BBTB2 Hummingbird

Happy Monday and it's time for the first BBTB2 challenge of the 2011 year.  Our fantastic Design Sister Karen chose the Hummingbird on the Lyrical Letters cartridge.  I don't know why I found this simple cut so challenging, but it was, for me anyway.  I think it's because there were no layers to work with.  So I decided to cut it from white cardstock and then color it with my Copics. I cut the hummingbird at 3.25" and flipped the image. After I colored it I used irredescent glitter over the entire surface.  I wasn't really sure what would happen to my colors after applying glue and glitter, but as you can see, it turned out fine.  My flower image is cut from last year's Easter cartridge at 4".  I put the top layer through my Cuttlebug using the Japanese Scales folder. All the papers I used on this card were scraps that have been laying in my scrap bin for ages.  The sentiment is from Inkadinkado.  If you want to play along with this challenge and don't have a hummingbird image feel free to use another bird.    Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Dr. Seuss Scrapbook for Grandchild #9

My only son, my fifth and youngest child, and his lovely wife are expecting their first baby.  We are very excited to have grandchild number nine on the way.  The baby is due May 23rd, on my son's birthday.  We won't know if it's a boy or girl until January 20th and can't wait to find out.  Kyle and Nicole have decided to go with a Dr. Seuss theme for the nursery.  With that in mind, I decided to create a scrapbook for the baby so I can present it to them at the baby shower, which will also be Dr. Seuss themed.  Several years ago I remember seeing a Dr. Seuss scrapbook kit.  Not knowing that I would need it for the future, I passed it by.  Now I can't find any Dr. Seuss scrapbook paper.  I have been all over the internet with no luck.  So I had to proceed without it.  I knew I wanted to use a red and blue theme, because those are the Cat in the Hat colors.  I searched the internet and found a free Dr. Seuss font and some free clip art so that is what I will be using to make up the scrapbook.  My husband bought me SCAL software for Christmas so I used it to cut out the title page here.

This Cat in the Hat image is one of the clip art images I downloaded.  I printed it then cut it to place between two photo mats for pictures.  The umbrella he's holding was cut from my Cricut A Child's Year cartridge. The raindrops were cut from the Indie Art cartridge.  I added some gingham checked ribbon on the two large photo mats that will hold 4x6 pics.  I cut smaller mats for the second page and added a little white rick rack to finish them off.

Over the next month or two I will post other pages as they are finished.  I have quite a few ideas and pages mapped out.  I think you'll enjoy the pages I put together so check back often.  This year I have set a goal to get back to my scrapping roots (pre-card designer).  That is where my papercrafting journey began.  So in the coming year you will see a lot more scrapbook pages on my blog along with my cards.  I don't plan on coming out of my studio until Spring.  LOL  Since we didn't get to leave for the winter in Florida we were planning I have to do something to occupy myself.  I just absolutely detest winter.  There is nothing about it that appeals to me.  I know all you snow lovers are cringing.  If I never saw another snowflake the rest of my life, that would be fine with me.  I need to find a place to live that is around 75 degrees year-round. That would be just wonderful. LOL  Thanks for stopping by and remember to check back for future pages of the album.

Paper Cutz Challenge #73

For the first Paper Cutz Challenge of the year Mary asked us to use metal.  For my card I used a green metal buckle and a yellow safety pin.  This was a really easy card to throw together.  This is a standard A2 card from white cardstock.  I ran it through the Cuttlebug using the Floral Fantasy embossing folder to give it a little texture.  I added a 1.75" strip of Heidi Grace paper to the bottom edge.  This is a double-sided paper so I used the reverse side to add a punched edge strip using a Fiskars punch.  Then I simply took the buckle and tied on a piece of polka dot ribbon then added the safety pin.  I used some bead letters to spell the word HI.

I think this card is really cheerful looking.  I'm sending this to a friend so I didn't add a sentiment to the inside since I will be adding a handwritten note.  All of the embellishments on this card have been in my stash for ages.  Last year's New Year's resolution was to use more of my scrap paper.  Even though I used a lot of scraps, you can't even tell I made a dent in them.  This year's resolution is to embellish with the stuff I have and keep using those scraps.  This card allowed me to fulfill both resolutions.  I'm patting myself on the back.

The Cutting Cafe Valentine Project

Oh my gosh!  Have you been to The Cutting Cafe lately?  Regina has released some absolutely fantastic Valentine sets.  Now is the time to start your Valentine projects, February 14th will be here before you know it.  For my project I used the Words of Love Colored Printable Stamp Set.  This is a huge set that comes with 69 images.  I also used the Fun With Valentine's Day Printable Stamp Set which features 59 images (my inside tag).  To start I printed out the background conversation hearts that come with a light pink background.  I printed the large image onto a sheet of 8.5 x 11" white cardstock.  Then I took this printed sheet and used my Cricut Just Because Cards cartridge (the card on page 44) to make my envelope for my tag.  This actually cuts out as a card but I folded it in the middle and used double-sided tape on the right edge and bottom to make it into an envelope.  Then I cut the tag for inside (which is on the same page 44) from pink cardstock. The envelope is cut with the width at 7" (height @ 5.35") and the tag is cut with a height of 5" (width @ 3.23").

