Stained glass with a transparency & alcohol inks

Well, I finished both a page and card using the cut file from George and Indie Art. I still would have liked the one created with the Christmas file, but it will wait for another day, when I can afford the Christmas Noel cart. Or, perhaps I will overcome my Inkscape learning disability and I will get it done then.
Once I cut the black cardstock, I tried using colored cardstock and hated it! Here is a picture.
Very Mondrian, but not what I wanted or liked. So, I set it aside and spent the day in the sun with the boys. Then it hit me! I had some alcohol inks in my stash from Archivers. I could use those with a transparency sheet and try and get a stained glass look.




I backed the transparency with white paper before mounting it to the front of the card and the page, so that the stained glass look would show up.
The sympathy card is for a German friend and I am so thankful I had just created this file when I got the call. I think I would use this look again, for a sympathy card, a 1st communion, wedding, or other religious occasion.
Cut file here.

Church Window Cut file to Share

Please download your file here.
Ok, ok, I know I just posted, but the kids are asleep and I had a chance to create a cut file for my Christmas Card Album. I have an album, with just Christmas card photos sent by my family members over the years. I have been enjoying making pages with just one photo and the album has come together so quickly! So, this weekend I have been trying to make a church window cut file. It has not been easy! My first attempts in CDS failed when I tried to use George Basic Shapes for a circle and a font font for the number 8. I originally wanted to create a circle and then place three number eights inside to get a six petaled flower shape. Here is my first attempt, pretty but not regular enough.

Then I realized Cricut must have a snowflake or flower I could use inside to get the look I wanted. So, after browsing the cartridges I found the look I wanted in the Christmas cartridge. Problem is, I don't have this cart! So I will try to borrow it from a friend, but in the meantime, please feel free to download this file. Please don't share the file, ask your friends to visit my site to download and please leave your kind words in the comments. You will need George, and the Christmas carts. Be sure that the portions of the ornament of from the Christmas cartridge are hidden when you open the file, as there are some bugs with the DS and Hide Line Contour.
I will try and post the page, if I can find a friend who has the cart! You can see my screen preview in the meantime. I am thinking of cutting it in black cardstock, and using multiple colors underneath.

Contest Closed. Another give away at Creating from the Heart

Well it has been awhile since I posted a link to a contest, not too many to share. Finally, I found one, at Keepsakes by Melissa.

Can't Scrap Just One Photo!

I have been scrapbooking now for over 10 years, and until last year, I never made an album with more than one page with only one photo on it. I take lots of pictures and all of them are valuable to me! Maybe it is because I have such a large family and I want to include everyone!
So, today I am sharing a method for including many photos on a two page spread. The pages I created here are from my sister's 40th birthday. She and her husband were blessed with a surprise baby after they had handed down or sold all of their baby items. So, when it came time for our traditional weekend away to celebrate big birthdays that I take with all of my six sisters, we conspired to throw her a birthday party and surprise baby shower.
My method to scrap all of these photos: a matchbook mini-album! I took the mini-album provided by my photo developer and cut off the ugly plastic cover. I then created a matchbook cover and attached my photos; in the mini-album sleeves, with eyelets. I love the look of a prize ribbon, and have made them using flowers or circles and ribbons. Once I had glued everything, I inserted the page into my page cover and carefully, cut my 12 x 12 page protector so that the minialbum could be viewed.
I used the m & m ribbon left over from a Christmas candy gift, because my sisters and I, all have the first name Mary, and it just seemed to go with that! We all use our middle names, because of course, Mom's name was Mary too!
The first photo is the first page in the 2 page spread, the second photo is a close up of the minialbum, the third photo is the whole page and the fourth photo is the mini album opened up. My page title was Fabulous @ 40 and I thought it called for a bit of bling!

Michael Miller inspiration

While shopping for Cricut Cover fabric today, I found this fabric from Michael Miller and knew I needed a new cut file. Found the fabric on Ebay at Emerald City Fabrics. I love her store and her end of bolt bonus cuts!
So here is my card made with an adjustable scalloped swirl from Accent Essentials and George.
I have a cut file and am willing to share, but please don't sell it or make something to sell from my file. Also, please don't share the file, ask your scrapping friends to visit my site and download it from here. Do you know that I had 115 people download my scalloped marquee and only five left comments. Please leave me your encouragement if you download! Thanks!
Here is the cut file.

Cat Close up

I just realized this morning, that you can't see the cats in this fabric. So, here is a close up. I just love the graphic styling of this fabric and all the colors! There is one cat visible on either side of the flap, an accidental but happy placement! To see any of my photos close up, just left click on them!

Cricut & Cat Lovers Rejoice!

Just finished up this Expression Cover for a customer. She loved my hand bag style for the baby bug and wanted it for the Expression. So, I worked a pattern and here is my first handbag style Expression Cover. She sent me a list of colors she liked and off to Tammy Tadd I went. Wouldn't you know that I would be attracted to Wendy Slotboom's work again! She is a designer for In the Begining Fabrics. So, I sent her five choices and she chose the cats. She also requested lace and bling. So, I added those in the flap embelly. So, happy with the results!

