Christmas Blessings Card CASE

I made this card recently at our November club meeting.  I saw a version nearly exactly like this card on the Papercrafter’s Library and just had to duplicate it using the materials I had!  I loved the sparkle paper and the elegant look from the scalloped tulle ribbon.

The base is Early Espresso and the Very Vanilla mat is embossed using the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.  I used the Apothecary Accents framelit for the main piece and just put all of the pieces together to create the focal point. 

Stamps:  More Merry Messages

Ink:  Early Espresso

Paper:  Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Gold Shimmer paper, Candlelight DSP

Accessories:  Vintage Wallpaper, Apothecary Accents, Scallop trim border punch, Scallop tulle ribbon (Cherry Cobbler)

Guest Designer: Carolyn Manning

Carol, my creative Stampin’ Up demonstrator downline in Williamsburg, Kentucky, sent me this lovely picture of her winter version of her printer’s tray a week or so ago……so I am just now getting around to getting any blog posts done, so I thought today was a great day to share her lovely creation! 

I love the way this version of her printer’s tray can last through February!  By the way, that Snowman set is on sale right now for 50% off!  I love the glittery snowflakes adding just a hint of bling to the tray and the bright and cheerful wintery colors!  It almost makes me hope for some snow….except it’s not December yet, so I’m still enjoying this little bit of warm weather!!!!

Lovely job once again, Carol!  We can’t wait to see your next creations!  Hopefully I won’t be swamped with a birthday party next time! 

Blessings Treat Bags

 

My daughter and I made these little treat bags for the children in her classroom Monday night.  Well, mostly she helped eat the m & m’s! 

I made two batches of the mix and scooped it out with a ladle.  I used the gusseted treat bags for this set of treats.  There were 25 bags, so that was just enough for her class.  I made the cards for this in My Digital Studio and printed them out on Kraft paper.  I tied a Chocolate Chip ribbon around the top and it made the whole process very simple! 

Here is a picture of the card so you can see what it says:

For my recipe I used:

2 cups Bugles

2 cups Pretzels

1 package Candy Corn

1/2 jar of sunflower seeds

1 package dried cranberries

1 package M & M’s

Greetings of the Seasons Class

It is always so much fun giving all of your loved ones hand stamped Christmas cards. The beautiful ornaments found in the Ornament Keepsakes stamp set stand alone to create these amazing festive Christmas cards! 

Date:  Saturday, December 1, 2012
Time:  1:00 p.m.
Cost:  $12
Location:  My home

Please email me to sign up for this class: tvdurham @ me (dot) com

Supplies
• Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes and Greetings of the Season stamp sets
• Ink: Early Espresso, Real Red and Lucky Limeade Classic inks
• Paper: Early Espresso CS, Very Vanilla CS, Real Red CS, Lucky Limeade CS and Candlelight Christmas Specialty DP
• Accessories: Dazzling Dimonds glitter, Real Red 1/8” Taffeta ribbon, 3/4" Circle punch, Scallop Trim Border punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Holiday Ornaments - Framelits dies and the Big Shot

Bug Party Treats

As the children were leaving, we made sure to give each child a treat bag full of buggy goodness!  The treat bags were filled with bug tattoos, bug bands, a finger puppet bug, a bug ring, a bug notepad, and a ladybug paddle/ball.

Babies receieved a large finger puppet and 3 rubber bug duckies.

When they got their bag, they were allowed to pick a sucker and a treat cup as well.

I made 8 of each style - magnifying glasses and ladybugs.  The ladybugs were inspired by several different ideas I saw on Stampin' Connection.  The magnifying glasses were inspired by Becky Roberts.

And just so little brother didn't think he was forgotten, I made him an outfit, too!  I found a WiggleWorm iron on at Hobby Lobby for $1.43 and put it on a onesie I already had!

These little caterpillar pants were perfect to go with it! 

 

Bug Party Activity Stations

For this party, my daughter decided she wanted to have activity stations for all of our guests to participate in if they chose.  I thought it was a great idea, so my thoughts on her plans for birthday parties are pretty much - enjoy her great ideas while I can - she's only young once!  I know one of these days she won't want to have these fun parties!

Stations 1 & 2 were together - Create a bug jar to let a bug live in - I collected and washed the baby food jars her little brother has been eating for the last couple of months for the bug habitats!  (Hello, reusing and FREE!)

Design a bug bag to collect bugs in later on during the party.

And here you can see my daughter's bug jar and bug bag - oh, so lovely!

Notice the real live wooly worm behind that?!  Hmmm....wonder what it is telling us about our  upcoming winter?

Station 3 - Make a Caterpillar

You can see a few of the pom pom caterpillars here - NOTE:  Stampin' Up's adhesive googly eyes STICK TO these pom poms!!!!!  Praise the Lord for not having to glue those things on!  Yes!!!

Station 4 - Decorate a Butterfly

I used die cut butterflies that my mother in law purchased for this activity.  I used the shaving cream technique to decorate them.

 

Shaving Cream Technique

Supplies:  Die cut paper (cardstock works best - Whisper White is great for this!)

Shaving Cream

Re-inkers in various colors

 

1.  Fill a container with shaving cream.

2.  Drop 3-4 colors of re-inker around the top of the shaving cream.

3.  Swirl with a stick or toothpick.

4.  Dip die cut into the shaving cream.

5.  Wipe off with paper towels.

6.  Repeat until desired look is achieved!

Here are several of the children at the activity station making butterflies and caterpillars - notice the bug capes?  They were part of an exploration station below.  They loved chasing each other in those capes!!!  Ah, the joys of being a school teacher with tons of silly props in the closet!  ;)

5.  Exploration Station

In addition to the bug capes, there were several bug books (all from my daughter's library - yes, people, this is what she loves to read at night!)

