Craft Critique: K&Company's Que Sera Sera Papers

My apology for the late post, but my Craft Critique article was originally scheduled for Friday and not Thursday.

I bought the K&Company Que Sera Sera Specialty Paper Pad and Designer Paper Pad at Michaels a few months ago. Love them. I have a complete review of them on Craft Critique. Make sure you check out the review there because I am also giving away a 4.75x6.75 paper pack Only comments submitted on Craft Critique will be eligible for the giveaway (no international shipping on the giveaway).

I made several cards to compliment the review. Check out my slide show of the cards.

"You're The Best" Card
cardsctock: craft supply and Die Cuts With A View (DCWV)
patterned paper: K&Company Que Sera Sera designer paper
heart die cut: CuttleKids
cork: Quartet Cork Craft Sheets (at Michaels)
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
ribbon: Hobby Lobby

"Take Good Care" Card
cardstock: craft supply and Die Cuts With A View (DCWV)
patterned paper: K&Company Que Sera Sera designer paper
dry embossing: Quickutz labels embossing folders
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger

"Many, Many Thanks" Card
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Company Que Sera Sera specialty paper
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
ribbon: May Arts
scalloped circle die cut: Quickutz
circle punches: EK Success

"Happy Everything" Card
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Company Que Sera Sera designer paper
circle punches: EK Success
butterfly punch: Martha Stewart/EK Success
twine: Darice
buttons: unknown

"Hello" Card
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Company Que Sera Sera specialty paper
letter stickers: American Crafts Thickers

Tag Book
See the Que Sera Sera Tag Book short video including all the pages from the tag book

Thanks for looking.

The Cuttlebug v. The Quickutz Squeeze: A Craft Critique Article

I have another article posted on Craft Critique.

This one is The Cuttlebug v. The Quickutz Squeeze.

I know that you will find it interesting since you know that I recently lost my Cuttlebug. You should also know that I bought another one.

Oh and you can follow Craft Critique on Twitter: @CraftCritique

Thanks for hanging around.

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

You're the Best :: 2 Sketches 4 You

For me to get in on 2 Sketches 4 You's weekly card sketch this early in the week is awesome. It is, indeed, the start of a wonderful week.

I had also intended to try emboss resist on the sentiment, but I just decided to leave it alone. This is week 4 of Stamp Camp over @ Two Peas. After I watched the resist video tutorial of the technique, I just have to try it out.

But I am excited about fabric brads. I found lots over the weekend when I unexpectedly landed in Hobby Lobby, Pizazz It (Columbus, OH), Michaels, Joann and Archivers.

Also, I really like making my own felt flowers. During my unplanned craft stops, I picked up a Sizzix flower die. I like the Sizzix and Cuttlebug dies for cutting cleanly through the felt and fabric. Sometimes I can cut through a thin piece of fabric w/a Quickutz die in the Cuttlebug - I just add a shim and run it back and forth a few times.

Well, enough chatter already. Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock and fabric: craft supply
patterned paper: K & Co.
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaMark and VersaMagic
embossing powder: Ranger
fabric brad: The Paper Studio/Hobby Lobby
ribbon: Morex
flower dies: Cuttlebug and Sizzix
felt: unknown
other: sewing

Cuttlebug Challenge :: 7

Yea, time for another Cuttlebug Challenge. It's week 7, in case you are counting and this is the first challenge for the month of November. You can participate in this challenge until Saturday.

I'm liking this card. I originally created it as a submission for the 2 Sketches 4 You design team. Just a cutie. And quite simple too. I used K&Company patterned papers which coordinate so well together. I've had that Quickutz dress die from some time. I've used it on occasion and I do like it. It surely does add that 'girlie' touch. Oh, and the 'tres chic' stamp is from See-D's; it's a set I have called "Ooh la la". There is dry embossing on the top half too; a bit had to see though.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Company
dress die cut: Quickutz
stamp: See-D's
ink: VersaMagic
embossing powder: Ranger
flower die cut: EK Success
bling: unknown
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots and Textile Texture
ribbon: Michaels
other: sewing

Thank You :: Color Inspiration 30

Well, if you ask me how excited I am about this card and I will tell you "uber excited"! And let me tell you why. I absolutely love the flower and the mini folder.

