Show and Tell

There's nothing better

I decided that I should do the last July Cuttlebug Challenge. I do want to be sure to be entered into that drawing for all the new Cuttlebug folders. They were on display in the Provo Craft booth at the CHA SuperShow and it would be just fabulous to have them all! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

The Countdown to CHA Be Inspired Challenge #42 was to make a gatefold card in celebration of National Friendship Week. Before leaving for Florida last week, I was optimistic that I would get to Dawn McVey's latest color challenge. That didn't happen, but since the papers were still lying on my table, I used them for this card. It's a pretty color combination, don't you think?

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The Cuttlebug embossing folders that I used on this card are Swiss Dots and a couple of the Frills Borders.

I also got to use one of my new Papertrey Ink stamp sets. However, I did have some stamping woes on the inside of this card. I made a last minute decision to use the large flower on the lower right and upper left of the center panel, making sure part of the image was going over onto the side panels. Good idea, but if you try it — do it before you decorate the outside of the card. I absolutely could not get a complete image, no matter what I tried (and I tried a lot of things!). So, I ended up having to add an extra white layer in the middle to cover up at least part of my mess. I didn't cover the side panels, and you can see a little bit of the stamping mess in the photo above. {Big sigh.}

AND TELL:  stamps, cardstock, patterned paper, and ink are all from Papertrey Ink (In Bloom; White, Spring Moss, Berry Sorbet, Pure Poppy; Bitty Dot Basics in Spring Moss and Pure Poppy; True Black, Berry Sorbet); also used the Swiss Dots and Frills Borders Cuttlebug embossing folders and Label One Nestabilities.

One more little tidbit from the weekend. This photo is of the score sheet from our last Scrabble game. The "J" is for Janelle. Feel free to click on the photo to make it bigger. 'Nuff said. :)

Have a great evening. Thanks for taking the time to drop by!

Enjoying Life Again

This is my entry into the last Cuttlebug Countdown to CHA challenge, Be Inspired #41. The task this time was to create an altered project. Hmm. Not my strong suit. But, since I finished the other three challenges in the quest to become eligible to win the new Provo Craft embossing folders — well, I couldn't just not do the final challenge. Unfortunately, the sun had set by the time I finished, so my photos are not great. {sigh}. But, at least they're done. If I get a chance, I'll try to retake them in the light of day.

My project is an altered 5"x 8" notepad — I created a cover for it. Not a lot of words tonight. Just a little show and tell.

Thanks for visiting!

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AND TELL: stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Fancy Flourishes, Star Prints); cardstock is also PTI (Spring Moss, Hibiscus Burst, Sweet Blush, Raspberry Fizz, Summer Sunrise, Kraft); patterned paper is PTI, too (Bitty Box Basics Raspberry Fizz, Bitty Dot Basics Aqua Mist); ink is PTI (Fresh Snow, True Black); Provo Craft embossing folders (Swiss Dots, Divine Swirls); Stampin' Up dies (Bigz Top Note and Beautiful Butterflies; Sizzlits Little Leaves; Sizzlets Birds & Blooms Large Flower and Flower Pieces; Sizzlets Lots of Tags Label 2); Fiskars Apron Edge punch; buttons from PTI (aqua mist) and ribbon and gems from my stash.

Happy {heart}

Today's card is for the Cuttlebug Countdown to CHA Be Inspired Challenge #40. I completed the first two challenges (of four) that enter you in a drawing to win the new Cuttlebug folders, but am now finding myself behind and needing to finish the next two before leaving town on Thursday. (Because what kind of sense would it make to do the first two and then negate my chance of winning by not doing the final two?) So — one down, one more to go. This challenge involved the sketch shown here.

Well — I had the sketch in my mind. Sort of. Then after I finished the card and looked back at the sketch I realized I took quite a few liberties with it. But, that's OK right? Isn't the purpose of a sketch to have a starting point? A point of inspiration? I hope so.

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Here's the inside of the card. The front is cut shorter to expose the cute border of this paper. Isn't that just so cheery and doesn't it just make your heart so, well, happy? Makes me smile just looking at it.

Now, I doubt if Ken will have the same reaction, but this card is for him. Hope it's not too girly. Just want him to know that he makes my heart happy, too. (Yes, other things besides pretty paper, coffee and ice cream make my heart flutter!)

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Heart Prints); cardstock is PTI (Kraft, White) and Stampin' Up (Cool Caribbean); printed paper from my stash (sorry, I don't remember who the brilliant maker is); ink is Stampin' Up (Tangerine Tango, Pacific Point); ribbon and button are PTI (Summer Sunrise satin; Aqua Mist); also used embroidery floss, silver brads, pinking shears, Ticket Corner punch from Stampin' Up, and the Provo Craft Traffic Jam embossing folder with my Cuttlebug. (Love that little machine!)

Before I go, since I have a little time and am feeling a little talkative, I want to show you why I love ordering from Emma's Paperie so much. (I raided our mailbox before running errands this afternoon — left the boring mail for Ken to get and grabbed my package from Emma's!) Had that puppy torn open before I left the driveway.

 

What's not to like about a company that wraps your order in tissue and ties a candy stick to the top?

I thought about ending my post there, but if I were the reader, well, I'd want to know what was all wrapped up in there. So, here's the picture I took in the post office parking lot (sorry about the glare, but when you're the impatient sort, like me, you just don't always wait for perfect lighting conditions!).

 

All my non-stamping friends are scratching their heads now, wondering why I find this so exciting. That — or they're laughing because that candy stick is already almost history. Personally, I can't wait to ink up those birds.

Hope you're having a great Monday! I'll be back tomorrow — I hope — with another Cuttlebug Challenge completed. See you then!

I just heard!

Intriguing title, but sorry to disappoint. It's just the name of the card for the Cuttlebug Countdown to CHA Be Inspired #39. The challenge was to use a woodsy creature, something from nature, and these colors:

 

 

 

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I've told you that I obsessively save most of my scraps. Well, here I put one to use: the green frame from Stampin' Up's Top Note Die.

The sentiment and then the arrow were both afterthoughts. After I had assembled everything I realized that I hadn't really thought it all through — it was looking a little plain. So, first of all I stamped the sentiment (a little difficult on a popped-up section, but you know how I'm against taking things apart!) — but it seemed to be placed a little too much to the left. So I stamped a little doodad from another set to the right and that just looked plain old goofy. Not being one to give up easily when I'm making a card, I started cutting out arrows from orange patterned paper freehand. On the third try I came up with this one and I think it works. Lesson learned (think a little more before starting), but card finished.

And then a word about photography and aging eyes. When looking at this card with "my bare eyes" the coloring looked pretty good to me. After I took the photos and put them on the screen, I thought, "Oh, my goodness! Where did all those holes in my coloring come from?!" {Big sigh.}

AND TELL:  stamps are from Unity (June 2009 Kit of the Month) and Stampin' Up (Absolutely Fabulous); cardstock is all Stampin' Up (Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore, Only Orange, and Confetti Cream); patterned paper is a random scrap; ink is Stampin' Up (Chocolate Chip); markers are Stampin' Up (Creamy Caramel, More Mustard, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust); then there's that stick from the parking lot outside Curves and I also used Provo Crafts' Divine Swirls embossing folder with the Cuttlebug. Oh, and I also used a gold metallic pen to enhance some of the owl's feathers. 

Here are a couple photos from our crafting session last night.  

Our regular Monday night company wanted some help on a little birthday project for her mom. I'll show the results later — probably over the weekend.

Thanks for visiting with me today. Have a great evening!