Friday Freebie - {Summers End} blog train…woohoo!

Here is this weeks Friday Freebie. This is a good one! Tons of fun stuff to keep you busy over the 3-day Labor Day weekend. There were 22 different designers that participated in the Summers End blog train. Here’s a sampling of my favorites.

Here are the links to all the free digi kits. {I put a double asterisk ** next to the ones pictured above}

Aussie Scraps
Vamp Productions
Twinky Dezines
Scrappy Lover
Aquarius Scrapability
Just a Girl’s Designs **
Bittersweet Designs **
Teresa’s Scraps
Candy’s Treats **
Scrappin Mommy Designs
Krissy’s Scraps
Queenbrat Designs
Scraps by Liadan
DMK Designs
Weescotslass Creations
Cinnamon Scraps **
Designs by Sarah & TammyKat
Star Studded Designs **
Cre8tive Creations
Scraps by Jessica
Tantrum Scraps **
Magical Creations **

Show & Tell - Altered Costco Q-Tips box

I buy most of our toiletries at Costco including Q-Tips. When you get the 4-pack Costco Q-Tips they come in this interesting package. I thought it looked to be the perfect size to hold my stickers. I decided to add some paper and make it look a bit more pretty for keeping my stash in. Shown in the photo to the right is the box before it was altered.

Here’s the after photos!!

I measured each of the panels of the box and used those dimensions to cutout my paper. Next I ran the paper through the Xyron 900 for adhesive. After applying the paper I painted the edges with brown paint. I embellished with brown ribbon and some Prima flowers. Super easy and now my stickers are better organized. Thanks for stopping by today, hope you like my project. XOOXO

Products used

• Q-Tips packaging box {purchased from Costco}
• Patterned paper {SEI}
• Flower sticker {SEI}
• Flowers {Prima}
• Ribbon {repurposed from some packaging}
• Paint {Delta CeramCoat - Burnt Amber}
• Adhesive {Xyron 900 & glue dots}

Show & Tell - Altered baby wipes box #2

Nika loves playing with the altered baby wipes box I made to hold her hair clips. She carries it around and will plop onto the floor, open the box and take out all her hair clips. Then she puts them back into the box and does this over and over. It’s so cute!! I decided to make her another box and also do some doctoring to the original one too. For this new box I used K&CO’s {Berry Sweet} papers. Click on any of the images for a close-up view.

For this new box I decided to seal all the edges with Mod Podge. I have a love/hate relationship with this glue. Anytime I use it as a sealant there is always some bubbling. If I touch the bubbling area {just lightly} it will often pull-up or rip the paper. I would love to hear any tips or alternative types of glue for this. I also covered the gap above the handle with some green book binding tape.

Pictured below is the 1st altered wipes box I made. I updated it to have the pink pom-pom ribbon, reinforced the flower with stronger glue dots, added the green tape above the handle, and also trimmed the paper on the top and sealed the edges with Mod Podge. You can see my original tutorial for making these altered baby wipes boxes here.

I have another fun altered and re-purposed project I’m working on. Be sure to stop by later this week and check it out! XOOXO

Products used

• Baby wipes box {Huggies}
• Adhesive {Xyron, Mod Podge & Glue Dots}
• Patterned paper {K&Co}
• Buttons {SEI & Portofolio}
• Ribbon {Really Reasonable Ribbon}

Show & Tell - Butterfly bats & owl mummy card

Some of my best ideas come to me in the bathroom. While brushing my teeth I noticed some Johnson & Johnson bandage wrap in the cabinet and thought I could do something scrappy with it. Since I’m excited for Halloween and love owls…why not a owl mummy!!

