Happy Annivesary

Tomorrow, a year ago is when I met the wonderful man in my life. We started out as friends and somehow 6 months after that we fell in love and I heard the words "I Love You". Seems like it was only yesterday that my life changed for the better. So what better excuse than an anniversary for me to create a card.



I think it turned out rather nice. Here is the list of supplies I used:

Bazzill cardstock
Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses designer paper
Basic Grey Bling It Designer Rhinestones
Queen & Co. Felt Fusion
Vintage Lace
Magnolia Stamps
Stampin' Up "Because of You" for sentiment stamp

Enjoy,
Monique

Happy Birthday Papa

Since my FIL loves music as much as I do I tried to figure out what I wanted to make for his birthday card. I love Elvis and found an awesome rubber stamp that I have had for at least a year, so I decided to finally ink it up and here is the result:



I used SU cardstock and fancy pants paper, think it turned out rather well.
Monique

Happy St. Valentines Day

Okay, so it's been a long time since I have done anything creative or been on my blog so I am going to try to upload more projects as I try to implement them into my life.

Since I have a new love I thought I would make him a Valentines Day card. We have been together 10 months and I love him so much, hope he likes this card as much as I loved making it.

I CASE'd the idea from Tracy's Stamping Blog, her layout was perfect for my card. Thanks so much.

Enjoy,
Monique

P.S. Will try to upload list of supplies later

Wizard of Oz Quilt

So here is the finished quilt, my very first full size quilt, so pretty!



I can't wait to start another quilt, just trying to figure out what I want to make. I quite love the colorful quilts the most.

Aloo Paratha

So I am trying my hand at some Indian cooking and thought I would share the recipe with you in case you wanted to try it. I got it from Manjula's Kitchen:



The recipe is:

Dough:
1 cup Atta (Whole wheat chapatti flour)
1/2 cup water
1 pinch of salt

Filling:
1-1/2 cups mashed potatoes
2 spoons fresh chopped cilantro
1 tsp green Serrano chilies
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp salt

Knead the dough to make it smooth, I found it kind of sticky so I put a bit more Atta as I kneaded it. Separate it into 6 balls of dough.

Ensure the potatoes are at room temperature before mashing. Separate it into 6 balls as well. Watch the video and enjoy your Paratha.

I will post the pictures as soon as I am done making them. Off to make them now!
Enjoy!
Monique

Here are the pictures:

Happy Belated Valentines Day

Well since I have someone in my life I thought I would actually make a card this year. It was our first Valentines together and even though we were apart I still made him a card. He works so much that we rarely get some good quality time together lately. It's really hard but I am praying that things will work out the way they should in God's perfect time. Without further ado, here is the card I made him.

Outside:


Inside:



Ingredients:

Bazzill Cardstock
Various Patterned Papers
Ribbon
Felt Flower
Rhinestone
Magnolia Rubber Stamp
Doodlebug Pink Glitter
Petalsoft in Red
Watercolor pencils
Smooch in gold, red, white
Zig markers


Thanks for looking,
Monique

My Wizard of Oz Quilt

Okay, so an update from a while back that my quilt top is now complete. I just am so amazed that God gave me two hands that were able to create IMHO a masterpiece. I don't want to seem boastful or brag but I can't believe I made it. I love it so much and now I am trying to decide how I want to quilt it. Isn't it whimsical?





Thanks for looking, if you have any comments, suggestions, please feel free to post. Positive criticism is always welcome!

Monique

A Disaster of Epic Proportions

Creative Gift Wrapping - Part 2

Here are a few more gifts wrapped by Lynn Spence:

Gift 6:


This is a super chic card for the animal print lover in your family. A basic gold paper makes any gift look elegant. Added to the top some stylish animal print ribbon along with some gold ribbon adds that wow factor to any gift.

Gift 7:

Traditional colors are a never fail color scheme to wrap holiday gifts. This gorgeous floral paper has been paired with some classic plaid ribbon, some gold ribbon, pine needle boughs and some cute fabrege egg ornaments. Who wouldn't love to get a gift this beautiful?

Gift 8:

What a unique paper to wrap a gift in for your British friends and family. A very different paper paired with some basic grosgrain ribbon and some wax seals for that extra royal touch.

Gift 9:

I love this gorgeous paisley paper, so colorful, elegant and classy. A gorgeous green plaid wired ribbon makes the gift even more beautiful. Added are some sprigs of red leaves and some berries.

So there are some amazing examples of how to jazz up your gifts this holiday season. Some of my own tips are below! Happy wrapping!

1. A ribbon iron from Pebbles Inc. is a must have for any ribbon lover. If you're like me, creases are annoying and I just can't use wrinkled ribbon in any project whether it be a card, scrapbook page or a gift. They are fairly inexpensive and can be bought many places online.

2. Take advantage of any diecut machines you might own to make unique tags and embellishments for your gifts. I have some basic tag dies for my "Cuttlebug" and if you use some fancy paper you can make any gift tag gorgeous. The possibilities are endless, so be sure to use your creativity for those one of a kind tags.

