Monday, January 31, 2011

Digi Week at Paper Playtime - Tabatha and Tony Tiger

Good Monday morning, my blog friends.  Today we are featuring digital designs over at Paper Playtime.  I must admit that when I signed up to be on the digi team I had never printed, coloured or used a digi in any project.  It would be a challenge for me and I enjoy crafting challenges. 

I chose the design from Digis With Attitude of Tabatha and Tony, two cute tigers.  Printing out the image from my computer without cutting their tails and the hearts off proved to be my first challenge.  My husband finally solved that problem by resizing the digi and it printed whole.  Second challenge was colouring with my water colour markers and not getting the image to run.  To be totally truthful,  I still haven't figured out how to stop this all the time and there are a few edges on this card that if you look too close are smudged.  I would love to invest in some copic markers and learn to use them properly to blend and colour my images but for now this will have to do.  Not sold on this card but not awful for my first try.  Maybe by next month, things will be smoother.  Any hints you have for me, please don't hesitate to leave in my comments.


Thanks for stopping by.  Please join us at Paper Playtime this week.  The theme is ANYTHING GOES but maybe try a free digi from one of the companies.  Until next time, take care, my friends.

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}, Heather

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Would You Be Mine???

Hello, all my blogger friends.  How is it in your area this winter?  It has been SOOOOOOO cold and snowy here that I have been spending time inside.  And after all the stuff that can't wait like housework and laundry I have been creating a few cards and getting ready to teach my first class in 3 months on Sunday.  Lots going on!

I am not really a big fan of Valentine's Day at all but I did make a cute card to send to my great nieces because who doesn't like getting mail. 

 This card uses Create A Critter for the little bee cut at 2 1/2".  The card stock is from Recollections.  The red layer uses the new Sizzix heart embossing folder.  The patterned paper is from K & Company Die-cut Valentine's Mat Pad.  The stamp is from the $1.50 bin at Michaels.  Ribbon, a button, baker's twine, googly eyes and stickles finish off the card. 
I made a few of these girly cards and now I just have to figure out what to make for the boys.  Maybe I will crack open my new Robotz cartridge and give that a try.

Again, as always, thanks for dropping by.  Have a wonderful day.

{{{{HUGS}}}}, Heather

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Hop! Hop! Hop!!!!

Good morning, my friends.  Just a heads up about a couple of blog hops that I am going to be participating in during the next couple of weeks.  Please pass the word around to your crafting friends and feel free to post the buttons on your blog to help us advertise. 

The first blog hop I am in is "YOU SAY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY BLOG HOP"  hosted by my friend, Erika from Cricut Love to honour her daughter's birthday as Ashley has been having a hard time lately.  The theme is Beatles songs.  It is February 7th and shoould be a riot.  Come join us!!!

Blog Hop

The second hop is "PAPER DOLL DRESS UP BLOG HOP" hosted by Sandra and Janis from
Flaunt it Fridays and will feature members of our amazing design team.  It happens February 11th.  It uses the Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge and we will have some wonderful projects and fun stuff to share.

Blog Hop



As with any blog hops, I am sure there will be blog candy along the way and possibly grand prizes from sponsors as well.  So make note of these and please join me and the other talented ladies on these hops.

Until next time, have a wonderful day.

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}, Heather

Monday, January 24, 2011

"It's My Party" Theme for Paper Playtime Challenge #35

Good morning, my friends.  I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  I spent mine working and spending some quality time with my family.  It was great.  Wasn't in my pink castle doing much creating though.  I hope to make up for it today and tomorrow after the chores.

Our theme this week at Paper Playtime was to make anything party related.  I enjoyed the theme so much that I created a number of co-ordinating projects for a birthday party.  And for any of my non-crafty friends who come to visit me here, all these items are available for ordering.  I would love to create paper projects for your next party.  Just drop me an e-mail or leave a comment here and I will get back to you.

Onto the ideas:

First, here are the invitations that I made....
outside:


inside:


Next, the project that was featured over at Paper Playtime, the place cards. 



And, finally, the treat bag:

There are endless possibilities that could be built on this cupcake theme....a banner, a centerpiece, etc.  These use the Cricut Birthday Cakes cartridge made originally for the Cricut Cake but works great in my Expression.  All card stock is from Recollections and the pink patterned paper is Creative Memories.  Ribbon, stamps, buttons and stickles from my huge stash of supplies.

