Salt Dough Animals

Over the long weekend, I made up a batch of salt dough, and the kids and I spent some time creating an array of critters.



We used this book from the library for inspiration, and I used this simple recipe for the dough:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1/2 water, then I added water & kneaded until I got the right consistency.





I think the owls are our favorites. I used sharp micro-tip scissors (Cutterbees are great because the dough doesn't stick to the blades) to cut the triangle shaped feathers into the dough.


The hedgehog is cute too! He's formed around a ball of aluminum foil, so the dough dries consistently in the oven. The prickles are formed the same way as the feathers on the owl; I just let them stick out a little more.


We're going to start painting our animals this afternoon. I kind of like 'em "nekkid" though.

Sing, Sing a Song!

This week it's my turn to host the Crafty Secrets challenge over on Splitcoast Stampers. I challenged my fellow players to make a music-inspired project. Here's the challenge:

This week our projects are going to sing!

Make a project with a musical theme, or be inspired by your favorite song lyrics, hymn, or Christmas carol - use the lyrics as background paper or a line from a song or the name of a song for a sentiment. This is a theme challenge, so interpret it however the spirit moves you and make it your own! You could even alter a CD or a record (if you have any laying around!)

Here's the card I made:

Details:
Stamps - Crafty Secrets - Altered Art set
Main Image - Crafty Secrets - Christmas Images and Journal Notes booklet
Patterned Paper - DCWV - Rustic Stack (background paper); Provocraft - Christmas Slab (music paper)
Cardstock - DCWV (cranberry); Neenah paper (natural)
Ink - Ranger Distress Ink - Brushed Corduroy; SU! - Cranberry Crisp
Accessories - vintage button; embroidery floss - DMC; glitter glue - Stickles; cardstock sticker sentiment - Cosmo Cricket

Thank you so much for visiting today!

Thanksgiving Basket Cards

Every year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, our church makes up boxes of goodies to take to people in our community who could use a little something extra during the holiday. Everybody in the congregation brings something different to contribute to the boxes.

During Children's Church, the kids pack the boxes, and we talk a little about taking care of our neighbors, the importance of being aware of other people's needs, and that everybody can help out. This year, like every one previous, the boxes were overflowing with all kinds of wonderful things: pumpkin bread, fresh fruit, crackers, homemade cookies, candies, homemade jellies, chips, pudding, etc. I bring homemade muffins and make the cards that go along with the boxes. Below are some samples of the cards I made:


Here's a close up of one of the cards:

I used one of the sketches from Splitcoast Stampers' weekly sketch challenges, SC229. The main stamped image (colored with Copic Sketch markers) and the sentiment are the same on all of the cards; they are from Crafty Secrets' Thanksgiving set. Then I varied the cardstock and patterned paper depending on the scraps I had available.

Hope you are having a relaxing Sunday!

Thanksgiving Wreath & a Turkey Shirt

We're starting to make plans for Thanksgiving at our house. With all of the preparations and merry making craft projects that have already begun for Christmas, I don't want to skip over Thanksgiving. It's always been one of my favorite holidays - a time to gather with loved ones and reflect on all of the many blessings in our lives, a stillness of the heart and a measured breath of gratitude before the rush and bustle of December festivities.

Here is a wreath that I picked up at Michaels and embellished yesterday, inspired by the glittery work of my brilliant & talented blogging and Crafty Secrets friend, Julie.

The beads and leaves were already on it. I made the Happy Thanksgiving plaque in the middle and hung it with ribbon.

Details:
Stamps - Crafty Secrets - Thanksgiving set
Ink - Ranger Distress Ink - Vintage Photo; Stazon - Mustard
Patterned Paper - K&Company - Ancestor.com collection
Cardstock - Neenah Paper
Accessories - markers - Copic Sketch; ribbon - Michaels; copper glitter glue - Stickles; natural sponge - Darice; cardboard; copper eyelets - Making Memories

And here's a turkey shirt I made for Shannon last year, using wool felt and DMC floss on a long-sleeved, cotton tee. I'm so glad she is able to wear it again this year. (Ah, I can't believe how much younger she looks in this picture! It was only a year ago. Time certainly does fly!)


