Whoooooo's birthday is it?

 My dad's birthday is actually this Friday, but we are celebrating today.  He loves owls!  Last March my friend (Kaye) emailed me instructions for this owl card, I knew I would make one like it for my dad.

This is my first pop-up card.  It was fun to make, but labor intensive.  I know my dad will love it :)

I am entering this at Fantabulous Cricut:  #62 Remember This.  This birthday party is extra special because my sister (Lisa) is here with her baby visiting from Ireland.  This is the first time she has been here for our dad's birthday in more than a decade.  The three little owls are doubly symbolic;  there are 3 children in our family (me, Nate & Lisa) and 3 grandchildren at the party (my twin girls and Lisa's baby).  I used my Cricut (Sweet Treats cartridge) to make the party hats.

I am also entering my card at Birthday Sundaes:  #11 Masculine Birthday.  (Thanks for letting me know about this challenge blog, Amber!)

Supplies:
Cricut cartridge:  Sweet Treats (birthday party hats)
Paper: Core'dinations card stock, kraft (base & owl eyes), and SU whisper white (cake & owl eyes)
Embossing folders:  Tim Holtz (tree); SU Petals-A-Plenty; Houndstooth  and Oriental Weave by Provo Craft
Owl punch & Oval punch:  SU!
Stamps:  Flourishes
Sentiment:  EAD rub-on

Corregated card stock ideas

   Today is Motivational Monday at Betty Bee's Buzz featuring corregated card stock.  I have made six cards all using corregated card stock posted at Betty Bee's Buzz today...I hope you have time to check them out.  This is my most recent card, so I am posting the details on it here.

I was inspired by this sketch by Kirsty of Pixie Dust Paperie:

Supplies:
Corregated papers:  Stamp Art by All Night Media
Cricut cartridge:  Tags, Bags, Boxes & More "round top 2"
Sentiment:  TLC quik words rub-on
Corregated flower die cuts:  Tim Holtz Alterations Tattered Florals
Scallop die cut:  Die-namics by MFT
Polka dot die cut:  Spelbinders Nestibilities Labels Eleven
Papers:  BasicGrey Blitzen (solid red) and BasicGrey June Bug
button and twine:  unknown
Happy Monday!

Buzz, Brag, and Bee Happy Friday

  On Thursday I crafted with my dear friend and DT sister Court via Skype.  I was inspired to make this card by Court (she made a thank you card recently that I fell in love with...see the second card in this post here.)

Here is another version I made:

 And here is my entire set of 4:

I am pretty happy with how these turned out.  I hope you like them too!

Supplies:

Cricut cartridges:  French Manor and Wall Decor and More

Paper:  BasicGrey 6x6 Ambrosia

Rub-on sentiments:  TLC

ribbon:  unknown

What are you working on today?  We have a linking party every Friday at Betty Bee's Buzz.  Won't you join us?

Summertime with October Afternoon, Hero Arts & Imaginisce

  Happy Wednesday! This week at Betty Bee's Buzz we are thinking of summer. In my mind, summer is about chintz or polka dot patterns, blueberries, and watermelon. I tried to capture those ideas in my card.

  I was also inspired by the current challenge at The Pink Elephant:  #100 "Favorite Color Combo, Polka Dots and Crinkle Ribbon."  Red is my favorite color and I love polka dots!


  I found this Hero Arts stamp at my LSS in the 50% off bin. I immediately thought to stamp on kraft card stock and color with my prismacolor pencils. When I was creating this card, I was on Skype with HoneyBee Court Lee. It was Court's inspiration that inspired me to add the scallop border (MFT Die-namics) and the crinkled ribbon at the bottom. This fun paper by October Afternoon caught my eye. I added some bling hot rocks with my i-Rock tool...done :)

What comes to mind when you think of summer?  Link your summertime card, LO, or project at Betty Bee's Buzz today!

Visions of Sugarplums

   This week's challenge at Jingle Belles is by Amanda Profumo.  This did not turn out anything like I had envisioned in my head.  I originally planned to pop up the Cricut-cut snowflakes on the bottom half of my card and put purple gems in the center.  The gems matched the ribbon I was going to place horizontally across my card and the bit of scrapook paper, but the gems and ribbon clashed with my Bazzil plum card stock.  This was a challenge to make, but I do love challenges.  I used this delightful sketch from Artful Delight:

  One more Christmas card to add to my growing stack!  The scrapbook paper scraps are from leftover from these gifts seen here.

