Farewell 30 GREAT colors!

Just wanted to give a shout out to 30 fabulous colors that are retiring on July 1st!

This card was made by Regina at her Stampin Bean blog here: thestampinbean. I thought it was fitting to show it off today. She got all 30 colors on this card! WOW!

Good bye Taken with Teal, Close to Cocoa, Green Galore, Really Rust and Summer Sun! I miss you dearly. tear :(  I will still use you until my supplies are all gone.

Also goodbye to the currant 2009-2010 catalog, many great stamp sets and in-colors like Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango. Tomorrow is a new day with a new Stampin Up catalog with new colors, new stamps, new accessories and more! How exciting!

Have a magical day!

VBS Project Linus Rag Quilt

During Vacation Bible School last week, I was in charge of crafts and the mission project.  I found this idea of Project Linus (see link here for more info: PROJECT LINUS WEBSITE ) on a Group Forum Board and right away knew that the SU Big Shot Scallop Square would work perfectly for the huge task.  I also used Angie Juda's instructions that I followed to make my rag purse. I just altered and applied them to make the blanket. We asked the kids and parents on Monday to bring in fabric, old clothes, jeans, etc tru the week. This blanket measures 36" x 36" with 12 by 12 rows of squares.  The first day was a lot of cool colors in the large donation box. I ran by Walmart and got the yellow remnant fabric for 70 cents to add something different. Then I cut the fabric into scallop squares on my Big Shot.  All 288 of them!

Wednesday night, Linda and Lois brought their sewing machines and met me at church to assemble the rag quilt blanket. We ran a x stitch on each square and then started to sew them together in rows.  Finally as we got closer to the finish product, it was really exciting.  It took us 3 hours to finish.  I went home and washed it that night and it is so soft! When I showed the kids and parents on Thursday, they were AMAZED!  It was so neat to see them try and find the fabric or jeans they donated on the blanket. We got so much fabric donated that we have enough to make 3-4 more blankets.  I plan to pre-cut them and then we will get together with a bunch of ladies and arrange and sew them all. You can see those come September once finished before we send them to our local Project Linus Chapter!

Have a magical day!

Cindy

Singing "Sisters" from White Christmas :)

My girls really surprise me sometimes!  I found this picture on the laptop my picture file and had to create a MDS page of it.  They have a love/dislike relationship at this age so that is why this self portrait taken by Megan surprised me.  I never had a sister so I was so glad that I had two girls to have a permanent best friend forever.  Well, when they get older.  LOL

I also was working on a Simply Stamping class challenge to use different backgrounds.  I used the rag quilt purse that I made Allison in May.  I just edited the picture of the purse to a close up view of the fabric only.  I color matched the red on the fabric in the top note journaling.  I also added the stitching and circle stitching to go with the fabric/sewing quality of the page.

Have a magical day!

Cindy

Wendy's Starz

Sorry I have been missing lately but I am hoping to be back all this week at least! While searching across my pictures to post something today, I ran across this super card created by Michelle Scipelli.  She made this for our upline Wendy during the Weekend at Wendy's in May.  Wendy is moving to Saudi Arabia in July because her brillant husband got a job with an oil company there.  All her Starz team here in Georgia are really bummed that she is moving. sigh :(

Anyways, the card is classic Michelle - Lots of sponging and stitch lines. (usually white gel pen) Colors are Ruby Red, More Mustard and Ballet Blue.  She took the large star punch and creased it to bend.  She used the Smooch Spritz spray in Log Cabin on this.  You can click on the picture to enlarge and see the details.

Have a magical day!

Cindy

A bloom for you!

Sorry for the delay in posting lately!  Life has been busy and we are enjoying our summer here!  We had a HUGE Community Yard Sale to help our neighborhood battle against the commercial encroachment happening and then this week is vacation bible school which naturally I am doing all the crafts for. I show all the crafts we made at the end of the week. 

This MDS page was made during Heather's recent Simply Stamping online class.  I just love MDS and whenever Heather does a MDS layout, I just get my pages done so fast! Here you take a photo of your own and make it a background piece.  She took a picture of fabric in her sample. I used the color match option to select the purples on the left and in the curly punch journaling.

This is a picture of my Irises that bloomed finally this year.  They were so beautiful! I never scrapbook little events like this but the my digital studio makes it so easy to do!

Have a magical day!

Cindy

A Summer Display

In 2008, I made a 12 month seasonal plate display at Wendy's house during the holidays.  I loved the June plate but it was Bashful Blue, Pumkpin Pie and So Saffron and no way did it match my new strawberry basket.  So back to my studio to create a matching plate cover! I had it done in less then 10 minutes!

I traced my other June plate cover to a piece of Old Olive, cut it out and ran it thru the dotted embossing plate.  Next, I stamped using Old Olive and Real Red markers the strawberry from the Tart & Tangy stamp set onto Whisper White and cut it out.  Added the stitching in White gel pen and Real Red!  Do not forget the month JUNE from Full Calendar stamp set.  My plate covers are attached by velcro dots.

Here is my summer strawberry display.  Does this not scream "SUMMER IS HERE"?

We are enjoying our summer so far!

Have a magical day!

