Super Quick Grid Christmas Cards

I don't know about you, but my Christmas card factory is in full swing.  I love making handmade Christmas cards for my friends and family, but sometimes it can feel overwhelming.  One way to lighten the load is to create similar Christmas cards in bulk.

With only a single sheet of paper, some cardstock, and some stickers, you can create several grid Christmas cards in a snap.

Part of the fun of making grid card is choosing squares to create a theme for each card.  These little gingerbread men make the sweetest little card.  I trimmed another square for the sentiment.  Keeping cards free of embellishments makes them super quick to put together.

I started with a single piece of 12"x12" paper and cut the squares apart.  Each square measures 2"x2" making it easy to fit four squares on a single A2 card.

After I cut the individual squares apart, I had fun grouping them with other squares.  I stayed with a red and green color scheme for this card and chose images that fit well with cute Santa.  I wrapped the card with a piece of twine, but kept other embellishments at a minimum so it would still be mailable.

I love the addition of swimming pool in this Christmas collection.  This card is full of bright and fun holiday images.  I added a border and sentiment while still keeping the card flat and mailable.

With many more squares left, you can have fun mixing and matching all sorts of images and colors to create many cute Christmas cards in a jiffy.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Amanda

Supplies: 
Santa Express Collection
Doodlebug cardstock
Doodletwine

Express Your Gratitude with a Thankful Clothesline

Every November I try to make a project that will help provoke thoughts of gratitude as we approach Thanksgiving.  We have made gratitude jars and leafy garlands, but this year I was looking to do something a little different.  When flipping through my Doodlebug supplies, I found these darling clothes from the Happy Camper collection and the rest was history.

I am just smitten with Doodlebug's fall Happy Camper and Forest Friends collections.  The colors and patterns mix perfectly and I love that they can be used together.  I used some die cuts from the Happy Camper collection and patterned paper from Friendly Forest to create this Thankful Clothesline.

At the beginning of the month, the clothesline started out with an array of clothes.  As the month progresses, we take turns writing down what we are thankful for and placing the clothing on the clothesline.  This little clothesline would make a lovely piece of fall decor without the addition of grateful thoughts.

I adhered patterned paper to each pot and wrapped the top with washi tape.  I inserted floral foam into each pot and stuck in a pair of twigs I cut from my yard.  I placed some decorative moss on top of each pot to hide the floral foam.

I seriously can't get enough of these darling little clothes!

Each of the pieces of clothing have little tabs attached to the top.  Simply fold the tabs over and hang from the twine.  I initially tried hanging the clothing with mini clothespins, but they quickly got too heavy and the clothesline collapsed.

Are you noticing a theme?  Clearly as a family we are thankful for all things edible.

My sweet daughter is thankful for family.  Bless her heart.

Have a bigger family?  Grab a couple packs of the Happy Camper clothes and some longer sticks and get hanging!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Amanda

Supplies: 
Happy Camper Collection
Forest Friends Collection
Doodletwine

Happy Camper: Lego & Paper Play Set

Happy fall!  Amanda here today with a fun craft to make for your kiddos.  Inspired by the detailed scenes in the Happy Camper collection, I created a camping play set that will keep your kids entertained for hours! 

My kids, ages 8 and 10, girl and boy, are crazy for LEGOs.  They are always coming up with some new way to create with their LEGOs so I made a little play set for them to take on their LEGO camping adventures.  All of the pieces are moveable allowing the kids to rearrange the scene as they play. 

As I was looking over the Happy Camper collection (again), I remembered this little tent cut file I found a while back.  This little tent is what got the whole idea of a play set rolling as I knew they would be perfect for LEGOs.  

A little deer takes cover between the trees.  To make the trees, I folded four triangles down the center and adhered the pieces together.  

Happy bear.  Happy moose.  And glitter topped mountains.  So Doodlebuggy.  

I lengthened the tent opening on the tent cut file just a bit so the LEGO minifigs could take a nap.  

All of the pieces are unattached to the base and can be moved around during creative play.  

The free-standing paper pieces and stickers are propped up with little paper supports.  I folded strips of scrap cardstock to fit the pieces and adhered them to the back.  

