Scraps of Life

Is it real? Or is it Memorex? And a Giveaway!!

2012-01-31T09:06:00.001-05:00

Looking for the giveaway?? Read on - it's at the bottom of this post.

Remember those Memorex commercials? They would compare the VHS taped version to the live version and ask "is it real or is it Memorex?" Maybe I'm dating myself!!! hehehe!

Today I've got 2 versions of the same card design to share with you. Both are hybrid. But one is a "digital printable" and the other is a "print, cut, and assemble."

Can you tell which is which? The "digital printable" was designed in Photoshop and printed out. The "print, cut, and assemble" was also designed in Photoshop, but the elements were printed separately, cut with my electronic die cutter, and glued together to create the final card.

I used a great template by Krisi's Kreations to make these cards. I also used an alpha from the digital kit My History by WM Squared Designs, both are available at Scrap Orchard.

The Giveaway!!

If you've been following my blog, you know that I have been working really hard to spread Acts of Random Kindness (ARK's) during the month of January. You can see those posts under the category Acts of Kindness. So to qualify for this giveaway, simply leave me a comment on this post with one Act of Kindness that you have done! This will get you one entry to win. You can get up to 2 additional entries by following my blog (see side bar), and if you Like my Scrappycath Creations Facebook page. Leave a separate comment on this post for each of these items that you do! So that's up to 3 entries:

a comment with your kindness act.
a comment letting me know you are a new (or existing) follower of my blog
a comment letting me know that you now/or previously Like my Facebook page

Leave your comment(s) by Saturday February 4 at 9pm EST. One lucky random person will receive a Kindness pack of crafty goodness (including these 2 cards) from me!!

At this time I am only able to ship to US addresses.

Be sure to check back on Sunday February 5 to find out if you are the winner!!

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Creative Stamp Friends

Great Escape: Washington DC

2012-01-29T10:08:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite photos. It may not be very good quality, and it was from a film camera so this is a scan of the printed photo. But it's not the technical aspects of photography that makes this a favorite. It's the memories that it holds.

This was an awesome day. We took the boys on a day trip to Washington, DC. we rode the then-new Amtrak Acela train down. We hopped on the metro to get around town. We visited museums and spent some really wonderful time laughing, walking, eating ice cream, and enjoying each others company.

I created this page using a new release from WM Squared Designs called Great Escape: DC. It is an add-on kit to her Great Escape series. These kits are a must-have for any scrapper! They are all available at Scrap Orchard.

If you want to get your collection started, begin with the original Great Escape - The Kit, This kit is jam-packed with travel related papers, elements and word art. Each of the add-ons is a FULL kit, not a mini! So this is a real deal and a great way to build your stash!

I'm so glad I've finally been able to scrap that photo and capture the memories of that day.

Special Valentine Box

2012-01-28T12:56:00.000-05:00

Hello! I'm back with another Valentine craft to share with you. This cute box was made with Bazzill Basics Paper. I love that there are little cups inside to tuck in some sweet treats for my Valentine!

I made a tag by layering several scalloped hearts and the sentiment. I popped it up with some adhesive foam squares. The lace and pearls around the lid is the perfect shabby addition.

The flowers are a mix of Recollections, Prima and some that I found in the wedding aisle at the craft store.

Inside I've tucked in some sweet chocolate.... of course!

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics

Flowers: Prima, Recollections

Ribbon: Modern Romance

Valentines and Kindness

2012-01-26T09:33:00.003-05:00

Can you believe that we are quickly approaching the end of January? one-twelfth of the year gone! Well almost!! Which also means that Valentine's Day is just around the corner! I've been working on some Valentine projects. I've got one to share today.

I've also got a Kindness Update, and this is a BIGGIE - so keep reading!!!

This candy bar box is a hybrid creation. I used the brand new digital kit Folkart Love by Paper Garden Projects. You can snag this kit as a bundle (click that link), or you can pick up the papers, elements, borders and tags separately. The box is also by Paper Garden Projects and is available as cutting file.

I cute a second butterfly that I embossed with some blingy glitter and adhered over the original cut. Added a few gems too - can never have too much bling!

The box is the perfect size to tuck in a full-size candy bar, several packs of gum, or a bunch of smaller candies. Your Valentine's sweet tooth will be very happy!

Attention Silhouette users: the kit and individual products for all of the elements, borders and tags also include Silhouette "Print and Cut" files!! This kit is perfect for hybrid or traditional crafters!!! You will be seeing more projects from me using this kit!!

KINDNESS UPDATE!!!

I've got more updates on my Kindness promise this month. Kindness and Valentine's... they sort of go hand-in-hand!

* Handed out an unused gift card to a family at the toy store. Cleaning things up I came across an old gift card. My kids don't really shop at the toy shop any more. Believe it or not, this card still had a balance on it. So I took it to the store and greeted a family in the parking lot. I think I made their day!

* Left change at the gumball machine at the toy store too!

* I hid coupons at the grocery store.

* I used reusable shopping bags. We've got to be kind to the environment too!

* Donated books to a children's library.

* I read a book to kids at the Barnes & Noble store.

* Brought dinner to a friends family. The family has been hit with some medical problems lately, the son was in the hospital last week, the mom this week. I figured they could use a break from having to cook!

* Provided some encouragement to a friend that is opening a new chapter in her life.

* Left lots of positive comments on other artists blogs.

* Became an organ donor.

And guess what? I've done it!! I met my commitment!! With more than 5 days still left to go in the month too! I fit in one Act of Random Kindness for each year of my life!! Wow! Does that feel good!!

Just because I met my commitment, doesn't mean I'm going to stop! Kindness is contagious, and it's good for the soul of the giver and receiver!! Let's keep on spreading Kindness every chance that we get!!

Glenda in Pa is still spreading Kindness. She shared another kindness story with me:

" I was having blood work done at the lab today. A mother and her small son was in front of me. He may have been 2 or 3 years old. The little boy was so good and did not cry at all. So I reached into my wallet and took out a dollar bill. When he came out I gave it to him and said "You were such a good boy and you really deserve a reward for being so good." He and his Mom smiled, thanked me and went on their way. The smile on his face was something that I really needed today !!! Blessings for both of us = ) "

Isn't that so sweet?

I'd love to hear what kindness you have been doing. Leave me a comment and let me know!

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Cooking it up with Katie

Hybrid Team Call

2012-01-24T09:10:00.000-05:00

Hey there! Do you love working with paper? Like to work with digi stuff too? Interested in being on a shop creative team? Then this is the call you've been waiting for!!! The designers at The DigiChick are amazing, their products are top notch. We are a fun group and the requirements are laid back.

Get your submission together and email it by Feb. 3!!!!

More Kindness!!

2012-01-23T12:08:00.000-05:00

I'm back with some more ARK's (Acts of Random Kindness). I haven't been able to keep up with posted these every day. So I'm keeping a log of the acts and posting them when I get a chance. I've decided that I'm going to keep up my Kindness Journal even when this month is past. It makes me feel good to look back at the things I've done. And maybe the lesson will rub off on my family and friends if they read through it too!

* Left notes on the doors of neighbors houses thanking them for taking such good care of their yard and home.
* Gave directions to a person that was lost.
* Donated clothes.
* Held the door for a mom and her crew of youngsters trying to get into the store.
* Completed one of those customer service surveys for someone that did a good job.
* Let the person behind me in line go ahead at the store. They seemed like they were in a hurry!
* Smiled at everyone I saw!
* Donated towels and blankets to the animal shelter. Saw a very friendly, gorgeous dog there waiting for adoption. I had to remind myself that our zoo is currently full, or I would have brought her home with me!
* Donated canned goods to the food bank
* Made some cards to send to soldiers
* Complimented a mom and her well behaved kids!

My son got done his classes early one day, so I dragged him along with me for a bit! Yep - that's me driving all over the place doing little acts of kindness! It was good to have my photographer back, even if this was the only photo he took! LOL

I'm getting closer to my commitment of Kindness for the month!!! How about you? Have you done any Acts of Kindness lately??

Time for the Card Caravan!

2012-01-22T08:02:00.004-05:00

It's time for another Card Caravan over at The Hybrid Chick! This time the challenge is to use punches or dies. I created this Valentine treat bag using the brand new digital kit Smitten by Sarah Jones. You can find the kit at The Digichick.

I used some die cutting shapes on the Silhouette. I added a heart shape cut out to the treat box. I adhered some clear plastic to create the window. I then cut a scalloped edge to border the cut out window.

I cut several heart shapes from different papers in the kit to create the tag.

A sweet bow and sentiment finish it off!

Hope you get a chance to join in the fun at The Hybrid Chick! The challenge is open until 11:59pm EST Friday February 3, 2012.

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CES Challenges
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Thank You and Kindness

2012-01-17T14:22:00.000-05:00

We had a nice long weekend with the Martin Luther King Day holiday. My weekend was a roller coaster... up and down! Or I should say down and up, as it ended on a very up note?!! Started off with more doctor appointments which inflicted tremendous pain. Yeah, that was the totally down part!

But the very good part was my friends and family conspired and pulled off an amazing surprise party in honor of my birthday! I'm telling you I was shocked! Blown away! Completely surprised!!

So I've got some thank yous to write. I designed a hybrid card using the digital elements that I used to create my blog header. I just changed it up a bit.

I've also got some new Kindness Updates for you:

* Donated food. We had so much food left over from the party, that we were able to make multiple donations!

*Fred from Pa bought lunch for his department!

* My friends and family did a great Act of Kindness by pulling off that surprise party! It was amazing and I really appreciate it!

I hope to get up and about more, I've got 14 more days to get more ARKs done!!!

Saturday the 14th and Kindness Updates

2012-01-14T14:34:00.000-05:00

Did you notice? I changed up my blog a bit. What do you think??

Phew - we made it through a Friday the 13th! Right at the beginning of a new year. A leap year at that! Geez-o-pete! When it started to hail, sleet and snow yesterday morning, I thought maybe we were in for a bad day. Seems like we made it through none the worse! So let's celebrate Saturday the 14th! Every one gives Friday the 13th so much attention, but do we ever stop to be thankful for making it to Saturday the 14th?? LOL Well, there's another reason to be thankful for this day! Celebrate!

I've got some Kindness Updates. Only a few. I've been busy with some projects and appointments. Oh it's so tough when life gets in the way! LOL

* In heavy traffic with sudden merge patterns, I let a driver go in front of me. They missed the whole merge pattern and were headed straight for a barrier! Hopefully they were glad to get where they were going!

* Sent a flower deliver to a gal at one of our doctors offices. I had some trouble getting insurance issues cleared up. The gal working a the office was not too happy with me asking her to step outside her comfort zone and make a call to the insurance company. She finally did, and the issue got all cleared up!

* Put seed and suet out for the birds and squirrels.

Kindness by Others

* Glenda in PA let some drivers out in front of her too! She said some even waved at her!

Tomorrow is the half-way point for the month - but you still have time to share your Kindness acts here. So keep 'em coming!

I'm gonna go get ready to watch some football tonight. GO BRONCOS!

More Kindness

2012-01-11T09:47:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Wednesday and more Kindness!

* Wrote a review for a recent trip to a restaurant to commend the service that was received.

It was a busy day yesterday, but while I was doing errands, I picked up some flowers to deliver.

* Delivered flowers to the middle school office. The youngest of my 3 children is finishing up his years there. I've been to that office to reconnect forgotten lunches and homework assignments with their rightful owners so many times, and I've gotten calls from that office to assist my kids with needs over the years. It was about time I thanked the ladies for all they do!

