Remember me mentioning my desire to dive back into scrapbooking? To rekindle that love affair for it when I was a design team member for an online scrapbooking site. To revisit the passion I shared with so many others...back when attending scrapbooking conferences was cool and I met this superstar.

Scrapbooking conferences and retreats have been replaced with blogging-focused events over the last five or so years as a direct result of scrapbooking having taken a backseat to creative pursuits. I've watched so many of my favorite scrapbooking stores close down over the years and have sadly watched the scrapbooking aisles in my favorites craft stores shrink from 3 to 4 full aisles down to only one - maybe two.  

But change is coming friends!  I'm seeing a clear shift and it's been

CRAFT | Amy Tangerine Plus One Paper Crafting Collection

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This project post is a part of a paid marketing campaign with Snap. 

Although this post is sponsored the project idea and all opinions expressed are my own.
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I'm super excited to be sharing lots of eye candy today!

I was fortunate enough to have been selected to try out some of the new adorable Amy Tangerine Plus One Paper Craft Collection.

Before I show you what I ended up doing…I want to show you how seriously cute these products are! 

Amy Tangerine Whittles

(adorable decorative  mini wooden clothespins)

Amy Tangerine Alphabet Embroidery Stencil Kit

for incorporating easy stitching elements into your paper crafting, t-shirts, tote bags, scrapbooking, etc.

More pieces of the Amy Tangerine Alphabet Embroidery Stencil Kit
orange pad to protect surface when using the poking tool to pre-punch holes into your craft item 
along with some cute thread and needles.

Amy Tangerine Thread Kit
Extra thread colors to be used with the embroidery stencil kit

Amy Tangerine Roller Date Stamp and Mix Tape
A quick fun way to add a date and sentiment to any paper crafting project. 
And who doesn't love mini washi tapes in fun colors and cute designs?

Amy Tangerine Letter and Number Sticker Book
A fun way to add names, words, sentiments to your paper crafting projects

Amy Tangerine Roller Date Stamp, Mix Tape, Adhesive Bagdes and Fabric Brads
The adhesive badges are like those buttons we all know and love except they stick on instead of pin on.
Fabric brads are a simple way to add a pop of color to your scrapbooking page.

An even closer look...

Amy Tangerine Rub-Ons
Use the wooden popsicle stick to transfer these rub-ons onto your 
scrapbooking or other paper crafting projects. How fun are these?

Now that I've gotten your attention…before we dive into what I ended up making you need to know

the Amy Tangerine Plus One Paper Craft Collection will be for sale on HSN, on March 24th! Mark your calendars! This collection was the top selling signature line released in Winer 2014 and sold out in most stores and online. I'm telling you this because when the Amy Tangerine Plus One is up for grabs on the 24th at HSN there will be FIVE discounted bundles starting at just under $20 bucks…so I have a feeling they'll be selling like hotcakes.

The bundles will include a basic kit, embroidery kit, embellishment kit and a stamping kit.

BONUS: The sold out Plus One Project Life Mini Kit will also be available at a discounted rate.

Let me show you what the kits look like…

Amy Tangerine Plus One Kit

Amy Tangerine Stamp and Marker Kit

Amy Tangerine Embellishment Kit

Amy Tangerine Embroidery Stencil Kit

Amy Tangerine Plus One Project Life Kit

If you are into paper crafting and scrapbooking you've got to be completely excited right about now!
So again…DON'T MISS THE SALE ON MARCH 24TH ON HSN!!

OKAY...TIME TO REVEAL MY PROJECTS

For my first project, I was inspired to use the beautiful coordinating Amy Tangerine Plus One 12x12 acid-free paper to create this…

"XOXO Before You Go" - 15x30 Canvas Art Print

This is a new little sentiment we have started saying around our house…inspired by the "Hands-Free Mama" book I've been reading. It's a gentle reminder to kiss and hug each other before leaving or going about our day.

All I did to create all of those colorful hearts was use THIS HEART CRAFT PUNCH 
and almost every sheet of pretty decorative paper from the Amy Tangerine Plus One 12x12 pad.
(The gold glitter hearts are from my own personal stash)

After letting the "XOXO Before You Go" sentiment dry after painting it onto the canvas using black acrylic paint, I filled the rest of the canvas up with the paper hearts. I layed them out to figure out placement before gluing them on. I then added a little Amy Tangerine Adhesive Badge - the pink one with the house and heart was too perfect for the finishing touch…don't you think?

For some added texture, I pulled the sides of each heart away from the canvas so they looked 3 dimensional. I decided to leave the gold ones flat since the glitter card stock was thicker and I personally think it adds a little more interest. (that's the artist in me talking - ha!) 

