tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69193367443521996262024-03-13T12:16:40.401-05:00The Scrappy LeopardAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-56943041160065885412011-06-21T09:00:00.002-05:002011-06-21T09:00:11.084-05:00My Favorite ThingsI have a few favorite things that I use in almost every project, layout and card I make! They are:<br />
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Inkssentials Glossy Accents<br />
Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Walnut Stain<br />
Tim Holtz Design Ruler<br />
Sakura Quickie Glue Pen<br />
Scor Pal Scor-Tape<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkUawFfvuEn6MXlyAC0Zd8JpqZoNm-wGhub12s-TgJK89zp3gsfsK1GaQuInoNYQ0YBmMU3GJvltQRVlSWvKNx2CgyDrkS4jq_OAVRfeF7b-2PMZZ5FqFpEbFD3EduPAQnEQe436qhYs/s1600/Projects+058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkUawFfvuEn6MXlyAC0Zd8JpqZoNm-wGhub12s-TgJK89zp3gsfsK1GaQuInoNYQ0YBmMU3GJvltQRVlSWvKNx2CgyDrkS4jq_OAVRfeF7b-2PMZZ5FqFpEbFD3EduPAQnEQe436qhYs/s320/Projects+058.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Everyone already knows I love my Cricut, and I can't do a project without at least a few cut elements, but this time, I decided to show how using these simple products can make things easier, or prettier.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxO_yJdiROT6ajCw7TUrQVK1xfunrCgUurtX49fzEeBdJJ7PwcF01QmWfq_eo4JXoL5HcuKES3XEMZpPPiE1MKfW0OJOHz0wg56kXNFJVuO31b_10UYqu5d_lLPP5IVXLxrNOpoo-H-xQ/s1600/Projects+059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxO_yJdiROT6ajCw7TUrQVK1xfunrCgUurtX49fzEeBdJJ7PwcF01QmWfq_eo4JXoL5HcuKES3XEMZpPPiE1MKfW0OJOHz0wg56kXNFJVuO31b_10UYqu5d_lLPP5IVXLxrNOpoo-H-xQ/s320/Projects+059.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I started with some paper in my stash. I used two similar patters in different colors, to give a similar effect that can be seen in the photos. To separate and soften the line between the papers, I found a matching ribbon in my stash. I learned from the group that Scor-Tape is easier to use if you put the adhesive on your paper FIRST...then put the ribbon down on top of the adhesive. (It's really tough to keep your ribbon straight if you put the adhesive on the ribbon first...trust me!)<br />
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I cut my border from the Martha Steward Holiday Cakes cartridge. I used my Gypsy to weld several of the elements together to make a 12" border. I had to cut the border on my 12x24 mats in order to get a full 12 inch border. I attached the border to the top of each page, and then accented the little holes that didn't really cut out with an Inkssentials White Gel Pen. <br />
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The next step was just putting down my pictures on the page. I really like my photos to line up just right - so sometimes, I will use my Tim Holtz ruler to measure out the spaces between my pictures. The grid pattern on the ruler makes it really easy to measure the space between photos.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAei-Iafm121-lLVzFmD5aicGgcFjZg5mklmHHJu4hmktGlr-5dsoFcnb4sO988DZOWKUPJ1uu0xRqwiQmJDpHj1YOqo5C8QQGWE-RbLy2mCCyHrOgomKCSisb1asXtka6qLa4PztHH30/s1600/Projects+060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAei-Iafm121-lLVzFmD5aicGgcFjZg5mklmHHJu4hmktGlr-5dsoFcnb4sO988DZOWKUPJ1uu0xRqwiQmJDpHj1YOqo5C8QQGWE-RbLy2mCCyHrOgomKCSisb1asXtka6qLa4PztHH30/s320/Projects+060.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Another thing that I use a lot of is chipboard. The Grafix Medium Weight Chipboard cuts very nicely on the Cricut, without having to use the deep cut blade. I find that using the blade depth of 6, with high pressure, and two or three cuts, usually gets the cuts I need. I don't recommend cutting very intricate detail items on the chipboard though, unless you have a brand new mat, and a lot of patience! I cut the bracket pieces and the little arrows on the chipboard. The brackets are actually a frame on the Elegant Edges cartridge. I just it in half lengthwise, and used both halves on opposing pages! This part gets really messy, so I suggest scrap paper or some other tossable surface. I inked all over my chipboard pieces using my Distress Ink. In order to get complete coverage, I had to stamp multiple directions, on and off the surface. I didn't make it a solid brown, however, so that it still had a distressed look. Next, I covered each of the chipboard pieces with Glossy Accents. This part is really messy. I used a thin layer of product, making sure to cover all the way to the edges. This product is fairly thick, so it doesn't spread out, as long as the item being glossed stays flat! So, make sure to use enough to cover it entirely, making sure to pop any little air bubbles that may come up. The smaller arrows didn't have any problems. The large bracket pieces, however, curled up with the moisture from the medium as it dried. I used a pin to pop the bubbles, and hold the chipboard down while it was still fairly wet. There was still a fair amount of runoff as it dried because it curled out toward the edges. Allow the product to spread on it's own as it dries, to keep the surface smooth and glassy. If you want to add some distress to this, use your finger or craft blade to spread the product around after it has dried somewhat, but is still tacky.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16qIu7yv2_SIL-GH-sRjMIPzPtdpEqnyhyphenhyphen6H87cQ0zBfY5aaEawq-dt0jguxWSMQxpmI_YSGk9QGHxECcXAHyA3Pjel3RoUZcJbTEPeiq7NOy_vGXan9XE5gr5P78D4quzvxPwEy0O00/s1600/Projects+061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16qIu7yv2_SIL-GH-sRjMIPzPtdpEqnyhyphenhyphen6H87cQ0zBfY5aaEawq-dt0jguxWSMQxpmI_YSGk9QGHxECcXAHyA3Pjel3RoUZcJbTEPeiq7NOy_vGXan9XE5gr5P78D4quzvxPwEy0O00/s320/Projects+061.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
As the chipboard pieces continued to dry, I began to distress my journal sheet. I used a piece of kraft-colored, lined cardstock to make the journal box. Using a punch, I created the torn notebook edge on top. I roughed up the punched area by gently pushing and folding them to make them uneven. Then, I very lightly crumbled the paper, but not enough to make any hard creases. Finally, I used my Distress Ink pad to stain the outside edges. I used quick, light motions to stain the edges of the paper. This speedy method frequently causes 'mistakes' as the pad slips around the sides, causing the ink to catch on the lightly creased pieces. This gives the paper more character!<br />
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After the chipboard embellishments were dry, the larger pieces were still curled up slightly. I used several pieces of Scor-Tape along the back of the chipboard, which helped the chipboard flatten out on the page. To dress these up even further, I used my white gel pen to make some detail that would continue the repeated patterns in the paper and embellishments. I used dots on two of the arrows, similar to the dots in the curved border, as well as the bottom patterned paper. On the brackets, I used some more dots at the points, but then also added some random stitching, to enhance the lines in the paper, ribbon and photos. The stitching is easy to create using the metal edge of the Tim Holtz ruler and a gel pen. The ruler keeps the lines straight, and the metal edge allows the pen to slide easily against the edge of the ruler.<br />
A simple title, welded on my Gypsy, was the final touch, overlapping the embellished chipboard. Any time I have smaller letters to glue, the Sakura Quickie Glue Pen is my go-to adhesive. This pen allows me to get in all the tiny spaces, around all the curves, and even makes a perfect 'dot' of glue to put the dots for 'i' and 'j' letters on the page!<br />
