Monkey See, Monkey Do, How Bout' a Birthday for You...

Well, I didn't get the chance to play around with those new stamps just yet! I've been on a "banner-making" kick lately and I have one to share here today. I also have a retirement banner in the works, so you'll have to stay tuned for that one! They are such a fun and nice way to display some color splash and can be easily stored...until next time! I put this ensemble together for a friend who requested a monkey theme for her little girls first birthday. I had the hardest time finding a cute girlie monkey, so I came up with this brilliant idea to buy a packet of stickers (there was only 1 image of this cute monkey in there!!) and photo copy the image on PTI white card stock. I was able to get 6 monkey images on a full sheet of cs...you don't want any more than 6 on a full sheet because you need to allow room for you nesty dies to cut them out. Once I got the monkey image center cut, I stamped my pink scallop (PTI-Faux Ribbon) and used my Karen Foster snap stamps for "Kathryn". I stamped each letter individually vs. having them attached, otherwise they would not have fit! I cut several more SU! coordinating cs colors and on the pink cs I used a SU! Polka Dot bg stamp. There is also a little added touch of yellow to the monkey's flower with an adhesive rhinestone. I printed all the party info. on a nesty cut circle and adhered it to the back. The banner is probably my favorite to date! I love to make these! The colors on this particular banner are so fun and vibrant! My gf asked if I could use Kathryn's middle name as well. I wasn't able to fit it on the invites so I incorporated it with the beginning and end pieces of the banner. I cut out all the rectangles with my nesty dies. I was really sporadic with my PTI-Polka Dot Basics set here. I used an open polka dot first, then went back and filled in sporadically with my solid polka dots. To connect all the rectangles I used a regular paper hole punch and strung thru some May Arts ribbon (I buy May Arts ribbon by the spool from Jody!) and then I went back and added coordinating ribbons in between the rectangles.

Vintage Barbie & Harley Combo...

Awww, the joys of summer...HUMIDITY! You would think that living rather close to the coast, the humidity would be mild, but it has been a killer weekend! I'm a "outdoorsy" girl when it comes to gardening and mowing the lawn, but it's not a whole lot of fun when your soaked before you even turn the key to the lawnmower...lol This weeks forecast is pretty much the same so I guess I will be staying inside and playing with some new stamp sets!

Anyhoo, on to the FUN stuff! I've had this vintage Barbie paper sitting in my stash and a dear friend just happened to be looking for something for her Mom in this pattern! The Barbie's are printed in silhouettes on a 12x12 sheet and I just chose 3 that would fit the size of this notebook. After I cut out the Barbie's I decided they just didn't have the "pop" in color that I was looking for. I sewed on the first layer of cs then matted all of them in SU! Ballet Blue cs. The SU! Pixie Pink cs is stamped with my PTI-Polka Dot Basics (I think I use this set on just about everything!). The write ribbon is simple offray from Wal-Mart and I wrapped it under the cover and added the bows with E6000. I don't know if you can see from the photo, but I also added a few pink rhinestones on the hats and the hair of the middle Barbie. What better combo to go with Barbie's than Harley's? A simple 4x6 photo album customized just for Mom! I replaced the inside cover with the Harley colors. Luckily with this type of album, you have 2 separate pockets for the cover vs. having to fiddle with one large cover which can buckle when you try to fiddle with it! First, I cut the coordinating card stocks and stamped PTI-Sympathy (vines) in black. And of course, then I ran it thru my sewing machine before adding the name (SU! alpha set) and adding some extra matte colors. Lastly, I added the 3-D Harley images and she was complete! This the perfect size album to stash in your purse or bike luggage!

Graduation Ensemble...

