Heartfelt Thanks

I designed this card for Raq's Card Challenge.  This is one of those cards where the patterned paper is the key feature.  I'm going to use the card for a Cricut Card Fairy Mission.  The patterned paper is from a pack called Flirt by Speciality Collection.  It's one of those treasures I found at Tuesday Morning for $2.99 - 18 sheets in the pack - woohoo!

All I did was layer different coordinating colors and stamp the sentiment.  I did use my I-rock to add two gems because I thought a little something more was needed. 

I have a little shopping to do today so I think I'll visit Tuesday Morning and see if I can find any more treasures.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

A Winter Wish

This week's challenge on My Sheri Crafts is to make something that represents winter where you live.  Right now, in northern California, we've had nothing but high clouds and fog for days - it's very, very dreary.  I thought of velum over gray paper, but that was just too depressing (kinda like our weather).  So, my answer was to make a card to reflect the kind of winter weather I "wish" we had instead.  Okay, those of you who live in snowy regions and are sick of it can beat me now LOL. 

The light blue paper came embossed, I just added some dabs of white Versmagic chalk ink.  All the snowflakes were punched.  I hand cut the snowman's hat, adding a band of silver glitter.  I used Divine Swirls to emboss the snow and then added a little accent of chalk and some Stickles.  I used the MS branch punch for the arms and trimmed some of the branches.  My BFF gave me the idea to use buttons for the snowman's head and body :), and the sentiment was sized on the Gypsy and cut from the Stamping cartridge.

Thanks for visiting.  I love reading your comments - they definitely help to fight the blahs brought on by dreary days.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

Valentines for Soldiers

As I've mentioned many times, I participate in the Cards for Soldiers group on the Cricut messageboard.  Here is a sample of the Valentine cards I am sending.  Remember that our cards are for the soldiers to select to send back home to their loved ones.  We are asked not to add much dimension, glitter, or bling.  The glitter can penetrate uniforms making the individual visible to night vision apparatus.  The dimension and/or bling can cause mailing difficulties.  For these reasons (and because it's my personal style), I have kept the cards quite simple.  If you do see some shine, it's glossy accents, stickles, or heat embossed powder, which are OK to use.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

My Guest Designer Debut!

How fun to actually see my picture and project featured on another blog!  I'm excited, proud, and humbled all at the same time.  I hope you'll pop over to Sketches in Thyme and take a look.

Here is the card I designed for Tuesday Takes #7.  I used layers of one of my favorite color combinations; pink, white, and black.  The pink Swiss Dots embossed frame is from Songbird.  The black flourish and layered flowers are from Graphically Speaking.  I used my I-rock to heat set the all the pink bling.  You'll see Divine Swirls embossed on the white mat and I also heat embossed the sentiment with black embossing powder and used foam dimensionals to make it stand out.

Thank you for visiting.  I love reading your comments.  I get so much inspiration from them and the blogs I visit.  I appreciate that you're taking this journey with me.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

My Pink Stamper Design Team Challenge

Robyn, of My Pink Stamper, is in the process of introducing her new design team.  She has two spots open and has challenged anyone with a blog and a Cricut to apply.  I figured, why not try.  Wouldn't it be amazing to be a part of such a well-known and creative design team?  So . . . her rules were these:

Pick a favorite cartridge - not so easy since I've found something special on just about every cartridge I own.
Create your design using pink, green, and brown - her favorite colors.  I happen to love pink and brown and adding a touch of green is never a problem.
Include the full recipe and reason for your creation.

Here is my card.  I used my "go-to" sketch (see August, 2010) and some of my favorite things: paper layering, heat embossing powder, foam dimensionals, and ribbon :).

 Size A2

White 5.5 x 8.5 cardstock, folded

 Pink background mat  5.25 x 4

 Brown patterned paper (BoBunny Love Bandit) 5 x 3.75 

 Pink cardstock rectangle 2 x 3

 Brown mat 2.25 x 3.25

 Green dot mat  2.5 x 3.5

Layered Heart - Sweethearts Cartridge page 34

*Brown glitter - shadow feature @ 2.5

*White cardstock - shadow feature @ 2.25

*Pink cardstock - shadow feature @ 2  then covered with Versamark and heat embossed with Ranger Holographic embossing powder

*Red cardstock - base image @ 2

Foam dimensionals between the brown glittered heart and background, and between white and pink hearts

