Goal: 100 Projects

Ok, so you know how I mentioned in an earlier post that I didn't need any more paper?  Well, I did say that.  And then I caved soon after that post and fell prey to a super duper sale (or two) from some of my favorite online scrapbook supply store(s) and bought more....   So while I was trying to fit this new crop of goodies into my small scrap space, I remembered that post... and wished I'd stuck to it!  So I have come up with a  goal that I need to meet before I can purchase more supplies- Yay!  I keep seeing other crafter blogs where they keep track of and document all their projects.  That's what I want to do, too! (I'm such a follower, huh? ;)  )  So now I will be doing 100 projects before I can buy more stuff (with the exception of adhesive and basic card stock, of course!)  The fine print for this goal is the following: the pages and cards and other pretty things that I make to sell in my Etsy shop won't count for my 100 projects.  AHHH!  What?!?  Yep, I have to actually make things that include things like photos and journaling or are for gifts.  You may not think this is a huge deal, right?  I'm just a stay at home mom and have plenty of time, right?  Well, if you think that, you're wrong!!  Huge deal!  I'm usually occupied doing things for the shop or things that someone has ordered.  Or taking care of kids.  Or cleaning up after kids and hubby.  Or about a hundred other things that need to be done at any given time.  So these 100 projects will be a challenge, to say the least.

Wish me luck!  And I will be keeping track of my projects right here on this blog, so stay tuned!

SALE in my Etsy Shop

Happy Memorial Day weekend!  I hope you get to spend some time with loved ones remembering those who have passed, especially those who bravely and valiantly defended the freedom we enjoy.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I have a sale going on in my shop through the weekend.  Use coupon code MEMORIAL10 at checkout and get 10% off your entire purchase AND a FREE GIFT!  (Discount will not include shipping and can not be used for previous purchases or custom orders.  Coupon code expires Monday May 28th.)

Have a safe and fun holiday!

May's Sincerely... Really.

I found the memory card!  Yay!  I am missing a few pics {my super talented two year old son has figured out how to delete pics now, too} but I think it should still work.  Kiwi Lane has not posted these yet today {isn't it the third Wednesday?} so if you're here before you've seen it on their blog or Facebook page, I guess it's a sneak peek- lucky you!

Card #1- Shirt and Tie (finished card size: 5x7)

Believe it or not, this card is made with templates! And so easy!! 

I used: Tiny Tags 5T, Tiny Shapes 6T & 1T and Celebrate 6; white and brown card stock, buttons, ink, and the Authentique Gathering paper kit (available in the Kiwi Lane Shop).

Here's how:
1- cut a piece of white card stock 4 3/4" x 6 3/8" for the shirt base
2- cut the "knot" of the tie from patterned paper using Tiny Shapes 1T (the small triangle).
3- cut the "pocket" of the shirt from white card stock using Tiny Tags 5T.  Cut it shorter than the actual tag, and remember that you will be trimming the side off to fit on the shirt base.
4- cut the "collar" from white card stock using Tiny Shapes 6T (hexagon).  Here's a picture of how:

You only cut half of the hexagon as pictured (a trapezoid, if you want to get technical), and then you cut that in half.  To make those two pieces into a collar, you turn them out like this (sort of like a butterfly):

If you don't get it the first time, don't feel too bad.  It took me a little bit of moving these around before I got it where I wanted it to be.  Also, if you don't get your pieces in equal halves, no big deal.  Just hold them up so they match and cut the edge off the longer one to make it even.
5- cut the tie using Tiny Shapes 1T (small triangle) and Celebrate 6 (ice cream cone/pennant/long triangle).  This is how I laid it out:

