Altered Glass Bottles....

Good morning and happy Friday to you! I am finally getting my crafting mojo back and I am such a happy camper! I have an altered glass bottle to share with you today that I picked up from Hobby Lobby awhile back. I wanted to change the color of the jar, so I pulled out my Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks. These work fantastic on glass and the dry time is super short! Just take out the colors that you prefer. I usually pick two coordinating colors to give it a bit of depth. Here I picked a green and turquoise color. I squirt my stamp pad and swiped and pounced on the glass. You can go over it endless times, until you reach the desired effect!
After the glass bottle changes to the colors you like, it is time to embellish! I used my Sizzix flower die and Papertrey Ink felt. I added pearls to the centers of the flowers, added a bit of glossy accents, and sprinkled glitter over the flowers. The leaf was cut using my Cricut Machine and the Thanksgiving Cartridge. I added these stamens that I ordered off of Etsy.

The labels on the bottle are from Crafty Secrets and is part of the Vintage Labels set. (Which by the way, Crafty Secret's is having a HUGE sale....so be sure to check it out!!) I stamped the frame on vellum with Staz On ink and cut it out by hand. The sentiment was stamped on yellow paper and hand cut into a banner shape. I adhered both to the jar. To give the jar itself a bit of sparkle, I rubbed the bottom of the jar with glossy accents and sprinkled a bit of glitter on that too!

See that cool little flower tucked underneath the yellow ones? That was cut using window screen! Yep! Totally cool huh? I love experimenting with different items to make my flowers with!

I have a couple more jars in the works that I will share with you shortly!

In case I don't get a chance to post, have a very Happy New Year!!! Hugs to you all!

Brrrrr!

I have to admit........I am in a bit of a creative slump. I think I have been so busy with holiday stuff, family obligations, keeping the kiddos entertained etc.....that my priorities have been elsewhere. I am slowly trying to get my creative juices flowing.....but I am finding it a bit of a challenge after a week's break! Hopefully, with things returning to normal, that I will get back into my regular crafting routine! : )

I have a card from last year's Cricut Circle Blog. It was created with a cartridge called Christmas Cards. It has all kinds of shaped cards to choose from and I liked this oval shape! The snowman was also from this cartridge. I added some snowy hills for him to sit on and covered them with a generous amount of glossy accents and mica flakes. I added some seam binding and my sentiment was created with rub on letters. I added a pom pom to the top of his hat too!
I added glossy accents to his eyes and nose to help them stand out just a bit more!

I have so many things that still need to be done in my house today.....cleaning, laundry......maybe I can craft in between loads? ; )

Have a great day my friends!!!

Presentation is Everything!

Did you have a good Christmas? I did. I have to say that this Christmas reminded me just how blessed I am. There were a few unexpected surprises along the way that showed me just how much people care. It was a reminder that came at a perfect time. : )

I have a little altered paper sack that I snuck gift cards in for my sister and brother in law. Gift cards in itself are not the most exciting gift, so I thought I'd make the packaging a bit more special. I used Provo Crafts Crown Rosette Quilling die using blue polka dot paper and sheet music. I cut a small snowflake using the Winter Lace cartridge. I adhered the pieces together and added a doily to the top of the sack. To keep it closed, I tied pretty vintage lace and glued the rosette to that. This way it easily slips off without ruining the package. I added a few swipes of white paint, glossy accents, and glitter to the edges of the bag as a finishing touch.

I have to admit that I haven't crafted in a few days, and it is a bit difficult trying to get back into the groove of things! I better get back on the saddle quick with CHA right around the corner! ; )

Merry Christmas!

It is official.....Christmas is here! I have a few last minute things to get done today and then in the blink of an eye we will be visiting with family, opening presents, and eating way to much! ; )

I have a card to share with you that I created for the Cricut Circle last year. It uses the Gingerbread Cartridge. I used pearls for the eyes and liquid applique for the frosting. I added a doily, seam binding, and a vintage button to finish it off.

Chances are, I probably won't post this weekend, so I want to take this time to wish each and every one of you a very merry Christmas!!!! I hope you create wonderful memories with your family and loved ones! : )

Western Christmas Tree

It is hard to believe that Christmas is almost here! I feel pretty organized this year (for a change) and the only thing I have left to do is finish wrapping my gifts! Today is my kids' last day, so last night I got their teachers' gifts ready for this morning. Cortney has her Christmas choir concert today. There is nothing better than hearing these kids sing.........they don't hold back and definitely embrace the Christmas spirit!

I have an altered project to share with you today. I used a styrofoam cone and completely covered it in lace, glitter, and twine. I found these rusty stars at Michaels and used them here. The star is on rosette that is brand new by Provo Craft. It is called, Crown Rosette. I used sheet music to create it.
I used a spray adhesive over the entire tree so that the glitter wasn't lumpy or too thick. I just wanted a light coating!

Have a wonderful, productive day today! : D Thank you for popping by during this busy time of the year!

Merriest Wishes.....

