DIY Baker's Twine

You've GOT to check this one out- I saw it yesterday on UCreate.  Lindsay at the Frugal Crafter has some quick and easy instructions on how to make your own Baker's Twine and it looks GOOD!

I saw a sale last week for baker's twine and I was tempted to get some but $8.99 per color is still a lot since I want 3 or 4 colors and what do I need a ridiculous amount like 250yds for?!  I need like 3 or 4yds!  Seriously!  This thing Lindsay has come up with is easy, BRILLIANT, scalable, BRILLIANT, color-customizable, and did I mention BRILLIANT?!

Decorated Altoids box

I've been wanting to do one of these but just hadn't gotten to it.  It wasn't quite as easy as I'd been led to believe- the inner papers weren't able to cut to fit well and I struggled with the ModPodge around the hinges.  However, for a first go, I'm pretty happy with it. 

I started with the flowers keeping their chipboard centers but took them back out and replaced them with pearls.

With pearls

With the chipboard centers:

I'd love to tell you more about the papers but I think they're ones I picked up loose at Michaels so all bets are off.  I think the chipboard shapes came from a K&Co. set I found at Walmart in the clearance area for $1.  I inked the chipboard with white craft ink, Rose Romance, Garden Green and Only Olive from SU and then used Crystal Effects on them.  It didn't work real well- the inks kept bleeding and moving around in the CE so it was a bit messy and they didn't color the way I would have liked.  I need to do more work with chipboard- not something I've used much until now.  I used TH's Walnut ink to age the papers a bit and used glossy ModPodge to put the papers on.

I think this will be used to house a gift card for my Mom for Mother's Day.

I'm entering this in
Craft Test Dummies Go Green Linky Party
Pear Tree Design's Challenge 46: Colourful

I'd love to talk to you when you talk to me but...

I saw this post this morning on The Pursuit of Happiness and decided I really wanted to repost it.  I try to respond to comments I receive here in blogland but frequently I'm responding to noreply@blogger.com which doesn't make for happy conversing.  Have a look at the quick walkthrough Lisa posted if you'd like to change your profile so someone can respond to your comments.  This could be important in the near future, say if there was a giveaway and you won and I needed to get in touch with you... hint hint!

Who Says it's Spring?!

You may (or may not) remember that I did a Winter layout back in Feb. for a Better Living Through Scrapbooking challenge.  At the time I said I wanted to do one for each season.  Well, it's time for spring... if that's what it's called here.

April's 2nd challenge is Spring In My Yard”

Take a photo of one or more signs that spring has arrived in your yard and build a layout or project around it.
Use at least two of the following criteria:
1. Use a monochromatic color scheme (green)
2. Include some ribbon (I almost added some leaf ribbon but it was a bit too yellow and a bit too much)
3. Use your printer to create one element on the layout other than the picture. (pix only)
4. Title your layout, but do not use the word “Spring.” Find some other word or words to get the point across.  (I frequently say, "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas any more" and it just jumped at me for this project.)

I know this is a SUPER simple page but I just want to keep these 4 seasonal pages pretty clean so they can work with one another pretty easily.  I was going to use rubon letters but I didn't want white or black so I simply hand did them in a similar style.  I used a green Copic and Sharpie, print paper from an SU hostess 6x6, and generic green buttons with light green embroidery floss.

Getting back on track

Well, my MIL is gone so now I'm in recovery time.  Between the time we were at her house and she was here, it was 13 days and let's face it, when you travel and have company, normal chores and cleaning just don't happen so it's taking me a few days to get all of the cogs moving again.  I have some scrap and card projects I want and need (Mother's Day is WHEN?!!!) to get done but I think the earliest that will happen is tonight.  In the meantime, since there was no Meet Me on Monday this week, I thought I'd drop out "5 things you probably don't know about me" for giggles.

Let's see.
1. I have a master's degree in computer animation and graphics.  I have quite a few friends at little animation shops like Pixar and Dreamworks.  I never ended up getting into the field even after 4 years in grad school due to some bad timing, a few bad decisions and such.  In the end, I think I may be happy having a life instead.  :)

2. I HATE chocolate chips cookies... but love liver and tuna casserole.  Don't ask me.  I don't get it either. (Just to clarify, that's liver (no onions please) one night and tuna casserole a whole different evening.  I agree- the thought of a liver and tuna casserole turns my stomach too!)

