The Unknown, Entertaining Mind of Miss Dena Jones

Color/Birthday Challenge at Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog

2012-02-22T02:24:00.000-10:00

Hello, Bloggers! Hope you're having a great week. I actually have a LITTLE bit of a stretch before my next project is due for either a DT or blog hop, so I'm really excited! My boyfriend was just joking that it seemed like I had something due every other day. It's definitely nice to have a little break. I'm hoping to get back to going through my craft supplies and purging and organizing things. It's already the third week of February, so I'm feeling wayyyy behind on that project! *SIGH*

Well, this week's challenge over at Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog is a Pinterest Photo Challenge with a Birthday theme. Here is the photo :

When I saw this Lori Whitlock digital kit, I thought it would be perfect for this challenge. It's not a birthday kit per se, but that was totally cool with me. I love that this kit can be used for a variety of themes. Gotta love that cloud paper, too! :) All of the papers on my card, with the exception of the base white cardstock, were printed from the digital kit. I added ribbon and a computer-generated sentiment.

Hope you enjoyed your visit. Be sure to stop by Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog to check out this week's challenge! Have a great day!

Mardi Gras Blog Hop !

2012-02-20T23:31:00.000-10:00

Welcome to our Mardi Gras parade!  I must warn you though, while you may enjoy jumping up to catch beads, doubloons, cups, stuffed animals--whatever! Please yell at the float riders "Throw me something, Mister!" Bring a large, sturdy plastic or cloth bag to hold all the treasure you'll be catching - if you try to put all of your beads around your neck, you'll have a hard time standing up straight! Be prepared: some people get so overcome with excitement they will occasionally jump in front of you to grab what a rider has thrown to you. Don't get into a tug-o-war....there are many more floats on the way! If you're from far away, some visitors hold up a sign saying where they are from.  Local riders love to see people from far away have a good time and will throw to them to make sure they do!

The colors of Mardi Gras are: Purple which represents justice; Green which represents faith; and Gold which represents power.  Mardi Gras is always held the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is music, parades, picnics, floats, excitement ... and one big holiday in New Orleans! Everyone is wearing purple, green, and gold; and adorned with long beads caught from the beautiful floats. They sit on the ground throwing balls, playing music, having a picnic, and watching the crowds walk by between parades.

Instead of beads, coconuts (which apparently is the most prized throw from floats) and other baubles, we have a great sponsor:  

$15 Gift Card for Treasure Box Designs (http://www.treasureboxdesigns.com/). They are asking you to stop by their blog and become a followr of their blog at http://treasureboxdesigns.blogspot.com/. They are having issues with their blog at this time but asking you become a follower!
$50 Gift card from Anita Meadows Cannon

So, sit back with your beverage of choice, but keep in mind the police will be in full force watching for drunken lewdness as this is a family event!  Feel free to watch in costume as this is a festive hop!!  If you have arrived from Kari's blog on the parade route, then you are sitting at the best seat in the house! If you have just happened to be visiting me today, I would love for you to start at the beginning of our parade route at Lynne, your hostess, at http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/ along with our marvelous co-hostess, Kimberly, at http://scrappingrookie.blogspot.com/.

For my project, I created a digital recipe page.  We all know that Mardi Gras festivities are one big CARAYYY-ZEEE party !!!!  Now, it's no secret there there is a LOT of drinking going on during Mardi Gras!   First off, I DO stress RESPONSIBLE drinking, so please, if you drink, please don't drink and drive, and please DRINK RESPONSIBLY!

Continuing on ...  one drink that always comes to mind when thinking of Mardi Gras and New Orleans is the famous New Orleans Hurricane!  The creation of the Hurricane drink is credited to a New Orleans tavern owner named Pat O'Brien.  Oh, my !  Does this drink pack a punch!  I remember having a few at a Mardi Gras block party in Honolulu several years back.  It was dee-licious but also very potent!  Let's just say, when the night was over,  I ended up with a badly sprained ankle that took MONTHS to heal!  *sad face*  But, aside from the injury, I had a BLAST !  I would really love the opportunity to go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  It's definitely a bucket list item for me.  I couldn't do it this year, but next year, I hope to have a little Mardi Gras celebration at home complete with hurricanes -- the drink, that is! =)

Hope enjoyed my float in the parade. To continue on the parade route, Your next stop is Gill's blog. I would love for you to throw me some beads (comments)  in tribute to Mardi Gras!

Laissez les bon temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)

Forever Night Challenges: Bugaboo Headless Skelekinz ATC

2012-02-17T01:28:00.000-10:00

Hello, Friends! It's Friday, and that means a new challenge over at Forever Night Challenges. This week's sponsor is Bugaboo Stamps.

This week's theme is "Nothing Like A Little Spook", and the challenge is : Anything But A Card

Well, since I'm still in ATC mode, I decided to create one for this week's challenge. I'm using the Headless Skelekinz digi. Once again, I turned to Echo Park's Apothecary Emporium line for this project. The orange polka-dot paper, the 31 sticker, and the letter stickers came from the set. I colored the digi with Copics. You can't tell in the picture, but the body is pop-dotted.

Please stop by Forever Night Challenges and check out this week's challenge. Thanks for stopping by!

ATC Creation Fun First Ever Valentine's Day Blog Hop!

2012-02-14T03:16:00.002-10:00

Welcome, Friends, to ATC Creation Fun's first ever Valentine's Day Blog Hop. We are excited to have you hop along with us today. We are so happy to have our hop sponsored by Simply Betty Stamps.

She has such a wonderful array of digi, rubber, and clear stamps available on her site. So, when you get a chance, please take the opportunity to browse her online shop. I am sure you will find something you will love. Now, on to the fun :

If you just hopped over from Abby's blog, then you are in the right place. If you just happened to stumble in and you want to join us from the beginning, please go to ATC Creation Fun and follow along. We have a bunch of very talented ladies joining us on the hop today, some from ATC Creation Fun, some from Craft Your Passions Challenges, and some ladies from Forever Night Challenges. So, sit back and enjoy the ride!

For my first ATC (top of post), I had the chance to work with London. I love that she has an armful of Valentine's Day candies! How SWEET! I colored her with Copics. I adhered her to the ATC base and added a few embellishments. I love how easy an ATC project can be!

My second ATC uses the same, pretty polka-dot paper. I was going for a CAS look which explains the "white space". I inked the edges of the patterned paper, although it is hard to tell in the picture. I used a computer-generated sentiment and adhered to the ATC with adhesive and accented with a red brad. The white heart was diecut from felt. I added a button and twine. The lace and pearl trim came from my stash. I thought it was the perfect finishing touch!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed my ATC creations. It really is nice to work on a simpler project from time to time. In case you're wondering what I do with them, I usually give them to my teen daughter. She loves to collect them. LOL! You could always use them on your cards, though!

Your next stop is Sara's blog to see what wonderful ATC she has in store for you. Don't forget to leave a comment on every lady's site and at the end of the blog on the main ATC Creation Fun site for a chance to win a prize from our sponsor, Simply Betty Stamps!

Below is the complete blog hop lineup:

Melissa Everyday Expressions With Earthspirit

Bridget Chili Loves Crafts

Christina A Paper Life

Jamie Jamie's Crazy Crafty Life

Miranda MJ's Workz of Majik

Jodi Kaboo Designs

Jenn Scrap Happens Emellish it

Kelli Cajun Stamping Queen

ABBI Powered By Fairy Dust

Dena Miss Dena Jones

Sara Welcome to my dark side

Jane Jane's Craft

Steph Steph's Creative Chaos

ATC Creation Fun

Sexy Sirens and Vixens Blog Hop: DAY TWO

2012-02-12T00:24:00.000-10:00

(click on image for better view!)

Welcome to Day Two of the Sexy Sirens & Vixens Blog Hop!  Some of the participants in the hop wanted to create a second project.  If you missed the projects from Day One, you'll want to be sure to go back and view them so you don't miss a thing!

We are a group of fifteen fun, sexy gals, most who met on Facebook with one common connection: our love of cardmaking and other paper crafts!  This weekend, the "Sexy Fifteen" will be sharing Valentine's Day projects using some of the sexier images from our awesome sponsor:  Kenny K. Downloads.

If you are not yet familiar with Kenny K. Downloads, what are you waiting for?!  Kenny K. has the cutest digi's, from cute images suitable for kids to sultry images perfect for a card for your man! *WINK*  Whether you want to try out one of their images for the first time or add to your existing collection, this could be your lucky weekend!  Our sponsor, Kenny K. Downloads, will be awarding one commentor FIVE Kenny K. digi's of their choice !  Be sure to read the contest rules below!

For today's project, I got to work with Bodacious Bev.  She is one sexy gal perfect for a Valentine's Day card for your man!  Since this hot mama is decked out in her sexiest lingerie, I immediately thought of a very well-known lingerie store.  Can you guess which one??? 

The angel wings and the pink striped paper should be very big hints!  It's Victoria's Secret! LOL!  Drawing inspiration from VS, I thought it would be fun to turn Bev into an angel.  So, I diecut some wings out of chipboard which I painted with acrylic paint and then topped with Stardust Stickles.  

(Here's a closer look at her wings)

I colored Bev with Copics and added some pearl embellies -- because pearls are just so feminine, aren't they?  =)  For the front of the card, I computer-generated a sentiment that is very similar to the VS font.  The sentiment says "IT'S NO SECRET" and continues on to the inside where it says "I'M NO ANGEL WHEN I'M WITH YOU".  Meoowww!!!  Can we say sexayyyy ????  LOL!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  If you like what I did with Bodacious Bev), please be sure to visit Kenny K. Downloads to purchase this digi or check out what else they have in their extensive collection of assorted digital images (some already pre-colored, too!).   Don't forget about the blog candy.   To be eligible to win, you must, comment on each of the blogs in the hop.

You will get one entry per day if you comment on Day One's posts (yesterday) as well as Day Two's posts (today).  Please note that not all participants have a second project up, but a lot do!  Again, you may want to go back and look at the projects posted on Day One to get more fabulous ideas on how to use these digi's. You do not have to become a follower on each blog, but it sure would be nice if you did !  You MUST include an email address where you can be contacted should you win.  The winner will be notified by February 20, 2012 via email.  Winner must respond no later than 3 days after being notified.  Otherwise, a second winner will be selected.

Thanks again, and be sure to hop on over to Lynne's blog next to see what she has to share with you today!  Below is the complete blog hop lineup:

1)  Dena :   http://missdjones.blogspot.com/

2)  Lynne : http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/

3)  Ashley ; http://theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com

4)  Zenita : http://www.scrappinwithz.blogspot.com

5)  Gill :http://creationsbygillm.blogspot.com

6)  Jamie : http://myamusinglife.blogspot.com

7) Jen : http://www.expressivelyme.blogspot.com

8) Jill: http://craftwithanangel.blogspot.com/

9) Sherry:  www.patternsbysher.blogspot.com

10) Clare:  http://www.cricutcraftyclare.blogspot.com/

11)Haidee:http://created2bunique.blogspot.com/

12)Michelle: http://craftychelle.blogspot.com

13) Lisa L: http://craftylam.blogspot.com

14) Amber J: http://pixiperfectcreations.blogspot.com/

15) Cely : http://hawaiipaperparty.blogspot.com/

Sexy Sirens and Vixens Blog Hop: Harley Ryder from Kenny K. Downloads

2012-02-11T00:10:00.004-10:00

Welcome to Day One of the Sexy Sirens & Vixens Blog Hop!  We are a group of fifteen fun, sexy gals, most who met on Facebook with one common connection: our love of cardmaking and other paper crafts!  This weekend, the "Sexy Fifteen" will be sharing Valentine's Day projects using some of the sexier images from our awesome sponsor:   Kenny K. Downloads!

 
If you are not yet familiar with Kenny K. Downloads, what are you waiting for?!  Kenny K. has the cutest digi's, from cute images suitable for kids to sultry images perfect for a card for your man! *WINK*  Whether you want to try out one of their images for the first time or add to your existing collection, this could be your lucky weekend!  Our sponsor, Kenny K. Downloads, will be awarding one commentor FIVE Kenny K. digi's of their choice !  Be sure to read the contest rules below!
 
