I try to make and/or send a card to my mom most days. She lives here in Ottawa too but I think it is fun for her to open her mailbox and find something other than bills. Also, she had Aphasia which affects her language abilities, especially orally, so it is easier for her to read cards or emails than for us to talk on the phone or in person.

I am trying to use up, rather than accumulate, supplies so my plan is to limit myself to purchasing one patterned paper pack (Designer Series Paper – DSP) as well as one stamp set and one die-cutting set (or punch) each month and to use up as much of the DSP as I can during the month. Ideally all the patterned paper will be used up before my next month’s order arrives and beckons to me to start crafting with it.

The Bird Ballad DSP (149592) and Stitched Nested Labels dies (149638) along with the coordinating Free as a Bird stamp set (149468) are from my favourite collection from the new 2019-2020 Stampin’ Up catalogue.

I cut out the image from one of the DSP sheets and mounted it on a label onto which I had stamped a sentiment from the Apron of Love stamp set (145835). I used a few more stamps from that set to decorate the white card-stock rectangle on the inside of the card as well as to brighten up back of the card as well as the top left corner and back flap of the envelope.

I used Old Olive and Petal Pink card-stock. Here are a few other combinations that I tried before settling for the combination you see in the finished card (first photo of this post).

The dimensions I used for the card are listed in the image below.

I plan to type up a ‘card recipe’ to add to this post sometime soon. In the meantime, here are a few other images from the Stampin’ Up catalogue featuring cards made using this collection.

If you don’t have this or other DSP (for layer or for image on the label), you can use your favourite colouring medium and your favourite stamp set to create the label image and your own patterned paper. If you don’t have the stitched nested labels die cut set, you could cut a similar-sized rectangle or use a circle or oval shape for the label if you happen to have a die set of those shapes.

One of the main goals of Creative Treats Club is to create treat packages to give to people in need. I will use the all funds raised from workshops and card sales to buys gift cards to include in the treat packages.

Over time, as this little social enterprise grows, the amount of each gift card will increase. My first big goal (in the year leading up to my 58th birthday in July 2021) is to be able to treat at least one person each day to at least $58.

But my first little goal is to use my own funds to treat at least 56 people to at least $5.60 by my 56th birthday.

This is my first set of 10 treat packages. I am still figuring out what I will put into the cups along with the gift cards. The small size is a bit smaller than I thought. Perhaps a Tim Horton’s Peppermint tea sachet along with a little packages sweet of some type. I will try out medium sized cups for my next batch of 10 treat packages.

To make them, I took apart a cup to use as a template to cut out paper to wrap the cup.

I then used that paper template to trace the other cup wrappers. I put a piece of 2-sided tape along each end edge of each wrapper.

To adhere each wrapper to a cup, I lined the wrapper up before removing the backing from the first tape, then wrapped almost all the way around before removing the second tape backing to finish securing the wrapper.

I made the gift card holders and lid decorations using a Stampin’ Up stamp set and the new 2019 In Colours (ink and the 6×6 DSP paper packs). The wrapping paper was some donated old (non-Stampin’ Up) 23×23 paper that seems to coordinate well with the new ink colours.

I used my Side Kick to cut the circles. It is so handy for cutting smaller dies, especially at the cottage where I don’t have my regular sized die cutting machine.

I coloured the stamped images using Old Olive Stampin’ Blends for the greenery and a Wink of Stella brush pen and ink for the birds and flowers. Blender pens are slither great option for colouring if you don’t yet have coloured markers or pencils in the colour you want.

I forgot my circle punch at home to make a thumb opening at the top of each gift card holder. I will try to remember to punch the half circles at home before so give them away.

I plan to give them to Interval House of Ottawa

Please contact me if you would like to host or attend a card or treat package workshop at your home or mine.