Ode to Big Lots

I've been making cards for just over a year now, and I thought I'd take this opportunity to list some of the steals I found at Big Lots this year. There just happens to be a store right on my way home so I stop there frequently. If you see something in there you like, you better grab it up! It will probably be gone the next time.

1. Fiskars rotary trimmer - $20 + 20% coupon = $16
2. Fiskars paper edger scissors $1 each
3. EK Success Chalklets, 24 colors - $3
4. Heidi Grace, stickers, rub-ons, chipboard tags and embellishments, plastic embellishments - $1 each
5. American Crafts embellishments - $2 per can
6. American Crafts MiniMarks Rub-ons - $2
7. American Crafts Ribbon sets - $2
8. K&Company paper pads - $5
9. K&Company Clear Stamps - $3
10. Hero Arts Wood Stamps - $2
11. Inkadinkado Wood Stamps - $2
12. Foof-a-la brads - $2
13. Fiskars 3-in-1 corner punches - $4
14. Fiskars Teeny Tiny Cassette punch - $10
15. Making Memories buttons, brads, flowers - $1 each
16. Marvy super jumbo craft punches in various shapes - $3
17. Art Accentz micro beads and glitter - $1 each
18. McGill Oval and Tag punches - $4 each
19. Rubbermaid Ribbon Holder - $8
20. Fiskars Mini Shape Boss Stencils - $0.50

I could go on but that's enough for now. They also carry all kinds of ribbons, yarn (such as Lion Brand), storage containers and cheap non-perishable foods. You really never know what you might find in there that you never knew you needed.

My other favorite place to hunt for crafting bargains is Tuesday Morning. They carry similar random crafting products.

Happy bargain-hunting.
MCM

New Leaf and Melon Berry

The other anniversary card:



And a random one:



Supplies:

Always (all PTI)
Carstock - Dark chocolate, New Leaf, Melon Berry, Kraft
Ink - Dark chocolate, Sweet Blush
Stamps - Tags for Spring, Polka Dot Basics, "Always" from Heartfelt Basics

Enjoy Friend
Carstock - New Leaf, Sweet Blush
Ink - Spring Moss, New Leaf
Stamps - Tags for Spring
Plastic flower by Heidi Grace. White paper flower by American Crafts. Brad by Making Memories.

PTI Blog Hop: Seed Paper Cards

It's once again time for the monthly blog hop sponsored by PaperTrey Ink. Tonight we are sharing projects for spring. Every year when the weather begins to turn warmer I start getting the urge to play in the dirt... I mean garden. I also always wanted to try papermaking. Combine the two and you get.............(drum roll)
Seed paper!
I found a couple different recipes here and here, but I ended up just making it up as I went. It was royally messy. And fun.

For my first batch I just used shredded newspaper (we have a paper shredder) blended up with lots of water in a blender. This made a nice greyish vomit-looking substance. Lovely. Now's the time to toss in your favorite herb/vegetable/flower seed and stir. Don't blend the seeds! I then poured the runny pulp onto a screen stretched over a frame (my dad made the screen/frame for me, but I think they sell them in craft stores?). Oh yeah- hold the screen over a Rubbermaid container to catch the excess water while you pour. Then **gently** press out a little more water with your hands (this feels weird!). After the water completely stops dripping, leave the paper pulp to dry for about 24 hours on the screen. Then carefully plop the homemade paper off of the screen and onto a piece of felt to dry for 2 more days in a warm-ish place.

So this doesn't exactly make paper, but more of a cardboard. Like the grey paper egg cartons in grocery stores. I scored mine and pulled apart into ~3" squares. My first batch contained a wildflower seed mix.



To present the seed paper as a gift, I came up with a pocket card using Green Thumb, Flower Garden Sentiments, and Simple Alphabet. I used a 1" circle punch to cut a little halfmoon notch at the open end.

I ended up making 2 more batches of paper, this time using shredded white copy paper, green tissue paper, and some Ripe Avocado cardstock scraps, to get something similar to a Spring Moss color. It looked just like guacamole in the blender! I added poppy seeds (for planting, not eating) to one batch and basil seeds to the other.



I made little tags for the seed paper squares with my Marvy mega scalloped circle punch and Making Memories slot punch. A glue dot where the ribbon comes together keeps it loosely wrapped around the square. A button tied on with floss will serve as a pull.





See how I have the type of seed spelled so neatly in a curve at the tops of the tags? I punched a 1.5" circle from scrap paper and used it as a guide when placing the letters on my block, so I got perfect concentricity (is that a word?).







So I think these would make cool Easter, Mother's Day, or shower favors. I plan to print instructions for planting and include those in the card. I'm just not sure what those instructions are, at the moment. I'm thinking just lay the paper on cultivated garden or potting soil, lightly cover with soil, water and keep moist until the seeds sprout. Maybe I should try planting one and see if it actually grows before I give these away!



