The Card Concept Challenge - No 1!

It sure feels good to be taking all these challenges already this year.  I did not do that much at the end of last year.  It is also exciting to try a new challenge and today’s Card Concept Challenge #1 came together nicely for me:

 

The styles are divided into 6 style themes:

• Clean & Simple (CAS)
• Clean & Layered
• Clean & Graphic
• Freestyle Collage
• Shabby Chic
• Classy & Elegant

I am choosing to make mine in the category of clean and layered

SUPPLIES:

Designer Paper - Garden Party by DoveCraft

Strathmore Pastel paper

Image - Graphics Fairy

Grommets - Reflections

Scallop Cut - Barb Derksen

Text - Silhouette Sketch Pen

Ribbon

1 small thing is a little tidbit I will share each time I post. 

It will be a totally random thing - a recipe, tip, idea, craft, thought, photo.

Today’s small thing is:

Grow Your Own - Green Onions

Instead of keeping these hidden away in the bin in the refridgerator, put them in a window (hopefully you have a nice window in your kitchen) and allow them to get roots happening.  Next, plant them in a pot and you will have Green Onions for your stir-frys, salads and cheddar baking powder biscuits and… well, YOU get the picture!

Thanks for visiting!

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FREE Thread Keeper Cutting File and Freshly Made #118 Card

I usually ‘toss’ my crafts area first thing in the New Year, but this year my (mega-talented) Mr. is recording and mastering a music album with a friend and he needed pin drop, don’t breathe absolute quiet when that was happening.  No flushing toilet, no shutting doors, no phones - even the furnace gets shut down so the fan can’t interfere.  (brrrrrr!)  You will hear more about this in the future…

What does this have to do with the title of my blog?  Well, now that the recording week is over and I can make ALL THE NOISE I WANT, my thoughts are once again niggling on ways to make my craft room more efficient.  One area that needs serious attention is all the bits and bobs of wool, twine and ribbon.

I once picked up this whole container of bits of embroidery thread at a thrift store for $5.  I really liked the way these can be organized and labeled.  So I have modeled my own cut file to make more.

What to do with the little snippets one picks up, or gets via “sharesies” with a friend or family?  Solution:

DOWNLOAD

Personal Use

(zipped file with TOU)

Please PINterest my cutting files, or tweet, FB, shout out from your own blog (meaning don’t pirate my design but just point here, please)  Every link helps fuel my desire to keep creating!  Thank you in advance.

I will be giving you two Silhouette .studio cutting files, one today, the next in a day or two So stay tuned.

Freshly Made Challenge #118

Here is the sketch posted to base our cards off of:

and then MY take…

SUPPLIES: - 133, 177, 158, 743

Designer Paper - Crate Paper

Markers - Tombow 

Stamp - Fiskars (I’m pretty sure)

Grommets - Recollections

Gems

Glossy Accents

Ribbon

Isn’t this critter just the cutest? 

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Retro Sketches 96 Challenge Card and FUNNY crafts (?) photo

I’m in my “Happy Little Place” when I create, and when I get to create with my sister Nina and my Sister in Law Judy at the same time, well its all the sweeter.  What a nice way to start the year.  Here’s the Retro Sketches #96 challenge they invited me to:

I decided to make my card like this:

SUPPLIES:

Image - Graphics Fairy

Markers - TomBow

Micron Archival Pen

Cardstock

Designer Paper - Nature Garden Collection by JoDie Lee Designs

Golden twine

Pearl accents

 

I had a set of TomBow markers on my Christmas Wish list and was so happy that my Mr “GOT IT” that these to me would be as cherished to me as a piece of new technology would be to him.  I’ve wanted these for a long long time.  So, now its getting used to them. 

I ♥ all the images at Graphics Fairy - I print them onto fine art paper and they are crisp and beautiful, then I color and “fussy cut” them with sharp scissors.  I must say the TomBow markers are beautiful - just takes some getting used to blending etc.  

Thanks a heap for visiting! 

A CHUCKLE

Seen downtown Osoyoos recently:

Ok… I consider myself an extreme crafter, but THIS?   Wow.  What can one say?  My mind begs the question - is the lovely crochet keeping the bike rack warm?  Is it to buffer a bike or pet leashed to it?  Is it just to prettify things up on our main street.  At any rate, I’m impressed haha!

