Easy Thanksgiving Card + Tips

Hi there. I'm so carried on making Christmas cards for children who live below poverty level, that I forgot to post another Thanksgiving card like I said I would. Oops. You can make a child smile with a simple card too. You can make your cards and send to 
Compassion International, ATTN: Christmas Cards for Unsponsored Children Colorado Springs, CO 80997-0004
Just sign your cards,  and write a Bible verse that will encourage the children. Place each card in an blank envelope, then send them to the address above. The dateline is November 2nd.  If you have any questions, please ask them in a comment, and I will answer them as soon as possible. Meanwhile, here is another Thanksgiving card.

Supplies used for this card
Paper: Rusty red, white cardstock, patterned brown, green, golden yellow, and orange scrapbook paper
Tools: Scoring board and scoring tool, maple leaf punch, corner round punch
Stamp: Grateful (Stampabilities)
Ink: Expresso

Tip# 1: The embossing lines on the side, bottom and top of the card were made with my scoring tool on the scoring board. You can use a click pen (with the point inside), and a cutting board to score too. Like seen in this FREE video class

Tip# 2 I made this card without any 3D embellishments because it's going to be mailed. You can use a snowflake punch, for instance, and a Christmas sentiment phrase, to turn the card into a Christmas one. 

Thank you so much for checking out my blog. Enjoy crafting, and don't forget to share your creativity with those in need. ;)

God bless you,

Vanías Reed

Card + Tip on Distress Technique

It was 67 degrees when I went outside this morning. Boy did it feel good! I am one of those people who enjoy cool weather way better than the heat of summer. I always say that you can put on layers of clothes and be warm, but there is only so much you can take off. (LOL). Anyway, the cooler weather, the beautiful autumn colors - at least in my home fall decor (smile), and the Christmas items for sale in stores remind me that we are so close to Thanksgiving. Since I started on my Christmas cards in July, I just had Thanksgiving cards to make. Hoot-hoot!. So here is the first one.

Supplies used
Paper: Rusty red, brown, olive green, and cream cardstock paper
Tools: Cutting/embossing machine, wood marks embossing folder, fancy scallop oval punch, small oval die, stamp marker
Stamp: "Count your many blessings..." - I used the stamp marker on the words many and blessings, and stamped them separately.
Ink: black and brown
Embellishments: Pumpkin and acorn 3D stickers, brown twine, small brown pearl  

Tip: Use the stamp pad to gently touch several times the edges of the cream paper to give the distressed look to it.

Thank you for stopping by. God bless you and yours.

Vanías Reed  

Cornbread/ Pão de Milho

My cousin and aunt came from Brasil to visit, and I decided to make a roast, and serve it with cornbread. They liked it so much that my cousin asked me for the cornbread recipe. Since I had to translate the recipe, I thought, "Why not share it with other people too? After all, Thanksgiving is around the corner, the colder weather will be here soon..." So here is the recipe in English and Portuguese.

 

Cornbread Recipe in English

1 ½ Cups yellow corn meal

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 ½ tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 ¼ cup milk

2 eggs

¼ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup butter

Heat oven to 250F

In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients. Add milk, eggs, and oil. Blend until smooth. Melt butter in iron skillet at 250F(see note below for glass baking pan). Pour batter evenly into skillet. Cover with tin foil, bake at 250F for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Stick a toothpick – CAREFULLY not to get burned – into center of batter. If the toothpick comes out dry, the bread is ready. Enjoy!

NOTE: If using a 9 x 13in glass baking pan, melt the butter in a microwavable container, in microwave, then spread into baking pan before pouring batter in.

Thank you for stopping by. Enjoy the cool weather, and God bless you. 

Vanías Reed

 Receita de Pão de Milho em Português

 1 ½ xic de fubá

1 ½ xic farinha de trigo

1/4 xic de açúcar

1 ½ colher de sopa de fermento em pó

1 colher de chá de sal

1 ¼ xic. de leite

2 ovos

¼ óleo vegetal

¼ xicara de manteiga

Aqueça o forno a  125 graus C

Misture os ingredients secos. Acrescente o leite, os ovos e o óleo. Misture tudo muito bem.

Aqueça uma frigideira de ferro e derreta a manteiga nela.

NOTA: Se usar refratário, derreta a manteiga no microoondas primeiro, ai espalhe a manteira derretida no refratario.

Despeje a massa na frigideira de ferro, ou no refratário e asse por 20-15 minutos. Espete o centro da massa com um palito de dentes ou espeto de churrasco. Se o palito/espeto sair seco, o pão está pronto. Aproveite.

