Gifts – Page 3 – Taniesa Vlasak

Life is like a box of chocolates, and so is this great altered gift!

Published on June 8, 2013 by Taniesa4 Comments

Hi Crafty Friends!

Today I bring you something different from a scrapbook page, card or project life layout. Fathers day is coming up and I know most dads will be wishing for power tools and sports tickets. My Dad likes all those things too, but my Dad also loves chocolate! I made a few of these gifts in the past, but for women. This time around I’m giving it a whirl with a fun masculine feel to it!

Simple, affordable, and far more adorable than any store-bought card. An altered box of chocolates is the perfect gift for anyone, even Dad!

For this gift I bought a box of chocolates from our local grocery store for about $10, but you could go more expensive or less expensive if you wanted. I would estimate the entire project cost me a total of $15. The box already had a white/red/gold color scheme to it so I decided to just run with what was already there and picked products that went along. Here is some quick shots I took on the iphone before I started (please forgive the glare and fuzzy “before” photos).

The top:

The back:

And the side:

I felt I picked a really easy box to work with, it was already pretty on its own and the size was perfect for 8 1/2 x 11 paper.

Here is a photo of box top and side once I finished altering it.

I started with the side of the box. I added gold washi tape along the top lid side and again repeating on the bottom side of the box. I then added a frame of red metallic washi tape on the top of the lid. Once that was finished I began working on the lid cover.

For the script writing you see in red, that was all done using my silhouette, a red pigment journaling pen and a pen holder made by Amy Chomas.***I will be doing a product review this coming week on Amy’s pen holder, the silhouette sketch pen holder, and the silhouette sketch pens.*** Then I cut out the title in a gold cardstock and the chocolates in various brown shades. If you are wanting the numbers for the silhouette cut files I used they are: Design ID #12274 and Design ID #12223.

I added shading with both chalk and copic markers. I also added some glitter accents using the Copic Atyou Spica glitter pens.

The brown grosgrain ribbon was attached around the top lid only. I made a flat bow by making a “ring” of ribbon and folding that flat. I pinched the two ends to the center of the ring and added a staple. I added another piece of ribbon to cover the staple, securing it with a couple of glue dots.

That completed the top and side portion, and while you can stop there and it would be just adorable, I decided to add a little more fun to the box and cover the bottom as well.

The bottom was quickly completed by layering text boxes within a framed shape. It is my personal opinion that any chocolate gift should be calorie free so I made it so *wink*! I added some more silly, fun text that should make my dad smile. Printed it out, trimmed it with my paper trimmer and stuck it to the bottom of the box. I then added one more chocolate die cut for some color.

You could make this for nearly any occasion and customize it so many different ways. I don’t think that I will ever give a “plain” box of chocolates again.

Happy Crafting!

Another Super Project Life Organization Idea (especially if you scrapbook on-the-go) bonus giveaway

Published on May 30, 2013 by Taniesa38 Comments

Are you headed to a weekend crop or scrapbook retreat soon? Are you a Project life scrapbooker on the go? Are you looking for a simple way to organize your cards + photos + embellishments by week? I have a great solution for you!

A couple of weeks ago I purchased this large iris photo storage case from amazon here. I have also seen it at other popular craft stores where you can use a discount coupon. My purpose in buying this case was to organize my scraps by color cut down to 3×4 and 4×6 to make them more useable for my project life album. I also purchased individual 4×6 plastic cases in a teal color for odd’s and ends scraps that were not sized for PL but that I still wanted to keep.

Here is a photo of the Iris photo case that holds 16 of the smaller photo cases inside.

Now this worked perfectly for scraps (Special thank you to Lisa McIntyre from the Scrapbook/craft organization ideas facebook page) See Lisa’s Photo below.

Now I got this scrap organization going and I was a very happy scrappy girl indeed. I had some leftover teal smaller photo cases that I figured I would use somehow for something later on.

