That's Life: gift wrap

Showing posts with label gift wrap. Show all posts

Monday, 8 December 2025

Underneath The Tree...

Happy Monday everyone...

Can you believe that we're so near to Christmas and the holidays? Where has this year gone?

Well, as we approach the final countdown to the big day, we have a brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and this week our theme is called WRAP IT UP! However you interpret this challenge theme, we would love for you to join us and play along and we can't wait to see what you will create.

For my make, I chose to make a gift wrap set, including the wrapping paper, tags and a present topper and I'm excited to share the details of how I made these pieces...

So, let's get started...it's time to wrap it up!

To begin with I chose to use the Stampers Anonymous Holiday Sketch stamp set by Tim Holtz with the coordinating die set from Simon Says Stamp for my tags and the beautiful Snowflake Rosette from Tim that is currently free from SSS, with every purchase of $30 or more of branded products from Tim. These are the main focal points to accompany the gift wrap...

GIFT WRAP

For the gift wrapping paper, I bought a roll of plain kraft paper from a local store and using a section of the gift wrap, I began by stamping my snowflake design using SSS white ink.

I used two Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz stamps, the snowflakes are from the Mr Frostie stamp set and the postmark, stamped with Barn Door Archival Ink is from the Holiday Postmarks stamp set.

I stamped the pattern to cover the entire piece of kraft paper, adding the postmarks in between the snowflakes, before adding some white paint splatters

To complete the wrap, I added some snow, using the stamp from The Poinsettia, which I once again inked with white ink before adding it to my kraft wrap.

Once I'd wrapped the present using the gift wrap, I cut a strip of seam binding ribbon, which I coloured with Speckled Egg and Rustic Wilderness Distress Spray Stain. I applied the stain directly to the ribbon, added a spritz of water to blend the colours and then heat dried the ribbon until thoroughly dry.

After tying the ribbon around my present and finishing with a double bow, I added two Holiday Bells to the centre.

We now have the present wrapped, ready for the tags...

TAGS

Using the Tim Holtz Framed Tag die that I have in my stash, I cut three of the middle sized tags from heavyweight kraft card and then inked the "snow" stamp from The Poinsettia stamp set, and stamped this in white, at the top of the tag. I completed the tag by adding a machine stitched border around the outside.

Using the Holiday Sketchbook stamps, I stamped the individual images onto watercolour cardstock, and then watercolored them with Distress Watercolour Pencils before die cutting all three images with the coordinating dies.

After cutting three separate panels of kraft card, which I will be layering onto the tags, I stamped the same images again onto these pieces and repeated the snow across the top of the panel and add a strip of Christmas Design Tape across the bottom.

After I'd machine stitched a border around the outside, I mounted the coloured die cut images onto the tags with foam pads.

On each of the tags, I stamped a sentiment in clear embossing ink and then embossed with white embossing powder. The sentiments are stamped using the Stampers Anonymous Cartoons stamp set by Tim Holtz.

Matt the layer onto a piece of red Kraft cardstock and then mount the completed panel onto the tag, using foam pads. Repeat with the other two images to create the remaining tags...

For a little extra sparkle and texture, I drizzled the top of the mounted panel with some Glossy Accents before sprinkling Snowflakes over the medium. Tap away the excess and leave to dry.

Add some Stickles Glitter to each of the stamped snowdrops around the image to complete the panel.

SNOWFLAKE ROSETTES

Finally, I made a present topper using the Snowflake Rosette die that is currently a FREE GIFT when you spend $30 or more on Tim Holtz branded products.

This die has always been one of my favourites for the holidays and I thought it would make a perfect present topper.

I cut three strips of the snowflake and then attached them to one another to form one long strip, which I then folded along the scorelines before assembling my snowflake rosette.

I added an idea-ology Vintage Flair Christmas adornment to the centre, which I have in my stash but you can use anything you choose as the centre embellishment.

