2 Sketches 4 You :: Take Good Care

I almost did not do this week's challenge because I don't have any large stars. I guess I could make one, huh?

But I was near Archiver's and that made it possible. I went to As, bought a piece of cardstock and used their Ellison dies. I was hopeful that I could match up the cardstock w/some patterned paper.

This ended up looking nice. At least I like it. I have been soooo critical of my cards lately, but this one has a bit of character.

Nothing new and nothing fancy; just the basics.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply and Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Co. Que Sera Sera
star die cuts: Ellison
ribbon: Offray
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Color Box
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Texture Textile

It's almost here!

It's almost here:

This weekend, May 1-3, 2009, is Cuttlebug Challenge Spa Weekend. National Scrapbooking Day is Saturday, May 2, 2009. At Cuttlebug Challenge, there will be a weekend of festivities called the Cuttlebug Spa Weekend.

Cuttlebug Challenge :: 29

This week's Cuttlebug Challenge is a Mother's Day theme that includes use of some digital images from MyGrafico.com. Additionally we were to include an envelope w/our projects.

I normally relish the opportunity to rant about the challenges w/challenges, but I'll spare you the grumbling ... just because I feel like I'm beyond my whining quota for this month.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply, Archiver's, DCWV and Basic Grey (envelope)
digital image: My Grafico
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Texture Textiles and word filled hearts
ribbon and letter stickers: American Crafts
die cuts: Nestabilities ovals and scalloped ovals

Cuttlebug Challenge :: 28

This week's Be Inspired Cuttlebug Challenge theme is Home Sweet Home. As per usual, I made a card; at least one of them fits the theme since I ended up making two different cards. We're also using some very likable patterned paper from Marks Paper Company's Old Fashioned Courtship Collection. Oh, how I like the line. You'll see me using more of that in the coming weeks because I like it sooo much.

My craft stash is low and I did not even have a stamp to use for this project. But during a break at work, I went to Michaels and found this stamp in the $1 bin. Yay me.

Everything else is pretty basic. And the cards were easy to make.

Make sure you check out the other design team projects and why not enter this week's challenge?

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
first card
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Marks Paper Company
butterfly punch: Martha Stewart/EK Success
stamp: Stampin Up!
ink: Tim Holtz
dry embossing: Cuttlebug

second card
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co. and Marks Paper Company
journaling spot: Jillibean Soup
stamp: Micheals $1 bin
ink: VersaColor
fabric brad: K & Company
ribbon: Michaels
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Texture Textile and word filled hearts

2 Peas Stamp Camp :: Week 3 and 2 Sketches 4 You

I'm double dipping for this card. I like it.

2 Peas' Stamp Camp continues this week. The technique is background stamping. Very nice video and examples from Nicol Magouirk. The background stamping on this card came out more subtle that I would have liked. I guess I could have used black ink to get it to pop. I had wanted to heat emboss it, but I could not find my VersaMagic ink.

I also decided to combine Stamp Camp w/this week's 2 Sketches 4 You sketch. This week is Laura's sketch. Like always, the sketch allows for lots of improv.

I love my Tim Holtz stamp ... I am trying real hard not to purchase more of them. Just not really my turn to stimulate the economy. But that ribbon was a good get. It was something like 15 cents a yard at Cord Camera. I might go back and see if they still have some because I really like it.

And how about that journaling spot ... Jillibean Soup. I plan to get more of these. I know that the come in circles too. And maybe different colors.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply and DCWV
dry embossing and die cut heart: Cuttlebug
ribbon: Amercan Crafts
stamp and ink: Tim Holtz
journaling spot: Jillibean Soup

2 Peas Stamp Camp :: Week 2

2Peas is hosting a Spring Stamp Camp this month. Last week it was stamping w/bleach. Cool technique, but not one that I could try.

This week Kristina Werner was the host and she worked w/alphabet stamps. She has a video where she made three different cards using alphabet stamps. Super simple and fun.

I thought easy enough, but then I realized that all of my letter stamps are in storage. Ugh. I almost bought a letter stamp set @ Pat Catan's when I was in Akron for Easter. So I really did set out to make a purchase for some inexpensive letter stamps. Jackpot @ Joann. I got this KI Memories acrylic alphabet stamp set for $2.99. It has all 26 letters plus some punctuation. I don't necessarily like the way the stamping looks w/the Tim Holtz distressed ink, but I do like my entry for the Stamp Camp.

Yes, there is and are prizes for participating in Stamp Camp. A 2Peas gift certificate.

