Dog Days of Summer Blog Hop

A new month calls for a new blog hop with the Creative Scrapbooking Divas! Did you know the CS Divas have a blog hop the first Saturday of the month? They are so much fun and there are usually several fun prizes to be won! This month's blog hop is inspired by summer, and so are our projects!

If you're just joining us now, you can start at the beginning by going to Luisa's blog & visiting each site on the hop so you'll be eligible to win the CS Divas Grand Prize!

Here's how you earn your chance to win:

a. leave a comment on each site of the hop

b. leave a comment on the CS Divas web site when you're done!

You can earn extra tickets to win by also -

a. becoming a follower on our blog

b. become a fan on our Facebook page

c. add your own summer project on our website using Mr. Linky.

One more thing before we see my project - our blog tour list -

Luisa's Blog: Creative Designs by Luisa: http://creativedesignsbyluisa.com/

Sandy's Scrapbook Blessings

Stephanie: You are here!

Pam: Dreams and Memories at http://dreamersklub.blogspot.com/

Jessica's Craft Shaque: http://jessicascraftshaque@blogspot.com

Alecia's blog: http://freakalecias.blogspot.com/

For me, summer brings to mind the carefree and innocent images of the past as well as some of my favorite summer activities. I combined both of these in a quick and simple banner. Here's the project as a whole -

The images I saved from the internet at Plan 59, and the flash cards are from a downloaded set of 12 flashcards I purchased from an Etsy Store called Hudson's Holidays. (if you've never heard of etsy, you're missing out! Etsy is an on line market place for individuals to open their own cyber store fronts & sell handmade goods) The kids and I went through the flashcards and they picked out their favorites. Then I simply punched holes in each card/pic, strung them together and raided my ribbon stash for colorful bits that I tied between everything. My kids and I have had the best time this summer enjoying everything from our banner: sunshine, popsicles, swimming, & summertime! What do you love about summertime? Create your own project and and link it up by August 9th 7pm Eastern time on our Creative Scrapbooking Divas Blog to get two tickets and be entered to win our blog hop prize!

Thanks for visiting, now let's go see what Pam created!

Divalicious Christmas in July Blog Hop

Welcome to the Creative Scrapbooking Divas Christmas in July blog hop!
It may not feel like snow outside in the Northern hemisphere, but if we start our holiday projects now, we just might be ready by December! We would love for you to plan and play along! Please join us as we share with you the wonderful holiday projects of CS Divas.

If you are just now joining us, you can go to Luisa's blog to start at the beginning so you won't miss a hop stop and be eligible for the blog hop prize.
Our blog hop list:
Luisa: Creative Designs by Luisa
Sandy: Scrapbook Blessings
Stephanie: The Magic of Ordinary Days (you are here!)
Jessica: Jessica's Craft Shaque
Yolie: Just Yolie, Just Create
Vanessa: Creating Sensations
Pam: Dreamer's Klub
Alecia: Welcome to Alecia's

Don't forget to comment on the main Diva blog here when you are done for a ticket to be entered for the blog hop prize!!! I am also offering blog candy for new followers & comments!

One of my favorite Christmas traditions growing up was the advent calendar my mom bought every year with little pieces of chocolate behind those magic paper doors that every day my sisters and I couldn't wait to open! Advent calendars have come a long way since then, & for quite awhile I've wanted to make a muffin pan countdown calendar like the ones I've seen on line.
So, let's get started!

Supplies:
1 - 24 count mini muffin pan (got mine from Wal-Mart!)
Scraps of paper (however you choose to make yours; I used 24 different patterns, but you could do a repeating pattern of the same papers)
Magnets (from your fridge or craft store)
Alpha stickers/rub-ons
Pencil/pen
Scissors
Glue (Elmer's Craft Bond Rubber Cement
Punches, embellishments
Let's Get to Work:
1. First I measured the opening of the muffin wells (2") & made my circles a little bigger (2 1/4") so they would clearly fit over the opening instead of falling in.
2. I picked my papers & cut each circle by hand instead of using my Cricut so I could place the patterns exactly where I wanted them.
3. I decided to make my calendar vertical instead of horizontal, choice is yours!
4. Next I figured out the layout of my circles & numbered them on the backs so I wouldn't forget or lose my place.
5. Once all my circles were cut, I set them aside & grabbed my magnets. Using the same 2 1/4" circle pattern, I traced 24 circles from the magnets. Cut around the circle two times, making the circumference just a bit smaller so the edges don't show once glued to the patterned paper.
6. In order to protect your work surface, place a mat (I use a large sheet of foam from Hobby Lobby) on your table before you start gluing.
7. Use the rubber cement to glue the magnet to the patterned paper. Important: always make sure you're placing the glue on the non-magnetized side! (when you're gluing 24 circles it's easy to just glue without thinking!)
8. Lay your glued/magnetized circles on your muffin pan & choose your alphas for each circle.
9. Embellish
10. Display: You can either place your advent calendar on a stand or drill a hole/holes in the top to draw ribbon through and hang wherever you choose.
What I'll be putting in my calendar:
1. Candy placed in one well per row. (hey - it's for the kids!) 2. Write your wish list to Santa & mail it. 3. Hop on one foot & sing Jingle Bells. 4. Send Christmas cards to troops overseas. 5. Read the Angel visits Mary (Mark 1:1-8). 6. Drink Hot Chocolate. 7. Watch Polar Express. 8. Create a mural of the nativity scene. 9. Buy a new Christmas book to add to our collection. 10. Bake Christmas cookies! 11. Wear Christmas pajamas & take pictures by the tree. 12. Memorize Bible verses from Luke chapter 2. 13. Visit a local Christmas tree farm & buy fresh boughs to make the house smell good. 14. Drive around neighborhoods & look at Christmas lights. 15. Make family Christmas ornaments for 2011. 16. Build a gingerbread house. 17. Make food for Santa's reindeer. 18. Attend Christmas Eve services at church.

