"You are wonderful" & "Plant a seed"

 I am in charge of the door prize at our PTA meetings.  I have been a slacker and haven't done it the last two months!  I decided to make the one for our meeting tomorrow, plus the two I missed.  The one for tomorrow is further down and these are the other two.  I really love using this pillow box die from PTI.  It is just the right size for favors or little gifts and even better for gift cards!

These little boxes were die-cut using some old SU! paper that I have had, but worked nicely with the color scheme I was going for. I actually made the other box (the one further down) first, so I wanted to tie the colors all together.  I made the rolled roses using a My Favorite Things die-cut. I am obsessed with these!  I also added some punched butterflies for some added interest.  I love the little quote and I think it works well to give to someone who volunteers their time and efforts with the PTA.

I was really struggling to get a good photo of this box. The light is funky today and I am too impatient to wait for the "right" light and I need to give it away tomorrow.  I tried to take a few more pictures so you could see each of the different aspects.  The box is a simple open-ended box with a cello bag filled with chocolate and a coordinating tag.  When I first got this stamp set last year I was in love and then when they made the coordinating dies I was even more thrilled. I haven't used it since last fall, but with Spring in full bloom, I was itching to use it!

For the tag, I used the gardening gloves and tool, and another rolled rose.  I told you I was obsessed. I really like this quote and I thought it was especially fitting to give to someone in the PTA. I added some sparkle using Diamond Stickles, one of my favorites!

Here is a little better view of the front of the box, not perfect, but better.  I used the seed packet die-cut that coordinates with this stamp set.  Again, another rolled rose with a gem in the center.  I had a lot of fun putting these boxes together. I hope the ladies like them!  We find out what we are having on Thursday! I am so excited! I will share with you when I find out!  Thanks for fluttering by!

Sweet Little "Bunny"

 I spent the afternoon working on a little baby girl gift ensemble that my sister asked me to make for a co-worker of hers.  She only asked me to make some shoes, but I couldn't help making a matching bib and headband.  Once I was done with that, I thought she might like a card to go with it as well.  She really likes buying Hallmark cards, so maybe she won't use it, but I had fun making it.  If she doesn't need it, I will happily add it to my stash.  You can check out the baby ensemble HERE.

 This little bunny is the ultimate "paper pieced" creation I have made in a while.  Each section is pieced with a different pattern.  I couldn't resist adding some pink "flower soft" flocking to the tail and nose. Once I was done getting it all pieced, I added some glossy accents to the ear portion for some extra dimension and shine.  The flowers were made using some of my recently purchased 3-D rolled flower die cuts from My Favorite Things.  I have added them to a few projects recently, but nothing that I can show you right now.  I was also thrilled to use this button! Do you ever have buttons that have words on them that you pick out, but the words aren't fitting for the card?  I liked how this one fit with the baby card.

My last addition, which turned out to be a regret was the die-cut felt ric-rac.  I sewed it on CROOKED!!!!! GRRRR! Do you know how mad I was?  I was all done and decided that it needed a bit of stitching!  I usually sew quite straight, but not today!  Thanks for fluttering by!

Secretary "Thanks"

 Just a quick little post to share with you today! Yesterday I glanced at the calendar as I was passing by and noticed that today is "Administrative Professionals Day" or in other words; Secretaries!  I decided to whip something up for my daughter to give to the school secretaries today.  I used the PTI pillow box die, apple die and frame die.  I can't live without my dies!  They make life so easy!  Part of me really didn't want to go for a traditional school theme, but use flowers or something instead, but in the end I realized that I have such few chances to use the "school" stuff that I should go with that!  The apples were stamped with Pure Poppy ink and the leaves in Simply Chartreuse.  I chose black for the frame to kind of give it a "Mary Engelbreit" feel.  I chose three ribbons because I couldn't choose just one.  I made six, so there was two of each ribbon.

I really like the "Teach and Inspire" stamp set because there are sentiments in there that aren't just for the teacher, like this one for example. I put a package of cinnamon trident gum in each pillow box to coordinate with the colors.  Just something quick, but I hope that you enjoyed them! Thanks for fluttering by!

P.S. Something funny....when my son saw the pillow boxes without the tags, he asked why I made something for the school secretaries out of empty toilet paper rolls! LOL!

Enjoy the Ride!

 Emma is off to a birthday party, but before she went I needed to make a card! Yes...I know I have a nice stash to pick from...finally, but I wanted to make one to match the gift bag we put the gift in! It was so cute and I loved the color combo.  I had time, so I got to work.  I have decided that I will only use the cards in my stash if I don't have time to make one.  I have loved the PTI set "Everyday Button Bits" since it came out, but I have never used the bike image! Shame on me! I have wanted to, but it never "worked out".  The gift bag had a really cute bike on the front, almost exactly like this one; it was perfect. I love it when I have the "perfect" stamp!

 I did struggle trying to find the right buttons for the wheels. I was too caught up in finding two that matched. I ended up using two "specialty" buttons that were both feminine and fun! I really like the one in the front; it seems like it was made to go.  I was originally planning on using the "Enjoy the Ride" sentiment that comes with the "Everyday Button Bits" set, but as I looked at the sentiments included in this new birthday set, I realized that this one would be perfect!!!!

