doodlebug design : christmas photos

One of my very favoritest parts of Christmas are the photos --- namely our family photo that makes its debut on the cards we send to family and friends.   I put them all together in this cute little mini album, using a mix of board bases from doodlebug design. 

I used a camera doodad to focus on the photo portion of this mini album.  Then, I used the home for the holidays collection on each page.  I love the patterns of this collection, along with the mix of grey with red and green.   LOVE.

I also layered two board bases together, using foam adhesive tape to separate the layers.  I piled in white sequins behind a plastic sheet.  I just like how it reminded me of a camera and the tone-on-tone textures is awesome.

The opening page is this cute snowman, welcoming you to our book of memories.  I covered a shaped board page with patterned paper, then added stickers, brads and sprinkles. 

One holiday tradition that will never grow old is sending Christmas cards to family and friends.  A few years back, we decided that photo cards were the best suited for us and we've enjoyed them each year --- sending and receiving.   

 This is by far my favorite photo and page --- both came together very easily.  The K-girl was trying to kiss her resistant brother and it looks like she is strangling him.  Not funny, but it captured their personalities so well.   

Velvet letters and banner alphabets are perfect addition to this page.   The present brad was from several years back, but works so well with the touch of pink in the patterned paper. 

The almost-center page is a smaller page  and features two 4x6 photos from a photobooth session with our Cub Scout den.  I cut my hand in the photo to "hold" a pixie and added a pennant.

Our cards are printed 4x6 and are just perfect in this mini album.  I stitched a fancy frill sticker between the patterned paper and the photo.

Up to this point, our photos have already been taken.  This is a blank page for this year's photo.  Sure, I'm not sure what it will look like since we've not taken it yet, but it will work perfectly, I just know.  I cut the top of the tag off to make it a banner.

Super simple page for 2014 --- photo on left with doodletwine and the right page has a circular Santa sticker.   The smaller page in between these two was created by using pattern paper as the background, then layering it with washi tape of snowflakes and Christmas text.   I stitched a square over the tape and added the camera, to once again depict the phototaking of this album. 

I love that the book is already ready created and all I have to do is add this year's photo [and a photo from 2014, 2015 and 2016]. 

Have you created any Christmas albums this year?    I'd love to see them.  

doodlebug design : pixies

Fall weather has finally hit central Texas for a few days and it has me inspired to create with the beautiful hues associated with the season.  doodlebug design has a beautiful palette of brown, orange and gold with a pop of turquoise and lime green.   Beautiful. 

Let's talk pixies first.  Have you seen the new pixies?!   They are food-grade plastic straws similar to coffee stirrers.  But, they are sturdy enough to cut and can even be bent.  They are so very cute, are available in the doodlebug design rainbow of colors and can be used in so many creative ways. 

To create this bracelet for my daughter, I gathered a few supplies:

• safety pins
• pixies
• elastic cord
• button

Wrap elastic cording around your wrist to measure size, then add another two inches for knotting.  

Cut pixies into various lengths to fit your safety pins.   This creates "beads."  Open all safety pins and then add pixie beads.  Close.  Repeat oodles of times until you have enough to fit  to make the bracelet large enough to go around your wrist. 

Once you have enough pixie beads made, string them onto elastic cording --- one strand through the "eye" of the safety pin and once through the "loop."  Fasten off.  

I added a cute tree pin given at CHA, but you could turn a new doodlebug design doodad [think trendy flair or flatback pins] into a pin by adding a pin finding, available at craft stores.  

Other ideas for pixies jewelry projects:

• Cut pixies into beads and string on thin elastic cord to create single strand bracelet.  Make several and layer them up.
• Do the same thing on a smaller scale to make rings.   
• Sew pixies onto a leather cuff.  
• String cut pixie beads with seed beads to make necklace.  

Watch for more creative projects from the doodlebug design team.   Be sure to share your pixie creations with our team.  We love to see your creations!  

montana

 On June 19, my kiddos adopted a sweet little terrier from the local animal shelter.  It took us a few moments to fall in love and a few extra to get used to him.  He's quite the addition to our family.

Of course, I marked the occasion with a mini album.

For this one in particular, I used a tabbed create-a-card base for the small photos.  I used up some of the paper scraps I've been hoarding on my desktop.  

 Did you know that the pattern preview on the bottom strip of each doodlebug paper is the perfect size to make banners or flags?   They are; try it. 

A sweet mini album to showcase our sweet little pup. I am sure there will be many more paper crafts that will have our Montana in the spotlight. 

doodlebug design : campfire party

Life can always be s'more fun with a little creativity!

That is just what I did to create this little campfire/s'mores party.  It is stinkin' hot in Texas right now, and with a ton of mosquitoes, so it takes a lot to coerce us outside.  

The base of this party was the flowerbox collection.  Its palette is full of earthy tones and pops of color. 

There is just something so magical about twinkling lights.  Although we did not build a real campfire in the city, I did have a votive candle in a pretty crafted holder.


First party decor to set the mood of the party is the banner.  In this case, I made four banners to start this party.  The variety made the perfect backdrop for the table setting.   The top banner was made by folding white coffee filters in half, then cutting fringe along the half-circled edge.  I added flowerbox stickers to each of them and strung on doodle twine.  So easy.   The second banner is a string of paper lanterns in a variety of sizes and styles. The third banner was made with a scalloped circle punch and strung on twine.   The last one was using the flowerbox banner and ticket stickers, attached to skewers. 

