A Year of Card Techniques - (November) Vellum and Acetate

If you intended to get to the "Corny"copia Blog Hop, you can check out our grub, or just click here to move on (but you're always welcome back!).
Welcome to...

Our year of hopping is almost through, if you've not gotten the chance to hop and comment each month, click on the links below to take you to the posts:
January HERE   February HERE   March HERE   April HERE   May HERE   June HERE   July HERE August HERE September HERE October HERE

Remember to comment on each blog, each month to be entered into the prize drawing.

Each comment on the 12 hops throughout the year will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Blitsy.com or Stampin' Up gift certificate (Winner's Choice).

Now on with the projects.

This month it's all about the see through stuff...vellum and acetate. Because America needs transparency... (that's as political as I'll post here... and yes, I voted, but not for either of the circus clowns...)

If you really REALLY look closely, you will see a beautiful piece of vellum, pearly off-white with gold-toned roses. Look closer, I swear... it's there!

I cut a small piece of it with my handy-dandy new (see below) guillotine trimmer dunno why... but that word "guillotine" always makes me picture Marie Antoinette in my head... Yikes! then ran it through the Cuttlebug in this beautiful new embossing folder. (I love it... and it's quite perfect for weddings, showers, life...)

Didn't it just turn out GORGEOUS????? Um...

... maybe not so much. See that little tear? Remember... vellum is tender (and see through). Don't use it to make clothing!

 

The wedding/shower colors are mint and gold. Gold???? Does that even go together???? Regardless of what I believe think, I found this wonderful set of chalk colors at the Scrapbook Expo where I spent WAY more $$$ than I should have but totally rationalized it by telling myself (and my other self... you know, the one that talks back to you when you're doing something wrong... right?) that I'd totally just make sure I used everything I bought... this time...  Uh huh... yeah...

Gold? Um... I didn't have much in the way of gold, except this too thick ribbon and some glitter. And so... I cut it lengthwise...

I swear... in my hand, these misted flowers just don't match that minty color above it... They really are much brighter in person. Tricks of the camera, ma friend... Tricks, I say!

Threw it all together and put a bow on it. Geeze! It really is much lighter and prettier in person, folks. This looks totally drab. Cute. But drab.

A little bit closer... See the form of the flowers? Yep. I learned that at the Expo, too. Took a class, I did! And swore I'd use those techniques SOMEWHERE...

I like the way it turned out. Unless I totally break out that camera that's been sitting in the box for a couple of years maybe one day soon I'll get better, more worthy pics... I'm NOT upgrading to the iPhone7! It's just not in my scope of thought yet. I'll wait for a better one...

Hope you love the card... I do!!!!!

We really love feedback, so please leave a comment on each of the blogs in today's hop. Up next? Kim!!!!! Who ALWAYS has a ton of awesomeness to share! Today, your hop destinations are:

Theresa
Debbie

Lisa

Kim

Jearise

Sharon

Amanda

Christmas in July! (Day Two)

Welcome to Day Two of... Christmas in July!

We just couldn't stop playing with the holiday theme, so we've got a second day filled with great ideas that you can start creating now for Christmas. Along the way today, you'll find card and gift ideas, a scrapbook layout page or two and even a couple great decorating ideas.

We hope this hop gets you in the holiday spirit a little early this year.

We'd like to say a HUGE THANKS to our sponsor today.

Theresa is giving away a $20 Stampin' Up Gift Certificate to one lucky winner AND take 10% off any order placed through her (not available on website) by July 30th. Email her at scrapsbygracie@gmail.com with your order.

All you have to do to win this fabulous prize is comment on each of the blogs. That's it! It really is easy. Of course, we would love it if you became a follower too.

Comment buttons can be found at the bottom of the post (on most of the blogs). (and for those that you can't find... it's probably at the top next to the title of the post!)

Now on with the hop!

Can you tell I'm not all about cards or layouts at Christmas YET?

I'm extremely cheap! frugal. I saw some stand-up letters somewhere, all decorated and such... and they cost $30! per set!!!! of two!!!! OMG!!!! He** NO! I would NEVER pay that. That'd be $90 for Santa to laugh!

So I bought some paper mache letters at Michaels remember I'm cheap... so of course I used a coupon! and painted them up. I was going for the "snowy mist" look... it didn't work. How do most of us fix mistakes? Cover them up! Work with them. I applied a ton of Mod Podge then sprinkled a ton of ultra-fine red glitter. Remember... it gets EVERYWHERE!!!! Just a little note here... There aren't painting pics because I probably accidentally deleted couldn't find them. So sorry. Not sorry. They really were kind of boring pics...

I wanted my letters to sit together permanently, but be separated. Make sense? Well! It does to me! I used my FAVORITE silicone caulking! It's not just for cards and layouts, people!!! and made three little lifted blobs and set them together, making sure they were the perfect distance apart. And no... I didn't glue the three sets of letters together, Silly! Can you imagine the nightmare of storage?

