Very First Challenge Card

Mary at Cardz TV ( http://www.cardztv.blogspot.com/ ) made a challenge to make a card without using any Cricut cartridges. I thought this sounded like fun. So, this is my first challenge. Wish me luck...lol.

Finished card: 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"

Materials:
Sizzix Flower, Sunflower
Fiskers Rope Border
Inkadinkado Happy Everything Stamp Set
Cardstock: Brown, Yellow, Green and Patterned Paper
American Crafts Elements Large Brads Black
Birdseed
Ribbon

Directions:
1. Take one (1) black brad and dip in glue. Dip into birdseed and make sure top is completely covered. Let dry. When dry, brush a thin coat of glue over top to seal birdseed in.
2.Cut 8 1/2" x 11" from brown cardstock. I used AC Cardstock. Fold in half to make an A2 card (4 1/4" x 5 1/2").
3. Punch the long edge of the base with the rope border punch.
4. Cut four (4) flowers in yellow cardstock and three (3) in green using the Sizzix Die. Cut the stems off all four (4) yellow flowers. Cut the flowers off of two (2) of the green ones. One for the green flowers/stem will be used as the base. Ink the edges of the flowers in tan and the stems in green. Crinkle the edges of the flowers and leaves on the stems. Layer the flowers onto the green stem and use the birdseed brad to keep together. Make sure that the petals do not line-up. Glue the green stems together on the base, squeezing up the end of the top stem to make it stick up a little.
5. Cut the patterned paper 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" to fit the inside of the card. Glue down. Cut another piece of patterned paper 5" x 3 1/4" and use the border punch again on a long edge.
6. Cut the green cardstock 3 3/8" x 5 1/4".
7. Glue the patterned paper on the green. Glue a piece of ribbon around the cardstock. Cut another piece of ribbon and tie a knot. Angle the ends. Glue down the green cardstock to the brown base.
8. Stamp the sentiment on front in brown ink.

9. Cut a small piece of scrap brown cardstock, punch it with the border punch and glue down.


Hope you like this card as much as I had fun making it. Now if I can do this, imagine what you could do...

Champagne for two...

Our family attended a beautiful wedding this past weekend. Our niece was married at Lake George. She looked like a princess. One of the guests (she was about 3 maybe 4 years old), wanted to have her picture taken "with the pretty lady".

I had made this card a while ago but had never put any sentiment in it. I thought that it would be perfect to give to the bride and groom.


Finished size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Materials:
Cricut Cartridge Tie the Knot  Toast Base (page 44), Shift Base
Martha Stewart Deep Edger Punch-Garden Trellis
Gold Glitter
Cardstock: Patterned paper, White
Ribbon

Directions:
1. Fold 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" card in half to make an A2 card (4 1/4" x 5 1/2"). Using the Garden Trellis punch, punch the long edge of the front of the card.
2. Cut the pattered paper to fit the inside of the card (4 1/4" x 5 1/2"). Glue down. Cut another piece for the front leaving 1/4" border (I'm not sure of the exact measurements).
3. Cut the ribbon so it fits around the patterned paper long-wise, then adhere to the back of the front panel. Glue the panel down.
4. Using Tie the Knot cartridge, cut the toast (glasses) base in white cardstock. (again, not sure of the exact measurement...) Cut the Shift base also in white cardstock. Cut off the stem of the glasses, glitter the top of the glasses and the bubbles with gold. Layer and 3D-Dot to the front of the card.
5. Stamp the sentiment to the inside of the card. I used "Best Wishes".

I hope that the bride and groom liked my card, as I gave it with love. I hope all their dreams come true... now go and make your creative dreams come true...imagine what you could do....

3D Coffins

I've been dying (ooo, bad pun...lol) to make the 3D projects on Happy Hauntings. Thought these were really neat.

The coffin with the ghost: cut at 6". Finished size...3 1/2" long x 2 1/4" across (from point to point). The coffin with the skull: cut at 4". Finished size...2 3/8" long  x 1 1/2" across.

