Paper Cutz Challenge #65

This week Mary asked the Paper Cutz design team to make a breast cancer awareness card.  You're probably all tired of seeing my breast cancer awareness cards by now, but it is the cause that is the most important to me because I am a SURVIVOR.  This is the last breast cancer card I will post this month, I promise.  For my card I used a digital stamp set from The Cutting Cafe.  Here is the link for the ribbon card if you would like to get it for yourself and here is the link for the sentiment and the pink flowered ribbon on top. 

The Cutting Cafe

This is the first card I've been able to make since arriving home from our month long trip in our RV.  It is so nice to be home in my design studio/craft room.  I missed all the stuff that I didn't take with me.  I love how this card turned out.  I used The Cutting Cafe's THANKSGIVING DAY...PRINTABLE STAMP SET for this card.  The frame that says Happy Thanksgiving and the sentiment are the stamps I used.  This printable stamp set has 26 images including the most adorable little turkey, though I didn't use it on this card.  But I've got some ideas in my head for that little guy. 

This is a standard A2 card made from kraft cardstock.  I cut the scalloped edges and the scalloped circle using my Cricut Mini Monograms cartridge.  I like to use my fit to page feature to cut out a big scalloped square.  Then I just cut pieces of it as I want depending on my design.  It is nice to have these big squares on hand for cards.  Sometimes I just take a bunch of different colors of cardstock and cut out several at a time as long as I have the machine on and ready.

I got to add a little zigzag stitching to my card today.  I never get to take my sewing machine with me when we travel because it takes up too much room.  I'm planning on looking for a small machine that will travel well before we take off for Florida for the winter months.  I saw a really cute one while we were traveling that would be perfect, but I couldn't get it because I had to buy a new laptop and printer while we were gone after my computer crashed and my printer cord broke.   It was really inconvenient of them to both break like that.  LOL  My poor husband...he was planning on getting me a new laptop for Christmas.  I guess I shouldn't say poor husband.  Now he doesn't have to shop for me!!!

Thanks for dropping by today.  Make sure you head over to The Cutting Cafe to take a look at Regina's latest stamp sets.  She just came out with a Christmas Bingo set sure to be a hit with my grandkids...the Halloween Bingo sure was.  I'll be working on Christmas Bingo tomorrow.  Starting in November I will be posting a great Christmas Album that I have been working on.  It is another great Cutting Cafe set called Christmas Daily.  This is a quick and easy album to put together for your children or better yet, grandchildren.  You make a page for each day in December until Christmas and can add photos or journaling for each day.  I can't wait to give the one I'm making to my two granddaughters.

Cricut Cardz Challenge #48

For this week's Cricut Cardz Challenge Mary asked us to make a Thanksgiving card using any cartridge and any colors.  I used Designer's Calendar for this Give Thanks sentiment.  I used cream cardstock and dp from DCWV Amber Autumn.  I used my Cuttlebug to emboss the bottom half of my A2 card then added the dp to the top.  My border stamp is a Fiskars punch.  I cut the Give Thanks at 2.5".  As you read this, my husband and I are headed home from our month long RV trip.  We should be home by this evening.  It was a fantastic trip visiting the states of Alabama, N. Carolina and Virginia.  It will be nice to be home and in my craft room again.  My Cricut Imagine machine came just a couple days before we left on our trip and I really didn't have the chance to play with it much.  I had no idea it would be so big and I wouldn't be able to take it with me when I traveled.  I can't wait to play with it some more. 

BBTB2 Banner Challenge

Now here is something that was a blast to make. This is my banner I made for the BBTB2 challenge this week.  Our incredibly talented DT member Beth asked us to make something using the banner feature from Country Life. I don't have that cartridge so I used my Celebrations cartridge to design this Halloween banner for my fireplace mantle. I cut my triangle pieces at 7.75".  I used Don Juan for my letters with the shadow feature on and cut them at 5".  My little ghosts on each end was cut from Paper Dolls Dress Up at 5".  This was really quick and easy to put together by stringing the pieces onto ribbon.

