Thanksgiving Turkey Nuggets (Hershey®)

In true procrastistamper style, I came up with this creation right before our Thanksgiving feast last year. So, there was no time to post them on my blog for them to be of any use to anyone else at that point. I'm lucky I remembered to take a picture of them. I completely forgot about these until someone asked about "turkey" project ideas.

These are super simple to make [click on any photo to see full size]:

1) Cut a strip of Designer Series Paper to at least 1"x3", wrap around Nugget, and adhere at bottom. (strip can be longer than 3", but that's a nice round number to cut from a 12"x12" sheet)

2) Punch out three coordinating tail feather layers with the Scallop Circle Punch.

3) Trim away the bottom 5 or so scallops from one of the punched pieces (see below).


4) Line up the trimmed piece on the next layer, leaving about 4 scallops showing.

5) Adhere those 2 pieces together after they are arranged the way you like, and trim off the 4 scallops flush with the top trimmed scallop punch (see below).

6) Line up those layers on a full punched scallop circle, and adhere as desired. (If any of the scallops from the full-size punched piece stick below the straight edge, trim them away, as shown below.)

7) Adhere the tail feather section to the back of the Nugget with a Mini Glue Dot.

8) Punch a 1" Circle out of neutral colored card stock or paper for the head, and decorate with googlie eyes. (or punch smaller white and black circles for eyes--but really, where's the fun in that???)

9) Cut a 1/2" square of beak-colored card stock or paper, score diagonally and fold in half. Adhere back of this folded square to the head, under the eyes.

10) Adhere head to front of Nugget with a Mini Glue Dot.

My turkeys from last year were made with retired Designer Series Paper, but the Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper in the current catalog would be a perfect substitute. Matching colors for that package of paper include: Soft Suede, Elegant Eggplant, Ruby Red, More Mustard, and Always Artichoke. You can shop for these items anytime day or night, in my ONLINE STORE.

DESIGN IDEAS: Use the Trio Flower Punch to punch out a red flower to adhere under the beak as a "gobbler". These also make darling punch embellishments for place cards or napkin rings if you omit the Nugget, and glue the head directly onto the tail feather layers, for a 2D turkey. Make a coordinating set of one Nugget turkey, and one punched turkey place card, and a turkey-embellished napkin ring of Designer Series Paper for each setting at the table.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator
Colorado Springs, CO
http://kimberley.stampinup.net
procrastistamper@gmail.com

Little Boo Ghirardelli® Treat Holders

It's that time of year again, to make some treat holders for Ghirardelli® Chocolate Squares™. Really, you can make them anytime, but with Halloween coming up, there's no reason for kids to have all the fun. Give a treat for the sophisticated palate with these easy to make holders. [REMEMBER: click on any image to see it larger.]

Check out the original tutorial to create these treat holders HERE.

You can take these with you to hand out to the grownups handing out candy at each home when you go out door-to-door with your kids, or if you're staying home yourself, give these to the parents who are accompanying their kids, when they come to your door. The kids will thank you for keeping their parents' hands out of their trick-or-treat stash!

When you order the following items, you can GET SUPPLIES FOR EIGHT TREAT HOLDERS FREE! With the products below, you'll have everything you need to make your own treat holders, except the Ghirardelli® Chocolate Squares™.

Visit my ONLINE STORE to do your shopping. Be sure to email me to confirm a mailing address for your free treat holder supplies. Assembly notes will also be provided, via email. (You may get the 8 FREE treat holder supplies with any purchase of $50 or more from me this month, you just need to email me to request them.)

For those of you who have the rest of the supplies listed in the table above, or other similar product you'd like to use, to make the Little Boo Treat Holders, I have a kit of the cut, scored, and punched card stock pieces, as well as the ribbon you'll need, available for you to order below. You must order in multiples of 8, and Ordering is only open from October 12th through 19th, so get your supplies TODAY!

LITTLE BOO TREAT HOLDER KIT (Makes 8) $5.95
Supplies in multiples of 8, two each of four color varieties.

Enter No. of Kits: (then click Buy Now)

KIT CONTENTS: 8 treat holders (2 ea in 4 colors), cut, scored, and punched. Also included are 8 lengths of ribbon (2 ea in 4 colors) to tie each holder closed, 8 punched Scallop Circles and 8 layer rectangles (both 2 each in 4 colors). You will also receive a strip of Whisper White card stock approximately 1-1/2"x8-1/2", onto which you may stamp your image (Little Boo) before punching out.

You can also download the entire list of supplies needed to make your own treat holders HERE. If you look at the full supply list carefully, you'll notice that not all of the card stock from the 12"x12" In Color Textured Card Stock package is used. That's totally cool, because you can save those sheets to make the cute Simple Snowflake Treat Holders, shown below. Don't worry, if you don't want to buy all the supplies for those right now, I'll be offering another $50 special soon, where you can get supplies for 8 Simple Snowflake Treat Holders for FREE!

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator
Colorado Springs, CO
http://kimberley.stampinup.net
procrastistamper@gmail.com

My Digital Studio - 50% Off!

This morning I want to share a couple of 5x7 cards I designed for a friend, who has two huge packages of 5x7 cards and envelopes sitting in her closet. I am so used to starting from a colored card base that it was challenging to figure out how to start with a white card base!

I happened to create a 5x7 card similar to the first one, using Stampin' Up!'s newly released My Digital Studio software. Since the software uses the fonts on my computer, I was able to create a flowing script greeting I don't have available in a stamp. I also used a stamp set I don't own, for a frame around the greeting, because that stamp set is included in My Digital Studio! I stamped the design first, then duplicated it digitally, but you can also use My Digital Studio to design your cards before stamping, which saves you from using your consumable supplies!

My Digital Studio is a digital paper crafting solution, with exclusive Stampin' Up! images and product. You can create cards, scrapbook pages, calendars, DVD interactive slide show albums, and even professionally printed book albums using the My Digital Studio print services. All professionally printed products color match Stampin' Up!'s exclusive colors (when you choose those colors in the program), and the embellishments are true size, so you can add elements to a printed item to make a hybrid creation with more depth and texture!

Through November 30, you can get your copy of My Digital Studio for 50% off the retail price with a $400 Workshop, as part of your Hostess Benefits. So, if you live in the Colorado Springs area, email me or give me a call today (719-205-5957) to book your Workshop! [Sorry, this benefit is only available for Workshop orders--it may not be redeemed on an online order.]

You may also shop my ONLINE STORE any time, using a debit or credit card. You can earn free stamp sets and merchandise, called Stampin' Rewards, when your order reaches $150. I also always send all my online customers a hand-stamped 'thank you' card, with a goodie package of items which coordinate with their order.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator
Colorado Springs, CO
http://kimberley.stampinup.net
procrastistamper@gmail.com

Coffin Box Tutorial (using Box #2 die)

You can make this darling (oops, I mean creepy!) box very easily with your Big Shot, the Box #2 Bigz XL die

Download the PDF pattern for the box lid for FREE HERE.

First, run some card stock through your Big Shot with the Box #2 die. You can use a piece of 5-1/2" x 11" card stock, so you can get away with using letter sized card stock, or you can go ahead and cut down from a 12" x 12" sheet if that's what you have. I think the Soft Suede textured card stock is great for this, and you can get 8-1/2" x 11" textured card stock in the In Color Textured Card Stock Assortment, if you don't want to buy full 12" x 12" sheets.

Stampin' Up! also has an awesome Woodgrain background stamp you can stamp over the surface of your card stock before you run it through the Big Shot if you'd like that effect! (the woodgrain image will stamp more clearly on smooth card stock than textured)

Once your box has been run through the Big Shot, you'll want to trim the box down a tad. I use the Tabletop Cutter and line up a straight edge of the box, with the edge of the silver cutting plate on my cutter. See the picture below for a visual. This takes about 5/8" off the height of the box, but this does not have to be exact. The main thing is to cut a straight line parallel to the top edge of your box. [Remember, as you go through this tutorial, click on any image to see it larger!]

TIMESAVER TIP: you can leave your Box #2 intact, and just assemble the box and proceed with cutting out the lid shape(s) and decorating, if you don't mind a taller coffin. I personally think the shorter version is a little more lifelike...or should I say, deathlike?

After you trim the box down, you'll be left with the box piece, and the lid part (see picture below).

Assemble the box part, then reattach the lid and side flaps. The easiest way to put the lid and side flaps on, is to cut the lid plus one side flap away from the rest of the lid. You adhere the lid and side flap inside the box. Then, adhere the remaining single side flap to the other side of the box. To make it fit well, you'll probably want to trim just a tad off the side flap. See the pictures below for a visual step-by-step.

TIMESAVER TIP: If you don't want to trim pieces of Sticky Strip to assemble your boxes, consider using SNAIL. Liberally cover both surfaces to be adhered, with SNAIL, and burnish pieces together firmly from the inside of the project with your Bone Folder. That way, the adhesive sticks to the adhesive, giving a stronger bond.

When the box is finished, set it aside and take up the coffin lid pattern sheet you downloaded from the link at the top of this post. The pattern is set up to print ON THE BACK of a full 8-1/2" x 11" sheet of Designer Series Paper or card stock, to give you 5 sets of layered lids for ease in making multiples. (If you print on two different colored or patterned sheets, you can alternate box lids and layers to get 10 coffin lids with contrasting layers--5 will have one sheet as the coffin lid, and on the other 5 that sheet will make the lid layer.) Or, you can just print out and trace one of each pattern onto card stock or chipboard to use as a template to trace around time and time again.

