Holiday Babbling...

(...I'm making my blogging comeback slowly but surely... in the meantime, let me share with you a couple of recent craft articles over at Babble.com - some great ideas for kids' holiday projects!)

Holiday Crafts for Kids

More Holiday Crafts for Kids

Winter Crafts for Kids

December Cupkins Link Party - Christmas!

It's the first Monday of the month (Happy December!) and it's time for December's edition of Cupkins. 

Happy Holidays to you!

I know that I've been absent for the past month or so - and I promise you two things...

1)  that I explain my absence, and get you updated on everything that's been going on in my life,

and,

2)  that I'll be back on a more consistent basis soon enough!

This month's theme is Christmas of course!  Now - since I've been away from blogging I've also been away (mostly) from baking and crafting.

SO - I'm going to share with you a couple of different Christmas-y, cupcake-y type of things.  Is that okay?  And after you've checked these out, please please please head over to visit Meg, my better Cupkins-half,

over at MegaCrafty to see her delicious creation!

1)  Quick & Easy Candy Cane Cupcakes

hese were last year's Cupkins creation for December.  I love the tinted frosting and putting those cute little mini candy canes to good use!

2)  Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

These were a creation I whipped up for a Holiday Crafts piece I wrote for Babble.com!  Simply sweet!

What kinds of cupcakes and sweet treats have you been dreaming up?  Be sure to link up your ideas over at Meg's place. 

And thanks for stopping by you guys, and for hanging in there with me while I've been gone.  If you are still out there - feel free to leave me a comment and let me know so.  I'd love to "hear" from you!

Happy Baking!

Christmas Stamp A Stacks / Open Studios

It's never too soon to be thinking about Christmas Cards! I'm hosting four Christmas card making events in November and December to help you get your cards done before the holiday madness sets in.

Each event will last four hours (come for some or all of the time), I'll have snacks and beverages on hand - and you have two card assembly options:

1) Stamp A Stack: Create 16 cards for $20 or double up and make 32 cards for $35 - envelopes included. I'll have four sets of four designs of cards for you to choose from ahead of time, and everything will be cut and prepped ready for you to stamp and assemble. Bring your own adhesive, everything else is included.

2) Design your own cards: Order your Christmas card materials ahead of time and come use my space, Big Shot Machine, inks etc. to make your own. I'll be on hand to help with design ideas and choices. Bring your own cardstock, accessories, and adhesive.

Let me know if you have any questions.  Early RSVP's are very much appreciated to joanneroehm@yahoo.com. Group orders with FREE SHIPPING will be going in every two weeks or so between now and the holidays if you need me to order anything for you.

I'd love to help you create beautiful handmade cards that will be the envy of your friends and family! See you soon!

• Stamp A Stack 1 - Grand Rapids - November 6th from 10:00am to 2:00pm
• Stamp A Stack 2 - Tecumseh - November 19th from 6:00pm to 10:00pm 
• Stamp A Stack 3 - Grand Rapids - November 21st from 12:00-4:00pm
• Stamp A Stack 4 - Grand Rapids - December 3rd from 6:00-10:00pm

Stamp Set Option 1:  Northern Flurry

Stamp Set Option 2:  Cute Christmas

Stamp Set Option 3:  Sparkly & Bright

Stamp Set Option 4:  Season of Joy

 

Christmas Cards - Phase 1

Happy Wednesday, friends!  How's the weather where you are?  It can't make its mind up here in Michigan.  One day it's 80 degrees and sunshiney and the next day there's a crisp Fall chill in the air!  I'm not wishing for snow or anything, but all the ups and downs are wreaking havoc on my joints and sinuses - that's for sure!  Consistency would be nice!

Anyhow, with the holidays (ever so quickly) approaching, I'm giving Christmas cards more and more thought.  In addition to my own, and helping my customers and friends pick out theirs, I've got several custom orders I'm working on for people - which is great fun!

I wanted to make sure I got my customer Christmas cards done first, so I can get them out with my events calender and Stampin' Up! promotion info by November 1.  I loved using the new 1/4 inch taffeta ribbons and some basic rhinestones to add a little bling on top of the Christmas tree on these cards.

And I am incredibly excited about custom thank you cards for my dear friend Meg (remember her baby shower?)  I've designed Christmas thank you cards for her lovely little gal, Ellie, and Meg and I will assemble them.  I'm loving the girly pink and glitter!

I'm sure Ellie would help too, if she could, but for now she'll just provide the cuteness inspiration!

(Yup, she's wearing one of my bibs!)

Have you started thinking about your Christmas cards yet?  Or other handmade gifts?  I'd love to know what you're working on!  

TGI-Tuesday?

Phew!

The weekend was such a busy one that it took all of Monday for me to regroup, reorganize, and get back on the wagon!  I spent two days over on the east side of Michigan hosting a stamp a stack for my stampers over there and doing a workshop for wonderful hostess, Sue.  There was lots of stamping and lots of socializing - but also lots of driving for me - which was the only downside to the weekend!

