VETERAN'S DAY BLOG HOP

Veteran's Day Blog Hop Coming!! 
Join 20 EXCITED crafters for a Blog Hop honoring our Veterans and Troops.  Inspiring projects, interviews with veterans, current service personnel,  and family members will be all along the Hop.  There is also great blog candy offered by Marlo Letterle...and one of the last chances to win one of her amazing Scrap'nTotes! You can see this wonderful tote at http://www.cricutcartridgestorage.com.  In addition, Anne of Paper Patch Crafts has donated Spellbinders Nesties Crown Circles.  If you'd like to check out Anne's store, here is the link: http://stores.ebay.com/Paper-Patch-Crafts?_rdc=1   Our blog will start on Karel's blog: http://kareljcreations.blogspot.com/.  She will have instructions on how to win the scrap'n totes and the nesties.  Other blog candy will be up for grabs, as well.  So, on November 11, grab a box of tissues and a cup of coffee and hop, hop hop to Honor The Brave!

Blog Candy

Yipee - a couple more days and it will be Veteran's Day.  In honor of that special day, I am offering the following Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page as candy.  To win, you must become a follower (if you are not already), and leave a comment here on November 11.  That's it!  The lucky winner will be picked and posted no later than November 14.  I will use random.org to pick the winner.  Please make sure you leave a way for me to contact you.

CRICUT CARD FAIRY Blog Hop

The Cricut Card Fairy Blog Hop will be here soon - November 19-21, 2010. This month all of us "fairies" are practicing being thankful for all the blessings in our lives.What are you thankful for? Do you stop daily and thank those around you for blessing you? Do you appreciate the small things in life? We sure hope so! With that in mind the fairies have put together some awesome THANKSGIVING/THANKFUL themed crafty items. Along the way there will be opportunities for inspiration, and blog candy. So make sure you hop all the way through, leave comments on every blog, and then a comment on the starting blog (our Commander's blog!) when finished. She will be giving away a BNIP Hello Kitty Greetings cart to a person that comments on ALL the blogs and here too! All the info will be forthcoming soon.  Happy hopping!

Christmas Card

I am just getting into paper piercing and found this pattern for a star which I sewed and then turned into a card.  It took a long time and I'm not sure I'd make too many, but it was fun.  I used thick cardstock (GinaK) a sharp, tiny needle and 1 strand of embroidery thread.  I think next time I might use two strands.  I also think the leaves should be outlined with a contrasting color of thread.  Next time!

THINK PINK BLOG HOP WINNER

And the winner from the Think Pink Blog Hop, winner of a $25 gift certificate from Pink by Design Stamps, is Jen.  Jen's post on If It's Groovy was the winning number.  Jen, please contact Karel at ksjennings(at)gmail(com) with your address.  If you know Jen, please let her know she won!  Karel will need to hear from her no later than the 19th, or she will have to pick another winner.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who hopped with us.

My BLOG HOP WINNER

CONGRATS to ScrappyHeartz for being the winner of my blog candy - her post was picked by Random.Org.  Cute little Tilda and the other candy will be on it's way as soon as I get an address.  I so appreciate everyone who visited and participated in the blog hop.  It was so much fun.  I'm going to go to all of your sites and become a follower and check out your stuff too. 

AND, be sure to watch for our 1-day Veterans Day hop on November 11.

THINK PINK BLOG HOP

Welcome to my first blog hop!  I am so excited you are here.  A special THANK YOU to Sarah at http://www.pinkcricut.com/ for her donation of a $25 gift certificate.  To win Sarah's candy, just complete the hop and leave a comment on everyone's blog.  On Tuesday, October 12, random.org will be utilized to pick a random comment, and that person will win the gift certificate.  The winner will be posted on karelj.blogspot.com and on my blog.  Good luck!

Let's not forget the real reason for our blog hop.  THINK PINK - be aware - get regular checkups.  Listed below are the sites/order for our blog hop. 