Oh and the other cool thing about this card is the journaling block. Got that at Pizazz It!, a local scrapbooking store (lss) in Columbus. Bought it on the day I also went to the crazy expo. Here's the interesting thing: I was talking to the lss owner and she saw me looking at the nice selection of journaling blocks and she told me that the women who designed them had just done a class in the store. The company is Jillibean-Soup and the women lives in the Columbus area. Very cool. But too bad that I missed the class because they had some cute cards and projects.

Anyway, I like the journaling spots ... they were $3.49 and there was a variety of blocks in the package. I can't remember how many there were, but it was good for the price and I know a good deal when I see one.

I've gone on and on ... thanks for looking, here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co.
stamps: KI Memories
ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink/Ranger
journaling block: Jellibean Soup
ribbon: Hobby Lobby

Cuttlebug Challenge :: 27

This week's Cuttlebug Be Inspired Challenge involves numbers. I don't own the Cuttlebug numbers embossing folder. That would be nice to use.

But I just got this Tim Holtz stamp and I've been wanting to use it. So maybe you thought that the paper already had numbers on it, but no, that's me and my stamp. Nice. I like it. But that's the look I like: a bit messy and antique-like and fun.

So I used the Cuttlebug for the heart die cuts. I used one from Cuttlebug and one from Cuttle Kids. Also, there is embossing on one of the hearts and that is the Cuttlebug as well.

Make sure you check out the Cuttlebug Challenge blog and get in on this week's challenge.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill and DCWV
patterned paper: K&Co.
heart die cuts: Cuttlebug and Cuttle Kids
embossing: Cuttlebug
stamps: Hero Arts (sentiment); Tim Holtz (stamping on the paper)
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
ribbon: American Crafts

2 Sketches 4 You :: So Thoughtful

I'm trying to get in early on this week's 2 Sketches 4 You. This sketch is from Kazan. I love the simplicity. It allowed me to do something quick and simple.

I decided to make a mini-card. This card is 4x4. I like that, though I don't currently have any 4x4 envelopes. Guess I could make one to match, right?

There's not much more to say. That's what happens when 'simple' speaks for itself.

Oh, and my mom has her card done already this week too.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
patterned paper: K&Co. and DCWV
rick rack: Creative Impression
stamp: Hero Arts (acrylic)
ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink/Ranger
flower: Bazzill or
twine and button: unknown

Cuttlebug Challenge :: Button Cover Tutorial

I've been playing around w/my button cover tutorial. I originally posted it on Craft Critique a few weeks ago.

I used another software program to make this one. A program called SoundSlides Plus. I like SoundSlides because I can control the music and the images from than you can with Animoto (the program that I used for the previous slideshow).

There's nothing new, just different music.

Here are the resources for the Button Cover Tutorial:

• Button Cover SlideShow Tutorial on Cuttlebug Challenge
  
• Button Cover Review and Tutorial on Craft Critique
• Button Cover Card

Also, mark you calendars for the weekend of May 1-3, 2009. National Scrapbooking Day is Saturday, May 2, 2009. At Cuttlebug Challenge, there will be a weekend of festivities called the Cuttlebug Spa Weekend.

2 Sketches 4 You :: Many Thanks

I haven't worked on a 2 Sketches 4 You sketch for weeks. Feels good to be back. I picked a good week too. The sketch was super simple and it used circles. Oh, how I like circles and using my EK Success circle punches.

I got to do a lot of my favs on this one:

• used my Cuttlebug to do some embossing
• used my new Que Sera Sera patterned paper from K&Co.
• used fabric brads
• used circles

Good stuff.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co.
brad: Making Memories
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Thanks folder
flower: Bazzill or Prima (sorry, I just don't remember).

Cuttlebug Challenge :: 25

This week's Cuttlebug Challenge is to use acetate along w/a sketch from SheetLoad.

I did not use acetate. But I did base my card on the sketch.

What I like most about this card is that I used somle new paper that I just got this weekend @ Michaels. I love K&Company and they have done a bang up job on this set of papers. The line is called Que Sera Sera. I have the specialty papers and the designer paper. And the image does not do it justice. I usually go for more muted papers and earth tones, but there's so much color here, but not too bold. I am not too crazy about the embellishments. But that's okay. Also, it was nice to get the paper packs using a 50% off coupon from Michaels (even though now they only allow you to use one coupon per day; they need some store signage on that one).

But as per my usual, this card is simple. I just don't feel as creative w/out a dedicated craft area. So the sketch was really helpful for me or you would have gotten another version of what I did last week or the week before only w/different paper and ribbon. Not really, but you get the picture. And one more thing, I did notice that my bow is upside down, I started to change it, but then I thought, nah ...

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: unknown (looks like Bazzill, but I know that it is not)
patterned paper: K&Company
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Texture Textile folder and Thanks
ribbon: Hobby Lobby
circle punch: EK Success