Family Traditions Hop with Glue Dots

I'm so excited to be back!!!

I took a crazy long hiatus from blogging because so many things were changing around the Deeply Rooted house that I needed to spend some dedicated family time. I changed jobs, which, ironically for the hiatus, gives me a lot more time at home and a lot less travel. Both kids started back to school, the youngest for the first time, and the hubs began working at the kids school - his first step back into the 'working outside of the home' world since our oldest was born 6 years ago!
I've been dedicating a lot of time to the kids, which has been great for our family. I've also made the decision to put myself first in several areas of my life, including my physical well being! I've thoroughly enjoyed the process of regaining health.I can hardly wait to keep talking about that aspect of my life, but I'm also super excited to tell you about my continuing adventure as a DOTTESS!!

I've been with the Glue Dots® Design Team since 2011, and I'm super, super, SUPER excited to be joining them again this year! With all of the craziness that life can bring, being a Dottess keeps me grounded in crafting, which in turn keeps me grounded in my passion. I love that this year I'm going to be getting back to some of the basics with some good ol' 12x12's and 4x6's, as well as pushing my creative boundaries at times and exploring new artsy ventures.

To kick off the 2014-2015 Dottess year, we're celebrating Thankfulness and family traditions with a fun blog hop through the team. More than ever, I'm incredibly thankful, first and foremost, to God for blessing me with much more than I've ever dreamed to deserve. He's blessed me with an amazing life full of love, laughter, and some hilariously funny kids, who always make great photo subjects!

Through the years, you two have always loved playing outside in Fall.
I pray that you'll never grow tired of jumping in the leaves and exploring the world together.

 Without fail, every Fall the kids love to escape into nature to play. Swings flying through the crisp air filled with squeals of delight, little bodies shooting down the slide into a pile of crunchy leaves, and my hubs and I unashamedly playing along with an unexplainable joy. While I'm afraid there will come a day they'll not think that running through the leaves and swinging on a tire horse with their mom and dad isn't cool anymore, I pray that their playful sense of abandonment will take over and this tradition will continue for generations to come.


Materials:
* Cardstock
  -12x12 - Crate Paper
  - 6x6 - My Minds Eye - All Spice
  - 4x6 journaling card - We R Memory Keepers
* Cardstock and canvas stickers - Little Yellow Bicycle
* Die Cut Cardstock - Jillibean Soup
* Photos


Tools
* Ultra Thin Glue Dots®
* Mini Glue Dots® 
* Sewing machine
* Typewriter
* Black pen

Directions: 1. Use Ultra Thin Glue Dots® to adhere 6x6 cardstock to 12x12 cardstock base.
2. Type journaling onto card using typewriter (or print from computer), adhere with Ultra Thin Glue Dots®.
3. Reinforce cardstock and canvas stickers using Mini Glue Dots®, adhere to layout.
4. Using sewing machine, add stitching to layout using several types of stitches.
5. Add handwritten journaling.



Here are a few tips I always like to follow:
-When using materials that are purchased already adhesive backed, always reinforce the adhesive with the appropriate sized Glue Dot®. You'll thank yourself years in the future when you don't have to go back through your albums and reattach your pages!
-Always include your handwriting on a layout. While you might not appreciate your handwriting, I promise that your child and grandchildren will! If you're not the best at penmanship, use a computer or typewriter to accomplish the majority of your text, and then add personalization where you can.

The other talented Dottesses have great projects for you to check out, as well! Head on to Grace's blog to check out her amazing work!

Dawn 

Donna

Erin (you are here!)

Grace (head here next!)

Glue Dots Blog

I'm so excited to share all the new things that are in store around here...next time! 

Keep yourself DeeplyRooted! 

A Hop with Marion Smith Designs and Glue Dots

I could not be more excited!! I love discovering designers I'd never seen before and getting to use their ah-maz-ing products!! Glue Dots® teamed up with Marion Smith Designs to bring you this Spring blog hop. Her designs are retro-vintage-chic, and I AM IN LOVE!! Visit Scrapbook.com or BlueMoonScrapbooking.com to buy her products.
My mind went racing when I got this box of goodies to play with, and I couldn't decide on just one project to share with you! I knew I wanted these pretties displayed around my house, so I made two different wall hangings for today's projects.

First, I went to the store and picked up three pretty inexpensive frames (Michaels, $2 each). All I had to do for this is cut my favorite pieces of the Marion Smith Designs paper to size and 'frame' them. I used my Craft Glue Dots® to adhere her amazing little trinkets from the Junque and Gems line onto the papers, and hang!!

