criss cross card

I have made this type of card before and I am not sure why I don't make it more. I really enjoy it. The tutorial can be found at Splitcoaststampers right HERE and the directions are wonderfully simple. Love that part!

I made one for my hairdresser that has returned from carpal tunnel surgery and I made this one to have on hand in case I need it. I can see me making more of them in the future!

I used DCWV stack papers for the pattern papers. The pink and the yellow are DCWV cardstock. The purple base is from my stash and the white is from a package of cardstock from Michaels. The ribbon I purchased many many years ago while going to Craft Fairs with my twin. I think I paid a $1.00 for this roll and it is still going strong!!

I cut the scallop circle and the star with Cuttlebug dies. I cut two stars and pop dotted the second one. The stamp image came with my Cuttlebug when I purchased it. There are three other designs so I will have to use them to show them off as they are so adorable!! I then used a white ink pad (Studio G from Michaels dollar bin) to show off the embossing.

Hope your day is full of fun surprises as things fall together!!

school office end of the year gifts

My life as a PTA president would have been much rougher if not for the help of three ladies in the school office. They helped so much and I am eternally grateful to each and everyone of them. Besides a lifetime of servitude, I thought a nice little box of monogrammed cards would be a lovely gift to end the year. Plus I had such a great time making the cards for the PTA helpers... why not??

I found this tutorial for a card drawer on Splitcoaststampers dot com and thought it would be pretty fun to make. The best part, it was pretty simple as well! Always a good thing when I am making more than one of something.

I used my border punches on the pattern paper strips as well as the medallion flower. Then I dug into my bling container and added a little personality to the flowers. Love how the pearls look!

I used two sketches I dug out of my sketch binder for all the cards. Makes it easier on me to do that. I embossed the papers to give a little bit more to the cards and each has a monogram for the ladies they were created for. I used the Sizzlits Monkey Tails and Aphrodite for the letters. (I am not endorsing any of the sites that I am linking as I have not purchased from them and know nothing of their customer service, I wanted to show what the alphabets looked like)

Here are the boxes all packaged and ready to be delivered. I have a couple more weeks but very happy it is all done.

I have two teacher gifts and two girl scout leader gifts to get done as well. But I need a run to Michaels before I can do much with those. Can't wait to share the completed projects!

my donation for the pta basket raffle part 1

Every year the PTA puts on an amazing week of activities that were part of the National Turn Off TV Week. Our school vacation always falls during the 'official' week so we have always done it the week after. This year, we have changed the name of the event due to many students (mine included) saying that they could play video games and play on the computer since we were only "turning the tv off". So this year the week long event will be called Newmarket Elementary Unplugged Week. 

Not only are there activities to bring families out and together, there is also a basket raffle. The PTA receives donations as well as purchases items for these baskets. This year I am contributing a few baskets as I have been picking things up throughout the year as I find them on clearance and such. One of my baskets is a handmade card box with cards.

I have been working on this amazing card box that was a tutorial found on my LSS's blog in November!! Seriously, I have been working on this project since then. At times I thought I would never get it done, but I have. whew...

The box was made from half of a tissue box. No seriously it was. Added some chipboard to give it enough sturdiness to handle the 28 cards that are now happily living inside of it. The box itself was pretty easy to make. The creating of enough cards to fill it up took much longer. 

Front view-

Side view- The other side and back look the same just different angles.

Here is the start of the cards that are now living inside. The first four are Hello/ Hi cards. Some I have had on hand and some I have been cranking out since November. They are mostly made up of scraps from my stash. Love being able to use up some of my stuff.

Obviously this is a Hi card. LOL

Used a Fiskars border punch and Cuttlebug embossing plates on this one. And yes Stickles!!

These are the Sympathy cards that I created. The sentiments on all of these were created with stamps from Getting Cricky with K Andrew. Amazing stamps that I totally love! The set is called Sympathetic Sayings.

This is the inside of the card above.

Slightly blurry due to the picture being taken at night. Sorry. Home made bakers twine. See card below for more information on that yumminess.

This one is stamped on the inside. The bakers twine on this one is some that I made myself!! Found how to make it on Life {Sweet} Life's blog. Love that I can now have any color of bakers twine that I want.

The following are Birthday/ Celebrate Cards. The stamps used for this I have had for awhile and don't have the original packaging so I don't know who to credit for them.

There are two of these in the box.

The following four are Thinking Of You/ On My Mind cards. I was having some fun trying new things out. Totally love to play!

This one is stamped inside and heat embossed. I know I have shown these four before when I created them, but wanted to get them all in the same post!! Sorry for the repeats.

 I'm gonna finish this up in another post. Don't want this to be too photo heavy!! Catch you in a few!

february sketch challenge completed

Here is the sketch which was presented to us in the challenge group. Love the banner but haven't had much luck with working with one. I think I was over thinking the whole thing. This layout took me awhile since I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted for a title much less what to use for a banner. I got trapped in my mind thinking it too much and making it harder than it needed to be.

Anywho... this is what I came up with. I found some so totally adorable pictures of hubby and Alex that screamed at me to be scrapped. So I obliged them. I can't believe Alex was that small. Not that he is huge now but still... my baby is growing up.

I am happy with this banner. I made strips and then folded them, inked them up, and stuck down the back section, slipped the fake bakers twine in and glued the top part down. I may try that again sometime. oh my fake bakers twine?? It is so much fun to make. This go around isn't that great, but I have better markers now so I think it will look 100% better next time. The how to is HERE. This could save me big bucks in getting all those wonderful colors of twine that I drool over all the time.

I have had the Vikings embellies FOREVER!! Seriously. The store that I got them from has been out of business for at least three years. Guess I was waiting for the perfect layout. Glad it finally showed up!!

Very happy that at least for more pictures are now scrapped. I would love to continue, but I have 10 cards I have to make. Best get my butt in gear so I can get them off my mind. Have a great one!