Happy Birthday Cutie

Little Cutie!

I love this little image.  This elements of this card were actually receive in a card kit that I received in a swap over two years ago. Yes, over two years ago!!!

I have taken a very large break from creating cards on a regular basis.  I started to fall very behind on my scrapbooking which was really making me sad so I put my card making aside  and decided to put all of my crafting focus in to scrapbooking.  I'm still 2 years behind on my scrapbooking but not nearly as bad as what I was. 

So I decided to come back this week and participate in 4 different challenges.  One thing I love about card making is there is so much inspiration on the web for fun new ideas and techniques.  The craft never gets boring!!

This weeks challenges I played along in.

Fab 'n' Funky - Green Color Challenge
For Fun Challenge - Circles
Sisterhood of Crafters - Birthday
Craft Us Crazy - Something Sweet

Have a great week and hope you'll come back soon!!!

Card Sets

One of my loves is making greeting cards.  I love making sets and giving them as gifts to people that are non-card makers.  This year I have been putting all occasion cards inside of bags and putting toppers on them to give us gifts.
They are a lot of fun to do and easy. 

School Book Projects

My "plan" is to have a scrapbook done for each of the boys for when they graduate from high school.  I'm doing 2-4 pages for each year of their school days.  I have found having little accents and different Cricut cuts available makes the pages is a lot more fun and easy to do.  So I have been making some different cuts with my Cricut to use as accents.  This cut was created with the Nate's ABC cartridge. 

Homemade Laundry Detergent

My Homemade Laundry Detergent Project

Let me start out by saying a HUGE thank you to Jamie at Being Creative.  Within hours of being introduced to http://www.pinterest.com/ I stumbled upon this recipe and felt a HUGE need to give it a try.  I am very OCD with washing clothes.  My boys and I both have dry skin and skin allergies so before I can even remember I have had an OCD with not wearing clothes more than 1 time.  That includes pjs, jeans, etc!!  So if I can find a way to save money in this area I'm all about it.

This recipe is CHEAP and very effective.  I'll include the recipe I used but you can also reference Jamie's blog for her recipe.  I only made two slight adjustments and I'll note them below.  I am including a few more pictures for you.  This project took me a total of 20 minutes to make. 

All of my ingredients cost me $17.88.  If this last as long as Jamie says this is a HUGE savings for me.  I spend about $10 per month on detergent.  Jamie says this will last 6-9 months with doing 5-6 loads of laundry a week.  She states you only need 1 tablespoon, but I used 2.  I have a front loading machine and I tend to jam pack it full.  So it might last me only half the time but even if so its still a savings for me. 

So lets get started!!!!!!!

First, the recipe:
1 4lb 12oz box of Borax
1 4lb box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Washing Soda
3 bars of Fels-Naptha Soap (I also used a bar of the lavendar bar soap)
1 container of 3 lb Oxi Clean, I purchased the stain fighting kind
Jamie's receipe suggest 3.5lb oxi clean and she also said it was optional.  I felt this was a must for me due to having two boys and I'm a huge oxi clean fan. 

Mixing it is easy, I would suggest having a very large bucket to mix it in.  The powder does "kick up" so pour it slow and close to the bottom.  I would also suggest doing it outside if possible. 

These are some of my ingredients.  I forgot to take a picture before I got started of all of them. The soap comes in a bar I just cut it for easy shredding.

As you can see I started to shred the soap with a hand pealer but thought that would take me forever  So I pulled out my Ninja food processor.  It grated it down really fine which I prefer.  The Fels-Naptha actually has a very nice smell. 

I wanted a little bit of a lavender scent in my mixture so I added this small bar from a local soap shop. 

Bar soap all grated!

I realized real quick that I was going to need a large bucket to mix everything in.

My little helper, he liked using the Ninja to shred the soap.

Here is my finished project.  A nice little scoop came in my container of oxiclean, bonus!!

