Masculine Birthday Card

I made this card for my brother in law whose birthday is June 2nd.

I used a Tim Holtz embossing folder and ran my brown ink pad over it and adhered it to black card stock base card. Added a strip of polka dots (My Minds Eye) of 1 1/2" long.

Next layers of brown card stock and an embossed dog holding a balloon!
The sentiment was cut from a Cricut Cartridge, not sure which one as it was in my stash.

Business Reply mini album

I made this a few months back and just now getting to record this video.

This is made from the pre-posted reply business envelopes that the credit card companies send to you - to try and get you to use their creidt cards.
Well - I shred the application portion but keep the enveloped to use a base for mini albums.

The video will show you the simple but pretty mini album in detail.

Tis the Season Mini Album

I created this mini album quite some time ago, it has a die cut cover. The best way I could think of was to use acrylic paint to cover the cover.
I added two Tim Holtz medallion die cuts to the cover. I need to add some ribbon to the rings to dress it up.

I made a video to show more contents if you like to take a look.
The mini album has 4 chip board pages, the kit came with 8 pages and two rings. The book kit is from GCD Studios "Chip Art Christmas Collection". I have a few more I got on clearance so not sure if they are still available. The label says 2011. Oh - I Googled it and found it here.

Bottlecap necklace with key charm

I love to make these quick necklaces, added an image from Etsy, used a bubble bottlcap seal - so much better than glue or other crystal effects/diamond glace... I have tried a few and will stick with using that method on dominoes.

But for now - quick and clean is how you can achieve with the use of the bubble stickers.

I added a key charm (handmade jump ring) and a pink chain both from Wal-Mart. Can't wait to wear it tomorrow!

Happy Memorial Day

Saturday in the rain, we placed flowers on our parents grave site... it was nice to gather and bond over the experience. 

To commemorate, I created this cute card, the image was cut from A Child's Year Cricut Cartridge and the base layer was run through the stars embossing Cuttlebug folder/
Simple card, no entiment, not sure what I'll do with it... for now it'll go in my stash.

Graduation card using Wild Card Cricut Cartridge

Well - I wanted to make a wild fun Graduation card for my son who graduated Thursday.

I cut the cap from Wild Card Cricut Cartridge at 8", cut the "Class of" at 7" and the 2013 at 2".. yes weird but that Provo Craft for ya!

I cut the gold, black and green stars from a Sizzix die (school colors green and gold). Sorry the gold and one of the green stars look weird in color tone. The gold is metallic card stock so I assume the flash played off of that at such a late hour of the night (un-natural lighting)

Congrats Rob!

Graduation Invites

I needed to make these quickly and went to work with my Cricut to help me out. Tuesday night I managed to get 10 completed and mailed on Tuesday and Wednesday and I have 10 more to make to give to my son.

I cut the Graduation Caps at 2 inches from the A Child's Year cartridge (raised on foam squares) and the word You're Invited (key #6) from Wild Card at 5". Which is deceiving because it is so small but I lucked out as it fit perfect on the banner!

I have to make more - this time I am cutting the sentiment from vinyl as it will be easier to remove than those darn little pieces from the center and around the words! Stay tune for a "second" look.

Mounted it on a white banner which was cut from a Sizzix (SU! retired) die and onto red cardstock, corner punched with also a retired SU! corner punch, one of my favorite for a more elegant formal look than the traditional square or rounded corners.

My First Cascade card

I kept seeing these cards and well, I finally broke down and made one.

I did a video so you can see the details.
I used Martha Stewart border punch, the Tim Holtz medallion rosette die and a Sizzix thin die for the swirls.

Easter Paper Doll Card

I had this little girl created and was suppose to put it on a scrapbook page, however I ended up completing this card. I can still remove her if I get around to scrapbooking. ha ha. As she is a lot of work for a card.

I strung punched eggs on embroidery floss to make it look like she is holding them.
The inside which I did not take a picture says Happy Easter from Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes. This is the best sentiment set!

Halloween Cards

These were created from my cast off pile, I was able to put together two cards all set for the fall.

 The backdrop embossing is actually a snowflake folder, but I thought it lent to a spooky night holding against the full moon. The cat is a Provo Craft die, the set came with lots of halloween dies to cut. Balanced out a border in pale purple using Martha Stewart drippy goo punch. Sentiment from Stampin' Up on both cards.

This second card. I used another Sizzix embossing, again the way we look at a folder and incorporate it can have a whole new purpose.
The ghost is cut from Paper Doll Dress Up Cricut cartridge cut at 2" I believe.
Finished it off with a wide black border punch from the spider web Martha Stewart border punch.

Lace note card

Using the SU dots embossing folder, I embossed the front of this card, added the Doily Lace with liquid glue as a back drop for the dictionary punched scallop circle and the sweet bird. All Stampin' Up products used.

The inside which I did not photograph has a blank whisper white card stock which I trimmed with the scallop lace border punch. I left it blank to either have a sentiment for an occasion or to be used as a note card.

