Shadow - Turning 6!

One of our favorite little friends turned six last week, and I offered to make a cake topper(s) for his birthday cake with the Sonic Shadow the Villain theme. This was really fun. He wore a Shadow costume for the entire party.

This is the cake/toppers I came up with. I bought the digital images from Etsy.

I also made this little candle box, inserting Shadow images around it. The cut file for this comes from Simply Crafty SVGs, and is very easy and fun to make. I put a t-shirt inside (see below).

This was such fun and colorful party. I added one more item to the festivities, that being a t-shirt I designed for the birthday boy. I didn't know who these characters were, so had to google them to find out what their significant quotes were. This is what I came up with.

He was wearing his Shadow garb during his entire party, but I was sent a photo the next day with him wearing his Shadow t-shirt.

Happy Birthday, Mar-boy! We love you so much!

Chaos...CONTROLLED!

Five Tags of Spring Challenge

It's spring again, even if the weather is holding onto winter. This is the last day of the Five Tags of Spring Challenge with the eCal, SCAL and Create Users Facebook page. I can't remember how many years we've done this now, but it's a fun one in which to participate. 

Tag #1:  This tag was made using images from Creative Fabrica, a large egg shape, the Egg-cited for Easter! wording image and lots of print-2-cut. 

Tag #2: This is another tag using images of a cute bunny from behind from Creative Fabrica. I designed the tag myself, adding the road, plants and sky. Then print-2-cut flowers and elements, and a part of a mini pompom for the bunny's tail.

Tag #3: I saw a similar tag on Pinterest and loved it. So I recreated every element, including the chick, from scratch. 

Tag #4: Another Pinterest inspired tag. Recreated in the Create software (version of SCAL), I made both scalloped circles using the "object-on-a-path" technique. I added the carrot to the bunny element, and did a print-2-cut with the bunny, flowers, mushroom and heart.

And  lastly, Tag #5: This last tag is just so springy! I used a flamingo image cut-2-print. Then, I took a flowered frame that really didn't match the tropical feel of the flamingo, added a bunch of hibiscus flowers all around it and backed it with whitewashed wood patterned digital paper. It made all of the difference. Then added a cute little banner to top it off. I think this might be my favorite.

And that's a wrap on another year of spring tags. If you go to our Facebook page, you can see all of the tags of the other ladies who participated. They are pretty amazing.

Happy Spring-mingo!

Happy St. Paddy's Day, 2023

 Top O' the Mornin' to ya!

I made these little St. Patrick's Day treat boxes for my grandsons. The Pot O Gold Treat Box cut file comes from Simply Crafty SVGs. This is a quick and easy cut file. I personalized them, and filled them with See's gold chocolate coins.

I also made a small treat box for my daughter who also wanted a rainbow. And, I filled her with See's candy as well.

I hope all of your leprechaun dreams come true!

Rainbow Kisses & Leprechaun Wishes

Lavender-Themed Gifts

This year I have a bit of a theme going on for the women in the family. I first made this hexagonal box for my sis-in-law's birthday. I had purchased a pretty dish cloth with  images of lavender for her, and wanted a nice box in which to gift it. 

The gift box was also a part of a challenge to use cut files from Dreaming Tree. This is the Sunflower Gift Box, but I changed the theme. It's such a pretty box, and is very easy to make. I'll be making another for a different sis-in-law in a couple of months.

I used some lavender print digital paper, as well as some French Country images, purchased from Etsy.

I doubled up on most of the surfaces to make this box extra strong. The top and bottom pieces of the box have extra layers inside, as well as all facets of the bottom of the box. Also on the top slanted portion of the lid.

On the bottom I added a little label with the year date.

On the top, I put this bouquet of lavender. The cut file is called Lavender Greetings, and is a free cut file for a card, again from Dreaming Tree.

Then, I made a bag for another sis-in-law, who received the same lavender dish cloth (and other goodies). This bag also comes from Dreaming Tree and is a free cut file, called Birthday Gift Bag. I had to increase the size of the bag to more easily fit the contents that was going into it.

Thanks for taking a look.

Lavender: Purity, Silence, Devotion, Serenity, Grace, and Calmness

What's Cooking!

When your grandboy is turning 4 years old, and he tells you he wants an oven for the Play-Doh cookies on a shabby piece of cardboard he made at preschool, you step up.

I had no idea what I was doing here. There is absolutely no pattern. All I can tell you is everything fit 12"x12" A/C cardstock. It had to be sturdy, so I used heavy chipboard for the structure, covered with the A/C cardstock. I used acetate for the window in the oven door. And, the door closed with two small magnets hid behind cardstock. I took each step one at a time, with no grand plan or pattern. Just figured it out as I went.

These are the cookies he made at pre-school with PlayDoh and on a "cookie sheet" (a scrap piece of cardboard). This is what precipitated his need for an oven. He cracks me up. If you read to the end, you will find out what happened to them.

His other request was that the oven have a light. I made a hole in the back and inserted a  tea light, so he can turn it on and off from the back. The grate inside is made with metallic silver cardstock, which is also used on all of the dials/knobs and burners. 

I used two sizes of wooden discs and round wooden balls which I painted white. All of the knobs for the burners turn (another request from the little guy).

And, a little decor on the sides just for fun. They were the pieces that were cut out from the grate in the oven.

This took me three days to make, and turned out really cute and fun. My grandboy was thrilled with it. Even his eight-year-old brother liked it.

The Play-Doh cookies met an untimely demise, as the dog ate them all. And, as you know, Play-Doh is made from tons of salt. Following her consumption, she proceeded to drink at least a gallon of water from her water dispenser. I don't need to go into details about what happened next! (Glad it wasn't at my house!)

Hey Good Lookin' What Cha Got Cookin'

My First Sock Monkey

I'm getting on in age, and learned to sew when I was in junior high school. But, in all of that time I never made a traditional sock monkey. I finally decided it was time. I made this for my grandson's birthday. I had no clue they were so easy to make. Funny that the socks purchased actually come with instructions on how to cut it out to utilize the complete pair of socks.

I used a tutorial by a man from YouTube, and it was great. There's just something about a sock monkey that is nostalgic, although I can't remember if I ever owned one as a child.

I thought it was interesting that the head, body and legs came from one sock, all in one piece. The tail, arms, ears and mouth came from the other sock, and all were hand sewn onto the monkey's body. The eyes were made from buttons that I had in my craft stash, and the eyebrows and nose were stitched with some old yarn I had laying around.

Happy Birthday, Sun Bun!