Mother's Day Mason Jar Pocket Letter....

Hi there!!!

 Someone has put this month on fast forward because I cannot keep up!  If I figure out how to nail down time, I'll drop the hint here, but until then, take a deep breath and ride out this post with me...

Happy it's almost Mother's Day here in the U.S., next month, but like I said with the whole time spinning past me in a hurricane blur, it's better I get stuff done now.

This time around at The Cutting Cafe, we are showcasing the new and fabulous Clear Cardstock that Regina has here in her store.   The possibilities of  this product are truly endless, but I decided that I would make my first ever pocket letter.   I had a little (tons) of inspiration from a fellow DT and wonderful friend. See it here.

Here's the 'decorated side' and top section

The middle section....

The bottom section.

The great part about these decorations is that each image is its own shaker.  The recipient can remove them and place them in a baby book or a journal page or they can keep them right here in the protector, but I think it's just too much fun to have all the options.

All these shakers were made with the clear cardstock.

Now as per tradition, the objective with pocket letters is not only to have a theme, but to also come bearing gifts.  So, here are some of my gifts that I've included that are pre-made, handmade, bought, old, new, sparkly, pretty, and hopefully useful too.

All of this came to be just from making the very first mason jar ornament with clear cardstock from the Cutting Cafe Shop.  

All files used from The Cutting Cafe are as follows:

Cutting Cafe Crafting Supplies Store-

Clear Cardstock - Used to make shaker cards inside Mason Jars.

Cutting Cafe Cut File Store-

XOXO Word Shaped Card - Sign for the gift side

Mom Shaped Card Tops - Decoration for the gift side

Huge Cupcake - Decoration on the gift side

Sewing Machine Set - Spools used to hold Washi tape and Baker's Twine

Butterfly Treat Box Template - Used to layer for Decoration and Gift Side

Layered Stitched Hearts - Used hearts for shaker elements.

Garden Stand ups - Used tree and fence to decorate a silhouette image

Dress Shaped Card 2 - Used on Shaker card side

Big hugs and thank you so much for your visit.

Lisa xx

Assorted Card Fold Smash Book Birthday Card O' Love....

Before I inundate you with a boat load of photos, I just want to give you a BIG virtual hug and welcome you back to my blog!!  HUG (you) HUG...there we go.

Okay, let's get started with my sampling for this weeks' showcase of Assorted Card Folds Set 1 for the ever wonderful cut file and craft store, The Cutting Cafe.

I decided to cut out ALL the card fold styles and then bind them together to make a smash book birthday card for my husband's 45th birthday  Each of these style cards led to the most fun and wonderful project.  It's certainly a one of a kind birthday card filled with 13(our lucky #) reasons why I love him.   Here they are...

I looked all over the internet for the cutest pictures of little kids to print out that would go with my thought process. Each page is personalized with a sentiment I typed up, a number, some journaling, doodling, stickers, cut outs, words and a bunch of love!

When I saw this little boy I HAD to start the book/card with it.

One of my favorite quirks about him is that when I randomly and rhetorically say, "I wonder why...." At some point in the day he'll come back with an answer. He loves to google and research and then I don't have to wonder any more.  :)

My husband is a firefighter and served in the military for 22 years. 

Of all the things I know he's seen and done to help others, he truly is my brave, noble and kind hero.

Even though I hate wasting money on flowers that die...I love that he ignores me and buys them for me anyway.  The special deliveries when he was serving over seas were especially sweet and thoughtful.  

Even though some think he has a gruff and grumpy side (they would be right too...LOL) he is the most reasonable and rationale person I know. I love seeing the world through his eyes.  He's taught me so much just by sharing his thoughtful perspectives.  

He makes me smile EVERY day!

I think this goes without explaining, but...  

I shouldn't be around competitive sports; at least not in public!  I love how he encourages my love for sports and takes the kids out of the house when my teams are losing and I begin to 'lose' it. 

There hasn't been anything he can't solve or figure out who can.

         He's a HUGE car guy, so there's this one...

YEAH NAPS!!!!!

We're total foodies so this was one of my FAVORITE pages....

The look on this little boy's face is priceless!!! I swear that's just like my husband when he see's me eyeballing HIS plate. AND that little girl...LOL, isn't that adorable?  Look at her little fingers getting all ready to sample his food...I LOVE IT! That's so me!!

And lastly....

The sentiment is perfect!

"I wish I could turn back the clock.  I'd find you sooner and love you longer."

And here's the width of my smash book birthday card o' love.

Stop by and see more assorted card folds here and here if you'd like to make one of these for yourself!

The Cutting Cafe

Thank you SO much for being here!

Happy Crafting and have a wonderful day.

Lisa xx

Valentine Candy in a Bunny Butt...

When it came time to photograph these cards, I realized all I had was Valentine candy, so please excuse the vibrant red jelly beans in this precious bunny's butt! 

It's not hard to imagine scrumptious pastel candies just waiting for eager little fingers when they open these boxes and find a yummy treat card inside!  That's right, the cut file comes WITH boxes too.

Here I've used Bunny Treat Cup Card and...

Here's the ever fabulous Hoppy Easter Treat Cup Card!

There's another style that I haven't included with these and that's the Egg Treat Cup Card.

 And like I mentioned before, because these are such 3D cards, the file comes with a very easy to make box.

If you'd like to make your own candy and card in one, please check these out here at

The Cutting Cafe.

Thank you so much for your visit.

Big BIG hugs and happy crafting,

Lisa xx

What Clint Eastwood Said...

Remember that famous phrase in Dirty Harry? 

"You gotta ask yourself one question. 'Do I feel lucky?' Well? Do you, punk?"

