Favorite Projects of 2012

As the year comes to an end it's time to set some goals for 2013.  I've already mentioned how I want to focus a little more on my photography and I want to commit to Project Life.  Both will go hand in hand, I think.

I also reflect on what all I've done in 2012.  I was looking at Jackie Rockwell's BLOG and she posted her favorite cards of 2012.  I thought what a great idea but instead of cards I'll post my favorite projects!

Here are projects from January to June (you can click on each picture if you want to go back to the original post).

JANUARY

I loved this little layout of my little man and artist.

FEBRUARY

No kid cuter to me....and the layout was prefect! :)

 MARCH

Sweetest baby girl in a tutu ever!

APRIL

I loved this card done with coffee filters.

MAY

Party invitations cut out on my Silhouette Cameo!

JUNE

Very proud of this photo I took.  

How fun it was for me to go back and look at some of the things I'd done this past year.  My projects are like my babies, though...it's difficult for me to just choose one!  LOL!!!

Happy Crafting...I'll be back tomorrow with the second half of the year!

Photos with Santa Page 2

I like to do 2 page layouts whenever I can.  I used to obsess about it....the pages HAD to flow.  But I have let that go and now can have a 1 page in bright primary colors next to a layout in muted colors.  I don't love but I get over it.  LOL!  I used to have too many rules and sometimes you just gotta break a rule.

Not in this case though.  I shared my Photo with Santa page yesterday and I did the companion page which matches perfectly of course!  I did use some different papers but they complement and I tied them in with some scraps from the original page.

And once I again I saved my husband money (HAHA!) by using my Cameo to make my embellishments.

I used Michael's Recollections papers.  The "Dear Santa, I've been very good" is a cut from Samantha Walker in the Silhouette store and the little Santa gnome is also from the Silhouette store by Nathan Jenne.  I added some Liquid Applique on the beard and pompom and heated it....such fun stuff to use.  I've had this little tube for years but it still flows and works!

 I added a few googly eyes (well, 2 to be exact!) and was happy with the way this little guy turned out.

And...despite all attempts my grandchildren would not smile for the camera....but at least they didn't scream!

Tomorrow I'm going to Archiver's to scrapbook!  I'm packed and know I'm not taking even 1/3 of what I need.  But that's ok....I'll have a great time nonetheless!

Happy Crafting!

Photo(s) with Santa

As the year ends I am reflecting on what I want to do in 2013.  You can call them resolutions, if you'd like.  One of my resolutions for 2012 was to journal daily.  I made it half the year.  HAHA!  I so admire those who love to keep diaries and journal....I want to be a journaler but I fail miserably each time I try.  I started journals when both of my children were born.  After the story of their births I gave up!  Oh well....
So what am I setting up as goals in 2013?
1. Take more pictures.  I have definitely slacked off taking pictures of my grandangels.  At 3 and nearly 19 months it is just so difficult to get good photos of them because they are always on the move.  I just need to go with it, though, and keep trying. 
2.  Scrapbook more.  I have gotten lax about scrapbooking...I make tons of cards but I want to document a little more what is going on in our lives.  I am going to do Project Life this next year although I will definitely tailor this concept into what works for me.  My goal will be to do a 2 page layout weekly but we shall see.... LOL!
3.  Drink less coffee.  HAHA....not really!  I know I'd fail at that!

Yesterday I ordered some photos from Costco of our visit with Santa and some from Christmas day.  I am cropping on Saturday and hope I can crank out a few pages!

Last night I did this layout of the "professional" photo taken on our visit to Santa:

 I was in Michael's just before Christmas for the deal of the day which were Christmas paper stacks for $7.99. Great deal....these papers are Michael's own brand, Recollections, and I just loved them!

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 The title was cut with my Cameo from a file purchased in the Silhouette Online store.  I offset it slightly to give a bit of shadow.

I will do a companion page when I get those little photos in my hands! 

Do you have any resolutions or goals for 2013?

Happy Crafting!

Hope Your Christmas Was Merry!

We had a wonderful Christmas....hustle, bustle, lots of fun...great food...lots of family...and today I am going to recover!  I am "plumb tuckered out"! Today I will not leave the house and I'm going to go in my craft room and play.  I have decided to participate in Project Life so I want to get some "prep" work done! HAHA!  My friend, the fabulously talented Donna Gibson, was named to Becky Higgins Design Team for Project Life for 2013 and she is going to help keep me motivated.

Just a quick share today of a decorated recycled gift bag.  Someone gave me this plain bag and I cut the mistletoe out with my Silhouette with a free shape from the Silhouette store.

