Happy Valentine's Day!

It's so hard to believe we're already nearly a month and a half into the new year! Valentine's Day has come so quickly, it feels like just last week I was getting ready for Christmas!
Today I am excited to be sharing with you my final guest designer project for Craftin' Desert Divas! Thank you so much again, Tara, for asking me to design for you! 
While I'm not someone who makes a HUGE deal about Valentine's Day, I do enjoy a day of feeling a little extra loved. :) The nice part about being a teacher is that you always have a surplus of valentines, no matter if you're single or taken!
Currently I'm student teaching in an awesome fifth grade classroom. At this particular school, there are three fifth grade classes, and three days a week, the students rotate between each teacher's room for Language Arts instruction to help prepare them for middle school. I had originally planned on making treats just for my class, but since Valentine's Day lands on a day where we have groups, I couldn't just leave the other two classes out! So, I created a little something for them as well with the help of Craftin' Desert Diva's.

These are inspired by an idea I found on Pinterest, and I think they're just adorable! Both practical and tasty. :) I bought some Valentine's Day-themed pencils from the dollar store and adhered heart die cuts (cut with my Cameo) to each end. I then bought Hershey's chocolate hearts for the tips of the arrows and adhered them to the hearts using some double-sided tape. 
The hearts on the top are stamped with a sentiment from Craftin Desert Diva's new "Sending Love" stamp set. It was a perfect fit for this project!

For my class, I made individual goodie bags with a tiny 3x3 valentine for each, along with a pencil and a couple pieces of candy. I'm so excited to see how they like them!
Have you made any Valentine's Day treats for students? For the students in your child's class? I'd love to see! :) 

Craftin' Desert Divas January Release Blog Hop!

Hello and welcome to Day 2 of the Craftin' Desert Divas January Release Blog Hop!

We're so happy to be back with our January Release! We have 3 new stamp sets that are being released today.  All stamps are in the CDD Shop and available for purchase.

Without further ado, here are the January stamps and their free coordinating SVG files:

"Short and Sweet Tags"

K

"Celebration Wordart"

"Sending Love"

All stamps have an SVG outline that is free to you. This makes it so easy. You just cut out the image with your machine and then stamp on it.  The SVG file will be in the CDD Gallery under the file tab and available for you to download.

Here are the release specials for you:

1. Use code: Jan to receive 20% off your entire order. Sale ends 2/1 at 10pm MST.

2. With a minimum $30 purchase (before tax & shipping), the 2x3 freebie will be added to your order automatically. Offer ends 2/1.

Here is the January freebie and it's coordinating SVG pattern:

And here's today's hop freebie pattern!

Today I have created a couple of goodie bags to give to my two closest friends for Valentine's Day! We typically don't give each other large gifts for birthdays and whatnot, but I always like to give small, handmade gifts when I can. 

Inside the gift bags are nail polish and some candy (they both have a thing for candy hearts) and I plan on tossing some chocolate in there as well. I used stamps from the "Sending Love" stamp set to create the tags and the stamps on the bottom of the chocolate candies. Papers are from Echo Park and the Kraft tags are from my stash. I used Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black (my favorite!) I purchased some crinkle paper from the dollar store to fill the bags with, can you believe my local Target and Walmart didn't have any?! Anyways, these were tons of fun to make and I can't wait to give them to my friends in a couple of weeks! :)

Giveaway!!!

1. Craftin Desert Divas- 1 stamp each day.

2. Too Cute by Jessica - $25. gift card for regularly-priced patterns.

You must follow and comment on each blog to be eligible for the prizes. Winners will be announced on Tuesday.

Your next stop on the hop is Too Cute by Jessica!

Here's today's line up:

CDD- http://www.craftindesertdivas.com/

Kathy- http://3spoileddogs.blogspot.com/

Michelle- http://mumoftwoblog.blogspot.com/

Kate- http://smallbitsofpaper.blogspot.com/

Nicole- http://teachdanz.blogspot.com/

Leah- http://leahschaeffer.blogspot.com/

Nanne- http://nannes-creations.blogspot.com/

Lori- http://got2bcrafting.blogspot.com/

Ashley - http://especiallymade.blogspot.com/

Karen-  http://craftedwithlovebykaren.blogspot.com/

TCBJ- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Too-Cute-by-Jessica/196421370434846

Long Time, No See...

