Creative streak

I managed to get some crafting done on my week's annual leave from the NHS job last week and will schedule uploads over the next couple of days.

Stampin Up have in the current catalogue, the Sizzix thinlets die for cutting little gift bags similar to the one made above.  Being frugal as money is not endless, I didnt think I would use the other dies in the set for the paper bag dies and I also feel that the die for cutting the bag actually restricts you to one specific sized bag.  So, I set about with 12x12" cardstock, decided what sized I needed and using the SU scoring board tool, I scored at 2 vertical intervals so that the back would overlap once glued, turned the cardstock around and scored another line which would be the base of the bag.  I then trimmed the thin border either side of the main middle [which would be the main panel] leaving the main panel longer than normal.  I then took the corner rounder to both corners of the overlap piece.  Using my ATG glue gun, I glued a vertical strip on the 2 outer panels [which will be the rear of the gift bag] and overlapped then secured them.  Did the same action to the bottom overlap strip, placed then secured the overlapping strip to form the bottom of the gift bag.  Decorated as above.  Almost forgot to mention I used my old dressmaking pinking shears to create the zig zag top edge and corner rounders too for the bag opening.

The "Thanks So Much" card made as above using SU DSP and other embellishments.  The gift box I made using the We are Memory Keepers gift box punchboard [I purchased all my punch boards prior to becoming an SU Demo].

As a follow-on from my paper medallion post, the paper used was Stampin Up DSP from the Sale-A-Brations.  Basic white and coloured cardstock used here other suppliers.  Sentiment stamp from SU and Stazon inkpad.  Other supplier flower punch and pearl embellishments.  Label maker similar to Sizzix Top Note die is an X-cut layered set. 

Difficult times

A little while ago I went through a pretty rough time at work [NHS job] and at the time it stole the wind from my sails and temporarily knocked my confidence.  I won't go into detail for obvious reasons but a particular colleague was very supportive and gave words of encouragement and thankfully broke my blinkered way of thinking [am I really any good at what I do? what did I do wrong?  what have I missed?].  Without their support, I don't think I would have recovered from the ordeal as quickly as I did.  With this in mind, I knew they love different kinds of kid's sweets [as well as the grown-up kind] and that's okay.  I knew I wanted to give my colleague a token of my appreciation and create a "thank you" card and this is what I came up with:

White, blue, black and terracotta cardstock from other suppliers.  Diamonte embellishments Hobbycraft.  Scalloped circle punch from Hobbycraft.  Butterfly diecut, other supplier.  Sizzix embossing folder.  "thank you" sentiment from Stampin Up Sale-A-Bration "Lotus Blossom" set.  Stazon black ink used.

The Teachers Thank You Cards

Both Miss Marr's and Mrs Mistlebrook's "Thank You" cards:

Mrs Mistlebrook's card - a combination of scalloped and layerd edges + machine stitching:
[sentiment from Stampin' Up!]

Miss Marr's "Thank You" card - close-up of dimensional adhesive pads in use:

A wee "Thank You" card

Just another little "Thank you" card for my sister Laura & her family.

Thank You Notelets

3 x notelets I'd made to be enclosed with the 3 other SU! demos marker packs I'd taken part in a marker share with. More details here!

End of term school staff and teacher thank you gifts

Just a small few of 2-step stamping on these thank-you cards:

Those paper bags were recycled from the school staff room ages ago - I had this in mind when I acquired them lol!! Hand stamped with SU! stamps:

I bought a few little storage boxes from Hobbycrafts, a few thimbles, needles, fancy dressmaking pins, sewing machine bobbins etc and filled the storage boxes as emergency sewing kits. Using my sewing machine, I wound white, black and navy blue thread on individual bobbins rather than cards. Yeah I know, you can indeed buy tiny sewing kits for around £2.00 odds but the threads are never up to much and neither is the packaging! I think in total the sewing kit I made up cost between £6 and £8 as the items are more substantial than what you would normally purchase as 1-off kit!

I apologise for the 'puckering' of the coated paper on this clipboard - 1st coat dried brilliantly! however, the 2nd coat didn't and I proceeded to a 3rd and gave up once it had dried, still 'puckered'. The little flowers were rub-ons. In fact the patterned papers/cardstock where what I have left from my days of being "Top Line Creations" scrapbooking consultant.

I also altered a bingo clipboard in similar colours [for same teacher] and added a few notepads too. PPs and c/s again from my TLC days.

All wrapped up in cello and gift bow:

I had bought those little dainty metal plant pots from Ikea some time ago with the view to doing this - just filling up with a few choccies and wrapped in cello and bow:

A close of my small hand-made bow ribbon:

All wrapped and presented in the stamped paper bags:

Thank-You tags to match party bags

Sweet 16th Thank You Notelets

Seeing as I couldn't get to sleep last night with my backache and Stewart on night shift [it seems like I am doing night shift too!] I thought I'd get the thank you notelets out of the way before another block of time flew by! I just made single sided notelets rather than a folded card - easier and much quicker to work through a small number of them.

Thank you cards

Sarah's card:

Fab book from Sarah:

Lynne's thank you card:
Gorgeous bracelet from Lynne:

Just a couple of quick thank-you cards for my colleagues. For Christmas, I received a gorgeous bracelet from Lynne and a fabby digi photography book from Sarah - Thanks ladies :o)