Whootin' Hi!

Here is one more owl card! I know it is a silly little owl, but it makes me smile! :)

Ribbon pleating tutorial can be found HERE.

Stamps: Hero Arts Owl, PTI sentiment (set by Alli Miles)

Ink: Memento brown

Paper: Marakech, brown, white

Accessories: Janome sew mini, oval punch, SU brads, wooly felt flower, button, linen thread, ribbon, red line dimensional dots, Copic markers

I'm always ear for you...

I had to make ONE MORE Snuggle Bunnies card before I put my set away for a while! These little bunnies just melt my heart! :)

Fun fact about this sentiment: It was created by my husband. :) Isn't he sweet?

I paper pieced the bunnies and created a shadow around them with copic markers. Their bunnies were liquid appliqued and OF COURSE I let it dry overnight and then puffed it up. :)

Stamps: Snuggle Bunnies

Ink: Memento brown

Paper: Notebook SU (retired), brown, cream

Accessories: SU brads, liquid applique, Janome sew mini, ribbon, Copic markers, red line dimensional dots

What a Hoot!

Here is another Hero Arts owl card. I got the idea for the "peeking owl" from my friend Karen. :) She did something similar and I thought it was adorable! Again, I added a flourish from a Sizzix die that I cut out with some white chipboard. The ribbon was loosely ruffled.

Want to see a REALLY great tutorial by Amy Sheffer on ribbon pleating? Check it out HERE.

Stamps: Hero Arts Owl, Hero Arts sentiment

Ink: Memento brown, chocolate chip marker

Paper: Marakech, white, brown

Accessories: Copic markers, Janome sew mini, Nestabilities flower, circle punches, air art tool, May Arts ribbon, SU brads, Sizzix flourish, white gel pen, Spica glitter pen

Have a great day!

Find Joy Everyday

I bought this cute Hero Arts owl stamp when I was visiting my friend Karen in Austin a couple weeks ago. She has her cute owl cards posted too, if you want to take a look at her blog. Before I left she stamped some images to play with. :) While I was there, we got a grand total of about 20 minutes of stamping in. LOL

The owl was colored with Copic markers. I used lots of colorless blender to wash out the owl's belly. I used a little Sizzix flourish as an embellishment. The sentiment is from a clear set by Hero Arts as well.

Have a good day!

Jody

Chocolate Kiss Bath Salts

Here is one more bath salts jar I dressed up for a gift! :)

Stamps: Time for the Bubbly Label

Ink: Brown Memento

Paper: Chocolate Kiss Patterned Paper, White, chocolate

Accessories: Jar, button, Nesties, clear glaze pen, twine, Copic markers

MFT Blog Hop: We'll Change the Way You Gift!

Hi and welcome to the MFT Blog Hop! As you may have noticed, we have a common theme tonight:

Fill Your Jar!

MFT's stamp set release tonight (NOW) will change the way you gift! MFT is now selling these awesome, 16 oz jars that are perfect for thrifty gifting! There are 2 companion stamp sets that contain labels sized PERFECTLY for the jars! It doesn't get much easier than that! The jars are sold in sets of 4 for $12 and the 2 stamp sets Time for the Bubbly Label and Teacher, Teacher Label sell for only $9 each! To check out the new products, click HERE and get ready to change the way you gift! :)

If you are just happening along this blog hop, please start at the beginning (Kim's blog) HERE and hop all the way to the end. You'll want to see how ALL the designers filled their jars. There are LOTS of creative ideas to inspire you!

You should have just hopped from Paula's blog. Please wipe the drool from your chin after viewing her colored pencil MASTERPIECE. That chick can color like I have NEVER seen before! Wowzers! Color me green! LOL

Your next stop on the hop is my friend Michele. Be prepared to ooooh and aaaah! :)

But wait! Before you hop on over, I hope you'll check out my project. :)


Here is my blog hop creation. I used Time for the Bubbly Label and the signature MFT stamp set, Time for the Bubbly.



I filled my jar with some hand made bath salts. It is both fun and economical! :) For my label, I paper pieced and colored with Copic markers. I used the different words in the label stamp set to create the label. I coated the bubbles in the corners of the label with Liquid Pearls.

I made a shaker box for the lid of my bath salts jar using the label stamp. I simply colored it and then punched out just the tub area. I added a tiny bit of beads in the shaker box to replicate the look of the bath salts.

I HAD to make a matching card! The main image is both colored and paper pieced. There are lots of layers on that little panel.

