A ticket, a tasket, a cute little cardstock basket!

In exchange for the rooms we use at co op, the extemporaneous people volunteer for the church. Now, you NEVER quite know what you are going to do those days. I am free 3rd period and have put up bulletin boards, stuffed snack bags, cleaned rooms, washed toys, shredded papers, stuffed bulletins, etc. Last time we were there, the volunteers worked on Easter baskets for the kids. We made up kits and all they would have to do was assemble.

They were so cute and I thought how could I adapt them. Theirs used 2 paper plates per child and about a yard of ribbon.

We had a template about 4 inches across with 8 lines drawn on it as a template. We laid this down in the middle of the plate and then cut down to it lining our cuts up with the lines (I really needed to take a pic, this sounds far more confusing than it is).

Then, we punched holes in each wedge. 2 per. Scalloped the edges of each wedge a bit.

Then, on the second plate we just cut out the center section for a handle. You would then run the ribbon through the holes to connect it all and gather it up like a basket and then staple on the handle.

So, my adaptation:



I just used one piece of cardstock (CTMH sorbet) and used a dinner plate to trace my circle. Then, I used a sour cream container to mark out my template. Made my cuts and punches and that was it.

I didn't leave eough room to make a handle, but it is still pretty cute. You could stamp it first or cut pieces of patterned paper to size to decorate. Possibilities are endless! Sooo simple!

Coffee Filter Flowers

Okay, these are soo fun and who doesn't have coffee filters laying around?! These are so cheap to make, a little time consuming (well, my friend Sharon would say they are, I was able to stitch up all of these during an episode of House so I didn't think so), but the result is well worth it!

All you need it coffee filters and a needle and thread.

Directions are here:
http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/coffee-filter-yo-yo-flowers/index.html

The ones on the left I did with glimmer mist. Instead of getting them all wet, I just sprayed. It was a bit quicker and they are GORGEOUS! The ones on the right I used my mica paints (found here: http://www.thescrapqueen.com/product/USJEWELMETAL/METALLIC_Jewelz_Mica_Watercolor_Paint_by_US_ArtQuest.html) and I got a great glimmery water colour effect.



I used one of my glimmer misted ones on this card (I haven't quite decided what the sentiment will be) but I was dying to start playing with them.



You can also see another one on the WTF layout challenge below.

Punk Rock Scrappers Challenge.....WTF?!

Okay, so a few of my friends turned me onto the Punk Rock Scrappers blog, there are some awesome designers there and some fun challenges. Currently, there is a WTF challenge.

Well, how perfect for a snowy day in April. Snow? April? Yeah, WTF exactly. I know welcome to NC Ohio, if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes and it will change and all that. But, I am sooo sick of snow! I was sooo sick of snow back in November.

I took this photo of this poor defeated daffodil this morning. It was the one spot of colour in our currently otherwise white world. I love this photo, I think it sums up how I am feeling right now. It waited all winter to come up and bask in the sunlight, only to be dealt this. So, it hangs its head.

Wedding Purse and Guest Book - Altered Cloud 9 Chipboard Book Set

I got this and was playing around with it, I wanted to do something different and couldn't figure out what. I found my inspiration from SEI. These papers are SO gorgeous and elegant, yet they are a bit funky (which I love). I also thought, who would give a mini album in a little box, how can we use them both as seperate entities but that still go together? I love making purses, but who the heck uses a small purse? And would need a book as well?

Elegant papers....small purses....hmmm, maybe a bride? Not just any bride, of course, it would have to be someone a bit nontraditional, but how fun would this be for someone with a sense of kitsch?

So, I made up a cute little purse for her to carry and a matching guest book.

As I said, papers are SEI, for the purse though, I just made it to match using Ranger dabbers in silver (dab indeed, don't paint and you'll get the great texture) and pool and then, I covered the front with reinforcements after first painting them silver as well. Added some random sparkles and it was done.

Papers, stickers and die cuts in the book are all SEI.

I am soo loving my new toy!

The other day in the mail I got an awesome surprise! A brand new Kodak ESP All in One printer. I was seriously "woohooing"! lol

(Kodak sent it to me as part of the Cafemom Influencer program, 2 of my admin from ScrapNMoms got one as well, it's good to have the largest Scrapbooking group on Cafemom)




Once I cleaned off my desk (which really needed done anyway) I proceeded to set it up. It has Wifi capacity so thought I'd be all set to go. Okay, that did work, but it was slooooow. So, depending on your wifi, this isn't the option to use (much to DH's chagrin as he had visions of printing in the middle of the night from his laptop and scaring the heck out of me).

So, we got a cable and connected it directly to the computer. I can print faster as long as it is something from the web, but my computer and the printer are not talking nice to one another. So, that was getting a bit frustrating and it wouldn't print pictures. It is most likely something simple, but it's a bit beyond me, we are going to do a complete reboot and all that happiness on DH's next vacation.

In the meantime, we found an around....I just load my pictures to a USB flash drive thingy (yes, that IS the technical term) and then plug it directly into the computer. It has a window and you just scroll through, click okay on the pics you want to print and in seconds you have awesome quality pictures all ready to go.

It is super easy! And like I said, the quality is great! I'm very happy with it! And feeling a bit spoiled as before the printer I had would print photos, but the quality wasn't all that great, so at best, I had to upload them and have them shipped and get them in a week or drive 20 minutes into town (I live in the middle of nowhere) to get them.