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I have to give a shout-out to <a href="http://www.pagemaps.com/">Pagemaps</a>! I used a sketch from their monthly newsletter from May 2010 as the base for this layout. I hope you get a chance to try out a few of my favorite things!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-34841091134877221512011-05-27T09:34:00.001-05:002011-05-27T09:34:24.683-05:00Simple and Elegant Congratulations CardWhen you need a card in a hurry, the Cuttlebug is a great, easy way to put a simple and elegant card together. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtckLALXArNVi9b18fLwBwrhrQ41pS3vccddGie9uptJMzM1IDbW-q73icu16dWhsG5nWRUN0JbrqVNvz3RQ_dEzEpfh6xxPnl7loRPQxNoUQ0NdBINeccvQ9fdP8FxqgT9Bgq0pHXbCU/s1600/Whale_Done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtckLALXArNVi9b18fLwBwrhrQ41pS3vccddGie9uptJMzM1IDbW-q73icu16dWhsG5nWRUN0JbrqVNvz3RQ_dEzEpfh6xxPnl7loRPQxNoUQ0NdBINeccvQ9fdP8FxqgT9Bgq0pHXbCU/s1600/Whale_Done.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I started with a standard white A2 card. I used the Cuttlebug Emboss A2 Musical Flourish folder to emboss the entire front of the card. Next, I found a paper print I liked from the Echo Park Splash 6x6 Paper Pad. (I love the prints on these new paper pads - they're smaller, so they work well on cards!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As soon as I saw the little whale print, I knew that was the one! I found two solid coordinating papers, and made two nested rectangles with a slim 1/8" border. I then nexted my whale paper within those rectangles, with the same slim border. I wanted this ribbon-like strip to stand out, so I attached it using 3D Foam dots. To give it just a little more pizzazz, I added some Star Dust Stickles to three of the whale images...not too much, but enough to make them stand out!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Next, I pulled out my Gypsy, and created a title using the Quarter Note cartridge. I thought it would be fun to do a play on words with the print. The title "Whale Done" was cut on plain coordinating card stock. I attached it with my Sakura Quickie Glue Pen.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>The result is a quick and easy card, that can be used for any job well done!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-63313227238888535552011-04-28T08:25:00.000-05:002011-04-28T08:25:32.378-05:00Mother Daughter LayoutI am more of a scrapbooker than a stamper, but I wanted to take an opportunity to show that stamps aren't JUST for cards. You can use them in your scrapbook too!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHFl24K_0hA8GuzJR2_1U59nKqM56ivj7co-XXV2lHKMaWliMWer0vXyP_cYNkcroXzaheSSQdYUCyQHfDjKqAwoOF0MfF3vCUk1NzbyxjvRi8sftHkNEAUp4wGK5ONxfz9rYy9_sFKQ/s1600/Mother_Daughter_Layout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHFl24K_0hA8GuzJR2_1U59nKqM56ivj7co-XXV2lHKMaWliMWer0vXyP_cYNkcroXzaheSSQdYUCyQHfDjKqAwoOF0MfF3vCUk1NzbyxjvRi8sftHkNEAUp4wGK5ONxfz9rYy9_sFKQ/s320/Mother_Daughter_Layout.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>Our family took a cruise two years ago, and we enjoy getting professional pictures taken by their staff. (This is typically some of the only photos of ME, since I'm usually the one with the camera!) As we're coming up to Mother's Day, I thought this picture of me with my daughter would be appropriate.<br />
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This is a large 8x10 picture, so I didn't want to overwhelm it with lots of fancy papers. I started with a plain white piece of cardstock, and dressed it up with Inkadinkadoo Sketchy Flourishes stamps. I used an embossing ink, like the Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad and stamped the image on my page. Next, I sprinkled an ample amount of Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder over the stamped image. Once the image is covered in powder, gently lift the paper, and lightly tap the paper to get rid of the excess powder. I have a tidy tray that works WONDERS in helping me collect all the excess powder, and funnels it back into the container! Definitely a must have for anyone who uses glitter or embossing powder! Finally, using a heat tool such as the Heat It Craft Tool, warm up the stamped and powdered image on the paper. It's important not to get too close to the paper with the heat gun or your paper will discolor! It's amazing to see that embossing powder turn into a shiny stamped image. Don't keep the heat gun on too long, or it will actually over melt the embossing powder. I did two images in black, and a third image with some red glittery embossing powder from my stash.<br />
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I actually did make a mistake - and had a fourth image embossed - but it didn't turn out at all...so instead of starting over, I artfully hid that corner with paper! I used a black Bazzill corner, and topped that with a piece of American Crafts Foil Cardstock.<br />
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To finish this off, I made a title on my Gypsy, using one of my new favorite fonts from Quarter Note. I welded the words Mother and Daughter, and cut each of these on more metallic cardstock in silver and red. Welding is so easy with the Gypsy! It was no problem to weld the word "Daughter" vertically instead of horizontally. Also - this font makes the prettiest script I've ever used on my Cricut - and it cuts wonderfully!<br />
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I am really pleased with the way this simple layout turned out. Hopefully, my daughter will treasure it for a long time!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-81347818506587260602011-04-14T08:50:00.000-05:002011-04-14T08:50:55.395-05:00New Two-Page LayoutI was lucky enough to attend a weekend crop last weekend, and I was able to get 19 pages done in 2 days! Now that may not sound like much to some of you...but I put a lot of thought and effort into each of my pages, so I was pretty pleased with my totals. Plus, I got lots of chatty time with my big sis, made some new friends, and got to have a bed to myself without DH and the fur-friends! <br />
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Here is one of my two-page layouts, using my Cricut and my Gypsy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsOOEHht5pnODrDenM9QlBqEJeWyVTT6kLgNdbZIfoUPvtI8wBIrDAaiXxVvXbEWW9fwHkFfbScoMRI-bk6QtaxK6SxyRa9DuKKmiKvzdJyu8jwk8FwI4-BvgGcM3v0hCH75_BN4IUPE/s1600/full_layout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsOOEHht5pnODrDenM9QlBqEJeWyVTT6kLgNdbZIfoUPvtI8wBIrDAaiXxVvXbEWW9fwHkFfbScoMRI-bk6QtaxK6SxyRa9DuKKmiKvzdJyu8jwk8FwI4-BvgGcM3v0hCH75_BN4IUPE/s320/full_layout.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The page base is a tan Bazzill cardstock, and I added some printed paper from my stash to fill the bottom of the page, and the top and center stripes. My photos were mounted on a coordinating sage cardstock.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM13FikXYOuEycBIZP9k4uL2wlMNw7BcMjEAN2gCd8IKcFssqebeixhXm_JV8PmqYlgIdwXc-9fO7ERn-S5UJV9bcTAKNCPY_yVrZ9ntvV8j0P8nlJeOuov83BMGKoCQjxAxddaijDMzc/s1600/Page1_layout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM13FikXYOuEycBIZP9k4uL2wlMNw7BcMjEAN2gCd8IKcFssqebeixhXm_JV8PmqYlgIdwXc-9fO7ERn-S5UJV9bcTAKNCPY_yVrZ9ntvV8j0P8nlJeOuov83BMGKoCQjxAxddaijDMzc/s320/Page1_layout.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">After I laid out the photos, it was time to add the title and embellishments. On my Gypsy, I used the bracket from the Disney - Hannah Montana cartridge, and welded it to a simple rectangle from George & Basic Shapes, to give it a more solid shape. I cut two of these brackets in the same paper as the top stripe. Since the trees in the photographs was lacking most of its leaves, I selected one of the bare trees from Paper Doll Dress Up. I cut that in a chocolate brown, but it didn't stand out against my printed paper enough, so I cut a large circle from the same shade of paper as my base pages. The Peek-A-Boo title was welded from the Quarter Note cartridge. If you are looking for a nice script font that welds together easily, this is the cartridge to do it! I used my Zig Glue pen to glue the title to the page. I added a journaling box to balance out the layout, and used the bracket cutouts to highlight both the title and the journaling box. I used some neutral buttons, held down with glue dots, to give some dimension to the second page.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq53X7XyntBI935D34hsqcFvMgi5nHX8m8Fz7hFO8_xCxQbfZluiqCEK2uK1HKP68y-jHcI6wzMQUh93f5gj8G3MBxZf1HMEcQV6EoOVDqpsj_7gS3Bj38hV5Aouu3enOFFDeCTLfcMJ4/s1600/Page2_layout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq53X7XyntBI935D34hsqcFvMgi5nHX8m8Fz7hFO8_xCxQbfZluiqCEK2uK1HKP68y-jHcI6wzMQUh93f5gj8G3MBxZf1HMEcQV6EoOVDqpsj_7gS3Bj38hV5Aouu3enOFFDeCTLfcMJ4/s320/Page2_layout.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">To make the brackets appear as if they were sewn on the page, I used a brown Sharpie to draw stitch marks on each of them. I also outlined each of the brackets with the same marker, after they were adhered to the page. Finally, to bring more continuity to the page, I wanted to place a dotted line along the sides and bottom of each page. I'm a little bit of a perfectionist, and I didn't want my dots to appear too haphazard, so I pulled out my Tim Holtz ruler, which has awesome holes evenly spaced all the way down the ruler. Using a paper piercer, I lightly pierced every other hole all the way around the pages. Then I went back afterwards with marker and placed a dot on each of my piercing marks. It was tedious work, but I think it really made the pages look more interesting!</div><br />
Cricut Cartridges:<br />
Paper Doll Dress Up<br />
George & Basic Shapes<br />
Disney - Hannah Montana<br />
