Sunday, October 21, 2012

My TRICKS and Their TREATS!

Today
didn't start off on a good note
one of the cats
decided when Poppa left for Wal-Mart
at 7:15 AM
(don't ask me why!!!)
Momma needed to know about it.
Not much sleep after that.
Did I mention...
I could have slept until 8?
Projects today
went down hill
after I had to go to the same store
husband was at earlier
and they didn't have what I needed.
I just had to make do.
Not enough sleep-having to "make do"
did not make Momma a happy camper.
 
After a almost 2 hour MUCH NEEDED nap...
I decided to try one more thing.
And that put a smile on my face!
 
Halloween is upon us
and I am sure that I will have
20 little 2, 3 and 4 year olds
knocking on my office door!
What to do that's not too scary?
 
I thought about the "Pumkin Teeth" holders
and candy corn

but again, they are 2, 3 and 4
and the correlation would be lost on them--
and all they are REALLY going to care about
is the candy inside!
 
So...
I applied the KISS principle---
Keep it simple, Sharon!
And---no POP DOTS are needed!
lol!
(Theresa's in shock right now...!)
 
So-here's my TRICKS to make these...
gather your tools and supplies--
you will need:
cardstock or designer paper
adhesive
crimper
paper cutter (not shown)
stamps and ink (if not using dp)
and of course --CANDY!
(not sure why the empty glass is there-?!)

Now, I needed to maximize my paper
as my supply was limited---
I cut my paper at 5 1/2" x 4" so I could get
an extra one or two out of a 12x12 sheet...
This is probably the absolute smallest you can go
and get a fun size package of M&M's in there!
I'd recommend if you have enough paper
cutting it at 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"!

I then stamped my design and added
To: You
From: Ms. Sharon
(I am not one of their teachers-
I work in the church office and
thought parents would want to know
where it came from)

Next put adhesive on ONE SHORT end
and BOTH LONG SIDES

Roll the short end around and make a tube...
(think toilet paper roll here...)

smoosh the bottom together

stuff your candy in

and smoosh the top together in the opposite direction
of the bottom...
(think the sour cream holders Wendy's used to have....)

Next stuff one end into your paper crimper
and roll it one or two turns
flip it to the other end
and do the same thing again.
This just gives it a little extra "oomph"
and staying power to keep it sealed
(it looks cool, too!)
Here's what they look like all done...

I did 30 in about one hour
I was stamping the "Boo"
and "To/From" on each one as I went
otherwise it probably would have been quicker
if I had stamped all images
and then assembled.
I was going to add a ribbon
but remembered
KISS...
and  I left well enough alone!
 
So-
there you have it-
my TRICKS to make their TREATS!
 
BTW
the little black cat
highly approved of the stamp selection!
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,






Friday, October 19, 2012

What My Groupies Made...


First and foremost
let me say that I cannot take
creative credit
for this month's "groupies" project.
It was designed and created by
 
Valerie Dietz
and, with her permission,
I cased and copied it
for my groupies.
 
You can see Valerie's other awesome artwork
 
So-that said...
let me show you what we worked on...
The banner "bases" and letters
were cut with the Cricut Close to My Heart
Art Philosophy and Artiste cartridges.
I color dusted the edges of the base cardstock,
stamped and colored all the "embellishments" with Copics
and then cut them out by hand.
Yep-I did this for 8 banners!
My groupies then assembled them themselves....



The pretty ribbon
is CTMH color-ready seam binding.
It came/comes white.
I dyed it to match our project
simply by running an ink pad over it
until it was the color I wanted!
You can also use a few drops of reinker in a plastic bag
and mush it around (very technical term!).
It is super easy to do!

I used a Copic marker to outline each letter
and that really made them pop---
and well, if you know me
then you already know
I POP-DOTTED EVERYTHING!
Lots of dimension to this baby!

The burlap is our new burlap ribbon-
it's awesome to work with as well!
I am surely going to order more it as well as
the seam binding!


It was really an awesome class!
Everyone did a great job keeping up with one another
and were thrilled with their project!
A great decoration for several holidays!
 
On another note,
I absolutely love the crescent moon!
I've heard some call it
God's eyelash...
but that little sliver of light
really spellbinds me...
and when I saw it the other night-
I just knew I had to try and capture it.
This photo
was taken with my Cannon Elph point and shoot-
it is not photoshopped...

I did fiddle with settings (on the camera before I took it)
and I have no clue what I did...
but I got the light from the house below
and the moon!
I am THRILLED!
 
Ok.
It's almost lunch time-
gotta do some flyladying today
and it's off for my mammogram this afternoon.
It's Breast Cancer Awareness month
if you didn't already know that
and trust me-
that few minutes of discomfort
is FAR LESS UNCOMFORTABLE
then chemo and radiation
and surgery!
A few minutes---that can save a lifetime.
Someone close to me
had a scare a year or so ago.
I will never ever forget the moment she told me
she had something suspicious.
I kept her message on my phone
from when she called and said,
"I'm crying-but it's ok!
Thank you, Jesus, it's nothing!"
Go get yours.
Please.
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,



Sunday, October 14, 2012

Faith...


 
good topic for a Sunday post, don't ya think?!
My colors look so washed out-
not sure why-
the dp is a real pretty aqua color-
maybe too light for the camera-
and I opted to pick up the brown and green
 with the  stamped saying, flower and ribbon.
I've had this stamp forever
and it says:
Faith
Fear
 knocked
at the door
 
Faith
answered
 
No one
was there.
 