Materials:
Cricut Cartridge Happy Hauntings 3D Coffin page 72  (Bottom) Shift Base, (Top) Shift Layer 1
Cricut Cartridge Pumpkin Carving  (Spider Web) Button 37
Cricut Cartridge Indie Art (Skull and Bones) Button 1, Base and Shadow Layer
Cricut Design Studio
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Spiderweb
Martha Stewart Embossing Powder Ebony
Martha Stewart Glitter Onyx
K and Company Dimensional Stickers HW Tombstone
Cardstock: Black, Orange
Ribbon

Directions for both coffins:
1. Cut one (1) bottom and one (1) top from Happy Hauntings.
2. Fold and glue tabs.

Embellishing Ghost coffin:
1. Use Design Studio and Pumpkin Carving Cartridge, stretch spiderweb so it will overhang on all sides of coffin. Cut in black cardstock.
2. Glue front of web and flock.
3. Glue web to top of coffin. Cut off excess around edges. Be careful not to cut coffin top.
4. Glue ribbon around edge of top coffin piece.
5. Stick on Ghost.

Embellishing Skull coffin:
1. Use Indie Art Cartridge and cut one (1) base skull in black cardstock and one (1) shadow in orange at 1".
2. Glitter base skull.
3. Take a small scrap piece of black cardstock (larger than the top of the coffin) and emboss with Spiderweb folder. Glue on top piece of coffin and cut off excess cardstock. Be careful not to cut the coffin.
4. Glue ribbon around edge.
5. 3D-Dot the Skull on top of coffin.

Candy (one of my favorite things...yum) fits very well inside. (Snack size for the ghost and actually a third Tootsie Roll Midgees fits, if you turn them just right).

The coffins are easy to make, (it's the embellishing that takes more time...lol) and would make great favors for a party. Hope you have as much fun making them as I did. I would love to see what you create...so enjoy and imagine what you could do...

Halloween Scene Card

Here's another card for Halloween. I had cut the base to use for another project but it didn't look right. So, since I didn't want the paper to go to waste, I made another card. (lol) Not quite sure what I will be doing with all these cards, but I sure am having fun making them.

Finished card is A2 (4 1/4" x 5 1/2")

Materials:
K & Company Specialty Papers
Cricut Design Studio
Cricut Cartridge Happy Hauntings 3D Tree (page 71) Base, Bat2 (page 53) Base
Cricut Cartridge George and Basic Shapes  Circle (moon) (page 108) Shift Base
Sizzix Sizzlits Fence, Picket
Recollections Dimensional Stickers (Jack-o-lanterns)
Inkadinkado Clear Stamps All Hallow's Eve
Martha Stewart Flocking Powder Black
Cardstock: Black, Yellow, White and Orange

Using Design Studio, I cut the tree (actually, I cut the wrong tree because this is the 3D one and has a slit near the top. I really wanted the tree on page 67. However,  I used the tree on page 71 and glued a small piece of black cardstock behind the slit and then glued and flocked the tree...can't see the slit!).
I cut the bat and the circle (moon) using Design Studio also. I'm sorry, I didn't write down the measurements.
Next, I cut the fence twice, using my Sizzix.
I glued everything down, then added the Jack-o-lantern dimensional sticker.

I cut the white cardstock at 3" x 4" and inked the edges with black pigment ink. I cut the orange cardstock at 2 3/4" x 3 3/4", inked the edges and stamped the Trick or Treat Sentiment. Glued the white cardstock at an angle, then the orange cardstock on top on angle also.

I like the way this tree turned out (even if it was originally the wrong one...lol) Mistakes happen! The next time you think you have a mistake, think again...it may have happened for a reason....just imagine what you could do.

Enter If You Dare...

Just a quick post today...no real directions. This is the second card I made yesterday. It is also the beginning of the card I started to make the other day that warped into something totally different (Flocked Witch Hat).

I used Cricut Cartridge Happy Hauntings (3D Frame page 68, Base, Enter If You Dare Phrase and Phrase Shift). I flocked the spider frame in black. Enter If You Dare is pop dotted with 3D-Dots.

It's a tri-fold card. (I cut the frame in half after I had glued it to the front of the tri-fold. Do NOT cut the center oval in half and only glue one side of the oval to the card).

The inside of the card is from K & Company Specialty Paper. The top border is Martha Stewart Drippy Goo Edger Punch in black cardstock and the Sentiment is from Inkadinkado All Hallow's Eve Clear Stamps in white pigment ink.

