A Cass Thank You

I have been missing but not lost, just working away here in COLD Northern CA.  The other day I heard a small knock at my door and when I opened it, there was standing a neighbor with a wonderful cat bed.  She explained that she had bought it for her inside cat but cat did not like it and she thought maybe Cass would.  Cass is our outside cat, he showed up at the front porch one day, jumped in my arms put his paws around my neck and purrrred until I pulled him off, he has been here ever since.  He is a mature cat and even has a little gray coming through, so we feed him but he has to stay outside as he is very territorial and does not approve of our indoor cats at all.  He has made his mark on the neighborhood too, he is definitely a character, he will prance to the side walk to greet a jogger, he has claimed every drive way within a 10 house range, meandering back and forth across the street for the warmest concrete, he will lounge belly up or belly down depending on his mood or he will sit for hours grooming, I think he a vain cat.  He loves to pose for the camera but most of all he loves to sit in my lap and tuck his head under my arm while I stroke him.  He also has a magical hearing because he can hear a wet can of cat food being opened and will sit at the front door and wail like a banshee until he is given some, what a cat!  A few facts on the card and by the way I think sometimes I spend more time trying to get a card photographed than I do actually putting it together, which is the case with this one and it is still a little blurrry, I apologize (I did finally manage to get a better pic and replaced the blurry one, you can even see his wiskers now).  It is a 6"X6" card, the background paper "purrrfect meow" was computer generated.  The cat and bed (actually a food dish) were cut with the Gypsy, Imagine and "Four Legged Friends" cart.  The butterflies are MS. The polka dot boarder is tissue tape. I used Sizzix and QK photo corners.  All coloring was done with Copic markers. Hope everyone is well and looking forward to Santa.  Happy Tuesday. Hugs

Celebrate

Hope everyone has had a great weekend.  I usually post earlier but just getting my energy back, I over did myself, lol and I wanted to do a card with my new "Lori's Garden" Imagine cart.  The leaves were cut using the Gypsy and the Imagine, after cutting I then used my airbrush and Copic markers for coloring, they have also been embossed with my Cuttlebug leaf folder.  The plaque for "celebrate" was cut with the Imagine from Lori's Garden and also airbrushed and embossed. The background paper is from "Lori's Garden" also and was printed onto craft paper.  Photo corners are by EKSuccess.  Hugs

Once Upon A Shelf-Happy Anniversary-1 Year

Today I wish my friend Traci a Happy One Year Anniversary, she has been in business 1 entire year today, wow, it has been a swift year.  We spent yesterday installing vinyl to her back windows.  As we stepped down from the ladder after installing the last panel, the rain began from the huge storm we are expecting to make us very wet this weekend and to powder the Sierras to our East with 3-4 feet of snow.

What is really exciting is that I did the vinyl on the Expression, the letters are 11" high, I cut with Cricut cart "Plantin SchoolBook", and all I can say is WOW.  The first couple of sets I cut per instructions and then began questioning myself on how I was going to be able to install.  I changed my cut pressure to 5 so that it would cut completely around the welded letters.  Then I took the word with back still attached and mounted it to a sticky (new mat) face down.  At this time I removed the protective backing to reveal the adhesive and I then adhered them to the outside using the mat as my installer, pressed the mat to the window and vigorously rubbed the back with a large bone folder, then very slowly pulled the mat from the window leaving the word.
It took 3 of us to install, one inside to insure the placement was correct, one to hold the back of the ladder and then myself.

This is one of the words on the mat as I am removing the excess areas and before I flipped it face down for installation. Hope you have a great weekend. Happy Saturday, Hugs

A Tailored Happy Birthday

I did a birthday card for a friends birthday which is fast approaching.  She is a no-nonsense - beautiful woman, I wanted something very tailored yet with a fem fingerprint.  This is a 6"X6" card, 3 layers, the ribbon from "Sweethearts" is one of my favorite ribbons, I printed it first on the patterned paper then cut it three times using the Imagine and layered it on the card, added a few highlights and shadows and used some pop dots to mount it to the paper.  Printing the ribbon first on the pp gives it a very subtle addition of dimension.  The tag was colored with Copics and then run through the computer.  We are getting ready for a huge Winter storm to roll through - dumping feet of snow into the Sierras and leaving us wet wet wet here in the valley through the entire weekend, brrrrrr, where is that rain coat, lol.  Have a great Friday, Hugs

