Happy Anniversary to US!

Hello crafty friends.

I know I've been missing for the last few days.  Christmas is such an important time for us to spend with our families and I'm blessed to come from a big Cuban clan and we rarely get to spend the holidays together.  This year, we were ALL together.  Christmas Eve is our big night.  We roasted a pig and there were 29 mouths eating together.  It was a blast!

Well, today is my ninth wedding anniversary.  I just wanted to post a quick note about my husband and how we met.  We actually met online through an online dating service.  Yes...sounded freaky to me too back then.   Harold and I started emailing back and forth, started dating two months later and we were an instant couple.  WE were married eight months after we met.  Here we are nine years later with two beautiful children and a lifetime of things to look forward to.   We are not a perfect couple.  I don't think those exist, but God made him just for me and when I think of how many horrific men are out there, I thank Him for the blessing that He gave me on December 28, 2002.

Happy Anniversary, honey!  To many many more!!

Butterfly Mask Invite

Hi friends,

I'm about to embark on my trip and wanted to post a picture of a butterfly card I am making for a young quinceanera.  In the Hispanic culture, we don't celebrate Sweet Sixteen but rather do a big Fifteens party which is the right of passage from childhood to womanhood, if you will.

I was asked to come up with a neat invitation for a Masquerade themed party for a quinceanera and I came up with this.  It's a gate fold card.  It's 5 x 5...I'll probably adjust the size some and also make the design nicer...I just have to tweak it. I wanted to show it to the mom to see if I was on the right track.  I had to manually cut out holes in the butterfly to make it look like a mask...when I make the final ones, it won't look like this.  I'll keep the background layer solid so that it actually looks like a mask instead of a butterfly with holes.  :)

Hope you like!

Dorcas

Christmas Tags/Ghirardelli Squares holder

Good morning friends!

December has really proven to be a busy month for me.  Wow!  Well, I always like to make different embellishments for my gifts, so this year I bought these cute Ghirardelli chocolate squares in Peppermint Bark flavor.  I decided to make little holders and turn the holders into my gift tag.

Paper is cut at 3" x 8"
Score at 3 7/8" and 4 1/8"

I then punched the top out with a Martha Stewart edge punch and added a 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" piece of designer paper.  This one is from DCWV Christmas stack from last year.  I added a cute ribbon and wrote the recipient's name on top with a pen.  For the others, I used a glitter pen.

The snowflake is from Gypsy Wanderings cut at 1.5" on glittered paper and glued onto a 2" circle punch that was run through the cuttlebug in the snowflake embossing folder.

I love how these look on the presents!

Have a Very Merry Christmas!  I will be gone all week without access to my emails or blog, but I wish you all many Christmas blessings from my family to yours!!

The empty space above the ribbon is where I wrote in the recipient's name.
Also...I just purchased a light box.  I really need to iron that backdrops so that there are no creases.  Sorry...it was my first time!

Big Apple Red by OPI - my favorite Christmas nail color!

Awesome Giveaway by Melissa

Melissa is doing another amazing giveaway.  I think you should all check it out. She's being super generous.

Creating from the Heart

Santa Belt Buckle Napkin Rings

Good morning friends!

My sister has planned Noche Buena (Christmas Eve dinner is the big Cuban event) around a Santa theme.  We came up with the idea of using Santa's belt as the napkin holder.  I used 1 1/2" satin ribbon and created a buckle on my gypsy. It was cut out of brushed silver cardstock which looks like metal.  They came out cute.  Imagine them on a beautiful white plate...on a gorgeous setting!  Debbie knows how to throw a dinner party!

Happy Crafting!

Santa Placecards

Hi friends,

I know it's been a week since my last post.  I was very swamped last week making some cool centerpieces for a Havana Nights party.  God is faithful and He comes just in time to save the day.

Tonight I wanted to share some easy Santa Placecards that I came up with for Christmas.  I'm sure I'll embellish some more...but I wanted to share what I had so far.  The paper is SU.  I stamped the clothespin with My Creative Time's background stamp.  It looked to plain to leave as it.  I also used the Curly Label punch from SU.

I hope you like it.

Personalized Santa Letters

Hi everyone,

My friend Jessi has been trying to encourage me to list some items on etsy...so I did. I created an 8.5" x 5.5" card which is really a letter from Santa.  It is beautiful.  I used the Santa card idea that I posted about earlier this month but added it to a larger card and went all out with the personalization.  It really turned out beautiful!

