Splitcoast Challenges

I was able to finally finish this card for a challenge that was posted on Splitcoaststampers Sunday. I can only sit for a few minutes at a time, so it took a really long time to get this done, but I am pleased with how it turned out.

Sunday challenges on SCS are Featured Stamper days. This week's featured stamper was mbrcutie25. I CASE'd this card of hers. I didn't have any butterfly stamps small enough to create a card like hers, so used my Cricut to cut some. This is what I came up with.

It took me the longest time to figure out what to do for the sentiment. I knew I wanted a thank you card, but couldn't figure out what to put there. Finally today I decided to use one of the yo-yo's I've been making.

Here is a peek at the inside:

Congrats Graduate!

We are done with graduation here (May 8th) and had our first son graduate. I had lots of graduation cards to make for his friends and this is one of them. I used more paper from Cosmo Cricket's The Boyfriend line and chipboard letter "g" from Maya Road to create this card. I'm going to be sad when I'm out of this wonderful paper!


I cut the star with my George Cricut cartridge. I cut 4 from scrap cardstock and one from the patterned paper from Cosmo's Early Bird line. I hand wrote "congrats graduate!" with the fine point tip of Tombow's black Dual Brush Pen.

Supplies:
supplies: Tombow's Dual Brush Pens #856 & N15, Mono Adhesive Dots, & Mono Liquid Glue; Cosmo Cricket's The Boyfriend & Early Bird patterned paper; ribbon and ric rac, Maya Road chipboard letter and Basic Grey buttons

congrats

It's been a long time since I've made a long card. This size (4" x 9.25") fits into a business size envelope. I used Cosmo Cricket's The Boyfriend line. This line is perfect for any projects relating to school.

I colored the alphabet black with Tombow's Dual Brush marker and the stars yellow. With the fine point of the black pen I doodled around the large cut star. The star was cut with Cricut's George Cartridge.

Supplies:
Tombow Mono Adhesive Dots, Multi Liquid Glue, Dual Brush Pens #N15 & #985,
Maya Road David Chipboard Alphabet
Cosmo Cricket's The Boyfriend patterned paper

Nugget Bunnies

This fun project is one I will be teaching to the Resource students I work with. They are excited when I teach them a craft. They have to have all their work caught up and this is a great reward for working so hard.

This is super easy to do. I cut the bunnies with my cricut, but you can draw your own bunny head or google bunny images and there are lots online to choose from.

I cut a piece of patterned paper (here I used scraps from my spring block project by Imaginisce) 1.25" by 3". Adhere adhesive (I used Tombow's Mono-Adhesive) on strip and wrap around a Hershey nugget. I drew the bunny face on with a black marker and colored the nose and ears with pink. Markers are by Tombow also.

Use Tombow's Liquid glue to adhere the head to one end of the candy and a pompom for the tail to the other and quickly watch these bunnies multiply. Ü This project is a great one to do with children and a great way to use up all those patterned paper scraps.

**side note: this post was preposted. The students had a blast making these. Those bunnies were multiplying all over the place! Ü I couldn't take a picture of them, because the students I work with are part of the "no child left behind" program and it's confidential.

Lucky Me, a Notepad and SpRiNG Blocks

I am so excited to share my first projects with you. Each month Tombow will be partnering with another company for the Design Team to create with. This month it is Imaginisce. I received a package full of goodies from their line Lucy Bird (as well as 2 other kits!). Oh my, so much fun and such pretty spring colors! Thank you so much Imaginisce!

My first project uses scrap wood left over from when I used to teach woodcraft classes. I have a set of blocks that are painted and say "autumn" and have had this idea for some time to use paper and letters cut with my Cricut. This was the perfect chance to do that. (you can click on the image for a larger view)

For the "s", "i", and "g", I used Cricut's new Songbird cartridge. My friend Terry had just gotten this in the mail the day we decided to get together and craft. We had so much fun making these blocks. (She used more vintage designs which turned out darling.) I don't remember the cartridges used for the "p" and "n". If you are really wanting to know, I can find out, as they were all Terry's cartridges.

I used Tombow's Mono Aqua Liquid glue to adhere the block paper and letters. This stuff is awesome! I love how it lets you move the paper around a bit to get it just right before it dries.

