{The Valentine Project}

Since it's the LOVE MONTH I wanted to do something to remind Joshua how much I love him---little things. I thought about doing something along the lines of what I do for Advent---a little gift everyday, but I don't have the creativity in me right now---SO, I just decided to make notes to give Joshua everyday. WORDS are such a gift---and I thought I'd gift him with an encouraging word each day until Valentines. I saw these printables that I could purchase, but decided I have MORE than enough stuff here already to make little Valentine notes for him. I started with random papers from my stash and used my Lunchbox Note die to cut out 84 notes-----oh, did I not mention that I made some for two friends to give to their kids during these 14 days? These are the things I miss doing now that I'm working more---I wish I had done more of this for my girls when they were little---OH, I'll be a good grandmother! ;D

Anyway, I cut them out and then put a piece of paper in them to write on. I really wanted to stamp little Valentine's things and attach them to the front, but I just didn't have the time---and Joshua won't care. SOOOO, today, I put one in his lunchbox---and when he got home I was unloading said lunchbox and the note was there. When I asked him if he read it he replied, "Yeah, I read it at snack, and then again at lunch". MELT!! You know, you don't have to have a cute note to write something sweet to your child---just put it on a sticky note, a craft stick, a piece of newsprint in red sharpie with a heart on it---they don't care! And we shouldn't either.

SOOO if you are a stamper---or if you want to be a stamper, or if you KNOW a stamper---you MUST go to this blog now---really, click on over there, I'll wait. Papertrey Ink is having their 4th anniversary this month. This is my FAVORITE stamping company---it's just about my ONLY stamping company. Nicole Heady is the creative genius behind the company and there are always so many give aways and exciting things going on in February Put her blog in your Reader right now----at least for the next 15 days---it is TOTALLY worth it! You'll love what she does! OK, there's my shameless plug---well, there's truly NO SHAME in it, because except for my debit card being used there on a regular basis, they have no idea who I am! SO RUN OVER THERE and see what's up---oh, and if you win some big prize---you MUST TELL ME---and maybe share!!!

Thanks for stopping by today~
What are your Valentines plans?

Finally, I have some crafty items to share today. I have so many things I've made, but no time to share everything---and until recently I didn't have a camera to take many pictures. I made these little treats for Hannah's TBB friends for Valentine's Day.....yes, I KNOW they are not kids, but Hannah has always given Valentine's and I thought they might like a little candy from the states! I filled them with candy that Hannah likes, so hopefully they will like it, too! (If not, maybe they will give it to her!!)

I used the Tiny Treats: Valentines from Papertrey Ink. I love this series of stamps. They are a set of little drawings that you can color (or not) and there's a little sentiment for each picture. Here are a few that I used:

the dog

the cupcake

the boat

the bunny

There are 16 litttle images in this set and 19 sentiments to go with them. This is a great set to use to make Valentine's with your kids---your children can color the images so they have a part in the process---so fun. I used Copic markers to color these images...I'm getting more comfortable using them, of course, these images are only an inch high!! Larger spaces still scare me!! I put the candy in glassine bags I bought for the wedding---there's a story here, but, suffice it to say, I have LOTS of glassine bags in this size, so I use them for EVERYTHING!!! I used the Mat Stack 1 die to cut Pure Poppy cardstock and then I stamped them in Versamark using a stamp from the Mat Stack 1 Collection stamp set or the Tiny Treats: Christmas set. Then I punched out the colored image and glued it down. These were really quick and simple to do. I'm making some for Joshua's classmates, too---and probably my choir students at school....like I said....LOTS of bags...

ANYWAY, I'm mailing a package to Hannah anyway, so I decided to add these little treats to the box. Here's the box all covered in Valentine goodies!!!

It's been so fun to have a little time to spend being crafty! Thanks for stopping by---I'm hoping to update the blog on several happenings! There's lots going on at the Nelson house these days! Enjoy your weekend!

