So....What Is It?

Scroll down one post for the Paper Sweeties May Sketch Challenge - it's a great sketch!

Yesterday, I asked you "what is it?"   If you commented you were in the running for winning a free template of your choice from My Time Made Easy - that's pretty cool!   And I was wrong - the winner is announced tomorrow, May 2nd, not today!  So sorry for messing that up!  So be sure to check back tomorrow...

Of course, most of you were spot on - no fooling any of you!  It is a grill - complete with side burners (well, I just put a burner on one side - didn't want to burn the mustard and ketchup!).   

It is so cute and I certainly think it's perfect for Father's Day!  The sentiment is from Dad's Day to Relax digital stamp set.  The stars are cut with Magical Birthday Wishes cut file.  The banner paper is from Picnic of Patterns.

I added the condiments by coloring two images - making one the front and the other one the back and then gluing two pieces of paper between the front and back that are about a half inch longer than the condiments.  I put a small slit in the tray, inserted the condiments and glued the ends under the tray.  The condiment bottle and hot dog are from the new digital stamp set It's Grillin' Time.   Want to see the grill open?

I baked some banana nut cookies this weekend, so that's what I packed inside.  Check out the Great Grillin' template and all the other goodies at My Time Made Easy.

Now, last, but not least, visit these blogs for more Great Grillin' ideas:

Lauren Meader
Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Pattie Goldman

Kimberly Morrow

Lisa Kind
Lori Kalus

Karien van der Westhuizen

Jackie Randolph

Tracy Holmes

Romaine Rancier

Wendy McGaffey

Dawn Barwick

Special Friend Blend for Paper Sweeties

I drink soooo much tea - there's no doubt I have English ancestors.   I have tea in the morning and another cup of hot tea in the afternoon when I get home (even if it's 100 degrees outside)!  I like figuring out ways to wrap up one of my favorite things to give as a little thank you to my favorite people.  It seems that lots of my friends like tea almost as much as me!

I created a pillowbox using Paper Sweeties May Sketch as a guide.  Here's the sketch:

I went right to the Tea for Two stamp set for the large center shape and sentiment - love the teapot!

The sentiment is from the same set.  The tea bag is actually made from the bottom of a Mary Engelbreit cupcake wrapper!  Of course, I couldn't stop there - I had to put tea inside!  

The tea bags are wrapped with a manilla shipping tag tied with twine and stamped with images from I'm Having a Tea Party.  

I'd love to see you participate in the Paper Sweeties sketch challenge!  You can check out the details and fun projects at the Paper Sweeties Blog.  

Supplies

paper sweeties stamps    |    manila tag   |    pearl pen

pillowbox    |    uniball signo gel pen    |   

You May Have a Peek (Giveaway at MTME)

What is it?  What are we doing?  What can you win?  Check out the rhyme from My Time Made Easy:

"It's the last day of April, so don't be a fool!  Here is a peek at a project, that's  sure to make you drool.  Tell me what  you think, what could it be?  Leave me a guess and you may win a template for FREE!"

Each DT blog is choosing a winner  for a free template of choice.  You only have today to leave a comment - winners will announced tomorrow.  You can see all the amazing Pretty Packaging Templates at My Time Made Easy - there are over 100 to choose from!  (SVG, GSD, DXF, WPC and PDF files available.)

Don't forget each blog is randomly choosing a winner, so take a look and leave a guess - each comment is a chance to win.  Here's the list to visit:

Lauren Meader
Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Pattie Goldman

Kimberly Morrow

Lisa Kind

Karien van der Westhuizen

Jackie Randolph

Tracy Holmes

Romaine Rancier

Wendy McGaffey

Dawn Barwick

To see the current choux box, click here.

Whooo's Choux Box

Whooo's Choux Box?  Well, if you like, it could be yours!   Here's the second installment in happy mail choux boxes!   (That would be pronounced shoo.)  It is a darling owl gift bag and here's what you get:

This would be perfect for Teacher Appreciation or a friend's birthday.  You get two tags to choose between for the gift bag:  Whooo's a terrific teacher and Whooo's having a birthday.   Owl-lovers will adore it and so will those that just love cute!  

The back is perfect for a child to write a personal note to a special teacher or you to write to a friend.  

The kit even comes with a glassine bag (perfect for a gift card or small gift) closed with a darling felt owl clothespin. It fits in the box with plenty of space to add some other goodies.

All you need is glue - you get everything else!  A limited number of Whooo's Choux Box Kits are listed in my etsy shop.  

Thank you for stopping by!

Poets' Muse

What a gorgeous image!  When Ignacio sent me the new files, I couldn't wait to create a card with her.

