Top Tip Tuesday - Challenge #69 - Valentines - Guest Designer

I am honored  to have the opportunity to be a guest designer this week for Top Tip Tuesday's - Valentines Challenge. My Valentines #2 card I entered for last weeks challenge 'Caught Their Eye', Allowing me this opportunity. This was full of firsts for me. This was the first time that one of my cards has been acknowledged by any challenge I have entered.  My first ever guest designer spot.  This was also my first experience working with both digi-stamps and pencil crayons with mineral spirits. Thanks to everyone at Top Tip Tuesday, for the opportunity.

Top Tip Tuesday - Challenge #69 - Valentines

Sponsors this week are: 

 Bugaboo Stamps

and 

Robyn's Fetish

My design:

This is Clyde - Be Mine, available at Bugaboo Stamps. I coloured him in with Pencil Crayons and Mineral Spirits. I went with a light colour pallet for Valentines day. The background is DCWV stack Street Lace. I also included a XO stamp from Micheal's, a die cut heart and embossed the light pink with a Tim Holtz folder. I finished this card off with a bow and used some pop dots for dimension (shown below)

I hope you've enjoyed my first guest design spot, as much as I have. I can't wait to see what others come up with and I encourage everyone to participate. 

Thanks again to Top Tip Tuesday,

Colin

Purple Valentine

I have yet another Valentine, but I think this card could work for any occasion. I'll admit I am not a huge fan of glitter, so this is something new for me. I like how it turned out and maybe I will do it again soon. This card is cut from Cricut cartridge Damask Decor. I pop dotted the glitter birds, which may not be noticeable by my picture. I finished it off with an embossed background and a bit of ribbon. This was a simple card and didn't take to long to make, I might make it again, maybe for a Birthday?

I want to invite you all to come back tomorrow for my first ever guest designer spot with Top Tip Tuesday. I have been so excited and can't wait for it to go up tomorrow!

See you soon,

Colin

I have entered this card in the following challenges:

Joyful Stamper: Inspire Me Fridays #43 - Anything Goes

My Sheri Crafts Challenge #77 - New Things

Sentimental Sundays Challenge #87 - Dry Embossing 

Paper Playtime Challenge #66 - Anything Goes

My Craft Spot: Monday Challenge - Anything Goes

Five Challenges, One Card

I checked a few challenges this week and wanted to try to incorporate them into one card. 

The challenges are:

Fantabulous Cricut -Label it 

Bitten by the Bug 2 - Bloom Dimensional Flower

Little Scrap Pieces - Blue 

Die Cuttin Divas - Buttons, Bows and/or Bling

Totally Paper Crafts - Make Your Own Flowers

The Card:

Cricut Cartridges:

Serenade - Flowers

(I cut off a petal and then glued it back together to give them dimension)

Sentimentals - Stamp background (label)

I made a flower for the inside as well by rolling up strips of paper. I have embellished both flowers with button middles. I added a bow with some green twine.

Have a good day,

Colin

A Birthday Card For Mom!

I hope she doesn't see this; I don't think she checks my blog (I hope). If she does: Hey Mom you just ruined your card. Surprise!

I owe my love of crafting to my Mom. She is such a creative person, it was hard not to get involved in the crafts she did. She always encouraged us to make our own cards and with permission and the use of her many stamps it made the task a lot easier (provided we didn't lose her scissors). It was always nice to spend that time with her and to have her there teaching and offering advice. I miss those days, but even still she is encouraging and supportive of my nerdy (for a 28 year old guy) hobby. I have moved on to a bit different type craft, but the lessons learned still apply. Thanks Mom for sharing your talent and creativity and most of all your love of crafting. Happy Birthday when it comes.

I wanted to make something nice, so I went to one of my favorite Cricut cartridges 'Art Nouveau'. I have to admit it took some time and some wasted paper (don't worry I recycle) to get this finished. I tried a few different colours before I got to this; though I am still not pleased with the dark green but I didn't have much to choose from. I embossed the background with the Cuddlebug. This was a must as she bought it for me for Christmas. It's like wearing the sweater your grandma got you when you visit her. I really like how this turned out and I hope you do too.

Cricut Cardz Challenge #100, "It's June in January!"

This week has been an emotional roller-coaster. I started off by making a Christmas card; a holiday that is now almost a month past, and now a Summer themed card. I was at least able to ground myself by throwing in two Valentines and I have also been working on a Birthday card for my Mom' check it out tomorrow.


Cardz TV Challenge # 100 - "It's June in January!"

This was sort of free range, as long as it was a Summer theme.

I love going to the markets through out the summer and picking up fresh local produce. I feel I need to explain that as the note card I made has peas on it. To some this isn't summer, but for me there is nothing better than fresh fruits and veggies. I used a new Cricut cartridge of mine 'Savory', for the peas. I can't wait for Summer, even if this has been a tame Winter.

Anyone have a pool I can take advantage of this Summer? Let me know till then here is a little taste of my Summer!

-Colin

Valentines Cards #2

I had set out to make two of the same valentines, but I jumped in feet first and put pop dots before I should have. I wanted to join the Tip Top Tuesday Challenge #68, which gave a choice of two sketches. I immediately had an idea for the second, and so I went to work. I didn't lay things out first, so I found as I was putting things together that I didn't have enough room for my sentiment. I changed the layout so it worked. In the end I ended up with two similar looks but different. As it turns out now that I'm getting ready to post, my idea wasn't so original. I see that others have posted similar cards. I am still submitting the first card of the two to this challenge.

