Beary Crafty

Another Better Late Than Never Post

2011-08-03T18:44:00.000-07:00

Here is the Mother's Day card I made for my sister. I masked off a frame with blue painters tape, and then sponged blue distress ink on. I then stamped the hero arts image with the same blue distress ink. Quick and simple :)

I made a couple more of these in other colors for two other mom's cards :)

Card for my Dad's Retirement

2011-05-30T21:43:00.000-07:00

I made this using SVG's from files created by Vicky at Clips-n-cuts. I used the picture cut file from the newest die-cut freebie file called 'film set'; I used the watering can from the freebie file called 'gardening'; also the guitar, musical notes and treble clef from the freebie file called 'music set'; also a tree from the freebie file called 'trees'.

Thanks Vicky for all the wonderful free SVG's! I love how this card turned out, and can't wait to give it to my Dad tomorrow at his retirement party.

I'm entering this into the digital challenge over at:

Lily Pad Card's

If you have any question on how this card was put together leave me a way to get in contact with you and I'll get back to you :)

Here are some more pic's:

Entry for Lily Pad Cards Embossing Challenge

2011-05-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made for my sister-in-law's birthday. I started by dry embossing white cardstock using the 'Tulip' Spellbinder Impressabilities with my sizzix big shot. I cut a strip of blue cardstock (the same color as my card base), and then I used my sewing machine to add some decorative stitching to the top and bottom of the strip. I stamped a flower from the 'In Bloom' Papertrey Ink stampset onto some My Mind's Eye patterned paper from the lime twist collection using Versamark ink. I added some orange embossing powder and heat embossed. Then I cut it out. I stamped two leaves from the In Bloom set onto some EP paper from the Springtime collection (Grass) also using Versamark ink, and added some green embossing powder and heat embossed (and cut them out). I added some shading with some prismacolor pencils to the flower and the leaves, and then I attached everything to the card base.

I'm entering this into the following weekly challenge at:

Lily Pad Cards

Entry for Hero Arts May2011B/Card for my Mom's Birthday

2011-05-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

I started with some craft cardstock and stamped all four of the HA Color Me Flowers stamps with versamark ink and embossed with black embossing powder. I colored the flowers in with prismacolor pencils. I then stamped over the top of everything with the HA Cling Dots stamp using blue ink. I used a circle punch to remove a portion of the corners of the craft cardstock. I adhered the craft cardstock to some cream cardstock and added some blue brads. Then I attached the whole thing to the card base. I cut a oval out with a spellbinders nestability die and sponged on some blue ink with the die still over the cut. Then I stamped 'happy' with some of the same blue ink (I used a 'happy father's day' stamp and only inked the 'happy'). I attached the oval to the card front with some foam tape.

Bad experience at Craft Warehouse

2011-05-13T11:20:00.000-07:00

I know this is a different post than I usually make but I thought I would pass on my recent experience while shopping at Craft Warehouse (Gresham, Oregon). Here is the message that I sent to the corporate office today describing my experience:

I was in your Gresham, Oregon store on 5/12/11. One of the items that I purchased was marked $4.99. I got out to my car and saw that I had been charged $5.99, so I went back in to get a $1.00 refund. The cashier proceeded to process the transaction as a refund and told me that I needed to give him my information (i.e., name, address, phone number, etc.). I asked him why he needed that information, and he told me apologetically that it was store policy and he had to have it for this transaction, and I said I didn't understand why in this particular instance he would need all that information. He then called for his supervisor, who fixed it so that it was a refund/re-ring, who then stated that besides the information he had requested before they would also need to see my drivers license. I stated that I would prefer not to give that information out unless absolutely necessary, and she stated that it was new store policy. I asked her why she just couldn't give me my dollar back, as I had paid cash for my purchase and she said that because of store policy I would have to give them my information. I complained again and she called up her store manager who could possibly override the system so I wouldn't have to give my information out. While we were waiting, the supervisor proceeded to tell the cashier that when he was done with me, that he should go back to the aisle where the product was located and change the prices. He asked why, they cost $4.99? I explained to him that there had been a mark-up and the prices hadn't been changed on the package. He then understood what his supervisor wanted him to do. (as all this is going on, I'm wondering WHY the supervisor didn't wait for me, the customer, to leave before telling the cashier to go and change the prices, or as she put it to remove the little white stickers from the product. What BAD customer service! When I worked retail, we would make the price adjustment, wait until the customer was gone, THEN go and fix the problem. You don't drag a customer into store business. I think that makes BAD business!) Anyway, when the store manager arrived she said it was now new store policy that they would need all my information for this transaction, but that she would override it for me this time and pass on my concerns about the new policy at their next store meeting. I pointed out how I thought it was unfair that they required all my personal information for a mistake THEY made in not putting the correct price on their merchandise, and how I had paid cash for my entire purchase (not like I used a debit/credit card, then I could see them needing my information to perform a credit). Also, seeing as it was only a $1 I needed returned to me, I thought it was kind of overkill to ask for all this information.

This situation has caused me not to want to return to shop at your store for a LONG time, maybe never. It left a bad impression on me and I thought you might want to know of this situation concerning new store policy and how it affects your customers. You may lose more than just my business.