* Delivered flowers to the high school front desk. My oldest has graduated from the high school and my next oldest is still attending there. The gal at the front desk always has a smile and a helpful attitude. She's gotten me to the right place for all those IEP meetings, helped to get goodies delivered to the teachers, been there when my son lost his way around school. She does this day in and day out for all those thousands of students. Wonder how many neglected lunch boxes have passed through her desk on their way to the right student? She deserves flowers too!

* Took flowers to the scheduler at the hospital. I had to have a little procedure done and she was awesome working with me, my doctors office and my insurance to help make sure everything got taken care of. I can't say enough about how above and beyond this gal went. She is an example of customer service to be mentored!

* Brought my neighbors trash cans up from the curb for them.

I forgot to get pictures of the flowers for the gal at the hospital, and they were a big beautiful bouquet! I lost my photographer (my oldest son) for this project as he had to return to college this week! I'll try to post some interesting images for you. Didn't really think you wanted to see the trash cans! LOL

Kindness by others:

* Joana in TX has made four sets of stitch markers (you know for knitting and such) and headbands that she is donating to an auction. The auction is raising money for a friend of hers that lost her premature son at just 27 days after birth. I'm hoping the family is able to find some comfort from this outpouring of support from friends!

Keep your Kindness acts coming. I'm now half way through my Acts of Random Kindness that I pledged for the month. Let's keep each other encouraged!!

Kindness Update

2012-01-09T07:47:00.000-05:00

Been very busy with lots of stuff to do. But I'm still working on my ARKs!

* Wrote a thank-you letter to a teacher that my oldest son had several years ago. This teacher gave the class a small assignment back then to look into their family history. That assignment turned up a recipe for a special holiday bread. My son and I have made it an annual tradition to spend a day together baking this bread. That's priceless.

Kindness by others:
I'm amazed at the Kindness acts that you are all doing!!

*Marcia will be keeping a Daily Journal of Kindness for the entire year! WOW! With this year being a leap year, that's 366 days of kindness! GO MARCIA!!! Please keep in touch so we can encourage each other!!

*Marcia (yep, same gal) was so happy with her haircut that she over-tipped her stylist. He was very appreciative!

*Cindy in CA has signed up her whole family to volunteer at the food bank! Way to go!!

I am so thrilled to see so much kindness being done. Keep those ARK's coming at me!

Sparkle and Bling

2012-01-08T07:16:00.000-05:00

Today at The Hybrid Chick, we start a new Card Caravan Challenge. This challenge is to add some sparkle or bling to your creation. Easy-peasy! So come on over and join in!

I made my card using a new digital kit by Etc. by Danyale called My HeART

Isn't it gorgeous???? I designed the card in Photoshop, then printed out the components, cut them, inked and glued them together. I added the ribbon and gems across the middle.

For the flower, I printed one of the kit papers on both sides of double-sided paper. I cut the petals shapes using the Tim Holtz Tattered Floral die. I spritzed them with water and scrunched them.

When I put the petals together to create the flower, I coated a brad with Glossy Accents and sprinkled it with Doodlebug Designs Sugar Coating glitter.

So I've got a little bling and a little sparkle on the card! Can never have too much sparkle!!

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Challenge Up Your Life

Kindness Update

2012-01-06T08:00:00.058-05:00

Out and about early in the morning to sprinkle some kindness around!! Yesterday my son and I got an early start so we could share some kindness with other early morning people.

First stop: the crossing guard. This crossing guard has been at her post 3 times a day every year for a long time! Since my kiddos were attending the elementary school.

* On this very cold morning, we took her some hot cocoa.

Not really sure about that strange look on my face - I know I was talking and objecting to being in the photo. Gonna have to work on smiling for the camera man! Any case - she was so appreciative and look at that smile on her face!! That sure felt good!

Next we hit the Mall before it opened so we could stealthily leave some kindness to be discovered.

* Left coins for the kiddie rides. Who says there is no such thing as a free ride? Hehehehe!!!!

* Held the door for a woman at the bagel shop.

* Visited an older gentleman who I always used to see at the 6:45am service at Church. Since way back when my first son was in a baby carrier! He really enjoyed the company and seeing my first son grown into a young man. We wished him a Happy New Year and we couldn't help but catch his contagious smile!

* Left some coins at a vending machine so somebody can get a treat!

* Tucked some $1 bills about the Dollar Store. We figured the toy and candy aisle might be the right spot to make the day for a few children!

* Played taxi for the middle school football players that are working out with the high school team. Then gave them rides home afterward. Due to budget cuts, there is no bus for them. Usually they walk which cuts into their work out time. And it was super cold. They appreciated it!

* Stopped traffic to allow pedestrians to cross the road. Yeah in this area you're supposed to stop for peds in the crosswalks. You'd be amazed how many cars don't!

By the time we had done all of this, I was really in a lot of pain. I've got an as yet undiagnosed problem in my back/hip that is making it difficult for me to walk, sit, stand or move about. I was in too much pain to keep going. So we headed home. Not to worry, I'm going to work on some kindness that I can share that doesn't require me to do too much walking and such.

Kindness by others:

* Nancy in CA is helping her sister move!

* Lisa in the Philippines is going to work in Acts of Random Kindness has she celebrates her birthday next month!! Follow her blog so you can keep up with her throughout February! Life as DINKers

Stay tuned for updates! Keep sharing your acts of kindness too. I'm really enjoying this!

50 Things/ a Template/ and 10 Acts of Kindness

2012-01-05T08:00:00.056-05:00

Looking for a KINDNESS update? Scroll down a little bit!

The energy of the New Year got me looking back over my life. I wanted to capture things about me. Just stuff. Little things. Items that might change over time, some things that might remain the same. But just a bunch of those everyday kind of things that you don't really think about, mixed with a few big things. And I wanted to get it captured NOW! That is what inspired me to create this page.

I created the page digitally. So I've got a layered .psd template to share with you as well as the .jpg that you can use as a sketch. You can read more about them over at the Ideas For Scrapbookers blog today.

You can click HERE to download the layered .psd file as well as the sketch.

KINDNESS UPDATE:
Today my oldest son and I set out to spread some kindness. We are calling them ARKs... Acts of Random Kindness. Although, some of them are pre-planned and maybe not so "random" Hehehehe!!! Here is what we accomplished today:

* Held the door for a man at Dunkin Donuts that was carrying out boxes of donuts. I'm guessing he was providing some kindness for others!

* Took the hot cocoa we got at DD's to the mail carrier we see walking on foot everyday. It was a cold day. She looked so happy!! Hope it kept her warm!

* Found "stray" carts at the grocery store and returned them to the front of the shop.

My son works at this market and often gathers up carts. I think he was loving taking pics of mom doing his job! It sure did give me a greater appreciation for the people that do this everyday!

* Then we popped inside the market and hid coupons all about!

* Left quarters on the washing machine at the laundromat.

My son was such a sport taking photos and having fun celebrating with me, that I treated him to lunch at Wendy's.

* Paid for the car behind me at the drive-thru at Wendy's. It seemed to mess up the system for the employees, but they were good about it!

* Gave a student a ride from the High School where he was working out with the football team to the middle school so he could get to basketball try-outs.

* Gave another student a ride home from football workouts.

* Donated to the Salvation Army.

* Created and shared the digi-scrapbook template freebie!

That's 10. Let's keep going!

I'm so glad so many of you are joining me!!! Here are a few things that have been shared with me today:

*Dawn in Tuscon AZ bought lunch for a homeless man!
*Jenni in IN gave some great guidance and help to a new co-worker that was really letting the job get to her!
*Joy in NM sent home-made chicken soup to a single mom co-worker that is sick with whooping cough!

If we can spread this much kindness in just one day, imagine what we will accomplish by the end of the month!!!!

I look forward to sharing your acts of kindness too. Remember that you can share the kindness that you have been spreading. Simply leave it as a comment on any of my Kindness Update posts throughout the month of January!

Help me Celebrate with Acts of Kindness

2012-01-04T09:27:00.000-05:00

Hello friends!

January is a month for reflecting on our lives and setting out to make changes and reach new goals. It is especially so for me as I have a birthday this month.

As I celebrate my birthday and look back over my life, I can't help but feel extremely blessed. Yes, I've had challenges in my life, but I've always found the strength to face them. Many times I've been able to face them thanks to the help of family, friends and even complete strangers.

So I'm going to celebrate my birthday this month by doing Acts of Kindness to help others. I'm going to do one Act of Kindness for each year of my life. Let's just say that's a lot of Kindness! And it's going to take me days, even weeks to accomplish this.

It wouldn't be a party without friends! I want to ask you to celebrate with me!! I'd like to ask you to do just one Act of Kindness and share it with me! You can post it as a comment on this blog post. No matter how big or small the act, that's not what matters - just act!

I'll be posting updates on my blog about my birthday Acts of Kindness throughout the month if you'd like to follow along with my progress. I'd love to share some of the Kindness that you spread too! Don't worry, I'll only use first names on my blog.

Thanks for helping me celebrate my birthday. You can ask your friends and family to join in too. Let's see if we can wrap this Kindness around the globe! So when you post - let me know what country/state you are from!

With love and Kindness,

Merry Christmas and a Card Challenge

2011-12-25T08:00:00.005-05:00

I hope that you are enjoying time with family and friends and celebrating all the blessings of Christmas.

Today also starts the next 2 week Card Caravan Challenge at The Hybrid Chick. The final one of this year!!!

The theme this time around is "metal". Open to your interpretation. You can use some type of metal on your card, a brad, a staple, sheet metal, aluminum foil, tinsel!!! I used a sheet of plum colored metal and embossed a poem on my card. I thought the wording was perfect for a "New Year's" card. The poem reads:
The blink of an eye, The time it takes to have a deep thought, The time it takes to decide if you should or should not, The time it takes to love and the time it takes to hate, The time it takes to smell something you like but never ate, A bright idea can come and a bright idea can go, Life can become high and life can become low, A bird's little chirp can turn into a beautiful song as life comes and goes Ten Seconds Long. by Geoff Darrow

My card is a type of gate fold card.

Merry Christmas to you all!

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Last Minute Christmas Card Inspiration

2011-12-20T08:33:00.003-05:00

Can you believe that it is 5 days until Christmas? Nope, me either! I'm done all of my gift shopping (I think). I still need to get the perishable food items for the big feast! I've still got a few gifts to pull together as far as wrapping and such. So I've been busy making cards and wrapping what-nots.

Thought I would share a few projects with you for inspiration.

This first one is a gift card holder that can hang on a tree or be added as a embellishment to a gift. When you open the flap......

... the pocket holding the gift card slides up! I used some tiny magnets to keep the flap closed. I also kept the design generic with no names or dates on it. This way the recipient can re-use it if they would like.

Wouldn't this be sweet on your tree with a special note tucked inside? I'm making a note to add this as an Advent activity for my family next year. We'll each have a pocket that we can tuck special wishes in to be read on Christmas Eve!

Does the paper look familiar? Yep it's from the same digital kit that I used for the sliding gift card holder. The kit is called Christmas Wishes and is by WM Squared Designs. More on that in a little bit. This card has a nice lacy scallop edge and a very blingy glittery snowflake! a simply yet elegant design.

Now about that digital kit.... You can find it at Scrap Orchards. And if you hurry - you can get it at 50% off today!! In fact Wendy's whole store is 50% off today!

