Love Bugs Banner Blog Hop Day 1

Welcome to Day 1 of the Love Bugs Banner Blog Hop for Special Needs Kids!!!

If you are looking for the Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday Challenge post, go HERE.

 Forty very talented crafty people have come together for a two day hop (Friday, January 6th and Saturday, January 7th) to showcase handmade banners that will be donated to the children at Pediatric Specialty Care. The hope of these banners is that they bring smiles to these children's faces and awareness of Pediatric Specialty Care to all those that hop along.

These precious children and their families will have one of these adorable banners in their doorways to help brighten up their Valentine's Day!  It is my pleasure to participate in the LOVE BUGS  BANNER HOP, where fantastic and generous crafters donated their talents, time and holiday banners to the children at Pediatric Specialty Care in Bucks County, PA. (See http://www.pediatricspecialty.com/)

The “Love Bugs Banner for Kids” Hop has some awesome sponsors and prizes to give away to all those that hop along and leave comments. The more blogs you visit and leave comments at, the more chances you have of winning. That means if you hop through all 20 blogs each day and leave a comment on each blog then you are in the drawing 40 times!

Our Generous Sponsors are:

Jellypark Digital Stamps will award 2 free digi-images to one winner.

K Andrews Designs has donated a stamp set to one winner.

Robyn's Fetish will donate FIVE digital images of the winner's choice as a prize!

Below is the entire line up in case you get lost along the way!

1. Ellen ♥ CardMonkey - http://cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/
2. Sandie Dunne - http://sandieshores.blogspot.com/
3. Lori Apgar - http://scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com/ ***HERE
4. The Scrapbooking  Queen~ www.thescrapbookingqueen.com/ ***NEXT
5. Linda Simpson - http://lindasimpsoncraftypieceofheaven.blogspot.com/
6. Beckie Woodall - http://justbcreativecrazy.blogspot.com
7. Lisa Lam- http://craftylam.blogspot.com/
8. Jenny (Crazy About Cricut) - http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com/
9. Ashley - http://theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com/
10.  Haidee-http://created2bunique.blogspot.com/
11. Carol - http://cardstockscissorsandglue.blogspot.com/
12. Edwina - http://edwinascreations.blogspot.com/
13. Jearise - http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/
14. Janet S - http://ladyluvbug.blogspot.com/
15. Denise - http://vintageheartfeltdesigns.blogspot.com/
16. Jamie http://craftygirl21.blogspot.com/
17. Teresa - http://scrappintplace.blogspot.com/
18. Alina - http://neverstopscrapping.blogspot.com/
19. Dena - http://missdjones.blogspot.com/
20. Martha- http://pattisscrapingtime.blogspot.com/
21. Erica http://mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com

For my project today, I made 2 different banners.  

The first one is made out of bugs.

I used this bug shape from Simply Charmed sized at 5 inches for my banner.  I needed 7 bugs total so I put 4 on Layer 1.  I cut this page out twice in black cardstock.

On Layer 2, I put the layer sized at 5 inches.  I cut out the top four bug layers out of red Valentine's Day paper and the bottom three out of green paper.

On Layer 3, I put seven hearts from the bug layer (at 5 inches) on the top and cut them out of black patterned paper.  I put the letters LOVE BUG from Art Philosophy sized to 1 inch and cut them out of gold cardstock.

I assembled and adhered the layers.  To jazz up my bugs, I used gold, red and black Stickles.

I punched holes with my Crop-A-Dile and strung gold glittery ribbon through the bugs.

Here is my Love Bug Banner all put together.

I wanted to send an extra banner and also try out a different style.

I used scalloped hearts for my banner flags.

I found this doily heart from Sweethearts and sized them to 4.41 inches.  I cut them out of red cardstock.

I found the frog, cat and dog from Sweethearts.  I cut them (and the layers) out at 2.61 inches.  I cut out the Love (also from Sweethearts) at 1.82 inches.

