Happy & Scrappy birthday cards

Inspiration comes from various places. My cards today came together so quickly! I was inspired to create by my friend, Heather (via chat on Facebook). I perused my current PaperCrafts magazine (March/April 2010) and saw a card on page 49 by Winter Sims. She made a "Mr. & Mrs." wedding card using a black/gray/white striped dp (designer paper). I pulled out my "black & white" dp scraps. I had just this tiny rectangle of "happy birthday" (computer generated) and the numbers dp. I used my new EK Success border punch and my new SU ribbon. The gems are by Hero Arts. Such a quick and simple card. I want to make more, but laundry beckons...

Be Inspired #72- Wall hanging

Welcome to Cuttlebug Challenge #72! This week at Cuttlebug Challenge blog we encourage you to create a wall hanging using a Provo Craft product. I created a shadow box from an acrylic box frame.
I used the Provo Craft Cuttlebug Fancy Corners embossing folders. Would you like a brief tutorial? Here are my supplies:
Provo Craft Cuttlebug embossing folders, 5" x 7" acrylic box frame, decorative paper, coordinating card stock, xacto knife, metal ruler, Xyron, adhesive, scraps of card stock, foam tape, aluminum foil, and alcohol inks.

Step 1: Pull out the white box insert from the acrylic frame. Cut a 3 3/8" x 5 3/8" window in the box.
Step 2: Cut 12" x 12" patterned paper

• 1 @ 5" x 7"
• 2 @ 1" x 5"
• 2 @ 1" x 7"

Step 3: Cut a 3 1/4" x 5 1/4" window in the 5" x 7" piece of patterned paper.
Step 4: Adhere patterned paper to box.
Step 5: Cut coordinating card stock 4 7/8" x 6 7/8" (I used navy linen). This is for the inside of the shadow box. Adhere to inside.
Decorate as desired!

To create the faux metal:
Step 1: Use squares of scrap card stock (mine are ~2" x 2" or a little smaller.) Xyron one side, then place adhesive side down on a sheet of aluminum foil. Separate squares, and turn over (foil side up.)
Step 2: Choose alcohol inks that coordinate with your patterned paper. Dab the colors on randomly. (I made extra squares so that I could choose the 3 squares that coordinated best with my patterned paper.)
Step 3: Emboss squares as desired with Provo Craft Cuttlebug embossing folders.
Step 4: Adhere to inside of box with foam tape.

You can skip step 2 (alcohol inks). I created this card using the faux metal technique without the use of alcohol inks.

This is definitely one of those projects that is much prettier in real life (she stated modestly). Despite dozens of photos and several angles, this was the best my dh & I could manage to avoid reflection and attempting to show the dimension. I hope you find it inspiring!

Be Inspired # 71 - Loads of stitching!

Our challenge for you this week at Cuttlebug Challenge blog is to use loads of stitching on your card. You can faux stitch, use a sewing machine, or hand stitch...or any/all of the above :)

I do not own a sewing machine, but I have admired my friends' creations who do sew on their scrapbook LOs and cards. I often faux stitch (using a paper piercer and a black fine point marker or a white gel pen). For today's card I used a paper piercer and I hand stitched. I have these teeny tiny buttons that I thought would be perfect as "sprinkles" for a cupcake. I also knew these buttons matched my BasicGrey Marrakech papers. I think the Cuttlebug Moroccan Screen embossing folder is perfect with this collection of papers.

Sew what are you waiting for? Go make a a card, incorporate any form of stitching and include any Cuttlenbug product to create your card. The prize this week is 6 European folders by www.CropStop.com.

About CropStop: If you are passionate about scrapbooking memories and paper-crafting projects then CropStop is your one-stop solution. CropStop offers an extensive selection of paper-crafting tools, dies, ribbons, embellishments and embossing folders from the most popular manufacturers. They have recently become the only US store to sell Crafts Too embossing folders and are proud to be one of the few stores with the exclusive European Cuttlebug embossing folders. CropStop also carries an array of storage solutions to keep everything organized. Their selection of accents and adhesives is continually expanding and they're the home of the colorful Ribbon Candy™.

Supplies:
Cuttlebug embossing folder: Morroccan Screen
BasicGrey 6x6 Marrakech papers
All Sorts of Things buttons
DMC floss 310 (black)
Spellbinders Nesties Labels 9
Fiskars border punch

My Art Journal: Tyggereye Art Love prompts 4,5 & 6

Prompt #4: Under Control
I have been pondering this page for weeks. I had an epiphany before bed time Wednesday night and decided to create a pundle of the prompt. I made this first thing Thursday morning. I love puzzles of many types: crossword, jigsaw, cryptograms, quotefalls, and pundles. Maybe this page isn't really "art", but my journal represent little pieces of me. I love these Me & My Big Ideas alpha stickers (pictured below with a book of pundles and a Penny Black stamp.)
Prompt #6: Invisible
I intended to use the stamp on my next page, but just used it's quote instead,"The heart sees what is invisible to the eye." When I played with glimmer mist last month with my Design Diva friend (Chris), we started to doodle on our misted papers. I love to doodle, but I have rarely done it on my cards. I find it so relaxing! I knew I wanted to include my doodles in my art journal, but did not know if they would work with Gina's prompts. When I chose the 'invisible' quote and saw the word 'heart' in it, I knew my doodling would make it's debut. I cut the misted scrap into a heart shape, added the quote, mounted on black card stock, and doodled the scallops.
Prompt #5: Thrive
This prompt had me stumped. I had my other misted doodle scrap and it reminded me of something my friend Dianne said to me a few years ago, "June, you would bloom wherever you are planted." I added the prompt to the front of Dianne's compliment. Voila!