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Ingredients:
Digital Kit: Christmas Wishes by WM Squared
Twine: EK Success
Ribbon: Michaels
Glitter: Doodlebug Designs
Gift Card Template: Lori Whitlock

Holiday Star Wreath

2011-12-13T09:31:00.000-05:00

Hello! My name is Cathy and I am addicted to Christmas papers. I love them. Every time a new line of Christmas papers comes out, I seem to be drawn to them and want to have them. Mind you it is not that I have a project planned for them, I just want to collect them so that I can gaze upon them at any time! There, I've admitted it. Now perhaps I can move on to over come my addiction! Or not!!

I have been really good this year, the only new Christmas papers that I acquired are digital sets that I was doing Design Team work with. However, I have so much Christmas paper left over from previous years, that it has it's own bin in my storage! I love it so much I even save the scraps! As I was going through that bin of scraps, I decided that I needed to use them on a project that would allow others to enjoy them as well, rather than keep them hostage in a drawer where I was the only one enjoying their beauty! And this is what I made:

Here's how I made it. I took a bunch of the scrap pieces of Christmas paper that I had and cut a whole bunch of star shapes. I cut a circle frame from a piece of cardboard to be the base of my wreath.

I cut a bunch of stars out of plain green cardstock for the base and adhered them to the cardboard circle. I then cut a bunch of stars out of decorative cardstock for the wreath design itself. These stars I scored from outer point to inner point across all 5 points on each star. I formed them to create a 3D barn star shape at the score lines.

Carefully placing hot glue at the corners that will rest on the wreath base, I adhered the decorative stars to the wreath.

Continue to adhere each of the decorative stars working around the wreath until you've adhered 2 layers of the decorative molded stars.

Add embellishments such as bows, a ribbon hanger, buttons or gems as you desire to complete the design of your wreath.

Mine looked great on my front door, but I've decided to hang it over a cabinet door in our kitchen. Since I had originally created a looped hanger to go on an over-the-door wreath hanger, I added some additional ribbon loops to extend the hanger to fit the cabinet door. It has really dressed up our kitchen and now we can all enjoy those gorgeous Christmas paper scraps that I've been hoarding!

I gained my inspiration for this project from Little Birdie Secrets.
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Penguin Pals and Card Challenge

2011-12-11T10:16:00.001-05:00

This sweet little card is brimming with cheerfulness. The cute little penguins are a part of the digital collection by Paper Garden Projects called Penguin Pals. I also used the coordinating papers from the collection to make the hybrid card.

The sentiment is from Christmas Sentiments Digital Stamps by Arty Pants Digital Stamps. I love working with these digital stamps. I can color them however I want to match my cards and size them to fit the design of the card. I really wanted the sentiment to be subtle and small on this card.

This card was created for the new Card Caravan Challenge at The Hybrid Chick. Our current theme is "two". You can interpret it any way that you would like. Go check it out!

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Advent Calendar

2011-12-08T07:00:00.001-05:00

I just made this Advent Calendar for my family to count down the days until Christmas. And to help keep us focused on some really fun family activities during this season. I'm sharing more details about this project over at Ideas For Scrapbookers today.

Do you use an Advent Calendar in your house? Leave me a comment and tell me how you prepare for Christmas! I'd love to hear about your traditions.

A New Card Caravan Challenge with Bling!

2011-11-27T07:00:00.005-05:00

Today starts a new 2 week Card Caravan Challenge at The Hybrid Chick. In this challenge we ask that you use glitter. How fun is that? And simple too! You can make any design you'd like, just use some glitter. Then link up your creation at the Card Caravan Linky party here.

I used the Wish List Letter to Santa kit and Word Art by Etc. by Danyale for my card.

The snowflake on my card is coated with shimmery crystal white glitter. I love that pop of bling!

I love the little peeking Santa in the kit so I just had to include him in my design.

Thanks for looking at my card. Hope you can share one of your own at our challenge!

Ingredients:
Digi Kit: Etc. by Danyale
Paper: Red River
Glitter: Glitterex
Ink: Colorbox
Ribbon Michaels
Adhesive: Glue Arts, Xyron

Shared at:
Paper Issues
Scrappy Frogs
Sparkles Forum
Quirky Crafts
GingerLoft
Paper Sundaes
Cupcake Inspirations
Dream Valley
CR84FN Color Challenge
Crazy for Challenges
Hiding in My Craft Room
My Sheri Crafts
Totally Gorjuss
Crafty Hazelnut Christmas

Thankful for Dirty Dishes

2011-11-25T19:02:00.000-05:00

The day after Thanksgiving. I cannot even believe it! Time is flying by this year. While lots of people are out and about shopping on Black Friday, I was reflecting on all my blessings. I really am thankful for dirty dishes!

All those dishes that needed to be washed after the feast yesterday represent so much. We would not have had the dishes with out having family and friends that gathered to enjoy time and a delicious meal together. We would not have had the food for the feast without the job to have the money to buy the food, or the store and the workers there to get the food from the shelves. The food would not have been at the store with out the farms, farmers, and companies that prepare and package all the foods. We would not have had the freedom to celebrate without our troops fighting to protect our freedoms. A heartfelt thank you from me to all involved in helping my family and friends be able to have the blessing of a wonderful Thanksgiving gathering!

Here's a little bit from the preparation of the feast at my house. Of course there was the bird. All ready to go into the oven. After 24 hours of soaking in an aromatic brine, this beauty was all washed and rubbed and ready for roasting. Despite careful calculation of roasting time, the turkey managed to be done nearly 2 hours in advance of the predicted finish time! And I was not the only one to have that situation. It happened to my brother and sister-in-law as well! I think there was a turkey conspiracy. Perhaps it was started by the beef industry! Lucky for us, the meat was still super moist and delicious!

My kids are always sating that there is never enough stuffing. So this year I doubled my grandmother's recipe for stuffing. Needless to say, we have quite a bit for leftovers!

For dessert, my sister made one of her scrumptious pecan cheesecake pies!!! Oh yummy!! I made some Pumpkin Spiced Latte Cupcakes. Here I am brushing them with some coffee. My son has nicknamed these "Pumcakes". It's what rolls of the tongue when you try to say Pumpkin and Cupcakes all at once! Never did get a photo of the completed iced cupcakes!

Speaking of my son, One the most special dirty dishes that I am thankful for this year is this cute bowl that he created. Can you tell he loves the Pittsburgh Steeler's?? I really appreciate his creativity, enthusiasm and team spirit.

Shame I never did get any photos of the finished goodies. But that's how things go in our house, mayhem and chaos settled in. Time to capture the "after" photos went out the window! Maybe next year!

I hope you've had a chance to be grateful for your blessings. If you ventured out to do some shopping, I hope you got some great deals. Hopefully you've had a wonderful time enjoying family and friends. And as I reflect on my blessings, I give thanks to all of you that follow along on my creative journey. Thanks for sharing your time and talents with me!

I've got to get back to washing those dirty dishes. Until next time!

Christmas Organizer/Planner

2011-11-16T07:00:00.001-05:00

It's time. Or maybe it's past time. Time to get organized for the holidays. Each year I try really hard to be more organized than the previous year. I try. In reality, I do get a little better at it each year. There is just so much that happens in the short time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, that you can't do it all. And that is OK!

To help me stay organized on the things I need to get done for the holidays, I keep a planner. I used to just do this by jotting notes on a pad of paper. Then a few years ago, I discovered this most awesome web site called Organized Christmas. Then I started printing out the organizer pages and keeping them in a binder. If you haven't been to this site, you really should visit. Oh my! They have all sorts of ideas to keep you on track and on budget for your holiday planning. Whether you just need a little help keeping your shopping in order, or if you want to go full tilt on sprucing your home, planning your meal, tracking your cards, gift purchases and staying within a budget, you can find the right help at Organized Christmas! And the best part......... it's FREE! Yep, it's all there to help you! You can find some of the planners here.

Last year I bumped up my organization another notch when I switched from just the printed out organizer sheets, to actually decorating my organizer! I used digital scrapbook kits to design my cover and inside pages. I didn't get all fancy with my materials. I used a 1" 3-ring binder with a clear pocket for the cover. This made it easy to design am 8.5" x 11" page for the cover and just slip it into the pocket.

Inside the binder I covered some plastic notebook dividers with pockets with matching papers. This gives me a great place to store notes, receipts, gifts tags, a pen and other things. I don't need to make my organizer any fancier, it's not really going to be seen by anyone. Especially since I keep my gift buying plans in it!

I have 3 sections to my binder. Calendars, Cards and Gifts. The Organized Christmas website has card trackers you can print out. I keep track of my cards, complete with addresses that I can mail merge to labels, in an Excel spreadsheet. So I keep a printed copy of that in this section. It allows me a place to make on-the-fly adjustments to addresses and such. I can then use that to update my spreadsheet when I have time.

In my calendars section, I keep monthly calendars for the months surrounding the holidays. This way, any special things I want to jot down, and don't want included on our family calendar, I have a separate location to keep them. I set deadlines and reminders here for myself too. Like when I need to start thawing the bird!

The gifts section is the most active section for me. I keep several of the printable planner pages here. This really helps to keep me on target with my gift planning, purchases and budget.

It also helps me track and plan for gifts I am making.

I love this planner page. I can keep track of all my orders in one location. I do a lot of Internet shopping. I print out the receipt, keep it in one of the binder pockets, and track the deliver of the item on this page.

This page is hands-down, my absolute favorite!!!!! As I buy gifts, I stash them away. In crevices and hiding places. Sometimes I forget where I've hidden them! So this page is a HUGE help! I use one of the columns as my location, to remind me where I've hidden the treasure!

Last, but certainly not least, I keep track of the little stocking stuffers, and housewarming gifts on this planner page. No more Christmas mornings of forgetting about filling the stockings! Yes, yes, that really did happen in my house once! Never again!!

Reduce the stress in your holidays. Head on over to Organized Christmas get some great ideas, print out the planners that will help you most and put your mind at ease!

Here is to a happy and stress-reduced, holiday season!

Shared at:

Being Thankful

2011-11-13T14:24:00.001-05:00

It's nearly Thanksgiving! Oh my! I'm still not ready for the summer to have ended. We've already had our first snow fall too. You would think I'm into the season by now.

This is one of my favorite times of year. I love the feeling that flows at the holidays. Woven in with the hustle and bustle is a wonderful feeling of compassion, faith and spirit. It renews my belief and trust in the world.

As we get ready to enjoy Thanksgiving and the the build up to Christmas, we decorate the house with special items. This centerpiece is one that I made for our table. It is made with recycled cardboard, some digital papers that I printed and cut, hand made paper flowers and some pre-made embellishments.

Our house always smells so much better at the holidays too with all the baking we do. And of course the yummy scented candles!

Another one of our Thanksgiving traditions is the wall hanging that I made several years ago. I really should get a better photo of it! There is a pocket on it for us to write the things we are thankful for. The clip on the right keeps scraps of paper handy. Then on Thanksgiving we read all of the things we have written. I can then use these as journal strips on scrapbook pages.

Over at Paper Issues our theme is Thankful for Fall. Won't you come link up some projects you have created?

New Card Caravan Challenge and a Seam Binding Tutorial!

2011-11-13T07:00:00.012-05:00

This is the card I made for our new Card Caravan challenge over at The Hybrid Chick. The challenge is to do something birthday. I used the digital kit Every Day of the Year by Sugarplum Paperie.

Come join in on the fun at our challenge at The Hybrid Chick!

