Handmade Holiday Cards

Do you make and send Christmas cards? I don't and I'm not sure why. This year, in the midst of my tag series, I joined a Christmas card swap.

I created an easy cut out using basic shapes in Cricut Design Space and then used lots of scrap papers to fill it.

Watch the process video and see how easy they were to create. 

I then decided to stamp, ink, add faux stitching and add glitter ornaments. They turned out so cute!

Whatcha think?? Cute and a great stash buster!

Mixed Media Collage Fun

I took part of a trading paper pals event via IG earlier and after putting together the packets to gift, I made some collaged tags using mixed media papers and other goodies. I included these into the packets because this is where I put my name & IG account name. 

Just look at what I received!!

Swoon!

Of course I didn't take a picture of the finished tags, but you can see them in the process video below:

After you watch the video, you'll see that I created a tag that I just did not like so I challenged myself to finish it.

What I did for this tag: Putting it together is on the process video but once I went back to it, I added some bright colored tissues from my stash. This adds some color that this tag desperately needed. Then I added some random mark making with metallic and white markers.

Once I did that and after it dried, I drew a leaf shape on a Post-It to make a mask and put white acrylic paint around it. I used a pen to etch in some shapes in the wet paint.

The pink ticket is from my 40th high school reunion. I told my friends I would use them in a project and here it is!

Definitely an improvement!

Adventure Swap

Remember, I posted THIS project a few weeks ago? Well, I just received the items from the swap over the weekend. I LOVE all of them and am so excited to use them in my scrapbooking.

I love the hot air balloons and may be prompted to go to a festival or something just so I can use them! LOL

Here's what I got - I also love how one of these matches mine so perfectly!

Have a great day!

Handmade Embellishments Swap

I signed up for a handmade embellishment swap in one of the scrapbooking Facebook groups that I'm a member of. The theme is adventure/outdoors. I signed up because we did a lot of hiking during the Spring/Summer last year and am hoping to get some great embellishments.

I purchased a stamp set from Close To My Heart (CTMH) recently and decided to use this as my base and work from there.

Although it is one stamp, I used it in three different ways. First I stamped the entire image in black on white cardstock; then I stamped the tree portion in green also on white cardstock; the "STAY WILD" was stamped on woodgrain paper in black ink.

I used my oval cutter from Stampin Up! in a beautiful yellow cardstock as the base and inked the edges with chalk ink from Quick Quotes; fussy cut the stamped image and the green trees; adhered the woodgrain paper strip before adding the tree w/foam adhesive.

As an afterthought, I used a watercolor marker & water brush to add some color behind the trees. Once that dried, I used a white pen to add dots.

I'm mailing them out today. I can't wait to see what I get in return!

Update: Rainbows and Umbrellas Swap

I received my swap items for the FB Love RTS scrapbooking group. If you recall, the theme was Rainbows & Umbrellas. See my original post HERE to read more about it and to see my swap item contribution.

I received them awhile ago and I just remembered that I didn't share a photo of what I received. If you've never participated in a swap before, I highly recommend them. But I will give a warning...don't join up for all of them! I was a little obsessive years ago and was signing up for swap after swap. Many of them, the themes were nothing I would ever use.

I decided to join this one since it's been awhile.

Here's the pile of goodies:

I really enjoyed the variety. Some of the items I will use on cards, scrapbook layouts and even my Junk Journal. I'm excited to use them!

And just so you know...there have been two more and I did not join in. LOL

Have a wonderful week!

Love RTS Swap; Rainbows & Umbrellas

Hey there, remember back in the day when I was participating in a lot of swaps? Well, that was so long ago and I kinda sorta missed doing them.

When the Facebook group, Love RTS, posted if anyone was interested in a swap, I jumped in with two feet. I missed the first one since I didn't see the post, but I signed up for the second one with the theme...rainbows & umbrellas.

I used this Kindness Is Cool stamp set by Fun Stampers Journey (FSJ)

to create these Faux Polaroids:

Oh my gosh, aren't they super cute? I made extras for myself because I love how cheerful and fun they are!

