Navy Photo Props

I mentioned before that I found navy and white striped fabric to use as a backdrop for photos... Well below are the props I'll be using, as well. You'll recognize the mustaches. I also decided to use some of my grandpa's old pipes. I think because they remind me of Popeye... And Popeye was a sailor. I also purchased a captain's hat and a couple sailor's hats. I can't wait for all the silly pictures Daniel's friends will create!

Oh! And remember I mentioned I have a co-host on this one? Well Nicole found ANCHOR TATTOOS!!! What grown adult doesn't love a temporary anchor tattoo?!?! You'll definitely want to come back in September to see these pictures. Happy crafting!

Navy and White Paper Poms

Remember Erit's Graduation Party? Well I saved the white paper poms to be reused at Daniel's Navy Party. Now all I had to do was make the navy poms. You would not believe how difficult it was to find NAVY blue tissue paper!

After triple checking every store I could think of, I finally found and order them off amazon. And they're a perfect match! See the Martha Stewart Tutorial I followed. They really are quite easy. Happy crafting!

Navy Throw Pillow

With the extra fabric left over from my pennant banner, I made a throw pillow. I really had to scrounge for scraps, but I made it happen! It's two sided (I didn't have enough striped fabric for two sides). One side navy and white striped, the other solid navy.

As you can see, I didn't have a solid piece of navy fabric (left over from the table cloths). I therefore used four strips of navy fabric... I actually like how it adds to the striped theme. Happy crafting

Navy Pennant Banner

So I searched and searched and searched for navy and white striped fabric and could not find what I wanted... Then I went to IKEA. Did you know IKEA has fabric? Well, they do. And they are awesome. Of course I squealed when I found it. I plan on using the bulk of the navy and white striped fabric as a backdrop for pictures (props to be posted later), but also wanted a banner to hang over the food tables. Below is the banner I created.

 

I'm using a lot of thick twine to create knots, so that's what these pennants are strung on. This banner will be hung over a table with a solid navy blue table cloth, so I'm hoping it will pop nicely. Happy crafting!

Cards & Cardigans... Remodeled

   

 

I've updated my blog. YAY! FINALLY! I searched the web for a design that fit me perfectly and came up short. I therefore decided to design my own. (Those of you who know me have now fallen off your chairs in disbelief because I am almost computer illiterate. Seriously.) Well, I had A LOT of help. And read A LOT of tutorials. I kept it simple. I kept it me. VERY ME. And because I relied so heavily on all those tutorials, I've listed the ones I fould most helpful below. Most everything else I just sort of played with in Template Designer. You know, trial and error. Happy blogging! And happy crafting!

How to Use a Cute Font for Your Post Titles
Cute Handwritten Fonts ( I used Pea Tracy)
How to Use Custom Colors on Your Blog
Stampin' Up! RGB Color Codes & Html Codes
How to Add a Signature to Every Blog Post

Questions? Comments?

Another Stick Can

I am really rockin' with these stick cans! I made this one for another teacher I work with. I filled it with a treat because I'll be seeing her tomorrow for a training and thought she might get hungry. I was planning on filling it with those tall pretzel sticks because they are the closest looking snack to the sticks that will be used in this can, but then I found these. Apparently she likes lemon desserts so when I saw these Quadratinis in lemon, I snagged them. And on this stick can, I tried both patterned paper and ribbon. I'm kind of liking the look... And it was WAY EASIER than wrapping ribbon around the entire can!

 

Happy Crafting!

Navy Boats

As centerpieces for Daniel's party, I made some navy boats. The boats were surprisingly easy to make... I even memorized the folds after one try! (And made one out of a napkin at a restaurant the other day. Waiter thought I was nuts.) I'm planning on filling them with LifeSavers at the party. Cute AND Practical!

To Make: Fold an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of cardstock into a boat (tutorial here). Cut triangle flag out of cardstock and use double sided tape to adhere to a wooden skewer. Poke wooden skewer through center of boat.

Happy crafting!

Stampin' Up! Party

Below are the cards I made with Andrea and Jan...

How cute are the dress and tux hearts?!?!

And of course I had to make one of my owls cross-eyed... Too Cute!

Jan had the coolest machine. It could do both die cuts and embossing! I love the swirls on the envelope. We used that same machine to make the petals and the polka dots on the other two cards.

We had such a good time. Thanks again, Jan! Happy crafting!

