Love To Crop!

Graduation Memories... Hold on to all 940 Saturdays...

2013-05-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

**It's time again to decorate your celebrations with a Challenge at Decorate To Celebrate!!**

I thought that when my kiddos graduated high school and went off to college that I would magically find an extra 20 or so hours in each day... Without the need to pack lunches each day, do mountains of laundry from a myriad of sports activities, and plan our Movie-Night-Mondays or ballpark trips to PNC Park, I simply believed I would have nothing to do but sit and twiddle my thumbs while missing two of the best kids a mom could ever wish for... But, alas... The days seem to move past at a breakneck speed, even faster than they did for the minutes, hours, and days between their births and graduations... So my post today is a reminder. A reminder to me that I truly am a lucky, lucky, lucky mom, a reminder to moms with toddlers and teenagers that the laundry piles will soon end, and a reminder to new moms and moms-to-be that there are only 940 Saturdays between your child's birth and the time they leave for college... Just 940... Only. 940. Before you know it, you'll have graduation parties under your belt and nothing but long days of twiddling your thumbs and missing them like I do... ;)

Anywhoooo, this is sort of a "throw-back" post for me because this is all about The-Boy-Child's graduation party way-back-when... With his busy life as a web broadcaster for a college wooden bat league this summer, it's nice that I get to take a few moments to remember those last summer days before he embarked on his college journey... Here's what I've got for ya:

I made this ENORMOUS banner using about 10 yards of white fabric and really HUGE letters using the Mickey Font and my Cricut machine... My idea for the fabric was that we would be able to use it as a great big "card" for the party guests to write their wishes for The-Boy-Child (more about that below)...

Here's a picture of his deeeeeeee-licious cake... oh boy, was that BLACK frosting fun to get off of our fingers and tongues --and maybe a few shirts ;)

My dad made our AWESOME cornhole game... It's regulation size and super-smooth and NICE -- It still gets LOTS of use because it's the BEST game for bonfires and get-togethers!! :)

One of my favorite parts of TBC's graduation party was the LIVE music -- He and one of his running buddies made us laugh (and cry) with their singing.....

Here's a sampling of a few of the wishes on his banner -- We provided a multitude of colored permanent markers so that everyone could choose a different color for their sentiments... I've had lots of ideas for what to do with the signed fabric since then... I thought about saving it for his college graduation (many friends and family could sign it again with new wishes)... I also considered having it sewn into some type of blanket or quilt... For now, I took pictures of each wish and printed them for a small keepsake album made with his cards and invitations to other graduation parties...

I know that each wish and signature will be very precious to him over the years... Especially this one from his most-favorite-sister ;)

Not only did I add these really neat graduation hats to his banner (I believe these can be found on the Locker Talk Cricut Cartridge), I also used these for the various table centerpieces, garlands, balloon holders, and table markers... In the wee hours of the morning I regretted my decision to use gold stickles on all of them, but it was TOTALLY worth it when I saw all the finished hats :)

Yes, those 940 Saturdays were definitely not enough... It still seems like just yesterday that this 10 lb bundle of joy came home from the hospital (mid-blizzard)... The-Boy-Child has brought me plenty of tears (both happy and sad), but has given me more joyful moments, more laughter, and more proud memories than one Momma deserves... :)

Don't they just make ya SMILE??? :)

So....... If you have a little one, a middle-sized one, or a big one about to graduate, I hope you'll treasure each of the Saturdays that you have left... They sure do go by fast... And they go by even faster when you think you'll be doing nothing but twiddling your thumbs and missing them (the missing them part is really, really true... it's the staying so busy that time just flies faster that I wasn't ready for!!)...

{And in case you missed my Cricut-Crafty "GROWTH" from TBC's graduation party to The-Girl-Child's graduation party, I already posted ALL about that HERE... I'd love for you to check it out if you missed it then...}

I hope you've enjoyed my "blast from the past" graduation post... Now to recap: for Challenge #52 over at Decorate To Celebrate, we're asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a GRADUATION PARTY!! Let's celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT DIPLOMAS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES, and SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :)

Link up your project HERE before 11:59pm (EST) on Tuesday, June 11th to be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN a great surprise pack of paper, embellishments, and MORE!! :) I can't wait to see what you create!!

Until next time,

Celebrating Teachers and Summer Break at DTC!! :)

2013-05-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

**It's time again to decorate your celebrations with a Challenge at Decorate To Celebrate!!**

For Challenge #51, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a TEACHER GIFT or CLASSROOM PARTY!! Let's celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT EDUCATION, the END of the SCHOOL YEAR, and the TEACHERS WHO INSPIRE with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :) Link up your project over at the DTC Challenge Blog before 11:59pm (EST) on Tuesday, May 28th to be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN a surprise pack of goodies (embellishments, papers, and MORE)!!

Since my wonderful Sister-In-Law is a teacher (as were/are my aunt, my uncle, and several handfuls of friends), I have tremendous respect for those who make a lifelong decision to tackle the field of education... When I first went off to college myself, I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with my life (do we ever?), so I switched from a music major to a music education major to a secondary education major before finally settling on communications and then becoming a full-time momma dabbling in management and more (yeah, somedays I STILL don't know what I wanna be when I grow up!!)... Anywhooooo... During my "education" major days, I was able to spend some time in several classrooms as an observer and helper (this may have been the reason that I decided to go in a different direction -- A teacher's schedule can be CRAZY!!)... Then, after my kiddos began tra-la-la-ing off to school themselves, I went back into the classroom to spend my days having the energy sucked from my being by Pre-Schoolers... Whew!! As fun as it is to see my then-pigtailed-and-playtime-smudged-faced-pre-schoolers all grown up now, I take my hat off to those teachers of little ones and teenage ones alike... That's some TOUGH work!! So, to celebrate those who teach, I decided to make a few of my hand-painted & hand-lettered signs to let them know how incredible I think they are...

As I mentioned, having tried my hand at teaching pre-schoolers how to sing "Grey Squirrel" (to the point that even today I hum it whenever I see a squirrel bounding across my path) and take naps on command, I know first-hand the amount of energy and passion required to get out of bed each day and face those little bundles of joy... And to those teachers I say... "You ARE a Super Hero!!" with my "I teach...what is your superpower?" sign...

And for those teachers who put their heads down on their desks at the end of the day, close to exhaustion (or past it), and feeling like the youth of today never get any older even though they are sure they themselves age in dog years, I made a sign to remind them that the work they are doing will last a lifetime... Because "to teach is to touch a life forever." If there's a teacher of mine out there reading this right now, I remember you... You challenged me and encouraged me and taught me to be the person I am today... Without you, I might not be as open to new ideas or as willing to take chances or as grateful for the life I now have... So, thank you for being a Super Hero, and thank you for giving of yourself so that lives could be molded and changed and bettered...

I'm linking up to the following parties -- Come check them out and join me in the FUN!! :)

Artsy Corner Link Party at Artsy Fartsy Mama.
Thankful Thursday Linky Party at D.L.Art.
Sunday {Fun}day at Everyday is an Occasion.
Give Me The Goods Party at So Much Better with Age, Rain on a Tin Roof, Dimples and Pigtails, and Commona-My House.

Until next time,

It's a Tea Party at Decorate To Celebrate!! :)

2013-04-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

**It's time again to decorate your celebrations with a Challenge at Decorate To Celebrate!!**

For Challenge #48, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a TEA PARTY!! Let's celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT LITTLE TEA SETS, SUGAR CUBES, and TEA CUPS with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :) Link up your project over at Decorate to Celebrate before 11:59pm (EST) on Tuesday, April 16th to be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN Rhonda's Mini Albums!!

I decided to create some table decorations and a convenient silverware caddy for my project...

I started off by having The-Sweetheart work his "rusty" magic on the soup cans and bottle (don'tcha just LOVE upcycling???)...

For the bottle, I wrapped burlap around the fat section first, then added the yellow plaid ribbon... I used my bow maker to tie the bow and secured that to the front of the bottle before adding some paper daisy flowers (cut at 2" using the SHADOW feature on the Walk in my Garden Cricut Cartridge).

I had some of these fun twisty branches coated in silver glitter left over from my post-Christmas stash (and, yes, my craft room is now COVERED in glitter!!)... I added some of the paper daisies to the twisty branches to give them more volume and interest...

I then wrapped the three soup cans with burlap to hold them securely together before adding a length of the yellow plaid ribbon around the cans as well... I again tied the bow with my bow maker and secured it to the front of the cans (I thought that perhaps after my Spring Luncheon Tea I could use my silverware caddy as a pen or marker caddy in my craft room -- provided I don't just keep it for the season in the kitchen!!)...

To add dimension to the flowers, I used my bone folder to gently curl the petals on each flower... I used a textured SU! cardstock for the flower centers because I really like how it makes the flowers look a little more "real"...

I have some favors and other decorations that I also created for this special luncheon -- I hope I'll be able to share those with you as well!! Now, be sure to link up your Tea Party project so I can check out what ya made too!! :)

I'm linking up to the following parties -- Come check them out and join me in the FUN!! :)

Keep Calm & Link Up #34 at Becoming Martha, Chase The Star, Wait Til Your Father Gets Home, and Create. Craft. Love.
Shine On Friday at Happy Go Lucky, One Artsy Mama, and Stuff and Such by Lisa.
Artsy Corner Link Party at Artsy Fartsy Mama.
Pinworthy Projects Party at My Favorite Finds.
Thankful Thursday April Linky Party at D.L.Art.
Sunday {Fun}day #8 at Everyday is an Occasion.
Give Me The Goods Party #2 at So Much Better with Age, Rain on a Tin Roof, Dimples and Pigtails, Commona-My House, and Married Filing Jointly.

Until next time,

Easter & Spring at Decorate To Celebrate!! :)

2013-03-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

**It's time again to decorate your celebrations with a Challenge at Decorate To Celebrate!!**

For Challenge #47, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for an EASTER GET-TOGETHER, PARTY or EVENT!! Let's celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT BUNNIES, CHOCOLATES, GOOD FRIDAY and THE RESURRECTION with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :) Link up your project over at Decorate To Celebrate before 11:59pm (EST) on Tuesday, April 2nd to be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN one of Rhonda's Mini Albums!!

