Rubber Stamping & Card Making with Yapha

As many of you know, my husband had a pretty major back surgery this past Monday. I wanted to send him to the hospital with a fun “Get Well” something, but more than just a card. Eve made him a great poster for the wall of his hospital room. So I figured, what says “Get Well” better than chocolates? Nothing, really. So I made a cute three-tiered matchbox dresser full of chocolates.

The brads I used as drawer handles are from the retired Hodge Podge Hardware. Did you know that this is still available on the Clearance Rack? And it’s only $12.99 instead of $29.99!! Crazy! I filled those drawers with chocolate nuggets wrapped in little band-aid like wrappers.

Stamps: It’s a Wrap Occasions, Perfectly Penned
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Peach Parfait
Paper: Marina Mist, Whisper White, Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper, labels
Other: Matchbox Bigz XL Die, Silver Hodge Podge Hardware

For now it is sitting by his bed side. I’ll know he’s on the mend when he eats the chocolate inside!

Thank you all for your good wishes!  It is slow going, but I am beginning to recover from the pneumonia. I haven’t had the energy to stamp anything in awhile, but I do have some projects that I haven’t posted yet.

Did you know that the new Hanukkah Stamp fits perfectly on the top of the Matchbox? Oh yes! And how fabulous is this Tempting Turquoise Embossing Powder?

And here’s a picture of the side (sorry it is blurry) so that you can see that cute little Glimmer Brad knob.

Stamps: Hanukkah
Ink: VersaMark
Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Daffodil Delight, Brights Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack
Other: Tempting Turquoise Embossing Powder, Brights Glimmer Brads, Matchbox Bigz XL Die, Big Shot

Occasions Mini Catalogs and Sale-a-Bration Catalogs should be arriving mid-December in your mailbox! If you have purchased from me in the last year, then one is on the way to you! Keep an eye out for them, since there are so many catalogs around this time of year. The Occasions Mini Catalog is regular size, but the SAB catalog is long and skinny. Both are full of fabulous items, as always!

Thank you to everyone who visited my blog over the weekend! as I promised during the hop, I have a combo tutorial for you today — how to enlarge your Matchbox AND how to create an easel for it as well. First of all, you need Stampin’ Up’s Matchbox Bigz XL Die. (If you don’t already have this, read to the end for a special offer.) This is what the final project looks like:

The to create the regular matchbox bottom, you need a piece of cardstock that is approximately 6″ x 5″. This creates an adorable box that is unfortunately about an inch to short to hold a gift card. To compensate for this we are going to start with a piece of card stock that is just a bit larger than 7″ x 5″. Fold this in half so that your folded piece is now 3 1/2″ x 5″. Place this on the Matchbox die so that the folded edge is towards the middle of the die, and the two open sides are just at the edge of the cutting line. (Thank you to Carmen for the original tutorial on this.)

Run this through your Big Shot as usual. When you take it out, unfold the piece that you cut. It should look like this:

Fold on all of the score lines, and put it together just as you would a regular Matchbox. As you can see your final project is slightly larger than a regular Matchbox, and can now hold a gift card!

The next step is to create a cover and the easel. For the cover you want to start with a piece of cardstock that is 6 1/2″ x 3 3/4″. Score this on the long side at 3/4″,  2 7/8″, 3 5/8″, and 5 3/4″. (Have I mention recently how much I love my Simply Scored? Love it!!)

Next you need to create a base for the easel mechanism. Start with a piece of cardstock that is 2 1/8″ x 4 3/4″. Score it on the long side at 1 7/8″ and 3 3/4″.

Now fold under the piece that is 1 7/8″ and glue it to the underside of the cover. Next fold up the bottom part, so it is touching the top. (Is this too confusing? Do I need a video?)

Create your focal point image and attach it to a mat that is 2 1/8″ x 3 3/4″. The top of this mat is then glued on to the folded up part of the easel mechanism. (Are you still with me here?)

Now fold the cover on its score lines and fold into a sleeve for the matchbox. For the final step, attach something to the cover that will catch the end of the easel and prop it up. Here I used a little cut out coffee cup on a Stampin’ Dimensional.

I hope this tutorial was helpful. I welcome your questions and comments!

Oh, right, the special offer! From now through October 31st, I am offering free shipping on any order that includes the Matchbox Bigz XL die. Send me an email for complete details. And don’t forget! If you join my team of Craft Therapists before the end of October, you can get either a FREE Big shot or $100 worth of the Stampin’ Up products of your choice. Click here for more details.

Hello and welcome to Stampin’ Addicts Big Shot Blog Hop! In honor of Stampin’ Up’s amazing sign up special (where you can get a free Big Shot!) we are featuring a variety of Big Shot dies. Each blog will focus on a different die, and all the blogs connect in a circle. So whether you are starting here, or have just arrived from Sarah’s Ink Spot, with the fabulous Fancy Favor die, you will have a chance to see them all!