More Yummy

Daniel and I had dinner with friends last night... Of course I made cheesecake for dessert. And I gave the extra slices away as "thank yous". Below are the baggies I made with my "a little yummy for your tummy" stamp (see my previously made "yummy" bag here). I love that stamp. So here I go... Thank You, Jan! Jan is a Stampin' Up demonstrator and set up a stamping party for Andrea and I yesterday (I'll post the cards we made later). Thank You, Francheska and Shastina! Francheska and Shastina gave me much appreciated rides home this week from Vacation Bible School. Thank You, Kelly! And Kelly is a high school science teacher who is sharing some of her amazing tricks with me. I'm obviously super lucky to have these people in my life and wanted to show my appreciation.

Not my finest work, but edible. I've been trying out new cheesecake recipes...

Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cheesecake:

HERSHEY'S Chocolate Crust

HERSHEY'S Chocoalte Chip Cheesecake

It's good, but the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake I had previously made was definitely better. Happy baking! And happy crafting all!

Navy Water Bottle Labels

You know me and my water bottle labels... I figure people need to stay hydrated and why not stay hydrated with decorated water. Decorated to the theme of the party, to be exact. Below are the navy and white striped labels for Daniel's Navy Party.

 

Super simple. But they'll look awesome with the navy and white striped theme we've got going on. Stay hydrated this summer! And happy crafting all!

Navy Invitations

Okay. Some of you may know and some of you may not know that my boyfriend, Daniel, was accepted into the U.S. Navy's HPSP (Health Professions Scholorship Program). Basically, the U.S. Navy pays for him to finish his doctorate and then gives him a job. Good deal, right? Congrats, Daniel! I'm SUPER EXCITED for him and of course, SUPER PROUD of him, as well. He definitely deserves it. So in celebration of his official swearing in in September, I'm throwing him a party. (DUH!) Actually, I have a partner in crime on this one... Nicole and I are co-hosting! I LOVE collaboration so I'm double excited. Below are the invitations we'll be sending out...

How did I ever send out invitations without paper lined envelopes???

 

We're going with a nautical theme... anchors, knots, navy and white stripes. So fun. Happy crafting!

Mamere's 80!

Today is Mamere's 80th birthday! Happy 80th Birthday, Mamere! See her birthday cards below.

 

 

Mamere means "grandma" in french... That's what I grew up calling her. Mamere is my mom's mom and lives in a teeny, tiny town in Northeastern Maine. It's pretty much potato fields until Canada from there! I love it. Everyone knows everyone. It's a perfect little small town. Mamere lives in a red house that I absolutely adore. When visiting, we play cards at the dinner table, ping-pong in the basement, volleyball in the backyard, or walk down the hill to get frozen yogurt... We pretend like the walk is exercise and we deserve a treat (as if the short walk were enough to burn off the calories of our giant frozen yogurt cones!). And most importantly, LOBSTER FEASTS! A trip to Maine (or North Carolina, for that matter) is not compelete without one. Lobster Feasts are definitely a very important family tradition. My mom and her three sisters will sit for hours after the meal cleaning out all the claws and the legs. See one of my old posts for the Lobster Care Package I made for my mom last time she went to Maine. Like I said, Lobster Feasts are a big deal in my family.

To Make: Stampin' Up colors Basic Black (cardstock,ribbon, and stamp pad), Kraft (cardstock), Baja Breeze (cardstock and stamp pad), Whisper White (cardstock); Stampin' Up stamp set Awash with Flowers.

To Make: Cake was cut using Stretch Your Imagination Cricut cartridge; Stampin' Up stamp set One Smart Cookie; Stampin' Up colors Basic Black (cardstock and stamp pad), Whisper White (cardstock and stamp pad).

Happy crafting!

We All Scream For Ice Cream

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream. I decided to use the cupcake tops from my Create a Cupcake stamp set to make ice cream scoops... Below is the result. Katie G, my giveaway winner, requested birthday cards with Cheers to You and Create a Cupcake. I hope she likes this one!

To Make: Stampin' Up colors: Chocolate Chip (cardstock and stamp pad), Regal Rose (cardstock and stamp pad) Kraft (cardstock); Stampin' Up stamp sets: Create a Cupcake and Family Phrases; Tools: 2" round punch, scallop edge scissors; Other: patterned paper.

Happy Crafting!

What a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts

Okay, so it's only one coconut, but the saying still works. I made the following card for Rich. Rich is in the hospital getting a bone marrow transplant. He has a huge team of people praying for him, thinking of him, and wishing him well. I thought I'd send him a card to remind him of that. His room has been decorated with an island theme... flamingos, Jimmy Buffet, shark fins, Tiki Bar, and good old Captain Morgan. Serioulsy. There's a Captain Morgan statue with surgical gloves and a surgical mask. Hilarious. Get Well Soon, Rich!