Thanks for visiting me today.   I appreciate all of your support.  And remember, please join in at Paper Playtime and show us your party ideas.

Until next time

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}, Heather


Friday, January 21, 2011

Flaunt It Fridays # 8 - A Bear Tag

Good morning, y'all!  I must admit that being on this design team has certainly stretched me beyond where I have gone before in my crafting, learning to find "replacements" for the required cuts because as of yet I have not had the cartridge that has been used for the cut on the project.  This weeks challenge over at Flaunt It Fridays is to use the bear in a trashcan from Give A Hoot (p.61 I believe).  And I do not have this cartridge so here is my improvised version - a bear in a bag.


This tag in my head did not start out girly.  How girly could a bear in a lunch bag be.  But the final version is girly, pink and sparkly as per my usual projects.  I need to break out of that mold again sometime soon.  I used Doodlecharms for both the bear and the lunchbag.  The bag was run through the Dots & Spots Cuttlebug embossing folder and inked.  The face for the bear is from Peachy Keen Medium Critter faces.  The tags are from Tags, Bags, Boxes and More.  All the rest - stamp, ribbon, stickles, flowers and bling - is from my stash.  The paper was just in my scrap folder so I have no idea where it is from either. 

Thanks for dropping in today.  Please join us this week at Flaunt It Fridays and show us your project using a bear and some kind of container.

Take care, my friends.  See you all soon..

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}, Heather

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Let It Snow!

Good afternoon, all!

I am sharing a layout that I did on Friday with you today.  For some reason it would not let me load it yesterday so I did the posts in reverse order - button yesterday, layout today!  On Friday the weatherman kept predicting a snowfall for Saturday.  So I decided I would have a layout ready to pop in a fav picture from the snow falling.  I am one of those strange people who REALLY, TRULY enjoy snow - walking in it, watching it fall, playing outside in it - all Winter long. The reason my friends tell me I like it so much is that I don't drive in it.  That may be true but I still have to stand out in the snow and freezing cold to wait for a bus while you just get in your car and go.  And sometimes it takes a long time for the buses to get to the stops because of the drivers in the snow.  Vicious circle :)

Okay, enough rambling....here is the layout:


I used Accent Essentials cricut cartridge to cut the large and small snowflakes.  This was a cartridge that I won as blog candy so it was fun playing with it.  The large snowflake is cut at 3 1/2" and the small ones are at 1 1/2".  The title is cut from Winter Frolic at 2 1/2" and the snowflake added to it.  I used DCWV Christmas collection for the patterned paper, DCWV Glitter mat stack for the light blue, Recollections card stock for the white, pink and turquoise plain paper.  Martha Stewart lace punch and EK Success scalloped punch were also used.  The bling is from Michaels $1.50 bin.

It is definitely not your traditional layout for snow but what a great way to incorporate my fav colour of pink. 

Thanks for dropping by today.  I hope I have somehow inspired you to create today....or tomorrow....or whenever the mood hits. 

Take care,  my friends!  Hope to "see" you again soon.

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}, Heather

Saturday, January 15, 2011

My New Blog Button

Hello all!

First I just want to say an incredibly BIG THANK YOU to Abby at Scrapbookaholic by Abby for designing this blog button for me.  I was so thrilled as I have been trying for ages to get a button to work for me and she was able to do it so quickly.  Thanks for sharing your amazing computer talents with me.  I LOVE IT!!!

So, if you are an avid follower of my blog and have a blog to put it on I would love for you to place my new blog button on your sidebar.  And I am adding it here for all of you to see....

Blog Hop


When I started this blog almost a year ago I had no idea where it would lead me.  I did it originally to keep a record of the cards and projects I made.  I am so grateful for the friends it has brought me, some just via the Internet and some I will be meeting shortly for real.  The crafting community that I have found here is so inspirational for my creative outlet.  Thank you to each and every one of you!

Take care, my friends.  I should be back with a few projects later on in the week.

{{{{{HUGS}}}}},  Heather

Friday, January 14, 2011

Flaunt It Friday #7 Skull Project

Good morning, my friends!

The challenge for the design team today at Flaunt It Fridays was to use the skull from Mini Monsters in a project other than Halloween.  I do not have this cartridge so found a skull that I liked on Indie Art.  But I did not have a clue what I was going to actually make until Saturday when my son had on a t-shirt from which I got the inspiration.  This wooden picture frame was the result.



