Christmas Card Gift Set

November 24, 2015November 24, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I have the pleasure of visiting my children and family during this Thanksgiving holiday. Well, when I see my daughter I like to give her card sets. So, I thought I would share them with you.

It couldn’t just be simple for me though. I gave myself a challenge. I let myself have one set of dsp and access to coordinating cardstock and only two stamp sets. The challenge was to use these things, keep them simple but elegant, and make ten cards.

She is a young stamper and has loved having access to my supplies over the years. But being at college she doesn’t have all of that, but does pretty well of course. I thought I would make a set that she could see as doable for herself.

All of the cards are basic in shape, so they would fit in the card holder, with only one layer of dsp as the front. A series of single stamping, sometimes an accent, and tag punches. I am going to share her gift with you over the next week, so enjoy!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Service With a Smile

November 23, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

What is all this about? Well, yesterday I shared a great lesson with young women from my church and we talked about staying strong and serving others, to sum it up.

I challenged them to think of others when they are feeling down, and to look for those who are struggling. Little gifts of kindness mean so very much. They were to take as many gift bags as they wanted and share their kindness with others.

There were so many, I cleaned out the entire gift bag and box blog drawers. Wow, I am so excited for all of the kindness these wonderful girls are going to share!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Wonderful Wreath Noel Set

November 21, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I certainly am in the mood for Christmas cards that is for sure. I am also working towards a goal though. The other day I blogged about a service project I was involved in. There turned out to be twenty four advent gifts to share. I thought it would be appropriate for the young women who had worked so hard on them should write a personal Christmas card to accompany the gift. So, I need several cards.

I am notorious for a matching gift bag though. I love putting a treat or two in a little bag and sharing it, so I call this a win. How simple is this card though? A simple layering of designer velum on a card front made just smaller than the base, love my 1/8″ narrow borders. It was accented with a single strip of ribbon that I didn’t even make a bow or knot or anything! Unheard of really.

The Wonderful Wreath framelit set has this lovely ‘Noel” die in it that was just perfect. Blackberry bliss is one of those colors that goes in almost any season, but Christmas is a good one most certainly. Glue dots were hidden behind the silver dots so the adhesive wouldn’t show. I used tombo on the ‘Noel” and it stayed put quite nicely. On to the next project!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Birthday Hamburger Box

November 20, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

This die cut hasn’t been out in a while and I miss it! I have had so much fun making boxes of one kind or another and I just love the shape. I am pretty darn good at making a box or bag for a custom gift, but boxes like this just need a die cut.

One of my TA’s has a birthday today and I thought he would get a kick out of this guy. I think he is expecting something because he has mentioned his birthday several times in the previous weeks. Well, of course I had to deliver. I think I will pick up a wonderful pastry this morning to put inside. Yummy.

One sheet of island indigo went into the box. I was left with scrap enough to make the matching gift card and leave a couple of good sized scraps behind. That is great. I did sponge all of the edges really well before I glued it together. I also used tombo to put the edges together. Much easier with a little bit of wiggle room while it bonds and then it is there to stay. My kind of adhesive. I ran my bomb stamp down one direction of the die cut and then flipped it around and went the other. The pattern turned out random enough to look like patterned paper. I love making my own background paper for projects.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Schoolhouse Thank You Gift

November 18, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

People do kind things all of the time and never ask for anything in return. I am fortunate enough to have people like that in my life. A school secretary is definitely a wonderful person. They do more than most people imagine.

As it happens, I have been helped along once again. So, I wanted to thank her, again. This lovely box was made to look as school like as possible. The Schoolhouse DSP had so many patterns to choose from, but I needed a vehicle of sorts, so I went with the bicycles. I used a whole sheet of 12 x 12 card stock in Hello Honey and a good portion of the dsp to decorate it. It is filled with large pretzel sticks that have been dipped in white chocolate. So yummy.

I got into the Chalk Talk framelits for this huge tag. I wanted to have a stamp and a spot for a tiny note. Just right, don’t you think? I forget about that set sometimes, but the tag options are really wonderful. I gave them a bit of a go over with my bone folder for some added texture and clipped it around one of my favorite ribbons. Gift done!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Everyday Chic Gift Bag

November 17, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

Inspiration can come from the most unlikely places. I like to ask my youngest daughter what colors to work with so I don’t go to my favorites all of the time. Last night she said, “I don’t know.” Classic teen response. However, she was wearing an adorable white shirt with a gold studded neckline and a lovely long turquoise scarf. Inspiration complete.

