Pressed Penny coin holder

Happy Easter!

So I found this idea on Pinterest for a way to have money ready for those pressed penny machines that you find in tourist traps.  Since we are getting ready for vacation and my kids love to collect pressed pennies all over Disney, keeping them in books.  So, these are made with m&m's mini tube and I used the label as a template for the wrap.  Dimensions are 4.25x5inches for the large tube.  I searched Mickey icons online and repeated it all over the page.  You can fit four wraps to a sheet.  I used Waltograph in yellow and the embossed font feature.  I also added their initial on the top of each tube.  Now, stack the coins two quarters and one shiny penny, alternating all the way up the tube.  The little m&m's tubes can work as well.  Thanks for looking!  April
Update: I have been asked by a couple of people to share a template.  I really didn't make one.  I unwound the label off the tube and measured to figure out the size of paper I would need, then set my margins on the computer to match that.  You can fit up to two on a standard 8.5x11 sheet.  The images were found on Yahoo! images and the font is from dafont.com, set to embossed on the font characteristics.  Hope that helps you!

Me in a Moment SMASH

So this is one of the pages with prompts in the black SMASHfolio.  I put some of my favorite things, ramblings, momentos, chocolate wrapper, and pics of my favorite toys.  I have my newest TGF stamp, Latte Anya, colored with copics.  I also have a SMASH pad page, a SMASH tab, and post-it notes.  The Bugs Bunny stamp is a leftover that has set in my desk drawer for more than 10 years.  I know there is a big gap on the right page, but I am still picking a font I like for a title that will run up the side.  Thanks for looking!  April

Pinterest SMASH

Yes, I admit it, I am a Pinterest addict.  I printed a few of the pins I just love and used them with SMASH tape, Recollections stickers, a die cut, SMASH labels, and a print of the Pinterest logo for some fun.  So there you have it...Thanks for looking!  April

My Person SMASH

My bestie, Jen, and I have called each other "my person" for a long time.  Lately, we're DB friends....you know "dead body" friends....the person that will help you hide the body.  Anyway, I have been sitting on this SMASH for a bit, cuz I wanted a pic of us, but neither of us like getting our pics taken, so I settled for Meridith & Christina from Grey's Anatomy.  She's absolutely my Meridith and the quote I found was so us.  I have paint chips, Recollections journal stickers and cards, doilies, leftover bits from a SU punch, bits from Rebecca @ Uprintables, SMASHpad, chipboard and word stickers from Tim Holtz, and pearly confetti flowers from Michael's Brides.  I even recycled the back of SMASH packaging to print my journalled thoughts on.  (No part of the SMASH package is trash!)  Thanks for looking!  April

Disney Cruise Door Sign

So it's tradition to make door signs with magnetic backs for your stateroom door.  As all the doors on the deck are identical, it makes it easier to see and the kids can find it quickly, as well. 

I used a black 12x12 and punched around the page with a Martha Stewart punch.  I layered it with some blue water paper (for our visit to the clear blue Caribbean waters), then cut our letters from Cricut's Mickey Font.  Tinkerbell is from Cricut's Tinkerbell & Friends and is cut at 7inches on a portrait setting for the Cricut Create machine.  I used stickles for pixie dust on Tink's wings, the number 1, and floating down the sign.  The sign will be hanging with a sign for each family member, which I will post after our trip.  Thanks for looking!  April

Cricut Tip

So, I got sick and tired of trying to squint at my keyboard mat and tell which key it was that matched the image I wanted to cut.  It's seriously hard to do with the fine details like in the Paper Dolls or Disney character cartridges.  What's a girl to do?  After some thinking, this is what I came up with...

Every time I get a new shape cartridge, I sit down with a sharpie marker and start marking.  The first image in your booklet matches the top left image on your keypad.  This is Row 1, Image 1 or simply 1-1.  There are 10 images in a row so the next image in your book becomes 1-2, and so on until you reach 1-10.  Next row is 2.  There are 5 rows on the keypad.  For example, I was cutting Tinkerbelle for our cruise door sign and, because of my marking, I knew the image I wanted was Row 2, image 3.  The picture shows how my mark matches the coordinating image on the keypad.  I hope you find the tip useful.  Thanks for looking!  April

Birthday Sleepovers

So, I have two children with February birthdays and they both decided they wanted sleepovers with a few friends.  We had the boys over one week and girls the next.

The invites are Recollection cardstock with layers of designer paper from Paper Studio.  I printed the info on Vellum and used EK Success and Martha Stewart border punches on it before mounting it with baker's twine bows placed with retired SU brads.  The images are from CTMH's Under the Stars acrylic set, colored in copic markers, then mounted on the invitations with dimensionals. 

Thanks for looking!  April

Mickey Glove Photo Holder

So I have been poking around learning more about some of the fun things people do on the cruises.  One of them are Fish Extenders...in short, it's a swap.  While I have not found any for the cruise we are on, we thought it would be nice to have a few just to give to new friends we make. 
These are super simple and fast to assemble.  The pack of 24 (medium size) binder clips from Office Max cost $6.79.  I used small pieces of washi tape to decorate the clips, then used liquid glass to attach the gloves that were cut from Cricut's Mickey & Friends cartridge at 1 3/4".  The paper was .79/sheet at Hobby Lobby and each sheet got me 2 6x12 sheets for the cricut.  Each 6x12 sheet cut 18 gloves.  (I later added a little red bow to each holder for a little extra something.) 
We packaged them in little ziploc bags with a business size card attached with our names and stateroom #.  What a simple and inexpensive note or photo holder to share! 
Thanks for looking!  April

Mousekeeping tip holder

ready to give

So I found some great ideas for "Mousekeeping" tip holders to use on our 1st Disney Cruise.  I decided I wanted something more than a printed envelope, so I got these little brown bag and tags from Hobby Lobby's Paper Studio.  I cut red cardstock to cover the front, then used Cricut's Mickey & Friends cartridge to cut the head icon at 2.5 inches.  Next, I cut the hands at 1 3/4" and the shoes at 1 1/2" (I think!).  The buttons are cut at 1/2" from George and Basic Shapes.  I used the zig 2-way pen to assemble the parts and tombow adhesive to attach. 

with insert pulled out

The inside card was decorated with Disney themed washi tape.  I used a loop of ribbon (a mini spool for .99 at Michaels) and attached with the Tim Holtz tiny attacher.  Last was a spiral paper clip to hold the money.  We can add a personal thank you to each card before giving it to our wait staff and room attendant. 
Thanks for looking!  April