It is a wooden frame painted black around the outside and back and the paper is from We R Memory Keepers "Teen Angst".  Lots of inking around the edges finishes off the frame.



The flames are from the "Dude" Lite Cricut cartridge cut at 3" .  The skull is from "Indie Art" cartridge cut at 2 1/4".  The skull gets its shine from Glossy Accents to make it stand out from the paper.  Added to the frame with some pop dots to give it some more dimension.



Dude was cut at 1 1/2" using Black Letter cartridge and welded together on the Gypsy.  Lots of inking around the edges and some pop dots give it dimension from the frame as well.  Dude is the favourite word that my son calls everyone, me included at times, so it was only fitting that I used it as part of this project.  Black buttons threaded with orange embroidery floss finish it off.

I like the way it turned out. It is very masculine looking and the picture of my son on his 21st birthday goes nicely in this.  Quite a departure from my normally very girly pink and purple projects  :)

Thanks for stopping by.  Please join us at Flaunt It Fridays this week and show us your projects using a skull.

Take care, y'all!  See you soon.

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}, Heather

Monday, January 10, 2011

Anniversary Card for My First "Paper Playtime" Design Team Project

Good morning, my friends!

Today is the day I get to post my first ever project for the Paper Playtime design team.  Our challenge was to use black, white and silver on a project.  These colours to me immediately brought to mind "formal".  I wanted to make a card along those lines.  Originally it was going to be a New Year's card but when I realized I needed to make an anniversary card for my hubby I decided to change it to that.  Usually I give him a "cutesy" card and wanted to change it up.  Please come join us over at Paper Playtime and show us your black, white and silver projects.


Supplies Used:

Recollections black and white cardstock

DCWV Glitter Matstack silver

Black and white patterned paper was from my stash, no idea where

Wedding solutions cartridge, champagne glasses cut at 3"

Winter Frolic cartridge, tag from page 42 cut at 3 1/2" and 2"

Michaels $1.50 stamp

Ribbon, buttons, floss, etc all from what I have

Thank you for taking the time to visit me today.  Take care and have a wonderful day.

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}, Heather

Thursday, January 6, 2011

A Knitting I Will Go....

Good morning, y'all!

Today I am going to share a project I made for a co-worker/friend of my husband's.  He worked with both the husband and wife at different locations and wanted something special for their first child.  Scrapbooking and cardmaking are my passions but I do enjoy some other crafts as well especially if I am sitting watching mindless tv.  So I picked up some yarn and knitted this baby blanket for them.  (They knew they were having a boy.)  It took me much longer than I thought it would and baby came early but I can proudly say it was in their hands before the little one was a month old :)


I made a card to go along with it of course.  It is my first shaped card I did on my Gypsy and I am was not totally please with it but with a little more practice I am sure I will get the hang of it.  Both the bottle and the teddy bear are from Doodlecharms.  The "Welcome Little One" stamp is from Inkadinkadoo and the face is from Peachy Keen Medium Critter Faces.  Ribbon, stickles and doodling finish off the card.



Thanks again for stopping by my little corner of the big crafty world.  I appreciate each and every one of you and hope that in some small way I inspire you to be the best you can be with your talent whatever it is. 

Have a WONDERFUL day, my friends.

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}, Heather

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

It's A New Dawn! It's A New Day!

Hello all my friends and welcome to some new followers. 

I have had a nice long break from blogging and crafting for that matter but I am ready to get fully back into the swing of things.  I announced mid December that I am going to be on the design team for Paper Playtime.  I have my first project done for that and it will be shared on Monday.  I am now happy to announce that I have also been chosen to be on the design team for Flaunt It Fridays which is a fairly new challenge blog involving specific Cricut cuts weekly.  My scrapbooking classes and crops at my local craft store were put on hold on hold for the months of November and December but are starting up again.  I am also pursuing some new avenues for my card making business - more on that as details become available. My son is getting married this year and I am in charge of anything "paper" related for the wedding - invitations, programs, place cards, etc.  So things will be extremely busy for me in the crafting world the next little while.  I just hope I can continue to find the motivation.

I'm excited about this new year. I can't wait to see where it takes me. I have some goals and dreams I want to see fulfilled but I have to continue to work hard to get there.



 Bringing me back to the title of this post - and a quote from a well known Michael Buble song -

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life....and I'm feelin' good!!!!

Until next time,

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

Heather