Another Better Late Than Never Post

Here is the Mother's Day card I made for my sister. I masked off a frame with blue painters tape, and then sponged blue distress ink on. I then stamped the hero arts image with the same blue distress ink. Quick and simple :)



I made a couple more of these in other colors for two other mom's cards :)

Card for my Dad's Retirement

I made this using SVG's from files created by Vicky at Clips-n-cuts. I used the picture cut file from the newest die-cut freebie file called 'film set'; I used the watering can from the freebie file called 'gardening'; also the guitar, musical notes and treble clef from the freebie file called 'music set'; also a tree from the freebie file called 'trees'.

Thanks Vicky for all the wonderful free SVG's! I love how this card turned out, and can't wait to give it to my Dad tomorrow at his retirement party.

I'm entering this into the digital challenge over at:

Lily Pad Card's

If you have any question on how this card was put together leave me a way to get in contact with you and I'll get back to you :)

Here are some more pic's:

Entry for Lily Pad Cards Embossing Challenge

Here is a card I made for my sister-in-law's birthday. I started by dry embossing white cardstock using the 'Tulip' Spellbinder Impressabilities with my sizzix big shot. I cut a strip of blue cardstock (the same color as my card base), and then I used my sewing machine to add some decorative stitching to the top and bottom of the strip. I stamped a flower from the 'In Bloom' Papertrey Ink stampset onto some My Mind's Eye patterned paper from the lime twist collection using Versamark ink. I added some orange embossing powder and heat embossed. Then I cut it out. I stamped two leaves from the In Bloom set onto some EP paper from the Springtime collection (Grass) also using Versamark ink, and added some green embossing powder and heat embossed (and cut them out). I added some shading with some prismacolor pencils to the flower and the leaves, and then I attached everything to the card base.

I'm entering this into the following weekly challenge at:

Lily Pad Cards

Entry for Hero Arts May2011B/Card for my Mom's Birthday

I started with some craft cardstock and stamped all four of the HA Color Me Flowers stamps with versamark ink and embossed with black embossing powder. I colored the flowers in with prismacolor pencils. I then stamped over the top of everything with the HA Cling Dots stamp using blue ink. I used a circle punch to remove a portion of the corners of the craft cardstock. I adhered the craft cardstock to some cream cardstock and added some blue brads. Then I attached the whole thing to the card base. I cut a oval out with a spellbinders nestability die and sponged on some blue ink with the die still over the cut. Then I stamped 'happy' with some of the same blue ink (I used a 'happy father's day' stamp and only inked the 'happy'). I attached the oval to the card front with some foam tape.

Bad experience at Craft Warehouse

I know this is a different post than I usually make but I thought I would pass on my recent experience while shopping at Craft Warehouse (Gresham, Oregon). Here is the message that I sent to the corporate office today describing my experience:

I was in your Gresham, Oregon store on 5/12/11. One of the items that I purchased was marked $4.99. I got out to my car and saw that I had been charged $5.99, so I went back in to get a $1.00 refund. The cashier proceeded to process the transaction as a refund and told me that I needed to give him my information (i.e., name, address, phone number, etc.). I asked him why he needed that information, and he told me apologetically that it was store policy and he had to have it for this transaction, and I said I didn't understand why in this particular instance he would need all that information. He then called for his supervisor, who fixed it so that it was a refund/re-ring, who then stated that besides the information he had requested before they would also need to see my drivers license. I stated that I would prefer not to give that information out unless absolutely necessary, and she stated that it was new store policy. I asked her why she just couldn't give me my dollar back, as I had paid cash for my purchase and she said that because of store policy I would have to give them my information. I complained again and she called up her store manager who could possibly override the system so I wouldn't have to give my information out. While we were waiting, the supervisor proceeded to tell the cashier that when he was done with me, that he should go back to the aisle where the product was located and change the prices. He asked why, they cost $4.99? I explained to him that there had been a mark-up and the prices hadn't been changed on the package. He then understood what his supervisor wanted him to do. (as all this is going on, I'm wondering WHY the supervisor didn't wait for me, the customer, to leave before telling the cashier to go and change the prices, or as she put it to remove the little white stickers from the product. What BAD customer service! When I worked retail, we would make the price adjustment, wait until the customer was gone, THEN go and fix the problem. You don't drag a customer into store business. I think that makes BAD business!) Anyway, when the store manager arrived she said it was now new store policy that they would need all my information for this transaction, but that she would override it for me this time and pass on my concerns about the new policy at their next store meeting. I pointed out how I thought it was unfair that they required all my personal information for a mistake THEY made in not putting the correct price on their merchandise, and how I had paid cash for my entire purchase (not like I used a debit/credit card, then I could see them needing my information to perform a credit). Also, seeing as it was only a $1 I needed returned to me, I thought it was kind of overkill to ask for all this information.

