Gratitude Album

It has become a tradition in my family to take note of what we are grateful for on Thanksgiving.

To go along with this tradition, I create some sort of gratitude holder.  

Last year it was this Gratitude Box:

The year before, this little suitcase (which somehow never got posted to my blog):

And in 2008, it was a meander album {instructions are here}:

This year, I decided to create some simple tags:

The backside looks like this ( I simply ran regular manilla shipping labels right through the manual-feed tray of the printer):

 Each tag has a different quote about gratitude.

Since I had to come up with 24, I kept the designs simple and made them all with DCWV Harvest Gathering papers and some paper doilies.

They will hang from a branch in a cranberry-filled vase so that everyone can take one down and fill it out:

And then they will all be bound together in this little envelope mini:

so we can flip through it next year.

Pinspire Me Monday: Altered Birdhouse

A couple of weeks ago I poked around on the Zutter Bind-It-All Handmade Blog Hop, and came across this adorable project.  I loved it so much I pinned it:

photo credit: Andrea's Creative Paper Trail

Then last week, I visited For the Luv of Art and discovered that they had a Pinterest crop going on.  One of the challenges was to glitter something.  So here's this week's

I created this little sparkly birdhouse. 

It was really fun to do, just kept layering things on: patterned paper, paint, pompom fringe, lace, ribbon, tinsel trim, buttons, punched snowflakes, pearls.

 And then topped it all off with some chunky glitter and some painted-on Stickles.

And of course a little banner strung across the front.

Thanks so much for Pinspiring me, Andrea!

Your turn: link up your Pinspired projects in the sidebar.

Some Crazy Croppin' Fun!

We are drooling over some delicious recipes and taste-tempting foodie photos over at the Scrapbook Heaven Cornucopia of Cards crop.  Stop by and play along!

Here are the challenges and cards I created for the crop:

Main Course: SWEET POTATOES
Sweet Potatoes have always been part of our Thanksgiving dinner--my mom made them and before her, my grandma, and they always called them yams. It was one of the few things that never made it onto my plate. That and the boiled onions (yuck!). But I do have a sweet challenge for you to go with sweet potatoes!

Create a card that uses something sweet as its focal point: candies, cakes, chocolates, cupcakes, cookies. Here's my sample using product from the November Petite:

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Side Dish: MASHED POTATOES

source: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_mashed_potatoes/

Heap on the mashed potatoes! This is one food that I have loved my whole life (funny that I married a man who despised them; he'll eat them now because he has no choice!). Use the colors above inspired from mashed potatoes to create your project. Here's my sample:

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Dessert: PUMPKIN CAKE TRUFFLES

source: http://www.madeinmelskitchen.com/2010/10/pumpkin-cake-truffles/

I have not tested this recipe as of writing this post, but I'm hoping they taste as delicious as they look. And they certainly are inspiring. For this challenge, I want you to drizzle some paint onto your project. Splat, drip, drizzle--go for color, but also texture. Be sure to give yourself some time for the thick paint to dry! Here's mine using product from the November Elite kit:

And a couple of sketches I created for the event:

Completed projects for these challenges must be uploaded to the forum by midnight on November 30th to be eligible for prizes.

Medallion Ornament Tutorial

This morning I went through the Scrapbook Heaven Gallery to find a project to feature for layout of the day, and came across a beautiful ornament in the archives from PJstamps:

I knew I just had to make one for myself, and figured I would do a little tute in case any of you wanted to make one for your holiday decor.  It's really quite easy.

You will need:

scallop circle punch

paper doily

strip of paper to create accordion flower for center

cardstock for backing

pretty button or brad for center

paper glue

ribbon

scoring board (not required)

One:

Punch scallop circles (mine used 18, but this will depend on the size of your circle)

Two:

Score the circles as shown.  If you're using a scoring board place two dots along one of the score lines--makes it easier to line the scallop up each time.

Three:

 Fold the circles along the score line, but don't crease.  Add a little adhesive to the bottom portion and pinch.  Cut a circle from cardstock to use as backing (I used a Sizzix diecut scallop circle)

Four:

Dry fit your rolled circles around the backing.

Five:

Adhere the "petals" in place.  I didn't worry about aligning the edges all the way down the petal.  Rather, make sure the top edges touch and leave a gap between the bottoms. 

