The weekend

Had a nice quiet weekend, my husband and daughter #1 went to Louisville, KY for the Thunder over Louisville fireworks show.  I had to work a few hours Saturday morning then after hitting Joann's, Hobby Lobby and Michael's went home to clean and craft.  The clean part took pretty much the whole day into the early evening so unfortunately no crafting was done -- I was tired! But I did get my mantel decorated for spring.

Some of the items on the mantle I already had but, I bought a few new items. The white vase was actually a "not pretty green" vase I bought at Michael's on clearance.  A couple quick coats of Krylon Glossy White and it looked much better.  I find though that when I am looking for items to put on my mantle, I forget just how big it is and when I get something home, it looks so small.  I really should have went taller on a vase and taller on the flowers for the vase. oh well there is always next year.  I also want to find a purple ribbon for my Pottery Barn rabbit to help him match a little better but other than that, I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

Also, made a card on Thursday night for a co-worker who was given a big teaching award at our Honors Convocation held Friday. As you can tell, I have become a fan of that type of card.   I will be in Texas this weekend so there won't be any crafting done until May then, I'm sure I'll have a few graduation cards to make and some table decorations for my nephew's graduation party.

April is slipping away

Been busy out in the scrapbook room, and not just with cleaning (notice I didn't say cleaning and organizing). I look at my stacks of paper and tell myself I need to change how it is organized but I don't know how to do it.  I've read different things about organizing and even took an online course by Aby Garvey, called the Happy Scrapper but I'm still a mess. Anyways, back to my post.

Easter has come and gone. I made Easter cards again and even managed to remember to take a picture of them.  The idea came from a make-and-take that Archivers did using a cloud punch.  I didn't have that punch but had a cloud available on one of my Cricut cartridges. Used my McGill paper blossom tool kit to add texture to the ears. I have really run with the idea of "make-a-bunch" lately.  Instead of creating two of several different cards, I create several of one card. Makes it easier and creates less waste. 

Last fall, my brother-in-law lost his mother, who was well known in her town for her angel food cake, fluff frosting, and lemon meringue pie.  Her recipes were highly regarding and a much kept secret! For Christmas, my sister gave me a copy of Etta Mae's angel food cake and fluff frosting (still waiting on that pie recipe Kath!).  The recipe itself must have been 50 years old! I thought Easter would be a great time for an angel food cake so, 18 egg whites later, taa daa.. Thank you Etta Mae VanWinkle for the super yummy recipe.

Have several birthdays coming up so in the "make-a-bunch" mindset, I sat down and made these last weekend.

I like this style so much, I am actually going to list dimensions here so I know where to look for when I want to make them again.  This is for a finished card 4.25" x 5.5".

• card stock (background) - 4" x5 1/4"
• top paper 3 3/4" x 3"
• middle paper 3 3/4" x 1" (made adjustments if you are going to use a chevron pattern and trim the top)
• bottom paper 3 3/4" x 1"
• Flower and leaves: Hello Kitty cricut cartridge 2 1/2"
• Texturize the leaves with the McGill paper blossom tool kit 2mm size
• Flower center - 5/8" circle punch 

I really like using the 6x6 pads for card making, I less waste when using them and can get 2 cards from each sheet (depending on design).

And lastly, my sister-in-law lost her father this past Monday and here is the card I made to send to her and her family (I made it in the 5" x 7") format.

In addition to the baking and card making, I also produced five more of the buckwheat heating pads that I gave to my girls for Valentines Day.

Just a quickie

Had a couple of birthdays this week so I whipped this card up last night. I should have taken the time to make 3, had plenty of supplies. I used Pebbles "Family Ties" paper.

Valentines Day

Well, now that Valentines Day is over, I can publish what I made my girls this year.  I have had this idea for a few years, but it takes some advance planning and it would alway slip my mind until it was too late to order the supplies.

For Valentines Day, I made each of my girls a heart shaped buckwheat seed heating pad.  I actually received one as a gift about 10 years ago and we have all used it many times.

I found the buckwheat seeds here.  I wasn't sure of how much seed I would need, so I ordered a 10# bag.  I weighed the heating pad I own and it weighed about 14.5 ounces so that was the weight I went with. I purchased a bottle of lavender essential oil from the local GNC store and divided the seed into 10 ziplock baggies and placed about 3-4 drops of essential oil into each bag. I let the bags sit for about a week so the oil would absorb into the seeds.

Next, I searched the internet for a heart shape that I liked. I wanted one that was asymmetrical so the pressure was off to make a "perfect" heart. I don't sew often so I knew this would be tricky.  I found the perfect heart and printed out several on 11x17 inch paper so I could use them for patterns. This print size made each heating pad about 14" across at the widest point.

Next, I went to Joann Fabrics and purchased a 1 yard piece of a pretty red velvet. The price was pretty steep but thanks to a Joann's 50%-off coupon, I saved a little.  Flannel would also be a nice material to use for the heating pad but, I wanted to make it luxurious.  I then pinned the hearts to the fabric and cut them out. I then sewed the right sides together, leaving about a 1" opening towards the bottom, so I could fill it.  I used a chop stick to help me turn it right-side-out and to push the edges out.  One-half yard of fabric made 5 heating pads. Here they are pre-stuffing.

The next step was to fill the heating pads and stitch them closed.  It was an easy step, but I need to improve on my hand-stitching. Here are the completed heating pads.

