Monday, April 25, 2011

I'm part of a design team!

How cool is that??? 

I've  been a follower ::cough- stalker!:: of Jenny's for a while.  I adore her style and creativity.  She held a DT audition so-to-speak, and now I'm officially on her design team.  (fanfare, and confetti.  Cue the fireworks...) Super jazzed. :D

Well, thanks everyone and I hope you get as much out of it as I do, and if you get a chance, check Jenny out!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

CD holder

My hubster and I bought a new  used car yesterday.  We got the Toyota Sienna.  I refuse to call it a minivan, it's a sport utility van.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Well, it has a CD player in it.  (I know, welcome to the 90's right?)  and I wanted to make something that would keep all of my CD's in one place. :)  How very organized mom of me.

Guess what, so far I haven't used one cricut cartridge!  I may in the future to embellish it, however as of right now, I didn't.   Isn't it snazzy??  oh- and I recycled! :)  Keep reading, and I'll show you how to do it.

Snazzy, huh?

Okay, here's what I used:
5 sheets of 12x12 cardstock.
3 sheets of decorative paper.
3 binder rings (came in a pack of 100 from Office Depot)
1/4" elastic.
2 eyelets.
crop-a-dile
CD sleeves (found at biglots, however you could make these! easily!- in fact, I'll come up with a tutorial for them later)
ATG gun.  You will use more than you think.

Okie dokie, so here's what I did:

Cut the 12x12 paper in 1/2 to get 6x12.    fold in half to make 6x6.  them together to make one giant book.   you can see what I mean by this:


After they're together, I took my Crop-a-dile on teh 3/16 size and punched holes 1/2" in on the folded side at 1, 3 and 5 inches. 



I recycled a granola bar box (from Sam's club) to make the outer book covers at 6 1/8" square.  (just barely bigger than the pages.)  I covered them by paper measuring 7" for the outter edge, and 5 3/4" for the inner flap. (seen here)

I held up one of the inner 6x6 squares in the center of the cover and punched 3/16" holes in them too. 

you're smart, you can figure it out.



Okay, so I took 1/4" elastic (have TONS left over from when I was making diapers for my son- I'm a cloth mama saving 4 grand!) and measured it around 3/4 of the book.   On the back, I punched out 1/8" holes (again from the crop-a-dile) and threaded the ends of the elastic through the front to back.  So, on the outside of the back cover, I pushed it through to the inside and added the eyelet and squeezed everything in place.  Repeat for the other side.  This is what that looked like.:

Tada!


Fill with CD's and you're good to go!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

TONS of stuff happening!

So after a failed attempt at going on vacation, I have eased my pain by my crafting with my addictions.  I have a few thank-you cards to make, start my hubby's military scrapbook (he needs it to be a recruiter),  make a few page layouts for my family scrapbook, start on decorations for my son's party in June, make about 5 mother's day cards (mom, MIL, grandmother, kids' great grandmothers and one for my aunt- who doesn't have kids but practically raised me!).  I also have a few "just because" cards to make for a few friends who are helping me get my photography biz started, and quite a few gift card cards and envelopes.  Oh yeah, there's also the cookbook I'm working on (decorating, not writing!) for my hubby's diabetes friendly recipes.

I will post pictures when I get them done.  Oh wait!  I have some done so here they are.

This thank-you card is for my former grandmother-in-law.  She sent a box of things to my kids and for my son who isn't related to her, so I want to thank her.  She loves beachy things, and boats and her favorite colors are red, white, and blue.

