Peek a Boo!- .Cut File Available

Here's a cute little card I did for Custom Crops. Thought it would be fun for a young child or anyone you didn't want to scare too badly. LOL It's sort of the same idea as a flower pot card. I used Cricut Design Studio and Paper Doll Dress Up and had a ball putting it together. Of course the .cut file and complete instructions are available HERE. I hope you're inspired to make one of your own and would love it if you let me (and THEM) know what you think. Thanks so much! xxD

The Cuttlebug Spot Confetti Challenge

This week was a really different challenge at The Cuttlebug Spot. We were to make "confetti" to fill a container. Bet all of you who checked out The Cuttlebug Spot thought my contribution was a card. Guess the pic really didn't show it was a container but it is. I used the round handbag from PS and welded a hat from the new Every Day Paper dolls to it, then made the layers and embossed the face with Mesh Texture to sort of look like burlap and the hat with Tiny Mosaic to look like woven straw.

I had one heck of a time with the confetti though. For some reason I just couldn't fold the strips by hand so I used my crimper after I'd embossed with Forest Branches and inked it a bit. Unfortunately that flattened out most of the Cuttlbug embossing but it was the best I could do. I hand stitched the mouth and eyelashes and added a few embellies and breathed a sigh of relief when it was done. My DT sisters seemed to have a much easier time with this than I did. Check out their fabulous projects HERE and come play along, there's a prize to be had.

BBTB Locker Talk Desk Challenge

This week at BBTB we were to use the desk from Locker Talk. Boy did this bring back memories. What do kids desks look like these days? As usual I made a shaped card using Cricut Design Studio and also welded the apple from Locker Talk to the base design. I thought it would be fun to make it a bit oversized and added it bit of texture with my Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder.

The sentiment is a resized downloadable stamp from The Cutting Cafe. Better yet, it's a .99 special. (Check it out HERE.) I thought it was perfect for the card and so easy to just make it just the size I needed. Regina has full instructions for doing this on the Cafe site HERE. Then I cut it and the scallop with my Nesties. BTW, if you haven't been to The Cutting Cafe recently YOU MUST GO! Regina has been sooo busy and there are a bazillion fun new sets available. In fact, she just finished a new kitchen set that is PERFECT for the new From My Kitchen Cricut cartridge and she has a special running where you get templates for two adorable apron cards FOR FREE when you purchase the In My Kitchen sentiments.

I cut the desk on the regular feature several times and snipped certain parts to give it dimension and did my usual popping with foam. In hindsite I wish I had also embossed the desk but I'd already stuck it all together and although I tried to take it apart it was not in the cards. Had to settle with the little bit of chalking and doodling I'd done. (Why is hindsite always 20/20?) Oh well, kinda plain, but let's just say it was from a simpler time. Love the little ribbon though. Be sure to check out BBTB to see how my fabulously creative Design Team sisters interpreted this challenge and please do come and play along. We'd love to see what you come up with.

Butterfly Flight for Paper Blooms

I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself! I wanted to fit in a quick challenge and of course my head went back to my K&Co. cream and black paper AGAIN! (Yes SandyE, I found you some.) I had these HUGE crystal swirls by Prima and had no idea what I was going to do with them (not being a scrapper and all) and then saw a lone butterfly shadow cut from Indy Art on my table and voila! Unfortunately the element I needed to make it be a part of the challenge was not in scale but I finished the card anyway so I'd have something to post.

The center cream section is embossed with the new Cuttlebug Victoria folder and I used the MS double scallop border punch along the edges. No time to finish the inside, I've got a wedding card inside to finish and then must start on my DT challenge cards. (I'm the worst procrastinator but you gotta go where the mojo flows!)

Well I have to laugh because this card WAS for the Paper Blooms "Bling" challenge but I thought although you needn't necessarily use a Paper Bloom, you did need SOME kind of bloom. Thank goodness Rose set me straight. I had PLANNED on using a Paper Bloom and would have had the size been right. I SOOOO LOVE them!

Special Offer at The Cutting Cafe

Happy Friday everyone! Sorry I'm still recovering from my Anniversary last weekend and with the short week I feel like I'm way behind on everything. No new card to post, but I wanted to let you know that there's a special going on at The Cutting Cafe. Everybody loves cupcakes, right? Well now through midnight PDT Sat. purchase the fabulous "All About Cupcakes" set from The Cutting Cafe and you may choose any other set absolutely FREE! Click HERE for details.

Under the Sea with Cottage Cutz and the WINNER!