Anyway, just thought I would pass this along and see if anyone else has experienced this. Also, on a funnier note, while I was there I asked an associate in the scrapbook section about a problem I was experiencing with my Sizzix Big Shot and the Spellbinders Nestabilities (problem- my shape (circle or oval) is embossing, whether I want it to or not, just in the cutting process). She said she didn't know much about the machine or the dies and she would go ask their 'EXPERT' if she knew how to prevent this. Her co-worker, the 'EXPERT' came over with a spellbinder die and asked which direction I was cutting it in (face up, or face down). I told her I didn't think it mattered in the cutting only in the embossing process after the cutting. She was surprised that the die could also emboss (she had NO clue, that that is what they are designed to do) and was wondering how I had found out about this. Pretty sad for an 'expert', huh?

Card for my nephew

2011-05-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

I cut a solid stamp with my big shot using my oval spellbinders nestabilities and some thin fun foam. I stamped the oval with some blue distress ink and then used a bird stamp from one of the Tim Holtz visual artistry stampsets. I covered the birds with clear glossy accents. I then stamped a scrolly looking stamp around the oval using green distress ink.

Card for my Dad's Birthday

2011-04-30T21:32:00.000-07:00

I wanted to try some masking and sponging. I think it turned out pretty cool! I ripped a piece of paper to use for the skyline and the ground line. I masked off the ground line and sponged blue distress ink for the sky (I added a circle mask for the sun before sponging the sky). I removed the circle and added the paper the circle was cut from so that I could sponge the sun color. I used the mask for the skyline and sponged the ground with green distress ink. I removed the mask and stamped the tree (which I colored the trunk and some of the branches with brown colored pencil). Then I stamped the birds. I used some colored pencils to make it look like there was wild flowers in the grass area.

Better Late Than Never?

2011-02-16T17:02:00.001-08:00

Well, here are some shots of my Christmas cards that I made for December 2010. I made a couple of different variations on the same design, just used different patterned paper. I used a cut file from My ScrapChick for the ornaments. I typed up the lyrics to 'Joy to the World', and copied it enough times to fill up my card base. I printed the song onto my craft cardstock card base. Any questions? Leave me a message with a way to get back to you :)

Birthday Card for my Cousin

2011-02-09T17:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a card I made for my cousin Julie. I made the dog house for the front. For the roof I used my Martha Stewart embossing board to add some texture. I cut a circle for the sun and trimmed it to fit the corner and then I colored some rays on with a prismacolor pencil. I cut a door with my spellbinders nestabilities and made a fold line so you can peek in through the hole cut in the card front also cut with my nestabilities. Any questions? Leave a comment with a way for me to get ahold of you :)

Papertrey Ink Contest

2011-02-05T15:26:00.000-08:00

Here is a card that I made for my cousin Melissa's birthday. On the front of the card I cut a circle with my circle spellbinders nestabilities. I made a circle frame and used strips of paper to make a lattice design. I then attached the frame and lattice to the front of the card. Then I added a hero arts butterfly stamp I colored and cut out.

On the inside of the card I used two stamps from the In Bloom set. I stamped the flower and then made a mask of the flower so I could stamp the leaves. I placed the paper that I cut off from around the flower mask to mask around the flower so I could use some milled lavender distress ink to color the flower. I then added some shading to the flower and colored the leaves with some prismacolor pencils. Then I went around the outside of the flower and leaves with a grey copic.

Here is the link to the Papertrey Ink card contest info:

Inspired Papertrey Ink and Nichole Heady

It closes tomorrow at 7am EST, so hurry and get your entry in. They have an awesome prize!

Gift bag

2010-12-16T13:47:00.000-08:00

Here is my entry for Polka Doodles week 49 challenge - Project to hold a gift.

I took a small brown paper bag and covered it on both sides with paper from the DCWV Stack 6. I cut a topper for my bag using Penny Duncan's 4 point 6 scallop nesting mat. I stamped my nephew's name with some hero arts letter stamps in white ink and colored it in with some prismacolor pencils.

I put the gift inside (not telling what it is, just in case my nephew looks at my blog!). I folded the topper in half and put it on the top of the bag and punched two holes through the topper and the bag. I attached some silver eyelets in the front and the back of the topper. I then threaded some ribbon and tied it all shut with a bow :)

Here is the link to the challenge:
Polka Doodles

Fall Cards

2010-10-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

These were my entry's for the September Hero Arts contest.

If you have any questions, leave a comment with a way for me to get back to you.

Hero Arts Large Flower Stamp CG 134

2010-10-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

I just got this new stamp and had to try it out!

Supplies:

*Copic marker
*Gelly Roll clear star pen
*Prismacolor pencils
*Embossing Powder- white and clear
*Ink - Versamark, Memories Dye Inkpad (white)
*Stamps - HA Large Flower (CG134), HA Cling Dots (CG 139)

If you have any questions, leave me a comment with a way for me to get back to you :)

Happy Birthday Card

2010-10-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

I saw the 'bandanna' technique over on the blog called "Fabulously Artsy". I tried it out on this Hero Arts flower stamp.

Supplies:

Distress Ink - Broken China
Prismacolor Pencils
Computer generated sentiment

Any questions? Leave a comment with a way for me to email you back :)

Birthday Card

2010-10-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a card for my brother-in-laws birthday. No paper doll dress up this time :)

Supplies:

Cricut-wild card (candles), Sure Cuts a lot (font on inside), Inkscape

If you have any questions, leave me a comment with a way for me to get back to you :)

Cupcake Birthday Card

2010-10-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I last posted :(

I'm going to start doing things a little differently. Hopefully I'm not going to be quite as long winded as before.