My next project was creating a notepad using scraps from the Imaginisce papers. I also used silk flowers and a fun puffy sticker.

and last is this card for St. Patrick's Day:

                         

I am still learning how to use Tombow markers and their blending pens, but I think she turned out pretty cute anyway.

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Be sure to wear green.

Why do you never iron a 4 leaf clover?

You don't want to press your luck! Ü

My exciting news

YAY! I can finally share. Joanna Wallace who works with Tombow asked if I would be on their Design Team! I am sooooo excited! I use Tombow products with ALL my papercrafts. Tombow will be partnering with a papercrafting company each month and we will get to create with their fun products. Imaginisce is the company whose product I will get to play with (along with Tombow) for the month of March. You can read about the other DT members on the Tombow blog.

To introduce ourselves she asked the DT to create a project that shows our style and a bit about ourselves. I have had this "family" project in my head for a long time! Ever since I made the Joy and Home project way back when.

I LOVE altering things and coasters are one of my favorite to play with. I used MONO Aqua liquid glue and permanent mono-adhesive. The liquid glue is dual tipped and I used the broad tip (that has an applicator on it that I love) to spread the glue on the coaster and then adhere the paper. This allows you to move the paper around a bit and get it just like you want before it dries which is a very nice feature.

I used the mono-adhesive for the alphabet. The letters were cut with Doodletype Cricut cartridge 3 times with cardstock and once with patterned paper to give a chipboard look. This is one of my favorite techniques to do.

This project shows a few of my favorite things: family, buttons, vintage rick

rack, brads, alphabet, ribbon, dew drops, coasters, using my Cricut, crocheted flowers (I made), pretty papers and jump rings. I also love to distress things with ink. Because of the brighter colors and white I used a caramel ink that still shows some distressing, but doesn't overdo it.

The "il" is kinda blah compared to the other coasters and I'm thinking I might need to redo it. I'll be sure to let you see it if I do.

The pretty papers are from My Mind's Eye "Be Loved" line. I love the pretty spring colors.

Thanks for stopping by and letting me share my excitement with you all.

Have a wonderful day!

PS: the colors in this project go with this challenge that I entered as well.

Mini Valentine Pizza Box

This little pizza box was made for Tombow's blog. The template for the box came from here on Paper Craft Planet. The link may not work unless you are a member of the 3D Tuesday Challenge Group. It is easy to join. The challenge/template is called Pizza Box.

I used Mono Adhesive Power Bond to put the box together and Mono Adhesive Permanent for the patterned paper and other items.

I LOVE the Power Bond ahesive! Think red line tape on a roller! This stuff is awesome!

I was inspired by all the red and pink projects I've seen on Splitcoaststampers and several blogs.

The patterned paper on the sides and top of the box are from Basic Grey's "Blush" line.

I stamped the patterned heart from SU!'s Always set. The hearts on the diecut (cut with my Cricut) was stamped in white ink using hearts from Lizzie Anne Designs L'Amour set as well as the sentiment stamped in burgundy on the tag.

I finished it off with some vintage ribbon and a quiling pin. I cut the end off of the pin, so one wouldn't get poked. Ü It's not in the intructions, but I also added

a little brad on the end.

This helps to open the box. I think I will make a heart shaped cookie to put inside to give to a friend.

 

Inspiration~Echo

This card was made for Splitcoaststampers Inspiration challenge today. Echo is an online store that we were given the link to to find something to inspire us. I love this pillow. It's so fresh and clean. I made a white background for my card and it was too bare so embossed it. I wish I would have had a Nestibilities large scallop die for my card, but I didn't so used a flower off of my George cartridge and cut it with my Cricut.

Candy Cane Candle and a give-a-way

**edited to add** The markers will be here Saturday, so I am extending the time to comment for a chance to win. You have until Saturday night to comment and I will draw a name and contact the winner and hopefully mail the markers on Monday.

I was soooo excited to receive an e-mail several days ago from Joanna who writes for the Tombow blog! (be sure to click on the link and see all the cool projects on the blog)

She had come across my blog and asked if I would be a day guest designer for the Tombow blog. Any of you who know me know that I LOVE Mono-Adhesive!!!! LOVE the stuff! I buy them in bulk and have used them since first introduced to the product by my sweet friend Kim 13 years ago. I seriously should by stock in the stuff! LOL!!

