January 2010 Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the Close to my Heart January Stamp of the Month blog hop. What a mouthful, huh? If you arrived from Jill's blog, you're on the right track. It's a brand new year and time for new ideas. And while I have your attention, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter so you can hear about specials and get projects that are ONLY in my newsletter! Look to the right under my info to sign up.

It's time to be creative and step out of your box or, on the other hand, it's time to make a box!! This is our Close to my Heart My Acrylix organizer but it's not just for stamp sets. This box makes a great card holder. For this particular one I used Animal Cookies paper and, of course, the January Stamp of the Month which is called True Friends. To begin, pull out your paper and cut the first piece 6" by 4". Cut a mat out of Dutch blue cardstock 6 1/4" by 4 1/4" and attach the pattern piece to the cardstock. You may distress all the pieces with Dutch blue ink.

Next cut a piece of Dutch blue cardstock 6" by 2". Take a dry embossing tool and the groove in your trimmer and make lines about 1/2" apart both vertically and horizontally then sand them so the white core of our paper shows. Glue that to the center of your first piece.

Cut a circle out of white cardstock approximately 2 1/2" in diameter. I ran mine through my Cuttlebug so it would have nice texture but that's optional. Glue it to a piece of tulip cardstock that you've cut 2 3/4" in diameter. Attach those to the center of your dry embossed cardstock strip.

Stamp one of the frames on the stamp set in Clover Meadow ink for the frame and then tulip ink for one of the "friendly" sayings in the set. Cut it out and attach to the center of the circle.

For the sides you want to make them identical and make two of everything that I'm showing here. Cut the pattern paper 6" by 4". Cut three strips of tulip cardstock 1" by 6" and either run them through a crimper or use your trimmer and dry embossing tool to make embossed lines about 1/4" apart along the strips. Sand them and attach to the pattern paper with 1/4" apart.

Cut two white circles (remember to double all these for the two sides) 2 1/2" in diameter and green pattern paper 2 3/4" in diameter and attach to each other and then to the center line of the pattern piece about 1/4" apart from each other in the middle.

Stamp another one of the frames from True Friends, this time in Dutch blue with tulip in the center. Cut out and attach to the center of the circles.

Add three yellow brad to each side of the circles about a 1/2" apart from each other going along the curve of the circle.

For the back, cut your pattern paper 4" by 6" and add a 2" by 6" piece of Dutch blue pattern paper strip and a 5" by 3 1/2" yellow pattern paper piece. Attach them as shown in this picture. Stamp another frame in tulip, the center sentiment in Dutch blue, cut out and add to the center of the blue strip.

Add 8 brads, 1" apart from each other, 4 on the top, 4 on the bottom.

Here's the finished look for the front. Use Tombow to attach, line it up with the lip of the box so it stays straight.

Here's the side, make sure the other side matches.

Here's the back, put lots of glue around and in between the brad backs so it lies flat.

For the inside card dividers cut white cardstock 5" by 6". Distress. Cut pattern paper 4" by 6" and attach to the white cardstock. Cut a piece of tulip cardstock 2" by 2" and cut off the two top corners with a corner rounder (not shown here). Attach to the left for the first divider. You can make as many as you like, I made 16. Attach brads as shown for the first one.

For the second divider, put the tab in the center of the card, for the third, put it at the far right of the card as shown. Attach brads either to the left or right or one on each side depending on where you put the divider tab. Stamp your titles on the tabs. I used the March stamp of the month to do mine. The Say it in Style set works beautifully for this too. Stamp them in Dutch blue. When I did mine I lined the cards up together so I could make sure they were all the same height.

Stick them evenly in the box (there are already dividers in there to help you). You'll put your homemade cards behind them in each category.

To finish it off, use some liquid glass on the handle and wrap it in ribbon tying it up at the top with the bow.

Thanks for visiting my site, you'll be off to Lori's blog now for the next hop, click on this link if you get lost. Blog List Have fun and Happy New Year!