Here is a card I made for my daughter's 13th birthday.

Supplies:
Cricut-Wild Card cartridge (cupcake)
Distress Inks-Worn Lipstick, Peeled Paint, and Broken China
Heat Gems
Stamps-Hero Arts Tiny Dot Letters, Michaels Dollar Stamps (letter 'E'), Tim Holtz Visual Artistry Stamp (text on candle, not sure which set)

If you have any questions leave me a comment with a way for me to reply back :)

Cute Mouse with Flower Card

2010-06-06T17:44:00.000-07:00

I made the main element on this card using a really cute mouse with flower digital stamp by Meljen Designs. I colored it with markers and colored pencils. I used some fruit punch stickles on the cheeks and some glossy accents on the flower and stem. I dry embossed the layer under the mouse with my fiskars scrapboss using elements from the rectangle/wave and rectangle/classic shape boss stencils. I added the two layers to some DCWV paper as the card base. I added three pearls to the upper right side of the card.

I'm entering this into the challenges at:

-Caardvarks June card challenge
-Meljen Designs DT Blog Challenge #10 Dry Embossing
-Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #42

Fancy Hello Kitty

2010-06-05T19:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made using the Hello Kitty and Paper Doll Dress-Up cartridges. I did alot of altering to this one. I cut the hair, flower decoration in the hair and the dress from the paper doll dress-up cartridge. I used cricut design studio to size everything on hello kitty. I colored the dress and flower decoration(which I had cut in white) with spiced marmalade distress ink. I used a fine tip black pen and a white gel pen to add detail to the dress and the hair decoration. I also used a orange pen with a fine tip on the dress too. I added pearls to the hair decoration and one on the dress. I used some liquid pearls on the dress too.

I made the backround paper myself. I used a white base and inked with broken china and tumbled glass distress inks. I stamped over the top with two different flower stamps, also using the same colored distress inks. Then I ran it through my sizzix texture boutique and embossed using the swirls cuttlebug folder.

I'm entering this into the challenges on the following blogs:

Caardvarks June challenge
My Creative Time 1rst Throwback Thursday Challenge

Aloha card

2010-05-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made using an image that I found on the BBTB2 blog for the contest they have going on right now. It's an image from Peggy Loves Vintage. I printed out the little hula girl and cut it to the size I wanted. I attached it to my card and added some glossy accents to her lei, the flowers by her ears and the flowers on her ankles. I also added some gold stickles to her skirt. I cut the colored flower chain (spiced marmalade distress ink)out twice using my cricut design studio and my cricut (the flower chain can be found on the Paper Doll Dress-up cartridge). I adhered them to the card and then added some yellow puff paint to the flower centers. I designed the 'ALOHA' word in SCAL and cut it out with my cricut using black cardstock and adhered it to the card.

You can find the contest at:

Bitten by the Bug 2

Birthday Card for my Sister-in-Law

2010-05-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

I cut some white cardstock for the top layer of my card. I added some peeled paint, tumbled glass and broken china distress inks. I dry embossed it with a sizzix embossing folder (can NOT remember the name, sorry). I cut the orange decorative band out of white paper(using SCAL and my cricut)and colored it with spiced marmalade distress ink. I sprayed it with some perfect pearls and water. I then adhered it to my top layer. I typed the sentiment out on my computer and printed it out on vellum. I adhered it to a piece of black cardstock and adhered it to the orange decorative band with some scotch foam tape. I stamped a butterfly using the antique engravings Hero Arts stampset. I colored it with a crayola marker and two different metallic gelly roll pens. I cut it out, cutting off the antennae. I used some beading wire to make some antennae and attached it to the back with some glossy accents. Then I attached the butterfly to the decorative band with some scotch foam tape.

Cute Owl Birthday Card

2010-05-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made using as the main element a SVG that I made using a coloring book page I found. I made the SVG in Inkscape and cut through SCAL on my cricut. I cut the beak, feet, branch and leaves out from white paper and colored with my markers. I used a polka dot patterned DCWV paper for the body of the owl. I used a blue patterned DCWV paper from the same stack as the polka dot paper (The Stack 6). I adhered the owl to the card front with scotch foam tape. I attached some bronze colored buttons with my crop-a-dile. The sentiment is a piece of ribbon that I bought from Michael's.

I'm entering this into the challenge over at:

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge blog

The challenge is to use 1 ribbon, 2 pattern papers and 3 embellishments. It's challenge #29

Butterfly and buttons card

2010-05-12T10:35:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made using some patterned paper from DCWV for the topper of the card. I used a strip of white card stock for the rectangular piece and the circles. I colored the rectangular strip with tumbled glass and broken china distress inks. Then I sprayed it with the perfect pearls/water mixture using a mini mister. I adhered three heart buttons with embroidery floss tied on to the rectangular strip. Then I cut two circles with my cricut using the plantin schoolbook cartridge. I cut one circle 2 1/2" and one circle 2 1/4". I colored the 2 1/2 circle with broken china distress ink and I colored the 2 1/4" circle with tumbled glass distress ink. I adhered the two circles together and adhered to the rectangle with some scotch foam tape. I stamped a flower from the Color Me Flowers Hero Art set and also a butterfly from the Hero Arts antique engravings set. I colored them both and put some white gel pen highlights on both. I cut them out and adhered them to the circles. I had to draw the antennas for the butterfly with a fine tip black pen.