Reindeer

I spent most of yesterday watching and experimenting with Linda K's tutorial at "The Paper Boutique", if you have the Imagine it is well worth taking the time to watch, it allows you to position any of the "I" images exactly where you want them, WOW!  This is an A-2 card.  The poinsettia's are from the Imagine "Snow Angels" cart and were printed directly to my paper,  the deer is cut from "Joys of the Season".  A little tip, if you come up with a formula you really like I suggest you write down the numbers (because you cannot save it, yet) down, it will save you hours of trying to replicate it later.  Happy Thursday, Sandi

Oh Alice-A Tea Party Challenge

It is time for a Tea Party over at the "Oh Alice Challenge", I took time to play, just cause it makes me happy!
This is a 6"X6" card, Bazzill card stock and bits and pieces from Graphic45.  The tea party invitation was printed and cut with the Imagination.  The tree is from "October31st" Cricut cart.  The watch was cut with a Nesties.  The black block and heart on the Mad Hatter's Hat covers up 10/31.  The sentiments are a StampinUp punch and then Is it time yet? and curiouser & curiouser were computer generated. The moon is a 2" circle.  And every thing is a little lopsided because that is how it is in Wonderland.  Happy Tuesday, Hugs

BBTB2 Challenge-Thanksgiving Cart

Good Morning our BBTB2 Challenge today was to use the word "Thank" from the Thanksgiving cart, I chose to use the "Thankful Heart". Our Challenge is hosted by the marvelous Donna M today.  This is a 6"x6" card.  So much of my work lately has been experimental as I acclimate myself to the "Imagine", it adds an edge of excitement because to be perfectly honest sometimes I have no idea what will come of a project.  When I printed and cut the focal piece (the "Meow" girl) from "Best Friends" Imagine cart the only thing I was sure of was that I did not like the lighter highlighting around her and I did not want "Meow" on her T-shirt.  I was hoping with fingers crossed that the Copic markers would take care of those two issues and they DID.  Here are the colors I used:  B18;B97;E07;E53;R20 and 110.  I gave her wonderful puffy cheeks a bit of blush and highlighted with some white and added a gem to her hair bow. She has been cut twice and used a pop up to give some dimension.  The background papers were printed from "Best Friends" and "Imagine More".  EKSuccess for the photo corners, the leaves were punched from a Martha Stewart punch and then distressed, some were embossed and all were stamped with a leaf stamp to give veining. The small heart on her T-shirt is a QK die.
Lastly I would like to share some of the things I am Thankful for this year, I am thankful for friends near and far, I am thankful for my health and health of my loved ones.  I am thankful to be an American, God Bless our Home.  I am so thankful for my blog and the opportunity to share and to be inspired by so many talented men and women.  Bless each of you and thanks for visiting here, leaving comments and being you. Hugs and Happy Monday, Sandi

Joy

I created this card specifically to show the "joy" cut with the "Joys of the Season" cart my Expression and the Imagine housing, it is amazing to me for some reason.  First I printed from the Imagine a block onto the cardstock at 5", I then print and  from "Snow Angel" and the internal icon onto card stock.  I added a snowflake from "snow angel" and photocorners are EKSuccess.

this is the joy I cut with the Expression and the metal cut housing that came with the Expression and the reason before this I have not cut small 1 1/8th inch and/or cursive fonts with my Expression, so I am going to see if I can find an Imagine housing for my Expression.  Just thought I would share. Hugs

A Christmas Village

I saw an advertisement from "Avery" last week in the new Martha Stewart Living and it captured my attention,  so I decided to see what I could do with the Cricut markers and Cricut carts "Winter Wonderland" and "Joys of the Season".  I placed the church and 2 houses on my mat and the tree without welding, then cut with my "red" Cricut marker.  The stamped "Season's Greetings" is a StampinUp stamp.  Misc. ribbon and a little snow on the bottom.  The primitive feeling appeals to me.

Here is the card from the "Avery" ad.  Have a happy Sunday, Hugs

Banner Birthday

Happy Saturday everyone. I hope you all are loving "Ornamental Iron" as much as I am, what a fab cart.  I can see this as being a staple in my collection.  This card is 5"X7", I printed out the banner from Imagine "Imagine More" cart onto a linen block and then fringed it.  I then used my Spellbinder's font for HAPPY and then cut "Happy Birthday" from Cricut cart "Birthday Celebrations".  The side swirls are from "Ornamental Iron".  EK Success photo corners and misc. polka dots and squares finish it off.  This would be more of a masculine birthday card, always need more of those in my stash.  Hope you have a great weekend. Hugs