Simple, right? Canvas + Pretty Paper Hearts + cute sentiment = Instant Home Decor. I love it.

You could even eliminate the sentiment altogether and just do a canvas filled with nothing but paper hearts!

So then…

it was time for my next project.

Although I was only asked to do one project, I really wanted to get my feet wet again with scrapbooking. It's been awhile and I've had the itch to get going again for some time so this was the perfect excuse to dive back into it!

I decided to use a photo from Ella's birthday photo shoot since the colors from her Rainbow Unicorn Birthday Party blended perfectly with the color scheme of the Amy Tangerine Plus One products. Yay!!

Do you love it? I think it turned out really, really cute!

Here's a bit of my process…

I used an 8x10 piece of white card stock as the foundation for my scrapbooking page because I knew I wanted to actually frame (without glass) and hang this when I was done.

I first figured out where my photo was going to go and then I built my layout/design around it. I used this stencil from the Alphabet Embroidery Stencil Kit to poke holes into my white card stock.

I stitched the thread onto my paper using the colors to match the cute rainbow colors from Ella's party.

I then added two black arrows from one of the rub-on sheets. 

TIP: See the extra pieces of rub ons I accidentally transferred onto my paper? (see below)  Look above and below the black arrows. Those of course weren't supposed to be there. Oops! No biggie. I ended up using a white eraser to remove those. It worked like a charm. I rubbed gently but firmly until they were gone to avoid damaging my paper.

See…the extra rub ons magically disappeard. So then I got my black ink pad and stamped "love love love" right underneath the arrows using the Amy Tangerine Date Stamp.  Just because I thought it was cute!

The words "Look…she's five" are handwritten 

and then I added some gold glitter mini hearts I punched from gold glitter card stock. 

The Amy Tangerine adhesive badge was a really cute accent and the criss cross lines in it matched the word "Look". 

I added the Amy Tangerine Whittles to the layout using Glue Dots and inserted hand cut strips of paper with Ella's name, the date Ella turned five and a couple more stamps from the Date Stamp.

I added some strips of the Mix Tape to two corners of Ella's photo and there you go…my very first "come-back" scrapbooking layout in about 7 years and Ella's very first scrapbooking page EVER - thanks to Amy Tangerine + American Crafts.

I love how it turned out and Ella was delighted to see it when it was finished.

It's definitely been awhile since I've scrapbooked like this.

I had forgotten how much I enjoy it and how relaxing it is to get creative in this way.

I've been inspired to create a birthday album for Ella.

Now…to get that layout framed and hung will be my next project so I can call it officially finished!

KEEPiNG iT REAL

1. I messed up on the first canvas when painting the words on it. I had to start a whole new canvas.

2. Ema was jealous that I chose to do a scrapbooking page for Ella instead of her when she's the one that's been begging me to get back into it for a couple of years now. She just LOVES looking at the ones I made for her and Clara. Despite her jealousy she gave me a thumbs up on Ella's! *wink*
3. My studio is a freaking disaster area right now from these fun projects! Ha! *blushing*

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA | Michael's Recollections Calendar Kit

You guys….I'm sharing something so cute and so "doable" today…

I just know you are going to want one of these for yourself! (or for someone on your Holiday shopping list).

Michael's sent me this adorable Recollections Calendar Kit to start my 2014 off on the right foot…

and by that I mean I've got a cute calendar for the new year and I've got a super easy way to document the favorite monthly moments and memories my family and I make along the way.

This Recollections 2014 Calendar Kit does double duty by providing a 12 month blank wall calendar to keep up with what's coming ahead…as well as allowing me to tuck in some memories using the photo pocket style scrapbook pages for my family and I to look back on; And the sweet pink box it all came in is for storing the calendar at the end of the year. (Or heck! You might as well display the album on your coffee table or bookshelf with your other family scrapbooks and then use the pink box for something else)!? I LOVE that!

I've been wanting to get back into scrapbooking for some time, ( see this, this and this and maybe this too). You see, I originally started this blog to be able to combine my love of scrapbooking, photography and journaling because it was becoming increasingly difficult to find the time to sit down and scrapbook. Blogging merged the three worlds together. 

Unless you have your blog printed, (which I have YET to do), I've missed being able to physically hold something in my hands and look back on all of the memories and fun we've experienced. Ema LOVES the scrapbooks I created in the past. She loves looking through them and over the past couple of years she's been asking me when I would pick it up again. Her inquiries have really lit a fire in my heart to get back to it. I just haven't been sure where to start and this is just the thing I needed. It literally took me less than 30 minutes to put the ENTIRE album together using the cute stickers to mark birthdays and holidays and I was able to make it incredibly adorable by selecting from the super cute pre-designed 3x4 and 4x6 designer insert cards. Soooo simple! 

