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Welcome! This is the place where I share my artsy and crafty projects. I am an evolving artist these days ... finding myself enjoying less of the cards and mini albums that I have made for years, and turning to art journaling and more artistic endeavors. I have always enjoyed some craft or other, and some of my earliest memories of my mother helping me make paper dolls and other crafts. I am now in my 60's and finding myself more passionately enjoying creating beautiful things and learning new skills and techniques and products.

While you are here I hope you will find inspiration and ideas for making your own projects, however any images or projects you find here are my personal property and should not be used for your own monetary gain, or for contests or challenges. Thank You!

9/25/2010

Little Red Wagon and Daring Cardmakers Challenges

Just a quick post to share another project with you.  Hubby and I are taking our new 'toys' a couple of hours away for a nice paddle!  We recently purchased two inflatable kayaks, and this will be our second time to give them a try.  Wish us luck!

This project is for two challenges:
  • Little Red Wagon's (LRW) challenge to add glitter to your project, and
  • Daring Card Makers (DCM) challenge to make an apologetic card - saying you are sorry! 
Here is my card based on these two challenges . . .




And here are all of the details . . .


Product Info:

  • Base card stock is from Die Cuts With a View 'Citrus' card stock stack

  • Base patterned paper is My Minds Eye - Ooh La La 'Between the Lines'

  • Papers used in flower are My Minds Eye Ooh La La 'Between the Lines' and 'Shabby Chic'

  • Plaid paper is My Minds Eye Ooh La La 'Get in Line' paper

  • Green 'pearls' are from Prima e. Line

  • Stickles 'platinum'

  • Buttons and cotton twine are from my stash








Tips, Tools and Techniques:
  • Card base was cut on Cricut Expression using Walk in My Garden cartridge card 2 set at 5"
  • Patterned paper was cut on Cricut Expression using Walk in My Garden cartridge card1 set at 4 3/4"
  • Sentiment was printed on white card stock, then cut on Cricut Expression using Songbird cartridge, Frame3 set at 1 3/4"
  • Patterned paper frame was cut on Cricut Expression using Songbird cartridge, Frame3 set at 2 1/2"
  • Paper flower was made according to Julie's instructions on Cosmo Cricket's video (see video below), cut using Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Circles Scalloped Small in two different sizes.

Here is the video tutorial on how to make the paper flower . . .





Wasn't that great?  There are many great tutorials out there just for the using!  I hope you have enjoyed my card today!  Come back soon to see what's going on at Camellia Cottage!  Blessings, Becky

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Unscripted Sketches Challenge # 74

I can't tell you how much fun it has been these last few weeks of being on the Design Team over at Unscripted Sketches.  Part of the fun is getting to know the other DT members and their particular styles, and it amazes me how so many people can take one sketch and turn out so many different takes on that ONE sketch!  Another fun part of being on the DT is visiting the blogs of all the folks who enter their cards in hopes of making the top 3!  But I am here today to share the very MOST FUN part of being on the DT at Unscripted Sketches, and that is making cards! 

Here is the sketch for this week . . .



And here is my take on the sketch (note how I turned the sketch clockwise 1/4 turn for my card?) . . .




And here are all of the details . . .

Products:
  • Card stock is Die Cuts With a View, except gold card stock on sentiment, and it's been in my stash so long I don't know where it came from - yikes!
  • Patterned papers are all from Cosmo Cricket, Togetherness line.  The birds are 'Birds of a Feather', The ledger paper is from 'Making Plans', and the pinwheels are from (oddly enough) 'Pinwheels'!
  • The gems are from Prima e. Line
  • Stickles 'diamond' was added to the pinwheels for a little shine
  • The sentiment was stamped using a Brenda Walton sentiment set from Inkadinkadoo, using brown ink







Tips, Tools and Techniques:
  • The card base was cut using the Cricut Expression, Walk in My Garden cartridge, card2 set at 5"
  • The 'birds of a feather' paper was cut using the Cricut Expression, Walk in My Garden cartridge, card1 set at 5"
  • The frame for the sentiment was cut using the Cricut Expression, Songbird cartridge, frame1-s set at 2 1/2", and teal shadow was cut on the same, using the shadow feature.

Have you made your card for the sketch this week?  If not, I suggest you get busy 'cause I can't wait to come visit YOUR blog and leave a comment on your card!  Have a great weekend!  Becky



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9/24/2010

Scrapbook Trends Challenge and CPS #185 Sketch Challenge

Here in the northern part of Georgia (yes, I know - and most everywhere else, too) we have had a very hot and dry summer.  And everyone I talk to seems to confirm the one overwhelming theme that is going around these days . . . "I am SO ready for fall"!  The fall season actually started a couple of days ago, but you would never know it by the 90+ temps that won't go away!  Anyway, I am among that group - I am so ready for cooler temps and maybe a little more rain.   And it seems that I started on halloween, Thanksgiving and fall cards earlier than ever this year - probably because I'm so ready for those crisp fall days and colorful leaves, pumpkins and such! With that being said, let me share with you my latest card!

The theme over at CREATE, the Scrapbook Trends card blog was to make a card showcasing leaves.  And then I found this week's sketch over at CPS (Card Positioning Systems) and knew I could work those two together for one card.  Here is the CPS sketch . . .