I didn't have a ribbon to match, so I died some seam binding using Glimmer Mist. Such an easy technique. Here's how:

Supplies you'll need:
Neutral colored seam binding or ribbon
small plastic zip closure bag
ink spray

1. Using a neutral colored seam binding (or ribbon), cut it to size.
2. Spritz some of your ink spray into the plastic bag

3. Add your seam binding and close the bag

4. Knead between your fingers until the color is absorbed by the fabric

5. Remove the seam binding from the bag and allow to dry before using on your project.

Simple, easy. And now you have a ribbon in the color of your choice. And the seam binding is crinkled to boot!

Shared At:
Di's Digi Designs
Just Some Lines
Our Creative Corner
Wee Memories
Inspire Me Fridays
Crafty Purple Frog
Crazy 4 Challenges

Creative Team Call!!!

2011-11-12T09:22:00.000-05:00

Are you a Digi Scrapper or Hybird Artist? Interested in joining one of the most fun teams for a fantastic designer? Then don't miss this call. Wendy has some of the amazing, fun, wonderful designs and she is great to work with! Being on this team rocks!

So if you have what it takes, get your email sent to Wendy at wmsquared.ctcall@gmail.com now! you have until 11-23-11 to apply!

Looking forward to meeting the lucky people that get to join the team! Good luck!!

Stirring Things Up!

2011-11-07T14:30:00.000-05:00

When I saw the little stand mixer in this digital kit, I got all giddy! I'm anxious to work on pages for my album of favorite recipes and that mixer is going to look so cute on them! But the word art in the kit got my mojo going in a completely different direction. I ended up making this sweet card! Sometimes, you've just got to follow the creativity. Never know where it might lead you!

The kit is called "Stir it Up" and is part of the Digital Scrapbook Day Grab Bag by WM Squared Designs. It is available (and on sale now!) at Scrap Orchard. Hurry, you don't want to miss this sale! The grab bag is packed full of great items, the kit, word art, journaling bits (which are going to make some great recipe cards!), templates, alphas and date stamps!!!

Ingredients:
Digital Kit: WM Squared Designs
Ribbon: Michaels
Ink: Colorbox
Dies: Spellbinders

Shared at:
Heart Song Inspirations
Creative Inspirations Paint
Dream Valley Challenges
Catch the Bug Challenge

Check the Calendar

2011-10-29T16:03:00.000-04:00

Snow? Really? Our area is getting pelted by a Nor'easter storm this weekend. We are getting snow! A few inches on the ground already and it's still snowing. It's 2 days before Halloween. This is not the norm for us. I keep singing "The weather outside is frightful...." and then thinking that it's supposed to be the costumes that are frightful at this time of year! LOL I am so not ready for winter!

I've got another Halloween related project to share. I used digital kits to design the October part of the calendar I'm making for my husband. I'm trying to get it done before the start of the year this year. :-)

I create the top and bottom as 8.5"x11" pages that I can then print out, bind and give as a gift. Here's a look at the top and bottom pages separately:

The top includes some photos from our pumpkin carving fun!

The bottom has plenty of space to write important reminders on each day.

The digital papers and elements that I used are all parts of the Mix-A-Kit for October available at ScrapMatters.

Now who'd have thought that I would have to snow shovel the walk for the trick-or-treaters? Hope you are having pleasant weather wherever you are!

Spooky Tree

2011-10-19T09:26:00.001-04:00

Less than 2 weeks until Halloween. Yikes! If that's not enough to scare you, maybe this is?

I created this little scene using some cardstock and a bunch of left over papers from my scrap drawer. Creating the tree was good therapy!

We don't go all out for Halloween at our house. But we do put up some decorations. There are quite a few young children in the neighborhood. They enjoy the decorations, as long as they aren't too scary! We have some gravestones and ghosts along the front walk. They are lit by the glow of some orange lights. On Halloween, we put our carved jack-o-lanterns on the porch and leave the main front door open. In the entry behind the storm door is a little table that we decorate with seasonal items, candles and such. This scene has found a spot on that table.

OK, so maybe it's more cute than it is scary. :-) Especially with those snuggly ghouls adorning it!

Shared at:
City Crafter
Creative Card Crew
Papertake Weekly
Party Time Tuesday
Haunted Design House
Crafty Boots

Colorful Challenge

2011-10-16T14:11:00.005-04:00

I'm the host of the current challenge at The Hybrid Chick Card Caravan. For my challenge, I'm asking that you create a card or hybrid project using this color scheme as your inspiration.

Aren't those some yummy seasonal colors? I created this card for this challenge (and a few others).

One of the designers at The DigiChick, Quirky Twerp, created a kit using the color palette for this challenge for me to use! The kit is called Frolic & Friends. Here's a preview of the kit:

Cute, isn't it?

I used the lavender frame in the kit, printed several times and fussy cut each one. I then layered them to create a thick frame for the sentiment. And of course I blinged it up a bit!

So stop by The Hybrid Chick to check out the challenge and enter your card or project!

Shared at:
Card Cupids
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Emerald Fairie Garden
Get Funky
Artisitc Stamper
Squirrel and the Fox
Ribbon Girl
Sparkles Forum
Pile it On
Paper Sundaes
Ginger Loft
Cupcake Inspirations
Crafts for Eternity Recipe Challenge
Craft Your Days Away
Scrappin' Chics
CoulourQ
Papertake Weekly

Potions!

2011-10-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

So the other day, I got to play with these cool digi stamps by Arty Pants, Potion Labels. This was a really fun and easy craft. I clipped some digital papers to the stamps to color them. Sized them and printed them out. After cutting them out, I inked up the edges and added a bit of distressing.

I ran them through my Xyron, and then put them on some orange cream soda bottles. Of course I removed the original labels from the bottles first. Then came the really fun part......

I put them in the refrigerator and waited for the kids to find them. The reactions were hilarious! They stood and stared at them. Then they laughed. And finally they asked if they could have them!!!

I've now gotten requests to make some more Zombie Blood Extract, Eye of Newt and Gizzard of Lizard! LOL

Such an easy craft and so much fun. Give it a try!

Ingredients:
Paper: copy paper
Digital Kits: All Hallows Eve, Frolic and Friends by Quirky Twerp; Glamour-ween by Etc. by Danyale
Digital Stamps: Potion Labels by Arty Pants
Ink: Colorbox
Adhesive: Xyron

More on: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-13T10:25:00.000-04:00

A few posts ago I shared a card I made in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can see that post HERE.

I've got even more to share for crafters that would like to make a difference. You can read about ways you can help, and pick up a freebie printable calendar for you or to give as a gift! I've posted all the info over at Ideas For Scrapbookers today!

This is the calendar printable created by Nikki that you can snag!

Stop by and see how you can help the fight!

How NOT to be Tricked on Halloween!

2011-10-11T07:56:00.000-04:00

Ever have to be away from home while all the trick-or-treaters are visiting and wonder how you can make sure your house is not "tricked" ?? I designed this sign that I can leave out with a bowl of goodies.

It says "You can take more than 1 but only just a few we're watching you" and has lots of creepy funny eyes peering about!

I designed the sign in Photoshop CS4 using digital papers and elements. I then printed it out on heavy cardstock. The frame was plain wooden unfinished. I painted it black and popped the sign inside it.

Now you may be thinking that the first costumed visitor to come along will swipe all the candy and there won't be any left for anyone else. I've had to do this in the past, and I actually had candy left over! Maybe it's all those eyes "watching" that keep the kids behaving!

Hope you have a crafty Halloween!

Ingredients:
Digital Papers: GeniaBeana, Haynay Designs, WM Squared Designs
Digital Elements: Amy Stoffel, Dream Big Designs, WM Squared Designs

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-07T09:01:00.004-04:00

This month is not only about changing colors, falling leaves and crazy costumes. It is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month! I made this card including the cute little bra, using a new kit released today by WM Squared Designs called Be Aware. Here's a preview of the kit:

Great kit, isn't it? But the best part??? To help spread awareness and further the fight against breast cancer, Wendy of WM Squared Designs is donating 20% of the proceeds from the sale of this kit to Susan G. Komen for the Cure! So not only do you get this amazing kit, but you help fight breast cancer too! What are you waiting for? Click the kit preview to go to the ScrapMatters store to purchase your kit now!

Thanks for helping such a great cause!

Ingredients:
Digital Kit: WM Squared
Cardstock: American Crafts, Red River
Punch: Paper Shapers, EK Success
Ribbon: Morex Corp.
Flower: Flora Doodles

Shared at:
CCEE Stampers
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge
Paper Crafting Journey
Sassy Studio Designs
Creative Belli
DigiStamps 4 Joy
Fab n'Funky
I Brake for Challenges
Penny's Papercraft Challenge
Simon Says Stamp
Inky Impressions

Autumn Arrives

2011-10-02T16:41:00.003-04:00

Some cool air moved in this weekend making it feel much more like Autumn. Which makes it easier for me to share a couple of projects with you. First up, I decoupaged a pumpkin.

Yep, you read that right. I decoupaged a pumpkin! OK, so no, it is not a "real" pumpkin. It is one of those craft pumpkins. Which is even better, cause this baby will last way past when all the Halloween candy has been eaten!

This was not my idea. I saw this on the cover of Country Living magazine. But I decided to take it hybrid and kick it up a few notches!

The papers that I used are from a digital kit by Etc. by Danyale called "Glamour-ween". Doesn't the name of the kit get you intrigued? Let's just say that it is as beautiful as it's name! Go ahead, click the link and check it out. I'll wait.

Now that you've drooled all over that kit, I'll tell you how I pumped up the creative on my pumpkin. I decoupaged the papers on to the pumpkin and then as I added thin layers of the sealant, I sprinkled different glitters all over the surface. I also sprinkled some gold embossing powder and heated it up. Oh it's so pretty up close. Wanna peak?

The glittery stuff never shows up as well in my photos. I also took apart a Fall floral bunch and adhered them at the stem, placed a rhinestone flourish and added a few paper roses. This is definitely not a scary pumpkin! I was surprised that my guys actually like it! They usually go for the blood and guts Halloween decor.

My other project that I'm sharing today is my sample for the Card Caravan Challenge #3 at The Hybrid Chick.

This challenge is to make an Autumn card. You can check out the challenge for details and hopefully join in!

Hope you are enjoying the changing seasons!

Shared at:
CR84FN
Cupcake Inspirations
Just Some Lines
Paper Crafting Journey
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper Crafty
The Pixie Cottage
Little Darlings
For Fun Challenges
Freshly Brewed
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafty Creations
Moving Long with Times
Paper Play
Pixie Dust Studio
Meljen's Designs
ABC DT Challenge - Pumpkins

Packed for the Road

2011-09-29T15:38:00.000-04:00

Remember a few posts ago I was showing a peek at what I've been working on? It's time to share some of that! We took a road trip this summer. It was super fun. I'm working on a mini-album to capture all our great memories. I'm still working on the mini album, but I wanted to have a special place to keep it.

I made a cute suitcase to store the mini in. I was inspired by a project that Clare Buswell had shared at The Hybrid Chick. Now I'm going to share it with you.

Here's what you need to make it:

Foam board
Brown paper bag (grocery sack)
Digital or traditional scrap papers
Adhesive (wet and dry)
Straight pins
Ruler
Craft knife
Embellishments as desired

The suitcase is basically 2 identical boxes that rest on one another. First decide on the size and depth that you want. Now draw out the pieces on the foam board that you will need. You should have 2 larger rectangles, one for the base and one for the lid, as well as 4 long rectangle sides and 4 short rectangle sides (2 of each for the lid and 2 of each for the base). Make sure to allow for the thickness of the foam board when you measure your side pieces.