Butterfly bottlecap necklace

I made this quick necklace before going to Judi's house for her Stampin' Up Catalaog release party and retiring stamps as well.

Using an image from Etsy, punched it out with my 1" circle punch and glued it to the bottlecap.  Completed it with black cording!
I am off to church (hence the top I am wearing) Have a great day!

Hanging Hearts

I created this special card this week for my daughter when I sent her the bottlecap keychains and scrabble tile necklaces.

Sinmple quick car, rounded corners, accented by the Sizzix branch die, hearts on a string were punched from Sizzix Stampin" Up embosslit and sentiment as well from SU Teeny Tiny wishes.

Happy Retirement

Well another co-worker took the early retirement option at work. They all seem to be taken another opportunity I wish I was able to take. How I envy a person to jump at that chance to shift their life's journey.

It'll be sad to lose another co-worker/friend that made the job bearable. In any event I created this card last night and tried to write my sentiments inside. Didn't help by watching The Final Episode of The Office! I was watching the pre-show and the actors relating the show to the character they played, it was sad and here I was trying to struggle through saying goodbye and goog luck!

The past two weeks have been encompassed with lots of changes in my life as folks move on, move out and graduate. Life is full of changes and growth comes with that.

The card above was embossed using the Sizziz Tim Holtz Postage embossing folder, Martha Stewart border punch on a strip of card stock (2 3/4" x 4 1/4") for an accent layer for the Stampin' Up sentiment (Teeny Tiny Wishes). Both the embossing and the sentiment pieces were inked for details.

Happy Friday!

Get Well Wishes

A couple of my friends have family members who have very ill. I created two of these cards last evening and truly hope for good results.

The embossing is a Tim Holtz embossing folder with a compass image; embossed on whisper white card stock.
The sprig of leaves is a Sizzix die I got from a yard sale a couple weeks ago for .25!!
The bird is from Stampin' Up (raised on foam squares) as well as the sentiment.
The border is a punch from Martha Stewart.

DPhiE Scrabble Necklaces

This is my second and last gift for my daughter and a couple of her sorority sisters.
I printed the image off of Google Image search and printed it on photo paper.

Cut it out to fit the scrabble tile and put a couple layers of Dimensional Magic. It was my first time using it so I still need to perfect the environment. Waiting a night before proceeding to the bail.

Then glued (E6000) on the flower bail that I bought online at an etsy shop, waiting for an over night hardening.

Strung the brown hemp, added two metal beads on either side of the bail. Added the paw print (to represent the college mascot at Northeastern University; The Husky) charm which I also got from an etsy shop to a split ring (that was hard as the split ring is so tight and small).

Tied the necklaces using a sliding knot. Hope they like! Oh, by the way I used their initial from the scrabble tile to distinguish whose is whose, however the flower bail took up half of the letter... oh well.

DPhiE keychains

I made these for my daughter and two of her sorority sisters. This and the next items are actually post graduation gifts which I will be mailing today. Hope they like them!

 I printed the image onto photo paper, used my 1" circle punch and used a strong glue to glue it to the metal bottle cap.
I used a bubble (sorry don't know the official name) clear dome sticker to cover and protect the image.
I proceeded to use 7 links of a thick chain and placed it through the bottle cap and the key ring.
I bought some lobster claw charms from Wal-Mart in the sorority colors (gold and purple) and added them to the links for a little dangle accent. (Ignore the pink blur in the photo - my G2 cell phone is experiencing a white balance issue)

SU Bottlecap keychain

I made this for my Stampin' Up friend Judi.
She sells SU and is moving to Florida and I'll miss her, but look forward to the opportunity to see her there at some point for a visit!

I made this for her, while it is not what I originally intended to do with the bottle cap, I like it just the same.

Sorry if the picture is bury, the glaze/covering over the paper images and accents give off a slight glare.

I used a 1" circle punch to punch out the Stampin Up logo that I took from the back of the spring catalog. To retain the curved sides I kept the shape and just trimmed the top and bottom of the logo because it had bright white paper and I wanted a more printed background.
I used the 1" circle punch again and punched out the circle from Designer Series Paper. Sorry don't know the line as I am not good at remember... I just go for what I like!
Using the embosslits, I punched out the butterfly and the heart also from the same double sided paper, but used the other side!
Glued it all down and placed a 1" clear bubble over the images to preserve and protect. I was going to use a glue but time would not been on my side as I made it before I went to Judi's last class.

I like how it came out and plan on making more with different images and words.
Best of luck Judi!!! I'll miss you - but will see you in FL!

Hope Judi don't kill me - ha ha. Here is a pic when we were at our weekend crop in Maine in 2011. We had fun, with a small group. During one of the days, her and I walked the Marginal Way.

80th birthday tri-panel card

My MIL's friend turn 80 also on Mother's day this year.
I made this card and pulled down some facts in history for May 12, 1933.

Here is the tri panel card, stamp set is from Stampin' Up.

 Here is the full card in view.

 Here are the last two panels.

Graduation Balloon

Using a party store or dollar store mylar balloon, I customized it for a little surprise for my daughter, to commemorate her recent graduation.
I sent her flowers to her apartment yesterday but wanted to create a little something more for the time being.

She will be home for a couple hours tomorrow and want to have this little surprise in her room.

Using the Cricut tonight, I cut out her name and the year using A Child Year font at 1".
For the congrats sentiment, I used Elegant Cakes at 1 1/2" all from black vinyl.
I've had a long day and at 11:00 PM this took 5 mins to cut and put together.

Congrats Kristen!

For the Newlyweds

I had these two little doves cut and stashed in my "cut" pile and made this darling wedding card. Now just to be able to give it to someone ... hmmmm.

They were cut from a Cricut Cartridge, I think it was Joy of the Seasons but can't be certain due to the length of time in my discard pile. Ha!
I used the Sizzix Stampin Up Framelits Dies to cut the black and white layers and mounted it on the deep red card stock. Used the Stampin' Up lace border punch and some sheer ribbon to make a sweet border at the bottom.

Finished it off with a sentiment also from Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Reflective Birthday card

Hi Folks, as I am going through my "save" for later pile (which is getting very small - yahoo!), this gift image was kept for a long time.
I had made this using a metalic paste on a stencil years ago at a make and take and never got around to actually puting it on a card.

Since there is a lot of yellow relflecting in the mettalic paste/paint. I mounted it on yellow card stock. Pulled out some red as well with the sentiment (Stampin Up).

I hope I can find or try out this technique again. You can actually feel the thickness of the image, very cool effect.

Sparkle

I used the retired Stampin up felt snowflakes as the accent on this card. It is on a base layer of black cardstock embossed with the Sizzix dots embossing folder.

I included a Martha Stewart center snowflake punched from white cardstock. (my intentions was to add glitter to the snowflake before I took the picture, so you'll have to image it is there - ha!)
The sentiment is from Stampin Up as well punched and layered which is also on foam squares.
We are finally have beautiful spring weather with upper 60s and 70s, perfect for crafting and not wearing a jacket.
Happy Friday!

Graduation Cap

My Daughter and I decorated her cap last Thursday evening. She was graduating the next day and it looked great!

We used glitter cardstock from Michael's. I hand cut the sorority letters DPhiE also out of purple glitter card stock The year was also hand cut. I could have used my cricut for all the letters and numbers but was not sure it would go cleanly through the thick glitter cardstock.
Kristen glued on the letters, the string of purple gems and the ribbon.

We are so proud of her graduating after 5 years (Physical Therapy) from Northeastern University Summa Cum Laude! She now has a year of clinicals stepping forth into PT.

With Sympathy

I was looking through my retired Stampin' Up sets and this single floral stem was alone in it's case.
I stamped it onto whisper white card stock, embossed the base layer and added the Teeny Tiny sentiment.

Rounded it off with a couple matching gems for a quick card to have when needed.

O come let us adore Him

The image was in the save scrap pile, so to make a quick card I mounted it on a layer of black cs and then on this textured brown card stock.

I added a brown tone half pearl to the center image and small white ones to the spoke of the floral stamp image. (You may not be able to see the white pearls due to the lighting)

Crochet Necklace covered button

I saw this necklace on a blog, however it appeared that a portion of the directions were not accurate, or I simply could not comprehend (ha!). So I made my own pattern.

With a number 9 crochet hook and some crochet thread (size 20) I think I used a thicker thread, you ch 6 and slip stitch into a circle. That is your center
First Row; ch 1, then dc 13 more, then slip stitch.
Second Row; ch 2 (this will be your first dc so to speak), then ch 4 more, dc into your second dc from Row 1, ch 4 then skip a dc and dc into the next dc, continue until you have 7 loops. (like an open petal)

Third Row, which you can't see; this starts to form a cup to house your fabric covered button. More to come on that.

Third Row; ch 3 then dc into each loop that was made in Row 2, continue until you reach the last, slip stitch closed and pull about 12 inches of thread.

You will use this thread to close the back around the button.

Next, go to your stash of buttons (we all have them) find a size that will fit inside your casing. My button was a semi flat button about 3/4" in diameter. You can use a button with a shank. Get a cotton ball or some batting. Cut  a 1 1/2" circle from a scrap of fabric. I used an older burgundy table napkin.

Take a small bit of cotton/batting and place it in the middle of the fabric circle.

Place the button face down on the fabric and with a needle and thread sew a running stitch around the edge of the circle, pull the thread and now your button is cushioned and encased in the fabric circle. sew tightly closed.

Place this button into your crochet casing, with the crochet thread that you cut in reserve, proceed to criss cross the thread up and down in a somewhat nice pattern, I tried to make a star by weaving the loose thread up then over to the right then to the left...

To make the chain it sits on, just do a million, well not a million.... sure felt like it, chain stitches. Click the second picture to see my chain. Attach your covered button by a jump ring. Of course I could not find my nice silver jump rings and had to use an ugly thick jump rings. You can attach any hanging embellishment as well.

I am not an avid crocheter and hope you can understand the directions.