Anyone that knows me and is familiar with the type of scrapbooking I used to do would agree that this simple approach is WAY out of my element and not anything like what I'm used to doing. Which is why this Recollections Calendar Kit it SO perfect for me right now. The kit comes with an album, blank calendar pages, stickers, along with 3x4 and 4x6 designer insert cards. Since the kit comes with everything I need to put the album together, I have the opportunity to rekindle my love for scrapbooking without becoming overwhelmed by the selection of other scrapbooking embellishments and extras available. (Not right now anyway - I look forward to that down the road).

The cute kraft binder with the pretty aqua blue binding that holds the calendar has been punched with a hole for easy hanging. Another thing I love is that all of the designer cards that come with the kit are double-sided so you can mix and match your favorite monthly themed designs. That means that even if my neighbor or bestie get the kit - the versatility of the available pre-designed elements still allow you to make it your own. (And of course any photos and journaling you add will make it even more personalized).

The kit even comes with a pen and a spot to keep it when you aren't using it!
The only real decisions I have to make using this calendar kit is which side of the cards to use... 

And whether or not I want to include a photo, journaling or both. Ha! 

That's easy enough for me!

I hope you've been inspired to pick up your own 2014 Recollections Calendar Kit.

It can be found exclusively at Michael's Stores and it'll be the best $39.99 you've ever spent because this isn't just a gift for the person who purchases it or the person that receives it under the Christmas tree; It's truly a gift that keeps on giving every time we look back on the memories we've made. 

Your kids will love it and your family will appreciate it - if not now I promise you they will later!! *wink*

Here are some other ideas I thought of that you can use the calendar for:

- Grandparent's Gift - 

   1. Spend the year putting together a collection of memories you can then mail off to grandparents to enjoy. 

   2. Send the Calendar Kit to the grandparents and have them put it together.  Then send them monthly pics to add. You can get the kids involved in this one too!

- Document a specific goal - something you are looking to achieve over the course of 2014

KEEPiNG iT REAL

I'm serious when I say I assembled this calendar kit in 30 minutes. It was really fun to put together and I love how CUTE it turned out! I can't wait to add snippets of 2014 to it!

PEN N' PAPERFLOWERS (PNPF) RECEIVED FREE PRODUCT, COMPENSATION OR OTHER PERKS FROM MICHAEL'S FOR REVIEWING AND SHARING THIS PRODUCT. BE ASSURED PNPF ONLY POSTS/REVIEWS PRODUCTS I LOVE AND FEEL YOU WILL LOVE TOO!

EMPOWER | A Beautiful Mess App

Among the projects and chaos of life...
I've also found time to dive into a FUN, brand new photo app!

 A Beautiful Mess App

The ABM app is currently available in the +iPhone Apps section of +iTunes  - (with hopes of an Android version in the future).

The app comes with fun doodles, a variety of backgrounds, playful borders, a handful of fonts and some cute phrases  to add to your photos prior to posting them on Instagram. (and other social media)

READ MORE ABOUT THE APP HERE.

I've been tapping into my inner poet lately -  the one I left behind shortly after high school.

Inspired by the SHE book by Kobi Yamada...

I've been writing my own "SHE" lunch box notes to include in my oldest daughter's lunches in the mornings.

I decided it was time to start writing them down for keeps...

and I've been sharing them on Instagram with hopes of inspiring and empowering others.

(By the way...I'd LOVE for you to FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM and keep up-to-date with what I've got going on behind the scenes. *wink*)

With that said...

When the ABM App launched - it seemed perfectly natural...

iNSPiRE | Smash Book + Candy Hearts

Brrr....it's cold outside here in Florida.

However, the excitement from the "Promise Me" movement we've got going on over here is sure warming my heart!!

The "Promise Me" Pinterest Board I've set up for those of you who are joining along has been filling up.

The emails have been pouring in...

genuine enthusiasm has been shared by so many of you...

and we are all inspiring each other - already.

and it's not even February 1st yet - our official start date. 

One of the bits of inspiration that has come about from this Promise Me adventure...

completely unexpected from the suggestion/comments from some brilliant Pen N' Paperflowers Facebook Fans...

Was the suggestion of doing a SMASH™ Book as part of the Promise Me journey!

If you don't know what a SMASH™ Book is...

Sit back and enjoy this short and sweet video from K&Company

This concept is SO right up my alley.

And since I've not done a SMASH™ book yet...

The Promise Me journey is the perfect way to get my feet wet!!

I will be picking up the supplies I need this weekend!

Perhaps you'll be inspired to do the same?

I'll also be finishing up the Promise Me graphic to share with you next week.