Quarter NoteAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-25448689418898493522011-03-25T23:00:00.005-05:002011-03-26T07:10:57.032-05:00Cutters Creek Design Team Spring Blog HopWelcome to the Cutters Creek Spring Blog Hop! All of our designers have created some wonderful Spring projects featuring products that you can purchase at the <a href="http://www.cutterscreek.com/">Cutters Creek Store</a>! If you would like to start from the beginning head on over the the <a href="http://cutterscreekdesignteam.blogspot.com/">Cutters Creek Design Team Blog</a>. Each blog along the way will have a link to the next blog in the chain. Don't forget to make sure you are following each of our personal blogs and leaving comments along the way to enter to win a box full of CHA Swag!!!! <br />
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You should have just hopped here from <a href="http://savingmine.blogspot.com/">Lori's Blog</a>.<br />
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My project is a simple spring-theme card, and what better says "Spring" than the Easter Bunny?!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8PXxUsPu2OmCPjRUL6uRGuq3Y7lbZuPkepAq3DLAofDnc3UQr1m3Fc_YRw7SbYzmR_Bb05K4ZGD1ejRBCcIbG_b1wUZ2rqecKiPAGCUjvpPWsWaviVQqbJKfHiXro_GQwdQK4pwg5BA/s1600/Projects+004a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8PXxUsPu2OmCPjRUL6uRGuq3Y7lbZuPkepAq3DLAofDnc3UQr1m3Fc_YRw7SbYzmR_Bb05K4ZGD1ejRBCcIbG_b1wUZ2rqecKiPAGCUjvpPWsWaviVQqbJKfHiXro_GQwdQK4pwg5BA/s320/Projects+004a.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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The base of my card is a standard white cardstock, cut at 10" x 6 1/2". I put a simple fold down the center with my <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=49&products_id=519&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">Scor Pal</a>. I cut a piece of grass-looking paper at 4 1/2" x 6", leaving a quarter inch of white around the outside. <br />
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The title was cut from my Cricut, using a Creative Memories cartridge. The paper used was from a piece of paper that I found rather ugly as a full size print of purple, pink & green pansies. However, when cut into the title, the print actually is not quite as obnoxious, and gives the title a soft, colorful feeling! I adhered the title to a piece of coordinating, textured cardstock from my stash. Although I used a different brand, the corners can be embellished with any of the <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=294_295&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dile Corner Chompers</a>. I adhered the letters to the cardstock using my favorite glue pen - the <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=118&products_id=982&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">Sakura Quickie Glue Roller Pen</a>.<br />
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I wanted it to look like my bunny was sitting on a field of flowers. I happened to have a stamp in my stash that looks like mounds of snow. I stamped that several times on the bottom of my green paper, using my <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=128&products_id=1988&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad</a>. On all of the black lines, I dabbed on my <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=84_87&products_id=793&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">Flower Soft Glue</a>, making sure to fill in some extra spaces. I immediately sprinkled on some <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=84_86&products_id=788&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">Flower Soft Spring Mix</a>, and pressed it into the glue lightly to make sure I had plenty sticking. Then I tipped my card up and tapped off the excess, saving all the Flower Soft to put back in the pot. I set the card base off to the side to allow it to dry thoroughly.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaEISYkoe_2IMwKbLmJyR68vlgI5xMvTQwyEhHuTy2MiJTM3zS7wKwPA71Dxt7Bot6So96yBLuqTDhuZjTKZt-slkt0ftA-RtxM4_bq390a6n4bq_JWey4lTNl1VISL6WPXLD-yqQwUY/s1600/Projects+005a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaEISYkoe_2IMwKbLmJyR68vlgI5xMvTQwyEhHuTy2MiJTM3zS7wKwPA71Dxt7Bot6So96yBLuqTDhuZjTKZt-slkt0ftA-RtxM4_bq390a6n4bq_JWey4lTNl1VISL6WPXLD-yqQwUY/s320/Projects+005a.jpg" width="173" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Next, I cut my bunny and basket from the Cricut Paper Dolls for Everyday cartridge. I sized these items on a single mat on my Gypsy, which reduced the number of times I had to put the mat in for cutting, and ensured that everything was sized proportionately. I wanted to have some of the cut lines in the body and face of the bunny stand out a little more, so I accented them using my <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=117_130&products_id=1161&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">Copic Sketch Marker E00 Skin White</a>. I colored the center of the ears with <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=117_130&products_id=1276&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">R20 Blush</a>. Once again, with my Flower Soft Glue, I dabbed glue all over my bunny, avoiding all the lines I had just highlighted with my Copics. I sprinkled <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=84_169&products_id=2127&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">Flower Soft Diamond Range Polar White</a> all over the bunny, again, pressing it down into the glue lightly, to make sure he was all filled in, fluffy and sparkly! Since there was a lot of glue used, I had to let him sit several hours to make sure everything dried up nicely before I tried to finish my card!<br />
Of course, the bunny needs to "HOP" off the card, so I adhered him using <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=127&products_id=1060&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">Glue Dots 1/2 Inch Pop Up Dots</a>. The basket was also popped up off the page, so that I could add tiny eggs inside of it. The eggs are actually <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=213&products_id=3022&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">Twinkly Jewels Birthday Mix</a>, each adhered by a single spot of <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=51_120&products_id=2226&zenid=5fsebtlf610qqt27snht0o82m3">Glossy Accents</a>.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed my little taste of spring! I would love to hear your thoughts of this card, and let me know what kinds of things remind YOU of spring!<br />
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After you leave your comment, hop on back to the <a href="http://cutterscreekdesignteam.blogspot.com/">Design Team Blog</a> and let us know how much you enjoyed the blog hop!<br />
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Here's a list, if you get lost along the way:<br />
Cutters Creek Design Team Blog - <a href="http://cutterscreekdesignteam.blogspot.com/">http://cutterscreekdesignteam.blogspot.com/</a><br />
Mandie's Blog - <a href="http://mandiesscrappin.blogspot.com/">http://mandiesscrappin.blogspot.com/</a><br />
Kim's Blog - <a href="http://kreativekim.blogspot.com/">http://kreativekim.blogspot.com/</a><br />
Mindy's Blog - <a href="http://www.scrappyandpiggy.blogspot.com/">http://www.scrappyandpiggy.blogspot.com/</a><br />
Laura's Blog - <a href="http://scrapaddict4life.blogspot.com/">http://scrapaddict4life.blogspot.com/</a><br />
Melissa's Blog - <a href="http://www.ourmadhouseof4.blogspot.com/">http://www.ourmadhouseof4.blogspot.com/</a><br />
Lori's Blog - <a href="http://savingmine.blogspot.com/">http://savingmine.blogspot.com/</a><br />
Vicki's Blog - <a href="http://scrappyleopard.blogspot.com/">http://scrappyleopard.blogspot.com/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-57434585432492818662011-01-07T09:33:00.000-06:002011-01-07T09:33:21.120-06:00Thank You CardHere is a simple but pretty card made with my Cricut and a few simple embellishments. I used some coordinating papers from my stash to make the card & envelope. When making cards with Wild Card, I always make my envelope first and set my Cricut to the 'Fit to page' option. If you watch the display screen as it calculates the correct size, you will see what size to make your cards to coordinate the remainder of your cuts for the card. In my case, the largest size envelope I could make on a full sheet of paper was 6.10. When I started cutting the card base, I turned off the 'Fit to Page' option and set the dial size to that size. I cut the liner and the words in the small window at that same size. Many people get frustrated with the phrases on this cartridge because they often get confused with the odd sizing. Just keep the dial size set the same as your card base and you'll be ok!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7X__tlXKtU7Ta9O9xoDjGZElvpqE2w4a4le6qax6oCpyQ24s-JypeoPD4GhtORE0GQl-Wuxqw4H1TTZvCK10ny9gjvxuJjAYmpWmIBt_iSmzOPLzpglAE3k0kq1TkRyF_FbrNoqFEiI/s1600/Thank_You.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7X__tlXKtU7Ta9O9xoDjGZElvpqE2w4a4le6qax6oCpyQ24s-JypeoPD4GhtORE0GQl-Wuxqw4H1TTZvCK10ny9gjvxuJjAYmpWmIBt_iSmzOPLzpglAE3k0kq1TkRyF_FbrNoqFEiI/s320/Thank_You.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My paper didn't have enough sparkle, so I took out my Frosted Lace Stickles and accented all the little dots on my paper. While that was drying, I cut a few snowflakes from the Gypsy Wanderings cartridge. I cut the base of each snowflake from solid red cardstock and the tops from vellum. I used a Twinkle Jewel in the center of each snowflake. I find that these stick best with either a Mini Glue Dot or Glossy Accents.<br />
