One . . . More . . . Gift . . .

Merry Christmas, everyone!  I have one more gift to share with you.  It's a calendar I made (or really, decorated) last night for my sister-in-law!  This week's challenge at Peachy Keen Stamps is Anything Goes:  as long as you use your Peachy Keen Stamps!  I thought, "Perfect!  Nothing's very cute until you add a Peachy Face to it!"  You can find that challenge here.

And here's my little calendar.  It started out as a 50 cent two-year planner from my local dollar store.

I took the calendar out of the plastic covering and marked its size on my blue patterned paper from The Paper Studio, then cut a flower and bee from Cricut's Create a Critter cartridge.  I hid the bee's face with my Gypsy so it would be ready for a Peachy Keen face.  I used PK-500 Snow Cutie Face Assortment.

I chalked her cheeks with my Stampin' Up! pastels and added a little detail with my white Gelly roll pen.  Then some Stickles on her wings finished her off!

For a little sentiment, I put together a couple of stamps:  the "happy" from Peachy Keen's PK-859 Christmas Greeting Words and the "Bee" from Joy's Life Lots of Pun Stamps.  I stamped them on a scrap that I punched with my Curly Label punch from Stampin' Up!

I saw this somewhere, so I can't take credit for it, but sorry, I don't remember where I saw it.  First you punch the label out, then turn the punch upside down and re-insert your label to the side and punch it again.  Versatile if you need a smaller spot for a sentiment.

And, here's the calendar all tucked into its plastic covering.  I didn't add many embellishments to it, because if it's too bulky, the plastic doesn't fit well.  I thought about just leaving it off, but the covering would be protected in a busy purse!  Lol.  And the recipient can just switch the calendars out when the two years are up-- if I don't make her a new one!

And, these would make great New Year's gifts, too.  I think I'll try to get a few more done to send to the teachers when my kiddos go back to school!  The new year will be here sooner than we think, lol!

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I'm entering this in Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge #48: Anything Goes.

Winter Birthday Wishes

Here's a card for the latest Peachy Keen Challenge!  It's a card sketch to help celebrate their founder, Kathy's birthday.



Here's my version:

I used one of my newest Peachy Keen Stamp sets, "PK-318 Penguin Doll Set" and colored him in with my Stampin' Up! markers.  I added a sentiment from Joy's Life "Oh Christmas Puns" set onto a banner he's waving.

I'm entering this in the following challenge:

Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge #47: Happy Birthday Kathy Card Sketch

Candy-Filled Ornament

I want to share this candy-filled ornament with you today!  I'm trying to get into the Christmas spirit and get some holiday crafting done!

I've seen several bloggers make some ornaments with candy or other treats in them, so I wanted to lift the idea for my kids.  I'm doing a little "12 Days of Christmas" with them, and thought I'd have them search the tree for these ornaments.  One made--two more to go!

My papers are from The Paper Studio's "Merry Merry" pad.  I used my "Tags, Bags, Boxes & More 2" Cricut cartridge to cut the snowflake tag and to cut and score the cone box.  It already had a hole at the top, so I figured it would be perfect for hanging from the tree!  I used my "Smitten Mitten" Peachy Keen Stamps to paper-piece the little snowman tucked into the mitten.

Then I stamped my sentiment on another tag from "Tags, Bags, Boxes & More 2," and I added a snowflake button on some 3 Girl Jam crinkle ribbon.

And do you want to see what's inside?  Maybe you noticed in the first picture.  There are Hot Cocoa Three Musketeers and Hershey Kisses all decorated up with punched stamps from Jaded Blossom!

Aren't those cute!  My kids are gona love them!  After all, who doesn't love Chocolate??!!

I'm entering my ornament in the following challenges:
PKS Challenge #46: 3D: ornament
3 Girl Jam Challenge #8: Christmas Inspiration
Cut It Up Challenge #7: 3 D Holiday Challenge

Thanks for checking in with me!  Now I need to assemble the 42 little treat boxes I cut for my two kids' classmates for Christmas.  Maybe I'll share those soon!

