Well the kids got out of school on Friday and we are all at home. I love being able to spend extra time with the kids. We always start summer out with trips to the library and bookstores to sign up for reading programs and of course some extra cleaning.
Last year we gave out Teacher Journal Jars, and they seemed to be a big hit, so I did one again this year. 
PLUS live chats, challenges and more prizes!!This is a fun class that makes a great to give to a man or even a class for men!
All of the cards and envelopes fit in a box and in the box is an Important Dates reminder card so that the “Attentive Man” can keep track of the important things (as long as he remembers to look!) 
While I was struggling with my computer, my second project was posted over on UStamp With Dawn and Friends!! Oh My Word edition. I used Stampin’ Up!’s beautiful Spring Time Vintage Designer Fabric to create some headbands. This would make such a great Mother Daughter class since headbands are so popular. Although they do involve a little sewing they are super easy. Just a few straight lines. 
Although the live events have been completed it is not too late to subscribe to the Oh My Word Edition on Ustamp With Dawn and Friends!! You can still access and down load all of the projects at http://ustampwithdawnandfriends.com.
Pin It Now!
This idea was copied out of the January 2010 Stampin’ Success magazine (a magazine that Stampin’ Up! demonstrators receive.) I stuck a post it note in it last year but ran out of time before getting it done for Valentine’s day. Then I thought I would give it to my husband on our anniversary so I started but did not get it finished in time. So all of the cut out hearts have been sitting in an envelope just waiting to be used. I finally pulled them out!
A lot of these papers are now retired but you can use up any of your designer series paper stash. I also threw in some flower punched from the Fancy Flower punch. The vase is actually just a coca~cola cup from the dollar store. In the bottom of the cup I have a bunch of punched hearts from the heart to heart punch.
Paper: Many different retired pink-red DSP
Accessories: Designer Buttons, Corduroy Buttons and Brads
Tools: Full Heart Punch, Fancy Flower Punch, 1 inch circle punch, 3/4 inch circle punch, Small Heart punch, Heart to Heart Punch
Pin It Now!This week’s challenge is a pretty color combination for you. I think that this weeks color swatch is pretty.
The colors are great, but they just seemed too much with most everything I tried. I don't know what the problem was with my stamping last week when I worked on it but I was not happy. I was going through the 4 samples I created and I just could not bring myself to posting them on here. So what did I do, I took time I should have been folding the laundry and tried again. This time I like what came out.
I hope that she will be excited and feel special when she opens her lunch.
Ink: Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz
Paper: Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Regal Rose, Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz and Brights Designer Series Paper Stack
Accessories: Pear Pizzazz Poly Ribbon, Basic Rhinestones
Tools: Big Shot, Two Tags Die, Perfect Polka Dot Impressions Folder, Treat Box Die, 1 3/4 inch scallop circle punch, 1 3/8 inch circle punch, 1 1/4 inch circle punch, 3/4 inch circle punch, and small circle from the punch pack
Pin It Now!
There is room for several cards (1/2 inch total in thickness) on one side and the other can be fore envelopes.
Two days in a row? The kids are out of school for the summer and I hope to get more stamping time in, some with kids but more with out! Today’s project is the teacher gifts we gave to the kids teachers this year on the last day of school. I try to give the teachers something consumable since I know that they get many gifts each year so I don't want to clutter up their lives. I also get the kids involved in the picking of the gift, as well as the creating. We usually do cards or stationary items but several months ago I found this great idea, a teacher’s journal jar that helps them write their story as a teacher. I put together a cute little basket but forgot to take a picture of the completed gift. Here are 2 of the main components:
The journal is an altered composition book. I even added a piece of ribbon to the binding to create a bookmark. The jar is full of strips of paper that have the topic for the day’s journal writing on it. I also included in the basket a glue stick and a pen. This idea came from Nichole and here is the link to the idea, Journal Jar. She has done all of the hard work for you. You print out the pages and cut them up, she has even included a note that you can put in a card that explains the gift. I hope that the teachers enjoy the gift and are able to write down their story for their family and friends can enjoy for years to come.