Technorati Tags: Retro sketches,Challenge Card,Osoyoos

Friday Mashup Challenge 141 and a FREE .studio Cutting file for YOU!

My Sibling Nina and Sibling in Law Judy bashed me over the head invited me to join them in some over the internet crafting these past few days and told me I had to do chose some wonderful card challenges to join them with.  Pshawww - of course I’m kiddin’ ya, they know how much I enjoy creating with them and it doesn’t take any enticing at all to get me to jump into the fray!

The first challenge that was suggested was the Friday Mashup #141:

I like this nice clean sketch made by Cindy, and here is what I made of it:

SUPPLIES:

Designer Paper - Crate Paper

Brad

Lattice Heart Border - Barb Derksen

Stamp - Studio G

 

So I seem to always feel my cutting addiction well up, feel compelled want to create my own fun files when I create a card so this time I made this pretty Lattice Heart Border and I’m happy to give it to you! 

DOWNLOAD

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Family Challenge 8 & a FREE . Layered Flower cutting file for YOU!

I offered to create a new Family Challenge with my sister in law Judy and my sister Nina so they held me to it today.  I tossed out this theme - BUTTON!  Basically a card with anything goes but must contain a button. 

So, since I had an idea in my head I decided to make this a .studio cutting file too so that you might create your own card or project. 

This is a bit of an odd-sized card - I created it to fit inside of a #8 sized envelope (3 5/8 “ x 6 1/2”)  The card face I made is 3 1/2 inches wide by 6 1/2 inches tall - so you need to cut your inside cardstock to 7 inches wide, 6 1/2 inches tall and fold it in half on the 7 inch side.  If you’ve made cards before you will figure it out.  I’m also including the same card face cut for a standard quarter-fold card (4 1/4 inch wide by 5 1/2 inches tall)  Its just that I always pick up odd sized envelopes at thrifts, garage sales and I have 100 of the #8 and wanted to use some up.  I think its striking being tall with the flower too. 

SUPPLIES:

Cutting file - Layered Flower by Barb Derksen

Basic cardstock (I used white, but trimmed and glued a piece of dark green behind the area where the flower cut out is.

Embossing folder - you don’t need one but I think it makes it nicer.

Designer Paper - your call, this is a great chance to use up scraps, by layering! 

Gel pen - I used silver and ‘free-handed’ the sentiment inside the leaf.

Gem

Button - I used a sweet little button made of seashell

Crochet cotton - something you can find at any thrift for like 50 cents a ball.

 

 

METHOD:

First, trim your basic cardstock to the size you want your card to be and fold. Next, cut out your card face and then you can choose to emboss it - or not.  Once you have done this you can select a foliage colored cardstock and stick it onto your card base where it will show through where the flower stem and leaf cut is.

Now, apply glue runner, or double sided tape, glue to the front of your card base and foliage colored cardstock, being careful to not apply either of these in the area where you see the stem or leaf cut opening.

Now, choose your designer paper and cut the flower layers out.  Once they are cut, take them and ball them up in your hand and squinch them around until they are soft, supple, crinkly and worn.  Layer them one atop each other, pick a button, crochet cotton and using a larger size needle (mine says its for candle wicking - another thrift buy) and then sew all the layers together, through the button, leaving lots of room at the beginning with which to tie a cute bow. 

Lastly, using a marker of a light or gel color, write in your sentiment - or you can leave this blank if you wish.  Voila!

I hope you enjoy this personal-use cutting file as well and make some beautiful things for someone you care about. If you enjoy my FREE files (which take a bit of time to put together, package etc) would you please consider any of the following: follow me, re-blog me, comment, PINterest me, Twitter, instagram or Facebook this post. Thanks so much!

Don’t forget to visit Nina and Judy’s blogs to see what they made using a “BUTTON” theme!

DOWNLOAD

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CAS(E) Card challenge - my 1st card of 2014!

HAPPY NEW YEAR - everyone!