Gettin' Jolly!

I have a quick card and a quick post today!  Here's my first shaped card that I've ever made.  Well, I've made a circle one, but it doesn't count, lol!  The current challenge at Peachy Keen is to make a shaped card.  I love their challenges--they make me think outside the box (or rectangle, if you will, tee-hee)!  You can find the PKS challenge here.

I love the seasonal Cricut cartridge "Gingerbread."  It's so simple, but fun to decorate!  I welded two stocking shapes with my Gypsy and used Ranger's Clear Rock Candy Stickles on the white icing.  Then I stamped my sentiment from my new PK-859 "Christmas Greeting Words" stamp set.

Here's a close up of that sentiment.  It stamped so well, the first time I used it!  (I didn't have to "prime it" or whatever--no having to rub an eraser on it like some stamp companies have you do!)  Then I embellished with a little Offray ribbon, a stick pin (from bulk at my LSS), and a Paper Studio button with some We R Memory Keepers Sew Easy floss!  It's pretty simple for me, but I like it.  I may have to do a few more!

You only have until midnight tonight, but go check out the Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge #45: Just Cards: Shape it Up.

And have a jolly day!

Layout made with swapped items!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  And now my excuse for being absent:  I'm busy, busy, busy!  Aren't we all this time of year?  Since it's been a while since my last post, I want to share a scrapbook page I made using some swap items--and give my fave swapping site a little shout out!

I just got a huge box of swap items back from "It's a Scrapbooking Swap Thing"!  I've been so busy making stuff and trying to stay ahead of the current deadlines, but when I got my box, I wanted to start scrapping!  Well, I got one page done.  But it only took about thirty minutes (gathering pics, giving my toddler snacks, diverting her attention, etc.) to do the whole thing.

Oh, actually, this page kit swap came with the last box, but because I had some pics ready that were from last year's Christmas stuff, I thought I'd use it first.  There were a lot of items in this kit, but I just used the photo mat, journal block, and border (which happened to have a title on it!) since I only wanted a one-page layout.

I love all the details this swapper put into this border:  the words mounted on red with stickles glitter around each one, the snowflake with a red dew drop in the center, and the eyelets laced with red fiber.  So cute with the mixed patterned papers!

My only problem when starting my layout is that I love to use patterned paper, so I was struggling with what to do for a background.  I looked at those cute snowflake embellies and then thought, "Spray mist!"  I got out my Tattered Angels' Icicle Blue and LED Red, and misted over some snowflakes cut from Cricut's "Joys of the Season" cartridge (which were temporarily adhered).  You can't really see the shimmer on these pics, but it shines!

I have big plans for Christmas vacation:  I hope to use up lots of my swaps and get some layouts scrapped so we can enjoy those photos that have just been accumulating in boxes lately!  And I'm going to let my kids use some of the leftover pieces to make pages for their own albums.  They need to get into this hobby as well, don't you think?

Hope you enjoyed checking out my page, and if you're looking for a swap group, check out "It's a Scrapbooking Swap Thing" (IASST) at www.iasst.forumotion.net.  Thier big Birthday Crop is coming up on New Year's Eve when they have lots of challenges and new swaps to sign up for!  I'm excited about that, too!

My Very First Guest Designer Spot!

Yayyy!  I had to blurt out my good news in my title!  A couple of week's ago I won the challenge over at 3 Girl Jam, and one of the three (yes, three!) prizes was a guest designer spot on their challenge blog!  You can find it here.

This week's challenge is to use these beautiful Thanksgiving inspired colors:

And, here's my take on it:

I loved the burgundy and gold combo!  I used some more of that leaf patterned paper from Recollections and scraps from my stash for the rest of the papers.  I cut a decorative shape with Cricut's "Elegant Edges" cartridge and a leaf and shadow from "Doodle Charms"  The sentiment and its tag are from Papertrey Ink's Fall Friendship Jar Fillers set.

