Squares

Here is Another card I made using the squares from PTI's Blog Hop Challenge. This time keeping them fairly square, using the Heidi Swap Edge Distressor to rough up the edges for interest. I wasn't sure what setiment to go with here... I finally chose "Welcome to the Neighborhood" because the four squares reminded me of a four paned window.

Pinwheels

When I saw the little patterned squares we were to use as this months Blog Hop Challenge, I imeadiately thought of the 4th grade when Mrs. Wilcox taught us how to make tiny pinwheels on the ends of our pencils using a tiny square of paper and a sewing pin. (Yes, they do spin too.)

So for my card I couldn't resist using the squares to make tiny pinwheels. I cut out the squares and placed two back to back so that when I folded the pinwheels there wouldn't be all the white showing, (Like the one on the pencil has,) but rather a different pattern. I cut an "X" in from the corners being carefull not to go all the way to the center. I used gold mini brads to hold down my folds and adheared them to their "handles" with a foam dot. I stamped "Joy" in the "grass" with SU's Chocolate Chip ink. Then I layered my scene onto brown carsdtock and attached it to a Vanilla base card.

Nutty G.G.

Here's a little gift I made for my grandmother (G.G.) She just loves Pastachios, but she never gets them for herself because she feels they are too expensive.














So When I thought of PTI's "Nuts for You" stamp from their Punny Valentine set, paired with their heart tin. I couldn't resist filling it with them for her.

I used K&Co Smitten paper to cover my tin.
(The pictures do not do this paper justice. The tiny hearts are metalic pink, and the background is a yummy shade of chocolate brown. It's just beautiful paper in real life.)
I wrapped the edge of the lid with PTI's new Sweet Blush satin ribbon. (I used Satin because it had the shiny quality that went well with the metalic hearts.)

I stamped my squirrel in Cocoa DewDrop calk ink, and the heart in SU Pink craft ink. I cut him out and used Diamnetional dots to help him stand.
My sentiment was also stamped with the SU pink craft ink onto pale pink cardstock and layered onto SU pink Cardstock.
I think this is such a cute idea. I can hardley wait for her to get it!

Sweet Roses

For Valentine's Day this year my kids decided they wanted something different than the store bought cards. So we made Hershey Kiss roses.




















Star by holding two Kisses end to end.
















Then center in a square of red cellophane. Pull ends over Kisses and twist.
















Tape end closed with floral tape. Lay the end of a wooden floral pick against taped end of bud and secure with the floral tape. Add a silk leaf and wrap with more floral tape , making sure to go all the way to the end of your stem.


















....This didn't make it into the photos, but we used the SU tag punch to create little valentine tags with "Be My Valentine" stamped on them for them to sign their name to before handing them out in class.

My Spongey Valentine

My Kindergartener was assigned a "family project" to decorate a shoebox to collect his Valentine's cards in. When I asked him how he wanted to decorate his box he immeadiatley answered "Like Sponge Bob!" So, for starters, I sprayed the box yellow with spray paint. Then I let him stamp various sized dots all over with SU More Mustard ink. I punched various sized circles for the eyes and cut strips for his lashes, cut strips for his teeth, freehanded the arms and open mouth, and cut more strips for his clothing. I used the SU word window punch twice side by side overlapping to create an opening in his mouth for the cards to go into. I also cut out a rectangle from the box lid to line up with the opening in the mouth. I let my son apply the glue to everything and helped him position the pieces. Now, I'm not to crazy about Sponge Bob myself...But my son was very happy taking his yellow friend to shcool on Valentine's Day.

Swaps

Here are the swaps I poromised ages ago. The first one Used SU's All in the Family. I used Soft Sky (In Colors) for my base stamped with Sanded Background in the matching ink, with a piece of the Designer Print Paper layered over a strip of Groovy Guava. I water-colored with matching inks. I used Groovy Guava ink "direct to paper" on the edges of my White cardstock, and to stamp "friend." To finish I added just a touch of Blue Bayou ribbon .
My halloween card used Autumn Apparitions(SU). I used the piercing tool to creat my "web" in the corner. The base card and ribbon are Apricot Appeal. The inner layer is Brocade Blue. "Boo" was stamped in white craft ink on a small strip of black. The spiders were stamped using marker to stamp to get just the spider an not the web trail.
My Christmas card used SU's
Naugty or Nice set. As you can tell I went to the Naughty side. I used Blush Blossom for the base. I custom cut the Real Red and stamped the snowflake with versamark over it. I punched the holes and taped down the sides. Then I laced it up with silver cord. Finally I used a black marker to color just the "Naughty" part of the sentiment.
Tips:
1~ Use strong tape or glue and watch the tension on the cord.
2~Use an extra piece of cardstock to space your holes and use it as a quick template.
And Last, but not least the Fall card. I used the wheel that matches Autumn Apparitions. (I think It's called Autumn Leaves.) I wheeled it in Mellow Moss on White cardstock. I used the flower from Baroque Motifs(SU) to do the rock-n-roll technique with Apricot Appeal rolled in Groovy Guava. I stamped Fall on a piece of Apricot Appeal punched out with the word window. I trimmed on end of the punch and secured the other end woth a small gold brad. Then I attached it to the Handsome Hunter base card.

Well, here it is a whole new year and I just don't know where the time went.
So, one of my resolutions is to "create" more... and another would be to post more.
And yet another would be to get organized.
I could list things all night, but I'll spare you the boredom.
Stay tuned....

