Thursday, June 30

Tag Box Set

Hi crafty reader!  Today's project is for a quilter, and she's really good.  She usually makes quilts as presents, and I figured some handmade tags would make them extra special. 

But before that, I want to show you my main inspiration for this project:


It's part of the packaging for a make-up set I bought months ago.  Again, I just couldn't throw it away.  I originally wanted to make a card set, but because of the size of this plastic thingy, it's just not feasible.  And that led me to think of making a tag set instead.

For the cover of the plastic base, I wrapped cardstock around two opposite sides, adhering both ends after.  So it gives the "matchbox" effect.  In the photo below, you can see the cover has no title yet.  I did that intentionally so the receiver will not know this is for her, just in case she sees this blog entry. 


For easy sliding of the plastic base, I attached handles on both sides.  I used leftover plastic packaging and cut with Spellbinders.  After that, I attached each handle with brads.


This is how it looks like with the part of the plastic base showing.


And this is the plastic base filled with three designs of tags, without the cover.  I put eyelets on each tag, so it can be attached to the quilt via safety pin, yarn or thread.  The ribbon you see is meant to "lift" the tags, so they are easier to access.


Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  DCWV, @theoffice, The Paper Company, leftovers
image/sentiment:  Autumn Leaves, Heidi Grace, Stamp Craft
ink:  Tsukineko, Spica
tools:  Martha Stewart deep edge punch, Spellbinders, Stampin' Up embossing folder, Crop-A-Dile, heat gun, paper piercer
embellishments:  eyelets, brads, ribbon
adhesive:  Scotch, Zots

You can see more pictures of this project by clicking here.

'Til next blog!

Tuesday, June 28

Define Your Life

Hi reader!  Here's my last graduation card for the school year (hopefully!).  This one is extra special because it's for my goddaughter who just very recently graduated from high school. She lives in New York, and I hope for us to see each other either here in Michigan or in NY.  Time sure flies, because it seems only yesterday when she was a little kid.


I touched up the stamped image with rhinestones and Stickles:


The black die cuts hold the monetary bill:


I also made a matching envelope, using leftover dp.


Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  Me and My Big Ideas, @theoffice, Wassau, leftovers
image/sentiment:  Stampin' Up, K&Co.
ink:  Tsukineko
tools:  Spellbinders, EK Success edge punch, heat gun
embellishments:  Stickles, rhinestones, ribbon, brads
misc.:  Ranger embossing powder
adhesive:  Scotch, Zots, Glossy Inkssentials, mounting tape

'Til next blog!

Monday, June 27

Quick Card

Happy Monday, reader!  Here's a quick card I made for another senior from our school who graduated this year.  I was kinda tired of using our red school color, so I used the senior class' color purple instead.



Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  Wassau, leftovers
image/sentiment:  Inkadinkado, Stampin' Up
ink:  Stampin' Up, Tsukineko
tools:  Spellbinders, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Martha Stewart edge punch, heat gun
embellishments:  Robin's Nest, ribbon
adhesive:  Scotch, Zots, mounting tape

'Til next blog!

Saturday, June 25

Happy Freakin' Birthday

The birthday card I'm showing you today is a collaboration with my DH.... somehow.  I made him pick the sentiments to use for the card, since it's for his baby sister.  Yeah, that's DH's share in making the card.  I would consider that a huge step.  Hehe.

As usual, it was hard to pick the colors to use.  Because of my card orientation, I had to make a matching envelope.  And the dp I used for the envelope became my basis for the colors of the card.


You know what my favorite part of the card is?  It's the zig zag stitching in the bottom.


Materials used:
cardstock:  Wassau, DCWV, leftovers
image/sentiment:  Creative Vision
ink:  Tsukineko, Ranger
tools:  Spellbinders, embossing folder (Cuttlebug, Quickutz), heat gun, piercing tool, Kreate-A-Lope, Bazzil In Stitch'z
embellishments:  rhinestones, ribbon
misc.:  Ranger embossing powder, yarn
adhesive:  Scotch, mounting tape

Hope DSIL likes it.