Each banner was different, but each was super simple to make.

The place setting, too, was simple to piece together. I cut woodgrain patterned paper to 7x12 and cut two slits on the right side.  I added a sticker and brad, then the fork. 

These napkin rings make the table setting complete.   I simply cut a strip of cardstock, adding a small slit at the top.   I cut flames and a little tab for each to fit into the ring.

There you go, the table is set and the party is about to start.   But, don't forger the graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate bars for making your own s'mores. 

doodlebug design : big daddy & big bend

doodlebug design : writing with twine

If you are like me, you LOVE the rainbow of colors offered in the Doodlebug Design collections --- doodle twine included.  And, if you're like me, you might be stumped at ways to use all those cute colors of doodle twine.   

Today, I'm going to show you how to write with doodle twine.   

 

Yes, write.  It is super easy to do with the simplest of products.   

Gather the following: 

• your favorite doodle twine
• a scrap piece of paper
• a pen or pencil 
• an awl, paper piercer of stylus 
• liquid glue 
• embellishments to decorate your twine-written title 

Once you have your supplies gathered, you'll need to decide on a word to write.  For this tutorial, I chose SUMMER as my kiddos' will be enjoying summer vacation in two and a half days.   Summer, already.  

On that small scrap piece of paper, practice writing your word.   It's just get a feel of how you want it to look and to use as a visual reminder.   You'll use liquid glue to write a few letters at a time. 

 Now, take your doodle twine and start following the glue lines as if you were writing with a pen.  

You are using glue and it will be sticky, so have an awl, paper piercer or stylus handy to help hold the twine to the paper.

Continue with the glue and twine until you've completed writing your word. 

Once you've finished writing your word, let glue dry a bit, then add embellishments.   I used a doodle pop flower sticker and some adhesive pearls to dress up my word.

So, push your creativity and show off your handwriting -- in twine. 

Next up, you could even try the same with adhesive pearls and rhinestones.   How about writing a letter or a word with a line of mini brads?  

If you try twine-writing or use doodle twin in your crafty creations, please share with us.  We'd love to see your work.  

doodlebug design : make shift trampoline

The K-girl enrolled in gymnastics at the beginning of this year.  Since then, everything in our home has because a jungle gym or sort.  Everything.

All the time.

Here, she was trying to do a flip on my bed, from one side to the other.   She did it and was quite pleased.  I was, too, and pleasantly surprised that it didn't mess up the bed too badly. 

Love watching her do flips!  

[ ABOUT THE LAYOUT ]   I used Doodlebug patterned paper for the background then layered washi tape behind the single photo of my daughter.  I love that it is transparent, but packs a punch.  The little speech/thought bubbles were cut from patterned paper, too.  

soakin' up the sun.

I am not looking forward to the heat of the summer.

If you've ever lived or visited Texas during the summer months, which really is about May through October or longer, you know it can get hot. Hot. Makes me sweat just thinking about the near-90 temps we'll have at the end of the day.

But, the beach always makes things better.

This long-arm self portrait was taken on a visit to Rockport Beach a year or two ago. I can remember the warmth of the sun, the grit of the sand and calmness of the gulf water. I'm missing the sand and salty water and the relaxing moments.

I need a trip to the beach soon to rejuvinate.

And cool off.

[ ABOUT THE LAYOUT ] I rummaged through my Doodlebug Design paper scraps for a rainbow of colors. Using a 1" Fiskars square punch, I went to work punching oodles of squares, then cutting them in half diagonally. I lined them all up to mimick a chevron pattern, in my own hodge podge kind of style.

the end.

It seems so cliche to say that time has flown, but it sure has gone by in a heartbeat.  The years are passing in an hurry and I am not ready for that. 

The K-boy graduated from kindergarten in 2008. 

He is about to give a goodbye kiss to elementary school.  Fifth grade is winding down with lots of projects and field trips.  

Next year we'll be facing sixth grade.  Sixth.  

Sigh. 

Time flies.

But, we'll be thankful for summer break. 

SRM Stickers, Fiskars and me

I was given to opportunity to design some projects using the lovely SRM Stickers, the innovative Fiskars and my favorite Doodlebug Design.    It was so fun to mix and match all of their goodies to create these projects.

First up is a simple tube from SRM and my favorite Fiskars punches, the clouds.  How can they not make you happy?  I simply added a phrase sticker to the clouds and two more to the bottom of the tube.   So cute, so simple. 

Next project is just in time for a graduation.  This pillow box [clear -- oh my!] was filled with silver coins, then decorated with some twine, patterned paper and stickers.  A cute project does not have to involve a lot of time.  

The next project will be the perfect compliment to your Independence Day festivities.  Deck your picnic with red, white and blue and lots of cute goodies, too.  

And finally, a project that uses a vast assortment of stickers, patterned papers, tools and sweet photos.  It captures my family's everyday life.  I absolutely love adding glassine bags to this mini album.   LOVE.  

Thank you, SRM Stickers and Fiskars, for hosting me on your blog hop week.  I am blessed and so very excited about these projects and YOUR products!