I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season! May 2014 bring you nothing but great things!

Chocolate Boxes

I just finished making these cute little boxes to hold a Ghirardelli chocolate for my Christmas table place settings. They were super easy to make and I think they are adorable!

Step 1:  Using my Die-namics Pointsettia die I cut out a set of the large green leaves, 1 large red flower, 2 small red flowers, a small green centre and a yellow stamen.

Step 2:  Then using a pencil I rolled the leaves so that they would stand up a bit to add some dimension to the flower.

Step 3:  Glue the flower pieces together staggering the petals, add the centre and stamen. I used "Bisque"liquid pearls to add dimension to the stamen.

Step 4:  Cut out a piece of 5x5" paper of your choice. Using the We R Memory Makers Envelope Punch Board ( I used red card stock so you can see the lines easier, but when using the patterned paper put the side you want to show on the box face down. Score at the 2" line, and punch a hole

Step 5:  Move the paper over to the 2 5/8" mark score and punch.

Step 6 & 7:  Moving the paper counter clockwise, match up your score lines , punch and score

Step 8:  I'm just showing the "punch" part as I forgot to do it when I scored and had to go back and do it.

Step 9:  Using the corner punch on the envelope board round all 4 corners.

Step 10:  Using your scissors, cut out the "square" on each corner.

Step 11:  Using a bone folder pre-fold all the score lines. Put 2 strips of glue on one of the points.

Step 12:  Fold 2 edges in and then fold the edge with the glue strips adhering into place.

Step 13:  Put your Ghirardelli square in the box and secure the box closed. I used a sticker.

Step 14:  Lastly attach your leaves and poinsettia to the box. I used glue but a glue dot would work wonderfully!

These were so much fun to make! Hope you are enjoying all this snow we've been getting! It's hard to believe Christmas is only 1 week away! Wow times flies!
Chat at you later,
Cheri

Operation Christmas Child

Yesterday I had the opportunity to volunteer at the sorting facility for Operation Christmas Child. What an amazing and inspiring organization this is and their idea for the Christmas shoe boxes.

The idea behind the shoe boxes is that the boxes are filled by Canadians with hygiene items, school supplies, toys and candies and given to children regardless of gender, race or religion. What we did at the sorting facility was open up the boxes and check to make sure that they only contained items that are allowed to be shipped to these countries. I opened boxes from as far away as the east coast. What touched me the most was the thoughtfulness and love that "strangers" put into these boxes. So often we get caught up in the "buying" of Christmas that we forget the simple things and that not everyone is as fortunate as us. When you open a box and see it stuffed to the brim with items you know will make a child think they have died and gone to heaven just warms your heart. I can't even begin to describe how this experience touched me. Tim and I are going back on Saturday as I know he will be just as inspired as I was!

click the logo to go to their site 

I do know this….. I will be shopping throughout the coming year and stashing things away so that next season I can pack my own shoeboxes for a child in need.

Chat at you later,

Cheri

My Blog post went live!

Wow it feels so cool to see your work on a website! This is a  first for me and exciting. I took my first class at The Art Studio @ Scrapbook News and Review and wrote a post to promote the class. It's part of what I get to do being part of the focus group. Dena's online card class was fun and she is a great Instructor and her videos are easy to follow. You should head on over to The Art Studio and see all the great online classes they offer!

Click here. to view my post.  If you would like the see the class description click here and it will take you to the class posting.


Chat at you soon,
Cheri

Christmas Stocking

Whew finally got around to getting this post up for you to see. I forgot how busy it gets once December rolls around. I just finished taking a class at The Art Studio @ SNR (Scrapbook News and Review) where I am part of their focus group. I enjoyed the class and part of my focus group "job" is to promote the class on their blog.  I have submitted that and when it goes live I will let you know!

 Here is the stocking I made. I have to tell you that I am not a "sewer". I try my best and all I can say is I make lots of mistakes, but lots of love goes into everything I try to sew. I was pleased how the stocking turned out. It is not a full size stocking just big enough to put a few goodies in for fun. The finished stocking measures 10 " from the folded down cuff to the toe and about 5 1/2" wide at the broadest part of the stocking.

