Sunday, July 31, 2011

200 Follower Giveaway!!!!! :)

***This post will remain at the top... Please scroll down for newer posts... :)***

Okay everyone, this is a giveaway to celebrate reaching 200 followers!!!!!  Woo hoo!  This is also my first giveaway, so I hope it goes smoothly!  :)  I am going to be giving away...  Drumroll please.....  A gift card to the store of your choice!  I'll let you choose if you want the gift card from JoAnn's, Michaels OR Hobby Lobby!!!  Yeah!  Here's how you can enter:

*Become a follower of my blog and leave me a comment on this post.

*For an extra chance to enter, post this giveaway in the sidebar on your blog and then leave me another comment.

Okay, good luck everyone!  I will do the drawing for this giveaway on August 1, so that gives you about a week to enter!  Woo hoo!!!

Which one will you choose?  :)

Polar Bear Christmas Card

Hey everyone!  I have been such a busy girl lately!  I have been trying to squeeze the last bit of fun out of my summer, while at the same time getting ready to go back to work....  School starts on August 10th for me, but my students will be there the 11th.  That is almost here!!! YIKES!  I get nervous every single year!  Tomorrow I'm going back to my classroom for the first time since June...  I'll be re-decorating a couple of bulletin boards and labeling EVERYTHING!  The success for the school year starts with how organized and ready you are for the first day of school!  Anywho.... (I can tell I'm nervous about school because it's all I can think about)  I made this card to enter into a few challenges, and it's also my last card as a Guest Designer for 365 Cards.  I have really enjoyed working with them this month, and I know I will continue to join their challenges!  :)

Jingle Belles- blue Christmas
My Creative Time- Throwback Thursday, Christmas
Celebrate the Occasion- blue and white
365 Cards- use the sketch





A2 sized card
Joys of the Season- polar bear cut at 1.94", star cut at 1.59"
Create a Critter- cloud cut at 1.71"
Cuttlebug- snowflakes, d'vine swirls
Scrappy Moms Stamps- Winter Wishes
Martha Stewart border punch
MS crystal fine glitter
Blue sparkle gel pen
Foam tape
Corner rounder

Okay, hope you enjoy my blue Christmas card...  I can "bearly" wait to hear what you have to say!  :) 

***I also want to thank Karen @ http://kaleidoscopicsparkles.blogspot.com/ for passing these blog awards to me!  Her blog is fantastic and she posts beautiful projects and recipes!  YUM!  You really should check out her blog...  Thank you again Karen, you are a very special friend!  :)

                

Friday, July 29, 2011

Hello Kitty Air Mail

Hello everyone!  The last few days have been really busy for me!  Yesterday my in-laws came over and it was really fun!  I hadn't seen them in a while, and it was nice to visit with them, see my niece and nephew, etc....  Today I went shopping at the teacher store and spent more money on my classroom!  There never seems to be a school year where I am not spending a lot of money on  my class!  Oh well, I really love it, so it's okay!  :)  Anywho I made this simple card to enter into a couple of challenges and I was just feeling the red, white, and blue vibes.....  I am also excited because I received my twine from My Craft Spot and I just had to use it!!!!  :)

M.A.G. Challenge by the Page- Hello Kitty pg. 65 only
Cricut 360- transportation
Woodware USA- stamped background
Getting Cricky- for the troops
Cricut Cardz- anything goes
Party Time Tuesdays- anything goes




A2 sized card
Hello Kitty Greetings cartridge- Kitty and her plane cut at 3.47"
Making Memories- Passport Stamp Set (used on background too)
A la Mode sparkle embossing powder
Versamark Ink
Twine
Stickles- Christmas red, yellow
White gel pen

There it is!  Hope you enjoy it!  :)  I also want to thank everyone for all of the nice comments you leave for me....  I read every single one of them and they make me so happy!  :)

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Blog Awards! :)

Hey everyone!  I have been out of the house all day today, so no crafting for me!  My friend Debbie wanted to go to a bakery that was featured on Food Network, so we drove to Bakersfield and checked it out!  YUMMO!  I actually went hog wild and bought several different desserts and brought them back to share with my parents, sister, and brother-in-law (and hubby, of course, but he works the PM shift)....  Then we all went to our favorite Chinese food restaurant, then went to grandma's to visit!  It was a fun day!  :)  Anywho, I was given some blog awards from some wonderful bloggy friends (Amy, Pam, and Shen) and one of the awards was one I didn't already have..... So I will pass it along to some of my friends that I visit often (and they visit me often too)....  There are no rules, so I will just make it up as I go along! :)  Thank you to those three ladies for passing these awards to me!  If you click on their names it will take you to their blogs and you will be amazed with what they come up with!

