Craft Test Dummies

I mentioned that last week I went to the set of Scrapbook Soup to share some fun projects for the upcoming season. Wanna sneaky peek? Here’s one of them! This project is great for using up some of the craft supplies you probably have on hand- watercolor paints and Mod Podge! Here’s what you need: [...]

Need a last-minute Mother’s Day card? Or birthday or “Thank you” for that matter? I’ve got a quick card you can make in under 15 minutes with basic stamping supplies you probably have on hand. This card hinges on stamps. They can be from the same set or mixy-matchy…. but you need a t least [...]

Are you like me when it comes to scrapbooking?  Over-obsessing over every embellishment, color choice and photo placement?  Does it take you two days to finish a page?  Do you sometimes NEVER finish a layout?  Well the fabulous May Flaum comes to our rescue with, “Fashionably Fast: Ten Strategies for stylish, speedy scrapbook pages.”  This [...]

Yesterday I showed you how I transform paper scraps into paper beads that mimic glass lampwork beads- and today, I bring you more projects to use up, transform and recycle paper, newsprint, sheet music, and more! I’ve got some amazing projects for you to check you- and there’s a giveaway, too! Now, If you are [...]

Some of you may remember back at Winter CHA 2013 I picked Basic Grey’s new chipboard albums as one of my top product picks.  (Go take a look!)  I even mentioned that Knee Highs & Bow Ties are two of my favorite paper lines that debuted.  Both collections are very similar but Knee Highs is [...]

It’s that time of year again- when we all wear our hearts on our sleeve…or ears….or hands…. or lapel! Time to make and wear some really cut Valentine’s Day jewelry…this year, I’m integrating one of my favorite paper crafts: QUILLING! Never fear, friends! It’s easy and Mod Podge Dimensional Magic Silver Glitter Formula makes it [...]

I love to make cards! So easy, so fun, and so many opportunities to play with different themes, techniques and embellishments. I hauled out my Valentine’s/Love themed papercrafting box and started to play. I keep my themed/holiday paper, tools, stamps, and embellishments in the same box so that I can easily find them when I [...]

Do you ever feel guilty on Christmas morning when you see all of that pretty gift wrap torn and strewn all over the place? Ever feel the need to compulsively save it?? Well, I do. And I did. So last year I salvaged some of the “good” bits of wrapping paper, ribbons, and greeting cards, [...]

Kits seem to be really hot these days. (Or have I just been living under a rock?) Scrapbook Update did a series on Kits, PaperCrafters Corner just did a WEEK on kits…and well, I’m obviously kit-deficient. So Nicole from Home and Garden Welcome offered to send me a kit  and despite being a little nervous [...]

I’ve been on a card-making kick ever since I learned about Operation Write Home. And the other day I was playing with my new Mini Lucky 8 Punch and came up with this card, which has a “secret message” flap on the front.     (PS- this is another instance where I was working in [...]

You guys…  HEY, YOU GUYS!  Did I get your attention?  Good because I wanted to.  This product review has me excited.  Like, REALLY EXCITED. I’M CAPS LOCK EXCITED.  When I took the little Loomi light kit out of the box I admit, I was completely baffled. “It’s just paper,” I thought.  And no directions?  What?!  [...]

Every now and then my studio gets absolutely chaotic- usually when I have too many reviews in too short of a time frame and my kids are home so I’m easily distracted with mommy duties. These past few weeks- really since we got home from our family reunion at the end of June- the kids [...]

Today I’m participating in a blog hop for one of our CTD sponsors, Susana’s Custom Art and Card Design- SCACD. Here’s a little intro from her, before I show you the stamp I got and the project I made! Today SCACD releases fun and fresh stamps from the Susana Loves Stamps Collections!!! We start off [...]

I’m still cranking out cards for Operation Write Home- and I was drawn to the lovely washi tapes that they sent me! So I challenged myself to make three different styles of cards featuring Washi Tape! #2 Washi Tape as a background. In this card, I covered the entire background with diagonal stripes of washi [...]

