My top 5 posts of 2014

A quick look back over 2014 brings a little surprise of my top viewed post of the year. But before I get to that I am going to share my next 4 top viewed posts.

 #5

My fifth most viewed post was my 2014 back to school layouts.

        #4

 

Number 4 reminds me of all the trouble I had making my Christmas cards. I never did share my finished card but instead had fun making this card. 

#3

 

Cards, cards, cards came in at number 3.  

#2

  

World card making day- Finally in 2014 I actually made cards on World Card Making day!!

And my most viewed post is............

#1

 My 4th of July mantle!! After living here almost 3 years, I finally decided to change my mantle monthly. I am not sure why I never thought of that sooner! I have found this is the perfect spot to show case my Cameo projects! 

 (By clicking on the pictures you will be able to view my original post.)

Thank you for looking back over 2014 with me!

Thanks for stopping by!

Until later~ 

Jingle all the way frame

I have a super fast project to share, The biggest chunk of time (which was really just a couple of minutes) was spent weeding the vinyl. The  Keri Bradford file was cute from vinyl and applied to a 5x7 shadowbox. The bells were added before putting the designer paper into place. Less than 10 minutes total to resize image, cut and finish frame! You know I love fast easy projects!!

I hope you had a Blessed Christmas season!

Thanks for stopping by!

Until later~

The Duck Commander Faith and Family Bible-Book Review

 

The Duck Commander Faith and Family Bible is a New King James Version with commentary by Phil and Al Robertson. What sets this Bible apart from others is the Set Your Sights Index. There are several of these throughout the Bible. These are written by Phil and Al and deal with various subjects such as Trust, Stress, Stewardship and Wisdom. These are broken into five chapters that are titled faith, family, fellowship, forgiveness and freedom. These sections have advice on living along with stories from Phil and Al. They also contain Scriptures to support their views and help with understanding. At the end of these chapters is the “On The Hunt” sections. These list a number of Scriptures that follow along with the subject. I found the commentary to be very entertaining as well as informative. I especially liked Phil referring to John the Baptist as a man he could relate to. The Duck Commander Bible is a great asset to those of us that value mature counsel from Godly men such as Phil and Al. I highly recommend the Duck Commander Faith and Family Bible.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until later~

World Cardmaking Day 2014 Cards

October 4, 2014, World Cardmaking Day is history. And I made history because I actually MADE cards!! Hunter and I spent the day at home being crafty, he made some of the cutest things with his Rainbow Loom and I worked on cards.
I am still using some past card kits and I am so happy to have just a few scraps where kits have been....for way to long!!
I had a kit featuring My Mind's Eye Meadowlark 6x6 paper pad and 5 beautiful colors of card stock and ribbon. The black and white designer paper paired with bright colors made for a lovely set of cards! I made 15 cards, 5 each of 3 different designs. The design part took some time, but then it was super easy and fast to mass produce each design.

I used lots of layers on these cards. I did add black card stock, and I am so glad I did. Look how it makes the colors pop.

 I used my lightest Copic marker to add a little color to the daisy petals. And you can not see it, but I added clear Stickles to the centers of the flowers. The stamp-a-ma-jig helped me to get the sentiments straight.

 When making sets of cards I like to leave the sentiments off of some of them. That can always be added later and makes it easy to build up a collect of cards ready to send when needed.

 Using coordinating dies makes having cut out images so easy, and you know how much I HATE to fussy cut!!:-) I like adding the black accents, it makes the black designer paper look like it "belongs."

Tip- I used the From the Heart die for my sentiment, it kind of got lost on the designer paper until I matted it with black. I cut the same exact die in black card stock and cut the die cut in half, my sentiment is matted on the top and bottom and it really doesn't matter that the sides are not matted. This is a great way to use your die cuts  to get more bang for your buck!

Again I added black details, the twine on the flower stem, the button and the sentiment mat.

