Cuttlebug Challenge :: 12

This week's Cuttlebug Challenge is to use sanding on the embossing. Quite easy and a technique that looks very nice. I like the weathered look. I used Die Cuts With A View cardstock because it has a white core that would show once the sanding was complete.

I've combined this w/a sketch from the Hero Arts blog. I also like this card because it was rather easy and fun to put together. I managed to use some heat embossing, dry embossing, and sewing - and it was all pretty simple.

I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday and even if you don't celebrate Christmas, have a Happy Thursday.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill and Die Cuts With A View (DCWV)
patterned paper: K&Co.
heart die cuts and dry embossing: Cuttlebug
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Versamark
embossing powder: Ranger
other: sewing

December Blog Hop :: Reuse Repurpose Recycle

Papertrey Ink's monthly Blog Hop is tonight. Going on right now. This month's challenge is to recycle. Use something on a project that is recycling from the holiday.

So here is a little ornament that my mom received after participating in a local craft fair. It's a cute little trinket and she was kind enough to let me use it on this card. I did not bring a lot of items from my personal craft supply, but I like the result here. The Cuttlebug embossing adds something to an otherwise plain card.

Have fun blog hopping and thanks for Papertrey Ink for always hosting.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
Merry Christmas embellishment and ribbon: unknown

Go Challenge Yourself

Happy Holidays! It's the holiday season and nearly the start of a new year. So why not challenge yourself? In the crafty way. I know having 48 hours to prepare for Christmas or Kwanzaa or Hanukkah is a bit of challenge, but I want to be more selfish and focus on a challenge for you.

So over the next few days when things might calm down, sit in your craft area and think outside of the box.

Here are some resources to get you going ... and remember that even though some sites might be on hiatus for the holiday season, check the archives for something that will be new for you.

• The Papertrey Ink Blog Hop (December 26, 2008)
• 2 Sketches 4 You
• KWerner Design Color Inspiration Challenge
• fresh & fun
• One Pretty Thing
• Dish Cloth Aprons

That's all for now. Happy Holidays.

Bless You :: 2 Sketches 4 You and Color Inspiration

It's has been a slow craft week for me.

But it was fun to coordinate this card. Actually, it should be much easier w/a sketch and the colors, but everything has to be just right.

I'm working w/the 2 Sketches 4 You card sketch and Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration.

I like the result. I used my newest craft purchase - or the most recent to arrive - the labels Nestabilities. Love those. For coordinating colors, I am having much success using my Die Cuts With A View (DCWV) Mat Stacks and Border Strips. They have lots of color variations so that helps out a lot. That's what I used w/the browns on this one.

I almost went overboard too by adding three felt flowers along the right side ... it was just too much and I again went w/the 'simple is best' approach. Oh, and I had wanted to do another 'Thank You' card, but I like this sentiment and I have not used it in a while.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill and Die Cuts With A View (DCWV)
patterned paper: Basic Grey
die cut labels: Nestabilities
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Ranger
ribbon: American Crafts
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
other: sewing

What I've Got Bookmarked

I have tons of bookmarks. I use Mozilla as my Internet browser and I like that it allows me to tag my bookmarks. That is helpful since I have a craft communities folder as well as a craft blogs folder along w/a craft inspiration folder. But once I bookmark the site, I could tag it w/'scrapbooking' and I could locate something in one folder that is not in another folder. Does that make sense. We all have our organizing nuances, don't we.

Point is, if I thought that my life was a bit crazy, it's about to get crazier. More hectic. It's inevitable. I can already feel the slow down, hence, that's why I'm writing this post and not crafting and/or writing this post and not posting about a card that I made.

But back to the bookmarks. Although I have not been crafting, I have been lurking around the web and checking out these places. Most of them are well known.

