Gingerbread Houses Digital Layout

I am so sorry this is a day late, again, this week.  Maybe the craft post should become a Friday post! Just kidding.  I have to share with you why I haven't been very "craftastic" for awhile. As you might know, my daughter was hospitalized for weeks in September and out of school through October. During that time my other two made lots of cards for the kids in the hospital and my scrapbook room got a little messy (understatement). I just haven't been in the mood or have had the energy to tackle the mess. It has become to easy to just shut the door. Check out the pics below!

Thank goodness I have found My Memories Software. See review and giveaway here (only 2 days left). I quickly created this scrapbook page (and chipped away at my 2010 photos!!) This was so easy.  Also the paper, template, embellishments that I used are free on My Memories Software.

This really is so amazingly easy and I didn't have to "tackle my scrapbook room!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for all your support!

I originally posted on Outnumbered 3 to 1.

St. Patrick's Day Table Decoration

I love any excuse to make something....craftistic! Given St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, I thought I would create something that I could take into the kids school. This was extremely easy and inexpensive.

Supplies:
Tin pal and ponytail holder - Target Dollar aisle
Easter grass - Target $0.49
Straws - Target $1.49
Andes candies - Target $3.49 (you could use so many other things that are less expensive)

To assemble:

1. Put ponytail holder on the tin pal. I start at the bottom where the pail is smaller and work the ponytail holder up.

2. Add grass. You could use shredded paper, marbles, stones, candy, etc. Get creative.

3. Add straws. I cut the straws down to get them to the level I wanted.

4. Add candy!

How easy is that? Hope you feel inspired to go out and make your own St. Patrick's Day decoration.  Have a great day!

St. Patrick's Day Card

Happy Thursday to you all! I made a quick St. Patrick's Day card last night with no pre-planning at all. That is unusual for me!

Supplies Used
Paper: 8.5 X 11 green card stock (StampinUp! Green Galore), 8.5 x 11 cream (StampinUp! vanilla) and pattern paper from K&Company Designer Paper Pack (Michael's)
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug Shamrock embossing folder
Chalk: Green Galore chalk (StampinUp!)
Ribbon: Gold "string" (StampinUp!)
Ink: True Black (Paper Trey Ink - the BEST ink ever)
Stamp Set: I Believe in Leprechauns (My Creative Time)
Adhesive: ATG 714, scotch tape and pop dots (StampinUp!)

Step by Step
1. Cut Green Galore paper in half (5.5 x 8.5) and score (or fold) at 4.25. Card will be 5.5 x 4.25. Cut cream paper 5 x 3.75 and pattern paper 5 x 1.5.

2. Emboss the cream paper with the shamrock embossing folder.

3. Chalk the embossed cream paper with Green Galore chalk.  The fun part about chalk is you just "smear" it all over. The coloring will be different all over depending on how much chalk hits that part of the paper.

4. Glue the embossed cream paper (now green) to the Green Galore card.

5. Wrap the gold string around the pattern card stock. I tape the string to back with scotch tape. I started in one corner and wrapped diagonally making an X on the front of the pattern paper. Next, I wrapped the gold string through the middle. I only cut the string one time but tape it all over in the back so the string goes where I want it to on the front.  You can also cut individual pieces if that is easier.

6. Using the other half of the Green Galore paper (just a little bit of the corner - a scrap piece would work too), I stamped "Have a Sham-rockin' Day" from My Creative Time's, I Believe in Leprechauns stamp set. I used my favorite black ink - True Black from Paper Trey Ink. Trim around stamped image.

7. Using pop dots, adhere the pattern paper in the middle of the card onto the embossed cream paper (now green). Adhere the stamped image to the center of the pattern paper with more pop dots.

Note: I did trace over the stamped image with a gold glitter pen - it is hard to see in the photo.

There you have it....simple as can be.  Have yourself a Sham-Rockin' Day!

Winner of the $15 Amazon GC

Good Morning All

I wanted to let you know that Bonnie (mellocello1) won the $15 Amazon GC.  Bonnie has 48 hours to email me back to claim her GC!

Thank you all very much for all your support.  My hopes are to clean my scrapbook room this weekend and get back to crafting! It has been a really tough fall and I need some creative time!

Here are a few photos of the disaster in my craft room.

This fall one of my kids was in the hospital for about 3 weeks and out of school for 6 weeks. Between being at the hospital, other kids, home, etc. I didn't have a lot of time of anything else.  My other kids took over my craft room (suppose to be off limits unless I am in there) making cards for all the kids in the hospital on their sister's wing. How can I get upset that, right? Since I have had no time to clean up the mess, I just have the door shut. Amazing how when I don't see my craft room and all the exciting projects awaiting for me, how I don't wonder in there.

Again, hoping to attack it this weekend. I have so many ideas in my head! Have a great day and weekend!

Gift Card Giveaway Hop!

The Gift Card Giveaway Hop will run from Dec. 9th to 13th.  Thanks to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and  Attack of the Book for co-hosting this amazing blog hop. 
The Gift Card Giveaway Hop is just in time to help with with last minute holiday shopping!! 
Over 100 Blogs are each hosting a giveaway for a gift card.

MY GIVEAWAY!
$15 Amazon.com Gift Card!
One lucky winner will be emailed a $15 gift card from Amazon.com.  Open to anyone who can use a gift card sent from Amazon.com.


Alternately if you win and can't use an amazon.com gift card you my choose a book of your choice from The Book Depository (Up to $15).

Thanks for all your support.


Check out the other $15 Amazon Gift Card I am giving away at Seaside Book Nook!

My Memories - Digital Scrapbooking

Imagine how excited I was when asked to try the #1 rated scrapbook software, My Memories!!!! I have ALWAYS wanted to try digital scrapbooking.  I have bought magazines, books, etc. but NEVER have I taken the final step.....purchasing software. Let me tell you this, My Memories Suite software is so amazingly,easy to use and I created two layouts in a matter of minutes. You read it correctly - minutes. It took me longer to decide on which photos to use than it did to create the layout. Picking which photos to use is going to be a problem no matter the method used for scrapbooking!

My Memories is the #1 rated scrapbook software that is affordable, fun, and extremely easy to use. 

There are so many things I could tell you about this terrific digital scapbooking software, but I don't want to keep you from getting started now, so I will just mention a few other items, like the Design Club. Design Club membership includes 5 digital packs every month, plus discounts on all other downloads, for only $5.99 per month. That’s less than $1.25 per pack! Discounts start at 5% and get bigger the longer you are a member. Let's discuss this...a piece of designer paper at a scrapbook store will easily cost a $1.25 and you get a "pack" (several different designer sheets per pack) for less than a $1.25. Amazing, right?

I wanted to share with you two layouts I did in 5 minutes each. No joke.

I like to have printed albums for my kids, so I took my layouts (on a memory stick) to Kinko's and had them print out my layouts, since I don't have a quality color printer. If you have a good color printer, you can just print directly to your own printer! Easy-peasy!

You can make page layout outs to fill a scrapbook, a complete photo book, cards and videos too!

Here is some wonderful things to keep in mind:

• Over 1,500 papers 
• Over 1,000 page elements 
• Over 30 album templates 
• Free downloads 
• Compatible with Windows and Mac computers 
• Dollar section 
• Blog and giveaways 
• Inspirational gallery 
• Free tutorials 
• Online photobook creator 
• Weekly challenges 
• Gift certificates

Don’t put off your important memories any longer (like I did), go to MyMemories.com and add My Memories Suite to your shopping cart now. Keep in mind - no long checkout lines to wait either! Stay in your pj's and create all day (and night) long! Think of all the gifts you can create too (more lines you cab skip!).

As a special for all of our readers, we are giving you a My Memories promotion code that provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value!) 

PROMOTION CODE:  STMMMS77101

Connect: You can connect with My Memories on Facebook, on Twitter and/or the My Memories blog!

Buy It! You can buy the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software for $39.97 (or only $29.97 with promotion code above!).

Back to School Crayon Wreath!

This was so amazingly easy to make.  We took it to the school office for them to hang on the door yesterday and they were so excited to have a new decoration to kick the school year off!

Supplies Used:

• 12 inch Styrofoam wreath 
• 3 packs of crayons (24 ct)
• Red Ribbon 1 5/8 inches wide (needed 2 spools)
• Back to School Stickers - your choice
• Glue Gun

Start by securing the red ribbon on the back of the wreath and wrap around and around, covering the green wreath.

Arrange your crayons in the order you want them glued to wreath as this part will go fast.  On the wreath (for a section as big as you want) add glue and crayons right away.  Remember when using a glue gun, the glue is HOT and dries very quickly.

Once crayons are glued on, use the glue gun to adhere your stickers randomly around the wreath.

Once the stickers are glued on, I made a single bow (like tying a shoe) out of the Red Ribbon and glued to the bottom of the wreath.

That is it - all done and ready to go.  I wish I had time to make one for each teacher too, but with school starting Tuesday and my "to do" way too long....it's not going to happen!

I am so thankful school is starting soon!  Fall is coming soon....my favorite time of year!