Envelope Envy--A Little Review of My Mini Scoreboard

For quite a while, I envied those crafty bloggers who handmade their own envelopes. So impressive. I had envy-lope! But then I discovered their tool of choice for this craft--a simple scoreboard. I immediately went scoreboard shopping--they are at craft stores and online everywhere, but I landed on the Martha brand with a coupon. I was hooked. And now I love making envelopes.

Why make your own envelopes? The biggest reason is because, most purchased envelopes are white! I think the joy of making your own envelopes is that--
1. You can make an envelope to match the card
2. Your envelope can be as unique as the card inside
3. Mixed-media cards fit better in homemade envelopes
4. You can make an envelope out of any piece of paper as long as you cut it to the dimensions needed.  
     What a great way to upcycle.
5. There are many scoreboards out there to choose from that make it sooo easy to do! There is even a scoreboard that clips out the little triangles. I don't mind doing that by hand though.

I wish, back in the day when DD was in grade school that they had had these scoreboards available! I would have done things like, made envelopes out of copies of her daily school papers to send things in a fun way to the grandparents for example. So cute! But now I do make envelopes out of sheets of music, dictionary papers, even pages from vintage recipe and craft books. Pretty adorable.

So, being a happy envelope maker, imagine my thrill at discovering a mini scoreboard! I didn't know if it would work as well. Same brand as my big one--50% off coupon that day--the verdict is, I think I love it even more.

Mini scoreboard front - still in package

Mini scoreboard back

 The three things I love most about it: how the bone folder hooks into the front, the complete envelope guidelines on the back, and how lightweight it is and easily fits into any of my tote bags.

Those guidelines allow you to simply line up your paper, once you've cut it to the dimensions, and quickly score it!

Then snip out the little triangles (there may be a technical name for those, idk) which allow a nice clean fold.

 

Use your handy little bone folder to neatly fold down the flaps, add a little glue to seal the bottom flaps, and done. You may use envelope gum for the top flap--I don't really worry about that, I just use a sticker if I'm sealing it. And I have to add that I've even had a postman at the post office comment on my pretty envelopes! No more envy-loping for me. Have fun!

My larger scoreboard--I love making envelopes with double-sided paper!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Score

You and Me Cards

I love the idea of making a pot-o-tea and stitching away the afternoon with my bestie Helen. Especially since she moved away and I miss her so! She's making me a pink sock monkey (now that's a best friend). She's a music teacher, an amazing wife and mother, and back in the day we were show divas! Well, I guess we still are--we'd do a show together in a hot minute. Hopefully, after working on my blog, I've managed to get this card posted and in the mail to her (along with a little gift)!

I love "You and Me" cards and I must make more! This one has not only cardstock, vintage sheet music, an embossed tea pot, sewn buttons and ribbon - but also some machine stitching. So fun to make.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch for Your Friend

All Buttoned Up--Scraps to Cards

I'm looking at a pile of scraps - snipped out from beautiful papers that I've made envelopes with, scrapbook pages, tags and cards. It's fun to whip up little meaningful cards, just with my scraps!

Today's little card:

 The most import thing on this card is a vintage button. It came from this jar of very old buttons that belonged to my beautiful Great Aunt Sis. Her name was actually "Nancy" but we all called her Aunt Sis. She looked like young Kate Hepburn, and she could do anything. She and I share the same birthday, and she passed away when I was little - but she loved me dearly and we spent time together. I had misplaced these buttons and just found them the other day! (they were hiding behind where I had stored my daughter's old Disney Princess sewing machine) Oh happy day. Now one had to go on a card or something right away!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Scrap

Summer Dreamin' and Schemin'

 So here we are...approaching mid-August..and what have we done? Every fiber of my being is completely rejecting the back-to-school promotions right now! I've still got summer plans to carry out! While my official summer break is over, and I'm back to the office 40 hours a week--I'm not giving up on my summer dreams and schemes! I actually love my work--and that includes all my work--but I do love and appreciate the actual work I get paid regularly for. I have a lovely office, and work with the most wonderful people. I'm pretty organized, and I get a lot done. Sure, I'd love to be able to just write all the time and create my stuff--but a paycheck and health insurance are true blessings! I live close to my work, so I have several hours even after I get home to get creative, and I have the weekends and a lot of holidays and vacation. Am I ever tired? Sometimes I think I'm always tired! But it's not a sin to be tired. I even walk two miles every morning when I get up, first thing. So I know how to push through tiredness--and even a pinched nerve in my back. I'm pretty good at just acting like I feel wonderful! And sometimes, when I act like that long enough, I do!

So back to my summer dreams and schemes...I'm working on a few things...designing...sketching out plans...finishing up a big writing project...and having fun in the middle of all of it. My little idea book and creative journals are hopping with creative madness and mess. I've simply got more cutting, coloring, gluing, stitching, cooking, gardening, writing and socializing to do before we call it a summer kids!

I'm warning you--it might be late September before I call it another summer-past. If it stays warm, and I'm still picking tomatoes...it's summer!

In the meantime, I think what I like about having plenty of summer dreams and schemes is knowing that I'm cooking up a lot of projects that won't even be through until the middle of winter. When I move in for the winter, and I'm not sitting in the sun and out in the garden, I will need plenty to keep me busy and happy in the house!

Sadly, my big writing project actually involves Christmas--they are Christmas scripts and I need to get them to my publisher by September! The other Christmas item I want to do way ahead of time is make my own cards this year--I think that's a fab idea. Along with that, here are the other schemes I've got going and things I just want to do. I'm sort of rewinding and fast forwarding at the same time.

