Mojo Monday Card Sketch Week 93

The inspiration for this card came from the pretty black and beige ribbon I found in a foray through Hobby Lobby yesterday. I used the Mojo Monday week 93 sketch for more inspiration. The supplies I used to make this card:

• White cardstock
• Black and beige textured cardstock from DCWV
• Bo Bunny patterned paper-Unforgettable
• Beige and black print ribbon from The Paper Studio
• Pearls by Creative Cafe
• Cricut-Stretch Your Imagination cartridge (Scallop square and flower silhouette), Wild Card cartridge (Thanks, scalloped oval)
• Cuttlebug-Divine Swirls embossing folder

This card is 7 1/4" by 5 1/4". Using beige textured cardstock as my base I then cut the scalloped square from the Cricut Stretch Your Imagination cartridge at 4 3/4" with real dial size on. I topped that with the Bo Bunny patterned paper with the ribbon wrapped around it. This ribbon is pretty thick and stiff so I had a difficult time making the bow. Using a piece of white cardstock cut 3 3/4" by 2 1/2" I used my Cuttlebug Divine Swirl folder to emboss it. Then I cut the flower silhouette from the Stretch Your Imagination cartridge at 3" with real dial size on attached it to the embossed paper and embellished it with the pearl. I cut the scalloped oval twice at 2 1/2", once from black textured paper and once from white cardstock then pieced them together and added the "thanks" to finish it off. I don't know about everyone else but I often run into problems cutting small, thin words from my Cricut machine. I have solved this problem quite often by turning my speed dial and pressure dials to low and just using plain old contruction paper instead of cardstock. As a finishing touch I added the three pearls to the top right of the card.

Card Patterns Sketch 21 challenge

This card was made for the Card Patterns Sketch 21 challenge. Alright, I admit, I am totally hooked on these card challenge sites. I've only scrapped a few pages for my friend's baby album which was supposed to be my first order of business during summer vacation. Of course, I've spent too much time sick with a sinus and ear infection. My husband retired on June 19th and we took off to enjoy our new "retirement" 5th wheel and I have been sick the whole time. When he got sick too we had to leave our trailer at the campground and come home to go to the dr. We did that this morning, I hope the antibiotics kick in quickly.

Anyway, on to my card. The supplies I used for this card:

• White, purple and yellow cardstock
• Yellow print paper (a scrap from my stash)
• Stamp from Studio G
• Purple organdy ribbon
• Purple twill tape
• Purple flower
• Yellow brad
• Colorbox chalk-Wisteria
• Cricut-Stretch Your Imagination (scalloped frame)

This card is the standard 4 1/4" by 5 1/2". I cut the scalloped frame from the Cricut Stretch Your Imagination cartridge at 6" to make it fit on the front of the card. I cut the scallops off the short ends so it would conform to the sketch better. I topped the purple scallops with a yellow print from my scrap bin. The stamp I used on this card came from a birthday set by Studio G that I got from my local Michael's store. There were several images and several sayings. I don't have much of a stamp collection, yet. Although, I do notice that the prices seem to be coming down and it is less expensive to buy the unmounted stamps and put them on the acrylic blocks (good idea-whoever thought of that). I inked the edges of the stamped images with the Wisteria chalk ink before mounting them on yellow paper. Before putting the image on the card I added the purple twill tape. I popped the saying out with some foam squares and then added the bow with the flower in the center. I added a few dots with my black marker for a finishing touch. I'll be putting this card into my birthday card stash.

Card Patterns Sketch 20/Use It Challenge

I just finished making this card from the Card Patterns Sketch 20 before I got online to check all the card challenge sites I look at. I found that this card was a match for the Use It Challenge too this week. You had to use something from nature (the butterfly), polka dots (also on the butterfly), and your favorite embellishment. This card has two of my favorite ways to embellish--rhinestones for some bling and embossing with my Cuttlebug. This card will be sent to my daughter-in-law who is almost finished with Air Force Reserve Basic Training down in San Antonio. She will graduate July 9th and I know my son will be happy to have her back home in Hawaii where he is stationed with the Marines.

I used the following supplies on this card:

• Pink, Green and White cardstock
• White vellum
• Pink plaid ribbon
• Pink flowers
• Pink rhinestones
• Cricut--Stretch Your Imagination and Accent Essentials cartridges
• Cuttlebug--Floral Fantasy and Swiss Dot embossing folders

I used my Cricut Stretch Your Imagination cartridge to cut a scalloped frame at 6" with real dial size on then attached it to my basic white cardstock card. I cut a pink cardstock rectangle to fit inside this frame and rounded the edges. Then cut another rectangle out of white cardstock to put on top of it and rounded the corners. Then I embossed this rectangle with my Cuttlebug Floral Fantasy embossing folder. I attached the pink and embossed white then added the plaid ribbon around them. I cut the green stem flourish using the Cricut Accent Essentials cartridge at 2 1/4" with real dial size on. I attached it to the card and added the pink flowers with the rhinestones in the centers. I punched the butterfly out of the light green print paper (this was just a scrap from my stash). Then I took a scrap of white vellum I had, embossed it with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder and punched a second layer for the butterfly. I attached the two layers of butterfly and embellished them with three small pink rhinestones.

