Summer layouts

Check out a couple of fun summer layouts by yours truly on the MemoryWorks blog today!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the MW blog hop last week...and for all your kind comments!

Make a Valentine's Day Garland...so easy a 4 year old boy can make it!

Yesterday my son and I decided that our house was woefully undecorated for Valentine's Day. I have my table runner (see last post) and a few heart-shaped decorations...and that's it. SO...we pulled my box of February MemoryWorks Express kit...land made this:
I kid you not, this took us 30 minutes! Easy as pie, and you probably have the supplies you need to make your own version at home!

All you need:
*6 chipboard squares - mine were from a Fancy Pants chipboard book set (12x12 Biggest Board Book It set) - but you could even cut yours from a cardboard box if you want. They are each about 3 1/2" square, with rounded corners
*6 pieces of matching patterned paper - also 3 1/2" square each. I used the Crate Paper "Mia" collection - so pretty!
*Chipboard letters (or large letter stickers or someting) to spell out "LOVE". I used My Mind's Eye embossed chipboard
*Some fun things to embellish - diecuts, stickers, buttons, etc. I used some Crate Paper "Mia" glitter die-cuts, flowers from Prima and Petaloo and buttons by Creative Imaginations.
*You also need some ribbon...I used pink and blue sheer ribbon that I had leftover from other projects...you just need something that coordinates - and long enough pieces to tie all the letter square together AND hang it from your location of choice :)
*A crop-a-dile or other tool that will hole-punch through chipboard.

Let's get started! Seriously...my 4 year old did most of the steps - so he will be my tutorial model today!

1. Glue your paper to each square...Use a brayer or other smoothing device to get it down good and tight:

2.) After the glue is dry, sand the edges of each piece:
3.) Use an ink pad to ink each embossed letter:
4.) Here's the part where you get to go crazy - arrange the squares and letters how you like them, glue down the letters...and then embellish like crazy! You can refer back to my picture at the top, or do your own thing!

5.) When everything is ready to go, punch holes through the sides of each square (punch towards the top or your squares will flip over when you hang them) and tie them together with pieces of ribbon. I also tied buttons together on each end before tying on my "hanging ribbons", as shown:
Here's another hanging shot...I apologize for the dark photo - its nearly impossible to get a good picture straight at a bright window!
This was so easy to make..and turned out so cute, that I think we'll be making a "lucky" one for t. Patty's day...an egg one for Easter...4th of July....oh yes, we will be making many garlands, haha!

Have fun! Let me know if you try it - I'd love to see some pics!

I've totally been making stuff!

Do you ever get in a crafting funk? Like you just can't figure out what to make...none of your projects are getting finished? And then when you're done with something...you hate it? But then...you suddenly get inspired, motivated or in some other way - get OUT OF THE FUNK! And creativity resumes! Hurray!

I've been enjoying the past few weeks of out-of-the-funk, madly making all kinds of things!

I finally pulled out some Moda squares and a jelly roll and made my Valentine's Day/St. Patrick's Day reversible table runner that I planned over a year ago:
I made some fun projects with the MemoryWorks January Express Kit:

I made a couple scrapbook layouts, for example:
I finally finished my 3-frame set...it has been sitting in my scrapbooking hutch taking up MUCHO space since October when I made the first one...yikes!
Now its hanging on the wall in our hallway - I have to smile every time I walk past - not because its so darn cute - but because I FINISHED IT! HAHA!

And, I got to spend all my free time for a week (which I think totaled about 13 minutes per day...I must have skipped a trip to the bathroom or something to get that much time at once!) working on the Simple Stories line from MemoryWorks. Since I'm on their creative team, I got an advanced set and got to play!

In true Sandy-fashion, I was only able to complete January-July of my full-year-overview album, because of course I only had pictures printed up for 7 months of the year! And my printer is broken! And now I'm on a budget so I couldn't just order me another 5 months on snapfish! Oh well...it just wouldn't be me if the entire project actually got finished all at once...that would just be weird!

Here is what I did so far - the fun thing about this system is that there are divided page protectors, so you just stick things in the pockets - easy, and used little adhesive...which for some reason I keep running out of lately...hmph... Here's a couple of the pages:



So....coming up.....I am still working on my faux-roman-curtains. I will do a tutorial and show you how to alter your mini-blinds without permanently disabling them. I have a few other things up my sleeve, but please let me know if you have any ideas for a tutorial that you'd like to see.

Have a GREAT day...and go do something crafty!

Quick and Easy Bulletin Board

I posted a simple but fun bulletin board idea over at the MemoryWorks blog today - check it out:

Message Board, Jr.

Oh, and if you go down a few entries to last Friday's, you'll find a more grown-up and very cool version of a message board by my friend Lacey!

MemoryWorks May Express Kit

The May Express kit from MemoryWorks was so fun to work with - the papers and embellishments reminded me of 80's cartoons - Rainbow Brite, CareBears, Smurfs... you get the idea! So here's to first grade!


This one is my favorite - I sewed 2 layers of a Prima layered fabric flower together with a button on top, made 2 leaves out of some scrap fabric (sewing and scrapbooking coming together! Ah! The awesomeness! The awesomeness!), and sewed all of it to the center of a long ribbon. Tie around baby's head - instant boutique chic! More pictures of this on the MemoryWorks blog

The mat for the cupcake in this one is actually one of the layers of the same Prima flower I used on the baby headband:

(I don't know if I'm getting lazier or getting smarter...but lately my layouts have been really simple...)

The above headband accessorized by the cutest baby in the universe:

The inside of this card says, "I hope the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, because you're a great Mom!"

I hope everyone has a spectacular Mother's Day...I'm off to do more laundry so I can take the day OFF tomorrow!

Contest opportunity!

My dear friend Lacey and I are in charge of the challenge and contests over at MemoryWorks this month. Yesterday we posted a contest over at the MW blog that consultants AND non-consultants can enter.

Take a look at: http://memoryworksblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/spring-into-action.html

for the details.

Good luck!

Friday Freebie!

It was my turn to post on the MemoryWorks blog today! Check it out: MemoryWorks Blog There are a couple of fun and easy projects that are perfect for cheering up a sick/sad/overwhelmed friend PLUS a great recipe! Now I know I'm a Crazy Crafter, as I set up a photo shoot for muffins this morning. Yes, muffins...

Feel free to leave a comment over there so I can feel like I have some friends:)


I'm giving away the recipe card from the aforementioned blog post. Here it is, in all its muffiny glory:




If you want it, post a message to THIS blog post. I'll randomly choose someone next week sometime. Family members, friends, neighbors, strangers - everyone can play! I promise you won't be disappointed with this recipe - these are some dang good muffins!


How are we doing on the aprons?? Anyone try one yet? I have two more to post next week...stay tuned!

Chocolate, anyone?

MemoryWorks released the "teaser" photo for the February Express kit (click on MW Express in the side bar) last week..."Cherry Chocolate" - YUM! I've gotten away from scrapbooking regularly lately, so I'm excited to get to work on this one...totally wishing it actually came with a box of chocolates, though...you know, for inspiration:)