Happy Birthday - Using the Cricut

Happy Birthday to Jean

Diamond Winner at Sue's Cricut Challenge!



My friend, Sue, is crazy about her new Cricut Explore. I have a Cricut Expression 2 but have not used it in several years, preferring to use my Sizzix Big Shot and die collection. Sue drew up a sketch and challenged me to make a card based on her sketch, using only my Cricut. Here is the result of that challenge, which is a birthday card for a family member.

All the elements except the stamps were made using the Cricut. I borrowed a variety of cartridges from Sue to accomplish the feat. The most challenging part was fulfilling the 5" x 7" requirement. I am accustomed to making A2 size cards at 4.25" x 5.5" so the A7 seemed like a daunting task to fill the card with elements and without too much clutter. I had fun using the Cricut but I'm not ready to use it exclusively.

The products are from several sources and detailed below.

Hello - Multiple Occasions Card

Hello

Update: This card placed in the Top Three at theAtlantic Hearts Challenge #98!





Inspiration for this card came from the Atlantic Hearts Challenge, Sketch #98. The card could be used for almost any occasion because of the generic sentiment.

The flower is white cardstock cut three times from the same die and sponged with three ink colors. I curled the petals with a bone folder to give the card depth then popped up each layer with foam tape in varying depths. I finished off the flower with clear Wink of Stella on the petals and added the center with a punched circle decorated with Dazzling Details in Gold Glitz.

The word "hello" was die cut once in foiled cardstock and again in Fun Foam. The foiled cardstock was adhered to the fun foam to raise up the word and also provide a shadow effect. (The fun foam flattens when run through a die cutter but bounces back into shape within a few seconds.) The interior of the card is lined with a white die cut for writing a note and decorated with the gold foiled cardstock and DSP. The envelope was lined with coordinating DSP in a stripe design.

Encouragement - Double Dutch Fold

Go Forth and Shine 



This card started out as an entry to a challenge but somehow developed into a card for a family member who recently found a job after a long period of being laid off. Her situation has been heavy on my heart. I was so excited to learn the good news that I made this card for her. The challenge card will be back on my drawing board later today.

The style of the card is Double Dutch Fold. The basic fold can be made using two pieces of cardstock or one piece. I used the one piece method. I remember a neighbor having a "Dutch door" when I was a child and I always wished we had one in our house as well.

After folding the white card base, I embellished it with cardstock and DSP using a few simple cuts and a few die cuts. Because the card base measurements make a shorter than A2 card, I adhered the entire card to the Strawberry Slush cardstock trimmed to true A2 size (4.25" x 5.5").

Card interior:

 



Techniques: Double Dutch Fold, punching, stamping, die cutting

Recipe: Products are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise indicated:
Cardstock: Coastal Cabana, Strawberry Slush, Crisp Cantaloupe, Whisper White, Dazzling Diamonds
DSP: Birthday Bash Collection
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Stamps: W+9 Design Studio Sparkle and Shine stamp set (front), Verve Stamp Luke 1:45 (inside)  
Dies: Framelits Circles Collection, Spellbinders Lacy Circles, Crafter's Companion Die'sire scalloped rectangles (inside)
Punch: Itty Bitty Accents (stars)
Other: Foam tape to pop up circle w/sentiment, Dimensionals to pop up the stars, scallop scissors to trim the top and bottom.
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Happy Birthday - Floral Vellum

Happy 88th Birthday - Floral Vellum

 

 

Today's post is a card I made for my Aunt Millie's 88th birthday. She was my mother's sister-in-law and is the last of that generation in our family. She is a sweet dear lady, having raised ten children with my late uncle. I've lost count of her grandchildren!

I have entered the card in a challenge at The Paper Players.

I recently received the new Sheer Perfection designer vellum pack from Stampin' Up! and used it on the card. More details are below.

Secret Garden

Happy Birthday to Joyce
 



 



This card was made for my friend, Joyce. It was also submitted to My Creative Moments: Monday Morning Challenge #4 and CAS(E) This Sketch No. 114. Although I have water colored in the past, this is the first card where I have used a water coloring technique. The Secret Garden stamp and die bundle is one of my favorites and I have used it often. I stamped the floral images with Staz-on black ink on water color paper and colored them with an Aqua Painter pen then die cut them. Dye ink pads were smeared onto an acrylic block palette because I did not have any water color paints. The leaves were stamped and die cut but not water colored. The sentiment was stamped with Versamark and heat embossed in white embossing powder.

