Holiday Treat Caramel Bags

I ordered these Paper Trey frosted bags when they first came out not having any idea what I was going to do with them. In the last couple of years, I've kind of become known for making homemade caramels at Christmas time. Well little did I know that these little bags would end up making the perfect caramel holder! I used white Staz On ink to stamp the snowflakes right on the bags and then the Holidays Treats set and the oval scallop punch made the perfect quick gift! I gave these little bags to teachers, religious education teachers, the bus driver, and a number of other people. Nicole Heady is genius!!!!!!

Bold Brights Snowflake gift set

Well, I need to post my last couple pics of holiday things that I made before the new year starts. I found these super cute cups at Target and immediately knew they would be some sort of gift for my upline Kristin. For those of you that read this and know Kristin, these cups scream her name: she loves anything to do with the bold brights family, they sparkle (like her personality), and they are just plain "FUN!". I ended up filling them with homemade caramels.
But, the funnest part was making a card to match. The Snowburst set out of the holiday mini almost perfectly matched the snowflakes on the glasses. Never in a million years would I have used this many colors, let alone bold brights, to make a snowflake card, but it worked out great. I used the diamond dust technique to finish it off. Super sparkly in person!

With Gratitude

Unbelievable that I haven't posted for 2 weeks. I've decided my life is way busier than I thought it was, and this time of year is just crazy!

Anyway here's an altered gratitude journal. I highly recommend a book named Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach. It's a daybook that teaches you the importance of having gratitude in you life. Some days it is a struggle, but it does change your outlook when you take time each day to find things to be grateful for.
That being said, I made this journal to jot down my daily gratitudes down in for the new year.First off is the journal I bought. It was $2.49 at Kmart. It's a Mead hardcover notebook that actually didn't look to bad on it's own. The hard surface makes it perfect for altering.
Next I cut down a piece of chocolate chip paper to the right size. I used Paper Trey's Spiral Boquet set and began by stamping with Ballet Blue craft ink.
Next I covered with white craft ink using the outlining image from this set, along with smaller coordinating stamp.
Here is journal finished, with that piece of paper attached, and a piece of Martha Stewarts decorative tape (ribbon) running down the seam of the paper. I also attached a long piece of brown ribbon to the binding using a piece from the Hodgepodge Hardware kit. Along the bottom I stung on some beads from the Pretties kit.
This is just the inside so you could get a better look at the ribbon and the beading to make the pretty page marker.

If I don't get to posting, a very Merry Christmas to all of you who stop to check and see what I am up to.

Kat

Fresh Baked Treats

Last Saturday was our church's Christmas bizarre/raffle. They asked all the "ladies" of the parish to make treats and you could donate to the craft table as well. So I made two different kinds of Peppermint cookies and I found 20 (yes 20)un-used Christmas cards from last year to and packaged them in groups of 5 for the craft table. Paper Trey's Holiday Treats set was the perfect thing for this! And those window coffee bags-TOO perfect for something like this. I had some extra jingle bells floating around and tied them on with Stampin' Up ribbon.
These are just the extra's and both of these recipes are TO DIE for! Here they are:

Peppermint Melt-aways

1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 cup butter (I used margarine)
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 c. cornstarch (yes...really...)

Glaze:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp softened butter
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
1-2 tbsp milk
food coloring to color frosting pink-red

crushed candy canes for the top (4-5 of them is probably enough)

Combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter, and peppermint. Beat until creamy. Lower speed and and flour and cornstarch. Beat until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate until firm (30-60 minutes).


Heat oven to 350. Shape into 1" balls. Slightly flatten. Bake 12-15 minutes. Let stand one minute. Remove from cookie sheet, cool completely.

Combine glaze ingredients. (I made mine more like frosting, not putting in as much milk, the original recipe is more glaze like.) Sprinkle immediately with crushed candy canes.



For Peppermint Snowballs click here.

Enjoy all!

Wish me luck, I gutting, repainting, redecorating, reorganizing my stamping "studio" this weekend!

