Hardwood Background

Background stamps are a great way to add texture to cards.  The Hardwood background stamp in the Occasions Mini has made its way to my collection and you will be seeing more of it on future projects.  After stamping the background image in Basic Gray ink on white cardstock and choosing Bermuda Bay as the card base, I wondered what I would do next.  But it did not take too long before I stamped and punched colorful flowers from the Flower Shop stamp set.  To the flowers I added a few leaves created using one of the Secret Garden framelits.  After arranging the pieces on the "fence" I added a little vine from the Bird Builder punch and a couple of butterflies. I have a few ideas floating around in my head as to how I will be using this background stamp~~possibilities are endless!  Have a great day and be careful if you are out and about!

First Card In A Box!

Have you seen the pretty little "cards in a box" on the Internet lately?  I have and I have been wanting to make one.  So yesterday afternoon, I went down and got to work.  This first attempt definitely needs to be improved upon, but isn't it just too cute?  The box closes pretty flat and fits into an A2 envelope, measuring 5-1/2" x 4-1/4" when completed.  The sentiment or little note is on the back of the box.  Sending a gift card or money?  No problem!  Just add a little pocket in
the middle of whatever fills your card in a box.  My future creations will be posted here as I am sure there are at least a couple in my future!  Have a great day and find yourself a little stampin' time!

A Spring-like Day!

Well that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it is going to be in the 50's~~at least today!  We will ignore the predicted cold and snowy
Tuesday night!!  Anyway, yesterday at card class we made the roses.  They all turned out very pretty and the ladies were all pleased with their creastions.  Hopefully, by the next card class I will have a hanging rose ball, similar to the curled paper ones I made during the holidays.  I will be working on that during the week.  Over the weekend I did spend some time with my Cricut Explore.  I was just making test cuts and wanted to share a couple of things I cut on the Explore.  I punched a bird from the SU Bird Builder Punch.  I then imported the bird punch SVG file from SU's digital program into the Cricut Design Space and cut large and medium  sized versions of the bird and branch.  And since I was playing with birds,  I wanted to create a card using a bird from one of the Cricut images.  So I cut out this cute little bird, layered her on embossed black cardstock and added a Cricut cut sentiment.  Next project with the Explore is going to be cutting and writing on an image using the Explore for both!  Have a great day and enjoy the sunshine and "warm" weather we have today! 

Cricut Explore

I have had a Cricut electronic die cutting machine for many years and use it for scrapbooking and making embellishments for cards.  Provocraft just introduced a new die cutter, the Cricut Explore.  I wasn't sure I wanted it, but when the Explore was debuted on the Home Shopping Network I ordered it.  Yesterday I was playing with and comparing the Explore with my old Cricuts.  The biggest concern I have so far is that you have to be connected to the internet to use it thru Provocraft's Design Space.  This new machine does have its advantages, including a cleaner cut than I get with my Cricut Expression.  If I am cutting a box that already has the scorelines in the image, not only will the Cricut cut the box, it will score it, too!  I do not have to change blades either.  This machine holds both the cutting blade and score tool or pen at the same time!  I love that feature.  You can change the blade setting by turning a dial to adjust the blade depth.  When you insert one of the images in the Design Space, it appears on the screen fully layered!  So if you have an image with three layers, each layer is a different color and on a separate mat. Plus, I can bring my Stampin' Up and other SVG files into the Design Space and save them for future use.  For right now, the biggest disadvantage is that  you have to be connected to the internet to  cut images . Everything you do is stored in a "cloud".  So it isn't like you can design something and then save it to your computer~~Provocraft "stores" it all.  My cartridges will be linked to the Design Space but cannot be used alone as with my old Cricuts.  You will hear more about the Explore but for today, I am posting a card I made using images from the Cricut Design Studio.  And just for the heck of it, I added one of my little butterflies--lol!!  Don't forget to "spring" your clocks ahead this weekend!  Have a great day and find yourself a little stampin' time!