I had fun tearing up strips of the bandage wrap, it’s self-adhesive so I didn’t need any additional glue. I just stuck it onto the owl. Once I had my owl wrapped up I sponged antique linen distress ink onto the bandages. I just love the distress ink, so many great uses. As I was assembling my card I thought it would be fun to punch out some black butterflies. I used a velvet covered paper and also punched them on orange cardstock. This was a lot of fun to make and easy too. Inside the card is the word {Boo}. This will be little Nika’s card for Halloween this year. Thanks for checking out my butterfly bats & owl mummy card!! Hope you have a fun weekend. XOOXO ~ Cathy
Products used

• Diecut owl {Sizzix}
• Polka-dot & purple paper {Luckybug Scrapbooking} You can download this digi kit for free here
• Orange cardstock {Stampin Up!}
• Mummy wrap {Johnson & Johnson}
• Googly eyes {Westrim Crafts}
• Ribbon {Really Reasonable Ribbon}
• Butterfly punches {Fiskars & Make an Impression}
• Distress Ink {Ranger}
• Chalk Ink {Powder Puffs}
• Adhesive {Ultimate Glue, Herma & Glue Dots}
• Letter stickers inside card {Basic Grey}

Show & Tell - Nika and me digi page

It’s been a while since I’ve updated my profile picture online. Here’s a more recent photo of me with little Nika. This was taken in July when we went to the beach in Port Angeles. I made this digi page using the Memory Mixer software and a little Photoshop Elements.

Friday Freebie - Wild sorbet…yum!!

Happy Friday my crafty friends. Today’s freebie find is a yummy one!! The Wild Sorbet kit is designed by Michelle Coleman for Memory Makers magazine. This fabulous digi kit comes with 26 elements, 13 papers and 5 labels. Lots of good stuff in this one for you to play with. I’m thinking a little mini album with this kit would be cute.

Get the Friday Freebie

Show & Tell - Halloween Owl card

I’ve had this new Sizzix owl die sitting around and was feeling inspired to make a Halloween card.

For this card I made 3 diecut owls, 1 using a cereal box {great chipboard substitute} and also a green and purple owl. First I covered the chipboard owl with green paper. Then I popped-out the feathers on the purple diecut. For the feathers I lifted each one by carefully slipping my fingernail to give it a rounded flap. Next I adhered the purple owl over the green one, everything got adhesive except the lifted feathers. I like how the green is peeking out under the feathers. Next I outlined the detail from the diecut with a black sharpie fine point pen.  Each of the feathers also is outlined with a black marker. I didn’t use the eyes from the diecut and instead used googly eyes. I also inked around the edges of the finished owl with a black chalk inkpad.The orange netting that is wrapped around the card I re-purposed from some packaging. Click on the images for a close-up view.

Products used

• Diecut owl {Sizzix}
• Cardstock {Stampin Up!}
• Scalloped cardstock {DCWV}
• Polka-dot, purple & green papers {Luckybug Scrapbooking} You can download this digi kit for free here
• Black/White gingham ribbon {Really Reasonable Ribbon}
• Orange netting {Re-purposed from some packaging}
• Googly eyes {Westrim Crafts}
• Black Brads {Making Memories}
• Orange Brad {Kimberly Polson}
• Adhesive {Ultimate Glue & Herma tab dispenser}
• Black marker {Sharpie}
• Black chalk {Powderpuffs}

I have another fun Halloween card that I’ll be posting this weekend too. Thanks for stopping by today!! XOOXO

I want this!!

Have you seen this Parts & Parcels album from Creative Imaginations? I like the idea of having 12 mini albums in one big album…one for every month of the year. Fun-fun!! Anyone tried this yet or seen it in the stores?

You can see a few more videos of the designer Jenn Mason altering this album on her blog.

• Altering the album
• Altering the inside frames
• Putting together a mini folio album

My blueberry girl

Yesterday I took Nika to one of the local u-pick blueberry farms. She loves blueberries, picking them and eating them. Here’s some pics of my little blueberry girl having fun at the farm. These are all digital layouts made with Memory Mixer software and the Lasting Impressions digi kit. Click on the images for a close-up view. XOOXO

For those of you local, the Larson Lake Blueberry Farm is a nice little get-away that is right off of 148th in Bellevue. Great spot for a picnic lunch, nice trails to walk around the farm, wide aisles in the blueberry patch, and it’s ok to bring dogs. There is also a produce stand with fruits and vegetables at great prices. The u-pick blueberries are only $1 per pound!! The only downside is the limited parking. We went on a Tueday after lunch and the lot was full with cars waiting to park.

