26.8.09

Crazy Blogger Alert: I'm Posting Pictures of Food

So how often to you see someone post about their successful shopping experience and think "great for them" but know you would never, post the same type of thing? I thought that way and here I am posting pictures of my latest trip to the shopping trip. I thought it was cool that I bought all my groceries for $6.74 and my lunch at Arbys cost me $7.50. Go figure!! Read below for "how I did this".
Groceries for Albertsons include: Captain Crunch, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, 2 gallons of milk, brownie mix, loaf of bread, dozen eggs, ziplock sandwich bags and gallon ziplock bags.
How did I get so many groceries for under seven dollars? I had a free milk coupon worth $4.00 and could actually get 2 gallons for that; then I had a $5.00 off my next shopping trip coupon which I applied my bill and then the rest of the stuff was on sale (saved about $16 buying sale items only). So I my groceries should have come to just over $30 without the coupons. (Disclaimer: I'm not a newspaper coupon clipper, but I do watch online sites like pinchingyourpennies.com and gurudeals.com and print off coupons online if needed.)



21.8.09

I survived another Card Swap!

I love making cards...and sometimes I actually mail them out to people. So about every other month I host a card swap with some very talented friends of mine. I'll take some pictures and post them here next week. Anyway, for some reason I ended up having more people join this last swap then I had spots...so I created a second group and decided I'd make a card for each
group (yes, it's so I get twice as many cards back too). But then a friend couldn't do her card at the last minute and I hate giving people back an extra of their cards, so I decided to make a 3rd set of cards. Good thing too, I get so much better at the design by the third group (wink). Here's my desk the other night...not too bad. But I loved how this card turned out that I decided to give you the "sentiment" sheet and the image I used to create the bracket shape (see below).


Supplies Used: Pattern Paper, Making Memories (green pattern); ribbon, Creative Impressions; Fonts, Fling & Century Gothic.
Click here to download "sentiment" file from 4Share. And here for the bracket image I used (tip cute from acetate and trace pattern after you've printed out sentiment sheet.

Note: I found a small clear stamp in my stash and stamped the flower hanging off the edge of the bracket and then added a mini black brad.

16.8.09

Picture Frame Magnet Boards

One of my very creative friends/neighbors Janet showed me this darling idea about a week ago and I was obsessed with wanting to duplicate it. They are magnet boards made from 12x12 picture frames (with glass), cute 12x12 scrapbook paper and glass bead magnets. This first example is the one Janet created (cute picture is her baby Davis). The projects that were inspired from this one are listed below. I hope you like them as much as I do.
DIRECTIONS: These are super easy.... you start with a 12x12 frame, 12x12 sheet of metal**, 12x12 sheet of paper. Open up back of frame, place down paper on glass, sheet metal on top of paper and place back of frame back. You're done!

Elegant Magnet Frame
I had some old 12x12 frames in my storage room, this one was original brown and I painted it black. I was looking for a more elegant look and found this paper with scalloped edge, so I put a piece of black cardstock behind it. Since my house has a lot of black and red in it, I figured the magnets should be red.
Making the glass magnets is easy, but check out one of my other blog posts to read what materials are needed and basic explanation of how to make these...click here.

Abbey Road Birdie Frame
I found an acrylic 12x12 frame in my stash that you hang by threading ribbon along the top edge. I love this frame because it would be super easy to swap out the "themed" paper and change up the magnets for each season (say winter, spring, fall and summer). I loved this new Abbey Road paper line by My Minds Eye too!


Flower White Magnet Frame
Yes, this is another frame I found in my stash. My only issue with the larger width frames are they are meant to be hung on the wall, where Janet's cute thinner frame actually has an eisle on the back so you can put it on a shelf or desk. Both are cute, but you have to sort of plan where you want your frame.


**Sheet Metal Tip: Now my local craft store (Ben Franklin) carries sheet metal cut to 12x12, 8x10 and 4x6. However, we've also learned from many craft groups that you can have most heating/cooling places cute sheets of metal down for you for a lot cheaper. If you plan on making more then one of these, I'd check there first. Another tip, I while back I found some 12x12 "decorative" signs at Dollar Tree. They had awful graphics on them, but because they were meant to hang outside they were metal....best part, they were $1.00 each. I've used these on a few of my samples and they work just as well as the $3.99 sheets of metal I purchased at the craft store. So check your local dollar stores too.