Here are a few picks of Sue's workshop guests working away on their make and take projects...

And of my East Side Stampers working away on their Halloween cards at the stamp a stack...

All of this stamping has got me thinking about the holidays for sure!  I'll have a few Halloween projects to share with you this week, and then I'm already thinking about Christmas!!!

(I've been stamping away making up Christmas card samples for my customers!)

How about you?  Are the holidays on your mind, or is it too early to start planning?

Ideas for Next Christmas: Roundup No. 3

This is the third of three holiday round ups!

Being a part of the crafty blog community is wonderful at any time of year, but I truly love it the most around the holidays. This year I was absolutely overwhelmed by all of the beautifully handcrafted ornaments and gifts, yummy cookies and treats, creative decor, and fantastic tutorials that cropped up all over the blogosphere.

I swear I bookmarked and printed sooo many projects that I wanted to try, and just ran out of time for most of them. For the next three days, I'm sharing some of those projects with you.

We'll call them "the ones that got away!"

So go ahead, check them out, and be sure to add to your "ideas for next Christmas" file for Christmas 2010!

Swirled Christmas Ornaments with Hope Studios

Quick Christmas Gift Tags with A Spoonful of Sugar

Raspberry Thumbprint Fudge Cookies with Making Lemonade

Stashbust Glass and Yarn Ornaments with Dollar Store Crafts

Have a wonderful Christmas project you've made or seen that we should hold on to for next year?  Leave a link in the comments section for us to see!

Ideas for Next Christmas: Roundup No. 2

This is the second of three holiday round ups!

Being a part of the crafty blog community is wonderful at any time of year, but I truly love it the most around the holidays. This year I was absolutely overwhelmed by all of the beautifully handcrafted ornaments and gifts, yummy cookies and treats, creative decor, and fantastic tutorials that cropped up all over the blogosphere.

I swear I bookmarked and printed sooo many projects that I wanted to try, and just ran out of time for most of them. For the next three days, I'm sharing some of those projects with you.

We'll call them "the ones that got away!"

So go ahead, check them out, and be sure to add to your "ideas for next Christmas" file for Christmas 2010!

Coin Purse Keychains from Dishtowels with Dollar Store Crafts

Knitted Ornaments with Permission to Unwind

angelina de la dawn tomato's felt ornaments

Gift Bags from Boxes with Maya Made

See you tomorrow for part three!

Ideas for Next Christmas: Roundup No. 1

This is the first of three holiday round ups!

Being a part of the crafty blog community is wonderful at any time of year, but I truly love it the most around the holidays.  This year I was absolutely overwhelmed by all of the beautifully handcrafted ornaments and gifts, yummy cookies and treats, creative decor, and fantastic tutorials that cropped up all over the blogosphere.

I swear I bookmarked and printed sooo many projects that I wanted to try, and just ran out of time for most of them.  For the next three days, I'm sharing some of those projects with you.

We'll call them "the ones that got away!"

So go ahead, check them out, and be sure to add to your "ideas for next Christmas" file for Christmas 2010!

Reuse and Recycle Wrapping Ideas with Mega•Crafty

Crocheted Christmas tree ornaments with Craft Passion

Cranberry Ornaments with Maya Made

Glittered Ornament Magnets with Samster Mommy

Check back tomorrow for part two!

Christmas Guest Post Series #4: Two-Page Holiday Scrapbook Layout with Your Memory Mosaic

I'm very excited to bring you the final guest in a series of four holiday-themed guest posts here at Ready, Set, Craft!  Today I'm very happy to have Lindsey of Your Memory Mosaic guest posting and sharing her scrapbooking talents with us.  Enjoy! 

Two-Page Holiday Layouts

Hi Everyone!  Thanks Joanne for the chance to do a guest post on your wonderfully crafty little piece of the world.  I’ve known Joanne since we were 14 and 15 singing in show choir and doing musical theater together… she is my favorite Sumo Ballerina.  (You can ask her about that one!) When Joanne asked me to do a post for her blog I was nervous, but excited at the chance to share something I love with all of her readers.

Alright – here we go!  I don’t know about other scrapbookers out there, but for me I have A LOT of different things just lying around my scrapbook area.  For this layout I wanted to use the stuff I already had on hand.  If nothing else it proves to me that I don’t actually have to run out and buy the latest and greatest papers and embellishments available.

(I do apologize if the photos aren’t the best quality – my craft room is in the basement and while I love having my own space the lighting isn’t the best!)

