Another Extended Pillow Box!

Hey all! Yesterday i featured an 'Extended Pillow Box' made out of 'Blushing Bride' cardstock... today i have another 'Extended Pillow Box' to share with you, this one has been created from 'Baja Breeze' card:

Created from two 'Baja Breeze' 'Pillow Boxes' cut out using the 'Pillow Box Die' and the 'big shot', glued in place using 'Red Sticky Tape' and then some 'Twitterpated Fabric' wrapped around the centre'. The butterfly has been created from 'Twitterpated Fabric' mounted onto card and then ran through the 'Big shot' using the 'Beautiful Butterflies Dies', with some 'Basic Pearls' glued on to create the butterflys body. The butterfly has been mounted onto 'Whisper White' and 'Blushing Bride' shapes that have been cut out using the 'Labels Collection Framelits Dies'. (you may have noticed that i have ran the 'Blushing Bride' label through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Perfect Polka dot Embossing Folder' to add some texture!

The great thing about handcrafting is that you can make coordinating boxes and cards. You may have noticed that this box coordinates with the card that i shared at my 'Mini catalogue' launch party/ Scrapbook Crop demo last month:

(Click on the card image above to see how to make this card!!)

If you'd like to make an order email me today: amyjtidd@gmail.com You can view the catalogues online - see the links on the righthand side of this blog!!

Blushing Bride Extended Pillow Box

Today i have an 'Extended Pillow Box' to share with you. 'Extended Pillow boxes' are actually really easy to create and are perfect gift boxes - especially for jewellery gifts.

This box has been cleverly made using two 'Pillow Boxes' which i cut out using the 'Pillow Box Die' and my 'Big Shot' from some 'Blushing Bride' cardstock! I glued them together using some 'Red Sticky Tape' and then wrapped some stripy 'Twitterpated Fabric' around the middle to hide the joins!

Next i used the 'Big Shot' and the 'Labels Collection Framelts Die' to cut out some labels using 'Baja Breeze' and 'Whisper White' card. I ran the 'Baja Breeze' label through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder' to add some texture.

I mounted some 'Twitterpated Fabric' onto some cardstock (using 'multipurpose adhesive sheets') and then ran it through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Beautiful Butterflies Die' to create the butterfly, finishing it off by placing some 'Basic Pearls' down the centre of the butterfly!!

Strawberry Gift Box: Featuring the 'Fruit and Flowers' stampset

As i mentioned in yesterdays blogpost - the items from the Spring Mini Catalogue are only available until the end of the month - so if you want anything from the catty you have to get your orders in this weekend:  email your orders over to amyjtidd@gmail.com

One of these amazing stampsets that i will completely miss is the fab 'Fruit and Flowers' set:

So today i have a bright little 'Pillow Box' constructed using the 'Pillow Box Die' made using the 'Big Shot' (from 'Real Red' card) which i randomly stamped with the strawberry image using 'Real Red' ink (although i'm afraid my camera hasn't really picked up in this pic), which i have wrapped a belly-belt of 'Pear Pizzazz' card embossed using the 'Perfect Polkadot Embossing Folder'.

To complete this project i stamped the strawberry image using 'Real Red' and 'Old Olive' 'Stampin' Write Markers' onto some 'Whisper White' card which i punched out using the '1-1/4" Circle Punch' and then layered it onto a '1-3/8" Circle' of 'Pear Pizzazz' card and then onto a 'Real Red' 'Scallop Circle'.

There you have it - a nice simple project perfect for putting a small gift or some yummy sweets in!!

If you would like to order some Stampin' Up! products email over your order - don't forget you have only a few days to take advantage of the April DSP promotion - a FREE pack of 'DSP' (12x12 papers) with every order of £45. Email me today: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Happy Birthday Suzanne - a pillow box for a gift!

Hey all! What a brilliant weekend i'm having - the perfect end to Easter hols - reality hasn't yet sunk in that i am back to work tomorrow. Yesterday we went to our friends wedding and had a great time and today we're off out for a pub lunch to celebrate my best friend Suzanne and also her hubby Andy's birthday! Happy days!

