Sending Cheer, Matchbook Candy Holder, Teacher Gift, Weekend Projects, Stampin' Up!

Hello and welcome to my blog. Today I have a fun stocking stuffer for you to make. You can add these to your Christmas stockings or give them out to your mail carrier, co-workers, friends, etc.  They are easy to make and are fun to give. I believe this layout is called a "Matchbook Holder" Please read on to see how I made today's project.

You can make these for any candy you have. I chose the M & M's because my granddaughters like them. All you need to do to change the holder is to measure.  I will provide measurements for this M & M package. 

My M & M package measures 2-3/4" x 4".  Add 1/8" to 1/4" to the 2-3/4" end to equal 2-7/8" or 3".  Now you take the 4" and multiply it by two, one for the front and one for the back.  I also add a little for the top, I don't like the piece to just bulge. This part will vary depending on how thick your candy is. There now that you know the basics of the piece I will give you the measurement for the M & M project pictured here.

The card stock for this was cut at 9-1/2" x 2-7/8".  I scored it as follows: 3/4", 1-1/2". 5-1/2", 5-3/4". I like to have the front piece thicker, that's why I have two 3/4" scores there. Now go score your piece and come back!

Fold all score lined inward. I stapled the front piece down. I stamped it about 1/8" from the fold. And I stapled it backwards, meaning that the bumps from the staple are on the front. Doing it this way makes the back smooth and the bumps will be covered by your Designer Series Paper (DSP).

Next you will want to decorate the front.  The (DSP) is from the "Joy of Christmas" 12" x 12" package. I cut the top piece at 3-3/4" x 2-7/8" and a 2-1/8" x 2-7/8" piece for the lower part. Score this piece at 3/4" and 7/8" I glued both pieces in place. The bottom piece is larger than needed but that was planned. Glue it from the bottom edge and then roll it over the fold towards the inside. I prefer to use glue because the piece bends a bit and I know glue isn't going to release. Tape will work, it's up to you which you prefer to use.

Once I got the DSP on I stamped the Gingerbread man from the "Sending Cheer" bundle. I used Pecan Pie ink to stamp him. The hearts were stamped using Real Red and the face was stamped using black Memento ink. Then I die cut him using the matching die. I cut off the loop on the top, it's used for making him into an ornament or tag and it's not needed here. Dimensionals were added to the back and it was set in place on the front of the holder. 

The words are from the same set and were stamped using Real Red ink on a scrap piece of Basic White card stock. I used the "Double Oval" punch on them. I added a little glue to the bottom of the oval and attached it to the upper edge of the bottom section. 

I tucked the upper part to the inside and the piece was done, all closed up and ready to give! 

Wasn't it fun? It's pretty quick and easy too. Even easier if you have some DSP that has characters on it that you can just die cut and affix! I just kept mine simple but you can add some bling too. 

Thank you SO very much for taking your time to stop in and see today's Stocking Stuffer/gift,
Wanda

Art Gallery, Dainty Flowers, Ghirardelli Treat Holder Gift Box, Weekend Project, Stampin' Up!

Hello there. I'm happy you are here today so I can share with you a fun find!  Did you ever find something on the internet (mostly Pinterest) that you wanted to make and then quite a few days later you get around to making it?  I have a lot of those. And some of them just get put into a folder and I forget all about them.  But I knew I wanted to make one of these when I saw it on Kadies "Kards by Kadie" blog. I follow her because she's got lots of fun things to share. Now she posted hers about 4 days ago and I think I did well to make it before a week went by! I just thought this holder was adorable. Plus it's easy to make too. You can see Kadie's by clicking here.  Read on to see how I made mine.

The piece was made by cutting a piece of Fresh Freesia card stock at 4" x 6".  On the 4" side you score at 1/2" on each end. I like to score on the left side and then turn my piece 180 degrees and score on the other end. It just works best for me to do it that way.  Plus if there's any discrepancies in the measurements I know the ends are always the same size! Next the scoring on the 6" side went as follows, score at 1", 1-1/2" and 3-3/4".  And that's it for the scoring.  I've included a photo of how the piece was cut out. In the photo I showed how one side was cut out.  And yes, I did use pencil on my piece but I have an art gum/kneadable eraser and it removed graphite without ruining the surface of any paper.  It's a must have in my craft room.  I have even removed the eraser from my mechanical pencils and kneaded up pieces of the eraser to fit in the spot. I just love this type of eraser. Oh and there's no bits of eraser to wipe of onto the table or floor either!!  So once I got my pencil lines erased I was ready to start assembling.  First I glued the top section down. It's pretty long and once folded it makes the back wall pretty strong and stable. And then I set it aside. I also snipped the little tabs so they fold in a little better. I also marked the piece at 2-1/2" from the bottom piece (on each side) to cut the angle equally.  

Next I cut the Designer Series Paper (DSP) from the "Dainty Flowers" 12" x 12" package to measure 2-7/8" x 2-1/8" for the back wall of the holder.  And the front strip measured 2-7/8" x 7/8".  I glued those two pieces in place. 

The box was glued together. I glued the side back piece to the small flap on each side and then I glued the front piece to the back side piece. You want to do it in this order or you will have raw edges on the front of your holder.

Once the box was glued I tied a ribbon around it. My ribbon is Fresh Freesia, I still had some left. I think I have enough left to make one or two more cards and then it's gone. I'm happy it will be gone but sad because it's so pretty.  But at least I will finally have used something up in my workroom!!

