It's in the Bag!

It "IS" in the bag!!!  Inside this cute little gift bag is a gift card!!!

My new daughter-in-law is having a birthday next Saturday and we are going to be giving her a gift card.  

My sister came over with this cute Christmas gift card holder she made at Archiver's last season.  She wanted to remake them so they fit on a regular size card and I needed a birthday card so we played with it together.  

It's such a cute little gift bag "thing" you make and the gift card slips into it.

Want to know how to make it?  Well, of course you do and I will tell you!!

First you take a half sheet of card stock and fold it in half.  Here I sued white.  Then I took a piece of Garden Green and cut it 4" x 5-1/4".  On top of that is a piece of decorative paper from the  "Everyday Enchantment" pack and it was cut 3-3/4" x 5".  The flip side of the paper is what I used for the bag and that was cut at 3" x 3-1/4".  You will also need a piece of tissue paper. It is cut at 2" x 7" or so. You don't need to be exact with it because you are according folding it (not exact even folds) and then taping it to the inside or backside of the bag piece.  Now I found the decorative paper a bit thin so I added a piece of scrap card stock behind it for a bit more stability.  I was glad I did because it held up nicely.  I had tried it with just the decorative paper and it sunk down a bit in the middle.  Anyway, back to the bag.  I taped the tissue paper in place. You need to know where you want it because once it's taped it's on there and you are lucky if you can fix it.  Next I punched the holes for the handle.  I took a piece of scrap copier paper and folded it in half and then in half once more.  I marked the outer folds and punched the holes so they were even.  I used it as my template to mark the bag front.  Once I punched them I did use brads for the holes but you can leave it plain too.  I tied the bakers twine on and I did add just the smallest amount of tape to the twine near the holes to keep it in place. 

I used the label punch and the "Four Frames" set for the front of the bag.  The words came from the "Teeny Tiny Wishes" set.  I set the label in place with Dimensionals.  As for the bag, I cut my Dimensionals in half and placed them around the edges of the bag.  On the bottom part of the bag I had a couple half ones place and above the center one I placed a hole one, just high enough for the gift card to rest on and be visible just enough to grasp it to remove it.  The original gift card had you cut a slit in the decorative paper for the gift card to slide into.  I found it difficult to find that slit to get the card to go back into.  And adding that extra Dimensional as a stop for the gift card worked out perfectly.  

So there you have it!!! Easy Peasy and as cut as can be!!!  I LOVE finding different ways to give gift cards and this one is one I REALLY like!  Thank you Denise for bringing this fun idea over to play with!!!  You're such a fun sister!!!

Thank you ever so much for visiting today,

Wanda

Recipe Page

I have a 6" x 6" album full of recipe pages like this.  It all started in one of Terri's Stamp Share swaps.  It was fun to get a bunch of recipes to add to the album.  And as time went on I would make one up to add to it as well.  It's such a colorful book of fun recipes.  

This is one of the recipes I like to make when it's cold outside and trust me, it's 12 degrees F here right now and downstairs in my workroom it's VERY chilly!

And there is really nothing like a hearty meal on a cold night. One thing great about this recipe is that it is not only hearty but it's very low fat and low calorie.  

These pages are very easy to make.  For mine, I had taken a photo of the dinner and then imported it into my word processing software.  I typed up the recipe a printed it all out at once.  Then I stamped over the recipe and sponged the edges.  Here I used Cajun Craze for my color.  The background piece is cut 6" x 6" and the recipe part is cut 5-3/4" x 5-3/4" and that is all there is to it!!

If you'd like to make this hearty dish, here's the recipe:

2 jars of Heinz fat-free gravy mix (the dry gravy mix will work too but you need 24 ounces total)

1 bag of frozen vegetables (I usually use peas and carrots)

Diced Chicken or Turkey (Canned chicken will work too, it's easier and quicker)

1/8t. celery salt

1/8t. pepper

pinch of sage, crumbled (optional)

Pour the gravy in a sauce pan and heat it up, add the chicken, celery salt and pepper.  Stir in the vegetables and just before you serve it, stir in the sage.  You can serve it over rice, noodles, toast or have it just as it is.  It can also be used as a pot pie or pierogi filling.  YUM!!!  

So take some of your favorite recipes and make some great pages for an album.  I am thinking of putting some of our son's favorite recipes together in an album and giving it to his new wife. Not that he had an old one!!! LOL  They are newlyweds!!!  

Here's a few more recipe pages I have on my blog.  Just click here.  

Happy stamping and happy cooking!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Thinking of You Card

I needed to make a get well card and this is what I came up with.  I'm not sure I like it for a get well card and I may rethink the card and try something else.  I have been thinking about this one card for a while now and I may just give it a try tomorrow.  I can always use this one for something else.  

It was a fun card to make and as you know, this is one of my most favorite layouts!  The image is from Stampin' Up!.  It's one of the incentive stamps from a while back.  I told you before, I was cleaning out some of my stuff and I ran across this! I will be putting it in my web store as soon as I'm done typing up this post!

Now onto this fun card.  The base of the card is Bashful Blue, the redish layer is is Melon Mambo (the lighting wasn't the best to bring out the true color, plus I had the setting on my camera in the wrong place to be taking indoor photos.  We had taken a couple of days to head up to Duluth and to Gooseberry Falls to get some photos of the frozen falls.  That was about all that was frozen.  Lake Superior was totally clear.  Not what we expected.  But there was more snow in the Two Harbors area than there was in Duluth!   Anyway, back to the card (see how easily I get distracted?? LOL).  The striped layer is from the "Everyday Enchantment" designer paper pack.  In the pack the stripes are not angled.  I cut the paper that way.  It wastes a lot of paper doing that but I just couldn't help myself.  Straight stripes wasn't doing it for me!!

