Blog Candy #2: My Favorite Things: Tools Collection

Hi friends,
This is Blog Candy #2 My Favorite Tools Collection.
Here it is:

The Whole Enchilada:
I have lots of tools I love & would not want to be without. I wanted to share some of my favorites with you.

In this Collection, you will receive:

* Cutterbee Honey Bee scissors: These are my go-to scissors whenever I'm detail cutting (like images, paper, cardstock, etc.) in small areas & tight corners. It has non-stick coating so you can easily cut stickers or foam tape without a sticky mess. Luuuv!
* Martha Stewart Bone folder: This is the pink edition with bling on it. But besides being pretty, it makes the neatest, crispest score lines. It has very pointy edges so crisp folding is the name of the game. Because of this, you don't need to bear down when scoring- easy does it, (or you'll tear your paper :(  Luuuuuv it!
* Scor-Tape: How many times have you seen me use this tape? Like a million times! I luuuv it because the liner is easy to remove, there's no static cling! No need for scissors- you can easily tear it. It is heat resistant so you can emboss with it or use glitter on it, and it is an aggressive adhesive. I don't make a project without it.
* Glue Dots: Can't craft without them- 'nuff said!
* Spellbinders Nestabilities: Peony- Luuuv my "Nesties" as I lovingly call them. One of the best inventions ever! This is one of my fav flower dies, I know you'll love it too!
* T!m Holtz Design Ruler: This is one awesome tool! It's not just a standard ruler. It is also a zero centering ruler, it has holes for straight paper piercing, a metal edge for cutting with a craft knife, and grid lines for measuring & drawing lines and it's clear so you can see through to your project. It's the swiss army knife of rulers!
* 4 Copic Ciao markers: Many of you want these markers, but they are expensive! Here's your chance to "try before you buy." you get 4 to play with :)
* Ferrero Rocher: Ahhh, good ol' Ferrero Rocher :) A classic :) and this is blog candy so bring on the candy, right? Ok, so chocolate isn't exactly candy, but it's yummy, so we're on board :)
That's how I roll!

Before your fingers get fiesty, remember to read THE RULES---> HERE. Leave your comment(s) on this post for Blog Candy #2.  Oh, and because no one ever wants to be the first one to leave a comment, Hello Kitty has offered to take another one for the team. She's first, then it's all yours :) Good Luck friends!

Blog Candy #3: My Favorite Things- Cricut Collection

Hi friends,
You're at Blog Candy #3 My Favorite Things- Cricut Collection. If you missed #1 or #2 make sure you scroll down to see them.

Here it is:

The Whole Enchilada:
I'm so fortunate to get to design for YMH Store using the Cricut Expression. It has allowed me to take my crafting to the next level. So again, I'm sharing some of my fav Cricut Products.

In this Collection, you will receive:

* Home Decor Solutions Cartridge: Luuuv the images & words on this cart. I received some wonderful comments and questions about how I made the star on this card ---> here. Well... it came from this cart. Now, you can have it too :)
* Two-way glue pen & Quickie Glue Pen: These are my go-to adhesives when adhering layered images. You can get into every nook & cranny with these glue pens. No muss, no fuss & they pack a punch of holding power. These should come WITH the Cricut :)
* D'vine Swirls Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: You know I luuuuuuv the CB EFs! I have a few ;) wink and even though it's one of the first folders PC made, it's still one of my all-time favs.
* Cricut Design Studio: Yes, this is THE Cricut DS! My most favorite feature of the DS is the welding feature. It's sooooooo much better to lift the entire word in one piece & adhere it to your project than one letter at a time. I also love the keyword search. That is such a time saver. No need to flip through every book looking for a tree. Just type it into the keyword search box & it will show you all the trees from every Cricut cart PC has made! Luuv it!
* Jelly Belly Jelly Beans: There are NO other jelly beans on the planet that could possibly compare to their full favor! They are fat free- gluten free & are only 4 calories each. Yummy! This is the candy part of blog candy :)
That's how I throw down :)

Before your fingers get fiesty, remember to read THE RULES---> HERE. Leave your comment(s) on this post for Blog Candy #3.  Oh, and because no one ever wants to be the first one to leave a comment, Hello Kitty has offered to take yet another one for the team. She's first, then it's all yours :) Good Luck friends!

