When Do The Kids Go Back To School??

It's been a long President's weekend having the kids home Friday and Monday...and dad too. I'm trying to get some stamping done for my show this Friday and they just won't cooperate with me. They keep wanting to go places and and have friends over and eat, eat, eat!

Botanical Blooms Sale-A-Bration set. I used Always Artichoke, So Saffron and Elegant Eggplant
I'm not complaining about my favorite Branch Out set, but they are starting to all look alike. I think I need to branch out a bit...ha, ha!

This is what happens when you go to the mall and leave dad in charge. Dad was upstairs working on taxes and Nicholas was a little bored!! Pardon the mess, Ben was working on homework & I was doing laundry.

I knew when I got a phone call asking me to pick up more string cuz he used it all, I was in trouble. There was this elaborate trap set for me at the door when I came in. He has been perfecting this technique for years...at least string is cheap :o)

Sip By Sip

Why oh why oh why did I buy this set? I love the coffee cups and so want a decent SU! coffee set, but this one isn't cutting it for me! Talk about hard to work with...sheesh!

This chick need some serious help. You either get an all black ink image or you have to paper piece and marker it. Way more work that it's worth. Yeah, I'm complaining.... But I do love her blinged out diamond ring ;)

Cardstock: Old Olive, Whisper White, Basic Black, Rockabilly Specialty DSP

Stamp Set: Sip By Sip

Accessories: Watercolor Crayons, Blender Pen, 1 1/4", 1 3/8" and Scallop Circle Punches, Scallop Edge Punch, Red Grosgrain Ribbon

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Baja Breeze

Stamp Set: Sip By Sip

Accessories: Top Note Die Cut, Big Shot, Baja Breeze Striped Grosgrain, Stampin' Sponges, 1/4" Circle Punch, Crystal Effects

The idea for this card came from a beautiful card I found on SCS here.

Cardstock: Real Red, Old Olive, Basic Black, Whisper White

Stamp Set: Sip By Sip

Accessories: Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Button Bouquet Buttons, Stampin' Dimensionals, Watercolor Crayons, Blender Pens

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Thank you Ruthie B. for this wonderful award.

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Straight from the Netherlands...a Valentine's Milk Carton by Eveline

A Few More Valentine's Gifts

I'm making a few Valentine's Days gifts for the kids teachers. The bottles are from SKS. Their website is http://www.sks-bottle.com/ . They are called 4 oz Flint Glass French Squares w/ aluminum lined caps. Order # is 4055-07 The are about 4 1/2" tall and about 1 1/2" wide.

I've had them for a really long time and forgot about them until I saw a cool project done with them the other day. I thought individual bottles of candy might be a fun change from what I usually do.

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Candy Lane DSP.
Stamp Set: Happy Heart Day
Accessories: Large Oval Punch, Coluzzle Oval Cutter, Trio Flowers and Boho Punches, Rhinestone Brads

These little boxes perfectly hold 4 Hershey Nuggets.

The box bottom cardstock size is 3 1/4" x 3 7/8", score at 5/8" all around. The slider top is transparency paper cut to 5 3/4" x 2 3/4". I don't remember the exact measurements for scoring it but this is my twisted logic as to how I got the score measurements. Score at 5/8", slide that score mark to 2 1/16", slide that score mark to 5/8" and that score mark to 2 1/16". It leaves you with about 1/4" left over to put Sticky Strip on.

Don't ask me if that doesn't make sense, I could have been delirious in my quest to finish Valentine's Day! ;)

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Thank you

Shirley at http://ditzydaisystampin.blogspot.com/ for this award. I was also awarded this same award again by Tammy at http://serendipitysisters.blogspot.com/

Thank you ladies!

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More creative and cute Milk Cartons to share!

Dayanna Donng's blog

Kerry Schwenneker's blog

Two by Sharon Maranich. Here is the link to her blog

My Crazy Husband!

I do have a nice card to share with you before I show you my crazy family!

Once again, playing with my Branch Out stamp set. This one uses flowers from the Trio Flower punch and the kitty from All In The Family. I REALLY love this set!!

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OK, now on to my crazy family...well mostly my husband!
Years ago when the boys first started playing baseball, George thought it would be funny to pitch the pumpkins to them at the end of the fall season. Needless to say it has become a bit of a season-end tradition. This year, living in Idaho, the pumpkins froze and it snowed before we had the chance to play pumpkin baseball so we kept them in the garage until a nice day came along.

Dad lined them up and the boys went crazy with excitement!

Benjamin hit it right on!


Nicholas blasted the pumpkin to smitherines!!!

After smashing 4 pumpkins each, you would not believe the mess in the backyard. Somehow cleaning up the mess wasn't as fun as making it :)
Now did I tell you I have a crazy husband?!! Gotta love him!!

Dear Friend Stationary Packet

A little something for a special 18th birthday. I used Lauren Meader's Timeless Template Tag Along Tote to create this little gift package. It is the same template I used on the front of the Cupcake Take Along I posted earlier.

Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Stamp Sets: All Holidays, Thank You Kindly

Accessories: Stampin' Write Markers, Scallop Edge Punch, Corner Rounder, Pink Pirouette & Kiwi Kiss Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, New 5/8" Brads in Chocolate Chip, Painterly Petals flowers from Craft Warehouse, Bella Rose DSP, Basic Gray Magnets

You can add pockets to the outside or inside or both for a fun carry along. I used a note pad and pen inside and only one pocket. This is such a versatile little pattern, I can think of lots of ideas with this one...you may see it again ;)

Valentine Gable Box

I wanted to make Valentines' Boxes using these cute little test tubes, so I took the original pattern and idea posted on SCS here and changed it a bit to accommodate what I put inside.

I filled my boxes with 3 small Trendy tubes from Papertrey Ink stuffed with Valentine candy on one side and four 3x3 notes and envelopes on the other side.

I used the little lamb from Pun Fun for the cards and the tags. Candy Lane DSP on the cards. The hearts on the tubes are made using the Heart to Heart punch and silver elastic cord.


I used my new favorite stamp set, Branch Out for the cover of some of the boxes.


On others, I cut a rectangle leaving a 1/2" border out of the front and put a piece of transparency paper inside for a see-through look.



Here's how I made it...


Start with a piece of 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock. Score along the 11" side at 1/2", 4", 5 3/4" and 9 1/4". Rotate cardstock and score the 8 1/2" side at 1 3/4" and 6".




Cut on the score lines up to the intersecting score lines as shown. Instead of just cutting a straight line up the score, I take a small 'v' shape out to remove some of the bulk in folding it up. Also, cut out the extra part as shown on the photo for the little flap on the left side of this photo.





Cut cardstock 3 3/8" x 2 1/4". Score on the two long sides at 1/2". This is the holder for the tubes. Punch 3 holes with the 1" circle punch. I used prepunched shapes as a pattern for even spacing.

Cut cardstock 5 1/4" x 3". Score at 1/2" and 1" on both short sides and one long side. Trim excess from corners as shown in the photo. Fold on score lines, assemble as shown and add Sticky Strip to the back side. This is the pocket for the 3x3 cards and envelopes.

Peel Sticky Strip and attach the pocket for the 3x3 cards and envelopes to one side of the INSIDE of the box. Peel Sticky Strip from ONE side only of the tube holder and attach to the other side of the box, again, remember you are working on the inside.

Apply Sticky Strip to the little closing flap, add test tubes and 3x3 cards & envelopes. Peel the tape on the remaining side of the test tube holder and close the box. Now peel the tape on the closing flap and seal the box closed...forever and forever so make sure it's straight ;)

I decorated the outside of the box with a 2 1/2" wide strip of Bella Rose polka dot paper before adding the Branch Out tree. You can decorate them anyway you want...have fun!

More Valentine's Boxes

Here is another Valentine's Box. This one has a solid lid instead of a transparency lid which makes it a little faster to complete. I used the new Rockabilly Specialty DSP on this project...LOVE that polka dot paper!

Side View

Lid View


I used the Circle Scallop #2 Die Cut, Coluzzle, Large Heart punch and Red Grosgrain Ribbon.

Extra compartments for lots of fun stuff!

A chocolate calculator (from Jackson's gas station!!), chocolate lips (they were at Wal-Mart), a lipstick pen (from Pier 1), lips and hearts magnets (from Borders Books), lip post it's and flags (from Pier 1).

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Here is Box made by Karen Thompson. Love the book idea!

You can view her blog here.

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Darling Valentine's Milk Carton made by Kelly Robinson. She did this with her stamp club!

Cupcake Take Along

This Cupcake Take Along is the original idea of Nichole Heady (I wanna be her so bad when I grow up!) She has a tutorial on her blog with all the instructions on how to create this cute little project. You can see it here.

It contains a cake mix, frosting tub, sprinkles, hard sugar candy decorations in the bag, a whisk, and a Valentine's Day card

I ordered the bags and the test tubes from Nichole's store and they were here in like 3 days!!! She is super fast!
Jumping off the Stampin' Up! bus for a minute to create with leopard for my animal print lovin' friend was so fun... and the guilt of cheating has almost subsided.
>^..^< I enjoyed making this ensemble and I know she will LOVE it!

A Couple More Branchin' Out's

I knew the minute I saw this set in the catalog that I was going to put hearts on it and use this mouse! I think it is my favorite one so far, what do you think?

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Stamp Set: Branch Out, Have A Heart

Accessories: Candy Lane DSP, Heart To Heart Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Two-Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Corner Rounder

This one is so bright, I had to put my sunglasses on! It is definitely NOT my favorite ;)

Cardstock: Tangerine Tango, Summer Sun, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Stamp Set: Branch Out
Accessories: 1", 1 1/4", 1 3/8" and Scallop Circle Punches, Scallop Edge Punch, Tangerine Tango Striped Grosgrain, Paper Piercing Tool, Crystal Effects on boots, Kiwi Kiss DSP

Katie Brooks shares her Valentine's Day Milk Carton Container. You can view her blog here.