Now, on to my project :

(click for close-up view)
 
For Day One's project, I had fun with Harley Ryder.   I knew that I wanted to do something fun with her.  Now, I must apologize for the quality of my pics.  I've been having some problems with my digital camera, and it seems that some pics are fine and some come out slightly blurry.  *sad face*


I really must say that the digi's we used for this blog hop are all so fun to color !  It's amazing how these digi's seem to come to life!  I colored Harley with my beloved Copics.  You may be thinking that I forgot to color her hair.  Actually, I saved her hair for last and, when I was done coloring the rest of her, my fiance' remarked that he loved how Harley looked with white hair.  I agreed.  She reminded me of Storm from the X-Men movie.  So, I left her hair alone with the exception of a few touches of my C3 Copic pen.  I guess it really bugged me to not at least do something to her hair! LOL  I finished off the image with LOTS of Glossy Accents on Harley's boots and outfit to give it that shiny, patent leather look.  I also added some Glossy Accents to her red hot lips!  How sexy is that?  


(click for close-up view)

I still had some of that red polka dot paper that you've seen in two of my recent projects.  I just love that paper.  I really should pick up more!  I promise not to bore you by using it on all my projects, though.  HEE HEE  The ribbon came from my stash, so I really can't say where it came from.  The citation image is an element from a digital scrapbook kit.  I had SO MANY different ideas for Harley.  I wish I could have incorporated all of them somehow.  Oh, well...I guess I will just have to make more cards with her! 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  If you like what I did with Harley Ryder, please be sure to visit Kenny K. Downloads to purchase this digi or check out what else they have in their extensive collection of assorted digital images (some already pre-colored, too!).   Don't forget about the blog candy.   To be eligible to win, you must, comment on each of the blogs in the hop.

You will get one entry per day if you comment on Day One's posts as well as Day Two's posts.  Please note that not all participants have a second project up, but a lot do! You do not have to become a follower on each blog, but it sure would be nice if you did !  You MUST include an email address where you can be contacted should you win.  The winner will be notified by February 20, 2012 via email.  Winner must respond no later than 3 days after being notified.  Otherwise, a second winner will be selected.
 
Thanks again, and be sure to hop on over to Lynne's blog next to see what she has to share with you today!  Below is the complete blog hop lineup:

1)  Dena :   http://missdjones.blogspot.com/
2)  Lynne : http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/
3)  Ashley ; http://theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com
4)  Zenita : http://www.scrappinwithz.blogspot.com
5)  Gill :http://creationsbygillm.blogspot.com
6)  Jamie : http://myamusinglife.blogspot.com
7) Jen : http://www.expressivelyme.blogspot.com
8) Jill: http://craftwithanangel.blogspot.com/
9) Sherry:  www.patternsbysher.blogspot.com
10) Clare:  http://www.cricutcraftyclare.blogspot.com/
11)Haidee:http://created2bunique.blogspot.com/
12)Michelle: http://craftychelle.blogspot.com
13) Lisa L: http://craftylam.blogspot.com
14) Amber J: http://pixiperfectcreations.blogspot.com/
15) Cely : http://hawaiipaperparty.blogspot.com/

Feb. 9-12 Valentine's Day Decor and Gifts Blog Hop

2012-02-08T20:00:00.002-10:00

(click on image to enlarge)

Hi and welcome to the Valentines Decor and Gifts Blog Hop!

If you happened here by chance you're in luck!  There are going to be 20 stops full of great ideas, so grab a beverage and head over to our hostess' (Staci) blog.     The sponsor for this hop is Designs on Cloud 9  & she has offered us a $20 Gift voucher for the GRAND prize.  Head over to her Facebook page  and show her some love.  One lucky person who comments on this hop will be the winner of this generous prize. (1 person from each stop will be randomly choosen & then out of those 20 a random drawing will be done for the grand prize). 

My project for this hop is something I've started doing in my home each season after seeing a lot of variations on the internet. It's an easy and affordable holiday project that can be changed for each holiday.

I got an inexpensive picture frame from Wal-Mart. It's a black frame with white matte board that allows for 4 pictures. For Valentine's Day, I added some patterned paper that I had leftover from another Valentine's Day project. I then cut the letters L-O-V-E with my Cricut using the Storybook cartridge. I love using that font for this project. I used Cricut Design Studio to get the letters at just the height I wanted as well as the width. I wanted to widen the letters in order to fill up more of the space. I adhered the letters to the patterned paper and placed in the frame. That's it! Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy! =)

Thanks for stopping by. Please be sure to hop on over to Daisy's blog next! Below if the complete blog hop lineup:

Staci: http://preciousmem.blogspot.com
Ashley Glamourous: http://theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com
Lisa Peters: http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
Audrey Dickinson: http://scrappyemt.blogspot.com
Anita Meadows Cannon:~ http://www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com
Lucy Kelleher: http://love2createitall.blogspot.com
Michele Eickholt: http://chelescrafts.blogspot.com/
Sylvia Solorio: http://bellascrapbookdesigns.blogspot.com
Darla Haverstock: http://stampingunderdoctorsorders.blogspot.com/
Kimberly Pate: http://scrappingrookie.blogspot.com
Liz Mullen: http:// scrapiliciouslife.blogspot.com
Lisa Marie Lam:http://craftylam.blogspot.com
Nicolette Simpson:http://beyondscrapin.blogspot.com
Janet Nagai: http://createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com
Dena Jones: http://missdjones.blogspot.com/
Daisy Collins: http://tsunamirosedesigns.blogspot.com
Amanda Youlkis: http://a-prata-design.blogspot.com/
Nancie Brungard: http://alittlepieceofmebynancie.blogspot.com/

Friendship's Garden Blog Hop Giveaway!

2012-02-08T00:58:00.001-10:00

(click on image for closer view)

Hello Friends!  Welcome to challenge NINE (9) and our second quarterly blog hop sponsored by Designs on Cloud Nine!  We're calling it the ...

blog hop!   You should have just came from Jamie's blog. To start at the beginning, please go to the Friendship's Garden Challenge blog.  

For this week's challenge, love is the theme, and the project must have at least 3 embellishments (Buttons, ribbon, lace, trim, bling, brads, die cuts, chipboard, etc.)  !

Now for the blog hop info ... Michelle at Designs on Cloud 9 was very generous and gave each of us Garden Girls a free file for us to work with, and if you win this blog hop, you could buy it for your very own with the $20 gift certificate to the Designs on Cloud 9 online shop!!!

To be eligible to win, check out the rules posted over at  Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog.

There are a total of five (5) chances to win the gift certificate from Designs on Cloud 9!!!  

For this week's challenge, I immediately knew which paper I wanted to use.  I had some of my favorite Imaginesce papers in my stash that I knew would be perfect for this bee-themed project.  Thank goodness I bought so many of it! LOL!  

I cut the boy bee image using the Make-the-Cut program.  I also used it to split the "bee mine" sentiment.  I deleted the original shadow layer and then created my own for each word.    I pop-dotted the words so they would stand out more against the busy background.  At least, I think it helps when I do that!  :)  

I inked the bee's wings and embossed them.  I used white gel pen to accent his shoes and socks.  For the eyes, I decided to use Googly eyes.  I like the look of them.  They seem to make a card a little more fun!  I also added a bling flourish to mimic the bee flight pattern on the paper.

I added some fun, brown, polka-dot ribbon along with twine and a button. The pink heart was cut with a Sizzix Sizzlit from felt. I added the same twine and ribbon to the heart for added dimension.

Now, I did add more embellishments than needed for the challenge, but I guess I just couldn't help myself! LOL! Well, thanks for stopping by! Please sure to hop on over to Ciska's blog next and don't forget about our blog candy!

Sweet Cards and Decadent Desserts Blog Hop: Day Two

2012-02-05T04:00:00.044-10:00

Welcome to Day Two of the Sweet Cards and Decadent Desserts Blog Hop! Each blogger participating in this hop is featuring a Valentine's Day card for someone special in their life, whether it be a husband, boyfriend, child, friend, teacher, parent, etc ... Each participant is also posting a recipe for a decadent dessert that you might want to make for someone sweet in your life!

This is a two-day blog hop with some participants posting projects on both days. So, please be sure to check out yesterday's projects if you missed them!

For today's project, I used a cute digi named Wryn from Tiddlyinks. I just love the flowerpot with the hearts growing from it. I think this digi is great in that it can be used for other occasions, not just Valentine's Day. I really enjoyed coloring her hair with my Copics. I did mess up with her dress, though. *sad face* I wasn't paying attention and inadvertently used my darkest shade of pink to color her dress. I was supposed to use it for shading. I think I could have attempted to fix it a little with the colorless blender (I THINK!), but I decided to leave it alone. Lesson learned: Never assume you grabbed the right Copic pen. Double check before you start coloring! Other info: sentiment is from Tiddlyinks and sketch is from iheart2stamp.com.

On to the recipe I'd like to share with you today.

OREO TRUFFLES

I'm sorry that picture isn't better. I took it with my iPhone which, unfortunately, does not have a flash.

Oreo Truffles are very easy to make. They are very rich, and eating just two or three would be enough to satisfy most people!

RECIPE :

1 package of Oreo cookies, crumbled (I don't yet have a food processor, so I do mine in batches in my blender!)

1 package of cream cheese, softened

bag of chocolate chips or 1 pkg almond bark

assorted toppings such as sprinkles or colored sugars (optional)

Combine the softened cream cheese with the crushed Oreo cookies. Shape into truffle-sized balls and placed on waxed paper on cookie sheet. Freeze for approximately 30 mins. Melt your chocolate or almond bark.

Place a truffle on a fork and dip into the melted chocolate. Tap gently on side of bowl to allow excess chocolate to run off. Place truffle back on waxed sheet. Sprinkle topping if you have any. Repeat with the rest of the truffles. Place in refrigerator.

These truffles are so easy to make but sure do impress ! Thank you for stopping by my blog today. If you try my recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out! Please hop on over to Anita's blog next to see what she has to share with you!

The complete blog hop lineup is below:

Dena : http://missdjones.blogspot.com/
Anita : http://www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com
Janet : http://janetscreativeworld.blogspot.com
Nicolette : www.beyondscrapin.blogspot.com
Jearise : http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com
Jamie : http://myamusinglife.blogspot.com
Kerri : http://www.crafttimeandcupcakes.com/
Melissa:http:..www.timeweavers.wordpress.com
Kristy - http://scraptasticalkreations.blogspot.com
Zenita: http://www.scrappinwithz.blogspot.com

Sweet Cards and Decadent Desserts Blog Hop: Day One

2012-02-03T23:30:00.000-10:00

Welcome to the Sweet Cards and Decadent Desserts Blog Hop!  Each blogger participating in this hop is featuring a Valentine's Day card for someone special in their life, whether it be a husband, boyfriend, child, friend, teacher, parent, etc ...  Each participant is also posting a recipe for a decadent dessert that you might want to make for someone sweet in your life!

This is a two-day blog hop with some participants posting projects on both days.  So, please be sure to stop by tomorrow also! 

For today's project, I made a card using some stuff from my stash.  I found some cute Doodlebug cardstock stickers that I thought would be perfect for this theme.  The alpha stickers are also by Doodlebug.  I love that font!  This was a pretty easy card to put together.  Sometimes, it's nice to do a quick project.  =)

The decadent dessert recipe I'd like to share is :

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

(yes, that is a picture of the actual cheesecake I made!)

Why cheesecake? Well, cheesecake is my honey's absolute favorite dessert, so it's only fitting that I chose to share my recipe for this hop. I, too, enjoy a slice of cheesecake with some coffee from time to time. And, let's not forget about cheesecake ice cream! YUM-O!!!