What you’ll need:

2 pieces of dark sage green 12x12 papers

1 piece light sage green 12x13 paper

1 piece coordinating dark red paper

1 piece of your favorite 12x12 holiday paper

6 Mini Silver brads

White sticker letters (not shown or you can use your Cricut Expressions as I did)

½ thick white ribbon

Two holiday stamps

Gold stamp pad

Tape

Adhesive

Red Pen (for some reason I wasn’t thinking and included a black pen in the picture)

Personal cutter(s)

(For the solid papers if the dark/light green and red don’t match your pattern paper – no problem.  Just select whatever papers you want from what you already have on hand.  I picked these papers because I felt their either matched or went well with the colors in my pattern paper.)

Step 1:

Use your pattern paper and cut out one 4 ½ inch and one 1 ½ inch strip and adhere them to the darker green paper as shown:

Step 2:

Use your white sticker letters to spell out the words, “Silent Night” and “Holy Night” or whatever title trips your trigger.  I picked this because I had the song in my head.  I didn’t have enough white sticker letters to make out the words so I used my Cricut Expressions to cut the letters out for me. Adhere “Silent Night” to the top of one page as shown. Adhere “Holy Night” to the middle of second page like you see in the photo below.

Step 3:

Cut out two 14 inch or so pieces of ribbon.  Adhere one piece to the bottom of page one a big inch from the bottom.  Adhere the second ribbon to the top of the second page a big inch from the top edge.  I am pretty lax on how I adhere ribbon.  I just wrap it around the edge of the paper and use some scotch tape to hold it in place.  It hasn’t failed me yet so that is how I do it.

Step 4:

Cut out 2 mattes in the red, 2 mattes in the dark green – both 4 ½” x 4 ½”.  After that cut out 4 white mattes 4 ¼” x 4 ¼” (These will be the perfect size to add your 4x4 photos after the holidays!)  Glue the mattes together and affix them to the pages as shown.

Step 5:

Create two little mattes – 1 green and 1 red (2 ¼” x 2 ¼”) and 2 white ones (2” x 2”)

Step 6:

Use your two holiday stamps and gold ink to stamp the images on the small mattes on the diagonal as shown.  Adhere one to each page like you see in the photos.  (After I stamped these I felt they needed a little something extra and added a little red ink on them so they had a little more pop!)

Step 7:

I love me some mini brads!  Use your 6 silver mini brads to add a little shine to your page.  On the first page I used three along the bottom left hand corner spaced an inch apart.  On the second page I placed them on the right edge toward the top.  I like them there, but you can put them wherever your little hearts’ desire!

AND YOU ARE DONE!  I hope you enjoy putting together this two page holiday layout as much as I did creating it for you!  I hope it is quick and easy to put together so you can add four 4x4 photos after the holidays.

Thanks again Joanne!  Merry Christmas everyone!

A little bit about my work.  I started Your Memory Mosaic recently after much thought and prodding by my husband and friends.  I love scrapbooking when I’m not playing wife, mom or paralegal so moving it toward something for extra income made sense.  I really enjoy making pre-made layouts and scrapbooks for people to use themselves or give as gifts.  There is nothing better for a new mom or newlywed couple than a beautiful scrapbook to admire for years to come.  Especially when they just have to add the photos!  If you are interested at all in speaking to me about making a scrapbook for you please email me at yourmemorymosaic@gmail.com.

  

Thanks so much Lindsey!  Be sure to leave Lindsey a comment and let her know that you enjoyed her tutorial, and then head over to her blog to check out more of her work.  And don't forget to tell her that Joanne at Ready, Set, Craft! sent you over!

Merry Christmas, Kitties!

Gah!  Where did the day go?!  It's 7:00pm and I'm just getting around to posting.  Are you feeling the Christmas scramble, too?  I bet you are!  Thank you sooo much for popping by today, especially with life being so busy for all of us right now.  I truly appreciate it!  And now on to today's project...

 
Who says the feline friends in your life don't deserve a little Christmas lovin' too?  As a cat-lover and kitty mama to two (plus kitten fosters on occasion) I wanted to whip up a little something for my furbabies, and to give as gifts to fellow cat-parents.

These catnip stuffed kitten toys were really fun to make - and are a good way to use up scraps of felt that you have in your stash.

Felt Cat Toys

Supplies:
Felt scraps
Sewing machine and thread (or you could hand sew these if you wanted to...)
Jingle bells
Catnip
Polyfil stuffing

 

How to:

Create a template (I chose a fish!) from cardboard and cut out.  Pin to felt and cut TWO of your shapes per cat toy... you can stack two sheets of felt together to speed up this process and cut out two at a time.

Sew around the outline of the shape, leaving a small seam that can be trimmed later.  Leave one end of the toy open for stuffing.

Fill half full with stuffing, add a couple of generous pinches of catnip and two jingle bells.  Top off with more stuffing until firmly packed.

Sew the opening closed, and trim off loose ends.

Trim around the shape as needed / desired... and you're done!

 

And the final step?  Let your kitty ENJOY!!!

PS... please forgive the TERRIBLE lighting in these photos!  Things are so busy around here that crafting is taking place waaaay later in the day - and there's just no hope of good light in the craft studio after dark!