3 Challenges Fathers Day Card

I made this card with three challenges in mind:

Cuttlebug Challenges - Use a pennant.
My Pink Stamper - Fathers Day Project.
The Cuttlebug Spot - Dads and Grads with (my favorite) embossing.

I designed all of this on my Gypsy™ (yay) and used the new hide contour feature to basically take out all the middle pieces of the designs. The card was made using Wild Card Cartridge™ for the card, envelope, liner, and "pennants" with the inner triangles removed. The "DAD" was cut using all capitals from the Designers Calendar Cartridge™.

The card was 4.25" and the envelope was 4.5". I used the A2 Houndstooth Emboss Folder™ for the "D" pennants and the A2 Forest Branches Emboss Folder™ for the "A" Pennant.

Because of the shape of the card, it looks a little small in person. I would recommend cutting it larger if you were to make it yourself.

Thanks for looking!

Green Chandelier

Yesterday I got to go to Angel Island on a dad and daughter date with my Father-in-Law - we had so much fun hiking around in gorgeous 70 degree San Francisco weather - riding the fairy and eating sandwiches. I try to do a dad and daughter date about once a year with my dad and this is the first with my co-dad (Father-in-Law). So yesterday was for seeing outside and today is for cleaning the house! haha - and maybe crafting if I get get my other stuff done.

I can't even tell you how much I loved making this card. I had such a great time hanging out with my husband and just crafting while a movie was playing in the background. Even though I posted the card with the eyelets yesterday, that was actually the third card I made in the series. This one was the first. I posted two pictures so you could see the envelope as it would be seen before opening the card and after opening the card.

The envelope was made with the Sentimentals Cartridge™, and the chandelier from the Embossing Folders Love is in the Air Set™ with the Cuttlebug™. Happy Memorial Day and I'll be posting the second chandelier card I made tomorrow.

Cricut Cardz Challenge #26 - Brads or Eyelets

Well, Shelly (thanks for becoming a follower!) pointed me in the direction of The Cricut Cardz Challenges last night in the Wine Glass Thank You Post. She thought I should enter it over at Cricut Cardz Challenge. Little did she know I was creating a new one just for that challenge while she was writing that!

Last night I made three cards with envelopes that I can't wait to share with you! The theme of all three is chandeliers. I just recently got the Embossing Folders Love is in the Air Set™ (which inevitably has me doing the Samba every time I use one of the embossing folders - reference to the movie Dirty Dancing). But I digress. I love the chandelier in this set and since I recently got the Summer in Paris Cartridge™ and there is a 3D chandelier on that too - I just had to try them all.

This card was made with the 3D chandelier. There is one slit on the top of the first piece and another on the bottom of the second piece so that the two pieces can go together - I really should have taken a picture of this - so I simply cut off the top of the piece that had the slit on the top and glued it on top of the piece that had the slit on the bottom thusly hiding both slits and getting one solid chandelier. I hope that makes sense.

The card shape and envelope were cut from the Sentimentals Cartridge™ at 4.5". - I believe it was the lock button. I used scraps from the edge of the paper after I cut out the card for the inside of the envelope. I love using scraps! I used my Crop-a-Dile to take care of the eyelets.

Enjoy and I'll be posting one of my embossed chandelier cards tomorrow!

WMC7 - Sky's the Limit

I love Wee Memories and the challenges that Jenny produces. I had grandiose plans for this one and scrapped about 5 different designs. I really just wanted to use my new EAD Designs Vinyl. :)

So, here is my entry for the 7th challenge. I used my Cuttlebug™ A2 Combo Birthday Wishes™ folder - just the bottom part so that the tops of the candles weren't showing. I wanted a pinstripe or fence like feel for the bottom. I also used the new EAD vinyl rub ons that I got from the Bugs set.

Short post today as my mom is here and we are about to go shopping downtown! :) AND it's girls night tonight! This should be a great Friday! Happy weekend! --- News flash --- Girls Night has been rescheduled. So, instead it's date night with the husband - just as good! :)

Girls Night! - BBTB2

Girls Night!

This Friday two of my close girlfriends and I are going out to watch Sex and the City 2. I thought it would be fun to send them little invites for the occasion! So, I sent these in the mail yesterday with the invite to the movie, RSVP and of course the addresses, but I just put up a blank one here. I have to say I think the other one was a little better (straighter lines and the cut came out better (I think cutting the dress form at 3.75" was too small for the cut), but that's okay, you get the gist).

The image is cut from the Summer in Paris Cartridge™ and the words are welded using the Elegant Cakes Cartridge™ on my new Gypsy™! I love that machine!

I used this cut because the challenge on BBTB2 for this week was using the dress form from Forever Young, but I didn't have that cartridge, so I supplemented this one.

So next time you're going to do a girls night out, send them some invites! It will make it more fun!

