Everything is Better with Chocolate

Whether it's for Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day or I just want to put a smile on someone's face, giving chocolate is one of my go-to gifts. I mean....who doesn't enjoy a little chocolate, right?

Whether it's a Hershey Bar or my favorite vegan chocolate, Endangered Species, you can dress a bar up in no time with a couple craft supplies you probably already have on hand. 

With Fun Stampers Journey's extensive color palette you're sure to have a ribbon color to match any occasion or chocolate wrapper. For my mint bars, the new Limeade Splash Satin Ribbon worked beautifully! 

And...if I want to sweeten the deal, I slip a gift card between the bow and chocolate bar, making it perfect for occasions like birthdays. 

Fun Stampers Journey Supplies:

Candy Shop SS-0153

Hazelnut Blend IP-0012

Star Frame AC-0150

Limeade Splash Satin Ribbon AC-0182

Whip Cream Journey Thread AC-0128

Whip Cream CS-0040

Merry Christmas

The Fun Stampers Journey new and adorable Milk Carton die is so much fun to play with that I had to make another! If you missed the one I posted last week, click here. 

For this milk carton I stamped, painted and embossed it before assembling. 

Once the carton was assembled I applied Journey Glaze to the red parts of the candy canes and then dusted them with Journey Sparkle Dust. 

Final additions include a little satin ribbon and a Star Frame that I rubbed on the silver ink pad and covered with more Journey Glaze and Sparkle Dust. 

What's inside? Could be any number of things, right? What would you tuck inside? 

Fun Stampers Journey Supplies:

Holly Jolly SS-0047

Milk Carton SR-0011

Tag Elements DI-0094

Black Licorice IP-0041

Clear Pigment Ink IP-0102

Journey Silver IP-0107

Journey White Embossing Powder IP-0098

Journey Silver Embossing Powder IP-0100

Journey Glaze AD-0002

Star Frame AC-0150

Journey Sparkle Dust AC-0013

River Stone Satin Ribbon AC-0139

Whip Cream Journey Thread AC-0128

Candy Apple CS-0007

Whip Cream CS-0040

Chalkboard Tags

Hey there peeps...I have a project to share with you today using Fun Stampers Journey supplies to make some holiday chalkboard tags. 

These are so easy to make and only require a few basic supplies, listed below. 

First I cut some tags with the Tag Elements die set. Then I picked a stamp set that has some fun icons or sentiments, Holly Jolly. 

Using your Clear Pigment Ink and Journey White Embossing powder stamp and emboss your tags. 

Then with a sponge to add a little Whip Cream ink to create an erased chalkboard look. Easy, right? 

I added my tags to a Treat Box with some ribbon, thread, a button and Media Flowers. Perfect for some yummy goodies, a small gift or gift card. 

Fun Stampers Journey Supplies:

Holly Jolly SS-0047

Tag Elements DI-0094

Whip Cream IP-0009

Clear Pigment Ink IP-0102

Journey White Embossing Powder IP-0098

Treat Box ST-0002

Black & White Buttons AC-0157

Black Licorice Satin Ribbon AC-0106

Whip Cream Journey Thread AC-0128

Media Flowers AC-0162

Black Licorice CS-0003

Belly Band Gift Wrap

Hey Journey fans! A couple weeks ago I blogged about the awesome new Journey Blooms Treat Boxes with an example of how you could decorate one for a baby gift. You can see that post here. Today I'd like to share how I created a patterned paper 'belly band' for these boxes. 

You can use any patterned paper your heart desires. I used the star pattern from the Journey Basics Pastels pack. 

Cut two strips of paper measuring 2 3/4" by 12" long and tape them together on the opposite side of the pattern that will be showing. Now you will have a 24" strip. As show above, die cut the end of your paper strip using the Tagged Pocket die to give you a pretty scalloped edge. 

  Now wrap your band around your box, cutting off the excess at the opposite end. To make nice clean creases for your corners, I used our handy dandy paper trimmer to make score marks. 

Because I like layers and think it's a lot more fun to have more than a single tag to top my gift, I cut a Star-dom star, a Pennant and a folded over banner for the to/from tag. 

This 'Happy Birthday' sentiment from the Yummy Party stamp set fits my little tag perfectly. I love the two different fonts. 

Lastly, I used my go-to Journey Twine to wrap the box several times before attaching the tag and die cuts with a bow. 

As I mentioned on my previous Treat Box post, I like to encourage people to reuse these fun little goody boxes by making it easy for them to open and reassemble. For this package, you can simple slide the belly band and twine off and then slip it back on again. 

