Celebrate You Box

Hello Everyone!

Here is my first project of 2015!!  It's a box! 

One of my mentors had a birthday, and I had a bracelet made for her.  I thought a plain ole jewelry box would be boring, so I made one!  I had just received a Stampin' Up order, and I was dying to use my new stuff.  I thought this would be a great time to use it. 

To create the box, I used the Curvy Keepsake Box Thinlet die.  You have to cut it out twice.  I used the Sweet Taffy paper for one half and Tempting Turquoise paper for the other.  This is also the box I featured in a project my mom and her stamping crew made in this post.

While the box looks small, it fits pretty good size things.  It's hard to get everything in there and fold up the sides, so you have to grow a third arm to hold everything while you assemble the box.  Don't worry, you can do it ;-)

To create the tag, I used the Cupcake Party stamp set and the mini banners framelet die.  I used two different sizes to create the banner. 

I hope ya'll enjoyed this super simple project.  Have a great day, and I will see ya'll soon.



New Years Resolutions 2015

Happy New Year!!


I'm hoping that 2015 is going to be my most balanced year yet.  I find that I am focusing a lot on work and doing virtually nothing for myself or my family.  So, I am hoping to gain more balance and be more productive in my life.  I know people who don't like "new year's resolutions," but I always like to take the time at the new year to reflect on where I am and where I want to go.  The reality of this past year is that I am actually no further this year, with the exception of my promotion, than I was last year.  I am trying to structure my life to help me get where I want to go.

I will start with my crafting goals because this is my crafting blog.  Although, I am thinking about making it my "everything" blog and talking about my crafts, fitness, personal stuff blog.  Crafting has always been my stress outlet.  It is something I do to unleash some creativity and use a different part of my brain.  I want to do something crafty at least once per week.  However, I want to post on my blog more often.  I have lots of projects that I haven't posted that I need to.  Maybe I have enough to kind of get my started while I do some of these things.  My paper pumpkin subscription will help out with this too.  Everything is pre done and I just have to put it together. 

I also have a plan to take a picture everyday this year.  I saw this go around last year, and I thought it was a cool idea so I remembered it... for a whole year.  Every week I'm going to upload these pictures to shutter fly, put together a book, and then order it at the end of the year.  My spouse does not think I am going to last, but I have faith.  I think this is a really cool concept.... and I'm excited to try it. 

I want to read at least 20 books.  These can be personal or leadership related (but the CARF manual won't count).  I think this one may be hard because I have so much of a learning curve at work that I will have to take stuff home to read and work on.  But, I also need to make time for me so we are going to try it.  Once I get into a book, I can usually finish it pretty quickly (if I like it).  Then, I can write my book reviews on my blog.

I also want to get healthy.  This includes working out and eating right.  I'm going to do body revolution, make meal plans, track my calories, and do all of those things I know I am supposed to do.  I really need to do this.  More details about my fitness goals will be on my fitness blog, and I don't want to make this post hella long. 

I also want to do well in my new position.  I am going to have a plan and really work on developing my leadership skills.  That is where a lot of my focus and attention is going.  I know I am going to be consumed with this in the next year, so I am going to do my best while remaining balanced. 

To do all of these things, I need to start finding my motivation because I lost it somewhere along the way.  I think I'm going through a funk because of some stuff going on throughout my life.  I think the above is what is going to get me out of the funk, it is just a matter of getting started. 

Happy New Year!!!  Thank you for reading my blog and following me.  I appreciate everyone and look forward to the new year!!

Sweet as Pie

Greetings Crafters!!

I can't believe how crafty I'm being.  I'm so glad I have my crafting groove back.  I only wish I could apply this to other areas of my life.  I'm trying to eat healthy, exercise, and lose weight... that's not going as consistently as I would like, but I keep trying.  That counts for something I guess, right. 

Speaking of pie... I'm not a big pie eater, but I think these pie pieces are super adorable!!  This is the October project from Paper Pumpkin.  My mom sent me the kit (and a refill - thanks mom!) because my subscription won't start until next month.  I'm thinking about doing a video to show you the kit and how to assemble it. 

Anyway, October's kit is pie! 

These adorable pie pieces hold candy.  You assemble the cardboard pie pieces.  Then, you stamp the sentiments onto the stickers.  The stickers fold over the ends of the pie pieces in order to seal the box shut.  Next comes the fun part, you get to make the pom pomp.  Adhere everything down, and voilà!!! 

Super adorable pie pieces to share with friends, family, co-workers.  They would make perfect place cards for Thanksgiving meals. 

Maybe I'm crafting more because I like the kits.  They are simple (yet complex enough to hold interest), and they come with everything I need.  No prep work needed!!  There is something about regular crafting as well though, and I hope to do more of that soon. 

I hope you enjoyed the treat!!  Happy crafting!! 

Thanks Card and Challenge

Happy November!!

It is already starting to look and feel like fall around here.  The leaves are in their peak time of changing, the temperature is getting (much) colder - we already have to turn the heat on - and soups are starting to sound better and better to eat.  Hurrah for crock pot meals!! 

My better half was working all day, so I thought I would take some time to craft.  I want to get back into stamping, creating cards, posting on my blog, doing challenges... that kind of thing.  I also want to get back in the habit of doing something for me to unwind.  Today was the perfect day to do that!!

