recycled smutt...

I took this pic with my phone, so sorry it's not all that and a bag of chips... not that my pics ever are. LOL

This is my before pic... I am still working on it and I will post another pic tomorrow or the next day when it's all done. This is one of those projects where it just always seems to need one more thing. I just really wanted to share it cuz I love it :)

Onto the good stuff. I saw this tutorial... I'll share the link later or check it out in my SCS gallery. The link to that is on the right. I used one of those smutty trashy novels for my wreath. I can't tell you if it was a good story or not because frankly I never read that book. I don't even remember where it came from. I think it was a yard sale find with a box of Stephen King books. I am more of a James Patterson kinda gal now (though I admit to reading the Twilight series too.)

I edged all the sides of the book with a dark brown cats eye. It really adds definition to the pages. The tutorial used a painted edge. I can't be bothered with painting when I can just dab with an ink pad.

who me...

I haven't been very crafty this summer, but with school starting I hope to get back on the ball! I am working really hard at organizing my craft room and that too has been helping with my creativity. So, maybe you will be seeing more of me these days... both of you!

Teachers are always requesting gel hand sanitizer and I thought it would be fun to deck these two out. Who am I kidding, I was cleaning up some projects from... well, I don't even want to tell you how long ago! and I didn't want to put the apple paper away so instead I whipped these two simple beauties out. The bottles are slightly tapered and that was the hardest part. These were easy peasy!

supplies
paper: DCWV
accessories: SU ribbon, DCWV stickers and unknown die cut letters

the office can...

I made these tins for the teachers for teacher appreciation day. I like to call them an "office in a tin because it's got everything you need. A pen, a mechanical pencil, some post it notes, paperclips, binder clips, push pins and a mini roll of tape. These are great to carry in your purse or glove box in your car. Plus, they are purty.

I bought these tins a while ago. They are the size of an altoids box but they are plain silver and have never had food in them.

The other box is filled with pick goodies :)

supplies
paper: luxe designs sugar cookie, stampin up lovely flowers
accessories: may arts ribbon, su in color ribbon

doves in a bottle...

These frap bottles are all decked out for teacher appreciation week. So far I've managed to give the teachers something handmade each day. I think they are enjoying getting handmade gifts. I gave these Dove chocolate filled bottles to them yesterday. They looked so yummy that my daughter was begging for a piece.

I was worried that the kids would break the bottles on the way to school but they managed to get them there without breakage.

supplies
paper: luxe designs sugar cookie, stampin up lovely flowers
accessories: may arts ribbon, su in color ribbon, heidi swapp bling

my boy...

This is my boy. He's eight and loves mini golf so we celebrated with his classmates and friends by playing a round of mini golf. It was a beautiful day... the sky was much bluer than it looks in this photo :)

Happy birthday bud :)

get the sensation...

Yesterday I posted a box book that I made for my son's teacher Miss O'Grady. This one was made for my daughter's teacher Mrs. Seuffert.

I wasn't in such a rush, so I managed to get a photo of this 'book" open. Inside these boxes are yummy York Peppermint Patties because that's her favorite :)

Do you like this paper? I sure hope so! You will be seeing more of it. It came from Tuesday Morning and I have a whole pack. Mrs. Seuffert will be getting a few projects made with this purty paper. So, I hope she likes it!



supplies
stamps: cloud 9 simple thoughts laughter
ink: chocolate chip
paper: luxe designs sugar cookie scarlet
accessories: vanilla hph, may arts ribbon

take 5...

We are still appreciating our teachers. Yesterday, this is what I sent in for Miss O'Grady. She's really a sweet lady. She is substituting for our regular teacher, who is out on maternity leave. Miss O'Grady will be leaving us soon and I will miss her. She is new to teaching and I wish her luck in her career.

I whipped out this box book in no time with my Scor-Pal (love it!!). It's held together with a ribbon that was dyed with a Copic marker. It opens up and inside is a scene similar to this one in front. I didn't get it made in time for my son to take it to school *and* get a pic of the inside.

Inside the boxes are take5 candy bars. Yum :)

supplies
stamps: papertrey ink springtime doodles, mega mixed messages
ink: memento tux black
paper: dcwv nana's nursery baby boy, black scrap
accessories:may arts ribbon, copic markers, stickles

teacher appreciation week...

I followed the tutorial on SCS to make this file folder legal pad holder. I really like these and I hope the teachers do too. I have one that I use when I go to conferences and other meetings at school or anywhere that I might need to take notes. Mine is well loved and it shows :)

These particular file folders had matching pens. I got a pack of three folders and a three pack of pens from the $ store, so I still had enough to make more :)

I made two of these today. The other one is slightly different. For this one, I secured it with a Basic Gray magnetic snap. The other one ties closed with the ribbon which loops around the entire booklet.

A final detail I added was a DCWV rub on placed on the pen. It's near the bottom and has the teacher's initial on it.
supplies
paper: dollar store file folders
accessories: cheapo ribbon that I got on clearance somewhere.

i have an amazing sister...

Did you know that? I have three actually, but my sister Joanne has been home from work the last few days and I stopped by one day to keep her company. Not only did she make all these yummy flowers for me, but she taught me how to make them too! Some are five petal and some are six petal... I just might go all out and make some seven petal! Rebel! I still need practice. Mine aren't nearly as beautimus as these delights but they are usable.

Thanks Jo <3

whimsical smooches...

So, a good friend sent me some chip shapes and demanded that I use them. Such a good friend. She knows I haven't been very creative lately and that I needed a kick in the pants. *love you Karen!*

So, I've had said chip for about a week... keeping in on top of the pile of clutter so as not to get lost but there was just no inspiration aside from the desire to use the chip... till I went to the Heirloom expo in Allentown, PA where I scored me some smooch SPRITZ.

So, I spritzed some wine berry smooch onto the embossed chip :) Sweet. Love. It! How nice of Heidi to include such a purty pattern on my heart for me. Easy peasy! Sure, I had bright pink finger tips when I was done, but it washed off remarkable easily. I was impressed! Since the wine berry wasn't spritzed too evenly I didn't want to over do it with the base and I thought my PTI dots would be a great compliment. The in-color rich razzleberry matches very well so I went with it.

I stamped the sentiment in Memento black and added the May Arts black satin ribbon to provide some contrast.

supplies
stamps: pti polka dot basics, su whimsical words
ink: su rich razzleberry, memento tuxedo black
paper: gina k pure lux white
accessories: may arts black stain ribbon, heidi swapp invisibles chipboard shapes

small wonder...

My son's girlfriend is due to have their small wonder in a few weeks and she asked me to make her shower invitations. I use the word "asked" loosely, I don't think I had much of a choice in the matter. Not that I minded, I am always up for paper crafting and using up my hoarded stash :)

This is what I came up with. I chose these colors because they are her favorites for the baby.

Sorry the pic is dark. I lost my camera cable and had to take the pic on my phone.

Thanks Georgann... your stamping and embossing really, really helped! I owe you!

supplies
stamps:
ink: close to cocoa craft
paper: all stampin up certainly celery and close to cocoa dsp, natural white, certainly celery, chocolate chip , blush blossom, and barely banana
accessories: iridescent ice embossing powder, su edge punch, everyday paper dolls cricut cartridge, pretty in pink pastel

who? me? again???

I know, right? Me... two days in a row. Don't worry. I don't have much else to share right now but I wanted to share these two together. I won't be bothering you everyday.

This for my son's second grade teacher and is also filled with yummy Ghirardelli chocolates. Sinful, I tell ya.

I used my SU border punch for this one. Went simpler after the fiasco with the other punch! Added the bling to kick it up a notch. I also used to new unmounted SU stamps. Finally, they got on the unmounted boat! Way to go SU!

supplies
stamps: su whimsical words
ink: night of navy
paper: american crafts a la carte gyro
accessories: su ivory grosgrain

hijacked...

No, it's really just me. I just fell off the face of the earth for a while :) There was Christmas, then my daughters birthday in early January and she's in kindergarten now so it's kinda a big deal these days. And I am going to be a grandma.. yeah, I know. I'm not old enough but it seems no one told my boys that! Anyway, we're getting excited as Bryce will soon be here. Just a few more weeks if he decides to show up on time. Plus, I am ashamed to admit I was addicted to too many of those blasted facebook games. Yoville. That's it. I allow myself that one game. No Mafia Wars, no Cafe World, no Farmville... you get the picture. If you play look me up :)

So, I plan to get back into crafting and blogging again. Actually, I've been crafting. Any kind words of encouragement is appreciated :) Oh, and thanks to those who missed me. I really appreciate that.

Here's a little tote I made for my daughter to give to her kindergarten teacher. It's got a bag of Valentine Ghirardelli chocolates in there. Yup, the big one. She's that good. I just wish I knew school would be closed for three days due to the snow we have in the Northeast. I would have gotten them tomorrow when they are half price.

For this sweet tote, I pulled out my Scor-Pal. Love that thing! I just lined the candy box up with the lines on the Pal and went at it. I rarely follow directions and I just wing it quite often. I waste a LOT of paper that way, but I still have an abundance so I am generally OK with that. The mouse is from the DCWV stack and I cut her out with my craft knife. I added a little shimmer of cheapo glitter glue to her bow, and some red grosgrain (after Christmas clearance at Target, love it!) as a handle. The top of the bag was done with the EK success punches. My intent was to do both layers with the larger scallop but the punch had other ideas. It stuck on the cardstock and refused to give it up. An email to EK success solved that little problem, but not in time to finish the bag. If your punch gets stuck on cardstock, they say to toss it in the freezer to contract the metal then punch foil and wax paper. I knew the last part but the freezer idea was new to me. I hope that tip helps both of you :)

supplies
paper: dcwv farmer's market paper stack
accessories: red grosgrain, ek success punches