Cardstock Christmas…no patterned paper

Jess Moyer is the guest DT this week at Jingle Belles challenge blog.  She came up with a great idea:

Jess said, "I've loved playing along with Jingle Belles and each week looking through my Christmas crafting supplies I realized I have lots of random embellishments that I bought during after Christmas sales that don’t necessarily match up with patterned paper, but I still adore. So I thought why not make a card with just embellishments and no patterned paper and my challenge was born."

I love her idea!  I didn't go through my big file of unloved embellies to create my card, but chose to go "old school" instead.  I believe I made a card very similar to this one about 10+ years ago when I had just learned to stamp.  Today I re-created that card, with updates:  I dry embossed the white layer (ACMoore cardstock) with my "Snowflakes" Cuttlebug embossing folder; I added a silver tie and tag; and I added bling using my i-Rock by Imaginisce.  The card stock is navy blue linen from XPEDX.

This card is made with Hero Arts papers and stamp; the tree is an EK Success punch.  The tiny buttons are from my stash.  I added stickles to the darker tree.  (I got this idea from an old Hero Arts kit.)

Jess, I love your challenge.  I hope I have a chance to play again this week!  Next time I hope to use those  unloved embellies :)

An Earth Day Christmas card---thank you, Home Depot!

This week's challenge at Jingle Belles: Recycle, Re-use, and Jingle!

This is a crazy Christmas card.  I have spent the past two days staring at my stash trying to come up with SOMETHING.  Anything.  (There was lots of staring-at-my-stash time spent!)

Then I saw this paint chip from Home Depot.  I recycled the paint chip and I re-used this ribbon rescued off of a package.  My base card is salvage from a previous Jingle Belles challenge; I meant to emboss the entire card with snowflakes but for some reason I left the top left un-embossed.  I don't know what I was thinking.  I found some old old Sandylion stickers that I had never opened, and the "Brrrr" fit perfectly in the bare space.  I added the felt snowflakes from Michael's and the computer-generated sentiment.  It still felt unfinished, so I asked my friend Court what it needed; it was she that suggested the ribbon.  Now it seems complete.

Pear-fect iris folding tutorial

Iris folding is one of my favorite techniques. It is one of the first classes I ever taught at area stamping stores. I love to use metallic Asian-theme papers or wrapping paper. For this card I used both! Autumn colors are my favorite, and pears are one of my favorite fruits.

Betty Bee's Buzz has a wonderful iris folding tutorial here. I hope you will give it a try! I find iris folding very therapeutic, much like coloring.

DCWV Quick & Easy Baby card

I am in NC visiting my best girlfriends.  We have been having lots of "show and tell"; sharing new card ideas and styles.  Today we hope to have a field trip to a stamp store.  Earlier this week we hit the trifecta:  ACMoore, Michael's, and Hobby Lobby.

I packed my DCWV pads and box of DCWV card bases to try to put together some quick cards.  I also had a sheet of DCWV "baby" card stock stickers that I used to mass-produce the card shown.  All punches used are SU!

We are having a great time, and I realize how much I miss the inspiration we get from creating together.  It will be hard to leave, but I do miss my hottie, dh :)

Less is More & Jingle Belles are Buzzing & Good news!

 Last week EAD designs had a 50% coupon code.  I own their white birthday Stickerz, and they are very good quality.  My favorite thing about them is that they are repositionable.  To get them just right (I am a perfectionist), I could easily remove them and re-apply without any marring of the sticker!  Nice.
I took advantage of the sale to try their rub-ons (see card here) and today I tried the clear Christmas Stickerz.  The ornament on the inside of the card and the row of lights on the acetate are EAD stickerz.

I made this card for the "Less is More" acetate challenge.

*Reminder*  The Jingle Belles and Betty Bee's Buzz are having a joint challenge:  make a Christmas card using any die cut!  You can win at both blogs.  Link your cards by 6pm Wednesday to Jingle Belles and by 6pm Thursday to Betty Bee's Buzz.  For this "cross-pollination", Lauren and I are guest designing at each other's DT.  Lauren is one of my very first blog friends, and I am her self-proclaimed #1 fan.  Lauren is a trend setter and a master at creating art from bits and bobs she finds at yard sales, used book stores, and craft stores.  Please stop by Betty Bee's Buzz today to see Lauren's Christmas card!

*Good news*  EAD designs will post my cards on their blog today!  Woot woot!

Cricut & Glitter card stock tutorial & Blog Awards

I am truly grateful for blog friends.  I have made some wonderful friends and I have learned SO much!  I also find loads of inspiration.  My card today was completely inspired by two very dear friends, Alien (Alien Anessa's Planet) and Court (Court's Crafts).  My favorite Alien has been using DCWV papers recently and I realized mine had been neglected for quite some time.  (I have four DCWV 4.5x6.5 pads and four DCWV 8x8 pads on a shelf).  This card was made from a DCWV card base and the DCWV Spring Glitter Stack.  My butterfly inspiration came from Court.  When I was in Orlando in February for the HoneyBee Bee-treat retreat, Court cut some pink-patterned butterflies on her Cricut and layered them on a yellow-patterned paper.  They looked phenomenal!

