Elegant Negative Cuts??

I cut some large silhouette cuts from the Damask Decor cartridge a few months ago and the negative cuts that were left over were very pretty and I couldn't throw them out.   So, I started making some cards with them. 

This one is the negative cut from Damask Silhouette 36.  This is a business size card.   The mat paper is from Colorbok and has a light swiss dot pattern so, I used the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder to emboss the black strip of paper down the center.  I added some sheer gray ribbon from Michael's and then a mounted Scrappy Cat sentiment.

Slimey Little Valentine Alien

Happy post Valentine's Day!!!   This is my son's valentine.   I made it after a challenge from Miss Erin at DCWVdiary and you can see it featured on her blog right HERE.   You can also find this one pinned by her on her Pinterest site, which I was excited about!  I just love her and her blog.

I was inspired by the mat paper that was from the DCWV Truly in Love stack.   And then I decided on the alien from B is for Boy, at 4 1/4".  The papers for the alien were also from the stack and I added the green google eyes.

The sentiments are from Studio G and the front sentiment was attached with a heart brad.  The drippy border is a Martha Stewart border punch with a strip of black ribbon above.

And, on the inside, I used a heart punch to cut out the little piece of black glittered poka dot paper, cut out from the stomach of the alien, 

Love Bug

A little Valentine's card today for my daughter this year.  The ladybug is from Create A Critter, cut at 4".  The phrase was cut as well, at 2 3/4" and using the red glittered paper for the word love.   I used red glitter paper to cut the wings and then glued the dots from her wings onto the antena's. 

The mat paper is from Martha Stewart's 2011 Valentine's Day stack.   The die cut hearts are from the K&Co. Smooch line and the border is from the Target dollar bin.   On the inside, I added a strip of paper and a TPC sentiment.  Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Under the Weather?

I've been trying to do a couple variations of cards so that I would have some extras...today is one of those days.   I made this 'Get Well' card using the umbrella icon from A Child's Year.  On the above picture, I just used a white gel pen to add some detail to the umbrella and then a black marker to color the handle (since there aren't layers on A Child's Year).  Background paper is from K&Co. Daydreams stack and I printed the sentiment. 

The only difference in this card is that I used a Martha Stewart border punch on the sides and added some green ribbon.   The inside of this cart is below.

So, the next variation used the same paper and same Cricut cut.   I also added the same sentiment and gel pen details BUT, I added this blue trim ribbon that has little white balls at the end, to the bottom of the umbrella.  The ribbon is from Joann's dollar bin.   I also cut different colors of paper in the same size rectangle shape to make a cascading rainbow sentiment mount. 

On the inside, I stamped a sentiment from Scrappy Mom's, 'hanging' from an American Crafts piece of ribbon. 

DoodleBug Designs New Releases!!!

Check out the FANTASTIC new releases at Doodlebug Designs HERE.   Make sure you scroll down to see all of them:  HELLO SPRING, SNIPS AND SNAILS, SUGAR AND SPICE, and BOYS ONLY!  They have a giveaway as well!  Enjoy!

Congrats Megan!

Congrats to our new hire, Megan.   She is super sweet and very bubbly, which is great because I am honestly not a smiley bubbly person.   I am happy but, not bubbly so I really enjoy people who honestly are....like my BFF, Melissa.  For the card, I cut the Congrats cut from Paper Lace at 4", in pink.   The background paper is from the DCWV Street Lace stack.  I also added some hard to see little pearls.  The front of the card is shorter than the inside of the card so, I added a purple mat inside with a pink stripe so that you can see it when the card is closed. 

Always Remember

I used the Paper Lace cartridge to create this 5 1/2" square card.  I cut the butterfly cut paper on K & Co double sided paper and I intended to use the green side but, the blue side looked so pretty on top of this chocolate brown paper. 

I cut the butterfly body at 2", twice.   I added a sentiment, some brown pearl gems, and inked the edges.  I only glued the bodies of the two butterfly cuts together and then pop dotted the wings to make them 3D

The ribbon was recycled packaging. 

The inside paper is from the DCWV Four Seasons stack and the sentiment from Fiskars.

Repurposed Holiday Gift Tin

I have to say that this repurposed tin creation is not my personnal style at all but, I love how it turned out!

I got the Trim a Tree cartridge last Christmas and still had not used it so, this is my first time using it.  I used printed paper from DCWV Ultimate Stack that had bells all over it.   I used my ATG gun to glue the paper to the metal tin.  Then, I added a solid piece to the front.

The cut is the bell from Trim a Tree at 4 1/2"and the stars have 'Peeled Paint' distressed stickles added. 

Sentiment is Inkadinkadoo, mounted and pop dotted with a little more stickles.  

I covered the lid by tracing the shape and hand cutting it and then topped it with a sheer ribbon bow that I made.  Another good tin saved from the recycle bin!!!

Blog Candy Winner!!!