More up-closes of my beauteous letters! Sorry I don't have a Christmas-sy background... it's a little early in the year for that! Also... I hope you don't take the "HO, HO HO" personally.. if you do, please get therapy for your issues and don't take them out on me!

and here are all three sets! I haven't decided yet if they'll go on different shelves... or all in a row... or strung out... the possibilities are endless. But I love how they turned out! Don't you? And I did have a friend ask me, "Where's mine?" LMAO! Are you kidding? Wait for your birthday, girl!

Miranda's up next, and I'm pretty positive she's got some more holiday bling to share with you.

Here is today's hop line-up in case you get lost along the way:

Theresa ~ http://scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com
Barbara ~ http://barbarab3.blogspot.com
Kim ~ www.katydidcards.com
Alicia ~ http://goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com
Lisa ~ http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com/
Miranda ~ www.nanasscrapspot.com
Daphne ~ http://craftyscrapsofstuff.blogspot.com/
Holli ~ Sunflowerholli.blogspot.com
Sharon ~ http://piece-ofheart.blogspot.com
Sarah ~ www.sarahbiswabic.blogspot.com
Amanda ~ http://salnclts76.blogspot.com
Jearise ~ http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com

If you missed Christmas in July! (Day One), please go to Theresa's blog and scroll down a post. Or... you can start HERE! and hop on through.

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 - (April) Shaker Cards

Welcome to...

It's month four 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 in previous months. If not, it's not to late to hop and comment.
If you missed January's hop, you can still hop and comment by starting HERE; if you missed February's hop, you can still hop and comment by starting HERE; if you missed March's hop, you can still hop and comment by starting HERE.

This month we will be creating shaker 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'm thinking this is my year of do-overs. I absolutely love some of the things I've made, but have given them up to other people as gifts, or even just because I'm that nice. And now... I'm wanting them back to add to my hoarding collection I'm wanting to have more "stash" to be able to give when I need to. But... My inventiveness aka: creativity has been slightly dwindling due to a hectic schedule. Yeah... I know ya'll have them problems, too... so feel my pain together, with me and instead of some "Wink of Stella", we'll be drinking some Rose of Stella.. or Platinum.. I'm not picky (all the Stellas are my friends)! Anyway... Back to my project. I searched through my shaker cards and found this fave... So I remade her with a little Stella in my cup.
 

First... I took searched my shelves for Mod Podge Glitter! NOTE* One of my pet peeves... When someone says, "MODGE" Podge. Do you here the "ge" in the the "MOD" part? Uh... No. (Yes... I got it on clearance quite a while ago at Joann's. Don't judge. Taking THAT back... Do! I'm a total tight-wad and save money every which way I can. Proud of it!) And it comes in quite handy... dries clear (with little flecks of gold glitter)... you'll see... keep reading and scrolling...

Then... I sponge-brushed it on 5"x4" acetate panels (2 of them)... and let it dry... (FYI... I used scraps of plastic aka: acetate that I saved from packaging. Save... SAVE MONEY!)

See? It's all clear now! Well... Kinda... It's a little smear-y looking, but hey... reminds me of those modern showers with the "water-works" in the glass...

Cut out "F A L L" (in Storybook font, without weldin) on a Terrifically Tacky Tape (sheet)... well, what was left of it (it was 3.25"x3.25"). It ran off the edge, obliterating an "L", so I deleted 3 letters from my screen, rotated and moved the "L" to squeeze it onto the leftover bits of the sheet (improvisation at it's finest!) and cut again. Note: Set the pressure higher on a project like this, otherwise you'll do like I did and have to manipulate separation afterward. Fun.

Now... here's the really CAREFUL part. I outlined (on white paper... the one I used as a mat while I Mod-Podged them) the area of the acetate. Then... I centered lines, so the placement of my letters would be just that... CENTERED! I'm sure I really do have some sort of tool that would let this go smoother (and easier), but I seriously did not feel like looking/searching through the craft room. If you must know... it is STILL not organized and is a total mess... STILL.

Then, I super duper carefully peeled the white backing off my letters, and placed them on the plastic acetate, beginning with the center letters, then adding the others to achieve this...

and carefully peeled off the red plastic coating to get THIS... (another note... I placed the white paper underneath ALSO so that bits of things wouldn't cling to the acetate... I love hate when that happens...)

Then... added a little burnt orange ProvoCraft glitter (thanks to goodness to clearance sales from years ago... twenty-five cents keeps on going!!!)... to achieve THIS. (it'd'n't purtee?)

I had already cut out an aperture in a card blank (craft cardstock! one of my FAVES!!!), large enough for my acetate. (btw... I can't find the pics of these steps... sorry...) I adhered the non-FALL acetate to the underside of the card opening, sprinkled in some punched out apples and leaves from various scraps, put adhesive around the edges of that acetate (be sure to adhere the complete perimeter, so that whatever you're putting in your shaker-box doesn't escape through an itty-bitty opening!!!), lined up my FALL acetate, and pushed it down. Another NOTE: I think I'd use my infamous caulking next time, but was looking to not have SO much shaker room...