I am entering this card in the challenges at:

Posh Designs Scrapbook Store - I used their card sketch #14 for challenge #14
Cupcake Craft Challenge #90 using Buttons

I WON!

2010-05-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

I entered a Mother's Day photo contest over at 300 d.p.i. and I won! I was so surprised! Here is what they wrote over on their blog:

And the Mother's Day Photo Contest Winner is...Janet Brandon

Thanks to all of our Mothers Day Photo submissions as it was really fun to see all the sweet memories that remind us of our Mothers, Grandmothers and our Children. The photos we take now we will have forever and the manipulation that we can do with them later is amazing. Years ago the word “Scrapbooking” seemed to be daunting to most as they say…I don’t have time for that. In today’s busy life, we can sit for a few minutes between the laundry and getting the kids to a game and have a little fun!

Janet Brandon used a beautiful photo with mirrored effects and complimented the photo by using a vignette around the photo. Nice work Janet! We will be contacting you with your FREE gift from 300dpi.com.

Yay! :)

A Mother's Day card for a friend

2010-05-12T10:20:00.001-07:00

Here is a card that I made the main part of it with a cool stamp that I picked up at Craft Warehouse. The stamps if by Northwoods Rubber Stamps, Inc., stamp #P7280. It pretty much makes the whole card front, and all I needed to do was color it :) I added some patina stickles on the leaves and some diamond stickles to make little raised spots on the flowers. I made some lines with a ruler and two sizes of fine black markers around the image. I adhered it to a black card and my card was complete :)

Birthday card for my Mom

2010-05-07T12:56:00.001-07:00

Here's the card I made for my Mom. Though it's not really a card because it doesn't open up. The birthday wishes are on the other side. You just flip it over. So, I don't know, is it a tag?

Anyway...I cut some patterned paper into a 5" square (approximately). I cut a 4" circle out of some paper that I made in adobe photoshop(just a gradient fill with a yellow and a orange). I embossed the circle with a sizzix 'dot' folder (not sure of the exact name). I adhered the circle to the square, and cut off the excess. I stitched around the perimeter of the square (only up to the circle) with some yellow thread on my sewing machine. I adhered the card top to some white cardstock (okay...I'll be truthful, it started out as a card, but the first try I had a hard time getting it on straight; the second time I creased the card a little too well; the third time I cut the card base too small after I had adhered the card front to it...need I go on?). lol! I can laugh about it now :)

I designed the flower chain in cricut design studio using the plantin schoolbook cartridge. I cut it out on my cricut. I adhered some clear jewels in the centers of the flowers. Then I used some scotch foam tape to adhere it around the curve of the circle. I used my sakura micron pen to add some dots on the flower chain. I stamped a butterfly from the Hero Arts antique engravings stampset onto some paper colored with spiced marmalade distress ink using staz on black ink. I trimmed around it and then added some white gel ink, some diamond stickles and my Sakura clear star gelly roll pen. I attached it to the front of my card with more foam tape. Then I stamped 'Mom' with some black staz on ink.

I'm entering this into the challenges over at:
Stampin' Sisters in Christ blog (#2)
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #49 blog

Quick card for my daughter

2010-05-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made for my daughter. She had been having a rough time at school and I thought she might really like this card. My husband and I found this stampset at Michael's in the dollar bin. I thought it was perfect.

I cut a standard size card (5 1/2" x 4 1/4") in half. I used broken china distress ink to color the card base. I then stamped the pattern at the top and the bottom with weathered wood distress ink using another stamp we found in the dollar bin at Michael's. I colored some white cardstock with spiced marmalade distress ink and then I stamped the ticket stamp with black staz-on ink on that. I cut the ticket out and attached it to my card with some scotch foam tape. On the inside of the card I stamped the sentiment on with black staz-on ink using the second stamp that came with the stampset. I punched out some flowers with a paper punch using the leftover cardstock that I had colored with the spiced marmalade distress ink. I adhered those inside the card and did some inking around the petals with a black fine point pigma micron pen and a white gel pen.

Card for my mother-in-law

2010-05-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

When my husband saw the card that I made for my mom for mother's day, he insisted that he wanted something like it for his mom. So I went ahead and made one using cats instead of dogs. I used the recollection 'meow meow' stampset. I stamped three cats on some white cardstock using my stamp positioner (let me tell you, I don't know how I lasted so long without purchasing one of these!). I colored all the cats making sure to make the middle one stand out by coloring it orange. I stamped the kitty image onto another piece of cardstock and I colored it the same color of orange and used my Sakura quickie glue pen to put glue on the kitty's stripes and then I put some red glitter on them. Using the second stamped kitty, I cut out the main part of the kitty (this is the layer that I added the glitter to) and adhered it to the main kitty with some scotch foam tape. I applied some fruit punch stickles on his ears (on the main layer) and his nose (on the top layer). I printed out my sentiment from my computer onto some cardstock. I adhered my patterned paper onto my card base after I stitched the kitty section and the sentiment section on and added some ribbon. I rounded all my corners. I stamped a ball of yarn and adhered it next to the sentiment.

I'm entering this into the current challenge over at the Stampin' Sisters in Christ blog.

