Today's a Truly Exciting Day

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog is announcing its new design team today and I've been selected!!!  Woohoo, Happy Dance, Heart Going Pitty-Pat!!!  Can you tell how excited I am?  It's really a dream come true and I am thrilled to be a member of the Fantabulous Cricut team.  It's been soooooo hard waiting for the "official" announcement.  When I found out what my first challenge would be, my designing mind took over while I was trying to sleep.  Whichever side of the brain works during sleep was working pretty hard because first thing the next morning, the card became a reality.  It will be posted on Fantabulous Cricut and here next Monday, March 7. 

Thank you to all of you who have chosen to follow my blog and leave your kind and encouraging comments. I truly appreciate it.  Please encourage your crafting friends  to visit, too.  I'd love to have even more followers.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

A Stamping Kind of Day

When I first purchased my Cricut I swore that I would never buy stamps - I have a Cricut, who needs them, right?  Ha-ha-ha.  Four binders and eight stamp bins later, I find that I love stamps and markers almost as much as my Cricut although I don't use them nearly as often.  So, today I got out some stamps, embossing powder, Copics and inks that I've been wanting to use and just spent the day creating cards.

I used a new Hero Arts stamp and gold embossing powder on this first card.  I think it has a very elegant look with the pearls and organdy ribbon.

This stamp is by Judy Kins.  I used a pale sand to stamp the image on the background paper and then the brighter colors for the main image.  I also added a little distressed inking on the corners and edges of all the mats.

I colored the cattails with my Copics and matted the card with my favorite Bo Bunny Dot paper.  I picked up this stamp set when I went to my first Scrapbook Expo in 2009 and hadn't used it yet.



Thanks for visiting.  I hope you're having a wonderful weekend.

Be sure to stop by on Monday when I can share some exciting news.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

5 Sketches - Same Paper

I had 5 card sketches that I was working on for four different challenges.  I challenged myself to use the same patterned paper and coordinating cardstock to complete all 5.  I began by choosing  two pieces of patterned paper from the Carol Wilson Fine Arts paper pack.

Then I added coordinating cardstock from my stash.  I added some possible embellishments and tools. I decided to also use round and scalloped punches.

This first card is Raq's sketch #2.  I decided to enter it in the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog - embossing challenge.  I inked my Cuttlebug folder and then embossed the flower.  I love the way the flower came through the ink.

This next card is Raq's sketch #1. 

This is Raq's sketch #3.  The sentiment is cut from Sentimentals and embossed with Swiss Dots.  The shaped frames - cut with the Gypsy using some welding of shapes from George - are embossed with Divine Swirls.  The flowers are punched then Stickles were added to the centers.

This sketch is from Tuesday Morning Sketches.

And, finally, Tuesday Takes sketch #14.

So, there you are,  five cards using two sheets of patterned paper and two coordinating cardstock pieces.  When I find papers that I love, I want to use them as many ways as I can.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

Spring Layout

That's right - you heard me - a LAYOUT!!  I'm trying to expand my skills and move out of my cardmaking comfort zone.  When I do create layouts I usually begin with the pictures and let them guide my design.  This time I worked in reverse.  I chose a theme and a main cartridge and began to design.  I'll have to admit, it was a much slower process, but I'm happy with the results.  I looked through the Cindy Loo book and selected images for my design and then sketched what I thought would work around a 4x6 and a 3.5x5 photo mat.  OK, I did chose the butterfly from Sentimentals and the title from Easter 2010, but all the rest is from Cindy Loo. Then I put all the images together on my Gypsy.  I chose the My Mind's Eye Ooh La La paper pack and began cutting.  Once I had all the cuts and my layout sketch, I began embossing, inking, choosing embellishments, and adding dots with the Signo pen. Then it all came together like this. Whew!!!!

I enjoyed my journey out of my comfort zone.  I hope you do too.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

All About Girls

Girls can love blue too!  When we think of girlie things, we usually think of pink, but I found this gorgeous blue and white embossed paper in one of my new Carol Wilson Fine Arts paper packs and I thought it would be perfect for the My Sheri Crafts All About Girls Challenge.  I added the pearls from an embellishment pack, backed the flowers with some organdy ribbon, and cut the tag from Wrap it Up.  What's more girlie than flowers, organdy, and pearls, right?