The wood floor was hand-drawn and colored with Copic markers. I used copic markers and colorless blender to make the tub look like it was made of marble. The blue rim of the rug is paper pieced on. The bubbles are shiny ala Liquid Pearls.

I used silver metallic card stock for the mirror.

This is the inside of the card. I used the Time for the Bubbly label stamp to frame the sentiment I used from the original Time for the Bubbly stamp set! I love matching sets! They are SO fun!

Ready to make your own bath salts? Here are the ingredients I used:

Here is a super simple recipe for you: (from the tub of sea salt)

1 cup Epsom Salt

1 cup Dead Sea Salt

1 cup Sea Salt

20 drops Essential Oil

Mix

That is IT! It is so easy and SO affordable!

Here is the breakdown of the cost of INGREDIENTS:

Sea Salt (7 POUNDS) $9

Dead Sea Salt $5

Epsom Salt $4

Essential Oil $4.50

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total cost of ingredients $22.50

Those ingredients can easily make a triple batch of Bath Salts and you'd have plenty of everything, *except* dead sea salt, leftover for more spa gifts! I am not sure WHY you need the "dead" sea salt in addition to the regular sea salt, but I can assure you that regular sea salt is NOT alive. LMBO!

The price breakdown of the finished jar of Bath Salts is:

Sea Salt: $.50

Dead Sea Salt $1.25

Epsom Salt: $.50

Essential Oil: $.25

Jar: $3.00

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Gift Cost: $5.50

That is some thrifty gifting!

Want another fun recipe? My kids LOVE this one because it fizzes when you pour it in the water.

Effervesce Fizzing Bath (from the sea salt tub)

2 cups sea salt

1 cup baking soda

1/2 cup citric acid

20 drops essential oil

Have a wonderful day!

If you've read to the end and missed the link to the next blog on the hop, click HERE to hop on over to Michele's blog. :)

Don't forget... if you want to check out all the new products released by MFT tonight (NOW) click HERE.

Happy hopping!

Bath Salts & Stamping with my Girls!

This is a mini tote that I designed to work with the Time for the Bubbly Label stamp set that will be released TONIGHT at midnight over at MFT. This set coordinates PERFECTLY with the signature MFT stamp set, Time for the Bubbly, which you can find HERE.

Want to make a mini tote?

Here are the directions:

• Cut a piece of card stock to 8 1/2 X 4
• score at 3 3/4 and 4 3/4
• create handles by using a punch or die (I used the SU word window punch)
• cut a piece of card stock to 5 1/2 X 6
• score at 2 1/2 and 3 1/4
• turn card stock and score at 1 and 4 1/2
• cut along score lines on second piece of card stock
• assemble inner box
• adhere box to the base of the first piece of card stock you cut/scored
• adhere sides of tote to box
• stamp label and embellish as desired

The tote comes together REALLY easily and it is cute and small! PERFECT for thrifty gifting!

Guess where I got the bath salts? My daughters and I made them! :) Any chance I have to get my girls involved in crafting, I DO IT! WHY? They LOVE making things. Not only do they enjoy the finished product, but they enjoy the process and spending time with Mom! :)

Here they are looking at the recipe they chose to make on the tub of sea salt I bought from Hobby Lobby. For only $9 (regular price), I got a 7 lb tub that goes a LONG way!

Bailey is pouring baking soda into her bath salt mix. She chose to make a fizzing bath salt concoction that uses citric acid, baking soda and sea salt. She looks so serious, but I promise she was having fun. LOL She is concentrating. :)

Here is Maddie with her finished Bath Salts concoction. She used some green food coloring to tint it. She also used some essential oil to scent it. Guess where she went immediately after this photo was taken? To the TUB! LOL She couldn't wait to try them out!

Here is Bailey with her finished Bath Salts. She opted for blue food coloring and a different scent of essential oil. Since Maddie ran straight to the tub, she tried hers out the next morning. What a patient big sister!

Here is the finished product with about a cup of bath salts in a cello bag.

I used the Time for the Bubbly Label stamp set, Chocolate Kiss Crystals, Chocolate Kiss Ribbon and Chocolate Kiss Paper on my label.

Want to make some bath salts for yourself? Join me tonight at the MFT blog hop at 10:00 PM Eastern where I will show you which ingredients to buy as well as share my recipes with you! :) You can start over at Kim's blog HERE and you'll eventually find your way here! :)

Chalkboard Easel Box

I am still working on teacher gifts! It's that time of year! My kids have five short days left and it's crunch time!

