30 second treats

Here are some super quick, super simple treats you can whip together for your Valentine.  I made up a bunch of these to bring with on the cruise to hand out to people, leave for the cabin steward, whoever needs a little chocolate :)

You start out with a 4x4 piece of double sided patterned paper (our Close To My Heart B&T works GREAT!)  I also had to modify this to start with a 3 3/4" x 3 3/4" square - I think they've changed the size of these peppermint patties!)  I used our new Sweetheart papers.

Then you just fold it in half to make a triangle.

Then you are going to "diaper fold" the triangle as shown in the photos.

Next, you just fold down the front flap.  That's it!  Insert your peppermint patty and you are done.  Simple!

Happy Scrappin'

Mmmmm, Mmmmm good!

This Wisconsin girl had an awesome lunch in Mobile, Alabama yesterday!  I went to a local place on Dauphin Street called Hopjack's Pizza Kitchen & taproom.  It was the most amazing sandwich and fries I have had in a very long time.  It was a little spicy for this wimpy northern girl, but mmmm, was it ever good!  I had a shrimp pita fold sammie with a side of Belgian fries.  Like I said, a little on the hot side, but the white dipping sauce helped that problem out!

Just look at this beautiful little park here in Mobile.  They are so busy getting ready for Mardi Gras - that starts next Friday.  Too bad I hadn't done a little more research and known that before, I would have stayed for a couple of days after the cruise to check it out.  Oh well, I'll just have to come back, I guess!

Tomorrow morning we get on the cruise ship!  I can hardly wait!

Happy Scrappin'

Happy Birthday, Kiana!

Today, I am traveling to Mobile, Alabama to get ready to set sail on a Cruisebooking Cruise with some of my teammates.  Not only do we get to take a fabulous vacation, see some beautiful sights, but we also get to create a gorgeous album while on vacation!  I will be showing you lots of pictures when I return.  Until then, I'm not sure how much posting I'll be able to do as the internet is awfully expensive on the ship (and it's slow, so it ends up costing even more).  I am trying out the pre-posting option...we'll see how that works out!  Rest assured that I will be posting when I get back, though!

Kiana, my youngest niece, is celebrating her 10th birthday today!  Happy Birthday, Kiana!  I hope you have a super-dee-duper birthday today!  I so enjoyed helping you celebrate last Saturday evening!  (As a plus, she is even wearing a Packer's jersey-gotta love that!  :)

Happy Scrappin'

Travel Keepsake Journal/Album

I happened across the instruction to make this while digging through some old stuff last night.  It was all scribbled down, so I do not even know who to give credit to.  I do know it's been in my stash for quite some time now (we're talking years).  It took a bit of doing to decipher my own scribbles, but I think I figured it out (or at least I made something up that worked!)

I even took pictures as I went so I could tell you how to go about making one for yourself!

1.  Cut two chipboard pieces 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and two pieces 1/2" x 5 1/2"

2.  Cut 4 pieces of cardstock 9 1/8" x 5 1/2" (I used 2 of one color and 2 of another color).

3.  Attach 1 large and 1 small piece chipboard to back side of cardstock leaving a small space between the two chipboard pieces (see photo).  Do this with the other set also.

4.  Cover back side of chipboard with other pieces of cardstock.

5.  Cut a piece of cardstock 7" x 5 1/2".  Score at 1/2" intervals along the 7" edge.  Accordion fold.

6.  Trim 7 paper lunch bags to about 8" in length.

7.  Decorate all 7 bags as desired (make sure to leave a "pocket" with the bottom of the bag).  Punch 1/2 circle out of the front of each bag end as shown.

8.  Attach bags to the accordion folded cardstock (attach one side only).

9.  Attach front and back covers on the outside of the accordion folded cardstock and decorate cover as desired.

10.  Attach about 30" of ribbon to back cover to tie album shut (I used liquid glass).

12.  If desired, create mini 3 1/2" x 5" albums using notecards for each day of the week and put in "pockets" of each paper bag.  *To re-use the album, just replace the mini albums for each day.

It really is not as difficult as it may seem.  If you follow the pictures, it's not bad at all.  Let me know, I would be happy to teach a class to make one of these albums!

Happy Scrappin'

A Valentine Flip Book

Here is one of the gifts I will be giving to my cruising Secret Sister.  I made it using one of my new favorite paper packs - Sweetheart.  I'm not really sure just what you call this, but I call it a flip album.  It looks difficult, but it really is pretty easy to put together.  I did a couple of them in no time at all the other night.

Happy Scrappin'

Continuing with the Secret Sister reveal and a Happy Birthday wish!

First off, I have to send out a great big Happy Birthday wish to my sister.  It's her birthday today, so if you know her, send your wishes her way!  Happy Birthday, Tracey, I love you!  (She's the one on the far right - this photo was taken on Christmas Eve with my Mom and Grandma, too - Love these ladies!)

Then, I'll show you what I sent to my Secret Sister in December.  I sent stocking for her kids (only theirs had McDonald's money in them).   I also sent her some "cupcakes" made out of some fuzzy, warm socks and a little bit of paper.  How fun!

And my big reveal gift for January.  I altered a little picture frame and made a calendar for her and also altered a cookie sheet into a memo board for her. 

I had so much fun doing the Secret Sister thing again this year and can hardly wait till my cruise the end of this week!  I get to do another Secret Sister thing on the boat with my Sista's!  I'll have to show you some of the things I've been creating for her, too!  (One of those calendars is for my cruise Secret Sister, too.)

Happy Scrappin'

Revealing my Secret Sister gifts

Congratulations to the Super Bowl Champion Packers!  This is the first time in a really long time that I have been so excited about a Super Bowl game, but "my" team won!  OK, enough about that...on with the artwork...

While I am still awaiting my final package from my Secret Sister, we have revealed ourselves and now I can show you some of the things that I had sent to my friend, Jen.  She already knows it was me now, so I don't have to keep it secret anymore!

The first month was October and here is what I sent off to Jen.  It's hard to tell from the photos, but this spooky little house, but it was a votive card.  Inside it had one of those little battery operated votive candles and with the lights dimmed, it looked really cool!

Then came November so I had to come up with something else.  I don't even remember what else I sent her besides these chipboard ornaments, but at least I'll show you them...I guess I'm not as organized as I thought...I've had to dig through photos to find all these.  Arrgghh!

Stay tuned tomorrow and I'll show you my December and January gifts.

Happy Scrappin'