SweetStamps BLOG: Handmade Holidays Blog Hop

Showing posts with label Handmade Holidays Blog Hop. Show all posts

Monday, November 19, 2012

We're in Mich. Scrapbooker

We had a great time on the Handmade Holiday Blog Hop! A big THANK YOU to everyone who came by to see us and welcome to all our new Followers and subscribers. And, thank you for all the wonderful comments on our products. We're so glad you found us and enjoyed our projects and products.

Stay tuned for the prize winners announcements later this month. There is still time to visit blogs you may have missed on the HOP. Visits and comments can be left through Nov. 27.

Today, we'd like to share some ornament designs with you that some of our local scrapbook store owners designed. You'll find this Designer Challenge in the Winter 2012-2013 edition of Michigan Scrapbooker. Each designer received a G&P Ornament kit, Holly Piccolos, Vintage Gold and Mossy Glen Enameling Powder, and Glastique Finishing Glaze.

They put their creative talents to work to make these very special holiday ornaments adding in other products as they desired.

We think they look wonderful! What do you think?

First up is Cathy Schafer and Cindy Shearer, owners of Altered Art Addicts in Jackson, Michigan. These puppy and kitten ornaments are so cute!

Next, we have Roxanne Taylor-Barrera, owner of Trinkets, Baubles & Bling in Midland, Michigan. Wow, that bird is stunning!

Then, we have Jan McKee who is the owner of Scrapbookers Hideaway in Millington, Michigan. Don't just love that jolly Santa!

Our G&P ornament kits comes with laser shapes already cut inside (so all you need to do is paint, ink or enamel) or blank, so you can add items of your choice. A great little project to do with a group of friends or with your kids - quick and easy!

Looking for a quick little gift idea? Our Pumpkin Bubble Frame Kit for wallet photos is fits the bill and, it's on sale! This is a great opportunity to create a quick and easy gift for someone special! Order yours now!

Also, enter to win a Pumpkin Wallet-Sized Photo Card Frame Kit

http://apps.facebook.com/hooplasoft_giveaways/go/243810698983302/21224

Enter now and you could win this adorable pop-out Pumpkin Card Frame Kit that's perfect to display or give away wallet-sized pictures. The kit is a fun, pop-out card frame with a Victorian-style bubble dome.

Each bubble-frame kit includes 100-lb. cardstock frame set, clear photo bubble dome, display stand and black foam squares for spacers. The finished project is approximately 4 7/8-inches by 4 5/8-inches x 1/2-inch. Assembly is quick & easy!

Visit our website to see all the adorable pop-out card frames we have on sale right now: teddy bear, cupcake, soccer ball, basketball, football, and more.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Hopping Day 3 & free shipping at G&P!

Well, it's day 3 of our Handmade Holiday Blog Hop. Are you having fun? I've been visiting each stop and collecting loads of ideas for gifts to make!

We’ve gathered designers from some of our favorite manufacturers to show you ways to create something from the heart this holiday season. This 3-day Hop includes over 60 stops with inspiration brimming from every corner. Explore all of the thoughtful and frugal handmade gifts you could create for the holidays!

To sweeten the Hop, we’re offering a gift for you! For every comment you leave on the blogs in the Hop, you’ll be entered to win a prize pack from one of the participating manufacturer sponsors! Use the Rafflecopter widget on the Clearsnap blog to gain extra entries each day: http://clearsnap.blogspot.com.

Earn extra entries: Follow our blog - by email or become a Follower. Like our Facebook Pageand share the Hop info with all your Facebook Friends. Leave a comment to let us know how you're enjoying this 2nd Annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop.

For our project today I used our DIY Ornaments to create a 'JOY' banner. It's fairly easy to create and holiday decorations make a great gift for someone who has just moved into a new apartment or home. I started by painting the rings of the ornaments and chipboard letters JOY with Ranger's Pearl Paint Dabber and set aside to dry.

While that's drying I cut three medallions from Authentique's Festive line. I cut more of the paper to fit the backing of the ornaments (they come three in a package with two globes each; I left the back globe off so the banner would lay flat against a wall or window). Assemble the medallions and set aside.

When the acrylic paint was dry I embossed the rings in an embossing folder and coated the painted chipboard letters with a layer of our Metallic Silver 3D Enamel Gel.

I squeezed some G&P Mars Black 3D Enamel Gel onto the embossed rings and rubbed it in my finger and quickly wiped the excess off, leaving an antiqued-looking surface. So, while that is all drying I moved along to the next step.

I used our Mossy Glen Enamel Powders on our new Holly Leaves. Look at that color variance in there! That's what I love about our enamels - the mix. It gives each item dimension and texture rather than a flat, dull finish.

I cut about a dozen 6-inch strips of paper and punched one edge of eight of them with the Fiskars Interchangeable Border Punch and left the other three plain. I made the paper chain just like we did as kids, grouping them in sets of three. About now everything should be dry enough to assemble. Adhere the chipboard letters to the medallions then adhere those in the center of the ornament backing. Glue the dome inside the top ring and glue the entire piece to the backing. Clamp it all together with clip clothespins or binder clips.

