MCT Inspiration Wednesday: Beauty Phone Case

One of my favorite parts of a new year is picking a new Angel Word. One of my best friends, Jenn, is known for buying these little cards and letting people (friends, friends of friends, strangers even) blindly pick one out of a box and it becomes your word for the year. It has been so much fun to see how each word I've chosen over the last four years have played out in my life.

This year, my word is Beauty. Isn't that fantastic? I pray that throughout the year I'll find beauty everywhere! Speaking of beauty...

As I was mindlessly scrolling through my Facebook News Feed, I came across this stunning photo that a friend had taken right outside her home. I fell in love with this photo and immediately made it my phone screen wallpaper. 

Photo credit: Adrianne Buenrostro

The colors, the trees - I love everything about this photo. Since it's about time that I update my phone case, and I love having this photo as my screen wallpaper, I figured I'd make a new phone case inspired by this beautiful photo and my Angel Word.

MCT Products Used

Stitched Doily Die

Bunch of Fun Circles Die

Stitched Pretty Flowers Die (white starburst)

Grainy Wood Background Stamp

Girls' Night Out Stamp Set (I merged two stamps from this set to create "Beauty")

I just love having a clear phone case that I can re-design on a whim!

Be sure to pop by the MCT blog to see what the other designers have been inspired by today.

I hope YOU were inspired, too!

- Veronica

MCT Halloween Hustle: Witch Hat Headband

Welcome to My Creative Time's week of Halloween Hustle! This week we will share 5 days worth of last minute ideas to trick your treats!  You will also see 3D projects, home decor and cards!  Hopefully you are ready for some Halloween Hustle Fun!

We will have giveaways all week: check Emma's blog to see what is up for grabs each day!  If you missed out on last week's sale, for this weekend ONLY - starting TODAY, 10/25/2013 @ 12:01am PST through Sunday 10/27/2013 @ 11:59pm PST - you can use the code OCT2013 to get 20% off your entire order in the My Creative Time Online Store!  And don't miss out on the NEW Teeny Tag Holidays stamp set available this Friday!

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Tomorrow is going to be a busy, busy day of Halloween FUN! First, we start our day off with a Halloween-themed 10K race in the morning. The best part? We get to dress up! My two running buddies and I are going as Three Blind Mice (...see how they run... LOL, get it?). The Hubs will be The Fox.

After the race, The Hubs and I are attending a Pumpkin Carving Party and then I have a Witch-themed jewelry party to go to in the evening. Phew! It'll be a little hectic jumping from one thing to another, but so much fun!

For the jewelry party, we were all asked to wear a witch hat. But I didn't want to walk into the party with the same hat as someone else! *gasp* That would be a travesty! So I decided to (kinda) make my own.

Now, I have to give my Mom major kudos for this one. I had called her about my idea for my headband hat and she kept her eye out for fun stuff while she was out shopping. In one shopping trip, she found two headbands (one black with black sparkly tulle, and one with the fancy green hat on it) that would work PERFECT for my project. And they were around $5 each. Score!

After cutting off some tulle from the hat and merging the two headbands together, all I had to do was add a bit of purple using MCT's Rolled Flower Dies and I was set!

Tip: If you have single-sided patterned paper (one side is plain white), but you want a design on the inside and outside of the rolled flower, simply cut the flower out twice in the two patterns you want. On the second cut, FLIP the paper over so you're cutting it out upside down. (First cut: patterned side up; Second cut: patterned side down). Then, glue your cuts together with the patterned sides showing. Now you'll have double-sided paper flowers!

I can't wait to show off my fancy hat at the party tomorrow! Head on over to Emma's blog to see what the rest of the designers have in store for the last day of Halloween Hustle.

I hope you were inspired!

- Veronica

MCT 3D Wednesday: Altered Run Box

For today's 3D Wednesday at My Creative Time, Emma challenged the Design Team to alter something for our project. I know that I alter a LOT of frames here on VK Create, so I decided I should use something else.

After looking in my stash, I found a pretty pink box that I've saved for a few years - just waiting for the right time to make it fabulous. The box originally held a beautiful, pink Victoria's Secret planner that my in-laws bought me for Christmas in 2009. I knew that one day that sweet little box would be PERFECT for something. And now it is.

