Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Happy Birthday Cupcake!

As today's CARD A DAY BLOG designer, I'm featuring a fun and easy cupcake card.
The base is a cupcake SVG file diecut.  The top layers are plain cardstock that has been embossed, sanded and embellished to add lots of fun dimension. 
The cupcake "paper" was created by using the Martha Stewart Scoring Pad and making evenly spaced scores on the opposite side of the paper.  I lightly shaded the bottom edge of the "paper" with coordinating Distress Ink.  The "frosting" was run through an embossing folder and then lightly sanded to bring out the white core of the paper.  Carmel colored beads were glued to the center of some of the embossed circles.  The sentiment was stamped on plain cardstock and punched out.  A larger white cardstock circle was punched and also embossed with a dotted pattern.   
Here's a tip:  Stamp a coordinating design on the flap of the envelope.  Here I stamped a cupcake trio and colored with pencils. 
This card is entered into the following Challlenges:

Thursday, May 24, 2012

WOOF! (That's "Thank You" in Bulldog)

Today I'm the featured designer over at CARD A DAY BLOG and the theme is "Thank You".
I'll bet you didn't know that "WOOF!" means "Thank You" in bulldog, did you?!  lol
I created this little card to thank my Mom & Dad for "bullysittting" my Millie.  I love the pink, white and black color combo and as Millie is white (with a few brown spots) it's perfect.
 
Here are the card details:
I used a scrap of Bo Bunny's "Posh Pink Prints".  I have used this paper in Millie's scrapbook and really love the "girly" color and design...perfect for the background of my card.  I designed and cut the bulldog and dog house diecuts using my Cricut and SCAL software.  The black strip was created with a scrap piece of black cardstock and a small paw punch.  The sentiment on the front was embossed in black and I hand drew the "*" symbol.  I attached a pink bow with Glossy Accents and added "Millie" on the dog house using a white gel pen.  Inside I stamped the "Thanks" using a SU stamp and Archival Magenta Hue ink.  Then using a Sharpie, I "hit and missed" on the stamp letters to make them a little more dimensional.  I stamped the paw print in Jet Black Archival ink.
This card is entered into the following Challenges:

Friday, May 18, 2012

RFL Donation = Free SVGs

The American Cancer Society's Relay For Life is a big event for me and my community.  This year I am the captain of our team and I really want to boost my fundraising, so.....
MAKE ANY DONATION AMOUNT
TO MY RELAY PAGE
AND RECEIVE AN EQUAL AMOUNT
OF FREE SVG FILES
It's a win-win situation if you love SVG electronic cutting files. 
Just click on the "Support Me" button at the top right, click "Donate on My Behalf" at the top right of the next page and follow the steps to make your donation.
In the box that says "Add a Short Note..." put your email address.  (If you want to make a donation less than the $5 minimum on the RLF page, you can certainly do that.   Just click on this blog's "Donate" button, in the lower right column, and in the message put "Relay for Life Donation".) 
Once I get your donation email, I will contact you for your selection (up to the amount donated) of SVG files from my store at CUT and CREATE.  I have 95 individual files or file sets for you to choose from.  Visit my store to see them but DO NOT order from the store.  Free files will come directly from me.
Of course, if you don't use SVG files, I'd be happy to take your donation anyway.  If you've enjoyed the contents of this blog, please show your appreciation by making a donation to my RFL page.  Offer  ends May 31, 2012.
Thanks for your support! 

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Zentangle & Distress Markers


Have you tried Zentangle?  According to their website, Zentangle is:
 a way of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns. It is fun and relaxing. Almost anyone can use it to create beautiful images. It increases focus and creativity, provides artistic satisfaction along with an increased sense of personal well being. The Zentangle method is enjoyed all over this world across a wide range of skills, interests and ages.
So basically, I would consider it "elegant doodles"!  Years ago I would fill my note pad with doodles during marathon business meetings.  Who knew I was creating art?!  Actually there are books, kits, CDs, teachers, a blog and more dedicated to this art form.  I had heard of it a few years ago and was intrigued.  Recently I found a book at the library, "Totally Tangled" and was inspired to create the following flower.

