christmas, Christmas ideas, Christmas in July, crafts, cross stitch patterns, greeting cards, holiday cards, paper piecing, shopping, snowman, supplies, vintage images

Christmas in July

This year, I decided to participate in the Christmas in July festivities. 
I have so many requests for Christmas cards all year long (who doesn’t love thinking of Christmas all the time?!) and it’s been so much fun to see so much red, green and sparkle around here!
Feelin’ the holiday spirit?  Stop in and stock up!
arts and crafts, card classes, card kits, funny cards, girly, las vegas, paper piecing, scrapbook classes, scrappin time, shaped cards, stamps, summer cards

SEAS the day card class at Scrappin’ Time – August 8

I’ve got another card class open and ready for sign ups at Scrappin’ Time

Seas the day with these beach-inspired greetings!

Each adorable card has been embellished with colorful summer card stock. For your convenience, the main images will be colored and cut. We’ll be adding Stickles, Diamond Glaze and rhinestones to embellish these cuties!
Hope to see you there ~ we’ll have a fin-tastic time!

Please join me on Sunday, August 8 from 1-3pm and make a set for yourself!

Cost of the class is $25 and includes all the materials needed (please bring the basics: scissors, a strong adhesive (such as Zip Dry), pop-dots and a file).

Call the store at 702-898-7414 or stop by:

5915 South Eastern Avenue #106

to reserve your seat ~ space is limited!

Would you like to make the cards, but don’t have the time to come into the store for the class?

Kits are now available!! 

When you call to reserve the class, just mention that you’d like the kit only and I’ll be sure to have it ready for you (along with pictures and detailed instructions for your convenience).  Just pick it up and scrap at your leisure!!

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Special FREE SHIPPING Destash Sale This Week!

Special destash sale:
FREE SHIPPING (U.S. and Canada!) on all orders over $10!!
***Sale good through Wednesday, July 14.  Orders must be made from my ArtFire shop.***
Free shipping code: FREESHIPPING
Thanks so much, and happy shopping!
boy scrapbook pages, disney pages, disneyland, disneyland layouts, family vacation, goofy, mickey mouse embellishments, paper piecing, scrapbook ideas, summer vacation, vacation layouts

Disneyland Album Done! Whoo!

We went to Disneyland in early May with my in-laws.  I’ve been working on my 12×12 Disneyland album off and on ever since.  It was a lot of fun, but I’m happy to be finished now and be able to show it off!
I knew I wanted to devote a 12×12 album to the trip (as it was our 3-yr-old’s first time there and we took tons of pictures).  I had several 12×18 poster prints made up at Wal-Mart (about $10 each) and then cut them to fit the entire 12×12 page (the tea-cup layout uses the entire 12×18 photograph).
I went a little crazy with the bling on this album (Disney is the magic kingdom and nothing says that quite like rhinestones), and saved lots of time (and money) by purchasing paper piecing die-cuts of the Disney characters on eBay.  I found Mickey, Pluto and Goofy for $.99 each!  I couldn’t have made them myself for that price and that saved me having to purchase the Disney Cricut cartridge, too.
Thank you so much for sharing my vacation memories!  Hope you enjoyed the journey!
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Funny Birthday Card Class Now Open for Sign-Ups at Scrappin’ Time!

I’m excited to announce that my 2nd card class at Scrappin’ Time is now open for registration! 
This class is all about making someone smile (or even laugh) on their birthday.  Laughter is the best gift you can give, right?
I used lots of great Vintage images on this collection, and embellished each with unique touches ~ pom poms, ribbon, brads and even beach sand!
Please join me on Saturday, July 24th from 11am-2pm and make a set for yourself!
Cost of the class is $25 and includes all the materials needed (please bring the basics: scissors, brown ink, black ink, 3D adhesive and glue).

Call the store at 702-898-7414 or stop by:

5915 South Eastern Avenue #106

to reserve your seat ~ space is limited!

There is still available seating at my first class on July 10th as well, so be sure to check that one out as well:
3d cards, cricut cards, custom cards, die cuts with a view, graduation cards, guitar, high school, music, paper piecing, pop up cards, red and black, silver

Pop-Up Graduation Card

I caught up with my music teacher from jr. high on Facebook (don’t you just love it there?!) and she asked me to make a special card for her son’s high school graduation.  She said he loves guitars and his favorite color is red.  She also sent a picture of him playing a guitar from his music video.
What a fun project!  I knew I wanted to go 3D in some way to make all the elements fit.  Here’s how it turned out…
I hand-cut this hat and used the tassel from the Wild Card Cricut cartridge.
I found this guitar image online and then cut it out by hand (using VERY small scissors and watching my favorite reality TV show).  I also used a needle and thread to add strings and finished it off with brads.
I had a lot of fun with this piece and am really happy with the way it turned out.
My teacher and her son loved the card and that is the best part of doing any project!!
crafts, disneyland, family, family vacation, gift ideas, layout ideas, love, magic, mickey mouse, mini album, paper piecing, polka dots, roller coaster, scrapbooking, summer trips

Disneyland Mini Album

We took our son, along with the in-laws, to Disneyland early this month.  It was the first time our 3-year-old had been to the magic kingdom and he had a blast
I decided to make a mini-album for my mother-in-law as her Mother’s Day gift this year. 
I just finished it today and wanted to share!  🙂 
 
This is my favorite page of the album.  I hand-cut Jackson and layered him on top of glittery polka-dot card stock. 
I love this picture of Mike in goggles.  It really captures his personality!
Now to start on my own layouts….
alice in wonderland, bazzill, card ideas, card making, cosmo cricket, crafting, etsy, owls, paper piecing, scrapbooking ideas, sizzix

Paper Piecing Possibilities

 
Every once in awhile, I get into a paper piecing state of mind. I love the unique look that it gives and the flexibility it offers.

