Mom's Treat

Look at what my mother did! As the school year comes to a close (woohoo! only 4 more days), I want to give all of my students who have a summer birthday a little birthday treat. Well, that added up to over 30 students. And what with trying to finish grading some major projects, packing up my classroom, graduation gifts, and stress, stress, stress, I just didn't see how I was going to get them all done! That's where my mother comes in. She volunteered to make a few for me, but she ended up doing almost 30! And they are soooo cute!

The treat bags are filled with animal cookies. She used a variety of mediums to color her animal images including copics and watercolor. Some of the images are from stamp sets and some are from digital stamps. Didn't she do a fabulous job of coloring and pairing papers!!!! I wish you could see them all together in real life. Be sure to click on each of the pictures to see a larger image of each. The pictures only show some of them. I can't wait to give these to my lucky kiddos!

Yummy in a Can

I needed one of my birthday cakes in a can to give to a male colleague. I kind of needed it in a hurry, and I wanted to keep it simple since I didn't think this particular coach would get really excited about getting a cake with a bunch of bling and flowers all over it. So I just pulled back my urge to "decorate" and found some soft green paper and a simple sentiment stamp, a few coordinating buttons with twine, and then baked the cake. So simple!

It's hard sometimes to not go all out, but sometimes less is more. I really liked how this turned out in spite of not using every tool in my arsenal. Plus, it is more cost effective.

Project Recipe

Paper: CTMH That's Amore, PTI Rustic White, My Mind's Eye PP

Stamps: SU Yummy

Accessories: Spellbinders Nestabilities die, cuttlebug, buttons, PTI twine

Black and White Elegance

Okay, okay! My mother is on the verge of sending me hate mail. She's quite irritated that I haven't posted in a while. It started with just taking the weekend off, but it's turned into a whole week off. But I did something this weekend that I haven't done in FOREVER--I read, virtually non-stop. Loved it! But I think it caused a temporary loss of crafting mojo, so I'm on a quest to find my mojo again. Hope this helps.

Hey, you've got to go visit Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. She's added these card kits to her inventory and they are so easy to use. You just print, cut (yuk) and adhere. Now, I couldn't resist adding a few embellishments here and there, but I did absolutely no stamping (not true--I digistamped the cupcake). Actually, I made three cards with just one kit printed on one sheet of SU white cardstock. And even though I hate to cut out intricate items by hand, I was able to do so with relative ease and speed. I played the "frugal crafter" today, by only using this one kit and digging into a few leftovers /scraps I had lying around. I even used my Cricut for a few seconds which I haven't done in quite some time, but even then, I kept it to a minimum. I wanted to show you how easy and fast it is to put together some fabulous cards with one of these kits. Gosh, I even had a few leftovers for another time!

Here's a few things you really need to know: (1) Lindsay is still having a sale--spend $5 and get a free digi stamp of your choice. This sale only lasts through the end of May, so hurry! (2) Lindsay has two other kits to choose from besides the one I used which is called Elegant Black and White. All are designed to provide you with the materials for at least three quick cards per printing. (3) For a limited time, she has a card kit freebie and a free digital stamp on her blog that is perfect for end-of-the-year teacher gifts (by the way, we teachers really do love those!) or beginning of the year assignment composition notebook gifts for your kids.

Okay, I think I've figured out where my mojo went. It has traveled through time to the future to June 4, 2009, the last day of our school year. I think it is taunting me, saying "Catch me if you can!" Slippery little devil!