To Make: Stampin' Up colors: Wild Wasabi (cardstock), Pumpkin Pie (cardstock), Rose Red (cardstock), Chocolate Chip (cardstock); Stampin' Up stamp sets: Botanical Blossom;. Tools: 2" round punch (coconut), small leaf and flower punches; Other: drink umbrella.

More Student Stick Cans

In addition to making Hadar's Crayon Can yesterday, I also made a few (and by few, I mean five) Student Stick cans. You see, in elementary school, teachers have one can for their one class. They can write student NAMES on the sticks. But in middle school, teachers have five classes and therefore most will write NUMBERS and just look at their class rosters to know who the kid is. However, I'm not going to lie, this is somewhat of a pain as I often walk my classroom with a handful of sticks and leave my clipboard behind! To solve this problem, there's a teacher I work with that does write all student NAMES on her sticks and bundles them by class. I walked into her class one day and was appalled at the sight of the bundles (wrapped in color-coded rubber bands, at least)! I decided right then and there to make her cans for her sticks. Below are the products.

Apparently these cans can do a circus act! Hehe.

To Make: Empty an aluminum can (my favorite is artichoke hearts) and use a hot glue gun to wrap with either cardstock or ribbon. Cardstock is a bit easier, but not as fancy. For cardstock, make squiggle lines with your hot glue and press firmly, one small section at a time. For ribbon, glue and wrap one layer at a time, then tie off with a bow.

Stay tuned the next couple weeks as I give you some sneak peaks at Daniel's upcoming Party! Happy crafting!

Crayon Can

Remember Hadar's Students Sticks? I had some of the ribbon left over and had a small can from the fudge I made (recipe to come), so I made her a Crayon Can! Now when she does any instruction that involves coloring, she's good to go!

To Make: Empty an aluminum can and use a hot glue gun to adhere ribbon, wrapping and gluing each layer. Viola!

Target Gift Card, Anyone?

My best friend, Hadar in the real world, Miss Kindergarten in the blog world, is hosting a giveaway! YAY! Follow the link below to check it out.

Target Treasures Gift Card Giveaway

1st Birthdays

Today is my second cousin's 1st birthday. Happy 1st Birthday, Langdon! Langdon lives in North Carolina and has three older siblings. The four of them are cute as can be. My cousin is the oldest and the only one married with kids. That just means that the rest of the family oohs and aahs at his kids until they're cranky or dirty and then we hand them back. Below is his bright balloon card.

To Make: Balloons were cut using Celebrations Cricut cartridge. Stampin Up colors - Bashful Blue (patterned paper), Pumpkin Pie (cardstock and ribbon), Wild Wasabi (cardstock).

Happy Crafting!

Water Bottle Labels

In case you haven't noticed, I make water bottle labels for all the parties I plan. They are super easy and really add some customization (word?) to the party. Below are the pink and black, polka-dot and stripe labels I made for my first client... Yes. You read that right. A client! Remember Erit's Graduation Party? Well her boss was at the party and apparently loved the water bottle labels so she asked that I make some for her upcoming party. I even made super cute invoices!

What do you think? Etsy Shop? I could sell personalized invitations and water bottle labels. They would coordinate, of course. See some of my other water bottle labels here. Happy crafting all!

More Time Means More Awash with Flowers

I think my favorite part of summer is the fact that I have time. Time to bake. Time to cook. Time to craft. Time to exercise. Time to visit with friends. Not only do I have time to do whatever I want, but I also have time to do things HOW I want. For example, I now have enough time to not only make cards, but make individual cards designed for individual people. Get out! In the past, I would count up the number of birthday cards I needed for two or three months, design one, and power out that many. Now I can make one per person. Isn't time grand? (I think the phrase is "isn't love grand", but I'm gonna go with "time" today.) So today is my Aunt Judy's birthday. Happy Birthday, Aunt Judy!

By the way, I have two Aunt Judys. (And two Uncle Toms, but that's another story.) Aunt Judy Deslatte lives in Colorado (dad's side) and Aunt Judy Bailey lives in North Carolina (mom's side). I grew up calling my Aunt Judy Bailey, "Auntie Poodie." No idea where it came from. But today is Aunt Judy Deslatte's birthday. And she is actually married to one of my Uncle Toms... Just to confuse you all. Happy crafting!

And The Winner Is...

Congrats, Katie! Email me at ms.ashleydeslatte@yahoo.com with your card choices and mailing address! And thanks to all those who spread the word in support! Happy crafting!

Giveaway Ends Today!

It's your last chance to enter my giveaway! I'm celebrating my 100th blog post with a giveaway! What am I going to giveaway? You guessed it... CARDS!

