MyGrafico Challenge No # 72: Owl Test Tubes and Holder

Hi Dandi Crafters! This week over at the MyGrafico Challenge Blog today's challenge is, "to bling it up". The Design Team members and I got to use the oh so cute Halloween Owls by JW Illustrations. Be sure to check out all the designers at MyGrafico.

I decided to make a test tube holder. it came out pretty cute. It was more of a hybrid project. I designed a test tube holder and then cut it out with my SCAL enabled Cricut. I think it came out pretty cute. Whata think?

MyGrafico Challenge No # 71: Have A Egg-cellent Day!

Hi Dandi Crafters! This week over at the MyGrafico Challenge Blog today's challenge is, " to emboss". The Design Team members and I got to use Breakfast by JW Illustrations. We also worked with Falling for Autumn Paper Pack by Cupcake Cuties. Be sure to check out all the designers at MyGrafico.

I made a fun little card. I used an A2 card that I had and covered it with the yummy Autumn Papers. I then added a yellow ribbon and 3 sunny side up eggs, one with bling. I printed out Have An Egg-cellent Day on my computer and used my SCAL enabled Cricut to cut out the pennant flag. I used the Cricut Storybook Cartridge for the E. It is just a fun card.

MyGrafico Challenge No # 70: Now And Then We Go To Disney Layout

Hi Dandi Crafters! Over at the MyGrafico Challenge Blog today's challenge is, "Anything Goes". The Design Team members and I used Clocks and Watches by Sara Paris. We also worked with Cross Hatched Paper by Woofy World. Be sure to check out all the designers at MyGrafico.

I found the theme of the digital stamps and papers really enjoyable use. Time is not a subject that I scrap about or even really think about as theme. However, it is the passing of time, to treasure a moment in time, that drives the whole scrapbooking industry.

My husband and I have gone to Disney World throughout our entire relationship. It was one of the first trips we took together as a couple when we started dating. We got married at Disney World and honeymooned there. We went to Disney when I was pregnant with every single one of my 4 kids. and took each one back before they were 1 and have taken them pretty much every year since.

Most people think of Disney World as timeless and never changing. I however think of Disney as a member of the family and see it  much as I do my children and my marriage, forever changing and growing and developing through phases. One of my favorite things to do when we go to Disney World every year is look and see how the castle has changed. I have seen the castle with a lot of different looks, sort of like my boys with their hair cuts. LOL That is why I did a layout of Cinderella's Castle as it appeared in July 2010 and in June of 2005.

MyGrafico Challenge No # 69: Under The Big Top

Hi Dandi Crafters! Come One, Come All, to the Greatest MyGrafico Challenge Blog. Today's challenge, "Pop It Up" add some dimension to your Card or LO or Altered item
The Design Team members and I used Joyful Clowns Stamp by Delik Design Studio. We also worked with Circus Paper Pack by Cupcake Cuties. Be sure to check out all the designers at MyGrafico.

A challenge, that is putting it mildly! Clowns and Circus that is not the type of challenge that would normally gravitate to. That is exactly why I like being a design team. I can stretch and grow and be challenged out of my comfort zone! "What the heck am I going to do for this challenge, probably an uninspiring card." Those were my first thoughts. After panic past I came up with a FANTASTIC idea. I honestly don't know how I came up with this idea. LOL it is like an ace crafter possessed me for this challenge. LOL. This idea wasn't scrap lifted. I am not saying that there isn't other cards out there similar to this one, there might be. I just haven't seen them that I can recall.

I scored and folded yellow card stock to form a the base of the card and use the Seeing Spots Embossing Folder to give it some texture. I then used my SCAL enabled Cricut to cut out the tent top from the Circus Paper Pack. The tent top was created in the image editor. I also cut out a yellow tent to form the tent base of my card. I used pop dots to get the red tent raised some so the sliding doors could pass unhindered by the tent top and scalloped awning. The doors are just 2 card stock pieced folded over the yellow base card so they would slide. I used circles cut in yellow for the awning. I embellished the doors with red polka dot grosgrain ribbon, yellow buttons and red rhinestones adding more dimension. I used SCAL to cut out the Hooray pennant flag. The pole the tip of a bamboo skewer painted white. I also used scal to cut out the clowns so they would have a sticker look to them. I then used pop dots to add them to the front of the tent. I used my image editor to create the inside stamp sentiment. I don't know if this is the best card I ever made but it is certainly the best card I ever designed....LOL

MyGrafico Challenge No # 68: Bewitching Candy Treat Folder

Hi Dandi Crafters! You'll be bewitched by today's challenge over at MyGrafico Challenge Blog. Today's challenge, "Anything Goes" except a card. Hey mine's not a card it's a FOLDER, a candy folder...What you never heard of that before. Of course you haven't I just made it up. LOL
The Design Team members and I usedLittle Witch by Clip Art and Scrap. We also worked with Halloween Cuties Paper by Goodness and Fun. Be sure to check out all the designers at MyGrafico.