Project Supplies

Paper: SU Whisper White CS, SU Black CS, PTI Hibiscus CS

Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Elegant Black and White Card Kit, Cupcake with Sprinkles

Accessories: White sheer ribbon (source unknown), purple ribbon (Ellen Hutson), foam butterflies (Walmart), Ranger stickles, cricut and storybook cartridge, copics

Way to Go, Lady

I've got a high school graduation gift I'm busy putting together. I don't have it all in place yet, but I'm using these gorgeous raspberry fizz papers from PapertreyInk. So, thought I'd take a minute and get the gift card all ready to go. I've been itching to use this Doodle Ladybug from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. I opted not to go with the traditional red and black ladybug and instead decided to incorporate her into my raspberrylicious color scheme. I just pasted this digital stamp into a word document, sized it, printed it out, and colored it in with a couple of coordinating copic markers. Super easy! If you haven't tried digital stamps yet, go see Lindsay's growing collection and grab you some. She's running a special this whole month: spend $5 and get a free digital image of your choice. Five dollars goes a long way in the digital stamp department!

This card started out as part of the SCS sketch challenge, but then I ended up reading a tutorial on the My Favorite Things Forum about ribbon pleating, and I just HAD to try that, too. Besides it gave me a chance to use my second most favorite toy--my Janome Sew Mini (you know my copic airbrush kit is my fave right now!)

Project Recipe

Paper: SU Black CS, GinaK White Pure Luxury CS, PTI Raspberry Fizz CS, PTI Raspberry Fizz Mix PP

Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Doodle Ladybug digital stamp

Ribbon: PTI Raspberry Fizz grosgrain

Accessories: Janome sewing machine, copic markers, button (source unknown), white flower (hobby lobby)

The Color Purple

Is everyone on a purple kick these days? I've been doing way more purple projects than is normal for me. This project, though, is inspired by two challenges: Lauren Meader's Timeless Template Challenge and the DareU2DigiStamp challenge of the week. Both challenges required the use of purple. Lauren's challenge specifically called for a gift using one of her Timeless Templates, purple, and butterflies. I chose to work with the For Keepsake template to make a cupcake holder for one of my coworkers who had a birthday today.

The DareU2DigiStamp challenge involved using a digital stamp, which I used on the card, and lilac and lemon. I used a free digital image from My Grafico called Vases and Flowers. I colored it in with my copics and added it to the front of the gift card. Badda Bing--two challenges in one!

And, yes, I did use my copic airbrush kit! I wanted flowers for my box that matched my SU Almost Amethyst cardstock, so I took some inexpensive white flowers I got from Walmart and Hobby Lobby and "painted" them the right color. For my next trick...I think I'll try airbrushing on acetate, hmmm!

Project Recipe

Paper: SU Almost Amethyst CS, SU So Saffron CS, SU Tea Party DSP, GinaK White Pure Luxury CS, PTI clear acetate

Stamps: My Grafico Vases and Flowers Digital Stamp, CTMH Playful Flourishes

Accessories: PTI For Keepsake Timeless Template, copic markers, compressor and airbrush kit, flowers, MS butterfly punch, SU Beautiful Butterflies Sizzix Die, Cuttlebug, CB script embossing folder, piercer, MM buttons, twine, SU eyelet border punch, Ranger stickles

Forest Treats for the Kids

As the school year races to a close, I needed to get a lot of these little treat bags finished up. Several of my students have birthdays this month, but I'm also trying to get the summer birthdays their treats before the last day of school. I went into overdrive with my SU Forest Friends set. I wanted to see if I could design several of these using the same basic images and have half of them for the boys and the other half with a more feminine feel for the girls. The basic difference between the two sets is the paper I used. For the boys I used the darker, richer SU Always Artichoke CS, stamped the images on PTI Kraft CS, and pulled out some green prints from Basic Grey's Boxer set. For the girls I used the softer SU Mellow Moss CS, stamped the images on PTI Vintage Cream CS, and pulled out a lighter print from BG Boxer set.
Of course, the embellishments make a difference, too. Did you happen to notice the brown buttons in the top picture? Hey, I didn't have any brown buttons, but I did have some off white buttons, a brown copic marker, and my airbrush kit!! In a few seconds, I had brown buttons....like magic! Wonder what I'll work my "magic" on next! Stay tuned...

