Latest Sparkles Team Swap

Our next team meeting is coming up and I decided we'd do red, white and blue as our theme for this month's swap.  I recently got the new July Fourth stamp set from the Stampin' Up! Summer Mini catalog and decided to use it on my swap project.  At first I pulled out Brilliant Blue and Real Red to use, but then decided to go for Riding Hood Red and Pacific Point since they're headed back to the SU! color lineup.  The firework background was created by stamping off once (removing the ink intensity by first inking up the stamp, them stamping on a scrap of paper before stamping on the actual card stock).  The top center one was not stamped off, and I really like the softer look achieved by stamping off, so that's how I did the rest of them.  The bottom red piece was stamped using the Dot, Dot, Dot individual stamp, inked with Riding Hood Red ink.  I used a sticky back rhinestone on the fire cracker, but the rest is all SU!  Take a peek:

I found these cute patriotic Sweethearts boxes while grocery shopping last week (at our local Ralphs grocery store), so I made a slide up treat like the candy bar one I made back in December.  To make the box, cut a piece of card stock 4 inches by 7 1/4 inches.  Score at 3/4 inches, 3 1/4 inches, 4 inches and 6 1/2 inches.  Stick the ends together with a little Sticky Strip and decorate with your favorite stamps/punches.  Super easy to make!

I'm really happy with the way they came out, and I hope the gals like them, too!  I'm off to my folks' for Mother's Day - have a great one!

Hershey Bar Pull-Up Treats

Last year I saw a tutorial for these cute treats over at SplitcoastStampers.  Don't know why I didn't give it a try last year, but I didn't... but I did this week!!  Here's my first attempt.  I used Brocade Blue and Night of Navy card stocks (I love those two blues together!), Snow Buddies level 2 hostess from the Holiday Mini catalog, There are a few things I'd do differently next time:

1.  NO GLITTER - well, at least none on the cover itself.  A little to glam up the snowman is fine.
2.  Add something to the belly band - maybe a piece of Brocade Blue DSP or something.
3.  Pierce around the scallop circle punch instead of using Night of Navy marker to color in dots.

I'm thinking of going to the Ladies' Luncheon after the late church service next week and they are asking for all types of demos/reps to show their wares so that the ladies attending the luncheon can do a little Christmas shopping.  I thought I might participate and bring some stocking stuffers like Snowman Soup (I've got nine made so far), maybe some matchbox die nugget boxes and these cute pull-up treats.