SU THINLET

I'm having so much fun using the SU circle thinlet that my friend Michele let me borrow! BIG thank you hugs, M! The thinlet cuts and scores a flip card in one quick pass through my Cuttlebug...and I came up with another way to add some design with function to extend the card for a sentiment or a note (instructions follow below). MANY thanks as well to my friend Rina who showed me how to make the little lamb from punches that she'll be using soon for her daughter's baby shower!

My first flip card attempt...but the green scalloped circle didn't seem to add anything to the card...so I decided to go with the SIMPLE IS SOMETIMES BETTER idea!

I'm giving this one to my mom for her birthday this week.

I put it in a clear envelope and used it 

as part of the decorations on the package:

Then I made the same card with a different piece of DSP:

The sheep was made by using a 3/4" circle punch for the head, a 1/2" circle punch of black cut in half for the ears, one scallop punch and the swirls embossing folder for the white body, two heart punches in black with one side of the heart cut off for the two legs and three small flower punches for the top of the head. Two tiny black adhesive gems were added for the eyes. The head was attached to the body with foam squares and the sheep was also adhered to the card using foam squares.

Next, I made this congrats card for Rina:

PICTURE TO PIN ON PINTEREST

FRONT VIEW

INSIDE VIEW

BACK VIEW

...and here is the step-by-step technique
for extending this flip card:

After running the paper through the thinlet and
folding it into a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card...

Turn over the double-sided DSP on the right and...

I'm feeling like Santa in his workshop as I put these flip cards together! It's hard to stop making them because they're just so fun and so different with each set of papers used! Here is another way to make a flip card with an extension:

All sentiments are from Stampin' Up or
were done on my computer.

A video by the talented Patty Bennett demonstrates this way to make an extension for flip cards - Click HERE . She starts to give the extension technique at about the 4:58 mark....and here's another brilliant idea below from PATTY'S STAMPING SPOT if you're making the short version of the flip card. The pics show how to adhere a piece of DSP to the card base before running the thinlet through the Cuttlebug so that the thinlet die can cut out the little crescent moon for you:

There are tons of flip card samples on her site as well.

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MAGIC BOX TUTORIAL

I've always wanted to make a magic box and I recently found a terrific tutorial on the Life as Lou blog HERE. NOTE: My previous posted link at Splitcoast Stampers stopped working --- but Lou's directions and tutorial are even better than the first one I found!) I made a Christmas version that will hold 3 gift tags in each of the four boxes and I'll give it as a gift this holiday season!

Here are the pictures posted by Lou:

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PAINTER'S TAPE FAUX PAINT SWATCH

There's an awesome card idea and how to video tutorial from the Stamp and Scrap with Frenchie blog to create the background for these two cards using painter's tape:

Original Source HERE.

For the original source and video tutorial, click HERE....and for another variation on the technique that's a lot easier and creates less mess, use double sided tape to hold painter's tape to a clear block and then color with a marker like this:

For the original source, click HERE.

The creativity and resourcefulness of paper crafters never ceases to amaze me! Can't wait to try this technique!

CARD CHICK'S: SEPTEMBER MEETING

We had another FUN FUN FUN card party last week, and first up are the pics of the projects then I'll include some of the food pics and recipes that had us in Salad and Dessert Heaven!

Project #1: DRACULA

 

Pinned from this pic on Pinterest:

To get tons of FREE templates from Woman's Day,
click HERE and at the bottom of their page, you'll find the
the Dracula template or just click HERE - then
print it out on medium weight card stock,
cut it out and you'll have a template to trace
onto black card stock. (The boots were left off.)
I used red sticky tape on the inside upper left
and upper right corners of the wings to
wrap and hold the sides together.

Project #2: PILGRIM CARD

The collar was made using the 3" die from
Spellbinders Classic Scallop Squares then trimmed
at an angle from the 5th scallop along the bottom
to the 2" point from the top.

This card was cased from Julie Pitta's card

on her Thoughts That Stick blog HERE.

Project #2:

BATTY FOR YOU BAG

Close Up

To make this simple bag,

score a 6" x 9" piece of medium

weight cardstock at the 1" and 5" mark

along the 6" side:

...then turn the paper 90 degrees and score

at 4" and 5"

Cut in 1" along the top and bottom 

4" and 5" score lines then

use a bone folder along all score lines

and fold to the center.

The handle is 1/2" x 12" long.

Project #4: FALL CARD

The brown base measures 4" x 11" and is scored at 5 1/2"
then folded in half with a bone folder.
The Very Vanilla layer on top of the brown base
is 3 7/8" x 5 3/8".
To create the top 3 panels, cut a 4 1/2 x 3 1/4"
rectangle from Very Vanilla then cut
into three 1 1/2" x 3 1/4" strips.
Align the three strips and all edges together
using removable adhesive, stamp as desired then
place foam tape on the back to raise.
Align the first strip at the top and the third strip at
the bottom then add the middle strip for perfect spacing.