Okay here is the award I had never received before:


Since there are no rules I will tell you three things about myself and pass this award on to 15 other friends (I'm just making this up here folks)! :)  I could definitely pass this on to more than 15, but I am trying to keep myself under control a bit!  Hee hee.....

3 things about me:
1.  I love to bake (mostly sweets), and I dream of someday opening a bakery!  I would call it "Sweet Tooth".  :)
2.  I can be brought to tears easily.  I'm not someone who is always crying, but I do cry during sad movies, TV shows, the last day of school, and during a very "moving experience" (for example I wanted to cry during the opening of the Beatles Cirque du Soleil show).  So did my sister, so I didn't feel too bad! 
3.  I love to sing!!!!  I sing everywhere!  I am one of those people you will see rocking out in the car...  When there is karaoke involved, it takes me a while to get over being shy, but once I do you can't get the microphone away from me!  :)

I am passing this to: (these are in no particular order)

There's my 15 (which actually turned out to be 20), but hey there are no rules....  :)  Okay, I should be back tomorrow with a project this time.  See you then!  :)

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy Card

Hello everyone!  It's been so hot around here!  It definitely does inspire some of my cards, like this one!  I love drinking homemade lemonade on a hot day....  It's so refreshing!  I was also inspired by my new Scrappy Moms Stamps!!!!!  I would highly recommend these to anyone!  They are such nice quality and they smell good (just like MPS stamps)....  :)  This sentiment is awesome, and my students and I actually say this all the time!  :)  Since it is so hot today, I will share my favorite recipe for lemonade!  Look for it at the end of this post...  As always, don't forget to enter my giveaway ------>here<------- if you haven't already....  :) 

Frosted Designs- use buttons
Our Creative Corner- use the 4 B's (black, bling, buttons, bows)
FCCB- use a melon or another fruit
Woodware USA- stamped background
365 Cards- stamp your sentiment all over the background
Use it Tuesday- use two hoarded items (I used the beads and the black jute cord for the first time)
Papercraft Star- anything goes






A2 sized card
Savory cartridge- pitcher cut at 4.06", lemon cut at 1.82"
Scrappy Moms Stamps- A Pinch & a Dash
MS pigment ink- ocean
Stickles- star dust
A la Mode sparkle embossing powder
Clear beads
Jute cord- black
Buttons

*I stamped the sentiment multiple times on white cardstock using VersaMark ink.  I then embossed it with the sparkle embossing powder and used my heat tool to set it.  Then you can just rub ink over the entire piece of cardstock and the ink won't stick to the embossing!  Sooo cool!  :)  I think it actually made a pretty neat looking background....

Okay, as promised, here is my favorite recipe for lemonade!  I did not come up with this recipe.... I found it on allrecipes.com.  Mmmmmm.... So refreshing!!!

Best Lemonade Ever


Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups white sugar
8 cups water
1 1/2 cups lemon juice

Directions:
1.  In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 cup of water.  Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar.  Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.
2.  Remove seeds from lemon juice, but leave pulp.  In pitcher stir together chilled syrup, lemon juice, and remaining 7 cups of water.

