Flamingo Mandala

A new mandala to color! More pink flamingos, or whatever color you'd like to make them!
Click on the images for larger versions.
Small JPG:

Large transparent PNG:

Pink Flamingo Printable Box

Here's the box, and there are plans for more flamingo printables this week!
Click on the box for a larger version, print on card stock, cut, score, fold, glue!

Whimsy runs wild in my family, and one of my whimsies is a strong desire for pink plastic flamingos in my yard. It's not one I've acted on yet. As you probably know, there aren't real flamingos in Alaska. There are also precious few plastic flamingos. What I want is to have a half dozen that TG and I can outfit for the seasons. We wouldn't keep them out all the time because cold+plastic is usually a bad thing. But we would knit them hats and scarves to have out occasionally during the winter. Anyway, that's the plan. My husband of course is less than thrilled. He did say "The only reason I'm NOT trying to talk you out of it is because I just know I'd come home from work to an army of pink flamingos."

He's so smart!

Get Flocked carries flamingos made using Don Featherstone's original molds that are made in the U.S.A. If you're looking for flamingos, or the perfect Christmas present for an Alaskan blogger living in a neighborhood with no flamingos (hee!)

Quote art, Vesta, Blogrolls and Birthdays

Click on the image for a larger version if you want to print it.

I updated We Come From Stars  today about Vesta. Still working on the final design for that blog and on a link list for the sidebar.

Also, I want to do a blog roll here. If you want a link to your crafts or cooking blog leave a comment.

With my birthday coming up (May 16! It snuck up on me this year), I've been trying to come up with a wish list. It's pretty skimpy so far.

• Donate to the SPCA
• Donate to PBS
• Bring old magazines and books to your local hospitals
• My Amazon.com wishlist 
• A favorite recipe, emailed to recipes (at) donteatthepaste *DOT* com that can be used with credit later on a recipe card

Working on it, my family keeps insisting that I'm impossible to shop for, so I try to give them some ideas every year.

Bat Appreciation Day Box and coloring pages

Today is Bat Appreciation Day! I hope you enjoy this printable box and printable coloring page.
Click on the images for larger versions.

Coloring Page 100 ppi JPG

Large Transparent PNG format

Cookie box- new template!

My cookie boxes are pretty popular but I haven't posted one in a while. Here is a new one that uses a brand new template. It will fit 4 Oreos, even the mint ones which are just a little thicker than regular Oreos, in the photo above, the plain ones are the ones in the front. A craft knife will work best to cut out the notches, but if you don't like using them, I suggest using a hole punch in the middle of the notch, then using small scissors to cut it out.
This is scaled for US Letter sized paper, it should print at exactly 8x10 inches.
Click on the images for larger versions. One version says Sweet Treats as pictured, the other has a blank spot to personalize how you wish.

The blank template is available for sale in my Etsy shop.

Winged Heart art for digital scrapping

Okay, I'm done playing with that heart for now. So here it is for any digital scrappers who want to make tags or other things with it. 300 dpi, transparent PNG format. Click on the images for the full sized versions.

Some matching background tiles. These are 1 inch x 1 inch except for the dotted tile which is a half inch by a half inch. PNG format. The dots are transparent so you can put them over the stripes if you'd like.

Dad update- He's home from the hospital, and feeling a lot better.
Car update- Still not fixed
Birthday plans- I've had a cake from the same bakery every year since I was 12. This year I *will* have my cake, but it will be a week or two late.  My daughter is planning to bake a small cake for the day of, and Mike's planning on grilling one of my favorites for dinner. Best present of course is just that dad's home and that he's going to be okay.  I'm also planning to post the recipe for the cake I made for my mom's 40th birthday here. It's sort of like a Versunkener Apfelkuchen, but with some modifications because I didn't have all the ingredients on hand that first time. Mom loved my variation better than the original recipe that I was working from and it's still a family favorite. 

Winged Heart Purse Box

I really meant to get this posted Monday, but life got in the way all weekend.

So, the 3rd box from this set, a little purse box. The other two are a tea box and a cube. This one also includes a matching dot print. I printed the dots on one side, then the purse on the other side. Cut out and assemble according to the instructions on the purse printable. The dots can also be used with the other 2 printables to create a design inside the boxes.  If you'd like the blank template, it's available in my Etsy shop for 1.60.

