Cricut Weekly Challenge #39 & Simon Says Stamps Resist Challenge on Lily Pad Cards

So I've been playing around with my photography skills, and I think I'm getting much better at photographing my work. 

Tonight, I set up the light box I had created, but I put a simple bed sheet over it to make everything white and little softer.  Note to self...I need to make sure to iron the bed sheet next time I take pictures.  

I also need to find a place to photograph with natural light as my apartment has very little.  I might have to better plan my creation cycles so that I take pictures at lunch during the week.  I have a ton of natural light in my office, so I'm sure the pictures would look a thousand times better.

Anyway, this card is being used for two challenges - Cricut Circle Weekly and the Simon Says Stamps Resist Challenge on Lily Pad Cards.

The Cricut Circle weekly challenge was an A-B-C 1-2-3 challenge.  (A) pop of (B)right (C)olor, 1 of something, 2 of something and 3 of something.

My pop of bright color is the burgundy star.  It's not too bright as I kept the rest of the color more natural in the background.  I didn't want to offset the tone of the card by introducing something too bright.  I used 1 ribbon, 2 stars, and 3 strips of stamped-resisted paper for the background.

Create-a-Critter cuts

accessory, moon - 4.5 inches (used the big star only)

accessory, moon - 3.5 inches (used the little star only)

phrase, bear

For the Lily Pad Cards challenge, I was asked to use a type of resist technique.  I stamped with white embossing powder and then inked the white paper to create the shaded strips.  I used a ton of ink pads to create the gradient effect on the strips.  Here is the run down on inks:

Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Old Paper

Peeled Paint

Pumice Stone

Antique Linen

Classic Stampin Up

River Rock

Sahara Sand

Basic Gray

Crumb Crake

Soft Suede

Stamp

Great Impressions, K93  (the big polka dots)

Strip Cuts

1 1/4 inches x 4 1/8 inches

1 3/4 inches x 4 1/8 inches

5 1/4 inches x 4 1/8 inches

Because I made it a Happy Birthday card, this card will also go to the next Birthday Bundle drive with Card Cupids.  The drive will be happening monthly so I have to start on my next batch to send anyway.

Sympathy Card - Published by Cricut

I believe it's now safe to re-post this card.  This was my second publication with Cricut.  I honestly was totally surprised that they chose this card because I thought it was so simple.  However, I'm guessing that's exactly why they wanted it.  Something simple, something pretty, something a beginner cricut user could make.  Anyway, hope you enjoy.  You can find this card on page 18 of the most recent Cricut Idea Book (Cricut Cards).

I think Sympathy cards are the toughest to make...not only because no words can take away someone's pain, but because it seems wrong to give something cheerful.  I had some leftover scraps from a monochromatic card that I made when I realized that this is the trick to not feeling like you're minimizing someone's pain.  Soft muted colors, tastefully placed will result in a card that anyone can feel good about.

To give the card a little dimension, I added the clear expoxy circles to the middle of the flowers and I popped up one of the flowers in the bunch.  This is what I called understated whim.

Machine used:  Cricut Expression

Supplies
DCWV - The Lace & Linen Stack
Versa color - sandal
Paper Studio - Bubble-a-Bilities
Martha Stewart Craftstock Value Pack - mint green
The Paper Company - Chocolate Linen Textured Cardstock

Cricut cartridges and cuts
Once Upon a Princessteapot, tag - 1.25 inch, 1.5 inch

StampingSo Sorry - 1 inch
Greenery - 2.75 inch

Accent Essentials
Accnt27s - 4 inch

LIly Pad Cards: Greeting Farm Sketch Challenge (submission #2)

I am trying to force myself to stay away from my Cricut for everything I do.  I used to create without a Cricut, after all, for many many years.  I also just one a contest and a few notable mentions without it's usage.  But boy oh boy is it hard to ignore when I'm sitting right next to it crafting.

I think I should just get over it...the tool is there for a reason, right?

Anyway, the Greeting Farm Sketch Challenge at the Lily Pad Cards blog has no limitation on entries.  I liked my first submission a lot, but I'm not sure about this one.  Oh well, I guess you can't really love everything you do and after all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

So here is my second challenge submission.

I'm also trying to learn how to take better pictures.  I created a light box, but I don't think I quite got the hang of it yet.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to be told I need to also have a white "floor" and not my dark wood table as a base.  I'm hoping to get a crash course soon from one of my photographer friends.  So expect better photos soon!

Card Cupids: Birthday Bundles

I think I mentioned that I was happily chosen to join the design team for Card Cupids.  The announcement hasn't yet been made, but I'm excited to start sharing some of my cards with their blog readers (especially since they are forcing me to get comfortable with digital stamps).

