CraftyEngineer

Soccer, Soccer, Soccer!

Both boys played soccer this Spring. It was the first time our youngest, really got to do anything but be the tag-along. He really enjoyed it. And even scored a couple of goals last week! They are all so cute at the age.

My older son played when he was 5 (like his brother is now) but then stopped because he really didn't like it. Well, he wanted to try it again now that he's 8. And WOW, has his tune changed since he was 5. He loves it so much that he has taken it upon himself to regulate all his homework and chores and other activities just so he doesn't miss soccer practice. Wouldn't have guessed that 8 weeks ago. He's a different kid now. The whining about doing anything stopped. ??? Okay, I'll go with it.

So, this season of soccer ends today. And both have told me not to forget to sign them up for the Fall. Uh huh. Got it on my list of things to do, boys.

With the end comes coach's gifts. There are 5 coaches between the 2 boys. Team gift cards to the sporting goods store always make an easy and usable gift. But they have to presented in something, right?

Five gift cards means five cards and envelopes. Simple, simple, simple. And quick thanks to that Accucut die because it's a busy weekend!

Hope yours is a happy one!

images: retired a muse artstamps

Kid craft class!

Back in March, my son's elementary school had our Spring Carnival. This year, I helped out with the Silent Auction by soliciting faculty donations and also by assisting classes with making some "AWESOME" art to auction off. I say "AWESOME" because the kids did the art and it looks amazing!

In addition to that, I made a bunch of stuff to auction off: a school scrapbook (just fill in the photos!), an elementary school frame (place for wallet size photos of each year) with our school logo on it, various grade level collage posters, a mosaic of this year's student body, and even 2 card/craft classes taught by me. One of the classes was a kid class and we had it today, after school. It was so fun! The kids were awesome - LOVE how they are so creative and free spirited. When do adults become those "perfectionists" types? 

So, we made 4 things - a personalized chalkboard for notes, a mother's day present, a mother's day card and finally a teacher's gift. Can't show you the mother's day stuff yet because some of the receipants may be watching...

But here is the teacher's gift...

It's a matchbox with 5 Hershey's nuggets in it. We covered the nuggets with stamped address labels.

The box is another Accucut die, called Matchbox #1. I used to make these by hand and cut and score everything. This is WAY easier. ;) Cut and put together, lickety split.

We stamped the labels and the white cover with retired A Muse stamps.

Three of the girls in the class today are in the same class (which happens to be the same class as my son!). That teacher is going to get A LOT of chocolate :)!

Happy Weekend!

It's that time again... gifts for volunteers!

I love making gifts for people, especially volunteers. My son's school has such great volunteers. They come out in droves whenever needed. It's truly heartwarming to see so many work so hard to help education and the children. I was googling (is that a legal verb yet?) for different quotes the other day and came across many that I liked... in fact, 2 of them I had made into stamps :) More about that later. One that I found that I liked (but didn't get a stamp made) was this one: Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.
Now, that it is Spring and there are less than SEVEN weeks of school left (YAY! So ready for the summer!), our school starts winding down at the same time that we are gearing up for next year. The PTA puts on an open house to welcome any parents that might be interested in checking out our school. We have a Q & A panel comprised of a teacher, the principal, and the PTA President. We like to give them a little something for doing that "extra" job for our open house.

Enter Accucut to the rescue! I love this portfolio die. I have to thank my A Muse sister, Meghan Fahey, for using it on her blog and making me have to buy it! It holds 8 cards and envelopes. The size I have holds 4 bar cards. I love that size. Perfect for gift giving.

I pulled out my Accucut Texture Plates to use on these. I hadn't used them in a long time (almost forgot I had them ;)). It's a bit hard to see but the pattern is called "Leaf". So easy to use!

I wanted to keep to a black and white theme and used some of my retired A Muse stamps.

 

I hope they liked it. I know I had fun making them. I am thankful for all they do for my son's school :).

Happy Friday!

ETA - Just found out about the Moxie Fab challenge: "The Card Sets Challenge". Please join me in playing along! How fun. I love to give card sets as gifts. But you probably already knew that!

 

 

Texas Tuesday - Little Dude.

It's time again for Texas Tuesday! Feel free to play along - just leave a comment or send me an email and we'll get you hooked in for the next round. We (the Texas Tuesday Team) create something inspired by this great state of ours every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month.

I have to admit... I'm thinking I'm not doing this challenge justice. Here's my problem. When most people think of Texas... they think of cowboy boots, horses, yeehaw, howdy and all that. Me. Not so much. I've been in this great state since I was 11. And when I was moving down here from Canada, one of my childhood friends asked me if I knew how to ride a horse and if I was going to ride a horse to go to school. Ah, innocence. It's something, isn't it?

Problem is I've never thought of Texas as the cowboy, boot-sootin', country place... and I grew up in a small Texas town and my brother even helped out the Debonaires for 8 years (local C/W band - do you know them?). So, what do I think of when I think of Texas. I dunno. Still working on that. Hence, why I am struggling with this challenge.