Business Card

This is a photo of my current business card. I didn't get a very good picture because I took it at night, but you'll get the gist. And yes, of COURSE I used my Cuttlebug™. The personal information has been blotted out to protect my privacy.

Maker Faire!

So this weekend I went to something called the Maker Faire. It is a conglomeration of "makers" in the same area showing off what they have made in their classroom, garage, workshop, abandoned warehouse, craftroom, etc. Some of the people from Burning Man are there. Most of it is an attempt to create new and eco-friendly creations. For instance, last year there was a car that was powered by walnut shells - yes, walnut shells.

This year's highlights included a group called Arc Attack! which was a group of four men that connected instruments to a large version of a Jacob's Ladder (kind of - something called a Tesla - I will have to ask my husband...) and a man completely covered in a chain mail type outfit had boots on at 1 million volts and his helmet was at 1 million volts. Now, they played the music and the two teslas shot lightening at him who was in the middle. It didn't harm him because of his suit, but he was able to play with the lightening to the beat of the music. Hmmm, that was hard to explain, but we got video and if Hans will help me, we'll get a video of it up here just in case you want to see it.

The Maker Faire is basically a playground for geeks, nerds, crafters, knitters, and people that like to create technology or just want to see what others are creating in hopes of creating a better world for the next generations - oh yeah, and everything is hands on, kid friendly, and totally geared at learning.

There aren't too many big companies there, but there are a few and they are the sponsors of the event. One of those was... Provo Craft®!!!! This event was where I was introduced to Provo Craft® and the Cuttlebug™ and where my love began last year (and they gave away some great prizes last year), So back I went again - determined to win either the CricutCake or the YuDu - but alas, I didn't win anything via the raffle.

I met some amazing people that worked for Provo Craft® - John, Cara, Mike, Shannon, and another gentleman that does designs for them included the images from Summer in Paris™ and the 3-D images for Toy Story! He was so much fun! I wish I would have gotten his name too. Anyway, you read that right- Cara was there so I was able to meet her and just hand her my card! I was so excited.

Just by being around and because the Provo Craft® team is so generous, they gave me some slippers (yes, I now walk around in green Cricut slippers), a t-shirt, a few Cuttlebug™ folders (SOOOO excited!), one of the new quilling sets, and right at the end one of the other guys who I didn't know at all handed me the Daisy Chain Cartridge™!!! SO, it was really an amazing experience.

All that and a lady who won a Gypsy™ (lucky lady) didn't have any other products and wasn't interested in making the investment for the Cricut™ or Cricut Cake™ (I tried to tell her the error of her ways, but alas...) therefore she didn't want the Gypsy™. And my husband who knew my birthday was dawning therefore offered to buy it from her for $100 as it is on sale for $100 at Paper Crafting Pro according to the message boards. She was happy to make $100 off of her win and sold it to us so now I am the proud owner of a Gypsy™ which we have aptly named Franklin as it took a Benjamin Franklin note to secure it!!! I have been playing with it non-stop. I have the Design Studio™, but this is SO much better - I really couldn't believe it until I played with it. Plus, we're a Mac family and Design Studio™ doesn't run on a Mac so we've been harboring this ancient computer just so I could run Design Studio™ - out with the clutter! :)

Whew, this is an epic post so I am going to stop. I wish I got a picture with the Cricut (he was life-size!), but you'll just have to imagine it. Maybe I'll take a picture of my toes in my Cricut slippers and that will have to do. :) Have a wonderful week!

Cara Cloward Thank You

This card is for Cara Cloward who works at Provo Craft®. On the CricutCake™ launch day, I was online for pretty much the whole 24 hours trying to win something. I won the Elegant Cakes Cartridge™ on the last drawing and Cara was the administrator at the time. I wanted to send her something that said I appreciated the fact that she stayed up all night, was the quickest with the information, and that I am SO honored, excited, and blessed to have received the cartridge. So, this is what I made for her using the Elegant Cakes Cartridge™. The "Thank You" is also from the Elegant Cakes Cartridge™, but I welded the letters in Design Studio™. Provo Craft® is amazing and I think that the employees who do wonderful things need to be appreciated and thanked for their services - which are almost always to us. Thanks Cara!!!

Wine Glass Thank You

So, this is from the Summer in Paris Cartridge™ that I just got!!! I was so excited to use it. Unfortunately, I haven't updated Design Studio™ (do they ever get the seasonal/limited edition cartridges in?), so I couldn't weld it. I'm glad I didn't now. I really like the way it turned out. I made this card for my Aunt Ann, Uncle Phil, and Cousin John who hosted us when we went back to North Carolina. They are also wine enthusiasts, so this card is right up their ally. It's really simple, but classic. I just did the background and normal cuts and then "flip"ed them and cut them again. I used the Crop-a-Dile™ to take care of the eyelets and some ribbon to close it. The glass is certainly half full today! :)

Jennifer, I'm not quite sure how to get ahold of you privately, but thank you for your inquiry! :) The wine bottle and class are one image and were cut at 5.5" with the Real Dial Size on. Hope this helps! I think I'll be making this one again :).