A special request I put together for a recent graduate. It was nice to do something for an older graduate (college grad) this time around. I'm usually in the midst of making gifts, cards, etc for the younger crowds lately...lol Besides, the weather is nice and just ripe for "picking" season...this SU! patterned paper reminds me of the strawberry patch! Simple post-it pad notebook. Altered reporters notebook. These are super quick and easy to put together! I found the right size clear bag to put these notebooks in once they are completed...totally makes it even easier to give as a quick gift! I usually keep several made up in a basket, because you never know who's birthday is coming around the corner:) I also love the Heidi Swapp ghost flower shapes!
Long 6 piece chocolate box! I wanted to add a little flair to the outside of the box, so I sewed a creme thread on the patterned paper. The "sweet" stamp is from an old SU! set I have and then I used my SU! scallop punch to matte. The nugget wrappers are avery address labels and I used my PTI set to stamp them out!Short 4 piece chocolate box!Personalized post-it notebook. I especially love that I changed out the handle on the purse this time. In previous purse construction I have used a paper handle as well, but I really like the whimsy look of the satin ribbon.

Don't Forget About Teacher's...

Last Friday was the end of my BIG girl being a baby! She is more than ready for Kindergarten and had a blast celebrating Field Day with all her classmates. I feel very blessed that she was also taught by two wonderful teacher's, Ms. Queen and Ms. Sue. I was certainly hoping they would follow us to Gracie's new school, but no such luck! I hope they both know how much WE appreciate them! These "little people" images are the same that I used in the previous posts only this time I used the 3-D clothes that come with the set! Check out the girls shoes...snazzy!
Nothing says, "I'm a big girl" like some dazzling diamonds and satin ribbon! The names are stamped out with my PTI alpha set and then I used the scalloped circle (yellow one) punch for a little color POP!I stamped all the edges with my PTI sympathy set and added the flowers. I was sporadic with the flowers stamps, no particular order and followed the same method when adding the adhesive rhinestones.
I wanted to add this quick little number on today's post as well! You know when you go the florist and they have all those "generic" cards you can add to your bouquets? Well, since this bouquet was a sympathy set for someone who lost a close family member, no "generic" card would do. I really wanted something nice and elegant so I pulled out my PTI sympathy set and cut the ovals with my nesty dies. I'd say it coordinates pretty well with the flowers eh?

Pre-K Graduation Certificates...

ETA: stamp set can be found at Michael's...it was on an end cap when I first walked in the store...I think for most stores, it will be in the NEW product section!

This school year has really ZIPPED by! Tomorrow is Gracie's last day of Pre-K and it's going to be a day filled with fun and moving on to the next step...Kindergarten! My Daughter is very ready for Kindergarten, Mommy on the other hand, is NOT! Its been exciting to see all the changes in her educational development and to watch her grow in to a mature little lady! Since Pre-K doesn't have a "real" graduation, her teacher had asked if there was something I could make for the kids, sort of like a certificate, that could be a nice little send off for their last day. I had just purchased this Me & My Big Ideas stick figure stamp set and I found it to be very fitting for the occasion. These stamps are fairly large (FUN!) at approx. 4-5 inches! The set also came with 3-D outfits, shoes, and accessories so you can dress them up! I didn't have enough outfits for the quantity of cards I needed, so they got "copic" dresses and shorts...lol I cut my white cs to 5x7, outer cs is cut 1/4 in larger for a border. On the white cs I measured 1 inch all the way around (the line black line) so I would have a nice border and line guide for the abc/123 stamps (SU!). The flower stamp comes with the M&MBI stamp set. The first and last (blurred out on the bottom) names were stamped with my Karen Foster Snap Stamps.

It was fun making sure each card is going to mean something special to the children. I even made sure to color just the right skin tone! I've been asked a lot if Gracie is Hispanic since she has rather dark skin tone for being half Caucasian and Chinese, but I assure you she has been blessed with her darker tone from her Daddy. My youngest is 2.5 and is pretty light like her Mommy, but she tells everyone she is ONLY Chinese! My sister-in-law is always teasing me that the next child will be totally Caucasian...lol

Busy start to the week and a baby surprise...

So what else do you do on a Monday AND it also happens to be your birthday??!!! Welllll, you spend it at the DMV of course...LOL! I would have loved to spend my birthday any other way, but since my license expired THAT DAY, it had to be taken care of! Plus, it's the only DMV I've been to where your 2 yr. old can sit on your lap while taking the written test...she was soo good for being there almost 4 hours! Needless to say, I did pass (barely!) and I officially carry a NC license now:) I've also been trying clean up my messy craft room, but then the urge passes and I'm back to square one!