My poor, dusty blog...
My oh my has it been quite some time since I've last posted! I promise I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, nor have I stopped crafting. Between school (now student teaching), work, spending time with my great boyfriend, and having a social life, I don't have anywhere near as much time to craft as I used to. And when I do, I typically don't take post-worthy pictures of my creations. ;) 
When I do craft, I do feel a bit sad that my hobby has had to be placed on the back burner. But I know that right now my focus has to be mainly on student teaching, and that's not in any way a bad thing. I do still check in with my crafty Facebook quite often and have some big creative plans in the works, it's just a matter of time and patience. :)
Anyways! The reason I am posting today is because I was kindly asked by Tara from Craftin' Desert Divas to be a guest designer! Having not served on (or managed) any design teams in quite some time now, I was thrilled at the opportunity and of course said yes!
I will be sharing a sneak peek for the January stamp release at Craftin' Desert Divas!

Today is Day 2 of the sneak peeks for the January stamp release Craftin Desert Divas. There are 3 new stamps in this release.
These images and sentiments will come with a SVG outline that is FREE to you. They are in the CDD Gallery on Facebook under the files tab. 
Here are the release specials for you: 1. Use Code: Jan to receive 20% off your entire order. Sale ends 2/1 10pm MST
2. 2x3 Freebie is for a $30 minimum purchase (before tax & shipping) in the CDD Shop. Freebie offer ends February 1st.
Each day, there will be a new FREE SVG pattern. You can email craftindesertdivas@gmail.com or send a message to the CDD Facebook page to request it. You must comment and follow each blog in order to get the free file. Join us this Friday & Saturday for our hop and for more free files!
Today we are showcasing the "Sending Love" stamp set. 
Here's my project I've created...

I created a card using a couple of stamps from the new set! Inspired by this card on Pinterest, I used the coordinating SVG file to cut out the shape for the envelopes, and then stamped the envelope multiple times on different patterned paper by My Minds Eye.

To accent the envelopes, I used enamel dots and a small heart punch. The sentiment is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and I colored in the tiny heart within the sentiment using a Copic marker. I love the layered look of this card! 

Here's today free pattern:

How cute is this baby Cupid?!

Be sure to comment and follow each blog in order to get the freebie pattern!
CDD stamps are... 4x6 stamps Made in the USA Stamps will be available to order on Friday.
We hope you will stop by the Craftin Desert Divas shop and Craftin Desert Divas Gallery Facebook group. We would love for you to join us and share your creations with us using Caftin Desert Divas' stamps. In this group, we show previews first, have giveaways, and much more!
Thank you so much for joining us today! I hope you will visit the CDD blog tomorrow for more sneak peeks. 

Catching Up...

I am not one to ever just fall off the face of the earth. Ever. I cannot even begin to express the guilt I feel for neglecting my little blog, and not only my hobby, but my passion for crafting. This summer brought with it a whirlwind of emotions I could have never anticipated, and in the process of that I lost sight of myself (and my mojo went out the window), both of which I am slowly beginning to regain. :) That's the short and sweet version, and for time purposes and for fear of boring you all, I won't go into much further detail. I'm just so happy to be back in my happy place again! 

As some of you may know, I am in school studying to become an elementary school teacher. This is my last "regular" semester as an undergrad, as I will be student teaching starting in January and then graduating in May. It's so exciting and a bit surreal to be in the home stretch! School is another reason my crafting has slowed down. Between sitting in class, being out in schools, and doing homework and writing lesson plans, there's little time to sit down, spread out, and work on a project. Crafting shouldn't be stressful, and I've found it's hard for me to "get in the groove" when I'm constantly faced with time constraints. 

