Shrinky Dinks!

Remember when you were a kid and Shrinky Dinks were all the rage?  No...oh that just proves I'm old then!  LOL!  Well I remember and loved them so much, ahh such memories, thanks Mom!  I've used shrink plastic but I found the actual Shrinky Dink plastic, made for your printer, at Michael's.  Expensive, yes but with a coupon it's less painful  :)  This week at Jackson's Digital Expressions it's time to alter something!  One of my favorite challenges.  Your challenge is to alter some type of container (new or recycled) and the theme is Holiday or Winter.  I altered a Crystal Light container and I used the new release image Finishing Touch on Shrinky Dink plastichttp://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/2012/1 and cut it out with my Spellbinder's die.  I punched a snowflake and shrunk it with my heat gun and adhered it with Glossy Accents, love that stuff for attaching small elements!

BEFORE shrinking, colored with Prismacolor pencils and chalks.  The coloring is always darker once you shrink it.

AFTER shrinking

 

Come join us this week at JDE and challenge yourself to alter something.  Great idea for gift giving or packaging homemade treats!  Have a great week everyone!

Kathi   :)

Challenges:
Crafty Creations - #195 No Flowers
Divas by Design - Cute
Stamp-n-Doodle - Use a digi
Anything Goes Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
Emerald Fairies - Use a charm
Bearly Mine Challenges - #60 Anything Goes
Scrap-Creations by Kristen - Do it digi
LEJ Designs Challenge - Use a die cut or punch
Loves Rubberstamp Challenges - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Technique Tuesday - 3D punched elements
Through the Craftroom Door - #43 Anything Goes
Tuesday Alchemy - Anything But A Card
Lady Anne's Challenges - Anything Goes
Kaboodle Doodles - Anything Goes
{Lawn}scaping Challenge - Dust 'em off (I used beads/jewelry findings)
Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Die Cuts/Punches, Ribbon and Charms 
Anything But A Card Challenge #5
Crafty Catz Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
Fun With Shapes And More - 1st Snow
PanPastel UK - Make an embellishment
Simply Create Too - Use your stash ( beads/jewelry hoop)
Joanna Sheen Challenges - Cold and Frosty
Under the Table and Dreaming - Linking Party

Halloween treats!

Happy Halloween to my friends who celebrate it!  Here are a few treats I've created, haven't had much time for treats this year!  Usually, I make something for everyone in the office but not this year.

spider stamp by Stampin' Up!,  Creepy Candy stamp by Papertrey Ink

owl and cat $1 stamps by Studio 112, Trick or Treat by Stampin' Up!

Some of the challenges require supplies from your "stash".  I've had that spool of ribbon in my Halloween supply box for at least 2 years!  The cat/owl stamps for 1 year never used, and  I had cut the scalloped circles out months ago!  Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween!

Kathi  :)

Challenges:
Oldie But A Goodie Challenge - Dots & Stripes (ribbon & stamps more than 6 months old)
Use It Tuesday - Orange
Art With No Boundaries - October/Halloween
Lollipop Crafts - Halloween Treats
My Crafty Spot - Too Cute To Spook
Anything But A Card Challenge - Incorporate Black in Project
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Halloween Colors
PanPastel UK Challenge Blog - #42 Halloween
Scrappy Frog's Challenge Blog - Fall/Halloween
2 Sisters Challenge Blog - Fall/Halloween
Crafty Calendar Challenges - All Things Spooky
Crafty Mess Challenge - Halloween
Di's Digi Designs Challenge Blog - Anything Halloween
Just Some Lines Blog - Anything Halloween
My Time To Craft - Halloween
Pause Dream Enjoy Challenges - Candy!
Creative Belli Blog - #155 Halloween 
Fab N Funky Challenges - Die Cuts/Punches 
Inky Impressions Challenges - Lots of Layers 
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes 

Graduation Candy Poem

Hi all,

I'm trying to get ready for my daughter's graduation from high school tomorrow!  Really really having a hard time with it!  (sniff...sniff)  so I'm doing some therapy ;)  I made these for my daughter and some of her friends.  I found the poem HERE but tweaked it a little. I created the 2012 file in MTC, banner is an SVG  from Designs on Cloud 9, tag is a Spellbinders die and the little pails were from Target's dollar bins.  I like them they're so cute  :)

Thanks for stopping by!   Kathi

I'm linking up to:  Under The Table And Dreaming
                             Made By You Monday
                             Sew Many Ways - Sew Darn Crafty

Jackson's Digital Expressions Challenge and some tips!

This week it's my turn to host the new Inks and Such challenge at JDE!  Inks and Such is a challenge where you can showcase your coloring talents.  And soon we will have tutorials and tip and techniques to share with you.  This week I challenged the DT to make a card that was not the typical A4 size.  I made two this week.

This is a new release called Moma's Suga.  I used Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol.  Colors used: 942,940,914,941,946,945,927,1093,1065,906,1086,929,1014.  I inked the edges of the scalloped oval with a pigment ink then went over it with the nub and Gamsol and it actually smoothed it out nicely!

Here is a gift card holder made using the Just Shoes XI image.  Colored with Prismacolors 932,956,1008,935.  The card holder base is made by folding the Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities Grand Labels Eleven die cut in half.  I used a Cuttlebug folder to emboss once folded in half.  Don't you wish they would either name or # their folders so I could tell you exactly which one was used?  Anyway, scalloped circle and center circle both Spellbinders.  Hard to tell but there are dots of Stickles around the scallops.

Here's a visual for the die except your score line will be down the center.

Here's a tip for making the pennant if you don't have a die or SVG:

Place the end of the paper diagonal in a square punch, see the top left corner, that will be the inside of your pennant "tail".

So that's it!  Come check out the amazing talent of the other DT members at JDE and join us for this new challenge!

Kathi   :)

Challenges:  Skip to My Lou - Made by You Monday
                   Tammy's Scrapin Corner - Show us your punches/dies
                   Digi Doodle Shop Challenges - Anything Goes
                   Crafty Sentiments Designs - Mother's Day
                   STAMP N doodle - Mother's Day
                   Tuesday Throwdown - Motherly Love
                   Kaboodle Doodles - #118 Honoring Mothers
                   Love to Create Challenge Blog - #14 For Mom/Special Lady
                   The Pink Elephant Challenge Blog - All About Mom
                  Tuesday Alchemy - Mother Dear

Valentine candy package

Surprise!  Two posts in 1 week how unusual for me!  LOL!  Well here's another Valentine but it could be adapted for St. Patty's Day, Easter or Birthday.  It held one of the heart shaped Reese's PB cups.  Can you say YUMMY??   Yeah I snuck a couple...I'll admit it  :)   Hey a woman works up an appetite crafting!  Anyhoo...I used the Grand Nestabilities Labels 11 for the holder, the die that measures 5  3/4" across.  Paper was Coredinations canvas texture in "Merry" color, edges inked with Memento black ink.  2 1/2"  scalloped circle with Crystal Stickles dotted on the scallops, and stamps by Verve.  It was kept closed with a mini clothespin with a heart gem.  The recipients really liked them  :)

Hope you like this and can use the idea.  Would love to see what you can do with it...let me see your twist on the idea!  Thanks for stopping by!  Kathi

Such sad news....

Hi all...just bringing myself to create a post.  On August 31st two of my daughter's friends and soccer teammates were killed in a car accident.  Bella & Elana were only 16 and 17.  They did not have their seat belts on and the other two girls in the car who did have theirs on survived.  There was also another car with 5 other teammates right behind them and saw it all happen.  They tried to help the girls but couldn't.  Bella was starting her Sr. year but instead her funeral was on the first day of school.  It's still so unbelievable.  So I coped one of the best ways I know how...crafting.  I made the 7 girls involved composition book journals.  I know how therapeutic journaling can be and they need every tool they can get to help them through this tragic time in their lives.  The entire team and community have really shown their strength and ability to come together and help each other grieve.  I had just recently bought the My Favorite Things "Love you with all my Heart" stamp set and it was just so fitting for the journals.  My daughter suggested using Bella + Elana's favorite colors...blue and yellow.  The girls really liked them and I hope they help. 

The color doesn't show well but it's a Periwinkle blue and it's very old from Making Memories yellow from Core`dinations.  The side was punched with a MS punch,  I used the Grand Nestabilities Grand Labels Eleven, MFT stamp.  I used chalks to color her in and put a little Jolee's crystal in her barrette.

So if ANYTHING good could possibly come from this tragedy it is that my daughter and I have become even closer.  I think she has helped me through this more than I've helped her.  How did she become so mature and strong?   I can't stop hugging her....  So please hug your children whether they are 3 or 30 and make sure they always wear their seat belts.    Hugs....Kathi