Graphic Print Card

The Bold Graphic prints on these cards add enough interest to stand on their own. This is some more paper that my sister sent me. I might need to order some paper from a bookbinding site instead of just using scrapbook paper. I really love the texture and the beautiful metallic colors.

Fussy Cut

I'm a little dissapointed with the pictures I took. You can't really tell I used a different technique for this card. It is called fussy cutting. The flower image isn't printed on the cardstock background.

I took a craft knife and cut the flower image out of cardstock and then adhered it to the background. It gives it a little more interest and I think it matches the background really well. The flower is edged in gold giving this card an elegant feel.

Beautiful Paper

I love paper. Sometimes I love a piece of paper I have so much I don't want to use it. That was the case with this paper. My little sister sent it to me. It was left over from her book arts class. I love it!

 Isn't the texture lovely? 

I don't think the pictures do it justice. The orange part is fuzzy and the gold is so pretty. The background paper as a linen feel to it. I think the paper used for a card makes the biggest impact. Even if it is just plain cardstock, good quality matters.

Mas-producible Card

This is one of my favorite layouts. I use it all the time. It allows me to use two kinds of decorative paper. I also love being able to add ribbon as an extra embellishment.

This card is very easy to mas-produce. I cut out all my card bases. Then I cut out the orange paper and striped paper. I used my scraps for my scalloped punch.

You can see more detail in this picture. I find it easier to make a bunch of the same card than trying to come up with different designs each time. There.....I've let you in on one of my secrets. That is how I get so many cards made.

I Love to See the Temple: DIY Kid Art

I saw something similar to this picture online. I've searched for a long time and haven't been able to find the original again. As soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to do something similar. We went to the Orlando Temple a few weeks ago and I was really excited to get the chance to take this picture. I added the text in photoshop. I am planning on printing it, framing it and then hanging it in my son's room. It was really easy to do. The hardest part was actually getting the boys to sit together for the picture.

DIY Peacock Costume

After I made the scorpion costume my sister asked me if I would have time for a peacock costume. She is lucky I got her costume done before I started the hedgehogs or she wouldn't have gotten it by Halloween.  I used THIS tutorial and added my own little variations. I purchased one yard of each color of tulle I used.

Her mask is from Party City. I might need to borrow that next year... it is gorgeous.

Hedgehog Costumes

A few months ago out of the blue my three year old requested to be a hedgehog for Halloween. I was really surprised. I didn't know he even knew what a hedgehog was. I thought he might change his mind so I didn't really think too much about it. He is a consistent little guy and never wavered on his determination to be a hedgehog for Halloween. At first I tried to think of how I would go about making his costume by myself. I just couldn't picture it. Then I searched pinterest and typed in a lot of different things into google and found Dahlhart Lane. Malinda already made an adorable hedgehog costume for one of her little guys. It was exactly what I was looking for. I found her Etsy shop and started communicating with her. Long story short, she is really awesome and sent me a pattern she made. She is working on converting all her costumes into patterns right now. I will be giving her some feedback for her pattern. It was wonderful working with her and I'm also a big fan of her site now.

Austin and Bennett couldn't be happier. They want to wear their costumes all the time now. Pretty much they just take them off to eat and sleep because I make them. We have been fortunate with the weather recently. It has been nice and cool 75 degrees or so instead of 90.

So now the big reveal..........

Sewing on those spikes took FOREVER...but they really do love their costumes and it makes me happy to see them enjoying being hedgehogs. Sorry for so many pictures. I'm still having fun getting to know my new camera lens. I also couldn't narrow it down. They are just so stinking cute!