SOTM MARCH BLOG HOP

Welcome to the Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! This month, featured is March 2011's SOTM, "Sensational Season", D1454. If you have come here from Shirley's Blog, you are on the right path!

Ok, so I want to be the first to say, where did February go? This month flew by and procrastination set in....BIG TIME.....and that's not my style......First thing Saturday, I was like, OMG, what to do for the blog hop and this is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy this month's projects. To continue from here, just click on the link at the end of the post to move to the next one!

The project below is made from a letter E from my local craft store for Easter......



Here are the products I used:

March 2011 SOTM " Sensational Seasons" D1454
"Endless Love" D 1260
Sophia Level 2 paper X7131B
Waxyflax Colonial White Z1081
CTMH Hollyhock Ink Z2128
CTMH Chocolate Ink Z2111
CTMH Hollyhock Ink Z2128
CTMH Pear Ink Z2197
CTMH Blush Z2106
Glitz Glitter Gel Z1313
Pink Assortment Buttons Z1370
Red Assortment Buttons Z1369

Saying is from Cricut cartridge April Showers

The bunnies are paper pieced with sophia level 2 paper




Here is another project I made using March's Stamp of the Month...more of a vintage style.



Here are the products I used:

March 2011 SOTM " Sensational Seasons" D1454
Bliss Level 2 paper X7132B
Waxyflax Colonial White Z1081
CTMH Chocolate Ink Z2111
Basic Assortment Buttons Z1358


Saying is from Cricut cartridge April Showers

The bunnies are colored with an assortment of CTMH markers


Now "Hop" on over to Theresa's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, March's SOTM is only available until March 31, 2011! Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Show & Tell

As promised here are some absolutely wonderful hand made gifts and cards from my friends. These cards were for Valentine's Day and our 6th year wedding anniversary.

First, just love this bouquet of flowers made by my upline Annette Green, check out her blog here for more inspirations.




Next, this wonderful anniversary box was designed by my friend DiAnn, check out her blog here for more inspiration too. What detail....It took DiAnn 2 weeks to make this box.


And, from Christine these great cards, one is a Chinese surprise card for Valentine's day and the love card was for our anniversary.




Thank you so, so much everyone. Hope you enjoy these great projects as much as I do.

Well hello fellow bloggers. Yes I'm still around. Honestly, I had been taking a small mental health break from crafting and was focusing on other areas of my life. Like getting ready to file my taxes......WOW a lot of stuff to get together, a full time job itself, and I'm still not ready. So with nothing of paper crafting to show, I thought I would share with you this cake I decorated for the Valentine Cocktail Party we had on the 11th of February.


The table was decorated with raspberry pastries, chocolate covered strawberries, yummy cookies, hand made chocolate wafers topped with chocolate mousse, mini cheesecake mousse flavored tarts topped with strawberries and blueberries, and more. I also put some mini candles around the table and some mini clear glass hearts, all on this beautiful red table cloth I found at Target on clearance.....A Christmas leftover I think.

Now for the cake.....While on my weekly trip to Walmart and Micheal's, I found these great eatable cake tattoos and said what the heck....Now, I haven't decorated a cake in over 20 years, now showing my age....and I had to get all new decorating items, bags, spatula, decorating tips, and cake pans.... This is a layered cake of white and red velvet mixes. The tattoos are designed for a 6 inch and 8 inch layered cake. So each mixed used one of each pan. While baking I made my homemade icing like grandma makes. The recipe calls for 2 cups crisco, one box powdered sugar (sifted), 3 tablespoons cool water and 2 tablespoons vanilla......sounds fattening doesn't it? But good I must say. Once the cakes have cooled you can start decorating.


The 8 inch and 6 inch cakes are 2 layers one white and the other red velvet. Be sure to cut off the cake tops and dust before you begin the icing. Nothings better than cake toppers with coffee. To smooth out the icing if its not cooperating, just wet the spatula a bit.

