Handmade Burlap Treat Bag

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and lots of chocolate is given out that day. I thought I'd make a cute little treat bag just for that. I apologize in advance for the bad lighting in the picture today, but I had to take this one inside my hotel room while at CHA, and well, the lighting in there was terrible. I gave one of these to each one of the ladies that worked in the Lindy's Stamp Gang Booth at CHA. Inside the bag where some yummy Valentine's day themed M&Ms.

It was very simple to create, but it did require quite a bit of steps. I used some burlap fabric I bought a Joann's, Tim Holtz's Sewing Room die, Sizzix's Card Ornate XL Die, Stampin up's Top Note Die, a Quickutz Labels Die, a TPC Studio Stamp set, some lace, seam binding, carstock and an iamroses mini rose.
I used crackle medium on the dress form, which I painted using Making Memories Acrylic Paint in the color Butterscotch.  I sprayed some Lindy's Stamp Gang Scintilating Silver Glitz Spritz on the mini rose. The seam binding was from Martha Stewart, and the design paper I used is from the My Mind's Eye Laundry Collection. To seal the burlap together, I used my trusty hot glue gun, and in a few minutes I had a super cute treat bag. Closed it with velcro  on the top and added a sentiment to the front, which I stamped in Chestnut Roan Colobox Chalk ink, using the TPC Studio Sewing themed stamp set I bought at Joann's.

Again, I'm so sorry for the bad lighting on this picture, but I just had no time before I needed to hand these out. I did make a video about it, which might give you a better idea of the colors and how the bag opens and closes. You can watch that below. Hope you enjoyed!

Giveaway!

Hi everyone, and hello February! I'm back from CHA, and announcing today a giveaway I'll be having here on the blog. You will get all this if you win:

Super fun products I'd love to share with you. I made a video detailing all the rules you need to follow in order be eligible to win, as well as all that you will get when you win.  Please watch it and pay attention because only the ones who follow the 3 requirements, will be entered in the drawing. The winner will be  announced here on the blog at the beginning of March. Watch the video below, follow the instructions, and good luck!

Beautiful California

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to stop by here real quick and share this great picture of some of the talented ladies I was able to meet today, while on prep for CHA, which officially starts tomorrow. No sight of Tim Holtz yet, but believe me, we are on the look out lol.

I'm super tired, and the show hasn't even started yet! I think that it must be the time change that's killing me. I am off to relax right now for a bit. Tomorrow will be a very busy day. Thanks for stoping by!

Just a super quick post today, since I am super duper busy getting ready to leave for CHA today. (Are you planning to attend? I'd love to meet you!!! I'll be at the Lindy Stamp Gang booth on Sunday and Monday. Stop by and say hi!)

I wanted to share the sneak peeks at the projects I created using the February Design kit from The Paper Niche. Another great kit that will be released at the beginning of the month. Take a look:

I'm dreading the 6hr plane ride, but can't wait to get there. Hopefully I'll be able to take some video, and photos, so stay tuned for that, and also for an upcoming giveaway! Yay!
That's all for now folks! Have a great weekend!

Brothers

I had such a good time scrapping my husband's old pictures, I decided to make another layout with one of them. The Paper Niche's January Design kit was just perfect for these pictures, so I just kept on going.

Even though it's a boy layout, I did not mind adding the flowers to it. I usually stay stay from flowers when making "manly" layouts lol, but I thought a few would not hurt, considering the paper and other accents I was using on it. The boys were young at the time, so that also allowed me to play a little more with the embellishing.

I think it came out alright. What do you think?

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today. As always, thanks so much for your comments!

Surprise Blog Hop for Susi!

Hi everyone, and welcome to Susi's Suprise Blog Hop! First off I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUSI (aka sillyshysushi on YT)! This Blog Hop is in your honor, and I hope you enjoy the wonderful projects that all the talented ladies created with you in mind. I myself I'm super excited to share and see what all the ladies created too, since we all tried to incorporate owls into our project, your's and my favorite!!!! So super excited, so lets get started!

I created what I consider a super cute Valentine's Day card using one of my favorite techniques at the moment, using micro fine glitter. Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I thought I'd start the festivities early, I mean, it's your birthday, and we're partying already, so why not, right? lol

LOVE the micro fine glitter, because once applied it looks, and feels like smooth velvet on your card. It is just stunning how the glitter is there, yet it is not all flashy and crazy like some glitter can be sometimes lol. The entire owl is done with the glitter and I love it.

Of course you recognize the owl, it's a Stampin up punch, and yes, I used all those different colored glitters to put this little guy together. A little tedious because of the small pieces, but, oh so worth the work. Just look at this little guy!

