True Beauty

*****Happy Hello to all of you who got here via Moxie Fab World!  Thanks for stopping by and I hope you stick around for a bit and enjoy the views on other posts too!  :)  Please comment below so I can visit you too!

Hi Everyone!  Anyone spending oodles of time on Pinterest lately?  This past weekend found me googly eyed from too much screen time.  Why do I mention this?  The inspiration!  I saw so many uber gorgeous cards with luscious layers that I've been itching to make a really layered card!  When I saw card sketch from Mojo Monday I knew I had to give it a go. :)

The Bo Bunny goodies that Charlie sent me from The Hen's Den are perfect for layers!  There is such depth to the patterning of the papers and such rich colors that all I needed to do was cut and paste.  You are looking at a 10 minute card that looks like it took hours.  Jackpot!  Is that too excited sounding for a line called Serenity?!? LOL!

The base of the card is some kraft cardstock with all the layers getting 1/8" border, although mostly the borders are freehand.  The sentiment is from the Serenity Cardstock Stickers.  I adhered it to some black cardstock and freehand cut the border.  The border gives it that extra pop!  I used the same black cardstock on the Tomoko paper.  The bunting was freehand cut from Serenity scraps.  I curled the edges up for extra dimension. 

Ooooh, can't you see this as a card that Sybil from Downton Abbey would have sent.  Oh poor Sybil. Such a sweet and kind girl!  I went through half a box of tissues on Sunday night!


The goodies from The Hen's Den that helped create this goodie:
Bo Bunny- Serenity- Inspiration Cardstock Stickers
Bo Bunny- Serenity- Jewels 
Bo Bunny- Serenity- Trinkets
Bo Bunny- Serenity- Tomoko
Bo Bunny- Serenity- Luck
Bo Bunny- Serenity- Serenity


I'm being meditative with this card at these challenges:
The Mojo Monday Sketch #278

Strawberry Sunday

A while back I made a strawberry note card set and coordinating box.  This weekend I busted up the set.  Why?  I got on a cleaning kick and found some goodies I forgot I had!  They begged to be played with and the final products made me reshuffle.  Totally loving that it happened!!

So this is the original box.  The paper makes me thirsty for pink lemonade- really funny when you think about how far it is from pink lemonade season (temp-wise anyway).  :)

These are the cards that were in the box.  They make me think of a romantic picnic-y kinda afternoon.

The clean up revealed the buttons and ruffled ribbon.  Which led to the idea of strawberries.  Which led to tags.  Eeek!  These are sooo stinkin' cute!  I needed a container, so they landed in the box. :)

So now I had homeless cards!  Well more cleaning led to the discovery of the canvas flower, bling, and pink sticky note pad.  Then I remembered the other strawberry stamp with the basket.  Then I was inspired to make a sticky note pad that could go with the homeless cards.  Kinda keep them company for a bit.  I had a new pen left over from another project to join them in their house hunting.

 In the end everyone ended up in a clear acetate box.  Makes for a beautiful view don'cha think?  Well, if you like what you see, you can head to my shoppe to make the tags or the cards your own! :)

I've cleaned the strawberry juice from my chin long enough to head here:

Smile!

You remember how your mother used to say that you shouldn't make faces 'cause they might freeze that way?  I'm pretty sure my face is still frozen from this morning!!!  I had outside bus duty today, so the four of us were out getting the wee ones off the buses for about 20 minutes this morning.  It was -17 with the windchill.  I have no idea how folks in Alaska do it.  I love winter and snow, but not this brutal cold!

Well, now that I have gotten inside and warmed up I have something that I hope will bring a smile to your face today!  Since getting ready for my class, I've been playing around with pocket cards and my stash.

The color combo was inspired by my desperate need to channel warm weather. ;P  Some ski places have shut down because of the frigid weather!!

You know the line from Despicable Me when the lil gal says "It's so fluffy!!!!" or when Rudolph says "She thinks I'm cuuuuute!".  Well when I look at this card, it is shouting "I'm sooooo happy and cute!!!!!".

Thinking of all of you out there in blogland really does make me smile.  What made you smile today?  I've got a couple giveaways, here and here, I know that might help! :)

Grow Your Blog Day!

Today is Grow Your Blog Day!  Super awesome Vicki, over at 2 Bags Full, is our hostess for this fabulous blog hop.  Thanks Vicki!!!  Her idea was to have a big "Meet and Greet" for fellow bloggers so we could get a chance to find out about each other's blogs.

One of the suggestions Vicki gave to all of us was to take a moment to introduce ourselves, so here goes. :)  I'm a part-time Reading Specialist who works with Kindergarten and first grade students in MA.  It's a pretty great gig 'cause I get to help kiddos learn to read and, hopefully, also love to read. :)  When I'm not teaching kiddos how to read, I'm teaching adults papercrafting at my favorite store Ink About It and creating cards, tags, and scrapbook albums.

In prepping for Valentine's Day I've begun working on valentines for kids and adults.  The teachers and staff celebrate Curious Cupid (think Secret Santa valentine-style).  So it is a pretty big deal to have mini goodies ready for the big day!

I live in MA with my amazing husband (anyone who can deal with me day in and day out and still smile has to be amazing), our Corgi, Cad, (read about his whole ordeal here) and our Tabby, Amy, with the softest fur on the planet!  DH and I have been married for 11 years, although really we've been together for something like 18 years.

Well I've been rambling on!  I'll stop here so you can roam around my blog and visit all the other blogs. ;)  If you leave a comment below, you'll be entered to win your own set of 11 different cards (like the listing here).  If you are a follower mention that too and I'll enter your name again!  If you "like" my Etsy store on Facebook (look under that Actions section), let me know in the comments and that will get your name entered again too!  So you've got 3 different chances to win. :)  Oh and I'll draw a name on Groundhog Day! :) (That's Feb 2nd)

Happy Saturday!

More Hot Stuff

You know me, when I get on a roll with something I can't help but keep going. :)  I went to town creating a few more cocoa packets.  I reworked two versions from last year's batch (with fresh cocoa of course!).

These two are totally winter's day themed packages.  That snowman is soooo stinkin' cute!!!!  Making these is so addictive, but the trouble is that I want to drink all the cocoa before I fill the pockets.  Oh the trials of creativity.  LOL!

For these I went more in-your-face valentine.  Sometimes obvious is the best way to go, that and I was in the mood to get all hearts 'n flowers after all the Santa 'n tree action of last month. :)  To help reduce your valentine stress, I've loaded a few of these in my shoppe.

Have a happy Friday & stop by tomorrow for the great Grow Your Blog Party!

Heat it Up

Hi Everyone!  I've got a hot idea for you on this chilly winter's day!  It's been a snowy time here in New England and there's nothing like some snow to give me a good excuse to pull out my hot cocoa. :)  I love me some cocoa when the white stuff is flying- of course I love it most when I can watch the stuff fall from inside whilst sitting by the fire, but I digress...

The hot cocoa I was sipping also got me thinking about Valentine's Day.  See in February my fellow teachers and I celebrate Curious Cupid (think Secret Santa valentine-style).  It's been a tradition at my school since way before I started there and I LOVE it!  Curious Cupid makes for a fun lead up to the holiday and makes for a cheery distraction from the snow for all of us teachers.  So why did the cocoa make me think of it?

Well we have 3 mini gift days and then the Big Reveal day.  The first 3 days we are only supposed to spend $5 or less and the big day isn't supposed to be more than $15.  That isn't an easy feat to begin with, never mind in New England where things can get expensive quickly. So last year at around this time I was thinking "wouldn't cocoa be a fun inexpensive treat", but then I thought "how to I make it pretty & special vs. plain & boring"?  A quick search of Pinterest and I came across this cute packaging idea. :)

Basically the paper is a wrap for the cocoa and the ribbon is a pull-tab to get the cocoa packet out.  I cut the first layer of paper 8"X 5.5" and then cut an additional paper about 8"X 3.5".  I layered the smaller on top of the larger and scored one of the narrow edges at .5" and then again at 4.25".  Everything got folded and the smaller tab gets some adhesive.  Glue together and voila!  You have a pocket to slide your cocoa packet- but wait!  Se where the ribbon is at the top of both packets?  You'll need to punch a hole through the top of both side of the pocket and feed ribbon through the holes.  The cocoa packet will rest on the ribbon inside the pocket, so once you have enough ribbon sticking out of both sides, slide your cocoa into the pocket and tie a bow.  When that special recipient wants to break into their cocoa all they have to do is pull the ribbon up and the packet slides out. :)  Cool huh!  Don't forget to embellish with a tag so your cocoa buddy remembers you and smiles while enjoying their hot cup of yummy chocolate goodness.