Here comes the non-crafty, personal section. If you're here only for crafts, feel free to skip...
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If you've followed by blog for a little while, you might have come across some of my more personal posts. Namely, about my journey towards a healthy lifestyle. When I made the decision on December 31st, 2011 that 2012 would be MY YEAR to get healthy, I had no idea that would involve running. RUNNING?!?! Only if something was chasing me, I thought. I figured I'd be a Zumba fanatic. Maybe branch out to Yoga. But running was out of the question.

That was until March 1st when I got the guts to sign up for my first 5k race. I had never run a mile in my life. Never. But I was determined to finish the race - running more than walking. And you know what? I ran the whole thing. Of course, I burst into tears as soon as I crossed the finish line. And though most of the race I was asking myself, "why in the WORLD am I doing this?", after catching my breath at the finish, I asked my husband, "When's the next one?".

I completed FIVE 5k races and one 1 "Firecracker Mile" this year so far. And I'm currently training for my first 10k that I'll be running Thanksgiving morning. Do I love running? Not yet. But I LOVE the way I feel when I cross the finish line, or reach home after a morning run. Knowing that I did it. I did what I honestly thought was impossible for me to do.

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Back to the crafty stuff...

Click photo for larger view. 

I altered this box to store the race 'bibs' (numbers) I've earned this year (and one Top 50 Women medal!). The size is perfect!

I used the Jubilee Cricut Cartridge to cut out the "run while you can" title. The orange layer (with the zebra ribbon) is actually a 'belly band' that keeps the box closed. I stamped the journaling lines from MCT's Cherish This Moment and wrote, "There will be a day when I can no longer do this. Today is not that day." I then cut the funky shape out by hand, matted it on aqua, and cut the shape again - around the white.

In the bottom right corner, I added "Dedication + Motivation = Success" from the Sports Sentiments stamp set. The flag shape was also hand cut and matted. As you can see, my color palette was inspired by my beloved running shoes.

Personal stuff again...
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If you're wondering how my journey for a healthy life is coming along - it's awesome! I've lost 51 pounds so far and I feel amazing. My energy has skyrocketed and my confidence is building. While I haven't reached my 'goal weight' quite yet, there is a bright, shining light at the end of my tunnel. I'm in the best shape of my life right now. Shopping is fun again (maybe a bit too much fun *giggle*). And when I look in the mirror, I see me. It's been a long time since I could say that.

The photo on the left shows me at 186 lbs.
Photo on the right is me now - a healthy 135!

The down side? I don't really have any recent photos of myself that look like me now. All of my beautiful wedding photos look like someone else. Luckily, the Hubs (who's lost 30lbs, too, I must add) and I are having a photo session this weekend! I can't wait to get some new photos in the house!
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Thank you so much for stopping by today. If you haven't already, I encourage you to head over to Emma's blog to see what she and the other designers have up their sleeves for today's 3D Wednesday.

I hope you were inspired!

- Veronica

MCT 12 Days of Christmas: On the Ninth Day of Christmas...

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by for another day of My Creative Time's "12 Days of Christmas"! If you came here from Trell's blog, you're headed in the right direction! If not, take a swing by Emma's blog to start this party from the beginning!

This year, we're adding a few 'newbies' to our Christmas Eve Eve Celebration. Two of the newcomers are our oldest nephews' girlfriends. I know what you're thinking: Why, Veronica - you look MUCH too young to have nephews with girlfriends!!! Thank you. I appreciate that.

Truth is, I'm the baby of my family and became an Aunt at the young age of eight. Fun fact: My 3rd grade teacher, Mr. Avoledo, is the one who first told me when my first nephew, Mitchell, was born (my Mom called the school to have me notified). Eight years later, Mitchell had Mr. Avoledo as his 3rd grade teacher! Pretty neat, huh?

Our oldest nephews (Mitch, 17 and Chris, 14) have now been 'dating' their girlfriends for about a year. They come to family functions at my oldest brother's house (Mitch and Chris' Dad) and are really sweet girls. The Hubs and I talked about it and decided that they should definitely be invited to our Christmas Eve Eve Celebration! But we can't invite them without having something special for them to open!

