Thursday, December 29, 2011

A Bouquet of Birthday Wishes Just For You...


I needed to make a birthday card for a very special friend. So as usual, I began looking through my papers and stamps etc. to try to jump start my creative juices.
I came across this template that I had purchased at a stamp show this summer:


It is a Spinner Card template by Clever Cutts.
If you look at the center of the card, you will see that the sentiment actually spins around inside the little square:


It was easier than I thought it would be. There were several different  circular stamps that you could choose to go with the template. I chose "A bouquet of birthday wishes just for you...".
You stamp your circular sentiment on the 3 inch circle cut. I stamped  around the circle with tiny flowers from the Stamp Tapestry Stamp set "Moonlit Vase" . I then went over the letters with a clear glitter pen. After you fold all the score lines on the little square, you attach the circle with a brad. This enables the circle to spin!

After I put the card together , I felt it needed something else, so I die cut a flower with the Prima Donna Petals Die-namics (MFT) die set. I thought it looked great with the flower!

Oh... the beautiful DP is Hello Luscious-Basic Grey!

I think my friend really liked her card!

Thanks for stopping by!
Mackie






Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season
And a Happy New Year!

May God bless each and everyone!

Mackie

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Christmas Cards

 These are some CAS cards that I have made to send to friends and family this year.   All of the above cards were made using different Verve stamp sets:
I also scored lines at the bottom of the page with my Scor-Pal. Hopefully you can see that detail. On the left card I paper pieced the tree. The card on the right, I colored the tree with Copic Markers. The poinsettia on the center card was stamped with Riding Hood Red Ink (SU).
I then went over the words on the cards with a clear glitter gel pen.

The card below was very simple! This summer I  bought  (2) 12 x 12 papers with these 3 cute snowmen on them, at a local craft store for 25 cents each! I had completely forgotten about them. I had tucked them into my Christmas paper stash. Well... I decided to cut them apart, paste them onto a card, and punch the edges...6 cards...2 pieces of paper! They turned out to be some of my favorite Christmas cards! So cute!! So Easy!!


Now I've just got to get busy and start addressing!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Mackie

Sunday, December 4, 2011

My last post as Guest Designer at CR84FN



Hello!  This is my last post as the Guest Designer for  CR84FN Color Challenge!
 I have had so much fun being a part of this fabulous team!  I just want to thank Mona and all the wonderful designers at CR84FN Color Challenge for inviting me to be a guest designer for the last few weeks. You all made me feel so welcome! It has been such an honor! 

Now on to this week's challenge...




And to my card...


Don't ya just love this paper! This paper is from Basic Grey's Out of Print 6x6 paper pad. 
The colors were a perfect match for this color challenge!
First, I hand stitched the zigzags with my Sew Easy tool and pink floss.
(I still haven't figured out to get the right tension on my sewing machine!)
I then made a layer of aqua ribbon, a strip of DP and a die cut (Spellbinders) of aqua card stock, and placed it in the middle of the card.
I stamped the sentiment onto die cuts, all from Verve.
The sentiment area looked a little flat, so I die cut some hearts (Verve) out of DP and the aqua cardstock. I think this gave the card more depth...a little more oomph!
Finally, I added the light coral Prima chiffon flower and 3 pink & coral buttons.


Now go check out all the other designer's beautiful creations!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
And...thanks again, CR84FN !!!
Mackie

Paper: Out of Print (Basic Grey)
Stamps: Make a Statement (Verve)
Dies: Rounded Rectangle, Rounded Scallop Frame, From the Heart (Verve- A Cut Above)
          Banners Basic Two (Spellbinders)
Accessories: Sew Easy, Prima Flowers, ribbon, buttons

Monday, November 28, 2011

Peace


I used the Week 4 Viva la Verve Sketch to create this card.

http://vervestamps.com/VLV/VLVNov11Week4Sketch.jpg

When I saw the sketch, I thought-IMPOSSIBLE!
But the more I looked at it and started playing with these beautiful papers from Bo Bunny,
it came together. And I just kept adding a little bit here, a little bit there and it turned out to become one of my favorite cards that I have made this Christmas!


I inked, and distressed and added pearl accents with a Pearl Pen!
Added some lace, twine and a button! Some rhinestones! A snowflake!
I put all sorts of stuff on this card!

Thanks for stopping by! 
Mackie

Paper: Blitzen (Bo Bunny), Crumb Cake (SU)
Punches:Circle, Square, Scallop (Marvy); Photo Corners (Stampin Up)
Accessories: Pearl Pen-Ice White (Viva); lace, red & silver rhinestones, twine


Sunday, November 27, 2011

Winter Greetings!


I hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday! My family and I had a very good Thanksgiving weekend, even the weather cooperated this year---sunny and mild!

I still have the privilege of working as a Guest Designer for CR84FN!  The designers at CR84FN have been so kind! I have really had lots of fun being part of their team. Please visit all of the other designer's blogs and check out their great creations! You will see some amazing talent!

This is the SECOND week for this challenge at CR84FN!



And here is the card I created for this week's color challenge:


The holly leaves and berries were made by using my Cricut Machine and the Cricut cartridge Joys of the Season. I cut the leaves at 2 1/2 inches. I put foam tape between the layers to add depth. I highlighted the centers of the berries with a white Sakuri Gel Pen and the veins of the leaves with a brown Sakuri Gel Pen.  I went over the veins of the leaves again with a glitter pen. This is very subtle in this photo.


The holly was then adhered to a circle of DP that was cut with my SpellBinders Standard Circles die. The paper behind the holly is from the Tinsel(Memory Box) 6x6 paper pad. The reindeer paper is from Blitzen (Bo Bunny) and the green paper is from the Warm Wishes (Recollections) Scrapbook paper pad. I love this paper from Warm Wishes because the back side of the paper is Kraft!  I added some twine and a red button to balance the red in the reindeer paper and the holly berries. I know, I know...the color challenge is Tan, Brown & Green. But how can you make a Christmas card without a little bit of red!

 Don't forget to check out all of the other designer's blogs!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mackie

Stamps: Winter Greetings (Northwoods)
Ink: Chocolate Chip (Stampin Up)
Paper: Tinsel (Memory Box), Blitzen (Bo Bunny), Warm Wishes (Recollections), Chocolate Chip (Stampin Up)
Cricut Machine and Cricut cartridge-Joys of the Season
Dies: Standard Circles, Scalloped Circles (Spellbinders)
          Scallop Ribbon Border (My Favorite Things)

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Happy Holidays!


I used the Viva La Verve November Week 4 Sketch by Tosha Leyendeker
for this fun Christmas card!
Lots of embossing and layers and Copics and layers and stamping and layers!!!!! 
Whew!!!!
But lots of fun!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mackie

Stamps: Santa-F503S, Happy Holidays-G436S (Great Impressions)
Paper: Holly Jolly Christmas (Echo Park); Green (PTI); Red (SU)
Ink: Versamark, Riding Hood Red (SU), White (Color Box)
Embossing Folders:Snowflakes(Cuttlebug), Christmas Set #8 (Sizzix)
Embossing Ink: Black (SU), White (Stampendous)
Copic Markers:RV29, YG25, E00, C3,C5, R29, Y17
Accessories:Frost White Pearl Pen(Viva); Crystal (Stickles);Red &White Polka dot ribbon

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Merry Christmas


A quick post to show a Christmas card I made that was inspired by the 
http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/32733860/sn/1902143885/name/JUGS+111.jpg

I stamped the images with Versamark and then heat embossed them.
Added a red & white polka dot ribbon and an embellie!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Bright Hopes, Christmas Greetings (Stampin Up)
Ink:Versamark
Lettuce (Adirondack) embossing Powder, Heat Gun, Ribbon, & a red embellie


Monday, November 21, 2011

Let It Snow


I made today's card with this challenge in mind:

Easel Cards

It has been awhile since I made an easel card. I forgot how easy and how much fun they are to make!
The snowflakes were cut with the Winter Lace cartridge (Cricut).
I glittered the large snowflake with some white glitter to make it sparkle like the background paper.
The brads on the snowflakes are also sparkly. 
I had a heck of time photographing this card! The colors are silver, white, grayish blue and sparkly,
but the photo makes the card look gray! 
The sparkle shows a little better on this photo:


I added some silver cord and a couple of buttons!
Oh yeah...I also dry embossed the bottom panel with my Sizzix Snowflake folder, and heat embossed "Let it Snow" with silver embossing powder and a heat gun.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mackie
Stamps: Verve; Stampin Up
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark
Cricut & Cricut Cartridge-Winter Lace
Accessories: Snowflake Folder(Sizzix); Word Punches(SU); silver cord, silver brads, white buttons

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Birthday Wishes Just for You

Hope everyone is having a glorious Sunday! I can't believe Thanksgiving is this week!
I am excited because my son will be visiting! And, of course......GREAT FOOD!

Welcome to Week One CR84FN Color Challenge 43


Speaking of great things, don't you just love the color selection that we will be working with for the next 2 weeks at CR84FN! ( Yes, I am still the Guest Designer! and lovin' it!) The colors are so warm and cozy. Green is another one of my favorite colors!
And I think the sentiment is wonderful! It makes such good sense! I'm gonna try to remember that when I start wishing I had a bigger house, etc.....

On to my card...


 I used the Viva La Verve November 2011 Sketch Week #2  designed by Jackie Pedro.
http://vervestamps.com/VLV/VLVNov11Week2Sketch.jpg

The gorgeous DP papers are Blossomwood (K&Co). The browns and creams were so beautiful. This sketch called for many layers and I felt this DP would be perfect for that. 
I used many different dies to achieve the different layers.


The sentiment is stamped on cream card stock that was cut with a Circle die (Spellbinders). Before I lifted it out of the die, I sponged the circle with Pear Pizazz (SU) ink. I then spritzed it with Champagne Mist (SU)(which I had mixed with alcohol and put into a mini spritzer bottle by Ranger) 
The sparkles do not show up very well in the photos, but IRL it has a very pretty effect.
Then I stamped the sentiment - Making a Statement (Verve).



After inking and assembling all the layers, I tied a bow with  Mistletoe Seam Binding (My Craft Spot), and added some brown mini jewel brads (American Craft). You may also notice the paper piercing around the back panel.

Please go to the CR84FN Color Challenge  site
and check out all the wonderful creations from the other fabulous designers!
You will be so inspired !!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Mackie

Stamps: Making a Statement (Verve)
Ink: Pear Pizazz, Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip, Champagne Mist +Alcohol (Stampin Up)
Dies:  Fancy Labels (Sizzix by Stephanie Barnard-Stamps of Life)
                            Circles, Lacy Circles, Floral Doily Motif (Spellbinders)
   Double Ended Banners(Paper Trey Ink)
Accessories: Seam binding-Mistletoe (My Craft Spot); Mini Jewel Brads (American Craft)


Saturday, November 19, 2011

Jingle Bells


Happy Saturday!
I wanted to share a card I made for the 
http://vervestamps.com/VLV/VLVNov11Week1Sketch.jpg
The designer papers are Father Christmas (Bo Bunny). I just received this paper pad and I couldn't wait to use them. I just love the old timey feel of these papers! I inked and distressed all the edges before assembling the card. I tied a bow with some jingle bells, twine, and green seam binding.

Thanks for stopping by!
Mackie

Stamps:Bright Spirits (Verve); PTI
Paper: Father Christmas (Bo Bunny); Kraft (PTI)
Ink: Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip ( Stampin Up)
Accessories: Jingle Bells;twine;Seam Binding (My Craft Room)

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

 I needed a birthday card for one of my friends.  So...I decided to make a card that was inspired by another card that I had seen by one of my favorite designers-Andrea Ewen of "EwenStyle"
Andrea made her card for The Play Date Color Challenge #107.
I just loved it...hence the desire to case her card!
I followed the design of her card very closely, but used different colors  and a different style of flower.  My flower was made using the Prima Donna Petal (MFT) die. The leaves (Verve) were stamped in Soft Suede (SU) and then die cut with the Elegant Leaves (Verve) die. I cut the leaves again in white to "shadow" the brown leaves. I just loved how she used the Martha Stewart  Daisy punch on the edge of her card. Added some lace, twine and pearls and here is my final product. 
Hopefully, my friend will like her card, as well as, Andrea! :)

Thanks for stopping by!
Mackie

Monday, November 14, 2011

Miss You Like Crazy

Hope everyone has had a Marvelous Monday!
Mine has not been marvelous per se...but not bad!
I wasn't able to meet with my buddies tonight! I have a group of stamping and scrap booking friends that gather together every Monday night! Sometimes we stamp and sometimes we just visit! 
But due to a "mini" family crisis I wasn't able to see my buds tonight! 
On to my card!



It's 'Color Splash' Week  in The Cafe.
 How does it work?
Create anything you'd like using...
Black & white with a 
SPLASH OF ORANGE!!!
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblioeKvoxnEo_qY6OEoQ_5Q25k7p15L9o7QgM7MIdt8M8wkiT7QOzRwqtMT38MRmD1yRXHjMISOS3WlSFSAxleGI6TL-ObRnNYKQHS0c2nIs9t1EyNApuZ38FG5EZV3ZwG63CFuLZC5M/s400/0color+story.jpg 

And I did!!!!
This card was made entirely with Verve stamp sets, (which I'll list below).
I love my Verve stamps!!!!!!
Tag: TagTime
Flowers: Sunny Days
                Hope Blooms
Sentiment: Hope Blooms
Also by Verve:  A Cut Above Dies:
I made a coil of black jewelry wire around the orange ribbon on the tag.
The  black Jumbo Ric Rac die cut (MFT) was also embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder.

Thanks for stopping by!
Mackie
 





Sunday, November 13, 2011

Happy Birthday In Pink & Black

Woo Hoo!!! It is another week to use the yummy colors
Black ~ Pale Pink ~ Neutral 
at the

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIg65bsZlzY1moEk9chCCFr_Juc1Ncmb2oynbR-0dSqBxryhe272kemYBSPtXEOzWkDgGKhj9Mo5fF2-PQEtmNlYKo09cdmCzRZjadXEYxpsP_zAMWhLrM0F71v1eeqDVkYdcexV3JYA/s1600/CR84FN42+Graphic.jpeg 

I am totally enjoying myself with Mona and the rest of the fabulous designers as their guest designer for November! I do hope you will visit CR84FN and check out the great creations the designers have made this week. You will be totally inspired!

On to my card...


I used lots of techniques when making this card. 
First, I want to let you know where I got this pretty cake stamp! 
It is part of the Cakes2Build (Stamps of Life) stamp set. I stamped the cake in black and then covered the entire cake with Glossy Accents. After it dried, I colored the little flowers and roses with a Copic Marker and then stamped the centers with Cotton Candy Stickles
I was trying to get that fondant icing look going! 
I've been watching way too many food challenges on The Food Network!



I stamped the cake stand in silver ink then I "glittered" it. I then covered it in Glossy Accents

I made a frame with pink & black paper around the cake using the Spellbinders Label 10 dies.

 I tied some ribbon around the frame. It looked kinda blah. I then remembered about my
 Die-Namics Rolled Flower die (My Favorite Things) and made a pink rose. I found the green felt leaves in my stash! This rose ended up looking very similar to the stamped roses! Yeah!
It added just the right touch to the bow!


The sentiment is stamped with the Stampin Up stamp set-Create a Cupcake
The Oval and Scalloped Oval punches are also Stampin Up.
I finished the card by putting black pearls in the corners. 
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Mackie

Stamps: Cakes2build (Stamps of Life); Create a Cupcake (Stampin Up)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo black
Paper: White (Paper Trey Ink);Recollections
Dies:  Die-Namics Rolled Flower (My Favorite Things)
Labels 10 (Spellbinders)
Accessories, Etc.: Glossy Accents; Glitter; Copic Marker; Black Pearls; green felt leaves


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!


I designed this card for the My Craft Spot Monday Challenge #32!
This weeks Challenge:  Gobble 'til you wobble!
(Make any Thanksgiving home decor, table decorations, cards, etc.)
 I think this card is sooo cute, with the little pumpkins and the colorful turkey!
The turkey and pumpkins were cut with my Cricut machine and the Cricut cartridge.
The turkey was cut at 3.5 inches and the pumpkins at 2 inches.
I cut the turkey 3 times with 3 different designer papers. I then hand cut the tail feathers out of each designer paper (K&Co)and pieced them together to make a multicolor tail. I hope that made sense!
(I inked all the edges before attaching them to the turkey)
The green panel was run through an embossing folder and cut at the bottom with a Martha Stewart border punch.

Thanks for stopping by!!!
Mackie

Cricut Expression; Simply Charmed cartridge (Cricut)
Stamps: None...I did the sentiment on the computer
Ink: Early Espresso (Stampin Up)
Paper: Greenhouse by Carolyn Gavin (K & Co); Paper Trey Ink
Punches: Stampin Up; Martha Stewart
Accessories: Cuttlebug Embossing folder; Wiggly eyes; twine

As I was blog surfing , I came across some other challenges that this card would fit:

Cuttin up with Class-Giving Thanks Challenge

Die Cuttin' Divas-Let's Be Thankful 

The Sisterhood of Crafting -Give Thanks

Creative Card Crew -Thankful

Friday, November 11, 2011

Don't Croak

 Hee Hee!
Is this not the funniest?
I made this card with a new stamp set by Stamps of Life called Froggy2Love.
I just love this frog!
I stamped the frog with Versamark, and then heat embossed with green embossing powder.
I stamped the frog again on a Post-It note to make a mask, so I could stamp the lily pad.


The lily was lightly colored with a Copic marker, and then highlighted
with a Pearl Pen(Viva) in Ice White.

This is the inside:


I hope this card gave you a chuckle!

Thanks for stopping by!
Mackie

Monday, November 7, 2011

Friends Are Special Treasures


This card was made for a very special friend who has always been there for me!
I just love this sentiment because I feel it is so true.

