Christmas In July Day Three

We are still celebrating Christmas In July at Catch The Bug.  I hope you are joining us in all the challenges and are having as much fun as we are.  I can't wait to see all the fabulousness that will be coming out of our week long celebration!  

It's Monday which is traditionally Anything But A Card day  but we are adding a color inspiration twist to our creations.

  I have a fun Christmas Home Decor treat to show you that was super easy to create.  I featured Bugaboo Stamps Snowman Topper in this frame I picked up at the Dollar Store.  

I colored the image using a combo of PSE 12 and added highlights using Copic markers.  The snowflakes were die cut using the Cricut and Graphically Speaking cart.  

Super simple to do and it will add some holiday fun to your Christmas decor.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for Bugaboo's new release image!

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Crafty Hugs,
Becky G

Celebrate Freedom With A S'more Kit

It's ABC (Anything But A Card) Monday at Catch The Bug  and I've got a little Fourth Of July project to share with you.  It's fun, simple  and yummy but the best part is I've recycled a spaghetti jar in the process. Just doing what I can to keep our planet clean and green!

Now, while Bugaboo Stamps has a lot of great images that are perfect for this project, I chose to feature AKV World Flags-USA.  He just reminds me of Texas!

Here is my completed project.  It holds enough s'more stuff for four.

 delicious treats.  Can you imagine the smiles on your friends faces when you gift them with this?!!

To begin, you need to wash a nice size jar and lid  let them dry.  (mine was Kroger brand spaghetti sauce so there were no embedded logos)

Now, gather the following items:

1. Designer paper

2. Mod Podge

3. Colored mage and whatever you want to embellish with.

4. Ribbon

5. (2) Bamboo skewers

6. (4) Marshmallow in a baggie

7. (4) Graham crackers in a baggie

8. (4) Snack size Hershey's bars

9. Pencil for tracing the lid.

Begin by tracing a circle on the back side of your designer paper using the lid for your template.  Once you have done that, draw a larger circle around that one.  I free handed this but you could use a circle template.  It needs to be about 3/4 to 1 inch larger than your first circle.

Next, take scissors and make cuts at 1/2 inch intervals just up to the inner circle  like you see in the diagram below:

Now it's Mod Podge time.  Use a brush (I couldn't find mine so I used my fingers, talk about messy) and apply a generous amount of Mod Podge to the outside of the lid and the inner circle of your designer paper.  Then place your lid onto the DP, smoothing out any bubbles.

Start applying Mod Podge to a few of the cut pieces and fold them up, one by one.  When you have them all in place and smoothed out, add another layer of Mod Podge to the entire  DP surface and then set it aside to dry while you fill and decorate the jar.  I made a belly band for mine using a strip of  DP that was 12 x 1.5 inches.  That's all it took for this fun and tasty treat!

Here is another one I created using the same image but a different designer paper.

I colored the image using Copic markers.  

Hope you have enjoyed this project and tutorial!

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Crafty hugs,

Becky G

Happy New Year-ABC

Here we are a week into the new year and I'm finally getting around to posting. Happy New Year to you all.   It was nice to take a break but it's time to get back into the swing of things.

Since it's Monday and time for Anything But A Card at Catch The Bug,  I thought it would be fun to start off the New Year with a cute little cookie tin.  I repurposed a Christmas tin I recieved that is small and only big enough to hold a couple of those 100 calorie packs of cookies.  Perfect to kick off a weight loss challenge I'm entering at work. Five dollars to participate and the winner, or should I say loser, will win the pot at the end of the challenge.  Should be fun!

To add a little humor to my project, I've featured Bugaboo Stamps Gertrude-Frame It-Fitness Protection.  I love that sassy little  gal!

I painted the tin first and then whne it had dried completely I applied a layer of mod podge under the image and then again over the image to seal it.

That's all I have for now!  Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs.
Becky

Day 7 Our Final Challenge For Holiday Chaos

It's been a fun project filled week and I hope you've been inspired to create.  It's time for our final challenge at Catch The Bug.

Anything Goes

So head on over to your craft space and get started.

I've created a cute little hinged treat box and gift tag featuring Bugaboo Stamps Lil Snowman Star.

Inside:

Now it's your turn to get creative and have fun!

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,

Becky

Other great challenges:

Pile It On- P Is For (Packaging)

A Gem Of A Challenge-Anything Goes

Crafty Boots-Storybook Character (Frosty The Snowman)

Creative Inspirations-Inspired By Christmas

Divas By Design-Feeling Festive

Make It Monday-Anything Goes

Paper Crafting Journey-Christmas Time

Sweet Stampin-Ribbon

The Pink Elephant-Winter 

Day Two-Gift Wrapped

Are you ready for today's Catch The Bug Holiday Chaos challenge?