Now I was making this with a certain friend in mind whom I will be having lunch with tomorrow. She's going to love it and these words are perfect for her. She is a lovely lady and I'm so happy she is in my life.  The words are from the "Art Gallery" set and were stamped using black Memento ink. I die cut them with the smallest die from the "Tailor Made Tags" die set (that I forgot I bought a long time ago). It's still current and I hope it's in the next catalog because I need to play with it. You might be seeing it on some upcoming cards so I can feel better about the purchase!!

The word piece was slipped under the ribbon and glued in place. 

I added two Ghirardelli pieces of candy in the holder and the piece was done.  Isn't it cute?  I can see making these at Christmas for special friends or stocking stuffers. Let's hope I remember that I want to make these then!! I even thought about changing the measurements to make it a bit wider so it will accommodate a gift card. It's tall enough but not wide enough. It wouldn't take much to add 3/8" to the width.  

Oh and I think these would be great teacher gifts. A little bit of card stock, ribbon and DSP plus some candy and you've got a nice little gift for a teacher at Christmas or for the last day of school. 

This was fun. It's a very quick and easy holder to make and I can see myself making more of them in the future! Really!!!

Thank you SO very much for taking your time to stop in and see today's treat holder,
Wanda

Petal Park, Toffee Coffee, Weekend Project, Stampin' Up!

Hello, I'm so happy you found your way here today. I have a fun and easy project for you to make. It's a "Toffee Coffee" label. And the recipe too!!! I made this for a friend of mine and I hope she loves the beverage as much as my hubby and I do. I did use my computer for the printing and I used the "Petal Park" set for the flowers. 

The jar is what the instant coffee came in. After using all the coffee, I removed the label and washed out the jar and lid. I got this coffee at the Dollar Tree. I know it's cheaper to buy a larger container at the grocery store but I was at the Dollar Tree and I had just ran across the recipe so I thought I'd give it a try with the smaller amount in case it's not good since we don't usually drink instant coffee in our home.

I measured the space the label would be taped to so I could adjust the size of the words so it would look nice.  I did have to print it out several times (on draft mode) to get the size right. Plus on the back the ingredients and instructions are listed. 

Once I got the label part to size, I stamped the flowers from the "Petal Park" set using black Memento ink and then coloring them in using my light Balmy Blue and light Daffodil Delight Blends pens. 

The width of my label was a bit smaller than my packing tape so I was able to get the label on a piece of tape and affixed it to the jar. If it wouldn't have been wide enough I was prepared to use clear contact paper.  

After I got the label on I added the Toffee Coffee mixture and put the cover on. And that was it.

Now you probably want the recipe, right?  Well, it's pretty simple. It's equal parts. I make mine by the cup. I used a cup of instant coffee, a cup of coffee creamer and a packed cup of brown sugar. I put it in the blender to make it even smoother and less grainy. I put mine in a large bowl with some food safe silicone packets because the brown sugar is moist and I don't want any mold to grow. I don't know if it would but I'm not going to take any chances.  

I think these would be great for gifts and I'm playing around with the idea of selling them at the fall craft fair.  Now go make some and give them to your friends or for yourself!!

Thank you SO very much for taking your time to stop in and see today's fun project!

Wanda

Penguin Place, Tea Holder and Saying, Stocking Stuffer, Weekend Project, Stampin' Up!

Today I thought I would make a tea holder gift for a friend to put in a bag I have for her for Christmas.  It's fun to make and easy too. And here's how you can make your own.

I took a piece of Designer Series paper (DSP) from the "Santa's Express" 12" x 12" package. I cut it 3-1/4" x 8-1/4".  Then I scored it at 2-3/4" and 5-1/2". Fold the score lines inward.  Don't worry if you didn't score them perfectly, you can fold the right over the center and then the left or vice versa, one way will look better than the other. Pick the one that looks better on the outside.

Next you're going make the pocket. You have three sections. On the third section, the one on the right end, mark the right edge 1" from the bottom corner. Then you're going to cut from that mark to the top of the score line. This will create a diagonal pocket for the tea bag to be tucked in. Before you glue the pocket, set your tea bag inside so you can see how much distance you have between the bottom of the tea bag and the bottom of the pocket. Glue the side and bottom of the pocket, gluing as close to the edge as possible.  I made another one a while back, you can see here to get an idea of what I mean about the pocket. Set the piece aside to set up.

Next you can print out the words for the back or you can leave it plain. You can cut and paste the words and print them on your printer

 On Christmas Day

At half-past three,

Have yourself a cup of tea.

I’ll think of you,

You’ll think of me,

Sitting around the Christmas tree.

For my font I used Liberation Serif and set it to 10pts. You can adjust yours to whatever font you'd like and adjust the size accordingly. You just want to make sure it will fit on the back of the tea holder. I printed mine out on Basic White card stock.   I cut my words to 1-1/2" x 2-1/8". I sponged the edges of mine using Evening Evergreen ink.

There is a reason for the space between the wording. It's so you can read the poem on the back with the belly band in the middle. Now I glued mine without thinking about that belly band. Duh! But once the band is removed the words will show just fine. It was just nicer to see them with the band on.

So now lets make the band. You will be taking a piece of card stock. I used Evening Evergreen and I cut a 1/4" strip that was 11" long. There's no scoring here. You are going to take one end of the strip and place it near the center of the front of the holder. Then wrap the band around the holder and meet back in the front. It should overlap at least 1/4" so you can glue it together. Snip the piece and then glue it while it's still on the holder. Be careful not to get glue on the holder or the band won't come off.