You will need: 

Patterned material of your choice

material for lining

matching thread

8" piece of ribbon

button if desired

 I made my own pattern, the stocking is on a piece of 8x11 paper. The cuff pattern measures 6x5. For the cuff I took the width of the top of the stocking 5" and then estimated approximately how long I wanted the cuff to fold over 3"and doubled that.

Cut:

2 Patterned pieces

2 lining pieces

2 cuff pieces

With the right sides together sew the cuff to the front of the stocking piece.

Pin the lining to the right side of the cuff, repeat the last 2 steps with the remaining pieces.

Next sew the cuff to the stocking and lining pieces. I used about 1/4" seem allowance

You should have something that looks like this.

Iron, pressing the seams towards the middle.

Pin the stocking pieces with right sides together. I had to trim a bit off them when they were pinned

together as my "cutting" skills don't always like to follow the pattern (LOL)

Take the piece of ribbon and fold it in half. Pin in-between your lining layer on the heel side and line it up where it would meet the cuff.  (The first time I did it wrong and had to rip out my stitches and re apply which is why this picture is sewn and trimmed just ignore that LOL)

 

Next sew around the stocking starting at the lining side sole. I used about 1/4" seam allowance.

Leave an opening so that you can turn the stocking inside out. Trim your seams. I used my pinking shears so that the curves would lay flat.

Turn your stocking right side out and sew up the opening on the lining foot. 

Press flat with your iron.

I then folded the stocking and pressed the top of the cuff .

Now stuff the lining into the patterned stocking piece. I used the pressed line as a guide

 when "stuffing" so I would know where to turn down the cuff.

Press your stocking flat and voila your stocking is done.

 Now I wanted to add names to my stockings. I bought and tried a white fabric paint pen and also a bottle of fabric paint. I wasn't happy with the results. The paint pen leaked through the cuff material and looked awful, and the tube, well lets just say it looked like a 4 year old printed the name. Since I am sewing challenged and did not want to try to applique letters on my stocking, I used white card stock, my cricut and cut out letters. I then used fabric glue and attached them to the stocking. Looks more professional but I won't be able to wash them.

Well hopefully you can understand my tutorial, if not email me and I will try to better explain it to you.

Gotta run I'm heading to volunteer at Operation Christmas Child for the afternoon! 

Chat at you later!

Cheri

Birthday Card.

I made this card for my Aunt's birthday today and she was quite thrilled with it. It is great when someone loves and appreciates the work you put into a special card for them!

To start I inked one of my favourite Magnolia images "Congratulation Tilda" with Memento ink on Copic Xpress-it card stock. Using my copics I coloured her hair, skin, present, bow and boots. I then stamped her image again on patterned paper and paper pieced her dress, socks and birthday hat.

I used a pre made 5 x 6 1/2" card. I used a base piece of pink card stock cut at 5x6 1/2". The next layer (yellow card stock) is cut at 4 7/8x 6 3/8". I cut the patterned paper at 4 3/4x 6 1/4".I cut a piece of white card stock at 4.5x 5.75" and then put in through my Cuttlebug using the Darice embossing folder called "ornate frame". I rounded the corners to give it a softer look. Using my spellbinders "Labels 18" set I cut  out shapes to use on the front and inside my card with the coordinating paper I already used. I ran the smaller yellow shape through the Cuttlebug using the Cuttlebug "dots" embossing folder. I inked all my edges with Tim Holtz distress ink in Antique Linen. Next assemble all your layers and glue to the pre made card. I love Beacon 3-1 glue as I find it dries flat no matter how much or little you use. To make the flowers I used the CC Designs "Curly-Q" border die. Using my quilling tool I rolled the curly-q border up making it into a flower and adhered to the card front with glue dots. I used the Wink of Stella clear pen to add some sparkle to the flower petals as well. I added some leaves, rhinestones, ribbon, bow and a small stamped sentiment. I added my Magnolia image using pop dots to add dimension to the card, and voila the card from was finished. 

I hope you can understand my instructions! Hopefully I will get the stocking post up soon for you to see! Chat at you soon,

Cheri