I then cut a second rosette from some more of the Christmas Backdrop paper, using the Vault Rosette die and once this was assembled, I layered the two rosettes on top of one another before adding some Chunky Rock Candy Glitter to the snowflake.

I completed the present topper, which can then be used as an ornament for your tree, with a loop of ribbon.

So, that completes my makes and I think we can say ~ IT'S A WRAP on this week's challenge theme and I hope you love what I've created.

As always, if you make anything, or if you've been inspired by anything that you've seen here on my blog ~ then please, let me know by tagging me on social media or leaving a comment here and I will be right over to take a look!

Don't forget that every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $25 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp and you can join in up to 5 times, which means you could have 5 chances to win. You have until next Monday at 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in and good luck....

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by today...

Love Emma xxx

Recipe for project:

Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous: Mr Frostie, The Poinsettia, Cartoons, Holiday Sketchbook stamp and die bundle, Holiday Postmarks

Sizzix: Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, Framed Tags from my stash, Vault Rosette, Snowflake Rosette Free Gift

Distress Spray Stains: Rustic Wilderness, Speckled Egg

Tim Holtz Idea-ology: Holiday Bells, Christmas Design Tape from my stash, Christmas Backdrops

Mediums: Foam Pads, Clear Embossing Ink, Mica Flakes, White Embossing Powder, White Ink Pad, Chunky Rock Candy, Barn Door Archival Ink

Seam Binding Ribbon

Surfaces: Mixed Media Heavystock Card, Metallic Kraft Stash, Black Card

Glass Media Mat

Splatter Brush

Heat Gun

Twine

****These are not affiliate links****

Monday, 12 February 2024

I Will Always Love You...

Hello everyone...

Hope you're all having a great start to the week and had a good weekend! If you watched Tim's LIVE Watercolor Extravaganza over on his YouTube channel, then I hope it's inspired you to create some projects using these amazing pencils which are available to purchase from Simon Says Stamp.

As always, a Monday brings a brand new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and this week, our theme is called TIE IT UP and we would love to see how you use ribbon, twine and all things that tie in your projects ~ so, hope you'll come and join us and play along!

Now you can't help but notice that this week, love is in the air and with Valentine's Day on Wednesday, it gave me the opportunity to make one last make from the heart and I chose to create some hand stamped gift wrap, using the Stampers Anonymous Love Notes Stamp Set from Tim Holtz, and these are all tied up with ribbon and twine, and come complete with little love notes.

So here we go...love is in the air and it's time for me to share how I created these projects.

For this project, I used a roll of kraft gift wrap that I had in my stash and combined this with the miniature envelopes, that I cut from Kraft Cardstock using the envelope thinlits die in the Sizzix Postale Thinlits Die Set by Tim Holtz.

GIFT WRAP

We'll start with the gift wrap and as mentioned, I used some kraft gift wrap that I had in my stash. I cut a piece from the roll and placed it on my glass mat before inking up the hearts in the Love Notes Stamp set with Barn Door Archival Ink.

I wanted this deep red on my paper but will admit, when I initially stamped the images onto the kraft paper, they were slightly brighter but as they dried, they became a bit darker...so, if you want your paper to be brighter, then test the ink on a spare piece before stamping the whole sheet.

I used a combination of three different hearts, all different sizes and just randomly stamped a pattern.

Once I was happy, I then stamped the 'xoxoxo.' sentiment in the spaces in between. For this I actually used Picket Fence Distress Paint, applied to the mat. I then brayed the paint to provide a thin layer and dipped my stamp in and out to give a complete coverage before stamping directly onto the paper. I kept repeating this process until I had filled in the tiny spaces between the hearts and had the design I was happy with.

The gift wrap is ready and my presents are all wrapped up, ready for their bows and ties....

BUNNIES

...but before I get to each present. I made my little bunnies.

Both bunnies are created the same, just the addition of the glasses and the bow.