Believe

Good Morning, Friday?  LOL, yes it is, hope everyone has a great weekend.  It is a brisk 36 degrees in N CA this morning, brrrrr!  But beautiful crystal clear skies as we begin to get light, I love the twinklies in the morning sky they look like they are waving good bye. 
This is a standard A-2 card, I love the ability with the Imagine to print directly to my card stock, it gives the illusion that there is more depth than there really is when you can print on your cs.  I used triple photo corners QK and EKSuccess and some of my favorite "Bee" ribbon.  Stay warm, stay happy, Hugs

creating envelope seals for your Christmas envelopes/Imagine

I love the way envelope seals look, especially during the holidays, so I pulled out my linen bookbinding tape to see if it would take the Imagine Ink, oh boy, did it ever.  You can see a strip of the tape at the top of the envelope printed out.  I then punched this snowflake out with the Martha Stewart Seal punch, then you just moisten the back like you would any regular envelope and apply.  I used the Imagine "Snow Angel" cart for the seals and "Imagine More" for the envelope - fill to page for a standard A-2 envelope.

 And here is a matching card - oh my goodness with almost no embellishment, I printed the snowflakes out with the Imagine "Snow Angel" and the Merry Christmas was "WordArt" computer generated, I did add a ribbon, ROFL.  Hugs,  Happy Thursday, Hugs

Good For One-"Oh Alice" Challenge

I have to admit I have been a little off the last couple of months, just down in the dumps some and totally frustrated, things breaking, not working, late,  grrrrrrrrrrr!  Yesterday I woke up and said to myself, the Imagine and Gypsy are going to get synced and work together or else.  So I spent the day with them both and OH MY GOODNESS, I did it! They are communicating and what a difference it has made, I really like it when stuff works and when it exceeds my expectations - well - I just love it.  I can truly say that the "Imagine" has exceeded my expectations, not only is the precision of the cuts right on but it cut my .22mm chipboard like butter without the deep cut blade.  To have everything right there - no flipping carts - it is just pure pleasure.  I have not participated in "Oh Alice" in a while, just have not had the time and oh how I love that Challenge, but I did it for this week.  So I will roll the credits:
My patterned papers are BasicGrey, my corners are actually the 4 of hearts playing card cut with a heart punch and then distressed.  My cake ad and the Cheshire are from Graphic45. The frame was cut from "Black Letter" cart.  The cake and "Piece of Cake" are from the Imagine "Imagine More" cart.  My ticket is from an Ellison die and was computer generated, then sprayed with my airbrush and Copics. Misc. ribbon and crystals.  I hope everyone is having a greate week. Happy Wednesday, Hugs

BBTB2 Challenge-Create a Critter

Monday and time for a BBTB2 challenge, again I do not have "Create a Critter" cart, oh my.  I loaded my 12X12 mat and went to keyword and typed in "dog" and just started putting dogs on my mat, when I saw the dog from "Pooh n Friends" I did not remember ever seeing him and my first thought was he was the ugliest dog I had ever seen, I had about 8 dogs on my mat and I kept going back to this one, he began to grow on me.  This twist (a little pun intended) on an advent calendar has been on my mind since the first of the year.  One of the top negative feedback I get back on my yearly advent calendar is that "I've lost a piece, why don't you make one without pieces?" This has been going on for several years and each January I always say okay I am going to design an advent calendar without pieces.  The design idea came to me while watching "Alice" and I wrote it down but did not do anything with the idea til last week.
I cut the clock face and hands from the "French Manor" cart at 5.5", the font for the numbers is 1/2" and is a spellbinder's font. The small hand is permanently affixed and the large hand is raised up so that it rotates around and over the dog and his wreath. The hands are secured to the cardstock with a Tim Holtz large brad.  The holly under the hands is a Sizzix die. The pups wreath is QK and embellished with the MS branch punch.  Photo corners are QK.  The card sits on one of "Fleur d Lis" card displays, "ticking down the days" is a spellbinder's font.  Coloring was done with Copic markers and background paper for the clock was printed with the Imagine.

