CAS Gift Set

Hi guys. Today I want to show you a card gift set I made. I wanted to make something for a friend of mine's birthday...and I thought a set of blank cards is always a nice gift to get, so why not? :) I hope she likes them. :)

They are very plain and simple. Basically I used one of the ribbons from the spring collection from Really Reasonable Ribbons...and used some metal embellishments and some bling to spice them up a bit.

I must say, I find adding the charms a bit of a challenge (mostly 'cause I don't use a whole lot of bows on my projects). but I love this simple way of adding the charms to the ribbons...so I tried it here....

supplies used:

Cuttlebug folders:
"Victorian" and "Just My Type"
Upsy Daisy Stamp Set
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Metal Embellishments from stash
Pearls from stash

Challenges:

Anything Goes Challenge Blog -- Things with Wings

Lollipop Crafts Challenge Blog -- Anything Goes

Paper Playtime -- Anything Goes

Pan Pastel UK Challenge Blog -- Spring Time

>> butterflies represent "spring" to me -- as well as the ribbon from RRR "spring" bundle.

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge Blog -- Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew -- Ribbon

Aud Sentiments -- Anything Goes

Grad Card using a Freebie

I found a freebie digital stamp for a graduation card on a blog recently. I don't even know when or where I found it exactly -- I simply saved it to my computer for later use. Then today I decided to get started on some graduation cards. I came across a side-step card that I liked...and wanted to lift. The button was the perfect touch!!! :)

I'm not a big fan of black & white cards...(I like colours!!) but when it comes to graduation cards, it somehow works.   TFL :)

tuesday throwdown -- make your own embellishments

Punching it Out

When it comes to cards, I love the simplicity. Neat. Everything having it's place. No elaborate cards...although those tend to come from time to time as well. :)

So here's the latest card I made. I've had these punched flowers and butterflies lying around since Christmas -- but couldn't come up with a use for them. When I saw the latest card sketch on the card lifters group I joined, this idea popped into my head. Perfect way to use punches! :) TFL

Other view:

Adorable Little Onsie

When I say I've been wanting to make a onsie baby card for like FOREVER, I really mean it! I was browsing through galleries and saw these absolutely adorable baby cards, but never got around to making them! They've always been in my "to create" list...so today I FINALLY took the time.

Turns out I've been fearing it for no reason -- 'cause they are very easy to make! Plus, they are adorable, no matter what you do with them! Any ideas you come up with work! I like to keep them simple...figured a onsie is cute all by itself -- why try to make it stuffed with embellishments trying to make it cuter??? :p LOL One card quickly became two...and then three!!! I needed baby cards to send out, so why not?? TFL :)

 

The stamps are a Stampin' Up  stamp set.

Cards for Easter

Someone ordered 10 Easter cards! Honestly, I was a bit stressed...'cause I was running low on supplies, low on mojo (I had just completed a big order the previous day) and basically had no ideas whatsoever!!!

I love love love online galleries!!! I found a few card sketches I liked...and set to work. LOL Apparently stress makes my mojo flow!!! Who knew!! :p At the end of the day, I had a whole set of cards that I loved. You might not to able to tell, but I managed to use up scraps at the same time!!! I'm totally happy with how these turned out! :) TFL 

 PaperPlay Challenges -- EasterCupcake Craft Challenge -- Lots of Layers

Quirky Crafts -- Sparkly, Punches & Easter
My Time to Craft -- Easter Wishes
 Pear Tree Designs -- Easter

Totally Stampalicious -- Keep it Simple
Daring Cardmakers -- Spring

It's a start

So yeah -- I've been having a blast playing with my grad pictures -- from way back when! :p LOL -- but at least they're finally going into a scrapbook already -- later is better than never.

Here's a look at my first page. I still have to buy embellishments and rub-ons for most of the pages, so you're gonna have to wait until I complete them 100%. This page is finished though. I used a sketch I found online over a year ago, so I have no idea where I got it from!!! If you recognize the sketch, let me know -- and I'll give you the credit! :) TFL

challenges:
http://mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.com/
--> I have jewels on the butterflies

Card for a Loss

Yay!!!!! I do believe blogger is back!!! :) After a few weeks of issues -- seems to be working just fine again!!! :) So I'm back to posting....

