Little Things

We are creeping up slowly to our first baby girl in the family after five boys (across two families), so it's time to learn to use pink and red! (Nope, these are not my children - all nephews and a niece on the way). Something I have been wanting to do for a long time is create a little dress. Here, I used the Baby Steps Cricut cartridge to create the dress, but I hid all of the tiny cut lines. I also wanted to add a third color (the white hearts), so I cut that layer twice, but thanks to the CCR, I was able to hide everything else, and I just cut what I needed.

Since our challenge at ScrapbookerPhD is to use Hearts (Pink and Red), I chose the paper for the dress and background carefully. The sentiment is from a small pack of freebies.

Challenges Entered: 

Everybody Art Challenge

Unstampabelles Challenges

Open-Minded Crafting Fun

Simply Create 2

Cute Card Tuesday

Of course, I am so lucky to have five nephews. The older ones love funky cards with monsters and aliens on them. But for the little one, I wanted to make something a little less loud. I used the Birthday Bash Cricut cartridge to cut this adorable banner with a little bird on top. Since the card is mostly a soft blue, I used pops of color and glitter on the banner instead of patterns. I cut a smaller bird from the same cartridge, and added a birthday sentiment in a small circle. The balloon is a very old dimensional sticker from my stash, and I stamped  the ribbon below it.

Challenges Entered:

Clear it Out Challenge: Blues

Quirky Craft Challenges: Birds

Pile it On: Animals

Move Along with the Times: Birthday Boys

Crafty Hands: Shades of one color. 

Challenge #7: Hearts (use pink and red)

Challenge #7: Hearts (use red or pink) 
Want to be a guest designer, put GDT next to your name in your entry. 

But first.... Congratulations to our TOP 3 from Challenge #6: Use Stamps. 

Shery

Trollkatta

Asha

And the winner is: Shery


Challenge #7: Hearts (use red or pink) 
Want to be a guest designer, put GDT next to your name in your entry.

Sponsor:
The Top 3 Picks will be listed with links to their blogs. The Winner will receive $25 gift certificate to The Paper Nest. 

To claim your prize, email scrapbookerphd@gmail.com. 

The Paper Nest

Remember you can create any paper craft - card, layout, tag, etc.

Codes: 3E, 1M, C5. (Note: We are moving to a monthly challenges instead of 2W.)

Need inspiration: 

The Paper Nest

Making Valentine Avery

Bee Mine

Paper Smooches

Cheers!

I was having way too much fun browsing through images on KennyK's site, and found this fun tequila worm! Maybe a little too much fun here since I added way too much glitter on the glass and on the ice. You can never have too much glitter, right? I knew the chevron glittered and embossed pattern would be perfect here - the colors are nearly jumping off of the page. I used black matting everywhere and it pops against my zig zag frame. I added a few gems and some stamps from Paper Smooches, Free Spirits set. All of the inking was done using Spectrum Noir markers.

Challenges Entered:
Stempelsonne Challenges: Animal.
Pile it On: Animal.
KennyK's Krafty Krew: Use Black
Glitter n Sparkle Challenge: Bling it up.
Quirky Craft Challenges: Bug

Steampunk Willow

Only recently have I seen these super fun Steampunk images from The Octopode Factory. I finally got a chance to purchase this wonderful Steampunk Willow digi, and I could not wait to try her out. I used the Cricut cartridge Elegant Edges to create the frame and manually created the mat. I thought the frame looked like gears. The sentiment comes from Dylusions, Clearly the Right Words set. I used the swirl from BoBunny to match the paper (from The Old World Stack by DCWV). Willow is inked with my Spectrum Markers.

Challenges Entered:
Kitty Bee Designs: Something new
My Sheri Crafts: Digital Delights
Punk You Girl: Steampunk
The Paper Shelter: Digi and a sentiment

Pink Gem Deigns & Lacy Sunshines

I am so thrilled to be presenting these card as part of the Design Team for Through The Purple Haze Challenges. Join us in the fun. You don't want to miss out on this challenge since there are three sponsors.

I jumped at the chance to use this fabulous image, Fantaseyes, from Lacy Sunshines.

I had no idea what I was going to do with this amazing image, so I started with the eyeshadow, and I thought about fabulous runway shows where the makeup is extreme. I used four different Spectrum Noir pink markers to create the eyeshadow, and dotted the lashes with silver glitter. I left that alone until I found the right scrap of pink and black patterned paper. I angled all of the cuts, and added the small sentiment to the bottom of the card.

Challenges Entered:
Dynamic Duos: Black and Pink
Dream Valley Challenges: No DP

My second project use this Parisenne Postcard from Pink Gem Designs.   
I love the idea of a handwritten postcard and knew immediately that I would die cut the image of a hand with a feather pen from the Cricut Cartridge Sentiments. Instead of adding more colors to this image, I stayed with the blue, red, and cream.

