Stacked with Love Notes & Treat Pouch Gift Set by Julie Beltramo

Get ready for that someone special with this complete Stacked with Love Notes & Treat Pouch Gift Set by Julie Beltramo! A simple, but sweet Note Card Box is fun and easy to make. It holds nine 3” x 3” cards and envelopes that will be easy to access, and perfect for those quick notes everyone needs to write! The Treat Pouch is the perfect companion that will hold those special goodies you want to share. And the coordinating card is simple, sweet and stunning! And, if that’s not enough… this tutorial will teach you a ribbon trick that you’ll love and use again and again!  Get the full step-by-step instructions by heading over to Craft Project Central and subscribing to the month of January!

Canvas Play 2: A Video!!!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Go With The Flow...Release!
In today's video I decided to use Golden Acrylic Flow Release for the first time.  Rather than get myself very familiar and comfortable with the product before filming, I decided to show you what it is like for me to learn about a product while I am using it!  After I finished the video I wondered if I should delete the whole thing and refilm it and just use the paint that I discovered worked best with the flow release.  Then I decided it was better to show you the journey I went through.  And, just because one paint worked better than another, doesn't mean you should stop using the paint that flows less!  I ended up liking the finished product and that wouldn't have happened if I didn't "flow" with the lessons as they unfolded!  Enjoy!

Mini Baby Book Gift Set by Monika Davis

Make this sweet “Baby Girl” mini accordion album by Monika Davis for a friend who is expecting or has just had a baby. The mini album is perfect for scrapbooking or keeping keepsake photos. It nicely fits in a hand bag. These pieces can be mass produced easily and the greeting card can serve as the invitation or/and the baby announcement. Great for a stamp camp, or as a class project.  Get the full step-by-step instructions by heading over to Craft Project Central and subscribing to the month of January!

Paper Expressions 4: A Video!!!!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Process Is Messy - Austin Kleon
I don't know where I'm going!  This is looking like a mess!  What if I can't get this to a place where I can stand to look at it?  Why am I filming this???  All of these thoughts run through my head as I film my process of creating.  My Paper Expressions and Canvas Play videos are all about letting you into my process.  Sharing my experimentation with you.  Taking you with me on the journey I am on.  When these videos begin I have no idea what will transpire on the paper or the canvas.  I just begin.  And I share it with you.  Because I want you to see it is okay to not know what you are doing.  It is okay to not know where you are going.  It is okay if you end up creating something you (and others) don't even like.  The important part is that you just make it!

Creating Pretty Cards - Card Challenge #43

This is my submission for this month's Creating Pretty Cards - Card Challenge #43 over at Craft Project Central!  I combined the One Tag Fits All and the Stacked With Love Designer Series Paper Stack.  Do you know where the little punched heart came from?  Look closely...it's the little heart from the Owl Builder punch and it works perfectly with this banner and sentiment!
Head on over to Craft Project Central and participant in the challenge!  For every ten cards submitted, they will pick one winner of a free month subscription on Craft Project Central! The winner(s) will get to select the month of their choice!  Good luck!

Blooming Perpetual Calendar by Amanda Corbet

Create and hang this beautiful Blooming Perpetual Calendar by  Amanda Corbet to always keep track of what day it is. Easily update the calendar each month for years to come. Storage is provided right on the back of the frame for any extra pieces that aren’t used. So all the pieces you need are right there. Give this as a great gift for the new year with the coordinating card. This would be a wonderful class project!  Get the full step-by-step instructions by heading over to Craft Project Central and subscribing to the month of January!

XOXO Gift Set

Love for the season.  Love all year long!  This XOXO Gift Set is a wonderful way to show your affection for someone you love.  The set includes a love-themed sign along with a coordinating gift card and matching box.  This set would make a great class and also offers a perfect way for you to decorate for Valentine’s Day!  This is my January project for Craft Project Central.  For full step-by-step instructions, head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of January!

