Merry Christmas 2012

This year's Christmas Card

Inside of card: "Everyone needs a Stable background!"
With a verse that says: "He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge, the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure." Isaiah 33:6

The button and baby were cut out using MTC, print and cut on the Silhouette. They are raised with foam mounting tape.

All images are from "The Reason for the Season" set at Just So Scrappy.

Bubble Gum Pink

Bubblegum Machine Make Over

Another Pinterest inspired project...this time a gumball machine. I pinned this project last year sometime...and then was on the hunt for an old gumball machine at the garage sales last year to see if I could do something like it. During one of the last of the season sales, I found this!

Bubble Gum Machine Before

I took it all apart and cleaned it up.  (I worked on this as I was working on the chandelier...hopefully that explains some of the weird pieces.)

Tearing it all apart.

Then I spray painted the metal pieces. I chose not to paint the "works" of the machine because 1. I didn't refer back to the original pin to see that they had and 2.I wanted it to function and I was afraid the paint would jam the mechanism.

While waiting for the paint to dry, I worked...and worked...and worked on getting the Jelly Belly logo off the glass. THAT did NOT go well! I tried acetone, steel wool, turpentine, soaking it, scrubbing it, sanding it. I finally got most of the evidence off that the logo was ever there, but it left the glass scratched and foggy.

Final project.

I cut some coordinating vinyl to cover the scratched parts and labeled it treats. Had to take a couple of darts in the oval to get it to lay somewhat flat.

My sad attempt at the label.

Before and After

Gave this as a gift to my Sister in Law for her birthday. Thought it might be a good potty training tool filled with M&Ms for her toddler.

Saints

My brother and his wife just adopted a new baby boy...

Some friends threw a "Puppy Shower" for them. Because I make a baby plaque for each shower I go to, this was no exception.

I chalked the spots and then used flocking on top of that for the texture.

I even found a Bible verse for a Saint Bernard :)

I also went and found the biggest dog dish I could and decorated it with vinyl. It wasn't a shower gift...actually it was a birthday present for my bro, but thought I could share it here.

Bunny Birthday Party

My daughter just began raising English Angora Rabbits. We have enjoyed seeing the personality and interaction the two have. If you'd like to follow the adventures of Ruphenfeffer and Agnes, check out our blog, Hare Raising Joy. (Disclaimer...it's a brand new blog, so not much on it...yet.) For MJ's birthday, we stuck with a bunny theme.

Bunny Bum cake from Pinterest and the Betty Crocker Website

Extra cupcakes with "rabbit raisins"

The gluten free option of Bob's Red Mill Brownies, coconut and "rabbit raisins"

 This is one of the cards I made.

My Scrap Chick "Chubby Bunny"

 ...and another card. (It's supposed to be Ruphenfeffer :) ) I used eyelash yarn to line the edges in my attempt to make the bunny look like an angora. I also ran the ears and nose through the Xyron to apply adhesive then sprinkled them with black flocking.

My Scrap Chick "Spring Faces" 

Here's a sneak peak at the "real" bunny.

Baby Plaque to Match Carter's Jungle Jill Nursery

 A friend of mine is due to have her fourth baby--third girl--any day. She had chosen a more neutral theme for the first three. But since this is the last baby in her plan she figured she'd go all out with "girly." She found this bedding set from Carter's called Jungle Jill. Here is my attempt at coordinating with it.

 I went through several different thought processes and versions. This one below is one I chucked. Somehow it didn't capture the simplicity of the nursery set. Overall I'm very happy with the one I gave her. She seemed to appreciate it too.

Didn't keep this one...just wasn't right.

Lil' Pumpkin Card

I made this card to cheer a special someone up.

Girl is cut from My Scrap Chick "Harvest Kids" Set

To make the background, I used a one inch square punch and went to town on my yellow scraps. I then arranged them on a sheet of printer paper...glued 'em all down...used my Spellbinder label die to cut out the collage and then ran it through the Cuttlebug with the Square Lattice Texture Embossing Folder from Stampin' Up! to give it texture. After all that, I sponged the edges with distressing ink to help finish it off.

Chandelier Make Over

I've seen so many chandeliers on Pinterest, made over to be cute, fun, repurposed (cupcake holders, anyone?) and just plain cool. I've been itching to try my hand at revamping one. I added it to my garage sale finds wish list. Finally, I stumbled across one. I splurged and spent the dollar they were asking. Didn't even try to chew the seller down. I know, I know, could have saved a quarter.

I took it all apart, removed all wiring and scrubbed the fixture with a toothbrush. I tried really hard to keep the pieces together in order...I was mostly successful...glad I had a before picture to help with the reassembly, though.

Somehow I lost all the photos of the paint job...I'm pretty sure I took some. Imagine if you can...