• Kristina Werner's Design Blog - love the Color Inspiration Challenge (I could sit all day and click through the Color Inspiration submissions) along w/the short and sweet video tutorials: KWerner Design Blog

• Two Peas in a Bucket - I still visit 2Peas daily. I check out the daily poll along w/"The Pub" and "General Scrappin" forums and I frequently check out the Garden Girls projects: Two Peas In a Bucket

• Hero Arts Club Blog - I like the daily posts on the Hero Arts Blog. There are often chances to win prizes too (though I have not been so lucky yet). Just good ideas and I am anxious to see the 2009 catalog: Hero Arts Club Blog

• 2 Sketches 4 You - It's kind of obvious that I check this site out at least once a day. So many wonderful participants globally. Love that: 2 Sketches 4 You

• Splitcoast Stampers - I have not been to Splitcoast as much as I'd like, but it's one of my favs. I like to go and search the gallery under "Cuttlebug" or "Nestabilities" or "labels". Splitcoast Stampers

• {capture the moment} - I love to gawk on this blog, just wonderful ideas and in some cases much detail and precision. It gives me inspiration to make more than cards, though I usually still end up only making cards: {capture the moment}

• One Pretty Thing - how I like this site. It's really an aggregator of how to make things. There are all sorts of ideas for making things - I really nice this in this economy. And often there are seasonal sections like now there's a section for Handmade gift ideas as well as a Hanukkah section: One Pretty Thing
  

And actually, I don't have all of these bookmarked, but I do subscribe to their feeds. There are others too like Donna Downey's blog, Tim Holtz' blog, Keisha Campbell's blog, etc.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Everything :: Color Inspiration and 2 Sketches 4 You

Wow, the week almost went by w/o me doing much card making. Just taking it slow is all. I did get the Cuttlebug Challenge done (see yesterday's post).

I do like the inspiration for the Color Inspiration - skeins of yarn. I love when I see the DMC floss all lined up and color coordinated. The 2 Sketches 4 You sketch is a no-frills sketch. Love that.

I don't have much more to say about this card. It's just simple and fresh. I started to distress the edges and do some sewing, but sometimes less is more.

Thanks for looking .... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: ??
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
ribbon: Michaels
flower die: Sizzix
felt: craft supply

Cuttlebug Challenge :: 9

This week's challenge:

• create a Christmas/Holiday themed project, something other than a card

Now card making is my biz, so yes, another challenge-challenge for this girl. But I'm going sneaky on them this week and making tags! That's right TAGS, lots of tags. Also, great embellishments for ... you guessed it - cards!

I used my Cuttlebug in so many ways here.

• dry embossing using the Cuttlebug embossing folders
• cutting out the Nestabilities squares
• cutting of the tags using a Sizzix die to cut through chipboard
• cutting out scalloped circles using a Quickutz die
• cutting out scalloped circles using a Cuttlebug die to cut through chipboard

So much fun too. I had to color coordinate and add all sorts of details like the bling, heat embossing, ribbon, twine, eyelets, buttons, etc.

I even pulled out my Crop-A-Dile to cut holes through the chipboard and then add eyelets. I had put away most of my holiday stuff and this time around I discovered several items that I had not even used this season. Like the snowflake embellishment and the the star button. Ha.

Oh and my mom gave me the idea for the tags. I had cut her out some of the holiday themed Cuttlebug stuff and she's using her newly created tags on her cookies for cookie exchange.

Don't forget that you can write the 'to' and 'from' information on the back of the tag.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill, Archiver's and craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co.
ink: VersaMark
tag die: Sizzix
scalloped circle dies: Quickutz and Cuttlebug
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Winter Jelly and Christmas
a variety of buttons, ribbons, eyelets and other embellishments

Let's Make Envelopes!

I recently wrote an article for Craft Critique about the Kreate-a-lope. It's a template used to make envelopes. I have the A2 sized template.

If you get a chance, check out the review:

• Kreate-a-lope article on Craft Critique

This was a fun article to write. I really enjoyed using this product. I hardly use it, but now I think that I will take some of the paper packs that I have and get to work; oh, and you should too! ;-)

Holiday Wishes :: A Card for Multiple Challenges

This card fits the bill for three (3) challenges. You might be like "wow". But my lesson is learned here. From here on out, I will primarily do just one (1) or two (2) challenges at a time. Three sort of seems like a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. I think my card just looks so-so and that if I would have focus on two challenges I would have had a better result. And I actually wanted to add a fourth element: using the 'spotlight' stamp technique for 2Peas' final week of Stamp Camp.

The three (3) challenges being attempted:

1. Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration #33
   
2. Card Positioning Systems (CPS) card sketch #93
   
3. Hero Arts Make-It-In-Minutes Card Challenge

The biggest challenge was using the Color Inspiration colors: chocolate chip, pumpkin pie, taken w/teal, certainly celery and whisper white. The colors look good in the image, but not so easy to duplicate on a small canvas like a card.