What I did and what I used:

Studio g stamp pad- white.
K & Co. blue swirl paper
cardstock:  white, red, cream, brown, cark blue, medium blue, light blue
white gel pen
gelly roll stardust pen
Studio G sparkle writer glitter glue
swiss dots folder
homemade shimmer spray
Zig 2 way
pop squares
color box ink in chestnut roan and creamy brown
gypsy
Just Because Cards cartridge
Alphalicious cartridge.
EK success paper edger.

start with a white card from 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock.

on my gypsy, I arranged the boat from Just Because Cards and all it's layers on the sheet.  I cut it out at 4" (I believe) and thank you from Alphalicious at 2".

with the K&Co paper, I cut a mat at 4" x 5 1/4".  I sprayed it with my light blue shimmer spray (surprise!) to help diffuse the harshness of the swirls.  I inked around the edge with creamy brown ink.  Glued it down with my ATG gun.

ink around all the boat with chestnut roan ink.  Ink the waves with white.  Assemble the boat with the Zig 2-way pen.  I attached the boat directly to the mat. On the waves, I edged around all 4 with Studio G sparkle writer and when dry, I glued them directly to the bottom of the boat.  on teh bottom two waves, I foam squared them up above. 

I glued on the thank-you with my Zig 2-way and then edged around the boat and the thank-you with my stardust pen.  (newest favorite pen!!)

on the inside I did this:
I did random sizes for the blue mat inside, and the medium blue edge up top.  I eyeballed what I wanted it to look like.  I wrote thank you on it in white gel pen and also gave faux stitching with the pen as well.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Die Hard Scrapbooker? I have arrived!!!

Ok, REALLY quick moment here- you KNOW you've arrived at diehard paper crafting and scrapbooking when you look at a historical site and know exactly how you'd recreate it! 

No lie, I was sitting in the Opry last night, and looked at the stage and I IMMEDIATELY thought how I could recreate it for my scrapbook!  I have arrived- I am FINALLY that crazy woman who gets excited over new brads or distress ink!  I'm the insane woman who has dove head first into the dollar bin to get all the better things at the bottom!  I'm the nut job trying to get the pack of paper to stretch even further... I am also the one my friends envy for creating amazing layouts and the one who shocks them with some really cool cards and the like.  (not really saying much, my friends don't craft.  they bring me their stuff and I do it for them!)

Just saying, insanity isn't just for the crazy, it's for those of us crazy about crafting!

Friday, April 8, 2011

Tigger and Bouncing Pop-up Card.

I made a pop-up card for my hubster.  (I tend to make quite a few cards for him!) and I wanted to take pictures and post it before I wrote in it.

What I used:
Green paper from The Guy Stack by DCWV
Cardstock: cream, peach, yellow, orange, black.
printer
brown ribbon
glue pen
ATG gun
brown chalk ink
Disney- Pooh and friends cartridge.

With the Cricut cut a Tigger at 3".    Assemble Tigger according to the booklet. 

Cut out cream cardstock and the green paper at 5 1/2 x 8 1/2- fold in the middle, forming an A2 card. (well, two of them!)  On the cream card, in the center of the folded side, snip an inch wide, inch long piece.  "pop" it to the inside of the card, and fold the card closed- make the creases tight with a bone folder.  You should now have a square on the inside of your card.  if your card is folded, it should look like it has a chunk taken out of it. 

Glue the green paper to the outside of the cream paper.  I used my ATG gun for this.

I glued Tigger's tail to the bottom part of of the pop up.  (the cool thing about this is when I hold the top part of the card and shake it slightly, it looks like Tigger is bouncing on his tail.  CUTE!)

Oh, I also chalked around the inside of the cream card, and the outside of the card (the green paper) in brown chalk ink.  I added a brown ribbon to the top of the card.

on my computer I printed out "We go together like..." and "Tigger and bouncing!" on my computer in cream from a free font I downloaded called Covered By His Grace.  I matted the top in peach, and inked around both with the brown ink.  I matted the bottom one in green and peach and also inked around them in the same ink.

hope you like it.  Hope my hubster likes it!

I gots me a new cramera!

Or at least that's how my son said it one time, but I do!  I have the Nikon Digital SLR 3100 with the 18-55mm lens.  I'm looking to get the 55-200, but I'm SUPER excited that I have this!  I've taken my family on a photoshoot already.  my favorite pic:
I'm looking into editing sofware now.  I think Photoshop will be my best bet, but I still have some pricing to do.  This is my Zoe (age 6) and my Judah (age 4).  They are absolutely the greatest children I could have asked for! 
Anyway, I'll be making a pop up card today and taking pictures with my new camera. :)  MAN am I excited! :D

have a blessed day!