This situation has caused me not to want to return to shop at your store for a LONG time, maybe never. It left a bad impression on me and I thought you might want to know of this situation concerning new store policy and how it affects your customers. You may lose more than just my business.

Anyway, just thought I would pass this along and see if anyone else has experienced this. Also, on a funnier note, while I was there I asked an associate in the scrapbook section about a problem I was experiencing with my Sizzix Big Shot and the Spellbinders Nestabilities (problem- my shape (circle or oval) is embossing, whether I want it to or not, just in the cutting process). She said she didn't know much about the machine or the dies and she would go ask their 'EXPERT' if she knew how to prevent this. Her co-worker, the 'EXPERT' came over with a spellbinder die and asked which direction I was cutting it in (face up, or face down). I told her I didn't think it mattered in the cutting only in the embossing process after the cutting. She was surprised that the die could also emboss (she had NO clue, that that is what they are designed to do) and was wondering how I had found out about this. Pretty sad for an 'expert', huh?

Card for my nephew

I cut a solid stamp with my big shot using my oval spellbinders nestabilities and some thin fun foam. I stamped the oval with some blue distress ink and then used a bird stamp from one of the Tim Holtz visual artistry stampsets. I covered the birds with clear glossy accents. I then stamped a scrolly looking stamp around the oval using green distress ink.

Card for my Dad's Birthday

I wanted to try some masking and sponging. I think it turned out pretty cool! I ripped a piece of paper to use for the skyline and the ground line. I masked off the ground line and sponged blue distress ink for the sky (I added a circle mask for the sun before sponging the sky). I removed the circle and added the paper the circle was cut from so that I could sponge the sun color. I used the mask for the skyline and sponged the ground with green distress ink. I removed the mask and stamped the tree (which I colored the trunk and some of the branches with brown colored pencil). Then I stamped the birds. I used some colored pencils to make it look like there was wild flowers in the grass area.

Better Late Than Never?

Well, here are some shots of my Christmas cards that I made for December 2010. I made a couple of different variations on the same design, just used different patterned paper. I used a cut file from My ScrapChick for the ornaments. I typed up the lyrics to 'Joy to the World', and copied it enough times to fill up my card base. I printed the song onto my craft cardstock card base. Any questions? Leave me a message with a way to get back to you :)

Birthday Card for my Cousin

Here is a card I made for my cousin Julie. I made the dog house for the front. For the roof I used my Martha Stewart embossing board to add some texture. I cut a circle for the sun and trimmed it to fit the corner and then I colored some rays on with a prismacolor pencil. I cut a door with my spellbinders nestabilities and made a fold line so you can peek in through the hole cut in the card front also cut with my nestabilities. Any questions? Leave a comment with a way for me to get ahold of you :)

Papertrey Ink Contest

Here is a card that I made for my cousin Melissa's birthday. On the front of the card I cut a circle with my circle spellbinders nestabilities. I made a circle frame and used strips of paper to make a lattice design. I then attached the frame and lattice to the front of the card. Then I added a hero arts butterfly stamp I colored and cut out.

