Blog Vacation is Officially Over

After the Christmas rush and craziness, I had a relaxing holiday. I enjoyed spending some time with my sons. The younger two came and stayed a whole week with us, but I must say the football and the hunting were starting to wear on my nerves. Still, as always, it was hard to watch them drive off that final day. I spent the week after Christmas cleaning up and putting away all the goodies. By the way, I got a new camera for Christmas. I'm still trying to learn what all it can do, but "auto" is working just fine for me right now (wink)!
I've been reading where many bloggers are cleaning up and reorganizing their craft rooms, and I did some of that too, but I spent a great deal of time organizing my digital craft room. I cleaned out computer folders, updated some software, created new folders, organized my digital photos, and added an external hard drive for digital storage. My physical craft room is still something of a mess, but I'm feeling better about my virtual craft space.
I didn't do a whole lot of crafting over the two week Christmas break. I mostly read and watched tv, things I rarely get to do during a normal week. But I did color a little and checked out everyone else's stuff to see what non-Christmas projects were being started. Lindsay of Lindsay's Stamp Stuff has been creating svg files which can be used with the Cricut machine and SCAL software (there's a new program now for cutting with the Cricut called Make the Cut and it will also cut the svg files). If you check out her blog, she often has freebies for you, but she has put together a couple of really cute templates and is selling them in her store. Now, I LOVE 3D templates and the little mailbox she created is loads of fun. Look what I created with her file.

It just takes a few minutes to cut, score and adhere. Then, you can spend your time and energy embellishing it! If you don't have a Cricut or the SCAL software, you can use the printable file included in the set. The heart-shaped cherries are also part of a new LSS stamp set called Love Grows Here. I colored the cherries with Clearsnap Smooch and my copics and cut out the image with a heart shaped nestabilities die. I may end up putting this little mailbox treat box in my real mail box for my mail couple (we have rural delivery with a husband and wife doing the delivering) as a thank you for all the picking up they have to do at my house since I'm always sending out handmade cards and Netflix movies.
The really neat thing about svg files is that they can be resized. I made another one of these at about half the size so I could use a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock. I'll share that one with you later this week when I'm through embellishing it. Who else can I give these to? These are so fun, I want to make more, but I don't have the room to have them sitting all over my house, lol!
Project Recipe

Paper: CTMH Perfect Day and That's Amore, GinaK White Pure Luxury CS

Stamps: LSS Love Grows Here

Tools: Cricut, SCAL, LSS 3D Mailbox Template, cuttlebug, Spellbinders Classic Hearts dies, Martha Stewart Lattice border punch, Clearsnap Smooch, copics

Embellishments: Paper Studio Spare Parts Designer Silk Flower brads, PTI Pure Poppy twill ribbon

Gardening Jeans

Copic Creations has a new challenge out--coloring jeans. This gardening set from CTMH was perfect for the challenge. It's a little too hot to garden in jeans in South Texas, but I wish I looked this good watering the yard. Oh well, I'm a pretty indifferent gardener anyway. My plants are lucky if I remember where the water hose is. At least this little lady looks good while she looks after her plants. This card went to my CTMH "dealer" Amy who sets me up with all the good stuff!

Tune in tomorrow as I finally finish my friend Wyndi's birthday card that I've been working on for three days (I kid you not). When you see it, you'll wonder what took so long, but, hey, I'm a little a slow and I had to go to the grocery store after work today which really cut into my creative time.

Project Recipe

Paper: PTI Melon Berry CS, CTMH Perfect Day PP, GinaK Pure Luxury White CS

Stamps: CTMH Ms. Gardener

Accessories: stickles, Imaginisce Ring Around the Rosies flower, Basic Grey glazed brad, copics