Calendar cards

I needed a little extra gift to give to my Mother's friend who loves pugs, and I made a calendar to give to my sister.
I found the tutorial to make one of these at Splitcoast stampers
https://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/calendareaselcard/


The tutorial link also gives you a source to print the little calendars.

I made the pug card using a Squigglefly image (No longer available)
And the "sister" card using an embellishment I found at A C Moore, My designer paper is from Graphic 45.

Thank you for visiting my blog today
Blessings,
Jill

I need a vacation!

I need a vacation!  Actually, we just returned from being five days away from home...so now I need a vacation from my vacation.  We had a nice time but we are exhausted!

I have lots of vacation pics...
Here's the first two...The top one is the gift that the Inn Keeper made for us.  She took 50 pennies and put it into a shadow box for us.  The pennies are in date order from the first penny being the date that we were married until this years penny.  On the back there is a pocket with a journaling page where we are to write something from  each year that we are married...Boy will I have to put my thinking cap on with that one.

The second pic is the gift from our daughter.  She really surprised us with a beautifully done photo album with photos that some I have never seen before, and never knew they even exsisted.  Alot of work went into that gift.

Our daughter and son in law joined us on our vacation.  We have not been on vacation with our daughter since she was in grade school.  So that was a real treat to have her with us. 

I have a lot of catching up to do...at home...and on my blog, and on visiting other people's blogs...
Which I will try to do this week...

Thank you for visiting my blog...
Blessings,
Jill

Second Paper Bag book

 Cover of Cherie's book

 The First two Pages of my book...The photograph is from scrapbook paper, and a dragon fly embellishment on the side...

Next two pages of my book...the page was made using a Darice Embossing folder, and Stampin' Up Designer paper for the background,   I die cut the leaves, and tucked in a tag in the pocket.

I also left some blank pages for Cherie to add her own quotes..  I tried to use Cherie's Motivational Word on my pages in the book, her word is"Strong"

The link for the paper bag book

I entered my project in The Word Art Wednesday Challenge...the link to the challenge can be found here

Thank you for visiting my blog today...
Blessings,
Jill

Paper bag book Made for a friend

 This is the front cover of the paper bag book that I made

 This is the first two pages of the book, the picture of the three ladies is supposed to represent my two crafting buddies and myself...Sure,  Well, we can hope can't we?  The two of them have been really good with their exercising and watching what they eat...so they have a good chance of looking like that...me, on the other hand...NOT!

 Both Kathi and I picked the same word this year as our Motivational word FOCUS!
So I had to make a page for her word.

The Third page in my paper bag book.

I also left a couple of  the pages blank for her to add her own quotes, etc.

I made the above book as a gift for my friend, Kathi, to thank her for the wonderful Christmas gifts she gave me this year. 

I found the instructions on how to make this book on Utube...It was done  Sweet digi Scraps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiQ72hS4fhU

Journal Jar

This is going to be one of my granddaughter's Christmas presents.  (She doesn't usually look at my blog...so I hope this time she definitely does not look at it before Christmas).  She likes to Journal, and I liked to do that as a teenager, (I still like to Journal)  I almost always had a diary going, when I was in high school.  I'm giving her a blank journal, It has extra alphabet letters inside, I'm going to let her put in her Initial, because she may want to use her nickname (Letter) instead of her name.

I filled my jar with Journal prompts that I found here...

http://christmas.organizedhome.com/crafts/gifts-in-a-jar/recipe-index

 Here is their pinterest link

http://pinterest.com/source/christmas.organizedhome.com/

Lots of neat Ideas for quick gifts...for stocking stuffers, etc.

Ornaments

Click on pics for larger picture

My daughter always has an ornament exchange party every year.  It started about 14 years ago to have a fun party for my grandchildren.  I don't think she ever expected it to  go on for this long.

It has become a yearly tradition and she has never missed a year.  The idea is to make enough ornaments to exchange (all the same) and then you will go home with the same amount of ornaments that you brought but they will all be different.

