Clear and Simple Stamps

Day 19 | Pan-app-ramic Party Favor

CSS DAILY DESIGNS: 25 Days of Inspiration

It’s been three years since the Clear and Simple Stamps Daily app first made an appearance on the crafting scene. Each day the app features a brand new project complete with instructions and photos. You can save to your favorites for quick reference, and search through previous months for even more inspiration.

In celebration of the CSS Daily App, we have 25 Days of inspiration. That’s right we are bringing the App to the blog! Each day the design team will feature fun projects and for an added bonus we will have a coordinating project on the app – it’s a great way to see even more fab inspiration using your Clear and Simple Stamps.

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Pan-app-ramic Party Favor

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Today’s project is brought to you by designer Jennifer Rzasa:

“My project today is inspired by Boston! I made this fun gift box by printing a photo I took overlooking the Charles River onto Blanc Check cardstock. From there, it was easy to line up the box lid from the Party Favor 2 die and run it through my machine. The small rhinestone perfectly accents the nighttime scene! My app project today is a card inspired by my favorite city, and features my interpretation of an iconic Boston landmark – be sure to check it out.”

Visit with designer Jennifer Rzasa to learn more about her Boston inspired project and a sneak peek at her bonus CSS Daily App project.

Be sure to check out the bonus project on the CSS Daily App!

Day 18 | Whole Lot of H-app-y

CSS DAILY DESIGNS: 25 Days of Inspiration

It’s been three years since the Clear and Simple Stamps Daily app first made an appearance on the crafting scene. Each day the app features a brand new project complete with instructions and photos. You can save to your favorites for quick reference, and search through previous months for even more inspiration.

In celebration of the CSS Daily App, we have 25 Days of inspiration. That’s right we are bringing the App to the blog! Each day the design team will feature fun projects and for an added bonus we will have a coordinating project on the app – it’s a great way to see even more fab inspiration using your Clear and Simple Stamps.

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Whole Lot of H-app-y

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Today’s project is brought to you by designer Kim Duran:

“Receiving a handmade card is a gift in itself. What better way to decorate your card than with a coordinating envelope. Here I’ve used the A2 Envelope Liner die to create a matching card and A2 Envelope. With the liner dies, there are so many possibilities for sending a unique gift.”

Visit with designer Kim Duran for a closer look at her tweet stationery set…

Boxes, Bags & Bows

We LOVE packaging! All is good in the world when one is handed a special treat wrapped in an adorable gift box, dressed up in a swanky favor bag, or presented with a pretty bow.  This week’s group project features cute and creative packaging. Join the design team, as we share projects showcasing {Boxes, Bags, & Bows}.  We’ve included a full list of participating CSS designers:

Today we get to mix our love of sweets with our love for papercrafting while creating fondant cupcake toppers with the new Bow Trio: Mini dies. That’s right dies are not just for paper. With a few quick and easy steps you can turn your CSS dies into tasty and decorative treats.

We started off by rolling out our fondant onto a cutting board. In order to keep the fondant from sticking, we sprinkled the board with a bit of powdered sugar. Once we reached our desired thickness (about 1/8″) we laid our die cut side down and rolled it into the fondant. Next we trimmed around the outside of the die with a sharp knife, and then peeled away the perfect cut to create our sweet little bow. You assemble the bow as you would if it were cut from paper.

Once the bows were created, we gave them a nice gold shimmer with a bit of Cake Graffiti by Duff of Charm City Cakes. As a Maryland based company and avid Food Network’s “Ace of Cakes” watchers, we were super excited to see that Duff has started his own line of products. A quick spray of gold food coloring and our fondant bow toppers are ready for packaging.

When the idea to create fondant bows came to mind, we immediately thought of wedding favors. You can easily adapt the colors and favor flag message to suit any event: birthday, holiday, baby shower, etc. It’s another great way to perfectly coordinate your favors to match any theme.

The Cupcake Wrappers and Toppers were both cut from Pearl White Metallic cardstock. The sentiment banner was a hybrid cut using the Tags 2 die to create the hole and the Favor Flags die to complete the banner. You can see previous projects {here} and {here} for “how-to” instructions.

The cupcakes were placed in a 3″ Clear Flat Bottom Bag, closed with the Toppers wrapped in 24 Karat Gold Cord. The sentiment is from the new Cake Domes stamp set.