"BELIEVE" in Santa?

Every year, my mom, sister and I get together and take a day to make Christmas cards. Last Monday was our day to create this year and I had to share with you my favorite card from this years creations. It uses the Santa from Paper Trey's Believe set. I used the Diamond Dust technique were the whole piece of paper the Santa is on is covered in Versamark and then sprinkled with Iridescent Ice and heat set. The Believe on the bottom was stamped in versamark and heat set with Iridescent Ice as well. He's really sparkly and pretty in person. I think the whole day I used Paper Trey sets-bad Stampin' Up demo, bad Stampin' Up demo!!
Have a good Monday all!!!

Stamp Camp projects

In my previous post I talked about my great stamp camp gathering and I wanted to make sure I shared the projects with you from that great day, so here you go:

First up is a cute little Christmas organizer using the Stampin' Up wrapping paper. There are many different variations on this same kind of idea, but this is a organizer version of it.
Here it is unfolded, with all the fun little pockets on the inside. It's cute all finished, but with my spending habits I would need one that is twice as big.
Next is one of the paper ornaments that are floating all over the blogging world. The dashing papers do make a gorgeous ornament. It's made by cutting a 12x12 piece in half so it is 6x12. Then cut into one inche strips so that you have 12 1 inch pieces. Layer, and punch holes at both ends and string ribbon through, tieing knots to pull it tight.
Here is an adorable little snowman card, again using the wrapping paper out of the Holiday mini.
Here is a cute little treat cup using the wintergreen paper. Amazing how many kissed these little 3oz. cups can hold!
And last but not least is my favorite of all our projects. This a a great little gift card holder using the 5 in 1 card template as a guide. The flap is held together using the cute little mini library clips, LOVE THAT!
Here is the inside of the card with slit punches on either side to put the gift card in.
Hmmm...maybe I should make this into a tutorial....anyone interested?

Have a good weekend, stay safe if you are in my part of the country...6-8 inches of snow headed my way with ice and rain too. YUCK! And I work all weekend, I may just be sleeping at the hospital! One of you Florida girl needs to tell me about how great it is there so I have something to think of!

Altered index card box

So, I've been in this kind of creative slump for over a month now, just no real mojo. Let me tell you, there is nothing like being with stamping friends to get ya going again. We had stamp camp this weekend, 4 other demo friends and I bring our customers together and have them make 5 projects, win door prizes, enjoy treats, and we provide demonstrations for them. SO GOOD TO BE WITH MY CREATIVE FRIENDS, and to share our customers. This is the 9th stamp camp we've held, and I feel like I know my other demo friends customers as well. It's kind of become family. So thanks to all my friends, demos' and customers alike, for helping me get excited about stamping again!!! Tomorrow I'll show you all our projects!
This is a little project I had made for my friend Kristin (and my upline) who returned to teaching this year after being away for awhile. I got these plastic index card boxes at Target when all the school supplies were on sale, for $.33. I simply recovered the outside with paper from the Primary Colors simply scrappin' kit. I used the 1/2" circle punch to make a hole for the snap on the front. I adhered it using sticky strip.
This is the inside. The double sided paper is so neat, then you get the inside texture as well. I used the round tab punch to recover the dividers and added some index cards for her. I figured she could use is for keeping track of something in her classroom.
These have enless possiblities: recipe box, hostess contact information, Christmas card addresses, etc.
I know they sell them at Walmart too in the office isle for cheap. And with a Simply Scrappin kit-easy as pie!
Happy Monday!

