Today I get to show a couple of cute little gift boxes I’ve made for some of my co-workers and neighbors…..

Both use “Peek a View” die cut boxes from Creative Cuts & More, decorated with two of my favorite OCL Holiday Releases “Tag You’re It” and “Parka Penguins”. The peek a view box has an acetate middle so the recipient can get a little glimpse of the treats stuffed inside. Both boxes have a white and red theme going on – including the peppermint melt candies stuffed inside. A little coloring with COPICS, some white Flower Soft and “Ice Crystal” Crafty Sparkles glitter really add some dimensionals/pop dots and bling!  The second box also uses a couple of border strips using Threading Water border punch. The first box lid and bottom were run through a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Add some satin ribbon and pom-pom ribbon, a couple of glittered snowflakes, and tags attached to the front finish the projects. It’s real easy peasy to access the goodies stuffed inside – just lift/slide up the top….. Fun huh?  Keep in mind that the “Tag You’re It” is a year round set – the sentiments range from Holiday Wishes and Seasons Greetings to Happy Birthday, Sealed with Kisses (that will be a fun one for Valentines or just because), playing Tag You’re It, and Celebrate!!!, With Love, Baked with Love.  I hope you’ve enjoyed the samples and ideas for using this versatile set.  Enjoy and Create, Lila

Today’s project is a little decorated gift box 4X4X1 (2-part die cut from Creative Cuts & More) in a non-traditional Bazzill pink cardstock. The main image and snowflake is from “Parka Penguins” (Our Craft Lounge). A couple of large paper snowflake embellishments, some white Flower Soft and OCL’s “Ice Crystal” Crafty Sparkles, and a “Tag You’re it” (OCL) frame and sentiment finish the project.

Isn’t this just perfect wrap for a small little gift? I love the ease of coloring these images and how so many of the OCL sets coordinate with each other AND the EASY PEASY use of CC&M die cut boxes!!! Enjoy and Create, Lila

Our Craft Lounge new release offered BLOG CANDY!!! I was able to give “Wanted” to TINA LOHRMAN.  Give me a shout with your contact information and we’ll get that AWESOME set mailed direct to you.  My contact info   holgate at cableone dot net.

I want to take a minute to thank each of you for visiting and the kind words you leave….. I know you enjoy looking and the beautiful eye-candy from site to site - AND the opportunity to win a super set from an AWESOME company with the best customer service and the best illustators!!!  I’d like to share another one of my favorite sets from this new relase……”Fairies”

This square card has the cutest fairy and sentiment from “Fairies” recently released by Our Craft Lounge.  A little Basic Grey paper, some cardstock with a scalloped border, colored with COPICS and highlights here and there with SPICA glitter pens. A Prima flower with button center finish this fun little card. Here’s to “May all your Wishes Come True”.  Enjoy and Create, Lila

I’ve had the privilage the last couple of days to give you some sneaks…. TODAY IS RELEASE DAY!!!  Our Craft Lounge’s New Release - 13 new sets!!!- has some Super CUTE Valentine sets and of course BLOG CANDY.  I have the fun time of showing you “WANTED”

Isn’t this just the cutest “Boot Skootin” Valentine set you’ve seen? Here’s my sample……

OK ~ Now for the candy details. Blog candy will be given away TODAY so leave comments on all the blogs in the hop. The set shown on the blog, is the set you will be trying to win.

Just a couple rules ~ 1) you MUST either be signed in to blogger or leave contact information in order to be entered; 2) you can enter on each blog once a day; and 3) you will only be eligible to win one new set. Blog candy will be drawn on each blog tonight (November 20th) at 9pm pacific time (11:59 eastern time).

Here are the HOPPERS ~

Bird and Groom - Beth
Hang it Up Cupid - Carol, Vicki
Hearts & Hugs - Holly, Joy
The Journey - Charmaine
Life Is -Amber
Love Notes - Heather, Beate
Out for a Spin - Pam
Fairy Dust is a Must - Cami, Broni
Granny’s Truffles - Val
Jungle Love - Deb, Kendra
Shamrock Blessings -Cindy
Sweet on You -Kisa
Wanted - Lila

Be sure to check The Lounge for retail locations where you can pick up your sets and BLOG CANDY WINNERS will be announced…… One of my favorite retailers can be found here…..For now, sit back enjoy and eye candy - leave some love….. Enjoy and Create, Lila

The countdown for Our Craft Lounge’s  NEW RELEASE on Friday continues with more sneaks……Our Craft Lounge’s new release includes an Anti-Valentine set…… “Hang IT Up CUPID!”

