This has been my summer of the popsicle! I have two teenage daughters and neither of them were huge fans of popsicles growing up. So popsicles were not really something I had around the house for the last number of years. But this summer I remembered that I love popsicles! I decided to buy a box just for me to enjoy over the last few weeks. And boy, have I enjoyed them. Popsicles are amazing!
So for my project this week, I wanted to honour popsicles! I decided to use the iconic shape to create some gift card holders. Made with the amazing 12x12 patterned sheets from the Summer Fun collection in Pink Paradise, Beach Towel and Gull Friends, these little holders feature a slide out part that hold any standard gift card.
Pull on the little popsicle stick, made from some 12x12 Textured cardstock in Vanilla and the gift card slides out. This textured cardstock was perfect for the stick as it has an amazing texture that gives a wood-like feel!
Finally, I topped them off with some tiny little Shape Sprinkles from the Island Tropics pack. I think they give the illusion of little sprinkles sitting on top of each one.
As moms, I think sometimes we don't always do nice things for ourselves. So whether you love popsicles or not, go do something nice just for you today. You deserve it! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs,
I am not sure if you are like me, but I have certain Doodlebug products that I always reach for. So every now and again, I like to challenge myself to reach for something different and see where it takes me.
So today, while working with the adorable Summer fun collection, I decided to reach for the acetate sheet that coordinates with the collection - Catch a Wave. Acetate is not typically a product that makes its way into my crafty creations, but for today's cards, I think I actually hit the jackpot with it!
I love this acetate sheet because it has a wave like pattern on it and I think it gives the illusion of water. So I decided to grab some adorable Doodle-pops and see if I could create some little water scenes on each card.
The card featuring Louie Lobster Doodle-pop was the easiest. I simply created some layers on top of the acetate sheet and then hid some foam adhesive behind those shapes to attach the acetate to the card. It ended up giving the illusion of a shallow pool that I was thought was really neat!
For the card featuring Sam & Sally Seahorse Doodle-pop, I decided to add one of the patterned papers called Water Babies behind the acetate sheet to create even more dimension. I then tucked one of the little fish from the Doodle-pop in between to make it look like it was under that water. This ended up being a neat effect too!
Finally, I decided to see if I could make it look like Donnie Dolphin Doodle-pop was jumping right out of the water. I used an blade to cut a slit into the acetate, following the shape of the wave pattern. I then tucked Donnie's tail underneath the acetate and adhered the rest of him on top. I used the little splash features from the Doodle-pop for some additional texture. This ended up being my favourite use of the acetate!
I really love how these turned out! If you want a shiny, water like appearance on a project, give this a try. I think it could work really nicely on a lot of different types of projects! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs,
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It's Doodle-pop time!!!! Today I decided that I was going to break into the beloved collection and use some of the darling Doodle-pops from the Hometown USA collection. Because really, is there anything cuter than a Doodlebug Doodle-pop (even if it is a bit of a tongue twister)?
For this set of cards, I decided to use the coordinating Cards & Envelopes as a base. I love this product because there is such a wonderful selection of sizes and colours with envelopes that are just as beautiful! They are such an easy way to start your cards off without having to decide how big each one is going to be (and whether you have an envelope that will work with it)! From there, I just cut some patterned paper in Picnic Plaid and Polka-dot Pride for a matt and used them as the first layer on each card.
And then the fun began! I grabbed two different Doodle-pops (Bluebirds and Festive Floral) and the amazing Shaker-pop - Freedom Fireworks as the focal point for each card. I added some more layering pieces from the Bits & Pieces pack and some sentiments from the Chit Chat pack. Some darling Doodle-twine and a Mini Doilie in Ladybug were the perfect anchor for the tag-like sentiment I selected. A few Mini Paperclips in Blue Jean also added a bit of texture on one card that needed a bit of something "extra".
Oh, and because I was having so much fun with these, I decided to decorate the envelopes as well to coordinate a little bit more with the cards I created. I think of it as a little sneak peek for the card to come!
You know, as hard as it can be to use my Doodle-pops, I never, ever regret using them. They really are show stoppers and just help these cards really pop (pun intended). And now I have an excuse to collect some more! :) Thanks for stopping by! Hugs,
On thing I struggle a bit with is making masculine cards for the awesome people in my life. Give me a stack of paper, and I generally gravitate towards teal, pink and yellow. So one of the things I LOVE about working with the adorable Hometown USA collection is that the colours are just what I need to not only get me out of my comfort zone, but just create something that is pulled together and dynamic - no matter who you are creating for!
I mean, come on - these colours are really great! And I love the pop of light blue in this collection because I think it adds a versatility that can have you creating for any collection.