*NOTICE: since CSS dies are made from metal and paint with a coating, we suggest that you die cut parchment paper to serve as a food safe layer between your die and the fondant.

We’d love to see your CSS die cut fondant treats! Be sure to scroll below for design team links to even more fun with Boxes, Bags and Bows…

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Simply Crafty | Packaging Collection

Style Watch {Simply Crafty}

Today, I’m continuing the {Simply Crafty} Style Watch series with a closer look at packaging. I have a serious weak spot for gift packaging. It’s bordering on a clinical diagnosis of CGPOS (Chronic Gift Packaging Obsession Syndrome). There’s no cure, but there is Clear & Simple Stamps and they’ve got everything to feed my love of packaging…

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There are more than twenty CSS products that allow you to customize your own packaging…and that’s not counting all the ribbon, twine and stamps that you can use to customize the look.

I pulled together a fun style board with a few of my CSS favs to start crafting for this week’s fun Style Watch edition. I’ve shared the Clear and Simple Stamps colors for you, in case you’d like to use the style board to jump start your crafty week ahead.

In addition to sharing my love of packaging with you, there are two brand {new} products from Clear and Simple Stamps (available today) that you are going to LOVE!

Introducing the Bow Trio series. This series includes two sets of die cuts: a large set of three bow dies {Bow Trio: Large}, and a miniature set of three bow dies {Bow Trio: Mini}…so that is three styles of bow dies – (A) standard bow tie, (B) dainty bow, and (C) a fancy tail, that come available in two sizes: Mini and Large.

What’s even better than having so many options, is that you only need to make one cut! That’s right, no little pieces to keep track of while crafting. One simple cut creates a perfectly fab bow each and every time. Clear and Simple Stamps signature bow design is one you will want to add to your stash.

• Bow Trio: Large $35
• Includes (3) bow dies
• One fluid cut, easy to assemble

• Bow Trio: Mini $16
• Includes (3) bow dies
• One fluid cut, easy to assemble

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Can you spot the new Bow Trio dies in action?

Join me over at Damask Love for a close up look at tons of ideas for decorating your own treat boxes and bags. See you there…

Keeping it Crafty,
Amber KG

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Visit the Style Watch this month for each edition of the Simply Crafty series.

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Party Favor Packaging

Style Watch {Package Makes Pretty}

Did you see the newest lineup of favor boxes? Cute packaging is my favorite and it’s even more fun when you can fill it with something handmade! Today, I’m using the new Party Favor 7 die to create a simple pencil box filled with sparkly pencils that I created myself!…

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This rectangular favor box is perfectly shaped for a variety of treats, including straws like the ones used in an awesome project earlier this week {here}. When I saw this favor box, I knew I wanted to dress up some pencils to put inside!

Until later Loverlies,
Amber KG

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Visit me at Damask Love for more photos and tips on how to make this project yourself using your Clear and Simple Stamps!

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Visit the Style Watch this month for more “Package Makes Pretty” Projects

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Get to Know CSS: Fab 5

GET TO KNOW CSS {Fab 5}

Ever wonder about the behind-the-scenes aspect of a papercrafting business?  Have a question or two about a project that you have seen and want more details? Thinking about ways to get published or join a design team? Want to see what CSS crafty spaces look like? These are just a few of the questions we receive quite regularly via email or facebook, so we decided to sit down with the owners for an awesome Q&A session packed with projects and insider info. Over the next two weeks, we’ll be answering a couple more of your most popular questions as we continue with this fun “Get to Know CSS” series here on the blog…

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Get to Know CSS: Fab 5

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Q: “What is the most popular

CSS product at the moment?”

{submitted by Audrey}

NICKI: Thanks Audrey – what a great question! In fact I love it when we get asked this question, because it really speaks to the diversity and uniqueness of the products we offer.  There truly is equity across all of our CSS products. And what I mean by that is, we do not have one specific “popular” product, instead we have (5) series that customers tend to really enjoy – we call them our Fab 5!