First of all, I am using Krista Werner's Color Inspiration Challenge. This week's colors were Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Sahara Sand and Whisper White. I love, love, love olive. So it was easy for me to coordinate for this challenge. The problem for me is the picture. I may replace it if I can produce an image that showcases the colors more vibrantly.

But my new favorite thing is fabric buttons. I went to a handmade craft fair this past weekend and lots of vendors had them. Then I went to etsy and saw even more wonderful fabric buttons. Check out these from Fabric Farrago.

So I mentioned the fabric buttons to my mom who immediately said that Joanns has the buttons covers used to make your own fabric buttons. Guess who made a trip to Joanns? That would be me. I got the buttons covers along w/a Sizzix Hello Kitty die - the outer layer of the flower. You will more than likely see more of these flowers on more and more of my cards. I like choosing my own fabric and even stamping on the fabric and making my own buttons. Now I just need to find a place that sells the buttons covers by the bag full. Watch out.

Oh, and I got the idea to use the Quickutz mini folder from Card-A-Licious; that's their challenge this week.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Company
stamp: Stampin Up!
ink: VersaMagic
embossing powder: Ranger
ribbon: Michaels
mini folder die cut: Quickutz
flower die cuts: Sizzix and Cuttlebug
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
felt: unknown
button cover: Dritz
other: fabric

Cuttlebug Challenge :: 5

This week's Cuttlebug Challenge is active and has been since Wednesday. Get on over and play. The challenge this week is to emboss on a metallic finish.

Oh, challenge me. I am not crazy about metallic finish. Just not my style. I've seen people work wonders with it though. The best I could do was pull out my Bazzill Bling. I do like the bling especially for wedding cards, but generally speaking, I just don't use it a lot. If you gave me a stack of it, I'd keep a couple of sheets and give it away to others.

So I did a little holiday card w/o the holiday colors. That I do like. Breaking away from the traditional. I do really like the traditional. But this card is just as fun in a different color scheme.

Oh, and I'm getting better at listing which Cuttlebug embossing folders I've used.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill and Bazzill Bling
patterned paper: American Crafts
circle punches: EK Success
circle die cuts: Quickutz
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Ranger
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Winter Jelly

cps 82 cards

This week's CPS (Card Positioning Systems) sketch is/was quite simple. I don't have a sketch preference meaning lots of details or very little. I just interpret the way that I want to.

So the interpretation this week could not be contained to just one card; not for me at least. I just got overly excited and the next thing I knew I'd made two different cards. Way too much fun. I did make a concerted effort to keep things simple.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
Thanks x 3 Card
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
ink: VersaMark and Tim Holtz/Ranger
circle punches: EK Success
other: sewing
Sending Love Card
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey
heart die cuts: Quickutz
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
stamp: Oogaloo/$1 Michaels
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Ranger

It's a Wedding Weekend!

I have a friend who's getting married this weekend. Should be a wonderful weekend too.

So of course, I had to assemble a wedding card for the newlyweds. I'm also going to get them a set of Thank You cards that they can use at their leisure.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Co. and Papertrey Ink.
stamp: Stampin Up!
embossing powder: Ranger
ink: VersaMark
chipboard element: Bazzill
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
ribbon: Offray
hat pin: Joann
die cut letters: Quickutz Zoe
other: sewing machine

Someone's Turning 40 ...

... and I don't know who it is. My girlfriend asked me to make her several 4oth birthday cards for her girlfriends who will be turning 40 in the coming months. On some of the cards, there is a sentiment inside that says "You're not turning 40, you're 22 with 18 years of experience!" So true.

These were fun to make. Especially the one's w/the Black women on the front. I used Photoshop for those. I was working w/a scanned image and I converted the image into a brush. I used a muted brown color to give the image a vintage look. The only downside is that the image is not as crisp as I would have liked it to be. But I did print it out on patterned paper so that the focus would not be on the image. I should have went w/the frayed/distressed edges too ... oh, well.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
Dress Card (above)
cardstock: Bazzill and craft supply
patterned paper: A Muse and K&Co.
ribbon: Michaels
dress die cut and scalloped circle: Quickutz
stamp: Stampin Up!
ovals: Nestabilities
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
flower die cut: EK Success
bling: unknown
sentiment: created w/Photoshop

Black Women Card (above)
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Co.
ribbon: Offray
jump ring and metal embellishment: Making Memories
sentiment and image: created using Photoshop
other: sewing

Using 2 Sketch 4 You

Here's my next card using the sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You. Another wonderful site w/incredible ideas and inspiration. Lots of smiles when I visit this site.