I do like this week's CPS card sketch. Nice that I had the small embossing folders from Cuttlebug to add the snowflake. I do like the rhinestone at the snowflakes center. Nice touch. I like using sketches ... just one less thing to think about while card making.

And finally for the Hero Arts Challenge ... make a quick card. This was sort of quick in that I had a sketch and the colors and just had to coordinate, hence, the challenge.

I like the dry embossing on the horizontal strip. It's from the Cuttlebug heart die and embossing folders set. I just embossed half of the strip and then embossed the other half.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Archivers, Bazzill and craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co.
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Joann
rhinestone and felt: unknown
other: sewing

Cuttlebug Challenge :: 8

Time for another Cuttlebug Challenge and this one was indeed a challenge. I have been working on it for a couple of weeks. I must say that after this challenge, I will leave the making of embossing folders to the makers of the Cuttlebug. And that was the challenge: to make your own embossing folder.

I did, however, finally come up w/something that I could use on a project.

I cut out some hearts using a die from CuttleKids. I then layered them inside a piece of folded plastic. I think it was the plastic from the front cover package of one of the Cuttlebug embossing folders (before they began to use a picture on the front). Then I carefully laid the cardstock on top of the row of hearts and just as carefully laid the plastic folder in my sandwich for embossing ('A' plate, 'B' plate, plastic folder and 'B' plate). I ran the sandwich through the CB and then rolled it back.

I am more proud of my felt flower than the embossing. I don't have many colors of felt, but my brown and cream are two of my favs. I originally made this flower to use for last month's Papertrey Ink. Blog Hop, but I did not use it. It ended up being a good fit for this card though.

Overall, this was a pretty simple card to make. And it's got a cute thing goin on ...

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper and fabric brad: K&Co.
die cut hearts (used for the embossing): CuttleKids
die cut flowers and circle: Sizzix
letter stickers: American Crafts
felt and ribbon: unknown
other: sewing

I've Been Tagged

I've been tagged. I must admit that I have been tagged before and I just forgot about it. But this time, I'm going to go along, but just this one time. The Internet is already a time stealer. Good thing is, I won't tag anyone ... this madness has to stop somewhere, right?

So here's to Savitri over @ Scrappin and Stampin with Savitri. I recently won a wonderful package of scrappin goodies from her. She is awesome and often shares really useful information w/me about software. Oh, and we share shopping tips and info too. It's what girls do.

1. If I could, I'd rollerblade all the time in addition to treating my reading group to a 4-day spa visit.

2. I rather listen to hip hop music than listen to slow songs/ballads.

3. I wish I could travel more often. I'd like to travel to Europe in the near future.

4. I attended my high school class reunion recently.

5. I have a sweet tooth. I especially like desserts w/apples in them.

6. I am very proud of my daughter for so many reasons...

7. I am impatient, but not as impatient as I used to be.

Hi :: 2 Sketches 4 You and 2Peas Stamp Camp

Wow, another week and back to the wonderful world of cardmaking.

Starting off the week w/this week's 2 Sketches 4 You card sketch. This one courtesy of Laura. I love these sketches. It did not take me to coordinate this one. Just used some of the basics. I did grab some stamps that I rarely use from See-D's. And I used a border punch from Martha Stewart. I do like that punch. It is so easy to line up and use as opposed to the Fiskars punches which take a bit more of an effort to punch through.

Also, over @ Two Peas in a Bucket, Stamp Camp continues. Last week it was a "Kissing" technique. I've been following the camp, but I've yet to post a project. So here it is. The kissing is faint on the letters, but you can see the little swirls. Well that is from another stamp. I am not one to go into detail about this technique - that is why there is Stamp Camp. Go and check out the kissing technique video tutorial by Kristina Werner.

That's enough info for now, right?

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co.
alphabet stamps: See-D's
swirl stamp: $1 Michaels
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Textile Texture
flower: Prima
twine: Darice
button: Foof a al
other: sewing

Just a Simple Thank You

I made this card using some scraps. However, the labels are a new purchase. They are from Martha Stewart. They are supposed to be gift tags, but I just love the labels w/that hint of gold trim. So I added the stamping and heat embossed w/gold embossing powder. I'll probably do more of the labels like this. The ribbon adds another level of simplicity, but classic.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Joann
ribbon: Michaels
label: Martha Stewart