Fun Weekend Ahead!

Yes!  Got a fun weekend planned.  On Friday morning I'm going to be joining Ellen, with some of her family and friends for a scrapping weekend at her mom's place in the Poconos!  I'm very excited to get a way to do some scrapping and cardmaking AND socializing... some of my very favorite things... and with Ellen, so that makes it all the more fun!  I starting packing up my stuff last night and I think I just may need a truck (which I do not have) to haul it all.  It's hard packing for these things... never want to leave anything behind  that may be of importance, ya know! 

So anyway, in my last post I said that I submitted to the DT call for Couture Cardstock... well the nervousness has finally set in!  But, in all actuality, the nerves set in from the moment I hit send on my entries.  I'm not good at waiting, patience is definitely something I lack, lol!  What makes this all the more difficult is that there is kind of a two step process involved to their dt selection.  First they will be selecting 3 finalists for each of the 4 positions they are looking to fill (layout designer, card designer, altered art designer and an SVG/GSD file designer).  Then each finalist will be shipped a paper pack from Couture Cardstock, and they will have a week to complete 1 additional  project in according to their guidelines using their paper products.  So like I said, there's a lot of waiting involved.  I'm really anxious to know if I'll be lucky enough to be one of the finalists.  So I wait, and continue to think positive thoughts :)  Not easy... at all!

Thought I'd do some more sharing of some projects that I did a little while ago.  Seems I never did get my dt work posted here on my blog from the final month of my first year with CreativeXpress and these were definitely some of my favorites, so I'd really like to show them off a little bit more.  And speaking of which, I just got my new assignment to start off my second year of CX designing, so I'm getting eager to start creating for that some this weekend while I'm scrapping a way in the Poconos! Just got my big box of goodies delivered to my doorstep today so now I'm raring to scrap! 
For this grouping of assignments I worked with the Stand & Salute Cricut Cartridge and I designed a layout and 2 card designs.  Truth be told, I wasn’t real sold on this particular image cartridge at first glance from the front and back covers. However, when I opened the box and took the time to flip through the booklet, I realized the potential that this cart held and that there was much more aside from military images that this could be utilized for. Now that I’m familiar with this cart, I love to go back to it and I love using it. This cart can be used for 4th of July projects, boy themed projects, heritage themes, and even as I’ve discovered... presidential themes. This was the perfect cart for me to use to help me design a 2 page layout to cover this past year’s Presidential election!  Since this is also one of my current favorite layouts, I also decided to include this in my entry for the Couture Cardstock DT call. 
“Change Has Come to America” scrapbook layout.

On the night of the 2008 Presidential election, I took various photos of the events transpiring via our TV. Being that this election captured our family’s attention and I wanted to document this historic event, I was waiting for the perfect design idea to come to mind before attempting to scrapbook these photos. As soon as I had the “Stand & Salute” cart in hand and had the chance to look through the cart’s image content, I quickly realized there were plenty of images that fit the bill for the perfect Presidential election layout. After seeing the map of “red and blue states” flashed across the TV screen numerous times during the election process, I decided a large map image spanning a 2 page spread background would be most appropriate! I cut the USA map shape as well as it’s shadow both out at 21 ¼”.

The patterned papers that I used for this layout were from BasicGrey’s Boxer collection and from Kaiser’s Thrill Seeker line. The Thrill Seeker line is a boy oriented collection with bold red, white and blue patterns that worked perfectly into a patriotic theme such as this scrapbook layout. The star border that spans across the entire 2 pages, was also a border cut from this cart. I cut the border star size at 1 ¼”.

(Click on photo for larger image)-

I was thrilled to see an eagle image available on this cart, and I knew I wanted to include one here on my layout, so I googled an image of the “Presidential Seal” and I challenged myself to replicate one as close as I could. I loved how mine turned out and it was fun to create! The eagle was cut out at 2 ½”, whereas the shield image that I also applied to the eagle was cut at ¾”.   .The wings I embossed with my Cuttlebug Script emboss folder, and I strategically placed the portion of the eagle's head between the Swiss Dots folder, as to emboss an eye for him, lol!

Here's another detail photo of the title-work for the page...

