Tamara's Paper Trail: 2021

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Party Time! Stampin' Creative Global Blog Hop

Happy Blog Hop Day! I'm so glad you're here! Every month my friends from around the globe put together projects around a common theme to inspire and delight. THIS month the theme is "Party Time!" Very appropriate, given it's almost New Year's Eve! .... but I wasn't "feelin'" the New Year Party vibe. Likely because I haven't actually made it to midnight on Dec 31st for about 20 years ... lol ... who can relate??? hee hee. No, when I think of "PARTY TIME" I think streamers, confetti, bright colours and birthdays ... and that was the spin my card took. Check it out:

Hmmmm ... My picture isn't as clear as I'd like so here's a close up, showing the embossed layer a bit better:

I've been using the "Dots" Embossing Folder more and more lately and loving it! Yes, the folder is only 3 3/8" wide, meaning you need to run it through your machine twice but it's REALLY easy to line up the dots to get a full embossed layer.

I also love the twine I added as just a little "sumthin". I tried to curl the ends of the twine with the edge of my scissors, like I used to do with the ribbon on packages when I was younger. It worked pretty well ... and mimics the swirls of the stamped streamers.

Before I get into the details of the card, wanna see what my inspiration was?

I LOVE the creative process. I start with one thing and then it totally takes a turn off course and ends up somewhere else entirely! Would you guess that this lead to that?

Crazy! lol

OK, so on to a few particulars about my Party Time card:

Standard Basic White card base - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", folded and burnished

Real Read layer - 5 1/8" x 3 7/8"

Basic White layer - 5" x 3 3/4" - run through the Cut & Emboss Machine with the Checks & Dots Embossing Folder

Granny Apple Green layer - 1 3/8" x 4 3/8"

Basic White layer - 1 1/4" x 4 14"

Basic White (for "happy" sentiment) - 1" x 2 1/4" and

Basic White (for "birthday" sentiment - 1/2" x 1 1/4"

I used the streamers from "Turtle Friends", the "happy" from "Biggest Wish" and the "birthday" from "Sweet as a Peach".

My colours were Bermuda Bay, Real Red, Mango Melody and Granny Apple Green.

A Bakers Twine bow and the Artistry Blooms Adhesive Backed Sequins finished it off (I colour one of the light orange sequins with my dark Cherry Cobbler Blend marker to make it a bit more "Real Red" in colour).

So there you have it! MY take on "Party Time". Now hop along and see what my friends have made for you! Thanks for popping on and I hope you have a very Happy New Year!

xoxo

Tam

Product List

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$13.25

Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[102482]

$12.00

Granny Apple Green 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[146990]

$12.00

Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad

[147096]

$10.25

Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

[147084]

$10.25

Mango Melody Classic Stampin' Pad

[147093]

$10.25

Granny Apple Green Stampin' Pad

[147095]

$10.25

Turtle Friends Photopolymer Stamp Set

[155356]

$22.00

Biggest Wish Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[155052]

$23.00

Sweet As A Peach Photopolymer Stamp Set

[155050]

$24.00

Checks & Dots Embossing Folders

[155432]

$11.00

Artistry Blooms Sequins

[152477]

$9.50

Baker's Twine Essentials Pack

[155475]

$15.00

Banners Pick A Punch

[153608]

$31.00

Bone Folder

[102300]

$9.50

Stampin' Seal

[152813]

$11.00

Mini Glue Dots

[103683]

$7.25

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$5.50

Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

[144108]

$5.50

Take Your Pick

[144107]

$14.00

Paper Trimmer

[152392]

$34.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$163.00

Monday, December 20, 2021

Hershey's Kiss Christmas Tree - Kylie's Trip Achievers Blog Hop

Happy Blog Hop Day! Gotta say ... I was 95% sure I wasn't going to be able to participate this month. HOW is it December 20th?? ACK! ... and I still have SO much to do in the next 36 hours!! I guess it's true what they say "if it's important to you, you'll find a way, if not you'll find an excuse". I LOVE this hop every month ... when/where Demonstrators from across the globe post projects using only current Stampin' Up! products that we love ... and we hope they inspire! I didn't think I would have time today to share anything ... as I hadn't CREATED anything ... until last night. Check out what I made for my Club Gals ...

SO fun! I have see these "Hershey's Kisses" Trees for a few years but it hurt my head to think of making one ... until my friend Brandi gave me one last week. Once I had a physical template in my hands I just HAD to make one.

Naturally I dissected Brandi's to learn how ... and then I spent the next 3 hours tweaking it, because I did it wrong lol. The "magic" of these little treats is not having to use and adhesive to keep the Kisses in place. Therein the problem lies ... getting the dimensions JUST right so they aren't too big (and the Kisses fall out) and they aren't too small (and you say many bad words and try to mangle the Kisses to be slightly smaller ... resulting in your eating more Kisses than you should in any 2 hour period ... but also "yum"! lol). SO here are MY dimensions that may help keep calories off your thighs and and easier time putting the treats together:

Start with 1" strips. One is 1" x 11", two are 1" x 9 3/4" and one is 1" x 7".

