Quick Gift

 I made up a couple of these easy covers for a package of Andes mints. They're a little more sophisticated than a plain chocolate bar, but it doesn't take much more time than making a nice candy bar wrapper. The light one has a generic friendship theme and the darker one is an Easter theme. They make great thank-you treats or basket stuffers. I just used scraps of stickers and ribbon I had in my drawers, so there was no expense. The Easter wrap is held closed with a small magnetic closure, but it isn't really needed. This is a fun way to give a card and a treat all in one. You can find the instructions on my Tutorials page.

 

Supplies:
Bazzil Basics cardstock, Basic Grey magnetic discs, Vintage stickers from Crafty Secrets (http://www.craftysecrets.com/), die cuts from Tim Coffey by K & Company, other odds and ends from my stash.

Handmade Decorative Brads

    It's been really hot the past few weeks, so I've been working on stuff indoors to stay away from it as much as possible. High temperatures and I do not get along very well, a trait I attribute to my Irish ancestry. Fortunately, I can always find something to keep me busy.
   Sometimes I'm just looking for a little unique touch to complete a card or project. I saw an idea to make your own magnets using this technique, and I decided to apply it to card making by making custom brads, instead. The process is simple, use oven-bake clay, cover the end of the brad with a small ball of it, being sure to wrap it around the back up to the prongs. Flatten the clay on the back, but leave the top of it somewhat rounded. Use any texture you'd like and gently press the top onto it, leaving an impression. You can use rubber stamps, embossing folders, fabrics, or any other textured surface. Bake according to the package directions. Paint, ink, antique or finish however you want.
   I used a background stamp from CTMH called Paisley Tapestry to heat emboss a piece of burgundy card stock with silver glitter embossing powder, then made matching brads that I painted silver and antiqued with burgundy ink. Viola! Coordinated paper and brads! Using silver paper, I die-cut and embossed a lace trim, using both the positive and negative strips. White satin ribbon makes a bow and overlays the trim. An all white flower arrangement with beaded stick pin completes the layout. 

Supplies:
Bazzil Basics card stock, Spellbinders Classic Lace Border die, Paisley Tapestry background stamp from Close to My Heart, Large flowers from Magnolia. I used Super Sculpey oven bake clay and the silver paint is Folk Art Acrylic in Metallic Silver. Silver paper, small flowers, pin, and ribbon from my stash.

Unique Embellishments

   I was looking through my stash for something to add a little bit of sparkle and dimension to a gift tag I was working on, but nothing caught my eye, so I finally decided to make my own instead. I wanted it to be somewhat translucent, but glittery, too. The theme I was working with involved a heart, so that's where I started. I pulled out my Cricut and a transparency sheet, finally deciding on an element from the Damask Decor cartridge. By the way, this is an awesome cartridge--it has lots of designs that have separate layers, as well as tags, cards, and envelopes. I don't buy many carts, so when I do buy one, it has to have lots of options; they're just too pricey otherwise. The complete instructions are on my tutorials page.

Supplies used:
Bazzil basics paper, Glossy Accents by Ranger, lily white sugar coating by doodlebug design.