Toadily Handmade by Renee

Beyond The Picket Fence: Ottodrawertastic!

Beyond The Picket Fence: Ottodrawertastic!: I have been known to make up words so why not ottodrawertastic to describe this project? I used one of 12 waterbed drawers hubby had bou...

Magnet Board

I used an old drawer from desk, painted, distressed and sealed it. Distressed an old cookie sheet and made the magnets.

New Projects

I'm starting a new craft....upcycling furniture. Look for details and projects to come

baby cardigan

I crocheted this for my grandson to be...due June 14th,,,for the fall, its one of the easiest sweaters I've ever tried to make and am making more, playing with thinner yarn to see if it will fit newborn-6 mos. For this one I used Caron's *dazzleaire* in Pebble and it came out same size as the directions for the pattern. If you want to try it click baby cardigan for complete instructions. Will post the other one as soon as I'm done with it.

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Daughters Baby Shower Card

Here's a card I made for my daughters baby shower yesterday. I used a digi from Nicecrane Design. The set is called Amazing Cute Kiddies. They are so adorable!!
Since all my craft stuff got packed up when mt daughter moved home, this was all that was left out. All considering, I don't think it came out too bad. Also some of the papers were from old cards that I never finished. (She's moved out now-I've just yet to get all my stuff back out). Been a while since I've made any cards....was fun

Crocheted Baby Blanket

This is the last project I was working on when I quit crocheting because it got to be too much on my hands. So I picked it up again when I found out my daughter was pregnant for the baby (before she found out it was going to be a boy). The yarn is Sports Lustro by Nomis. Its all made using double crochets.

Crochet Baby Slippers

I had to stop card making because my daughter moved home and stole her room back!! Huh....the nerve, so all my craft stuff got packed up and stuck in the attic and garage.
Now she's pregnant (first one and its a boy) so I picked up crocheting again. I had to reteach myself after not doing it for about 4 yrs. Took a bit, but I'm getting it now. These are the first things I made for the baby. I used Red Hearts worsted weight (4) yarn in grey and black and added pompoms. I've modified directions I found years ago, so if you wan them just let me know.

Paper Craft Journey Challenge #3 15 Feb 12 Make It Cute

Make It Cute!!

This is a weird week as far as challenges go for me! Both of my DT's are using the Pink Cat Studio digi's this week. As promised, here's what I did with my second PCS digi.

For the Paper Crafting Journey challenge we want to see you do just the cutest little project possible! Let's hope mine is cute enough to fit this challenge. I wanted to try a little something different for this challenge. I printed out the digi on paper and traced over it with "at you" Spica pen in black on a thick velum. Then I colored the different areas in stickles and Liquid Pearls in "Pastel Raspberry" on the inside part of the wings and on the stripes at the bottom of the body. To finish it off, so that i could hang it, I used some of my daughter's old beads on a thin beading wire. I definitely know I will be making more of these types of projects..

Well, this is going to be my last challenge for Paper Crafting Journey. I just don't have the energy anymore to make cards or do the comments! It's not a difficult thing, but I just can't do it! I just want to say a HUGE THANX to Lisa and the rest of the DT for the chance to work with them!!

Here's a close up, so that you can see all the details...

Challenges entered:

http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.com/ #22 Wings & things

http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/ #108 Try something new

http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com/ #190 Anything with wings

http://gingersnapcreations.blogspot.com/ #139 Use a faux technique

http://www.thepixiecottage.blogspot.com/ #108 Anything but a card

http://www.charismacardz.blogspot.com/ #5 Things with wings

Incy Wincy 13 Feb #132 Pink Cat Studio (Recipe)

Prize is 5 free digis

http://www.pinkcatstudio.com

13 Feb 11

Challenge #132

Recipe (1 image, 2 pp, 3 embellies)

It feels good to be back in the swing of things (for the most part)...Our sponsor this week is Pink Cat Studio. This is another first for me. The strange thing about this, is that both the DT's I'm on are using this sponsor during the same week!! So in a couple days, you will see what else that I've done with another one of these adorable digis.

Our challenge for you this week is a recipe. I always love these kinds of challenge. Our recipe is 1 image, 2 patterned papers, and 3 embellies (the embellies can be 3 of the same one or 3 different ones). My digi is called "Cat on Hatbox". I used scrap papers. The card base is from either "Lemonade" or "Limeade", not sure which and the other paper that I used to make the frame is scraps. I stamped the saying on the inside of the frame an put the kitty on the edge. The flower, brad, and pearls are all from my stash.

