Calendar/Post-it Note Holder

 It's 2021 - a brand new year, and hopefully a much different one that 2020! But being at home more with more uncommitted time gave us the opportunity to look for ways to help other people whose circumstances were worse than our own and ways to uplift and bless those who were more isolated than us. Since card-making is my passion, I used that passion to reach out to others. I have made and sent over100 cards since mid-March, made 30+ small candy holders two different times for residents attending our ministry's Food Pantry at a subsidized living facility, and have recently made these calendar/post-it note holders. I actually made over 30 of them about two years ago for our homebound ministry at church. I have provided the calendar refills each year, but this year I needed to make a few more holders. So I decided to make a YouTube video demonstrating how to do this simple project.

This is the calendar holder laying flat.

Side and front view

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These are the measurements for the pieces you need to make these holders. The mini calendars can be ordered on-line from Taylored Expressions. The calendars are super reasonable with great service.  I just noticed that they are currently out of the 2021 mini Tear-off calendars.

Give this fun project a try. It is really easy and makes such a great gift!

 I hope that this post encourages you to use your gifts to bless someone else! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

 

                     

CHRISTMAS TAG CLASS

 Everybody loves Christmas Tags and what better way to top off a gift than with a handmade tag! Last Christmas I attached a handmade tag to each gift. In reality, my grandchildren could really care less if their tag is handmade or not...they just want to get to the gift! So those beautiful tags probably got thrown away. 😢 Then my friend told me that she gathered up all the tags each year and reused them again the next year! BRILLIANT!! So guess what I'll be doing this Christmas! 😀

 

 

I'm offering a Christmas Gift Tag Class this year. You can either attend IN PERSON or choose a TO GO option.

Christmas Tag Class…in person (masked and socially distanced, hand sanitizer at each table) or To Go option

You’ll make 10 Christmas gift tags! (2 each of 5 designs)

Choose your option

          Option 1  Merry Moose Bundle (stamps and punch - $31.50 value) & 10 tag kits   $40 (I will have the Merry Moose Bundle and all the supplies for your tags here, or will mail to you for $10)

          Option 2  10 Christmas tag kits (you’ll have to provide your own stamping) $30 (includes mailing if needed) (this option for those who already own the Merry Moose Bundle and/or those attending the in-person class)

 The In-Person class will be Sat. Dec. 12, 10 am. This class will be limited to 8 to allow for distancing (not including those To Go) 

Deadline to RSVP and pay THURSDAY, DEC. 3. That’s quick so make your decision and let me know!! I’ll place orders on Friday!

If you are interested in the class or would like more information, e-mail me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quite Curvy Samples

The Quite Curvy bundle is so versatile. I didn't get the Christmas stamps because it was to close to Christmas and I knew I wouldn't use them. But the Quite Curvy dies paired with some Christmas paper could still work great for Christmas. 

The more I use this bundle, the more comfortable I get with it. I'm looking forward to having more time to experiment with patterned paper with the dies. I think you could mix coordinating cardstock with a designer series paper and have some very interesting creations. 

 But I needed to focus on the Quite Curvy Class kits before I ventured off the path! So these were the cards that were featured in the Quite Curvy Class. I was inspired by other samples I saw and then tried to make them my own. I incorporated a variety of styles from stamped and casual to die cut gold brushed metallic on a more formal card.

This card uses the Life is Beautiful stamp set, along with Mint Macaron, Bumblebee, and Terracotta Tile cardstock.

Tasteful Touches is one of my favorite stamp sets. I just wish it had coordinating dies. I end up fussy cutting every time I use it - which I do a lot!! Love that flower. The card base is Smoky Slate and the mat is Basic Gray. The Whisper White Curvy cut piece is layered over Peony Garden Designer Series Paper. The Mint Macaron greenery is punched with the Sprig punch.

This is my vines and birds card. The card base is Mint Macaron (can you tell that I like that color!) The Whisper White is cut and layered over the card base.The vines are colored and layered on. The two sweet birds are chatting back and forth.

Lastly is the more elegant card. The card base is Very Vanilla. The mat is Early Espresso. A 3x4 piece of Gold Brushed Metallic paper is attached at the bottom and the Very Vanilla die cut piece is attached over that. The flowers are Gold Brushed Metallic punched with the Blossoms punch. The leaves are cut with the retired Pretty Pines thinlets (one of my favorite leaf dies) from Early Espresso and the gold leaves are from the Forever Gold Laser cut paper (another one of my favorite things!!). Two Wonderful Gems on the flowers complete the card.

I hope you enjoyed seeing these cards.
 

Side Flap Card

 Here's another card that makes great use of your designer series - displaying both sides on the same card.

All that is needed is a card base 8 1/2 x 5 1/2, scored at 4 1/4, designer series paper 4 x 5 1/4 and Whisper White or Very Vanilla cardstock 4 x 5 1/4. You'll also need a sentiment piece to add to the flap and any other small embellishment that you may desire. Or you could just add an embellishment to the flap and put your sentiment elsewhere. Use your imagination!!

Here are 3 sample cards. The third one is demonstrated in the video.

 

Watch this video to see how easy these cards are to make! Let me know what designer series paper you used!

Side Book Fold card

 I love learning new techniques and unique ways to create cards. This one is so easy! And it doesn't look like your typical card.

I had fun coming up with different ways to do them! Watch the video here to see a demonstration of how to make this Side Book Fold card.

It can be made as a landscape card like the top three or in portrait style like the red and green Christmas tree card. 

The dimensions for the landscape card are

card base - 4 1/4 x 11, scored at 5 1/2 & 6 3/4

Designer Series Paper cut at 1 x 4 and 4 x 4

The dimensions for the portrait card are

card base - 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, scored at 4 1/4 & 5 1/2

Designer Series Paper cut at 1 x 5 1/4 and 2 3/4 x 5 1/4

The extra piece of DSP is optional.I used the Stitched So Sweetly dies to cut mine on the two moose cards and the Ornate Layers Dies for the Christmas tree card.

Here's a description of each card.

 

This card uses Crumb Cake card base and Plaid Tidings for the 2 DSP pieces on the front. I stamped the image from the Ornate Style stamp set with Terracotta Tile onto Very Vanilla cardstock. I then used several Fall blends to color the flowers with...light & dark Cajun Craze, light & dark Pumpkin Pie, and light & dark Daffodil Delight. The leaves are light and dark Just Jade. The centers are dark Cinnamon Cider. I then sprayed the whole bouquet with a mixure of rubbing alcohol and Gold shimmer paint in a spritzer to add a sparkle to it. The leaves behind the popped up bouquet are from the Forever Gold Laser Cut Specialty Paper. The ribbon is from a retired combo set.

The portrait card cardbase is Whisper White cardstock and uses the Tis the Season paper set. The Perfectly Plaid stamp set and punch are used for the trees. The trees are stamped in Garden Green and Cherry Cobbler onto Whisper White cardstock, both of which coordinate with the DSP. The piece under the trees is cut from the Ornate Layers die set and makes a beautiful backdrop for the trees. The sentiment is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black. I pulled the strings out of the Whisper White Flax ribbon for the bow. The bottom photo shows how the Side Book Fold card opens.

 The other two cards are demonstrated in the video. Plaid Tidings DSP are used for both. The black and white card has Gray Granite ribbon and the Pretty Peacock card has Mint Macaron ribbon. 

I hope that you will give this card a try! I'd love to see a photo of your card so please post it here in  Comments or on the StampinDeDesDoins FB page.