Here's what I made for the challenge...

For my first project, I made one of my lighted glass blocks....

The-Sweetheart drilled a hole in the base of the glass block so that I could put a string of white lights inside... I like using the frosted blocks because of how soft the lights look when it is lit...

I found lots of beautiful flowers and accents to add to the top of the block -- I hope you think it's as bright and cheerful as I do!! :)

I also made some of my hand-painted wooden signs in pretty Easter and Spring colors...

These are my two favorites -- "Show Me the Bunny" and "Oh, for Peeps Sake"... tee hee... Each sign was painted white before I hand-lettered the signs and then passed them off to The-Sweetheart to finish off with stain... I then decided to add an extra touch with a homespun bow and a bit of white bittersweet...

Finally, I created a sweet arrangement that will be perfect on a table or shelf!! The bottle is an up-cycled jelly jar that was painted ivory before I filled it with a spray of greenery, flowers, and bittersweet...

I wrapped the jar with a length of burlap and tied a homespun bow to the front... I also added a sprig of bittersweet and a little purple flower with some greenery behind the bow... I hand-lettered the "Spring Thyme" tag and pinned it to the bow with one of my "rusty" safety pins...

And finally, I added one of these cute little feather butterflies to the arrangement... It looks like it's getting ready to fly away because it's attached to one of my homemade "Wiggle Wires"!! :)

I hope you've found some inspiration to join our new challenge over at DTC!! For even MORE great ideas, be sure to stop over at the challenge blog to see what all of my wonderful DT sisters created -- Then, link up YOUR new project so we can come and check out your creation!! :)

I'm linking up my Easter Signs at:

Craftin' Desert Divas Craft It Up & Link It Up Linky Party #2...

I'm also linking each of my projects at:

I'm also joining the following Linky Parties:

Until next time,

The Leprechauns Made Me Do It!! Decorate To Celebrate Ch#46: St. Patrick's Day

2013-03-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

**It's St. Patrick's Day at Decorate To Celebrate!!**

The Leprechauns are coming, the Leprechauns are coming!! Hip Hip Hooray, the Leprechauns are coming!! :)

I know I've said it before... St. Patrick's Day... Is. A. Big. Deal. At. Our. House. When I say it's a Big Deal, I don't mean that we kinda sorta like it... I mean that it's BIG... Like Christmas. And Mother's Day. And the Fourth of July. All wrapped into one... I'm pretty sure we started planning for this St. Patrick's Day last June. Or May. Or maybe even Mc-April.

When you have a child whose favorite color is RAINBOW, it only seems logical that St. Patrick's Day would be fun for the whole Mc-family. Right???

If your cereal cabinet is bursting with the Lucky Charms and you greet your co-workers with a "Top o' the morning" each day, then St. Patrick's Day is like a celebration of life and all that is worth Mc-living for... Right???

Come on, admit it... You put a "Mc" in front of YOUR last name on St. Patrick's Day too, Mc-RIGHT??? :)

And that is why, for the next week or so, I plan to give you a little Mc-peek into some of the goodies that have found their way into our home to celebrate... I hope you'll stop back by to see all that's in store...

For now, here's my Mc-inspiration for today's new challenge...

I created some St. Patrick's Day Decor Signs with some of my favorite Mc-sayings to celebrate the holiday!! :)

Each sign started as a knotty piece of Mc-pine... And even though my brother, my dad, and The-Mc-Sweetheart usually ban me from the power tools in their workshops, I managed to happily sand all of these my very own self (yes, with the power sander -- I even got pretty sawdusty in the process for those of you who are reading in disbelief that I got Mc-DIRTY!!)... No, I didn't get to use the table saw or circular saw to cut the signs to just the right size, but I also got to keep all of my Mc-fingers (besides, letting him cut all these signs for me makes The-Mc-Sweetheart feel EXTRA useful!!)...

I painted the fronts of each sign with some "Shamrock Green" acrylic paint, then gently sanded the edges and sides (to remove any excess Mc-paint)... After several hours, I was able to hand-letter each sign and hand-paint the light green shamrocks and accent dots on each sign... When they were all dry, The-Mc-Sweetheart took care of staining each sign for me (because I'll never be interested in playing with the Mc-stain!!)...

This sign here would be my Mc-FAVORITE for the holiday... Should anything go down on St. Patrick's Day, I can ALWAYS blame the Leprechauns!! :)

I hope you've enjoyed my collection of St. Patrick's Day Decor Signs... I'll be sharing another REALLY FUN Mc-project soon, and I'd love for you to come back and check it out!!

Now... if you create a decoration or party favor for a ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARTY or EVENT, be sure to Mc-JOIN US over at Decorate To Celebrate! for Challenge #46!! Come help us celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT LEPRECHAUNS, SHAMROCKS, RAINBOWS, and POTS O' GOLD with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :) Remember, you have until Tuesday, March 19th at 11:59pm to link up (you can do that HERE) and be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN!! I can't wait to see what you create!! :)

Thanks again for sharing in my St. Patrick's Day excitement... Here's hoping you have a Mc-wonderful March Day!! :)

I'm Mc-Linking my signs up for the following challenges/linky parties:

1. Craftin' Desert Diva's Craft It Up & Link It Up Party -- Anything Goes

2. Anything But A Card -- Green, Irish, St. Patrick's Day

3. Everyday Is An Occasion -- Sunday {Fun}day #7

Until next Mc-time,

Paper Playtime Ch#5 -- So there's this doll... And she sent a card... :)

2013-03-04T00:30:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!! I'm so glad you stopped by today!! It's time for another FUN challenge over at Paper Playtime!! It's an "Anything Goes" challenge, so be sure to pop over and link up with us!! :)

Paper Playtime Ch#5 Anything Goes

Begins: Mon, Mar 4

Ends: Sun, Mar 17

Prize $15 Gift Cert. from The Robin's Nest

I can't wait to see what you link up!! For inspiration, here's what I created for this challenge:

So there's this really amusing story that goes along with my card here... You see, I grew up with Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls as well as a host of other "rag" dolls, so I'm pretty used to seeing them... And my mom's decor is primitive country, so it's common for her to have little rag doll decorations tucked on shelves around her home... BUT, there's this one doll... And there's this one guy (let's just call him The-Sweetheart)... And this one doll seems to have a CRUSH on The-Sweetheart!! Really though... The-Sweetheart doesn't so much "like" these little rag dolls... I think it's because he's watched too many scary movies in his life because, when he saw this little doll on my mom's shelf, he said, "Hey, Aim... I think that doll is looking at me!!" I rolled my eyes and giggled a bit (because OF COURSE it's just a doll!!)... And then The-Sweetheart says, "Hey, Aim... I think that doll is carrying a head around in that little bag of hers!!" To which I nearly spit my sip of water across the table before replying, "Um, Sweetheart, that little bag is just a little sign and it says LOVE, so I don't think she's the type to tote heads around!!" After another bite of food, some big-eyed staring at the doll, and a glance back at me, the pellet stove in the corner made a loud squeaking noise that sent The-Sweetheart jumping out of his chair yelling, "Hey, Aim!! I think she's coming for me now!!" Sigh... Shaking my head, I retrieved the doll from her corner on the shelf and brought her to show him that she had no legs to run after him... I then assured him that the squeaking noise was merely the pellet stove motor, and he had nothing to worry about. I don't think he was convinced.

The next day, when we got back to my mom's house, we found the doll like this:

After hearing the story of The-Sweetheart and his reaction to this sweet little doll, my mom found a little paper bag to hide her, um, "scary" face from The-Sweetheart. We had a good laugh about it (especially since my mom thought she had seen The-Sweetheart looking cross-eyed at the doll that morning over his cornflakes)... She actually thought it might be more amusing to move the doll around the house like the Christmas Elf... I thought the bag might cause fewer heart attacks for The-Sweetheart... But I did find a digital stamp from Dustin Pike that reminded me so much of the rag doll that I had to "help" her make this card for The-Sweetheart!!

Tee-hee... I colored her with my Copics before matting her on red and white cardstock then added three little red gems...

Since this was supposed to be a card for The-Sweetheart from the doll, I found a perfect little sentiment from K Andrew Designs "Of Mice and Little Men" set that says "Thanks for noticing me"... I mean, that little rag doll got more attention than she could have ever imagined!! :)

The-Sweetheart didn't laugh quite as hard as we did when he received the card... After jumping a little at the resemblance of the doll on the front of the card, he mumbled something about his "creepy little secret admirer" and tucked the card out of sight... Tee hee...

As for the doll... She's enjoying the view from atop her shelf (bag-free again) while convincing the rest of us that it really IS the pellet-stove making that high-pitched eerie noise from time to time... And whenever The-Sweetheart comes to visit, she gives him a wink and pats her little bag... :)

Thanks again for stopping by to see my card... I hope you enjoyed the story and inspiration and will have a chance to show us what you've made for the challenge!! Be sure to stop back by on Wednesday to see the first of my St. Patrick's Day goodies... I'm so excited to share them with you!! :)

Until next time,

Perk Up! An Easel Card and Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans!! :)

2013-02-08T19:30:00.000-05:00

Hey, everyone!! Thanks so much for stopping by to visit today!! I have a fun easel card and special treat to share with you today...