So you've been shopping and have some gifts to wrap so how about making your own packaging?

That's exactly what today's challenge is all about.  We're making bags, boxes, tags, anything but a card.

I've made this cute little and when I say little, I mean little. gift bag (it's 2 x3 and it's perfect for jewelry) and I'm featuring Bugaboo Stamps Christmas Window-Santa.

Now it's your turn to make some fun packaging!  Can't wait to see what you do!

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,

Becky

Other fun challenges:

2 Sisters-Anything Goes

Creative Inspiration-Merry Christmas

Divas By Design-Use Some Red

Make it Monday-Anything Goes

One Stitch At A Time-Use A Digi

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Good morning and Happy Holidays. 

 Christmas is just around the corner and it will be here before we know it.  If you're thinking about making Christmas cards or gift bags, then you are gonna love today's New Release from Bugaboo Stamps!  He's Santa Candy Cane and he is so cute!  I recycled a plain kraft gift bag and he was the perfect fit for my project. 

Here's a closeup of the image:

Head on over to Bugaboo Stamps and grab him for your Christmas projects!

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  Oh, and have a very Happy Thanksgiving!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,

Becky G

Humor Me Wednesday-Take An Extra Helping Day

Guess what day it is?!!!

I bet you thought I was gonna say "Hump Day"!

Well it is Hump Day but is also Humor Me Wednesday at Catch The Bug.

There were several obscure holidays to choose from this week, but I wanted to share this fun project I had done and also tie it to one of them.  That is why I chose Take An Extra Helping Day, and this project is so "sweet"  you'll want more than just one.  Here is my "Sucker" cover featuring Bugaboo Stamps You're Fangtastic.

This was super easy to make.  I just colored up my image, die cut it and added a belly band to the back.  To cover the sucker, I layered four squares of black tulle and wrapped them around the sucker, securing them with a piece of dotted ribbon.  Then I just slid the image over the sucker!  Easy and loads of fun!

I'm gonna hand these out to my coworkers for Halloween!  

I hope you enjoyed my project!

Until next time, have a Happy Hump Day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs, 
Becky G

Blog Challenges

Brown Sugar-anything goes
Stampin For The Weekend-anything goes
Milk Coffee-spots and dots
Addicted to Stamps and More-make your mark (copics) anything goes
Sisterhood Of Crafters-anything goes
Crafty Sentiments-Halloween
Pile It On-Humor
2 Sisters-Anything Goes
Crafty Boots-Halloween
Creative Inspiration-Halloween
Incy Wincy-Halloween
Make It Monday-Anything Goes
Paper Crafting Journey-Halloween Colors
Sweet Stampin Challenges-Halloween
The Pink Elephant-Inspiration Photo
Inspire Me Fridays-Anything Goes

Mum's The Word

This post isn't card related but it is craft related.

We moved to Texas about ten years ago and found out very quickly that Texans looooove football, not that other states don't, but they really love it.  They do it up big here too!  Big stadiums and big traditions.  One of those big traditions  is Homecoming mums!  The bigger the better!  

Here's where the craftiness part begins.

My son comes home from school and says he's taking a senior to Homecoming and needs me to make a mum!  A BIG mum cause she's a Senior!  Awesome, I get to get my craft on.  So after a trip to Michael's and Hobby Lobby and a ridiculous amount of money spent it was time to break out the staples and glue gun.  A search on youtube for Military Braids, a couple of days working on it and a few burnt fingers later and this is the end result.

How do you like the Harry Potter bear?  The robe is a recycled t-shirt that didn't fit me anymore.  There are also lights around the mum, but I have to find my batteries.

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping hugs,

Becky

Challenges:

Inspire Me Fridays-Anything Goes

Make It Monday-Anything Goes

Boil, boil, toil and trouble! Another Halloween Treat!

Good morning and happy Monday.  I hope you're not getting tired of all the Halloween stuff, but I love Halloween!  Not the spooky stuff, but the costumes and candy!  That is why I just had to try making one of these cute broom lollipops (instuctions found here)..

Since it's time for Anything But A Card at Catch The Bug, it was the perfect time to try.

 I added the oh so cute Bugaboo Stamps Halloween Peeker-Witch image, coloring her using Prismacolor pencils!  Just imagine all the fun possibilities.

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping hugs, 
Becky

Other Challenge I've Entered This Project In:

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards-Anything Goes
Crafting By Design-Anything Goes
Through The Craftroom Door-Anything Goes
Creative Inspiration-Inspired By Fall Colors
Make It Monday-Anything Goes

Frankentreats, Anything But A Card Monday

I've had this tube for quite sometime now just waiting for the right project to come along.  It was some kind of mailer but today it became a Frankentreat for Halloween.  All it needed was a cool holder!