Oval card for my sister

2010-05-04T09:16:00.001-07:00

Here is a card that I made for my sister for Mother's Day. I used a flower stencil I had and stenciled (sp?) on a piece of white cardstock. I used scattered straw, worn lipstick and peeled paint distress inks. I used some fine tip pens and outlined all the parts of the flower. I then cut out all the parts and adhered them to another piece of cardstock cut in an oval shape that I had colored with broken china distress ink. I popped up a few of the flower petals and I added some inking on the flower to add some dimension. I added my sentiment at the bottom. I adhered the flower layer to some white cardstock and then adhered those to my card base. My card base started out square, but I used the upper layer to cut it to the oval shape.

I'm entering this into the current challenges over at:
lily-boo challenge blog
c.r.a.f.t. challenge
meljen's designs DT blog
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog

Mother's Day Card

2010-05-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

Here is the card I made for my Mom. I used a stamp from the 'Woof Woof' recollections set (#1305). I stamped it onto some paper that I had stamped with a Michael's $1 stamp. I cut out the fluffy parts of the dog and adhered them onto another duplicate stamped image (does that sound as violent to you as it does to me? lol!). I popped up some of the fluffy patterned pieces with scotch foam tape and glued some straight onto the bottom image. In case you didn't notice, I had to cut out the bottom image, and boy, was that labor intensive! I had to cut out some internal sections with an x-acto (sp?) knife. I used a stamp positioner to stamp the other two dogs on the card front. I colored them with some colors that I thought would make them not stand out too much. Then I colored the rest of the middle one with a color that would stand out. I typed the sentiment out on my computer and printed it out on the card front. I adhered some 'pocket full of posies' DCWV paper under my front layer and then adhered all of those to my card base.

Maybe I should mention that I designed the card front in cricut design studio using the plantin schoolbook cartridge and cut it out on my cricut.

The sentiment on the inside of the card was also printed out off my computer onto some white cardstock. I rounded those corners and adhered onto the inside of my card. I cut 1/2" strips of the same DCWV paper I used on the front and rounded those corners too and adhered it onto the white cardstock inside the card.

I'm going to enter this into The Pink Stamper's national scrapbook day challenge over at her blog.

And while I'm at it, I'm going to enter this in over on the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge blog.

Mask made with wild card and cricut

2010-04-30T10:29:00.001-07:00

Here is a video that I made for youtube. I made a mask or stencil (not sure which it is, or is it both?) using grafix clear craft plastic. I had to cut this approximately three times on my cricut. It really dulled out my blade, but I am pleased with what I ended up with. I think this can be used alot on my cards. You can use it over and over with different colors of inks. It can be used as the main card front or as a backround...in other words, I think I'm trying to say that it is very versatile :) I set this up to cut using my cricut design studio. I wanted to be able to utilize as much of the 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of the craft plastic as I could.

Word of warning: I pretty much was bent over my cricut the whole time that it was cutting. Towards the end of cutting I had to make sure and remove any little pieces of plastic that had popped out of the cut. If you don't watch it, these little pieces can get caught up in your blade, and then it's pretty much not cutting anymore :(

Tin foil embossing video/Pagoda card

2010-04-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

Here is my you tube video showing how I emboss Reynolds Heavy Duty Wrap. Also, I have included a picture of a card where I used this technique to make the backround layer. I also used a cut from the Pagoda cricut cartridge. I cut the dragonfly out twice, once in cardstock and once from recycled cardboard (from food packaging). I adhered the two cut out dragonflies and stamped a layer of versamark over the top. I then used gold embossing powder and heat embossed it. I cut the wing layer out of some floral chiyogami paper. I designed the cut for the location of the sentiment in inkscape and cut in SCAL. I printed the sentiment off of my computer. Then I adhered the two layers of the sentiment square (is there some less awkward way to say this?) together and taped some gold thread around the shape. I attached the dragonfly and the sentiment square down with scotch foam adhesive.

I'm also including a picture of another card I made with embossed reynolds wrap. It's a mosaic card and I mention it in my video :)

Just a little side note: You can find this card on the My Pink Stampers blog in her gallery section under 'Pagoda'. I had entered this into her Design Team search. I wasn't picked but received an email asking if I would like to submit this for her first gallery. WooHoo! :) lol

You & Me card

2010-04-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

Here is a card that I made to enter into the challenge over on the KWernerDesign Blog. Her challenge was to create a one-layer card. I made a rectangular mask by tearing a rectangle out of white cardstock. I temporarily adhered it to my card base and inked all over the card front with broken china distress ink. Then I stamped over the top of it with the Hero Arts swirls backround stamp in peeled paint distress ink. I removed the mask and then stamped my frog stamp in black staz on ( I don't know who made this stamp as it was in a box set from Costco). I colored in the frog stamp with colored pencils. I then stamped the sentiment 'you & me' in black staz on. To finish the card off, I paper pierced around the swirls on the backround stamp.

Pink, Green & Black Card

2010-04-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made for the Pink Stamper's challenge. I used papers that I bought from the 300 DPI (DCWV) website. It's the Mariposa 2 pack. I used three different papers on my card. I cut 1" circles out using the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge on my cricut. I adhered my pink paper and my green paper, and then adhered the circles across the seam. I then stitched it down with my sewing machine. I used the a butterfly element from the paper pack too. I pop dotted that on. I then stamped the sentiment 'Happy Mother's Day' from a inkadinkadoo set.

