Rockin’ Around the Tree

December 16, 20173 Comments

When I’m not playing with paper, I’m making music with 12 incredible young (and young-at-heart) people who inspire me to be a better teacher. This opportunity has molded me into a better pianist myself, but I often want to go back and HUG all my piano teachers for all they endured with me~ I can say with conviction, “THANKS, MOM, for not letting me quit (when it probably would have been easier to let me…)”

That aside, last night we held our Christmas Concert at a local Beehive Home (so it doubled as a service project, too!) and these budding pianists TOTALLY rocked the house:

It’s a privilege for me to help students learn to play the piano and love music. I wanted to create a gift for them that was unique and sentimental to this performance, so I pulled out my papercrafting supplies and used the “Musical Season” stamp set for the purpose I intended: Ornaments! Watermarked1(2017-12-16-1342)

One of the students (Madi) even played “Little Drummer Boy” so it was a perfect gift!

As cute as the front is, the back really carries the message I want them to remember:

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And it’s just as cute in white!

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What could be better? Oh yes…that it also falls under the #tgifc138 Christmas Carol-Inspired Challenge!

This Musical Season bundle is one of the most overlooked treasures in the Holiday Catalog, but will retire at the end of the year (or when supplies are depleted) so make sure to order yours from my store:
Product List

Musical Season Clear-Mount Bundle

[146049]

$42.25

Merry Music Specialty Designer Series Paper

[144623]

$13.00

Silver Foil Sheets

[132178]

$4.00

Emerald Envy 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock

[141415]

$8.00

Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock

[100730]

$9.00

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

$6.00

Simply Scored

[122334]

$30.00

Starburst Punch

[143717]

$18.00

1-3/4″ Circle Punch

[119850]

$18.00

Silver 1/8″ Ribbon

[132137]

$5.00

Big Shot

[143263]

$110.00

Stampin’ Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.00

Golden Anniversary, Plus

October 26, 2017November 4, 2017Leave a comment

My in-laws celebrated 50 years LAST year, but we were able to get the whole family gathered just a few months ago to celebrate!

While they are pretty down-to-earth folk, we wanted to make it fun and festive, so we made these rosettes as decorations. Crafting supplies on hand made it super simple.

These two are unforgettable characters ~ you gotta love ’em ~ and the blue flowers on the cake are symbolic of their two boys being in charge of past cakes. I think the photos sum up their story:

cake

What a way to celebrate! You may be able to figure out who takes after their grandmother (as they are missing from the subsequent photos and setting off the confetti cannon!)

Never a dull moment with this fun family!

5 Ways to Use Fringe Scissors

February 14, 2014April 26, 2017Leave a comment

Welcome to another edition of “5 Ways on Fridays” where you will learn unique and different ways to use a Stampin’ Up! product!

Today we are talking about Fringe Scissors

Certain projects are easier when you have the right tools and this is one of those tools: Every time you squeeze the handles of your fringe scissors together, you are cutting not once, not twice, but FIVE TIMES! Talk about conserving energy 🙂

“What can I do with them besides making grass?” you may be asking yourself. You’ve come to the right place!

1. Fringe scissors make Ombre Fringe cards and tags in a jiffy! For this tag, I used Soft Sky, Pool Party, Coastal Cabana and Island Indigo card stock, along with the new Tag Topper punch:

While you are “fringing”, check out this adorable Fringe Chandelier made by Lauren Elise for the Knotty Bride:

2. Create a crepe paper garland! This tutorial from Yesterday on Tuesday shows a few different styles and hello! This is super fast with your fringe scissors:

3. Flowers or “pom poms” are adorable accents to any project.

Lisa Brown from inkandinspirations shows you how fun and easy these are to make using Stampin’ Up! Crepe Filter Paper:

Thanks Lisa!

4. If you cut across your fringe the opposite way, you end up with CONFETTI!

At Stampin’ Up! Leadership last month, Shelli demonstrated how to create a shaker card using the confetti made with fringe scissors: Cut the corner of a clear envelope to the size you need (in this case, just a smidge taller than the photo frame die cut). Stamp image on top of clear envelope with Stazon, then seal the confetti in with a thin strip of sticky strip. Place behind the die cut and voila! Shake away!

