I made up this gift for some friends that we visited yesterday. Inside are packed several individual size packages of m&ms.

When we get a can of fruit that has a pull tab on top, we always open the bottom with a can opener. Our can opener makes a small cut on the side of the can instead of the bottom. This allows us to rinse the can and refill it with goodies (like candy). All we have to do is glue the bottom back on and the recipient uses the pull tab on top to open the container.

The cardstock wrapped around the can is Pure Luxury Soft Sand. I added the stitching to the top and bottom before I adhered the paper to the can with Scor-Tape. The label image from the Gina K. Designs Lovely Label stamp set was stamped with VersaMark onto PL White Ivory cardstock and embossed with Chocolate scented embossing powder. I stamped the sentiment (also from the Lovely Labels set) onto the cardstock using Pear Tart Memento ink.

I wrapped green ribbon around the can and tied it in a bow. The label was trimmed with scissors and mounted with mounting tape to the can. I used a circle cutter to cut the PL Green Apple cardstock for the top of the tin, adhered it with Scor-Tape and embellished the the tin with several blue buttons.

Supplies:

• Stamps: Lovely Lables (GKD)
• Ink: Pear Tart Memento (GKD), VersaMark (GKD)
• Paper: PL Soft Sand (GKD), PL Green Apple (GKD), PL Ivory (GKD)
• Accessories: Blue Buttons (GKD), Green Ribbon (GKD), Circle Cutter, Embossing Powder, Mounting Tape, Scor-Tape, Sewing Machine, Thread, Fruit Can

I made these treats for prizes at a paintball game that my brother hosted. They are packages of sixlets wrapped in a stamped piece of cardstock.

The Palm Fronds image from Stampendous was stamped with Vivid Olive ink onto Pure Luxury Fresh Asparagus cardstock. I added two copperbrads to the left of the frond image and then secured the cardstock around the candy.

Supplies:

• Stamps: Palm Fronds (Stampendous)
• Ink: Vivid Olive (GKD)
• Paper: PL Fresh Asparagus (GKD)
• Accessories: Copper Brads (GKD), Sixlets candies

One more stamp set to preview – the Lovely Labels stamp set by Nina Brackett. This is a very large set (fills two binder sheets) full of label images designed in a wide variety of styles.

I chose to make a little gift item filled with candy using a pillow box from Gina K. Designs. The pillow box is filled with white mints and then tied closed with a bow.

The label image was stamped onto Pure Luxury Smoky Slate cardstock using white ink and I stamped one of the word images inside the frame. I trimmed the label and secured it to the pillow box using mounting tape and Scor-tape. The flower embellishment was adhered with a glue dot and round brown button was added to the center of the flower.

Supplies:

• Stamps: Lovely Labels (GKD)
• Ink: White
• Paper: PL Smoky Slate (GKD)
• Accessories: Flower (GKD), Button (GKD), Yellow Ribbon (GKD), Pillow Box (GKD), Mounting Tape, Scor-tape

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The Lovely Labels stamp set coordinates beautifully with Spellbinders Labels 1, 4, 8, and 9. Nina has also designed a new digital paper pack called Spring into Spring that compliments the new Spring Assortment paper pack. For even more information on these new products, please visit the Lovely Labels Illustrator’s blog Nina Brackett.

Then, check out these designer’s links for even more samples made with Nina’s stamp set as well as the new Free with Three stamp set called Inside & Out as well as the Spring Florals card kit:
Gina Krupksy
Jessica Fick
Theresa Momber
Melanie Muenchinger
Carolyn King
Tami Mayberry
Cathy Tidwell
Lee Murphy
Lynn Mercurio
Kurtis Amundson
Donna Baker
Emily Giovanni
Erika Martin
Bev Gerard
Colleen Schaan

We’d love to have each of you make plans to join us tomorrow night for the big Release party over in Gina’s Forum on SCS! The virtual party starts at 7pm CST and is filled with contest questions from Gina, challenges from three of our designers, and tons more samples from the entire GKD team!

For some helpful tips on how Gina’s Release parties work on SCS, check out this discussion on StampTV.

This project was made for Koleesa to sell at the craft fair in December. I used Composition notebooks covered with patterned paper and also made coordinating pens. The bird image is from Penny Black and the sentiment and scroll images are from Gina K. Designs.

Supplies:

• Stamps: Take Flight (GKD), Penny Black image
• Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (GKD), Cranberry Crisp (SU!)
• Paper: Pure Luxury White (GKD), Patterned Paper (SU!)
• Accessories: Composition Notebooks, RSVP pens

I made this bag to package a wedding gift in for a wedding that Momma and Poppa went to on Saturday. The stamps are from the new “Wishing You” stamp set available from Gina K. Designs.

The flower and stem images were stamped onto the blue gift bag using White VersaMagic ink. I stamped the word images over the white ink using Memento’s Tuxedo Black ink.

Three little rhinestones (new from Gina K. Designs) on each side of ‘happiness’ add just the right balance and shimmer.

Supplies:

• Stamps: Wishing You (GKD)
• Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (GKD), White VersaMagic
• Accessories: Silver Rhinestones (GKD), Blue Gift Bag

This was something fun to try…gift wrapping with a gift bag.

I cut up a gift bag from “The Ana Grace Collection”, and wrapped a box with it, using the bag’s string handles as my ribbon to secure the gift note to the package.

All for $1 and it’s prettier than most wrapping paper.

Hello! I hope that you have had a fabulous weekend! I haven’t done a whole lot of stamping this week, but I did decorate the vase in this post and I’ll have a card up tomorrow…but in the meantime I wanted to share with you these wonderful forced branches!

While reading a book on forcing bulbs indoors, I found directions on forcing branches indoors and it meantioned fruit branches were a popular branch to force. Since my brother and I work at an apple orchard, I had a large selection of fruit branches to try. I tried several apple varieties, but so far the crabapples have responded the best – those are what are in the vase above.

I did a search on the internet for directions and found these ones that are similar to what I used: [Forced Branches - Bring Spring Indoors]

The vase was $0.99 at Micheals, and it was originally clear, but I used glass etching cream to soften the transparency. I chose to do this because the  roots of some forced branches aren’t as pretty as the blossoms and this way, I could hide the roots but still be able to see into the vase.

I used a sponge and daubed the etching cream directly onto the glass. After 5 or 6 minutes I rinsed off the vase and a beautiful soft haze covered the surface. For a little more detial, I added some rub-ons from Stampin’ Up! and Basic Grey, as well as some died ribbon and a pearl headed pin.

Above you can see the buds opening and two little flower heads are poking out of the larger one.

In this picture the leaves on the larger bud have completly unfolded and a little flower head is starting to poke out. If all goes well, The branches should start to bloom by the end of the week.

(Be sure to click any of the pictures above to view larger images.)