Kimono Card

My son's girlfriend is from the west coast and she is half Japanese. Given her heritage, I made this kimono card for her upcoming birthday. I chose this paper because it had such a vibrant graphic. I went on Youtube and found some videos on how to make a card in the shape of a kimono. I ended up by modifying what I saw to give this card its clean lines. I found this fabulous organza sheer fushia ribbon and I think it really works well here. You will see on the back view of the card that I used a simple soft knot to tie the ribbon and hope that it resembles the traditional kimono belt or obi. I then outlined the card with black marker and added a bit of bling to the front. I will add my personal birthday message in white gel pen on the black cardstock liner with instructions to pull it up to read the message.

Hope you like this project. Another post is coming on Wednesday, November 30th.

Give Thanks

Challenge #51 at Cricut Cardz Challenge this week is to create a Thanksgiving card using any cartridge but with only using blue, brown, orange, yellow and white. I started off with the designer paper that had interesting words that appealed to me such as "share", "live", "laugh" and so on.

I cut a tag from the Tags, Bags, Boxes and More Cricut cartridge and using my new Cri-kit gel pens I added the phrase "give thanks" from the Plantin Schoolbook Cricut cartridge. This card is a modern take on the typical Thanksgiving card. Hope you like it!

I Have a New Look!

I have been working lately to find a new blog design and template that best suits me. I wanted something that was modern, simple and yet chic. This is what I came up with and I hope you like the new format. I really like it better than my last background but I'm still debating on whether I will keep looking for something else. It's like a new pair of shoes...after the initial "Wow - I love it", you have to try it on for size and comfort before you decide to keep it! I'd appreciate your comments on my new look.

Think Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month? There are numerous fund raising events, marathon races and get togethers to bring this important message to both men and women. Breast cancer is one of the more treatable cancers if detected and treated early. That is why you must discuss your risk factors with your doctor, participaate in sceening programs and make sure that breast self examination is done regularly.

Challenge #47 at Cricut Cardz Challenge that started on October 20th is to make a card with the theme of breast cancer awareness. My "Think Pink" card started off with these words being cut from the Plantin Schoolbook Cricut cartridge. As I didn't have any high heel shoe image on any of my cartridges, I found one in the Make the Cut software files. I cut the lady's shoe using soft pink cardstock then added pink gross grain ribbon and rhinestone. This was added to black cardstock layered onto a pink card.

We'd love to see your own cards for this theme. Come and join us at Cricut Cardz Challenge!

Thanksgiving Card Challenge

Cricut Cardz Challenge #45 that started on Wednesday, October 6th, is to make a card for Thanksgiving, using any cartridge or colour you like. This is just in time for Thanksgiving in Canada on October 11th and early for the U.S. celebration at the end of November.

For my card I scoured my Cricut cartridges for leaves and cut different ones from the Stretch Your Imagination, Designer's Calendar and Plantin Schoolbook cartridges. I used ivory cardstock and very lightly patterned designer paper and then used watercolor pencils to fill in the leaves. By using a blender pen on the leaves I was able to create very muted tones of green, orange and red. After curling the leaves, I glued them on to a cardstock circle and added a chocolate satin bow. It was my intention to use this as a placecard for Thanksgiving after adding the guest's name to the wreath but then I remembered that the Challenge was to make a card. I took the wreath and added it to the front of some kraft cardstock before adding the banner that says, "Happy Thanksgiving".

Hop on over to Cricuts Cardz Challenge and see that other crafters are up to. Bye for now.

Fall Cards

The weather is getting cooler at nights and the leaves are starting to turn. Pumpkins have been harvested and children are excited at getting ready for Halloween. To me, it looks and feels like fall. I found this fabulous paper with large pumpkins so I made this card which I then mounted on kraft card stock. This was a 5"x5" card so I could highlight several pumpkins. I applied gold Stickles to the stems but unfortunately the photo doesn't do justice to the final project. The card looked way more impressive.

The second card was one that I put together from paper scraps. I cut the tree from my Serenade Cricut cartridge from woodgrain pattern paper and added some seasonal stickers from a paper pack that I got from Michaels. Hemp string was used instead of ribbon.

I am currently making some Thanksgiving cards which I will showcase soon.

Baby Giraffe Card

Cricut Cardz Challenge #43 that started on Wednesday, September 22nd is to make a card for a new baby using any cartridge but using green, orange, yellow and white ONLY. Well, I wanted to put a small twist on the usual pastel cards and make something a little different. I started out by selecting the cardstock in olive green which complements the lemon yellow that I used as a plaque on the front and inside the card. I then cut a giraffe from the New Arrival Cricut cartridge in an orange patterned paper and added googly eyes to give the image a bit of whimsy. The adjacent tree is cut from the Serenade cartridge in a green tone on tone paper. I cut an oral shape on the front large enough to accommodate the giraffe's head which now peaks through the hole. The yellow rectangle on the front was stamped with a large "Baby dear" stamp and Momento Tuxedo Black ink. The card was edged with white gel pen as was the yellow sentiment box. A lovely orange/green satin bow really brought the whole card to life.

I hope you like this non-traditional baby card. It goes to show you that with a little thought, cards can be a little different from the usual. Why not join us at Cricut Cardz Challenge and get your Cricut in gear. I know you'll have fun doing it.