 I began with a sheet of 8 1/2 x 8 1/4 inch  card stock.  Starting with my 8 1/4 inch length, I made a score line at 2 inches, 6 1/2 inches.  I then turned my paper and made a score line at 4 1/2 inches and 6 1/2 inches.  

For the insert, I started with  a piece of card stock measuring 3 1/2 x 6 inches and scored 3/4's of an inch on all sides. I then used a circle punch slightly smaller than the dimension of my test tube and punched a hole in the middle of the insert.  I then made small cuts to the inside of the circle.

(See diagram below project for cut aways) 

Now to add my image.  I chose to feature two Bugaboo images on this project.  Halloween Window- Frankenstein and the Frankenstein image from Mini Set-Halloween Blocks.  A few glittered bats, some ribbon and washi tape and my Frankentreat was complete,  all it needed was some chocolate.  Dark chocolate!  Wahahaha!!!!

 

Hope you enjoyed my ABC project!

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,
Becky

Other challenges I've entered this project in:

Crafty Sentiment-Colorful
Polkadoodles & Studio-All Things Bright And Beautiful
A.R.T.-Anything Goes
Challenges 4 Everybody-Anything Goes
Cafty Bowz-Anything Goes With A Bow
The Crafter's Cafe-Bling
Digistamps 4 Joy-Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations-Anything Goes
Make It Monday-Anything Goes
The Paper Crafting Journey-Anything Goes
Totally Gorjuss-Bows

Christmas In July Day 6

I'm back with another Christmas In July challenge for you.

This one's an easy one.  Just make a tag!  Any tag will do!

I made this tag featuring Bugaboo Stamps Rudolph Tag.  I placed it on this matching 5x5x1.5 inch box with belly band that I made.

So tag, you're it!  Time for you to create your own and link it to the challenge found here at Catch The Bug.

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,
Becky G

Other challenges I've entered this project:

Inspire Me Fridays-Anything Goes
Creative Corner-Anything Goes
The Crafter's Cafe-Anything Goes
A Gem Of A Challenge-Spots/Striped Or Both

Anything But A Card Monday With Bugaboo

Good morning!  It's Monday and time for  Anything But A Card at Catch The Bug.  So let's get this week started off with a fun Mother's Day project.

How about a bright gift bag that's sure to have mom oohing and aahing and wondering what's inside?!!

This bag is 7x7x3 and features Bugaboo Stamps AKV Boy-Flowerpot and some fun recollections papers and Cricut die cuts.

Mom will love it for sure!

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,
Becky

Black, White & A Pop Of Color - Over The Hill Bag

I hope you all are enjoying all the Birthday challenges going on at Catch The Bug!  Are you ready for another one?!!

It's time for today's challenge and we're doing  Black & White With A Pop Of Color.  This is a card challenge and I look forward to seeing all your amazing creations!  Remember to keep them Birthday themed!

Now, since this is Monday and we usually do Anything But A Card, I chose to make this masculine gift bag.

My bag features Bugaboo Stamps Gus Birthday Reaper.

Other challenges I've entered this project:

Make It Monday-Anything Goes

Pile It On-Happy Funny Birthday

Forever Friends-Anything Goes

Lexi's Creations-Anything Goes

OLLCB-Birthdays

Wags &Whiskers-Celebrations

Inky Chicks-Anything Goes

Card Makin Mamas-Anything Goes

Challenges 4 Everybody-Anything Goes

Dream Valley-Anything Goes

All Sorts-Dies & Punches (spellbinder die & tag die)

Until next time (tomorrow), thanks for stopping by and have a great day!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,

Becky

12 Days Of Gift Giving-Coaster Tutorial

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me.........you know the song, but we're changing it up a bit.  The fabulous team at Catch The Bug has been busy creating some fun and inexpensive gift giving ideas with tutorials on how to do them yourselves.  I'm starting things off with a set of coasters that I made, using Bugaboo Stamps Grumpy Gertrude-Touch Coffee.  I have several friends that would love to have this set so I'll be busy making more of them.

Let's get started on the tutorial!

Supplies:

4 x 4 tiles

Mod Podge

Acrylic Sealer

Sponge Brush

Cork

E 6000 Glue

Brilliance Grapite Ink

Printed and colored image

Step One:

Print your image on copy paper and tear to size.  Sponge ink on tile around all sides and part of the face of the tile.

Step Two:

Spray Acrylic Sealer on tile and let dry (you will want to do this outside because the fumes  are strong).

 Step Three:

Spray Acrylic Sealer over the image and let dry.  (This will protect the image from smudging)

Step Four:

Using the foam brush spread a liberal amount of Mod Podge onto the tile, keeping brush strokes in the same direction.

Step Five:

Carefully place the picture onto the tile and working from the center out, smooth out all the air bubbles.  When you have worked all the bubbles out, apply  three layers over the image, allowing about twenty minutes drying time between each layer.