You can see in this close up that I added a big bow on each end and a button tied on with hemp cord.  I also added some doodling with Sakura 3-D gel pens in white and black. I made a shadow for my ghost from grey cardstock using my Magic Matter because there is no shadow feature on PDDU.  If you've never seen the Magic Matter Tool it's a small metal disk with a whole in the center that you stick a pencil through and then just trace around your image onto paper. Really easy for those cuts that don't have a shadow. This project was so much fun to make I'm already planning another similar project for Christmas. Just imagine the possibilities for all the other holidays. FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

The Cutting Cafe HALLOWEEN TREATS FOR YOU

 Now here's a sweet Halloween Treat idea.  I made this little treat bag for a friend that I will be visiting tomorrow.  I used a couple digital stamp sets from The Cutting Cafe to make this.  The first set I used is the HALLOWEEN TREATS JUST FOR YOU set.  From that set I used the bag topper piece with Happy Halloween printed around the edge and the cute little tag that says A Little Something Just For You.  The second set I used is the HALLOWEEN MINI COLORED set for the little candy corn that is pop-dotted in the center of the circle sentiment which also came from the hALLOWEEN TREATS JUST FOR YOU set.

My printed paper in the background with the candy corn on it is from a Cloud 9 Specialty paper stack.  I added a small orange button that I threaded onto purple ribbon.  I know my friend is going to love this little treat I made for her.  If you're thinking of filling little treat bags for Halloween this is the set for you.  This HALLOWEEN TREATS JUST FOR YOU printable stamp set features 32 images...black and white and colored images..The Candy toppers come in two different sizes..(only one size is shown)...they come in approx. 4.5 by 5 inches unfolded (half of this when folded) & approx. 3.5 by 3.5 inches unfolded (half of that when folded).

Paper Cutz Challenge #64

This week's Paper Cutz Challenge is for a Halloween card using stars, circles, diamonds or crescents.  As you can see I used a star background paper which came from The Cutting Cafe and it's called Halloween Mini Colored Set.  The sentiment circle is from the All Around Halloween set also from The Cutting Cafe.

I used my Cricut to cut the black scalloped circle and the black circle under the witch shoe image.  I added a little doodling with a white 3-D Sakura gel pen.  It doesn't show well in the picture but I added a little Stickles to the shoes.  Then I added the black furry stuff (I'm sure there's a name for that stuff, but I don't know) and a green polka dot ribbon.

Cricut Cardz Challenge #47 Breast Cancer Awareness

Cricut Cardz Challenge is having a Breast Cancer Awareness challenge this week.  It wasn't my week to have a DT card, but of course, I couldn't let this challenge go by without adding a card since I'm a SURVIVOR.  I used the Stand and Salute cartridge along with The Cutting Cafe's Think Pink digital stamp set to create this card.  My background paper is Melissa Francis breast cancer paper called Hope.  I used the frame cut from the Stand and Salute cartridge and cut it at 6 1/2" from pink cardstock with the fit to length feature on to make it fit on a standard A2 card made of white cardstock.  Before placing the frame onto the card I covered the front with the dp.  I printed "Think Pink" and placed it onto pink cardstock.  The circle sentiment was simply printed and cut out then  mounted with dimensional tape. 

BBTB2 Old West Barn Challenge

A good friend of mine asked me to make a simple card for her that announced moving to a new home. She didn't want anything fancy and asked that it be flat for mailing.  Do you know how hard that was for me? Flat and simple went against the grain for me.  But this is what I came up with so I would be able to use it for the Old West barn challenge this week at BBTB2.  She, by the way, thought it was hilarious.  It is an A2 card cut from kraft cardstock. I cut the barn at 4" from some really old paper in my stash that came from Current. The cow is from the ever popular Create A Critter and I cut it at 1.75" so it could peek out the door.  The fence is also cut from Old West at 1.5".  The sentiment was computer generated. That's it, quick and easy. I added a photo of what it looks like with the doors closed below.

My husband and I have been (moo)ving (LOL, I'm so funny) around in our RV since the beginning of the month.  As you read this we will be finishing our visit in North Carolina and (moo)ing towards Virginia Beach, VA.  It has been a wonderful trip where we have had the opportunity to visit with family members we haven't seen in years.  This is our trial trip for a big adventure we have planned for the winter where we will be traveling to warmer states so we don't have to put up with another Michigan winter.  I'm telling you, retirement is just the greatest.

