Paper Pumpkin Alternatives for January 2018 Kit

As promised, I have the Paper Pumpkin Alternatives for both December 2017 (see December's in tomorrow's post) and January 2018.  I decided to post the January alternative first because Valentine's Day is so close.  I really love this kit and think there are many possibilities other than Valentine's for it.  Of course, I didn't stray from Valentine's in my alternatives.  Watch in the future for other ideas.

Here are the two alternatives I did for the January

Paper Pumpkin Kit.  I did one for each card; each

one very different from the other.  

This alternative was inspired by Patty Bennett.

She did a number of alternatives for this kit.  

What Patty inspired for this card was gluing

down the top flap of the card rather than opening 

it up.  See my post from February 8th to see the original

card.  Then you can tuck the note card in the

corner.  Tie the ribbon as an accent.

                                     

I used Rich Razzleberry to stamp the notecard.

The top hearts are from the Retired  Sealed with

Love stamp set from 2017 Occasions Catalog.

The Happy Valentine's Day is from the January

2018 kit.  The sentiment on the lower right is

from All Things Thanks Stamp Set in the

2017-18 Annual Catalog.  The heart on the
sentiment is Rich Razzleberry from the
Brights Enamel Shapes.

This is the second alternative I made.  I essentially

cut the card up and rearranged everything.  The

front heart panel is actually the back of the

original card trimmed down a little.  I love how the

vellum heart pops out on this card.  I used the 

Flirty Flamingo banner in the kit, and cut it in 

half and trimmed the ends to a point.  Then Stamped

Be Mine in Basic Black from the kit.  The accents 

are from the 2016-18 enamel shapes in Flirty 

Flamingo.  The card base is in Flirty Flamingo and 

is a 5 1/2 x 4 1/4.  The accent panel is Copper Foil

to pick up the copper in the hearts on the front panel.

I don't know how well you can see this part; I

stamped words of love in Flirty Flamingo to create

texture and a background.  You could change

this up for a birthday, thank you, friendship, congratulations,

or whatever if you want.  I like angling the paper

sometimes.  It gives a unique look to the card.

This is the inside of the card.  I took the front

bottom of the original card and put it in

the right corner of the inside.  Then instead of 

leaving the notecard loose or tucked in the 

pocket, I adhered it as the inside panel.  I did

use one of the stamps from the kit the stamp

the envelope with hearts coming out.  I like

using the notecard this way. 

I hope these alternative cards inspire you to use

your January Paper Pumpkin kit.  Or if you 

aren't a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, I encourage you to do so.

It is a kit that comes once a month with everything

included to make the projects inside.  This kit

had 16 cards to make and as usual, there are 

extra supplies with which to make other projects.

I would love to be your demonstrator and share

creative time together.  Until the end of March

if you sign up for Paper Pumpkin for three months, 

you will qualify for free items found in the 

Sale-A-Bration Catalog.

Enjoy and do something creative every day!

Birthday Cards

Well, I didn't get the alternative Paper Pumpkin cards done for my blog today.  Check back on Monday.  So instead, I decided to post the Perennial Birthday Kit and the cards that come with it.  It is an awesome kit with a box to hold all the birthday cards you make to give people throughout the year.

 Here is the box closed with the four cards you

can make.  You can also create alternative

cards with this kit as well.  Look for some

in future posts.

Here, the box is open so you can see there is a

card for each month.  Each card has the days

of the month and you can list who has a 

birthday on that date and make a card

ahead of time.  I love this box and the set so

much I am thinking of getting a second one.

Below are more pictures of the cards

so you can see what they look like closer up.

If you want one of the Perennial Birthday

card kits, go to Stampin' Up and select me

as your demonstrator to buy one.  They

are only available until the end of May.

I always need a birthday card, don't you.

January Paper Pumpkin

In January, I was expecting a Valentine's Day kit in pinks and reds.  I was hoping for cards as some years it has been a banner.  Well, as you can see below it was a Valentine's Day kit, but not in the traditional colors.  I love these cards and think there is so much you can do with them.  I can't wait to create some alternative projects for you to see.  Check back on Friday or Monday to see them.

This is how the cards look when they are made and 

ready to give to someone.  They are in black, silver,

and Flirty Flamingo (okay, sort of pink).  I like

the two designs, one more feminine and one

more masculine.  The sentiments are great too.

The inside holds a note tucked away for you to

share your feelings and thoughts about the 

person who will receive this card.  I think

it would be great for your kids, grandkids, 

spouse, friend, teacher, etc.

