Scrapbook a Shadow Box Picture Frame

This was a challenge at the 2010 Angel Round Up in Salina. We received a box of pre-printed thank you cards and were asked to decorate the box that the cards came in. Since it had a clear lid, my first thought was shadow box.

To make the most of the depth of the box, I popped up the picture from the back of the box and popped up the journaling tag even more. An easy way to do this is to use your Scor-Pal to make some folded strips of paper. See the photo at left for how I did this. It's a really great trick for a card that will be mailed too, because the paper can fold really flat, then still pop up when it comes out of the envelope. It's cheap too! (Which is really great!)

You may have seen some of my other trash-to-treasure, freestyling ideas to get your scrapbooking up on the wall and this idea fits right in. Here are some of my favorites:

Family Photo Frame

Easy Mimi Frame (Great quick birthday gift)

Freestylin' (Scrapbooks up on the wall)

Decorative Corners

This piece with Kate and Lily is for my husband's office. Even though it has a lot of pink, I think it will look great with all the wood grain and he will love seeing their smiling faces!

Easy Holiday Party Favor: Tea / Cocoa Treat

Easter can be a little brisk in Colorado, so when I choose a festive drink, I'm usually thinking of something warm!

Orange Spice Tea is perfect! It's warm, the color is cheerful and you can make up some mixes to give as gifts or little favors. These are little thank you treats for the volunteers that help me with my neighborhood egg hunt.

Here is the recipe I (kind of) used.

The supplies are easy to find at your craft or party store.

You'll need:

Plastic portion cups with lids

Tulle rounds (usually in the wedding section)

Ribbon

Paper Cups

The thing I like best about this project is, you can change it for any holiday. My friend makes homemade peppermint cocoa, which would be great for Christmas or Valentine's Day. This orange spice tea would be great when fall rolls around and is popular at Christmas as well!

I added a thank you note to my treats and even put a small chocolate in the bottom, just for fun. Just think of all the tea and warm wishes type phrases you could add for all kinds of occasions. I think this would great even for a get well warm up. (Below I'll attach my document for the round labels I added to the lid. You need a 1 3/4" punch or circle cutter, or you can adjust the scale of the print out to change the size.)

Enjoy and leave me a comment if you try this treat and what occasion you used it for. I'd love to hear your ideas!

Orange Spice Tea

Easy Easter Paper Craft: Mini Egg Basket

I love Easter! I've always loved dying eggs, hand painting them and hiding them! I'm in the midst of planning our neighborhood egg hunt, so I'm buried in plastic eggs. Here's a fun use for those mismatched ones that always seem to be left over! I thought this idea at the Think Crafts! blog was so darling, I decided to adapt it to what items I had on hand. My girls (9 and 4) loved helping me make these. What's not to love about decoupage?

Here are the basic supplies:
scrapbooking paper
plastic eggs
decoupage glue/brush
ribbon

I cut the paper into angled strips so that it fit better on the egg and layered them on top of one another.

I knew I would find something cute to do with this iron tree that I found on clearance at Big Lots! I'll whip up a few more and maybe the Easter Bunny will fill them with chocolate kisses. Happy Easter!

Window Box Treat Tutorial

I designed this "box" to fit a packet of cocoa and I was really excited when I learned that I could make it with a half sheet of regular sized cardstock! It holds a Peppermint Marshmallow Pop (RECIPE HERE) very nicely, and I just think it looks like a window box that sits under a window and holds flowers.

The snowman is colored with Copic markers and I used my Juice Lid Embossing Technique on the red tag.

Here are the basic instructions. Start with cardstock that is 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches. Score along the short side at 1" and 4 1/2".

Rotate and score along the long side at 1/2", 4" (but just on the edges-see photo) 5 1/2" and 7".

Cut along the dotted lines, according to photo.

Fold along the score lines to form box (fold two flaps to the back according to the photo).

I have some other things in mind for this "window box", but I would love to see what ideas you come up with, so leave a link if you decide to give it a try!

Peppermint Marshmallow Pops (for Stirring in Hot Cocoa)

Here's a heart-warming idea for Valentine's Day or even just a winter thank you. The peppermint marshmallow pop can be eaten as is or stirred into a cup of hot cocoa for a yummy treat.

These are the supplies you'll need: marshmallows, almond bark melt, leftover candy canes (or starlight mints) and lollipop sticks (we also used coffee stirrers).

Melt the almond bark in a double boiler.

