Sunday, March 31, 2013

GNARLY! Girly Later Sk8r


How nice of
Close to My Heart
to come out with a scrapbook line
that PERFECTLY fits yet again
what I need to do for my goddaughter!
Earlier it was moustaches (see the next two posts below)
now it's
LATER S8TR
get it?
Later SKATER?
As in skateboard...?
Not real sure what's going on with this girl--
she was all about princesses for a very long time--
just a tad into that tomboy thing maybe
or just gotta try and outdo the boys?!
Anyway-
first try---she broke her arm!
Poor girl!
 
The LATER S8TR paper
was all blues and greens for just that-
guys.
But a very creative consultant
gave it a girly option
with a little pink thrown in!
Thanks, Kat!
 
Here's my take on what Kat did---

I used the LATER S8tr Workshop on the Go stamp set and papers
along with the In Gear stamp set.
The new Artiste Cricut cartridge has a number of cuts
to make the gears--and a couple of stamps
that coordinate with the cuts!
AWESOME!!!
 






That's it for me today!
The craft room is trashed
I am late delivering some Easter goodies
and the cats are clamoring to be fed!
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,



Maren in a Moustache-Take 3!

Note: Linking up with Heart2Heart--Moustache!
Happy Easter!
Said that earlier-
but will save you from having to scroll down to find it!
Sunrise service
was awesome even if it was cloudy.
(And yes, Theresa-it was DARK when we got there-
the moon was still out-just give me coffee and it's ok!)
It was not nearly as cold as in years past.
So good to see so many Christians
Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian,
Catholic, Episcopalian
come together to worship
The RISEN Savior of us all.
 
After even more coffee
onto our church
to worship some more.
Hubby is fixing breakfast
and I am posting
TAKE 3 of
Maren In A Moustache!
These pics are so much better!
She took this photo of herself taking a photo
and then, if I am not mistaken
added the moustache in Muzy.
I personally don't understand the moustache craze
but she looked so cute
and the Close to Heart
Perfect Fit for Dad and Wheel of Life stamp sets
along with the For Always papers
were indeed, a perfect fit!


The spinner spins...
and I put Crystal Effects on the glasses
(I made a pair with small pics of her that I had put in the filmstrip-
but liked the filmstrips for that better!)
I gotta say too--I REALLY REALLY REALLY
like that SILVER ADHESIVE BACKED TAPE
that adds the perfect bit of sparkle and shine!
It's soooo easy to work with--gonna have to stock up
and that glitz and glam for sure!

 
I think later
I will work on her
L8ter Skater page---
someone on the boards posted that with a pink twist
for girls...
and this girl (Maren)
at her first attempt at skateboarding
broke her arm.
What a tale those pages have to tell!
 
Until next time,
Happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,


Happy Easter!


Good morning
and
Happy Easter!
 
We've been to our Easter Sunrise Service
and home for some coffee
before heading to church
for our 9:30 service.
 
Even tho it's a bit cloudy
that cannot dampen the day
or the spirit(s)
on this Resurrection Sunday!
 

Late yesterday afternoon and evening
I whipped up this layout
of my goddaughter Maren.
It looks better in real life
than in the photos.
Sorry about that.
She had taken this pic of herself taking a pic!
Then I *think* she added the 'stache in Muzy.
Anyway-
I don't really understand the moustache craze
but I  knew that the Close to My Heart Perfect Fit-Dad
and Wheel of Life stamp sets
along with the For Always papers
would be perfect.
I love love love
the silver trim tape!
The filmstrip was cut with the CTMH
Artiste Cricut cartridge
and shoot-
I just realized that I had a bowler hat to go
on that bottom pic
that I forgot.
Oh well.
When the camera battery recharges
I will post Take Two--actually it's three
the first set were worse...
Third time is a charm, right?


 I think I need some more sleep coffee, please!
 
This afternoon
I think I will work on the
CTMH L8ter Skater paper/pages
First time skateboarding--same girl broke her arm!
What a tale to tell on that page!
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,



Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Chantilly Art Philosophy Easter Eggs...


So in 2011
my great friend Theresa
made these beautiful eggs...
This year...
I tried it with the eggs I bought last year
to try it with...
they came out...not so good.
Theresa's looked much better!
The girlfriend can glitter and make anything
look good!
Not moi.
 