I pierced two holes in each ornament and punched two 1/8" holes in the solid paper rings (center ring) to thread the Maraschino Twine from The Twinery through. Thread it all together and hang! I like the way it displays on my altered window frame. Hope you're enjoying the Hop!

Register to receive our blog updates via email or become a Follower - we have a Facebook Page too! We're giving away a great prize package! Visit the list of blogs below and leave a comment on each by Nov. 27, 2012 at 11:59 PM PST.

Nov 18

Clearsnap – http://clearsnap.blogspot.com

Hampton Art - http://blog.hamptonart.com/Graphic45 – http://g45papers.typepad.com/

Fiskateers - www.fiskateers.com/blog

Donna Salazar Designs – http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/

Tombow USA – http://blog.tombowusa.com/

Authentique Paper http://authentiquepaper.blogspot.com/ 

The Twinery - http://www.thetwineryblog.com/

Eileen Hull for Sizzix http://eileenhull.blogspot.com/

Globecraft Memories – http://globecraftmemories.blogspot.com  You are here

Dana Warren - Hampton Art - http://kraftpaperstamps.blogspot.com/

Steph Ackerman – Globecraft Memories - www.stephaniescraps.blogspot.com

Arlene Cuevas – Graphic 45 -  http://butterflykisseswithlove.blogspot.com/

Susan Lui – Graphic 45 -  http://luv2scrap-pages.blogspot.com/

Ashley Bores – The Twinery - http://www.heartmadelife.com/

Mistra Hoolahan – Donna Salazar Designs - http://mistrabutterfly.blogspot.com

Nina Yang - Hampton Art - http://waffleflower.com/

Angie Blom – Authentique Paper - http://angieblomdesigns.blogspot.com/

Denise Hahn – Clearsnap – http://inmyblueroom.blogspot.com

Stephenie Hamen – Fiskateers - www.mycraftyadventures.com

Guiseppa Gubler – Authentique Paper - http://guiseppagubler.blogspot.com/

Jessica Fick – The Twinery - http://iembellish.blogspot.com/ 
Click and place your G&P order below. FREE shipping during the Handmade Holiday Blog Hop Nov. 16, 17 & 18. Enter special code 'free' to get your free shipping! 

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Creating handmade for the holiday!

Welcome to day two of our 2nd Annual Handmade Holiday Blog Hop!

Calling all crafters! We’ve gathered designers from some of our favorite manufacturers to show you ways to create something from the heart this holiday season. This 3-day Hop includes over 60 stops with inspiration brimming from every corner. Explore all of the thoughtful and frugal handmade gifts you could create for the holidays, all in one place, during our second annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop!

To sweeten the Hop, we’re offering a gift for you! For every comment you leave on the blogs in the Hop, you’ll be entered to win a prize pack from one of the participating manufacturer sponsors!

Use the Rafflecopter widget on the Clearsnap blog to gain extra entries each day: http://clearsnap.blogspot.com

Now, on with the projects!

One of my favorite gifts to make are note cards and all-occasion cards. Just about anyone will have an occasion arise where they need to drop a note of thanks, sympathy or hello and these little blank cards can fit the bill. I always tuck the cards into a little gift bag that is very easy to make. This packet includes four cards and envelopes in a coordinating gift bag.

The gift bag is made from a 6-inch by 12-inch sheet of cardstock, cut and scored as follows. It is decorated with coordinating pattern papers cut 1/4-inch smaller than the gift bag dimensions. The paper here is from the Authentique Festive line. I loved working with it; it has a nice weight and the collection coordinates so well!

I always test-fold my gift bag to make sure I get the adhesive on the correct edges. Just fold it all together to see which edges should overlap and then apply adhesive to those edges. I braided three colors of twine from the Twinery for the handle and set two eyelets on either side, inserted the braid and tied a knot in the end.

After adding the decorative border strip, punched with Fiskars Interchangeable Border Punch with the Lacy Doubles, I placed a Festive Merry and Bright sticker in the center, set a tiny eyelet and tied some more The Twinery twine into a cute little bow. The rustic tree is a Globecraft & Piccolo piece that I added lots of dots with the G&P Metallic Silver 3D Enamel Gel. I think it all coordinates quite well.

Cards can be made from all your pretty little scraps of pattern papers and I made these from remnants of the Authentique Festive collection and added the Festive stickers, Piccolo accents and twine. It's just a matter of cut-and-paste and coordinating your colors.

Once your cards are laid out then the fun begins by adding embellishments. These cards are adorned with a mixture of Piccolo Accents from Globecraft & Piccolo, stickers from the Festive line from Authentique, stamped images from Hampton Arts, and twine from The Twinery. I edge all the papers with Tombow marker N57 to cover all the white. It's just a little detail the defines the edges.

