Festival of Trees Votive Box and Matching Card

We all need little gifts to hand out during the holidays.  This votive holder is easy to assemble using the Envelope Punch Board.  It makes a great teachers gift, hostess gift, or thoughtful handmade gift for anyone.  The coordinating tent card and envelope add just the right touch.





This gift ensemble was designed by Laurie.   To get the instructions for making this project, go to Craft Project Central.

Recycled Glass Bottles

Create three holiday gifts by recycling Starbuck's drink bottles.  This tutorial will demonstrate three unique gift ideas with festive decorations.  The gifts are sure to be a perfect fit for some of the names on your list!

This project is designed by Regina Andari.  You can find the tutorial at Craft Project Central.

Autumn Leaves for MDS Monday Challenge

It's past my bedtime but I wanted to do my page for MDS Monday before the Saturday deadline!  We returned to DC from our New York trip on Tuesday.  I ended up staying an extra couple of days with Ashley.  I was supposed to fly back Wednesday evening but I got a call from US Air around 4 pm while Ashley and I were walking around this beautiful nature walk that is right off post that my plane would be leaving at 9:30 instead of 8 pm!  BUT I was supposed to arrive at the airport at 7 just in case they got everything going and left earlier!  I really didn't want to sit around the airport for 2 1/2 hours!  So after our walk, I contacted US Air and got a flight out on Thursday afternoon which worked out just fine.  I got an extra day to visit with Ashley and got home before the big cold front hit.

The challenge this week was to use a cluster of embellishments, stamps, etc. at the top left and bottom right of the page.  I thought these fall leaves were just perfect for these beautiful fall pictures.

Here is the sketch:  You can check out the entries at MDS Monday.


Here are my supplies:

Background
     Designer Series Paper\Distressed\Soft Suede Distressed

Embellishments
    _Designer Kits\Downtown Grunge - embellishments\Downtown Grunge - frame3
    _Designer Kits\Downtown Grunge - embellishments\Downtown Grunge - frame3
    _Designer Kits\Downtown Grunge - embellishments\Downtown Grunge - frame3
    _Designer Kits\Downtown Grunge - embellishments\Downtown Grunge - frame3
    _Designer Kits\Downtown Grunge - embellishments\Downtown Grunge - frame3

Stamps
    Lovely as a Tree\Lovely As a Tree - oak leaves, Color = MORE MUSTARD 212,161,80
    Lovely as a Tree\Lovely As a Tree - oak leaves, Color = MORE MUSTARD 212,161,80
    Lovely as a Tree\Lovely As a Tree - oak leaves, Color = MORE MUSTARD 212,161,80
    _Designer Kits\Grateful Heart Thanksgiving\Grateful Heart Thanksgiving - autumn leaves, Color = EARLY ESPRESSO    

Trio of Trees Holiday Gift Display

I've been out of town for a week and while I was without computer access, I missed posting a lot of the Craft Project Central projects!  We can't have that so now I need to catch up.  I love the projects that have been posted and I'm sure you will too!

This sweet Trio of Trees Holiday Gift Display comes together quickly and uses just one package of DSP.  Plus, with the leftover DSP pieces, you'll be able to add a bunch more custom little gift boxes - they're fun and addicting to make.  You can frame the card to make a great mantle display, or use it as it's displayed for a special gift to give someone!



This great project is designed by Julie Beltramo.  Her complete tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.

Fall is Beautiful

Well I am still in DC . My plane was delayed about two hours last night but luckily they called me late in the afternoon to let me know so I called USAir and nothing was available for me to fly out last night & not have to wait at the airport forever so they booked me on a flight leaving this afternoon and arriving in Charlotte around 5 o'clock . We had a great time in New York City and I will be posting lots of pictures .  For now here are couple of pictures I took yesterday whiile we were back here in Virginia

 It was a beautiful fall day here yesterday. When Ashley got out of class we took advantage of the weather and the beautiful fall foliage and took a nature walk here on the base.

 Isn't fall beautiful?!  I love this time of the year . Although today it is turning cold.  Hopefully I will be home before the big freeze hits

Merry Christmas - MDS Style!

Each month, as well as having great 3D projects, Craft Project Central has a card sketch challenge.  You know, I love sketch challenges!  This month's card sketch is below and here is my card I created using My Digital Studio.

My card uses elements from the Hello December Project Life download!!

For every ten cards submitted, they pick one winner of a free month subscription on Craft Project Central! The winner(s) will get to select the month of their choice!  *If the project designers submit a card for your inspiration, they won’t be in the winner random-selection pool, but their cards will count towards the “for every 10 cards submitted winner total”.

For more information, go to Craft Project Central HERE.

MDS Monday Stripes Challenge

I took time today to do the sketch for MDS Monday.  I took a few pictures while Margaret and Graham were here and decided to incorporate them into the challenge.  Of course, all the pictures are taken at a bar!  What does that say about us???  Never mind - don't think I want to know!  Monday we all went to Horsefeathers for dinner and I got the waitress to snap a picture of all of us.  Wednesday Margaret and I went to the Newcomers meeting.  We had a guest speaker talking about Service Dogs.  I didn't realize how expensive they are!  The girl told us the cost of the dog, training, etc. can run between $20,000 - 30,000!  Wow!  After our meeting, we met a group for lunch at a new restaurant in Mooresville, Pic-Nik.  It was really good and Sonny and I will be going back again.  Then we did a little shopping - Hobby Lobby, Stampers Alley, Kohl's Ulta .....  We were ready to head home around 5:00 and decided to let the traffic die down and pop into Duckworth's for a couple of drinks and dinner (which we took home and ate).  The guys are headed home today and I have made a Tortilla Soup for dinner.  Tomorrow Sonny will take us to the airport - me flying to DC to meet Ashley and head on up to New York City for a few days and Margaret and Graham heading back to Texas.  