I talked her into changing the rules a few years ago, because after a while, I did get a little tired of making ornaments...smile.  We can now bring something else to exchange a long as it is home made.

This year I made what I call "cheater" ornaments.  They are party store bought...plastic snowflake ornaments that I bought at A C Moore and Michaels and I decorated each one.  They are all slightly different but then I am told that each snowflake is different.

My snowflakes are decorated with buttons, stamped images, spirelli, 3d tole images, recycled Christmas cards, and tea bag folding.

In fact Marie B from 

might recognize a tea bag folding star she made for me many years ago in a card exchange I was in with her.  I hope they like my ornaments, I was out of ideas and TIME this year, so I made something that would go rather quickly.

Craft night

Tonight was my craft night.  I so look forward to getting together with my crafting buddies...We could just spend hours and hours crafting.

I worked on some items for the Advent package that I am working on...

On the left side of the picture is a box I made to put some of my greeting cards in to give as a gift.

I found the instructions at Split coast stampers...the link is below...

A2 card box

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/a2cardbox/

To the right side of the picture is a Corner Book mark that I made...

I found the instructions also at Split coast the link is below...

Corner book mark

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/cornerbookmark/

In the center of the picture is a paper stocking I made to put a gift card in...

I found the instructions at the link below...

It's called Bitty Christmas Stocking Gift Card Holder...

http://waltzingmouse.blogspot.com/p/tutorialstemplates.html

I'm also putting in my Advent box the handmade snowflake soap that I bought recently at a craft show...

I made a box tonight to put it in...

I found the instructions at Pinterest...the link for the box is below...

http://pinterest.com/happyyakker/origami-boxes/

Cookie Holder

I really like these cookie/tea bag holders.  I think they are cute, and so easy to make...
I found the link here to make them.  (Look under instruction sheets, Cookie tea bag holder)
She also had some other adorable projects on her blog...

I made these to add to the Advent box that I am making, but I think they would also look adorable at each table setting at your special company dinners.

Video found here at UTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AEOrOamAqE&feature=player_embedded

http://procrastistamper.blogspot.com/2012/02/teabag-cookies-pouch.html

Just boxes

I know not an exciting picture...smile.  But this is what I have been working on right now.


A few years ago, I saw a UTube video on how to make these boxes.  At the time, I wondered if I even wanted to watch it, I couldn't see much use for the boxes.  I am so glad I took the time, I have lost count of how many of these I have made.  They come in handy for me for several things.  They make great favor boxes.  I usually make up some at Christmas and fill them up with some candy kisses, etc.  I then put them in a basket to keep handy for when company comes and hand them out. They also make nice boxes to put small jewelry pieces in.  Comes in handy, when you need a small box and don't have any on hand.  I usually make them with scrapbook paper, Card stock sometimes doesn't fold as well, or will crack.  I try to use a heavier weight of scrapbook paper.

I also used these boxes to make a Birthday present for my teenage grandson.  I has asked my daughter what I could buy him for his birthday, and she told me that a gift card or money in an envelope was the best choice.  I wanted to give him something to unwrap, so made four of these boxes in different sizes.  Nesting boxes!  Then I did the old box in a box trick!  I know that has been done before...smile.  I put some change in the smallest box, (so it would rattle, to keep him guessing) along with the paper money, and then put a cartoon on each of the box lids, and finally wrapped the box in several pieces of wrapping paper.  He liked the gift!  and it was just a bit more memorable than just some money stuffed in an envelope.  If you make each box piece 1/4 inch smaller as you go they will fit into each other...

I couldn't find the original UTube video that I watched, but I did find this link with directions to make the box. 

In regard to advent ideas...I saw this at Roxie's blog...She made a fantastic Advent calendar.  Really cute.  (much, much better than the sad one that I made...smile)
Here is the link to Roxie's...Take a peek, to see her great work.