February is The-Girl-Child's favorite month... Why??? I'm so glad you asked!! :) In our house, we have this "thing" about celebrating our birthMONTH (instead of just a little ole birthDAY)!! And, as you may have guessed, February is her birthmonth!! YAY!! :) I truly am a very lucky momma to have such an awesome daughter -- and son too, but let's focus on The-Girl-Child (TGC) for now ;)

TGC is probably the BEST week-after-Valentine's-Day-gift that I ever could have been given... She still loves to hear the story of her birth (which has always been a birthday-eve tradition)... Like her brother, she was born in a blizzard... And even though the doctor said she wouldn't be arriving on time, I was sure to run up and down the stairs all day to ensure that she did indeed come on her due date (yeah, yeah, I know this wasn't a good idea and probably wasn't the reason I didn't have to wait, but it makes for good story-telling!!)... I'm pleased to see that she has blossomed into a beautiful young lady full of generosity and kindness... She has an infectious laugh and loves with her whole heart (so how appropriate to be a Valentine-baby!!)... Her excitement about life is refreshing, and her energy is contagious... But if she's having a low-key day, then she has a little secret.......

She LOVES chocolate covered coffee beans!! So my friend and I searched high and low to find the absolutely yummiest ones we could find and packed them up to send to her -- And, of course, I had to add a colorful card to the package!! :)

The A2 sized card (4.25"x5.5") is an easel card so that TGC can display it on her desk... I used Cuttlebug's Paisley embossing folder for the texture on the turquoise cardstock (4"x5.25")... Although I used a white card base, I wanted to emphasis the lavender color of the bear's nightgown, so I added the lavender cardstock to the card front...

I used the mix-n-match sentiment "Perk Up!" from K Andrew's Coffee & Tea Stamp Set... Although this set is no longer available, the tag-a-long sets ARE still available and are perfect for your Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate projects ( Be sure to CLICK HERE for 6% - 60% OFF remaining stamp sets in the CLEARANCE EVENT!!)!! My tag is simply a rectangle with rounded corners (using my CM Corner Rounder)... And since I wanted the tag to match the bear's nightgown perfectly, I used my Copic markers to color white cardstock before stamping the sentiment. The dark purple ribbon is from my stash...

The adorable bear image is from Dustin Pike... His digi stamps are some of my favorites, so be sure to check out all that he has to offer -- You're sure to find some fast favorites!! :) And even though it's a little hard to tell, I put the bear on one of my homemade "Wiggle Wires" (see the tutorial HERE) so that he could wiggle and jiggle and make TGC giggle!! :)

And there ya have it!! That's the first of the goodies that TGC received for her birthmonth... There isn't a gift for every day, but there's LOTS of love and reminders that she's so important to me (although I hope she feels that every single day of the year too!!)...

Before I go, I'd like to share a little TGC inspiration too...

I told ya she was pretty AWESOME!! :)

Thanks for sharing another proud-momma moment with me -- I hope this February finds you loving every moment with each special person in your life...

Until next time,

Valentine Treats & a GIVEAWAY (plus a WINNER) for the DTC Ch#44: Valentine/Love

2013-02-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

**It's time again to decorate your celebrations with a Challenge at Decorate To Celebrate!!**

I'm so happy to have you stop by today for another Design Team Inspiration for Challenge #44 over at Decorate To Celebrate!! Today, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a VALENTINE PARTY or EVENT!! Let's celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT HEARTS, LOVE, and VALENTINES with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :)

Valentine's Day has always been one of my favorite holidays... When I was little, I used to decorate my bedroom for every holiday (no wonder I still like decorating!!). I would hang hearts that I cut from construction paper in my windows; string red, glittery hearts across the ceiling; make Valentines for all my teddy bears; and even decorate my Barbie Dream House in as much pink and red as I could get my hands on!! When The-Boy-Child was a mere month-and-a-half old, I took it upon myself to create handmade Valentines from HIM -- complete with a pink paint footprint that left my sofa, carpet, and walls a bit more festive with splatters and splashes of pink... When the school parties started, I was in my glory -- Cupcakes with thick, high layers of frosting (I surely wasn't the favorite mom when the sugar kicked in!!), lollipop treats, and construction paper hearts covered in glitter... {sigh} Those were the days!!

Now, with the kiddos in college, I still get to make little treats to send their way (but I no longer string those heart garlands across my ceiling)... For me, Valentine's Day has always been about telling EVERYONE I love that my heart is so happy that I have them in my life... So this is the little treat I created for the friends and family I get to see at this time of year.....

These little sour cream cups are always a quick and easy project to make... To make mine, I started with two sheets of 12x12 decorative paper and cut SIX 4"x6" rectangles from each sheet... I added adhesive to one 4" side and attached it to the other 4" side (think toilet paper roll)... I then added a line of liquid adhesive to one open end and pinched it together (nice and flat and even). After holding it for a moment while the glue started to dry, I placed that end into my Fiskars Crimping tool and rolled it in just a few clicks and held it there for a moment...

Once the adhesive has dried for a few moments you can add your candy (I used Skittles because the kiddos LOVE them!!) and pinch the other side closed (make sure you pinch it closed in the opposite direction so that it takes on the shape of a sour-cream-cup)... Add your adhesive and crimp that side as well... If you don't have a crimper, you could always use some binder clips to hold it closed until the glue dries and a scoring tool to add the creases...

I also made another decorative sign that I'd like to GIVE AWAY to one lucky follower... If you'd like a chance to WIN this adorable little 1"x6" wooden shelf sitter that says "Love you! XOXO", all you have to do is leave me a comment letting me know what your favorite thing about Valentine's Day is... Next Tuesday I will use random.org to draw a winner to receive my hand-painted sign!! :)

I also made a decorative sign for The-Girl-Child... It measures about 2" high and 6" wide... It was painted black then sanded and stained. I hand-lettered the "Hugs - 5c FREE!" and added a few little red hearts... The-Girl-Child has always been my go-to for all the hugs a Momma could ask for, so I know she'll love this little sign. :)

To participate in this challenge, be sure to link up your VALENTINE (or LOVE) THEMED PARTY project by clicking HERE before 11:59pm (EST) on Tuesday, February 19th to be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN a VALENTINE themed Mini Album from Rhonda!!

Now..... I also have a WINNER to announce!! Remember the "Football Spoken Here" sign that I was giving away last time??? Well... Here are the drawing results:

And that Number One comment came from TAMI, who said:

Congratulations, Tami!! Tami is absolutely correct!! We LOVE our PIRATES!! I'm already counting down the days til Opening Day!! YAY!! :) Tami, since you've already replied to my email, your sign is on the way!! :) I hope you enjoy it (and I hope you enjoyed the Super Bowl too!!)...

That's it, folks!! I'll have more Valentine goodies (and some Super Bowl stuff still) to share in the coming days -- Hope to see ya again soon!!

Until next time,

Think Spring!! and a Disney Hop WINNER!! :)

2013-01-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

Hello, my amazing bloggie-land friends!! I hope today finds you with the sunshine shining and good things happening!! :) I'd like to thank those of you who have taken a few moments to send me an email or note to see how I'm doing these days... I miss spending time here on my blog, but sometimes you just have to work when the work is available, ya know??? :) I've always looked forward to January being a month where things slow down a bit so I can catch up on all the things I've put off for months (like cleaning and organizing and crafting!!), but I'm thankful that I've been able to continue working... Please know that even though I don't get to visit everyone as often as I'd like, I'm still enjoying all the wonderful projects I get to see via email -- Keep up the awesome creativity!! :) Okay, okay... Enough jibber-jabber, right??? :)

Today, I wanted to share a card that I made a while ago, but didn't get to share here on my blog...

The weather has been quite cold here the last several days... And by cold, I mean BITTER cold... The kind of cold that makes you run to your car in the parking lot and then WISH that you had an automatic starter so you wouldn't have to sit and shiver while the cold creeps all the way to your bones!! Brrrrrrr..... These are the days that I like to start thinking about SPRING!! I don't know why, but thinking about Spring always seems to make me feel just a little bit warmer (and, no, it's not just because there's a roaring fire just four feet away!!)... So, in the hopes that my reminder-that-Spring-is-on-its-way card will warm up your day a little too, here it is:

My card is a standard A2 card (4.25"x5.5") and features some "photo boxes" paper from Creative Memories that I've had in my stash for far too long (I believe it's the Simply Beautiful line)... The adorable giraffe digi stamp is courtesy of the very talented Dustin Pike... The giraffe was colored with Copics and then fussy cut so that I could add him to the blue paper...

I used the "Live the Life you want" stamp from K Andrew Designs (click here for savings from 6%-60% on remaining stamp sets!!)... The original digi stamp did have the giraffe holding a sign, but it wasn't big enough for my sentiment stamp, so I simply changed the sign by covering up the old one and cutting and adding the giraffe "hands" to the front of the sign with pop dots (the sign is also popped up a bit for dimension)...

Not only does this card make me think of Spring, but it also reminds me that we get to live the life we want to live... That doesn't mean that we can have all the material things we want "just because" or decide that we don't have to go to work or pay our bills anymore, but we get to decide to be happy with what we have and where we are and what we do... And day to day, that really is what helps us to feel better and live better!! My wonderful mom has always maintained a positive "can-do" attitude through every obstacle she's ever faced... Almost to the point where others never even knew that she was experiencing anything difficult in life. I find that to be very inspirational, and when I'm having a bad day, I try to remember that I get to decide what kind of day I'm going to have... Do you have secrets that help get YOU through the tough times? I'd love to hear your thoughts!! :)

I hope you've enjoyed my card today... And I hope I'm able to share more with you in the coming weeks (but if I don't, I hope you know that I'm still thinking about ya and hoping for sunshine in your days!!)...

As promised, I have a WINNER to announce from the Disney-Pixar Blog Hop this past weekend!! If you didn't get a chance to hop through all of those fabulous posts, there are some great projects that you don't want to miss!! You can check out all of the links by CLICKING HERE... And now, without further ado... Random.org was kind enough to select the 6th comment...