Use a craft knife and ruler to carefully cut the pieces of foam board.

Assemble the foam board pieces to make the lid and base boxes. Use a wet all purpose craft glue to adhere them. You can use straight pins to hold the pieces in place while the glue dries.

Open the brown paper grocery sack. Once the boxes are dry, cover them with the brown paper.

Place the base on your work surface open side of the box facing up. Invert the lid, and place it on top of the base. Cut a piece of cardstock in a color that matches the brown paper and adhere it at the seam on one of the long sides. This will become the hinge of the suitcase. It's going to be covered, but you will be able to see a small bit of it on the inside of the suitcase when you open it.

Cut another piece of the brown paper grocery sack to cover the entire hinged side of the suitcase and adhere it in place.

Adhere the papers you have selected for the inside of your suitcase.

Cut 4 circles with a radius that is the depth of your base or lid. These will become the corners of the suitcase. Fold them in half. Then fold them in half again.

Cut out one quarter of the circles as shown in the image above. Adhere these to the outer corners of the lid and base. I chose to emboss my corners, add a stitched edge and ink them before I attached them.

Add a handle. I also added a "buckle". I cut a piece of cardstock and attached a button. A set of well placed magnets help to keep the suitcase closed.

Embellish the suitcase as you would like. I created a scene using digital supplies and some photos from our trip for each side of the suitcase. I also used ribbon to further embellish the case.

Now, if I could just get some work done on the mini to go in it! I can't wait to show that to you too!

Ingredients:
Foam Board: Elmers
Digital Kit: Journey of the Heart by Elise's Pieces and Kim Broedelet
Ribbon: American Crafts
Adhesive: ACMoore, Beacon, 3M
Button: Stash
Brads: Making Memories
Thread: Coats and Clark
Embossing plate: Provo Cuttlebug
Emboss/Die Cut machine: Provo Cuttebug

Blending It Up

2011-09-27T07:27:00.000-04:00

One of the projects I've been working on in my spare time (Spare time? What is that? LOL) is a book about our vacation at the beach this summer. I made a few pages about visiting the boardwalk. I took this photo:

And turned it into this background for my page:

Then I designed my finished page on top of it. Here's how that turned out:

Wanna know how to blend photos to create custom backgrounds? I've shared the tutorial on how I did this over at Ideas For Scrapbookers.

Hope you have fun playing with your photos too!

Say It Ain't Snow!

2011-09-23T06:49:00.003-04:00

No, no, no, we have not had snow yet! Hopefully we won't get ant for a while. I had designed a template for a card challenge recently. When I went to put the card together, I decided to make it a Winter/holiday card. I think it was a string of chilly days that got me in that mood!

I ended up making it into a gate fold card. As much as I am not a fan of shoveling snow, I love snowmen. I hand cut this little guy. Glittered up his body and belly and popped him off the card a bit.

The snowflakes I covered with glittery embossing powder that I heated up. This is one time that melting a snowflake actually makes it look even better! :)

Since snow tends to get everywhere, I added a flake inside with the greeting!

The cooler temps were quite fleeting. The chilly days have passed and we are back to warm, humid weather. Actually we are being threatened with more flooding rains. Not too happy about that! But I can look at this happy little snowman and put a smile back on my face!

The template that I created is for the It's In The Cards Challenge over at ScrapMatters. Interested in playing along? You can grab the template below. I would love to see your creations!

>> Download here <<

Now head on over to the challenge at ScrapMatters for the rules and to share your card. Can't wait to see what you create!

Ingredients:
Digital Kit: Stolen Moments
Dies: Spellbinders
Embossing Powder: Ranger
Punch: Martha Stewart
Stamp: Unity
Ink: Memento
Glitter: Doodlebug
Adhesive: 3M. Beacon, Glue Dots, Ranger

Sharing at:
Colour Create
ABC Christmas Challenge
Crafts and Me
Simon Says Stamp
Anything Goes

Button, Button, Who's got the Button?

2011-09-18T07:56:00.000-04:00

It's time for the 2nd Card Caravan Challenge at the Hybrid Chick! This time our host Sylvia has asked us to use buttons on our card. I made my card using the collab kit My Altered Life by the designers at The DigiChick.

Those blossoms were just screaming out to me to have buttons!! I stitched them with some embroidery floss.

This challenge is easy-peasy! Come on.... you can do it! I can't wait to see what you create!

Ingredients:
Digital Kit: The Digichick
Floss: DMC
Adhesive: Scotch, Beacon
Buttons: stash
Cardstock: Red River, American Crafts
Punch: Martha Stewart

Shared at:
2 Sisters
All Sorts
Di's Digi Design Challenge
Marks Finest Papers
One Stop Craft
Secret Crafter
Bloggers Challenge - Button Challenge
Delicious Doodles
Inspire Me Fridays
Sweet and Sassy

Tree Hugger Card and PI Blog Hop

2011-09-16T09:00:00.004-04:00

Wow, yesterday the temps really started dropping, I guess Fall is fast approaching! Over at Paper Issues we are starting our new theme, "Tree Hugger". And we are kicking it off with a blog hop. Well actually 3 blog hops!! There is a hop for scrapbook pages, altered projects and cards. Make sure to stop by and check out all the inspiration. If you get lost along the way, you can always go back to the Paper Issues site to find the complete lists of blogs to visit. Read on to find out more goodies in this hop.There are RAKs along the way too!

I created this card using the theme as my inspiration. I made the card completely from scraps that I had on hand. Kind of a reuse/recycle type thing. Just like you would scrape all the jelly out of a jar, I made sure to get as much from my paper and ribbons as possible! Then of course I had to include a tree!

At this time of year, how could I pass up focusing on the leaves? It will still be a while before they reach their peak of colors around here. But the falling temps and the falling leaves, gave me the idea to include an autumn tree. The leaf border at the bottom is cut so that the card peaks through to the inside. I included a strip of darker paper on the inside to highlight this.

If you are hopping along on the Paper Issues card blog hop, your next stop is: Gretchen McElveen www.gretchenmac.blogspot.com.

Don't forget, there are some RAK's along the way and there is also a coupon waiting for you at the Paper Issues blog for you to go shopping at the Paper Issues store!

Thanks for stopping by! Have fun on the hop!

UPDATE: I've gotten a few comments and questions about the leaf cut out on the bottom of the card. It is not a border punch. I cut that using my Silhouette. Thanks for asking!

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Bazzill, DCWV, American Crafts

Ribbon: American Crafts

Brads: Target

Stamp: Unity

Ink: Momento

Sneak Peek Behind the Scenes

2011-09-14T16:18:00.000-04:00

How's your week going? Mine has been really busy. Crazy stuff going on. I have somehow been managing to find some crafty time too. Every spare minute I can muster, actually! I'm working on a few projects right now. I really can't wait to share them. Here is a sneak peak at one of them.

I'm also going to be part of a BIG blog hop for Paper Issues on Friday September 16. Make sure to mark your calendar and come back to visit at the end of the week. (Pssst..... there are going to be RAK's in the hop!)

I've gotta run, there's tons to be done so I can get more time to spend on finishing up my projects for you!

In Remembrance.....

2011-09-11T07:32:00.000-04:00

On this, the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on America, let us never forget.

Today many people will continue to mourn. Many will recount the events of that day. Many will vividly remember right where they were and what they were doing and how they felt as the minutes of that day unfolded. And it will all feel as surreal and disjointed as it did on that day ten years ago.

Too many will remember and miss a loved one that was lost on that day.

This is a page I had made for an album for my husband. He is in the fire service. Firemen, police officers and emergency service personnel lost many of their fellow brothers on that day as well.

I hope that you are able to reflect and remember and pray for those that lost their lives on that day, not just today, but everyday. And pray as well for all those that have come together to make changes, to help rebuild, to provide safety, and to fight for freedom.

Rockin' Birthday

2011-09-10T11:10:00.000-04:00

It's been a crazy few weeks. School has attempted to return over the past 2 weeks and has just been washed out! We've had so much flooding in the area from Hurricane Irene and subsequent torrential rains this week. We've already used up 2 "snow days" and we haven't even made it to Fall yet. I hope this is not a foreshadowing of what winter might have in store for us!

To beat off the rain dull drums (are you loving all the puns?), I created this rockin' birthday card! This is a hybrid creation that I used digi papers and elements from the kit U Rock by GeniaBeana Scrap. I cut out the drum set (by hand!) and popped it with foam dots. I created the strips of paper and the sentiment tag (punched that up too!). The word art is by TaylorMade.

I think this is going to be a great card for a certain teen boy I know! Hope it brings you some inspiration.

shared at:
Crafting Misfit Show & Tell
Phindy's Place
Joyful Stamper Inspire Me Fridays
Fun with Shapes & More Challenge #91
Fairy Fun Fridays
Card Making Mama's
Splendiferous Creations

Grandparents Day Projects and Wallet Mini-Album

2011-09-08T08:08:00.000-04:00

Grandparents Day will be celebrated this weekend in The US. It's one of those special days set aside, that I think should just be everyday! We should give thanks to the grandparents and say "I love you" every chance we get!

To focus on this special day, I've got 2 posts for you. Up first is the Designer Showcase this week at Ideas For Scrapbookers our focus this week is projects about grandparents. Stop by and gather some inspiration!

Next, I've got a little project that I created for my kids to give to their grandma. It's a wallet mini-album. You can make one too, I show you how! I've got the tutorial up at The Hybrid Chick.

I've not yet finished embellishing and journaling mine, but here are a few more views of this portable mini-album.

To all the Grandparents out there.... Thank you for sharing your love, your stories and your time!

Back to School and a Challenge

2011-09-04T09:00:00.006-04:00

UPDATE: The challenge at The Hybrid Chick is live AND..... there is a prize!! Read on to find out more!

Back to school time always makes me emotional. No, I'm not one of those parents that celebrates the annual return to the regular routine of seeing the kids hop on the bus and head off to learning. I actually get a bit down at this time of year. I miss the kids. I miss the lazy days of summer.

But I do love to see the kids growing and learning. And Fall is a beautiful season. I absolutely love all the holidays packed into the next few months. However, I dread the coming of winter. The long cold dark nights, and all that snow. Not my favorite time!

Enough of this talk of things to come, lets get back to some fun to be had with back to school time! Over at Paper Issues, our current theme is "Learning Curve". This card fits just great! You'll find me linked up there. Do you have a project you'd like to share too? Come on over and join the linky party!

Now for the challenge..... I actually made this card for a challenge over at The Hybrid Chick. A simple card challenge. All you have to do is use twine in making your card and you'll have this challenge all tied up! LOL So how about joining in the fun? I can't wait to see what you create!

In celebration of our very first challenge, one participant will be randomly chosen to receive an Ultimate Sampler pack from The Twinery. So get on over to the Hybrid Chick and link up your creation!

Ingredients:

Digital kit: A if for Apple collaborative kit by the designers and the Digichick

Font: Hand Garden
Twine: Martha Stewart
Punch: EK Success
Ink: Colorbox, Stazon

Shared at:
Card Making Mama's
Charisma Cardz
Clearly Inspired Challenge #35
Anyone for Anya
Come and Get It Back to School Challenge
Crafting When We Can
Creative Inspirations Paint - Back to School
Crazy for Challenges C4C103
One Stop Craft Challenge
Fashionista Friday
Fun with Shapes and More
Guylou's Inimitability Blog
Joyful Stamper
Jellypark Challenges
Our Craft Lounge
Simply Betty Challenges
Crafting MisFits
Simply Create

A Place to hold Guitar Picks

2011-09-02T15:40:00.000-04:00

One of my son's has recently taken to playing guitar. Which I think is just awesome! This is one of my son's who also has autism. This has been a great experience for us both. I've been schooling him in reading music and learning to play. But more importantly, he has found a new way to connect! The conversations and situations that are coming up from this new venture are just amazing.

