Katie's 30

 

 My niece Katie (the mother of my adorable grand nephew, Landon and sweet grand nice, Mila who have graced the pages of this blog quite often!) - turns 30 on 5/26, and her DH Greg had a birthday party for her this past Saturday -  it was a gorgeous sunny day and they had it in their back yard with a wonderful big maple tree that shades half of the yard  and a big wooden gym set for the kids to play on - so we could sit in sun or shade and watch the kids play and run around!

Being this was a milestone b'day - I wanted to give her something special and wrap it in something special!  So I decorated this jute bag from Pouch Mart.  

I die cut a piece of Natural Sticky Back Canvas with a Spellbinders Wonky Rectangle.  Then I 'painted' it by pushing a piece of bubble wrap in some green and blue Acrylic Paints I spread on a piece of wax paper and dabbing the bubble wrap onto the the canvas.   After it dried I glued on letters and numbers and stuck it to the bag (it has a sticky back).  Not trusting that it would stay on with multiple openings and closings of the bag - I punched through the two top corners and tied it on with wrinkled seam tape (my Cropadile punches through a lot of thickness!).  I also used some Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive on the bottom corners and along the sides - making sure the glue didn't run through onto the back of the bag!  I added a red heart that I punched from glitter paper.

Then I added a book ring on the top corner with tags stamped with words of all the things Katie is - wife, niece, friend, mum, sister, daughter, and daughter-in-law.  The stamp set is Compact Family from Waltzingmouse.  The last tag says Happy Birthday Wishes and that's from the Compact Sentiments set.

And I have to show you the special gift I bought her.  It came in this lovely box with the pretty ribbon and pearl tied around it.

Inside was this sterling silver bracelet with the names of her children hand stamped into the sterling silver hearts.

I loved it when it came in the mail - she loved it when she opened it!  I got it on line at The Vintage Pearl.

And finally here are some photos of the b'day party -  This is Katie on the left with Mila - and Katie's sister, Christie (James' mother and my other niece) on the right.  (Katie and Christie are my sister's girls)

Here is James - he'll be 2 on Memorial Day this year!

Here is Landon, he'll be 3 in September.

 Here is our show stealer -  9 month old Mila (I could just eat her up!!)

and I just have to share one more pic of a side view! Look at those sweet cheeks!!

God is Good!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Compact Family, Compact Sentiments
Paper:  blue and green Cordinations Ranger Distress, Natural Sticky Back Canvas - Claudine Helmuth Studio, red sparkle paper - Michaels
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories:  Block Alphabet and Numbers dies - PTI, Wonky Rectangle die - Spellbinders, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive - Michaels, Martha Stewart Acrylic Paints - Summer Haze, Peas Shoot, heart punch - EK Success, Book Ring - Staples, bubble wrap from packaging in an order I received, wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop, Cropadile, jute bag - Pouch Mart.

Creations by AR - May Release DT Blog Hop - Tux and Gown Box Set.

Welcome to the May Creations by AR release Design Team Blog Hop.  Just look at the cute template Ardela has for us this month! Just in time for the prom/wedding season!   It's called Tux and Gown Box Set.  All of Adela's templates come in 3 formats - PDF to print and hand cut, SVG and DXF to use with cutting machines.

After checking out prom dresses on Pinterest for color and design inspiration -

I quickly created two sets of treat boxes using  the template SVG files and my Silhouette Cameo machine.

For my first Tux/Gown set - I went with a sweetheart/Valentine's theme.  The white part lifts out so you can put treats inside the 'boxes'.  The boxes are 2 1/4" x 2" x 2".  But you can re-size if you are using the SVG files.

I made the ladies gown red adding a layered die cut flower with a rhinestone heart on one side and balancing it by adding the bow-tie piece along the waist.

 

For the gentleman - I coordinated with the ladies gown by making the bow tie red and adding red heart rhinestones for buttons.  The pleats are made with my Scor Pal as per Adela's instructions. Gosh, aren't these the cutest things??

For my second set I went with spring prom colors -  making the gown and tux yellow.  What a well coordinated couple!!  I used the same die cut flower here but made two of them adding rhinestones to the centers

  I was never brave enough to wear a strapless gown (!) so I thought  I'd try to add spaghetti straps to this one.

 I used  black jute for the straps and just taped each piece to the inside of the box and wrapped them around to the other side and taped them on the other side.  This shows the top of the box lifted out of the gown piece.

 

 Here's how it looks from the back. (Do these spaghetti straps make my back look fat??!! LOL!!) The jute is a little feathery but it was the only thing I had in my stash that would work as a thin strap. (I tried cutting a satin ribbon and a velvet ribbon but they frayed!)  I added a piece of black satin ribbon along the 'waist' of the dress.

 

And, of course, there is a PRIZE!  You could win this wonderful new template:  Tux and Gown Box Set

HOW TO WIN:
• Leave comments on each blog linked below and/or on
• AR Face Book:
• AR PaperCraftsPlanet Group:
Comments accepted until May 24 (12:00 noon EST)

One random winner will be announced May 25th in the following locations:
AR FB:
AR PCP Group:
AR Blog:

So there you go - two different ideas on how to use Adela's new Tux/Gown Box template!   I'm excited to see what the other DT members created aren't you?   Let's go see!  Here are their links:

AR:  

Jak: 

Julia: Me!

Lisa: 

Lyn:  

Patti J:  

Sue K:  

Sue M: 

Paper:  white, true black, pure poppy, harvest gold - PTI

Accessories:  glue pen, Scor Pal, Scor Tape, glue dots, red heart rhinestones - Michaels, black and yellow rhinestones - Kaiser Craft, black satin ribbon - May Arts, flowers - Primula Blossom Die/Memory Box, black hemp twine - from stash, Silhouette Cameo, Tux/Gown Template - Creations by AR.

Making Our Own Envelopes with Kreate-a-lope - a Blog Hop

Happy Saturday everyone!   Today I'm participating in a fun blog hop with 4 of my blogging friends.   We're all showcasing  a quick and easy way to make your own envelopes using a Kreate-a lope template!    Kelly  Schirmer organized the event after being contacted by Nick, the creator of the Kreate-a- lope, who asked her if she'd be interested in spreading the news about his creation to her crafting friends.

The Kreate-a-lope allows you to make envelopes out of any kind of paper in seconds without scissors or tracing! You can use magazine pages, wrapping paper, calendars, maps, patterned papers ... etc, etc!  At the end of my post you will find a link to a video made by the creator of the Kreate-a- lope and an opportunity for you to get one of your own with a pledge of $10.00.

So I have a few pics on how I made my first envelope and then 2 other samples to show you.
  
I used a long roll of kraft shipping paper that I purchased at Staples for all of my envelopes - the kind you might wrap packages in for mailing.   I love the rustic home spun look and feel of it!

First you lay the Kreate-a-lope template over the paper you are using.

Then you just tear it away along all the edges.  Note:  this is a coarse weave paper and so it tears a little raggedly - but I think it adds to the rustic look!  You could trim it with scissors if you didn't like that look!

Place the center piece of the template into the center space, remove the outer template and fold up the edges around the center piece starting with the sides, then the bottom and top.

Add glue along the bottom edges - I used Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive because - like it's name says -  it dries quick!

Apply Lick and Stick to the edges of the flap.   This is a special envelope glue that dries after application and then can be remoistened when you want to seal the envelope!   (HINT:  if you are stamping on your envelope -  either add the Lick and Stick after you have stamped OR let it dry before you stamp - otherwise your envelope might stick to your work surface if you turn it over to stamp the front  -  HOW do I know this???!)

Before stamping the front of this envelope -  I placed a mask of Eclipse tape over the center where I would want to write in the address.  Then I stamped it using a text background stamp from Waltzingmouse.

 I was so careful to turn the stamp around when stamping the flap of the envelope with the text so that it was right side up when you closed the envelope -   and then somehow I stamped it upside down on the last row at the bottom of the envelope - luckily with this font -  you almost don't notice it  - did you(!?!)

 I drew a frame around the address space with a black Micron Pen - just to give it definition

For my next envelope I used stamps from Vintage Garden - Seed Packet with Versafine Vintage Sepia ink - and again drew a border, this time around the edges of the envelope with a brown 01 Micron Pen.   I would write my address inside the seed packet  frame on this envelope.

 This would be a great envelope to send either a packet of seeds or a floral card to a garden loving friend!  You can see the slightly irregular edges on the back of this envelope that I spoke of above -  this coarse paper doesn't tear as cleanly as patterned paper or wrapping paper but I think it just adds to the character!

For my final sample I used a Woodgrain stamp with Archival Coffee Ink. I again masked the center area for the address before stamping.

 This would be a great envelope to send a 'guy' card in - with a hunting, camping, fishing, outdoors kind of theme!

Nick is running a campaign at Kickstarter to raise funds to make the Kreate-a-Lope available in new sizes. For a donation of $10.00 you will help sponsor his project and also receive the current A2 size Kreate-a-lope like the one we are using today.  Check out Nick Romer's Kickstarter Campaign here. There's also a video showing how easy the template is to use -  sort of like my pics above but set to fun music!  You will also find more templates at Green Sneakers.com.

Now let's go see what kind of papers my blogging friends used for their home made envelopes!!

Cathy Weber

Julia Aston - ME!

Kelly Schirmer

Renee Lynch

Suzanne Dahlberg (who'll be joining us a little later today)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Text It, Woodgrain, Vintage Garden - Seed Packet
Paper:  Kraft Packing Paper - Staples
Ink:  Brilliance Graphite Black, Archival Coffee Ink, Versafine Vintage Sepia
Accessories:  Kreate-a-lope Envelope Maker - Green Sneakers.com, Micron 01 black and brown pens, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive, Eclipse Tape, Lick and Stick Re-moistenable Envelope Glue - Green Sneakers.com

May WMS Blog Party! Appreciating Teacher!

I'm so excited to be participating in the WMS Blog Party today!  The theme this month is teacher appreciation.  I must say it's been years since I had to think of a cool gift for a teacher (my baby boy being 36 years old in September!) 

Now I didn't remember that Claire had ANY teacher stamps in her sets -  but in looking through my WMS stamps (I have them ALL!) -  I found these two sentiments -  in the Frame It Set!!!  I just hadn't needed it before!

So - I've heard my friends who have young kids say that teacher's are SO tired of candles, flowers, candy and soap - so I thought how about something for the coming summer time?!!

So off I go to the Five Below store to look for something summer and I found these awesome flip flops and pedicure set!   And are you noticing how the design on the flips just happen to be the exact images from Free Spirit Boy and My Island??!!  I sure did - and pulled them right off the rack knowing they were JUST what I was looking for -  and then I saw the little pedicure pack in the perfect summer colors - and I just had to throw in these delicious looking Ghiradelli  Dark and Sea Salt Caramel Chocolates!! (everyone wants a little bit of chocolate, right??!!)

I made my tag with a Tim Holtz Alterations tag die on white card stock layered to black.  I stamped the flowers in black, white embossed the circles, stamped the sun ray in Worn Lipstick and the palm trees in black.  Then I sponged the top of the tag with More Mustard and the bottom with Stormy Sky -  all to replicate the design on the flip flops.  I tied a piece of black wrinkled seam tape through the hole in the top of the tag -  sort of like the straps on the flips!

Then I popped all the treats in a pretty 5" x 10" round bottom sinamay net bag from Pouch Mart - tied it up and laced the tag through the tie string!  Doesn't this make a nice looking gift for teacher??!!!!   And since I don't have a teacher to give it to -  maybe it will stay right here in my house......... I've been wanting to try that sea salt caramel.........

I can't wait to see all the other teacher creations at the WMS blog party!  and you still have time to join in!  check out all the details and link up your card on the WMS blog here.   And remember -  the challenge is announced on the 1st day of each month right on Claire's WMS blog - so you  have 16 days to make a creation for the party!!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Free Spirit Boy, My Island, Frame It.
Paper:  White, True Black - PTI
Ink:  Archival Brilliance Graphite Black, Memento Tuxedo Black,  Ranger Distress Worn Lipstick, Mustard Seed and Stormy Sky, Versamark
Accessories:  Net Bag - Pouch Mart, white embossing powder, heat gun, wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop, Tag and book plates die - Tim Holtz Alterations, banner die - Nested Lacey Pennants - Spellbinders.

Dr. Owl

I made this card for the featured stamper challenge over on Split Coast - I was inspired by silli's  owl card

I needed to make a card for one of the doctors that I work for who's birthday is Monday. I used my SU owl punch and created a stethoscope (using the SU small and large oval punches) to hang around his neck. His vest is a teal blue - the color of our hospital logo.  I always try to think of a medical theme for the things I make for the doctors!

I made the tree by embossing a piece of brown card stock with the Sizzix woodgrain embossing folder and cutting it to the shape of a tree trunk. I punched a circle in the tree for the owl's nest.  I embossed the card base with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder from SU.  The leaf stem is an older Sizzix die. I used the SU Modern Label punch for the sentiment.

Here's what I stamped on the inside:

Stamps: It's Your Birthday -Woot Woot set Casual Fridays Stamps,  Have a Hoot of a day - Wise Owl set - Papertrey Ink
Paper: white, true black, fine linen, simply chartreuse - PTI, close to cocoa, Pacific Point , brushed silver- SU, brown Bazzill,
Ink: Ranger Distress Peeled Paint, Archival Coffee
Accessories: woodgrain emb folder - Sizzix, square lattice emb folder -SU, circle punch, modern label punch, owl punch - SU, leaf stem die - Sizzix, large and small oval punch - SU, 1/4" circle punch - Fiskars

A Pharm Grad

A friend at work has a nephew who is graduating with a Doctorate in Pharmacy and she asked if I could make a personalized card for her to give him.  "Sure" I said and off I went to the Silhouette shop hoping they would have a mortar and pestle - a traditional pharmacy image -  and luckily they did!  So I cut the pieces with my Silhouette Cameo and sponged the edges with Ranger Distress Old Paper ink to give it some depth.  I adhered the pieces to the card with foam tape which added more dimension.

 The Congratulations is from Fancy Phrases by Waltzingmouse and the PAUL was stamped with the Snap Stamp Alphabet by Karen Foster (no longer available)

Here's what I put on the inside -  the graduate is from the Silhouette Store, ' you did it' is from Enjoy the Ride set by PTI and I stamped the 'PHARM.D' with the Fresh Alphabet set by PTI.

Leslie was thrilled with this card and thought her nephew would love it! 

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Fancy Phrases, Papertrey Ink - Enjoy the Ride - Fresh Alphabet, Snap Stamps Alphabet - Karen Foster
Paper:  Rustic White, true black - PTI, Teal - Coordinations Ranger Distress
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Old Paper
Accessories:  mortar & pestle cut file from Silhouette Store, corner rounder - Zutter, foam tape.

One Layer Spring has Sprung Sketch!

Hi Stamping friends!   TGIF!!  I'm SO excited the weekend is here -  yard work is on the 'to do list' but that's ok -  I enjoy being outdoors and the weather is supposed to be sunny and warm here in MA.

So for today's card I'm using the sketch from CAS(E) this sketch -

I die cut a rectangle out of the card base for the rectangle piece on the sketch, and I chose the images based on the One Layer Wednesday - Spring has Sprung.  There's a prize for this weeks OLW of  the Waltzingmouse Stamp set - Blessed by You!    I used two WMS sets on my card today -  the sentiments and daffodils are from Spring Baskets and the background stamp is from Pic-Nic Patterns (I LOVE this stamp!)

On another day - I might have framed the rectangle or added some bling to the centers of the flowers or around the sentiment - but since the challenge is to keep it CAS -  that's how I kept it!!  Here's how the inside of the card looks when the receiver opens it up!

I'll be sending this to my 94 year old Aunt Edie in Georgia for Mother's Day  -  She is the last remaining sibling of the four girls in my mother's family -  I send her cards for every holiday since I don't get to see her very often and she always appreciates receiving them.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Are you getting ready to participate in the Friends of WMS Blog Party on the 17th?  The theme this month is Teacher Appreciation -  you'll find all the details here.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Spring Baskets, Pic-Nic Patterns

Paper:  White - PTI

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Mowed Lawn

Accessories:  rectangle Nestabilities, Copics - G09, YG23, Y17, Y15