BBTB2 - Peggy Loves Vintage Challenge

So, over at BBTB2 they are having a challenge sponsored by Peggy Loves Vintage and you had to use one of the 5 images that was provided as well as a "bug" in your creation.

I decided to use the kids with the sand. I went to print it out and oh-no! My printer was out of paper, but it left this gorgeous watermark. So, I decided to leave it as it was and use it as such. I added gold wings with a stamp (yes, you read that right) that I found in a throw-away bin to the little children. My "bug' aspect was the embossing with the Cuttlebug™ using the A2 Script Texture Emboss Folder™. I then sanded it a bit to wear it down. The silver bow came off of a Christmas gift - I've been hoarding the ribbon :) and I just love the background card stock which you can barely see, but it's really pretty and matches the colors perfectly.

I hope Peggy doesn't mind that I added wings and didn't print it out in color!

The link to the actual contest is here. Then you won't have to scroll down :).

Grandma's House

Well, as you all know I went to North Carolina this past weekend and my parents took care of our Yorkie named Spoon. She is almost a year and a half old, but in many ways she is still a puppy so they are troopers to take care of her. Anyway, I made this card to say thank you. It's a little cheesy, but it's from daughter/puppy to parents so they'll understand. If you saw the way my mom dotes on our little dog then you'd understand why I labeled it grandma's house. :) The day we have kids - my goodness - it's going to be a spoil-fest.

The dog house and the dog are cut with Everyday Paper Dolls™. I flipped and welded the images together with Design Studio™. The words are welded on Design Studio™ using Designer's Calendar™ and then squishing/stretching the letters a bit. I added some Swarovski™ Crystals to Spoon's collar and a little "S" for her tag.

Wee Memories Challenge (WMC6) - Pink with Embellishments

I have a LOT of thank you's to write right now so most of the cards I make will have that purpose. :)

This one was made for the Wee Memories Challenge #6 - Jenny's favorite things: pink and embellishments. I put Jenny's favorite things on one of my favorite things: olive green - and we had a winning combination! :)

I JUST got three new cartridges (see last post) and was dying to try out the tree from the Hertiage Cartridge™. It was also the first time for me using Core'dinations paper and I think I'm in love. I embossed the bottom of the tree with the Cuttlebug™ A2 Forest Branches Embossing Folder™ and then sanded it with some sand paper I found in my husband's toolbox (thanks, love!). I also sanded the tree in parts to just antique it a bit. My embellishments are Swarovski Crystals™ that I placed randomly around the tree to give it some pop. The "thank you" was cut from Sentimentals Cartridge™.

Thanks for stopping by!

Grandmother's Owl

So, I just got back from North Carolina and am about to start crafting for a few hours (yipee!). I made this for Grandmother a while ago and forgot to take a picture before I sent it off to her, but as always she kept it and so now it's making it's debut (after being roughed up a bit in the mail)! I took it in front of the picture of Grandmother and Grandfather. Aren't they a cute couple? :) It's made with the Wild Card Cartridge™.

Also, sitting on my doorstep were packages from EAD Designs and Provo Craft. So while it's "Hello Thursday" over at Provo Craft, it's "Hello Thursday" here too - my new cartridges are Elegant Cakes Cartridge™, Heritage Cartridge™, and Summer in Paris Cartrige™. SO excited! And right as I was writing this, I got a package from EAD Designs with my Flourish Background Stickerz that I won over at Amy's Blog! Thanks Amy!

Okay, enough writing - time to go crafting!

My First YourStory project!

I just got my YourStory™ (someone off the message Cricut™ message boards posted that it was on super sale for $24.99. I found a free shipping code and now it's here!

I am heading back to North Carolina to visit my husband's (and now my) grandparents who (I am very proud to say) are 91 and 87! We moved them recently from their home in Arkansas to be closer to my aunt in North Carolina. Just before we left (and unbeknownst to them) I ran back inside and took a bunch of pictures of their house and how they had it set up so that later they could have pictures to go with their memories. I printed those out this week and bound them with my YourStory™. I made the cover myself out of card stock. I realized (waay too late) that if you had 4x6 pictures printed out and 12x12 paper, then there was no card stock left for the extra that you need for the binding. haha. So, I picked a coordinating color and ran it the entire length of the inside to give it more stability anyway. I really like the way it turned out. I just used a hot glue gun to put glue where the binding was going to be after scoring the sides. I let the glue completely cool, inserted my pictures, and popped it in the YourStory™. It really was SO easy. I hope you enjoy it! I won't be crafting while there as I am looking forward to spending some quality time with the family, but I'll be back late Wednesday night so I think I will have to do some crafting on Thursday morning! :) Have a wonderful weekend!

