Game Day Bottles

Happy Labor Day! When a friend came over with a thank you gift for us, I knew I had to share it! He brought over a bottle of homemade Bailey's Irish and Creme. Oh. my. dearie. The bottle is what got me (hey, blame the crafter in me)! It was a snap lid bottle and I thought right away of Craft Warehouse's snap bottles and got excited about the kind of gifts I could give this fall! Craft Warehouse carries these 12" beautiful clear bottles so you can see what is inside. They also make the best backdrop for a belly band, label, or tag and are food safe!

I also knew this would make the best drink to bring over to a friend's house for Game Day! Here is the supply list to create your own!

Homemade Bailey's Irish and Creme

2 cups of whiskey

2 cups of vodka

2 Tbsp instant coffee

2 Tbsp chocolate syrup

2 cans sweet condensed milk

2 cups heavy cream (can use 1% fat free milk)


In a large stock pot, combine ingredients and then carefully pour into bottle. Refrigerate. This recipe can fill one bottle with a little extra for you to drink at home.

Here is a Vegan Non Alcoholic version I found to share.

Decorate the Bottle

Supplies:

1 12" Snap Lid Bottle
WeRMemory Keepers Homemade Die Cut Set
Chalkboard Sticky Back Paper
American Crafts Ribbon and Twine
Card Stock
Bistro Chalkboard Marker
Clear Snap Color Box Rubber Stamps (available in NW teams)
Kraft Tag
Ranger Ink Archival Black Ink
Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutting Machine

Directions:

1. Stamp image on to tag. Mat the tag by cutting card stock a little larger than the tag and keep together. Punch a hole in the card stock at the same place the tag's hole is in.

2. Tie bow to the top of the bottle. Run twine through the tag and tie to the back of the bottle and let the tag hang in front.

3. Die cut the label from the chalkboard sticky back paper. Use the marker to write on the chalk board paper. (Or use pre-cut chalkboard labels *)

4. Place the label on the jar making sure the jar is dry before applying.

Give and drink!

* Removable Chalkboard Labels 50% off regular prices (reg. $4.99) until September 21st, 2014

We R Memory Keepers Indian Summer Collection Tutorial

Today's tutorial will help you create a fast and simple layout using our new products from We R Memory Keepers! Their new Indian Summer collection is perfect for summer photo as well as feminine and masculine projects! I loved the turquoise, black and white, along with the gold hues that I decided to also use their new dies in gold too! Grab your supplies and let's get started!

Supplies:

We R Memory Keepers Indian Summer 12x12 Collection
We R Memory Keepers Indian Summer Wood "Life Is Beautiful"
We R Memory Keepers Indian Summer Wood "Doily"
We R Memory Keepers Indian Summer Wood "Feather"
We R Memory Keepers Indian Summer Chipboard Alphabet Stickers
We R Memory Keepers Embossing Folders "Feather"
LifeStyle Crafts Cutting Dies "Feathers"
White Cardstock
Gold Vellum 
American Crafts Gold Glitter Paper
Tombow Xtreme Adhesive Runner
Scallop Punch 2"
Big Shot Die Cutting Machine by Sizzix
Rhinestone Stickers

Directions:

1. Cut  two pieces of patterned paper to 10"x4" (black with white dots) and another 10"x5" (feathers). Glue them down on a 12x12 piece of paper about 3/4" from the top. Punch three scalloped circles from a piece of patterned paper and set aside.

2. Cut 10"x1/2" of turquoise paper and glue to the bottom of the feather paper. Cut 10"x1 1/4" strip from pattern paper and add it to the bottom of the page. Mat your photo on white cardstock and place at the top left hand corner.

3. Using scissors, cut the peg hole off the "Life is Beautiful" Wood Veneer and glue it with the Xtreme adhesive to the top of the Wood "Doily". Make sure the peg hole is facing down on the doily. Add more adhesive and place at the bottom right corner of the photo.

 4. Emboss a 3"x4" white cardstock with the "feathers" embossing folder. Die cut feathers from gold vellum and gold glitter paper.

5. Layer at the bottom left corner of the photo and page the 3"x4" embossed card, wood feather (remove peg hole with scissors), scallop circle, and feathers. Add a number to the card. 

6. Place two more scallops on the page and add three rhinestones. 

7. Use the dots in the Alphabet set to create bullet points on the page for your journaling. 

Would you like to design for Craft Warehouse? Who we are looking for: Artists (including scrapbooking, pocket page scrapbooking, card making, stamping, jewelry making, paper crafts, quilting, fiber artists, fine artist, painter, or DIY crafter) within the contiguous United States. Click here to find out how to apply!

