Happy Valentine's day!

I still LOVE to give my teenage boys Valentine's and THEY still love it!  I quickly snapped these yesterday between the morning activities and track practice! ;)
I started their Valentine's with these-these cute little inspiring books came from Marshall's one says-make today amazing!  The other says if you change nothing, nothing will change.  The iTunes cards I already had on hand...

Next I measured the little books and cut out envelopes using my Silhouette and pattern paper from Jillibean Soup:

I wrapped a heart paper doilie around the edge and tied it with baker's twine.

I sealed the envelope with washi tape so that it wouldn't tear...

I added a few embellishments and tied the envelopes on top of 98 cent packs of candy for each of my boys-easy peasy!

kids Valentines...

first off I wanted to share some happy scrappy news with you!  One of my Valentine's Cards was featured on the Create blog on Friday!  What was really cool is that there were over 200 entries and they picked 40--SO cool!!  And today I was surprised that one of my layouts was featured on the Creating Keepsakes blog!  WOOHOO!  Thanks for letting me share!

okay now on to the Valentines....the other day I showed you what the boys Valentine's would look like if you didn't see it you can see it HERE--they are in the instagram picture.  My middle boy had to make a container to collect his Valentines--he got very creative and had a little inspiration from his teacher, sure was fun to work on this together.  He was a little concerned about the polka dot paper until I told him we were going to cover it up....I measured and covered and he assembled and colored....
a semi truck:

the front:

 My daughter did something extra special for her friends:

The fun thing about this project are that the hearts (both for the semi truck & these tags) are leftover from the Valentines the boys made!  Another fun thing are that these little cans were on clearance at Michael's for 99 cents (they were 2.99--don't know who would pay that....) Anyway, because it's my birthday month I got an extra 20% off!  Then I got the Hershey kisses (fits 13 if you were curious).  I showed her my idea with the hearts and suggested some other things--set out a bunch of stamps and let her have at it.  She did WONDERFUL!  (the stamps are Maya Road--the heart punch is Martha Stewart, I used my cricut to cut the tags...)
Sure was fun to have the kids craft with me--speaking of kids I've got one that is trying NOT to do his homework, so I need to supervise!  Thanks for the visit--hope you have a WONDERFUL day!

700 post! Valentines

Melissa Stinson inspired me the other day to look at the amount of posts I've done--can't believe I've posted that many times!  Thanks so much for reading, encouraging and following me!

So on Wednesday we started working on our Valentines (I know I have time, BUT I don't like being caught unawares!  Good thing too because my older son just told me he had to make another one...
My younger son was SO serious about the stamping and punching.  At one point he told me "he was tired from stamping." Kid cracks me up!  I wanted the valentines to be mostly them, so I came up with a simple idea and using supplies we already have we made these--all I had to do was buy a package of candy...

After I got the kids projects all cut out I started working on these babies:

 closeups:

 others:

 I was inspired by Lisa Andrews check out her valentines HERE.  I used the Be Mine mini kit--it is PACKED with FUN stuff!  I added a few things from my stash--the heart doilies I found in the dollar bin at Target a few weeks ago (I mentioned them HERE on my post about my Valentines cards...), they are the perfect size for the front of the envelopes.  I also included some tinsel garland I picked up on clearance at Walmart after Christmas--I knew that I wanted to use it for cards and I have a WHOLE bunch for like 20 cents each!  These little bags are packed with Dove candy--seriously?!  yeah, I had to eat some--it was delicious!  AND I ate to much but I had fun doing it! :)

thanks for the visit today!  Hope you have a fabulous day!

Valentine cards!

I have so much I want to share with you today!  First off did you know that Scrapbook Circle has a mini kit (Be Mine) for February--it's SO lovely!  I have had more fun making Valentines:

The doilies you see on these cards are NOT included in the kit, I found them in the $1 bin at Target.  I was digging for something else and found these--SCORE!  They are white and I misted them.  This first one was misted with sprinklers from October Afternoon (also from my stash)

 The heart punch I used for this actually embosses as well, but it doesn't really show up--that's okay because I didn't really buy the punch for THAT purpose--I love the heart!  Again this was a HAPPY discovery at Michael's on clearance--I snatched it right up!

 This doilies is AMAZING I used the Chalk mist from Tattered Angels--the coverage is amazing!

I couldn't help myself I kept making these cards and remembered I needed to figure out how I want to do the Valentine's with my boys... :)  When I do--I like to discuss with them and have them help me create, I will share them here....

