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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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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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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Card Patterns Sketch # 80

As I said in the last post, on Friday I went to my LSS and shopped a bit for some new patterned papers.  One of the pieces I picked up was from a fairly new company that I had heard about from Tim Holtz' blog, and then began following Margie's blog.  The company is The Girls' Paperie by Margie, and this was the first time I had found any of her paper out at a store, so you KNOW I had to have me some!  I immediately was drawn to the great colors and patterns of the Vintage Travel line, and 'on holiday' in particular.  The front is a very cool ledger type sheet that is mostly aqua and a light red, but it's distressed and aged a bit and is just gorgeous!  But the back side has that 'retro' feel that I dearly love, so that is what I used for this project.

And this project is for the Card Patterns Sketch # 80!  Here is the sketch . . .

And here is my take on the sketch . . .

Product Info:

• Card base is Die Cuts With a View card stock
• Patterned paper is The Girls Paperie, Vintage Travel 'on holiday'
• Image and sentiments are from Crafty Secrets, Creative Scraps by Heartwarming Vintage 'Girlfriends'
• Stickles 'diamond'
• Vintage buttons and ribbon are from my stash

 Tips, Tools and Techniques:

• Card base was cut on Cricut Expression using Walk in My Garden cartridge, card2 set at 5"
• Red vintage buttons are threaded with green bakers twine
• Stickles used on dots on the patterned paper for a bit of bling

I love this card!  Really, I do!  It's that vintagey 50's-ish bright colors and funny image that just makes me so happy!  And I hope you love it, too!  Hope to be back soon!  Blessings, Becky

Unscripted Sketches # 71

Happy Labor Day to everyone in the US!!!  It's a very beautiful, almost chilly morning here in northern Georgia, and after the incredibly hot summer we have had, it is a welcome change.

This past Friday, in anticipation of having some cardmaking time this weekend, I visited my local scrapbooking store (aka LSS) looking for some new patterned papers.  While browsing the store's shelves I happened upon this gorgeous piece of paper from Crate Paper's 'Restoration Collection' called "slipcover", and instantly fell in love!  Now - this isn't my usual style of paper, but I loved the flowers, the texture, the colors and the overall 'organic' feel of the design, and although it's not my usual style, I brought home one piece of it anyway.

Then the very next day I checked on my list of challenge blogs and found this sketch from Unscripted Sketches and went straight to work, using the new paper, of course!

And here is my take on their sketch . . .

Product Info:

• Cardstock is from Die Cuts With a View
• Patterned Paper is Crate Paper, Restoration Collection "slipcover", mat for sentiment is the reverse side
• Crinkled seam binding is from Bluebird Lane Etsy store
• Button from my stash
• Stickles 'Diamond'

Tips, Tools and Techniques:

• Card base cut on Cricut Expression using Walk in My Garden cartridge, card2 set at 5"
• Patterned paper cut on Cricut Expression using Walk in My Garden cartridge, card1 set at 5"
• Sentiment printed on ivory cardstock on ink jet printer.
• Sentiment and matting cut on Cuttlebug using Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Squares Small
• Brown ink was used to ink edges of card and around edges of sentiment
• Stickles was used on flower parts to add a bit of bling

I loved this paper, although it wasn't my usual style, and this card isn't my usual style either, but I have to say I love it!  The seam binding from Bluebird Lane matched the colors perfectly, and the Stickles gives it just a bit of glimmer so it isn't totally a flat look. 

Thank you so much for joining me today, and be sure to come back soon, because I have a card coming up for the CPS challenge that is totally my kind of card!.  Blessings, Becky

Unscripted Sketches #70

As I told you the other day, playing with paper and stuff, making pretty cards from bits and pieces of things, makes me happy!  It just does!  Even when I'm making a card for a less than happy occasion!  I was taking inventory of the cards I have made and realized I had precious few cards for occasions that aren't happy.  You know, sympathy, praying for you, etc.  So I used this week's Unscripted Sketches sketch for this week and made it into a card that could cover a variety of 'less than happy' occasions.  Here is the sketch . . .