Ribbon - Bazzill Basics

Stamps by Stampendous

  Sentiment stamped with ColorBox pigment, brown, heat embossed with Kaleidoscope embossing powder

Small heart stamped with Martha Stewart glue pad then MS fine glitter

I chose the Sweethearts cartridge for two reasons: 1) I wanted to make a Valentine card for this design team challenge, but also one that could be made in multiples to send to Cards for Soldiers.  I can not use glitter on the CFS cards, but I can use the heat embossing.  2) Sweethearts has a great deal of versatility.  Along with the expected "wedding,"  "engagement," and "love" cuts, there are many that can be used for other projects - the frog prince, the monkey, the puppy and kitten are all adorable.  There are some wonderful flourishes, flowers, a wreath and  fleur d lis, as well.  And, best of all, each cut has a companion card and envelope (easily sized on DS or the Gypsy).

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you like my design.  I stayed true to my design style - simple, clean, and lots of paper layering.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

First Card of the New Year

Happy New Year, blogging friends!  I'm entering this card in the Sketches in Thyme Tuesday Takes #6 challenge.  I hope you get a chance to visit this blog.  There are weekly card and layout sketch challenges with some great samples provided by the "Mavens" and guest designers.  It's always fun to find a new challenge to enter :).  I might even try a layout or two since I have several albums to complete.

I used Nestabilities for all the scallop cuts.  The bow is Scrapper's Spools floss - what fun it is to use.  I think it will be super for bows tied in button holes (you probably already knew that!).  The paper is Sweet Love by Best Creations, Inc.  I really didn't have to do much because the paper itself did the work ( I LOVE when that's the case).  I just added Stickles to the heart,  popped the round scalloped circles and, of course, lots of paper layering.

Time to watch a few more Bowl games.  Have a wonderful day.  I hope you'll visit Sketches in Thyme for my debut as a guest designer on Tuesday, January 4.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

Challenge Cards

It seems it's been ages since I've been able to complete any cards for RAQ's Challenge on the Cricut mb.  Yesterday I did both sketches.  I think it's a first - both sketches submitted on the first day of the challenge.
I love participating in card challenges and am looking forward to the upcoming weeks when I can be a regular contributor.

I used the Heritage cartridge for this card.  I chose the Accent image on page 58, copied it then flipped one image.  I welded both to a rectangle from George, sized on my Gypsy.  Lots of paper layering and called it done.

The papers for this card (actually both cards) are from my scrap drawers.  The flower is cut from 3 sizes of EK Success punches and then layered.  All I added was a little inking.  I'll save the sentiment for later when I decide how I'll use the card.

I hope you have a safe and wonderful New Year's Eve and Day.

May 2011 bring you happiness, love, peace and security.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

An Album for my Hubby

I made this 8 x 8 album as a gift for my husband.  He has raised and trained bird dogs for many, many years and Yaller is his newest acquisition - a two year old English Pointer.  When hubby is busy training and hunting, I have lots of time for my cardmaking so it's perfect for both of us!

The papers have been in my stash for awhile.  I'm always on the lookout for hunting papers and embellishments so that when I have the right pictures, I'm ready to scrap them. Also, this is the first time I've used my Cinch.  It was really simple to use - yay!

I must say, I was pleased by how excited he was about this simple gift. 

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn



Altered Composition Books

I have 3 great-nephews who love to write and draw when they're at Grammy's house (my sister-in-law). I made them their own personalized composition book so they could write stories while visiting (and maybe sit still for a few minutes!).  I used Lyrical Letters - jumbo, for the names.  When my daughter saw what I was making, she asked for one too.  I made her two, one work-themed, and one more personal.  These are so quick and easy to make.  I stock up on the composition books during the back-to-school sales.

I hope you had a lovely Christmas.  It rained most of the day here, but that didn't dampen the holiday spirits.  My daughter is packing to head back to Lubbock, Texas.  It will be interesting to see how all her gifts plus her after-Christmas shopping will fit in her Tahoe along with what she brought and her two dogs! 

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn

MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Thank you so much for joining me on my blogging journey. It's been amazing so far.  I appreciate your visits, your comments, and your support.  I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and that it is a day of love, peace, and joy.

I'll be back after Christmas to share some altered composition books that I made as last minute gifts, and a mini-album for my hubby.  Also, my debut as a guest designer for Sketches in Thyme is January 4.  I hope you'll take a look.

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Larelyn