It's just that "easy-peasy, lemon squeezy"!  Enjoy!  :)

Monday, July 25, 2011

Beach Birthday Shaker Card

Hello everyone!  This card was soooo fun to make!  It's my first attempt at making a shaker card.  The directions I followed can be found here.  This card is definitely making me want to go to the beach!  I also had a few Kenny Chesney songs playing in my brain while making this! 
"No shoes, no shirt, no problems
Blues what blues hey I forgot 'em
The sun and the sand and a drink in my hand with no bottom
And no shoes, no shirt, and no problems"  :)   Ahhhh......
**Don't forget to enter my 200 Follower Giveaway by clicking right
----->here<-----:)

Cricut 360- Outdoors
Birthday Sundaes- inspiration photo (some beachy cupcakes, yummo)
Crazy 4 Challenges- make a shaker card
My Craft Spot- embossing
Paper Playtime- summer theme with a stamped image or sentiment
Crafty Sprouts- shaker card
Creative Sisters Monday Challenge- summer theme
Scrapbookaholic by Abby- summer theme




Cricut cartridges used:
Life is a Beach- waves cut at W 6.24" x H 2.03", shark- 3.59", sandals- 1.82", life preserver- 3", surf board- 4.06"
George and Basic Shapes- rectangle W 2.68" x H 6.16" (I welded this to the waves to make the card base)
Cuttlebug- d'vine swirls, swiss dots
Sentiment- Hero Arts Birthday Messages
Sand (I used some from my backyard), inside shaker and applied to edges of kraft paper using Zig glue
Transparency film (I used a sheet I had from Office Depot... It's good to be a teacher!) :)
Jute cord, or twine (rope around life preserver)
Foam tape

Well have a totally tubular day, and dream about catching some gnarly waves!  Thanks for looking!  Or should I say "mahalo"!  :)

*Also linking this to...
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Sunday, July 24, 2011

Beaver Birthday Invitation

Hi everyone!  I can't believe how fast this month is flying by!!!!  Next Sunday will be my last day as a Guest Designer on 365 Cards.  It has been fun!!! :)   I'm working on the last sketch, but for now here is the next one...





Fabulous Finds cartridge- ticket card base cut at W 6.06" x H 4.31", yellow ticket cut at 1.47"
Birthday Bash cartridge- beaver cut at 4.19"
Cuttlebug- seeing spots
Peachy Keen Stamps- Critter Faces SET A Medium
Sentiment- Inkadinkado Paperwork Greetings
Stickles- star dust
Glossy Accents

I had been wanting to use that ticket stamp badly, so I thought why not use it for an invitation!  On the inside you could write all of the info. needed for the party....  Hope you enjoy!  :)

So Sweet Sundae Card

Oh, hello there!  I am just trying to concentrate on this post, and not keep thinking about ice cream!  Time really got away from me, but I made this card just in time to enter two challenges I've been wanting to join!  :)  Ice cream is one of my favorite things on this planet, so I enjoyed making this card.  I was also able to use a new product I hadn't used yet!  YAY!  AND I can't believe I made two cards today (last night's was pracitcally today), and I have another to post later!  Anywho, onto the card!  OH!  Don't forget to enter my 200 Follower Giveaway by clicking right ----->here<-----:)

FCCB- ice cream!!! :)
Getting Cricky- Simply Sunday "food for thought"
Scrapalicious- anything summer 





Birthday Bash cartridge- 3 scoop sundae cut at 3.19"
Doodletype- "so sweet" cut at 1.12"  (I welded the letters together on my Gypsy)
Stickles- xmas red
Glossy Accents
MS tinsel glitter- tourmaline (I sprinkled this on the wet Glossy Accents)
A la Mode- sparkle embossing powder (I embossed the letters with this)
Distress Crackle Paint- clear rock candy (I painted this on the dish and it really looks like glass)

Okay, I hope I didn't make you crave ice cream too badly with this!  Thanks for stopping by!  :)

**I also want to thank Karen from http://kaleidoscopicsparkles.blogspot.com/ for passing along some blog awards to me!  She is such a sweet person, she leaves really nice comments, and her blog is amazing!  Everyone should give her blog a peek!  :)  Thanks Karen!!!