'Til next blog!

Friday, June 24

Before and After Part Deux

Hello crafty reader!  It was three years ago when I bought my first batch of Copic markers during my last visit in Japan (way lot cheaper over there).  And in June of the same year, I made a couple of pop-up cards, using these markers.  I find it funny that I kept those two pop-up cards all these years.  I have "revived" the first card a couple of months ago (click here to see).  And yesterday, I got the chance to give the second card a better look.

This is how it looked like before:



And this is how it looks like now:




I'm really glad I took that Copic Certification Class last year... lol!

'Til next blog!

Tuesday, June 21

Goodie Bag with Tutorial

Yesterday, I posted a tutorial of my Goodie Basket.  There is a twist to that design, gearing more towards male recipients.  Originally, I made the Goodie Basket to for our teachers at school, but I thought the design is too girlish.  So I tried to make a different design that can be decent to give to the male teachers. 

So here's what I came up with:



I'm sure with a different color of cardstock/dp, this goodie bag can be suited to give to females as well.

Let me tell you a secret.  The only difference between this design and the Goodie Basket's is half inch.  The Goodie Basket is scored at 3 inches on both sides, while this design is scored at 2.5 inches.

Taking it from the top, all you need is an 8.5 x 5.5 cardstock, scored at these measurements:


Fold along the score lines, like so:


Here's a pic showing the fold on the opposite side:


Make the upper corners and bottom corners meet as shown below.  You know you did it right when the top rim forms a bend, making the opening hexagon-ish (pardon my French).


There are several ways you can secure the goodie bag.  The easiest way would be staples.  In the sample above, I used eyelets.  For this tutorial, I used brads.  In this picture, you can see that I punched a hole for my brads.



Top view.  See the hexagon-ish opening?


View from another angle:


You can use this design as is, but I think it looks better when you put the goodies in tissue paper first, just like the example I showed earlier.  You can also use a piece of net or tulle.

Hope you like this tutorial.  I'd love to know what you think, and please link back to Tinker Planet when you give it a shot.

'Til next blog!

Monday, June 20

Goodie Basket with Tutorial

Hello crafter reader!  Sorry I was MIA for a while.  It's a combination of crafter's block and a busy weekend.  But to make up for it, I'm sharing with you a goodie basket which I designed a few months ago for Teachers Day.  Since working in the high school, I have volunteered to make treat bags for our teachers during their special day every year.  I remember folding a piece of cardstock, trying to make something that can hold treats.  This is what I was able to make:



You know the best part about this design is that you only need half of an 8.5 x 11 cardstock.  So this is cost effective if you plan on making a lot of goodies bags.

Here's another one I made today:


Before folding, I adhered dp and a different colored cardstock on 2 parts of my base.  This step is optional, especially when you use double sided designer cardstock.



This is how it looks like when it's opened:


Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  Stampin' Up, DCWV, leftovers
tools: Martha Stewart scoring tool, hole punch, Crop-A-Dile
embellishments:  yarn, eyelets, ribbon

Like I mentioned earlier, the base only requires an 8.5 x 5.5 cardstock (half of an 8.5 x 11 sheet), which you will score just like the following:


Next step is to fold along the score lines.  The picture below shows the folds on the outside.


Here, you can see the folds on the opposite side:


Fold and have the corners of each side meet as shown below.  Then secure with eyelets.  I think brads will work too.


Here are more angles:



Once you have secured the handle, use ribbon, string or yarn for closure.

Promise, this project is really easy.  I'd love to know what you think and I'd love to see your take on it.  When you do give it a shot, please give credit and link back to Tinker Planet.

'Til next blog!

Thursday, June 16

Make A Wish

Today's project is another card made for a niece on her birthday.  She loves to read, especially those big thick fantasy novels.  I figured a fantasy themed card would work.