Our Creative Corner

I made this card for the OCC "star" challenge this week. I used my Cricut machine to cut the star card from the Wild Card cartridge. I also used printable stamps from Regina Easter's The Cutting Cafe (http://thecuttingcafe.typepad.com). I used the printable stamps on my previous 4th of July card on my blog. I was honored when Regina put that card in her Customer Gallery.
The supplies I used for this card:
Cricut--cartridges used-Wild Card, Mini Monograms, Plantin Schoolbook
The Cutting Cafe Printable Stamps-4th of July, Set 1
Times to Cherish patriotic print paper
Cardstock-Red, White and Blue
Ribbon from Hobby Lobby
Star buttons
I cut the card from the Wild Card cartridge with Fit to Page on. Then I pushed the icon button and cut the star (at 5" I think) from blue cardstock then print paper and pieced the two together and glued them onto the star on the card. I printed out the background 4th of July stamp and cut it to fit the size of the card then glued it onto the white cardstock. I made the bows using red ribbon with blue stitching and attached the white star button to the middle of them. Next I cut a scalloped circle from red cardstock at 2 1/2" real dial size on. I printed the Happy 4th of July circle and attached it to the scalloped circle. I cut the blue cardstock star from the Plantin Schoolbook cartridege at 3/4".

Card Patterns Sketch 19

I'm really happy with the way this card turned out. Many years ago I bought a pack of red, white and blue paper from Current Catalog. The Cutting Cafe's (http://www.thecuttingcafe.typepad.com/) 4th of July printed stamps were just the incentive I needed to dig this paper out of my stash. I just love, love, love Regina Easter's printable stamps from the Cutting Cafe. I hardly make a card without using them. "Let's hear it for the Red, White & Blue" and the Happy 4th of July circle stamp are both from Regina's 4th of July set one. She has a special going right now with some freebies if you order the 4th of July set so head over there to check it out.

The supplies I used:

Current red, white and blue printed paper, white cardstock

DCWV textured cardstock in blue

Cricut-Plantin Schoolbook and Mini Monograms cartridges

Ribbon from Walmart

Flowers from Bazzill

Star brad from Joann's Crafts

Color Box Chalk ink in Blue Iris (to ink edges of blue & white cardstock)

The dimension of the card is 6 3/4" x 5 1/2". I used sketch #19 from Card Patterns (cardpatterns.blogspot.com) for my design. I cut the pattern paper using a red, white and blue plaid and a red with blue and white stars for the front of the card. I used a piece of textured cardstock in blue to separate the two prints. I cut the scallop from Plantin Schoolbook fit to length 6" with Tall Ball on. I added a piece of the cardstock to the top of the scallop to make it wider then added the ribbon to hide the seam. I printed the "Let's Hear it for the Red, White and Blue" then cut it out by hand and placed it under the scallop and on top of the print. Then I cut a scallop circle from the Cricut Mini Monograms at 2" with Real Dial Size on. I printed the "Happy 4th of July" circle stamp but before I printed it I shrunk it to 80%. I used a 1 11/16" circle punch to cut it out and placed it on top of the scallop circle. Then I added a star to the middle of the stamp cut at 3/4" from the blue textured cardstock using the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge. To finish it off I embellished the card with a small red flower on top of a larger white flower with a blue star brad in the center. I was planning on sending this card to my Aunt who just loves the 4th of July. I like it so much I don't know if I can part with it.

Mojo Monday Week 91

It is sooooo exciting to be off work for the summer and be able to spend a whole day sitting in my craftroom making cards if I want. I used the Mojo Monday Week 91 sketch(mojomonday.blogspot.com) for this card. What better way to start off summer vacation than with a summery looking card. These colors seem so bright and cheerful to me. Supplies I used:

DCWV Fun in the Sun Summer Stack print paper, orange and white cardstock

Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch & Glitter pen in pink

Cuttlebug-Embossing folder Floral Fantasy

Oriental Trading Fun Expressions Ribbon

Me & My Big Ideas Rhinestones

Hero Arts Enjoy Stamp

Cricut-Wild Card Cartridge, Scallop Oval

Colorbox Chalk Ink in Rouge

The dimension of the white card is 4 1/4" x 9 1/4". I used a pink stripe and a damask look print from DCWV for the front of the card. I separated the two pieces by putting the ribbon between them. I cut a piece of white cardstock at 4 1/4" x 1 3/4" and embossed it (which doesn't show up well in the picture) using the Floral Fantasy folder. I put a pink rhinestone shaped flower on it. This has been in my stash and I have no clue what company made it. I topped off the embossed paper with a rectangle with summer sentiments on it from the DCWV stack. I cut the scalloped oval at 1 1/2" from the Cricut Wild Card cartridge in orange and white cardstock and then pieced the two together and stamped it with Enjoy. I embellished it with ribbon, an orange brad and a few dots with white marker. Then I added the two layer punched butterfly that I outlined with the pink glitter pen and added three pink rhinestones to it's center. I think I need to take a digital photo class to start getting better pictures of my cards or read the direction book for the camera. LOL

Got Sketch 86

I made this card for the challenge at gotsketch (http://www.gotsketch.blogspot.com/). This is sketch 86. The picture doesn't show the card to it's best advantage or do it justice. The card is a light dusty purple textured cardstock, even though it looks grey and it's not a black and white photo. The supplies I used:

DCWV textured cardstock (light and dark dusty purple), white vellum, K & Co.