I ended up giving this card to my friend that lives down thee street from me. We've only become friends recently, but already I just love her to death! She's 68 years old and she's the one that calls me to see if I needed anything while I was deathly ill from Walking Pneumonia during the whole month of Jan. She's also been helping me while I have to go through getting shots in my knees. My only regret is I wish I met her sooner!!!

Feb 6th Bugaboo (Love-pink, black & white)

6 Feb 11

Challenge #132

Recipe (1 image, 2 pp, 3 embellies)

Although we are already in the month of February, this is actually the first challenge that I have done this year. All of my other cards I finished at the end of last year and had them set to post, so I haven't done anything crafty this year! I came down with a bad case of Walking Pneumonia for the whole month of January!! I have to say, it feels good to be finally getting well and back to doing crafts again!

OK- now on to this weeks challenge at Incy Wincy Designs.
With Valentine's Day coming up, that's what we want you to do this week, but only using the colors white, black and pink. We got to use Bugaboo digi's for this weeks challenge, so I had to use non other than the fab Stella!! I colored and cut her out, sticking her on a piece of white cs that I cut out using the "Lattice Rectangle" die with stickles on the edges. The ribbon is from my stash, tag is from Cosmo Cricut, one of the first craft kits I ever bought and hearts I got from my friend, Elaine.

Winner gets 7 digi's!!

http://www.bugaboostamps.com/

Challenges entered:

Wednesday

http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.com/ #20 Anything Goes

http://www.bellichallenge.blogspot.com/ #136 hearts/valentines

http://trulyscrumptiouschallenge.blogspot.com/ #73 love & hearts

http://www.whimsical-designs.com/ #41 Use something old (tag & ribbon)

Incy Wincy #129 Jan 23rd Anything but a card

K 'n K Designs

23 Jan 11

Challenge #129

Anything But A Card

http://knkdesigns.blogspot.com

I am ashamed to admit that I have never used this weeks sponsor, which is K 'n K Designs. We want you to think outside the box and make something other than a card. I have to admit, I was lost!! I'm not sure if it's from being sick for going on 4 months now or what, but I just couldn't think of anything!! So I finally came up with a gift card holder. I used handmade paper (which I did not make). I used two separate digi's, one being "Kolar & Birdie" and the second one was the "Birdie Told Me" saying, which I cut out using the scallop die. Hope you like it, since there's really not much to it!! haha...

Paper Crafting Journey #27 Jan 19th Floral Theme

Paper Crafting Journey

Challenge #2

Floral Theme

This is my first "official" card as a Paper Crafting Journey DT member. The last couple of ones in November and December were just as a guest before the new term started with this challenge.

For the first challenge of the year, they had a sponsor, but no digi's, so i asked Ignacio, from Nicecrane Designs if he would like to also be a sponsor and supply the digi's)? Of course, he said yes!!

The digi's are from the Flower Children series. I used pink cardstock for the border papers and the patterned papers and flowers are from my friend, Elaine. I added stickles to the edges of the flowers. I also added distress stickles in "Peeled Paint" to all the leaves on the sigi's. The button is from my stash. The center stripe is from the flower paper that I cut out. Unfortunetly, I glued the digi too far to the left, so had to find something to fill the rest of it and decided to add another flower children digi.

There will be two lucky winners from this challenge

Nicecrane Designs

Prize-$15 gc to store

Sketching Stamper Digi Stamps

Prize-4 stamp sheets

Incy Wincy Jan 16th #128 Bright & Bold

http://buysassystudiodesigns.blogspot.com/

Prize is 4 digi's

Jan 16th

Challenge #126

Bright & Bold

This week we are being sponsored by Sassy Studio Designs. One of the tougher challenges for me is using really bright colors! I'm more of a muted, antiquey type of person.

I used the "Back to School Brittany" digi, coloring her with my Copics, and cutting her out. The papers are from my favorite digital kits artist, Heather Jolly Digital Scrapping. The paper is from the "Willow" kit and the tag is also from Heather, but from the "Friendship" kit. The tag was blank and I added the wording, flower and the border, which I added the stickles too. The lace is from my stash, ribbon is MLB "Zinnia", and the butterfly I got from my friend Elaine as part of my Xmas present.