Congrats Carri aka abusybee on winning my blog candy!!! I'm so sorry that I am just now posting but, I have come down with a severe case of Strep Throat and double ear infections.  It's been a very long, bedridden week!  So, I am sorry for the late update but, blog candy none the less, right!!!   Congrats Carri!!!  Email me at aidensmom 2005 at aol dot com.   Have a great weekend!

Christmas treats for my deer? LAST DAY OF BLOG CANDY!!!!

This is a repurposed candy container from Sam's Club.  I used some black, white, and silver deer wrapping paper around the entire container and trimmed the top and bottom with white ribbon and some black strips of paper that I border punched using the Martha Stewart snowflake border punch.  

On the front, I mounted a deer cut from the Winter Wonderland cartridge, deer2, at 4" using My Mind's Eye Lost and Found paper.  I also cut the shadow for the deer but, had to trim off the legs that would have been added had a cut all of the deer layers.  I mounted the deer on a printed sheet from Theresa Collins 'Christmas Home' set that I also cut using the Martha Stewart border punch and I also used the corner punch as well (one of the punch around the page sets).

For the lid, I cut a circle the size of the lid and made a bow for the top and then tied the bow with a long thin ribbon and pulled that extra ribbon through a hole poked in the center of the paper circle.   I taped down the ribbon string and then attached the circle (with bow attached) with my ATG gun.

Don't forget to check my Jan 1 post to comment for the blog candy...this is the last day!!!

Elegant & Untraditional & BLOG CANDY

I'm still posting some Christmas work since I hadn't gotten to it during December so, sorry if you're already out of the spirit.  :)  I made a Christmas card that was not the traditional Christmas look.   Love how this turned out. 

I started with a solid brown card base and then a gold vellum mat and a brown flourish print that was flocked.   The print is from the DCWV Mainstreet stack.  I started with some unfolded cream raffia and then used a plain brown ribbon on top, that I hand pleated.  At the bottom of the ribbon, I added a gold glittered American Crafts brad.  

The fancy gold 'sprig' was cut from a plastic decorative pick and I sewed it to the card mat so that it was sure to stay put.  The mounted sentiment was cut from the Twinkle Toes cartridge.   This cartridge is great for frames!!  I cut the Stagefrgt cut at 2 1/4" with the layer.  The stamped sentiment is from Scrappy Cat.   I stamped it in brown onto vellum.

On the inside, I used a sentiment from American Crafts Dear Lizzy line and then added two leaves cut from the front sprig and another small piece of brown ribbon.

DON'T FORGET to check my January 1 blog post HERE for the BLOG CANDY that I still have listed!

Christmas Palm Trees ~ BLOG CANDY!!!

This is one of the few Christmas cards that I made this past Christmas.  It was a card for my husband's boss and he LOVED it.  He and his wife love tropical locations so I decided on palm trees.   I cut the trees from the Dinosaur Tracks cardridge at 4" and 4 1/2".  The larger was cut using the 'flip' function. 

I cut doubles of the palms and glued one of each onto the tree cut and then the top layers, I embossed with the Tim Holtz Burlap embossing folder and then inked them with Color Box Pheasant Gold stamp pad.   I had the mini Christmas light strands in a roll so, I cut them down and then taped and glued them to the trees.

The palm trees are mounted onto printed paper from the DCWV 'The Christmas Stack' and the sentiment is from TPC Studios.  
The inside sentiment is from another TCP stamp set and a strip of the mat paper.  A tip when you're using 3D elements, make sure that the envelope is a bit larger than the card so that the card will fit without tearing!!

Don't forget to leave a comment on my January 1 post for blog candy!  There are some great things there!!

Pin the Nose on the Reindeer & Blog Candy!

Today I have a Cricut project that is NOT a card!!  ooohhh  ahhhh!   OK, so, seriously, this is a game that I made for my son's first grade Christmas party.   Unfortunately, my son wasn't able to attend the party because he came down with pneumonia right before Christmas but, I was told that the rest of the class really enjoyed it!

I covered a large piece of chipboard with navy blue specked cardstock (two sheets that meet right under the reindeer's right antler) and then hand cut the snow drifts and glued them on.   The trees were quick cuts from Joys of the Season in various sizes and the stem of the tree trimmed off. 

The reindeer that is flying over was cut at 11 1/2" using Create a Critter with all layers, although I didn't use the nose.   For the nose, I added a strip of the 'hook' part of velcro and then glued the 'pile' side to a large red pom pom, for pin the nose on the reindeer. 

I also added some white snowflakes that were cut from a different project via a Martha Stewart Crafts border punch.  Make sure you leave a comment on my January 1 blogcandy post....only one week left!!

New Year's Eve Favors

A quick post for the Sour Cream containers that I made for our New Year's Eve party this past weekend.  I pulled the instruction from http://www.card-making-ideas-and-instructions.com/sour-cream-container.html if you need them.  

I used a shimmery silver paper and then filled them with candy and tied black curling ribbon around them.   The medallions were made using Mother's Day Bouquet and I cut flower 36 (I believe) at 2" in black and then 1 1/2" in the same silver.   I printed the year and used a Martha Stewart punch at 1" to punch them out. 

