Christmas Sleigh

Today was a very productive day as I updated my blog, organized my craftroom (a little bit), did laundry, bought a new Cricut catridge and made a card!

I bought the Pretty Pennants cartridge.  It's not an extensive cartridge but many of my creations have some form of a pennant so I thought it would be nice to add to my collection as I often cut that shape by hand and I'm not always pleased with the final look. 

Before I could design this latest creation, I needed to update my Gypsy and then my Cricut Expression.  I won't get into all of the details but suffice it to say that it did take 2 hours.  Sigh!  In case you don't know, the Gypsy is a handheld device that allows you to work with the images of the various cartridges that you own, scale them to the size that you want and then cut them on your Cricut machine.  It is simple for me and I just love working with it!

So here is my Christmas card.

Papers:  Simple Stories

Cricut: Winter Woodland (sleigh, santa's hat), Elegant Edges (frames)

Pretty Pennants (snowflake pennant)

Spellbinders for scalloped circle frames

Fiskars corner punch

Ribbon - beige silk, brown grosgrain, green checkered

Green ribbon criss-crossed in frame

Small gems and pearl

 

I've been following the Deconstructed Jen for some time now but never took the time to participate in their weekly sketches as I'm often a week or too behind. Happy I could this time and here is the wonderful sketch DS74 that gave me my inspiration!

Thanks for dropping by!  Please leave me a comment about my card or the redesigned look!

Back to cardmaking!

I know I've been remiss in keeping my blog current however I changed careers over the summer and was busy with work and getting my certifications.  So all that is behind me now and I've been able to enjoy my little corner.  If you look under the "Craftroom" tab you'll see that my actual workspace is 11' x 3'.  Small but highly functional!

Here's a birthday card that I made for one of my daughter's friends. 

Papers - Authentique

Happy Birthday - Cricut Paper Lace 2

Crimper for rust border

Buttons from my MIL's stash (probably 50 years old)

 

 

And with Christmas a mere 9 weeks away, here is one of the latest Christmas cards that I made:

 

Papers - Recollections

Cricut - snowflakes, tag and words

MS branch punch

Embossed red tag with snowflake folder

Ribbon and brad

 

 

And lastly, to provide some inspiration for my American friends that are thinking about Thanksgiving, here is a place card that I made for a dinner party. 

 

Papers - unsure

Cricut for the green frame and leaves

Button from MIL's stash

Fiskars Corner Punch

Twine



 



Hope you're enjoying your weekend and I will be back more regularly now!

Vintage Christmas

I haven't posted in awhile due to the end of the school year activities and trip to the cottage.  It's been an amazingly hot week but I did find a bit of time to sneak away to my craft room.

I'm playing along with Jingle Belles Vintage Christmas challenge this week and here is my creation:

Papers - Graphic 45

Cricut - Joys of the Season for poinsettia 

Cricut - Accent Essentials for gold frame (welded with Gypsy)

Gold stickles, beads and gem embellishments

Vintage Photo distressed ink for edges and sentiment

I just love the Graphic 45 papers for this card.  The background paper is the classical "Night Before Christmas" story and such lovely images of old time Christmas.

Thanks for dropping by and hope you are enjoying the summer weather!

Challenge - Jingle Belles Have Yourself a Vintage Christmas JB-12-14

Thinking of You

Yesterday was a wonderful and special day as my great nephew was born.  I was busy finishing up cards for his parents and grandparents but I can't reveal them here just yet as they haven't received them.

A dear friend has been going through some challenging times so I made a card to cheer her up.  This card is part of the ISpySketches and Crazy4  challenges. For the Crazy4, we need to use 3 flowers, 3 papers, 3 buttons and 3 pearls.

Card recipe

Papers - Vintage Heartwarming Collection

Paper flowers

Silk ribbon, pearl embellishments and buttons

Stamp - Inkadinkado with Colorbox ink

Cricut Elegant Edges for all paper cuts except pink card base



Here is the sketch from ISSC

Thanks for dropping by and I would love to hear your comments!