3. I just can't give up my 80's music.

4. When I first saw stamped cards, I thought they were so disgustingly "country-cute" and couldn't figure out why anyone would spend time or money doing something so cheap looking.  Of course, I eventually learned there are LOTS of stamps out there there aren't country, cute or cheap.  We won't discuss how many of those stamps sets I have on my shelves.

5. I LOVE a cool, windy, fall day when I can wear shorts or jeans and a great big sweatshirt.  A day like that just has a unique feel to it.  I REALLY dislike hot days.  North Carolina living is going to be rough this summer.

Sorry to go dark for a while

I've mentioned before that my goal is to enter at least one challenge a week.  Unfortunately, I haven't gotten much done recently and have been dark for a bit.  Last Wed. we drove up to MD for an early Easter visit and to see the Imagination Movers in concert.  We came back on Sun. bringing my MIL with us.   She typically doesn't bring anything to do/read when she visits so my days are devoted to being entertainment director and company for her while my DH is at work.  The result is that my crafting time is sliced to what I have the umph to do come 10pm when everyone goes to bed and I'm fried... nada.  Hopefully I'll be back on track early next week when things return to whatever normal is.  :)

Meet Me on Monday

1. Caesar Salad or Garden Salad?
Typically Caesar.  I love most raw veggies with lettuce being a large exception.  Generally salads have a lot of lettuce I don't care for and a Caesar dressing usually makes it more palatable to me.  There are a few other dressings that will work- Dutch's Daughters (a restaurant) house dressing could make almost anything taste good for instance.


2. Will you be watching the Royal Wedding on April 29th?
Not sure.  Maybe a bit if I get back from the Y early enough and I don't have anything pressing to do.

3. Last thing you spent lots of money on?
Car repairs.  There's been a lot of those recently.  My car decided that it didn't like its 3 catalytic converters so 1 imploded and a 2nd one ate the remains.  The decision was to replace all 3 in the end.  My husband's car's computer decided IT didn't care for ABS, traction control, or two other things and the horn didn't work.  Rebuilding a computer ain't cheap and the horns aren't free.  And now that we've moved to NC and it's already been in the upper 80's, guess we should get his AC fixed too.  Can you say 2 new cars in our future if this crap keeps up?

4. Window seat or aisle seat?
Window.  I like looking but I hate being crushed against the cold wall.

5. Do you know your blood type?
O+.  Unfortunately, I can't/won't donate any longer.  The last time I tried, once again my veins rolled, collapsed, etc.  The nurse told me that I really shouldn't even try because I just wasted time, materials and was causing her to do extra paperwork.  I've had the same thing (though only one other nasty nurse) happen probably 75% of the times I've tried to give (and trust me, I'd had enough to drink in the hours before to keep the Titanic afloat even AFTER the iceberg!)  This time though I had to ice both arms extensively for 4+hrs to avoid excess bruising (they popped each arm about 4x trying to get a vein to work with), the bruises went from mid-biceps almost to my wrists and I thought I had permanent nerve damage- I couldn't pick up my son for over a week and it hurt even to the touch for nearly a month.  I give up.

More fabulous blog candy!

There are two great follower milestone candies going on right now. 
Scrapcat is about to hit 500 followers and giving away some great candy when she gets there... and she's only 10 from getting there.

WeeInklings hit 300 followers and has this to give away... 

FABULOUS!

Easter card

I generally don't do Easter cards but I have a stamp, I already owe someone a card and the planets are in alignment.  I never planned to get an Easter stamp but I couldn't resist last year's chocolate bunny from Stampin' Up.  I wish I could have stamped the sentiment but I have no "Easter" stamps, no letters small enough, and at this hour of night, no wish to wake anyone with the printer (a bit odd but it's in our bedroom... a remnant of our move and it's still lacking a good home so it stays in the place it landed- on my grandmother's cedar chest.)

I first made the card with the gemstones but wasn't wild about them- a bit too glittery for the look of it all.  It occurred to me that pink pearls would be nice but I told my 3yr old to put them back on the rack yesterday at Michaels because I have no use for them.  Figures.  Then I remembered that you can use Copics to color pearls and gems.  Perfect!  The funny thing is there's a challenge that opened today to color your own embellishments with Copics.  Perfect!!  :)

So:
Pearls: This one is my fav.  I'm going to try to snag a better picture in daylight tomorrow.