4th of July Celebration by Design Team Member Elizabeth Wiederspohn

Everyone loves a good celebration and I can’t think of a better day to celebrate than the 4^th of July.  I love our country, our freedoms, and our troops that protect them both.  Independence Day is my second favorite holiday (right behind Christmas.) so I am honored to create for Craft Warehouse on such a special day.  

God Bless America Banner
 

Supplies Used:

Pebbles Americana 48 Piece Paper Pad

Pebbles Americana Dimensional Stickers

Pebbles Americana Phrase and Accent Stickers

Pebbles Americana Printed Cardstock Shapes

Doodlebug Sprinkles Blue Jean, Ladybug, & Lily White

Doodlebug Washi Tape Air Mail

Hazel & Ruby The Makery Shine and Sparkle

American Crafts Thickers Maple White

Paper Accents Glassine Bags

Die Cutter

Sewing Machine

Scoring Board

 
Flag Banners

1.     Cut 72 2.5” stars using your favorite punch, Silhouette die cutter or your Sizzix die cutting machine.  36 should be out of red pattern paper and 36 white pattern paper.  If your paper is single sided, you may want to cut enough stars to double side each star.

2.     Sew twelve red stars together into a banner making sure to make one continuous string and immediately hang your star banner to avoid tangling.  

3.     Continue to sew strings of stars together making a total of three white strings of 12 stars and three red strings of 12 stars and hanging them alternating colors.

4.     Cut a square 7.5” and glue a 4.5” star or rosette in the center.  Using Thickers write “God Bless America” over the top and bottom of the star Punch three holes across the top and tie in front of the left corner of stars. 

Rosettes

1.     Cut 14 3x12” strips of cardstock making sure you have two of each color.  Next, using a scoring board, score the strips in 1” increments and fold the strips back and forth alternating directions of the folds. 

2.     Bunch the folded strip together and cut the end at different angles much like you would a paper snowflake.  Make sure that you cut the matching cardstock strip in the same pattern to make sure the pennant is the same all the way around then staple the ends of each pair of strip together creating a circle

3.     Gather and push down the center of each pennant.  Glue a punched circle to the back using a hot glue gun or a strong adhesive like E-6000 to keep the rosette from folding in on itself.  Let dry then flip over and glue a star to the front.

4.     Punch a hole in the top and tie to banner.

Pennants

1.     Cut 4 4x6” rectangles and 4 3.5x6” rectangles. Stack all rectangles together centering the smaller rectangles and cut the bottom shape of your pennant to make sure all pennants are the same shape.  I cut mine with a traditional triangle pennant style but don't be afraid to get creative. 

2.     Assemble the pennants by sewing or gluing paper pennants across the top placing a glassine bag on the bottom, the 4x6” rectangle in the middle and the 3.5x6” rectangle on top making sure to raise the final layer high enough to show the second layer of cardstock at the  bottom of your pennant. 

3.     Even off the top of your pennant by cutting off 1/8- 1/4” with your cutting board. 

4.     Embellish pennants using stickers, embellishments, sequins, and sprinkles.  Create dimension using double sided foam tape and layering different embellishments.  Punch holes in each corner and tie onto the banner. 

Land That I Love Layout 

This sheet is one of my favorites from the Pebbles Americana Collection.  I love the signage and different American icons.  It just made me want to scrapbook more.  I put together this layout using the three dimensional embellishments, stickers and cardstock embellishments from the Pebbles Americana line, Doodlebug washi tape and Sprinkles, American Crafts Thickers, and Hazel & Ruby sequins.  I also stitched in gold thread around the boarders of my cardstock.  Never used gold thread in your machine before?  I have a tip for you.  Gold thread does not behave well in your bobbin.  Instead, load your bobbin with white or cream colored thread and it will behave wonderfully. 

Thank You for Your Service Card & Operation Write Home

There is no better way to celebrate Independence Day than to honor the troops that keep us free.  I made a card to honor a Veteran I know with some of the remaining papers, embossing folder, embellishments and Lawn Fawn stamps.  Don't have a Veteran close by?  Check out this website http://operationwritehome.org  The Operation Write Home organization allows you to send a card to troops serving our country to let them know how much we appreciate their service.  They also have another service made available to our troops.  Troops are in need of cards to write home to their families on.  You can send your homemade cards to Operation Write Home and they will package them up and send them to our troops so they can send cards and letters home.  There are a couple of guidelines and requirements to what supplies can be used on a card so check out their web page before you get started.  I can't think of a better way to use my hobby.  

Wood Hearts DIY on Burlap Canvas

American Crafts' new 12x12 Wood Heart Veneer by Dear Lizzy, just made it a whole lot easier to create custom knock out DIY projects just like this burlap canvas! 

