Crafty Time

Spent some serious time in my craft room this weekend.  It was very inspiring.  After tidying up a bit (can't start a new project until all remnants of the last one are gone), I decided it was high time I got around to doing my Christmas cards. 

While I don't send out a ton of them, I do send enough that they needed to be fairly simple.  I came up with a design that was easy to replicate, but still enabled me to do each card uniquely.  No two are the same.  I used a variety of buttons for the embellishments.  Some were just plain red buttons, others were the crafty shanked variety.  I just whacked the shanks off the back.

For each button that didn't have any bling, I added a touch with Stickles.  A couple of the present buttons and the star buttons were very glittery, so they were good to go as is.  I used a punch to cut out the boughs, vellum for the sentiment on the front (sentiment from Stampin' Up!), and mixed papers from two different small paper packs.  The paper on the front coordinates with the paper on the inside for each card.  The sentiment I used inside was from a cd I purchased through Paper Wishes.  There were a ton of sentiments for every reason and occasion, so it was easy to find just what I wanted.  It was cool how the colors of the sentiment worked out so well with the papers I selected.

Thirty-six cards later.....

One of the great things about these cards was that there was literally no waste from the paper packs.  I cut the front down to fit on the front of the card, used one of the edges I cut off for the inside, and the remaining edge (with the exception of a very tiny piece) was the band on the front.  I loved how that worked out.  The Merry Christmas stamp was a $1 stamp that I had gotten at Michaels.  The inks used were from Stampin' Up!. 

I'm hoping I made enough.  But at least if I do have to make some more, they are easy enough to do.  Now, off to address those envelopes!

Hope you all have the Happiest of Holidays and the Merriest of Christmases.

Until next time, keepin' my fingers ink and my Cricut chirpin'!

I'VE BEEN PUBLISHED!!!

I just had to share this tidbit of news.  I have my very first card published in the January 2012 issue of Scrap & Stamp Magazine (page 39).  I am very excited.  Just when I had given up (sent it in months ago).  NOW, I am more motivated than ever to work on more submissions.  And since my craft room is all organized and pretty (I've done a little more revamping), and the weather outside is becoming more and more dismal, I want to spend time in my little piece of peace and get crafting.

I will share some pics of what I have redone in my room (maybe even a better video) and a sneak preview of my published card a little later.

In the meantime, keepin' my fingers inky and my Cricut chirpin'!

GETTING CRICKY CHALLENGE & CRAFT ROOM VIDEO

I have been a busy lil bee lately.  Got my craft room reorganized (hubby says I do it 8 times a year, I say only 4).  He doesn't understand what a help it is for me creatively to have things neat and organized.  Plus, whenever I change things around, I find "stuff" I lost or forgot I had...which brings new creative ideas to my brain.  So, it's all good.  Even all the bruises I have from moving big stuff around.  I'll spare you pics of them.  lol

Anyhow, here is a video of my room.  WARNING:  It is blurry, dizzifying, and VERY amateur.  But that's just me.  It's all a learning process.  Definitely no awards for this one.  lol

Maybe this will inspire some of you to share your crafting grounds.  I would love to see where everyone else creates.

NOW FOR SOME FUN CHALLENGE STUFF.....

I love the Getting Cricky with K Andrew blog.  Such fun challenges, great inspiration, and new ideas.  If you've not visited this blog yet, you really need to do so.  You won't be disappointed.  In addition to the wonderful posts and crafts she shares, she has some really amazing stamp sets.

Her latest challenge is a color challenge:  Use black and orange with one other color.  I chose yellow.  I used the "Child's Year" cartridge for the pumpkins and cat, sized and distorted using my Gypsy, and the background is a digital background.  The cat's eyes are Hero Arts jewels.  They give it kind of a creepy feel, no?  The "Happy Haunting" was done on my computer.

Would love to hear your comments on both my craft room and my card.  Be sure to check out the Getting Cricky Blog to see all the wonderful projects done for this challenge!  Happy Haunting to you!

Until next time, keepin my fingers inky and my Cricut chirpin.

MY MEMORIES SCRAPBOOKING SOFTWARE

I just had to share this....I have come across some amazing software.  I use a Mac and sometimes finding the types of crafty programs I want in a Mac-compatible version is tricky.  I have found some amazing scrapbooking software that works with either Windows OR Mac!  It makes doing your digital scrapbooks so easy and leaves you with a great end product.  You can keep it digital, do hybrid (print it out and add more embellishments), save it to a book or share it via a cd. 

What IS this software?  It is My Memories.  Click the link to learn more about this easy, AFFORDABLE, scrapbooking software.  In addition, if you use this code:  STMMMS75372 you will save $10 off the purchase price!  Just copy and past the code when ordering and save $10!

Stay tuned, I will be posting some of my layouts shortly. 

Just like Santa, I really do exist!

Life has been a little crazy lately.  Camping season ended so we had to pack up the camper and seasonal site.  Very anticlimactic.  Can't believe the season is over already.  Also been spending a lot of time with my mom helping her with her needs.  And then there's work, parenting, grandparenting, family, and a little sleep thrown in for good measure.  But I plan to be spending more time in my craft room now and doing a LOT more sharing.

Thought I would post a few of the projects I've worked on since I posted, just so you know I really do exist and haven't given up crafting altogether.  lol

 This is a birthday card I did for my boss.  I used my Cricut (surprise, surprise).  I didn't write down my paperstock use or cartridges or ANYTHING.  But at least you know I'm crafting, right?

 This is the inside of the card.  The caption reads "I hope that your birthday is as happy as a chimpanzee without pants."  Found that one on an internet search and thought it fit pretty well.  And, of course, the monkey wobbles.  :)  So I have shared another one of my silly videos.

This is a sympathy card I made for a friend of my mom's who passed away.  I really like how this one turned out.

And this one was a birthday card I was "commissioned" for.  LOL  Actually, I begged my boss to let me make a birthday card for him to give his wife.  Sorry, the bottom pic didn't get rotated before uploading.

 So, there you have it.  I really have been doing some crafty things.  Didn't post all of them...gotta save something in case I have another blog dry spell!

Til next time....keepin' my fingers inky and my Cricut chirpin'!  Happy crafting!