Who doesn't love chocolate?

Hello friends - I've been out of the blogging groove. I got busy and it was one of the things that had to go for a little while, but I'm back.

At a workshop last night (thanks Nancy!) I demonstrated how to make these adorable little boxes that hold squares of Ghirardelli chocolate. They are easy to make once you know the measurements. I lifted the idea off of a talented stamper on splitcoaststampers. I'm not sure who had the idea originally, but it's a great one. I modified it somewhat so that both sides of the box were even.

The picture shows one that hasn't been assembled yet. The red stuff is sticky strip - it's a double sided tape like adhesive. It's my favorite adhesive to use when you need a STRONG hold for boxes or ribbons and such.

After you cut and score the cardstock, you trim away the outside corner pieces to form the box shape (with a flap). I used a circle punch crescent on the inside portion - so you can see the chocolate and have an easier time grabbing it to get it out.

The flap on the front doesn't want to lie down flat so I used a belly band to keep it closed. It's a good way to add a decorative accent to the box. The recipient just slides it down and off to be able to open the flap.

The images in the above photo come from the set Say it with Scallops. This set is special because it's the annual Ronald McDonald House set. $2 from the purchase of each set goes to support the RMD house charity. There are 4 images in the set that all coordinate with our scallop square punch - too cute.

Here are more little chocolate boxes:

And here's one that I modified to hold 3 pieces of chocolate. I thought these would make a fun treat for Emma's teachers, and they deserve more than one piece of chocolate for sure!

Directions:

1 PIECE BOX -- cut cardstock 4 1/4" x 7 1/2"

score the short side at 3/8" and 3/4" from both edges

score the long side at 2 1/4" and 2 5/8" from both edges

See the square in the center - mark a dot at each one of it's 4 corners.

Now cut away the 4 corner sections up to the dot - you should be left with a + shape.

The two sides fold in and attach to the front of the box.

If you want to punch a crescent shape - do it before assembling the box.

3 PIECE BOX - cut cardstock 5 1/2" x 9 1/2"

score the short side at 3/8" and 3/4" from both edges --- UPDATE:

CORRECTION SCORE SHORT SIDE AT 3/8" AND 1 3/8" (not 3/4")

score the long side at 2 1/2" and 3 1/2" from both edges.

Assemble as described above.

Scallop envelope box #1

As I'm sure I've already mentioned, I LOVE my Big Shot Die Cut machine!

Using this clever tutorial I found on THIS blog, I used the scalloped envelope die to make the sides of this box lid.

Her tutorial tells you to use four pieces that were a bit smaller: 2.5" x 3.5" and it was stil enough to cover the scallopy flap portion. I didn't want to waste one tiny bit of that yummy Baja breeze cardstock.

I even used my new circle brads. I LOVE them and I'm really really fighting the urge to just hoard them and gaze lovingly at them.

I also used that lovely new Riding Hood Red tafetta ribbon. I am hooked on that too!

Another box coming tomorrow.

Big Shot Basket

I think I'm probably the very last blogger around to finally post one of these baskets on her blog. But I just got my latest order with the basket die in it. I LOVE it.

When you assemble the basket as most folks are doing (with the little tabs facing UP and the bottom flush with the bottom of the basket on the inside), your basket tends to be a little flat instead of round. But I have used those 2 little curved strip accents along the top of the basket, and they really help to round it out. The trick is to place them so that the ends start at the center of the handle hole and around to the other handle hole. You have to do it AFTER the basket is assembled.

Also, I have used 2 of the tag shapes on my basket. One was on the original piece of Ski Slope DSP and another from a scrap piece of Baja Breeze cardstock.

I like the look of a decorated tag, but also want to be able to write the to & from info on the tag. The solution is a double tag (it's kind of hard to see in the picture). It also adds an extra little hint of color peeking out.

