Chocolate Sleigh

Who doesn't love chocolate?  I don't know anyone who doesn't love chocolate, but if I did I wouldn't trust them!   My children did this craft at their church youth group and I thought it really clever and cute.  I am making a bunch of these to give to my friend Carolyn.  She's in a nursing home and she loves to give gifts, so I thought these would be nice to give to her so that she can give them out to friends who visit as well as friends she's made there.  I think they would make good little gifts for people like teachers, priests or pastors, hairdressers, or others who make our lives a little brighter all year long.  I'm going to give one to the man who does my nails and my milkman too!  You could also tape a gift card underneath. 

 

 

 

You need a hot glue gun, candy canes, Hershey's miniature chocolates (Christmas edition is nice), ribbon and mini bows.  Three bags of miniatures, two packages of candy canes, and two packages of regular size Kit Kat bars made approximately 11 sleighs.  I would suggest buying one more extra of the miniatures and the candy canes because the candy canes can break.

 



 

 

I used a glue gun to assemble this.  If you want to do this as an activity with your children, I would suggest having an adult use a glue gun to adhere the candy canes to the Kit Kat bars, and have the children use white glue to adhere the Hershey's miniatures in a pyramid on top, then have the adult adhere the ribbons and bows with a glue gun.

 

 



When gluing on the candy canes, make sure the curved end is out far enough from the Kit Kat bar so that a miniature can hang over the edge slightly.  If the curved part is too close you won't be able to fit the miniature underneath.  To make the sleigh look uniform, use the same color wrapper on each layer, and orient the bars the same way on each layer.

Happy sledding! 

Homeschool Card Class #1

Since I homeschool my children I thought it might be fun to have a once a week art activity with card making and scrapbooking.  I was a little apprehensive at first but since I was eased into it with having only Mary and one student, our neighbor Markia, it was easier.  I am hoping to add several other children and their mothers as the weeks progress.    Here are the cards we worked on today:  

 

In making these cards, I had the girls use my Grand Calibur die cutting system, Spellbinder's dies, Distress Ink, Stephanie Bernard Ink and Stamps. 

 

They were pleased.  Next week I've asked them to bring a picture of themselves and we will make a card and a layout.  We are going to start a scrapbook for each of them.

Congratulations and Happy Birthday!

Ok...two more cards.  One is for my dear friend Jeannine's birthday and the other is for my lovely goddaughter Laurel's graduation. 

Here's Laurel's card:

 

And here is Jeannine's: 

 

I used "Homespun" patterned paper by Colorbok, Tim Holtz distress inks in tattered rose, weathered wood and tea die.  Label on Congrats card is from Spellbinders.  Cupcake stamps are from Fiskars. 

 

Happy Mother's Day!

I made some Mother's Day cards using my Silhouette.  I loved this cutting pattern, it had little flowers all over it.  This is what it looked like coming out of the machine, and after I used a toothpick to poke and bend the petals through. 

 

Then I inked the flowers by brushing a Cat's Eye inkpad over the petals. 

 

 

I tried something new that I never tried before.  I took a Spellbinders label die and inked it prior to cutting the paper.  When the die cuts the paper, it inks the parts of the die cut that are not embossed. 

 

 

Then I mounted the papers onto the card, attatched the label and added some twine from The Twinery..  I like the way the labels came out, but you have to be careful during the process not to smear the ink.

 

 

 There is also a pattern similar to this one on the Silhouette site, one that uses hearts instead of flowers. 

 

Thanks for looking!!

 

 

 

Say Hello to Emma Jane

I'm going to meet my newest niece this weekend.  I made this layout, using her birth announcement, as a gift for her parents.

I had fun with this, using the silhouette to make the flower in the upper left and the fence on the upper right.  A honeycomb patterned paper from My Mind's Eye is the background.  The pink piece of paper I made using Tattered Angel's glimmer mist in vintage pink.  I stamped a flower image all over that using tattered rose Distress Ink  I distressed and inked the edges using tea dye Distress Ink..  I used My Mind's Eye paper for the rosette, and the Princess sticker is also from MME.  The rolled rose I made using music paper from a book I bought at a second hand store.  I used various scraps and buttons to make the banner. 

Find Me

My beloved father passed away on March 27, 2013.  He was an incredible man who helped many people and who loved and was loved very deeply.  He'd been in frail health for a few years.  My stepmother had shown me this song, "Find Me," by David Gates, and told me that if she were to die first she wanted this played at the funeral.  So I knew it was special to her.  I made this layout for her, with the words of the song.   She liked it when I gave it to her.  I hope whenever she looks at it, she will know that she will indeed find my father once again.  (you'll have to click the link, I couldn't get it to post here correctly. Someone let me know if you can't see it.)

 

 http://s229.photobucket.com/user/mgpm17/media/temporary_zps53944417.jpg.html?state=replace


Here is the song.  It's beautiful. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzjnK6gRZjU

Easter 2013

Well, it's *supposed* to be spring, but this is what it looks like here today: 

 

No matter, in a few days it will be Easter, snow or no snow.  Here are some Easter cards I made this year:

This is the one I made for my nephews.  It's kind of a challenge for me to make cards for them that are still fun but not too girly.  The paper and stamp are from Imaginisce.  I love their little stamp sets, and that they coordinate with their papers.  I used Copic and Spectrum Noir markers for the bird, eggs, and nest.  The "Happy Easter" stamp is from Studio G.

 

I love the look of banners, and I like using twine and bright colors.  This paper is from the Echo Park "Springtime" line.  I can't tell you how versatile this one pack of papers has been.  I've been using it and using it for over a year and I still have more to use.  It works great for small things like this. The twine is from We R Memory Keepers (Lollipop), brads are from Creative Impressions.  I printed the sentiment out on the computer using "Cotton Candy" font.

 

 

I had to make a special card for my newest niece, Emma Jane, as it is her very first Easter.  I used Bazzill cardstock, patterened paper from Making Memories (Boho Chic), ink from Versamark. I don't know who makes that flower brad...it's been in my stash too long!  Funny Bunny stamp from Studio G.  I used a Martha Stewart border punch to make the scalloped lace edge.  I cut the egg shape and the pink Peep bunny from my Silhouette.  I got this cute card idea from my friend, Elizabeth Mindemann.  She had done it with a chick inside the egg, which is also very sweet.

 

I hope everyone has a blessed Easter.

 

 

 

Organization Nirvana!

I am messy.  I've always been a little messy.  My mom used to get notes from my teachers about my messy desk in grade school.   Not much has changed in 37 years.

 

 

You can see that I attempted to be organized. I bought drawers upon drawers and I labelled everything in sight.  I tried to have some kind of system.  But I never could keep it clean.  I had too much stuff I didn't use clogging up space.  I would put things away only to forget that I ever had them, and I'd buy MORE stuff.  This hindered my creativity because who wants to sit in a pig's sty where things get lost and there is no space for anything?

 

  Then I took a course by Tiffany Spaulding.  She is then inventor of the Scraprack, which is an organizational system.  You could also call it a "miracle," because it finally got me on the track to cleanliness (which as we all know, is next to Godliness) and being able to access stuff quickly and put it away (which is KEY) just as quickly.  I had the ability to group like things, label them, and put them away.  But not being able to find things, purchasing more things, and then running out of space was killing my creativity. 

 

So I watched Tiffany's webinar on organization, which was free.  She said we didn't have to purchase a scrap rack.  I looked at it and decided I would make one out of large three ring binders and plastic sleeves I found at wal mart.  I quickly found out this was not going to work.  Stuff was slipping out of the pages, etc.  I realized I needed a genuine scraprack.  I was taking a risk, it wasn't cheap (my initial purchase of scraprack unit plus extra sleeves cost approximately $200.  I wasn't sure I liked the way the scraprack looked, either.  But I was in.  I was desperate.

 

Tiffany has you separate things into categories.  You create your own categories, and she gives helpful guidelines.  My categories are:  Letters and Numbers, Templates and Tags, Sentiments, Animals, Baby/Boys and Girls, Birthday, Bling/Flourishes, Ephemera, Faith, Floral/Nature, Masculine, Travel, Vintage, Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, White, Black, Neutrals, Multicolor, and Shapes.  Instead of putting stamps with stamps, and eyelets with eyelets, etc.,  all alphabet things (alphabet stamps, alphabet stickers, alphabet chipboard) went together.  All birthday themed things went together, all red things went together and so on.  I had to separate EVERYTHING in my stash into these categories and purge some stuff. It was hard to let go of some things, but I found giving to friends and to good causes helped the pain of that.  I gave away about 5 medium size boxes of stuff.  I got a little discouraged when I realized I'd have to have an expansion unit for my rack.  And all this took a VERY long time to complete.  But I will say it has been worth it!  Now look at my more functional and certainly MUCH cleaner space! 