Stamps: Tart and Tangy
Ink: Real red, kiwi kiss, chocolate chip
Paper: Confetti White, Kiwi Kiss Textured CS, Real Red
Accessories: Kiwi Kiss striped ribbon
Tools: 1 1/4 inch punch, Scallop Circle punch
Pin It Now!This is not my day. First off it is rainy, cold and windy where is the beautiful spring weather? Second, I have two kids home sick today, the kids have been passing around this 48 hour stomach bug. Why is it that the older kids cannot make it into the bathroom before throwing up when the 3 year old and 17 month old can? Twice today we have lost power because of the wind and rain I am guessing. Fourth I went to go work on the project for today’s post and found my sewing machine broken yet again and after several hours I am still not sure how to fix it. (This was partly my fault, I was working on it when the power went out the first time and forgot to put the cover on the sewing machine so it was out there tempting the little girls.) I forget what number we are on but I went to school to pick up the kid that was not sick and the car died in the school driveway. No one would stop and help me with a jump. I know how to jump a car all they had to do was open their hood and I would do the rest, it was not even raining at this moment. Luckily the principal pulled his car around and helped me get mine started. Then when we pull into the driveway at home I got the two little girls out of their seats and notice that my oldest is not getting out of the car. She is just sitting there, I keep asking her to get out but she just sits there are stares at me until she proceeds to throw up all over the car. Really?!? I brought plastic bags and clean empty trash cans that she had if she needed, plus we were home in plenty of time for her to run to the bathroom, or the grass or even the driveway, but in the car? I know that there are plenty of people that have lots worse to deal with in life but this just is not my day. Since Sat I have only had a combined total of 4.5 hours of sleep in the last 3 nights, and I am not in college anymore and I am not handling it all too well. And to top it all off I am having a major allergy attack. I am usually safe from allergies when it rains but not today. So enough with the whining on my part and on to today’s post, thanks for listening to my vent.
After making the baby blocks I knew the next thing I wanted to make was a bean bag. My kids love playing with them but our last set bit the dust a few months ago. I also made a tic-tac-toe mat to play with the bean bags on. I guess what I made was a cross between tic-tac-toe and toss across, maybe I should call it tic-tac-toss. The bean bag is simply two of the scallop circles sewn together, leaving a small opening so that you can stuff it with dried beans, and then stitching the opening closed.
The game board is a large piece of flannel that I sewed on some brocade blue wide grosgrain ribbon.
I am not sure how the culprit got the piece out of the machine, but it is a part of the thread loading mechanism. I really do not have the funds to get this fixed so I am going to have to figure out how to do it on my own, but I have no idea how it went and there are not diagrams of this part of the machine in the instruction manual or on the brother website. Anyone know how to fix it?
Pin It Now!I know I have said it many times before but I LOVE Stampin’ Up! ribbon. I am officially addicted, I wish I had the room and money to have it all. I love using it on my cards and crafts but I use it for so much more. The ribbon are so wonderful and such high quality that I am always making bows and do-dads for my girls hair with them. I also use them to wrap up little goodies. I had made a batch of banana bread and wanted to send some to school to the kids teachers, just as a little token of thanks. Of course I couldn't sent just plain banana bread so I wrapped the muffins with some of the polka dot in color grosgrain and it made the muffins look fabulous.
Both of the kids teachers commented on how cute they looked with the ribbon and that of course they have saved the ribbon for their own future projects. So next time you think of giving a little something to a friend, teacher or a neighbor tie a little ribbon on it to make the person feel extra special.
Accessories: Melon Mambo and Bermuda Bay Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon
Pin It Now!Wow, I cannot believe that my baby is now 8, I guess I can’t really refer to her as a baby anymore but I call all my kiddos my babies and it drives them nuts. Time sure does fly. Every year when we make the birthday cards I involve the kids in the process. They pick the theme, color, stamps, and help me to design the card itself. It is up to them how much more they want to do. This year Kaitlyn wanted to do all of the stamping by herself. I showed her how to do a OSW (one sheet wonder) and she actually did one pretty well but she was not happy with it. I thought it was great for her first try and I tried to get a picture of it but she was too embarrassed and ran over to the shredder and destroyed it. She did help with the gluing of all of the layers and the other stamping but I made the OSW.
Of course we had to bring in some sort of goody bag/ treat to her class so we decided on the little “sour cream” containers. Theses were made out of the 6x6 Good Neighbor Designer Series Paper pad. After the incident with her not wanting a picture of her stamping she arranged these and came and told me that it was ok to take a picture of them. So here you go!
Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly, Look Who’s Turning
Ink: Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, Basic Black
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, Shimmery White, Basic Black
Accessories: Champagne Shimmer Paint, Melon Mambo Polka Dot Ribbon
Pin It Now!At least I sure do. It ranks right up there in my top ten stamp sets. Here is another little set of 3x3 cards with a holder.
