A Second Penguin Waddles Out.

     A friend of mine came over t make a card for her niece's 2nd birthday and her niece likes penguins. I had already used the gypsy to make the file for a shaped card of a penguin using the Create a Critter cartridge. She said she thought the penguin would look cute with a hat, so we added a hat from the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge. It is the headwear for the winter girl. We cut the hat twice in both pink and white and paper pieced it and added Martha Stewart glitter. My friend had brought the paper, so I'm not sure what we used. We added wiggle eyes to the face. We hid all contours on the cuts on the Gypsy.

     By the time we got to the inside, we were really pressed for time if we were going to go to lunch and she was going to make it to school on time to pick up her son (ok we were pressed for time throughout it all ;- ) We had some Church website things to work on before we were able to work on the card to begin with.   Sooo, we cut out the body again as a mat for the sentiment. We used Printshop to create a sentiment using  Calibri and NewWGL4 as the fonts. Then, I test cut another body piece in order to get the placement and lined up the piece with the sentiment on it and put it on the mat and by a wondrous act of God, my sentiment was cut in the cent of the body ;- ) We also cut a balloon from Create a Critter (it's the shift of the snake) and the number 2, because she's advanced and can recognize her numbers according to her dotting Auntie (from Birthday Bash.) 

     I thought of a few things I might change or enhance as we went, but we didn't have time, so I might have to CASE myself soon, ha ha. I think a know a young boy who likes penguins, at least he did last year. You may be seeing the updated version of this card in a month or so ;- ) If you'd like the Gypsy file for this, just let me know (with a way to get in touch with you) and I'd be happy to send it to you.


     Thanks for stopping by. Your comments mean so much to me, so if you have time, please leave me one. Have a great weekend!

Birthday Wish for a Guy

     This is one of those cards, that looked better in my head, then it did when I was done >.< Probably, because in my head, I haven't chosen the papers, just the idea. Both the card base and the sentiment were cut from Cricut's Birthday Bash cartridge.  I embossed the background with Cuttlebug's Christmas Stars and used My Mind's Eye twine. I popped up the DP, which is from Paper Studio and popped up the sentiment on it. The DP is edged with a gold paint pen. This card is for my son's best friend in middle school, who is at a different college than my son. He has a great (though sometimes quirky) sense of humor and wouldn't be demanding of the looks of the card, fortunately ;- )

     No time for second guessing the front, so moving on.  The font in the multiple choice section and the Happy Birthday is Bevan (all can be found on the internet, try a google search), the one in the parenthesis is Beetle and the one in the salutation is Black Jack. The boxes and the check mark were made in Print Shop. Matt will enjoy the humor.

     I didn't get much done on the next card. First I found out I couldn't get it into the mail tomorrow anyway, because of Veterans' Day (there is no mail.) Then I needed to shop for baking ingredients, because a friend and I are doing MAJOR cookie baking all day Saturday for my Christmas Party and just for the holidays for her. It took longer than I would have thought, as DH and I stopped to eat and I looked for some wire for the next card too. Some of these cookies will probably even find there way into a shipment to the college students. So, I'll need to really move it on that next card and make up some of the doughs that need to chill overnight.

     Thanks for shooting by. Please leave a comment, because they keep me motivated and mean so much to me ;- ) Have a blessed weekend!

It's a heat wave.

     Sorry, I should have had this posted on Monday, but it's been way too hot to touch a computer. I called friends, watered flowers and  read a book instead ;- ) I finally relented, late last night and put the air conditioning on, so we could sleep. The poor puppy was very thankful, being a Norwegian Elkhound and all.

     Todays card is for a little boy who is turning 2. I used the Imagine and Nursery Tails to make this one. I used the image from Nursery Tales in layers, changing the first layer from pink print to green print, since it was for a boy and popped up the layers. I added gel pen details and Diamond Glaze to add more interest. I also added a mat layer, using the rectangles (8 1/2:11 ratio) from the images resident on the machine and filled it with a pattern from the Nursery Tales cart. Sentiment is from Hero Arts.