And here is my take on both challenges . . .




And here are all of the details . . .


Product Info:
  • Base card stock is Bazzill, matting for image are just bits from my scrap drawer
  • Patterned paper is from Jillibean Soup, Pasta Fagioli line - the striped is 'romano cheese', and the flowered is 'clove fresh garlic'
  • The image is from clip art software
  • The felt leaves were part of a Blog Candy package I won about 2 years ago.  They were loose in the package, so I have no idea who made them.  They had adhesive on the back already.
  • Stickles 'platinum' on some of the leaves






Tips, Tools and Techniques:
  • Base of card was cut on Cricut Expression using Walk in My Garden cartridge, card2 set at 5"
  • Striped paper was cut on Cricut Expression using Walk in My Garden cartridge, card1 set at 5"
  • Flowered paper's scalloped edges were cut using Carl PRT-100 rotary cutter with scallop blade.

And that is it!  A very simple card, and I love how well the last few felt leaves that I had matched that Jillibean Soup paper!  Tomorrow is Sketch It Saturday over at Unscripted Sketches, so please come back and see what our sketch is for this week, and the project I came up with for that sketch.  Blessings folks!  Becky



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9/21/2010

EBTKS and Cute Card Thursday Card Challenges

Why is it that the simplest sketches are sometimes the hardest ones from which to make a card?  That was the case with this sketch from Everything But The Kitchen Sink's Challenge #23 . . .





It's a very simple sketch, but it sort of threw me for a loop.  Then I found the Cute Card Thursday challenge # 130 to make a card with a bird or a butterfly, and I knew what belonged where that straight line is!  Oh, and I turned the card 1/4 turn clockwise as well.  Here is my take on the sketch and the challenge from CCT . . . 




And here are all the details . . . 


Product Info:

  • Base card stock is Die Cuts With a View

  • Patterned papers are both from Pink Paislee's 365 degrees collection - the stripes are 'be free', and the pretty orange patterned paper is 'daydream'

  • Ribbon is from Hobby Lobby - their brand

  • Bling on butterfly body is from Prima e. Line with Stickles 'platinum' underneath

  • Butterfly's antennae are quilters pins and seed beads from my stash, look for more info in Tips, Tools and Techniques







Tips, Tools and Techniques:

  • Cuts made using Cricut Expression

  • Card base cut using Walk in My Garden cartridge, card2 set at 5"

  • Striped paper cut using Walk in My Garden cartridge, card1 set at 5"

  • Butterflies cut using Serenade cartridge, Butterfly3 set at 1 3/4" and 2"

  • Butterfly antennae are made from quilters pins that I inked with red ink, dipped in Ranger 'Queen's Gold' embossing powder and then heat set with a heat gun, then inked again with red ink, dipped in Ranger 'Enchanted Gold' embossing powder and heat set with a heat gun.  Then I added three coordinating seed beads to each pin, gluing with FabriTac glue.  The two butterflies are separated with a scrap from a sheet of foam dots, and the pins are pushed down into the foam.

This is a very simple but elegant card that could be used for many occasions.  Birthday, sympathy, encouragement, thank you, or just about any occasion you could imagine.  When I am doing shows, it seems people like this kind of card just to keep on hand, and I like making them, too!  The pretty fall colors are very appropriate for this time of year also. 

Come back soon to see what is going on at Camellia Cottage!  Blessings, Becky


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9/20/2010

Easy Craft Projects Challenge #21 - Home

I loved this challenge because we just got home from 9 days away from "home" yesterday and, while I had a great time, it was so good to get back home again!  The challenge is hosted by Easy Craft Projects, and the theme is to make a project with the theme of 'home'.  Here is my take on that challenge . . .




And here are the details . . .

Products:
  • Card stock is Die Cuts With a View
  • Patterned paper is Echo Park, Life is Good 'The Neighborhood'
  • Gems on sentiment are Prima e. Line
  • Gems on flowers on gate are K & Company






Tips, Tools and Techniques:
  • Card base was cut on Cricut Expression using the Walk in My Garden cartridge, card2 set at 5"
  • Frame shapes for sentiment were cut on Cricut Expression using the Songbird cartridge, frame1-s set at 2 1/4" and the green background was cut using shadow feature, frame1-s set at 2 1/4".  {Note:  I printed the sentiment on my home printer, and cut the frame on the Cricut using the 'center point' feature.  You simply click on the 'center point' button then using the arrow keys around the 'cut' button, move the blade housing to the center of the space you want cut, and then press cut.  It may take a few times to get your spacing just right, but once you do - it's very easy!}
  • The garden gate was cut on Cricut Expression using Freshly Picked cartridge, gate set at 2 1/4".  The green vine and flowers were cut using the layers and layers2/Shadow features.  The grass at the gate posts were cut using flwer6-s set at 1 1/4".
  • The gate was cut from brown card stock, then inked with brown ink and heat embossed using Ranger 'copper' embossing powder.
  • For gluing the tiny pieces of the gate and plants, I used the Zig Memory System '2 Way Glue' chisel tip glue pen

I sure hope you have enjoyed visiting my 'home' today!  Come back soon to see what is going on at Camellia Cottage!  Blessings, Becky



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