Unscripted Sketches Challenge 83 and Little Yellow Bicycle Goodies

It's time once again for Sketch It Saturday over at the Unscripted Sketches challenge blog, and this week's sketch gave me a chance to try something a little bit out of my comfort zone!  I am a 'more is more' kind of cardmaker, and because my budget doesn't allow for all the latest and greatest things out there, I tend to make my own embellishments, or use non-traditional type products in my cards.

Well, a few weeks ago when I went onto Facebook to see what was going on, I saw a post from Little Yellow Bicycle telling about their 10 winners of their Christmas Card Kit.  I knew I hadn't entered anything, but looked at the list anyway, to see if I recognized any names.  And I did!  My name was on the list, and the giveaway only required being a fan of LYB on Facebook!  They simply drew 10 names at random, and mine was one of the lucky ones!  Here is a glimpse of the goodies I won . . .

I really love those chipboard stickers and the pretty papers!  Anyway, I decided to step away from the norm and use the card kit for my card this week.  I hope you enjoy it!  Here is this week's sketch . . .

And here is my take on the sketch . . .

Products - All products used are from the Little Yellow Bicycle kit except the crinkled seam binding and scrap of cardstock from my stash, and the addition of some Stickles Stardust.

Tips, Tools and Techniques - Very simple, mostly peel and stick!  The chipboard ornament, sentiment and row of gifts were all self adhesive.  I simply made a bow from the seam binding and added some stickles.  Very easy!

I guess if I have a lesson for you from my experience using this kit is to not be afraid to put yourself out there!  Especially on Facebook!  Get out there search for all your favorite products pages and 'Like' them, and you never know what you might learn, or win!  Another lesson . . . going out of your comfort zone can be a good thing!   Blessings, Becky

C & T Publishing - Creative Troupe Review!

Hi folks!  Just a quick note to toot my own horn for a minute!  I just found out my card for the Unscripted Sketches challenge last week . . .

has been showcased in the C & T Publishing Blog's 'Creative Troupe Review' for November!  You can go HERE to check it out!  Thanks, Becky

My Thanksgiving Gift To You!

Today, here in the US, we take a day to pause, and give thanks for all our blessings of the past year, and ask God's blessings upon us in the next year. While this life of mine isn't perfect, neither am I, and yet I have so very much for which to be thankful, and this morning my heart is full as I prepare to share a wonderful meal later today with the two people who mean most to me . . . my husband of 25+ years, and my 80 year old mother. Please take the four minutes it will take to watch this video and lift up YOUR song of praise to the God from which all blessings come.

Happy Thanksgiving! Becky

Unscripted Sketches #82 - Happy Anniversary

Hi Folks!  It's Saturday once again, and that means it's time for Sketch It Saturday at Unscripted Sketches!  This week's sketch was a tad challenging for me, but when I turned it 1/4 turn to the left, well, everything became clear as a bell!  Here is this week's sketch . . . 

See what I mean?  It's a little 'graphic', or maybe segmented is the word I'm trying to find, but either way, once I made that little turn, I knew what I wanted to do!  Here is my take on this week's sketch . . . 

A cute little anniversary card, just perfect for some coffee lovers out there!  Here is all the info . . .

Product Info:

• Patterned papers from a Cosmo Cricket Double Deck, Garden Variety
• Card stocks are just scraps from my drawer of bits
• Flowers are Hero Arts
• Image is from a 12" x 12" sheet by Flair Designs called 'Farmers Market'.  It is 2 each of 6 'labels' with a vintage feel.
• Ribbon and cup and saucer charm are from my stash
• Adhesive is from my super Glue Glider Pro - Perma Tac from GlueArts

Tips, Tools and Techniques:

• Image was matted with a bit of green cardstock, corners rounded with the small corner rounder by EKSuccess
• Sentiment was printed on orange cardstock using my inkjet printer
• Flowers were stacked and held together with a brad.  I took the silvertone charm and coated it well with VersaMark ink, dipped it into copper embossing powder by Ranger and melted it with a heat gun.  Now instead of a cheapy looking silvertone cup and saucer, it's pretty copper!

That's my project for this week!  Thanks so much for visiting, and I sure hope all of you in the US have a wonderful, happy Thanksgiving!  Blessings, Becky

A Card . . . and the best place for scrappers and paper crafters to find keep in touch EVER!

