True Colors

It. has. been. so. long. since I completed a scrapbook page - at least since September. Oy! I got to looking at my ongoing project, and decided I really wanted to get to work on it while I still had memories in my head (they tend to fall out easily with me...). My current ongoing project is a 12x12 album of my trip to Chicago to see GLEE live in concert. Yes, I'm still beaming about it. :) I have no idea why the pictures upload sideways. It's quite the aggravation. Hope you can get the idea. :)

The bulk of the pages in the album are themed on titles of the songs they performed, most of them exact reenactments of the scenes in the show. This particular page/2 pages are based upon "True Colors", a Tina solo. This was a great choice to get me back into scrapbooking mode, because I LOVE bright, fun COLORS. This took a lot of time, but it was super fun. :)

A 2 page spread. I'm a fan of those...

Page 1. The photo is from FOX (I used a mixture of photos I took live, and shots from the show that really capture the themes well).

Font from Wall Décor & More, cut at 3.25" with Monogram feature. I cut them all in white cardstock, and then applied ink and coordinating Stickles, to create a rainbow effect.

I love this photo!! It set the perfect tone for inspiration.

It's not secret that I'm obsessed with these... :) I made them each by hand from paper studio cardstock, glossy accents, buttons, and stickles.

Page 2. Both photos taken by me. I used this page for all of my journaling.

Font from Wall Décor & More, cut at 2.5" with Monogram feature. I cut them all in white cardstock, and then applied ink and coordinating Stickles, to create a rainbow effect.

I am having so much fun documenting this night. The show itself brings me so much joy, but getting to see them live? Knowing that my boyfriend loves me so much that he made it actually happen? I have no words. No one can ever top it - and no one can ever take those memories from me. :) Thanks so much for reading with me. I hope everyone is staying WARM! Brrrr!

big hugs!!
Emily

Bon Voyage cards

As this school semester comes to an end, our school will say "see you soon" to 2 sweetheart students and their mom - they will be living in another country next term. They are special to me, and I'm making them cards before they go.

* This is a white 4x4 (fits A2 envelope!), with a grey 3 3/4" x 3 3/4" mat.

* The grey mat is stamped with Hero Arts Friend Definition in Milled Lavender, and the edges are ink blended with the same.

* The pearls in the upper corners are self-adhesive & lavender, from Recollections.

* The ribbon was sheer white, but I inked it with Dusty Concord. I hadn't yet done this with ribbon - love it!

* And last but not least, this chandelier, which I am in love with, is cut at 3" from the Summer in Paris cartridge. Cut out of DCWV paper from Pocket full of Posies stack.

^ Close-up of ribbon detail. I love this - I bet I will rarely use ribbon now, without inking it!

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2 of these -- one for each girl:

* This is a white 4x4. The bottom is punched with a fiskars border punch (sorry, I don't know the name).

* The rainbow heart and all its layers are cut from the Create a Critter cartridge, at 2.5" (+ shadow). Glitter paper is DCWV.

* Coordinating eyelets are The Paper Studio and I love them.

* Purple scrap inside card to emphasize border punch, and edges are blended with Tumbled Glass.

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I'd like to take a sec to talk about the cartridges I used for these cards, because they're 2 of my favorites.

First, Summer in Paris is one I bought back before I really got into using my Cricut. I think it was my third cart. ever - found it on sale at Archiver's. This cartridge is SO GORGEOUS, and semi- hard to find. All of the images are VERY intricate (so I wouldn't advise very small cuts). There are options for several 3d projects as well - this chandelier is one of them. The images are actually pretty versatile - there is a phone, hot air balloon, male & female silhouettes, bike, car, perfume, phrases, several Parisian landmarks, and more. It's not everyone's style, but if it's yours, I'd get it while you can. I love mine! You can read more and see the images here.

Second, how about that Create a Critter? This is BY FAR my favorite cart of my collection. It is filled with adorable animals, phrases, accesories and more. The card I've made here shows that there is a lot more than just critter layers on it. In fact, I love this cartridge so much, I'm tempted to write Provo Craft and suggest/ask if they have thought of coming out with a second one. I'm just sayin', if they can make a second Paper Dolls, there are tons more critters they could give us to create...You know it would sell like hot cakes.

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I want to give a big friendly THANK YOU to Sammye Jo at 62 Cards. She put a link of my blog on hers to get some followers for me. :) She does the most beautiful work - and right now she's doing 12 Days of Giveaways! You've gotta see her. :)

Gotta get to work now. Many thanks for reading!!

xoxo

Cinderella, you're as lovely as your name...

So, among the many things that absolutely define me, are my 2 favorite movies of all time. One is Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the other...the other is Cinderella. <3

Several years ago, knowing how much I love the fairy tale, my mom got me a keepsake ornament for Christmas - of Cinderella's glass slipper on a pillow. I worked at Hallmark for a number of years (2004-2009), and my Keepsake ornament collection has grown into something quite special to me. At any rate, I now have my very own purple (favorite color) Cinderella Christmas tree. I'm quite the fan of traditional red-and-green Christmas themes, so this purple business sounds silly until you see it. My room, a light lavender and lace, is the perfect home for my treasured tree for now.

Anyone reading this for crafting purposes might wonder what the heck I'm rambling on about. Well last month in all my Cricut frenzy (still ongoing, might I add...) it dawned upon me that there were a couple of priceless ornament opportunities waiting for my in my Nursery Rhymes cartridge.

