Monarch Butterfly Birthday

Today marks the start of another Die Cuttin' Divas Challenge!!

This weeks theme is

It's a Sketch Week!!

Here is my Monarch Butterfly birthday card. I love the colors, that patterned paper, and I really couldn't go wrong with this wonderful butterfly. :) This is a standard A2 (5 1/2" x 4 1/4"). The patterned paper is from Echo Park's Summer Days collection. Then I just pulled colors from the pattern to add my rhinestones and die cut layers.

As you can see, I turned the sketch on it's side for my card. :)

The beautiful butterfly is from Everyday Pop Up Cards. This is my absolute favorite butterfly on any Cricut cartridge. I cut the bottom layer out in orange, the top layer is black and I doodled spots on it to resemble a Monarch. The body is attached to the card and the wings are up on pop-dots. The butterfly and all it's layers are cut at 2".

The branch and leaves are from Cindy Loo. I doubled up the branch and welded it with my Gypsy. It's cut at 2 1/2" including the leaves layers. To give the leaves the wonderful texture/realism, I inked the edges using some darker green ink and a sponge. Some of the leaves are attached with pop-dots.

I couldn't resist adding some white gel pen stitches and this adorable birthday stamp from Inkadinkado.

These little stripes were cut to 4" x 3/4" and then punched with my Fiskars scalloped border punch. The three embellishments running along the box in the sketch became so charming when I added some dark pink self-adhesive rhinestones to finish off the sketch.

We'd love for you to come on over and play along with us at Die Cuttin' Divas!

This weeks theme is

It's a Sketch Week!!

The sponsor for the Challenge prize is

Sweet Butterfly Birthday

Today marks the start of another challenge over at Die Cuttin' Divas.

This week the challenge is:

Recipe : Pearls, Pins and / or punches

I cut this scalloped card base. The base measures 4 1/4" and is welded on my Gypsy to form the card base. The scalloped circle I used is from Winter Woodland, but you can use any scalloped circle you like.  I always cut an extra card front to cover the folded edge of the card base. The circles measure as follows:

brown : 3 1/2" - also from  Winter Woodland

pink polka-dots : 3 1/4" - also from  Winter Woodland

This is the butterfly from Everyday Pop-up Cards. It's cut at 2".  I just had to accent the body with some self stick flat back pearls. Only the body is adhered to the card base.

I embossed the "Happy Birthday" from Scrappy Moms Stamps using white embossing powder. Adding some white gel pen stitches really brings the card all together. I added more pearls to each scallop on the card base. 

The adorable branch is from Cindy Loo cut at 3 1/2" (the leaves are double punched from a 1 1/2" circle punch). I inked the edges of the leaves and attached them with pop dots.

The dimension on this card is wonderful, with the leaves up on pop dots and the butterfly's wings popping off the card.  Because I sized the circle card to 4 1/4" it will still fit into an A2 sized envelope.... no extra postage required. 

We'd love for you to stop by Die Cuttin' Divas and enter the challenge!

Recipe : Pearls, Pins and / or punches

The sponsor this week is The Crop Stop

Mushroom Birthday Card

Thanks for joining us for 

DD's Crafts Fabulous 50 Birthday Blog Hop!!

If you just came from Julie the  Cricut Chick's blog (cricutchick.com) you are in the right place... if not, please head over to Debbie's blog at craftydeb-ddscrafts.blogspot.com to start at the beginning.

Today I have another shaped card to share! :)

This adorable mushroom is from Cindy Lou. I sized the shadow layer to 5 1/2" and welded two shapes together to form the card base. It will fit into a standard A2 envelope, so no extra postage required. 

All the paper is from my scrap bin but most is Bazzill cardstock. I inked all the layers with royal blue ink and a finger dauber. I love how much dimension inking adds to a card. 

I added five silver brads to the mushroom stem and a Scrappy Mom's Stamp for the birthday sentiment. I drew the faux stitches on using my white Gelly Roll gel pen.

I didn't have this sentiment, so I had to create it myself. Using Honey Script, I added the inside sentiment that reads "Happy Birthday to a real Fungi!" I love it! :)

Before you jump to the next stop, please leave a comment (and don't forget your contact info) 

to be entered in my drawing for some blog candy...

a $20.00 gift card to either

Michael's or Joanns -- winner's choice!!!

Drawing will take place on Monday, Jan 16th, 2012.

Please remember to win the grand prizes over at Debbie's blog (DD's Crafts) you must leave a comment on each blog each day of the blog hop.

Your next stop is

Lisa over at Crafty Lam

Sweet Birdhouse Thank You card

A while back, I fell in love with this card shape. Coming from a tag with a scalloped top, most carts with tags will have a similar shape... making it very easy to replicate.

