Envelope Punch Scenic Jar with CottageCutz Trailer

Hi everyone! It’s my day to post for CottageCutz Dies and I’m excited to share my video card creation today featuring the Teardrop Camper, Spring Grass, Stitched Circles and Double-Stitched rectangle dies! 

Be sure to take advantage of the BIG Anniversary Sale. All the dies I used for this card are on sale through Friday. All dies used are 50% off except for the grass which is 25% off. Now is the time to load up on wish list items that are on sale and share your list with family members as a hint for Mother's Day! (Disclosure: I do not earn commissions on sales)

You can click on my video below to see how I made this cute mason jar shaped card but first let me tell you a little more about it. 

The adorable Teardrop Camper is the true star of the show! The details in this die cut are incredible, down to the tiny curtains and awning which for me is my favorite part. To create a little more texture to the die cut, I used an embossing folder to set off the bottom piece of the trailer and I also dry embossed the clouds in the background. I accented them with some white and tinsel mixed embossing powder which gives both a milky white and glittery appearance.

The base card is a 4-bar sized card and it’s created using an envelope punch board. I got the idea from many videos out there showing how to make a jar shape but I made it my own by turning it into a card with the hinge at the top. I further experimented a little and found that I could dry emboss a zig-zag pattern with my embossing board to give the jar lid the illusion that it is screwed on instead of being flat. The round tags were stamped and cut out using the stitched circles dies and the interior piece was cut out with the double-stitched rectangle die. It’s these little touches that makes the card so fun.

I have included the dimensions and supplies in the description of the video so go there to get all the details to make your own scenic jar card with the Teardrop Camper or other CottageCutz dies. There are so many possibilities! Thanks for spending some time today with me. Have a wonderful day!

Happy Cards-Featuring Resist Coloring and Cricut Explore

Happy Saturday everyone! This week's video shows you how to create the Happy die cut shown on a set of six cards I made as a gift. It's easy to manipulate stock images in Cricut Design space into something entirely different. The image I started with actually looked like this.

These cards are A2 size, 4.25" x 5.5". The background was created by stamping a background with Versamark ink and heat embossing it with clear embossing powder. Momento ink was then applied heavier at one end, gradually lightening to white at the top. The embossing resists the ink and reveals the background stamp while showing off an ombre effect. Easy! Just apply the ink with a sponge and lighten the amount used as you go from the bottom to the top.

The next step is to cut the Happy phrase in Design space (after manipulating the Happy Birthday phrase to the shape shown in the project). I used various words in the rectangle part of the die cut so that they read, Happy Birthday, Happy Thoughts, So Happy Together, Happy Dance, Happy for You and Happy Thoughts.

To finish each card, I applied the die cut, added a cork heart and a red embroidery thread bow. I actually made two of each card and made two sets of 6 cards to give as gifts. 

Thanks for joining me today. I'll see you again on Wednesday when it's my turn to post for CottageCutz. I've got a super cute card with a camping theme for you!

Supplies used for this project:
Hero Arts Stamp & Cuts Set called Happy Stamp & Cut
Various Memento ink pads
White card stock to form the card base and card mat
Background Stamps: 
Rubbernecker Stamps - Victorian Diamond Panel
Stampabilities Wood Stamp - Typewriter Background

100% Country Scrapbook Page

Happy Sunday and sorry to be a day later than normal with my weekly project. Today is my turn to share with you my very first post as a video designer for CottageCutz and since I was assigned Sunday, I waited an extra day to post. I'm so happy to be given the opportunity to use and share projects using their dies. They are really high quality dies at a reasonable prices. I hope you'll check them out and try some of their products. 

Today's project is a scrapbook page featuring the adorable stamp and die set, Farm Animals. This set is so cute! I couldn't help but use them in a page about my family's visit to a ranch in Arizona a few years ago. This set has so many applications that I'm sure you'll see these animals show up in some of my future projects.

For the photo mats, I used three stitched die cut shape sets including the circle, oval and square sets. I also used the double-stitched rectangle set. The double stitching on this set is really different and I like it a lot. The Spring Grass die is used in the page's title. 