This bag is hearty enough to hold plenty of weight for sure. I used a whole sheet of bermuda bay card stock for the bag and a good portion of a 12 x 12 sheet of Everyday Chic DSP. Before I assembled the bag I used a gold marker to color in random hearts for a little bit of accent. That was actually quite relaxing.

This ribbon is so wonderful. I knew I wanted a huge bow out front, so I threaded it a bit differently. I made sure to have the ends out front, both long enough to make this pretty bow. I just tied the ribbon together with bakers twine right at the front of the box which left two long strands of ribbon hanging down just ready to go. I did have to fuss the bow a bit to get it where I wanted it, and used a couple of glue dots to keep the bow pulled back a bit. Now I am ready to fill it up and give it away. So much fun!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Merry Moments Gift Card Set

November 15, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

A card that looks like a gift, but is a card, or is it? I guess you could use this when you want to give a gift card and don’t just want to use the tiny envelope provided. Either way, I like the look of a present shown here.

It has a hint of masculine with the color choices, but with that much ribbon I hesitated to give it the full masculine stamp. You could probably get away with it though. And I have to be honest, this is the first time I have used this adorable Christmas tree punch. I guess I needed this awesome paper to inspire me to get it out. It fit nicely as the gift tag. So, I guess I will get to use it on other gifts this holiday season as well.

The DSP is layered on a piece of sahara sand cardstock with a narrow border showing. I wanted to have a little more strength as I tied my ribbon on. I do very much like a snug fit and probably winch it in a bit much sometimes. I got the look I wanted though. Why not give it a try your self?

Have a creative day!

Moana

Hearth & Home Thinlits Fun

November 14, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

After a full day of workshop excitement, I finally have a few minutes to share the third project we did. This one just about did my ladies in, but they managed though most of it. I didn’t have to help too much really.

The base of this candle holder is made with old olive from one sheet of cardstock. Two card bases with 1/2″ cut off from one side and 1/2″ score on the other with a score in the middle. With two of these joined together, the box frame was made. Four panels of heavy whisper white cardstock were put through the Bigshot in the Brick Wall embossing folder that had been brayered with old olive ink. It gave the perfect mix of a soft brick wall that coordinates nicely with the base.

Cherry cobbler was used to create the window frames. The Hearth & Home Thinlits set is simple, but what a great look right? The window frame is a great focal point that I chose to back with velum to allow an opaque look in. I had provided fun battery operated candles that fit nicely inside. When they flickered it made it look like there was a very colorful set of Christmas lights going on inside. So pretty. A couple of buttons, some twine with a simple saying set the front panel apart from the others. Along with a few little shrubs made from mossy meadow paper punched with a scalloped circle punch. Really, a cute project all in all, even if it was a bit of work.

Hope your day was creative, mine sure was!

Moana

Oh What Fun Gift Box

November 13, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I actually started out with a different stamp set and a card in mind. But I just wasn’t feeling it, so I changed gears. I do really love what ended up in its place. I love a pretty holiday box like crazy!

I used a whole 12 x 12 from the Merry Moment DSP pack. Of course I migrated to the huge dots. I love all kinds of dots. And I couldn’t stay away from these beautiful ornament framelits. They are so wonderful. I think that these will be all over my Christmas gifts this year.

The Oh, What Fun stamp set is so full of fantastic sayings to make any holiday crafting one step better for sure. They will make gift giving and card making quick and easy without looking that way. Just yummy. Oh, and these little embellishments are so adorable! With twenty in a box they will find there way just about everywhere.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Christmas Advent Book Service Project

November 12, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

I did think I would get to blog yesterday, but this project completely took over my day. The absolute, entire day. Seriously, from 6:00 in the morning to after 9:00 in the evening. And yes, there is still more to be done.

What is going on with all of this? Well, it is a service project that a friend of mine and I designed for our church’s young women to work on. So many peoples lives were turned upside down with all of the fires this year. My friend teaches with another woman that is from one of the many areas devastated by fires. We made a goal to do something for a dozen families that could help them enjoy the Christmas season a bit more.

These are advent books that will have an activity, scripture, story and a Christmas song in each of the twenty-five envelopes. They are designed to be all inclusive. Additional materials are not needed to enjoy the activities, just your family. Since there are so many people still displaced, Christmas might not feel the same. Maybe this will help a dozen families find some comfort.

There is still work to be done, but it won’t be long now. They will be delivered before December begins so they can start on the first. Serving others makes even something as fun as paper crafting even more fun and rewarding.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Believe Bookmark with Lighthearted Leaves

November 8, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to my Sunday morning. When I have the opportunity to teach a church lesson I always feel blessed. Teaching often gives more to the teacher than to the student. Maybe not at a school setting, but church, for sure.