Another Layered Flower Card

2010-03-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

Here is another card I made using a coloring book image found on the web. This one is a bit more subtle then the last one, because I used papers that were more similar in color. I used three different papers from two different digital paper kits that I got for free off the internet. I used the same paper for the flower petals as I did for the backround paper. I used a cream colored paper for the flower face and the pot. I then used a green paper for the stem and leaves. I used foam tape to attach my flower to the matting (made with a piece of black paper and a piece of white paper I put through my sizzix embossing machine with the mosaic cuttlebug folder). I stamped the sentiment with a $1 stamp I got from Joanne's using staz on ink.

I'm entering this card into the Moxie Fab World challenge and over on the Paper, Scissors and Superheroes blog.

Layered Flower Card

2010-03-28T16:23:00.001-07:00

Here is a card I made using a free coloring book page I found while googling (sp?). I printed it out on four different papers from a free digital paper set I found on the internet called Tie-Dye Cherry Blossom. I made a gradient fill design in Adobe Photoshop Elements using the dropper tool and taking two samples of color. I used this for the backround paper, the top flower section and the part with the black border (was that as confusing as it sounded?). In case I didn't mention it...I hand cut all the layers (this is probably why my husband mentioned that it seemed to be taking a REALLY long time to cut that out!) then I used scotch foam tape to layer the different layers of the flower. I topped the flower off with a bit of bling using a heat fix gem. I then stamped the sentiment with staz on using a inkadinkadoo stamp. Hope you like it :)

I'm entering this into the Moxie Fab World challenge and the challenge on the 'Paper, Scissors and Superheroes' blog.

Anniversary 'Card' for my parents

2010-03-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a 'card' for my parent's anniversary. The reason I say 'card' is because it is more like a tag, just not in tag shape. I cut some cardstock down to the size I needed for my stamp. I then backed it with some recycled cardboard. I used the script stamp from the Tim Holtz 'Urban Grunge' set. I stamped in versamark and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I then inked over that with broken china and peeled paint distress inks. I cut a '42' out with SCAL and embossed it with the mosaic cuttlebug folder (I think thats what it's called). I used a circle stamp from a $1 set of clear stamps from studio G found at Michael's. I stamped that out 6 times and stamped out H-A-P-P-Y using the Heidi Swapp alphabet stampset (with peeled paint distress ink), then in the 6th circle I stamped 'nd' with an alphabet set from inkadinkadoo (with broken china distress ink). I really like how it turned out (personally :) )

Valentine's Day Card

2010-03-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

Here is the card I made for my daughter for Valentine's Day (I know I'm a bit behind). I used a free teddy bear svg from svgcuts.com (their free svg's at http://svgcuts.com/blog). I used an inkadinkadoo stamp for the lips :)

Truck Birthday Card

2010-02-28T17:07:00.001-08:00

Here is a card I made for my father-in-law's birthday. I used stamps from tim holtz's visual artistry clear stamps. The truck is from The Journey and the sprig is from the Flights of Fancy set. I printed off the 'Happy Birthday' from the computer and embossed it with the mosaic cuttlebug folder. I heat embossed the truck with blue embossing powder. I stamped the sprig with peeled paint distress ink.

Entry for the Hero Arts Blog 30grand

2010-02-28T16:21:00.000-08:00

I'm putting this on my blog as well as the hero arts flickr group. Here is a card that I made using some butterfly stamps from hero arts. I stamped the butterflies onto some digital paper that I bought from 300dpi. It's the second Mariposa kit, I believe. I cut them out and layered them onto the card with foam tape. The flower border on the bottom of the card was made with a stampendous set called 'flower tops'. I stamped it with yellow colorbox chalk ink and then I cut it out and adhered to my card front. The blue paper on the card front is from The Garden Party Stack from DCWV.

More string art on a card

2010-02-18T13:13:00.000-08:00

Here is some more string art! :) I got a pattern from a library book (don't ask which one - I think I have checked out every different kind of card craft book that my library has!). I copied the pattern onto some tracing paper and then placed the tracing paper over my cardstock and pierced my holes. I then followed the instructions for stitching. I used two different colors of metallic thread. I cut around the design with some decorative edge scissors and attached to my cardbase. I am entering this into the Cuttlebug Challenge blog for Be Inspired #71. Hope you like it 8)

My Stitched Card

2010-02-18T08:35:00.000-08:00

Here is my card for the Be Inspired #71 challenge on the cuttlebug challenge blog. I used a pretty shade of blue with my black. I cut kind of a top note shape using the accent essentials cartridge on my cricut. I cut multiple sizes of circles using the plantin schoolbook cartridge on my cricut. I textured the circles using my sizzix texture boutique with the sizzix flowers and the sizzix dots folders (not sure of the exact names of the folders). I adhered them to the top note shape and then cut off the excess. I pierced holes then hand stitched some sparkly embroidery floss on. I adhered the top note to the card with scotch foam tape. I textured the card front with the swirls cuttlebug folder. I cut the butterfly top and shadow and chipboard out using scal with my cricut. I put diamond stickles on the butterfly top. I then adhered the butterfly on with scotch foam tape. Hope you like it :)