Next, things got a bit messy with a canvas!

I decoupaged pieces of the Marion Smith Designs paper onto my canvas, added paints, stencils, and rub-on's to get it to the look I wanted. I added my Marion Smith Designs resin flower (swoon!!) to the canvas with a Craft Glue Dot®.

I loved a sheet of the Never Grow Up line that had dolls to cut out. I couldn't resist fancy cutting this gal and her party dress!!

Love the depth of the resin flower!

 I couldn't think of a better phrase to add to the canvas but the name of the paper line!! Never Grow Up!!

You can find Glue Dots® products, including the new Desktop Dispenser, online at Jo-Ann.com or at your local Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores.


Now, on to the blog hop!!

Here is a the Glue Dots blog, and here's a complete list of the line up of the Dottesses:

Dawn Barrett

Donna Budzynski

Erin Bullock - You are here!!

Joy Dickson

Jessica Griffin

Danielle Hunter

Samantha Taylor

Grace Tolman

Here is Marion's blog, and here are all of her gals!!

Angela Carter
Tonya Gibbs
Peggy Baker
Aneta Matsuzuska
Maggie Armstrong
Colette Nederhoff
Ana Paula Leal

Now, the giveaway!!! Enter here!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by!!!

 

 

Easy Baby Shower Decor with Glue Dots

Not only can these easy ideas be used for a baby shower, they're extremely versatile and can be used for any event you're planning!

Project Life-type scrapbooking is such a big thing right now!! Get some cards that guests can write advice, encouragement, or wishes for the baby and then easily fit them into a scrapbook of the pregnancy!

Paint a simple wooden box (Hobby Lobby), and add ribbon using Continuous Glue Lines®. Add a sentiment or instructions on the front using Mini Glue Dots®. Simple!

 These can be used as table numbers, place cards, or along the food station labeling all of the goodies and sweets! Papers were adhered with Ultra Thin Glue Dots®.

 To make a simple drink fancier, use a mason jar! These are fun to drink out of, and make great favors! The doily was adhered using Micro Glue Dots®, the paper was adhered with Craft Glue Dots®.

A variation on the drinking cup, mason jars can be used for neatly displaying straws, pencils, or anything else for the party.

Fun party decoration doesn't have to be tedious and painful! I made all of these projects in under 30 minutes!

I'm having a bit of fun with these projects and entering one into the Anything But a Card challenge blog. This challenge ends tonight, but check them out for future challenges!!

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots® Design Team

Easter Cross Card with Glue Dots

Ok, so how is it that I never did a blog post about this card?!? I made it two Easters ago, and it's been perusing Pinterest pretty heavily ever since! It might just be one of my favorite cards I've even done, and I love how easily it came together...and it was SIMPLE!
I started with a the floral paper from K&Company (Paper Doll Die-Cut Paper Pad). The paper pack was already curved around the edges, which went perfectly with this card. That was adhered to the
5x5 blue cardstock card base using Craft Glue Dots®.
Next came the paper doily. If you've seen my other work, you know I love using doilies! I've been known to snatch up pretty doilies on our restaurant plates before the soup spills onto it (or after...whatever...) to reuse. I conserved this extra pretty one and just used the small pieces that are showing around the 'sun' and adhered it with Micro Glue Dots® (one of my personal favorite sizes!!!).
The purple 'sunburst' was made from extra paint swatches! We got several samples when we were repainting our daughters bedroom, and I never, EVER throw them away!! I cut these at an angle and adhered them with Craft Glue Dots® - the back of these were a bit slick, and I used the Craft style to make sure they were stuck down for good! The yellow circle and the green ribbon were cut and adhered also using Craft Glue Dots®.

I had a TON of fun draping the purple ribbon, I think it just MAKES the card. I used a combination of Mini and Micro Glue Dots® to get it to stick in just the right places. Those Minis are perfect for getting into tiny spots, but still having the hold that you need!!
Lastly, I put on the wooden cross (Hobby Lobby) using Pop Up Glue Dots®. The Pop Up Dots get the cross up off of the page so the draping has room to, well...drape! I did a watered down wash of white craft paint over the cross to give it more of a uniform color.

It might have taken me two years, but I'm glad I'm finally sharing this card with all of you! If you make your own version of this card, I'd love to see it! Leave a link in the comments so I can check it out!

