For the Love of Books

Evening, y'all!  Just stopping in super quick with this month's For the Love of Books pick.  Our official, back-to-school, start date is this coming Monday, August 3, 2020; but as the effects of the pandemic and lack of anything to do set in, we decided to shorten our summer and got right back to the books in hopes of riding this thing out and enjoying some time off, once everything settles down again, this fall.  So, we've actually been back to the books for almost a month now; but I know lots of other kids will be starting school, in some form or another, over the next couple of weeks and thought a playful, school-themed number would be a fun way to end the summer and start the school year.  This book, which is written for children ages five to eight, humorizes one student's misperceptions of the private life of his teacher.

Miss Malarkey Doesn't Live in Room 10, written by Judy Finchler and illustrated by Kevin O'Malley, begins by sharing a young boy's thoughts into what he believes his teacher's life looks like after all her students go home at night.  He's convinced that she lives in their classroom, where she grades papers and gets ready for the next school day, and eats dinner, at the best table, in the cafeteria.  She plays in the gym and sleeps in the messy Teacher's Room.  It's "no wonder kids aren't allowed in there".  So, imagine his surprise when she moves into his apartment building with her brightly painted toenails and starts taking out the trash, which she never does at school, and throwing parties, when it isn't even someone's birthday.

Happy reading, friends, and have a wonderful weekend!  XOXO

Pretty Little Studio: HB2U Rainbows

Morning, y'all!  Just popping in to share a couple of colorful, birthday cards that happen to have been up on the Pretty Little Studio blog earlier this week.  I utilized mostly elements from the Savannah Dreams Collection with bits and bobs from older summer collections thrown in.  Check 'em out!

Let's get a little up close and personal.  Shall we?

I started this card by anchoring a 5-1/4" x 4" piece of the Daydreams print, overlaid with a slightly smaller (5" x 3-3/4") piece of the Metallic Rose Gold Bloom Vellum, with gold-threaded, straight, machine stitching, to the white, cardstock, card face.  I then set that aside to create the smaller focal which was adhered in the center of the prepped card face.  It was made by folding a Here Comes the Sun: Shine 4x6 Card in half and wrapping its folded edge, three times, with a length of white string, tied in a bow.

I then topped it with a March 2020 Freebie Die-Cut rainbow; Summer Vibes: Clear Flower Crown stickers, backed with white cardstock, hand-cut out, and popped up with foam tape; Potpourri: Family Branch Die-Cut bloom and leaf; and an April 2019 Freebie Die-Cut butterfly, adhered just at its center in order to give its wings lift.  Additionally, I tucked a "celebrate the everyday things" A Birdy Told Me Black Word Sticker under the top edge of the watercolor leaf.

I then used Bohemian Dreams: Mini ABC Bohemian Yellow Stickers, adhered to a Label It Die Cut, to create the "HB2U" sentiment.  It was anchored near the top of the journaling card with a simple staple and topped with a "so sweet" It's Your Birthday: Happy Day Color Sticker, popped up with foam tape.  A quartet of XOXO: Always Aqua Sequins, scattered throughout the design, complete the look.

Moving on to the second card...

which was created in a similar fashion to the first, I anchored a 5-1/4" piece of the Fun in the Sun: Sunny Day print, overlaid with a slightly smaller (5" x 3-3/4") piece of the Metallic Rose Gold Bloom Vellum, with gold-threaded, straight, machine stitching, to the white, cardstock, card face.  I then set that aside, once again, to create the smaller focal which was adhered in the center of the prepped card face.  This is the perfect place to tuck a gift card or cash or just to add an extra special wish.

It was made by folding a Here Comes the Sun: Shine 4x6 Card in half and wrapping its folded edge, three times, with a length of white string, tied in a bow.

I then topped it with a March 2020 Freebie Die-Cut rainbow; Summer Vibes: Clear Flower Crown stickers, backed with white cardstock, hand-cut out, and popped up with foam tape; Potpourri: Family Branch Die-Cut bloom and leaf; and an April 2019 Freebie Die-Cut butterfly, adhered just at its center in order to give its wings lift.  Additionally, I tucked a "today was ridiculously fabulous" A Birdy Told Me Black Word Sticker under the top edge of the watercolor leaf.

