A Gift for You!

I made 11 of these gift cards for our NEPA Stamp & Swap that was held a few weeks ago.

I wanted something fairly simple so I decided to use the Stampendous Gift Card Wallet Dies so I didn't have to do all the cutting, scoring, etc.  This is a very nice die set with several options of accessories to go with the basic gift card die.

I chose a DSP with snowflakes for the mat.  I was going to try to cut the notches for the gift card at the same time but I couldn't get it centered so I decided to make a 2nd pass.

Once the mat was cut, I used sticky notes to hold the notch die in place.  Probably could have done that when I cut the mat.  Oh well you know what they say about hind sight...LOL!

I used Stampendous Penguin Gift Stamp Set stamped in Memento Lux Back Ink.  I probably wouldn't use this ink again because it dries VERY slow even after heat setting it.  I just love those penguins & that cute snowman!

I recently rediscovered coloring with pencils & gamsol blending solution. 

After coloring the penguins, I used a light gray marker under them.  I stamped the snowflakes around the penguins in tumbled glass.

This was the finished inside.

I made a small tag with one of the sentiments in the stamp set & add a silver brad.  It was attached to the back of the outside after I had stamp "to:" & "from:".


 

O' Christmas Tree ATCoin

I was looking for an idea to make 11 ATCoins for our NEPA Stamp & Swap.  I'm not sure where I first saw the idea, probably Pinterest, but there is a video on the Sizzix site that I watched. 

I used the Sizzix Bigz Die w/Texture Fades Embossing Folder - Tree Rings, Mini by Tim Holtz.  ATCoins are 2 1/2" & the smaller die is about 1/8" smaller.  For each coin I cut 3 layers - 2 from SU Brown Sugar CS for the front & back of the coin & 1 from a coaster which made it sturdy without a lot of thickness.  

Once die cut, I paint the edges of the coaster brown.

I went around the edges of the cardstock with a brown Sharpie.

 

  

Next I stamped the 'O Christmas Tree sentiment from Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Scribbly Christmas in Ranger Coffee Archival Ink,  I wanted the sentiment to curve so I used a little adhesive to stick it to the block.  It worked OK but I did have to occasionally adjust the stamp on the block. 

I also stamp one of the trees from the same stamp set in Ranger Olive Archival Ink.

All the pieces of cardstock were then embossed.

The embossing was quite deep & some of the stamped image seemed lost.  I decided to flatten them out a little.  My thought was if I ran them back through the Big Shot it would lose all the embossing.  I tried a brayer but I couldn't apply enough pressure.  I used a rolling pin & that was just enough to achieve the look I wanted

To adhere the front to the coaster, I used a small paint brush to apply Tombow Liquid Glue to the coaster so I would save full coverage without it oozing out the side.

I printed all the backs on a sheet of cardstock & cut them out in squares with scissors.  I carefully centered the printing on the bigz die to cut them out.  They were adhered to the back of the ATCoin (& I didn't get this one on very straight...LOL).

I did touch them up a little with the brown Sharpie then added a mirrored star to the front.

TFL!