Froggie Hello Friend Card with CTMH Splendor and Hot Diggity

Our super summery paper pack Splendor has been one of my absolute favorites to work with this summer.  The colors and patterns are just so darn cheery you can't help but smile when you see something made with this pack!  This card was inspired by a card posted on the CTMH consultant bulletin board.  I loved the embossed froggie from the Hot Diggity stamp set and just had to make one for our Stamp Camp class!

Here is a close up of the ruffled paper ribbon - I love this technique because it gives lots of texture to your work but also lies flat for mailing.  Here you can also see a cardstock button made with the Martha Stewart button punch - I love that I can punch out buttons from our cardstock to match any project using this punch but I do wish she had it in a smaller size as well as this is a fairly big button.

Materials Used:
Paper:  Splendor Level 2, Moonstruck CS
Stamps:  Hot Diggity
Inks:  Moonstruck, Versamark
Other:  Clover Meadow Embossing Powder, MS Button Punch, ribbon from Michael's Crafts

Paper Gift Basket Tutorial

As promised, here is a picture tutorial for making the paper gift basket!

1.  Start with 8.5x8.5" piece of Cardstock and a 1.5"x11" strip of matching Cardstock.

2.  Score at 2.5" in on each side of the big piece.

3.  Decorate your handle.  Here I've stamped with the flower edge from Summer Wishes (part of the Splendor Workshop Kit).

4.  Decorate the inside of your box with stamping before you fold along your score lines.  Here I've used stamps from our Hot Diggity set.

5.  Cut along the X lines - only TWO sides are cut to form the box.

6.  For the outside of the box you will need:

A (4) 2.25x2.25"

B (2) 2.25"x 3.25"

C (2) 2.25"x 3" (this one can be shorter because it gets mostly covered up).

7.  Curve the handle by gently running it down the side of your craft table.

8.  Attach the handle about .5" down on the C panel (the one that folds IN).

9.  Put adhesive along the cut line on the two sides.  Follow the pencil line shown.

10.  Fold up the two sides so they form a triangle on the side under the handle.

11.  Add an embellishment on the side to cover where they pieces join. Here I've used the big flower on the Summer Wishes set (Spelendor workshop kit) and adhered with a pop dot.

Gift basket using CTMH Splendor Paper and CTMH Summer Wishes and Hot Diggity

Isn't this a sweet basket?  Each side is a little over 2.5" high making it just right to hold a bunch of wrapped candies for a picnic or hostess gift.  This 4th of July I made one with blue paper and stamped the inside with all sorts of 4th of July stamps and wrapped Smarties candies with red paper to look like firecrackers to give to a neighbor who hosted a BBQ.  I forgot to take a picture before giving it away (don't you hate it when you do that?!?).

Anyways - this little beauty was a project at my July Stamp Camp.  A lot of people went for a little bee instead of the spider.  I'm not a spider fan - I tell my kids if it crosses the threshold of the the house then it gets killed, if its outside it can live a full and happy life (my one exception are bees - those I capture and release) - BUT I do like this little guy.  He's such a happy little spider!

Materials Used:
Paper:  Splendor Level 2
Stamps:  Summer Wishes (stamp that comes with the Splendor Kit - love these kits!), Hot Diggity
Inks:  Goldrush, Moonstruck
Other:  Sponge daubers

Open House Make and Take with CTMH Splendor, A Little Buzz, Leave Your Mark and Glitz

Sorry the first picture is so washed out.  It really didn't look like that to me when I took the photo!  This is the cute card we made with the new Splendor paper pack at my Open House on April 30th.  Isn't that little bug the cutest?  Its from a new set called A Little Buzz that has a bunch of sweet sentiments you can put together to make them say different things along with 4 adorable bugs.    The close ups show our new Glitz Stardust layered on top of our Watercolor pencils.  This stuff is so cool because you get all the glitter without all the MESS!  I love a bit of sparkle but I really dreaded using my Prisma glitter in classes because it just gets all over.  Even in my own craft room one project with glitter would leave me sparkling in spots and get on projects I didn't want to be sparkly.  I'm so glad CTMH came out with this new product to solve that problem AND its cheap - just $2.95 for a 1oz bottle!

Materials Used:

Paper:  Splendor Level 2

Stamps:  A Little Buzz, Leave Your Mark, Summer Wishes (exclusive B size that comes with the Splendor workshop for the flowers)

Inks:  Topiary, Moonstruck, Goldrush

Other:  Watercolor Pencils, Glitz Stardust, White Daisy Just Blooms, Autumn Harvest Brads

CTMH Cherry-O, Splendor, Passages and Zippidee Workshops on the Go or Kit of the Month

I've had several questions about the Workshop on the Go kits (what I also sometimes call our Kit of the Month as there are 4 kits and 4 months to each Idea Book).  These kits are available during the Idea Book that they are released in - so in the May-August 2010 Idea Book we have available in KIT FORM a workshop for Cherry-O, Passages, Splendor and Zippidee. 

Cherry-O Workshop Kit - $29.95
Cherry-O Additional Layout
Cherry-O Additional Cards

Passages Workshop Kit - $29.95
Passages Additional Layout
Passages Additional Cards

Splendor Workshop Kit - $29.95
Splendor Additional Layout
Splendor Additional Cards

Zippidee Workshop Kit - $29.95
Zippidee Additional Layout
Zippidee Additional Cards


Each of the kits are just $29.95 and come with the following items:

- Level 2 Paper Pack (12 sheets of patterned paper and 10 sheets of coordinating cardstock in 4 colors)
- Exclusive coordinating B size stamp set (cannot be purchased separately, must order the kit to get this stamp)
- One full size embellishment
- One workshop guide which gives you full cutting, assembly and embellishing directions for BOTH a 2 page layout AND a card workshop where you make 6 cards (2 each of 3 designs). There is also additional artwork shown that uses our how-to books to complete.

There is also a "best" option accessory listed (usually between $5-$10) that is an additional embellishment you can use in your workshop to kick it up a notch artistically. These are optional add ons but they really add a whole lot to the art of the pieces you create.

These kits are an INCREDIBLE deal. Not only are you getting a discount on the package (usually about $2-$3) but they take you step by step through making truly beautiful projects, learning new techniques and USING what you purchase. You won't buy a beautiful paper pack and then worry about cutting into it or not knowing what to make with that stamp set you purchased - you'll be able to pull out your brochure and get started that day! YOU can choose what you want to do - scrap, make cards or BOTH. You'll have LOTS of patterned paper left over to make additional projects. Each time I use a kit I make the featured 2 page layout, the additional 2 page layout, the cardmaking workshop (6 cards) and the additional cards (6 more cards) or a total of 4 layouts and 12 cards with TONS of paper leftover. I usually run out of the cardstock first so I just make sure I have extra of the matching neutral (White Daisy or Colonial White in general).

I truly LOVE this new workshop program that we have! I've looked at other "kit of the month" type of programs out there and our price ROCKS! Plus when you run out of the paper pack you can BUY MORE of just the paper ($12.95 for a Level 2 pack) - you'll have the stamp set to use already! This is how I buy all my new paper packs now - I love that the kits always come with a brand new accessory for me to try, that I can use the stamps not only with the kit but other paper packs and I love using the brochures to create cards and layouts in other papers that I have on hand. The versatility, flexibility and value of these kits is what I love to share with my group of friends! I hope you'll take a minute to check these out!

If you have ANY questions, please don't hesitate to contact me by either leaving a comment here or via my e-mail at paigedolecki (at) yahoo.com. Happy shopping!