Fall anniversary card

It's about to be that time of year again. My other SIL is about to celebrate her anniversary and I need to make her a card. So...I'll post the card I made for her last year. (I know, blogging hasn't been a priority lately, but hoping to change that.)

Back to the card....

It's been a year since I made this card, so I'll try to remember what I did. I know I used SU leaf stamp and coordinating Sizzix die, woodgrain embossing folder and a piece of burlap. The background was created from leftover Distress Ink on my craft surface. I just used paper to mop up the ink and then sprayed it with gold Glimmer Mist.

I wish I could pick up the sparkle, but at least you can see the texture.

Thanks for looking!

Jumping into the Challenge Ring!!

I finally found a Cricut -Scrapbooking Challenge--Scrappy Saturday with the Bug. I'm hoping to be inspired to use what I have--too many cricut carts!!! Thanks to Amanda and Melissa for getting this started!!

This was the first challenge issued--Anything Goes.

• Must be a new layout for this challenge
• Must link directly to the project and not just your blog or gallery
• Please use a Cricut or SVG cut somewhere on your layout
• You will have one week to submit your page

Here's my layout:

I used 5 different cartridges on this layout.

• tree-Stretch Your Imagination
• alligator-Animal Kingdom
• Miss.-50 States
• look closely & scenic route-Graphically Speaking
• shrub border-Everyday Paper Dolls

I embossed the tree with my Cuttlebug and Distressed Stripes, inked a little with Colorbox Chalk ink. The ribbon is CTMH Chocolate Collection. Most of the cardstock is from DCWV, the rest out of my scraps. Due to my poor photography skills and the snow storm outside, I couldn't get a decent picture. What's really not showing up is the 2 layer shrub border, (pg 77-headwear and accessory 2). I guess I should have inked it, but it was already stuck down when I realized it.

Well, that's it for my first challenge. Hope I followed all the rules. If anything, I was inspired to create, used scrapbook stuff I already had and had fun!!

Tryscrapbooking,
Lara

Fall cards

Here are some fall cards I recently created. I had two birthdays and an anniversary in October, so I got to use 2 of my favorite stamp sets-Lovely as a Tree (SU) and Nature's Vein (CTMH).

The anniversary card was made using Lovely as a Tree (SU). I inked up the leaf part with distress inks in three colors, then added clear embossing powder while the ink was still wet and heat embossed. The trunks were inked with a brown dye ink marker. That ink dried as soon as it touched the paper and didn't get any powder. I Cuttlebugged the card base and layered a darker orange scrap with distressed edges. The stamped image was matted with brown cardstock. Tied a brown satin ribbon over the corner and presto!! a beautiful card. The card design was cased from http://www.kerinstamps.com/stampin_with_kerin/2009/09/lovely-as-a-tree.html

The second card was used as a Fall birthday card. I used Nature's Vein (CTMH) and did the rock and roll technique to get 2 colors of ink on the stamp. The background on this card has also been Cuttlebugged, but I added ink over the raised design. The twill was already distressed, from my stash. This card was cased from: http://didyoustamptoday.blogspot.com/2010/10/vintage-autumn-with-brayering.html

Hope you like these fall cards. They were both pretty quick and easy to make.

Tryscrapbooking,
Lara

Snowflake Card Trio

I know I wanted this blog to be about scrapbooking, but we're in the Christmas season and I've been inspired to make Christmas cards!! My inspiration for this card was found on Jan Tink's blog. I loved her card so much, I just had to break out of my rut and make one...I mean three!!

This is the first card I created using Jan's as inspiration. I used kraft CS as the base. I stamped the background with SU's Paisley background in Ranger's Distress Ink-Frayed Burlap, then sprayed with Gold Maya Mist to give it some shimmer. I matted that layer with CM's gold metallic paper. The layers are notched at the corner with SU's corner ticket punch (a favorite of mine!) For the snowflake, I cut that out with my favorite scrapbooking tool, my Cricut Expression-Winter Woodland cart, snowflake 4 (I used real dial size/layers option).

Next, the center design was created using:
SU's scallop circle punch-gold paper,
SU's 1 3/8 in circle punch-cream CS,
CM 1 1/4 in circle punch-gold paper,
CM 1 in-cream CS(stamped image is from SU Party Punch, same ink as above)

The bottom trim was cut 1 in wide, then punch with Fiskars Threading Water punch, wrapped with cream ribbon. I pop dotted both the snowflake and the center scallop.

After talking with some fellow crafters (Beck and Suzie), I just had to experiment with some different colors of metallic paper. I thought a pink snowflake card would be pretty and I'm pretty happy with the results. This card was made with the same basic design, with a few changes. The pink metallic paper came from a paper pack I bought at Walmart and white CS. The dotted background is actually CS from the Co'oredinations Whitewash collection, embossed using the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder, sanded slightly to bring out the pink color. (Co'oredinations CS is fun to use. I really liked the results on this card.) The center was created the same as the above card, but using CTMH Blush ink to stamp the image. The snowflake was sprayed with Elmer's Spray Adhesive, then sprinkled with Crystal Coarse (MS Frosty Gingerbread Glitter pack). OMG!! It's so sparkly IRL!! The picture just doesn't do it justice. Finished off with white satin ribbon.

I think the blue snowflake card is my favorite, although I think that whenever I look at each card! Same basic design as the first two, but this time the background was created using SU glossy CS and an alcohol ink technique. I have a few alcohol inks, but not a large variety of colors, so I borrowed a neat trick I learned from Juli P. and soaked my felt in rubbing alcohol and added a few drops of SU reinkers-Bashful Blue, Soft Sky and Night of Navy, mixed with a drop of TH Metallic Silver mixative. Randomly stamped on the glossy CS, the "alcohol inks" slowly bled together creating a marbled stone look. This time, the snowflake was stamped with Versamark ink and embossed with glittery, embossing powder!! Looovvve it!! Center image was stamped with Night of Navy. Finished with silver ribbon.

So, that's it. There are the 3 Christmas cards I've made. Guess I have some work ahead of me because I don't want to give these away! I've told you my favorite, now tell me which one you like!

Till next time!

TryScrapbooking,

Lara

For my next trick.....
This is a card I made for my SIL and BIL for their anniversary on Wednesday. They had a fall wedding so every year, I try to make them a fall-themed card. This one was insprired by a card I found here. My pictures didn't turn out as well. Natural, non-direct sunlight is the best to photograph your projects. Too bad I'm a night owl!!

Anyway, I used Tim Holtz alcohol inks (Butterscotch, Wild Plum, Cranberry) on glossy photo paper to create the background for the leaf. The leaf was stamped with my brand new CTMH Nature's Vein, then heat embossed with clear powder. I stamped the veins using brown Staz-On. The leaf was stamped with Versamark ink on regular cardstock that I sponged with 3 different ink colors-CTMH Hollyhock, SU So Saffron and CTMH Sunflower. I dry embossed scraps of cardstock using the Cuttlebug Stylized Flowers embossing folder for the 4 squares and brown cardstock for the matting and background. The tag was a chipboard tag I found in my collection that I swiped with Colorbox inks and stamped with a phrase from CTMH From Me to You. I finished it off with some brown ribbon. I cut out the leaf shape and raised it with pop dots, then popped up the entire center mat image.

I hope you like it!! It's really much prettier in person. I'll have to keep working on my photography skills or at least take my pics during the day :)!
Tryscrapbooking (or card making!),
Lara