  Click to enlarge

     The inside sentiment was created digitally using Print Shop. The font is SNF Jester Play from Scrap n Fonts. You can find them here if you are interested. The number 2 was cut 2x at 2 inches from the Birthday Bash cart. One time I filled it with yellow on the Imagine and one time with the pattern I used on the background mat. I stacked and popped them, inking the edges to cover the white.  I added the birds I had left from the front (I had cut and 2 sets of birds and clouds).

     What would I have done differently? I might have worked more on details on the front, but again it was  (and is) HOT and I was afraid I wouldn't do a very neat job. I felt that the image looked a bit flat, that's why I added the gel pen details, that I did and might have added more. I also needed it to dry, so that I could mail it the next morning. If it were for a girl, I definitely would have added more glittery bling ;- )

     Well, I hope if you are in this heat too, that you are enjoying refreshing drinks and staying cool. I plan on enjoying the air conditioning at the CHA SuperShow later in the week, since this heat wave is expected to last past the weekend. I know it won' be the same as in the past, but I hope to have some fun anyway. Maybe the movie theater too. Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment, it will make me feel cooler ;- )

Ladybug, little girl card.

     Today's card is from Cricut's Birthday Bash cart. I made this card for the daughter of a friend and ex-colleague of my husband. I cut the ladybug, base and the number 5, (which comes from the next page of the handbook) on 3 1/4 inches. The pink and green cardstock is Bazzill and the pattern paper is Paper Studio from Hobby Lobby. The ladybug is embossed with swiss dots. I used frosted lace stickles on the black spots and diamond glaze on the antenna tips.

     For the inside, I used the sentiment from the same page as the ladybug. I doodled on it with a green glitter gel pen, to give it some interest and added a gem, from Hero Arts, to one of the i's.

     What would I do differently? I might have made the ladybug smaller. I thought about faux stitching the pink layer, but wasn't sure if I could do it neat enough. Should try that before I glue it down. Maybe texture emboss the inside pink layer, but I don't know.

     I don't know why I think I'm further along than I am after I pick the image I'm going to use and maybe the sentiment. Sometimes, I even have a basic layout in mind, but I seem to forget how long it takes to pick the papers for the pieces, if I'm cutting the image out, decide on embellishments, decide the total color scheme, choose how the sentiment will be displayed and all the other "little"decisions like that (embossing, pens, glitter, ribbon.........).  Fortunately, this card isn't needed until the end of the month, but I have others I put aside because I thought I knew what I was doing with this one, it would be quick, ha. It always takes longer than I thought. I need to hunt for supplies for 2 of the others, for the basic idea rattling around in my head, that will of course take 10X longer than I anticipate ;- )

     Thanks for checking out my card and my random thoughts. Please, leave me a comment if you've got a moment. I really appreciate them. Have a blessed day!

Little girl card with Imagine

     Well, here is the card I promised. Finally, I get to do a card for a girl, with pink and everything ;- ) I decided to go with Nursery Tales. It came with my Imagine and has very cute images. I don't have a lot of use for them because, I don't make many cards for little ones, so I wanted to take advantage of this chance. (Wow, that was a long sentence.) I realize with some creativity, I can come up with things for others from this cartridge, but sometimes, it's just nice to get to use things without too much switching around.

     The font is from Storybook and uses the pattern from the Nursery Tales Imagine cart. The Imagine did a nice job cutting such a thin font. The number 4 is from Birthday Bash, because I wanted a boxier font there. I split the Imagine image into layers and popped things up and added  glitter gel pen to add sparkle. The scalloped circle shape is one of the pre-loaded shapes that comes on the Imagine. I used Judi-kins Diamond Glaze on the mushroom caps, unfortunately one cracked :- (

Click on photos to see them larger.

     I tried something new on the inside. I did the message digitally using Imprint MT Shadow. To get it to print on the mat that the Imagine printed, I printed it first on regular printer paper and had the Imagine just cut the mat without printing to make sure the printing would fit. Then, I used a repositionable tape runner to attach the Imagine printed and cut piece to a piece of printer paper in the place where it printed the sentiment the last time. Knowing which way to put the paper in your printer is essential. Put the paper in the printer and print it again and it should print on the card stock. I made some extra layers from the image I used on the front to embellish the inside and sparkled them as well.