Back to School

I made this cute little mini clipboard magnet for a teacher gift. I used one of the counter top samples you can pick up at home improvement stores. I covered the rough side with cardstock. (I used cocoa because I wanted it to look like a clipboard with a sheet of paper clipped to it, but you could use any color and stamp it as you like.) I stamped the teachers intitial on white and used my tiny holepunch down one edge to give it the look of being torn from a spiral notebook. I covered it with a self adhesive laminating sheet to protect it from "messy little fingers."
(My camera did not like the shine that added, ooops!)

It has been a hectic few weeks with shcool starting back. I have 2 of the 4 kids gone for part of the day now. So maybe soon I can settle into my day and start getting some stampin' done in the afternoons.

Oh, And I did just complete 8 sets of swaps and have most of those pics waiting on my camera.
Hopefully I'll get them up in the next few days.

Florida

We finally made it to Florida to visit with our families.

Didn't get any stamping done there but I did get to shop in the local Scrapbook store (Pictures In Time, aka The PIT.) that I love and miss.

Just a couple of local "sights" from "back home."

Hello

Just a simple card here. I used SU's new set Baroque Motifs, stamped in white craft ink on my navy cardstock. I punched out the "hello" from the new hostess set In The Spotlight and added it on with a Stampin' dimentional. I finished it by putting it on a white card base.

(Sorry, this photo turned out a little out of focus. I didn't realize that until it posted.)

Bug Jar

Well, I guess if you're planning to play with real bugs, (or you have boys who will,) you'll need a place to keep them.
I took a mason jar and used my paper piercing tool and hammer to make air holes in the lid. I made sure two of the holes on each side were close together so I could loop my wire through to make a handle. I stamped a band for my bug jar using using SU's set called Bugs and Kisses.

Little Lady's Lad

I love dragonflies. I don't know why, I just do. So to make my little dragonfly here, I combined two Papertrey Ink sets. The wings eyes and antennae are from Little Lady and the circles for the body are from Butterfly Kisses. Everything else is from Little Lady. I love SU's Cool Caribbean and Certainly Celery cardstock together. The two just say "fresh" and "spring" to me. I did the rock-and-roll on the wings to try and get the feel that the middle was more see through than the outer edge. The two trail dots make perfect eyes for my little critter

His wings are the small ladybug's body. I stamped an extra set and cut them out , leaving little tabs to stick down, and bent them upward to "flutter" I stamped another green circle with the swirls and cut it out to glue over my tabs. This Little Lad is my favorite card with the Little Lady set so far.

Baby Bug

Yep, I'm still playing with my bugs.

For this card I cut the ladybug in half to look like two bugs facing each other. I used one of the longer antennae stamps for their legs.

The thought bubble is the larger flower stamp. I just went around the edge of it with my black SU marker and stamped it on white cardstock (over the already stamped baby bug) then cut it out. The baby bug is from the "Handmade" stamp in this set. I just colored it with the markers and stamped. I just love how the word stamps are flexible so you can curve them.

My new cube

As far as craft rooms go, I have always loved the look of a wall lined with white cabinets and shelves.
(and all the clutter that comes with the artistic nature tucked away behind the doors.) some of the pretty white cabinets came with a "pretty" price tag. (Must one be rich to be organized?)
I used to drool over them at the local scrapbook store.
Then, the other day at Target I strolled down their scrapbook isle just to see what the had to offer, and what did I find? Pretty white cabinets with half the price tag. So, I picked one up for starters. I was able to build it without any help. (Yea!)
So, my craft-space is finally off to a very small start. (But hey, it's still a start.) I think the key for me to stay organized is that everything must have it's "spot" to go right back into. (I admit I'm still working on this...)
Oh, the top right is a picture from the box showing a sample put together with of some of the pieces they offer (not my room, sigh...)

Whew! May is over!

May is usually a hectic month in our house, and this year was no exception.

*We made our annual trip to the TN Renaissance Festival. (Fun!)

*We had two family birthday parties.

*We saw a very anticipated Pirate movie.

*We helped my brother-in-law win custody of the daughter he's been raising (alone) since 2004. *We went to the Cheatam Dam "swim beach" for the holiday.

*Hubby spent a night in the ER with what was first thought to be appendicitis, and was sent

home many hours and tests later with "just an infection."

So, I haven't had a lot of time to play this month. But, I did manage to play with my new bugs again....

Playing with Bugs!

No, not acctual bugs...

My former SU upline, Nichole Heady
designed this supper-cute ladybug for Papertreyink. I couldn't wait to get it home and start playing with this dotted darling. Here is one of three cards I created last night. The set is called Little Lady. See it at http://papertreyink.com/index.html

This Little Lady sure is Big on inspiration.

Playing Tag?

I've been "tagged" today. I gather that means I'm supposed to list seven things about myself. From there, I don't know... I guess I will have to go figure out the rules, huh? Anyway... 1. I am an Army wife 2. I have 4 (yes 4) children 3. I am originally from Florida 4. Orange is my least favorite color (with the strange exception of pumpkins in the Fall) 5. I love Orlando Bloom (blushing) 6. I think Grissom Rocks! 7. I will be at the first showing of Pirates 3 Okay, so there are seven things you didn't know about me yet. (Are we bonding yet?) I have gotten my camera back from my Brother-in-Law. But, I doubt if I'll get to anything tonight.

Camera MIA

Yep, My camera has been missing in action for a couple days now. My Brother-in -Law needed to borrow it Monday afternoon, promising to return it the very next morning... So now that I am suffering from camera withdrawl, I will have to send dear hubby to fetch it back .

An announcement

Here is our new little one's announcement that I made. I copied the design from the boy version shown in the Stampin' Up! Mini Catalog. That catalog is a great source of inspiration.