{Joshua's Valentines}

I knew early on what I wanted to do for Joshua's class Valentines this year---so, can you tell me why I was up until 1:30 in the morning on Wednesday night finishing these? Hmmmm---could it be, I went a little crazy with the Valentine idea this year? It actually wasn't very hard, but I just didn't have another time to do them---so, I was up late. The funny thing is, I just don't mind staying up late if I'm stamping!! Anyone else feel this way?

 As much as I'd LOVE to take credit for this cute idea, I can't. Of COURSE, I can't!! I RARELY have these ideas, I just copy someone elses!  Here's the original post on Debbie Olson's blog of these darling airplanes! I bought the gum at Rite Aid and then "dressed it up". I used the word window punch from SU! to make the propeller and back wing---thingie.....I cut a piece of paper and used the corner rounder for the wing. Black buttons were used as wheels and the propeller---thingie.....OK, I'm not really a plane person. My son would be so embarrassed that I don't know these things!

I didn't make the cards like Debbie did, I just put the planes in a cellophane bag and added the tag. I wanted it to be easy for Joshua to take them to school. I made green ones for the boys, but Joshua took apart my "extra one" before I could get pictures! The boys' bags didn't have pink tags either---just in case you were curious! The tags are from Tiny Treats, a PTI Valentine set that was released in December. I didn't buy it at first, but I'm so glad I ordered it last month. I used these for over 75 different Valentines this year and they were so quick! The little sentiment that goes with each set is so cheesy (in a good way!) and perfect for Valentines Day! I loved using them! These were so fun to make---and actually didn't take much time---once I got started! I have a few other Valentines things to show you and I'll try to post those in the next few days--

Thanks for stopping by! The details are below~

 Joshua's Valentines (all supplies PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Tiny Treats
Paper: Raspberry Fizz, SSWhite, Basic Grey (SU!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories/Tools: Copic Markers, Marvy Scallop Punch, 1 3/4" punch (ek success)
Ribbon (gift from a friend)

{Recycling for Valentines!}

Hello sweet blog friends! WOW! It's been awhile since I've been on here---I did get a new computer, which I thought would make it easier to blog, but I have no time! David has been out of town since December 31---he's teaching overseas, so I've been doing the single mom thing---HOW DO these single parents do this? I'm just so tired---it's not like I have children who are so difficult, but it's just that I am the only one here---wow! He gets home tomorrow, so hopefully life will settle down a bit----yeah, right! (Sorry, it just makes me feel better---I know I'm living in a fantasy world that life will slow down, but a girl can dream, right?)

Here's a little something I did "for the earth" last week----I recycled these cookie tubes and filled them with candy for a couple friends of mine! Hey---I'm as green as can be, right? Yep, you can always count on me to eat all the goodies inside one tube in order to fill it with more goodies and then repackage it and give it to someone else----Yessssss. I'm always thinking of someone else....
One of the best things that I've discovered since living here in North Carolina is the Salem Baking Co. They make the best cookies! My favorites are the Moravian cookies---I'm not even a fan of ginger snaps. but these are like NONE you have ever tasted! They are super thin and crispy---yummy!  Not into Ginger? They make sugar cookies, key lime, pumpkin spice...well, just go here to see them.They make them year round, but I have to have some at Christmas time---which is one of the many reasons I can't ever button my pants in January....but that's another post! These have come in several gift baskets over the years and now I make sure I pick them up during December. They are MUST haves at the holidays for me. ORDER SOME for someone for Valentine's Day.OK----drooling aside, on to the project.

This project was so easy! I just took a piece of  Holiday Cheer 8 x 8 patterned paper, trimmed it to fit the length of the tube and used scor-tape to stick it on.  I made a simple embellishment for the lid and front using Everyday Button Bits---I love these Button Bits sets---they are so simple and fun to use.  I cut the cherries out with circle nestabilities dies and then matted them with scallop circles. The tag was stamped using Friends 'til the End and then cut out using a die from the Double Ended Tags Trio. I tied the tags on using Rustic Cream Button twine. I passed it through the tag holes three times and then tied the buttons on. I used glue dots to keep them in place. I filled this little gift with chocolates, but you could fill it with anything you wanted! What a quick little treat to give some sweet friends.