Obrigada por visitar o meu blog. Deus abençoe,

Vanías Reed 

DIY Any Season, Inexpensive, and Easy Wreath + Bow tutorial

Hello. Who is enjoying the cooler weather? I know I would, if we had any. But it is still pretty warm here. That, though, does not stop me from decorating my home with fall colors, and changing my screen saver to a fall one. I just love the gorgeous yellow, orange, and rusty red colors found in this season. Besides, it reminds me that CHRISTmas is around the corner. Yoo-hoo!! This year my family and I are also celebrating the 1st year in our new home, and that's why I decided to make the wreaths for our front door. They were not difficult to make, so I decided to share the tutorial with you.

 

Supplies you will need

I bought the vines at Michaels with my coupons, of course.  Here is the link with the tutorial for the bow. You can find the leaf garland at the dollar stores. The apple branches with flowers are from Southern Hospitality, but you can use different fruit and/or flowers depending on which season you will be using your wreath. And I'm pretty sure you have a glue gun, and glue stickers. If not, you can find them anywhere, even Walmart,  for a very reasonable price.
Glue the leaf garland on the vine first (I needed 2 for each wreath). I took some leaves out of the garland and glued them where I wanted them to stay. Glue the fruit branch, then glue the bow. Voilà, your wreath is ready. It can't get easier than that, and you can make one for each season or different holidays. 

Thank you for stopping by

God bless you, and Happy Fall,

Vanías Reed   

Wedding/Bridal Shower Card

Yay!! We are in the 'ber' months. Yesterday I caught myself singing in a store "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere...". I stopped right there - a little embarrassed, I confess - when I noticed someone right behind me. Oops. But while I wait anxiously for Christmas - believe me I get more excited than my 9-year-old son - LOL, I go on creating other greeting cards for the special people in my life. I made the one I'm posting today for a sweet young lady's bridal shower. I saw the idea for 'His' and 'Hers' towels on Pinterest, then I put my own spin on it. Here it is.

Supplies used
Paper: Sky blue, light blue, white, brown cardstock, and wedding scrapbook paper.
Tools: Embossing/cutting machine, brick wall, and diamonds embossing folders, decorative label die, medium label punch, mini rectangle punch, 1/8 circle punch, 3D foam glue dots, crochet hook, embroidering thread, computer, and printer.
Embellishments: Doves and hearts stickers, towel bar, self stick silver pearls (used as "screws" on the towel bar), crochet edging on the towels, double layer label. I die cut two labels, then fussy cut them in the middle, where I used the blue label for my sticker. The decorative labels were used as a frame. 

 

If you don't crochet, it's ok because you can make the edge for the towels out of the paper too.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you are having a wonderfully blessed day.

Vanías Reed    

Scrapbook Paper Birthday Card

One of the things I enjoy the most is the expression of joy people make when they receive a handmade card. The big smile combined with the sparkle in their eyes tell me they really like what they see. That is a tremendous motivation for me to keep making greeting cards. Is it for you too? What motivates you to do what you do? Do you surprise people with cards "just because"? Sometimes it doesn't take a long time, too much work, or even expensive material to make someone feel special, does it?  Here is a card I made that put a smile in my cousin's face.

Supplies Used
Paper: Black, white, black glittered cardstock, and scrapbook patterned paper.
Tools: Cutting/ embossing machine, happy birthday embossing folder (Cuttlebug), balloon punch, 1/8 in ribbons, bakers twine, small glitter numbers
Embellishment: handmade gift boxes, gift box stickers, balloons

The white embossed paper is glued to a black card (the picture doesn't show it very well - sorry).
Thank you for checking out my project. I hope you make one too. 

God bless you,  

Vanias Reed

Baby Card Using Owl Punch Builder

Hi there. Being a Mom is an amazing - sometimes exhausting - experience. It is a constant learning process. I love to spend time with my son, home school him, and watch him grow physically, emotionally, and spiritually every day. One thing we enjoy doing together is to watch DVDs that I recorded when he was a baby/ toddler. Those memories are so important and special. The other day we decided to watch the DVD I have with my baby shower. That inspired me to create a card for a young lady who's expecting, and whose baby shower was last week. Here is the card.

Supplies and techniques used
Paper: Light blue, white, mustard, gold, and green cardstock. Pattern scrap paper.
Tools: Embossing/cutting machine, clouds embossing folder, circle die, precision scissors, owl builder punch
Embellishments: bakery twine for cloth line, white and black miniature self-stick pearls, 'Welcome Baby' 3D sticker, overalls.
Techniques: dry embossing, fussy cutting (used for car on blue overall, sheep on plaid overall, to make the leg opening on overalls, grass)

Celebrate babies everywhere. If you have one, enjoy him/her every minute. Don't let the (much) work that parenting requires worn you out. Laugh at whatever goes wrong, and try, try, try again. Be the best parent you can be, and try to relax and create beautiful things. Babies are and always will be an inspiration.

Thank you for stopping by, and my the creator of all human beings bless you and yours. 

Vanías Reed