Free Cosmo Cricket online class

My Fisk-a-Teer friend Lisa Falduto is having a free Cosmo Cricket online class. I’m a big fan of Lisa’s work. Her creations are wonderful. Shown in the photo is a sneak peak of the class project.

If you order the class kit before August 20th you can also get a chance to win prizes. The kit is a really good deal for all the products and is available through Scrappin Deals. I ordered the kit and look forward to the class. Check out Lisa’s blog for more info, her class is sure to be fabulous!! XOOXO

Fun purchase from the farmers market

I took Nika to the local farmers market yesterday and it was kids day!! There was a bunch of crafty kids selling their wonderful creations. I wanted to buy something from each of them, it was just the cutest thing. The kids were so proud to show off their wares. I picked up this fun little Halloween tote from a little girl who looked about 6 years old.

Show & Tell - Hey sugar card

I made this {Hey Sugar} card using this cupcake piecing template. I re-sized the template to make it much smaller. I also added stickles to a couple of the cupcake frosting layers and Rangers Glossy Accents to the cherry.

Thanks for stopping by!! XOOXO

Products used

• Clear overlay with border {Making Memories}
• Hey Sugar rubon {SEI}
• Paper piecing cupcake template {Valita’s Fresh Folds}
• Glossy Accents {Ranger}
• Stickles {Ranger}
• Patterned Paper for cupcake liner {My Minds Eye}
• Cardstock {Stampin Up}
• Adhesive {Hermafix, Xyron 150 & Glue Dots}

Friday Freebie - wood grain, office supplies, textured papers & a sunburst!

Time flies when you’re having fun. Nika and I have been visiting a lot of new places and enjoying the sun. I can’t believe it’s already Friday again!

Today’s freebie find comes from the PSDfan website, there is a ton of great stuff on this site. Check out these awesome freebie downloads.

• Wood grain papers {7 different, high-resolution wood grains to download}
• Textured papers {10 awesome textured papers, love them all!!}
• Office supplies {a post it note, paper clip, sticky tape, packing label, and coffee stain}
• Sunbursts {3 very cool sunbursts}

The PSDfan site has some excellent tutorials too. I really like this one on how to design a unique grungy website. I like this look and may have to update my website…hmm. Have a fun a creative weekend. XOOXO ~ Cathy

Fun at the park

Nika and I went to check out the Bellevue Botanical Gardens today. Oh wow, it was so awesome and free!! Who knew Bellevue had this gem of a park? There are 53 acres of gardens, woodlands, meadows and wetlands to explore. The trails are great mostly gravel, and some paved {Nika’s stroller worked just fine on the gravel trails}. We had a lot of fun checking everything out.

They also have a really cool winter lights show called Garden d’Lights in December. I’ve heard great things about it and will definately be checking it out this year.

If you do visit the Bellevue Botanical Gardens with kids, be sure to make a stop next door at the Wilburton Hill Park. There is a really nice playground with a cool spiderweb and also a zipline swing. Yes, the zipline is strong enough for the adults too…yahoo!! When leaving the main entrance of the Botanical Garden turn right onto the main road and you’ll see the sign/entrance for Wilburton Park.

The cutest scrappy cupcake template/tutorial

I love a good cupcake and this has to be the cutest scrappy cupcake I’ve seen!! There is a great tutorial with lots of pictures and a printable template for the cupcake. This paper piecing cupcake will make a super cute card. I have some Sizzix textures I’ve been wanting to play with and this looks to be the perfect project. Valitas Fresh Folds has a bunch of great templates. Be sure to check out all her fabulous, free templates…lots of fun stuff.