Hat's Off! Blog Hop

If you are here for the Year of Card Techniques, please go HERE or do it all and check this post out, too!

Welcome to the

Thank you for joining us today as we celebrate Graduates everywhere! You should have arrived from Vicky. If not please go back to the beginning.  Your first stop on this special hop is Connie Can Crop. This is a one day blog hop and we appreciate your leaving a comment for all of these amazing crafters.

We have an awesome sponsor for this hop!

One lucky winner will win a $15.00 gift certificate for their shop! Be sure to check out their shop online HERE. Visit them on Facebook HERE.

What do you need to do to win? Easy... become a follower of each of the fabulous blogs in this hop and leave each of them a comment, letting them know what you like best about their projects. You will have until 10 pm Sunday to finish the hop and leave your comments. The winner will be announced on Wednesday 5/18/16 at Connie Can Crop.

Be sure to follow everyone and leave a comment along the way!

Lately, I seem to be doing more cards than anything. And that's a bummer. I have a wonderfully messy craftroom, with a gazillion supplies and things to do... but can't seem to find time to work on a page or two. (You know... because cards go together so much faster and easier.) So, floating through my scrapbooks which are totally NOT chronological. They're kinda all OVER the place... just like me! I came across this wonderful tribute to my nephew and of course my at the time 2yo, and all the other faces and places in there. I love this layout. It makes me smile... and remember good times.

He "graduated" from a Catholic elementary/middle school and moved on up to high school... We ate at... wait for it... Chuck E. Cheese! (I always try to include memorabilia from the occasions/places. Here is the program chopped to fit! and some fun things from C.E.C.)

I "fussy" cut and pop-dotted my nephew up in the middle of the page. Afterall, it WAS his day, right? And I had to give him a little more attention here...

And I surrounded it all with gold stars. That IS the ultimate sticker on a paper to have, right? or am I showing my age, here?

Stencils and chalks... some of my fave go-to's for titling. (and see the CLEAN C.E.C. plate that I cut stole cut up? EVERYTHING goes! when it comes to scrapbooking!)

And everyone that was there? Made it into a photo or two or maybe they didn't... I don't remember!

And here's the two-pager (together forever). Chalk and 1/4 cuts tie it all together. You can make almost anything coordinate by linking with chalks, or cross-putting the same papers!

And if you're interested in some of my previous work... Thousands a couple of years ago... I made these for a couple of graduation gifties! Check out the OLD post!

Up next is Sarah. She's sure to have something grad grand to graduate advance you to the next level!
Here's our line up in case you get lost:

Connie- http://conniecancrop.blogspot.com
Angela- Crazy3monkeys.blogspot.com
Alicia- http://goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com/
Kim- http://katydidcards.com

Cindy- http://www.cindys-greencricut.blogspot.com

Miranda - www.nanasscrapspot.com

Christi-http://tranquility1905.blogspot.com

Pam - http://lovebugcreations3.blogspot.com

Sheree- http://cardsandcraftsbysheree.blogspot.com

Holli- SunflowerHolli.blogspot.com

Michelle- www.michellekinder.blogspot.com

Veronica - Vickyscrappingpassion.blogspot.com

Lisa - http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com

Sarah -www.sarahbiswabic.blogspot.com

And don't forget to enter this month's challenge:

 

Connie Can Crop Challenge #46

Dads and Grads
due 11:59 P.M. Tuesday, May 31st.
Pacific Time

 

A Year of Card Techniques - (May) Spinner Cards

If you are here for the Hats Off Bloghop, pleases go HERE, or you can check it all out. We'd love to have you!

Welcome to

Can you believe it's already month five of our year long adventure into different card-making techniques, folds and paper crafting products? We hope you got the chance to hop with us each month.

It's not to late to hop and comment to be entered into our prize drawing. If you missed any of the previous months,  you can click on the month to be taken directly to the start of that month's hop:
January HERE
February HERE
March HERE
April HERE

This month we will be creating spinner cards and you won't want to miss the amazing and fun cards we've got for you today. We really love feedback, so please leave a comment on each of the blogs in today's hop. Each comment on the 12 hops throughout the year will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Blitsy.com gift certificate.

Now on with the projects.

I need to tell you something first... Before this, (*whispering*) I had never done a spinner card. Yup. NEVER. I always thought they looked great and cute and fun and whimsical, but... I'd never done one. Sometimes, things intimidate me, and it takes me awhile/forever to get over it. And so I watched these suggested videos, beginning with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2OjuzBcshc

and another one... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUnR7dXLrJg (Kinda brilliant tip included in this one... to use the square punch [at an angle, of course...] to make the edge of a banner! Can we say, "WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?!?!" and another little tipster... to make a "technique page with a mini-size spinner and instructions. WOW!!!) Note to self/(YOU, too!): You need to watch these videos to know what I'm talking about.

And now for my fave... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoiThHoXeQ0 (Lawn Fawn) OMG! She just makes the cutest frickin' cards EVER!!!! And since I didn't have a punch... I went for this technique. It made things "more better..." Super scratch that! I couldn't find my circle dies, either...

And so... I did my best. I looked at the size of my foam dots and adjusted a slot in Design Space accordingly. Time to sticky-up that mat again... otherwise it slips (unsticks) and cuts like so:

Note... the bottom one is JUST fine...

So my original plan of making TWO every time I make a card is scrapped...

I stamped and heat-embossed two ladybugs. So cute!

Forget the "fussy" cutting... I let my Brother Scan-N-Cut 2 do all that!

*Special Note To Self* Don't use Wannabe Stickles unless you WANNABE using your finger to spread it, since the tip constantly gets clogged.

*Second Special Note To Self* When using Stickles or any other type of glitter glue or ANY glue for that matter!!!, open your card before applying gluey embellishments. They may dry together, if you don't do this. Double DUH!

