Sparkles Spoiler Alert!!

Just a heads up to anyone who is on Jeanne's Sparkles team - this post includes a picture of my swap for our meeting at the end of the month.  If you don't want to see it ahead of time, surf away now!  :)

Now, for those of you still here - I found this cute project two weekends ago on a visit to Andrea Walford's blog.  I ordered the bottles to go inside (4 ounce size) and they arrived today (finally - it took 8 days!).  Andrea purchased the aluminum lid bottles, but they were more expensive, so I opted for a set of black lids and another set of white lids with the 48 bottles I ordered.  After making one the size of Andrea's while waiting for the bottles to arrive, I got the idea of cutting the project down to use just two bottles, so I cut her dimensions down by 1/3 with the hopes that the bottles would still fit just fine when they arrived.  I made my eight swaps last night and was so happy when I placed the two bottles inside today and it was a perfect fit!

Here are the particulars for my scaled down version:

Carrier/Box instructions:

1.  Cut 2 pieces of Real Red card stock, cut 5 x 8 5/8 inches.
2.  Score both at 1 1/2, 2 3/8, and 6 7/8 inches.  Fold inwards along the 2 3/8 and 6 7/8 inch score lines, folding outwards along the 1 1/2 inch score line.
3.  Add 2 rows of sticky strip along what will be the bottom of the carrier/box (on one piece of the card stock only) and adhere the bottoms of each piece together.
4.  Line up the top edges and punch through both thicknesses with the large oval punch to create the handle.
5.  Cut a 1 3/4 by 8 1/2 inch piece of Real Red card stock to hold the bottles inside.
6.  Score at 1 inch and 2 5/8 inches from both ends.
7.  Use a border punch such as the new Scallop Trim Border on one edge.
8.  Add some designer series paper to the center panel of the band - 7/8 by 3 1/8 inches.
9.  Add 2 rows of sticky strip along the 1 inch ends of the card stock.
10.  Measure up from the bottom of the box, 3 inches, and place the band just to the inside edges of the back of the carrier/box.
I used the Holiday Best Valentine stamp and the wide oval punch to finish off the band.

To decorate the outside, I used several products from Stampin' Up!'s new Occasions Mini catalog - the With All My Heart stamp set, the Extra Large Fancy Flower punch, and Sending Love Specialty paper, a large rhinestone brad (on some I used the clear, others I used a pink or red from the Fire Circle Rhinestone brads), some 2-way glue and Dazzling Diamonds glitter, along with Very Vanilla card stock and 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon, and Regal Rose card stock with one edge punched with the Scallop Trim Border (from the Sale-A-Bration catalog).

Here it is:

It's been a rainy day and I had to once again photograph under poor lighting conditions - but I hope you get the idea!  I hope the gals like my swap.  We had to make a card or other project using something from the new Occasions Mini and I didn't want to make just a card.