Then my embellishments include gold inking around the edges, the very last of my Halloween Harvest crinkle ribbon from 3 Girl Jam (I will be ordering more!), stick pins from My Little Yellow Bicycle, and a button and jute twine from my stash.

Hope you liked this card and its color inspiration.  You can check out my Guest Designer spot and the current challenge # 7 at 3 Girl Jam.

"Oh, barn." A Belated Birthday Card

I think I should just make up a bunch of belated birthday cards to have on hand for my friends and family.  I seem to always miss their big days!

Here's a card I made following the sketch on 3 Girl Jam Challenge Blog to give a friend. 

You can find their sketch challenge here.

I was an extra day later on giving it to my friend, because I had to take a picture to post, lol!  Good thing she understands me!

I used scrap paper from my stash, Cricut's "Country Life" to cut the barn.  I only cut it at 2", so the weather vane on top of the silo didn't make it.  I was in a hurry and ripped it right off the roof, lol.  I used "Lacey Labels" Lite cartridge for the mat.  The funny stamps are from Joy's Life "Barnyard Puns."  (I love her stamps!  You can find them here.)  I also used some gingham ribbon from Hobby Lobby, 'cuz you gotta love gingham ribbon with country-themed cards!  Then, to top it off and draw attention to the sentiment, I used 3 Girl Jam crinkle ribbon in Sunflower.

There's a little bit of time left, so if you want to enter that sketch challenge at 3Girl Jam, here's the link again:
3 Girl Jam Challenge #6: Sketch

Cross Memory Tray

My good friend recently lost her grandmother, and instead of sending flowers, I decorated this cross-shaped memory tray (from Hobby Lobby) for her.

We were shopping a few weeks ago, and my friend saw this saying that really touched her.  So I printed it with my computer and matted it, then I added a little crinkle ribbon from 3 Girl Jam.

Then, since it's "Anything Goes" at the Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge Blog, I had to "peachify" the little angel's face.  I used Cricut's "Paper Doll Dress Up" cartridge for the doll, dress, and hair.  Then I cut and inked a doily for her wings.  She is "standing" in front of a star from the "George and Basic Shapes" cartridge.  (I cut her feet off because I don't think you ever see angel's feet, do you?  I think they "hover" a lot, lol!)

I used Peachy Keen's "Cherub Face Assortment" and used various pens and markers to color in her eyes and lips.

 For the other openings of the memory tray, I cut a sewing machine and a label with the "Heritage" cartridge.  I wrote the word "Granny" and added some faux stitching to the label.  Then I used "George" again for the heart and tag in the final opening.  I used buttons, jute twine, pearls, and a little bling to embellish.  And the patterned papers were from Crate Paper's Farmhouse pad.  I LOVE that paper!  I might need to pick up another one, because I've used it so much lately!

Hope you liked this project; I had fun fixing it up!  And, I'm entering it in Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge #43 : Anything Goes.

"Happy Turkey Day!" card

I've been thinking about what I want to do for my Christmas cards, but before I really get started on a full-force mass production of Christmas cards, I'd like to make a few cards for some friends and family and let them know how thankful I am for them!  So, here's a little "Turkey Day" card I want to share with you today.

I used some patterned paper from Reminisce's "Autumn Harvest" line, and Bazzill cardstock.  I also used some pearlized copper paper, but I'm not sure where it's from.  All of the paper was from my scrap stash!

I cut the turkey from Cricut's Create a Critter 2 cartridge, but hid his face with my gypsy.  Then I stamped him a new face with Peachy Keen's "Critter Faces Set A Medium."  I added a little detail to it with my Sakura Gelly Roll white pen and Stampin' Up! markers.  Then I stamped my cute sentiment from Pink by Designs' "Simply Everything" set.  I added a little faux stitching to one of the banners and my turkey's hat!  Then some gemstones from The Paper Studio finished it off!

