Papertrey Ink December Blog Hop-Holiday Leftovers

The challenge for this month's Papertrey Ink blog hop is to use your leftover holiday items as part of a paper crafting project. Since I don't celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah was over several weeks ago, I really didn't have the typical holiday leftovers like wrapping paper, ribbon, gift tags and such readily available, so I improvised. I used a corrugated cardboard insert that came in a package I got in the mail recently. It wasn't exactly a holiday leftover, but it was a leftover, so it will have to do.

Since I've been doing a lot of holiday and wintery cards, I went in a totally different direction for a change. For this card, I used the cardboard to create a wood-like ruler using the ruler image from It's Official stamped in black ink. I built the card around the ruler image. A fancy edged panel, cut from Dark Chocolate cardstock using one of the pieces from the Banner Borders die, is at the bottom of the ruler.

For the sentiment, I stuck with the school tools theme and stamped the notebook paper strip from It's Official a few times in Hawaiian Shores ink on a white panel cut with the Spiral Notebook Page die. One of the teacher sentiments from the Teacher's Apple set is stamped on my faux notebook paper in red ink. I used one of the star dies to cut a Harvest Gold felt star and added that to the end of the ruler. A red button, tied with some baker's twine, dresses it up a bit. Everything's arranged on a panel of red Distressed Dots paper with a stitched edge. The panel is attached to a kraft card base.

Materials Used:
It's Official and Teacher's Apple stamp sets, Hawaiian Shores and Pure Poppy ink, Dark Chocolate, Kraft, and White cardstock, Distressed Dots patterned paper, Banner Borders, Spiral Notebook Page, and Seeing Stars Collection dies, Harvest Gold felt, Pure Poppy button, Pure Poppy baker's twine (Papertrey Ink); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); sewing machine; cardboard

And, after I finished the card, I decided to see if I could cut the cardboard with one of PTI's dies. I found that it worked, so I went ahead and made a quick birthday tag featuring one of PTI's new releases.

I cut the Tag Sale 1 die from the cardboard for the tag's base. To dress it up, I attached several paper panels, including a little piece of pink Happy Spots paper, a strip cut with the Banner Borders die, and one cut with the Double-Ended Banner die. I let the notched end of the banner die strip extend a little beyond the edge of the tag to add some interest.

I stamped one of the presents and ribbons from the new Make a Wish Additions set in coordinating colors and set that on the tag. The ribbon/bow combo's dressed up with a big clear crystal. The "HB2U" sentiment from Birthday Bash Sentiments is stamped next to the gift. I added a button, tied with some pink baker's twine next to the gift to finish off the tag. So cute and really easy to make! It'll look great on a kraft gift bag.

Materials Used:
Make a Wish Additions and Birthday Bash Sentiments stamp sets, Sweet Blush and Dark Chocolate inks, Sweet Blush, Dark Chocolate, and White cardstock, Happy Spots patterned paper, Tag Sale 1, Banner Borders, Double-Ended Banners, and Make a Wish Collection dies, Dark Chocolate button (Papertrey Ink); pink baker's twine (Divine Twine); clear crystal (Imaginisce); foam tape