High Hopes Challenge - Make a Box!

Howdy -

This week the High Hopes Challenge is all Boxed up! Meaning we would like to see a box - I am still not totally 100% from the long week last week and just couldn't get my creative juices going well... so I relied on my Silhouette for being creative. I had a box already downloaded into my library - a Hexagon box, that I thought would look cute with Candy Cane Penguin on top -

He is a very cute penguin isn't he? I colored him with my Copics - so sleepy I forgot to snap the photo of them sorry. I cut him out and then pop dotted him onto the top of the box. I added some large adhesive pearls on the corners. And then added some stickles on his scarf and hat.

Here is the side of the box - I used the High Hopes "Seasons Greetings" Sentiment around each side.

Turned out pretty cute and will make a nice small box for a Christmas Gift this year... wonder what I will put in it and to who it will go... hmmmmmm  :0)

Make sure to visit the High Hopes Blog and see all the boxes from the DT and then join us! You could add to your High Hopes stamp collection just for playing!!

Have a blessed wonderful day - The order of the week around here is mowing... all that rain last week and then the sun ... wow you can see the grass growing out there! LOL Then catch up on the house so I can have some crafty time tonight. Getting a little inspiration for a few things.... how about you? You working on anything new??

HUGS and-

Me and My Space - And the Bride wore... Converse

Howdy -

Well I am scheduling this post - working on it before we go to the wedding Saturday evening. Not sure how late the wedding will be, and wanted to show you what I have been working on recently.

I told you that my niece wanted to wear her Converse high tops for her wedding. Actually the entire wedding party will be wearing Converse. Groom - and 10 bridesmaids and groomsmen. (5 on each side) Well if she wants her tennis shoes to be her shoes of choice I thought at least I could make them just a little more formal  -

So I got her a new pair of Converse - bought a bag full of lace, bling, pearls and beads at Michaels and sat down to work on them. I asked Hubby's advise before I started gluing things down. And that was it. Now he was doing all the gluing while I lined things up and we decided what fit and looked best.

Here was the finished joint effort project.

I think they turned out really cute. I didn't want "too" much - but enough to not look like they just played a game of hoops in the park. LOL 

On one shoe we covered the "logo" with the bride and groom's names and the date of the wedding. 

On the other shoes we covered it with something a little different -

Now did you know the tradition is "Something Old, Something New, Something borrowed, Something blue. And she had a Six pence in her shoe"  Now the formal poem sounds a little better than that. But that is the jist of the poem. The six pence is a English dime - I found two traditions with this part of the poem. One said it was so she went into the marriage with money of her own. The other said it was a good luck piece to ensure that the new couple never will worry about money in their future. So now I know ... no one put a six pence in my shoe when Hubby and I married!

 Hubby found six pence from 1758 - I think it adds something special don't you? We think Laura will get a kick out of it, she has always loved historical facts and grew up reading books from authors like Jane Austin.

We gave her the shoes Friday night - she seemed to really like them. Can't wait to see her in them with the wedding dress.

I also thought about it and decided that some frilly socks were needed too right? So I bought some socks, and a few rolls of lace and frilled them up!

This way all the girls in the wedding in their Converse Shoes will have a bit of lace poking out the top of their shoes.

Should be a beautiful wedding. But actually by the time you are reading this they will be Mr. & Mrs.! Hubby and I were talking about the happy couple on the way home from the rehearsal dinner. Isn't it wonderful when you see a young couple being married and you just know that they were meant to be. Perfectly matched, so much in common and look so happy when they are together? You know lots that are good looking couples and those that work well together and all.. but once in a while there is that one couple that just seems to be destine to have found each other. Looking at these two... they are one of those couples.

Hope you have a blessed wonderful Sunday -
HUGS and-

Whimsy Inspiration - A Mini Tutorial for a Shape EZ Take Out Box!

Howdy - Today is the Whimsy Inspiration Blog - and for my inspiration today I decided to help out myself being behind with a few little presents for Christmas. And while doing it I thought I might show you just how fabulously easy the Whimsy Shape EZ patterns are to use.

So here is my finished Shape EZ Take out Box.

The perfect gift box! Now you can put a present in it. Or you can fill it with goodies, like Christmas Candy or Cookies. Start to finish I had this one done in under an hour, and that was with me watching tv... so you probably could do it in less time... it was a good movie so I kept stopping to look up and watch the good scenes. :0)

First you decide which Shape EZ you want to make.