Gems: I like it but the gems are too sparkly for the rest of it.

Ingredients:
Stamp... you guessed it, Chocolate Bunny: SU
Paper: Michaels (pink), SU (Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip textured, Close to Cocoa), My Mind's Eye (Complete Boy), The pink & brown striped/flower... wish I knew
Misc: Bazzill Basics Paper (Gems), Ribbon, White pearls, Copic

Challenges:
SweetStamps Challenge #9: Recipe
1 ribbon/border (I went with ribbon into a bow- not sure if I interpreted that correctly), 2 designer papers, 3 gems/brads
Sarah Hurley Challenge #37: Easter
iCopic Lover: #25: Color an embellishment (pearls)
The Sweet Stop: SSS103

Meet Me on Monday

1. Who would be your dream celebrity date? 
 

I guess I'd go with Gerald Butler because I could listen to him all day- LOVE his voice and accent... and he's not hard on the eyes.  If you haven't seen P.S. I Love You, watch it.  Then we'll all "queue up." 
 
2. Do you have any food restrictions?

I'm on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it.  Joking aside, no, no limitations though I could probably happily live on a SEAfood diet. 

3. How much time do you take to get ready in the morning?

~30min

4. Sausage or bacon?

5. Do you Google, Bing or Yahoo?

Tim Holtz Tags

Honestly, I just jumped on the Tim Holtz wagon this year- yeah, 2011.  I'm a bit slow.  And, truthfully, I'm still not a complete convert.  I've had a tough time getting some of the products to work how I'd like.  However, I have taken 2 classes at a local scrap shop (and I'm signed up for another this month) where we learn to make 1 or 2 of the TH Christmas tags.  Apparently every year, he cranks out the 12 Days of Tags and I think it may be 2 a day.  Needless to say, this could get the shop some business for a long while.  Anywho, long story short, these are what we've made so far.  They're definitely good for learning techniques which is really what it's all about.

2010 Card Book

So who doesn't get a load of cards, especially if you're a kid.  Notice it's not a question.  There's the birthday, Christmas, Valentines (all the little minis they get from classmates), etc. etc.  I hate to throw them all away but what the heck am I going to do with them all?  Right now, they just clutter up storage space that I'd happily fill with more craft supplies if I weren't keeping them in odds-and-ends piles.  I don't want to just craft them or recycle them because I think Boy might be interested in looking at them in the future, particularly the photo cards of his friends.  Enter an idea I saw the other day and I'm SO sorry to whoever posted it because I have NO idea who you are any longer- I didn't bookmark the page.  SORRY.

I made a book with ring bindings that I can store all of those cards in and I'm hoping to make it a yearly thing.  I just started with last year's cards because those happened to be the ones I laid hands on first.

Ingredients:
Book base: 1 cereal box with the front and back cut down to a bit larger than the biggest card I want to keep in the book
Paper: My Mind's Eye Complete Boy Collection
Ink: SU's True Thyme, Old Olive and Certainly Celery, Tim Holtz's Antique Linen
Stamps: Hero Arts Banners, SU's Brushstroke Alphabet, Small alphabet from Target's $ Aisle
Die: Spellbinders Classic Ovals Large
Stickers: Stamps/Postmarks but I don't know from who- I've had them for a LONG time.
Ribbons: Fiber ribbon: SU, Twill tape from Joann's (colored with the inks)
Misc: Pop-dots (the banners are pop-dotted at the top and taped at the bottom to give them a bit of depth while keeping their tearing possibilities low.)

Challenges:
CropStop Sketch #14

Craft Your Passion #52: Anything Goes

Craft Test Dummies Green/Recycled Link Party (The cardboard box base is definitely recycled and using stickers I think I've had around for at 8yrs has to count for SOMETHING!).  Heck, just binding up old cards into a book makes me happy!  :)

Quick and Easy Spray Box (for Spray Mists, etc.)

I had a hard time justifying buying on of the cardboard spray boxes to keep my work area from getting blech when I use spray mists.  However, I need to keep my work area from getting blech when I use spray mists.  Enter old cereal boxes.  3 cereal boxes, a bit of gluestick or tape, and about 5min and you're ready to rock and roll.  Just gently tear your boxes open at the glued seams, lay them out, overlap the backs and sides of two boxes and tape/glue them together like that.  Those make the sides and bottom of the spray box. (Sorry, I didn't take pix to make a tutorial!)  Take a third box, use its back and one side as the back of your spray box.  Use the tabs from it and the other two boxes to attach the whole mess together.  The 3rd box's front and other side hang loose in case you need a top to your box or additional height for spraying against.