Entry for Lucy's Cards: Challenge 4 - Glitter

2010-01-29T12:33:00.000-08:00

Here's my entry for the challenge on Lucy's Cards http://hedgehogsandladybirds.blogspot.com. I used paper from a free collection that I downloaded from Two Peas in a Bucket. The striped paper is from the All u Need digital collection. The panda was cut using the Pagoda cartridge on my cricut. The digital paper used for the body of the panda I got for free off the internet. It's called FSS - TieDyeCherryBloss FULL Freebie. I covered it with diamond stickles. I stamped the angel wings with the regal flourish visual artistry stamps by Tim Holtz in Black Staz on and put Stampendous Stamp-n-stuff Embossing Powder in Star Dust Transparent on them. Sorry for so many pictures, I felt that in order to see the sparkle, I had to take shots from different angles :)

Faux layer card

2010-01-19T14:17:00.000-08:00

Here is card I made using a technique that I saw on youtube. Splitcoaststampers demonstrated this technique. I used my hero arts antique writing stamp with tea dye distress ink and then inked over the area with some more of the same color using my foam blending tool. I stamped the sentiment with an inkadinkadoo stamp with black staz on and then embossed with some stampendous embossing powder with the glitter in it. The butterfly is also a inkadinkadoo stamp, stamped with black staz on.

Butterfly card

2010-01-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

Here's a card I made using a cut file with my sure cuts a lot and my cricut. Boy, that was a mouthful! lol! Anyway, I stamped it with my hero arts antique writing stamp and embossed with clear embossing powder. I drew the antenna's on myself (as if you couldn't tell). Then I used some liquid pearls to put a line of dots down the center of the butterfly body. I used the small hearts that cut out of the butterfly along the bottom. I colored them with scattered straw distress ink and covered them with diamond stickles. I popped up the hearts with some scotch foam tape for dimension.

Cards made with the Pagoda cartridge

2010-01-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

Here are some cards that I made using the pagoda cartridge. I made my own stencils using a piece of cardstock with some white shelfliner adhered to it. I stenciled (sp?) one koi with scattered straw and peeled paint distress inks; the other koi with worn lipstick and broken china distress inks; the flower with peeled paint, scattered straw and worn lipstick distress inks. Then after inking, I embossed the images with the stencils. For the green koi, I cut the layer using some photo paper. I then inked it with bottle and denim alcohol inks. I attached it with some scotch foam tape for some more dimension (I guess it's kind of hard to see the embossing on this one). The flowers on the side of the green koi and the blue/pink koi were made with a flower punch using floral chiyogami paper.

Have a Great Day Kitty Card

2010-01-13T11:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a card I made for my daughter. I actually bought this stamp set for my daughter for Christmas. She said I could borrow it :D. The stampset is by recollections and is called "Meow Meow". I stuck this card into my daughters lunch bag so she could find it at school during lunch. I used the same technique that I used on the butterfly card. I stamped the cat. Then I used a circle template to draw a circle around a portion of the cat. I cut around the circle, and then around the cat. I adhered the cat stamp onto another, slightly bigger circle that I cut out and then inked with my ink blending foam tool. I colored in the cat with my new ranger distress inks, using my ink blending pen.

Thinking of You Butterfly Card

2010-01-13T11:01:00.000-08:00

Here is a card I made. I used the negative from a cut out that I made with my cricut. It's kind of like a top note shape. It was on my accent essentials cartridge. Anyway...what I did is embossed the image on the front of my card. Now I know to save the negative image of my cut outs. They make great embossing templates. I don't have a light box, so I used my window. You put the negative behind the card and use your embossing tool to press around the outline. Then, viola! You have a cool embossed image! I just got some ranger distress inks and was having fun playing around with them. I have a blending pen, and used this to color in my stamped butterfly image. I then cut a circle and I used my foam blending tool to color the edges with the scattered straw color. I put the butterfly image on top of this. I also inked all the edges of the card.

Thank You Card

2010-01-09T15:23:00.000-08:00

Here is a card I made today for my Grandpa. I was struggling with how to make this card because I'm sending it to a guy and I thought it had to look manly. But, then I realized that it's a thank you card and it doesn't matter what it looks like or what sex it's aimed for. I used the pocket full of posies matstack by dcwv. I used a stamp that I got from the dollar stamps at Michael's. I used a sizzix embossing folder from the dots and flowers set in my new sizzix embossing boutique. I love the embossing boutique! It's nice to get a machine that only does what you need it for. I was struggling with whether or not to purchase a sizzix big shot or a cuttlebug because I didn't need a die cutting machine, only an embossing machine. Up till this point I've been getting by with using my pasta machine to emboss with the cuttlebug folders. Let me tell you, the embossing with the embossing boutique is a major improvement!

Card for my brother-in-law's birthday

2009-12-23T14:35:00.001-08:00

Here is a card for my brother-in-law for his birthday. I used some photo card paper for the top layer. I used my decorative edge scissors to add a decorative edge to my layer. I stamped it with some stamps from inkadinkadoo using embossing ink. I then put some clear embossing powder over that. I heat embossed. Then I inked the entire area with Adirondack alcohol inks in denim and bottle. I sanded the tops of my stamped images to make them show up better and then rubbed some rubbing alcohol over the whole area. I adhered the top layer to the card base and attached some 1/8" eyelets to the corners. I used a tim holtz fragment and stamped my greeting on the front. I then turned it over and painted some glossy apple barrel paint in pinwheel blue all over the back. I attached the fragment with some jewel effects embroidery floss to my card.