I used some MFT dies (Decorative Doily, and the Faux Crochet border), paper from Authentique---the Uncommon Collection, a Tim Holtz embossing folder for the woodgrain look in back of the owl, the Owl punch from Stampin up (the small hearts came from that punch as well), and finally a Hero Arts stamp for the sentiment. Coordinating cardstock is from Bazzil.
I hope you all enjoyed the project (specially you Susi), and I encourage you to keep on going through the line up of all the talented ladies participating on this hop. Here's the line up:
Linda - http://www.nanoysushi.blogspot.com
Alee - (will be posted on the nanoysushi blog)
Pam - http://www.poconopam.blogspot.com
Nancy - http://www.pinkbellamia.blogspot.com
Sharon - http://www.smscrapperdesigns.blogspot.com (YOU ARE HERE)
Elizabeth -http://www.beadybombom.blogspot.com
Tereese - http://www.fridayscreations.blogspot.com
Vero - http://www.goldenmomentssometimes.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for stopping by, and Linda (aka scrapchica on YT), thanks so much for organizing all this, and allowing me to participate. Happy Birthday Susi!!!!!!!

Super Simple Friday: It's your day!

Another super simple card for you guys using the first Greeting Farm Stamp I ever purchased! I love the Greeting farm stamps, and honestly need to use them more often. I made this card for someone who loves to fish...it was his birthday, so this was the perfect image for him. Since it was for a guy, I restrained from adding any bling or flowers, and tried to make it as plain as possible. I decided I was going to let the designer paper do the talking this time.

I used the Splash Collection by Echo Park. Just love the super bright colors, and their theme, well, they just went perfect with this card. I used some Doodlebug ribbon I've had in my stash for a while, as well as some Stampin up Stamps for the sentiments both inside and outside of the card.

Again, another super simple, super fun card. Thanks for stoping by today and hope you can join me back tomorrow for a super fun project, and blog hop involving OWLS!!! My favorite. See you then!

Just Smile

As time has gone by, and Emily has gotten bigger, it has definitely become a challenge to get a good picture...it seems she can't sit still, or refuses to smile. To get a good picture, it takes an army, and it's a total workout! 

Today, I'm sharing another one of my January layouts, using the Paper Niche's January Design kit. Super pretty papers from Prima in this kit. Loved how this one came out. It's hard to believe that the next picture right after this one displays a total meltdown on Emily's part. Not pretty at all I might add lol. Well, lets enjoy the pretty one, right?

With CHA just around the corner (Oh I can't wait to see all the new stuff coming out! Can you???),  it's been a challenge to get a second to sit, and blog a little. I have a few projects I've finished for CHA and I'm super excited to share, but I have to wait until I can reveal them, once the show starts, or is over. 

I have several other news, and things to share, but it's going to have to wait until I have all the details straightened up, and a little more time to sit quietly and write. Thanks for stopping by today, and like always, thanks for all your comments!

Silly Little Boy

Yes, I'm rocking a new look on the blog! Do you like it? I just thought, I needed a change, so I tweaked some things around. It's going to be a work in progress, but I'm liking it right now. I think that for not knowing too much about programing etc, I've been doing pretty well...I just don't feel like spending the money to have someone else make it all look fabulous, when I know I can make it look somewhat  decent myself, and for free! I'd love to hear what you think.

I came across some old pictures I had put away, and I decided to pick a few to scrap, after all, it's been quite a while since I've scrapped pictures that are older than two or three years. I picked these three from when my husband was little, and thought that some of the products included on the Paper Niche's January Design Kit would work very well with the colors in them. Here's what I came up with.

It was my first time splattering paint all over a layout, but I knew I need to make it a little messy and not so clean and "pretty". I stepped out of my comfort zone, and made it work. Love the old, messy, vintage look of this layout. I enjoyed working with these pictures so much that I picked another one to make a different layout which I'll be posting next. Right now, I have to run. Have a fun weekend!

Perfect Timming

It is not often that I get to have a good picture (or video for that matter) of me and my Emily....I seem to not have very good luck having other people take our pictures, though my husband makes a good effort every once in a while lol. On this layout, I featured one of my favorite picture of her and I, and it was all a matter of perfect timming. Due to the picture's gorgeousness (is that even a word? lol), I almost could not believe that my husband took it (if you ever read this, sorry babe lol). It is just rare that perfection in a picture like this can be achieved around my house, even by picky me, considering how much my little munchkin moves. It's a miracle I get some decent pictures of her now a days, when she seems to move faster than a speeding bullet 24/7!

Anyways, I have to give credit to whom it's due, and yes, my husband took this picture (thank you honey),  and I love it. It speaks volumes.....so much more and louder than what any words could express... love above all measures all the way around. I am truly very thankful that at least one picture in my arsenal captures it all, and honestly hope there are many more like this to come in the future, so they can tell our story.

I used the Paper Niche's January Design Kit to make this layout,  and I did edit the picture's colors and overall look to match what I was looking to create. I do that from time to time, and have really become fond of my iphoto quick editing program, and also the Instagram Application on my phone.

I love what  this layout portrays, and how it came out. I would not have it any other way.

In other news, I can happily say, I'm the proud mommy of a loving and smart two year old (time sure does fly!). She just turned two, and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. More projects to come!

This picture is my submission to Embrace the Camera for today....