Here are some photos...if you're interested in purchasing, please visit my etsy shop HERE.

Get Well Card

Hi everyone!

It's Black Friday!  Let me tell you something...I wish I could be out there finding great deals on all kinds of stuff! Unfortunately, there is no Black Friday money in the Troche budget.  But, if you had a chance to get out, please please please share.  I'm living vicariously through you all!

Today I wanted to share a card I made for my nephew who broke his arm recently.  I used the Life's A Party cartridge and cut the balls at 2".   The card base is PTI Kraft paper.  I must say that I am very impressed with this paper.  It's a 5 x 5 card.  The first layer is Island Indigo by SU and the goldenrod color is Recollections.

The sentiment is from My Creative Time and I used Island Indigo ink from SU.  Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friends,

I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.  I feel blessed for a wonderful family, for being saved, for living in a free country and for having a few creative thoughts here and there.  Cassie made this card in school the other day.  Another parent is a major papercrafter and I wanted to share her creation. Let me tell you - I CANNOT WAIT TO HAVE A PLAYDATE WITH THIS AWESOME MOM!!!!!

I also wanted to share a picture of my dad.  Thanksgiving was always his favorite holiday.   When I was single, I would go to their home early just to wake up to the smell of the turkey roasting and would watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.  We've said goodbye to dad, but this will always be his day.  I'm thankful because he was such a positive role model for us and because he taught us how to be our very best.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!  May God bless you!

Thanksgiving WIne Charms

Hi friends!

This week has been chock full of last minute Thanksgiving projects.  Nothing major...just a lot of little things.  My sister and I were trying to find a creative way to make wine charms, so I came up with these little pumpkins that I saw at Lorri's blog.  I made the pumpkins using several punches and then hand wrote every guest's name.  I used a 1/16" hole puncher and added a wire hoop.  It was not hard at all.  I made 25 of these last night.  Yay.  I know the handwriting is a little bit off, but I could not feed the cardstock through the printer without it jamming and I did not want to go with the big job of stamping the names.  That would have taken way too long.  I hope you all like.

Thanksgiving Placecards

Good morning!

It's crunch time!  My favorite holiday has always been Thanksgiving.  This year, the feast will be at my sister's home.  She has a beautiful home and she loves to decorate it for special occasions.  I created these easy placecards using My Creative Time's Fancy Frame Stamp & Die Set.  These were super easy to make.  Normally I embellish more, but this year I went simple.  Looking at them, I'm still thinking I have tiny pine cones in the utility room that I could glue on there...perhaps I'll add some.  We shall see.

Paper is Very Vanilla by SU and the ink is Chocolate Chip.  The base is 4 x 4 scored at 2" in Soft Suede.  The designer paper is Paper Pizzazz.  Can you believe I didn't have a Fall theme paper?  Goodness!  What has this world come to?

I hope you enjoy and have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.  Remember to be thankful in all things.

Be blessed!

UPDATED PHOTO:
I went to the back and found the little pinecones and hot glued them to the place cards.  I think it came out cute.

Magic Reindeer Food

Hi crafty friends!

My daughter and I have been making treats using clear cellophane bags.  Whimsie Doodles has great freebies and other digis for sale.  I like to browse their site from time to time.  I downloaded the Magic Reindeer Food file and printed it on the computer.  I embellished it by using Glossy Accents which I found at a great local scrapbook store (The Paper Niche) yesterday.  This particular Glossy Accents comes in a Stickles applicator.  I was beside myself with joy!  I HAD to buy it.  I also used Candy Cane Stickles on his nose.

Anyhow...I found these M&Ms on sale at Target and thought it would make a great treat.   I sure hope you enjoy this post.  I like to share everything I make and that also helps me get more practice and better at my technique.  My only problem was that I used a 1 3/4" circle punch and a 2" scalloped circle when I intended on using a 2 1/4" scallop.  It wasn't until I took these pictures that it hit me.  SO...I'm posting the first picture as the final product.  They are all going to be updated tomorrow.  :)

Have a good day everyone!!!

Candy Purse

Hi friends!

