Christmas in July with Linen and Scraps Flosstube

 
Kathy, my incredible, crafty neighbor, and I just finished filming our latest Flosstube.  It's the first of 3 episodes of Christmas in July cross stitching and crafting.   

 I was like a kid at Christmas, in absolute awe seeing all the Christmas cross stitch "smalls" Kathy had brought to showcase.  Her needlework is beyond amazing.   

The amount of love and details she stitches into each piece is just spectacular.   

Pictured here is a Gingerbread House she made a few years past.  Just image the joy and wonder these gorgeous pieces bring to her beautiful grandchildren when they see her home filled with this magic at Christmas!

The flosstube video we filmed is chock a block full of these creations, and so much more.

Be sure to watch the full video for our Christmas in July ideas.   I even showed some little project pouches I created with some "stitchy" sayings  and cute Vintage Santa "floss drops" I made.  

Yes, I am definitely loving my refound  craft of needle, thread and fabric crafting.  And am just thrilled to mix it with papercrafting ideas.  

We even had a recipe exchange between the two of us.  Kathy shared  her delicious Butter Pecan Fudge recipe and I made Aunt Mamie's Pecan Pie Mini Muffins.  

Between the two of us, just image how much butter and brown sugar was enjoyed!  

We shared the recipes for both on the Freebies page on this blog.  Just click the link to the Freebies page on the left and it will take you to that page. 

https://youtu.be/FISySd_qkGI

The video was filled to overflowing with cross stitch patterns, up close looks at all of Kathy's  smalls and so so so much more.  

Hope you enjoy!

Hugs, 

Molly D

Planner Printables for Digital Watercolor Bundle

Well, I was hoping to get a tutorial done today showing how I use downloaded digital files to make planner labels and scrapbook embellishments.  Unfortunately, once I started cleaning and doing some small housework projects, time got away from me.  BUT, I did manage t make some new labels for my
Big Happy Planner.

I used the beautiful graphics I bought from Creative Market, and had so much fun just playing.  As you can tell from the thoughts on the labels, I was in a very, very happy mood.  Playing with color and flowers and trying to learn new digital skills.  I was in Heaven!   So I wanted to share them with you,  I hope you enjoy.


The flowers used on these labels came from the Huge-Floral-Graphic-Bundle sold on Creative Market.
I hope you are having a wonderful Spring, and are having fun crafting. Hope I get more crafting done tomorrow!

Enjoy!
Molly

New Summer Freebie Planner Stickers and Silhouette Cameo Tutorial

Well I was back at it all day Monday! Making new stickers for my Happy Planner.  Inspired by the incredible freebies from My Planner Envy.  This very gifted designer shares her planner stickers with us and I love her style.

So inspired by Jessica's stickers, I set out to create some of my own.  Using color stories I snagged from Design Seeds.  This is one of my favorite places to go to find exciting color harmonies that I can use.  

Here's the Design Seeds picture that inspired these first set of stickers.  I just used the color picking eye dropper on the Silhouette Cameo Fill screen and "picked" the colors I wanted right from the picture.  Then I added text and some darling graphics from Creative Market.  This is a wonderful  sight that offers great buys and lots of freebies on fonts and graphics.   


So after I was happy with this first set, I got to work on a second set inspired by a more beachy bright collection. 

I mention the website: 
The Hungry Jpeg
I love going to this sight to pick up incredible bundles.  Loaded down with fonts and graphics, they really kickstart my creativity.  Plus, most of the sets in the bundles are commercial liscenses.  A big plus for such a little price!  

Here's a picture of the latest bundle I bought.  Look at all those wonderful watercolor graphics and great fonts!  Can't wait to play with them all...







Below, I posted the quick video I did on some of the steps to get you started creating your own with the Silhouette design space.   So easy and so much fun!

Just right click on the photos to download a copy for your personal use if you'd like.  And have fun creating!  