Either way you go, you'll need to cut out a coffin lid, and a coordinating smaller layer (if you want one). Because the sides of the lid are straight, you can trim them out with a straight edge cutter like the Paper Trimmer, or Tabletop Cutter, to get a very clean look.

Designer Series Paper (DSP) is great for the smaller layer, and you can use the Stampin' Up! Perfect Details Texturz Plate with your Big Shot on either DSP or regular card stock, and rub some ink over the dry embossed pattern with a Stampin' Sponge, to give a regular piece of card stock some really fun depth!

Adhere the coffin lid to the box top, being careful to center the lid over the box. This is most easily done by lying the coffin lid flat on your workspace, FACE DOWN. Place adhesive of the back of the coffin lid, only the area where it will adhere to the box lid, as shown below. Then, put your adhesive on the top of box lid (you can open up the lid of the box to lie it flat on your workspace if that's easier). Close the box lid, and lower the closed box down onto the adhesive on the back of the coffin lid. ONLY VERY LIGHTLY touch the pieces together, to attach them just enough to hold the pieces in place so you can turn the box over to be sure the coffin lid is where you want it. If not, gently peel back and reposition the lid.

When all is positioned well, open the lid of the box and burnish the box lid down onto the coffin lid to adhere permanently. See picture below. I like to adhere the coffin lid to the box top first, before adding any layers onto the top of the coffin lid, because it makes the burnishing so much easier and more effective.

Mini Glue Dots and Stampin' Dimensionals are excellent adhesive choices for any layers you want to add to the lid, because they stick well without applying a lot of pressure, or burnishing.

The Modern Label Punch is used to make the handles on the side of the coffin. There are two on each side of the box, so you'll need 4 punched tags total. I like to stamp the tag from the Favorite Things stamp set, and then punch that out with the Modern Label Punch. You can adhere your handles with brads if you like that look, but Mini Glue Dots are just the right size for adhering the tags directly to the box.

TIMESAVER TIP: If you're making tons of these for a party, especially for children (who may not appreciate the extra effort!) consider leaving the handles off altogether. Or, use Designer Series Paper or stamped card stock to wrap around the coffin, as I've done below, using the Halloween Frights stamp set.

You can load these with whatever treats you want, but candy corn and pumpkins are pretty cute. You can also fit 8 Hershey® Nuggets in the coffin, as you can see below. Leave the Nuggets plain, or stamp return address labels seasonally to wrap around each individual Nugget. Designer Series Paper is also a simple, festive touch!

DESIGN NOTES: If you aren't into coffins or Halloween, you can still use the Box #2 Die to make cute treat boxes for other occasions. I'll show you later how you can make these boxes with Christmas Trees or ornaments on top, and you can use them again for Valentine's Day with hearts on top, and even make a bunny for the lid to use the box for Easter. The Box #2 Bigz XL Die is a must-have!!!

Order your spooky supplies online anytime with a debit or credit card at my ONLINE STORE!

Mention this Coffin Box Tutorial within 24 hours of your online order during the month of October 2009, and receive a FREE Stampin' Write Marker in the color of your choice! Please email me with any questions, or leave a comment and I will answer your question in a comment reply.

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator
Colorado Springs, CO
http://kimberley.stampinup.net
procrastistamper@gmail.com

Serene Snowfall

I promised you a pattern yesterday for the little coffin box I posted on Sunday, and I haven't been able to get that quite finished to my satisfaction yet, so I wanted to share another card with you in the meantime.

It just snowed here in Colorado Springs for the first time yesterday...which is kind of deja vu because this year we had snow on Pike's Peak as late as July. Anyway, I really like these colors together--Soft Suede and Brocade Blue. The main stamp set is Serene Snowflakes, from the Holiday Mini Catalog, which is such a beautiful set, you just have to have it! The little tag is from the Christmas Punch Hostess Stamp Set, which you can get for FREE with a $300 Workshop.

Speaking of Hostess Benefits, if you have a Workshop of at least $250 from now through the end of November, you can get any product (except Hostess Sets and My Digital Studio) from the Holiday Mini Catalog for only $10 through the Sweet Rewards Hostess Promotion! [This promotion is only for Workshops, so you'll need to book and order through me...it is not available through online ordering.]

If you just bump your Workshop up to $300, you could get Serene Snowflakes for $10, plus the Christmas Punch Hostess Stamp Set for free, and then buy most of the rest of the supplies to make the snowflake card pictured above, as your holiday card...for FREE!!! This card is really simple to make, so it's a great card to make as a family project with kids.

There is also a $42 O Christmas Tree Pop-up Sizzix Die in the Holiday Mini Catalog that you can get for a STEAL with this promotion. I'll post a pop-up card soon that I made with that die, and if the picture of the card does it any justice, you will definitely NEED that die for your holiday cards! If you are in the Colorado Springs area, give me a call or text me at 719-205-5957, or drop me an email, to book your Workshop now...book early to get your date of choice.