Paper Cutz Challenge #63

Happy Friday everyone.  The challenge this week for the design team at Paper Cutz was Anything Goes.  I needed to make a thank you card for my husband's cousin who hosted us this last week for our visit in Huntersville, NC.  This is the first opportunity we have had to see her in over 15 years and we had a great visit.  My husband and I have been on the road since the beginning of the month in our RV visiting family members across the sourthern states.  This week for the first time I have encountered difficulty with finding internet connections to post on my blog.  Today we are visiting my daughter in Durham, NC and I am able to use her internet connections.  I'm telling you, I am having blog withdrawals not being able to visit everyone's blog or even check comments on mine.  If you leave a comment I thank you very much and if you join the challenge and I am able, I will visit your blog to leave a comment.  For my card today I used my Cricut cartridge Lacy Labels for the beautiful frame and Thanks cut.  The frame is cut at 4.15".  All my patterned papers are from a paper stack I got from Hobby Lobby called Mirabella.  The Thanks is cut at 2.5".  I find my Gypsy to be invaluable while I am on the road.  I can design my cards while my husband is driving from destination to destination and then I can cut them when we stop to camp.  I travel with supplies and my Cricut machine.  Card designing is the perfect "on the road" hobby.  Thanks so much for visiting today.

Cricut Cardz Challenge #46

Hello everyone.  Thanks for checking in on this Wednesday for my Cricut Cardz Challenge DT card.  I am having a really hard time getting my cards posted onto my blog for the first time ever when I was traveling.  My husband and I have been on the road in our RV since the beginning of the month and until this week have had no trouble getting WI-FI at campgrounds or somewhere close by the campground.  But, I finally ran into a snag.  I'm visiting my daughter's home in Durham, NC and trying to get my blog stuff done here before we take off again.  For my "anything goes" card this week I used Stretch Your Imagination.  I cut this holly card at 4.5" from dark green cardstock and the frame layer from red cardstock.  I simply added a little Stickles for some sparkle.  Since I'm on the road and spending so much time visiting family, I didn't have as much time to spend on my design this week.  I know that all of you have times when you need a quick card like this.  I have a few go to cartridges when I need something quick and SYI is one of them.  It's great because it has so many options for holiday cards.  The others I use for quick cards are New Arrival, Wild Cards and Just Because Cards.  For my inside sentiment I used a Hero Arts stamp.  I have to ask everyone to be patient if you don't see me commenting on the wonderful cards you make for our challenge.  It's certainly not because I don't want to.  I didn't think I would have problems getting internet connections on this trip like we have encountered.

Paper Cutz Challenge #62

Yeah, another Friday's rolled around which means another weekend has, too. It's Paper Cutz Challenge day and this week's challenge is a color challenge.  Mary asked us to use any theme and design a card using the colors Red, Black and White.  My red and white DP is from Creative Imaginations and Jenny Bowlin Studios.  I decided to make a Z-fold card because I thought it would be the perfect way to highlight this gorgeous frame cut from the Cricut Lite cartridge Lacy Labels.  I love all the fancy labels on this cartridge. It makes it so easy to whip up a quick card that has an elegant look.

I don't really have a purpose for this card at the moment, hence, no inside sentiment. It was going to be a sympathy card, but I wanted space to write a note on the inside and the space wasn't big enough.  But, I think the word Hugs could be pretty multi-purpose...birthday, thinking of you, thanks.  Thanks for visiting my blog today and I hope you have a great Autumn weekend.  My husband and I are really getting a taste of what Autumn is like in other parts of the country.  We have been traveling for a couple of weeks now in our RV.  We are visiting family members in Alabama, North Carolina and Virginia.  We are in the Great Smoky Mountains right now and I'm a little dissapointed that there isn't a little more fall color.  I guess we're a little bit too early.  I think by the time we get home to Michigan at the end of the month all the fall colors there will be gone.  I love Autumn and enjoy seeing the leaves on the trees turn color, trips to the cider mill and cooler weather.  We have had gorgeous weather on this trip with warm days and cool nights. Wherever you are I hope it's just as nice. Thanks for stopping by.