Cindy

Basket of YUMMY Strawberries

This cute basket was created by Laree at our Weekend at Wendy's. I just got around to finding the strawberries I made last year and putting them in the basket to display for the summer.  June is the month for strawberries and we have been having some yummy strawberries in our home.

To make the basket:  You started with the 3/4" x 12" wide strip of wood sheet and use an Aquapainter and Chocolate Chip classic ink to stain it. Wet the wood completely and then add the ink to get a smooth coverage. That was set aside to dry while I worked on the weaving part.

Next you lay four 1/2"x 12" strips down and then wove another four 1/2" x 12" strips through – this created the base – so the weaving was all in the center with the extra hanging out each side. You can use your graph paper to line up to be centered. These side pieces were bent up and then a longer strip gets woven around to create the sides. And then another long strip gets woven through the sides. Loose ends are held down with mini glue dots.

Then the wide Chocolate strip gets wrapped around the top and attached with mini glue dots. To finished, add the brads and Chocolate Chip 1/4" ribbon handles.  Use a Crop-a-dile to punch the holes.

The strawberries were made from a pattern but recently I found a way to make them with the flower die cut.  See here:  strawberry-tutorial-for-big-shots  You could use Old Olive ribbon or the Hemp Twine like I did.  They also can hold a chocolate kiss!  Strawberries and CHOCOLATE!  Even better!

Tomorrow I will show you how I displayed them in my home. 
Have a magical day!
Cindy

My Baby Girl's Birthday

Today is Allison's Birthday!  She has a long list of things she wants to do.  Getting her nails done and a Red Lobster dinner tonight are the highlights.  Tomorrow is the girl's dance recital and then we are having family over for a birthday party for Allison.  This picture of Allison is with her ballet costume and makeup on.  My baby girl is growing up so fast!

The card below was made completely by Allison.  She loves to stamp and create.  They started out as invites for her party but we switched them to thank you cards instead.  They were cased from Dawn here: Dawn's coconut drink card  I do not have the square lattice embossing plate yet so she did the dots.

Off to the nail salon!

Have a magical day!

Cindy

Graduation Card

I made this money holder for 4 of my High School Graduates

this year.  I am the Senior Youth Leader at my church and very close to each of my youth.  They are a great bunch of teens! 
The cards were inspired by Nancy's shoe box swap at Wendy's Weekend Retreat. I made a similar money card holder way back here:  Money Holders  This one is shorter for a folded bill.  I used the horizontal slot (which is retiring!) and the ribbon is what holds the bottom closed.  The front flap has the Crushed Curry, Basic Black and Whisper White placed slightly over the bottom.  Then added the Happy Grad stamp from the Summer Mini Catalog.  Later after I took this picture, I felt it still needed something.  I added a Crushed Curry small star punch right below the G on the stamped part.  I would have used Crushed Curry Dotted Ribbon (not showing the dots) on this card but I was out.  The rest of the youth got their school colors for their cards.  Summer Sun with Night of Navy and Night of Navy with Bravo Burgundy. 
I also got them each a book about surviving the college years and how to keep in your faith during those years.  So proud of each of them!  Way to go!
Have a magical day!
Cindy

For Ms. Betty

While I was looking at Heather's Simply Punches Two class, I saw this cute punch bus that she had made.  It was perfect to make for as a thank you card for Allison's bus driver Ms. Betty.  Actually Ms. Betty use to live right next door to the left of our home and then moved in the subdivision next to ours, so she is a good friend to us.  She has been our elementary bus driver since Megan started school in 7 years ago.  Well this year, changes are happening in our school district and we are not sure that Ms Betty will have our bus route next year.  She said that she is going to fight to stay on our bus route.  (fingers crossed and praying) 

The card is made with lots of punches like the large oval,1 3/8" square, trio flower and circles.  It looks like quite a task to take on but really it was easy to make. I had the card done in 15 min. The crushed curry bus is 4x6 so this card is on a 5x7 whisper white card base.  I free handed the "school bus" lettering and inside I free handed "thank you" the same.

Another school year is over.  Allison cried getting off the bus.  She said that she is going to miss Mrs. Pinion, Ms Betty and all her friends.  So sweet!
Have a magical day!

Cindy

Mrs.Pinion's Pandas

Allison had Mrs. Pinion for 2nd Grade and she LOVES pandas so she calls her class Pinion's Pandas.  We were so blessed to have Allison in her class this year.  She passed on the love of reading and the love of teaching to Allison.  Allison is reading all the time and she loves to play school. Allison acts JUST like Mrs. Pinion which is adorable to watch.  The saying on the matching card say it all!

This was her reaction as she opened the gift.  Priceless! (and I got it on camera!)

Colors are Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Black and Whisper White. The frame I got at Walmart.  The panda comes from Heather's Simply Punches Two class.  The bamboo leaves cut with small oval punch and River Rock ground was inspired by Heidi's card from the class.  The black letters are done in the Mickey Font on the Cricut.

We will miss Mrs. Pinion but we know that she is one teacher that will always hold a special place in our hearts for both Allison and us.  As Allison said, "But Mommy we will see her at the public library on Teacher Tuesdays and she will read to us!"  She is definitely right! :o)

Have a magical day!

Cindy