{ Boo ...and Stuff }

Well, I have been creating...just not posting! This is a slide show of 4 Halloween cards and one Thanksgiving card.

{ Photographing Your Projects }

I know when I started attempting to post pics of my work on websites I was so intimidated! Everyone else's work looked so much more professional than mine. I had no idea where to look for tips. Well, I have now found it!!!! Amy Sheffer gives some great ideas on Splitcoaststampers.com:

HTDT? 7.22.09 Photographing Your Papercrafting Projects

Happy pic taking!

{ If You Were a Crocodile, You'd be a Handbag by Now! }

I can't get enough of Minnie's purse on the Mickey and Friends cart! To create this card, I welded two 6 inch purses together in CDS (the bases only, not the straps). The croc-embossed paper is from Anna Griffin's Peyton line. Its fairly thin, so I cut the welded piece on brown CS and then again on the croc paper.




Once I adhered the croc paper to the CS (using dry adhesive), I gently pried the croc paper away from the CS at the top of the purse and poked a small length of tulle between the two layers. Once I was satisfied with the way the tulle looked, I squeezed a little liquid glue in between the layers to secure it. This is the view of the card from more of a side angle:




I added some grosgrain ribbon and a buckle from Hobby Lobby to the front of the card and accented the buckle with a single pink Bling.

{ If You've Got It...Flaunt It! }

I was inspired by THIS card by KaseyCardy to make my own Bikini Card. The 'top' is the only element cut on the Cricut and it is flocked pp from Anna Griffin's Peyton line. I used a 2-inch circle punch to create the curvy sides and the neckline...as well as the leg holes (I don't know what else to call them...lol)

All in all, a very easy card! Have a great day!

{Bigger is Not Always Better! }

Really!

I have been intrigued with the idea of 'inchies' for a few weeks now. What are they? What are the rules? ...and maybe most importantly, What do you use them for? Answers...

~ They are one inch pieces of Art
~ The size is the only Rule
~ You can use them on Cards and Layouts, collect them, or trade them!

People seem to be talking more and more about recycling, saving money...or, at the very least, not spending MORE money. I think this is where 'inchies' are very exciting. You can create a one-inch-by-one-inch project using a scrap and a single flower, dew drop or scrap of ribbon! Once you do that, you can design a card around that one 'inchie'. Or, you can create several 'inchies' in the same colors, pattern or theme and use those on a card or Layout!

If you are not opposed to a small, 'inchie'-related investment (this is SO me...'but, it will help me use my scraps!'), there are products on the Market designed just for 'inchies'. 'Inchie' blanks are 1-inch black squares and 1-inch white squares you can use to start your 'inchie' project or shadow it once its complete. Inkadinkadoo (and others) make 1-inch Stamps...yes...'inchie' stamps! How cool is that??!! I know people have the Fear of Stamping (you know who you are, lol)...what a great way to conquer that fear! Its just a 1-inch stamp! No fear allowed!! (Ok, getting off soapbox before I crush it...)

Here is my first 'Inchie' Creation:




I used Cosmo Cricket's new Early Bird Line on this simple, but eye-catching card and coordinating Envelope. My 'inchies' are red CS squares topped with a flower cut from the Home Decor Cricut cartridge, which are evenly spaced on a strip of blue/green CS. I placed the strip on a polka dot tree (lol) from the Wild Card Cart....which ties the card to the Envelope. I inked everything fairly heavily in brown and added a jute bow to finish it!

Have a great day!

{ Got Pinwheel? }

There is a card on the Wild Card Cricut cartridge that is called a 'Pinwheel'. The outline looked like Swiss cheese to me, but someone on the Cricut MB made and posted one and I was totally inspired! The card has a wheel that you can turn...and on the wheel you can put different sentiments. I decided to use some Cosmo Cricut PP that was bright and cheery! This is the entire card...the first sentiment on the wheel is 'You're absolutely Fabulous!'




Then you turn the wheel and it says 'No--Seriously, you are!'...and the last turn reveals 'Thanks for being...YOU!'



Instructions: I cut the Card at 7" and it measures 5" X 7". I cut both the frame and the wheel at that setting, as well. I created my sentiments in Word, punched them out with a 1 1/8" circle punch and adhered them to the wheel once it was in place. Due to that, I needed a 'spacer' between the wheel and the Card so the wheel would turn properly. I cut a 3/4" chipboard circle and it worked perfectly. I cut my 'stem' using Plantin Schoolbook (Shift/Tall Ball/Zigzag) at 1", which is the width. A tiny heart-shaped Making Memories brad holds it all together.

{ Congrat-Shoe-lations }

I was inspired by LauraCrumpacker on the Cricut MB (my new obsession) to make this fabulous shoe and gift bag! The shoe is created using a template from Carlos N. Molina. His website is pretty interesting and he provides both a template and a video for his little shoe. Its surprisingly easy to make!! He also does a purse, but I chose to make mine using the Plantin Schoolbook cart.



The PP for both the shoe and the bag are Kimberly Poloson...and they are truly beautiful. I cut my bag from Bazzill CS on my Cricut and then measured and cut pieces of the PP to cover it. I also cut the tag from the PSB cart. The ribbon for the shoe is actually from Wal-Mart...I bought it separately, for another project!! I hand-cut the butterfly from the PP, backed it with CS, rolled up the wings and added a dew drop.

I know I will be making more shoe/bag combos in the future! TFL!