Mini Collage #20 & Paper Expressions 3: A Video!!!!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Find The Little Girl
I have been having a lot of fun playing with color and allowing myself to not judge, not assess and just flow.  I call it "finding the little girl."  At one time in my life (oh so long ago!) there was a little girl who wasn't afraid to play with color.  She didn't care what anyone thought.  She just wanted to eat those colors up and let them take her wherever they wanted!  It didn't matter what she did with what she made.  All that mattered was that she made.  She created.  She put crayons to paper, paint to brush, markers to walls (but that's a whole other story...and it was mostly hidden in my closet :)  So today I took a piece of deli paper along with some FW Acrylic Artist Inks and I found the little girl.  I hope you enjoy the video and the mini-collage I made with the deli paper to commemorate this important creative adventure!

Memory Wire Bracelet

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Play With All The Ingredients!
The ingredients for a creative life are vast!  And I am studying to be a gourmet craft chef!  Which means I have to play with ALL the ingredients!!!!!  That includes beads! :)  Memory wire and beads came together to create this olive and pink bracelet that is fun to wear and easy to put on and take off.  I even added a few dangles to the ends :)  I'm thinking about opening an Etsy shop...I will let you know if I do.  I have a feeling I will be able to make more jewelry than I will ever be able to wear ;)  I'd better go....more ingredients are waiting! :)

Canvas Play 1: A Video!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Make Mud!
I had a scrap piece of raw canvas sitting on the craft table and I decided to play with it!  I also had a bunch of Daler & Rowney Acrylic Artists Inks on the table...so the match was made!  I paired the two together in this video and the beginning was a bit rocky - I made what looked like mud!  But I kept going and am really happy with the result!  The lesson from this video?  Make some mud!!!!!

Art Canvas & Garland Decor! – Regina Andari

Art Canvas & Garland Decor by Regina Andari
With this tutorial, you’ll learn to make two home décor items that are perfect for Valentine’s Day but, since they stray from the traditional colors of pink and red, it won’t be necessary to rush to put them away.  First up is the adorable black canvas, which would be a sweet gift item, featuring the Hearts Decorative Mask.  You will probably make a list of people for whom you can make a canvas once you see how easy it is to go from a blank canvas to WOW.  The second project is a heart garland that you will thoroughly enjoy making!  It is surprisingly quick and easy from start to finish, and it has such a sweet presentation that you will be looking for the perfect place to hang it—and leave it year-round.  Lastly, there’s a greeting card that coordinates with the canvas and garland.  Head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of January for full step-by-step instructions!

A Little Kindness Goes A Long Way Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  A Little Kindness Goes A Long Way
I'll let the sentiment on this card speak for itself :)  What little kindnesses can you bestow on others in 2015?
To create this card I played around with heat embossing on vellum and dry embossing using a stencil.  I also decided to do a non-traditional closure.  After all, it is 2015!  Time to do a few new things! :)

A Variety of Valentine Treat Holders! – Yapha Mason

A Variety of Valentine Treat Holders by Yapha Mason
Are you looking for a variety of ways to package up Valentine treats for your friends and loved ones? Do you need new ideas for treats your child can take to school? Or maybe something to send your grandchildren? This project contains instructions to create six different holders for five types of Valentine candy, plus one more for Valentine pencils. Some of the packaging is easy enough for children to make, and others are more complicated. The variety of choices available make this the perfect project to get ready for Valentine’s day at home, at school, or to have plenty of options for a Valentine themed stamp camp or class.  Head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of January for full step-by-step instructions!

Mini-Collage #19: A Video!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Open Yourself To The Inspiration That Is Right There With You!
The dove was in my backyard.  The music bowl was waiting to be rung.  The birds were chirping in the hedge.  These three things come together in the video I am sharing with you today!  For those of you following my blog, you know that I have been working on a challenge I gave myself - to complete 30 mini collages (2"x2") in 30 days.  The 30-day part has fallen by the wayside, but the intent was to make sure I was creating something every day and I have been doing a pretty good job at that.  I have continued to move forward with the 30 mini collages and will allow them to be completed in whatever time they fill :)  I hope you enjoy the video!  (ps For those of you watching my videos, you will notice that I cut up the deli paper that I created in my Paper Expressions 2 video in order to create this mini collage!)

