Love Notes

Sweet N Sassy Stamps were sponsoring a challenge over on SNR Card Universe. I didn't feel like making a card, but I have been wanting to color up this little Be Mine Cocoa image. So, I repurposed a Mason jar filled with little love notes. This would also be sweet full of pink m&m's or Hershey's kisses. I reached for some Basic Grey Pink Lemonade papers and took a plain jar to the heights of cuteness!
Keeping it short tonight. It's cold, I'm tired, and my Texas Longhorns are getting beat. Think I'll slide into my jammies and curl up with a good book!
Project Recipe

Paper: Basic Grey Pink Lemonade, Gina K White Pure Luxury CS, pink printer paper

Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Be Mine Cocoa digital stamp

Tools: Martha Stewart Arch Lattice punch, cuttlebug, Spellbinder Label One and Scalloped Circles dies, copic markers

Embellishments: pink string, pink flower (unknown), Recollections Gemstone brads (Michaels)

Its in the Mail

When I was in high school, my favorite color, bar none, was pink! I even had a pink stone put in my school ring just because it would match my clothes. I don't have a favorite color any more. I'm always stumped when someone asks me that because I like them all (maybe not so much orange) depending on their shade and intensity. But I've definitely been in a pink mood these last few crafting days. Cupid's shot me with the pink arrow of love, I guess. Here's a project that's certainly strong on the pink end, and it's absolutely adorable!!!

Do you not just love these little mailboxes for Valentine's gift giving? I know lots of people head to Target's dollar bin this time of year to pick up metal mailboxes. Well, I never get there in time, nor do I feel inclined to drive 40 miles to the nearest Target. This little cutie was made using my Cricut, SCAL software, and Lindsay's Stamp Stuff SVG file. Yes, LSS is selling cut files! I did scale this 3D Mailbox Template so that I could use one sheet of 8 1/2 X 11 inch cardstock (go here to see a bigger one that I created).  You can make them larger to utilize a 12X12 sheet and you can break the file apart in SCAL and enlarge each piece to make them even bigger. But this small one is really the perfect size. (By the way, the 3D Mailbox Template also comes with a PDF version you can print out on your cardstock and cut by hand)
The little heart shaped card is made with a new digital stamp set from LSS called Love Grows Here. Super cute set even if you don't make Valentine's projects/cards. I used my Classic Hearts Spellbinders die to create a heart shaped card. I colored the little birdie with my copics, of course.
I pulled out some unused SU Raspberry Tart DSP on this, added a little bit of polka dotted ribbon which came from one of my Christmas presents and knew I had to save, made a felt flower which I teamed up with a couple of other flowers from my stash, and this little mail box is ready to send to my favorite somebody! Speaking of recycling from Christmas, be sure to participate in the Recycled Challenge: make a card with a digital stamp and a recycled item then post a link to your card on Lindsay's blog or in the What’s digital Stamping yahoogroup. A random winner will get a stamp set of her choice from Lindsay’s Stamp Stuff!
Seen/heard enough? If not, I've got one more project to share with you today. Check out this card I created with the new LSS Love Grows Here Digital Stamp set.

Once again I used some ribbon I grabbed off a Christmas present my dear friend Wyndi gave me. You can see a bit of it behind the flowers and image and behind the sentiment. Don't ya just love that heart shaped cherry on the cupcake with all the little heart sprinkles? The cute paper is from a pack that I won from Mel at Tuesday Morning Sketches a couple of months ago. I love how fun and yummy it looks paired with the cupcake. 
The LSS design team is back after a two week holiday. Go see what everyone got for Christmas and how they are using it to be even more creative. Click on the links on my sidebar or head over to Lindsay's blog for a first stop.
Project Recipe

(Mailbox)

Paper: SU Pretty in Pink CS,SU Rose Red CS, SU Raspberry Tart DSP, GinaK White Pure Luxury CS

Stamps: LSS Love Grows Here Digital Stamp set

Tools: Cricut, SCAL, LSS 3D Mailbox template, Fiskars Effervence Border Punch, small heart punch,  (unknown), cuttlebug, Spellbinders Classic Hearts Nestabilities die, Cuttlebug flower die, copic markers

Embellishments: SU red brad, pink buttons (unknown), Making Memories Blossoms and Button Lemonade flower, Paper Studio flower, recycled ribbon

(cupcake card)

Paper: PTI Spring Moss and Raspberry Fizz CS, Gina K White Pure Luxury CS, K&Company Cut 'N Paste Mat Pad

Stamps: LSS Love Grows Here Digital stamp set, PTI Handwritten Notes (sentiment)

Tools: cuttlebug, Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Circle dies, EK Success Circle punches, copic markers. Fiskars border punch

Embellishments: Prima flowers, PTI Holiday Mix Vintage buttons, recycled ribbon

LSS Recipe Folio and SCAL

What a cute little box! It's supposed to be a recipe folio, but I'm thinking this would hold some neat little goodies. I'm thinking even a couple of cookies could go in here as a special treat for Valentines or some other special occasion. I am really loving these SVG files from LSS. A Cricut, SCAL software and an inexpensive cut file and in a few minutes, I've got a great little project finished up. I used Velcro dots to keep the box closed.
The special thing about these SVG files is that they can be resized very easily. I love giving gift cards but am always looking for a gift box to hold them. This little box could so easily be made smaller and then filled with a gift card and a little filler. Then, it looks like I really put a lot of effort into a simple gift! You can find this recipe folio set here. And be sure to check out my post from yesterday for another project using an SVG file from LSS.
I have so much paper it borders on a sin! So, I'm trying super duper hard to refrain from buying any more and just using up my stash, but, oh, what a challenge! I did use some CTMH papers that I've had for a while. I really like using the CTMH cardstock that comes in these sets because the cardstock is a little thinner than that I get from SU or PTI. That makes it a little easier to cut with my Cricut and a little easier to work with, but it still provides enough structure to keep the project stiff.
Project Recipe

