PAPER PURSE CARD HOLDER

This is a new purse I designed to hold several A2 cards with envelopes. I LOVE PAPER PURSES!!! Notes to myself if I want to make these again in the future: Score a 12" x 12" sheet of DSP at 3" and 9", turn paper 90 degrees and score at 5" and 7". Turn paper 90 degrees and make a mark 2" from the top left and top right corners at the edge of the paper. Turn paper 180 degrees and do the same. Along each score line, make a mark 3" in from the left and the right side. Use a Fiskar's cutter to cut from the top 2" mark to the 3" mark at the score line. Use a bone folder along all score lines. Bring up all 4 flaps and adhere to the inside of the purse. The handles are 5/8" x 12" and the center strip is 2" by 12". The corners are 3" squares with adhesive on the back applied to each corner at a 45 degree angle and trimmed. After applying the 2" x 12" center strip, use a 3" circle punch about 1/3" of the way into the punch to create the curve at the top of the purse. The flower is made by layering 2 punches from a small scallop circle punch - cutting in not quite to the center between each scallop - to make a daisy. A metallic adhesive gem is placed in the center and additional gems are place on the handles and butterfly. Both ends of the handles were also punched using an oval punch - but only one side of the punch - in order to round the ends. 

CARD PARTY THIS FRIDAY NIGHT...so more pics to follow!

ONE MORE MICHELE CARD

Michele just got the All Dressed Up SU die and

she made more kits of this card so we

could make them at home after our

last Card Divas meeting!

It reminds us of playing with paper

dolls when we were growing up!

THANKS, M!

EXTRA CARDS FROM MICHELE

My fellow Card Diva and Card Chick member, Michele, kitted some extra card materials for us to use after our last meeting. Thanks, M, for the extra fun after our time together! I love the idea of stamping an additional image so one can cut out portions of it, add foam squares and place it back on the card. It really makes the card pop!

WHITE ON WHITE

I can't stop making these white on white cards! Using a white card stock with a slight texture adds to the appearance of the final card with the ink sponged onto the butterflies and edge of the bottom layer.

These cards were made based on the Pinterest card I cased HERE.

CARD FROM THE PAST

Last week, my coworker brought a huge box into the office and let me take a peek inside. Inside the box was every card and 3D paper craft item I've given her during the last eight years that we've worked together! What a wonderful walk down Memory Lane as I remembered all of the various layouts, embellishments and papers used on each card project...and just like my scrapbooks through the years, my style continues to evolve and change as new techniques and products come onto the market. Thank you, Donna, for that nostalgic look into my past as a happy little paper crafter!

Here's one of my favorites from that box. The saying was done on my computer and the graphic was a free printable - click on the photo to view at a larger size:

WEDDING CARD

I went to a wedding shower yesterday and this was

the card I made for the bride-to-be...

...and here is the card I cased from Pinterest

and the talented Ellen Kemper:

People are so darn clever!

(Saying from SU Petite Pairs Stamp Set)

CARD TO CASE!

Love this Pinterest card idea * Note to self: Must case ASAP! Looks like everything was punched out in white then color was sponged on top. I have tons of brads, too! Looks easy enough with such wonderful results!

HAPPY HAPPY JOY DAY!

Here are the pics from our Card Chicks meeting today:

 It was my turn to host * I served a yogurt bar

with toppings and made some

mini gingerbread muffins with a crunch topping.

(See recipe at the end of this post.)

 I love flowers!

 

Our Work Space!

My Favor

Michele gave us these extra card kits to make!

Favor from Katie

HEAVENLY MUFFINS

From the kitchen of Diana Eschman

One box of Trader Joe's gingerbread mix 

(I discovered that TJ's only carries this

mix during the holidays...so I used a box of

gingerbread cake and cookie mix at Safeway.)

Mix according to package directions. 

Topping:*

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 T. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/4 cup flour

*I halved this topping recipe for the mini cupcakes. 

Mix with a fork until the consistency is like pebbles.

Place plenty of topping

on each cupcake/muffin before baking.

Bake according to package directions.

Mini muffins baked in 16 minutes.

Do not overbake * Check with a toothpick

HELLOOOOO SPRING!

