PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS: Thank Yous and the Very Best of Pinterest Pins

I've needed quite a few thank you notes lately for some very thoughtful people that I'm thankful to have in my life. This card pinned on Pinterest struck my fancy plus I had a scrap of watercolor paper that I wanted to use:

Original Pin HERE

I don't have this exact set from SU, but I have a similar retired SU set called Asian Artisty and that led me to create this card:

This card is for my friend Rina who gifted me with a happy birthday die. I used the "happy" from her set of gift dies for Rina's thank you note. After the card was completed, the card seemed off-balance with too much white space above the oval. After trying a few possible fixes, I decided that the placement of two butterflies resulted in the best solution ^_^ (Butterflies from SU Embosslits Beautiful Wings, Oval from SU Stitched Shape Framelets)

Additional thank you notes finished and ready for mailing:

This card needed something to make it pop and

some Stickles came to the rescue:

This pin from my previous blog post got me thinking about cutting words out on my cards:

See Original Post HERE

The following note cards were made on my Cricut using the SU stamp set called Avant-Garden for the flowers and SU Fabulous Phrases for the white embossing words on the black card stock:

...and one without my Cricut:

The inside view for all of the cards above:

PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS: Fall is Here and the Very Best of Pinterest Pins

Creative juices are flowing and I've received a number of cards this month from my card making buddies. I usually don't post the cards I receive, but from now on, I want to share the multi talents of these terrific friends with the readers of this little 'ole blog! It's a wonderful thing to be on the receiving end of so much sunshine and happiness that these lovely cards bring into my life, and I only hope that the cards I send out elicit a similar feeling  ^_^  Here are the most recent cards received:

Rina used the embossing folder set by Anna Griffin seen HERE on Amazon and shown below: 

Then she gifted me the entire set! Oh! happy day! I found this card on Pinterest and CASED it for a thank you card for Rina:

Original Pin HERE

My CASED version:

I've stayed up until 2 AM playing with all of the sayings and embossing folders that comes in this set - Time truly flies when you're having creative fun! (More posts using these folders to follow for sure!)

Then, I received the loveliest of cards from a thoughtful and creative friend:

I love the effect of this multi-layered card! I also loved the label that Juliette places on the back of her cards:

Next, my awesome pen pal and paper crafter extraordinaire in British Columbia, Canada made this card for me:

I LOVE butterfly cards and I love how she used vellum for the layer under the butterfly's wings. Check out my butterfly card board on Pinterest HERE.

Lastly, another oh! so beautiful card from my multi-talented friend, Alice, that made me smile from ear-to-ear:

PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS: Valentines and the Very Best of Pinterest Pins

I needed a quick Valentine's Day card to make this year as February will be a busy month with a wedding in the family. This lovely card below from Pinterest uses the HEARTS ENTWINE die online at Simon Says and was the perfect inspiration for a HOM-made valentine this year:

Original Pin HERE

My 2017 Valentine's Day Card:

I love this metallic gold paper. I found it squirreled away in my paper drawer...and it was so old that it was starting to bubble in places. I did a happy when I could finally put it to good use!

My sister loves shades of blue. This one's for her:

I also had a chance to make a matching purse and birthday card set:

Stamp Sets by Stampin' Up:

Butterfly Basics

Watercolor Wishes

Oh, So Lovely

By Art Gone Wild:

Birthday 3-D Simple Circles

I found this card design and tutorial

from this Pinterest pin:

 Original Pin HERE

View Instructions HERE

I also made this get well version:

Stamp Set by Stampin' Up:

Thoughts and Prayers

This type of card is called a tri shutter card. A search in Pinterest yielded a bunch of examples and variations HERE and HERE with many helpful tutorials in a PDF format.

For more Valentine's Day PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS picks, check out my board containing pins of cards that would be suitable for Valentine's Day, Weddings and Anniversaries HERE. 

Happy Valentine's Day and send a handmade paper greeting to those who make your heart happy!

PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS: More Birthday Projects and the Very Best of Pinterest Pins

I needed more birthday cards for the month of January and here's a design that can be modified with various DSP and embossing folders for any occasion. I really need to have more versatile cards like this made ahead so I can send out a card without having to set a bomb go off in my craft room!

Recently, my co-worker cleaned out her craft room and bestowed upon me a plethora of paper crafting toys! To thank her for her generosity and for making me do a happy dance, I made a card and purse as a big thank you:

STAMPS:

Cute by the Inch, Stampin' Up

Teeny Tiny Wishes, Stampin' Up

A Big Thank You, Papertrey, Ink

PINTEREST INSPIRATION CARD:

Pinterest Pin HERE

(Includes Directions HERE)

My Matching Purse:

This purse was created by the blog poster

to hold a set of cards and includes

a wonderful video tutorial!