When you go to the site, you will see what the image cuts out like. (Here it shows that there is a window in the pattern, I decided to not use the window so you can't see the present inside)

For the take out box you will cut out two of the shapes. Here are my two shapes cut out.

When you get the template, you have the choice of using them as JPG, PNG, PDF or SVG versions. So no matter how you cut out your projects you can use these templates. Now in the beginning I would print mine directly onto the papers I was cutting or if planning to make more than one I would make a chipboard pattern to use. Then I hand cut my pieces. Recently I got the Silhouette Cameo. So I have been learning how to use the SVG files and cutting on the Cameo. Loving that :0)

Ok back to the take out box. I cut out the two main pieces. Then you also get the patterns to cut the overlay pattern pieces so everything is sized to fit. Here are all the pieces laid out.

 The next step I do is to score my fold lines. Easiest way I have found is using my Score Pal. There are tiny little notches where your fold lines are. I line up the notches on the score pal and then create the fold score lines. (Make sure you lay out your pieces the way the connect together and score the right direction, yes... experience talking, I scored one of mine the wrong direction. No big mistake really, just have to score the other direction carefully)

Then I add double sided tape to the flaps and put the pieces together.

Once the sides are together, then you fold in the bottom, and then the top -

 The overlay pieces simply glue to the sides. I inked the edges of mine before glueing them on. Then it was on to "decorating" the top.

I totally fell in love with the new Poinsettia images from Dana's Digi's. Gorgeous image for Christmas! Now I wanted to have a bit of pop to mine, so I printed it out three times, colored with my Copics, then cut out layers.

Once cut out there are pop dots between each layer and I curled up the petals to give a more vintage "real" look. Well at least that was the goal. Then I added a few Martha Stewart leaves and branches, and a few blingy things that I found in my stash. The center I used a Viva Decor Yellow Pearl Paper pen to have some added sparkle. Oh and I used a velcro dot to "close" the top. That way the box can be opened and then closed again easily.

Seriously this box was super easy to put together, and adding the Whimsy image to the top was a great embellishment.

Here is the finished box again -

 Wouldn't you like to know what goodies are inside? LOL me too... haven't totally made up my mind on what I am making yet for the sweets this year. Told you I have been running late, today I am going to grocery store so guess I have to narrow down so I can get the ingredients.

Have you visited the Whimsy Store and seen all the Shape EZ templates? Here is the link straight to them... HERE . There are boxes, cards and lots of fun things to make. And don't forget to head over to the Whimsy Inspirations Blog and see all the DT's "inspirations" they have created.

Better get all the critters fed breakfast, then get dressed and out the door to get my errands run and groceries.

Have a wonderful Wednesday -
HUGS and-

Just Magnolia and Hanglar - PINK

Friday!! The days are just flying by aren't they? So here is Friday again, and today it is my day to join in with the girls at Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge. Good week too cuz the them is all about PINK :0)

Now since I am so far behind, sorry...  but I am. I decided to double duty my challenge today with a "box" I made for my MIL's birthday this week. I needed something to put her present in besides wadding up the bag it came in... so I dug out one of my sizzix dies and made a little case!

It is a Bigz die, Suitcase Bag - one day I am going to get a pro similar... :0) Cuz I would love this to be larger! I won't lie I messed this up first go around. I tried to make it out of the sizzix board... messed up two pieces darn it! Then I realized that it was just too much for it, the sides need to bend. So I started over with a grey piece of card stock and it works much much better. I colored up one of my Tilda's - I love how she is leaning in on the edge. Please don't be upset.. but I was so out of it I forgot to take the photo of the markers. I have been doing pretty good was so upset with myself. She has been loosely cut out. I used the sizzix die to cut out two pieces of pattern paper for the front and back. I stuck Tilda down, then I found a Whimsy sentiment and cut it out with a matching die. I added a little bit of color to it. I then found some adhesive pearls on a roll. Love these. I stuck them around the edge. This case needed some serious girly feel to it. I looked at it and realized I had covered up just about all the roses on the paper.. and that was my pretty pink!!!! So I found three mulberry pink roses and fond punch leaves and added them, and pop dotted the sentiment.

Moving on to the sides. I added two rows of lace, making sure that when the sides over lap when closed that they match up ok. Looked a little plain, so I added more pearls. Pearls always dress things up right?

MIL's gift just barely fit inside.... barely. She seemed to really like it. And she was happy cuz this would sit up and not blow over "like a card". Wasn't the thought when making it, but hey if that works out that is great.