And for the design. You can find greetings or an image to stamp or die cut. I chose to use the penguin from "Penguin Place".  I punched the penguin out using the matching punch and Basic Black card stock. Then I punched out the belly. I glued the belly to the body. Then I stamped the eyes using black Memento ink. The beak was stamped using Crushed Curry ink and the feet were punched using Crushed Curry card stock.  I stamped the hat and scarf using Evening Evergreen ink. I wasn't happy with it because it looks black. I fussy cut them and glued the hat, scarf and feet in place. 

Next I die cut a stitched circle from the "Stylish Shapes" dies. I used the third largest one for my background. I used my Blending Brush and brushed on some Evening Evergreen on the edges and then scrubbed some on the circle to tone it down. Then I added some glue to the center area of the band and set the circle in place. I set a few stamping blocks on top to weight it down while the glue setup.

And that was it.  These are fun to make and easy too. These make great stocking stuffers.

Thank you SO much for taking your time to stop by and see today's stocking stuffer,
Wanda

Penguin Place, Matchbook Candy Holder, Stocking Stuffer, 2021 Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog

Today I thought I would make a matchbook candy holder.  These are easy and fun to make.  Play along and I'll show you how! Yesterday I had made a "Penguin Place" penguin tag that went on top of the Twix bar holder.  I had made several penguins yesterday and today I'm using another one.

The base of the holder is a 6-1/2" long strip of Basic White card stock that is 1-5/8" wide.

I scored the strip at 1/2", 7/8",3-3/4" and 4-1/8".  I folded all the score lines inward. Use your bone folder to make those score lines nice and crisp.

I cut a 1-5/8" x 2-5/8" piece of Designer Series Paper (DSP) from the "Penguin Playmates" 12" x 12" package and glued it to the front of the holder.  That would be on the part that is from the 4-1/8" score to the edge of the card.

The candy bar is from the Dollar Tree. There were 4 in a package and they measure 2-3/4" x 1-3/8" and it's 3/8" thick.  I used 4 glue dots on the back of the candy bar to hold it in place.

I had die cut the rectangle from the "Color & Contour" bundle set using Basic White card stock.

The penguin was punched using Basic Black and Basic White card stock.  The eyes were stamped using black Memento ink. The beak and feet were stamped using Pumpkin Pie card stock. The penguin was glued to the front of the rectangle piece and moved up a bit on that piece. That would make room for the words which were from the "Penguin Place" set and black Memento ink was used. The words were trimmed by had and glued in place.  If you are not sure where to place the penguin, add the words first and then you'll be able to better see where the penguin can go.

I taped the rectangle in place on the front of the matchbook cover but I did not add any tape to the bottom part under the words. That part is where the bottom of the matchbook will be tucked in to.  

You can dress it up more with sequins or ribbons or both!  I just left it plain because I didn't want anything falling off in the bag that I was going to be putting them in to deliver them.

This was a very fun, quick and easy matchbook holder to make. And even more fun to give away!!   I'm not sure how tasty this candy is, I have never tried it.  But I do know it's cute and a fun size. You can adjust your strip for different lengths and thicknesses of candy bars if you can't find these. 

Thank you SO very much for taking your time to stop by and see today's stocking stuffer,

Wanda

Penguin Place, Penguin Playmates, Stocking Stuffer, Weekend Project, 2021 Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog

As I was trying to find a card to make today, I ran across this cute little gifty item to make. I found it here on Pinterest. There is also a video you can follow along to. I thought it would be great to make several of these to pass out to the mail carrier, USP driver, the ones who load my groceries in my trunk each week and more. I have a long list.  Just a little fun something. These are SO quick and easy to make. Plus they are a great way to use up some of that extra Designer Series Paper (DSP) you have. 

The DSP is from the "Penguin Playmates" 12" x 12" package and was cut at 3-3/4" x 6".  I added a strip of strong tape to one of the long sides. You just set the candy bar on top. This candy bar is not  a full-sized bar, it's a .071 oz. bar. Or the 100 calorie bar, whichever way you can find it in the store. If you're using the smaller ones, just adjust your DSP to fit. You will still need it to be 3-3/4" on the one side. You will need 1-3/4" more for the slack inside the tube. So measure your candy bar and add 1-3/4".  

Set the DSP face down and place the candy bar on top. Wrap the piece without the tape over it first and then affix the other edge on top. 

The bottom was just stapled. You can glue it or enclose that end any way you'd like. The instructions showed stapling it so I just followed a long.

I did have the "Label Me Fancy" punch that was used to make the hole in the top. Though you could use a anything to make a hole. I saw how she struggled to get the ribbon through the hole so I punched a little to the left of my first hole and then a little to the right so it was more elongated and wide enough for the ribbon. I added the ribbon and was ready to move onto the tag.

The white scalloped rectangle tag part is from the "Color & Contour" bundle. I cut it from a scrap piece of Basic White card stock.

I punched out the penguin body from a scrap piece of Basic Black card stock and the white part from a scrap piece of Basic White card stock.

The eyes were stamped using black Memento ink and the beak and feet were stamped using Pumpkin Pie ink. I glued it higher up on the rectangle

I stamped the words from the "Penguin Place" and trimmed them so only the "Be Merry" was left. They were just fussy cut and taped in place just under the Penguin.  I glued the piece to the front of the tube and it was done. I chose glue because I wanted to make sure it was going to stay put since it hangs over on the edges and could get caught on something and rip off. 

If you like to give it a more personal touch, you could always print out the names of the people you are giving these to and tape it on the tag.   

