Southern Scraps

I love to create when I can do so for a good purpose. Cammie at My Blog is having a card drive to thank the caretakers of Alzheimer's patients. You can read all about it here.  There is an awesome prize package to go with it. Here is my card: Papers: Cosmo Cricket Stamps: Verve Ink: Memento Accents: Stickles, rhinestones, flowers Tools: Nestabilities I always look to a great sketch for inspiration and for a jumping off point. I've used this week's sketch at CardPatterns. Crazy4Challenges is calling for some bling this week so I'll be linking up there too. Thanks for looking. Don't forget to enter my handmade card giveaway . I could certainly use the feedback.

I'm still working on my treat bags for the trick-or-treaters this year. I came up with another treat topper design . It's made the same as this one, but uses different papers and stamps. I added ribbon to this one. While you're here, hop over to this post and enter my giveaway.  I'll be linking up to the great parties on the side this week and at Get Your Craft on Tuesday.

I, _Fonda Dixon_____________, pledge to participate in the Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp to the best of my abilities. I vow to check in every week, do my homework and support my fellow Holiday Boot Campers. I will read the weekly newsletters and blog posts, check in on the weekly forum thread, read the weekly blog post, check off the checklists and salute the mascot. I promise to share what I've learned with those who need it, support my fellow Etsy indiepreneurs and, most of all, have a positive and persistent attitude. I understand that together we can spread the word about our handmade and vintage goods, making this holiday season a more unique and meaningful one to gift givers and give-ees everywhere!

I love the look of all the headbands everyone has been making but haven't tried one until today because I just didn't picture myself wearing one. I usually don't make something unless I would wear or use it myself. I made this one for a birthday gift for a girl in our Sunday School class. She has pretty long black hair and wears headbands a lot. She also has an appreciation for things that are different and for handmade, so I think she'll like it. I picked up a three-pack of thin headbands, grabbed a couple of fabric rosettes I had already made, added a button and some beads to them, wrapped ribbon around the headband, and glued the flowers on. There are tons of tutorials for the flowers and the headbands, so I won't go into anymore detail. It's easy to find a tutorial if you need one. Here's my finished project: After making this one and holding it up to myself for a test fit for placement, I might just have to make myself one. It's growing on me. I...

I like searching the thrift shops for great finds. This week I was on a business trip in Hilton Head, SC, and I hit some of their local thrift shops before coming home. It's interesting to see the different types of items in a different area than the one I'm from. At one of the shops I scored a bunch of fabric, some necklaces (for repurposing) and a pair of shredding scissors. The finds I'm most excited about are 5 yards of silk fabric for 5 bucks!! and the shredding scissors. I have a paper flower project to try with the scissors. No crafting got done this week but I do have some great finds for future projects. I did squeeze in a project today for a last minute (belated) birthday gift. I'll be posting it shortly.

I've started working on my designs for treat bags . I usually make about 50 treat bags for the trick or treaters that come our way. You can see last year's design here . This year I wanted to do something a little different. I punched some skulls out of K&Co. paper and attached them to punched scalloped circles. I stamped "spooky" and cut out strips and attached to the bottom circle as well.  I've punched holes in the bottom layer to insert a twist tie into to attach them to the bag.  I'm including some photos so you can get a better idea. The toppers: Details:

Sometimes the inspiration for projects comes from making a project or from my stash of supplies. When I made the flowers for my fall wreath, I thought these would look great made into a brooch. Also in the process of getting out some of the materials for my wreath, I came across some felt iron on appliques that were embellished with beads and stitches. Another aha! moment. I also have embroidery thread and seed beads in my stash, so I embellished my flowers on my brooch. I used other gold beads for the center of one flower and a vintage clip earring for the center of the other. I think this will look great on a cardigan. By the way- that cardigan came from a thrift shop for 25 cents!! I was excited about that find. Here's a quick little how to on the brooch: Cut flowers from coordinating felt with a die. Layer and glue them together. Embellish each flower. I sewed the beads on the petals and center of one. I glued the earring to the center of the other. (Remove earring b...