Card Challenge

This card is from Beate's last card challenge. I used a set called Holiday Wishes from Inkadinkadoo, one of the one's I bought at Archivers. The ribbon I bought at Target's dollar spot. I'm not totally crazy about the card myself, but's it's okay.
Happy Tuesday all!
Recipe:
Paper: Old Olive, Eggplant Envy, Designer Brocade Background
Sets: Inkadinkadoo's Holiday Wishes
Accessories: Dollar Spot Ribbon

Non Traditional Christmas

Boy do I miss all my blogging!!! Well I did get to stamp last Friday, but unfortunately I had to work all weekend and didn't get anything uploaded until today. I think I will have a project for you each day this week, YEAH!.
Today's card is kind of a fun non traditional Christmas card. I used the Snow Burst set from the Holiday mini catalog. The inspiration for the layout is from a card found on page 32 of the catalog using the Simple Snowman set-just MY version of it. This is a case where the paper piercing really makes this card!
Thanks for not forgetting about me.
Recipe:
Paper: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Rose Red
Ink: Same as paper
Sets: Snow Burst, everyday flexible phrases
Accessories: Giga scallop punch, paper piercing tool, 1 1/4 circle punch, celery ribbon

Totally unrelated

Hi ladies! I sure am having a hard time dedicating much time to the computer lately. I have no idea how some of you do it, a project every day and time to check every one elses out. I kept that pace up in the beginning but is getting harder and harder. Plus I feel like I've kind of hit this creative block!
I'm very excited to report that I will soon be redoing my craft room!!! Maybe that will help. I just bought a desk from Pier 1 imports and my sister and I made a quick trip up to IKEA last week to look for additional "stuff", this week I need to find a new paint color and curtains to cover my closet doors. Then I just need the time to do it all. Kind of wish I could just wiggle my nose and have it all be done.
When sis and I went up to IKEA, we had to make a quick run across the street to the Mall of America were there is an Archiver's store. We had 45 minutes to run around in there. Thought I'd show you my loot.And I actually stamped something this weekend. I made this card for my niece's 14th birthday. The "u rock", is embossed with black embossing powder and was pretty cool. Then just some stick on rhinestones. Simple, but teenagerish. She liked it. I made a bottle to go with it that had money for flowers sticking out of it, but all my pictures of that were awful, so you just get the card.
Happy creating all!
Kat

I DID IT!!!

So today I want to share with you one of my proudest accomplishments to date. I ran my first ever 5k on Saturday morning. Here this is me running..... and this is me crossing the finish line...what you don't see the picture...really...that's because THERE ISN'T one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GRRRRRR!!!! Okay, complaining first. DH...well...lets just say...not a "techy" guy. He's more of the manly hunter, gatherer type. I'm sure there are more just like me out there, with the husband that doesn't have anything to do with any of the camera equipment, VCR's, DVD's, i pods, etc. It's fine most of the time, it just means that rarely am I in a picture, because I'm the one always taking the picture, and if I am chances are it's blurry or my head is missing. I just wanted to picture to document this personal milestone, so I gave one of the 3 digital cameras we have to my 8 year old (totally "techy by the way). I left the rechargable batteries charging with instructions to DH to grab them before they left and put them in the camera, then Joey would be able to take pictures and even run the movie mode. (Sad, that I counted on the son for this, anyway...) Well, of course, that didn't happen, but I had a back up plan. I had given DH the small little digital camera that just runs on an internal memory and charges with a USB cable, just in case. And he did take pictures-but then left the camera on in his JEEP while he went fishing in the afternoon and if the camera loses power it wipes out the pictures.
So, lets just imagine this:
Okay picture a 5' 10" woman, long brown hair, running her guts out to the finish...okay, that was the chick that won. Now let's picture me, about 15 minutes after that insane woman crossed the line... 5'5", huffin' and a puffin', pink baseball cap on, face beat red and sweaty, i POD in ears for motivation, convincing herself internally to not give up and get there. Okay that was me.
Truly, if you are runner and you are reading this, your thinking, what's the big deal? True, very true. But huge for me. I had always been athletic, but never a runner. I ran because it was part of my training for volleyball (yes, I was a POWERHOUSE at 5'5"-STOP LAUGHING!), and various other sports, but I never considered myself a runner. But, I like many other women, fell into the mommy phase of life and put on 25 pounds, and forgot about myself for a few years. Well, I'm back and trying to figure out how I fit into this world at just shy of 35 years of life. So I started running. I found this great place called the Running Room, that offered a LEARN TO RUN class, and 10 weeks later-a 5K completed. No, I didn't run the whole thing, but I finished. And truth be told, looking up at the last 20 yards and seeing DH and my two boys cheering for me was truly priceless, I did win in my book. And in DH's defense he left me flowers and a note saying how proud he was of me on my car seat after the race. Tears in my eyes thinking about it (totally not his style by the way-that was huge for him!) Thanks for sticking with this entry and reading the whole thing.
BOSTON MARATHON here I come!!! (((((laughing HYSTERICALLY)))))))