To be honest, I'm not quite sure exactly what we're going to give them as a gift. I figure a gift card or perhaps a cute jewelry piece (have you heard of Charming Charlie? LOVE). Nothing too extravagant that would make them feel awkward (or make us feel broke! *giggle*). Just something to let them know that we thought of them. Whatever we get them, it has to be fairly small now that I've made these ADORABLE boxes!!!

click photo for larger view

These gift boxes are made using 4x4 coasters as the top and bottom bases. I made a simple card stock box that is adhered between the bases and will hold whatever (small) item we buy for the girls. I used card stock and patterned paper that coordinates with our Christmas decor (can you say Matchy, Matchy?) and tied them each with a big bow! The bow is only on the top base, so you can open and shut the box without destroying it. I just LOVE a big floofy bow! If you get a chance, check out this great video that shows you how to get the high-end looking bows without the big ol' knot on the back of the package.

click photo for larger view

I used Keepin' It Classy by My Creative Time for the girly silhouettes. The "For You" sentiment is from the Small Talk (MCT) stamp set and the "To:" is from XL Label Borders. I stamped a red heart from Anyday Bingo & Crossword for the "Love". I cut the tags out using my MCT Curly Label Die and hand-cut the green and blue borders around them. The present and Christmas Tree are both from my Stretch Your Imagination Cricut cartridge. As always, I Stickled and pop-dotted to my heart's content. *giggle*

***12 Days of Christmas Give Away Alert***

To qualify for ALL the AMAZING giveaways for the next 12 days, you must comment on every blog in this hop! You will have until Tuesday, December 13th @ midnight to have all of your comments in! VERY IMPORTANT: PLEASE LEAVE A WAY FOR US TO CONTACT YOU IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE WINNERS! There are some AMAZING giveaways for this special 12 day event and some SURPRISES to help celebrate My Creative Time's One Year Anniversary! Yep, Emma released her FIRST set of stamps one year ago! So make sure you are tuned in because this is ONE hop you do NOT want to miss!

Thanks for swinging by for today's hop! I'm your last stop. Come by again tomorrow for more awesome ideas by the My Creative Time Design Team! I hope you were inspired!

-Veronica

MCT 12 Days of Christmas: On the Second Day of Christmas...

Hello and welcome to the 2nd installment of "Oh My Goodness - Christmas Is Already Here!" 12 Days of Christmas with the My Creative Time Design Team! If you've arrived here from Trell's blog - you're doing great! If not - you're probably still doing well, but I'd recommend you take a trip to Emma's blog to start this awesome Blog Hop from the very beginning ("...a very good place to start" - or so I've been told *giggle*).

For my project today, I used MCT's Stitched Lollipop Holder to create a fun package for a gift for one of my nephews. Don't let the name "Lollipop Holder" confuse you - it's so MUCH more than that! Today - it's a gift card holder! Here's how it breaks down:

Stitched Lollipop Holder + Gift Card + Ribbon + Magic = Quick & Easy Gift Card Holder


Along with the Lollipop Holder, I used the MCT Stitched Oval Die and stamped "To" and "From" (XL Label Borders) in black ink. Instead of leaving the oval 'hanging off' the lollipop holder, I wrapped it around and secured it with my adhesive. You might notice that you don't see the scalloped circle top of the lollipop holder that you have come to know and love here on my project. To spruce up this gift card holder, I added a fun red shape that I cut using the XL Label Die (it's a 'leftover' from yesterday's window card - Yep - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!) and stamped with XL Label Borders in metallic silver ink. The super cute 'polar bear' is just a plain ol' regular bear from the Create a Critter cartridge that I cut out in white. The present is also from Create a Critter.

Add some Stickles (Star Dust - of course!), a big hunk of ribbon and POOF! It's ready to go under the tree!