You can see that the long triangle template is too long to match up with the small triangle.  Which is good.  Because it would go off the edge if it did match at the end.  I just moved that tiny triangle up on the long triangle until the two corners of the small triangle met the sides of the long triangle.  This is where I would insert the picture of the shapes traced on paper, but that seems to be missing.  Basically, you would trace the long triangle first and then put the little triangle where you want it (like in the picture above) and trace it.  Then erase the lines you don't want to cut on, leaving you a tie shape.  Then cut it out.
6- ink the edges of the pocket, collar, knot and tie.
7- glue the tie to the "shirt" first, making sure it's centered and the bottom tip is close to the edge, but not hanging over.  Then glue the knot on, making sure it's centered.  Then glue the collar on (it will hang over the top edge of the "shirt" and that's okay), followed by the pocket.  Cut the overhang of the pocket off flush to the edge of the "shirt."  Ink the edges of the "shirt" and adhere to the front of a 5x7 card.  (Because my card base is dark, I also put a piece of lighter paper on the inside for writing a note.) You can add buttons and/or a tie tack, if you'd like.

And you're done!  I know it looks like a lot of instruction, but it really isn't that bad.  

Card #2- Dad, You're a Rock Star!  (finished card size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2")

For this card I used: Templates- Sentiments 2B & 3A, Wacky 3T, Adventure 1 & 2, Tiny Strips; Authentique Gathering paper kit; stickers (SEI and Authentique); jewels (Doodlebug)

This one is a little easier to figure out, or can be altered and adjusted to fit your needs, so no instructions :)  I will say that the "Rock Star" is just my handwriting, but you can use stickers, rub-ons or whatever else you can think of.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Crafting!!

May's Sincerely Cards for Kiwi Lane

If you have come from Kiwi Lane and are looking for the instructions for the super cute Father's Day cards, you are in the right place!  However, my memory card isn't.  That means I don't have pics right now {insert very sad face here}.  Which means I can't post instructions right now {insert even sadder face here}.  If I can't find the memory card by this afternoon, I will make the cards again and take more pictures and post by the morning.  I'm so sorry for any delay of making your own cards!!

*This post was brought to you courtesy of my two year old son who likes to take memory cards out of things and put them in very strange places*

Oh, yeah! I have a blog!!

Sometimes I forget I have a blog.  Especially since said blog was left by the wayside and forgotten for a few years... that is, until fairly recently.  So when you don't see posts on my blog for a while, it's not because I haven't been doing anything, it's because I have mom-nesia, which is what my family has lovingly named that condition when Mommies have so much on their minds that some things slip out.  Usually through the ear :)

So what have I been doing?  Well, LOTS!  I made a layout for Kiwi Lane's April Design by #'s (I had to use all #2 templates), I made a set of cards for someone to give as a gift, and I made and listed a bunch of layouts in my Etsy shop.  Plus, I made my usual cards using the scraps I have left when I make pages.  Where is the proof that I actually work, you ask?  Well, right here, of course!

 This was the layout I made for Kiwi Lane's Design by #'s challenge- and I love how it turned out!! 

Templates I used: Wildflower 2, Tiny Wildflower 2T, Tiny Nature 2T, Rings 2, Abbie Road 2A, Aspen Court 2B.

Other supplies: Paper, stickers, journaling spot (Echo Park's A Walk in the Park Collection); jewels (Creative Imaginations); ink (Ranger); thread and sewing machine.

 These are the cards I made for someone.  She wanted them to give to her sister for her birthday.  I thought they were really pretty- I almost didn't want to give them up (true paper hoarder tendencies coming to light, right? ha!)

I used: card bases (DCWV); patterned paper and die cuts (Authentique's Blissful Collection); flowers (Prima, Imaginisce); brads (Basic Grey, Doodlebug); twine (the Twinery); ink (KI Memories); vellum (craft supply); Kiwi Lane Designs templates; punches (Martha Stewart Crafts, Marvy Uchida)

And this is one of the seven layouts I got posted to my Etsy shop.  And it sold in less than a week.  

Supplies:  Patterned paper and card stock (SEI); brads and letter stickers (American Crafts); ink (KI Memories); brads (Basic Grey); Kiwi Lane Designs templates

See?  I did get some things done for the crafty part of my life!  Now, if only I could remember that I have a blog....