It may not be glamorous but it certainly helps keep everything clean while using up something you were going to recycle (certainly not throw in the garbage!) anyway and saving you a few bucks at the same time.

Are you familiar with Crafty Steals?

I posted about this site a few weeks ago but now they're pushing to hit 20k Facebook fans.  It's definitely a site and a FB page I suggest checking out.  There's going to be a "bit" of a celebration come 20k!

As if 1 Blog Candy post wasn't enough....

I just stumbled on ANOTHER fab crafty blog candy that I think you'll definitely want to check out.  It's over at A La Card Monkey, a new challenge blog.  I linked you to the site, not the post since there are actually 2 giveaways.

   

Blog Candy!

Jenn is having a very nice giveaway on her blog, Scrap Happens.  Take a look.

Love Link Up Party for All the BRAVE Girls Who Dare To Be....

Kristal over at "Getting Cricky with K Andrew" is having a link party I thought I'd jump in on.  If you haven't checked out her blog, I would- some great inspiration from a very neat lady, not to mention fab giveaways!  :)

8 Apr Note: I swear I'm trying to get around to all of the other bloggers' links!  Thanks if you've become a follower of mine... I'm trying to get through the hop.  PROMISE!

Meet Me on Monday

1. If you had to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I'm not sure I can pick one food.  Type of food... maybe.   Fruit?  Bread?  Asian foods?  I'm still not sure.


2. Do you write your blog posts in advance or the day you post them?
I've actually never posted in advance and I don't know how but I need to look into it before I participate in a blog hop in June.  :)

3. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
Thankfully, no.

4. What is your favorite candle scent?
Fall and wintery ones- cinnamon, pine, apple, etc.

5. Coffee or tea?
Tea, particularly chai.  I actually like the smell of coffee and despise the taste.  Nothing coffee- ice cream, candy, tiramasu... you can keep it all please.

Boy's bday card

So.  That was the girl's card so now we have party #2.  It's a buccaneer bash- something I can get into a bit more than Dora the Explorer. 

Ingredients:

Paper: Real Red & DSP from Hostess Print Pack, White & Black: Michaels

Ink: Real Red & Basic Black: SU

Stamps: Pirate Time: SU, Alphabet: Studio G

White embossing powder: Michaels

Misc: Embroidery floss

Challenge:

Tiff's Sketchy Sunday #13 : Truth be told, I really like the sketch as it is- vertical.  However, I couldn't fit my sentiment on that way so I had to rotate it.



Girl's bday card

So Boy has been invited to 2 birthday parties tomorrow.  Maybe it's just me but I generally give folks more than 1wk warning on birthday parties- he received both invites Fri. afternoon last week.  Color me silly I guess.  Anywho. 

Bday #1.  The invites were Dora themed so I'm guessing maybe the whole party will be Dora-ish (I've never even seen the girl so I have NO idea if she's a huge Dora fan.)  I'm guessing she's a bit girly based on that (possibly a bad assumption but that invite is all I know about her- my 3yr old can't tell me diddly) so I went with a girly card.  My girly stamps are minimal so I was going with a dress up doll.  Then I thought I could make it Dora colored and such.  Not perfect but at least I know I tried.

Ingredients:

Stamps: Doll: Buttons, Bows & Twinkletoes: SU (I redrew and trimmed her hair a bit to make it more like Dora and added long sleeves to the dress for the same reason.)  Sentiment: Hero Arts

Paper: Yellow & White: Michaels, Shimmery purple: DCWV's Latte pack, Glitter... Target I think

Punch: Boho Blossoms: SU

Challenges:
Get Sketchy #81

Desert Islands Crafters Challenge #5: Use 3

1. Ribbon
2. Glitter: Glitter paper... maybe counts
3. Birthday theme... Got it
4. Bow
5. Dots
6. Pearls
7. Child image... does a doll count?
8. Balloons image... Got it
9. Bright colors... I think so.
10. Easel card technique

Fab Candy giveaway

It's Dawn's 2nd Blogiversary!  I highly suggest you go check it out- it all wraps up tomorrow evening.