                              

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Hay Neigh-bor Horseshoe Card

Hey there folks!  I am mighty excited because I finally own the cartridge being used at the M.A.G. Challenge by the Page blog!!!!  AND it happens to be my favorite cartridge:  Create a Critter!!!!  Yee haw!!!  The challenge is to create a project using only page 59 from CAC, which is the horse, star, horseshoe, and "howdy".  Here is what I came up with...  :)  I'm also going to enter this into the 365 Cards- So Random challenge (use a random sentiment).  P.S. Don't forget to click here to enter a comment in my 200 follower giveaway! :)






Create a Critter cartridge- horseshoe cut at 5.35", horse cut at 3.47"
My Pink Stamper Stamps- More Punny-licious
Stickles- star dust
Glossy Accents
Distress Ink- vintage photo

That's all there is to it!  Thanks for looking, and....  Y'all come back now ya hear!  :)

Friday, July 22, 2011

Penguin Spinner Christmas Card

Good morning everyone!  I must start off by saying....  WOOO HOOOO!!!!  I have reached 200 followers!  I am going to do a giveaway of some kind, so keep your eyes peeled for that!  :)  It will be my first giveaway, so I'm a bit nervous (not sure why)....  But, I really want to do this because I want to say THANK YOU to all of the people who are taking the time to visit and follow my blog!  I can't believe that with all of the talent out there, my little blog reached 200!!!  Okay, onto my card for today...

Bitten by the Bug 2- use a penguin (I don't own Jolly Holidays, so I used Joys of the Season)
My Craft Spot- Christmas in July
Jingle Belles- O Hole-y Night: create a card with a window in it (I love the name of this challenge) :)
Paper Cutz Challenge- anything goes
Peachy Keen LFIF Challenge- use a pun (I LOVE puns) and a PK face








Cricut cartridges used:
Joys of the Season- penguin cut at 3.35"
Wild Card- card base cut at 5.59"
Winter Woodland- snowflakes cut at 1", 1.55", 1.86"
Peachy Keen Stamps- Critter Faces SET A Medium & Winter Face Assortment
Sentiment from my computer- Curlz MT font, size 18
Martha Stewart Ink: sea lavender & ocean
Mini snowflake stamp
A la Mode sparkle embossing powder
Martha Stewart fine glitter- crystal
Brad for the spinner
Foam tape

**I'm so excited because I made my own background paper!  To make it I stamped a mini snowflake (I don't even know the brand of the stamp) with Versamark Ink in various places on the white paper.  Then I sprinkled the embossing powder over it and heat embossed the snowflakes.  I then took my MS sea lavender ink and dabbed it over the entire card (and it doesn't stick to the embossed images).  I inked the edges of the card with MS ocean ink.

Before I end this post, I want to thank Cally Ann @ http://callyanncraftycreations.blogspot.com/ for giving me a blog award!!!!  She has a really cute blog, and posts really nice projects.  I would encourage you all to check her out! :)  You can see my original post for this award here.  Thanks again!


Okay, I snow you will have a cool day!  Thanks for stopping by!!! :)

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Hello Friend Linky Party

Good morning everyone!  I am going to try and post a card later today, but.... I came across this new site (it's new to me) called Sassy Sites, and there is a fun linky party going on right now.  This is  for anyone who has had their blog less than a year.  You just link up and you can go and visit all of these other awesome blogs out there!  How fun!!! :)  I'm joining to meet new crafters, and I know a lot of people who I already follow have new blogs and this sounds like fun!

These are some questions on the blog, so I thought I would answer them! :)  It's fun learning new things about our bloggy friends...

Why did you decide to start blogging?  I started blogging to meet other crafters out there, have a place to post my cards, and to enter challenges.
When you aren't blogging, what are you doing?  Right now I'm on summer vacation, but when I'm not, I'm teaching.  I am a first grade teacher. :)  I also like going to the movies, gardening, reading, baking, etc...
What is your blog about?  My blog is about paper crafting.  I usually use the Cricut on my projects, so that is also a theme in my blog.  The Cricut rocks!!!! :)
When do you find the time to blog?  Because of summer vacation, I have A LOT of time to blog right now.  When the school year starts again, I am going to have to squeeze in some time after work (sadly, no more late night crafting)...  Right now I can craft late into the night, but during the school year that would turn me into zombie teacher!  Aaaaahhhhh!  Run for your lives!!!
Why do you love blogging?  I love blogging because it gives me the opportunity to share my cards with other crafters out there.  I love hearing from other bloggy friends out there, and I love visiting other crafting blogs!!!  It's just so much fun! :)
What is your favorite post so far that you've written?  Hmmmm.....  Thats a tough one!  I would probably say my "sandal shaped card with a cute pooch"....  It has sequins, a flip flop (which I love), and a cute dog in a bikini (I love dogs)!


