creating a gift box...

but first...

thanks so much for the sweet comments & emails...

I'm THRILLED that you're having fun with these projects...

I am too!

and I KNOW...

DUH...I'm old...forgive me...

I promised an update on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert...

we were both totally blown away...

it was spectacular...

it was probably better than that,

but I can't think of a better word...

we will go again next year for sure...

I had several questions about which of tim's new Adirondack color washes to start with...

for a basics set...

OK...this is just my opinion...

they are ALL AWESOME...

I would say a blue...either denim or sailboat blue...I love both...

a green...either meadow or lettuce...

so you can make leaves for flowers...imagine that!

red pepper is awesome & I LOVE butterscotch...

and stream is cool too...

and for sure espresso...it's wonderful when combined with the Perfect Pearls mists...

I used them today on this little box...

let's get going...

time to make art!

grab a generic gift box...

this is approximately 3 3/4 inches square...

and we'll change it into this...

ink the lid top & sides & also the bottom sides with vintage photo distress ink...

use coffee archival to stamp the script over the lid...

a tip...

set the inked stamp rubber side up on your worktable & lay the lid on the stamp...

that way you have a more solid stamping surface...

I just press from the inside...

to transfer the image...

or...

lay a wood stamp or acrylic block under the box lid for a better stamping surface...

use the gold paint dabber to lightly edge the lid...

the lid looks better already!

using jet black archival, stamp the lid edges with the index stamp...

again, lay the inked stamp on your table & if you set the lid on it with the opening toward you, you can easily press the lid onto the stamp with your finger...

use jet black archival & the polka dot to stamp the sides of the box bottom...

don't worry...

I covered up the oops with a piece of patterned paper...

the box will look like this from the side...

stamp the poinsettia once on grungeboard & 2 times on grungepaper...

I like to use both for layering...

cut out the full grungeboard image...

that will be the bottom GREEN layer of the flower...

cut off few petals from the second image...

as shown below & cut out just the poinsettia center from the 3rd image...

using jet black archival...

stamp the grungeboard flower & the little center with the Christmas background...

stamp the other flower with polka dots using jet black...

mist the grungeboard flower with meadow color wash on the front & back & dry with the heat it tool...

mist the other 2 flowers, front & back with red pepper color wash & dry...

poke 3 holes in the flower center & add 3 long fasteners...

form & shape the flower petals, then assemble the flower with grungeboard scraps between the layer to create dimension...

stamp the tree on grungeboard with jet black archival...

cut out & mist with meadow color wash on both sides...

ink the tree trunk with black soot...

emboss the tree with tim's dot matrix texture fade...

sand the raised dots with the sanding grip & add peeled paint over the sanded areas with the blending tool...

add some rock candy distress stickles to the tree...

set aside to dry...

did you know?

that distress stickles can be heat set?

Yes..they can!

now to create some idea-ology fragment ornaments...

these are simple & FUN!

choose 2 fragment charms that fit over your

chosen images..

these are from tim's new salvage stickers...

the seasonal ones...

apply Glossy Accents to the fragment & place over the image & press in place...

allow a few seconds to dry...

trim off the excess paper & sand edges with the sanding grip...

now this is cool...

use a piece of Ranger's Inkssentials Memory Tape to cover the top of the fragment charm...

poke a hole & add a string to hang...

and a fancy photo...

cut the fence from grungeboard...

& trim to fit the box...

tap the snow cap white pigment pad over the fence to cover it...

dry, then ink with vintage photo, walnut & black soot...

use coffee archival to stamp the spatter stamp over the fence...

HAHA...IF YOU'VE TAKEN A CLASS FROM ME...

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT STAMP!!!

I hear you laughing...

bend a few pickets to create dimension...

use walnut distress ink to stamp tim's mini snowflakes around the top of the lid...

take a look...that mini set is on SALE!

apply rock candy distress stickles to the top of the lid, in random areas...

to assemble...

add a grungeboard scrap under the fence before gluing to the lid...

die cut a portion of tim's alterations flourish from grungeboard & ink with vintage photo...

add the poinsettia on the left...

with the flourish partially under it...

add the tree on the right & hang the fragment ornaments...

add a Maya Road trinket star pin under the poinsettia...

cut off the pin from the Maya Road mini heart pin & glue just the heart to the tree trunk...

and the result...