• a wooden swing set, with the swings flipped over the top so they'd be out of the way
• a dull bronze chandelier hanging from the "eye" of one of the swings with a bungee cord
• a sheet that has seen other spray paint jobs spread neatly under the chandelier
• a sheet that was spread neatly, rumpled by the slight breeze
• a can of metal primer spray paint
• a chandelier sprayed white with primer
• another can of spray paint...with a pink cap
• a chandelier sprayed pink, but definitely needing another coat
• a more evenly covered paint job...boy getting the underside is tricky!
• a chandelier left to dry

Next came the actual spendy part...adding the bling. Went to the local craft store, hauling my project. I spent quite a bit of time sitting on the floor in front of the beads trying to figure out how many I needed and how best to cover all the spots for the bobbles. There were 55 in all! I'm really glad that J's was having a sale, because I donated an arm and a leg for those sparklies! I got out my daughter's beading supplies and went to work.

I really wanted to use tea cups for the tea lite holders, but wasn't having much luck finding the perfect set of them. I finally decided to use tea lite cups. I dipped the rim in matching paint and hung them upside down on small bottles to dry. I glued them to the chandy with E6000.

 Now my project needs a new home. I've listed it on Craig's List, but kinda high priced because of the beads. We'll see if I can sell it. Sure was fun to put together though!

Pumpkin Decor

Vinyl + fake pumpkin = quick and easy decoration.

Easy Peasy Cake Card

Here's a quick card, inspired by, what else?...Pinterest :)

This Little Piggy

...went to the bank.

Haven't made too many baby plaques lately. There's been a lull in "babies" lately. Instead...all of last year's arrivals are turning one. It's hard to believe! For one of the parties, instead of gifts, they asked for donations to World Vision to buy a goat for a family. Well...giving just plain money isn't very fun for me...so I try to think of creative ways to do it.

For Addison's birthday, I found this cute little piggy bank in the Target Dollar Section. I added her name in vinyl and filled it with some pennies.

Target dollar bin piggy bank.

Addie cut from vinyl, using PeggyFont in Make the Cut with my Silhouette Cameo.

 Happy Birthday, Little Addie!

Elias

Here's another baby gift..This one is for baby Elias. The turtle is a freebie from SVGCuts . The firefly is from Doug's Bugs at Lettering Delights.

Family Portrait

To celebrate a friend of ours, graduating with his Master's of Divinity, we wanted to do something special for his family. We put together this paper doll portrait of his family. I couldn't have done this without my daughter's help. She considers the girls "the sisters she never got" and thinks the world of them. She knows their likes, personalities and what makes them special. It was a fun project to do. (And according to the Mrs. in the picture, it was well received!)

 

The Mr. and Mrs.

 The Girls

Gluten Free, Sugar Free and Fat Free "Cake"

Made this "cake" for my husband...he loves Diet Mtn Dew. Our family has several food issues. This cake covered something for everyone. The kids helped me set it up and light the candles right before he got home. It was a fun surprise when my honey arrived home from work, on his birthday.

To make sure I had enough cans, I drew circles in Photoshop and arranged them. Then I patiently watched sales to get the best deal on the pop. My daughter asked for a corner piece. :)

Elephant Baby Plaque

While waiting for an appointment with my OB when I was expecting, Disney's Dumbo was playing in the waiting room. It was the scene when Dumbo gets to see his mom while she's in "jail". As "Baby Mine" was playing, I was an absolute wreck. Crying my eyes out. I still tear up at that scene even without the extra emotional mess of not being pregnant! I found an adorable elephant set from My Scrap Chick, that reminds me of that moment in the movie. I just gave this plaque to a friend expecting her first little one.

Operation Card

My youngest brother just had an emergency appendectomy. He's doing well recovering, but I thought he could use some cheering up. The game of Operation came to mind...

and then as the cogs started turning, I could see this card quite clearly. Spent some time this morning putting it together. I used the Cricut cartridge, Paper Doll Dress Up, for most of it. I did squish the hair and boxers in Cricut Design Studio and added the appendix hole. I hand cut the tweezers and added a "spring" with a couple of fan folds. I used Glossy accents on the nose and then used a pop dot under it to raise it, hoping it would simulate the light. Inside I put "bzzzzzzzzz" since I remember, as a kid, leaping out of my skin when I'd hit the side during a "surgery."

My Daughter's Design

My teenage daughter has many talents! One of which she's been honing is drawing. We saw an adorable giraffe on Pinterest. It was a card, when I went to the link, the creator of the card had linked to the site that was selling the giraffe rubber stamp. I really wanted it! But alas, it was outdated and no longer available. Cue my daughter..."Mom, I think I can draw that."

And she did. Then she thought...he needs some friends...so she drew a couple more jungle animals...

Then...we scanned them...messed around with Photoshop Elements...and then Make-the-Cut...and made die cuts out of them...

Then we put 'em together for a jungle themed plaque for a good friend. (The monkey and foliage are all from My Scrap Chick.) Can't wait to welcome little Aaralyn Blyss!