And here is my take on the sketch.  As you can see, I moved the image from bottom to top and dropped the sentiment down a bit, just to make everything fit. . .

 

Product Info:

• All card stock is Die Cuts With a View
• Patterned paper is Prima Marketing Flights of Fancy Collection "blooming happiness", reverse side
• Gems are Prima e Line
• Image is from clip art software
• Stickles 'diamond'

Tips, Tools, Techniques:

• Base of card cut on Cricut using Walk in My Garden cartridge, card2 set at 5"
• Patterned paper cut on Cricut using Walk in My Garden cartridge, card1 set at 5"
• Frame cut on Cricut using Songbird cartridge, Frame2-s set at 2 1/4" and matted using same cut set at 2 1/4" using shadow feature
• Sentiment printed on ink jet printer using white cardstock, centered on Cricut using 'Center Point' feature

This lovely hydrangea image is one of my favorite, and I've used it on everything from cards to altered notebooks.  It fits so many different occasions!  I hope you have enjoyed your visit, and please come back soon to see what is going on at Camellia Cottage.  Blessings to you!  Becky

Daring Cardmakers "String of Pearls" Dare

I have probably said this before, but Daring Card Makers (aka DCM) is one of my top favorite cardmaking challenge sites.  They aren't 'snobby' about the types of products you use, they throw out some great dares from time to time, and the design team members are great!  Love'em!  That said,  here is my card for their latest dare called "A String of Pearls".  It is the first challenge of June, and the June birth stone is the pearl, and I love me some pearls!  Here goes . . .

How it all came together . . .

That white satin bow (a gift from a friend's stash) with the pink applique flower in the center was my inspiration for this card, so I went looking for cardstock and a patterned paper to match the colors of pink, white and soft baby green.  I didn't have to look far, because I found this piece of patterned cardstock from the Die Cuts With a View 'Be Mine' stack, and it matched perfectly.  I simply cut the card on my Cricut using the 'Walk in my Garden' cartridge, card 2 set at 5 inches.

The sentiment was stamped with a stamp from Inkadinkadoo using Versamark ink and then heat embossed using Ranger 'Seafoam White' embossing powder.

The pearls are all from Prima e-line gems.  The bow is made from a bit of pretty cotton trim I bought at Hobby Lobby a while back.  It was 'by the yard', so I don't have any way of identifying it other than look at Hobby Lobby.

And that is IT!  This was such an easy card to put together, but will be a great card to add to my ever growing collection.  Thanks for visiting today, and I hope to be back soon with a card for the Mojo Monday sketch.

Blessings, friends!  Becky

Moxie Fab World - Tuesday Trigger - Butterfly Dreams!

Hi Folks!  I can't believe it's been over a week since I last posted here!  There's lots going on around here these days.  I have joined a new ladies group and volunteered to be their blogger, so that is taking some time, and I've got a craft show coming up in May - my first ever as a vendor - so I've been working like a beaver on other types of crafts for that show.  And we're going on our first camping trip of the season soon, so I'm kind of in the 'getting things organized mode' with regards to the camper AND the house.

That said, I still had time to take part in last week's 'Tuesday Trigger' over at the Moxie Fab World blog.  Each Tuesday Cath posts an inspiration and matching card from readers and asks us to do our take on the inspiration.  Here's the precious inspiraton pic that Jaclyn used this week . . .

The elements I wanted to pick up on from this inspiration were . . .

• the colors
• the plaid
• the polka dots
• the daisies scattered around the dress, and
• the overall cheeriness, little girl sweetness of the dress

And here is my take on the inspiration . . .

And here's all the info . . .