Now, i cannot post the card i made for Suzanne as i'm planning on using it for a design team offering in the next Crafty Boots Challenge, i can however share with you the lovely bright pink 'Pillow Box' that i made to pop her gift in...

This is such a quick and simple project to create! I simply ran some 'Melon Mambo' card through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Pillow Box Die'. Before constructing it i stamped two flower images from the 'Fruit and Flowers' stampset in 'Rose Red' ink. I constructing the box using one strip of 'Red Sticky Tape'. Popped Suzannes gift in and then wrapped a strip of the beautiful 'Whisper White' 'Organza Ribbon' around it! I just love that ribbon! And with a quick colour change/ image change suitable as wedding favours!!

Now, just a quick reminder that this Spring mini catty is only available until the end of the month - so that means if you want the fab 'Fruits and Flowers' stampset:

(or any of the others within the mini catalogue) you must order ASAP! So check out the catty on the righthand side of my blog and email your order over to me straight away: amyjtidd@gmail.com. As an extra incentive on orders of £45 you will recieve one of four 'DSP' packs for FREE and i will also offer you FREE P&P TO YOUR HOME! - usually £4.95 (Free P&P offer is exclusive to CraftyThINKer customers and not a Stampin' Up! national offer)

Perfect Postage PillowBox!

Hey all - it's the weekend!! woo hoo!! I'm so exhausted and can't wait for a lovely relaxing weekend
I really haven't had much time for crafting recently so hopefully i will be able to fit in a lot this weekend!

Today (due to my lack of crafting) i have another fabby project to share with you that has been made by my Stampin' Up! partner in crime Jade. It is a 'Pillow Box' that has been created using my 'Big Shot' and the lovely new stampset: 'Perfect Postage':

This 'Pillow Box' has been created from some 'Whisper White' card and Jade wrapped some 'Pear Pizzazz' 'Seaming Ribbon' around it. She stamped the candle cake stamp from the 'Perfect Postage' stampset, inked using 'Stampin' Write Markers', punched out using the 'Postage Stamp Punch' and then layered on some 'Pear Pizzazz' card punched out with the 'Curly Label' punch and then attached over the ribbon using some 'Dimensionals' to create a 3D effect.

Such a quick but effective project - i just love the 'Pillow Box' die - it just makes the creation of 'Pillow Boxes' such a quick and simple task - perfect if you're looking to create wedding favours!

Thanks again to Jade for saving my bacon again today and providing me with a project to feature on the blog - i promise i will get my bum in gear and create some original CraftyThINKer designs very,very soon!!

Have a great weekend!!

Rainbows Christmas Workshop: 1st Gomshall, Peaslake and Shere Rainbows

Phew!! What a busy day!! I had a full day of teaching (all steam ahead in preperation for the January exams) and then straight off to 1st Gomshall, Peaslake and Shere Rainbows for a Christmas workshop!!!

It was the girls final meeting before Christmas and so i planned some christmas crafts for them to enjoy! They were all so creative and many of them adapted my original designs which i always love seeing!

It was a real challenge designing projects suitable for 5-7 year olds but i think it went well! All the girls seemed to have lots of fun making a christmas card, a cute little giftbox and some reindeer poop!!! Here's the projects:
First the Raindeer Poop:

A 'Real Red' 'Top Note' created using the 'Big Shot'. I typed the 'Reindeer Poop' label out on the computer and printed it on some 'Very Vanilla' cardstock, stamped the reindeer stamp in 'Soft Suede' ink (from a retired set - although you could use the 'Dasher' stamp from the current catalogue) and glued it on. I popped some chocolate (in this case some chocolate covered honeycomb) into a cellophane bad along with a Reindeer Poop poem (printed on 'Very Vanilla' card) and then stuck the topper on using some super 'Red Sticky Tape') The girls loved this project!!!