For my card I popped up the butterfly on foam tape and added a leftover Making Memories rub-on sentiment.

Cricut & Glitter tutorial:
I have tried to cut this before on my Cricut, but it just shredded.  Here is the trick:  place the glitter side face down on the mat.  The glitter side will not stick, so use painter's tape to hold it down.

I am on my way to NC for the week to meet my best girlfriends for some mass production of cards for Operation Write Home (OWH).  We help our friend, Dixie, sort the boxes of hand-made cards she receives by category and we stamp each card (on the back) with the OWH stamp.  Then we determine what type of cards she needs more of, and we start mass producing.  It is so much fun to craft with girlfriends, and the troops look forward to these packages and choosing cards to send to their families.  I am going to pack up my DCWV pads and cards.  Thanks for the inspiration, Alien!!! *MWAH*

I received two awards from three of my newest blog friends:

 Thank you, Arlene!

Thank you, Crafting Misfit & Lisa :)

Happy Sunday!

I'm definitely in love...(two cards in this post)

 Last month I ordered some new stash..."A walk in the Park" by Echo Park.  This morning I saw this week's sketch at CardPatterns  (I am a fan of Nina's sketches!) and I knew it was time to break out the Echo Park papers.  I chose my papers and the card came together rather quickly.  I had to go do some chores and take out the trash and while I was outside, the mailman brought my EAD designs order (I only own the birthday Stickerz and I wanted to try the rub-ons...there was a 50% off coupon code, what else could I do?)  I chose "birthday hugs" for my card; I am definitely in love!  I like to use rub-ons, and I own some from at least 6 different companies.  EAD designs is the best!!!  They rub on beautifully, and even have a gloss (my photography skillz do not do these justice!)  If you like rub-ons, you gotta add these to your stash.

I wanted to add large scallops to my card, but my EK Success border punch I usually use is too large for the 4 3/4" strip.   I checked my Cricut cartridges and found a border I liked on "Plantin Schoolbook."  I chose the "fit to length" option and it cut a 1" x 4 3/4" perfectly centered set of scallops.  I am definitely in love...I am using my Cricut every day now!
The filigree brads are by SU.

I made this card from the Echo Park papers too:

This was 100% Cricut "Bloom" cartridge, SU whisper white card stock, and Recollections pearls.  I fussy cut out two butterflies from one of the Echo Park papers.  I am entering it in this week's Daring Cardmakers challenge:  Spring Fling.

Happy Saturday!

The Jingle Belles are Buzzing?

Two of my favorite challenge blogs have joined together this week:  Jingle Belles and Betty Bee's Buzz.  The challenge begins now, and you have a chance to win at both blogs.  Link your creations at Jingle Belles anytime between now and Wednesday, April 20 by 6pm EST.  The Jingle Belles winner will be announced on Thursday, April 21st.  For a chance to win at Betty Bee's Buzz link your creations to the HoneyBee Showcase post on Wednesday, April 20th.  The Betty Bee's Buzz winner will be announced on Friday, April 23rd.

Here is the challenge:

Create a Christmas card to die (cut) for!

Your card must contain a die cut (Cricut, Pazzles, Silhouette, Sizzix, Stampin Up!, Spellbinders, etc., or a store-bought die cut (BasicGrey, K&Co., etc.) somewhere on your card.

For this cross-pollination, I am guest designing at Jingle Belles and Lauren is guest designing at Betty Bee's Buzz.  How cool is that?  I think it's arctic!

My card:

die cuts:  Spellbinders Nestibilities ovals (top 2); Cricut ovals "Plantin Schoolbook" cartridge; top note shapes Cricut "Accent Essentials" cartridge.

stamp:  MFT "Snow Day"

card stock:  Bazzill pink and burgundy

papers:  BasicGrey 6x6 "Eskimo Kisses"

ribbon:  All Occasion "Isabelle pink"

fur and pom poms:  Flower Soft "polar white"

Imaginisce: Piece it together April challenge

 Imagine this at Imaginisce:  a paper piecing challenge!  Right up my alley isn't it?  Here are the rules:  "Create at least one paper pieced element  on your project and use at least 75% Imaginisce products."  I paper pieced Riley's airplane with Imaginisce "I Dig Dinos" paper and I pieced Riley & his banner with white card stock.

I even decorated the inside with Imaginisce "Primordial Ooze", Imaginisce "I Dig Dinos", and white card stock.  The birthday hat and shadow is cut from my "Sweet Treats" cricut cartridge.  The top of the party hat has an Imaginisce glam rock.

