Thursday, July 21, 2011

Scrapbook Page challenge for NSD



Here was my submission for the Scrapbook page challenge.  I'm a card maker not really a scrapbooker so I wanted something pretty easy and generic and I think I got that here.  I also made a couple of journaling blocks to go with it but will add them once I have the photos to use on this page.






I used my Gypsy with my Expression for this page.  


Recipe:  Lacy Labels Cartridge 
       Image shadow cut at 10.41" high and 11.39" wide
       Orange glitter glue 
       Martha Stewarts "fire Opal" glitter glue added in dots around image.   
       Ribbon was one I've had on hand forever.
       Paper gray & black cs.  Patterned cs is DCWV Pocket Full of Posies Stack.


Craftily yours.


Marilyn

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Breast Cancer Card

For National Scrapbook Day another of the challenges was "Breast Cancer".  This was my entry.



I wanted it to be simple and focused on survival so I included the paper with the hearts filled with love and the words "My Hero".  The breast cancer ribbon and words were made on the Gypsy and cut with the Cricut Expression.

Recipe:  
     Stand and Salute Cartridge used for both the ribbon and words
        Ribbon shadow cut at 4.25" high and 2.73" wide
        Words cut at 1.82" high and 3.10" wide
    Paper black, blue and pink cs and unknown patterned cs
    Ribbon American Crafts

Craftily yours,

Marilyn 
   

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Another National Scrapbook Day Challenge card

Here's another of the National Scrapbook Day challenges I did with My Pink Stamper, Robyn.



This was for the Cupcake Challenge.  I used my Gypsy to create the cupcakes and the words and my Cuttlebug for the embossing.


Recipe: 
   Celebration Cricut Cartridge for the cupcakes and the words
       Cupcake shadow cut at 2.31" high and 5" wide
       Word shadow cut at .8" high and .95" wide
   Cuttlebug folders used "Swiss Dots" and D'Vine Swirl
   Paper 
       Patterned paper from Pocket Full of Posies Stack from DCWV
       Black, Blue, & White CS
   Ink used was Tim Holtz Distress Ink (don't remember the color)


Craftily yours,


Marilyn

Monday, July 18, 2011

Perfection be gone

When I go for perfection in my crafting, I don't get very far.  There are no challenges, no final projects and no fun.  I either heard or read that instead of going for perfection go for "good enough".  Remember I'm talking about crafting here but it's also become a mantra with organizing things around the house and getting something done rather than waiting until everything's all set up perfectly before beginning.  Bottom line "good enough" with some things has given me the gifts of freedom, time, and personal satisfaction. 


I recently reclaimed a place to craft and have been organizing it, then tweaking as I found more items, then again as I sorted through what items I use more and which less.  It has been a learning experience and more than that, its been a growing experience.


The HUGE crafting benefit is that I can and do now use my crafty bits more than ever and am having a blast with it.  In adopting the "good enough" mentality and shedding the perfection of it all, I have been able to challenge myself and try things I used to shy away from in years gone by.  I have not settled into any particular "style" of card making but have been having a great time trying different styles.


Craftily yours,


Marilyn



Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Cricut "Cutting glitter papers and..." Tip #2

CUTTING GLITTER PAPER 


Have you tried cutting glitter paper and the papers textured with glitter and other materials?  Give up?  This paper actually can be cut and look beautiful.  The tips are with the mat and the settings.  The mat must be sticky enough to hold the paper well.  Set your speed to slow (1), pressure maximum (5 or 6 depending on your machine), and blade depth to max of 6.


GLITTER PAPER EXTRA


Glitter paper has a tendency to want to curl up (into the glitter).  Super easy fix - take some time straightening it out by running the backside of the paper back and forth over the edge of a curved table edge or anything similar.  Yes it can be coaxed by hand.  If your paper is curled/curved up and you don't do this it will most likely lift from the mat.  


Be sure and check out my glitter "Just Because" card from yesterday.  I used the settings mentioned above.


Craftily yours,


Marilyn

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Card - Just because

This is the first year I participated in the National Scrapbook Day challenges hosted by My Pink Stamper.  There were 12 challenges in all and I will share some of them here but this first one is related to a tip I'll be sharing with you.  




This card was for the Glitz, Glam and Glitter challenge.  The base is shiny silver cs layered with black cs.  The floral paper is from K & Company Floral Dreams collection.  The glitter paper is lavender and from DCWV Fall Glitter matstack (4.5x6.5).  The lavender pearls are Queen & Co.


Hope you enjoy the card.


Craftily yours,


Marilyn

Monday, July 4, 2011

Gypsy 'What do I do when..." Tip #1

PROBLEM WITH DOUBLE CURSER

Have you ever experienced the dreaded double curser or have something turn yellow.  Sorry to have to say this but it's user error and indicates you went too fast for your little Gypsy friend.

Solutions:
1)   Slow down, take a breath so it doesn't happen to you
2)   Wait until your Gypsy has processed everything - this will actually take longer than you think
3)   Get yourself to a screen where the 'cut' feature is available - press cut, then when you get to the cut screen, press exit.  Your Gypsy should now be reset and you should be back where you started with your images intact.

Craftily yours,

Marilyn

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Cricut 'What do I do when..." Tip #1

PROBLEM LOADING PAPER:


If you find that your Cricut didn't grab the paper correctly while loading...relax and press the 'unload paper' button, make sure the mat is lined up properly and hit 'load paper' again.



EXTRA's:

This button is especially useful when you are using a marker in your Cricut to draw an image then cutting that image out.

It can also be used (sparingly) if you have thicker paper and SHOULD have set it to multi-cut.  I would only do this with shadow images or basic shapes. 



Craftily yours,


Marilyn

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Creative 'aha' moment

For years I used to say I wasn't creative.  I realize now that was untrue.  I am creative, we all are, we are simply creative in different ways.


My aha moment was this May while attending USC's med school graduation (yeah Ashley) when the speaker talked to the graduates about going out and practicing their "art".  The art of medicine.


Your art, my art, is ANYTHING we do creatively.  As in all things, some of us are more gifted than others, some use it well while others squander their talents.  Some, like me with paper crafting, love what we find challenging but push ahead and trust we'll continue to learn and grow.  With practice I'm now liking my creations more and more.  


I wish you peace in your creative pursuits.


Creatively yours,


Marilyn

Friday, July 1, 2011

My friend Blanca

My crafty origins are in rubber stamping.  Blanca, a friend since 7th grade, got me hooked in the early 90's.  We went to the Carson Conventions back when Stampa Barbara literally took center stage and when Dee Gruenig spent the weekend coloring the stamps with layer upon layer of color all while cooing and giggling.  Aah memories.


Blanca and I would go to lunch after the conventions and spread our respective hauls and across the table.  What's funny NOW is that for the unmounted stamps I bought I had to get rubber and wood to mount them myself.  Most of them are again unmounted.


Blanca even got me hooked on the 100 card Valentine's swaps hosted by RubberStampMadness.  Funny thing was year after year I would do them at her house while she watched and made suggestions but I don't have a vivid memory of her actually doing them.  Enabler, thy name is Blanca.


That was all the good part.  The bad was that I forgot how to use many of the products shortly after I got them home so they sat loved but unused.  (This began WAY before YouTube.)  Some things dried up, others crumbled, most were used but not many got used up.


Why am I writing about this you may ask.  Well this blog actually has 3 purposes: first to challenge myself creatively, second to get me to use every product and tool I own and third to share and learn with you.


Craftily yours,


Marilyn