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots® Design Team

'Hello' Card

Less than a month since the last post...not my worst stretch! Things are getting pretty active around the Deeply Rooted house. I've been taking trampoline aerobics classes since the beginning of January, and let me say, if you have a facility close to you (or not close...I drive an hour to my class!!), try it!!! Our class is an hour of cardio and strength training, but come on, you're on a giant trampoline!! We've also signed up for a membership at our local YMCA. The kids will be starting soccer and gymnastics very soon through their programs, so we went ahead and joined as a family. I'll be the first one to call myself cheap thrifty, and if I'm paying to be a member, I'm going!! I've done a few of their classes, and I'm starting to think this healthy lifestyle isn't so bad after all!
So while I was out today before my Y class, I stopped by Michael's and checkout out their latest offerings (aka- clearance section!). I picked up a MME 6x6 paper pack for $3 and some super cute wooden cutouts for $1. While my kids were sufficiently distracted this afternoon, got to play for a bit!! I've had a friend who's been on my mind recently, and I sat down to make her an 'I'm thinking about you' card with my new stash.

The butterfly paper is from the MME stack, and I couldn't help but pair it with some adhesive backed cork (I believe this is DCWV).

See that clean, sealed edge of the ribbon? I used my i-magicut, by Imaginisce. Love it!!!

Next I added my wood piece. At first, I had it right up against the butterfly background paper, but the pattern didn't read well through the letters, so I dug out a left over paint chip to use behind it. And, as always, it's all held together by Glue Dots® (minus the adhesive cork...but I think that might be a little self-explanatory)!!

This is headed out in the mail tomorrow. Hope it brings a smile to her face! 

Another publication!

Hey everyone! I have to let you know about this awesome new online class I've signed up for. It's hosted by the one and only Christy Tomlinson (swoon!!). She is sharing videos each month explaining her crafty goodness, and I can't wait until I can watch the first video (hopefully that's on the docket for tonight!!). Check out the link to the class here!

This is a project published in this month's Hobby Lobby's Stamping, Stationary, and Scrapbooking Magazine. It was super fun and easy to make, especially since Glue Dots® were holding everything together!
My biggest suggestion for making cards or scrapbooking pages that coordinate but still have a ton of interest is to use papers out of the same stack. You're guaranteed a finished product that stands out from the crowd! I used The Celebration Stack by DCWV for every paper on this card!

I used a lot of stitching on this card: around the blue cardstock, and adding a little detail to the top of the pennant banner. The candle is a paper straw that I cut to size.
I added a little depth to the center by cutting out the same shape that was already on the card and adhering it with a Pop Up Glue Dot®. The Happy Birthday banner is also popped up to match the depth of the paper straw.

No birthday party is complete without a party hat, so I made one of those, too! Using a piece of cardstock from the same paper stack, I made the base of the hat, using Continuous Glue Lines® to adhere the edges together. I made a pom pom from some old yarn to stick to the top.






I was already feeling pretty high on the creative totem pole, so I went out on a limb and decided to sew some crepe paper for the bottom. I wasn't sure how my sewing machine would tolerate the fragile paper, but it went through like a breeze. I stitched a straight line down my folded paper, then used my fringe scissors to cut the edges.


 So I know for a lot of you creative, crafty folks, a magazine publication isn't the biggest deal in the world, but to me, this is huge!! I can't bring myself to actually give this card to anyone for their birthday...maybe some day I'll get over that, but no time soon!

Glue Dots 20/20 Blog Hop

Welcome to the Glue Dots® Blog Hop! If you need to start from the beginning, click here!

First, I would like it to be known that for the first time in over 11 years of marriage, I HAVE WON!! It really did help that my son played up the 'puppy dog eyes', pushed out his lower lip, and begged, but our Halloween decorations were put away, immediately followed by bringing out the Christmas decorations!! I've always been made to wait until the day after Thanksgiving to begin decorating, but it looks like the "kids are only kids once" talk worked!!! He's just lucky that we always get a live tree, or that would be up, too.

Needless to say, Christmas, decorating, and gift giving is in the forefront of my mind right now! While I'm always up for a good Christmas time sale or bargain, there are times when nothing matches a handmade present.

With this blog hop, we're focusing on handmade gifts that are inexpensive - under $20, and can be made in 20 minutes or less.

My project for this hop is a pack of greeting cards, complete with envelopes. I love when I get these as gifts, because sending a handmade card is never easier than when you have a stash on hand.

Card 1

Card 2

Card 3

Card 4

Card 4 - close up

Card 5

Card 5 - close up

I kept with my 'one paper pack' routine with these cards. They all coordinate without being too matchy-matchy. For this pack, I used the Glitz 6" paper pack Color Me happy. I loved this pack because there are two neat pages that allow this to be a project under 20 minutes:

fotobella.com

Pages like this are built-in sentiments, which is a huge time saver, if you ask me! The straight lines allow you to use your paper trimmer to cut these out in a hurry.

