Holiday Wrap Up Release with Catherine Pooler!

Hi! I am so excited to be sharing some projects I made using the newest release from Catherine Pooler! I made a quick video, showing how I created a some tags using these fantastic products! For this release, we are literally 'wrapping it up,' sharing tags, thank you notes, gifts - everything needed to wrap up the Holiday Season!

For my card, I used the Holiday Mittens stamp set and coordinating dies.   The sentiment is from the new Still Smiling stamp set. I also used the inks that come in the Foundations Box.  On this card, I  used Grass Skirt, Fiesta Blue, Rocking Red and Midnight inks.

The video above shows my process for these tags! I used most of the Foundations Box inks again (Grass Skirt, Fiesta Blue, Rocking Red and Midnight) along with the Sending Blessings stamp set. I just love the way the inks stamp on Kraft cardstock.

Is there a better way to wrap up December than with a December Daily album? These albums are created to document each day in December, normally through Christmas Day (though some are for all month long).  I generally prefer to create the albums myself, as I did here using what I have on hand already.  I bought some paper and embellishments to get me started, but I used the whole Holiday Wrap Up Bundle on all my pages.

Did you see how I snuck in the mug from the For Everything set? :) I couldn't resist!

Lastly, I used Holiday Mittens along with all Foundations Box Inks (this time, including Orange Twist, too) to create some very simple sticky tags for gift wrapping.  

And don't miss out on these amazing gift ideas (did you see the bracelet in my video?!?!)! As long as you order by December 19, your gifts should arrive by Christmas!

Thanks for stopping by today! Don't forget to head on over to the store to check out the new release (and everything else in there, too)!

SUPPLIES:

Catherine Pooler Designs supplies:

Holiday Mittens Stamp
Holiday Mittens Dies
Still Smiling Stamp
Sending Blessings Stamp
For Everything Stamp (mug)
White cardstock

Other supplies:

Kraft Cardstock

MAMBI punch and planner supplies

Simple Stories paper and embellishments

Echo Park paper

Avery Label Stock

Fuse Tool

Let's Connect!

 

An Exploding Box (My version of a December Daily)!

Hi!
Have you ever heard of the December Daily concept? The idea is to document every single day of December by taking pictures and collecting mementos from the month, then creating an album of it all.  Some people do the days up to Christmas and some do the entire month.  I did one back in 2010 and I love it.  My kids love looking at it and so do I.

But...the problem I've run into is time.  I just don't have time in December to put the album together and let's be honest, by the time mid-January rolls around, December is way out of my mind.  So, I came up with an idea.  I wanted to create an exploding box using my Ultimate Tool and I wanted to do a December Daily, so I combined the two into one project.

I took some of my favorite December Instagram pictures and printed them out to use on the box.  This was much faster than making a 25 or 31 page album and I can still look back on the fond memories - they might not be as detailed, but they are still documented!

How did I create this box? It was easier than you'd believe, since I used my Ultimate Tool.  I also watched a DVD that came with my Ultimate Tool - it showed me exactly how to create an exploding box and how to make my own measurements, too, in case I didn't like the size of the finished project in the demo.

WARNING: Photo Heavy Post to follow!

First, I cut three different stocks out.  I chose a Recollections card stock that was patterned on one side and Kraft on the other (I love Kraft).  Any card stock will work, but a double-sided stock will save you some time since the inside of your box will already have a pattern laid down!

Outside sheet: 9 3/8 x 9 3/8 inches
Next sheet: 9 1/4 x 9 1/4 inches
Inside sheet: 9 1/8 x 9 1/9 inches

These can all be modified, but these are the sizes that I chose.

After they are cut, you will need to know where to score and cut.  I scored on the BOX MAKING SIDE on line 6 all the way across.

When it is all scored, cut on the lines so you have a finished piece like this:

Repeat as many times as you need.  I only did 3 sheets, but you could make a huge box and have more!

Then, you need to adhere the box.  I've heard all kinds of suggestions, but to be honest, my Crafter's Companion red liner tape is super strong and is what I used.  I've had this box done for over week now, with several people touching and looking at it (including a not-so-gentle 3 year-old), and it is still holding together.  I will update this post if it ever comes apart, but I really doubt that it will.  It's much, much stronger than the other tapes I have.

Place the tape in the center of your bottom sheet on the back/inside.  Place the next smallest sheet on top of it.  Then repeat the same process.  DO NOT put tape on the last sheet you place unless you are planning on covering it with paper or something else.  That is the centerpiece that people will see when they open your box and it explodes!

I printed and cut out my pictures and some different patterned papers I wanted to use.

Then I embellished! I used some fantastic stamps from the limited edition Dee Gruenig sets Ahhh... Christmas and Jolly Holly.

For the lid, I cut a sheet of paper that was 5 1/4 inches and I scored on the BOX TOP SIDE again, second line from the top.

Here is a little snippet of the finished box (an inside flap), using a stamp from the Ahhh... Christmas set and some brown ink:

Another inside flap where I used a tag and some stickers:

A crazy picture of my husband (our elf was choking him for some reason...) along with some Memento Ink and a stamp from the Jolly Holly set.

