Category: digital freebies
I am a VALENTINE’S DAY LOVER!!! (which apparently, but not obviously the opposite of Maggie who created the stuff for this fabulous post)! so, i am curious? are you a handmade Valentine maker? i think its the pinks and reds… and frilly ribbons and bow… doilies and for sure tons of hearts. I quite love it! it’s only a few weeks away! so… just get your wheels spinning, Maggie is here with such a fun and DIFFERENT way to ‘deliver the goods’ (all those yummies) to those who have your heart! Ok… Maggie... take it away!
I’ll admit it…I’m not a super-huge fan of Valentine’s Day. Not because of any bad experiences…I’ve just never been all that “into” it. I don’t decorate my house for it, I don’t bake cute little heart-shaped brownies and cookies, I don’t send darling little love notes to my husband and kids. And, the truth be told, I’m the Mom that doesn’t buy my kids’ Valentine cards for her kids’ friends until the last possible moment (and yes, I said “buy” the cards…I don’t hand-make them).
This year, however, I decided I wanted to do something a little different (you have to keep ‘em guessing, right?). So I whipped up some really fun little paper cones for my kids and their teachers and a few of their friends…cute little paper cones that hold yummy yummy Valentine’s Day CANDY! Yay!
**A FULL LIST OF THE SPECIFIC PRODUCTS I USED, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL PHOTOS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG**
For each of the cones I started with a piece of Heidi’s paper and cut it to 8″x8″.
I wrapped the paper into a cone shape, hot-glued the bottom flap and stapled the top to keep the cone’s shape. I grabbed my wax paper (my absolute favorite), made another cone and slipped it into the first cone. I folded any excess wax paper over the top of my cone and hot glued it down.
I cut a variety of Digital Banner Delights out of a number of different papers and hot-glued them over the wax paper at the top of the cone.
On each of the cones I added a Vintage Chic Note with the name of the recipient, and then I just embellished those babies up…
I punched a hole on either side of the top of the cones and tied on a length of seam binding that can be used to hang the cone.
On a few of the cones I attached a fun little dangle to the bottom. To do this, I first threaded a length of monofilament cord through the cone (before I added the wax paper), I attached my little embellishment to the bottom of the cord and then hot-glued the top of the cord to the inside of the cone.
I had so much fun making these little cones…
…and I’m amazed by the possibilities with this project…
…I switched things up a bit on Owen’s cone and put the Banner Delight on upside-down…
…honestly, these can be made so easily for boys or girls, for any occasion, in any combination of colors. I dare say this may be the very first Valentine’s Day I’ve been excited about in years…
OK… Maggie is right! these are an ANYTHING GOES thing! any party, any day… any COLOR but FOR SURE—>>>all Heidi Swapp! I’d love to see what you come up with! be sure to share it on Facebook!!
hello again, and for the 3rd Christmas freebie… just take a look at all the amazing inspiration served up by MT member: Maggie Massey… k, she is a total crack up!
There was a time when I envisioned myself sitting at a gorgeous desk with a stack of handmade Christmas cards on one side and a stack of envelopes on the other, lovingly writing each and every card a personal message…a time when I envisioned my children sitting at my feet while I wrote, quietly putting together puzzles and giving each other words of praise and encouragement when one of them fit in a piece…a time when I envisioned the magic of the holidays filling our home until we were full to bursting with love and peace and faith. And then I actually HAD children and realized that, yeah…none of that other stuff was going to happen. ever. Of course, I still send out cards each year, but they are ordered online, and are usually just shoved into an envelope and addressed with a pre-printed sticker (anything to save a minute or two, right?). Not exactly the gorgeous handmade beauties of my dreams, right? So the past few years I have done something just a little different with my cards…I’ve made them Semi-Handmade. Sure, I still order the basic cards online. Sure, I still use pre-printed address labels (usually). But I’ve started adding just a little personal touch to my cards…a little something that makes them completely unique and memorable. This year Heidi made my job super-easy with her 12 Days of Digital Freebies. What a fantastic idea! All I had to do was print and cut out the graphics! Then I just played around with different ways to dress-up my basic cards! Woo hoo! Here is our Christmas card for this year…
And here are the ways that I used “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” freebie to make them extra special…
In this example, I simply printed out the graphic onto cardstock, cut it out and rounded the corners, and attached it to my card with baker’s twine. So simple! But really, doesn’t that little extra touch just make the cards stand out? It’s almost like a little gift that your card recipients get to open in order to see the card. Here’s another idea…
For this one, I printed the graphics out onto vellum, cut them to fit around the card…
and attached them in the back…again with baker’s twine.