I used a regular Sharpie pen and a plain piece of copy paper.  After I drew it I scanned it so I could preserve it and make it any size I wanted.  If you're looking for ideas, do a Google search and you'll see hundreds of awesome Zentangles.  I liked the "Totally Tangled" book because it broke down the different "tangles" or patterns, five of which you see on the petals of the flower.  A Google search of "Zentangle Patterns Step by Step" will give you enough "tangles" to get started if you want to give it a try without the book.  I think I'll do more of these, especially while traveling or sitting out on the deck this summer.
I recently received my set of Tim Holtz's Distress Markers (brand new product!) and wanted to take them on a test drive.  So I took my Zentangle design and using Photoshop, I created an 8 1/2" x 11" with various sizes.  I printed them on cardstock and then sprayed with fixative.
I used every color of marker at least once.  They performed great!  I think I will really love using them on future projects.  They go on smoothly and blend beautifully.  Of course I love the colors, which coordinate with the other Distress products:  stains and inks.
Here's the scanned sheet:
I think I will cut them apart and use them on cards.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Father's Day Card

Today I'm the guest designer over at Card A Day Blog and the theme all week is Father's Day.
And since Mother's Day is now over, it's a geat time to start thinking about cards for Dad.

Here's a card I made using Graphic 45's "A Proper Gentleman" paper.  I LOVE this paper and was thrilled when I won a mini stack of it in a challenge recently.  I thought that the paper design went perfectly with one of my "Car Set" SVG diecuts.
Here are the details:
1. Card made from Kraft paper--4.45" x 11" folded in half.
2.  Used just a portion of the "On the Boulevard" sheet of paper for the base.
3.  Cut the car shape SVG file out of cream cardstock and distressed to match base using Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain and Brick Red Distress Inks.  I stamped the sentiment (Clear Art Stamp's "Car Classics") with Walnut Stain DI.  The shadow is cut from brown cardstock.
4.  Stained the seam binding with Brick Red, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress Stains.  After dry, attached to card.
5.  Attached diecut to card with pop dots.
6.  Using Glossy Accents, attached the metal letter pieces to the card.
If you like the car diecut and can cut SVG files on your electronic cutter,
you can get the set HERE.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

MOTHER SVG Freebie

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
Hope all the Moms out there are enjoying a very special day!
Here's a picture of my Mom, taken last November at a scrap event.
Yup...she's the "Queen Mum" of the Scrappin' Queens!
And now here's a special treat for you:
It's designed to fit a 4 x 6 photo but is resizable.
You can get the frame HERE.
Looking for "Mom" scrapbook elements?
Check out these SVGs:
Just $1
Just $1
Use just the top portion for a heading...two files in one for just $2
Used this one in my own scrapbook layout.  Click the link to see.
Just $1
Another "2 for 1" file.  Use it with or without the letters.
Just $2


Friday, May 11, 2012

Scrapbook Page: Mad Hatters

Well this is it, Day Ten of scrapbook layouts. 
I hope you've enjoyed seeing what I've been working on. 
I still consider myself a beginner as I've only been scrapping a few years.  I'm not big on elaborate layouts that have multiple layers and tons of embellishments with just one small picture.  I like those types of layouts but they are not "me".  I have fun with a page and if it's not "perfect" I don't care---I just enjoy doing them.  And really, that's how it should be.  A scrapbook (and it's pages) should make you smile when you look at it, whether it's simple or spectacular.  And I think today's page does just that!
I'd been saving this paper (Fancy Pants "Grocery List") for just the right layout and this was it...a silly page of me and my sisters goofing off with some hats from one of our fave stores--Leon & Lulu--in Clawson, Michigan.  For the heading, I found a font I liked (AmoreCTT) and cut it using SCAL and Cricut in white cardstock.  I also designed and cut the arrows and then used the cuts as templates to draw on the page with a white gel pen. 
I also added random stamping on the page using sentiments from Unity "Just Be You" (shown above) as well as Scrappy Cats "Designer Flourishes" and MME "Rosy Everything".  I stamped in white pigment ink (SU Whisper White) and after it was dry, traced around the images with the gel pen.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Scrapbook Page: First Challenge

