Kindergarten Graduation Card

My nephew graduated from kindergarten this week.  I made this card using the Cricut Wild Card cart.  It is very simple, but Jake is 5 (almost 6), so a card in his school colors makes a splash.  Yeah, Jake!  Good Job!

Auntie Andie

Softball- it's almost over

This is just a preview of fun to come this week.  My daughter, Katie, finished her spring recreation softball season this past week.  We always have a ton of fun and I've let you in on a preview of the celebratory action.  I used my Scor-Pal to score some thin purple cardstock (1 1/2 in x 12 in piece) every 1/4 in. and fan folded the pieces.   I snipped off one end of each fold to mate the two ends perfectly together.  I used Scrappy Tape to adhere the two edges creating the rosette.  I sealed the rosette in place by using a glue gun and a 1 1/2 in. circle cut from my Cricut.

The pictures were easy to make.  I imported the picture into Word.

 I selected the image by clicking on the image which creates the box with circles at the corners you see on the left.  The I selected the Picture Style indicated on the Picture Tools ribbon.  Selecting this Picture Style will display the picture image identified in the image on the left.

After this, we need to size the picture appropriately.  Again, using the Picture Ribbon I modified the height to the size I wanted for my rosettes.  In this case, I cropped to 2.2 in. or slightly smaller than 2 1/4 in. circle.  This leaves an oval image.  We're not done yet. 

I then used the Crop option (shown in the image above) to create a circular crop (rather than the oval previously shown).  To do this, click the Crop button on the Picture Tool ribbon.  This displays black crop corners as seen in the image to the right.  I pull each corner in until the circle surrounds the portion of the image I want to highlight.  You can also move the mouse around in the picture area until the four arrows are displayed.  At this point, the image can be moved behind the crop to adjust positioning.  Play with it until you get what you want.  I made 33 different pictures for use on these cupcake toppers.  I printed the images on 8 1/2 x 11 photo printing paper and cut out the images at 2 1/4 in. circle on my Cricut using the centerpoint cutting option.  You can see that they aren't all symmetrical (there is more white in the upper right quadrant of the image I've cropped).  However, I bet you didn't immediately notice this.  Everyone is so happy to see their face on a cupcake (or their daughter's face) they don't notice.

I've made a few more goodies for the girls.  I'll post them once the party has been enjoyed.  That's enough secrets released for now.  More to come...

Updated:  I posted this project on The Paper Variety's Anything But a Card or Layout challenge.  This is certainly not a card or a layout.  It sure is fun to see all the projects being entered.  Check them out!

Andie

3-D Cards Using Heartfelt Creations and Copic Markers

Brandy made these lovely cards using her Heartfelt Creations products, Copic Markers, and Distress Inks. Since I can't seem to carve out time for her to post (if I get scrappin' time with her, I'm happy!), I thought I would share her product with you.

These beautiful cards were made using the Heartfelt Creations stamps that coordinate with the Spellbinders (and other Heartfelt Creations) flower dies.  The flowers were stamped and die cut, then colored using Copic Markers and the blending solution.  The card background was stamped using the cluster stamps from Heartfelt Creations and then colored with the Copic Markers as well.  You can see corner punches were used to create decorative corners.  These card bases were then enhanced with Distress Inks using the Blending Tool.  The flowers were shaped and strategically adhered to the card bases.  The effect was very beautiful and certainly worth the time and effort spent creating these lovely works of art!  I believe Brandy used these cards for Mother's Day cards and still has a couple left over for some future purposes.  What a wonderful result!

Brandy (through Andie)

Melissa Frances Card Class

In a recent post, I mentioned a wonderful card class taught by Melissa Frances that Brandy and I attended at the Mesa, AZ CK Scrapbook Convention.  We really loved the cards, papers and the fact that we came away with extras.

The cards featured these old-timey photos of ladies in their undergarments. Melissa Frances has publicly supported breast cancer causes due to her own previous health concerns. These cards were made using the C'est La Vie Retro Stickers. The card designs were simple layers embellished with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and vintage seam binding ribbons.  The aqua pom pom trim added a really cute effect.  The class was fast paced- we made five cards in 60 minutes including the inking, making bows, and paper layering.  Both Brandy and I were able to keep up and walked away with 5 cards ready for use.

 Oh yeah, I won one of the class door prizes.  They ended up being these lovely banner stickers.  This, of course, prompted a trip to their booth and a *small* purchase of some matching papers and fun tissue paper garland.  I promptly put these supplies to work and made the following cards:

These beautiful papers and embellishments create the sweetest note cards.  I've always  loved Melissa Frances designs and after my nephew's first year scrapbook, her products will always have a special place in my heart.  I'm not sure to what good use I will put each of these, but they are waiting for a purpose.

