Hmmm ... I've made over 80 valentines for the girls' friends ... perhaps I should make a card and/or a treat for my girls!! *lol* WHY is it that EVERY holiday, birthday and special occasion my family is last on the list to create for??? I guess on the upside the girls didn't have one for me either :)
So! What's new in my world?? Not much! And that's GREAT! I'm thrilled to say that since holidays I have managed to keep that work / family balance just perfect! I've been VERY relaxed, VERY calm and VERY happy! I don't fly off the handle very much (and if I do it isn't nearly as quickly as "usual"), I'm much more patient and I'm much more focused on what is important to me. I'm sure you are all familiar with the "put the large rocks in the bowl first, then the smaller ones, then the smallest, then the sand" story. No? Essentially, if you put the rocks in a glass in that order they will all fit ... but if you put them in any other way (like sand first) then there is no room for the large rocks. Of course the large rocks are suppose to be the "important things in your life". In my instance the biggest, most important rock is SUPPOSED TO BE family ... THEN work. I realized I had it the other way around ... I was putting work first and there was no time ... or ENERGY left for family. SInce my return I HAVE put family first ... then I've put ME second ... THEN work ... and I've been MUCH better off! That's why this post didn't happen Monday ... or Tuesday ... or Wednesday. I simply took things slowly and calmly, focused on the family, making a healthy meal, spending QUALITY time with the girls AND Craig ... and THEN I would work. Needless to say, not a LOT of work actually got done *lol* ... but that's OK. This morning I woke up and realized I really DO need to put work a little higher on the list today ... so here I am (well, that and I really don't feel like getting my butt on the eliptical yet ... yay for procrastination! *lol*)
So that's what's new with me. A new focus, a new balance, a new happier me :))) Now! What's new in my projects?? Quite a few, actually ... while I haven't been blogging I HAVE been crafting ... like CRAZY! Aside from the 80 Valentines I made I also made 50 of those cute little Collage Curios cards I posted last week ... that took a bit of time! I am also making up the extra templates from my classes last week so I can increase my stash of cards. Last night I made the time to take pictures so I could share a tutorial with you. So here we go ...
I shared a tutorial on how to make these littel envelope gift card holders quite about a year and a half ago ... and it is one of my most popular (and requested) posts. This year I made a Valentine version .. and since it's Valentine's Day here it is:
Start with a standard sheet of card stock - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Score at 2 1/2" and 5 3/4" and fold on score lines:
The shorter flap is the inside ... the longer flap the outside ...
Take an old, used envelope (I have LOTS of these lying around!!) and lick it closed - then fold it in half. Placing the fold lione at the 2 1/2" mark on your paper cutter trim off the envelope. Flip the envelope around - again place the fold on the 2 1/2" mark and cut the side of the envelope off. You will now have an opening on both ends of the sealed envelopes:
The next picture doesn't show it very well, but you are going to apply snail to the inside fold of the envelope so you tape the two folded halves together (you are taping the envelope to itself so you have now created two seperate compartments to hold your little notes and/or gift card):
Run the front of the base through the Big Shot with the hearts embossing folder and a 1" x 5 1/2" strip of Cherry Cobbler through with the xxxxx strip (from the new Needlepoint Border folders in the Spring mini). Tape the cobbler strip to the base:
Now for the belly band. For these I cut a 1" x 7 1/2" strip of cs but I don't "formally" score it. You don't want the band to be too tight or too loose so I just put the note and gift card IN the holder and THEN take the strip of cs and just wrap it around ... this way you get just the right fit ...
I punched out a heart using my Hearts a Flutter framelit (page 11 of the mini) and stamped the sentiment (from the SAB set Smarty Pants) in Cherry Cobbler afterwards.
Ta da!
Have a balanced, stampy day :)
Tam
Thank you for taking the time to make this picture tutorial. You are a GEM!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Beth! I would do more of them if my camera, project and computer were on the same floor more often *lol*. Have fun with them ... Sooooo many possibilities!
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