Next project was this cute 'Cherry Cobbler' 'Pillow Box' cute out using the 'big shot'. We wrapped some 'Old Olive' 'Satin Ribbon' around the 'Pillow Box'. Next we stamped the cute little penguin from the 'Polar Party' set in 'Basic Black ink. We coloured in his hat and scarf, beak and feet and then punched him out using the 'Scallop Circle Punch'. We stuck this onto the box using some 'Dimensionals'. Finally we popped a chocolate or two in them!!! The girls enjoyed that bit!!!



Final project was a Christmas card!! A 'Very Vanilla' cardbase. The Christmas tree has been made from some 'Old Olive' card that has been ran through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Perfect Pennants Die'. We decorated the tree using lots of stickers (non Stampin' Up!) The trunk was made from a little strip of 'Soft Suede' and the pot was made from some 'Real Red' card. The girls all created very different trees and even decorated their envelopes!!

 All in all we had a very lovely crafty time!!! Do you run a club or group who would like to do some crafting? E-mail me for some details of how to organise a workshop: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Girly Pillow Box!

Today i have a lovely 'Pillow Box' to share with you. I made it to pop my friend good friend Lucy's birthday present in!

It has been made out of 'Regal Rose' cardstock, ran through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Pillow Box Die'. Before constructing it i randomly stamped (in 'Melon Mambo' ink) lots of girly images (flowers, perfume bottles, handbags and princess crowns) all from the 'Every Little Bit' stampset and then coloured some of the little hearts in using my 'Melon Mambo' 'Stampin' Write Marker' and embellished with some 'Basic Rhinestones' for a little bit of bling!

The 'Pillow Box Die' is a must have for the Christmas season! It's perfect for popping in small gifts and you can customise each one depending upon the recipient - and the best thing of all is that they work out so cheap to make!! Make an order and get your Die in time for Christmas!!!

Half-term Craft Retreat!

Yes it's half-term and me and my friend Ruth are off to the Isle of Wight for a few days to stay at her Dad's place and yes we will be taking our craft kits along!! So i will have lots and lots of crafty projects to share with you when i return on Wednesday. But don't worry ... i have scheduled some crafty projects for you Crafty ThINKers to enjoy in my absence!!

So today a crafty 'Pillow Box' project to share with you:

To make this gift box i ran some 'Real Red' card through the 'big Shot' using the 'Pillow Box Die' and constructed it using some 'Red Sticky Strip', i wrapped some 'Old Olive' 'DSP' around the 'Pillow Box' and then wrapped some 'Early Espresso' 'Satin Ribbon' in a bow! I used the 'A Special Treat' tag punch from the  wonderful new hostess stampset 'Tagtastic', stamped it using some 'Early Espresso' ink onto some 'Old Olive' card. I punched it out using the 'Extra Large Tag Punch'. I punched a hole in the top using my 'Crop-a-Dile' - i threaded through some 'Linen thread' and tied it around the 'Satin Ribbon'.

And there you go ... a lovely christmas gift box! Want to buy the 'Pillow Box Die'? Then email me over an order: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Crafty Boots Challenge: Autumn/ Halloween

Hi everyone, it's that time again - the launch of a new Crafty Boots Challenge and this fortnight it is 'Autumn/ Halloween', so get you creative thinking caps on, come up with a design and enter!!

I have loved creating halloween products and sharing them with you all over the last week or so and so i offered them to Crafty Boots Challenge as my DT contribution this week.

In case you have been neglecting my Crafty ThINKer blog here's the collection of halloween offerings that i have been making:

All of these projects have been featured on my blog over the last week. To get details on how to create each of these, please click on the links below:

• Pumpkin Card
• Frankenstein Card
• Mummy Card
• Owl Trick or Treat
• Count Dracula Card
• Bat Trick or Treat Pillow Box

All of these projects use Stampin' Up! products: cardstock, Big Shot Dies, Punches, Stampsets and other products. If you would like to order any of these please check out the Stampin' Up! catalogue on the righthand side of my blog and then email me over your order: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Don't forget to get your Craft Boots Challenge entry in! Look forward to seeing them all!