I'm having a blast making Halloween cards, although I'm not really sure what I am going to do with them..lol.
Have fun creating...imagine what you could do.....

Mini Monsters...Creepy

I made two different cards for today (but I will post the other one at another time). Both of these cards were giving me a hard time coming together. I had made the little monster a while ago and just thought she was a cutie.

Finished card is A2 (4 1/4" x 5 1/2")

Materials:
Cricut Cartridge Mini Monsters (Creepy pg 31, Base, Layer 1, Shift Layer 1, Layer 2, Base Shadow)

Cardstock for Monster:  Lt Pink (Layer 1), Med Pink (Base Shadow), Dark Pink (Base), White (Layer 2), Silver (Shift Layer 1)
Cardstock for card: Pattered for base, Med Pink, White, Gray
EK Success Corner Adorner Basket Weave
EK Success Corner Adorner Rounder Punch - Large
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Swiss Dots
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder D'Vine Swirls
1/4" wide Light Pink Ribbon

Directions:
1. Patterned Cardstock (4 1/4" x 11") Score on patterned side at 5 1/2". Score on backside at 2 3/4". Fold (making a "Z" shape)
2. Cut Creepy (2 1/4") and layers. Emboss body base with D'Vine Swirls.  Put all layers together. Glitter wings. Glue on googly eyes (Two (2) different sizes)
3. Cut med pink cardstock 4 1/4" x 3 1/4". Punch two (2) opposite corners with Basket Weave.
4. Cut white cardstock 2 3/4" x 3 3/4". Emboss with D'Vine Swirls. Punch two (2) opposite corners with Corner Rounder (cut the opposite corners from the Basket Weave corners)
5. Cut gray cardstock 3 3/8" x 2 3/8". Emboss with Swiss Dots. Punch the same two (2) opposite corners as the white cardstock.
6. Layer the gray onto the white and glue. Tuck into the basket weave corners.
7. Cut med pink 4 1/4" x 3 1/4" and glue to the back of the Basket Weave assembly (this hides the white cardstock from showing through the basket weave). Place glue only on one half (left side as you are looking at the front) and center on the front of the patterned card.
8. Place 3D-Dots on back of Creepy and center on the gray cardstock.
9. Tie ribbon around front side of card. Make a knot then make a bow. Glue under the bow so it doesn't move.

For the inside:
1. Cut med pink cardstock 3 1/4"  x 3 1/2". Punch two (2) opposite corners with Basket Weave (the other two corners from the front).
2. Cut white cardstock 2 3/4" x 3". Stamp the sentiment and tuck into basket weave corners. Glue to inside, make sure that when the card is closed, the front covers it.

Hope that wasn't too hard to understand...it's easier than it sounds. Really! This is another one of those cards that the sentiment could change...Happy Birthday, Happy Valentine's Day, Thinking of You, etc.

On another note...had a great time with my youngest son last Friday. He's away at college, so I drove up to see him. We then went into New York City  and saw a play...(off Broadway) "The 39 Steps". It was so good. Four actors play like 150 parts. Very funny. If you get a chance to see it, I highly recommend it.

So, get creative and if you get stuck, put it away, and go back to it later...(took me weeks)...finally it will come together...imagine what you could do.......

Flocked Witch Hat

Have you ever started out with one idea but have it warp into something completely different? That's what happened with this one. I had this idea in my head, but as I was putting it together, it just wasn't coming out the way I thought it should. So, I kept changing things and this card was the final result. I am really happy with it. Unfortunately, I never feel that my photos ever do justice to my cards. They look SO much better in person. Do you have this same problem? How did you solve it (if you did)? I would love to know.

