Happy Halloween

I am not sure if it is all the halloween projects from Cristena's house or what - but I have had an urge all day to make halloween gifts.  Here is what I came up with:

I made my own fry boxes!  These were for my kiddos.

One for Grandma Cheryl.

One for Grandma Cres

I made these baskets for two of my kids' grandmas.  My kids love trick or treating there - prob because of the special attention they recieve.  LOL  But really - grandmas really are "grand" aren't they?

Each basket had a tag at the top.

I made these little milk cartons full of sweets for some of the kids we know.  I love how they turned out!

I couldn't do a halloween post - with out my sweetest halloween treat!  Look at my adorable children!! 

David was "Hop along Harry Potter" and Kassidy was "Rapunzel".  David was going to be just "Harry Potter" but then he fractured his ankle - hence the hop along part.  Kassidy also had a wig for her costume, but she got tired of wearing it by the time we took this picture.  I made their costumes.  It was my first year doing that - and I really enjoyed it!

I hope you and your family had a safe and fun halloween!

Cristena's Shoebox Swap

Last night I went to a shoebox swap at my friend Cristena's house.  I was pretty excited about going - but the day was crazy, and nothing seemed to be going right.  I actually decided not to go, twice.  But, I went anyway.  I showed up 45 minutes or an hour late.  My halloween snacks had failed - so the only thing I brought for the potluck was store bought iced sugar cookies.  (Turned out ok, they call those cookies "crack cookies" at her house.)  I didn't get many of the projects done, but I had so much fun hanging out with some friends!  They totally turned my night around.  I won an adorable door prize, won a free trip to Cristena's November stamp camp - and the projects I did finish were adorable!

This was my project.  I usually do not do halloween themed things.  My kids dress up, and trick or treat - but we don't decorate.  I don't usually do halloween craft.  This was a bit challenging for me, but I love how this turned out!  You can see what I used to make this batty milk carton at the end of this post.

These are the three projects I was able to finish.  The frankenstein card is just hilarious.  I have no imagination for turning punches/dies into things - so I love it when I see other people do it!  The middle project you might recognize from my post a few days ago.  I received a fry box, almost exactly like this as a roommate gift.  Deb was able to come to the shoebox swap, and this was her project.  How fun to be able to make my own fry box!!  The last project here is Cristena's card.  I love all the patterned paper and dimensionals used on this  - they really make everything pop!

Here is what I used on my project:

Wicked Cool Stamp Set (clear) 120600 $14.95

Basic Black Carstock 121045 $6.95 (24 sheets) 

Tangerine Tango Cardstock 111349 $6.95 (24 sheets)

Whisper White Carstock 100730 $8.50 (40 sheets) 

Basic Black Classic Ink 101179 $5.95

Tangerine Tango Stampin' Write Marker 120974 $3.50

Basic Black 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon 109027 $4.95

Chunky Essentials Stampin' Glitter (Black) 108797 $15.95

Stampin' Dimensionals 104430 $3.95

2" x 1 3/8" Oval Extra Large Punch 119859 $16.95

Mini Milk Carton Bigz L Die 117310 $32.95

Spider Web Textured Impressions Embossing Folder 120889 $7.95

Enjoy!

My favorite swaps part 5 - Last ones!!

I can't believe we have reached the end of my favorite swaps.  I really hope they are as inspiring to you, as they are to me!

This card was made by Cristena Bagne.  I love the pearls and the shadowing.  

(BTW - Pear Pizazz is my fave in color!!)

This card was made by Frances Freeman.  I love the colors, and the sponging. 

What inspires you?  All of these swaps inspire me to try new things, and to look at things just a little differently.  Thank you to all the fab ladies who swapped with me in portland!

My favorite swaps part 4

Here is the fourth installment of my favorite regional swaps.  Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

This card was made by Deb Sosa.  I love the waffle paper, and the sparkly shimmer paint.

This card was made by Sarah Wakeman.  I love the ribbon knot!

Come back tomorrow for the last installment of my favorite regional swaps!

My favorite swaps part 3

Here are the next two of my favorite swaps.  I have had so much fun just going through my swaps over and over again.  It is so fun to see how someone else sees something.  My mom was over yesterday, and we spent a whole hour having a "I like this, but if it were mine, I would change this/add that" conversation.  It was so fun.  We weren't trash talking any card, we liked them all just they way they were.  It was just fun to see that we all see things differently.

This card was made by Myla Barker.  I love the jewels in the snowflakes!  What a fab idea!

This card was made by Bobbie Meyer.  I love the wreath.  I would never think of using patterned paper to make this.  It looks great!