Andie

The Original ScrapBox

In a recent post regarding the CK scrapbook convention, I mentioned my Original ScrapBox.  When Brandy wrote our very first post (could it really have been in October of 2010?), she mentioned my Original ScrapBox.  That first tease should have spurred me on to quickly post about this wonderful organizational tool.  However, somehow I made it to almost two years later without even mentioning my wonderful box. 

I live in a cozy 1600 sq. ft. house.  It was lovely when we purchased it 19 years ago.   The layout is perfect for me- second story, separate dinette where the dogs spend most of their time, high ceiling in the living room making it look bigger than it really is.  The coziness of my home is comforting.  The lack of storage space is not.  For years, my crafting supplies were crammed into every spare nook and cranny.  When I started looking at storage solutions, there weren't many that could help.  My only spare space was in what should be my dinning room- one third of the living room space which has high ceilings, but is a narrow space.  It also meant that my craft storage would be seen from the front door by anyone who walked into my house and by anyone who I had the great fortune of entertaining.

You might agree with me that most craft storage would not work. Nothing plastic (ughhh!), or colorful or even utilitarian no matter how useful was going to "fit" into my space. I really struggled for several months. Money was extremely tight and I just kept at it, saving my pennies and hoping for an inspiration. That inspiration came at the 2010 CK Scrapbook convention in the form of an energetic gentleman at the Original ScrapBox booth. He showed me the big WorkBox with two doors full of space and when I explained my tight situation he mentioned that he even had a MiniBox. All of these different storage solutions had lovely wood doors that shut away the mess. I left the booth with stars in my eyes imaging all the nooks and crannies my craft supplies would come pouring out of should a ScrapBox arrive at my house.

I was so serious that I had my hubby come to the convention the next day and see for himself.  He agreed that this was just the right combination of style and storage.  He even agreed (see- he notices more than I think) that the MiniBox was just too small and that we should target the full size WorkBox.  Thus began my penny saving in earnest.  It took me several months, practically no trips out for dinner and certainly no new clothes, but later in the year I was the proud owner of a cherry wood veneer WorkBox.

To say I love my ScrapBox- that is an understatement.  To say it is the perfect storage solution for me- that is even more of an understatement.  Everything about this system is perfect for me.  I no longer have craft storage anywhere else. 

All my sewing supplies are inside this box. All my supplies for kids crafts are inside this box.  All the supplies that I use to create stuff for Sunday school are in this box.  No more hiding places.  Another great thing about my ScrapBox is that I know where stuff is.  There are labeling places on each bin.  I haven't got around to actually inserting a label mainly because I can remember where stuff is.  Have I mentioned how cool my ScrapBox is?

The simple fact of the matter is that my ScrapBox is equal to the kind and customer-oriented service provided by the folks over at The Original ScrapBox.  When my crates arrived (we elected to save some dollars and assemble the box ourselves), I began hopping around exclaiming, "Put it together, put it together!" while clapping my hands loudly.  It didn't take Dan long to actually get the box constructed.  However, when we attempted to install the wood veneers on the doors (the lovely cherry wood facade) it became clear that the veneer

was warped and would never assemble correctly.  Since it was the weekend, we schemed all weekend how we were going to ensure that this company made good on our problem.  To our surprise and pleasure, the response from customer service was immediate and efficient.  There was no questions or investigation...just a polite "Where can we send the replacement?"  and "Of course, Mr. Miller that shipment will be a no charge to you."  My replacement veneer was installed in just a few short weeks. 

Fast forward to the CK convention this year.  The same nice man who talked me into a ScrapBox gave me this Ribbon Box for free!  For Free!  It holds 27 rolls of ribbon.  It even stores a multitude of flat-wrapped, packaged ribbon.  I promptly installed this box onto one of the shelves of my Scrapbox.  Now, I am even more organized.  I know!  I didn't think that was possible either!

The prices are not small.  However, this is a piece of furniture in my living room.  Paper crafting and all other sorts of crafty stuff is a part of who I am.  I will always accumulate some stash of craft supplies, whether they are properly organized or not.  Having my stash organized and available, yet shut away for Sunday night Bible study is part of what allows me to create beautiful cards and other crafts on very short notice.  From that standpoint, I consider the cost of my ScrapBox small in comparison.  Check them out!  http://theoriginalscrapbox.com/

Andie