Thinking about Next Christmas Already?

I am. I already began my Christmas shopping for next year yesterday. I braved the crowds of after-Christmas shoppers at Walmart. Yeah, me! I got a huge amount of stuff (at least I thought so...) for next Christmas, including stocking stuffers, which are always quick to get expensive.

But... for those of you who are always being asked what you want for Christmas... I found this handy little universal button from Amazon! supplied by a wonderful person on FrugalScrappersYahoo Group. You add this button to your browser tool bar and everytime you are on a site that has an item you want... you click "Add to My Wish List" and it stores the site to your Amazon wish list with the item! Loved ones can get your wish list and find the things you've been wishing for. What a great little tool! Now I only wish... that each person I gift to would get one of these handy little buttons!

To get yours... simply click on the link and move the little button to your toolbar! It's that simple. Here ya go! Click on Link

Been a While, but HEY! Merry Christmas!!!

Make a Smilebox greeting

July Virtual Crop

I've been scrapbooking, trying to win the virtual crop on one of my groups. Here's some pics of some of my things I did last night. (4 layouts - yeah!) I'm jammin!

CHA Summer Peeks and YourStory by PC

Over on Scrapbook Update, they have a listing of who is releasing some things at CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) this summer. Go check it out! If you are a scrapbooker or card maker, you will find lots of different things.

So far, though, we haven't heard anything big for ProvoCraft... maybe the Design Studio Pro? Hmmm... what will it be this time. So far, they've only got new Cuttlebug folders, which are already on pre-order from some suppliers.

As for a previous release, I finally got a YourStory about a month ago. Today I FINALLY used it. I created 26 8x8 layouts for my book (without embellishments to make the binding smoother). Then I bound the book! It is super-uber fantastic, and I'm SO glad I have it. I will be doing much more and may even do some 8 1/2 x 11 pages, as I have one more album cover for the YourStory. I will definitely be on Creative Xpress when I get some $$$. Now I'm working on embellishing it.

The only bad thing about it is the books have to be so slim. I barely got the 13 pages in there.

Oh! And about that de-cluttering. I'm done and organized. Yay me!

Anyway... Toodles for now! lisa

Check Out "Paperclipping"!!!

On the right side of this blog, you will see an RSS feed for "Paperclipping." This is a great website for tutorials and such. FYI... They will also be featuring sneak peaks and new releases, especially since CHA is coming up... soon... Fresh stuff is always on there, plus the new titles are listed in the feed. Have fun and take care (back to de-cluttering and organizing!).

De-Cluttering

Today I'm cleaning and de-cluttering my scrapping/crafting area. (btw... I cut my nails so I can blog more - the typing was getting difficult.) It's quite unorganized, cluttered, and a total mess. I have lots of things to do before Christmastime, and lots to do in between. How am I to get it all done?

Yes... I'm one of those people. The people that buy things, even though they don't have the time to finish them. I always have more than I can do.

I have 3 purses that need to be made, as people have been expecting them for quite some time. I also have so much scrapping to get "caught up" on. I'll never be done, but that's the fun of it, right?

Anyway, I'll be doing this the rest of tonight and tomorrow. Maybe even the day after.

I had hopes of participating more in the virtual crop but got so disgusted with all the mess, it made it really hard to do anything. So here I am. Gotta go... got so much more to do!

Simply Sketchy Challenge - Frugal Scrappers

I actually got one challenge done on a virtual crop over at Frugal Scrappers. It is a group I joined just the other day. The challenge is "Simply Sketchy" and follows a sketch. I did the best I could in the time I had. And here it is. I sure hope I'm posting this right...

The papers are from my stash...

The "mom" is from Beyond Birthdays, the heart from George & Basic Shapes, and the "Mo" is from Opposites attract.

The heart and borders from the larger photo are chalked.

Still lovin' my ATG gun!

Father's Day Card

I know it's a little late, but here is my Father's Day Card. I love this card!

This card is super simple and a breeze to make with the Medallion technique I learned at SplitCoast Stampers! On the SCS tutorial, they used a scalloped edge. (Check out the tutorial here.) I decided to take it to a more "manly" level and do the rope border by Fiskars.I also added distressed stripes with the Cuttlebug and further distressed them with Tim Holtz's Walnut Stain. The stamp is Studio G. The rest is my stash (finally using it up). I bought nothing, only used what I had. Yeah me!