You don't HAVE to have the two 9 3/4" ones .... you may want two strips glued together just for more stability. These trips form the triangle "case" for the treats.

For the 9 3/4" strips, score at 3", 6 1/4" and 9 1/4".

For the 11" and the 7" strips. score at every 1" interval. These two strips form the zig zag inserts that hold the treats. Oh, you will also need a brown strip 1" x 3 1/2" for the tree trunk (not shown)

Fold the pieces on the score lines. For the inserts you fold "down twice" and then "up twice" - see the picture below:

Glue the triangle "case" together and place the inserts inside. The inserts aren't glued in, just placed.

I found it easiest to place the treats in per the photo below and then putting in the rest. Pop them in "tip first. Yes, it will be tight! ... force them in there! I found that not all Kisses are the same size - the standard "silver foil" ones were a touch smaller than these "Grinch" ones ... but they ultimately worked. Some were just tighter than others.

Once the Kisses are in place grab a piece of ribbon 12" long. I apologize for my photo having a retired ribbon - I snapped a picture of the wrong one! I liked Real Red ribbons that were at least 5/8" wide. I used some Tear and Tape to secure the ribbon to the side of the treat and then tied a piece of 10" long Gold Chord around it, tying the chord in a bow,

Last up the Trunk!

You can use many different chocolates for the trunk. I used some Laura Secord chocolates I found at London Drugs (here in Canada) - but Hershey Nuggets (USA) or Rolos or any wrapped chocolate can work - use what you can find!

I didn't score the 1" x 3 1/2" brown strip, I just free-form wrapped it around the chocolate and secured it with Tear and Tape. I then used more Tear and Tape to attach the trunk to the tree.

Ta-Da! For gift giving, I then popped the treat in one of our clear envelopes. This will ensure that if the candies DO fall out they will be contained in the bag.

So there you have it, an adorable little treat that comes together really quickly, once you know the dimensions! Give it a go - they're rather addicting!

Now hop along to see what my friends have created for you. Wishing you a VERY Merry Christmas and all the best in the year ahead

xoxo

Tam

Product List

Shaded Spruce 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[146981]

$12.00

Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[119686]

$12.00

Real Red 3/8" (1 Cm) Double-Stitched Satin Ribbon

[151155]

$10.25

Simply Elegant Trim

[155766]

$10.25

Simply Scored

[122334]

$41.00

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

[110755]

$5.50

Bone Folder

[102300]

$9.50

Tear & Tape Adhesive

[138995]

$9.50

Take Your Pick

[144107]

$14.00

Paper Trimmer

[152392]

$34.00

Thursday, November 25, 2021

Christmas Cheer - Stampin' Creative Global Blog Hop

Happy Blog Hop Day!

Each month my friends from around the globe bring you projects around a common theme. The goal is to stretch ourselves creatively (using only current Stampin' Up! products) and to inspire you to do the same! We hope you like what we have to offer. Make sure you leave us a comment - we love the feedback!

This month our theme is "Christmas Cheer". There are SOOOO many ways you can go with that theme. "Christmas Cheer" for me came down to that warm, fuzzy feeling I get during the holidays. That Hallmark vision/feeling of a soft, quiet snowfall on Christmas Eve, all warm and cozy in the glow of the Christmas tree and the fire place, sipping hot chocolate. Heaven. Pure Heaven. It's that feeling that inspired my card. Check it out ....

I just LOVE it! It's EXACTLY the feel I was going for! If you follow me at all on any of my channels you know my favourite colour right now is Evening Evergreen ... and my favourite colour to go with it is Soft Succulent. Those two colours go together BEAUTIFULLY!

To make this card you sponge, sponge, sponge ... but first, layers and dimensions:

Standard Basic White Card Base - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"

Soft Succulent layer - 3 3/4" x 5"

Evening Evergreen layer - 3 1/4" plus 2 ticks x 4 1/2" plus 2 ticks (or in grown-up language, 3 3/8" x 4 5/8")

Basic White Top layer - 3 1/4" x 4 1/2"

Now you need to make a mask for the sponging.

I took a piece of scrap card stock measuring the same as the Basic White layer, 3 1/4" x 4 1/2".

I then grabbed my stitched rectangle framelits and cut a rectangle out of the middle, using the 1 7/8" x 3 1/4" die.

I covered the Basic white layer with my newly made mask, grabbed my Blending Brush and my Soft Succulent ink pad and I sponged my little heart out. I start sponging from the edges in, so that the centre is just slightly coloured. I then go back in over and over and over on the edges, making them darker. The end result is a beautiful ombre look, which mimics then night sky. Love it!

Once the sponging is done I inked up the largest tree from "Evening Elegance" (YAY ME for inking up another un-used set!) in Evening Evergreen ink and stamp it to the left of the sponged rectangle.

The sentiment is also in Evening Evergreen, and is from "Peaceful Cabin". The snowflakes are in Soft Succulent and are also from the "Peaceful Cabin" set.

Some Elegant Faceted Gems finish off the soft look for the card.

I absolutely love it ... and now I want to make it using other colours. Fresh Freesia and Blackberry Bliss, Basic Gray and Smoky Slate, pinks ... blues ... so many options!