Product Info:

• Cardstock and plaid paper are from a Die Cuts With a View stack
• Buttons, ribbon and lace from my stash
• Green rhinestone by K and Company

Cricut Info - all cuts made using Walk in My Garden cartridge::

• Base of card cut on card2 set at 5"
• Green 'smile' cut set at 1" and white shadow cut at 1" shadow feature
• Flowers (plaid) cut on 'blossm' set at 1 1/2" (2) and 1 3/4" and pink using shadow feature

Thanks for visiting!  I hope to have something else to share with you soon.  Blessings, Becky

Daring Carmakers "A Host of Golden Daffodils"

This week's 'dare' over at Daring Cardmakers (DCM) is to make a card or other project with daffodils.  I love daffodils, and this reminded me of a time when I was small and each spring my mother, brother and I would walk about 1/2 mile one way to an old abandoned house.  The house was off, away from any other houses, at the end of a dead end road, so no one ever went back there.  There were hundreds of daffodils, mostly what my mother called 'butter and eggs' daffodils that, without anyone to tame them, had just run rampant and were all over the place!  We would pick daffodils until we couldn't hold any more, take them home and put them in jars and vases.  Eventually someone bought the old place, and I haven't been up there since, but I sure hope the new owners kept the daffodils! 

So, when I thought daffodils, I wanted to make my take on the butter and eggs dafodils with white center and yellow outer leaves.  Here is my card . . .

And here's all the info . . .

Product list:

• Blue cardstock used for base of card is Die Cuts With a View 'Be Mine' stack, cut on Cricut using Walk in My Garden Cartridge, card2 set at 5"
• Yellow cardstock is Die Cuts With a View 'brights' stack
• Green cardstock is Bazzill 'primary' multi-pack
• White cardstock is Bazzill Basics, inked with yelow ink
• Sentiment (rub-on) is from Melissa Frances
• Vintage button, twine, bumble bee and lady bug are from my stash

Flower infl:

• Leaves, stem and yellow petals are cut freehnd
• White petals were cut on Cricut using Walk in My Garden cartridge, coreopsis set at 1 1/4" and 1 3/4"
• Grass was cut on Cricut using Plantin SchoolBook set at 1"

I hope you've enjoyed your visit!  I will be back before long (hopefully) with another card or two for challenges that are going on right now.  Have a blessed day!  Becky

Fluttering By - Tuesday Morning Sketch # 36

Don't you just L*O*V*E it when something you make comes out better than you thought, or when you are really pleased with the end product?  That's how I feel with this card.  This week's sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches was a little bit challenging, but once I chose the paper I wanted to use it was a piece of cake!  Here is the sketch . . .

And here is my card . . .

And here is all the info . . .

Product List:

• Cardstock - Die Cuts With a View 'pastels' stack
• Patterned paper - Making Memories 'Flower Patch' Butterfly Flower Patch (both sides).  The butterflies are cut from the paper, and the strip along the bottom is the reverse side.
• Stickles 'Diamond'
• Pearls - Basic Grey 'opaline' designer half pearls

Cricut Info:

• Card base is cut on Walk in My Garden, card 2 set at 5"
• Scalloped border cut on Plantin SchoolBook, scallop set at 3/4"

I'm just in love with this card, and I have an aunt with a birthday in a few weeks - guess what she's getting?  Thanks for visiting, and come back soon.  Have a great weekend!  Becky

Everything But The Kitchen Sink Challenge 10 - Fabric

I guess it's true - time flies when you are having fun. But then again, I haven't really been having a lot of fun, just keeping busy!  I've done some 'pre-spring cleaning' and working on re-organizing my studio.  I'm also in the middle of the 'great stock-up'; each year about this time I stock up on things we use a lot of throughout the year.  It works for us!

Anyway, I haven't been making many cards, but when I saw the latest challenge for Everything But The Kitchen Sink (EBTKS) I knew I had to participate, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do!  The challenge was to use fabric in your project, and I had been wanting to do this for a while - make a card with an apron on front!