I added some Melon Mambo striped ribbon and turned it so the backside was showing and I set a button in place in the middle of it with a glue dot.  And that was it.  Easy Peasy!!

And now I'm off to rest my foot.  A couple of months ago I broke my toe and every now and then it hurts.  Tonight happens to be one of those nights when it's hurting.  SO I'm going to go pamper it a bit and work on a blanket I'm making for my niece.  And of course I'll show it to you when I'm done!!! Need you ask?  LOL

Thank you ever so much for stopping by today,
Wanda

For the Boys!

I find myself always making "girly" things and once in a while tossing in a masculine card that we all ooh and aah at because they don't show up on blogs much either!  Today I thought I would make something for the boys!  I wanted to stick with the Valentine's Day theme so I just toned it down a notch.  Instead of the lacy scallop I just went with a solid scallop on the top to give it some character.  The lacy was just too "girly!"  The background is wheeled on using Pirouette Pink ink and the "I {Love} Love" jumbo wheel.  Now I did use pink and that is not a boy color but I did have to stick with the Valentine's Day theme, that is why I chose the lightest pink.  It's on the background so it is a soft subtle look.  And the front is just a red heart (which is acceptable by both make and female - on Valentine's Day!) and the words "Be Mine" were just enough. Nothing mushy, just typical of the day!  I did the words on the computer.  I printed out a full sheet of them so I'm good for several Valentine's Days to come!!!

Inside these fun little notebooks are dinosaur puzzles and games. I got them at Oriental Trading.  These can also be altered and used as stocking stuffers too! There's 3 or 4 different puzzle/game notebooks in the box.  I have extra so if you want to buy some (CHEAP) just email me.  I need to get some of this "stuff" out of my workroom to make room for new "stuff."  One can never have enough "stuff" can they?  Oh wait, I do know they can.  I watched that TV show "Hoarders" and know that some people can collect a LOT of stuff.  I get the hoarding of "things" part but I don't get the garbage part.  Why can't they through out what is obviously trash? Trash can be dumped anywhere.  There's the neighbors trash can (on garbage day - in the middle of the night or after the leave for work!!! LOL) or when you are out and about buying food, every store has a garbage can outside their doors.  Anyway, I do realize you can have too much stuff. SO that is why I'm trying to get rid of some of my stuff.  Out with the old and in with the new, an even balance is good!!! LOL

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Cardmaking Gone Wrong!!!

Here was the first sympathy card I made but had to switch gears when I saw how it turned out.  YUCK!!! 

What is wrong with this picture??? Well, for starters the flower is too big for the area I wanted to keep it in.  And the squares are also too big!  The squares might work if I were to find a smaller image but that is up in the air.  So needless to say I had to make another card because I just couldn't send this one out.  Would you send out a card like this??? I don't think so! 

I don't have much else to say about this card.  I think YUCK! describes it the best!!  But it does give me inspiration to make a better card!!!  I think this card will be an inspiration to everyone to make a better card!!! LOL

Be sure to stop back tomorrow. I have a fun little project for you to try!

Thank you SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda

Thoughts & Prayers Card

Today I am in need of a Sympathy card.  And of course I have some in my stash but I didn't bother to even look.  I wanted to make a new fresh card.  Our retired pastor's husband passed away and I wanted to make a new special card for her.  

For my card I used the "Thoughts & Prayers" set.  I especially like this card because it is designed for making sympathy cards. 

The flower part of the images was colored using markers and huffing on the image before stamping it.  I did the same with the words too, though for those I just used an ink pad.  But I did huff on it to add a bit more moisture to the ink so I would get a nice solid image, and I did!

The paper is from the "Everyday Enchantment" pack.  That pack has a lot of pretty images in it.  I have barely begun to make cards and "stuff" using that pretty pack!!!

The front of the card is a piece of white card stock cut 4-1/8" x 5-5/8". I stamped the flower vine image on the top part and on the bottom part I added the decorative paper.  Then I added the ribbon around the front of the card.  I used some Chocolate Chip satin ribbon. 

The words were punched out with the large oval punch and behind that I used the scalloped oval punch and punched out two pieces from Chocolate Chip card stock.  I set them in place using Dimensionals.  And that was pretty much it to the card.  Well, other than using the words from the set on the inside.  I am ready to pop it off in the mail.  

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

A Relaxing Valentine's Day Gift

This gift has absolutely NO candy in it!  It contains some bubble bath and bath fizzies, a scrungy scrubber thing and a wash cloth. Everything in it is in pinks, rose and red colors!  With soapy stuff in it you certainly don't want to add candy to it!

That reminds me of my purse.  I have a zippered part on the outside of my purse and I would keep my lipstick, a small bottle of perfume, gum, antacids, and my nail file in there.  I always kept those things in there.  Always until one time I went to grab an antacid and it tasted like perfume.  GROSS!!!  I would rather have the acidic stomach!!  The taste of perfume in your mouth does NOT go away for a long time.  Now I keep my gum and my antacid in the front pocket along with my cell phone.  So my cell phone smells like wintergreen. It beats the taste of perfume!!

Ok, back to this project.  I got this cute bucket at The Dollar Tree.  I put a little bit of paper crimps in the bottom (also from The Dollar Tree) and added the cute items as you see them.  It's a simple and easy to make gift.  I know my friend is going to love it.  And she needs it too.  Not that she is dirty!!!  LOL  She needs the relaxing part of it!!  Silly you for thinking that!!! LOL

I just need to make a card for her and it's all set to go!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda