My sister, the cardmaker

So I have been sharing scrappy corner with my sister for the week! I don't share well--I am a control freak and I like to have things my way. But I released Cricky and the scrapbox to my sister. I taught her how to work Design Studio and how to use the machine and let her go. She has made a ton of cuts and I helped her finish them off on cards. I had to take my white pen to everything and just kept everything simple and cute. When she posted them on her facebook, everyone suggested that she sell them! We are using them to replenish the stash I started for my mother-in-law, who sends out tons of cards each year.

Here are some of our favorites:

Thanks for looking!

Simple Scrapper

I have come to accept that I am a simple scrapper. I don't do a lot of embellishments and I like my pictures in a linear, organized fashion. I realize that means it might be kind of boring to look at my books, but I just like to make sure we can see the pictures and the embellishments are just an added bonus. But I digress from my original purpose, which was to show some of the layouts that I have been working on. Some of the pictures are kind of terrible--it's raining and I have to take the pictures inside so I have some glare.

I had this one done except for a picture of my hubby with his blurays. I just got that printed today so I finished it up. It's simple and just used a little bit of Cricut with the font and the grill from Everyday Paper Dolls.

Here is a layout from our party shopping trip the day before my niece's 1st birthday. I used her fleece jacket for my inspiration and went with hearts that I cut from Doodlecharms and Rock Princess. The font is Base Camp and Rock Princess.

These two double page layouts go together for a Memorial Day cookout and fishing trip. The titles are a cute lil jingle that my sister's and I made up a long time ago when we fished (every weekend) at this pond. "Fishy, Fishy in the brook. Come jump on my hook!" I cut the fish from Everyday Paper Dolls and used a variety of cartridges for the font, including Nate's ABCs, Birthday Bash, Robotz and Lyrical Letters.

My hubby volunteered to go outside in the rain to get me fishing line so I could use it in my fishing pole. I think it's sooo cute and the perfect touch. My hubby is so awesome!
That sums it up. I have 16 more pages to do with the pictures that I have printed which will finish me up through mid-June 2010.

Animal Frames

I can't believe it's been 10 days since I posted. I have a few layouts to post but I want to finish a few more and post them all together. Then I had 3 wonderful days with this little lady...

My niece Kira! In those three days, we went to the zoo, picked strawberries, ate ice cream, played bubbles, colored, shopped and generally had an amazing time! And I did absolutely no crafting!

So today I had to step it up and get some frames done for a special little birthday boy. I am going with my sister, my hubby and my mom-in-law to Pittsburgh on Friday to celebrate the 1st birthday of my hubby's cousin's (who is his best friend) son. He has a really natural color pallette in his bedroom and his crib set is woodland creatures. I wanted to keep them simple and clean and here is what I came up with...

I used 8x8 frames that I got from Michaels for really cheap and paper from My Mind's Eye Complete Boy. I also embossed each of the little circles that holds the animals (sorry about the glare--I couldn't get it to go away!). The owl is from Hoot n Holler and the other three are from Create a Critter.

I think they go so well with his room and I am going to send some pictures after the party for her to put in the frames. I can't wait to give them to him--well, really to his parents cuz I know he won't care! Just need to make a card and find a toy and we will be all set!

1st Birthday Card and Toy Story Frame

My hubby and I are going to a 1st birthday party on Saturday (and another one in two weeks) so I wanted to make something for the birthday boy and a card, of course. His room is changing to Toy Story so I put the cartridge to use to make a frame for him.

I like this, but I am not loving how it came out. I think they will like it alot I just wish something was different about it. Don't know what, just something.

And this card. Ugh. This card is soooo simple but it took me forever. I couldn't find the right paper. Then the ribbon I picked didn't match the blue paper. Then I couldn't stamp right. But here it is and I think it looks pretty good.

I used Rock Princess for the cupcake (it's my favorite cupcake ever!) and embossed it with D'Vine Swirls. I used a Pink Stamper stamp and a little blue ribbon and a few blue brads. It's done and I'm satisfied.

Next up, Father's Day cards.

