De-stashing the Paper and Stamps Closet

When my son told me I had enough paper and stamp supplies to start my own craft store, he wasn't kidding.

Last week, I opened the closet and realized there isn't an inch of room to store new supplies. Even as I cleaned it out and tried to re-organize my space, I knew I had it my maximum limit of paper, stamps, fabrics, and threads.

So... it's time for me to let some of it go.

I'm the one who wants to save everything because one day I may need it again, but not today.  So as I sit and sort and decide what to keep and what to let go, I remind myself that every once in a while we all need to clean our closets. Get rid of the old and look forward to the new.

I'm looking forward to the new and I hope you are, too.

They say someone else's loss in another's gain.

I've listed many of my older CTMH stamps on ebay along with paper packs and soon will be adding some fabric fat quarters to the listings and odd and end craft items like punches, beads, and the like.

I've also got a stack of supplies, including some of my scrap papers, I'm planning to donate to a local pre-school to add to the kids art supplies.

If you're looking for a particular stamp set or paper, let me know I'll check my stash.

In the meantime please feel free to check out my ebay listings here:

CTMH YOU ROCK Stamp Set $9.99

CTMH Stamp Set ROXIE $8.99

coordinates with ROXIE WORKSHOP ON THE GO

CTMH Stamp Set CHERISH THE DAY

AND MANY MORE>>>>> HERE

Don't Forget to Feed the Reindeer.

Do your kids believe in Santa?

While we bake a cake each year on Christmas... a birthday cake for Christ's birth, we also enjoy the fun of Santa in our home.

While our older children have developed doubts of Santa's existance, our youngest fully is in belief.

And so it wouldn't be fair to leave cookies out for Santa, if we don't also feed the reindeer.

Bug made up these treat pouches, they're 100% edible so they're safe for animals and children.

The ideas for these came from the 12 days of Christmas over at ChicnScratch, you can find the video tutorial here on how to make them.

I used, green and red sprinkles along with clear sugar sprinkles in with the oatmeal mix.

As a special treat, whenever you make any purchase from my Etsy shop this month, you'll receive a packet of reindeer food as my gift.

I'm off to bake some Christmas cookies, how about you? Are you baking up something good today? 

Warm Wishes this Christmas Season

 It's Christmas!
Almost...
Where did the time go?

After many months of helping out on the family farm, it's time to get back into gear!

It's been so cold out lately and hot chocolate has been in high demand after school at our house.

The kids walk a few blocks between bus stops and schools, so they need something warm to help get them going when they open those books for homework.

I got to thinking how nice it would be to share that warmth and so I've been creating these cozy little hot chocolate pocket cards. They almost remind me of a book, just tied such with something yummy inside.

If you want the recipe for making these hot cocoa cards, let me know. I'll be happy to share.

I just made up a new batch of them in a variety of patterns that you can check out in the shop as well. You can't go wrong with chocolate, right? 

I'm thinking this year, the kids teacher, bus driver, and the mail man will all love this Christmas treat, what do you think?



I'm off to work on my Christmas story for the local paper today, if you haven't already, sign up for my newsletter over at my author site and download my story Emma's Dilemma free or now available on kindle through Amazon.

Here's to staying warm!

Valentine's Day Hershey Kiss Favor

Burr.. it's been so cold I haven't wanted to leave the house! I'm so glad to see it has warmed up these past few days despite the snow. I guess it's all apart of living in Pennsylvania. I can't honestly remember it being this cold, although I'm sure it was and as a kid it didn't bother me as much. 

I just finished up a writing project and decided I'd better high-tail-it to start on some Valentine's for the kiddos. I got this idea from a YouTube video that you can see below. 

Our church is getting ready to host their 2nd annual Valentine's dinner next week, and it made me think how these would make a great favor for the dinner and even for a wedding. 

They have four Hershey kisses inside and are tied together with ribbon. 

I've had so much fun making them. I'll probably put a few kits in my Etsy shop, but I've also created some downloadable instructions here to create them. 


Stay Warm! 


 

Valentine Card from Scraps

The kiddos wanted to make cards over the weekend so we pulled out a lot of Mom's pink, red, and white scraps from the scrap bin.

The inside is blank, still thinking of what to write inside it.

Any ideas?

Double Hearts Wedding Card

 

I'm determined this year to get my scrap pile of papers down to one basket or less. As you saw the double heart wedding guest book from Monday's post, I thought I'd share how I made this double heart wedding card. 

It's so sweet you can change the color scheme and create if for Valentine's day, too!

