Creating Me

Spool Key Ring

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Anita

I’ve seen so many cute things made with wooden spools…this key ring is one of my favorites! They are so easy to make and you can personalize them using different charms.

I found my charms at Bohemian Findings on Etsy. This shop has tons of different themed charms, great prices, and quick shipping! I will be ordering from them again 🙂 The “made with love” charm is from Hobby Lobby.

I got these locking key chains from Amazon. The wooden spools are 3/4-inch tall and available at Michaels and Hobby Lobby or your local craft store. This key ring is a sewing theme (I also included a tiny key charm) and I found this great ruler ribbon at Hobby Lobby.

The first thing I did was cut a small piece of ribbon to wrap around the spool. Then I inked both the ribbon and the spool with brown ink to give it a bit of an aged look. I glued the ribbon to the spool.

You’ll need to take the jump ring off the bottom of the key chain. Be sure to twist it open and not pull it open. Thread the chain through the spool and slip the jump ring back on. Before twisting the jump ring closed, slip the charms onto the ring; I like to put 2 on each side. Then twist the jump ring closed. And that’s all there is to it!

And here I am all set to make my next key ring!

I’m using mine to corral all those little shopper’s savings cards. It would also make a great gift for the new driver ~ personalize it with charms just for her. These are so easy and inexpensive that they would make a great “just thinking of you” gift 🙂

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

Posted in Gifts | 1 Comment

My Dad

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Anita

This is a very personal post. Quite unlike my normal posts. Just sharing my heart.

My wonderful Dad passed from this earth one month ago today, June 20th. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss him…let me tell you a little about this most amazing man.

He was a family man: husband, dad, “Pa” to his grand and great grandkids, uncle, brother, and son. He was a friend and Korean War veteran. He was a French Horn player for most of his life, playing in the Michigan City Municipal Band for 52 years! He was a humble man who did so much during his life. You can read more about his life here if you’d like. He never thought he was doing anything special ~ just living his life in the best way he knew how. He loved his wife, family, and country. He made so many sacrifices so we as his family could have everything we needed.

He, along with my Mom, taught us the value of faith, family, and hard work. I remember walks through the cemetery with him where we would make the rounds of the family graves and he would tell me about each person. Family always meant so much to him. He worked hard while we were growing up, but was home for dinner nearly every night. He was always there when we needed him and always had time for us.

I think that maybe I inherited my love of travel from him and my Mom. Every summer we would take a family vacation. Sometimes small, sometimes bigger, but always somewhere to get away from the hustle and bustle of every day life. We had great times traveling in the old station wagon, fighting over who would sit in the rear facing seat!

Dad was a proud veteran of the Army Military Police during the Korean War. He served his country well for 18 months and came home to marry the girl waiting for him. That marriage lasted 60 years!

Dad was not one to talk on the phone and would usually find an excuse to hand the phone to Mom after just a few minutes talking with me. Our last phone conversation was just over a week before he died. He told me then, “everything is in order”. It broke my heart. But it also opened the door for me to ask him a question ~ not because I didn’t already know the answer, but because I wanted the comfort of hearing him say it. I asked him if he believed that Jesus died on the cross for him. He unhesitatingly answered “Yes”. Not a surprise to hear his answer ~ he was a man of faith. But what a comfort to me. Because I believe the same, I know that one day I will be together with my Dad in heaven. Dad is there now ~ no more pain, no more suffering. As he would say… “It’s more better”.

I am still heartbroken over losing the very best Dad. But what a blessing to love someone so much that saying goodbye is so very hard.

I can still hear him say “So how’s Anita doing?”…well, Dad, its been so very hard…but little by little, day by day, it’s getting “more better”.

Always in my heart, Dad ~ I love you!

Anita

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

It’s 165 days until Christmas…

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Anita

…and we all know how fast that time will fly by!!! I found these plastic candy canes at the after Christmas clearance sale at Michaels last year. I wanted to alter them from the traditional red and white for a more vintage look. I found some great spools of twine, also at Michaels, in natural and turquoise that were perfect for what I had in mind.