This baskets & blooms die is awesome. It has the 2 basket pieces, a tag, the basket bottom (which doubles as a really cool square edge scallop motif), 3 flowers, and the curved strips.

I am loving the new SkiSlope DSP from the next Holiday mini (begins Oct 1st). I'm kind of stuck on those colors (Riding Hood Red & Baja Breeze) right now so you'll see more of them in the next few projects that I post. Perhaps it is because these are the colors in the new felt flurries snowflake shapes too - teaser......

The Aftermath - we are just fine.

We made it through the storm. The kids slept most of the night in the bathroom while the winds howled outside. We didn't get an extreme amount of rain or water which was good. We ended up losing power around 2am and it stayed off till Sunday afternoon. We are one of the lucky lucky few who now have power. Just a few streets over it's still off and much of the city has no water pressure either.

We were able to attend Mass on Sunday - it was really really HOT and steamy but very serene and special getting to gather together despite the storm and rain and damage to worship.

Saturday night I used my stampin' supplies to make some lovely fans to use to help cool off. We even made one for our priest decorated with our church logo. He loved it and used it during the mass to help stay cool. Our new church building that is still under construction made it through ok too.

The house fared fine (although I wouldn't have cried big tears if the kitchen had been crushed. It is way WAY past time for us to begin that remodelling job). There were lots of big limbs down and one smaller tree uprooted itself and gradually leaned over onto the house (no house damage thankfully). We were very lucky. Many houses in the area have big trees through their homes and cars and things.

This picture looks a lot better than it was. Most of the big limbs fell into the backyard and onto the neighbor's driveways.

It'll be a long few weeks getting the neighborhood and city back to normal but we will eventually. School is out until Thursday - which pleases the kids.

My parents, grandmother and cousins are here since they have no power/phone/water. It's a little crazy & chaotic, but ok.

Ike update

We are still waiting...
The sunset was amazing tonight. The top layer of clouds was very still with lovely turquoise blue peeking through. Lots of pink tones. The lower layer of clouds (there were 2 very distinct layers) was moving rapidly past. It was lovely.

The wind gusts (according to the tv) in my area are now about 35mph. It has cooled off a lot and was quite pleasant outside and sort of surreal. We visited with the neighbors for a little while.

It's hard to believe that this one is actually going to hit. We've had so many near misses in the last few years.

I don't know if I'll be able to update this from my phone, but I might be able to post a comment when things are over.

Preparing for Ike

It looks like Ike is coming at us - no near misses this time.
Scott's and Matthew are boarding up the windows in the most danger. The sky is beginning to become filled with dark clouds and it's getting breezy.
It's kind of an eerie calm - no birds about and no cars on the roads.

We are as prepared as we can be. Got our indoor windowless room stocked with supplies and our precious photos. The kids are planning a sleepover in the hallway and are mixed between being scared and excited.

Emma and I are sad thinking about our Girl Scout Camp Casa Mare in Seabrook (right on Galveston Bay) that will be under a lot of water very soon.

We are also prepared to have no power for a while. We are a scouting family so we have plenty of camping supplies to get us through. Our meals may not be very balanced for a while, but we won't starve.

Despite the threat of the weather, it will be nice to spend time together as a family with no work and school demands and chaos. We have lots of great games to play to pass the long night ahead.

Our preparations and our Faith will get us through.

I love my new baggies

I ordered some Girl Scout 12x12 cardstock about a year ago and it came in a ziploc type baggie. It was great being able to keep it neat and tidy and separate from all my other decorative papers. Since then, I've been on the hunt for some baggies to put the rest of my Designer Series Papers in. The only place I found them was online, but I just couldn't justify paying so much for shipping and handling for baggies of all things.

Today I stopped at the box store hoping they might have bags and they did! I got a whole bunch (50!) for only $8. SCORE.

I've begun putting my DSP into my new bags and I LOVE how they lay flat and I can keep all the different packages separate but it's easy to grab some out.

Reorganizing is almost as much fun as stamping.