Yummy Bread & Jelly Gifts by Jen Arkfeld

Mmmmm, mmmmm, good!  These Yummy Bread & Jelly Gifts were created by Jen Arkfeld as her July project for Craft Project Central!  Summertime means lots of in season garden goodies like rhubarb, zucchini, green beans and strawberries!  It’s fun to share these summertime goodies with neighbors, friends and family.  Giving these gifts in pretty packaging makes them almost too good to eat!  This project includes packaging for these goodies as well as recipes wrapped up in a pretty sack too!
To get all of the step-by-step instructions to create these gifts yourself, head on over to Craft Project Central and sign up for a membership for the month of July!  You will receive these instructions as well as directions for all of the other projects featured for the month of July at Craft Project Central!

Happy Day Washi Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes You Just Need To Move A Few Steps To The Left To See Something Spectacular!
On Monday night we were treated to the most amazing full moon I have seen in a long time!  Did you see it????  It was so huge and so bright here in Colorado!  I was mesmerized.  We walked up to the park under the light of the moon and when we arrived we saw some of Buddy's usual friends.  When we got up to some of the usual suspects we asked them if they had seen the moon.  Two of them said they had not so we told them to take a few steps to the left - to be out of the line of the trees - and WOW - they were amazed!  It's interesting to realize that sometimes you are not seeing something because something is blocking your way and, if you could only move a few steps to the left, you might see something spectacular!  What are the things that get in our way?  Sometimes it is a stand of trees, sometimes it is our own stance on an issue or an agenda that we have.  Sometimes it is just that we are so focused on what we are doing or what we are thinking that we totally miss the opportunity to step to the left.  What is blocking your way right now?  Can you take a few steps to the left?  You might see something spectacular!
For today's card I decided to do some more experimenting with making my own washi tape!  You can see my basic video on how to make your own washi tape HERE!  For the ruler washi tape I first sponged the creped filter paper (already on the adhesive backing) with Daffodil Delight ink.  Then I inked up the Measuring Stick wheel with Basic Black ink and rolled it over the Daffodil Delight inked creped filter paper!  I love how it turned out!  I combined it on the Very Vanilla card base with some of the This and That washi tape and Gingham Garden washi tape and stamped the sentiment from Happy Day onto Daffodil Delight card stock.  I attached the sentiment with dimensionals.  The final touch was to stamp the bicycle from Postage Collection and then use a ruler to draw some dashed lines to form a path for the bicycle.  I hope you like it and I hope you have a wonderfully creative weekend!  Don't forget, leave a comment on any of this week's posts on my blog and you will be entered to win a free subscription to the month of July projects at Craft Project Central!  In your comment, let me know how you manage to keep your craft space clean (I'm looking for help!) :)  The winner will be chosen on Sunday!  Good luck! :)

Happy Day Mini Book

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Find A Uniform That Suits You!
Pantyhose are not my thing!  I remember as a child that my mom used to wear pantyhose with everything - skirts, pants, shorts - you name it.  I have to admit that that seemed like torture to me!  Maybe there was a time when the idea of putting on pantyhose seemed grown up and like a treat, but that time is long ago and far away!  Now I find that any excuse not to wear pantyhose is a good excuse (and my mom has shed her pantyhose as well - except for special occasions).  So what clothes do I like?  Well I definitely would be a candidate for What Not To Wear (a show where people with dreadful taste in clothing are given an opportunity to be guinea pigs for style consultants Stacy and Clinton - quite entertaining!).  When I am not traveling for work, my go-to cold-weather uniform usually involves a pair of black stretch leggings and some type of oversized comfy shirt make of a soft material like fleece or cotton (nothing itchy please!).  On warm-weather days I am now turning to a new uniform...overalls!!!!!  I had this vision that I just couldn't get out of my head - overalls with tank tops!  So onto ebay I went to purchase a week's worth of bib overalls that I could get paint and ink on and be comfy in all day long!  I love the idea of no tight waistbands and lots of pockets for walking the dog!  There may be some days where it is just too hot outside for overalls, but on any day when the temp is favorable, you will find me hanging out looking like Farmer Brown :)  It's important to find a uniform that suits you and allows you to be you! :)
Today's mini book was made to match the thank you card I shared earlier this week.  I am loving the combination of Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cantaloupe (yum!) and Baked Brown Sugar (double yum!)!  I love making these mini books to record thoughts, lists, notes and in this case, sweet, sweet moments!  The sentiment is from Happy Days and the other supplies were listed in my post earlier this week.  Here's a look at the book lying flat.  I use recycled paper for the inside and just add a small stamped image to hide some of the printing on the pages.  I hope you like it!  P.S.  Don't forget to leave a comment on my blog this week telling me what you do to keep your craft space clean!  I will be choosing one lucky winner on Sunday to receive a free subscription to the month of July for Craft Project Central!  Good luck!

