Awww...wards :)

Hi friends,
I've been greatly honored with 2 awards from my dear blog fiends... er, I mean... friends, Mary, Carrie, and Kristina. I'm so sorry I haven't posted sooner, but I truly do appreciate these :)

First from Mary and Carrie (hey, you rhyme!) this award:

Thank you Bee buds! Please visit their blogs with a Venti sized coffee cup, 'cause you'll be there for a while! To accept this award, I need to list 10 things that make me Happy:

1) Chocolate! mmmmmm
2) my family (when they listen to me, and then tell me I was right ;)
3) my friends (near, far, & far away in blogland)
4) Taking the time to notice the little things... (the sparkle on snow when the sunlight hits it)
5) Seeing & doing Random Acts of Kindness
6) working with children (the secret to what keeps me immature young)
7) this hobby that serves as my therapy (not cheaper therapy, just waaaay more fun!)
8) shopping for craft stuff! I probably need professional help for this one :)
9) sharing ideas, techniques with others & being inspired by others
10) Saturday & Sunday

This award comes from Kristina (the head Cricuteer)

Kristina is always so encouraging and no matter what crazy thing I create for the DT, she's always supportive & generous with praise. Thank you for everything!

Now el problema... 11 fellow bloggers to pass these awards too. Yikes! I'll start with:
Lisa-- (i don't know if she knows I've been secretly stalking admiring her work for a long time!)

Gaby-- She also has a jewelry blog and oh..be..still...my..heart just stunning pieces she creates!

Lynnor-- who has been so generously kind showering praise on projects I've created. Tickled, I tell ya!

Sankari-- leaves me speechless (that's how AMAZING her work is!!!)

Brooke-- love her vintage projects

my fellow Dreamers & Glitterbees-- Seriously, I am so lucky they let me play with them. Talented ladies! If any of you haven't received this, please grab it! I know many have, I just don't know who hasn't :(

Thanks so much for peeking!
Gotta Go!

Cinema Saturday Challenge- Spiderman!

Hello friends!
I'm so tickled to be this week's guest designer for Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge Blog for the blockbuster film...

Go web go! I think this DVD has 100,000 miles on it thanks to my little one. He LOVED this movie & every time I wasn't looking, he'd sneak to the living room to watch it. I would just hear him saying "Go web go!"
Ok, so the challenge requirement is to use acetate or a transparency on your creations. Now this is a challenge!

Here's what I created:

I chose Spidey colors (blue & red) and used the Folded Paper Frame Technique. I ran the frame paper through my CB Web Embossing folder & ran my Stardust glitter pen along the lines for a more webby effect. I created a Rub-on for the sentiment on my computer & printer. I found a Spiderman font, typed the sentiment with it, printed it out & rubbed it on the acetate square. I kept it pretty simple, although I wanted to embellish it more.

Here's the inside:

The sentiment I chose to use is probably the most famous Spidey quote. "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility." While thinking about this quote, my oldest son came to mind. I added a bit more to the sentiment. The entire sentiment reads, "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility... or Stick With The Responsibility of a Bus Pass!"
Here's why...

The Deets: My son's DMV docs/driver's permit are in the pocket (insert tears here). Soon, he'll have his driver's license ---> something he's been dreaming of since birth, let me tell ya! So what's the big deal, you ask. Well, unfortunately, my hubby a.k.a (Mr. Fender Bender) and I a.k.a (Mrs. I do my own stunts) haven't *exactly* been the best driving role models :( As for me, I totally blame it on a rare condition I have called metal-to-the-pedalitis. Have ya heard of it??? Yup, I've got it bad ;)

I hope you all play along this week. CSC is such a fun & unique challenge blog so go for it! This is clearly a tough challenge, but I'm always wowed by what you create! You can find the tutorial for this simple card technique--->here and to download the Spiderman font --->here. Thank you Sankari & Brooke for letting me play again as guest designer :)

Thanks for peeking today! I'm off to try & get over this Bronchitis. ugggh! It's totally messed with my mojo :(
Gotta go (cough)!