GIVEAWAY: Set of 10 Custom Handmade Cards

TO ENTER:

• Become a follower on my blog and leave me a comment.
• Already a follower? Great! Just leave me a comment. Tell me either what post got you to follow me or what your favorite post is so far.
• Bonus entry! If you're a blogger yourself, you can get an extra entry by posting about my giveaway on your blog and leaving me a separate comment with the link.

GIVEAWAY RULES: It's pretty simple, any follower living in the contiguous United States who leaves a comment is eligible to win. Exclusions: You can't be my family because you already get cards every Christmas.

A winner will be chosen at random from the comments added to MY PREVIOUS POST and that winner will be able to choose what type(s) of cards he/she would like. Sets might include all of the same card or an assortment of different cards. An assortment might include BIRTHDAY, BLANK, GET WELL, HOLIDAY, ROMANCE, SYMPATHY, THANK YOU, or a MIX! The winner will get to customize his/her set.

GIVEAWAY ENDS TODAY AT 7:11 PM (PST)!

Napkin Rose Tutorial

I was making dinner for Daniel and I when I decided to fold our napkins into roses. Napkin folding can be super complicated, but it can also be super easy. This rose is definitely an easy one. You'll find a photo tutorial below.

I garnished our rose napkins with fresh basil from the garden. Below is an additional picture of our rose napkins in action!

By the way, I steamed our entire meal in Daniel's rice cooker. Get out! I did! And now I only have one dish to wash (well that's not entirely true, but you get the idea). Happy cooking and happy crafting!

Again, don't forget about my GIVEAWAY!

Moffatt Girls Giveaway

Moffatt Girls is a super cute blog I just found. Annie was an elementary school teacher, but now stays home with her two darling girls. She's celebrating 500 followers with a giveway. What's the prize?

 CHECK IT OUT!

A Little Yummy

I felt like making a little yummy today...The leftover slices of triple chocolate cheesecake are going to Hadar today, so I decided to decorate the baggie for her. Below is the product.

To Make: Fold patterned paper in half over the top of a Ziploc bag, covering the zippy part, and decorate. I used my yummy stamp from my Yummy stamp set from Stampin Up and some ribbon.

Don't Forget: My GIVEAWAY ends Thurs, July 7th @ 7:11pm!

Awash with Flowers

YAY for new stamps! And by new stamps, I mean stamps I've had since February and just haven't had a chance to use yet. Daniel's mom, Jan, gave me the Awash with Flowers stamp set from Stampin' Up! for my birthday. Thanks again, Jan! I'm sort of obsessed now. Below is the first card I made with my new stamp set. It's my Aunt Dot's birthday today. Happy Birthday, Aunt Dot! She lives in Alaska and I've literally only seen her twice in my life, but she taught me how to french braid my own hair when I was about 8-years-old. And she gives a lot of hugs.

Lately I've been including a separate sheet of cardstock inside my cards so that the recipient can recycle the card and give it to someone else. It's like a card within a card... Well, not really. A gift that keeps on giving? Sure! That works! Happy crafting!

Classroom Management Linky Party

I'm joining the Classroom Management Linky Party with Miss Kindergarten! So one of my strenghts and weaknesses in teaching is definitely classroom management. I am oober consistent, but am also ridiculously strict sometimes... meaning I don't tolerate much. This can be good and bad. My students know they won't get away with ANYTHING. They know they won't be warned repeatedly. And they know exactly what the consequences are when my expectations aren't met. I've overheard students telling others about me saying, "she's fun, but she's REALLY strict." YES! That's exactly what I want to be!

Classroom Management Strategy: My favorite strategy from teaching kindergarten was "Freeze 1, 2, 3." While students were working, whether independently or in groups, and I needed their attention, I would say "Freeze 1, 2, and 3." This meant...

Freeze 1 - hands on your head
Freeze 2 - hands on your shoulders
Freeze 3 - hands in your lap

The idea behind it? When you ask for students' attention, the majority of students (in Irvine, mind you) will give it to you, no problem. But there are always a few stragglers. By asking students to give some sort of response when you ask for their attention, you end up with EVERYONE'S attention. And! By having students respond with their hands, they also stop whatever it is they are doing so you have their undivided attention (one of my pet peeves!).

Now I did mention that I used this strategy in kindergaten, but not with my middle schoolers. I plan, however, to try it next year. I think it will really help my students to actually STOP and LISTEN. Of course, I can't have them putting their hands on their heads, shoulders, and laps... My Thoughts: As I say, "Freeze 1, 2, and 3", students can make faces or poses. I think a lot of my students will have fun with this, even get totally into it. However, I worry about those few that will think it is totally lame and possibly discourage the remainder of the class from participating. Thoughts?