I then used Ain't Life Grand: Hugs & Kisses ABC Stickers, adhered to a Label It Die Cut, to create the "HB2U" sentiment.  It was anchored near the top of the journaling card with a simple staple and topped with a "best wishes" It's Your Birthday: Happy Day Color Sticker, popped up with foam tape.  A quartet of Summer Vibes: Sunsational Sequins, scattered throughout the design, complete the look.

Thanks so much for visiting today, friends!  Have a terrific rest of your week!

PLS: Christmas Minis Pocket Letter Style

Morning, y'all!  We're celebrating Christmas in July over on the Pretty Little Studio blog, and Sunday was my turn to inspire a little festivity and chill into the air.  I have that Glitter-&-Ice-inspired project to share, with you all, today on my little ol' blog.  Enjoy!

Most of my card fronts are made from 3" x 4" pocket cards, trimmed down to 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" and backed with white cardstock.  So, they can actually be used individually, which I plan to do.  I love the pocket pouches for storage and protection, because my mini cards tend to get lost in the shuffle of all the big ones.  So, let's get a little up close and personal.  Shall we?

The base of this first card, which just so happens to be my kiddos' favorite, came from the Merry & Bright Pocket Cards package.  It was topped with a Sparkle Silver Tags Die-Cut snow globe, filled in with an additional Fir Tree Die Cut and a sweet, Merry Die-Cut bird, popped up with foam tape.

A Warm Wishes Die-Cut, "Just for You" tag, laced with Baker's Twine, tied in a bow, and popped up with foam tape, completes the look.

The base of the second mini is a portion of a Sparkle & Bright Journaling Pocket Card.

I used the second half of that same journaling card for the interior of the card.

I then added an additional, 'Tis the Season ornament, popped up with foam tape and strung from a length of Baker's Twine, tied in a bow...

as well as a Happy Season Die-Cut "MERRY CHRISTMAS" sentiment to complete the look.

I used a piece of the Candy Stripe print for the base of the last mini in the first row of pockets.

It was then topped with a Warm Wishes Die-Cut tag, laced with Baker's Twine, tied in a bow...

which was, in turn, topped with a Holly Jolly Flair Button, as well as a "christmas cheer" Holly Jolly Remember Flag Sticker.  A Merry Silver Metallic Label, stapled to its right side for a hint of sparkle, completes the look.

The base of the first card in the second row was made from a Sparkle & Bright Journaling Pocket Card...

overlaid with a bit of the Sparkle Lights Clear print, secured with a couple of staples.

A simple, "CELEBRATE", Warm Wishes Die-Cut tag, laced with Baker's Twine, tied in a bow, and popped up with foam tape, completes the look.

The base of the middle and last minis in this second row were both created from Sparkle & Bright Journaling Pocket Cards, as well.  In order to get this middle one down to the right size, I had to trim the pink, speckled strip off the top edge; but I really wanted to leave it.  So, I trimmed it off the piece I had already cut off and added it to the white bit across the very top.

You can hardly even tell a difference with a length of Baker's Twine wrapped, three times, around their connection and tied in a bow.

A Merry Silver Metallic Label sets the stage for a trio of Christmas Floral Die Cuts, popped up with foam tape, to complete the look.

The only additional things that I added to that sweet Santa Sparkle & Bright Journaling Pocket Card...

was a Warm Wishes Die-Cut sentiment and pennant, popped up with foam tape, and a little Clear Wink of Stella to add sparkle to his cheeks.

The base of the first card in the third in final row was created from a Merry & Bright Pocket Card.

It was then topped with a Warm Wishes Die-Cut tag, laced with Baker's Twine, tied in a bow...

as well as a trio of Happy Season Die-Cut stars and a darling, Merry Die-Cut elf, popped up with foam tape.

Once again, the center and final cards in the bottom row were also created from Sparkle & Bright Journaling Pocket Cards.

Additionally, they both were topped with Warm Wishes Die-Cut tags, laced with Baker's Twine, tied in bows.  The center card was also embellished with a Home for Christmas Snowflakes Vellum Die Cut; 'Tis the Season Die-Cut "SNOW DAY" phrase, popped up with foam tape...

and a Holly Jolly Remember sticker banner.