Anyhoo, on with the fun "baby surprise" I made for my sister's baby-on-the-way! And you thought I was going to say "we" had a baby surprise right?? I love making baby stuff for friends and family. I was trying to think of a neat way to keep all the baby essentials organized, yet easy to see and readily available. All four jars here were only 8 bucks at Wal-Mart. These jars come in 3 different sizes and I used the medium size.To get started I wanted some material that would match the crib bedding. I ironed the material with a little starch to stiffen it up before running thru my wizard machine. After I cut the material out, I cut another circle the same size and mod-podged it on to the cs for strength. The letters are cut with my Cricut and the added flower embellishments are from my cuttlebug and foo-fa-la buttons. The wide polka-dot ribbon is some inexpensive stuff I picked up at Wal-Mart.The medium sized jars fit all the miniatures perfectly! In another jar I also put mylicon drops, baby tylenol, teething gel etc. You could make so many wonderful gifts with jars...think about the holidays...maybe a hot chocolate set for the kids, or cookie mix for teachers? Just a quick snapshot of sis' baby bedding. Our family friend, Sharon, made this bright ensemble. I think baby Kate is going to be very excited with all the bright colors:)

"Behind the Seams"--New Find!

I'm so thrilled to share a fun "new find" that has been in the works for some time, but because they were for my Sister's birthdays, I had to hold off! Well, no more holding back! In seeking out a special gift this year I really wanted something that was practical and of course something they didn't already own. One of my favorite websites, Etsy.com, is ALWAYS my first stop when looking for something homemade and one of a kind! I did a search under "self inking address stamps" and came across Stamp Out Online. I worked with Stamp Out owner, Lisa (who is very nice and professional I might add!), to come up with a fun design. Once I came up with a design, Lisa sent a proof for approval and I had my stamps in just a few days!
I love the whole shape of this self-inking stamp. It's not like the usual ones I've seen and also has a protective lid so even if your little one wants to press down, it will not stamp on the inside of the lid!!! I tried it out on a few envies just to see how it stamped...PERFECT! Be sure to use the little grips on the side, it helps ensure a nice and even pressure distribution. (the pics are blurry on purpose, as much as my Sister's would love to get mail from some super hot celebrity, they certainly aren't looking for stalker mail...lol!) After I ordered the address stamps, I was thinking about getting a little something for myself...luckily Lisa was thinking along the same lines! She made me a small stamp with my website address so I could use it on the back of all my projects. I chose to go with a rubber stamp on wood block since I needed the option to use white (for dark paper) and black inks. The image really comes out nice and crisp and I barely had to press down on the cs when using Stazon ink (cause we all know how "sticky" it can be!).You know me, I can't just send the stamp...they needed to be "dressed-up" too! I made an address tag to attach with ribbon and cellophane.
Here is the back of the birthday cards with my new stamp! Something sweet, cute, and fun!OH sooooo pretty! I wanted a simple look, but something that POPPED as well. I started with the shimmer PTI cs then decided I might as well use my Dew Drop shimmer inks as well! That cupcake looks scrumptious!

Simple Engagement...

This week is FLYING by! We spent the holiday weekend in GA visiting with my twin sister and her family. She is due soon with her 2nd child and we are all getting excited to welcome Kate into the world! I only wish my family and I lived closer, the goodbyes are always hard. My oldest daughter is also beginning her new journey to Kindergarten and its bittersweet for my hubby and I. I know it will get easier, she's just the first and its new for all of us!

Anyhoo, what I really came here for tonight was to update my blog! All of my new postings were gifts and some had to be shipped, so I had to hold out and not give them away on my blog. This simple engagement card was for a dear friend who is now a Fiancee! I brought out some old goodies for this one! The quilt pattern on the bottom is from PTI-guide lines and I stamped them out on PTI-glitter cs. And fitting-for-the-occasion was my Bella bride to be! I always like the "Tiffany Blue" for wedding cards and gifts so I went along those color lines to finish out the card. OOOOH, look how SPARKLY she is! Once I color in my images with copic markers, I like to go back over them with my Spica glitter pens. These pens add a TON of sparkle with even the lightest of touches.I finally have my "Behind the Seams" feature coming up! Hopefully the fence guy (they are coming back to finish what they were "supposed" to do!) is quick tomorrow because Momma has a fun post to share:)

Pretty Princess Birthday...

...because EVERY little girl is a princess! This project was a true labor of love because it was done for my dear friend back home in Oklahoma. Her little girl, Macy, was turning 3 and having a princess party...complete with a visit from Cinderella and tea cup goodies. My gf and I decided on what colors we should use and if you recognize the colors, you know these are based off of the Disney Princesses (Belle, Cinderella, & Sleeping Beauty!). I printed off the invites and left room on the margin to stamp my SU! Pretty Princess. I filled in her dress-up outfit with my copic makers.Fun little banner I came up with. This banner was fairly long and the only place I could get the proper wall space for a photo was in my bathroom...horrible lighting, but it worked...lol Below is detail shot of each banner panel. I randomnly stamped the princess on each 6 inch piece and then matted them in coordinating colors. This is also a great project to use up those ribbon scraps. When I was putting this together I just dumped out my ribbon scraps and went to town. How the banner was displayed at Macy's party. I especially love the extra detail my gf added with the tulle as well as the BIG puffy flowers on the ends. Here I was trying to size up the pieces...this is a very large banner, although it looks deceiving in the photos! I wanted to make sure the letters weren't going to cover up too much of the princess image. The letters were cut out with my cricut.Cupcakes sticks! Cupcake stick just for the princess!Centerpiece--I attached a dowel on the back and it was displayed in a glass bottle with marbles for support.Thank you notes!Goody bags! Say what do you say?? Ready for a party??!!

Glue-Art & Paper Studio Week...project #3

A little number I'm saving for our 10 year anniversary next year! Yeah, its a bit "early" for this gift, but hey, for once in my life, I will be on time and won't be rushing for a thoughtful gift for my hubby. I figured this Luv-O-Dex Kit would be a great way for us to remember (if we can!!) all the fun times we've shared over the years! The Luv-O-Dex Kit comes with just about everything you see here, but I did use my own chipboard letters. You will have more than enough supplies to complete this great gift for your loved one! I could have gone "over-the-top" with embellishments here, however, this will be going on my beside table eventually so I didn't want to over indulge. I started by painting the entire card file in a white matte acrylic paint. Once the paint was dry I used a little Mod Podge for the patterned paper. The "reminisce" is printed off my pc in CKBecky Font. I finally figured out how to save new fonts...YEAH ME! I have several I'd like to save from Dafont.com...that's for another time though...lol Your kit will include "love prompt" cards that are pre-printed and if you choose, you can stamp on them as well. This set includes 14 prompt cards. I separated the prompt cards with red and pink divider cards (also included in your kit). Lots of Stickles usage this week (ME LIKE A LOT!).I'm not all the fantastic playing with these slide embellishments. I literally stared at the wall for an hour figuring out how I was going to incorporate it in to my design. I'm happy how it all played out...the charms are also in the kit and you could even attach these with ribbon if you like. Since I knew I wasn't going to be hanging the designs with ribbon, I simply cut off the ribbon loops that were on top of the charms. And of course, never leave the last page blank!!!! This was a cute pre-stamped card in my kit and I wanted to be sure I saved it for LAST! This gift will truly be cherished for the both of us. I think I can still keep it a surprise until next year...it's a safe bet that my hubby will never stumble on to my blog...and eh, if he does, that would be a pleasant surprise! I LOVE YOU!

Glue-Art & Paper Studio Week...project #2

I've had my Dress Form completed since I first started with Glue-Art & Paper Studio almost 2 years ago! Surely doesn't seem like its been that long! The Dress Form has held up very nicely since then, even thru my military move (you know how wonderfully gentle they are on our things!) in which I decided it would be much smarter to hand carry all my creations. I put them all in a Rubbermaid container and it stayed with me for a few months until we closed on our house! Even the girls Birthday Cupcake Stand looks as though I created it yesterday. There are other ways in which this shadow box can be used. My girls first reaction was to turn the box on its back and it made an instant cradle for their small dolls. Pretty clever eh? Also when turned on its back, it would display nicely on your workspace as a ribbon holder for your large spools! Versatile products for sure, just use your imagination ladies! I wanted to keep my design fairly simple because I love the elegance of the red/black combo as well as the pattern in the paper. I started by painting the entire box in a matte black. The paper on the inside was added next, then I added the pearl feet. I found a strand of pearls in the necklace section at Wal-Mart. When I got home I discovered the pearls were too round to support the bottom of my box so a quick solution was to use a file and make a straight-edge for them to "sit" on the box. I used E6000 glue to adhere the pearls...make sure you leave the pearls to dry for awhile...nothing worse then trying to move the box around before the glue has set!
Simple satin ribbon and bow on top!
"D" is for Dawn:) I was rummaging thru my stock of chipboard and found this italic design which I thought went well! The chipboard was left naked (no painting or adding paper over it!) so I just added a generous amount of X-mas Red Stickles over the top.

If you'd like to see some more fun projects from Glue-Art & Paper Studio you can click on the Labels Side Bar (left hand side of my blog lists) under Glue-Art & Paper Studio. You can also check out ideas from the design team HERE!

Glue-Art & Paper Studio Week...project #1

This week is dedicated to some fun projects I was fortunate enough to complete for Glue-Art & Paper Studio. If you've ever had the pleasure of working with these fun products, you know they are great quality products to work with! The owners are two fantastic ladies, Vicky and Kelli, who share a love of crafting and turned their passion into a wonderful line of unfinished wood products. Today I'm going to share my first project with the Organizer Box. Along with the wooden box, 6 chipboard inserts and a wood backing insert (the last insert for support) come with this kit. You will notice I only have 3 chipboard inserts here, but I actually glued 2 of each to one another to add more support since I knew I'd be flipping thru this organizer often. My first step was to cover the outside of the box. For those of you who love fabric, you will recognize this fun Amy Butler pattern. I trimmed just enough to overlap on the outside of the box and approx. 1/4 inch on the top so I could lay it down on the inside lip. You could probably use a number of different adhesives to attach the fabric, however my favorite is Matte Mod Podge when adhering fabric to wood. You get a very strong hold! Bottom view of the box! I didn't cover the entire bottom with fabric since no one is going to see it!To create the fabric strips for the top on the outside, I used a thin white cs (something thin like SU! whisper white) and wrapped the fabric around the edges and pushed it right on thru my sewing machine. Here is what it looks like once you get all the edges done. Don't worry about it not looking all "Martha Stewart" clean...your not going to see this side anyway....lol To adhere the strips to the fabric top, I used E6000 glue. I love this glue for its strength, but man does it smell toxic! I made a simple stamped insert to cover the inside of the box. All you need to do is cut your cs to size and decorate! Double sided sticky tape was used to adhere the inside cs.
Glimpse of the finished product. I used a generous amount of Diamond Stickles for the letters and hung them with some offray white ribbons. Like my little glass door knobs for feet? They were recycled from this Glue-Art & Paper Studio project I did last year!
The scalloped edge was created with my Fiskars Water Threading Punch and a skinny strip of SU! green galore cs. This is what my Organizer Box looks like once it's all done! And yes, this will actually stay organized...one of the few things on my desk that will stay neat:)
I just realized I posted these last few pics out of order, but just follow along! Shipping & Packing is my last label tab and this is where I keep my orders that are ready to ship after they've been packaged. Pending Orders--this is where I store orders I'm currently working on but have not yet completed.
Pending Orders in Front--these are orders that I've done samples on and I'm just awaiting final approval before the real work gets started! And finally, my finished project before I put it to use. It looks complicated, but anyone can do this! All you need is a little inspiration, some glue, fabric, and tape:)