Nothing special here....but it was cuter than the plain gift bag and so easy to do.

We did spend Christmas Eve at my daughter's house and were there when my two grandangels came downstairs to see if Santa had come.  David "gets" the whole Santa thing...Taylor is not quite there yet but next year will, I'm sure!

Here they are coming down the stairs:

David is looking towards the tree to see what is there.  I just love the look on his face!  He had a great day and Taylor did too....in fact, after our meal we found him like this:

Worn out!

Well, I am off to go find another blog template since Christmas 2012 is now a thing of the past.  Time for a change!

Happy Crafting!

Thank You!

And a big Merry Christmas and a thank you to all my blogging friends and followers!
I get so much inspiration from all of you...thank you so much!  

I've hated the thought of putting up all the Christmas stamps and fun papers I have so have been making a few thank you cards with a wintery theme.

Here is a card I made that I think turned out sooo cute....

The snow globe is from the Sihouette store and cut out on my Cameo.  Hero Arts has a lot of designs in the Silhouette Online store and this happens to be one of them.  The little reindeer is a Hero Arts stamps and colored in with Copics and fussy cut.  The paper is My Minds Eye.  I also cut the snow globe out of some shimmery gold paper as you can see.  I used some Ranger inks for the reddish snow globe base and some blue for the snow bank.  And I added the teensiest of gems onto random snow flakes.  The sentiment is also Hero Arts and was punched with an EK Success label punch.
I put a little Rock Candy Stickles on the reindeer.

And once again....wishing you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

Happy Crafting!

Gift Card Holders

Now that my kids are older I find I'm giving more gift cards than actual presents.  Both have their own houses and know what they need.  I don't worry myself with hunting and gathering what they need.  I think that is something they should worry about.  I loved shopping for my kids when they were little....trying to find the perfect Cabbage Patch or the white Power Ranger!  HAHA!  I loved the hunt.  But as I have gotten older this once ok at shopping person avoids it at all costs....unless it's an Archiver's, Michael's, Hobby Lobby or Joann's!  HAHA!

So now I resort to a lot of gift cards!

But a gift card is sort of boring to give unless you "cute" it up a bit by using a cute gift card holder.

I got busy last night making several different types.
The first are some little gift boxes perfectly sized for the gift card.  I am adding a bit of candy to "bulk" it up a bit.  I used a border punch to scallop the edges....

 This is a little pillow box that I had picked up at Archiver's and embellished with some embossing powder.  The stamps and die are Hero Arts.

 This last one is a Silhouette Cut file by Lori Whitlock.  I love the way these cut and turned out.  I used some Recollections paper that I picked up last year when Michael's practically gave them away! :)

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

And Happy Crafting!

Happy Birthday, Cyndi!

Today is a dear friend's birthday....one of my besties...CYNDI!  Or as we are all going to start calling her "Bink" which is what her nearly 2 year old granddaughter calls her.

I love my Bink.  She's the best.

Anyway, I gave her a coupla little scrapbooky things for her birthday and made her this simple but elegant card.

 No whoopdedoo technique here....some simple embossing on white cardstock.  I used Papertrey ink cardstock and ribbon and that was it.

I love the way it turned out....will need to make a few more of these, I think! Simple but very pretty!

Happy Birthday, Bink!

Mr. Penguin Says Thank You!

I made a few Christmas cards but pretty much just sent out a Costco photo card which I'll share in a day or two.  I used to make 50-75 cards but then I realized I really enjoyed getting photo cards especially from people I don't see often.  Once I had grandchildren I thought the photo cards were such much fun to brag with send.

I don't know why I'm telling you about that except to say that I still have some cute Christmas-y or wintery stamps that I wanted to use and decided....well, hey....I can make you some thank you cards!

I brought out this little Winter Penguin set from Papertrey Ink that I picked up last year and thought would be so cute on a simple little card.  I do have the matching dies.  And I find by using my Stampamajig (why did it take me so long to get one of those handy dandy tools?!) it's pretty easy to line things up.

Ditto for the snowflakes!  I made my background with some Distress Ink and used some Frisket film to make my little snow banks.  Nothing better than taking a simple white sheet up paper and making your own background.
Here's a closeup albeit a bit blurry!  Sorry about that!  As you can see I blinged it up by adding gems to the snowflakes and for the penguin's eyes.  The sentiment is also from Papertrey Ink.

Christmas is just around the corner.  My 3 year old grandson is oh-so-ready!

Happy Crafting!