Capri Sun Pencil Bag


Oooooo....I was so excited to see the instructions for making something out of Capri Sun drink containers. Learn how to make your own pencil bag (like me) on Skip to My Lou's site.

15.8.09

Fabric Covered Magnet Board

This was my crafty project for the week. If you want more details about how to make one and the download sheet for the "Twilight" inspired magnets, go to my Lil Red Cottage Blog.

9.8.09

Pretty Paper Flowers

I had to share this beautiful idea I found on Cosmo Cricket's blog....it was created by Natasja Verbeek. This wedding bouquet is made from their papers and it's amazing. The best part is the video tutorial too! What a great idea and love the tutorial and instructions...wow!!

7.8.09

Love New Bags!

Do you think these cute bags are too much for a "lunch bag"? Wouldn't I look cooler then all the other kids with one of these. They're from a cute site called Daily Window.

6.8.09

Recycled Bed Frames to Beautiful Benches

I've been so excited to share this website with all of you and I probably will continue to whenever she posts new and incredible ideas on her blog. My cute neighbor Cassandra created the most beautiful refurbished furniture pieces and sells them at a shop here in Syracuse. Anyway, these pieces I'm showing you here use to be bed frames!! She also makes all the beautiful pillows on her pieces too! Check out her blog!


Check out the darling ladder trellis above her piano too!!

This is my all time favorite bench that she's made...would look perfect in my house!!

4.8.09

Saw These...Want These!

I was browsing around looking at all the new goodies released for CHA Summer and this one made my heart skip a beat!! Their new punches from Martha Stewart (read the description below the pictures). The one shown here is a must have for me, so when you find it, let me know where!


MARTHA STEWART CRAFTS - Introducing the new Punch Around the Page™ system from Martha Stewart Crafts™. These patented and innovative punches allow you to finally punch one continuous design around all four sides of your card or scrapbook page! The corner punch works together with the companion edge punch to create a continuous pattern, beautifully framing your crafting project. Punch Around the Page™ punches work on several specified sizes of cardstock (including 12x12) and come in several designs and styles. Punch Around the Page™ from Martha Stewart Crafts™ will be available in stores come August. MSRP: $12.99 - $14.99 each. Check out the You Tube video on these punches:http://www.youtube.com/user/MarthaStewartCrafts

3.8.09

SNAP, FLASH...more FUN ideas for your PHOTOS!

8I started looking at come fun ideas for custom printed Birthday cards for a friend of mine, but once I started browsing around the new BHG's Life in Photos website I was hooked. I've already started about three projects I hope to get ordered this month while they are offering Free Shipping!

Let me show you some of my favorite finds from their website. First, the customizable invites/cards you can print for as little as $1.65 and they offer a lot of variety of designs and you can order as many as you want. Wouldn't family love getting a darling card like this announcing the latest birthday for your daughter? Mine would!
But look how fun these are...POSTERS! Wouldn't this be so unique to have posters that you create with your favorite photos. They're "fabric" posters and "repositionable". I can't wait to try this out for myself! But I have a couple of friends (...you know who you are that will beat me to it!)

Back to more custom printed ideas. Love these tri-folded invitations and there are some cute designs to pick from. Being a long time card maker I've decided keeping it simple costs me a lot less, takes less time and I love that these type of invitations feature PHOTOS!
I love Photobooks! Sure I scrapbook...but these are such a great GIFT for just about everyone! I fell in love with making this this past year and can't wait to make more. I loved the Photobook designs that BHG's Life in Photos offers...they totally fit me. But I'm always looking for creative gift ideas too and this books is the one I started working on for a Birthday gift for a friend of mine. She will love this, I know it looks like I should do it for my daughter, but I loved the design and I can change the fonts. So I'm going to put things like "I WISH we continue to have LAUGHTER"...you get it don't you?



But another great idea for my friend's birthday was this fun "swatch book" album design...I can't stop thinking off all the funny photos and things I can include in this design. Check it out here to see more of the pages.


I have to admit there were other yummy ideas on the BHG's Life in Photos site, but I'll post about those on my Lil Red Cottage Blog!

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