Before I share the recipe, I'd like to share a few tips:

Be sure to bring all of your ingredients to room temperature.
Use a water bath. If you are not familiar with this method, I would suggest checking YouTube. In fact, before I attempted to make my first cheesecake, I watched a bunch of different YouTube videos!
It's best to bake your cheesecake well in advance of when you actually want to eat it. It needs time to set completely. It's best to make it a day ahead, but I will admit to having a slice half a day later (baked in afternoon and had a slice very late at night because I couldn't wait... LOL)
If you end up with any cracks in your cheesecake, just throw some fruit or fruit sauce on there! LOL!

RECIPE:

Crust:
2 cups graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
pinch of salt

Filling:
5 packages of cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs PLUS 2 yolks (be sure to add one at a time)
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. lemon zest (for me, usually about two lemons)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1) Mix the crust ingredients and press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
2) Mix cream cheese until smooth.
3) Add sugar and mix at medium speed until well blended (approx 5 minutes).
4) Add eggs and egg yolks one at a time.
5) Add remaining ingredients and blend well.
6) Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Then, lower heat to 250 degrees for 1 hr. and 15 mins.
7) Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate.

I know a lot of people think that cheesecake might be difficult to make. It's really not! I remember being nervous the first time I made it, but it was perfect! =) If I can do it, anyone can do it! If you try my recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out! Please hop on over to Anita's blog next to see what she has to share with you!

The complete blog hop lineup is below:

Dena : http://missdjones.blogspot.com/
Anita : http://www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com
Janet : http://janetscreativeworld.blogspot.com
Nicolette : www.beyondscrapin.blogspot.com 
Jearise : http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com
Jamie : http://myamusinglife.blogspot.com
Kerri : http://www.crafttimeandcupcakes.com/
Melissa:http:..www.timeweavers.wordpress.com
Kristy - http://scraptasticalkreations.blogspot.com 
Zenita:  http://www.scrappinwithz.blogspot.com

Forever Night Challenges: Saturated Canary / Sending Sunshine Your Way

2012-02-03T00:59:00.000-10:00

(click on image to enlarge)

Happy Friday, everyone! Hope you all had a great week. I can't believe it's February! January is over with, but I am still sorting, organizing, and purging things from our home. It's been a slow process since I can't do much while the baby is awake. I have been making progress though, so I am happy about that. I don't think I will be satisfied until I simply cannot find anything else to donate or get rid of. I'm on a mission!!! LOL!

Well, I am really enjoying my stint as a DT member for Forever Night Challenges. I've discovered some really fun digi companies because of my DT assignments. One of my newest faves is The Saturated Canary. OMG! Krista's digi's are just so pretty and fun to color ! I am in LOVE!!!

The Saturated Canary happens to be our sponsor this week. The challenge is : red, black, white, and gray. I had a lot of fun with this color combination, and I must say that this is one of my favorite cards so far this year. I used a digi called "One Of Those Days". Poor gal ! I know we've all had our fair share of gloomy days, right? LOL I colored her with Copics in the challenge colors. The sentiment was computer-generated. I added Glossy Accents to the raindrops to make them look wet and to add dimension.

I also added Glossy Accents to the flower and leaves. The flower is from Prima. It's actually three flowers that I layered together. The center is a sequin that I flipped over.

If you want your own copy of this digi or want to check out the others over at The Saturated Canary, please be sure to visit Krista's Etsy shop. Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a day filled with sunshine! :)

Chinese New Year Blog Hop: DAY TWO (Gift Card Holder Featuring Mei Li from Sister Stamps)

2012-01-23T04:07:00.001-10:00

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI! HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! Welcome to DAY TWO of the Chinese New Year Blog Hop! This hop is in honor of Guan, the little boy April's family is adopting from Taiwan. To celebrate his culture, we want to share some Chinese-inspired projects with you!

If you arrived here from Janet's blog then you are in the right place! If you just joined us, please go back to April's blog at www.curlsandgrins.blogspot.com to see everyone's amazing creativity!

It was really fun to create projects for this hop in celebration of Chinese New Year, especially because my family never really did much to observe this holiday when I was growing up (even though we are part Chinese). As an adult, I never really did anything special either, but I am hoping to change that for my two daughters' sakes.

For today's project, I created a card that also acts as a gift card holder. Gift card holder, you ask? LOL Well, I know the idea of a gift card for Chinese New Year might sound a little ... different, perhaps, but when I saw this beautiful Chinese New Year gift card at Starbuck's last week, I just couldn't resist buying one! It's just so pretty !!!!

Not only is the gift card so elegant with all the red and gold, the matching envelope was beautiful, too! I love how it looks just like a lai see envelope! I really hated to not include the envelope on my project , so I was determined to find a way to add it to the card.

As you can see in the main picture of my post, I matted the envelope on gold and black paper before adhering to the front of the card. I also cut off the top flap of the envelope and used a small circle punch to create a cutout to make it easier to pull the gift card out. I like that the cutout made a little bit of the gift card visible.

For yesterday's project, I used Mei Li from Sister Stamps. I just love this little girl with her lantern, so I decided to use her on today's project also, using different colors from yesterday's project for her outfit and lantern. Of course, I just had to add a little bit of Stickles ! I also pop-dotted Mei Li to sort of "separate" her from the busy background. I used the same washi paper as I did with yesterday's project. Red and gold just totally symbolize Chinese New Year for me, so I had to use that color scheme again.

Thanks for stopping by! We have some great blog candy to offer from April Nourse and PSA Essentials. To be eligible, you must simply comment on each blog on each day's post. We'd love for you to become a follower of each of our blogs, too!

Please hop on over to Jennifer's blog next to see what she's created.

Below is the complete blog hop lineup:

April - http://curlsandgrins.blogspot.com
Lynne K. - http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/
Ashley - http://theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com/
Amy - http://www.lovetocrop.com/
Jearise - http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/
Shannon - http://www.purplelionpaper.com/blog
Inga - http://mommahobbit.blogspot.com/
Maria - http://www.mdcraftcorner.blogspot.com/
Janet- http://www.createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/
Dena - http://missdjones.blogspot.com/ <<<------ YOU ARE HERE
Jennifer - http://jenrubio.blogspot.com/ <<<------ GO HERE NEXT
Theresa- http://www.thescrapbookingqueen.com/
Ellen - http://cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/
PSA Essentials - www.psastampcamp.blogspot.com/

Chinese New Year Blog Hop: DAY ONE (Chinese Takeout Box Featuring Mei Li from Sister Stamps)

2012-01-22T03:32:00.002-10:00

(click on image for closer look)

Ni hao and welcome to the Chinese New Year Blog Hop! This hop is in honor of Guan, the little boy April's family is adopting from Taiwan. To celebrate his culture, we want to share some Chinese-inspired projects with you!

If you arrived here from Janet's blog then you are in the right place! If you just joined us, please go back to April's blog at www.curlsandgrins.blogspot.com to see everyone's amazing creativity!

For my project, I made a Chinese takeout box. I knew I wanted lots of red and gold in my project, so I was ecstatic when I found this gorgeous washi paper. I love the delicate pattern as well as the bright colors. I matted the washi paper with gold metallic cardstock. I just love how elegant the red and gold look together!

(close up of the washi paper: isn't it gorgeous?)

For this project, I knew I wanted to use Mei Li from Sister Stamps. She is such a cute girl with the flowers and ribbons in her hair and that pretty lantern! I colored her outfit with red and added a touch of gold Stickles. I also added Stickles to her flowers and lantern. I just couldn't help myself! LOL! Now, since I colored her outfit with red, I didn't want to place her on the front panel. Besides, there really wasn't much room. So, I decided to set her on top of the Chinese take out box by hot gluing her to the ribbon. I really like having her standing on top of the box. It just seems like something playful Mei Li would do. LOL!

(Here is a close-up shot of Mei Li so you can see the sparkle I added to her.

You can click on the image for a closer look.)

I will be posting a second Chinese New Year themed project on Monday, so please be sure to stop by again! KUNG HEI FAT CHOI!

We have some great blog candy to offer from April Nourse and PSA Essentials. To be eligible, you must simply comment on each blog on each day's post. We'd love for you to become a follower of each of our blogs, too!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Please hop on over to Jennifer's blog next to see what she's created! See you tomorrow!

Below is the complete blog hop lineup:

April - http://curlsandgrins.blogspot.com
Lynne K. - http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/
Ashley - http://theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com/
Amy - http://www.lovetocrop.com/
Jearise - http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/
Shannon - http://www.purplelionpaper.com/blog
Inga - http://mommahobbit.blogspot.com/
Maria - http://www.mdcraftcorner.blogspot.com/
Janet- http://www.createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/
Dena - http://missdjones.blogspot.com/ <<<< ------ YOU ARE HERE
Jennifer - http://jenrubio.blogspot.com/ <<<<------ GO HERE NEXT
Theresa- http://www.thescrapbookingqueen.com/
Ellen - http://cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/
PSA Essentials - www.psastampcamp.blogspot.com/

Forever Night Challenges: Octopode Factory Challenge/Rocky Horror Picture Show

2012-01-19T23:40:00.000-10:00

This week's challenge over at Forever Night Challenges is sponsored by The Octopode Factory. They have some very different and cool images! The set the DT worked with for this challenge is the Rocky Horror Picture Show set.

Now, I have to confess that this one was hard for me because I have never actually seen the entire movie! I have only seen bits and pieces of it. So, I researched the movie and came across a guide with suggested items to bring along to a show for audience participation. That explains the words that I included on my card. I added the ribbon at the bottom because it made me think of a red carpet or the red movie drapes that you sometimes see at a theater. The image of the lips was colored with Copics.

If you're curious and want to see the other images in the set, be sure to check out The Octopode Factory and the other projects created by my fellow DT members over at Forever Night Challenges. Thanks for stopping by!

Based on a Book Blog Hop: Alice in Wonderland Digital Layout

2012-01-14T00:26:00.002-10:00

(click on image to enlarge)

Happy Saturday, Bloggers! I hope you all had a great week. Can you believe half the month of January has gone by already? Sheesh! I need to get my butt in gear and dedicate more time to my 2012 goals! One of my goals is to create at least two items per week that I've "pinned" on Pinterest, whether it's a craft item or a dish. I'll be blogging about my Pinterest adventures soon!

Now, on to my project. Today, I'm participating in the "Based on a Book" blog hop. You should have just come from Jamie's blog. Each blogger in today's hop is sharing a project she created that was inspired by a book.

There is blog candy! To be eligible, you must leave a comment on all of the blogs in the hop. Then, at the final stop, be sure to include the title of a book you've been wanting to read. If you are the winner, you will get a copy of that book!

If you are just joining the hop and need to go to the beginning, please start at Ashley's blog.

The project I'm sharing today is a digital layout inspired by "Alice in Wonderland". It features my teenager who dressed up as Alice for Halloween in 2010. I used a kit from scrapbookgraphics.com called "Wonderland". I just love all of the papers and elements in this kit. Everything is just so bright and whimsical -- just as I think it should be with this story! I started with the background paper that was red with the black and white checks. Then, I added every single element that you see in the layout. There are so many different elements to choose from in this kit! I can't wait to create more pages with it.

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to check out Shannon's creation next ! Here is the complete lineup in case you get lost along the way. Don't forget to include the title of a book you want to read at the last stop (Tanya's blog)!

Ashley - http://proudusmcwife415.blogspot.com/
Shawnee- http://www.blessedonthebrightside.com/
Jamie - http://myamusinglife.blogspot.com/
Dena - http://missdjones.blogspot.com/
Shannon - http://www.purplelionpaper.com/blog
Lynda - http://memoriesintyme.blogspot.com/
Amy Jo - http://lv2scrapandfibrofacts.blogspot.com/
Ashley - http://especiallymade.blogspot.com/
Charity - http://adamsacres.com/
Suzi - http://www.mrsweyremaster.blogspot.com/
Michelle- http://www.craftychelle.blogspot.com/
Lluvia- http://sweetbirdmemories.blogspot.com/
Barbara http://barbarab3.blogspot.com/
Anita~~http://www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com/
Alina - http://neverstopscrapping.blogspot.com/
Erica http://mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com/
Lisa http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
Tanya - http://little-scrapper.blogspot.com/

Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog: CAS

2012-01-11T03:08:00.000-10:00

Hello, Bloggers! How is your new year going so far? I've been TRYING to declutter and take on some new projects this year, but the process has been slow! It seems that my days just fly by, and all I do is chase my 16-month old around the house. She is a little monkey! She loves climbing everything! I don't know where she gets all of that energy! But, she is such a joy and a blessing to have in our lives. *BIG SMILE*

This week's challenge over at Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog is a CAS project showcasing a sentiment. "CAS" stands for "Clean and Simple". It's a great way to get a card done quickly! Another great way to get a card done fast is to follow a sketch. I LOVE sketches! I'm one of those people who takes a realllllllyyyyy long time figuring out a design for a project. I just can't make up my mind! LOL To make things easier and less stressful on myself, I like to make use of sketches.