To embellish the outside of the envelope I punched a border with a Fiskars punch from brown and pink cardstock then layered them.  Before adding the punched border to the envelope I added a brown polka dot ribbon.  Next came the cute circle sentiment, part of the WORDS OF LOVE set.  I printed it and punched it out with a 2" circle punch then place it on a scalloped circle I cut at 2.5" from Mini Monograms.  I added a little doodling with a white gel pen and a few brown dots with a MS sepia colored marker.  For the tag I layered red and brown cardstock onto my pink tag.  I printed the 3 things I love about you from the FUN WITH VALENTINE'S DAYset onto pink cardstock.  On the top of the tag I punched a hole for my twine then added a pink button with a red heart button on top of it.  I'll be giving this to my granddaughter Payton and as you can see I love her HUGS, KISSES and SMILES.

Cricut Cardz Challenge #56

Happy Wednesday and Happy New Year!  It's time for the first Cricut Cardz Challenge of the year 2011. The challenge is for a New Year's card using any Cricut cut clock image and any colors.  I used my Gypsy to design this card by welding a circle to a card cut from Smiley Cards.  That allowed me to offset my clock image from Designer's Calendar.  The clock is cut at 3.25" from black cardstock. The base card is made from kraft cardstock, which I'm addicted to.  I stamped flourishes onto the paper with a Basic Grey stamp.  I used Gypsy font to create my Time Flies sentiment.  Normally I would weld the letters together but it was easier to put them in a circular shape cutting them individually.  The way I placed them it looks like they are attached but they aren't.  I added a little pleated gingham ribbon and attached the hands of the clock with a gold brad.  My inside sentiment is from the Wild Card cartridge.

Ballerina Layout for My Pink Stamper challenge

 My four year old granddaughter, Payton, just started taking ballet lessons because she wants to be a "ballerina princess".  My husband and I jokingly say we hope she has a backup plan because there isn't much of a need for "ballerina princesses".  When I saw that Robyn was having a design team call for My Pink Stamper I knew this would be perfect to enter in the challenge.  The challenge requirements were to use pink, green and brown.  I used my new Twinkle Toes cartridge that I picked up from Walmart at the day after Thanksgiving sale and my Lacy Labels cartridge.  My patterned papers came from DCWV Nana's Nursery Baby Girl stack.  For my title banner I used green, pink and brown cardstock. I cut the banner with the fit to length key on and the size dial at 9 1/2".  That cut the banner at 2 3/4" which is important to note for cutting the elements on the banner.  I embossed the banner heart for some dimension using my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. For a finishing touch on the banner I added stitching lines and dots to the lettering with a Sakura 3-D white gel pen.  I placed the banner atop a strip of flower patterned paper with a punched edge made with a MS punch and white cardstock.

My ballerina is cut at 4".  The Twinkle Toes cartridge makes the layering so easy.  I used the flower patterned paper for her skirt and pink cardstock for the top and ballerina slippers.  It doesn't show up in the photo but the flowers on this patterned paper are sparkly.  I added a few more glittery elements with the flowers I placed next to the photo mat and the heart word in the banner.  Payton loves glitter so this will make her happy.  For the photo mat I used my Lacy Labels cartridge.  The mat is actually made from the cut that is labeled All Boy.  Make it out of pink, green and white and it screams All Girl to me.  Before adding the mat to the page I backed it with light pink tulle.  Then I added a big tulle bow with a large pink flower button in the center.  I just love how this page turned out and I can't wait to show it to Payton.  She's going to love it.

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!!

Well, I for one, am glad to end 2010 and begin a new year.  December was a bit rough for me as I spent the whole month going to doctor appointments and being sick.  My husband and I were both so sick on Christmas day that we opened our presents in bed.  At this point we have pretty much recovered from the nastiest bug we've ever had but still have a few health issues to deal with.  As a result, we've had to cancel our winter plans to travel to Florida.  Of course, the recent weather had something to do with canceling the plans also.  So it seems we are stuck in Michigan's cold, snow and gloom for the winter.  I'm desperately trying to look on the bright side.  It will give us the time we need to prepare the house to put it on the market for sale in the spring.  It will also give me lots of time to work in my studio on scrapbook and card designs.  Onto this card--I used images from The Cutting Cafe's HAPPY NEW YEAR'S PRINTABLE STAMPS. Just click on the set to go to the link. I printed the background stamp on silver cardstock.  The sentiment was stamped and then I cut it out with my nesties.  I used my Cricut Weddings cartridge to cut the glasses that I placed on a piece of white cardstock embossed with my Cuttlebug's Swiss Dot folder.  I added a big grey ribbon to finish it off.