Again I added Stickles to my banner pieces.

I tied the hearts together with some twine.

I tied a long loop of  twine to each end for easy hanging.

Thank  you so much for stopping by our hop today!

Your next stop is The Scrapbooking Queen!

Monogram Notepad (Frosted Designs Cardstock Only Challenge)

This week at Frosted Designs, the challenge is to use colored cardstock only (no patterned paper).  Sounds easy?  I thought so too!!!  

I decided to make a note pad for me (for a change) and had a hard time with the design that would use all solid colored cardstock.  Here is what I finally came up with!

I put a 3x5 rectangle on Layer 2 of my Gypsy so I knew how to size my letters.  On Layer 1 I put several "L"s within the 3x5 rectangle.  

In the center is Creative Memories Reminisce Accents (Monogram Shift Lock)  sized to 1.59 inches.

From top to bottom, left to right:

CM Storks Delivery (LC) sized to 1 inch

Martha Stewart Elegant Cake Art (UC) sized to 1.82 inches

Paper Lace 2 (UC) sized to 1 inch

Rock Star (UC) sized to 1 inch

Songbird (LC) sized to 1 inch

Paper Lace (LC) sized to 1 inch

Sans Serif (UC) rotated 90 degrees sized to .80 inches

Quarter Note (UC) sized to 1 inch

Pooh Font Set (UC) sized to 1 inch

I welded the letters all together.

I cut it out of purple cardstock.

I put the design on a 3x5 piece of green cardstock.  I lowered the design so when I punched the holes at the top I would not punch through it.  I cut out a 3 1/8 x 5 1/8 piece of chipboard and purple cardstock for my cover.  The top of my cover looked a little bare so I added some purple ribbon and green twine.

I used my ATG gun to adhere the cover.  I used my Bind-It-All to complete the note pad.  I have a tutorial HERE for making note pads with the Bind-It-All.  I use blank 3x5 notecards for my paper.

I am delighted to design for Frosted Designs!   I hope you consider entering our challenge this week!!

3 Winners!!!!!!

I have been a bit busy with my posts and finally had a  non-post day to share my winners!!!


Crafting with Natasha 1st Blogversary Blog Hop Winner is:

 JaniceA said...

Love this page, the details are amazing! Our favorite game to play here now is Wii Bowling but it changes from time to time.
janiceaeschliman.blogspot.com

New Year's Resolution Blog Hop Winner is:

 ScrapMyWay said...

Happy New Year Lori! Your project is so interesting and I love the way you did the lettering especially dropping one of the words lower...great effect!
Thanks for sharing in this fun hop! My 3 words for 2012 would be LOVE CREATE ENJOY
Creative Wishes,
DT Claire
www.scrapmyway.blogspot.com

And I decided to pick a winner for my Blogversary/Thank You Note post, and that winner is:

  Amanda said...

I love your cards and became a follower! That looks fun to make!

Congrats to all three of you!!!  Please email me your address so I can mail out your Blog Candy!!!  lori.apgar @ gmail.com!

Happy 2 Years and some Thank You Note Cards

Today is my 2 Year Blogversary.  I almost forgot about it to be honest.  I love so many things about blogging, but some of the details (number of followers, number of posts, anniversary dates) are not as much fun for me as the CREATING and SHARING my projects.  I want to thank all of my followers, subscribers and cyber friends for the motivation, comments, links and friendships over the past 2 years!!!!  When I began this journey it was simply a way to upload photos to the Cricut Message Board (the only way I could figure out how to that is).  Within one year, I was Guest Designing on three blogs and my readership steadily increased.  I have met several wonderful friends that I sincerely hope to see in person one of these days!!!

Thank you!!!

I made this Thank You/Notecard set for Toni who was my Cricut Circle Stocking Sister.  She sent me an amazing box jam packed with tons of scrappy things!!!  Instead of sending her just a Thank You card, I sent her a set!!

