My School Boy

Cody is well settled into his "school days" now. He started attending Early Head Start in mid-February of this year. He wakes up every morning asking if he's going to school. I was a little hesitant of a year-round program at first but it seems to be working well. I have my mornings and it also gives me time with Brian and Seth.

Anywho, they took their classroom pics last month and they just came in. Here's the layout:

I had seen this paper and knew right away it would be great for this picture. I layered it over a piece of kraft cardstock. Since the bottom of the photo already said the school name on it, all I needed to add was the year. I used my Making Memories mailbox numbers and added a paper clip in the top left corner with a little ribbon. That's it! Seriously, a 15 minute layou...and I love the result. I will write down the names of all the kids and his teachers and tuck in the paper clip behind the photo.



Thanks for stoppin' in! Katie

Yummy Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Oreo Balls!

Okay, so one day a friend of mine was talking about ordering some chocolate covered strawberries for her boyfriend. She showed me a picture on-line of what she was considering. Looked delicious, no doubt, but the packaging was so plain. So, you know me, I said "Sara, I can make those for you and put them in a personalized box." Sara loved the idea. The first box I made for her was a Harley Davidson theme. It had textured diamond plated cardstock, and a mix of vintage papers. The top of the box said "It's not the destination, it's the journey!" And wouldn't you know I forgot to take pics. LOL!

So a month later Sara ordered another box for her boyfriend and this time she wanted Oreo Balls to accompany her strawberries. I said no problem and whipped out a masculine box and stuffed it full. Yeah, you guessed it...I forgot to take pics again! UGH!

Then this last Thursday she asked if I could whip a really girly one out by Saturday. Of course, I couldn't disappoint my BEST customer! (BIG grin!) I said sure! She was hoping for rainbows but said anything bright and girly would do. She said her best friend is fun and funky. As much as I wanted to do something with rainbows, it didn't quite make it there. But, I did use some bright and funky colors...pink, lime green, teal, yellow. This time I was sure to grab some pics before I delivered it.

The top of the box:


A close-up of the lid:


The front view:


And, the goodies inside:


I really LOVE how this box turned out. I think that is the hardest part of special orders...you just might create something you don't want to let go of! LOL! For the band of the lid, I scrunched up some white crepe party streamer and dabbed it with Mod Podge. This is my new favorite technique right now. I also used it on a recent layout in place of ribbon. A little advice though, if you are using these crepe streamers with a wet adhesive, be very careful because it will tear easily. I really enjoyed making this box...and the yummy goodies inside too! My kids especially love the Oreo Balls.

If you're wondering, to make the Oreo Balls simply crunch a whole package of Oreo cookies (I put mine in my blender), mix in one package of softened cream cheese then roll them into little balls. You can also use a medium scoop (like the Pampered Chef ones). Melt some white chocolate or Almond Bark and simply drizzle it over the cookie balls and add sprinkles or nut toppings. I like to chill mine in the freezer for a few minutes so that the Almond Bark dries quicker. It's that simple...and they're to die for! Hope you enjoy them and if you try 'em, let me know what you think.

If you hung in with me through this LONG post, thank you! Hope to see you around again soon! Katie

About a Boy Explosion Box

I first learned about Explosion Boxes and how to make them early last year. I think they are a great twist on mini books and they are quick and easy to make. This coming Thursday at The Scrappin' Pad in Tahlequah, OK I will be teaching the About a Boy Explosion Box class. I had a ton of fun putting this little album together and I just know they're gonna love it.

Here's the outsidde of the box:

Two sides read "oh" and the other two opposite sides read "boy" so no matter which angle you're reading from you get "oh boy"!

And here's a look at the top:

Don't you just love that running child silhouette? I know I do!

And a picture of the inside:

A cute, quick, and fun mini book! I'm also offering a girl version for those who don't have boys or have both. Looking forward to this class! Thanks for stopping by!

Oh, and I haven't forgot about the blog candy...just need to pick out a prize! Stay tuned...Katie

Happy Birthday Shauna

Last week I taught at a birthday party. It was so much fun. There was a total of 7 girls including the birthday girl. They had chosen a door hanger and requested something girly. So, here's what they made:
We used Mod Podge to adhere the paper to the wooden door hanger then they cut around the edges with scissors (I cut the center out with my exacto knife). All the girls did a fabulous job and they really seemed to enjoy the sanding part. They even tried the sanding blocks out on their nails. LOL!

For once, I actually remembered my camera but low and behold, after 1, yes 1, picture my batteries died! UGH! We had actually spent that morning at the zoo with Cody's Early Head Start group so the batteries were well worn. But, here's a picture of the birthday girl hard at work.

Thanks Shauna for sharing your birthday fun with me! I had a blast!

And, just one more pic today. This one is actually of everyone patiently awaiting zoo entry. Aren't they cute?


I know I haven't been posting near as much as usual and I'm sorry. I have lost LOTS of readers. So, if you're out there and you're reading please drop me a line. I will be giving away some blog candy at the end of the week so stay tuned! Thanks, Katie