Love Bug Blog Feature: Straw Toppers & Lunch Box Notes

Good Morning!!! Cat & Nat from The Blue Crew here with another "Love Bug" feature. Today, we are sharing our Straw Toppers and Lunch Box Notes that we created with materials found in the newest Front Porch Kit, "The Greatest of These is....LOVE".  If you don't already have this kit, you can purchase it here or at the Little Blue House.  Hurry, though.....supply is limited and this has been a very popular kit.

Let's get started.

Straw Topper Supplies:

• Paper straw (not included in kit)
• Black cardstock
• Pink tonal polka dot patterned paper
• a word strip from the "Kiss Kiss" patterned paper
• "Coal Miner" chalk ink (not included in kit, or in picture)
• Diamond stickles (not included in kit)
• "Give Thanks Label" Reverse Confetti die (sold at Little Blue House)
• Exacto knife (not included in kit)
• Adhesive (not included in kit)
• Ruler (not included in kit)

How To:

• Die cut the larger "label" from the black cardstock and the smaller "label" from the pink polka patterned paper.

• Trim word strip and "kite" the ends. Ink both "labels" and word strip with Coal Miner ink

• Place adhesive on top and bottom of the back of pink polka paper (your cuts will be in the middle for the straw) and adhere to the black cardstock

• With a ruler as your guide, cut 2 1" slits at the top and bottom of the labels. I used the notches on the labels as my guide.

• Run straw through slits and adhere word strip. Finish by accenting some of the polka dots with Diamond stickles

Carter approved!

.

These toppers would also work as pencil toppers for a class favor and/or Valentine.


Lunch Box Notes supplies

• 2x4 strip of white cardstock
• 1 3/4" square piece of the "emoticon" patterned paper
• Chipboard arrow
• Dark Pink Wink of Stella (sold at Little Blue House)
• "Coal Miner" Chalk Ink (not included in kit)
• Heart sticker

How To:

• Paint chipboard arrow with Dark Pink WOS and set aside to dry. This may take 2-3 coats as the chipboard really soaks in the pigment. You can also use a heat gun to speed dry time.

• Fold white strip in half to make a 2" square card 
• Ink card and "emoticon" paper with Coal Miner ink and adhere "emoticon" paper to white card, centering and leaving a small white border

• Adhere chipboard arrow pointing to a "face" of your choice

• Place heart sticker inside the card and write message.

These make cute little lunch box notes to send with your child (or even your sweetie to work).

Thanks so much for joining us today for two fun and quick projects. Don't forget to comment to win a Love Bug Prize Bag.  Winner will be announced on Valentine's Day.

XOXO
The Blue Crew, Cat & Nat

Love Bug Feature: Miniature Valentine Shadow Box Frame

Have you Caught the Bug yet??

I hope you are enjoying our LOVE Bug Tutorials this Week!
Next up is Lindsey Banner, she is sharing a super sweet vintage shadow box frame! Don't forget to leave a comment so you can be in the running for a Love Bug Prize Bundle
 from The Little Blue House!

Minature Valentine Shadow Box Frame Tutorial

by Lindsey Banner 

Gather up…

Chipboard/cardboard

Foam Tape

x-acto knife

Metal Ruler

Glue stick

Pretty Papers ( 4 coordinating prints)- I used Authentique Crush, Cache, Frilly paper, Symmetry paper, Adorned) and a piece of sheet music

Alpha Stickers – Authentique Crush Petite Black Letter Stickers or Petite Diction

Authentique, Circles and Scallops tags

Melissa Frances Embellishments, white ruffle ribbon

Handwriting stamp

Archival Ink in Black

Glue Gun

Glossy accents

Distress ink

Blending tool

Wink of Stella Brush pen in Gold

Do dads, buttons and knick knacks (technical terms)

Large Needle

Bakers twine in Red/white

Sequin Heart (from LBH)

Vintage Lace

 

DISCLAIMER: I made this project twice. Version 2 was made so I could take step by step pictures. It's not exactly the same, but pretty darn close.

For this project I used a cereal box, flattened it out and cut 2 , 5.25” x 6.5" rectangles.

The image I was using is approximately 3" x 4.25", so one piece of cardboard I cut a 3.5" x 4.75" rectangle in the center.

Verison 1: Cover the chipboard with the frame in a pretty paper, I used sheet music. To add more depth I used a blending tool and mixed antique linen and barn door red distress ink onto the front surface.