BBTB2 Graphically Speaking Challenge

Happy Monday to you.  This week's challenge cut at BBTB2 is from the Graphically Speaking cartridge.  It's a Reader's Choice cut of the pointed hand.  I'm so excited to say that I made this card using my new Cricut Imagine.  The background papers were all made using the printing feature on the Imagine...the striped blue square, the note paper the blue dotted top and the word remember. The funny thing about this card is there was a really cool printed hand that was part of this but I left it off so I could use the pointed hand from Graphically Speaking.  I cut the hand at 2" from kraft cardstock and the top layer from brown cardstock.  I stamped the sentiment using a Penny Black stamp and dark brown ink.  I thought this would make a good birthday card for a guy in these colors.  They're always so hard to make cards for. Did you notice the little piece of string I tied around the pointed finger? I remember one time when I was a kid hearing someone say that if you tied a piece of string around your finger it would help you remember something. Maybe I need to start doing that now.  The old brain sure doesn't remember like it used to. LOL  

The Cutting Cafe Think Pink

Please forgive my indulgence to leave this post at the top

until the end of the month of October for

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS.

I was diagnosed with the disease in 2008...

and I'M A SURVIVOR!

October is here and to me, and millions of other women like me, Breast Cancer Awareness Month has very special meaning. When I saw Regina's Think Pink Digital Stamp Set from The Cutting Cafe I immediately knew exactly what my card design was going to look like.  This card actually incorporates two sets, the Ribbon Shaped Card and the Think Pink set.  The little black and white owl is from the Think Pink set and the card is the Ribbon Shaped Card.  The card set has the ribbon shaped card, a topper, an outline and four sentiments.  Think Pink is a fabulous set that comes with 50 images, 25 black and white and the same images done in pink.  Just so you know, the sentiment that I used is not part of the set. I did it up on my computer to fit me personally.  In August of 2008 after returning from a wonderful family vacation in Hawaii with fifteen family members where one of my daughters got married, I went for my first ever mammogram.  Shockingly, a few days later I received the news that I had breast cancer.  Of course, that is the short version of the story. Never in a million years did I think I would be a victim of this killer disease.  I thought I was pretty safe because no one in my family had EVER had breast cancer and I had five children that were all breast fed (which is supposed to be a protecting factor).  I'm telling this story today in the hopes that it will be of benefit to someone else. DO NOT THINK you are safe like I did. Let this month (October) be the reminder you need each and every year to go get a mammogram.  It could save your life like it did mine.  I underwent several surgeries, including a bilateral mastectomy, and months of treatments to be where I am today.  God has blessed me abundantly and I am very grateful.

Now to tell a few more details of my card.  I cut my base card using white cardstock, cut the outline in pink and used Melissa Francis Breast Cancer patterned paper Hope.  I decided to put a cute little pink polka dot bra on my owl.  I used my Cricut's Life's A Beach bikini cut to make it.  It's cut at 2 1/2" to fit on the owl with two layers that I pop-dotted.  I put a little pearl in the center to draw the eye.  The sentiment that I used is a common little saying that I heard at the hospital one time when I was going for a treatment.  It made me chuckle, and believe me there wasn't much to chuckle about going through those treatments. I added the sentiment to a tag I punched and embellished it with a sheer pink polka dot ribbon and a flower that I colored with a Copic marker so it would match my paper.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog and listening to my story.  You may see another card or two on my blog made up with these sets because I always make cards for my four daughters and one daughter-in-law to remind them to go for a mammogram, because now we know they are at risk and it does run in the family, even if it started with me.

Paper Cutz Challenge #61

This week's Paper Cutz challenge is to use THREE PATTERNED PAPERS. I knew exactly what design I was going to use when Mary made this request of the DT. On a recent crafting visit with my aunt we created these cute pumpkins from a pattern she had. I think it may have come from a Paper Crafts magazine, but I couldn't swear to it. All of the papers came from our scrap bins. The glittered leaf is a purchased die cut and it's trimmed with a piece of raffia and a small acorn button. Since I haven't decided whether I will use this as a fall, Halloween or Thanksgiving card there is no sentiment stamped on it. I think it would work for any of the three, don't you?

I can't wait to see all the different takes on this challenge and look forward to visiting your blogs to see your creations. Don't forget to use the required element of three patterned papers. Thanks for stopping by.