Okay, so back to the project. I love finding things to alter and these Dollar General candles are one of my favorite that I've come up with. This Candy Cane design is also one of my favorite that I have designed. I get so excited when I create something that is all mine and I didn't CASE from anyone. Ü I used Tombow's Mono-Adhesive Permanent and Mono Aqua Liquid Glue.

I used Basic Grey papers, Cricut cartridges for the scallop circle and candy cane and tag dies for the tag on the lid and in front.

For the ribbon tag on the front, I cut 5 tags (1 red and 4 white) and adhered them together to give the look of chipboard. I did this same technique for the candy cane. The scent of the candle is candy cane and that is where my inspiration for the design came from.

Now for the give-a-way. Ü Tombow is sending me a Dual Brush Pen set (6 brights) for me to give as blog candy! How cool is that? I don't have the set yet and we are due for a blizzard so it could be a few days yet before it arrives, but you can view the details here.

To enter to win this pen set all you have to do is leave me a message and tell me your favorite Christmas/holiday treat (recipes are good too Ü). I will draw a name on Christmas day in the evening around 7 pm. Post this on your blog and I will put your name in FIVE times for a chance to win. Be sure to leave a link to your blog and do NOT sign in as anonymous or you won't be entered to win as I have no way to contact you.

PS: Joanna is looking for guest designers, so if you would like to make a project for her and you love Tombow products be sure to contact her. Go here to see the post.

Sisters' Shoebox Swap

I am a big fan of Monica's blog The Homespun Heart. When I saw this Noel Swap post, I just had to play along. Monica and Carrie (go here to Carrie's blog to see links of what others sent) partnered me up with Jenni and what a perfect partner. Our tastes were almost exact. So it was easy for me to make something for her as I knew if it was something I would like to receive, hopefully she would too. Ü

Here is what I rec'd from Jenni: She tied lines of a song or poem (I'm not sure which it is as I haven't heard of it) that was typed on vellum to each goody in the box.

I love this super fun swag.

It is full of fun fabrics that match my home and rustic bells, stars, the letter "F"

and these ADORABLE itty bitty clothespins to hold pictures, cards etc.

How cool is this?! I am definitely inspired to make some of these for gifts.

I love this rustic looking little electric candle. This is going to go on my wash stand chest.

Look at this wonderfully rustic (notice a theme Ü I LOVE rustic) star decor. I love the embossed tin on it and the mustard color is perfect and matches the mustard in my wallpaper.

Another very fun item that I'm wondering if she made. It is nested in LOTS of homespun fabric strips that I'm going to use to tie tags on my gifts this year.

Here is a shot of all the goodies (minus the swag). YUMMY chai tea and *cones* of the yummiest snack! I definitely will be getting that recipe from her. It is disappearing FAST here. Ü Also nested in there is plaid towel. It has rusts, greens, browns and a hint of mustard. I love using these type of towels to line baskets and fill with breads, muffins etc when I go somewhere. This will be lining a basket this Thanksgiving. The colors match my dining room wallpaper so perfectly, that you would have thought I sent her a swatch!
Last but not least is this YUMM-) bag of chocolate covered craisins. Hmmmm wonder if this can be hid???? Ü

Thank you so much Jenni! I hope you enjoy your pkg as much as I enjoy mine!

Here is what I sent Jenni:

(I bought her a dish towel and made an applique towel as well as a large cello bag of treats that I forgot to photo. Oh and sent her and her family Twin Bing candy. She told me her favorite cookie was a chocolate covered cherry cookie and I thought she would like the candy that we can get here in NE.)

I went with a green, brown, red, white/cream color theme and gingerbread image theme.

This is a tea holder. I love this digi image by Whimsie Doodles. This holds 4 tea bags.

An altered Dollar General candle:

A notepad made with a junior legal pad cut in half and matching pen. Image is by Lizzie Anne Designs new Gingerbread Man single.A larger journal made with a junior legal notepad.

Week 35

Sankari has challenged us to make a non-tradition color card. So no red, green or blue.

