Use Your Stash Blog Hop - Flowers...

I'm sooooo excited to be the starting point for this month's USE YOUR STASH Blog Hop!  The Lord knows that I have TONS of stuff in my stash that I need to be using...don't we all!

There are ten bloggers participating this month which should give you lots of ideas for your stash!  After you've seen what I have to share, you'll hop on over to the next blog and keep going around 'till you get back here!

Are you ready to see what I grabbed from my stash...

I chose to use one of my FAVORITE retired paper packets from CTMH, Emporium.  I love this paper because, at the time, I had three boys.  It's always hard to find flowery patterns that aren't too feminine.  This paper packet, with it's Cocoa, Crystal Blue and Sweet Leaf, is flowery yet masculine.

I've been wanting to make one of the "Box Cards" that are so popular.  I bought my svg file from SVG Cuts...super GREAT deal and soooo easy to cut with the NEW Cricut Explore and Design Space!

Here is the card semi-folded...it's designed to fold flat and fit in an envelope (svg envelope file comes with the purchase) and can be mailed, if needed.

-------------------------------------------

Here's the card all folded out...I added some of my Opaque stash to the centers of the flowers for dimension!  The "happy birthday" comes from my go-to stamp set, Belated Birthday...it's a MUST HAVE for Birthday Cards and for procrastinators like me...helps to have that little "belated" insert I can use if needed...lol

------------------------------------

Here's a side view of the flower layers....

---------------------------------------

Here's a top side view to show you how it comes together!

Now hop on over to Wendy's Blog and see what product from her STASH she's used up!
----------------------------------------------------
Here's the full list of stash users!

Katy Donaldson Taylor {{{you are here}}}
Wendy Kessler  ----next stop
Janet McCormick
Casandra Bennet
Theresa Morrow
Joy McHargue
Judy Faye Garner
Shirley Ross
Adeline Brill

My basket runneth over.....

I just LOVE Easter....all the pretty little dresses and the cute little sweaters and ties for the kiddos!!! But most importantly, the great promise that it signifies!!! Knowing that I can come to God with my basket full of sins and He will forgive me and I will live for eternity next to all the people that I have loved and lost and those that I will greet anew. My basket runneth over....and I can still be forgiven!

------------------------------------------

This mini Easter Basket doesn't contain sins (how un-fun would that be)...it contains a cute little birdie and her eggs. It's made using Angie Kennedy Juda's template and inspiration from MJ Albright. It measures about 3x3 and I chose not to put on handles but it would be cute either way (might try another one with handles later).

---------------------------------------------

The paper shreds in the basket are 1/8" x 12" cut pieces of B&T from the Emporium Paper Packet and then I accordion folded them to resemble the shreds you can buy by the bag in the gift wrapping section of most stores.

---------------------------------------------

I stamped the eggs, cut out and then stamped on the back....there are two two-sided eggs adhered together by a 3-D Foam Square to give it a little bit of a dimensional look. The little birdie is stamped using Buttercup ink and then her little wing is actually 3 wings stamped, ink distressed, and adhered together (I thought a 3-D Foam Square would be too much).

---------------------------------------------

The basket weave is a combination of 3/4" x 3" pieces, 3/4" x 2-3/4" pieces and cocoa cardstock that measures 1/4" x 2-3/4". I weaved them together and then adhered the weaved pattern to the basket base. I used glue dots to adhere corners.

Products used are all CTMH:

Paper packet: Emporium and Emporium Creative Basics

Stamp Sets: Easter Eggs (February SOTM) and Bird Basics

Ink: Cocoa, Buttercup and Twilight

Hemp

Tombow adhesive & 3-D Foam Squares

Simplify....

I see this word in all kinds of places these days....cute decorative wall hangings in peoples' homes, on display at my local craft store and I wonder....what exactly does this mean?

----------------------------------------------------------

I make a lot of my cards for my enjoyment only...yes, I send some out to friends and family as well, but not nearly as much as I should. I think it's because I put all my heart and soul into each card that I'm afraid to let it go...kinda like a child I guess. I think it up...give it a name...make it "prim and proper"...take pictures of it...show it to my friends...and sit back and think "I made this!!!" and it makes me proud to hear how lovely it is and how everything is in its place as I would hope people comment on my children.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Anyways....back to "simplify"....I needed to make some cards for some of QT's co-workers and since I don't know whether they will enjoy them or look at them and throw them in the trash, I decided to "simplify" my card-making. After I was done...I stepped back and thought to myself that these cards are just as pretty as my other ones but with less glitter and glam. They still serve their purpose...to say "thank you" and "I'm sorry for your loss" just in a simpler manner.

------------------------------------------------------------

I think I'll go to my local craft store and now purchase the "simplify" sign since I know what it means and I'll hang it in my scrapbooking room to remind me to make more cards and share them with family and friends!!!

Thank You card using Emporium Paper Packet

(becoming one of my FAVORITES!!)

Sympathy card using March SOTM, Butterfly Wings, and Perfect Day Paper Packet

Close-up of butterfly detail....

