Happy Birthday to my Drummer Boy!

Hey there my crafty friends! Hope you all enjoyed the long holiday weekend. It was my son's birthday and he just turned 12 years old! YIKES, I'm a mom to a teen and now a tween! My how the time flies. It just reminds me how behind I am on all my scrapbooking. Hopefully I will do more of that this summer. But for now I have this card I want to share. I made this for my son who plays drums. I originally planned to do a box card but I needed something bigger to use a full drum set. So this is what I came up with.

It is a 5.5" x 7.5" Easel Card.  I wanted it to be big so it would feel more special.  I used my baby Cricut for this one. I must admit I was quite frustrated with this card. I love my 3 Cricut machines but my original baby bug cuts so much better than my bigger machines. This frustrates me because I know how well the "other" machine cuts but I have almost two hundred cartridges that I love. I am not taking the dive into the Explore because quite frankly my internet stinks! And we pay top price for the bestest, highest speed gigabytesywhatchamacallits! I'm terrible with the lingo, lol! I cannot depend on the internet for my crafting and it makes me so mad that Provo Craft went that direction and bailed on the stand alone machines. This is why I'm frustrated:

These drum sets are cut at 2.5 inches. The top was cut with my Expression and the bottom cut with my original baby Cricut. I have never been able to get the fine cuts on the Expression machine like I do with my baby. Can you see how the top cut is uneven on the bottom and the swirl cuts are so thin that they look like shreds.  I bought my baby from the original HSN launch in 2006. It cuts perfectly to this day but it is small and not as flexible with the sizes. My Imagine cannot cut like it at all but does wonderful print and cuts. My Expression cuts better than my Imagine but cannot handle the fine cuts like the baby. I know eventually I will upgrade I just haven't wanted to just yet. Anyway, back to my card.

I cut the Drumset from the Quarter Note Cartridge. I used red metallic and black cardstock.  The boy is from the Playtime cartridge. I cut him out at 3".  I used the Peachy Keen Boy Mates stamp set for his face. I chalked his cheeks, added his freckles, and also filled in the eye with a white gel pen  I stamped his shirt with the skull and crossbones to look like the rocker that he is.  The star paper is from the DCWV Rockstar Stack and the Silver is from the DCWV Metallic Stack.  I also added a layer of the red shimmer paper.  The music note brads I've had forever and I handcut the banners. 

The inside layer cutouts are from Elegant Edges, my regular "go to" Cartridge.  I used Pink By Design and Joys life Stamps for the sentiments.  I also added the Elizabeth Crafts black glitter dots on both sides. The boy is actually sitting on a stool but you can't see it. I popped up the drumset and the sentiments. The card is really heavy and really shimmers and glimmers but in a "Rockstar" non-girly way. I know the pics don't really show that.

I love the little boy.  He is so cute! Just like my Timothy. I hope you liked my card! I'm going to participate in the following challenges:

Hiding In My Craftroom- Let's Hear It For The Boy

 Die Cuttin Divas- For the Boys

Die Cut Diva's- Embellishment

Just B Creative Crazy- May Linky

Card A Day Blog- Birthday

D.L. Art- May Linky

Thanks so much for hopping in and I wish you a happy day!

Card A Day- Birthday

Baby Boy Shower Card in a Box

Hi there my crafty friends! Today I have another Card in a Box that I made for an employee at my hubbies work. She is having her first baby and we couldn't be happier for her:) This card was a lot of fun to make and I thought it turned out super cute! Let me show you what I did....

First off I used a medium blue cardstock for the box. I went through all my paper stacks and decided to use this Debbie Mumm baby paper. The pattern has different shades of blue strips with different colored stitching. It is so cute. I thought about using an additional pattern but went with a lighter shade of blue cardstock instead, and used my Cuttlebug and Swiss Dots folder.

I used 3 Cricut cartridges for this design. First I cut the airplane and banner from the New Arrival cartridge. I used peach and green for the cut. The green coordinates with some of the stitching in the paper on the sides of the box.  I used 2 stamp sets to stamp It's a Boy! on the banner. They were from Pink By Design and Joys Life Stamps.  The clouds were from the Zooballoo cartridge. I love those clouds. I inked them with a skyblue colored chalk pad. I inked all the other cuts with the Tim Holtz Tea Dye Distress Ink.  

The adorable baby is from the Baby Steps Cartridge. He is the baby that is on the moon but I decided to use the airplane instead. The baby is cut at 2.25". Interestingly enough the cut size for this does not include the moon even though the moon is part of the main image. Usually the size you choose on the Cricut is for the height on the main image. But on my expression the 2.25 inch is exactly what the baby cuts out as so when you choose 2.25 inches the entire cut is almost 4 inches when you use the moon cut. I hope that makes sense. Anyway, I cut the teddy at 2 inches and the ducky at 2 inches (which is a cut that goes on a baby pin). I chose a green and blue plaid paper for the onesie, hat and teddy diaper.  I added a little stitching on the bears face. 

