Friends are Therapists... Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop! - Blog Candy!

It's back and it's so fun!! The Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop is here and it's AWESOME! You've got to check out all the great projects (click on the graphic) and hey - if you have time, play along! You'll be glad you did!

My first project is actually a tea project but you could easily put a k-cup or small packet of coffee inside instead of the tea (or cocoa or more) so it's versatile. You could even put in a little bottle of kahlua and a k-cup or cocoa...just sayin' *wink*

I decided to put in a Little Debbie Caramel Bar and a Bigelow Vanilla Caramel tea packet. Trust me - this is a fabulous combination! In fact, I want to share one or two of these. So, leave a comment and I'll draw for some recipients.

If you want to make some, here are the pieces and parts used to create the project! enjoy! 

Shop online: www.amusestudio.com/seleise

Have a wonderfully creative day! 

Pocket Card Tutorial - Happy Valentine! Fuse Tool!

What happens when you use the fuse tool on a 4X4 mini album pocket page? Fabulosity!!

The three "layers" of the pocket card were stamped and glued first. The bottom layer is the happy die cut and the small heart die from the heart die trio. They're glued to a piece of cherry cardstock. The quickie glue pen is PERFECT for this step.

The top layer is using the stamp set Punny Valentine on vellum cardstock. I love the variation with the black card base, the cherry and the vellum.

The middle layer is clear sequins and more mini hearts cut with the heart die trio. I have three sets of those heart dies because there are many, many times I want to cut multiple hearts and they're so economical, it was easy to add the three sets to my collection of dies.

The cardstock width is 3-1/2" so that even with the seals, it will fit on a standard A2 card.

Once I had all the pieces and parts for my pockets, I went to my fuse tool. The fuse tool needs at least 15 minutes to heat up. You want it to be good and hot and ready to go when you start making your pockets.

"How do you make the pockets?," you say. "I'm so glad you asked! Let me show you!"

1. Prepare your items for your pocket. And, place the pocket that you're ready to seal on a stack of paper (if you have grid paper you'll help yourself out tremendously!) and a hard surface. Do not use your silicone cutting mat or any plastic surface as you'll change it forever...don't ask me how I know *headsmack* LOL! and sigh! ;)

Line up the filled pocket on the grid lines. (this pocket has some of our patterned paper and some of the Valentine heart sequins).

 2. Use the fuse tool ruler and line up the opening over the grid line where you're going to make your seal.

3. Place your heated fuse tool over the pocket and pull towards you to seal shut. You'll want to experiment with different thicknesses to know how slowly to pull your tool to seal the pocket. And, it has to be really warmed up to work effectively.

There are some really great YouTube videos on using the fuse tool if you want more guidance or more ideas on using the tool.

Here's the inside. Super simple and you can see the teeny staples that are holding the pocket to the card.

Here's a side view of the pocket. After I fused the pockets, I added a little bit of the cherry cotton ribbon from the January collection and used the tiny attacher (another awesome tool!) to adhere it to the card. Doesn't the pocket look great on the washi strip! (tuxedo collection)

So, what do you think? Definitely add the fuse tool to your collection of stamping and scrapping tools. You'll have so much fun creating and making pockets as it has a heated slit tool as well to add pockets where they weren't before!

All of these supplies are available in my webstore: www.amusestudio.com/seleise

And, if you use the code JANUARY10 before the end of the month, you'll get 10% off of your order!! Woo hoo!!

Have a wonderfully creative day!!

Baseball/Softball Treat Bag

It's baseball and softball season! What better way to celebrate than some little treat bags for your favorite players or for your favorite baseball lovin' moms and dads. Or, are you in charge of team treats - stamp these up, put a mini hersheys bar or two in the bag and staple the tag to the bag to close it up. Glue on the baseballs and DONE in minutes! Quick and simple and super cute!!

The background is four of the team player stamps put on one block and stamped at an angle with seattle ink on cherry petite pinstripe cardstock. Then Love this Life from Best Day Ever was stamped in slate over top. The baseball is from Play Ball and a little cranberry glitter was added for the stitching. Got to love the quickie glue pen for putting glitter just where you want it!

Treat bags are awesome! This one is the small diagonal stripe bag in cherry! It's 2-3/4" X 4". These bags come in polka dots and kraft too. And, we carry medium sized bags as well that are 5X7. Great for treats and for gift giving.

Have a wonderfully creative day!
www.amusestudio.com/seleise

Bird Seed Treat Bag

A great little Mother's Day treat to go along with a new bird feeder. The top of the little kraft sack is folded over a couple of times after bird seed is added. Use the crop-a-dile to poke a couple of holes and thread some vanilla twine through. The corner is 1/4 of the 4-1/2" doily, a little washi and a cute bird from You're Too Kind (retiring set so it's on sale through the end of the month!) stamped on bermuda.

I had great intentions to schedule posts while I was away at NatCon but that didn't happen and then was having too much fun to post then. There are some great things coming in the new catalog. More on that soon.

Have a wonderfully creative day!
www.amusestudio.com/seleise