Supplies:
Imaginisce double-sided "I Dig Dinos" 12x12
Imaginisce double-sided "Primordial Ooze" 12x12 (both sides used)
Imaginisce i-rock tool
Imaginisce glam rock
Cricut "Sweet Treats" cartridge
EAD Stickerz sentiment
EK Success/SU! circle punches, border punches, white card stock, chocolate chip ink (distressing), ribbon
Making Memories black mini brads and jute (connecting airplane & banner)
copic markers
Hanna Stamps
American Crafts "Hello Sunshine" (cloud paper)

Freezer paper technique & tutorial

I love trying new things!  On Monday I learned how to use freezer paper to create a stencil (tutorial here at Betty Bee's Buzz).  For my shirt I used my circuit cartridge "Wall Decor & More" to cut the butterfly, then I used Tulip fabric paints to paint the butterfly.  But I didn't stop there: 

 I have had these pictures set aside to do a LO and Betty's freezer paper technique was just the inspiration I needed!  I took a paper napkin from our July 4th party last year and ironed on the freezer paper:

When I cut it out, it sort of looks laminated.  I backed it with white card stock so that the Statue of Liberty and Constitution were more visible (less transparent.)  Who would guess this was a re-purposed napkin?

Do you love your Cricut?  Link up here; thanks, Bonnie!

BG, EAD & Artful Delight

I am trying to clean up my work space bit by bit and I came across some Bazzill card stock pieces and some of my BasicGrey "Nook & Pantry" 6x6 papers, and some EAD designs birthday Stickerz.  Instead of putting everything away, I decided to try to make a card.

I opted to use the April Artful Delight sketch.  I embossed the Bazzill card stock with a Sizzix/SU! embossing folder, and I added some dark brown ribbon.  The banner is modified from my cricut "Birthday Bash" cartridge (I cut off the birds, leaving just the banner.)  I used the "fit to length" button so that I could use my EAD stickerz.  I popped up the cupcake, but it looks flat in my pic.

Happy Tuesday :)

Have A Beary Christmas, Jingle Belles & CardPatterns!

 

I bought this polar bear stamp and sentiment about 10 years ago because I saw a card made with it.  And today is the first time my stamp has seen ink! I no longer have any memory of what that card looked like, and this is not the first time this has happened to me.  Back then dhDH and I were DINKs (double income, no kids) and I was even more easily enabled.  This week's Jingle Belles challenge is "The Ghost of Christmas Present":  white as a ghost, a present, a bow, and a touch of traditional Christmas colors.  I immediately thought of this unloved stamp.  Then I went in search of the perfect sketch.  I found it:

It even has the bow.  Thank you, Nina of CardPatterns!

Supplies:  Beary Christmas stamp (Impression obsession); Memory Box paper "frost" collection; Bazzill cardstock (blues); copic markers; Snowflakes Cuttlebug embossing folder; ribbon (stash); EK Success border punch; SU punch (see sentiment)

Happy Sunday!

Happy Birthday, Princess!

Robyn Cardon (aka The Pink Stamper) is having a Pinkalicious-Anything Birthday blog hop and linking party.  I hopped through all the participants and left comments along the way, and then I went to craft my own birthday project.  I decided to try another shape card using my cricut (4" if you are wondering).  Have I mentioned how much I love my cricut?  I used the Sweet Treats cartridge that dhDH gave me for Christmas.  I chose this princess paper from KI Memories and KI tattoos ("princess" glitter rub-on).  I layered on CTMH pink card stock.  I embossed the heart with my Cuttlebug Stars embossing folder.  I added an American Crafts rub-on too ("happy birthday").  I used my white gel pen for doodles and SU! half-back pearls from the Pretties kit.

I am entering this in allsorts challenge blog:  Anything but a Square

CCR (Cricut Craft Room) surprise blog hop begins at Kris' Craft Coop!  Cricut lovers, won't you join in?

Happy Saturday!

Baby cards and LO

Can you believe my girls are almost 9yo?  Last year I started scrapbooking pages for my own scrapbook album, though I have been "collecting" papers to complete it for 8 years!  I have had this picture and this LO kit for 7 years, I think.
My, how scrapbooking has changed!  To update it just a bit, I fussy cut the title die cut strip (dove, two giraffes, and 'two by two'.)  I used the April sketch challenge at Artful Delight.  I took some creative license with the sketch because my banner was so lengthy.  I used my Birthday Bash circuit cartridge and my D'Vine Swirls  Cuttlebug embossing folder to create the pennant flags.  I stitched together with some blue floss left over from a completed cross-stitch kit.  Just trying to use up my old stash...

This week's theme at Betty Bee's Buzz is "Babies."  If you are looking for baby-theme inspiration, check out what the DT has done this week!

For both of these cards I used the BasicGrey Oliver card kit.