For this card, I followed this sketch HERE. I decided to go with a Valentine's Day theme and use some of the leftover paper from my banner project in this post. I just love this polka dot paper! The FOREVER sentiment is from a Studio G stamp set I picked up this weekend. I love that font and the swirls around the sentiment. Somehow, it just has a romantic feel to it. I just wish this card photographed better. I tried scanning it, but that didn't help at all. *sigh*

Anywho, I hand-cut the sentiment after stamping. I then decided the card needed just a little something else. So, I added a little bling and decided to adhere to the sentiment to the card with pop dots to add some dimension. Voila! All done! =)

Well, I hope I have inspired you to check out some sketches if you are not familiar with them. They are such a great resource! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

My First Project for Forever Night Challenges

2012-01-06T01:44:00.000-10:00

(click on image to enlarge)

*** I have two posts today. If you are looking for the Love Bugs Banner Hop, please CLICK HERE.

Hello, Bloggers! Today, I am sharing my very first project as a DT member for Forever Night Challenges -- where creepy meets creative! This week, we are featuring digi's from Dilly Beans Stamps. Megan over at Dilly Beans Stamps has some really unique stamps in that they are a great combo of creepy and cute! Please be sure to check out her site!

(click on image to enlarge)

For my project, I chose to work with this cute witch. I colored her with Copics. I'm definitely not an expert at coloring yet, but I am having fun practicing! I think I would have liked to shade the hat a little differently, but maybe that's just me being overly critical of my work. LOL

Now, over at Forever Night Challenges, the emphasis is more on creepy rather than cutesie, so I made sure to pair the image with some paper that wasn't too bright or cute. I chose to use Echo Park's Apothecary Emporium.

(click on image to enlarge)

I also used the same paper to line the inside of the card. I don't always line the inside of my cards, but I'm trying to get into the habit of doing it more often! The sentiment was computer-generated and says "Witching you a Happy Birthday!" I was thinking this would be the first of my handmade birthday cards for the year, but my teenager said she wanted to save it for one of her friends who has an October birthday. Oh, well ... guess my birthday card count for the year is back to zero. LOL!

Before signing off, I wanted to share this cute avatar assigned to me over at Forever Night Challenges:

We were allowed to choose from a bunch of avatars, and when I saw this one, I knew I had to pick it! The avatar is a representation of Jack Skellington from the movie "The Nightmare Before Christmas". If you're familiar with the movie, you'll know that it's really not scary at all. In fact, Jack Skellington (the main character in the movie) is my fifteen-year-old's FAVORITE character of all time. So, I thought it was only fitting that I pick this avatar.

I hope you enjoyed visiting my blog today! I really appreciate all the comments I get; and, please -- if you have any questions on any of my projects, please feel free to ask! Thanks and have a great day!

Love Bugs Banner Hop For Special Needs Kids

2012-01-06T01:34:00.001-10:00

*** I have two posts today. If you are looking for the Forever Night Challenges post, please CLICK HERE.

Welcome to the “Love Bugs Banners for Kids” Hop.

Forty very talented crafty people have come together for a two day hop (Friday, January 6th and Saturday, January 7th) to showcase handmade banners that will be donated to the children at Pediatric Specialty Care. The hope of these banners is that they bring smiles to these children's faces and awareness of Pediatric Specialty Care to all those that hop along.

The “Love Bugs Banner for Kids” Hop has some awesome sponsors and prizes to give away to all those that hop along and leave comments. The more blogs you visit and leave comments at, the more chances you have of winning. That means if you hop through all 20 blogs each day and leave a comment on each blog then you are in the drawing 40 times!

Our Generous Sponsors are:

Jellypark Digital Stamps will award 2 free digi-images to one winner.

K Andrews Designs has donated a stamp set to one winner.

Robyn's Fetish will donate FIVE digital images of the winner's choice as a prize!

Now on with the hop....If you have come from Alina's blog, then you are on the right track but if you have come here by chance – great! but please start from the beginning at Ellen's (AKA CardMonkey) blog and continue through from there.

Now, on to my project:

The theme for this banner project is Valentine's Day and Bugs. I wanted to create a cute banner for the kids, and I immediately thought of ladybugs! I turned to my Cricut Create a Critter cartridge for an adorable ladybug image. I cut her out at 5 1/8 inches. The letters spelling "HUGS" were cut from the Cricut Storybook cartridge. I used Design Studio to widen the letters a bit and get them to just the size I wanted for my banner pieces. The super cute polka dot paper is from Reminisce. I just LOVE it and think it goes so perfectly with this project! I tied my banner pieces together with some sheer red ribbon. Overall, this was a pretty easy project that turned out pretty cute. I hope it brings a lot of smiles to the kids' faces!

Thank you for joining us today on our “Love Bug Banner for Kids” Hop for the children of Pediatric Specialty Care. A VERY BIG THANK YOU to Ellen for coordinating these banner hops. It is such a great cause, and I feel very honored to have a part in it. Please continue on to Martha's blog to see what she's created for the kids. Have a great day and don't forget to come back tomorrow!

Here is the complete blog hop lineup:

Ellen ♥ CardMonkey - http://cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/
Sandie Dunne - http://sandieshores.blogspot.com/
Lori Apgar - http://scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com/
The Scrapbooking Queen~ www.thescrapbookingqueen.com/
Linda Simpson - http://lindasimpsoncraftypieceofheaven.blogspot.com/
Beckie Woodall - http://justbcreativecrazy.blogspot.com
Lisa Lam- http://craftylam.blogspot.com/
Jenny (Crazy About Cricut) - http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com/
Ashley - http://theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com/
Haidee-http://created2bunique.blogspot.com/
Carol - http://cardstockscissorsandglue.blogspot.com/
Edwina - http://edwinascreations.blogspot.com/
Jearise - http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/
Janet S - http://ladyluvbug.blogspot.com/
Denise - http://vintageheartfeltdesigns.blogspot.com/
Jamie http://craftygirl21.blogspot.com/
Teresa - http://scrappintplace.blogspot.com/
Alina - http://neverstopscrapping.blogspot.com/
Dena - http://missdjones.blogspot.com/
Martha- http://pattisscrapingtime.blogspot.com/
Erica http://mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com

Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog: Vintage Children's ATC (and HAPPY NEW YEAR!)

2012-01-04T04:27:00.001-10:00

Hello, all !!! First of all, I'd like to wish all of my readers a very happy, healthy, and prosperous new year! I hope you enjoyed the holidays and that Santa was good to you! LOL!

I've been on a little break, trying to enjoy the holidays and get geared up for 2012. One momentous occasion that happened since I last posted was my FORTIETH birthday! YIKES!!! Yep, it's finally here: my forties! LOL! But, you know, forty isn't as bad as some people make it out to be. I, for one, am looking forward to this new chapter in my life. I've learned a lot in my first forty years of life, and I know I still have much to learn. But, I was so ready to say goodbye to my thirties and move forward and upwards! Things will only get better! So, here's to FORTY !!! HIP! HIP! HOORAY!!! =)

(This was my bday cake. It was one of those cake bites from Baskin & Robbins. We used a candle that was supposed to be used at Maddie's party. LOL)

Now, on to my first project of 2012! This week's bonus challenge over at Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog is an ATC with a vintage children's theme. I haven't made an ATC in a while. An ATC is an artist trading card which usually measures 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches. The base is often just quality cardstock, but I like to use chipboard for mine so that the ATC is a lot sturdier. I get my ATC chipboard from Etsy.

You will notice that I didn't use any images of children on my ATC. I did want to, but I just couldn't fit any into my design. Also, the challenge did not REQUIRE that I use an image of children.

For me, when I think of "vintage children" as a theme, I often think of children at school. I pictured a little red school house. So, I took some red and brown cardstock and embossed them to give them a woodgrain texture. I then did a simple paper piecing to create the school house for my ATC.

The background paper is actually some digital paper that I scaled down and printed. If you are interested in the kit, I can look it up for you. Just leave a comment here with your email address. It's hard to tell in the picture, but I used TH Distress Ink in Walnut Stain on the edges of the ATC and TH Distress Ink in Vintage Photo on the face of the background paper.

The blue tag base is a really thick chipboard tag that I had in my stash. The composition book, pencil, ribbon, and little blackboard were all stickers that I found in my supplies. Gotta love it when I can put something together without having to buy anything new!

If you're wondering what someone might do with a finished ATC -- well, they are meant to be traded. However, I normally just use mine on cards or tags.

Finally, I'd like to make a few announcements.

I've been accepted as a DT member over at Forever Night Challenges, where creepy meets creative! Think Halloween all year long! I don't know about you, but I LOVE Halloween as much as I love Christmas! My term runs the first half of 2012, and I am really excited about this new gig. Now, don't be spooked. It's not as scary as it might sound! =) I will be posting my very first project for FNC in a few days. =)

Last, please keep an eye out for some upcoming blog hops I am hosting in February and March. I will be posting the blog hop buttons in my sidebar.

Come check out some sweet Valentine's Day cards and recipes for decadent desserts that you can make for the loved ones in your life! =)

This blog hop is SPONSORED BY Kenny K. Downloads! The participants in this hop will all be using some of the sexier images from Kenny K. Downloads for their projects. One lucky commenter will win FIVE Kenny K. digi's of their choice!

I am super excited about this last blog hop I'm hosting for the first quarter of 2012. Think Oprah's Favorite Things show where the audience members receive an array of fabulous gifts ! Now, this hop won't be that extravagant, but commenters will have a chance to win blog candy AT EACH stop on the hop! I will be given away at least ONE DOZEN prizes on my blog!!!! So, mark your calendars and be sure to stop by that weekend! And, don't worry. I WILL post a reminder on my blog before the time comes in case anyone forgets. =)

Well, I know that was a lot to process. Thanks for sticking with me through this long post. Have a great Wednesday! ALOHA!

Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog: Anything Goes Christmas or New Year Theme Challenge!

2011-12-14T12:45:00.001-10:00

(click on image to enlarge)

This week's challenge over at Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog is: Anything Goes with a Christmas, New Year, or Winter theme! For this challenge, I made a 6 x 6 card using patterned paper from Bo Bunny's Blitzen line. I love the vintage-y feel of this paper. I decided to try something different and incorporate blue and green in this card, using the patterned paper as inspiration. Often, when I buy patterned paper, I try to find the exact match in cardstock while I'm in the store. It's just so much easier to do it that way, even if I don't plan to use the patterned paper on a project right away. I just store the cardstock with the patterned paper for later use.

I knew that I wanted a large vintage Santa image to use on this card, one that was more of a bust or headshot. I found the perfect one HERE. There were a variety of Santa images to choose from. I added ribbon, twine, and a charm I got from Etsy. The final touches were the sentiments. The North Pole ticket sentiment came from an awesome site I recently discovered. She has a lot of awesome free printable sets, including ticket sets! Check out the site HERE. I used the North Pole ticket from one of the Christmas ticket sets. I also took one that said "Merry Christmas", but cut out just the words instead of using the entire ticket image.

As you can see, you can put a card together using printables for the image and sentiments -- and without paying for any of them! Hope you enjoyed your visit today. Don't forget to check out Challenge 6 over at Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog. Have a great day!