My Sister and Sister in Law just so happen to be online with me this very first day of 2014 and how very fitting to all have the opportunity to create our first card of the year sort of together even!  We are attempting this challenge:

CAS(E) Challenge #58

Thank goodness this challenge does not have to be along the strictly festive theme for I am pretty festived out (just one look at my expanded waistline will tell you that *snort*!)  I ate far too much but would not have it any other way. Hopefully I can shrink it as rapidly as I expanded it. 

Ok, so here’s my take on the challenge:

SUPPLIES:

Strathmore Pastel Paper

Cupcake (sorry, cut from DP but don’t recall which)

Pearl accent

ribbon

Stamp: Studio G

Tombow Marker (for shading)

Glitter

Glossy Accents

Cuttlebug embossing folder

 

METHOD:

I ran the Strathmore paper through the Cuttlebug.  I stamped the sentiment and cut it to size and then glued it onto the Strathmore.

I trimmed out the cupcake, added the ribbon.  I did some shading using a grey Tombow marker.  Next I tacked it all to the card base using double sided foam tape to lift it out a bit.  I added glossy accents and sprinkled generously with multi colored fine glitter.  I topped it off with a pearl accent.

Technorati Tags: Family Challenge

FREE football .studio Cutting File

I am rushing rushing to bring you at least one more free cutting file this year.  I had made another custom card for a friend and she requested it be a football theme.  So voila!  This file is sized to fit nicely on a landscape quarter-fold card (5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inch) 

 

SUPPLIES:

Football Cutting File - Barb Derksen

Cardstock - white, brown

shoelace or white ribbon or twine

Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug (optional)

I cut the football pieces on my Silhouette Cameo.  I glued them on at the areas you see in the picture.  Once it was dried completely I ran the football through this pebbly look Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Next, I threaded some cord through the holes.  I used this football as an element to make this card a “wobbler” (click to read a past post on wobblers) but you might simply have it secured and stand out by using foam tape to raise it up over the card.  I hope you enjoy this file for your personal use projects. 

DOWNLOAD

Will you consider PINteresting my post, facebooking or twittering me please?  Thank you huge!

*****

 

Let go of the old,

Reach out for the new,

For the past is cold,

And the future is due;

 

Each year holds memories,

Some happy - some sad,

We must treasure the good,

Let go of the bad;

 

Make the most of each day,

At work and at play,

For the old year is history,

The future - a mystery

 

~ Phyllis Ellison

 

 

As another year comes to a close I want to encourage you.  Think big picture.  Live in “real-time”.  Life is such a precious gift and is where we work out our unique purpose and plan God intended for us.  Trust in this. 

You might think your days and ways “ordinary” but God often does extraordinary works through the most ordinary of persons.  Don’t self-doubt, for we can easily get stuck in the inertia of this.

Do good things.  Be love in action, there is never a shortage of ways you can make a positive impact wherever you are. It takes so very little.  A kind deed, a helping hand, a random act, a phone call, a letter, be a shoulder, an ear. The  more action you have of doing good, the less time you dwell on your own problems - and seriously, some will simply fade away.  In light of the needs of others we often realize how truly blessed our lives are.  Perspective is good for the heart and soul.

Listen twice as much as you talk.  Turn off your cellphone when you’re with people if at all possible.  Notice details.  Put yourself second to the person you are with.  Love others with all your heart and it will come back to you.  Pure love is irresistible.

Let go of the past.  Burn it, crush it.  It is not recyclable and there are no “do-overs”.  The past is for learning.  What worked, what didn’t.  You learned your tongue can get you in trouble.  You learned your tongue also could build someone up.  Your tongue betrayed you, and it also made a good difference in other situations.  Take all the regrets and turn them into “what not to do’s”.  Practice.  It takes practice and…

Embrace your imperfection.  You were created to be imperfect.  Don’t waste even one of your numbered days trying to become perfect - it will never happen.  Do your best, then rest.  Imperfection keeps us humble.  Imperfection teaches us.  Even the one who created us allowed His son to be born into an imperfect human body so that we know He knows each and every thing we go through. 