This was such a cute idea, wasn't it? I am glad I ran across it. It's very quick and easy to make too! Can't ask for more than that, especially this time of the year.

Thank you SO very much for taking your time to see today's fun Christmas project,
Wanda

Penguin Place, Penguin Playmates, Chap Stick Lip Balm Holder, Stocking Stuffer, Weekend Project

It's time for a project. I like to call them my "Weekend Projects" because I most often work on the on the weekends.  But it's the night before Thanksgiving and I was caught up on everything I need for tomorrow so I thought I'd work on something other than a card.  A Chap Stick holder is on the worktable! I have made these before and they are fun to make. They are useful and they make great stocking stuffers.

I found the holder on Split Coast Stampers many years ago. Click here for the link to the pattern.

Here's how I did mine. The outside of my holder is 5-3/4" x 3-1/2".  I scored it at 2-1/2" and 3-1/4" on the long side.

The inside is done the same except there will be some cut lines. Once you've scored the inside, you will be making cuts that will be supports for the Chap Stick.  See the photo for cutting.  You can also cut the slots for the ribbon or you can use a small punch to make a line or you can use a single larger round punch. As long as it's big enough to get the ribbon through.

Once you have your front and inside done, start by gluing the inside piece in the center. Be sure not to glue over the areas you made the supports.  If you do that, it will be glued shut and not hold anything! And no, I have not glued mine shut! I actually paid attention.  After the center was glued, I glued the front and then the back.  I cleaned up my slit marks to make sure they lined up.  

Now it's time to decorate. The front piece of Designer Series Paper, DSP was cut 2" x 3".  It's from the "Penguin Playmates" 12" x 12" package.

The words are from the "Penguin Place" and were stamped using black Memento ink. I used the smallest circle die to cut them and I grabbed a scrap piece of Just Jade card stock and I used the smallest scalloped circle. I taped the two circles together and then set it in place using a few Dimensionals. 

Then I took some ribbon and threaded it through the holder and I tied a bow. The ends were trimmed and the holder was done.  

I really enjoy making these. They are fun and easy and don't take much time at all. I think the cutting the lines with an x-acto blade is the longest part of the card. I rounded my corners but you don't have to, you can leave them as they are. I just thought it gave them a more finished look.

I need to get some more lip balm so I can whip up a few more of these for stocking stuffers.  This would also make a great teacher gift. 

Thank you SO very much for taking your time to see today's weekend project,
Wanda

Penguin Place, Hershey Bar Sleeve or Wrapper, Christmas Stocking Stuffers, Weekend Project

I have not made a Hershey bar wrapper/sleeve in a while. I like making them because they are quick and easy to make, fun and are great to give away.

All you need is a 5-1/2" x 6-1/2" piece of card stock. You do want to use card stock because you need something with a bit more substance to it than copier paper.  Though copier paper will work, just not as well. And the words will show through from the Hershey bar. I used Soft Sea Foam for the base of the sleeve.

I scored the piece on the short side at 1-1/4", 1-1/2", 3-3/4" and 4". Fold all of the score lines in. On the back I glued the inside edge of one side and the outside edge of the other side and I joined them around my candy bar. I needed to make sure I didn't glue the pieces too far in so the candy bar wouldn't slide in. It's just best to include the candy bar in this step. I removed the candy bar and took my bone folder and burnished the inside to help the glue set.

I slipped the candy bar back in so the piece was more solid to work on.

I cut a piece of the Designer Series Paper (DSP) 12" x 12"  "Penguin Playmates" package. This piece measured 2" x 5-1/4". The layer behind it is a 2-1/8" x 5-3/8" piece of Soft Succulent card stock. I glued the DSP to the card stock and then glued it all to the front of the sleeve.

I fussy cut the cute penguin from the "Penguin Playmates" DSP. I die cut a1-7/8" Basic White circle and a Soft Succulent scalloped circle for the layer behind it.  I stamped the snowflakes from the "Penguin Place set using Soft Succulent ink that was stamped off once. Then I glued those two circles together. I added Dimensionals to the back and set it aside.

The words are from the same "Penguin Place" set and were stamped on a scrap piece of Basic White card stock using black Memento ink. Then I die cut them using the 1-1/16" circle die (the smallest die in the pack of circle dies) and then I die cut a Soft Succulent scalloped circle for the layer. I glued the words to the scalloped circle. I added Dimensionals to the back and set it aside. 

I set the penguin on a piece of scrap copier paper and I took my Basic Black marker and I traced around the black areas of it. I didn't do a great job of fussy cutting, there was some light colors showing but tracing around the little fellow like that makes the edges all dark and it looks like you are the most accurate fussy cutter around!!  I could have done it for the feet and hat but I didn't have a Fresh Freesia marker and I didn't think the feet were too bad. They are but I'm pretending they aren't! LOL

I set the top circle in place and then I added the penguin.

The word piece was added and the sleeve was done.

See, it's very quick and easy to make. These make great gift for teachers to give to their students. Plus you can't go wrong with a penguin or snowman, it just lets you think of winter and not Christmas. They make excellent stocking stuffers and great little gifts for the mail carrier, USP driver, etc.  