Click the video link below to see how the page was made using all these great dies. Detailed instructions and supplies are included. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Link to CottageCutz Order Site:
http://www.scrappingcottage.com/

Link to CottageCutz Blog
http://scrappingcottage.blogspot.com/

I'm participating in the following challenges: Jo's Scrapshack #180-Always Anything Goes, Cardz TV Anything Goes, Crafty Creations Challenges-Anything Goes #337, Crafting When We Can Challenge #140 Add Circles

Rainbow Drip Birthday Cupcake Card

Hi there! Just a quick posting of something I've been working on lately. I have been practicing with Distress Ink and I think I've finally got it! This is what I put together this afternoon. The rainbow background blended just beautifully and I finished it off by splattering some water on it. It's amazing what simple water does to distress ink. It is pretty magical.

So here's how I did this card. First I blended four Distress Inks starting on the bottom and working from corner to corner. I used Salty Ocean, Worn Lipstick, Mustard Seed and Mowed Lawn. These colors blended together to add purple and orange to the mix. Such vibrant pretty colors! I've had trouble blending these in the past but I finally ditched the wood handled mini blender and tried angled cosmetic sponges. What a difference! When I could really feel how much pressure I was using and didn't have 2" of wooden stick between me and the paper, it worked so much better. The sponges apply a nice finish. If I dare say so, I think it's better than the Tim Holtz sponges! It certainly worked way better for me.

The stamps are from Close To My Heart and the set came with the Cricut Artiste bundle. I stamped the sentiment first, masked it and stamped the cupcake on top. The mask makes it appear that the cupcake is behind the sentiment. Then I drew two perpendicular angled lines and cut the middle section out making sure the stamped image overlapped on the two remaining corner sections that were still intact. I colored the cupcake and wrapper with pink and blue Spectrum Noir markers.

To put it together, I placed the blended rainbow piece on top of a dark blue A2 sized cardstock. Then I put foam tape underneath the piece with the stamped image and two remaining corners and placed it on top. A few sequins with white Perlen Pen dots and some glitter to resemble sugar on the cupcake, and the card was done. This is very simple but oh, so satisfying.

Card Recipe:
White A2 sized card base
White card stock for the rainbow distress ink - 4.75 x 3.5
Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Salty Ocean, Worn Lipstick, Mustard Seed and Mowed Lawn
CTMH Birthday set from the Cricut Artiste Bundle
Tim Holtz distress glitter - Clear Rock Candy
Momento black ink
Yellow and iridescent sequins
Perlen Pen - Ice White

I'm proud to enter this card in the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp-Monday Challenge, Through the Craft Room Door-Anything Goes Challenge, Cardz TV-Anything Goes, Jo's Scrapshack-#179 Anything Goes with Kenny K Stamps

You Make Me So Happy Card

Happy weekend! I hope you had a great week. The weather has been super nice here in the middle 60's to low 70's most days. The bad news is that the pollen is crazy and most people are sneezing, blowing their noses and dealing with sore throats, me included! Crazily, it might actually snow on Sunday morning but if it does, it's not going to last the day. It'll be pretty though. We'll see what happens. I need to figure out a way to cover my flower boxes because the pansies are beyond gorgeous right now and I don't want freezing temps to set them back.

Today's project is a cheerful card that could be given for several different occasions. It could easily be a thank you card, a love note to a spouse or child or even as a note of encouragement. I found myself calling this my raspberry sorbet card. It's so bright and cheerful, I dare you not to smile!

This is an A2 sized card and I used the Avery Elle steel die set called Custom Panels. The happy sentiment is from the Hero Arts Stamp & Cuts set. Both sets are versatile and in the video I walk you through the many pieces and what they could be used for. You'll also find an easy hint on how to get your paper to come out of detailed dies easily instead of sticking like they naturally tend to do.

The typewriter resist background was heat embossed and then I applied ink heavy at the bottom of the card and worked it up lighter and lighter to the top. This created an ombre effect that makes the card really work. I applied the angled vellum panel to the bottom corner and used the sentiment tag to secure it so it stays in place but doesn't show glue anywhere. Finally the glitter confetti pieces balance the whole card out and gives it a little pop.