I even did a little ditty for the inside earlier this year.  If you have any questions please ask away. Have a great week. Hugs

Distressed Embossing-Simple Joys

I am still playing with the embossing element. This card was embossed on the light side of a "Core Color" card stock, I embossed it 3 times with the Cricut Expression and "Straight From the Nest" cart.  It has a geometric shappy chic feel to it. I then sanded it and embellished with polka dots punched from an EK Success punch (I love this punch as it gives about 4 or 5 different sizes of polka dots), Spellbinder's Nesties and the little word blocks were printed and cut with the Imagine (I used RGB codes to match the color perfectly to the red cardstock).  Photo corners are also by EK Success.  The color inspiration came from a card Donna M. did a week or so ago, these colors have such a wonderful punch. I have some navy blue I am thinking of doing a snowflake. Happy Sunday, Hugs. Sandi

Tweets

Happy Saturday, we are dry here in N CA for now but it is moving in, I can feel it in my bones, lol.  I received two new toys this week, one is the wonderful embossing element from Amy Chomas and the other is the Imagine "Bloom" cart.  The background paper for this card was printed using the "Bloom" cart, I then embossed on a piece of velum and layered it on top of the background paper, it gives this fantastic paper a little bit of a misty feel.  I then took a 3"x3" square cut it on the diagonal and positioned it in the upper right hand corners.  On the left side I used a 1"X6" panel.  I punch butterflies from the MS butterfly punch and then added rose gold metal photo corners.  I really like the contrast of the misty velum and the card stock on top. I punched the word block with a StampinUp punch and "Tweets" was computer generated.
I am submitting this for the Cricut Circle Blog Challenge this week, "All about Feathers".  Hope everyone has a great weekend. Hugs

Card Display-Sweethearts cart

Happy Thursday, oh how the days are flying.  I display a lot of my cards and am always looking for a new card display, so I put my noggin to it and came up with this - this is my prototype so it is not fussied up, but I will have one soon as I am working on a very special Christmas card.  This is the Fleur D Lis cut at 11.649wide and 10.989high or you can just fill a 12"X12" mat. I do a lot of 6"X6" cards, if you do basically an A-2 card which is 5 1/2" X 4 1/4" you could make it smaller.  I cut it twice once with my deep blade from chipboard and once with my regular blade from white card stock.  Adhered the two together.  I then scored at the base and folded it up, scored the 2 of the 3 flowers both flaps fold up.  The two arms fold behind and then up to create the stand in the back.  I will try to do a step by step soon.

Here it is holding the card.  Have a great day as we again head into another wet weekend here in Northern CA. Hugs

Nothing quite like an Old Bat

I haven't dressed up for Halloween in a lot of years but this year I received a wonderful pair of bat socks from my friend Carole, I found a T-shirt at Wal-Mart with bats all over it so I decided to dress up all day as an "Old Bat" it did need a little clarification so I did this pin for the T-shirt, LOL.  The bat was cut 4 times form "Oct31st" and the word block is from a MS punch, it says "There is no Bat quite Like an Old Bat". I then used different findings and o-rings and put a closure pin on the back of the bat.  Happy Wednesday. Hugs

Blessings Gobble Gobble

Happy Tuesday All - yesterday Lori at "Elvie Studio" posted a great tutorial on how to do this card, the smaller top section opens out and then you lift up the under section for the inside and message, it is soooo easy to do, I just love them, so thought I would share.  The card over all measures out as an A-2 card.  I used scraps for my backgrounds, some imaginesce, bazzill and I think crate paper and not sure about the inside.  The turkey was cut with Cricut cart  "Stretch Your Imagination", I first fill colored in with a the lighter yellow on "Best Friends" and then cut, I then shadowed and colored with the Copic markers.  "Blessings is a "Spellbinder's" font, misc. ribbon, that does it for the front.

This is the inside portion, there is a white panel you cannot see on the left which is the outside yellow cover, you will understand more if you watch the video.  "to you and yours" was computer generated and "gobble gobble" was cut with "Animal Kingdom"  The backside head of the turkey was also colored with Copic markers.  Have a great week, hugs

BBTB2 Challenge - Flourished Christmas Tree

Monday and the BBTB2 Challenge this week was to use the Flourish from the "Cindy Lou" cart, I did not have that cart (geeze how can one not have that cart? LOL) so I used the flourish from Cricut cart "Calligraphy Collection".  And where is my flourish?  It is wrapped around the Christmas tree as its garland.  I used brown textured card stock by Bazzill and the panel on the left is from scraps.  The tree was cut with the Imagine from pp on "Snow Angel" and the little bird is also from Snow Angel, I just gave him a little bigger beak and eye. The bazillion stars were punched from a MS punch, the snow flakes were a Marvey punch and an MS punch.  The infamous branch punch by MS was also used. "Merry Christmas" is a StampinUp stamp.
We won't even go into the time it took to triple layer those snowflakes or put stars on the flourish (LOL) but it was all worth it in the end.  Hope every one is coming off their sugar high from yesterday, well maybe it is a little soon, have a great week and Happy Monday. Hugs