On the inside of the card I used two stamps from the In Bloom set. I stamped the flower and then made a mask of the flower so I could stamp the leaves. I placed the paper that I cut off from around the flower mask to mask around the flower so I could use some milled lavender distress ink to color the flower. I then added some shading to the flower and colored the leaves with some prismacolor pencils. Then I went around the outside of the flower and leaves with a grey copic.

Here is the link to the Papertrey Ink card contest info:

Inspired Papertrey Ink and Nichole Heady

It closes tomorrow at 7am EST, so hurry and get your entry in. They have an awesome prize!

Gift bag

Here is my entry for Polka Doodles week 49 challenge - Project to hold a gift.

I took a small brown paper bag and covered it on both sides with paper from the DCWV Stack 6. I cut a topper for my bag using Penny Duncan's 4 point 6 scallop nesting mat. I stamped my nephew's name with some hero arts letter stamps in white ink and colored it in with some prismacolor pencils.

I put the gift inside (not telling what it is, just in case my nephew looks at my blog!). I folded the topper in half and put it on the top of the bag and punched two holes through the topper and the bag. I attached some silver eyelets in the front and the back of the topper. I then threaded some ribbon and tied it all shut with a bow :)

Here is the link to the challenge:
Polka Doodles

Fall Cards

These were my entry's for the September Hero Arts contest.

If you have any questions, leave a comment with a way for me to get back to you.

Hero Arts Large Flower Stamp CG 134

I just got this new stamp and had to try it out!

Supplies:

*Copic marker
*Gelly Roll clear star pen
*Prismacolor pencils
*Embossing Powder- white and clear
*Ink - Versamark, Memories Dye Inkpad (white)
*Stamps - HA Large Flower (CG134), HA Cling Dots (CG 139)

If you have any questions, leave me a comment with a way for me to get back to you :)

Happy Birthday Card

I saw the 'bandanna' technique over on the blog called "Fabulously Artsy". I tried it out on this Hero Arts flower stamp.

Supplies:

Distress Ink - Broken China
Prismacolor Pencils
Computer generated sentiment

Any questions? Leave a comment with a way for me to email you back :)

Birthday Card

Here's a card for my brother-in-laws birthday. No paper doll dress up this time :)

Supplies:

Cricut-wild card (candles), Sure Cuts a lot (font on inside), Inkscape

If you have any questions, leave me a comment with a way for me to get back to you :)

Cupcake Birthday Card

Hello everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I last posted :(

I'm going to start doing things a little differently. Hopefully I'm not going to be quite as long winded as before.

Here is a card I made for my daughter's 13th birthday.

Supplies:
Cricut-Wild Card cartridge (cupcake)
Distress Inks-Worn Lipstick, Peeled Paint, and Broken China
Heat Gems
Stamps-Hero Arts Tiny Dot Letters, Michaels Dollar Stamps (letter 'E'), Tim Holtz Visual Artistry Stamp (text on candle, not sure which set)

If you have any questions leave me a comment with a way for me to reply back :)

Cute Mouse with Flower Card

I made the main element on this card using a really cute mouse with flower digital stamp by Meljen Designs. I colored it with markers and colored pencils. I used some fruit punch stickles on the cheeks and some glossy accents on the flower and stem. I dry embossed the layer under the mouse with my fiskars scrapboss using elements from the rectangle/wave and rectangle/classic shape boss stencils. I added the two layers to some DCWV paper as the card base. I added three pearls to the upper right side of the card.

I'm entering this into the challenges at:

-Caardvarks June card challenge
-Meljen Designs DT Blog Challenge #10 Dry Embossing
-Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #42

Fancy Hello Kitty

Here is a card I made using the Hello Kitty and Paper Doll Dress-Up cartridges. I did alot of altering to this one. I cut the hair, flower decoration in the hair and the dress from the paper doll dress-up cartridge. I used cricut design studio to size everything on hello kitty. I colored the dress and flower decoration(which I had cut in white) with spiced marmalade distress ink. I used a fine tip black pen and a white gel pen to add detail to the dress and the hair decoration. I also used a orange pen with a fine tip on the dress too. I added pearls to the hair decoration and one on the dress. I used some liquid pearls on the dress too.