What you'll need to create this card:

Artphilosphy Cricut Cartridge (CTMH)

Celebration Stamp Set from CTMH)

Then you'll need three layers of card stock

a piece of 1/2 ribbon

border punch - EK Success

The card is 5.5 x 8.5 piece of gray flannel card stock

The first layer (purple and gray) is 3 3/4 x 3 inches

1.5 x 3" black piece of card stock

3 x 4 inch piece of white or white designer paper (I used a piece from a black and white scrap pack I got from Oriental trading)

Foam Dimensional

You'll also need a few scrap pieces of gray wool, gray flannel, and moonstruck (dk purple or your choice of color)

I cut out three hearts: 2 1/2  inches, 1 3/4 inches, and 1 inch 

I used the celebrations stamp and black ink and stamped the banner stamp and "Celebrate" onto a piece of gray flannel card stock then cut out around it. 

You'll want to score your 5.5 x 8.5" piece of gray flannel card stock in half (4 1/4) and fold to make the card. 

Layer the 3 3/4 x 3 inch piece on the far side first. 

Then take your black 1.5 x 3 piece of card stock and punch using a border punch. 

Attach it to the 4" side of your 3 x 4 white design card stock

wrap a piece of 1/2 inch ribbon around it by the border end and secure in the back with adhesive

Next you'll want to position and attach the 3 x 4 piece on the card. 

Place your largest heart down first. Then your smaller two hearts. I used foam dimensionals on the back of the two smaller hearts to make them stand out. 

Then add your Celebrate banner!

All done!

If you make one, I'd love to see your creation! 

Come share with me on Facebook. 

Martini Gift Set

  
 I picked up this martini glass at my local dollar tree and a pack of these martini samplers while I was out grocery shopping. You have to add the alcohol to them, so the grocery store carries them.

My sister-in-law just celebrated her birthday near Christmas. She loves...loves... the color pink. So I put together this cute little martini gift purse for her.

 I used some pink paper out of the passion pack from DCWV 8.5" x 11" paper packs and some floral paper out of a stack pack also by DCWV.

I used a pink pearl brad for the bottom part of the closure and a piece of string to keep the top closed.

I'm quite happy with the way it turned out. If anyone wants the tutorial on how I made it, please let me know and I'll see if I can recreate it. I wrote down the dimensions of the paper as I cut, scored, and folded it together. Now, I just got to find that paper... :)

Twelve Days of Christmas: Project #9 Christmas Tree Card

Today we celebrate the 9th day of Christmas with this Christmas Tree Card project. 

Oh, Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree..... I've been humming this song ever since I made this card.

I've got all the fixings ready for this project. I cut everything, again, from my Art Philophsopy Cricut Cartridge from CTMH.

The card is cut at 5.5" - I used parchment card stock, I like the vintage look of it, but you can also use light tan colored card stock. You'll want to use the "card" setting on your cartridge

The decorative layer is cut at 4"  I used a designer green from a large 180 DCWV 12" x 12" pack.

The oval layer is cut at 3.5" it's a sienna colored card stock from DCWV textured card stock 12 x 12 pack.

You'll need a piece of Navy ribbon and a brad (either silver or bronze works best.)

Assembly:

Attach your decorative layer on to a solid piece of 4" x 5.5 card stock. (I used olive and a brighter green for the decorative layer to make it "pop"). Then attack to the back front of card so the decorative side shows through the cut outs. 

Next, place your ribbon about 1/4" from the bottom of the card.

Take a piece of hemp or ivory embordery thread and tie around the left end of the oval cut out.

Attach Oval cut out around the trees, positing it best to the center.

Insert Brad about 1/2 inch from the end off the right side of the ribbon band.
Tie a piece of tread around the ribbon by the brad.

Take a 3/4" x 3" piece of white card stock and stamp with a warm greeting. Cut the end to make it appear like a banner and attach to card over the ribbon and oval cut out.

A warm and festive card for the season!

The tree is up, the packages wrapped and tagged, and the stockings hung. What's next for you in preparing for Christmas? 
 

Twelve Days of Christmas: Project #8 DIY Santa Gift Tags

 It's almost that time, you know, when you realize you've gotten all your shopping done, but now you have to wrap it all!

Today's Twelve Days of Christmas Project is a simple one.  It's time for some DIY Christmas tags.

 I picked up some pretty blue rhinestones, silver mini ink pad, and these glitter cloth stickers from the craft bins at Jo Ann's last month. I used a snowflake stamp from my Winter Holiday Stamp Set from CTMH for the snowflake tags above.

 To make your own Christmas tags, you'll need to cut pieces of card stock 2" x 4", clip the corners off the top, and punch a hole in the center.

I had a ton of gray and red card stock strips laying in my craft room from some recent book projects. So I cut them up and Bug and I made tags. The star designed stamped on these blue Christmas star tags came from a Halloween mini stamp set I picked up, also, at Jo Ann's.

 I added some of the cloth glitter stickers and voila! Beautiful tags for Christmas packages or other occasions. And, in the photo below, I took the red and Bug stamped Santa on these tags. I was so thrilled to see how they came out, but disappointed Bug not only knew about them, but helped create them, now Santa can't put them on the Lower children's presents.

Don't you think these would make cute Christmas gift tags for Santa packages?

This Santa stamp came from a Christmas gnome stamp set I got from oriental trading last year.  