Mini-Collage #21: Paris - A Tribute

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Process Your Feelings Through Art
A tragedy.  Hatred.  Violence.  It is hard for me to absorb, understand, process.  Art helps me heal.  Heal from wounds that are opened worlds away.  I was on a plane yesterday.  Hours after the news announced the tragedy in Paris.  On the plane I took out my collage materials and tried to process.  It began with a torn paper napkin from United Airlines.  I loved that I was on an airline called "United" - it seemed like a perfect beginning for this tribute.  Sometimes the only way to try to process your feelings is through art.
For those of you following my mini-collage challenge, you may notice that this is mini-collage #21 and not #20.  I have #20 scheduled to post next week, but thought it necessary to share this mini-collage with you now - in the moment - while the wounds are open.  My thoughts and prayers are with those who died and with those who are injured who all held the value of expression through art so close to their hearts.

Masculine Gift Box & Desk Accessories! – Buffy Cooper

Masculine Gift Box & Desk Accessories by Buffy Cooper
Here’s a fun project using Simply Pressed Clay to personalize a gift box made with the Envelope Liners Framelits.  Use Designer Series Paper to jazz up office supplies, create a paper weight using Clear Blocks in creative ways, and you have a great handmade gift for one of the special men in your life.  The box makes an attractive desk accessory to hold pens, paper and more.  This would also make a fun class or stamp camp!  Head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of January for full step-by-step instructions!

Mini-Collage Challenge #18

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Find Some Unfinished Business To Finish
Weeks.  Maybe a few months.  That's how long this little collage sat, unfinished, on my craft room table.  Until today!  I was staring at it and thinking that it was unfinished business...and that was the inspiration I needed!  I took the mini collage over to my manual typewriter and typed out "unfinished business" amidst the other stamping that already existed on the collage.  This collage is the 18th of my mini-collage challenge that I gave to myself.  I have 12 more collages to go!  What unfinished business can you finish today?

It's Stampin' Up! Sale-A-Bration Time!!!!  With so many ways to participate in Sale-A-Bration and get FREE products, you can’t miss out!

Shop: Earn a FREE Sale-A-Bration product for every $50 you spend between January 6 and March 31. ($50 in product prior to tax and shipping).

Host: Hostess Benefits are great during Sale-A-Bration. You can host Sale-A-Bration parties for a chance to earn discounts and extra host dollars!

Join: It’s a great time to join Stampin’ Up! as a new demonstrator! New demonstrators can choose one of the following limited-time Sale-A-Bration offers when joining between January 6 and March 31.
• Option #1: Receive a FREE Simply Created Project Kit from the occasions catalog with your Starter Kit.
• Option #2: Receive 2 FREE Sale-A-Bration items of your choice with your Starter Kit.

Click HERE to shop now!

Paper Expressions 2: A Video!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Use Your Hands!
Fancy brushes.  Just the right tool.  Sometimes I get so wrapped up in what I am using to create that I lose the joy of creating!  So for this video I challenged myself to just use my hands :)  I hope you like it!

Valentine’s Day Gift Packaging & Card! – Christy Fulk

Valentine’s Day Gift Packaging & Card by Christy Fulk
Show your Valentine how much you care by making these gift packages and coordinating card for your sweetie. There’s a treat basket made with the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies and two treat holders made with the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch. Fill the packages up with goodies, and give them all to your Valentine, along with the coordinating card. This would also make a great Valentine’s Day themed class.  Head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of January for full step-by-step instructions!

Paper Expressions 1: A Video!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Just Play!
Happy New Year!!!!  One of my goals for 2015 is to play more in the craft room!  I started today by pulling out a piece of deli paper and painting, stamping and doodling.  I wanted to share the process with you in a video.  I am calling this video Paper Expressions 1...which means there will be more playing to come!  Hope you enjoy the video and the sound of the birds in the background :)