Live Your Dream

Birthday Forms

Oops! My hubby has been out of town this week so I've been a bit preoccupied with the kiddos. Sigh. He is back home and I am taking a well-deserved break. :)

{supplies}
Paper: Crumb Cake, Sweet Stitches DS
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Stamps: Sew Suite, A Little Birthday Cheer
Accessories: sticky strip, Melon Mambo Pom Pom Trim

Vintage Headband

I'm sure you've seen all the cool vintage-inspired accessories popping up in all the stores lately. I came across these floral headbands and knew I had to figure out a way to make them. I found a tutorial, bought a headband, some fabric, and got busy one day while the kiddos were napping. I wanted to try out the technique for a friend's birthday.

Sure enough. They are super easy!I used this tutorial here but I changed the very first step. I knotted the end of my fabric first and then proceeded to wrap the fabric around the knot.

Then I made a matching birthday card.

{supplies}
Paper: Sweet Stitches DS, Whisper White
Accessories: fabric, hot glue gun

I got together with my friend for lunch the other day and was so happy to see her wearing my creation! :)

Rapunzel's Tower

We had a great day hanging out with family yesterday. Here are pictures of the birthday girl and her cake. :)

Glitter Castle

My niece, Addison, turns four tomorrow with a Tangled birthday party. We are all excited to make the 2+ hour drive to see her and help her celebrate.

I wanted to do something special for her birthday card so I searched for "castle" card ideas and found this great template here.

Here's a birds eye view so you can see the folds inside.

I finally opened my glitter (that I've had for more than year) and used it on her card. It was SO easy that I know you'll see more cards with glitter in the future. ;)
{supplies}
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo, Razzleberry Lemonade
Ink: Rich Razzleberry
Stamps: Wonderful Words, Razzle Dazzle
Accessories: Scallop Circle punch, 1-3/8" Circle punch, Big Shot, Timeless Type Junior Sizzlets, Rich Razzleberry 1/2" polka-dot grosgrain ribbon, Decorative Label punch, Scallop Edge punch, Boho Blossoms punch, glitter, 2-way glue pen, 3/16" Corner Rounder punch

Sew Lisa

Today is my sister's 30th birthday. :) Happy Birthday, Lisa!

I made this card for her and when I showed my husband he said, "Does she sew?" LOL. I didn't know I could only use the Sew Suite stamps and coordinating papers on cards for people who sew...

{supplies}
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, Sweet Stitches DS
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Stamps: Sew Suite, A Little Birthday Cheer
Accessories: sticky strip, Melon Mambo Pom Pom Trim, Sweet Stitches Big Designer Buttons, Scallop Edge punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

MDS: The Beach at Dusk

I finally got around to scrapping the photos from our Jekyll Island vacation last year. I just {heart} this picture of Ella. :)

(Don't forget that you can click on the pictures to pull up the full-size version.)

Woven Shamrock Clippie Tutorial

I have been on a hairbow kick lately now that spring is almost here and Ella has a brand-new wardrobe of clothes which of course means new hairbows! I learned how to make a woven heart clip AFTER Valentine's Day so I decided to figure out how to make a woven shamrock before we missed St. Patrick's Day. :)

Read on to learn how you can make this adorable woven shamrock clip in just 10 steps and a matter of minutes!

{supplies}
hot glue gun, 3/8" green ribbon cut to two 2.5" pieces, two 5.5" pieces, and one 4.5" piece, alligator clip. rhinestone (optional), fray check or lighter

1. Cut all of your ribbon pieces and heat seal (or use fray check) the ends.
2. Glue one (ribbon A) of the 5.5" pieces together to form a circle and overlap the edges by approximately 3/8".


3. Turn the circle over and add a dab of glue to the left of the overlap and attach the end of the second 5.5" piece (ribbon B). Flip over so the top of the shamrock is facing you.


4. Weave the loose end of ribbon B over the bottom of ribbon A (bottom loop) then under ribbon A (top loop). Bring it around (over the top of ribbon A) and glue to the back of the shamrock (on top of the attached ribbon B).

Flip over so the top of the shamrock is facing you. You should now have two circles intertwined.


5. Now add a dab of glue on top of the overlap of ribbon A and attach one of the 2.5" (ribbon C) pieces to the front of the shamrock.


6. Weave ribbon C under the top loop of ribbon A, then around (over the top loop of ribbon A) and secure to the back of the shamrock next to attached ribbon C.


7. Leave the shamrock upside down. Add a dab of glue to the left of where ribbon B is attached. Attach your last 2.5" piece (ribbon D).


8. Flip over so the top of the shamrock is facing you. Weave ribbon D over the top of ribbon B, then around (under the top loop of ribbon B) and secure to the front of the shamrock next to attached ribbon D.


9. Line your alligator clip using the final 4.5" piece of ribbon (ribbon E).
10. Add glue to the top 1/3 of the alligator clip (with the prongs facing away from you) and secure your shamrock. 
Add a rhinestone if you choose.

How fun is that! You have an adorable woven shamrock hair clip or a beautiful decoration for your jacket for St. Patty's Day. :)

How to Line an Alligator Clip
1. Slide the ribbon inside the clip (with the flat side of the clip facing up). Place your thumb on the ribbon at the edge of the prongs and remove the ribbon.