I would love to see what you come up with! For two tickets to win the CS Divas blog hop prize, please post your entries using Mr. Linky by July 12th, 7pm eastern, to be entered to win the hop prize.
Thanks for hopping and have a Divalicious Christmas!
(Remember - post a comment at the Divas blog letting us know that you've left comments on all the Diva blogs for a ticket to win! Thanks for stopping by, leaving a comment or becoming a follower! Winner of the blog candy will be announced in one week! (going out of town next week!) Let's head over to Jessica's blog now!
Happy Crafting!
~ Stephanie

Valentines Blog Hop Take 2!

So I am really late getting my blog hop post up today! Sorry ladies! Crazy morning with my 2 preschoolers - both having their Valentines class parties & standing in line for an hour to get them registered for next year - could not believe how many people had arrived super early to get in line for a spot! Wow. But, the show must go on and here we go!

If you're new to my blog, or missed yesterday, I am taking part in the Creative Scrapbooking Divas Valentines Blog hop (check them out here: http://divascreativas.ning.com/) and am posting my project for Day 2 of the Blog Hop! You can go to the beginning of the hop by visiting Sandy at http://www.scrapbookblessings.blogspot.com/ and then follow along until you get back to me. Next we'll visit Alecia at http://www.freakalecias.blogspot.com/. Got it? Good!

This is my first blog hop with a challenge and give away, so it took me an extra day to figure out my challenge, but here it is:

Use a vintage Valentine's image in your project: card, layout, banner, etc. There are some great royalty free vintage images on the web, and I do adore all things vintage! So, find a few that you like, use them in your project, then head over to the Creative Scrapbooking Divas and upload your project to the discussion thread: Valentines BH - Stephanie's challenge entries by Thursday, Feb. 17th. The CSDivas will award a grand prize and I'll be giving away the creations that I've made for today's blog hop. Check it out --------->

I used old Junior Encyclopedia pages and cut them into tags, inked them w/ Tim Holtz' Vintage Photo ink, backed them with white cardstock, printed vintage Valentines card images from the internet, adhered them and used stickles for glitz and pizzazz. Ribbon at the top makes them complete and ready for you to send to your special Valentine! Hope you like them - they were fun to make and I think would be a very special touch on your gift, or write a loving note on the back as a card.

Please leave a comment, remember my challenge, and head over to Alecia's blog to see what she has going on today! Thanks! Stephanie

Welcome Blog Hoppers!

I'm so excited to participate in my first blog hop with the Creative Scrapbooking Divas! They are such a great group of ladies to work with! If you've never been to their site, check it out here - http://divascreativas.ning.com/. If you're joining me from Brenda's blog (http://www.brendasjoy.blogspot.com/), you made it to the right place and I'm so glad you're here! If you'd like to start at the beginning of the blog hop, go to Sandy's blog at http://www.scrapbookblessings.blogspot.com/.

Now on to the show!

My creation for today is a Valentines inspired banner I'm calling "One Boy + 1 Girl" that I made using my cricut Storybook cartridge, papers and vintage images from Pretty Little Studio and Making Memories, Bazzill cardstock, stickers by American Crafts, Jenni Bowlin bingo card, Stickles and a lace heart from Michaels. The "LOVE" stickers are from Target's 99 cent scrapbooking section. Probably my favorite part of the banner are the pictures of my husband and I when we were kids. Please leave a comment if you're new, follow me, and head back here tomorrow to see another lovely Valentines creation! When you're done here, head over to Alecia's blog at http://freakalecias.blogspot.com/ to keep your blog hop moving along!

Thanks for looking! Please leave a comment and follow my blog! I love making new creative friends! Head over to http://freakalecias.blogspot.com/ now for the next diva's blog!