To make the card I used:
Design Studio
Cricut Cartridge Happy Hauntings  (Witch Hat page 54, Base, Shift Base, Layer 1 and Shift Layer 1 )
EK Success Edger Punch Parisian
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Spiderweb
Martha Stewart Glitter Onyx
Martha Stewart Flocking Powder Ebony
Cardstock: Lime Green, Black, Purple and Yellow/Gold and K & C Company Specialty Paper

1.Base Card is 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" (A2) Lime Green Cardstock. Cut 1/2" off the front edge and punch it with Parisian.
2. Cut a 2" x 5 1/2" piece of lime green cardstock and emboss it with Spiderweb. (Take care of your placement on the folder. I wanted the main part of the web on the left side) Center it on the front of the card and glue it down.
3. Cut two small strips from the patterned paper (approx 1/4" x 5 1/2") and glue them to either side of the spiderweb cardstock.
4. Cut the Witches Hat (in Design Studio stretching it a little) approximately at 3" in black. Spider in black, Band in purple and Buckle in yellow/gold. Make sure the layers all fit properly.
5. Run the hat through the Xyron...upside down. Peel off the hat, then adhere the purple band. Next, mask off the spider, then flock hat. (I hope you can tell in the photo). Unmask the spider and glitter it with the black glitter. Also glitter the buckle with some clear/multicolored glitter, then glue the buckle to the hat. Use 3D-Dots, place the hat on the front of the card, making sure that the spider looks like it was crawling off the center of the web.

For the inside of the card:
1.Glue the Base Shift spider in the corner.
2. Cut a piece of patterned paper (1 3/4" x 5 1/2"), punch the top edge with Parsian, then glue it down.

I still want to stamp "Trick or Treat" or "Happy Halloween" on the inside; however, I do not have either sentiment in a stamp form. (So, off to the store I will go today. Again, I have this specific vision...lol)

For the longest time, I saw the flocking powder in the store and thought " What would you ever use that for?" Then, that lightbulb went off in my head. So I purchased it and well, I love the way it looks.  I have a few more ideas using it, so expect to see it again in some upcoming projects.

I also changed how I post the directions. Do you like this format better? I would love to know. Please leave me a comment.

(Since I am pretty new to this blogging thing, I would love to know how you veterans were able to get more followers and/or comments. I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks.)

Now it's your turn to try something new. I did, now just imagine what you could do......

Ewwww, A Spider!

Ewwwww, a spider. Not really, as long as they stay outside! Well, this one can stay inside...it's a Halloween Card. (lol)

I used Design Studio and Cricut Cartridge George and Basic Shapes to make the base of window card (Shift J page 101). I embossed the front of the card with Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls, then swiped black pigment ink over the swirls and edges.Using Design Studio and Cricut Cartridge George again, along with Cricut Cartridge Mini Monsters, I flipped the window shape and welded the window and the spider, then used Hide Selected Contour to make the black window with the spider (Window-(George) Silhouette Shift J page 101, Spider-(Mini Monsters) Blackout page 54 - cut "bow" off) . I cut a separate (blackout) spider the exact same size (again cut "bow" off), used black glitter and added googly eyes. I glued the black window to the base card, lining up the openings. I then used 3D-Dots and placed the glittered spider over the windowed spider. I wrote "Boo" on my computer, cut it out leaving a small border and glued it to the front.

For the inside, I again used Design Studio and Mini Monsters to cut the spider web (sizing it, so it would show through the window). I inked the edges (trying NOT to be careful) and then glued on the computer-made sentiment.

Thought he came out cute...even if he is a spider. (ha ha ha). Hope you have a great evening and now get busy creating....imagine what you could do!

Thank You Card

I went out yesterday and bought a new Sizzix Die at AC Moore with a 51% coupon...(woo hoo), don't you just love using a coupon?  I know I do. I bought Tim Holtz Alterations BigZ Die Tattered Florals. When I got home, I just had to play.