Happy Friday!  What are you working on this week?  We have a linking party at Betty Bee's Buzz every Friday.  Link anything you currently working on, or just leave a comment on good things that happened this week.

A cut above the rest & a CPS sketch that's sew sweet!

 I love this sketch!  It has been calling to me for days…this is CPS Sketch #212.  I didn't think I'd have anytime to create today, but I made this in less than an hour:

I don't buy craft supplies very often (other than adhesive).  I try to use what I have, and after 10 or 12 years of "collecting", it's a lot.  A LOT.  Every once in a while it gets stale, kwim?  Two weeks ago I took advantage of the 40% off and free shipping at JoAnn.com to buy some yummy Tim Holtz idea-ology embellies.  I had to have this ruler ribbon!  My order arrived today, finally.  I started with my 8x8 October Afternoon The Thrift Shop papers.  I then added SU! hardware to one side of the Tim ribbon.  I chose this Lawn Fawn stamp sentiment, "you are a cut above the rest!"  I wanted a fancy label for the sentiment, so I went searching through my Cricut cartridges, and found this one on my French Manor cartridge.  What do you think?

Thank you, Card Positioning Systems!  (CPS)

Welcome Baby!

This week at Betty Bee's Buzz it's all about the babies (ba-bees!)  I was inspired by this card from my simply one of a kind blog friend, Chrissie Stokes.
I am in love with my cricut expression!  My onesie, ducks, and little lamb were all cut from my Wall Decor and More cartridge.  I embossed the lamb with my Cuttlebug Textile embossing folder.  All papers, pearls, stamp and punches for this card are by Stampin' Up!  The tiny eyes for the ducks are Rhinestone stickers from Michael's.
Isn't this the sweetest idea for a side-step card?  I wish I could take credit for it :)

Bloomin' Bling Sketch to die (cut) for!

I am having fun getting comfortable with my cricut expression.  My most used cartridge is Accent Essentials.  It is so easy to cut circles and flower-shapes of any size!  You may know that I get excited when I use scraps to create a card.  I have just a small amount of these coordinating patterned ribbons...enough to make one more card.  I want to use it up, so I went in search of inspiration.  I found this sketch at Die Cuttin' Divas (I flipped the sketch and moved the sentiment to the center...I hope that counts!)  I cut the base card as a flower shape for Allsorts challenge blog   "Blooming Blossoms."  I added the bling (Say it in Studs) for Charisma Cardz challenge "Bling & Sparkles."

Other supplies:
Cuttlebug Spots & Dots embossing folder
SU butterflies embosslit, whisper white cs and chocolate chip cs
Bazzill card stock (orange)
Dashes, Dots & Checks ribbon (Michael's)

Jingle Belles, Batman Smells...

There are a gazillion challenge blogs, but one of my current favorites is Jingle Belles.  They announce their new challenge every Friday, and since this past Friday was April Fool's Day, this week's challenge is to make a humorous Christmas card.  This is totally out of my comfort zone, but that is why it is called a challenge, right?

I was inspired by this week's sketch at CardPatterns challenge blog.  I find there sketches so easy to use!

If you know me well, I am curious as to your reaction when you see this sentiment...I sure hope my mom doesn't see this!

Today is Autism Awareness Day!

I made these shirts for my girls last year using a remnant from JoAnn and heat n bond.
Julia's says:
I have:

• beautiful eyes
  
• a silly sense of humor
• a great personality
• Autism

Kathryn's says:
I have:

• a great imagination
• a quirky sense of humor
• a sweet personality
• Autism

There is a new blood test to check if your body makes an antibody to the folic acid receptor in the brain (one of the many causes of Autism). Your body may make a blocking antibody and/or a binding antibody. When I was in FL for the HoneyBee BEEtreat retreat, I took my twin girls (both of whom are diagnosed with Autism) to be tested. The results came back positive for both of my girls! We started treatment on Wednesday, March 9th. The girls just have to take a mega-dose of folinic acid every day. I don't believe there is a silver bullet for Autism, but this is definitely a contributor. We will take any improvement we can get :) So far over 75% of children tested are testing positive for these antibodies and those children receiving the folinic acid at high doses (1 mg/kg) are beginning to show improvement in as little as 3 weeks! I'll keep you posted as to improvements we see in my girls.

Kathryn's body makes the blocking antibody. So far Kathryn's teacher said for the past two weeks Kathryn is completing all of her morning work with decreased behaviors! She has not completed morning work before starting on the high dose of folinic acid, and this is the most difficult part of her day.

Julia's body makes both blocking and binding antibodies. The only change we have noticed is increased partying (staying awake until 10:30pm+ and singing) at night. She is also counting mixed coins without any help from me! This may not be a result of the folinic acid though; Julia has an awesome group of teachers this year...I love them all!

Have you hugged an Autie today?