This is what I did...

• Used a square punch and cutter to create my own "Polaroids". They are approximately 2x2.5".
• Cut up an assortment of blue cardstock scraps and adhered to the back.
• Stamped "smile" on the bottom of each one - some of the right side & some on the left.
• Colored in the rainbow using watercolor markers.
• Used a Glue Dot to adhere a bit of gold thread before adding the rainbow with dimensional adhesive to pop it up.
• The small colorful flat enamel hearts are also from FSJ and came in rainbow colors (perfect!)
• Cut thin strips into fishtail banners using cardstock scraps.
• Plopped a enamel dot to the top of the banners.

We had to make & send 15 of the same item and we received 15 different ones. Fun, huh?! I can't wait to see what I get in return.

Fun Stampers Journey is now sold through Spellbinders. If you're interested in their products, click to their website HERE.

Love That Mouse; Disney Swap

It's been forever since I participated in a swap on splitcoaststampers.com.  As a matter of fact, I think I was a little addicted for a while there.  But, I did get some great Disney pieces and have pretty much used all of it.  So...I joined another one! 

We had to include these items:

• Title
• Photo Mats
• Journaling Spot
• Embellishment (at least one)

All Pieces

 Close Ups:

I used the Cricut Mickey & Friends cartridge for the cuts.  The border embellishments are from the paper scraps plus some punches.

Disney projects are always so fun and colorful!  I hope the other swappers like them!  I know I do!

WOYWW #385

I keep telling myself to go into the Command Center and just play, but for some reason I feel overwhelmed.  I never wanted to create pieces because I had to and with these holiday boutiques coming up, that's how I've been feeling lately.  Although I love spending time at these boutiques meeting new people and just hanging out with my daughter, I think this may be my last year for them.  I'm pretty sure I've said that before, but maybe this time I'll mean it.


Ok, enough whining...here's what's on my work desk this Wednesday:

...the makings of some holiday gift tags.

I usually make these for my own use, but last year I packaged some up and sold out of all of them.  It was a total afterthought, but people really like them.  I'm also participating in a gift tag swap with my crafting friends.

A little bit of stamping, doodling, punching, Cricut-ing, and embellishing and viola!  Here are a few samples for this year and some from previous years.  (Yes, I pull off these tags and reuse them year after year - why not, we're giving gifts to the same people!)


Do you have a favorite?


Join the WOYWW craze by clicking & linking to Stamping Ground's website.  Julia has been hosting this link for many, many years.  I only started linking these past few months or so.  I love being inspired by other crafters.  Take a peek yourself into the craft spaces all around the world.  So many people are making amazing things or just visiting with the regular WOYWW linkers. 


Cricut Cartridges:
Art Philosophy CTMH (tag shapes, large scallop & circle, stocking, holly leaves)
Joy of the Season (penguin, Santa, ornament)

Punches:
Scallop, circle(s), word label, tab SU!
Gingerbread EK Success

Christmas Is Almost Here!

More Christmas tags...These are from a swap we did with my local scrapbooking group...Scrappin' in Patterson.  There were only four of us that participated, but it was still fun.  Can you guess which ones are mine?  

Mine are the two with the scallop circle punches.  I made a whole lot of these to use for this swap as well as for our personal use.

Christmas is almost here folks!

I used my scallop and circle punches from Stampin' Up but also the Artbooking Cricut Cartridge for the tag shapes.  Stamps are also from Stampin' Up.  I just used scrap papers for the tags and some twine for the "ribbon".

Christmas in August???

So here I am creating Christmas gift tags in the middle of the summer.  These were made for a swap I'm participating in on Splitcoaststampers.com.

I love using handmade tags on gifts.  I am hoping this encourages me to make more - just in time for the holidays...

The bases were cut using the Art Philosophy cricut cartridge.  One is a postage stamp shape and the other is your basic tag shape.  The gingerbread man is a EK Success punch as well as the snowflake punch.