...so the WINNER is.... Melissa, who said:

Congrats, Melissa!! Please email me at scrapbookingwithamy@gmail.com with your address so that I can send your "A dream is a wish your heart makes" sign out to you!! I hope you enjoy it and it keeps you excited for your next Disney vacation!! :)

If you'd like to win one of my hand-lettered signs, I have another giveaway going on HERE, and you'll want to keep on checking back for some other GREAT GIVEAWAYS that I have in store!! :) Wishing each of you a wonderful day living the life you want... :)

Until next time,

Decorate To Celebrate Ch#43: Super Bowl/Super Sports Party

2013-01-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

**It's time again to decorate your celebrations with a Challenge at Decorate To Celebrate!!**

Thanks so much for stopping by today!! I know I haven't been posting too much lately, and I've missed my BloggieLand friends like crazy... So I'm happy to see you here now and hope you'll enjoy what I've got in store... :) I even have a little GIVEAWAY to share with you today!!

For the Decorate To Celebrate Challenge #43, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a SUPER BOWL or SPORTS PARTY!! Let's celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, SOCCER, and MORE with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :)

In our house, we are DEFINITELY sports fans... And although we may not have any of "our" teams headed to the Super Bowl this year, we still have BIG PLANS for Super-Sunday... :) I hope to share a few more goodies that I have for our upcoming event in the next week or so; but, for now, I have a couple favors to show you...

That cute little sign measures just 1" high and 6" wide... It's been painted a linen white and distressed with the sander on all the edges... I then hand-lettered each sign to say "Football spoken here" with a glossy coffee-colored paint... Normally, these little signs would be stained as well, but I wanted them to match the other items I have planned for the party, so....... I simply added a brown ribbon tied around the long edge. These mini signs will make perfect little accents on a shelf, tucked here or there...

The mini treat bag is made from a coffee-colored cardstock... I love making my own little treat bags because I can always make sure that they are perfectly coordinated with any other items -- I just have to pick the perfect cardstock!! :) I filled the simple bag with some football shaped foiled chocolates and then secured it closed with another party favor perfect for the GIRLS at our Super Bowl party -- it's a hair tie!! I just love the football printed ribbon mixed with the brown and cranberry ribbon... And even though these hair ties aren't exactly team specific, they might give a hint of who I'll be cheering for this February 3rd when Super Bowl XLVII kicks off... ;)

I hope you like my party favors so far... I'd love to hear about what you're planning for the day, so please leave me a comment and let me know!! AND if you successfully guess any of my favorite teams for any of my favorite sports (trust me, it's not too hard to find out which teams I love right here on my blog in several past posts!!), then I'll randomly draw one comment to WIN one of my "Football spoken here" signs!! Be sure to comment before January 29th so I have time to send it out before the Super Bowl party...

Now it's YOUR turn!! Link up your NEW SUPER BOWL or SPORTS THEME PARTY project by clicking here before 11:59pm (EST) on Tuesday, February 5th to be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN a FOOTBALL themed Mini Album from Rhonda!!

Until next time,

Disney Pixar Blog Hop -- A Bank, A Desk Set, and a DREAM!! :)

2013-01-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to DAY ONE of the Disney/Pixar Blog Hop!! I'm so excited to once again be a part of this FABULOUS event hosted by my dear friend, Shawn!! If you've hopped with our Mickey-tastic group of talented bloggie friends before, then you know that you are in for a MOUSE-erific time packed with great ideas, fun projects, and super prizes!! If this is your first time hopping through, then I sure am glad you found us!! Now let's get started on the FUN!!

If you've just happened upon my blog or are reading this via email, be sure to CLICK HERE to START at the BEGINNING of the hop with SHAWN from Crafty Chics!! She'll be leading off the hop again tomorrow (with a whole NEW crew of fabulous creations), so be sure to stop on by again to see the rest of what everyone has in store.... Now here's what I have to share with you today:

I really wanted to focus on creating something FUN that you could do as a CRAFT with your kiddos... With a few up-cycled cans, strips of paper, buttons, and a bow, y'all can create a Mickey & Minnie Desk Set as well as a place to save your pennies!! My cans are three different sizes (a soup can, an olive can, and a large chicken broth can!!) that have all been cleaned and then painted (first with white, then with a semi-gloss black paint)...

Both The-Girl-Child AND The-Boy-Child have always been very good at SAVING their money for special occasions, events, or new things they'd like to buy... So I thought a cute idea would be to create a BANK perfect for saving all my change for our next Disney trip!! I added a 4" strip of red cardstock around the center of the can (to look like Mickey's shorts), then added the white iconic buttons... My can is about 4" wide, so I cut a 5" circle and made 1/2 inch cuts around the edges to fold down around the can before adding a solid black 3/4 inch strip. Be sure to cut the slot for the change (I always forget this in the first round!! LOL)...

For my smallest can, I used a 2.5" strip of red and added 1" polka dots (like Minnie's dress)... My favorite Disney-themed ribbon is this gauzy red one with the little polka dots -- I don't know why, but this ribbon always makes me SMILE :) It makes the perfect organizer for some of my favorite (Disney colored) markers too!! I duplicated the strip on the bank (this time cut at 3") for the medium can (and a Mickey-themed pencil holder) and added two slightly smaller white buttons...

Finally, I made an 18" wooden sign with my favorite Disney song quote... "A dream is a wish your heart makes"... It's important to remember to not let our dreams stay dreams -- Whatever your heart desires, be sure to take steps toward making that dream come true!! If you have a dream to take a Disney vacation, then make a plan and make it happen!! :)

I have a PRIZE for one lucky visitor today -- It's the sign that I've made for this hop!! I will choose a winner on Thusday via Random.org...

To be entered in the drawing, be sure to leave a comment on this post telling me what YOUR FAVORITE DISNEY SONG is -- you know, the one that pops into your mind anytime you think of the most magical place on earth!! :)

If you are the winner and leave your email address, I'll be happy to email you; however, I will also post the winner on Thursday (January 24) right here on my blog...

Okie dokie, Disney fans -- It's time for you to hop on to your next stop:

Ellen at CardMonkey's Paper Jungle

(wait til you see her AMAZING project!!)

...And if you get lost along the way, here's a list of the ENTIRE hop (all of the links are updated to take you directly to each post)!!

Day One - January 19th

Shawn

Amy :) You are HERE now :)

Ellen Go here NEXT!!

Day Two - January 20th

Kim

Until next time,

Decorate To Celebrate Ch#42: "Anything Goes" -- Girls Night Out!! :)

2013-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

**It's time again to decorate your celebrations with a Challenge at Decorate To Celebrate!!**

For Challenge #42, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for ANY THEMED PARTY!! Let's celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, CELEBRATIONS, AND MORE (any party with any theme!!) with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :)

I actually have a LOT of special events coming up in the very near future, so I had a hard time deciding which celebration to share with you today (hmmm... Imagine ME not knowing which event to share!! I want to share them ALL!! I guess you'll need to stay tuned if you don't want to miss any of the fun!!)... I finally decided that I would share a little sampling of a special "Girls' Night Out" event that I'm planning for The-Girl-Child's birthday next month... Her favorite color is RAINBOW, but if she has to choose one, then she always picks PURPLE... So I had her choose the color combination for this year's celebration -- She chose purple (of course), a vivid pink, and a chocolate brown... Unfortunately, I'm still relying on only a cell phone camera for my pictures, so the colors aren't quite as vivid as they should be in these pictures... Oh well, I'm very thankful to have a camera on my phone that does a pretty decent job in a pinch :)

I recently picked up one of those EK Success flower punches because I've really wanted to try making more 3D flowers... This was my first attempt at figuring it out... Hmmmmmm... I'm glad I have a little bit of experience with the Tim Holtz pinecone die cut because that was exceptionally helpful in figuring out how to give these flowers a little bit of character ;)

I used a fun, glittery ribbon that we found in the dollar bin at JoAnn's for the center of each flower -- Once I figured out the trick of bending, folding, and rolling the petals, these flowers came together pretty quickly... I'm thinking about making a bouquet of them as the centerpiece for the celebration. I imagine too that The-Girl-Child will want to save a few of these flowers to use on headbands or hairpins... As long as it doesn't rain, I think they'll make fabulous hair "pretties"!! :)

And that's the start of the birthday celebration ideas!! I'm excited to come up with some more uses for these pretty flowers... I'd love to hear YOUR ideas too!! :)

Now it's YOUR turn to show us YOUR party decorations, supplies, treat bags, and more for a party of ANY THEME -- Whether you're planning a birthday, baby shower, wedding, or other special celebration, we want to see your creativity!! Link up your NEW "ANYTHING GOES" ANY THEME PARTY project by CLICKING HERE before 11:59pm (EST) on Tuesday, January 22nd to be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN one of my FAVORITE prizes -- A Mini Album from Rhonda!! Please take a look at our Challenge Rules (HERE) before submitting your project. :)

Until next time,

Decorate To Celebrate Ch#40 -- Christmas -- Candles & Skis & Holiday Wishes!! :)

2012-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

**It's time again to decorate your celebrations with a Challenge at Decorate To Celebrate!!**

For Challenge #40, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a CHRISTMAS PARTY!! Let's celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT MISTLETOE, HOLLY, AND THE NATIVITY with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :)

I have several projects to share with you today -- I'm excited about all of them because it's a small sample of all the fun things my honey and I have been working on this season!! :) Growing up in the "family business" has had its challenges, but it also has LOTS of blessings -- Like getting to work with and spend time with the people you love the most!! I also feel incredibly lucky that I've had the chance to learn from two of the most creative people out there (my parents)!! :)

My first project is a decoration that can be used to light up a dark hallway or brighten a window or provide that soft candlelight for a romantic Christmas dinner... ;) The-Love-Of-My-Life was kind enough to prepare the base of my Candle Arrangement for me (a square of pine and a wooden candle cup, beautifully stained) so that I could add the soft pine trim and pip berries as well as a simple primitive bow... That lovely wax dipped taper has a timer feature so that it stays lit for 5 hours before turning itself off until the same time the next day (SO COOL!!)... Where would you use yours???

My next goodie to share with you is one that my mom inspired...

Perfect as an accent in any room or on the porch, these wooden skis (again prepared lovingly by The-Love-Of-My-Life) were painted and sanded and stained to look aged and distressed... I added a simple arrangement of pine and pip berries as well as a beautiful glittered snowflake (the glitter just wouldn't show up, but ya have to know it's there!!)... I made that delicious bow with 2.5" ribbon tied with my Bow-dacious Bow Maker (I'll have more news on THAT later!!)...