I do my best thinking while I am crafting, so I almost always have some kind of handout that relates to the lesson. It also allows me to think of who I am teaching individually, and to make sure I am taking into consideration who they are and how they feel. Such a wonderful time.

I definitely dipped into my retired product stash for these bookmarks. The cardstock and ink are hello honey, current, but the other color is summer starfruit. What a great color to work with. I thought they went well together, so I got to use some of my retired dsp stash and retired ribbon too! Win for all. I think people often overlook the fact that it is okay to stamp on patterned paper, as long as the pattern is small. That was the case for this pattern for sure. It came together so quickly. Once the design was clear in my mind, about five minutes, another thirty-five and I was all done. Yup, I churned out a dozen of these in less than an hour. Again, a win for all.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Flower Fair Gift Box

November 6, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

I am definitely in the mood for gift boxes. I wanted to make a huge floral bloom and then make a box sized right for the flower to cover the whole top of it. And here you go .

I used pumpkin pie paper with stamping and sponging in tangerine tango. Color families make such lovely projects. I wanted the sponging to be more prominent and give a bit more depth. I think it worked out nicely.

The flower layers were adhered with dimensionals with the larger flowers and then switched to glue dots withe the smaller ones. Overall, it was a very satisfying creative process. When I scored the box, I just made sure that the dimensions allowed the right base for the flower, 2″ square. The top isn’t sealed shut, just folded for easy opening and closing. This great big flower is actually stuck to the ribbon, so it could slide off without damaging the box. I also tied the ribbon in a knot so it could be folded over and appear to be leaves or a banner looking element. Great fun!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Wonderland Snowflake Treat Favor

November 5, 2015November 4, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I guess I am on a gift bag kick again. This one is all ready to go though, candy inside and everything! But, is it okay to just give it back to me? I love it, and the yummy candy inside.

Stamping with stazon is the only way to go with window sheets. Easy and crisp images, and doesn’t slide everywhere. My stamp was from the Wonderland set, just the snowflake one, and isn’t very big. Believe me, it was so easy to stamp, I don’t think I saw one little goof. Came together great.

My piece measured 8 x 8.5″ and was scored at 2″, leaving 1/2″ for adhering the box together. Then turned a quarter to score along the bottom to create the bottom flaps, or the bottom of the gift bag. Pretty direct work here. I burnished the score lines really well and used tear n’ tape to seal it up. You can see my seam, but it doesn’t look bad. I think it is adorable, and easy enough to make a bunch for party favors. And how about that tiny little snowflake embellishemnt! So adorable!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Timeless Elegance with Black Glimmer Paper

November 4, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

It is so enjoyable to create something very lovely that is so simple to put together. That is just how nice it is to work with great product that makes you feel so creative and talented.

I had been wanting to use this fun black glimmer paper differently than shown in the catalog. It was fun to see it with all of the Halloween projects, but I think it has a lot more uses. Simple little flowers for instance. I didn’t want to use a punch too large because I wasn’t sure how to center them. These little flowers didn’t require a button or anything. So adorable.

I cut a strip of the dsp 3 3/4″ wide for the card front and thought it would be nice to make a matching gift bag with the rest of the strip. It worked out pretty nicely, don’t you think? It is big enough for a few treats, or even a gift card. Just my kind of favorite thing, a card and matching bag.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Lighthearted Leaves Treat Carton

November 3, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

All day long I have tried to get this blog post done. That gives you a little hint into how my day has been. Not done yet, but definitely on my way.

I had a bag of Lindt truffles on my counter and loved how the bag looked. I thought that it would be fun to try to make a bag that could hold treats and look elegant too. I asked my husband for a color choice, I grabbed a ribbon and matching ink and went to work. Of course I had to use my current favorite stamp set, Lighthearted Leaves.

One sheet of 8.5 x 11″ perfect plum cardstock went into this one. Evenly scored and punched along the sides with the extra-large oval punch to give the windows. Window sheet was scored along the same measurements and tucked inside. It was a bit tricky to handle the placement, but with a little patience and plenty of glue dots, I experienced success. I am so happy with the results. I am sure to make this one again and again.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Treats for My Boys

October 30, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

More little thank you treats for my wonderful TA’s. They put up with a lot, even getting bored when I make them just sit and do homework when things are caught up. Who doesn’t like a little treat now and again, right?

