Altered Frame Box

I have had this box forever, I think someone sent it to me in a swap un altered. I have looked at it so many times and thought what a challenge to altered it. Well I finally pulled it out to work on. I did struggle with some parts of it but I think the end result is great. I am going to send this to one of my swap partners. Of course I can't say who because that would ruin the surprise! lol Anyway the paper is from a stack called Sun Kissed and I am not even sure who makes it. I tore the cover off a long time ago to use as chipboard and I don't remember now. The stick pins are the first ones I have ever made! The large blue flower is one I made and one of my new obsessions. I love these flowers and posted about how I made them here. The inks I used are all from CTMH Orange, Sweet Leaf and Crystal Blue. EDIT: Two friends have asked about the metal butterfly I used on this box. The are by Blue Moon and from the Lost and Found line. You can see the 4 that come in the pack here. I got them at J's and think they were about 5.00 for the 4. The are really nice because the metal is heavy but thin enough that you can bend it and shape them. This is what the box looks like open. Another closer up of the box opened. This is with the lid closed.

ATCM Swap

These are the three cards I made for the March Addicted to Cardmaking Swap. The theme was friendship and in this swap you aren't required to make all your cards the same. I have some patterened paper left over from other things I had made so I used it for the cards this months.
I used the Cuttlebug and CTMH inks on each one.

Altered Mini Tins

I did a huge (a couple thousand) candle order a couple of years ago for Bimbo Bakeries. I know that sounds weird a candle order for a bread and pastry company. They wanted Lemon, Chocolate and Carrot Cake scented candles to promote these! Anyway, that is sort of off topic but not really. I ended up having tons of these little tins from that order left over. They have been sitting around collecting dust and since I am on a mission to alter everything in the world...

I looked at these several times and thought they were so small what would I do with them? I then discovered (I am not sure why I didn't sooner) that they are perfect for tiny parts like eyelets, brads and skittles. So I decided to give it a shot and I was very please with the way they turned out. I think I could even make small flowers and fit them inside! The first one I sent to someone on the pay it forward rak who asked for an altered container. I filled it with mini clear skittles. The 2nd one I am sending to someone else in a swap. I know altering a tin isn't anything new to the craft world but considering I have at least a hundred of these sitting around I was pretty excited!

3D Flowers

I recently became very addicted to 3D flowers. I know they are all the craze right now and I was working on something and couldn't find the right color flowers locally. So I searched all over youtube looking for an easy 3D flower to make and discovered these babies! Now I can't stop making them. I have been using all of my scrap paper to make these flowers and I LOVE them. They are so super easy and I love the way they look when they are finished.

There is only a few steps to making them. I have been using a Stampin' Up scalloped square punch and I think it is 1.5 inch. But you can use any scalloped punch or cut them out with the cricut and you can't make then bigger or smaller. You just need 8 of whatever shape you are using. First I inked them, some of these I did the same color and some I used two different inks on the same flower. Once they are inked you spray them with water and get them nice and damp. Then crinkle each of the 8 up in a little ball. I let mine sit for a minute, then unwrap them and flatten them back out. Stack them up and stick a brad through the center. Then "shape" the flower. You can also glimmer mist them before or after. I have been waiting until mine were all shaped and then glimmer mist them. As they dry they sort of harden and hold the shape! Super easy right? And they are so cute when they are done!

Sunflowers

Here is a layout I was working for the last challenge over at Craft US Crazy. The theme was Nature, however my daughter got really sick and I wasn't able to finish it in time. The newest challenge is Cupcake/Celebrate so get over there and check it out!
Anyway, we move around all the time with my husband being in the Navy. One thing I always do no matter where we are is plant Sunflowers. I have grown some in the past as big as my face! lol These are pictures that I had of some of them that I grew in Kings Bay, GA and wanted to get into a scrapbook. This was a really simply layout as I thought the flowers said it all!

Easter Basket - Easter Cartridge

Well this is still a little plain because I haven't finished it. I was so excited to share how quick and easy this was! I received the Easter Seasonal Cricut Cartridge in swap last year and never used it. So I thought I would try out some of the 3D things on it. There are three. A treat box, this basket and another basket without a handle. This was so easy to make. I just cut it with DS as large it would let me fit it on the mat. I can't remember the size now but I used the whole 12 x 12 page. The paper is from and older DCWV Spring Stack that I have a ton of pages left over from earlier projects. I thought thought this was so cool that I cut another one out of black card stock to sit on my desk so I can throw little parts and stuff in it when I am working. I hope you like it! I will try to post it again or update this post once I get it filled up. It fits together perfectly and it feels very sturdy!

Vintage Easter Tag

Here is my first attempt at Vintage Easter. I used TH distress inks on the tag, in Peeled Paint and Victorian Velvet (two of my faves) and the pearls are white opal Liquid Pearls. I sprayed the whole thing with Pearl Glimmer Mist, another favorite.

I am working on something else Easter Themed now so as soon as I get that done I will post it. I am not really sure what I am going to do with it. However, I am thinking that if it comes out nice I might make them for all the kids in the family for Easter.

Remember I said I was excited for Easter to be here!

Easter/Spring Cards

I am so excited about Easter this year! Can't wait to hunt for eggs....well sort of. We have lived so far away from family for so long that this year is going to be very special for us. It will be the first time in almost 10 years that we will actually be spending every holiday with some family. Anyway, I have been working on some Easter/Spring Cards and thought I would show you. These are cute but I also plan to make some vintage Easter Cards. Or at least give it a try.

SS Preview

I posted this over on the SS thread a few days ago. I cann't reveal it yet but I thought I would post the preview here also. I will tell you more about it once it is sent. I am so addicted to doing these now though!

Christmas In The Keys

(if you click on the image you can get a better look)

If you haven't checked out the new challenge blog Craft Us Crazy you should. The current challenge is Winter, I wasn't in the mind set for this challenge so I had to really work around this theme. I can honestly say when I think of winter, I think of home which is none other than the Sunshine State, Florida.

I miss the (non) winter of home and even more when I talk to friends who spend Christmas in the Keys. I made this layout for my friend back home, Cindy. They spent Christmas this year in the keys and went fishing, site seeing, and while it was cold it wasn't anything close to our winter.

The base pages are from DCWV Tahiti Stack, everything else was cut with Coordinations cardstock. I used the cricut and three cartiridges for this layout. Lifes A Beach, George, Celebrate with Flourishes. Stardust stickes on the coral, pearl Glimmer mist on the title and stamped with CTMH Cocoa. The little heart and key charms are MM. I hope you enjoy and don't forget to check out the challenge blog!