When I was all finished adding the arrangement to the skis, I (of course) had to GLITTERFY the WHOLE project!! :) Some spray adhesive and buffalo glitter added enough sparkle to make me SMILE... Doesn't glitter make EVERYTHING better???

And finally, just to give you another peek at what else we've been up to in the Workshop...

This is my most-favorite decoration of all!! This snowman twig box has a cubby in the back to hold twigs or some tall greenery or even umbrellas!! I just love his carrot nose and fun face that matches my Snowman Salt Box (see that HERE)... Won't he look perfect as he welcomes my Christmas visitors?!?!? :)

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN to show us your Christmas Decor, party supplies, and other decorations in the DTC Challenge #40!! Link up your project by clicking HERE before 11:59pm (EST) on Tuesday, December 25th to be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN December's GRAND PRIZE!! Please take a look at our Challenge Rules (HERE) before submitting your project. :)

We even have TWO fabulous Guest Designers joining us for this challenge, so be sure to check out Jessica from Chick-N-Scrap and Karen from Little Scrap Pieces in addition to our FABULOUS Design Team: Lisa, Norma, and Judy!!

Before you rush off to start creating, I don't want to forget to wish you and your family a Very Merry Christmas... I know this time of year can be difficult for so many -- Whether from spending the holidays without a loved one or difficult memories of holidays past, some people really struggle through this season... I have lost some dear friends and loved ones over the years, but I feel very blessed to still have both of my parents, my siblings, my children, my best friends, my extended family, and my honey... And while we have close friends and family members deployed through the holidays again this year, I'm forever grateful for their willingness to sacrifice simply for my freedom... Although we have family members struggling with health issues, I'm thankful for the many miracles we've witnessed this year... As you approach this Christmas, I wish for you peace and joy... And especially, if you are struggling, I pray you will be able to find blessings in each day that will help you overcome any difficulties you face...

Until next time,

Decorate To Celebrate Ch#39 -- "Holiday Choice" -- Let It Snow (but not too much!!)... :)

2012-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

**It's time again to decorate your celebrations with a Challenge at Decorate To Celebrate!!**

For Challenge #39, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a HOLIDAY PARTY of YOUR CHOICE!! Let's celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT THIS SEASON'S FESTIVITIES with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :)

I have a project that I'm super excited to share with you today!! I'm sorry I don't have many pictures, but I'm without a camera for now and relying only on my cell phone camera (eeek!!)... If you'd like to see more pictures (or you want purchase info on one of these), please let me know, and I'll make sure I get some extra pictures just for YOU!! :)

Okay, so The-Love-Of-My-Life and I have been spending most of our together time getting stained and sawdusty in the workshop... With the holiday season upon us, we've been working on PLENTY -- And this is one of those projects that I couldn't be happier with!!

The snowman head is actually a wooden box that is perfect for hiding that ugly bag of rock salt (a necessary evil here in Western PA) when the fluffy white stuff starts flying (and fly it has!!)... Or perhaps you'd like to have a SNOWMAN PARTY and use this fun project as a table centerpiece or prize box or door prize!! The options are endless AND, when the party is over or the snow goes away, you can always store your other snowman goodies and collectibles inside the box for future use... Multi-functional, eh??? :)

To link up your Holiday "Choice" project CLICK HERE and join the FUN before 11:59pm (EST) on Tuesday, December 11th to be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN December's GRAND PRIZE!! Please take a look at our Challenge Rules (HERE) before submitting your project. :) I hope I'll get to see the projects you are creating for YOUR Holiday Celebrations and decorating!! :)

Until next time,

Faux Bricks, Pumpkins, and Harvest Blessings from Getting Cricky!!

2012-11-01T22:27:00.001-04:00

Happy Fall, y'all!! Now that Halloween is over, it's officially time to change the ringtone on my phone to some kind of crazy turkey gobble, right??? No more Monster Mash, Addams Family, or Simpsons Tree House of Horror Theme Song (not that The-Boy-Child ever called me while that was his ringtone or anything!!)... :)

I have a really fun card to share with you tonight... I learned a new technique HERE and then was challenged to use it on a card at Mark's Finest Papers... So here's my card:

I just love the cute punch art pumpkins... Always fun to create and well-received on any card!! I also used the K Andrew Designs Stamp Art Set "Fall-O-Ween" for my Mix-N-Match sentiment... Be sure to CLICK HERE for 60% OFF remaining stamp sets in the CLEARANCE EVENT!!

Thanks for stopping by -- I hope you're recovering from the sugar-shock of yesterday!! :)

Challenges I'm entering:
1. Mark's Finest Papers -- Tutorial Time on SpeedyTV Challenge 21 (Faux Bricks)
2. Mark's Finest Papers -- Speedy Fox & Friends Challenge 131 -- (Pumpkins)
3. Celebrate The Occasion -- Challenge #86 (Fall)

Until next time,

Spider Webs and Wiggle Wires, Hairy Legs and Googly Eyes!! :)

2012-10-18T12:00:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone!! If you haven't hopped over to Kristal's blog, Getting Cricky, yet, then be sure to pop over and see the WINNER from our last team blog hop (I have a winner to announce here too!)...

I've been having a "throw-back" week of crafting... Sometimes, I really love a card or layout that I've made in the past, so I update it or change it just a bit to make it new all over again... Last Halloween I made THIS card:

It ended up being one of my favorite cards EVER, so I decided to use it as inspiration for this year's Halloween card (I've made it in BULK -- 45 cards going all over the country!!)... And here's the "new and improved" version:

I used the Sizzix Spiderweb embossing folder on white cardstock and then distressed it with black ink (in the first card I had used the color core paper and sanded it up!)...

My spider was cut at 2.5" (I cut TWO and adhered them together to give him extra stability since I wanted to put him on one of my homemade Wiggle Wires)... This is the spider from the Stretch Your Imagination Cricut Cartridge -- Isn't he so cute??? I used a Gelly Roll White Glaze pen for his mouth, a tiny circle punch for his purple nose, and glow-in-the-dark googly eyes...

My sentiment is stamped on a little hand-cut tag and can be found on the Fall-O-Ween Stamp Art Set (CLICK HERE to get yours for 60% OFF!!)...

I realize that it's hard to tell in the picture, but this little guy is actually attached to a Wiggle Wire so that he can dance and jiggle and cause a giggle!!

Yes, that really is a HAND holding up my card... You can see more of that hand and the party decor that matches that big creepy eye by visiting my blog over the next week -- I hope you'll stop on by and see all the creepy FUN... In the meantime, this is what made me happy tonight:

My wall has been slowly accumulating these Halloween decorations, but I was missing a few little things... Like that pumpkin garland that I added to the top of that much needed shelf that my awesome dad made for me just last week... See that awesome Jack-O-Lantern picture on the top left??? Oh, that is just the most awesome picture EVER!! The eyes, nose, and mouth of the pumpkin have little flashing lights behind it so that it twinkles in the dark (SPOOKY!!)... My mom gave this as a birthday gift to The-Love-Of-My-Life and, lemme tell ya... He LOVES it -- We never get to turn the lights off (the flash cancels them out in the picture, but it was dark and rainy here today)... I'm not even sure he's going to let me take it down after Halloween. Do you think we could add a Santa hat to the top of the Jack-O-Lantern to keep it around longer? Hmmm...

I did not make this oh-so-awesome Subway Art Sign, but I couldn't resist sharing it with you... My mom gave this to me for a special celebration... Isn't it fantastic???

That's all I have to share with you for now... But I'll be back with more before ya know it!! :)

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:
1. Crafty Friends Challenge: Dry Embossing
2. My Craft Spot: Embossing
3. My Crafting Channel: The Gh'oul Times
4. Everyday is an Occasion: Sunday Funday #2 Linky Party
5. Really Reasonable Ribbon: Ch#58 Halloween
6. Simon Says Stamp!: Joy's Eerie Inspiration

Now, before I rush off, I have a WINNER to announce from the last blog hop!! I do apologize that it took much longer for me to announce this -- Some of you already know that my dad had open heart surgery last month and things got a little crazy during that time... My dad is doing exceptionally well, and I thank those of you who sent me kind notes of encouragement and prayer before, during, and after his surgery. I really appreciate all of your support!! Now... Let's announce that WINNER!!

Random.org picked comment number 35:

And the winner is.........

Congrats, Karen!! Please email me at scrapbookingwithamy@gmail.com with your mailing address so I can get your labels sent out!! :)

Until next time,

Decorate To Celebrate Ch#36 -- Halloween!! Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails... :)

2012-10-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's time again to decorate your celebrations with another Halloween Challenge at Decorate To Celebrate!!

For Challenge #36, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a HALLOWEEN PARTY!! Let's celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT SPOOKY SPIDERS AND SLIMY SLUGS with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :)

I decided to make a pantry full of soups and stews fit for a ghoulish get-together!! These fun, up-cycled cans will make perfect favors filled with candy corn and double as delightful decor!! Each can was cleaned and had the label removed before The-Love-Of-My-Life worked his magic on giving each can a rusty finish... I then decoupaged a pre-made label onto each can and added a muslin covering with a length of homespun fabric ribbon.

My tags were created by stamping each sentiment on a small piece of muslin that I then trimmed into a tag shape. I found so many wonderful matching sentiments on my K Andrew Designs "Fall-O-Ween" Stamp Art Set... "eeek!" for the Spider Fangs, "Best Witches" for the Witch's Stew, and "Batty for you" for the Bat Spleen!! Oh, aren't they just so fun??? :)

To give the tags a bit of stability, I attached a cardstock tag to the back of the fabric tag (I used my CTMH background stamp for these little tags -- You may recall how much fun I'm having making these tags -- I'm adding them to everything!!). I also added a sprig of orange berries to each can to make them extra festive...