Blog Candy Alert!

Over on Button Junkie, Sherry's celebrating 10,000 hits. Congrats. And to help her celebrate... she's offering blog candy. She's also got lots of great thought and cards to boot. Go check her out!

Shout Out To SheetLoad

"SheetLoad of Cards" is an awesome webmagazine that gives so much in spirit. They have sketches, reviews, digi stamps and so much more. They literally are a sheet load of cards.

Visit their June Issue here. Have a great day!

I Know It's Been Awhile

I have been crafting, but not taking pics. Bad me.

Oh well... I have made a ton of cards (lots of holidays and birthdays!) and taking pics was not the first thing on my mind. I also did all of the swap stuff, but didn't feel like uploading to post.

I've been off the computer so much and just playing around with my new Expression and Design Studio, along with my Jukebox!

But... here's a pic of my latest layout. This is from a trip almost 2 years ago, in the fall.

Used:

Pooh Font with Design Studio and shadow effects

Alpalicious with Desing Studio

pop dots

canvas fabric

cardstock

apple and gingham paper

Walgreens for photos

More Swaps...

And yet here are some more swap items. There are eight of each, but I only took one pic, to spare you. There are so many because I "angeled" some. Which means... I get more back, too! Yippee!

This is a recipe for "7 Ingredients or Less" of Alfredo Sauce. I love the mosaic technique, and it is one of my faves.

This is a topper/border for Zoo - Underwater. Love the micro glitter and the water effects!

Below is a recipe for for Chicken & Broccoli Cheese Penne. If you look closely, you can see the recipe... this is also a 7 ingredient recipe. I used a little clipart here.

This is a mermaid, made from PPDU. I Swiss dotted her hair with the Cuttlebug to look more like curls. Lots of ink and Stickles...

This little unicorn is also from PPDU. Isn't he cute? I love blue, so I put him in blues and silver. Inked. Stickles are on the flower, in "orange peel." BEWARE... Orange Peel Stickles STAIN YOUR FINGERS! Mine are still orange!

There is still more to come... Hope you like it all.

Some Teaser Swap Items

I've been on vacation, but prior to that and now... I've been working on swap items. Here are just a few. (I still have to take pics of the others, which is quite a bit.) I hope to blog more often really soon...

This is using ZooBalloo (of course!). It is a topper/border for a general zoo swap.

Notice the detes in the tiny little zebra (love him!)...

This is embossing a transparency with the Cuttlebug. The tag is from Tags, Bags, Boxes & More set on a double window setting.

The wizards caps belong with Paper Doll Dress-Up.

And yes, I used my ATG and STILL love it! Toodles for now! lisa

BTW - the widget you see in the upper right hand corner is for my daughter. She is in Honors English, and they are planning an educational tour to Europe next June (2010). It pains me to see her go this far away from me, yet I know it will give her a better global understanding of the world today and the variety of cultures. I want my child to be aware and am allowing her to go. However, we need your support. You can donate money to the fund or send in your donations. Just click "CHIP IN" and it will send you to a site where you can pay via PayPal. PayPal will not charge you. But... it does charge us a small amount. We have a little over $4000 to earn by May 2010. Please help us help Renee to reach this goal. Thanks ahead of time! lisa

101 Ways To Use Stickles

You know we all love them, so someone (don't know who - but it is being passed around. I got it in my inbox as well as on Scrapbook Bingo!)