I began by cutting all the pieces for each bunny using the Vault Bunny + Chick Thinlits Die Set, and with all my die cut pieces placed on my glass mat in front of me, I inked each individual piece using the following Distress Inks and the brand new, dinky little tiny blending tools, which are perfect for this job:

Frayed Burlap, Gathered Twigs, Spun Sugar, Kitsch Flamingo

After inking the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink, I layered the pieces to create the bunnies. I finished each bunny by die cutting the eyes, nose and mouth from black card and then added tiny whiskers with a black pen.

On the Mr Bunny, I added a pair of glasses, again die cut using the die that is in the Bunny + Chick Die Set...

....and on Mrs Bunny, I added the bow which was cut from a leftover scrap that I had in my scrap box.

After attaching each of these accessories, I'm ready to begin to add the ribbons/rope twine and make the love notes to add to each gift.

GIFT and LOVE NOTE 1 ~ MRS BUNNY

For the first present, I tied this with some beautiful ribbon from Prima. I chose the off white and wrapped it around the present, creating a big bow.

I then placed two vintage pins into the knot. These are from my stash, and have a very special place in my heart as they're from my Nan's sewing box.

The gift is now ready for it's love note, die cut from kraft heavystock card, using the Postale Thinlits Die Set.

After folding along the scorelines, I used red line tape to attach the flaps, leaving the top flap open for the secret note.

On the front of the envelope, I cut a second panel using the rectangular die in the same Postale die set, and cut this from Watercolor Distress Card.

I then spritzed Antique Linen over the card, wiping away the excess ~ I just want to knock back the whiteness of the cardstock.

Using the dot background stamp from the SA Dot and Floral Stamp Set by Tim, I inked this with Barn Door Archival Ink and stamped the background over the die cut panel.

I then stamped my sentiment in Black Soot Archival Ink, using the sentiments stamps in the Love Notes Stamp set ~ "something tell me I'm going to love you forever".

To complete the panel, I machine stitched a border around the edge and attached this to the front of the envelope before placing Mrs Bunny onto the right of the sentiment.

I added a medium sized die cut red heart in her paw and then the only difference on this envelope is the swoosh. This is die cut using one of the dies from the Postale Thinlits Die Set and cut from the same red card as the hearts.

To complete the envelope, I added a matching dotty stamped panel to the flap. Below is the panel attached to Mr Bunny's envelope.

GIFT and LOVE NOTE 2 ~ MR BUNNY

I tied rope twine around the second present, and once again stuck some vintage pins into the knot but this time, I hung a heart adornment from the pin.

The pin itself is painted with Lumberjack Plaid paint to accentuate the heart and I then dry brushed a little Black Soot over the top before applying gilding wax from my stash.

The Love Note is created in exactly the same way as the previous note but this time I stamped the sentiment from the Love Notes stamp set, stamping it on the left hand side. This sentiment says, "a list of reason why I love you. 1. You are you". I am a huge fan of Tim's sentiment stamps and he always knows exactly the best quotes to use and this really was perfect.

After attaching Mr Bunny to the envelope, placing him on the left hand side, I placed a medium sized heart in his paw and then also added a smaller red heart just above the sentiment.

All of the die cut hearts are die cut from Mixed Media Heavystock card coloured with Lumberjack Plaid and Barn Door distress spray stains, and cut using the hearts from the LoveBirds die set.

We're nearly there but there's one last thing to share...the secret note!

SECRET NOTE

This final piece is to pop into the envelope and is created using the same die as I used on the fronts and I stamped it with the same stamp.

I then stamped the sentiment, again from the Love Notes stamp set and added another swoosh and a tiny heart.

Finally, I punched a hole through the top left corner and added an eyelet before threading some twine through the hole.

...and that completes my project, made with love!

I hope you enjoyed the creative process for these makes and it might inspire you to create some handmade Valentine gift wrap and love notes for the loves of your life, or maybe for a friend or family member.