Easel Guest Book Sign

Last year I added guest books signs as my gift in with most all of my guest book order from my Etsy shop. The year before, I included a sample thank you card. This year... well that is a surprise.

I've been browsing Pintrest in between working on my latest book project and trying to find some new ideas for using up my scrap papers and adding new products to the shop that you all may like.

If you'd like to see new things in the shop, please feel free to post below in the comments section or over on my facebook page. I love hearing from you all, and I love creating new things.

We've been on the double hearts theme this week with the feature of the double hearts and double bound guest book I posted about earlier and then the card I created to match it.

Here is the guest book sign that I made using a tutorial from Split Coast Stampers for creating an easel card.  I'm working on creating some different designs of theses and adding them to the shop this month.

They're definately a step up from the card style ones I created last year and I like how they stand and allow for more of a 3-D look when setting on a table.

Plus, I can customize them to match any event theme and colors.

Well, I'm off to create!
Have an awesome Friday!




 

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. 

Double Heart Wedding Guest Book

 I design a book like this a few years ago, you can see the design layout here.

This is custom order that I just loved creating this book. It really inspired me to get my creativity kicked back in gear again. I got some new papers designs from Jo Ann's over the holidays and was excited to pull out this dark purple and gray/ black paper design and create something so beautiful for this double hearts themed wedding.

I even took the scrap papers and created this card for the mother to put on her present to her daughter at the bridal shower and included a new tent style guest book sign to tie in with the brides' colors.

 

This is what it looks like laying out with the date and the couples names printed on the hearts. 

 

I stood it up so you could see it a little better, I'm sorry my photos are really great this time around. I'm working on getting my photo box set back up and my camera readjusted for cleaner shots. 

 This is a wire bound book, so I tied gray, purple, and black ribbon down the sides.

 This is what it looks like laying open for the guest to sign. One side is for the groom's side and one is for the bride's side, but it contains questions for the guest to answer on the pages like: I met Katie through James, I still laugh when I remember when Katie..., My best memory of James is...

Can you guess some of the other questions that went into this book?

Create A Craft Binder or Planner for this year

If your like me, you either create your own patterns and keep lists of ideas or you find lots of free printable tutorials and other goodies on line and don't know what to do with them all.

My craft studio is getting a little cluttered with all my craft supplies, notes, and sketches for patterns and printed tutorials. So, I grabbed a 2" view binder from Wal-Mart yesterday and decided to try and get everything organized this year.

I do this when I'm writing books, so why not for crafts, too. The view binders range from about $3 to $5 depending on the size and color. The black ones are cheaper than the white, go figure.

However, I encourage you to do the same.
As the year goes on, and you've probably already noticed, I'll be sharing recipes and tutorials that you can print out. So why not create your own binder to keep them all in?

 For the cover, I cut a piece of 9 1/2 x 11 1/4 inch scrapbook paper, 7 1/2 x 9 1/2  inch card stock, and layered them.

For the center, I printed out what I wanted my book cover to say "MrsChadT's Book of Crafts" on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of copy paper. I then trimmed it down to 6 1/4 x 8 1/4 inches.

I used an EK Success border punch and punched around the edges of the card stock before I layered it all together using a glue stick to keep them all adhered.  Then I added some die cut flowers I had and secured them with a few brads.

Can you tell purple is my favorite color?

I also used 8.5 x 11 piece of card stock for the dividers and a 2" scallop punch. You can score the scallops and fold them in half then staple to the card stock for tabs.

Then you can write on the tabs or decorate and print the section titles on the card stock before you put them into your binder.

I have a section for many of the crafts I enjoy such as: Book Binding, Paper Tutorials, Crochet, Plastic Canvas, and Sewing Projects.

This is also a great idea for creating your own Wedding Planner, Shower Planner, Daily Planner, or other type of party planner organizer.

Looking forward to being a little more organized here in 2014, how about you?

Superbowl Appetizers Pizza Rolls.

If your hubby is like mine or you've got friends coming over to watch the super bowl this month, then everyone will love these pepperoni Roll appetizers. They'll grab them by the hand full and snack away as they watch the game!

Pepperoni Rolls

What you will need:

8 oz block Colby-Jack cheese
3 cans buttermilk biscuits
4 oz pkg pepperoni slices
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tbsp garlic powder
24 oz jar pasta sauce

 Let's make it:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cut block of cheese into 30 mini squares. Flatten biscuits and stack each with 1 pepperoni slice, 1 cube of cheese, and then 1  more pepperoni slice. Gather the edges of each biscuit to form a roll. Place on a greased baking sheet. Brush each roll with egg; sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Bake as per biscuit directions.

Heat pasta sauce in a sauce pan until thoroughly warmed and serve alongside for dipping.

**The original directions said to bake them for 18-20 min and they got a little too brown, if you bake them per the biscuit directions they come out just perfect! **

Print recipe here






recipe compliments of emeals.com

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... :)

The Best of 2013

Happy New Year!

2013 has been a year of learning new things for the Lower family. 

 We learned new hair styles for the girls. 

Designed and made our own hair barrettes. 

Made our own Valentines using Bell's Violin, a paper heart, and Moxley (Bell's pet lizard) as our props.

 Boy and I attempted to make our own version of lego cookies for his class on his birthday. 

Taught Boy to crochet dish cloths.

Celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary

Had fun doing a DIY Journaling workshop with a great bunch of ladies

 Spent time with family and splashed in a relative's pool

Bell went to art camp and helped paint this mural in the front of local church.

Dug for fossils 

Learned how to make jelly.

And... we made snow angels. 

2014 Here we come!!