101 ways to use Stickles!
1. You can use Stickles to outline the letters in your titles.
2. You can use Stickles to outline the patterns, pictures & designs on your patterned papers.
3. You can add a little shimmer by spreading it around with your finger!
4. You can use Stickles on handmade cards.
5. You can use Stickles to make flowers glittery.
6. You can use Stickles to make glitzy photo corners!
7. You can use Stickles to make firework photos glittery!
8. You can use Stickles to make the trails from butterflies and dragonflies.
9. You can use Stickles to doodle dots and stitches.
10. You can use the clear one which is AWESOME on stickers etc. to really make them look special.The Basic Grey cardstock stickers become 3-D and really spectacular! !
11. You can use Stickles to outline the veins in leaves.
12. You can use Stickles to add to the clothing on Bella stamps to make the girls look ready for a night on the town!
13. You can use Stickles to make brads sparkly!
14. You can use Stickles to make ribbon sparkly!
15. You can use Stickles to make icing on cupcakes and cakes shimmer.
16. You can use Stickles to make waves look 3-D.
17. You can use Stickles for making cherries/fruit shimmer as if wet.
18. You can use the color Orange to make the fire on the end of a birthday candle!
19. You can use Stickles to make rain drops or water drops from a watering can.
20. You can use Stickles to make fairy dust around a fairy's wand.
21. You can use Stickles to decorate your kids school supplies instead of buying designer stuff.
22. You can use Stickles to cover entire cutouts.
23. You can use Stickles over the designs on grunge board. It looks great!
24. You can use Burgundy Stickles as the perfect color to add blood droplets on your Halloween LO's.
25. To cover clear embellishments entirely and make them oh so sparkly!
26. You can use Stickles under transparencies, to adhere them. Looks great for bubbles.
27. You can use Stickles for decorating t-shirts. When they're worn down, ripped or you tired of them, cut out the design and scrap it. More mileage this way.
28. You can use dots made with Stickles to border a page!
29. You can use Stickles for slug trails.
30. You can use Stickles for snail trails.
31. You can use Stickles to decorate tennis shoes.
32. You can use Stickles to decorate buttons.
33. You can use Stickles to decorate ribbons.
34. You can use Stickles to make a spiderweb sparkle in a Halloween LO.
35. You can use Stickles on handmade tags.
36. You can use Stickles to add bling to hats or crowns.
37. You can use Stickles to make jewelry gleam!
38. You can use Stickles to make belts shine!
39. You can use Stickles to add pizazz to purses & some shine to shoes!
40. Add Stickles to all or any misc accessories! (whether it be in a LO or IRL.That's up to you! LOL!)
41. Add stickles dots to decorate lots of things, especially stamped swirls or flowers.
42. You can use Stickles generally anywhere on your LO, just to add some bling!
43. You can use Stickles to highlight just one letter in a title and make it POP!
44. You can use Stickles to make a circle or square of dots to frame closely in on a face or object in a photo.
45. You can add Stickles to the center of flowers.
46. You can run Stickles along swirly-swirls!
47. You can use a line of Stickles to make a thin (or thick!) border around anything (or everything!) on your page.
48. You can use Stickles to highlight the shadow on stamped letters.
49. You can use Stickles to stamp with them!
50. You can use Stickles to embellish concert LO's.
51. You can use Stickles to make flourishes on your flourishes and make them look embossed.
52. You can use your Stickles to add bling to a star.
53. You can add them to flames to make them shimmer, glow & come alive!
54. You can use the color Cotton Candy to enhance.Um, well, Cotton Candy!
55. You can use the Candy Cane Stickles for... Candy Canes!
56. You can use the Icicle Stickles for... Icicles.
57. You can use Waterfall Stickles for.... Water & Waterfalls.
58. You can use Orange Peel Stickles for... Oranges.
59. You can use Stickles to make the lines of a shooting star!
60. You can use Stickles on flowers to make them sparkle!
61. You can use Stickles as paint (dot a little then spread with paintbrush)
62. You can use Stickles to make a proper Disco Ball!
63. You can tear paper snow for cards or layouts & run Stickles along the top edge of the snow.
64. Stock up on the white/frosty colored Stickles. Stickle the paper or the ghost shape flakes. You can also stamp snowflakes and put Stickles in the center of the snowflake.
65. You can add Stickle to anything that you stamp!
66. You can use Stickles on paper piercings.
67. You can use Stickles on diecuts.
68. When using jewels, outline the jewel with Stickles.
69. You can use Stickles to outline a journal box.
70. You can use Stickles to decorate a cast.
71. You can use Stickles to decorate gift bags.
72. You can use Stickles to decorate wrapping paper.
73. You can use Stickles on feathers for Mardi Gras or Las Vegas LOs.
74. You can use Stickles with a stencil instead of ink.
75. You can print out stuff from Google, then add Stickles and top with Diamond Glaze to make homemade sparkly stickers!
76. You can apply Stickles to the top of Thickers.
77. When glitter comes off of stickers/paper, you can fill it in with Stickles to make it back to normal!. You can use Stickles to glue more glitter on top of the sticker!
78. You can use Stickles to make the eyes on a Disney Princess cut with your Cricut.
79. You can use Stickles to create rays of sunshine!
80. You can use your Stickles to create a rainbow!
81. You can use Stickles to make a heart (or hearts) shine!
82. You can use Stickles to make stars glitter & shine!
83. You can use Stickles to make moonbeams shine!
84. You can use Stickles on diecut Christmas trees to make the bulbs sparkle & shine!
85. You can add Stickles to your own Christmas ornaments or Christmas ornaments as gifts!
86. You can use Stickles to add shine to a trophy.
87. You can use Stickles to a title block.
88. You can use Stickles to add sparkles to a Shamrock.
89. You can use Stickles to add sparkles to an Easter Egg.
90. You can use Stickles to add rays of light to a Christian cross.
91. You can use Stickles to create firework frame around something (For example, a name or an object!)
92. You can use Stickles to make fish glimmer.
93. You can use Stickles to make water reflect (ocean, lake, waterfall, ripples, streams, fountain, aquarium, etc.)
94. You can use Stickles to make a reflective mirror.
95. You can use Stickles to highlight Art Deco from the 60's, 70's, 80's or 90's found in the backgrounds of pictures.
96. You can use Stickles to highlight a monogram.
97. You can use Stickles on inchies.
98. You can use Stickles on tear bears.
99. You can use Stickles to add bling to automobiles.
100. You can use Stickles on your Disney Princess pages.
101. You can use Stickles on everything & anything & as long as you still have Stickles to use!

