Saturday, December 31, 2011

Michaels teacher discount

I just wanted to quickly share with you the deal that Michaels is having for teachers out there!!

Teachers can ring in the New Year with savings!!!!  Save $5.00 for every $25.00 you spend in addition to using your 15% teacher discount!!!!

I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful Saturday!!!  It is off to cleaning and organizing the craft dungeon for me.  I might be able to find my table today LOL!!!!
Happy New Year's Eve!

Friday, December 30, 2011

2011 Favorite projects-part I

I thought I would share with you some of my favorite projects I created over this past year.  Some projects are for the classroom and some aren't.  I truly love this craft!!!!  I hope you enjoy this blast from the past :)









Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Having a blast at The Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, VA

Each year after Christmas, our family on my husband's side gets to go to The Great Wolf  Lodge to spend some quality time with each other having fun and splashing away down the slides!  This year all of us will be staying for three days :).  If you have never been to The Great Wolf Lodge then you need to check it out.  We have a total blast each year :)
And of course if you know me I always find a shop/store that carries some type of scrapbooking/stamping/crafting supplies!  I picked up a GWL scrapbook album, paper kit, and photo frame to keep all of those photos in!!!

When we get back home I am looking forward to cranking things back up in the craft dungeon!!  I have a lot of fun ideas floating around and can't wait to start using all of my new crafting supplies Santa delivered this year LOL!!!  I hope everyone is able to have the opportunity to spend some quality time with your loved ones.  Now it is off to hit the Howling Tornado slide with my boys!!!!!!!!!!


Friday, December 23, 2011

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!!


I want to take this time to thank all of you out there in crafting cyber space!!!  Thank you for being my friend and sharing your creativity with me.  It has been a challenging year both personally and professionally and I am truly looking forward to a fresh new start in 2012.  I am already planning my scrapbooking conventions and events-they will be here before you know it ;). 
 I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!  Here's looking to a year of creative and fun experiences ;)
Super Big Crafty Hugs!!!!!!    

Monday, December 19, 2011

Holiday gift bags


Happy Monday everyone!
Well it is off to the post office this morning to ship out those last minute cards and gifts.  Here is a super quick and easy project to make when you run out of those gift bags.  Making your own adds that special touch!!  The brown bags can be found at Michaels or Joann's for an inexpensive price-you can jazz them up with any Cricut Cartridge.  Hope you are enjoying your day!!  Now it is off to run those last minute errands.  ;)

Materials used:
Cricut Imagine machine
Winter Frolic cartridge
Very Merry Tags cartridge
Mr. Frosty Imagine cartridge
white cardstock
Martha Stewart glue and glitter
various holiday ribbon
zip dry glue
Stampin' Up stamps
various holiday rubber stamps

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Save those Crystal Light containers for the Rolo Turtle treats!!!!


Here's a super quick, inexpensive and cute idea to package all of those Rolo Turtle pretzel candies!!  I like to give them to my son's bus drivers, classroom volunteers, school secretaries, and co-workers.  My Mom saves the containers for me each year and I get a load of them!!  Wash the containers thoroughly prior to decorating.  I like to stack the Rolo Turtle pretzel candies in a plastic treat bag, wrap it with a pretty bow and place it inside of the Crystal Light containers.  These are a few that I made last year...I am off to creating some more this year using my Imagine.  I will post the pics later this week.  Have a great week everyone!!!!!!!


Materials used:
Trim the Tree Cricut Cartridge (Tree cut at 2 1/2 inches)
DCWV The Christmas Stack pack of paper
A Crystal Light container
Martha Stewart snowflake punch
Ribbon from Michaels
Icicle Stickles
Gold star brad
Zip Dry glue
Pop Dots

Materials used:
Winter Lace Cricut Cartridge-(Snowflake cut at 2 1/4 inches)
A Crystal Light container
Martha Stewart punch
DVWV The Christmas Stack
Ribbon from Michaels
Zip Dry glue
Pop Dots
Silver snowflake brad

Materials used:
Gingerbread Cricut Cartridge (stocking cut at 2 1/2 inches)
A Crystal Light container
Martha Stewart punch
DCWV The Christmas Stack
Ribbon from Michaels
Icicle Stickles for the top of the stocking





Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Pretzel Rolo Turtles!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a great holiday treat to give to teachers, co-workers, bus drivers, and parent volunteers!!  I make these tasty treats every year and give them to everyone I know.  They are super simple to make and very inexpensive.  Great on a teacher's budget!!  Enjoy :)

                                Pretzel Rolo Turtles
 
 
Prep time: 2 mins
Cook time: 5 mins
Total time: 7 mins
Serves: 4
 
 Pretzel Rolo Turtles Ingredients:
 
  • 20 Miniature Pretzels
  • 20 Rolo Candies, unwrapped
  • 20 Pecans, toasted
Instructions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350.
  2. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for about 7 minutes or until fragrant.
  3. Remove them from the oven.
  4. On a small baking sheet, arrange the pretzels.
  5. Place one Rolo on top of each pretzel
  6. Place them in the oven for about 4-5 minutes.
  7. Remove the pan and smoosh one pecan on top of each Rolo.
 

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

An Imagine Project


This was from a post earlier this year-I love making this recipe and love using my Imagine to create simple, fast, and creative projects.  The Imagine makes crafting easier for me.  I love all of my machines but the Imagine really is quick and wonderful when you need to make several projects.  I hope you enjoy this recipe.  It is a huge hit in the Pendarvis house!!!!!!!!

Here are the details:
I printed my own cardstock on the Imagine using the "Snow Angels" cartridge
I cut the cardstock at 12' by 6 "
Used a Martha Stewart loop punch
Added Christmas red ribbon to the top
Cut out the tag at 3 1/2" using the Imagine "Snow Angels" cartridge
Used a 1 inch hole punch for the tag
Added Christmas ribbon to the tag
**You could even add the recipe to the back of the tag or create a pocket tab
CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD RECIPE
3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
  • In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix well.
  • In separate bowl, combine sugar and eggs; beat (I whisk) until well blended. Add oil and vanilla; beat until combined. Stir in zucchini. Add flour mixture; stir until just moistened. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Spoon evenly into loaf pans.
  • Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pans; cool completely on wire rack.
** THIS RECIPE MAKES 2 LOAVES!!!!!!!!!!!! yummo :)
ENJOY!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!!


I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!!  I am so thankful for many things in my life.  I am truly thankful for my husband, children, family, friends and crafting buddies!!!  I am currently visiting family in South Carolina and am loving the weather.  It was 78 degrees yesterday :)  As I sit here typing this message I am in my Mom's kitchen watching her put in the pies and make the stuffing just as I did when I was a child.  Sweet memories!!  I can't wait to eat LOL!!

I have all of my Black Friday ads here with me trying to devise my plan of attack at midnight!!  I am sure we will be going to Walmart, Target, Michaels, and more!!! 

 I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving with loved ones.  Thank you for sharing your ideas, creativity, and friendship!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND HAPPY CRAFTING!


Sunday, November 20, 2011

My family Christmas card :)

Ok...ok after playing around with several different ideas for this years Christmas card this is the final version.  I would love to say that I came up with this design but it is very similar to a version I found on google.  Sometimes I truly get into a crafting slump and I have a hard time designing something.  My bestie said to me, "Why don't you search cards on google?" so I did and came across several ideas from some incredible crafters and designers.  I put my own spin on the card design and I really love how it turned out.  I was rather covered in gold embossing powder but enjoyed every step in making the design.  I headed to Michaels today and picked up some cardstock (6 for $1.00!!) and now I need to make 50 cards.  I am hoping to get this  project completed by the end of next weekend.  Keep your fingers crossed for me LOL.  I am sure most crafters have already finished their cards!!  I am always behind -I pledge every year that I will start my cards in July but it never seems to feel right when I am in my shorts and flip flops!  Have a great week everyone and keep craftin' ;)  

Friday, November 18, 2011

Cricut Imagine Card-Enjoy the Seasons Cartridge

I just love my Cricut Imagine!!  This card was super fast and easy to make.  I used the Enjoy the Season Cartridge for the snowman and snowflake arch.  The paper was from a paper pack I recently purchased from Michaels.  I added some bling (have to have the bling!) with my Sakurka glitter pen and My Pink Stamper stamp set-this turned out super cute!!!  I feel like I am finally making a dent in my Christmas cards this year!  I hope everyone is having a super week-keep crafting and creating.  It is truly the best medicine!!!  :)