Supplies:

Burlap

Canvas

12x12 Wood Heart Veneer 

E-6000 Adhesive

Ribbon

Staple Gun

Red Glitter

Mod Podge

Directions:

1. Cut your burlap 2 inches larger than your canvas. Wrap the burlap to the back of the canvas and staple it to the back starting in the middle of each side, then working on the ends. Set aside.

2. Use Mod Podge glue and a foam brush to paint one heart.

3.  Shake red glitter on the veneer and then pour excess back into the container.

4. Use E-6000 to adhere the veneer to the canvas. Let dry completely.

Using Project Life Cards on a Tradtional Scrapbook Page

Happy Scrapbook Month at Craft Warehouse! All month long on our blog we will have lots of scrapbooking inspiration! I love memory keeping. I will be honest, I can't remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday. Memory Keeping for me is actually documenting the little things that I know I don't want to forget. Sometimes, it is even holidays and beautiful memories that I don't want lost. Have you taken the time to scrapbook  your Easter photos? I took the opportunity this last weekend for National Scrapbook Day to do so!

Becky Higgins Project Life cards are not just for pocket pages! Take a few of your favorites and use them on your next 12x12 traditional scrapbook page! I used Craft Warehouse's newest Core Kit available, Azure. I love that this kit is neutral and goes with both my son and daughter's pages.

I printed my photos at 4x6 and then trimmed them down to 4x4. This gave me plenty of room to add three 3x4 cards from the Core Kit.

I picked a title card, journaling card, and then one extra. For the rest of the layout I used Heidi Swapp's Favorite Things collection, now in stores! I have a lot of fun with the patterned papers, glittered frame, word stickers, and then the ephemera pack! 

* Nine different Becky Higgins Project Life Core Kits are on sale for $15 ($29.99 value) until May 18th, 2014

Ombré Heart DIY Shadow Box

Handmade projects don't have to be complicated to be impressive! Join us through out the month of April for ideas that are easy DIY, that will satisfy your desire to create, and will wow your family and friends! This wall art is easy but packs punch! When you are done you will surprise yourself at how beautiful it will look hanging on your wall! 

Supplies:

• 12x12 White Shadow Box
• Dear Lizzy 12x12 Wood Hearts
• Foam Brush
• Acrylic Paint color of your choice (turquoise is use in this project)
• White Acrylic Paint
• Glue gun

Directions:

1. Start with the color you would like to be the darkest.
2. Using your foam brush paint your first row of paint.
3. Then ad White paint to your starting color and slowly paint each row adding white to make each row lighter. If you paint a row and its too light or too dark your can always go over that row later.
4. Once its dry open up your shadow box and place the wood heart piece into the front of the shadow box. Then glue into shadow box using your glue gun.
5. Add the shadow box inset on top of the glue and push down the black tabs to hold in place.
6. Throw away the back piece of your frame & hang!

Folded Heart Valentines by Holly Gagnon

I passed notes in school as a kid.  These notes may not of included a "Check One" box inside of them too. I don't seem to remember my unique folding techniques from back then but I do remember how to make Folded Heart Envelopes.

So takin' ya back old school, I'm sharing my nostalgic Folded Heart Valentine's on my blog today using Pebbles Inc. Yours Truly Collection, which can be found at your local Craft Warehouse!

Yours Truly Printers Tray by Michelle Wofford

I don't usually purchase Valentine themed paper, it's just in recent years that they have appealed to me.  But when I saw the Yours Truly line from Pebbles Inc. I just had to get it.  I love the colors and patterns from this line.  I grabbed a 6 x 6 pad of paper and inspiration soon followed.  Here's the Valentine's themed printers tray I created.

 

You can see more details on my blog and I hope it inspires you to make something for this coming holiday! All supplies shown can be purchased at your local Craft Warehouse!

Project Life Rain Core Kit Layout by Guest Designer Rebecca Grinder

I like the freedom Becky Higgins Project Life gives me in creating quick layouts in just my style. When I create my pages, I think of it like a regular 12x12 traditional scrapbook page. I like to find similar cards and slip them into the pockets quickly to create a "background" of sorts.

Then, I just add my favorite 4x6 photos into their pockets. 

Sometimes I print wallet size photos to add. I added two photos to the scored journaling card (show above).

Then, I love to add a quick embellishment, like these cork hearts by Fancy Pants Design.

Whichever way you use Project Life, the important part is that you get your photos off your phone and document your life!

- Rebecca Grinder

Would you like to design for Craft Warehouse? We would love to hear from you! Send an email with your name, blog address, and a sample of your work to jenevans at craftwarehouse dot com.