Authentique Paper: Beautifying Simple Gifts

For the past few Mother's Days, I've made things for my lovely mother and mother-in-law. This year has been a little busier than most, and I think I'm going to take a breather and choose a slightly easier path... Gift cards! There is only one problem, gift card envelopes are kind of ugly. So I found a few PDF's and SVG cuts for the following cards.

These three were the easiest things to make! I simply followed this tutorial (and PDF) to create them. They were so easy! I actually preferred these to the ones that I cut with my electronic die cut machine. It was really nice to be able to use scissors and achieve something so pretty!

Here is an open card with a card in it so that you can see what the finished product looks like.

 

This cute little box which is the perfect size for a gift card was created using this template. It's really nice that there is an option for both a PDF and a SVG version. I cut this, then just messed with a generic heart shape to layer on the top of the closure. It's not perfect, but it's really cute.

This was just a super simple folded paper that I used my X-Acto to cut little holder marks to hold the card. I simply used a gift card holder that I had been given as my template.

A few things I figured out while making these:

• If you want to use the PDF template, you can use a light holding adhesive to temporarily attach the tracing sections to the paper so that it stays still (Authentique paper is great for this, as it's so thick!) I used my ATG, then my hand to "unstickify" the glue a little bit.
• It is really easy to wrap neat ribbons around a simple gift card holder to make it more special. 
• I found that if my ribbon was wrinkled, my flat iron worked really well to smooth it out. I used the lowest setting possible.

I hope that you have fun making even the simplest of gifts just a little more special! Happy Mother's Day!

Authentique Paper Products: "Gathering": Tabloids, Icons, Foundations, Bloom, Harmony, Flourish, Grow, Reminisce, Classic Type, Petite Type
May Arts Products: All ribbon products by May Arts
Other Supplies: Colorbox Chalk Ink, dimensional adhesive, Basic Grey buttons and brads

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Come Play with Authentique's Sketch Challenge!

It has been SOOO long since I posted. Part of my New Year's resolution is to craft more often, and actually get posting again. I think the dark, dark weather has been getting me down... Along with a nasty bout of illness. Colds and flu begone!
I'm back to crafting. I ended up creating 24 layouts for my parents and in-laws yearly photo calendars. I know! Seriously!! I probably should snap photos of each page and post them, as to not let any of my readers think that I wasn't crafting the past few weeks away. Although since I wasn't making anything for myself, I kind of feel that I wasn't really making much at all, so maybe the photos will prove to me that I was working hard. Anyway, I digress...

Here are January's Authentique sketches! I loved the card version, as it made for a super cute card that I am sending to CHA for Authentique's booth. Both images use my favorite Authentique line: Gathering.

  I really hope that you play along. Look for some projects using Authentique's new lines soon!!! Pin It

AUTHENTIQUE PAPER: A Gathering Mini Album

From the Authentique Blog...

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Hello Authentique Fans, Heather here! I have a great little mini book for you today. I love mini's! They make the best little presents, especially for family that we don't get to see on a more regular basis. Plus, you can use up all those doubles of photos that you normally don't scrap with.

Instead of going with a Christmas theme, I decided to use my Gathering Collection. The 6x6 pad made the perfect backgrounds for the mini pages, as all of the great Authentique patterns are miniscule. 

I love how I was able to mix and match all the great pieces from the Gathering Collection to create this: various papers, Diction, Noteables, Icons, Tabloids, Petite Type (Orange & Aqua), Classic Type and Expressions.

The quotes in the Tabloids and Noteables make perfect mini-titles.

And I love how all the colors are just great for photos!

I even added some ribbon to help finalize the look.

Here are a few closeups. The quotes are just precious for family photos.

I already know who is getting this mini, but I'm inspired to possibly make a few more over the weekend! I hope that you have fun with your Authentique this weekend too!!

Supplies Used: 

Authentique Gathering Collection: 6x6 Paper Bundle, Icons, Tabloids, Noteables, Expressions, Petite Type (Orange & Aqua), Classic Type

Additional Supplies: AC This to That, May Arts ribbon (blue), floral ribbon (coral), Bind-it-All system and binding

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Having fun with Authentique's newer and older lines

I'm not ready yet to post all the fun that I had in Salt Lake City. Just not enough time. I will work on it this weekend, I promise!!

Instead, I have a few fun cards to share using Authentique, and a lovely layout using Authentique's new line, Gathering! I'm not scheduled for a blog post, but I thought I'd like to share...

These two cards are using the Journey collection. I thought they just made some really cute cards. I just used a base of a paper, and flipped it to use both patterns, added a gray cardstock base, then piled on Tabloids, Icons and Excerpts. I love the diecuts. Then a silver ribbon and Stickles to finish it off.

The Stickles are fun, even though I'm impatient and don't want to wait for them to dry.

I really liked this chevron paper. I originally made this card for a challenge that involved chevrons... But never look at the due date, so it was late. Who cares though, I got a really cute card out of my mistake. This uses the same recipe as the first card. Just different papers, and all of the diecuts. No Stickles however.

Somehow I got the bow just right. I love when the bows turn out!

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For my layout, I used Authentique's new line, Gathering. I was packing for my trip to SLC when Authentique sent this my way, and so wasn't able to play with it before I left... However, I was able to actually play with it at the Scrapbooksteal's crop!! Melodee from Authentique was there, with Samantha!! And showed us how to do a really cute paper bag mini album (more to come on this over the weekend!!) When I got home, I was in love with the line, and determined to do something with the poppies and damask. I do love damask!!

It may be a little hard to see, but the little monkey is eating olives. She would eat a can if I would let her. And I don't. Grandparents however (which is where we were)... Another story!

I loved stacking all of the small diecuts. And I don't normally like the circle alpha stickers (too hard to make straight), but these ones are really pretty. And I love the orange color.

I even stitched a few of the edges!! Thanks to Kristy, who told me to use orange, and my stash of Twinery twine in Mandarin. It was the perfect color, I just removed the white threads.

And, I fussy cut the poppy, and pop-dotted it to show some more interest. The things I do now because of the crop... Fussy cut and stitch!!!

If you get a chance to see Gathering, it really is lovely. Perfect for Fall photos!! Pin It