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop-February

Hi friends,
Today, I'm participating in PTI's Blog Hop. This month, Nichole asked us to showcase a project that someone from the Design Team inspired us with and then, recreate it. Lisa Johnson is one of my fav's and this fabulous project :

is what *probably* sealed the deal for me to buy her stamp set "Life", just so I could create it for myself.
Here's my version:

The liner opened:

The liner in the cup:

This project was very easy and fun to do. I used Kraft CS & stamped all the botanical images in Memento Black. I then took C3 Copic marker to create a subtle shadow around them. I added the rick-rack, punched out the butterflies- added bling for the body & just adhered the middles so the wings could pop off the paper. You have a bit of room to add embellishments, but the bling did give me a bit of trouble when inserting it in the cup. I persisted :) I have to say, I love the final result. Thank you Lisa, for always inspiring me with your talent.

Thanks so much for peeking! I hope I did justice to Lisa's project :) I'm off to see who and what has inspired you :)
Gotta Go!

The 411:

All PTI products were used except for:
butterfly punch -Martha Stewart, rick-rack-rhinestones, memento tuxedo black, Copic C3, Cup by Aladdin- Target

Lake Tahoe Trip

Hey there friends,
I feel like I've been gone forever, but it's only been since Friday! My family and I spent the long weekend in Lake Tahoe, Nevada and it was incredible! We had so much fun!!! The boys went skiing and snowboarding. I didn't this time 'cause I caught a dreaded case of bronchitis and I was coughing up a lung :( I'm a sunny California girl, what can I say? ;)
Today, I thought I'd share a few pics of beautiful Lake Tahoe:

 

  

 

 It was snowing like crazy, but there were loads of sunny times too. Don't ya think these pics are begging to be recreated into cards? I'm thinking brayering, but I'm not going to be able to create something as splendid as the real thing.

Thanks so much for peeking today! I hope to get back to my craft table soon :)
Have a beautiful day!

Cinema Saturday Challenge- Clueless with a side of Glitterbees

Hi there friends,
Today I'm participating in Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge for the movie "Clueless." I loved that movie! Some of the best lines came from this movie. My fav line (that I still use :) is "As if!" Ok, so the challenge requirements are: a touch of plaid in your creations

I went with a tad more than a touch... here's my project:

A designer handbag- waaaay Cher I think :) --->Alicia Silverstone's character

Here's the back:

 

 I created this with the Purse-onally Perfect Notes Tutorial by the uber fab Becky Roberts at Inking Idaho. 

But wait... there's more :) Vicki, my blog pal, & fellow Dreamer & Glitterbee is hosting this week's Glitterbee's challenge: create a shaped card. 

So here's my card:

Here it is open:

I wanted it to look like the handbag without being an exact copy. It perfectly holds a gift card or cash. I made this with my Coluzzle template. I love my Coluzzle templates. Too bad they're being discontinued :(

Here they are together:

 I'm making 3 more cards to tuck into the handbag to give to my BFF's daughter. I think she'll be tickled to get it- she's a girly girl :)

Thanks so much for peekin' today! Have a great weekend everybodeeee!

Cake in a Box Version 2

Hi ya friends,
Today I have one of my little projects to share with ya. Remember this Cake in a Box I posted waaaay back? Well, I've made another one, just a little different, but I think a little better. Want to see why??? Well, let me show you the projects first:

Here's the card by itself:

I used Prima flowers and Snag 'Em stamp: Piece of Cake set. Inside each HB circle I added a button. Quick & easy card in 10 minutes or less.

And here's the box by itself:

I randomly stamped the lid with one of the stamps from the Piece of Cake set. I added glue in a circular motion & added superfine glitter to the centers of each circle. It's a really fun detail. I wrapped some Pebbles Ribbon around the lid. If you notice, you'll see the lid has little candles going all around it. I used the border punch for that. I colored the flames with Y15.