He is taking great care of his equipment. Including those little, tiny picks! To help him keep track of them, I made a box for him to store them in. Sorry the photos are not so great, I took them a few days ago when hurricane Irene was passing through. We didn't have very good light, so I had to use my flash.

I put an eyelet on the one side of the box with a ribbon loop as a handle to make it easier for him to slide the box open. He loves the box. Not only is it grungy and rock and roll decorated, but it's green which is his favorite color!

Ingredients:

Digital papers elements: Rock Star by WM Squared Designs

Matchbox template: Krisi's Kreations

Who's calling?

2011-09-01T06:47:00.005-04:00

Want a quick little craft that not only helps organize your desk/home, but also recycles and helps the environment? I made this phone holder from an old gift card. Here's a freebie tutorial for you so you can make one too!

Start with the gift card that you have. Make sure you don't have any value left on it, I wouldn't want you to miss out on any shopping bargains! In my case I'm using a store rewards card from a store that has gone out of business. Makes me sad to see them go, but at least I've found a good use for the card.

Cut cardstock or patterned paper to fit the card. Gather elements that you want to use to decorate it. I used digital papers and elements. I printed out the background papers that I wanted to cover the cards with. I created the design block in Photoshop and printed that out. By making the design hybrid with digi elements, it also keeps it flat. Whatever you decorate this with, keep in mind that you want it to be as flat as possible.

Bend the card in to the shape for the holder. I laid my metal ruler across the card as a straight edge and then bent the card up against the edge of the ruler. I put the folds at about ½" from the one edge and about 1 ½" from that fold. Note that the folds go in opposite directions.

Apply adhesive and adhere the paper to each side of the card. Add your embellishment design and there you have it! A new place to hold your phone!

And it works both vertically and horizontally. Well at least it does for my phone! Hopefully for yours too.

Also shared at:
Passionately Artisitic
Paper Issues
Blue Cricket Design
Someday Crafts
Reasons to Skip the Housework

Teacher Appreciation

2011-08-29T08:37:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year again.... time to return to school. School was supposed to start today for us. But thanks to Hurricane Irene, and all the flooding, lack of power, downed trees and blocked roadways, we get one more day of summer vacation! YEAH!

Teacher gifts are typically something that I work on at the holidays and the end of the school year. Over at Paper Issues, we started a new theme yesterday, "Learning Curve". So I thought I would share this post with my followers and link it up there too!

If you've been a long time follower, or your subscribe to some crafty mags, you may have seen this project before. It's been on my blog (way back when I didn't have many followers) and it's been published a time or two. I altered wooden organizers to create teacher "survival kits" as appreciation gifts. Here's how I made them.

I started out with some plain wooden boxes that you can get at your local craft store.

I sanded and painted the box. I then used papers from Cosmo Cricket's The Boyfriend collection to cover the box. Mod Podge was used to adhere them to the box and as a sealer.

The elements are hybrid from a digital set by WM Squared at Scrapmatters called Back to School: Extras. I just simply sized them, printed and cut them out. For the one smaller apple, I coated it in Diamond Glaze to give it a nice shiny, button look.

I also used these elements to make cards to slip into the boxes. Using this link for "survival kits" for some ideas, I typed up the contents of the "survival kit" and "prayer", added the apple border. After printing and trimming, I mounted them on cardstock.

I really love how fun it is to combine digital, traditional and hybrid scrapping to make useful items.

Here are some other views of this project:

I hope this gets you inspired to think about teacher appreciation gifts as you head back into the new school year!

Also shared at:
Passionately Artisitic
Paper Issues

I've been Everywhere Man.....

2011-08-15T14:57:00.000-04:00

Can you hear Johnny Cash singing the lyrics to that great old song? Now I've got it stuck in my head! My family and I love to travel. Whether it is a local day trip, or a far away place. We enjoy seeing new places, meeting the people and learning about the area. We especially love that there is so much to see right here in the USA!

So I created a mini-album where we can keep information about all the states that we have been to visit. Now in order to count as a visit, we have to actually have been there. A lay-over at the airport does not count. LOL I was surprised to realize that we have been to more than half the states!

Creating the cover for this album was a lot like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. I used my Silhouette SD to cut the map of the states. This shape is awesome, it cuts out each state. I re-sized it to fit on my album cover and then cut it out in white and then several colors. I used the white to lay down on the cover. This was a great geography refresher too! LOL

As we visit a state, we add one of the colored pieces on to the cover. The more traveling we do, the more colorful the cover will become!

Inside the album I'll be creating pages with special memories of the visits we have made to each state or region. Here's one of the pages about a trip to California. Some will include photos, and some just journaling about our funtastic adventures!

I can't wait to do some more work on this book! And of course I'll be humming along to "I've been everywhere, man!" :-)

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Red River

Digital Kits: Great Escape Bundle and Great Escape California by WM Squared Designs

(if you travel, these are awesome kits for scrapping your memories!)

Chipboard Album: Oriental Trading Company

Ink: Colorbox, Stazon, Faber-Castell

Electronic Die Cutter: Silhouette

Shapes: USA_puzzle_0644

Riding the Waves

2011-08-14T17:01:00.001-04:00

On our family beach vacation this year we had fabulous weather and wonderful water temps! It was hard to get us out of the ocean! We were riding those waves all day long.

This page shows three of our die-hard body surfers in action riding a wave. And then I played a little bit of a trick on them. I asked them to pose after they rode a wave in. I saw another wave about to crash on them and timed my photo taking just perfectly to capture that wave catching them by surprise! I clipped those photos to the little film strip along the bottom!

Speaking of taking a ride.... the new theme is up over at Paper Issues and it is "Let's Ride". I'm sharing this page, have you got a paper creation to share? Come on and join in our linky party!

Ingredients:

Digital Kit: WM Squared Designs and Cross Bone Cuts Designs

Digital Elements: arrows: Stolen Moments, filmstrip: The Design Girl

Template: Heather Landry

Luggage Tag

2011-08-12T10:06:00.000-04:00

OK - I'm no seamstress. Really. I use my sewing machine for stitching on paper craft projects and the occasional clothing repair. Simple stuff. Yeah, OK so that one time I made the cover for the bird cage - but it was all straight stitches. Easy. Believe it or not, today I am actually going to share a sewing hybrid project with you.

I made this luggage tag, if I can do it, so can you! Here's what you need:

2 pieces of fabric cut to 3.5" by 5"
1 piece of fabric cut at 2" by 12" (this will be the strap)
Interfacing cut to 3.5" by 5" (more detail on this in a bit)
Vinyl cut to 3.5" by 5"
Printed identification cut to 2" by 3.5" (business card size)
thread and sewing machine

I used Photoshop and digital scrapbook supplies to create my ID label. I smudged out my person stuff so that I could share this with you here.

The shake-down on the interfacing: When I made this I wanted my luggage tag to be sturdy. So I used the heaviest quality Peltex iron-on interfacing. Not only that, but I used two pieces of it! One on each of the 3.5x5" fabrics!! {insert the Tim the Toolman grunt from Home Improvement! LOL} Yeah, can you say "overkill"? My poor 1958 Singer sewing machine was mad at me and I had to fight it just about the whole way. That's part of why my stitching looks such a mess. (the other reason why it's a mess??? ... I'm not a seamstress!) :-)

If you use the heavy Ultra Firm Stabilizer interfacing, you can get away with using just one and adhere it to only one of the fabric pieces. Believe me, it will be sturdy enough! So now go ahead and iron-on the interfacing to the fabric per your manufacturer's instructions.

Take the long piece of fabric for the strap and press it in half (right side of the fabric on the outside). Open it up and fold each side of the fabric in to the mid-point and press. Fold it in half with the edges pressed in and run stitches up both sides.

Layer the tag fabric and strap as shown above. Place the fabric pieces right sides facing each other. Fold the strap in half and lay it between the 2 fabric pieces allowing the unfolded end to extend about .5". Make sure the folded end of the strap is tucked between the 2 fabric pieces so that it won't get sewn into the seam.

Pin this sandwich of layers together. Run a seam around the edge, but leave an opening so that you can invert the tag. See space between pins in the image below.

Once your seam (less the opening) is complete, clip the corners and turn the tag right side out. Then lay your ID card in the center of the tag, top with the vinyl piece (don't worry that the vinyl is too big right now). Run stitches about 1/4" around the edge being certain to tuck the seam opening in and catch it with these stitches. Run a second set of stitching about 1/4" in from this set. Trim the vinyl as close to the stitching as possible.

There you have it! Your own personal luggage tag. Use some bright colored fabrics and it will make it really easy for you to spot your luggage at the baggage claim. You could use some specialty fabrics to make ones with your children's favorite characters, or sports teams.

And since you get to learn from my struggles with the interfacing - I'm sure your stitching will be nice and straight, rather than all shabby like mine. Hey, that's it! I'll just say I was going for a shabby look! Hehehehe!!! Remember there's never any mistakes in art, only more opportunities to embellish!

Have fun being creative!

Ingredients:

Digital kit: Down This Road

Paper: Red River

Fabric, vinyl: my stash

Interfacing: Pellon

Thread: Coats

Altered 3D Dress Form

2011-08-10T07:30:00.017-04:00

Have you notice all the dress forms popping up all over the place? They have become a very popular item. They are on cards, fabrics, clothing, even school supplies! They are everywhere!

I recently made one for a swap that I am in. I'm hoping that the package has arrived by the time this post goes live. I wanted her to be surprised. I really personalized this for the recipient. I'm so hoping she likes it!

To make this project, I used a paper mache dress form that I found in the clearance aisle of the craft store. I knew that I wanted it to be on a stand, so I searched the store to find something I could use. I found an unfinished wooden candlestick ready for painting!

I picked up a few other items at the craft store to use on this project. I found some really cute miniature wooden spools in the dollhouse aisle. The woman that I made this for is a seamstress, so I'm giving it a sewing theme.

I used some digital papers from the kit Golden Harvest kit by Mari Koegelenberg and Danielle Engebretson to create the skirt. If you are interested in making one yourself, I've shared details on how I created this one over at The Hybrid Chick today.

It was so much fun making this. I included yo-yo's that I made from fabric, stick pins that I beaded with crystals and pearls, some charms I created with jewelry supplies, little spools that I wound thread around, and lots of lace and and of course some bling! I had to get this mailed off. I was falling it love with it. She was really looking great on a shelf in my crafty area! Think I'm going to have to make one for myself soon!

Here are some more images to share with you.

If you were hoping to find the ScrapMatters Birthday Blog Train, you can find that at this post. Visit soon, the freebie will only be available until 8/12/11.

Shared:

Be Different, Act Normal

Time to Play

2011-08-06T17:44:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for my ScrapMatters Birthday Blog Train post..... You can find it HERE.

Today I put together a card just for fun! Really! And it's about fun! About taking time to enjoy life and "play". I was inspired by some word art by Kim Broedelet. More about that later.