Thank you SO very much for taking your time to stop by and see this fun candy bar wrapper/sleeve,
Wanda

Snowman Season, Treat Box, Stocking Stuffer, Weekend Project

I wasn't searching for a project, but I found this and I thought it looked too darn cute to pass up. You can see the original piece here.  You may want to go there. There's a video on how to make this cute candy box. I have a few tips for you before you begin yours. I am not one who watches a video first and then makes the project. I follow along and pause the video when needed.  When cutting the Designer Series Paper (DSP) she says to cut it at 1-1/8" x 2-1/8".  I did that and it wasn't wide enough. It needs to be cut 1-3/8" x 2-1/8".  And when you are cutting the strip that holds the box shut, cut it 1/8" longer.  Score at 1-1/2" and 2-1/4".  This way the flap lays flatter once the velcro has been added.  My elf one wasn't cut longer so it sticks up higher. The snowflake ones were made longer so they closed better. 

These are fun and easy to make.  

Here's how you do it. First you are going to make the cover.  Cut it from card sock that measures 3-5/8" x 2-1/4".  Score on the long side at 1-1/2" x 2-1/4". Use a bone folder to get nice crisp folds.

Next you will be cutting the band. It's the same color as the cover. Cut it 3-1/8" x 1".  Score it at 1-1/2"  and 2-1/4". Use your bone folder to make nice crisp folds.

For the box you will need a piece of card stock cut 3-7/8" x 4-5/8". I used Whisper White for the snowflake boxes. It needs to be scored at 5/8" x 1-1/4" on all four sides. Fold in all of the score lines. This will help you see the lines when it comes time to clip them.  You may want to follow the video for it or just look at the photo here. Your piece should look like that when you are done cutting. You will also need to clip the sides to miter them. This makes the folding up of the box a lot easier. You won't get any bunching up. 

Once the piece is all cut, you will be ready to fold it together. The original instructions have you put some glue dots on outside of the small tabs. Then affix them to the inside of the piece of the long tab. You will see where it goes once you fold it in.  The instructions tell you to use tape or glue to fold up the box. Then you are told about the glue dots. I used glue and then it dried while I was adding the glue dots.  See, this is where watching it first comes in handy.  But I just added more glue and I was good to go.  I preferred to use glue because I knew it would hold. I have made boxes and toes before and I have found that glue is best because it will hold. Once the box is assembled you can set it aside

Cut a piece of DSP to measure 1-3/8" x 2-1/8"  This is where the instructions on the video are wrong. They are correct in the list of materials but I didn't follow that either. I just played along.  My DSP is from the "Snowflake Splendor" 12" x 12" package. I glued it to the front of the box. I glued it because it is going to be having a piece of velcro attached to it and there's going to be some tugging on it. Glue will hold. You will also need to cut another piece out of card stock to stamp on for the inside cover of the box. I used Whisper White card stock and the words are form the "Snowman Season" set. I used Balmy Blue ink to stamp them. I taped this piece to the inside. 

The box was glued to the inside of the cover. Push it back all the way to the spine. 

Next I added the strip to the back. I centered it and then used glue to hold it. The velcro was put on. One tip she used was to snip some of the velcro so it wasn't so hard to open. I snipped the stiffer side mostly in the middle.  It did make it less "sticky".  I put one piece of velcro on the inside of the strip and I set the other piece of velcro on that same piece so they were lined up together. Put the Hershey Nuggets for added support.  Now press the velcro shut over the front of the box.

I took the smallest scalloped circle die and cut my circles from Balmy Blue card stock. I glued them in place. 

The snowflakes are from the "Christmas Layers" dies. I cut them from Whisper White card stock.  Now it would have been very pretty if I had colored them with Wink of Stella before adding them to the box. they could stand a bit of a sparkle!  I set them in place on top of the circle with a small glue dot. Then I added a pearl to the center.  A sparkling rhinestone would be pretty too. I think I would have liked that better. But it's still pretty.  

The box is done and ready to give away to friends, co-workers, teachers, etc. You can pop one in the mail box for your mail carrier or you can add them as stocking stuffers.  These are just too darn cute, aren't they?

Thank you SO much for taking the time to stop by today,                                                                          Wanda 

Life Saver Matchbook Candy holders.

I made these a few years back but they are worth repeating!  These make great "Stocking Stuffers" and little gifts of thank you for teachers, the mail carrier, the USP driver, the sales clerk, etc.  You know who you can give them to!

You can find the instructions for these fun matchbook candy holders here.

Sorry my post is so short today. I have a Christmas party to go to tonight and I am WAY behind on what I need to do to get out the door on time.

Have a great day and thank you for stopping by,
Wanda

Snowman Season, Candy Bar Holder Sleeve, Stocking Stuffer, Teacher Gift

Today I thought another "Weekend Project" was in order.  Who doesn't love these fun Candy Bar Wrappers/Sleeves? They make great stocking stuffers and gifts for teachers, mail carries, the UPS driver, etc.!  And they are very simple to make.  It's basically how much you want to embellish it that takes up the time.  I like to keep mine simple because I make so many of them to give away.

The sleeve itself is a piece of Whisper White card stock that measures 5-1/2" x 6-1/2".  You can get two from one sheet of card stock.  You will need to score the piece on the short side at 1-1/4", 1-1/2", 3-3/4" and 4". I also find scoring these a little difficult because I am going against the grain of the card stock.  Yup, paper has a grain.  I like to burnish the score lines to make them nice and crisp so they fit around the candy bar nicely.  Oh the candy bar is a 1.55 oz Hershey bar.  The one I use for my samples is SO old it expired back in 2014. I wrote on the back with a Sharpie, "DO NOT EAT. IT'S OLD".  I don't even want to guess what it looks like on the inside!! LOL  But it' beats running to the store every time I wanted to make these.  And I don't want to toss it out. I never know when I am going to make one and I like to have it on hand. Remember when they used to be wrapped in foil and had their own sleeve?  I used a thin piece of wood and wrapped it in the foil and used that (until the wrapper change of 2003.  LOL  That date is accurate, I actually looked it up.