2. Add glue from the edge of the ribbon to your thumb. Then pinch open the alligator clip and slide the ribbon inside (still keeping the flat side of the clip facing up).


3. Add glue to cover the entire length of the alligator clip and press your ribbon firmly down on the clip.


4. Add a dab of glue to the inside bottom and top of the prong. Press the ribbon to the glue inside the prong.
 
5. Flip the alligator clip over and add glue to the remainder of the length of ribbon. Fold it over and press tightly onto the alligator clip. (I choose to add about an inch of white velvet ribbon inside the clip to help it stay in my daughter's hair.)

Let me know what you think!!

Taffeta Ribbon Share

I'm back!! Originally I took a break over the Christmas holidays and then I realized I had two birthday parties to plan on top of my husband taking a new job (traveling!) and well...I waited until I had a plan in place to (hopefully) keep all of the balls in the air so I can continue to share my passion of all things creative. :)

I almost made my deadline to get my baby girl's scrapbook completed before her first birthday (February 12). I'm anxious to share those layouts with you! I'm still behind on Clark's (the oldest) and I haven't even thought of getting Alex caught up. All in time, right?

Anyway in all of this I haven't lost my love of ribbon. I am dying to try the new 1/8" taffeta ribbon and wanted to offer you an opportunity to try it with me. There are so many new colors in the 3/8" taffeta ribbon that I am offering two shares for you to stock up or to replenish your supply.

1/8" Taffeta Ribbon Share
You will get 2 yards of each of the 13 colors (Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Early Espresso, and Basic Black) of 1/8" taffeta ribbon. The cost is only $23 which includes all of the luscious ribbon shipped straight to your door via First Class or Priority Mail.

3/8" Taffeta Ribbon Share
You will get 2 yards of each of the 13 colors (Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Early Espresso, and Basic Black) of 1/8" taffeta ribbon. The cost is only $26 which includes all of the luscious ribbon shipped straight to your door via First Class or Priority Mail.

If you choose to do both shares your cost is only $44.

Email me if you would like to participate. I'll place the order as soon as I have 5 people.

Sale-A-Bration 2011

Dates: January 25-March 31, 2011

Promotion Details
Our biggest sales event of the year--Sale-A-Bration--is here! This year we've got four great Sale-A-Bration sets for you to choose from--as well as a Designer Series Paper & Quick Accents pack, a Ribbon & Button pack, digital downloads, and Décor Elements!

There are three ways to earn free products:

Spend: You will receive a free Sale-A-Bration product for every $50 they spend (before tax and shipping)!

Host: A hostess will receive a free Sale-A-Bration product for every $300 in workshop sales*, in addition to our regular hostess benefits!

*Note: This benefit is only available on qualifying customer, demonstrator, and workshop orders. Online orders do not qualify.

Join: New recruits will receive 15 percent off their Starter Kit (Standard or Digital+), plus a special Sale-A-Bration bonus bundle valued up to $50!

Starter Kits*	Retail Value	Regular Price	Sale-A-Bration Price (15% off)
Standard Starter Kit	More than $310	$175	$148.75
Digital+ Starter Kit	More than $320	$175	$148.75

*The Stampin' Memories Add-On and Definitely Decorative Add-On can be added to these kits, but will not be discounted.

Starter Kit Bonus Bundle

Item	Page	Description	Retail Value
121620	165	Color Coach	$14.95
120806	183	Simply Sent Something Special (or any Simply Sent kit)	$11.95
117114	183	Live, Laugh, Love Set (or any Simply Sent stamp set)	$9.95
119883	202	Full Heart Punch (or any punch valued at $16.95 or less)	$16.95

2011 Additional  Sale-A-Bration Offering
In addition to the limited-time Sale-A-Bration items listed above, customers and hostesses can choose to redeem their Sale-A-Bration rewards for any one wood-mount stamp set of $14.95 or lesser value or any one clear-mount stamp set of $11.95 or lesser value from the Idea Book & Catalog.

• This benefit is not an additional benefit to the free Sale-A-Bration item, but must be used in replacement of a Sale-A-Bration item.
• Customers may only choose from the Idea Book & Catalog or Celebrando Creatividad; Occasions Mini Catalog stamp sets (wood- or clear-mount) are not eligible.

Hot Chocolate Cones

I had a blast Sunday night (truly!) making these hot chocolate cones for my husband's co-workers. The recipe actually tastes good and it looks adorable, too. It took me about 2 hours to make 33 of them. :) I was a bit exhausted (and covered in cocoa) when I finished so I quickly put tags together and labels on the back with the "to" and "from" information. And when I totalled all the costs it came to right under $1 per person. Not bad!

I got the idea here and used her recipe but with Special Dark Hershey's cocoa. Each cone has 6 Tbsp. plus 1/4 c. of semi-sweet chocolate chips and about 1/3 c. miniature marshmallows. I also bought a bag of mini twizzlers which were perfect for the "cherry on top." If I remember right, each batch of cocoa made about 22-24 servings (3 Tbsp. of mix per serving).

I ran out of a few ingredients so I sealed up the leftover mix and made another batch Monday night for the kiddos' Sunday School teachers. (This second time around my husband poured chocolate chips and marshmallows for me--so much faster!)