 I added clear rhinestones to my butterflies I cut with a punch. (Wouldn't the butterflies be pretty with some swirls stamped on them before adding the bling?)

 These cards have added dimension with the flower being popped up (the stem is not attached to my cards, I tucked it beneath the ribbon.) the butterfly has the wings bent and glue applied to just the body so it looks like it has just landed and then the button. This is a card I will not mail, I don't want anything flattened in the mailing process.

One day, one stamp set and one card kit and now I have 15 new cards ready to go.

Supplies:

Card Kit, Oops a Daisy stamp set and coordinating dies, small scalloped die and from the Heart Die- Taylored Expressions

Black Pearls, Yellow Pearls and Rhinestones- Kaiser Kraft

Copic Markers, Diamond Stickles, pop dots, glue dots

Thanks for stopped by!!

Until later~

Circus Baby cards

So I was on a kick, making cards using up some past card kits and some stamps that I hadn't use very often. And then I got the sinus crud and all that goes with it, so for the last 3-4 weeks I haven't done anything. So, these card are a couple of weeks old, but I still want to share them.
I used Baby's Circus and Circus Fun by Sweet and Sassy Stamps. I had used these stamp for kid's cards before and to stamp Hunter's lunch sack when his class went to the circus, but I am really loving the sweet animal images for baby cards!!

 I made 5 cards, but I used one for a friend's baby gift.

 How sweet for a new baby!!

 I love that these little cuties can be used for either a boy or a girl!

 Lots of fun with the big, bold polka dots.

 That little elephant is super cute!!
I like the addition of the bow.

It had been a while since I played with my Copic markers, I always love coloring with them. 

I almost "kill" this card kit, I only have a couple card bases and a little designer paper left. I wanted to save it for another time and make something that isn't for a baby.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until later~

Just Sayin' by Carol McAdams Moore Book Review

 

 I gave my daughter Just Sayin' by Carol McAdams Moore for the 90 day devotions. What she gets out of this book will be lessons she will carry with her for a lifetime.
Each devotion is a 2 page spread, short scripture thought on the left page, and then for some there are more scripture recommended or questions to get her to thinking about the passage. There are ample spots for doodling, gluing and drawing, things that she loves to do anyway. I will be getting her a set of colorful pen to use in her book, the gray, black and white pages will look amazing after she adds her won personal touches to them! And it nice knowing she is thinking on God's word while having fun!
"Each of the short devos was designed for girls just like you, with relevant topics, quotes, Scriptures, plus doodles, journal prompts, lists, puzzles, quizzes, fill-in-the-blank prayers, or unique activities that explore Bible truths and ways to apply them. Just Sayin' challenges girls to follow Jesus every day. Best. Idea. Ever"

This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until later~

Book Review- Move On: When Mercy Meets Your Mess by Vicki Courtney

“My healing journey began when I finally granted myself permission not to be okay. Not to stay there forever, of course, but rather to acknowledge that not being okay is a perfectly normal part of the Christian journey."

 That has got to be my favorite quotation from Move On When Mercy Meets Your Mess by Vicki Courtney. Many times it is hard for us, especially women to be okay  (even embrace) with our imperfect selves.

Vicki’s transparency is refreshing and very commendable. I think too often we as Christians conduct themselves in a way that makes it hard for unbelievers to identify with us. Some times we need to let others see our struggles.

Move On showed me that I need to be real and that “sometimes I feel like I’m playing a part I’ve been cast into, but it’s no truly who I am!”

 Move On is a good personal study that would also be great in a group setting as well. The questions at the end of each chapter are very thought provoking and would lend well to meaningful discussions. This is one book I will definitely keep!

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through  Book Look.   I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Thanks for stopping by!! 
Until Later~

Cards, cards and cards

The first week (well, half week) that the kids were in school I spent some time in the studio. Let me tell you, I had no idea just how much I had missed being all crafty until I had time to do it again!
I used one main image stamp, 5 coordinating colors of cardstock and inks and some sentiments to create 10 multipurpose cards.