Extend grace, peace and love to others.  Love them without reservation.  If you don’t understand someone, at least respect them.  When you respect someone else’s point of view you allow yourself to consider new things - ways you may not have considered.  Remember, its so easy to look into someone else’s life and make assumptions. Care enough to check them out.

True changes of heart can only be inspired through love.

Don’t expect others to do the footwork for you - as my friend Kayla puts it BE the change!  Your example can inspire!  

And though this post is geared in the thought of a coming New Year, remember, God’s grace is new each and every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) so its never too late to start a “New Year”.  We will all fall, but we keep getting up!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog over the years and for taking a moment out of your busy life to leave me comments etc.  YOU have had a positive impact on me. 

Technorati Tags: freebie,free cutting file,football,sports

FREE Christmas Gem Tree cutting file for your Silhouette Cameo!

I haven’t played with the rhinestones feature of my Cameo yet, but looking at projects using this method has inspired me to create a pseudo-project along this theme.  I chose to create a vertical fold 5.5 x 4.25 card.

 

Supplies:

Cardstock

Designer Paper

Gems

Star punch (or cut one using your machine)

Snowflake embossing folder.

 

Instructions:

I cut the cardstock for a vertical 5.5 x 4.25 inch card.  I cut designer paper the same and glued it to the face of the card.  I cut the Christmas Gem Tree cutting file from white cardstock.  I ran it through the snowflake embossing folder.  I centered and glued this to the face of the card.  I added the gems, circular for the tree parts and square for the trunk.

I punched a star, added a tiny gem in the center.

I keep thinking on variations of this card, stay tuned, you might see it appear in a different way.

DOWNLOAD

Technorati Tags: FREE,Freebie,Silhouette Cameo,Cutting file,.sil,Mrs Miles,Mrs Miles freebie

FREE “Java Nice Christmas” Gift Tag cutting file for Silhouette Cameo!

Rack, Rack, Racking my brains today for some last minute Christmas gifts (per request from my handsome amazing Mr.)  And not wanting to have to rush into town to buy things I had to fall upon whatever was at hand. 

credit: http://www.save-on-crafts.com/clearballs1.html

I had a set of four clear glass ornaments (similar to these in the picture above)  which I’ve looked at almost every day since last summer.  I bought them at a yard sale or thrift shop.  I kept thinking of what I would do with them.  I had Pinterested them and I had Craftgawkered them.  I had looked in magazines and I had just thunk and thunk into dreamland some nights.  But today, I got an idea. 

I wanted to bless a coffee shop in town and I had a brilliant concept creep into the creative area of my brain.  So, for the first ornament I thought I would decorate the outside of the bulb with a glittery pattern and fill the inside with whole coffee beans.  It went pretty good.

I removed the decorative cap from the ornament. I washed and dried the ornament way ahead of time, inside and out and gave it time to dry. I used my Cameo cut a couple of holes in cardstock, (one 2 inches in diameter, the other 2.5 inches) and then set the ornament underneath and sprayed an adhesive over the exposed area, thus making a sticky circle.  Then I repeated this with a smaller circle over the top up to the rim.  This is where I believe I made a mistake, for unless my intent would be purely to give this as a “look upon” present, I should not have put glitter anywhere near the hole. 

This is because later, when I glittered the sticky areas and then went to fill the ball with coffee beans, they got glitter mixed in with them.  Therefore, the recipient, though they could gaze upon it with great joy, they could not actually use the coffee beans. 

So, I went about creating a second set of pretty and more functional set of ornaments.

These ornaments contain a whole coffee pot portion my own freshly ground mix of coffee, vanilla bean and dark cocoa.  Whoever receives this not only gets to enjoy it hanging but can use the contents too. 

So, of course I had to build a tag for it.  I whipped up a design for it with the idea for a “chalkboard” look.

 

Supplies:

Java Nice Christmas cutting file - Barbara Derksen

Black Cardstock

Silhouette Sketch pen - white

Various gel pens - I used silver, gold, green

Glossy Accents

Stickles - red

Snowflake punch

Hole punch

 

Instructions:

Ungroup the Cutting file.  Delete the outside cut line and the hole line.  Load your Cameo with black cardstock and the white Silhouette Sketch Pen. Use the “sketch pen” setting on your Cameo.  “cut” or “sketch” the sentiment. 