First, I decided to make another tri-fold card (See my Halloween Ghost Card, September 9, 2010). The base card is white cardstock 8 1/2" x 5/1/2". Score at 2 1/8", turn card around and score again at 2 1/8". Fold. Next. I cut two (2) pieces of patterned cardstock at 1 3/4" x 5 1/4" and glued them to each side of the front of the base card. Next, I took two (2) colors of purple cardstock and using my Sizzix Big Kick, I cut out the flowers from my new Tim Holtz die. I separated the colors, and then tried several different combinations...all one light purple, all one dark purple, then every other color layer. The last combo is the one I liked the best. I also end up with another flower to use on another project. (Yeah!) I then inked the dark purple flowers with white pigment ink on the edges and swiped each petal from the center out. With the lighter purple flowers, I did the same thing only using a teal pigment ink. Next, I cut out a 3 1/2" square in gold cardstock. Punching a hole in the center of each flower and the center of the gold square, I assembled the flower using an American Crafts Elements Large Brad  Dandelion. I then rounded the two (2) opposite corners with my EK Success corner Rounder Punch. I curled the flower petals so they would stand up. I cut another square at 3 3/4" in white cardstock. I rounded two (2) corners on this square also. I then glued the gold square/flower to the white cardstock, making sure to put the two (2) rounded corners together. I then glued the big white square to only one half of the front of the tri-fold card. Do not glue both sides, as then you will not be able to open the card. I stamped Thank You using purple pigment ink to gold cardstock. I cut it out (1 5/8" x 5/8") and bordered it with white cardstock (1 3/4" x 3/4"). Finally, I glued a strip of the striped cardstock to the inside. I think that it turned out pretty nice.

 Remember that I said I had another flower to use for a project. Well, here is what I came up with:

(Flower Brad, Purple Ribbon, Martha Stewart Double Loop Border Punch, EK Success  Dotted Scallop Border Punch and Fiskars All Year Greetings Stamps) If you would like the details, leave me a comment, a way to get in touch with you and I will send you the directions.

These were really fun to create. I can't wait to try using different paper with these flowers and see how it turns out...now you go try and imagine what you could do.....

Game...Mini Monsters

I wanted to make a card yesterday, but wasn't sure what I felt like making. Have you ever felt like that? Well, I thought that I would play a "game" with myself...I know, I'm weird. lol So I counted my Cricut cartridges and then asked my son to give me a number between 1 and 40...he said 35. Since there are 50 images (not including layers and such), I asked him to give me another number between 1 and 50...he said 13. I counted out 35 cartridges and came up with Mini Monsters. Next, I counted out 13 images and came up with the monster on page 40 (Ghoul). My "rules" for the game were to make a card using any image on that page. I thought that it would be fun to make a shaped card.(Card Layer)

I cut Ghoul out at 4 1/2" in lime green cardstock. Using Layer 1 (still at 4 1/2"), I cut out the nose and horns in purple cardstock and Shift Layer 1 in patterned green paper. Layer 2 and Shift Layer 2 was cut  in black cardstock. I used Cuttlebug Tiny Mosaic and embossed only the front of the card (leaving the back of the card plain) and the patterned green paper of the nose. After gluing the embossed green patterned nose on the purple cardstock nose, I used Crayola Glitter Glue in a multi color on the purple sections of the nose. I glued the horns on the inside of the card and glittered glued them also. I let them dry. It didn't seem to stand out enough, so I used Glossy Accents over the glittered areas and then let that dry. I glued the black round circles on and then instead of using the small black "eyes", I glued on googly eyes...one larger than the other. Next, glue the mouth on and finally the nose.

I thought he came out cute. I didn't put a sentiment inside yet, as I'm not sure what I want to use him for. He could wish someone a happy birthday, be an invitation for a party or how about "I hate it when I get a stuffy nose. How about you? Feel better soon." Any of you have any ideas? Leave me a comment.

If you want to challenge yourself and have a little fun, play the "game". I would love to hear what you created. Enjoy...just imagine what you could do.

Halloween Ghost Card

Halloween is just around the corner...can't believe it. While looking through some of my paper, I came across this ghost paper and was inspired.

And surprise...it's a tri-fold card. (opps...this is a Gate-fold card)

I started with a 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of orange cardstock. I scored it at 2 1/8" and at 6 3/8'' (or just turn the card around and score at 2 1/8" again). This gives you the tri-fold. I cut the patterned ghost paper at 1 3/4" x 5 1/4" two (2) times and glued it to each half of the front of the card. I cut and glued another piece at 4" x 5 1/4" for the inside of the card. Using Cricut Cartridge Happy Hauntings and Design Studio, I cut the base ghost (pg 37) in purple cardstock and the shift ghost in white cardstock (dimensions width 3.124 and height 3.313). I took the white ghost and ran him through the Xyron machine face down. I peeled off the clear sheet and then glittered him. Next, glue him to the purple ghost, but offset it so it appears as a shadow. This will give a little depth. I cut the frame (pg 46) in white (dimensions width 3.695 height 3.805). Cut an orange square at 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" and glued that to the back of the frame. Next, only put glue on half of the back of frame, close the tri-fold  card and center the frame (making sure that the glue does not go on both halves of the card). I then used 3D-Dots and adhered the ghost to the front of the card over the frame.