I hope you're enjoying your Presidents' Day holiday. 

 I've been working on a 2-page layout (and you thought I didn't do layouts - LOL) which I'll post in the next day or two.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

Springtime Birthday Card

This week's Jitterbuggin Challenge is to follow the sketch to make a birthday card and include some rickrack and a Cricut cut.  On the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog, we were asked to create something representing our favorite type of weather. Well, after weeks of fog and rain, I'm definitely ready for spring weather!   I was able to combine the guidelines for both challenges to create this card.  I love the soft spring colors found in the quilt pattern (a new paper pack from Carol Wilson).  The butterfly is still one of my favorite cuts from Indie Art.  I think the pearls on the body and on the sentiment add just the right finishing touches.  This card makes me think of warm afternoons and flowers just beginning to bloom.  Aaaaahhhh, spring can't get here soon enough.   I hope you like it.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

Flowers and a Flourish

I designed this card for Raq's Inspirational Challenge.  The papers (all by Bo Bunny) are the scraps from my altered photo frame.  The flourish is cut from Home Decor and the flowers are from my stash.  I love the sparkly blingy-thingys (he-he).  They're like pearls that have been glittered.  I used the Victoria embossing folder on the pink mat.

And now, a HUGE thank you to all my followers.  I have 100!!!!  I am so excited that so many of you take the time to visit my blog.  I hope you enjoy my creations.  I appreciate your sweet and encouraging comments.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

Altered Canvas and a Blog Award

I found this kit at my LSS and thought it would make a wonderful Valentine gift.  I've never worked on a canvas before, but I think it's a great idea and will definitely make more.  It's a 12 x 12 canvas.  The background paper was trimmed a quarter inch all the way around.  I used Terrifically Tacky Tape to adhere the paper, but you could also use Modge Podge - especially if you wanted a decoupage look. All of the cuts (cardstock and chipboard) were inked before adding to the canvas. 

           This Blog Award was sent to me from Peggy and Donna at Daily Grace Creations.   How thoughtful, ladies, I do appreciate it.
            It is to be given to crafters with talent that you admire but you feel do not get the recognition they deserve.   The rules are to pass it on to three more bloggers.  (Just right-click and save to your desktop)

I'd like to share it with:

Caprice at My Crafty Corner - she's new to blogging and I want to encourage her to keep it up

Sandi at Sandi's Creative Touch - amazing work and so willing to share

Kristie at Kristie Kreates - she shares such wonderful ideas

Be sure to visit their blogs and see why I'm passing this to them.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

Card for Guest Designer Spot

Today is my second time as a Guest Designer for Sketches in Thyme Tuesday Takes card challenge.  I fell in love with these papers from the S.E.I Poppy Paper Pack.  There are six different papers on the card and all are from that one pack - yummy!  The scalloped circles were punched, the flower is from Making Memories, and I found the wonderful, glittery center in the bling section of my LSS.  Some Colorbox fluid chalk, dots made with my 3-D Glaze pen, and a heat embossed sentiment added the finishing touches. 

New card challenges are posted every Tuesday and for you layout lovers, there is also a Thursday layout challenge.  If you haven't visited Sketches in Thyme, you're missing some great creations.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

Altered Picture Frame

This is the first time I've done a picture frame.  I wanted to give this picture to my sister-in-law for Valentine's Day.  It was taken at Christmas with my oldest daughter.   My SIL doesn't often pose for pictures - she's usually taking them, but I think this one is special.  Her favorite color is purple, so purple it is.  I used George for the mat and Home Decor for the title.  The flowers are all from Hero Hues by Hero Arts.  I think this is the perfect project for MySheriCrafts - Valentine/Love challenge.

Happy Valentine's Day.  I hope your day is filled with lots of hugs and love.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

Simple Card Sunday?

I decided to call today's post Simple Card Sunday.  I was going through a box where I keep extra diecuts - you know, those cuts that weren't quite right for the project you were working on - and found some cuts that I liked.  I went through my scraps to find coordinating papers and here's what I came up with.  The sketches I used are for Raq's Card Challenge.

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend.  We've been having sunny days in northern CA and it feels  wonderful.  It's good for the soul after weeks of fog :).