I absolutely love this embossing folder with the retired coordinations paper. I think they missed their calling together. I have a ton of the early espresso coordinations paper from when it was retired and put into the clearance rack. I think I will just make lots of fun things with these two products.

Funny little floating heads, or moons, or pumpkins or whatever you want to call them. They are adorable and they look great. I really think these bags are great. They came together really quick with scoring, folding, and sponging. Just my kind of fun.

Have a creative day!

Moana

A Whole Lot of Lovely Baker’s Boxes!

October 23, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I tried to not purchase this particular die cut, but I fell in love with it at a workshop. I guess that isn’t too different from the ladies I teach in my workshops. It works for me because I just love this box!

This adorable box came together so quickly. The set comes with several other dies to accent or accessorize how you like. More than enough choices. I just chose one of my favorite combinations of circle punches with a simple stamp framed with glimmer paper. How absolutely lovely, right?

One little glue dot just below the handle was all I needed to keep the top snug to add my favorite dotted lace trim with a big bow. I moved into my favorite sponging party and did it up right. Simple yet so adorable. Hope this little project finds you in a good mood and ready to try your own.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Timeless Elegance Gift Box…Thing

October 20, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

This morning caught me a bit off guard. Way too much to do and never enough time. But as always, things come together in the end and everyone gets their needs met. This little blog of mine often has to wait its turn, and it never even complains, how nice.

I am not sure what to make of this kind of box thing I came up with. I wanted to use the dsp, but to be honest, it isn’t sturdy enough for the height I had it have. But I was determined, so it still happened. I made up the topper as I went. Boy, did I use a lot of punches. So glad I have so many to choose from. I like how it looks though.

I used a full sheet of the dsp. The box ended up about 8 1/2″ tall. The band I made used two strips of paper 1 1/4″ x 10″ and I experimented a bit on the scoring to make it fit. Only took two times. I hid those on the bottom. Lots of sponging all the way around really make it look nice. I sealed up the bottom with tear n tape and left the top open to put stuff inside. As I said, it will have to be light because the paper won’t handle much. The band does give it extra structure though. Give it a try!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Happy Birthday Workshop!

October 18, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

Yesterday was just too busy, but wonderful at the same time. I had the opportunity to throw a workshop for a bunch of ladies, which was fantastic! The workshop was actually the cover for the real surprise party though. Worked like a charm!

These three projects were the fun distraction for all to enjoy. I had done all of the prep work so it could get finished super fast. Couldn’t keep dinner waiting too long after all.

Also, there were going to be many there that hadn’t done much crafting and it had to be fun, not frustrating. The gal that the party was for is one of my regular workshop members, so she got through super fast and got to chat with all of her friends. How convenient that they were all there.

We were all more than excited as the surprise was revealed. Cheers all around and boy, did her face get super red! It went great with her huge grin! A fun part for her is that if people wanted to give a gift, they were encouraged to donate to her Stampin’Up! shopping spree! What fun that will be.

Have a creativc

Grateful Gifts

October 16, 2015October 15, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

When you are trying to wind down from a way to crazy day, what do you do to relax? Well, today I went straight to my desk and worked a day ahead. This is going to be one ridiculous weekend and I need to get as much out of the way as possible. Of course I do the fun things first.

The new designer series paper pack is so much fun. Here is one sheet, showing both sides of it. I cut one strip 4″ wide and it gave me the card front and the paper for the tiny gift bag. Yup, 4″ x 12″ is all it took.

I do think that this dotted lace trim has become my favorite ribbon. I am definitely a girl who loves a bargain, but even if it is a bit pricier, I love it every time I use it, with no regrets. I can’t always say that about embellishments. I used both the negative and positive die cuts, one for each project. Once more, I am totally happy with this set. I might be on a bit of a gift set kick again. Hmmm…

Have a creative day!

Moana

studio824

Creativity for all seasons and reasons.

Favors

Christmas Card Gift Set

Service With a Smile

Wonderful Wreath Noel Set

Birthday Hamburger Box

Schoolhouse Thank You Gift

Everyday Chic Gift Bag

Merry Moments Gift Card Set

Hearth & Home Thinlits Fun

Oh What Fun Gift Box

Christmas Advent Book Service Project

Believe Bookmark with Lighthearted Leaves

Flower Fair Gift Box

Wonderland Snowflake Treat Favor

Timeless Elegance with Black Glimmer Paper

Lighthearted Leaves Treat Carton

Treats for My Boys

A Whole Lot of Lovely Baker’s Boxes!

Timeless Elegance Gift Box…Thing

Happy Birthday Workshop!

Grateful Gifts