Fun Stampers Journey Supplies: SS-0152 Yummy Party Stamp Set; JG-0001 Journey Grand Die Cut Machine; DI-0001 Tagged Pocket Die; DI-0052 Star-dom Die Set; DI-0031 Banner Parade Die Set; DI-0004 Pennants Die Set; TO-0039 Journey Blooms Paper Trimmer; TO-0026 Press Punch; CS-0095 Sweet Pear Cardstock; CS-0118 Cool Pool Cardstock; CS-0040 Whip Cream Cardstock; IP-0041 Black Licorice Ink Pad; PP-0013 Journey Basics Pastels Paper Pack; ST-0002 Treat Box; AC-0005 Natural Journey Twine

Gift Giving

Hello! I have a gift giving post over on the We R Memory Keepers blog for you today. I'm sharing a set I created for the hubs for Father's day!

Here's a little peek at that project. Doesn't it look like a lot of fun? Hope you can check out the rest by clicking here. 

If you missed my last We R Memory Keepers post this is the wedding gift set I made using the 123 Punch Board, the Flower Punch Board and the Evolution Advance Die cut machine. 

I love how I'm able to make professional looking gifts and cards with these tools! And I love how easy and quick they are to use! 

Scraptastic Club Post

Hello! I have a nature lovers gift giving project to share with you today on the Scraptastic Club blog today. 

Here's a little peek.I wish you could smell how amazing this is! Enjoy! 

If you missed my last Scraptastic Club post, Madeline and I challenged you to create a scrapbook page or card using a question for the title or sentiment and this was what I came up with using the May 2015 Janglin' kit. 

Birthday's go better with sweets so I included a matching tag on a mini paint can filled with yummy chocolates! To see that entire post and what Madeline created, click here. 

Make Live Share

Have you heard of Make Live Share by Richard Garay? It's a fun weekly project and posted each Monday on Richard's blog that encourages you to re-create a project, give to someone and then share the project and experience on his blog. For more details click here.

This week I'm honored to play along with Richard's Make Life Share project using the Yummy & Delicious  Cupcake Liner die. I love this liner because there are so many different things you can do with it besides using it for cupcakes. Here I created a relaxing gift set for my neighbor. I rolled a cozy pair of socks up to look like a frosted cupcake and then topped it with some Origins Sensory Therapy Peace of Mind cream and a pretty little butterfly. Also included are some tea lights so my neighbor can enjoy a relaxing evening. 

When I went to my neighbor's home to present this gift she wasn't home so I left her surprise on her side doorstep. 

What would you think if you came home and found this? I have a feeling she'll like it! Wink! 

I hope I've inspired you to learn more about Make Live Share and play along with us. 

Supplies:

DI-0055 Cupcake Liner Die; DI-0031 Banner Parade Dies; DI-0033 Heart Felt Dies; DI-0007 Artful Butterfly Dies; SS-0034 Enjoy Coffee Stamps; CS-0023 Oatmeal Cookie Cardstock; SC-0040 Whip Cream Cardstock; IP-0011 Oatmeal Cookie Ink Pad, AC-0103 Photo Pin Elements; AC-0029 Mini Wood Clothespins; AC-0005 Natural Journey Twine; JG-0001 Journey Grand Die Cut Machine; AC-0111 Journey Craft Glue

Pinterest Inspired

 Hey there Scraptastic Club peeps! Today Susan Stringfellow and I have projects to share with you inspired by Pinterest. 

Here's a little teaser peek at my project. I hope you have a few moments to go have a look. 

If you missed my last Scraptastic Club post, I created a handmade card and tag set for one of my favorite beauty products, Good Soap. 

I'm a nature girl and love handmade everything, including Good Soap from Whole Foods. Not only is this soap made from all natural ingredients, it's not packaged which reduces waste which is as good for our planet as it is for your skin!  

Celebrate

My name is Kathy Martin and I'm a We R Memory Keepers Punch Board addict! Ha! I love how easy it is to make cute little gift ensembles like this one. And I've yet to scratch the surface of goodies I can make with these tools! 

I used the 123 Punch Board to created the gift box and bow and the Pinwheel Punch Board for my mini card. I've been enamored with banners for a long time and recently stared adding them to gifts...I think it's such a cute addition! 

All these colorful patterned papers are from a sister company, Pebbles.

To see more awesome projects using the We R products, click here to visit the We R blog. 

Mini Easter Basket

A few months ago when I was at the craft store I found this little mini wooden basket. Too cute, isn't it? I knew it would make a cute little Easter decor piece or gift and Reverse Confetti's new Folded Tag is the perfect size for it. I dressed up the tag with one of the little birds from The Tweet Life set and topped that off with the Double Banner Garland. 

 

You can fill your little basket with all sorts of goodies from sweets to a gift card or a little bird nesting inside. Oh...what about using these for place tags at your Easter dinner table? I just might have to go get some more!