Birthday Treats

Hey, all! Sorry I've been so quiet here on the blog. Not only have I been busy with fun summer activities, but every time I sit down to craft, the mojo is nowhere to be found.

On a good note, I've been focusing on my health, & I've lost 25 lbs. since the end of March (almost 50 lbs. since my heaviest a few years ago). Woohoo!

Anyway, on to the craftiness. My buddy, JoLynn, is celebrating a birthday tomorrow, so I threw together some treats for her. 

I was inspired by this cute paper sack, so I used similar colors & a polka dot theme.

JoLynn & I are Zumba buddies, so I wanted to give her some healthier snacks.

I started with a pack of watermelon gum...

 and added some Crystal Light packets. I also threw in some 100-calorie pack snacks for good measure.

Here's the glittery card I paired it all with.

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Tart & Tangy, A Little Birthday Cheer (SU), Pucker Up (A Muse), Feelin' Fruity? (My Favorite Things)

Paper: PTI white, Raspberry Fizz, Echo Park & American Crafts pp

Ink: Only Orange, Pixie Pink, Yoyo Yellow, Green Galore, Taken with Teal, Basic Black

Accessories: SU circle punch, Martha Stewart glitter, dimensionals, American Crafts flair, Michaels ribbon

Wee Memories Challenge 37

Happy Saturday! It's time for another Wee Memories challenge!


This week's sponsor is The Twinery! Twine is one of the hottest papercrafting accessories out there, & The Twinery offers some of the best--100% cotton, made in the USA--with vibrant colors & a soft feel, so it's easy to work with. This week's winner will receive a sampler pack that includes 120 yards total in 8 different colors.

So, I'm sure you can guess what our challenge is...use some twine on your project!










My inspiration came from some Creme Savers candy I had lying around.

I filled a kraft box with them as a little gift for a "sweet" co-worker.



I used some Caribbean twine to tie up the box, then made my own piece of hard candy using Pink Sorbet twine. I even tied the ends of the "wrapper" with some more Caribbean twine. I think it turned out really cute, don't you?

So, ready to play along? Just link up your twine creation to the Wee Memories blog. You have until midnight PST on Fri., Jan. 15 to be eligible for the prize.

I can't wait to see what you create!

Stamps: So Very (SU)
Paper: Sweet Blush, Aqua Mist, white
Ink: Raspberry Fizz
Accessories: The Twinery twine, Nestabilities circles & scalloped circles, kraft box, dimensionals, circle punch, plastic bag

Jolly Old St. Nick

Happy Monday! Hope your week is off to a good start.

Today is St. Nicholas Day, so to celebrate I made some treat bags for a few friends.

I'm entering this in the red & white challenge over at The Play Date Cafe.






Here's a close-up of the Santa. I added flock to his hat and beard for some fun texture.









And here's a peek at what's inside the bag. Fun, right?

Have a good week!

Stamps: Deer Friends (SU)
Paper: PTI white & pp
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: Bazzill Basics ribbon, SU circle & snowflake punches, Nestabilities Labels 4, Fun Flock

Wee Memories Challenge 34

Are you ready for a fun holiday challenge? Then you've got to play along with us this week at Wee Memories! This time we're getting inspiration from holiday songs!



Our awesome sponsor is DeNami Design! Our winner will receive a $25 gift certificate! Cool, right?


DeNami generously provided the DT with some of their amazing stamps. I was lucky to get this adorable snowman & sentiment, which inspired me to make a "Frosty the Snowman" card...complete with a Frosty top hat to hold some sweet goodies.

I stamped the snowman image in black, then outlined the whole thing in black & orange Stickles. It's super sparkly IRL!

Isn't this Frosty hat cute? I filled it with holiday M&M's. I'm hoping this set will put a smile on a friend's face.

So, ready to play along? Choose a holiday song that inspires you, & link up your finished creation to the Wee Memories blog. You have until midnight PST on Fri., Dec. 10 to be eligible for the DeNami prize.

Have FUN! I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

Stamps: Snowman Block, Whimsical Merry Christmas (DeNami Design)

Paper: Basic Black, Real Red, PTI white, PTI pp
Ink: Basic Black, Real Red
Accessories: Michaels ribbon & trim, SU scalloped edge & circle punches, Nestabilities circles, Black Diamond & Orange Peel Stickles, dimensionals, clear treat bag, candy

Wee Memories Challenge 26

Happy Saturday! Time for another Wee Memories challenge!

Before I get to the challenge, I want to mention our awesome sponsor this week...Mod Podge! Mod Podge is the original (and, in my opinion, the best) all-in-one glue, sealer and finish. Our winner will receive a Mod Podge starter kit.


Our theme this week is Halloween. It's just a few short weeks away, so it's time to get moving on all your cards and treats! I'm sure you've got at least one someone special who could use some Halloween surprises. Why not play along with us?



My project this week is a treat bucket and matching 3x3 card. I used a Target $1 bin pail, some glittered rub-ons, and some fun Halloween ribbon to put it together. It's a quick & easy project, but I think it turned out rather cute.

So, inspired to play along? I hope you'll join us! Just link up your finished creation on the Wee Memories blog. You have until midnight PDT on Fri., Oct. 15 to be eligible for the Mod Podge prize.

I can't wait to see all your Halloween creations!

Paper: Only Orange
Accessories: Michaels rub-ons & ribbon, Target mini pail, assorted candy

Wee Memories Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Wee Memories blog hop! You should have arrived here from Laurel's blog. If not, don't worry...you can start the hop at the Wee Memories blog so you don't miss a thing!

This week our challenge is a combination: CAS (clean & simple) and/or tags.

Our sponsor this week is Simon Says Stamp, and our winner will receive a $10 gift card!

I chose to create a project that incorporated both parts of the challenge. I made a CAS tag to go along with my sweet jar of candy corn. Little gifts like this are so easy to make...and just perfect for a quick thank you or thinking of you.

I hope you loved what you saw here. Head over to Anita's blog next to see what she's created for this week's challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Happy Halloween, So Sweet (Hero Arts)
Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black
Accessories: tag, Copic markers, PTI ribbon & button, SU linen thread Making Memories jar, candy corn

Wee Memories Challenge 19

Hi, everyone! I'm back with this week's Wee Memories challenge!

Our sponsor is none other than the fabulous May Arts! Their ribbon ROCKS...and as a full-blown ribbon addict, yes, I am qualified to make that assertion!



Our theme this week is Sweet Treats! I decided to decorate a treat bag and filled it with cherry lemonade Life Savers...yummy! My layout is Kazan's Sketch 59.

And check out that gorgeous May Arts ribbon...fabulous, right?

So, wanna play along? Head over to the Wee Memories blog for all the details. You have until midnight PST on Friday, August 27 to be eligible for the May Arts prize.

I'm looking forward to all your sweet creations!

Stamps: Feelin' Fruity? (My Favorite Things)
Paper: Real Red, PTI white, PTI pp
Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black
Accessories: Copic markers, May Arts ribbon, Martha Stewart Scallop Dot punch, treat bag, Life Savers

Back to School?!

Yikes! It's almost back to school time for me! Friday is my official first day, although I'm busy getting everything ready all week long. My students return on Wednesday of next week. I'm again teaching freshmen in English & speech, and I'm looking forward to teaching creative writing to juniors & seniors...haven't taught it in a couple of years, but it's always a fun class.

As soon as August arrives, my thoughts turn to school. Since today's 365 Cards challenge was to be inspired by August, I decided to make some back-to-school treats for my co-workers.

I flipped Laura's Sketch 58 and used the layout for my topper. I filled the bags with some yummy Crystal Light packets. It's nothing special, but any little gift counts as we get ready for another crazy year!

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Teacher's Apple, Signature Greetings (PTI)
Paper: Pretty in Pink, PTI white, Pink Paislee pp
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Adirondack Espresso
Accessories: PTI ribbon, Kaisercraft rhinestones, treat bag, Crystal Light packets

EBTKS Challenge 14

TGIF! Ready for another fun Around the House challenge? This month we're finding fun ways to use envelopes.

Our sponsor is Ippity Stamps consultant Ashley N. Newell! She will be giving away the Regal Greetings stamp set to our lucky winner!

I decided to make an envelope pouch. They are super simple to make, and they can hold all kinds of fun treats. I filled mine with some clear stamps and rhinestones for a crafty friend.

Other fun ideas include:
packets of seeds
candy/gum
Post-Its
stickers
lemonade packets

I thought I'd give you a quick step-by-step so you can make your own.

You'll need:
an envelope
a square punch
scissors
stamps, ink, embellishments

Start by sealing your envelope.




Align your punch on the envelope as shown. Place the punch as far up on the envelope as it will go, and be sure to leave a little empty space on the edge of the punch. Punch out a square on each side of the envelope.





Now your envelope should look like this.

Use your scissors to cut off the excess pieces of the envelope.

Your finished envelope pouch will look like this, with a handle at the top. Simply decorate as desired, and you're done!

Here's a side view so you can see what the pouch looks like when it's finished. Easy and cute, right?

So, ready to play along with our envelope challenge? Link up your finished creations to the EBTKS blog. You have until Sun., May 9 to be eligible for the prize. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Stamps: Tart & Tangy (SU)
Paper: Only Orange
Ink: Only Orange, Green Galore
Accessories: ribbon (ribbonFx), SU rub-on, square punch, small hole punch, envelope

Sweet Treats

Hi, sweet friends! I've got some Valentine treats to share with you today!

Check out this week's Tuesday Trigger...it's a sugar addict's dream come true!
It inspired me to finish up some last minute Valentine gifts.

Here's a bucket o' treats and 3x3 card I made for my niece. The bucket is from last year's Target $ bin. It holds peace sign knee socks (what 11 year old doesn't need a pair?), mechanical pencils (since Mom won't spend the $ for them), a sucker, Nerds, Now & Laters, and a mini tin of M&Ms. Sweet, huh?

I couldn't stop there. Here's a jar of M&Ms I made for a co-worker. The jar is a recycled Prima container...

Have a sweet day!

So Sweet
Stamps: So Sweet (Hero Arts)
Paper: Bazzill white, PTI dp
Ink: Basic Black, Raspberry Fizz
Accessories: Spica clear glitter pen, bucket (Target)

With Love
Stamps: Yummy (SU)
Paper: Pretty in Pink, PTI white
Ink: Pretty in Pink
Accessories: Bazzill Basics ribbon, Spica clear glitter pen, SU designer label & circle punches

EBTKS Challenge #8

It's time for another Everything But the Kitchen Sink Around the House challenge! This month we're using box tops in our creations...AND, for the first time, we have a sponsor...Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs!

The winner of this challenge will receive a $15 gift certificate to Kelleigh's store AND everyone who participates will receive a coupon code for 40% off a $15 purchase! Cool, huh?

The design team was lucky enough to receive one of Kelleigh's templates for free.
If you've never checked out Kelleigh's templates, you are missing out on some CUTE stuff! As soon as I saw the strawberry template, I was in LOVE!

Now, I consider myself "template impaired," but putting together a basket of these little cuties was SO easy!

I used a box top to punch out the "so sweet" tag.

AND...I think I deserve "extra credit" on this challenge since I also recycled this plastic container (it originally held grape tomatoes). What do you think?

Seriously, don't these sweet treats make you long for summer?

Pssst...there's a sweet candy surprise inside each one!

So, ready to play along? Link up your box top creation over on the EBTKS blog. You have until Mon., Feb. 8 to submit your project. I can't wait to see what you create!

Template: Sweet Strawberry (Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs)
Stamps: Everyday Button Bits (PTI)
Paper: SU dp
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: PTI buttons, Michaels red cording, SU Word Window punch, box top, basket filler, plastic veggie container, candy or other small treats

Limelight Project Parade!

Today is the sixth of the month, so it's time for the fabulous Limelight Project Parade! This month we are showing off fall and/or Halloween projects.

As a teacher, fall means back to work, and although this early in the year we have mostly "happy days," it's still nice to offer my fellow co-workers a little pick-me-up. So I decorated a treat bag and filled it with an assortment of Hershey's nuggets. Chocolate always makes for a happy day, right?

I LOVE this yummy October Afternoon Cherry Hill paper. I think the olive is just perfect for autumn projects. I added a Prima flower, BasicGrey button, Kaisercraft pearls, and some beautiful May Arts ribbon to finish off my bag.

I wanted to make a coordinating card, but not an exact match, so I omitted the ribbon, instead stamping a sentiment from October Afternoon's Cherry Hill stamp set with Adirondack Espresso ink.

Be sure to check out the rest of the DT's creations: Mandy, Amy, Lorie, Lisa, Lee, JenMarie, and Ryann.

Pucker Up

I wanted to make a little gifty for a swap I'm in, and I thought some of these Crystal Light packets would be perfect. Since they're lemon-flavored, I had to go with yellow, which fits this week's Stamp Simply challenge.

When I saw today's 365 Cards sketch, I knew I could make a little pocket and slip them inside. I didn't have the right shade of yellow ink to stamp with, so I decided to clear emboss lemon slices on the yellow dp. It's simple, but I'm happy with the way it turned out. What do you think?

Stamps: Tart & Tangy (SU), Pucker Up (A Muse)
Paper: PTI white, dp (unknown)
Ink: Basic Black, Versamark
Accessories: clear embossing powder, word window punch, pearls (Kaisercraft), rick rack (May Arts), dimensionals

Paper Blooms Challenge #2

This week's Paper Blooms challenge fits perfectly with the season: create an Easter or spring themed basket/box. I chose a gorgeous pink bloom as my starting point and decided to go sweet and girly with my design.

The finished box measures 4x4. I filled it with white basket shred to create a little nest for my white jelly beans, then used my scallop dot punch to create a border around the top.

I couldn't resist adding this adorable sentiment from My Cute Stamps.

I finished it off with some ribbon and a pearl in the center of my bloom.

So, are you up for the challenge? Create your Easter or spring themed basket/box and leave a link to it on the Paper Blooms blog. You have until next Tuesday to join in on the fun.

Stamps: Jelly Beans (My Cute Stamps)
Paper: Pink Pirouette textured, PTI white
Ink: Pretty in Pink
Accessories: flower (Paper Blooms) Martha Stewart scallop dot punch, ribbon (Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby), pearl (Kaiserscrapbook), basket shred, clear treat bag, jelly beans

You've Gotta Have Heart

This week's Cinema Saturday pick is The Wizard of Oz. Not only is this one of my all-time favorite movies, but it's taking on special meaning this year: It's the musical I'm choreographing for my school right now.

The Tin Man was always my favorite character, so I used him as my inspiration. I wanted to capture not only his sweet personality, but also the relationship he had with Dorothy.

I filled a clear card box with Hershey's kisses to represent the Tin Man. The red ribbon and cardstock represent his heart and Dorothy's ruby slippers, and the blue gingham ribbon represents her dress as well.

The sentiment is something I can picture the Tin Man saying to Dorothy. It reminds me of the moment in the film when she's heading back to Kansas. The Tin Man says, "Now I know I've got a heart, 'cause it's breaking."

I placed a Heidi Swapp clear heart over the sentiment and added a silver brad to further reinforce the image of the Tin Man. I also used my ticket corner punch on the sentiment to make it look like a movie ticket.

This will be a gift for the director of our show. She was out last year on maternity leave, so I wanted to let her know I'm glad she's back.

Stamps: Friendship Blooms (SU)
Paper: Real Red, Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: ticket corner punch, gingham ribbon (SU), sheer ribbon (Hobby Lobby), Heidi Swapp ghost shape, brad (SU), clear card box (PTI), Hershey's kisses

Warm Cocoa, Warm Heart

Yet another day off school for me due to the extremely cold temps. With wind chills in the -40's, I needed something to keep myself warm.

So I used Kristina Werner's color inspiration to make this hot chocolate/note card holder. It gave me the chance to ink up my new Kim Hughes stamps. For those of you keeping score, these were bought BEFORE Jan. 1, so they don't count towards my resolution to not buy new supplies for a while. So there!

On the inside I tucked a packet of hot chocolate and coordinating note card.

I think I'll make a batch of these for some ladies at work. We'll need something to keep us going when we finally head back to work on Tuesday!

Stamps: Heart Warmers (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White, Prints Pack dp
Ink: Basic Black, Pretty in Pink, Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Nestabilities Labels 1, horizontal slot punch, ticket corner punch, clear glitter pen (Spica), ribbon (Michael's), scoring tool, sticky tape, hot cocoa packet