Challenges Entered:
Fussy & Fancy Friday: Vintage
Paper Crafting Journey: Vintage
Dream Valley: No Designer Paper.

SMILE

I'm especially pleased to share this card as a Design Team member for Exploring Cricut during this week's challenge.

I quickly looked up the Gypsy Wanderings handbook and was delighted with the branch of flowers image. The branch seemed empty, so I cut three birds in different sizes from the same cartridge. I used my swirl embossing folder to give the birds a little more life. Both the flowers and the sentiment are cut in shades of blue glitter cardstock. The background is a simple yellow and white pattern.

The card seems to yell, Spring or Summer, but I think it is perfect for a friend feeling down, too.

Challenges Entered:
Rhedd & Rosie Challenges: No White.
Dragonfly Dreams: Thinking of Summer

Punk Rock Fish

Up late last night, cleaning up the craft room mess, and suddenly felt like inking something a little bit, punk. Took a quick trip to KennyK, and found this image (Girl Fish), downloaded and started to ink. I knew that I wanted pink fins, so I used two shades of Spectrum Noir markers, and I added the darker color to the lips. Different shades of turquoise filled the bubbles, with white glitter around the eyes (new glitter pens, yeah), and two blue gems in the corners of the eyes. KennyK's Challenge is to use black, so I mat the fish on black, mat that on black and white embossed and glittered paper from The Glitter Mat Stack from DCWV. Then, I layered two more mats in black and white on top of the card. I didn't want to take away from my punk rock fish. But a few gems in the corners tied into the pink of the inking. This was so much fun!!!

Challenges Entered:
KennyK's Krafty Krew: Use Black (and a KennyK image)
The Crafter's Cafe Challenge: Whimsical.
Digitally Sweet Challenges: Anything Goes.
Sparkles Monday Challenges: New Stash.
My Sheri Crafts: Digital Delights

Father's Day Fish Bowl

I'm so happy to be showcasing this card for Exploring Cricut this week.
All of my inspiration came from this adorable fish bowl cut on the Cricut Create a Critter cartridge. I spent some time thinking about the papers to use on the fish bowl: the white is a shimmer paper, the blue is from a pastel cardstock mat stack, the "sand" is a textured craft paper, and the seaweed is from  a pearlescent green cardstock. The fish and fish hook sticker were from my stash.

Challenges Entered:
Divas By Design: Anything Goes
Craft-Room Challenge: Aquarius.
Dream Valley Challenges: For boys and men.
Totally Paper Crafts: For boys.

Challenge #6: Use Stamps (at least two) W2

Challenge #6: Use Stamps (at least 2) W2
Want to be a guest designer, put GDT next to your name in your entry.
Click HERE to enter.

Sponsor:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps

Mutiple Ways to Win: 

•   The Top 3 Picks will be listed with links to their blogs. The Winner will receive a $10 gift certificate from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

•   If we have 15 or more entries, there will be a Random Prize winner. You will receive a $5 gift certificate from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. 

To claim your prize, email scrapbookerphd@gmail.com. 

Need inspiration: 

Here is another card made using Sweet & Sassy Stamps. This is the Special Blend set. 

Butterfly Notes

Have you ever worked on a card that just challenged your creativity to the point where it took a week or more to finish? That's this card.

It started with just elements... the note card (cream color) and the ink well stamp (brown) and postage stamp (black). From there, I became lost. Nothing I tried worked. Until finally, I found some interesting embellishments that gave me some more inspiration like the feathers and the button. I added the embossed post card in craft paper. This embossing folder (a post card) look like fun, and I bought it just last week. But it actually was difficult to use.

The card still looked empty, so I cut the swirls with my Cricut Artbooking cartridge, and used pearlescent paper (new paper pack) to give it a little shimmer. 

I'm very pleased with the final product. It was definitely worth the wait.

Challenges Entered: 

Stamplorations: Feathers.
Redd & Rosie Challenges: No White
Card and Scrap: Bling. 

Feeling Crafty Challenge: Butterflies. 

SnowGirl

Challenge #194

 Happy Monday and welcome to another Monday challenge!

Challenge #194 Use a Snowman

Create a Project that uses a snowman!

This Weeks Sponsor

Winner will receive the Conversation Candies stamp set

To qualify for the prize, be sure to use at least 1 Cricut cut on your project and if it's not obvious, let us know what cartridge you used.

Be sure to visit the FCCB blog to view the other DT members' projects and to join in the challenge.

Here is my project for this week:
After making so many traditional Christmas snowmen, I was so excited to make this cute snowgirl.