Good morning to you! Today is my first official day off! I am still in my jammies and I LOVE it! Now mind you, I have a zillion and one things to do.....laundry and cleaning my house would be a good start....but maybe later! ; )

I have a Christmas card to share with you that uses the Cricut Craft Room. I absolutely love this program by Provo Craft! And the best part is? It is free! You just have to sign up for it and start creating! I used the Christmas Cartridge and cut the holly at 1" and used the layers. This is what is decorating the top of my ornament.....along with some seam binding and jingle bells. The ornament was also cut using the Christmas cartridge at 4". I used all of the layer functions and added a piece of vellum behind the openings to soften the look of the patterned paper behind it. The oval was cut at 4 1/2" using the George and Basic Shapes cartridge. The scalloped oval was cut using the Elegant Edges cartridge at 5".
The sentiment is by Amuse Stamps.

I added a clear acrylic piece by Prima to the bottom of my ornament.

I am off to get something done today......... : )

Have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by for a visit!!!!

There Are Days.....

There are days when my heart aches with knowing my daughter will not be able to do many things. Sometimes I allow myself to go into a deep dark place and I can't pull myself out. But there are also many days where my heart aches with joy. Today was one of those days. Every year Brian and I bake with the kids. Or should I say; "kid." Cortney usually lasts all of about 5 minutes and then she starts to crab and whine and has no desire to be in the kitchen with us. This year was different. She "wanted" to help. She stayed in the kitchen with us for nearly 2 hours! She helped us bake, and belted out her singing voice to sing along with the Christmas carols playing in the background. She stirred..........

.....She helped Daddy put the Hershey Kisses in the bowl while waiting for the cookies to bake.....

....She helped put the rolled up dough into the sugar.......

....So she can shake the bowl! She needed a wee bit of help to ensure the sugar didn't go flying everywhere....... ; )

Our first batch.......Cranberry, white chocolate oatmeal cookies! YUM!

The second batch were these Peanut Butter Blossoms. Which, by the way, Cortney LOVED! The chocolate all over her face was proof of that!

My son is going to be 15 soon, and I am so glad that he isn't too "cool" to bake with us. He loves to cook and such and is actually pretty good at it! Someday when he is all grown up, he will be a self-sufficient bachelor! ; )

.....Never trust a man with an orange spatula! ; )

Today is my last day of school! I am so excited to have two weeks off! I love not having a rigorous schedule to follow, and spending a bit more time as a family, instead of heading off into 25 directions, like we normally do! : D

Have a great day!!!!

JustRite Christmas....

Good morning to you! I am fortunate enough to be able to spend the day with hubby while the kids are at school. He worked 6 straight 14 hour days and decided to take the day off. We are going to finish our Christmas shopping, have lunch, and just recharge the ole' batteries!

I have a Christmas card to share with you today that uses the O' Christmas Tree set by JustRite. I embossed it in silver embossing powder. I used my paper cutter to slice around the tree. The edges were inked a bit. The trunk was stamped in brown Memento ink. The snowflake is by Spellbinders. I did a bit of machine sewing and added mica flakes everywhere!

For the bottom of the card I hand cut the pink paper, added glossy accents and loaded it with the mica flakes. I added pink pom poms to the bottom of my tree. I tied seam binding and added a smaller snowflake, also by Spellbinders. I tied 3 of my self-painted jingle bells, (tutorial HERE) with twine, and added a little "snowball" to the center! ; )

I loved hearing about all of the projects you are working on! I would love to see them! If you post your pics on your blog, please let me know so I can stop for a visit! : )

Off to get ready for my big "date!" :D

Ribbons and Rosettes Winner!

Random.org chose number 45! This means that Cathy has won!
Cathy said...

Homemade ornaments are so special, most of what is on my tree is homemade. I love yours, sooo pretty.Right now i am working on cards and decorated treats for a few customers. Merry Christmas.

Thank you everyone for playing along......I will have another giveaway later this week, so stay tuned! : )

Ornament Number 5 and a Giveaway!

I probably should have said, Giveway first and then Ornament Number 5! ; ) I wish I were wealthy enough to give loads of cartridges away to all of you, to thank you for your visits each day, your kind words, your votes these last few weeks.....but alas....I am not. But over the next week I will be doing several giveaways, to at least a couple of winners! : D This weekend I would like to give this fabulous Ribbons and Rosettes Cartridge......

......and Cricut Cards Magazine to one lucky winner!

All you need to do is become a follower (If you are not already), and tell me what crafty project you are working on at this very moment! That's it! I will select a winner Sunday night at 10 P.M. CST.

I have this last ornament to share with you that I created last year for the Cricut Circle Magazine. It was created with the Winter Woodland cartridge and cut at 2". I needed it small enough to fit in this ornament that I had picked up at Hobby Lobby. I added buttons and loads of glitter to the roof and a bit of doily peeking out from under the eaves. I used teeny tiny brads on the doors.

I added white batting at the bottom for fluffy snow. And cut a lil' tree because the house looked a bit lonely all of itself. Where the two pieces of the ornament met, I added a piece of vintage lace and painted the cap white. I sanded it a bit to give it a distressed look. The tag was cut using the Sentimental's cartridge and the sentiment is by Papertrey Ink.

The sentiment on the back was stamped using Memento Ink, and cut out using a Spellbinder's Circle and scalloped die.

I had a hard time photographing this because I kept getting glares off of the plastic....but I hope you can see it well enough!

And as far as what crafty project I am working on? I just got loads of stamps and am preparing for CHA! It is like Christmas getting all of the new stamps to play with!

We are off to a Christmas dinner today with my dad and my sister. Tomorrow is going to be a crafty kind of day, with an occasional load of laundry in between! : )

Hope your weekend is wonderful!!!

We Interrupt our Usual Scheduled Program....

.....to bring you brand new cartridges by Provo Craft! I had the pleasure of working with this cutie.....The Good Old Days. It has to be one of my favorite Imagine Cartridges ever! Just take a peek at these retro images.........

Seriously.....could it be any cuter?

I love, love, love, the patterned papers on this cartridge too......and let me tell ya....they print like a dream!

I created two cards......my first one is this lady skier! This gal was dressed up a bit with lots of glitter, a doily, ribbon, and pearls. The snowflake paper was from the Imagine.....isn't it pretty?

And who doesn't love a "Retro Flying Santa in an Airplane?" ; ) I used some liquid applique for his beard, glitter, some ribbon, rhinestones, and a stick pin. I am just realizing right this second that one of my rhinestones fell off. Darn!I wish I had caught that before taking the picture!

Be sure to visit the Cricut Blog for all of the other releases this month! You are gonna love them!

I do have one more ornament to share with you, so be sure to check back tomorrow for my last one AND a fun giveaway!!

Sometimes Simple is Better.....

I have a tendency to complicate things. I am usually not satisfied with a project until it's been glittered to death, given a gazillion layers, reworked until I can't stand the sight of the project any longer. And sometimes.....just sometimes....the stars align, and the project comes together quickly. Today's project is fairly uncomplicated......at least for me. I created it last year for the Cricut Circle Blog. It uses the Elegant Edges Cartridge to create the Rosette. The circle was cut from the George and Basic Shapes Cartridge, and the snowflake from Winter Lace. I added some Teresa Collins blingage to finish it off. Okay.... I admit, I did glitter it, but compared to most of my projects this was pretty simple. ; )

I am so glad you stopped by today! : )

Ornament Number Three!

I can't believe we are midweek already! Today is our "ugly" holiday sweater day at school! I love seeing everyone's festive sweaters with the real jingle bells, pom poms, glitter, lights that actually light up! ; ) We all have at least one in our closets right? ; ) It is such a fun week, and the kids get a kick out of seeing the teachers act silly and participate right along with them!

OH! and guess what? Because of all of YOU....I WON the Blog Guide Book's Top Blog spot!!! : D I can't thank all of you enough for voting so many times and putting up with me! Your comments have truly touched my heart and have made me a very happy girl! So from the bottom of my heart.......thank you.

I have my third ornament to share with you today. It is similar to Monday's post, but a slightly different technique for the ornament. The box was cut from the Sweet Tooth Boxes Cartridge at 6". After the top was cut, I spread glossy accents across the entire thing and sprinkled coarse glitter by Martha Stewart over it. The snowflake was again cut using the Winter Lace Cartridge and green glitter was applied. I added hot pink tulle, a button, and a pearl to finish the top off.
To cover the ornament, I used this green polka dotted tissue paper by Pink Paislee. I tore it into small pieces and adhered it using Modge Podge. Once it was covered I sprinkled clear German Glass Glitter over it. I added a snowflake that was also covered in glitter with a pearl in the center. I used an acrylic Prima flower and some soft pink tulle to finish the top of the ornament off.

I adore the look of these Prima pieces! They remind me of ice and add a special touch without taking away from the rest of the ornament.

I used more of the green tissue inside of the box to give to the recipient! : )

Off to dig my "ugly" sweater out of the closet! ; )

Have a wonderful Wednesday!!!!

Ornament Number Two!

Good morning to you! I am especially excited because today is pajama day at school! What could be better than wearing your warm, cuddly PJ's to work? ; ) We also have a Christmas concert in the morning and it definitely puts me in the mood for the holidays! : D

I have ornament number two to share with you today. I created this project for the Cricut Circle Magazine last year. This ornament uses a paper mache ball that I first painted white. I cut about 75 snowflakes using the Winter Lace Cartridge. I glittered each snowflake and added a rhinestone to the centers. (I won't lie.....it took a wee bit of time to do!) I then used my hot glue gun to adhere the finished snowflakes to the ball.
I topped it off with a pretty sheer ribbon!

Off to get dressed for work.......oh yea......never mind! ; )

Have a great day! Thank you so much for stopping by!