No Stamping Card... GASP!!! (A Review)

So I've had my original Cricut (aka Baby Bug) for over five years and I use it almost daily. It has a permanent place in my Crafty Cove and it never moves from that spot so it is always ready when I want to use it. Provo Craft has come out with a few cartridges that do a bit more than the regular 'Shadow', 'Blackout' and 'Silhouette' functions and I picked up one of those cartridges a couple of weeks ago when my LSS was having a rare sale. Let me tell you.. I'm in lOvE!!!

So, granted, these cartridges are designed for the Cricut Expression to be able to do the envelopes and cards in full size, but I have found I don't NEED an envelope that bad to make a card! I just make the card the size I need and away I go! The cartridge that I picked up is the Wild Card....great for making shaped cards (in my case without coordinating envelopes)!

So on with what I did....First photo....Card front.....I used PTI Spring Rain as the base. Then I used a few pieces of DCWV Glitter Stack to cut out the cupcake and candle/fame element.



Then I cut out the 'frosting' with PTI White Shimmer and the Dew Drops just added the perfect 'sprinkles' to the card....



The final touch to it was the Glossy Accents to the flame to give it a bit of shine...because you know I'm all about the gloss, shine, bling where I can fit it in!!!



BUT WAIT....there is more......

You have to see what I did to the INSIDE....



I incorporated the 'Happy Birthday' sentiment with the same cartridge with the same size and cut it out to 'hide' under the outside card dimension....A perfect card without - I KNOW - no stamping!!! I'm not giving up on stamping Heck NO!!! Stamping will ALWAYS be in my life....TTFN!!

Edited to add...I was in NO way, shape or form compensated by Provo Craft by any means...this was just my way of offering a bit of what I have come up with in my own way!!!

Do you Embellish???

I do and you can too!!! Ashley Cannon Newell is starting up a new web magazine over at Embellish. Directly from Ashley's site:

"The magazine will be published and available for downloads in December for $3 an issue. For $3 you will get a copy of a magazine full of ideas and concepts on how to use a color combination and creative elements on your projects. I am also incorporating video into the magazine for you to see how I make my cards using the color palette and provide helpful tips and tricks."

How cool is that??? Only $3???? That is so freaking CHEAP (cough, cough,....I mean INEXPENSIVE!!!)

So, playing along with her color challenge, I jumped in, and I just have to say, CHALLENGE indeed!! Whew! I would never 'thunk' up these colors together on one card! But I'm a basic kind of gal....two colors YES, three or for colors, plus a pattern....NO! But that is what a challenge is all about! So.....for your consideration, here is my take on the challenge...



I started out with PTI Vintage Cream cardstock cut down to 4.25x4.25....a cute little square card that can be mailed or just tucked into a gift bag, and stamped some dots using PTI's Polka Dots Basic stamp set in Baroque Burgundy.....I don't own Bravo Burgundy ink so I improvised!!! I cut out some flower images on my Baby Bug (original Cricut) in Stampin' Up! colors Pumpkin Pie and Summer Sun and layered them all on top....but it was soooooo flat! So I did a little trick....which a lot of you may already know, but if you don't, stick with me here. Paper has layers...and SU! cardstock can be broken down into two layers with a little bit of manipulating. All you have to do is take a bone folder to the paper and pretend like it's a bit of Christmas ribbon that you want to make curly. Bend the paper along your bone folder....front to back..forwards and backwards, and WA-LAH...you will find that the paper separates! Which makes for the dimension of the flowers on my card!!!

Here is a shot of the inside of the card......



The buttons and ribbon are PTI Scarlet Jewel the colors almost match with SU! Baroque Burgundy!

I used Diamond Stickles on the buttons on the front, and a bit on the inside. You may not be able to see it in my pictures, but each layer of the flowers on the outside and the single flower on the inside are stamped in VersaMark with the single circle from the same PTI set - Polka Dot Basics.



That's all for today, thanks for stopping by!!!