So now it is time for you to jump on over to the Just Magnolia and Hanglar Challenge and see all the DT's Pink... then join us for this weeks great prize.


So today... well Hubby and I are trying to get a bunch of little things done cuz we want to play tomorrow. A little over an hour from here is a big city garage sale :0) Last time we went there were TONS of antiques and vintage items. So we are hoping that it is the same this time. Gonna have to get up before the crack of dawn to feed all the animals then make the drive to be there early when it opens.

So I'll schedule up my post for Saturday... it is gonna be double duty... Animal Crackers and the first of the month so it is also Whimsy Release... so I hope to see you Saturday! Thanks for stopping in today.

HUGS and -

A little BirdHouse for my Little Darlings Guest DT

 Hello! Today is my last post as Guest DT for Little Darlings Stamps. I have had a really hard time trying to find something to make for my last DT spot. Wanted to do something special. I came up with a few different things that I wanted to make, but at then I just kept seeing this blank wood bird house sitting on my shelf. It was calling out to use a few of the Cutie Pie images... and when a bird house is calling out to you.. you have to do something with it! 

The images that I used are - "Pretty Posie", "Flowers For You" the "Green House" and then even though she isn't part of the In the Garden release, I totally adore her, so I had to use "What a Sweetheart". I just wish the bird house had been larger so I could have added even more of them! 

Basics of the birdhouse. I purchased a wood bird house from the craft store. I painted the first coat with a chocolate brown. Then I painted with Plaid Crackle Medium. You have to let it dry completely. Then I painted the top coat with a cream paint. All of my paints are acrylic. As it dries.. the crackle magic happens. Love watching that! 

Then for the roof I punched a whole lot of Fiskars heart punches out of coredinations brown card stock that I sanded each one. Then lots of glue and you layer them to create the shingles on the roof. The ridge I added gingham ribbon, and then a row of pearls, it reminded me of those victorian houses and their awesome time decorations across the tops. Around the edge, pretty woven lace ribbon, and button tops. A olive green matching lace ribbon around the bottom for a grass type of bottom. 

At that point... you just dig through all the stuff you have stashed over time. I found lots of little pieces that were just perfect for the garden theme - a little shovel, a flowers sign, tiny little plastic flowers, little sayings and quotes, a clock face, chipboard flourishes and lots of bling items. This is where I tend to go a bit overboard, the little embellishments, but I forced myself to stop. I don't think I did too much.. LOL 

It is so much fun to use my stamps with a 3-d decorating item. Great gifts! I hope mine inspired you to pick up something to alter and pull out your stamps and then have lots of FUN! 

I want to thank everyone at Little Darlings Stamps - Angie, Mindy and Sheri are the greatest to work for, and all of the DT are super talented, my Guest DT Spot has been a huge honor and a ton of crafting fun. Thanks!

See you tomorrow for Animal Crackers  - I was out last night trying to get a few shots, but the sun was already too low and the wind was blowing like crazy so not so lucky... I'll try this afternoon for better ones. Have a great day - 

HUGS and-

A Bridal Shower Gift

Thought today I would show a gift I made for a Bridal Shower... it actually is the shower/wedding gift. I made this for my best Buddy Tracey's Daughter. She is a beautiful girl that is getting married next month, a destination wedding so we won't be attending. So I did a all in one gift. ;0)

I made her a flip flop album.  Ok so not a great name for a wedding gift, but that is what it is called. I found three or four tutorials for these albums when I Googled it. I used a little from all of them, then made up stuff on my own. After making it I see ways I could have improved... next album :0)

This is the front of the album. I covered chipboard for the outer pieces. Her colors are grey, deep purple and lilac.... I got as close as I could. I printed the photo of the happy couple on canvas after a little photoshop playing. I sewed down things. Their names I printing right on the photo. The word forever is from Papertrey Ink.. cut once in dark purple and once in lilac, then over lapped for a shadow look. The flourish is from Cheery Lane.. with three mulberry flowers added. Then my Viva Decor Pearl Pen. :0)

Inside -





From the front... has tags that flip and flop both ways... I did lots of layers, Lots of papers, rub ons, and stamps. Oh and of course more photos of the couple.

The view from the other way... more photos, and all the other embellishments. The tape is a paper tape I got ages ago... It is all about Paris :0) ... that is where the couple is hoping to spend part of their honeymoon.. OH how wonderful does that sound?

The back cover I added a pocket. With layers of paper, Whimsy scalloped die and ribbon. Then I added a matching tag in the pocket.

