Thursday, May 29, 2014

Travel Journal

Hi everyone!  Today's post is a little different- instead of a project, I have a recommendation.  I was recently on vacation for a week in Florida and Georgia (resulting in a super busy week of catching up at work this week, which is why I have no projects to share) and I decided that while I was there I would keep a travel journal/scrapbook using an old Amy Tangerine daybook that I'd picked up on clearance.  I have a ton of these kind of mini albums in a bin in my craft room for just such an occasion.

Before we left, I put together a little kit in a storage box I found at the dollar tree.  It had some letter stamps from the dollar section at my grocery store, some washi tape, some adhesive, some mini ink pads, and some pre-stamped embellishments.  I also had a CD case full of some other pre-cut tags and things, a small paper trimmer, a smash pen, and the smash scissors (which are wonderful- seriously, my husband used them to cut a tag off of something and he was like "these are so sharp!")  I used the stickers and bits that were from the same collection as the daybook and decorated the pages up a little bit, so it was almost ready to go before we even left.

So each night before bed, I'd spread out on the table in the hotel room with my supplies and whatever brochures I had from the day's activities.  I also put some scrap paper in the album in places where I wanted a photo.  I journaled about things as they happened- not just the big things that will end up in my 12x12 album, but little things like how much I like the beach umbrella we bought or what we ate for breakfast.  It was so fun, and I know I'm going to keep doing it for future vacations.  I'll still do my regular pages, and probably even a few pages in my divided page album, but this is something a little special of its own.  I definitely recommend it.

And, because I am so meta, here's a photo of where I was scrapbooking my vacation while I was on vacation...that will probably end up in the vacation scrapbook.
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Thursday, May 22, 2014

Silhouette Challenges #13 "Gift Bag"

It's the time for another challenge over at

Ch# 13 Gift Bag (No Boxes)
Begins: Thursday, May 1
Ends: Saturday, May 31

A blog dedicated to the Silhouette Cutting Machines.
You MUST use a Silhouette somehow in your project.

Sponsor this month is:


Vinyl Ease 30 Sheets of Permanent Adhesive Backed Vinyl for Craft Cutters, 
6 by 12-Inch, Assorted

Here's my Gift Bag project


Last year, my three sister-in-laws were so sad that the Easter bunny had decided they were all too old to get Easter baskets anymore.  I decided that even though they weren't getting Easter baskets, that didn't mean they couldn't get Easter bags!

I made these three cute bags from files I got from the Silhouette Online Store.  Before I cut the bags, I used my sketch pens to write their names at the bottom of the bag.  I love how easy it was, and it personalized each bag for them!

I filled the bags up with candy and an iTunes gift card for each of them.

Head in over to see what the DT has created for you inspiration and link up today.
Click HERE


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Monday, May 19, 2014

Decorated letter

Welcome!  Today's project is not a papercraft!  I know, can you believe it?  I'd been seeing these cool wrapped letters all over Pinterest, and I wanted to give one a try.  When I saw this letter F on clearance at Meijer one day when I was grocery shopping (because every grocery shopping trip ends with a visit to the craft aisle to see what's on clearance, obviously), I picked it right up.  Then I was at Lowe's with my husband and saw a roll of twine, and grabbed it.  It took me a long time to figure out how to wrap it, and I spent a good deal of time reading various tutorials, but I finally got it done!

I had ordered some flowers on Amazon, but they got here and were just slightly too big for this project.  Then one day I was at Michaels, and found these ones that were just right, so I got them and hot glued them on.  It is going to look so cute sitting on our mantel!




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Thursday, May 15, 2014

Bug jar

It's a miracle- I had time to get in my craft room today!  After a near catastrophe when my Silhouette initially wouldn't connect to my computer, I was able to make this cute little jar with a firefly from SVG Cutting Files.

I put the firefly onto the box with an Action Wobble.  It's my first time using one, and it's super fun.  I might get addicted!

I used a ton of my scraps of patterned paper on this, which is always fun for me.  The jar was really easy to put together, too.  I don't have any candy in the house right now (post-Easter purge and all) but I'm planning to go to the store and buy some mini candies of some sort to go with the saying that I picked from Jaded Blossom's "Picture This" stamp set. I stamped the stamp on a hand-cut banner that matched the paper I picked for his cute face and legs.

I also used some stickles- yellow for his bum and grape crush for his antennas.  I finished it off with three little rhinestones on the bottom.