Well there you have it folks!  I hope those of you with a "young blog" will join in the fun! 

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Princess Castle Birthday Card

Happy Wednesday everyone!  I want to say thank you for all the kind words people were leaving about my paper roses tutorial...  It made me feel great, and you are all awesome!!!  :)  Anywho, today's card is a very whimsical/fantasy card.  I would definitely give this to one of my nieces, or perhaps someone who loves Disney because it just has a Disney feel to it....  I have really been wanting to go to Disneyland lately!!!  Oh man, now I'm thinking about it again....  :)

Birthday Sundaes- anything goes birthday card
Die Cuttin' Divas- shaped card
Paper Cutz Challenge- include anything that has to do with the sky
Cupcake Inspirations- use the picture for inspiration (the picture is full of princess stuff & pink)




Cricut cartridges used:
Wrap it Up- castle cut at 5.82"
Create a Critter- cloud cut at W-4.63 x H-1.85" (I pushed the little chain icon on my Gypsy to make this size)
3 Birds on Parade- wand cut at 22.53"
Cuttlebug- tiny mosaic, floral fantasy
Sentiment- Paper Trey Ink Mega Mixed Messages stamp set
Martha Stewart sea lavendar ink (that's what I used to ink the cloud edges)
A la Mode sparkle embossing powder (I embossed the star, flag, the edges of the cloud, and the rooftops)
White gel pen

Hope you enjoy!  I wish you a magical day!!! :)

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Making Paper Roses

Hey everyone!  After I made paper roses for a birthday card, I had a lot of people ask how to make them.  I did not come up with this formula for making these roses.  I watched a video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edApDLVUWSw.  The crafter's name is Kathy and her website is http://www.paperphenomenon.blogspot.com/.  She has some awesome creations on there!  :)  Since I know some people follow step by step pictures better than a video, I have followed Kathy's steps and I am going to outline them for you in this post....  Cool!  :)

These are the supplies you will need:  hot glue gun, scissors, something to curl your petals back (I used my Gypsy stylus), 3 flowers (cut at 2.75" from George and Basic Shapes using the Shadow/Blackout feature).  You can use any size flowers you would like, but all 3 need to be the same size.


You are then going to cut 1 petal from the first flower (and throw that one petal away), and cut 2 petals from the second flower (do not throw those petals away).


You will be left with 5 pieces in all: a flower missing 1 petal, a flower missing 2 petals, an intact flower, and the 2 petals you cut off (they are kind of shaped like a heart).  Take the intact flower and make an "x" in the center with your scissors.  You are then going to make the "cones" using your cut flowers.  You roll them in on themselves forming a "cone" where two of the petals are overlapping exactly, and you hot glue them together.  The smallest piece (the heart shaped piece) needs to be rolled in on itself.  Just start on one end and roll it until you get a look you like and hot glue it, this will be the center of your finished rose.  Your flower that had 3 petals will now look like it has 2, the flower with 4 petals will now look like it has 3 petals, etc.  The intact flower does not get rolled into a "cone".


Now you need to roll the edges of your flowers.  I used the stylus from my Gypsy (like I saw in the video).  You need to curl the edges of all of your flowers, from the tiny center piece to the large flower with the "x" in the middle.


Now it's going to start looking like a rose!  Take the big flower with an "x" and put some hot glue around the center.  Take the "cone" that has 3 petals and push it through the "x".  Apply more hot glue to the center of the "cone" with 3 petals, and then push the "cone" with 2 petals into the center.  Then you will be left with the last piece that will be the center of your rose.


Turn your rose over and snip off the bottom.  This will give you a bigger area to push the center of your rose through.  Turn the rose back over, put some hot glue in the middle and push through the last "cone" that will be the center of your rose.  VOILA!  You have a finished rose!  :)  You can snip off the back again to make it more flat to adhere it to cards or scrapbook pages.  I adhered my roses to my card by using hot glue. 


I hope this tutorial helps someone out there!  These sure were fun to make and I think they look almost real! :)  Make sure to check out the video, Kathy does a great job of explaining the steps.  See ya later!