Spring Flower Basket

It's raining again! Not a bad thing, I know. We need the rain, but still I miss sunshine (don't quote me on that this summer when I'm complaining about the heat!). Anyway, I was at Walmart the other day and just couldn't resist picking up one tiny little blooming plant. It's still too early for spring flowers, so I'm creating a garden in my craft room!

I've had the template for this cute picnic basket for a while now, but this is the first time I've actually used it. You can get the template at Papertrey Ink under My Timeless Templates.It was super easy to put together. I paired the great little basket with a very appropriate sentiment from Sweet N Sassy Digital Stamps. This is from the Springtime Blessing set. If you haven't been to SNS lately, you really need to go see all the new stuff. The new releases have me completely jonesing for Spring!
I used some buttons on the picnic basket handle and on the ribbon in order to meet the SNS Digi Day Challenge at SNR. Micki challenged us to use buttons on our project. Oh, and if you meet the challenge and post before Monday morning, there's a beautiful freebie in it for you!
Project Recipe

Paper: SU Blush Blossom CS, PTI Scarlet Jewel CS, DCWV Farmer's Market PP

Stamps: SNS Springtime Blessings

Tools: Cuttlebug, Spellbinders Labels Four Nestabilities dies, PTI Pack a Picnic Template, Martha Stewart Arch Lattice border punch, SU Horizontal Slot punch

Embellishments: buttons, twine (PTI), PTI Sweet Blush Saddle stitched ribbon

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

Fall Fest

This is it! My last fall project. I'm heading full force into Christmas after this! I have to if I plan to finish everything I have planned (like that is ever going to happen). But I did want to put together a couple of hostess gifts and it is, afterall, Autumn (though you'd hardly know it with the temperatures we're getting).

First up is a candle I made using a digital image. There are lots of tutorials out there for traditional stamping on candles. I referenced this one but modified the instructions for using a digital stamp.
To begin, you need to print out your digital stamp onto tissue paper. I used the Maple Leaf Digital Stamp from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. I inserted the image twice into Microsoft Word and sized the images appropriately. I like to do a test print on regular paper to make sure everything is going to fit and look how I want it. Once I have the image adjusted the way I want, I take a piece of white tissue paper and tape it to matte photo paper, but you can use cardstock.

Smooth out your tissue paper and tape it down all the way around. I use a printer that feeds from the back so I have fewer issues with printing on non-standard papers, but if you make sure everything is smooth and well-secured, you shouldn't have any problems. I do suggest you use a paper that is a little thicker than plain copy paper, though. If you are using a printer with a front feeder, you should should do a test run to see what will run through your printer without ripping or getting jammed.
Once the image was printed, I waited a few minutes to make sure the ink was really dry. Then, I colored the image in with my copics. I've really darkened the image in the picture above so you could see the tape. You'll get a better look at the leaves in the finished product below.
Next, I cut out the image in a tight rectangle, but you can crop the image closer if you prefer.

Now, take a piece of wax paper and wrap it around the tissue paper and the candle. Use your heat embossing tool to heat up the wax on the candle until it "absorbs" the tissue paper. Be careful not to overheat. You don't want the candle to completely melt, but the tissue paper should look like it is disappearing. Take the wax paper off, let the candle cool a little, and you're done! I can't wait to do some more with Christmas images!

Isn't this pretty? I added a flower that I colored with copics to match and put the candle inside an acorn candle ring.
I also wanted to create a paper "acorn" that I could put a few little treats in. I used Kelleigh Ratzlaff's pumpkin template to create an acorn. (See this post for a look at how I used the template to create a pumpkin.)

I printed out the bottom portion of the acorn using some digital paper designed by the LSS design team's very own Shannon of Desert Designs. And guess what? The paper is part of a FREE set you can get at her blog today. The top portion is printed on brown cardstock with a ribbon added for a stem. I ran the top through my cuttlebug with an embossing folder. The little acorn tag is a digital stamp from LSS called Three Acorns. Yes, I cropped out two of the acorns so I could use just the one. Don't ya love the versatility of digi stamps!
Be sure to check out Lindsay's Stamp Stuff for all your Fall and Holiday crafting needs. Also, be sure to visit Lindsay's blog today. She always has lots of eye candy and a sweet free treat or two! Also, if you're just lovin digi stamps, send Lindsay some samples of your stuff. She has a design team call going on until Saturday! I know she'd love to see what you've been doing! Don't forget to check out what the rest of the LSS Design Team is up to today! There's lots of ideas for the holidays and gift giving! It's that time of year, afterall!
Project Recipe
Papers: Desert Designs Fall Gradient Digi Papers, PTI Dark Chocolate CS, SU More Mustard CS, scrap tissue paper
Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Three Acorns and Maple Leaf
Accessories: candle, sheer green ribbon (Walmart), PTI Dark Chocolate satin ribbon, Prima white flower, copic markers and airbrush kit, cuttlebug, Tiny Bubbles embossing folder, Kelleigh Ratzlaff Pumpkin Template, sponge and brown ink

Holidays Digi Style

It's a digital holiday parade. Be prepared to do lots of scrolling because I covered some holidays today using digital stamps from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. Before I get this parade going though, let me let you know about some great stuff going on at LSS. First, be sure to check out Lindsay's Blog. She's got a design team call going on for her My Grafico store front. Also, she's looking for guest designers. Be sure to check out the store this week. There's lots of new stuff in there and if you're ready to tackle some Christmas cards, she's got some really cute new images to help you out with that. Also, check out Shannon's blog for a great tutorial on changing the color of digital line images in PhotoShop Elements. And while you're checking things out, don't forget to see what all the rest of the LSS Design Team is up to!
It's getting really close to Halloween, so I squeezed in a couple more projects for that holiday. The two projects below look kinda like cards in the picture, but they are actually little treat bags of M&Ms.

Lindsay's really been rockin the circle stamps these days. I found the circle stamps over at My Grafico for free and I filled the centers with my LSS Halloween stamps. Color these little cuties in with markers, punch them with a 1 3/8 circle punch, mat using the SU scalloped circle punch and attach to project. Cute, simple, and quick! Gotta love that!
Through with Halloween? How about a Thanksgiving project sure to please any Thanksgiving hostess?

The little pumpkin is a template by Kelleigh Ratzlaff that you can find at The DigiChick. The beautiful leaves are a digital stamp called Leaf Montage from LSS. I colored them with copics (oh, so fun!), cut them out with nestabilities, and sponged the edges. The lid lifts off the "pumpkin" so it can house a little treat like these candy corns.
Want to get a jump start on Christmas cards? How about a clean, simple card design that can be quickly mass-produced?

The circle stamps are from a new set over at Lindsay's Stamp Stuff called Christmas Cupcake Wrappers. Be sure to check out Lindsay's blog and some of the design team blogs. I think some of the team used the wrappers. I printed out the circle stamps, colored them in with my copics, and again used SU punches. With these stamps and a few scraps of paper, you can have a great set of cards in no time at all. Might even have enough time to make some cupcakes!
Busy, busy, busy! As you read this, I'll be taking my GRE. Wish me luck. I don't have to get a really high score, but I gotta prove I'm college material again!