Tag has their present on it.. uh wait.. no I did not give them the Eiffel Tower.. LOL that is part of the decoration. Their gift is on the backside :0)

Darn I forgot to take a photo of the cute little ribbon closure I did.. I got to use some very old Maya Road clasp.  It is cute really....

When it was time to wrap it... hmmmm.... Then I remembered some clear boxes I had stashed somewhere -  fast forward through lots of digging time... and then....

It just FITS! Whew... then I wrapped it with some seam binding ribbon and ta da!  Hope she likes it. Took me a while to do it, and work through it all. But in the end I was happy with how it came out.


OH to be young and in love and just starting you married life. Well there is something wonderful about being .. (I was gonna say old, but hey.. ) anyway it is great to have 25 years and still in love too.

Have a great day :0)

Canvas Frame Birthday Gift

Hi - well as I promised yesterday, today I want to show you the canvas frame that I made for our neighbor friends birthday this weekend. She had a foal born a couple of weeks ago, his name is Duncan. Isn't he just adorable?

I wanted to make her something special to show him off, can't believe those legs... LOL My mini donkeys don't have 1/2 those legs under them! Literally! This was his day one photo... she was so excited when that hind end popped out with all those spots.

For those that have never seen a post with one of my canvas frames, you can find the instructions here. I have had a few post with these frames. I love making them - great gifts.

This frame is a 8X10 canvas, a great size for a 4x6 photo to sit in side the back of the canvas. It is really important that when purchasing your canvas to get one that has a wide wood border so you have plenty to cover and decorate.

My papers are from long ago.. LOL K&Company Wild Saffron paper stack. The border punch used is from EK success, as is the Retro Flower punches. I used twine around the corners to add a bit more country to the piece. I wanted to put his name on it, and wasn't sure what to go with,when I remembered another product from long ago.. my thickers! Man I have tons of these things from my scrapbooking days, and this western chipboard font is perfect for this little guy. I hated to use the flowers in the corners, as that isn't really "manly", but I like  how it looks and couldn't come up with anything better. So Flowers it is!

I hope she liked it. I was happy with how it turned out, but with a photo like that it already had a good start :0)

Can't wait for tomorrows post.. some happy news and  new post!

Have a great Monday!
HUGS and

Suzi Blu - Angel of Art in Metal Foil

My turn posting at the Stampvie DT Blog again today and I tried something new!

I just love trying new things. And this was way too much fun! I had seen these cool metal art projects on the internet  and then ran across this YouTube Video showing how to do it.. so you know I had to try it right? 

Here is how mine turned out.

 This really pretty easy to do and it was so fun! The main supplies? Hardware store Foil Duct Tape - and embellishments. Cutting the tape into pieces and placing them on a piece of chipboard. For wording and "pop-up" effects under the metal, I used Chipboard Thicker letters, and chipboard flourishes. Attach them in place on the chipboard. Then stick down in pieces of the tape, overlapping in different directions. Then you use what ever, bonefolder, metal working tools, the end of a pen... what ever to go around the chipboard pieces and give the appearance of metal embossing. Then I found copper metal foil tape and put down a few small pieces. Edges of the tape are then worked with whatever you have. Metal scroll tools, pens just decorate! Black paint is rubbed over the entire piece. Then rub down.. and most off to leave just enough to enhance the piece. Bronze colored rubbing powder for a shimmer. 

Then to the pretty focus point... Suzi Blu's Angel of Art!  So perfect for my metal art!

She is colored her with my Copics, then added some Stickles and Bling to dress her up a bit. She is attached to the piece, then a few other embellishments. Corner pieces, clock faces, Hearts, Stars and Crowns... whatever felt right.

Close up of the metal - 

Love working with new things.. Hope you enjoyed it :0) 

Have a great Sunday 

Hugs and

Papertrey Ink Challenge

Hi - I have just been having so much fun just crafting.. just for fun, just for me! I have been joining in on more challenges for inspiration and having fun. You know there is just times when things are so stressed and you have so many required things due and you enjoy doing them, but it just feels different when it is more like playing. Does that make sense at all? Probably not.. but oh well it all boils down to I have been having fun!

So this weekend I was surfing around and was reading on the Papertrey Ink Forum, and found there was a challenge that had just started on there. Sounded fun, and had a list of requirements that did challenge me. They asked for projects with - Scallops, Birthday theme, Background stamp, Hearts and Buttons. Yep.. all in one project! Well.. I put my thinking cap on and pulled out some of my Papertrey products that I have been wanting to use - and this is what I came up with -

So first I have been wanting to use my new Front and Center #2 bag die. You die cut two - one for the front and one for the back, then you just create folded sides for how ever large you want you bag! Too easy and way too cute! From there I decided as my background stamp, I wanted to try and emboss the new Wrought Iron back ground stamp - been forever since I have used my embossing powders, and WOW love this stamp with the shiny black embossing! I found a photo cloud pattern paper to use, and other than it is just a bit slanted on the page.. duh... I love it! I then also went ahead and black embossed the sentiment Happy Birthday - from the Inside and Out Set.

Then I wanted some grass across the bottom... well it was Easter, and my Martha Stewart Bunny punch just needed to be used. I punched it twice, once in green, then once in a light brown. I then cut out the bunnies out and added white gel pen cotton tails. Aren't they just adorable along the Iron fence? It still needed a POP - So I found one of the Flower Fusion stamp sets. #9 - I die cut the flower and then stamped. Then edged with a Copic. Now I need to order the Flower Fusion stem die... darn it! But until I do I made use of a Martha Stewart Frond leaf punch. To check off the list of requirements, I used a button for the center of the flower - Only one more thing needed... Hearts.. hmmm - well I have the Papertrey Ink Heart Border die. so I cut me out a strip and just used it for another added pop of color at the top. Why.. well cuz I needed hearts - LOL

Here is a side view -

 You can see it is actually a little bag. I should have made it a little bigger - but well it is a cute LITTLE bag.

I had fun - Hubby looked at it and said, wow that is very different for you. And I like that - I need some different once in a while.

Have a great day!
HUGS and -

Stampavie Sarah Kay - "Spool" Photo Holder

The other day was my turn on the Stampavie Blog again - I had so many things already scheduled, and all those babies to show off :0) So here is my project! It was so much fun....

I am so excited to show you what I made this week. Isn't funny how exciting it is when something is in your head and it works in reality! It doesn't happen often for me, so when it does work.. I get the giggles!

This is my Sarah Kay "Spool" Photo Holder. And I just love how Laura and Henri fit so perfectly on it.

I adore antiques, and love the vintage wooden spools. But I didn't have one to make my photo holder, so I made one ! Can you guess what I used? I am sure you can... This is a Toilet paper roll and two coasters! Covered in pretty Graphic 45 papers, inked and glued together. Tim Holtz lace borders, and lots of mulberry roses. My photo holder? That is a piece of copper wire rolled and then glued into the center of the roll. Was so simple!

Here is a close up of Laura and Henri - they are so precious.

I hope you enjoyed my project, oh... and the photo that is in my holder? That is my grandfather as a very young boy with his siblings. Such a great family photo.

Hope you have a great Sunday -
HUGS and -

Tweet Family Easter Basket

HI - Today's post is one that is also seen on the Stampavie Blog as well as the Letraset Blog! So you know I had to make sure that it was here as well. Thankfully this project I worked on for a few nights in a row and finished up the night before I hurt my hand. Would have crushed me to not get it finished and able to share on my days on the other two blogs.

So here it is -

Easter is coming! And for my project today I wanted to show you a cute little Easter Basket I made, decorated with the new Stampavie Penny Johnson image "Tweet Family".  I love this image, perfect for a little basket, and I love how rich the colors are when colored with my Letraset Pro Markers!

Colors Used: Blush, Buttercup, Ivory, Lemon, Apricot, Dusky Rose, Tan, Caramel, Burnt Sienna, Marsh Green,  Pear Green and Powder Blue.  I tend to layer my colors. I let it dry and then color again,  I just love how deep and rich these markers are and how beautifully they blend for shading. 

Tutorials for this basket can be found all over the Internet, I found mine HERE.   It is a lot of fun to fold together! But even more fun is adding all the pretty flowers, ribbons and pearls!

Supplies Used: My Minds Eye Papers, Heartfelt Creations Window Die, Spellbinders Oval Die, Circle Die and Lacey Circle Die. EK Success Jumbo Heart Punch, Martha Stewart Branch Punch, Adhesive Pearls, Vintage Satin Seam binding,  And lots of Wild Orchid Mulberry Roses. 

I loved making this basket, and will be doing another one soon I am sure - 

Hope this did pop on this morning as I have it scheduled.... Today I am at the hospital with my family. My Mom is having back surgery - prayers are appreciated, we are all a bit nervous. I am sure she is going to come out of it just fine. And hopefully the pain she has had to live with the past year will be gone. 

Thanks so much  - HUGS and