Join Miss Kindergarten's Linky Party Below!

4th of July Headbands

It's the 4th of July and I woke up this morning needing some festivity in my hair. My first thought was bow. Then I rememberd that with a bow in my hair, I look about 12 years old. My next thought was buttons and flowers. Below are my experiments.

To Make: Crochet a flower (see previous crocheted flower post here) using red string (the friendship bracelet kind), then tie it to a navy headband. It seriously took me less than 2 minutes. I'll be wearing this one today.

To Make: Cut a piece of wide ribbon (I used navy and white striped ribbon), wrap string (or twine) around the center, then tie to a headband. Again, less than 2 minutes to make. This one did make me look about 12 years old, so I won't be wearing it. It does, however, match the party I'll be throwing Daniel in September. I think I will give this one to my co-host to wear... She looks GREAT in bows and headbands!

To Make: Sew a button (I found a navy button with an anchor) to a headband. Again, only about 2 minutes to make. And this one also matches Daniel's party for September. I'll be wearing this one.

Happy 4th of July everyone! And happy crafting!

Don't forget about my GIVEAWAY!

Love and Music

When Daniel and I first started dating, he lived and Azusa, CA and I lived in Irvine, CA... A 45 minute drive apart. We met at my childhood church as he leads worship there on Sunday mornings. For most of the first year of our relationship, we saw each other on Tuesday nights (band rehearsal) and Sundays (church). I made him cards on Tuesday, then cut back to cards once a month, and lately , cut WAY back to once every 6 months! Now that I have time (YAY for SUMMER!), I'm back to making him cards whenever I get the chance... Today marks 2 years and 9 months that we've been together (a.k.a an excuse for a card!). Below is a music inspired card as Daniel has such a passion and talent for music. My heart melts every time I hear him sing. He's seriously amazing. I love you so much, Daniel. Happy 2+ years! I am such a lucky girl!

P.S. The moment I knew I was falling in love with Daniel was about a month and a half into dating while listening to him sing. Again, he's amazing. (I would attach a clip of him singing, but he probably wouldn't like that very much.) You'll just have to trust me, I guess. Happy crafting all!

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Oh, baby! Daniel and I are having dinner with friends tonight, so as usual, I made dessert. I LOVE the triple chocolate cheesecake that comes in the "Cheesecake Dillema" box at Trader Joe's, so I thought I'd try making that. I didn't have an actual recipe, but 3 seperate cheesecake recipes that I combined... And it TOTALLY worked! In reality, I made a chocolate graham cracker crust, filled it with chocolate cheesecake, then topped it off with mini chocolate chips. You'll find the recipes below.

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe:

HERSHEY'S Crust

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

1/3 c. sugar

1/3 c. HERSHEY's Cocoa

1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter, melted

Combine graham crackers, sugar, cocoa, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up side of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 8 minutes at 325.

HERSHEY'S Chocolate Cheesecake

3 packages (8oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 c. sugar

1/3 c. HERSHEY's Cocoa

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese sugar, and cocoa in a large bowl until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared crust.* Bake 45-50 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Loosen cake from side of pan before removing side of pan completely. Cover and refrigerate several hours. Enjoy!

* One mistake I made was not mixing in the mini chocolate chips before pouring the filling into the crust. Next time, I plan on pouring about half of the cheesecake filling into the crust., mixing the mini chocolate chips with the remaining filling, then pouring that chocolately batch on top of the cheesecake. Maybe a nice chocolate drizzle over that?

VOTE: Which do you prefer, Original (vanilla) Cheesecake or Chocolate Cheesecake?

And don't forget about my GIVEAWAY!

Yep, I'm Still Obsessed

So in making my summer birthday cards, I thought I'd pull out the old Chic Boutique stamp set and see if I'm still as obsessed as I was the last time I used it (see here, here, and here)... I DEFINITELY am! And I hadn't used the Eiffel Tower stamp yet, so that was a must. I made this card for my cousin, Katrina, and my friend, Erit. Remember Erit's graduation party? Their birthdays are in August and September, so I'm way ahead of the game. Happy Birthday, Katrina and Erit!

To Make: I used black cardstock, cream cardstock, fancy gold floral patterned paper in blue (left over from some old thank you cards I had), black ribbon, and Chic Boutique stamp set from Stampin Up!

GIVEAWAY REMINDER: Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY to win 10 custom handmade cards! Giveaway ends on Thurs. July 7, 2011 at 7:11pm.