Sunday, March 27, 2011

Easter Cards: part 3

I have finished making Easter cards for now. Below are the latest. If you are interested in placing an order let me know! You can view the latest version of my inventory under the "Cards for sale" tab. 


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Supplies used:
Reminisce patterned paper - Cheerful Dots, Blue Jay Dots and Violet Dotes
White cardstock (base 8.5" x 5.5" per card and more for printing phrase)
Spellbinders Nestabilities Label 7 dies
Copic Markers: V17, BG01, Y15 (For coloring text inside card)
Adhesive (I use a scotch advance tape gun)
The font used for the outside of the card was Baskerville Old Face.
The font used for the inside of this card was “No Mystery” from www.KevinandAmanda.com (download here: http://www.kevinandamanda.com/fonts/freescrapbookfonts/no-mystery/).

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Easter Cards: part 2


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Supplies used:
White cardstock (base 8.5” x 5.5”)
Echo Park patterned papers – Springtime collection
The “floral fun” and “whimsy scallops” papers contain 4 patterns on 1 12x12 sheet, printed at a 25% reduction. I cut each pattern to 4.25” x 5.5”
Quickcutz label die
Spellbinders Nestabilities scallop circle die
Spellbinders Nestabilities circle die
Fiskers scallop edge punch
Teal and pink twine
“The Bunny is back in town” stamp – from dollar bin at Jo-Ann’s
StazOn Ink (black, teal blue and fuchsia pink
Teal felt looped ribbon
Copic Markers: RV09, V15, BG15, G82, Y15 (For coloring text inside card)
Adhesive (I use a scotch advance tape gun)
Pop dots

Before I cut the white card stock to size (originally 8.5”x11”) I ran it through my ink jet printer and printed “Happy Easter” on the inside of the card. See more info below about the font used. The eggs I cut by hand, I used a template I printed off of the internet and traced around it. The eggs and scallop circles are pop doted.

Fonts
The font used for this card was “You Wish You Were a Shirley” from www.KevinandAmanda.com (download here: http://www.kevinandamanda.com/fonts/freescrapbookfonts/you-wish-you-were-a-shirley/ ; this font would also be cute: http://www.kevinandamanda.com/fonts/freescrapbookfonts/no-mystery/).

If you like to use fun fonts download all fonts from Kevin and Amanda here: http://www.kevinandamanda.com/fonts/freescrapbookfonts/ (look for download all button on the right, a little down the page)

How to install fonts
Step 1 Download your favorite free fonts.
Step 2 Unzip the font file.
Step 3 Copy the .ttf, .otf or .fon extension file.
Step 4 Paste them in your computer's font folder (Start Menu > Control Panel > Appearance and Themes > Fonts).

Friday, March 25, 2011

Scrapbook Expo

Today I had the pleasure of attending the Scrapbook Expo held at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. This was my third year attending and this time I knew how to plan accordingly.

 Rules for attending the expo:
1. Register online in advance to by pass the long on-site registration lines.
2. Before you go, make a list of things you would like to buy and know what their regular retail value is and what the best price could be (ie 40% and Jo-Anns etc). Some vendors charge more than retail so you have to be careful.
3. If the expo is multiple days, attend on the weekday. In the past I have attended this expo on Saturday and on Friday afternoon. Today I went Friday morning right when the doors opened. This time was far better because it was not as crowded. When I went on a Saturday you could hardly move around.
4. Take a tote bag.
5. Take your camera to take pictures of examples.
6. Take credit cards and cash. Some vendors only take cash and some have minimum purchases for credit card transactions.
6. Have cash for parking too. Parking for this expo was $5 per vehicle, per entry, so you can't leave and come back without paying for parking again.
7. Leave your big heavy purse in the car (and your coat).
8. There are no returns, so be sure before you buy.

I like attending the expo because I see products that are not found in local stores. Most of the vendors have websites, so if you like their products you can buy more online.

Below are my purchases for today:
Overview of all my expo purchases

Copics and Le Plume II markers
Basic Gray 6x6 Paper pads
Heart Doily die
example use for penguin stamp
example use for jar and bug stamp
Inky Antics stamps and honeycomb paper


Examples of cards with honeycomb paper:
 



So far I am happy with all of my purchases except the heart doily die. The package said it fits in most die cut machines, but when I tried it out at home it did not work in my cuttlebug. I looked on the website and it says it works in all of them except cuttlebug!! Bummer. Looks like I have a die for sale....

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Baby Cards

This week I received 2 custom card requests, one for a baby boy baptism card and one for a baby shower card with a frog on it.

Card #1
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Card #2

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Both cards were made with Cloud 9 Design patterned paper (Baby Boy Bounce), green cardstock, blue cardstock, spellbinders nesting scalloped circle die, fiskers scalloped border punch. The baby shower card features.
In the future I need to be more specific when taking custom order because when my mom came to pick up the baby shower card I found out that the baby was not a boy! At least not yet, the sex is a secret until "it" is born. So I had to quickly make another card with a frog on it. I forgot to take a picture of it, but I used papers from the Jillibean Soup White Bean collection. I plan to make another one, so I will post the pic then.

P.S. card #2 is for sale.

Easter Cards

Hello everyone! Sorry for not posting in a while, but I do have some Easter cards made! This is part one, I have many more ideas for Easter cards. As always, let me know if you are interested in placing an order.

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Supplies used:
White cardstock (base 8.5” x 5.5” and extra for printing)
Studio 8 paper company patterned paper – Egg Hunt (4.25” x 5.5”)
Coordinating cardstock ( I used pink but you could also use orange or green)
Brown cardstock
Cricut & SCAL 2 (to cut bunny)
Pink ribbon (1/8” wide)
Green Easter Grass
Adhesive (I use a scotch advance tape gun)

Before I cut the white card stock to size (originally 8.5”x11”) I ran it through my ink jet printer and printed “Hoppy Easter” on the inside of the card. I also printed the quote on smooth white cardstock. To make the chocolate bunny I had to learn how to use InkScape to make and SVG file from a bitmap file. The bitmap file was a clip art I found on the internet. I used InkScape to trace the image and then modified the nodes a bit. Then I opened the SVG file in Sure Cuts A Lot 2 (SCAL2) and cut it out with my cricut. I was very pleased that I could figure out this much. InkScape is an open source program (which means free) and is very cool, or at least that is what everyone says. My knowledge of InkScape is limited to what I just described, but I am looking forward to learning how to use it. SCAL2 is not free, but much cheaper than buying cricut cartridges. If you can somehow cut out a chocolate bunny, assemble the card as shown in the picture.

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Supplies used:
White cardstock (base 8.5” x 5.5” and extra for scallop strip 1” x 5”)
Making Memories patterned paper – Glitter Diagonal Stripe (5” x 3.75”)
Coordinating green cardstock – DCWV Green #1 (5.25” x 4” and 3” x 2”)
Jolee’s Boutique Dimensional Stickers – Easter Bunnies
American Crafts Ribbon – Valentine’s 2010 Dollar Ribbon Spool
Black StazOn
Happy Easter Stamp – Inkadinkado (inside message)
Adhesive (I use a scotch advance tape gun)
Pop dots
Corner rounder

When I pulled out all of my Easter and spring supplies I came across these adorable bunny stickers. The assembly of this card is pretty strait forward. Since the bunnies are stickers they have to be mounted on a piece of paper before they can be pop doted.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Die-namics

One of my newest finds are American made steel dies called Die-namics, made by My Favorite Things (MFT). They are compatible with my cuttlebug and have very cute designs. I was really excited to find the rolled flower dies because I have been cutting scalloped circles into spiral shapes and them rolling them to make 3-D flowers. I was disappointed when I tried these last night because I didn't like the results as well as my hand cut ones. I haven't tried the buttons die, but I think they will turn out fine. There are many cute Die-namic dies, but I wouldn't suggest the rolled flower dies.

This is an example of what the hand cut rolled roses look like when completed:


I also ordered more brightly colored twine and a cute robot stamp set. 
MFT carries 8 different colors of twine!
 

 


Sunday, March 13, 2011

St. Patty's Day cards

As requested, here are St. Patty's Day cards available for sale. I made 4 of each style. 

Lucky Shamrocks card

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Charlie wanted to help sew

Supplies used:
Kraft cardstock (base 8.5” x 5.5”)
Tim Holtz Distress Ink in vintage photo
Cream card stock (4 squares – 1.75” and 1 rectangle – 1”x 4.25”)
Sewing machine and brown thread
Quickutz shamrock die – cut 4 with dark green cardstock
Lucky stamp (stampabilities)
Olive Green StazOn
Adhesive (I use a scotch advance tape gun)
Pop dots

Before I cut the kraft card stock to size (originally 8.5”x11”) I ran it through my ink jet printer and wrote “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” on the inside of the card. Once the base is cut and scored, distress the front edges. Sew around the pieces of cream cardstock before you adhere them to the card base. Assemble as shown in picture, using a pop dot to adhere shamrocks.
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Lucky Lucky Lucky card
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Supplies used:
Reminisce patterned paper – celtic knot (5.25”x3.5”), celtic harp (4”x2.5”), celtic crossings (4”x2.5”)
Cream cardstock (2 pieces, each 4.25”x2.75” and extra for stamped image)
Coordinating green cardstock (base 8.5” x 5.5” and extra for circle)– I used coredinations foundations in golf course
1 1/8 circle punch (EK success)
1 7/16 circle die (Spellbinders Nestabilities)
Lucky stamp – I got this from a dollar bin a long time ago, but you use could use a different stamp.
Black StazOn
Copic sketch marker – green grass YG17 – to color stamped clover
Happy St. Patty’s Day stamp (Hampton Art) – for inside message
Adhesive (I use a scotch advance tape gun)
Pop dots

Stamp clover image onto cream cardstock and cut out using a circle paper punch. Cut out a piece of green cardstock that is slightly larger to mat. Color clover with marker. Assemble as shown in picture, using a pop dot to adhere circle with clover image. Stamp “Happy St. Patty’s Day” inside of card.

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Irish Blessing card

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Supplies used:
Reminisce patterned shimmer and glitter paper – lucky you (5.25”x34”), shamrock confetti (3"x4" and cut out with label die)
Coordinating green cardstock (base 8.5” x 5.5” and 4.25" x 3.25" ) - I used Coredinations gemstone jade, it shimmers
Smooth white cardstock
Label # 8 dies (Spellbinders Nestabilities)


Before I cut the green card stock to size (originally 8.5”x11”) I ran it through my ink jet printer and wrote “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” on the inside of the card. I printed the Irish blessing on smooth white card stock. Textured cardstock is not recommended for printing onto. I taped the label die over the Irish blessing to keep it in place while I ran it through the cuttlebug.
The Spellbinders Nestabilities can also emboss, so it did this around both label shapes. You need a Spellbinders tan embossing mat to do this.

Assemble as shown in picture and your done!