I spent my summer working both of my library jobs and building my resume as I facilitated programs for young readers. I had a blast! Don't be surprised if you see more teacher and classroom-related projects on my blog in these upcoming months. If that's all the crafting I have time for, that's more than fine with me. :) One of the things I'm looking forward to most about becoming a teacher is of course, decorating my classroom!
My posts may be less frequent in the beginning, but I am determined to get back to blogging and crafting regularly. Maybe even apply for a design team or two. :) In the meantime, I am looking forward to reconnecting with you all and pursuing my passion!

Perfect Vacation

So, when I posted a month ago saying I was back to blogging, I definitely had NO intention of taking nearly a month to actually start posting again. I have, however, been crafting during my unintended, four-week absence. :) I have a series of design team projects to share with you that I created for The Scrapbooking Studio, and I'm going to share my first set of projects today!
The three projects I'm about to share with you were all created using Imaginisce's "Perfect Vacation" line. Such a fun line for documenting all those summer trips and adventures!

This is a picture taken of my parents while visiting the Hoover Dam a few years back. I unfortunately, was not on this trip, but had fun flipping through the photo albums looking for the perfect picture to document and bring to life. 

The 'You Are My World Forever' is a die cut from the line, and I LOVE that saying!

The banner pieces are cut from a piece of paper from the line and I used some heart stickers from my stash to add more detail, along with adhering white enamel dots to give the banner a "strung" appearance. Using a white gel pen, I also added a tiny bit of journaling to another die cut from a piece of paper in the collection.

I just love Thickers! They add the perfect touch to this layout and some extra dimension. The camera was a last minute embellishment that I adhered using a pop dot for dimension as well. The arrow veneer (I'm addicted to wood veneers) is from Studio Calico and thought it fit well with the travel theme. 
Products Used Perfect Vacation "Pack It Up" 12x12 Cardstock Perfect Vacation "Random Stripes" 12x12 Cardstock Perfect Vacation "Away We Go" 12x12 Cardstock Perfect Vacation "Oh Snap!" Die Cuts American Crafts Thickers Studio Calico Wood Veneers
Next up is a tag!

I don't create tags very often, but when I do, I always tell myself to start making them more because they're so much fun! I started with a Kraft tag base from my stash and layered it with BoBunny Double Dot paper and also paper from "Perfect Vacation." I distressed the edges of the polka dot paper and used pop dots to adhere the snapshot frame and the suitcase die cuts. I embellished with enamel dots, and heart and star wood veneers, and added some crinkle ribbon to finish it off. 

Products Used

Perfect Vacation Memories Captured 12x12 Cardstock

Perfect Vacation "Oh Snap!" Die Cuts

Studio Calico Wood Veneers

And last, but most certainly not least, a postcard!

I went back and forth trying to come up with an idea for a card using the collection - something along the lines of 'bon voyage' or 'safe travels.' However, after many failed attempts at generating an idea, it hit me. A postcard! How perfect?! I used papers from "Perfect Vacation," along with Thickers and a die cut, to embellish the front of the postcard. 

I looked up the actual size of a postcard (4.25" x 6", typically) and made a quick template on my computer for the address lines. I printed it out, cut it down, and then adhered the 'World Traveler' card cut from a piece of "Perfect Vacation" paper. The stamp is by Echo Park and I cut it with my Silhouette using the Print & Cut feature.    Products Used Perfect Vacation "Away We Go" 12x12 Cardstock Perfect Vacation "World Traveler" 12x12 Cardstock Perfect Vacation "Oh Snap!" Die Cuts American Crafts Thickers
Thanks so much for stopping by today! Be sure to check out The Scrapbooking Studio's blog as well for more inspiring projects using the fabulous products they carry!

I'm Back!

