Christmas in July

It's Christmas in July here in my little craft room.  Yes, get those gifts ready because Christmas will be here in no time!  I have already been working on my little gifts.  To tell you the truth...the people that will be getting them probably will see this here or on Facebook so they won't be much of a surprise will they?  I can't help but show you all though! I love taking pics of my projects.  I may just end up giving these goodies to the recipients BEFORE Christmas.  Shhh....

OK, on to my project.

I decided to join in on the Paper Dolls challenge this week which so happens to be Christmas in July.  They have these super cute freebie SVG files from Kadoodle Bug Designs.  Now I have seen their files before and I have never really knew what to use them for until now!  I normally use a different style of SVGs but I think this challenge has just opened up a whole new door in scrapbook/cardmaking/SVG land for me.

Lately I have been obsessed with bookmarks (*hint?*) but I don't even know why seeing that I am a new Kindle owner.  What am I going to use a bookmark for now?  I just graduated school so there goes that idea.  I have an e-reader so what's the point?  Then the other day I took my daughter to the library and BINGO!  It hit me.  My daughter could use bookmarks since I refuse to get her an e-reader.  Oh yes, this 10 year old has already asked many times for one.  Well, seeing that she is one of the few people I know that don't own an e-reader I made today's project with her in mind.  Not to say she will be getting this baby though!

Ready for pictures?  Here ya go!

Rudolph the Red Nose Penguin

Shhh, he's in disguise!

Poor guy can't reach his headband antlers to hang the ornament

Shiny red nose just like Rudolph

I used Kadoodle Bug Designs files that you can get HERE on the Paper Dolls blog.  I used the Candy Cane Stripe embossing folder from Provo Craft (I know I know...bad name but sorry...I really love my Cuddlebug and the folders!) to emboss the green behind the penguin, uh I mean reindeer.  I used my most awesome ever tool, the Crop-a-Dile, to set a green eyelet at the top of the bookmark through which I poked two colors of Trendy Twine to be used as the tassle.  As for paper, The patterned paper is from Heidi Grace Designs and is called Jolly & Bright/Gingerbread.  I picked it up at Joann's I believe.

Well, I think that about does it for this one.  Hope you enjoyed it!  Now I'm off to return my Red Box DVD before I am fined!    

Zoo Themed Invites

A few months ago I was asked by a friend to make invitation's for her son's first birthday.  Of course I said yes.  She chose a zoo theme and let me know what colors she would like.  From there she gave me creative hold.  I was to create whatever it was I wanted with the info she gave me.  That was easy enough.  I knew exactly how to incorporate a zoo theme!  

Front on invite

Front and back

I drew in the eyes of all and the nostrils of the monkey

I used pop up squares to make the faces 3D

I didn't do so bad with the eyes!  Drew in the nostril of the giraff. 

Look at all the party animals!

It's party time!

The invites are an A2 size and are double sided.  I was originally going to stick to using just one side but it all wouldn't fit.  I designed the invite wording and layout in Silhouette Studio and used the print and cut feature to cut a perfect circle around the wording. 

I decided to surround the invite with little animal faces that I got from SVG Cuts.  I used the two Cuddly Animals collections they offer.  I decided to omit their bodies because they wouldn't fit so cute little animal faces it was.  Sounds cute until you have to piece 72 of those little suckers together!

I used the print and cut feature again for the back of the card.  When I was finished with that I realized the back was way too plain so I dressed it up with the same patterned paper I used in the front cut so the stripes were laid out differently and crated a chain of silhouetted animals.  I used MTC to weld those little guys together.

There ya go.  Not sure I want to ever do invites again with how time consuming they are but if a friend asks I know I will say yes!

Pinterest, the virtual pin board

My Pinterest

So what is Pinterest you ask?  Well only one of the coolest sites ever!  It's like a virtual pin board.  You know one of those things you hang on your wall and pin pieces of paper to.  It's like that but much more modern. Before Pinterest I would just look things up on the internet and save them to my bookmarks.  The pain in that is when I need to find something I have to go through practically every bookmark to find that one picture I saved because of course I have no clue what site I got it off.

With Pinterest there's no need to have a bagillion bookmarks anymore.  You can "pin" a link or pictures/images to your "board".  Remember all this is virtual so when you see something online you like you click your pin icon (which you get off Pinterest) and you are able to pin whatever image or site you would like to whatever board you that you have created.  It pretty much downloads it to the site for you.  For instance, I have pictures of cards I found online that I like and pinned them to my "Cards" board.  Doing it this way I have everything in one place and a visual of each item without cluttering up my bookmarks or a folder on my computer.  There will be a link under the image to the site you downloaded it from and you are able to add a description and tags.