If you have a blog or site, you'll be able to post it loud and proud as a reminder to yourself...

and as a badge of honor sort of thingy! *wink*

Remember...

I'll be randomly selecting someone every month to send a little something special to.

I've been compiling my list of  these "special gifts" and I promise YOU...

each one of them will be fun and inspiring. 

SO. FUN!

So.

If you have no idea what Promise Me is about but are interested in learning more, GO HERE.

If you have not yet gotten your name on the list and would like to be included...

shoot me an email: pnpflowers AT live DOT com

If you are already on the list but forgot about being invited to pin to our Promise Me 2013 Pinterest Board,

send me another email to let me know you want to start pinning: pnpflowers AT live DOT com

Now...

If SMASH™ Books or the Promise Me journey isn't your thing...

I've got something else for you...

Perhaps you'll try it out this weekend if you've never done it...

Candy Hearts

 FOR USE AS TOPPINGS ON CUPCAKES OR OTHER VALENTINE'S DAY TREATS

MY RESULTS FROM EXPERIMENTING:
• Hot Tamales (Red)  - WiNNER!! Cracks aren't as visible and sealed back together nicely.
• Jelly Belly Jelly Beans (Light Pinks) - Runner Up - I personally don't like how visible the cracks/seams show.
• Good & Plenty (Dark Pink) - LAST PLACE - Cracked Under Pressure - but could be used as a symbol for a "broken heart" Ha!

THE VISUAL HOW-TO

THE VERBAL HOW-TO:
Cut your choice of candy in 1/2 at a 45º angle.
Flip one of the pieces and immediately squeeze the two candy pieces back together - the insides act as a glue.

Such a simple technique to turn any ordinary tubular edible object into something special...
Have the kids help - they'll love it!

I've seen this done with HOTDOGS - PINNED HERE
I've done it with a CHEESESTICK - using the same toothpick technique shown with the hotdog linked above.
I was told it works great with CHERRY TOMATOES - PINNED HERE!

If you want to chime in about the Smash™ Book...
or the Promise Me...
or if you have any other cute ideas for turning food into heart shapes...leave your comments.
I always love hearing from you!!
Have a fantastic weekend everyone!!

KEEPiNG iT REAL
1st:
I'm REALLY needing a "Momcation".
I thought I made that word up until I found it in the Urban Dictionary! Ha!
You know what that means?
I'm not the only Mom out there who feels this way...
which makes me feel a little less guilty for feeling that way! *wink*

2nd:
I made the chart above because I was too lazy to photograph my results with my REAL camera.
The photo at the top was from my iPhone camera - not great quality but you get the point! *wink*
Besides...I actually love how the chart turned out.
So see...
sometimes it's good to be lazy?
Although taking the time to create the chart doesn't really equate with "lazy"...now does it? Ha!

family | Happy 13th Birthday Ema

My middle daughter, Emalyn Anne...
turned 13 this past Friday.
thirTEEN...*sigh*

Where did the time go...seriously?
I remember like it was yesterday...

My ongoing efforts to convince this serious tomboy what a beautiful GIRL she was/is...

and how her silliness and laughter would warm my heart and light up any room...

She's still serious...a very deep thinker...
and she's still got the silliness and the most beautiful smile in the world.

So what did my cheesecake loving daughter request for her birthday dessert this year?
Fruit. Salad.
*sigh*

Don't get me wrong...
I'm thrilled she actually asked for something healthy.
The creative side of me was frozen though...
No baking?
What was I to do?

I enlisted the help of my awesome Facebook Fans...
and after some wonderful feedback...
I decided on creating this...

A "Fruit Cake"...









Using a watermelon as the "base" of the cake...
I then used pineapple, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, apples, strawberries and kiwi for the cake decor...

She had no idea what I had created...
So right before we brought it out with the candles lit...
I said, "I know you asked for fruit salad but I just HAD to make you a cake"...
(She of course rolled her eyes and was a bit disappointed at my announcement)
AND THEN...
She was pleasantly surprised to see I really did listen to her request...
And she thought it was SO awesome...
she's thinking of asking for one EVERY year! *wink*

Happy 13th Birthday my sweet, sweet Em!

KEEPiNG iT REAL

The toughest part about making the "fruit" cake was cutting the rind off of the watermelon...

and carving it into a round "cake"

But once that was done...

It all came together rather quickly.

And it was surprisingly satisfying...

I quite enjoyed it!!

Oh...

just in case you didn't know...

the two images at the beginning of the post...

those are scrapbooking layouts I did years ago -

back when I was all-things-scrapbooking.

(That's for an entirely different post). *wink*

Ema continues to beg me to start back up...

She loves looking through the albums.

That's one of the reasons I decided to include the layouts in today's post...