Exciting Announcement

Good Morning!

I'm taking a quick break from my vacation to let you in on an exciting announcement.  I am please to announce that I will be working with DrPhilScrap.com for the next six months as a Design Team Member.  My first post goes live January 9, so I hope you'll come back then.

In the meantime, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and wish you all the best in the New Year!

Until next time,
Becca

Cloisonné Love

Now that I've finished making and mailing my Christmas cards (insert "Halleluia Chorus" music here), I'm frantically trying to get some Valentine cards made for Operation Write Home before the December 31 deadline.  Digging through my "have in my stash but haven't figured out what to do with it yet" drawer, I came across these hearts I made six or seven years ago.  Talk about a perfect fit for CASE Study Challenge #171!

Here's the supply list (CTMH in italics):

• Paper: cloisonné heart (no idea, sorry), Sunflower, Juniper
• Accessories: Black Shimmer Trim, crochet heart, red gem, Liquid Glass (aka Glossy Accents), paper crimper
• Ink: Juniper

The process on the cloisonné effect was to glue bits and pieces of multiple papers next to/over top of each other on a solid base of cardstock, let dry, then use a template to trim out hearts.  I did this at a friend's house using lovely papers she had collected over the years.

I hand-cut the leaves then sponged the edges.  To give them a tiny bit of dimension--and so I could hang onto them while fitting them under the flower--I curled them before affixing with Liquid Glass.

I have about six more of these hearts.  Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to craft I go!

Until next time,
Becca

Sending Love

As soon as I saw the sketch over at Mojo Monday, I knew exactly what I wanted to do...and I'm happy to say my first idea only needed one, small revision.

Here's the supply list (CTMH in italics):

• Stamps: Lifting Spirits, Lots of Love
• Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black
• Markers: Copics W00, W1, W5, R39, R29, R20
• Paper: Roxy (retired)
• Accessories: Liquid Glass, foam tape

You can almost see the Liquid Glass on the bottom heart.  Too bad you can't tell that every, single heart has some on it.  No other explanation needed. 

How's that for simple and sweet?

Until next time,
Becca

Frosted Snowflakes

This week, our challenge over at Color My Heart is Frosted Turquoise and Frosted Grey.  These colors come from the Frosted paper pack.  Hee, hee!  A big shout-out to my friend and fellow DT member Marie Flayer for sending me some of this beautiful paper.

I pulled inspiration from this post and used up the leftover die cut from this card to bring you this:

Here's the supply list (CTMH in italics):

• Paper:  Frosted, Champagne, and Florentine (blue snowflake)
• Cricut Die Cuts: white snowflakes from Art Philosophy, blue snowflake from Artiste
• Accessories:  Prisma Glitter (retiring January, 2014--say what???  Get it while you can!!), Corner Rounder, doily, sequins, blue crystals (label is gone, but I think they came from Hobby Lobby), glue pen (to draw along the edges of the large white snowflake and cover with glitter), Liquid Glass (to adhere gems, sequins, snowflakes), and foam tape.

I am also entering this into the following challenges:

• CASology: Snowflake
• CASE Study: #170
• Rose Blossom Garden: Christmas using any CTMH Cricut Cartridge
• CAS-ual Fridays: Let it Snow
• BBTB2: Winter is on the Way
• Cute Card Thursday: Christmas Catch Up
• Simon Says: Let it Snow

Now for the confession.  See that strip of Prisma Glitter across the top?  Well...here's the story.  I was gluing the strips of Frosted paper to the Champagne cardstock and glued the wrong side.  Instead of cutting a  new piece, I decided to see if adding glitter would "rescue" it.  I think it worked fine.

I'm not sure if you can tell from the photograph, but the piece of Champagne cardstock with the Frosted paper strips on it is up on foam tape, but the plain strip of Champagne on the far right side is glued directly to the card.  You can see how this works better on the example card here.

After I got it done, I thought I should have put a sentiment across the bottom strip of patterned paper but wasn't brave enough to try and stamp on something foam mounted.  Thus, I added the sequins and extra blue crystals.