These are pretty simple cards but so cute.
Stamps: Trendy Trees
Ink: Pixie Pink, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip
Paper: Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, Bordering Blue, Whisper White, and Pixie Pink
Accessories: Mini Library Clips, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Buttons, Certainly Celery Grosgrain, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Clear Buttons, Linen Thread
Tools: Big Shot and SU! Backgrounds Texturz plates, Ticket Corner Punk, Photo Corners Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8 inch circle punch, Key Tab Punch, Designer Label Punch, Crafters Tool Kit
Pin It Now!I am losing a few of my favorite sets to the “Last Chance List” this year, (formerly known as the retirement list). One of these sets I will be so sad to see leave the catalog will be Wild About You. This is one of those sets I will be keeping around for a long time. It is just so versatile, the little animals can be used for so many different occasions. Today’s use was for a set of thank you cards for a baby shower. I always like to include some thank you’s when I give baby, bridal or wedding gifts, because really you can never have enough thank you notes. I think that I was inspired with this design from someone on the blog tour that I participated in last month, I made a quick round through the tour planning on going back the next day to really check things out and jot down notes and stuff but, well, that didn't happen and now I don't know where I saw the cards or design that inspired this set. 
Ink: So Saffron, Bordering Blue, Always Artichoke
Paper: So Saffron, Bordering Blue, Always Artichoke, Whisper White, Naturals Ivory
Accessories: dimensionals, Apricot Appeal grosgrain ribbon
Tools: Circle Cutter Plus and glass mat, Big Shot and SU texturz plate
Pin It Now!Here are some quick gifts that I made up for some door prizes. They can be used for just about anything all you have to do is change the sentiment or add something different inside.
Each little box has a pack of Orbit gum, an incentive stamp and a spot. Super easy and so cute.
Stamps: Say it With Scallops
Ink: Summer Sun , Chocolate Chip, Pacific Point, Certainly Celery
Paper: Good Morning Sunshine DSP, Whisper White, Simmer Sun, Certainly Celery
Accessories: Stampin Dimensionals
Tools: Big Shot and Box #2 die, Scallop Square Punch
Pin It Now!I am so sorry for disappearing the last week or so. Just when I seem to get a grip on life and into a good schedule and routine something happens to throw it all out of whack. Well we are starting to get back on track so I can pay attention again to things like my stamping and my blog.
I was agonizing for a while trying to come up with a card holder for the little set of 3x3 Upsy Daisy cards that I had done. I was able to come up with a cute fun holder by altering the box in a bag to fit! Here is the set of cards that I was working on:
Supplies for the card holder:
Stamps: Upsy Daisy
Ink: Versamark, Regal Rose, and Bordering Blue
Paper: Regal Rose , Rose Red, So Saffron, and Whisper White
Accessories: Regal Rose Wide Grosgrain, Apricot Appeal Grosgrain, Fire Circle Rhinestones, Stampin Dimensionals, Clear Embossing Powder
Tools: Round Tab Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Crop a Dile, Heat Tool and sponge
Pin It Now!Sorry I forgot to post this yesterday but here is the third set of Upsy Daisy cards that I promised after the blog tour. This is a set of 3x3 cards. I still need to make a box for them so I can give them as a gift, but here are the cards.
Stamps: Upsy Daisy Stamp set
Ink: Versamark, Regal Rose, So Saffron, Always Artichoke, Night of Navy, Bravo Burgundy, Brocade Blue
Paper: Whisper White, Regal Rose, So Saffron, Always Artichoke, Night of Navy, Bravo Burgundy
Accessories: Stampin Dimensionals, Clear Embossing Powder, Chit Chat Rub-ons
Tools: Heat Tool
Pin It Now!I had about a half hour to whip something together that I wanted to give to a friend. I just love making these things, they are so nice and easy to make and everyone can use some personalized stationary right? I just love this color combo, I think that I have even made one of these before using the same colors. I will be so sad to see them go, but I still have another month and a half to enjoy them!
Stamps: Defining Alphabet
Ink: Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red
Paper: Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, Shimmery White, Baja Breeze Patterns DSP
Accessories: Ridding Hood Red Striped Grosgrain, real red brads
Tools: 1 1/4 inch circle, 1 3/8 circle, and Scallop circle punches
Pin It Now!