Here's a fun little shaker card with an undersea theme using my Cottage Cutz Sadie Seahorse and Coral Garden dies exclusive to the Scrapping Cottage. I made a shaker using the packaging from Terrifically Tacky Tape and the largest circle Nestie was the perfect size to cut a mat for it. WooHoo!

It was fun using the dies with various patterned DCWV patterned papers which made them look especially whimsical. I thought I had some sand, but I ended up using Kitty litter (new, of course) mixed with some beads for additional color in the shaker. I curled the ribbon by winding it around a wooden skewer, spritzing it lightly with spray starch and baking it on 200 degrees for 20 minutes. Be sure to lay the skewers across the rim of a baking pan or something so the ribbon doesn't discolor. I added a couple of small shells and some Raindot "bubbles".

The sentiment is a Cuttlebug die from the Everyday Greetings cardmaking combo (I think). the mat is attached with sticky strips. Now don't forget The Scrapping Cottage is offering a $250 gift certificate to their store when they reach 500 followers on their blog so click HERE to enter.

OOps, I almost forgot to announce the WINNER of The Cutting Cafe Anniversary downloadable stamp set. Chosen by Random DH the winner is #31 Stephann! Congrats Stephann and thank you all for participating. Be sure to check out The Cutting Cafe for all of Regina's brand NEW designs. Tons of goodies! Hugs, D

It's for the Birds!

I'm BAACK! Our little trip was PERFECT! Dinner, our room, the weather, my DH, I couldn't have asked for a better anniversary. I could have kicked myself for forgetting my camera though. The view of the Golden Gate Bridge from our balcony was SPECTACULAR! (See why I never scrap. I never remember the camera.) On Monday we took in the Sausalito Art Festival which is an unbelievably amazing assemblage of talent. And to commemorate 40 years since Woodstock there was quite the lineup from the good old days. Country Joe, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Big Brother and the Holding Company (obviously minus Janis but her stand in was phenomenal), Canned Heat, and Jefferson Starship (formerly Airplane for you youngsters LOL. Unfortunately Grace Slick doesn't sing with them anymore and why not since she lives in SF, but again the stand in sounded great). All in all a FABULOUS time!

And speaking of FABULOUS, the week at The Cuttlebug Spot my Design Team Sister and great friend Margie is sponsoring the challenge by giving away a Home Decor Cricut cartridge! That's right, you could WIN just by joining in with a NEW card featuring a bird. This is one of the few challenges that doesn't require any embossing, (but we'd love it if you did) so get busy and find a fine feathered friend to add to your project.

By now you're probably sick of this black and cream K&Co paper but my fascination with it doesn't seem to be waning (and I bought another pad just last week at M's). It's double sided so the possibilities are virtually ENDLESS. Anyway, I embossed a cream mat with Leafy Branches and cut out a window and frame using Labels Nine Nesties. I then embossed another piece in cream and carefully cut out some of the branches to pop on top. The adorable bird is from Home Decor. All was popped using foam dimensionals and the photo corner accents are an EK Success punch.

For once I actually finished the inside because I'm finding if I don't, they never get sent. Either I'm out of coordinating paper or some such problem. My DT sister Jeannie was the inspiration for this inside because she ALWAYS finishes her insides as beautifully as the fronts so although there is no sentiment it's pretty much ready to go. Be sure to stop by The Cuttlebug Spot for inspiration from my talented DT sisters and you don't want to miss the opportunity to win this fabulous cart so be sure to play along.

BBTB Pooh Present

Happy Labor Day everyone! I'm still in Sausalito celebrating my Anniversary but I'm thinking of you (well, maybe not this minute. LOL). Thank heaven for scheduled posts. This week at Bitten by the Bug Regina chose the present cut from the Pooh and Friends cartridge. It's been a busy week for me so I couldn't get all that creative with this but I did manage to make a shaped card with a bit of dimension.

This cut doesn't have a shadow so I made one myself using Design Studio. I decided it was a Christmas present so I used Basic Grey Toyland from the Figgy Pudding collection. I cut several layers and did some popping, embellished with adhesive beads (big surprise) and added some K&Co dimensional stickers. So now why not bop over to BBTB to see the amazing creations by my DT sisters and why not try a hand at this cut yourself. I'd love to see what YOU come up with.

I Still Get Butterflies-Thank You Cutting Cafe! (and a chance to WIN!)

