Gifties...

I love getting Gifties...those little gifts that someone hands you that you can use and always remember who gave you the gift. I love GIVING gifties too. My grade school/high school friend is coming to visit tomorrow and she is bringing her friend. Here are their gifties.

This is a folded card pack and I give a hearty shout out to my talented and cherished friend, Sandi Kelly, who inspired this set. She sent me a lovely set of cards and although these are not exact, the inspiration came from Sandi. These are the folded card packs. I ran the front of the folded pack through my Cuttlebug Embossing folder...and I've added initials from the Calligraphy Cricut cart, and I've also added some MS punches for the sweet little flowers and leaves. Oh, and some jewels. There is a 4 inch tab that folds to the back and slips under a wide tab, just to keep the pack closed.

When the folded card pack opens, there are two flaps to hold the cards in place. One is a square flap on the bottom, and the side flap is cut into a cute little boomerang shape and although the flap doesn't show in this photo, it has the Swiss Dots embossing.... The cards were punched on the center edge with MS loop punch, the embossing comes from the small strips of Cuttlebug embossing folders and the really neat long initials are from Cricuts STAMPED cart.
I've slipped a folded white linen paper inside for personalized notes. I really like how these turned out and I hope my friends will as well. TFL...

Cutting Cafe/Valentine Long Phrases

Regina has done it again... her Valentine printables are just so......well......so Valentine-ish wonderful. Here are some quickie cards I did using her long phrases. They print off all on one sheet and you can use the whole page for background, or cut them into strips like I have done here. The cards are cut from my Cricut Sweethearts cartridge... By using the "card feature" I selected 5-1/2 for the size, selected the cut and here are the results. The heart and the word "LOVE" are actually cut right out on the front of the card, and I've slipped a white cardstock beneath to get that depth. I put the card fronts through my Cuttlebug embossing folders, added the Valentine long phrase strips, added a few punch hearts that were embossed, and tied a ribbon on the side.

I had some folded red cardstock...it had been shoved in my scrapbin of solid cardstock pieces. I am really pleased how this quick little card created itself. I used MS loop punch just above the Valentine long phrase from Cutting Cafe... I've added a wonderful ribbon that I received from Sandi Kelly. And a punch heart. That cute little "tab" holds the pockets inside closed. Please take a peek at the printables here.
Here is the inside. There are two pockets and I've done some inserts. MS punch captures the rubber stamp sentiment, and the "Hugs & Kisses" are from Sweethearts cart.

Cutting Cafe/Flowers

I've been a busy girl trying to clean up some stacks of unfinished projects. And then comes something wonderful from Regina so I have to drop everything and try it out. These flowers are from Cutting Cafe's Flower printables.... I love cutting the layers out and stacking them, using pop dots for full dimension results. I am going to try another paper, only this time using pattern papers. Take a peek here for the set.

Published RSC Layout

This is the cover of the Dec 09/Jan 10 Ready Set Create Ezine.... My layout is shown below this cover page.

I was pleased to have my scrapbook layout published in the December 09/January 10 Ready Set Create mag. This photo is one of my faves of my son and daughter in law and their sweet dog Daisy. Please notice that darling tag with the gold star. This was done by my talented friend Sandi (Celtic Woman)..and she's got some for sale on her Etsy shop. I've got some cards coming up in the RSC mag for Feb/March and I'll be back at the end of January to show you those. TFL.... and oh...Have a safe and happy New Year and may 2010 be a blessed healthy year for you and yours.

Cutting Cafe/ValentineSet

FEBRUARY IS NOT THAT FAR AWAY...

Regina's release in Cutting Cafe of the big Valentine set is just awesome. Giant sentiments that pack a whallop on a card, or even on a scrapbook page. I selected just 4 of the many sentiments and I made a card set. And I think I will offer this up on my Etsy shop. These first photos show the envelope that was created to hold the 4 lovelies. And the photo of the group captures some inserts that could be slipped inside the card. I've left the inside blank for personal sentiments. TFL, and I hope you like my Valentine cards...

Altered Coasters

I found these colorful coasters in the dollar bin at Michaels and they yelled out for me to grab them up and making a little something. This "birthday card" is unique, donchathink? I simply used my Crop A Dial to make some holes, added some lavendar flower shaped eyelets, strung the 3 coasters on a metal ring and added a load of colorful ribbons. On the coasters I made three punched leaves and flowers with a button center, and I've added sentiment strips for a friendly birthday greeting. Two strips are rubber stamp sentiments and the Blessing sentiment is from Regina's Cutting Cafe. TFL.... and stop by that dollar bin. There were some really cute coasters to alter.