And just in case you didn't see it already, look at that little camper!  If I had a camper in real life I would want it to look just like that.  

Happy camping! 

Amanda

Supplies: Happy Camper collection, Forest Friends collection

Chevron Cards: Yummy Enough to Eat

Nothing says summer like sweet, juicy watermelon.  With a few basic punches and a circle cutter, watermelon cards come together in a snap. 

This sweet watermelon banner card would be perfect for inviting your friends to your next cookout.  I used a piece of kraft paper from the Kraft in Color collection to create the card base and made the banner to adhering glittery watermelon halves to the front of the card.  Not having a party?  Simply replace the sentiment with another friendly greeting.  

To make bitty watermelon halves, start by punching and cutting a bunch of circles.  The green circles are 1.5", the white circles are 1 5/16" and the red circles are 1.25".  Don't forget to punch a bunch of seeds from black cardstock.  

Using your favorite dry adhesive, layer all of the circles together.  Cut each completed circle in half to create your watermelon slice.  Adhere the seeds to the top with a liquid adhesive.  

Using a larger circle cutter and the same layering technique, you can also make larger watermelon cards.  All three of these cards were cut from a single 5.5" layered watermelon circle.  I made the card bases from a white cardstock circle and adhered the watermelon slices to the top.

Happy Summer! 

Amanda

Supplies: Doodlebug glitter chevron cardstock, Kraft In Color patterned paper, white cardstock, black cardstock, circle cutter (Martha Stewart), circle punches (EK Success), tear drop punch (Martha Stewart)

Hello, HELLO, hEllO Card
by Aimee Kidd

Hello Doodlebug friends! Aimee with you here today to share two cards that I created using the new Doodlebug chevron sugar coated cardstock.....both with a "Hello" sentiment which is perfect to give for any occasion!

This first card was created by cutting out the word hello several times with my Silhouette. Then I backed each "hello" with a different color of chevron cardstock. I then added a few flower stickers, hello banner sticker, arrow Sprinkles, and some mini jewels. So easy and will brighten anyone's day!

My next card was just as equally easy to create. I used a piece of chevron cardstock for my background, added polka dot and striped pieces of pattern paper, Doodlebug twine, and stickers. Then to highlight the chevron cardstock, I punched out two different size of circles and aligned them onto the bottom piece of cardstock using pop dots. This turned out to be a fun and happy card.

Thanks for joining us today for some inspiration using the gorgeous and fun Doodlebug chevron sugar coated cardstock! 

Sequins: Two Amazing Altered Projects Featured

Mini Gift Bag & Sequin Earring Tutorial
by Amanda Coleman 

I'm in love with Doodlebug sequins!  Amanda here today with a fun and easy gift idea using sequins.  A while back I was at the store and I saw a pair of sequin earrings.  I thought Doodlebug sequins would make lovely earrings so I started playing around to see what I could come up with. 

With a few basic jewelry supplies, a pair of sequin earrings comes together in minutes.  You can customize the colors and vary the length with ease.  I used Swimming Pool sequins to make this pair of earrings. 

I made a customized earring card by trimming a piece of patterned paper and adding some coordinating stickers.  

The earring card fits perfectly into the little treat bag.  Just fold over the top and you have a sweet little gift.  

I used a tiny polka dot treat bag to make a little gift bag.  I embellished the bag with stickers, sequins, and a birthday tag.  I also covered a tiny binder clip with washi tape and used it to hold everything together.  

All of the supplies you need to make sequin earrings are readily available at craft stores and even larger stores such as Walmart.  You will need: jump rings (tiny wire hoops with a split in one side), ear wires, small pliers, tweezers, and sequins. 

Start by grabbing a jump ring and twisting it open with a pair of pliers.  Use your tweezers to hook several (6-8) sequins onto the jump ring.  Close the jump ring using your pliers.  This will be the bottom of your earring.  

Open a second jump ring and hook onto the first jump ring.  Add 2-3 sequins on each side of the jump ring and close with pliers.  Repeat this process until you have the length of earring you desire.  When you are finished, attach the strand of sequins to your ear wires.  

