Need some gorgeous "Favor Boxes"? Of course you do!

As our calendars fill with Thanksgiving dinner invites and then right on into Christmas party invitations be prepared with the perfect Hostess gifts....and you know me now....it's all about the packaging!

I took some simple box patterns and turned them into WOW gift containers just by using the "Lost & Found" papers from My Minds Eye. Bet you didn't think that paper could be used for Christmas. Well, look again. The gorgeous green glittery swirls with the brick colored roses and brown accents.....LOVE IT! They came out so pretty your hostess won't even care what's inside, but add some little tubes of hand lotion, chocolates or what ever you think she will like. When the party's over and she sits back to rest she will have a little special goody just from you to make her feel special!

This box was made with a sheet of paper 8 1/2 x 11 inches. Score short side at 2 1/2 and 6 inches. Turn and score long side at 4 1/2 and 6 1/2 inches. Fold on all score lines both ways to break down paper at folds really good. Ok, this next part sounds tricky, but don't over think it! Bring the horizontal fold to meet the vertical fold to create a diagonal crease. Use a bone folder to really press this crease good. Do this to the rest of the 3 corners. (sample will be in store if you need to see how this is done :) ) To create your box, fold the diagonal folds in toward the center and pinch the top closed. May have to push in a little on the sides. Use your crop a dile to punch holes for ribbon at top. You can embellish as much or as little as you like!

This box above is also super easy to whip up. Using a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 inches paper or cardstock, score long way at 2", 5", 7" and 10". Turn paper so short end is at top now and score at 2" and 7". Snip along the bottom at each crease up to score line to create flaps for bottom of box. You can cut each flap at an angle to remove some of the bulk. At the top where it is 2" (as you hold paper horizontally) cut away all but the last two 2" sections. One of those sections left is the narrow strip which will be folded and adhered in to create box. The wider piece is the flap that will fold over and close box. Adhere the narrow strip on side to form box and then adhere bottom flaps to close box bottom. Pinch in sides, fold over top flap to close and punch holes for ribbon. That's it!
So instead of going right to the Christmas paper tables at Scraphappy, look around....there's alot of paper that is gorgeous for Christmas!
Now go Bless Someone's Life With Your Creativity!
Nikki

How about some more...... FLOWERS ?  You can never get enough... right!

These flowers are quick and easy and can be made any size. These pictured are 3 1/2, 3 and 2 inches in diameter. Start by loosely (and I mean loosely, they don't have to be perfect) tearing three circles, small medium and large from paper or card stock.

Then tear the largest and the medium circle into a five petal shape flowers as pictured below.  This too, does not have to be prefect.

  Use distress ink on both the back and the front of each one.

    Take the largest and the medium flower shape a gently roll each petal around a pencil to shape the petals, shown in the picture below. Add a brad or embellishment to the center of the smallest circle

Just play with the petals pushing them up and rolling on a pencil ever more if need be. I freehand cut some leaves or you could just use the Cricut.

I like to mount them on foam square and add the to a scrapbook page or for even more fun......

Come in the store and see what the design team has done with flowers for our Thanksgiving table settings.

Happy crafting, Linda

It's a baby layout! Everyone likes babies

Are you a fan of simple and easy?  Do you have some baby pictures that really need to be scrapped but you don't know what to do with them?   I have the perfect collection for you!  The Simple Stories - Baby Steps collection.

When I first got this paper I contemplated what I wanted to do with it, chose a few different pictures...mostly newborn pictures of one of my little girls.  Then I saw this really cute picture in my stack that would go perfect.

The papers can go with either boy or girl very easily as you can see in this peek at the collection.


So I found my picture to use now I just needed to come up with a layout.  I use lots of sketches and take inspiration from layouts I see on other blogs or websites.  I finally narrowed down which papers and embellishments to use and I started this great process of creating a masterpiece! LOL not really...because with the Simple Stories, everything matches so all you really have to do is put together a layout or card with minimal effort...
Soooo here's my layout I did. 

What do you think????

The hardest part on the layout was cutting out the banner that runs along the top.  Everything is straight from the line, except for the twine and I did a little shading on the banner and around the edge of the main paper with one of my Tim Holtz distress ink pads.

I have a couple more ideas for my leftover paper and embellishments.  I want to make a couple of baby cards.  When I get them done, I will put up another blog...so keep a look out for the cards.  In the meantime, head on over to Scraphappy and pick up some of the Simple Stories lines.  There are some other really cute lines, Fall and I think I saw the Christmas line in the store the other day.  Come back and show us what you have done.