Envelope Gift Card Holder & Video Tut

Hello friends!
Today I have a few gift card holders to share with you. I learned how to make these by a friend who was an SU! Demo at the very first workshop I attended! Sadly she is no longer an SU! Demo :( for personal reasons.
    Remember I posted this card a while back---> here:

So today I have 3 more to show you, all of which are in my video tutorial.

Here are the gift cards featured:
Vroom! front:

inside:

You're So Sweet front:

inside:

Fabulous Friend:

Here's the envelope/envelobox you can download:
Gift Card Envelope
I made the template in color. Does that help when you print it out or does white work OK? This would help for future templates :)

Quiet on the set! Action!!:

Hope you enjoy the tut & that you'll give it a try. I'm back to work this week so that means waaaaaaaaay less time for crafting :( but I'm SOOOO excited for Tuesday the 13th for my 1 YEAR Blogoversary! Oh friends, there will be candy to be had!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gotta Go!

The 411:

Vroom

Paper: Cute World Boy- Best Occasions, Choc Chip- SU, White CS

Ink: Choc Chip, Night of Navy- SU!, Chestnut Roan- Colorbox

Stamps: Simple Thoughts Baby- Cloud 9 Designs, Punches Three- SU!

 

You're so Sweet Card

Paper: Quite Contrary- My Mind's Eye, Sweet Stack- DCWV, White CS
Ink: Memento Black, Creamy Brown- Colorbox
Stamps: Strawberry Patch- Heartfelt Creations, Everyday Button Bits- PTI
Other: Copics, 3D Crystal Lacquer, ribbon, vellum quote- K&Co, flower punches- Marvy Uchida, pearls

Fabulous Friend

Paper: Mr. & Mrs.- Best Creations, White CS
Ink: Onyx Black- Versafine
Stamps: Oval All- SU!
Other: Ribbon

The Revenge of the Cheater... More MOJO 133

Hello, Hello, Hello friends!
So here's my third & final card for this week's MOJO Monday Challenge and I'm also combining with this week's challenge at Just Magnolia- Punch it out!
Here's the sketch again:

Here's my card:

The Just Magnolia challenge this week- Punch it out involves using punches. Can you find all the places I've used punches? The clock is set for 15 seconds- ready...GO!

BRRRRRRRR! Oh, so sorry, time's up! Did you answer:
1) The ABC border along the center
2) The grass (MS border punch)
3) Vellum butterflies

Good for you! You get a shiny gold star :)

 I just love this little Mini-me Tilda called Tilda with Slate. We don't use slates (chalkboards) anymore. After like 100 years, they decided it was unhealthy for teachers & students to be around the chalk dust. So now we have white boards :( Yeah, now we just have to monitor the kids who want to get high on the white board marker fumes!

The Deets:
I colored her clothes with Copics: B32, B24. Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20. Hair: C3, C5, C7. C9. Slate: C7, E33
I ran the blue CS strip through the Numbers Collage CB EF, & added dew drops. I didn't include a sentiment because I don't have a recipient for this card yet so I'll wait till then to add it.

That's it for today. Enjoy the rest of the beautiful weekend!
Thanks for peeking!