     What would I do differently? Well, I had meant to round the corners, but forgot until after I had put the layers on the front. I think that would be a much nicer look. I should have placed the word turning straight >.<  I was thinking that a rosette might look nice under the 4, but then I really would have had to get the word turning straight >.<  Good things 4 y.o. aren't that critical. What do you think?

     Thanks for stopping by today. Please leave a comment if you have time. It's wonderful knowing you were here. Have a blessed rest of the week and may your days be inspired!

     

On the inside...

      Well, today I promised you the inside of the card I showed you on yesterday's post. The image and the font are from Birthday Bash. The sentiment is made to go with the cupcake and is the shift key for the cupcake image on the Birthday Bash cartridge. I re-cut the flame of the cupcake and replaced the green part. The 3 was the leftover cutout from cutting the balloon on the front.  I used divine swirls embossing on the cupcake. Now, here it is.

     I mentioned getting Lemon Flowers Stack by DCWV yesterday, but I hadn't taken any pictures. Today I thought I show you this lovely sparkly paper. Love the brightness!

Each print comes in different colors. For example the yellow one will also come in green and vice versa. The black and grey comes in a yellow and tan. The first, third and fifth (in the row above are glittered.) Click the photos to see them larger.

There are 4x6 mat stacks too.

This one has the same patterns only the prints are smaller to match the 4x6 size.

These are nicely textured, metallic or glittered. Again I found them for 50% off at JoAnn's.

     Thanks for stopping by today. Have a super weekend. We're expecting very warm temperatures here, of course that means storms as well. Please leave a comment if you have time, I really appreciate hearing from you and knowing you were here.

Yes, it's another guy card.

     Well, this guy is little. I remembered later, that I do have a little girl birthday first. Darn, it would have been a nice change of pace ;- ) This little ones Grandmother, told me he likes penguins, so I used Cricut's Create a Critter for the Penguin and the Balloon, using the Gypsy to add the number 3 to the balloon. The font, the sentiment and card base come from Birthday Bash. I too, was frustrated and annoyed after reading Provo Crafts "Official Statement" on their lawsuits today. Unfortunately, I have too much invested in the Cricut et. al. and not enough money to switch horses at this point, so I have to stick with the pony I'm riding. I don't plan on upgrading my Expression, though, and will continue on with SCAL, because that was a major factor in my purchase decision.  OK, back to the card now...

 
     What does the inside look like? Well, you'll have to wait to tomorrow to see. Why? Because it's not finished yet, he he! I did get some great paper at JoAnn's today. The had DCWV on sale for 50% off and I picked up Lemon Flowers (the 12 X12 and both mat stacks). Archiver also has had these new stamps and honeycomb papers that are really neat. See the line here. I had to put my name on the list and my stamp came in today and I had a 30% off coupon. I've heard that they've run out at many of their stores. I hope to use them soon.

     Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment if you have the time. I really appreciate them all.
Have a blessed and inspired day!

Rocking the guy card!

     Before I give in to the call of more flowers, I needed to do another masculine card. This one is for a 22 year old. I can't believe how fast they all grow up. From birth to 22 in a blink or two. Anyway, this friend's son, had played in their Church Praise Band. I decided to use the star shaped-card, from Cricut's Birthday Bash. It's from the card function on the image of the fox playing the guitar (4th image). I used the star and a modified version of the words (just a minor trim), from that page and the font from that cart as well. I decided that a cooler guitar was needed though, so I used the guitar from the Indie Art Solutions free upload to the Gypsy. I hid the inside cuts and then used the Cri-Kits metallic green gel pen to draw the details in.

     On the inside, I used a digital sentiment with the Lettering Delights font SNF Jester Fool.  Don't forget, they are still having their Dollar Days at Lettering Delights. There's a link in my right margin. The pattern papers are DCWV's  Generation Tech. I think I'll find a lot of uses for this paper pack. (I'll probably get a 2nd.) The metallic paper is from AC Cardstock.

     What would I do differently? Looking at it, I'm thinking of adding some bling to the pegs (tuning pegs) at the top of the guitar. I wish I'd come up with a different way to do the sentiment. I was kind of going for an inverted triangle, but it didn't fit. (Only in my mind.) Maybe if I'd used a smaller font size. Then maybe cut that with zig zag scissors? Maybe I'll find an embellishment to go to the left of the star, in the blue area. I really like how the front turned out though.  The bit of bling for more dimension would be about it (the star and the guitar and the letters that need it are already popped up.)