The girls really liked them, and I know it won't be long before one of them is used. They turned out so nice, that I also gave them to a couple of women at work. 

Now, I have to find something for next year…oh boy.

I also made several cards to mail out for Valentines Day.  I have adopted the idea to find a card I like and make several of them at one time.  Makes it easier to make a lot of cards.

And, for the first time, Daughter #1 and I decorated the mantle for Valentines Day.  Here it is from the angle of the couch. Daughter #1 made the I'm falling for you last year and Daughter #3 screen printed the Te quiero picture for my birthday last year.

Also, in looking back, I realized I didn't include a picture of the card that I made for my sons first wedding anniversary from last fall.

Well, it's off to making St. Patricks Day cards and decorating the mantle for Easter.  

Post for the month

I didn't want the month to end without a post. I really thought I had been creating this month, but when I looked back at my pictures, I only had one. I've sent several cards out this month including a get well card, an anniversary card, a Congratulation s on Retiring card, a sympathy card and my New Year's cards. I did manage to get a picture of the latter but, only after I had to open the one to my sister and reseal it! And wouldn't you know, she told me over the weekend, "yeah strangest thing, your card had been opened and resealed!" I fessed up and told her I needed a picture of the card so I did it.  Here is the picture, on the inside I stamped Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much!

I also have been to Joanne's this month. On my roster of things to do before Valentines day is Tooth Fairy pillows for the little rug rats that daughter #1 watches. The middle one has a loose tooth and I want to get them made before his falls out.

I also have something in the making for Valentines day, but will have to wait until after Valentines to talk about it. And, have you seen the new line from Authentique!!! I can't wait until the Remembrance collection hits the stores.

I also enrolled in Kerri Bradford's The History Project. I'm really excited to get started on it, but it has been so difficult. I'm actually looking for a journal that I think will work well for me for this class. I just need to find the time for it all.

Work has been crazy busy…we're in the middle of hiring a new professor and have a big time speaker coming in next week. And, I can't believe I did this, we registered Riley Grace (2 1/2 year old puppy) in doggy day care so she can get exercise during the day, so there is the taking and picking her up. I thought I was over all that when the last child got her license (#4 turns 20 Saturday,  Good Lord, where did the time go?).

And to top it all off, my husband had a kidney stone attack on Saturday and Good Lord(!!), the world came to a stop! He had it surgically removed on Tuesday, and boy was I happy to get back to work on Wednesday!! Needless to say, when the florist came into my office this morning, I told her I earned those babies! I did remember to keep a few things from the hospital and even took a before and after surgery picture so I can scrapbook it.  But no, I did not  keep, nor want, the stone itself - yuck!!

I'm hoping to post lots for February - specifically, valentine gifts and the Tooth Fairy pillows. Wish me luck!

Merry Christmas

Wow! It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks.  I wound up work and headed home.  Hosted a family holiday get-together then prepared for Christmas Eve and another family celebration for Christmas Day! Now that the presents have been handed out, I can post the pictures of some of the things I made for gifts.

The first picture is a chapstick holder you make for your key chain. They are super easy to make and a little fabric goes a long way.  I purchased a 1/2 yard of coordinating fabric and made 10 holders and still have enough fabric to make an additional 10-15 holders.  

My sisters and I gave my mother cash for Christmas, she's celebrating New Years' at a casino so hopefully she can double her present. :) Anyway, since we gave her cash for her birthday in July I needed to make a different presentation for the money and my sister saw this idea on the internet.  It's quite easy to do but the directions aren't exact so if you google it, be aware.    I took a cinnamon stick and green floral wire. After folding the bills accordion style I secured the a 36" piece of wire around the base of the stick and attached the money by criss-crossing the wire in the front and continuing up the stick.

 And finally, below are the necklaces I referred to back in October.  I found a link on Pinterest to a website called Sun and Moon crafts. I was able to get all the supplies and instruction to make these cute necklaces.  Everyone really liked them.  They take a while to make because the glaze has to completely dry before you can finish it.

Creative couple of weeks

I have been busy creating but not in the paper sense.  I decorated three trees in my home last week.  The first, on Monday is a little 4-foot tree that I hang on the wall and decorate with glass ornaments.  The second tree, I didn't "put-up" (thank you hubby and boyfriend of daughter #2) our 12' tree in the family room but I did decorate it. The third tree was a 7' tree that my sister helped me put up and decorate in our front room.  As much work as it was to put them up, it's even more work taking them down and I am not looking forward to that.

I've have also been busy baking. I made 6 different kinds of cookies: (chocolate krinkles, chocolate surprise, chocolate thumbprints w/peppermint frosting, fruit thumbprints, cranberry/orange sugar cookies, butterscotch noodle cookies and coconut macaroons), I also decorated some nutter butter cookies to look like snowmen. PLUS - I made buckeyes, potato candy and chocolate covered cherries. There are actually a few kinds that I still want to make but OMG I am over baking right now.  

It's hard to tell from the picture but this is my deep freeze with several of the cookies in it.

I also spent yesterday afternoon out in the scrapbook room and made a variety of Christmas cards. Can you believe it?? I actually made Christmas cards this year! :)

It's been a joke in my family for the past several years because the cards always get pushed to the back burner and never get made. I'm quite proud of myself and if I hadn't had to get up at 4:00 a.m. to get hubby to the airport, I might very well go back out there tonight but, I don't know if I have the energy.