Hi Folks!  A couple of weeks ago I made a rare run to Hobby Lobby and found they had all their paper stacks on sale for 50% off - yay for me!  And, they had a stack of two of my favorite lines from one of my favorite companies . . . Cosmo Cricket!  It's a double deck stack, just full of goodness from their Material Girl and Garden Variety lines.  Great papers!!!

So of course I had to come home and make a card, and this is what I came up with . . .

And  here are all the details . . .

Product Info:

• Base card stock is Die Cuts With a View Citrus Stack (card stock)
• Patterned paper is Cosmo Cricket, Double Deck Stack, Garden Variety
• Image is from a 12" x 12" sheet by Flair Designs called 'Farmers Market'.  It is 2 each of 6 'labels' with a vintage feel.  (bought at a LSS in southern Alabama on a trip a while back)
• Flowers are from Hero Arts
• Gem is from Prima e. Line
• Stickles 'platinum'
• Thank You rub-on from Kaiser Craft
• Vintage button from my stash
• Twill binding from a tiny independent fabric store about 45 minutes from here.  It's out in the middle of nowhere, owned by an older man and his daughter, and full of older items (not vintage or antique old), including great laces and trims for about 50 - 75 cents per yard!  I love Millers Fabric!!!

Tips, Tools, Techniques:

• Card base cut using Cricut Expression, Walk In My Garden cartridge, card2 set at 5"
• Patterned paper cut using Cricut Expression, Walk in My Garden cartridge, card1 set at 5"
• Round tag cut using Cricut Expression, Tags, Bags, Boxes and More, round tag cut at 1 1/2".  Rubon was applied and tied onto twill bow using cotton twine.
• Image backed on scrap of cardstock and stitched on machine.
• Stickles applied to word 'Mom's' for accent.

And that is that!  I love the way these 'labels' from the Flair Designs paper goes with the organic feel of the Cosmo Cricket papers.

Speaking of Cosmo Cricket (and Websters Pages, Bo Bunny, Unity Stamps, Moxie Fab World, and . . . ) did you know that you can find ALL of these manufacturers and magazines and blogs on Facebook?  In the last 4-6 weeks I've won two kits from Little Yellow Bicycle (LYB), a bunch of goodies from GlueArts (love my new Glue Glider Pro!), Hollywood Vogue papers from Websters Pages, and got free ribbon from May Arts for a project for a contest they are having.   

And these companies are having contests all the time!  Echo Park even has 'call in' contests!  The first kit I won from LYB was just because I was a fan of theirs, and I didn't have to do a thing!  As a matter of fact I almost didn't read that post, because I hadn't entered anything.  Big surprise as I read on and saw my name! And most of these companies are telling about their new product releases, and all kinds of good stuff!  If you aren't on Facebook yet, what are you waiting for???  Get out there and 'LIKE' your favorite companies and see what you've been missing!  (And no, I'm not going to tell you my name on Facebook . . . nope, uh-uh, ain't gonna happen!)

But the best part of following these folks on Facebook is the feeling of connectedness (is that a word?) and having the latest news as it happens.  It's a lot of fun!

So, that's it from here . . . what have you been up to lately!

Unscripted Sketches Challenge #81 - CD Case Gift Card Holder

Good Morning Everyone!  Welcome once again to Sketch It Saturday at Unscripted Sketches!  When I saw the sketch for this week I thought "Oh how pretty!", and then as I tried to make it into a card, it got less and less pretty!  So I 'scrapped' the card idea and decided to make a gift card holder instead . . . from an old CD case!  Now I love it!  Here is this week's sketch . . .

And here is my project based on the sketch . . . 

And here is all the info . . . 

Product Info:

• All patterned papers were from the Basic Grey 'Eskimo Kisses" line - Snow Globe, Reindeer Games, Powdered Sugar and Peppermint Twist
• Seam binding ribbon from Bluebird Lane on Etsy
• Stickles, Crystal
• Seed beads, snowflakes and lace from my stash
• Adhesives - Glue Arts 'Glue  Glider Pro' with Perma Tac adhesive, and Fabri-Tac by Beacon

Tips, Tools and Techniques:

• Tools - rotary cutter, scissors, ruler!  Measure each section of the cd case well!  I started by cutting a pattern for each part, and making sure they fit.  This was a time consuming project, but it was not hard to do!  Once you get the pattern ready, you could make bunches of these in no time!
• Paper Pleating - Trial and Error!  Trust me!  But I like the way it looks!
• Paper Flower - cut 5 different sized circles using Cuttlebug and Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Circles Small and Classic Scalloped Circles Small, alternating scalloped, plain, scalloped, etc.  Ink with coordinating color ink around edges.  Dip each circle in warm water, just a DIP, and crinkle and squeeze excess water out gently.  Open up and place on a paper towel.  Heat in microwave for about 20 seconds.  Remove and turnover each piece and zap for another 15 - 20 seconds, repeating until they are dry.  Using your favorite glue, stack the circles, gluing between each one.  Embellish outer edges of each circle with Stickles.  Glue assorted seed beads to center.