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Cheerful Seasons Cartridge from Creative Memories

A friend of mine let me borrow her Cheerful Seasons Cartridge from Creative Memories (she is a consultant)  I have had so much fun playing with the cart.  I think I might have to buy it for myself LOL ;)  I cut the wreath at 3 1/2 inches, added some stickles, bling ribbon and used My Creative Time stamps to create this card.  I love this paper I got from Michaels.  It is off to creating more cards for the holidays, some banners, and possibly some pop-up cards if there is time.  I can't believe that Thanksgiving is 8 days away and Christmas is 39 days away!!!!!!!!!!!!  Lots to do and never enough time :)  Have a super week!!!  

Monday, November 14, 2011

Happy Thankgsgiving card


I am really having fun playing with my Gina K. Designs stamp sets that I purchased!!  Yes....it is a Cricutless card (can you believe it??)  I do feel bad, my poor Cricut Expression, E2, and Imagine have been feeling neglected lately.  I have a few projects that I will be making both for my classroom and home.  So have no fear....the Cricut is near!!!!  I must clean my craft area very soon because the scrappin' girls are heading over to my place this weekend for some fun.  I hope everyone has a chance this week to create something for family, friends, and loved ones.  I truly enjoy this hobby and all of the wonderful people I have met along my crafting journey who share the same love and passion for the craft.  Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving



I finally had a chance to go down into the dungeon to craft a little this evening.  I am trying to finish up my Thanksgiving cards so I can mail them out this week.  Boy it is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just a week and a half away!!  My family will be traveling to South Carolina again this year to visit my parents.  We always have a great time down there....any time by the beach is a great time!! 
We cheat on Thanksgiving....we actually go out to dinner for our meal.  Nothing beats a home cooked meal but it is nice to just show up and have the meal prepared for you, no dishes to clean, and no sweating by the stove all day.  The only drawback is NO LEFTOVERS!!! :(  I think we might cook a turkey breast and a few sides for the rest of the weekend!   I will be baking a pumpkin spice bundt cake drizzled with a cream cheese frosting!! YUMMMMOOOO ...I can't wait!  I have more cards on my list to make so I will be heading down to the dungeon again tomorrow.  I hope everyone had an opportunity to catch some of those pre "black Friday" sales!!!  Have a super week!!! 

Materials used:
Gina K. Designs stamp set
Sakura glitter pens
Spellbinders Die Cuts
DCWV Fall paper pack from last year
Ribbon found at Michaels
Stampin' Up cardstock
  

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Turkey Day is right around the corner!!!



Well I just looked at the calendar and realized that I better get a move on these Thanksgiving cards and Christmas cards!  I just love the Create a Critter cartridge-this little fellow (turkey) was cut at 3 1/2 inches.  I used the "Give Thanks" stamp from Gina K. Designs and a Sukura glitter pen to add some bling.  I am very much into super simple, quick and fast card making.  Being a wife, mother of 2 boys, and a full-time 3rd grade teacher it doesn't leave very much time for crafting!  But I tend to manage :)
More to come....holiday banners, boxes, gift card holders and more!!!  It is time to start thinking about my parent volunteers who help me out so much in the classroom!  Hope everyone is having a great week!

**Sorry for the cut off picture.  My Nikon camera that I got for Christmas last year just took it on the chin.  It is not even taking pictures now :(.....looks like I will be putting a camera on the new list LOL!


Thursday, November 3, 2011

Touching base!!


Hello everyone!!  Just touching base-it has been too long since I have posted anything.  Things are hectic and crazy and I can only imagine them getting even crazier with the upcoming holidays.  I came across this photo of a project that I made for a very dear friend of mine who shares the same love and passion for Cricut cartridges LOL ;)
I am in the process of making my holiday project list-does anyone out there ever do this?  I try to write my project list down ...that is the easy part!  Sticking to the list seems to be the most difficult part :)  I also write down my baking list.  Each year I try to bake and make something for the bus drivers, co-workers, school secretary, and friends.  Not to mention coming up with a Christmas card to mail out to  family and friends!!
Put your seat belts on...the busy time of the year is underway!!!  I hope everyone is able to "make and bake" something!!!  Have a super week :)