Crush the candy canes. I tried my mini food processor, but the candy can get stuck, so crushing them inside a plastic baggy and dishtowel with a meat tenderizer worked well as a back-up.

When the candy is melted, place a stick in each marshmallow and dip in almond bark melt (be careful--marshmallows can melt), then dip in crushed candy cane.

Place on wax or parchment paper and cool in refrigerator. (As soon as they are firm, seal in a zip top bag to keep the marshmallows soft.)

For a quick tutorial on my "Window Box" CLICK HERE. I designed it to hold a packet of cocoa and our peppermint marshmallow treat, but it works for other fun things too. Won't this treat melt our teachers' hearts?!

Easy Kids' Valentine Ideas

Are you scrambling to get some Valentines made for your kids' class at school? These ideas are great, even for last-minute moms like me!

The ones above were made with the Sizzix Brackets Album die (which is on sale right now). I folded the cardstock before running it through and tucked an AirHead candy inside.

The shape that holds the watermelon and cherry Jolly Rancher pops is a large merchandise tag. The kids can help color the watermelon one in with the Pebbles, Inc. Shimmer chalks. It's really shimmery in person!

Don't forget the teacher! The white cardstock was scored and folded before putting it through the Big Shot. I got the basic idea from Heather's treat.

Faux Nestabilities with Juice/Can Lids

I've been back at my craft table lately and I've come up with a trick that's cheap and easy and will add a fun extra touch to your winter cards.

These round, embossed shapes were made by running juice and can lids through the Big Shot! I love the look of the metallic Nestabilities that emboss and cut beautiful shapes, but I don't have any yet. You know I love using things I have laying around the house too, so this is what I came up with!

To get a better idea of how to do it, watch this video. (If you are reading in a reader, click here and you'll be transported to YouTube.)

If for some reason, you can't see the video, here is the basic recipe:

First, put the white platform on the bottom,

Followed by shims, (if needed)

Embossing pad

Cardstock

Juice lid

Then top plate

*IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER MACHINE and you have the recipe for, let's say, the Cuttlebug, please feel free to share it in the comments and I will add it here. Thanks ;)

A friend that I told this idea to asked about square shaped embossing and I told her she would just have to look for a square soup can or settle for this other cheap and easy "faux nestie" trick: Add a layer of plain white cardstock that is 1/8" larger than your white focal point layer for a look that mimics embossing. It's simple, but it does add a little something to a card.

Reminiscing on Holiday Projects Past

Happy Holidays!
I'm enjoying time with my family this holiday season, so I thought I would put together a few of "my favorite things" from holidays past. If you're looking for a last minute gift or a fun project to do with your family, maybe you'll enjoy one of these:

Christmas Carol Holiday Game

Christmas Verse Coffee Sleeve Book

Muffin Tin Advent Calendar

Juice Lid and Paper Star Ornaments

Festive Photo Ornaments

Have a great holiday season and I'll see you in the new year!

Thanksgiving Activity Books

I bet things around your house are pretty crazy right about now, just like mine. The holidays are a blur of activity.

We are planning on taking some time around the Griffith house to slow down and count our blessings on Thanksgiving, but before we sit down at the table it seems there are a million things to do.

Here's a project you can make to keep the kids busy while you do last minute meal prep. And this won't take long either, so you can whip it together at the last minute. (Now that's my kind of project!)

Get the download from Kristine Mckay and enjoy! Oh, and if you have a spare moment, watch my video on the Blessings Envelope Accordion Book that will capture our blessings this year!

Fall Snack Mix Cornucopia Treat & Peanut Butter Pumpkins

We're having an October snow day! You never know what the weather will do in Colorado. The kids and I are making last-minute treats as teacher gifts and party snacks for Halloween, but these would be great for Thanksgiving as well. The same can be said for this adorable set from The {Stamps} of Life that I used for the tags. (See a ton of ideas for the fall holidays from the gallery here!) I recently joined their design team and I can't wait to share the next set, which is for Christmas!

The snack mix is so easy to throw together and has some sweet additions. It's packaged with a sugar waffle cone in a disposable decorator bag. So fun! (Barb has another adorable craft with decorator bags, which is my all-time favorite for Halloween!)


Here's another sweet treat that you and your kids will have a ball making!
Peanut Butter Pumpkins are so easy, yummy and fun. Get all the details on how to make them **IN THIS POST**

Are they not a.dor.able?

Happy Halloween!