Thanks so much for stopping by today---I hope to have another post tomorrow with some sweet pictures of Caitlin and Carson from their engagement session---Their photographer, Kaitlin Roten at 2point5d Photography did such a great job---and she's really affordable, so if you need a photographer, you should look her up! She's having a contest right now--if you are in the Raleigh area, you need to check it out!

Valentine's Recycling Treats (all supplies Papertrey Ink unless noted)
Stamps: Everyday Button Bits, Friends 'til the End
Paper: Rustic White, Ripe Avocado, Scarlet Jewel cardstock, Holiday Cheer patterned paper
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Raspberry Fizz
Tools/Accessories: Vintage buttons, Rustic Cream Twine, Cuttlebug, Scallop Circle and circle nestabilities dies, Double Ended tags (Spellbinders)

{Joshua's Valentine}

Craft Critique is having a Carnival where they show all sorts of blog posts where you can see lots of Lovely Valentine's projects! Check it out here!!! There are some great ideas!!



Ewe won't believe what my son came up with----this papercrafting momma was soooooo excited~~~

I was talking with Joshua about his Valentine's for this year and he wanted to use the folded heart that I had used for something else.

Anyway, he wanted me to make "an animal" to hold the heart---well, momma doesn't draw. And he said, NOOOOOO, you have this and this---and he started pulling out all this stuff---my oval punch, the small heart punch, google eyes, etc. And this is what we came up with!

I was pretty proud of him! There's a package of Sweet tarts on the back---of course!!




Joshua's Valentine:
Stamps: Heart Prints (PTI)
Paper: SS White, Raspberry Fizz (PTI)
Ink: Palette noir, Raspberry Fizz (PTI)
Accessories: Labels Two (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug (Provocraft), Scalloped Oval Punch (Marvy), Google eyes, Pink brad (SU!), Medium, Large heart punch (EK Success), Stickles

{Guess How Much I Love You}

Here's another Valentine---one of my favorites so far. I had thought to use this sentiment from a 'non-Valentine' set--Out on a Limb Sentiments from PaperTrey Ink, for a sweet Valentine card. I love using black and red and kraft together. When I saw Debbie Olson's card here, I had to make this card. I honestly had already thought to use the black and red on this quote, but when I saw Debbie's card it sealed the deal. She's one of my stamping idols----if I had such a thing, of course! This was quick to put together. I started out with a Kraft card 4.25 x 5.5". I embossed my black piece of paper and cut out a scalloped oval in red. I stamped the sentiment on Stamper's Select White paper in two different colors and embossed and cut it using an oval nestabilities die. I tied the ribbon on, added the oval and glued the buttons on with mini glue dots.

I love this quote from Sam McBratney in his much loved children's book Guess How Much I Love You.

"I love you to the moon...and back again...."

This was the perfect sentiment for this Valentine---so, I had to give it early!!! You know, we just shouldn't wait until Valentine's Day to remind people that we love them, so I'm giving this to my love today.

You know, if you gave a Valentine this week---it would probably be OK with the recipient---then you could give another one later....I can't imagine anyone complaining that they received too many Valentines!

Have a great one~


To the moon and back:
Stamps: Out on a Limb Sentiments (PTI)
Paper: Kraft, Pure Poppy SS White (PTI), Basic Black (SU!)
Ink: Palette Noir, Pure Poppy (PTI)
Accessories/Tools: Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Provocraft), Pure Poppy, White Sheer Polka Dot (PTI), Oval & Scalloped Oval Nestabilities Dies (Spellbinders) Buttons (Foof-a-la) Red DMC thread, Dimensionals, mini glue dots (SU!)