Challenges
I Spy Sketches - ISSC20
Crazy4 Challenge

Frosty Greetings

So I'm switching gears today from shabby tea to a hot cup of cocoa.  I'm playing along at Merry Monday and I've made another Christmas card - #37 for me, to be exact.

Card recipe

Papers - Fancy Pants Winterland and kraft

Cricut - Joys of the Season (mug) and Speaking of Winter (snowflake)

Crimper used on polka dot paper

Fiskars border punch

Distressed Broken China and Inkadinkado stamp

I've kept this card fairly simple. I used my crimper that's been sitting in the bottom of my drawer to give the allusion of the coffee cup sleeve.

Here's the wonderful sketch from Merry Monday

Thanks for dropping by and I always appreciate hearing from you!

Challenge: Always Playing with Paper - Merry Monday #24 Frosty Greetings

Tea time!

I decided to play along again at The Shabby Tea Room for this week's Shabby Beautiful challenge.  I will also be entering my card in the Mojo Monday challenge.  I've re-read the rules for TSTR as I don't think that my hot air balloon card for last week's Sweet Summer quite followed them as I didn't get any feedback.  I used the colours as an inspiration and not really the image.  Oops!  Oh well, the card turned out well and it's all part of the learning process.

So here is my card:

Card recipe

Papers Heartwarming Vintage Collection and Mind's Eye Lost and Found

Cricut - Everyday Paper dolls for teacups and Elegant cakes for aqua doily

Distressing and stitching on rounded rectangular pieces

Button, seam binding, pearls, flower, green ribbon and lace

Gold Stickles ont teacups

And the photo inspiration with the instructions to use aqua, pink, neutrals and flowers and make it shabby!



And lastly the sketch from Mojo Monday

Thanks for dropping by and I always appreciate hearing from you!

Challenges

The Shabby Tea Room Week 118 Shabby Beautiful

Mojo Monday 245

Butterfly Girl

Happy Sunday everyone!  I hope you have wonderful plans to relax today.  I'm able to do as I please as unfortunately all of the members of my family are working today.  I was up bright and early at 4:55 am and so I had plenty of time to enjoy my coffee and make this card.

I had started some of it yesterday by stamping the middle part as I wanted to experiment with watercolouring using distressed ink.  I watched a few videos on Youtube but unfortunately I didn't bookmark them so I can't share the link with you.  It's a very simple technique that simply involves applying distress ink to an acrylic block then either use a waterfillable brush or paintbrush dipped in water.  I did the latter as I hand everything on hand.

Then today my inspiration for the Butterfly Girl was a stamp from Sam Poole at Creative Studios.  She has a wonderful set called Artful ladies and Sam has produced so many amazing cards.  Here's a link to the stamps and from there you can browse her blog.   I made my butterfly girl with the Cricut Expression using the Rock Princess cartridge.  I altered the image using the Gypsy to do away with the microphone and have two symetrical arms.

I then chose some soft papers from the Heatwarming Vintage Collection and Webster's pages.  Finally added a piece of ric rac and then a flower that I had recently made out of ribbon.

Enjoy your day and I would love to hear your comments!

Birthday Hot Air Balloon

It's midweek and the sun is shining after several days of rain!  I'm taking part in the Shabby Tea Room Sweet Summer Challenge and what better way with a hot air balloon ride!  For colours we needed to use Aqua or Teal, pink and brown.  Look closely at the pink doily and you'll find some yummy cupcakes!

Card recipe

Papers - DCWV Sweet Treats and My Mind's Eye Lost & Found

Tim Holtz doily and Cricut Elegant Edges

Inkadinkado stamp

Silk ribbon, seam binding, lace

Brads, gemstones, beads, pearls and feather

This particular card was a labour of love as I started off by box pleating the ribbon to make the flowers.  It's a little bit time consuming but you get such wonderful results.  I used the Tim Holtz doily die and the Cricut Elegant Edges for the frames of the hot air balloon.  I inked the hot air balloon stamp with Walnut Distress and Broken China.  The bow was made with seam binding from my MIL's stash - pretty old stuff but so pretty for this card!  I made the stick pin with a few pearls and beads and thought the feather worked well.  I added a vintage button with a bit of lace trim.   A few aqua gemstones to finish it off.