For this card, I already the panel - the paper w/the sewing. I had it from something I was working on a few weeks ago. It was in my pile of scraps. I knew that I wanted to make a birthday card. So I pulled out two things that I have not used in some time: The celebrate die from Quickutz as well as the Happy Birthday stamp from Hero Arts.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply and Basic Grey
patterned paper: Basic Grey
ink: VersaMagic
embossing powder: Ranger
stamp: Hero Arts
word die: Quickutz
heart die cuts: CuttleKids and Quickutz
other: sewing

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!

I'm manufacturing cards like my life depends on it! It is my therapy. So much fun.

I like the colors on this set; again using my fav cardstock. And I have adopted this design as my fav. It's really easy to use the design when mass producing. I also like the design because that is not a lot of bulkiness so it should not need additional postage when mailing.

Here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co./Amy Butler and My Mind's Eye
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
scalloped circle die: Quickutz
circle punch: EK Success
other: Fiskars Threading Water Punch

It's the same thing, only different

So I've fallen in love w/my this little design. It's so simple and easy to put a card together. When I use the monogram I have the Photoshop template to work with or I can easily stamp a sentiment. I can use the Cuttlebug or not.

So here is a set of cards that I made for my girlfriends birthday. Now, if you ask "Did she get them on her birthday?" the answer is no. I will be hand delivering these babies.

Oh, but let me also say that I did not use ribbon or any foam adhesive (to give it some dimension) because I went to the post office the other day and they charged me 62 cents for postage on one of my cards. The reasoning: it's non-bendable - not because of the weight. What?
Here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply and Die Cuts With A View (DCWV)
patterned paper: My Mind's Eye
sentiment created using Adobe Photoshop CS3
scalloped circle die cut: Quickutz
scalloped edge: Fiskars Threading Water Punch

cps :: 67

I had lots of fun w/this week's Card Positioning Systems (cps) sketch. I recently purchased the Quickutz mini album Revolution dies. They worked well for this card. I did some heat embossing and I distressed the edges too. I wanted to make it more masculine since I had planned to send to a longtime friend. TFL.

Here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill and Die Cuts With A View (DCWV)
patterned paper: Basic Grey
stamps: Hero Arts (special, so much, many, thanks, and thanks a lot) and Heidi Swapp (Merci)
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Ranger
mini album page die: Quickutz
ribbon: Morex

Craft Critique Cards

I have an article posted on Craft Critique today. It's about the Quickutz Squeeze die cutting tool. I've had my Squeeze for a few years now and I still use it w/some frequency.

Anyway, there are three cards that compliment the article, but I had no room there to post the details about the card.

So here is the scoop:

Celebrate Card (above)
patterned paper: K&Co. and ??
cardstock: craft supply
dress die cut: Quickutz
oval die cuts: Nestabilities
ribbon: Michaels
dry embossing: Cuttlebug - swiss dots
stamp: Stampin Up! - wonderful words
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Ranger
flower punch: EK Success
bling/rhinestone: craft supply

Happy Mother's Day Card (above)
patterned paper: K& Co.
cardstock: craft supply
die cut letters: Quickutz - Star
alphabet stamps: Making Memories
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
circle punch: EK Success
butterfly punch: Martha Stewart/EK Success
dry embossing: Cuttlebug - swiss dots and Quickutz Goosebumps - Daisy
ribbon: craft supply

Hello Card (above)
cardstock: craft supply
die cut letters and blossom: Quickutz
bosher (olive green item w/the ribbon): Bazzill
ribbon: Michaels

sketch this cards :: 40

I've been scouting out the sketch this cards site a lot ... good people and good stuff. So I laid out this card - and with a Valentine's Day theme, of course.

Again, my sewing is in the baby stages. My zigzag is unsteady and I need to figure out why.

cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey
heart die cuts: Cuttle Kids and Quickutz
stamp: Michaels $1 stamp
ink: VersaMagic
ribbon: Joanns

It's time for the 'love' to begin ...

I've started on my Valentine's Day cards. This one is quite simple, but oh, so cute.

cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Basic Grey
die cuts: Quickutz and Cuttlebug
stamp: Savvy Stamps
ink: VersaMagic