For this set of cards, I wanted to focus on three general purpose cards - you know...those cards you always need around. And the great thing is that Chit Chat pack has these beautiful foil sentiments that can be the base for each card! I happened to grab a "Happy Birthday", "Just for You" and "Thanks for all You Do" sentiments, but there are even more in this pack that can be used for similar cards! While I used a standard piece of white cardstock for the base, each card was matted with a piece of patterned paper from the 6x6 paper pad.
And there are such beautiful embellishments for this collection! I am always a fan of a Mini Jewel when I am creating cards, but these star shaped ones from the Patriotic Assortment are extra special. I ended up using them on all three cards because they added that bit of sparkle and dimension I was looking for.
And of course, I can't forget to mention all of the die cut shapes and characters in the Odds & Ends pack. Really, the Odds & Ends, Chit Chat and Bits & Pieces packs are the foundation of my card making kit. I can always find what I need in these packs to create layered little scenes that look coordinated and polished and provide just the right amount of depth (with the help of a little foam adhesive) and I really do use them on almost every project that I create with Doodlebug projects. They are my go-to Doodlebug tools!
I love these cards! Every time I make a card with this collection I wonder why I don't reach for these Doodlebug colours more. I really can't wait for the next occasion to give these away!
When summer starts, it is usually a chance for me to start catching up on the things that I often don't get to during the school year - you know, the little cleaning and fix-it up jobs that you can live without doing, but feel better when you do. Well, that's what I have on my plate right now, but let's be real - am I going to do those things right away?! No - I am going to craft!
And I am starting that crafty fun with a set of what I call "everyday cards". These are the cards that you always need around - birthday, thank-you and thinking of you. This is one of my favourite things to do with new collections because it is a fun way to explore new collections without the pressure of the project being for something specific. This set uses the Cards & Envelopes set that coordinates with Color me Crafty and uses the 6x8 Patterned Paper as the base.
From there, I found these cute little sentiments on the B side of one of the sheets of paper from that pack and just fussy cut them to go on each card.
Then the layering fun started! I used a bunch of the floral die cuts from the Bit's and Pieces pack and then layered them either behind or in front of the sentiment. On two of the cards I used some foam adhesive on some of the flowers to create more depth to the card...
...but on the one, I just used regular adhesive so it would be mail friendly. Even if the flowers don't pop up quite as much, I still think that they layered look is accomplished effectively.
And last, but certainly not least, I used a few of the coordinating Color me Crafty Sprinkles for a little shine on a couple of the cards. Using something with a different finish creates a really polished look on the cards.
So, was this a good way to procrastinate just a little bit longer on some of those cleaning tasks?! You bet! I am sure that future me will thank me when I need a card for a special event! :)
9092 color me crafty - bits & pieces 9094 color me crafty - 6x8 paper pad 9093 color me crafty - cards & envelopes 9062 color me crafty assortment - sprinkles
Like many of you, I am a sucker for anything retro! Instead of making me feel old, classics like a Polaroid camera or classic cars just make me smile! So when I saw the new Smile Doodle Cuts, I knew that it was going to be the main feature of the first project I made with the all new (and adorable) Color Me Crafty collection!
I actually decided to see if there was a way that I could modify the die cut a bit to serve as both a gift card holder and card. And actually, it turned out to be incredible easy! First I started by using a variety of prints from the Color Me Crafty 6x8 patterned papers together with some textured cardstock in Swimming Pool and Dolphin to create the die cut as shown.
I layered everything up and got the pieces glued in place. Then I dug into the Bits and Pieces pack to find some flowers I could use to embellish the camera. Can we all just take a minute to admire how pretty these flowers are?
Then I cut 2 additional pieces of the main camera shape - both out of 6x8 patterned paper.
Using the first piece, I rans some liquid adhesive around the side and bottom edges, gluing this to the back of the full assembled camera die cut and creating a little pocket for the gift card in the back.
And them, I just folded a piece if textured cardstock that was slightly smaller in length than the side of the camera and glued that to the back of the pocket I created. Finally, I added a bit more glue and added the 3rd piece I had cut out of the main shape to glue on the back, creating a little card that can open and close.
I really love how these little gift card holders turned out. I think that even if you are not a fan of everything retro, these would make you smile. Give them a try and let me know! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs, BLOG | INSTAGRAM
DOODLEBUG PRODUCTS USED
9089 smile doodle cuts 9092 color me crafty bits & pieces 9094 color me crafty 6x8 paper pad 3392 swimming pool textured cardstock 3393 dolphin textured cardstock 3402 lily white textured cardstock
A few months ago, I came across a "new to me" pop up card style called the stadium wave card. At the time, it was the winter so I was happily crafting with all sorts of wintery wonderland collections. But at the time, I remember thinking that this style of card would be perfect with a fun Doodlebug collection filled with all sorts of florals that could pop right out of the card like a summer garden. So when I found out the we were going to be featuring Butterfly Kisses, I knew that this pop-up had to come out again!