Then I got to thinking, If I were to pack up for a scrapbook crop somewhere how would I do that, especially beings I primarily scrapbook PL style right now? A little lightbulb went off in my head and I quickly went to test my idea out. Want to know the best part, IT WORKS! It works so well I am thinking of adapting this into a system for me to keep me on track with my project life beings I run about 3-4 weeks behind. It will also help me spread out my supplies, and hopefully not over buy certain supplies. You can even take your monthly project life kit and split that up by week! Keep a little box in your purse with journal cards and your favorite journal pens, close the case and you have a hard surface to write on while you’re at your childs soccer practice or ballet lessons… Possibilities are endless my friends!

But, what about the larger pieces of memorabilia? you could always tape a large plastic paper organizer to the front of your case and slip in those larger bits and pieces. Whatever works for you. Normally I don’t have anything bigger than what would fit in the small photo case.

Just pop in printed photos, the cards in the color combo you think you might want to use, your embellishments, your journaling pen or special color marker even…. these little boxes can surprisingly hold quite a bit!

What you see in the box above is what I am planning on using for week 18 and then some…. I am undecided on a few choices so I stuck whatever i think i might use for that week. Once I am done with that week I will just shift what I don’t use back into its proper spot in my scrapbook room

*Bonus idea* Want to give a gift to your project life scrappy friend? Pack up some Journal and filler cards, embellishments, a fun pen in one of these little photo cases (costs less than a decorative gift bag). Pop a little card/tag on top and tie with some twine or ribbon and you will have a friend who adores you even more!

Totally amazing idea right? I am planning on doing some scrapbooking on the go this summer…. 5 or 6 of these little guys packed up in a scrapbook tote with some basic tools/supplies and my album and I am totally set!

How about seeing how this works first hand? I have a little project life goodie kit giveaway just for you packed full in one of these little photo cases (cards, embellishments, stamps, pens, etc..). What do you need to do to enter to win? Simple, Just follow my blog via email (there is a spot to enter your email address in the upper right hand corner to make it easy) and leave a comment with your name, location, favorite color(s) and something about project life…. could be a tip, something you love about PL, something you want to see featured on my blog, or something telling me about the things you scrapbook about (will help me customise your prize a little bit better)…. anything at all… I love reading comments from you all! Good Luck!

Happy Crafting!

Working with a monthly scrapbooking Kit: featuring ScrapbookCircle.com

Published on May 19, 2013May 19, 2013 by Taniesa10 Comments

Hi Friends!

This month I was fortunate enough to win a NSD contest for one of Scrapbook Circle’s May kits. I won on instagram with my friend, Toni, who is also sharing her ideas and inspiration using this amazing kit on her blog today. Please visit her at Lifescrapbookrepeat.blogspot.com. You have to see what wonderful things she has created!

Here is a photo of the beautiful kit that we won.

This kit had wonderful papers from Elle Studio, Maggie Holmes, Amy Tan, Fancy Pants, Lily Bee, and Basic Gray. It included some pretty adorable embellishments as well. Those bows designed by Maggie Holmes were one of my favorites and I love the Lily Bee labels for project life! Want one for yourself? There are still some available at Scrapbook Circle. Just click HERE. Hurry as supplies are limited! The company owner, Lisa, can also hook you up with a subscription if you wish. Check out even more inspiration and ideas on the Scrapbook Circle facebook page HERE.

When I sat down to work with this kit I tried to limit myself from using other things that I had on hand. the things that I did add were: 1 sheet of white sticker letters from Basic gray, some various washi tape, Gold Mister Huey’s spray, various pens, ink and markers, various clear stamps, some sequins, cardstock in a few different colors, and my silhouette cameo. This really helped me stay focused on the projects I wanted to complete and saved so much time. Normally it takes me more time “shopping” my stash for the supplies I think I will use than actually doing the project. My goal with this kit? To complete one layout, one project life spread, and one card. And so, I started out on my mission on a peaceful mothers day weekend!

