Etsy LOVE Blog Hop

Valentine's day is my favorite holiday and it is approaching fast.  I start looking forward to Valentine's day immediately after Christmas.  This year as I was taking down the Christmas tree I was already thinking of what Valentine treats the girls and I would be making for their teachers and classmates.

Since discovering Etsy I now have a huge shopping venue to look for special and unique gifts and Valentine themed inspiration.  This year I've been on a Woodland animal kick.  I'm not sure what Valentines and little spiny hedgehogs and fluffy squirrels have in common, but they just seem to go together.  One of my hedgehog cards was featured in a treasury over Christmas and also included was an adorable hedgehog mug.  I of course had to check out the shop and I found a large variety of cuteness. 



Photo taken by the artist (Abby Berkson Designs)



The studio is Abby Berkson Ceramics and contains assorted bowls, mugs and pictures with Abby's cute little hand drawn animals creations.  There are squirrels, penguins, hedgehogs, foxes, and more.  All the pieces are handmade by her and start from a lump of clay.  She hand draws each of the designs and everything is fully functional and one of a kind.  I have seen her work first hand, and it is awesome!  Sturdy, smooth and safe to use in the microwave and dishwasher.

  

Photo taken by the artist (Abby Berkson Designs)

She has an "animals in love" series in her shop right now.  Any of these pieces would be perfect as Valentine's day gifts.  Guess what?? Most of her little animals are woodland themed!!  I absolutely love her little hedgehogs, but these little squirrel and chipmunk caught my eye as well as the adorable foxes (as you know from my previous posts are my newest obsession.)

So as part of the blog hop we were supposed to pair gift item from Etsy to one of our own Valentine cards.  Well why not stick with the woodland theme?  My set of 6 mini Valentines would go perfectly with any of her woodland mugs and bowls.  They are small enough to tuck into gift bags and boxes and you can match up the the little creature with whatever animal you choose to put on your mug or bowl.   

 

These mini Valentine's are 3 inches square and come 6 or more to a set.  If you'd like a more personalized message I can change it to whatever you'd like it to say. 

So take a little time this week and browse the Valentine selections in this Etsy Greetings blog hop and on Etsy.  You're sure to find a special creation and card to spread the Etsy LOVE this Valentine's.

 



Crafting with Kids - Get in those submissions

Today is the final day to submit to my Crafting with the Kids Challenge.  There are no entries yet, so you have a great shot at winning the 7 free digis from Bugaboo Digi Designs.  All you have to do is create a Valentine with a child.  This Valentine could be for anyone including Dad, Grandma, their teacher, a classmate.  Take a few minutes today to get the kids involved and get crafting.  For submission information and additional guidelines view the original post here.

Another quick update...
There will be no Silhouette Sunday feature today.  I will be preparing for a very special Valentine Blog Hop that starts tomorrow.  So check back tomorrow to see some fabulous Valentine features from the Etsy Greetings Team.

Little Lamb Birthday Card

Just a quick post today to share the first birthday card I worked on this weekend.  The little lamb is ready to party, and it is customized for a little one's first birthday.  I'm submitting this to the Bitten by the Bug 2 Numbers challenge.

Products used:

Cardstock - Bazzill
Lamb shape - Birthday Bash Cartridge

New Valentine Cards and a Couple Challenges

I found some new Valentine paper at the store on Friday that I just had to have.  I loved the red, pink, and gray color combination in this Echo Park paper line.   I had to take a few minutes to do a little creating.  I am still working on my "Use it up" goal that I mentioned in an earlier thread, so all three cards have a common paper theme.  I wanted to use up as much of the paper as possible.  Two of the designs were created for some challenge this week.

First I wanted to talk about "Love you - Forever" card (third in line).  I used this sketch from iheart2stamp's January sketch challenge.  Special touches included the raised scallop circle, buttons, and the double layered ribbon.  I really like how the black backing makes the colors on the patterned paper pop.  This one is also being entered in the Just Us Girls color challenge #120 for the pink, red, and white color combination.