This is a gift box I designed. I used the Teacher, Teacher Label set from MFT that will be released on May 20th. We'll change the way you gift with these awesome new label sets. While they were designed with something specific in mind, they also work with your paper crafting boxes/bags/whatever! :)

You'll be able to download this template from MFT sometime after the release on May 20th.

For the green box, I printed one of the new School Collection digi papers (will be released on May 20th) on Handsome Hunter card stock (SU) and then used it to construct my Chalkboard Easel. I colored my chalkboard with Copic marker BG78 and then used a colorless blender to create an "eraser dust" effect. I was excited that it worked. LOL Then I stamped "in chalk" (white craft ink), I'll Always Remember You, which is what I think most teachers hope for! I know my kids remember their teachers ALWAYS and each one has a special place in their little hearts. Awwwwww! :)

For the lower box, I embellished it with some cork. I just so happen to have a huge ROLL of it in my stamp room for some reason. I probably had an idea once that never came to fruition. LOL!

The box has a bottom closure and the ribbon wraps around it and keeps it closed.

A new batch of stamp sets have been placed in the BUBBLE BIN this morning. Check it out! There are always great deals to be had in the Bubble Bin!

Labeled Chalkboard

Let's face it, with 3 kids and numerous teachers, I don't always have time to make detailed gifts for them. This is a really quick "chalkboard box" that I put together for one of the teachers using an MFT stamp set that will be released on May 20th at midnight. :) It is part of a new line of stamps that will change the way you gift! :)

I wanted to make this look like a standing chalkboard.

Here is how I constructed it:

• Cut a piece of card stock to 8 1/2 X 5 1/2


• Score at 3 3/4 and 4 3/4


• Along each long side, score at 1"


• Cut a 2 X 3 rectangle out of the center of the card stock strip (the rectangle will cut across both of your center score lines) *note-I used my Fiskars paper trimmer, but you could use a similar sized Nestabilities die


• Cut a piece of acetate large enough to cover the rectangular hole (3 1/4" X 4") and score it to line up with the score lines in the box (1 1/2 and 2 1/2)


• Snip on the two short, side score lines and assemble box by placing adhesive on the side flaps.


• Adhere acetate to the inside of the box.


• Embellish as desired.

I used the chalkboard stamp and very minimal stamping and embellishing. It came together super quickly. This is definitely something that can be mass-produced very easily. It is fairly small so it doesn't take a lot to fill it, either. :)

Gift cost breakdown:

1/2 sheet of card stock: $.13

cello bag: $.10

ribbon: $.10

gum balls: $.10

-------------------

total gift cost: $.43

Teachers Rule Mini Scrapbook

This is an MFteaser for a brand new set being released by MFT on May 20th at midnight. It is part of a new line of stamps from MFT that will change the way you gift! :)

This notebook/mini scrapbook was made for my daughter's teacher. I started with 2 jumbo chipboard tags for the front and back cover and 24 white card stock jumbo tags for the pages. On the front cover, I added the panel with the chalkboard (which is paper pieced using Handsome Hunter card stock) and embellished it with a ruler from the stamp set and a cute little clip from SU.

Along the bottom edge of the mini scrapbook, I actually added a REAL ruler which believe it or not I was able to cut to size using a pair of medical scissors (the hefty kind that medics used to cut clothing off). I "stained" the ruler using creamy caramel reinker (SU) and a sponge. There was a hole in the ruler, so I used it to my advantage and embellished it with a felt flower that was attached through the hole using a silver brad. I punched holes in all my pages and covers and bound it with some binder rings.

My plan for this mini scrapbook is to take it to the classroom and have each child decorate one page of the scrapbook for the teacher and include a note for her. I think it will be a fun way for the kids to surprise her. :)

Gift Cost Breakdown:

Set of Jumbo chipboard tags: $1.50

Set of 24 Jumbo card stock tags: $6

ruler: $.25

clip: $.26

rings: $.50

-----------

Cost of gift: $8.51

Have you checked out the BUBBLE BIN this week? There are 13 great sets in there that are between 55%-68% off! They range in price from $4-$6! There are some GREAT deals to be had! :)

Snuggle Bunny

Sorry I have been MIA. It seems like I BLINK and 10 days pass by! EEK! Where does the time go? LOL

Here is a card I made with the Snuggle Bunnies set by MFT. I absolutely adore this set! :) The image is SO SO cute.

I used Copic markers to color. On the moon, I used the rag and colorless blender solution technique (just dab), so that it would add some texture. This card was a labor of love. My original idea was to use a distressed piece of patterned paper on my back layer and make it look like a worn blankie. I wet, crumpled, distressed and dried a piece of paper and even stitched it, but all it looked like was an old piece of yucky paper. LOL So, after all that work, I went with the same paper, in pristine condition instead. LOL It was a great example of how our ideas don't always translate well into our cards. Oops!

