FLORAL WINDOW BOX & CARD

Here’s a pretty little gift box that let’s the recipient see what their treat is before they open it!  Or wrap your gift in colored tissue paper before putting in the box for a special surprise!  The matching card is sure to impress.  Make the set for Easter or any other special occasion that you’d like! 

This gorgeous project was designed by Kim Score, and her tutorial is now posted at Craft Project Central.  Personally, I love just about every box I see, and I look forward to making this one!

BOXED SET OF CARDS . . . PERFECT GIFT!!!!

This pretty box and matching set of cards is perfect for Spring!  With beautiful bright colors this would make a great Mother’s Day or teacher appreciation gift!  

Heidi King designed this project for Craft Project Central, and her tutorial was posted yesterday.  She did a beautiful job, and you can make this set of cards, too, with your February subscription to CPC.

CANNED LETTUCE

This is something you don't see every day--jars filled with lettuce--but it is the smartest thing I've heard of in quite some time.  I saw this idea on Pinterest a while back and wanted to try it, but I had to wait until the jar attachment came for my vacuum seal machine.  I've been enjoying ready-to-eat salads for about two weeks now.  Basically, once your lettuce is sealed in the jar, it should stay fresh for 5 to 10 days depending, of course, on how fresh the lettuce is when you process it.  And the process is soooooooo easy! 

1.  Wash lettuce.

2.  Cut lettuce to the size that you prefer for salads.

3.  Place lettuce in a salad spinner to dry it.

4.  Fill canning jars with lettuce.

5. Place lid (but not the ring) on the jar, and put the jar attachment (regular or wide-mouth, whichever fits your jar) over it.  The jar attachment should have a hose that connects to a vacuum seal machine that has an accessory port.

6.  Use the vacuum seal machine to remove the air from the jar and seal it.  Put the ring on, and store the jar in the refrigerator.

You'll notice from the photo that the lettuce looks fresh and crisp.  The iceberg lettuce (right front) was placed in the jar just before the photo was taken, but the romaine lettuce (left front) was processed two days prior.  If you'd like to try a delicious salad dressing--one that tastes very similar to Carrabba's house dressing (my absolute favorite-could-eat-every-single-day), mix the following and refrigerate:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I use fresh cheese and grate it myself)

1/4 cup buttermilk

1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced parsley--fresh, of course

1/2 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice

ALTERED BIRDHOUSE & CARD

Are you ready for Spring?  With all the snow some spots are getting, you will love making this pretty project indoors to help you get ready for the warmer weather!  This beautiful altered birdhouse would be a lovely decor piece in any house.  Use it to decorate your desk, use it as a special pencil holder, or just give it away as a lovely gift.

This beautiful ensemble was designed by Monika Davis, and her tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central. 

"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY"

Today's MISM project (a square card . . . surprise, surprise) is one that I really, really like!  It was inspired by a quick and functional card stock band that I placed across the top of a stack of stamped note cards that were boxed and ready to give to someone who "used her powers" to help me with a recent traffic citation.  That band was stamped with "thank you" and didn't have the ribbon but, when I finished wrapping it around the cards, I thought that the design would make a really simple and pretty card.  And it did!!  Stampin' Up! products used to create this card include Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, and Lucky Limeade card stock, Lucky Limeade ruffled ribbon, twine (from the "Boutique Boxes" kit), Tea Lace paper doily, "Blooming with Kindness" and "Spring Sampler" stamp sets, rhinestone jewel, and the following punches:  Scallop Trim Border, 1-3/8" Circle, 1-1/4" Scallop Circle, and 1" Circle.

MDS CHALLENGE: FREEFORM TOOL

A new MDS challenge was posted to the NCSUD demo group, and those who wished to participate were supposed to create a digital project using the freeform tool.  This tool was one of the new features of Stampin' Up!'s MDS2 software, and I had only used it once before to create the wavy text line on the card posted HERE.  For the current challenge, I decided to create a curved line of text which you can see on the orange pumpkin.  If you think you're seeing some dotted Pool Party splatters on the Crumb Cake background, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.  Everything pictured on the card below is 100% digital.

I couldn't leave things alone, though.  I printed the digital design and used it to create the hybrid card shown below.  The photo quality really stinks, but I tried my best to get a decent shot.  I do not know what I have touched to mess up the camera settings!  Anyway, the non-digital products used to complete the hybrid card include:  Pool Party, Riding Hood Red, and Pumpkin Pie card stock, pearl and rhinestone jewels, "Pretty Petites" stamp set, Petite Curly Label punch, and the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch.