Be charitable: Last Chance to buy the Strength and Hope Stampset!!

All year Stampin' Up! has been selling the beautifully elegant 'Strength and Hope' stampset:

For every stampset sold Stampin' Up! will give £2 to 'The Breast Cancer Research Foundation'!! This stampset will sadly be retiring at the end of September (I'm sure Stampin' Up! will support another well deserving chairty for 2011-12 - watch this space for details.)

So why not put in an order for this beautiful stampset before its too late and you could make lovely projects like this 'Pillow Box':

The 'Pillow Box' has been created from some 'Bashful Blue' cardstock, which has been run through my 'Big Shot' using the 'Pillow Box Die'. Next i cut out a strip of 'Baja Breeze' cardstock, which i ran through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder' and then wrapped it around the 'Pillow Box' securing it in place with some 'Red Sticky Tape'. I punched out a 'Scallop Circle' from some 'Bashful Blue' and a '1-3/8" Circle' From 'Baja Breeze' and then stamped (in 'Bashful Blue') the butterfly from the 'Strength and Hope' set on 'Very Vanilla' card, carefully cut it out and layered it onto the punched shapes, raising it with a Stampin' Up! dimensional. Finally i placed a couple of 'Basic Rhinestones' on the centre of the butterfly!

Keep checking this blog - i have at least one more project this month that uses this stampset - i'm sure you will agree this stampset is a must have!!!

Cate's Owl Swap!

Hi guys, What a busy few days! not only back at work but also the Stampin' Up! Sale has kept me on my toes!! Have you made your order yet?? If not... why not?! I'm offering an exclusive offer for Crafty ThINKer customers - an additional stampset free of charge - see the top post for extra details - this is on a first come, first serve basis - once they're gone, they're gone!! So email me your order: amyjtidd@gmail.com

So today, as promised i have a fab swap that my upline Cate made and gave to me at our Stampin' Up! meal on Tuesday. It's an owl made out of a 'Pillow Box':

This one is made with 'Pumpkin Pie' cardstock. She ran the card though the 'Big Shot' using the 'pillow Box Die' She created the 'feather' using a  '3/4" Circle Punch'which she glued to his stomach, the feet and beaks were created by punching 'Pumpkin Pie card' using the 'heart to Heart Punch' and she has used the 'Oval Punch' to create the wings and  finally '1-1/4" Circles' punched in 'Whisper White' plus '3/4" Circles' punched in 'Basic Black' for his eyes!! She has added a couple of 'Basic Rhinestones' to give his eyes a bit of extra sparkle! Isn't he cute!! Yet another use for the wonderful 'Pillow Box Die'! Love it!

Check back tomorrow for some more beautiful projects made by other members of the 'Blue Angel' Stampin' Up! team!

...Give me your answer do!!

Another Daisy make for you today - a cute little 'Pillow Box':

This is so quick to make - and would make a fab little wedding favour or gift box for some jewellry! I ran a piece of 'Blushing Bride' cardstock through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Pillow Box Die' to make the box. I wrapped a piece of 'Blushing Bride DSP' round the box. (This paper is available as a free hostess gift!) I then ran some 'Melon Mambo' and 'Blushing Bride' card through the 'Big Shot' with the 'Flower Daisies Die' to create the flower and placed a 'Basic Rhinestone' in the centre'.

Strength and Hope Pillow Box

Back again with another 'Hope and Strength' project, today a little 'Pillow Box'.

I first ran a piece of 'Rich Razzleberry' cardstock through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder'. I then ran it through the 'Big Shot' again with the 'Pillow Box Die' to make the box template. Next i stamped the swirly design from the 'Strength and Hope' set in 'Bashful Blue' onto some 'Very Vanilla' cardstock and then punched it out using the 'Decorative Label Punch'. On another piece of 'Very Vanilla' i stamped the butterfly using 'Rich Razzleberry' ink. I cut this out with my 'Paper Snips' and glued it onto the 'Decorative Label'. Finishing the box off with a blingy 'Basic Rhinestone'.