My next project is going to be to cut vinyl letters with my Cricut to label my container.  ;-)  I will also be trying the dish washer soap she has on her blog.  I already did 3 loads of laundry and am VERY happy with it.  I do still use fabric softener which I would encourage if you like a little more softness to your clothes.  I use Downy which is only $3.99 for the original at most stores and last 1-2 months. 

NOTE:  For front loading machines its suggested to put the detergent in the barrel however I used it both ways and it seems to be fine. 

Photo Card

World Of Joy Christmas

Turn your favorite pictures into personalized Christmas cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Critter Monochrome Challenge

Hello and happy Monday!!!

It has been quiet some time since I have played along in a Critter Sketch Challenge Blog challenge.  So this week I decided to step it up and play along.

The challenge this week at Critter Sketch is Monochrome.  Basically create a card or project with colors in the same color family.

My sister's favorite color is green so I created this card as a pick me up for her.  The image is a Mo Manning image; that can be purchased through the Stamping Bella website.  The sentiment comes with the image. 

Card Stock - Stampin UP!

Pattern Paper - Creative Memories

Ribbon - Ospray Outlet in Maryland

Image and Sentiment - Mo Manning (Stamping Bella)

Markers - Copics

Scallop Punch - Stampin UP!

Have a great week and thank you for visiting my blog.

Critter Sketch Challenge Blog - Monochrome

Run Turkey . . . . .

 I'm trying to do better with working ahead on projects that I have deadlines on.  Since signing on with Stampin' Up I'm finding the opportunity more often.

This week I created a Thanksgiving day card with one of my favorite DRS images.  This card will be given to my son's kindergarten teacher here in a couple weeks with an altered candle (that I still need to do.)

Inside:

 ***********************************************

Challenges Entered:

Pals Paper Arts - Element of Style-Ribbon

AUD Sentiments - Sentiment that makes you laugh

Charismz Cardz - Anything Goes

Digi Doodle Shop - Anything Goes

Critter Sketch Challenge Blog Challenge

Oh my gosh I can not even begin to tell you how great it feels to be back and blogging. 

My past few months have been INSANE!!!  Not only did I get married but I moved and kept up with being a full time working mommy.  Life is GOOD but it sure has been crazy!!!

This week I come back to blog-land with a card to share with you for the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog which I proudly own.  Right now we are having a design team call so make sure you hope over to the blog by Wednesday if your interested in applying and joining our team.

This weeks challenge is a sketch challeng.  My oldest son starts kindergarten tomorrow so I created a card to celebrate him starting such a big adventure in his life.  I thought this would also be a great card to give to his teacher sometime this year.

Have a great week and HAPPY CREATING!!!!

Design Team Call

The new term will run October 3, 2011 - January 30, 2012

Cowboy - Competing Princesses

The blog group I'm in, Paper Princesses, is having a "competition" right now.  We are creating cards with kits that are sent to us from different members in our group.  Our kit this month was put together by Terria and is a Cowboy boys theme.  Love the colors she chose and even love the images, out of my comfort zone but love it. 

Make sure you check out the other girls creations.  Their names and blogs are on my left side bar. 

Feel Better

As your reading this, I'm sailing the Western Carribean for our family vacation of the year.  I hope all of you that are stuck in the dreaded cold of winter will soon thaw out. 

These cards were created using a card kit I believe was put together by my blogging friend Colleen.  My sister had sugery about 3 weeks ago so the bottom card will be headed to her before I depart for vacation.  I loved coloring this sweet image.  Just might have to snatch her up with my next order.

Enjoy and have a great week!!

Dino-mite

I have been spending some of my weekends working on swap pages for SCS.  This page was created for an all boys single page swap.  I have this Greeting Farm image.  My boys love dinosaurs so this will be a fun page for me to use.

 This is my youngest out in the snow yesterday.  He is not much of a snow bunny so I have to capture the pictures when I can of him.

Tag Cards

Over the past two years I have joined several tag and ATC swaps.  I love using tags for gifts and other various crafty projects.  I thought I would enjoy collecting ATC (artist trading cards) but discovered it was not for me.  So I decided to take a bunch of tags and ATC that were just consuming space in a bucket and use them.

