Memory Box

Handmade gifts are so nice to make, and even nicer to give, especially when you know they will be appreciated.  I wanted to make a memory box this Christmas, and it had to match something I made previously this year for a birthday, plus it's designed to fit the decor of the room it will go in.

Here's what I came up with:

I've used the following supplies:
Extra Large white box & 2 smaller boxes 
Stamps:  Priceless, One of a Kind (retired), Sense of Time, Lovely Letters Alphabet
Cardstock:  Basic Black, Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant & Metallic Silver
Ink:   Encore Silver, Elegant Eggplant
Silver brads, Rhinestone Brads, Filigree brads, Hodgepodge Hardware
Ribbon (non SU)
Bigz Scallop Circle & Big Shot (you need one of these!)
Boho Blossoms Punch
Silver embossing powder

I loved making this box.    And it's so cute with the gorgeous little boxes that go inside for the smaller treasures to be kept safe and secure.   I chose white because it worked well with the colour scheme I needed to do,  but there are so many choices available now that my advice would be to buy these kinds of things whenever you find something you like - put it away and then it's ready when you need to make something special for someone special!

Thanks for looking
Karen

The Thank Yous Keep Coming

I have received a couple more thank yous in the past week and am only just getting round to posting them here, what with all the christmas preparation and such going on.   This next one says it all in terms of what I was aiming to achieve - "sending a little piece of Oz"

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Thank you Karen for the kind donation of some christmas cards to send back home. I am an Army Officer, currently deployed for 12 months as an unarmed military observer as part of the UN Truce Supervision Organisation in southern Lebanon, trying to help keep the peace in what can best be described as a challenging environment.


It is great to get a little piece of oz in the mail occasionally, and even better to think that you take some time out of your busy day to give a bit of happiness to people you have not even met. It is this generosity of spirit that you have shown that I so love about Australia.

Thank you once again, and wishing you and yours all the very best for Christmas and the New Year.

cheers

Rohan France
Captain - Australian Army
UN Military Observer
UNTSO - Observer Group Lebanon

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And this one:

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UNCLASSIFIED


Hi Karen,

I have received your Christmas cards to send back to my family - thank you for the kind thought!

cheers
sven

Ross, Sven MAJ

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Happy Friday Everyone!

Karen

A Blessing

At my daughter's school's annual presentation evening this year, the Principal offered a blessing in her speech to the girls as they embark on a new year in their lives.  It was very touching, and a good friend of mine reminded me of it and was so moved that she printed copies to distribute to a bunch of mums at morning coffee one day.   As women, I believe we can never have enough reminders of what is important and what we should strive for.  

So I thought I'd share it here and maybe you can find something wonderful in it to inspire your day.....other than the obvious papercraft projects that is!!

A Blessing 

May you listen to your longing to be free.
May the frames of your belonging be large enough for the dreams of your soul.
May you arise each day with a voice of blessing whispering in your heart that something good is going to happen to you.
May you find a harmony between your soul and your life.
May the mansion of your soul never become a haunted place.
May you know the eternal longing that is at the heart of time.
May there be kindness in your gaze when you look within.
May you never place walls between the light and yourself.
May your angel free you from the prisons of guilt, fear, disappointment and despair.
May you allow the wild beauty of the invisible world to gather you, mind you and embrace you in belonging.

From "Eternal Echoes: Exploring our Hunger to Belong" by John O'Donohue


Have a super day.

Karen

Gift Card/Money Holder

While blog hopping, I stopped in at Linda Guttierez's blog (U.S. demonstrator) and saw a gorgeous gift card holder.  As it's a stocking, it's easily adaptable for boys and girls, so I just had to CASE it!  Here's my version:  This one's for a girl but you can make it for a boy just by changing the colours & patterns.  And perhaps omitting the ornament tag in favour of something more boy-like!

I made my own pattern so if you'd like to know how, email me and I'll share with you.   You can't actually see the ornament tag clearly but I've stamped one of the sides with To & From.   It would also make a nice tag on a present, dontcha think?!    Cardstock is the Cherry Cobbler, DSP Jolly Holiday.  Snowflake is one of the Sizzlits Dies for the Big Shot - you need one of these!

Karen

Christmas boxes

This is a really simple box that I made for my It's a Wrap class last week.   You can adapt it to any size as long as you start with a square of cardstock in a size that's divisable by 3.

Supplies used:    \
Stamp Set:  Welcome Christmas, Season of Joy, Homemade
Cardstock:   Cherry Cobbler or Bravo Burgundy
Ink:  Cherry Cobbler or Bravo Burgundy, White StazOn
Punches; Eyelet Border, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle, Scallop Circle (the normal sized one) & 1 1/4" Circle Punch.
Cello bags & gold cord (non SU)

This is the sort of thing I love to make, and if you'd like to learn how maybe you'd like to pop along to a class sometime soon.

Thanks for stopping by
Karen

Mojo Monday 167

This week I've used the Aviary stamp set for the first time.  I'm not overly happy with the card, but I plan on playing some more when I've finished this post.  I love other peoples designs using this set so I know I can do better.  Most importantly, it got me finding my Mojo!!

Mojo 167

Supplies Used:
Stamps - Aviary & Well Scripted (Summer Mini)
Cardstock - Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, Tangerine Tango
Paper - DSP Blueberry Crisp - I'm loving this!
Ink - Pacific Point, Not Quite Navy & Tangerine Tango
Ribbon is Bashful Blue double stitched wide grosgrain.
Wide Oval punch, 1 3/4" circle punch & 1 3/8" circle punch.   I then stuck the Very Vanila circles onto Tangerine Tango and cut them out by hand.
Sponge Dauber & Linen Thread

Thanks for looking.  I love reading your comments so feel free to leave one.

Karen