And my answer would be a resounding YES because I have made this fun little lucky leprechaun centerpiece from the files at The Cutting Cafe, that is mounted to an old spindle.

If you'd like to build one too, here's how:

First off you will start with a Top Hat.  

The black strap and buckle were hand cut and the buckle was embossed with aged old embossing enamel. The additional baubles for decoration were made using the Christmas Ornament file.

Of course in order to be lucky, you're going to need the luck so you'll want to use the

Lucky Big Expression file.  I used my Silhouette machine to weld the letters together which is why mine would look different from the original file.

The Lucky Big Expression file also comes with clovers, so you'll use them too.

No top hat for a leprechaun is complete without a few flowers, so I enjoyed using one of my favorite flower files, Paper Flower.  I used this to make open petal flowers, but there is a wonderful video on this link that shows how to make folded roses also.

 

You won't catch a leprechaun running around without his dapper bow tie, so you'll want to use the one that comes with the Top Hat File.

And last but not least, your lucky little leprechaun needs some cute legs so to create them I used the Witch Legs Shaped Card Set.

And there you have yourself a lucky little centerpiece to ring in St.Patrick's Day with.

Hope you've enjoyed your visit with me. 

Big hugs,

Lisa xx

The Cutting Cafe

Sentiments, Stems, and Flower Tops....

A show of hands if you love flowers....I do to!

But when they wilt they really stink, so what's better than expensive dying flowers?....

GORGEOUS flowers that last forever! 

It's true! 

They are eternally the recipients with this Sentiments, Stems and Flower Tops file from The Cutting Cafe.

And what is even more ideal is that you can color the flowers ANY color combination you want!  

Here is a photo of all the pieces I assembled to make my card.

Regina is showcasing the Sentiments, Stems, and Flower Tops file this time around, but I also included with this card Jar Shaped Cards and Fun with Jars Sentiments.

I chose to color fill my flowers using the coloring prompt on my Silhouette Cameo machine and then had the machine fussy cut around the flowers and leaves.  Popping up the jar on foam squares and printing the sentiment stems on a watercolor background and adding some hot glue 'water bubbles' really made a cute little holder for these beautiful forever flowers. 

Stay tuned for the 21st when The Cutting Cafe Blog reveals all the makes from the DT.  

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Lisa x

Things That are Sweet! Brace yourself...

Hello, hello, hello!

It's time for another Cutting Cafe post and this week we're showcasing the adorable BIG EXPRESSIONS file.  I looked at all the words in the file (Hug, OMG, Lucky and Sweet.) I decided on the word SWEET.  

The versatility of this one word and the way the file is organized gives you so many options.

This card I printed part of the sentiment with my sketch pens on the Silhouette Cameo and then cut out the word Sweet and layered it up. Placing this all on a water color backdrop.

The second card I actually took each letter and 'welded' them together as one connected word and then decreased its size to make this.  I also only used a portion of the sentiment that comes with the file and printed that out with sketch pens on the Silhouette Cameo also.

Now this third card was fun because I decided to layer the SWEET with multiple colors.  Again I joined the letters close together and welded them into one piece and then cut out 5 different colors of the word.  The sentiment was also sketched on the cameo like the others.

Here's an above view so you can see the layering....

And lastly, here is the original format of the word that I cut out and then placed alternating DP behind each letter to decorate.  Again, the sentiment was sketched on my Cameo. However, the sentiments can also be sent to any home printer and printed that way too. That's how versatile and fabulous these cut and print files are. You don't have to have any electronic-fangled gadgets to make these!

So there you go! The possibilities are endless. I hope you've enjoyed seeing these and if you're interested in seeing all the other styles, please check out the BIG EXPRESSIONS here. 

And while you're there, say a big hello to Regina, the fabulous owner and our fearless leader at The Cutting Cafe and The Cutting Cafe Shop. 

ALSO, I felt bad that I haven't posted in almost 2 weeks, so I wanted to invite you all into a little sneak peek of my week and show you a few more things that are "sweet." LOL....don't laugh when you see my face!

I do not take ANY credit for these card designs as I've 'lifted' all the ideas from Pinterest and one particular one of bacon from Tammy.  Couldn't resist making these for Valentine's Day.  Do you like that fork with the pizza? It's Metal tape...love the stuff!

Aren't they sweet??? 

I've also been diligently working out every day of the week and not because I want to look all G I Jane this summer, BUT, because I like to eat! I have come to learn that it's a trade off. So, since I've been sweating like an oldie...I thought it would be fun to treat myself. I have decided to learn the art of making and decorating sugar cookies.  Here's my first batch.  

My friends and family that I've shared them with have not reported any food poisoning or stomach discomfort so I'm thinking I might just continue with it.

Here's the recipe I used for the dough and here's the recipe I used for the icing.

My goal is to get to this stage....

HAHAHA, but for now, I'm happy with circles and hearts.

Isn't that just SWEET? 

Then, my wonderful MISTER took me antiquing where I found this precious white shelf for the booth. I did a little arranging and organizing.

Doesn't it look all cozy and you know...sweet? 

And lastly,

Here's a very sweet face....

This is my daughter doing a close-up nostril shot on my phone.

She's finishing up cosmetology school and yesterday I was her client for seven hours while she did this to me.

and this...

I'm doing my best impersonation of a Beagle here.

and finally, when I had zero feeling left in my butt, she completed this thingy called a balayage. 

My hair...

Thank you, Britany! I love it and you're so SWEET for pampering your mom like that.

Well, that's been my week and I hope you've enjoyed the silliness and craftiness and sweetness all rolled into a productive week.

Biggest of hugs to you ALL and thanks so much for your visit. You all are SO SWEET too!

Lisa xx