Share a Cup gift card holder

When I saw the 'Share A Cup' stamp in the autumn/winter mini catalogue I knew it would be perfect for making some cute little holders for some Starbucks gift cards we were planning to give as gifts.  I teamed it up with the new Rich Razzleberry card, ink and polka dot grosgrain ribbon also from the mini (and returning in the upcoming new catalogue too).

I just inked up the cup part of the stamp (leaving off the 'hello' greeting this time).  I love the way the polka dots on the cup match the polka dots on the ribbon.  Made for each other!   This was a quick and easy project that made the gift cards that little bit more special (and hopefully easier to find in a handbag!)

More Big Bold Birthday for Boys

So here is the second card of the 'Big Bold Birthday' stamp set pair:

Much the same idea as the first, but just the one candle this time, and some ribbon thrown in, just because it matches so well! Best of all, these cards would work well with any colour combination, and for birthdays of all ages.

I feel a production line coming on!

Big Bold (Boys) Birthday Card

I have long been a fan of the 'Big Bold Birthday' stamp set.  I suspect that when the new SU catalogue comes out this stamp set will not be there, which is a shame because it really is so versatile.  After all - everyone loves presents and cakes right?!  It was perfect for a birthday card for Campbell's friend last week, complete with just the right number of candles on the cake:

I crimped a tiny scrap of 'Good Morning Sunshine' patterned paper to make the cupcake paper, and that was also the inspiration for the colours used.  Some glitter on top of the cupcake and of course those candles, add a bit of sparkle (just enough to make it fancy, but not enough to make it girly - heaven forbid!) and some quick wheeling with the Happy Happy Birthday jumbo wheel helped to finish the card off.  

We wrapped the gift in plain paper and left the card out of an envelope (hanging it from some coordinating ribbon instead) to show it off.  The boys approved, so I decided to make another similar card while I was on a roll, to put away for the next party.  I'll post that one tomorrow.

Capturing those travel memories (an alternative to the traditional scrapbook)

We have been very fortunate over the past 18 months in that we have been able to do a lot of traveling together as a family.  We have seen lots, learned lots, made so many wonderful memories, and taken a LOT of photos.  

Those of you who know me well may be shocked (SHOCKED!) to discover that not a lot of scrapbooking has taken place.  Yet.  As always, I have some very good reasons for my procrastination.  I am not convinced I want to do each page in triplicate (one for each child) and then another one for me.  I thought about doing a page for each child from their perspective, and then an overall summary type page for our family album, but that will be an even bigger job.  I started to wonder if the kids will even care if they get a page for every trip?  Could I wait for the end of this particular adventure, and then do a few summary pages for each album with some highlights?  Maybe. I think I might do something like that.  Or maybe something else?  I am still formulating my plan when it comes to the traditional travel scrapbook!  

In the meantime we did come up with a great way to capture those travel memories, in a way that is useful as well as ornamental.  We bought the kids a blanket each, and they have been collecting blanket patches on our travels.  We tried to imagine a big map outline on the blanket and attach the patches in roughly the right spot, so that helps the kids to remember where we have been too.  

They are all very proud of their blankets, and the patches that they have - many of them they have earned through Junior Ranger Programs. It does help to have Nan come for a visit though, when you have a backlog of patches to attach! Some areas of the blankets have more patches than others, but we told them when they are older they can come back themselves and fill in the gaps.  For the boys especially, I think that is more likely than them adding scrapbook pages to the album.

Another bonus to getting the patches is that they often come with a handy piece of cardboard that has a brief overview of the place we have visited.  

 You can be sure I am squirreling those away for the day when I finally get around to some actual scrapbooking of our travels!

Been taking a break...

Oh dear.  Has it really been a month since I posted here?  I guess I have been taking a break!  A frenzy of school trips and parties and concerts, as well as family visits, and the resulting traveling and exploring and having fun, has been keeping us busy.  Not much time spent on crafty stuff.  I did do some thinking and talking about crafty stuff.  That counts, right?  I did acquire a couple of new toys tools. That has to count!  I just didn't have the time (or was the inclination?) to blog about it, but hopefully that is about to change.   The new USA Stampin' Up! catalogue is about to launch, and that will give us a good indication of what we will see in the new NZ/Aust in September, not to mention a lot of wonderful new inspiration (and inclination!)  I am wondering how the internet will handle all those eager people, hitting the SU website on July 1?   Just don't crash before I get there!!

I do have a couple of projects (alternatives to the traditional scrapbooking methods of perserving those travel memories) that I have been working on, one of which should hopefully be arriving in our mailbox today.  I am looking forward to sharing those, along with a couple of teacher gift projects that we did a few weeks back.  Just have to find the photos.

Taking a break is also a very good excuse to get back into some crafting today.  Although we might have to go and buy some more masking tape first.  Hayden has been doing some creating of his own - making monsters and dinosaurs from an old phone book and a lot of masking tape.  It is keeping him nicely entertained.  Now, how to keep the other two out of trouble?!