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Now I have a nice Thank You card for a very special holiday gift!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-16556319119311668522010-12-13T08:04:00.000-06:002010-12-13T08:04:34.424-06:00Blog Hop Winner AnnouncementWhat a wonderful weekend!! We had so much fun with the blog hop - did you? The Cutters Creek Design Team made some unbelievable projects. I hope you were inspired by one or several of these projects.<br />
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So - remember the prize I was giving away??<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9WAVk2pZ8eVqLQjXV9oNc_FsCcoiKvt_BPKUBKS_ni5sUPmpBQg__2Yte8n2TBSX5hXscoYCQAtzV0vkgjzAruMaROTNpHaCSkG925Cs9zVmVeX1MIvRDBFI4q7uFNrxdtkPQHQnoqI/s1600/markers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9WAVk2pZ8eVqLQjXV9oNc_FsCcoiKvt_BPKUBKS_ni5sUPmpBQg__2Yte8n2TBSX5hXscoYCQAtzV0vkgjzAruMaROTNpHaCSkG925Cs9zVmVeX1MIvRDBFI4q7uFNrxdtkPQHQnoqI/s1600/markers.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is an awesome set of markers - I am jealous!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, there were a couple of people that commented twice, and one comment that was deleted, so the overall number of people to choose from was 68.</div> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">True Random Number Generator</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Min: 1</div><div style="text-align: center;">Max: 68<br />
Result: 32 </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Powered by RANDOM.ORG</div><br />
<strong>And the winner is...........................</strong><br />
<br />
Kim said...<br />
Receiving my Cricut Expression last year for Christmas!! From my HUBBY! I was THRILLED! and a bit SHOCKED!!<br />
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Thanks for the chance to win. Have a GREAT Day,<br />
<br />
Me-Ma Kim<br />
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<em>December 11, 2010 1:06 PM</em><br />
<br />
<br />
Congratulations Me-Ma Kim!! Please send me an e-mail with your contact information, so I can get your prize shipment coordinated. If I don't hear from Me-Ma Kim within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected.<br />
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Thanks all for participating!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-54088496245756332012010-12-10T23:00:00.011-06:002010-12-10T23:00:05.152-06:00Red and Green Blog Hop<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Welcome to the Cutters Creek Red and Green Blog Hop! Our wonderful design team members have all created some fun Christmas projects to inspire you! The only requirement for the projects were that they must contain Red and Green. You just saw a fabulous project on <a href="http://kreativekim.blogspot.com/">Kim B's blog</a>. Your next stop along the hop will be <a href="http://savingmine.blogspot.com/">Lori B's blog</a>. If you are just finding our hop please head over to the Cutter's Creek Design Team Blog to start from the beginning. There are 8 inspiring projects for you to check out as well as 8 chances to win a great prize from Cutters Creek! Please leave me a comment about your most memorable gift - either sent or recieved. One entry per person please! Comments left up until 11:59pm on Sunday December 12th will be eligible to win. All winners will be selected Monday and posted on each blog so make sure you check back to see if you have won! You will have 48 hours to respond before we choose another winner. My prize will be a wonderful set of American Crafts Glitter Markers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R6lYkKYo5On_fUQ1FhOL6zZfBEiA4BXQGbT5oJYsE9HE5WLQ-qRTwqhcsf9IyKV_6KuAc8CaftNQQlDuOFPls0N1Wgrhxr5b-Bi4FuDbtuPnp9ayayDO4eHJf9wpdzju0KO5WDAO104/s1600/yhst-7331083477943_2136_15222302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R6lYkKYo5On_fUQ1FhOL6zZfBEiA4BXQGbT5oJYsE9HE5WLQ-qRTwqhcsf9IyKV_6KuAc8CaftNQQlDuOFPls0N1Wgrhxr5b-Bi4FuDbtuPnp9ayayDO4eHJf9wpdzju0KO5WDAO104/s320/yhst-7331083477943_2136_15222302.jpg" width="162" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Here is the project that I have created for today's hop.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnJsfUCN1uDHI2mLOyC7N11EDsQmsEgRx9qE-Ci_6DlZfj-OyZnp6k7GvOwS58Ulyz9R9_KLPKWM012raVRG0BeMJ-z_A70BshLxoU8_el4s5iWNIUAfWdwzFo8bVUdjTPhRrM5ABEJk/s1600/Chicago+Transformers+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnJsfUCN1uDHI2mLOyC7N11EDsQmsEgRx9qE-Ci_6DlZfj-OyZnp6k7GvOwS58Ulyz9R9_KLPKWM012raVRG0BeMJ-z_A70BshLxoU8_el4s5iWNIUAfWdwzFo8bVUdjTPhRrM5ABEJk/s320/Chicago+Transformers+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was my second card with no image - just a sentiment. However, I decided to jazz this one up just a n otch and added LOTS and LOTS of BLING. The base of my card was cut on Bazzill Bling paper in Evergreen. This paper has a very slight sheen to it to make it sparkle. I used a piece of <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=162&products_id=3384&zenid=krom4ord2vd0bel5je45hvglc4">Core'dinations Gemstone 12"X12" Cardstock Assortment</a> in a cranberry color - also sparkly, and cut it one inch smaller than the front of my card. This piece was embossed with the <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_17&products_id=301&zenid=krom4ord2vd0bel5je45hvglc4">D'Vine Swirls folder</a> in my Cuttlebug. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>The sentiment was cut on my Cricut Expression, using my Gypsy and the Gypsy Wanderings cartridge. The base was cut with the <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=182_330&products_id=3865&zenid=krom4ord2vd0bel5je45hvglc4">American Crafts Foil</a> in dark green. There are LOTS of colors in this pack to choose from - it is a wonderful paper to work with and cuts nicely on the Cricut. It IS very heavy though, and requires multiple cuts to get it out clean. The top layer of the sentiment is <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=182_276&products_id=3284&zenid=krom4ord2vd0bel5je45hvglc4">American Crafts Glitter paper in Mint</a>. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This sentiment had a pretty flower on it. Rather than try to hide it, I decided to dress the flower up with some <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=84_169&products_id=2127&zenid=krom4ord2vd0bel5je45hvglc4">Polar White Flower Soft</a>. Using the <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=84_87&products_id=793&zenid=krom4ord2vd0bel5je45hvglc4">Flower Soft Glue</a>, the product stuck nicely even to the glitter paper! If you're new to Flower Soft, like me, here's a tip - always rinse out the applicator tip of the flower soft glue after using it. It took me a while to clean out the dried glue from the applicator before I could use it again!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally, I had all the layers ready to put my card together. I used ribbon from my stash to wrap the embossed cardstock, tying it with a simple knot. I attached this piece to the base with my <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=126&products_id=1026&zenid=krom4ord2vd0bel5je45hvglc4">Glue Glider Pro</a>. For the sentiment, I attached the glitter paper to the base using my <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=118&products_id=982&zenid=krom4ord2vd0bel5je45hvglc4">Sakura Quickie Glue Pen</a>, which works great with small areas! Since the knot from my ribbon was in the middle, I used <a href="http://cutterscreek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=127&products_id=1060&zenid=krom4ord2vd0bel5je45hvglc4">Glue Dots Pop-Up Dots</a> to raise the sentiment up over the top of the knot, and jump off the card.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope you enjoyed my project...and the rest of the hop!!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-14168557614643718012010-12-02T09:16:00.001-06:002010-12-02T13:18:55.334-06:00*Wish* Card<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBGB771wZFU0t8Fmaj7WMNqk72S-3owOrm9LZQKPLqPhz2mgBVUGPJHBDNwHqJm5rF4_PM-vkxSA80-yKfodNekJTeH3M-Qh0vBP-_XGET0xmnrIo2b97crgAfQADF4afgvrQj01o-2c/s1600/Chicago+Transformers+001.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546104429065467474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBGB771wZFU0t8Fmaj7WMNqk72S-3owOrm9LZQKPLqPhz2mgBVUGPJHBDNwHqJm5rF4_PM-vkxSA80-yKfodNekJTeH3M-Qh0vBP-_XGET0xmnrIo2b97crgAfQADF4afgvrQj01o-2c/s320/Chicago+Transformers+001.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 305px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a> With the holidays fast approaching, many crafters have holiday cards on their minds! I originally made this card for a card challenge, but didn't get a chance to put it up in time. The challenge was to create a holiday card with words only - no images. With my new Gypsy, there are a bunch of phrases on the Gypsy Wanderings cartridge that were possible to use!<br />