Incy Wincy #127 Jan 9th Vintage

9 Jan 12
Challenge #127
Vintage

This week our luck DT got to play with some very cute designs from Stamping Dragons Designs for out Vintage challenge. I hope mine looks "vintagy" enough!!
The digi is called "bedtime". I used papers from Shabby Princess "Vintage Floral" paper kit. The "note" paper I found doing a search, but wrote the blog info down wrong. (Below is what the note origianly looked liked). I had a friend, who has some of the best free digi sets around, clip it so I could use just the note, without the envelope, You can find her sets here. I added the pin and fan to the note using the Gimp program. The pin is also from the "Vintage Floral" kit and the fan is from the same messed up search where I found the note set. Since I am still learning how to do things using Gimp, I also asked Heather to add the stitching around the edges of the note. I really like the way it came out....thanx bunches, Heather. The ribbon is from Blue Hill, flowers-(big one) Prima e. and the small yellow one I got from one of the lovely girls on my DT, Nikki, rhinestones are also from Prima, that I sprayed with Glimmer Mist, and the tag I got from my friend, Elaine. I have the best crafting friends in the world!!!

http://dragonslairdesigns.com/shop/

Challenges entered:

http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ #45 Scraps + sentiment

http://iftheshoefitsscrapit.blogspot.com/ #98-use stash

http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.com/ #164 Bingo (flowers, lace, distressing)

http://stampinsistersinchrist.blogspot.com/ #121 Thinking of you

http://stampingwithdragon.blogspot.com/ frames

Incy Wincy #126 Jan 2nd Limited Runs Digi's

2 Jan 2012

Challenge #126

Anything Goes

Prize Any 3 digi's @ store

Hope everyone survived the holiday season!! I know I barely did!! First off, we have what they call "Cedar Fever" down here in Texas!! And if you have allergies (which I do), it's complete missery!! An they say it's suppose to last past the middle of Feb!! Oh yea...

Then we were suppose to be sponsored by Jen's Digi Stamps, then they went caput...of course, after most of us had made our cards!! Luckily, we have our very own talented designer on our DT!! Yea Nikki!! So our new sponsor is Limited Runs Stamps. You also have to make sure you check out her monthly challenge blog here. Oh yea, she also has freebies and a candy for every follower!! So go check it out...

Back to my card...the purple & yellow bg papers are scraps and the purple ribbon paper was left over from a kit that I had bought to make a book for my daughter when I first started doing scrap booking. The ribbon only went down two of the sides, so I cut out a piece from another side and added it to the bottom. There were hats also in the corners, so I cut one of them out and added the flower, instead. Originally, the bunny had a bow on top of her head so I cut it off and replaced it with the hat. I thought it was just too cute!! The purple flowers are from my scraps and the yellow's are metal with rhinestone flowers in the middle.

Incy Wincy #125 Dec 26th Winter Wonderland

Prize 4 Digi's at Meljens Designs Store

This week the design team got to play with some really cute digi's from Meljens Designs. Mine is called "Mouse Skiing". I been sick of making Christmas cards for ahile now, so I decided to make something else, a gift bag. I've had a Paper Boxes kit from K & Co. for a few years. I've used a couple of them, but not too many. I decided this was a good gift to make for one of my neighbors. She's kind of old and a little bit disabled, so I thought it would be a good way to cheer her up.
I printed out the digi really small, cut it out in one of the small circle dies and colored it with my Copics and distressed the edges in distress ink in "Tea Dye" by Tim Holtz. I added the digi to one of the flowers, cut out a tag from other parts of different boxes, added a bow from Martha Stewart and little beige pearls inside the loops of the tag and to the edges of the box. I also wrapped some antique lace around the box.

Here's what the top of the box looks like. The blue flower is from Prima, which I added another pearl to. I glued it to other flowers that I got from my stash.

After all that work, I had to make a card to go with it!! Oh well...I used the same digi, just a little bigger, coloring it and cutting it out the exact same way so it would be matchy matchy. I used the same lace, "waterfall" stickles and the same bow as I did on the box, adding a button on each edge of the lace. The paper (brown) is also from K & Co., but it's from the McKenna line. The tag is from the box kit, which I stamped with an ANM stamp and Rubber Stampede ink and the blue paper is scrap, also from the box kit. The large snowflake is a Martha Stewart punch with "waterfall" stickles layered with a little snowflake punch (I think it's from Cutting Edge) with "diamond" stickles on it. I really hope she likes it...I plan on filling the box with little candies.

