SUMMER'S DONE, SCHOOL'S FUN SET

WARNING: this post is picture heavy. I have also included the link for two tutorials/templates for some of the items that I made for this set.




Our niece Alyssa is getting ready to enter the first grade next week so I whipped up this back to school set for her that has a little touch of the summer that is nearly over. Altered composition notebook using "Hula Anya" from The Greeting Farm and paper from Flair Designs. The palm tree is a laser die cut from Deluxe Cuts.

Pencil box covered with the same paper mention above, decorated with ribbon and Hawaiian Paradise Stand-Out stickers from Provo Craft. The pencil box template is from the PCP 3D challenge "slide top pencil box" and can be found here.

Altered Altoids tin, which I spray painted, covered with the same paper and stickers as above. Inside the tin is a little surprise.

The tin holds fridge magnets that I made for Alyssa's mommy to hold all of her papers and wonderful art work that I know she will be bringing home. In keeping with the summer theme I used Hula Anya and Surfer Ian for the magnets. They are such a cute couple.

Here is a pic with the magnets out of the tin and separated. Kim over at the Club Anya & Friends blog, posted a tutorial on how to make these. Check out the link here. Her magnets are just adorable and she gives great directions on how to make them. They are super easy!! I have plans to make several sets for Christmas as stocking stuffers.

Last and finally is a altered Frap bottle that I stuffed full of little school supplies for Alyssa. The whole set was easy to make and I was able to make everything with one piece of card stock and one piece of patterned paper.

CHRISTMAS GIFT CARD HOLDER

Here is another example of the simple gift card holder made using the tutorial found on the Whimsie Doodles' blog. See my post prior to this one for the link to the tutorial. The stamp is from Stampendous. It is actually a cube stamp and has 4 different images including the quote used on the inside of this project. It is my favorite Christmas stamp lately.

JUST BECAUSE - GIFT CARD HOLDER

This has got to be the easiest gift card holder to make EVER! It is made using a envelope...how clever is that? You can find the tutorial for this simple project over at Whimsie Doodles. Here's the link for the tutorial: http://whimsiedoodles.blogspot.com/2010/06/tuesday-tutorial-worlds-easiest-gift.html

I realized my Bella stamps have been neglected, since I discovered the Greeting Farm stamps, and decided to dust them off for this little project. The stamp selected was Grumpabella. I colored her in using my Prisma pencils and Gamsol. The silver flower and lavender brad embellishment are from Oriental Trading.

Don't forget to head on over to Whimsie Doodles and check out their tutorial and their stamps. They have some really adorable digi images.

JUST FOR YOU CUPCAKE - CARD

I just recently made my very first easel card and now I am hooked. They are so super easy to make. So when I saw that one of my favorite blogs, Club Anya & Friends, was hosting a Easel Card Challenge I knew I just had to make another one to take part in their challenge. There is still time to participate, you have until 11:59 pm CST tonight to enter your card. Click here for the challenge details.

The Cupcake Anya digi stamp is from TGF which I colored in using my Copics. I am slowly getting the hang of them....practice, practice, practice. The patterned paper is called Cuppy Cakes (and is perfect for this image) from Doodlebug Design Inc. The cupcake was cut out using the Sweet Treats Cricut cartridge and was cut at 5 1/2" then ran through the cuttlebug and stickled.

Don't forget to check out the challenge details and good luck to those that enter!

SANDCASTLES - LO

Another LO of our day trip to Bodega Bay with our niece Alyssa. In this one her and Caitlin are making sand castles. They could have stayed at the beach for several days without a care in the world. They had so much fun.

The title was cut using the Mickey Font Cricut cartridge and the sandcastles were paper pieced from patterns.

Thanks for looking and I hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

BIRTHDAY TREAT BAG

I can not believe how many amazing paper crafting blogs that are out there in the blogging world. So much talent!! I recently stumbled upon, and now stalk, a new one to me called Fun Paper Candy. You can find a link for it to the right and in this post. Talk about talent! She has the most adorable cards and projects. I scrapjacked this cute little bag idea from Tammy's blog. Here is a link for the tutorial: http://www.funpapercandy.com/2010/05/just-for-you.html


It is super easy to assemble and was screaming to be paired up with this digital image from Whimsie Doodles. I colored the image in using my Copics and added a little Glossy Accents on the candle for dimension. Another birthday project down, many many more to go.

THE GREETING FARM'S TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY BLOG HOP!!

