Life and Times of a Busy Mom

Quick update - it is absolutely freezing here. We needed out winter coats today. But is it still the happiest place on earth!!!!

Quick update - it is absolutely FREEZING here!!! We needed winter coats today. So much for sunny Florida!

But it is the happiest place on earth!!!

Is it Spring yet?

I have been in quite a card and scrapping funk.  I thought maybe some pretty pastel cards would shake things up a bit.  Here are a couple of cards with truly "hopeful" sentiments.  I really want this snow to leave so we can start to enjoy spring.  I used a sketch over at splitcoaststampers.com - sketch SC166.  The paper is Making Memories.  Can't remember where I got the stamp.

Great ideas for your Cuddlebug folders

Okay I know a bunch of you got cuddlebugs recently or you have been bit by the bug for a long time.  While I don't have the cuddlebug machine, I use the embossing folders in my sizzix bigkick.  It works just fine. 

I thought I would share some great uses of the cuddlebug embossing templates.  I used the swirls to make my valentine cards.

Here are a couple of wonderful examples, I have seen on the blogsphere

I love the way Lynn from The Queen's Scene uses the swirls to imply the steaming cup of coffee  http://thequeensscene.blogspot.com/   Definitely look around this blog, there are other great examples.

Here is another neat one from Inky Doodles where she cut out a small window.  It is very cute as well. 

I absolutely adore this snowman stamp on the snowflake embossed paper by Melissa at Ink-clinations. 

Another great tutorial/experiment on inking both the embossing folder or the final embossed paper at Stampalicioius

And if all of that isn't good enough why not try this tutorial at Craftaholics Anonymous for glittering up your embossing folder.  I am trying this one!

Don't have a machine - here is a tutorial for how to use a rolling pin to emboss at All that Scraps.  I have tried it and it does work. 

Treat Box

While my son was at the dentist last night I went to the Bulk Barn and bought this. 

Please excuse the irony of shopping for candy while paying for the dentist to make sure my kid had clean teeth (bad mom).  But Valentine Day is coming up and I wanted to get a headstart on the little gifts for people.  My mom is coming from Alberta this weekend and I want to send a few things home with her for all my nieces and nephews. 

My friend Michelle gave me this cute little box a few weeks ago.   I immediately took it apart to figure out how she had done it.  I am going to use this little box to put all those goodies in for family valentine hand outs.

Here is a few shots in case you want to make some yourself.  The best of these  . . . NO GLUE is required.  They are quick and easy!

Basically cut a piece of CS twice as long as wide.  In this case I have used 4X8 (actually I used 4X8 1/2 because I was too lazy to make that extra cut.)  Stamp as you like or use a thick piece of pattern paper or designer paper.

Score in half along the long side.  Then score again from the fold to the centre of the top edge (in this case 2" in) along all four edges.  You will have created a triangle in the centre.  See the photo to see what I mean.

   Punch four small holes as shown.

Fold up from the centre, pushing in the scored edged until the hole match up.

 

Use ribbon or fibre to secure the box, threading through the holes.  I am cheating and using red twist ties.  (20 boys in my son's class and another dozen on the hockey team won't really care if there is pretty ribbon!)

Try this in any size you like.  The box from a 6 X 12 piece of CS is a nice size for adding a gift.  It is pretty big for candy unless you have a really sweet tooth.

Have fun!

More Valentine's Day cards

Okay here are a couple more.  Again they are very simple but I didn't want to gush up and go overboard on Valentine's cards.  These will be for teachers and other folks at school.

Valentine's Day Cards

I have made a few cards for Valentine's Day using my Cuddlebug embossing folders.  I thought the swirls would be a nice background for a few simple stamped sentiments.  They are pretty simple pink or red with white and black.  The stamps are from Inkadinkado, which I picked up these stamps at Tomorrow's Treasures in Brockville, Ont. 

The most fabulous make and take!!!

I have joined a group of scrappers that get together once a month. We had a hoot last Sunday.  Scrapping with friends, chatting and gossiping and sharing stuff is sssssssooooooo much fun.  On top of it this month we were spoiled by Angie the owner of the new SB store in town - http://www.tomorrowstreasures.ca/index.asp.  She also owns stores in Brockville (I visited it while there for a hockey tournament - it's great) and in Smith Falls.  Once of her instructors Stephanie is a scrapping buddy.  Check out her blog her LOs are ABSOLUTELY fabulous!  Anyway she taught a make and take and it was without a doubt THE best make and take ever.  She had prepared everything and it was so easy to assemble this gorgeous box. I added a photo of my guys.  It will make a wonderful treasure box.  The brown and teal color combo is just gorgeous.  Thanks Angie and Stephanie!

A Batch of Christmas cards

Here are a batch of Christmas cards I just finished.  I am trying to get a headstart on next year.  This stamp is from Pink Cactus.  I got it at a scrapbook store a couple of years ago but just finally got around to using it.  I quite like it.  I used a pearl embossing powder so the effect is quite subtle IRL.

SC157

I am posting my first ever splitcoaststampers card  (I used this sketch).  I have completed a few others, but this is the first one I am sharing with the world.  And I must confess that I really like it.  To be honest, I CASEd it from this wonderful card.  I used my new SU stamps - True Friends and some scraps of Basic Grey - Blizten and Infuse.   I may post it in their gallery or not.  I just troll there for all the great ideas.