As with many of the popular social networks you can follow people on Pinterest that way you see what they are pinning and you can repin something they have.  It's really a cool site and perfect for those people that are forever looking at things online for inspiration.  One catch though, you have to be invited in order to use the site.  Either you can go to the site and request it or you can request an invite from a member.   It takes a few days for an invite from the site but if you request from a member you are able to become a member as soon as they invite you via email.

Each member is given 5 invites.  If you would like an invite email me, message me, or leave a comment with your email address.  I still have 5 left even though I have been on it for some time now.  I'm not greedy, I promise!

Welcome!!

Wow, I have quite a few new followers here and on Facebook!  Where did you all come from all of a sudden?  Well, don't go anywhere!  I like to see the numbers go up and get a little sad if I see the numbers go down. 

I have been MIA for the past few days working on invites and somewhat staying away from my craft room.  By choice at some moments and by pure exhaustion other times.  Today was supposed to be the day I finished those pesky little invites I have been working on for quite some time now.  Instead I sit in front of the TV pizza in hand with hubby next to me watching season 3 of Dexter!  Oh that Dexter!  

I just wanted to get in a quick hello before I hit the bed for the night.  I really hope to be done and have pictures of the invitations up tomorrow.  I better, they will be in the mail no later than Saturday!

Thanks for the Award!

I received an award the other day from fellow SVG Attic design team member, Anna Dawn of Memories by Anna Dawn.  It's my first blog award ever!  It makes me feel special...someone actually looks at my blog!  Make sure you check out her blog.  She's pretty crafty!! 

Here's my sa-weet blog award!

For the longest time (a few days) I thought it was a pizza!  I couldn't figure out why a picture of a pizza would be associated with a "sweet" award!  I think the picture should have been a banana split or something more discernable to the eye!

Thank you Anna Dawn!!

Here are the rules:

The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award.
The rules for the award are the following: 
1) Send a thank you to the person who nominated you and include their link.
2) To accept this award, answer 7 random facts about yourself.
3) Pass the award on to at least 8 other awesome blog buddies.

Random Facts About Kasi

Oh my favorite subject!!  Kidding!

1.  I am 31 but in my eyes I look younger!

2.  I graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor's in Sociology.

3.  I work in accounting....so much for that sociology degree!

4.  I joined the United States Marine Corps at the age of 18 and spent 4 years in the service and am    contemplating joining the National Guard and becoming an officer.   

5.  My daughter looks nothing like me.  I wonder how all my genes missed in creating her.

6.  My favorite food is a bean and cheese burrito with sour cream from hole in the wall Mexican joints.

7.  I like to play video games, snowboard, play airsoft (similar to paintball), and read. 

So that's a little about me.  Now on to my nominations.  I may not exactly know everyone on this list but I love their blogs!

Jessica of Jessica's Crop Corner

Thienly of Mod Paperie

Alyssa of My Thoughts Exactly

Ruthie of September Ninth

Tamara of Happy Life, Crafty Wife

Jin of Under a Cherry Tree

Bee of Dare to Bee Creative

Announcement....ready for it?

Awhile back I had posted on Facebook that I was going to be a monthly guest designer for someone.  I didn't want to mention the name of the company at the time because I wanted to make sure it was actually going to happen.  Well, it looks like we are a go!  I have chosen the dates I will be designing.  I will have a project for July and one in September (for now).  Unfortunately I couldn't commit to next month as a guest designer because the date was during my vacation.

Are you wondering yet? 

I bet you are!

Sorry to keep you in suspense so long.....

Ready for the company name? 

It's an up and coming company.  

You may have heard about them.  

They JUST released their first set....any guesses?  

Any at all?

Anything?

Aww, come on you have to have at least ONE guess!

 No?

OK, I'll tell you then. 

****DRUM ROLL****

My Thoughts Exactly

Woohoo!!!!!!  I am so excited to be designing for them from time to time.  Do you know what they specialize in?  Stamps!  I am a sucker for stamps.  To top it off, you know who they partnered with don't you?  The up and coming company I currently am on the design team for.....SVG Attic!  I had no clue about this partnership until the date of the stamp release.  I got the news of making the design team for SVG Attic, then the stamp release and then the partnership...I was in shock.  Wait...what?  I will be designing for both?  How awesome is that?!