Christmas Cards & Cookies Blog Hop: Weekend Two

2011-12-09T22:31:00.002-10:00

(click on image to enlarge)

Welcome to Round Two of the Christmas Cards & Cookies Blog Hop! There was so much response to the Christmas Cards & Cookies Blog Hop that it had to be split between two weekends. Round One was held last weekend. Round Two is this weekend, beginning on Saturday, Dec. 10th, through Sunday, Dec. 11th. We have a talented group of women who love papercrafting and baking. Each of them is sharing a recipe for a yummy Christmas treat along with a Christmas card or tag. Hopefully, you’ll pick up some great ideas for your own Christmas gift giving this season. So, grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and enjoy!

In Round One of this blog hop held last weekend, I featured a cookie recipe. It's a long-time favorite called Rolo Cookies. If you'd like to see that post, CLICK HERE.

For this weekend's project, I am featuring The World's Easiest Fudge recipe. It really is super easy! Now, I know a lot of people use the recipe on the back of the marshmallow fluff jar, but I don't always have a jar of that stuff on hand. This recipe calls for only two ingredients! Here is the recipe:

World's Easiest Fudge

Ingredients:

one bag of chocolate chips

one can of prepared frosting

Pour both into a microwavable bowl. Heat in microwave in 30-second intervals. Heat and stir until melted. Pour into wax or foil-lined pan and cool.

*Optional: Mix in nuts, raisins, crumbled cookies, etc ... to kick things up!

(yummy fudge)

(my daughter showing off some of the fudge she made all by herself)

This fudge is really rich. You don't need to eat a lot of it to satisfy a sweet tooth!

Now, for my card shown at the very top of this post: I made a 4 x 4 note card to give with a package or tin of fudge. I like doing these little notecards because you can keep them pretty simple. The word "Christmas" on the front is actually a sticker that I matted. I added some ribbon, twine, and a dimensional sticker. The green polka dot paper is actually much brighter IRL. I wish it photographed better! *sigh* All in all, making this card was pretty easy and quick. One tip I'd like to pass on is that matting really helps to add pizzazz to a card!

Well, I hope you try out -- and enjoy -- this recipe! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in a comment along with an email address so I can contact you.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Please be sure to visit Theresa's blog next to see what she has to share with you!

Below is the complete lineup should you get lost.

1. Dena J - http://missdjones.blogspot.com

2. Theresa Thescrapbookingqueen: http://www.thescrapbookingqueen.com

3. Lynda B-J: http://memoriesintyme.blogspot.com/

4. Jearise H: http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/

5. Linda T: http://www.lindascreativity.blogspot.com

6. April N: http://curlsandgrins.blogspot.com

7. Susan B: http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/

8. Tami McD: http://tamboscreations.blogspot.com/

9. Melissa Haereiti: http://timeweavers.wordpress.com

Christmas Faith Songs Blog Hop: "The First Noel"

2011-12-07T02:38:00.001-10:00

(click on image to enlarge)

Hello, Bloggers!

Welcome to my blog! You should have just come from Kari's blog. She is the host of the Christmas Faith Songs Blog Hop. Today, we are worshipping the King and the reason for the season! We are doing that by highlighting our favorite Christmas songs along with a project we've created.

Our "gift" to you today is really just the gift of fellowship and testimony by way of today's blog hop. BUT, there are some other goodies to be had! To be eligible, you must comment on each of the blogs in this hop. It would be nice if you would become a follower of each blog as well, but it is NOT a requirement to be eligible for the prize. Kari will select a winner using random.org.

*Be sure to leave your email address in your comments so you can be contacted should you win. If there is no way to contact you, another name will be drawn for the prize!

We would like to thank Jillian Vance for sponsoring the blog hop candy. Check out this beautiful stamp set that the lucky winner will get! I'm thinking I'm going to have to order a set for myself! LOL! The winner will also get a set of pins.

Please be sure to check out her site !

Now, on to my project:

I selected the song "The First Noel". Here is the first verse:

The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepards in fields as they lay:
In fields where they lay a keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel Noel Noel Noel Born is the King of Israel.

This song speaks to me because it tells the story of the birth of our one and only savior, Jesus Christ. What an amazing thing it would have been to have been present the night the King of Israel was born! Now, we can only imagine what it would have been like, but for those of us that are parents, we can bear witness to the next best thing : the birth of our own children.

As a mother to two beautiful daughters, I know firsthand what a beautiful thing it is to bring a child into this world. I have a 15-year-old daughter named Mikayla and, in September of 2010, I gave birth to another daughter -- a beautiful girl that we named Madison. Sometimes, I find myself wondering who these girls will be one day. What does God have in store for them? What is His plan for them? How can they serve the Lord? All I can do is pray that God grants me the wisdom to raise them and guide them in the direction He has planned for them.

For today's project, I did a digital layout focusing on my baby, Madison. I used a digital kit by one of my favorite designers, Kristin Aagard. Now, I've only just recently found out about her, but I am completely in love with her designs!

The layout features pictures of my fiance' and I with Madison the day we took her home from the hospital. You can see our precious baby bundled up and wearing her pink cap. *SMILE* The journaling reads :

On September 3, 2010, the Lord

blessed us with a beautiful

daughter. Our lives changed

drastically from that day on, but

we wouldn't change anything for

the world. She is truly a gift

from God, and we thank Him

every day for our sweet baby

'Anela.

Now, if you're wondering about the last word in my journaling ('Anela), it is a Hawaiian name pronounced ah-ne-luh and means ANGEL. It is one of Madison's middle names. Yes, ONE of them. LOL She has three which is kind of a tradition in our family.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed your visit! I read every comment and appreciate every single one! If you have any questions, please be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you.

Don't forget that you need to comment on all the blogs in the hop in order to be eligible to win. Please hop on over to Carolyn's blog next! Below is the complete lineup should you get lost along the way. Thanks again and have a blessed day. Merry Christmas! =)

1. Kari - http://purplefuntastickcreations.blogspot.com/ "Mary Did You Know"

2. Dena - http://missdjones.blogspot.com/ "The First Noel"

3. Carolyn - http://messmuddleandfun.blogspot.com/ and my sons is "Hark the Herals Angels Sing"

4. Lynne - http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/ and my song is "Ihr Kinderlein Kommet"

5. Zenita - http://www.scrappinwithz.blogspot.com and my song is "Silent Night"

6. Susan - http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/ "Joy to the World"

7. Jen Y - http://www.expressivelyme.blogspot.com and my song choice is "O Holy Night" :)

8. Tina- http://craftyandgreen.blogspot.com My song is Labor of Love

Christmas Cards & Cookies Blog Hop: Weekend One

2011-12-02T22:28:00.001-10:00

Welcome to Round One of the Christmas Cards & Cookies Blog Hop! There was so much response to the Christmas Cards & Cookies Blog Hop that it had to be split between two weekends. This is Round One and begins Saturday, Dec. 3rd, continuing through Sunday, Dec. 4th. Round Two will be held next weekend. We have a talented group of women who love papercrafting and baking. Each of them is sharing a recipe for a yummy Christmas treat along with a Christmas card or tag. Hopefully, you’ll pick up some great ideas for your own Christmas gift giving this season. So, grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and enjoy!

I made a Christmas card using some super cute Doodlebug paper! The snowman is from a diecut swap I was in last year. I made this diecut with a Sizzix die. It's one of my faves! I filled in the hearts with red stickles and used a white puffy paint pen for the white wavy accents on the arms and legs. The scarf was some fancy ribbon I had in my stash. The scarf and ribbon are actually red IRL (in real life). Unfortunately, the colors don't show up so well here. Last, I added faux stitching with a pen. I made a few of these last year and kept them to use this year. So glad that I did!

Now, for my recipe:

ROLO COOKIES

Ingredients:

1 box devil's food cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 c oil

Rolo candies

Mix the first 3 ingredients. Take a small portion, just enough to wrap around a Rolo candy. Shape into a ball. Bake at 350 degrees on greased cookie sheet for approximately 7-9 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar (optional).

That's it! Easy peasy! These are always a crowd pleaser. The caramel gets nice and gooey when the cookies are fresh out of the oven. YUM! If you have any questions, feel free to post a comment with your email address, and I'll get back to you. Don't forget to return next week for Round Two of the Christmas Cards and Cookies Blog Hop.

Thanks for stopping by! Please be sure to visit Robin's blog next to see what she has to share with you!

Below is the complete blog hop lineup:

1) Dena : http://missdjones.blogspot.com/

2) Robin : http://scrapandchat.blogspot.com/

3) Janet N: http://createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/

4) Carla: http://racincrafts.blogspot.com/

5) Zenita: http://www.scrappinwithz.blogspot.com

6) Jennifer: http://www.craftycardgallery.blogspot.com/

7) Kari: http://purplefuntasticcreations.blogspot.com/

8) Susan: http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/

9) JulieK: http://jk-littlebitofbling.blogspot.com/

10) Ellen ♥ CardMonkey: http://www.cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com

11) Kerri: http://crafttimeandcupcakes.blogspot.com/

12) Janet S: http://www.ladyluvbug.blogspot.com/

13) Carol: http://huffandpuffscrap.blogspot.com/

14) Christina http://cema1cema.blogspot.com/

15) Staci McD http://preciousmem.blogspot.com/

16) Pam http://pammejo-scrapbookflair.blogspot.com/

17) Maria http://marlm-creativebydesign.blogspot.com/

18) Nicolette- www.beyondscrapin.blogspot.com

Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog: Pinterest Inspiration

2011-11-30T01:49:00.001-10:00

Hello, bloggers! How do you like the new look here? LOL! I finally changed the template and decided to go with a Christmas theme. I have to say that I really like it! It's so cute and festive! Well, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday. As usual, I ate way too much. OINK! I did all the baking and cooking, so I was pretty exhausted after. No venturing out to the mall on Black Friday for me, BUT my boyfriend did buy me an early Christmas present online. I'm getting a Silhouette Cameo!!! WOO-HOO!!!! It won't ship until early or mid-December, so that means it will be a few weeks before I can play with my new toy. BOO HOO! I can't wait! *pout*

Well, enough pouting and on to the latest challenge at Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog.. This time, it's a color inspiration challenge from a Pinterest post. Here are the colors :

I made a quick card using a diecut I had in my stash as the focal point. I added some seam binding and a vintage stick pin from SU! I finished off the card with a few flat pearls.

I'm going to be posting more projects in the next few weeks, so please be sure to stop by again. I'm sponsoring a blog hop this weekend called "Christmas Cards and Cookies". There will be 15+ talented ladies sharing Christmas cards and tags along with recipes for yummy Christmas goodies. So, if you're looking for some ideas for goodies you can bake for your friends and family, be sure to stop by.

Last, I want to share that the turkey card I posted a few weeks ago was selected as one to be showcased over at Die Cuttin Divas. I was so flattered that they chose my card!

Well, thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to stop by and enter the latest challenge over at Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog.

Twilight Blog Hop: Day One

2011-11-17T23:01:00.000-10:00

Welcome to the Twilight Blog Hop. You should have just come from Jamie's blog. If you are just visiting me and want to start from the beginning of this hop, please hop on over to Carla's blog. We are celebrating all things Twilight and the opening of the Twilight Saga "Breaking Dawn part 1" in theaters. Make sure you check out all the Twilight related projects on both days. And what would a Blog Hop be without a little Blog Candy right? Our sponsor for this hop is Karber Digital Images and they have generously offered 2 of their awesome Digital Images to a random commenter. To be eligible to win you must comment on everyone’s blogs on both days. We want to say a huge thank you to Berenice Rendon and Karber Images. The complete list of participating blogs is at the bottom of this post.

For day one's project, I've created a digi layout using My Memories Suite scrapbooking software. I'm not affiliated with the company at all, so I am completely unbiased when I say, "I LOVE THIS SOFTWARE!!!" If you love digi scrapbooking and "Twilight", you MUST get this awesome Twilight kit available from My Memories. When I saw that they had it, I knew I had to use it for this blog hop!