I was inspired by the fun snowflake patterned paper. I cut this snowgirl from the Snow Friends Cricut Cartridge and only cut basic layers of the clothing to keep it all pink with a pop of blue. I adhered the paper and the die cut on this iridescent blue cardstock. I really wanted the scene to look COLD, so I used this curly ribbon-like stamp inked in white with white glitter to look like wind. There is also a little white chalk on the card. Then, I added three snowflake embellishments to finish the card.

Just a note: The little bird is actually cut from a second snowman on the Snow Friends cartridge. I cut it in a dark pink glitter cardstock.  

Challenges Entered:
Mod Squad Challenges: Snow

Emergency Crafters: Blue and a snowflake.
Stempelgarten: Winter Wonderland
Lia Stamps: Photo inspiration. 

Victorian Romance Blue

I am so thrilled to be presenting this card as part of the Design Team for Through The Purple Haze Challenges. Join us in the fun. The theme is Pick Your Favorite Color. Just to give you a taste of what you can win... Our sponsor is Delicious Doodles and they are giving four digital stamps to the winner.

My favorite color is blue. Always blue. I used soft shades of blue for this card, but my favorite shade of blue is a reference to the television show Doctor Who: TARDIS Blue.

The image, leather and lace, called to me. I wanted to keep her looking vintage and chose this glitter patterned paper to highlight the shade of blue that I used. I accented her with a soft pink, and I used a darker glitter blue to highlight her hair. Since I wanted a sentiment on this card, I went with this dimensional sticker that I had in my stash of scraps. The butterfly is my final touch. I chose a dark butterfly to pick up on the background on the image.

Challenge #6: Use Stamps (at least 2)

Challenge #6: Use Stamps (at least 2)
Want to be a guest designer, put GDT next to your name in your entry.

Sponsor:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps

Remember you can create any paper craft - card, layout, tag, etc.

Codes: 2W, 3E, C5.

Review Challenge Rules for this blog.

Review Challenge Helpful Tips.

Mutiple Ways to Win: 

•   The Top 3 Picks will be listed with links to their blogs. The Winner will receive a $10 gift certificate from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

•   If we have 15 or more entries, there will be a Random Prize winner. You will receive a $5 gift certificate from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. 

To claim your prize, email scrapbookerphd@gmail.com. 

Need inspiration: 

Best FIshes
  Sweet 'n Sassy Ocean Friends

Baby Girl

New. New. New. That's the inspiration for this card. My sister-in-law is having her fourth baby, and it is finally a girl!!! Since she has had three boys, I don't have anything girly. The baby is due in the spring, so I got a jump start on some projects for her. I had to buy some new supplies, right? So I bought a mat stack from The Paper Studio called Petit Bebe (I used the cloud paper), and these adorable flower brads from Around the Block.

Challenges Entered:

Card Mania: Anything Goes.

Cutie Pie Challenge: Must be cute. 

Pile it On: Celebrations.

Lexi's Creations: Anything Goes.

Corrosive Challenge: New Beginnings. 

The Squirrel and the Fox: Show off your new stuff.

Be Mine

I am so thrilled to be presenting this card as part of the Design Team for Through The Purple Haze Challenges. Join us in the fun. The theme is Anything Goes. Just to give you a taste of what you can win... Our sponsor is Crafty Sentiments Designs, and they are giving three digital stamps to the winner.

I'm using their Benson Bear: Bundle of Hearts. By using a variety of pink colors on the hearts, I was able to move away from red and stick with pink for the patterned papers. All of the patterned papers used are scraps from other projects. Since I stored them in an organized fashion, I was able to pull them out and put the background together very quickly.

While I might normally go to purple as an accent color for Valentine's Day, I went with a bight blue instead, and I think it really pops off the page. The layered circles are done with punches. The small accent on the lower right corner is a stamp and tag duo from Stampin' Up.

I wanted to go for a whimsy or playful look since I will be giving this card to a friend, and I hope she likes it as much as I do.

Winter Wonderland: SKI

This is a sample card for Exploring Cricut's Winter Wonderland Challenge.

I rarely see snow living in Georgia, but I can remember many a winter day skiing back in Pennsylvania when I was in college. I tried to capture that in this card. It was inspired by the first time I took my best friend skiing. She actually slipped, and her chin hit the pole really hard. Maybe I should have made this a get well card???

I decided to use this snow sentiment paper as the background because it perfectly sums up a fun winter's day. To offset the blue, I cut all of the die cuts in black. I used the ski image from the Cricut Cartridge, Going Places and the snowflake border from Artbooking. Then I added a snowflake from the Cricut Cartridge, Gypsy Wanderings.

To really make the patterned paper work as a sentiment, I cut a circle out of the scraps and mat it on a scalloped circle. I cut the edges of the circles so that it would fit in the corner of the card. 

Rocker Girl!

Of course, a rocker girl has to have blue hair!