TADA!!!

it doesn't even look like the same generic box we started with does it?

this will be perfect for a gift card...

or a piece of jewelry...

or some folded up $$$...

if you don't need a gift box...

PLAN B would be to glue the box shut & use it for an ornament for the tree!

NOW...

I have some AWESOME GOODIES to give away...

Well it's a lucky day for...

Larajc said...

love the tag! I just NEED that tree embossing folder now...

December 2, 2010 7:55 am

and this commenter will also be receiving a gift...

jill j said...

WENDY, I LOVE THE TAG......IT MAY BE QUICK, BUT IT IS JUST BEAUTIFUL. SOMETIMES, EASY IS BEST, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR. I THINK THE RESULT IS JUST STUNNING! YOU ROCK!!!!

December 2, 2010 10:39 AM

just send your shipping info please...

(wbv1213@me.com)

but wait...

there's one more winner...

congrats to...

funkycrafter has left a new comment on your post "every gift needs a tag...":

the houndstooth deer is so cool. i must get that trees folder. didn't think i needed it until all the fantastic tags started appearing this week. your blog is one of my favorites but it sure costs me a lot of stash money.



Posted by funkycrafter to Studio 490 at December 2, 2010 10:31 PM

Have a wonderful weekend...

I hope you can shop & take time to ...

make art!

wendy

ps...I'll be back next week...

more ideas...more prizes!!!

(Sizzix, Ranger, Maya Road & RUBBER! oh my!)

stay tuned...

every gift needs a tag...

today I'll share a quick gift tag...

today was the NIKE motto...

have fun & get it done!

below you'll find instructions for this tag...

grab one of Ranger's large manila tags...

emboss it with tim's trees folder...

with the trees on the left...

now here come the new color washes...

BEWARE...they are addicting...

consider yourself warned...

mist the tag with meadow, sailboat blue & denim color washes...

use the mini mister to spritz with water...

hold the tag up so the drips form & run down the tag...

dry with the heat it tool...

use denim pigment ink to randomly stamp the Christmas background...

rub the embossed trees with forest moss distress ink, right from the pad...

then use walnut distress ink to darken the tree trunks...

cut a scrap of grungepaper to 3/4 inches wide...

and a bit longer than the tag...

mist with the same 3 color washes & water over the strip...

dry with the heat it tool...

use denim pigment to stamp the Christmas background...

use jet black archival to stamp WISH...

use the gold dabber to edge the strip & also edge the tag with the dabber...

cover a piece of grungepaper with patterned paper & die cut the deer...

then ink with vintage photo & the blending tool...

PLAN B...if you don't have the same paper...

just ink the deer with vintage photo & use the houndstooth background with jet black to stamp right over the deer...

add several grungeboard scraps under the deer & round the body...

to make more dimensional...

add a bow to the neck...

use the gold paint dabber to stamp the mini snowflakes several times @ the top of the tag...

make sure to clean the stamp...

trust me...

don't let the paint dry on the stamp...

you won't like it...

cut a reinforcer from a grungeboard scrap, ink with forest moss & add to the tag...

add 5 rhinestones to the snowflakes...

this might show the snowflakes a bit better...

use the tiny attacher to add the WISH strip to the lower tag...

leave room for some lace that's been antiqued with vintage photo...

add a row of coordinating rhinestones to the lace...

and now it looks like this...

this is TOTALLY NOT what I had planned...

but this is how it ended up, which is usually how it goes here...

but...I like it...

and speaking of LIKE...

I TOLD you...Lisa Pace likes me...

she told me to choose 2 random comments & those 2 commenters would win

free access to her AWESOME...

ALL THINGS WINTER HOLIDAY WORKSHOP...

FOR FREE!!!

YIPPEE!!

HOW COOL is that!!!

I had Rick pop over to the Ranger blog...

he chose this comment...