Almost done....Now you just need to add the tattoos and decorate the edges of the cake.


Behind the finished cake is a picture of what the sample cake looks like on the packaging. I thought the top looked too simple so I added these handmade chocolate hearts.

Check back later this week for my Show and Tell posts of all the wonderful handmade cards and gifts Todd and I received for our Anniversary and Valentine's day. Have a great weekend.

One More Valentine

Valentine themed Cards Plus Club.....I was so excited about this month's class, I'm so surprised I could keep it in and a secret until class yesterday. My stamping gal pals got a special treat at class, I created this amazingly fun Valentine photo box for my Husband to celebrate our 6th year wedding anniversary....and decided to make this the project for my club gals. What a project indeed. Now, this is definitely a project you would do for a workshop, but I had the need to share.....

Now, there is a lot of stamping, so my recipe will be for the measurements to make a basic kit and you can decorate it your own way. To make it easier at class I made a stamped and color guide for everyone. I believe I used at least 25 stamped images......WOW.

What you will need:

• Ruler and score pal
  
• Bone folder
• Card stock
  
• Assortment of Valentine themed stamps
  
• Craft or X-Acto knife
• Cutting surface
• Pencil
• Scissors
• White glue

For the photo box lid and base you will need a 6.25 x 6.25 piece of card stock. I used CTMH Tulip card stock. Score at .5 and 1 inch. Cut away each corner and one scored section .5 inch pieces to each side of the corner. Then cut a slit at each one inch scored piece up to the next one inch scored piece, fold and glue to make a box lid. I only hope that makes sense....

Then, cut a strip of paper that is 4 inches wide by 12 inches long. You will need three pieces this size. To make the accordion-style pages, score each strip piece at 4 inches and then work from one end to the other, alternating folding back and forth every 4 inches. You should have 9 pages. Now overlap the ends of 2 pieces to the center piece and glue together to make one long accordion strip. This will be used later to glue into the top and bottom of the box.

Here are pages 1, 2 and 3.

Here are pages 4, 5 and 6.

Decorate each pages as you wish and then adhere pages to box lid and base.

Here are close ups of the pages......

Pages 1 and 2....

Pages 3 and 4.....and

Pages 5 and 6. Once decorated you can then decorate the cover and base. First start with the base. I used a 4 x4 piece of Sweetheart B&T paper adhering the ribbon to tie the box together behind the 4x4 piece of paper on the base, then I decorated the cover, when finished your ready to tie it off and give it away, if you can part with it.

We also made the Valentine Tag I posted on my February 1 post for the SOTM Blog Hop. Check it out, what a neat way to use a stamp set to create your own background paper.

Then, I needed one more project and it needed to be a quick idea, so I went blog searching and found this wonderful Hershey Kiss treat holder.

To make this project cut a piece of card stock 4 inches by 5 3/4 inches. On 4” side, score at 1/2”, then at 1 3/4”, and then at 2 3/4”. Glue the kisses to the one inch section. Then adhere the 1 1/4” flap to the 1/2” flap and embellish as desired. This project holds 6 kisses.

Check out Shannon Murdock's Blog and see her amazing work and her treat holder idea.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

Love is in the air everywhere. Amazing how the Christmas decorations aren't off the shelves at the stores and the Valentine decorations are up, and then on sale the very next week. Now, for those of you who know me personally, you will know that I not a person of many words, but I most definitely make up for it in decorating my home and with as many embellishments as I can fit on one project. I just absolutely love the bling in life. With that being said, I wanted to share with you my Valentine Tree. This little tree, a deal for $39.99 has been on my kitchen counter for the past 5 years. Its the perfect size and is decorated each month for every occasion that comes up.


Speaking of decorations, I fell head over heals for these little ornaments I found at JoAnn's. They look like miniature chocolate candies. I also found this wonderful tiny clear and red heart garland at Hobby Lobby and I topped it off with some black tulle.

Have a great weekend everyone.