The stars in the background were also embossed with the Cuttlebug, and it's one of their newer folders that I LOVE!   For the title “Change Has Come to America”, I used the Cricut Calligraphy Collection cart. I used the Matrimony font for “Change” and cut to size at 1 ¾” . The Jack Sprat font was used to cut “has come to” at 1”, and “America” was cut out at ¾”, using the Italic Monotype font. The banners used in the title were also images cut from the Stand & Salute cart. These were cut at 2” and 1”. The details of this spread were embellished with faux-stitching and a spritzing of Old Lace and Sapphire Glimmer Mists. I finished off the layout with some information about the election which were computer journaled and arranged into strips.

And now here are the two cards I made... the first one, a card that can be used for a favorite son... even a military son.
“My Hero” card.

To make this card, I was inspired by a sheet of the Kaiser Thrill Seeker paper (#P218 Prankster) which included a full sheet of various sized quotes pertaining to boys, sons, etc. I selected a quote to use for my card and cut it out from the sheet. I then chose to use the “My Hero” phrase from the Stand & Salute cart to correspond with the quote. I love my Glimmer Mist sprays and wanted to try a stamping technique with them on my card. So I cut out the “My Hero” phrase at 1 ½” onto a piece of plain white cardstock. To prepare my “stamp”, I flipped over the phrase image and sprayed it generously with my Burnt Red Glimmer Mist. Making sure the ink was saturated enough, but with no dripping, I then turned the phrase back over to the front side and then positioned it on top of another plain piece of white cardstock which will be used on the card front. Next, lay a scrap piece of paper over top of the phrase and begin to press and rub over the entire phrase image. Lift up and the result is a clean “stamped” image of the phrase for the card. I then embossed this piece with the distressed stripes Cuttlebug folder before adhering to the card. The rest of the card was dressed up with a medal star border, a banner and a mini star, all cut using the Stand & Salute cart.

My second card is basically just a fun, all occassion card that I came up with...
“Star Square motif” card

I also played with my Glimmer Mists for this one!  It incorporates a “masking” technique which I find to be really cool to do... especially on smaller surface areas such as cards! To create my mask, I simply selected my square star motif from the Stand and Salute cart and cut it out 9 x’s at 1 ½” each. I applied the 2 Way Zig glue to the backs of each star cut-out and let them dry till they were tacky. If you do this, the pieces will adhere to whatever it is you want, but they will be easily removable. So when the stars were good and tacky from drying, I then arranged them onto the front of my turquoise card the way I liked. Once this is done, I was ready to spray on my Burnt Red Glimmer Mist to entirely cover the design on the front of the card. After making sure to let the spray dry completely, you can then begin to lift away your “masked” areas to reveal your masked card design. I really enjoyed the result of the Burnt Red Glimmer Mist on top of the turquoise cardstock because the color of the mist appeared to take on a wonderful Copper tone. I then finished off my card by applying turquoise blue jewels to the centers of each masked star image.

And before I head out for the night, just also wanted to let you all know that I'm happy to have had another card of mine picked up for publication in CARDS magazine again!  It'll be for the April issue, so now I can look forward to that too! 
Hope you enjoyed my CX projects that I shared and even better, I hope that you all have as great a weekend as I'm going to have...  can't wait til Friday! :)

A Card Challenge and a New Cardstock Company!

Hey there!  What's going on with everyone in blogland today?  Me?  I'm taking a break from some of the house-cleaning... do ya blame me? ;) Lol! I'll get back to all that soon enough. 

I just took photos of a card that I finished up this morning for a new Christmas card sketch challenge over on the BoBunny blog that's still currently going on, until the 15th I think.  I just got a sheet of this BoBunny Tis The Season Snowflake paper so I thought I'd play along in order to push me to start those holiday cards that need made... one down, 30 + more to go probably... hmmm, maybe more!  I guess I should sit down and construct a list.  I usually make all my Christmas cards the same for everyone, but I'm thinking this year I may just try to make a variety.  Anywho, here's the sketch and my version...

I also just got my order of the latest Holiday Cuttlebug Embossing folders that I ordered from HSN, and they are a beautiful set. I used the new 5x7 snowflake background for the square block background frame on this card... misted with my favorite Old Lace Glimmer Mist.  The tree is a BoBunny rub-on which I placed on the backside of the BoBunny snowflake pp, cut it out and then pop-dotted the tree to the card.  I then used Baby Blue Stickles to bling out the tree and the Thicker letters.  Gotta say, I love this color-combo for Christmas! 