I made the backround paper myself. I used a white base and inked with broken china and tumbled glass distress inks. I stamped over the top with two different flower stamps, also using the same colored distress inks. Then I ran it through my sizzix texture boutique and embossed using the swirls cuttlebug folder.

I'm entering this into the challenges on the following blogs:

Caardvarks June challenge
My Creative Time 1rst Throwback Thursday Challenge

Aloha card

Here is a card I made using an image that I found on the BBTB2 blog for the contest they have going on right now. It's an image from Peggy Loves Vintage. I printed out the little hula girl and cut it to the size I wanted. I attached it to my card and added some glossy accents to her lei, the flowers by her ears and the flowers on her ankles. I also added some gold stickles to her skirt. I cut the colored flower chain (spiced marmalade distress ink)out twice using my cricut design studio and my cricut (the flower chain can be found on the Paper Doll Dress-up cartridge). I adhered them to the card and then added some yellow puff paint to the flower centers. I designed the 'ALOHA' word in SCAL and cut it out with my cricut using black cardstock and adhered it to the card.

You can find the contest at:

Bitten by the Bug 2

Birthday Card for my Sister-in-Law

I cut some white cardstock for the top layer of my card. I added some peeled paint, tumbled glass and broken china distress inks. I dry embossed it with a sizzix embossing folder (can NOT remember the name, sorry). I cut the orange decorative band out of white paper(using SCAL and my cricut)and colored it with spiced marmalade distress ink. I sprayed it with some perfect pearls and water. I then adhered it to my top layer. I typed the sentiment out on my computer and printed it out on vellum. I adhered it to a piece of black cardstock and adhered it to the orange decorative band with some scotch foam tape. I stamped a butterfly using the antique engravings Hero Arts stampset. I colored it with a crayola marker and two different metallic gelly roll pens. I cut it out, cutting off the antennae. I used some beading wire to make some antennae and attached it to the back with some glossy accents. Then I attached the butterfly to the decorative band with some scotch foam tape.

Cute Owl Birthday Card

Here is a card I made using as the main element a SVG that I made using a coloring book page I found. I made the SVG in Inkscape and cut through SCAL on my cricut. I cut the beak, feet, branch and leaves out from white paper and colored with my markers. I used a polka dot patterned DCWV paper for the body of the owl. I used a blue patterned DCWV paper from the same stack as the polka dot paper (The Stack 6). I adhered the owl to the card front with scotch foam tape. I attached some bronze colored buttons with my crop-a-dile. The sentiment is a piece of ribbon that I bought from Michael's.

I'm entering this into the challenge over at:

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge blog

The challenge is to use 1 ribbon, 2 pattern papers and 3 embellishments. It's challenge #29

Butterfly and buttons card

Here is a card I made using some patterned paper from DCWV for the topper of the card. I used a strip of white card stock for the rectangular piece and the circles. I colored the rectangular strip with tumbled glass and broken china distress inks. Then I sprayed it with the perfect pearls/water mixture using a mini mister. I adhered three heart buttons with embroidery floss tied on to the rectangular strip. Then I cut two circles with my cricut using the plantin schoolbook cartridge. I cut one circle 2 1/2" and one circle 2 1/4". I colored the 2 1/2 circle with broken china distress ink and I colored the 2 1/4" circle with tumbled glass distress ink. I adhered the two circles together and adhered to the rectangle with some scotch foam tape. I stamped a flower from the Color Me Flowers Hero Art set and also a butterfly from the Hero Arts antique engravings set. I colored them both and put some white gel pen highlights on both. I cut them out and adhered them to the circles. I had to draw the antennas for the butterfly with a fine tip black pen.

I am entering this card in the challenges at:

Posh Designs Scrapbook Store - I used their card sketch #14 for challenge #14
Cupcake Craft Challenge #90 using Buttons