Monday, April 4, 2011

Pursuing a life-long dream...

After years of desire, I have finally decided that I am going to pursue something that has been ingrained in me since childhood.  I am becoming a professional photographer!  It sort of runs in my blood- My grandfather took amazing photographs, in the US and in Europe (during WWII) and my dad has taken photos here and in South America and some parts of Europe. 

I am so excited because not only have I wanted to do this since I was young, I am actually good at it, with even the smallest minimal mega pixel camera.  So, I'm researching better camers than I have now, and have fallen in love with a few DSLR's from Nikon. 

The best thing about it?  It's a career that travels well.  In the near future, I will be looking for models to have a few photoshoots done.  I want to be able to take it and travel to wherever we move, but also to have an established photography business, that WILL work around being a SAHM.  (one that home schools and someone who is a die-hard crafter!)

Not to mention, my pictures will be better that I upload of my crafts!  hehehe, BOY am I excited!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Shimmer Spray Tutorial

I promised I'd tell everyone how to make my shimmer spray.  There's tons of youtube videos on "homemade glimmer mist" but here's how I made mine. 

You need:
spray bottle (hobby lobby in the art section has these) (I think it's a 4 oz bottle, I'm not sure)
metallic paint
water
white elmers glue
pearl-ex (not necessary, but adds extra shimmer)


Take spray bottle and fill 2/3 of the way with water.  Add 1/4 tsp glue and about 1" of paint in your choice of color.  more paint = more color.  add a heaping 1/8 tsp of pearlex and add cap.  shake until it's all mixed up.  spray on paper or flowers, etc. either air dry or heat-set with embossing gun.

you will need to throughly shake it up every time you use it, but glimmer mist costs around $5/ bottle.  this is at least 2x that size and per bottle to make, cost me $.50.   Now, if your'e not going to use TONS, don't make tons.  I have 5 colors right now in my arsenal and I plan on making about 6 more. 
I have peridot, champagne, white, red, gold, and a peacock blue.  I plan on making silver, pink, purple, yellow, orange, and black.  (can you imagine the black sprayed on a black for a super elegant or even halloween look????) 

The shimmer spray can be used on just about anything, but be careful.  as it's acryllic paint, it WILL paint your clothes and/or table and get everywhere.  I use an old shoebox and spray inside of that.

Tag! You're It!

I got inspired by the tags from http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com's/ design.  I saw it and thought it was rather snazzy, and it inspired me to break out my tags, bags, boxes and more cartridge.  I picked a random tag, and it came out pretty nifty and simple!  (I'm all about simple.) 

K & Company paper
tags, bags, boxes and more cartridge
cardstock: cream, kraft
brown ribbon,
4 star brads
stampendous swirly stamp
embossing stamp pad
brown embossing powder
computer and printer.
shimmer spray


I started with a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card made out of kraft cardstock.  I printed out my saying and inside saying on the computer and cut around the Tag! You're it. with Tags, bags, boxes and more.  I used the beveled edge for a more masculine card, but you can do it out of any one you want.

I cut the cream cardstock to 4" x 5 1/4" (two of them) and sprayed them with my shimmer spray in champagne.  (I use a lot of that stuff!) I dried them with my heat gun, and on the tag, I stamped with my swirly stamp and heat-set the embossing. 

I layered 3 3/4"x 5" pieces of K & Company blue paper on top of my shimmer sprayed mats. 

For the top, I inked around the edge of the tag, and added ribbon to it.  BE CAREFUL or you'll rip it like I did.  it was a pain in the butt to get centered enough so I just doctored it up.  I also put ribbon around the front of the top mat.  Added star brads to the 4 corners (I used my Crop-a-dile on the 1/8" setting, but I don't recommend it; it made the holes just slightly too big.) and ATG'd it down to the front of my card.

for the inside, I took the second phrase I printed out  and cut that 4" x 3 3/4" leaving me a small space to write and some blue visual on the inside. :)

See?  simple.    Enjoy!