Anyway, one of the coolest new projects they are working on is a Birthday Bundles initiative in the DC metro area.  The idea here is that blog followers will create handmade birthday cards to support a homeless shelter in the North Virginia area.  These birthday cards (with general birthday greetings) will be given to the kids at the shelter along with a little birthday surprise.  So the many "forgotten" birthdays (due to financial inability) will NOT go forgotten.

Because of my Stamp Club, I had a stash of cards I was able to add greetings to, and I just made multiple copies of a quick birthday card (see below).  So glad I'll be able to send these out tomorrow.

 

Some of my favorite birthday greetings for these cards were:

• Wishing you all the fun and excitement that only birthdays can bring!
• Wishing you a cheerful birthday!

• Wishing you a birthday filled with fun and joy!
• It's hard to believe that you're a whole year cooler than you were last year!
• Wishing you love, sunshine and laughter; Not just for today but all the days after!
• One day just isn't enough to celebrate someone as wonderful as you!
• Hoping that your day will be as special as you are!
• Hope your birthday blossoms into lots of dreams come true!
• May today be filled with sunshine and smiles, laughter and love!
• Wishing you everything happy for your bithday!
• A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip! 

And don't forget fill out the submission form when you send in your cards!

The Rubber Cafe Challenge #32: Fancy Envelopes

So all day I've been fighting falling asleep because I didn't get that much sleep last night.....but then I started crafting.  And what time is it now? Well way beyond my bed time!  

I always crack up when this happens because it really is a sign.  If I can craft away and lose hours, then I really need to figure out how to do this full-time because I'm wide awake now.

Anyway, I was happily crafting my submission for this week's Rubber Cafe Challenge...and I'm still tickled at the final result.  So fun and relatively easy to make.  I chose to make myself an Envelope Spinal album.

Inside are seven envelopes (minus the flap) for me to put notes for each day of the week.  I heart making lists, so this is perfect for me.  I used my Martha Stewart scorer to create A6 envelopes with its great envelope gadget.

In the back cover, I created a little pocket for extra sheets of paper.

I also was suprised to find out today that my last two submissions to the Rubber Cafe were well received.  My banner submission won me 1st place (so I get credit to spend some funds on their adorable stuff - yay!), and my window submission was showcased as a notable mention.  How fun! 

The Paper Variety Challenge 48: Travel or Transportation theme

This week's Paper Variety challenge was to create a paper project using a travel or transportation theme.  Now that I have a cleaned up (at least usable) craft room, I knew that I had paper and that I had stamps to fit both.  I looked at my options and decided to go with my Stampin Up! set called The Open Sea.

I purchased this set because I wanted the ship ledger (on the tag) - I've used it a couple of times as background, but I hadn't yet used the other pieces of the set.

Anyway, here is my submission for the challenge.

I had some fun stitching (as always), and I used paper and ribbon that hadn't been touched in awhile.  Yay for using my supplies!

I do need to thank Splitcoast Stampers for my source of inspiration.  This is the card I modeled mine after.

I think her card was so clever and the scale of items is much better than my version.  I love the background paper on here and probably would have stitched the piercings because any excuse to stitch makes me happy.  I'll have to try and replicate her card one day, but for now, I'm pretty happy with my version.

Cricut Circle Blog August Monthly Challenge: Create a Scene

I think I've only taken part in one monthly challenge on the Circle blog, so I promised I would make myself try again this month.  The challenge winner gets a great prize and is randomly selected (so a very fair process).

Anyway, this month's challenge asked to create a scene.  I've seen some incredible postings already and I can't even begin to imagine how long it took these talented artists to put them together.  I only had tonight, so you'll have to excuse the lack of pizzazz.  

I wanted to think out of the box and rather than go with a traditional scenic image, I went with a 

CRIME SCENE!

Ha!  I would have done so much more with the background if I had more time, but this will have to do for now.  This will definitely be a project that I'll want to "fluff" later.  

I don't have the cartridge with the paper dolls in all the work outfits, so I had to improvise.  Instead, I used the milkman image from the Pop-Up Neighborhood and I modified the colors and drew in the badge and buttons.  I think he turned out cute.  I even changed the milk jug into a flashlight.

Plantin Schoolbook

city, tall, ball, 3.25 inches

city, shadow, 3.25 inches

circle, 1.25 inches

Pop-Up Neighborhood

milkman-s, layer2/shadow, 3 inches

milkman (twice), 3 inches

milkman, layer1, 3 inches

milkman-s, 3 inches

boy2-s, layer2/shadow, 2.75 inches (I clipped off the ball he's holding)

psngrCar, accessory layer, 3.5 inches and 2.75 inches

So I just realized as I submitted this post, that this challenge still had 5 days to go!  For some reason, I thought the deadline was tomorrow.  Oh well, I'll have to keep a better calendar next time.  At least I sent something in for consideration, right?