I used a vellum sentiment for the front flap and used some 3D stickers that I bought on HSN a couple years ago.  I did add the buttons to the wheels on the car and the pacifier to give it a little more dimension. I finished it off with a white ribbon and this is how it looks folded down flat.

I hope you like my card. It was so fun making it!  I will participate in the following challenges:

Die- Cut- Diva's Challenge blog- Embellishment

Hiding In My Craftroom- Let's Hear It for the Boy

Little Scrap Pieces- Saturday Linky Party

Just B Creative Crazy- Just Because Linky Party

DL Art- Anything Goes May Linky Challenge

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful and crafty day :)

It's Your bird-day- Imagine Lori's Garden

Good morning my crafty friends! Today I am posting another card I made with my papers from my Imagine Lori's Garden cartridge. I just love this cartridge so much, especially this birdcage paper.

 I used a pink cardstock for the A2 size card and layered it with white cardstock.  I inked the layers with Tim Holtz Tea Dye Distress Ink.  The pinks and blues are just so pretty together. I printed and cut the bird and banner, and added layers to the bird. It needed a sparkle so I used baby blue Stickles. 

The scalloped oval was cut from my Imagine stock images. I just love the script paper.  I thought the printed flowers didn't stand out as well as I liked so I added some pink, ivory, and blue prima flowers and centered them with pearls. The decorative crochet ribbon added the perfect border. 

I added layers to the inside and didn't stamp a sentiment just yet since this card is for my stock. Yes, I actually have a couple cards in my stock now, lol! Last but not least I added the pastel buttons. I thought about pearls but they got lost in the paper so I decided to go with the cute buttons. 

I hope you like my card. I am so happy with how it turned out. It is kinda fun just playing with a set of materials and trying to make something of it without any kind of plan. I usually start a card with a vision of something in mind but this card was made using what I had in front of me at the moment. I am trying to use up what I have instead of throwing it in my scrap box (which is getting quite full!!)

I will participate in the following challenges:

Little Scrap Pieces Linky Party

Craftin Desert Divas- Linky Party Puns

Fantabulous Cricut- May Flowers

Die Cut Diva's Challenge Blog- Embellishment

DL.Art May Linky Challenge- Anything Goes

Just B Creative Crazy- Just Because

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day :)

Thanks Card- Imagine Lori's Garden

Hello to you my crafty friends! Today I am posting a card I made for a dear friend who generously gave my family her xbox game.  We have been struggling financially since our move and my son has wanted one for forever and she just happened to have one that she didn't use anymore. How amazing is that?! Her generosity has sparked a new bond between my kids. They normally fight constantly and now they play together for hours at a time. I am not a fan of video games but in this case it has been a blessing. 

This card I made features the Lori's Garden Imagine Cartridge. I had some printed paper and this lovely rose cut leftover from the Mother's Day card I made and I thought I would use it before I forgot about it. I have managed to make 3 cards with what I printed so far and this is the first one. 

I used the scallop oval cut from the Imagine Machine and inked it with Tim Holtz Tea Dye distress ink. I love the blue floral paper in the background. This cartridge is such a jewel, I just love it!  It needed some bling so I used rhinestones in 2 corners. 

This card is definitely different from my norm. I really like how elegant it turned out. Beautiful for a beautiful friend. I felt like the inside needed to be pretty too so I cut and printed out some more roses and another set of scalloped ovals to decorate the inside. The sentiment is from My Creative Time Stamps.

I hope you like my card and thanks so much for stopping by. 

I will participate in the following challenges:

Just B Creative Crazy - Anything Goes

D L Art May Linky Challenge- Anything Goes

Fantabulous Cricut- May Flowers

More Than Favors Wacky Wednesday #90- Thank You

Cricut Panda Graduation

Hello crafty friends! I have several projects finished and many in the works but haven't had much time to get things posted. The end of the semester is swiftly approaching and there is much to do. I have 2 dress rehearsals this week and 3 recitals the week after. My students are in high gear preparing for finals. My daughter is finishing up her 8th grade year and my son his 6th grade year. Both have ceremonies and we just received a letter that my daughter will be receiving an award, yippee! And to top it off it is my son's birthday on Friday, ugh!! I just want to stop time and keep my kids little but the clock ticks on!

 Now to tell you about this card I made. I made this one for my nieces High School graduation. She loves pandas and her class colors were black and turquoise.

I used the adorable panda from Cricut's Create A Critter cartridge and the graduation cap is from the Teddy Bear Parade. I used DCWV glitter paper for the tassel, the Martha Stewart border punch, and added a black brad to the cap.  The sentiments are from My Creative Time "Many Greetings" and Joys Life "Mother & Daughter set. I finished it off and popped everything up with some foam tape. Cute, quick, and simple. 

I will participate in the following challenges:

Die Cut Diva's Challenge Blog- Use embellishments

Just B Creative Crazy- Anything Goes

D.L. Art - May Linky Challenge Anything goes

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day!