To learn how to make this card, click on the video below:

CARD RECIPE:
A2 White cardstock card base
Card first layer - 4.25" x 5.5" from Colorbok Brights Photo Mats stack
Happy sentiment from the Hero Arts Stamp and Cuts Set - Colorbok Brights Photo Mats stack
Pink and white resist stamped background - 4" x 5.25"
Light pink vellum scrap cut with the angled Avery Elle Custom Panels die - approx. 3.5" x 4"
Circles and geometric confetti cut with DCWV Glitter Card stack in pink, yellow and blue/green
Blue enamel dots from my stash
Background stamp - Typewriter Background from Stamabilities
Momento Ink - Love Letter
Clear embossing powder for the typewriter background - StampnStuff from Stampendous
Black embossing powder for the sentiment - Zing in black opaque

I'm pleased to enter my card in these challenges. Visit them for more inspiration: Simon Say Stamp Monday Challenge-Make Your Own Background...Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes Challenge March...Cardztv-Anything Goes...Jo's Scrapshack #179 - Anything Goes With Kenny K Stamps...Hiding In My Craftroom #292 - Super Scraps Saturday

Design Team Announcement!

Happy Friday!

Just a quick announcement to let you all know that toward the end of the month you will start seeing me demo some pretty amazing steel dies and stamps from CottageCutz. I have been picked up as a Design Team member and will be posting at least two videos a month using their products. I'm really honored to be chosen to represent them. Please note however, that I am not earning any commissions on sales related to my postings. As a Design Team member, I am provided with a generous supply of their dies to create with and I will be able to reach more like minded crafty people who will see what I'm about. My first post will be on March 19th.

In the meantime, please feel free to look at their site. They have hundreds of dies and many coordinating stamp sets that include super detailed shapes all the way to basic shapes that any card maker and scrapbooker need to have in their arsenal. I can't wait to give you some ideas for your own projects!

Scrapbooking Weekend Fun!

I'm here at Camp Dogwood near Sherrill's Ford, NC this weekend with a great group of ladies and my good friend Suzanne Campbell who comes all the way from Lynchburg VA to join us. 

Time goes fast and we'll be heading home tomorrow afternoon. I want to thank all of you at the crop who have signed up for my YouTube Channel and blog. You are all so kind and supportive!

Waterfall Card - St. Patrick's Day

Happy Saturday Everyone! We are in March now and St. Patrick's Day is on the 17th this year. I'm not Irish but we still usually make ham hocks and cabbage to celebrate. In fact, I picked up the ham hocks a few weeks ago at Costco and they're waiting in my freezer. Yum! Can't wait.

In anticipation of the holiday, this week I've designed a waterfall card using cardstock and stickers. If you don't know what a waterfall card is, you need to click on my video link below to see how it works and how to create your own mechanism using Cricut Design Space to make a pattern. Additionally, I've included all the dimensions below. Before you leave the video, please subscribe to my channel while you're there. You can also sign up as a subscriber right here on my page by clicking on the subscribe button on the right side of this page. I greatly appreciate your support.

This fun card has a lot of movement and is entertaining. My son is fascinated with it and most people are surprised to see one work for the first time. There's a reward at the bottom of the waterfall that is revealed when you pull the mechanism. Good stuff!

I hope you enjoy this little treasure! If you haven't done so already, please follow me by clicking on one of the options to the right of this post. You can get notifications of new postings through my Facebook page, Google+, Blogger, Feedburner or Bloglovin'.

Also, I need to mention that I was inspired by a similar card pattern that I purchased from Susan Mehlbaum at CraftsUPrint. You can look at and purchase her card here: CraftsUPrint Page

CARD RECIPE:
White A2 Card Base (4.25" x 5.5" folded)
Large Yellow Mat-
Small Square Yellow Mats (4)-Cricut Cartridge#
Green Patterned Mats (4)
White Square Mats (4)-Cricut Cartridge #
Green Waterfall Mechanism-
Green Circle for Waterfall Mechanism Tab-
St. Patrick's Day Stickers-Dollar Tree
Green Button
Green and Gold Thin Ribbon
Mini Brads, White (2)

I've entered this card in the following challenges:
Jo's Scrap Shack #178 Anything Goes
Hiding in My Craftroom #291 spring colors
Craft Creations Challenge #336 Anything Goes
Cardz TV.-Anything Goes