We can have a workshop in your home, or in mine, or at your office during lunch, or down at the corner café on a lazy Sunday afternoon. We have a lot of options, and I'd love to stamp with you and your friends. Or, if you'd rather just pass the catalog around, and gather orders, that counts as a workshop, too. So, just contact me and let me know how I can help you earn your Sweet Rewards.

~Kimberley Morris

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator
http://kimberley.stampinup.net
procrastistamper@gmail.com

Tour de Freaks Blog Tour

Welcome to my stop on the September 2009 Control Freaks Blog Tour! You should have just come from the blog of Shona Watson.

This is my first month to participate, so please be kind. This month's theme is Halloween, Fall, and Thanksgiving. The leaves haven't started turning colors outside here in Colorado just yet, but that's okay with me, because I have no idea where the summer has gone. [Remember: click on any photo to see it larger.]

My first card was really hard to get a good picture of--it's kind of a dark card, and I used shimmer paint for moonlight. The only problem with that is, the shimmer paint kept reflecting the light off my lamp! I know I'm biased, but with that shimmer paint, it's really gorgeous in person.



There is a little surprise hiding in the grave marker...the grave marker is actually trimmed down from the Two Tags Bigz Die, with a Small Oval Punch layered at the top for the R.I.P. engraving.



This next project uses the Fancy Favor Bigz XL Die, and the Sweet Centers stamp set, with the Sweet Treat Cups.



I wanted to toss in this beautiful little stick candy favor, but I have to tell you that even though I stamped it, it was not my design idea. It's just so pretty, I had to share.



And this last little fella is a special treat box...a coffin made using the Box #2 XL Die, and a pattern I created for the top. Come back on Monday and I'll post the pattern and instructions for you--it's super simple. UPDATE: YOU CAN FIND THE COFFIN BOX PATTERN HERE.


Click the button to the left to go to the next stop on the Tour de Freaks Blog Tour...the blog of JAN TINK! Jan created a darling coffin treat box (on an older blog post, not on this tour) which inspired the one I made above.

Stamped Texture

Isn't that a pretty card? I can compliment it without being a braggart because I didn't design the original--I stole the idea from a demo friend of mine here in Colorado Springs! But there is one part of it that is original, and that is the Stamped Texture. [REMEMBER: Click on any image in the post to see it larger.]

At the team meeting where everyone was making this card, I was wandering around taking pictures, so I didn't get my card done. I finally pulled out the pieces to it this weekend and finished it. The white texture on white card stock is very elegant, but I just felt like I wanted to add something to it. The main ornament on the card is from a stamp set called Delightful Decorations. There is one little stamp in that set that I thought would make a cool background, but the card already had the background texture embossed into it. Then, I noticed that it just happened to be the same size as the flowers on the Petals-A-Plenty Embossing Folder that had already been used on the background layer...and I thought, Why not use both backgrounds?

You can probably already see where I'm going with this, but let me walk you through exactly what I did. First, I inked up the stamp (in Ruby Red for this card), and then I stamped the ink off, one time, onto scratch paper.

Then, without inking the stamp up again, I stamped it over one of the flowers on the card stock which had been run through the Big Shot in the Petals-A-Plenty Embossing Folder. You don't have to be precise. My only caution is that you shouldn't SMASH the stamp onto the embossed flower, or you'll lose some of the charm and subtlety you get when only part of the stamped image shows up.

Use the R.A.N. (Repeat As Necessary) Method to create the look you want. (I just made that up, it comes from a sweetie-ism. Blake often uses that phrase tongue-in-cheek when he's teaching my kids something. Usually it's in conjunction with something the kids are complaining they weren't able to perfect after doing only one time!)

You can stamp over all of the flowers, as I did on my card, or you can stamp in a pattern, like a checkerboard, or every other line of flowers. You can even alternate colors. It's just that easy! It sort of gives the card a stucco look, in my opinion. This would probably look very elegant when stamped in neutral colors like Sahara Sand or Creamy Caramel. And, you know you'll just have to try stamping over the top of these flowers with that gorgeous Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint! Oooh la la!!!

TIP: Save yourself time if you are adhering layers over the top, and don't bother stamping the pattern where your card stock layer is going to cover it.

Shop in my ONLINE STORE for these Stampin' Supplies: Delightful Decorations stamp set, Four the Holidays stamp set (greeting), Tree Trimmings stamp set (ornament hanger), Whisper White Card Stock, Ruby Red card stock and ink, Stampin' Sponge, Petals-A-Plenty Embossing Folder, Two-Way Glue Pen & Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (to accent the center of the ornament).

~Kimberley Morris
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator
Colorado Springs, CO
http://kimberley.stampinup.net
procrastistamper@gmail.com