The Stamping Owl

Today's project was designed for our May Stamped With Aloha Inspiration Night.  It is a Little Box of Critters--a case that holds six 3 x 4" cards and coordinating envelopes featuring the A Little Foxy Suite.  This product suite includes the Foxy Friends stamp set, Fox Builder Punch and A Little Foxy Designer Series Paper Stack.  The coordinating colors are Smoky Slate, Pool Party and Calypso Coral.  Hope you love these cute little critters!  Thanks, Cindy, for asking me to be part of Inspiration Night.

Raccoon Cards

These raccoons were punched from Smoky Slate using the Fox Builder Punch.  The face, tail and front paws were stamped in Basic Gray.  The eyes were stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black.   The heart caption was stamped in Calypso Coral.  His head is slightly tilted as if he is having a conversation with you.  Here are the measurements:

• Smoky Slate cards - 4 x 6", scored at 3" along the 6" length
• Basic Gray backing - 2 3/8" square
• Whisper white - 2 1/4" square
• Designer paper - 1 1/2 x 4"

Fox Cards

The little fox was stamped in Calypso Coral.  The eyes and nose, front paws and sentiment were stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black.  The sentiments are from the Balloon Builders stamp set.  So quick and easy!  Here are the measurements:

• Pool Party cards - 4 x 6", scored at 3" along the 6" length
• Basic Gray backing - 2 1/8 x 2 3/8"
• Whisper White - 2 x 2 1/4"
• Designer paper - 1 x 4"

Little Girl Cards

Next we have two little girls, one with a flippee hairdoo and the other with a more grown-up hairstyle.  For each girl, the hair is Early Espresso and made from 2 of the Fox Builder punch tails.  The bangs are also from the Fox Builder punch using the fox face.  Then the dress is the largest petal from the Blossom Builder Punch.  Her face was drawn using a Project Life Journaling pen (05 point).  Then her cheeks were made from the eraser top of a pencil by stamping it using Blushing Bride ink.  There are many more hairstyles to try--ponytails, buns, highlights, etc.  You can make it a mini version of the recipient.  The sentiments used are from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.  Here are the measurements:

• Calypso Coral cards - 4 x 6", scored at 3" along the 6" length
• Pool Party - 2" circle
• Blushing Bride face - 1" circle
• Early Espresso - fox builder punch tail (2) and face shape
• Designer paper backing - 2 x 3"
• Designer paper dress - largest petal on the Blossom Builder punch

Card Box

The card box was made from a Wide Stamp Case in the Half size.  Besides storing stamps, these cases can be used for many different things, one of my favorites is to hold sets of 3 x 4" cards.  For the cover, I cut a piece of Smoky Slate at 3 1/4 x 11", then opened the case and slipped it under the clear flap.  I made sure it was aligned with the clear edges so that it was straight, then I closed the case, creating the creases.  Then I opened the case again and removed the cover paper so that I could decorate it with the heart and raccoon (used the same ink colors as the raccoon cards above).  Here are the measurements:

• Smoky Slate case cover - 3 1/4 x 11"
• Basic Gray right border - 1 x 3" (this is wider than needed so that the designer paper can overlap as much as needed to create an even border around the front cover)
• Designer paper - 3 x 4"

Custom Envelopes

Coordinating envelopes were made using the Envelope Punch Board.  The A Little Foxy Designer Series Paper Stack is the perfect size to make the envelope because a 6 x 6" piece is needed to make an envelope that fits a 3 x 4" card.  There is a guide on the Envelope Punch Board--look up your card size, then see the paper size needed for the envelope and what starting measurement to use.  Select 6 papers from the stack and follow the instructions on the Envelope Punch Board to make six envelopes.  The starting measurement is 2 5/8".  Don't forget to use the corner rounder on the Envelope punch board to finish off the top and bottom flaps.  Here are the ones I chose.

And now you are done!  Pack up your cards and envelopes in the case and you have a super cute Little Box of Critters.  

Supplies

Here are the supplies that were used to make this project.

In class this month we bid farewell to many of our favorites that are retiring on May 31st and used them in class one last time.   That is why you'll see so many different stamp sets, designer papers and punches being used in class this month.  Get them before they are gone on May 31st.  Then on June 1st we welcome the new catalog and we will definitely find new favorites!

Card #1: Peeking Owl

The little owl is one of my favorites and was created using the Playful Pals stamp set, which is retiring.  You may remember other creations from this set--little rabbits, mice, Totoro and others.  Here he is one last time peeking out from behind  a wall of flowers and balloons.  He was stamped in Tip Top Taupe (a retiring in-color) and feathers are Cucumber Crush (also a retiring in-color).  This card could be used for a birthday, graduation or other celebratory event.  This little guys is so cute!  

