monogrammed mini-cards {CSS group project}

***this is my second post of the day.  Scroll down or click *here* for my lawn fawn inspiration week post.

Mornin'!

Today's CSS group project is all about alphabets.  I'm showing off the new, amazing larger alphabet dies with a monogrammed 3x3 notecard set.

I started out with a 3x3 inch plain white folded card, and partially die-cut the K into the top so that it remained one fluid piece.  It looked cool just plain white, but I added a bit of extras :)



a different-colored gingham inside each card,



and a strip of matching cardstock to accentuate the cut-out letter on the card-front.



It's all packaged up and ready to go!

Check out the other amazing all-about-alphabet projects:

Tracy ♥ Jen ♥ Audrey ♥ CSS blog

smarty pants bookmarks & an invitation for you (yes, you!)

Hi friends!

I am so excited to share my projects today - I have a set of valentine bookmarks, and an invitation to something special right here on the blog!

As soon as I saw the CSS "airmail" set, and the pile of books images, I knew what I wanted to create:



Hey smartie!  happy valentine's day!

I used rag doll Jake, taglines: critters, and the airmail set to create my bookish valentines.



I first stamped Jake, the selectively inked up only some of the books.  I colored, added elements from the critter set (the speech bubble and "hey smartie" sentiment) and added a notebook paper background.  Where the rag doll and the books meet made for a sloppy edge, so a printed sentiment was placed to cover that up.  For fun, they all fit perfectly inside the party favor 7 box.

NOW.  I started this blog 2 years ago.  The encouragement, friendships, and creativity that I have experienced thanks to this blog deserves to be celebrated!  And, I'm getting a little help from my favorite companies to make it extra special!

You are invited TWO (get it?  to? two? I'm so witty) my blog's 2nd birthday party!

I created a fun invite for the occasion, which perfectly sets the tone for my upcoming party!  I hope you'll come back on Saturday, February 9th and celebrate along with me!

Supplies for the invitation include:
- designer lines to create the gingham
- birch trees for the wooded background
- alpha duo for the t-w-o
- rag doll scene 1 for the adorable mushroom image on the invitation details
- taglines: critters for the tiny heart images

These designers have created things for you today too:  Lori ♥ Laurie ♥ Kim ♥ Laura ♥ CSS

mmm.... thank you

With American Thanksgiving just days away, the CSS team is showing off our best "thank you" cards.

I thought I would make a little something to send to the gals who participated in the cookie exchange party that my sister and I hosted together.

If you missed seeing the full party, click *here.*

And it all started with an invitation - click *here* to see the beginnings of our cookie exchange paperie.

If you host a party, and prep all of your own decorations, here's my best tip for you: use parts of the decoration to create quick and easy (and matching!) thank you cards.

I deconstructed the candy cane striped background from one of the leftover voting cards, found an extra tree-shaped cookie image that I had never used, and gently peeled the "mmm..." banner from one of the cookie labels.  Even the holiday twine was re-purposed!  I removed it from a voting card, and used it to thread a festive red button.

The only stamping I did was to stamp the text background on the main panel, and add the "thank you for coming" sentiment, from "favor flags."

Just for fun, I added a snowflake pattern to the envelope - which is A4 sized, to match the thank you card.

So, happy thanksgiving!  And also, see?  creating thank you cards can be so quick and easy!  I hope I've inspired you to create and send out handmade thank you cards after your next party.

Grab a mug of hot something and enjoy your visit to these blogs:

Lori ♥ Jaclyn ♥ Tracy ♥ Dana ♥ Laurie ♥ Jennifer ♥ CSS

christmas cookie exchange party

Candy cane stripes, forest green banners, and softly-browned cookie colors were my inspiration for creating the decor for our Christmas cookie exchange party:

 If you are thinking about hosting your own cookie exchange party, here are the details to remember:

- invite more people than you think: not everyone likes to bake, or will be available to come.  I invite a dozen ladies, and ended up with 8.  (If you missed yesterday's post, click *here* to see the party invite.)

- each guest should bring 1 dozen cookies for each person in attendance, plus an extra dozen for sampling at the party.

- pull out some of your own Christmas decorations to set the festive mood, and have the platters set out before your guests arrive.

- since we hosted our party very early in the season, I encouraged my guests to bring cookies that would be suitable for freezing.

- do what we did, and turn the party into a fun contest!  I created voting cards and award ribbons... in the end, "best tasting" went to my sister, for her yummy peanut butter buckeyes...

- it was a very fun-filled evening with friends & sweet treats, and I have a fully stocked freezer ready for holiday gifting, as well as 7 new cookie recipes.


And, if you are crafting your own cookie swap decor, here is a link to the stamp sets you'll need from the Clear & Simple Stamps store: cookie bake, designer lines, favor flags.

If you have a minute, I'd love to know if you'll be participating in your own holiday cookie exchange party!

Thanks for stopping by to take a peek at ours :)

cookie exchange party invitation

I hosted a cookie swap over the weekend!  I'm showing off the invite today, as kind of a teaser, before I show off the whole party tomorrow...