Molly

Freebie Happy Planner Stickers and My new Silhouette Cameo

Flowers used on these labels are
from the pixeledpaperdesigns available on etsy

 I am so over the moon happy!  I got a new Silhouette Cameo!  Now those of you who know me, know I have a Cricut Explore and love love love it.  

So why buy a Cameo?  I make scrapbook layouts alot and like making titles with shadows.  Plus, I love making planner stickers to share and lots of other "print then cut" designs to use as layout and card embellishments.  But my Cricut was falling a little short on these two fronts.  

But did these two "needs" actually justify spending over $250 on a new machine?  Well, a good friend of mine has a Cameo and shared it with me to play with.  I fell head over heels, but told her unless I could find one under $200 it was out of the questions.  Then, the very next day,  really, the very next day...HSN listed a cameo for $188.  It had to be a sign from Heaven, right?  So I now own my Cameo.  

Here's my take on the advantages and disadvantages of each of these two wonderful cutting machines:

Cricut Explore:

• Makes deep cuts, letting you use a wide range of materials to cut. Cameo does not cut as deeply.

• Design Space is a breeze to use.  Learning curve for first time users is short.  

• It is internet only accessible, which can be limiting at crops or any place there is no internet access.

• Cricut team is very energetic and friendly, offering great support if ever needed.

• Faster and quieter than Cameo.

Artwork used on these stickers were from
graphic bundles from thehungryjpeg
and poppymoondesigns

• Print then cut is easy to use, but eats up a lot of paper, because Cricut has print area limited to around 8" by 6", meaning you use waste about half a sheet of paper every time you cut.

• Editing tools are somewhat limited.  Easy to use what is there, and easy for beginner or intermediate level crafters, but limiting for advanced editing.

Silhouette Cameo:  

• Let's you create shadows or offsets very easily.  Cricut is working on this feature, but has been for quite a while.

• Print then cut is very easy and lets you use almost all of a sheet of paper, including 81/2" by 11" and even up to 12" by 12".  I have a wide format printer so this is wonderful.

• Editing tools are wonderful.  Instead of using other digital editing programs like Photoshop, I can do most of my creating and editing right on the Cameo design screen

• With the upgrade to Designer Edition you can easily cut any SVG you upload and can even convert your work to rhinestone templates in a few very very easy steps.

The two set of Planner stickers I am showing here were cut on the Cameo.  The top one, pinks and aqua, was created in Photoshop Elements, then uploaded and cut with the Cameo.  The second set was created completely on the Cameo mat, using the Design screen.  OMGeeeeee, for me, this is a huge wow!  

Here are my planner layouts using these stickers...

Well, back to playing with my machines.

Have fun crafting!







P.S. here's the video I did showing these quick and easy planner stickers!

Molly 

(If you right click on the pictures of the stickers I made, you should be able to save and print for your own personal use.)

Freebie December Happy Planner Stickers to Celebrate Sybil B

Sybil's challenge is closed, but still wanted to share these fun stickers!  Happy Holidays to everyone.

Sybil B is having a fun challenge to celebrate her reaching 2500 subscribers on YouTube.  If you are not already a subscriber, please head over there and check out her wonderful channel.  

In honor of her and her great milestone, I wanted to share these fun planner stickers, perfect for December.

Here's the link to Sybil's channnel:
Sybil B

I know you will love it!
Have fun crafting,
Molly D

Happy Planner Freebie Christmas To Do List Inserts

Just a quick post to share some   insert pages I made for my Happy Planner.  


Loved making these custom To Do and List pages using vintage artwork I found on Pinterest.



I printed them on both sides of 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper then just trimmed to fit.  




Plus I shared pictures of the new cover I made for this Christmas season.  Sure thought the Peace on Earth paper was so perfect for these troubled times.  And a quick peak at how the pages look in the book.  

Please feel free to use for personal use. Happiest of holidays to you and yours!

Freebie Stickers for MAMBI Happy Planner!