Can't wait to add this project to my list of things I'd like to complete before the big day! No countdown traditions as such...being creative, decorating and preparing holiday foods seem to all get done some how.

Posted by: SusanK | December 1, 2010 at 10:44 AM

and then he chose one from my blog...

Holly said...

Fabulous as always!! I love your instructions, you are wonderfully detailed! Thanks!

December 1, 2010 12:30PM

congrats to both winners...

just send Lisa an email with WENDY BLOG WINNER in the title & she'll get you all set up...

lisa@lisapace.com

THANKS LISA!!! That was fun...

I hope you have enjoyed this little tag tutorial...

here it comes...

make art!

wendy

another fun gift...

happy holidays & here's another thanks for being blog friends...

this is another quick...

handmade gift idea...

start with a 4 inch length of tim's new trimmings...

the ruffled one...

wet it with water, then drop it into a sandwich bag & add 2 or 3 drops of espresso pigment ink reinker, & squish it around to alter the trimmings color...

when dry, stamp it with the polka dot stamp, using coffee archival...

let dry...

(every time I type RE-INKER, this machine changes it to reindeer & makes me laugh)

your trimming should look like this...

much more vintage...

or as dear Rick said...

"how did you make it look dirty?"...

it's all a matter of perspective...and choosing the right words!

use tim's new tag die to cut a tag & reinforcer from grungeboard...

use a scrap of grungeboard to cut just the top portion of the tag again...

it's about an inch tall...

since this is for a tote bag or camera case...

I wanted a smaller tag, so I cut the tag down to 4 1/2 inches tall...

here's a little tip...

if you lay the extra tag top upside down on the bottom of the tag, you can easily cut the corners for a perfect match to the top corners...

stamp the heart on grungeboard, using jet black archival...

cut out & ink with vintage photo distress ink...

ink the back too, since a portion of the back will be visible when it's assembled...

use the blending tool & butterscotch pigment ink to ink the tag & extra tag top...

make sure to ink the back of the large tag too...

add some vintage photo distress ink around the edges to distress...

ink the reinforcer with forest moss using the blending tool...

use coffee archival & this text stamp to lightly stamp the tag...

use the scallop stamp with jet black archival to stamp the scallop about one inch from the top of the tag...

measure the exact stamping location with the extra tag top to make sure it's not going to be covered up...

use coffee archival with this background to stamp the extra tag piece...

add pen stitching detail around the tag edge...

your pieces will look like this...

use jet black to stamp "vintage" 2 times @ the bottom of the tag...

use jet black to stamp the polka dot border across the center of the tag...

use a post it note to cover the lower portion of the tag & stamp the polka dots again, above the words...

stamp the flower on grungepaper, cut out & ink with stormy sky...front & back...

then stamp using jet black...

with this background stamp...

stamp the leaves 2 times on grungepaper, cut out using just 3 of the leaves...

ink with peeled paint & forest moss...

stamp over the leaves with the text and jet black...

glue the extra tag top in place...

add the reinforcer...

add the trimming to the heart...

then trim off excess for a perfect fit...

add a grunge scrap under the heart before gluing it to the left of the tag...

form & shape the flower & leaves, then glue the 3 leaves under the flower & add the accoutrement button as the flower center...

add to the left side of the heart...

some satin cord is the perfect way to add it to a tote bag...

your tag will now look like this...

and a close up...

options for the back...

you can stamp any background stamp...

or write the recipient's name...

or stamp a saying...

or write a special message...

because this is made from grungeboard, it's nice & sturdy & will last a long time...

trust me...

mine travels everywhere with me & it's still looking' good after 3 years!

so there you have it...

a quick little gift for someone special...

it's fun to give & VERY fun to make...

news flash!!!

if you want to see more holiday art...

again with instructions...

check out Ranger's blog today for another holiday project...

ah...that one was fun too!

if you'd like to leave a comment here & again on Ranger's blog...

you just never know when Rick will be packing up more goodie packages!

time to head to the studio...

I'm workin' on NEW stamps...

(and art parts too)

so we can...

make art!

wendy