Friday, January 30, 2009

Gingerbread House

These are actually from November 2008. We did these during a press tour for the anniversary of the hotel's Country Christmas. Thankfully, their pastry chefs made the cookies for us beforehand and had the icing bags already prepped. It was a lot of fun!




We had to leave them there overnight so they could set up well enough before carrying home. I made it without any casualties. Just yesterday I noticed that I've lost a gumdrop from the roof and one shingle. And trouble with the licorice around the door. Just a few minor things to fix later. Need to coat it for keep. Still smells of ginger!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Card - Grandmother - Flowers Have Sun

I remember seeing this saying somewhere a few months back and thought it was a nice sentiment. I can't recall if it was actually for a Grandmother or not, but that's how I opted to use it. It was also helpful that I had photos of flowers from the flower beds over the past year and the new Cricut with an also new Alphalicious cartridge. I took some Astrobrights paper and just let it cut various flowers from fully covered mat boards for an afternoon and just divided them by size into clear containers until time to create the card last night. It allowed the process to go a lot faster.

Supplies list:
  • Cricut - George cart - flowers (1", 1.25", 1.5")
  • Cricut - Alphalicious cart - lettering (1")
  • Paper trimmer for square background papers (1.5")
  • Marvy Clever Level Craft Punch LV-SJCP42 Square for photos (2" diagonal cut)
  • Card base - 8.5x11 - Royal Crafts Sonburn II Cover Stock Earthtones collection
  • Adhesives: Xyron (photos, colored squares, lettering); Glue Stick (center of cut flowers)
  • Brads (only used on two front cut flowers)
  • Making Memories Mini Square Tropic Item #26112 key lime
  • Making Memories Flower Pastel Item #30182 larger green of two sizes
Front:





Inside:


Scrapbook - Mini - Friends 2008

This was my first actual project....even though I did start one a while back and never completed it. Our local library has classes from time-to-time. Last October, they had one set up for "Scrapbooking 101" headed up by a representative from Creative Memories. All we were told when we signed up was to bring x number of photographs to use in a page. We didn't know what kind of project, just kind of assumed that it would be 12x12 page. What we ended up with was a folder with three small sample packs with various patterned and colored papers and a 6x6 inch (when folded) card. I assume it is a regular kit for Creative Memories parties. I knew eventually I would do something with the animals, so I took several photos of them and then some others. When I saw what we were going to be doing, I went with the "friends" theme so I could include even the neighbor's cat - which is how Grascal came to live here a year ago when I was taking care of theirs. Anyway, we were somewhat limited to supplies there - since she didn't want to move to the library for the day - and time. We had the CM Circle Cutters, a small CM paper trimmer and then of course our paper, cards and pictures.




I went with decorating the inside of the card first with putting their photos together as well as some of the accents. I had a lot of what I felt was bare space, some I was going to use for journaling later and some I wanted accent paper for but I had run out of what matched. Several of the things I did wait until after the class. I'd run out of the green with dots and wanted to use it for more accents as I had with the blue. I had some similar, but not identical, green paper from a 1-lb. paper pack purchased at Dollar General (for a dollar) and just punched mini holes in it to use as an accent. The circle around Grascal & Taylor's photo was cut using a Martha Stewart Circle Cutter I had at home - I think it lends itself to that type circle. The stamps, for the names of for each, are from a clear stamp set that I already had. It was either from Target or Michael's - can't recall which right now. And of course the children helped out with their paw prints. I did it mainly to document the size of little Taylor's paws - while he's still little. Oddly, he was the most cooperative and came out with the best print!






Each of their photos for the inside was done at regular wallet-size. The ones for the front of the card were done in size between index print and wallet size. The paper for the front was also from that same Dollar General pack of paper. I found a font on the computer I liked and printed it off in a periwinkle type color with FRIENDS 2008 spaced out enough to work with the Scalloped Circle paper punch (also Martha Stewart) and then opted to punch the photos out with the same punch. Went with the order that they came into each others lives.




Unfortunately, since that was done the one I call "Baby" (and the neighbors call "Mama Cat" - it was accidental that she started responding to my just saying baby, not as her name) has disappeared. We think she's hiding out every now and then in the carport over here, but not sure.


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