Then I finished it up, by inking the framed portion of the card with Cat's Eye gold ink and a tad of Wink of Stella (Gold)...

... tied a strip of twine (recycled from a kids' toy packaging! be sure to check out the awesome extras that come with your kids' toys!!!! Remember... I recycle EVERYTHING. This... in a mental-health issue is now called a hoarder. Years ago, it would've been called conservatism and maybe thrifty...  [this held HAIR on a Barbie-type doll!] you'll be amazed at what you paid for and are throwing away!!!) around the card's "spine"... and found these two little leaves (yes... I only had TWO!), pierced a hole in them with a piercer... threaded the twine through and knotted it from behind... 

Really... I am super happy with the total result. You have to look "beyond" the pictures, actually look "through" them to see the full thing. I loved the idea!

Thanks for stopping by... and if you'd like to participate in our technique, feel free and be sure to leave me a link to your project, so I can comment and return the favor!

Hope you have a great "falling-in" with Spring! ... Up next is Kim.

Here's today's line-up in case you get lost along the way:

Theresa
Sharon
Lisa
Kim
Claudia
Denise
Debbie
    

A Year of Card Techniques - (March) Inlaid Diecutting

If you are here for the Once Upon a Time Blog Hop... please go HERE! (or... scroll up and check out all my posts for the day! I'm kinda great!)

It's month three 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 in January for the emboss resist technique and in February for ink layering. It's not to late to hop and comment.
If you missed January's hop, you can still hop and comment by starting HERE.
If you missed February's hop, you can still hop and comment by starting HERE.

This month we will be focusing on inlaid die-cutting and you won't want to miss the awesome 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. (If you'd like to see the YouTube videos that may may not have inspired me/us... Check them out here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeNFa0Muo74
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3wMc1Bcdx0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ9rLPzPUFI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTw3__zx8uk

Ok. I'm letting you know RIGHT now... this one was a bit harder for me... First of all... I don't own many dies. (I'm kind of an electronic kinda gal...) So here's what I had to work with:

 

And believe it or not, I picked one of the more intricate (The Butterfly) piece first. Got completely frustrated with all those hecka tiny pieces (you'll see below) and gave up for some simplicity.

 

And so... I chose the star frame. Easy? Not so much.

I went with the above colors...

And tried to run it through my Cuttlebug. Man, I sure wish I had some of that "Post-It" tape... Probably wouldn't have had to do so many tries and waste so much paper! Um... It moves!!!

So after all the sandwiching and passing, this is what I ended up with...

And all these itty bitty pieces...

But, today was a day I really felt like getting all gluey and peeling glue off my fingers. We all need to revert back to being a child once in a while...

And you know you gotta smoosh it around with your finger... Because who DOESN'T like peeling dried glue off their hands? I L-O-V-E it!

Piecing it together... It really is more tedious than it looks...

Like a puzzle... Which way does it go? Yes... I tried several times...

See that itty bitty teeny tiny piece on my fingertip? Yep. I had to try to get it into one of the equally small holes... THE RIGHT WAY! and see...? I'm still letting my finger(s) dry, so I can peel the glue...

THAT's the hole I had to fit it in...

And... just a hint... if you use CRAFT cardstock, run/pass it through several times, otherwise you'll get one of these bits that just isn't cut all the way through. Try that! on for size... major frustration and re-doing...

And some edges stick up... Ugh... Might as well get out my faves... (see below!)

Clear plastic and a BRAYER to the rescue! That's right... roll it all down really tight!

And then we have the above... And that glue still needed to dry...

And um... Be sure you put either some plastic between the layers or something, because otherwise, it might stick together? Uh... Yeah... It's a no-brainer. And I didn't have the brain that day...

So... I wanted to have my Cricut write inside my card... Only...

Design Space wasn't being friendly with the line-spacing... Ugh.

But, I changed it and got it... And then (as I've shown several times before...) I moved it to where I wanted it on the mat (which I had the physical mat loaded with the card... brayer-ed on, of course!).

Note: If you're not sure if it's going to "write" in the "right" place, use the stylus, and it will lightly emboss the path... If that's right, just do it again. Only this time with a pen... Yep!

Watch that baby roll!!!!!

And see? Gorgeous... But not quite enough... See the Wink of Stella I added?

Awww... Beautious! But still... not enough...

So... Strips of glitter card stock were added and brayer-down. If you don't know these lyrics... and they're not humming through your head yet, ask an "older" person... It's from the '70's!

Hope you enjoyed my simplistic card! I'll try it again... after I get some less-complicated dies. It really is cool!

Up next is Jearise! Check her work out and see what types on in-laying she did! This is pretty incredible!

Here's today's line-up in case you get lost along the way
Theresa
Lisa
Jearise
Kim
Claudia
Denise
Debbie
Sharon