What happens when two amazing companies join forces and resources?  You get an awesome product, of course!  Enter in Hero Arts and Sizzix Stamp and Die Cuts!  Hero Arts is one of the leading manufacturers of quality and trend-setting stamps while Sizzix is one of the most well-known names in the crafting industry and leader [...]

Mother’s Day is looming- and after making the Mini-Clipboard for my gift idea, of course I needed a card to match. Luckily, I have my Elmer’s adhesives and X-Acto tools on hand to make crafting my card a snap. First, I’ll show you the finished card: Inside: Making this card is easy! Just cut your [...]

Well, the title of this post says it all! Not only can you make your own Washi/Paper tape using the Xyron (that post is my how-to WITH video) but you can also take it a step further- make it scented, as well! So here’s the story- I was walking through Marshall’s and saw this pretty [...]

If you know me, you know I love a challenge! So when the folks at ScribbleShop.com offered me a box o’ goodies and the challenge to use as many as I could in ONE PROJECT…well, I was all like “It’s ON!” Wanna see what they sent me? And friends, I am happy to report that [...]

Despite my Irish heritage, we don’t go all-out for Saint Patirick’s Day at my house. Yes, there will be green yogurt for breakfast and gold coins at snacktime, but really it’s pretty low-key. However, I do like to make little cards for my kids telling them how lucky I feel to be their mom.  This [...]

Happy Leap Day! What better way to celebrate then with some great froggy art? So many crafty froggies….. have fun with it!

I like a challenge. And every now and then, I mark off some time in my schedule to participate in some swaps that get my creative juices flowing. I’ve taken to making tags, and when video went up on Joggles.com about making tag BOOKS, well….. I was in. I used a bunch of my mixed-media [...]

Oh, the things we parents do for our children. Recently we’ve had a run of lost teeth, and I feel like you have to do something really special to mark this right of childhood. For the littler one, who still believes, it keeps the magic alive. For the older one, who is in the know- [...]

Every now and then I get an idea and can’t wait to try it on my own. Lately artist Julie Fei-Fan Balzer has been talking about her new obsession- stamp carving- and it gave me an idea for some erasers that I’d bought at the Dollar Store: (Don’t tell my daughter- they were supposed to [...]

  Happy New Year! One of my resolutions is to get more organized…but why should be your desk supplies be boring? I jazzed up some binder clips and manilla folders with my Home Made Washi Tape. You can use home made or store-bought to cover the clips in a few easy steps! I made washi [...]

Here’s another tutorial originally posted on CraftsUnleashed- the “Tree” theme is perfect for fall and winter holidays. I love sending cards – it’s a nice way for me to tell some of my friends and relatives that I’m thankful for them. However, you can adapt this card to be a thank you card, thinking of [...]

I published this tutorial on CraftsUnleashed- but though you all might enjoy it, as well. I love to make cards, but after I while I feel like they all look the same. So today I’m going to share with you- or remind you, at least- of a fun, easy way to give your cards a [...]

You’ve spent all that time shopping for (or making, I hope) that perfect gift. Then you carefully wrapped it so that it was beautiful. Don’ ruin it by putting on a store-bought gift tag, when you can made one that is lovely and a keepsake in it’s own right in just a few minutes. It’s [...]

Last week I shared my overview of the new dry adhesives from Aleene’s (ILoveToCreate) and one of my faves was Tacky Line Roll- fun on a roll, my friends! I was smitten with using it for glitter and foils..and you know how I am with Homemade Washi tape…so I designed these holiday tags using both [...]

This year we’ve traveled a lot- and I faithfully bring my travel art kit with me across states, continents, and oceans. However, last fall I started a new habit: vacation Zentangling. By creating a piece of Zentangle art during each trip, I have a lasting art piece AND a memento of the wonderful places I’ve [...]

I really enjoyed reviewing the Smash Book by K & Company, and it’s a perfect mash-up of my love of journaling and my need to keep some form of informal memory book.  So… of course…. I got to thinking, being the Craft Test Dummy that I am…. how could I make one of my own?? [...]