MAJOR time saver! I'm all about that!

It also scans and copies. Again, easy features to use and I am LOVING that! I'm a homeschool mom and I am always getting workbooks and borrowing library books for the girls. Now I can make copies at home! WooHoo! I have copying like crazy this morning. that feature alone has me on cloud 9!

So, despite some initial frustration, I am completely loving my new printer and can't wait to show off the layouts I'll be doing with the pictures I printed off yesterday!

And becuase I haven't shared enough with you this week, here are some more pages I completed....

I LOVE the CTMH idea book Reflections....it gives you complete cutting guides for a single page 12x12 layout. I don't always use it exactly, but on those days when I am stuck for an idea on a page, it is soo wonderful.

I used it on this page, using CTMH Key To My Heart papers from the January promotion (I'm on a cleaning out my stash mission....Adventures in Stamping IS coming up!) and matching stamp set for making the journaling box. I also used Just Blooms, Rub ons and brads by CTMH. The ribbon is from Autumn Leaves.

My friend and I were taking a class at the parks and her DH was kind enough to watch all the kids while we went (my two plus her 4....he is such a doll!) and he kept them busy by planting seedlings. This is where they were at when I left, when we got back they had tons done. The girls came home with a tray of 2 types of tomatoes, morning glories and snap dragons. They are loving watching them grow!


This was the same day, it just happened to be St Patrick's Day so we pitched in and made an (almost) all green meal for them as well. Chicken with bacon and CABBAGE, GREEN BEANS, LIME JELLO, GREEN GRAPES and for dessert an obnoxiously green frosted chocolate chip jumbo cookie.

It's all CTMH, with the exception of the Bazzill Bling flower


We were treated to something special in March. Bob tried to make a new friend....of a skunk! OMG.....it reaked so bad, I was literally walking around with a gas mask that Stan had from his biohazard cleaning days. (Notice no pic of that!). Livy felt sooo bad for him and made a "Get Smell Soon" card for the top of his crate. I had to take a pic of that, it was so cute!


Sometimes I wonder if my DH REALLY is 36. There are days where I swear I have 3 children, not 2. But, at the same time, it is so awesome how he plays with the girls. And he has a patience with them that I will never have. I LOVe all the giggles that ensue when they are playing together and it is great that they have someone to share comics, action figures and cartoons with since that isn't my thing at all.


Trin's birthday. She turned 9 in February! How did that happen?! Yep, TIME FLIES!



Homeschool Support Group night, kids learned about Native Americans in Ohio from years passed. They loved it. The patterned papers are from the new Basic Grey line Marakesh which I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!

Busy Bee

I cannot believe how much papercrafting I have gotten done the last couple days. Apparently my muse is in overdrive!

I have been doing some of the kit swaps over at my board, ScrapNMoms. Last month we had a bee one. Okay, if you know me, you know we are a Bee family. So, I had to have the bees.

What to do with the kit though? Hmmmmm..... Well, my friend Sarah said something about it being perfect for a mini album. I have been itching to make another acrylic album so I picked up a cute little tag one at Catan's and yep, it WAS perfect! And so fun!




Then, I had a few leftovers, so I used them to do the card challenge over at Simply Scrapping.

Doodle! And a challenge! And a prize!

I am an unabashed, enthusiastic doodler. I CANNOT leave a blank piece of paper well enough alone. So, when I needed to come up with a challenge at Simply Scrapping, what better than a doodling challenge!?

So, here's my challenge to you....do a page where doodling is your main form of embellishing. Try and keep it as clutter free as possible and really focus on that pen/marker.

You have til the end of the month to get it done and I'll enter all the participants in a drawing for a prize package (to be determined, but I'll find something fun!) Just post a comment with a link to your finished project!

Here's my page, the only thing I used besides my pen were some letter stickers that I had leftover from March's scrap queen kit.


I also did a page about doodling for my Book of Me

Colour Challenge!

The ladies at If the Shoe Fits posted their colour challenge for the week. It is Red/Blue. PERFECT for these pictures I had of my darling nephew at one.

Cardstock is Bazill Lipstick and Dutch Blue CTMH cardstock, Scenic Route PP. Foam from the dollar store that I used to make the letters with my coluzzle and random embellies. Rub Ons are CTMH. Isn't he just the cutest?!

Beads....my other obsession.

I LOVE beads! They come in all kinds of pretty colours and sizes and....... Yes, I'm a crafting geek!

My friend sent me some great beads at Christmas and I kept saying I'd post what I did with them. Well, finally 3 months later I remembered to take a pic!

I have a awesome brown velour babydoll dress I wear them with.


This one I just made the other day, I got some turquoise chips on clearance and mixed them with some silver glass beads and brown waxy flax (yep, it's a scrapping/stamping supply but I LOVE the waxy flax I get from CTMH for beading!)


Speaking of jewelry.....remember Make it and Bake its? They are back!!! It was such a blast from my childhood when I saw these I squealed! And to make it even better, they were charm bracelet kits! They had two different ones at Target and Trin picked out Disney princesses (below) and Livy got Disney Fairies. Yesterday was a craft day and I did these with them and they built birdhouses (which have a bit of finishing to do) with their daddy.