The second card was made for the sketch challenge over at MojoMonday.  I had a hard time incorporating the vertical ribbon down the side so I ended up using the neutral twine and bow with the diecut keys.   I don't usually use a stamp for a border especially one that wasn't meant to be a border, but I especially like the white XOs border I stamped along the black cardstock border. The crisp white pigment on the black cardstock really stands out.

Products used on all cards:
Patterned papers: Echo Park
Cardstock: Bazzill
Sentiment stamps: Papertrey Ink
Die cuts: Cricut (Create a Critter and Winter Woodland)

Challenges submitted for:



 

Don't forget to check out my Crafting with the Kids challenge I have going on right now.  Make some Valentine cards with your kids and enter them to win 7 Digi stamps from Bugaboo designs.  If you've missed it find out all about it here.

Baby Shower Gift Guide - Silhouette Sunday

It's Sunday again and this past week I've been collecting silhouettes with a baby theme.  I thought I'd put together a Baby Shower Gift Guide with a silhoutte theme.  I think I've found some lovely handmade creations to share with you.  I "almost" wish we were decorating a nursery again, so I could do a little shopping myself.

First off I adore these pillows.  They would make a great shower gift to use to decorate the nursery.  Heidi can customize it by adding the babies name to the pillow too.  I can picture this sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of the room.  So sweet. You could find out more about them at Heidi Devlin Home on Etsy.

Know someone expecting a boy?  The moustache is one of the current popular.  What little man's wardrobe would be complete without a moustache.  This little onesie and moustache silhouette would make a great shower gift for the trendy mom.  Stop by RaeGun on Etsy and check out their line of moustache onesies as well as other baby goodies.

I found two great silhouette style artwork for the nursery.  I couldn't decide which one to share, so I'll just show you both. 

This first one features a very clean woodland scene. It would make a fabulous focal point of a nursery wall.  SugarFresh offers this design in a couple different colors to fit with you nursery design.

This second one is a row of birds on a line.  They come in a variety of colors as well.  I love how Pitter Patter Press incorporated the alphabet into each of the birds.  It turned out so cute and colorful.

Lastly to finish off your baby shower shopping you will need a card to go with the gift.  A fellow designer on the EtsyGreetings team, MollyLee shared this popup silhouette card with me the other day.  Such a simple and clean design with a witty message.  It would be perfect for a boy or girl.

I hope you enjoyed another Silhouette Sunday.  Check back next week for some more handmade creations and fabulous silhouettes.

Crafting with the Kids Sponsor!!

Have you made your weekend plans yet?  How about fitting in some time to make Valentine's with your kiddos.  Take one hour of your weekend and do a little crafting with them.  They would love to spend some time with you!  Now if that isn't incentive enough I have some fabulous news.....

Tammy at Bugaboo Digi Stamps has generously agreed to sponsor the Crafting with the Kids Challenge.  That means that the winner gets 7 free digis from her fabulous selection of designs.  I've been browsing through her designs and they are fabulous.  Seven choices would be enough for you to choose some and for your child to choose one or two as well. Stop by and check out her website for some fun and inspiration.

Crafting with the Kids Challenge #1 - Valentine's cards

It's finally here....

The first Crafting with the Kids Challenge is to create Valentine's cards.  Remember you must include a child in the crafting process.  You can read and review the rest of the rules on my previous post found here.

So... while your making Valentine cards anyway I wanted to share a great cause you could help support.  I found a post on the Moxie Fab World blog about Winter's Valentine Card Drive.  She is collecting cards to send to 4 different children's hospitals in the United States.  Check out the guidelines and find out how to send her some cards.  She must receive the cards by January 31st, so if you are wanting to support this worthy cause don't wait.  This challenge is the perfect opportunity for the card drive.  What could be better than kids making cards for kids?

I sat down with my girls earlier this week and we worked on several cards for Winter's card drive.  I wanted them to be able to do their own thing, but the controlling side of me wanted the cards to look at least semiprofessional.  We came up with a compromise.  Take a look:

I cut the base paper and chose the different paper combinations, and they got to do the illustrations.  I've found that is the number one most important rules in crafting with your kids.  Be prepared!!  I had all the paper precut including the white pieces they drew on.  I prestamped the sentiments and had everything ready to go before I even told them that they were going to make cards.  If you aren't used to including your kids in crafting trust me... you will save yourself A LOT of headaches by having it preplanned.

Jilly (2 years) working on her "hearts"

Her finished Valentine card.

Addy (4 years) finally getting to use mommy's glue.

Bailey's (4 years) cat card she drew herself.

We ended up making 10 cards in all to send to Winter for the Children's hospitals, and we also had a great time together.  Check out these faces!!

Now it's your turn. 

Once again your challenge is to create Valentine cards with a child  (your own, a grandchild, niece, nephew, neighbor...)  Post photos on your blog or online gallery and link back to me.  Please spread the word and have fun!

Challenge Rules:

1. You and a child must create a new Valentine card.  
2. Post a picture of the finished project and hopefully a few pictures of the kids working on the projects on your blog or photo gallery.
3. Display the challenge title Crafting with the Kids Challenge #1 and link back to this post on your blog.
4. Link up directly to your project page using the Linky Tools at the bottom of this post.
5. If you share your project in any photo galleries please use the keyword or tag CWTK#1.
6. Spread the word!! If you think this is a worthwhile challenge please spread the word.  I'm just starting out, but I think this could be a very rewarding challenge for all involved (especially the kids.) 

Deadline:

You will have 10 days to get crafty and link up your projects.  All entries must be submitted by midnight on Sunday, January 29th.  One winner will be drawn randomly and posted on my blog by Wednesday, February 1st. 

The Prize:The lucky winner will receive a 7 free digis donated by Bugaboo Digi Stamps. Check out the awesome designs on their website!! You could even let the kids pick out their favorite designs to use on your next craft.

 

Have fun crafting with the kids!

Introducing... Crafting with the Kids Challenge!!

Welcome to my first ever blog challenge!  I hope you can participate and of course have lots of fun.  The whole purpose of the Crafting with the Kids Challenge is to get our children involved in crafting.  I know my girls always find a place at the table or on the floor while I'm working.  They pull out their crayons, patterned paper, and scraps I have left on the floor and end up making these adorable creations.  I hope this challenge will give you a chance to get involved with your kids.

Challenge Rules:

1. You and a child must create a new paper craft project.  They could be your kids, grandkids, neices, nephews, neighbors... it doesn't matter to me.  Get them involved. 
2. Post a picture of the finished project and hopefully a few pictures of the kids working on the projects on your blog or photo gallery.
3. Display the challenge title Crafting with the Kids and link back to this post on your blog.
4. Link up directly to your project page using the Linky Tools at the bottom of this post.
5. If you share your project in any photo galleries please use the keyword or tag CWTK.
6. Spread the word!! If you think this is a worthwhile challenge please spread the word.  I'm just starting out, but I think this could be a very rewarding challenge for all involved (especially the kids.) 

Deadline:
You will have 10 days to get crafty and link up your projects.  (Exact dates will be posted with each new challenge.)  Winners will be drawn randomly and posted on my blog.  If prizes are available I'll give you instructions on how to contact me and recieve your prize!! 

Depending on how popular this is I hope to start a new CWTK challenge on the first and third Thursday of each month.  Please spread the word!!  I'll post the first ever Crafting with the Kids Challenge on Thursday night!!

New Challenge and St. Jude Children's hospital

What does a new challenge and St. Jude Children's Hospital have in common?  Check back on Thursday night to find out.  I'll be posting my very first crafty challenge as well as telling you how your creations can help out a sick child.  There's blog candy involved, so you don't want to miss it!

A new favorite woodland character

After finishing a large order of baby shower invitations this weekend I needed a break from umbrellas I finally sat down to take some time to create the character I've been thinking about for a while.... Mr. Fox.

Fox Hoodie for kids - elisehooperdesigns on Etsy



I love woodland creatures.  The owl and hedgehog have been a favorite for a while, but I've also been seeing some inspiring work on Etsy focusing on the fox.  How can you deny the cuteness?



Freddy Fox stuffed toy - Squishybee on Etsy



The fox has just been begging to become a focus on a card or two. 

I took the opportunity to sit down and design a few more Valentine's.  I wanted to share them tonight while I had the kids in bed early.

These first cards are a set of "woodland" themed Valentine's great for children to pass out to their classmates or for Mom to tuck into lunchboxes or backpacks.  I can change the wording and use them in my girls' lunch boxes throughout the year. 

(Products: Cricut Hoot n' Holler, Create a Critter, and Give a Hoot, Bazzill cardstock)

This afternoon I decided I loved that little fox design so much I made a similar version in a larger size to send to a friend for Valentine's day. 

(Products used: Cricut - Give a Hoot and Hoot n'Holler, Bazzill cardstock)

This one is also being submitted to a couple challenges:

Anything Goes Challenge Blog - Challenge #58/anything goes
Get Hippity with Ippity - Challenge #13 / It's all about hearts.

So the question remains... Is the sly Mr. Fox slipping in to replace the owl as a new popular trend?  Who knows??  I'm just glad there are such great projects out there to inspire us. 

Silhouette Sunday - Valentine Gift Guide

I just love silhouettes.  The vintage, Victorian look is one of my favorites.  Modern day silhouettes aren't just formal stuffy Victorian creations.  They can be sweet, witty, and down right fun.  I'd like to make every Sunday, "Silhouette Sunday" here at Stitches n' Scraps.
Valentine's day is less than a month away and if you're like me you're struggling for gift ideas.  As the very first Silhouette Sunday I've decide to make a silhouette themed gift guide.  I have been browsing Etsy and have found some beautiful silhouettes that would be perfect for Valentine's day.

This beautiful pillow can be found at the shop the LittleRhodyDesignCo.  I adore the silhouette look on the neutral flour sack cotton background.  So beautiful! The red heart adds the perfect pop of color.

If you are searching for a perfect Valentine gift for a new mother or grandmother look at this personalized necklace I found at ImBlessed on Etsy.  All you need to do is email a photo of the child and she can turn them into a necklace.  I know I'd love one of these with my girls' baby pictures.

Looking for a wedding gift or anniversary gift for your significant other?  This would look beautiful on a wall in your bedroom or living room.  You supply the photos and Silhouetteshop turns them into a work of art.

This clutch purse with the bird cage silhouettes is so unique and cute!  It is made to order but sure to be a unique Valentine gift.  EmenGeeDesigns sells them and other adorable purses in their Etsy shop.

Lastly what gift wouldn't be complete without the perfect card? Here is my favorite silhouette card from my own Etsy shop.

I'd love to see silhouettes you love.  Either creations of your own or those you've found online.  Feel free to post a link in the comments of this post.  I may just choose it for next Sunday's feature.

Have a great Sunday!

Owls - A not so traditional birthday collection

My third daughter, Jillian, was a surprise baby.  With her twin sisters we wanted to know everything so the room, clothes, etc could be perfect.  I figured since Jilly was a little surprise blessing anyway we decide to not find out ahead of time if she was a boy or girl.  For a nursery theme flowers, boats, or butterflies wouldn't do.  We needed something neutral. 

Owls hadn't quite become popular yet, but I found an adorable, plush owl at a local Christian store.  So soft and cuddly I immediately loved it and our nursery theme was decided.  Since then owls have become quite popular in chain stores and online and we pick up some when we find a cute one to add to her collection.  Above is a picture of her owl collection and the shelf her daddy made to put them all on.

I decided on her first birthday I wanted to pick out one special owl for each birthday.  Most kids have the little numbered porcelain figurines.  Well these would be the owls to mark her birthdays.
The light aqua plush owl on the right was the owl that started it all and the small green and orange one was her 2 year birthday owl.  She was a custom creation from an Etsy seller, Misfit Menagerie.  I love how she turned out.

For her first birthday we were turning her room into a big girl room and the Pottery Barn owls were just too cute to resist.

Well it's birthday time again and I'm searching for another perfect owl.  I think I've found it.  There is a wonderful artist in the UK that makes plushes.  Her patterns have been published in several craft books and her designs are outstanding.  Her name is Amy Adams and she owns LucyKate Crafts. 

This is the little guy that caught my eye, and she will be working on a custom one for Jilly's 3rd birthday.  Her favorite color right now is blue, so I'm thinking blue, white and brown would be gorgeous.  I'll post pictures when I get it.  I can't wait to see what she comes up with!

I have lot of other birthday plans to work on and share.  Have a fabulous night everyone.

30th Birthday Invitations - Fiesta Style

I wanted to share with you a new invitation I finished up last night. Boy was this one a struggle.  It was for a 30 year old man's surprise birthday.  First I don't do adult cards very often.  Kid and baby themes are my comfort zone and then to top it all off a GUY card!  Phew.  Well after many false starts here is the finished product.

I like how the sombrero turned out.  It is from a sketch I drew last night and then programed into my Silhouette.  The moustache adds character, but my FAVORITE part about this card is the awesome Bazzil textured cardstock I used for the numbers.  It looks like cactus!  I even drew in little spines with a black marker. Definitely fitting the theme.

Products used:

Bazzill Basics -Prickly Pear

We R Memory Keepers - Fiesta Nuevo
Cricut -Plantin Schoolbook (30)
Sombrero and moustache - my own sketch

Bunny Love - Vintage style Silhouette

Today was my first day back to school from Christmas vacation, and I'm beat!  It's going to take a couple days to get in the swing of things again.  I do have a card to share with you tonight.  I am a BIG October Afternoon fan, and this paper line is so luscious.  When I saw it the other day I just had to pick up several sheets.  I couldn't wait to give it a try.

I really liked the vintage look of this paper and the yellow and gray color combination was so romantic, so a silhouette was needed to finish it off.  Add a the bunny silhouette from the A Child's First Year Cricut cartridge, some of Webster's Bloomers, and a Papertrey Ink sentiment I got in my stocking for Christmas.

I always have to add something a little extra to my cards.  In this case I thought the bunnies needed little tails.  I hand cut these from lighter gray cardstock and attached them with foam dots.

This card was created to fit with a couple challenges this week.  This is the Mojo Monday sketch I used for their challenge MOJO 222.  I flipped the sketch and adjusted the orders of the layers to make it work for my card. 

Other challenges I'm submitting to included:
Frosted Designs Challenge - Something new (PTI stamp/ October Afternoon paper)
I Brake for Challenges - vintage, Challenge IBFCC15 

Check out these three fabulous blogs.  They have some great challenges and prizes!

Craft Goals for 2012

I hope everyone has a fun but safe New Year's day.  Well I have one more day before heading back to work.  I've been busy at the crafting table over the last day.  I have some new cards to share, but before I do I wanted to share some of my New Year's goals.  I figured if I post them on here maybe I'll be more likely to stick to them and refer back to them from time to time.

2012 Craft Goals
****************************************
1. Start a craft blog.
2. Start participating in online card challenges.
3. Use some of my stored supplies and keep my craft area clean.
4. Submit at least 2-4 cards for publication and apply for 1 design team. 
5. Create at least 2 new invitations for my Etsy shop per month.

Well, I have already gotten started on a few of those goals, but I wanted to share with you some cards I made today that go along with goal 3.  

I pulled these Basic Grey felt Woolies from the Olivia line out of my enormous pile of scrapbook extras to use for the JUGS felt challenge yesterday.  After using one for the challenge, I decided I was going to use the whole pack instead of putting them back in the storage tub.

Well this is what I came up with. The first three were fairly easy because the stickers were large and easily became a focal point. 

The three mini flowers were the last ones left.  Using them took more thought, but I think I pulled it off.   Too bad that one little pack of stickers did clear out more space.  Oh, well....  That's what storage tubs are for, right?