I started by putting a strong glue that dries clear (I like Crafter’s Pick) on the bottom of the candy cane. I wound the twine into a tiny circle (no need to cut the twine, you can just continue wrapping from here), glued it to the bottom of the candy cane, and held it there for a couple of minutes to dry. Then I added a little more glue up the sides of the candy cane and just started wrapping the twine tightly around the candy cane. Continue wrapping around the curve to the other end. I added glue on the sides near the end to keep the twine in place. Finish the wrapping by making another tiny circle and glue it in place on the end. Before tying the wrapped candy canes with linen ribbon, I added a drop or two of glue to hold them together. I tied a turquoise button with natural twine and glued it to the center of the bow

Attach an ornament hanger to the back and these will look so pretty on your tree. Or maybe fill a cute basket with them. You can also use them individually instead of tying them together. There are so many beautiful colors of twine out there, so pick your favorite colors and start wrapping :).

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

Posted in Christmas | 2 Comments

Christmas in July

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Anita

It is definitely Summer in Alabama!! Hot, hazy, and humid ~ very thankful for air conditioning ;). I thought I’d try to cool off a little with thoughts of Christmas and share these fun ornaments.

The snowmen images are Snow Peeps from Unity Stamp Company. I have to admit I have a whole collection of these stamps. They are just so cute that I couldn’t decide on just one :).

So here’s what you’ll need :

Snow Peeps stamps from Unity Stamp Company
White, red, and blue card stock (or colors of your choice)
Black ink (I used Memories dye ink)
Copic markers (or your favorite coloring tools)
Round plastic fillable Christmas ornaments (you can find these at your local craft store)
3.5-inch circle punch and 3.5-inch scalloped circle punch from Marvy Uchida
Clear glitter glue (optional)
Artificial snow
Glue that dries clear (I like Crafter’s Pick)
Ribbon for hanging
Snowflake buttons (optional)

Stamp snowman on white card stock. Color and punch out with circle punch. Punch out scalloped circle from colored card stock and attach stamped circle to this piece. Accent with glitter glue, if desired, and let dry. Put a small amount of artificial snow in half of the ornament. Put a thin bead of glue around the edge of the ornament. Carefully place the scalloped circle on the ornament, keeping snow inside and making sure the snowman’s head is lined up with the top of the ornament (don’t ask!!). Let dry. Thread snowflake button onto ribbon and tie onto ornament for hanging.

These are so cute on your tree, but you could also use them on a wreath or garland. Maybe personalize them for all of your favorite peeps! Happy Christmas in July!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

Posted in Christmas | 1 Comment

Mr. & Mrs.

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Anita

Summer often means wedding season. This is a quick and easy wedding card for that special Bride and Groom.

Here’s what you’ll need:

White and black card stock
Floral embossing folder from Cuttlebug
Mr. & Mrs. stamp from amuse studio
Oval punch and scalloped oval punch from Marvy Uchida

Attach a black card stock panel to a white card. Emboss a white card stock panel with floral embossing folder and attach over black panel. Punch scalloped oval from black card stock. Stamp “Mr. & Mrs.” with black ink on white card stock, punch out with oval punch, and attach to black scalloped oval. Attach to card with pop dots.

So simple and elegant ~ and it comes together in just a few minutes! You can also change the colors to match the color scheme of the wedding.

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

Posted in Cards | Leave a comment

Muslin Flower Jelly Jar

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Anita

This cute little jar was one of the first projects I made after discovering Pinterest a few years ago. I thought maybe I should justify all the hours I spent pinning by actually making something 😉

I followed the instructions by a fellow pinner found here to make the muslin flower. Using my scalloped circle Spellbinders die, I cut the muslin with my Cuttlebug. Using a smaller die, I cut the center from burlap and sewed it on with a cute button.

The little jelly jar is made by Ball. I found mine at Walmart. They come in a package of four and are with the canning supplies. I traced the jar lid onto brown card stock, cut the circle out, and glued it to the lid. Then I glued the flower in the center. I attached dotted grosgrain ribbon to the band. I made a bow with the same ribbon and attached it to the band. The tag was made with the Tiny Tags stamp set and punch from Stampin’ Up and tied with twine around the bow.