Well, it's been a busy day at our house.  Not doing anything specific...just a lot of busy work.  Tonight I sat here and was working on some M&M "Magic Reindeer Food" treats and started surfing.  Have you ever heard of Becky Roberts?  Well, if you have not, RUN, DO NOT WALK to her blog.  She has some fantastic ideas and tutorials for purchase and some others just for sharing with everyone.  She really is talented.  I cased this little Candy Purse from her.  I do not own the Top Note die from Sizzix or SU (i'm not sure who manufactures it), but I did have some that I had bought from eBay last year and went ahead and made this little purse.  If you'd like to visit Becky Roberts and see her tutorial, click HERE.  The first one always is a little off, but as I make more, I'll get better at it.  Trust me...it looks much cuter in person than in the photos.  I really need to get a better photo set up.  Actually...I recently bought a LightBox.  I'm waiting for it to arrive.  Maybe that will help.

Santa

Good morning, friends!

This has been a very exhausting week...and I'm not even sure why.  I have not had much crafting time.  I did, however, make this little card last week.  I totally scraplifted it from Cindy Lawrence.  I have really loved finding her blog. She is amazing!

This is just a little practice one that I made.  I had to use a Tupperware bowl as a guide for the round edges of the trim, the beard and mustache.  I also hand cut the eyes and nose.  Needless to say, I purchased an oval punch this weekend.  I will likely make more of these because my little sample came out adorable (minus the obvious adhesive and so on) and I think they would be neat for the kids to hand out at Christmas, don't you?  I need to search for a Cricut cut for the holly leaves...these were also hand cut, as you can probably tell.  Well, like I've said before, I promised myself I would post whatever I make, so here's my Santa!

Have a great day!

Giveaway

Hi friends,

Today is my hubbys 40th birthday, so we've been celebrating all weekend. Just wanted to drop a quick note because there's a great Art Philosophy cartridge giveaway HERE.  Check it out!  It's available until Thanksgiving!

Santa Card

Good morning!

I couldn't sleep, so I decided to come play.  I have been thinking of a Santa card for the last couple of days.  Here is my version.  It was super simple to make, actually.

Have a great day!

Extreme Makeover-Celeste Edition

Hi friends,

As I mentioned in my teaser last week, I had been working on a couple of projects but unable to post them as they were a surprise for a good friend and I did not want her to go online and see her surprise.  But...Friday we spent the day at her house and we completely made it over for her.  She is a special person and we wanted her to have a "HOME" instead of just a house.  I'll spare you the rest of the house, but will share the kids' room which is where my Cricut worked.  :)  WARNING:  Photo Heavy!!

Before: Richard had no color on the walls.

AFTER:  WOW! We went all out with the Spiderman theme.  

Next is N'yani's room.  She is a lovely 11 year old and she wanted a purple and teal room.

I've Gone Wreath Crazy!

Hi everyone.  The other day I shared a card a made with a wreath made out of two different scalloped circle punches.  I finished them up today.  I made several in different colors.  Some look like the original (the door panel) and then I made these that are a little different.  To see the original post, click HERE.

Heartfelt Thanks

Hi Friends!

I have two thank you cards to share today.  I have two special friends who gave me beautiful gifts recently and I'd like to formally thank them.  Plus, it gives me a reason to make a card...not that I need one, right?

These were made with Stampin Up cardstock as base and layer 1.  Layer 1 is from the In Colors.  The designer paper is from a paper pad that I purchased at Big Lots for FIFTY CENTS!!  The sentiment and ink is Stampin Up.  One of the scalloped circles is 2" the other is 2 1/2".  I used stickles to add some interest.  I have always wanted to fill up an entire layer with Stickles.  Hmm...I wonder how ridiculous that would look.  I love stickles.

Hope you love

I smeared the ink a little on this one...but I promised to always post what  I make.  Besides, that's the beauty of a handmade card...it's never perfect.  :)

Teaser

I've been working hard this week helping a friend and sister redecorate her home.  I Have so many cute things to show you...but I can't post yet because I don't want her to open the blog and see anything.  So....please stay tuned.  Tomorrow I'll be able to share it all with you!  Imagine an Extreme Makeover Home Edition...on a much smaller scale! Cannot wait!!!

Masculine Birthday Card - 3

One more card to share.  This one is using My Creative Time's Bingo stamp.  It came out cute.  The star is a cutout using a Fiskars punch.  :)  the sentiment inside is from My Pink Stamper.

Have a great day!