Thank you so much to the very talented Connie Babbert for nominating me to participate in the Creative Blog Hop. I am so honored! Connie lives in nearby Columbus, but I met her in Florida at a Stampin’ Up! conference. She has a fabulous site with so many creative ideas. Click here to go to her Creative Blog Hop post, but make sure to look around at her other projects, too.
My project is one that I have been meaning to get to for a while, and it is perfect for this hop because it shows off my favorite thing in papercrafting – designer paper. And not just one pattern, but many coordinating patterns from the same collection. The project is a set of monogrammed note cards with a box.
Don’t you love that paper? It is called Painted Blooms, and it will be available starting tomorrow. “Painted Petals” is the coordinating stamp set, and I have stamped some of the flowers on the envelopes.
The set of 3 1/2″ x 5″ note cards is very easy to put together. I used pre-cut and pre-scored note cards, and they come with envelopes. I added a 3 1/4″ x 4 3/4″ Wild Wasabi mat to each card. Each piece of designer paper is 3″ x 4 1/2″.
Instead of building up elements, I punched a 1 3/4″ hole in each piece of designer paper before attaching to the Wild Wasabi. Since these are note cards, I think simpler is better and I didn’t want a lot of bulky layers. To get each hole centered, I took a punched Post-it and put it in place so that I could easily see where to punch – I just lined up the window on my punch with the Post-it.
After attaching the designer paper pieces to the note cards, I also added a strip of Wild Wasabi, 1/4″ x 3 1/4″, before popping up my 1 3/8″ stamped circle on a dimensional. I used the retired set “Lovely Letters” stamped in Blackberry Bliss for my initial.
You can alter this project drastically by using different colors, a different designer paper collection, a letter from a different set, or a different stamp or embellishment in place of the letter. I will add a link below to a set made with Eastern Elegance and a different box type.
As for the box…our 80lb cardstock makes a sturdy box that you can decorate to match the cards. For this project, I used the Envelope Punch Board to make a box with a lid.
I have a video that shows the box construction. I think you will be surprised at how easy it is to make.
And now to answer the questions that are a part of this Creative Blog Hop…
1. What are you working on now?
Open House projects including samples, make-n-takes and door prizes for my Wednesday night event.
2. How does your work differ from others in your genre?
I like to do a lot of different things, sometimes at the same time. I jump around between techniques and products for club meetings or blog posts because it all interests me, and I want to try it all. I don’t stay with one topic or stamp set for long, and if you saw my work space on any given day, you would see more than one project in progress. Creating multiples of anything is a chore for me because I would rather design new things than create duplicates.
3. Why do your create what you do?
It’s fun to work with colors and patterns, and putting papercraft elements together is relaxing. Most of my projects are small (cards and small 3D items), and it is very satisfying to be able to create something from the heart even in a short period of time.
4. How does your creative process work?
I wish I knew!! Maybe then I could figure out why it takes hours to come up with a design one day, and the next day I am done with a beautiful card in 15 minutes. But seriously, I get color inspiration everywhere, and if I am stuck, I look at our Color Coach. On most occasions, I have a general layout idea, and then I stamp many elements and I get out many trims. I move things around in a “Trial and Error” process until I hit the right combination.
Thank you for taking the time to look at my entry in the hop!
I hope you will continue with the hop next week as Amy Kunkle from {crazy}beYOUtiful and Donna from Butternut Sage Designs take a turn with the Creative Blog Hop. I admire the work of both of these ladies – one who I know well (Amy from my Team) and one who I have only met by email (Donna). I have gotten inspiration from both, and I am sure you will, too!
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