Recycled Gift Bag

Gift bag repurposing project by Sharon M. Reinhart January 2019



Stopping by with a cute recycling project. I have a collection of little gift bags that are too cute to send to the recycling bin and with Valentine's Day being the next special occasion, I thought why not re-purpose these cute bags. The original bag is white with black printing and cording handles and rose pink colored ribbon.

I chose to trim the rose pink ribbon away and utilize it for something else, it wasn't quite the right pink to go with the printed paper I had selected. The next step is to measure the width of the bag and also the height of the printed area on the bag. Remember to do everything times two so that you can decorate both sides of the bag. Next cut your papers to your measurements and layer. I love the cardstock from Canvas Corp, it is simply a 12 inch piece of cardstock with a black base that has the word love printed in white with a pretty script font throughout the paper. I have chosen to cut two narrow strips to accent the top and bottom of the printed pink and white paper. This also co-ordinates with the black cording that came on the bag. Next I cut different heart shapes and layered them on top adding a second heart to the center one and also at the top of the bag where the rose pink ribbon was trimmed away. Voila! a quick but cute project that I am sure will be used for some treat giving this Valentine's! Hope you are inspired to create!
Creatively yours,
Sharon

Valentine Boxed Set

Card projects designed by Sharon M. Reinhart 2019

 Stopping by with a quick post today. A couple posts ago I shared a decorated repurposed gift card holder box and suggested that you stay tuned to see what I will use it for. Well I decided to make a gift set of Valentine's! The folded size of these are 3.25x4.25, however just measure the box that you are using to determine the size of your Valentine note cards. Then pull out your Valentine themed supplies and start creating. I used many of the same supplies that had been used on the box front, but the Valentine notes can be different from the box front if you choose. This would be a nice little hostess gift or if you sell your handmade creations at fairs it would be a great little ensemble. Keep in mind that they could be created for any reason or season not just Valentine's! I could see them used for Christmas and Easter tags and even Thinking of You note cards.

Hope you are inspired to create!

Creatively Yours,

Sharon

Love Letters!

Project designed by Sharon M. Reinhart January 2019

Back with more Valentine inspiration! This valentine makes use of stamps, die templates and an embossing folder to create some wonderful layers. The embossing folder is a Recollections product, the swirl border is from Dee's Distinctively border #3 and the balance of the layers -- hearts, mini envelope and insert is from Stampin Up's Love Notes Framelits set #142752. The stamp unfortunately is an older stamp from My Sentiments Exactly, so it could be difficult to find, but there is always a way to recreate the effect, look for some tips below!       

Start with an 8-1/2 x 11 inch piece of white cardstock, score at 4-1/4 and fold in half creating a portrait style side fold card. Next emboss the card front using the embossing folder and a die-cutting/embossing system.

Now onto creating the layers, layer a 2 x 5-1/2 piece of red cardstock to card front at right side. I did add some black distressing or edging to the panel prior to adhering to the card front. Next stamp the image and die-cut each letter out using a circle template, (Spellbinder's circles small Nestabilities) edge each circle with black ink. Layer the letters onto the red panel overlapping slightly. On the left side I actually began this by creating the envelope with love letters embellishment, instead of layering the one little heart onto the red heart I wove it through the slats and secured at the back. The first piece adhered on this side of the card was the little envelope embellishment made up of various elements from the die set and layered together collage style. Again, add some distressing/edging to the mini envelope. This is a wonderful way to make your own embellishments for cards, tags, gift bags, favors, etc. Gather all of the elements you wish to use and start layering together, don't forget to vary the adhesive used. For this embellishment I used foam mounting tape to add dimension with the white heart on the envelope and to adhere the woven heart on top of the envelope flap. Next die-cut a swirl border, adhere to card front right next to the mini envelope embellishment, trim excess and repeat at opposite end. The final touch is to add a few little black rhinestones to the white heart on the mini envelope.

I know that we don't always have the same supplies and some unfortunately may not be available to you. So look at your supplies and see what you can use to replicate. For example the stamp, just stamp some script onto white cardstock followed by an alphabet letter or use book print paper and stamp letters onto that or for further dimension layer chipboard letters on top instead of stamped letters. For the swirl border, try some delicate leaves or branches at each end. This is just a start to what you could use to re-create this design. Make it your own with your own supplies and have fun doing it!

I hope you have been inspired to create! Until next time ...
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Valentine's Inspirations!

Todays post is a little Valentine Inspiration and a bit of a challenge to you as well. I love to look for different surfaces and blank forms to become my canvas so to speak. Well the inspiration here is the little gift card box on the left, of which was on clearance at Superstore after the holidays at drastically reduced prices. I thought they were beautiful to begin with but of course I have to create my handmade touches. There were a variety of designs and colors, but this one caught my eye for Valentine's. I can see many uses for this little box besides using it as a gift card holder. Perhaps a gift of handmade tags or mini note cards. The first step was to transform the outside of the box.

I began by removing any traces of Christmas, which was easily accomplished without damaging the box. Try using a piece of dental floss and wiggling it under the embellishments or sometimes a little bit of heat with a heat tool is enough.

My next step was pulling out Valentine theme supplies.  One of my most favorite heart die template sets is one from Cheery Lynn Designs, which is DL128 Two of Hearts. I die cut the largest heart out of gold mirror cardstock. It was going to need a layer underneath so I chose another die template from Cheery Lynn, this particular die template is the Mini Fanciful Flourish B117S, so I die-cut two of these from white glossy cardstock and layered them under the gold heart. It needed just something else in the middle of the gold heart, nothing too large or elaborate. I chose this stitched heart from a Lawn Fawn set the Reverse Stitched Scalloped Circle windows set which has a tiny stitched heart in the set. This was also die-cut from glossy white cardstock. The last die-cut to use was a sentiment that would fit beautifully in the bottom right corner. One simple word "LOVE" was all that it needed. This die is from a Sizzix set by Stephanie Barnard #560025. I also die-cut the word from glossy white cardstock.

Yes, I am all about handmade, but sometimes it just makes sense to start off with something pre-made and add to it, especially if it makes dollar cents too! So don't be afraid to use pre-made items, note cards etc. and add to it in order to make it your own. I have also done this same thing with printed cards that are just begging for more dimension and design! I hope you are inspired to create and like the transformation and stay tuned to see what I end up designing for the inside of this box!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Time to Celebrate 2019!

Designed by Sharon M. Reinhart December 2018

Happy New Year to each of you! I hope that 2019 will be a great year for all and that we will be able to feed our creative souls throughout the year! Just a quick little post today, its about using what you have when you do not have a theme specific design. I wanted to create a card for the New Year and didn't have stamps that were specific to New Years. Can you believe it? I know I can't either, although maybe its more about my organization or lack of organization right now. Anyway I pulled out some background stamps from the Stampin' Up Gorgeous Grunge set and a clock and sentiment stamp from a Technique Tuesday set.

The background was created with the horizontal lines stamped in red ink, splatter in black ink and once dry I also heat embossed a second set of splatter with silver embossing powder. An additional clock was created and also heat embossed with silver and then die-cut using a Spellbinder's circle die template. The hands of the clock have been stamped with red ink and a mini silver brad attached to the center.  The sentiment, perfect for New Year's or any celebration was stamped with red ink and then layered onto red cardstock followed by the beautiful glitter paper. A little secret here, I didn't have any silver glitter paper but I did have this beautiful gift bag and cut it apart to create my glitter layer -- another way to recycle! I truly hope you are inspired to create! Until next time, All the Best to You and Yours!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon