A little Tess

Good morning folks ~ I hope that today finds you well.

I've been lucky enough that Betty let me borrow some of her stamps again, and this time it's Tess.  At first I really did not care for it - til I touched it.  Once I touched it I loved it!!  I love the chef from the Voilà' set too because like Tess you can paper piece it.  So you wanna see what I did with it?  Of course!

I wanted to make some easel calendars that are still good for the rest of this year, that's what these are.  The base is Garden Green that I layered with Chocolate Chip and Brocade Background DP.  I stamped the image from Tote-ally Tess and colored parts of her in, then paper pieced the rest with scraps.  I stamped off the bag and rubber stamp in her hand, colored them and cut them out and added them to the main image. 

Isn't she just adorable!!  I love to paper piece - you can get such a different look than just coloring an image.  And if you use the scraps from the papers that your using you get a matched look.

Here is another calendar made with Tote-ally Tess.  The base measures 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" so it will fit into a regular A2 size envelope.  I stamped the image from Tote-ally Tess and colored her in with pencils and gamsol and paper pieced the rest.  The DP is called Brocade Background from SU! but it is discontinued, sorry.  I also used River Rock, Chocolate Chip and Garden Green card stock.  The punch I used across the middle was from Martha Stewart and the Chocolate Chip layer under the image panel was cut out with my Cricut Storybook cartridge, as was the green flourish in the bottom right corner.  The paper rose I made with some Creamy Caramel paper. 

To get this size easel I took a piece of card stock that was 5 1/2" x 11" and scored it at 5 1/2" and 8 1/4".  The front panel was 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" that was decorated.  Easy Peasy......

Ok, now I will share with you something that I did and while I was doing it I thought "you dummy".  Take a peek at her bag.  Can you see all the little pieces?  I stamped her bag twice on to the DP.  One of the bags I cut the handles off of, that was used at the back of the bag.  I stamped the little images, the pen, the rubber stamp, the card and the scissors and cut them all out and placed them in her bag.  I put a piece of tape on the "back" of the bag and adhered the pieces down.  I then placed the "front" of the bag, the piece with the handles over that.  Using the "back" of the bag gave me the placement to put Tess' tools in her bag and it also gave a little dimension to the bag.  Yup, I'm

crazy!!

If you are wanting the link to the calendars I had got them off of Splitcoast Stampers.  Cat has posted each year these wonderful calendars for everyone.  The link to the rest of 2010 is HERE and if you'd like the 2011 calendar you can get those HERE.  THANK YOU Cat, these are awesome!

I'm always in need of a calendar - so I keep one at my desk, one at my craft table, one in my purse, one on the refrigerator...  So these work out great.  And best yet, they fold flat so you can mail them out to friends and family.

Hope you enjoyed my post today!  Have a super great day, and I hope to see you tomorrow.

A little plug....

Hello everyone ~ I wanted to post a little something that is near and dear to my heart, so this is not a "crafty" post.  If your not interested in anything other than crafty there is no need to read on.  But I would appreciate it if you did.

You might notice on my right sidebar a little way down there are some buttons that you can click on.  I generally don't post anything on my blog unless it means something to me, and this does.

The other day I received an email from a dear lady Wendy.  She was so kind to comment on my blog and she had asked me about The Angel Company that I had listed on my signature line on my email.  Well it was not what she thought, but we talked about it.  She is the founder of Angels Anonymous.  It is a mostly Canadian site that helps bring terminal cancer patient their last wish.  Then I asked her if she did anything like Chemo Angels do, and she did not know about them so I forwarded her the link to their site. 

Chemo Angels is another wonderful site that a couple of dear friends have belonged to for a while and it's something that I always wanted to be involved in and have never signed up.  The Angels send cards and little items to patients to help brighten their day.

I have posted on my sidebar the buttons with links to their sites.  I would appreciate it if you would take a minute to visit them.  And if you can't join them maybe send them a dollar or two to help them out ~ they do rely on donations, and it is for a wonderful cause.

Thank you Wendy for bringing your organization to my attention ~ I think that it will give me that "kick" in the rear to step up and do my part.  You are really, truly and Angel. 

Oooh, gotta take a peek...

Do you love ribbon??  I know you do.  And if you are like me you probably have lots of ribbon and it's so pretty that you don't want to use it all up and not have anymore.  Or maybe you love ribbon so much that you are always using it and running out...  Either way you'll have to take a peek over at Betty's blog ~ she is having a ribbon share going on.  It is a great way to get lots of colors of ribbon at a steal! 

So go there, go take a peek! 

How Berry Sweet

Yesterday I mentioned that I had something 'berry sweet' for you today and here it is!

How cute is this??  I used a template from My Favorite Things called "Berry Ensemble".  I had been browsing on line the other day and when I was sitting at my craft table I thought about the strawberries that I saw earlier and wouldn't you know, I went back to my computer and I could not find it!  Then after searching and searching I had received an email from MFT and I popped in there and low and behold ~ I found them!! 

The basket is made from Bazzill Almond Cream paper and the strawberries were made out of Riding Hood Red that I ran thru my cuddlebug with my polka dots folder.  After all you've got to have the spots on your strawberries!  The tops of the berries are made with some green scraps.  I punched out some 1 1/4" circles and used my deckle edge scissors on them to give them the ragged edge look.  I stamped the strawberry from my Tart & Tangy set on white card stock 3 times.  The 1st one I cut out with my 1 3/8" circle punch, then I hand cut the 2nd and pop dotted it over the 1st.  The 3rd one I just cut the top of the strawberry and placed it over the 2nd.  I adhered that to a piece of Riding Hood Red that I punched out with my scallop circle punch and adhered that piece to the front of the basket with a glue dot.  The ribbon - it's yummy isn't it?  I bought that well over a year ago from Hobby Lobby and I just look at it.  I never want to use it - or shall I say I never find a need to use it, until now Ü  I then sponged some Close to Cocoa ink around the edges of the basket to give a little more "used" look and I was complete.

Here's a close up of the strawberry.  Once I cut them out I ran the piece thru my cuddlebug then I glued it together.  You can actually put a piece of candy or a kiss inside and tie a bow so they can open the berry and not have to rip it apart.  I knotted my ribbon because I did not put candy in them.  Normally the 1st time I try to make something I use some cheap paper or just white paper to make the item.  Just in case I mess up or have to "tweak" something ~ but this one I made with card stock because I didn't think that it was too hard.

So you can run over to My Favorite Things and pick up this template - or for a little different version you can go to Julie B's Stampin' Space and see her strawberry tutorial ~ she is very inspiring!

Have a super great weekend!

Howdy Ho Everyone!

We are almost thru another week, can you believe it?  As much as I don't want to admit it, it's getting closer to Christmas.  It's almost September ~ eek!!  I do enjoy Fall, it is my absolute favorite time of year.  The crispness in the air, the beautiful colors and the coming of sweater and sweatshirt weather.  When I was younger (and a lost smaller) I used to love summer - but now that I'm old (ugh...) I just don't enjoy the heat anymore.  Ok, enough of me babbling ~ you didn't come here for that.  Let's get to something crafty shall we?

These little notepads I made with some of that "special" paper that we all have.  You know the paper that you just love and just cant put it in the cutter and use it ~ this is that paper for me.  Danielle had purchased some paper a while back at a sale and she split it with me.  The paper is from K&Company called Berry Sweet and it's just adorable.

I took some thin chipboard and covered it with the paper and Mod Podge and let it sit overnight under some heavy books.  The next day I used my BIA and put it together and decorated it. 

I used ribbon, primas, buttons, chip board accents from American Crafts, felt flowers, jewels, stickers and accent cutouts from my Storybook cartridge.

What I did was let these dry overnight because I covered the front and backs of both the front and back covers.  Then the next day I added the word "notes" and used Mod Podge again to seal the stickers.  I waited about a half hour to dry well enough then decorated them. 

When I made things like this I like to Mod Podge over the top to help seal the letters and just to protect the journal in general.  Trust me, nothing can penetrate Mod Podge - I've found that out the hard way.

I hope that you liked my little books ~ Come back tomorrow for something else that's "berry" sweet too!

Have a super great day!

Awash with Flowers

I was putterin' around the other day and grabbed a set that Betty was so kind enough to let me play with.  The set is called Awash with Flowers.  It's a 2-step stampin' set ~ and I've always liked those.  So, ready to see what I created?  Of course!

These are the two cards that I made.  I like to make things in pairs ~ I guess it's the OCD in me Ü  The base card is Apricot Appeal that I layered with Cherry Cobbler (one of my FAVORITE new colors!) and some Georgia Peach DP.  I used Real Red, Regal Rose, So Saffron and Old Olive inks to stamp the flowers out.  Then I added the butterfly from the Beautiful Butterflies die in Old Olive with a couple of rhinestones and I was pretty much done.  Oh, I did add the sentiment inside with Old Olive ink from the Whimsical Words set. 

I just love that color Cherry Cobbler.  I think that I may be using that more than any of the other red's.

On another note ~ today is National Waffle Day!!  I think that's what we'll have for lunch time today ~ yum!!

Sorry this is a short post, but I hope that you have a super great day!

My Urban Oasis

Howdy everyone!  I hope that today finds you well.  I had a busy day yesterday so I'm sorry that I did not post.  Sometimes life just get's in the way.

I wanted to show you some totes that I've been working on.  They are just adorable.  The minute I saw the paper I knew that I had to use it to make these.

The paper is actually some of last years DP from Stampin' Up called Urban Oasis.  It is perfect for these little totes.  And look at the little pocket on the outside, I used these ball and chain connectors from Tim Holtz.  I was lucky to find these at my LSS for a really reasonable price ~ however if you need these and can't find them in a pinch ~ go to Walmart, Lowe's or any hardware supply store and you'll find them in the section with the ceiling fan's.  Yup!  And they are pretty cheap too!!

I did have to think about these a bit before cutting.  I wanted to make sure that the pattern's would show and they were not upside down or anything. 

**Short Story ~ sorry for the side track...  When Danielle was a little girl, toddler age I had a dear friend Tami make a dress for her for Easter.  I found the cutest material ever and Tami used to be one of those designers for her local store - you know all those cute dresses and shirts and such that they have at the fabric store, she used to make them.  Anyway, I gave her the material and the pattern and she was to make Danielle her dress.  Yes she was like me and put it off til the last minute and she called me one night in tears.  She had cut the pattern upside down.  It really did not matter, it was one of those things.  And to this day the dress still sits in my closet - I will always cherish it.  It then became a joke with us - and we said it was made like that so Danielle could look down at the dress and see everything Ü

So now you know why I make sure of things before I cut.

The inside has a little pocket too.  Perfect place to put a gift card.

That's all I've got for you today.  I hope that you like ~ and if you do make sure that you go to Adela's site and let her know.  You can find the template for these HERE.

Have a super great day!

Desk Tidy Tutorial

Are you ready for a tutorial on the desk tidy?  Well, here goes ~ and remember if you need to see something up close a little better just click on the picture and it will bring it up larger for you, then hit your back button to get back here Ü

You can make the base of this desk tidy with one sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" card stock and a few scraps of designer paper. 

The first piece is cut 3 1/4" x 10" and you will score it at 1", 2", 3" and 6 1/2".

This piece of card stock is cut at 5 1/4" x 5 1/4" and you will score at 1" on each side.

Cut each of the 4 side "flaps" up to the 1" score mark.  If you've seen my tutorials before you know that I like to cut a little notch out of each flap so when you adhere the box together you will see that it is a little "cleaner" looking. 

To cut the notch out make a mark in the center of your piece so you can center your cut out.  I took my 1 1/4" circle punch and inserted it half way in to cut out the notch.  This will be the front of your tray, then fold it up to complete the tray.

This piece will be the back part of the disk tidy.  It is cut at 2 1/2" x 4 1/4" and the scoring is a little tricky.  In this position you will score the paper at the 1" mark and then rotate the paper 180 degrees and score it again at 1".  Then on the short ends you will score at 1/2" in on both sides.

 

This picture shows the scores a little clearer.  And remember to cut out your notches.  Now assemble your box together.

Now we will take the 3 1/4" x 10" piece and adhere it to the tray.  You will take the long flap and apply take to the back bottom and adhere it INSIDE the back of the tray.  You will then take the 1" scored piece and apply tape to it to adhere to the BACK outside of your tray.

**NOTE:  I forgot to take a picture of how you will fold this piece after it's scored, sorry.  But I think that by looking at this picture you will be able to understand it.  If not, please shoot me an email or leave me a message and I'll try to explain better...

It is important that you try to use a strong adhesive to piece your box together ~ you can even use your favorite 'wet' glue.  One of my favorites is Zip Dry paper glue.

When I'm putting this together I pick the piece up and scrunch it together.  It just works easier for me, you may have an easier way for you.

Now you will take the 2 1/2" x 4 1/4" piece and apply adhesive to the back side and adhere it to the BACK of your desk tidy.

It should look something like this when the pieces are all put together.  It really goes fast, and it really is easy to make.  All you have to do is decorate it and fill it and you are complete.

The base of mine is Garden Green and So Saffron and Petal Patch DP.  The image is actually a digi stamp from Cuddly Buddy. 

I hope that this tutorial helps you out.  If you ever have any questions, just feel free to ask!

I'd love to see what you came up with ~ if you try it send me a link, I'd love to see it. 

Have a super great day!

How's this?

Yesterday I said that I'd be back today with something that you might be interested in...  Well, here it is.  It is called a desk tidy.

Kind of a new version of a post it note holder.  Well, you like?? 

The front is actually for those little white notes or a part of a cube of the note papers.  You can stick post it's or more papers or stamps ~ whatever in the back. Tomorrow I will have a tutorial for you.  But you have to wait til tomorrow, ok.

Have a super great afternoon!!

Did you figure it out?

I'm sure that you did...  Yesterday's sneak peek...  It was a pretty easy one.  I made some more post it note holders, however these are easel post it's.  I love to make the easel cards, and I thought the post it's were a perfect size for them.

How stinkin' cute are these?  They are so easy to make too!!  You know that I love to make the easel cards, well these are the same as that ~ instead of decorating the "card front" you add your post it notes.

The bases for these are made with Bazzill paper that I added DP to. 

The pink one is decorated with Rose Red and Pretty in Pink card stock and Petals and Paisley DP.  I used my designer label and small oval punches.  The word "notes" was a stamp from The Angel Company that I stamped with Rose Red ink.  The stamp set used was called Vintage Vogue that I stamped on the post it pad with Rose Red ink.  If you notice the prima in the lower right corner?  I stamped a flower from the Vintage Vogue set with Rose Red ink on to a piece of Rose Red paper, cut it out and added it to the center of the prima with a dew drop to the center of that.

The blue one is decorated with Soft Sky and Not Quite Navy card stock and Petal Patch DP.  I did the same with the punches and used Not Quite Navy ink on this one. 

The easel base of this is also Bazzill card stock.  I decorated it with Perfect Plum, Apricot Appeal and Lavender Lace card stock.  I used some old DP called Sweet from SU! I used my designer label and small oval punches and  I stamped the word "notes" from The Angel Company with Eggplant Envy ink.  also stamped the border from Vintage Vogue on the notepad.  The butterfly cut out with the Beautiful Butterflies die from SU! that I had cut out a while back.  I added some ribbon and rhinestones to jazz it up a bit.

This is the last one that I made.  I made all these before dinner the other night, they go so fast!!

The base of this is made with Bazzill card stock.  I used Chocolate Chip, Pink Passion, Pretty in Pink and Pink Pirouette card stock.  The DP is old from SU! called Rebecca.  I stamped the border from Vintage Vogue in Chocolate Chip ink, the same as the word "notes" from TAC.  I used my designer label and small oval punches on the sentiment.  The butterfly is cut out with the Beautiful Butterflies die in Pink Pirouette card stock.  This is also jazzed up a bit with some rhinestones and ribbon.

I hope that you like these and that they inspire you to make some.  You can get some really good deals on post it notes now.  I noticed them on sale at Walmart because of back-to-school.  Leave me a comment with a link to yours, I'd love to see them!!

Have a super great day ~ and make sure to come back tomorrow, you'll love to see what I'm going to post!!

Ready, set, Post it!!

I've been busy the past few days making post it note holders.  It's something that everyone already has done I'm sure.  But I just wanted to post these to maybe spark some inspiration ~ hope you enjoy...

The base of this holder is Green Galore that I layered with Real Red and Summer Picnic DP.  I used my curly label, designer label and 1 1/4" circle punches on the front.  The word "Notes" is a stamp I received from The Angel Company a long time ago that I stamped with Real Red ink.  I found the directions HERE for this holder, thanks Dawn Ü!!  I added a little ribbon to help keep it closed and I was complete.

The base of this post it note holder is Bashful Blue that I layered with Certainly Celery and Maine Blueberry DP.  I used the scallop border punch to jazz up the paper on the flap, and tied a ribbon on and I was complete.  You know me, layer, layer, layer....

This last one was so simple...  I just took a piece of Bazzill card stock and ran the front thru my cuttlebug with the swirls folder.  I then took a scrap piece of Apricot Appeal card stock and a scrap of Georgia Peach DP on the front flap with a length of ribbon and I was complete.  Easy peasy!!

and now, a sneak peek for tomorrow....

Have a super great day!!

Just poppin' in for a second

I wanted to share with you a great thing that Betty has posted over on her blog ~ please take a peek! 

Have a super great weekend!!  I'll be back Monday with some things to share with you...

How about a little of this and that?

I've been pretty sporadic this past couple of weeks, and I'm sorry.  I was actually working (only for a week) and then my back went out again (maybe I'm allergic to work?) so I've been staying out of the craft room.  But yesterday I was tired of doing nothing and I had to get my hands on some paper - I've got to show you what I've made.  Then I've got some scrap pages that I made a couple of weeks ago that I want to share too.

I had this digi image for a little over a week and it was just sitting on my craft table already colored and not yet put to a card so I had to finish it.  I'm not sure if you are all familiar with Michelle over at Stamps, Paper, Scissors and Donkey Smiles.  Her blog is just adorable!!  And Danielle and I just get a kick (he he he) out of it when she posts about her donkey's.  She had a terrible accident a while back and Karen at Karen's Doodles made this most adorable digi image for her!!  So of course I snagged it and was off to make her a card ~ if you go to the link at Karen's Doodles you can find her address if you want to send her a smile or two.

The base card is Barely Banana that I layered with Ballet Blue and some DP from SU! (sorry, it's retired and I don't have the name of it...)  The Ballet Blue piece I ran thru my cuttlebug with the swirls folder.  I colored the image with my pencils and gamsol and cut it out with my coluzzle.  I layered it on to another piece of Barely Banana and a piece of Old Olive that I cut out with my Cricut Storybook cartridge.  The "bling" is actually some rhinestones that Danielle gave me a while back that she purchased for her phone and never used ~ so Mom got the goodies Ü  I've got a little touch of stickles on the center of the flowers and I was complete.  I hope that Michelle enjoys the card and that it will bring a smile to her face.

Now here are a few scrap pages that I had been working on...

As you can see the little bus...  I cut it out of another sheet I had and pop dotted it to raise the image.

I love to make these circles to accent her.  If you've got a crowded scene just punch some circles out an place it over the one that you are scrapping about.

That's all I've got for you today.  Hopefully I will get some computer time this weekend.  If not, I'll be in the craft room and I'll show you Monday what I've been up to.

Have a super great day!

So sorry...

I'm so sorry everyone ~ I've been away last week and I was too pooped to post at night.  Over the next few days I will be in the craft room creating so be sure to stop by later this week to see what I've done...

Just leaving you with a silly picture that I found forever ago online.  You all know that I love cuppycakes ~ but am I this crazy?  Probably Ü  Who wouldn't love to have one of these to zip around in...

Have a super great day!  And make sure to pop on over to Betty's blog and see what new special she's up to...

More Cuddly Buddy

I just adore the Cuddly Buddy images ~ and here is another card that I made with their images. 

This was a free image from Cuddly Buddy Lilyboo designs.  You can find it here, they let you try before you buy.  The base card is Barely Banana that I layered with Summer Sun, white and DP from Doodlebug.  I printed the image and colored it in with my pencils, gamsol and markers.  I cut it out with y classic oval large nestie and layered it on to a piece of Summer Sun that I cut out with my scallop oval large nestie.  I used my Martha Stewart doily punch and my SU! scallop border punch to create the piece that the ribbon it attached to.  I actually used my stickles on the hearts, but that was after the picture was taken.  I also placed some half pearls on the border piece just above the ribbon to.

Here is a close up of the punches used and the half pearls.

So, do you like??  I just love the images over at Cuddly Buddy.  Go and take a peek, you will too!  And for even more inspiration go and check out their blog.  Lots to see.

I hope that you all have a super great afternoon! 

Thank you Barbara Diane!

I recently received an award from Barbara Diane over at Barbara's World of Whimcees ~ it is the Sunshine Award.  Thank you Barbara Diane, you've brightened my day Ü

The rules for the Sunshine Blog award are:

1. Put the Sunshine Award on your blog and/or within your post.
2. Pass the award to other bloggers. (Up to 12 other blogs.)
3. Link the nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they received this award by leaving a comment on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the award.
 
It's hard for me to nominate anyone for this award because all the blogs that I've been to the creations are just beautiful!!  Everyone inspires me!!  But I think that I will nominate a few friends who bring sunshine into my life and have for years.  Here are a few of the people who bring me sunshine, I pass this on to you...
 

• Nicola over at Gorillamama Greats
• Keersten over at The Purple Hippo
• Julie over at Julie's Rubber Temple
• Maria over at Stamping Inspirations
• Marsha over at Stamping Down South

Ladies, you inspire me and I cherish your friendships. 

May everyone have a super great day!!