Paper Hugs and Die Cut Dreams

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Cheer Bag Tags!

I believe I previously showed you the bag tag I had made my daughter - as well as many others because I just LOVE making them! They're quick and fun and always bring a smile to my face - I know - small things...lol.

Anyway - my daughter's cheerleading squad did Secret Santa and had a small party. We had made Haley - her recipient - one of those fleece tied blankets that are all the rage (love making those too - have made MANY in the past two years) and for the gift tag - you guessed it - a custom bag tag just for her!!

I will tell you Haley loved the bag tag and the blanket! All is well...

Thanks for visiting! Come back soon....



  • Bazzill Cardstock
  • QuicKutz dies - cheer uniform, megaphone, four petal flower
  • QuicKutz Moxie & Chemistry Alphabets
  • KaiserKraft rhinestones

Thursday, December 18, 2008

EXCITING NEWS!!

I just recently found out that I was selected to be an Apron Strings Designs Sous Chef for 2009!! I was so excited when Kathy & Lori sent me the email! I can't wait to get started. My first design assignment for them will be using the February kit, so be on the look out for it!


Monday, December 15, 2008

Missed...


This is Mikey.
I love this photo - shows the zest he brought to so many.
His life ended too soon.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

The Mojo is coming back!!


I am very glad to say that! I am finally feeling the creative juices flowing once again! I created this layout for CropStop.com. This is for a Charity Auction for literacy. The book will be auctioned off on eBay and all the proceeds of the books - which is every penny - will go to ProLiteracy Worldwide. You can see the first book (lowercase) here. The uppercase will also be placed on eBay although I don't believe it has been listed yet.


The page above is for the uppercase book. So you know, CropStop.com put the call out to scrapbookers to donate their time & supplies to make pages. QuicKutz donated two Mary Jane alphabets for the cause. The total amount the book sells for will go to the ProLiteracy fund. So please go check out the auction and check out the CropStop.com gallery to see many of the other pages that will be in these two books.


Help us help kids to read.


As always, thanks for visiting!





  • QuicKutz Chemistry 4x8 Alphabet
  • QuicKutz 12" Butterfly border die
  • QuicKutz Mary Jane alphabet (B)


Saturday, December 13, 2008

Happy Birthday Amandalyn!

Today - my baby girl is 17. She's my first born, my oldest and will always be my baby. As you can see from the picture, she has definitely grown into a lovely young lady. Okay, so that's my opinion and it might be a little bit biased! These pictures are from her homecoming dance in November.

Have the best birthday ever baby! I love you Manda!!



Friday, December 5, 2008

CropStop Challenge!!


I am this week's hostess for the CropStop weekly challenge!! I challenged the CropStop crew & members to a No Layer Card (no boos, please) and you have to use at least one die cut (CropStop.com's speciality) and ribbon, fiber or cord on your project!


This is one of the Christmas cards I will be sending out this year - it really was easy to make! I made a bunch of them and although this one says Merry Christmas, use the die from the QuicKutz Jolly Limited Edition Set, I also used the the QuicKutz CC Holiday phrases and Rub Ons from the CropStop.com November Crafty kit on others! I really do love the way they came out! The other thing you may want to take note of - there are NO Christmas papers used on this card...and I used scraps to make them!! I didn't need to cut into a full sheet of paper! Diecuts are great for this. It was a great way to use a bunch of my scraps!


Hopefully you have found some inspiration here today! Go visit the girls over at CropStop and I hope you take the time to visit again soon!!



Thursday, December 4, 2008

Some Apron Strings Craftiness!!







Every month over at Apron Strings Designs, we get a challenge - I'll call it the Triathalon!
You get two sketches - one for a layout (usually two pages) and one for a card. The way the Triathalon works is you complete the layout sketch (using an Apron Strings Design kit is preferable) and with the scraps - you make the card sketch. It's a great way to be sure you use your scraps when you've completed the layout.