I just want to get it out before you say hey you made that backwards. It isn't backwards in this house. Although my husband and myself are righties, 3 of our 4 kids are lefties. That's right half the population in this house is left handed. This actually went into my little girls lunch as a surprise and she is one of the lefties.
Isn't it cute, that little witch stamp is super cute. I used 2 pieces of card stock and printed each one with a pattern paper added the little witch stamp then cut it. I embossed the inside paper with the cuttlebug. Then I put the non printed sides together and glued. Before I sealed each side I placed a ribbon in each side. I cut a little strip of card stock and used double sided tape to hold the Reese's Cup and slide the Reese's Cup in. EASY-PEASY, WEASY!

MyGrafico Challenge No # 67: Whoo Loves You With Fall Treats

Hi Dandi Crafters! You'll Fall Head Over Hills for today's challenge over at MyGrafico Challenge Blog. For today's challenge we did some paper piecing.

The Design Team members and I could be spotted using Dotted Line Paper by Dotted Daisy. We also worked with Mod Owls by Cocoa Studios. Be sure to check out all the designers at MyGrafico.

I saw this project over at Crafting with Class awhile ago and had been meaning to try it for sometime. I thought that this would be a PERFECT time to give it ago. It came out so cute. I really liked the aluminum foil from last week so I used it again this week for a tag and glued Whoo Love You to it. I love the color of the grosgrain ribbon. It looks really cute on the brown. I printed one owl out on white card stock and then cut it out in an scalloped oval shape using my Cricut Storybook Cartridge. I did the same with the brown scalloped oval. I used pop dots on each layer. I then cut out the top part of another owl and put it on pop dots. I cut 2 swirls from Cricut Solutions Cartridge Home Decor for fun accents. I did run my white card stock through the printer twice so I could have double sided card stock. I think the turquoise and yellow dotted line papers are a great contrast to each other.

Are you wondering what is inside? Fall Treats of course. Yum!

Be sure to check out Crafting with Class for great instructions on how to make this box!

MyGrafico Challenge No # 66: Wild Wild West Little Buckaroo Card

Hi Dandi Crafters! Today over at the MyGrafico Challenge Blog we have wild challenge for you, Wild West Challenge that is. Today's challenge is to use some metal and our inspiration are these wild papers and stamp quotes:

The Design Team members and I used Western Bandana Papers by Cupcake Cuties. We also worked with a Wild West Stamps by Tainted Sweets. Be sure to check out all the designers at MyGrafico.

I don't have alot of metal for crafting. If I looked around I probably have more than I think I have, but when someone says, "Use metal", I don't think, "Oh I have lots of that." What I always have is aluminum foil and last time I took chemistry that was a metal...LOL Don't believe me stick it in the microwave.
Disclaimer: (Please don't really stick it in the microwave. It is dangerous. The disclaimer is there in case a moron happens by my blog. LOL hehehe) I glued some aluminum foil to card stock and cut the aluminum card stock out using my cricut. I made the sherrif's badge up on the fly, cutting it out using SCAL. The circle is just a shape that SCAL has in it. Next I ran it through the cuttlebug machine using the Perfectly Paisley embossing folder to give it some way fun texture. Wow did that liven up the aluminum card stock. I took the circle and stamped some ink on it. That was a fun effect. I then printed off some gingham card stock and ran it through the crimper. To me bandanna and gingham just go together. I have tons of gingham colors sitting on my computer. I don't buy gingham paper because gingham paper has to be the right size for each project or it looks out of place in a hurry and, two because gingham is so easy to make in whatever color you need it is really a waste of money to buy it unless of course it comes in a stack of paper. Lastly I used the cute little buckaroo stamp. Since it was a digital stamp, I dirted up the background with some grunge brushes I had. After printing it, I cut out the sentiment with the cuttlebug using the celebration stamps that came with it.