How about a few more peeks????

Bird and Groom  - Beth

Hang it Up Cupid -  Lila 

Hearts & Hugs – Holly, Kendra 

The Journey - Charmaine, Beate 

Life Is – Charmaine, Beate 

Love Notes - Kisa, Joy 

Out for a Spin – Carol 

Fairy Dust is a Must - Kendra , Vicki 

Granny’s Truffles - Broni 

Jungle Love - Heather 

Shamrock Blessings - Pam

 Sweet on You - Cami

Wanted - Kisa

Remember the full NEW RELEASE will be tomorrow - Friday - including a full hop - starting at THE LOUNGE, full pictures on the NEW RELEASE sets - and of course, BLOG CANDY!!!!! (just a quick note - there will be short turn around time for posting comments on tomorrows BLOG CANDY!! and in OCL style - each set will have a winner!!!).  Don’t forget to visit The Lounge for the Birthday Bash Challenges……. Until then, Enjoy and Create, Lila

How about a little peek at one of my favorite NEW RELEASES from Our Craft Lounge?  What a more perfect sample for Our Craft Lounge - who happens to be turning one year old - Happy Birthday OCL!!!  This set is called “Out for a Spin”

Check out the other sneaks…..

Fairy Dust is a Must - Carol 

Granny’s Truffles - Pam 

 Jungle Love - Charmaine, Joy 

Shamrock Blessings - Holly 

Sweet on You - Amber

Wanted - Beth, Carol, Cami

Don’t forget about the Birthday Bash - Challenges - details at The Lounge!!  Come back tomorrow for another little peek!  Enjoy and Create, Lila

So I’m really sorry - as they say “Day late and Dollar Short”…. Where is my mind? “Our Craft Lounge is celebrating it’s FIRST BIRTHDAY this month!  Big congratulations are in order for the owners of  Our Craft Lounge, Cambria Turnbow, Joy Kennedy and Kimberly McCausland!  OCL is turning one year old! Wooohoooo! We’re havin’ a party! Some of my favorite sets starting with the first release included this cute little dog named Pat - it all started with “Pat the Dog”, “Pat the Good Dog”, “Pat the Dawg House”, and then “Pat the Bad Dog”.

It is gonna be a huge celebration, so hang onto your party hat and get ready for a fun ride! It all begins with a Scavenger Hunt this weekend…it starts today Friday) and ends at midnight Pacific time on Sunday. The list of questions for which you must find answers is posted ot the“The Lounge” and forum.  Visit our designers to find the answers (you see the one I posted here?), email ‘em in and hope to win! There will be one first place winner and one randomly selected honorary winner who will be announced Monday.

Then, also on Monday on the OCL forum, the week of challenges begins. Each challenge has a certain number of points which you accumulate as you play…and you will definitely want to play along, because the grand-prize winner will win a $100 gift certificate! We’ll still be holding our regular monthly sketch challenge too, so that’s another chance to win the OCL set of your choice.

On Wednesday, we will begin sneak peeking the sets from our upcoming Valentine Release. You can catch a glimpse of these new sets on Wednesday and Thursday and then join us for the big Blog Hop on Friday, November 20th. As usual, we will be giving away at least one of every net set! It is going to be so much fund and you won’t want to miss it - so bookmark The Lounge, and mark you caldenar.  Go on over to The Lounge to celebrate!   If you hop over to The Lounge or The Forum, you can join in on the fun scavenger hunt they are hosting!  Good luck!”  All details can be found at The Lounge. We have a some OCL trivia and answers - - but you’ve got to visit the following list of blogs to get the answers…. Really pretty simple, fun and of course PRIZES.

Enjoy and Create, Lila
 

Today is day two for “Holiday Treats” Apron Recipe Book from Creative Cuts & More. If you’ve reached my blog from Lisa Somerville then you are on the right track.  I’ve loved these recipe book projects - they are going to make such perfect holiday gifts! Here’s a picture of the kit used for today’s project - -

It has everything you need - except your favorite recipes….. Here’s my sample

I did use a couple of items not included in the kit - Doodle Bug has matching brads - - that I just could not pass up.