The third part of the program is to Alter the sketch in some way and make it more your own! It's a great challenge and I had missed a couple of months, but squeaked November's challenge in under the wire! (The actually had a bonus sketch in November, but since I completed the Triathalon on the 30th - the bonus just didn't make it! LOL)





  • All papers and cardstock are from ASD kit
  • Ribbon on silly girl layout from stash
  • Silly Girl uses QK Storybook Alphabet
  • Zoo Fun letter is Cuttlebug Red Tag Alphabet
  • Hi There is from one of the Fall Release Cuttlebug Duos
  • All dies are availabe at CropStop.com


Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Santa's Wish List

Have you been very, very good this year? So that you find a few of your favorite things under the tree, give Santa your CropStop Wish List. Browse our store at CropStop.com

Print out the Wish List Form by clicking on the linkFill in the list and give it to your Santa along with Santas Instructions (they will print full size!)We'll take care of the rest!


Dear Santa,

Shopping is simple at CropStop.com. We have four easy ways to order.

1. Go to CropStop.com. Our search feature takes you directly to the items you want. Just type in an item number or part of the description and we take you right to it.

2. Call 609-972-6850 between 8 am and 11 pm Eastern Standard Time.

3. Email your order to cropstop@cropstop.com and we will invoice you, payable by credit card or PayPal.

4. Mail us the wish list form and payment and we will process your order upon receipt:
CropStop
P.O. Box 1161
Westerly, RI 02891


CropStop has a policy to ship within 24 hours of receiving cleared payment. If you have a Package Peeker and would like a delayed shipment, please be sure and tell us. Need your gift wrapped? Our Holiday elves will happily wrap your gift for a $5.00 fee.

On the left side bar under MANUFACTURERS, click on SHIPPING OPTIONS and choose GIFT WRAPPING. When you click on CHECK OUT, you will find a space for special instructions. Please type in your gift tag words.

Thank you for shopping at CropStop. We wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.



Tuesday, December 2, 2008

MORE CROPSTOP!


Here are a few more cards made with this month's CropStop.com Crafty kit!! I must say these are not my normal colors, but they are quite elegant!! I love the wooden embellishments from Kaiser. The kit, and extra embellishments, can all by purchased at CropStop.com!
Papers are SEI, flowers and wooden embellishments are both by Kaiser. They are also rubons, ribbons and dew drops in this kit!! The paper is DOUBLE SIDED!! That's always a bonus - don't like one side, just use the other! Love it when you can get more for your $$$$.

The friends card is actually based on Beate's Weekend Sketch from the beginning of November!
Thanks for coming back!! I have some more for tomorrow....







  • Fiskars Threading Water punch used on Friend Card
  • Marvy Scallop punched used on Thank You card

Monday, December 1, 2008

I'M BACK!

I think I finally have my Mojo back!! I haven't posted here in almost a month because I haven't created anything in almost a month! It's been VERY VERY sad!!


Anyway - here are some cards from the CropStop December kit!! It's a lovely kit in the colors of blacks, creams, greys, browns and what I would call a goldish yellow.
Everything you see here is from the kit, with the exception of the die cuts/embossing folders, which are noted below.

Thanks for visiting and I do have more to show you, so hopefully I will be able to post tomorrow, if not, by Wednesday the latest!!




  • Birds - Boss Kut Die
  • Leaf embossing folder by Cuttlebug

Sunday, November 9, 2008

CropStop Crafty Kits!

Here's another item made with the CropStop.com Crafty kit.
This box was made with the Scor-Pal. I actually got found the directions off my friend Katie's blog and I LOVE the way it came out. The ScorPal site gives you directions on all sorts of sizes!!
For this box, I just added the Star Tag - a limited edition QuicKutz die which I got from CropStop.com. The red star (Jolee's), ric rack and all papers are from the CropStop kit, which features Doodlebug papers.
Thanks for visiting! Be sure to run over to CropStop.com to get your kit now!!


Saturday, November 8, 2008

CropStop Grand Opening

CropStop.com had their grand opening this weekend and we had LOTS of fun challenges. Some you can still enter as the challenges aren't due until the 9th!

Here's my challenge card - it was called a Flower to a Bouquet. You had to make an ATC and then make the ATC into something else. This is my finished project.

As always - thanks for stopping - come back tomorrow and I will have more stuff to show you!!



Friday, November 7, 2008

Maternal Bragging Rights


Nothing crafty to show today....but I figured I could show this picture of my beautiful daughter and her boyfriend. It was taken at my friend's wedding on November the first. I have also included a picture of the happy couple - Congratulations Christine!!!
Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

More Grand Opening Items

This was a challenge from one of our Design Team Members - Dalis - during the CropStop.com Grand Opening Celebration last weekend. She challenged us to make two ROUND cards - now, I like circles as much as the next person - but I don't generally make cards in that shape! (I like squares!!) Needless to say, I was out of my comfort zone, but I think I did okay.
This first one is used with the largest round Nestability die and the 12" scalloped border die from QuicKutz, Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls embossing folder, black grosgrain ribbon and that ribbon slide is from Clear Dollar Stamps.
This second round card is using the largest Scalloped Circle Nestability, swirl organza ribbon (soon to be available at CropStop.com) and I embossed this Stampin' Up snowflake with a white and silver glitter embossing powder purchased at the local Michael's.


The last picture is a card using Jen del Muro's SFYTT from I believe the week before - so October 23rd (I think). It uses the CropStop Crafty Kit and Cornish Heritage Farms snowman stamp from the Heart Warmers set by Kim Hughes! Sorry the photo is fuzzy - I am working on better lighting so I don't have to count on Mother Nature!

As always - thanks for stopping by!




Wednesday, November 5, 2008

CropStop November Kit

Well - I am sorry to say it's been this long since I really blogged - it's been soooooo busy!


Anyway, I am back and hopefully will be able to go back to my normal routine of posting regularly. Here I am going to show you the new CropStop.com Crafty Kit - already available for you to purchase!! It's made up of Doodlebug Designs items (I just LOVE Doodlebug!!!)

This adorable tag (at least I think it's adorable) was made with one of the New QuicKutz releases. I can think of a bunch of uses for this die - tags, little signs, etc. The ribbons and papers and even the brad are all from the CropStop.com Crafty Kit.

The box is a standard oragami fold. The "Happy Holidays" is a rub on - also included in the kit. I actually made 8 cards to go into this box. You can see a couple of them here. They are made with a QK snowflake die - the actually die cut - and the NEGATIVE space - used with a scalloped square Marvy punch!

The words on these cards are all rub ons which are included in the kits!!

As always, thank you for visiting - I hope to see you back here again really soon!!!







Sunday, November 2, 2008

CROPSTOP MIXED BOUQUET

Welcome to Sundays Blog Hop from CropStop.com.

The idea of this Walk in the Garden is to follow the links from blog to blog and collect the letters. Once you have all 8 letters you are to mix them up to spell out a well known scrapbooking/crafting name or term.

My letter is 'T' To get your next letter please go to Mel's blog.


Be sure to check back later for some items made with the November Crafty Kit from CropStop.com! And check out the forum - there are challenges going on all day long!!

Thanks for visiting!!!


Saturday, November 1, 2008

CROPSTOP GRAND OPENING WEEKEND

A Walk in the Garden



CropStop.com has it's Grand Opening this weekend and will be having fun and games throughout the weekend. There are a Bunch of prizes to be won.

So stop by and Walk in the Garden - don't forget to stop and smell the roses on the way!

Saturdays Blog Hop - The Final Bouquet .

Your Saturday Bouquet item is a FLOWER please refer to the CropStop Message Boards Final Bouquet Thread for the rules. (HINT: you need to collect all the items on the blog hop for this challenge)

To get your next Bouquet item please go to Mel's blog.




Saturday, October 18, 2008

Size Matters



Catchy title, huh??? There was a sketch challenge over a Limelight Papercrafts - use the sketch and make it Manly! So here it is - I took this opportunity to use my Twisted Sentiments set from My Favorite Things...and the extra large !!! is from Unity Stamps. Limelight has a gread selection of Unity Stamps available - this particular set is not currently showing as available over there, but they do have a great selection of Unity Stamps!


I do like the way this card came out. I was trying to multi-task while creating it, so I guess it's just lucky to be here! The colors were manly and I think the little screw brads at the bottom were perfect for this Manly Card!


Thanks for looking and be sure to check out Limelight!




  • Stamps: Unity & My Favorite Things
  • Ribbon - May Arts from All that Scraps
  • Base - DCWV
  • Cardstock - CTMH
  • Brads - stash