I'm entering this project into the following challenges:
Jaded Blossom- Anything 3D
Pause, Dream, Enjoy- Bugs
Die Cuttin Divas- Wobble it
SVG Cutting Files- 3, 2, 1 Go!  (I used 3 rhinestones, 2 colors of stickles, and 1 Jaded Blossom stamp)
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Saturday, May 10, 2014

Quick note card

I hope you all are having a great weekend!  I'm typing to you today with Sophie on my lap, cowering from the loud noises of my husband cutting the trim for the family room (which is his current renovation project).  A few dog snuggles and I get to hang out in my pajamas for awhile?  I'll take it!

Today's card is one I made when I needed a quick notecard to attach to a gift.  I cut a piece of kraft paper to 4 1/4 square and stamped a sentiment from Pink By Design's "You are my Happy" stamp set.  Then I cut these flowers from Lettering Delight's "Peacocks and Pinwheels"- it was super easy to layer, and since I wanted to use gems instead of the centers that come with the flowers, it went very quickly.  I added the gems from my stash and some stickles to give the leaves something, and it was ready to go!  I love how I can make elaborate cards one day, and something so quick and simple the next, just based on what I need.  No fighting the crowds in the card aisle for me!  ;)

I'll be entering this card into the flowers challenge at Simon Says Stamp, Wednesday Challenges.



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Saturday, May 3, 2014

Silhouette Challenges Blossom Hop Day 1


Bring

So Silhouette Challenges is celebrating .

We are on Day 1!

There are only a few stops on this hop each day, and you are going to love the projects you see.

I am the ninth stop.
To start at the beginning Click HERE

I had a lot of fun making my project for today's hop!  I chose the 3D cherry blossom flower cut from the Silhouette Online Store (ID# 55887, in case you were wondering) as my blossom.  Here's a picture of the two projects together, and then I'll show you each one seperately.


The card was pretty basic, because I wanted the blossom to be the center of attention.  I used a piece of patterned paper from Studio Calico and cut it to the size of an A2 card.  Then I used some white cardstock, but it to the size I wanted for the front of the card, an punched it with a Martha Stewart border punch.  Then I adhered the blossom, which I had cut with my cameo and chalked on the edges for dimension.



The box is also pretty basic, to be honest.  I used another blossom, cut from the cameo and chalked.  I cut the box out from my cameo as well- it's just a basic 3d box, you could use any one you wanted.  I used another sheet of the Studio Calico paper, and adhered the blossom to the top, then used the white cardstock to cut panels for each side (using a ruler and paper trimmer- the panels didn't come with the cameo file) and again punched them with the border punch.


I was really happy with how these came out, and since I went minimalist on the card and box to highlight the flower, they really didn't take very much time.  In fact, after I made these I went back and bought more 3D flowers by the same artist because they were so fun and easy.

Here is the entire list of stops for day 1
Nana @ My Crafting Channel
Pam @ Scrap N Sew Granny
Kim @ Kim's Card Corner
Theresa @ Scrappers Anonymous
Julie @ Muddy Paws & Inky Fingers
Jessi @ My Life in Arts N Crafts
Robin @ The Cricut Scrapper
Kate @ Kate's Paper Creations
Becky @ Becky's Craft Place
LeeAnn @ Snappy Scraps
Becky @ My Paper Craze

Some of the Design Team has Candy.
Please note the ones that have candy set their own requirements for a chance at winning their candy.
Winners will be be announced by each offering candy on
May the 6th at NOON EST
On their blogs.



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Friday, May 2, 2014

Tooth Fairy Card

Today's card is a fun one. One of my sister-in-laws recently had her wisdom teeth out. I thought it would be nice to send her a get well card.

I started with a file from Lettering Delights. The fairy is part of the More Happily Ever set. I cut her dress in pink and gave her a belt and hair band using some Trendy Twine. For her wand, I cut apart a piece of a pin. The pointy end I covered in Glossy Accents and stuck to the back of the tooth, which I had cut from the B is for Boy cricut cartridge.

The oval I drew and cut with my Cameo to be just the right size to go behind her. Then I took the three pieces of chevron paper and put them behind her.

The inside, which I did not photograph before mailing, had a stamp from Jaded Blossom that said "Feel better soon!"



I'm entering this card into the following challenges:
Die Cuttin Divas- Make it Girly
Simon Says Stamp, Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes
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