My first project was some snapshots I had of my daughters first ballet class. I knew when I saw the TuTu trim in the kit that these photos would work perfectly. The layout came together surprisingly quick! The background paper was not pink at all, it had a slight mint distressing around the edge. I took some distress ink in a rose shade to make it fit just a little better. I used glue strips to adhere and pleat the tutu trim and I altered the gray sticker letters slightly by outlining them and then using a glitter pen to give some sparkle. The journaling is inside the cute little bag.

For my second project I tackled my week 17 photos for my project life album. The colors in the photos matched pretty well with the colors in the kit. For my title card I used the 12×12 sheet of paper included from Elle Studio. The top left corner had the layering look that I thought was ideal for a title card. I took a pencil and my old school lettering templates and lightly traced the letters for week. I then erased the lines so that I could barely see them and took my black journal pens in three different sizes and started dotting everything outside the letter. I spread the dots more and more as I moved away from the letter. The “seventeen” was white sticker letters from basic gray that I colored with a copic marker.

All of the larger letter stickers are the gray ones that were included in the kit, and the small letter stickers were the white that I added in. I altered the color as I needed to with my copics or another alcohol based marker. The tab stickers were perfect for little bits of journaling here and there. Proof that one can complete a project life layout with normal sized scrapbooking supplies.

Now remember when I said I wanted to complete one card as well as the layout and project life spread? I thought that I would be making a card with the last little bits of the kit but it turned out that I had so much more to work with still. I created 4 cards! I am not much of a card maker so this was big for me. All cards that I made I put on white cardstock card bases.

My first card is simple and sweet. A nice little thank you using three pieces of the paper included in the kit. I colored in my stamped image with a copic and then cut it out of the white cardstock. I attached it using pop dots to give it a bit of dimension.

My second card is father’s day inspired!I loved the green & blue print of the background and thought it fit a more masculine card. I used my silhouette for the title, the world, and the dad image outline. Notice his clothing? Yep, all little scrap pieces of paper that were in the kit and nothing else. was like coloring with paper and the end result is a fun whimsical card for Dad.

My third card was inspired by the floral paper, the pattern almost made me think of wallpaper. I popped some woodgrain washi on the bottom to mimic a table and cut out a vase and some flowers (all out of white cardstock) with my silhouette. I then went in with copic markers in complimentary colors as the background and colored in the different elements then I built my paper floral arrangement to the back of the vase die cut. The bow embellishment was the perfect touch and I added pop dots to the back of the flowers and vase. This card would be great for a birthday, thank you, mothers day, get well, or a “just because” card.

By my 4th card I was starting to have less to play with so keeping things simple I made this card with a scrap of the star print paper and one of the little paper bags I had still. I stamped “You Rock” on white cardstock and colored in with a purple copic. I shaded using a gray copic and then bordered the white with some of the black zig zag patterned paper I still had. Added a few of those adorable little metal stars to tie in the star theme and popped in a iTunes gift card. This would make a good birthday, graduation, or other gift type of card.

You know what else? I STILL had more supplies left. I cut all remaining paper down to 3×4 and or 4×6 to use in future project life layouts. I also integrated the few embellishments I had left over in their proper spot in my scrapbook room. Mission complete!

This is the first kit that I have used start to finish and I have to say that it was simple, fun and has changed how I will continue to scrapbook. Kits are a fabulous way to go if you get overwhelmed by all sorts of supplies like me. Joining a monthly kit club like Scrapbook Circle is a great way to keep up on the latest trends, However if that is not in your budget right now, consider putting together some kits of your own from supplies you already have on hand. How do you begin to put together your own kit? Check out this video by Glitter Girl on 2peas in a bucket. This has to be one of my most favorite videos she has done. She even has a PDF to assist you further. I have already began to assemble some of my older supplies into my own kits.You can also look at past kits that appeal to you of various kit clubs and try to copy them as close as you can. If you are a paper crafter on the go, this is perfect for when you are packing up for crop night!

I hope you enjoyed my start to finish with this kit. Don’t forget to stop by Toni’s blog HERE to see more ways you can use this kit. Here is a little sneak peek of what you will see 😉