Come back tomorrow for my part four of my favorite swaps from regionals.  :)

My favorite swaps part 2

Here are the next two of my favorite swaps.  I am not posting them in any order - all eight are my favorite swaps.

This card was made by Heidi Douglass.  I love the polka dot background, and the coloring on the flower!

This card was made by Marie Fiebig.  I love the victoria ribbon!

Check back tomorrow for part three!

My favorite swaps part 1

I want to share some of my favorites of the swaps I recieved.  I have decided to break them up in to five parts.  Check back tomorrow for part two!  Here are the first two swaps - I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

This card was made by Mary Jemes from Oregon.  I love all of the different textures here!

This card was made by Jan Farring.  Who knew I'd love Cajun Craze so much?

My Roommate Gifts (I am the worst roommate ever!)

I got home from Portland late last night.  We had so much fun!!!  It was so nice to have a little break from real life, and just have some fun!  The drive down to portland felt like it was going to take forever!  But we finally arrived at our hotel - thanks to my purple line around 9pm.  (GPS on my cell, Thank You! google maps!)  

We stayed at the Hyatt Place near the portland airport.  It was a very nice room!!  Our first stop was not our room though, it was the bathroom.  I have never seen so many women, go so fast to find a bathroom.  I would've laughed if I weren't racing toward it too.  After we got settled in our room, our next priority was food.  We needed dinner.  We were headed downstairs to check out the 24hour cafe in the hotel, when we met a pizza delivery girl in the elevator.  We decided to follow her back to work.  I am sure glad we did!  We followed her to a place called Pizanos Pizza.  That was some of the best pizza I have ever had, and to top it off - the prices were good too!

After dinner, we headed back to our room, we had an early morning ahead of us - and some of the gals still needed to finish their swaps.  (Mine were done.)  When we got back, the other ladies started handing out these LOVELY gifts!
::Insert my worst roommate ever sticker here::
I did not get my gifts done.  In my defense, this was my first time staying with other people for an event like this.  I really did not know that it is just expected that people do this.  Yes, I was planning on doing it, but the thing with plans is - sometimes it just doesn't work out.  So, I sheepishly accepted my beautiful gifts, and secretly planned to repay these wonderful women at a later date.  Here are a few of the gifts I recieved, I was hoping to get pictures of all of them - but I didn't get the pictures in before Kassidy saw all the pretty things I brought home.  They were all very nice gifts, but I only have pictures of 3.

This gift was from Cristena.  You can see more of her work here.  Everything she does is fabulous!  I was in total awe of every little detail on this bag!!  The candy was tucked neatly in a clear cello bag, and tied with pretty Early Esspresso Satin Ribbon - but the bag is long gone, so is the candy.  This candy is actually stuff we have for the little monsters, goblins, and princesses that will be trick or treating next weekend.  She also made us monogrammed notebooks for taking notes.

This adorable fry box was from Debbie.  I can not believe that she cut out the boxes by hand!!  I love the embossed spider web.  I also love that the first candy you see in the box is my all time fave - peanut butter m & m's.  I am trying not to eat them.  Not sure how long that will last!

This adorable card was from Frances.  It also had a fab gift tucked inside, a Starbucks gift card!!  How did she know I need my Starbucks in the morning?  We all used our gift cards the next morning when we stopped at Starbucks for breakfast on the way to the convention center.

Thanks ladies for such a wonderful time!  

Portland Baby!!

I am so excited to be heading to Portland this weekend!!  I am going down with a few girlfriends for Stampin' Up!'s regional event.  There are six of us, we are riding together, and sharing a hotel room.  It should be so fun!! Things at home have been very busy - so I am still working on my swaps and roomie gifts.  I really hope to get it all done before it is time to go!  My swaps shouldn't be too hard, I already have one of each of my swaps done. I am doing a card, and a tag holder.  The rest will just be assembly line work.  The longest part of any project is the idea itself, and the fine tuning.  Here is my swap card  - let me know what you think!  

Here is what I used:

Fifth Avenue Floral Stamp Set 113734 $24.95 (pg 122)

Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Set 115370 $36.95 (pg 157)

Pink Pirouette Carstock 111351 $6.95 (24 sheets) (pg 167)

Basic Black Carstock 121045 $6.95 (24 sheets) (pg 169)

Whisper White Carstock 100730 $8.50 (40 sheets) (pg 169)

Regal Rose Classic Ink 105211 $5.95 (pg 166)

Pink Pirouette Classic Ink 111838 $5.95 (pg 167)

Basic Black Craft Ink 102192 $7.50 (pg 169)

5/8" Organza Ribbon Whisper White $5.95 (pg 190)

Stamping Sponges 101610 $3.50 (pg 195)

Black Stampin' Emboss Powder 109133 $4.75 (pg 196)

Stampin' Dimensionals 104430 $3.95 (pg 197)

Lots of Tags Sizzlits 114508 $21.95 (pg 211)

Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder 119976 $7.95 (pg 214)

Enjoy!