This shows that you can decorate the note.  I think

this type of card would be great to send special

surprise notes to your kids in their lunch box,

or anyone else who you want to know

how special they are to you and the rest of the world.

If you are interested in knowing how you can receive these fun and creative Paper Pumpkin kits each month, contact me for details.  

December Paper Pumpkin Cards

When I opened my December Paper Pumpkin kit, I was pleasantly surprised.  Usually the December kit is about the New Year.  In the past that has included a journal and a calendar.  This year it was beautiful floral and butterfly cards, using one of my favorites, glimmer paper.  I love these cards and hope you enjoy them too.

I will be playing with these cards to create some alternative projects to share with you.  Check back on Friday or Monday to see them.  

Let me know if you want more information about Paper Pumpkin and how you can receive monthly kits like these to create your own cards and projects.

Paper Pumpkin Alternative Challenge

I have been a Paper Pumpkin subscriber for almost 3 years.  I love getting the box in the mail each month.  It's like getting a present every month with a great surprise inside with which I can create fun cards and projects in a short time because everything is included.  So, for the next three days I'm going to post things I've done with Paper Pumpkin.  Today, I'm going to highlight a card I submitted to a challenge Stampin' Up held in January .  Tomorrow, will be the cards from December's kit and Thursday will be the January kit.  I'm going to work on some alternative projects for both December and January and hope to post those on Friday.

In January, Stampin' Up challenged all Paper Pumpkin subscribers to dig out old Paper Pumpkin kits that they hadn't used and make an alternative card with those supplies.  What a great challenge.  I decided to use two kits to make my card; October 2015 and May 2016.  I really liked the sentiments and floral stamps in October 2015 and just plain didn't like the May 2016.  So, I thought what could I do to create something I liked from these two kits?  Here is what I did.

I used Calypso Coral cardstock for the card base.  On Whisper White I stamped two flowers from the October 2015 kit in Basic Black.  Then using the new Stampin' Blends I colored in one flower with Daffodil Delight and the second flower with Calypso Coral.  I added Glitter Enamel Dots to the center of the flowers.  Using the new Leaf Punch shown in the 2017 Holiday Catalog originally, I punched out two leaves using Pear Pizzazz.  The white card front is from the May 2016 kit which was had a back panel of corrugated bright orange cardstock which I didn't like.  So, I took the Daffodil Delight and Calypso Coral card front from the October 2015 kit and made that the back panel.  Along the center sentiment panel using the October 2015 stamp set I stamped the sentiment in Basic Black and small flowers randomly with Daffodil Delight and Calypso Coral.  I attached the leaves under the white panel, did the Calypso Coral flower flat, and popped up the Daffodil Delight with mini dimensionals.  I fell in love with this card and it helped me see options for using a kit I didn't originally like and one that I liked the stamp set and colors, but not the actual cards.  So, I plan to play more with other kits and create alternatives to share with you.

If you aren't a Paper Pumpkin subscriber and want to know more, please contact me for information.  It is a fun way to play and be creative at least once a month without buying anything else.  

Lots to Love Valentine Box and Cards Project

This is the last post from my January "Celebrate the New Year" Come Stamp With Me Class.  I try to have a small project for people to make and take home at the end of each class.  This time it was a cute Valentine's box to hold candy or cards for your loved ones, whoever they may be.  I did make alternative boxes and filled them with 4 Narrow Notecards/Envelopes for each person attending the class.

This is one of the option of the "Lots to Love" box

people in the class could make.  You can use

any Designer Series Paper (DSP) you like.

The tag in the front is from the 

Cake Soiree stamp set from the

2018 Occasions Catalog. You can

leave out the cutout heart window on the front

and have it be a closed box with a 

surprise inside.

This is the back of the "Lots to Love" box.  

You can leave plain or decorate however you like.

This was another "Lots to Love" box option 

filled with candy.  Yum...

This is the back of the box.

This shows 4 different "Lots to Love" box.

The 2 pink boxes are filled with the 

cards in the photo below.

These cards are made with the Narrow Note Cards

and Envelopes.  These are fun to make and are

great little note cards to put in your child's 

lunchbox, for your special sweetie, a

thank you for a friend, a co-worker, or 

employee, or whoever else you

want to know you care.

How to make the "Lots to Love" Box:

Supplies:

Lots to Love Box Framelits

Real Red or whatever color cardstock you want:  (2) 6 3/4 x 4 1/2 pieces to die cut box and cut-out heart

Clear Window Sheet: 2 ½ x 3 ¼ piece

Sealed With a Kiss DSP (retired) or whatever paper you have:  2 pieces of 4 7/8 x 3 and cut-out heart; 

Variety of different die-cuts or punched pieces, small circle punch plain or embossed, and clear & glitter epoxy dots, all to use for decorating your box.

