Distressing Pirate Party Pages

My family and I went on a Disney cruise a few years ago...and yes I'm still working on my scrapbook.Like most people I'm "behind" on my scrap booking projects, but really its not an obligation its a fun and rewarding hobby. I don't get all stressed out about scrappin' that would take away the whole purpose. One night of our cruise is the most memorable for me, and that was the pirate party! The whole ship was in engaged in pirate festivities, from the menus at all the restaurants to the huge buffet spread at midnight. It was music and dancing, fireworks , and a captain hook takeover!

I used the menu from that night as a background for my page, it worked out really well on the blue paper. My friends Simone and Laura helped me plan my page, usually its me asking "what do you think about this" and they give their opinion......knowing I will probably do the opposite anyways {grin}

The double page layout. I always scrap 2 pages at a time.

My crocodile was stamped then embossed with a cuttlebug folder, to make him textured. I popped on a couple of googlie eyes for whimsy.

I totally created this ship from scratch, I used a wood grain technique to make my ship, and tattered, distressed, and generally mangled some very vanilla card stock for my sails. The skull and cross bones are a Martha Stewart punch. After the girls left Friday night{against their instructions to STOP} I added the cannonballs to the ship...I had to


Thursday was the last official meeting of the Hen House Crafters meeting before the summer break, we had a fun time {as always} we had Greek food and it was divine if I do say so myself even though I was the chef du jour! In true Hen House style we went out with a bang ...Laura's Mom arrived with a container of gorgeous white puffy meringues the size of bowls. and made us Schaum tortes for dessert. They were so beautiful we didn't want to eat them, but we did LOL

they were sweet and smooth, while tart and crispy and it melted in your mouth Soooo yummy!

Big thanks to Judy ,and to Linnea for bringing scrumptious desserts!

Recycling Love..A Little Different from my usual posts

You may notice right away this doesn't seem like the standard stamping post, and you are correct. This {long} post is a short journey, about family and connection and about doing the right thing. I have been talking about my brother and his wife expecting their first baby, a boy due in August. They chose classic Pooh for the nursery, and for the shower. I have tried to be involved long distance. You can see her sweet as honey shower favors here I have felt pretty connected to the process, but realized my sister who didn't make the invitations, or favors, and who couldn't attend the shower was sort of "out of the loop" I wanted to make her a part of the celebration, I asked her if she wanted to join forces so to speak and buy a gift from both of us. She was thrilled with this idea....but on one condition. That we NOT purchase all new items, she is a very active advocate for our planet, recycling, and reducing her carbon footprint. I agreed that we could do several good things under her terms.

I began my search for the best items that were gently used and in pristine condition. I was very careful to stay away from toys and items that had the potential to have been recalled, safety is paramount when a newborn is concerned! I found several articles of clothing, with Pooh himself adorning some precious little onesies as well as a boppy, and 2 wonderful Pooh burp cloths.

My luck really hit when I found a 12 piece bedding set at a consignment boutique, I called my sister right away and we shopped together on the phone...hey a girl likes to have company when shes shopping! The photo above is the gorgeous classic Pooh curtain.
Such a sweet little mobile that plays the "Winnie the Pooh" theme song. Aren't they adorable!
I HAD to pick up this reversible jacket made from organic cotton, its sooo soft and luxurious plus I knew my sister would approve {wink}

I have lots of packaging that I save for my stamping projects, to recreate or cover with DSP. In this case I used it to "re-package" my recycled with love items. The receiving blankets are nestled in a Styrofoam produce container, I tied them with twill tape and added a tag I made from my cuttlebug die.

This is a plastic tube that I have been holding on to forever, I rolled the curtain and it was the perfect size. Pooh is so cute I didn't think any embellishment was needed!

I have been picking up a few things here and there as well and I mailed out 2 VERY LARGE boxes this morning so she will get them in time for the shower.I wish I could be there when she opens the boxes, she is going to be so excited!

I'm so happy I invited my sister to be a part of our brother and our sister in laws' shower, we got so much more with our budget than we would have otherwise, we supported the community by purchasing this consignment merchandise, we recycled packaging, and we became closer by working together and listening to each others views and priorities. I'm sure she will not mind that I will be shopping for stamps with all the cash I saved LOL :) Stampin'Up! catalog here I come!

I Heart Mushrooms! Cuttlebug challenge # 32

Let me start by saying that I have an affection for mushrooms that most certainly stems from my childhood. I remember so many things in the 70's sporting a mushroom motif, maybe most memorable an apron that my grandmother wore around the house. She ran a little thrift store that all the grandchildren considered our personal playhouse it was the ultimate place to play dress up! It was a magical wonderland, and I will always treasure my visits to the shop. This week cuttlebug be inspired challenge# 32 is hearts and butterflies. I have tons of butterfly ideas, but this is one Ive been dying to try. This is one of my favorite project ideas. I could just squeeze the stuffing out of it! {squeal}
I wanted the underside to be finished, and just as pretty as the rest of my adorable mushroom.

