a touch of spring

Just had to share our latest issue (March/April) of Paper Crafts Magazine. If you're aching for spring, then pick it up (or open it up!). It's jam packed with baby, bride and spring themes.




The bliss Wedding Gift bag on the cover is mine. I haven't been on the cover in awhile, so that was a nice treat for me. I loved using this October Afternoon paper for this project, the colors are lucious!

You're Invited...

I was chatting with Alice Golden this weekend about how much our "papercrafting for family" skills have waned over the years. Where we would once create elaborate ensembles for a birthday party, we're now lucky to get a proper invitation off.

It reminded me of my last-minute birthday party invitation I whipped up for Savannah's 12th birthday last year. I went to look at it, in my invite file (yes, I have one) and found a few others I took the time to scan and save. Thought I'd share them with you this morning.


We were going to see "Horton Hears a Who" for Savannah's birthday, so I grabbed some images from the HHAW website and created this very quickly on Photoshop. I added a little Ranger Glitter glue to the flower puffs (my only little 'touch') and I was done.



Here's another quick invite (I think they almost always are 'quick'. This is a few years old, but again, found a cute picture of a baby boy, did most of this on the computer, but did punch out a star and staple a little jute to the top. Sometimes my laziness amazes me :).



Another 'oldie'. This was another birthday party for Savannah, Hawaiian style. Both of these images are rubber stamps...way easy. I'm thinking now it would have been fun for Savannah to color in the surf boards, but if I remember correctly, it was pretty last-minute...again. Seeing a pattern here?


This was intented to be an email invite, so I created this in Photoshop. This is my handsome brother, Andy!




I love the story behind this invitation. One of Steve's co-workers was giving his wife a surprise trip to New York for Christmas and asked me to create a fun card to enclose the tickets in. Maybe I should make one for me and leave it on Steve's desk as a hint?



For a while, a few years back, I had a business making custom invitations & other papercrafting items. This was a very custom ensemble I made for a couple from Texas celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows. The ensemble included a save-the-date card, an invitation, a thank you tag (for the favor), knapkin holders (the wreath) and a memory album.



I made this pocket invitation for my son's wedding in 2005. We had a really short planning window, so I had to keep it pretty simple.


My sister-in-law had a bridal shower for Tiffany, but I offered to make the invites.



Lastly, I created a wedding announcement/invitation for my nephew. I did most of the work in Photoshop, but wow, with such gorgeous pictures it was pretty easy.

So, Alice, now that I've reviewed a few of my personal (non-published) creations, I realize that maybe I've haven't been quite so neglectful. Then again, I could always take it up a notch. Savannah's 13th birthday is less than 2 months away, so I'd better get started. Those notches always a lot of work!

One card 3 ways

Here's a super-easy slide card I designed for my Roberts class using a basic Oval shape. Don't you just love a card that uses so few pieces?



You'll need a

• circle stamp (ranging from 1 5/8" to 2")
• an 8" Oval shape (I cut mine with Cricut Expressions. You could, however, do the same thing with a manual oval cutter or just trace & trim.)
• 9" x 1 1/4" strip of patterned paper (stripes work well and contrast nicely with all the curved lines.
• 4 5/8" x 4" piece of neutral colored cardstock for the insert.
• 2" circle punch
• 2" circle in shadow mode with cricut Basic shapes cartridge.
• 2 1/2" scalloped circle punch (or any other shape, like the sun shape I cut with my cricut Accent essentials cartridge)

Just fold each short end of the oval to meet in the center. Just eyeball it, it's easier. Wrap and adhere the strip around the card.

Stamp image and punch it out with 2" circle. Mat with 2" shadow shape. Adhere to scalloped circle with 3-D squares and adhere to center of card. Slide insert in place.

I enjoyed making this card so much, I decided to switch out colors to create different themed cards for my stash. I never have enough man-cards!


And don't forget to turn it around for another fun look!

In the Pink

We had fun celebrating all that's cool about the color blue, but it's time to move on. It's warming up here in Utah...the snow is melting, my road has major ice pot-holes (it's an adventure getting down the street) and February is looming.

I love February. Mainly because it means January is over. It's all about anticipation. This is when I usually start to see my bulbs popping a little green out...teasing me. Yet, it is still winter and I have more time to play with paper.

What better way to do that then with Valentines? If you have young children, it's a great time to papercraft with them and create (instead of buying) their school valentine cards. If you don't, then I think it's a wonderful time to spread the love...for a neighbor, a friend, a sister, your Mom and your children (more on that later).

Here are a few projects I designed for my "In the Pink" class for Roberts Crafts.



Hope you can join me! My class schedule is as follows...

• American Fork, Tues. Feb. 3rd 7-9pm
• South Jordan, Wed. Feb. 4th 10-noon
• Provo, Tues. Feb. 10th 7-9pm
• West Jordan, Feb. 11th 7-9pm
• Orem, Thurs. Feb. 12th 7-9pm

10 things...

I did during the holidays...
1. sleep
2. eat
3. puzzles (4 altogether)
4. played games (new favorite - Blokus)
5. DVDs and Movies in theatre
6. read
7. played in snow
8. cuddled
9. hung out with friends & family
10. relaxed


Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, we spent a few days up in Midway with the Neals for New Years. Had a blast tubing (yes, it's hard work to be pulled up the hill). Had a perfect sleigh ride, complete with our guide "Sparky" who did cowboy poetry and sang to us and a yummy follow-up dinner at the Homestead. Played games, barely made a dent in the HUGE amount of food we all brought and generally just chatted, laughed and relaxed.


I hope your holidays were as wonderful as mine.

Now. Let's. Get. Back. To. Work. Papercrafting here I come!