I want to make more cards--like this one for my daughter's birthday this summer. I love adding tags to cards--and I'm working on acquiring more of those lovely stamps. I think stamping is a lot like when I was little and had a coloring book in my hand all the time. Because you're not drawing--the stamp does that--you're kind of decorating...and that is so fun and relaxing.

Here we go--I had to have an excuse to show my doodle-embroidered cutoffs again! Doodle embroidering is at the top of my list and I have two more pairs of cutoffs to do. I don't know where to fit them in with all of the other things I want to do--and timing is critical so that it's still warm enough to wear them for heaven's sakes! One pair is green, like these, and the other is white--talk about a blank slate with doodle embroidering on white shorts...the possibilities are endless!

I keep wearing these all the time because they make me feel crazy creative!

Okay, do you see this tree? This pitiful little dead cherry tree? It is in the very back of my property, past the garden. It used to be the most gorgeous cherry tree--we enjoyed its harvest, year after year. So did the birds if we didn't pick the cherries soon enough! But sadly, one winter, a horrible ice storm hit, and our sweet little tree didn't recover. I can't bear to have it completely cut down...soooo...I'm going to yarn bomb it! I can't wait! I think it will be really cute. So stay tuned for that--I'm saying no more!

 In other news--I'm going to keep eating more veggies! Fresh, steamed, whatever...I'm going to keep doing this. I had an excellent checkup at the doctor--my bloodwork, blood pressure...all that blood stuff...was EXCELLENT! At my age, I'm very happy and proud of that. (51, by the way). So veggies, let's do this thingie!

Speaking of veggies--I'm going to keep picking and eating cherry tomatoes, every day, until there are no more. I'm not tired of it...no really...I'm thankful. Love these thingies! They are expensive at the store, so glad to have them for free right in my own backyard.

And speaking of tomatoes in my own backyard--I've got tons, including yellow ones. So I've decided to fresh-preserve the yellow ones too! I think they are pretty and unique--you probably can't buy canned yellow tomatoes at the store. Right?

 I'm going to keep planting seeds--especially basil--it goes with my tomatoes and I LOVE fresh pesto.

SAD! But not for long.

We are beautifying this sad little alcove by our outdoor workshop building. It is going to be ahhmazing--we're talking lots of paint...furniture...creative flooring...even beads, hanging things and painted rocks--so fun. I'll share all about it when it's done with all the before and after pics--this will go well with the yarn bombing. Can't wait! (Can you tell I've been watching Worlds Most Extreme Homes?) Of course, my hubby is in on this, doing the heavy lifting. He's the best.

Here's my hubby with some friends--we've had some fun times this summer, and I want to meet up with more friends and have more fun!

I will let sleeping cats lay...even if they're laying in a basket of my fabric!

Reorganize my sewing niche...

Buy more notions...

Open my Etsy store...Teacup & Pebble...

Bake more rosemary and tomato bread...

Glitter more and create more papercrafts...(this project was so fun!)

Work on my mixed-media projects so dear to me...(yay bowls o buttons!)

And one more thing...go to more ballgames! That's me on the left, peeking out from behind our mascot when I sang the National Anthem with a group earlier this summer. I love going to the ballgame with my hubby--having a bratz...sitting outside in a nice breeze. It has been horribly hot this summer--so I'm ready for some nicer evenings and simply more fun. We also go to my little nephew's ballgames...very fun. Family time is important, most of all. And I think my creative life just makes me a better mom, worker, family member and friend.

Keep scheming and dreaming!

Happy Eighteenth Birthday Card - Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?

I am not the most experienced or fanciest cardmaker in the universe. But, if you have enough scrapbooking goodies on hand...you can definitely make some magic. I wanted to make a special card for my sweet daughter turning 18--something more personal than a store-bought card.

I started with just plain white card stock...scored and folded it...and then had no idea what I was going to do. But she loves photography and film, so I drew a picture of a camera, and wrote "eighteen" on it...I found some stickers and even the really cute "Love You" tag--I love cards with tags hanging on them! And I added these sparkling photo corners which I also carried to the inside.

From some gorgeous scrap pad paper I found one that highlighted Shakespeare's 18th Sonnet--perfect for the inside of a Happy Eighteenth Birthday card! Then I added a picture from her senior photo shoot.

A closeup of my camera!

The back of the card reminds her to not stress out, but relax and enjoy her eternal summer before college!

Shakespeare's Eighteenth Sonnet:

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer's lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimmed,

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,

Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,

   So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,

   So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

What a dreamy sonnet for your eighteenth birthday!

What's On My Workdesk This Week--Which Workdesk?

Yesterday we watched my little nephews all day, and pictured here is the remains of what was a very busy, very fun card-making session. I had the leaf up on the table, and let them have a go at fun scrapbook papers and cardstock, glue, stickers, stamps and wavy scissors (they are 7 and 9 years old) and they had a blast making birthday cards for grandma and my daughter. The cards were creative and beautiful--so proud of their work!

 

This is exactly what my creative corner looks like today

 In the meantime, I had to enjoy a sunny nook on the deck this morning (I'm going back after I post this) and I'm working on my "June To Do List" project, and knitting some little dresses that will be embellished and will hang on a little clothesline. It's yet another great way to use scrap yarn!

What's on your workdesk today? Blog about it and join in on the WOYWW blogparty here.

My new laptop station is looking nice--it's where I can now stand to work on my computer, instead of sitting so much. I've also made my ribbon board above it more accessible so that I can use it more, and change it up more often.

I have so many workspaces going on this morning--so I have to stay focused on what I'm doing next! I have some birthday cards to make, myself, and then it's back to the paperdoll project to get that finished up because my mom wants one!

Little knit dresses



Minnie hanging out with me

Eat, Write, Dream, and Stitch what you love today!