I made an acetate butterfly, and embossed it with by cuttlebug folder, then sponged the edges with stazon.it doesn't show in the photo but I also cut out holes along the wings with my cropodile.

My little mushroom Forest!

Tie a Baja ribbon round the Kiwi Tree

I know I know, now that song will be stuck in your head all day. Don't worry it will stop after a little while :D This is my first concentrated effort to make a "clean and simple" card. I'm for the most part a more is more kind of girl, thus my nick-name frou frou. I'm girly and frilly and pink and sparkles LOL
I rolled out of bed this morning to the sound of rain {again} it has rained nonstop for so many days that I have lost count. I need sunshine! I figured why not do another challenge, and as an extra "can it be done challenge" see if I could do it before time to wake Chelsea from her slumber... it had to be a simple card!

project ingredients: all Stampin'Up! unless otherwise stated
trendy trees stamp set
pacific point, whisper white, and kiwi kiss paper
baja breeze ribbon, oval punch, scallop oval punch
paper piercer, mat pack, nestabilities scallop circle dies

So Tweet Chipboard Lunchbox

I have been meaning to work on this recipe box for quite some time, but as life happens things get put to the side. My "plan" hahaha took shape as I went along. I had fun just letting it come together, its so cute I could just squeeze it! The outside of this metal lunchbox turned recipe box is sporting some DSP from days gone by, and the cutest little chipboard bird from Stampin Up!'s so tweet chipboard. I shortened his sweet feet so he could perch upon the branch colored with a brown marker.

The branch needed a little something to dress it up, the boho blossoms punch provided a darling little flower that was " just right", Goldilocks herself would be proud!

I wrapped ribbon around the top of the box secured with a generous amount of sticky strip. The edges were cut at the clasp, and didn't look as finished as I wanted...so the flower punch came to my rescue again, I love the way the flowers add bling and softness to the box.

The inside of the container houses all the functional dividers, and recipe cards, what a super cute and useful gift! I could get addicted to these LOL. Thanks for visiting

Graduation Celebration 09

I have been getting down to the wire with the making of Graduation cards, one of which I need for this weekend! Talk about procrastination. {wink} The other is for to my cousin Rhonda's daughter who I have not seen in many years, but graduation is such an important day in a teens life I want her to know that I'm proud of her. I started with todays sketch from SCS and added layers of embossing. I used the script and argyle folders for these, as well as the nestabilities label 2. I embossed the cap in black for a little drama its a strong focal point for sure. The "09" is from the cuttlebug Olivia alphabet.

If you have any upcoming graduates in your life, remember to let them know you are thinking of them as they move forward into the realm of adulthood. Its a tougher world than the one we graduated in LOL

Friendly Words, fluttering by

I have had my eye on this sizzix butterfly from SU for a while, and finally ordered it, so I knew I would use butterflies on todays card no matter what the color challenge had in store for me. To my surprise the colors were only orange, brilliant blue, and purely pomegranate{rose red} yikes! LOL These are not the types of colors I usually reach for, so again a color challenge has pushed me outside of my comfort zone ;) I really love trying new things, it keeps stamping fun and fresh! I chose a white base hoping to keep it from being too busy, I rolled the friendly words wheel in rose red and wiped off a section with a blender pen and colored it with the orange stampin' write marker, layered and stitched that onto blue. the butterflies are cut from raspberry tart paper and popped on top of a labels nestabilities and a lacey tag . The metal clip is attached with a pop up glue dot and has white hemp twine wrapped around. I'm happy I gave this color combination a try, nothing ventured nothing gained! LOL

Second annual Birthday Bash 10 for 10

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Your Invited to my second annual Birthday Bash

10 cards for $10.00 that can be made in 10 minutes or less each.

Sunday May 24 3:00- 6:00

These birthday themed cards are perfect to have on hand.

If you live in the central Florida area contact me to sign up for this class. frougirl3@gmail.com

I will be giving away 2 stamp sets at the event, you must be present to win.

If you place a min. 50.00 order from me by 10:00pm on the 24th you will get the 10 for 10 kit free {shipped to US addresses only}

Beach Wedding Cookies For Lynnette

As promised here are Pics of the long awaited wedding cookies I made over 5 dozen of these royal icing coated confections. They are so pretty. {cant wait to eat the rejects} hmmm maybe I did "dent" a few of them so I had an excuse to nibble :) The starfish with the monogram W and the swirly beach turtles are in ribbon tied bags for guests to take home.

I experimented with a pearl shimmer dust, very similar to pearlex its so beautiful and subtle give it a try!

My absolute favorite beach symbol is a seahorse, {scroll down to see Lynnettes card} I made all of these cookies using the William sonoma beach cookie cutters that I gave Lynnette for her birthday a couple of years ago. I hope she is wowed by them, and cant wait to wear my new outfit! wink :)

Cuttlebug "Bee" Inspired #31 Baby Shower treat.

This week at cuttlebug challenge blog we are to make a 3D item, anyone who knows me knows I JUMP at the chance to help with Birthdays, weddings, and most of all Baby Showers :) ....this is a shower for my brother and his wife who are expecting their first baby. They have decided to use classic pooh for the nursery and the theme of the shower....did I mention I'm going to have a nephew?? Woo Hoo! I made these totally adorable pouches filled with sticks of honey, A little while back I saw a super cute project from MOTHERMARK on splitcoast stampers' check it out hers are so cute! Check out her blog too.
Of course I used the pooh bear die cut duo from cuttlebug, in so saffron and sponged a little more mustard to highlight poohs features.
The bee is from the garden creatures cuttlebug set and colored in his stripes and wings, I attached it to a thin wire so he can float {like a butterfly & well you get it} LOL

The pouch is embossed with swiss dots, and the the yummy stamp set from SU is used to make my pooh-ish greeting, rather fitting I think! I hope all the guests are in the mood for a smakeral of honey!

Lynnettes Beach Wedding Cuttlebug be inspired # 30

This weeks challenge over at cuttlebug challenge blog is to make something for a wedding, the host of this weeks challenge is creative cuts and more. I'm going to a Wedding this Saturday on the Beach in St Augustine My friend Lynnette has chosen an evening ceremony,its going to be beautiful and casual. I wanted my card to reflect the colors and style of her wedding.
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I started with a 51/2 inch square close to cocoa card with a gate fold it really doesn't show but I did run the "gates' through the swirls embossing folder..it wasn't a total waste of time you can see it from the inside :) I embossed the vanilla panels with the swirls as well because to me it looks like waves from the ocean. I stitched two rows, once inside the panel and once just outside of it.

The inside of the card is pretty to look at, and is still functional. I added the ribbon to carry the baja breeze to the inside.Lynnette has ALL my "beachy" stamps except for this set so I stamped the image on water color paper and embossed in gold and cut the little starfish out.

This is a small image, and I wanted to make it important so I cut it out with my nestabilities labels 2 and layered 3 together, I water colored this seahorse and painstakingly placed each pearl down with crystal effects(love that stuff)

I know she will love this card, and wonder how I made a card when she has ALL my other beach stamps, now to make 5 dozen 4 inch royal icing decorated starfish and seahorse cookies!!! I will post pics I promise!

Its My Rhinstone Cowboy

Howdy All , I want to share a fun technique with you its called the bandanna technique, Lynn at SCS featured this as our challenge for today. I had never tried this before and was surprised at how easy it is and at how realistic it turns out! I started with a 41/4 square of going gray and a scrap piece of pacific point and stamped randomly in black the flowers from Stampin'Up! True friend, then I took my white gel singo pen and doodled some dots lines and dashes...it REALLY looks like a bandanna!!! You can use almost any stamp and doodle around it to get this effect.

I stamped the cowboy from Bronc Buster in versamark and poured heat and stick powder over it ,heated it and applied hematite glitter from MS to make a glitterific cowboy! I went to the Stamping Station in Mt.Dora yesterday and David picked up a couple of sets of nestabilities for me for Mothers Day including this large scallop square set, so of course I couldn't wait to use it! :)

Don't you just LOVE a husband that supports the habit! I would say its cheaper than therapy...but thats a lie and we all know it {big cheesy smile}

OCC Challenge -Mothers Day

This week at Our creative corner the challenge is to make something for Mothers Day. I have made a spa gift set and cards for each lovely lady in my craft group..the Hen House Crafters. We get together every Thursday for lunch, laughter and sometimes we actually get projects done! My cards feature this bathing beauty from Stampin'Ups! Bubble queen. I used liquid applique for most of my frothy bubbles, but a few special bubbles are pearls. I'm really loving water coloring and I could easily become addicted to coloring. :0 You already know that I'm a cuttlebug "queen" and this card did not escape some embossing.

Here are the spa gift boxes I made for the girls, I used the 18x18 patterned paper from Martha Stewart to line the boxes and adorn the outside as well, I have to admit these took a WHILE longer than I expected but they are darling, and I know no one will mind if the floors don't get mopped *wink*

Each gift box has an assortment of candles, chocolates, and bath products for a private 20 min. escape just add relaxing music and a steamy romance novel and they are all set!