1. Backgrounds
2. Shape Combo Sets
3. Rag Dolls
4. Builder Dies
5. Party Favors

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The Fab 5

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Each product series has several options to choose from.  We strongly believe in offering variety! Since it is the holidays, we created an assortment of fun gift wrapping options using supplies from the Fab 5…

{BACKGROUNDS}

We love to create backgrounds that offer the ability to repeat – both left to right, and top to bottom. This feature is one that makes our images unique.  We put a lot of thought into how you can get the most use from each set.

Here we used the set Squares Plus. It’s a geometric background set that offers several background bars and single image filler squares so that you can create your own custom backgrounds as well. We used the small square bar to create a custom background on our gift wrap.

• Start by measuring the size gift wrap you will need, and cut from the roll of wrapping paper.
• Next we simply inked the background in Kraft Like a Rockstar Green ink and repeated the image to cover the entire sheet of Kraft Like a Rockstar Green gift wrap to create a seamless background.
• We wrapped our gift, tied with ribbon into a bow, and hung a gift tag.

{SHAPE COMBO SETS}

We get asked quite a bit about the combo sets. Customers really love that the sets come with coordinating dies. This way you can create projects with stamps and dies that match right out of the box. Whenever you see “Combo” in the description, rest assured matching dies are included!

We love to have fun with shapes. Here a square is more than just a square – it’s a fun little tribute to jolly old St. Nick.

• We recreated his signature red suit by cutting a 3.25″ x 6.5″ panel of Dare to be a Diva Red cardstock, scoring at 3.25″, then die cutting with a 3″ square from the Shapes: Squares dies positioned slightly above the fold. This way when you die cut, the die will not cut the fold and you will have a die cut card base.
• We used a strip of A Blanc Check cardstock to serve as his white belt.
• And double cut a panel of Perfect Little Black Dress cardstock for his black buckle. A thin center strip was added to the hollow square to guide the center belt strip.

A fun treat bag of coal (mint truffle Hershey kisses) was added to create a sweet gift that is perfect for a co-worker during the holidays. We stamped directly onto the bag using the Alpha Duo set to spell out the word “coal” and Trinket Sentiments for the “secret santa” sentiment. The drawstring was replaced with Perfect Little Black Dress ribbon.

{RAG DOLLS}

As little kids we loved playing with Rag Dolls. These were handmade dolls made from swatches of fabric in our grandmother’s sewing room. So when illustrator Steph Zerbe captured those adorable stitched lines that are synonymous with true Rag Dolls, we instantly fell in love.

We mentioned earlier that our “combo” sets come with coordinating dies. As a fun feature for the Rag Doll series, we also have “combo” sets available that include a coordinating die for specific Rag Doll sets.

Here we used Rag Doll Mia: Banner.  This is a combo set, and by having the dies we were able to create a tag. We grabbed our Tags 2 and Rag Doll Mia: Banner dies for this project.

• You will start by creating a partial cut using the larger tag in the Tags 2 die set. We just cut the hang tag portion.
• Next you will overlap the Rag Doll Mia: Banner die, and adhere in place with painter’s tape.
• You will place the die slightly off of the die cutting platform where the Rag Doll’s head and the cut hang tag portion meet.
• Die cut the Rag Doll. You may have a small area that did not cut, you will see a slight indentation outline from the Rag Doll die. Take your scissors and trim to make a clean edge for your tag – as needed.
• Stamp your coordinating image in Perfect Little Black Dress ink and color with markers.

You can use this process to turn any die into a fun tag – give it a try. Just imagine creating these for a kids’ Christmas party, and each gift had an adorable Rag Doll Tag – so fun!

{BUILDER DIES}

We love getting creative with our dies. The builder series of dies has grown from layered flowers, adorable critters, loveable monsters, to fun fruit appliques. You will certainly see more innovative dies in 2013, which we look forward to sharing very soon!

Keeping with our holiday theme, we couldn’t resist making a set of gift tags packaged using the Build-a-Critter: Owl and Party Favor 6 dies.

• A set of Wrappers labels were die cute from Cre’me de la Cream cardstock.
• We then stamped a cute image frame, masked in a matching owl image from Taglines: Critters and colored it to match the builder owl.
• Next we stamped the “to/from” sentiment and added eyelets were to create the tags.
• We die cut and assembled the pieces to create the Build-a-Critter: Owl and Party Favor 6 to hold the tags and bundle of Red/White Twine Cord.