More of the exploration station - There was a butterfly and a lightning bug jar also.  I found these on clearance - they move around like real bugs when you tap on the top!

6.  Tattoo Station

I believe one of our fearless leaders began receiving tattoos rather than giving them!  Hey, what better way to show off your manhood than with a big huge bug tattoo!??!?

And, at last, the bug hunt!  It was just like Easter here - except the kids got bugs to take home with them!  They LOVED it!!!!

They brought all of their bags back in and poured bugs out all over the table to look at their collection afterwards!  Too funny!

My daughter's bag of bugs.  Cute moment not to be forgotten:

As we were setting up for the party, she looked over at us and said, "I've got all a girl could ever want!"

You just remember that, sweet girl!  We may not have a ton of money to throw huge birthday bashes, but we have a family who loves each other and has fun together!  That is all we could ever ask for!

Bug Day Party Pictures

It's hard to imagine that our little girl is already 6 years old, but that day has come and gone - she is growing up so quickly!  It's funny how when you are this age you think time can't pass quickly enough....as you get older it seems like it passes more quickly each year.  We certainly appreciate our time with our sweet family and children and try to enjoy it as much as possible. 

Here are a few snapshots of the party we had (now that I've crawled out of my crazy business for a few moments!). 

My mom came to the rescue to help me make Halleigh's shirt.  I added the Pink Pirouette ribbon using Patch Attach - very easy to iron on.  I thought the same would be true of the ladybugs, but obviously felt doesn't feel the same way about glue as other materials.  Needless to say, my mom patiently stitched all the ladybugs on by hand while I made the cake! 

THANKS MOM!!!!

And a matching little head band - all supplies came from Hobby Lobby.  Thanks to the genius who invented hot glue guns, that was much easier to make!!!!  I didn't even glue myself thanks to the SU Silicone Sheet.

Here are a few of the food items we prepared - we stuck with the buggy theme for this party - all the way down to the food!

Love my help from Pinterest!

Target clearance special!  Gummy worms in petry dishes - on 75% off sale!  The kids loved them!

Snapshot of the food table...

Caterpillar puffs and Stick Insects

Bug Bites - I just gave them these names - they are the bomb, though!  And so easy!  Little smokies wrapped in a half slice of bacon - you pour brown sugar on top and bake in the oven at 450 until the sugar carmelizes!  YUMMMY! 

Bug Juice - AKA Blue Hawaiian Punch

Peanut Butterflies and Jelly

TIP:  We decided that it would be much easier to cut the bread FIRST with your cookie cutter and THEN add the PB & J.

TA-DA!!!!  Yes!!!!  After 6 years of miserable looking cakes, I finally made a cake that was exactly the way I envisioned it!  Thanks goes out to Pillsbury, Duncan Hines and Wilton for great cake pans, cake mixes and the great new cans of frosting that actually taste pretty good (well, honestly, black is not the greatest taste!)

I'll share some more pics later this week of the activities and party favors, etc.

 

Bug-day Party

If you've been wondering if I fell off the face of the earth, the answer is no!  I have been swiping every possible moment to prepare for my daughter's 6th birthday party!  These darned parties come on so quickly, I tell you!  You blink and they are already in school and the year is nearly half over!  ACK!

Anyway, she wants a bug birthday party this year, so we have been working on an invitation for her upcoming party - that has taken all of my free time....that and countless soccer games this month!  Just sleeping has been a luxury lately!

This was the outside of the card.  Here was the inside of the card:

I made the inside pieces on My Digital Studio and printed them out on Whisper White cardstock.  That part really couldn't have been easier!  With my Simply Score board, scoring the cards strealined the process, so once they were ready, it all came together quickly!

 

Guest Designer: Carolyn Manning - Fall Printer's Tray

My downline and friend, Carol Manning has been showing me just how fantastic she is lately.  Can you believe how gorgeous this printer's tray is?  These printer's trays are certainly THE home decor item to have lately, and I love how you can create inserts that are interchangeable!  I am all about interchangeable home decor! 

As you can see, this set of inserts that she has made could last from late September all the way through the end of November.  Look at all of the fantastic details in each insert!  From the stamping to the multi-colored stamping, the coloring - there are plenty of gorgeous colors to catch your eye!  And then look at how she used her Big Shot and punches to create so many lovely layers - and all of those leaves in the trail above the button - just magnificent!  I know how much work went in to this piece - and she made more than one! 

I don't know about you, but I certainly can't wait to see more inserts!

And just in case you're wondering if there are any great specials....there's an INK-CREDIBLE deal out there this month for hostesses (online purchases count!) as well as new demonstrators - this is a great deal! 

 

Dates: November 1 - December 16, 2012

Promotion Details: Hostesses who hold a minimum $450 party during the promotion period will receive a FREE collection of Classic Stampin Pads--they can choose from Brights, Subtles, or Regals--a $49.95 value! Plus, the free ink is in addition to the regular hostess benefits--INK-redible!

Promotion Details: New demonstrators who join the Stampin' Up! family during the promotion period will received a FREE collection of Classic Stampin Pads--they can choose from Brights, Subtles, or Regals! It's INK-redible!

And, as if that wasn't great enough.....there are free digital downloads and all digital kits are 50% off!!!

What do you get when you combine Digital Scrapbooking Day and My Digital Studio? A week of FREE downloads and 50 percent off ALL digital kits!
What: Three FREE downloads. 50% off ALL digital kits. Mega blogging on MyDigitalStudio.net all week!
When: October 29-November 5, 2012.
Why: To get the word out about My Digital Studio's awesome design program, content, and print products!
Get Your FREE Downloads: (132557 Enjoy Everything Kit , 132562 A Split Second Designer Template Pages and 132558 Days in December Kit-Updated 10/29/12)