Always Be A Unicorn

Here's the finished 6x6 Inspirational Quote swap I finished.  The due date is April 1st so I'm mailing this soon.  I love this unicorn sentiment from CTMH.

It's hard to tell from these pictures, but I put Stickles on the stars, and sequins in the scribble circles.  There's two layers of silver washi tape under the sentiment. and Yellow Stickles on the stars in the sentiment.

This unicorn set is from Close To My Heart.  I LOVE this quote.  It's hilarious!

The shape around the sentiment was cut using the Artbooking cricut cartridge available from CTMH.

Wine Anyone?

As promised, here are some of the wine tags I made for the swap.  I kept some of the "Subway Art" Christmas tags and the House Mouse on grapes Thank You tags.  I love the chalkboard art tags I made.  I also made a Congratulations for a new baby and a coach Thank You tag.  These little pieces of art were so easy and fun to make.  Now I need to buy some wine!  LOL
Speaking of wine, my friend brought me a bottle of some Whipped Sparkling Wine.  Don't remember from what winery, but YUM!  Mix it with orange juice and it's just like a 50/50 bar!  Dangerous!

Move Over Rover and Let Jimi Take Over

Wow!  I had so much fun making these tags.  I am in a 60's swap and it took so long to figure out what to do.  Here's the photo and then I'll tell you all about it...

The Jimi Hendrix image is from an old t-shirt tag that I kept since hmmm...Derek was a Sophomore so about 2002/2003ish.  I kept it because how can you possibly toss out Jimi.  So I made copies at work and then put clear packing tape over it to make the packing tape transfer.  I tore and cut around the edges.  I bought the tie-dye paper at Hobby Lobby (half off sale!).  Covered a shipping tag with the paper, stamped the peace signs and word peace (both stamps from CTMH); glued down the image.  The flying heart stamp(s) are from SU!.  Added some bling and fibers to finish the tag.  I think I did a pretty good job for a 60's tag swap. 

Now I can't wait to see what I get back.

Spread the Magic...

I just finished the pieces for a Disney swap I'm in at Splitcoaststampers.  I love Disney swaps because it's hard to "mess up" embellishments for the Happiest Place on Earth!

I pulled out bright green, blue, yellow, red and black cardstock and one of my Disney patterned paper pads.  Most of the pieces were created by layering circles cut from my Creative Memories circle cutter and I also used my cricut Art Philosophy cartridge for the starburst and scalloped circles.  I used Stampin' Up doily stamps for the blue and red (styrograph looking) circles.

LOVE!

How To Build a Better Mouse Trap

Yes, I said mouse trap!  Can you believe that's what we're altering now?  I signed up for this swap on Splitcoaststampers and wasn't sure what I was going to do.  At first I thought I'd do a Wizard of Oz theme but the stamps I had were too big for this small canvas so I went to Plan B and went with Alice in Wonderland.  There are so many variations of the AIW theme so I just went mad (pun intended LOL)

The "trap" part of this will hold notes, photos, or whatever.  For now, it just holds the quote "Curiouser and Curiouser" by Alice.

The rolled flowers are tiny ones from the scalloped punch from Stampin' Up.  The clock was stamped on Shrink Film and shrunk down - talking about fun!  That was pretty cool!  The rest was just trial and error, layering and distressing and a ton of glue!

Mouse Traps:  The Dollar Tree ( a pack of 4 for only a buck!!)
Paper:  Prima Marketing, Nursery Tales (5x7 paper pad)  I bought this pad years ago because I  had to have it!  This is only the second time I've used it.
Rubber Stamps:  Alice in Wonderland from Second Star on the Right (gifted from my sister's Sister-in-Law, Karen)
Miniature Playing Cards:  B. Shackman & Co.  (purchased 3 years ago at the Scrap Expo in Pleasanton)
Clock Ribbon:  From my stash
Flying Clock Stamp:  Another gift from Karen Sigler (I'll be posting soon on Karen)
Shrink Film:  Grafix
Distressing Ink:  Holly Hock and Desert Sand from Close To My Heart (CTMH)
Beads:  Wedding decorations from my cousin Tawny's wedding (woo hoo!)