ABC's of the Perfect Handmade Holiday

Stampin' Up! is having a fabulous holiday promotion!!  Just in time to get all of your holiday gifts made.  How did they know that we are all thinking a little more handmade, a little less commercial this year?  They have made seven bundles that you can get at a 20% discount!!

Contact me today to get started creating you  perfect handmade holiday!

DESCRIPTION
Vintage Christmas Card Bundle**
Bells & Boughs Set (p. 19) and
Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper (p. 18)
Wood Mount 124067;     $23.92
Clear Mount  124068;     $19.92

Contempo Christmas Card Bundle*
Contempo Christmas Set (p. 45) and
Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper (p. 174)
Wood Mount 124071;     $20.72
Clear Mount 124072;     $17.52

Tags til Christmas Bundle 1**
Tags til Christmas Set (p. 24) and
Decorative Label Punch (p. 25)
Wood Mount 124077;     $38.32
Clear Mount 124078;      $31.92

Tags til Christmas Bundle 2
Tags til Christmas Set (p. 24**) and
Ornament Punch (p. 203*)
Wood Mount 124478;     $38.32
Clear Mount 124477;      $31.92

Gift Packaging Bundle
Gifted Set (p. 30*) and
Mini Lunch Sacks (p. 13**)
Wood Mount 124083;     $26.32
Clear Mount 124084;      $19.92

Simply Adorned Gift Bundle*
Charming Set (p. 130),
Simply Adorned 1" x 1-1/4" Charm (p. 189), and
Simply Adorned 24" Chain (p. 189)
Wood Mount 124076;     $39.88
---
Frame Gift Bundle**
Definitely Decorative Chunky Frame (p. 9) and
Small Chocolate Chip Dotted Flourish Décor Elements (p. 23)
124075;     $19.92
---

*From the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog **From the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog ***From the 2010-2011 Definitely Decorative brochure

SbStampers Fall Fun Event Make & Takes

One of the best things about going to this event is the great make -n- takes!  We had three projects, all designed by my upline Holly Jones.  The projects were fun, and I loved being able to try out things I don't have yet.

I love this Postcard Christmas stamp!!

This was the first time I got to play with shimmer paint. I didn't know I needed that stuff, until yesterday!

Isn't this box gorgeous!  I love the fall colors!  This was my first time touching the new 1/8" ribbon.  Love it!  Apparently, great minds really do think alike.  I brought a candy wrapper box swap, and they had a candy wrapper box make -n- take.  (Of course, theirs wins!)

Our last make -n- take was a set of gift tags.  Don't they look adorable all packaged up together?  I had been trying to tell myself that I didn't need this set.  That I already have tag sets to use for personal gifts.  Well - after this I lost that battle.  But since it was with myself, I win too! I will definitely be ordering this set on my next order!  (And the new small oval punch!)

Here are the other tags from our set.  Love them all!  My friend April and  I had so much fun working on these!

We also made one other thing while we were there.  We made fab new color charts.  We were instructed to each bring a one inch stamp.  (Thanks for having my back April!  I, of course, forgot mine.)  We were then able to stamp our image in each of our 45 colors, and use markers in each of the colors.  We were given one inch squares of paper in each color as well, to be glued on at home.  When I finally finish mine, I will post it! ;)

Hope you have a great saturday!  We are headed to the apple squeeze today!

Enjoy!

My swap for the SbStampers Fall Fun Event.

I decided to attend my uplines fall event.  I do not usually go to these events, but I have a friend who is a new demonstrator, and she was going.  I knew I'd have fun if I was going with a friend.  I was planning on having a card to swap also, but life kept me busy this week and I wasn't able to finish my card swaps.  Here is my candy wrapper box.  It is pretty simple - but I like it.  Hope you do too!  I put a nice little chocolate treat in each box I gave away.

I made this simple candy wrapper box using:

Big Shot

Candy Wrapper Die

Wicked Cool Stamp Set

Tangerine Tango Cardstock

Basic Black Cardstock

Whisper White Cardstock

Tangerine Tango Classic Ink

Modern Label Punch

Scallop Oval Punch

Enjoy!