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I started with some basic deep blue Bazzill card stock. I wanted to have this be a unique size, so I cut the card to 12x6. I folded the card in half with my Scor Pal to make it a 6x6 card. Next, I cut a piece of lighter blue cardstock one inch smaller on both sides, so that I had a full half inch border around it. Instead of cutting straight lines, I used the antique blade on my Purple Cow paper trimmer to give the edges a little interest. (I LOVE the interchangeable blades on this trimmer - I know I'm going to have fun with it!) I folded the blue paper in half with the Scor Pal as well. To give the light blue cardstock some texture, I ran it through the Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirls embossing folder. The texture of the deep blue base and the light blue embossed card were begging for more interest, so I inked the edges of each of these papers, plus portions of the embossing, with a white ink pad. Creative Memories now sells chalking ink, so I gave that a try! The stamp pads are small, which should be easy to work with, but I am not convinced that these are the product for me. I'll have to try the other colors that came with the set before I can make a decision on them :). Before I attached the textured paper to the base, I added a shiny, transparent ribbon with a simple knot to the card.<br />
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Next, it was time to cut the words. The shadow of the word 'Wish' was cut on American Crafts silver foil. The top layer of the "Wish" sentiment was cut on light blue American Crafts glitter paper. This AC Glitter paper is THE BOMB! It takes several passes on the Cricut to get the cut clean, but with a little patience, even the most intricate of cuts can be done with this glittery paper - and it doesn't make a mess! The knot of the ribbon makes it slightly more difficult to attach the sentiment, but to get around this, I used 3D Foam corners to make the verbiage the same height.<br />
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This is a simple, elegant and EASY card to make for last minute holiday sentiments! <br />
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Please leave a comment for me...and if I get 20 comments, I may even send this card to one lucky winner! Make sure to leave your e-mail address so I can contact you!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-23043942533937425162010-08-17T11:09:00.000-05:002010-08-17T11:15:37.968-05:00Ecstasy Cards - EmbellishmentsI was lucky enough to get a sample of some really cute bears from Ecstasy Crafts. Typically, these are used by card makers to develop some fast and beautiful card work. Since I am more of a scrapper than a card maker, I thought I would try to use these in a scrap layout instead!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mmMOqmZ9CRS4G-d0XZ6TNbq3MEHpI4lCzSmvdtwS4Gr7L61Uhvpfew-2zjEIRc5fggzJ0burrUnGIJF5M_FHcJRMk0HxVe7hkd6PBa5yg3NfckvPvgU3EpAy3DegiZcsyztvho7gupE/s1600/ScrapPhotos+001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mmMOqmZ9CRS4G-d0XZ6TNbq3MEHpI4lCzSmvdtwS4Gr7L61Uhvpfew-2zjEIRc5fggzJ0burrUnGIJF5M_FHcJRMk0HxVe7hkd6PBa5yg3NfckvPvgU3EpAy3DegiZcsyztvho7gupE/s320/ScrapPhotos+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506412723258028098" /></a><br /><br />These are incredibly easy to work with. They come on all printed out on a single sheet of glossy paper. The pieces are perforated, and they pop out with very little effort - even the little ones! The edges are perfect - not like some die cuts where you have to trim off the little pieces where they were attached to the main sheet! I used foam dots to 'lift' the various pieces up off of the piece below it. This was like doing a paint-by-number. I started with the base piece, which included the pretty blue snow background, and added each piece sequentially, overlapping as needed. I tried to take a picture from the front so you could see how many layers each bear has.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyFbMOYMO7r3hSdxz6lqNxNXZMIrNYrTW2MZ_0J5UWeJvRHvlz1yQuLQ6ocRB5ZjIy6YqVeQ_wePCPWaSuDyi6ZcahJWvKKn4aOZUmTHDNGHq5ltLLZi8J3jsjZivEgiPNqN5ASVSkgo/s1600/ScrapPhotos+005.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyFbMOYMO7r3hSdxz6lqNxNXZMIrNYrTW2MZ_0J5UWeJvRHvlz1yQuLQ6ocRB5ZjIy6YqVeQ_wePCPWaSuDyi6ZcahJWvKKn4aOZUmTHDNGHq5ltLLZi8J3jsjZivEgiPNqN5ASVSkgo/s320/ScrapPhotos+005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506412549274464242" /></a><br /><br />I used paper I already had in my stash to set up the base layouts. I prefer symmetry in my work, so each side had the same size papers. The two bear paper piecings came on a single sheet that had a lovely matching strip of paper that resembles ribbon. I cut it in half and used each piece to accent the bears. Finally, I used some glitter Prima flowers to add some bling to my page and a simple Merry Christmas cutout to give my page a title.<br /><br />So if you get a chance - try out the new Ecstasy products for fast, easy and beautiful projects!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-21538064218843917762010-07-15T08:19:00.002-05:002010-07-15T08:21:08.150-05:00Sympathy CardIt's always a sad day when someone passes away...and it's hard to create a card in the heat of all those emotions. I can never come up with an idea that is subtle and sensitive, but still shows some originality and creativity. Then, I got my hands on one of the Cuttlebug Oriental Weave folders, and I knew that it was perfect for just these occasions.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh684YGLWJaCsJgitAnWMvzy1lh41UWfDDf0LF1x-5vdZQxfFiNrP3dX6v_dJ9u8CfEhWBYPtc_IiqrsViK9UDjIkRokyGXJEaIMr2MEt0j6pLvaF-R7xa5tNYB4s4w5L0o9z-iBTc3L34/s1600/Scrap+Projects+051.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh684YGLWJaCsJgitAnWMvzy1lh41UWfDDf0LF1x-5vdZQxfFiNrP3dX6v_dJ9u8CfEhWBYPtc_IiqrsViK9UDjIkRokyGXJEaIMr2MEt0j6pLvaF-R7xa5tNYB4s4w5L0o9z-iBTc3L34/s320/Scrap+Projects+051.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494122297546939634" /></a><br /><br />I made my 5 x 7 card base out of some paper I had on hand. I cut a piece of Bazzill card stock a half inch smaller than my card, and ran it through the Cuttlebug. I ran it through several times, just to make sure I had a sharp emboss. <br /><br /><br />Next, using a simple foam brush, I used my Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads in Walnut Stain to darken up the bamboo shoots. I used a Copic marker to color the bamboo leaves.<br />My sentiment was cut with the Wild Card cartridge. This cartridge has some great sayings, but it can be difficult to size them when using them separate from the cards. I like to use Design Studio, even when just cutting a simple image, because I can make it exactly the size I need, without having to fuss with the settings on my Expression. I mounted the saying with my Sakura Quickie Glue pen on a simple piece of vellum, with a few corners rounded with my Corner Chomper to give it a little style.<br /><br /><br />The final product is a simple, subtle card that relays my thoughts and still allows me to be a designer.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-70126575831262724792010-05-12T08:21:00.000-05:002010-05-12T08:24:41.316-05:00Graduation Card & Pin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXz90f7mT0axc_0R6KvYfh81rWAUSUeyzPC99PZXpc7rr3iCSCCVa2KuPhmRyG8g8d4gAv7zpECgYZSuG0g5Xf1tKKYxoXQ3c3O0BbeejnUof3sSTQfpZ-T1wLiTIp3s7iuDVAG7Xmmtk/s1600/Seniors.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXz90f7mT0axc_0R6KvYfh81rWAUSUeyzPC99PZXpc7rr3iCSCCVa2KuPhmRyG8g8d4gAv7zpECgYZSuG0g5Xf1tKKYxoXQ3c3O0BbeejnUof3sSTQfpZ-T1wLiTIp3s7iuDVAG7Xmmtk/s320/Seniors.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470373368368315282" /></a><br /><br />My son is a senior in high school this year, and I was amused by the way they called themselves "SEN10RS", designating the class of 2010. So, I thought I would create a file in Design Studio that imitates that. The font is Base Camp. I emphasized the '10' by making that slightly larger than the other letters, and cutting it in a different color. This portion is not actually adhered to the card. I have attached a tiny safety pin to the back of this piece, so that the kids can wear their 'Sen10rs' like a pin (or a bow tie, as my son says!). I also made a file that has three 'Sen10rs' pieces together, folded in a triangle, which will make a nice centerpiece at the graduation party ;-)! The basic .CUT file for the Sen10rs piece can be found <a href="http://www.4shared.com/file/dRfJn7CV/SEN10RS_BOLD.html">HERE</a>.