Cuttlebug Embossed Vellum Easter Treat Bag

We're back from a week + of travelling to visit relatives. I don't know about you, but I was having major blog withdrawal symptoms. I created very little...not by choice, just due to limited supplies I was able to pack. I may be getting in on two challenges at the last minute with this treat bag. One being Cuttlebug Challenges 26: Cuttlebug and Vellum Make Great Easter Projects. The other being The Cuttlebug Spot Challenge #25: Easter Treat Containers. I used my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, my SU! Top Note die, my new EK Success border punch (I purchased while travelling...YES, I packed my ACMoore and Michael's coupons!) All punches are SU! The cardstock is Augusta Green linen and Ponderosa Pine linen (both from XPEDX), pink Bazzill, and white cardstock. The brads and butterfly are from my mom's stash. The "&" is a rub-on and the names are stickers I purchased from Michael's.

I also used a Michael's coupon to buy another box of DCWV cards. I used my new Martha border punch and DCWV decorative paper from the Nana's Kids mat stack. I also packed my scrap ribbon bag from Leslie. See that itty bitty white ribbon? Thanks to Leslie, I made 3 cards like this one :)

Happy Easter: Basic Grey Challenge # 29

When I saw today's Basic Grey Challenge for Spring/Easter, I immediately thought of the Phresh & Phunky papers. The sketch was inspired by my friend, Amy Sheffer, who posted this card today. I had just a small rectangle of the polka dot, so I layered it on white, leaving a thin border. Then I layered it on green Bazzil, and scalloped the edge with my SU! border punch. I always use dots with stripes, and I found a stripe scrap and mounted the same way. Now for a background...I chose the plaid, pierced, and used a white gel pen for faux stitching. I layered on white, then the base card (green Bazzill.)

I picked up the white pearls ("Rhinestone Stickers") earlier this week from Michael's. Eager to use them, I added one to each scallop.

Now for the sentiment??? I found a "happy easter" rub-on in my stash by Creative Imaginations. The BG Phresh & Phunky has tags included with the papers. I chose this circle tag, used the rub-on, layered on white and green Bazzill, then used Stampin' Up! dimensionals to pop it up. It still needed something. I found the purple flower (Jolee's Boutique) and added one more white pearl (Rhinstone Sticker). Still not enough. I asked dh his opinion. He said, "How about those Bazzill flowers I bought you for Mother's Day? I think they are too big though." I was so proud of him!!! He was right, the Bazzill flowers were too big, but I did find this smaller pink flower (Prima) that LFL (Lovely Friend Lauren Bergold sent me for my birthday. Thanks, dh and Lauren! It was just what the card needed :)

Shout Out To SheetLoad

Before I shout out to SheetLoad, I'm gonna give myself a shout out: I won "Challenge #23: Spring" today at The Cuttlebug Spot Challenge blog. I entered my "Cute as a bug thankzzzz" card first, then I entered my alcohol ink floral vase card. It was the alcohol ink card that was chosen :) Wahoo!!! Go me, go me, go me (I am doing a happy dance in my swivel chair.)

Back to SheetLoad...
I am entering this card in an intersite challenge. Yep, SheetLoad and Cuttlebug Challenge have teamed up. The winner of the challenge will receive both frosted and clear acrylic to play with!
SheetLoad is a free monthly e-zine to help paper carafters make the most of their time. You will be able to make lots and lots of simply elegant cards with only a few sheets of paper. Check out the April cover:

How cute is this card on the cover???
And check out their FREE current issue.

This card is for Cuttlebug Challenges #25.

Recipe:

Cuttlebug embossing folder: Swiss dots

decorative papers and cardstock: Stampin' Up!

stamps: "Happy Easter": Inkadinkadoo; flower: Stampin' Up! Heartfelt Thanks

flowers & dimensionals: Stampin' Up!

brads & ribbon: unknown

inks: chocolate chip: Stampin' Up!; colonial blue & sand: Memories

The Cat is Out of the Bag

Can I get a "WAHEY?" I won at Cuttlebug Challenges! A great big thanks to all of you who voted for me :)

Today's card is for the Basic Grey Challenge # 28: Follow the Sketch.

I used the Basic Grey "Color Me Silly" Collection to make this fun card. The base card is DCWV, and the blue Cuttlebug embossed layer is Bazzill cardstock. I stamped the stamp (by Magenta) on SU! Whisper White cardstock, and again on the orange from Color Me Silly. I paper pieced the cat, then colored the blue and tiny green rectangles with my Bic markers. I popped up that panel on SU! dimensionals. I love these fun colors!

Butterfly Alcohol Ink Card-- The Sweetest Thing

Thanks to my Design Diva friend, Deanna, I am in love with Karen Giron's blog, The Sweetest Thing. She has a sketch challenge this week found here. I had this one last stamped image I made a couple of weeks ago with alcohol inks. I am creating too many little piles again in my craft room, so it was time to clean it up a bit before I get big piles :) I decided to try to make this butterfly image work with Karen's sketch.

Recipe:

Cardstock: Bazzill: purple and black; Wal-Mart: white

Designer paper: Magenta

Brads: Making Memories

Sentiment: Basic Grey rub-on

Ribbon: JoAnn's

Punches: Stampin' Up!

Emboss It Twice-- Cuttlebug Spot Challenge # 24

Two posts in one day?! A first for me. Trust me, my previous post is MUCH cuter, so don't forget to scroll down...leave a comment there too, if you have time. Thanks!

The Cuttlebug Spot has come up with another great challenge! Emboss it twice. When you emboss the second time, the first embossed pattern gets smooshed, but you can still see it. I embossed with Stylized Flowers first, then Circle Flower.

This was a challenge for me! I could not decide which two Cuttlebug folders I would use or how I would use them. I have owned the circle flower embossing folder for many months...I just had to have it...but I had not used it until today :)

All papers, the felt flower, and the dimensionals are by Stampin' Up! The border punch is Threading Water by Fiskars. The white ribbon and brad are from my stash.

April is Autism Awareness Month

Happy April!

April is Autism Awareness month. Last year I learned an affectionate term for a person who has autism is "autie". These are my two auties! My girls are 6yo now. They are Julia (pictured on the left) and Kathryn (above/right). I snapped these pictures this morning while we were getting ready for school.

With the staggering numbers of children being diagnosed with PDD/ASD, it is likely you know an autie. What I would like to know is this: Have you hugged an autie today?

I've hugged two!