Here is a fun owl card that was made using brown and green embossed Bazzill card stock. It works so well with the Cosmo Cricket tree paper too!

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My die-cutter of choice when paper piecing is the Sizzix.  It’s nice to utilize a tiny piece of paper and to be able to cut through multiple layers at a time.
I also enjoy finding other crafters that can make one-of-a-kind paper piecing embellishments for me!  This special Alice in Wonderland card was made using the handmade die-cut from another Etsy selller, Kott Kreations.
This unique embellishment is completely pieced and penned by hand.  I wouldn’t have had the time (or patience…or know-how) to do it myself.  This can be a little more expensive than doing it yourself, but it’s a nice treat once in awhile and makes for an AMAZING card!
Here is another card in which I enlisted the help of a fellow Etsy crafter to make the paper pieced die-cut for me.  This darling owl was handmade by Lisa’s Handmade Cards.  Her listing just grabbed me one night and I thought of all the potential in this terrific embellishment!
Whether you make it yourself, or seek out the help of “professionals”, consider experimenting with paper piecing.  There are so many unique crafting possibilities in your future!
anniversary, colorful, elegant cards, love bug, paper piecing, retro children's birthday cards, scrapbooking, simple cards, sleek, spring, style, wedding cards

Spring Clean and Simple

What I loved about fashion in high school carries over to what I enjoy about crafting, now that I’m 30:
You can be whatever you feel like today.
I used to love dressing in Vintage, modern, costume & even goth (sorry).  The same interests (mostly) apply to my craft style.  I love Vintage and part of my heart will always be with the 1950s kitschy retro, but sometimes I like to play with modern, sleek designs as well.
Spring makes me feel refreshed (at least until the allergies attack and I hide under my bed for a week).  This week’s collection of handmade cards are all about simple, yet colorful design.
You can stop by and see all of this week’s new pieces (and my new store banner!) at my Etsy shop.
art, card techniques, craft interview, etsy greetings, handmade cards, love, paper cutting, paper piecing, pop up cards, spring cards, unique crafts

Interview with Karin from Intertwingle

It’s always such a joy to find an amazing crafter and then have the opportunity to chat with them for a bit.  Karin from Interwingle has some of the most intricate pop-up designs and I am so excited to share her world with you!

Here’s what Karin has to say about her art:

How long have you been making pop-up cards?

I think it has been about 5 years. I have not fully utilized the medium or been more formally a pop-up creator until the last 2 years. I dabbled in pop-ups over my lifetime, in graphic arts school I created a pop-up business card, that was a while ago ;).

What is your favorite piece?

I think my favorite pop-up is usually the one I am working on. Right now I love my Gross Love card. The was true labor. There are 5 layers that come together to create the image you see.

Where do you get your inspiration? How do you come up with ideas for new cards?

I wish I knew my inspirations. Lots of times it isn’t anything earth shattering. I may be inspired by an upcoming holiday or event. I love making Valentine’s cards. Back to my Gross Love card, that has a more interesting inspiration story. I friend of mine lost her 7-year battle with Breast Cancer about a month before Valentine’s Day. Her parents are simply bizarre, I won’t elaborate further, but to the surprise of all of her friends her parents informed us that they donated her body to science. Her body was actually donated to the college where she took gross anatomy, her professor still works there, he taught her and is now going to be “studying” her. Now don’t get me wrong I think it is a noble thing to donate your body to science but this just seemed weird and it seemed she would have rather been donated to a place were they study cancer, not muscles (it is a physical/occupational therapy school) and well, she didn’t donate her own body.

I couldn’t stop thinking of her on a dissection table and I needed to replace that image in my mind. There were no calling hours no casket at the funeral she was just gone. She was a very loving creative soul. I made this card to honor her. I made the bones more realistic and used a heart shape for to represent her heart. I made the heart the deep red because even though her body may be gone the love and laughter she poured into the world is what will last, it is what all her friends still feel and I prefer to think of her body as clean and white as if shrouded and at rest somehow. This card is what emerged out of all those swirling thoughts.

What is the most unusual request or custom order you’ve ever received?

People usually order my cards as-is aside from color changes from time to time.

Have you ever used these paper cutting techniques in any other type of craft?

I do paper cutting of all kinds and have applied them to all sorts of crafts. I make lamps and lampshades that are completely fashioned from paper. The cut paper is beautiful with light shining through it. I create window valances, again it is lovely with the sun shining through. My cut paper designs were recently featured with 10 other artists in a book published by Lark Books called Paper Cuts: 35 Inventive Projects. I am starting to dapple in applying my cut paper designs to clay creations.

What are some designs that you’d like to attempt in the future?
 
I consider myself a multi-media artist and I want my work to reflect that more. I have a degree in graphic arts as well as a studio art degree in painting and ceramics. I am always interested in new art/craft mediums and I’d like to extend my work beyond cards. I’d like my etsy shop to reflect that as well. Having a 1-year-old limits the time I have to work but I can’t seem to tear myself away from him so the “future” may be farther away than I think! Having him in my life has been absolutely amazing. I would love to create a pop-up book for him. I am working on getting back to painting and I am exploring ways to merge paper cutting and painting to create thought provoking and beautiful images. As stated above I am also experimenting with oven-bake clay to bring some of my designs to life in different manifestations.