Now that you know what you can use them for... go out and buy some more!

Yikes! It's Been That Long?

So... I've been busy. I went to the Scrapbook EXPO, met my friend (thank you, Jenn!) there, and had a great time.

I spent more money than I'd hoped (but of course!). We split a batch of Glimmer Mist after actually doing the make-and-take. It is quite fun. AND... I've used it on 8 layouts already. Love the stuff. I bought a little here and there, stuff to work with now, and some not so much.

Jenn and I went to the all-day crop and scrapped our hearts out. I got quite a bit done for my swaps due (in one week). We went back and forth to shop and crop. We were settled into our seats for the rest of the day, cramming to get more done, when I got a phone call at 4:30pm... WE HAD WON THE S.E.I. $100 SHOPPING SPREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, of course we had to go spend it. We didn't get a lot, because if you know scrapping stuff, it kinda costs a lot, and it's not like it was a sale. But we did get quite a bit and decided to split stuff in the stacks and embellishments, so we actually got much more than we would have separately. And so... we both walked out of there with $50 more in product than we spent. Woohoo!

I still need to take pics of the swap stuff I've created. I haven't been taking pics of cards as I've done them, oh well....

Anywho... I'm on my way out the door. Toodles for now! lisa

Scrapbook EXPO - Costa Mesa, CA

Hey there! I will be attending the Scrapbook EXPO in Costa Mesa this weekend. I will be there Sunday (hopefully at the all-day crop - if there's enough room!), February 15th. It is all weekend, Friday through Sunday.

There are some really great perks about the EXPO there. First off, it is at the Orange County Fairgrounds, which also hosts the Orange County MarketPlace (otherwise known as a "swap" meet, but they don't really barter there, and it's really nice). The reason I'm telling you all of this? Whelps, folks... if your significant other doesn't want to go the EXPO and doesn't want you to go, you can ply him/her with the wonderful MarketPlace experience. They have great food, entrance fee of $2, great items, and wonderfully fresh and beautiful produce. Heck, if you walk around the food aisle (the last aisle at the south end, stretching east to west), you can get breakfast/lunch for free with all of the samples. They even have a blog to check out other types of fun things and photos! Yippee!

I'm also telling you this, as if you choose to go, DO NOT EAT AT THE EXPO!!! The prices are super high, even outside. Pay the $2, go into the marketplace and get yourself some good eats for 1/2 the price, or maybe even a bigger savings. Plus, it is noisy inside the EXPO, and you and your friends can chat better in the MarketPlace.

Plus, not all prices at the EXPO are awesome. There are some booths at the MarketPlace that offer scrapbooking and crafting items (including ProvoCraft and Cricut items) at very good prices. Trust me... I know. Been there, done that, but don't have the layout. (LOL, Christina!)

If you choose to go, and you will be there on Sunday, please feel free to e-mail me prior. We can then exchange numbers, and meet up. This is not a pick-up line, just a chance to meet someone else that is friendly and crafty and swap ideas. Yippee!