Interview Thank Yous

Today I had a job interview (fingers crossed for positive results) for a teaching job and I was always told to send a thank you to the interviewer. I was actually interviewed by a group of 6 people (eeek), but I am only sending cards to the two principals--frankly I can't remember all of the names of the teachers and I don't want to leave anyone out! But anyway, here's what I came up with this afternoon.

The first one I used Doodlecharms for the apple, Once Upon a Princess for the background shape and paper from DCWV Grade School stack.

The next one I used Hello Kitty for the apple and books and paper from the same stack--which is a necessity for a teacher in my opinion!

I really like how they turned out--simple but showing my obvious appreciation for their time. I think I did really well in the interview and I hope this beautiful cards put me over the edge!

Graduation Gift

I went in search of picture frames today for a graduation gift for a cousin of my husband. After four stores, I ended up at Walmart with nothing in mind. They had an 8x8 shadowbox and I decided that I was just going to have to make something. I also grabbed an easel to put the frame on for a different effect than on the wall.

Taking into consideration the grad, who is a wonderful basketball player (and will be playing in college) and is also super cute and stylish, I came up with a combo that I think works pretty well.

I used Forever Young for the girl in her drop-waist dress and added a little tulle and yellow ribbon to the bottom.

I also used Sports Mania for the giant basketball which I embossed with Tiny Bubbles folder. I had to add the ribbon to that part of the ball because the folder wasn't big enough to emboss the whole ball and I had to cover the seam. (I am not mentioning that I had to cut that stupid ball three times cuz I messed it up!)

I used Opposites Attract for the letters and popped on a few silver star brads.

I think it turned out pretty good for a last minute design! I am pretty sure she will like it!

Hello Kitty Grad Card

I made a graduation card for my husband's cousin, who graduated from high school this past weekend. Her party is Wednesday and I have had this card in my head since I (finally!) got Hello Kitty Greetings last week. Her school colors are basically green and white, so I made the grad gown in green even though she wore white. Hello Kitty would not have stood out very well in a white gown! I used tons of shimmer paper and tulle for the bow and a Fiskars stamp. I think she is going to like it because it combines darker, more masculine colors with shimmer and tulle and the cutest kitty ever!

Now I have to get started on a Toy Story frame and card for a little boy's 1st birthday!

More Layouts

I have just been scrapping away on my 2010 book. Here are some that I have been working on lately.

This layout shows my niece getting her ears pierced for her 1st birthday! I used Hello Kitty Greetings and Zoo Day on this one.

Here are two of the pages of her birthday party. After I cut my pictures I realized the sketch I was using was designed for 8x8 so I had lots of open spaces on the sides. I think it came out pretty well. I might add a few things later but for now it's done!

These two pages are from Easter at Mom's house. It goes with two other pages but they are missing a picture so I will wait to post it. I used Doodlecharms and Once Upon A Princess.

And finally, here is a layout from the big family egg hunt at my aunt's house. We all got together and the kids got to hunt eggs with money and candy, just like we did when we were kids! I used Mother's Day Bouquet, Stretch Your Imagination, Pooh and Friends and Lyrical Letters.

Birthday Layouts

I finished these two layouts yesterday; one is for the birthday of one of my friends and the other is for a birthday dinner I cooked for my little sister and my other sister's boyfriend (who have birthdays close together).

This one doesn't have a lot of Cricut on it, just the tag shape and the circle that I stamped. But I did use my Sew Easy on it, which seems to work easier on the cardstock than it did on patterned paper. Admittedly, I need to practice more but I really like the way it turned out on here. I love the colors of the layout which were inspired by the birthday girl, who is wearing purple!

And the other one:

Completely different color palette. I used Birthday Bash for the bee, the title and the cake. I used DCWV Birthday Extravaganza (I think that's what it's called) for most of the patterned paper. I am pretty happy with the way it came out; I just wish some of my layouts would look more polished like others I see.

I am on a roll! I would like to get 2010 done by the end of the summer...but who knows cuz I take A LOT of pictures and I insist on scrapping each event because each of them are important to me!