So have all the crafters out there heard the good news yet about a new "cardstock" company that just debuted this month?  I don't know about the rest of you, but a girl can never have enough cardstock... kinda like clothes and shoes!  I found out about them through a post on 2Peas and I went to check out the site and their new product, and I was very impressed with the variety.  The company is called Couture Cardstock, and it all definitely looks to be top-notch and great quality.  I haven't tried any of their cardstock yet, but I was investigating the closest place to where I am that is carrying it, and I haven't found anywhere under 200 miles yet, so I guess I'll be resorting to on-line ordering!  But that's okay!  Even more good news is that Couture Cardstock is holding a Design Team call right now!!  I usually don't like to put out and admit to  applying  for a certain dt call, particularly because I don't like to jinx myself in front of the whole crafting universe, but this time I will whole-heartedly say that I wasted no time in getting together my entries for Couture Cardstock!  The possibility of designing for this new company really excites me so I'm not gonna hide that I'm keeping my fingers, toes and everything else I can cross, crossed!  Well, if you haven't already heard of CC before this, do check em' out!  Their site is beautiful, and there's many wonderful projects and layouts uploaded over there from the ladies who are currently already on board with the dt, Alyssa and Heidi.  

Okay, my work hiatus is over... time to get back to the boring stuff, lol!  Catch ya all later and enjoy your evening!   

Plagued By Would'ves and Should'ves!

It seems like it's constant for me.  Today, November 7th, happens to be another anniversary dated on the calendar... another one of those "dreaded" anniversaries that I need to recall now with unease.  One of those days where I sit here and think to myself, "Yes, today she should've been here celebrating her 1st Birthday... if only she would've been born around her exact due-date.  I should've had a cake ready for her to smash to smithereens, lol!   I would've thrown her the most girly pink party that I could!  It just  makes it all the more difficult to loose a baby prematurely, because not only do I grieve the day she came and left us early, but I also suffer through the day she should've been born.  And then of course I go through these anniversaries with Ava too... and our first baby as well.  I don't know if this ever gets easier, but I assume it doesn't.  I just know that I will get through these moments of complete sadness and helplessness. I have to.  The "would'ves and should've's"... they are all a part of me now.  All I can say is today hasn't been the best day for me... it's hard to celebrate my beautiful angel, Amelia through all my tears.  I would give anything to be holding my Amelia today on her Birthday, but I know who's arms she's in now... and that's a good thing!  I didn't mean for this post to be a Debbie-Downer, it's just that well, today these feelings I have just can't escape me... please understand! 

Okay, onto the rest of my day... hmmm, what have I been up to?  Besides, freezing?!  Yes, it is rather frigid!  I even have a little space heater placed in front of me trying to help keep me warm.  It's not even December yet, and I'm already cryin' over the cold.  Lord, help me!  I've been tryin' to scrap today... even linked up most of my carts to my Gypsy finally, so I've been playin' around with that some too.  Earlier this week I was busy  creating card designs and I made several to submit to the April 2010 call for CARDS magazine.  Soo, I really hope I have something to toot about in the coming days, because I'd really love for CARDS to pick up some more of my designs! I have really loved card-making lately, and have actually been doing more with cards than with scrapping.   And while on the subject of cards, I just bought the most awesome new punch the other week and I've used it a TON on my cards, on my pages...everything!  Here it is...
 

It's the large scallop with embossed edges border punch from EK Success!  I am totally head over heels for this tool, and if you don't already have one and you are a scallop lover, you MUST go get yourself one!  Like NOW!  Yes, I am enabling you all... you have my permission.  Here's a peek at one of the cards I did using it, but it's not a very good shot because I see it doesn't really show off the embossing on it all too well, but it does have a cool embossed edge on the scalloping...

ETA: I know this was only a sneak peek, but it happens to be for the card that was just requested for the April 2010 issue of CARDS magazine... Yay!!

I just can't say enough about my new favorite punch!  It just makes me happy to finally be able to punch out cute quick scallops! 

Ok, in my last post I showed you all a sneak peek of a page that I was working on using Webster's Pages for the very first time... remember this?

Well, I finished it up!  I must say, I really loved working with these papers (even if they are older Webster's papers) and I'll certainly be on the look out for more now!

Here are some more detail shots with the journaling... and remember you can click on the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks so much for looking and for visiting my blog... I always appreciate it :) 

Much love to you all!