I was inspired by this lovely set that Sheila sent me!  I am linking my thank you cards up at Sheila's BLOG this week for her Thank You Linky Party!

To make the folder, I took a piece of kraft brown 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock and folded it in half (5 1/2) and then turned it and folded the bottom 2 inches.  This was configured to fit the envelopes which are 4 3/4 x 6 1/2.  You could easily adjust the bottom fold to fit a smaller envelope.

I cut a piece of purple cardstock (5 1/2 x 6) and used my Martha Stewart edge punch to punch the edges.  I cut a piece of patterned paper (5 1/2 x 4) to adhere on top of the purple cardstock.

I cut the circle with flourish from Home Decor at 1.94 inches.  I cut the letter T (for Toni) from Calligraphy (shadow) at 1.67 inches and "Thanks" from Calligraphy (shadow) at 1 inch.  I punched a 1 1/2 inch circle out of kraft brown cardstock with my Fiskars punch.

Here is the cover put together and the Thanks card.

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I punched two holes in the folder with my Crop-A-Dile and strung some crinkle ribbon through.  I ran a line of glue across the front of the folder to hold the ribbon down.

Here is the folder all closed up.  Toni, your package is on its way ~ thank you for the wonderful gift!!!

To my followers ~ thank your for your kind and encouraging words these past two years!!!

2011 Layout ~ What a Year!

 This week at SweetSassyDiva, we are celebrating What A Year!  Today I have a layout celebrating the year 2011.  I found inspiration from this sketch from Frosted Designs.

We had our family photos taken for the first time in 4 years.  I loved how they turned out!  I chose the colors of papers to match our shirts.

 I used silver cardstock to mat my photos.

 I used my Gypsy to size the numbers from Opposites Attract to 1.76 inches.  I grabbed Family from Home Accents at 1.71 inches and this border from Paper Trimmings at .90 inches (which made it 10 inches wide to fit my purple 10x10 paper).  I see a lot of future projects with Paper Trimmings!!!!

 I added some crinkle ribbon and flowers.  I lost the dot to the "i" (as usual) and used a blue crystal instead.

 I hand wrote highlights from 2011 around the edge of the background paper for each of us in the family as well as our vacations.

I hope your 2011 was a great year!  Best wishes in 2012!!

Portfolio (Altered Paper Bags)

Happy 2012!!!  Lori here from ScrappinMyStressAway with a project to help keep me organized in 2012! My friend and fellow instructor at Michaels, Carol, made one of these to keep track of her class sheets and information.  Carol is amazing and rocks the Tim Holtz classes.  Her portfolio was super distressed.  I wanted something a little more artsy for mine.

I layered three paper bags (back and forth) similar to making a mini paper bag album.  I used my ATG gun to adhere the pages together.  The Target bag (with a handle) is bigger than the other two, so I used that one for the cover.  I put the HyVee bag (also with a handle) next so the handle is on the opposite side.  The center bag had no handle, but if it did I could have cut it off.

Here is a side view of the bags glued together.

The front of the bag has two pockets glued back to back.

I used scrapbook paper that I found at Michaels last year.  I loved the doodling look!  I trimmed the paper to fit the width.  I then cut the paper just below the center and adhered it to the front and back cover leaving a gap.

I adhered purple ribbon around the cover hiding the gap.

I used a 3 inch strip of denim to bind my portfolio.  I ran it through my Xyron to make it stick evenly.

I tied some crinkle ribbon and some metal hearts to the front.

I don't own any copics, but I borrowed a purple marker from my son and colored in a few words and a heart on the cover.

Here is the inside.  An 8 1/2 x 11 page fits inside the pocket.

I left the center open to add future photos, words of inspiration, doodles or whatever I find to inspire me!

One more pocket in the back!

The back.

I hope your 2012 is healthy and happy and a bit more organized than 2011!