Another look for less!

Oh, I am so loving this Sizzix Harlequin folder now! I said I would try it with liquid glass and I did. I am happy with this look and love the cost! Much better than using brads! I used Basic Grey card stock and stickers from the Eva Line, the Sizzix Harlequin folder from SU, The Clear Art Stamps Sew Special Stamp set, CTMH liquid glass and ink, my Storybook cartridge, ribbon from Michaels and buttons.
I ran the card stock through the cuttlebug and then sanded, being sure to clean off my paper, and then added tiny drops of liquid glue at all the intersections of the diamonds. Isn't it pretty?!

Playing with new embellies from Scrapbook Expo

Saturday I went to the Scrapbook Expo, in St. Charles IL, with 2 friends. Lots of great things to see and crowded! So many stores have closed in our area and local scrapers have limited shoportunities.
By the end of the shopping spree, I had too much to carry, had spent too much money and wanted to scrap! So I got home and pulled out my Sizzix Harlequin embossing plate. I got it from SU as part of a set of plates, and hated it at first. But, I don't like to spend money for nothing. So, I thought on it a while and realized that it reminded me of my mother-in-laws leather sofa, and an ideas was born. But how do I find a small enough embelly for the pattern? Well Want2scrap had some pearl bling that I knew would look elegant with cream card stock. I originally wanted to use only cream and black, but thought it looked like a sympathy card, so I added red. I could not afford to use the pearls in every diamond corner, so I used my anywhere punch and placed red card stock below. I also used the pearls in the center of my flowers.
Here is my supply list: DCWV red card stock, CTMH cream card stock, want2 scrap pearls, Bazzil Collection Raven Rub-ons and Rhinestone by Imaginsce, glittered brads from a swap, liquid glass CTMH, ribbon from Michaels, plastic flowers are Queen and Co., sentiment is from CTMH "For Every Occassion" set, and marquee is Storybook cartridge from Cricut. I will try this embossing plate again with liquid glass to make an elegant look on the cheap!
One last picture of a find all three of us bought, a dauber organizer. It was only $5.50, or filled with white daubers $40.00. Of course, I couldn't justify $40.00 on daubers and an organizer, so I just got the case. The vendor who sold them was out of CA and did not list this on their site. Just love to use daubers! But for those of you who have discovered daubers, they cost less than a $1.00 a piece sold as a set.

My Favorites Mini Album in a Tiny Lunch Box

I love the $1.00 spot at Target and found this Tiny Lunch box there a few years back. I wasn't sure about the colors, but when I saw this paper I knew exactly what to use it with. Since it was so very girly, and I have boys I decided to make a mini album about my favorite things in life. Some things I included are my family, now and growning up, my hubby's smile, my favorite bible verse, board game, food, drink, vacation spot, and music.
I love to sew on my pages! And love the pocket look I got on this accordion insert. I used a Creative Memories Page, cut and scored it because I did not think chipboard would do and I liked the white back ground. I also made a layout on the inside cover and bottom of the box. The Xyron is a great tool when covering a small box!

Letterman List Inspiration from my Chicago Tribune

I saw this graphic in my Tribune in 2008 and took a picture to put in the scrapbooking inspiration file. A few weeks ago I came across it while browsing my photos and decided I needed a cut file. I had orginally hoped to use the idea in my planner with my 2008 goals, but it would be great for a "Letterman list" or a page with a child's pictures ages one to 10.
I want to use it to scrapbook some photos I have on my brothers and sisters...but I have issues with my first draft. It bothers me that the photos I have are not of my siblings at the same age, that they are not the same size, and that I do not know their ages in the pictures I do have. With 6 sisters and 4 brothers, I am lucky to have any photos! We broke up the lot when my Mom passed away, I am not sure how many portraits my Mom's budget allowed for with 11 children, and I am not sure my siblings know their ages in these photos! I like the idea of using the Basic Grey paper with the grid and journaling about my family though!


I thought about sharing this file, but there are so many objects in the file that would require you Hide Select Contour! If you think it worth your trouble, drop me a note or a comment with your email address and I will send it! One of these days I will learn inkscape and make a file in SCAL that is more managable! Oh, how I wish there was a inkscape guru; in Northern IL, who could hold a class for my scrapbooking guild!

Opportunity to Embellish!

I am a glass is half full person, so when I have a problem or make a mistake crafting, I consider them opportunities to embellish! The crafting budget dwindles as the year passes, so I was determined to use up the stash of fabric for my next covers. I started a baby bug cover using the Lollipop line and realized I did not have enough fabric for my side pieces. So, off to the fabric store with fabric to match in hand. And when I got home, it did not match! You see, they had different light bulbs then I did at home. So, an opportunity to embellish was born. I decided to add side pockets with some fabric I had used in the body and knew would match. I did not have enough of the orignal fabric to make a whole side piece, hence the pockets. Hope my client likes the idea, she could use them to hold her cartridges or tools.
Yesterday was declared UFO (Un Finished Objects) and I finished up several items. So happy to finish projects! It is one of the things I miss being a SAHM. The cooking, cleaning, and laundry are never done. See the finished baby bug cover and a scrapbag below.