Supplies:
Cricut cartridge:  Accent Essentials page 44, keypad #13
Embossing border:  by Provo Craft
rub-ons:  by SU!
sentiment & scrapbook paper:  Carol Wilson Fine Arts, Inc.

Happy Monday!

Back to Basics & Teachers are Special

  It is nearing the end of the year and I have quite a few special teachers to thank.  My dd, Kathryn, has a male teacher this year, so I wanted to make my card for this year a little more masculine.  I used some "old school" items from my stash:  metal brads, a paper clip, and cork; all three of these items have been in my craft room stash for at least 10 years.  I cut the cork with the SU top note die (twice!  I cut once, then rotated, then rounded the corners with my scissors for a softer look).  Remember when brads were all this size?  It was about that time that I first saw "mini brads" and those are the only brads I ever seem to use now.  I used scraps from the cards I made last year for my bulletin board notes.  All papers and ribbon are by Cosmo Cricket "The Boyfriend" collection.  My base card is SU and the sentiments are by Lawn Fawn.

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
Cards for Men:  #10  Someone Special
Paper Cutz Challenge:  #92  Teacher Appreciation
Whimsical Wednesday:  #7  Back to Basics (Cricutless & old school item)

Happy Friday!

Happy Graduation!

 
 Our Goddaughter, Shelby, is graduating high school!  We love her as if she were our own and we our so proud of her.  Shelby is also my cousin's daughter.  My grandmother (Shelby's great-grandmother) gave me her sewing machine.  My grandma rarely sews anymore, and she knew I wanted to get a machine to sew on my hand-made cards.  I thought it most appropriate to make my first sewing machine card for Shelby.

I made this card for the current challenge at Fantabulous Cricut:

#60 Try This Angle

Make a card or project using a rectangle and a triangle on it

  I immediately thought of a criss-cross card when I saw this challenge.

Supplies:

Cricut cartridges:  Bloom (flowers on the belly band) & Summer in Paris (hot air balloon)

Paper:  October Afternoon "The Thrift Shop" and SU very vanilla

stamp:  Lawn Fawn

Happy Wednesday!

Old, New, Borrowed & Blue!

                                      
   I am tickled that my dear friend, Amy Sheffer, agreed to be our guest designer this week at Betty Bee's Buzz.  Amy set the weekly challenge:  something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.

  Have you ever seen an elephant with blinged-up toenails?  That is my new item:  Imaginisce hot rocks.  I borrowed my sketch from Artful Delight.  My old items are the papers and rub-ons:  BasicGrey "Marrakech" 6x6 papers.  I cut the elephant from the Cricut cartridge "Wall Decor and More."  I drew on her eyelashes and embossed the lacy circle and scalloped circle with my "D'Vine Swirls" embossing folder by Provo Craft.

  I was inspired to make an elephant card by HoneyBee Court.  She and I both like elephants!

Here is the sketch:

Happy Wednesday!  Now it's your turn to make a card with something old, new, borrowed, and blue and link it to today's post at Betty Bee's Buzz.

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

  The current challenge at Jingle Belles challenge blog is to make a card featuring Santa Claus.  This is the first Christmas stamp I ever purchased, and I used it to mass produce my Christmas cards that year.  I don't think he has seen any love in over a decade, until today.  I colored him with my Prismacolor pencils, and layered him on mulberry paper (just as ancient).  I decided to make him a bit trendier with a button and some twine.

  I was inspired by Amy Sheffer to add the button and twine.  Amy is a very dear friend and she has graciously agreed to be a guest designer this week at Betty Bee's Buzz.  I hope you will check out her inspiring card and fun interview at Betty Bee's Buzz.

  Thanks to LeAnne, I have just discovered CAS-ual Fridays challenge blog.  This week's challenge:  create a new CAS project using buttons and twine!

Supplies:
stamps:  Santa (unknown); believe (Memory Box)
papers:  Michael's
twine:  The Twinery
button:  BasicGrey

Teacher card from an Artful(ly) Delight(ful) Sketch

  I am in love with my newest paper, "Modern Homemaker" by October Afternoon.  I have been Cricut crazy for a while now, so I thought I would change things up and stamp today.  I love these "Pure Innocence" stamps by MFT; this one is called "Apple For You."  I went in search of a sketch, and found this one at Artful Delight:

Leeanne has 14 sketches this month.  For every sketch you try you have an extra chance to win her May monthy kit!  (I used sketch #12.)