     Now, maybe I can play with flowers ;- ) Penny Duncan, added a tutorial and SVG file to her blog here, on  Easter lilies. I also found  one on roses here. So click on the links if you are interested and make some summer inside. Have a great and blessed rest of the week. Your comments are more appreciated than you could know. Thanks for stopping by.

Birds are singing and I made a masculine birthday card.

     Have you ever gone into your craft room and thought, I'll use a Cricut cartridge that will make my card easy? Well, that was my plan. Only, I ended up choosing an image that had a number of cuts and it was also a  masculine card ;- ) Well, it wasn't that hard only a bit time consuming. The weather was nice enough to have the window open, so I could hear the robins singing. The Cubs were on TV. I could almost believe it was summer. So, it was a nice time crafting.
    
     I decided to use Basic Grey's Granola pack because it's one of my favorite for men. I decided to make the bird on the pennant banner, from Birthday Bash, for the front. To work out the colors, I numbered the cuts on the handbook and numbered the corresponding colors of paper in the paper pack. This made it easy to remember, what I'd decided to cut out in which color. I figured I needed to see it, to decide if I liked it. I'm not good at visualizing colors together. So here it is.

     I wrote on the pennants with a Sargent Liquid Metals marker. It matched the Distress Tumbled Glass Ink, I used with the Hero Arts sentiment, pretty well. I used Judikins  diamond glaze on the birds beak. The legs were so small, I decided to draw them on, but not much shows up well on black. Long ago, I had purchased some puffy fabric markers, that you heat to make them puff up. These worked very well, I will need to use this effect on more cards. Here is the bird detail.

     Someone had mentioned them on a blog, but it was over a year ago and I can't remember whom. I was never able to find them in a store. I finally found these on the internet. Here they are, if you are interested.

     The inside came from the same cart (Birthday Bash), but was the phrase from the image with 2 birds holding a ribbon type banner. The yellow paper was some pattern paper I had in scraps. I believe it's from Hobby Lobby. It's the same as the bird's beak on the front. I popped up this sentiment. All it needs is a signature. This is going to a male in his late teens.

     What would I do differently? I don't know. Right now, I'm pretty happy with it. What do you think? Now I just have to be sure to mail it on time. He has an April 1st birthday and I always miss the birthdays at the beginning of the month. Even when I've got the cards done. The new month just sneak up on me. Kind of like the weekends ;- ) Have a great one. Comments are very appreciated!

Imagine card for 2 year old boy

     Well, I thought I wouldn't get today's card finished, phew ;- ) Right in the middle of it, DH and I had to finish up the taxes, in order to finish the forms for next years college financial aid. At least this time DH, started out in my guest chair and I was able to do two things at once, but about 1/2 way through, he took over my desk and that caused card making to grind to a halt. We eventually finished the taxes, but then the cranky printer needed some coaxing to print out the inside sentiment, before I could call the card finished and take it's lovely photo.
     Here are the directions for today's card. I used the Imagine and Nursery Tales. The background is one of the patterns from the cart, cut in a 5 1/4 inch square, that I then  cut to to 5 1/4 X 4 on the paper cutter (I sure wish Provo Craft had realized that this was an important ratio and included it).  I used the bunny on the mushroom image cut in layers at 4 1/2 inches.  I cut a Nursery Tales pattern circle at 1 inch and one at .8 inches, as well as a number "2" from the Birthday Blast cart that I filled with the pattern from Nursery Tales that I used in the background paper, cutting it at .8 inches.  I added 1/16 in. high dimensionals to the second layer of mushrooms and the number "2." I used 1/8 in. high dimensionals to the bunny and the flower.  I added the butterfly from the layer of the bunny image and attached to the number "2." I also cut out a sentiment from Birthday Bash, which was on page 25, (the main image is a birthday cake) and was the shifted sentiment on that page. I filled it with a light green color from Nursery Tales. I used glitter pens to add accents, as well as adding Judi Kins Diamond Glaze, on the large mushroom and Perfect Pearls on most of the images to give them some sparkle (hard to see in the photos, but very nice in person). I used Martha Stewart brown flocking on the cattail.