The two ornaments on the "Let your Heart" card were punched with the Fiskars Squeeze punch then coated with Glastique Gloss Finishing Glaze to add a bit of dimension and shine. I added a touch of Metallic Silver 3D Enamel Gel to the top - just like a real ornament! I like to coat the book-board Piccolo pieces with Glastique Gloss Finishing Glaze to really pop the natural color and seal it.

Here's a close-up of some of the details.

If you enjoyed this little gift idea, you'll absolutely love the other projects you'll see on this Hop! Be sure to tell your friends!

Visit the list of blogs below and leave a comment on each by Nov. 27, 2012 at 11:59 PM PST. Each day we will be sharing a brand new list of blogs with brand new projects for you to explore, be inspired by, and create from!

Saturday, Nov. 17

Clearsnap – http://clearsnap.blogspot.com

Hampton Art - http://blog.hamptonart.com/
Graphic45 – http://g45papers.typepad.com/

Fiskateers - www.fiskateers.com/blog

Donna Salazar Designs – http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/

Tombow USA – http://blog.tombowusa.com/

Authentique Paper http://authentiquepaper.blogspot.com/

The Twinery - http://www.thetwineryblog.com/

Eileen Hull for Sizzix http://eileenhull.blogspot.com/

Globecraft Memories – http://globecraftmemories.blogspot.com

Diana Gonzalez – Clearsnap – http:// www.arteypoemas.com

Monika Wright – The Twinery - http://www.iloveitallwithmonikawright.com/

Gretchen McElveen - Hampton Art - http://gretchenmac.blogspot.com/

Megan Aaron – Clearsnap- http://thoughtsoftraveling.blogspot.com/

Tania Willis – Fiskateers- http://throughtrialsiambeingpurified.blogspot.com/

Gloria Stengel – Graphic 45 - http://www.gloriascraps.blogspot.com/

Suzanne Austin – Clearsnap - http://whatsinalousyananut.blogspot.com/

Shellye McDaniel – Authentique Paper - http://paperedcottage.blogspot.com/

Natasha Naranjo Aguirre – Donna Salazar Designs - http://www.moments-of-tranquility.com

Jen Carter – The Twinery - http://jensinkspot.blogspot.com/

Laura Denison – Graphic 45 - www.lauradenisondesigns.com

Candy Spiegel – Globecraft Memories - http://candyspiegel.wordpress.com/

Cheers to creating gifts from the heart this holiday season!

Happy Hopping!

Click and place your G&P order below.

FREE shipping during

the Handmade Holiday Blog Hop Nov. 16, 17 & 18.

Enter special code 'free' to get your free shipping!

Friday, November 16, 2012

Blog hopping for a handmade holiday!

Welcome to the 2^nd Annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop!

To sweeten the Hop, we’re offering a gift for you! For every comment you leave on the blogs in the Hop, you’ll be entered to win a prize pack from one of the participating manufacturer sponsors!

Use the Rafflecopter widget on the Clearsnap blog to gain extra entries each day: http://clearsnap.blogspot.com

Earn extra entries by following our G&P blog and Facebook Pageand for sharing about the Hop. Become a Follower of this blog, or register for our email updates, like our Facebook Page, and leave us a comment to let us know how you're enjoying this 2nd Annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop.

Linda here, and for my role in the Handmade Hop I created this little mini book and altered tin box to store it in - the perfect little spot to record this year's memories!

I started out by measuring the sides, front and back of my tin and cut my Authentique Paper (it's all from the Festive line) to fit. I used a Tombow No.N57 marker from the Grunge set to color the white edges before running all pieces through a Xyron 5" Creative Station. Then all papers are adhered to the tin.

A scallop border strip punched from Fiskars Interchangeable Border Punch using Lacy Doubles is attached to the front with Tombow Liquid Glue for a little added color and dimension. A Merry Christmas sticker from the Festive line is used behind the Ornate Plate. A Piccolo Flourish is coated with Glastique Gloss Finish. After drying, I added a coat of Metallic Silver 3D Enamel Gel and let it dry. When it was dry I sponged over it with Mars Black 3D Enamel Gel to achieve an aged look to match the ornate plate - I think it matches perfectly! What do you think? Then I wrapped it with a bit of Maraschino Twine from The Twinery.

*click picture to enlarge*

The poinsettia is also a Piccolo dimensional piece that I brushed with Glastique Gloss Finish and sprinkled the leaves with green glitter and the flower portion with red glitter then added three very small dots of Liquid Glue and sprinkled with the mini gold beads. The book cover utilizes two medallions to add dimension and I added another sticker from the Authentique Festive sticker sheet along with the three little word banners.

*click picture to enlarge*

The inner pages of the mini book are simply created from a couple sheets of cream cardstock cut to 3-inches by 5-inches and decorated with scrap papers and stickers from the Authentique Festive line. Again, all paper edges are finished off with the Tombow marker No. 57 to cover the white edges. I used a piece of chipboard for the front and back covers and covered them with more of the Festive line of papers. The book is bound with the Zutter Bind-it-All and 5/8-inch black wires.

If you enjoyed this little gift idea, you'll absolutely love the other projects you'll see on this Hop!

Nov 16