Paper: CTMH That's Amore

Stamps: PTI Handwritten Notes

Tools: Cricut, SCAL, LSS Recipe Cards and Folio SVG

Embellishments: Paper Studio Spare Parts Designer Silk Flower brads, PTI Dark Chocolate Grosgrain ribbon, SU Tag punches, Prima flower, SU red brad

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

the Last Christmas Card

This is it! The last of the Christmas cards of 2009! and I'm so tired from all this holiday hooplah, that I'm afraid you're getting few details. Except that if you still need some holiday stamps, you've got time to get them if you go digi! They can be in your "hands" almost instantly and you can finish up all those last minute projects! Run on over to Lindsay's Stamp Stuff for a great selection of beautiful and fun digital stamps for the holidays. Check out the great specials, too! I used an image from the Christmas Potpourri set (yes, it's my favorite). I just printed it out on some GinaK White Pure Luxury cardstock, colored it with my luscious copic markers, and paired it up with this beautiful, glittery paper from My Mind's Eye!
I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas or holiday season! Check out the design team for more inspiration and be sure to stop on over at Lindsay's blog to see what goodies she's got for you today for free!

Gifts Galore

Someone wake me when it's Valentine's Day! I declare, this Christmas season is exhausting. I can't seem to get anything accomplished because I'm always rushing off to attend something. Last night it was my husband's company's Christmas party. Tonight it's our bunko Christmas party. Sunday I'm off to a copic class. When am I supposed to bake, decorate, and shop?
Well, thank goodness Lindsay has come up with some ways to make my gift wrapping faster and cheaper! The LSS shop has these cool new Christmas Card, Tags, and Toppers Printable Kit. Look at what I started with. It cost .50 at the dollar store.

It's a bag, right! Nothing special...until I add a topper from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff which I just sized to fit the bag and printed it out. That's it!

This will look much cuter under the tree than that plain ole bag I started out with. I also used one of the ornaments in my favorite set Christmas Potpourri Digital Stamp set. I printed the image out on my GinaK paper, colored it with a couple of copics and spica glitter pen, cut out the ornament and added it to the tag that came with the bag. I did use SCAL2 and my cricut to cut out a mat for the ornament in red and drew in the wire hanger with a copic pen. But this project took just minutes to put together and I could very easily make dozens more in a short amount of time.
Okay, if this doesn't convince you to run right now and pick up these two sets, how about this:

ANDDDDDD...Lindsay's got a great new set in the shop which is just perfect for making calendars! Be sure to check out the special and all the great items in the shop to ease your holiday stress! Need some ideas? See what the LSS ladies have been up to this week and start by stopping by Lindsay's blog. Look under the tree. She may have a present just for you! Happy Holidays everyone!

Cocoa Craftiness

It's finally cold around here! Well, if you think temperatures in the 40s is cold, then, yes, we finally have winter weather. Yesterday, while I was all bundled up in my jacket and winter clothes at the grocery store, winter Texans walked in wearing shorts! No doubt they were laughing at all of us native South Texans as we shivered and talked about how cold it is. I guess it's all a matter of perspective!
Definitely feels like hot cocoa weather to me! So, I found this cool tutorial on Splitcoast for making a crimped envelope pocket card and I adapted it to hold a packet of cocoa. Combine that with the LSS Warm Winter Digital stamp set and you've got a great little gift to give one of your chilly friends to warm their hearts and tummies.

I printed one of the snowflakes from the Warm Winter set in different sizes on a kraft A2 envelope. Then, I traced over some of the lines and squiggles in the snowflakes with my Spica Atyou Glitter pens. I sponged the envelope edges and then, cut 1.25" off the short side of the envelope. I set the top part aside and ran the larger portion through a crimper. The crimping makes the "pocket" part a little smaller, but I bet using an embossing folder would have a similar effect. The idea is to have the 1.25" top part fit over the bottom part, so the bottom part (the pocket) has to be a little smaller. I added a snowman also from the Warm Winter set to front of the pocket. I colored him in with my copics before cutting him out and adhering him to the envelope. There are some more cute, cute snowmen in this set, too.
Now for the topper:

I wrapped a piece of ribbon around the topper and added a bow. Then I punched out a 1.75" circle from some sparkly DCWV cardstock. I printed out the steaming hot chocolate cup (also in the LSS Warm Winter set), colored it with my copics and then punched it out with my SU 1 3/8" circle punch. The snowflake on the topper is a Martha Stewart punch. And here's what it looks like right before you close it all up:

This is a really easy project to mass produce if you need some quick and simple gifts to give. Lindsay has another cocoa holder on her blog. Be sure to check out her recent posts to see how she created hers. Don't forget to grab this perfect winter digital stamp set, too. This goes beyond Christmas for designing throughout the cold weather months! And, as always, spend $5 dollars at Lindsay's Stamp Stuff and get a free digital stamp. While you're at the shop, be sure to check out Lindsay's latest set Winter Printables. You'll find lots of great design elements which will really speed up your holiday crafting. Need more ideas, don't forget to check out what the rest of the design team has come up with!
Project Recipe
Paper: PTI Kraft envelope, DCWV Holiday Collection Glitter Mat Stack, GinaK White Pure Luxury CS
Stamps: LSS Warm Winter Digital Stamp Set 
Accessories: Fiskars Crimper, printer, Spica Atyou Glitter pens, copic markers, PTI Enchanted Evening Satin ribbon, SU 1 3/8" circle punch, EK Success 1 3/4" circle punch, Martha Stewart Snowflake punch, CTMH Foam Tool