This card was cased from Julie's Stamping Spot:

FAVORS

 My Turkey Toes!

Mel's Tasty Test Tube Treat!

THE FOOD

...and ta! dah!...here are the food pics and recipes:

CHRISTIE'S BROCCOLI SALAD (Recipe at end of post)

SWEET TREATS FROM ALICE:

KATIE'S APRICOT BARS (Recipe posted below)

Truly one of my favorite desserts on the planet!

...and last, but not least...

RACHEL'S NO BAKE NUTELLA CHEESECAKE

(Recipe at end of post)

Christie's Broccoli Salad

Enough chopped up broccoli flowerettes to fill a medium salad bowl (It does "wilt" down a bit)

1 cup raisins

1/2  cup cooked bacon (I cheated and bought bacon bits at Whole Foods)

1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds (which I bought from the bin at Sprouts)

1 small red onion chopped fine

For the Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise (one recipe called for 2 cups which I thought was a bit excessive - you can always play around with it)

1/2 cup sugar

2 T. vinegar (I used red wine vinegar as that is what I had - you can use white wine vinegar or just plain ole vinegar)

Mix all ingredients and dressing thoroughly then refrigerate. I made it the night before which is recommended.

Rachel's No Bake Nutella Cheesecakes

January 30th, 2012

YIELD: 4-6 servings

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

For the Crust

12 Oreo Cookies, crushed into crumbs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup Nutella

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 (8 ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

For the Garnish

whipped topping, optional

chocolate shavings, optional

toasted, chopped hazelnuts, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter. Evenly divide the crumbs between your individual serving dishes and press into the bottoms of the dishes to form a crust layer.

2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and Nutella until smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped topping until well blended and no streaks remain.

3. Evenly pipe or spoon the filling into individual serving dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

4. If desired, garnish with additional whipped topping, chocolate shavings, and/or toasted, chopped hazelnuts.

PROP NOTE:

The small glass bowls were purchased from Pier 1. Spoons are from Ikea.

Source: http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/no-bake-nutella-cheesecake-recipe/

KATIE'S B&R FARMS APRICOT DREAM CHEWS

Filling:  

2 cups dried apricots

1 ½ cups water 

1/3 cup honey - 4 oz.

Combine apricots in water in a medium saucepan.   Simmer, uncovered over medium heat for 15 minutes.  Drain, let cool, then chop into small pieces.  Stir in honey into chopped apricots.

Base:  

1 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar - 10.5 oz.

1 cup softened butter

1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats, uncooked - 5 oz.

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour - 7.5 oz.

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 cup chopped pecans

In large bowl, beat brown sugar and butter until fluffy. Add oats, flour baking soda and salt. Beat until well-mixed. Stir in pecans. Measure 2 cups oat mixture and reserve for topping. Press remaining oat mixture into bottom of 13x9 inch ungreased baking pan. Bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Spread apricot filling evenly over crust.  Sprinkle reserved 2 cups oat mixture over apricot filling.  Return to 375 degree oven and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool in pan. Cut into squares.

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I saw this oh! so cool way to make a Magic Envelope Card by Deb Valder on Pinterest! See her video pin HERE. She uses the new diagonal score board from SU, but I don't have it...so I modified the directions to make this same project on a standard score board --- mine is by Martha Stewart. Begin with an 8 1/2"x 11" piece of DSP - then mark and score your paper as shown in the pics below:

Along the 11" side, mark a point at 1/8", 6" and 7 7/8".

Turn paper 90 degrees to the 8 1/2" side and

mark a point at 5" and 5 5/8".

Turn paper 90 degrees to the 11" side and

mark a point at 3 5/8 and 4".

Turn paper to the 8 1/2" side and mark at 1 5/8".

Now connect with score lines as follows:

3 5/8" to 1/8" marks (To the point instead of 

1/8" works best actually!)

6" to 5 5/8" marks

5" to 4" marks

NOTE: I have drawn a line straight down the center of my score board at the 4 1/4" and 6" point with a Sharpie marker. 

The 6" line helps me score between two marks very easily and accurately. (I also have a Sharpie line drawn at the 4 1/4" mark. The 4 1/4" line helps me quickly locate the point where I need to score my 8 1/2" x 11" papers in half in order to make two cards very quickly. After scoring in half, I turn the paper 90 degrees and cut the paper at 5 1/2" to make two blank card bases.) Here is what the final sheet should look like when all score lines have been made: 

Then simply follow the folding instructions in the video HERE

and begin by folding along the score line shown

by the arrow below so that the lower right corner 

(the largest side of the paper) folds inward:

As Deb shows in her video, double-sided DSP

works perfectly for this project.