If you’re not into changing the look of your card, you can also add a little something to your envelope to make your card one-of-a-kind…
I left the actual card alone in this example, and added the graphic to the back of the envelope (after I inked the edges and added little “ribbons” to the bottom). I love this look…wouldn’t that actually make a darling little gift-topper, too? Now what if you already make your own cards? (and, if you do, I salute you. and worship you. and want to know how you manage to get it all done). Do you buy your envelopes? Or do you make them? What if you suddenly run out of envelopes? Or you just want to change things up a bit? How about something like this?
Little paper bags are a fun, easy way to dress up your card at minimal cost! Here I just printed out Heidi’s freebie onto the bag, and sealed it with some baker’s twine and washi tape. This would be a great idea for cards you can hand to neighbors or teachers or friends…OR, simply seal the bag a little better, address it and send it in the mail! Now, if you are not a card-sender, you can still give your neighbors and friends something special…a “card” of sorts…
I used the paper bags again, but this time I used my photo-editing software to add our family name to the bottom…and then I filled the bags with yummy treats.
Now, when you give these away, you’ll be giving a gift AND a card in one! awesome…
So there you go…a few easy ways to make your cards (and even gifts!) using digital graphics. I hope you love them!
**For a wonderful tutorial on how to print onto paper bags, click here**
don’t you just love Maggie!? and i must say, my kids certainly don’t sit at my feet and play puzzles and speak kindly to each other either! i just LOVE her ideas of adding something special and unique to a regular photo card…and HOW CUTE are those paper bags! i just LOVE it! oh, and … pass me the cookies! this is what today’s freebie looks like…
Click here to download today’s freebie!
and this is what today’s installment looks like sitting pretty on the Memory Display Stand!
by now, hopefully you have had a chance to grab the FREE printable calendar from my site HERE… i thought that it would be fun to share a little inspiration to create your own SUPER unique and custom calendar… just take a look at how much fun you can have putting this all together! This project was created by Media Team member: Maggie Massey! and it’s fabulous!
i’ll be back next week to share more FUN tips for using my heididigi stuff + Silhouette! (if you don’t have one… put it on your wish list for sure!)
take it away Maggie:
maggie’s memory display stand calendar projects
I had the BEST time putting this calendar together for my Memory Stand! The entire calendar printable is customizable…so I decided to use just two of the papers. I opened up the files in Silhouette and added the names of the months. Then I printed and cut them, again using the Silhouette. I added all of the dates by hand because I was too anxious to get started, but you can add them in Photoshop or any other photo editing program if you prefer. I love that you can also add all of your important dates right on your computer, and then have the months printed out all set to go!
I wanted to add a page to my calendar before each month so that I can add important dates or events by hand…so I cut some pieces of Color Magic paper, colored them with Color Shine, topped them with some while cardstock and added a the name of the month…I used Heidi’s Months digital files for these…I cut them on my Silhouette and sprayed them with Color Shine.
For some months I added little postcards or notes before the month page. I also included a couple little envelopes so that important mementos can be kept together.
My fellow Media Team member, Jennifer Evans, makes calendars to give as Christmas gifts each year…I LOVE that idea. And with the Memory Stand and calendar printable, you can create individualized gifts easily and at very little expense…awesome.
Don’t you love those unique vintage elements, and all unexpected elements in Maggie’s Calendar! Sky’s the limit! thanks mags!
Happy monday… i am trying to swing back into action today as i have just returned from a SUPER-fabulous fun weekend teaching at a store in N. Calif (there is a northern Brentwood) called “Art Inspired Studios“. We had SO much fuN! i taught 3 classes all using my new memory files and COLOR SHINE! it was so exciting to see all the products hanging on the shelves! if you follow me on Instagram, you saw some of the fun! (follow me on instagram @hkswapp). but this is my favorite shot: the before and after!
everything was pretty much GONE and we sold every single bottle of Color Shine, and there was already a long pre-order list forming. the Color Shine really packs a punch! and it is just a delight to share and use on Color Magic! Sounds like the product is starting to arrive all over! so i hope you can find some and try it out! 
SO… did you make any “just because” cards… i loved seeing some on instagram! there is still time… if you didn’t get to it over the weekend, that printable will still be available as long as you need it!
calendar freebie
GUESS WHAT… today i am back with ANOTHER free gift for you! and this one is BIG! maybe you have seen my cute little Memory Display stand…? at the summer show, it was selected as on the of ‘hot’ new products. it’s so cute… it’s just a little acrylic self-standing frame with a binding mechanism attached to it, so you can hang ANYTHING on it! it’s a perfect gift item as well!!