Today is a very exciting day over at The Greeting Farm, they are celebrating their two year anniversary! As part of the huge celebration they have invited everyone to participate in a Blog Hop and they are giving away prizes...yes that's right I said PRIZES!!

If you are not familiar with The Greeting Farm you are missing out and I strongly suggest you head right over and see what they are all about. You will thank me....though your wallet may not. :)

Here is my contribution to the blog hop. It is the Soccer Anya Digi Stamp. I made this card for one of my daycare babes who has just recently signed up for soccer for the very first time. She has invited my family and I to her first game in a few weeks and I thought this would be a great "way to go" card for her. This is my first time making a easel type card and I have to say that I am hooked. The soccer ball is paperpieced and the word "goal" is cut using the Cricut Soccer cartridge. I added a little Glossy Accents to Anya's soccer ball for dimension.

To see all of the wonderful creations that are part of this celebration please head on over to The Greeting Farm to see their master list of participants...you may even want to shop a little while you are there.

SWIMSUIT SEASON - LO

Oh my goodness how I love these photos!!! These photos were taken of our niece Alyssa when she was little. We had bought her some swimsuits for her first trip to Hawaii with her Mom and Dad and put them on her for a little fashion show. I just LOVE babies in swimsuits!! They always look so stinking cute and our niece is just the cutest!!

The title was cut using the Quik Kutz "Venus" font set and the swimsuits are paper pieced. I tried to make the pink bikini resemble the bikini we bought Alyssa. She is definitely a bathing suit cutie!
As a follow up to my previous post; our anniversary dinner was delicious. The girls did a great job and our steaks were cooked to perfection thanks to the assistance of a Paula Dean recipe. Can't go wrong with Paula Dean!

OWL ALWAYS LOVE YOU - CARD

20 years ago today I married my high school sweetheart and my best friend! I guess the old saying is true, ""time flies when you're having fun", because it has hardly seemed like 20 years...and we sure have been having fun.

Here is a quick card that I whipped up for my sweetie in honor of our anniversary. The stamp is called "Heart Owls" from Hero Arts. I have been itching to use it since I bought it on sale several months ago. I used my Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder to emboss the card and the patterned paper is from my scrap stash.

Tonight our darling daughters are cooking dinner for us.......which should be interesting as the oldest really doesn't cook and our 13 year old is just starting to cook a few things for herself now and then. Our oldest brought home some steaks, and when I asked her how she was going to prepare them she said, "NOT A CLUE". Yep should be interesting. ;)

SAND, SHELLS, AND FINS - LO

These are without a doubt the most precious professional photos that I have ever seen. Each one of these little finned cuties have attended my daycare at one time or another. Three of them are now in school, only the littlest one has remained but will be leaving me for school in September.

The only embellishments used on this LO are a set of Ariel Sparkle stickers and some stickles. I didn't want to over do it and over shadow the adorable photos.

BASEBALL - LO

I got the idea for this LO from a magazine several years ago, I don't remember which magazine as I tore out the page and kept it until I was ready to use it and threw out the rest of the magazine. The LO I scrapjacked was much more detailed with paper-pieced balls and stitching. Since I am still scrapbooking photos from like a gazillion years ago and take 300+ photos on a simple day trip I thought quick and simple would be better. So I raided my sticker stash and found these Stickopotamus baseball stickers. I used my Stamped Cricut cartridge to cut out the title. Quick and simple.

OUR BEACH TRIP - LO

We took a day trip to Bodega Bay a few years ago and brought our niece, Alyssa with us. She is so stinking adorable and loved spending the day at the beach.

The title was cut using the Base Camp Cricut cartridge and the rest of the details on the LO were made by tearing the cardstock into the shapes I needed.

The cutest story about the sand dollar pictured in this LO: our girls and Alyssa were combing the beach for sea shells with no success. There was a older couple walking along the beach that called to Alyssa and our youngest daughter, Caitlin and asked them if they noticed this item in the sand. There were two sand dollars right there in a area that they had just inspected, one for each girl. Both girls were very excited to find sand dollars in such great condition and they were huge!! Scott then confided in me that he had seen the couple drop them for the girls to find. That couple whoever they were, sure made those girls' day special with their found treasure!

GET WET - LO

In honor of summer I thought my next several posts should showcase LO's that reflect a feeling of summer.

This is a LO that I completed of the kids playing in our backyard sprinklers. Nothing says "summer" more than kids in sprinklers running and screaming their little heads off. Don't ya think?