300 dpi, click on the images for the full sized versions.

How life took over the weekend -

Friday night, my husband and I had to take my dad to the ER, he was admitted to the hospital and has been there all weekend. He's going to be fine and should be getting released today or tomorrow. Then Saturday, coming back from the hospital after visiting him, we stopped for dinner because all of us were entirely too exhausted to consider cooking. When we got out of the restaurant, our car wouldn't start. Something with the fuel pump is Mike's best guess. Since Dad wouldn't go straight to the ER and wanted to go to an urgent care center first, our budget is pretty much blown right now.  I'm still very, very grateful. It could have been so much worse than it was. Dad's nearly "fixed" and the car will be fixed soon. It's fairly warm so having to take the bus isn't the inconvenience it could have been. The financial department at the hospital is finding ways to help pay the bill and being very helpful. So we will be eating lots of soup and other inexpensive meals for the next bit of time. I'm just so glad Dad's going to be okay.  

Winged Heart Box 2

Another winged heart box, using the same popping pink colors and pink winged heart as this box.
I'm really fond of this design and this style. The offset shapes and things breaking out of lines. This time I decided on the 2x2 cube template. Click on the image for the full sized 300x300 ppi version. Print on card stock, score all folds, and glue side tab inside the other side. Fold top and bottom flaps in and close top and bottom. You might want to secure the bottom with a dab of glue or a piece of tape.

Tattoo Tea Box

I haven't used any of my tea box sized templates in a while. This one will hold a few bags of tea, the kind that come wrapped in foil. It's 300 dpi, click on the image for the full sized version. I hope you like the design.

Little Notebooks- printable

I'm learning how to use WordPerfect X5 Standard, so the first thing was to make a pdf for a printable project of course. These little notebooks are actually one of my favorite projects using scrap lightweight packaging cardboard and paper that's been printed on one side, but I've never actually made a template for them before. I'll make a template in the next day or two if you want to do recycled versions.

I didn't specify in the PDF how to cut the pages, but you cut them so they fold down the center line, so only the top 4 pages have the decoration on them. The tab tucks into a slit on the back to keep it closed. 

You can download the US Letter sized pdf here.

I also posted the strawberry pattern from my Sweets Earring set on BellaOnline.  You can get the strawberry pattern for free at Beadwork at BellaOnline and buy the complete set of earring patterns at my Etsy Store.

Printable mint favor box- embroidered design

These boxes will fit 4 Andes mints perfectly and come 3 to a sheet. 

I posted the blank template for sale in my Etsy shop.

Click on the printable page to get the full sized version. 100 ppi on cardstock.

I really love how cute and petite these are. 

I used a clear sealer and double stick tape to assemble mine.

Candy Box- pink and brown

Since Valentine's Day is coming, it's time to put up some some heart stuff right? This is a template I made last night. It's fussy to cut and fold so scoring and pre-folding is really necessary. I used double sided tape to assemble it, and a craft knife for the inner cuts. After you tape the tabs for the middle and the ends, if you pre-folded it, you can press down lightly on the end and it kind of collapses in the right shape to tie the ribbons, twine or yarn to close it up.

I posted the blank template in my Etsy shop. Later I'll put together another collection of templates.

I hope you enjoy this project! Click on the image for the full sized printable.

 

ETA: The link for my Etsy shop was messed up, I should have double checked when it didn't autosave correctly. It's fixed now!

Chocolate Recipe Card Set

There is something about pink and brown together that just suggests chocolate and yumminess. A while back I did a box using the elements in this recipe card set. I saved the elements because I really liked the way they looked together and planned to do something else with them. You can find the box here.
Click on the image for the full sized versions. Print at 100 dpi. One of the cards is a folding card for extra room on a recipe.
I'm going to a bead show today, but when I get home I'm going to type out a very special recipe from my grandma's recipe box with the story behind it.

 

 

Chocolate and Pink Box

I reposted my box templates set to Etsy here.

Standard 2x2 box. Hope you like it! Click to get the full image.