So my exciting shopping news today.  I went to Michael's to buy a NEW trimmer, my old trimmer I ended up getting for free with a gift card and it was 50% off...ANYWAY, it hasn't cut straight in a VERY long time and drives me NUTS!  So I was using a smaller fiskars trimmer which is great but I was missing the 6" base that my other trimmer had (without the fold out arm) Well, I'm happy to report that after TWO recommendations I am now the proud owner of THIS:

The arm that comes out is stiff, so it doesn't move and the paper butts right up to the edge evenly--WOOHOO!  So the kicker, is this is my birthday month (last Thursday in fact!) Because I am a Michael's member card holder person--I got an additional 20% off my purchase--sale items included!  So, this beauty was 60% off!  I was very smart about my purchase today--I got some fun little tins that were on clearance, paint, and replacement blades!  This puppy uses titanium blades--stronger, lasts longer....and another clearance corner punch from Martha Stewart--GREAT shopping day! :)

Thanks for a visit today!  Hope you have a FABULOUS day--I'm off to create! 

so the other day...

I was playing with the NEW Scrapbook Circle kit (ready to order--selling out QUICK!) Remember This, and I came up with a couple of cute cards:
look closely, on the first tile it says Be--then Happy--loved using the blue chevron bag and my tiny attacher:

 The hearts on this card are from the October Afternoon flour sack included--again LOVING my tiny attacher and sewing machine:

For this card I misted the kraft paper with some sprinklers from October Afternoon, I was REALLY happy with the coverage and color--happy surprise, it also dried quickly and pretty true to color....

So a sickness has hit the house, not sure exactly what it is fever/chills, I just felt tired (without) having those things--but it took two of my family out for the day.  I did get in a good nap, snuggles from a boy and a silly dog (who thinks she is human.) I'm feeling much better and even have plans for dinner! :)

Thanks for the visit today--hoping you have a WONDERFUL day!

Hello Friday--creative kids

well, Friday your here you took ALL week...it sure seemed like a LONG time!  First night game of the season for soccer tonight--we have a storm front blowing in sure hope tomorrows games aren't rained out!  That means we make them up in the hottest part of the season!  Either way I'm excited to test out my new picture taker!  Hope it works with the lights we have QUITE a few night games....

I want to brag a bit on my talented kids.  My daughter decided she wanted to make a friend a journal for a friend for her birthday.  I helped her with the binding bit but the rest was her:

pretty cute!  That is Bo Bunny paper, the S was cut with my cricut, and an imaginisce flower....

For Valentines Day my youngest made this for me in Scouts:

I LOVE it! :)  So funny they had the model up on the counter and I was looking at it to copy....ha, little did I know!  he was SO excited he had me open it right that day!

Well, I best jet for now, have a GREAT weekend!

still here....

I've been MIA for a while.  Been off making memories with my family, and just plain old BUSY!  I have been playing and need to make this quick because my youngest and I are home alone and he wants MOM time! :)

I was inspired by Heidi Swapp a couple of weeks ago to make these candy dispensers, SO easy!  All of her information can be found HERE.  My kids thought they were pretty ingenious especially my youngest who realized that he could refill it when he was done with the candy inside (no in these pictures there isn't candy....)

This is the closeup of my daughters, I made the flower out of a small muffin cup and used a huge jewel from Glitz for the center, notice the ruffled skirt?  I used my martha steward scissors (they have more than one blade)

I was also inspired by Rhonna Farrar to make these flowers, (don't they look like a heart sideways?)  you can see the tutorial HERE.  These particular decorations went to my mom.  Oh, and FYI you can buy napkin packs at walmart for $1.50 for 24.  STEAL!

 Lastly Heidi talked about making note books for teachers or friends.  You just cover 5x7 office note pads.  I bought white ones at Staples in a bulk pack of 12 for like $ 5.47.

 EASY!  All of the paper I used is from my stash, I didn't have to buy anything for any of these projects. I even did pom poms made of Crete paper for the end of the $1 valentine pencils I picked up at Walmart.
 Here are a few closeups:

 I don't know if you can tell but I added bling and stickles, SO fun!
The measurements are:

5" x 9 1/4" after cutting your paper you need to score it at 7", 8" and 8 1/4".  I glued the center part first this helped me adjust if I needed to.

So funny again my kids were impressed and these were SO simple and sort of addicting! :)

Well, thanks for checking in--hope you are having a WONDERFUL week!