1. One By One The Flamingos Are Stealing My Sanity – http://karelj.blogspot.com/
2. Gina’s Stamping Creations -- http://ginathorntonstamping.blogspot.com/
3. Crafting This Moment -- http://craftingthismoment.blogspot.com/
4. The Cricut Diaries – http://cricutdiaries.blogspot.com/
5. Sweet Sassy Diva -- http://sweetsassydiva-gspot.blogspot.com/
6. Scrappin’ Sista -- http://www.onescrappinsista.blogspot.com/
7. If It’s Groovy -- http://ifitsgroovy.blogspot.com/
8. Oh, Snap! -- http://ohsnaplizzie.blogspot.com/
9. Crazy About Cricut – http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com/
10. Gen’s Den -- http://www.gensden.com/
11. Peanut Butter and Jelly Designs -- http://peanutbutterandjellydesigns.blogspot.com/
12. Heartfelt Creations -- http://tlbheartfeltcreations.blogspot.com/
13. Creations With Becka – http://creationswithbecka.blogspot.com/ 
14. Calie’s Creative Corner – http://caliescreativecorner.blogspot.com/
15. Tidbit’s Place – http://tidbitsplace.blogspot.com/  (YOU ARE HERE)
16. Gypsy Paperie -- http://gypsypaperie.blogspot.com/
17. Life From Marianne’s Table – http://number1aunt.blogspot.com/
18. The Suburban Crafter-- http://www.rachelstampshappy.blogspot.com/



ENJOY!

BLOG HOP BLOG CANDY

In honor of our Think Pink Blog Hop, I have the following blog candy up for grabs.  All you need to do is post a comment here, and become a follower sometime during the Hop on October 9-11 and the lucky winner will be chosen by random.org.  I will post the winner on October 12.

THINK PINK - Origami

Here is my first try at an ornament that has been "floating" around some of the swaps I am in. I scraplifted my buddy Denni.  She has the link posted on her site:  http://starlightscrapper.blogspot.com/ .   It was a ton of fun.  You should try it.  I would go for lighter paper - the paper I ended up using was a little heavy and stiff (although not cardstock) and it just didn't move the way I wanted it to. 

Think Pink Nesting Cards

I love nesting cards.  Each card will nestle into the larger one.  I've put sentiments on the inside of each card with the exception of the smallest one.  I left the inside of that one blank to be signed.

THINK PINK - embellishments

I have gathered various pink things from my craft room to use as embellishments and all things paper, and they follow in pictures.  It seems I am always at a loss as to what to use for embellishing.  I get tired of the same ol' thing.  This is one of my new things -- to look at the world with different eyes to see what I could alter or embellish!

The two glittery ornaments are covered with MS Tourmaline glitter.  Pretty and sparkly.  I've always had a problem with glitter getting everywhere.  I finally tried modge podge and it works wonderfully.  Brush the modge podge on the items, pour on the glitter and let it dry.  Then put another coat of modge podge on top of the glitter and it's not going anywhere.  I am now comfortable giving glittery items as gifts without worrying about glitter getting everywhere.

The larger ornament is a glass ornament, the smaller one is a styrofoam one which I poked a pencil thru to put the ribbon through to hang it.  The styrofoam needs to be coated thickly with modge podge to get a smooth glittery surface.

I also have wooden spools covered and/or painted; a wooden "tag" covered in glitter; and bottle caps embellished with paper, charms and flowers.

The rosettes are made from my new Tim Holtz die which runs through my cuttlebug and I love them - very easy.  Be warned, tho ....  you need the long cuttlebug plates to run this die.

Can you see the little buttons?  I ran thread thru the holes and put beads on the thread to give them a more vintage-y look, and there is a wooden flower which I "painted" with a MS glitter pen.  There is a square metal holder which I covered in paper, and then pinned some prima butterflies with a pearl pin.  The metal holder is actually something I bought from the dollar bin at Michael's - it was meant to be used as a plant name stake - and came with 6 in the package.  It is a nice rustic/country look.

Not too long ago I was at a quilt show and they had a yard sale going on at the same time.  I bought lots and lots of the old style lacy, hemming tape and it makes wonderful bows.  I got each package for 10 cents - what a find!

I've started using beads and crystals that I have had tucked away as hanging embellishments (at the end of bookmarks tucked into a book you are giving as a present works well).  The beads and crystals are threaded onto a headpin; if  you'd like to add a charm at the bottom, you can use regular silver or gold wire (thin, thin, thin wire) rather than a headpin. 

Lastly, but certainly not least is a picture of an altered domino.  The one in this picture was given to me in a swap.  Tammy also embossed the word "inspire" on the other side, and added a loop.  I think it is wonderful.  If you'd like to go to Tammy's blog to see her other creations, it is at http://tammyscreativeconnection.blogspot.com/ .