Hello my crafty friends, another week has gone by and it is time for another BBTB2 challenge!  I am hosting this week and I chose the theme "Back to School" as my son starts back to school on Tuesday.  I can't believe another summer has gone by already and my baby is a Junior!  Time stands still for no one. lol  So for my card I used Wild Card 2.  I chose the apple to go with my papers that I got from Michaels, they are 4.5 x 6.5, perfect for on cards and they are by Recollections.  I also used some teacher stamps from Paper Trey Ink. My card is an A2 "S" Card, simple but I think they are so cute to make.  I meant to glue my apple "mouth" on upside down so it was a smile instead of a frown, but forgot, so I have a less than thrilled apple. lol  I thought this would be a good teacher appreciation card or just because card for a teacher.  I hope that you will check out my design team sisters and see what amazing creations they have for you and I can assure you that they will inspire you.  Please leave them some bloggy love as they work very hard to bring inspiration to you every week.  Read our simple rules at BBTB2 and remember that challenges are running a week long instead of two weeks.  Thanks for playing along with us and I look forward to seeing your back to school creations!

Thank for stopping by!

Vacation Anyone??-BBTB2 Challenge

Hi my crafty friends, it is Monday so that means another BBTB2 challenge.  This week our talented and sweet design team sister Carole picked the challenge "vacation" since we are in the summer months.  I started an "interstate" vacation mini the other month so I decided to do another page or two for in that.  I have lived with all guys, there are 7 in my family and I'm the only girl, so you know what that means don't ya?!  Yes, it is all about the guys even when all but 2 of them are gone out the house. lol  Hubby and I got into the car and drove west, just the two of us.  It was a kinda' spur of the moment trip.  I created this little mini to hold our pics from that get away.  To see the cover and first page go here.  For toady's pages I used Sports Mania, 50 States, and Art Philosophy.  Our first stop was Canton Ohio to see the Football Hall of Fame, this is where the guy stuff comes into play-this trip was all about my man seeing stuff that interests him. lol  I will have to admit the Football Hall of Fame was pretty amazing even if you aren't into football. Did you know that Pro Football begain in my state of PA?  Who Knew??  Ok football fans probably knew, I did not. lol  Even the hubs learned some things from this amazing stop.  So the first page starts our stop and the second and many more pages to come is about the Hall of Fame.  Because of the size of the mini I can't get to much embellishments (or pics) in there so I have to keep it pretty basic and simple.  I hope that you will go check out the rest of my design team sisters at BBTB2, they have some awesome projects on vacations and while you are there please read our simple rules and join us in this vacation challenge!!! Please note that starting with this challenge we are going to one week instead of two weeks to get your project linked.  Happy vacationing!

Back to School-SSD Challenge

Hi my crafty friends, Brenda here and this week our challenge at Sweet Sassy Diva was a "back to school" challenge.  I know some areas have already started back to school, but my DS starts on the 28th so he has a few more days of summer left. lol  Of course he has been working all summer so it hasn't been all play this summer.  For my project I did a little shaped card.  I should have thought it out a little more than I did because it is a little delicate. lol  I got all my cuts from Simply Charmed.  I layed my design out in my Gypsy.  I welded the "back to school", "notebook paper" and the "pencil" all together to form my card.  This is what it looks like on my Gypsy:

Here are the layers to my card broken down ready to cut with my choice of colors:

Here is my card without the layers.  I folded over the "back to school" and creased with my bone folder.

Next I cut all my layers out and assembled them on my card.  Stamped a sentiment inside and now it is ready to send out.  I think I will send it to my granddaughter since she is going back to preschool this year.  My card will fit in an A2 envie perfectly!

I hope that you are inspired to make a back to school card or goodie box for someone special in your life.  I think our children/grandchildren appreciate being thought of when it is this time of year.  Happy crafting everyone!!