For the inside, I used the sentiment "Happy Haunting"  (pg 46 also from the cartridge Happy Hauntings) with Design Studio (width 3.282 height 1.585) and the Cri-Kits Glitter purple pen and "cut" it out. I ran into a problem because my pen stopped working halfway through, so I tried it again. No better. I changed the pen to a metallic purple Cri-Kits and tried once more. Again, halfway through it stopped. Frustrated, I replaced the Cri-Kits with my cutting blade and cut it out. I'm hoping it's the paper, not the pens. I then inked the sentiment with purple ink and let dry. Next I glued the saying to a yellow piece of cardstock  (1 1/2" x 3 1/4") and bordered it with a piece of orange cardstock (1 3/4" x 3 1/2"). Finally, I glued it to the inside of the card at the top.

I am interested to know if anyone else has had this problem with the Cri-Kits pens. If so, were you able to get them to work again and how did you do it? This is upsetting me, thinking that the pens are now useless. I would appreciate any feedback.

Although we seem to get less and less kids Trick or Treating, I do love to decorate for Halloween. Last year  my son hosted a murder mystery around Halloween, that made it so much fun.

Now go do what I did, and re-familiarize yourself with your paper...maybe you'll get inspired too. Imagine what you could do.....

Happy Birthday Margie

Happy Labor Day to everyone. I hope you have had a safe and happy holiday. My husband's Aunt's birthday is tomorrow (although, we celebrated it yesterday) and this is a birthday card that I made for her.

The base of the card is cream cardstock (as opposed to the white that I usually use) (8 1/2" x 5 1/2"  folded in half). I cut a piece of patterned paper from DCWV The Natural Stack at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2", then I used my EK Success Border Punch Scallop Diamond and punched one of the long edges. I cut 3 different colors of brown ribbon (1/4" wide)  and taped one end to the back of the patterned cardstock (closest to the straight edge, not the punched side). Keeping one ribbon straight, I taped it to the back. I then changed the angle of the other two (2) ribbons and taped them to the back. Glue this to the base card, leaving some of the cream cardstock showing on each side. Next, I used my Sizzix and cut three (3) leaves (Leaf #2, Tiny), inked the edges in brown, drew a line for a stem (also in brown) and then used 3D-Dots and adhered them to the card. I stamped "Happy Birthday" in black on a scrap piece a brown cardstock and cut a random shape. I inked the edges in brown. I then shadowed it in a dark brown cardstock, also in a random shape, and used 3D-Dot to adhere. Finally, I inked the long two (2) edges of the card in brown.

We had a really nice time yesterday. It's always great to spend time with family (even if I lost at Scrabble...lol). Enjoy the special times, get inspired and...imagine what you could do......

Happy Halloween

My first Halloween card this year. I was inspired by Capadia Designs (Aug 30 & 31) http://capadiadesigns.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html 

I put a 4 1/4" x 11" piece of orange cardstock in the corner of the Cricut mat. I used Cricut Cartridge Pumpkin Carvings. I choose the pumpkin face (9th button on the top row). Using Design Studio, I altered the face. The dimensions are: width 4.169 and height 3.633 and the axis are: X 4.502 and Y 0.297. I used the Hidden Selected Contour  for the box around the face. Bringing up a new page, I choose Happy Halloween  (7th button on the top row). Again using Design Studio, the dimensions are: width 2.48 and height 2.483 and axis: X 5.487 and Y 3.213. Again, use the Hidden Selected Contour for the box. Bring up the first page and hit cut, the pumpkin face should cut out. Hit Load Paper (not Unload) and change the blade to the Cri-Kits Black Glitter pen. Bring up the second page (with "Happy Halloween") an hit cut, and "Happy Halloween" should print. Unload paper. Take the paper off the mat and fold in half to make a card. Open again and cut 1/4" off the side edge next to the pumpkin face. I cut a black piece of cardstock  4 1/2" x 5 1/2" and glued it to the back of the cutout (1/4" of the black cardstock will show on the front). Next, I took a scrap piece of black cardstock and used the EK Success Border Punch Swiss Cheese. I then cut it to 3/4" x 5 1/2" and glued it to the front edge of the card. Using the Cri-Kits Black Glitter pen, I drew lines around the eyes and mouth. Finally, I added googly eyes.