An Easy Wedding Card

We went to a wedding last night....my sister-in-law's - daughter from his previous marriage......figure that one out! It doesn't matter, because she is such a sweetie and they have been together since middle school that we were ALL saying, "It's about time!". So I made an easy card.....



It's a little 4.24"x4.25" square card made on PTI Shimmer white card stock. I used the Celtic Heritage stamps from WalzingMouse Stamps for the heart and line image. The heart is pop-dotted up. I don't know about you or how people react to your cards, but anything with layers is a huge hit around here!!!


And as usual...the inside of the card...



I couldn't resist a bit of bling with the heart rhinestone on the inside. And a funny little side note, after church this morning, who do I meet in the parking lot of the restaurant where we are going to have breakfast????.... Yep, you guessed it.... the NEWLYWEDS!!! It was so funny and we all had a great laugh!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Never Forget

(Image courtesy of http://www.september11news.com)

Look What Happened by my House!!! lOvE iT!!!!

So, my DH and I were talking with friends who where lingering around as they were getting ready to head back home and what do we see?!?!.....



A hot air balloon!!! I love them! I don't know if I could go up in one and a funny conversation followed between myself and my DH. DH won't go on an airplane, which is confusing, because while he was growing up, his Dad had a little two-seater that he went up with his Dad all the time. I won't go up more than three rungs on a ladder, but I have no problem going up in an airplane. So, as the balloon was passing over.....



The conversation continued.....I might be persuaded to go up in one, because it starts from the ground and goes up. But his philosophy was 'so does a ladder'. He stated he would have no hesitation about going up in one....until I reminded him that it takes you where the wind blows....there is no steering involved.



There was a bit of silence while we considered our next debate.....



And concluded the debate was a wash...he won't get on an airplane, and I won't climb more than three rungs on a ladder.

Hope you liked the hot air balloon pics! I love them up in the sky and even though I haven't been presented with the opportunity to climb in a basket, I like to think that I could!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Edited to add, all I can think about is PTI colors on this balloon..Dark Chocolate for the base, A bit of Summer Sunrise, perhaps some Sweet Blush and a bit of Raspberry Fizz? BLAH! Hello, my name is Serendipity, and I'm a PTI addict! AND I WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY!!!

Moxie Fab Challenge

Moxie Fab World has several challenges posted, and I'm playing with THIS one because who doesn't want a little more Papertrey goodies? And I don't own a single one of those stamps she is giving away, so I'm in!

Here is a group shot of everything ~ a card (of course!), a tag and an ornament!



First up is the ornament. It's four strips of paper folded in a particular way to make a 3-D star! I first had to stamp on the white strips in the colors that I was using on both sides of the strip and then fold it up. I used a bit of DMC floss to make a hanger.



And do you see this little cutie peeking out on different areas of the ornament? It's from WaltzingMouse Stamps set called Gingerbread Joy - Oven Fresh. All three items have stamps from this one set.



Next up is the tag, which measures four inches long. It has a bit of Papertrey Ink Spring Rain twill ribbon to bring out the blue, along with a Robin's Nest Dew Drop on it. The plain red card stock is Enchanted Evening and the plain green card stock is Ripe Avocado, both by PTI.



The sentiment is stamped directly on to a piece of Figgy Pudding paper by Basic Grey. I glitter-fied the little heart and applied Glossy Accents by Ranger around that for some more dimension.



I also glitter-fied the candy canes.



And finally pictures of the card! More of the Dew Drops and Spring Rain ribbon to tie into the Figgy Pudding paper. Who would have thought to us blue on a Christmas card with traditional red and green colors? Not me that's for sure, but I think it works.



Here is one of the gingerbread girl close up where you can see I put glitter on her too!!



And finally a picture of the inside, all nicely finished off waiting for me (or someone!) to write a nice little Christmas note of good cheer!



Christmas is coming in less than 4 months - no time like the present to get cracking at the cards!

Thanks for visiting today!