Daffodils in Springtime

I LOOOOOOOOVE my air compressor and copic airbrush kit!!! Okay, this is just a first attempt besides some testing and playing around. I know I need to practice more, but I think this is really going to be fun. It certainly was easy. I printed out my digital image from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff and then colored it in with my copics. Then, I cut out the oval with my cuttlebug and an oval nestabilities die. I applied a mask over my image and with the nestability die still on the cardstock, I airbrushed the background with two different blue copic markers. Leaving the die on the cardstock created the crisp edge to the oval.

And don't ya love the pretty daffodil??? Now is a great time to grab this image for yourself. Lindsay's got a special going on during the whole month of May--spend $5 in her store and you get a FREE digital image of your choice! Visit her store for details and a look at all the zippy images.

Project Recipe

Paper: SU Delicate Dots PP, SU Bashful Blue CS, PTI Kraft CS, GinaK Ivory Pure Luxury CS

Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Daffodil 2 digital stamp

Ribbon: PTI Spring rain gingham ribbon

Accessories: copics, airbrush kit with compressor, Spellbinders Classic Ovals Nestabilities die, cuttlebug, cuttlebug embossing folder, yellow button

Duo Challenge

I really love combining challenges. I took Lauren's Inspiration challenge and combined it with the Copic Creations challenge. Both challenges steered me to purple! Those of you that have followed my blog at all know I make something called "a cake in a can" for all my colleagues on their birthdays. Well, May is chock full of birthdays, so you'll be seeing a lot of these and I won't have a lot of time left for other types of creations. If you're sick of seeing these, check back in June. I should be through with school by then and ready to move on to other projects.

The paper I used on this can is part of the Scenic Route Sonoma paper. The flowers and colors reminded me of Lauren's Inspiration piece. I also used punches to create the layered paper flower. The image is a digital stamp and it was a free set from My Grafico. The Copic Creations Challenge was to use purple flowers or lilacs.

Okay, now for some BIG news, at least big for me. For Mother's Day, my wonderful hubby and my three sons bought me a small air compressor to use with my Copics for airbrushing!!! I've got the adaptor kit coming from Ellen Hutson's and in a few days I will either be on cloud nine or in frustration hell! Stay tuned to see how this all turns out!

Project Recipe

Paper: Scenic Route Sonoma PP, SU Elegant Eggplant CS, PTI Vintage Cream and Ripe Avocado CS (for paper flower)

Stamps: My Grafico Vases and Flowers Digital Stamp

Ribbon: PTI Ripe Avocado twill

Accessories: copics, Gold Atyou Spica marker, SU 5-Petal Flower Punch, SU Slot punch, MS hydrangea punch, liquid pearls, Spellbinders Oval Nestabilities

Doodled Daisy

I've been dying to use this Sonoma paper by Scenic Route. I love the rich colors of this paper and Lindsay's Stamp Stuff has this great new digital stamp that coordinates so well. Lindsay has eight new images just released. If you haven't checked them out yet, then be sure to stop over there. They're incredibly fun to color.

I used the sketch challenge over at Splitcoast for the card layout. I used this designer eyelet by We R Memory Keepers in place of the oval-shaped sentiment. Then, of course, I just had to add some stickles to the center of the flower.

Project Recipe

Paper: PTI Vintage Cream CS, Pure Poppy CS, Ripe Avocado CS, Scenic Route Sonoma PP

Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Doodled Daisy digital image

Accessories: Ranger Stickles black diamonds, Fiskars Apron Lace border punch, WeRMemoryKeepers silver lining designer eyelet, copic markers

Froggy Prince

I had so much fun with this little digital image from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. It's part of the Pretty Princess collection. And, yes, there's a princess, a castle, and a banner that accompany this royal amphibian. I added the sentiment before I printed out the image and then it was just a few minutes of coloring with copics and this little baby was ready to go!