Just like so many of you out there, I love playing with my MAMBI (me and my big ideas) Happy Planner.  And making my own stickers for it makes me even happier!  

The first set of stickers I created for my November pages were made with some of my favorite pictures from my  Pinterest Autumn board and one of our own fall decor.  

Most of these darling stickers feature artwork from On Sutton Place's blog.  She creates and shares the most magnificent artwork and decorating ideas.  If you have never stopped by there,  take a minute and I am sure you will be happy you did.  You can easily  download some amazing printables she has created for fall and Christmas.  


This next set of stickers are the Freebies (for your personal use) that I created using Adobe's Photoshop Elements 14.  Just got the latest Elements and love it.  It is so easy to use and the new features for photo editing are easy and very very effective.  
I used vintage royalty free downloads and clipping out the background and editing colors was easier than ever!


Well, I hope you enjoy this latest batch of stickers!  

Hugs,
Molly 

September Happy Planner FREEBIE DIY Stickers

Well, I did it.  I gave into that voice inside my head that said I MUST BUY A PLANNER!  Yep, bought a MAMBI (me and my big ideas) Happy Planner and I love it!   

I have always loved school and office and art supplies.  So really, it was an absolute sure thing that I would love this planner.  Hopefully you have all seen videos on the MAMBI's Happy Planners and know how popular they are.  Now most of the videos I have watch for them show women loading each page up with fun stickers and doodles.  Treating some of the space like minature "scrapbook layouts" or pocket page type design opportunities.

So of course I had to try my hand at making some stickers for my new book.  I just opened up my Photoshop Elements 11 program, downloaded some of my favorite Pinterest pins.  Then just resized them to fit into the Happy Planner pages. 







Next, made a page full of rectangular "quote stickers" I could print and run through my Xyron 9" and voila!  Stickers perfect for my September pages.  

Hope you enjoy and feel free to print and use the "quote" stickers for your own personnel use.  Plus here is a link to my Pinterest board for Happy Planner ideas. 

My Planner Board    

Head over there and check out just  a small small fraction of all the great things happening in the planning world!  

Oh by the way, yes, I do feel so much more productive now that I am using this new planner. Plus, how much fun is it just to play with decorating and recording each days memories!  

Have fun and please don't forget to subscribe.  Just use link on top right column and you can subscribe by email!  

Freebie Fun and Easy Printables with Summer Font Bundle

The Hungry Jpeg is a super fun website I was introduced to recently.  Now I am usually not one to pay for fonts.  I mean with all the great websites around with 1000's of free fonts just waiting to be downloaded.  BUT, I was on the hunt for some fatter  fonts, ones that I could play with for great looking scrapbook layout titles and this special buy from thehungryjpeg really tickled my fancy. 




This huge Summer Bundle came with 

• 28 fonts and 
• 19 graphics packages.  
• Can be used for personal AND commercial projects. Great for DIY Etsy / craft fair projects!  

The fonts were great by themselves, but the graphics are up to the minute watercolor flowers and icons and backgrounds, even have bunting and pennants! So how could I resist? And you may want to share this post with everyone you know who loves fonts and freebies!  ( buttons at bottom of post to make it easy peasey)  


Okay, enough trying to justify spending $29 on this digital download, but I wanted to make and cut some fun and easy titles with my Cricut Explore.  


But before I started making titles, I wanted to play with the graphics and fonts and made myself some very cool inspirational 12 x 12 inch wall art for my craft room.  ( I printed on my HP wide format printer, but you can resize to suit your needs)  So I wanted to share the FREEBIE printables.    It really really is super easy.  Hope you enjoy!

Then I played with making some artwork for children and baby rooms.  Just having fun...now about those Cricut scrapbook titles...

Coming soon!  

Let me know if there is a special scrapbook title you would like me to make when I get to playing!

Thanks and have fun creating!   

Please be sure to share this post with your facebook friends or one of the printables on Pinterest !  ( buttons at bottom of post to make it easy peasey)