DRESSER DRAWER CARD SET

Shame on me!  I totally forgot to post this project on Thursday, but better late than never, right?  This dresser drawer box would look so nice on any desk, and inside are two card sets!  Once the cards are gone, the dresser can be used to store pens, notepads, postage stamps, paper clips, and any other little things you want to store inside.  This would be a wonderful gift to make for any friend or family member.

Christy Fulk designed this great project for Craft Project Central, and her tutorial is available to those who have subscribed this month.  I love how colorful this project is, and I especially like how useful it is--to store the cards and then to store many other things once the cards are gone!  Great job, Christy! 

JULIE'S "FREESTYLE FRIDAYS" CREATION

Yikes!  I'm late with posting today's Freestyle Fridays project.  I sat down to work on this post last night, got distracted, and then forgot.  Sorry, Julie!!!!  I was told that Julie used some old and retired designer paper for her project, and the colors in the paper reminds me of kitchens past.  My mother's kitchen was avocado green, my grandmother's kitchen was (and still is) harvest gold, my sister lived in a house for a couple of years with orange countertops (yes . . . ORANGE!!!!), and I had a kitchen twenty-some years ago that had far too much brown and, to brighten it up, I thought peach was a pretty color.  Granted, the actual colors in Julie's paper may not be any of the colors I mentioned, but the kitchens past popped in my head regardless.  You know, it could be the burst-ish design of the flowers that makes me think of kitchens past because I happen to have my mother's first stand mixer (yes, it's avocado green and looks vintage with it's harsh, squared angles), and it has some burst-ish looking circles on it.  Oh well . . . I'm sure Julie will love that her project today has awakened kitchens past in my head.  LOL!  Let's hop on over to her blog so we can see the whole project and stop thinking about kitchens.  She'll have a mission for me, and I cannot wait to see what it is!  Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks so much for visiting my blog!

ETA:  O.M.G.  I just visited Julie's blog and read that I get to be a Flat Stanley Regina when Julie and Jacoline go to Stampin' Up!'s convention!!!!  How fun!!!!

DRY ERASE BOARD ON CRAFT PROJECT CENTRAL

Make this Dry Erase Board, with the coordinating pen and cup, for a sweet project for a friend, or maybe even make one for yourself! It’s a simple project with some great ‘up-cycling’ ideas using your Stampin’ Up! supplies. And just think of how many ways you can change up the board to fit your needs – a grocery list, kids’ chores… the possibilities are endless!

The tutorial for this project, which was designed by Julie Beltramo, can be found at Craft Project Central.

"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY"

I recently made a box full of cards for my mother, and I couldn't resist using Stampin' Up!'s "By the Tide" stamp set to create this collage.  Most of my collage creations with this stamp set have included a blue and tan/brown color palette, but the Pool Party, Calypso Coral, and Lucky Limeade colors on this card remind me of the colors found in most of the beach condos where I've stayed.  Can you see that the fish has been cut out and adhered to the card with a Stampin' Dimensional?  Other Stampin' Up! products featured on this card include the arrow-shaped Cute Clip, Modern Label punch, "Fabulous Phrases" stamp set, Scallop Edge Border punch, "Cloudy Day" embossing folder.  The edges of the white card stock were distressed with the new Stampin' Distress Tool.

"ALL DRESSED UP" GIFT ENSEMBLE

What little girl doesn’t love chocolate and writing notes to her friends?  Even grown up girls like those things!  This pretty All Dressed Up Gift Ensemble includes a gift bag, chocolate slider, covered notepad, and matching card!  Make the gift set for the special girls in your life, and don’t forget to make a set for yourself!

Isn't this a pretty project???  I love the colors that Kris McIntosh used on this ensemble that she designed for Craft Project Central.  Her tutorial was posted today!

"FREESTYLE FRIDAYS"