Hugs and Happy Crafting

Stamped Card from Hero Arts

This card was made using the Hero Arts Two Birds stamp kit.  I stamped the birds but decided not to add them as I wanted a simple sympathy card and I felt the flowers were just enough.  I really like the rustic feel of this card which I colored with Copic markers.

I'm off to pick up a new kit created by Wendy Lawrence who designs for Monique Griffith.  It's a fun "Life is Tweet" book that I can't wait to get started on.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

Valentine Treat Box

This treat box is just the right size to hold the bag of Sour Hearts from See's Candy.  I used the Sweet Treats cartridge party favor feature for the box.  I didn't use the base image for the cupcake, I used the shadow blackout and then added the layers.  I've learned that it's important to "flip" one set of images because the way the box is cut, the two cupcakes are actually flipped images - learned that from Monique's kit :).  The Divine Swirls embossing folder made the frosting look just right, and the glittered hearts (paper from Best Creations, Inc.) cut like a dream.

I'm going to post this to the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Me Monday - Share Some Love - challenge.    They're having a Blog Crawl this week with some wonderful "Love" ideas.  Check it out if you have time.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

With Love

This card is for the Tuesday Takes challenge at Sketches in Thyme.  I used Cuttlebug embossing folders for the sentiment and the flower.  A little inking and a butterfly embellishment from KandCompany added the finishing touches.

There's a new challenge blog starting tomorrow.  It's called Use it Tuesday and is owned by The Scrapmaster (Sami Peyton).  The idea is to use items from your stash for each challenge creation.  As I look around my scraproom, I'm thinking this is the perfect challenge for me!

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

A Valentine of a Different Color

I just finished this card for the Jitterbuggin non-traditional Valentine color challenge.  I think I'll also post it to My Sheri Crafts anniversary challenge since I think it's approriate for both.  I have green on the brain since I'm designing Cards for Soldiers using greens so I just stayed with that color group.  The Changito stamps have always been a favorite of mine - they're always such happy stamps.  The palm leaf is from Life is a Beach and the sentiment is from Sweethearts.  Some inking with my favorite VersaMagic Jumbo Java, and a little doodling with my white Signo pen finished it off.  Oh, the sketch is from Raq's Card Challenge - whew, covered a lot of bases with this one :).

Wow! Two posts in one day.  Yay, I'm finally finding some card challenge time.

Have a terrific weekend and enjoy the Super Bowl (or your free time while hubby watches!).

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

A New, yet Simple, Card Design

Today's card is really simple to make and I decided to keep the embellishments to a minimum as well.  Our Cards for Soldiers challenge this month is to use shades of green and make general-purpose cards.  I think this one fits the bill.
I found the directions for this card fold/cut on YouTube, but it's so simple you don't really need them.  You just fold your A2 card and then cut from the center of one half to the fold line on each side to form a triangle on one half.  After adding the border to the triangle, you adhere another 4.25 x 5.5 piece of cardstock under the triangle.  It hides the border attachment and allows the card to open to a clean writing surface. I used a MS border punch and just added Prima flowers and some gems - easy peasy.  I can also enter this design in this week's Raq's Card Challenge.

I met a new friend who is also a member of Cricut Card Fairies and the Cricut Circle.  We went to a crop together and had a wonderful time.  I think the gals around us thought we were a little crazy (about our Cricuts?), but it was so much fun.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

A Valentine Hedgie

Woohoo!  I finally got out my Copics to make this card.  I love using these markers and really need to get them out more often.  The card sketch is from last week's Raq's challenge on the Cricut mb.  The patterned paper is from the Bo Bunny "Crush" pack.  I picked up the ribbon at M's.  The XOXO was cut from Paisley, embossed with Swiss Dots, and adhered with foam dimensionals.  I added Glossy Accents to the balloon, and a few gems to the stamped image.

I found a darling little stamp store - Stamp it Rich! -  in Placerville, CA  this past weekend.  The card samples were amazing using some techniques that I'd never seen.  I probably could have started a whole new hobby if I stayed there much longer - LOL. I did buy a stamp and then visited the manufacturer's website.  You really should take a look at their gallery - there are some fantastic samples.  Here's the site:  http://www.outlinesrubberstamp.com/.  I've bookmarked the site and plan to try some of the techniques.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn