DIY Bridal Crafting

Happy Tuesday everyone!! I hope you are all safe and warm, I know there are places where the snow and cold is crazy right now. Thankfully, that's not my house! I honestly don't know how people do it, I get cold when it dips below 70 degrees and I have to scramble to find a jacket.

Recently I had the opportunity to design some wedding paper crafts for PSA Essentials. They offer some really awesome personalized monogram stamps that would be perfect for an upcoming bride-to-be. Please check out all their custom designs here: PSA Custom Designs. I received a circular stamp to create a whole bridal package with. At first I was scared. What should I create? What colors should I use? Then I thought...if this is going to truly be a do-it-yourself package...keep it simple. If you are making your own invitations, you don't want there to be 17 steps to each one. Simple and elegant. And maybe bold and graphic, too. I chose the colors red, black, white, and kraft and started creating.

First, I created a Save-The-Date bookmark. This would be great to send out before the wedding and very functional too!!

Second up...the invitation.


Isn't that custom stamp awesome?? You can create it to say anything!! I designed the invitation on my computer, printed it on cardstock and matted it. I added the belly band and the scalloped circle on the front. Clean and simple and to the point. :-)

Next...place setting.


I cut the scalloped shapes with my Cricut and again used the custom stamp. I am loving all the scallops and circles...really ties everything together.

Now we need a wedding favor!


I got the template from Perfect Presentation. The offer their templates in svg format, so if you have a Cricut you can cut them with your Cricut. Totally do-able if you want to make your own favors.

And, of course, you need thank you notes!!


Keeping the color palate the same and using circles and scallops throughout the set really makes for nice cohesion. And the coolest thing, is your custom stamp can say ANYTHING you want. Are you throwing a baby shower? Wedding shower? 50th Anniversary Party? Bachelorette Party? Workplace fundraiser?? You can create invites, favors, thank you cards, and anything else you need that all coordinate and look professional...all on a DIY budget!!

I hope you liked what I created. Let me know what you think of the custom stamp. What would you use it for??? Thanks for stopping by today!

Marathon Monday

Happy Monday everyone!! I thought I would make Monday's a little different around here for a while. Marathon Monday will start today! I am starting my marathon training today for the San Diego Rock and Roll marathon in June. And I am going to keep you all updated on everything from training to blisters to eating a whole entire pizza after a long run to chub rub and everything in between.

I finally put together my training plan. I have run 2 marathons, the first one I didn't use a training plan. My first marathon (Los Angeles, 2005) was really hard. I didn't train enough. I trained by time, not distance. And I overestimated how fast I was running during training. Oh boy, the last half of that marathon was brutal. But I finished it and caught the racing bug. Final time was 5:36. Not exactly what I wanted, but in essence I think I was just happy to finish and not puke or pass out while doing it.

2nd marathon...San Diego Rock and Roll in 2006. This time I ran with Team in Training. Awesome, awesome program. I got so much support from my family, I raised almost $5500. And I loved having a coach and people to train with.


Yes, I ran with that huge fanny pack around my waist. I really wanted to bring my camera during the race and this was the only way I could figure it out. It was annoying to wear and by like mile 6 I wanted to throw it over the side of the freeway. But thankfully I didn't because I got this awesome sweaty lobster red faced photo at mile 8.

Race day was hot and humid, very unlike San Diego weather. I loved running on the freeway!


My goal was to break 5 hours. I really really really wanted to break 5 hours. I ended up running without my training group for most of the race because I panicked around mile 10 and decided I needed to run faster to break 5 hours. That killed me in the end...but my final time was 4:56!! SO stoked to break 5 hours!!

This time I am trying to train 'smarter', which really means I actually have a plan and a training schedule. I modified one of Hal Higdeon's training plans. I am running 4 days a week (with one of those days being a tempo/speed run) and doing boot camp 2 times a week. I loooove boot camp and really wish I could fit it more into my schedule. But right now, I need to put some miles on the road. And I NEED to schedule a day of rest, or else I won't do it. I am hoping to stay injury free. Since pulling my achilles tendon in 2008, I am crazy about stretching and foam rolling and icing and resting. I hope I can keep up that level of crazy.

So there you have it. I am at the beginning. The beginning of an 18 week training plan that will have me running my little heart out and getting up at the crack of dawn to do it. I would love to run a marathon around 4 hours...that's my goal. But I will see how my training goes, I might have to adjust that.

Thanks for coming along for the ride with me!! Gotta go stretch...

Birthday Card gift set

Are you on Facebook?? I am a total addict. I love re-connecting with old friends and new friends and staying in touch with my sister. Yes, sometimes I spend too much time on it but I can't help myself. I love it. We watched The Social Network this week and it was very interesting. I recommend it!

So...a while ago on Facebook people started a Pay It Forward thing. You would post on your wall that the next 5 people to comment would get a homeade item from you. The people who commented would have to post on their wall to send homeade items to 5 people..etc...etc. I love to make 'stuff' so I was excited for people to sign up. I was thinking I was going to make edible goodies for everyone, but some of my girlfriends are trying to eat healthier. So sweet treats was out. But...what about sweet treats made out of paper???


I used my PSA Essentials Whimsy Cakes stamps for the cupcakes. They are so cute, 8 cupcakes stamps and they are all different! I made 6 cards and here are the cupcakes I used...


I tried coloring the images again and had varying levels of success. Just don't look too closely, ha ha!! And what's a set of cards without something to put them in? I pulled out the Captured Card case template from Papertrey Ink and made a matching card box.


I am loving my Martha Stewart border punch I got on sale!!


All together now...


I am really happy with how this set turned out. I used some Bella Blvd scraps I had on my table (loved those Hello Beautiful papers, could not throw away one scrap!), felt great to use scraps. Here are all the cards in the box and there was enough room for envelopes too!


Happy Friday everyone! I am super excited for the weekend. I have a long run planned and this weekend will mark my first official weekend of marathon training. I hope to talk a little bit about that on Monday. Have a great weekend!!

CPS Sketch #202

Hi Everyone...Happy Wednesday!! How's your week going? I am wishing it was Friday already, this week is dragging by. I can't wait for the weekend.

This week at Card Positioning Systems, a great card sketch blog, PSA Essentials is sponsoring the sketch. Do you want to win some great PSA stamps? Well, join us in making a card with the sketch!


Here is my card. I used PSA's super cute Hello Kitty Garden Club stamps for this card. Isn't she cute??


Everytime I pull out these stamps, my daughter goes crazy for them. I ended up stamping a whole bunch on some paper for her and she and I colored away together at my scrap table. I still need some major help with coloring, but practice makes perfect. Right? Right??? If you are feeling creative today, give this sketch a try and link back to the CPS blog. You might win some awesome PSA Essential Goodies!

Thanks for stopping by today, Friends!!

Snickerdoodle Blondies

My family loves snickerdoodles. Snickerdoodles are everybody's 2nd favorite cookie, right behind chocolate chip. When I made my husband a snickerdoodle bundt cake for his birthday, I knew I was on to something good. And when I ran across this recipe for snickerdoodle blondies, I knew I had to make them!!


If you ever want a really fast way to get snickerdoodles to the table, this is the recipe. There is no rolling of the dough balls, no dipping the dough balls in cinnamon and sugar. It's a bar type cookie and they are so super easy to make it probably should be illegal.



Mmmm...cinnamon....sugar...baked crispy sugar crust...what more can you ask for? Here's the recipe!!

Snickerdoodle Blondies
from My Baking Addiction

Ingredients
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
a pinch nutmeg

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and/or line a 9×13 inch pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar for 3-5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, and beat until smooth.
3. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan (spread it out with a greased spatula or your hands). Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool before cutting. Makes 20-24 bars.

I have to run...I am hopelessly addicted to The Bachelor and I must watch tonight. I feel like I need therapy everytime I watch this show. Anybody else watching????

Thanks for stopping by!

Papertrey Princess Challenge...Punch It!

I belong to an awesome group of crafters called the Papertrey Princesses. We are all fans of Papertrey Ink stamps and products and connected on their message board. I love all the inspiration I get from these creative, crafty girls. They are the best!! Today I am posting a challenge for our group...Punch It! I want you to use your punches to make a card or layout or project. Border punches, circle punches...any kind will work.

I pulled out my favorite Martha Stewart butterfly punch, some Bella Blvd scraps and started punching. Here is what I ended up with.


I loved the Hello Beautiful line from Bella Blvd, I could not let one scrap go to waste. I thought I would pair red with yellow for a bright and cheerful card. And I used a Papertrey Ink stamp set called Fancy Flourishes for the little red flourish.


Okay Princesses, let's see you put your punches to work! And please feel free to join in on the challenge. Link me to your card if you make one so I can check it out. Thanks for stopping by today!

More Love Birds

Happy End of The Week!! I hope you all had a great week. My son has baseball tryouts and i'm hoping for more nice weather. Today I have one more layout I made using the Love Birds papers by Fancy Pants. I've gotten a few questions about Croppin' Paradise and I want to let everyone know the store is NOT closing. They are still going strong and will be getting all the newest product from CHA this year. They just decided not to have a design team anymore. So keep looking at Croppin' Paradise for your scrappy needs!!

Okay...to the layout!!


I had mostly scraps and alot of great stickers from the Fancy Pants embellie sheet. They really go a long way dressing up a layout. Oh yeah, and bling too!

This was such a fun birthday party. My daughter's friend had a diva party and the girls were totally pampered and dressed up, had their hair done, drank apple cider from martini glasses and had a crazy dance party. I want to know when I can have a party like that!!

Have you been following all the CHA sneaks this week? Which ones are your favorites? I am just lovin' all the new Jillibean Soup sneaks, I think Chilled Strawberry Soup is my favorite. I am also liking the new Bella Blvd sneaks and the new Cosmo Cricket. I can't wait to get my hands on some new stuff!

Happy Friday everyone...thanks for stopping by!