With her Freestyle Fridays post last week, Julie issued a mission for me to make a non-black chalkboard project to post this week.  At first (for a split-second), I wasn't sure what color I would use, but then I remembered some green chalkboards from my early school years.  And so this card got its start with Always Artichoke card stock.  I love washi tape.  Actually, I think I love buying and having it almost as much as using it (maybe more), so I decided to create a washi tape banner to drape across my chalkboard.  Oh, my goodness, this was so much fun, and don't you just love the splash of color that it adds?  Now for the details.  I began by inking the two images from "Feeling Sentimental" with VersaMark ink, stamped them on the card stock, and then sprinkled them with white embossing powder.  I used the Stampin' Sanding Block to remove some of the embossed areas so the images wouldn't look too perfectly white.  To dirty-up the chalkboard, I gave it a few swipes of white Craft ink and then some tiny swipes with Always Artichoke ink.  A white art pencil was used to draw the lines on my chalkboard, and then I worked on the banner by wrapping pieces of washi tape around the white Baker's twine.  Scissors were used to create the pointy ends, and the banner is held in place with brads and a few glue dots.  To give some dimension and interest to the banner, I embellished with some punched flowers, a heart, and rhinestone jewels.  Finishing touches were the "love" ticket (from Stampin' Up!'s Artisan Embellishment Kit), and the stamped "U" (from "Pennant Parade" stamp set).  The postage punched "U" was adhered with a Stampin' Dimensional to the red Petite Curly Label shape, which was also attached with a dimensional.  To recap, the Stampin' Up! products used to create this card include:

Stamp Sets:  Pennant Parade, Feeling Sentimental
Ink:  VersaMark, white Craft, Always Artichoke
Card Stock:  Always Artichoke, Whisper White, Riding Hood Red
Punches:  Little Labels Punch Pack, Petite Curly Label, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack
Accessories:  Baker's twine, Artisan Embellishments Kit, Stampin' Dimensionals, rhinestone jewels, glue dots, white embossing powder, heat tool, Stampin' Sanding Block

Thank you, Julie, for yet another awesome mission!  I truly enjoyed this one, and it served as a reminder to not be afraid to think outside of the box and change things up!

MY MIXED MEDIA PROJECT ON CRAFT PROJECT CENTRAL

I'm so excited because my February project for Craft Project Central was posted to the site today!  Experience the fun of mixed media art with this project, which includes a 5" x 7" canvas board, a decorative gift box, and a coordinating card!  You’ll enjoy creating this ensemble so much that you might have trouble parting with it, so go ahead and plan to make two (or more!!)!  With your subscription to Craft Project Central, you'll have access to my tutorial and all of the others posted this month!  What are you waiting for?

"ALL DRESSED UP" LIPSTICK HOLDERS

Last week, as I was surfing the 'net, I came upon the cutest 3D project using Stampin' Up!'s "Dress Up" Framelits dies.  You can see Pam's lipstick holder and project directions here.  The honest truth is that I am loving the Dress Up dies so much more than I ever imagined!  This project is super quick and easy, and you might just find yourself shopping for lipstick for all the ladies you know just so you can give them an adorable treat like this!  You will surely have too much fun coming up with LOTS of ways to decorate the holders.  I kept things simple with mine, and following are the Stampin' Up! products that I used:

Stamp Sets:  Established Elegance

Ink:  Summer Starfruit, VersaMark, Soft Suede

Card Stock:  Summer Starfruit, Basic Black, Very Vanilla

Ribbon:  Crochet trim, Pear Pizzazz pleated ribbon, Pool Party seam binding, linen thread

Accessories:  Trinket Hearts, Sycamore Street designer button, Artisan Embellishments Kit, pearl jewels, heat tool, white embossing powder

Sizzix:  Flower Garden embossing folder, Dress Up Framelits

Punches:  Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (scallop circle)

 

"SWALLOWTAIL" BOX & CARDS

The new Swallowtail stamp is a big, beautiful and detailed image!  This Swallowtail box and set of cards is full of shimmer and shine!  The finished project would make a wonderful gift!

This gorgeous ensemble was designed by Sharon Burkert, and the tutorial for the box and cards was posted today at Craft Project Central.  In the photo above, you get a glimpse of the cards but, with your February subscription to the site, you will get to see (and create) this beautiful ensemble!  Sharon truly did a beautiful job!

"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY"

My mother mentioned last week that she needed some birthday cards, so I got busy.  I can't have her sending "non-Regina" cards, now can I?  Using some cuts from Stampin' Up!'s retired "Attic Boutique" designer paper, I whipped up a few cards featuring this dress form, which I cut from Soft Suede card stock and stamped with images from "Established Elegance".  The finishing touch was a piece of crochet trim wrapped around the dress form, and I used a knot of twine to keep it in place.  The die-cut dress form was adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals.

With my MISM post last week, I announced that I had a FREE one-month pass to Craft Project Central to give away, and I received SEVEN comments on that blog post.  I decided to let random.org choose the winner, and the winner is #6 . . . (drum roll) . . .  Joanne who posted, "A spectacular card with amazing colors. You always outdo yourself."  I appreciate those of you who took the time to leave a comment!  Joanne, contact me at randari@hotmail.com so we can get your subscription set up!