***12 Days of Christmas Give Away Alert***

To qualify for ALL the AMAZING giveaways for the next 12 days, you must comment on every blog in this hop! You will have until Tuesday, December 13th @ midnight to have all of your comments in! VERY IMPORTANT: PLEASE LEAVE A WAY FOR US TO CONTACT YOU IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE WINNERS! There are some AMAZING giveaways for this special 12 day event and some SURPRISES to help celebrate My Creative Time's One Year Anniversary! Yep, Emma released her FIRST set of stamps one year ago! So make sure you are tuned in because this is ONE hop you do NOT want to miss!

Thanks so much for joining us on our 2nd Day of Christmas! I'm the last stop on this Creative Train! I'll see you back here tomorrow with more Christmas cheer! I hope you were inspired!

-Veronica

Autism Awareness Puzzle Pieces

Earlier this year, my family learned that my (now) 3-year-old nephew, Joseph, is Autistic. Of course, it's not the news you want  to hear about a child you love, but it was a relief to finally have answers about what he does/doesn't do and be able to start helping him.

We are fortunate to have an Autism Center within driving distance so Joseph can receive the special care and attention that he needs. Early intervention is key when dealing with Autism, so it is imperative he attend this wonderful 'school' at his young age.

Of course, great treatment comes at a great cost. Here in Michigan, insurance companies are not obligated to cover Autism treatment, so the parents of these special kids must foot the bill themselves (to a tune of $4000 per month!!! You read that right - four THOUSAND!). To help cover the cost of this treatment, my sister (Joseph's mom) helped to organize a fundraiser held at the Autism Center last month.

My Mom and Grandma made these fantastic pins for the fundraiser which were then offered to the event's attendees for a small donation. They're really quite simple to make and VERY inexpensive - just the right features for a fundraiser!

Here's what you'll need:

• Puzzle You can usually find these pretty cheap at a thrift store or even in the clearance section of your local big box store. It doesn't matter what design the puzzle has on it, but keep the size of the  pieces in mind when choosing your puzzle.
• Spray Paint Mom opted for the traditional primary colors. You can use whatever colors you want!
• E6000 Adhesive Any super strong adhesive will do. I highly recommend E6000!
• Pin Backs These can be found at your local craft store.
• Accessories (as seen on the 'one-piece' pin) Mom used a rhinestone and puzzle piece ribbon to give the 'one-piece' pin some added flair.

The steps to making these pins are EASY PEASY!

1. Spray paint the puzzle pieces. Let dry.
2. Glue the puzzle pieces together (if making multiple-piece pin). Let dry.
3. Glue on any accessories. Let dry.
4. Glue on pin back. Let dry.

My sister asked me to bake and decorate a cake to serve as a centerpiece for the 'Strolling Dessert' portion of the event. I really enjoy baking, but tend to stick to smaller canvasses (cupcakes, small treats, etc.). I called around to local bake supply shops (I didn't have time to order anything online) for an 'awareness ribbon' cake pan and no one had them in stock. Instead, I opted to make a tiered cake.

I tried printing puzzle piece shapes from my computer (thinking that I could use them as templates), but I just wasn't happy with how that process was going. 

After a little while, I decided to just try free-handing the puzzle pieces. It worked! What a relief! I used a couple different star tips along with my frosting bags to create the pieces on the bottom layer. For the top layer, I used the same tips, but instead of piping the stars, I 'smudged' the frosting onto the cake. Why? 2 reasons:

1. I ran out of my homemade frosting and had to switch to a pre-made frosting I had in my freezer and it wasn't piping the stars very well.
2. I was running out of time.

I was so happy when the cake was finished! And everyone at the benefit seemed to really like the cake. Of course, no one actually cut into the cake. It stayed at the front of the fundraiser - untouched - the whole evening. Oh well! I'm really glad I was able to pitch in to help such a great cause!

DIY Tile Coasters

Coasters are a fun way to play with your home's decor. Just because they're small and practical, doesn't mean they can't be pretty!

This project is super easy - done in only 6 steps! It's a project for all skill levels and doesn't take much time to complete.

I've seen this project done many times over the years and when I saw someone post her coasters on Pinterest, I was inspired to create my own.

