mood blanket monday weeks 1&2

Happy Monday to you!

I have jumped hook first into a Crochet-Along project for 2014: the Crochet Mood Blanket.

It was started by a little Instagrammer named mummy_stacey.  She posted a modest little idea she had: to crochet a square a day in a color to match your mood, and it took off like CRAZY.

There are now thousands of hooking participants and a Facebook page with nearly 2500 members!  Don't you love it?!

Anyway I'm in, and have been loving tracking my moods, being mindful of my emotions and what makes them so.  This project has also helped me to focus on the positive (who wants an all grey and black blanket?).

Here's my blanket so far

I'm using Priscilla Hewitt's Simple Square pattern and her Flat Braid Join method to hook up my blanket.  The tutorial for the join is here; scroll to the end for the square pattern. 

And here's a look at each of my squares and moods for the first two weeks:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Want to join in?  We're not too far into the new year that you couldn't catch up pretty easily.  Choose a square pattern and a yarn color for today and getting hooking!

top dog dies: 2 bottles, 3 ways

Hello!

I have a couple of cards to share with you today.  I once read on a crafty girl's blog that she doesn't buy anything unless she can think of three different ways to use it.

So in case you have a little holiday money burning a hole in your crafty little pocket, I wanted to show you three different ways to use this cute little die set from Top Dog Dies:

Bottles #2

When I looked at that bottle on the left, I immediately saw a flower petal (I know.  I'm crazy.  I see things, and don't even get me started on the voices I hear).  Anyway, do you see it?  Just trim off the base and continue the curve on the top and you've got a perfect little petal shape.  

And then it was all very serendipitous when they fit perfectly around the little hexie punch from Fiskars.  I created two layers of petals just to be able to use all the pretty colored petals I had cut (did you catch that they are in rainbow order?)

The hello is cut on my Silhouette Cameo and the friend tag is cut from the Cherish Doilies & Tags set.  I mounted the whole piece onto an embossed Circle Mini Album die.

Next up, I used the bottle on the right as a vase and filled it with a cut from the Wildflower Die.

I also snuck in a little doily from the Cherish set.

A couple of Wednesdays ago, I shared this nail polish gift:

Yup, you guessed it!  That nail polish bottle was made with the Bottles #2 die, too.

Just cut off the top, add a strip, and a little tip for the brush.  These would also make the perfect embellishment for a card that contains a gift certificate for a mani or pedi.

Here are the die sets I used in these projects (click on the photo to go to the Top Dog Dies shop):

  

 

Next week I'll be back with a collection of mini embellished doilies.

Thanks so much for stopping in for a visit!

one little word: nourish

Happy New Year!

I think I've said it before on this little blog, but I love a New Year!

There's just something about the energy of a new year and

an empty calendar.

A new year holds so much hope and possibility.  It's energizing and inspiring.  

It tells us that we can do more, be more.  It's a new beginning, a chance to be better than we were the year before.

This year, my One Little Word {#olw2014} is

A quick look in the dictionary confirmed that this is the perfect word for me in 2014

2014 is my year to nourish: my mind, my body, my soul, my relationships, my creativity

It's my year to nourish my whole being.

top dog dies: typography

Happy New Year!

It's a new year and I have some new projects featuring Top Dog Dies to share with you today.

This month I received some super fun dies to create with, including this vintage alphabet die:

First up, a little "HELLO 2014" card to ring in the New Year.

dies used: Vintage Alphabet, Photo Mats, Cherish Doilies and Tags

This card is sized at 3x4 for Project Life, but would also make a cute embellie for a card, scrapbook page or mini album.

Typography is an art in itself, and this die is perfect for easily creating artsy backgrounds. 

dies used: Vintage Alphabet, Cherish Doilies and Tags 

 I used the same idea of a typed background to create this little altered tile:

The leftover letters from the above card were glued onto a ceramic tile with a simple message.

I haven't decided if I want to glue a pretty ribbon to the back for an entryway wall hanging, or to seal it and use it as a coaster.  Decisions, decisions. . .

The following dies were used in these three projects:

I'll be back later to share my One Little Word for 2014.

Happy New Year!

top dog dies: gift bags

Thanks so much to all of you who visited during the Blog Hop last week.  I loved reading through your sweet comments!

I am back today with a few last minute gift wrapping ideas.  I probably shouldn't admit this, but gift cards are my go-to, last minute gift idea.  When time is running out, and my poor little brain can no longer think up something clever to give, I grab a gift card.

Gift cards themselves are pretty boring, so that's where a little fancy wrapping comes into play.  And Top Dog Dies makes it so easy!  I used the Treat Bag Die to create a super fast gift bag just the right size to hold a gift card.

Treat Bag Die

With a quick little embellishment and a gift tag, you are good to go give.

These little dimensional snowflakes are super easy.  Just fold in half with insides facing along the long points, then fold in half with outsides facing along the in between points.  Poof it up and tack down the snowflake tips with wet glue.

I have one more last minute gift idea for you: fill a little gift bag or bucket with

layer up some Top Dog Dies:

and sign the back with:

How cute is that? (Can't take credit for the wording; saw it on Pinterest)

Here's one more take on the idea using the Treat Bag die:

Here are the dies I used to create these bags (click on the image to be taken to the Top Dog Dies store):

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I'm hoping that all of you are in better shape than me with your last minute gifts!