A Challenge!

A Saturday post...woo hoooooo!!  Actually I'm trying to be brave in my old age and do a "Make it Monday" challenge from Paper Trey Ink for the first time, and it needs to be posted no later than this Monday at 7:00AM.  So anyways, here's my take on the Make it Monday #89 "Creating Windows for Floating Images" challenge:

If you look at the example on Nichole's site (Capture the Moment), her image definitely "floats" a lot more than my pinecones, but I didn't want to cover up the "Winter Wishes" (PTI - Winter Hills set) sentiment.  I used the Pillow Box die from PTI with kraft cs and then cut out an oval using Spellbinders oval set.  I then stamped the pine boughs from PTI's "Peaceful Pinecones" set with SU's Always Artichoke ink.  On some scrap pieces of kraft cs, I stamped the pinecones with Brilliance Cosmic Copper pigment ink (kind of hard to see in the photo, but this ink shimmers a little and makes the pinecones "pop" a bit more) and then used a pop dot to adhere them to the pillow box.  Before I assembled the box, I stamped the "Winter Wishes" on the inside in SU's Early Expresso ink and then attached a small piece of acetate to the backside of the oval to create the window. I added a small piece of grossgrain ribbon and the box is done.

Wellllllllll...not quite done!  About a week ago, one of PTI's designers, Dawn McVey (My Favorite Things) showed how to make a "Gift Tags Gift Set", and I fell in love with the idea!  So I made a few gift tags using the same stamps as the Pillow Box to make my own gift set.  Have a look:

Now who wouldn't love to receive a little gift like this?  Perfect for friends, hostesses, school or Sunday school teachers....really anyone on your list! :0)  I don't have any of the tag dies, so I simply cut my tags at 2" x 3" and they fit perfectly into the Pillow Box die.  I stamped them the same as the box (stamped the pinecone right onto the tag rather than cutting out first and attaching like I did with the outside of the Pillow Box) and just added a piece of bakers twine (The Twinery) to each corner.  Quick and easy and a very nice gift.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your weekend! (I'm actually seeing a few snowflakes right now in "my neck of the woods" ...yikes! I guess winter is coming!!)