Christmas Gift

Time for another wonderful idea from my favorite Guest Artist – Carol Chiaramonte!  When it comes to gorgeous gift wrapping, Carol’s ideas are always at the head of the line.  Want to create a lush gift box with simple materials you may already own?  Here’s a beautiful gift wrap idea for a special person on your list . . .

Either make a box from pre-printed 12”x12” cardstock (or stamp your own design on plain cardstock that’s at least 80#), or buy a ready-made box to save time.  Punch out three layers of the Kraft paper for each flower, crumple them for realistic dimension, secure with a brad, and glue to your box top.  If so moved, spread a little glitter glue on the petals.  Stamp a small manila tag with an image or two in colored and black inks, and fancy-up the bottom edge with a decorative border punch.  Sponge the edges for a softer appearance, and write your To/From’s on the back.  Wrap the box with coordinating baker’s twine and embellish, using linen twine to tie on the tag.  Gorgeous . . . simple . . . genius!

Cardstock:         pre-printed cardstock, small manila tag, Marcos                      
                             Green Grocer Kraft

Stamps:              Victorian Greetings Man in the Moon, Hero Arts text

Inks:                    Ancient Page Plum Wine, Document Black

Punches:            Recollections Eyelet Border, two sizes flower punches, 
                            Fiskars decorative border punch
Doo Dads:          Sundance Black/Cream bakers twine, Cream                             
                                   waxed linen,  Gold brads, Stickles Glitter Glue

Floral Easter Bunny

Clean and Simple re-visited:  this card is a one-layer wonder that is absolutely bursting with life!  My friend Carol Chiaramonte has really scored with this delightful take on Lost Coast’s unique, floral bunny. 

Carol allowed a generous and wonderfully uneven border when masking the bunny which truly makes him a standout.  He’s a very happy little guy, but then who wouldn’t be, sitting in the midst of all of those gorgeous flowers?

 

Stamps:           Lost Coast Bunny, Hero Arts Sunflower (an oldie but goodie & still one of Carol’s faves)

Inks:                Document Black, Ancient Page Pink Pizzazz, various Tombow markers

           

Escape Reality

No one does Clever Whimsy better than my friend Carol Chiaramonte, and this card of hers is the delightful proof!   This is Clean & Simple Stamping at its best.  The Jo Rango Zoo series allows stampers to do art work that looks like kid’s stuff – but it’s really for grownups – and the results are always uniquely witty and entertaining.  For anyone in danger of taking herself too seriously, I recommend an afternoon with Rango Zoo images:  these will soon put your out-of-kilter outlook back into kilter.  Or something like that . . .

Cardstock:         White Linen, Glossy White, Marcos Red Sparkle (now discontinued, drat!)

Stamps:              Silver Crow:  Escape Collage, Escape Reality;  Jo Rango Zoo:  Horse, Snake,

                            Small Motif

Inks:                    Document Black, Ancient Page Henna Red, Pink, various Tombow markers