When I put out the idea for a cookie exchange in November, I thought my friends would think I was crazy, but apparently we're all smart ladies, who would rather take it easy come December... you know, relax and enjoy the holidays and all that... *wink*

So, right now, I have 9 dozen cookies freezing comfortably, waiting to be defrosted for gifts or whatever (and by whatever, I may mean just for me...) It's like the heavens open up every time I peek into my freezer - all of those beautiful cookies!

As with any party decor, repetition is key to creating a pulled-together look.  So, this invite is the jumping off point for all of the decor you'll see tomorrow.  I used 3 CSS stamp sets to make Christmas come early: "cookie bake," "designer lines," and "favor flags."

I created a candy cane-striped base, and added a texty layer overtop (I adore that background strip from "cookie bake" - it just lists all kinds of different cookies!  What could be more perfect if you're hosting a cookie exchange?)  

My favorite part of this card (and I love it so) is a toss up between the green sentiment favor flag, and the white enamel accents on the christmas tree cookie image.  It looks like those edible pearls you'd see on a yummy gingerbread cookie.  It's the little things that make me happy :)

I tucked the when-what of the party onto a second tag shape... I love the personal touch of handwriting on a card, but I don't think everyone needs to see it front-and-center, either... hee.

If you are thinking of hosting your own cookie bake party this season, do it!  Here are the cookie swap basics:

-your guests come with their pre-baked cookies and the corresponding recipe (1 dozen x the number of party guests, plus an additional dozen for sampling at the party)
-you get to spend quality time with your best lovely ladies before the holiday rush, eating delicious treats
-you leave with enough cookies to gift out to teachers, neighbors, yourself (did I really just write that?  i have no shame...)

And, you can do what we did and turn it into a fun contest!  I won't give away too much, but I was voted best looking.  Er, my cookies were...

Hope to see you back here tomorrow!

hey sweet thing!

Sooo, I think my new favorite challenge is 1-layer cards.  If something doesn't look right, I have to start all over, instead of just figuring out what else I can slap on there (oops, did I just give away my best design secret? ha.)

This week's CSS style-watch was all about 1-layer cards.  Inspired by the cards that Amber created, I came up with this:

I started with a white card-base and layered the images as follows:

1.  I placed a strip of painter's tape all around the outside (so that my lined background would have a crisp edge.)  I pressed the tape onto my pants (ok, let's be honest since I crafted in the evening: hot pink joggers) to remove some of the tacky-ness... I wanted to make sure it didn't rip my card-stock when I pulled it up.

2.  I die-cut both the label (from the mini tri-fold 1 die) and the cake from masking paper and placed them on the front of the card.  The cake die sticks out past the tri-fold die on the sides and the bottom, so I had to have both of them on there at the same time.

3.  I stamped the lined background (from designer lines), and then, before removing the sticky-papered-die-cuts, created stitch lines all around.

4.  I then removed the sticky paper, and stamped the cake (from cake decorating).  I added the button detail to the front of the cake (love that image!) and gave the stand and the buttons a quick color with copic markers.

5. Lastly, I added the sentiment (from sweet sentiments) and glossy accents to the buttons.  I then let it dry overnight, remembering the last smear-incident that happened from handling glossed elements too quickly.

Hope you like my 1-layer card!

Until next time...

playdate café challenge #148

Hi all!

What's peach and navy and grey all over?

(since you're here to see a card, the answer may be a little redundant...*wink*)

I'm loving the color combo for the current Play date Cafe Challenge!  Apart from the fact that my argyle didn't turn out *perfectly* I love this card.  I started out stamping a piece of white cardstock with a peachy-pink and grey argyle pattern (from CSS' "designer lines.")  Next, I cut a 2.5 inch circle opening into that mat, and stamped a little hot air balloon scene (from CSS' "across the miles") inside, all in grey ink.  The main hot air balloon was stamped, colored, and cut out separately.  I propped it up on foam squares.

The card has a lot of dimension.  The sentiment banner was also adhered with foam squares, as was the entire argyle piece.  I adhered everything to a navy blue card-base (I can't remember the last time I used a card-base that wasn't white, cream, or kraft!  yay me!)

One final note: I don't want to seem crass, or belittle the memory of 9/11 with words that seem trite.  My thoughts today are with the families and survivors of the tragedy... it seems impossible that 11 years have passed.  I remember being at work, listening to the news on my radio, and then being invited to watch the news on the tv in the test area (I worked in a pharmaceutical company pre-babies, and the subjects enjoyed a big-screen tv while they were injecting test medications...)  My heart stayed in my throat for many days... but what I remember, almost as vividly as the horror of the attacks, is the coverage of the many rescue workers and first responders who flocked from all over to help recover bodies... I remember reading that church attendance was higher in the aftermath, and that people were focusing on their home life... The patriotism, the unity - it was brutal and beautiful to watch, all at once.  I will be praying for those still affected by the 9/11 attacks today, and taking the time to think on what's important in life: my God, my family, and my fellow man.

"Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you.  Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." John 14: 27