Simple LO using a paper-pieced faucet, hose and sprinkler head. The title was made using the All Mixed Up Cricut cartridge.

YOU'RE FINTASTIC - CARD

I made this card for a "fin-tastic" friend. I know you have all seen this stamp numerous times before from me, but it is one of my favorites. It's the Mermaid Anya from the Greeting Farm. I can't tell you who makes the patterned paper as it is from my scrap stash. Looking at this card and the papers now, it seems really bright, almost too loud, perfect for summer.

ONCE UPON A TIME - CARD

It is that time of year for us....birthday season. It seems that from now until the end of January we are overwhelmed with birthdays, several per month. Here is a quick little card that a did for one of my daycare kiddos. She is all about princesses.


The image is Princess Anya from the Greeting Farm. The chipboard stickers are from Imaginisce and are just too cute.

To make the medallion embellishment, check out the tutorial at http://whimsiedoodles.blogspot.com/2010/06/its-tuesday-tutorial-time-and-were.html

It was super easy and quick to make. One birthday card down...many many more to go.

YOU MAKE ME SMILE - CARD

I just love this image from Penny Black. It's titled "Love Conquers". The little snail is simply adorable.

Gamsol and my Prisma pencils were used to color the image in. The papers used were borrowed from my scrap stash and the "for you" sentiment is a Studio G dollar stamp.

Have a great weekend everyone and HAPPY 4TH!!

CARAMEL APPLES - LO

We just love going to Apple Hill every fall. We love picking our own apples, checking out all of the craft booths, sipping apple cider, buying apple pies for the holidays, but most importantly we LOVE caramel apples!!

Simple LO using a paper pieced caramel apple and the Don Juan Cricut Cartridge (at least I think that was the cart I used) for the title.

Looking at these photos makes me wish for fall and a trip up to Apple Hill.

LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER!! - INVITE

My new motto,, "do not let life's obstacles get in the way of things you love to do". I have neglected my blog and my love of card making and scrapbooking because of various things thrown my way. Well no more!! I have a lot of catching up to do.

This post is actually something I worked on back in March before I threw in towel, so to speak. I hosted a Mardi Gras crop night at my home. Below is the invite and treat bags I made for the event. Gotta love the Tags, Bags, Boxes and More Cricut cart.

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler.....LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!

HATS OFF TO THE GRAD - LO

Here is another graduation LO that I just completed. That is 2 down, I must be on a roll. The LO is a page kit from Cut-it-Up. I love their page kits, they are quick and most of the work is done, you just put them together and add your own touch to them. They always include a lot more die cuts and paper pieced items to complete the LO's, but I only use half of the kit so I can add more pics. Most of their directions only show one pic on a LO. Considering I take a ton of pics, I would never ever get half of my photos scrapped if I followed their LO suggestion. LOL

SUMMER STORM - LO

Just how cool are these pictures that Scott took? Last summer we had the most amazing summer thunder and lightning storm. The sky was gorgeous shades of purple (which just happens to be my favorite color) and there were maybe a hundred lightning strikes. It was just beautiful.

Very simple LO. I don't know if you can tell in this pic, but the background paper, matting paper and the paper used for the house, ground, tree and title are all various shades of purple. The title was cut using the Don Juan Cricut Cartridge. Photos by hubby, who I think did a pretty good job capturing the lightning.

SUNSHINE AWARD

Wendy from http://www.lvscrappin.blogspot.com/ was sweet enough to honor me with this award. Her talent is amazing and I highly suggest taking a look at her blog. Thank you Wendy!!


Now to nominate 6 people for this award:

http://going-buggy.blogspot.com/ - Her blog is amazing! She is very talented and has a great eye for papers and details.

http://athousandsheetsofpaper.blogspot.com/ - A fantastic artist. Her use of the Copic markers makes me look like a pre-schooler.

http://grammashouseofcards.blogspot.com/ - All of her cards are simply adorable and she is one of the sweetest people I have ever met!!

http://www.craftyjsplace.blogspot.com/ - Another sweetie and very talented lady.

http://stampowl.blogspot.com/ - Her cards are too cute. Check out her post of today with the Easter Babes....too stinking cute!!

http://inkblotsbytrd.blogspot.com/ - Another great blog showcasing wonderful talent.

Be sure to stop by their blogs to see what I am talking about...the talent involved in this hobby of ours just amazes me!