The birthday girl is ten today, so I die-cut the numbers out of pattern paper and added some glossy accents to make them shine.  I added a flower and trimmed the sentiment to fit over the numbers.  The bottom panel is embossed using a cuttlebug embossing folder for some extra dimension and texture. The final touch was a piece of felt ric-rac that I die-cut as well.  I am happy with the end result and hope that the birthday girl likes it, too!  Thanks for fluttering by!

P.S. I still have the last card in my card set to share with you.

{From little acorns...} teacher gift

 Before I start, I just have to mention that I have already done more blog posts this year than I did in ALL of 2012. That is really sad!  I am glad to be back blogging again!  Okay...enough with that.  I know that the end of the school year isn't for a few more months, but I know it will sneak up on me faster than I can blink.  I decided to get started early.  I actually may give this to Emma's teacher when she goes back on track (we have year round school). I usually make all kinds of fun seasonal things to give to my kid's teachers, but she hasn't gotten anything handmade all year!

 I fell in love with this teacher set from PTI when it came out and purchased it immediately. It has been sitting unopened since. I was glad to get it out and start playing with it. I actually used a lot of images from the set. I tried to lay it out in a way that I could use a lot, but not get too cluttery.  All of the paper is old Scenic Route paper that I have loved using in the past. I only had a few scraps left, so I put it to good use.

 The banner piece that says "begins" was stamped separately and then cut out and adhered using foam squares. I applied some glossy accents to it as well as the pencil.  The apple images were giving me trouble...my Pure Poppy inkpad must need some ink refill on it, but they are out at PTI.  I decided in the end that it just kind of makes it look like the "shine" on the apple. Right? Or am I just trying to make myself feel  better?

The box is one of my favorite to make. I have been using this same template for years.  It closes with velcro dots, so the recipient doesn't have to "un-do" anything.

It must be my pregnancy hormones or something, because every time I read this quote, I cry! Go figure! I guess I just think how much our little ones need us and good teachers.  I had fun creating this little ensemble and has inspired me to get going on little gifts for the principal, librarian, etc.  Thanks for fluttering by!

Lily of the Valley "Thank You"

 Before I show you the last card design in the set, I decided to show you the quick little box I made yesterday for a friend. We had the opportunity to take our girls to the dress rehearsal of Ballet West's upcoming performance of the ballet "Jewels".  She drove so I wanted to give her a little "thank you".

 When I was shopping for paper for my card sets, I came across this beautiful paper from Graphic 45. I was going to incorporate it into a card, but it never happened.  I had really been itching to use it and it worked very nicely on this box.  The papers are from the Secret Garden collection and perfect for Spring!

 There isn't any actual stamping on this project, even though I would love to take credit for coloring the beautiful image.  I did add some diamond stickles all around the border as well as on the flowers.  I also made a tiny felt rosette to add with the cluster of buttons on the bottom. I die-cut so much felt ricrac while I was making my cards, that I had quite a bit of felt left over so I thought I would put it to good use and make a rosette.  The center pearl is just an adhesive one that fit perfectly.

Whenever I give little gifts like this, the recipient is always wary of "ruining" it by undoing the bow.  I have learned to make things simple by attaching the ribbon to the inside of the box top and then tying the bow on top. I attached the main image to the top as well, that way she only needs to slide the lid off. You can see what I mean in the photo below.  On a side note, I took some time the other day to revisit my earliest blog posts. Not only was it fun to take a stroll down memory lane, but I realized that I no longer use some of my favorite sets. I decided to venture to my storage under the stairs and find some of them. Hopefully I won't bore you with using old SU! sets, but I love them.  Thanks for fluttering by!

Sweet Little Baby

 Well, they're done! I have all of the cards made, packaged and delivered to my friend!  I am feeling really good about my accomplishment; and the best part of all of it....I have 20 cards of my OWN all ready to go! Do you know how long it has been since I have had such a large stash of cards to pick from? Well...it's been a while!   I will admit that I was really losing steam toward the end. I had intentionally left the baby cards until the end because they are some of my favorite to make. Big mistake....I just wanted to be done!

As you can see, I didn't make the boy and girl design exactly the same.  I made the girl one with a little more detail.  That's just kindof how girls are, huh?  Simple boys...complicated girls.   Anyway...I used the coordinating die cuts with this stamp set as I have with every other card. Die-cuts to the rescue!  I just recently bought this set even though it is an older PTI set. I have always wanted it, but never ended up by getting it. I can't tell you how many times it has been in my "cart" but always gets removed.

 The papers for both cards are from a super old My Mind's Eye slab that I got on clearance years ago at Hobby Lobby. I don't know what I will do when the papers are all gone!  I hadn't printed out any more sketches, so I just used a simple design.  The little elephant was diecut out of white, but then I paper pieced it with coordinating paper so that I didn't have to color it.

 The baby boy card is pretty simple, but I think it is cute.  I used copic markers to color the sailboat since it was small. I was tempted to paper piece this as well, but I think the pattern would have been lost in the small spaces.

 A little tag, wool diecut ric-rac and buttons finish off the design.  I can't believe I am done! I will share the last design with you later. It is the simplest of the bunch, but I had better share it anyway.  I hope you all had a good Easter. Thanks for fluttering by!