When you lift off the lid, it blooms open to reveal:

 

 

Tadaaaah! It's a real cake in a box! (Hostess cupcake). This one's edible which makes it better in my book! This is very easy to create & a sweet way to give someone a yummy birthday treat too. This is something I actually do with my students for their birthday (not this embellished :) My teacher friend, Jean shared this idea years ago. I thought I'd put it in a box! I cut the sentiments with the Wild Card Cricut Cart. I popped them on with foam adhesive. I stamped another "Happy Birthday circle" punched it out & punched a smaller hole to put the candle through it. I wrapped a scrap piece of the Pebbles ribbon around it.

Here are some more peeks at it:

I left the bottom panel empty so I can write my message there.

Yuppers, you guessed it. I have a video tut coming to show you how easy it is to create. I'll put it on this post if you want to check later this week. Sorry, but we're headed to Tahoe for the long weekend, so I'm not going to be able to get to it before then :( My brother will house sit for us, so Rosie (my tarantula) won't get lonely ;)

Thanks for peeking at my little project. Hope ya liked it :)
Gotta get packing!

Layouts

Hi there friends,
I had some time to play on Monday (thanks to Abe ;) so I finally got around to finishing these 3 double page layouts I picked up at the Scrapbook Expo last month and I wanted to share them with ya.

Making Cookie Dough:

Memories 4 Ever:

and Summer Fun in the Sun:

 These were offered as make & takes so I scooped up all 3 :) Each layout is very different, but I liked them all. The company is Shoestring Productions but they have no website yet. Look for them at the Scrapbook Expo when they come to your town, if you're interested. Now, i just have to find some pics to add to these pages & pop them in my scrapbook.

Thanks so much for peeking today. My little one is going on an overnight trip to the aquarium with his class (insert tears here) so I have to get him packed up. It's so hard to let go :( I know he'll have fun. tear, tear, tear...
Gotta Go!

The Wolfman & my Hubby

Hi friends,
I thought I would share what I gave my hubby for V-day. On Friday, I went with some friends to watch the movie I was waiting for: The Wolfman- very disappointing :( soooo not scary :( Rated R? for whaaaat??? Sorry, I'm rambling. Ok, so my hubby had a hissy fit because I didn't ask him to go. Anyhoo, to make it all better, I thought I'd make a "movie night" just for the 2 of us. Here's what I did:
I put a little kit together. I grabbed a popcorn bucket, 2 classic "old school" coke bottles, some theater candy, and "The Wolfman" DVD, the original--->still the best one :)

(and those chocolate covered almonds, but oopsie, they didn't quite make it :)
I wrapped the bucket in some Valentine's paper:

 I cut out "Valentine" with my Love Struck Cricut Cart & stuffed it with all our goodies for our movie night.

Then I wrapped it in cellophane & tied a bow.

I also gave him a V-day card & mailbox. We had a great movie night & all's well that ends well :) He took me to dinner at Woodranch (mmmm, love their tri-tip salad!) Hope you had a great V-day & long weekend :)
Gotta Go!

PTI Challenge: Embellishment Sheet

Hi friends,
Today I'm participating in Papertrey Ink's challenge: Create an embellishment sheet to share with a friend. It's such a great idea & something I wanted to be a part of. It doesn't hurt that there's a $100 prize up for grabs either ;) Anyhoo, here's my card:

And the inside with the sheet of embellies.

I wanted to keep with the PTI tradition of keeping it simple, so that's what I tried to do with this card.

The flowers are 3 simple layers (white cs, vellum, and red bitty dots paper) with a lemon tart button on top. I used 2 punches- very easy to mass produce. I threaded thin strips of the paper through the buttons. The flowers are on the acetate sheet with removable glue dots.

Thanks so much for peeking! Happy Valentine's Day & big hugs to ya :)