I was looking at some of the pages the Crazy Daisy design team created with our October 2010 Main kit and I’m feeling more inspired to get my Halloween pictures scrapped. Maybe this will help you too.

From Amy Kingsford:

For more photos of the goodies Amy created, check out our gallery here.

Here are a few of my latest creations. What are you working on?

By Grace Tolman

So for this month’s extra project, I went with something that might easily be used for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner…..place cards. We know we need them, especially when you have a big group for dinner and what better way to use up all the fun and perfectly themed products from the main kit!

I used white cardstock as my base and settled in with a basic, simple design. I had fun hadcutting the leaves and flowers from the WeRMemory Keepers paper and using them as my embellishments here. I used some small white letter stickers from my stash to make the names, but I’m sure you can easily use the stickers from the kit for this project. My suggestion would be to use it as a monogram instead since it’s pretty big sized letters.

The size of my place cards are 3″ squares but you can have yours smaller or bigger, whichever would work for you and your table setting.

I’m also thinking since the place cards were created to be a little notecard (so it can stand on top of the plate) I can use them later on as thank you notes to my guests.

So try it for this year’s gathering, you can even have your kids help you out with this. Let them write or stick the names of the guests. It’ll be fun!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Go do something great today! Just try … you might surprise yourself.

September Mini Tutorial

Katie here! If you’re a Crazy Daisy regular, I think you know by now that I love making supplies my own. One of the best ways to do this, I’ve found, is to challenge myself to look at the monthly mini in a new way. This time, I thought, “What haven’t I done before? What would look cute with this album?” Pair those questions with the desire to use a piece of cork board I had laying around, and you get an idea!

To create the two mini cork boards found in my album, follow the steps below:

1. Separate your pages. Order them all by size. For the cork boards, we’ll only be using three medium bracket and three large bracket pages. So: Not the front and back cover, nor the two little bracket pages.
2. Decide what shapes you want your boards to be and draw them in with pencil. One of my cork boards is a thick, rectangular shape, while the other is thin and much smaller. You’ll want to use the heaviest of each set of pages to be the backing of the cork board (the chipboard won’t buckle under the glue and you won’t have problems with pushing thumbtacks completely through). Take one of the two lighter pages of each set and draw rectangles on them. You can either freehand — which is what I did before straightening my edges up with a ruler where I needed to — or you can trace a template. Then, using an X-Acto knife, cut the shapes out so that you are left with two frames. Use the frames as a guide to trace onto the remaining light pages, leaving the heavy pages intact (they’ll only provide backing).

3. Use the center blocks which you cut out with your craft knife as a guide to determine how big the pieces of cork need to be. Tracing around them with a Sharpie works best for this part. Then, cut the cork to size.

4. Adhere the two cardstock frame pages from each set together, and then back them with their respective chipboard pages. Double sided tape works best, but you could also use liquid glue — if you do, make sure to allow the glue to set properly by placing the boards underneath a stack of heavy books; otherwise, they’ll warp.

5. Using strong liquid glue — Elmer’s Craft Bond is awesome, but Aleene’s Tacky Glue would also work very well — adhere the cork in place. The pieces should fit right into their little frames.

6. Seal the edges of the boards by using Mod Podge. This is optional, but I feel it makes things look more cohesive!

7. Next, I decorated my pages by using foam stamps and yellow acrylic paint, stamping words which remind me of fall.

8. Decorate the rest of your pages to follow suit, and there you have it! Your own, customized, spiffy fall mini. Now all you need to is embellish! Have fun.

So here are 4 things I’m currently search for or in need of:

1. Pumpkin costumes

My daughter decided a few weeks back that she wants to be a pumpkin for Halloween. She also decided that her little brother is going to be a pumpkin too. That means I need a pumpkin costume for a 6-year-old and an 18-month-old as well. Anyone know of some cute pumpkin costumes I can get for both of them?

2. A new camera bag.

I have been look for a new camera back ever since I got my new camera. The one I have isn’t big enough and frankly, it’s just not cute enough. I’ve been looking at the goodies from  Epiphanie Bags, as well as Joe Totes. I love both sites and am considering buying the orange bag for Joe Totes (picture above).

3. Cute AND Flattering Leggings.

I have always wanted to wear leggings, but I just don;t have the right body for it. Every year as the weather starts to cool off, I start dreaming of comfy leggings  joining my wardrobe. But I never add them, as I’m certain they won’t work for me. I think this year I’m going to try to break the cycle and get at least one pair of leggings. I want to wear them with some tall, flat boots and a longish sort of top. Any ideas where I can get cute and flattering leggings?

4. Motivation to diet and exercise

I was doing so well for so long … but I’ve fallen off the wagon. I think I’ve gain about 7 pounds in the last 6 weeks and I feel crummy. I’m too scared to get on the scale to see the “real” number, but I just know. I have allowed myself to indulge, indulge and indulge some more … without staying on my exercise plan. Even worse than my pants being tighter, I’m feeling sluggish. I don’t have time to be tired and sickly. I need more energy and pep in my step. Is there a place I can go and buy a cup of motivation? I need it.

Check out the adorable (seriously adorable) layouts Kelly Hansen created with this kit. Love ‘em.

To see more photos of Kelly’s layouts, check out our Gallery.

“Being fully present is the best guarantee for a bright future.”

–Guy Finley

I read this quote last week and it has stuck with me. I actually can’t stop thinking about it, which is a sure sign that it was something I desperately needed to here. I really have a lot going on in my life. Probably too much. But there isn’t really anything I can take off my plate. In my quest for finding balance, enjoying my life and not feeling guilt … I have realized that I have have to be present. What does that mean for me? Well, I have started to compartmentalize my life. When I am working, I am working. I have been trying to block out very specific times where I dedicate myself completely to the work I have to get done. When I’m working, there is no play. There is no Facebooking. There is no distractions. I am fully present. This has been huge for me. I can accomplish so much more when I just ignore everything else in my life and work …. and I can do it in less time and with less heartache.

I’ve also applied this to my kids and family. When I’m done working I completely disconnect from work and turn all of my attention to my family. I have so enjoyed the time with my kids the last few weeks, as I’ve stopped checking email, blogging or doing anything that doesn’t have to do with them. I get on the floor. I roll around with my baby boy. I chase my big girl. I laugh. I feel so much less stress. I’m present and I enjoy it. And I’ve stopped feeling frustrated, because I’m not multi-tasking myself to death.

When I think about crafting, I think aout another area in my life that’s neglected and where I’m often not fully present. I had the awesome opportunity to attend Creative Escape last week with Jennifer, two of her cousins and another girlfriend from high school. We spent four days enjoying time together and being creative. I feel so recharged and ready to focus on doing things that make me happy and being present when I’m creating. I signed up for an online class fromJessica Sprague. Thanks to the class I took from Claudine Hellmuth Iknow know how I’m going to finish a painting I’ve been working on for months. I have already started on Christmas presents for my mom and my mother-in-law.

I feel like a whole new person. Isn’t it amazing what being fully present can do for you (or me in this case)? I challenge you to make a goal to be more present in your life. It’s not easy, but it’s so worth it.