Okay, once the score lines are nice and crisp, place the candy bar inside and glue the seam. I like to glue the edges.  The edge on the inside I glue on top and the edge that is on the outside, I add glue to the inside of it. I prefer to use glue, because I know glue is going to stay stuck. Now set it aside to dry for a bit while you cut your pieces for the front.

For the front I used a piece of Shaded Spruce card stock and I cut it 5-3/8" x 2-1/8".  I cut the Designer Series Paper (DSP) from the "Let it Snow" 12" x 12" pack at 5-1/4" x 2".  I taped the two pieces together.  

I die cut the snowman from the "Let it Snow" DSP using the second largest Stitched Oval die.  Then I die cut a Shaded Spruce scalloped oval for the layer behind it.  I taped those two layers together.  

Then I punched out a hat from the "Let it Snow" DSP and set it in place on the snowman using Dimensionals.

I took two arms from the "Let it Snow" embellishment kit and stuck them on the snowman. I also took a Shaded Spruce felt scarf from the kit and glued it onto the snowman.  

I took the first panels I had made and stamped the "Thinking of you at Christmas" from the "Itty Bitty Christmas" set using Shaded Spruce ink.  Then I taped that panel to the candy bar wrapper.

I put Dimensionals behind the oval piece and set it in place on top of the falling snow layer.  I slid the candy bar in the sleeve and that was it.

Super cute, fun and makes a great and inexpensive gift!

Thank you SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda

If you came here from Pinterest, scroll up and click on the header "My Creative Corner" and you will be brought to my entire blog, way beyond just this post.  Have fun viewing!!

Let it Snow, Hershey Nugget Candy Holder, Weekend Project

I found a fun video in You Tube that shows how to make this candy holder. The original one shows how to make it for the small Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  I didn't have any but I did have Hershey Nuggets.  SO I adjusted the size.  I will give you the measurements to this one.  You can see the video here. 

The box piece here measures 7-1/2" x 4-1/2".  I scored the piece on the long side at 2-1/2" 4" and 6-1/2".  And on the short side you will need to score at 3/4" on each end.  I cut the Designer Series Paper from the "Let it Snow" 12" x 12" paper pack. 

I cut my DSP for the front, back and flap. The pieces were cut 2-3/4" x 2-1/4".  You need two of that size.  And for the flap you will need one cut 2-3/4" x 3/4".  

Go to the video and see how to fold the box up.  You will need to make a score on the side that will help form the box. 

Once the box is taped, tape the DSP to the box. 

I stamped the words from the "To Every Season" set.  I stamped them on Whisper White card stock using Shaded Spruce ink.  The circle measured 1-7/8".  I die cut a Shaded Spruce scalloped circle for the back layer.

I glued the mittens from the "Let it Snow" embellishment kit.  I glued them in place on the circle. I tied a white piece of Baker's Twine into a bow.  I also glued that in place too.

I took a 1" strip of the DSP and cut it to fit around the candy.  I wrapped three pieces of candy for my little box. I glued the ends to hold the sleeve on.

I took the circle and added Dimensionals to the circle but only on the bottom 3/4. You need to leave the top open for the flap to slip behind.

And there you have it.  A very fun and cute candy holder.  This makes a fun little gift or stocking stuffer.

Thank you SO much for visiting,
Wanda

Matchbook Candy Holder, Flower Shop, Petal Palette, Weekend Project

I have not made a matchbook candy holder in a while.  These are very fun and super quick to make.  Well, depending on how much you embellish the front!!  But the holder itself is super quick to make.

For mine I took a piece of Powder Pink card stock cut 5-1/4" x 2-1/8".  You will need to score it at 2", 4-1/4" and 4-3/4".  Fold the 1/4" scored piece and fold the next score.  You are folding these two scored lines over each other. See the photo below.  You will be slipping your Lifesaver under the folded scored parts and stapling it in place. I like to use the tiny stampers because you have to really work that candy to the other end to get the regular sized ones to not crush your candy.  Once the candy is stapled in place you are ready to decorate the front any way you'd like.

For mine I used the soon to be retiring "Flower Shop" set. I stamped my flower using Rose Red ink on Rose Red card stock.  I punched the flower out.  I also punched out a leaf using Garden Green card stock.  I took my stylus and curled the leaves of the flower.  Then I took the 3/4" circle punch and punched out a Crushed Curry circle for the center of the flower. I set the flower center in place using a glue dot.  I set the flower in place using a Dimensional. I stuck the leaf to the Dimensionals before I stuck the piece in place.  

I stamped the "thank you" from the "Petal Palette" set using black Memento ink.  I punched it out using the "Classic Label" punch.  I set it in place using glue dots.  Dimensionals just didn't seem to work well there.  And that was it.  Ready for gift giving.  I am thinking of making some of these with a Christmas theme this year for the mail carrier, cashiers I encounter, bank tellers, etc.  It's always fun to brighten up someone's day with something so simple as this.

These make a great customer and hostess appreciation gift, teacher's gifts, rewards in excellence gifts, Easter, Get Well, Halloween, almost any occasion you can think of! I made a Christmas holiday one, you can see it by clicking here.