These are:

- basic cream and blue cardstocks

- pearl mist

- tim holtz jump rings

- rock candy

- translucent ribbon

- silver embossing

- blended ink

And the tree...

xoxo

Thank You & My Favorite Cartidge!

I have been so busy, and therefore neglectful of this blog. =p
Wanted to quickly post this card. I made this for a friend who was considerate enough to come and support me at my first craft show! I made this using my latest, and possibly favorite-ever cartridge, Create a Critter. All die cuts shown are from this cartridge. I love it!

Below is a close-up, where you can really see my OOPS - I put a piece of paper that was ever so slightly too small in the cricut for the die cut. I had to then piece together some paper to re-create the ear. I say there's no such thing as a mistake.. Or at least, I try to tell my inner neurotic self that... :)

I have had the opportunity over the past week or so to play around and create a few critters. I love this cartridge SO much! I am quite the animal lover so this comes as no surprise. :)

Well, ta-ta for now.. :)

Christmas Tag How-To

Before I go to work today, here is a HOW I DID IT for these Christmas tags :) The only thing missing from them is a hole-punch and some ribbon at the top.

So the ornament shapes themselves I cut at Archiver's crop room, using assorted cardstocks I bought there.

I started out by making die cuts of this Pine Tree from the My Community, at 1 1/2 in. and the blackout feature.

Next, I arranged them on the Swiss Dots Embossing folder and ran them through the Cuttlebug.

Once all dotted up, I did a light brushing over Peeled Paint Distress ink over the dots. It's just barely enough color --

So I spritzed them with a mini mister (just water) to let the ink wick out and give a bit more color.

I actually used a glue stick to adhere the die cuts, and then added a puffy gift stickers (archiver's hot spot) under each tree.

Since I've managed to lose my TO/FROM stamp (grr..), I just used my type letters to spell the words out.

close-up of embossed tree.

hurray!

I officially signed up for the craft fair yesterday. I'M SO EXCITED!

xoxo

I am in the midst of some possibly exciting news...

I may be participating in my first craft fair next month! It's coming up soon, so we'll have to see if I can get enough goodies completed in time... I have wanted to participate in this sort of thing for years, and have been encouraged - by at least one person...;) - to do so. My gosh, even if I only sold one thing, knowing that someone liked what I did well enough to want to pay money for it? That's pretty exciting stuff!

Tonight I created several things, my favorite of which is this happy, happy, happy birthday card.

- die cuts from cricut cartridge Home Accents (2 1/4 & 1 1/4 in.), white CS

- paint dabbers (lettuce & purple twilight)

- ink blended background (tumbled glass & wild honey)

- stamped images (int. and ext.) done in tumbled glass

- stickles on tips of die cuts (patina & fruit punch)

I've got loads more completed but they'll have to wait. :)

xoxo

A cricut, a cuttlebug, and tim holtz walk into a bar...

So, couple of things...

Made this card for Grandma, for her birthday which was yesterday. I was really excited to use lots of new things. I challenged myself to explore with my Cricut, because I haven't used it much since I purchased it (over 1 1/2 yrs. ago)...to be honest, the machine sort of intimidates me. At least it has up until now. I'm getting more comfortable. :) I cut out some balloons from the Stretch Your Imagination cartridge, before inking and stickling them. (Yes, I just made stickling a verb...)

I also was stoked to use the cuttlebug for some texture and my very first cuttlebug die cut. The die cut I did, is one by Tim Holtz. They're called Alterations, and I absolutely love them - however, they are intended for Sizzix machines. Through my repetitive watching of THIS Youtube video, I was convinced to spring for one, as she very efficiently proves that they are in fact compatible with the cuttlebug. So the other night I got the Baroque die cut. I cut one to add to this card, after inking it and embossing it with Swiss Dots.

Distress Inked + stickles

Swiss Dots

So when I first cut a balloon, I had it on the wrong size dial, which resulted in this teeny tiny balloon. Always trying to use it all up, I was excited when I realized I had the perfect use for the little mistake. A touch of red sharpie and voila! :)

So I'm finally getting to explore a little bit with the T.H. Compendium of Curiosities. First up, the Shabby Chic technique:

I was thrilled with how this technique turned out. This is just a plain grunge heart (mixed minis set). The paint dabbers I used were sunset orange and espresso. *TIP: rather than using the actual dabber foam top, i dabbed it on and then used my finger to spread it all around. a much smoother look.*

Next up, 2 techniques layered in one. The background coloring is the Wrinkle Free Distress, and I am actually blanking on the name of the other technique. I do know that it didn't work the best for me. It had to do with Perfect Pearls over a distress stamped image, and then misting water so that the ink would wick out from beneath the powder. Well, my ink ran. But I'm ok with the finished product:

^ prisma glitter over stamped image

Finally, I did some experimenting with my mini misters. I have only made one concoction so far, but as I was warned, I am addicted. I just mixed some bronze p.p. with a full tube of water. I spritzed it over this ornament tag, and also over this imitation grunge flower I made.

^ close-up showing mini mister detail! :)

As a P.S., that imitation flower was made using the cricut (george & basic shapes) on 'shadow blackout' at 2 1/2 inches. I used Scattered Straw distress ink, Golden Rod stickles, and a spritz of my DIY mixture. Gave it to my mom as a Get Well flower - she and I are both peuny!

xoxo