Last, but certainly not least...

a Happy Season Die-Cut bloom tops that gorgeous Warm Wishes Die-Cut tag, which I mentioned above was laced with Baker's Twine, tied in a bow, and rounds out the pocket letter.

I had to give y'all a peek of that simple, little, "under the tree" sentiment, that was already part of the journaling card, too.

But that's not all!  I have a bonus, for you all, too; because I was just on a roll and had the time to make one more sweet, little, Glitter-&-Ice-inspired mini.  Its base was created from a bit of the Cheerful print.

It was simply topped with a Warm Wishes Die-Cut tag, laced with Baker's Twine, tied in a bow...

as well as an "all sparkly", Happy Season Die-Cut arrow, popped up with foam tape.

That covers things, for me, this time around, friends; but I'll be back early next week with another Pretty Little Studio project to share.  Can't wait!  Until then, thanks so much for visiting!  Have a terrific Tuesday!

Pretty Little Studio: Independence Day

Happy Independence Day, friends!  In light of everything that is happening in our nation today, I am thankful for the freedoms we, as Americans, possess more than ever before and pray that the Lord blesses us with capable and Godly leaders to guide us into the challenging days ahead; because they will be challenging.  All that sentiment aside, let's celebrate today with a page, which just so happened to be up on the Pretty Little Studio blog earlier this week, boasting pics of my family's celebrations, eleven years past.  Shall we?  I've used elements from fifteen separate, Pretty Little Studio collections, from over the years, to get the job done.  Check it out!

I started this page by using my Cameo to cut stars from the Christmas Joy 12" x 12" Christmas Star, background page.  I then used the Glitter & Ice Tangerine Snow, Indian Summer Blue Moon and Chestnuts, Feels Like Fall Feeling Thoughtful, Savannah Dreams Daydreams, and Treasure Island Jewel Archipelago prints to back those cutouts and secured them, around their edges, with gold-threaded, straight, machine stitching.  After filling in the Glitter & Ice Merry & Bright Pocket Card with my snapshots, I backed it with a snippet of cheesecloth and adhered it, to my background, just left of vertical center.  The "independence DAY" title was then created, along the vertical, right edge of my photo strip, from a July 2019 Freebie Cut-Apart "independence", popped up with foam tape, and A Beautiful Day Park Bench Alphas to spell "DAY".  It was also sandwiched between a Glitter & Ice Twinkle Lights Word Die-Cut "family" and Feels Like Fall Fall Phrases Die-Cut "together", popped up with more foam tape.

Moving clockwise, I tucked a handful of A Beautiful Day Wooden Chevron Die Cuts to the bottom right and left of the photo stack.

Included on the bottom left are a couple of Blooming Hearts Blooming Die-Cut branches, topped with a couple of additional July 2019 Freebie Cut-Apart phrases, one of which was adhered in the center of a The Gold Mine Gold Metallic Label and anchored, at its right end, with a Feels Like Fall Fall Memories Flair Button.

Just above that cluster, I tucked a metallic Winter Joy Tab under the collective photo's left edge and topped it with a Hello Heather Aloha Die-Cut star, popped up with foam tape.

Another Glitter & Ice Merry & Bright Pocket Card was adhered along the outside, right edge of my design and used to house my journaling, which reads, We love our low-key, holiday celebrations... good food, kid-friendly fireworks, a big backyard, & a happy family.  Saturday, July 4, 2009.  It was grounded with a couple more July 2019 Freebie Cut-Apart phrases, as well as A Beautiful Day Park Bench Cut-Apart "today"...

and topped with a portion of a Cambridge 4" Doily; Here Comes the Sun Gold Metallic Number Die-Cut "4"; and a length of Baker's Twine, tied in a bow, under an, I believe, Ain't Life Grand Life Noted Flair Button.  A number of hand-cut, from the Feels Like Fall Feeling Dreamy print, blue stars; Treasure Island Ocean Blue Confetti Die-Cut, polka dot stars; and Document Life Star Stickers, as well as blue sequins from the Potpourri Falling Leaves Sequin Mix, complete the look.

Thanks so much for visiting, y'all!  Have a safe and blessed holiday, and may God bless the United States of America!