Time to actually get my cards in the mail.

Merry Christmas, all!!

Until next time,
Becca

Holiday Baubles

I've been thinking about how to use the leftover image from my Christmas stamps.  Inspiration struck when I decided to use my scoreboard to follow CAS(E) this Sketch #56.

I used the angled attachment that came with my Martha Stewart Scoreboard to create the background and a frame around the stamp sticker.  The cardstock behind the sticker is CTMH Cranberry.

Eight cards left!  I have two more of these stickers, but I need to get my soup going for a potluck tonight.

Until next time,
Becca

Circle Snowflake

Quick post tonight.  I still have nine Christmas cards to make and get in the mail.  I'm combining two challenges with this one.

CAS on Sunday : Christmas
CASology: Snowflake

Here's the supply list (CTMH in italics)

• Snowflake: Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge
• Sentiment: O Christmas Tree (retired)
• Ink: Encore Silver pigment
• Paper: Outdoor Denim B&T (retired), Lagoon cardstock
• Accessories: Lagoon Washi tape; silver cord, small circle punch (notch for silver cord), Lagoon marker, Pearl Paint

I colored the center shape of the snowflake with the marker, glued it back inside, then dabbed Pearl Paint over top and started smearing it out from the center.

Since I really want the stamp prize over at Rose Blossom Garden, I'm submitting a fourth card to that challenge: Christmas using any CTMH Cricut Cartridge.  I used my Design Studio to center the snowflake inside a circle cut and cut both at the same time.

This is my first time to do the "fit your die cut back into the shape" technique.  I've seen lots of fun things with it, though.  And I'm starting to get into the whole "off-kilter" thing that's a current trend.

Okay...better go make the husband some dinner.

Until next time,
Becca

O Holy Night

I am combining two challenges to get myself down to ten Christmas cards left:  Mojo Monday Sketch 323 and Rose Blossom Garden "Christmas using any CTMH Cricut Cartridge"

I don't usually stage my photos but thought I'd give it a whirl.  And the West Point Cadet Nutcraker is to pay homage to the upcoming Army/Navy game. 

Go Army.

Please.

Anyway, here's the supply list for the card.

• Stamps: Verve Peace on Earth
• Paper: CTMH Roxie (retired), Black, Vanilla, and Kraft
• Die Cuts:  CTMH Art Philosophy (ornament) and Artiste (Noel)
• Ink: Versamark
• Embossing Powder:  PSX Detail Brass
• Other:  Red C120 Derwent Colorsoft pencil, corner rounder, scallop edge scissors, Pearl Paint, glue pen (to draw string)

The process of how I did the Noel is described under the fourth card of this post from last Christmas.  I drew the string using a fine tip glue pen and poured embossing powder over top to hang the ornament.  It's a loose interpretation of the sketch.

The funny part about adding the nutcracker to my photo was that my camera kept asking me if someone blinked.  Here's hoping Navy will be "blinking" in disbelief after Saturday's game.

Until next time,
Becca

Moving Christmas

It was such a pleasure to be the Heart2Heart Guest Designer back in October, and the lovely ladies there decided to invite all their GD's back for December.  This week's challenge is Moving On.  I decided to combine that theme with a few other challenges to bring you this:

Let me list the challenges, then I'll list the supplies.

CAS-ual Fridays:  Out on a Limb
Inspired By:  #99
CASE Study:  #169
Curtain Call: Christmas

Here are the supplies I used (all CTMH)

• Stamp sets:  Adventure USA (car and tree, set to retire 1/14); December Word Puzzle (circle sentiment, retired long ago)
• Ink:  Lagoon (pigment), Topiary (pigment), Chocolate (pigment), Versamark
• Embossing Powders: Clear and Gold
• Kraft Banner (left over from Décor Frame project)
• Other: foam mounting tape, white embossing thread, and staples

Although this looks pretty self-explanatory, there are a few things I'd like to point out.  The car stamp actually has an attached trailer.  I masked that off using a post-it note (then stamped it without lifting off the post-it...yeah.  But this is why God invented two sides to every piece of paper!).  I decided not to repeat the post-it note debacle on the tree and just carefully inked the top in Topiary and the trunk in Chocolate.  I figured a little cross over of color wasn't a big deal, but I did start with my lighter ink color to minimize problems with my stamp pads later.