Wee Memories Challenge (WMC5) - Stitching

Wee Memories Challenge #5 - Stitching....

Now, for those of us that live in a 450 square foot studio, it's hard to justify having a Cricut®, Cuttlebug™, and now a YourStory™ (eek!). but to have a sewing machine too...?.... well, let's just say that I may be going for either the YuDu™ or the CricutCake™ for my birthday and not the sewing machine. Thank goodness Jenny put in the exception of using faux stitching if one so desires. Well, I looked high and low for a white gel pen. Michaels had one - I put it in my basket (I had driven 25 minutes to get there) and the check out man apparently forgot to take it out of my basket. Thusly when I got home and was ready to do my "stitching", alas - no gel pen.

I didn't give up. I went down to Monterey for Mother's Day and my mom said she would go with me to Beverly's to get one. They closed at 5. We got there at 5:04. No dice.

Thusly, here I am and I did my faux stitching on part of my card with a green pen that ended up looking too dark I think. But the stitching is there! I will have to get a pen soon. I even checked my Walgreens in the city with no luck. I am planning a pilgrimage to Office Depot. :)

That being said, I used some scraps of all these papers to make this card. I popped a few panels with pop dots and voila! I used my Cuttlebug™ to put the embossed flowers in on the side. I can't remember which set it is from, but I really liked how the flowers came out and it's on the inside too. Enjoy!

BBTB2 - Tags Challenge

This card was made for the Bitten By the Bug 2 challenge titled "Peggy Loves Vintage - Tags, Bags, Boxes, & More Challenge".

Well, I don't have the Tags, Bags, Boxes, and More Cartridge™, so I decided to use a tag from the Sentimentals Cartridge™. I punched an extra hole on the bottom, used my Crop-a-Dile to add the black eyelets, and put some organza ribbon around it. It's simple, elegant, and... recycled! The paper for the card is gift wrap that I received on a recent gift from the handsome husband (it was Julia Child's cookbook! Try the Onion Soup - it's amazing!). The white layer is out of scrap paper (not really recycled, just used I guess) and the black vinyl type material is from an old cover of a binder (the kind they use to bind reports in)! :)

Anyway, there it is - simple and classic. Hope you like it!

Challenge Card for BBTB2 and WeeMemories (WMC4)

Challenge Requirements:

BBTB2: To use the leaf from Life's a Beach™ (a Cartridge that I don't have, so I used one from Everyday Paper Dolls™).
WeeMemories: To put script or writing somewhere on the project.

Now, I had such a good time with both. I put on the shirt that I won over at Carole's blog and looked at the album made by Joanna which just came in the mail today and did my best. :) Thanks girls.

Jenny (Wee Memories) has been writing back and forth with me a bit today and gave me some great advice about stamps and some encouragement. Thank you!

So, I cut the card (and envelope) from Wild Card Cartridge™, I embossed the second layer with A2 Script Texture Emboss Folder™ (I LOVE my Cuttlebug™). I cut a little square and inked the edges with the side of a blue pen since I don't have any inks yet and popped it with some foam dots. I cut the leaves from Everyday Paper Dolls Cartridge™ and put some ribbon in a diagonal on the bottom with some Tacky glue. I left the sentiment blank because I didn't know what I wanted to use it for yet.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Pink Stamper Challenge #3 - Thinking Outside the Box

The Pink Stamper Challenge #8 - Love My Color

I LOVE olive green. It is my favorite color and this card will be going to one of my grandmothers for Mother's Day. She loves owls as they are her sorority symbol. I hope she likes it!

The Pink Stamper Challenge #9 - Take Shape

I've been wanting to try an open top card for a while and have wanted to use this cut from the Sentimentals Cartridge™ ever since I got it. So, here it is!

The Pink Stamper Challenge #11 - Colors of the Rainbow

I had such a great time making this one as I used a bunch of scraps and cut out the flowers from them (something I do every time I finish crafting and then put all the punch outs in a box to choose from). So this was probably the easiest to make. I love up-cycling!

The Pink Stamper Challenge #12 - Critter

For National Scrapbook Day (May 1st), The Pink Stamper had a series of contests. I didn't get to participate on Saturday, so I elected to participate in a few of the contests today. I tried to do one an hour (she wasn't kidding when she called that a challenge) and I did succeed in each one of these taking under an hour, but my house looked like a crafting tornado hit it. Anyway, because she posted them in order, I did them backwards from 12-1. I participated in #12, #11, #9, and #8. I am considering doing one more because I love my Cuttlebug and would love to win 9 Cuttlebug folders, but we'll have to see! This one was made with a one year old's party that we are going to on Saturday. Nothing like multi-tasking! Thanks for stopping by.