Muse of Poets - it just sounds romantic, doesn't it?  You can find her at  Nicecrane Designs.

Here, you can see the other pretty muses that come with her:

Have a wonderful rest of your week!

Supplies

     Glitter Ritz    |     Tracy Ann digital papers    |    Pearl Pen 

Great Scott(y)!

One of the nicest people ever called Wednesday and asked me to make a birthday card for her friend who loves Scotty dogs.  That nice person would be Debbie from Ancient of Days Antique Store right here in OKC.  She talks people into buying my goodies along with their antique goodies!  

This little Scotty is part of a vintage valentine that I'm pretty sure I picked up at Ancient of Days.  As soon as Debbie told me what she wanted, I knew I had the perfect thing!  I even dug out a circle stamp that is from one of the first sets of stamps I ever bought - I believe it's a now retired set from Stampin' Up.    

So glad you visited and have a wonderful week!

Supplies 

scalloped doily    |    october afternoon    |  scallop circle die    |
crate paper

Happy Birthday, Mom! (with Nicecrane Designs)

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday, Dear Mom...  

My dad always asks me to make a card for him to give to my mother for her birthday.  I've actually made them several cards over the years with cute Dolly Dingles.  This image is from Nicecrane Designs.  They are just the cutest and fun to color!

This couple is part of some vintage illustrations for Mother Goose rhymes.

You can find these and other wonderful images at Nicecrane Designs.  Happy Friday and Happy Weekend, too!

Supplies

nicecrane designs   |    papertrey ink   |   pearl pens    |    

Zing! embossing powder    |    copics

Embossed Notes for Paper Sweeties

Embossing is just so cool - you know, it starts out as just some powder and then through the magic of heat turns wonderfully glossy!  Today is the last day of the Paper Sweeties April Release.  I stamped one of the new frames from the Beautiful stamp set and used Zing Blush to emboss.  After I made several notecards, I started looking for something interesting to pack them in - a berry basket will do nicely!

The sentiments on these cards are all from Little Wishes.  They fit perfectly.

Black cards are awesome, but really need a pen that works well on black.  So I included in this gift set a Pilot Extra Fine Silver Marker. ( I actually have had better luck with it than the silver Sharpie.)

The Paper Sweeties blog will have other projects to share - I'll join you there!

As I'm finishing this, I am listening to the news for updates on the bombing in Boston.  Living in Oklahoma City, it takes me back to our history and the bombing of our Federal building.  I'm keeping the people of Boston in my thoughts and prayers.  And as President Obama said, "The American people stand with Boston!"

Whiskers on Kittens

Whiskers on Kittens - are they included in a few of your favorite things?  That song is stuck in my head - I'm going to have to watch Sound of Music now!  A few of my favorite things come from Paper Sweeties.  

Today the April Release is available in the store.  The cloud stamp and "whiskers on kittens" sentiment is from the new set Rainbows and Roses.  I used Upper and Lower Alphas to create the rest of the sentiment.  I really love the Paper Sweeties Alphas - they are just the right size to create my own sentiments.

The image is from Peggy Loves Vintage.  Linking this card to Make it Monday.

Paper Sweeties has a couple of contests and giveaways going on now — enter for your chance to win some goodness from the shop:

Like our Facebook Fan Page and share with your blog and/or Facebook friends for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate when we reach our next giveaway level of 650 fans!

Comment on any blog post from April 8th through April 16th for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to the shop!  The more comments you leave, the more chances you’ll have to win big!

Submit your project for the current Paper Sweeties Sketch Inspiration #6 challenge using any of your favorite crafty supplies for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to the shop — earn a bonus vote if you use anything from the Paper Sweeties shoppe!

Now... off to watch Sound of Music!  Anyone have popcorn?

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Welcome to the second day of Paper Sweeties sneak peek!  I love this polka dot flower so much, I had to create with it again.  

Bloom Where You Are Planted - such good advice hidden in a very sweet sentiment.  My daughter and I were talking about it this weekend.  She's not living in her ideal location - they live where they live because of her husband's occupation - but she still manages to find ways to bloom.  It's not always easy, but it's always good advice!

We have a couple of contests and giveaways going on now — enter for your chance to win some goodness from the shop:

Like our Facebook Fan Page and share with your blog and/or Facebook friends for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate when we reach our next giveaway level of 650 fans!

Comment on any blog post from April 8th through April 16th for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to the shop!  The more comments you leave, the more chances you’ll have to win big!

Submit your project for the current Paper Sweeties Sketch Inspiration #6 challenge using any of your favorite crafty supplies for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to the shop — earn a bonus vote if you use anything from the Paper Sweeties shoppe!

Be sure to check out the Paper Sweeties blog and come back tomorrow to see more of Paper Sweeties April Release.  So glad you stopped by! 

April Showers for Paper Sweeties

It's April Sneak Peek time at Paper Sweeties!   As soon as I opened my April package I knew I wanted to use the polka dot flower from the Make Today Beautiful stamp set on a bag.  As you know, I really like to make treat bags. Then I saw that cute rain outfit for the Sweeties and it all fell together!

I started with the bag (printing onto copy paper and pinking the edges), stamping the flower and leaf all over and coloring with copics.  Then comes the Sweetie!   That's Emma sporting her new paper pieced rain gear from the Here Comes Spring stamp set.  She's attached to the paper straw only by her head - that way she can slip over the top of the bag while the straw is inside.  

The rainbow, cloud and sentiment (Roses and Rainbows stamp set) finish out the straw.  What's inside the bag?

Darling mushrooms (also brought by April showers) and pretty flowers - all for a crafty friend of mine.  See some other April projects at the Paper Sweeties Blog - enjoy!

Will These Do?

Will these do?  That's what I'm asking myself.   A lovely lady wants to write love notes to both of her sisters.    She wants something pretty to put them in and for them to be a lot alike, but not exact.  She loves vintage and seam binding ribbon.

I decided that embellished envelopes would fit the bill.   Then I selected these lovely images from Nicecrane Designs.  They are from the Little French Flower set.

She can slip her notes right in the embellished envelopes and her sisters will have a keepsake. 

Now, about the crepe paper fringe... I had a couple of emails this week asking how to make the fringe I used on a couple of gift bags awhile back. 

 I'm happy to tell you how I made it -  I don't know if it's right, but it works! 

 I use crepe paper that comes on rolls.  I like to cut it just a little longer than the size I need, then I  fold it in half.  I don't have fringe scissors, but regular scissors work just fine.  I don't even worry about whether it's the same size or not.  (Just make sure not to cut through the fold!)  I usually use four layers - just glue them on top of each other at the fold.  That's it - easy, right?  

Visit Nicecrane Designs for wonderful images and have a great rest of your week!

   

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary, Kirby and Gail!  Kirby is a long-time customer who orders lots of cards for his wife.  He always orders the first New Year's card - I believe he and Gail had their first date on New Year's Eve. This year they are celebrating 36  years.

This image is part of the digital set called Love Story available from Janet at Digital Paper.  I'm also really liking the ribbon stamps (on the left embossed with Zing! Blush) from Papertrey Ink, too.  

I'll link this card at Make It Monday - a fun place to see lots of wonderful creations!  Have a wonderful day!

Handbag It!

Love this new Handbag template from My Time Made Easy!   I remember when I used to have tons of handbags to choose from.  Now it seems I carry the same purse for a long time.  I still love to get  a new purse - I just don't seem to think of it that often! This is a cute way to satisfy a purse craving.  The paper I used on the handbag is that same as the shoe stationery set in the previous post:  Berry Burst. 

 I made the monogram cards (also in the previous post) thinner and glued the top together to make a pad.  Then the pad is adhered to a piece of heavy cardstock printed with Berry Burst.

The New Products section has the entire April Release for easy viewing.  For more ideas, visit these blogs:

Lauren Meader
Tangii Crane

Debbie Marcinkiewicz
Pattie Goldman

Kimberly Morrow

Lori Kalus

Lisa Kind

Karien van der Westhuizen

Jackie Randolph

Tracy Holmes

Mary Vogel

Romaine Rancier

Wendy McGaffey

Dawn Barwick

Heart & Sole Part 2

Oh, how I wish I could still wear high heels!  The last time I wore high heels was last year at my mom and dad's 50th anniversary and I about died!  My Time Made Easy just released this new Sexy Sole template.  If I could still wear high heels, I would love to have a pair of high heels like this one!!

I wanted to do something a little different than just a shoe, so hang with me here a minute, I made a stationery station with the shoe holding the pens!  A little weird, I know, but it turned out pretty cool.   I used a laser cut frame from Michaels and built a little box inside using Berry Burst paper.  Here it is from the side:

I added a self stick easel to the back so it could stand.  You can also see the drawer knob that I used as a heel.  

I designed some clean and simple stationery using Merriest Monograms to slip inside the box.

The flags on the pens are from Sole-Mates Digital stamps.  The easel can also fold up so that the whole thing can lie flat.

Visit the New Products section to see the entire April Release.  Visit these blogs for fun ideas:

Lauren Meader
Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Pattie Goldman

Lori Kalus