Framed Papercraft #2

Best. Day. Ever. #2

Here's another "card" using the same technique as the card posted below.



The second design was made to show how the same frame could be used for other designs. The butterfly is attached with repositionable adhesive so was switched when the card designs were switched. I think it would be fun to make seasonal designs to insert in the frame. This was also the first time I tried the inlay technique using cardstock and champagne glitter.

This would be a pleasant item to have on the desk or to give as gifts to coworkers. It may also be something to give for Mother's Day. I used a generic sentiment so that the design could be easily changed and the sentiment would still work for most occasions. Here is the video on how to make this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSl0IJoLtfk.

Techniques: Stamping on acrylic, punching, die cutting, glitter inlay, cardstock inlay

Recipe: Products are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Frame: WalMart (less than $1)
Stamp: Best Day Ever stamp set
Dies: Spellbinders Ovals & Lacy Ovals, MFT Floral Fusion Cover-up Die
Ink: StazOn Opaque Ink in Cotton White
Cardstock: Crisp Cantaloupe, Whisper White, Coastal Cabana, Strawberry Slush
DSP: Dazzling Diamonds Glitter Paper
Punches: Bitty Butterfly, Elegant Butterfly, Martha Stewart border punch
Other: Glue dots, Whisper White organza ribbon, Wow! champagne glitter
Size: A7 (5" x 7")

Framed Papercraft #1

 Best. Day. Ever. #1 

 This first design is my submission to the Atlantic Hearts Challenge, Sketch #97, My Creative Moments: Monday Morning Challenge #4 and the Stamp and Create March Challenge.

I turned the sketch on its side because the acrylic frame is oriented as landscape instead of portrait. This is a not a traditional card in that it is a design inserted into an acrylic frame. The ribbon, doily and die cut are adhered to the paper layers inside the frame. On the exterior, I stamped the sentiment and added the bow and the butterfly.

Congratulations - Masculine

 Congratulations!

This card was made for my stepson a while ago. He decided it was time to get into better shape. He gave up tobacco, lost weight and started a running program. The image was an inexpensive Internet download from this site. At that time I only had a few Stampin' Up! non-alcohol markers so colored it with what I had. Materials included cardstock and markers but I am unsure what brands of cardstock were used.

Technique: Color blending

Brooke's Quilt

 Brooke's Quilt

 

 

 

I decided to make a play quilt for my granddaughter, Brooke. Since children play on the floor so much, I thought she could enjoy playing with her dolls on this quilt. It is larger than crib size but smaller than twin size. It is totally machine made as well as washable and can be tossed in the dryer. It is simply 8" squares, cut from fat quarters, some of which I embellished with machine embroidery or ribbon and lace, sewn together. Some sashing was added, I quilted it on a standard sewing machine, then the edges were bound, also by machine. All of the quilt fabric came from my sister's stash as she was cleaning her sewing room. The ribbon, lace and fabric for sashing and backing came from my own stash of fabric. This is a very basic quilt with simple techniques because I expected it to get a lot of wear!

Butterfly Top with Capri Pants

Butterfly Top with Capri Pants

Another fun summer outfit for Brooke made in 2009, it is made totally from coordinating fabrics purchased at Hobby Lobby. For the photograph, I purposely spread the fabric out to show all of it. The outfit is identical to the photograph on the Simplicity pattern right down to the fabric choices. It is actually a short dress with a handkerchief hem and Capri pants. I also made the piping for the waistline and the ties at the sleeves and on the pants.

Pajamas

Pajamas
 

 

 

Winter was approaching and my daughter-in-law asked if I would make Brooke some warm pajamas. These were made with cotton flannel each using the same pattern but embellished differently. The front closures are all made with soft snap tape for easy opening and closing and the buttons are for decoration. All tops included matching pajama bottoms. Later, for the traditional "new pajamas for Christmas" I made the fourth top exactly the same but using Christmas print cotton flannel. The green buttons are decorative and soft snap tape provides the front closure. The pajama bottoms were made from the same snowflake fabric from which the pockets were made.

Green Sundress

 

Green Sundress

In 2009, my granddaughter, Brooke, was age 5. I had made her several cute dresses that year and this was one of them. The green material is a multi-toned cotton blend. It has a fitted bodice trimmed with a white lacy ruffle and shiny ribbon. The skirt portion is gathered onto the bodice and the hem is embellished with two rows of white lacy ruffles and shiny ribbon. The dress also has a tie back. All materials came from Joanne, Etc.