We had a card making crop with some kids a few weeks ago. Everyone brought some of their stamps and stuff -- it was a total blast, despite the fact that I actually didn't even create one single card! I just helped the little kiddies with some of the techniques like stamping and embossing. And idea here, a fold there. Honestly I'm always amazed at what those kiddies come up with -- they inspire me!!!!

And of course, I couldn't resist taking the opportunity to stamp some images onto some blank paper. I figured I would use them later on -- one way of the other. But they've been lying in a box for the past few weeks -- I've taken them out from time to time -- totally loved them again, but no mojo or inspiration as how to use them in a card!!!

I needed a Thinking of You card for a cousin of mine who recently lost their baby girl. Honestly I was stumped...until I saw my stamped images. This card was soeasy to make -- it probably had a lot to do with the colours as well. It seemed like whatever I needed was right there -- no digging around in my stash for hours until I found something I could use... I hope this is a sign that my mojo is back! :) TFL

It's been too long!!!!

Yeah -- I think it's time to get back to some blogging already!!! I've been working on a few other projects in the last weeks, and haven't spent a whole lot of time making cards and layouts. But I'm planning on getting back to making some cards next week -- have a whole bunch of ideas to try.

Here's a card I make for the card lifter's group I joined in Fiskateers. Basically you're given a card/sketch and everyone in the group makes a card based on the card/sketch given.

I had an idea of what I wanted to do with the sketch, but honestly it didn't turn out quite the way I had it planned, but that's okay. I did a whole bunch of layers (love love love layers!!!) and inked up the edges.

Yeah -- the card's growing on me. Maybe by the time I send it off, I'll love it! :p TFL

I Did It Creations: Bling it Up!

Music Makes My Heart Sing

I've had this unfinished layout lying around forever now. I loved the background paper -- although I did add a different border to the center to get the colour combo I wanted. But then I was stuck, as I couldn't come up with a layout design I liked.

Lol -- I settled on a circle. It's quite interesting -- when I first started scrapping, I didn't really like circles in my layouts. I was working mostly with squares and rectangles...until one day a circle layout just came together, and I've been hooked ever since. Now, when I get stuck, the first thing that comes to mind is a circle!!! And bling -- lots of bling!!! :) TFL.

Double Butterfly

And I'm off with my card making for 2011!!! :)

 This card is actually for a card lifting group I joined -- you get a card to "lift" or copy...once a week, and see what you come up with. One of the best parts is making the original card idea into something entirely your own. For the most part, it's made me think outside the box -- because soooooo often the cards we are lifting are totally not my style!!! But it keeps things interesting -- and keeps me challenged. :p

This is the latest card I made -- LOL -- about the only thing that I lifted from the original card was the half circle in the center. I love how it turned out though...

 

PaperPlay Challenges: Clean and Simple

Craft Your Days Away -- Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday -- Out With The Old

 >> used all supplies from my stash.

Mini Scrapbook part 2

Here's the second half of my first-ever 6x6 scrapbook album. The "film strip" I used was created using the Fiskars "In Stitches" border punch. TFL :)

This layout is of the launch of Space shuttle Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

gfg

Crafty Cat: Your Choice -- Open 

Mini Scrapbook part 1

Hi there! I found this brand new 6x6 scrapbook album in a second hand store for a few cents, and decided "why not?". I've never scrapped any pages smaller than 12x12, so it was a little new to me. But I had soooo much fun! :) I decided to go with a trip my parents took back in 2002 -- pictures that we basically looked through once (when they got home) and then stashed the cd full of pictures away. Definitely not the ideal place to put pictures - especially of a trip like that! :p So I brought them out -- printed over 160 pics, and scrapped away. :) Here's a look at my layouts.