"BY THE TIDE" COLLAGE

You'd think that I would be able to know by now when I get a stamp set that will become a favorite, but I still get surprised.  "By the Tide" surprised me.  Of course, I really liked the images in this set, but I didn't imagine how wonderful it would be to use, particularly in the form of collage.  It is perfect and so easy to work with!  And that tiny script image is actually a poem that reads:

Pink shells, white shells, and shells colored blue;

smooth shells, crinkled shells, old shells and new;

striped shells and plain shells lift by the tide;

my shell is magic - the sea sings inside.

Isn't that a sweet poem?  It's too bad that the script is so small and easily overlooked, but that image is great for a little background/texture when you need it--perfect to keep a tag from looking too plain!  And, of course, all of the images in this set (in my humble opinion) simply scream to be used in a collage.

"FREESTYLE FRIDAYS" WITH JULIE

Is this a cute sneak peek that Julie sent to me or what?  I think those birds are so cute, and it appears that Julie has Valentine's on the brain--don't we all?  This is the last weekend to get cards made and mailed!  I hope you'll join me in visiting Julie's blog to see her project in full and to learn all about it.  She probably has a mission outlined for me, and you might want to give it a try!  She always has the BEST missions! 

FABRIC-COVERED MINI ALBUM

This fabric-covered mini accordion album is perfect for scrapbooking or keeping keepsake photos. Its hidden pockets can hold other treasures, too.  The album is a great gift that anyone would love, and it comes with a coordinating greeting card.

The tutorial for this gorgeous project, which was designed by Monika Davis, was posted on Craft Project Central today.

SWEET ROSE GIFT SET

This life-like rose has a sweet candy center and is ready for giving as a gift in the beautiful display box with a matching card!  Show someone how truly special they are to you with this special gift set! 

It's amazing how real that rose looks, and this is such a pretty gift set!  Amanda designed this project for Craft Project Central, and you can access the tutorial with your February subscription.  Great job, Amanda!

"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY" & THE GIFT OF A FREE CRAFT PROJECT CENTRAL SUBSCRIPTION

I couldn't resist using a brand new stamp for today's MISM project.  "Hello, Hello" is one of Stampin' Up!'s newest single stamps, and I used Lucky Limeade and Primrose Petals markers to ink it.  The edges of the card stock were sponged with Crumb Cake ink, and I thought the rhinestone jewels were a pretty touch.  Other Stampin' Up! products used to create this gatefold card include Hearts Collection Framelits dies, Fancy Fan embossing folder, Stampin' Dimensionals, Tea Lace paper doily, and "My Friend" stamp set.

Once again, I am designing for Craft Project Central this month, which means that I have a FREE one-month subscription to give away.  If you would like to be entered in the drawing for the subscription, just leave a comment on this blog post.  A winner will be chosen and announced with my MISM post next Monday, February 11th.

"TEA FOR TWO" TOPIARY GIFT SET

At Craft Project Central, the awesome February tutorials begin with this little trio of gifts that would make any girlfriend smile!  Topiaries are such a great home decor item, and this has to be the most budget-friendly handmade topiary you’ll find!  With this project, you won’t have to buy a costly styrofoam ball, and the coordinating stand-up card is another budget-friendly idea that will replace a costly picture frame.  And, of course everyone appreciates a little sweet treat in a gift!

I think this project has so much charm--love the flower trim and, of course, those arrow clips!  Julie Beltramo designed this gorgeous project for Craft Project Central. 

"FREESTYLE FRIDAYS"

Last week, Julie issued a mission for me to CASE someone else's project, and I decided to visit Beate Johns' blog and found THIS CARD for my inspiration.  I have loved Beate's clean, creative stamping style ever since I was a new stamper--those early days when I hardly had enough supplies to work with.  I think she is an embellishment and detail queen!  She can heavily embellish a card without making it look overdone; on the contrary, most of her cards have a lot of detail to discover, and they always look strikingly precise and clean.  My card features one of my latest fascinations--washi tape--and the following Stampin' Up! products:

Stamp Set:  Vintage Verses
Punches:  Elegant Butterfly, Bitty Butterfly
Card Stock:  Whisper White, Crumb Cake
Accessories:  Rhinestone jewels
Sizzix:  Argyle embossing folder
 
Wouldn't you like to try Julie's mission?  Find someone's card (or other stamped project) that inspires you, and re-create it!