Don't you think my party guests will enjoy these fun little favors??? I think they'll find them delectable!! I wonder what other fun yummies I can add to these treats... Hmmm... Stay tuned to see!! :)

Okay!! Now it's YOUR turn!! When you link up your project HERE before 11:59pm (EST) on Tuesday, October 30th, you will be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN one of Rhonda's AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL mini albums (remember that your project needs to be a decoration or party supply to be eligible)!! :)

I would like to enter my cans in the following challenges:
1. Anything But A Card Ch#4: Fall or Halloween Colors
2. Frilly and Funkie: Anything but a card with a TWIST
3. Inky Impressions Ch#81: Anything but a card
4. Mark's Finest Papers: FOSTV Ch#42: Anything but a card

Until next time,

Paper Playtime Ch#86 -- Welcome to Boo-ville!! Boos, anyone??? :)

2012-10-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

Paper Playtime Ch # 86

Theme: Welcome to BOO-ville

Starts: Monday, October 15th 12:00 am EST

Ends: Thursday, October 25th Noon EST

Winner (chosen by random.org) Announced: Thursday, October 25th late afternoon

Our sponsor this challenge is...
Mary of Cardz TV Stamps
The winner will receive one set of Mary's Cardz TV Stamps!

Here is my project for this challenge:

....Because if I wanted to be welcomed into "BOO"-ville, I'd definitely expect a tasty beverage!! :) Sheldon Cooper would recommend hot tea or cocoa, so something tells me that a Bottle of Boos... would not quite make the cut for him!! But thank goodness he doesn't get to decide what tasty beverages we're serving in Boo-ville!! ;)

To create my project, I started with a plain, glass, long-neck bottle (I'm thinking it was a Jones' Soda bottle as The-Boy-Child and The-Girl-Child are both addicted to those...). The-Love-Of-My-Life worked his magic to transform the bottle into a rusty-looking creation... Since I love, love, LOVE to up-cycle, I'm glad he enjoys turning my boring bottles and cans into wonderful canvases for my projects!! :)

In case you missed the last tag I made that was kinda sorta like this one (antiqued and stamped and oh-so-FUN), I picked up this fabulous background stamp from my Paper Playtime DT Sister and friend, Lucy... I've probably stamped 100 of these tags to use on various projects -- I just love how the background is so quick and easy to create!!

I hand-lettered the "Bottle of BOOS..." on Kraft cardstock then fussy-cut around the sentiment before mounting it on black cardstock and fussy-cutting a thin border (and, of course, I sponged a little brown ink on the edges for some extra distressing). Pop dots behind the sentiment allow for a bit of dimension. That cute little ghost with the glow-in-the-dark googly eyes is actually an upside down "owl" that I punched using the Stampin' Up! Owl Punch (I just had to trim the little feeties off so the ghost didn't have alien antenna!!)...

My "BOO!" tag features that awesome-font sentiment from the K Andrew Designs "Fall-O-Ween" Stamp Art Set... I added a strip of burlap and a length of homespun fabric ribbon around the center of the bottle because I thought it was as much fun as a label... Plus the orange pip berries add a bit of extra whimsy, dontcha think??? :)

And there ya have it!! A Bottle of BOOs that everyone is sure to enjoy with a giggle!! :) Of course, if you're having a Halloween Party or Get-Together, you could always try this idea with the bottles of beverages that you're serving to your guests -- They don't have to be empty and up-cycled to be FUN!! :)

I hope I've inspired ya to make something for the challenge too!! To link up to the Paper Playtime Challenge #86, please CLICK HERE -- I can't wait to see what you create!! :)

I'd also like to enter my Bottle of BOOs into the following challenges:

1. MCC Ch #1 -- The gh'oul times!

2. Love To Create Ch #37 -- Trick or Treat or Something Sweet

3. Sunday Funday #2 -- Linky Party

4. DL Art Thankful Thursday -- Linky Party

Until next time,

Decorate To Celebrate Halloween Party -- Jack-O-Lanterns, Pumpkins, and More... :)

2012-10-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's time for another FUN challenge over at Decorate To Celebrate!! :)

For Challenge #35, we are asking you to create any project to be used as a party decoration (or party supply) for a HALLOWEEN PARTY!! Come help us celebrate EVERYTHING WONDERFUL ABOUT GHOSTS, GOBLINS, AND GHOULS with your table decorations, party banners, pennants, yard signs, cupcakes, party favors and more!! :)

Didja know that by entering your party supply or decoration in the challenge you could WIN a darling mini album especially created just for you by my fabulous friend Rhonda??? Yup!! If you don't have one of her minis yet, you'll definitely want to try for one now!! :) So be sure to link up your Halloween project HERE before 11:59pm (EST) on Tuesday, October 16th to be eligible for YOUR CHANCE to WIN one of Rhonda's AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL mini albums (remember that to be eligible your project must be a decoration or party supply)!! :)

This was a really, really, REALLY fun challenge for me this year!! For the past couple of months, I've had a little creative help from The-Love-Of-My-Life making these super cool cans and bottles and other odds-and-ends... It is such a joy to see someone else get so excited about what I'm excited about!! Of course, we could just be suffering from the effects of too many paint fumes too, right??? Nah, I'm just kidding... We're just having a blast coming up with new things to decorate!! :) So look at what I have to share.....

First, I have this way-too-cute Jack-O-Lantern turned Witch to share with ya!! Eeek!! Isn't that just too much??? I just can't help but smile every time I see this little guy... This is also a great way to "freshen up" some decorations that you may have tucked away from past years -- Add a hat to a resin pumpkin, stamp a coffee-stained tag with a cute saying, and VOILA!! It's like a new little goodie just waiting to greet ya!! I like to think that my little Jack-O-Lantern has that great big grin cuz the sun is shining... What do YOU think he's smiling about???

There's a closer peek at my tag -- It's been coffee stained and distressed with brown ink to give it an aged look... I'm just in love with this effect!! :) This fun little sentiment (as well as all the other sentiment stamps I've used today) can be found on the K Andrew Designs "Fall-O-Ween" Stamp Art Set... This set is simply perfect for all things Fall AND Halloween!! :)

This simple, yet adorable, Pumpkins sign is a piece of wood that has been painted and hand-lettered... I added a bit of raffia with a sprig of bittersweet and tied it all up with a homespun ribbon. This little sign easily sits on a shelf... Of course, if you're a mom with lots of little ones running around, I wouldn't want anyone to mistake which "Pumpkins" you were ~~giving away~~ selling for just 5 cents... hee hee... :)

I added a little "for you" tag to the top of my sign because this little knick-knack is gonna find its way right into a gift bag for my bestie... I'm sure she'll find the perfect spot to display this little goodie...

And, finally... My Jack-O-Lantern cans that just make me laugh!! Even though I've filled this one with some "crazy hair" made of raffia, these would make awesome party favors filled with candy corn or chocolate bars (YUM!!)... Since I love, love, LOVE finding new ways to up-cycle my cans and bottles, this is the kind of project that I can really have fun with -- Of course, the extra touches that The-Love-Of-My-Life added really made the fun POP!! :)

After using these as party favors, they would be perfect to house a battery-operated taper or tealight for a splash of light on a dark windowsill or table...

I've saved my favorite thing for last... It's this AWESOME tag that I've attached to my can... My friend and Paper Playtime DT Sister, Lucy, has enabled my Halloween-stamping-obsession with this FABULOUS CTMH background stamp... It was quick and easy to create the perfect tag to add my "Trick or Treat" sentiment stamp to!! Don't ya love it???

Well, that's it, friends... I hope I've inspired you to think outside the box and create something for our super-fun Halloween Challenge over at Decorate To Celebrate!! We'd love to see what YOU create for the challenge -- Will it be a banner? A centerpiece? A lantern? Need more inspiration??? Hop on over to DTC and check out what the other Designers created too -- It's sure to be a TREAT!! :)

Until next time,

Getting Cricky "Favorite Things" Blog Hop -- Venom, Anyone??? :)

2012-09-21T21:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Getting Cricky "Favorite Things" Blog Hop

Each of us on the Design Team, along with some very special guests and friends, are so pleased to have you here with us!! We have a special surprise for you at the end of the hop, so be sure to visit each blog along the way... You'll end up at Kristal's blog where you'll get to JOIN the FUN!! So let's get HOPPING to show you some of our "Favorite Things" about Kristal's stamps!!

If you've hopped along from my favorite Scrappin' Sista, Christel, then you are in the right place!! If you are just joining me from your dashboard, or reading this via email, please be sure to CLICK HERE to start at the beginning with Lisa's blog (you'll want to catch up on all the FUN!!)...

For my project tonight, I have something creepy and FUN!! :)

Bwahahahaha... Everyone needs a bottle of Snake & Spider Venom laying around, dontcha think??? OOOOoooohhh I just LOVE all the creepy details -- From the rusty, speckled bottle (lovingly created by my favorite guy) to the coffee-stained tag with some twisted humor!! :)

Not only is the "Positive Thoughts" Stamp Set one of my all-time favorite K Andrew Designs sets, but the actual sentiment "Today... is your day!" has been my single-most favorite go-to stamp for so many cards and projects... But the dark humor of this usually-bright-and-cheerful-sentiment has me giggling every time I see it!! I mean, seriously... Bwahahahaha... Today... is YOUR day to guzzle the bottle of venom... tee hee... Admit it, you're grinning just a bit, aren't you???

This fabulous tag is from the "Black Widow" collection from We R Memory Keepers... I feel the need to collect a few more of these tags as you just never know when a bottle of "quality hand-milked venom of Snakes & Spiders" might come in handy... Now, if it wasn't "hand-milked" venom, then I might have to pass... But come on... Hand-milked??? Mmmm-hmmm...

I don't quite remember what this glass jar started out holding... Perhaps Snapple. Snapple would never have a hand-milked venom flavored beverage, I'm sure, but their uniquely shaped bottle makes for a great up-cycled project canvas...

Oh, it sure does look tasty and appealing in that wagon full of pumpkins, no? I suppose for the last few months a few of you might have been wondering if someone delivered a deadly bottle of venom to ME -- ya know, with my falling off the face of the earth for -- oh, a month or three... Nah... I managed to avoid bottles of poison and sticky spider webs and now I'm ready to jump back in to my craft room!! Who's ready to join me??? :)

Let's take one last look at that bewitching tag... While I doodled the spider webs onto the edge and corner of the coffee-stained tag, I was tickled to remember that the "Fall-O-Ween" Stamp Set has that awesome skull and cross-bones image tucked in with all the mix-and-match phrases... Doesn't it add just the right touch of "dark"??? Here's a peek at the two stamp sets I used to complete my project:

Do you have someone you'd like to make a bottle like this for??? Well... I'm offering a handful of these FUN We R Memory Keepers label tags to one lucky person who leaves a comment on this post telling me what your favorite K Andrew Designs stamp set is AND what your favorite Halloween TREAT is!! :)

Want some BONUS chances in the drawing??? You can do any or all of the following for EXTRA chances (just remember to leave one comment for EACH thing ya do!!):

"Like" the Love To Crop! Facebook Page -- click here
Subscribe via email by entering your email in the box at the top of the page (be sure to CONFIRM!)
Become a follower of my blog (THREE ways to do this -- via the regular follow button, NEW Linky Followers, AND via Networked Blogs -- get a chance for each)

If you leave your email address (please leave it in SAFE scrapbookingwithamy at gmail dot com form), I will be happy to contact you if you are the winner; otherwise, you will need to check back to see if you are a winner -- I'll draw a winner on Monday, October 1. No captcha here, so commenting is quick and easy!! :)

***CLICK HERE TO LEAVE A COMMENT***

Now you can hop on over to your next stop: Kristal's Blog!!

Didja know?

Each of Kristal's stamp sets benefit charity. At least $1 per stamp set goes to benefit the charity noted on the stamp set package. Kristal is donating to the following charities: Cancer Angels, Storefront Shelter for Homeless Children, Intrepid & Fallen Heroes, E. Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Doorways Shelter for Women & Children (Domestic Violence), Wayside House for Women, Camp Good Days & Special Times, and Autism Research Institute. Kristal will donate $1 for every stamp set sold, retail or wholesale to the charity noted; and over time believes this will add up to some wonderful miracles for these special people. So you can feel good that each time you purchase a K Andrew Designs art stamp set, someone around the country is receiving some good help!

K Andrew's stamps are all made and assembled here in the USA, which is very important to Kristal. This ensures all product materials are safe and that jobs are being provided and maintained here in America. You can learn even more about Kristal's stamps (and pick some up for yourself) by visiting her online store: K Andrew Designs:

Thanks so much for joining me and the rest of the gang tonight!! Have a GREAT weekend, and remember that "Today... is YOUR day!!"... Bwahahahahahahaha!! :) Until next time,

Paper Playtime Ch# 77 -- Anything Goes!! Washi-Washi-Washi Tape Love... :)

2012-06-18T00:01:00.000-04:00

Good Monday morning, Fabulous Friends!! I love Mondays... Don't YOU??? Come on, if you say it enough times, you might believe it, right??? :) LOL... I really DO love the first and third Mondays because it means that it's time again for another Paper Playtime Challenge!! Yee-Haw!! :) If you haven't yet entered any of the Paper Playtime Challenges, please be sure to pop on over there and check it out... There is a challenge on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month!! On the FIRST Monday it's a DELICIOUS DIE CUT CHALLENGE... And on the THIRD Monday it's a SAY IT WITH SENTIMENTS CHALLENGE (that's ME!!)... Each challenge has a FUN theme, so I hope you'll check it out and JOIN US for a good time!! :)

Now... On to my inspiration for the challenge (I hope I'll get to see what you create too!!)...

Paper Playtime Challenge #77 -- Anything Goes (Say It With Sentiments)

(Your project can be a scrapbook layout, mini album, card, altered frame, bookmark, anything!)

I decided to make a sweet card to share with someone special... I was excited to use Washi Tape for the very first time!! I can see myself getting pretty addicted to this stuff... Yeah, I'm loving the Washi Tape... Have you tried some yet??? Freckled Fawn has a TON of colors and styles available...

My card is a standard A2 base (4.25"x5.5"). After layering two strips of Washi Tape on the card front, I embossed it with my Cuttlebug "Polka Dots" embossing folder. I also layered a small rectangle of white with Washi Tape to use as the center of my card front (it measures about 1.75"x3") and layered that on another piece of white (2"x3.25") before embossing that layer as well. The bright pink layer measures 2.5"x3.75" and is adhered with foam tape for dimension.

My sentiment "Love you" can be found on the "Even More Food For Thought" Stamp Art Set from K Andrew Designs... I heat embossed the sentiment in white on a 1.5" heart adhered with foam tape. To finish off my card, I added some faux stitching with a pink fine tip marker...

I hope my "Love you" card brightens your day as much as your visit has brightened mine!! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your day with me... :)

We are sponsored this challenge by Freckled Fawn who is offering a $15 Gift Certificate! Anyone who enters can win no matter where you live!!!!! Challenge ends Noon EST on Saturday, June 30th. Winner announced in Monday, July 2nd's post with our new challenge theme.

Be sure to take a peek at what my fabulous Design Team Sisters have created as well:

And... For those of you who are looking to join a WONDERFUL Design Team, be sure to check out the Pause, Dream, Enjoy Challenges DT Call -- It's a great opportunity to share your talent while meeting some awesome new friends!! :) Even if you have never applied for a team before, I encourage you to give it a try!! Click on the button for all the details... And GOOD LUCK!! :)

Until next time,

It's a 4th of July CELEBRATION at Decorate To Celebrate!!

2012-06-14T20:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Thursday, everyone!! It's super-dee-duper to see you today!! It's the start of another BRAND NEW challenge over at the Decorate To Celebrate! Challenge Blog... At DTC, we want to see your party supplies, your decorations, and everything else that goes along with a celebration -- You can enter any project -- yard signs, banners, cupcake toppers (even the cupcakes themselves!), centerpieces, and more (as long as it's not a card or layout)!! I always have such fun with these challenges as they really make me think outside the box... I invite you to hop on over there and check out the challenges -- You can see a list of the upcoming challenges HERE!! :)

For challenge #27 we're creating projects for a 4th of July Party!! It's no secret to my friends and family that this is one of my all-time FAVORITE holidays!! I love the fireworks and sparklers, the cookouts, the time spent with loved ones, AND the actual meaning behind the day -- a celebration of INDEPENDENCE... Aren't we fortunate to be able to enjoy something so valuable as FREEDOM??? So here's my project (it's already the centerpiece on my kitchen table in celebration of the 4th of July)... I hope you like it!!

Doesn't that just make ya feel like celebrating??? This super-fun candy dish is filled with Dum-Dum Lollipops and sports a bottle rocket ready to light up the sky!! :)

The bottle rocket die cut can be found on the Independence Day Cricut Solutions Cartridge... I used my Gyspy to cut it as large as possible on a 12" cutting mat (it's about 11.5" tall). I inked the edges of each layer with some caramel ink to give it a softer edge.

Silver Perfect Pearls add a bit of sparkle and a little bit more FUN to the bottle rocket... I love the texture on this We R Memory Keepers cardstock... It perfectly matches the designer cardstock I used for the candy dish (also from We R Memory Keepers -- Red, White & Blue line... Available from my favorite LSS!!)

Have you tried one of these candy dishes yet??? If you haven't, I invite you to give it a whirl!! I never realized how easy they were to make until I tried one (thank you, Kathy, for telling me how easy it was!)... Feel free to use my pattern to make your own -- I'd love to see yours!!

Not that it has to be a candy dish... You could use it for silverware or a gift box or fill it with flowers... The possibilities are endless!! I filled mine with these customized lollipops, but red, white & blue M&Ms would have been fun too -- I just wasn't gonna separate them from the bag of "regular" ones I had OR spend the time to paint them in festive colors!! ;)

Instead, while I chit-chatted on the phone to one of my favorite peeps, I wrapped each lollipop with a square of red tissue paper and colored little stars all over them with my white Gelly Roll pen... Don't those look FUN??? And I'm sure it took much less time than individually painting M&Ms...

Of course, no 4th of July party supply would be complete without a little wish for the holiday!! I selected the "God bless the USA" sentiment found on the "Freedom Isn't Free" Stamp Art Set from K Andrew Designs... Oh, I just love making little flag tags for goodies like this!! :) If you'd like to see more AMAZING projects with this stamp set, please be sure to visit this Getting Cricky post!!

And there ya have it!! I'm almost all set for MY 4th of July Celebration!! What are YOUR plans for the holiday??? Are you spending time with family? Heading to the beach? Planning a fireworks extravaganza? This 4th of July, as I kick back and enjoy a fabulous display of fireworks with some very special people in a very special spot, I'll be saying a WISH for YOU to be enjoying your day too...

In the meantime, I'd love to see what kind of projects YOU would make for YOUR 4th of July celebration??? Create 'em up and show us what you've got by linking up over at Decorate To Celebrate! before Tuesday, June 26th at 11:59pm EST... I can't wait to see what ya make!! :)

Until next time,

Splashtastic Summer Preview -- Don't Flip Out!! :)

2012-06-07T11:00:00.000-04:00

Ah, summer... Kicking back, sipping lemonade by the pool, burying your toes in sandy beaches... Who doesn't LOVE summer??? It seems to me that, no matter where you go in the summertime, you see more smiles, more laughs, and more good times than you do under a blanket of that cold, fluffy, white stuff!! While I do love the change of seasons here in Pennsylvania, I most look forward to the summer months...