 This photo kind of shows the Perfect Pearls. Click on photos for a larger view.

This photo shows a close-up of some of the details.

     The inside, is matted with the dark patten, cut on the Imagine at 5 1/4 square inches and recut to 5/14 X 4 inches and a light green pattern cut on the Imagine at 5 inches square and recut to 5 x 3 3/4 inches (both from Nursery Tales). I made a digital sentiment in PrintShop, using the font SNF Jester Curls and cut it to 4 3/4 x 3 1/2 inches, adding images of the bunny, flower and butterfly all cut at 4 inches relative.

     What would I do different? I should have rounded the corners, at least the two, right ones. I don't like how the pens looked on the flower and I should have just added the Perfect Pearls and used a Viva Decor Pearl Pen for the center or a gem. Well, I'm glad you were able to stop by and am always excited when you leave comments. Thanks for sharing your valuable time with me. Have a great week!

First card of the New Year

     Ok, here is the card from yesterday. I had decided I wanted to do a shaped card and liked this postage stamp one from Cricut's Birthday Bash cart. It was one that I had chosen on my Gypsy when we took my son back to school. I had decided to make it 5x5. First problem, no 5x5 envelope. There was no square envelope on the cart, so I figured I'd use my Ultimate Crafter's Companion. Find info Here. DH insisted I get one at CHA in Chicago after he saw it demonstrated. Isn't he supportive ;- ) Second problem, there are directions for a 6x6 and a 4x4 envelope. Did I mention these were suppose to be quick cards? There is I line between those to make the 6x6 and the 4x4 envelopes so I decide to see if it will make the right size envelope. Through a bit of trial and error, I find that if you use a square of cardstock 8 1/16ths you will get an envelope 5 1/8. Perfect for a 5in square card. Easy peasy!
     As I mentioned yesterday, these cards I'm making are for our Church Youth Director to give to volunteers and teens as she needs them. I decided to go with the snail image that Birthday Bash uses with the stamp card base (snail mail) and to make it a thank-you card. I cut the snail and all it's layers at 2 inches. I then decided that although his face cut out well, I'd draw it on, rather than glue my fingers, or run it through the Zyron. The snail was made with misc. scraps from my scrap box and the background paper was from the Imagine More cart from the Cricut Imagine that I left over from another project. My snail is a snail and does leave a trail, ewww, with Viva Decor glitter liner. The "Thanks" is from Gypsy Wanderings on the Gypsy (also pre-compiled on the college trip) cut at 2 3/4 inches. The flower gems are from Kaiser scrapbook. The sentiment on the inside is from Church Chatter by Clear Dollar Stamps. I love these stamps for this type of cards and use them often.
     Now, there are some things I would have done differently about this easy card. I wouldn't have colored in the antenna on the snail (Statlightz Glitter Gel Pen). I just dont like the look, but sometimes what's done is done, move on. I also should have inked everything, esp. the card base. I thought of this after everything was put together, but I've learned from experience that if I do it at the end, I probably won't like it or will mess it up and then I've ruined the whole card. So I left it. I also question the color of those gems,  but I like them, so not sure. The snail should be placed farther to the right.

     So, today I was going to make it easier (wasn't that what I said about yesterdays' card)? I picked the Bird on the Branch image from the Imagine More cart on the Cricut Imagine. I cut in layers to glue it on an A2 blank. However, (were you ready for a however), the rectangle isn't A2. I trimmed off  the right and left sides to make it mat on the A2 blank (we're just going brut force today - EASY). Then layered the rest of the pieces and pop-dot the bird. The "Thanks" came from Cricut's Lyrical Letters cart filled with a pattern from Imagine More on the Imagine. On the inside, I printed just the bottom layer of the same image as the front and cut it down and also printed the bird on real dial size of 1 inch (bird only). The sentiment is also from Church Chatter by Clear Dollar Stamps. I placed the bird on an oval cut by the Imagine from it's installed shapes because otherwise the bird blended in.
     I also started another card, which I will finish and show next time. These aren't great cards, but my goal with these are to be relatively fast. See I've added a modifier now. But I do want them to have some level of detail or texture.  Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading my babbling.