More Dresses for Brooke

 

More Dresses for Brooke

 

 

More dresses lovingly made... all sewn from the same pattern but styled differently. All have back zipper closures and sashes tied in a bow.

No. 1: Dotted print cotton blend dress with lavender border trimmed in yellow ric-rac. Buttons are stacked yellow on white. Bodice lined in lavender.

No. 2: Turquoise with daisy print cotton blend dress with two-tiered skirt embellished at waist with a bow and a yellow button. Bodice lined in white. (In retrospect, the bow should have been made in a different color.)

No. 3: Pink cherry print cotton blend dress trimmed with pink and white satin ribbon. Bodice lined in pink.



More Dresses for Brooke

Dresses for Brooke

More outfits handmade for Brooke and sewn with love.
No. 1: Brown floral gathered corduroy jumper lined w/blue cotton blend fabric & coordinating blouse.
No. 2: Gray pleated corduroy jumper lined w/pink dot cotton blend fabric & coordinating blouse, covered buttons and appliques on pockets.
No. 3: Red gathered corduroy jumper w/lined red print cotton blend bodice & coordinating blouse.
No. 4: Red plaid A-line polyester blend jumper with center pleat & velvet ribbon with white cotton blend blouse trimmed with picot edge.
No. 5: Teal A-line corduroy jumper with cotton knit mock turtleneck shirt.
No. 6: Periwinkle blue seersucker sundress.

Happy Birthday - Masculine (Wetlands)

Make a Wish

Update: This card qualified for the "Top Three" at AHSC!

This is a masculine birthday card for a family member. For inspiration I used the Atlantic Hearts Challenge, Sketch #96, using a favorite color combination. I also entered the card into the challenge at Retro Sketches.



My card was in the Top Three for the Atlantic Hearts Challenge, Sketch #96!

I wanted the card to have depth and tried to show it by taking the photo at an angle in the sun. The image and sentiment banner are popped up with foam tape. The sentiment banner was curled using a bone folder. By design, the card was placed to the left on the card base with a strip of brown showing on the right as demonstrated in another photo below. The inside is embellished with a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock stamped similarly to the front of the card.

Happy Birthday - Masculine (Moose)

Latched Gate Fold

Update: The AHSC team chose this card for the Top Three!

Today's card is being entered into three challenges: the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #95, The Paper Players #233 and MFT Challenge and Inspiration. Next month I will need a masculine birthday card for a family member who is a hunter and fisherman so I thought this would work quite nicely for him. The photo does not show the paper very well. The plaid paper is brown, gold and soft aqua. The print paper is soft aqua. The sewing machine thread is bright aqua.



After creating the card I realized I had not used any elements from MFT ("My Favorite Things"), which carries fabulous products and from whom I have purchased many stamps and dies. I'll be more careful in the future!

The card qualified for the "Top Three" in the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #95. My thanks to the design team for selecting my card.

This card is styled as a Latched Gate Fold and I folded it so the front edges were off-center allowing for button placement on-center. More photos are below.

Thinking of You

Thinking of You

With the deadline approaching, I decided to enter another card in the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #94. I love pretty paper so decided to use cardstock and paper from one of my favorite paper packs - "Brushed" from Close to My Heart.

 



You're a Great Catch!

St. Valentine's Day



This is the card I made for my husband, Bob. Masculine cards are a challenge for me so I started this card using only the sketch from the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #94 for inspiration, which has a decidedly Valentine theme. The interior is stamped with a red heart, leaving sufficient space to write a note.

Oodles of Love

I decided to enter another card in the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #93 so this is my second entry. I realize I am competing against myself but submitted it anyway. This card was CASE'd from a card found here. I used a different sentiment, changed the colors slightly, added another stamped image, repositioned the focal image and changed it into a Valentine. The interior is also different.



Sending Wishes

Sending Wishes

Yippee! I'm delighted that my card was in the "Top Three" for Challenge #93.  My sincere thanks to the talented design team at Atlantic Hearts.

 



 

This is a card I made specifically for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #93 and is my first-ever submission to a challenge. I have been making cards for about two years. This card was CASE'd from a card found here. The primary differences when CASEing the card: I added more pearls and used non-alcohol markers in colors other than the original, which was colored with alcohol markers. The inside is decorated differently as well. I did not use pop dots or mounting foam because I will be mailing this card and wanted to keep it flat.