If you can't make it, still... feel free to e-mail me! Friends are always welcome. Also, if you can't make it, or don't live around Southern California, check out the schedule for other EXPOs.

CHA - Winter

Once again, I couldn't go... but, hopefully that will change within the next year. It is a place I would love to go to, even if only for the experience.

For those of you who didn't go, there are a couple of sites by some wonderful women that give some great glimpses into the happenings at CHA (Crafts & Hobby Association).

Just A Scrappin' by Linda... has some interesting and informative items. She also is an advocate for us all when it comes to ProvoCraft. "ProvoCraft is not listening to their customers."

Also, Glenda's Creative Place by So Cal's own Glenda has some great videos (especially for those who love the bug [Cricut, of course!]!!!). Just think... 25 new cartridges for 2009! I need more $$$!

Please visit both of these ladies' sites... and don't forget to leave a comment! Toodles for now! lisa

So Here I am... A New Beginning

I decided upon this blog to share my creative things... to save my family from looking over items they'd rather not weed through to get to the family stuff, and to save the creative/crafting people from reading my everyday stuff.

Hope you all like the changes. Fell free to visit all of my blogs...

Cuttlebug Spot Challenge #17: Love Word

Here's my take on the Challenge over at The Cuttlebug Spot. The challenge was to use the word "Love" on a card. I used the Cuttlebug (Divine Swirls) to emboss the foil cutout.
The hearts embossing folder adorns the background, as well as Sakura's Jelly Roll (glitter red) to emphasize the hearts. Then the embossed "with love" border sits underneath a Threading Water cut border.

I liked it, and I hope my hubby will, too... next Saturday. It's coming soon! Toodles for now! lisa

Another Card for Valentine's Day!

This one is really cute (I think!). It involves a challenge over at Scrapbook BINGO to win the Christmas Noel Solutions Cartridge. This is something I really want to win, so I'm making sure I'm ahead of the game. The challenge was to make a Valentine card with hearts other than the "normal" colors of red, pink, white, etc. I chose yellow and blue (adds to the green of the card). LOL! A "duh" moment...

Cartridges used:

Stretch Your Imagination (grasshopper card)

Doodlecharms (hearts)

Pooh font

Other materials:

Chalks (for perfect coloring on grasshopper and reverse shading on hearts)

Cardstock

Vellum (for background)

ATG gun

Sakura Quickie Glue (for the finer fonts and antennae)

Hope you like it... Toodles for now! - lisa

CuttleBug Spot Challenge #16: Sweet Child / Cuttlebug Challenge Blog #17: Love-Themed

This challenge was posted Monday (yesterday) on the Cuttlebug Spot. It was to make a Valentine's for a child. It was also posted 02/04 on Cuttlebug Challenge Blog, so I am putting it for both! Yeah. I've never done that, so I hope people don't mind.


Here is my take on it:
"I'll Hiss for a Kiss" I just popped with it when I saw the snake from Animal Kingdom. I saw so many things I had ideas for, but this one just clicked a little more. And I used scraps I already had. Woohoo!
The hiss and the snake were made from Animal Kingdom; the snake's pink diamond back was embossed using the Cuttlebug Textile folder. ("HISS" is actually two sizes [1" and 1-1/4"], since there is no shadow feature on the "sounds" of the animals.) The other letters are Opposites Attract and dusted/inked with bright pink daubers from Direct Memories.
Of course I had to add Stickles somewhere... so I put it on the skin of the snake (in Cinnamon), emphasizing the diamond back. And I used the "Heart" embossing folder for the background of the card, then sanded the red cardstock to bring out the white core of the cardstock and make the hearts "pop" a little more.
Since it was for a child, I felt only google eyes were appropriate to add a little humor and character to my otherwise fearless friend.


Hope you like it, and check out the links above for more fun and challenges on their blog! Thanks Nilda! And thanks to everyone at Cuttlebug Challenge Blog, as well.

Cuttlebug Challenge Blog - Be Inspired Challenge #16

We were supposed to take Marissa to Disneyland today, but she got sick, so we are home, so... I decided to take a few minutes and do this (made a card)!
This week's challenge was to use distressing. I chose to sand and use Tim Holtz Walnut Stain ink.