Also, you might want to be sure your non-embossed tree is dry before you pour Gold powder over the top of your circle sentiment.  Again...yeah.  I just carefully brushed the powder off with a fine paint brush.

I am proud to say that I am down to only ten cards left to have my Christmas card stash done for the year.  Now I have to start working on Christmas gifts and Valentines cards for Operation Write Home.  Never a dull moment around here.

Until next time,
Becca

Sparkly Christmas Snowflake Wreath

I am trying to finish up the last of my Christmas cards, so I'm joining multiple challenges to provide inspiration.   Here are the challenges:

Less is More: Colour plus Metallic
Addicted to Case: Snowflakes
CASology: Ribbon
Rose Blossom Garden:  Christmas using any CTMH Cricut Cartridge

I'm also using up lots of supplies I have lying around.  Here's the supply list:

• Stamp: CTMH Oh Christmas Tree (retired)
• Snowflakes:  Cut from CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge (leftover from this project)
• Ink:  CTMH Smokey Plum re-inker combined with Pearl Paint (leftover from this card); Colorit Platinum Pigment
• Ribbon:  Um...maybe from Michaels.  It's a wired metallic I've had for way too many years.
• Other:  Liquid Glass (aka Glossy Accents), white sequins, white doily

I mounted the doily on cardstock then piled on the snowflakes and sequins.  I did a combination of spraying, flicking, and painting to get the variations of Smokey Plum shimmer on the wreath.  It's all from the same spray pen, though.  I promise.

Only about 15 cards left to go.  The only problem is, once I get them done, I'll have to go outside where the high today is expected to be in the teens.  Maybe I'll make my hubby do that part.

Until next time,
Becca

Snowflake Holiday Magic

This week's Freshly Made Sketch is perfect simplicity...and just what I needed to get a bunch of cards done while watching football.  I combined it with the Barn Red challenge over at Color My Heart and Rose Blossom Garden: Christmas using any CTMH Cricut Cartridge.

Now, to be completely honest, the snowflake was cut with my CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge in Cranberry and overstamped in Barn Red using the Universal Background stamp set (which is set to retire in January, 2014...whine, mope, cry).  Barn Red paper with Barn Red overstamping just doesn't photograph well.

The wired gold ribbon is so old I have no idea where it came from.  Sorry.  I adhered the snowflake to the ribbon with Liquid Glass (aka, Glossy Accents)

The sentiment is from an old CTMH Stamp of the Month (October, 2011) called Holiday Magic.  The rest of the sentiment on the inside says, "All the year through."  I love sentiments that go from outside to inside.

I fired off twenty of these during one football game.  That's what I call multi-tasking!

Until next time,
Becca

All Framed Up!

This week's challenge over at Heart2Heart is All Framed Up!  It was the perfect inspiration to finish a project on my Christmas list.

My parents have moved into a retirement home.  Almost everyone else there has some sort of decoration outside their room.  Not my folks.  So I decided to fix that with one of the new Décor Frames from CTMH.

I pulled some pictures off Facebook, printed them with a large border so I could trim them down to 3x3 size, and used a variety of mini-clothespins and mini-clips to attach them to the chicken wire. I am extremely impressed with how sturdy this Décor Frame is!

The stamped images are from Family Photo (a hostess only set) stamped in Ponderosa Pine pigment ink and embossed with clear powder.  The letters for "family" were cut with Cricut Mini Monograms at 1" in Ponderosa Pine cardstock.  I used a glue pen to fill in the centers and poured Prisma Glitter over top.

I think my parents will LOVE this.  If they don't, I'll give them something else and keep it for myself!!

Until next time,
Becca