<br /><br />The card base is the graduation cap from the Locker Talk cartridge. I figured out what size I wanted for the cap, and then 'copied, welded, flipped and rotated' my copy to the top of the first cap. I overlapped them slightly, so that there is a tiny fold at the top of the card. I cut the tassle in the school color, and the top button of the cap is in gold. The tassle itself is actually a solid cut, but I found that too bland, so I used my scissors to cut 'fringe' into the tassle. My .CUT file can be found <a href="http://www.4shared.com/file/d8fdv7uX/Grad_Card.html">HERE</a>.<br /><br />We have over a dozen seniors, and each of them will get a card and pin at the final band concert in a few weeks. I think the simplicity of this card is what makes it so nice. I will be able to easily create as many as I need, without too much hassle!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-64941186806907422492010-04-11T06:45:00.000-05:002010-04-11T06:48:58.492-05:00Spring CardHere's an easy card for a lovely spring thought! It was made from a pre-folded card & envelope set, so I didn't have to fuss with envelope sizing. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMd5S1gWA4Tsg8xDJYoR0nZlHnpHHaw6fjcI4vwCAJReRnlj8a7umTtqbIHtPEltvqbhA1_3CaqAClDZumNRaCk-orfp3ZKULkK6uPbStw0YYa81AiPqxgEJu_uLlDsGDGsOK5aLcvYuM/s1600/Picture+032.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMd5S1gWA4Tsg8xDJYoR0nZlHnpHHaw6fjcI4vwCAJReRnlj8a7umTtqbIHtPEltvqbhA1_3CaqAClDZumNRaCk-orfp3ZKULkK6uPbStw0YYa81AiPqxgEJu_uLlDsGDGsOK5aLcvYuM/s320/Picture+032.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458845013556304418" /></a><br /><br />First, I stamped Lily from Pink Cats Studios - Billy & Lily Sweethearts on my Prism paper with Memento Ink Tuxedo Black, and colored her with Copics. I cut her out really close with Cutterbee scissors...I love how sharp those little scissors are! Next, I used two embossed borders from the Cuttlebug Emboss A2 Border Frills set. The lace-look border was set at the bottom of the card, and I cut around the embossing to show the curved edges on the bottom. I placed the pink floral border slightly above the bottom, and used a fun, decorative ribbon between the two borders. The ribbon is held in place with Scor-Tape. I tucked Lily in to the top of the pink flower border. To show off the lace border, I used a piece of the same pink cardstock on the INSIDE bottom of the card. I highlighted a few of the flowers in the middle pink border using Flower Soft Summer blend and Flower Soft Glue. The pink hydrangea flowers are set in place with Glossy Accents and a Twinkle Jewel. I have discovered that many 'dimensional' items can be 'glued' in place with Glossy Accents - it sets up hard, so that your embellishment won't fall off! Finally, I cut my title phrase with my Cricut and the Lyrical Letters cartridge. The shadow of this font is clean, and easy to cut very small - this one was cut at 3/4".<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cutterscreek.com">Cutters Creek </a>Items Used:<br />Pink Cats Studios - Billy & Lily Sweethearts<br />Prism Paper<br />Memento Ink - Tuxedo Black<br />Copic Markers<br />Cutterbee Scissors<br />Cuttlebug Emboss A2 Border Frills<br />Scor-Tape<br />Flower Soft Summer Blend<br />Flower Soft Glue<br />Glossy Accents<br />Twinkle Jewels<br />Lyrical Letters CartridgeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-69697918502713094952010-03-29T08:44:00.000-05:002010-03-29T08:46:40.582-05:00Check out this Blog Candy!I just found this as I was hopping around the blogspace today: <br /><br />Candy time! We got Candy! AnaryAtelie! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5w9BggkdMCWCXf58CMlPzYtuAxXD3t_vdXXgRuRdXkGg3bQNuAs0SZQgMlM8aSpj9VDhZJj0pW5WR14do-RYQgyM4zHBNjntiBDwXZ-bxoqW8tZeT2h6QNFCSGOuY0kxZhNLjjSzZYmg/s1600/CandyBannerMarchApril10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5w9BggkdMCWCXf58CMlPzYtuAxXD3t_vdXXgRuRdXkGg3bQNuAs0SZQgMlM8aSpj9VDhZJj0pW5WR14do-RYQgyM4zHBNjntiBDwXZ-bxoqW8tZeT2h6QNFCSGOuY0kxZhNLjjSzZYmg/s320/CandyBannerMarchApril10.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454051693265544018" /></a><br /><br />Check out her blog...she has some really CUTE stuff out there! And enter the contest for some great blog candy!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-56468524898489824242010-03-21T07:33:00.000-05:002010-03-21T07:42:30.513-05:00Friends Word BookThis is a book I cut out for my daughter to give to a few good friends of hers. Word books are a challenge for a lot of people, but once you've get one put together, you will realize that they really aren't that tough - especially if you use a file that has been shared by another designer! There are LOTS of videos available on YouTube - so take a few moments and look at some of those as well.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJtAghOewIBslUtE7NUKzzPuYMoM1ccpwk55R1qN3Lvkt-gnuNJ_KSzjwy09HQb2MO-Lj_jNBkl-9epUgCBAWE6NjyDvoP93puCBFWa-c2QCUgLWBDIl65dd8pUhZfcE4wI5gIK7ltc4/s1600-h/Picture+029.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJtAghOewIBslUtE7NUKzzPuYMoM1ccpwk55R1qN3Lvkt-gnuNJ_KSzjwy09HQb2MO-Lj_jNBkl-9epUgCBAWE6NjyDvoP93puCBFWa-c2QCUgLWBDIl65dd8pUhZfcE4wI5gIK7ltc4/s320/Picture+029.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="FRIENDS BOOK Photo" /></a><br /><br />The file I used for this book was created by Fiona Sewell, who graciously shared her design with me. It was created in Design Studio, using the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge. I have gotten her permission to share this file with all of you, and it is available on my 4Shared account <a href="http://www.4shared.com/file/244573525/3ed914d4/WB_FRIENDS_-PS_-CRAFTBUGMUM.html"><strong>HERE</strong></a>.<br /><br />I use a thinner chipboard, which cuts nicely with my Cricut Expression, and a really sticky mat, so the chipboard doesn't move during the cuts. I use multi-cut 2 or 3, depending on the intricacy of the cut.<br /><br />The first cuts I do are the chipboard - so go thru ALL the letter pages once in chipboard. Then, I do the paper topping/backing for each letter. I like to use double sided paper for my letters - because I know that the front and back will coordinate nicely. This way, I can cut the letter once on the page, then take out my mat, rotate it 180 degrees, and put it in for the second letter. By doing this, I don't have to worry about 'flipping' my paper upside down to get the backing letter to cut right on the patterned paper. So - if you don't use double sided paper - remember to flip your paper upside down to cut the backing part of the letter. Finally, I use a solid paper to cut the individual letters, so that the letters stand out on top of the patterned paper.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZXOljBTIbyttOvezZpzNuTgquZ7NfFzYoiveDwEgVStNk4CtRD5FbUOIjGopkd9SByzrhOE5USZd_mPj-_PHWxc6zTtTwNDQ3uIS3p990eD5bDE-ocIHf_DIsbXaPca0va5dsle9s30/s1600-h/Picture+030.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 151px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZXOljBTIbyttOvezZpzNuTgquZ7NfFzYoiveDwEgVStNk4CtRD5FbUOIjGopkd9SByzrhOE5USZd_mPj-_PHWxc6zTtTwNDQ3uIS3p990eD5bDE-ocIHf_DIsbXaPca0va5dsle9s30/s320/Picture+030.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="FRIENDS BOOK Open Photo" /></a> Some people like to 'ink' the edges of the book so that the chipboard doesn't look 'unfinished'. This is a personal decision...not just if you want to ink, but also when to ink. For some books, I ink before I adhere my paper - so that the patterns of the paper are not distressed. For this book, I inked AFTER I adhered the paper - which distresses the paper a bit, and gives it a pretty, finished look.<br /><br />Once everything is cut, it's time to start adhering the book together. My favorite adhesive for this job is Zip Dry! It doesn't dry too fast, so you have time to adjust the paper on the chipboard perfectly. It does not bubble, and dries clear, so even if you get some oozing out, it doesn't show up! The solid letters can be adhered with Zip Dry, or any other adhesive, like the Glue Glider Pro. For this book, I distressed the solid letters ever so slightly, to match with the other distressing done on the edges, and the pattered papers.<br /><br />Since this is a gift, we didn't have the pictures that will be added to the book, so we just added some journaling boxes and embellishments randomly thru the book. That way, the recipient can add pictures wherever they would like, and there are already decorative touches added, to dress the book up.<br /><br />I used my Crop-a-Dile II to punch the holes in each page, and used O-rings to bind the book. I could have used my Bind-It-All, but this was a gift for a teenage girl, and I wasn't sure how thick the book would end up, so O-rings were safer! My daughter decorated the O-rings with pretty ribbons, just to give the rings a little flair.