I used the following sketch for my card:



And this color combo was the inspiration for the turkey's color:



Here's a little close-up of the turkey in case you missed that cute little face.  Kinda makes me want to skip the roasted fowl on Thanksgiving.  Well, maybe for just a little while!  LOL!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge # 42: Sketch
Go Fish Challenge #28: Colors
Cut It Up Challenge #5: Give Thanks with a Twist
Love to Create Challenge #40: "Shades of Autumn"

Winter Wishes

I got out the loose glitter this morning!!!  I love the look of it, but hate the mess.  Even being as careful as I can to catch every loose piece, I will still be finding little sparkles all day!  Lol!  But I wanted to give a little elegance to this card--what do you think?

This week's challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ is to make something "peaceful" or what says "peace" to you (without using the symbol).  So as I was cleaning off my craft table, I came across this snowflake paper scrap from Basic Grey's "Figgy Pudding."  I thought it looked so peaceful with its almost monochromatic pattern of snowflakes.

I used the patterned paper for my background, and stamped a "Friendship Jar" and masked a lid from Papertrey, Ink's "Friendship Jar" set.  Then I added the snowflake and star dangles from their "Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers."  I had to add all that glitter to give it a frosty look.  After all, if you're going to save some snowflakes in a jar, don't you want the glittery-est ones? lol!

The glitter is from Martha Stewart: antique silver and snow (on the bottom of the jar).  I also used some Stampin' Up! Dazzling Diamonds, but it's not as noticeable in the photo.  I added a mat for the jar from Cricut's "Lacey Labels" and some crinkle ribbon from 3 Girl Jam.  Then it needed  a few pearls to finish it off.  And there's another card ready for my stash!

I'm entering this card in Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge # 162.  Thanks for stopping by!

Halloween Treat Sack

Today I want to share a little paper sack that I decorated to hold some Halloween treats for a friend.

I tried to stamp the broom and witch's shoes right on the sack, but it didn't make a clear impression (I wasn't thinking about the folds of the bag, lol), and I didn't want to waste a bag, so I put it on cardstock instead.  I used an image and a sentiment stamp from Papertrey, Ink's "Friendship Jar Fall Fillers" set.  I used black Memento ink on Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock, then colored it with Stampin' Up! markers.  Then I added a couple of other mats.  I thought the spider web paper added a little spooky effect.

I cut this little witchy hat from Cricut's "Create a Critter 2" cartridge.  It was on a cut with a turtle, but I hid him with my Gypsy.  I added a little chalk ink and a flower with brad to the hat and popped it up over some ribbon from 3 Girl Jam. (There's also some of their orange and black ribbon at the top of the bag.)

I punched the sentiment and its mat with my Creative Memories circle maker, then added the flowers from Recollections and brads from The Paper Studio.  I also used some silver bling by Marc Richards.  It was in strips in a package at Hobby Lobby on clearance.  Since supplies always look better when they are on clearance, I picked them up!  Lol!  I cut the pieces apart to just use them one at a time.

 I'm entering this in the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge.  I picked my main colors/theme from this pic from Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #183:



I'm also entering this treat sack into these challenges:

3 Girl Jam Challenge #5: Favor with Ribbon

Cut It Up! Challenge #4: Halloween project with a die-cut

Go Fish Challenges #27: Halloween 3D Project

Hope you enjoyed looking--I'm glad you stopped by.  Now did you notice that candy outside of the treat sack??  Those are caramel apple Werther's--the next best thing to real caramel apples--well, kinda!

See you soon!

A "Heart-felt" Card

This week's challenge at Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge Blog is Just Cards: Word Up!  Focus on your sentiment.  You can find the challenge here.

I cut my sentiment from Cricut's Country Life cartridge and matted it with ivory cardstock with some faux stitching, light blue chalk ink, and some pearls.  Then I cut a heart from George and Basic Shapes Cricut cartridge and used two shadows on it.  I added a Peachy Keen face from the "Wide-Eyed Kids" Assortment and detailed the eyes with my white Gelly roll pen and some dimensional glaze.