So to continue with the CELEBRATION - got to the beginning Die Cut Diva    http://www.diecutdiva.com
As part of the celebration CC&M will be having a great sale. For the next six days, we will offer 20% off the entire store. But act quickly, it is only for six days – this sale will end on Nov 14^th. Make sure you enter this code recipebloghop2009 during checkout.

As a continuing part of the celebration CC&M will of course give away great gifts. Each day we will give away one kit. Here is the twist – go through the blog hop, leave wonderful comments for the great designers.  Your next stop is Kazen Clark - After you have finished the blog hop, return to www.diecutdiva.com and instead of leaving a comment, you need to share a recipe to have a chance at winning the kit. Share the recipe on your blog and link it back and get another chance to win the kit. Help us also make this a great recipe swap. Until tomorrow - enjoy today’s hop - Enjoy and Create, Lila

Here’s my recipe for “Pepermint Drop Cookies”

2/3 c butter flavor shortening

1/4 c sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 c all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c crushed peppermint candy

Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine flour, baking powder and salt - gradually  stir into creamed mixture. Fold in candy. Drop onto greased cookie sheet - Bake at 350 degree for 10-12 minutes.

Yummy -easy!!!!  Again, Enjoy and Bake, Lila

I’ve had the pleasure and opportunity to participate in Creative Cuts & More “MEGA RECIPE BLOG HOP”.  Welcome!!! Today is day one - where we have 24 designers who have created wonderful pages and shared yummy recipes to  inspire you for the upcoming holidays. Our 8″X8″ “Treasured Family Recipes Kit” was designed by our talented Pam Smerker. 

Here is my sample using the above kit:

Front Cover

Inside pages - These are recipes our family uses on Christmas morning for breakfast -

There were a couple of things I used that were not included in the kit - The cover page has a 3″ circle cut out - perfect for viewing a Campbell’s soup can I printed on Linen adhesive backed paper (CTMH) - Since my maiden name is Campbell and I have several sisters-in-laws with Campbell as their last name - this will be a perfect holiday gift. I also used some of this eyelet ribbon, and since I did not have any recipe cards to write my recipes on I used pages from {note}worthy (Making Memories) and some “Spruce” acrylic paint (MM).

To get STARTED - go to Die Cut Diva    http://www.diecutdiva.com
As part of the celebration CC&M will be having a great sale. For the next six days, we will offer 20% off the entire store. But act quickly, it is only for six days – this sale will end on Nov 14^th. Make sure you enter this code recipebloghop2009 during checkout.

As a continuing part of the celebration CC&M will of course give away great gifts. Each day we will give away one kit. Here is the twist – go through the blog hop, leave wonderful comments for the great designers. Your next stop is at Kendra’s - After you have finished the blog hop, return to www.diecutdiva.com and instead of leaving a comment, you need to share a recipe to have a chance at winning the kit. Share the recipe on your blog and link it back and get another chance to win the kit. Help us also make this a great recipe swap. Until tomorrow - enjoy today’s hop - Enjoy and Create, Lila

  Make sure you check back at www.diecutdiva.com tomorrow for the “Holiday Treats Apron Recipe Kit” blog hop. We will have another 24 designers with special Holiday Treat recipes and creative page inspiration.

Wanted to share a quick reminder about the Creative Cuts &More MEGA Blog Hop.  You just have to come and check it out….. NOV 9th and 10th

Also wanted to thank everyone for their kind comments during the Caardvarks & CC&M Blog Hop - I know there were certainly many projects that have put me in the mood for the upcoming holidays.  Today though, it’s still Autumn… Our Craft Lounge is Show Casing a beautiful set  in The Lounge- love to color it with my COPICS or Prisma colored pencils “Autumn Garden”. Here’s a fun little reminder - it’s still AUTUMN!!!

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Stamp Sets: “Autumn Garden” and “Friendly Flowers” (OCL); Craft cardstock; Pattern Paper:  Basic Grey; main image colored with COPICS, paper pieced Friendly Flowers stamped with “Jumbo Java” Versamagic; button, flax thread, and raffia round out the card.  Gotta get working on a  couple of other things. Enjoy and Create this evening, Lila