Folded place card

I spent yesterday perfecting this project for you guys. If you could only see all the abandoned versions of this project. I originally got a card in a swap last year using this fold, and I always thought it would look so cute modified down to a place card for the holidays. Well I finally got around to doing it. So here we go!Start with a piece of paper that is 5 1/2"x 3".
On the long side you will score at 1 1/2" and 2 1/2", and 1 1/2" on the short side. In my picture a used a pen to highlight the scores. Now you need to make two diagonal scores in the one inch strip in the middle. (I don't know how to explain those in words, you need to look at the picture.)
Now loosen up all your scores by folding them. Fold your diagonal folds so make a mountain fold.
I hope I can explain this right, I'm a visual learner so I tried to make pictures to accommodate those of you like me. You will take those mountain folds and push the peak up toward the front of the paper.
This is just another view of the same thing. It is just the side view to help you see what you should be doing. After this you should fold the front squares back to form your place card.
This is the place card finished for a Thanksgiving theme.
Here I opened it up just a little bit so you could see the "Gratitude" stamp from Define you Life.
Here is just a top view so you can see how it will sit when it is opened. A neat little dimensional project. I embossed my leaf with clear embossing powder to give it a little dimension too. I hope you could follow the directions. It really is an easy project, you just have to do those folds once and say "oh I get it". Let me know if you make one!!!

"Making" up for lost time

Hi ladies!!!! Well I finally found some time to stamp last Friday. Unfortunately we seem to be having a baby boom at work and the weekend was CRAZY!!! I went to work at 2am on Saturday morning and didn't get back home until 8:15pm. Luckily it settled down and I just had to do a regular shift on Sunday. Anyway, I have 5 cards to share with you, I'm trying to make up some lost posting time!!!First (and second) are cards using Beate's weekend challenge layout. I don't even remember the last time I actually sat down and did a challenge. I used Paper Trey Beautiful Blooms set that was released last month. Those sets from Paper Trey are so much fun to work with.
Second is another of the same layout from Beate, but I used Paper Trey's Believe set for this one. I don't know that the picture does my sparkly tree justice, but the tree was embossed with black powder, then I watercolored it with my watercolor crayons, and then added red glitter and heat set again. It's really pretty in person.
Here is the Santa from the Believe set. I went for a non traditional Santa here. His "outfit" is cut out of Wintergreen designer paper from Stampin' Up. I watercolored in Sage Shadow around him but the picture didn't pick that up to great.
This is my first My Favorite Things set that I have ever bought, and can I just say, "oh, great, ANOTHER place to spend my money." I think they captured the spirit of the breast cancer fight so beautifully with these images. I went away from the traditional pink with this one and went with Groovy Guava as a main color. I really like how it turned out!
At last but not least, this was supposed to look like snapshots of different women all in a row. I think I'm happy with how it turned out. This Think Pink set is really fun!
Take care, I think I'm headed back to my "studio".

Wanted!--Time to Stamp!

Can you believe it???? I finally-after all this time, get to my blog, and I can't upload a picture. I haven't surfed this morning but I'm assuming this is everyone's problem as I got a box that said they are working on fixing it!
Well, yes I am okay, Nick and I were on vacation to Vegas-our first vacation without kids since our honeymoon. We celebrated our 10 year anniversary last month and this is part of our present to each other. We had a great time, and I came home with $450 in winnings-can you say "NEW STAMPS?" I'm going to have a couple of days to myself on Thursday and Friday and I plan to make some new stuff.
Clearly October has been a rough posting month for me, don't forget about me, I'll be back with vigor soon!!!