3. Make the gift extra special for the recipient by adding a little ornament or embellishment that represents their favorite hobbies or interets. You can never go wrong with even just a candy cane or some sweet treat.

4. I love to use anything reusable to wrap my gifts it. For a baby gift I like to use a blanket or something pretty but useful. For someone who loves to sew, perhaps some gorgeous fabric or table cloth would be suitable to wrap your gift with.

5. Reuse any scraps of fabric, ribbon you have to make a unique wrapped gift.

The possibilities are endless so never throw anything useful out that you may be able to use for your gift wrapping.

Happy Wrapping,
Monique

Creative Gift Wrapping

I was recently lucky enough to have had the opportunity to meet with Style Expert Lynn Spence for Scotch Brand Tape.



I had a fabulous time talking with her about how to wrap and personalize your gifts for this holiday season. Here are some great tips she mentioned:

1. Stock Up – Before you start wrapping, make sure you have all of the necessary supplies. Quality scissors and tape will make the gift wrapping experience a breeze (see proof points below)

2. Stay Sharp – Have a sharp pair of scissors, such as Scotch Precision Ultra Edge Scissors, for cutting paper and other materials. It will allow you to achieve greater precision with your cuts. And if tape on your scissors is a pet peeve, Scotch Precision Ultra Edge Non-Stick Scissors use non-stick technology that means no more sticky build up on blades.

3. One of a Kind Tags – You can make your own gift tags by using the back of old holiday cards. Cut pictures or words from magazines, and paste them on the gift card to make it festive. Voila! Your own customized gift tag.

4. Go Glam – Add luxury to your packages with glamorous materials such as metallic papers that will make anyone feel spoiled. Fashioned inspired animal print or sophisticated quilted paper will look luxurious under the tree.

5. Mix It Up – Move away from traditional wrapping paper by incorporating new textures such as rice, foil and matte papers into your wrapping repertoire. Mixed colours and patterns are also a great way to add visual interest to your presents.

6. Au Natural – For a more organic, eco look, use recycled papers or materials such as linen, Kraft paper, fabric remnants, burlap or a fabulous vintage scarf.

7. In Lieu of Glue – For tasks where you’d traditional use glue, reach for Scotch® Double-Sided Tape, a no-mess alternative for light duty attaching and mounting tasks.

8. Fit to Be Tied – Homemade bows are easier to make than you think. Simply tie the ribbon as you would a shoelace, and use fresh greens or other ornamentation to “dress up” the package. The recipient will surely be impressed with the “professional look” of the present!

9. Stay Seamless – Scotch GiftWrap Tape features a unique satin finish that disappears on most gift wrap papers. Makes all your gifts look great! Easy to dispense and sticks securely.

10. Make It Last – The joy of giving is always in style but before you start wrapping gifts, make sure you stock up on quality tape like Scotch Brand to ensure your packages stay sealed until its time to unwrap them.

11. Waste Not, Want Not – Get creative with scraps of paper, ribbons and other found items to add pizzazz to your wrapping and help the environment by keeping these items out of the waste basket.

12. ‘Tis the Season – Before you start gift wrapping, put on some holiday music, relax and have fun! Remember – it’s the thought that counts

Here are some of the fabulous gifts she wrapped, they sure make me want to wrap gifts right away. I have also included some comments and some of my own tips for perfect presentation every time. Be sure to check out the Scotch Brand website for great products you must have for the perfect aids to help your gift wrapping.

Scotch Brand Tape Products

Gift 1:

This is totally masculine but also perfect for the fisherman/woman in your life. When I saw this paper I immediately thought of my mum because she loves to fish. I would have never thought to have wrapped a gift using this paper so I am so happy to see something out of my comfort zone. Lynn embellished it with some little lures which makes it's so much more personal IMHO.

Gift 2:

This silver paper is so beautiful, it reminds me of the old tin ceilings in older homes and churches. It's so elegant and stylish and when paired with the same color ribbon and a cute car ornament, it not only says that you care about the person you wrapped it for, but it also is a gorgeous work of art.

Gift 3:

This gift was wrapped in this gorgeous thick paper that looked like pine needles all over it. It was so gorgeous and I just love the natural bow that was made out of a fabric that resembles aida cloth. The pine cones and raffia add a nice touch and it just makes the gift stand out.

Gift 4:

This gift was wrapped in some gorgeous gold gilded paper. The paper had embossed and glittered designs that added so much to the paper. Lynn added a gorgeous wide bow and put on a starfish. It'd be perfect for the beach lover in your family or someone who just loves the ocean. It's very non-traditional, gorgeous and would be so beautiful under anyone's tree this year.

Gift 5:

This is one of my favorites. You can't tell from the picture but the paper feels like handmade leaves all over and has a great texture to it, I will have to see if I can find out where Lynn got this, it's so perfect. Add to that a traditional plaid bow and some jingle bells and you have one gorgeous gift that anyone would love to receive.

More gift samples to follow tomorrow, now it's time for bed. Enjoy and happy wrapping!
Monique