Here's an update.....I gave this to my friend and she ABSOLUTLY loved it!! She just went on and on about how pretty it is and how she couldn't wait to show it off to people....made my day!! And I was having an absolutly crappy one!!!

Challenges entered:

http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.com/ #57 Blue + One color (brown)

http://ooh-la-la-creationschallenges.blogspot.com/ (2 wks) #95 Anything but a card

http://cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.com/ (2 wks) #7 Use a Sentiment

http://sparklesforumchallenges.blogspot.com/ (2 wks) Anything but a Xmas card

http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ #44 Anything Goes

http://crimbo-crackers.blogspot.com/ #5 snowflakes

http://sassystudiodesigns.blogspot.com/ #104 Holiday card & gift set

Nicecrane Designs "Twas The Night Before Christmas" Series

Nicecrane Designs
Twas The Night Before Christmas Series
21 Dec 11

Ignacio had come up with this cute new set of digi's based from the book by Jesse Walton. They are all so adorable!! I colored it with Copics, cut it out and glued it to two different size dies. The red and blue paper are from scraps and the pink paper I got from my friend, Elaine as part of my Xmas present. I love the embossing on it. The rub ons are from Daisy d's called "I Believe Doodles". I wrapped it around part of the card, adding ribbon, a diamond dangle, and some old plastic beads I found one day cleaning out my daughter's room...I used the sketch from Seems a Little Sketchy and color combo from Our Creative Corner. The look so good together!!

Grab you own set by clicking on the link below...

http://nicecranedesigns.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=99_100&products_id=791

Challenges entered:

Thursday 15th

http://cropstop.blogspot.com/ #50 Non Traditional Colors

http://www.sarahhurleychallenges.blogspot.com/ #56 Coloring

Friday 16th

http://prairiefairyfridays.blogspot.com/ #68 Christmas (no red/green)

http://www.phindysplacechallenge.blogspot.com/ #86 Scraps

http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.com/ #2 Embossing

Saturday 17th
http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/ Color Combo

Sunday 18th

http://christmascardchallenges.blogspot.com/ #3 Non Traditional Xmas Colors

Monday 19th

http://crazychallenge.blogspot.com/ #98 Christmas

http://lexiscreations.blogspot.com/ No red/green

http://seemsalittlesketchy.blogspot.com/ #2 Sketch (2 weeks)

Wednesday 21st
http://craftsandmechallenges.blogspot.com/ #66 Anything Goes Christmas

Nicecrane Designs "Victorian Calling Cards" 19 Dec

Nicecrane Designs

Victorian Calling Cards

Like the card you see on the top of the page? You can use them for business cards or place setting for your holiday table, or what ever you choose. Just pick out the one you like and upload it to a program (I used Picasa, which you can download for free, here).

Just click on the link below.

http://nicecranedesigns.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=80_81&products_id=786

Dec 19th Challenge #124 Circle card

A Day For Daisies

Prize is a $16 GC to the store

YEA!! I remembered to post my card on time this week!! he he...

Can you tell by my card what the challenge is this week? If you guessed circle cards, the you right!! Now these have to be one of my worst cards to make. I just can't seem to get them to look right. My digi that I picked is called "My Prince". I cut out the green paper with the scallop circle die and the rest of the card I used different sized of the flower dies. The bow is from Martha Stewart, brads, flowers, and gold studs are from my stash and the rub on is from My Sentiments Exactly.

CDAC progressive Challenge #9

CDAC Progressive Challenge

Challenge #9

Dec 14th - Jan 14th

We are now up to Challenge #9 at the CDACPC. The wonderful people are giving everyone 2 extra weeks for this challenge because of the holidays. Not that I needed it. I couldn't wait to start, once I saw this cute little digi, from I printed the digi out on the green striped sparkly paper and then the same digi on plain cardstock. I colored the bear with my Copics and cut it out and paper peiced it with the tree. I added some small pearls for the "balls" on the tree and added the bow from Martha Stewart, which I also added a pearl to. Like I did with the Incy Wincy challenge a couple of weeks ago, I put it in a frame from Graphic 45 and mounted it on top of the red paper from Paper Boutique's "Country Christmas" set. The metal corners (which are actually green) are from Inspirations, which I got from my friend Elaine for Christmas! I love them...everything else is from my stash..