My oh my, I cannot believe it has been about a month and a half since my last blog post. That is terrible. And I am so, so, so, sorry. Not one of these many days have past without me kicking myself for not having posted!
For those of you who don't know, I'm a student. I just finished up my junior year of college (well, technically as of Friday morning I will be finished) and this semester has been a giant whirlwind. As an elementary education major, I had to spend 80+ hours between three different classrooms, along with completing coursework for 21 credits (9 classes) worth of work. Talk about time consuming!
With that being said, my crafting unfortunately had to be put on the back burner. I've missed it SO much. I've made a couple small things here and there, but nothing substantial. Literally everything craft-related had been put on hold aside from teaching Copic classes. And even then, preparing for the classes was often stressful due to being on a time crunch. I also took back my two part-time library jobs, so that left little time on weekends to craft, which would be my normal creative time. 
But, the good news... I'm on summer vacation for the next three and a half months! Which means MUCH more time for crafting and to get back into the swing of all things crafty. Next semester will be busy as it is my last regular semester before student teaching, but my workload should be somewhat lighter than this semester. I am SO looking forward to a summer filled of crafting, coloring, and teaching classes, though I will still be working and taking a couple summer courses as well. 
This weekend will be spent getting my crafty area back into its organized self, between "living" in two places and teaching classes, a lot of my supplies are distraught and all over the place. These past few weeks have left me so anxious to get back to creating, not being able to has really taken it's toll on me, especially since I have been feeling very burnt out and stressed, and crafting is usually a major stress reliever for me. 
I have had projects planned for literally weeks and cannot wait to get started on them. I'll be back into regular card making, as well as catching up on Project Life, practicing coloring with Copics, and working on some decorations and gifts for my sisters' high school graduation party later this summer. I will also continue designing for The Scrapbooking Studio and Two Berry Creative! 
I am looking forward to a relaxing, creative summer and am excited to once again be a part of the blogosphere and checking out all of your projects as well! Thank you all for your patience and understanding! :)

21st Birthday Blog Hop & Giveaway Winners!

Wow!! Thank you SO much to everyone who came and hopped through my 21st Birthday Blog Hop! What a fun addition to my birthday celebration! :) We hope you enjoyed seeing our projects as much as we enjoyed reading your sweet comments!
And now, for what you've all been waiting for... here are the winners from the hop!
1. My Creative Time

"Wow So Many Candles" Stamp Set

WINNER: DON'S JEWELRY

2. My Craft Spot

One Stamp Set of Winner's Choice

WINNER: MARIANNE BARKMAN

3. Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbons

$15 Gift Certificate

WINNER: BUHO SCRAPPER

4. CTMH Consultant Jessica Wilson

$10 Gift Certificate

WINNER: STEPHANIE

5. Your Next Stamp

One Stamp Set of Winner's Choice

WINNER: SARAH BISWABIC

6. Scrappy Moms Stamps

One Stamp Set of Winner's Choice

WINNER: CHRISTINE KIEHL

7. Diane's Daydream Designs

$15 Gift Certificate

WINNER: IRIS

8. Scrappin' Madge's Lounge

Embellishment Kit

WINNER: DIANA L.

9. The Scrapbooking Studio

Amy Tangerine "Documented" Daybook

WINNER: LISA (A MERMAID'S CRAFTS)

10. 3 Girl Jam

$21 Gift Certificate WINNER: LINSEY
11. The Cutting Cafe

3 File Sets of Winner's Choice WINNER: CREATIVE M.
12. Miriam's Crafting Supplies

$5 Gift Certificate WINNER: DEBBIE DAVIS
13. Bugaboo Stamps

$30 Gift Certificate

WINNER: WENDY ROSHTO

14. The Robin's Nest

$21 Gift Certificate

WINNER: KATHLEEN WHITE

15. Sparkly Sweet Craft Notions

Ribbon Trio

WINNER - D-DESIGNS BY DRAGONFLY

16. Designs on Cloud 9

$10 Gift Certificate

WINNER: KRYSTLE

17. Fresh Brewed Designs

$15 Gift Certificate

WINNER: CARMEN M.

18. Creative Embellishments

$20 Gift Certificate

WINNER: SHERI MAREK

19. Clique Kits

$10 Gift Certificate

WINNER: JOAN SMITH

20. Pinque Peacock

$10 Gift Certificate

WINNER: KAREN SCHROEDER

21. Unity Stamp Co.

Stamp Prize Package

WINNER: MICHELE FROM MS

And the winner of my own celebratory giveaway is....

#14... SANDE!

All winners should email me at especiallymadeblog@gmail.com with your name and the prize that you won. 
Thank you SO much to everyone who entered!! :)