Thanks for checking out my card for today!  If you have time, you might want to check out that challenge.  It's not due until Wednesday at Midnight!  Here's the link again:

Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge 40: Just Cards: Word Up!

"Out of this World!" Birthday Card

I've been wanting to try out more challenges, and today is the due date for Cupcake Inspirations' Challenge.  This week's photo inspiration was so cute--I had to participate!

I'm always needing cute kids' birthday cards, so that's the theme I went with.  Here's my card:

I cut the astronaut and the moon from "Trick or Treat" Cricut Lite cartridge.  The starry paper is from Echo Park "The Great Outdoors," and the cardstock is all from Bazzill.  I used "You're My Type" Stampin' Up! set for the "Happy Birthday" sentiment and cut it into a flag and popped it up with dimensionals on a flat toothpick.  The burlap ribbon is from Hobby Lobby's Ribbon Trends, and the twine is We R Memory Keepers.  I also added a little detail with chalk ink and my Stardust pen.

Hope you like this card!  I'm afraid my little boy might want to keep it if I pull it out to give away to someone else!  Maybe I'd better make another!  LOL!

I'm entering this in Cupcake Inspirations' Challenge #182.

"Boo To You"

Wow!  It's been a while since I've shared any of my scrapportunities!  But here I am today with a cute little monster card.  I was inspired by Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge # 39: Color Inspiration.  You can find the link here. 

I cut this monster with the Cricut Lite "Bump in the Night" cartridge.  I hid his face and stamped him a new one with the Peachy Keen's "Monster Mash Face Assortment."  The sentiment is from Pink by Design's "Simply Everything" set.  The paper is mostly scraps from my stash, but the patterned paper is from Graphic 45's "Happy Haunting" Collection.  Then I added a button with some twine from Stampin' Up!--and look closely--I added some to his shoes!  Then I tied a bow around it all with some ribbon from 3 Girl Jam.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge #39:  Color Inspiration
and
3 Girl Jam Challenge #4:  Anything Goes with Ribbon

Hope you like this little card, and I hope to check back in with you soon!

"Smore" Fun!!

So I've had the Wild Life Puns stamps from Joy's Life for a while, and haven't even opened the package.  But the other day at Walgreen's I saw some individual packs of Russell Stover Smores, and I knew I had to use this sentiment to make a tag or card to go with it!

Cutesy! Huh?!  I'm so excited to send this to school for my daughter's teacher along with a little smore treat!

I embossed the background with a Paper Studio folder and cut the little porupine from the Cricut Campin' Critters.  I hid his face with the Ggypsy so I could add a cuter Peachy Keen face.  It's from the Critter Faces Set A Medium.  I followed the sketch on the Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge Blog.  You can find the latest challenge here.

I'm also entering this card in Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday Challenge :  Embossing.  You can find it here.

Hope you like this card!  Have a sweet day!  I think I will enjoy one of those smores myself!  LOL!

"Boo"tiful Candle Holder

This week's challenge at  the Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge Blog is to make/decorate a 3-D object--a candle!  I decided to make my son's teacher a Halloween candle holder.

I got this candle holder and pumpkin pie scented votives at the dollar store and used "Ribbons and Rosettes" and "Doodle Charms" Cricut cartridges to decorated it!  Then I used a Peachy Keen "Cornies" face and a sentiment from Pink by Designs' "Simply Everything" set.

I cut an extra oval and shadow for the spiders face and popped it up with a foam square, then inked the whole thing a little bit with a white chalk pad.  Then I thought he should have a "cutesy" face because it's for a First Grade teacher.  I used a little twine from We R Memory Keepers and some bling.

A close-up of the sentiment.  I put it on a treat bag cut from "Doodle Charms."  The little spider looks like he's holding it--ready to go trick-or-treating!

Here's the back.  I wanted you to be able to see the borders that I used--the spider and web and the stars.  Then I cut a few stars and stuck them on the candle holder with Glue Dots.  And of course, more bling!  A little more twine around the bottom, and it's finished!  Ready to take to school soon!