And then we have the curve-drying technique...

Heat-gun your card, should it dry curved, and it pretty much straightens itself out.

OOOh! This + this + this + THAT = a PENNY SPINNER CARD? Yup! REAL pennies, folks!

My first attempt... My fifth attempt because all THESE (see below) lost their STICKY!!!! (They wouldn't stick. What a waste!)

They fell off the paper backing...

And there we have her... Except she doesn't move...

*Third Special Note To Self* Be sure you do not have any ink or coloring next to any of the other paper or cardstock you may or may not be using... (It'll show through the slot...)

Time to peel it up and make 'er work!

Double-stacked and... MUCH BETTER!

Now she totally slides everywhere.

But THIS distance between two papers is WAY too much for me!

So, I red-taped that schtuff together!

And now, it looks way more presentable!

Finalemente! I hope you enjoyed it!!! I sure did! (and btw... I did try it with "buttons". WAY too light!)

And here's today's lineup... Happy spinning hopping!

Theresa

Debbie

Sharon

Lisa

Kim

Claudia

Denise

Jearise

May the Fourth Be With You! Blog Hop

Welcome to the

where we will celebrate all things Star Wars related. Whether it's a card, scrapbook page, party plan or quilt, it's related to the Star Wars franchise in some way and we want to share it with you.

So in a galaxy far, far away there's a crafter working tirelessly to create some movie magic for you...now on with the projects at hyper speed.

There are so many things to wander into and fly into... in the galaxy of the computer. I came across so much more than I had time to do... I started off with a card... submitted the card and hated it. When I looked at the card... it seemed like it took on way too many messages... not that I give a crap about what people think or don't think but messages telling people to take off. Oops. (It was a card with Boba Fett running... And it said says in neon lettering, "May the Fourth Be With You." No biggie, right? Until... you open the card, and it says, "and if it's not... RUN!" Yep. Got a lot of guff about that. Apparently, way too many people are super prickly and take everything personally and apply it to their own personal lives. Gosh. Geeze. People! I didn't intend it for anyone in particular...  And so, in order to avoid unnecessary drama, I pulled it. And here we have something I like much better anyway.

Raise your cups if you like COFFEE!!!! I know I do! and with the new Starbucks app... I like it even more. Took me way less time to get another freebie!!! (I'm not rich and don't spend a lot of my own money there... but I do get a lot of gift cards from people for things I do, and just put them in my account. It makes them go SO much farther!) So, I found this GREAT pin on Pinterest, downloaded one pic (the one I loved more than anything), and pasted it in a Word doc. 4 times.

I'd already tried playing with Adobe... and Cricut... And I wasn't about to "fussy" cut anything. There is no time in my world for that... So I popped it on my Brother Scan-N-Cut 2 sheet, scanned it in and let the Brother cut it all out for me.

See those cuts? So cool...

Ooooh! I'm just lovin' it! I can see you, too... Mr. Hot Stormtrooper!

Again. I'm just so thrilled with this all... not having to edit a cut, and having it cut super perfectly.

And since I make these packet mugs ALL. THE. TIME. better than cards, I tell ya!, I just keep it as a data file in my machine, load up and press cut. I just have to score and apply adhesive, and they're ready to GO!

Martha Stewart makes the best score boards. I love the little one for cards, and take it with me on crops and classes.

All adhere-ed with my 3M ATG gun. I will NEVER give you up, baby!

And yeah... Altogether now... It's just not enough...

So...

I tried some oil pastel crayons I'm not sure how long I've had them or even where they came from... but they were in my stash. Did YOU know they dry up? *cough* ME EITHER!!!! And these weren't going to work for me.

So, I decided embossing, it was! It laid on much better. And then I used my handy dandy brayer... Note to self: Go back to using clear plastic over the project, under the brayer, otherwise it all just STICKS. And then you have to clean the brayer. And who wants to clean anyway? We want to CRAFT! And the lettering stands out better now...

I really like the "froth" in the saying, but I thought someone else might not quite get it... And so...

My own lettering it is! With some white embossing powder. And yes... I did the lettering and sprinkling of powder several times again and again, because I'm that picky with centering...

Ugh. Didn't like this one...

But was "ok" with this one... and now... I just have to throw a gift card or packet of VIA or something in and give them away! They (my secret pals) are sure to LOVE it. And if they don't, they can just give it back and I'll ship them off to a galaxy far, far FAR away!

Which one do you like better? I like the hand-lettered one best... the words pop more.

And remember those wonderful things on the computer/internet I found? Whelp... here's one of my FAVORITES!!!!

 (And look at this FANTASTIC iron on you can get from Giggles to Go! (on Etsy) that I just "happened to find" on my ventures into the Black Hole AKA: The Internet)

 No matter what you like, May the Fourth  be with you... and in case you don't get it (my high school classroom kids didn't last year...) it is a play of "May the Force be with you" Geeze, people!

 

Have a great Fourth! Don't party too hard for the Cinco (de Mayo), and may the rest of May brighten your Day!

 

See ya in another "space" and time!

 

Be sure to comment on each blog in today's hop to be entered into the drawing for a $10 Stampin' Up Gift Certificate given away by our hop host and Stampin' Up Independent Demonstrator Theresa Knopf. 

Thanks for flying by today.
Here's the line-up in case you end up on the wrong planet (I mean blog): Theresa Knopf http://scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com
Alicia O'Bryant http://goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com
Sarah Biswabic www.sarahbiswabic.blogspot.com
Holli Pruitt Rodriguez Sunflowerholli.blogspot.com
Melissa Christine http://papershenaniganz.blogspot.com
Amanda Rhodes http://salnclts76.blogspot.com
Lisa Frederick http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com