Back to School Blog Hop - Day 2

Welcome to day 2 of the Back to School Blog Hop! You should have come from Andrea's Coffee Time. If you would like to start at the beginning of the hop, then head over to Queen of my Craftroom and join in the fun! We have 3 sponsors: Karbar Digital Stamps, Jen's Digi Stamps, and Hambo Stamps. Each sponsor is giving away a digi stamp. Details on how to enter for the drawings from our sponsors will be on Queen of my Craftroom's blog.  There will also be blog candy along the way, so sit back and enjoy all the creative ideas that these talented ladies are sharing!

My project today is one of my favorites! It is an altered notebook. This time of the year you can pick these up for next to nothing. I think I paid 25 cents for mine at Walmart!!

I've made several of these in the past as gifts, but I decided to make one for myself to have at the beginning of my school year. They are so simple to do and depending how elaborately decorated you want it, they are relatively fast to make. The black printed paper is from the Grade School paper pack from DCWV. I used Hello Kitty Greetings for the stack of books cut at 5 1/2 inches. I added a white shadow, but made it about a half inch smaller and inked the edges so it didn't look so huge!  I used the Hello Kitty Font for my last name cut at 1 1/4 inches. I used my Gypsy to weld the shadow feature in the same light blue cardstock as the middle book. The top letters are in the same yellow cardstock as the top book. I used the Cuttlebug folder Polka Dots to emboss the apple and red mat under my name. I used green cardstock as the bottom mat that matches the bottom book. I added some doodle dots with my black gel pen on my name and a little bit of lime green stickles on the leaf of the apple. I used Stickables Franklin sticker letters to add titles to my books. (These are the subjects I teach.) My favorite part of this notebook is the cute ruffled ribbon I found in my stash. I used glue dots along the seam of the paper and edge to add the ribbon. I used my iRock to add big rhinestones to the side and teeny tiny rhinestones on the red background paper. The back of the notebook is just a printed paper from the same Grade School paper pack, but no other cuts were added to the back. (I forgot to take a picture of that.) This project will also be My Sheri Crafts Back to School Challenge.

**Blog Candy Giveaway**

I will be giving one lucky person some crafting goodies! Included are 2 alphabet label stickers, journal tags, decorative sticky notes, fun fibers, beach themed paper stack, a set of scalloped cards with envelopes, a heart stamp, a Star Cuttlebug folder and a Creative Memories Mini Parfait set. All you have to do is leave a comment on both of my posts for this blog hop (Saturday and Sunday). I will use Random.org to select a winner on Sunday August 7. You do not have to follow my blog, but I encourage you to browse my blog and if you like what you see, I would be happy to have you as a follower! Thanks for stopping by! Now, hop on over to Kimberly's Crafty Spot.

Back to School Blog Hop Line Up:

Michelle ~ Queen of my Craftroom

Carol ~ Cardstock Scissors and Glue

Susan ~ It's Me Susan P

Jenny ~ Crazy About Cricut

Jill ~ The Scrapoholic

Lynne ~ Her Craftiness

Tanya ~ Creations Abound with Tanya

Tina ~ Crafty and Green

Tammy ~ The Purple Muse

Anita ~ Anita and Bugs

Lisa ~ Scrappin' with Lisa

Corrine ~ Celebrating Ordinary Moments

Robin ~ Scrap and Chat

Stephanie ~ Always Crafting

Donnalee ~ Stampin n Scrapin wtih Donnalee

Jenn ~ Jenn's Paper Crafts

Berenice ~ Karber Digital Images

Sharon ~ Simply Sweet by Sharon

Sherry ~ Up or Down They're Beautiful

Kristen ~ My Fantabulous Life

Mila ~ Milamemories

Wendy ~ Cricut Your Classroom

Bobbi Jo ~ Sweet Sassy Diva

Andrea ~ Andrea's Coffee Time

Kerri ~ Cares of Kerri ****you are here****

Kimberly~ Kimberly's Crafty Spot ****next****

Jamie ~ JME Creations

Misty ~ The Daily Scrapper

Graduation Cards

So, I'm a little late on making my graduation cards, but they are now done!! I am sure the kids will appreciate a little extra $$ even though it's been a month since graduation. Both cards are the Z Fold cards which were super simple to make. I just cut 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock in half, folded it in half and then folded the front flap back in half again. On both cards I used My Pink Stamper's Happy Graduation Stamp from the Happiest Moments stamp line.

For the Hello Kitty card I used Hello Kitty Greetings and usedthis weeks Peachy Keen Challenge as my inspiration. I cut Kitty at 5 1/2 inches (it may have been only 5). I added the silver paper cut at 1/4 inches smaller. I used the Martha Stewart Bubble Punch on the inside silver paper and added a silver ribbon to the front flap. There is a pocket behind the Hello Kitty to hold the money. Of course I added a little stickles for some sparkle and called it done!

For the second card, I went with a simpler approach. I cuttlebugged the top part of the card using the stars and inked them. I used the Wild Card graduation cap card for the front but cut off one side of the card so it was no longer a card. (Did that make any  sense at all?!) I used Tags Bags Boxes and More for the tag on the front and stamped Congratulations from the same stamp line mentioned above. I attached the tag with brads. On the inside I cut the round star shape using the icon function of the graduation cap card and added the phrase function that reads Class of. For the inside I made a simple pocket to hold money using Tags Bags Boxes and More. Since this card is for a young man, I left off stickles! :)

Back to School Project

My composition notebook was such a hit, my neighbor, Brittany wanted to make one for her new teacher. She came over and we got busy creating! We chose to use the Hello Kitty Greetings for the front and Making the Grade for the back ribbon and apple. We personalized the front with her grade, teacher's name and school's initials. I am sure her teacher will love it!

This will also be the perfect opportunity to participate in Emma's, My Creative Time Throwback Thursday Challenge. We were suppose to use the Paisley Cartridge, but mine didn't make it in time. (I won it on ebay for $17 this week!) The winner of this challenge will get some great teacher stamps from Peachy Keen Stamps. Wish me luck!

ETA: I use Mod Podge to adhere the paper to the notebook and then after adding my cuts I do another layer of Mod Podge over it. It gives it a nice shine to it!!

Birthday Gift & My Sheri Crafts Challenge

We have a birthday party for our neighbor, Brittany, today. She is turning 11 and I wanted to make her something special because she is so sweet. At first I made her an altered initial to hang in her room. I added some flowers, some bling, and the saying Peace Love Brittany! She loves peace signs so I found the perfect paper from Hobby Lobby. My friend, Robyn, suggested I do an altered journal. I found composition books on sale at Walmart for 25 cents and stocked up for later projects. I used my Create A Critter cartridge for the butterflies and ladybug. For her name I used a frame from Storybook and welded her name inside. I also thought I could do a binder for her to take to school since we start back next week. I used the same peace paper and covered the front and back. Her name is cut out from Cuttin' Up, the flowers are from Sweet Treats and the winged heart came from Hello Kitty Greetings. I came across a pen set that would go perfectly with the peace sign paper which inpired the paper selection for her composition book. For her gift bag I used Sweet Treats. I am excited for her to open her gifts and am sure she will love it!

It just so happens Sheri at My Sheri Crafts is having a Back to School Challenge on her blog. So this will be submitted on her blog for her challenge! The winner will get a $25 gift certificate and Lord knows I love to spend that money on craft supplies, so wish me luck!!