Cupcake Challenge 145... Things with Tails!

Hi all! Hope you are all having a good week. My latest Stampin' Up! order arrived yesterday! I now have a full set of 'Stampin' Write Markers!! Woo hoo! Can't wait to play and show you what i have come up with!!

Also a couple of my regular customers put through an order and i had the pleasure of delivering these to them today! I always like to give my customers a little thankyou gift and so i made a little 'Pillow Box' for each of them and placed some ribbons and buttons in each of them:

Both the boxes were made by running cardstock through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Pillow Box Die'.

Here's some close up's of these creations:

This first box is created with 'Crumb Cake' card. Before assembling the box i used the foliage stamp from the 'Growing Green' set and stamped it all over the box template with 'Crumb Cake' ink. Next i stamped the turtle from the 'Fox and Friends' set in 'Pear Pizzazz' onto a scrap of 'Very Vanilla' and punched it out with the '1-3/4" Circle Punch' and then mounted on a 'Pear Pizzazz' 'Scallop Circle Punch'. I embellished the scallop with some 'Basic Pearls'. I wrapped some 'Pear Pizzazz' 'Binding Ribbon' around the box.

Here's the second box:

The cardstock used for the second 'Pillow Box' is 'Pacific Point'. The whale is from the 'Fox and Friends' stampset and has been stamped in 'Tempting Turqouise' ink on some 'Very Vanilla' card. This has been punched out using the same circle punch as above mounted on a 'Daffodil Delight' 'Scalloped Circle'. Finally a piece of 'Grosgrain Ribbon' is wrapped around the box.

Why not make an order and get a free gift as a token of my thanks!! The catalogues are available to view on the right of this blog, but i'm happy to send you a real catalogue if you want to browse! My email address is amyjtidd@gmail.com

I'm entering these creations into the Cupcake Craft Challenge, which this week is 'Things with Tails'.

Feeling Fruity??

Hey all, Just a quick post today to share some cute little 'Pillow Boxes' that we made last week at our weekly craft club at work! These little boxes were designed by Cate (my upline). They are made quite simply by cutting out 'Pillow Boxes' out of 'Whisper White' cardstock using the 'Big Shot'. We then used a range of inkpads and 'Stampin' Write Markers' to stamp lots of fruits from the 'Tart & Tangy' stampset!! On one of the boxes we punched out an oval using the 'Oval Punch' and then the hole was covered in acetate to make a window! We then constructed the boxes and tied some 'Daffodil Delight' ribbon around them and most importantly filled them with yummy sweets!!

I love our weekly craft club! It's a great forum to share ideas!! Why not try and set up something similar at your own workplace? It's a great way of meeting and socialising with colleagues!!

Pillow Box Basket!

Hi all!! Hope you have all enjoyed the lovely bank holiday Monday! How lovely is it to have a long weekend! I have had such an amazing weekend! Before i share my craft project with you i just want to say hello to some of my newest followers - a big hello to Sherie Ann, Stephanie and Laura M! Hope you enjoy my blog!

Today i'm sharing a project that i made during my crafty day with Cate and Ruth!! It's a basket made using the 'Pillow Box' die. I was so excited to stumble across a tutorial to make this on the Splitcoaststampers YouTube channel! I love the fact that you can make other items using the 'Pillow Box' Die other than the regular box!! So here it is:

The cardstock used for this project is 'Crumb Cake'. The basket is made from three 'Pillow Box' templates, stuck together with 'Sticky Strip'. I have wrapped around some of the beautiful 'Springtime Vintage' DSP and used some of the lovely 'Rose Red' 'Seaming Ribbon' on the handle!

This basket could be used in so many ways, maybe as an alternative to a gift bag - what a lovely way to present a gift, or maybe as a flowergirl basket for a wedding!!