Apples! Sweet Sassy Diva Challenge

Hi all my wonderful crafty friends!  Brenda here and this week at Sweet Sassy Diva our theme is apples!  I knew just the pics I wanted to scrap with an apple theme so I got out my trusty Gypsy and layout out my plan on how to do my layout.  I used this sketch:

I did change it up some by the time I was finished. lol But still I followed the sketch pretty well.  I don't know where I got this sketch from as I just save them to my computer.  I need to start marking where they come from.

Here is what it looks like on my Gypsy:

I then started with a white base and started building my papers.  For my pattern papers I used Hobby Lobby's brand Paper Studio Vintage Nation paper.  This is my first time using my Scrap' in Easel and can I just say I am already loving this thing!!  It is so nice to have the layout sitting up right, much better on your neck and shoulders!

Next I cut out my apple shadow border using Making the Grade Cricut cart.  I welded my apple shadows together at different heights and cut out of black cardstock.  Then I hide the inside of the apple in my Gypsy and cut out enough apples for the shadows.  I also hide the outside of the apple to cut out the white flesh of the apple using off white or vanilla cardstock.  I think they look pretty good after getting it all together.  I placed it on the pattern papers with a magnet.  Nothing is glued down as of yet.

Next came my title and journeling box with apple.  The word "American" came from 3 Birds on Parade, I hide the "all" and the "stars" with my Gypsy as I just wanted the word "American".  Both words "as" came from Billionaire that I welded together, "Apple Pie" came from Blackletter and my journaling box came from Elegant Edges, my apple on my journeling box came from Preserves cart. I also did some distressing with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo ink.  I was going to mat my pics on white cardstock but then changed my mind. lol


                                     

Here what it looks like after the pics have been added and it's all glued down.  I'm a pretty happy with the way this turned out!  I hope that you have been inspired by the SSD design team and get crafty too using apples as your theme.

Until next time Happy Crafting my friends!

Sending Tons of Love! BBTB2

Happy Monday my crafty friends!  It is a beautiful, beautiful day here today.  One might even say it is the perfect summer's day!!  Not to hot, hot humid...just perfect. And we haven't had many of them this summer. lol  Today on BBTB2 our talented and super sweet design team sister Shelly picked the theme, "Elephants" for our challenge.  At first I was thinking what the heck am I going to make using an elephant. lol  But then remembering that our grandson's 1st  birthday was coming up I decided to make a birthday card for him.  So using Paisley I welded two shadows of the elephant holding the envie together to make a shaped card.  Cut all my layers out and embossed my elephant and his ears with a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  I'm so sorry I can't remember the folder name.  I popped up his ears and envie to give it some more dimension. A little sanding on the ears and a little chalking and called it done.  For the inside I put Happy Birthday of course and "Sending TONS of love".  Please go over to BBTB2 and see what my design team sister have in store for you.  I hope that you feel inspired and decide to join us in this elephant challenge, just please read our simple rules for joining in and HAVE FUN!!

SSD Anything Goes Cricut Challenge!

Hi my crafting friends Brenda here, this week at Sweet Sassy Diva we were issued the challeng of anything goes with the Cricut.  Well I took it one step farther and went with anything goes with the Imagine as well. lol  So  I have two very simple cards for you today. Simple because I had a very busy week and weekend so I needed to keep it simple to be able to just get them done and because I was too tired to get very creative!  I'm sorry ahead of time about that.  lol  I don't have a tutorial for you today as these were very simple to do. I started with a white A2 base, added a black mat and then printed some pink poka dot paper from the Imagine cart "Baby Boutique" by Teresa Collins.  I'm sorry this picture looks so washed out, the card in real life doesn't.  Next I used the print and cut feature of the Imagine and printed and cut out the baby carriage with it's layers.  I popped each layer which was the carriage top and the wheels.  Stamped "sweet baby" on which is a set from My Pink Stamper. Added some bling and called this one done on the front.

For the inside of my card I used the same papers and then used a stamp set that came with Art Philosophy.  I cut out my shape from the Art Philosophy and then stamped it.  Colored in my block with a black marker and added the "precious baby girl".  That's it,so simple!