Thank you SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda

Blossom Builder and Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Bath Salts Gift Bag Weekend Project

While looking though my notebooks, I ran across a recipe for bath salts.  I have not made any in a long time.  They are super easy to make and the link to my easy recipe can be found below. 

For my bag I used the "Birthday Bouquet" decorative paper. I took a 5/8" x 10-1/2" strip of Mint Macaron card stock to make a band for the bag.  I didn't like the idea of stapling the bag closed.  It's too pretty of a paper to do that plus the paper will probably rip when someone opens it.  I embellished the band with a flower and leaf from the "Blossom Builder" Thinlit set. I also cut the heart out from the "Mini Treat Bag" Thinlits. I cut the Mint Macaron and Whisper White at the same time.  I trimmed the edges of the white so it would have a nice border around the heart.  Next I took the "My Friend" from the "Six Sided Sampler" set and stamped the white heart. I taped the two hearts together and added a flower.

Next I mixed up a batch of bath salts.  You can pour as much 

as you want in the baggie.  I get my baggies at Wal-Mart in their craft section.  My bag was a little large so only one fit in the gift bag.  I usually make smaller ones. That way you can say something like "empty the entire contents of one bag into your bath water, relax and enjoy".  Now I will have to change mine to "add one Tablespoonful to your bath water, relax and enjoy." 

When you make these, it's best to include an ingredients list and directions.  Especially if you make them to sell.  A tip on making the bath salts.  Use a glass bowl to mix it in.  Plastic bowls will hold the smell of the fragrance oils and some of them will start to "melt" the plastic.  They are fine in the plastic bags after they've been thoroughly mixed. I don't know how long they will keep in the plastic bag.  Most people use them soon after they receive them, so I have no feedback on that part.  

You can find my recipe here.  Sometimes you can find a good price on Epsom Salts at Walgreen's, but I usually get mine at Wal-Mart.  

Have fun making these!  They make great gifts for friends, teachers, customer appreciation, hostess appreciation, co-workers, and stocking stuffers.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda 

Santa-Tizer Hand Sanitizer Holder Stocking Stuffer

Today I'm working on some Santa-tizers.  I need to make 14 of them!  I have two done so far!!!

They are easy to make, it just took me a little longer because I was writing down some measurements for you as I was working on them.

These directions are for the 2.5 oz. Germ-X bottles (I got mine at Walmart). Cut the red card stock 2” x 11”. Score at 5”, 6-1/4”, 9-1/2” and 10-7/8”. Punch the end with a decorative tag punch. Fold all score lines inward. Punch a 1” hole at the end near the 10-7/8” score. Center the circle in that area. You will want to decorate it before you glue that tiny scored end to the back of the holder.

I added the white textured piece to the front. That piece measures 7/8” x 3-1/4”. I glued it in place. Then I added the square center to the glitter buckle piece. That center is cut ½” x ½”. The belt is cut ½” x 7-½” I cut my ½” x ½” piece off the end of the belt piece before I cut it to 7- ½”.

Before you glue the 10-7/8” part to the back of the holder, you will need to insert the bottle. Now you can glue the belt on. Add the buckle. If you trim up the belt a little shorter, you can glue it in the front of the holder and hide the seam with the buckle. Then you have a smooth belt all around the holder.

Add some bling and you are done! My bling are pearls.  I used a black permanent marker and colored on them.  I was going to use silver rhinestones but I really wanted the buttons to be black.  

I printed the words "Santa-tizer" on the computer and punched them out with the Word Window punch.  I used the retired Modern Label punch.  It's red on red so it's kind of hard to see.  But you can see it clearly in person!!  Some people add a string and punch the word piece and tie it around the neck of the bottle.  I have 14 to make, I don't want to do that for 14 bottles!!!

These are fun and easy to make!  If you use a 12" long piece of card stock you can make that little last scored piece a bit longer and easier to work with.  I didn't have any trouble with the 1/8" piece.  It's up to you!  They make great stocking stuffers!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Gorgeous Grunge Pencil Notepad Stocking Stuffer

I found a fun notepad but I didn't want to go through all of the work and steps to make it.  You can see my inspiration here. 

Instead of cutting lots of pieces of paper and clipping them together and gluing the end, I opted to take a finished scratch pad and work from there.

I took my scratch pad and measured it.  Once I got my measurements, I cut my Crushed Curry cardstock the same size as a piece of the pad paper.  

Next I took a piece of paper off the pad and folded it in half and then folded that half in half.  I marked those folds on my cardstock and lightly sponged the edges.  Don't fold the score lines, just lightly bend them to sponge.  I sponged all edges too. Set the piece aside.    

Then I cut a piece of Cajun Craze the same width as my pad.  I scored it at 1-1/4" and I folded it over to the back of the pad.  Then I scored that mark the fold made.  You may want to try this piece with some scrap copier paper.  I didn't make my Cajun Craze long enough to cover the entire back of the pad.  After finishing it, I wished I had.  But I can always add a piece to cover the back.  Anyway. I glued the Cajun Craze to the back of the pad.  

Next I glued the Crushed Curry piece to the inside of the Cajun Craze piece.  

I cut a piece of Smoky Slate 3/4" wide and long enough to fit the top of the pad.  I stamped the broken lines from the "Gorgeous Grunge" on top using Smoky Slate ink.  I glued that in place and the pad was done!

These would make a great stocking stuffer.  They would also make great teacher or student gifts!

Thank you SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda

Home For Christmas Santa Candy Party Favor Weekend Project

Today I am going to share with you a fun party favor I made at Terri's fun Stamping Extravaganza.  