Products used are all CTMH:

Paper Packets: Emporium & Perfect Day

Stamp Sets: Butterfly Wings (March SOTM), Argyle Backgrounds,

November Word Puzzle & Friendship Word Puzzle

Ink: Juniper, Tulip, Sorbet & Cocoa

Ribbon: Sorbet Ribbon Rounds

Paper Piercer

Prisma Glitter & Bonding Memories Glue Pen

Tombow

Club Layouts - Before & After

BEFORE

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

AFTER: You Make Me SMILE....

Layout 1...
Close-up of the border with Prisma Glitter and a strip pop-dotted to add dimension...
Layout 2...

Journalling...

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Layouts 3&4 which don't have pictures on them yet....

Products used are all CTMH:

Paper Packet: Emporium

Stamps: Rustic Alphabet & September Word Puzzle

Ink: Vineyard Berry, Sweet Leaf & Cocoa

Ribbon: Colonial White Grosgrain

Circle Window Charms

Pewter Designer Brads & Pewter Brads

Dimensional Elements: Bookplates, Fresh Shapes (arrow) &

Basic Shapes (discontinued)

3-D Foam Squares

Bonding Memories Glue Pen & Prisma Glitter

Stylus & Sandpaper (layouts 3&4)

Blending Pen (layouts 3&4)

Free to Choose Friday....

EASTER EGG HUNT

Can you spot the Easter eggs?

This is a 5x7 card I did for an online swap using February's SOTM (Easter Eggs) and the NEW Emporium paper packet. I have been fearing this combo since it was announced a month ago, but it was actually fun to challenge myself. I really didn't want to use the eggs to make a flower (kinda overdone if you ask me) but Easter wasn't anywhere near my mind when I looked at this paper packet.

-----------------------------------------

You can't really see it in the picture but there is Prisma Glitter on the Buttercup Bigger Brads which are set inside the Pewter Conchos to represent the center of the flower. I then used the Bonding Memories Glue Pen to add Prisma Glitter all around the flower centers. I also used a strip of the B&T at the bottom of the card and stitched it with our Embroidery Floss to resemble ribbon. The eggs are stamped on cardstock and then I used the end of my Paper Piercer to roll the petals to give them dimension.

--------------------------------------------

I enjoy online swaps because they allow me to really turn things up a notch on distressing and detail since I only have to make one (I know...I'm lazy) shoot a couple of pictures and then e-mail it to the swap hostess. I hope my swap girls are pleased :0)

Products used are all CTMH:

Paper Packet: Emporium

Stamp Set: Easter Eggs (February SOTM)

Inks: Sweet Leaf, Crystal Blue & Cocoa

Buttercup Bigger Brads, Pewter Brads and Conchos

Dimensional Elements Bookplates

Embroidery Floss: Neutral Assortment (Colonial White)

Edge Distresser, Sponge Daubers, Paper Piercer

Tombow, Glue Dots, Liquid Glass

Bonding Memories Glue Pen & Prisma Glitter

FIRST EVER.....Mini Monday

Remember.....a NEW year means lots of exciting NEW posts!!! My first ever Mini Monday has two posts so keep reading!

The OLD me would've kept one of these projects as something to share for FREE TO CHOOSE FRIDAY....but, the NEW me is going to post both so I'll have to play again before then (hehehehe)!

SCRAPLINGS

This first "mini" is what Sparkle calls "scraplings" and they are so DARN CUTE!!! A scrapling is what's left over when you cut a standard-size card to a 4x4 square card.....a mini 1-1/2 x 4-1/4 card. It was a little intimidating working with such a small stamp space, but after it's all said and done, I will DEFINITELY be making more of these....and don't forget to go check out the ones that gave me inspiration!

Products used are all CTMH:

Paper: Key To My Heart (available 'till January 31st)

Stamp Set: Key To My Heart (available 'till January 31st - comes WITH the above paper packet)

Inks: Tulip, Sorbet and Juniper

Ribbon: Creme Brulee Ribbon Rounds and waxy flax

Techniques: Direct-to-paper distressing and masking

2009 AT A GLANCE

This second "mini" is a magnetic calendar that measures 6x12....I know that doesn't seem so small but the actual months (January SOTM - Moments in Time) measure only 1-1/2 x 2 so that's pretty mini if you ask me!!

I got this inspiration from a fellow consultant (so sorry but my teenage son closed the tab before I could see who you were...you know, one of those....clicked on so-and-so's blog and then so-and-so's blog and then another so-and-so's blog and there it was type thing). It's a magnet so you can hang it on your fridge or a magnetic board in your scrap space (that's where mine is going). The one I got inspiration from was hanging from some ribbon so use your imagination. Edited to add: Thanks to Trinka, I found Aaron's blog with the original inspiration!!

Products used are all CTMH:

Paper: NEW Emporium Creative Basics

Stamp Set: Moments in Time (available 'till January 31st)

Cocoa Ink Pad

Rub-Ons: Chocolate Love Letters (2009 on the Bigger Brads)

Ribbon: Vineyard Berry (comes WITH the Emporium Creative Basics)

Just Blooms: Big Pinks & White Daisy

Clear Buttons, Bigger Brads, Chocolate Waxy Flax and Liquid Glass

Techniques: Distressing using a CTMH Sponge & Cocoa Ink (edges of all paper & on Just Blooms) and

Scallop border (on 2009 Vineyard Berry piece) using CTMH EK Success (TM) Corner Rounder (with guard off)