I had the vintage image of the children playing ring-around-the-rosie saved on my computer for a l-o-n-g time! I thought it was perfect for the theme of my card. I fussy cut the blooms from patterned paper to create the accents on either side of the circle. Lots of dimension on this one thanks to foam adhesive!

I even decorated the inside. Probably should have taken a better picture of that for you! "Make time to play, it's the secret to perpetual youth" Don't you just love that sentiment? Ah, so now about the word art........

It's part of the August Mix-a-kit at ScrapMatters. Have you seen those? The designers at the shop create a bunch of different mini-kits all using the same color scheme. Then you can mix and match which parts you really like. And they'll coordinate! Really cool.

Make sure to take some time each day to "play"!

Challenges:

Mojo Monday

Birthday Garden Party Blog Train

2011-08-06T11:00:00.003-04:00

Woot! Woot! Welcome to my stop on the ScrapMatters Birthday Blog Train! If this is your first stop on the train, don't worry, you can always start at the beginning HERE or check the complete list at the bottom of my post to make sure you don't miss any of the stops!

ScrapMatters is celebrating it's 4th birthday!!! And we're doing it with a Garden Party. The wonderful Design Team at ScrapMatters has put together this awesome collaborative kit just for this occasion!

The kit is Free with a purchase of $20 in the store during the birthday celebration August 5 - 11!!!

But that's not all..... there are games and chats and lots of fun going on at the site too! Check it out!

AND.... lots of freebies!!! Every stop on the blog train is the blog of one of our awesome designers or creative team members and they each have a freebie for you - 47 of them! PLUS at certain stops you can pick up bits to a scavenger hunt. Once you collect them all, put the picture together to get a special gift certificate code!

I've created a pre-shadowed cluster that you can use for scrapbooking, cardmaking or for designing a blog header. The image above is linked. Or you can download it from one of these links below:

Sorry this freebie is no longer available!

Your next stop on the blog hop is: Kat

Be certain to visit all the stops on the train. These freebies are only available during the birthday celebration so grab them before it's over on August 11 !!

Here is a complete list of the stops on the blog train to help you find your way!

1. Scrapmatters.com blog: http://scrapmatters.com/wordpress/
2. Andrea: http://andilynndesigns.com/
3. Wendy: http://wendys-craftycreations.blogspot.com/
4. Val: http://geniabeanascraps.com
5. Mary: http://plumdumplingdesigns.blogspot.com
6. Jaime: http://simplyjstudio.blogspot.com
7. Jenn: http://www.confessionsofadigitalscrapper.com
8. Amber: http://stolenmomentsdesign.blogspot.com/
9. Angie: http://downthisroaddesigns.blogspot.com/
10. Tanya: http://crossbonecuts.blogspot.com/
11. Erica: http://ericazane.blogspot.com/
12. Krisi: http://krisiskreations.blogspot.com/
13. Steph.designs: http://lesdigisdesteph.blogspot.com/
14. Lina: http://ldragdesigns.blogspot.com/
15. Ana: http://sugaryfancy.com/blog/
16. Jenn H: http://truebluestudio.blogspot.com/
17. Elise: http://www.elisespieces.com
18: Amy: http://justus-mylifeinpictures.blogspot.com/
19: Cheri: http://dreambigdigi.blogspot.com/
20. Christina: http://www.wimpychompers.com/
21. Yari/Jady Day Studio: http://www.jadydaystudio.com/
22. Kimbytx: http://kimbytx.blogspot.com/
23: Calliclaire: http://www.calliclaire.blogspot.com/
24: KimB: http://kimbsdesigns.blogspot.com/
25. Jenn http://www.thetypativescrapper.blogspot.com/
26. Fran http://franscraps.blogspot.com
27. Ophelia http://www.navaja77digiscraprealm.blogspot.com/
28. Amanda http://mhkscraps.blogspot.com
29. Heidi http://myfamilyscrappings.blogspot.com
30. Fiona http://mydigaddiction.blogspot.com/
31. Kendall http://majorscrapitude.blogspot.com/
32. Neverland Scraps http://neverlandscraps.blogspot.com/
33. Heather K http://createdbyheather.blogspot.com
34. Manda http://sankostudio.blogspot.com
35. Melissa http://yzerbear.blogspot.com
36. Trista http://tristaree.com
37. Annisa http://themeyersfamilystory.blogspot.com
38.Chel: http://scrappingchelcreations.wordpress.com/
39. Melanie: http://live-capture-create.blogspot.com/
40. Heather W: http://heatherw25.blogspot.com/
41. Sharon: http://quietangelsb.blogspot.com/
42. Amy: http://melniczenkomusings.blogspot.com/
43. Cathy (that's me!): http://scrappycath.blogspot.com/
44. Kat: http://katdesigned.blogspot.com
45. Becca A: http://www.beccas-paper-view.blogspot.com
46. Crystal: http://www.sugarpiescrapping.blogspot.com
47. Day: http://digiinspirations.com/blog/

Happy hopping and creating!

Happy Birthday ScrapMatters

2011-08-04T10:15:00.000-04:00

ScrapMatters is turning 4! There's going to be lots of celebrating going on! Don't miss the HUGE blog train that will leave the station on Saturday August 6. It will be making a stop here at my blog, so be certain to come back. I've created a really sweet freebie that I'll be sharing with you.

Some other celebrations that will be taking place

Hope you get a chance to join in on the party!!

An Interactive Card Challenge

2011-07-28T08:00:00.002-04:00

Hey there! I am hosting a new hybrid card challenge over at ScrapMatters. For this challenge you get a free template that I designed for an interactive card.

On the card, you can turn the dial and change what appears in the window. As you can see in the next photo.

So do you want to grab the template and play along? Hop on over to ScrapMatters to grab a copy and play with us!

Chilling in the Heat of Summer

2011-07-26T08:00:00.005-04:00

Today I've got a few summery cards to help you chill, even when the heat of the summer is blazing!

This card is made using digital papers and elements that I printed and dressed up to create this beachy card. For the flowers I scrunch and pinched to get a nice texture and depth.

I really wanted the umbrella to give some shade, so I made it 3 dimensional. I printed and cut out 5 of the umbrella tops. I folded them each in half and glued them to each other to create this. Can't you just picture yourself relaxing in the shade of the umbrella with a cool drink?

On the next card, I created some depth by placing clouds above and below the hot air balloon. I used double sided foam squares to adhere them.

The bright colors are sure to bring happiness to the person that receives this!

I hope you are making today a beautiful day!

Ingredients

Hang Loose:

Digital Kit: WM Squared Designs and Cross Bone Cuts

Ink: Colorbox

Gem: Kaisercraft

Thread: Coats & Clark

Beautiful Day:

Digital Kit: Erica Zane and Jennifer Barrette

Ink: Colorbox

Stamp: Unity

A Sheepish Card

2011-07-23T08:00:00.008-04:00

I have a sheepish little card to share with you today. LOL Isn't that woolly little creature cute? This is a hybrid card that I made using a digital kit called Baa Baa Black Sheep by Band Geek Designs. I gave the wool on the sheep a bit of texture with some white embossing powder and placed a cute heart as the nose.

The ribbon is seam binding that I dyed with Adirondack Color Wash Ink from Tim Holtz by Ranger.

Ingredients:

Digi kit: Band Geek Design

Embossing Powder: Joann's

Punch: Fiskars

Twine: Martha Stewart

Button: my stash

Ribbon: Seam binding

Ink: Adirondack by Ranger, Colorbox, Faber Castell

Cutting machine: Silhouette

Challenges:

MojoMonday

Cupcake Sweet Treat

2011-07-22T08:00:00.007-04:00

Who doesn't love cupcakes??? But how about one with no calories?? That's right. I said no calories!!

Oh, so maybe you can't eat this one! But it sure is great eye candy! And it will make a really sweet gift box. The top opens up!

Wouldn't it be sweet to make a bunch of these as party favors and have them displayed on a pastry tier? Oh so yummy!

This was a fairly quick and easy project. The template set comes with cutting files. I printed out some digital papers, then cut the box shapes using my silhouette. I coated the top with a sheer glitter to give the "icing" some bling!

To make the flower on top I printed out some digital paper and used the Tim Holtz Tattered Floral die to run it through my Cuttlebug and cut the petal shapes. I wet them, scrunched them up and bended and pleated them into the shape I wanted. I used some glimmer mist to give the flower a bit of shine.

Hope you've enjoyed this calorie-free cupcake!

Ingredients:

Digital Papers: Amanda Heimann

Cupcake Cutting Files: Kelleigh Ratzlaff
Glitter: Doodlebug

Flower Die: Tim Holtz Alterations by Ranger
Cutting machines: Silhouette, Cuttlebug

Trim: Wrights

Pearl: Kaisercrafts

Punch: McGill

Adhesives: Scotch, Ranger, Glue Dots

Challenges:
CR84FN

Found Objects

2011-07-21T07:30:00.004-04:00

Sometimes when we are preserving memories, we would like to include "things" in addition to our photos and journaling. Often there is memorabilia from an event that we attended, or ephemera from a certain time frame that would we like to have on our pages to conjure up our memories and emotions. Today I am sharing a post at Ideas For Scrapbookers all about including "found objects" in projects.

One of my sons took up collecting bottle caps. It was really fun. Different places we would visit he would save bottle caps from beverages that we might have enjoyed. Some bottle caps he would find at the beach or park. I thought it was great that he found such interest in building his collection. He added them all to a stylish jar that he keeps in his bedroom. One day I came across an interesting bottle cap that I thought he didn't have. When I offered it to him for his collection, he told me that the jar was filled so he was done collecting!

He is rather shy, he has autism, and doesn't like to have his photo taken often. I recently got a good photo of him. I've been wanting to record his bottle collecting for quite some time. I'm so glad that he allowed me 2 caps from his collection to include on this scrapbook page. I adhered the caps to some copper metal that I embossed and sanded. I also included a clothing tag from a pair of shorts that I bought him this summer. I really like the grungy, mildly distressed look of it. I added a fabric tag from Little Yellow Bicycle to it and attached it to the page as an element.

I find myself constantly looking at items and thinking about how they can be used on a scrapbook page or in a craft. I love to use the metal from beverage cans for making flowers, coffee filters for creating accent elements, and even using toilet paper rolls to create mini-albums. My family has learned not to throw things out before asking me if I want to keep it for crafting. Which has created a storage challenge of sorts!

If you'd like to see even more samples of using "found objects" on your page, take a hop over to Ideas For Scrapbookers to see what some of the other contributing artists shared.

Ingredients:

Patterned Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle

Alpha: American Crafts
Transparencies: Little Yellow Bicycle

Journal Spot: Little Yellow Bicycle

Metal: Ten Seconds Studios

Embossing plates: Ten Seconds Studios, Tim Holtz/Ranger

Tag: found object

Bottle caps: found object

Quick and Easy Luminary (psst,.. and it's Free!)

2011-07-16T15:43:00.000-04:00

I created this quick and easy luminary to use for decorating my patio table. I plan to set out several as a centerpiece arrangement. You could also use it as accent lighting inside your home. I made it using some digital papers and a digital stamp.

And guess what????? I'm offering it as a freebie printable for you! All you need to do is download it, trim and adhere. Please only use flameless battery operated candles with this. NO REAL CANDLES as that would pose a fire risk.

To download and for a full tutorial, simply visit The Hybrid Chick. Enjoy!