Six:

Glue the paper doily to the center and embellish with an accordion folded rosettes, scallop circle, and decorative button or brad.  If you're not sure how to make the accordion rosettes, here is a quick and easy video tutorial.  And glue on a ribbon for hanging.  Done--wasn't that easy?

Let me know if you give this a try!

Pinspire Me Monday: Thanksgiving Placecards

Happy Monday!

This year, I was going to host Thanksgiving for the first time.  I was sweating it a bit because, let's face it, Thanksgiving is ALL about the food.  Yes, we think about what we are grateful for, and we are happy to be together with family and friends, but at the end of the day (when our bellies are stuffed fatter than the turkey was), we look back and think about how delicious everything was.

So when my aunt mentioned hosting the holiday this year, I graciously and gratefully handed over the baton errr, turkey baster (and then I said a little prayer that I am spared from having to cook a 28 pound bird, 14 side dishes, and 7 pies for at least one more year).  I will bring whatever her little heart desires

like Wegman's scrumdiddlyumptious pumpkin layer cake

and I will also be making the place cards for the table, which brings us to today's

This week's pin comes from Martha Stewart:

I picked up a few sprigs of fall doodads (technical crafting term) at the craft store, gathered up some sticks, and created a little label template in Word.

Some hot glue and these were a snap to put together.  Martha gives directions on her website linked above, but I do have one tip for you:
 if you find that your assembled sticks tip over, add a dot or two of hot glue to the underside to create a little "foot" for the piece to stand on.

Thanks so much for checking out this week's project.  And don't forget to link up your Pinspired creations in the sidebar (pretty, pretty please!).

Cornucopia of Cards Crop

If you enjoy making cards, or like to have a challenge to inspire you when you create, then you will want to head on over to the Scrapbook Heaven Forum for our upcoming Cornucopia of Cards Crop.  The fun begins next Friday, November 18th.

The Deets:

You're invited to Scrapbook Heaven's Cornucopia of Cards Crop! The DT has cooked up a smorgasbord of deliciousness. It's a Thanksgiving feast like none you have tasted and is sure to whet your creative appetite! Join us beginning Friday, November 18 for entree items, colorful side dishes, and technique-filled desserts. Who knows, you may even pick up a new recipe or two for your cookbook. See you at the banquet, and don't forget to bring a friend (and your creative appetite!).

Here's a little sneaky peeky of the projects I created for this crop:

I hope you will stop by!

Oh, and while I'm here I have one more November Elite kit LO to share with you:

I created this page for my technique challenge for the crop, but then remembered...duh, it's a CARD crop!  Thought I could sneak it in anyway, but those DT girls at Scrapbook Heaven run a tight ship ;) 

Thanks for stopping by!

Pinspire Me Monday: Cracked Marble Pendant

Happy Monday!

Time for another...dum da dum dum...

Are you growing to love Monday's?  I think I am.

So here's this week's pin:

Source: craftster.org

Aren't those purty!

When I read how to do this, I just had to try it for myself--it seemed too easy to be true.

I baked mine at 325 for 20 minutes and plopped them into a bowl of cold water.  It worked, though I don't think I achieved quite the same faceted effect as the gorgeous ones above.

I topped it with a bead cap into which I inserted a rounded wire and threaded it onto a satin rope.

I'll be playing with this just a bit more to see if I can get more cracks in my marbles.  Just what I need, right--more cracks in my marbles!

ETA: go ahead and cook them up at 500 degrees for 30 minutes to get more 'crackage.'

If you've been pinspired by something you pinned on Pinterest, please link it up in the sidebar.

Happy Creating!

November Challenge: Paint a Journal Spot

I pulled out some acrylic paint for the first time in a while and it was fun! 

Doesn't take much to make me happy, huh?!

Anyway, my challenge to you this month is to paint yourself a little journaling spot. Just a tiny dab of paint dry brushed onto your page (this is perfect for those dark colored backgrounds) becomes the perfect place to jot down your memories. Hope you'll give it a try! Here's my example using product from the November Elite kit:

Happy creating!

And you can link up your page in the comments here, or in the forums at Scrapbook Heaven.

Scrapbook Heaven November Reveal

 It's reveal day! 

Aren't these kits beautiful:

Here's what I created with the kits:

November Elite:

 

scraplifted this layout I had Pinned from Bella Blvd.

November Petite:

 

If you would like to have some kits of your very own, please visit The Store.

I'll be back tomorrow with my November Challenge.