<br /><br />So - don't be afraid - go ahead and try it. If you're nervous about the 'flipping' of letters, try it out first on paper that you don't like - everyone has some of that in their stash! Practice a few times, to make sure you get the concepts...then you can go ahead and do the real thing with prettier paper!<br /><br />Good luck & happy scrapping!<br /><br />The following items can be purchased from Cutters Creek:<br />Plantin Schoolbook Cartridge<br />Design Studio<br />Zip Dry Adhesive<br />Ranger Walnut Distress InkAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-58613062698264467272010-03-14T08:23:00.000-05:002010-03-14T08:30:17.774-05:00Easter Bling - Scrapbook LayoutI was one of the guilty one's...I was waiting on the edge of my seat for Cutters Creek to get the American Crafts glitter paper in stock. As soon as Kim posted the Spring pack, I was online placing that order! When it came, I was AMAZED! This paper is so pretty, so glittery, and so sturdy! It just screamed 'little girls' and I have twin godchildren in Kindergarten that I'm pretty sure will get some very pretty dresses to take pictures in! So, I created a simple, pre-made layout that my niece will be able to quickly add two photos to, and add to her scrapbook!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfHxvuAq1cl6zHz588fslRjlQVtW59n0bsiFlIxfalxGjjW6uh4Yi5BWu2ZtCAvZe0yoZoI-FLmrkn1zyripQ-t8ZlAunUOgSXBaa1RSNYGqjT_gP13tv08WPYSB5CO4qFTj16vHjJzU/s1600-h/Picture+026.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfHxvuAq1cl6zHz588fslRjlQVtW59n0bsiFlIxfalxGjjW6uh4Yi5BWu2ZtCAvZe0yoZoI-FLmrkn1zyripQ-t8ZlAunUOgSXBaa1RSNYGqjT_gP13tv08WPYSB5CO4qFTj16vHjJzU/s320/Picture+026.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448480261464732578" /></a><br />If you are a member of the Cutter's Creek Yahoo! group, you have probably seen the messages coming through discussing the best settings to use to cut this paper with your Cricut. Start with the following:<br />Pressure: High<br />Blade Depth: 6<br />Multi-Cut: 2<br />...and be prepared to ADJUST these settings for your Cricut. I had to do multi-cut 3, and still had a few areas that needed cleaned up, however, I probably need to change my blade as it is rather well-used. Intricate cuts, such as the grass on the bottom of my layout, will also require some help from a razor blade, to finish some of the cuts and clean up the edges. Simple shapes, like the egg SVG's, cut cleanly and quickly! I did have one boo-boo, where I put my paper on the mat in the wrong direction (I hate when that happens) - but rather than throw away the bad cut, I placed an egg on the 'edge' and made it look like it belonged there!<br /><br />Adhering this paper to your layouts does not require any special adhesive. I tried several, to see what had the best success, but there was no single adhesive method that worked better than another. I love Glossy Accents, and turn to that as a regular adhesive when I've failed with other adhesives. I used that for the words "Happy Easter" - and did get some paper buckling under one of the corners...but other than that, all my favorite adhesives worked just fine!<br /><br />I can't wait to see their pictures pasted in these sheets!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvA_emmARFmdtU9NXl2zShyphenhyphen32Zv2m98LxXazbwRxCo0LYvvhRk5Sg153DCGssUxTlLyUglTZ6Ovh_yLkDH7ICHd8tcdyNrLGHcfoGAgjtauHQSUmN_BhnjUqzm1iSI4GuWf2ZJstVSBs4/s1600-h/Picture+028.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvA_emmARFmdtU9NXl2zShyphenhyphen32Zv2m98LxXazbwRxCo0LYvvhRk5Sg153DCGssUxTlLyUglTZ6Ovh_yLkDH7ICHd8tcdyNrLGHcfoGAgjtauHQSUmN_BhnjUqzm1iSI4GuWf2ZJstVSBs4/s320/Picture+028.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448480500112541986" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37d_FTlsS9emDxxkP5Yky_RDI6gBy2gTeEUPRv2uRadZuhEF0_8WxOQEMgBxruFnO6gw7BiSsuwrkaFZcrGd0iLgGbk3FhERH1LjPO5xcT82EPEqjDY64AR27LpTyiy8yb6LPWa6GDXA/s1600-h/Picture+027.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 315px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37d_FTlsS9emDxxkP5Yky_RDI6gBy2gTeEUPRv2uRadZuhEF0_8WxOQEMgBxruFnO6gw7BiSsuwrkaFZcrGd0iLgGbk3FhERH1LjPO5xcT82EPEqjDY64AR27LpTyiy8yb6LPWa6GDXA/s320/Picture+027.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448480493163009858" /></a><br />Visit Cutters Creek for all of your crafting needs!<br /><br />Cartridges Used:<br />Storybook (Happy Easter)<br />Locker Talk (Flowers)<br />Zooballoo (Grass)<br /><br />SCAL - Egg SVG - bottom (Thanks to Diane from Capadia Designs, see her blog here: http://capadiadesigns.blogspot.com/2010/03/scalloped-easter-egg-card-more-details.html)<br /><br />Adhesives - Glossy Accents, Glue Glider Pro<br />Twinkle Jewels (flower centers)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-4205630394625001082010-03-07T08:00:00.000-06:002010-03-07T08:00:06.855-06:00Rockin' Birthday CardI didn't have a specific subject in mind for this card. I received a new cartridge from my best gal pal (Thanks Karen!) for my birthday, and I just HAD to try it out! I am now the proud owner of the Cricut Disney Hannah Montana cartridge!<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5P1o8prwoiD3bAn2p3US00Bwrt-n81KMG30zN-Cf69m7NkAyWhm96KPqo9N2eY-40bLIwiWXYjjXv7zGSUS0Di0f8YErA6dQq7Hi70vLqdRIkY2-6ECsjpp394nvgbFu3Uym5vGsn1o/s1600-h/Picture+021.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5P1o8prwoiD3bAn2p3US00Bwrt-n81KMG30zN-Cf69m7NkAyWhm96KPqo9N2eY-40bLIwiWXYjjXv7zGSUS0Di0f8YErA6dQq7Hi70vLqdRIkY2-6ECsjpp394nvgbFu3Uym5vGsn1o/s320/Picture+021.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445727114050258802" /></a>For all of you who think that this cartridge is only for "tweens" - think again! There are only one or two keys that are specific to Hannah Montana. This cartridge has four awesome fonts - two with shadow features, some great musical shapes, a music staff end-cap feature, and pretty butterflies and hearts! <br /><br />I used the "Daddy's Girl" feature for my main font, font shadow, music notes and guitar, and the "Rock Star" feature for the word "ROCKIN". I ran all of my letters through my Xyron, as I believe that is the easiest way to adhere small fonts. I used a Sakura Glue Pen to adhere the dot to my 'i' and the handle of the guitar. The Sakura pen lets you put adhesive exactly where you need it, which is important for small, intricate parts!<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsldfKDeQc5hkdK9TKFoF7yVYy2PfXADjUWg65xLp_8lK6kfVFhNG1SgeP_zts1e0sJQ-8XKTtZZH_HHu55WFma0OVrDNd8oMqQ7vE4igr3_MZge2rlwXYqp5ataQ-B_s_sIXauEJUBf8/s1600-h/Picture+022.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 318px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsldfKDeQc5hkdK9TKFoF7yVYy2PfXADjUWg65xLp_8lK6kfVFhNG1SgeP_zts1e0sJQ-8XKTtZZH_HHu55WFma0OVrDNd8oMqQ7vE4igr3_MZge2rlwXYqp5ataQ-B_s_sIXauEJUBf8/s320/Picture+022.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445727287863359538" /></a>In order to make the word "ROCKIN" really stand out, I covered it in Glossy Accents. I liked the effect so much, that I made the entire face of the guitar glossy as well. The music notes are glitzed up with Stickles 'Star Dust'.<br /> <br />This card is geared towards a girl, with the colors of pink and black, but you could easily change it to a boy by changing all the pink accents to blue or green.<br /> <br />So - all of you girly girls out there - take another look at the Disney Hannah Montana cartridge...I think you'll find a tiara in just your size ;-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-20494846412045700782010-02-25T22:06:00.000-06:002010-02-26T09:54:30.248-06:00Guest Designer - The Character CafeA few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to win the Blog Hop with the Character Cafe. I had so much fun bouncing around their design team - seeing all the cute new images they have for February. I was able to pick out four really cute digi-stamps - and I cannot wait to start creating with them!<br /><br />What made it even more special to me, was when Kendra and Kelly asked me to be a Guest Designer for their "Feature Friday"! <strong>ME?</strong> Really? What an honor! I was happy to take part in their challenge this week - to create a monochromatic card. I had lots of fun coloring with my Copics...and forcing myself to use some goodies from my 'stash'!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1p8_bLdxtMvqNqyNYJM_dta7peo2LlzwSIw90pRFLnAPwVK1R_VDKXiF3FhkxTI44BWJuC79s5tVlmpBbjY3evWqXxLZuWocSl65ZMZuDcpwsB3elCWltGCMH3aTpyndfYFHFJvQApI/s1600-h/Picture+020.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1p8_bLdxtMvqNqyNYJM_dta7peo2LlzwSIw90pRFLnAPwVK1R_VDKXiF3FhkxTI44BWJuC79s5tVlmpBbjY3evWqXxLZuWocSl65ZMZuDcpwsB3elCWltGCMH3aTpyndfYFHFJvQApI/s320/Picture+020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442400193948478418" /></a><br /><br />For this card, I used my Scor Pal to fold a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock in half. I then cut TWO frames - one at 5 1/2 x 11 in a contrasting color, and the second at 5 1/4 x 10 3/4 in the metallic paper. I cut out the centers of the frames using my paper trimmer (requires a steady hand!). To add a little texture, I scored a line in the center of the metallic frame using my Scor-Pal again. The frames are attached with pop-up squares to give it extra dimension.