I {heart} Bear Hugs

2011-07-15T07:00:00.001-04:00

Wow, can you believe that it is the middle of July, already??!! I can't believe how quickly this year is racing by! I'm starting to get that feeling I get at some point each summer. I realize that the summer is running out and I want to pack what time we have left with as many adventures as possible! They don't have to be big adventures, some times it's just a day trip or an afternoon hike. I'm hoping to fit in several more before this summer is just a memory.

On a trip to Shenandoah National Park I was so hoping that we would see a bear. When one actually crossed our path, I was so excited I stuttered "b-b-b-bear" and my family reminds me of this, constantly! I just know this card is going to be well received by them!! hehehehe!!!

I made this using a new kit by WM Squared Designs called The Great Outdoors. When I saw the little bear I just knew I had to make a shaped card!! The kit is packed with all sorts of outdoor adventure goodies. I know I'll be able to scrap all the fun we pack into this summer!

Together

2011-07-13T17:11:00.001-04:00

A quick little post to share a layout I worked on recently. It is rare that I get my picture taken. I'm usually the one behind the lens. And then it's even more rare that I get a photo with my hubby. We were all dressed up for a family wedding recently and that was a good excuse to take some pics of the boys.

Then one of the boys was kind enough to snap a photo of me and my honey. Not the greatest photo, not quite in focus.... but that doesn't really matter. It's us, it's now and it's worthy of being preserved with all those special memories!

Look through your photos, I'll bet you've got some pictures that aren't award winners, but they evoke some really special memories and emotions. Go ahead. Scrap them! It's OK.

Beauty in Sympathy

2011-07-11T13:12:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine lost a family member recently. I wasn't able to be there for the funeral. I still wanted her to know that I was thinking of her. While I don't like the reason for having to create a sympathy card, I do feel that they can be some of the most appreciated.

Don't be afraid to let your sympathy cards be beautiful or colorful, strong or filled with hope. I had only met her family member a few times, but I am so blessed that I did. She was a strong woman that touched my life. I hope this card brings some comfort and lifts the spirits of my friend and her family.

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Bazzill

Patterned Paper: SEI
Stamps: Unity, MSE!
Ink: Stazon
Ribbon: Celebrate it!
Pearls: Kaisercraft

Challenges:
Moxie Fab World Stamp It!

The Sweet Life

2011-07-10T16:46:00.000-04:00

It's summer time and I think that life is just a little bit sweeter during this season. More fresh fruits and veggies to eat, more time for relaxing, more fun and festivities.

Speaking of fun.... and sweet.... over at Paper Issues we've got a new theme! The theme is "Life is Sweet!"

I've got a cute little card to share. Isn't that gumball stamp just the sweetest? It's from Unity Stamps. I used some Glossy Accents on the glass dome to make it look and feel like glass. I used some foil to emboss the lettering to make it really shine.

Make sure to stop by Paper Issues to check out all the inspiration for "Life is Sweet!" .Come on over and link us up to a project of yours! We'd love to see what you've been up to!

Ingredients:

Papers: Cosmo Cricket, Bazzill

Stamp: Unity

Foil: We R Memory Keepers

Ink: Stazon, Colorbox, Ranger
Die: Spellbinders

Home of the Free

2011-07-08T07:03:00.001-04:00

It may be July 8, but there are still lots of American flags and decor on display. I love it. It is so summery and patriotic! I know that the summer is going to be gone before we know it, so I'm trying to make it last as long as I can. Wish I could help to slow down time!

I've got a card to share with you today. I've used a new release stamp to create the Statue of Liberty. It is part of the 4th Stamps by WM Squared Designs. I hand stitched the zig-zag, created the word art in Photoshop, and added a seam binding bow. I'll be sending this card in to Operation Write Home to go to one of our heroes to thank them for their service to our country.

I made this card with a bit of mojo from the Mojo Monday 198 sketch. Doesn't that sketch just beg to be done in a patriotic flair?!!!

Hope you are having a wonderfully crafty day!

Ingredients:

Digital Kit: Yankee Doodle by WM Squared and Band Geek Designs

Cardstock: American Crafts, Epson

Digital Stamps: WM Squared Designs

Floss: DMC

Ink: Colorbox

Challenges

Mojo Monday #198
Cooking it up with Katie

Happy 4th and Fireworks!

2011-07-04T07:43:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post to wish all of those from the USA a very happy Independence Day!

My husband was helping out a fellow fire marshal/friend this weekend to over see another fireworks show. I was lucky enough to tag along. I brought my camera thinking I'd get some great shots. We were positioned right under where the fireworks were blasting. Seriously! I didn't know my tripod could angle that sharply! Hehe!! I thought I'd share some of those shots here with you today!

Being right under the display was amazing. The noise was loud, I expected that! But with each burst you could feel it pound in your chest! It made me think even more about all the men and women that serve our country, currently and throughout our history. I give thanks for all they have done to help make our nation so great!

I took this photo before it got dark out, just so I could share with you how close we were. This photo is taken from the same spot that I took the fireworks photos. And there you can see about 50 yards away are all the explosives ready to go!

Enjoy your celebrations! I'm off to fire up the barbecue grill!

More Reasons to Celebrate!

2011-07-01T17:06:00.000-04:00

You all know that I have issues, right? LOL I mean Paper Issues!!! Let's not even go into "other" issues! Ha Ha! Well I've got some really happy news to share....... Paper Issues has announced it's new Creative Team and I got a spot on the team!! I'm so excited!!!

Hope to see you sharing some of your paper issues!

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-01T08:00:00.003-04:00

Seriously? It's been nearly a week since I blogged? So sorry! I didn't mean to neglect you! It has been a crazy busy week. So much to do this time of year, gardening and yard work, sprucing up.... and trying to keep the kids occupied!

I did get a chance to create a few new things to share. ScrapMatters has a new July Mix-a-Kit that released today. If you've not yet seen these, they are pretty cool. Each month there is a color scheme and each designer creates items to go with it. Then you get to pick and choose which papers, elements, alphas, etc you would like!

Wendy of WM Squared Designs released a patterned paper and a sold paper pack for the July Mix-a-kit. I used those to create this card.

I was inspired by the sketch at Mojo Monday (#197) this week. I changed it up a bit to include some extra scallops. I just thought they looked so chic with that yummy velvet ric-rak!

I also scrapped some photos from my son's birthday last week. After taking a hike, we went to a favorite eatery of his, Ruby's Diner. It's not located close to us so we don't often get to go there. They have really juicy burgers and the thickest, yummiest shakes! It's decorated pretty cool too. There are motorcycles inside the restaurant and a train that loops about on a track that hangs from the ceiling. The whole place has a 1950's feel to it. I brought home a place mat from the diner just so I could scan it in and extract the logo and icon to use on my layout! Yep, I'm always thinking about crafting!

This weekend is a 3-day weekend here in the US as we celebrate the birth of our nation. I'm hoping for wonderful weather for all the parades, picnics, barbecues and fireworks that will be taking place all over the country. Whatever your plans are, I hope you enjoy them. Happy Fourth of July!

I'd like to take a moment to thank all of those that serve our country in the armed services. Your devotion to protecting us is truly appreciated. Wherever you may be, home or abroad, I send prayers and thanks out to you and to your families as well. I think about all the time that you are not able to be together as a family while you are serving, and I hope for your safe return home to your loved ones! And I hope it is soon!

Ingredients

Card:

Digital Papers: Sweet Love by WM Squared Designs

Flowers: Prima, Petaloo

Ribbon: American Crafts

Stamp: Unity

Ink: Staz-on

Glitter: Doodlebug Designs

Layout:

Digital Kit: What's Cooking by Erica Zane

Ruby's Diner icons: extracted by me

Template: Layered Cake by Band Geek Designs

Design Team Announced

2011-06-30T15:22:00.000-04:00

Just thought I'd share with you that Wendy of WM Squared Designs has announced the new design team for summer through December 2011. Yep, that's my picture you see in there! I'm so lucky, I get to stay on Wendy's team for another term! {insert happy dance}. AND.... I'm being joined by some more hybrid crafty goddesses too! {insert another happy dance}.

This should be a really fun term!

Make the Day Count

2011-06-25T09:24:00.001-04:00

Hi there! Wow, I can not believe that summer is here and in full swing. This year is really flying by! 18 months ago my husbands neice got engaged. When they set the date for their wedding, I thought it was so far off in the distance. But here it is already. Today. Congratulations to Nicole and Matt as they start their new life together!!!

The big events in life stand out in our memories as we revisit the milestones in our lives. They certainly are an important part of our lives. But it's all those little moments that truly make our life what it is, that build our character, connect us to friends and family, and give life interest and direction. Not to be too cliché, I want to encourage you to make the most of everyday!

That is the emotion behind my latest project that I would like to share with you. You know that I love mixed-media art. Lately I've been working on some mixed-media canvas art. For this project, I was inspired by Christy Tomlinson. She is an amazing artist with great vision and a very down-to-earth person.

I've got a mix of materials used on this including; just about anything I could grab within reach of my craft desk at the moment, and a few found objects. What I really love about this project is that it is a reflection of me. On one particular day, at one particular moment. Captured. Remembered.

As an artist, I see my role not only to create, but also to express, and record. To record those little moments and big milestones. To capture memories. To preserve feelings, emotions, thoughts, dreams, ambitions and aspirations.

I'll leave you with a few more close-ups. Then I've got to go...... I've got a wedding to get myself and the family ready to attend!

Cool Patriot

2011-06-24T08:00:00.015-04:00

Do you see a trend here in my posts? Getting close to celebrating Independence Day here in the States.... my creations have taken on a patriotic flare!

Today I get to share some projects that I made with the brand new released today kit Yankee Doodle by WM Squared Designs and Band Geek Designs. You can scroll further down in this post to see all the goodies in the kit!

First up is a layout that I made. Each year our town holds a day-long family-centered celebration called "First Fourth". Being a small town that was integral during the Revolutionary War, you really feel connected to our countries history around the 4th of July. These are some of the photos from the fireworks at the end of the day a few years ago. The template for this layout was created by my friend Pam Callaghan. You can grab this awesome template free at Ideas For Scrapbookers.

The second project that I made was a fan to help keep us cool during all those fun activities! I created the design in Photoshop using papers from the kit. Printed it out, then accordion pleated it. I tied the center with bakers twine and opened it, adhered the one end to create the fan, attached the other end to a large craft stick.

My son was a good sport and "modeled" using the fan so I could get a photo of it to share with you! He is one cool patriot!!

Now let's get a look at all the stuff in that kit...... It's packed with fun stuff !

But that's not all......

There is a coordinating Word Art... and...

A bonus alpha too!

Enjoy and keep cool!

Shabby Patriot

2011-06-23T19:43:00.007-04:00

I had the pleasure of working with 2 new products this week. A digital kit by Sherwood Studios called Summer Celebration. It is filled with great shabby-chic papers and elements with a bit of a vintage feel. Just take a look:

The other is a set of digital stamps with a modern, whimsical feel. The set, Americana Digital Stamps, by Stacy Molter, just shout out for happy summer celebrations! Which got me to thinking, the kit and the stamps would look great together!

So I created this card with them. I recolored the stamp in Photoshop to coordinate with the papers from the kit. I love that you can do that with digital stamps, makes them so versatile!

I created the pin and the flower myself. I didn't feel like getting the sewing machine out, so I stitched on the card by hand. I think it helped to add to the shabby-vintage look.

Challenges:

OTWC #56 Red White & any shade of Blue

Cupcake Inspirations

Stamptacular Sunday
My Sheri Crafts
Die Cut Dreams
Tuesday Throwdown
Paper Issues
There She Goes Clear Stamps
Flourishes