Card for my sister's birthday

2009-12-23T14:24:00.000-08:00

Here is a card I made for my sister's birthday. I designed the card in the cricut design studio. I also designed the lighter blue top layer there too. I embossed the top layer with the cuttlebug swirls folder in my pasta machine. I used a flower stamp I purchased for a dollar at Michael's. I colored in the leaves with a green colored pencil and then colored over the top of the green with a Sakura clear stardust gelly roll pen. I added some heat and stick gems in the middle of the flowers. The flower stamps are on a white sheet of paper with a frame mounted over the top that I cut from the wild card cartridge. I added a ribbon on the card and called it good :)

Christmas Card 2009

2009-12-10T16:31:00.000-08:00

Here is my Christmas card for this year. I used a poinsettia svg file that I got from einnej.typepad.com for free. She has a lot of beautiful files there. She invests a lot of time into her cut files. Check out my youtube video:

Second pretty flower card designed in Inkscape

2009-12-09T16:28:00.000-08:00

Here is my second design. The card turned out pretty plain, but I think that's okay. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder :) Boy, that Martha Stewart fine glitter is pretty, but I wouldn't suggest using it on a static filled day! That was fun cleaning up 8) Check out my youtube video:

Pretty flower card designed in Inkscape

2009-12-09T16:22:00.000-08:00

Here is a card I designed in Inkscape. When you select the polygon/star tool, you can make all kinds of fantastic designs by manipulating the nodes and the settings. I had a lot of fun while designing this card. My inspiration was cuttingtimes youtube video called: The Star Shape and Stroke Used to Create Designs. She has awesome videos and has a very cool blog. The address is: www.cuttingtime.blogspot.com She has some excellent tutorials for Inkscape.
Here is my youtube video:

Wild Card - Pg. 44 Thank You Card

2009-11-14T16:15:00.000-08:00

I had a lot of trouble with this card. First the sizing, I shouldn't have used the cricut design studio! I made it so hard on myself. Having to move the card around on the mat 50 million times to figure out how big I could make it, Ugh! Then I made the mistake of inking it with pigment inks because the white looked so plain to me. Then the ink wouldn't dry even when heatset. I ended up tossing both the card and the envelope when I was finished with the video :) When I was punching the holes for my eyelets with my crop a dile, I ended up punching a hole in the back side of the card. And when I was folding my card and envelope, the little score marks cut by the cricut tore. Needless to say, it wasn't a very attractive card and envelope! lol :) Live and learn. Check out my youtube video:

My first meander book

2009-11-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

I made this book with one sheet of 12"x12" paper. The covers were made using a old pizza box covered with some decorative paper. Now that's what I call recycling! :) I made some embellishments inside the book using the new Pagoda cricut cartridge, and I made the "celebrate" on the front cover using the Wild Card cricut cartridge. Check out my youtube video:

Flooding/High Water on SE 92nd Ave in Portland Oregon

2009-11-13T13:23:00.000-08:00

Here is a video I shot in January 2009. We were living in an apartment complex while looking for a new house. We had just sold our old house and were having a difficult time finding a new one. This flooding happens every year, without fail. Check out my youtube video:

Hello Kitty in a Kimono

2009-11-13T13:17:00.001-08:00

Here is a card that I just made using a hello kitty that I turned into a cut file in Inkscape. I cut it using SCAL. It took a bit of work to turn it into a cuttable SVG, but I finally finished it! :-) The fan was cut using the new Pagoda cricut cartridge. It has some really cool images on the cartridge. I hope to use it a lot more. Check out my youtube video:

Paper weaving on a card

2009-11-13T13:08:00.001-08:00

Here is a card that I made using some strips of paper to weave a border. I continued the side strips of paper from front to back. I once saw someone complain that people seem to forget the back of the card when designing a layout. I used a flower punch for the flower cut outs. I also used some making memories buttons on the front, on the four corners. This was the first time that I used my crop-a-dile. It took some practice to figure out how to set them, but I got it eventually :)

String art on a scallop circle

2009-10-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

Here are three videos with me doing some string art on a scallop circle in two layers. The third video is the card I made with the scallop circle. Check them out:

Hello Kitty pop-up card

2009-10-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

Here is my first pop-up card (made off camera this time - see, I am getting smarter!) Here's the video:

Making a card for my Grandpa's 98th birthday

2009-09-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made for what has turned out to be my Grandpa Ray's last birthday :(
I'm sorry to be so depressing, but he just passed away yesterday (11/2/2009). I'm just now posting this video to my blog, but I'm dating it the day I posted it on youtube (just in case the dates are confusing). Here's the video:

Birthday card for my brother-in-law / A frustrating day of cardmaking

2009-09-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

I was making a card for my brother-in-law (on the day of his birthday party and on video - bad combination! lol) Anyway, it turned into a very frustrating experience, all preserved on video :) Check it out:

Birthday card with freezer paper stencil design and acrylic paint

2009-09-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made for my daughter Emily's 12th birthday. When I ironed the freezer paper stencil to the card, it attached itself pretty good. I had a hard time getting it off! Also, it probably would have been a good idea to wait until the paint was dry before removing the freezer paper! lol! Check out my youtube video:

Three ways to alter paper with a pasta machine

2009-09-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

I told you that things other than cardmaking would show up on my blog! :-)
Here is video I made for youtube about the incredible things my pasta machine can do with paper. lol!

Chipboard flower covered with ribbon

2009-08-31T16:39:00.000-07:00

This was my first attempt at doing this, and to make matters worse, I did it on camera. Lucky for me though, it seemed to have turned out okay! Check out my youtube video.