The 411

Stamps: Tilda with Slate

Paper: Grade School Stack- DCWV, Pacific Point- SU!, New Leaf- PTI, Black CS

Ink: Memento black, black-colorbox

Accessories: Oval Nesties-Spellbinders, butterfly & grass border punches- MS, ABC border Punch- EK Success, Dew Drops, Number Collage CB EF, Copics

The Return of the Cheater... more MOJO 133

Hello again friends,
I'm back with another card for this week's MOJO Monday Sketch Challenge. I loved this sketch so much, I actually got to crank out 3 cards! Why 3? 'cause I like 3. Three is good number :)
Here's the fab sketch again:

Here's card #2:

Yup, I flipped it again :) Much different from my boy card, isn't it :)

I love, love, love these papers. I've used them a lot over the past few weeks so I hope you're not sick of them yet :) I stamped the image & colored with Copics (R32, R35, R37, Y02, YG03, YG63, & shadowed with BG10.) I also added 3D Crystal Lacquer to the strawberries for that hint of yummy :) I used my Nesties to frame it.

I'll be back with card #3 later. What's that? Why didn't I just post them together? Well, because this week happens to be MOJO Madness- there's a prize involved! So this way I have 3 chances to win instead of just 1. Mama didn't raise no fool!
Thanks for peeking... again!

The 411

Paper: Quite Contrary- My Mind's Eye, Cupid Collection- Pink Paislee, White CS
Ink: Memento Black, Chestnut Roan
Stamps: Strawberry Patch- Heartfelt Creations, Absolutely Fabulous- SU!
Other: Fancy Tags, Labels 4- Spellbinders, button, twine, pearls, 3D Crystal Lacquer, Copic Markers

Just For You MOJO133

Hello friends,
To Sketch or not to Sketch?--- that is the question. I was speaking with some buddies at my LSS the other day & they happened to see my sketch book. It's a simple compilation of sketches arranged in a folder (I'll share it another day). Long story not as long, they called me a cheater for using sketches to create my cards! Me??? Moi??? Yo??? a cheater!!! I think not! I explained that sketches were merely a starting point. Rather than focusing on the layout, I could focus on techniques & other elements of design. So what do you think? While you ponder that, take a look at this week's Monday MOJO sketch:

Here's my "cheater" card:

"Cheater" Deets:

I flipped the sketch (so does that make me a bigger cheater???) I used lots of boy papers since it's going to a boy. I used my Cricut to cut out the star (2 3/4") from the Home Decor Cart (luuuv) and I stamped the sentiment in the center.

I love sketches. Would rather not make a card without one. MOJO Monday sketches are my fav, probably because there are usually lots of layers involved & I'm all about layers :) So if I'm a cheater, I'm OK with that. There are worse things I could be called :)
Cheaters of the world Unite!
Thanks for peeking :)

The 411

Paper: Grunge Teen- Kaiser Craft, Old West Collection- AdornIt, Black CS, Soft Suede- SU!
Ink: Memento Black, Chestnut Roan- Colorbox
Stamps: Oval All- SU!
Other: Cricut Cart: Home Decor, Star brads

Video Tutorial News & Cricut Cake!

Hello friends,
I have finally taken the video plunge (since I finally got over my bronchitis!) I got an HD Flip camera (Thanks for the suggestion Kristina :) & it's been very easy to use. But loading the video takes a loooong time :( Is that like normal??? I've made 3 video tuts and I'm finishing up 2 more. I've been really nervous while making these, but I do appreciate the feedback. I would love to hear your comments & ways I can improve. One funny thing about watching myself on video is that I sound kinda calm. I'm SOOO not like that IRL! I'm kinda hyper, so maybe I have this whole other mellow personality on camera! (Hee! Hee!) Anyhoo, here are the videos I've posted so far:

Heart Pocket Card
Diagonal Double Pocket card with 2 versions
Monogram Card Folio

Enabler news: The Cricut Cake machine will be world launched on HSN on the 14th. I'm not expecting to buy it, but I can't wait to see the presentation. There will be several presentations throughout the day.

That's it for now----> Oh WAIT!!! Just a heads up... my 1 year Blogoversary will be in just a few days & you won't want to miss it... I'm just sayin'....
Thanks for peeking!
Gotta Go!