I added the prima and Bazzil flowers with an SU epoxy brad and an EAD sentiment.

Happy Sunday!

Thanks, Teacher!

I am addicted to shape cards, and now more than ever because of my Cricut :)  I found this apple image on my Plantin Schoolbook cartridge.  I am entering this card at Fantabulous Cricut:

Challenge #59 Teacher Feature:  Make a card or project for that special teacher with the color red on it.

I am also entering it at Whimsical Wednesday:  #6 Take Shape

Red is my favorite color and I *heart* polka dots.  My papers came from an 8x8 October Afternoon "Modern Homemaker" paper pad.  I purchased it from The Pixie Shop.  The customer service is amazing!  My package was shipped quickly and I had it before the weekend so I could play.  Thank you, Kirsty.

I also went a little Cuttlebug embossing folder crazy.  I used herringbone on the leaf, distressed stripes on the stem, and seeing spots on the apple.

The worm is an Imagnisce stamp; isn't he cute?  I added glossy accents to his spectacles.

Happy Friday!

DCWV Dinner Favors

For my parents' annual dinner party, Mom asked if I would help design a set of 3x3 cards for the ladies.  These will be placed with envelopes in a bag and a top note die will be both the closure and their name tag.  (For the men, Mom made her party pecans which will be put in piping bags then tied with a ribbon and name tag.)  Each dinner favor will be placed at the table and used as place cards.

Supplies:

Cricut cartridge:  French Manor

Papers:  DCWV Mariposa and white linen card stock (base)

Birdhouse rub-ons:  Michael's dollar bin

Butterfly body (bling):  Imaginisce hot rocks

Die cut butterfies:  SU! embosslit

National Scrapbook Day (NSD)- Challenge #12 Kid theme

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  This is my card for challenge #12 -  Kid theme:

 Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Birthday Bash
Paper:  DCWV (card base), Echo Park "a walk in the PARK"
Sentiment:  EAD rub-on
Embossing Folder:  Tiny Bubbles by ProvoCraft
dimensionals: SU!

I did it!  All 12 challenges in one day.  I'm off to bed now :)

National Scapbook Day (NSD) - Challenge #11 Pink, green, black

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  This is my card for challenge #11 -  Pink, green, black:

 Clearly I am in the mood to make shape cards today!  Isn't this one berry sweet?

Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Sweet Treats
Paper:  DCWV Nana's Nursery and SU! Whisper White (shape card base), ACMoore black cardstock
Embossing Folders:  Swiss Dots and Victoria by ProvoCraft

Phew!  Eleven posts in one day...can I make it an even dozen?  I'm not sure...

National Scrapbook Day (NSD) #10 - Pet

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  This is my card for challenge #10 -  Pet:

 The acetate layer made this tricky to photograph!
Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Create A Critter
Paper:  SU! (card base), Echo Park "a walk in the PARK"
Sentiment:  MPS Punny-licious
Embossing Folder:  D'Vine Swirls by ProvoCraft
jumbo brads:  Bazzill
ink:  Impress Indigo Blue
white gel pen:  SU!
dimensionals: SU!

National Scapbook Day (NSD) - Challenge #9 Glitz, glam, glitter

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  This is my card for challenge #9 -  Glitz, glam, glitter:

 Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Accent Essentials (top note shape) and French Manor (small fancy oval  blue print frame)
Paper:  Recollections (card base), October Afternoon "The Thrift Shop"
Sentiment:  Making Memories 3D sticker (dollar bin @ Michael's)
hot rocks:  Imaginisce

National Scapbook Day (NSD) - Challenge #8 Summer theme

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  This is my card for challenge #8 -  Summer theme:

 Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Create A Critter (@ 4 1/4")
Paper:  Michael's (card base), Echo Park "a walk in the PARK"
Embossing Folder:  Seeing Spots by ProvoCraft

National Scapbook Day (NSD) - Challenge #7 Make a Scrapbook page

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  This is my LO for challenge #7 -  Make a scrapbook page:

Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Create A Critter  (apple @ 2 1/2") , Plantin Schoolbook (name tags @ 2"), and Tags, Bags, Boxes & More ("Autumn" tag @ 1/2")
Paper:  Doodlebug Toucan Dots, Doodlebug Toucan Spell, Karen Foster Bulletin Board, Karen Foster Lined paper, Bazzill card stock (red), green cardstock
Sentiment:  it takes two (Name stickers); MM rub-on (Autumn)
Ribbon:  American Crafts
mini brads:  Making Memories
corner rounder:  CM
embossing folder:  Seeing Spots by Provo Craft

National Scapbook Day (NSD) - Challenge #6 Incorporate a Tag

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  This is my card for challenge #6 -  Incorporate a tag:

Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Summer in Paris  (wine & glass @ 3""); Tags, Bags, Boxes & More (tag @ 3")
Paper:  Signature Suite and XPEDX (Ponderosa Pine and Bordeaux cardstocks)
Charm:  JewerySupply.com
Ribbon:  May Arts

Happy Mother's Day!  This is my 6th post today...now I am off to create some more :)

National Scapbook Day (NSD) - Challenge #5 Any 3D item

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  This is my card for challenge #5 -  Any 3D item:

Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Tags, Bags, Boxes & More  (purse treat box cut @ fill page)
Paper:  Bazzill
Button:  Laura Ashley
Ribbon:  Spool O' Ribbon
closure:  white Velcro dot

National Scapbook Day (NSD) - Challenge #4 Mother's Day Theme

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  This is my card for challenge #4 -  Mother's Day Theme:

Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Sweet Treats  (flower @ 4 1/4") & Plantin Schoolbook (circles @ 2 1/2" & 2 3/4")
Paper:  Bella Blvd, Adorn it, and SU! Whisper White (circle and shape card base)
Sentiment:  Tapestry 3D stickers
Ribbon:  ACMoore

National Scapbook Day (NSD) - Challenge #3 Breast Cancer Theme

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  This is my card for challenge #3 -  Breast Cancer Theme:

Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Create A Critter (owl, tree branch, and pink flowers all @2 1/4")
Paper:  Michael's (card base), Echo Park "a walk in the PARK"
Sentiment:  computer-generated
Embossing Folder:  Seeing Spots by ProvoCraft
glam rocks:  Imaginisce
copic:  YR04 (colored Imaginisce glam rocks)
punches:  Fiskars (clouds)
pink ribbon:  hand drawn, edged with white gel pen
dimensionals: SU!

National Scapbook Day (NSD) - Challenge #2 Use Kraft cardstock

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  This is my card for challenge #2 -  Use Kraft cardstock:

Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Plantin Schoolbook (circles cut @ 4 3/4" and 5"; star @ 3")
Paper:  SU! Kraft (card base), BasicGrey Granola (blue circle), BasicGrey Figgy Pudding (white circle), BasicGrey Oliver (celebrate banner)
Stamp:  Paper Inspirations (stars)
Ink:  VersaMark watermark
Twine:  The Twinery (sent by my dear friend, Anessa.  Thanks, A!)
Embossing Folder:  Seeing Spots by ProvoCraft
glam rocks:  Imaginisce
copic:  R29 (colored Imaginisce glam rocks)
corregated paper:  Michael's

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
BasicGrey:  Mix & Match
Cards for men:  Circles
Creative Cutter Room:  Fiesta
More Than Favors:  #16 Plantin Schoolbook/Pagoda

National Scapbook Day (NSD) - Challenge #1 Anything Cupcake

Robyn, The Pink Stamper, posted one challenge every hour for twelve hours yesterday in honor of National Scrapbook Day.  What is up for grabs?  A Cricut Imagine!  The challenge is to try to create a card, LO, or project in just one hour.  Only one NEW project can be entered in each challenge for a chance to win the Imagine.  I was able to create last night for about 2.5 hours, and for about 3 hours this morning.  Here is my first project (a cupcake shape card) for challenge #1 Anything Cupcake:

Supplies:
Cricut Cartridge:  Sweet Treats
Paper:  DCWV Nana's Nursery and SU! Whisper White (shape card base)
Sentiment:  EAD Stickerz
Ribbon and Pearl:  SU!

Come join in the fun!  You have until Monday night (PST) to get your project(s) made, posted, and linked to The Pink Stamper.

