Category Archives: Tutorial

Consider it Pure Joy Bible Journaling

With all the new interest in Bible Journaling I’ve had lots of questions and I thought I would share a little more with you on what I’m doing in my Jornaling Bible… and I have a FREE gift for you today!

At church our pastor has kicked off the New Year with a new sermon series called “1UP”. It asks us these questions…

• What if life was like a video game?
• As we make resolutions to better ourselves emotionally, physically, and spiritually, what if we could hit the restart button and have a do-over when we mess up?
• What if we had a hero who could give us the life we long to have? Continue reading →

Beautiful Nature Decorated Eggs

I can remember as a little girl collecting little treasures from nature and making all kinds of fun new creations with them, everything from a clover ring, a crown of leaves to a beautiful braided necklace of wild flowers to hang around my neck. Continue reading →

Christmas Sugar Scrub

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of sharing a quick and fun DIY project with Mom Connection, a group of young moms at my church. When I was asked to come up with a creative activity lots of ideas went through my head. Young moms definitely need to feel loved, appreciated and pampered so I decided to share with them how to make a yummy homemade sugar scrub. Sugar scrubs are such a simple way to pamper yourself and they make a wonderful gift during the Christmas season. Continue reading →

FREE “Santa-tizer” Tutorial… My Gift To You

We all love receiving gifts. But I’ve found that the joy found in giving can not even compare. This FREE Tutorial is my gift to you. You will find the link below.

This past week and weekend was fully packed with lots of gift giving and blessings! I had a wonderful time celebrating my birthday. Not just any birthday… this was the BiG one! The BiG FIVE-0! When did that happen? Doesn’t seem possible.

But I have to say… my family made this the best birthday ever… regardless of the number. Have I mentioned just how much I love this man who is a true gift from God to me. Continue reading →

DIY Chocolate Butterflies

It’s been a Spring Break week for us here in Ohio. And if you know anything about Ohio you’ll know it’s a bit confused about what “Spring” means. You know…. sunshine, warmth, singing birds, budding flowers. If I’m honest I will admit that I’m a bit envious of all the beach and ocean view posts I’m seeing from friends all over facebook and Instagram.

Yep… This was our view in Ohio this week. Someone forgot the memo that it is Spring here.

Yep… That’s me… somewhere behind that cold and snow flurry blown hair… not the gentle ocean breeze I would prefer.

But there is one thing I’ve learned in life… ok maybe a few things. Sometimes life doesn’t seem fair. Sometimes life is difficult. Sometimes life is ugly. Sometimes you don’t get what you want. Sometimes you can’t seem to find what you need.

Those are the times you have to seek… to find beauty. Those are the times you may have to create beauty. Those are the times you may even have to give what you need to find what you seek. It is in those times you may not get what you want but instead you find out you will get what you needed all along.

So this Spring Break I had to choose to find the beauty in the season I am personally in at this time. That season goes way beyond the weather. There is beauty to be found… even in the cold “winter like” Spring of Ohio.

One place I find beauty in is creating quick and easy projects. So that is where these fun DIY Chocolate Butterflies come in. I created these for a Spring Event I had a couple years ago.

Look how fun they are!!! They were the perfect touch for my event to top off the cupcakes. Let me show you just how quick and easy they were to make…

I just used chocolate chips and melted them down. Follow the melting instructions on the package you purchase. Once melted I placed them into an icing bag with a small circle decorating tip. If you don’t have icing bags as I used here you can simply use a baggie and cut a tiny hole in the corner. I found an image I wanted to use from my Stampin’ Up! Catalog then laid a piece of wax paper over the image and just traced it. Once I had all the butterflies I needed I gently placed the wax paper onto a cookie sheet and placed in frig to harden. Once they were harden I carefully peeled them up and placed them on top of my prepared cupcakes. Quick and easy! You could also do this with any of the candy melts that come in multiple colors as well as trace any other image you might need. How fun is that!!!

So I encourage you to go find beauty in today… seek it out… and if you can’t find it I challenge you to create it.

Don’t forget Sale-A-Bration is quickly coming to an end…

If you purchase $50 you can choose a Sale-A-ration Product for FREE till the end of March!

OR… if your wish list is long JOIN my team for continued discounts on all your favorite products. I’d love to share with you all the benefits of joining and being a part of my Stampin’ Up! family. Contact ME today if you would like to chat about it!