My colors were inspired by The Play Date Cafe Challenge #106:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fDcdUTD_Ibds6KauhEqakpdPnluyo-AsmGyCdw43C7UPCnTrLNgr81rV_NdNfpvMPesYqI3HOEm1bU8ziIdsQLhtXSph9sY45pgVhQJjhtAMUljcQpek1TfSK4fPKi1X6xSGBG8D9Oo/s400/0color+story.jpg

Gray ~ Yellow ~ Pink

I made the flowers with the Prima Donna Petals (MFT) die. I love using this die!
It makes such pretty flowers and it is SO easy to use! 

I embossed the background with a Cuttlebug Leaf/Vine embossing folder. 
I thought this would be cool, since I was making flowers!
The sentiment (Hero Arts) was stamped and then punched with the Decorative Label Punch (SU)
Tip: I punched a label in yellow, too, then cut it in half and adhered to the back of my sentiment label to give it a layered look



It was strange not using any designer paper!
Thanks for stopping by!
Your comments have been so kind!
It just makes my day!
Mackie

Mackie

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Guest Designer at CR84FN!



I am so excited!

I have been asked to be the Guest Designer at
  I am so excited because of several reasons! One, this is one my FAVORITE websites! Second, the designers are fabulous. Every week I am inspired by their work! Each designer has their own blog, which I visit almost every day! Please check them out! And most of all...I am so honored!!! 
So I feel a little pressure...so I better put my best thinking, creative hat on! heehee

The challenge this week:


Pink and black are some of my favorite colors!

I decided to use a Winter/Christmas theme with this card.
I know that you don't normally think pink & black for this season, but I decided to try it! 
And I think it turned out really pretty.

First , I stamped the pink card with a Christmas words background stamp (I bought this stamp at Michael's a few years ago).  I dry embossed cream color paper with the Cuttlebug snowflakes folder.
I tore the snow flake embossed paper and then the black paper and glued them on top of the stamped card.
The tag is made with the Christmas Punch (Stampin Up) stamp set. It was then punched with the SU Tag punch. I hand cut the pink and black layers behind the stamped tag.
I colored his nose and hat with Copic Markers.
Added some Starburst Stickles to the snowman and Cotton Candy Stickles his hat.
Punched a hole at the top of the tag and added pink ribbon and black twine.

 
Please check out the other designer's creations for some fabulous inspiration!
Thanks for stopping by!
Mackie


Friday, November 4, 2011

Its the most wonderful time of the year...


This card was inspired by the very pretty sketches from Mojo Monday.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7ithyujmxv_McmVdqGM-cTNJ42CYrHcvH7zGLGNeQ0ZqkSIVy8m6_CTxnQuqXGdtuKXO5LswNg-etignZHwHtBkCSAooDzTm8DbSk7RI6UI2SnduVs0olLobQAkBjlKu_Zgs2ukn-tPq/s640/Mojo213Sketch.gif

I cut the mittens with my Cricut machine and the Joys of the Season cartridge.
The paper is Snow Day (Crate 6x6 paper pad). I added some gold tinsel string to connect the mittens.
I put some green Stickles on the cuffs. The sentiment is Winter Mittens (Verve)stamp set and it is stamped onto Classy Label Die Cut (Verve).

Thanks for stopping by!
Mackie

Season's Greetings!



I am showing you a card I made to add to my Christmas stash. It was very easy to do! 
This stamp is Autumn Tree Landscape (Memory Box). 
I know, I know...it says autumn...but with the right colors, you can make a winter scene, too!

I stamped first with Versamark ink and then heat embossed with black embossing powder.
I stamped it again on a scrap piece of paper. I cut off the trees, so I would have a mask. I punched a circle out of a post it note and used it to mask the moon. Then I sponged the card with Almost Navy (SU).
Added some Stardust Stickles to look like frost on the snow...and tada!!!!! A easy. pretty Christmas card!

Thanks for stopping by!
Mackie

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Merry Christmas



This is my final card for this month's Viva La Verve  October 2011. 
http://vervestamps.com/VLV/VLVOct11Week5Sketch.jpg
I really enjoyed making this card, because I just loved this sketch!  Andrea Ewen always rocks the house with her sketches! I will definitely use it again!

I distressed the edges of the red paper panel. I inked the edges of the reindeer paper (Memory Box-Tinsel), as well as all the other paper pieces on the card. The middle panel was cut using the Fancy Tags Two and Petite Ovals (Spellbinders) dies.  The banner is also DP by Memory Box-Tinsel and it was cut with the Double-Ended Banner Die (Paper Trey Ink).
 I cut an ornament with a Sizzix die. And stamped the Merry Christmas with the Ornaments SU stamp  and punched it out with a circle punch. I tied a double bow with some button twine, added the little ornament and a red button!

Thanks for stopping by!
Mackie