Tutorial/Sweet little gift

I just love it when I can make a lot of cute little do-dahs for many of my friends, just as a little added giftie. Everyone I know uses Post It Notes, especially the gals at the offices I visit. This is a little Post It Note Cover, so cute, so easy to make. When the Post It Note pack is finished, you can glue another in. Here are the quick instructions:

I use chipboard for the sturdiness of the cover.

Chipboard: Cut two 3x3 squares. Cut one 3x1/2 strip which will be your "spine".

Pattern Papers: Cut one 5 x 8, cut one 3 x 6-1/2.

On inside of the pattern paper, lay out your chipboard pieces as shown. There is just a wee space between the front and back cover and the spine.
Glue down the chipboard pieces. Fold in the excess on all four edges. Trim the inside lining to about 3 x 6-1/2. I fold the cover so that the spine folds are set. I then glue the lining pattern paper to the spine strip. Then I glue to top, and fold it down and smooth so there are no wrinkles. Then I glue the bottom half, fold it up and smooth out any wrinkles.
Here is the finished cover, and a Post It Note pack that I will glue on the inside bottom portion.
For the top of the cover, I have cut out the word NOTES from the Stamped Cricut cartridge, and I've added a MS punched leaf and flower stack. I added some cute little gems as well. In this next photo you will notice a green box with one Post It Note Cover to match. This is made to fit 4 Post It Note Covers inside.

A lovely gift, doncha think?

cutting Cafe Stuff

I love the Merry Christmas set from Cutting Cafe. Here are two cards featuring some of the sentiments. The Happy New Year Card for 2010 is shaped from my Labels 8 Nestabilities which I ran through a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder. Two shapes are joined together with a folded label on the inside. The lettering and flowers are cut from my gold cardstock, and then I slightly shaded it with ink and poured some gold embossing powder on the numbers before using my embossing gun. The little flower has microbeads on it. The numbers are from Don Juan cart. TFL...and check out Cutting Cafe for some wonderful ideas and images.

This card uses the circle sentiment from Christmas Set at Cutting Cafe. I love that big round space to fill up with pretty Christmas images. I ran the circle sentiment through my Cuttlebug for embossing. The trees are from Don Juan cart as well, and I cut them in 3 sizes. The tree is cut with dark green cardstock and I loved the dark blue shadow cut. I've added a red ribbon and a blue jewel at the top of the biggest tree.

BBTB/JOTS/RbnFrm

I've drawn a name for the blog candy tote...and it is KRISTA... Thanks to all for leaving your comments. Krista, email me your addie ...

Enfys is the host of BBTB this week... she is an absolutely awesome designer and I always visit her wonderful blog to see her creations. She chose for us designers to work with Joys Of The Season cartridge, and to use the Ribbon Frame. I had never even noticed this cut. It's fun to imagine the many ways this die can be used...On cards or scrapbooking, to just frame a special photograph. I elected to use it as a hanging do-dah...and since the pear is part of the die options, I hung a cute little pear in the open framework. The pear hangs from some ribbon strings and I've even added another red and green ribbon. Please visit BBTB and see the wonderful creations by the designers.... TFL....and oh...I have some little totes laying around so I thought I'd toss in a blog candy tote. It's sort of fushia pink, and has a cute little flower embroidery. Might make a cute little gift bag. So... leave a comment and I will put you in the draw on December 10th. If you see your name as winner, please email me right away with your addie and I will mail the little tote right to you.

Cutting Cafe/Calendar Set...

More calendars from Regina's Cutting Cafe. The calendar sheets are a bit larger and I mounted them on a layer of pattern papers and then on a layers of scallop squares. Those are from Plantin Schoolbook. I used bits n' pieces of some beachy type papers left over from a project I just finished for a friend. I've added some die cuts to a few of the months, and all were threaded onto a metal ring and loads of bright ribbons added.

TFL...

Cutting Cafe/Calendar Set...

OMG, Regina released the cutest calendar set. I am going to do all three sizes but for now here is the first one I made and I am very happy with the end results. Please visit here and take a gander at this really cute printable from Cutting Cafe. The 4 layers are from my Round Scalloped Nesties, the sweet little leaf and precious pink flowers are from Martha Stewart punch, and the ribbons were in my stash...I gathered up all 12 rounds and thread them onto a round metal ring. TFL...