Inexpensive Homemade Gifts

I have been racking my brain, trying to figure out what to make for teachers this year...then I found a great Youtube video from Rachel aka Scrapeahappy. She showed a fun way to make a card that fits a bottle of lotion and even demonstrated how to gift wrap it. Here's the video for it, you have to check it out :)

I knew that this was exactly what I wanted to make. I bought Suave lotion at Walmart for 98 cents each but when I made the first card, it was too tall for the card on the video, so I altered the score lines to fit the bottle.

I used my Daisy D's "Paisley Sugarplum" paper stack for all of the paper except for the Kraft Cardstock and the Kraft polka dot paper which is from DCWV. I used a Martha Stewart snowflake border punch for the bottom edge of the card flap. The snowman stamp is from Hampton Arts (I got it at Big Lots last year) and I altered the ovals to fit the stamp on my Gypsy (another reason that I LOVE my Gypsy :) I used George for the plain oval and Lacy Labels for the Scalloped Oval.

The bags and filler are from the Dollar Tree. I cut the tags for the bag from the Sweet Treats cartridge, it's my favorite cartridge for tags.

I plan on just giving the lotion to my coworkers but I'm going to include a gift card in the teacher gifts.

Thanks so much for stopping by! :)

Christmas Cards

Hey everyone! I know it's been a long time since I've posted but I'm hoping to get back to blogging :)





I wanted to post the video of my Christmas cards. I've made a lot of different versions of this card for Christmas, just using different papers. It's super easy to make and doesn't use a lot of supplies so it's perfect for this.

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Winter Layout for My Pink Stamper Challenge

Robyn, (My Pink Stamper) posted a challenge to make a winter project on her blog and I decided to join in on the fun. I just purchased a new sketch book..."Sketches for Scrapbooking, Volume 1" by Allison Davis and was eager to use it. I love it! Not only does it give you the exact dimensions for paper and photos, it also suggests what type of paper to use (small patterns, large patterns, striped paper, etc.). If you're interested in purchasing one of these books, you can buy them here. I am not being paid to say this, I was just super impressed and wanted to pass the word along :) I will definitely be buying the rest of the books over time.

I used a sketch from the book for this layout...


The paper is from last year's DCWV Christmas stack, the snowman stamp is from Inkadinkadoo and I used Prima pencils and gamsol to color it in. The metal snowflakes are from Oriental Trading, and the letters are Thickers. The metal tag is from American Crafts and I used my I-Rock to place the gems on the page (Love it!)

Thanks for stopping by!

A Stamped Flower Card

I was sitting in the house trying to soothe my sunburn last night so I decided to make a card (which always cheers me up :)



I used an Autumn Leaves Stamp Set for the flower stamp, the My Minds Eye "Home" Glitter paper stack, an Inque Boutique Thank You stamp, Martha Stewart ribbon, the Bow-Easy, and Close to My Heart Cocoa Ink.

Thanks for stopping by!

A ladybug card and video

So I was sitting at my scrapping desk today, admiring all of my new goodies and just had to make something with them! So here is my creation. I used my Gypsy to alter the ladybug from Just Because Cards Cricut cartridge...instead of circles on his shell, I used hide contour and made them hearts to match the patterned paper.

Have I mentioned how much I love my new Gypsy?! My mind is spinning with all the possibilities and creations to make with it. Stay tuned :)



Thanks for stopping by!

A Scrappy Haul :)

I haven't done a haul video for a while so I made one showing all my goodies from my recent shopping adventures. So fun!



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2 more Gypsy cards

I am having a blast with my new Gypsy...I just can't seem to put it down! Today I made 2 fun cutout cards. I used Gypsy Wanderings for the cherry card and Cherry Limeade for the bird card. I tried to make a video demonstrating one of them but my video program wasn't cooperating.

Thanks for stopping by!!

I'm so in love!!

I finally got my Gypsy today and I am wondering why I waited so long to get it! It took a lot to convince me that I wanted one but now that I have it, I know I will use it a ton. I'm figuring it out without too much trouble and it's so much fun! Here are the two cards I made with it so far...

My son is going to a birthday party tomorrow so I made this card for the birthday boy. This was the first time I welded...I welded the gift to the blue frame. (I used Gypsy Wanderings for the frame and the gift).

This card was made with 4 different cartridges. I've never used that many cartridges on 1 card before...it's too much of a hassle to switch them in and out. (The cartridges used were Just Because Cards for the Card and scallop, Create a Critter for the hippo and the word bubble, Gypsy Wanderings for the sun, and Plantin Schoolbook for the grass). I also used Joyslife stamps for the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cricut Lite Lovely Floral Card

Here is a card I made with the Lovely Floral Cartridge...I really love this cartridge. It has some very girly, cute shapes. It also has a very nice font (I haven't tried using that yet, so I'm not sure how it cuts). I also used the Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie paper pad which is SO adorable!

I did a tutorial video for this card, you can see it here...



Thanks for stopping by!