This card is for a special person who is sure to love and treasure it!

Here is the photo inspiration for this card:

Have a great day and thanks for dropping by!  I would love to hear your comments!

Just A Note...

It's Monday and I get to ease into the work week.  I worked on this card last night and finished it this morning.  For the sketch, I'm playing along with the I Spy Sketches Challenge #18 and the elements are part of the Repeat Impressions Designer Choice Challenge 523 where we need to have a Stamped Image, Embossing, and Diecut or Punch.

Card recipe

Papers - My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Market Street, K&Company Que Sera Sera

Stamped Flowers - Inkadinkado Flashy Floral, Just A Note

Tim Holtz butterfly embossing folder and distressed folder for watering can

Tim Holtz distressed ink Victorian Violet and Black Soot

Spellbinders Petite Scallop circle and Circle punch

Cricut Stretch Your Imagination for watering can

Versafine black ink and acid free markers

Gems and pearl embellishments, buttons from stash and embroidery floss

This is the first time that I coloured an image.  I wanted to give it a try before I look into purchasing some Copics.    I can see how much fun it would be so it's time for me to look into tutorials on Copics.  If you have any suggestions, please leave me a comment!

Here is the sketch from I Spy Sketches, I made my design on the landscape.

Thanks for dropping by and I would love to hear your feedback on this card!



Challenges:
I Spy Sketches -  ISSC18
Repeat Impressions DCC523

Adestes Fideles - Classic Christmas song

I'm joining in again on the Jingle Belles challenge and this week we need to incorporate Christmas music.  I've also decided to play along with CardPatterns and use their sketch for my card.

There are so many wonderful songs that it was hard to choose the right one.  I picked Adestes Fideles, one of my all-time favourites, and printed off the music sheet on cream cardstock.  I then cut it with the Tim Holtz doily die.  I used my Cricut and cut the angel from the Christmas cartridge.  This was after doing a Nativity scene that I just didn't like.  Sometimes we have an idea and we visualize it but it doesn't always turn out on paper.  Luckily, like most of you, my papers were all on sale so I'm only wasting pennies.

I then tried to create the rectangle piece from the sketch and as I was looking through my paper stacks, I found the "Peace, Love, Joy" from Simple Stories.  So with the card almost complete, I stumbled upon the perfect background from the DCWV Christmas stack.  I added a few pearls, gem stones and ribbon and voilà my card was complete.  It did take a few hours from start to finish but it was a nice way to spend a few hours on a rainy Sunday.

Here is the sketch that I followed from CardPatterns

Thanks so much for dropping by and I always appreciate your comments!

Be Merry Snowman

Wow! What a productive day!  It's been raining here and my household chores are done so I've had some fun in my craftroom.  Here's the third card for today.  This one for the Merry Monday Warm and Cozy challenge which I haven't played along with in the past few weeks.  I need to count but I think this is Christmas card number 31 for me - woohoo!

Card recipe

Papers Graphic 45 and Anna Collins

Cricut - Winter Frolic for the snowman

Metal tree and star brad

Cuttlebug Snowflake folder

Walnut distress and Versafine black ink

And here is the Sketch from Merry Monday



Thanks for dropping by and I hope you're making progress on your Christmas cards too!



Love is in the Air

Now that it is the month of June, we are heading into the season of weddings and anniversaries.  I made this anniversary card for a family member or dear friend, just haven't decided who will receive it.

Card recipe

Papers - Fancy Pants Bella, DCWV, Recollections for base

Circle - Spellbinders Petite Circle scallops

Punches for corner and tag "love"

Fabric -  flower, blue border with rhinestones and lace

The colours and fabric were chosen as part of this week's challenge Color Me Pretty at the Shabby Tea Room and inspired with this photo

The sketch design is from Mojo Monday with a bit of a twist/my interpretation.



Thanks again for dropping by and I always appreciate your feedback and comments!