Original Pin HERE

with Video HERE

This has been one of my most favorite projects to create. Give it a try and create a set of 4 cards with the same papers used to create the purse for a lovely color coordinated gift set just like this:

Original Pin HERE

Here are the pieces needed to make this purse:

For box base:

5" x 8" card stock

Score at 1" on all four sides

For handles:

1" x 11"

Score @ 1/2" along

the 1" side - Start and stop

at 1 1/2" from top and bottom

For sides:

4 1/2" x 12"

4 1/2" x 7"

Top border pieces:

2 each of

3/4" x 11"

3/4" x 8 1/2"

For an Easter basket version,

check out this video from

scrapbookingwithme:

...and last, but not least...I made this birthday card for my husband's assistant and BIG Tim Burton fan - especially the Nightmare before Christmas:

I would have never thought of this card on my own had it not been for this version on Pinterest:

Original Pin HERE

PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS: Christmas Ideas and the Very Best of Pinterest Pins

Give out loads of holiday smiles with this

terrific gift card and Hershey Kisses holder:

The Santa is actually a Target Gift card and I put the gift receipt in the top pocket. Normally, the gift card would go in the pocket and you can check out the how-to video thanks to this Pinterest pin:

BACK AND FRONT VIEWS

Original Pin HERE

...and another blogger's Christmas variation:

Original Pin HERE

Here's a cute Snoopy card idea made with punches:

Original Pin HERE 

It gave me some inspiration to create a

few birthday cards this month:

I got the little Woodstock online as a piece of clip art that I printed and cut out. You can print my version HERE. After I cut out Woodstock, I cut the legs from the body and pasted them in a sitting down position.

Here's a lovely way to send out a thank you

or a December birthday card:

Inside View:

Tree and Bear Stamp Set:

White Christmas from Stampin' Up

Sentiment:

Simply Wonderful from Stampin' Up

This was my Pinterest Inspiration:

Original Pin HERE

My MISTI helped me mass produce this card for all of the thank yous I'll need this holiday season, and a mask let me sponge in the SU Pool Party ink where needed.

These little treat boxes were based on a previous post HERE:

Finally....a table centerpiece that's

quick and easy:

Original Pin HERE

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year

and I'll be taking time off from blogging to enjoy it.

Happiest of holidays with abundant joy

and creativity in 2017!...

and I like to end each year with this poem

that my friend, Michele, sent to me

many Christmases ago:

Twas the night before Christmas, I’m glued to the tree.

I’m wondering what Santa will bring just for me.
Could it be new cardstock or inkpads or lace?
"Or stamp sets," I said, with a big smile on my face.
And that’s when I saw him..."Hi Santa," I said.
To which he replied, "You should be in bed!"
"Oh, dear!" I said, "I’ve just been caught...
But I was hoping to see what goodies you brought."
He took a brief look at my room where I work.
Then he shook his head quickly, and left with a jerk.
...And I heard him exclaim, as he put it in gear,
You’ve got enough crap, I’ll see you next year!

PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS: Paper Divas and the Very Best ofPinterest Pins

I'm so lucky to be in a group of talented paper crafters and we call ourselves the Paper Divas. I hosted our last meeting and here are some of the items we created and shared:

The inside of my card was the result of

this Pinterest pin:

Original Pin HERE

I made a Pilgrim version like this for each person 

and put it at their place setting for a good laugh!

I got the idea from this pin:

Original Pin HERE 

Katie taught us how to make these lovely

card boxes that held 4 cards with envelopes:

This is the SU embossing set for the outside flap:

The flap closes thanks to a little

circle of Velcro that Katie brought

on Amazon.com.

She even made a template for each of us!!

...and here were her 4 cards inside the box:

Using SU products, Katie made these two

cute Christmas cards, too:

Alice Brown let us make this stunning card:

This was a Starbucks gift card favor I had

at each person's work area:

These holders were so much fun to make thanks to

a pin that includes a fantastic how to video:

Original Pin HERE

...and here was the Taste of Home dish that we feasted upon.

I made the whole thing in my cast iron skillet, but a

a casserole dish works well, too:

Cornbread Taco Bake

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 25 min.

MAKES: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix*
• 1 can (2.8 ounces) french-fried onions, divided
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• (I added 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic once the ground beef was browned.)

• Directions

  1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the corn, tomato sauce, water, green pepper, garlic and taco seasoning. Spoon into a greased 2-qt. baking dish.
  2. Prepare corn bread mix according to package directions for corn bread. Stir in half of the onions. Spread over beef mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining onions. Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and a toothpick inserted into corn bread layer comes out clean. 
• *Try experimenting by adding various items to the cornbread mix such as olives, green chilies, etc.