Version 2: I used Authentique- Crush, Symmetry paper on the polka dot side

Select a background paper to be used behind the image, same size as the chipboard.

Version 1: I used a pink cardstock with a cursive handwriting stamp and colored with the Wink of Stella gold pen. Also glue a pretty paper to the back of this piece ( Authentique, Crush-Frilly Paper.

Version 2: I used Authentique, Crush- Adorned.

Line foam tape along the edges of covered, frame chipboard piece. I stacked mine 3 times for extra dimension. Carefully line up the two chipboard pieces and attach together.

Add one layer of foam tape behind the image you will be using and float it in the middle of your frame.

Select your phrase, I added more foam tape behind each alpha and applied to the surface of the image from the Authentique, Cache Paper.

Version 1: Authentique Crush Petite Black Letter Stickers

Version 2: Authentique Petite Diction

Select a die cut from the Circles and Scallops tags and use hot glue to attach Melissa Frances white ruffle ribbon

Add some lace behind the sequin heart, thankfully its sticky so this is an easy step. Make small folds while applying to create pleats. Add a few dots of glossy accents to make sure it really sticks.

Verison 1: Measure the sides of your frame, mine was ¼ in, cut ¼ in strips of paper to cover the edges. Apply hot glue and attach paper strips to edges.

Version 2: Add washi tape to cover the edges.

Select the spot for your key and gently detach foam tape and use twine and needle to attach the key into place. Gather buttons, rhinestones, etc and lay out the pieces until you are pleased with it. I used bakers twine to thread the buttons for added interest. Use hot glue and glossy accents to apply the pieces to the surface.

Now step back and admire your creation. Hope you enjoyed this tutorial!
 All the products mentioned can be purchased from the Little Blue House website, http://www.thelittlebluehouseonline.com/

Have a great day!
Lindsey

Love Bug Blog Feature begins TODAY!!!

 Welcome to the 1st day of our Love Bug Blog Feature!! Each day (beginning now through Valentine's Day), our Designers will be featuring some LOVELY projects and tutorials...sure to inspire you and make your heart swoon!!! 

Today, I am sharing a cute, quick,
Valentine's Day Card with you! 

"Love is in the Air" Card
Designed by: Miss Tracy

This card was so easy and fun to create! I used this delightful DIE from Taylored Expressions, available now at the Little Blue House.

You will need the following items to create this card: 

Sunburst Die (Taylored Expressions)

Cardstock- Red and Black (Bazzill)

Printed Paper - (Crush Collection by Authentique)
Punch-Out Piece - (Crush Collection by Authentique)

Cuttlebug or BigShot
Glue Pen - (Zig)

Wink of Stella Brush Marker - Clear

These items can all be found at the

Little Blue House and in our Online Shop at www.thelittlebluehouseonline.com

Okay, let's get started!

Begin, by cutting your red cardstock 11x4.5 - Fold in half to create base card. Using the sunburst die and your Big Shot or Cuttlebug, die cut a piece of black cardstock as shown below...

Attach the die cut to the base card
 using a glue pen...

Using the same die, die cut two printed papers. I used two papers from the Crush Collection by Authentique (available at the LBH).

I chose two prints and alternated them on the card. This step is just like putting a puzzle together. I used my glue pen to attach each piece to it's coordinating spot...

Keep going until it's all filled...

I chose to use a fun punch-out from the Crush Collection to attach to the center of my card. I used a pop dot to attach it. I wanted to add some sparkle to my card...so I grabbed my new FaVoriTe product -- my Wink of Stella Brush Marker... 

I chose to use the Clear...It may be difficult to see in these photos but...my oh my...you will LOVE the shimmery effect it creates and how fast it dries...

Apply the WOS to the center piece and along all of the black die cut...the detail brush tip makes this easy to apply to the thin pieces...

You will find that you have enough pieces left after making this one card...that you can make two more! Because the printed paper is double-sided...you can make your other cards look unique...this card was created from my left-over pieces...I chose to only fill every other space on this card. The black you see is the base card and I used a red sequin heart in the center...

This card would be so easy to create for any occasion simply by selecting papers that fit your theme! 

I hope you have enjoyed my cute, quick, Valentine's Day Card and tutorial today! 

Stop back by tomorrow for another great LOVE BUG project and tutorial and leave a comment here today and you will be entered into a drawing for a LOVE BUG Prize Bag filled with lovely goodies! 

Thanks for reading! XOXO

Have a great Saturday and Keep Creating!
Miss Tracy :)