I was excited to once again have my MDS Monday page chosen last week.  You can see it HERE.

Here is this week's challenge to use stripes.  I used a piece of striped DSP from the All Time Fave kit and cropped it several times to get individual different colored stripes which I put behind the pictures.

Embellishments
    WASHI TAPE\Nobody's Business - gray tape
    WASHI TAPE\This And That Retro Fresh Washi Tape - washi tape 1
    WASHI TAPE\This And That Retro Fresh Washi Tape - washi tape 2
    WASHI TAPE\Merry Delightful Digital Tape 5 - sahara sand (re-colored) Color = BLACKBERRY BLISS
    Designer Kits\Convention 2013 - embellishments\Convention 2013 - awesome friends (re-colored)

Stamps
    Splatters\Ink Splatters\Ink Splatter 6,
    Splatters\Ink Splatters\Ink Splatter 6
    Friend by Definition\Friend by Definition
    _Designer Kits\Blossoms Abound\Blossoms Abound - friendship,
    Friendly Words\Friendly Words - friendship is the only cement,
    _Designer Kits\Blossoms Abound\Blossoms Abound - friendship,

Photos
    Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\All Time Fave - designer series paper\All Time Fave - 4
    Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\All Time Fave - designer series paper\All Time Fave - 3
    Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\All Time Fave - designer series paper\All Time Fave - 11

 

Craft Project Central Mix and Match Boxes

Lots to share with you today.  But first I want to share with you the second project for this month from Craft Project Central designed by Yapha Mason.  You can find the instructions at Craft Project Central.

This festive holiday packaging includes four different size square boxes along with four gift tags that can be mixed and matched.  Using shades of blue and silver, there are options for both Hanukkah and Christmas, with designs that will work for either one.  The project also includes instructions for two square holiday cards as well.


Friday night I dressed up for Halloween.  We went over to some neighbors and sat out in their cul-de-sac with a fire going roasting marshmallows and eating Halloween candy as we passed it out to the trick-or-treaters.  We had a couple of hours of visiting before the rain forced everyone inside.  Sonny and drove in to Mooresville where we were supposed to go to party but Sonny didn't want to go so we ended up at Duckworth's instead.

Sunday night we cheerfully cheered on our Steelers!  Again, another great game and records broken. For the second straight week, Ben Roethlisberger is a nominee for the FedEx Player of the Week!

Monday our Texas friends, Margaret and Graham, arrived.  Sonny and Graham left early this morning to go to S.C. skeet shooting with a group of Golden Boys.  So Margaret and I will be crafting away for a couple of days!

Count Your Blessings Table Decor

Take time to count your blessings during the upcoming holiday season!  This set includes a blessings bank, gratitude cards to fill out and insert into the bank, place cards to gather blessings from your guests, and a blessings list that your guests can fill in and take home with them.  This set can be used to adorn your holiday table or you can use the box, gratitude cards, and lists as a way to remind yourself how blessed you truly are each and every day!



This ensemble, designed by Michelle Wecksler begins the November edition of great project tutorials at Craft Project Central.

Paradise Found for MDS Monday

I had fun doing my page this week for MDS Monday!  The theme was to follow the sketch (below) and make it PLAYFUL and COLORFUL!  Well, if you know anything about me, you know I love color!  I am not one that wears dull clothes .... or if I do have on black, I usually have a pop of color somewhere!  I like bright colors and my wardrobe and my cards are a testament to this!

I decided that the pictures that would look the best with the challenge would be my Hawaii pictures.  I visited Hawaii in 2005 (I think) and 2008 with Ashley.  Well, finding those pictures turned out to be a challenge since back then, I printed most of my pictures from my camera.  But, I forgot I had saved them on Shutterfly so I was able to access them.  If you have never been to Hawaii, you have missed a beautiful place.  The flowers there are the most gorgeous I have seen.

This page was so easy to do.  I used a pre-made template and just dropped the pictures in.  The background is from the download kit called Paradise Found and I just recolored it to Turquoise.  With all the beautiful pictures on the page, I didn't think embellishments were really needed.  I added the flower behind the text and the Hawaiian girl (from the same kit).  The title (Hawaii) is actually a punch called Smitten Alphabet that I love.  I use it a lot.

SKETCH

The first time we went, Ashley had just had eye surgery but she thought she was "good to go."  Well, the day after we were there, she had problems with one eye so we had to go to the Army hospital to get her taken care of.  A few days later when we went to Maui, she had problems with the other eye so we had to find an eye doctor in town.  She ended up wearing dark glasses during the whole trip!  So, it is pretty easy to tell which pictures are from the first trip and which are from the second!!

 Here are a few pictures from the trips.

If you watch Hawaii 5-0, this building is their headquarters and is seen in most episodes.

Ashley enjoying a fruity drink - 2008

Ashley & I at the luau.  It was dark so no glasses!

USS Arizona Memorial

Ashley reading the names at the Pearl Harbor Memorial (USS Arizona)

USS Arizona

sunset

Ready for the luau!