MyGrafico Challenge No # 65: Beach Theme Beach Invitation

Hi Dandi Crafters. We are not quite ready to say good bye to summer just yet. We have time for one more beach bash over at the MyGrafico Challenge Blog. This week we are working with fun and sunny Beach Time Papers by Lily Bimble. We also worked with a Pocket Full of Shells that capture the imagination by Cheri Wenger. Be sure to check out all the designers at MyGrafico

This is the front of a little beach party invitation. The inside contains the party details. The card front has the beach word cut out in the blue hibiscus flower paper from Beach Time papers. I used my SCAL enabled Cricut to cut out beach on the invitation. I then cut out the word Beach in the pink hibiscus flower paper and laid them on top. I used a stamp shell from Pocket Full of Shells and repeated the pattern for a cute little frame effect. Since the card itself has a cut out I used some solid paper yellow card stock and ran it through the Cuttlebug Machine. I then added some turquoise ink to it for accent.

MyGrafico Challenge No # 64 : Back (pack) To School

Hi Dandi Crafters! It is back to school time at the MyGrafico Challenge Blog.

This week we got our inspiration from designers Cupcake Cutiees using School Paper Pack and Kelly Medina using Back to School Days Pop over to MyGrafico and see all the Back To School goodies.

I decided this Back To School Challenge was perfect for a backpack. Splitcoaststampers has had tutorial for a cute backpack pack for a quite awhile. I always wanted to try it however when I looked at the tutorial a bit closer I realized that the finished project is quite small only about 4 inches high or so when finished. I wanted to be able to put somethings in my finished backpack so instead I decided to come up with my own version of the backpack. My backpack as shown here is about 7 inches high, 5 inches wide and 2.5 inches deep. My design also allows me to make it a bit bigger at about 8.75 inchs tall if I choose to I used my SCAL enabled Cricut to cut out the pattern after I drew it in my vector program. I used the School Paper Pack Apple Papers for the flaps and Back to School Days school pencils to help decorate it. All the apple die cuts are from Cricut Cartridge Doodle Charms. I love that apple.

I took some apple grosgrain ribbon and used if for the backpack straps.

There you have it one too cute, gotta take it to school backpack!

MyGrafico Challenge No # 63 : Halloween Apple Brothers Stamp :Trick or Treat Night

Hi Dandi Crafters! Don't get spooked but this week over at MyGrafico Challenge Blog we turn our attention to Halloween. LOL I just love this darling Halloween Apple Brothers Stamp by Cherie Reve.

You can check out the whole gallery of talented artist at MyGrafico.
The reason I loved working with this whimsical stamp so much, is that I have 3 boys close in age and when they were little I used to dress them in matching and coordinating outfits all the time. This brought back fun memories of those days.
I enjoyed making this card. I do want to say however that the card layout is scrap lifted from someone. I apologize I did not taking note of who's blog it was. If it is your card I scrap lifted email me and I will definitely give you credit for the layout. Not everything is exactly the same but enough of it that I feel I needed to give credit, just wish I remembered to who....LOL
All the pattern paper is my original designs. I have to say to those of you that buy and USE pretty pattern paper and card stock. I admire you. I only buy it. I can't bring myself to use pattern paper that I buy. I am guessing that it is because if I use it then I won't have it in the future when that perfect project comes along that I need it for....LOL Yes, yes I do know rationally that the perfect project I am saving it for will NEVER come along but scraptionally (like my word, just made it up feel free to use it. LOL. It means scrap rationality. Which we all know is something entirely different that rationality.ROTFLMBO) I can't bring myself to part with the pattern paper, to take scissors to it, to give it the honor of being placed on my Cricut mat for cutting. LOL ....Anyway back to the pattern paper. I think harlequin paper is just so fun for Halloween, don't you. Polka dot paper is great for every occasion. The orange pumpkin paper was just a no brainer for the card, although it was a multicolor paper I added an effect to make it a monochromatic. What about that spooky tree isn't it cute. It is from Cricut Cartridge Paper Doll Dress up page 52, accessories 3 with shift applied. I then added black glitter paste. Hey if I didn't add glitter paste to it how else would you know it's me...LOL I added it this time not so much to make it sparkley but to give it some spooky texture. I then added a few little rhinestones just for fun. And there you go one cute halloween card!