The layout features a photo taken at a Twilight expo held here a few years ago. From the layout, it's pretty obvious that I'm on TEAM JACOB! WOO-HOO!!! They had this life-sized cardboard image of him at one of the booths, and I just HAD to take a picture with it! LOL! Now, if you're wondering why he has a lei on, it's because we're in Hawaii. I love how the color of the lei matches my top in the picture -- makes me feel like we sorta "match". LOL! Okay, I'm being silly, but a girl is allowed to get silly over a handsome character isn't she? =)

Well, please be sure to come by tomorrow. I'm hoping to finish up a mini album that I'm creating for my teenager. Be sure to visit Joy's blog next ! Thanks for stopping by!

Carla~ http://racincrafts.blogspot.com/
Berenice - http://karbersweetescape.blogspot.com/
Amy - http://www.lovetocrop.com/
Nancy - http://blog.fancywithnancy.com/
Kristen-http://huneebcreations.blogspot.com/
Theresa -http://thescrapbookingqueen/-princesspenelope.blogspot.com/
Jessica - http://scrappyluvs.blogspot.com/
Jamie- http://myamusinglife.blogspot.com/
Dena - http://missdjones.blogspot.com/ <<< YOU ARE HERE
Joy - http://justjoycrafts.blogspot.com/ <<< GO HERE NEXT
Tanya - http://little-scrapper.blogspot.com/

Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog: Thanksgiving Recipe

2011-11-15T23:23:00.003-10:00

Hello, Bloggers! There is a new challenge posted over at Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog. It's a recipe challenge with a Thanksgiving theme. The recipe calls for:

3 trims

2 patterned papers

1 diecut

Being that I live in Hawaii where we don't have a true "fall" season, it is REALLY difficult to find autumn/fall themed paper! I went to an LSS and got the very last sheet of this cute patterned paper. The great thing is that it is two-sided, so I really only needed one sheet of paper to get two different patterns.

For the diecut, I turned to my trusty Cricut E and the Create a Critter cartridge for this cute turkey. I love using Googly eyes for a whimsical touch to diecuts. I also dressed up the turkey's hat with some mandarin twine from The Twinery and some bling. Orange tulle and and brown ribbon were the second and third trims used on my card.

I knew that I wanted to do something fun with this card, so I used a computer-generated sentiment. If the font looks somewhat familiar, it's because it's the one associated with a game that is all the rage (no pun intended) right now: Angry Birds. LOL! I printed the sentiment on brown cardstock and then embossed with a Cuttlebug folder I recently bought. I was so excited to be able to use it! It's hard to see, but I did ink the sign with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I also pop-dotted the top part of the sign.

Here is another view of the turkey to show how I pop-dotted the turkey. I love dimension on my cards!

I really had fun with this card. So far, it's my favorite DT project for FGCB. Please be sure to check out the challenge and try your hand at our Thanksgiving recipe.

Challenges:

The Pink Elephant : embossing
Die Cuttin Divas : Turkey Time

Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog: 15-Minute Card Challenge

2011-11-09T02:40:00.000-10:00

For this week's challenge, the DT was asked to create a card in 15 minutes or less. To be fair, I thought it best that I include the time I spent designing my card -- not just assembling it. After all, what takes the longest -- for me, at least -- is the time I spend figuring out what the heck I'm gonna do! I really wish I was one of those people that could design something in ten minutes. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people. *SIGH*

As you can see, I kept things simple. I used some cute strawberry paper by Doodlebug and then matted it with white cardstock which I then adhered to my base cardstock. I think matting alone makes a huge difference in how a card looks. It really doesn't take much time either.

I then selected this cute sticker from a sticker set that goes with the paper. When I'm in a hurry, I find that the easiest thing to do is to use paper and elements that come from the same set.

Now, rather than ending up with a card with just a sticker on it, I added a few more elements. I took a strip of white cardstock and fancied it up by embossing it with a Cuttlebug folder. I then tied some pretty pink ribbon over it and added pink bling to the corner of the card. Those were all simple touches that help to dress up any card.

I decided not to add a sentiment for two reasons: 1) I was almost out of time and 2) I had no plans to send this card to anyone in particular yet, so I figured I'd add either a thank you, birthday, or hello sentiment when the situation arises.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Please be sure to scroll down and see my other posts for today! ALOHA!

Sweet Stamping Treats Sketch Challenge

2011-11-09T02:12:00.001-10:00

(close-up of the Stickles)

Happy Wednesday! I have a total of THREE posts today! WOW! This is a card I created for the Sweet Stamping Treats Sketch Challenge. I used one of the November releases called Penguins on Ice. It's my favorite of this month's release! :) I colored the image with Copics and then added Stickles to get a sparkly effect. It reminds me of those Christmas cards that look like they have snow on them. I LOVE those!!! LOL! I wanted to add a little more to my card, so I added a sticker sentiment at the bottom and a button with some red and white twine. The paper is Echo Park's Jolly Holly Christmas. If you're interested in purchasing this digi stamp, please visit Sweet Stamping Treats and be sure to check out all of their entire collection! Aloha!

Hello Kitty Blog Hop Winner!!!!

2011-11-09T01:58:00.000-10:00

A big MAHALO (thank you) to all of you who stopped by the Hello Kitty Blog Hop this past weekend. Oh, my! There was a HUGE turnout! How SWEET! =)

I would like to announce the winner of the blog candy I'm giving away. I'm sorry I'm unable to post the pic from random.org. A few of my blogger friends shared with me that they use the html to post to their blogs when they use random.org. However, I must be random.org challenged because I couldn't figure out how to get the html code for just the box. Errgghh! LOL

Well, without further ado, the winner of this adorable set of Hello Kitty cookie cutters is poster # 2, Shar!!! I left you a message on your blog, Shar! Please contact me as soon as possible so I can send this way too cute set of cutters to you to enjoy!

Thank you again to all of your bloggers who visit my blog. I really do appreciate all of the blog love you leave! Aloha!

Christmas is For Kids Banner Hop: DAY TWO!

2011-11-06T01:34:00.002-10:00

*** If you are looking for the Hello Kitty Blog Hop, CLICK HERE.

I am so honored and excited to be a participant in Day Two of Cardmonkey's Christmas is for Kids Banner Blog Hop. Ellen (AKA CardMonkey) is the Admissions Coordinator at Pediatric Specialty Care in Bucks County, PA. The following is an exerpt from her blog :

The children (ages 0-21) we see are medically-fragile and technologically-dependent -- many are tethered to a ventilator that runs through a tracheostomy; most are wheelchair-bound, and cognitively impaired. They are all delightful children who face life with optimism and hope for a better tomorrow.

The banners created for this two-day hope will all be sent to Ellen to deliver to Pediatric Specialty Care. They will be hung in the doorways for the children to enjoy. Isn't that such a wonderful idea? If you would like to start with Day One's banners, CLICK HERE. If you want to start at the beginning of Day Two's (today's) hop, CLICK HERE.

Now, on to my banner ....

(1st 3 panels
click on image to enlarge)

(next 3 panels,
click on image to enlarge)

(last 4 panels,
click on image to enlarge)

I created a banner consisting of ten panels, each measuring 4 x 6 inches. For the base, I used some super cute paper from the Santa's Workshop line by none other than DOODLEBUG!!! If you've been following my blog, you know I am a huge Doodlebug fan ! LOL! I cut each piece and then adhered to cardstock to make the panels sturdier.

Since the banner has to be shipped and then possibly repacked for use next year by the hospital (I hope!), I figured it would be best to keep the banner as flat as possible, so I stayed away from dimension on this project.

I decided to add a little extra by using a Martha Stewart border punch to create strips that I added to the top of each panel. I then used the Cricut Storybook cartridge to cut out the letters spelling HO HO HO. I accented each letter with white gel pen. The first, last, and two in-between panels were embellished with some cardstock Santa images from Daisy D's that I had in my stash. They worked so perfectly on this project! I found the pretty green and red duotone ribbon in my stash also. I love it when I find something in my stash that turns out to be a perfect for something I'm working on ! =)

I'm so happy to have been a part of this wonderful blog hop! Thanks so much for stopping by. Please visit all the blogs on this hop to see all of the beautiful banners the ladies have created for these truly special children. Don't forget that there is blog candy to be had. See Cardmonkey's blog for all the details! Your next stop is Sandie's blog.

Ellen ♥ CardMonkey - http://cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com

Michelle - http://peanutbutterandjellydesigns.blogspot.com/

Tonya - http://creativeaddictiontopaper.blogspot.com/

Carol Carlson - http://cardstockscissorsandglue.blogspot.com/

Debbie Trevenen - http://debbiescrafttime.blogspot.com/

Linda Simpson - http://lindasimpsoncraftypieceofheaven.blogspot.com/

Rachelle - http://creationsbyrachelle.blogspot.com

Jamie - http://craftygirl21.blogspot.com/

Jess - http://www.KinderStampO.com

Sandra - http://www.365daysofcricut.blogspot.com

Cher- http://www.cherevansstudio.blogspot.com

Lori - http://www.scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com

Dena - http://missdjones.blogspot.com <<<--- YOU ARE HERE

Sandie - http://sandieshores.blogspot.com <<<---- GO HERE NEXT

Alina - http://neverstopscrapping.blogspot.com

Lisa L - http://craftylam.blogspot.com

Janet S - http://ladyluvbug.blogspot.com

Beckie - http://justbcreativecrazy.blogspot.com

Hello Kitty Weekend Blog Hop (Blog Candy!)

2011-11-04T18:10:00.002-10:00

Hello everyone and welcome to the Hello Kitty Blog Hop! We have lots of FABULOUS projects and prizes for you today, so make sure you make a stop on every blog! This hop is a 2 day hop, so you have plenty of time to get through all of the blogs. If you've arrived here from Emily's blog you're on the right track! If you're stopping by my blog today and want to start at the beginning, please visit Emily's blog (link http://www.createserendipity.net/)

On a recent trip to an LSS, I came across this pretty floral patterned paper by one of my all-time favorite lines: Doodlebug! Now, I know this paper seems more suited for the spring season, but it was just calling my name! LOL! I actually walked away from it and then went back. I just couldn't walk out of the store without at least a sheet or two of this paper. So, of course, I just had to use it for my Hello Kitty project.

I had to go with the pink and purple combo. I think it's such a girly color combination. I cut HK out of the Cricut HK Greetings cart at 3 inches. I used some pink and purple cardstock and embossed both to add texture. I wanted to bling things up, so I added some pink crystal flowers that I've had in my stash for a loooong time! I also added some round bling from SU! to some of the flower centers. The final touch was some pretty pink ribbon.

(close-up of the crystal flowers and bling)

For this weekend's blog hop, I'm giving away a CUTE set of Hello Kitty cookie cutters!

In order to be eligible to win my blog candy, you must :

1) Leave a comment on either Saturday or Sunday. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you.
2) Become a follower of my blog

I will choose and a post a winner no later than next Wednesday.

Don't forget that PSA Essentials is also giving away the grand prize blog candy for this hop. To be eligible, you must leave a comment on each blog in the blog hop.

Next, please hop on over to Lisa's blog to see what she's created! Thanks for stopping by!

Lineup:
Emily: http://www.createserendipity.net/
Dena : http://missdjones.blogspot.com/
Lisa : http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
Jessica-Creative : http://thecreativestamperspot.blogspot.com/
Crafty Homemade : http://craftyhomemade.blogspot.com/
Tammy : http://thepurplemuse.blogspot.com/
Jearise : http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/
Ashley : http://theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com/
Lisa: http://prettypaperprettyribbons.blogspot.com/
Jenny: http://www.crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com/
Bryan (SCRAPGUY) http://www.scrapguy.blogspot.com/
Lynne - http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/
Anita http://www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com/
Theresa ~ www.thescrapbookingqueen.com
Candace - http://scrappin2littleprincesses.blogspot.com/
Libby: http://psastampcamp.blogspot.com/

Germs Are Scary Halloween Treats: Mini Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer Holders

2011-11-03T00:53:00.002-10:00

(click on image to enlarge)

I hope you all had a fun Halloween! With the baby being so young and with my teenager no longer so thrilled with the thought of going out trick-or-treating, we decided to stay in and pass out candy this year. I wish we had a lot more kids come by. It's always so fun to see the little kids dressed up.