Stamps: Snuggle Bunny

Ink: Memento brown

Paper: white, brown, SU patterned paper

Accessories: May Arts velvet ric rac, copper brads, scalloped oval punch, oval punch. paper piercer, liquid applique, quickie glue pen, glitter, tonic paper distresser

Snuggle Bunnies

Hi everyone! I hope you're enjoying your hop down the bunny trail! :)

If you're just happening upon the blog hop, you'll want to make sure to start at the beginning over on Kim's blog HERE so you can see all the amazing creations with the soon-to-be-released stamp sets!

If you're already on the bunny trail, then you just came to me from Michele. A WONDERFULLY talented, amazingly sweet person who I am proud to call FRIEND (among a few other choice "pet names")! LOL Let's just say she is super sassy and keeps me in line. LOL I am sure she had a super gorgeous card for you, so try to forget about hers while you're looking at mine, ok? LOL (WOW... 3 LOLs in one paragraph... well actually that made it 4!)

The card I stamped uses the new release, Snuggle Bunnies. When I saw the adorable snuggling bunny images, my heart melted... literally... into happy/sappy tears. LOL I am SUCH a sap! WHY? Well, my youngest daughter, Madeline, is my Snuggle Bunny. When we are watching movies or TV on the couch, you can be sure she will be stuck to me like Velcro. We started calling it Snuggle Bunnies. If she is in need of some Mommy cuddle time, she comes up to me and says, "Snuggle Bunnies?" and off we got to cuddle on the couch, where we both normally fall asleep to the rise and fall of our breaths. LOL She is just incredibly sweet and this stamp set captured those moments for me. :)

Another fun fact about this stamp set: See the sentiment I used on my card? My husband submitted that sentiment! heehee! Kim jokes that he is a closet sentiment writer. :)

To create this card, I stamped the bunnies on Fabriano cold-press water color paper in Stazon black and water colored them using Peerless water colors. I sewed a double border around the image. I resisted the urge to glam it up with a bazillion embellishments, ink splatters and tilty layers. Today, less is more. :) These sweet little bunnies can hold their own. LOL I made a wispy bluish haze next to the bunnies. The button was threaded with skinny ribbon. The tails were glittered using my Quickie Glue Pen and Sparkling Ice Glitter.

I'm always ear for you... cuteness! LOL

Have you been following the MFT Idol contest? WOWZERS those contestants are making some BEAUTIFUL things! Want to see this week's entries? HERE they are. After you view them, make sure you go VOTE HERE.

There are four stamp sets and several new products being released by MFT tomorrow (Wednesday, May 6th) at 10:00 PM Eastern:

Stamps:

• Girls' Day In - WTG $17.95
• Snuggle Bunnies (MFT Presents Stephanie Fizer) $15.95
• Birthday Flopsey $9
• Owls & Bluebells (MFT Presents Stephanie Fizer) $9
  

Products:

• Spring and Summer Cup 'o Button Packs
• Chocolate Kiss 6 x 6 Paper Packs
• Chocolate Kiss Ribbon Nest (brand new packaging!)
• Chocolate Kiss Crystal Adornments
• Smooch paints
  

Specials good from Wednesday 10:00 PM Eastern through Friday:

• The One-Click Collection, normally $51.90, will be priced at $49.95 through Friday, May 8th (all 4 stamp sets)
• AS A SPECIAL MOTHER'S DAY BONUS - All Moms and future Moms deserve beautiful bouquets, right? MFT says thanks to Moms this week with a very special promotion. Every order placed from Wed (May 6) starting at 10pm - Fri, that is OVER $100 will receive a FREE Floral set! Scour the site to find which floral set you would like, and mention it in the comments section. You can choose ANY MFT set that contains a FLOWER. How's that for options? PLEASE LIST TWO SET choices in case your first choice is unavailable. If no alternate set is listed, we will add Build a Bouquet if your selection is unavailable.
• Buy it all bundle: all 4 stamp sets, Chocolate Kiss Ribbon Nest, Chocolate Kiss 6 X 6 paper pack and Chocolate Kiss crystal collection for $77.95. (save $7.80, plus get free shipping)
  

If you've made it this far (and I hope you have)...

Let me send you on your way to the next stop on the hop!

Hop on over to Jessie's blog! She is another sweet one, I tell you! She oozes sugar, I think! Get on over there to see what she has in store for you!