5. A strip of fringe from Designer Series Paper or crepe paper is easy to adhere around a curved object like a basket or hat brim:

Image from Spotted Canary

For these medallions, I just punched two circles and cut in from the edge. I used two because when you cut into the circle, some of the pieces fall off and it’s not perfectly round, so layering them gives the illusion they are still circles 🙂

At just $9.95, these scissors are an awesome addition to your crafting toolbox! Order your Fringe Scissors in my Stampin’ Up! store today and start living on the edge 🙂
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Sisters & Sunshine Jars

March 7, 2013April 26, 2017Leave a comment

These are my sweet sisters, Megan and Mindi:

Hard to believe, huh? Yes, we all have the same parents: But while they got the talents and looks (that beautiful dark skin!), I got the…well, I got the…

…okay, I got the great sisters!

They have been life-savers for me throughout my life (my interior designers, fashion consultants, reality-check, manicurists and wedding planners) and while we love each other more than life itself, sometimes we don’t always see eye to eye, which makes me love this quote:

“If you don’t understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly

and want to wring her neck at the same time,

then you were probably an only child.” ~Linda Sunshine

Remind me to tell you about the “Die a Virgin” incident….but I digress.

Last month was Mindi’s birthday and after all her hard work on the wedding, I wanted to do something really special for her. At a scrapbook retreat, my friend Jennifer F. shared an idea for a “Joy Jar” she made for one of her sisters and I ran with it:

That is the jar. Doesn’t it just bring a smile to your face? I like to think of it as a “Jar of Sunshine” Here’s the top:

Mindi doesn’t fully realize the amount of joy she brings into the lives of others, and I wanted her to get a little taste of what a blessing she has been in my life. And occasionally, the world seems a little dark to her and when she struggles against depression, this jar holds a few ideas of ways to let in the light 🙂

Inside the Sunshine Jar are envelopes with an opportunity to discover JOY:

Sometimes they are opportunities to serve, sometimes they are opportunities to play, occasioanally they are chances to grow and sometimes they are just FOR FUN! Once in a while there is a number on the card and it corresponds to a gift wrapped individually in a bag.

Because Mindi’s husband is the manager of a hotel and they travel ALOT, and never do they stay at less than a 4 star hotel…this luggage tag was one of my favorite coordinating gifts

(in case you can’t read it, it says “I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth…but not to Motel 6”)

Joy Jar Recipe:
All from Stampin’ Up! unless indicated by *asterisk. To order supplies to make your own, click HERE.

Stamps: Feel Goods (Spring Catalog pg 21) and Blue Ribbon (Catalog pg 33)
Ink: Tangerine Tango
Paper: Try Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper (item 125409) Card stock: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight
Etc: Paper Doilies (129399), Calypso Coral Baker’s Twine (122976), Punches: 1-3/8″ Circle (119860) and 1-3/4″ Scallop Circle (119854). Simply Scored Tool (122334) to make the rosette on front. Big Shot (113439) and Scallop Envelope Bigz Die (113462). Wide mouth jar and lid. Ribbon.
Optional: Iridescent Ice embossing powder (101930) and heat tool (129053)

Here are some ideas if you’d like to create your own Joy Jar/Jar of Sunshine, here are a few ideas of opportunities to include inside and as coordinating gifts (and BTW, Mindi, these aren’t necessarily in your jar):

Pay for someone’s order behind you at the drive-through restaurant (include $)
Blow Bubbles (wrap a jar of bubbles)
Read a book to a child
Try a new exercise (dvd, gym trial membership or workout clothing)
Take a flower to a friend just because
Crank up the music and DANCE!
Write 20 things to be happy for in a journal (wrap a new journal)
Listen to classical music for half an hour
Make a fruit smoothie in your blender
Take a drive alone. Park somewhere with a view and thank God for your eyes.
Bake cupcakes (wrap a cake mix, cute cupcake wrappers, frosting & sprinkles) and share some with a friend
Go on a picnic
Share your favorite scripture of JOY
Send a card to a friend
Take out the trash for your neighbor
Give them a reason to practice a talent: Do they paint? Wrap a paintbrush. Play an instrument? Give some music! Craft? Give them a Paper Pumpkin* subscription 🙂 *choose me as your demonstrator!
Plan a party for friends (Murder Mystery Dinner? Minute to Win It?)
Pop Pocorn and watch a movie (wrap popcorn)
Build a fort
Forgive someone
Clean out your purse
Get a pedicure (gift certificate or nail polish)