Butterfly collage print paper

Cuttlebug: Swirls embossing folder and scalloped dot border

Martha Stewart silver glitter pen, butterfly punch

Stamp from JoAnn's $1 bin

Pearls from Creative Cafe

White organdy ribbon from Hobby Lobby

White marker
Cricut: Stretch Your Imagination cartridge

I cut a dark purple scallop frame at 5 3/4 in. from the SYI cartridge then cut a piece of white vellum to fit behind it. I embossed the vellum with the Cuttlebug swirls then colored the swirls with the silver glitter pen. I centered the vellum and scalloped frame onto the card. I added the print paper in the middle with the embossed scalloped border under it. I colored the scallops with the white marker and added the white dots. I punched the two layer butterflies from the light and dark textured cardstock and added the silver glitter pen to outline them. I attached the two layers with dimensional tape and placed them on the card with the organdy ribbon under the left butterfly. I added the pearls to the centers of the butterflies. Last I stamped the sentiment and added a few dots with the white marker. This card will go to my daughter-in-law who is serving our country at Lackland AFB. I hope it will make her feel special, let her know we are thinking of her, and that we're proud of her.

This is the first card I've made in awhile, but with good reason. I've spent every spare moment in the last month working on a display board for my husband's retirement party. My husband had his party last Friday evening (after serving 25 yrs. for the Police Dept.). With five adult children living all over the country it's difficult to get them all together at the same time. But we did it and managed to keep it a secret. To surprise my husband, my son got a few days leave from the Marines and I bought him a ticket to come home. I had a daughter that came from North Carolina and another that came from Ohio. The other two girls live in Michigan but only one lives close to us, the other made the two and a half hour drive down to our hometown. It was incredibly emotional as my son and daughter came up behind my husband and tapped him on the shoulder. When my husband turned and saw them he couldn't believe his eyes. It was a grand surprise and a wonderful night. We had a great four day visit with our children and grandchildren. We just delivered my son to the airport, my daughter will head back to North Carolina tonight and everyone else is gone. The house is quiet again. This was the first time in about three years that all my children have been in the same place at the same time. To keep the emotions from getting the better of me I headed to my craft room and got on the internet to find a card challenge. I had to add these two pictures though because they were so important to me.

This is my family. My four daughters, two on each side of me and one granddaughter in the front row. My son (the Marine) is behind my daughter on the right and spouses are behind their wives. Only one single daughter now. My son's wife was not able to be here because she is serving our country and is at Lackland AFB for Basic Training.

This is the display board that I made for my husband for his retirement party. It was sure hard to get 25 years onto one board. He had quite a career and has received many commendations and awards. He attended the FBI Academy, was our city's first DARE officer and chosen Police Officer of the Year twice, a Distinguished Alumnus and received a meritorious citation for disarming a robber when he held a gun to his head. What a year it has been--one daughter's wedding in Hawaii, one daughter moving to North Carolina, dealing with my breast cancer diagnosis, my husband's retirement and finding out grandchild number eight is on the way. It's amazing I have any sanity left. Thank heavens for my craft room, my Cricut machine and my SELPHY photo printer. Now my husband and I will head off in our brand new and well-deserved "retirement" 5th wheel for a little traveling, rest and relaxation. I hope to make a lot of cards and finish my scrapbook of our trip to Hawaii for my daughter's wedding (if I can get all my supplies packed). My husband plans to play golf, a lot.

365 Day 98

I've been wanting to make a monochromatic white card to have on hand for a wedding or anniversary. When I saw the challenge today at 365 Cards it was the incentive I needed. The challenge was for an anniversary card with white being the dominent color.


Supplies: White cardstock, DCWV pearl beige paper, Cricut-Wedding cartridge, Cuttlebug-D'vine Swirl embossing folder, misc. pearls, white grosgrain ribbon, Fiskars corner punch


I cut a square card out of white cardstock with my Cricut at 5 1/4". I cut squares at 2 3/4", 3 3/4" and 5" out of pearl paper. I cut a square of white at 5" and embossed it with my Cuttlebug. I cut a white square at 2 1/2" and punched the corners. I cut the LOVE at 1 3/4". I added a flower onto the ribbon and put a pearl in the center, added the strands of pearls under the flower and a cluster at the center of the LOVE diecut.