I am super excited to be featuring the Matchbox Die. This is a Bigz XL Die, so it does need the extended cutting pads. It also works best with the Extended Crease Pad. The die cuts and scores the two pieces that make up the matchbox, plus 3 fun tags.

My first project for you today is a little red wagon. I only used the inside of the Matchbox, plus two circle punches to make this adorable wagon. How fun would it be to use these as place cards or favor holders at a child’s birthday party? The last time I made one of these, my daughter took it to use with her Polly Pocket dolls! As you can see by the tag on the back, this one is for my nephew. That silver tag is one of the three tag shapes included on the die.

Stamps: Calendar Alphabet & Numbers
Ink: Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black, Brushed Silver
Other: Matchbox Bigz XL Die, Big Shot, 1″ Circle Punch, 1/2″ Circle Punch, Word Window Punch, Neutral Brads (black)

My next project turns the Matchbox into a little purse. I did not change the structure of the box at all, I just added the scalloped circle piece and the ribbon so it would look more purse like. This adorable little purse can hold 3 lip balms, to make a sweet party favor as well.

Ink: Wild Wasabi
Paper: Peach Parfait, Wild Wasabi, Beyond the Garden Designer Series Paper
Other: Matchbox Bigz XL Die, Big Shot, 2 3/8″ Scallop Circle Punch, Square Fire Rhinestone Brads, Peach Parfait Poly Ribbon

The fun really starts when you combine multiple Matchboxes to create larger items. I have seen a variety of single, double and triple stacks of Matchboxes to make dressers, desks, and more! Below is a fairly simple dresser, two stacks of two Matchboxes each. This is for my daughter’s teacher, who is about to have a baby. I filled the drawers with samples of baby lotion and body wash, but they could fit a variety of small objects, including baby socks!

Paper: Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Soft Suede, Spice Cake Designer Series Paper
Other: Matchbox Bigz XL Die, Top Note Bigz Die, Big Shot, Printed 2011 In Color Designer Brads (Pool Party), Mono Multi Adhesive

When the Matchbox die was first released, some people were disappointed that it was not large enough to hold a gift card. I am happy to tell you that it is fairly easy to modify the die cut to create a box large enough for a standard gift card. My final project is an elongated Matchbox  with an easel top. Since it is a Starbuck’s gift card, I chose a coffee theme for the Matchbox. (Easel matchbox inspired by Becky Roberts.) I will have a full tutorial on how to create this next week, so be sure to stop back.

Stamps: Morning Cup
Ink: StazOn Jet Black, Garden Green, Basic Black, Pretty in Pink
Paper: Garden Green Whisper White
Other: Match Box Bigz Die, Big Shot,  Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Pretty in Pink Dotted Scalloped Ribbon, Stampin’ Dimensional

Thanks so much for joining me on the Blog Hop today! Your next stop is Lisa over at Add Ink and Stamp, where she has some amazing ideas for the Box #2 die. Wait until you see the card file!

A friend of mine is going through some medical stuff right now.  I wanted to let her know I was thinking about her, so I put together this little box of chocolate and a 3×3 card to go with it. I made a clear acetate cover for a matchbox bottom, and filled it with chocolates. I wanted to stamp the wrappers to look like band aids, so I used Peach Parfait ink. I used the polka dot  paper to echo the dots on the “band aids.”

Stamps: It’s a Wrap Occasions, Occasions Alphabet
Ink: Peach Parfait, Island Indigo
Paper: Island Indigo, In-Color Designers Series Paper Stack,  Whisper White
Other: Island Indigo Ruffled Ribbon, Scallop Square Duo Bigz Die, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, labels, acetate

Hope this helps her feel better soon!

One of my favorite things to do with the Matchbox Die is to fill it with chocolate! And now that we have these fabulous wrapper stamps, it’s even easier! I made this little box of chocolates for Steve, a fun addition to his birthday cards.

Stamps: Word Play, It’s a Wrap Occasions
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Real Red
Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Real Red, Whisper White, Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper
Other: Matchbox Bigz XL Die, Big Shot, 1 3/4″ Circle Punch, Stampin’ Dimensionals, mailing labels

There are two versions of the label stamps available – It’s a Wrap Occasions and It’s a Wrap Holidays. They are so much fun!

I hope that you enjoyed the Stampin’ Addicts blog hop this past weekend! If you didn’t have to time to hop through it, it’s not too late! As promised, I will show you what is inside those cute little baby shower boxes. I used the new It’s a Wrap Occasions stamp set to wrap a couple of Hershey Nuggets!

This stamp set is fantastic. It works with mailing labels that are 2 5/8″ by 1″ to create perfect little nugget wrappers!

Here’s what the whole set looks like:

It also comes in French and Spanish, and the most exciting news is that there is going to be a holiday version in the upcoming Holiday Mini Catalog as well!

Welcome to the Stampin’ Addicts’ New Catalog Blog Hop, featuring sets that are brand new this year in Stampin’ Up’s 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog. You may have just arrived from Betty’s blog, where she featured the beautiful Sunflower background stamp, or you might be starting here. Either way, the links will take you around in a complete circle.

