Quick Cards

We all have those times when we just need a quick card to say, "Thinking of you". That is why I am so grateful for digital stamps and free images! We are lucky to have some amazing designer over at Cutter's Creek Design Team Blog who create fantastic images like the one I used in this card which are often available free! What could be better than that??

Anyway, back to the card. I started with a great sketch from my friend Abby L. at Scrappin-n-Chattin' on Yahoo groups. She is a very talented designer. Now, we all run into times we need a quick card. Card sketches and digital images can be a real time saver. You print your digi's out onto your cardstock using your laser or ink jet printers. Before coloring them, be sure to quickly heat set the ink with your heat tool.

I like to keep a basket of scrap papers just for quick cards like these. The leftover scraps from scrapbook pages can be perfect for your cards. Why waste those beautiful papers? Reuse strips for wording and accents.



For this card I used a free digi image from Sher over at Cutter's Creek. I colored it using my Copic Markers, and then I added a little bit of Diamond Stickles for the nose to give it a little pop. I hand lettered some leftover strips of cardstock, and added more Diamond Stickles to the heart on my lettering.

For quick cards, I always have big stack of white cardstock in 8.5" x 11" in my stash. That way I always have the perfect background. I cut my cardstock in half and then folded it for my card base. I cut one piece of cardstock at 4" x 5.25 inches for my background, so I could leave some white cardstock showing. Next I cut another piece of coordinating cardstock at 3.5" x 4.75 inches for layering. Then I cut another coordinating piece at approximately 3.0" by 2.25" and rounded the corners with my corner rounder. I chalked all of the edges using my Peebles chalks.

I layered my cardstocks onto my card base using my Glue Glider and then attached my colored digi stamp. I added my sentiment, and then my Skittles using my 3/16 Glue Dots.

In less than 20 minutes I had the perfect quick spring themed card ready to send to my friend to let her know I was thinking of her.

The products used in this project are available for purchase at Cutter's Creek are:

Copic Sketch Markers ( 0 Colorless Blender, E42, E09, E70, E30, RV02, 100 and R01)
Stickles Glitter Glue - Diamond
Glue Glider
Glue Dots
Peebles Chalks
Sher's Free Digi Image
Skittles

Homemade Pizza

We started to order a pizza tonight from our favorite restaurant, but after figuring out delivery costs, I decided it was much more economical to make our own.

I made homemade dough using my amazing Cuisinart Food Processor. This is probably one of my favorite kitchen tools right now. I made a homemade yeast dough, and boy did it turn out well. I am always afraid of making yeast doughs without using my bread maker, but this turned out perfect.
While the dough was rising, I got the rest of the toppings ready. I made our sauce using, tomato paste, tomato sauce, freshly minced garlic and onions, basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, a little sugar and a pinch of salt.

We chopped and cooked up our favorite toppings, and in less than the time it would take for delivery to arrive, we had two fantastic pizzas! Two large pizzas cost us less than $10 to make including all the toppings and ingredients. We couldn't get one large single topping pizza delivered for that price.


It often seems like "fast" food is faster, but it really isn't. We got super fresh ingredients, and a pizza made just the way we wanted it in less time for a lot less money. Being frugal isn't so bad after all ~lol~

Challenge Yourself

At Scrappy Frogs Challenge Blog ~this week's challenge was to challenge yourself. Make a project you don't normally make, or use products you don't normally use. Maybe it is something in your stash that you have had forever, and you are "saving" it. Whatever it is. Get outside your comfort zone, and make a project that you don't normally make.

For me, I don't usually make altered items. I love them, but I don't make them as a rule. I thought it would be fun to make some altered tins for gift ideas. I had some Altoids tins that I had been saving in my "it can be used for something" drawer.


The first one I thought would be a fun Spring/Easter gift. I figured fill it with jelly beans or other fun small treats as a nice way to give a little gift to Some"Bunny" Special in your life.