This is VERY simple, but I love how it turned out. I cut 4 snowflakes with my Cricut and adhered them together and then added lots of glitter.

Check out the CSAYL blog to see what colors the other divas used for their cards this week.

Chirstmas Card #30

WOW! I can't believe this is week 30! I still have two to catch up on, but still am amazed we are 30 weeks into this challenge. I actually have more than 30 cards done as I have made some for some DT work that you will get to see later.

Maria is our hostess this week and she chose a sketch for us to do. This had me stumped from the time I saw it and then last nite it hit me and I love how this turned out! I turned the sketch on it's side and had the large oval be my sentiment.

The snowflake is cut with a Cricut Cartridge and then I added glitter to it. The cardstock behind the sentiment is silver and really shines in real life.

Friday Challenge

My friend Michelle is the hostess this week on EIO's Friday Challenge. The theme is Spring Bling and she challenged us to use flowers using a favorite technique.

I love to cut flowers with my Cricut. I can cut several sizes and layer them. Here I scrunched them up and added a vintage button to the center.

I love this mini pizza box tutorial on Jen's blog. I cut the scallop square with my Cricut too. We would love to have you come and play along with us on Embellish It.

Class Projects

Last night I taught a papercrafts project and we had lots of fun. We made 3 projects that were inspired by projects I had seen online.

They got to make 3 of these bunnie candies. This project was inspired by this one that I had seen on Splitcoast. Instead of all the stamping, I cut the bunnies from Doodlecharms Cricut Cartridge at 2.5" and a circle for the back from the George cartridge at 1.5". The candies are Palmer chocolate crispie things. Here is a side view to give you a peek of the kind of candy I used. You could also use thin mints.

The next project was a card also inspired by one I had seen on Splitcoast. You can view her version of a bunny also here. I don't have the SU! Top Notch Die, so used Cricut Cartridge Accent Essentials, Walk in My Garden for the feet (cut two petals off of a flower) and Doodlecharms for the egg.

I LOVE this bunny box! The box is a STAMP by Inky Antics and the face is also stamped. You can see the full stamp set by Inky Antics here. This was so fun to make.

Make a Mini

Today's Friday Challenge on Embellish It is to make a mini album. This is called a wallet album. Today Benjamin has a trackmeet in St. Paul. He will run first in the 4 x 8 (relay) and then next to last in the 1600. I'll update you tomorrow on how he did.

Then we are to get a blizzard according to this weather report!!

A POTENT WINTER STORM WILL BEGIN TO TAKE SHAPE ACROSS THE FOUR CORNERS REGION TODAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL LIFT ACROSS NORTHERN KANSAS SPREADING WIDESPREAD SNOW ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA SATURDAY THROUGH MIDDAY SUNDAY. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH SATURDAY EVENING...PRODUCING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OFWESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. BY MID DAY SUNDAY...SNOWACCUMULATIONS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 WILL RANGE FROM 7 TO 12INCHES.

PERSONS ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA (this is us) SHOULD BEPREPARED FOR BLIZZARD OR NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS SATURDAY ANDSATURDAY NIGHT. TRAVEL WILL BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS...IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.

Season's Tweetings

Pink, Blue & Purple...NOT my favorite colors, but that was the added challenge for the Christmas Challenge divas! Was this ever a challenge! But I was able to come up with something that I really like. This is the sketch that we used and this is my card. I turned the layout on its side as it worked better for my stamped image.

The image is by Inky Antics and all but the hats were colored with colored pencils and Gamsol. The hats were colored with SU!'s Pale Plum marker because I didn't have a colored pencil that would match the plum paper. I also used SU!'s photo corner punch. It's hard to see in the photo, but the photo corners are stamped with a little snowflake image from Lizzie Anne Design's set: In the Background. I used Cotton Candy stickles for snowflakes and Frosted Lace stickles for the hats. The notched panel was cut from Cricut cartridge Accent Essentials. Ribbon from unknown source. Plum paper is Dark Plum Demask by Creative Imaginations; pink is CTMH; and blue is from my scrap box.

Be sure to click on each of the divas blogs (on the right) to see what they did. I love seeing everyone's version of the same challenge. We would love for you to play along. Stop by the Christmas Challenge blog to see how you can join us.