Every year, I like to send my teenager to school with some goodies for her friends. This year, we decided on making mini antibacterial hand sanitizer holders. I made some as party favors back in May, and they were well-received. For Halloween, I volunteered to make some for two of my nieces to take to school also, so I ended up having to make 36 altogether.

We got a bunch of these cute Halloween-themed mini antibacterial hand sanitizers. This was the only style they had left. We should have bought some sooner! I'll definitely be buying a bunch of these in SEPTEMBER next year instead of waiting until October!

I used a cut file I created in MTC to cut the holders out. I embellished with various Halloween paper and Halloween stickers that I had in my stash. I saw a similar project on another blog where the blogger printed labels with the sentiment "Germs Are Scary". I loved the idea and borrowed it for this project. Unfortunately, I don't remember which blog it was on. :(

I further embellished with different colored twine from the Twinery. I used black/white, purple/white, green/white, orange/white, and yellow/white combos. It's a good thing I have a variety of colors to choose from. I then added a tag cut from the Cricut Tags, Bags, Boxes & More cartridge. The To/From stamp is from a Halloween set by Waltzingmouse Stamps. I think these Halloween treats turned out pretty cute! My nieces loved them and so did my daughter's friends. Thanks for looking and have a great Thursday!

Friendship Garden's Challenge Blog : Autumn Leaves

2011-11-02T03:21:00.000-10:00

Happy Wednesday! I hope your week is going great so far. There has been so much going on around here, and I'm just now starting to feel caught up. I was feeling under the weather for a bit and, of course, being sick always puts a damper on things! I missed being able to get my craft on! LOL!

On to today's project. This is a card I created for Challenge Three over at Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog. The challenge was to use autumn colors and leaves. I created this card with some paper that actually has a pattern of autumn leaves on it. How perfect for this challenge! I also found the perfect sentiment online to go with this card. Unfortunately, I don't remember where I downloaded it from! (hate when that happens)

I added some pretty brown and gold ribbon and then finished off with a button embellishment.

Well, thanks for stopping by ! I will be posting more projects in the next few days, including a banner to be donated to the pediatrics wing at a children's hospital and a Hello Kitty project for a Hello Kitty blog hop this weekend! Aloha!

WINNER of the Tim Burton Blog Hop candy!

2011-10-26T23:54:00.000-10:00

I apologize for not posting this sooner. I have had some things come up that required immediate attention. The Tim Burton Blog Hop on Oct. 22-23rd was a lot of fun! It was neat to see which movies/characters inspired everyone. Once again, I would like to thank Karber Digital for sponsoring. They are giving the winner two digital stamps. Unfortunately, I don't know how to post just the picture of the generator (or whatever you call it) from random.org. The winner though, is .................................................................

PATTI ROSS

Patti, I will be providing your contact information to Karber Digital. Thank you to everyone who participated in the blog hop. I hope you all were entertained and inspired by all of the wonderful creations featured by the blog hop designers. Aloha!

Sweet Stamping Treats Dollar Digi

2011-10-25T02:29:00.000-10:00

This project features the dollar digi available at Sweet Stamping Treats. This digi is a cute image of mittens and a winter mug. The image is called "Warmth". I thought it would go perfect with a treat bag containing a gift card to Starbuck's and a coffee biscuit. This little bag was cut from an svg file available at svgcuts.com.
It's one of my favorites for packaging little gifts or gift cards. Isn't the paper with winterhats on it just perfect for this? The sentiment is from a coffee-themed stamp set. I really wanted to use a different sentiment that says "I like you a latte". Unfortunately, the stamp itself was crooked. :( Instead, I used this stamp that says "tea coffee hot chocolate". I guess that covers all the bases! LOL

Here is a picture of the goodies that will go in the bag. It's a Starbuck's gift card and a coffee biscuit. I think it's nice to give the recipient a little treat that goes with coffee. You could throw in something like mini biscotti or a little muffin. It's the perfect little thank you gift.

Here is another view of the bag with the treats spilling out. If you want to purchase this DOLLAR digi, please visit Sweet Stamping Treats. Thanks for stopping by!

Oct. 22-23 All Things Tim Burton Blog Hop

2011-10-21T23:11:00.001-10:00

(click on image to enlarge)

Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange? If you're a Tim Burton fan, you will recognize that line from "This is Halloween" -- a well-known song from the movie "The Nightmare Before Christmas". With Halloween just around the corner, this is the perfect time to celebrate all things Tim Burton! We have a talented group of ladies on this weekend blog hop. Join us as we each share a project inspired by one of Tim's quirky characters!

We would like to thank Karber Digital Images for sponsoring this blog hop. Karber is giving away two digital stamps to one lucky person who comments during the blog hop.

*** To be eligible to win, you must comment on each blog in the hop.

*** You must become a follower of each blog.

*** The winner will be announced no later than Wednesday, October 26th.

Now, on to the project I would like to share with you:

My fifteen year old has been a huge fan of Jack Skellington for many years, so I made this card for her. I used a Jack Skellington digital stamp from Simply Betty Stamps. It's one of their Burton Chibis digis. I absolutely LOVE this digi and plan on getting more from the Burton collection. If you haven't already, you really must check out their stamps!

I colored the digi with Copics and then adhered to some gorgeous purple Halloween paper that has lots of glitter on it! I used pop dots with both Jack and the pumpkin to add a bit of dimension to the card. The pumpkin is also nice and glittery. I love it because it looks like an evil pumpkin fit for the Pumpkin King! It actually came from some paper that I had in my stash. The sentiment was computer generated using a font most will recognize as one used for the title of the movie "The Nightmare Before Christmas". I love the Jack digi, glitter, and colors on this card. When I showed it to my daughter, she gasped and said, "That's so CUTE!" All that matters is that she loved it. =)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Please be sure to hop on over to Tami's blog 's next for more Tim Burton fun! If you get lost along the way, the complete blog hop lineup is below. Thanks for stopping by !

Dena : http://missdjones.blogspot.com/
Tami: http://tamboscreations.blogspot.com/

Lynne: http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/
Berenice: http://karbersweetescape.blogspot.com/
Joy: http://justjoycrafts.blogspot.com/
Lisa: http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
Jessica: www.scrappyluvs.blogspot.com
Susan: http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/
Jennifer: http://craftycardgallery.blogspot.com/
Krista: http://www.KristasPaperCafe.com/
Erin G: http://comfyonmycloud.blogspot.com/
Canadian Nickel: www.canadiannickelscrapn.blogspot.com
Jearise: http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/

Halloween Blog Hop

2011-10-20T21:22:00.001-10:00

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Welcome to the Halloween Blog Hop hosted by Ashley. You should be arriving here from Ellen's blog. The complete hop lineup is at the end of this post.

There are some AWESOME prizes being given away for this blog hop:

Make It Crafty - 1 digi

http://www.makeitcrafty.com.au/

*Must visit their Facebook page and "Like" them

https://www.facebook.com/makeitcrafty

Joy's Life.com - Halloween Puns stamp set

http://joyslife.com/

*Must visit their Facebook page and "Like" them

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Joys-Lifecom/489295290064

Cricut Craft Room - Cricut cartridge, twine and goodies

http://mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com/

*Must follow her blog and say hello on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/EricasCraftRoom

There will be a grand prize given by Ashley which is ... A FIFTY DOLLAR GIFT CARD to the winner's choice of either Michael's, Joann, or A.C. Moore !!!! To be eligible to win:

*Must comment on every blog in the hop

*Become a follower of each blog in the hop

Winners will be announced on Monday, October 24th.

Now, on to my project:

I created a digital layout using the My Memories Suite scrapbooking software. I am not affiliated with this company. I just LOVE their program! I used a Halloween digital kit called Boo! available from Sweet Shoppe Designs. This kit is too cute! I love the cute little ghosts and the haunted house. Thanks so much for stopping by. Please hop on over to Zenita's blog next!

Here is the complete blog hop lineup:

1. Ashley - http://theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com

2. Lisa ~ http://honeybearzdesigns2011.blogspot.com/

3. Ellen - http://cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com

4. Dena - http://missdjones.blogspot.com/

5. Zenita - http://scrappinwithz.blogspot.com

6. Gina - http://californiascrappin-gcinderella21.blogspot.com/

7. Liz - http://tryin2craft.blogspot.com/

8. Cindy- http://www.cindys-greencricut.blogspot.com/

9. Cyndie - http://www.cyndiepaperboutique.wordpress.com/

10. Lisa - http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/

11 .Mindy - http://papercreationsbymindyblog.blogspot.com/

12. Staci ~ http://preciousmem.blogspot.com/

13. Vicki ~ http://scrapbookingcreationsbyvicki.blogspot.com/

14. Amy Jo ~ http://lv2scrapandfibrofacts.blogspot.com

15. Maria ~ http://www.mdcraftcorner.blogspot.com

16. Janet~http://www.createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/

17. Jearise - http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/

18. Lynda - http://memoriesintyme.blogspot.com/

19. Carol - http://huffandpuffscrap.blogspot.com/

20. Shannon - http://www.purplelionpaper.com/blog

21. Erica - http://mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com

Friendship Garden's Challenge Blog : Vintage Halloween Card

2011-10-19T04:00:00.023-10:00

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Happy Wednesday! Hope your week is going well so far. Today, I am sharing a card I made for the latest assignment for Friendship's Garden Challenge Blog. We were asked to make a vintage Halloween card. I chose this adorable vintage Halloween image. It's just too adorable and reminds me of my 13-month old daughter, Madison. I think it's the little girl's cherubic cheeks! LOL!

I printed the image on my home computer and then used Tim Holt Distress Ink to give the image an aged look. I believe I used Walnut Stain ink by TH. After inking, I applied water with my fingertips to spread the ink around. All of the papers are from Echo Park's Apothecary Emporium set. I actually have both a 6x6 pad and the 12x12 collection pad because I just love this paper so much! I also inked the papers as well. The final touch was some ribbon and a black bow. It really was pretty simple. I enjoy using rubber stamps, digital stamps, and diecuts. But, it's also nice to print an image that already has color. I hope this inspires you to try it, too! Thanks for stopping by!

October 17th: DIGITAL BLOG HOP

2011-10-17T02:11:00.001-10:00

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Do you do digital layouts? Do you want to learn? This is a blog hop to see what other people are up to in this new and creative way to preserve memories. Some of these ladies are old pros while others, like myself, are new to it all. But, we are all crafty so there should be some great layouts to enjoy and maybe a trick or two to learn.

Please join us and hop along starting with our hostess. Also, we have a special digital tutorial given by Amy at http://www.lovetocrop.com/ at the end of the hop, so make sure you hop through all the digital displays from our wonderful scrap bookers.

Our sponsor for this hop is My Memories Suite. Check out their site to see beautiful layouts and just how easy it is to start digital scrap booking.

BLOG CANDY: Grand Prize: A free copy of the latest digital scrap booking software from “MyMemories Suite.”
Runner Up: $10 gift certificate to My Memories Suite to help indulge your new found hobby.

RULES FOR DRAWING:
Go to the My Memories Suite site and find a digital layout you like.
Return to Lorby's World and post your favorite digital layout in the comment box for this hop.
Jearise from Lory's World will pick a winner after midnight on October 18th.

As a special to all those that hop along and leave a comment at all blogs on this hop, My Memories Suite is giving you your vary own “Share the Memories” code that provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the MyMemories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value! Your special code is: STMMMS74249

If you have traveled from Jearise's blog, then you are on the right digital highway. If you get lost along the way, please refer to the blog hop lineup at the end of this post.