Using Vintage Stash

 I am a huge fan of using my old stash to create as much as I enjoy using fun new papers.  I wanted to participate in this week's Jingle Belles challenge:  create a card celebrating all things vintage.  I also went in search of a great sketch, and I found it at Sketch N Stash: #30 (this week is challenge #60; use ANY sketch).  Ironically enough, when I was purging my craft room in January, I think I gave away all my vintage Christmas papers.  Then I remembered that I taught a mini book class a few years ago and that I had a kit leftover from that class.  I made the mini book, then used the scraps to make my card!  I added one new item to my card:  the Hero Arts adhesive lace.  The rest is neglected stash:  mini buttons, MM mini brads, K& Co. metal art ("Peace" embellie), K&Co. Red Patchwork paper and Holiday Traditions paper, NRN Gold Parchment, and Memories Complete Christmas vellum (quotes).

Here is the cover of the completed  mini book:

 the first page:

 pages 2&3:

 pages 4 & 5:

 (I won't post all 12 pages!)  Here is the inside back cover:

Happy National Scrapbook Day!  I will be celebrating Mother's Day today with my grandma, my mom, and my aunt.  I'll be back late this afternoon to *hopefully* join in some National Scrapbook Day fun :)

Buzz, Brag, and Bee Happy Friday & Blog Awards

I have so much to bee happy about this week!  My flower pot Mother's Day card won top 5 at Fantabulous Cricut.  The DT and the participants are all so very talented, and I am very honored to be in the top 5 this week.  I love my Cricut machine more with each passing day.  Wednesday night I even dreamed about what she (the machine is a girl, right?) and I would make together.  Is that obsessive?  I should probably give her a name…suggestions?  I'm sure the dreams are a result of my excitement over National Scrapbook Day tomorrow.  I can't wait to see what the blog world has in store for us!
I also received some blog awards:

Thank you, Natasha and Patty and Jenn!

Thank you, Kim!

I am so appreciative that these ladies took the time to pass these awards onto me and link me to their blogs.

I'd like to pass both awards onto:

Anessa of AlienAnessa's Planet

Amy Tsuruta of Tsuruta Designs

Arlene of WaterDots

Cathryn of In the Pink, Designs by Cathryn

Courtney Lee of Court's Crafts

Judy of At Home Crafting with Judy

Linda B. of Hands to Work…Heart to Love

Linda R. of My Happy Place

Lisa of A Mermaid's Crafts

R. Marina Sabina (Lollyrot) of Lollyrot Scrapbooking

Rae Finke of Wahoo Crafts

All of these ladies are talented bloggers as well as lovely people!  Thank you all for your friendship and inspiration.

What happy things have happened to you this week?  Go to Betty Bee's Buzz and share what is going on in your hive this week (by leaving a comment and/or linking your blog post).

Happy Friday!

Iris Folding Video Tutorial

Good Morning!  This is my first video EVER.  I received some questions on my iris folding pear card from last week, so I decided to create an iris folding tutorial.  This time I went with a purely Asian theme.  I hope you like it!

Click on this link  for some basic iris folding patterns.  If you haven't made your mother's day cards for the ladies in your life who are moms or like a mom,  I hope you will check out Betty Bee's Buzz for some Mother's Day card inspiration.

I am entering this at Allsorts Challenge blog:  Oriental
Happy Wednesday!

Happy Mother's Day!

 I *heart* these Echo Park "a walk in the PARK" papers.  I want to hoard them, but I also have more fun creating with papers that I am excited about.  I have wanted to make a flower pot card ever since I first saw one at split coast stampers about 2 years ago.  To be honest, it kind of intimidated me.  I'm not sure why, because it was super easy to make. (I watched Elaine's video tutorial.)

I used the Cricut Lite "Bloom" cartridge for the fancy tag and flowers.  The fancy tag and its layers were cut at 3/4", and all flowers were cut at 1 1/2".  The scallop border and little leaves are an SU! border punch and sizzlit die.  I fussy cut the butterfly from an Echo Park paper.  The "mom" sentiment are Echo Park stickers.

 On the inside I stamped a butterfly (SU! Great Friend set) and "happy mother's day" (SU! Teeny Tiny Wishes.)

This was so much fun to do.  I am going to enter this in the following challenges:
Fantabulous Cricut:  #57 Mom's the Word
Die Cuttin Divas:  #12 Mother's Day is on the Way!

I hope you are having fun today!