Sites of the week

Have you ever had a project that started out one way and ended so completely different from what you had planned? That’s what happened here. Fortunately, it was for the better…which, I think that we all know is not always the case! This project started with a normal A2 card base and then switched to a square card base and then turned into a home decor project…with lots of other detail changes along the way.

I don’t think that I have any other Independence Day decor, but I guess this is a good place to start…

As you can see, I had a little bit of trouble with glare and such, so here’s kinda the same photo from a different angle…

This project uses a variety of pattern papers with one of the best 4th of July/American sets EVER, American Hero. This set is the set of the month and is on SUPER sale. Check it out!!! I couldn’t pick which stamps to use from this set, so I just went with it and used 5! You know me, I’m generally an image and sentiment girl. Rarely do I create scenes or montages, but this came to me and it works! Next time, I might just have to figure in some handmade/stamped pattern paper {LOVE doing that!!}.

A couple of detail shots {can you see the Stickles on the stars??}…

The whole project measures 5 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ and is inserted into a shadowbox from IKEA. I have a few extra shadowboxes stashed away. They make great gifties and it’s fun to have them on hand when your project takes a turn like this one did!

How many times did you write that in someone’s yearbook when you were a kid? Quite a few, I’m guessing. I thought it would be pretty cute paired with double walled cups filled with plastic ice and Crystal Light as end of the year teacher gifts {idea seen on Pinterest}. Whatcha think?

Packaging, as decorated by my *almost* 5 year old, Ellie…

{I did the “J” outline}

Ellie is off to Kindergarten next year. Here’s a shot from her graduation program…

My sweet friend, Susan, also used this idea for her end of the year gifts. If you haven’t seen hers {with super cute tags attached}, check ‘em out HERE on her blog. PSST…if the post is not there yet, it will be soon.

It’s that time of year. School is winding down. The heat is turning up. As moms we search out the best ideas for what to give our kiddos’ teachers as end of the year thank yous. I’ve had a good time making up the gifties for this year. I can’t say that my ideas are absolutely original {thank you, Pinterest!!}, but they came out darn cute!

I broke out some Verve stamps to make a couple of the gifties to be given. This first project is a bouquet of tissue paper and tulle flowers {tutorial link} in a black and white bucket that I found at Target a long while back and have been hoarding for the perfect project. The pick is stamped with the “Bloom and Grow” sentiment from the new Verve set by the same name. I added my own hand written sentiment around the edges to compliment it…

I think it’s pretty tough to tell from the above pic, but the pink stamped words are also shadowed in a lighter pink {Copic}. Just trust me when I say that it looks pretty darn cute that way The bottom portion is stamped with the polka dots from Bountiful Backgrounds {one of the best sets to have in a stamp collection} on Kraft paper and as I finishing touch, I added a butterfly cut from the Flutterby Verve die.

The whole kit-n-kaboodle…

Detail of the flowers…

Other details include leaves cut from Nesties {from My Mind’s Eye Lime Twist paper} and a scallop border cut from felt around the top of the bucket. I filled the bucket with Kraft crinkle paper, which I think is a nice contrast to the bright and bold colors of the rest of the project. The flowers are stuck in there with lollipop sticks that I hot glued to the flowers.

This second project is comprised of a tag with a matching {non-stamped} gable box…

I’m just gonna come out and say it~ I {heart} this tag!! …

As you can see, I am having a wee bit of trouble putting the Flutterby die away! For my projects, it’s been the perfect adornment. In addition to the Flutterby die, I also used the Jotted Heart die and FOUR Verve sets. Who knew I would use so many different pieces of Verve on something that only measures 3″ x 3.5″. The heart is stamped with both the jotted heart from the Love Notes set and the background stamp from the Wishful Elegance set {also used on the Dad card a couple posts down}. The leaves are stamped with large leaves from the Bloom and Grow set and then die cut with the Elegant Leaves die. Finally, the sentiment comes from the Friendly Phrases set…another great essential for a stamp collection! Put that all together with 3 different types of polka dots, a plaid and brown and black combined and someway, somehow it looks good…and to think that most of my wardrobe contains black, gray and white! LOL!

I have another giftie to share, but I think I am going to save it for next week. It’s not quite all the way wrapped up and I think this post is lengthy enough! Hope everyone has a great day! I’m off to prepare for our neighborhood garage sale. Blech!!

It’s day three of Sneaky Peek Week for The Cat’s Pajamas! If this release doesn’t rock your crafty world, I just don’t know what will!! There will be EIGHT new stamp sets and more great CutUps dies available come March 29th!

Speaking of ROCKIN’ YOUR WORLD, these lil’ IDOLS penguins have it going on…

Seriously, could these penguins be any cuter!?! I made a triptych using this set. The above picture is the center of it, which is flanked by matching sides…

The center panel has all three rockin’ penguins jammin’ out {guitar penguin popped up} and it’s topped off with the new Easy Rosette die {loves it!}. The side panels each have 2 of many great lyrical sentiments stamped as pattern paper and are topped with both the smaller Easy Rosette CutUps die, as well as the musical note from the Home Tweet Home CutUps die. One of the musical notes on each side is popped up for added dimension. And, what’s a rockin’ triptych without a little bling? I reached for my Doodlebug rhinestones {again!} and added them to the title panel and the small rosettes.

Easy Rosette {see video HERE}…

There’s a whole lot more to see! Be sure to check out Alma’s blog for a full list of peekers, in addition to another peek at IDOLS. Have a rockin’ day!!

It’s time for the March Creative Challenge from the My Favorite Things DT. This month we are bringing you home decor projects made using the MFT Die-Namics dies. We recently did a makeover on Ellie’s room. It used to be painted green and she was BEGGING us to paint it pink. So, a couple weeks ago when she went to Disneyland with family in California, Tony and I got busy and painted it “Fairest of Them All.” Four nights and three coats of paint later, she had a pink room. I also added some flowers and butterflies throughout room {pics coming soon…PROMISE!}, so I thought that it would be fun to make something with the Die-Namics Butterflies that would compliment the rest of the decor.

My inspiration came solely from THIS project Making Memories.

Although, I had a lot of trouble capturing a good picture of my mobile I hope from the several mediocre ones that I did get you can see how it came out {cute, if I do say so myself!}…

I cut out A LOT of butterflies from the Echo Park Springtime {and Little Girl??} line and attached them to clear thread hanging from the inside circle of an embroidery circle.

I added tulle around the embroidery circle to make it a little more POOF-Y…

One suggestion I would make if you choose to do one of these…Attach your tulle before attaching your line of butterflies {or whatever suits you}. I don’t know what I was thinking doing these in reverse, but I did and it was a mess at times. All of the strings would have had 3 large, 3 medium and 3 small butterflies, but some of the strings got tangled. Then, more got tangled. Words were said and scissors made an appearance. I like what I ended up with still, but it was a learning {the hard way} experience!

Ok, enough of my jibber jabbering! There are lots of home decor items to see from many of the MFT girls! You can see a full list on Kim’s blog HERE! Enjoy!!