Naturally Summer Garden Gift Set by Candy Rattray

I love sunflowers and this Naturally Summer Garden Gift Set by Candy Rattray does a wonderful job of highlighting this gorgeous bloom!  You can find out more about Candy on her blog HERE!
Summer is here, and this set of projects brings the sunshine of summer gardens and the beauty of nature into a lovely handmade gift complete with coordinating gift bag and card.  Use the mini album for your summer photos or as a perfect gardening journal.  Would you like all of the instructions for how to make this garden gift set?  Just head on over to Craft Project Central and register for membership for the month of July!  If you become a member for July, you will receive instructions for this project as well as all of the other projects featured for July at Craft Project Central!  Or, check back later this week and learn how you can win a free membership for the month of July!

Four Frames Thank You Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  No One Is Watching, So Give It A Try!
I love creating because it allows me to be adventurous! :)  I show up in the craft room and stare at a blank piece of card stock and begin to wonder what would happen if I combined colors I don't normally combine, or try things I don't normally try.  Sometimes in life we hold back and don't try things because we don't want to be embarrassed or we don't want to fail.  The craft room is a wonderful place to fail and embarrass yourself...because you're the only one watching!  If you create something that makes you want to throw up, so what!  You can recycle it or cover it up or claim that your dog made it! :)  Or, you may find that you don't fail at all!  Maybe by taking that risk it leads you to a discovery that turns into one of the most wonderful things you have ever made.  So give it a try!  No one is watching :)
For today's card I began with a Crisp Cantaloupe card base (am I the only one who can't mention Crisp Cantaloupe without salivating?!)  I decided to pair the color with some Coastal Cabana (now I'm hearing waves :) which I ran through the Big Shot with the Honeycomb embossing folder.  I thought the colors looks great with this pattern from the Venetian Romance designer series paper (can you tell that I am LOVING this paper?!  I am using it on everything!!!!).  I then stamped some handmade washi tape (did you watch my video on this?  It's so easy to do!) using the Tape It stamp set and added it to the card.  Next I stamped the little bird frame from Four Frames using Coastal Cabana ink and the sentiment from Express Yourself with Baked Brown Sugar (why are all of these color names making me hungry?!).  I punched the label out with the Decorative Label punch and added it to the card with dimensionals.  Finally, I used the 7/8" scallop circle punch to punch a piece of Crisp Cantaloupe card stock and layered an In Color Boutique Detail on top of it.  The piece was then added to the card with a dimensional.  I hope you like it!

Creating Pretty Cards - Sketch Challenge #25 & Chance To Win!!!!!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Clearing Your Desk, Clears Your Mind!
I got busy in the craft room this past weekend - trying to dig out from the explosion of creativity that had been taking place in there!  Combining a hectic travel schedule with bursts of creativity makes for an impossibly messy craft room!  So, I spent time clearing and cleaning and now, every time I pass by the doorway to the craft room and look inside, I smile!  I forgot how refreshing it is to see a clean and tidy space!  It's so inviting!  It also allows my mind to be come and creates space for new creative ideas to take hold.  When I created this card on my clean craft table, I made sure to put everything back in its place - clearing my desk definitely clears my mind!
Today's card is for this month's Creating Pretty Cards Sketch Challenge #25 over at Craft Project Central!  I am in love with the new Smoky Slate color and thought it looked quite elegant with this pattern from the Venetian Romance designer series paper!  I added the floral image from Happy Day, stamped with Smoky Slate ink.  I layered the stamped panel onto some Crisp Cantaloupe card stock for some added depth.  Next I punched two labels using the Decorative Label punch.  I sponged the edges with Smoky Slate ink.  Then I stamped the Label Love stamp set and punched it out with the Artisan Label punch.  The sentiment from Pennant Parade was stamped onto Very Vanilla card stock and punched out with the 1" circle punch.  I layered and glued the labels together and added them to the card with dimensionals.  For some bling, I added a rhinestone to the center of a Vintage Faceted designer button and then added that to the label with glue dots.  Some knotted Natural Trim finishes the card.  I hope you like it!
Make a card of your own and post it to the Craft Project Central site and you might win a free one-month subscription to Craft Project Central!  Of, if your creative juices aren't quite flowing, feel free to leave me a comment here...telling me how you manage to keep your craft space clean...and you will be entered to win a free subscription to the month of July over at Craft Project Central!  I will be announcing the winner on Sunday, July 28!!!!  Good luck!!!!

Dry Erase Memo Board by Chris Galbraith

Today I am sharing the incredibly creative Dry Erase Memo Board by Chris Galbraith!  You can learn more about Chris on her blog HERE!  Can you believe this beautiful picture is really a memo board to help you organize your week?  You can write on the glass with a dry erase marker. There is even a corkboard with a notepad at the bottom. Keep it for yourself or give it as gift with the matching card. You will be surprised at how easy this is to create!
To get all of the step-by-step instructions for this project, as well as all of the other projects featured for the month of July on Craft Project Central, go HERE and purchase a membership for the month of July!  Or, check back this week when I will be giving away a free membership for the month of July to Craft Project Central! :)