Challenges entered:

http://craftybootschallenges.blogspot.com/ Christmas

http://papermakeupstamps.blogspot.com/ #15 Paper Peicing

http://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.com/ December-Bingo (brads,flower,ribbon)

http://disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.com/ Christmas

http://justusgirlschallenge.blogspot.com/ Color

http://glittergeeks.blogspot.com/ #28 Anything Goes

http://foreverfriendschallengeblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/decembers-#12 Use animal

Incy Wincy Dec 12th Use a Brad

Dec 12th
Challenge #124
Use a brad

Oh my God!!! I completely forgot to post my card for this weeks challenge...I've been so spacey lately!! sorry...

This weeks challenge is being sponsored by Nicecrane Designs. The challenge is to make a Christmas card using brads. The digi is Vintage Christmas, papers are from Graphic 45. I took out the center part of the frame and glued the digi inside it. The picture borders are from Heather Jolly Digital Scrapping. I think they add a great touch!

Prize is a $15 GC to the store

Challenges entered:

http://www.aifgraphics.com/blog/?p=1380 #99 Christmas

http://cropstop.blogspot.com/ #50 Non Tradionel xmas colors

http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/ #195 Stripes

http://dutchdare-cardchallenges.blogspot.com/ #143 Bingo (vintage, sentiment, digi)

http://paperplaychallenges.blogspot.com/ #50 Xmas

http://craftsandmechallenges.blogspot.com/ Xmas

http://bearlymine-challenges.blogspot.com/ #25 Non Traditionl Xmas colors

http://blog.icopic.com/2011/12/icopic-weekly-challenge-60.html #60 Xmas

http://papersundaes.blogspot.com/ #99 Xmas

Paper Crafting Journey #26 8th Dec

8 Dec 11
Challenge #26
Christmas

This is the last challenge this year for Paper Crafting Journey. In January I start my "official" term for PCJ, but loved starting early. Thanx guys!!

This weeks challenge is being sponsored by Meljens Designs. These digi's are just way too cute!! I love using them!! Although I'm starting to get tired of Christmas/Winter cards. After all, I started making them in October, when I got tired of Halloween ones!! ha ha...

The papers are from my stash, along with the ribbon and gold studs, which were originally swirls that I cut apart. I used a small scallop oval to put the snowman on.

I followed the sketch from Totally Gorjuss again, but this time I did it as it was suppose to be.

http://shop.meljensdesigns.com/

Challenges entered:

http://www.totallygorjuss.blogspot.com/ #109 Sketch

Incy Wincy Dec 5th #123 Non Traditional Xmas Colors

http://www.prairiefairydesigns.com/cart/home.php

Dec 5th
Challenge #123
Non Traditional Christmas Colors

Our sponsor for this week is Prairie Fairy Designs. We got to pick from some wonderful digi's for our Non-Traditional Christmas Color Challenge. That means no red, green, gold, or silver.

I went with teals & blues. The digi is called "Carolers Singing". This is not something I usually do. I like to do the more cutesy stuff. I cut it out using my new dies "Big Scallop Circles-large" size. The bg papers are from Graphic 45 and the strip of other paper came from one that my friend Elaine gave me, ribbon-Creative Charms, flowers are GCS Imports and Prima e. and the tag is leftover from a Daisy d's kit.
I used the sketch from Totally Gorjuss, but twisted it around a little bit. Hope it's ok??

Challenges entered:

http://meljensdesignsdt.blogspot.com/ #87 Christmas Song

http://rainbowladyschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ #181 Christmas Carols

http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/ Anything Goes

http://karensdoodleschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ #92 Recipe

http://www.vostamps.blogspot.com/ #22 Ribbon

http://robynsfetishchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ #84 Flowers

http://www.sugarcreekhollow.blogspot.com/2011/12/ Non traditional Xmas colors

http://www.totallygorjuss.blogspot.com/ #109 Sketch

http://prairiefairyfridays.blogspot.com/ #67 Use blue & white

CDAC progressive Challenge #8

CDAC Progressive Challenge #8

For this challenge I used the "Fancy Fins" digi from McMahon Five. I've never heard of them, but this digi is just too cute!! I love these type of cards, but have a hard time getting all the little pieces of papers to line up correctly. The papers are from K & Co's "McKenna" line (see, I told you that I would be using alot of it)..haha. I added flowers from my stash, along with rhinestones from Creative Charms and Basics to finish it off.