First, I sanded my cardstock. (This would allow the ink I am going to use to absorb into different areas, giving it an old feel.) Then I applied the walnut stain ink to the Cuttlebug embossing folder, on the non-raised side, and sent it through, dry-embossing it. The edges are then torn and re-inked to add the "old-paper" feel and look to it. *I was trying to find a more versatile way of using a Halloween-type folder. I *think* I succeeded, don't you?
Then I added the sentiments and embellishments. The purple words "Dust Off the Cobweb" and "is here!" are embossed with Ranger's Puffy in purple, and "Spring!!!" is embossed in hot pink glaze. I left a flower floating on the web for effect.


Hope you like it. You can see more takes on the challenge and check out a challenge of your own on the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog. Good luck! Toodles for now! lisa

HUGE Give-A-Way for Scrappers (and Card Makers, too!)

Heck! For any type of crafter!

Danielle is an awesome paper crafter (scrapper and everything inclusive). She is... (get ready for the drum roll...) giving away a CRICUT EXPRESSSION!!!!! Can you believe it? But, there is a catch! She wants to get to 600 comments. (We are below 200 on 02/03/09.) So... let's help her (and us!). Please go to her blog and leave a comment. AND do me a favor (por favor!)... I have another friend who is trying to win the other prize, so... please let Danielle know (in the same comment) that "Captain Scrappy" (my friend, Jenn!) sent you.

Good luck to you all! Go back everyday!!! The more comments, the closer one of us gets to getting the Big Bug! Woohoo! Toodles for now! lisa

BLOG CANDY ALERT!!!

Thanks to Christina (Been There, Done That, Have the Layout!), more blog candy is up for grabs. She has a whole boatload of stuff to celebrate!

First of all, her work is excellent. Secondly, her self-portrait is pretty hot (so all you fellas out there need to take a look, too!). She had her 6-month blogaversary, has had over 3,000 hits (much more than mine! lol!), and has hit the over 200 comment mark (again... much more than mine! lol!). What does she do to be so great? Whelp folks, go on over there and check it out. You will find a great card maker, scrapper, crafter, and friend (also a member of Scrapbook BINGO!).

Leave a comment for her and you will be entered into a drawing for a wonderful package (includes glitter stacks, ribbon, stamps, etc.)! But you gotta go see to enter... So... just click the link next to her name, and you will be taken there. Toodles for now! lisa

OMG! I finally made 2!

Pages, that is... It has taken me a couple of months to get back into it. I began by making cards. Thanks to Amanda (of Scrapbook BINGO!), she has motivated me to create something. I really want to win a Cricut Christmas Solutions Cartridge, so I'm doing ALL of the challenges she asks for. This last challenge was for a layout (not a card) that use 3 Cricut Cartridges. So... Here is goes!

I've had this layout "planned" for quite a while, just never executed. It may be a little "gaudy" or pink for some of you, and the colors are totally not my style, but I was trying to get the true vibe of the Quincenera (15th Birthday Party [Coming Out] of a girl). This is the two-page layout.

I had so many pics, I had to do accordion photos. Then, since (duh me!) I put the accordions on the left-hand page, they tend to fall down when closing the album, so... I had to ribbon them up with a tie.

Marissa kissed a lot of people that night. So, I got a little "Kiss Me" action going on. I created this heart using the Coluzzle templates with my own twist. I folded the cardstock, then cut, folded and cut, etc., allowing a total of three hearts that one folds over the other.

One of the 3 Carts I used was "Happily Ever After". The frames of the two accordion albums, as well as the Spanish version of Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) were created using this cartridge. I love the way the oval frame surrounds the doll (muneca) and makes it appear to be a mirrored image.

Another was "Opposites Attract". With this cart, I made the letters that spelled out "Michelle's Quince" and "[15]". I sponged the fluorescent pink letters with a dark pink to make it blend a little more (but with a little bit of pop) with the layout.

The final cart used was "George and Basic Shapes". "The Princess & Marissa" was made from this. I left the title alone in a light pink shade. I thought it looked pretty good.

And of course... I had to use Stickles. I Stickled the crown and the necklace of Aurora in Diamond" and used Cotton Candy for the flourishes surrounding the one title and around the folding heart album.

Thanks, Amanda for pushing us to get our things done! Gotta go clean up my mess... Toodles for now! lisa

More Cards and a Little Bit of Happenings...

You'd think by now I'd be doing more layouts... Nope! Got some more cards done this week. I belong to a card club and hadn't sent the ones from November or December, or the Christmas cards I signed up to do. So... I put a simple gift in pre-made Christmas cards and made the November and December cards, plus all of the previous belated birthday cards (from August on, in my group), and all of the February Birthday cards. I am so caught up now!

