It has been over a year since I last posted anything.....Now it won't let me do anything so I am trying this post to see if I can do anything.  I have been creating but most of the pictures are now on the ipad so I have to learn all over again. 

 

Starting Up Again

I guess it has been awhile since I have posted on this blog but I have been busy on Pinterest and just creating many projects during the summer.  They have changed things around on the site so it is going to be a learning experience for me again to start posting.  I hate changes! 

I am starting with my newest project, this ribbon wreath for fall.  The picture was taken from an Ipod so it is a little blurry

 

                       Done with 7 spools of wired ribbon cut at 15" and just tied on a purchased green 16" wire wreath form.  The color palette was brought from one of the plaid ribbons.  The word FALL was glitter paper glued on pre made chipboard letters. 

Menu Board

Menu board that I created but the picture was taken on the bed and the menus are yet to be created.  We found a frame on sale that the glass was permanently attached so things were created differently keeping the glass on the frame.  The papers can be change out later without disturbing the top layer.  This was made for my daughter and she has yet to create the menu cards.

This is the original Pin of a menu board from:  clairsfairytale.blogspot.com

Main Cruise Page

Very slowly I am starting to scrapbook the cruise that we took in December.

I did go to several scrap booking sessions on the ship but never finished a page but they had kits available and this is the paper from one of those. They had paper, punches, glue, tools and a die cutter in which I brought the cutouts home.

Using Designers Calendar, I cut the circle calender from page 47 of the handbook and I did size it on my Gypsy to fit on the 8.5" x 11" navy paper. Punched 1" circles our of gold card stock for the days that were on the cruise. Fit the numbers so they were displayed on top. The December was cut from page 39 (script) with the shadow in yellow. Added our key pass with pop dots and a few items from the kit.

The picture was from when were on Labadee, Hatti looking back and I think this was my favorite picture of the ship.

Male birthday card

It is the hardest thing to come up with a card for a male and so I went with the border to be the main focus on this card. This was for my son.

I wanted to make a rectangle card and on the Ornamental Irons 2 cartridge on page 61. I sized it to fit on the Gypsy on a 4.5" x 6" card and cut out of a navy card stock that was one of the polka dot colors. I did not add the extra trim for this cut. Added a gold paper behind the frame. "Happy Birthday" is from Paper Lace 2 on page 63 of the handbook. I did put pop dots behind the greeting to add dimension.

Envelope for 3" cards

Envelope for the 3" Valentine cards in a previous post:

Using a patterned paper, cut 4.25" x 7". When finished, the white will be on the outside but to mail, I put them in a larger envelope. These are a great size to pass out in class or in person. Next is the scoring and on the long sides, score at 1/2". Turn your paper to score at 4 3/4" and 1 1/2"( in the video that I linked, she scored at 1" x 4.25").

Trim the 1/2" sides as in the above picture. Round the corners and glue the edges. In the above picture, both envelopes are shown and the one on the top is the adjusted (my measurement) and the bottom is the one from this video. http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-make-envelope-for-3-x-3-card-328444/

Flower Shoppe

I did buy this cartridge awhile ago and just got around to cutting some of the flowers. The instructions were not that great as with most of the Cricut cartridges so i did have to go on the web to find info. They are too large to put on cards, 3" were the first cut with 1/2" increments. They were fairly easy to make if you just use a basic cut 4, that is the cut that has a tag to glue. More attention to shaping, chalking or inking is needed.

Yellow: Daisy 4 with Basic 2 center

Pink: Same as yellow flower

Light Pinks: Heart 4 cut

Mini Valentines Day Cards

These are the eight cards that I created from 1 sheet of red 12" x 12" paper. They are finished size of 3" folded. I did not originally come up with this idea but I did have the cartridges used and scrap lifted from " Everyday Cricut" newsletter.
The white scallop square was cut from Elegant Edges at 2.75" and then I used a red marker to go around the edges. I used a stamp that I had but it was the wrong color ink that I used so I used a very fine glue stick and went over the letters then sprinkled glitter over the them.
The animals were cut from Create A Critter and cut at 2.5". Added a punched heart that was stickled.
WhaleMouseCatDuckOwl

Bear

Frog Dog

Valentine card

Went to Archivers on Friday and they had a make it take it for Valentines Day.


The XO was a stamp and you use a versamark ink pad that you did emboss with a clear embossing powder. Stamped on the 4.1/4" x 12" card stock and then on a printed card stock and emboss, cut just the X. A border punch was used for the lower edge.


The flower was made from a "McGill" punch (Floral Petals) six times. Shape and then mount the petals on a snowflake shape with glue.


They do have a more detailed instruction on http://www.archiversonline.com/website

50th Birthday

This was a quick card that I made right before leaving for the party. I didn't want to make it too much of a joke card but did include the 50 on the card.

I ran everything through the Cuttlebug folders that I bought at Pat Catans and have that graphic feeling. "Happy Birthday" was cut from the Gypsy Wanderings, "50" was from Blackletter and the border was cut from Paper Lace cartridges to fit on the 4.5" x 6.25" card. All the sayings were stamped from a set and I couldn't decide which one to use so I did most of them.

Penguin Birthday Card

For my new son in laws birthday, I created this card. He is a big fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team.

The card is 4.5" x 6.25" in white in which I edged in yellow ink. I did size everything to fit in the Cricut Craft Room but cut and finished sizing in my Gypsy. There have been too many problems with CCR for me to waste my time trying to get everything to cut and I don't have the room to have the computer near my Cricut and still have a work area.

