Wanna create a WOW baby shower gift?

First I hot glued ribbon bows in several shades of pink, white and purple onto the clip clothes pins. You can use blues or yellows and greens if you know (or don't) the sex of the child.

Next, I decorated the rim of the small laundry basket...I usually get my baskets from Micheal's as they ahve many different sizes available.

Then I undid all of the items I had gotten as gifts and laid them out along a clothes line...and then pinned them to the line with the "bowed" clothes pins.

The listing of what I usually put in the basket is as follows:
blankets, receiving blankets, socks, booties, cloth diapers or burp cloths, onesies, outfits, hats, layette outfits, mittens, washcloths, hooded baby towels, undershirts...in other words anything you would "hang on the line". I also have attached "binkies" and baby rattles or toys as well. In this case, I had a butterfly loofah in pink and white - and the theme of the baby's room was to have butterflies in it - so be creative! Sometimes I even put in Dreft detergent or some other mild detergent. Its cute.



I like to layer white tissue paper on the bottom of the basket. You can also hide any of the hangers or tags and receipts in the bottom under the tissue, too. Then, from one end of the rope, you lay in your line with items into the bottom of the basket, swooping it back and forth so when its pulled out it doesn't catch on any of the other items. Lay the last item on top and let the rope end dangle so its easy to reach. I put a note on this one since I did not go to the shower, but sent the gift, because if you don't know what to do, it ruins the effect.

Lastly, I wrap the basket in clear plastic, and tie it up with another piece of the clothes line and some ribbon, and I also put a small flower arrangement at the top in appropriate colors. I always have flowers around. (Thank you, Mother, for your teachings about flowers and such!!) And WALLAH! You have an awesome baby shower gift!

When the gift is opened, you have at least one someone help by pulling out the line and stretching it out for all to see. Its a great effect! And I do so love to have the best effect gift at any party! Email me if you have any questions...Good luck making one!

A gift for my mamma....

Did I mention that my mom was a florist? Well, yeah...and the craftiest woman alive on the planet...one of the many many things I miss about my mom...well, anyway...her room is so disgustingly blah, that I went to Michael's and bought one of those ...well not plastic, but fake pumpkins...cut a small hole in it, placed in some Styrofoam and added the flowers and lil scare crow...I even did a relatively good job of making a florist type bow...I only watched her make hundreds and hundreds of them...I used to just wimp out and ask her to make my bows...she doesn't remember any of that anymore...I was hoping it would bring back a memory or two...like a body memory or something...like how you know to type...kwim? No luck...anyway...she thought it was pretty (got a smile from her! ...as only I can do!!!) So - I thought I would share a picture of the arrangement...I think it came out cute myself!!!

A Card for a New Friend...

...at least I hope she wants to be friends!! How can she not, when I am so talented and more cards like these would be in store for her!!! LOL Yeah...my humility will astound her!! LOL NOT!! Anyway... I broke out my new "My Favorite Things" stamps for both the inside and the outside...I have done the tame versions before, but this was the first time my ink touched the "naughty stamps" - and to think the inside verse of this card is pretty tame from THOSE!! heh heh heh...SNAGGED! ...now you know how my mind REALLY thinks!

I was a just a wee little bit afraid she might take it the wrong way...but I was also pretty sure I was right on the money...my friend Heidi thinks I'm a witch since I can read people so well - but I was probably burned at the stake in Salem way back for my "knowledge"!! LOL I'd better ask Garry, my psychic!

Two birthday cards for my grand-daughters....(that sounds so funny still!)

I used my Sarah Kay stamps for the twins...they love these kind of pictures...


Here is Lara's card...

And here is Malia's....

All the supplies and tools though are Stampin' Up!

uh-oh!! Rubbah-dultery!!!! Eeek!

So, Friday night was stampin' at Jacqui's house (where my rubbah addiction started many years ago - so yeah, Jacqui, ...Bob just LOVES you!!! LOL) So besides doing a quick sample to redemo the faux tearing technique for Sue, I made five duplicate cards, a new sample card and this rubbah-dultery card using my new Sarah Kay stamps. See - Influence from my overseas sistahs in blogging (SBS9)! WOW was this time consuming to color!! Although I do love to color - this one is done with all SU watercolor pencils and a blender pen, except for the skin. For that I used the 'ol ink-in-the-lid trick using blush blossom and the blender pen. All the other supplies are SU! The other thing that took a long time was getting the sentiment into one small place so I could use the 1 1/4 circle punch. The saying is from a new SU stamp, however, it is one long line. I just covered all except what I wanted with plain 'ol scotch tape, inked on the pad, removed tape and stamped. Over and over again!! LOL but came out cute, eh? I really like the way this came out! Hope you enjoy it....

Stamps: Sarah Kay is the main image, then saying from Serene Spring (level 2 hostess), and BG on brown is Canvas.
Ink: basic black, blush blossom, creamy caramel, close to cocoa
Paper: Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip
Access: watercolor pencils, blender pen, aqua painter, white gel pen, white taffeta ribbon, copper brads, 1 1/4 and 1 3/8 circle punches, scallop circle punch, ticket corner punch, dimensionals

Cuttlebug Sympathy Card

I wish to goodness I could remember who I CASE'd this from - they are genius! I am most positive it was the Stampin' with Beate Yahoo List serve group. A totally talented bunch of ladies (I don't think I saw any gents) - and I learn a lot and get great ideas there. I put this card here as I used the Cuttlebug, which is not sold by SU! and I try to use the main page for ALL SU stuff now. However, I do believe this is beau-ti-ous. Too bad it is a sympathy card. The sentiment can easily be changed though if you want. I did two cards at once as you mist the stamp before stamping and so the second card looks much more watery colored. KWIM? But I also used my new Scor-Pal too - so I was totally happy using my new(ish) toys. I don't always get to play as I have class stuff or swaps to do. It was easy to do and quick - as well as being beautiful. I like cards like that. I usually do really involved things (like you didn't notice?) but I really do like simple and elegant too! Try this one out!

Another Creation from Girl's Night Out

We had such a great time last Friday! Full house! Kathy, Candy, Tammy, Lisa, Michele, and Stephanie! Everyone did something different...Michele worked on her scrapbook, Lisa made gift card holders for the teachers and bus driver at the twins school, Tammy did the stamp-a- stack, Kathy made other cards and some of the stamp a stack, and Candy stayed and made a FAB father's day card - but left early as she had field day all day and was pooped out! So - here is the gift card holders Lisa made - check out the colors! Can you guess from the colors what the gift card was? Yup! Dunkin Donuts!! Way too cute if you ask me!!

Lisa used a recently retired set Tu Tu Terrific, and I showed her the fold that encapsulates the gift card...we used a ribbon from Michaels cuz it just seemed so right. My daughter-in-law is tu tu terrific!! Thanks Lisa!

My shower card

Ok - so - with the way cool gift I had to make a way cool card....so - with the colors I had to design something myself for the background - so after getting my DDSS10 card - I thought - "perfect!" and used the shaving cream technique...I made a criss cross card - and I almost forgot to take a pic, but my friend Judy held it up for me to shoot...not the best pic - but you get it....



I used two ribbons that I used on the clothes pins on the belly band and some flowers I found in Michael's (I had a gift card that was burning a hole in my lovely purse!!) that were orange - when you find it and "its IT" you gotta go with it!! So - not all SU which is why its over here!! LOL

The only laugh I got out of this was that the card completely smelled like my grand-dad!!! I used the less expensive shave cream and forgot all about the scent! We all chuckled! I told Jenn it was a scratch and sniff card!! LOL

The CD crate project for my mother...

OK - so here is another (as Jantink says) YILMS* craft projects...I bought these CD crates at I believe Michael's...I didn't want them to be exactly white so Bob said, "whitewash 'em!"...wow - what a great idea honey - so I did!!! I love that man!! Anywho...I used the acrylic craft paint in white - added some spring water (lol) and swished it aound in my paint bowl....really chemically correct, eh? LOL

So here is one completely whitewashed twice - to which I had to use my emossing gun on to help dry...

Then I decorated it using craft inks - I used the retired set of the sunflower (sniff, sniff)....I colored the chipboard letters with artichoke and glued them on with a lil dab'el'do'ya of crystal effects...MAN does that stick!

So - I made one for my mom and one for Stephanie's other grandmother...... so here are two done...

Then off to Lowe's for flowers!!! So here they are on the front porch - ready to be delivered! At the dollar store, I found a 6 pack of these plastic flower things - I actually have no idea WHAT you call 'em...but you put the flower pot in this like "plate" or "bowl" so that when you water the plant the water doesn't go all over....the plastic had a lip and my friend Candy said - cut the lip off and I bet it fits....well I did and it did!! LOL Thanks Candy!!