Add your earrings to a little card and they are ready for gifting! 

Supplies: 

Doodlebug Sequins

Sugar Shoppe collection

6 mm jump rings, ear wires

Sequined Gift Box
by Sharm Nidyanandan

Hello there!! This month the Design Team is sharing projects using sequins. For those of you who already know, I need not stress on how, absolutely gorgeous the ombre sequins by Doodlebug are..! :) I'm sure you've been amazed by the inspiring projects so far. Today I'd like to share mine :) It's a trinket box that I made using 3 different colours of sequins and some flowers by Petaloo!

First I slapped some heavy gel onto the surface of the box. Next, I dropped sequins, one colour at a time onto the gel. Lastly, I add the Petaloo flowers. I used the heavy gel cause it sticks everything together very well. You can opt for any strong adhesive or glue that you favour ;)

Here's my project:

Some closeups of the box

Materials Used:

Item:4256 cupcake sequins asst

Item:4257 bubblegum sequins asst

Item:4260 bumblebee sequins asst

Patriotic Parade: Picnic Caddy and Patriotic Bunting

Patriotic Picnic Caddy 
by Amanda Coleman 

I am completely smitten by the bold colors and festive patterns in Doodlebug's new Patriotic Parade collection.  Although it is only May, I am already looking forward to festive Fourth of July decor and lots and lots of picnics.

The American flag is is repeated throughout the Patriotic Parade collection.  I gathered coordinating patterned paper and upcycled some regular ol' cans to create a Fourth of July utensil holder.

I started by wrapping three cans with patterned paper.  All you need to do this is a paper cutter and a glue gun.

I tied the three cans together with a piece of striped ribbon.  The ribbon is the only thing that is holding the cans together so the cans could be repurposed again simply by untying the ribbon.

I dug into my supply of Christmas ribbon and found this striped grosgrain ribbon.  I love how the stripey bow compliments the flag patterns on the cans.

Happy creating!

Amanda

Supplies: 
Patriotic Parade collection
Striped ribbon (Offray)
Cans

Patriotic Bunting

by Courtney Lee 

Well hello! This is Courtney from Court's Crafts here! :) 

I made this 4th of July banner for the girls' bedroom door. Emmaline "helped" cut most of the pieces out on my die cutting machine and she loves this banner! She is very proud of it being on her door. 

These star brads are SOOOO cute!! I love love love them. What a perfect accent to the middle of the pinwheel! I am going to try layered pinwheels soon! The doodle-pop pinwheels were the start of my inspiration for this project. 

 Ahhh - doodle-pops... how I love thee. Emmaline loves airplanes right now and points them out every chance she gets. She insisted that this airplane went on the banner. I was thinking about it and wavering and I am so glad she was insistent as it's so darling! I added that gorgeous star jewel for a little bling. :)

Do you ever start to design, hesitate, and question yourself whether or not something is "too much"? I spent WAY too much time staring at this. These are two stickers layered on top of each other. I am SO glad I did it! I think it's kind of fabulous. When in doubt - remember that they are only stickers and they might as well be used! :) I added a little Fancy Frill to the top as well. :)

Oh look! Another DARLING doodle-pop!

All of the letters on my banner came from the icons for Patriotic Parade. They were probably "designed" for a title of a scrapbook page, but I love them on a banner! The oversized letters are perfect for just that. :) 

A little extra bling was needed... enter fabby sequins! 

Did anyone spy the doilies from the valentine's day collection: sweetheart?!? Why yes, they do match. :)

recipe:
doodlebug: patriotic parade all stars (4304)
doodlebug: patriotic parade red, white and blue (4300)
doodlebug: patriotic parade proud plaid (4302)
doodlebug: patriotic parade air mail doodle-pops (3690
doodlebug: patriotic parade fire cracker mini doodle-pops (3692)
doodlebug: patriotic parade icons (4312)
doodlebug: patriotic parade fancy frills (4313)
doodlebug: patriotic parade star jewels red white and blue (3671)
doodlebug: patriotic parade star brads (3676)
doodlebug: ladybug doilies (4066)
doodlebug: sequins in lily white (4265)