The triangle is cut from George in yellow and then adjusted the black to be 1/8" larger. The penguin is from Christmas Cheer but did not use the hat. In Everyday paper Dolls were the rest of the hockey items. I did cut two of the net, (one in black and the other in light grey) and then trimmed the black inside net to attach to the grey layer. Added black pen lines for additional detail and Stickles on the skates, puck and penguin. The "Happy Birthday" was a stamp and run through a folder with the Cuttlebug. The inside "Happy Birthday" was cut from Create a Critter with two layers for the happy. Mounted on a embossed folder that I found at Pat Catans craft store and then used a border punch at the bottom of the white card stock.

Another view

Zebra Birthday Card

Since zebras are my daughters favorite pattern for the moment, I created this card for her birthday in January.

I cut a rectangle and then used a corner punch. I did run the gold through the Cuttlebug Birthday folder but needed to run a section again to fill the whole paper with the embossing. I cut the zebra heart from the Love Struck cartridge. The birthday was a stamp on white card stock and then mounted on the gold card stock and trim to 1/8" around the edges and used a corner rounder.
I know that the way I took this picture you are unable to tell but this is a "pop up card". The zebra and cupcake are from Create a Critters cartridge mounted on a clear acetate and inserted in the folds of the card stock. Because it can be shown flat, I did do a reverse image on the back. I did stickle the cupcake and around the zebra although it is not showing up in the picture.

Christmas for the Dogs

These are the projects that I made for my son and daughters new puppies:

The first one is a coordinating fabric that I made stockings for her last year. I did quilt the fabric on a grid pattern at 1" apart with gold metallic thread.....and the name was done in a rayon red thread that was embroidered before I put on the cuff. The "Snuggies were bought for three dollars each and I changed the size of the font to embroider in white rayon thread.

For the second puppy, I had the paw print fleece and decided to use that with felt for the cuff and embroidered in white rayon thread. I had to make the font smaller to fit in the area of the cuff.

Since Serenity is female and all they had was the blue Snuggie, I added the eyelet trim all around the bottom edge and also made the font smaller to fit in the hoop.

Christmas cards

Another simple card but this time I used the Cricut and Cuttlebug. The Santa sleigh was cut from the Christmas Solutions cartridge that was a free giveaway from Cricut last year. When I cut the sleigh, I did cut it to make a larger card but used the A2 size that I already had cut and embossed and so it extends past the card but I will put it in a larger envelope to mail. It was embossed with Swiss Dots folder and the yellow was from a folder that I bought at Pat Catans in the Darice brand name.
The houses were cut from Plantin Schoolbook and were also embossed. I did trim it also to fit this size of card but did like that it was the same size of the card.

Christmas cards

This year as a change, I did a few cards that were stamped instead of using the Cricut. The first one is done using a stamp that was embossed with black and then the cardinal was colored with a red and yellow marker. Adding a little dimension by using a a gel on the cardinal. Finishing the card by adding red paper cut 1/8" to the white card stock and added to the bought set of blank cards. I did mount two stamps on the clear block to also get the wording done at the same time. The two cards below were from the same stamp but the one in silver was made at Achievers with silver embossing powder and just a portion of the stamp used on white card stock mounted on a red card.

Another stamp bought at Achievers is the "Noel" and done like the sample of the free card showcase. Added green and white Stickles to the details of the stamp. I stamped another :"O", cut it out and added it with a pop dot. The red and green card stock was run through the Cuttlebug and glued on glitter card stock.

A simple tree and "JOY" , then embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder and the corners were cut with a corner punch. The red are brads added to the corners and tree.

Rag Quilt

This is a rag quilt that I created for my granddaughter after she saw one that I created for a baby. That one was only a lap size but this one fits a full bed and was two layers of fleece so it was extra warm.
I cut a total of ten yards of fabric (2 of each of the solids and 4 yards of the print) using a 9.5" ruler for the squares.
The pattern was created in Electric Quilt so that I could use all the squares and the front layer is different from the back. I had 3 squares leftover and was 9 squares by 11 squares.

FRONT: BACK:

First, I had to match the front and back and then quilt with a serpentine stitch, sew the rows together and then joined the rows.

Each layer had to be trimmed separately so it I did it in sections of 5 and then six rows so it would be easier to trim. Close up of the quilt stitch.

Fall Embroidery

Fall!
I have been enjoying the weather lately before it turns snowy and this is a project that I created awhile ago.
Using my off white scraps, I created this place mat size table cover. The squares are only 2.5" so they do use the smallest of scraps. After piecing, I did the embroidery with several layers of stabilizer because the design is very dense(43,398 stitches) I the added the border and then since it was small, I quilted just around the border and the design. Added a binding and was done. Could have been quicker if I put the batting, backing and front with right sides together, stitch and then turned.. This is a closeup of the Deb Strain design.

Happy Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

This pumpkin is pieced and then embroidery is added for the face. The stippling is done in a metallic thread that is pre-programmed in my machine, as well as an outline stitch outlining the pumpkin face. Added a binding to finish. It is only about 9" x 11"
Close up of the face.

Birthday card

Sometimes I find a card that I like, maybe with favorite colors or just the shapes. This is one of those cards. Love black, white red or yellow combinations. Taking the idea and using what I have on hand I created this card. The "Happy Birthday" was a stamp and then mounted on red card stock. Used the Cuttlebug to emboss the cherries (with Stickles) and the saying. This is the inspiration for my card that is above. I did not have the cartridge that had the scallop circle or the ribbon. Love this card and the details that the Creator used!

Anniversary Cards

Looking through some of my papers, I came across this silver paper that was perfect for the anniversary cards. Simple but very effective letting the paper do the work. I still have white paper with silver specs from the wedding that I did not use then so it was a perfect compliment for this project. It was more difficult to cut the "happy" because it was delicate and the paper is heavier but they were cut twice with the Cricut. The Celebrate had a set of purchased hearts with a stone at the end of the word. The heart was pop dotted to add the dimension.