The Santa image is from the  "Home for Christmas" paper pack. It's such a fun pack of paper.  There's SO may cute and fun images in it.  There are several different poses that Santa is in. 

Santa was punched using the 1-3/4" circle punch.  He was set in place on a Real Red scalloped circle using Dimensionals. 

Then he was stuck to a small pinch clothes pin using Dimensionals.

Next we took the Twizzler and opened the clothes pin and pinched the end of it to hold it.  

A ribbon was tied around the wrapper and viola, it's done!

Isn't it adorable?  Wouldn't it make a great teacher gift or gifts for students, the mail carrier, the UPS driver, Stocking Stuffers, etc?  It has lots of possibilities.  Even a craft fair item!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Garden in Bloom Mini Notebooks

Aren't these cute?  I used the "Garden in Bloom" stamp set to make them.  Plus I used the newest "In Colors". 

These little notebooks measure 2-1/2" x 2-1/2".  I have a Rubi Coil machine that punches the  holes 4:1, which means there's 4 holes per inch.  I have lots of coils at home so when I was shopping for a machine, I had to make sure I got the one with the right pitch or all of those coils would be worthless. I often save my copier paper that was only printed on part of it.  As long as there's 2-1/2" left, I cut it up and set it aside for notebooks.  It's fun to make these little notebooks. I often sell them at the craft fairs.  People LOVE buying stocking stuffers.   

The colors I used here are Watermelon Wonder, Mint Macaron, and Delightful Dijon.  On the Watermelon Wonder I also used Calypso Coral behind the butterfly.  On the Mint Macaron one I used Smoky Slate.  And on the Delightful Dijon I used Hello Honey.  

I went to the Color Lab and entered in one of the new In Colors and had the site find a color that would compliment it.  I got lazy and didn't want to rifle through the card stock to see what would match.  This is a free site to use to coordinate your colors.  I had not used the site in a while, mostly because I can usually figure out the colors myself.  Plus they had included in the list all the retired colors.  Now there is a drop down menu for just the current colors or you can pick by color group, or all colors including retired.  I like that site SO much better now that they separated the colors like that.  I will probably use it more now.  If you are not familiar with it, go to the link at the beginning of this paragraph and check it out.  I think it will be come your new coordinating buddy!!!

You can also see some cute snowman ones I did a few years back.  I always sell out of them at the craft fairs.  Click here to see the snowman notebooks.

These make great Hostess Appreciation gifts, Customer Appreciation gifts and of course, stocking stuffers!!

I use to sell the notebooks but that was before I had a million other things do to, but if you REALLY must have some, you can contact me.  Look to the right sidebar and find the icon that reads "Got a Question". My email address is found there.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Teeny Tiny Wishes Party Favor

Today I wanted to see if I could work the Party Favor candy holder into more of a card form.  And I did!!!  

For this card, I used the "Lullaby" decorative paper and the soon to be retiring Crisp Cantaloupe card stock.  There was very little stamping done here.  I used the "Teeny Tiny Wishes" and the set, and the "Bitty Banners" Framelits to cut the words out.

I used the "Bow Builder" punch for the adorable bow on the right side.  And ribbon was tied on the left to hold in the candies.  

The instructions for this fun party favor can be found here.  These are so fun and easy to make.  I'm pretty sure I will be making a bunch of these for a baby shower in the near future!!!  I think these would also make a great stocking stuffer or even a teacher gift!!  Oh and don't forget the Hostess gift or Customer Appreciation gift.  What a fun little thing to give away along with the instructions to make them!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Snowman Hershey Bar Wrapper

 Today I thought I would make some fun candy bar wrappers for my co-workers.  I found the fun Christmas Fudge poem on the Internet to put on the back too!!!  

You can get the free download for the snowman here.  It prints out two to a page.  Cut the bottom off at 6-1/4" and then cut the 11" side in half so your piece is 6-1/4" x 11".  I scored my pieces at 1-1/4", 1-1/2", 3-3/4", and 4".  I used glue to stick the seam together with. I wanted to make sure I used something that would stay. I wasn't sure how long the tape would hold in place but I knew glue would hold, so I went with the glue.  

After I glued the seam on the back, I used my bone folder to press it a little.  Then I inserted the candy bar.  I printed out the poem on a full sheet of label paper and cut it to fit.  I was able to get 6 poems on one sheet of paper.  After I got the poem on the back I tied a ribbon around the candy bar and made a knot in the front.  And that was it.  SO quick, SO fun, and I think they are SO cute!!!

The poem can be found below!  Have fun making these.  I had made them a couple of years ago and they were a hit.  I didn't make any last year.  I just ran out of time.  So today when I was at the store, the line at the register was long (what's new there this time of the year????) and I looked at the tabloids enough to make me wonder what is wrong with celebrities and I noticed the Hershey bars.  And the snowman candy wrapper came to mind, so when I got close enough I picked up a bunch and you know the rest!

Thank you SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda

Dashing from the malls
With groceries yet to buy,
Workshops, kids & housekeeping,
Life's so crazy! Why?

Bells on our telephone ring,
The machine will take the call,
We have no time for family or friends,
It drives us up the wall.

How are you? How's your life?
We really want to know.
Hope you're ready for Christmas,
Now maybe it will snow.

A day or two ago,
We thought we'd make a treat,
For all our special friends--
A Christmas Gift to eat!

Our intentions were top notch,
But our schedules would not budge,
Hence, here's this year's edition of
Homemade CHRISTMAS FUDGE!