Glad you stopped in for day nine of 10 days of scrapbook layouts!
Today I'm showing a page that I made to remember my very first challenge win.  In the summer of 2010 I was recovering from major surgery and since I had more free time than usual, decided to try something new--enter a challenge!  I actually designed two projects but the one that took third place in Vintage Image Craft's "Witch Crafts Halloween Creative Challenge" was this paint bucket I altered.  At the time I was so excited that I took pictures of the screen showing my project.  Who knew that only a few months later I'd have a blog and start entering (and sometimes winning) lots of challenges!  If you currently don't enter challenges, you really should.  It definitely stretches your creative abilities!  My favorite place to check out daily challenges is FELINE PLAYFUL.
Below is a close up of my heading.  I usually like to "shadow" my letters but for this layout, I already had a black background so that wasn't going to work.  Instead I used stamps (screen, spider web & cracks) on the letters of each of the words.  I think that this really added something special to them.
Hope to see you back tomorrow for the last layout!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Scrapbook Page: 50th Anniversary

Welcome back!
It's day eight of 10 days devoted to scrapbook pages.
This page was done for my parent's 50th Anniversary in 2009 and it's pretty simple.
The paper is from a Martha Stewart stack that I got on clearance.  All the papers are cream, white and gold glossy...perfect for this page.  An added bonus was that the base paper came with a "built in frame" of gold, so it was very simple to put together.  I cut the decorative frame around the photo from a SVG file I had in my stash.  Using the same paper as the frame, I also cut the photo holders and heading.  The "Together" sentiment is from a 7 Gypsies stamp set.  (There is a matching page with more family pictures of the event and the journaling, but I just wanted to show this page and the heading) 
I created the heading with SCAL a few years ago when I was putting this page together and I couldn't find something suitable online.   (Using virtually any font was why I bought SCAL in the first place.  I could make EXACTLY what I needed and wanted using SCAL.  It's unfortunate that you can no longer use SCAL with Cricut but luckily there are plenty of other electronic cutting machines that are now using either that program or MTC.  So if you want ultimate flexibility in your crafting, check them out on the web)
In honor of NSD I went back in my files and dug out this file to share with you.  For the next few days I am offering it for FREE.  (After May 11th you can purchase it for $1)
Get the file HERE.
Hope you'll stop in again tomorrow as we start to wrap up the scrapbook layouts.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Scrapbook Page: ATV Riding

Welcome back to Day Seven of 10 Days of Scrapbook Layouts!
Things are winding down and I hope you've gotten some inspiration from these pages.

Today I have a real simple page I did to commemorate my
first ATV ride after some major surgery.
In this layout, I think the paper makes the page so I did not want to cover too much of it up.  Just two pictures (one of me and hubby) are featured with a simple tire track down one side and a die cut heading.  The only journaling is a black strip under the horizontal photo.  The yellow of the page really makes those red ATVs stand out!

Since I already had the tire tracks I made for the layout above, I decided to put together a whole "Off Road" set.  You can get it HERE.
Be sure to stop back tomorrow as I'll have another SVG Freebie for you!
This page is entered into the following Challenges:


Monday, May 7, 2012

Scrapbook Pages: Graduation

Day Six of 10 days of Scrapbook Layouts.
Today I'm showing a graduation layout I did for my nephew...who graduated two years ago!  Seems like I'm always behind on my scrapbook pages.
The base paper is a beige and blue map background which was part of a huge bundle I purchased a few years ago. 
I matched the embellishments to his school colors and added a brass key.
The heading die cut is a SVG file that I have available HERE.
(Don't worry, if you're behind too, I still have 2011 available in the store)
The journaling here was done on a kraft card that I believe came from 7 Gypsies.  I cut all the elements using the Sure Cuts A Lot program and my Cricut.  The token is from Tim Holtz.
The hat die cut and the scroll I journaled on in the photo above are from my SVG Graduation Set Two that you can get HERE.
Hope you'll join me tomorrow for an "off road" page!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Scrapbook Page: Scrappin' Queens

Welcome back to Day Five of 10 days devoted to scrapbook layouts!
Yesterday I showed you the Friday kick off of Mary's Scrapbook Event.  Today I'm showing you the next page that I created to remember Saturday.  All the scrappers at the event are encouraged to have a group name, the more creative the better.  We were the "Scrappin' Queens" complete with matching tee shirts, glittery tiaras and earrings.
The paper I used is actually the back of a "Girly Pirate" themed paper that I picked up a few years ago on clearance.  I designed the crown frame using SCAL.  Another reason to love the program--you can create exactly what you want.  Even if you don't know how to create SVGs from scratch, it's very easy to take two elements (the crown and frame were separate pieces) and "weld" them together to make something new.
I cut the letters using SCAL/Cricut.  I really like the look when the letters have a black shadow behind them, which is another easy function on SCAL.  Glittery gems embellish the crown.

