February 2014 - My Paper Pumpkin

Today is gray and rainy here.  Everyone in my McFamily is trying to find a way to stay busy -  making breakfast and watching golf, watching movies, making bead necklaces, putting together baby equipment or reading.  Myself, I've been trying to scrapbook for about 4 hours and I've done one 8 x 8 Simple Stories page in Michael's 12 month book. 

Because my time is so not my own between Callie and Michael, I used the February My Paper Pumpkin kit to help me with the scrapbooking I can get done.  The kit came with 5 high quality kraft bags, ribbons and clothespins, baker's twine, letters & scallop die cuts, Pistachio Pudding Stampin' Spot, and 2 circular photopolymer stamps. 

I used one of the bags and hooked on the letters for "photo".  The bags assembled quickly and would be ideal for giving sets of cards to friends and families.  Personally, I'm using the bag I made for when I print out my photos for 2014 so I can write on them and then store them until I have another window to scrapbook.

Stampin' Up! is also allowing for current subscribers to purchase refills for past kits that they have received.  These bags are such great quality that I'm thinking of buying more to help with my holiday gifts!  Check out this link to see kits that are available for purchase!

Don't forget that you have two more days to enjoy Sale-A-Bration!

Have a craftastic day,
Stacy

Kid Friendly Crafting - Egg Carton Flowers

As I search for today's kid friendly craft to take to our play date, I thought I would post the craft Callie and I completed last week.  The project was inspired by this post found on Pinterest.

Step 1: Cut out all the cups from the paper egg carton.  Cut the sides into fours or eights depending on the size of the carton.  Bend down the edges carefully so they don't tear off.

Step 2: Put cling wrap around the other half of the egg carton and add your paint to it.  I recommend the Crayola Washable paints just for clean up purposes but I'm OCD that way!  :)  The plastic wrap keeps the paint from being sucked into the other half of the egg carton.


Step 3: Give your child the paint brush and the paint and let them go to town.  We used this craft to show how colors mix together to create other colors.

 

Step 4: Create a circle ring using cardboard.  Mine is about 12" in diameter but you can use any size you'd like.  A 12" ring will require about 15 cups. Paint and set aside. 

 

Step 5: Once painted, let everything dry.  Punch two holes to the top of the ring and thread a ribbon through it for hanging.  Use a hot glue gun to attach the individual flowers to the ring.

Step 6: Put Elmer's glue into the individual cups and pour in glitter, beads, buttons, or anything else shiny that the child enjoys! 

Callie is 3 1/2 years old and we came back to this project several times during the day.  She didn't have the attention span to do it all in one sitting.  But she has shown it off to everyone that has come to visit so she's very proud of it no matter how long it took!

Have a craftastic day,
Stacy

March 2014 My Paper Pumpkin Samples

A month ago, I brought a beautiful little boy into the world.  Between him and my very active pre-schooler that isn't in pre-school, my crafting times have been few and far between.  During this month, I have truly been able to embrace the My Paper Pumpkin product line that Stampin' Up! sells.  It has allowed me to get creative juices flowing while only having to break out a box and my scissors and adhesive.  It doesn't get easier than that.  If I want to follow instructions, I can.  If I want to get daring and do something different, I can do that too.  But all of that crafting energy is funneled into 30 minutes and leaves me with something to show for it and give away to someone else that might be having a hard time or a birthday or have something great happening in their lives too!

Whew, that was a long sentence!

I have two nieces getting ready to graduate from college and high school.  I cannot believe that as I look into the eyes of my own child born 1 month ago yesterday.  I am old.  But that isn't the point of the post - the point is that I will need to have some Congrats cards ready to put with their gifts since these are a few of life's milestones that cannot be ignored!

Thanks to My Paper Pumpkin, I have both of these events covered.  I also have several thank you cards ready for those that are helping with the baby or bringing out items to help my family.

This month's kit had supplies for EIGHT cards, two photopolymer stamps, two Stampin' Spots in Island Indigo and Calypso Coral, 8 gold inserts and envelopes, and embellishments.  That's quite the load!

The first cards I made were just like the samples in the instructions but I flipped the ink colors from what is on the instructions.

On this card I attempted to stamp the word cut element but I was crooked.  Yes, even with completely clear photopolymer stamps, I can be off-center.  Anyhow, I then dragged the word through the ink and attached it to the card.  The words are mounted on a piece of the gold insert that was cut down to 3 x 4.  I also stamped on the back of the insert and cut out an Indigo arrow to put on the bottom of the card.

The final card I finished was done with the Calypso Coral ink but is like the sample above, using the insert scraps and inking the wood element.

I hope you enjoyed these samples.  If you haven't yet joined My Paper Pumpkin, you can do so by March 31st and get a free set of 2012-2014 In Color markers with your Starter kit.  Check out https://mypaperpumpkin.com/en/?demoid=80380 for more information on this awesome promotion and product line.

Have a craftastic day,
Stacy