Valentine's Day Treats

So, Valentine's Day is tomorrow. I personally don't celebrate this holiday, but my children do at their school. With that said, I wanted to share the little projects I worked on to help them celebrate with their friends.

This first picture is the treats my Freshman daughter will give to her close friends and my boys will give to their teachers.  I can't take credit for this project's originality, someone else posted a pic similar on their Fb wall and my DH sent me the link, for all I know it's on Pinterest.  I liked it so much, I felt the need to replicate as best as I could.  For this project I used: red construction paper (cut down to 4.5" x 4"), ATG 714 glue gun, ROLO candies, black card stock cut into strips of 1/8" and tapered at one end, black curling ribbon (I didn't measure the length), Stampin' Up die for the tag (sorry, I forgot the name/number).  I ran glue along the 4" ends as close to the edge as possible and I added 1/2 a strip of glue about 1/2" in from one end to stick the black "fuse" on. Line up the ROLO candy to the edge of the paper and roll, make sure you get the fuse in there before closing the dynamite all the way. For the teachers, I ran the ATG along the side of one ROLO and stuck the 2 sticks together, then I ran the black ribbon through a punched hole on the die cut and wrapped the ribbon around several times.  Knot the ribbon and curl the ends. BAM! Instructions for the singles are similar, minus gluing to the other "stick". Surprisingly, my older kids thought these were really cool. *Yay! A pat on the back for mom!*

Below are tags I made for my 2nd grader's classmate treats. I used vellum paper (cut down to 3.75" x 2 1/8"). However, to make things easier, I used a (discontinued) Stampin' Up rolling stamp with flourishes with silver ink and decorated the vellum BEFORE cutting it down to size. Next, using black Craft Smart dye ink, I stamped the "to/from" over the front of the tag. I let this dry overnight to ensure it wouldn't smear.  Using a heart shaped punch, I cut out as many hearts as I could from pink construction paper and used the ATG to attach to the front of the tag. My son filled in the to/from parts and the tags will be stapled to fruit snacks.

For these treats below, I used the same decorated vellum pieces and pink hearts, but since the Kindergarten kids only need to have the "from" name on the tag, I swapped the stamp out for this "For You" stamp I had on hand. I wrote my little one's name on the pin heart, then ran the ATG across the name and adhered the heart to the back side of the vellum tag, to give it a different look.  I also used Real Red ink pad from Stampin' Up for the stamped image.  These tags were stapled to the front.

I hope you enjoyed this entry. I enjoyed getting back into my craft room, it's been quite a while.

If you happen to celebrate Valentine's Day, I hope it's a great one for you. If you don't, have a great day nonetheless.  

xoxoxoxo
Lisa

You ARE Loved-Black/white & a splash of color

We are celebrating Ashley's Birthday!  How fun!  Ashley was even able to score a sponsor with "Blog Candy" for one lucky winner!

Blog candy is sponsored by:  3 Girl Jam
"Bundles 1-6" which consists of 48 total yards of ribbon in 12 colors, a $24.99 retail value.
Must "like" their Facebook page-   https://www.facebook.com/pages/3-Girl-JAM/129045323859706
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Must "like" her Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paper-Piecings-by-Nikki/210135505721726
Follow her blog- http://www.paperpiecingsbynikki.blogspot.com/
 
 
Decade Of Scrap-4 valentines digis
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Must "like" her Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/DecadeofScrap
Follow her blog-http://decadeofscrap.blogspot.com/

MB's Treasurista-$10 gift certificate
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Must "like" their Facebook page-https://www.facebook.com/https://facebook.com/pages/MBs-Treasurista/167767899982066
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Even if you are not the lucky winner of their candy, go check them out to see all the cool items they carry and for more inspiring project of theirs.

Today, we are creating a project with the theme "Black, White & A Splash of Color". Below is my project. I was inspired by the song "Jar full of Hearts" by The Band Perry.  I had an empty jar sitting on my desk I just had no idea what to do with, but knew I needed to keep it to craft with.  I am glad I did. Enjoy the project.

Here is a picture of all the items I used to create this "jar full of hearts", minus the adhesives because I didn't know exactly which ones I would be using.

Ingredients List:

• Scissors
• Any size jar desired, or that you have on hand
• Xmas Red Stickles
• 36" of red ribbon
• Black and white card stock sheets from Reflections
• "Scarlet Red #118" PITT artist pen big brush, Faber-Castell
• Studio G stamp set (VS4911 Series 61)
• Heart stamp,from Close to My Heart, the Celebration set
• Inkpads used: "Moonlight White" by Tsukineko/Brilliance; Stampin' Ups "Real Red"; and Stampology's "Onyx" Clear stamp ink pad

First, I stamped hearts onto the right edge of the black card stock. Then, folding the card stock to the left of the hearts, I cut them so that they would be mini- card hearts. See image below. Repeat until you get enough hearts cut out of each color of card stock.  Don't forget to do ONE heart in a different color!

Here are all the hearts after I stamped & cut them all. Notice, I made sure to add 1 red one, hubby's favorite color (it's my splash of color).  At this time, I added stickles to the red heart & let it dry, before placing in the jar.  Next, you can add notes like: hugs, kisses, I love you, massage..... Just little love notes that the recipient can pick and maybe get something from you. Not sure if you can really tell, but I cut most of the hearts with the fold at the top, these will flip up instead of open like a book.  Next, fill your jar with the hearts dropping them in one by one so they won't catch on each other.  Once you get it pretty full, start placing hearts in the jar so that they are facing outwards. Ensure that your special heart (in my case the red one) is facing outwards in the front of your jar for presentation.

Using the lid for reference, trace it to cover the top.  Cut it just a little smaller than the top (my jar is a canning jar) because it will be smooshed between the top & the ring and you don't want it bulking up.  I stamped a white heart on my cover and stickled it with "Frosted Lace".  Next, stamp the "you are loved" sentiment in black but redo the heart with red (here's where I used the scarlet red pen brush and then stickled the heart). Cut out & hole punch the sentiment and attach it to the jar with your red ribbon.  All done!

Here is the finished project.

Happy Crafting!

Your next stop is over to Liz to see her fantastic project.

Here is the blog line-up just in case you missed someone...

Ashley - http://theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com

Misty - http://mbtreasurista.blogspot.com

Leslie - http://ScrapOfArtDesigns.blogspot.com

Lynne - http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/

Zenita - http://scrappinwithz.blogspot.com

Kari - http://purplefuntastickcreations.blogspot.com/

Liz- http://decadeofscrap.blogspot.com/

Carla - http://racincrafts.blogspot.com/

Lisa - http://craftylam.blogspot.com/

Liz - http://tryin2craft.blogspot.com/

Jamie - http://myamusinglife.blogspot.com

Teresa - http://scrappintplace.blogspot.com

Jessica - http://thecreativestamperspot.blogspot.com/

Jearise- http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com

Altered Notebooks

Currently, my boys are on "off-track", we are in a year-round district so our track is off until Thanksgiving.  However, after we get back, the boys will only be in school for another week before we leave for our family vacation to Hawaii. ALOHA!  When we get back, the whole school district shuts down for 3 weeks for Winter Break.  It is my tradition to try to give a gift to the teachers at that time.  Here is what I made this year.  

Ingredients for Notebook #1:

A notebook/composition book to alter. Close to My Heart "Sentiments" Stamp set.  Stampabilities "Sentiments" stamp clings. Stampin' Up ink in "Going Grey". Jenni Bowlin ink in "Spice Tin". Tim Holtz Distress ink in: "Antique Linen" and "Weathered Wood".  Stickles in "Platinum". Ivory card stock and decorative paper, sorry this is from a collection I bought at Jo-Ann's over 2 years ago and have since thrown away the packaging.  

Measure your composition book and cut your decorative paper slightly longer. You don't need it too wide, just make sure to cover the front of the cover, overlapping the binding slightly.  Do this for both the front & back covers.  (I cut mine at roughly 10" x 7".)  Apply adhesive to the cover, ensuring to get the glue as close to the edges as possible, you don't want your paper lifting.  Carefully lay the paper on top.  Cut off the excess and round the corners of the paper with scissors (Quick tip: don't round before applying the paper, you can't guarantee a perfect match.  Cut your ivory card stock at roughly 10" x 3.5", try to line up your card stock evenly to the binding and gently bend/mold the two together.  Once you've got a slight crease in the ivory paper, apply adhesive to the interior of the crease, again ensuring to get as close to the edges as possible, you don't want it lifting.  To ensure it will stick well, apply adhesive horizontally every inch or so too.  Carefully, match up the top or lower edge of the ivory card stock to the book, using your hands, mold the two together, forming a firm bond.

Using the Distress inks and the blending tool, edge the notebook, front and back, as well as the binding.  Stamp the "thank you" onto the left over ivory paper with the "going grey" ink.  Hand cut the sentiment, excluding the banner edges.  Use the Distress inks on the "thank you" to match, use the "spice tin" ink, to give the edge a contrasting color.  Apply with pop dots.  Stamp "your guiding hand..." sentiment with the "spice tin" ink.  Apply Stickles to the tiny dots throughout the cover to give it that little bling.

There you go, simple but pretty.

Notebook #2

Ingredients:  dark brown card stock for the rosette and the binding, patterned paper for the front & back covers, "Cinnamon" Stickles, Close To My Heart "Sentiments" stamp set, Stampabilities "Sentiments" stamp set, Stampin' Up ink': "Chocolate Chip", "Groovy Guava" and "Creamy Caramel", Demi-Pearls in the brown collection, glue dots and the Martha Stewart Scoring board.

Prepare the cover as stated above.  When inking the edges, I did it directly from the ink pad, no blending tool.  Ink up the binding edges as well.  For the rosette, cut 2 strips of  the brown card stock at 1 1/2" each. Use the MS Score board and score every 1/4".  Ink the edges with "Chocolate Chip" and "Groovy Guava". (Quick tip:  Make sure you choose the same side of card stock to be the "up" side, textured or non.)  Use a strong adhesive to attach the ends together in one big ring/circle.  Using a scrap piece of paper, say a 1" x3" rectangle, attach the rosette with glue dots, form into an oval to flow with the shape of the "thank you" sentiment, also adhere with glue dots to the front of the rosette.  Stickle the dark brown pattern on the cover.  Use 3 different sizes of the pearls and attach to the cover.

Here is a close up of the bottom right, including the sentiment stamped in "chocolate chip" and of the Stickles on the pattern.

Here is the finished project.

Here is another version!

Happy Crafting!

Best Foot Forward

Ingredients for this fun little card:

• craft card stock, cut at 5.5"x8.5", folded in half
• Stampin Up inks: Mauve Mist, Caribbean Cool
• Distress Ink in Antique Linen, Tea Dye, blending tool from Ranger
• Ivory card stock
• Background paper for the dress (sorry, I no longer have the packaging for this paper. It came in a blue box at Jo-Ann's around Spring 2010, it had 180 sheets of patterned paper.)
• "Art Philosophy" cartridge for Cricut. Use "shape 2" on pg 36 of hand book, cut at 1.5"
• Crystazzi crystals in ss20 (you'll need glue to adhere these)
• "Celebration" stamp set from Close to My Heart
• "Old Letter Writing" (#S4878) large stamp from Hero Arts
• "Autumn" stamp set from Close to My Heart ("best foot forward" sentiment), hand cut

Lightly ink the "writing" stamp for a faded/weathered effect.  Using the blending tool, use the Mauve Mist & Antique Linen inks to give character to the background. Do the same to the dress, printed paper piece & the sentiment. Using the Caribbean Cool, ink up the edges of all the paper pieces.  Use pop dots to adhere the dress to the printed paper, then glue down the other pieces.

Here is a close up of the card, showing you the slight coloring from the blending tool/technique.

Thanks for looking.

Autumn Fun

To create this fun little layout, I used the following items.

• "4 Seasons" 8x8" sheets by Paper Pizazz (background & phrase)
• Leaf from "Celebration" stamp set from Close To My Heart
• Stampin Up inks: Real Red, Creamy Caramel, Kiwi Kiss, Groovy Guava, Blush Blossom, Close to Cocoa
• Yellow ink square from Studio G
• ColorBox Chalk Ink in "Blush Rose"
• Pentel Sunburst Gel pen in White 
• Bic Mark-It pens for the tree
• Stickles in Copper
• Studio G glitter glue in: dark brown & yellow

Each of the leaves were stamped onto heavy card stock in white, then hand-cut. Using Aileen's Tacky Glue, I adhered the leaves onto the background. Draw a tree using the Bic markers. (3-4 colors were used to make this tree.)  Faux stitch the border with the white gel pen.  Stickle/glitter glue random leaves and the leaves on the phrase.

*Quick note: I accidentally ripped the paper out of the stack poorly, but like how the tear gave the image a more rustic & rough feel to it, not quite so put together.

Thanks for looking.

What a Tough Guy

This "tough guy" was created using: kraft card stock cut at 4.25" with the Martha Stewart Circle cutter.  "Edward" stamp from the Greeting Farm colored in with Stampin' Up colored pencils. Background stamp is an argyle print also from SU, used with "Antique Linen" from Ranger's Distress Inks.  "Tough Guy" stamp is from Studio G in "Tuxedo Black" from Memento (I also used this ink pad to ink up the edge of the card).  The mini hearts are from Close to My Heart's "Sentiments" acrylix stamp set using "Mauve Mist" from SU.  The 6 black dots are "Black Diamond" Stickles.

Priceless Card July, 2011

Sorry I'm posting this so late.  I had a good friend call me and tell me how "down and blue" she had been so I decided to create this card for her.  Unfortunately, our schedules have not allowed for us to meet up, so I still have the card on hand.  On the bright side, this allows me to finally post the card here on my blog.  Yay!

I don't remember all the details, but I will try.

The final card measures 5.5' x 4.25". I used Kraft card stock for the base and used paper from a coordinating paper pack (can't find the paper packaging now, silly me).  I cut the front decorative rectangles at 2" x 2.5". The green rectangle is cut at 3.25" x 3", the printed rectangle is cut at 3" x 2.5" and the top rectangle was cut at 2" x 2.5", all 3 rectangles have their corners rounded.  I used the "Priceless" stamp from Stampin' Up as well as the "Creamy Caramel" stampin' pad from Stampin' Up.  After placing all the cut pieces on the card base, I used a white gel pen and added faux stitching.  Enjoy!

So the picture below is a belated Birthday card I sent to my 11 year old niece. Unfortunately I do not have the card information.

Here's what I do remember...
The card is made using a light lavendar cardstock from Michael's.
I used the large "so swirly" wheel from Stampin Up. Then I went over it with silver stickles to make it pop. The card measured about 7" high x 4" wide (8" before folding). The "Happy Birthday" stamp is from studio g. (I purchased at Michael's for $1.)