Step Six:

Attach 4 x 4 piece of cork to the back of the tile using E 6000 glue.

Step Seven:

Spray finished tile with Acrylic Sealer  and allow a day for them to dry before stacking them.

That's all there is to it and you have a unique and inexpensive gift!  Hope you enjoyed my tutorial!

Be sure to check out what the team has in store throughout the week!  

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by! TTFN

Stamping Hugs, 

Becky

Packaging Recycled For The Holidays

It's Monday and time for Anything But A Card at Catch The Bug and I've been busy recycling some packaging.  We've all got them, those nice plastic containers that come with fun stuff like potato salad, cookies or in this case, licorice.  You could throw them away when you've emptied them or you could do what I did and create a cute Christmas Gift Container.  This one is gonna be filled with cookies and given to a friend or coworker.  The image is Christmas Tags-Bear from Bugaboo Stamps and it's perfect for this project.

I colored the image using copic markers.  I used various papers from Recollections and added a little glimmer with some glossy accents and fine glitter.  I could have stopped there but it needed a little something extra so added some snowflakes and a ribbon band.  To cover the bottom I added a strip of corrugated card stock, attaching it with dimentionals.

Other challenges I've entered this project:

Christmas Stampin All Year Long-Use Dies (snowflakes)

2 Sisters-Winter Wonderland

Crazy 4 Challenges-Put A Bow On It

Creative Inspiration-Anything Goes

Inspire Me Fridays-Anything Goes

Make It Monday-Anything Goes

Hooked On Crafts-Christmas

One Stictch At A Time-Fabric, Ribbon or Lace

Scrap Creations-Winter

Totally Gorjuss-Don't Be Square

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stooping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,

Becky 

Friends Don't Let Friends Wine Alone

Good morning! It's ABC (anything but a card) Monday at Catch The Bug and it's my turn to host the challenge. so I made this fun wine tag to share with you.  It was the perfect project to go with Bugaboo Stamps Friends Don't Let Friends Wine Alone.

 I colored the image using Copic markers and added a burgundy mat and then just added it to an large tag.  All I had to do was use a 1 1/4 inch circle punch for the neck of the bottle and add a bow and I was done.

Other challenges I've entered this project:

Make It Monday-Anything Goes

Inspire Me Fridays-Anything Goes

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs, 

Becky

Day Three, Time For An ABC

Are you enjoying all the Christmas challenges so far?!!  I know I am!

It's Monday and that's ABC (anything but a card) day at Catch The Bug!  The challenge is to use a non-Christmas image on your project.  I made this ornament using Bugaboo Stamps Itchy Dog.

I started with two images of itchy dog.  One of them facing left and then, reversing the image using my photo editing, the other facing right.  I colored them exactly the same and then fussy cut them.  I then cut a 2 1/2 inch circle from acetate.  Using glossy accents as my adhesive (very strong) I attached the images back to back on the acetate and let them dry.  Once it had dried completely I punched a tiny hole in the top to string fishing line through.  I then carefully rolled the acetate up and inserted it into the ornament, leaving the fishing line sticking out of the top.  (I used a large ornament for this because the hole needed to be large enough for the rolled acetate)  The image will bend slightly but it's easy to straighten using a something thin enough to insert into the ornament (I used a small knitting needle).  Using a funnel, I added glitter to the ball making sure I got some in front and behind the acetate.  I then threaded the fishing line through the holes on the top clasp and tied them off.  I used a rub on for the sentiment and to give it the icy look, I drizzled glossy accents along the top and then glittered it.  A nice bow and cording were all that was needed to finish it off.

Other challenges I've entered this project:

2 Sisters Challenge Blog-Christmas In July

Creative Inspiration-Christmas In July

Divas By Design-Christmas In July

Hooked On Crafts-Christmas In July

Inspire Me Fridays-Anything Goes

Make It Mondays-Anything Goes

Totally Gorjuss-It's Christmas

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,

Becky

You're Beary Sweet

And you deserve a treat! It's time for this weeks Freebie Friday image from Bugaboo Stamps. He's Butterfly Bear Sit and he can be yours for FREE.  All you have to do is pop on over to Bugaboo and pick him up!  It's just that simple but don't wait too long.  He's only free for the week!

I printed the image on white card stock and colored him using Copic markers.  A little glossy accents and glitter on his wings and he was all ready to be cut out and place on this bag.  To make the lattice work window I followed the tutorial found here on Chocolate Crafts & Bears Oh My.  The card stock is tempting turquoise and designer paper is from Nana's Nursery.

Other challenges I've emtered this project:

Make It Monday-Anything Goes

Inspire Me Fridays-Anything Goes

Digi Doodles Best-Anything Goes

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,

Becky