Hope you like this Halloween card and get inspired like I was...imagine what you could do....

Mariposa Matstack

The other day I was at A C Moore and found this cardstock pad from DCWV. As I flipped through it, I saw so many beautiful images.

 I thought that some of these could be used as cards just as they were or with a little bit of embellishment.

So that's what I did with the ones in the above photo. I found the image on the card that I liked the most and then cut to fit a card 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". (A2 card) and adhered it to a card base. (Reminder: Half of a 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of cardstock and then folded in half).

These two I thought were pretty enough without anything extra. They could be used for any number of occasions...birthday, get well, thinking of you, etc. The sentiment can be added inside.

I added a yellow ribbon to the one card (on the left), tied a knot and cut the ends on an angle. Not sure if I want to add a sentiment yet. The other card I cut a 3 1/4" x 3 1/4" square of teal cardstock, then used my Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page Combo, Double Loops. I cut a piece of black cardstock 3 1/2' x 3 1/2", rounded the ends with EK Success Paper Shapers Corner Adorner Rounder Punch - Large. This is the shadow. I cut another piece of black cardstock at 3" x 3" and rounded those corners also. The light blue square is 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" and rounded it. I stamped "thinking of you" in gold using Fiskars All Year Greetings Clear Stamps. (Although it is hard to see in the photo).

With these cards, I felt they needed some type of embellishment. I stamped "Congratulations" in green ink and bordered it in green cardstock and used 3D-Dots. I also used Inkssentials Glossy Acents on the two butterflies. On the next card, (clockwise), I only added a black ribbon and tied a bow. The card below that, I added a blue ribbon, tied a knot and angled the ends. I stamped "Hello" in white ink then used Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel - Clear. I then punched the corner with EK Success Cornerpunch Med Victorian Lace. I used 3D-Dots on a blue border (a 1/8" larger than the green cardstock) and then on white cardstock (again, 1/8" larger). The last card I only added the three (3) rhinstones and the black stamped "Happy Anniversary" on silver cardstock. I used 3D-Dots on this sentiment also.

The cards were generally easy to make and I had fun making them for the most part. If you read my last post, you know that I was having creative difficulties and not able to have some of these cards come together. I am happy with how they came out.

So the next time you are looking at cardstock, try to see the simple beauty and look to the possibilities of making some cards without having to do too much...imagine what you could do......



 

Life Gets in the Way

It's been almost a week since I posted anything...It's amazing how life can get in the way of getting anything done.

Last Friday was my birthday. Had a nice afternoon with a friend and some really delicious cupcakes. (Thank you again, they were yummy). Later, went out to dinner with my three sons (unfortunately, my husband was out of town and was unable to join us) and then we played mini golf. Had a very nice day. Saturday, we moved our youngest into his dorm at Rutgers New Brunswick. (Go Scarlet Knights). The move went well, but we ran into a parking lot on the Turnpike after a truck caught on fire. Monday, I found myself driving back to New Brunswick to drop off my son's books. (They finally came in and I knew he would need them since classes started today). Tuesday, I was able to go to the shore for the day. (First time this summer...where did this summer go?) Had a really relaxing time on the beach with my best friend. I so enjoy just watching the waves. Ate some great Mack and Manco pizza for dinner and then walked the boards (buying a little bit of chocolate nut fudge...yum) before coming home. (Thanks again for allowing me to invade your vacation).

Been trying to work on a couple of projects, but just can't seem to get any of them to come together. Usually when that happens, I put it aside and try to come back to it later. My creativity just seems to be taking a (short) vacation. Hopefully, I will be posting something soon. In the meantime, leave me a comment. Tell me how you think I could improve the blog, what projects you have been working on, or just to say Hi. I would love to hear from you. Be inspired and just imagine what you could do......Thanks.