Don't forget to leave a comment on my Monday post for a chance to win the blog candy that I have!!  Happy New Year!

2012 Blog Candy!

Well it's officially 2012!  We had a great New Year's Eve!   I thought, since I am just busting back into the blogging world, I should do a give-away.   I know that Christmas is over but, I have some fun Christmas themed stuff to giveaway! 

A Paper Studio paper stack, 4 small acrylic stamp packs and three different colored gem packs!

So, make sure you're a follower and post a comment on this post by January 14 and I will choose a winner on January 15.  AND, if you post about it on your blog, come back and tell me that too and you will get a second chance to win.  I will send the package out to the following week.  Sorry, I can only ship within the U.S.  Happy New Year's fellow bloggers!

I've been Published!!!

So, in my craft world, the most exciting thing to happen this year is that I have been published in the January 2012 issue of Cricut magazine!   Not only have I been published but, FOUR of my cards were published!   I have agreed not to post any photos while the magazine is for sale but, I can tell you which cards and what pages they are on in the magazine.   I already bought a copy myself!  Couldn't be more excited about it!

Under the Stamping section, page 71, my 'It's your Day' card
Under the Quick and Easy section, page 87, my 'Damask' card
Under the Embossing section, pages 102 & 103, my 'Be Natural' and 'Need a Squeeze' cards

I hope you're able to check out the magazine and the other great work in there!!  Enjoy!

Sew, it's your Birthday!

Dress form cut at 5 1/2" from Summer in Paris, using Design Studio to remove the center cut.  Paper for the dress form is from DCWV Denim and then I used a brown sharpie to color the stand and the top 'knob', then used Glossy Accents to make them shiny, like finished wood.  The mat paper is from Cosmo Cricket Material Girl and Salt Air collections.   Ribbons and buttons from Making Memories.   The sentiment was printed on my computer and I added the sewing needle and mini safety pin.

The inside used the same papers and a Studio G sentiment

Shoes in Every Color

This birthday card today was a quick card that didn't use any Cricut cuts but, instead a Fiskar's stamp set.  The base of the card is white cardstock and the mat is green.   The top mat is from DCWV Letterpress stack (which is so cool).  I stamped the shoe in green, brown, and yellow and then pop dotted them to green rectangles.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set and says 'If the shoe fits, buy one in every color'.

The inside has two strips of the Letterpress paper and a Happy Birthday sentiment.

I'm Back!!!!

Hello my blogger friends (do I still have any?).   I know, it has been forever since I have posted.   I was very busy with the final stages of our house building and then moving.  I really didn't think it would take as long as it did to get settled but, it did.   So, with that said, we are now moved and mostly settled and LOVING our new home!!!  I have a picture to share with you as well.   We won't have a concrete drive until April and no grass until next summer but, we are loving it.   Our neighborhood is perfect as there are 40 lots and they are all about 2-4 acres each.   The nice thing about it is that everyone has plenty of room and doesn't have to be on top of each other but, we still live in a neighborhood.   Our neighbors have been great too and I have made a friend already in the neighbor behind us.   Our son's are the same age and they played flag football together as well as wrestling together now.   So, it has been a huge blessing and we are very happy to be moved and settled.  

Now, on with the crafting!  I have missed crafting so much.   I have done a few things but, only things that needed done, nothing 'just for fun'.  I have some things to post so, I will start back to that this week.   I've also been collecting some things to do my first giveaway!!!   I'm thinking I might wait until just after the holidays and then do that.   I hope you are all well and staying crafty yourselves!!!  I have surely missed seeing every one's work!!!  Stay tuned, more to come this week!

Carried Away.....

I'm totally loving today's card.   I was up late last night, crafting, which is rare on a Friday because I am usually exhausted.   I grew up in the country and often times, in the summer, we would see hot air balloons.   Somehow they are just a sign of summer to me.   I saw the 3D hot air balloon on a tag in a magazine and loved it!   This is a square gate fold card with a yellow base.   The blue mat is core'dinations paper and the hot air balloon print is American Crafts City Park collection (love it).   The balloons were cut using the Summer in Paris cartridge and then I trimmed them down a little for each layer and cut off the 'strings' and basket.  I put pop dots between the layers to make the stand up.   I also added some string of my own and a basket and then inked all of the edges of the balloon's layers.  

The frame behind the balloon was done with a Martha Stewart Punch around the page and then I put a piece of cardstock behind it so that the dots would pop out more.  The stamp is from Studio 112.   I used 4 different colors of twine from the Twinery, that I won from my blogger buddy, Amber, over at My 3 E Scrapbooking.  Thanks Amber!

I used the same border punch for the inside mat and then cut a printed sentiment out with the balloon shadow for the inside.  I had to cut the 'strings' off of the one inside because the paper was thin paper and the strings tore when cutting.  :(  I still like it though!