I hope this has warmed you up (couldn't help it, I had to pun it) to the idea of giving some valentine love to friends and family this year.  You have plenty of time and these are super quick when you get on a roll.  If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments and I will make sure to get you an answer!

Happy Thursday!!!

Wanna make your own that look like the ones above?  Check out The Hen's Den supplies used here:
Petaloo Mulberry Daisies
May Arts Pink & Brown Ribbon
May Arts Ivory & Pink Check Ribbon
Simple Stories All About Me 
Simple Stories Brown Damask 
Simple Stories Journaling Card Elements #1
Bo Bunny Garden Brads
Bo Bunny Love
My Minds Eye Christmas Rhinestones
Ranger 1/4" Wondertape

Last Chance!

 Hey Peeps!  I have a class going on Friday January 25th at Ink About It in Westford.  The class is 10-1 and you'll make 25 cards!!!  Call today to reserve your spot- 978-392-0321.  You'll be glad you did. ;)

After looking at the cupcake card I decided it needed to be tweaked.  The cards are at the store and I keep forgetting to take a picture of the update!  I did remember to take pictures, at class on Saturday, of the cards the gals in the class made. :)  I pulled extra stamps so envies and card backs could be decorated too.  I *heart* those little details.

I'm a big fan of encouraging folks to play around with the supplies I give them in class.  I've never believed that class participants MUST make it the way I did.  It seems mean and frankly folks in class tweak things in ways that I think are better than my idea!! :) 
I love how this class participant changed the layout!  This puppy card looks even cuter in portrait style.  :)  Teaching classes is as rewarding as taking them and I'm sure other folks who teach classes feel the same way.  It's fabulous to be a part of a group that is creating something.  It gets the mojo pumping!  I left this class and went home to make a precious mini album for a friend (trying to be humble, but I'm crushing).  I'll take pics and try to get it posted this week (month maybe ;P).

Have a wonderful Monday!

Brrr Birthday!

Brrrrr!  It was 7 degrees Fahrenheit when I got up yesterday!!!  Nothing like a freezing morning to wake you up and inspire you to spend time gettin' crafty. :)  I'm sad for the cold, but happy for the snow.  Don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy shoveling, but gosh it is pretty when it blankets the ground.  I always look at snow as a chance to reset our color palette.  We have all the vibrant Summer colors, the warm colors of the Fall, and rich jewels of the holiday season.  The quiet white of Winter reminds me to slow down & breathe (although not too much or I'll freeze to death!), take in the crispness and refocus.

Along with that refocus is a renewed effort on my part to send birthday cards!  What's that saying- The Shoemaker's kids never have shoes?  That's my poor family and friends.  The rarely get their birthday cards on time. LOL!  Well this is one card that is going to be ready!!!  A gal pal of mine (a fellow Upstate New Yorker living in MA) has a birthday coming up in February and this frosty fella is a fun way to say happy birthday. :)  

The hills were cut freehand using paper from an Everyday Moments 6x6 pad.  The patterns in 6x6 pads are great for things like this because the designs are scaled down and less overwhelming on a card.  Since this is a clean-ish design the pattern and some foam tape add the dimension.  The foam taped hills also made it possible to tuck Mr. Snow amongst the hills, which totally adds to the cuteness factor.

Hope wherever you are you are staying warm, and if you are somewhere that doesn't get snow- enjoy this frosty viewing!

Supplies:
Paper- Everyday Moments 6x6 pad (Teresa Collins)
Stamps- Swanky Snowdudes (Paper Smooches)
Ink- Tuxedo (Memento)
Markers- Buttons-B24, Hat/Scarf-B02, B05, Nose-YR07, Y38 (Copic)
Card Base- Bluebird (Memory Box)
Adhesive- Score Tape