I just loved this stamp from the $1 bin at JoAnn's. This tin, I put some instant flavored coffees and some sweetener packets in it for a fun little friendship gift.


For me this challenge was a lot of fun. I used my new Copic Markers, and did some projects I wouldn't normally do. I hope you enjoyed them, and maybe you will find a fun project like this you want to do as a gift.

Valentine's Day Mailboxes

For the challenge at Scrappy Frogs Challenge Blog ~we did the little Target mailboxes. This cute little mailboxes sell for $1 at the Target Dollar Section in the front of most stores. I couldn't find them in stock at our store, so Mandie sent me one. Finally our store called a few days later, and they had gotten them in again. They were very popular for Valentine's Day.

I love these papers! They are from K&Company. I picked them up around Christmas time at TJ Maxx for under $2 for the full paper pack. They are foiled and glittered and oh so pretty!

The little roses were another fun idea. The centers are two hershey kisses. I chose the cherry cordial ones. I wrapped them in pink saran wrap, and then attached them to a florists wire using floral tape. I took apart a silk rose, and added it to the wires to complete my roses. Another idea I had later was to punch rose petals from decorative papers, and then add them in layers to make the rose petals. Maybe next time!

I sure hope my Valentine's liked their mailboxes and roses.

Not So Happily Ever After ~~

For the Cutter's Creek Design Team - I am featuring this layout this week.


Sometimes we have pictures of those we loved in the past, but the romance didn't work out. The stories are part of our lives, and I think they should be scrapped, too. That was the case with this wedding photo. I had taken the picture out of the frame on my desk, but I didn't want to throw it away. It was beautiful. There were good and bad memories attached, so I decided the personal journaling needed to be hidden.




To start with I created a pocket on the back of the page using Scor-Tape around the two sides and bottom of the paper I chose (I used some scrap cardstock since it wouldn't be seen). Next I used my Storybook Cricut Cartridge to cut out my title in and the shadow. Since my cardstock was thick, I used the high pressure with the slow setting. I find this works best when cutting intricate items. I also cut my heart accent and shadow using the same cartridge. They may be hard to see, but I also cut some random marquee cuts from the Storybook cartridge to use behind my photo.

I really wanted a vintage, layered effect to capture the romance of that day.

Next I cut some random scalloped circles using Nestabilities and Spellbinders Dies. I wanted, again, a variety to obtain my layered effect. I inked the edges of each using my Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Rose and Tea Dye. They were so easy to soften using my blending tool and some scraps of flannel material.

I cut a square piece of cardstock for my "notebook" page approximately 5" x 7". I punched the border to mimic a notebook page torn out and inked the edges again using Tim Holtz Distress Inks to give it a vintage feel.

I raided my great-grandmother's and grandmother's button boxes for ribbon, lace, tulle, and of course buttons. I prepared my paper flowers using self-adhesive rhinestones from Cutter's Creek in ice blue, yellow/green, and soft pink.

I cut my butterfly from printed cardstock. I layered two together to get the dimensional effect using my Zig Two Way Glue Pen. I added in self-adhesive pearls in champagne to complete the look. The edges were tipped with Diamond Stickles.

To make the paper clip accent over my photo, I layered two small Nestabilities scalloped circles over a paper clip. I held them in place using a 1/2" Glue Dot. I chalked the edges using my Pebbles Shimmers Chalk. I attached two paper flowers using 3/8" Glue Dots and then added my self adhesive rhinestone center.

I also used the Pebbles Shimmers Chalks to accent my cut-outs. I really wanted a sparkly yet slightly vintage feel to the layout.

My photo is 5"x7". I cut the green cardstock mat 5.5" x 7.5 inches. I punched my photo corners, and adhered my photo using my Glue Arts Permanent Glue "gun". I used my Zig 2 Way Glue Pen to affix my heart and title die cuts to their shadows. Next. I began layering my cardstock pieces, Nesties cuts, laces, ribbons and tulle using my Glue Arts Glue Gun. I placed my photo and mat on the page using my Glue Arts Gun, and then I added my sewing trims around the photo mat using my Zig 2 Way Glue Pen. I affixed my flowers and buttons using my 3/8" & 1/2 " Glue Dots. I slid my paper clip accent over the photo mat and held it in place using a 1/2" Glue Dot.