MyGrafico Challenge No # 62 Monkey Fun Stamp : Go Wild

Hi Dandi Crafters! It is Wednesday, and that means it is time to head over to MyGrafico to get ready for this weeks challenge. There is lots of inspiration this week over at the MyGrafico Challenge Blog. This week is anything goes. We are using these Monkey Fun Stamps by Primsy Doodle.

They are so cute, I knew immediately what paper I was going to use when I saw the digital stamps. I made the monkey paper and plaid paper last April and knew it would be perfect for this project. Isn't it just perfect. I didn't even have to tweak the color at all. Just Perfect! I was browsing blogs and saw a great frame made out twigs and I really liked the look so I made something similar for my monkey card. I just made some twigs using SCAL and cut out 4 of them. I added some ink to the edges and tied them up with wire, such a cute look for the monkey. I printed out an extra monkey in the trees and then cut out the leafs and put them on top of the first monkey picture using pop dots. I grabbed my trusty Create A Critter Cartridge, I KNOW I KNOW I should change my blog name to, ..."Yet Another Create A Critter.." LOL; I can't help it I LOVE the cartridge, and cut out the leaf that is on page 51 in the handbook. I thought the, "Go Wild" on page 29 was perfect too so I used that. I inked the leaf a little bit and there you go. A pretty simple card, yet it really makes a statement. I hope you enjoyed it. I know I did, but I always enjoy it when you stop by for a look-see and a chat!

MyGrafico Challenge No # 60 Wild Flower Stamps: Distress Vintage Mini Notebook

Hi Dandi Crafters, today's challenge over at MyGrafico is to make a distressed vintage project. The stamps that we used to inspire us are called Wild Flower Stamps by Mel's Brushes. Be sure to head over to the MyGrafico Challenge Blog and see what the whole creative design team came up with and enter your own project.

As for me....well this project is one of the reasons I like being on a design team! Vintage and distressed is just not something I would ever tackle without a good reason. I would have avoided this challenge had I not been on the design team. LOL! Like most people I tend to stick with the styles I do well that I am comfortable with and vintage distressed is not one of them. I admire, even love, projects with this look but it is not my strong suit.
The whole time I was working on this project I kept saying, "Oh My! This just isn't going to work out." I get like that sometimes when I am drawing too. Sometimes you have to complete the journey for it all to come together and make sense, if I  didn't know this from my experience drawing, I would have scrapped this project before it even got going....LOL
Overall I have to say I was extremely happy with the way my mini notebook turned out.
What I did was was, wash my hands because I had about 3 pieces of Hershey's Nugget Candies while contemplating. LOL I find that chocolate calms me when I am about to embark on unfamiliar territory in the craft room. LOL
I printed out about 6 flowers on white card stock. I cut them out and cut all but 1 apart. I then proceeded to crumple them up, put them through the crimper a few times and then smoothed them. Next I took out some Martha Stewart pigment ink pads in yellow, orange, pink and red and proceeded to bounce these inks all over all the flowers and pedals. After that I used some cuttlebug dry embossing folders to add texture. Finally I added more pigment ink to bring out the embossing. I then glued the various pieces onto the full flower after curling them all with a pencil. I used my crop a dile and punched a hole in the middle of the flower and on the cover and secured using an eyelet. I used a brad to decorate the center.
To make the cover I used white card stock and bounced pigment inks all over it and then dry embossed and smeared on more pigment inks to bring out the embossing. I then used my crop o dile to punch holes along the left side and slit each punched whole in the middle so it would fit over the wires. I wanted the word Notes to look the same but not get lost in the background. So I printed some brown grunge paper I made on my computer on beige card stock. I then took pigment inks to each letter after cutting. The font fit perfectly with this theme and is called Big Top. I then added ribbon in various colors and cropped each diagonally. Then being a former bow chick, I heat sealed the ribbon so it wouldn't fray.

Seafriends Goodie Box

Hi Dandi Crafters! Check out this cute little Chinese Treat Box. It is just too cute to give treats in. It was created using MyGrafico designer Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. It is the Box Bonanza.

I used my Sea Friends Paper that I had on my computer to cut out the Chinese box. I have talked about my Sea Friends Line before on the blog. I then used of course my favorite Cricut Cartridge Create A Critter for the crab and the shell that reads, Especially For You! Both the crab and shell can be found on page 40 of the Create A Critter Handbook.