Another time saving hint? When you use sprays or mists, place doilies onto your craft mat. While you're spraying your project, they get some of the overspray and are easily stored away, all ready to use (I used them on Cards 2 and 3).

Easy way to mix it up? Use Pop Up Glue Dots® to add some dimension to your cards (used on Card 4 and 5)

Cards are really easy to package up, too! Stack them with their envelopes, tie a pretty ribbon around them, and you're set! You could even throw stamps onto the cards to make it that much easier for the recipient.

My pack of cards and envelopes was $0.99 at my favorite paper supply store, the paper pack was $2.99 (love those 40% off coupons!!), the ribbon to tie it all up was $1.00 for the roll, and the few ribbons I used on the cards were $0.99 for a sample pack. Total: $5.97! Score!!!

Side note: I can see my mother making me a stack of cards, all stamped and addressed back to her...she's great at subtle hints like that!! lol!!


Now that you're finished at my blog, leave a comment with your favorite card, enter our giveaway, and hop on to the next Dottess!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Glue Dots Blog

Danielle

Dawn

Donna

Erin  (you are here!!)

Grace  (go here next!!)

Jessica

Joy

Samantha

Smitha

Meet the Dottesses!

Erin's Favorite Things

I can't even put into words how excited I am to be joining the Glue Dots® Resource Team for a third term!! I have been given so many phenomenal opportunities to expand my horizons and to stretch the boundaries of my creative box. Three years of Glue Dots® also means three years of this blog!! I started this blog to be eligible to apply for their design team, and I never, in a million years, even thought I'd be picked, let alone be doing this for a third year. 

I'm really excited to share a little bit about myself with you in my list of Favorite Things!

Favorite adhesive: I'm going to assume 

you know this, but it's Glue Dots®!! LOL!

Favorite type of Glue Dot: 

Strong tie between micro's and 1" lines. 

I use them both like they're going out of style.

Favorite paper company: Another tie - 

Crete Paper and Basic Grey. 

Favorite online craft store: Scarlet Lime

Favorite brick & mortar store: Hobby Lobby. 

They always have the best clearance section!

Favorite color: Olive green

Favorite movie to watch while crafting:
Wonder Man (It's an old Danny Kaye movie. Don't ask me why...so random, right?!)

My camera: Canon Rebel

Favorite snack while crafting: I'm usually too
zoned into what I'm doing to eat (so crafting is kind of like a diet!)

Favorite clothes to craft in: One rule - no buttons, snaps or zippers.

Favorite artist to follow: Christy Tomlinson

Favorite place for inspiration: Pinterest (follow me!!)

Favorite subject to scrapbook: my family

Top 3 Blogged Projects:

-You Are the Light of the World

-Ghoultide Blog Hop

-A Mixed Media Weekend

So that's just a little bit about me!


Glue Dots® is having an awesome giveaway for this blog hop, and all you have to do is sign up below! I hear you get a brownie points for following me on my Twitter page, and you can also follow me on my Pinterest page, and, most importantly, here on my blog!! Leave me a comment telling me what your favorite Glue Dot® product is and a link to your Pinterest page so I can follow your crafty goodness, too!!


Here's our awesome giveaway!! You have until 12am CST on 10/31/13 to enter, and the winner will be announced on the morning of the 31st. Good luck, and thanks for stopping by!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dawn Barrett

Donna Budzynski 

Erin Bullock

Joy Dickson (go here next!)

Jessica Griffin

Danielle Hunter 

Smitha Katti 

Samantha Taylor 

Grace Tolman

Glue Dots Blog 

A Quick Fall Teacher Gift

I'm a sucker for $1 bins, and I spotted a pack of Fall foam pumpkins I couldn't pass up! A quick change of the cardboard top, and you have an easy Fall gift for the favorite teacher in your life!

I added a Fall rub-on from Karen Foster Designs, some Fall leaves, and a few buttons stuck on with Glue Dots.

Minions and a Staycation!!

Let me begin by saying that I am thoroughly enjoying my staycation!! I took the last three days of this week of to spend with my family - my mom is in town from Ohio - and after looking at the work schedule for Tuesday, I was told I could have Tuesday off, too! Six whole days at home with my family, with the little man's 5th birthday party rounding out the end of the break this coming weekend.  
Bliss. 

We took part of this morning to bring in snacks for little man's Pre-K class. He knew about we were bringing cupcakes, but little did he know that they were minion cupcakes!!