I also love this patterned paper and use it especially in a juxtaposition of the concept of a pretty princess with the image of a non traditional and super funky pretty princess. Here, she's a rocker girl.

I used my Spectrum Noir markers on this great image by Crafty Sentiments. I added just the two accents of the bow (to tie into the "pink princess") and the stamped drum set (to tie into the non tradition and super funky princess). I added sparkle to the blue to make her rocker girl image come to life!

This is also my interpretation of the sketch challenge at Digi Sketch Challenge.

Challenges Entered:
Creative Creations Challenges: Anything Goes.
Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge Blog: Anything Goes.
Make it Monday: Anything Goes.
Sparkle n Sprinkle: Anything Goes but use glitter.
Whoopsidasiy: Girly.
Digi Sketch Challenge: Sketch.

Happy New Year 2014

With this card, I'm happy to become part of the Design Team at the Exploring Cricut Blog.

Didn't December just fly by? Did you run out of Christmas cards to send? I sure did. I'm making up for that mistake with some New Year cards.

My favorite go-to Cricut Cartridge for last minute holiday cards is Celebrate with Flourish. The New Year hat and clock are so versatile, so I used that image in the center of a diagonal of embellishments. At the top left is a Stampin' Up tag set and below to the right are three white brads.

My Valentine

A fun and whimsy Valentine's Day card for my husband.

This was so much fun to make because it is a mixture of old and new supplies. The embossing folder is a brand new purchase, and the punched scene is so old, I don't even have curly hair anymore. 

Challenges Entered:
Make My Monday: Embossing.
The Cutie Pie: Cute.
Polkadoodle: Girly.
Crafty Catz: Pretty in Pink.
Card Making Mamas: Anything Goes.

Happy Bark-Day

Birthday Watch.
A good friend's birthday was last week, and I wanted to create a special card for her. Because I know her through our dogs competing with our dogs in agility, I knew I had to make her this "Bark-day" card. Can't wait to see her again.

I used patterned papers from the Spoiled Rotten paper pack from The Paper Studio.
The stamps are from Paper Smooches, Birthday Buddies set.
I distressed the papers with an espresso colored ink, and added those two yellow brads for a little dimension.

Challenges Entered:
Addicted to Stamps: Coloring.
Crafting by Designs: Birthdays.
Divas by Design: Let's Celebrate.
Stamping Royalty: Birthdays.
Paulaholifieldcrafts: Celebrate.

Cupid

Looks like I have broken into the Valentine's Day stash early this year. Can't help it. It's so much fun using new papers. For this card, I cut the Cupid from the Cricut Cartridge, Artbooking. For contrast with the red, pink, and white, I cut Cupid in black. The stamped sentiment is from Stampin' Up. It is a stamp and punch set.

Challenges Entered:
Creative Card Crew: Anything Goes.
Creative Card Challenges2: Anything Goes.
A Creative Need: Die Cuts and Punches.

Always & Forever (Blog Crawl)

I can't believe it. My very first project as a member of the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog Design Team, and what a great way to start, with a blog crawl.

I have had the Love Struck Cricut Cartridge for years, and for some crazy reason, I have never used it. Can you believe that? A cricut cartridge just hanging around. So sad.

I finally decided that it was time.

This gorgeous heart image shouted at me, but I chose not to do all the layers because I wanted it to really stand out in black. I paired this cut with patterned papers from Colorbok, Fashionista. The ribbon has a lovely sparkle to it (from Fit to be Tied), and I finished the card with the sentiment from Inkadinkado, Wedding and Marriage set.

I can't wait to give this to my husband on Valentine's Day.

Are you following the blog crawl?
Don't get lost. Here is your next stop:

Heather Scrapping Runner Creations <http://scrappingrunnercreations.blogspot.com/> 

Many Happy Returns

I always need a stash of birthday cards, but I'm running very low, so I hoped that some of our collective challenges would provide me with inspiration for this birthday card. Sure enough the sketch for, Unscripted Sketches, reminded me of these square birthday stamps. I changed up the format and added the final image (the flower stamp) above the two squares. In the negative space on the right hand side, I added a couple of balloons to emphasize the "celebrate" feel. The stamped sentiment at the top finished the card. I especially love the patterned background paper which inspired the color combinations.

Challenges Entered:
Unscripted Sketches: 237
Crafty Calendar Challenge: Birthday
Crafty Hands Challenge: Anything Goes
MilkCoffee Challenge: Anything Goes
Creatalicious Challenges: Wishes

Challenge #5 Top 3 and Winner

Two Week Winter Break before Challenge #6. 

Challenge #5: Anything Goes
Top 3 Picks. 

Shery

Asha

Kelly

But first, the WINNER of Challenge #5 Anything Goes is: Asha from Sunny Summer Crafts. Please email me at scrapbookerphd@gmail.com for your prize.