Hope to see you back tomorrow as I show a Graduation layout.
 

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Mexican Fiesta SVG Freebie

In celebration of National Scrapbooking Day, I have a super spicy SVG freebie for you!
Perfect for another celebration going on today....Cinco de Mayo! 
Get this set FREE TODAY (5/5/12) ONLY HERE.
(If you missed it on May 5th, you can still purchase it for just $2)
If you'd like another set to go with Mexican Fiesta
This set is just $1 and you can get it anytime HERE.

Looking for scrapping inspiration?  Scroll down (and up if you're reading this on or after May 6th) for 10 great days of layouts!

NSD! Scrapbook Page: Scrap Event

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!
It's Day Four of ten days dedicated to scrapbook layouts.  For today's post, I thought it appropriate to feature a page I did to remember a special Scrap Event.  This crop is near and dear to my heart as it honors a friend who lost her life to domestic violence.    It's a major fundraiser for the foundation in her name and my Mom, BFF and sisters (or combos of) make this our annual fall event.  We have a great time and get silly too (see tomorrow's layout!)

I love the checked background of this paper--kind of reminds me of little sheets of paper!
I used my Cricut and SCAL software to create the letters.  I LOVE the fact that I can use almost any font for free with SCAL.  Since the paper had a shabby look, I distressed/shaded the letters with Distress Ink in a coordinating color.
I used a notebook paper embellishment for the day/date and journaled right on the bracket frame (also cut with Cricut).  A pink ribbon and bow above and a big pink jewel below the photo finish off the page.

Did you get your SVG Freebie today?  If not, hit "Home" or scroll up to grab it.
Be sure to stop back tomorrow for another layout!
This page is entered into the following Challenges:

Friday, May 4, 2012

Scrapbook Pages: 50th Birthday


In celebration of "National Scrapbooking Day" on May 5th,
I'm on day three of ten days of showcasing some of my recent scrapbook pages. 
I did this layout to remember the great birthday weekend I had with my sisters and BFF. 
 Looking at these two pages there is NO doubt about which milestone was celebrated. 
Sorry, I don't have the name of the paper (I bought it over a year ago!), but I love it!  You could make your own "age" paper by simply stamping the correct numbers all over designer paper. 
I actually broke into my Tim Holtz Salvage Sticker stash--Original, Lost & Found and Crowded Attic--to get the letters and numbers.  The little calendar above is also a sticker.  I attached a hand charm that points to the day of my birthday.  Below that are round number beads.
On this page I added a bingo piece and Tim Holtz's metal numbers that I colored with alcohol ink.  The journaling is done on a manilla tag.
Hope to see you back tomorrow for National Scrapbooking Day!  I'll have a special SVG Freebie for you, good Saturday, May 5th only.  Don't miss it!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Scrapbook Pages: Chinese Dinner

In celebration of "National Scrapbooking Day" on May 5th, I'm on day two of ten days of showcasing some of my recent scrapbook pages. 
The girls and I went out to P.F. Chang's for my birthday dinner and got silly with the chopsticks.  So for this layout I wanted something fun to reflect that.  I found the background paper (Creative Imaginations) that had a nice oriental feel.  I added the two group pictures in the corners and the silly pictures stair step down the pages. 
 For embellishments, I designed the SVG files of the fortune cookies, chopsticks, takeout carton and the Chinese symbols (meaning "food").
I used two different cookies with two lengths of "fortunes".  The top heading was done using the longer "fortune paper".  After I cut it on the Cricut, I ran it through the printer using the "Chinese Takeaway" (from http://www.dafont.com/) font.  The bottom fortune was smaller and worked perfectly to add the date to the layout.
I hand drew "50th" on the takeout carton.  This element would also have been a great place to journal.
By the way, if you like this set and have an electronic cutter that uses SVG files, you can get one for yourself HERE.
Be sure to stop back tomorrow for another scrapbook layout!