With a little extra time on my hands, you'd think I had a world of time to get my craft on, but alas, life has happened!! Thanks to the hubby and some outside play time for the kids, I got a few hours to make a page. I've been dying to get my hands on some more recent pictures (the old ones will get done eventually, right!?), so I scrapped little man's first eye doctor appointment from this Spring.

I used a lot of Basic Grey papers, and Jillybean Soup and Cosmo Cricket embellishments.

And when you don't have the embellishment you want, make one!

 I sketched an eye on a dictionary page, outlined it with my Scarlet Lime doodle pen, and filled in some opaque colors with my gelatos (Faber-Castell)

I used the reverse of the two Basic Grey papers to add embellishments to look like ribbon. Using the scraps of the papers you're already using is an easy way to add dimension, save scraps, and, best of all (to me!), you know it all coordinates!

I used Glue Dots® (of course) to hold everything down!



Here's hoping I have a few more scrap-breaks before real life begins again!

You Are The Light of the World!!

 Well, school has gotten off to a great start in the Deeply Rooted household!! My little man loves his teacher, and comes home with stories of new things he's learned and done every day. He's really excited right now, because his 5th birthday is next week! He knows he's bringing in cupcakes, but he has no idea they're going to be those cute minion ones that have been all over Pinterest. I'm crossing my fingers they come out well!!

I'm always sad when the Dottess term comes to an end, but I have high hopes to be returning again next year!! I really wanted to go out with a 'bang' with this last project, and I've had this idea floating around in my head for awhile now. I saw it on Pinterest back in the day with Pinterest just started, and I haven't been able to find it again since!

So the story starts like this: I came home from work one day, and the kids were kicking this metal globe around in the yard. Random, right? The idea of this project popped back into my head, but I figured this globe was already past it's prime after the swift kicks from my children. I began the not-so-intense search for an old, a little more gently cared for globe, and came up empty. Seeming as I had little other choices, I asked my handyman to take the two halves of the globe apart, while sparing at least one half's life, and affix it to some old wood. He got my vision perfectly!

Next, I got all of my supplies together. Making Memories Canvas letters, Tim Holtz Alpha-Parts, and my Ultra-Thin Glue Dots®. I know all the of letters I was using were self-adhesive, but I'm never a fan of not reinforcing things, especially when they're being used on home decor items. The Ultra-Thin Glue Dots® give the hold I need, without adding bulk under the letters. I adhered them all down to a piece of heavy craft cardstock and cut them out.

I'll admit, I have a new-found appreciation for Pop-Up Glue Dots®!! I've used them on scrapbook pages and canvas work before, but I LOVED them on this project! I don't have to remind you that the globe I was working on is round. Not an easy shape to work with. I loaded up the backs of the words with the Pop-Up Glue Dots®, and they stuck AMAZINGLY well. Seriously thrilled.

The only place I added a little support behind the word is with 'world'. A lot of the word was not adhered to the globe (again, due to the round-ness I was dealing with). I used a small piece of the craft cardstock I was working with and made a little support, again, adhered with Pop-Up Glue Dots®.

Here are a few more views of the finished product:

So I kind of love it!! I'm a little sad that I didn't have the hubs try and save the other half! LOL!

I can't wait until there's more news about the next Glue Dots Dottess term, and trust me, I'll keep you updated!! I'll be back soon with pictures and a post about my little man's party. He decided he didn't like anything in the world more than his favorite color of green, so he's having a green party!!

Until next time!!

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots® Design Team

Looking at things with a whole new light!

Hey everyone!! So, I HAVE to share...my oldest child had his first day of school today!! Things went incredibly well, he has an awesome teacher, and he can't wait to go back tomorrow!

SO CUTE! Love that kid.


Anyway, I had a little time over this last weekend to pull out some of my Glue Dots®, and I finished up a project that I'd been meaning to get done for the last six months! We'd redone our daughters bedroom for her birthday (in February. Literally, six months.), and she'd picked out a bed lamp that seemed more fit for an office desk. I wanted to give it a little more personality, so I grabbed my buttons, Glue Dots®, and went crazy!

I used Craft Glue Dots® for the normal to large sized buttons, and my Mini Glue Dots® for the smaller ones. I love the fact that this project took just as long as it took me to pick which buttons went where...no dry time!!! Now it fits perfectly into her LaLaLoopsy decor (that post is here)!

(oh, disclaimer...and I recommend using a low watt bulb with this project, but the lamp calls for that in the first place) :)

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots design team