Carousel Layout

Okay, here's my layout using the Carousel cartridge...this was the one that I was most excited about when I saw the previews of the Lites. I love the shapes and the look of the font...but... the font was a nightmare! The top layer of the font was so thin and very difficult to peel off of the mat as well as adhere to the bottom layer. I cut my letters out at 1 1/2" and it was almost impossible. I think the letters would be much easier if you cut them larger and used cardstock for your top layer (I used patterned paper, which is much thinner).

I do love the end result but it took a lot more time than I prefer to spend on a layout. I went a little brad crazy on this one ;). Here's the video of me showing the details.



Thanks for stopping by!

Celebrate With Flourish School Layout

I don't think I will be able to pick a favorite out of my new Lite cartridges, I love them all so much! This one is just so versatile, it takes you through all of the Holidays and Seasons. I made this layout using the Becky Higgins School Expansion Kit that I got a few years ago. I also used my EK Success border punch to give some of the papers a "notebook" look.

Here is the video of me explaining it...



Thanks for stopping by!

Hoot 'n' Holler Card for MPS Color Challenge

I wasn't sure I wanted the Hoot 'n' Holler cartridge until I saw all the talented Youtube crafters showing their projects made with it. I am so glad I bought it, it is adorable! I made this card for the My Pink Stamper Color Challenge (which was a challenge to use green, pink, orange, and brown). This was definitely a stretch for me because I don't normally mix orange and pink...but I really like the end result.

I used the Hoot 'n' Holler cartridge for the owls on the branch (the layering was pretty easy) and Create a Critter for the word bubble. I used a Fiskars border punch (I think it's called "A Tisket a Tasket") for the pink paper. Here's a video with a little more explanation...




Thanks for stopping by!

Lacy Labels

I know that I'm going to use this cartridge a ton! It has beautiful shapes that will be great as journaling blocks on scrapbook pages and great on any card.

Here is the card I made...

I got an EK success cupcake punch at Michaels a few weeks ago and have kept it on my desk, vowing not to put it away until I used it. So I finally used it :) I really love how this card turned out. I used the leftover scraps from the Sugar and Spice card and also used some KI Memories ribbon and a "hey cupcake" stamp. Here's the video of me showing the card...



Thanks for stopping by!

Cricut Lite Cartridges Rock my World :)

Have you seen the new Cricut Lite Cartridges? Oh my, they are so great, I love them! My dearest husband spoiled me and bought me the ones I wanted the most and I'm so grateful! I am going to try to make a project with each one this week (I feel really bad when I buy something and then don't use it right away). So here is my first project...

I made this card from Sugar and Spice and was so simple! I cut all of the pieces out at 4" and glued them to a standard sized card base (4 1/4 x 5 1/2). I did have to cut the edge of the rectangle piece a little bit to fit nicely on the card (I cut about 1/8" off). You can see the card and the cartridges that I bought (and hear me ramble on ;) in this video.



This cartridge is definitely in my top 2 of favorite Lite Carts. It's so cute and versatile...you don't need to have a little girl to use this cart. Thanks for stopping by :)

Pink Stamper Challenge Number 11

This challenge was the trickiest one for me, it's called "Colors of the Rainbow" and you have to use all the colors of the rainbow in a project. I found the cute popsicle on my Just Because Cards Cricut cartridge and went from there. The ribbon is from American Crafts.
Thanks for stopping by!

Pink Stamper Challenge Number 12

This card is for the "Critter-licious" Challenge. Of course, I had to use the Create a Critter Cartridge, I couldn't resist ;) The little hedgehog is so adorable, I love her crooked smile! I used paper from the DCWV Flower Shower stack, a Cuttlebug embossing folder, a border punch from Martha Stewart, and the stamp is from Close to My Heart.

Thanks for stopping by!

Pink Stamper Challenge Number 10

This is the "May Day" Challenge and it was to create a "springy" project. I grabbed some spring photos and my DCWV Flower Shower stack and got started. Somehow it looks a little more summery to me, but I still like it :) I used my Create a Critter cartridge to make the sun and the "sunny days" title. The cardstock is from Core'dinations and I really love the vibrant colors and quality of this cardstock!

Thanks for stopping by!

Pink Stamper Challenge Number 9

This is the "Take Shape" challenge and it is to make a shaped card or layout. I grabbed my Sweet Treats Cartridge and made this yummy looking ice cream cone card. These shaped cards on Cricut cartridges are so fast to make, this card only took me about 10 minutes from start to finish (and I'm a slow card-maker). I used Stickles to jazz it up.

Thanks for stopping by!

Pink Stamper Challenge Number 8

This challenge is called "Love my Color" and it requires you to make a monochromatic project. I was originally intending to use pink but then I thought I'd stretch myself and use a color I rarely use...orange. The patterned paper is from the DCWV Flower Shower stack and the flower is cut from Sweet Treats. I used the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder to emboss the top of the flower and the ribbon is from American Crafts.


Thanks for stopping by!