I am pleased to be featuring the new Occasions Alphabet, a 26 piece set with each letter of the alphabet and cute saying to go along with it. They are all fun and alliterative, which I love. The first project I have to show you today is a thank you card. I really like the K is for Kindness stamp. It’s a close fit, but it does work in the 1 3/8″ Circle Punch.

Stamps: Occasions Alphabet
Ink: Old Olive
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Whisper White, Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper
Other: Old Olive 5/8″ Satin Ribbon, 1 3/8″ Circle Punch, 1 3/4″ Circle Punch, Perfect Pennants Bigz Die, Big Shot

My second project is somewhat similar. I needed a pack of cards to give as a thank you to the Assistant Head of School. I paired this set with the alphabet paper from the Just Add Cake designer series paper for a look that really said “elementary school” to me. I picked 6 different letters, so she would have cards for a variety of occasions. (You can click on the picture for a closer view of the sayings.)

Stamps: Occasions Alphabet
Ink: Early Espresso
Paper: Wild Wasabi, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper
Other: 1 3/8″ Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch

My third project would make great favors for a baby shower. Fortunately, most of the stamps fit inside the Four Frames stamp set, though some are too long. You could use the other stamps to make these cute little boxes for a variety of occasions. (Curious about what is inside the boxes? Stop back on Monday to see!)

Stamps: Occasions Alphabet, Four Frames
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Melon Mambo
Paper: Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Other: Chocolate Chip Scallop Dots Ribbon, Melon Mambo Scallop Dots Ribbon, Designer Label Punch  Matchbox Bigz XL Die, Big Shot

For my final project, I used the Stampin’ Write markers to ink up only the letter on the stamp. It is a super cute font! And guess what? It is just the perfect size to fit in the Petite Pennants Builder Punch! I used it to write the word “party” below, but you could use it for any three, four, or five letter name to personalize a card!

Stamps: Occasions Alphabet
Ink: Peach Parfait, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight
Paper: Peach Parfait, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper
Other: Petite Pennants Builder Punch

Thank you so much for hopping with us today! Your next stop is the incomparable Holly! She makes the most amazing creations out of punches and Big Shot dies, and she does not disappoint with the new Perfect Pennants Die! My personal favorite is the Hanukkah spinner card she made! I love it!

I always like to give my workshop hostesses something cute and fun as a thank you for hosting. When I saw the new Lace Ribbon Border Punch, I realized it could be easily used to dress up a little match box! I made this fun gift for one of my June hostesses who loves the color orange. This is what the outside of the box looked like:

And here it is filled with an assortment of buttons.

I love the Matchbox die, it just makes the cutest little boxes!

If you are interested in hosting a workshop to earn all kinds of free goodies, let me know. I still have some dates left in August and September. (And the Holiday Mini Catalog starts in September…)

I seem to have run out of time to show you the rest of my Valentine projects, since today is Valentine’s Day, so I’m just going to post the last three items here. First is the Valentine that Eve made for all of her classmates. This was a family effort again this year, with everybody but the dogs lending a hand. I am really proud of her for wanting to make her own again, and for coloring in all 44 bears herself! Here is the finished product. (I couldn’t take a group shot of all 44, because the last stop on our assembly line was stuffing the envelopes. This is a 3″x 3″ card. The little envelope is stamped on Pretty in Pink card stock, cut out, and popped up on a Stampin’ Dimensional.

Stamps: Beary Best Friends
Ink: StazOn Jet Black
Paper: Real Red, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Other: Watercolor Pencils, Stampin’ Dimensionals

The next project I want to show you is the Valentine that I made for each of the second grade teachers. I used Tanya’s amazing book box, with great instructions! It was perfect for me, as a librarian, to give out, and since it uses the Matchbox Die, it holds four Hershey Nuggets. The below picture shows it tied shut, the front cover without the bow, and what the inside looks like.

Stamps: Valentine Defined, Language of Love Wheel
Ink: Basic Grey, Real Red, Blushing Bride
Paper: Basic Grey, Whisper White, Love Impressions Designer Series Paper, Glimmer Paper
Other: Matchbox Bigz XL Die, Big Shot, Blushing Bride Ribbon, Full Heart Punch, Hershey Nuggets

I have a regular group of friends that I eat lunch with at work each day, and when I saw these amazing little nugget purses on Krystal’s Sunday round-up, I thought they would be a really fun Valentine treat to hand out. They are so cute! They would make great baby or wedding shower favors. Each one holds a Hershey Nugget inside. It’s a little hard to see because of the flash, but that is  little rhinestone on top of each heart.

Paper: Real Red, Love Impressions Designer Series Paper
Other: Real Red 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon, Small Heart Punch, Basic Rhinestones, Glue Dots

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you had a good one! I’ll be back tomorrow with some bold colors for the ColourQ challenge!