I love experimenting with products and coming up with alternative uses!! Hope you like!! Check back soon for another craft project!!!

Happy Easter!!

Happy Easter everyone: today i will mostly be eating chocolate!! I'm a complete and utter chocoholic and so don't really need an excuse (although it's nice to have one!!) Me and my hubby brought each other Easter Eggs from 'Hotel Chocolat' (we love this chocolate shop SO MUCH, we brought our wedding favours from there last year!!!) I'm very excited about these Easter Eggs as they're called 'Tiddly Pots'!! hehe! Simple things eh?!

I also have another little easter gift to share with you, a little easter 'pillow box' that i made for my hubby, that i placed a few little mini eggs in (i ate most of the bag!!)

I have used the 'Pillow Box' Die to create the box, and then before constructing it run it through the 'Big Shot' again using the 'Perfect Polka Dot Embossing folder', using the inverted dots. I used the 'A Good Egg' stampset to create the chick and the sheet. Stamping in 'Early Espresso' and then using 'Blender Pens' to colour him in. Then punched him out using the 'Scallop Circle' Punch and then bordering him on a 'So Saffron' Scalloped Circle. The 'Happy Easter' sentiment is also from the 'A good Egg' set, inked in 'Early Espresso'.

Hope you all have a lovely Easter Sunday - maybe i'll see some of you at chocoholics anonymous in the near future!!

The Mini Catalogue is Here ... and there's a new BIG SHOT in town!!

I'm so excited! Finally the Mini Catalogue is here and it includes lots and lots of AMAZING NEW PRODUCTS for us all to fall in love with!!

Probably the biggest and most exciting item in the catalogue is the 'Sizzix Big Shot' for Stampin' Up! The 'Big Shot' is a sturdy manual die cutting machine used to die cut materials for use on crafts on all your craft projects. You'll love what the 'Big Shot' machine can do for you!

The great thing about the 'Stampin Up!' 'Big Shot' is:
• You can use the 'Big Shot' to create projects quickly and easily. You can cut out intricate designs, plus  create multiple cut outs at the same time. (Great for example if you need to make lots of wedding favours!)
• The Stampin’ Up! 'Big Shot' line features exclusive designs that can’t be found anywhere else!

So today i want to share with you probably my most favourite 'Bigz Die' the pillow box:

The use of this die is endless!! But the most obvious use for this 'Die' is for wedding favours!! You can cut out five of these at a time! So all of a sudden a time consuming task becomes a very speedy process! The 'Big Shot' machine cuts out the shape, scores the box and creates perforated lines all in an instant! They are so quick to construct! Heres a close up of each of these boxes with a brief description of each:

This first pillow box uses 'Basic Black' cardstock. I have used the 'Bella Toile' background stamp and white embossing powder to create the design. This pillow box has been finished with some 'Whisper White Organza Ribbon'

This second pillow box uses 'Bashful Blue' cardstock. The flower has been constructed by gluing alternating 'Scallop punches' of 'Bashful Blue and 'Early Espresso' card, with a 'Basic Rhinestone' placed in the middle. This box has been finished with a small snip of 'Early Espresso' 'Satin Ribbon. I have also edged the box with a 'Sponge Dauber' and 'Early Espresso' ink!

This final pillow box is using 'Rose Red' card stock. The butterfly has been stamped on 'Whisper White' cardstock using the stamps from the 'Flight of the Butterfly' stampset, using 'Pink Pirouette' and 'Rose Red'. The butterfly has been embellished with some 'Basic Pearls' and i have used a '2-way glue pen' and some 'Dazzling Diamond' glitter to bling it up! The box has been finished off using some 'Whisper White' Satin Ribbon!

I hope that these projects have got you as excited about the mini catalogue as i am! All the products in there are beautiful - I WANT THEM ALL! I will be sharing with you lots of projects using some of these products over the coming weeks! So please keep visiting my blog!! Have a good weekend! xxx