Now, exchange the sketch pen for the cutting blade. Use the “undo” arrow in your software to step backwards until you have the entire file back, then select and delete the text.  Set your Cameo to “cardstock” and cut the outer edges of tag. 

This will now be the base of your chalkboard cardstock tag.  Here is how I dressed it up.  I used gold and silver gel pens to color in the text.  I drew holly leaves next to the “Merry Little Christmas” text.  I then added some glossy accents to the leaves.  Next, I created holly berries using dots of red Stickles.  I allowed all of this to dry well.

I punched a snowflake from silvery glitter paper, then punched a hole in the center and lined it up with the tag hole at the top.  Glued that on. 

Finally, I printed out the coffee ingredient tags (I’ve included these in case you whip up your very own Vanilla Mocha Coffee. Stuck these on the back with some double sided tape.

I filled my bulbs with enough coffee to make someone a very (caffeinated) and Merry Christmas.  I chose some ribbon and a loop of gold filament thread to hang the ornament upon the tree. 

Please leave any questions in my comments and I’ll be happy to answer all.  Enjoy!

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Technorati Tags: FREE,Free cutting file,Cameo,Silhouette Cameo,Mrs Miles,Mrs Miles freebies

FREE Mittens Card Holder cutting file!

Thanks to the “Simplify Your Life” course by Marcia Ramsland I headed up at my church a few months ago, I find myself (quite astonishingly) with a little breather for a day or two.  By breather I certainly don’t mean I have idle time because idle would probably drive me buggy.  But I have some time to gift myself a crafty day to myself. 

I’ve had to imagine up a design for my own gift card holder so I made it to share with YOU! Here’s the preview and instructions:

SUPPLIES:

Mitten Gift Card Holder cutting file by Barbara Derksen

8 x 8 inch (or larger) piece of designer paper

white cardstock

Gems

Punched or cut snowflakes

glue, double-sided tape, glue dot

stamps or vinyl

ribbon

 

There are three basic shapes to my cutting file:

 

Cut your mitten and tab from the designer paper of your choice. The mitten is a two sided fold. Be sure to make sure your pattern is going in the right direction if you have any graphics on the designer paper.

Next, cut the insert using a white cardstock.  There are perforations along the sides of the insert.  Fold them and then glue it into the middle top of the right side of the glove fold (inside)  At this point, you can choose to either glue the mitten altogether, or you can sew around the edges like I did (I’m not so good with the machine but I get the job done )

Now I add on the sentiment (which I cut from vinyl… I’m ADDICTED to vinyl) and then I layered a few snowflakes together, placed a bling gem in the center and popped that onto the card using a glue dot.  (ok, I’m addicted to Glue Dots too)

 

After it was all together, I add a nice ribbon around the top of the mitten.  I personally prefer to anchor a length of ribbon flat around the card first, using bits of double sided tape and then I use my bow maker and stick it on top, again with glue dots.  This makes the bow sit so nice on top of the flat ribbon.

 

Lastly, I put a little double sided tape on the tab, stick one side of it to either side of the gift card and then slide it into the insert inside the glove.  Voila!

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I hope you enjoy this file for your PERSONAL use.  I’d love it if you might feel moved to donate here if you are feeling flush (more $ = more caffeine/craft supplies etc) which gives me the freedom to do loads more creating and giving here.  If you are like me and broke (but very VERY happy haha) how bout if you might consider PINteresting me, twittering me or FB me?  Thanks so much!

Me and Dino encourage you today with this message that I found online, which can be relevant to all - especially in this hectic season:

Just for today I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle my whole life problem at once.  I can do something for twelve hours that would appal me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime. 

Just for today I will be happy.  Most folks are as happy as they make up their own minds to be.

Just for today I will adjust myself to what is and not try to adjust everything to my own desires.  I will take my luck as it comes and fit myself to it.

Just for today I will have a quiet half hour all by myself and relax.  During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective of my life.

Just for today I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful, and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.

~ attributed to Alcoholics Anonymous

 

God always takes the simplest way.

~ Albert Einstein

 

I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet,

simple things of life

which are the real ones after all.

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

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