The word "faith"
goes along the side of the sentiment
 
So I had to do some fancy
masking and stamping
to get what I wanted
and I won't begin to tell you
how many times
I had to punch that border
with my God-awful Martha Stewart punches!
I really do not like them.
Seriously.
They are terrible.
This is going to be a little decorative piece
for a friend of mine.
Hope she likes it.
 
Until next time
keep the
even when Fear knocks!
Happy stamping and scrapping, too!
Blessings,






Saturday, October 13, 2012

No Adhesive Allowed--Take 2

I guess my mojo is coming back!
Two posts in less than 24 hrs!
 
Today's project is one that I kept saying,
"I need to make that card!"
It was on my "round-to-it list" and never seemed to get it done.
Yesterday was the round-to-it day!
 
I needed to make a card
but no adhesive of any kind could be used.
It is for a young man who has been given
a sentence of life in prison.
His mother, grandmother and sister
attend our church.
I made  the first card for his birthday
and I received a very nice card and note in return.
I wanted to thank him for that and share a little more with him
so I went to work on this...
Forgive the dark photos--it was after dark last night when
I took these-and yes, I realized after the fact
that that white piece had slipped down...
remember-no adhesive--
so those are layered without glue or tape
and simply tucked behind the insert inside...

which is held in by using the Stampin' Up slitty punch
Not sure what the real name of that little sucker is--
but it is WAY COOL and something I use A LOT!

The insert was cut with the
Close to My Heart Artiste cartridge.
The outer card is made with CTMH Moonlight papers
the inside panel is contraband (aka not CTMH).
It has a little texture to it
and is thick...so much so
that I ended up having to use my finger knife
to trim out that "hello" as the Cricut
didn't cut it through--even set on slow
and the deepest setting.
I think the texture had something to do with it
(those little dots are raised up).
 
When you've been stamping and scrapping
as long as I have
there's not a lot left to challenge you--
but I gotta say-
trying to make something without adhesive-
can be a challenge!
Using corner punches and the slitty punch
is the secret
and I sense a lot more creative challenges
coming up.
 
Our senior citizen, Bad Cat,
is giving the baby aka Inky
a run for his money this morning!
I've not seen him playing and chasing
anything as much as he is the little guy this morning!
Must be the cooler weather!
So much for my morning cartoons!
Lol!
 
I am off to do some flyladying
and work on yet another project--
a THIRD post in less than 48 hours....
hmmm.....not impossible!
We'll see what I can brew up!
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,
 


Friday, October 12, 2012

Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble...


only a little brewing going on here...
I whipped up some treats
with the Close to My Heart
Art Philosophy and Artiste Cartridges...
I used the AP cartridge to cut the pillow boxes
and then the Artiste cartridge to cut out
the adorable labels!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the cartridges and the
Magic Potions stamp set!
 


The other tags say
"Dr. Fixe's Finest Elixir Extract of Eel"
"Pickled Toad-Warning: May Cause Warts"
"Eye of Owl Magic Cream"
"Commotion Potion Guaranteed to Quiet the Voices Inside Your Head"
Too too funny---and I happened to see these
shortly after I made
The netting was in my stash-
and I wanted to add a ribbon-spider-webbing looking
thingy
(how's that for technical terms?!)
So I just cut a strip, tied it around and fanned it out
and hot glued the rosette to it.
The net has enough "give" to it
that I think they can slide it off
to get the candy out
and slip it back on if they want to save it!
Can't go wrong with a combo of
Close to My Heart and CHOCOLATE!
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,



Sunday, October 7, 2012

Sneak Peeks on Sunday...


Yesterday
after I finished my "groupie" kits
for this month's class
 
just a sneak peak as it's a week or so away---
and they will freak if they see it beforehand
I cannot take credit for it--
another CTMH consultant created it
and I totally cased it--
I will give her full credit when I post the real deal
in it's entirety...
 
Anyway-
I had just finished the groupie kits
when hubby came in and suggested a day trip
to Lake Waccamaw
with our canoe little red boat...
he had read an article in Our State magazine
about it.
I said sure...let's do it!
He started packing our lunch...

do you see his "helper"?!
Yes, the "baby" immediately checked out the cooler bag!
 
 
After a stop at the visitor's center
where a nice lady told us we would enjoy the little canals
that run along the backsides of the lake
far more than the lake itself---
we set out...and she was right!
See if you can spy
the turtle...the leaf...the bird's nest...the ducks...
another turtle...the great white heron...
and last but not least...
the alligator!




My tour guide and captain...
not too bad for an over the head and backwards
shot!









 
There were tons of dragonflies
but they were to fast to capture with the camera!
I gotta say ---I absolutely LOVE my CANNON ELPH!
That last turtle pic...there is NO photo editing to that...
(in fact none to most of the photos I posted)
and we were a good ways off...that was just with the zoom--
far better than my Nikon ever did!
 
We had a picnic lunch while just drifting along...
It was sooo nice out there!
Perfect weather and the water was just like glass...
at least in the little canals we were in...
as you can see by the reflection in this pic...


After reloading the boat
we drove around a little bit-
houses on one side of the road
with a grassy area leading to their boat ramps
and docks and boat houses
on the other!
 
We ended up at Dale's Seafood
where we had fried catfish and shrimp for supper
and brought enough home that we can make
three lunches easily out of the leftovers!
It was delicious, fresh and PLENTY OF FOOD!
Topped that off with a stop at Dairy Queen when we hit
our own little island home.
 
As Ratty said to Mole,
"There is nothing, absolutely nothing
half so much as doing as messing about in boats...
just messing..."
in Kenneth Graham's Wind In the Willows--
it certainly was
a great day for messing about in the boat!
 
Worshipped this morning
and helped serve communion--
always an awesome experience
in and of itself...
not sure what the rest of the day will hold...
just taking it slow and easy...
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,