Today is our 34th Anniversary (I of course was married at age 5)! I don't know about you guys, but often I spend days on a challenge card only to completely neglect my poor DH on special occasions and I RUN to Long's to pick up a card at the last minute because I just couldn't seem to get it together enough to make one myself. I vowed that today would be different (but I had a back-up just in case). Thank heaven Regina came up with this downloadable printable Anniversary set from The Cutting Cafe! As you can see I'm still in love with that black and cream K&Co. paper and when I saw the perfect sentiment "I Still Get Butterflies!" ('cause I really do!) I knew EXACTLY what to make.

I used my Nesties scalloped hearts to cut my top mat and popped it on the black. I printed my sentiment on cream and used a smaller heart and popped that as well. The butterflies are a mixture of MS punches and my CB butterfly cut and emboss duo. Then just a few adhesive beads and a heart charm and the front was DONE!

Now I debated about revealing the inside for obvious reasons but I decided that although David asked if I was gonna post it I think he actually was kinda hoping I would. LOL Consider it a public service to those think the sparks die for old geezers like us ('cause they certainly don't have to). The inside sentiment was personally generated and cut with my petite scallop Nesties and the little bustier is a Cuttlebug die. (Ooh la la!) AND if you'd like to WIN this Anniversary set from The Cutting Cafe please leave me a comment on this post. There are some other lovely sentiments and a large circle word included in this set as well so pop over HERE and check it out. I will announce the winner Wednesday morning. A list of projects from my Design Team sisters will be posted on Monday with additional chances to win a variety of downloads so be sure and stop back to The Cutting Cafe to see all of the possiblities for FREE sets. Now I must go pack for a romantic dinner and overnight stay in Sausalito at Cavello Point. WooHoo! Hope your weekend is as great as mine!

A Berry Sweet Couple-.cut file available and BBTB Blog Hop Candy Winner

I was inspired by some chocolate covered strawberries to make this wedding card for a "Berry Sweet Couple". I know you've seen those yummy strawberries that were dipped to look like they're in tuxedos. Well this welded shaped card is a couple, and the bride is dipped in swirled white chocolate. This design is exclusive to Custom Crops and the full instructions and .cut file are available HERE.

I also thought they would make fun individual thank you's or note cards so I've included in the .cut file for that option as well as a non-dipped variety as shown above. These were fun and easy to make so I hope you like them and will try some yourself. As always, comments are always appreciated.

Also the winner of my BBTB Blog Hop candy is 4kids4! Congrats Sharon and thank you all for participating. Hope you all have a fun and safe Labor Day Weekend. xxD

Genuine Tough Guy Frame

After doing The Cuttlebug Spot Blog Hop back in July where we used a previous technique and I chose embossing something other than paper I so loved that diamond plate folder using metal that I decided to alter a frame in a similar manner. I've been collecting loads of Tim Holtz products and was anxious to use them again and submitted this project for the Design Team at Custom Crops. The grungeboard letters were embossed with the new Herringbone folder which to me looks like tire tread. All of the products (with the exception of the inexpensive base frame and a few screws (yup, I had DH cutting off the threads again) are available at Custom Crops. To view the article with step by step instructions click HERE. The article also reveals the identity of my "Genuine Tough Guy." Thanks for taking a peek and I'd love it if you could leave a comment on the Custom Crops site as well as here.

Celebrate Education

This week at The Cuttlebug Spot we are celebrating education with all sorts of school related projects. I was determined to use The new Journaling Card Cuttlebug folder and thought it would combine perfectly with a printable stamp from The Cutting Cafe School Days set. I actually embossed the "report card" first and then used sort af a masking technique and ran the card through my printer several times to get the parts of the stamp where I wanted them. Cool, huh? Just like a physical stamp but way more easy to store. LOL I made the folder with some Coredinations card stock and the Numbers Cuttlebug folder and after sanding decided I needed a bit more color so I used my copics on some of the numbers. It does bleed through a bit, but in this case it really didn't matter. I also used my EK Success border punch for the first time. I'm really trying hard to actually USE some of the stuff I have such a great time collecting. LOL

Then I just tied a little bow and added a cute apple button (although I couldn't find the School buttons I wanted to use and I swear I'd just come across them days before and thought I put them where I could find them easily for this project...NOT! They're probably still on my table somewhere. anyway, my DT sisters ROCKED this challenge so be sure to go and take a look HERE and if you play along you may be the lucky winner of a $20 gift certificate from Custom Crops. Also be sure to check out all of the new stuff at The Cutting Cafe. Regina has been so busy creating away and there's sooo much new to see.