So this last weekend, it was time to get busy making a little anniversary card and a little birthday card. Both cards were created with some white cardstock and then matted with patterned paper from the 6x8 paper pad on the front and on the inside.
To decorate the pop-up wave part of the card, I got to work using a variety of die cuts from both the Bits & Pieces pack and the Odds and Ends pack. On this particular card, I want it to have a bit of a whimsical feel so I included some of the cute characters that you can find in the Odds & Ends pack.
And for this card, I really just wanted to feature the amazing florals that are in the Bits & Pieces pack. There are so many sized of flowers and leaves that it is so easy to create the layered garden look that I was going for.
And then for the bands that hold the cards closed, I used some mini doilies for a bit of texture on top of a Petite Prints pattern called Plaid-polka dot in Pistachio. I then added a Doodle-pop to each - Butterfly Kisses and Fun Guys (my favourite)! A few Mini Paperclips balanced out the one with the mushrooms and some Puffy Words stickers finished each one off.
I wish you could see these cards in person! They are bright and cheerful and are everything I love about doodlebug. I hope they bring a smile to your face too! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs!
This weekend, we celebrate Mother's Day here in Canada. But there are lots of reasons why that holiday might be challenging for some people. So one of the things that I like to do on this particular weekend each year is to think about all the women in my life that are having a positive impact on my life - regardless of their title - and acknowledge them in some way.
Now you might argue that I am just using that as an excuse to make more cards because you know I love to make cards! You wouldn't be entirely wrong - I do LOVE to make cards. But how wonderful is it to have a stash ready to go when you just want to reach out and "thank-you" to someone special to you - this weekend or another time?
For this set, I started with a perfect standby - the Spring Cards & Envelopes pack - and teamed it up with some beautiful paper from the 6X8 Butterfly Kisses paper pad. I simply cut a couple of different patterns for each card, layering them and then adding a simple faux stitch border with a black pen to finish the edges.
From there, I actually added some adorable sentiments from one of my favourite products - the Butterfly Kisses Puffy Word stickers. Normally the sentiment is the last part that I put on my cards, but because these sentiments are so bold, they really are the focal point. Placing them first allows me to work around them with embellishments.
Speaking of embellishments, the Butterfly Kisses Odds & Ends die cut pack is filled with the sweetest icons, characters and shapes. I had no trouble finding the perfect shapes to use around the sentiments. On most of them, I used foam adhesive to add a bit more dimension on the cards. By popping them up a bit, you get a little shadow that just create a little more interest!
I can't wait to share these cards this week. I hope you have some time to share one of your creations with someone you love too! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs,
What I love about crafting is that it can sometimes solve problems in unexpected ways. My problem - I am always losing my hand sewing needles. The real problem is that I share them with 30 lovely young people who don't always keep track of them when they are done using them! So I decided to see if I could come up with little solution using the most wonderful Doodlebug collection - Bunny Hop.
Now you might say - what do sewing needles have to do with bunnies? Nothing...until now! And isn't that what is wonderful about beautiful paper like the ones in this collection? You can use so many of the patterns for any project you like! I used the adorable Spot of Spring and May Flowers for the base of these little needle booklets, and Springtime Stripe for embellishment.
On the inside, I just stapled in a little piece of fabric and then covered the staple with a sticker from the 12x12 Bunny Hop Sticker Sheet to attach the needles. Each little booklet was then embellished with some florals from the Bits & Pieces pack.
Finally, I added some Doodle Twine in Bumblebee and Limeade to keep them closed. I used a few mini jewels to finish it all off.
Sometimes, just giving something a place can help solve a problem - making that place adorable and colourful just makes it that much better! What do you think - will these help? Thanks for stopping by! Hugs,
The snow is STILL falling up here in parts of Canada so I am looking for signs of spring! It's a good thing that Doodlebug's Bunny Hop collection is on my crafty table right now so I can look there instead of out my window!
I love collections that can be used in a variety of different ways and even though Bunny Hop is an Easter collection, it really is so much more. I decided to create some spring flower inspired pillow boxes for some of the staff at work. Each pillow box was cut out with some of the coordinating Petite Prints you can find in this collection. The fun part is that you can create two different pillow boxes for each sheet of paper since they are double sided - like I did here!
I then dove into the patterned paper. These staples - stripes, florals and checks - can be found in all Doodlebug collections and they are great to work with because they are not themed to the collection - just to the colours! I used a variety here for the band on the pillow boxes.
And then finally, I grabbed the only spring blooms available to me right now - these beauties that are in the Bits & Pieces pack. I fussy cut some to fit better on my pillow boxes and then layered some of the flowers on top for a bit more dimension.
While these are going to some wonderful people that I work with, I think these would be darling for a baby shower or even Mother's Day celebrations! Fill them with goodies and you are all set to go!
Whether you are still sifting through the snow like I am or enjoying signs of spring, I hope this little project has brought a more life to your day!