I did have a hard time looking for the right dp for this card, until I came across the Once Upon a Time cardstock stack by DCWV.  When I got to that point, I had a hard time choosing the best one because each sheet is beautiful.  I already picked the stamps to use, and that helped me in deciding which particular dp to use.

While I was making this card, the Harry Potter movie kept popping in my mind.  I was picturing the potions class.  See the black dots? They are actually holes I made using the Provo Craft Silent Setter. It's also one of the first tools I have bought, and it's probably obsolete. But I love this tool, especially in projects like this. It's originally meant for setting eyelets, but I usually use it in punching holes anywhere on my project, especially in areas where a regular hole or circle punch can't reach. Yeah, I don't think I'll ever let go of this one.


I was able to find a scrap piece of purple cardstock that matches with my dp. That's where I stamped and heat embossed my image. It looks like it's part of the dp, but not really. 

This butterfly die is one of my favorites from Spellbinders. You can see the holes a lot clearer in this photo as well.


The gold strip on the left is where the monetary gift is going to be tucked in. And the inking on the right was achieved with Stampin' Up Eggplant Envy, Perfect Plum and Positively Pink. That combo really went well with the colors on the card front. I also did the same on the envelope, so they would all match.



Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  DCWV, @theoffice, Recollections, leftovers
image/sentiment:  Inkadinkado, Paper Studio Company, MSE
ink:  Tsukineko, Stampin' Up, Spica
tools:  EK Success edge punch, Spellbinders, Provo Craft, Ranger distressing tool, heat gun
embellishments:  brads
misc.:  embossing powder
adhesive:  Scotch, Zots, mounting tape

'Til next blog!

Wednesday, June 15

How Many Fingers?

Hello everyone!  Here's a card I made for a nephew who's visiting from Alaska.  I intentionally didn't send him a card on his birthday because I knew he was coming for a visit.  I hope he likes this belated birthday card:




There are two things I like most about this card.  The first one are the hexagon shapes I cut with the Creative Memories punch.  It's one of my early tools, and rarely used too. 



The second one is the robot that pops out and wiggles when you open the card.  To achieve this, I cut a circle from a scrap piece of plastic packaging, and cut the circle in spiral, leaving just a little space in the center.  The center is attached to the robot, and the other end of the spiral is attached to the card.



Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  Recollections, DCWV, leftovers
image/sentiment:  Inkadinkado, Stampin' Up
ink:  Stampin' Up, Tsukineko
tools:  Cricut Expressions, Robotz cartridge, Martha Stewart edge punch, Stampin' Up ticket corner punch
embellishments:  buttons, rhinestones
misc.:  plastic packaging
adhesive:  Scotch, Zots, mounting tape

'Til next blog!

Tuesday, June 14

Flower Card Set

I've always loved joining swaps in the crafting community.  I remember even back in Japan, I would join swaps left and right, even after we moved here in the US.  I always looked forward to the mail each day, excited about the swap stuff I'll be getting.  There would be some disappointments every now and then, but that's nothing compared to the wonderful creations I receive from other crafters.  It came to the point that a lot of my time (and money) was being spent on the swaps, until I decided I had to cut down with the swapping completely.  I sure miss joining swaps, but it makes me smile every time I come across projects I have received.

Here ares some of them:


These are extras I received from a 6 x 6 alphabet swap.  They were buried in one of my boxes when I was rearranging in my craft room.  Back then, I couldn't bear throwing them away.  Even until now.  I figured I can use the flowers to make some cards.  The sentiments I used were also received from swaps.  Anyone know the brand names of these stamps, especially the flowers?  I would love to know.


Materials used:
cardstock/dp:  Nature Preserve, @theoffice
image/sentiment:  unknown
ink:  Copic, Spica
tools:  Cuttlebug, Spellbinders, Martha Stewart
embellishments:  rhinestone stickers, brads
adhesive:  Scotch, Zots, mounting tape

You can see each card in detail by clicking here.

I can't wait to see what more I can find buried in my stash.  I'm in the mood for some repurposing.

'Til next blog!