Brief Instructions:

Steps to put the box together:

a.      Using bone folder, fold on the lines and burnish the folds;

b.      Using tear & tape, adhere the window sheet to the inside of the box over the cut-out heart;

c.       Adhere the DSP to the front panel first, then the back panel; remember the back panel is upside down, so the top of the DSP is the straight side, not the rounded side;

d.      Decorate the back panel;

e.       Put tear & tape on the back panels sides, then carefully put the front panel over one side at a time, remember the front panel sides go towards the back so no seam shows on the front;

f.        Fold in the bottom flap;

g.       Stamp and decorate your small circle, you choose whether you want the plain or embossed, and finish decorating your box;

h.       Now fill the box with candy and fold in the top flap, yum!

Steps to put the note cards together:

a.   Fold narrow note cards and burnish with bone folder;

     

b.   Cut front panel 4 1/4 x 2 1/4 out of DSP or cardstock that you want to use;

c.   Using the 2 1/2 circle punch, cut from DSP for the inside envelope flap;

d.   Decorate the front of the card however you choose; I used heart DSP and a popped up Love sentiment; watercolor with Flirty Flamingo, Melon Mambo, & Rich Razzleberry, love and hearts die cuts; Berry Burst DSP embossed with hearts; and Powder Pink cardstock with die cut hearts the right side and Glimmer paper for the front panel, sentiment and hearts stamped in Sweet Sugarplum.  Most of the supplies used for these cards are retired products from the 2017 Occasions Catalog.

Be creative and make you own beautiful cards.

Just Breathe Floral Card

This is the third card from my January "Come Stamp With Me" class.  The card is made using different techniques and the Stampin Blends Pens.  It combines products from the Occasions and Annual Catalog.  This card is a perfect card for those of you who like to color.  The card was inspired by Sandra Mastello, a SU Demonstrator from Australia.  I added and changed up a few things and it is her original design.

The card front is four layers:  1) the card base with the 

sentiment stamped & embossed on the top front,

Note: both sentiments are from the

Colorful Seasons stamp set in the Annual Catalog;

2) a silver foil panel that is adhered to the 

bottom of the card base;  3) a silver foil ribbon

that is attached to the back of the floral panel;

and 4) the embossed floral panel which is

adhered with stampin' dimensionals on top

of the silver foil on the bottom of the card.

The floral panel is embossed with the

 Petal Pair Embossing Folder

from the Petal Passion Suite in the Occasions Catalog

on Whisper White Thick cardstock,

using Memento Black ink to highlight the pattern. 

See photo below for what it looks like 

before it is colored and partially colored.

The bottom part of the embossed floral panel

is cut away either before or after you color 

in the flowers and leaves.

This is the inside of the card.  The flower is colored

and cut out of an extra embossed panel.

The envelope flap (shown below & hard to see)
is embossed (no ink) using the same
Petal Pair Embossing Folder.  It is an elegant look.

One of the embellishments that you can't see on

the card are Glitter Epoxy Shapes; dots and dew drops

on the front of the card by the sentiment and on

some of the flowers.  They add an extra pop on the card.

Supplies:

• Whisper White Thick:  5 ½ x 4 ¼ for card base and Floral Embossed piece, 5 ½ x 2 ¼
• Silver Foil:  5 ½ x 1, panel under the embossed flowers and 5 ½ x ½ ribbon piece to go behind the embossed flowers at the top
• Whisper White envelope with embossed flap
• Clear or Glitter epoxy dew drops
• Decorative Ribbon Border Punch
• Versamark Ink
• Silver Embossing Powder
• Colorful Seasons Stamp Set

Stampin’ Blends Pens:

• Light & Dark Cherry Cobbler for the Roses
• Light & Dark Calypso Coral for the large flowers and inside of pink flowers
• Light & Dark Pink Pirouette for the daisy-like flowers
• Light & Dark Daffodil Delight for the mums
• Light & Dark Pool Party for smallest flowers
• Light & Dark Old Olive for the leaves

You can use other colors when you color your flowers; some class participants used Rich Razzleberry and Bermuda Bay and did a darker, richer tone on the flowers.  They also discovered that when you flip the panel over there is a paler version of the panel.  Some of them used a couple of their reverse sides on their card.  They were beautiful.  Some used different flowers and colors for the inside flower.  Be creative and have fun making this card.