<br /><br />My image is "The Serenade". I colored him with Copics, and then used some Stickles and Spica Glitter Pen to bling him up a little! Using my Creative Memories Cutting System, I cut him out using the Oval cutter, and then cut another contrasting oval with the next size cutting blade. A piece of coordinating ribbon is attached using Scor-Tape - awesome stuff, by the way...and the image is layered on top of that.<br /><br />The flower is layered using Heidi Swapp and Creative Memories flowers. The butterflies are also Heidi Swapp. I then added a few Twinkle Jewels from Cutter's Creek to give a little extra "BLING" to the card.<br /><br />Hope you enjoy my card...and check out the other designer's cards at <a href="http://charactercafe.blogspot.com/">The Character Cafe Blog</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-87557287822442019632010-02-21T07:38:00.000-06:002010-02-21T07:45:52.125-06:00Dueling Dragons Layout<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkiZ8ZDmGJuupQw7JQW3mhppJnikO8s6x5n4y2zFaoX-5311qYIPHpw6mMwFcoQ0ojhWMc5InhoCRCmOxv4SvK2wsc9hG7y5EDXLt6m11UeN7nbconfimlRhyEQs_JpsvBWDKMz3JiWu8/s1600-h/Picture+010.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440410181348035954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkiZ8ZDmGJuupQw7JQW3mhppJnikO8s6x5n4y2zFaoX-5311qYIPHpw6mMwFcoQ0ojhWMc5InhoCRCmOxv4SvK2wsc9hG7y5EDXLt6m11UeN7nbconfimlRhyEQs_JpsvBWDKMz3JiWu8/s400/Picture+010.jpg" /></a><br />For this project, I wanted to highlight some of the neat things that can be done with the Cricut Expression and Design Studio. This is a two page layout that I created based on a Page Maps layout. I love to use Page Maps to develop my pages - it gives me a great starting off point and I can adjust as I need to based on the number of pictures I have! This layout is based on the <a href="http://www.pagemaps.com/jan08maps.htm">January 2008 Page Maps</a>.<br /><br />This layout calls for a coordinated set of papers and embellishments...but I didn't have anything in my crafty arsenal that really felt like it fit...and I knew I wanted to use my stash rather than go out and buy more stuff. Because my layout is of my son on a roller coaster, I knew I wanted something 'swirly' so I turned to my Storybook cartridge to find the perfect accents. Once I found the main embellishment (Accent Frame Swirl), I decided to play around with Design Studio, and I created a butterfly using the corner swirl from that same key, plus an oval from George! The title "Deuling Dragons" is also cut from the Storybook cartridge.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6cO9MXXu6rgBS8DToLKOvPYGM9uz5pI07uAMuHniGP8S4irknVIzLeRt99ahdoXfH6dOVGHcXl0tlbMLznGuIBRX-V6ZfcLdumUX-f36ikoIDNHKDwHQa746_4NSnaMPcaYFRH1Td5U/s1600-h/Picture+011.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440411676221082178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6cO9MXXu6rgBS8DToLKOvPYGM9uz5pI07uAMuHniGP8S4irknVIzLeRt99ahdoXfH6dOVGHcXl0tlbMLznGuIBRX-V6ZfcLdumUX-f36ikoIDNHKDwHQa746_4NSnaMPcaYFRH1Td5U/s400/Picture+011.jpg" /></a><br />These pictures are pretty busy...so I didn't want to use a highly patterned paper, but I wanted it to match like the layout showed. I remembered that I have the markers that go in the Cricut blade housing, and got a great idea to make MY OWN patterned paper. I used the same Accent Frame Swirl that I had already cut, and added it several times to my page, arranging them throughout a 12x12 page, flipping and turning along the way. Instead of the blade, I put a marker in the housing, and DREW the pattern rather than cut it. (NOTE: this design takes a LONG TIME to draw...so be patient!) The end result was a custom patterned paper and coordinating accents to make my layout shine! I included the .cut files so you can see how I did it. A sample full sheet photo in white is shown here, so you can get an idea of what the full page looks like.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6oCyQEHHK4TCtOC03oQIXvGpDnFeHsq7lTrS7iHtsd_SCWPwuYna-P7QoZ5r0lkU8ko7m2q_1JsVluKnIe2hcJh05_2Tx61v3xQZ01mHqFxGysB378ESQy-c1p6UjBqsdCqc3fTh7fg/s1600-h/Picture+013.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440410597640087842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6oCyQEHHK4TCtOC03oQIXvGpDnFeHsq7lTrS7iHtsd_SCWPwuYna-P7QoZ5r0lkU8ko7m2q_1JsVluKnIe2hcJh05_2Tx61v3xQZ01mHqFxGysB378ESQy-c1p6UjBqsdCqc3fTh7fg/s400/Picture+013.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />All these items can be purchased from <a href="https://www.cutterscreek.com/store/">Cutters Creek</a>:<br />Cricut Expression<br />Cricut Design Studio<br />Cricut Color Inks - Primary (ON SALE NOW 50% OFF!)<br />Storybook Cartridge<br />Glue Glider Pro<br /><br /><a href="http://www.4shared.com/file/226207669/20f240f3/butterfly_SB_VWayne.html">Butterfly File</a></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://www.4shared.com/file/226209105/9a8ecae8/Swirl_Background_SB_VWayne.html">Swirl Background File</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-87410656292314546982010-02-05T10:08:00.000-06:002010-02-05T10:14:46.539-06:00My *NEW* Favorite InkI have to say...I have never really paid attention when people start chatting on the groups and boards about various types of stamping inks/inkpads. Really...I thought...Ink is Ink...what difference does it make? Wow, was I ever wrong!<br /><br />I recently became the owner of a single, black Memento Ink pad...to go along with my Copic markers and Prism papers. Today, I was stamping a bunch of images to send to a pal as a gift...something that I tend to put off as a 'chore' because it is so tedious. You know the drill...clean up your space...pull out the stamps...the ink...the paper...the cleaners...the paper towels...all that preparation!! Then...STAMP...clean...dry...STAMP...clean...dry... UGH!! But you know what? Doing it with the Memento Ink was AMAZING! The stamps came out so neatly...and then one single stamp on a wet paper towel and POOF! - the stamp was clean! This ink goes on SO WELL that most of the ink lands on the paper and doesn't leave much behind on the stamp to clean off!<br /><br />All these items can be purchased at my favorite online store: <a href="http://www.cutterscreek.com/">http://www.cutterscreek.com</a> - go check out all the stamps and accessories Kim has to offer!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-89909363942559558292010-02-01T08:32:00.001-06:002010-02-01T08:35:36.271-06:00Keeping Up...You know...saying you're going to make a blog...and actually DOING it...are two really different things! <br /><br />I was given the honor, back in December, of joining the Cutter's Creek Design Team. It forces me to be much more creative during the month - which is a good thing. It also requires me to actually take pictures of my creations, so they can be posted on the design team blog! But alas...I haven't been posting them here. I promise to try to get better at that!<br /><br />One of the really NICE things about blogging, is that you can share some other really great blog addresses with all of your followers! Here's a new one for you to look at today: <a href="http://scrappinstyle.blogspot.com/">http://scrappinstyle.blogspot.com/</a> She is giving away some really nice BLOG CANDY...which I think is an awesome way to thank those that care to leave comments and post messages! Hmm...I think I need to give away some blog candy soon too - to remind me to do more blogging! :)<br /><br />Happy Crafting!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919336744352199626.post-27656432554629457822009-12-02T10:26:00.000-06:002009-12-02T10:31:59.381-06:00Welcome to my new Blog!I did it...I finally created my own blog...wowsa!<br /><br />So, why did I name it the Scrappy Leopard? <br /><br />Well, if you know me, you KNOW how much I love leopard print...I wear it all the time...and I am a HUGE cat fan! I originally wanted to call it the Scrappy Cat - but that name was taken already :( - so I went with the next best thing!<br /><br />I picked 'scrappy' for a couple of reasons. The most obvious one is that I am an AVID scrapbooker! I LOVE LOVE LOVE to scrap. If I had a chance, I'd scrap every day! But the other reason is because that is a word that describes me pretty well. I'm a scrappy little bugger - remember Scrappy Doo from the Scooby Doo cartoon? That's me! I'm little, but I don't give up! I fight for what I think is right, I wrestle with my hubby & kids (for fun, really!)...and I'm bull headed! I don't let ANYTHING get the best of me - especially in my projects!<br /><br />I look forward to sharing all my fun scrapping work with all of you...<br /><br />Peace and Chocolate!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10475022012370366150noreply@blogger.com0