With the official start of summer just two weeks away, I'm glad to see the trees full of leaves, to hear the birds singing from early morning til late evening, and to smell the flowers in full bloom... I'm also happy to be able to wear my flip flops to the grocery store without strange looks from bundled-boot-wearers who probably wonder what kind of person wears flip-flops in the dead of winter (they've obviously never experienced the true foot joy of wearing Rainbow flip-flops 24/7/365...). Yeah, I love my flip flops... Sooooooo, when I learned I'd be creating another project using one of my most favorite K Andrew Designs Stamp Art Sets, "Splashtastic Summer"... Well, I just knew I was featuring my favorite shoes in all the world...

This fabulous flip-flops cut can be found on the Creative Memories Traveler Cricut Cartridge (available HERE)... I cut mine at 3.5" (all layers). The pink layer was embossed with the Sizzix Daisies and Vines embossing folder, and I added two of my little yellow gem flowers to the strap.

Since I wanted to add one of my homemade Wiggle Wires to the flip flops, I decided to make this an easel card (aren't they just more FUN to display???)... When the card is closed, you see only the flip flops and "don't flip out" sentiment. Upon propping it open, you can enjoy the Wiggle that makes me Giggle as well as the "Enjoy the summer" sentiment found on the inside of the card!! :)

I'm having LOTS of fun playing with Kristal's new line of twine (did you know I have a TWINE GIVEAWAY HERE??? Be sure to check it out for your chance to win a sample pack of 14 colors!!)...

Since I love the fun addition of texture on my cards and projects, I chose the Cuttlebug "Polka Dots" embossing folder for the blue background of my card... A few of my gem flowers finish off the sentiment circles, and this card is ready for sending!! This lucky card is going all the way to the Sunshine State to surprise a very special mom... She is someone who is cheerful and happy every time I get the opportunity to talk to her, and I hope this card makes her smile the way she has helped me smile too!! ;)

Ya know what ELSE I hope??? I hope that YOU enjoy YOUR summer too!! Find that favorite pair of flip-flops, kick back with a book and a lemonade, and breathe in some SUNSHINE!! :) And when you're ready to do some creative crafting, remember that this FUN stamp set full of adorable sentiments can be YOURS... Simply click on the preview for ordering details...

Wanna see some of my other favorite projects that I've created with this set??? It's so versatile and FUN... Don'tcha think???

A bright and sunny card FULL of SUNSHINE!! :) Click HERE for more!!

A fun fish-bowl favor (doesn't he remind you of the fish in "Cat in the Hat"???). See more HERE!!

A party pack of GOODIES!! More details HERE...

Another FUN easel card -- with a tutorial for my homemade Wiggle Wires!! See more HERE!!

Baseball Favors GALORE!! More details HERE!! :)

And an "Under-The-Sea" Extravaganza!! All the details HERE...

As you can see, there are SO many possibilities for this WONDERFUL stamp set!! For even more ideas, be sure to pop over to the Getting Cricky blog for today's post -- Where my sweet Design Team Sister, Miranda, also has some FUN projects to share with you!!

Until next time,

Summertime Challenge at Getting Cricky -- It's always been you... :)

2012-06-03T12:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday, everyone!! :) I hope this morning finds you excited with the promise of TODAY... It's the first Sunday in a while that it's been rainy and gray here in Western Pennsylvania -- Guess it might be a good day for puddle splashing, eh? :)

Despite the rainy morning, we're CELEBRATING Summertime over at Getting Cricky today!! Today starts our MONTH-LONG challenges!! Woot-woot!! You have until June 30th to create and link YOUR project (card, layout, or 3D project) celebrating SUMMERTIME!! I can't wait to see what you make!!

I have a SNEAK PEEK of a BRAND NEW Stamp Art Set from K Andrew Designs today!! I was so excited to have some Happy Mail delivered on Friday, that I couldn't wait to play... And I had just the Summertime Celebration project that I wanted to make!! :)

You see, there's something about the daisies blooming that REALLY makes me feel like Summer is on it's way... Even with the 80 degree temperatures we've had, the sunny days, and the cookouts, nothing says Summer like the daisies in bloom!! And, since daisies are my very most favorite flower, when a patch of daisies popped up in my flower garden... Well, I knew that I wanted some inside the house too!! So I set about to make a homemade vase for my daisies from an upcycled Jones soda bottle with a little gift card to go along with it... :)

Kristal recently created another new stamp set that is sure to be a FAVORITE!! I am fortunate enough to give you this sneaky-peek at one of the sentiments found on the "Beautiful Thoughts" Stamp Art Set -- "It's always been you"... Isn't that just beautiful??? Who wouldn't LOVE to receive a beautiful bouquet of daisies with an attached card like that? I even got to try out some of the NEW TWINE available at K Andrew Designs!! Let me tell ya, this twine is thick and lush and WONDERFUL!! I can't wait to try new ways to use it!! :)

To create the bottle wrap for my Daisy Vase, I embossed a 4"x9" strip of yellow cardstock with a Sizzix embossing folder (I think it's called "Daisy Vine", but don't quote me on that). After embossing, I used white chalking ink to highlight the daisies and green ink to highlight the vines. I added yellow Kaiser Craft gems to the centers of the flowers, then added the yellow cardstock to a 4.25"x9" strip of white cardstock before wrapping it around the bottle and adhering it securely to the bottle (I recommend the extra sticky red tape for this if you don't want your label to pop off!!)... My final touch was adding the twine... And I LOVE it!! :) Even The-Snickers-Cat loved it...

As I waited for a moment when it wasn't pouring down rain to go outside and grab some pictures, The-Snickers-Cat decided she'd take a break from her difficult day of napping to stop and smell the daisies... I just happened to catch a quick shot of her before she moved back to her perch on the window sill. Of course, she gave her stamp of approval by not eating the flowers. ;)

My little 3"x3" gift card enclosure uses the same embossing folder and ink techniques as the bottle... I added a white scalloped circle punch and yellow circle punch (popped up with foam tape) stamped with the sentiment in SU!'s "Green Galore" ink... Three little gems and a length of twine gently tied around the front of the card made this a quick and simple addition for my bouquet of flowers...

Are you ready to check out the BRAND NEW "Beautiful Thoughts" Stamp Art Set??? As of TODAY, it is in the K Andrew Designs store available for Pre-Order with a ship date of June 20th (or earlier)!! Click on the preview to reserve YOURS today!! :)

So..... Go get creative and link up a Summertime project for the challenge at Getting Cricky -- I'll be waiting to see what ya make!! :)

Until next time,

We're Off To See the Wizard Blog Hop... Or perhaps return to Kansas, Toto!! :)

2012-06-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the "We're Off To See the Wizard Blog Hop"!!

*** My sincere apologies for the late posting... I've updated the links below so that you can do a direct visit to each of the other participants' posts -- There are some really adorable projects, and I'd hate for you to miss them!! :)

We're off to see the Wizard, and I'm so glad you made it down the Yellow Brick Road!! :) If you've arrived here from Tami, then you're not lost in the forest -- You're in the perfect spot!! :) But if you've dropped in from a spinning house, woken up from a field of flowers, or perhaps just popped over from your email or dashboard, then be sure to CLICK HERE and begin at the beginning with Lynne!!

For the hop today I'd like to share a sorta silly easel card that I made...

I just love this "melted witch" image from Dustin Pike... It kinda makes me GIGGLE!! I colored two of the same image with my Copic markers so that I could fussy cut each element to add some dimension with foam tape.

I embossed the yellow background with my Sizzix "Stars and Swirls" embossing folder before mounting it on a red layer and green layer... The blue gingham ribbon reminded me of Dorothy's dress, and the red Stickles made me think shoes -- I often wonder if I could cover a pair of my own shoes with red Stickles since I can't seem to find any Dorothy shoes in my own size... Sigh... Oh, to be four again and have little feet that fit in sparkle shoes... ;)

Truth be told, I was having a bit of a "Totally Wicked!" day myself... I was a wee bit cranky... Errr, "irritable" as it was put to me. If my friend, Tami B, is reading this, she will NEVER believe it (since she thinks that I throw open the windows to sing with the birds each morning just as Snow White would do... However, we're somewhere over the rainbow today, and Snow White is nowhere to be found, so I've apparently channeled the Wicked Witch... But I digress...)!! Anywhooooo, I thought maybe an apology was in order for my "Totally Wicked!" behavior, so here ya go... "My Bad..." ;) Maybe next time it won't take a deluge of water to set me straight, right??? :)

For those of you who stuck with me through that story, let's get back to the details... If I'm going to add a sentiment to the inside of the card (instead of leaving it blank), then I often like to make the card an easel card. This style of card is ridiculously simple to make as long as you remember to apply adhesive to only the BOTTOM HALF of your card front (ask me how I know). There are tons of videos on Youtube demonstrating this fold, but if you want my "quick" version... Score your card at 2" and 4.25". The score at 4.25" will be your (regular) center fold on your A2 base (5.5"x8.25" becomes a 5.5"x4.25" card) and the score at 2" will become your easel fold. Again, remember to attach your card front to ONLY the 2" from the edge to the first scoreline...

When you add the inside card layer, you'll want to add a bit of dimension (pop dots or foam tape) so that the card front can rest behind that little edge... Voila!! Easel card, quick and easy!! :)

The AWESOME sentiments for my card are from the BRAND NEW "Guy Talk" Stamp Art Set from K Andrew Designs... This great mix-n-match set is chock full of really gnarly sayings perfect for boys and guys (and Wicked Witches apparently)... You can make this set YOURS by CLICKING HERE...

I hope you've enjoyed my card today!! I have a few little goodies for one lucky person who leaves a comment on this post... Come back and let me know that you've visited everyone else too (remember the links below allow you to hop directly to each participant's post!), and you'll have an extra chance to win PLUS I'll throw in even MORE goodies if you're the WINNER!! :)

Now it's time for you to skip off down the Yellow Brick Road to one of my bloggie-land-besties... Rhonda...

And just in case the forest isn't cooperating (or the flying monkeys carry off a link), here's a list of the entire hop... *** All of these links are updated to take you directly to each hop stop!! ***

Amy :) You are HERE now!! :)

Rhonda Go here NEXT!!

Until next time,