Friday, April 1, 2011

I've been mentioned, I'm SOMEBODY!

Okay, first a few shout-outs. 

1- Momo, you're awesome!  If you haven't been over to Momo's blog, she offered for those of us who have few blog stalkers to post our blog on her page and she will give us a space to show our name and where people can check us out.  She's amazing that way, so Momo- Thank You Chica! :D 

2- I have been mentioned on a few blogs for an award and I want to thank the ladies who gave me props!  They are:
Belinda- http://theembellishedcard.blogspot.com/  and
Terri- http://scrappinwiththebug.blogspot.com/

So the rules of this: 
1. Thank the person who gave you the award.
2. Tell 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass it on to 15 other bloggers

7 things about me.. hmmm....
* I have been a belly dancer for about 12 years.
* I am a jack of all trades, master of... some.
* I am married to the greatest man on earth who feeds my scrapping/crafting addictions daily.
* I'm the mom of 3+.   (6yo, 4yo, 2 month, 14 yo SD and 4 miscarriages)
* I only wear skirts and dresses
* I used to be an informal pin up model, and still go by Ruby Rose, though it's not my real name.
* I am addicted to facebook and blogspot.com

Now for my 15 honorable mentions:
Lisa @ http://indymermaid.blogspot.com/
Carlene @ http://misspinkcricut.blogspot.com/
Ownhomedog @ http://ownhomedog.blogspot.com/
Shersl84bed @ http://patternsbysher.blogspot.com/
Judy @ Scrappin' with Judy
Anitaandbugs @ http://anitaandbugs.blogspot.com/
Sandy @ http://papertransformer.blogspot.com/
Patti @ callahancountrybugs.blogspot.com
Bella @ http://www.bellascrapbookdesigns.blogspot.com/
mom2fivekiddos @ http://www.scrappingmamahen.blogspot.com/
myneed2craft @ http://myneed2craft.blogspot.com/
Kimberly @ http://www.canadiancraftcorner.blogspot.com/
archiving angel @ http://archiving-angel.blogspot.com/
Mary @ http://maryjaminski.blogspot.com/
Diane @ http://dianescrafting.blogspot.com/

You're my cup of tea!

I got in a crafting mood today.  (surprise!)  Well, I made this card on the last day of National Craft Month, however I didn't get it posted until April Fools day.  mea culpa.  I wanted to do something snazzy.  This wasn't it.  I'm actually not completely happy with this.  I mean, I like it, I just don't LOVE it. 

Here's how I made it.
I used:
3 different blue cardstocks
gypsy
once upon a princess
story book
black ink pad
black embossing powder
ribbon
pop dots
wilton flowers
brads
stampendous swirly-style stamp.
ATG gun
Shimmer Spray

Okie dokie, so how I did it: 
I welded together the teacup from Once Upon A Princess at a width of 6.6 and height of 4.18 on the gypsy.  I also cut another out of a lighter blue for the inner liner. 

I printed on light blue "You're my cup of tea" from my printer in the font:  a yummy apology.  (PS, you can dowload a TON of free fonts if you google "free fonts")  I used the Center Point on my cricut and cut out from Storybook the marquee style thingie (I know, technical term) on the page that says "once upon a time".  Light blue is cute at 2" and darker is 2 1/4".  I layered them together with my ATG and popped them up wtih popdots.

I used my stamp, black stamp pad and black embossing powder on the front of the card.  I assume you know how to do that, considering.  I then wrapped a ribbon around it.  Now because of the curve of the card, it's slightly off.  I put the pop-dotted statement on top of the ribbon. 

Then I realized I messed up.  After I sprayed the flowers (I used 5, 2 on 1 flower, 3 on another) with shimmer spray and they dried, I realized I hit one of the flowers with the black ink when I was stamping so I did it to both flowers.  Not the desired look I was going for, but eh.  life happens.  I added silver brads (I opted over the blue ones I had.  no need for blue overkill.) to the centers and atg'd them to the card.


So, I put the liner in the the bottom and added the matching ribbon to the top ribbon and voila- it's a fairly easy card. :)