I am looking forward to my first project and working with Alyssa of My Thoughts Exactly.  What an exciting time!

SVG Attic Design Team Project

I have been so excited all week about the news of me being selected for the SVG Attic design team (DT).  I couldn't wait to get started on my project.  This is my very first venture into the DT world.  I am now apart of a growing company and working with some amazing and super crafty ladies.  Let me tell you a little about SVG Attic.  It's a new company that specializes in SVG files.  The creative genius behind it is Jessica of Jessica's Crop Corner.  She creates the most adorable SVGs.  Go take a look for yourself.  I promise you won't be disappointed.

For my design team project I used quite a few of the SVG collections available so you get to see them in action (not literally...I'm not THAT good).  I have been on a paper doll kick lately.  In fact, when I first saw the files I wasn't sure what I could make out of them but then all of a sudden it dawned on me and now I can't get enough of them.  I just keep dressing them up in different clothes!  Oh, there's more up my sleeve with them (in a Santa suit maybe) but umm, I think Jessica would like me to steer clear of the dolls and try something new!  Haha!  OK, I promise I will for the next project.  I just needed one last hoorah with the dolls before I say my temporary goodbye's.  Hear that?  Temporary goodbye.  They will be back!

My project today features four sets from SVG Attic (list & links below) and staying true to summer, I made it colorful and fun like I did with my beach card that you can see HERE.  My inspiration?  Nope not my home state of California...think somewhere tropical with clear blue water (CA definitely does NOT have that...water yes, clear and blue?  No) keep thinking.  OK I'll tell ya....Hawaii!  And why is Hawaii my inspiration?  Because I want to be there at least 8 months out of the year.  That's not much to ask out of life.

Aside from me wanting to live there, this year is the first in three years that we are not vacationing in Hawaii.  I am so sad about it.  Oh if only money ran rampant in my household!  No luau's for me this year *sigh*.  I wish the stamp had an "I" instead of a "we" in it.  You'll see what I mean in a moment.  I guess for now I will just stare at pictures and my card and imagine I was there.  You can too....  

Luau...

 

I sure do wish I was there....

....drinking that pina colada....

...and watching her hula dance...

...while playing the ukelele...

....maybe even catch some waves the next morning.

I sure do wish I was there.

Can you hear the music?  Can you taste that pina colada (alcoholic or virgin, whichever your preference) or better yet, my favorite drink, the Lava Flow?  Can you feel the warm water on your toes?

I think that's enough.  I'm going to depress myself! 

On a non-depressing note, wouldn't it be cruel if I sent this to someone while I was in Hawaii and they were stuck at home?!  Haha....my sister better watch out...she may be getting this one day!

SVG Attic SVG Collections used:
 
I used the wide middle step card from the Step Cards SVG Collection.

The tiki bar, luau sign, drinks, torch, palm tree, ukelele, hula skirt, coconut bra, lei, and lanterns are all from the Luau SVG Collection.

The girl is from the Paper Dolls SVG Collection.

The surf board is from the Just Beachy SVG Collection

Measurements:

Base - 7.5" x 10" (7.5" x 5" folded)
Tiki bar - 4.5" x 5"
Luau sign - 2.5" x .75"
Girl - 2" x 4" her hula clothes were sized down to fit using MTC
Palm tree - 4.5" x 7.5" (this one is triple reinforced to stay up!)
Ukelele - 2" x .66P
Surf board - 3.8" x 1.08"


I embossed the trunk of the tree to add texture.  The yellow umbrella in the back left is actually a toothpick umbrella I had laying around from a party I had awhile back.  The lanterns are held up using pop up squares and strung using twine from Trendy Twine.  I stamped the sentiment in orange to match the paper it's stamped on.  In the background you can see a hint of the ocean.  If I had the embossing folders I received the day after I made this card I could have embossed the roof of the tiki bar.  I slightly inked and distressed the tiki bar to give it more character.  You can see an orange strip on the bottom of the card.  I glued that there so the card would stay folded up a little closer.  The "Surf" sign was cut from a pack of paper that I bought from Target's dollar bins.  Actually all the patterned paper used on this card came from the same stack with the exception of the tiki bar.  That paper where the lanterns are hung are from DCWV's Linen Closet stack.  I think that's all.  I hope you enjoyed my project!

You know you wish you were there too!  We can dream together.

Wait....one last look/dream!