Bags, boxes & bows (CSS group project)

Hi there!  It's group post time over at CSS, and we're featuring fun sets of packaged goodies.



I created a trio of packages that all are different, but work together because of a unified color scheme.  I'm thinking of keeping these around for my mom's birthday: a little gift card, maybe some cute jewelry, and a few chocolate treats would fit.  And really, wouldn't it be more fun to open 3 presents on your birthday than just one?  Especially if the packages are all this cute?



The gift-card fits into the mini tri fold 1 die, and I stamped it with a pink chevron and gave it a grass-skirt-of-a-sleeve.  Ha.  I didn't realize it looked so hula until I saw the pictures.  Either way, my love for those Martha Stewart scissors is still going strong.

A fun paper bow sends the sleeve over the top.

The little cube die-cut was stamped with a soon-to-be-revealed stamp set (wait until March 24th!) and  I tried to channel my inner Laura Bassen.  My double-stamping isn't nearly as perfect (Laura revealed that she often stamps an image twice, for extra concentration of color), but it gave a hazy water-color look to the stripes, which I've decided that I love.



Two yarn bows on the top added even more softness to the tiny box.



My favorite piece is definitely this one:  I used the party favor 3 die to create my bag, and stamped it with a subtle tone-on-tone pattern.  My large flower is made from heart dies!  I used most of the sizes and a few of each size, to form this large flower.  A bit of rolled-up fringe worked well for a flower middle.

What do you think of the flower?  Do you love it as much as I do?  If you do, let me know in the comments, and I will put together a photo-tutorial.

More packaged inspiration for you at these stops:  Audrey ♥ Kim ♥ Lori ♥ Laura ♥ CSS blog

Clear and Simple Stamps: camping party

Sigh.

Parties just make me happy, especially when they look so nice :)  Lemme walk you through this one...

First up, the invitation.  It features the new CSS set, Party Elements: Celebration.  I stamped the invitation headings, and added the info by hand.  Speaking of "by hand" - I drew the tents you see scattered throughout the party.  Simple, simple, but effective if you don't have exactly what you're looking for in your stamp collection.  The red banner is also from the new set, and the number 4 comes from Cake Decorating Too.  I used the cupcake-wrapper-as grass again, and added some starry skies patterned paper.

 The same elements were repeated on the banner (which spelled out the birthday boy's name inside "tent" triangles), as well as on the dessert labels, and on the favor boxes.  The repetition helped create a more polished and pulled-together look.  To mimic the starry night sky patterned paper, I die-cut silver stars and ran them through my sewing machine.  My sister and I twirled the starry banner around twigs that we propped up against our stained-wood-backdrop (amazing, what you can find to stage a party in your own garage, hee hee.)

I created cupcake toppers, using the smaller cupcake wrapper die, and the favor flags stamp set and dies.  They sat atop delicious nutella cupcakes with a vanilla/chocolate swirled icing (click *here* for the link - it was so easy to do and looks so great!)

Also on the dessert table: s'mores on a stick...

orange homemade chocolates...

rustic-looking chocolate rice krispie squares...

and, my sister's show-stopping s'mores ice cream cake (with a brownie-bottom.  I can't even tell you how yummy it was):

Finally, I created favor boxes for the guests to take "s'more" sweets home.  I die-cut two party favor 3 boxes and stuck them together.  Before adhering them, I cut a longer piece of cardstock and punched an oval handle at the top.

Each box was filled with the fixings for homemade s'mores: cello bags filled with graham crackers and marshmallows, and a hershey's chocolate bar.

I hope you've enjoyed a peek at Lucas' camping party!  The other designers have party ensembles of their own to show off, so be sure to check out the Clear and Simple Stamps blog for all the links.

And please, whatever you do...

don't feed the bears.

Thank you.