{PARTY FAVORS}

Every good event should have a fun Party Favors. These are a series of boxes and bags that can be easily customized with stamps or dies for perfectly coordinated events.

With each holiday comes new little wonders. This fun favor is perfect for welcoming a new December baby. We love pairing our large die cuts with the different party favor bags. It’s a great way to dress them up for so many fun occasions. For this sweet favor:

• We first die cut and assembled the Party Favor 1 bog from Cre’me de la Cream cardstock.
• Next we die cut the Large Baby Shower giraffe die from Leek-ed to the Press cardstock and stamped the entire die with the Gingham background. Again you can easily line up the die on all four sides to repeat seamlessly.
• We tied jingle bells on each end of a strand of Red/White twine, wrapped the twine around the giraffe’s neck for a scarf and adhere the die cut to the favor front.
• A Favor Flags banner was die cut and stamped with a sentiment, and adhere to the favor bag front.

Now this adorable favor is ready for gifting for baby’s first Christmas.

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Fab 5 Inspiration

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Joining us today is Audrey Tokach of the blog Pink Ink Originals. Audrey submitted today’s question, and we thought it would be fun to ask her to help us demonstrate how some of the Fab 5 products mentioned today. You can also see a bonus project by Audrey on the CSS Daily App – there is a fun sneak peek for you below at the end of the post.

Also joining is CSS design team member Lori Tecler. We simply adore Lori’s creative CAS style, and fun blog Inking Aloud. Be sure to visit them both for even more inspirational projects to see more of the fab (5) in action.

If you have a question you’d like to see answered by the CSS team feel free to email us {here} or post your question on our facebook page {here}.

We’d love to see if you create with your CSS stash using any of the color trends. Leave us a link to your blog/gallery/fb or upload {here} to share your CSS work with us!

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{BACKGROUND SUPPLIES}

STAMPS: Squares Plus, Shapes: Squares*, Trendy Tags, Taglines / CARDSTOCK: A Blanc Check / INK: Perfect Little Black Dress, Kraft Like a Rockstar Green, Dare to be a Diva Red / RIBBON: Sterling Silver Cord /  Kraft Like a Rockstar Green Ribbon / SIMPLE CUTS: Shapes: Squares / GIFT WRAP: Kraft Like a Rockstar Green

{SHAPES COMBO SETS SUPPLIES}

STAMPS: Alpha Duo, Trinket Sentiments / CARDSTOCK: A Blanc Check, Perfect Little Black Dress, Dare to be a Diva Red / INK: Perfect Little Black Dress / RIBBON: Perfect Little Black Dress /  SIMPLE CUTS: Shapes: Squares / OTHER: Dimensionals, Mini Canvas Bag, Candy

{RAG DOLLS SUPPLIES}

STAMPS: Rag Doll Mia: Banner* / CARDSTOCK: A Blanc Check / INK: Perfect Little Black Dress / RIBBON: Kraft Like a Rockstar Green Ribbon, Sterling Silver Cord /  SIMPLE CUTS: Tags 2, Rag Doll Mia: Banner / OTHER: Copics, Candy Cane

{BUILDER DIES SUPPLIES}

STAMPS: Trendy Tags, Taglines: Critters, Background Basics 1 / CARDSTOCK: A Blanc Check, Leek-ed to the Press, Kraft Like a Rockstar Green, Dare to be a Diva Red, Cre’me de la cream / INK: Perfect Little Black Dress / RIBBON: Red/White Twine /  SIMPLE CUTS: Wrappers, Build-a-Critter: Owl/Kitty, Party Favor 6 / SIMPLE FELT: Kraft Like a Rockstar Green / OTHER: Copics

{PARTY FAVORS SUPPLIES}

STAMPS: Gingham, Sweet Sentiments: Holidays, Cart Pals: Baby/ CARDSTOCK: A Blanc Check, Cre’me de la Cream / INK: Perfect Little Black Dress / RIBBON: Red/White Twine /  SIMPLE CUTS: Party Favor 1, Large Baby Shower / OTHER: Mini Jingle Bells, Shredded Paper Filler

See previous “Get to Know CSS” features {here} and {here}…

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CSS Daily App on iTunes

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Looking for even more inspiration?

Download the CSS Daily Papercrafting App 2.0.1 available on iTunes

{You can download the CSS Daily App 2.0.1 from iTunes here}