The entire box as it explodes:

I kept this as simple as I could.  I've made the mistake in the past of putting a ton of embellishments in the box and then it wouldn't close! So, that is one little tip I have for you - keep it as flat as possible.  Otherwise, not only will the lid not fit onto the full box, the pages won't really explode because they are too full!

I really hope you will give this a try.  It was so simple and a faster alternative to the December Daily idea.  This also would be great to document a baby's first month, a summer, a vacation or maybe a sports season!


Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Crafter's Companion
Papers: Recollections, Simple Stories, Authentique
Ink: Memento, VersaMagic
Stickers: Authentique
Bling: Hero Arts
3D Embellishments: K & Company, Recollections
Twine: American Crafts
Tag: Recollections
Other: Crafter's Companion Ultimate Tool

December Daily, Days 6 - 10

I know, I know.  I am WAY behind.

No excuses (even though I can think of a ton right now if you want to hear them).  I'm really going to get the rest of it done before the actual days catch up and pass me!  And I really need to get some ink for my photo printer so I can print out the wonderful pictures I've taken so far, too, and work on Days 1-5!!!

But.. This is what I have for now:

Day 6 Front and Back:

Instead of just journaling, I might sneak a picture in that envelope (Kerri Bradford file, LOVE).

Day 7:



Day 8:

Can you tell I finally got the darn bobbin on my sewing machine threaded?! Lots of stitching for these few days that are done!

Day 9:

Day 10:

And don't forget that the Sneak Peeks for SP & Company start tomorrow (7th) and last through the 10th, which is Release Day! Stop back here tomorrow or check out the Scrapmaster's Blog for all of the details.  There are prizes to be won!!!!!!

Chrissie's December Daily {Day 1 & Day 2}

OK, so we've been really bad about updating this blog, I know. But Roxanne and I both have New Year's Resolutions to update more. And being that it's the holidays, it's busier than normal, so we really and truly haven't had the time!

We are both working on December Daily Albums. If you aren't familiar with the December Daily concept, check out Ali Edwards's site - she is the originator of this awesome idea. Basically, a book is created to document the daily routine of a person/family in December. Being that so much usually happens in December, it's a little more exciting than other months. I know today is December 17th and I'm just posting Days 1 & 2, but I will have more to update in the days to come. Sooo.... onto {DAY ONE}!!!!!

The idea is that you create an empty book ahead of time so it is easier to fill it in the busy month of December. All I can say is THANK GOODNESS I got my entire book made ahead of time or I wouldn't even know how to start it at this point!!! I opted to cut out all pages by hand this year. I didn't want to use a pre-made book. I also decided to use some rag translucent marker paper I had as cover sheets for each day. I thought that would be fun to use with my Copics.

My Day One Before:

I stamped the day with a little design element on the translucent paper (I did this for each day), so it would sit on top of the actual page and it would just give a little hint of what is to come behind it. I used a lot of Fresh Snow White Ink from Papertrey Ink in the corners and edges of the cover pages. If you look closely, you can see some flourishes in the upper left corner of this one. For the actual page, I kept it simple, since I had no idea what I'd actually be doing on December 1st... The only days that I knew we had plans were the 16th for my son's Winter Concert at school (his last one in elementary school *sniff*) and Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. All other days were just me guessing at what MIGHT be happening. Since I'm a MAJOR planner, this was tough for me at first, but I learned to adapt... Kinda...

Here is my Day One After:

As you can see, I ended up taking a different page from later in the book instead of my original Day 1 page. The pictures I had just didn't fit right, so I pulled a switcheroo. I took the images into Photoshop and I turned the one of my son's hand putting the first ornament on our Advent Calendar tree black and white, but I kept the ornament in color. For the picture of my daughter, I decided to stamp onto the picture with the "Sweet" sentiment and a small flourish (all stamps are Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted). I used a little bit of gold crackle paint (from Ranger) up at the top and then I stamped over it when it was all dry.

Day One Back:

My journaling is a nice explanation of what the December daily is all about.  So, when my kids are older, they can look at it and know exactly why I hounded them constantly for pictures of silly things!

Now, onto Day Two....

Before:

And After:

I just added the pictures and a few well-placed stamps.  I actually used part of a gift tag as an embellishment in the lower right corner.  I just love Kraft cardstock, so my tags this year involve Kraft.  The particular design was mistletoe, and I thought that was appropirate to use since the picture is of my daughter kissing my husband.  :-)


The Back:

 Right now, it's just a picture that makes me giggle.  All I can think of is "A Christmas Story" when the kid can't put his arms down becuase he's is sooo bundled up.  That's how Rachel looks when she's ready to go outside.  So, I just couldn't put anything else on this page that might take away from the cuteness of this picture!!!! I might end up adding more, but I might not.... We'll see!!!!


I have more pages, waiting to be worked on and waiting to be posted, so I will have more updates in a few days.  This weekend is going to be full of last-minute shopping and wrapping, but hopefully I will be able to work on some things at night, after the kids are in bed!

Roxanne and I will also have posts of our Holiday creations (Teacher's Gifts, Tags, etc), so stop back soon to check for more updates.

Thanks for stopping by!!!