 Here is a peek of 8 of the cards- I used 2 right away.

 Here is a close up.
I used Blended Bloom from Stampin' Up and the 2013-15 In Colors cardstock and ink.
After stamping the images on white cardstock I used coordinating Copic markers to color them.
I used the the matching In Color inks to stamp the image on my color cardstock for a tone on tone background.

I LOVE this flower and I have a feeling I will be using this stamp way too often!! :-) 

Thanks for stopping by!

Until later~

Quick tip

I have been busy stamping and making cards since the kids when back to school. My acrylic blocks had some how gotten inky (nope, not completely my fault) and were in need of a good cleaning. I grabbed a paper towel and a small bottle of hand sanitizer and got busy.

 All clean and shiny!

After a good cleaning I put them back into a plastic zippered bag that my window treatment came in, good way to upcycle, huh?

Thanks for stopping by!

Until later~

Back to school 2014 2 Layouts

The kiddos headed back to school last week. I now have a 2nd grader and a 4th grader- I am amazed at how fast time flies!! I think my kids attend THE best school!
I used a couple of die cuts from the Silhouette store to whip up a couple of quick 12x12 scrapbook layouts.

 This is my layout once all of the paper was ready to be adhered. Cute enough layout, but I wanted to add a little more to it, step it up a bit more.

 This was after I added a few little touches. I added some Washi tape, a couple of things hand cut from the coordinating paper stack, buttons, a flower, a dew drop and some twine. I only need to add Hailey's photo and the year and her teacher's name will be added to the apple.

 I kept Hunter's layout more basic and less embellished. This is more suited towards him.

And here are my cuties!! Gosh, can you believe how much they have grown?? I keep telling them that they need to slow down...but they do not listen. LOL

Thanks for stopping by!

Until later~

Goodnight, Ark Children's book review

 

We received Goodnight, Ark today. Right away my daughter wanted me to read it to her. She enjoyed the story, but the illustrations are incredible!!
 The author tells a story about Noah and the animals at night during a thunderstorm. I thought it was cute that the animals were afraid of the storm. My daughter identified with the animals wanting to crawl in bed with Noah, she might have done that a time or two. :-) The pages have short, rhyming sentences- just what little ones find appealing.

There are no scripture quotes and the illustrations are more modern than we are used to with the story of Noah, but Goodnight, Ark is still a five star book for us.

I received this book from the publisher through the BookLoook program in exchange for an honest review.
The hard covered book will stand up to lots of re-reading.

Thanks for stopping by!
Until later~

Book review- Arms Open Wide by Sherri Gragg

 

Come near. Stop striving. The Master of the banquet has raised His glass to welcome you as His dear child.
So often Christians view Christ as someone who’s far away and can’t be approached until they have their lives in order. In Arms Open Wide, author Sherri Gragg proves that Christ is a kinder, more tender, more loving Savior than many understand Him to be.
Sherri writes in fictional narrative form while mixing biblical history with scripture, creating a setting that transforms readers back in time and places them right in Jesus’ presence. For thirty-five days readers walk with the Savior to witness miraculous healings and events, and give fresh insight into His power by thinking and feeling with people whose lives became instantly transformed by His love and grace. Readers journey with Jesus and His disciples in the most important time in history.
Hearts will be stirred and lives will be changed as readers draw near and walk with the Savior as never before.

Before choosing books to read from the BookLook program I always look at reviews for that particular book. Seeing that Arms Open Wide very good reviews I decided to give it a read. 

Some things I like about Arms Open Wide:

 My copy is a hardcover. That is always a huge selling point for me!
The cover is very visually appealing and blurb on the back cover had me excited to dig in and start reading right away.

The chapters are short and easy to read.

I think that the Arms Open Wide book would make a good gift.

The author’s heartfelt prayers at the end of each chapter add a good touch to the stories.

Sherri Gragg’s Arms Open Wide is okay to be used as a devotional.