What are you wishing for Santa to bring you this year?

Tweleve Days of Christmas: Project #7 Christmas Coupon Books

A couple of years ago, a friend game me a coupon book for Christmas. I loved it! Inside were coupons for babysitting, lunch, a chi tea from Dunkin Donuts, and several other great gifts of services. 

It reminded me that, sometimes, we don't always need to give a monetary gift, that service is a gift, too!

Bug helped me put together these cute little coupon books. The inside coupons are a pdf provided from Split Coast Stampers. You can download them here  and see the instructions to make your own coupon book.

I put twelve coupons in each of my coupon books. If you're not crafty and would like to have some coupon books (they make a great stocking stuffer) you can find them in my etsy shop. I used some K&C Christmas paper I purchased from Wal-Mart.

Can you think of twelve things you would write on your coupons to give someone else?

Leave a comment here or jump over on my Facebook page today and share. You never know, I may pick your comment randomly for a free coupon book!

Twelve Days of Christmas: Project #2 continued - Packaged Biscotti

 Yesterday, I shared how Jen, Trash To Treasure Diva, and I did a little baking for holiday gifts. Today, I wanted to share with you the finished result. You saw the yummy Biscotti we baked, now it's time to pull out some card stock and plastic candy bags and do some packaging.

These green and silver pieces came from a DCWV mini stack. The pages measured 4.5" x 6.5" so we cut them in half and folded them to create the flaps of the packages.

Jen, has much better handwriting then I do, so I offered to do the bag filling if she did the writing. We make a great creative team when we work together. All that Biscotti, and right now it's on top of my fridge away from temptation, else it may  not make it to the teachers, clients, and co-workers it was intended for!

Now that is a lot of biscotti! We made up small boxes for the kids' teachers and brown sacks filled with biscotti for family members.


These most definately are the right size for stocking stuffers or just making someone's day this holiday season.


Don't go away, Tomorrow we're heading into the third day of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and I think you'll find what we're brewing up to be just as delicious as this yummy bicotti.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Twelve Days of Christmas Project #2: Biscotti Baking

 Over the Thanksgiving break, my friend the Trailer Trash Diva and I got together and made these awesome little Biscotti packages for Christmas gifts.  She's not only creative when it comes to re-design, but in the kitchen, too.

 A couple scoops of this, a little of that, some chopped nuts, dark chocolate chips, and we were well on our way to creating our Biscotti.

Don't these just look so yummy? We also made a batch of peppermint, those were my favorite. If you love to bake, then this is one of those treasured gifts you can share this holiday season.

For now, we'll let these cool. Stop in tomorrow and see how we packaged them up and got them ready to hand out as Christmas gifts.

Gosh, that Peppermint smells good.

You know it's December with the peppermint feels the air.






 

New Food Label Place Card Designs

 Birds Nest in Burgandy or Baby Blue

 White Castles

 

Tea Cup

These tented cards are perfect for food labels or place cards at bridal showers, weddings, baby showers, birthdays, or formal events. 

They're 2.5" x 4"

I've got several other designs that I'm working on in the studio. 

Got to love criciut machines, right?

Halloween Skull Party Package

A friend of mine gave me a great idea of adding party packages to just my regular guest book in my shop.  Since Halloween is shortly here, I decided to get creative with my artphilosphy cartridge, wall decor cartridge, some halloween scrapbook paper and green glitter.

And, I am working on creating an guest book album to match the set.

 Right now, the standard package includes 4 Table Number cards, 

5 food label cards, and 32 place cards.

 The food label cards are about 2.5" x 4" with the pop up skull. 

And, I can personalize them for an additional charge.

 The table numbers are tent cards. 

I used green glitter on the white numbers to give them some "pop".

 These place cards are 1.5" x 3.5". The papers came from a holiday stack that DCWV sold two seasons ago (yeah I know I horde paper).

What do you think? I can change up the colors and do a reverse of the purple and green. Are you planning a spook-tac-ular Halloween party this year?

Winter Clearance Sale

I'm making some changes in the shop as of the new year. I'll be changing some sections and retiring some of the older designs.

So....

This weekend only....

30% off all pre-made books and gift items!

be sure to use code:  13JAN30

Sale ends on Monday

Have a super weekend all. 

Vintage Grey and White Baby Book

This past weekend I treated myself to some creative time. If you saw Friday's post on the gray and white vintage then you know I've had ideas spinning in my brain that I needed to work on.

I had started these book covers a while ago and with the yellow on the frame against the gray and white from Friday's post I came up with this baby album.

But I didn't think this is what my customer wanted, so it's now available in my etsy shop.

So I went to work again, and thinking of vintage and lace and the classic look of gray and white, I put together this:

Mr Chad says it looks more like a wedding book than a vintage baby shower. He may be right. What do you think?

I added these blank "baby" stamped pages inside.

Should I go back to the drawing board? I'd love to hear your ideas.


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