For my second card I started with a 5x7 card base.  I printed the pink and brown card stock from the Imagine cart Word of Mouth. I added a 6.25 x 4.25 mat from a DCWV mat stack for my last layer.  Then I print and cut the phrase from Word of Mouth and popped it up on my card.  I didn't cut any layers on this phrase, cut a base cut.  Added some bling and called it done.

I hope that you have gotten some inspiration from the DT at Sweet Sassy Diva this week.  If so get out those Cricut machines and go created something no matter how simple it might be.  It's so rewarding to create no matter how detailed or simple.  There are so many great Cricut carts to get you going.   Send someone a hand made card and make their day!!  Happy crafting!

Huge Blog Award on Craftin' Desert Diva's!

Go to Craftin' Desert Diva's to enter 6 difference ways to win a $100 Michaels Gift Card!!  They want to reach 200 followers and when they do they will be giving away this generous gift card.  Go check it out at:

http://craftindesertdivas.blogspot.com/2012/06/10000-michaels-gift-card-200-follower.html?showComment=1344377680825#c6395012061741847449

You never know you just might be lucky enough to win this gift card! Boy what a lot of shopping I could do with that $100!!! lol

A Special Favor to Ask

Hi all my crafty friends.  I have a special favor to ask of you sweet ladies and gents if there are any reading this. I have a friend who's nephew is turning 13 soon and we would like to shower him with a card shower.  Now he's not just any ordinary boy, he is special.  Why you ask?  Because he has went through so much this past year.  He had cancer and they had to take his leg because of it.  He has had to go through treatments that are very hard on him, but he remains upbeat and as sweet as he can be.  He has also missed a whole year of school with his friends.  He so deserves this card shower.  Could you ladies/gents help me out???  Send Chris a card to help him celebrate becoming a teen!  Thank you in advance, you guys are the best!!!

Here is a little about him and his address:

I am writing this note to invite you to join in celebrating the birthday of Pat Freed's nephew, Chris. As you recall, he is battling cancer. Chris will be 13 years old on August 25. Would you care to join us in another card shower to help him celebrate this momentous occasion?

Pat has shared with me that Chris has had an extremely stressful year. He is facing the last 3 chemo sessions in the near future. He has been fitted with a prosthesis and uses it quite a bit. As the new school year approaches, he hopes (as we do) that he will be able to join his classmates at the end of September or early October. By that time he should be done with his chemo treatments. Of course, this time is tentative because throughout this process there have been postponements of treatment due to fevers and other complications. Prayers and good thoughts are so powerful.

His address is:

Christopher Palumbo

5 Spring Street

Waverly, NY 14892

P.S. As before, please share this note with others who may wish to help Chris celebrate the BIG "13".

Fly Away! BBTB2 Challenge!!

Hi all my crafty friends it is Monday and you know what that means-yep another week gone by. lol That and it is time for another BBTB2 challenge! Our super sweet DT sister Jeri gave us the challenge of using a hot air balloon or a plane.  Now it was a busy week for me last week and the weekend was even busier, so my card lacks much imagination and I kept it very simple. I did the ever so popular stamping technique but with embossing folders instead, a little chalk (hard to see in the pic) on the embossing, my hot air balloon and a sentiment. I used the Devine Swirls embossing folder and Summer in Pair Cricut cart along with Lori's Garden Imagine card to flood fill both layers on my hot air balloon.  A stamped sentiment from My Creative Time and added some bling from CTMH.  See...talk about simple, easy peasy lemon squeazy.  Not very exciting I have to admit, but effective.  My DT sister have some fabulous creations using a hot air balloons and or a plane, please go check them out. I promise you won't be disappointed.  And why you are at it join us in this newest challenge!  Just be sure to read and follow our simple rules.  Can't wait to see your creations using a hot air balloon or a plane!  Until next time...happy crafting!