Simple Pleasures

I made these tags for a swap.  The rules were we had to use: metal, ribbon, lace, bling, distress and color.  I think I followed pretty well.  I laid down strips of blue scrap papers, distressed the edges and then used scrap pink paper to make the kites.  The rest you can see tied to the kite string.  Carly helped with the embossing because she's a pro at that!

I'm Sew Happy Tags

Some tags I made for another swap.  This is the last swap for now.  I cut the dress form with the Nifty Fifties Cricut cartridge and the button card and spool are stamps from Stampin' Up.  I used various ink colors for the background to give it lots of color.  In this swap, the rules were to use lace, ribbon, bling and metal for the tags.  This is what I came up with...

I wish I had some swirly bling to add more blingage (yes, that's a word) but I didn't want to go out and purchase anything so there's only a little bit of bling. 

The tag is 4x6.

I Want Candy!

Finished one more swap.  This one was for masculine candy and I chose the color Orange.  I thought it would be a challenge not only because of the color but because it was masculine.  Feminine candy is so much easier to work on.

Here are some photos!

I was thinking of doing something with a tie or bow tie, but it just didn't go that way.  

I made extra tickets so I can use them for my decorated tickets swap.  I love that beer mug stamp and of course the mustache brads that I purchased from the Scrapbook Expo.  

I used an assortment of stamps, paper and punches from my stash.  I really  need to purchase more of the screw brads.  I used all the tiny ones and have only a few left of the medium size ones. 

Gift Bags Galore & A Little Silliness

Hello, my name is Dorlene Durham and I'm addicted to swaps.  Yes, I've relapsed!  I told myself I was not going to sign up for too many swaps at a time, but I am signed up for eight swaps.  But, the good news is I've mailed out one, and completed two.

The one I just completed was my three spots in decorated gift bags.  Here are two of the ones I've made:

The first one is medium size women/girls category and the second is for the medium size men/boy category.  All the paper used on the top bag were from very old CTMH coordinating patterned paper.  I used my Art Philosophy cricut cartridge to cut out all the spiral flowers.  Added a bright pink recycled ticket and a feather.  The sentiment is a stamp from Stampin' Up.  LOVE all the pinkness!

The second one is also old CTMH patterned paper except the solid cardstock which was just an assortment of scraps and full sheets I have.  The yellow mat, rocket and sentiment are from the Just Because cricut cartridge. 

I love how these bags turned out and it made me ask myself, "self...why do you buy gift bags when they are so fun and easy to make?"  I didn't wait to hear the answer because I'm pretty sure it would have been something like "because I'm lazy"!  LOL 

Y'all know I'm not crazy, well maybe just a little, but isn't it fact that creative people talk to themselves :).  If not, I just said it and I'm pretty sure my other self will second it!

Spring is in the air and I'm a little silly, but that's ok.

I'm Swamped with Swaps!

Well, I found time to relax in the Command Center.  I've joined two more swaps on Splitcoast Stampers and started another one of my own.  I worked on these bottlecap magnets.  I really liked the way they turned out and they were so fast and easy!

I still need to work on the holders which will be can lids.  This is truly a recycled project.  First of all I still have lots of bottlecaps from the beer winnings (woo hoo), the holders are recylced can lids and even the buttons are old buttons that are in a jar.  I did however use a paperpad that I've had for a while now and never used - you know the kind, have to have it right now but of course you forget all about it.  LOL

I also started drifting and made these cute ticket embellishments which encouraged me to start a new swap on Splitcoast Stampers for these:

I love how they turned out.  Another recycled project since these tickets are from old raffle tickets that we never won.  You see, you're always a winner when raffle tickets are involved :).  I have a whole drawer of these and need to do something with them.  They come in such great colors, they are so hard to throw away.

Ok, I'll confess, I'm pretty sure this is called hoarding...but the good kind, right?

If you're a Splitcoast Stamper member and interested in this swap, go here.