Here's how you can create your very own tile coasters:

1. Gather your materials

• Tile - I've seen it done with 4" x 4" tiles. Mine are 4.25" x 4.25" You can find these at your local hardware store. Very cheap!
• Patterned paper cut to size (I used 4" x 4" paper to allow for a 1/4" border. I recommend you don't stamp on your paper or use anything that you printed yourself as it may smudge).
• Mod Podge (glossy or matte - your choice)
• Foam Brush
• Felt or cork circles for bottoms (to protect your tables from the tiles)
• Clear Sealer Spray

2. Cover your tile with a thin (but not skimpy) coat of Mod Podge.

3. Place your paper on the 'podged' coaster. Don't take too long to get it straight! You only have a couple of seconds.

4. After a few minutes, 'podge' your coaster (with the paper on it). Let dry and repeat (I podged mine 3 times).

5. After your Mod Podge is dry, turn your coaster upside down and apply felt or cork circles.

6. Spray your coasters to seal them. Do this in a well-ventilated area!!!

It's that easy! Why not make coasters to match your seasonal decor?

         

Christmas Coasters

Fall Coasters

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you've been inspired!

If you're interested to see what else I've found on Pinterest, click here to follow my pin boards!

- Veronica

MCT's October Stamp Release BLOG HOP

It's Grande Finale Day here on VK Create! I have had so much fun Guest Designing for My Creative Time and want to thank Emma and the Design Team for letting me join in on the celebration this week! Today I am showcasing XL Label Borders (my FAVORITE from this release). This set coordinates perfectly with MCT's XL Label Die and is a MUST-HAVE!

***GIVEAWAY ALERT***
For my giveaway today, I am giving away this beautiful set I'm showcasing: XL Label Borders! All you have to do is leave me a comment here & you will have until Sunday @ midnight to do so!  EASY PEASY and GOOD LUCK!!!

I have been wanting to create a Christmas Countdown Calendar for awhile now, but just never sat down to do it. I was lucky enough to attend a 12-Hour Crop last Saturday with my SIL and spent the ENTIRE time working on this little gem!

Using 4" x 4" coasters (you know the cheapy chipboard kind?), I covered them with pattern paper and punched holes in the top with my Crop-a-Dile. I used LOTS of My Creative Time product to complete my calendar. Flipping through all of the pages, you'd find that I used XL Label Borders, Whimsical Calendar Days, All Around Birthday Time, Small Talk {pause for breath...}, XL Label Die, Curly Label Die, Stitched Oval Die, and Build-A-Banner Kit. Phew! Oh, and of course a TON of pop-dots for dimension!

I kept the pages pretty simple, letting the 'countdown' be the spotlight. I hand-wrote "days 'til Christmas" on each page (not a fan of my handwriting... but at least that makes it personal). Every other page uses either the XL Label Die or the dotted square from Small Talk to border the date. A couple pieces of ribbon tied in knots keeps the whole thing together. I only used 13 coasters for the 25 days. Once you get to 13 days remaining, you spin the calendar around for the next day (the remaining days are on the backs of the first half of the countdown).

This calendar would make a great gift, but I just so happened to create it using the SAME colors I use to decorate my home for Christmas (whaddya know? *wink*). And after spending my entire 12-Hour Crop completing this baby, it'll be showcased in my house for many, many Christmases to come!

Thanks so much for stopping by today to check out my FINAL project as My Creative Time's 11th Edition Guest Designer! If you haven't seen the other DT member's projects, I've linked them all up below!

Be sure to come back next week as I take you on a tour of my 2011 Halloween Decor! I have LOTS in store for you! If you'd like to stay updated when I post, you can subscribe as a Follower or sign up to receive my updates via email on the right!

Have a fabulous weekend!

- Veronica

My Creative Time Design Team

Emma - My Creative Time
Nikki - Scrappin' Navy Wife
Katie - Crafting with Katie
Glora - Glora's Crafts
Leanne - Created by Leanne
Cathryn - In the Pink
Jen - Simply Chic Designs by Jen
Kate - Scrapper's Creative Corner
Ruthie - September Ninth
Shar - Scrapendipity
Cindy - I Scrap My Way
Liz - Liz's Paper Loft
Me - VK Create