I use my cute little jar to display shells we collected on one of our beach trips. Use your jar to display your favorite treasures. Or make one to give as a little gift. Or maybe favors for a party. The possibilities are endless…

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

Posted in Decor, Organization | 1 Comment

Just For You

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Anita

Kraft and white. I love this combination. It’s clean, crisp, and just perfect! This card can be used for so many different occasions and can be put together in just a few minutes.

Heres’ what you’ll need:

Kraft card stock and a scrap of white card stock
Label Love stamp set and matching punch from Stampin’ Up
Chevron ribbon from Stampin’ Up
Scalloped circle punch and circle punch from Marvy Uchida
Floral embossing folder from Sizzix
Dotted embossing folder from Cuttlebug
White ink and white embossing powder

Emboss a panel of kraft card stock with floral folder and attach chevron ribbon. Attach panel to a kraft card. Punch out a scalloped circle and emboss with dot folder. Punch a smaller circle of white card stock and attach to the scalloped circle. Attach this piece over the ribbon with pop dots. Stamp “just for you” with white ink on kraft card stock and emboss with white powder. Punch out and attach with pop dots to white circle. And that’s it ~ you’re done!

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

Posted in Cards | Leave a comment

My Favorite Oatmeal Cookies

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Anita

I wanted to share my very favorite Oatmeal Cookie Recipe with you. It came from this little booklet that my Mom put in my Christmas stocking over 30 years ago. The booklet was printed in 1980 ~ I’m not sure what year she actually gave it to me, but good recipes never get old! It also has a great Snickerdoodle Recipe, but that’s for another day…

Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
1 cup melted margarine
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups oatmeal

Beat sugar, margarine, and eggs together.
Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda and add to first mixture.
Add oatmeal and blend completely.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet (or use nonstick baking mat) leaving 2 inches between each cookie.
Bake in 350°F oven 12 to 15 minutes.

These are great as simple oatmeal cookies or you can add m&m’s to the batter like I did here. This batch was going to a summer picnic so I used the seasonal red, white, and blue m&m’s.

And here are the yummy cookies fresh from the oven!

Another option is to add a cup (or 2) of chocolate chips, a cup of raisins, or both to the batter before baking. Our favorite is to add both!

This recipe makes about 5 to 6 dozen cookies which is a good thing because they will go fast!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

Posted in Recipes | 5 Comments

Published!!

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Anita

So excited to have one of my cards published in the June/July/August issue of Take Ten Magazine!! Every quarter they have a sketch challenge that I try to enter and they picked one of my cards this time…so fun to see one of my creations in print 🙂

You can find my card on page 118 along with simple directions on how to create it. The stamps, punches, and embossing folder are all from Stampin’ Up with the exception of the heart, which is from Fiskars, and the scalloped oval punches, which are from Marvy Uchida. (I found my heart and oval punches at JoAnn Fabrics and Hobby Lobby. I’ve had them a long time, but I think they are still available.)

This was a super fast card to put together – just what the Take Ten Magazine is all about! If you’re a card maker, I highly recommend this magazine for inspiration!!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

Posted in Cards | 2 Comments

Cute Baby!

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Anita

It’s always so much fun to welcome new little ones to the world! This sweet card is just the thing to say hello to that cute little baby 🙂

I stamped the onesie on chevron patterned paper with brown ink and then die cut it. Both the stamp and the die are from Hero Arts. I attached silver brads for the snaps. The cute little rubber duck is an old stamp from PSX (Personal Stamp Exchange). Sadly, they went out of business but I’m sure there are lots of other cute rubber duck images out there! He is colored with Copic markers and attached to the onesie with pop dots.

The embossing folder, dotted scallop ribbon border punch, banner punch, and Banner Banter stamp set are from Stampin’ Up.

To put the card together, emboss a white panel and attach to a light turquoise card. Punch a ribbon strip from the same color turquoise card stock and attach over the embossed panel. Stamp the banner with turquoise ink and “cute baby” with brown ink, then punch out. Attach to the card, tucking the top edge under the dotted ribbon strip. Attach the onesie with pop dots.

The colors can easily be changed for a little girl. Or maybe change the rubber duck to a heart or an initial for that special little one.

Thanks for stopping by,

Anita

Posted in Cards | 3 Comments