Guest Designer for Flamingo Scraps

Welcome to the continuation of Flamingo Scraps Christmas in July!!!

I am honored to hold a Guest Design Team spot twice this month on their blog, 

this being my first post as a designer. 

Today I made a Stationery Box ** (tutorial) with the beautiful Carta Bella "Winter Fun" line (included in the Traditional Kit), available in the Flamingo Scraps online store, and at an AMAZING price! 

I have a thing for hexagons, so it was a fun line to work with! As I started out, wasn't sure how I would make this project my "own", but soon found many ways to highlight the hexagons! 

** I followed all instructions in the tutorial, BUT I added two pieces of chipboard (recycled cereal box), one to the bottom of the main structure, and one, covered in patterned paper to match inside the top of the lid for added stability since I knew I was going to add many photos. The dividers inside the box add additonal stability. 

                                         

This is a view of the box opened up, with it's main components
the little book has post it notes (changed from tutorial's address book)
The little pocket holds stamps at your finger tips. and of course, a color matched pen!

I added one sheet of kraft cardstock to my kit for making the dividers, covering each with a sheet of patterned paper and a coordinating chipboard "tab" (paper covered the back exposed sticky part above the divider)
All the chipboard shapes in this article are from the kit, Echo Park Season's Greetings.
I used almost all shapes included but three, and I have a future project planned for those!

I added 4 x 6 dividers to the box, I have decided to keep photos in this after the holiday card season is over. The two smaller pockets contain small note cards and to/from tags for gift giving. The note cards can also double as journaling cards. I loved the simplicity of the white and teal, with a tiny little bling!

In addition to using my one sheet of kraft cardstock for the dividers, I also used it to mat this layer of hexagons, leaving this card blank, I will stamp a sentiment appropriate for my needs.

 adding a little bakers twine and thin pop dots adds texture, but can still be mailed!

 

This little strip was a scrap left over from the layered hexagon card from above.

I layered sheer ribbon under each partial hexagon in a tag shape, and knotted a longer piece to add on top. Letters were cut from a stamp sentiment "MERRY Christmas", trimming each letter down to size. 

here is a larger  (4 x 6") gift tag, for those larger gifts!

The larger rhinestone brads are also from a package from Echo Park, Holly Jolly Christmas, included in the kit.

since I made my own custom sized cards, having the Envelope Punch Board

helps you create any card size you need, and always an envelope size you need. Matching the paper is always fun, too! I chose a plain white envelope today with just a simple snowflake stamped image to go along with the paper theme

I had fun with tons of fussy cutting around all those hexagons, hexagon heaven! 

This is the box top that holds the stationery set all together in it's self contained box

The MERRY chipboard came in one straight piece, I snipped with pointy scissors a tiny cut, making the straight strip now able to apply in a curve. Chipboard was highlighted with Tim Holtz Rock Candy Stickles, as well as the Martha Stewart snow melt punch.

And voila! It closes up to a 4 x 6 x 2 inch box! 

Folding the front flap upwards, and the side flaps around to the back of the box, place boxtop on and it makes one pretty little package!
I can't tell you how much fun I had with just this paper from my Christmas in July kit, and I still have tons more to play with and create my next project later this month. Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed it as much as I had fun creating and sharing! Oh, and....

MERRY CHRISTMAS IN JULY!!!!

Donna Sullivan, aka paperfusion/paperfusionarts

Welcome back to my blog, NEW life and many new posts!

I won't bore you with all the details, but after a four year journey with MANY doctors and surgeries, a definitive diagnosis of celiac disease on June 13, 2013 has changed my life forever. Although life altering, this disease is not life threatening, even reverses damage already done, if you eat the proper foods and stay away from the unsafe foods! The list of what you CAN eat as a celiac is much longer than what you CAN'T eat. Puts it in perspective. There will always come times that certain foods will be hard to resist, but when you know the consequences last for days, it's not worth it, and eating good food has become quite enjoyable! Enough of that, I mentioned how it reversed damage already done, my hand had deformed to a point I was not able to cut with scissors or use a knife in the kitchen, it just wasn't safe. I am proud to announce that two weeks into the gluten free diet, this has actually allowed my hand to straighten my three right fingers, and use a knife and a pair of scissors again. Living proof that gluten free DOES help with inflammation issues, no matter what the cause, mine came from Rheumatoid arthritis. {Celiac information}
This brings me to an honored position as a Guest Designer this month, for two posts, on a very FUN online store/blog/online video instruction. Flamingo Scraps has been a part of my life for many years, as a store, online video instructions with kits available in the store, and best of all, excellent customer service! Look for the post, live on Flamingo Scraps at midnight 7/15, and live here at 6 AM!!! Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing MANY more posts along the way!