This is a really old project I did in 2006 before I even had a blog. However, it fits today's theme in the Creative Chick Parade- Mod Podge. I'm linking up through The Girl Creative . You can find a whole list of participants to visit. This is pretty simple. Pick and cut your papers and apply them to the board with Mod Podge. Apply a coat over the top to act as a sealer. I made a pocket to hold tags out of the bottom piece of paper and if memory serves me, I didn't apply Mod Podge to that layer. I did apply it to the clip board as a whole before attaching it. The "notes" section is laminated so you can write on it with the dry erase marker.

For the past ten (plus) years I have had the same wreath on my door year round except for Halloween and Christmas. This year I decided to change that up and have seasonal wreaths. Since I didn't own a fall wreath, there was nothing to do but make one! I took an old grapevine wreath and removed the old dirty decorations. I had some maple leaves left over from some other projects. I purchased a leaf and berry garland from the Dollar Store to add to that because I was afraid I didn't have enough leaves. I bought four berry picks (.69 cents on sale at Michael's last weekend) and some mini pumpkin, gourd, and pine cones. My original inspiration for the wreath came from this Sizzix project so I made flowers out of felt with my Flowers layers #3 die and cut some leaves from felt with a Sizzix die. I have roughly $6.00 in this wreath. I also have some leftover mini, gourds, pumpkins, and pine cones. Anyone have any ideas for using those? I'm trying to use my stash up and ...

An esty treasury Click on the link or photo for a better look!

Yesterday I posted this bookmark . Months ago Yikes, over a year ago,  I posted this altered notebook .  All of these little goodies have been put into this paper tote gift bag that was crafted from BasicGrey Sugared designer paper. These are fun little gifts, just wish it didn't take me so long to get it all together. This set includes a set of four handmade greeting cards, a bookmark, a post it note holder, a mini notebook, and a beaded keychain. This has been listed over at SouthernScraps on etsy. Linking up here and other parties listed on the sidebar

For many kids, college students, and parents it's back to the books this time of year. Crazy4challenges issued a "book related" challenge so I've created a bookmark. Papers: Pink cardstock, BasicGrey sugared Tools: EKSuccess treading water punch Accents: Flowers, brad, ribbon Here are a few steps to making your own: Cut a 6 1/2 inch by 3 1/2inch  piece of pink cardstock. Punch each long side with a decorative edge punch. Cut a 6 1/4 inch piece of decorative paper. Adhere to pink piece. Cut a  2 inch by 4 1/2 inch piece of white cardstock. Stamp image. Color. Adhere to decorative paper. I then sponged walnut distress ink around the edges of my image panel. Punch a  hole in the center at the top. Tie in a piece of ribbon.  Layer flowers with a brad in the center. Attach at the top so they cover the hole. Voila! Super easy bookmark! I'm linking this up to the Crazy4Challenges blog and to the link parties on the side. I'm also putting this bookmark in ...

Slowly, I'm getting back into the card challenges. Simons Says issued a challenge to use pearls and lace. I used a strip of lace under the ribbon and some pearls around my sentiment. I used the sketch over at Whiff of Joy and a Whiff of Joy Stamp. Paper: BasicGrey sugared Stamp: Whiff of Joy, MFT sentiment Accents: Ribbon, flower, hat pin , acrylic jewels, brad Tools: Marvy Markers I made my own hat pin embellishment. I have some listed in my etsy shop if you're looking for some of your own.

I recently added new items to my etsy shop - handmade jewelry .  I love to make stuff but can't keep it all. Sometimes I make something for myself and then make a similar item with the leftovers. You've probably seen most of it on here already but you may not know that it's for sale. Maybe you wanted something you saw but didn't want to invest in the time or supplies to make it. Go ahead and splurge - get it for yourself. You'll be glad you purchased handmade. Here are the items for sale: Repurposed fabric rosette necklace Memory wire bracelet Fabric rosette bib necklace Braided ribbon necklace If you are buying a gift for someone else, pick up a handmade greeting card to go with it.

After a three month sabbatical of no card making, I've made a card. I told you I wouldn't give it up completely. I just needed to take a break and spend my crafting time trying some of the other things on my list. I'm using the sketch from The Sweet Stop . I'll also be linking this up at Papertake Weekly's "just the one" challenge . I used "just one" flower and "just one" piece of ribbon. Here is my card: Image: Whiff of Joy Paper: BasicGrey Sugared