Now... I can begin working on more layouts.

I will be printing picks from Walgreens, as they currently have a special of "print 50 for $5.00. Not too bad... They are quick and easy. But if you know me... I have to have them sent to me (instead of 1-hour photo), as I much prefer the matte finish. I can do so much more with it - add chalks, erase around, ink better, etc. Where a gloss picks up fingerprints WAY too easy for my taste and repels a lot of the things I like to do to photos.

So... here's a little bit of what's been goin' on here. I've been "stripping" a day bed. I intend to deep white-wash it to blend with the room, but am still working on it. There is a solvent that is "safe" for the environment (orange gel stuff - YUCK!). Unfortunately, it doesn't work very well. So... here's a little bit of me in my "stripping" clothes! Yeah!

I found some pretty vellum and striped paper on Monday and had to make a card with it. So, here is my "masculine" card. The sentiment is George with the Cricut and is chalked then distress-inked in pond green.

Marissa had a birthday (or two...). She should have had 3 by the time Super Bowl Sunday KickOff hits... We did a cake with Daddy, before he went to work; then... we had some friends over. Marissa wanted a BIG HUGE cookie with M&M's for that... Sunday will be Princess cupcakes (from Hello Cupcake!) with a little adjustments here and there. She will also have a princess-type party with Scene Setters (thank you, Karen!). She'll love it.

I also made this card (today) for the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog. We were supposed to create a card based off a sketch, and here is my take on it. Although the entries had to be posted by yesterday (so much for my anti-procrastination campaign...), I still went ahead and did it, just so I kept up with them. It's a little corny and says, "a little bubbly?"... It's intended for my friend after she gives birth to her (now) overdue daughter #2. The circles are punches, then either reversed inked or inked after dry embossing with the Cuttlebug. The sentiment is stamped in silver then heat embossed with a holographic glitter. Uh... I was a little off in my stamping, as I miscalculated the spacing and so the "l" and "y" of the bubbly is WAY off. But... I still think it looked cute.

I then tried to distress it and can't figure out how all of you get it to look just right without leaving lines or the paper curling up (and ink running!) when you spritz it with water. So... anyone out there? HELP me! (Just leave a comment or e-mail me. I am always looking for tips and tricks. Thanks for everything. I'm tired and gotta go to bed... Toodles for now! lisa

New Cards from the Weekend

Ok, sorry late in posting these, but I have been busy with my weight loss blog (see link in sidebar). I've also been blog surfing, trying to come up with ideas and inspiration. But... I'm ready to post these cards I made over the weekend.

This card was made (quickly) on Saturday for a Quincenera (Girls 15th [Coming Out] Birthday Party) that I didn't know I was going to until that morning. For the scalloped circles, I used Mini Monograms and my Cricut. The sentiment is George and Basic Shapes. I inked a Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder, then ran one of the scallops through, the other scallop went through without the ink, then I layered them. I love the Fiskars "Threading Water" border punch, so I used that too. Underneath it all are two ribbons, a purple and white striped organza over a wide silky satin white ribbon. I sponged the card and the envelope and added some bling to the center of my scallops, as well as Stickles on the sentiment to make the card sparkle.

It may look a little off center, as it was initially meant to go horizontal, but I had printed the inside poem to read portrait-style, so I had to quickly change it. But, I think my "Birthday Blessings" came out okay, don't you?

And Sunday, while I waited for my brakes to be done (yes... I waited AT HOME!), I made 6 cards to catch up with the 2008 card club. I still have 6 more to make, then I can finally sign up for the January 2009 Card Club. I should be finishing those tomorrow. So... there are six of these:

The card club cards are supposed to be blank on the inside, so I just wanted to add a little sparkle to the starry night and Stickled (with a sponge) around the "Way to Go!" (done with the George Cartridge and my Cricut). The chipboard button is from the $1 bin at Michaels. The snowflake border at the bottom is Martha Stewart (on clearance at Michaels). I lined the inside with plain white paper for ease in writing and also to accentuate the border on both sides.

I will be entering both of these cards in the Cricut Christmas Noel Challenge #1 on Scrapbook Bingo... Watch Out Girls! I'm comin' to win it!!! LOL! Just kidding, but sorta serious. Toodles for now! lisa