An "E" Pretty in Pink!

My latest Etsy listing...an Expression Cover pretty in Pink! Thought this one called for a special button on the embellishment! I am crazy for pink and brown combos!

Saving more money!

Here I saved more money making flowers with CTMH Hollyhock cardstock and sanding the edges. I also rolled up the edges and distressed them with my fingernails! I fussy cut some CTMH printed paper for the small flowers. The daisies are Prima Marketing flowers, I found on clearance at Michaels with a glitter circle punch and the CTMH windows circles.
I saw the page layout on the Scrapbooks Etc. newsletter and website and it was just the right page for these flowers. To get the curve on my photos, I laid my photos on the Cricut mat, and used my DS software to create a circle that went off the matt. I placed cardstock on the other half and cut both the photos and the paper in the same file. I liked the look of these flowers so much, I have created a cut file for 12 x 12 cardstock and 8 1/2" by 11". See yesterday's post for the cut file for 6" x 12".

Great Look for Less: Flower Embellishment

One of my favorite things to do is to try and create my own embellishments for less money. I love these Prima Marketing Gypsy Petals flowers, and have purchased some for my Cricut Dust covers. I liked them so well I wanted some for my cards and scrapbooking pages. So, tonight I sat down and created a cut file with five circles and made my own flower. The Prima flower is pictured in orange and mine is the light blue. Of course, I had to pull out my iTop again too! Hope you like the look for less! Here are the steps: Cut five circles of different sizes from vellum, you can use my cut file below. The cut file is set up to cut 2 flowers and is adjustable. Poke a hole through the center of each circle, and crumple them up. Carefully sand the edges, curling them towards the top. You can also ink the edges. Create a covered brad using the iTop, you can find a cut file for that in my archives. and place the covered brad through the hole. Now you have the look of organza for less! How much did I save? $3.80! This also looks great with white core card stock.
Circle Cut file here.

Wordbook Tips

Working on a new word book today, and thought I would share some tips for making them.
1) Use the Deep Cut housing and blade to cut your chipboard. I recently lost my chipboard source, and so have been saving cereal boxes.
2) Use a fresh mat for cutting your chipboard
3) Be sure when you are ready to cut that you have all your cartridges in the Jukebox! If you get an error message to add a cartridge, it will cut your shape, but items will not be welded! I use an abbreviation of the cartridge name in the name of all my cut files, so I don't forget next time I cut. For example, Minialbum_GB_AE uses George Basic Shapes and Accent Essentials.
4) To cut paper to glue on the back of your minibook page, simply place your printed paper on the mat with the printed side down and cut. You won't have to flip your image on the screen!
5) Find the rings to hold your album together cheap at your local hardware store.
6) Use your Pampered Chef brown scraper to smooth your paper when gluing.
Here's an album I made for a baby shower my friend held.
7) Use a coordinating paper kit for instant color matching, here I used a Creative Memories baby kit, and added a few sheets of my own.
8) Don't forget the details, get a professional looking book by inking your cut items before you glue them down.
Notice that I used a pocket from Tags, Bags Boxes and More for storing a list of gifts baby received and from whom. Other cartridges I used in this mini album are George Basic Shapes, Base Camp, and New Arrivals.

Free Cricut 101 Class 8-17-09 in Sycamore, IL

Just thought I would mention a Free Cricut 101 Class in Sycamore, IL on August 17, 2009. The class will be held at the Sycamore Public Library, and is sponsored by the SCRAP Guild of Northern IL. Class starts at 7:00pm and will last an hour. Topics to be covered included setting up to cut, pressure and speed settings, getting an exact size cut, machine and matt basics, Cricut web resources, and more. My guild holds meetings at the Sycamore Library every 3rd Thursday (except July), and the first meeting is free. All meetings have open crop from 6:00pm-8:45pm and we have make and takes once a quarter. You can check out the SCRAP Guild here.
Here is a sneak peak at the latest cover design, inspired by recession retro artricle at Scrapbook update. I would love to know what you think!

Congratulations Tammy Tadd Designs!

Just wanted to say congratulations to Tammy Tadd Designs on their selection as one of the top 10 quilt Stores by Quilt Sampler Magazine. This is my favorite store! In fact, I can thank Tammy Tadd for getting me sewing, making patterns and supporting my fabric and paper crafting habits! You can find more info on Tammy Tadd Designs here. This store is worth a trip!
The staff is wonderful there and so helpful! Last week I called to see if they carried some fabric I wanted, and they let me know they did not carry it, but told me where to find it ON SALE! How's that for customer service?! So, I'm heading back to Tammy Tadd today to find something to match it! Oh, and while I did buy two fabrics from another vendor, I will be looking for 6 fabrics to match mine at TTD!
On a side note, I took my five year old with me and set him up in the children's section in the back. He picked up the play iron and tried to answer it. I own two irons and use them regularly to sew, but never on clothing! Since I do my work while the boys sleep, he had never seen me iron. I think the women shopping that day had a good laugh!