Card #2: Little Rabbit with Ice Cream Sundae

Can't get enough of cute little rabbits!  This one was made from the Owl Builder Punch, which is retiring.  We've made many cute critters with this punch besides the owl--chicks, rabbits, cows, bats and more!  To make this rabbit, we punched out the body of the owl from crumb cake, then performed some surgery by cutting off the ears and feet.  For his tummy, it's a 3/4" circle punched from whisper white.  His feet were also from a 3/4" circle--first one edge was cut, and then the remaining piece was cut in half.  His ears were made using the Classic Label punch.  The edges were rounded out by trimming off the point at the end.  The little heart in real red is punched from the Owl Builder Punch.  The ice cream sundae is from the Tasty Treats designer paper and so is the background stripe.  I also love the combination of crumb cake, watermelon wonder (a retiring in-color) and whisper white--reminds me of sweets and summer vacation. 

 Card #3: You are my Sunshine

All of the images (except the face) on this card are from the Over the Rainbow stamp set, which is retiring.  In last month's class we used the bold RAINBOW, this time we are using the whimsical images--sun, heart, clouds and sentiment.  The sun was stamped in Crushed Curry.  The sun center was also stamped on a separate piece of Whisper White and punched out with the 1" circle.  The smiling mouth is from the Playful Pals set and the eyes were drawn in using Journaling Pens.  The sun center was then attached over the stamped sun with a dimensional.  As a final touch, it was colored with Clear Wink of Stella to give it shine.  The smiling sun is so cheerful it will put a smile on your recipient's face too.

Card #4: Baker and Fruit Cards

This next card uses the Fresh Fruit and Perfect Mix stamps sets and Fruit Stand designer series paper--all retiring.  For class, a variety of designs were made to match the different designer paper prints.  On each of the cards, Clear Wink of Stella was used on the images to give it some sparkle.  For the strawberries, the image was stamped off in real red so that it would not be too dark for the sentiment to show.  These cards were refreshing and delicious!

So that was our farewell to the 2016-2017 products class!  Hope you enjoyed it.  Please join me for my new 2017-2018 catalog open house on June 3rd from 9 am to 1 pm, click here for more details and to RSVP.   Then June's class is on the 24th (9 am and 1 pm) and the 25th (9 am and 1 pm).  Just email me to reserve your spot.

Supplies

Below are the supplies used for all of the cards.  If you'd like to place an order, click on the pictured product to jump immediately to my website and shop or from the top menu, click on SHOP NOW.

Supplies used for the Peeking Owl card:

Supplies used for the Rabbit with Ice Cream Sundae card:

Supplies used for You are my Sunshine card:

Supplies used for Baker and Fruit cards:

The end of the Stampin' Up! year is almost here so this month's class will feature many of the stamp sets  and other products that will be retiring on May 31st.    Here is  a sneak peek of the cards that we will be making.

You probably see the owl peeking around the side of the balloons--yep, Playful Pals that we've used to make many critters is retiring!  And the Owl  Builder punch too, so we are using it once more in class to make a **bbit .  It's also time for the 2015-2017 In Colors to say farewell--Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush, Delightful Dijon, Tip Top Taupe and Mint Macaron.

There are still spaces available in the sessions on Saturday the 20th at 9 am and 1 pm and on the 21st at 1 pm.  Please let me know if you'd like to reserve a spot.  And we'll be in the new garage stamp room, hope you can join me!

Here are some of the retiring items that we will be using in class:

In the move to my new stamp room in the garage, I found some cream pocket folders.  I decided to put them to use and make notepad folders with a pocket to hold cards or other papers. 

You can decorate the front and inside with your favorite designer papers and stamps.  Of course, I made a critter--one of my favorites, a little mouse using the Playful Pals stamp set.  If you don't have this set yet, get it soon because it is retiring on May 31st!  I  I also used these as my prize patrol item at our Stamped With Aloha Spring Stamp Camp this weekend.  Here are more with different designer paper backgrounds.

Here is how to make this notebook folder:

1. Start with a 2-pocket folder (see photo below).
2. Cut down the height of the folder to 11".  Cut the top of the folder (the end that does not have the pockets).
3. Cut the spine off the folder so that each side is 8 1/2" wide.
4. Your original folder should now be in 2 pieces that are 8 1/2 by 11" each.
5. Score down the middle of the 11" length at 5 1/2".  Fold on the score line.  You should now have 2 folders that are 8 1/2 x 5 1/2".
6. One of your folders will open so that the pocket is on the left and the blank side is on the right.  For this one, cut the pocket flap on a diagonal so that it is easier to use. 
7. The other folder will have a pocket that opens upside down.  To fix this, cut open the top of the pocket, just follow the edge of the folder.  Then cut the flap on a diagonal.  Then use tear and tape to seal the bottom of the flap to make the pocket.  Now you have it set-up correctly.  See photo below.
8. Attach a notepad to the right side of the inside of the folder.  I just used tear and tape on the back of the notepad and attached it to the folder.
9. Decorate as desired and you have your finished folder!

I'm planning to incorporate this project in a holiday class later this year so hope that you can join me then.  Until then, have fun making these!

Here are the supplies I used for this project: