Friendship Warms the Heart at Paper Sweeties

It's challenge time at Paper Sweeties!   Here is the sketch for this month's challenge:

The star just represents something large, so I replaced it with snowpeople. 

Aren't they adorable?  The only problem is that they are from an old Cricut cartridge and I don't have my Cricut out anymore.  I had to go drag it out of its box and set up.  I almost couldn't remember how to use it!!  But, I remembered this cute snowman and so....

The sentiment is from Friendship Warms the Heart from Paper Sweeties.

You can visit the Paper Sweeties blog to get all the details on the challenge and to see the other DT projects using the sketch.  Come join us!

Today is a Gift and 9 Winners!!

Oh my, I am so hot and I don't mean in a good way!  It's about 100 degrees today and of course, I HAD to have my hot tea this afternoon and on top of that I AM a woman of a certain age.  What does that really mean anyway?  Just that we are OLD?  Anyway, I am focusing on the sentiment for this card.  Today is a gift - it is, it really is...

Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is a mystery.

Today is a gift.

That's why it's called the present.

Love this sentiment - I used to have it above my classroom door.  It's on the inside of the card. For some reason, this sweet little girl heading down the stairs to start her day made me think of it.  She is from Nicecrane Designs.  Colored her with Copics and popped her off the scene.

She is from the set called These Incredible Little Girls.  You may remember I used another image from that set in a wildflower seed paper project here.  And here is a look at the entire set:

Now for the winners of the wildflower seed paper giveaways!
And just like before the winners are totally random - selected the old fashioned way from a basket by my husband.

After he selected the nine winners, we put them back in and pulled names for the following categories:

Wildflower Seed Paper Packets from Botanical Paperworks:
Itzy Bellababy
Tina M
Vicki
Marsha F
Cathryn (PostnPrintHolzschuher)

$20 Gift Certificate from Paper Sweeties:
Jill

Two Sets of Choice from The Cutting Cafe:
Sandy S

Two Sets of Choice from Nicecrane Designs:
Laura Strack

Wildflower Gift Pack from Me:
Sandy

Congratulations, Winners!  And thank you to everyone who left comments!  Please email me (email at right) your information and I will mail your goodies or forward your information to the participating companies.  Please email me by Wednesday of next week - for unclaimed prizes, I'll select another winner.  

 And a BIG THANK YOU to all of the companies for their generosity - you are awesome!!

Santa's Special Delivery at Craftistas

If you are looking for the wildflower seed paper projects and giveaways, click here.

How about a new take on the Christmas stocking?  One fun idea would be burlap bags for Santa's special delivery!  Not JUST a burlap bag - let's snazz it up a little, shall we?

Let's start with paint circles.  These could be just about any color you wish.  And no need for a template - just make your own.  

This template was made with a circle die and paper.  It worked great!  You want to paint with a dry brush to avoid drips.  After dipping your brush in paint,  wipe off excess paint.  I put my paint out in a paper plate and then just brush the paint off on the plate.  I also use a fairly stiff brush.

Let's continue snazzing...

Must have a cute tag, right?  How about a vintage Santa all framed up and hung by a decorated clothespin?  It also works to keep the bag closed.  Here's a pic to show the two parts of the Santa tag:

I wanted this bag to be fairly easy, cute and work for either a boy or a girl.  (So not a lot of "frufru", you know?)  The only other snazzing I did was to add a ribbon handle and I actually shortened the burlap bag a bit (just cut it off, turned it wrong side out and turned the raw edges in and sewed).  

Now for the really cool part of this post.  If you want to whip up a similar bag for Santa's Special Delivery, you don't have to go find all the pieces.  Craftistas has done it for you!  Craftistas has a kit all ready to go with the burlap bag, stamp set, and clothespins.  The bag is really nice and large (in fact, you might want to leave it long - you can get more goodies inside).  The clear stamp set is really versatile.  It is not a Christmas set - you can use it for all kinds of things!  And I love the clothespins - they are sturdy and a lovely color.  How does this work?  You just click the button at the bottom of this post.  In addition, Craftistas is offering  you a 10% discount!

Would you like the vintage Santa image?

 I have it set up as a free download.  Click here:  vintage santa

Here is the link to the kit:

Wildflower Seed Paper Mini Event + Giveaways

Welcome to the Wildflower Seed Paper Mini Event!  This post is sponsored by:

Botanical Paperworks

Paper Sweeties

Nicecrane Designs

The Cutting Cafe

I get to offer you a giveaway from each one and I have a giveaway, too!

 I love the seed paper - how cool that you can give paper to a friend that can be planted and will actually grow flowers and herbs!  First up is a different take on the seed paper project I posted earlier.  This Wildflower Thank You also features one of the seed packet cut files from The Cutting Cafe and stamps from Paper Sweeties.

The wildflower seed paper is cut into butterfly shapes.

How about planting hopes and dreams and watching them grow?

This packet, that features an image from Incredible Little Girls from  Nicecrane Designs (colored with Copics) and stamps from Paper Sweeties,  provides strips of wildflower seed paper.  

The idea is for the recipient to write hopes and dreams on the strips, plant them, and watch them grow!  I think this would be a wonderful idea as a party favor or a "just because" to someone special.

Along that same idea is the next project about growing your fortune!

This cute take out box is a new cut file from The Cutting Cafe.  It will hold two fortune cookies.  I stamped a sentiment from Paper Sweeties on the strip.  Isn't this a great idea for a party favor?  The last project is designed around a vintage image that I found on Etsy.  

The glassine bag is stapled at the bottom, so it doesn't fall out.  Paper Sweeties stamps decorate the bag.

The wildflower paper is cut into flower shapes.  

Now, for the giveaways!!

Botanical Paperworks sent me five sample packs to giveaway!

Paper Sweeties is offering; you a $20 gift certificate!

The Cutting Cafe is giving away any two sets of your choice!

Nicecrane Designs is giving away any two sets of your choice!

Thank you so much to all of these for their generosity!!

My giveaway is a packet of wildflower seed paper and two butterflies!

Just leave me a comment that you would like to win (you can say any one of these or all) and I'll put your name in the random drawings.  Winners will be announced Thursday evening.


I've also set up the vintage garden girl as a free pdf for you to download.

If you would like to download her, click here:  garden girl invite 

So glad you came by and have a wonderful week!

Burlap + Gold Winners

Winners?  Plural?  Yes, that's right.  I selected two winners! 

Who are they?

Yes, I did it the old fashioned way:  names on paper, folded in basket, husband picks name(s).  It still works!  Lisa M and Jane email me with your info (email at right) and I'll get your burlap right off to you.  You'll have to show us your creations!  

Burlap + Gold

Burlap with gold... LOVE this burlap with gold accent circles that I got at JoAnn's.  I saw it right as I went in the door and made a beeline for it.  (With Dennis trailing behind, of course!  He's so sweet to go wherever I want to.)

Love it even more with one of Nicecrane Designs wonderful vintage images.  Isn't she pretty?

She's just one of the beauties in the Women Paintings III set:

See?  They're all pretty!  

This bag was super easy to make. 

Decide on size of bag.

Add 1/2 inch to width and double the length and add 2 inches.

(Example:  this bag is 5" x 6 1/2", so I cut a rectangle of burlap 5 1/2" x 15 inches.)

Fold in half with right sides together.  Sew a 1/4" seam on

each side.

Turn right side out. 

Turn top to inside 1" and glue.  (You could sew, but Aileene's glue worked great!)

Sew ribbon handles in at seam.

So fun to give with a thoughtful gift inside and don't forget to visit Nicecrane Designs to pick out a pretty image to make it extra special!  

Now for a special treat for you!  I'll send  enough of the gold circle accent burlap to make two bags this size to one lucky person.  Just leave me a comment that you would like to win.  Using random selection, I'll announce the winner on Sunday (comments will close at 6:00 pm cst).  

 Thank you so much for stopping by...

Art Deco Tally

I love vintage bridge tally cards.  I've actually collected quite a few.  It's about time to create a little something with them!  

Kirby (who works with me) asked for a birthday card for his wife.  I think she'll like this image.

It's just fun and bright!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

(I'll be linking up at Make It Monday.)

Handmade Strawberry White Tea Bags with Paper Sweeties

Have you ever had Strawberry White Tea?  I was in my favorite coffee hangout, Beans and Leaves, and started looking at all the tea flavors.  Strawberry White Tea caught my eye.  I knew I wanted to do a couple of strawberry "things" with Paper Sweeties new stamps.  I have to tell you, the tea smells divine!

So, the Strawberry White Tea Gift was created.  See Abigail in her new strawberry outfit (Thanks Berry Much stamp set)?  She's popped on a clothespin holding the glassine bag closed and keeping the tea bags fresh.  The bag is embossed with tea images from stamp set I'm Having A Tea Party.  Abigail is holding a sentiment from Tea for Two.

Making your own tea bags is actually fun and pretty easy!

Die cut the tea bag paper into desired shape and sew around, leaving an opening for one teaspoon of tea leaves. Finish sewing.  Run thread from the middle top of the bag through the top of the strawberry die cut (or whatever shape you want).  And it's done, that easily!

I let the tea brew for awhile after taking this picture.  I like my tea fairly strong and a white tea is fairly light - but it is tasty!  

Visit the Paper Sweeties store and visit the Paper Sweeties blog to get the latest news and goodies!  Thank you for stopping by!

Supplies

tea bag papers    |   red embossing powder    |    strawberry die

scallop heart die

It's Strawberries with Paper Sweeties!

The August release stamps are all available today at Paper Sweeties!  Today (and tomorrow, too), I've got a strawberry theme going.

I love little baskets and wanted to take advantage of the berry sweet sentiments from the new Thanks Berry Much stamps.  I love the banner stamp which you can see stamped in green here.

Awhile back when I first posted one of these little strawberry boxes, I got quite a few emails asking about how I did the ribbon and tag so that it could still be opened.   So I've got a couple of pictures that might help.

First, thread the ribbon through the holes of the strawberry and bring both ends through the leaves.  The strawberry box pattern I used can be found here.  There are also several available online for diecutting machines.

Then make "bunny ears."  

Simply, tie the tag around the bunny ears.  All your recipient will have to do, is untie the tag and open the strawberry.

To see the entire Paper Sweeties release, you can visit the store today and to see more inspiration using Paper Sweeties stamps, visit the Paper Sweeties blog.  Come back tomorrow when I will feature Paper Sweeties stamps and White Strawberry Tea!