WARNING: This is a photo heavy blog entry!!! TFL :)

 

One of my favourite layouts of the whole album:

I've always loved the look of a film strip in a scrapbook. Because these pages are 6x6 -- I was able to get the film strip effect using my Fiskar In Stitches border punch. I don't think it would work so well on big pages, 'cause then the punching would look like stitches -- but because these pages are so small, and so are the photos, it totally worked! I love this effect!!! As you will notice when looking thru the rest of the album! LOL ( I used it A LOT!!!) :p

Sir Stampalot Challenge -- Travel The World
Totally Gorjuss -- For Someone Special 
>>> I made this scrapbook for my parents
All Sorts Challenge -- Anything Goes

Totally Out of My Comfort Zone

So last week we had this two sided card idea to lift on Fiskateers.com. I was impressed with the actual card, although it was totally not me!!! Talk about being out of my comfort zone!!! :( I went for it though...and after a lot of trial and error, I ended up with this:

It's not too strange, but I think I'll definitely stick to the simple fold-in-half type of cards. but I'm loving trying these new ideas and techniques -- 'cause I know I would never try them if it weren't for card lifters. :p

Here are a few details:

** The original card we lifted, actually had a lot of big tags on every page. I went with one. --- stamped and embossed it.

** I have a whole bunch of these page borders in my stash -- I'm always trying to find ways to use them in layouts and cards. This one fit nicely 'cause of the gold. :)

** Christmas trees from my stash from last year or the year before. I have so many supplies that I just don't use...because I'm always wanting to use the new stuff instead of the old!!! :p

So hey, if you're looking for a challenge with card making -- why not try one of these??? TFL

Crafty Cardmakers: Spotlight Dry Embossing

Non-traditional Christmas

 I've been making a lot of green Christmas cards this week, but yesterday I discovered how awesome blue is for a Christmas colour. Non-traditional maybe, but it fits well with snowflakes. Here's a blue card I made today -- blue, white and red. I know -- it's a little 4th of July, but it works for me! :) Christmas shouldn't just be about the reds and the greens!!! TFL

the embossing is a little hard to see on the photos. here's a close up:

A Spoonful of Sugar -- Relish to Embellish
The Crafty Calendar Challenge -- Winter & Snowflakes
C.R.A.F.T Challenge -- Dry Embossing (I dry embossed the white squares the snowflakes are on)
I Did It Creations -- Holiday Colours Mixup (I used the 4th of July colours for a Christmas card)

Starting on the Christmas Cards

I've been wanting to get started on making Christmas cards, but I ran out of plain greens, reds and blues!!! Last week I got a package in the mail -- which included shades of green papers. That was sweet! :)

I borrowed some Christmas Stamp Up! stamps from a friend, and set to work....

I embossed the stamped image, and added some bling to make it stand out more. Used my favourite fiskar fancy edge scissors -- the scallop -- to create a border. The icicle border I used on the bottom of my card has been in my stash forever. I just couldn't make myself use it...until now. I just love that border punch!!!  Finally I added some ribbon from my stash and some light green pearls in the corners. There's lots of layering and I love it! :)

One down...so many more to go. But at least now I know what works... TFL. :)

challenges:
Totally Paper Crafts Challenges: Bling it On! (bling on the trees)
Simon Says Challenges: Punch Em! (border punch)
Creative Card Crew -- Let's Punch It (border punch)

Shaker Card

I've seen these cards all over the blogs -- and I was always so impressed. Impressed -- but not quite inspired enough to try one for myself. I always figured they were complicated to make.

Last week the card I was challenged to lift, happened to be a shaker card! So I guess you could say I had my work cut out for myself! :) After a whole week of procrastinating -- mostly 'cause I could not come up with anything, I sat down on Saturday and just decided to go for it -- whatever happens, happens. lol

It was fun once I figured out what I was doing. Plus, I'd been wanting to use my caffeine clear stamp set already, and this was a perfect excuse! Being a coffee lover myself, I couldn't think of anything better to put into the shaker than actual coffee grinds!!! LOL My card even SMELLS like coffee!!!

It definitely turned out better than I had anticipated. :) TFL.

Pear Tree Designs -- Free for All