THANK YOU, Michele, for a pack of coordinated Bo Bunny papers! I love those stacks with the colors and patterns perfectly coordinated because it saves me so much time trying to find just the right complimentary combos of patterns and colors...then I can get to the fun of creating a lot quicker! Those matching papers also help me get outside my normal comfort zone and keep me from getting into too much trouble! 

The Wilton's doilies are from Michael's and I
used two because they were pretty thin...
and for my sons' girlfriends, I made these:

Inside view

Happy Birthday saying is from SU's Elementary Elegance and
thanks, Mel, for the Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy set!

FAV COLOR COMBO

One of my favorite color combos:
Pink, black and green!

New background embossing
folder from Alice!

HAPPY EASTER!

Here's a FANTASTIC Easter treat that's a good
substitute for giving candy:

My crafty and clever friend, Mel,
surprised everyone in my
office with this Easter craft!
She bought disposable 12" Wilton's
frosting bags and green
raffia on a spool at Michael's.
Use goldfish crackers,
Cheese-Its, Cheese Puffs
or Cheetos.
...and
Here's an Easter card I made for my

wonderful pen pal, Leslie-Ann:

Inside View:

and to center a punch perfectly...

Use a pencil to mark the center

of where the punch should go!

This is how I got my holes perfectly

aligned for the ribbon shown above.

For this card, I finally got to try the eyelet and ribbon technique shown in a previous post HERE.

FUN TIMES WITH THE CARD CHICKS!

My Sister, Janie

 Janie brought DELICIOUS spaghetti salad
(see recipe below) and

quiche from Gene's Market

She brought fresh fruit, too - YUM!

 Chocolate Cake, Artichoke Dip and Lemon Bars

from Rachel - HEAVENLY!
See recipes from Rachel at the
end of this post!

 Janie, Rachel and Christie

Michele and Katie

Clever favor from Tiffany

and chocolate egg from Rachel

Inside Views

 Recipe

 Another Version

 You can coordinate the raised

punch on the front with the inside punch

used to make the window for the treat.

 My Favor

I purchased these from:

http://www.cafepress.com

Rolo Rose Idea

 Our Project #1

 #2

 #3

#4

#5

Gift idea using cupcake wrappers

votive holders - I found this kit of

wrappers at TJ Maxx and they sell

them at Michael's, JoAnn's and even

Safeway has cute sets of

cupcake wrappers, too!

Janie's Spaghetti Salad

1 English Cucumber chopped
1 Green Pepper chopped
1 Carton of Cherry and Yellow tomatoes
3 stalks of Celery chopped
2 Bunches of Green Onions chopped
1 8oz. package of Spaghetti noodles cooked and drained
2 packages of Good Seasonings Italian Salad Dressing -
   make one package of dressing according to directions and
   sprinkle one package on drained spaghetti noodles
   may use Balsamic Vinegar to liven up the taste 

Directions

Cook spaghetti noodles, drain, cool and sprinkle with dry Italian dressing mix.  Toss noodles to coat all noodles.
Cut up the salad vegetables and add to cooled spaghetti noodles.  Toss the salad with half of the made up Italian dressing.
Toss well.  Place in refrigerator overnight.  If you would like a zesty taste or more flavor add Balsamic Vinegar to taste. 
Salad will keep for a couple of days.  

RACHEL'S LEMON BARS

Crust:

1 C flour

1/2 C butter

1/4 C powder sugar

Cream butter,floor and sugar.  It should like peas. Press into a 8 x8 pan  Bake at 350 until golden brown. Cool

Lemon:

2 eggs

1 C sugar  

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 T fresh lemon juice

2 T flour

1/2  t baking powder

Mix eggs, sugar , salt, lemon juice together.  Add floor and baking powder  Pour over crust ND BAKE 25 MIN/  When cool sprinkle with powder sugar.

RACHEL'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 cubes of butter

1 C water

4 T cocoa 

Place in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and add:

2 C flour

2 C sugar

1/2 t salt

then add

2 eggs

1/2 C sour cream

1 t baking soda.

Pour in a greased 9 x 11 pan. bake at 350. about 20--22 min

Frosting:

1 cube butter

4 T cocoa

6 T milk

bring to a boil.  Add

 1 c chopped nuts

1 t vanilla

powder sugar to taste...  Pour mixture over cake when warm.

Enjoy :)