Check out The Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge Blog.  Their current challenge can be found here.

Special Teacher Card

Here's a card I made for my son's 1st grade teacher and for the Peachy Keen Challenge #35: Just Cards: Teacher theme.  You can find the challenge here.

I used Bazzill cardstock and various patterned papers from my scrap stash.  (I think the school-theme paper came from Michael's.)  I cut the little boy and the sentiment label with the Cricut Lite "Playtime" cartridge.  I hand wrote the sentiment with a pun I made up myself (haha).  I hid the little boy's face with my Gypsy and stamped him a Peachy Keen face from their "Wide-Eyed Kids Face Assortment."  Then I added a little doodling to his cheeks and clothes.  He has a "Z" on his shirt for school spirit.

Here's a picture of the card open.  I adhered the mints to the back of the card and used my 2 1/2" circle punch from Stampin' Up! to make a little window for the mint container to peek through.  That way the teacher gets a little treat, and it serves as an element on the card.

Hope you like today's project!  Go check out the Peachy Keen Challenge Blog to enter your teacher-themed card, and Good Luck!

"You're Wonderful" Bookmarks

I had a little "scrapportunity" this morning to work on some little gifties for my kids' Wednesday night teachers at church.  We are starting a new "year," and they have new teachers so I wanted to do a little something to thank them for their service and encourage them (the first night is usually kinda hectic!).

I love a challenge, and this week at the Peachy Keen Challenge Blog, they are having a color challenge!  I love to use patterned paper, and I usually just pick one out and select solid paper to match it.  So I do find myself challenged when faced with only a few solid colors.  But I really liked these.  If you do, play along!  You can find the link here.

 

 

 

I cut my butterflies with the "Straight from the Nest" cartridge (at 3") with Bazzill paper, and I used a cute face from "The Cornies Face Assortment" by Peachy Keen Stamps.  Then I added some doodling with my white Sakura Gelly Roll Pen and my black Zig pen.

I cut a 7" strip from green cardstock and folded it in half for the body of the bookmark.

It had to have some sort of sentiment, so I used this one from Pink by Design's "Our Kids" set; and the hearts are from Joy's Life "Lots of Pun" set.  My kids love these sweet ladies, and I'm so glad they want to work with the kiddos and give them some love!

Hope you like this project--it was super simple.  I may have to make a few more for the other helpers.

Thanks for stopping by!

More Clothes Organization

If you know me very well at all, you would laugh to think I was offering organization advice of any kind, much less in two posts in a row!

But since I made my son some tags in this post, I had to make some for my 11 year-old daughter.  They are to help with picking out their clothes for school.  On Sunday evenings, we will pick out their clothes for each day of the week and put the corresponding tag on the hanger.  Then each morning should go smoother when they are getting ready for school.  (Hopefully, right?)

I used Bazzill cardstock and an American Girl paper stack from Michael's.  I cut the tags out with the Cricut Cupcake Lite cartridge (at 4" and 4 1/2" since there aren't shadows on this cartridge) and the days of the week and their backgrounds with the Cricut Chore Chart Lite cartrige (set at 2").  I also added some Prima flowers with Paper Studio brads, and We R Memory Keepers large eyelets with ribbon from Hobby Lobby.  Then I added a little faux stitching with my white Sakura Gelly Roll pen and some Stampin' Up! markers.

Close-ups of a couple of my favorites!  I had to do each day's tag a little differently for variety.

Hope you like these tags; DD loves them and can't wait to pick out her clothes for this school week!  She even thinks the two year-old needs some.  I'm not sure about that--I usually dress her after we drop the others off at school.  I have plenty of time to wake up and think about what each of us wears for the day, lol!

I'm entering this project in a new challenge.  It's the first one for the Cut It Up Challenge Blog!  It's based on using die cutting machines for creating, and the challenge this time is "anything goes."  Perfect for my tags! You can find the challenge here.  Go over and check it out and enter something--you have until Sept. 19th!  Good Luck!