Lastly, I added my title and heart cut outs using my Zig 2 Way Glue Pen. My final touch was the butterfly using a 3/8" Glue Dot.

I always change and use the adhesives that best suit my project and materials. The Zig Pen, Glue Arts Adhesives and Glue Dots are my favorite stand-bys for almost any project.

Lastly I typed out my story of how my marriage didn't end so happily ever after, but the day itself was wonderful and so memorable at the time. I did reminisce a bit about how we have such hopes and dreams one day, and how our lives can change in an instant. Since the journaling was so personal, I hid it in the pocket behind. I added ribbon to be able to pull the journaling up to read. You can see it at the top of the layout.

Products used in this project from Cutter's Creek:

Cricut
Cricut StoryBook Cartridge
Spellbinders Scalloped Circle - Small
Spellbinders Scalloped Circle - Large
Pebbles Shimmers Chalks
Ranger Diamond Stickles
Tim Holtz/Ranger Distress Inks
Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink Applicator
Self Adhesive Rhinestones
Self Adhesive Pearls
Glue Dots
Glue Arts Glue Gun
Zig 2 Way Pen

Remember, sometimes it is okay to scrapbook a love gone bad. It is part of what made you who you are~ Happy Valentine's Day!

New Layouts!

I have actually been crafting again! It seems like it has been FOREVER! LOL

I have joined a challenge to create a layout-a-day for the first 14 days of February. I know, it sounds easy, but sometimes you get so caught up in the idea of creating that you think it and over think it until you don't do anything!


I am loving the fact that it is forcing me to select the pictures and FINISH the layout no matter what. I have to get it done. This bit of pressure is a good thing!
Here are my first 7 layouts~ The pictures aren't the best. I used my iPhone instead of my fancy digital camera~ I will try to re-rephotograph them when the weather is better!

These first three layouts all will be part of a heritage album about my grandfather's side of the family. This is his cousin, Orphie. My grandfather's mother was Orphie's mom's sister, and his father was Orphie's father's brother. Wow, it sounds confusing but it isn't, really. It was so amazing to meet her!


This was taken at Paul and Sue Preston's 40th anniversary party. I re-met them again at my grandmother's funeral. It seems the first time we met, I was a little girl. I attended their wedding, and I barely remember it. In this first photo, it is Sue Preston, Donna Hudson (my grandfather's cousin), my grandfather, and me. We all look so somber, but we were really just deep in concentration and conversation.

At the party, it came to light that Paul had never properly proposed to Sue. I guess he just showed her the ring, and she put it on. He finally got on one knee 40 years later, and he properly asked for her hand in marriage. He was lucky she still said yes ~his words not mine~


Anyone who knows me just a little bit, knows that I love my boxers completely. This is one of my all time favorite photos of my beloved boxer, Ruger, and hubby's boxer Browning (he was just a baby). Wow, I still miss them so much~


These are a few more pictures of our boxers -- Browning is in the chair. He loved laying down like that, and we use to laugh at him all the time. He was the only dog brave enough to jump into the swivel rocker-recliner. Below Browning is our honorary boxer -- our cocker spaniel, Uzi. Uzi was raised his whole life with the Boxer Brats, so we made him an honorary boxer dog. Lastly is Browning's brother, Winchester. We rescued Winchester when he was a year old. Shortly thereafter, we learned he was actually Browning's brother (same litter).


This is another favorite picture. I think I have scrapped it before, but I loved how it looked with these papers~ I know it needs something else, but I still haven't figured out what it is.



Well, that is my first 7 days of layouts. Some I like better than others, but it has been fun to press the creative envelope so to speak! I will have more layouts to share ~check back soon.