Enjoy the weekend!

Challenges: 
Shabby Tea Room Color Me Pretty
Mojo Monday #243

A day at the beach

It's still Spring here but I made this card for my SIL who lives in Italy and loves to take her children to the beach.  I made it as part of this week's RAQ Challenge on the Cricut forum and also to submit to My Sheri Crafts Summer Challenge. 

Card recipe

Papers - DCWV Songbird, Bazzill, clear acetate

Sew Easy for the piercing for the stitching

Cricut A Child's Year, Elegant Edges, Stretch Your Imagination

Embellishments: Brads, buttons, pearl and photo corner

Versafine ink for "Just Saying Hello"

I started the design with a port hole and then just chose the elements from my Cricut cartridges.  It's the first time that I've used the Sew Easy that I bought over a year ago.  It's not the "easiest" tool to use on heavy cardstock but it does add a nice touch!

Enjoy your day and thanks for dropping by!

Christmas Gift Card Holders

I'm playing along in the Jingle Belles challenge this week and we need to make a gift card holder.  I have a few to show you and I'm really pleased with how they turned out!

I made a dutch fold card for the first time and it is perfect to hold a gift card.   Here is the link to a tutorial on this type of card at Splitcoaststampers  

Card recipe:

Papers - DCWV Christmas Combo Stack and scraps

Santa - Cricut Joys of the Season

Tis the season stamp - unknown

Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Circle

Snowflake brads, Stickles, Tartan ribbon

For the next gift card holder I used something that we all have in our house, a toilet paper roll. I flattened it with my Big Shot and then covered it with Christmas papers from Simple Stories. 

I created a tag for the card insert. I added a button, clear snowflake embellishment, brad, ribbon and hand-sewed a blanket stitch around the edge of the gift card holder.  I'll simply use a glue dot to hold the gift card in place on the tag.

Card holder insert and tag

 



Front View                                                                    Back View

Hope this inspires you to make a gift card holder, for any occasion!

Thanks for dropping by!





Challenge:  Jingle Belles

Spring in Bloom - Garden Party #115

The weather has been amazing for the past week!  It is hotter than usual yet we have had some rain and as such the garden is coming into full bloom.  I enjoyed an extra long weekend and have finally enjoyed a bit of time in my craftroom. 

This card is part of the Shabby Tea Room Garden Party challenge.  The sketch design was an older MojoMonday sketch.

Card recipe:

Green strips - K&Company Que Sera Sera

Centre frame with lily - gcd Studios Antiquities

Butterfly - K&Company TC Blossomwood

Plaid tag - Lost & Found Portobello Road

Doily - Tim Holtz with Black Soot distress ink

Flower - ribbon hand-stitched

"just a note" stamped with Ranger permanent ink on silk ribbon

Grommet, gem flower and gem stones - unknown

For this challenge, we were asked to use these colours for inspiration and add a dimensional flower.

I hope the weather is nice your way and thanks for dropping by!

Challenge Shabby Tea Room

Birdcage Thank You Card - Honorable Mention

It looks like the nice weather is finally here to stay with us.  We'll be planting our flower and vegetable gardens soon!

I joined The Shabby Tea Week #114 Beautifully Shaped challenge for this week to create a shaped card. 

I'm pleased that my card was selected as one of the 10 honorable mention cups of tea.  Thanks to the selection team!

Cardstock - Ivory Staples #110

DCWV Glitter

DCWV The Sweet Stack

Using one of my new Cricut carts, Straight from the Nest, I formed the base of the card by welding two birdcages together (using the hide feature to remove the bars of the cage).  I then made 2 more cuts of the birdcage - one in blue and one in pink (again using the hide feature). 

From there, I just let my inspiration take over and...I created the grunge flower, made 2 stick pins, glued yellow and blue ribbon together, cut a doily cut from Elegant Cakes and layered all of that together.  Then I added a blue ribbon to look like the birdcage hanging loop and cut the word "Thanks" from Winter Woodland. 

Here were the colour inspirations for this challenge

Thanks for dropping by today!  I appreciate your comments!