Giving thanks for you and your friendship today!

Hello Kitty Birthday Thank Yous

Today I wanted to share with you a couple of the thank you cards that I made for Shannon's birthday. I love that she loves Hello Kitty! HK is just so sweet, innocent, and...age appropriate! for a 7-year-old girl.

I paired up the Hello Kitty Sizzix die cuts with patterned paper from K&Company's Berry Sweet collection. It has that great, cheerful, 80's retro look to it that is so perfect with Hello Kitty. I made the heart into a strawberry by adding "seeds" with a black Sakura glaze pen, which has a raised finish (like heat embossing).


Details:
Stamps - Papertrey Ink - Punny Valentine
Ink - Stazon - Blazing Red
Die cut - Sizzix - Hello Kitty
Patterned Paper - K&Company - Berry Sweet
Cardstock - DCWV & Bazzill
Accessories - seam tape ribbon - Rebecca Sower Designs; black glaze pen - Sakura; border punch - Martha Stewart

Thank you for stopping by today! Hope you all have a fun, relaxing weekend ahead!

Uncle Jason Makes a Card

I just have to share this card with you that my big brother, Jason, made for Shannon for her birthday! Thanks to Boomerang, Shannon and Jason share a love of the Pink Panther. He just cracks them up. So Jason decided to make her a Pink Panther card...himself...with no help from his papercrafting wife.

He borrowed some stamps, ink, and pink paper from Aunt Megan. Then he went online in search of an image, he found the perfect one, then remembered a photo they had taken of Shannon at a pajama party at their house. Could he have found a better match? :)



I love that there are streaks of ink and letters stamped backwards on it. The "Huh!? What!?" sentiment on the front is a funny saying that Jason and Shannon have shared practically since Shannon could talk, and it always is accompanied by the silly pose in the card. Shannon adores it, and it has a place of honor on the cork board above her bed.

It just goes to show that making a "perfect" card isn't about how technically perfect it is; it's about how perfect it is for the person getting it! :)

Fall Photos

Every fall, Rich and I do a photo shoot in the park with the kids - a tradition we started when Shannon was just a year old. Unfortunately, I had to bow out this year as I hurt my heel pretty badly yesterday and had to stay off my feet today. Rich still got some great pics, though. Bless him and his never-ending patience!

I spent the day on the couch reading, knitting, and watching TV, so I don't have any crafty goodness to show you (the knitting projects are Christmas gifts - hush, hush, you know!) Hopefully, these cute pictures of my adorable kids will help make up for my lack of craftiness this weekend. ;)

Good Morning with a Giggle

Oops! Sorry to eat in front of you, but this oatmeal is just sooo good! When Mum and I were in Ireland a few years ago, we had the most delicious breakfasts every morning. Even the oatmeal was scrumptious; we ate it everyday! This is the closest I've come to replicating what we had there.

Here's what I did: 1 cup of rolled oats (not the quick cook kind) & 1 3/4 cup milk - bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and add a generous amount of golden raisins and about a 1/4 cup or so of light brown sugar. Cook to desired consistency and enjoy!


Crafty Secrets has these Domestic Goddess Creative Scraps that have some really funny sentiments on them. I made these cards for a couple of friends who could use a giggle lately.

The Perfect Man Details:
Main Image - Crafty Secrets - Domestic Goddess Creative Scraps
Patterned Paper - Foofala
Cardstock - Bazzill
Ink - Ranger Distress Ink - Vintage Photo
Accessories - brads - Making Memories and Oriental Trading; embossing folder - Cuttlebug; felt ric-rac - Offray; marker - Sharpie




The sentiment on this one is a bit hard to read in the photo. It says, "I hate housework. You make the beds, wash the dishes, and 6 months later you have to do it all over again." - Joan Rivers

Here are the details:
Main Image - Crafty Secrets - Domestic Goddess Creative Scraps
Stamps - Crafty Secrets - Kitchen Classics Set
Patterned paper - Paper Pizazz - Flea Market Fabrics
Cardstock - Bazzill
Ink - Ranger Distress Ink - Vintage Photo
Accessories - Seam Tape Ribbon - Rebecca Sower Designs

Hope you all have a good day, and make someone smile today!