But now I had not one but 3 packages
of well, 40+ eggs each...
yeah, well sometimes I go for overkill!
If you click the link to her blog
she has a how-to posted...
I tried.
I think my glitter was too chunky or funky.
 
Anyway---
So--
all these eggs!
After I made the picnic baskets...
(see the previous two posts...)
I decided I needed a little something to go in them
besides chocolate...
and I wanted to make some to attach
a little Easter wish to
to give to some other friends...
So I got some colored tulle at Wal-Mart
along with some small doilies
pulled out more Chantilly paper
and some coordinating cardstock
and set my Cricut to humming cutting out flowers...
lots and lots of flowers.

I took a little tuck in the doily to make it a wee bit smaller
(just fold it in on itself--)
then I hot glued the egg onto the doily
then took a length of tulle and wrapped it around the doily and the egg
tied it in a knot and cut it off.
Then I hot glued two leaf springs
(one of my few Martha Stewart punches that actually work...)
and topped it with flowers.

(why can you never see the glue strings until AFTER
the photo shots?)
I just love them!  So bright and spring-y looking.
About the only thing that's spring like here
BRRRRRR.

Enjoy.
I am off to get ready for what's left of my groupies tonight.
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,



Monday, March 25, 2013

More of My Chantilly Picnic (Easter) Baskets

I could not resist making more of these
adorable baskets!
I took out my stash of
Close To My Heart's Chantilly paper
along with some solid cardstock,
      a few punches
and my CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge
oh-and embossing folders and Big Shot...
and whipped these up yesterday
(Picasa is doing weird things today-my photos are all dark
or totally washed out like these...so sorry!)



Off to go find some goodies to fill them with!
Until next time
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,




Saturday, March 23, 2013

Best way to spend a rainy day....

or any day for that matter.
My goddaughter Maren
came and spent the night.
We had a nice dinner
(thanks to my hubby for cooking!),
I fixed her scrapbook that needed extender posts added
(she likes pop-dots, too! Wonder where she got that from?!)
and she fixed my earrings.
We played a game of Scrabble
and then this morning after breakfast
we made moustaches
 
We cut them out using the Artiste cartridge from Close to My Heart
stamped it from the Closet to my Heart  Perfect Fit-Dad.
Hot glued a chopstick that we first covered in decorative washi tape
and wha-la: instant moustache!
 
Then we made
 these ADORABLE picnic baskets...
 

I got the template at
It was super easy to cut out and put together.
The paper of course is Chantilly
and the handle and flowers were cut
using our Close to My Heart Art Philosophy cartridge.
I did not use the handle from the template---
I cut a border strip from the AP cartridge and it worked perfectly!
 

 
These would make beautiful Easter baskets
or decorations for a spring shower
Ladies tea
or mother and daughter luncheon...
maybe reduce it just a tad for a little bit of
chocolate...!
Maybe have one side open
with some moss and flowers spilling out...?!

It is cold, rainy and dreary here at the beach
so I think a good book, a nap
and maybe even making a few more baskets
is on my afternoon schedule.
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,



Thursday, March 21, 2013

The Bees Knees....!

Or should I say
The Queen Bee's new shopping bag...
drum roll please...
(trumpets too---oh? no trumpets humph!
Off with the trumpeters heads when you find them!)
 
This started out as a plain as in there was no froo-froo ruffle
on this bag to start with!
It was a super find at Joanns a week or so ago.
Moi
got yellow dotted material-
just chopped off a long strip
hand ran a basting stitch through it and gathered it right up.
Rule of thumb is double the length you want to cover.
I frayed the edges to give it an even more boho chic look
(I dare you to try and find the part that actually tore...in the wrong direction...!)
Then I got out my trusty low temp glue gun
tacked both ends down----
and then worked underneath the ruffle
and just glued and adjusted gathers as I went.

On top of that
to cover up my wonky basting stitch
I put some nylon (? it's sheer --not tulle tho) flower trim
and just kinda bunched it up as I glued it down, too.
Now being as this was dubbed at a grocery bag---
and had three nice size loops in there
to hold wine bottles upright---

I decided that since wine bottles weren't
what I wanted to be toting around---
I needed to turn them into real pockets.
Whipped that bag inside out.
Again with the glue gun
just maneuvered the material around
and hot glued the bottom down to the side of the bag.
This was a cheapy---less than $ 3 bag.
Is it going to last forever?
I doubt it.
If it lasts a season for me---I will be happy.
I maybe have $ 8 in it altogether.
Did it in less than 1 hour.
My kind of magic!