Thanks for stopping by!
Mindy

Supplies
Cardstock- Kraft, Pure Poppy, Berry Sorbet, Ripe Avocado, Dark Chocolate
Ink- Pure Poppy, Berry Sorbet, Ripe Avocado, Dark Chocolate, True Black
(Creamy Brown - Colorbox chalk ink for distressing edges)
Stamps: Green Thumb, Flower Garden Sentiments, Simple Alphabet, Faux Ribbon (brackets)
Buttons - American Crafts
Ribbon - Spring Moss Swiss Dot, Dark Brown satin ribbon from Big Lots

CPS Sketch #104

Papertrey Ink is sponsoring this week's sketch over on the Card Positioning Systems blog. Since I just got my new products from the February release (and needed an anniversary card) I decided to play along. Here's the sketch:



Here's my card:


This is for Scott's parents. Their anniversary is Thursday. My parents' anniversary is tomorrow, and sometimes my mom reads the blog so I'll post theirs after they've seen it. :)

Supplies: (all from PTI unless otherwise indicated)
Cardstock - Melon Berry, Dark Chocolate, Kraft, Berry Sorbet
Ink - Dark Chocolate, Sweet Blush
Stamps - Tags for Spring
Brad - Foof-a-la: Brad's Dad's Ties - tie tack brad
Punches - Scalloped circle (Marvy mega), circle (Fiskars squeeze), corner rounder (EK Success)

Thanks for visiting...
~Mindy

Springy cards

I'm getting in the mood for flowers / gardening / Easter frocks. Here are a few cards for spring.

This one is for my cousin who's expecting. I remember when my uncle told me they were expecting her. I was 6. My response was "Already??". To both. But it's exciting!



I was feeling froggy when I made this one. Ba-dump-ching.



I got this tea stamp last weekend at the Enchanted Cottage in Lewisville, NC. They had a huge sale. I like the little teabag.



These stamps are from PaperTrey Ink's Green Thumb set. The hyacinth reminds me of Hyacinth Bucket (Boo-kay) on the British comedy "Keeping up Appearances". Makes me want a Mercedes, sauna, and room for a pony.



Finally, something earthy. I used a paper crimper from the Dollar Tree on this one.


Toodles.
MCM

Happy Valentine's Day

This is Scott's valentine from me. I got the heart shaped box at Target and filled it with dark chocolates. I stamped the "Love you forever" sentiment on it to match the card. I tried to make it somewhat manly, but nothing with hearts on it is ever going to strike a very masculine note.



Meanwhile Molly is getting plenty of love today, whether she wants it or not.

Some cards I've made lately

Dawn's Favorites Color Challenge

For the release of Dawn McVey's new Damask stamp set from PTI, we were challenged to use one of her color schemes from this past week to create a card. I decided to go with her purple/kraft/cream theme. I happened to have a purple damask patterned paper from DCWV's Old World Stack that I like a lot.




The sentiment if from Around and About Sentiments (PTI). In honor of Dawn I used a flower frog to photograph several of my cards today. Heck, I might start using it all the time. It's just good sense.

MCM

Friends Til the End challenge

For today's PaperTrey Ink giveaway, we were challenged to make a card for our best friends. I don't have one very best friend but I do have 4 really close friends.



Supplies:
CS - Aqua Mist (PTI), black and yellow (Martha Stewart)
PP - Black and White Basics (PTI)
Stamps - Heartfelt Basics (PTI)
silk flower and brad (Making Memories)

Bitty Dot sketch challenge

For today's PTI contest we got to do a connect the dots puzzle to find out what sketch to use for our cards. Here's my rendition:



The patterned paper is from Black and White Basics. I used the solid circle from Take a Bough to stamp over the design with different colors. Cardstock colors are black, Berry Sorbet, Spring Moss and Aqua Mist. The sentiment is from the Paper Tray set and buttons from American Crafts.

Happy Saturday!
MCM

PTI color challenge

Ok I definitely made the deadline this time. :) I just whipped up this card using Quilter's Sampler, cardstock, vellum and Noir ink.



Now unfortunately I have to get back to some analysis that has to be done before Monday. Blegh.

Have a great weekend!

MCM

Crocheting a sweater

I'm making this sweater:



I decided to use a thicker yarn so it may come out a little longer, and definitely warmer. So far I've done about half of the back:



The color is called spice.

It's in the Bag challenge

Papertrey Ink is celebrating their 2-year anniversary this month and giving away tons of great prizes. For the "It's in the bag" challenge I stamped this little canvas tote. Unfortunately I got the date of the deadline mixed up and though I finished last night, I didn't post until today. Bummer.



Big lots has the canvas totes in packs of three for $3... That's cheaper than paper gift bags! And the recipient can resuse it. You can't have too many totes, I say. I filled this bag with bath products... a nice girly gift.



This is the first time I've tried stamping with PTI's hybrid ink on fabric. It's works really well. The dalia and leaf stamps are from Inkadinkadoo. The "Happy hello" and underline are from PTI's Paper Tray set. The line of flowers stamped at the top is from PTI's "Around and about sentiments" set.



I added some cute buttons where the handles join. I'm forgetting who makes these buttons at the moment, but they came from Big Lots too.



Now I'm excited to stamp the other two canvas bags. Check back soon for the next PTI contest challenge project.... MCM