Somehow I managed to not get a picture of the verse, but on the inside, left side I stamped a Christmas verse and matted it in coordinating card stock.

As I said before, once you get your pattern cut, these are a breeze to make!  Thanks for visiting, have a great Unscripted weekend!  Becky

I've Been Busy!

Hello, and welcome back to Camellia Cottage!  I know I haven't been around much lately, but that's because all of a sudden things have gotten very busy around here!  I had expected a calm November, but then early last week my friend Sue called and asked if I would like to share a booth with her at a Christmas Craft show in a town northwest of here.  And of course I said YES!  But then I got to thinking it was a Christmas show, and I had very few Christmasy things made, so I had to get busy

I have added a slide show below with pics of many of the things I've been making, but I wanted to share/showcase one of them with you on it's own!  Not too long ago I found Elizabeth's blog called "Creative Breathing", and she is one incredible artist/crafter extraordinaire'!  Anyway, she had some of these 'Peppermint Twist Snowflakes' that she had made.  She told where she got the tutorial, but apparently that blogger no longer has it online, so I just tried making one on my own.  Isn't this the cutest thing???

I had one pack of 14 peppermint twist pipe cleaners, and already had the turquoise and white yoyo's in my stash.  The yoyo's needed something, so I gathered small strips of red and white gingham and topped it with a vintage white button.  The one pack of pipe cleaners made 4 snowflakes, with 2 pipe cleaners left over, which I cut into half and shaped into hangers for the ornaments.  I think they are adorable!

I hope to get by Hobby Lobby soon and get some more of the pipe cleaners so I can make more of these for the craft show.

Enjoy the slide show below.  You can stop each picture and see a description below it by moving your mouse pointer over the picture.  Right now I'm off to finish reorganizing my craft room.  I got a lot done yesterday, but there is still a good bit left to do, and it isn't easy when there is zero reorganizing budget!  I'm getting pretty good at finding unique ways of storing supplies!.  Wish me luck!  Becky

Unscripted Sketches # 80 - Victorian Lady

Welcome to Sketch It Saturday!  This week's sketch, number 80, was so simple it was a challenge for me, and I know that doesn't make a bit of sense, but with my 'more is more' tendencies, some times the simpler sketches are harder for me.  Here is this week's sketch . . .

 . . . and here is my take on the sketch . . .

 First, I need to tell you, this card was made from bits and pieces, and I don't have a lot of info, but I'll tell  you what I know!

• The base card stock is Bazzill Basics, cut using Cricut Expression, Walk In My Garden cartridge, card2 set at 5". 
• The paisley paper is from a very old My Minds Eye 'Wild Asparagus' stack,  cut using Cricut Expression, Walk In My Garden cartridge, card1 set at 5". 
• The script paper was a scrap and had no identifying info left on it, but I'm thinking it may be Making Memories.  Don't hold me to that, though!
• The image was a file sent to me by my friend Linda in NY, and I have no idea of it's origins.  I just know I love it!  I touched up the flowers on the hat with a bit of Stickles 'diamond'.  The blue card stock behind the image was another scrap of paper from my 'bits and pieces' drawer.
• The flowers were from a 'grab bag' I ordered from Ebay ages ago, but I think they are either Prima or Hero Arts.
• The gems are Prima e Line.

Here are more detailed pictures . . . 

Now, I'm off for a day of junking and flea market treasure hunting with my friend, Phyllis.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend!  Blessings, Becky!

Inspired Ideas by Amy Powers . . .

Crafters Alert!!!  I recently discovered this online magazine 'Inspired Ideas' and thoroughly enjoyed flipping page after online page of fall season goodness time and again.  Amy Powers is a crafting 'goddess', so where has she been all my life! 

Please, please, please if you are a crafter, or simply love to decorate for the Christmas holidays, go pay her a visit and take a look at the new Christmas issue of Inspired Ideas.  I promise you, you will not be disappointed!!!  Blessings folks!  Becky