I have to tell you a small story before I share the card with you, though.  When I was a small child we had a chicken house where my parents raised chickens from babies until they were old enough to slaughter.  Back them (early to mid 1950's) chicken feed came in cotton feed sacks.  Some of them were plain white, but many others came in pretty prints.  My mother took every single feed sack, removed all the stitches, washed, dried, folded and put the fabric away to use later. Most of the curtains in our house back then were made from white feed sacks that my mom added ric-rack to, depending on the color theme in that room.  But the prettier prints were used to make my clothes.  I had a dress when I was about three or so made from the fabric I used below.  The dress is long gone, but I still have a few small bits and pieces.

The chicken house burned down in March of 1958 and wasn't rebuilt, so I know this fabric is at least 52 years old.  A few years ago my mom handed down all of the fabric to me, and I cherish each piece!

So that was my story, and here is my card for the EBTKS challenge this week . . .

I sewed the apron on my machine, using cross stitch options on the waist band and hem.  The ties are longer, but I had to tuck them in so they fit on the card.  I also used a small red ribbon rose and bow for the waist band.  Here are the rest of the pics . . .

And here is all the info . . .

Product List:

• Cardstock - Die Cuts With A View Pastels Stack and Ultimate Stack
• Patterned paper from a very old Wild Asparagus stack
• Fabric and ribbon rose from my stash
• Stickles - icicle

Cricut Info:

• Card base cut using Walk in My Garden cartridge, card 2 @ 5"
• Letters cut using Plantin Schoolbook, capital letters @ 1 1/4" and  1 1/4" shadow

Thanks for visiting today.  I hope you enjoyed my little apron made from vintage 1950's fabric.  I hope to be back soon with more projects!  Blessings, Becky

Hello Sweet Friend! Mojo Monday Sketch 126

It's been a busy week, so I haven't had much time for making cards.  I did, however, get this one made for the Mojo Monday sketch challenge.  Here is the sketch . . .

And here is my card . . .

And here is all the info . . .

Product Info:

• Cardstock is Die Cuts With a View Pastels cardstock stack
• Pink polkadot paper is Daisy Bucket Designs 'Perfect Harmony - Delaney'
• Striped paper is Fancy Pants 'Splendid - Lovey Dovey'
• Cupcake image is from PC Crafter.  To get the 'glossy' look, I inked it with VersaMark ink and heat embossed it using Ranger clear embossing powder (2 coats).
• Scalloped circle cut using Spellbinders Nestabilities Scalloped Circles Small
• Scalloped square cut using Spellinders Nestabilities ScallopedSquares Small
• Ribbon and Lace from my stash

Cricut Info - base of card cut on Walk in My Garden cartridge, card 2 set @ 5"

Thanks to the folks at Mojo Monday for the inspiring sketches!  Blessings, Becky

Moxie Fab World - Tuesday Trigger - MY INSPIRATION!!!

I can't believe it!  I am so happy today!  I just checked in on the Moxie Fab World blog to see today's 'Tuesday Trigger' challenge, and Cath selected MY inspiration for this week's chalenge!!! 

My inspiration was taken from one of my favorite blogs Dear Daisy Cottage hosted by dear, sweet Kim!  If you haven't read her blog and seen all the pictures of her gorgeous, colorful and somewhat kitschy cottage, you don't know what your are missing!  Here is the photo that I used as my inspiration - don't you L*O*V*E that lampshade!!!

And here is my card based on the lampshade . . .

And here is all the info for this extremely simple card . . .

Product Info:

• 
  
  Cardstock Die Cuts With a View from 'Be Mine' stack
• 
  
  Rub-on from Melissa Francis
• 
  
  Ribbon from my stash (eBay purchase)

Cricut Info:

• 
  
  Card base cut on 'Walk in My Garden' cartridge, card 2 set at 5"
• 
  
  Scallop cut on 'Plantin SchoolBook' cartridge, scallop set at 3/4".  I used a 1/8" hole punch to make the holes in the scallop

And that's it!  A very simple card that ended up on PaperCrafts Magazine's Moxie Fab World blog!  Thank you so much to Cath of Paper Crafts Magazine and Moxie Fab World and Kim of Daisy Cottage for making me one very happy girl today! Many blessings to all of you, Becky