I basically just supplied the card base, a few embelishments, and some embossed backround to create these great cards.  There are so many different styles that I normally would not create on my own.  I already used the blue ornament card for Christmas.

 

Teacher Card

I am so in love with Stamping Bellas.  I don't own this image but received it in an image swap.  I decided to use it to creat a card for Mitchell's teacher.  I have not give it to her yet and am either saving it for the end of the year or for an appreciation throughout the year.

Hoppy Birthday

 I love this Pink Cat Studios image.  I got the set on sale a few months ago and have not had the opportunity to play with the images.  On the inside I stamped the sentiment to make it a boys b-day card.

Beep Beep

This page was created for a SCS All Boys page swap.  I joined two spots because I can never get enough boys pages.  This is my first set, not sure what I'm doing for my second set yet.  Possibly dinosaurs!!

IMAGES FOR SALE!!!!

All prices below are negotiable. I will combine shipping. Questions please email me, interested in buying, email me. Most of the stamps are used but taken VERY well care of and cleaned with only SU! or Hanna Stamps stamp cleaner.
Thanks,
Melanie
newbymom@embarqmail.com

Riley and Sophie

Riley Turkey - unmounted $3.50
Baking Riley - unmounted $3.50
Bicycle Riley - Wood Mount $4.50
Coffee Riley - Wood Mount $4.50
BBQ Riley - NEVER USED - Unmounted $4.00
Tractor Riley - NEVER USED - Unmounted $4.00
Spa Riley - unmounted $3.50
Banjo Riley - easy mounted $4.00

Hannah Shopping Bags - easy mounted $3.50


Ladybug & Friends

Especially for You - cling mount $3.50

Wags n' Wiskers

Bedtime Story - NEVER USED unmounted $4.00

Bildmalarna

Tossa Window - NEVER USED unmounted $5.00

Sugar Nellies

Manga Kids - NEVER USED unmounted $5.50
Blossom - easy mounted $5.50
Frog Prince - easy mounted $5.50

WOJ - Snowman Winter Card

I was home from work sick yesterday and today.  As of this morning I still felt like I had been hit by a truck.  Last night I decided to color in some pre-stamped images since I did not have the engery to move off of my recliner.  This Whiff of Joy snowman is an image I received in an image swap and I love it!!!  I'm not sure where the sentiment is from, it was also pre-stamped, however I thought it went cute with this image.

I'm entering this card in a few challenges (see below.)

Have a great weekend!!

(Christmas or Winter) Fun at Fairy Knoll 

(Snow)  Fussy and Fancy 

(Winter) Sew Many Challenges 

(Sparkle and Bling)  Studio 313

(Snowflakes)  Wags N Whiskers 

Scrapbooking

Last Saturday I was able to spend some time working on scrapbook pages.  This is a page I received in a swap that I fell in love with.  So I decided to use it as the cover page as the start to our 2nd family album for the year.  I ended up getting 7 pages done.  It has been so cold that I see us spending more and more weekends snuggled in.  Hopefully that means I'll be able to work on some crafty things after the holidays.

Here is a picture of our tree this year.  I have been doing a pre-lit tree for the past 7 years but the lights started to slowly go out so we decided to take the boys to a real tree farm and cut down our own tree.  My oldest son Mitch actually picked out the tree and I must say I think he did a wonderful job. 

Here are my special little Christmas boys.  They are such easy photo subjects!!!

Sisters

My sister is my bestfriend.  When I saw this image on Stamping Bella's website I fell in love with it.  It's an image by Mo Manning.  The sentiment came with the image which again in perfect for her and I.  We are only 16 months apart in age but are different in so many ways but love each other not only as sisters but as bestfriends.

Her favorite color is green so I tried to incorporate as many greens as possible.  This card will be sent off to her tomorrow as a thank you for taking my little guy to pre-school for me this week.

Have a great weekend!!