Place at least a $50 order and not only will you get to choose a FREE SAB product I will also send you this card as a thank you..

“Create what you seek but can not find”.

Blessings and Happy Creating!
Anita Haines

Scalloped Tag Topper Punch Card Closure

It’s been a busy time filled with kid’s activities and sharing in their awesome accomplishments. I will take time to share more on that with you in another post, but wanted you know that even though I’ve been away from posting my thoughts have been with you all. I don’t know about you but this long Winter has really taken a toll on me and my energy level. But today on this first day of Spring I wanted to share a beautiful Spring card that has a special closure that features the new Scalloped Tag Punch.

I just love the colors on this card and how it beckons Spring to come. I know I am so ready for warmer weather…. my aching joints are crying out for it to come soon! This card was inspired by a make & take Addy Jester designed for us at a team meeting. I added my own little flare by using the Chalk Talk Framelits Die. So let me share with you how to make this card…

Scalloped Tag Topper Punch Card Closure

• Petal Parade Stamp Set – wood (#133599), clear (#133602) SAB Product
• Perfect Pennants Stamp Set – wood (#133227), clear (#133230)
• Pool Party Classic Ink (#126982)
• Basic Black Classic Ink (#126980)
• 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ Sahara Sand Cardstock (#121043)
• 2 1/4″ x 5 1/4″ Pool Party Cardstock (#122924)
• Crisp Cantalope Cardstock (#131298)
• Chalk Talk Framelits Dies (#129983)
• Stampin’ Trimmer (#126889)
• Scalloped Tag Topper Punch (#133324)
• Scallops Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (#132971)
• Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper (#133521) SAB Product
• Crisp Cantalope Twine from the Sweet Sorbet Accessory Pack (#133522) SAB Product

Start with a 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ piece of cardstock. You will be punching on both 5 1/2″ ends. Insert cardstock into the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch all the way and center from top to bottom. Before you punch look from the back so you can see that the card stock is pushed flush all the way into the edge of the punch. You will do the same on the opposite side. See photo and tip below to get both sides matched up.

TIP: To easily match up both sides so they are aligned insert the opposite side of the cardstock and when looking from the back pull the side of the cardstock that you already punched back over to where you are punching now and you can visually align both sides up to match.

Now with both sides punched you will score the right side of your card. Use the Stampin’ Trimmer and score down along where the punch cut into the cardstock. On my Stampin’ Trimmer the cardstock lined up at the 7/8″ mark as shown above.

Once you have the first side scored you will then cut away the extra pieces as shown above.

You will then do the same thing to the other side that you punched… but on this side you will only need to cut the pieces away and NOT score.

Once both sides are complete you will slide the piece of cardstock back into your Trimmer and the side that a has the cut and score you will score again at the 4 1/4″ mark. This will become the back/inside of your card and will make more sense as you go along.

When you are finished this is what you should have. You can discard the cut out pieces.

Fold your card on score lines and finish as desired. For my card I attach a 1 1/2″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Designer Series Paper (DSP) on inside right edge as shown. I used the lovely Sweet Sorbet DSP (#133521) that you can earn for FREE right now during Sale-A-Bration. On the outside flap I embossed a 2 1/4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Pool Party Cardstock with the NEW Scallops Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (#132971) found in the Occasions Catalog.

Pictured above are all the products I used to complete my card. Item numbers and links to my online store are listed in the supplies at the beginning of the tutorial to make it easy for you.

To finish my card off I tied the Scallop Tag Punched ends together with a piece of Crisp Cantalope Twine found in the SAB Sweet Sorbet Accessory Pack shown below.

Look at all this yummy goodness you can earn for FREE during Sale-A-Bration. The twine from the Sweet Sorbet Accessory Pack (#133522) was the perfect touch for my card. The Pack comes with three spools (10 yards each) of beautiful twine and a sheet of adhesive-backed die cut images printed on cork.

Here’s to the coming of Spring! Sending good thoughts your way!

Don’t miss your chance at grabbing your favorite Sale-A-Bration (SAB) products. Once March is gone so are these products. During this awesome promotion you get to choose a FREE SAB product for every $50 you spend. Place at least a $50 order in my online store using this HOSTESS CODE 6U6XKXKX by March 28th and not only will you get to choose a FREE SAB item I will send you this card so you can have to send or have to duplicate.