My card shapes comes from a tag on the Preserves cart, but you can use any tag from any other cart too.  I sized it to 4 1/4"tall x 5 1/2" wide. The coordinating layers are sized down by 1/4". The white and brown paper is generic card stock.  All the green is Heidi Grace paper (I love the pattern).

I embossed the Scrappy Mom's stamp in white embossing powder to coordinate with the white gel pen stitching. It got a little messy... I really need to get an embossing buddy. :(

The glittery white paper on the bird house is from DCWV's glitter stack (I think) and came from my scraps. I added a little Star Dust Stickles to the pink layer.  The birdhouse is mounted up on 1/4" pop dots.  The birdhouse is from Cindy Loo, cut at 3".

I laced the three little green button with some white craft twine. I inked all the green layers using forest green ink and my finger dauber. I also inked the white layer of the bird house and all the little leaves the same way.  When I attached the branch (Cindy Loo, cut at 4 3/4" wide), I glued the brown branch layer down directly to the card, the leave are all attached with 1/8" pop dots. I love the dimension this technique adds. :)

One last look at my Birdhouse Thank You Card.  I love it.

Challenges:

Sentimental Sundays : Birth Month colors (May)

Fantabolous Cricut : For the Birds (birdhouse)

Tuesday Throwdown : Thank you card

Wacky Wednesday : Buttons, bling or brads

Whimsical Wednesday : Anything goes

Cute Kitty Halloween Card

If you are a regular visitor to my blog, you know I adore shaped cards!! This one just may be one of my favs! 

I love this cute kitty.  I cut my Halloween Feline from the Cindy Loo Cartridge (cut at 5 1/4") using the shadow as the card base and welded on my Gypsy. There is a card feature for this kitty so you could make a similar card with out the aid of a Gypsy, but I like to create a nice stable fold for my shaped cards.  Cutting an additional shadow layer is a great tip for shaped cards.  You can both hide the fold line and strengthen the card front with the extra top layer.

I added a little set of Itty Bitty Prima flowers to the kitty's head, some rhinestones for the eyes and a little bakers twine bow. I also placed little bits of orange paper behind the holes for the ears and nose to finish off the Halloween Kitty's face. I also doodled some stitches around the cat's body.

Here you an see the shaped card body. I welded the card together at the tail (with a nice overlap on the top and base of the tail) and printed the sentiment. I used "Porky" font at 20 points to adorn the inside of the card with "Wishing you a Purrrrfect Halloween!"

I love when shaped cards stand on their own!! This little kitty stands so pretty! :)

Challenges:BBTB2: Cute Halloween + cat

Tuesday Throwdown : Shaped Card

Wacky Wednesday : Halloween

29 again?? Birthday Blog Hop

Welcome to the 29?? AGAIN birthday blog hop.
We are so glad you have decided to join us today!

If you came from  Kari's blog at Purplefuntastickcreations, you're in the right place... if you just came across the blog hop today, you're in luck!! We're gonna have a great time, but you'll want to start at Deb's blog at Scrappin Mamma so you don't miss a thing.

For my project today, I am featuring this manly birthday card. I find masculine cards the hardest to make, but I love how this one turned out. 

I used some leaves from Cindy Loo for the candle flames, Plantin Schoolbook for the candle bodies, and Preserves for the scalloped circle and circle.  Here are the measurements:

flames : 1"

candle bodies : 3/4" x 2 1/2"

scalloped circle: 4 1/4"

circle : 3 1/2"

card base : 5" x 10" scored into a 5" x 5" card

layers : 4 3/4" x 4 3/4" and 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"

I inked around the edges of the candles with brown ink and the flames with orange ink.  The center candle is mounted on 1/8" pop dots and the two outside candles are mounted up on 1/4" pop dots. The wicks are made with some black craft wire. I wrapped the craft twine around all three candles.

These two tags are from a McGill tag punch, then I embossed the sentiment using a Studio G stamp and added some gel pen stitches. The top tag is mounted on pop dots while the small tag is glued directly to the card front.

The inside of the card is finished off with scrap paper.  The stripy paper is from DCWVs Stack 7 (inked with blue ink), the brown cardstock is generic stock from Target and the blue textured card base is Bazzill, the rest is scraps. Like the front, I added gel pen stitches to all the brown cardstock layers.

I just love the dimension on this card. :)

 What is the grand prize you ask ???

 Tricia from Little Scraps of Heaven Designs  is 

sponsoring us with $ 20.00 in files

 Kristal from Getting Cricky is giving away one of her 

wonderful stamp sets { "Positive Thoughts" }

 Scrappingmamma is giving you a lot of scrapping 

items and  a custom made card.  

 To be ELIGIBLE for the GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY you MUST

 1. Become a follower of EVERY Blog in this blog hop.

 2. Leave a comment on EVERY Blog in this hop. 

 3.Become a Fan of the Scrappingmamma-Crafts on FB.