Tumbled Tile Coasters

Not my idea...not my idea!  This idea is all over Pinterest but I was actually introduced to them by my friend, Christine (crafter extraordinaire!) when she made a set of these wonderful tumbled tile coasters for our friend Cyndi whose birthday is coming up soon. (It's ok, she's already given them to her!....I'm not spoiling the surprise! :))

Basically Christine picked up a few of these 4x4 tiles at Home Depot or Lowes and then stamped on them with Stazon inks.  She then sealed each tile and put some little bumper feet on the back so they won't scratch up the furniture.

Here is Christine's version:

I thought....well, cool beans....I CAN DO THAT!  So off to Home Depot I went and found the tiles...the are about $4 for 9 of them and I picked up some felt pads for about $3.

I wiped them off well to get the extra dust off them and then stamped them.  The Stazon dries quickly...and without smearing!  Easy Peasy!

I researched them and found one blog that said if you are using the porous tiles and Stazon ink you do not need to seal.  The tiles were placed in a tub of water and scrubbed and the Stazon "stayed on"! :)

So I chose not to steal those I made.  I think these just make a really cute and inexpensive little gift.  Or maybe I'll keep a set for myself.  You can never have too many coasters, can you???

Here's my version:

I tied 4 together with a little ribbon and viola! Giftie!

I think I'll go make a few more....these could be my new POP TARTS!  (To read how coasters relate to Pop Tarts you can read the story HERE.)

Happy Crafting!

PS The stamps used here were from Close to My Heart.

OMGosh....Amazing!

I know, I know....I am boring when it comes to the Silhouette.  I go on and on about what a wonderful cutter it is and my ramblings get a bit boring.  I am a long time owner of the Cricut....I had the original "Little Bug" and I still own 2 (TWO!) Expressions with a Gypsy and dozens of cartridges.  I love the Cricut....I love the idea behind it but I will now say it outloud....the quality of the Silhouette cutting is superior to the Cricut.  I said it.  That's my opinion and probably not worth much but there it is.
Take this card for example....this is a file designed by the great Samantha Walker. She is an amazing lady who designs all kinds of things including Spellbinder dies, stamps, papers, and files for the Silhouette and other cutters.  Her designs can be so intricate....I was sorta hesitant to buy one thinking...ok it looks great online but will it really cut?!
I did have to put a new blade in my Silhouette but this is what I ended up with...is this amazing or what?  This is the outside of the card which measures 6x6.  Check out those teensy stars and the beautiful flourish!

Look how pretty that lettering is....and that flourish...my, my, my!

And here is the inside of the card:

I hear you saying "Wow!".  I hear it all the way here in Georgia.  In case you forgot to say "wow"...here is a close up photo of the inside:

Amazing, huh?  Told you!

Happy Crafting!

(PS Sentiment is from Hero Arts...Paper is American Crafts.)

Embellished Gift Bags

I just love buying plain white gift bags at Michael's, Hobby Lobby or Joann's and fixing them up a bit.  It often doesn't take much....some pretty paper, a little cut out design, a title...there are just so many things you can do with a plain white gift bag!
I got together with 2 friends today for our little annual get together and lunch...we always exchange little gifties...they give me fabulous things and I always think my bags are better than what's in them! HA!  Some people are great gift givers and some...like me...just don't always get it quite right!  But I am all about presentation and packaging and I thought my decorated gift bags looked really cute.
I found these designs in the Silhouette Store and simply cut them out with just a little adjusting with some Recollections Kraft Christmas paper I had picked up at Michael's last year. 

I added a few punched snow flakes and some bling and a couple of tags and there you have it! Cute!

Happy Crafting!

Annual Get Together

Yesterday afternoon I attended the 5th annual get together of my scrapbooking group.  We have all attended overnight crops together over the years and love a chance to get together talk, laugh, share, play wild games and eat!  We call ourselves the Sharecroppers because we SHARE and we CROP!

My friend, Debbie, hosted it at her house and had it decorated so beautifully....she is just so creative!

 One of the things we do each year is bring a little stocking stuffer/giftie for each person there.  I made cones with my Silhouette and stuffed them with some candy and a Scrap Happy pink pen.  I forgot to take a picture of the final product!  I received a cute card deodorizer, ribbon, a shot glass (yes, this group does enjoy a drink or two!) and more!  Some people hand make things... Cyndi embroidered us a key ring and Nicole crocheted a dish cloth for us.  Sara who just graduated from UGA in with a BFA in jewelry making/art made us each a pair of earrings.  All wonderfully creative.
A few people brought some wonderful snacks! Yum!
And I also received a few hand made ornaments...always crowd pleasers.  This one by Lisa was just so clever....a little angel made out of a paper clip!  How smart and so cute!