So what did I make for Texas Tuesday? Well, a card with a cowboy and a horse on it, of course. Sigh.

supplies: images and ribbon by A Muse Artstamps; cuttlebug embossing folder; signo gel pen; foam tape - card size 4 bar; paper by A Muse, Stampin' Up!, and LCI papers

There you have it. The good thing is that this challenge is making me "work" ... I'll figure out what inspires me here in this great state I call home. (right now - it would be a card showing me cutting down all the BLEEPING cedar (juniper) trees in a 100 mile radius of me - it wouldn't be pretty. If you're not from here... google cedar fever texas and you'll see... awful, awful stuff).

Happy Texas Tuesday! Check out the Texas crew and see what they have to say:

Libby

Mark

Betty

Tina

Jennifer

Karen

Danielle

Moxie Fab Challenge: Gray is the New Black

I got a chance to play in my first Moxie Fab Challenge: Gray is the New Black over on Moxie Fab World. The challenge is "create a paper crafted project (card, gift bag, tag, layout, home decor item, mini-book cover, etc.) that incorporates gray in an innovative way".  

I was inspired by a photo on their blog of the purple and gray kitchen. Wouldn't that be fabulous? I used gray for my card base and also for the big block background for the focal image. The sentiment is in white (but a bit hard to see in the picture... grr.).

I made wedding invitations in purple, black and white back in October. I had this purple silk May Arts ribbon from those invitations left over. It is BEAUTIFUL ribbon. :)

Finally, I added a bit of sparkle to the marigold with my Spicas. 

If you get a chance to play along, do so here.

Happy Monday!

 

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Supplies:

 Images: marigold by A Muse, big block by A Muse, thank you unknown;

Cardstock: by A Muse

Ribbon: by May Arts

Ink: Mementos, Colorbox

Have a Groovy Day!

I'm working on a slideshow for my son's school for tomorrow night. It's our 2nd movie night! It's my favorite of all of the events the PTA puts on... no shocker there, eh, given that I'm an absolute nut about movies :) Last year, right before the movie started, I put up a slideshow of the teacher's baby pictures. That was fun! This year, the slideshow will be pictures of the kids at different events this year. It's a last minute thing... 'cause there is nothing like stress to get you to move your tail! :)

Anyway, as I was looking for pictures on my computer, I realized I have several creations that I haven't blogged and I thought I should start doing that again!

Here's a card that we made at a recent A Muse birthday card class I taught:

Lime green, popsicle pink, and papaya yellow! Yes, very bright. Yes, very not me colors. But fun anyway, right?

When designing this card,  I realized I hadn't ever used my Love Bus stamp! It's actually quite sparkly in person thanks to some Spica pens.

In any case, have a groovy day!

A Muse PJ Party - Some Kind of Wonderful

LAST CHALLENGE of the night! WOW... fastest 2 hours of your life! Or mine. :)

Hostess: ME :)

Movie: Some Kind of Wonderful

Challenge: Create a card that sparkles (use glitter, stickles, whatever... just make sure it sparkles... if you put Edward on your card without a shirt in the sunlight, I'll let you slide! :) )

So, remember this movie? I recently saw it on the big screen at Girlie Night at the Alamo Drafthouse here in Austin with some of my best movie buddies... Remember how at the end Watts gets the diamond stud earrings... yeah, that's where this challenge comes from. Ah, such a cute movie... I digress...

Here's my card...

Sparkle! Sparkle!

All images and cardstock by A Muse Artstamps!

Thanks for checking in. Hope you had a chance to play along!

 

A Muse PJ Party - Breakfast at Tiffany's

Check out the A Muse lounge for more info!

Onto challenge #3... hosted by Glenda Wyatt

Her Movie Pick: Breakfast at Tiffany's

 Her Challenge: create a card inspired on the poster above

My card:

Color choice was a bit tough for me... it's that darn RED. Not my color palette but good for me to get outta my box, eh?

All images, pearls, and papers by A Muse Artstamps.

A Muse PJ Party - Dirty Dancing

Ah, Patrick Swayze. RIP.

Check out the A Muse lounge for more info!

Onto challenge #2... hosted by Katie Stilwater.

Her Movie Pick: Dirty Dancing

Her Challenge: create a card based on the colors in the Dirty Dancing poster below, light pink, dark pink, black and kraft is optional

My card:

I *really* should use this stamp more often. It's just that good.

All images, ribbon, and papers by A Muse Artstamps.

A Muse PJ Party - Pirates of the Carribean!

Welcome to another installment of the A Muse PJ Parties! Tonight's theme is MOVIE NIGHT (my fav! ;)).

So, what is this all about, you ask? Well click on over to the lounge to find out ... Basically, every 30 minutes (4 times), my co-hosts and I will post a new challenge over on the lounge. You have 30 minutes to create a card for that challenge! You have until tomorrow (Sat.) night to post it whereever you want like on your blog or on SCS but the challenge is "CREATING" the card in 30 minutes! THINK SIMPLE, THINK A MUSE. Use at least 1 A Muse image on your card, too, please! That's it.

Okay, let's get started. Jennie is kickin' us off with her movie pick: Pirates of the Carribean

Make a card for a kid (kid, tween, or teen!).

Here's mine:

All images and cardstock by A Muse Artstamps!

Onto challenge #2...