SO… i kept thinking that it would make a perfect calendar stand, and I LOVE calendars… i used my NEW Vintage Chic designs and created 12 calendar blanks. these are totally flexible… and you can choose any design for any month!
ok, get this… i loved it so much that i just had to share it! in this FREE download, there are 12 different calendars on 6 pages. (2 per page) it’s in a PDF format, so all you have to do is download and PRINT! if you have photoshop skills… you can pull them in there and add fancy stuff to them… but i just printed them out and stamped and embellished and had fun with it! i added photos in between the month pages, and i think it will even be a good place to hang bday invites or reminders etc… it seriously turned out SO cute! They will print at approx 4×6…
my friends at My Craft Channel even filmed a quick little video of me showing you how this all works!! CHECK IT OUT!
This week, we have seen some totally amazing OVER THE TOP gorgeous projects about Gratitude! I really believe that GRATITUDE is a way of life. it’s the secret to happiness, and the solution to picking yourself up when you are down! It’s not a quick fix, or an easy-way-out… being grateful is sometimes no small task. I liked the ideas that were shared…
I love how Maggie used my gratitude kit to make a project of ‘random acts of kindness’… service and gratitude go hand in hand, and just make you feel good! and how fun is it to do one for how old you are!? Jamie used it to really document the everyday type memories, traditions and STUFF In her life that she feels grateful for- a more memory keeping approach. Lindsay created projects and gift items that you can give to someone to show your gratitude and appreciation!
It’s this kind of GIVING thanks that I wanted to talk about today as well. Everyone has SOMEONE in their life (and probably MULTIPLE someones) who really deserve to be thanked! Of course… the pleases and thank-yous roll off our lips, but what about when you feel that pang in your heart knowing that a simple ‘thank you’ is and never will be enough. More often than not, these people in our lives give us something that there is no way that we can possibly repay… I have a few of them who my life would just not be the same without them- whether it’s my kids teachers or coaches… church leaders or even the people behind the scenes in my work, to family members that willingly help and listen and support in 1000 ways. It is my belief that a hand crafted, beautiful card with a heart-felt message of appreciation somehow conveys all that thanks that can in no other way be conveyed.
Today… can I give you a challenge? A homework assignment? Can I issue a decree?? Write a list of 4 people who you appreciate with your whole heart, and add 1 person that you struggle with. Create 5 cards…and fill them with words of true appreciation and love. buy stamps and send them. Taking action, and GIVING thanks will change your day! it will lift you, and that says NOTHING for what it will do for the one on the other end of your card!
This is one such card that I created using one of my mini-memory file… and like I said, my Cameo certainly makes it easy to say thank you in an exceptionally beautiful way!
One little tip—I cut this word: #grateful from a piece of Color Magic paper (turned upside down). If you are using Color Magic paper in your Cameo, dial that baby up to 4 on the paper thickness and it cuts like a dream. Then you can color them with Color Shine (or any other color spray that you have handy). i just love that hashtag on the grateful!
i thought that in the spirit of saying thanks through GIVING, i made you a little freebie to play with, and make pretty stuff! Click HERE to get the “just because” freebie kit that includes one 8 1/2 x 11 printable card (see below) and that “just because” in a .png
I am sharing this little FREEBIE printable to promote the spreading of the LOVE!… it says “just because”… all you have to do it print it out on a piece of white cardstock…
trim around the 2 grey chevron rectangles and fold in ½.
Cut out the white circle… (i used my fiskars circle cutter, or use an exacto)
Cut around the pink circle and adhere it inside the card so its’ visible through the window…
maybe add a bit of ribbon or a cute flower, or even some bling!? the new TINSEL COLOR SHINE happens to match the card almost exactly! i also added a butterfly punch and some sequins!
if you are lucky enough to own a Silhouette… be sure to try my tutorial trick (reposted yesterday) on how to convert a .png file to a cutting file in literally 2 seconds!
i cut out 5 sets, and added a different Color Shine to each: Tropicana Teal, Amethyst, Georgia Peach, Sweet Cherry, Mustard
i then added some Tinsel to (confession alert) my favorite Color Magic design: the Diagonal Stripes… i misted the ribbons to match the Just because, and it didn’t take long to create seriously fabulous cards!
Here is the MOST IMPORTANT PART: SEND IT!!
