-shaped card if you have the Layering Ovals Framelits Dies or the older retired Oval Die. Then the egg is colored with the curved swish from the Work of Art Stamp Set.
I used the Easter Lamb again on the Easter Basket made with the Berry Basket Die (retired). There are many ways you can make a little Easter basket, much like you would make a gift box.
And the last card is the Emboss Resist Watercolor Easter Egg Card. It’s fun to make by stamping with Versamark Ink on Watercolor Paper and then embossing with Clear Embossing Powder and watercoloring over it. The embossing resists the watercolor so it’s almost like when you dye Easter eggs but first write on the eggshell with a wax crayon! Remember doing that as kids?!
There are lots of fun spring and Easter papercrafting ideas, just find some project you like and go for it!