Before I continue, let me explain that I am a NEWBIE when it comes to digital scrapbooking. I was lucky enough to win a free copy of the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking software just a few months ago. I had been wanting to try digital scrapbooking for some time for several reasons: 1) Digital elements can be reused which means spending less $$$ in the long run, 2) I can edit layouts as many times as I want. Therefore, I don't have to be so nervous about cutting paper and then regretting it after, and 3) I have everything on my laptop. There's no need for adhesive or for spending tons of time searching for the right embellishments. I can actually shop online for just the right kit and start scrapping right away!

Let me also say that I do miss the "feel" of traditional scrapbooking, though. I'm a very tactile person, and I love feeling all the lumps and bumps on layouts. However, I feel that the positives of digital scrapbooking are enough to convince me that digi scrapping NEEDS to be a part of my scrapping repertoire. I won't ever give up traditional scrapping. I just won't do EVERY single layout that way. Now that I've switched, I am hopeful that I will actually make a dent in the number of pictures that need to be scrapped. LOL!

For this blog hop. I created two layouts, and I did them both in ONE evening! I have to say that the My Memories software is very user friendly! Although I am still learning my way around it, I have to admit that it's been pretty easy to learn. What I LOVE about the software is that you are not limited to only their kits. Not that they don't have great kits. They DO! It's just that there are so many resources for digi kits out there, and I don't want to be "stuck" with only one source.

For the "Glam" layout, I used the fabulous Glamour-Ween Kit by Etc. by Danyale. I just LOVE this kit!!! The papers and embellies are just gorgeous ! I wanted to use every single embellishment on this layout, but it was impossible. LOL! Oh, well, I guess I'll just have to create more layouts with it! Now, this may be a Halloween kit, but it is definitely very feminine and can be used for non-Halloween layouts also. Don't you just love that zebra-print patterned paper? I know I'll be using it a LOT!

For the "Kawaii" layout, I used the Heart Kawaii kit by My Memories. This kit is definitely KAWAII!!! There are so many cute elements in this kit, perfect for a little girl ! As with the Glamour-Ween Kit, I had a tough time limiting my choices of elements to use on this layout.

Thanks for stopping by! If you are thinking of going digital, DO IT !!! I have no affiliation with the My Memories company. I'm just a consumer of their products, and I highly recommend that you check out their software. If you are still on the fence, check out their site for tutorials. You can find many tutorials on YouTube as well. Those will give you an idea of what the software can do and how easy it is to maneuver through the program. Thanks again for hopping along. Please visit CHRISTEL next.

Jearise - http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/
Dena : http://missdjones.blogspot.com/ <<<--- YOU ARE HERE
Christel - http://onescrappinsista.blogspot.com <<<--- GO HERE NEXT
Shannon - http://my-o-scrappin.blogspot.com/
Staci McD- http://preciousmem.blogspot.com/
Susan - http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/
Barbara B-http://barbarab3.blogspot.com/

8. Lisa ~ http://honeybearzdesigns2011.blogspot.com/

9. Janet http://createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/

10. Lisa - http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/

11. Gill - http://scrappincreationsbygillm.blogspot.com

12. Lynne - http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/

13. Lynda - http://memoriesintyme.blogspot.com/

14. Amy - http://www.lovetocrop.com/

Sweet Stamping Treats October New Release Blog Hop

2011-10-15T04:00:00.002-10:00

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*** This is one of THREE posts that I have for today. If you are looking for :

Cupcakes! Blog Hop, click HERE
Card Sketch Blog Hop, click HERE

Welcome to the Sweet Stamping Treats October New Release Blog Hop! If you are arriving here from Lawren's Blog, you are in the right place. If you would like to start this hop from the beginning please go tohttp://sweetstampingtreats.blogspot.com/. Today we are showing off the latest releases from Sweet Stamping Treats. Two Hoppers who comment on all of the blogs in the hop will win their choice of 3 SST digi stamps, so be sure to check out all of the blogs on the hop. You must be a follower of SST to win. And there may be a few hidden prizes along the way, so make sure you comment on everyone's blogs, you don't want to miss a prize!

This is a quick card I made with the cute squirrel digi from this month's release over at Sweet Stamping Treats. The image was colored with Copics. The rosette was made with a Tim Holtz die and the sentiment was computer generated. The sign on the image is actually blank when you get it, so you can write in whatever you want -- or leave it blank. I decided to write in "FREE KISSES". LOL! If you are interested in purchasing this digi, visit Sweet Stamping Treats !

Your next stop on the hop is Sher's Blog. If you happen to get lost along the way, here is the complete lineup:

http://sweetstampingtreats.blogspot.com
Amber - http://pixiperfectcreations.blogspot.com
Lawren - http://ahobby-holic.blogspot.com
Dena - http://missdjones.blogspot.com
Sher - http://www.patternsbysher.blogspot.com
Susan - http://susanascorner.blogspot.com
Jamie - http://myamusinglife.blogspot.com
Janet - http://www.ladyluvbug.blogspot.com
Gill - http://creationsbygillm.blogspot.com
Patty - http://www.patriciachalasstudio.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by!

Sketch Blog Hop

2011-10-15T02:45:00.000-10:00

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*** This is one of THREE posts today. If you are looking for :

Sweet Stamping Treats October New Release Blog Hop, click HERE

Cupcakes Blog Hop, click HERE

Welcome to the 2nd Sketch Blog Hop. The first hop last month was so popular we decided to do it again!!! The purpose of this hop is to show how all of these talented bloggers can take the same sketch and come up with totally different cards. If you've never used a card sketch before, give it a try! Be sure to check back on Sunday, as there will be some bloggers posting cards on day 2. So sit back & be inspired!

If you If you just happened on the hop, be sure to go to the first stop www.craftycardgallery.blogspot.com so you can see the whole hop! If you just came from Lynda's Blog, you're in the right spot! Now, grab your favorite beverage and sit back & hop along with us!

THE SKETCH

This was a pretty easy card to put together. For this card, I challenged myself to use items I already had in my stash. The papers are by Doodlebug, and they are scraps from other cards I made recently (and posted on my blog). The poem in the center of the card is something I've had for a looooong time! I believe it was by My Mind's Eye and that it came from their Tiny Tales collection. The second picture above is a closeup of the poem, so you can read it better. You can't tell in the picture, but I pop-dotted the poem to add some dimension to the card. I also added some stickers to the card that look like they came from a label maker. I've had those for a while, too! Lastly, I added some pretty purple twine from the Twinery. Thanks so much for looking!

Your next stop on the hop is KERI. Below is the complete blog hop lineup in case you lose your way. Thanks again for stopping by!

1 Jennifer http://www.craftycardgallery.blogspot.com/

2 Angie http://www.luvs2scrapbook75.blogspot.com/

3 left blank

4 Carol http://cardstockscissorsandglue.blogspot.com/

5 Ashley http://www.theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com/

6 Janet http://www.createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/

7 Linda http://lindascreativity.blogspot.com/

8 Zenita http://www.scrappinwithz.blogspot.com/

9 Jearise http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/

10 Beth http://elizabethspapercreations.blogspot.com/

11 Susan http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/

12 Jackie http://papermoments.blogspot.com/

13 Jamie http://craftygirl21.blogspot.com/

14 Kerry http://kerryscraftycardsandcuts.blogspot.com/

15 Lisa http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/

16 Lynda http://memoriesintyme.blogspot.com/

17 Dena http://missdjones.blogspot.com/

18 Kerri http://crafttimeandcupcakes.blogspot.com/

19 Brynn http://www.flairandfrillscreativity.blogspot.com/

Cupcakes Blog Hop

2011-10-15T00:49:00.002-10:00

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*** This is one of THREE posts today. If you are looking for :

Sweet Stamping Treats October Release Blog Hop, click HERE
Card Sketch Blog Hop, click HERE

This post is for the Cupcake Blog Hop. You should have come here from Laura's blog. If you want to start from the beginning, please start at Berenice's blog. This blog is all about cupcakes! How SWEET is that?! LOL!

For my project, I thought I would do something a little unexpected. Rather than create a more traditional cupcake, I thought I'd create one with some Halloween flair. I used a stamp by Hero Arts and then colored with Copics, focusing on Halloween colors such as green, orange, and purple. I then added some sparkle with Orange Peel Stickles. The cupcake wrapper was done by stamping on Doodlebug paper and then paper piecing. The background paper is also from Doodlebug.

I added some Doodlebug Halloween stickers from my stash for the sentiment "Trick or Treat". As a final touch, I added some lovely purple ribbon and another Halloween button featuring a cute ghost and the word "BOO!".

The recipient can take the button off the card and wear it or put it wherever he or she wants! This is the same idea behind the card I made in this post. I think it's neat that the button not only acts as an embellishment on the card, but it also is a little gift for the receiver.

Hope you enjoyed my cupcake project. Thanks for stopping by! Please hop on over to Theresa's blog next to see what kind of cupcake goodness she has waiting for you on her blog.

Here is the complete line up in case you get lost along the way:

Berenice: http://karbersweetescape.blogspot.com/

Laura http://laurascraftsandmore.blogspot.com/

Dena http://missdjones.blogspot.com/

Theresa http://www.thescrapbookingqueen.com

Julie http://www.cricutchick.com

Tanya http://little-scrapper.blogspot.com

Kris http://klusivekreations.blogspot.com

Doreen http://whereisyourhappyplace.blogspot.com

Lisa ~ http://honeybearzdesigns2011.blogspot.com/

Sheila http://2pawprints.blogspot.com

Martha http://pattisscrapingtime.blogspot.com/

Jen: http://www.expressivelyme.blogspot.com

Amy: http://www.lovetocrop.com

Jamie http://craftygirl21.blogspot.com/

What I Love About Fall/Halloween Blog Hop Oct. 7-8: DAY TWO

2011-10-08T02:29:00.000-10:00

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Welcome to the What I Love About Fall/Halloween Blog Hop: DAY TWO!!! This hop is scheduled from Oct. 7 at 8:00 am through Oct.8 at 11:00 pm(central time).

If you just happened to come to this blog, you can start at the beginning with Lisa Peters-http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/. If you just came from Gina's blog, then you are in the right spot.

We're so excited to be doing this hop and we have a fabulous lineup with some very talented ladies. There will be lots of fun projects, along with some great blog candy, and a great grand prize for this hop.

The hop is a 2 day hop so you will have plenty of time to make it through the whole hop lineup twice. Check out each blog and see what blog candy you can win at the individual stops. Please come back both days to see great projects.

To be eligible for the grand prize, you must visit each blog and leave a comment. You also MUST visit Lisa's blog and leave a comment on her blog for the day and also become a follower at "Scrapping With Lisa" and her facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Scrapping-with-Lisa/130882060268842. Please let her know if you don't do facebook and she won't count that against you for the blog candy. Now for the blog candy, I bet you are wondering what it could be. It will be a grab bag full of goodies!!!

For today's project, I made a small note card with a Halloween button that the recipient can wear. One of the things I love about Halloween -- and the holidays in general -- is all the fun holiday stuff you can find to decorate or wear.

While at the craft store one day, I came across this set of Halloween buttons by Darice. I thought they were so cute! They are small buttons -- just the right size to use as embellishments. In fact, I thought they'd make perfect centers to rosettes!

For my project, I used Doodlebug papers. The rosette was made with a Tim Holtz die (love that die!). I then cut small slits into the polka dot paper and used those slits to hold the Halloween button. The final touch was some ribbon.

The idea for the card is for my older daughter to write a little note on the inside of the card and then give it to one of her friends. The button acts not just as an embellishment but also as a little gift that her friend can wear.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! If you haven't viewed my project for Day One of this hop, please scroll down! Have a great Saturday!

Your next stop is Melinda's Blog.

Here is the complete lineup:

Lisa- http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/

Lisa Pontious ~ http://honeybearzdesigns2011.blogspot.com/

Kristy ~ http://scraptasticalkreations.blogspot.com

April http://curlsandgrins.blogspot.com

Jamie - http://myamusinglife.blogspot.com

Anita-- http://www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com

Sher B http://www.patternsbysher.blogspot.com

Amy http://www.lovetocrop.com

Gina http://californiascrappin-gcinderella21.blogspot.com/

Dena http://missdjones.blogspot.com/ <<<---YOU ARE HERE