What I didn’t care for were the actual “stories”. The author has chosen several well know Bible accounts and has rewritten them adding her own ideals of how the event played out. I have never been a fan of this type of story telling. I guess I am a purest when it comes to the Bible. J

 I never did find the “Call to Linger in the Savior’s Presence” which is a part of the book’s title.

Even though Arms Open Wide is not the style I prefer, I do have friends that like that style, and I will be passing along my copy.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher through the BookLook program. 

Thanks for Stopping By!!

Until later~

Glitter Glue Holder made with the Cameo

I love projects that come together in a snap! I was looking for something in my Cameo cut files and came across this little project, a glitter glue holder. And seriously it came together in less than 2 minutes!!

 

 I made one for Hailey so she can store her sparky glue and one for myself.
Hint: You know when you buy a paper pad and you are not crazy over all of them? Well, this is a good way to use those papers.

The holder is made with 2 pieces, the Cameo cuts the holes and the score lines making this a truly effortless project. I was very surprised at how sturdy the holder is.

Supplies-

Paper from my stash

Adhesive-ATG

Cut file- Glitter Glue Holder Silhouette store

Thanks for stopping by!

Until later~

4th of July Mantle Projects

Hailey helped make this canvas for the 4th of July for our mantle. She loves getting crafty, I love spending time with her while we work on various projects!! There is nothing better than being creative with little ones!! :-)

 Hailey used Buttermilk Acrylic paint to paint the canvas and once it dried we added our die cuts. Super easy and super cheap- under $5 total!!
(Tip: The parade silhouette was cut 14" long, my mat is 12x12. I used my software to place my image on a diagonal in the center of my mat, lower left corner to upper right corner to get a longer die cut.)

 I love this 3D paper banner!! The kids laughed when I drug out my hubby's cordless drill to "scrapbook!" The wooden beads would not work with my twine, I had to hold each bead with the vise gripes and drill the holes a little bigger, hey it worked!  LOL

 Looks like the mantle is all ready for the 4th!! I plan to add more crafty projects for next year!

Supplies-

Cut files- God Bless America, 3D star and bunting kit, It's a parade- Silhouette Online store

Paper - cardstock- black and kraft

Designer paper-Vintage Nation by Paper Studio

Misc- buttermilk acrylic paint, red mini brads, canvas, hot glue, twine, wooden beads, Tombow multi Mono glue, Distress ink and applicator, and a foam brush

Happy 4th of July!!

I would love to see your 4th of July home decor crafts, please leave a link in the comments!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Until later~

A shaped card

I think the little campers that are so trendy right now are so cute! I have seen several SVG files for different styles, but this one from the Silhouette store is my favorite! (You can find it HERE)

For my non-card maker friends I am going to show you how it all starts-

I start by arranging all of my papers on my mat to coincide with the design on my design software. (I prefer to use the Cricut mat with my Cameo. it works so much better for me.)

Then it is one and done- one time through the die cutter and I have all I need to build my card.

I adhere all of my pieces and embellish a little- a brad for the door knob and some pop dots, a little Bakers Twine and a couple of teeny tiny bows. 

The coordinating designer paper I used for the little curtains kind of gets lost with the other patterns.

I went back and added some outlines with a Micro tipped pen, now the curtains pop.

A few years ago I discovered some 6x6 zippered baggies and have been using them to store my scraps. I use my ATG to attach the baggie to the back side of the 6x6 paper pad. It is handy to have all of those little scraps together!! I  add coordinating cardstock to my scrap bag too.

Here is what my storage looks like. I them stand my 6x6 pads in a basket, it is so easy to grab and go.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Until later~

Caramel Apples at 4H Pocket page layouts.

I love pocket pages! I can get my photos into albums a lot faster with pocket pages, and they come in a wide variety of lay outs. 

Our 4H club made caramel apples last fall. They kids had so much fun making yummy apples!!

 

I used 2 different page designs for this layout. I used a horizontal 6x4 page and a page for 3 vertical and one 6x12 photos. Little mini layouts are fun to make and add a lot of interest to your pages. (They just don't photograph well.)

 I used Apple of my eye cut file by Miss Kate Cuttables for my this mini layout. The letters are stickers I had been want to use.

I used the small scallop file and the drippy border.

I used scraps of cardstock for my cuts and then used a little Baker's Twine to finish off my apple.

Brother enjoyed his apple, sister wanted no part of hers. She prefers her apples with peanut butter, silly girl does not like caramel! 

Thanks for stopping by!!

Until later~

Man's Suit Father's Day Easel card

Who knew easel cards could be so much fun to make?! Now I am wondering what took me so long to jump on that ban wagon! I used another My Scrap Chick cut file to make hubby's Father's Day card. He is not really the suit wearing kind of guy, but I think it is a perfect manly card.

Front view, standing up.

This is the side view, it shows how the card front tucks behind the popped layer to stand up. And yes, I had to make it in the Buckeye colors!! (Hubby appreciated that!! LOL)

Supplies-

Cut file- Man's Suit Easel Card-My Scrap Chick

Bazzill cardstock

Ink- London Fog memento, Black licorice MFT

Misc-pop dots and sentiment- Trending Greetings TAC

This card reminds me so much of my own dad, he had a suit that exact color of gray!
I am sure there will be more easel cards to come!
Thanks for stopping by!
Until later~

Birds & Garden Gate Easel Card

One thing I love about the Silhouette Cameo is that cut files that can be downloaded and used right away!! One of my favorite places to get cut files is My Scrap Chick and today I am sharing a card made using their  Birds & Garden Gate Easel Card file. This is my first easel card and I think I am hooked!! :-)

 This is my card. I think it turned out adorable!! It folds flat for mailing....

 and for displaying it stands upright.  The front panel tucks behind the sentiment which has been popped up.

Side view so you can see how it works. You can also see all of my popped layers here too.

The cut file is so easy to use, I lay everything out according to color and cut everything on my 12x12 mat. Once all of the pieces are cut it is a cinch to adhere everything together.

Supplies-

Cut files- Birds & Garden Easel Card by My Scrap Chick

Solid cardstock -PaperTrey Ink, Bazzill, & Georgia Pacific

Designer paper- Echo Park Hello Summer 6x6 pad

Stamps- Feeling Froggy- My Favorite Things, and "hello" from my stash

Ink-Broken China Distress ink and Faded Jeans Distress Ink and Chartreuse Palette Ink

Misc- Pop dots, Tombow Multi glue and ATG, ink blending tool, Cameo

** Great news- My Scrap Chick is currently having a sale on their cut files, I am not sure how long it will last so run over and check it out!!**

Thanks for stopping by!!

Until later~

BookLook book review- Young Women of Faith Bible

ZonderKidz provide the Young Women of Faith Bible, NIV through BookLook program for me to review. The target ages for this Bible are from 8-13 and after opening the box and seeing this Bible I would say they are spot on. The cover is pink and orange and is very appealing to young girls. Upon opening the Young Women of Faith Bible I noticed there is flower, heart and butterfly images along with more pink, again it is very visually appealing. Aside from all of the “girly” touches you will also find solid, useful resources- overviews of each book, memory verses, devotions, maps, an extensive concordance and journal spots.

 My seven-year-old daughter claimed the Young Women of Faith Bible for herself as soon as she saw it. She is proud to carry it to church with her every week, and enjoys having it read to her. This is a Bible that she will use for many years. I am anxious for her to record her thoughts on the journal pages and I am sure she will enjoy reading it, as she gets older.

I love that the Young Women of Faith Bible is such a hit with my daughter. I would enjoy reading this Bible (if I could pry it away from my little girl.) I wish I had had a Bible like this one when I was a young girl. When I asked my daughter if she would recommend this Bible for other girls, her answer was, “Everyone should buy it!”

Thanks for stopping by!!
Until later~