Pink Stamper Challenge Number 7

This Challenge is called "Hey Dad". I made a card for my dad for Father's Day. I really love the Silhouette images on A Child's Year, so I chose one for this card. I am not a huge fan of making masculine cards, (I'm a girly girl) but I know it's something I need to do more of.

The patterned paper is from Cosmo Cricket and the stamps are from Anna Griffin.

Thanks for stopping by!

Pink Stamper Challenge Number 6

This Challenge is called, "Kids Craft, Too" and it's to make a project with a child or for a child. Since it's 1:30 in the morning, I decided to make a project for a child (well actually for 2 children :) I got these Vintage Findings trinket boxes at Michaels for super cheap in the fall and have been wanting to alter them for a while. I know my daughter will love finding things to keep in her box and my son will like his too.






Thanks for stopping by!

Pink Stamper Challenge Number 5

Okay, I skipped number 4. I think I'll go back to it later but wanted to try number 5 since I wanted to make another apple from the Preserves Cartridge. This challenge was to create a project for a teacher. I made this card for my son's first grade teacher, but I might have to make 3 more for my daughter's pre-school teachers. I really love how it turned out.

The apple is from the Preserves Cartridge and the Thanks cut is from Just Because Cards Cartridge (It cut out so cleanly I know I'll use that cut often!) Patterned paper is from Cosmo Cricket and the Ribbon is from Michaels (Dashes, Dots, and Checks).

Thanks for stopping by!

Pink Stamper Challenge Number 3

This is for the 3rd Challenge, "Thinking outside the box" I used aluminum foil as my item that I've never used before and it looked really cool when embossed with the Cuttlebug, but it was not easy to adhere and it looks kind of rough. Luckily it's for my son's birthday (which is tomorrow!) and he looks at the card for about 3.5 seconds before tearing into the present. (So I'm not going to sweat it ;)


I used the Sweet Treats Cricut cartridge and Cosmo Cricket patterned paper. Thanks for stopping by!

Pink Stamper Challenge Number 2

This card is for the 2nd Pink Stamper Challenge "Getting Scrappy". It required us to dig in our scraps and make a project. I forgot how many cute patterned paper scraps are in my stash! I used the orange Little Yellow Bicycle paper from the previous layout and some Fancy pants paper. I also used my favorite Cricut cartridge, Create a Critter for the adorable cupcake. The stamp is from Inkadinkadoo. Thanks for stopping by!

Another layout :)

I made this layout for a Fiskateer challenge to make any layout, I finished it at 5:03 and when I started to submit it, I realized the deadline was 5:00 :( Oh well, I'll share it on my blog...I love the patterned paper, it's from Little Yellow Bicycle and the butterflies are cut from the back of the orange paper. Thanks for stopping by!

My Pink Stamper Challenge

This is my card for the "Mother Dear, I love you so" challenge. I thought it would be a great opportunity to make my mom a Mother's Day card and to break out my new Preserves Cricut Cartridge. I am loving this cartridge...the layering is so cute and you can use fruit on a lot of projects. Thanks for looking!

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!!

I have been having a blast scrapping the day away today. I have been doing some of Robyn's (My Pink Stamper) challenges and hanging out at Scrapbook.com and Above Rubies Studio. It's one of my favorite days of the year :) I'll post my completed projects as I complete them. I hope you're having fun scrapping too!

Card for the My Pink Stamper Challenge

Robyn, the Pink Stamper, posted a challenge on her blog (www.mypinkstamper.com) to make a project using pink, green and black. I used my newest Cricut cartridge, Just Because Cards to make the watermelon and the scalloped rectangle behind it (I can see myself using that scalloped rectangle a lot in the future...it would be perfect for a journaling block)



The watermelon, layers, and scalloped rectangle are all cut at 4". The card is a standard A2 size (5 1/2 x 4 1/4) and I used glitter paper from my My Minds Eye Home stack. The ribbon is from Michaels (Dashes, Dots, and Checks)


Thanks for looking!

A (sort of ;) quick card

I was in a crafty mood today so I decided to make a birthday card for my best friend's 30th birthday. I used some things from my most recent shopping spree. After I made the video I tweaked the card a little to make it more to my liking. If you have any questions let me know. Thanks for visiting! :)

Super exciting News!

I got some super exciting news yesterday, I have been chosen to be a designer for a new club starting at Above Rubies Studio called Club Ruby!!! I am so excited and honored to be a part of Megan's team. If you have never been to Above Rubies Studio, you should definitely check it out Here. After seeing the design team announcements, and realizing that I was the only one without a blog, I decided that I should start one. So I hope you enjoy getting to know me, I look forward to getting to know you too!

Testing, testing, is this thing on?

I've finally decided to start a blog, so here I am. My name is Amanda and I am a wife and a mommy to two amazing children. My favorite thing to do is scrapbook. It is my therapy. When I'm having a bad day or feel down, I sit down at my scrappy desk and do something creative...it really helps. I will be posting some layouts and other fun stuff on here, so stay tuned.