Silke-Kay Inspiration by EK Success & Spellbinders Enabler Alert

Here is Riley Moose (or Spa Sophie) colored with my copics to coordinate with my BasicGrey Lime Rickey papers. On January 21, 2010 I had the most inspirational start to my morning. I perused my blog reader and two of my favorite people had some serious eye candy. I saw these two cards by Silke K. and then this card by Kay. My card today was inspired by the second card in Silke's post. I had not seen that EK Success border punch, or so I thought...
I met my Design Diva pal, Deanna, at Michaels and she helped me find it. I had seen this punch, but it didn't do anything for me until I saw Silke & Kay's cards. Of course I had to have it! I have it out on my craft table because my 4 drawers of punches (mostly EK Success) are overflowing. January was a very good month! Deanna sent out an enabler alert email that JoAnn's now carries Spellbinders in their stores. I grabbed my 40% coupon and purchased the set pictured above. Sweet!

Be Inspired #70- FABRIC

Our challenge for you this week at Cuttlebug Challenge blog is to create a card, scrapbook layout or project using fabric. The prize this week is a $20.00 Gift Card to Jo-Ann's Etc.
How to enter…

1. Make a project using fabric and get 4 entries in the prize drawing to win, and upload your project to your blog, or any online gallery, (leave the links only) on Mr. Linky here.
2. Don’t have time to create a project? Leave a comment here for 1 entry in the prize drawing.
3. This Cuttlebug Challenge ends on Tuesday, February 16th 11:55 pm EST. Have fun, and good luck!!

The fabric in my layout looks Christmas-y to me, so I decided to go through Christmas photos I need to scrapbook. (You may notice I am years behind on my scrapbooking...this is me and my dd Kathryn 6 years ago!) I used Cuttlebug flower dies and Bazzill card stock to create the flower on the left side of the page above the watermark.) My friend, Kim Harmon, primarily designed this layout; I just changed a few things to personalize it for me.

Now, go leave a comment at Cuttlebug Challenge blog for a chance to win the gift card!

Birthday & Anniversary Reminder Envelope mini book

I taught this class at Memories back in November 2006. The store kept my sample, but I had a class kit to make another in The Closet (capitalized due to the vast amounts of unmade class kits left from a few years of teaching at various stamping/scrapbooking stores.) Whenever I mention that I've been cleaning up my craft room, this does not include The Closet (I am fearful of even opening The Closet door!)

In November I overheard a dear girlfriend say she wanted to take a class to make a birthday reminder book. This same girlfriend is the busiest lady on the planet (trust me), so I thought this would be the perfect Christmas gift to make for her. I am supposed to see her on Wednesday, so I finally got around to making this for her. Phew! I am caught up from Christmas and there is one less kit in The Closet :)

Supplies:

• 12x12 Bazzill card stock (3 yellow, 3 pink, 3 purple)
• 2 patterns of 12 x 12 coordinating designer papers (3 BasicGrey Oh Baby Girl Natalie & 3 BG Oh Baby Girl Isabelle)
• 3 yards of coordinating ribbons
• embellishments (primas, metals, Making Memories calendar rub-ons, etc.)
• computer generated quotes and inserts
  
• 7 envelopes @ 5.25" x 7.25"
• 3 @ 1" book rings
  

See the 6 tabs emerging from each envelope? This is what one looks like (above).
I cut each library pocket, then used a CM corner rounder to round the corners. The insert in the library pocket looks like this (below):






My bf Kaye was inspired by this birthday reminder book to make a Christmas planner. Kaye inspired me, and I made a Christmas planner tutorial for Cuttlebug Challenge blog.

I am snowed in. Literally. We have had a record snow fall Friday& Saturday of 34.5" for our area. I have never seen so much snow! I stocked up last Thursday for groceries and library books. I neglected to stock up on adhesive. This book used nearly all of my adhesive. What was I thinking? Another storm is coming in tomorrow (perhaps 6"-12" more). I hope my dh will take me to Michael's or JoAnn tonight to buy lots of adhesive. It is quite possible that my children may not have school all week, so I may not get much crafting time, but needing adhesive is equivalent to bread, milk, and toilet tissue :)

Be Inspired #69 - Glimmer Mist & a mask

Our challenge for you at Cuttlebug Challenge blog is to create a card using a mask and Glimmer Mist (or a similar coloring agent) along with a Cuttlebug product. I used the Cuttlebug Victoria embossing folder, Bazzill card stock (yellow & blue), white card stock, metal embellishments (Making Memories mini brads and Embellish It! dragonfly), scrap of ribbon, and the ovals were cut from my Pazzles.

My card was created with donated Glimmer Mist by Tattered Angels. When I realized they would be sponsoring this challenge, I went right to a Glimmer Mist expert...my Design Diva friend, Chris. Chris is quite possibly Tattered Angel's #1 fan. About 2 years ago Chris and I met for coffee one morning at a local coffee shop, and she brought her Tattered Angels masks and Glimmer Mist to show me. She was so excited and enthusiastic about this product. I loved the effect, but I am slightly OCD over getting my hands messy and messes in general. So I did not buy any...

Here I am ~2 years later in need of creating a project with Glimmer Mist and a mask. I called Chris, "I need you to tutor me!!!" The Design Divas got together and Chris and I played with her Tattered Angels masks and Glimmer Mist sprays. It was easy, fun, and not messy!!! My hands had very little spray on them, and it washes right off. I love this product. I need to make room in my craft room for some more colors :)

Please try them! If you don't have any glimmer mist, you can make your own. There are tutorials on other blogs and at Split Coast Stampers. You can make your own mask too. Just play with it. You are in for some fun!

**If you are still with me, I need to brag just a little about my dhDH. I showed Doug my card, and he said, "I like it. I think it needs a dragonfly at the top." I added the dragonfly with a glue dot and called it finished. Yep, he's a keeper :)