I loved this one by Marie, too....she fashioned a tree out of buttons and twine:

And last but not least Christine made this wonderful little glass ornament with a feather in it from my guardian angel!

Aren't they wonderful?

I'm hoping I get one of the group pictures soon so I can show you how cute we all are! :)

Happy Crafting!

Joy

I am just loving my Silhouette more and more and wonder why it took me so long to get one.  Still love the Cricut, too....but I find I get perfect cuts the FIRST time with the Silhouette.  I'm not always so lucky with the Cricut and often had to do recuts especially for small pieces.

Here is an ornament (and card) I cut out on my Silhouette...it just cut like butter on this metallic shiny paper.
No ragged edges....just nice pretty cuts.

 I used My Mind's Eye 12 Days of Christmas papers and a sentiment stamp from Hero Arts.  I also used a teensy bit of tinsel twine that Stampin' Up used to sell years ago.  I loved that stuff and wish they'd bring it back.  This was my last piece of the gold! :(  I had this roll for probably about 7 or 8 years and now it's all gone! I'm sad.

But really....I'm joyous.  No time to be sad, right?  And this card and cut made me happy.

Now to work on my photo Christmas card!

Happy Crafting!

Treat Cones

I have a group of friends that get together for cropping, general paper crafting, digital crafting, etc. a couple of times a year.  We call ourselves the Sharecroppers because there is always someone saying, "Hey, does anyone have a fill in the blank?" and a hand will shoot up with the item!  We crop and we share and we generally have an all around good time.

We try to get together near the holidays for a little afternoon of food and games....and lots of laughter!  We all bring little treats for each other.  Our group has grown to nearly 20 people! 

I made these little treat boxes from a free file at SVG Cuts (available on the blog) which I cut out with my Silhouette Cameo.  I know I could have embellished them more but I had to make 17 of the and time is a premium.  I'm not telling what I'm putting in them as my little gifties as some of the ladies from the group check out my blog occasionally.  But it is cute and I think they will like it!  Add a little chocolate and it will be a winner, I'm sure!

 I added a little tag from the office supply store which I stamped with a teeny tiny tree from Hero Arts.  The snowflakes were punched with a Fiskars punch.

And that is it for today, my friends!

Happy Crafting!

Peace

The holidays can be decidedly stressful for some.  We set our expectations way too high for ourselves and if we fall short or think we are falling short we let the stress get to us.  I probably used to be that way when I tried to make the perfect Christmas for my kids! LOL!  But now both are grown and have their own homes and I no longer feel stressed.  I have passed it on as a good mother should do!  My son does not feel stress yet over the holidays....well, he saves his for Christmas Eve when he finally goes shopping! HAHA!

My daughter put up 5 trees this year....3 full sized trees including a big 9+ one that is gorgeous and then two smaller trees for her children's rooms.  Her house is so pretty and festive!  But I think she actually does well handling the stress and it probably helps that she is a stay at home mom and has a bit more time in the house than I did when my own children were small.

Anyway...peace.  The holiday season should be a time of peace where we can look around and really take the time to enjoy the beauty around us.  I love Christmas lights and decorations....I think all the pretty lights and display helps to make a drab season beautiful.

So here's my card for today...Peace....with a cute little deer frolicking through the snow. 

 

The stamp set I used is by Hero Arts and was one I picked up recently at Michael's with a buy one get one deal.  Love that.  Saving money makes me peaceful! :)  I used BoBunny papers and pieced the little deer and tree.  Used some enamel accents on the deer's nose, eyes, and sweater. I hand cut the snow.  I embossed the sentiment with some silver embossing powder.  

 I stamped the tree twice and cut it out....the first layer is flat against the card and the second layer was adhered just down the trunk and then curled up a bit.  I love the way that turned out!  Peace.....

Happy Crafting!

 

Too Cute Not to Share!

My cute little grandson, David, got invited to a birthday party by a little friend.  Her mom made these oh-so-cute invitations!!!  I thought they were sooooo cute!  And Rapunzel actually even came to the party and did balloon animals for all the children.  When it was time for her to leave David asked her if she was going back to her castle.  He's just such a wise 3 year old!

Anyway, here is the invitation....I blurred out the personal information so that no one would go stalk this house! :)

Isn't it the cutest???

I don't know if she used a Cricut or a Silhouette or what....but I just love the craftiness of this!

Happy Crafting!