Amour Box

Hi friends!

Today I made a box to share with you. My pictures don't do it justice of course. I really need to improve my photography skills!

Anyway, this was a really fun project to put together. The box is made from a 6"x6" piece of black cardstock and a 6"x6" piece of designer series paper. Both sheets are scored at 1" on all sides, tabs cut on two sides and adhered to make the box shape.

I decorated the top of the box with the Artistic Etchings stamp set and some of the yummy new Cherry Cobbler seam binding that is available September 1st from the new Holiday Mini. Have you received your copy yet? If not and you would like one, leave me a comment and I'll be happy to contact you to get yours to you.

Before adhering all the pieces to the top, the box received a light spritz of champagne shimmer mist. It is so pretty in person.

I overworked my score lines on the designer series paper and one of the corners tore a little bit when I was putting the top on. So I reinforced all four corners with the word window punch. It looks a bit like the bits of strapping on an old-fashioned suitcase and I love it!

Stamps: Artistic Etchings

Cardstock: Basic Black, Very Vanilla

DSP: Newsprint

Ink: Black Stazon, Cherry Cobbler

Punches: Word Window

Other: Antique Brads, Cherry Cobbler seam binding, Champagne shimmer paint

New or old? Does it matter?

Hi friends!

Recently there was a discussion on one of my favorite stamping message boards about using up your stash of retired paper that really got me thinking. I LOVE buying and using new paper (and stamps, and accessories, and punches, etc.) as much as the next stamper! But what sometimes happens, at least with me, is that we buy so much new stuff and our "old" stuff gets shoved to the back of the closet or underneath all the new stuff. I have unearthed what was "new stuff" not long ago which is now retired and I never even opened the package! Please tell me this happens to other people too! I'm not alone in this, right?

I have decided that I really need to use what I love and that means that sometimes I will be using retired product. Most of the cards and projects I make can be adapted to any paper or any embellishments anyway. And while I would LOVE to sell new products to you, I also want to encourage you to use what you have. Use it in a different way than you ever thought you would. Try some color combinations that you think don't "go". Use some stamp sets that are in the back of your closet and pair them with some of your newer sets. Have some fun! Plus, remember that you can get a great deal on some retired items by checking out the Clearance Rack in my online store (link to my store is on the right sidebar). Of course if you must buy some new things too I'll never tell!

Today I put my money where my mouth is and I present my own version of a "hybrid" card. Only instead of mine being a hybrid of traditional and digital cardmaking, they are hybrids of new and old product.

Both cards are very similar and were inspired by a great card artist, Vicki Burdick.

Stamps: Apple Blossoms (level 2 hostess set), Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla

DSP: Fall Flowers (ret.)

Ink: Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso

Punches: Large corner rounder (ret), Spiral Punch

Other: Orchard ribbon (ret), vintage brads (ret), library card template from Heather Nichols



Stamps: Apple Blossoms (level 2 hostess set), Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Brilliant Blue (ret), Real Red, Very Vanilla

DSP: Summer Picnic (ret.)

Ink: Crumb Cake, Real Red, Early Espresso

Punches: Large corner rounder (ret), Spiral Punch

Other: Striped grograin ribbon (ret), playground buttons (ret), scallop envelope die (for pocket), library card template from Heather Nichols

Do you use mostly new products? Mostly old? Does it matter to you?

So, what do you say? Let's be trendsetters and show how the latest and greatest can be combined with last year's latest and greatest to create some fabulous projects!