 
Great way to start my week-end
(I am off on Fridays---go me!)
 
Until next time-
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Easter Critters

I cannot take credit for this idea and project!
Julie Davison posted it on her blog today.
She did a great job and an easy to follow
video tutorial
 
Here's my attempt to case her project...



I think I will add a cotton ball on the backside for a tail...
particularly since they are for preschoolers...

They are a nice treat-size.
A few jellybeans or something similar
will fit nicely.
No sugar overload with these guys!
They whipped up pretty quick.
Since I did not have all the Stampin Up punches,
I turned to my Close to My Heart
Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge.
To make the body---
(check out Julie's blog---)
or just cut cardstock at
 5"x 2 1/2",
the 5" side scored at 2 1/2"
then make a tic mark on each of the 2 1/2" sides
at 1 1/4" mark.
You then score from that center point to the first score line,
repeat on all 3 sides.
This folds up into your triangle box.
Fold the piece in half,
punch holes on either side of the triangle
run ribbon thru, fill your box and tie in a  bow to close it.
The Cricut comes in at making the wings for the chick,
along with the feet and ears for the rabbit.
The chick--cut the banner scallop on p. 69
at 2 1/2".
For the bunny,
I cut the oval on p. 42 at 1" for the feet
and the oval on p. 22 at 1" for the ears.
I just dabbed on some pink
for the center of the ears and for the feet.
You could cut smaller ovals for these as well.
 
My conundrum is...
the bows make them look like
GIRL bunnies...
and I do have boys to give them to.
May have to find an alternative for securing theirs.
 
Again,
MANY THANKS
to Julie for sharing her idea!
It will make 20+ preschoolers very hoppy-er, HAPPY!
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,


Saturday, March 16, 2013

Not too bad...

So...
after carrying the Hello Spring banner
around the house
and sizing up different spaces...
it ended up in the original spot
I had in mind...
it looked a little better there
in the daylight than it did in the dark the night before!
It is not as "washed out" as it appears!

Makes me smile...
hope it also motivates me
to do the housework I need to do this week-end
including the clean up
from this little foray
so I can start on the next crafty thing---
a layout/shadow box frame for
little baby Liam
(a very late new baby gift!)
A round of applause
to my wonderful friend Theresa
who has loaned me
her brand-new unused stamp set
that her consultant (me) forgot to order for herself
so I could do this project.
I will be using the brand-new nautical themed
Close to My Heart papers and embellishments
called TOMMY.
 
Right now...
time for a little more coffee.
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,




Friday, March 15, 2013

Hello Spring!

I finally have something creative to post!
I wanted to create a spring banner
and started on it last week-end
but it was one of those days
when NOTHING went right in the magic kingdom...
so I set it aside
after completing the "base" of it.
Yesterday afternoon & evening
I embellished it...
finished it...
and then discovered that
where I wanted to hang it---
(across the church pew we have in our kitchen
as seating...)
it didn't show up too well.
I didn't realize
quite how large it is...
I may have to put it there anyway.
I used Close to My Heart's new paper
Chantilly
along with CTMH Cricut cartridges
Artiste and Art Philosophy
Some retired CTMH stamp sets...
 




along with some contraband (aka not CTMH product...)
I really like how it came together...
I just should have used maybe three of the banner pieces
and condensed it a little.
Oh well.
I had fun
and it certainly looks spring-y.
You cannot see it in the pics
but I added a little holographic embossing
between the banner pieces so it has some sparkle.
The pom-pom trim is just too fun not to include it.
 
Now...
I need to go clean up my creative mess.
Oh-
and speaking of which---
this is one of those
I never thought of that before
ah-hah moments.
This past week
the copier in my office went down.
After a thorough exam with flashlight,
tweezers, etc. and seeing no tidbits of paper
jammed somewhere it shouldn't be
(as the machine kept telling me there was...)
I called my friendly Xerox repairman.
He came out.
He found no paper stuck, either.
What he did find, however,
was an intsy tinsy piece of
fuzzy dust
not much bigger than a pin head
on a sensor deep inside the machine.
One little speck
created lots of complications.
And I thought of this yesterday
while I was working with both
GLITTER and my CRICUT....
maybe not such a good idea!
I think I will avoid having those two things going
at the same time.
I don't (personally) know any Circuit repairmen
so I will play it safe!
 
Off to do some housework
and then to the hairdresser.
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,