So here is the final shot of a complete crate complete with flowers....YILMS!! LOL

* = yes I love myself!! LOL

My shower gift

So - here is my gift for the pink and orange bridal shower...it pretty much ('scuse my french) was kick-ass if I do say so!! LOL Sometimes when I have ideas and I finish putting them together - they come out better than even anticipated - and I scare myself!!! Just who lives inside me, anyway!!! LOL OK - so here's the deal-ie-o...On the register were white towels and washcloths so that's what I got - really fluffy....So I went to the store and got a laundry basket, clothes pins, ribbon, laundry rope/line, and some odds 'n ends (an orange monogram can that I put candy in and a white and pink butterfly "puff")....I rolled the towels (and washcloth) and tied each one with this big ribbon before placing them in the basket...then in the front of the basket I put this orange plastic handled carrier and inside THAT I put some household products...also a frame with the following poem I have posted at the end of this post... then I threaded the line through the edge of the basket in the front and put the clothes pins on there - about 12 or so - and you can only see them a little through the netting...but I hot glued either pink or orange dotted or striped ribbon on each one (you can see them really well if you double click on the pic and it gets really big) ....then I wrapped the whole thing in netting or tulle, tied it with more rope and my last swig of ribbon (is swig a word? do you kwim?) and added at the top a lil bouquet I put together with orange and pink flowers....its a great presentation if I do say so myself....as JanTink on splitcoast would say - YILMS (yes, I love myself!) and in this instance - I really do!!! LOL

Here is the lil poem I wrote with the accompanying products. The poem was in a white washed decorated wood frame from Michael's...

A Marriage Poem for You

As Jen and Fred PLEDGE

themselves

with their vows, and become

married together -

let us offer them some “how”s…

When days seem long and

the sun is not near,

You must look in yourselves

for happiness and CHEER.

When work has you tired

and looking for rest,

just look to your partner

to recover your ZEST.

Find happiness and JOY ,

be content and have fun,

Remember the heart

you so eagerly won.

And if ever you find

what you feel may be trouble,

Don’t forget the loving

power of the SNUGGLE!

ms

Here is the destination wedding invite...

So this package arrives at the house - and I did not recognize the bride's last name on the package - so I made Bob open the package very far away from me (LOL)...and he says - "you're gonna be sorry you didn't open this!" And so inside is the coolest wedding invitation you have ever seen. Now I have 54 first cousins and even if I am at the bottom of the age range, I have been to may fair share of weddings. So - anywho - you open the gift box which is inside the package and you see this bright orange covering.......Next....

You see this when you open it...have you ever?!?!?!?! WAY too cool, eh? Its a real friggin star fish, man!!! WOOO HOO!!!

And then here is the inside....totally love it! And the colors of hot pink and bright orange look so cool together....who'd a thunk it?

Check this out, baby!

This is the cool shower invite I got from Candy for her soon-to-be daughter-in-law. The wedding is in June and is a destination wedding to the Mexican Riviera. I GET TO GO!! Yahoo! Bob and I had to wait to see if there would be a room left for us as I needed that tax return in my hand in order to book....trying like H-E- double toothpicks to not use the credit cards any more unless its an emergency. YKWIM? Lets see how long that lasts! Anyway - Candy found this stamp but it had long hair and Jen has a cute short crop - so Candy exacto'ed off the curls - and wallah!! Ain't it cute as a button! The colors of the wedding are bright pink and orange....it looks really cool...Candy also used the sandy spray on stuff for the beach.....totally love it!!!! I have some other stuff to show you about this event, but here is the invite for now....

This is a card I CASE'd from an old Idea Book

Pretty, Eh? I was upset when these tulips were retired, but I still use them....how can I not? This was the first card I demonstrated at my very first workshop - that was mostly done with/by my up-line - WHY? Not REALLY 'cuz I'm a baby - but my foot was still broken with no pressure to be placed on it - and I had to hop into and through the house and over to the table where the demo was going to be - and I had to bring a stool to sit on as I could not stand at the table the whole time....so Tracy, my mamabear, did the party for me....was very good - my first and only $2,200 party!!! And I think everyone bought this set and supplies!!!

(gasp!) MORE Rubbah-dultery!!

so I am totally sorry that I have taken a blurry shot and not realized it before I mailed the card off to my girlfriend down at the shore. It is adorable IRL and additional Rubbah-dultery committed by me with Stamps by Judith! I did it using the masking technique and water coloring (my favorite thing evah!) I will just need to do another one - oh shucks, gol darnit!! LOL But you can still see how vibrant the colors are and how cute the layout is! I hope you get the idea here.....next time I will check my photoshop pics BEFORE sending!

mmmmmm.....CANDY!

HAH! No I am not talking about blog candy - I am talking about the recent cards from by buddy Candy - she is so good in sending out cards to the crew....I love each and every one - and yes, I have every one she ever sent to me!!!! So here are two holiday cards....