It's all personal

Well girls, it's all personal stuff today, so if you don't like fluff, check back tomorrow. First of all thanks to Flossie who helped me change my background color, I'm still working on template thing.

Next, make sure you stop and see Corie and leave her a comment on going Pink for October, she will donate a dollar for every comment she receives (up to $100)to the Susan G. Komen foundation.

Here's some pictures from a few weeks ago when my sister and I drove BMW's to raise money for the Susan G. Komen foundation.
True, it was tough job, but somebody has to do it.
It was a gorgeous day, and you can't get better than this as a way to donate!
Next are my hummingbirds, which have been so much fun to have around this summer.
As they start to get ready to head south all they do is feed and fight. It was crazy in the back yard some days. This little female did take some breaks and rest on my deck.
They get VERY territorial and I happened to be lucky enough to catch this male dive bombing this female.
And last, but not least is my little Ozzie. If you've been following my blog, you know I got him in April at 9 weeks old. He is a Shih Tzu, and was in desperate need of a haircut. We started calling him cousin IT. Well, this is him before....
And this is him after. Doesn't that picture just crack you up??? It does me. Thankfully he doesn't have the underbite all the time. Took a little bit to adjust to the "new" dog again. My son got off the bus and said, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO OZZIE????"
Thanks for stopping. Wow, it's been some crazy weeks!

I'm Back!

Hey girls, can you believe it's been 12 days since I last posted? I can't!!! The duties of wife, mother, labor and delivery nurse, took over I guess. Doesn't it suck when real life gets in the way of stamping? Well, I'm hoping to get to my stamping room today, but in the mean time, her are some of my favorite cards from my card class last week. I'm also trying to figure out how to download my own custom template so I can have a pink website for October. (You have NO IDEA how huge this will be if I can do it. I help small humans come out of vagina's---way on the opposite side of the technology spectum. I tried reading the one blogger help topic on doing, let's just say--- HUH???) Hope you are all well!!!

Spooky Sweets Candy Cup Tutorial

Finally, a new tutorial!!!!! So this is another inspiration that I took out of convention this year. These little candy cups are so cute and fairly simple to make. The first one takes the longest just to establish the the template, after that it's quick easy production. (Let me just say before you start looking, I realized that I have a couple of fussy pictures and I TOTALLY apologize. They looked okay on my little screen, but then when I edited-not so great. You'll get the idea, as they are kind of non-essential ones, but just wanted to apologize.)Alright, start with your Dixie cup. I think mine are 5 oz ones, the medium sized bathroom ones. Mine were the kind of waxy ones, I would maybe recommend getting the more papery ones.
Roll the curled edge of the cup up to make it easier for the next step.
Cut that top edge off following the line of the picture. Pull the cup apart at the seam and remove the bottom.
Your cup should be looking like this.
Use that to make a template out of a scrap that you can retain and use again and again.
Trace onto your designer paper. I was able to trace 4 of them onto a piece of 12x12.
Now cut out one of them, it should look like this.
Now you will wrap your cup. I used adhesive and sticky strip on the two connecting edges to make sure it would stay on.
Now before you see it finished, I wanted you to see my ribbon. I took orange ribbon from the Halloween pack I bought at Micheals, the Martha stuff. Then I stamped "Treats" from Spooky Sweets from Paper Trey. Viola, I have my own designer ribbon-fun huh?
Last I stamped the Spooky Sweets, punched it out with an oval punch (wish I had the scalloped one for that size, but alas I can't own everything.), direct to paper added the orange ink. Now pay attention this is the fun part: Punch a hole with your 1/8 hole punch and make a little snip up to the hole. This will allow your tag to sit right on your cup.
Here we are-ALL DONE!!! See how that little tag sits on there? FUN FUN FUN! Filled with Hershey nuggets that have been altered using Paper Trey's Spooky Sweets set.

ENJOY ALL!!!!