Here is my Advent/stocking stuffer idea list…

Advent Calendar

Body lotion/spray

Bookmark

Books/cookbook/scrapbook

Calendar

Candle

Candy Bar

Cocoa

Cookies

Cross word puzzle book

Flashlight

Hard Candy

Home made scarf/gloves, etc.

Home made Slippers

Jam/Jelly

Jewelry

Jigsaw Puzzle

Journal

Lip Balm

Mug

Ornaments

Pens

Picture frame

Pop Corn

Post Cards

Pot Holder

Small bag of nuts

Small box greeting cards

Small decorated notebook

Soap

Socks

Stationary

Stickers

Tea

Tea towel

Things related to the recipient’s favorite hobby

If you can think of anything else to add....please let me know...Ideas are always appreciated.

Have a great day,

and thank you for reading my blog...

Blessings,

Jill

 

My Hostess gift

This is one of the gifts given to me this weekend for hosting a Stamping party in my home.
I think it's adorable, and very useful.  I like that it's small, and doesn't take up much desk space, and I have it sitting right next to my computer.  I hope to make one for the advent package that I am in the process of making.  (Later today, I hope to post, on my blog.my list of Advent ideas). 
Here is the link that Stacie used to print the calendar pages  she used to make this project.

Thank You, again, Stacie.  I really like my gift!

Thank you for stopping by my blog today...
Blessings,
Jill

Look what I received tonight...

 Center step card made for me by Cheri, The pictures do not do the cards justice.

 Stampin' Up card made for me by Kathi

 Cake was bought by both Cheri and Kathy for me,  Kathi put a candle in the cake that plays Happy Birthday!

I said before that I am a very blessed person...Now I know it for sure.  My birthday was a little more than a week ago, and I am still receiving presents.  My two weekly craft buddies, stopped at my house tonight, and these are some of the things they brought for me.  They wanted to bring it last week, but with everything so Topsy turvy with the home remodeling there honestly was not a Flat surface in my house (or at least very few...LOL)  The cake was delicous,   and I adore the Candy flower Bouquet.  (the candy won't last long at my house)  You will Notice that  things are mostly in PINK!

Repost of Mother's Memory jar

Since my craft room is still not together, and most of my craft things are still in boxes...I decided to do a couple of  re posts on some of the gifts that I made for my Mother through the years.  Hoping that some of these gifts will give some inspiration to someone.

I originally posted about this Memory jar here...
My Mother only had a small apartment, and she was a "shopper" one of  her favorite things to do.  So...there was very little she needed, and it made it hard for me to buy things for her...fortunately, for me, she loved home made gifts.  So each year I would try and make something special for her.  This was a favorite of hers.  If you read my original post you will see that it was not my idea, I found it in a magazine.  I was surprised at how much this gift meant to her.  I still have it, and from time to time I will read the notes inside till the tears start to come, then I put it away for later.  But I also remember how much she enjoyed it and reading the notes I had inside......So it will be a keeper!

These are some of the notes from inside the jar...

I remember the cake Jerry and I baked for your birthday.  It fell apart when we took it out of the oven, and we tried to glue it back together with lots and lots of icing.  It was an Overly "sweet" cake, but you seemed to appreciate it anyway.  At least you made us feel that way....smile.

I remember the day I learned to ride my bike for the first time in my back yard.  I asked you if I could ride my bike out in front of the house.  You cautioned me that I was not ready, and I didn't listen, and I fell off of my bike into our neighbors bush next door.  The one with the thorns.  Ouch!

I remember how much fun I had with the flour and water paste you would make up for me, and let me make a collage on our basement door using cut outs from our old Sears Catalogs...

I remember a favorite dress that you purchased ...you bought it for me when I was in grade school...Yellow and white with small yellow rose buds on the dress underneath, and it had a pretty organza pinafore that went over top the dress with a pretty lace collar.

Hope everyone is having a good day...

Blessings,
Jill