 

 

I have the rack sitting directly behind me, so all I have to do is turn around to have easy access to supplies.  Looking through the supplies gives me inspiration and encourages me to USE what I HAVE instead of buying more stuff.  I can very easily put things away. 

I put cork board on the back of the shelving unit so my kids could put pictures up there of their artwork. 

Look at all the space I have on my desk now!!! 

 

I have a few finishing touches I'd like to do, but I'm so pleased with how this has gone so far.  I've made a few cards and a couple of layouts and I love the access to things and the ability to put things away! 

I did learn a few things about myself.  I buy way too much, especially letters and alphabets.  I tend to buy two or three sets of a type of letter so I don't run out of letters.  I also am something of a pack rat....I had *8* magazine holders full of scrapping magazines.  I need to be more prudent about what I buy from now on. 

 

But I wholeheartedly endorse the Scraprack and the method Tiffany uses!  For more information about the Scraprack and her organizational methods, go here

http://thescraprack.easystorecreator.com/

Tiffany is expanding her organizational expertise into other areas of the home as well, and plans to make more classes about general home organization. 

 

 





 

 

 

A Valentine for my Valentine

This is the Valentine I made for my husband this year.  I always try to make him a special one, because I love him the most!  This year I put lyrics to a song called "The Book of Love" inside. It's a beautiful song that expresses so much when I hear Peter Gabriel sing it.  My husband and I love music, it's something that brought us together and we share in a special way so I like to use lyrics in my Valentines to him. 

I used Spellbinders Dies (Fleur de lis and Labels 18). Patterned paper is from the French Market Collection by Recollections.  Heart and key were cut using a Spellbinder's die (Antique Heritage).  I cut copper sheeting and inked it using Ranger alcohol ink in Pitch Black, then rubbed across the top with sandpaper.  Inked the edges of the paper with Tim Holtz Distress inks in Black Soot. 

Here's a video of the music and lyrics that I placed inside for my Valentine. <3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-sJSJd-V2c

Valentine's Day Cards 2013

I think hand made Valentine's Day cards are a beautiful thing.  Not necessarily because of the skill shown in the card making itself, but because someone took the time to lovingly think about you and make something that is truly from the heart.  They are old fashioned in the best kind of way. The oldest Valentine known to be in existence is from 1400.  In the 1800's in Europe the Valentine Card was the gift one would receive from an admirer.  So in this day of email, text, and skype, I think it's really sweet to make your own Valentines for those you love. 

Here are the Valentine's I have made so far this year: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome Emma Jane!

I have a new niece, and as you can see, she's just gorgeous.  I can't wait to meet her! Meanwhile, I am sure I will have fun making some baby layouts!

I made this card for her: 

Not sure what patterned paper that is, I used some scraps I had.  The cardstock is Die Cuts With A View.  And I used the Fleur De Lis dies from Spellbinders through my new Grand Calibur for the mats.  Sentiment is from My Mind's Eye, lost and found collection. 

Happy New Year!

I saw this line by Graphic 45 and I KNEW I had to make a calendar with it!  "A Place In Time" is just like all of Graphic 45's other lines...gorgeous.  I'm so in love with that company. If someone offered me a job there I'd be over the moon!!!  Hey, I'd be the cleaning lady there if it meant I'd get a discount on their beautiful products! 

I have January and February completed so far.  

January:

I used images from the Graphic 45 paper and coordinating cardstock from Coordinations.  I used a Spellbinder's die for the matting behind the calendar, Fleur de Lis frames. I got a Grand Calibur for Christmas and am loving how easy it is to use.  I made the snowflakes using my Silhouette electronic cutter, inked them with Versamark ink and added generic rhinestones.  The small snowflakes are from Joleee's and the swirly silver brad on the tag is from Recollections.  Not sure if you can see it in the photo but I also used a Sakura glitter pen on the snowflakes around the "J" in January.

 



 

 

 

I used some generic buttons, twine from The Twinery.  I inked the twine a little bit with Tim Holtz "antique linen" distress ink so the white would look a little aged.  Silver charms are from Recollections, paper flower from Prima.  

 

 

 

I made this heart and the mat behind it with Spellbinders dies.  The mat is Fleur De Lis, and the heart is a die called "Timeless Heritage".  I sanded the surface of the coordinations cardstock to make the embossing on the heart stand out, then I used UTEE on the whole thing, making it shiny. 

 

 

March is up next!