Some Sunshine for the Teachers

Not a lot of crafting happening in this house lately, but we did take some time out from all our activities this week to make some little gifts for Bridie's teachers.  The combination of Washington Apple patterned paper, and the saffron and red riding hood card and ribbon really gave this 'post it 'note holder project a bright and sunshiny feel.  Bridie was really pleased with them, and her teachers loved them.  Success all round!

A Challenge Card for Mother's Day

First things first - Mum, Look away!

Okay, now on with the show.  Creative time has been a little short around here lately, and when that happens, I find that challenges are often just the kick start I need to get creating without too much mucking around and wasting of precious time.

For this card I used two different challenges for my inspiration.  The first was the Inkspiration Inspiration Challenge #21:

The second was the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #67 :

I used the 'Fifth Avenue Floral' and 'Short and Sweet' stamp sets, an assortment of inks and markers (saffron, pretty in pink, rose red, regal rose) and card (pretty in pink, regal rose, and pink pirouette) and finished the flower off with a half pearl bead from the pretties kit.  The patterned card started life as a plain white piece of card, but some stamping and sponging transformed it into a perfectly coordinated patterned piece instead.

Hoping to squeeze in a bit more craft time tomorrow - probably with the help of another challenge or two.   Blogging about it though, is a whole other 'wait and see' kind of story!

Party Favours for 10 Year Old Boys

Earlier in the year we celebrated Hayden's 10th birthday.  Last year he had only been at his new school about a week, and so a party with friends was not on the agenda, but you can bet he wasn't going to miss out this year!  Instead of a party though, he and his friends decided they really wanted to go to a movie.  The boys have all read and enjoyed the Wimpy Kid series of books, and they all agreed that 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' was the movie they wanted to see.  Of course, the movie hadn't actually been released when they made this decision, but they agreed it would be worth the wait!

Which worked out well for me too - it gave me time to figure out what to do about those party goody bags.  Do 10 year old boys even need party favours?  (a quick survey revealed that YES! We HAVE to have goody bags Mum!)

And then I remembered the pile of hardcover notebooks I had in my bargain box.  I had originally picked them up (for just $1 or $2) thinking they might be good for teachers gifts.  Instead, I realised they would be perfect for the boys - which just a little bit of 'decorating' by me first.

I wasn't sure if the boys would appreciate being called 'wimpy' themselves, so I took the liberty of changing it to 'awesome' instead.  I was still a little nervous about how they might be received, and was so pleased to see that the boys all loved them.  And just quietly - if you need to keep a group of ten year old boys quiet at a restaurant while you wait for the food to arrive - give them their own diary to write in - I think the staff were shocked at how well behaved and quiet they all were (and I don't think their teacher would believe it without photographic evidence!)

As for the thank yous - we figured we had two choices.  Hayden was  initially leaning towards a note with a booger attached (actually a glue dot carefully coloured with ink!) but then when I made a 'stinky cheese' prototype he decided that would be better.  Nothing like giving your friends the cheese touch!  

Disclaimer time:

1.  If you haven't read the book you will just think I am being gross now - but I assure you - boogers attached to notes, and stinky cheese slices were not my idea - it is all taken straight from the Wimpy Kid, and despite the gross factor - ten year old boys - and their six year old brothers, love it!

2. While the diaries are great for keeping kids quiet, it is a good thing you don't give the thank yous out right there in the restaurant.  Yelling and running and kids having fun is pretty much guaranteed.  Quiet time - not so much!

Spreading Some Sunshine!

Well lucky me!  The lovely Helen Williams sent me some sunshine yesterday.  If you need a present for Mother's Day Helen has some gorgeous bookmarks over on her blog, not to mention a very clever circle flip up book.

Having received the sunshine award, it is now my turn to pass it around!

Here are the ‘rules’ for the award.
1. Put the Sunshine Award on your blog and/or within your post.
2. Pass the award to other bloggers.
3. Link the nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they received this award by leaving a comment on their  blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the  award.

So, the bloggers I am going to send the sunshine to are all a wonderful source of inspiration and support to me - lovely ladies who I have been lucky enough to have met through Stampin' Up.

In no particular order, please help me send some happy thoughts the way of:

Rachael Knight
Roz Begbie
and Diane Robertson

If you have a few minutes please go and see the wonderful creations these ladies have been making (maybe have a snack before you visit Diane as she is frequently making wonderful things in the kitchen and making me feel hungry with her posts!)

Thanks again Helen.  You made my day!

Inspired by... Sparkly Shoes!

Take one little pair of sparkly shoes:

Add some card and pink ink, sponging and masking, vintage vogue stamps, a butterfly punch, heat and stick powder and some dazzling diamonds glitter...

And you get one happy afternoon and a pretty girls birthday card, which I think fits in with the latest challenge (Birthdays?) over at Corrosive Challenge.

Now just to get to the Post Office....