I have two blogs that I follow pretty religiously, My Pink Stamper and My Creative Time.  Emma from My Creative Time has a challenge up right now, and I thought I would join in the crafting fun.  There is a photo of three pumpkin tins and colors.  You could use the colors or photo or both... I chose to use the colors. 

I bought this stamp set from Stampin Up when the new catalog came out, and I knew I wanted to emboss it.  Mind you, I have never embossed anything before, so it was quite the learning experience.  The main thing for me to note was that you cannot rub the image as the Versamark will smear, and you will not get a clear image. 

Also, for the challenge, you had to use one My Creative Time product.  While I have some things, I don't have a whole lot from Emma.  I did find this super cute stamp from one of her first releases (this was back when she shipped her stamps in CD cases).  It is from the "Turn That Frown Upside Down" set. 

So...here is what I came up with...

Supplies Used:

Stampin' Up Early Espresso Cardstock

Stampin' Up Very Vanilla Cardstock

Stampin' Up Color Me Autumn Designer Paper

Stampin' Up Crushed Curry embossing powder

Stampin' Up Old Olive ink

My Creative Time Turn that Frown Upside Down stamp set

Stampin' Up Seasonally Scattered Stamp Set

Stampin' Up Pumpkin Pie Ribbon

I hope you enjoyed my fall-inspired card!!  What's your favorite part of fall?  Until next time!!  Happy crafting!!

Halloween Goodie Box AND 100th Blog Post

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!  And welcome to my 100th blog post!

I can't believe I have made 100 posts, but then again, I have had my blog for quite some time now I guess.  I guess it is all in due time.  What an awesome day to have such a milestone post!  I love Halloween projects.  However, I'm not a huge fan of Halloween, especially because my better half does not like Halloween.  This year, we have decided to be Halloween scrooge's and not hand out candy this year (except to a couple of families). 

My project today is courtesy of my mom and one of her Stampin' Up friends, Michelle.  They took Stampin' Up's curvy keepsake box and made some really cute stuff with it.  It would be perfect to fill with treats and hand out or have as a take away for parties. 

Mom says she cut the box out of orange paper and used the wood gran embossing folder to get the texture.  Then, she cut some leaves from the fall fun dies and tied them onto the pumpkin with linen thread. 

During an open house my mom's group hosted, Michelle created several of these boxes for inspiration.  I think they are too cute not to share.  To be honest, I don't know how she created these boxes.  I just wanted to share in the creative juices. 

I think these Halloween boxes are adorable, and she did such a good job with them.  Also, just because I am in the Halloween mood, I thought I'd show you some of the most adorable trick or treaters around!

Those are my babies!!  Aren't they adorable!!  Happy Halloween everyone!!  Be safe, and come back soon!! 

Halloween Wreath

Hello again!!

If you follow my Instagram, you know that I created a beaded spider.  Well, that was just a teaser for this awesome Halloween wreath I am about to show you. 

I am really into craft kits right now, and Stampin' Up has a lot of them.  AND, they are all super cute.  For my Halloween wreath, I used the Frightful Wreath Simply Created Kit.  It comes with (almost) everything you need to create this adorable wreath.

The only thing it doesn't come with is stamps; however, there is a coordinating stamp set.  To be honest, I did not really enjoy the stamp set that coordinated with it.  I dug around in my collection and found these adorable pumpkins and colored them with my Copic markers. 

However, the cutest part was this adorable spider!  He was made with just wire and beads.  I am so happy with the way he turned out.  I almost didn't put him on here because I thought it was going to be too much work, but I am so glad I did.  He is my favorite part of the wreath!!

All in all, this is a simple, super adorable Halloween wreath. 

It is going to look so cute on my office door!!  I cannot wait for my clients to see it.  I hope ya'll have an awesome rest of the week!!  Happy crafting!!



Halloween Treat Bags

Can you believe I'm posting??

I'm so excited to do my first crafty post of the year.  Believe it or not, I have been (somewhat) crafting, I just haven't posted things to my site.  Hopefully that is going to change.  What actually encouraged me to post was My Pink Stamper.  She is having a challenge where you give your project to someone who needs it.  If you want to join in, go to her website and watch the video, then tag your project to social media with the hastag #mypinkstamperlauraschallenge.  So, here is how my project came to be...

My mom came and visited a couple of weeks ago, and she brought her Paper Pumpkin kit.  I had never heard of paper pumpkin before; however, it was so much fun.  Paper pumpkin is a crafting kit. Each month, you get a new project that includes everything you need to make the project.  It makes crafting easy.  Of course, I looked into the service, loved every project I saw, and signed up.

As a bit of an update, I have been working and sleeping (pretty much); although, I do manage to have a life in there somewhere.  My supervisor, who is my mentor and with whom I am pretty close, has decided to retire.  And, I have been selected to step up into her role.  While I am excited for a new challenge, I am really going to miss her.  While I could go on and on about this, I won't (in this post anyway).  While this is going on, we have had two other staff members decide to resign.  This has been pretty hard on the staff, and we are not a big staff. 

In order to bring a little something positive, I decided to give them Halloween treats!!  These adorable treat bags are PERFECT for the staff!!

These adorable burlap bags hold about six pieces of candy.  EVERYTHING you see came in the Paper Pumpkin pack my mom brought.  You just need a stamping block.  Cute, easy projects get sent right to your door every month.  Who could be upset about that?  

  I hope you like my project and will continue to tune in.  I have lots of crafty things in store!!  Also, for this project I created an Instagram account.  Follow me at allthingscrafty3. 

See ya'll again soon!!!