Enjoy,

Colin

Tip Top Challenge - Sketch 2

Cricut Cartridges:

Plantin Schoolbook - Hearts

Home Decor - Love

Flourish and Flakes

I made this card with two challenges in mind:

Christmas Card Challenges - Week 7 - Flourishes


Fantabulous Cricut - Challenge Me Monday #94 - Snow Fun

I cringed all the way through this card. I just finished with Christmas and now, well here it is again. I have anxiety issues from all you other bloggers. I am never starting my cards in time and visiting everyone's pages I get reminded that I'm behind. Well hopefully with all your reminders and inspiration I can get through another year of crafting.

I made this card using Cricut cartridge 'Celebrate With Flourish' and used my Cuddlebug embossing folder for some added flourish for the background. I cutout the bow and added my own to go along with the Snow Fun challenge; which was to use a snow flake or snowman or woman (equal opportunity crafter here) Seeing that I had already cast Christmas aside for now, I tried to fool myself by using non traditional colours. I am yet to stamp the inside, but somethings can wait till we get through summer.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to visit, please take a second to click one of my adds so I can offer blog candy in the near future. I appreciate you stopping by and all the comments.

Christmas is only 342 days away, I hope you enjoy my card,

Colin

'Damask Decor'

'Damask Decor' is among my top favorite Cricut cartridges. This cartridge, has a card setting that allows you to quickly make all sorts of cards. My only recommendation is spray glue; these cuts are so intricate that it would take a while to get some of the designs down. I love these classic designs and wanted to share some cards I have made for my friends. I spent a little time on these, but I assure you that you can make a nice card in 5 minutes with this cartridge.

I have also entered these cards as they are similar in: Top Tip Tuesday: Challenge #67 - Anything Goes. 

Cricut Cartridge - Damask Decor

Thank you for dropping by please take a moment to click one of my ads, all earning will go towards giveaways and blog candy

Colin

I've been challenged!

I decided to challenge myself, and participate in three different challenges. My blog traffic has slowed, since the holidays, so I'm hoping to get more views and more followers. I love creating, but I have a style and cuts that I like, so I thought I would step out of my comfort zone and join some challenges that I may not have considered. I hope you enjoy what I have done, and because I'm new I have little to offer as far as give a ways. I have added some adds to my blog that I hope will generate a bit of money to help get some giveaways happening in the near future. I kindly ask that you take a second to click one of my adds; all money earned will go back to my viewers and followers. Till I have something more to offer, I give you all my thanks for visiting and supporting my blog.

The challenges:

Bitten by the Bug 2 - Caterpillar

Fantabulous Cricut - #93 Man Time


My entries:

Bitten by the Bug 2 - Caterpillar

This challenge was to make a project using a caterpillar cut. I normally wouldn't use the caterpillar from 'Create a Critter', but that was the challenge. I tried to come up with some thing cute; so I thought of this concept. Some dreams don't always come true, but for this little guy I think he has chosen an obtainable goal.

I used the following Cricut Cartridges on this project:

Create a Critter - Caterpillar and the Thought Bubble.
Sentimentals - Background Marquee and the Butterfly


Fantabulous Cricut - #93 Man Time

The objective was to "Create a Masculine Project". This one took a lot of thinking. I have very few cartridges with cuts geared towards guys. I don't do sports or tools, so I had little to go on. I do however like animals and so that's what I went with. I chose a animal that I thought was on the masculine side; a Wolf, from 'Noah's ABC Animals'. I made a bit of a scene with the help of 'Plantin Schoolbook'. I think this card came out a bit flat, so I added stars and am still trying to think of something else, maybe add something to the moon.

Cricut Cartridges Used:

Noah's ABC Animals - Wolf
Plantin Schoolbook - Trees and the Circle Moon


Thanks for the challenge,

Colin

Valentines Card #1

This is my first Valentines Day card, I suspect there will be more.

A simple card with my one of my favorite colour combinations: Pink and Brown. I also like Blue and Brown. Brown is my favorite colour, so really anything with brown I love. I used a damask emboss on my Cuddlebug for the background and I used Cricut Cartridge Ribbons and Rosettes, for the rosette. I finished it off with some ribbon from a multi-pack made by American Crafts.

Simple, Easy and made with love,

Colin

Hummingbird For Grandma's Birthday

My Grandma's Birthday is coming up at the beginning of February. I learned my lesson with Christmas, so I'm going to try to be ahead of the game so I have time to mail my creations.
I bought Art Nouveau before Christmas but I haven't had the time to use it yet. When I saw this cartridge I knew I had to have it. I love how detailed and pretty the cuts are, this is a new favorite of mine. My Grandma loves Hummingbirds so this cut is perfect for her. I used a rosette from one of my new Cartridges Ribbons and Rosettes as a flower and the leaves were cut from Straight from the Nest.

I wasn't sure on the colouring so I made two of the same card, and will use the other at another time. Let me know which you like the best. I'm partial to the green bird myself.

Cricut Cartridge recap:

Hummingbird - Art Nouveau
Rosette - Ribbons and Rosettes
Leaves - Straight from the Nest


Happy Birthday Grandma,

Colin

A New Year and Some New Cartradges!

I hope everyone has had a great holiday and I wish you all the best for the New Year! I hope like myself Santa was good to you and brought you more craft supplies. I had some free time so I started on some cards I will need in the near future, and also test out some of my new Cricut Cartridges.

This First card is a belated Birthday card for my pen pal, who I need to write a letter to send with it. I wanted to do something simple and test out my new Cuddlebug, also a Christmas gift.

The Giraffe is cut from Cricut Cartridge - Noah's ABC Animals