4. Leave a comment on Scrappingmamma-Crafts FB FAN PAGE so we know you stopped by. (even if you are already a fan you MUST do this)


TIP: If you are having a problem seeing any of the "followers" lists, you can follow a blog by clicking on the "follow" link at the very top of the blog pages.

To enter for MY blog candy, please leave me a comment and be sure to leave me a way to contact you. 

 

Now, to continue on the blog hop trail, please head over to

 Kristy's blog at  Scraptastical Kreations!

Butterfly Birthday Card

I cut this scalloped card base. The base measures 4 1/4" and is welded on my Gypsy to form the card base. The scalloped circle I used is from Preserves, but you can use any scalloped circle you like.  I always cut an extra card front to cover the folded edge of the card base. The circles measure as follows:

brown : 3 1/2" - also from  Preserves

pink polka-dots : 3 1/4" - also from  Preserves

This is the butterfly from Everyday Pop-up Cards. It's cut at 2".  I just had to accent the body with some self stick flat back pearls. Only the body is adhered to the card base.

I embossed the "Happy Birthday" from Scrappy Moms Stamps using white embossing powder. Adding some white gel pen stitches really brings the card all together. I added more pearls to each scallop on the card base. 

The adorable branch is from Cindy Loo cut at 3 1/2" (the leaves are from the same cut). I inked the edges of the leaves and attached them with pop dots.

The dimension on this card is wonderful, with the leaves up on pop dots and the butterfly's wings popping off the card.  Because I sized the circle card to 4 1/4" it will still fit into an A2 sized envelope.... no extra postage required. 

Challenges:  

 2 Sisters Challenge Blog : color challenge (brown, pink, green and white)

Hiding in my Craftroom : color challenge (brown, green and pink)

Birthday Sundaes : Birthday

Fantabolous Cricut Challenge : Add a bug

Amber's Crafts and Stuff : Sparkle and Shine

Tuesday Throwdown : Birthday

Birdhouse Thank You Card

My friend Carri over at Double Click Connections AKA A Busy Bee, is a proud DT member at both The Creative Cutter Room and Bitten By the Bug 2.  I love supporting my bloggy friends by entering in challenges where they are design team members.  

The challenge over at Creative Cutter Room, is to make a card that includes the following:

a thank you card, a stamp, at least 2 buttons and embossing.  

My card shapes comes from a tag on the Preserves cart, but you can use any tag from any other cart too.  I sized it to 4 1/4"tall x 5 1/2" wide. The coordinating layers are sized down by 1/4". The white and brown paper is generic card stock.  All the green is Heidi Grace paper (I love the pattern).

I embossed the Scrappy Mom's stamp in white embossing powder to coordinate with the white gel pen stitching. It got a little messy... I really need to get an embossing buddy. :(

The glittery white paper on the bird house is from DCWV's glitter stack (I think) and came from my scraps. I added a little Star Dust Stickles to the pink layer.  The birdhouse is mounted up on 1/4" pop dots.  The birdhouse is from Cindy Loo, cut at 3".

I laced the three little green button with some white craft twine. I inked all the green layers using forest green ink and my finger dauber. I also inked the white layer of the bird house and all the little leaves the same way.  When I attached the branch (Cindy Loo, cut at 4 3/4" wide), I glued the brown branch layer down directly to the card, the leave are all attached with 1/8" pop dots. I love the dimension this technique adds. :)

One last look at my Birdhouse Thank You Card.  I love it.  I'll have to come up with a really good reason to give this one away.

Challenges:

Creative Cutter Room : Thank you, embossing, stamp and three buttons

Sentimental Sunday : Garden party

Monogrammed Flower Window Card

I have a fun card to share with you.  The funnest part is the vellum window. :)

The flower cut is from Joy's of the Season. I welded the shadow to a Cindy Loo frame to create the front of the card.  I welded two frames (hide all contours) to create the card body. It sure creates a terrifically different card! :)

The Cindy Loo frame is sized to 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".  All card stock is Bazzil: I cut the card base from white, the front card layer in purple, the stems in green, and the flowers and butterflies (MS Butterfly punch) from pink. I cut an addtional card front layer from vellum and sandwiched it between the purple and white card base  layer.

This flower is cut from Joys of the Season, sized to 3 1/2".  I cut three layers for the flower head so I could curl them to add a ton of dimension.

I added the "V" from Cindy Loo. I welded it into the card base too. Doesn't it make an adorable monogram on this lovely card.  I love the simple details on Cindy Loo.

I added some white flat back pearls to the flower center and a few around the card. 

Here you can see the wonderful card shape!! I hope you enjoy this card as much as I do. :)

Challenges: 

 Cricut Cardz  Challenge : Monogram

Paper Cutz Challenge : Anything goes