Heart 2 Heart Challenge: Nip and Tuck

Happy Memorial Day!

How about starting off the summer break with a new challenge from Heart 2 Heart!  This week's Nip and Tuck challenge calls for...no, not anything drastic like high priced cosmetic surgery!





Just simple stitches on your project!  Use a sewing machine.  Use embroidery floss, hemp, ribbon.  Use a piercer and marker to create faux stitches.  Use a stitching stamp set.  Combine all of the above!!

We just want you to put us in stitches!     So to speak.

*Disclaimer*  I did not make this, it was a gift from my upline's mom.

But awesome and I had to share it!

 

My upline Sue has an amazing mother.  She saw these little mug caddies at a craft fair and said what we all say to ourselves..."Oh, I can make that!"  Only she really did!  She took the new fabrics and created several variations of them.  This is the one I picked.

 



 

In case you've never seen these before, or are interested in making your own, I tried to find a free pattern online...anywhere, but couldn't.  It is Simplicity pattern #2450 and can be found in your craft stores, or from Simplicity here or downloaded here.  Unfortunately, it's about $10.  So if you're really clever, you can maybe make your own pattern.



Here is the caddy unfolded.  When she first gave me one, I wondered if it was some sort of unfinished pot holder! 

The black fabric is of course not part of the For Always collection.  But she had run out of the script print fabric and used something she already had.  Just use your imagination.  



This is the back of the caddy.

Fold it in half and it looks like this.

Place it inside a regular sized mug and attach the Velcro straps under the handle.

Now you've got pockets on the inside as well as on the outside!

A cute little caddy for all your most used crafting tools!

I love it!  It sits on my counter and keeps all my things within reach.
 

Well, not all my things.  I would need to use the 5 gallon bucket caddy for that!

Now be sure to visit the other DT members' blogs and see their fantastic creations for this week!  And then get started on your own Nip and Tuck project!

Just remember a few basic rules:

1. Use Close To My Heart products.  Your project doesn't have to be 100% CTMH, but you must use some.  After all, this is a challenge blog created and sponsored by CTMH consultants.
2. Incorporate this week's challenge...Nip and Tuck!
3. Link your project back to Heart 2 Heart from your blog or online gallery.  If you are linking from a blog, you must link directly to the actual post, not your entire blog.
4. You also need to mention Heart 2 Heart (H2H) in your blog post.  
5. Finally, we ask that you consider turning off word verification, as it makes it easier for the design team (and others) to leave comments.

Teacher Bracelets

Today is the last day of school!

And while I may have a change of heart in a couple of weeks with all the "I'm bored" comments that are sure to start, right now I'm just happy I won't have to be driving as much and can have help around the house during the day.

But I reserve the right to change my mind when cabin fever sets in and a trip to the craft store is in order!
 

A couple of weeks ago was Teacher Appreciation week as you may know.  I was hard pressed to get even a little something done for each day, for each teacher, for each boy.  So I decided, knowing their teachers, I would just make them all bracelets instead.
A girl has to have her bling, right?

I made two different styles according to school colors, the top for the elementary teachers and the bottom for the middle school teachers.

I think they turned out pretty cute and I know from the thank you cards the teachers really liked them!


Now I've got to run.  Even though it is the last day of school, the boys will all be done by 12 so that doesn't leave me much time this morning to get things done.

Have a great Memorial Weekend!

Heart 2 Heart Challenge: May Flowers

This week's challenge from H2H is May Flowers, as in April Showers bring May Flowers. While we don't have showers over here just yet, I'm always happy to make up some pretty flowers! And I couldn't do it without my handy dandy Artiste cartridge! Well, I could but it wouldn't be nearly as fun.

May always seems to sneak up on me. There are so many things going on this month...for everyone! Mother's Day is always a hard holiday for me. I love my boys and they're wonderful...but it makes me miss my own mom.

But luckily I have a fantastic step-mom and I knew I could use this challenge to make her something special! But you know how I was just saying May is so busy...well, I haven't got around to getting it sent to her yet!

So Diane, if you're reading this...STOP!



Ok, moving on.  I found a small grapevine wreath in my craft room and went to work covering it with flowers!

Ink: Saddle

Paper: Dakota paper pack, Olive cardstock

Tools: Artiste Cricut cartridge, quilling tool, hot glue gun

Accessories: Burlap ribbon

One piece of advice I have for anyone wanting to make something like this...glue your leaves down first!  Then layer your flowers on top.
I...did it the other way around.  
I don't know what I was thinking when I did that, but that's what happened.


So if you'd like to join this week's challenge, head over to the H2H Blog and check out the other DT members' creations for more inspiration!

Heart2Heart Challenges Rules:

1.Use Close To My Heart products. Your project doesn't have to be 100% CTMH, but you must use some. After all, this is a challenge blog created and sponsored by CTMH consultants.
2.Incorporate this week's challenge...May Flowers!
3.Link your project back to Heart 2 Heart from your blog or online gallery. If you are linking from a blog, you must link directly to the actual post, not your entire blog.
4.You also need to mention Heart 2 Heart (H2H) in your blog post.
5.Finally, we ask that you consider turning off word verification, as it makes it easier for the design team (and others) to leave comments.


Happy Crafting!

Art with an Attitude Blog Hop

Welcome to the inaugural Stampers with an Attitude Blog Hop!  We are a team of Close To My Heart Consultants from all over the country that have a common passion...sharing CTMH!   This Blog Hop will showcase some very creative Art with Attitude, so get ready to be amazed.  First off, if you've come from Jen's Blog you've already seen some pretty wonderful creations.  So have a peek at my Attitude inspired art!

Attitude is a very...subjective word in our house.  Of course we want the boys to have a positive attitude at school,
a focused attitude at their sports
and a loving attitude towards each other.
(Not asking for much, am I?)

But I sometimes get more of the or a attitude that comes with budding adolescence.
And what has more attitude than boys having their picture taken!

Stamps: Later Sk8r WOTG

Inks: Slate, Pear, Outdoor Denim

Papers: Later Sk8r

Tools: Artiste Cricut cartridge

Accessories: Green and Blue Epoxy Bubbles



This is the layout featured in the Later Sk8r Workshop On The Go.  Perfect for some shots I took of my guys at the park one morning. 

And even though I may get the "Why do you need to take more pictures of us?"   attitude from them from time to time, I know they like looking at our scrapbooks.  And that's what matters!

Now off you go to Melissa's Blog to check out her Art with Attitude!  Happy Hopping!

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

May is a great month for several reasons.

1. School is almost over!   (That's also big with my boys so it goes on top of the list.)
2. My birthday is in May!  And do you know what that means? 
3. Mother's Day!
4. Family Reunion Time.  And that means road trip!

But before it's time for any of those fun things...it's National Scrapbooking Day!


So we here at Heart 2 Heart are sharing some of our favorite scrapbooking layouts from this year and years gone by.  Earlier this year, we anticipated watching the Comet Pan-STARRS.  We got all our gear ready...good tripod...batteries charged...and this is what happened.

 

 

 

They were a bit underwhelmed to say the least.
But that's okay...I still got some great shots of the boys being boys!

Inks: Sunset, Spring Iris (retired)

Papers: Black, White Daisy, Sunset, Spring Iris (retired), Silver Glitter cardstock

Tools: Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge, Opposites Attract Cricut cartridge, Martha Stewart Lattice Arch border punch, ruler, piercer, Spray Pen

Accessories: Black Glitter buttons, Black embroidery floss, Create-a-Shade Pearl Paint

Crossing our fingers Comet ISON later this year will be more exciting for them!

So what scrapping do you have planned today?  Whatever it is, have fun!!