This card is for the DareU2DigiStamp sketch challenge this week. I dusted off my Cricut to cut out the odd-shaped circles for the lily pads (yes, I had to use a machine to cut out misshapen circles! Sad, I know!). I have no confidence in my ability to draw or cut freehand. Although, I did manage to snip out a little pie shape from the circles without undo trauma. Then, I just punched out the little flowers and "cupped" them for dimension. The smaller lily pad is popped up with dimensionals.
Project Recipe

Paper: SU Baja Breeze CS, SU Certainly Celery CS, SU Green Tea PP, GinaK White Pure Luxury CS

Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Pretty Princess Collection

Ribbon: SU Baja Breeze Striped Grosgrain

Accessories: Cricut, DoodleCharms cartridge, cuttlebug, Spellbinders nestabilites scalloped rectangle, craft bunch floral punch, copics

Spring Fling Inspiration in a Can

My neighbor said the temperature reached 100 degrees today, so I think we may have skipped right over spring down here and gone straight to summer. But Papertrey Ink is sponsoring a Spring Fling Inspiration Challenge and the design team have all found an inspiration piece that reminds them of milder temperatures and the colors of spring. See the details here.

I grabbed my inspiration from Lauren Meader's Tea Party magazine spread. I loved the yummy colors in the picture and borrowed a couple of design elements from Lauren's projects. I baked one of my cakes in a can (see previous post) for a fellow staff member who has a birthday tomorrow, decorated the can, stuck the cake in it, and "planted" a flower.

Lauren used PTI's new Guidelines Cardstock to create some patterned paper. I've been looking for an excuse to try this technique out, so I pulled out my heart prints smaller hearts to create my "blossoms". Then, Lauren and her daughter created a fan flower as part of their project, so I decided instead of sticking a candle in my cake, I would "plant" a flower. I colored the top half of a bamboo skewer with my green copic marker (don't know if these are non-toxic, so I just colored the part that wouldn't touch cake), cut out two flowers with Spellbinders nestabilities scalloped circle die, and nestled the stem in between the two flowers. Zippy, right!

Project Recipe

Paper: PTI Lemon Tart CS, Guidelines I Gridsheet, Bitty Dots Basics in Raspberry Fizz PP
Stamps: PTI Heart Prints, Birthday Basics

Ribbon: PTI Raspberry Fizz Satin Dots

Accessories: Spellbinders Nestabilities Scalloped Circle and Classic Circle, Cuttlebug, yellow buttons(unknown)

MyTimess 32--Sketch Challenge

I'm on a cupcake kick, so bear with me! Lauren Meader has a sketch challenge this week and she has issued a bonus challenge of making it a birthday card in honor of her birthday this weekend. Check out the details here.

My son's girlfriend has a birthday Tuesday, so I thought I'd whip her up a cupcake to take to her (okay, so she can't eat this one, but she'll want to, right!). In my last post I used a digital cupcake from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. That one had a cherry on top, this one has sprinkles. Lindsay has two others, so you know what you'll be seeing more of! I have to tout the merits of digital stamps AGAIN because they are just so versatile. With this one, I wanted it a little taller, so I stretched it, not just made it bigger, in Microsoft Word. But to fit the sketch, it needed to be a little longer not any wider. And this was sooooo easy to accomplish with a digital image. Try doing that with rubber and you'll end up really frustrated.

Kate (birthday girl) loves pink, so of course, I pulled out all the pinks I could stomache, but I got this new page kit today and just had to use the fun paper and the little chipboard heart (no more hoarding). I don't know if you can see the embossing in the background mat, but I used my cuttlebug and a Fiskars texture plate to accomplish that.

I hope Lauren and Kate both have wonderful birthdays this week! Sticky icing kisses to you both!!!

Project Recipe

Paper: SU Pretty in Pink CS, Barely Bannana CS, Certainly Celery CS, Chatterbox Happy Day Page Kit PP

Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Digital image Cupcake with Sprinkles, Sentiment SU Big Bold Birthday

Accessories: copic markers, EK Success Swiss Cheese border punch, Fiskars Party Texture Plate, Making Memories In Bloom Blossoms & Buttons felt and paper flowers, Chatterbox Happy Day Page Kit chipboard heart and jewel brad