Wednesday, February 29, 2012

A Dose of Tim Holtz Inspiration

Every Tim Holtz fan knows all about his 12 tags of Christmas.  For 2012, he has decided to try something new - the Twelve Tags of 2012.  You can read all about it on Tim's blog here.

This is the tag Tim Holtz created:


This is my take on tag number one (which should be tag number two but isn't, which you know if you followed the link and read Tim's blog post!).

I know I should have cropped the photo, but it's late, and I'm tired and almost forgot to take the picture and post in the first place!!!

As you can see, I didn't use Cupid - mainly because I didn't have a Cupid, or a Cricut cartridge with a Cupid on it.  So I used this delightful image from A Child's Year cartridge instead.  I used Tags, Bags, Boxes and More to make the tag using kraft cardstock.  I grabbed a Cuttlebug embossing folder to dry emboss, then rubbed the raised image with Perfect Medium and added some Forever Red Perfect Pearls.  The "with love" sentiment on the bottom is also a Cuttlebug folder, upon which I used purple Perfect Pearls.  Not having any honeycomb paper, I used my favorite 3D technique to create the heart, added a flower in the center, some ribbon on the top and bottom.  I did ink the edges of the tag, and sand them to give them some character, but the photo doesn't show it.

Hope you like it!


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 (¨`v´¨)
                        `v´
  Darlene


Saturday, January 21, 2012

An a-ha moment!

Did you ever have one of those ideas that you think is positively brilliant, only to find that someone else has already thought of it?  After spending days working on a project, that is exactly what happened!

I decided to post the photo anyway, since after all, my version is a bit different than that which came with this week's issue of the Cricut Chirp!  So, without further ado, here is my Valentine's Day wreath.


I started with heart shaped styrofoam purchased at Joanne's.  Using the Flower Shoppe Cricut cartridge, I cut Fun 1 in a variety of sizes.  The largest red roses are cut at 5", all the small cream colored one are cut at 2".  I inked the edges of the 5" roses with Fired Brick Distress Ink to give them some more dimension.  I rolled them all with my Hybrid Petal Roller from Imaginesce.  Linky  I used my hot glue gun to close them up.  I attached them to the wreath using straight pins.  I used pearl headed pins for the red roses, and ordinary pins for the cream roses.  I cut a piece of ribbon from my stash to create a hanger, and adhered it with straight pins.


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     -:¦:-   ((¸¸.·
 (¨`v´¨)
                        `v´
  Darlene

Friday, December 9, 2011

Hello

to all my bloggy friends.  Another post without a project.  :(

Sorry I have been MIA.  I have just returned from a week long trip to Disney to celebrate my daughter's birthday.  Unfortunately, during my little family vacation my house sprung a leak, causing a flood and extensive damage.  I've been dealing with contractors, and plumbers and insurance people for the last three days.  I have been told my house will not be back together until after Christmas.  I will be spending all free time for the remainder of the month either packing up everything to get it out of the way for the repair work to be done, or unpacking it to get back to living.

I will do my very best to post pictures I have stored on my computer of older projects I have done, but the picture quality will be far from ideal.  In the meanwhile -happy crafting everyone!


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      ((¸¸.·´  ..·´   -:¦:-
     -:¦:-   ((¸¸.·
 (¨`v´¨)
                        `v´
  Darlene

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Today is World AIDS Day


AIDS continues to be a major health concern.  There are new cases of HIV diagnosed every single day in the United States.   Today is a day of remembrance for the lives lost to this disease, and a day to be thankful for the medical advances that allow so many to continue on.  Take a moment today to think of those lost and those who are surviving.

In memory of those clients I have lost over the last decade.  May you all rest in peace.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

Today is my guest designer spot at Susana's Scrapping Corner  found here!

Here theme this month was My Favorite Things.  Due to some camera malfunctioning, I was unable to photograph my project.  :(  But, I went through my stash of photos from past projects and came across a card I made a few months ago for a Baptism.

I used Spellbinders Classic Scalloped Ovals for the deep embossed image around the cross.  The cross itself is from the Indie Art Cricut cartridge, cut in various shades of pink.  I used my Xyron 250 to adhere the cross pieces together, and to the card.

Hope you like it!  Stop by and wish Sue a Happy Thanksgiving!  Until next time!

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      ((¸¸.·´  ..·´   -:¦:-
     -:¦:-   ((¸¸.·
 (¨`v´¨)
                        `v´
  Darlene

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Another Source of Inspiration

EGADS!!!  Almost three weeks since the last post!  I promise to be better!!  Life has been hectic, leaving little time for crafting.  When I do have time to create, I don't always have the time to set up everything to take a decent picture and upload it.

More than a month ago, hopping around the Spellbinders blog, I came across this video YouTube.  When I watched the video I thought it was a really great way to spruce up a gatefold card (which is my absolute favorite fold), but didn't really have the chance to try it myself.  Over the weekend I gave it a whirl, with this as the result:



I started with Recollections basic cardstock in red cut at 5 1/2 by 12.  I eyeballed the patterned paper to make it fit.  I adhered it with my Xyron Mega Runner.  Rather than use the Twisted Metal Tags and Accents die that Julie uses in the video, I chose the large ornament die, from the Holly-Ornament Set from Heartfelt Creations Found Here.  The sentiment is the matching stamp from Heartfelt Creations Winter Wonderland Collection found here.  I stamped it in white pigment ink from Hampton Arts, and embossed with white embossing powder.  I tried as hard as I could to get the ink onto the die to create the lovely frame, but alas, I couldn't get a good image - so I just used ordinary white cardstock.  Rather than use a glue pen, I ran it through my Xyron 250.

Here is a view of the card when it is opened:
I chose not to use the die cut ornament for the inside of the card because I wanted the white embossing.  I was originally very unhappy with the stray flecks of embossing powder, but now I think they look like snow!

I will be submitting this card to Xyron for their holiday card contest.  Until next time!!


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      ((¸¸.·´  ..·´   -:¦:-
     -:¦:-   ((¸¸.·
 (¨`v´¨)
                        `v´
  Darlene
 

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Inspiration

Where do you find yours?

I love to hop through different blogs.  I love to walk around when I'm at a crop and see what other scrappers are creating.  I love to look at Etsy and Ebay to see the different designs.  Sometimes inspiration comes from another place.  For instance . . . one day I was flipping through a copy of Arizona Highways.  For those of you not familiar with the magazine, it is a publication put out by the State of Arizona which helps fund their state parks.  It is chock full of beautiful images of various places in and around the state.  Anyway, I was flipping through the magazine, when I came across this quote:

The butterfly counts not months, but moments
and has time enough.  - Tagore
It inspired me to create this card.

I sometimes use pre-made card bases from Michaels and enhance from there.  This is a 5x7 card base, inked with Weathered Wood Distress ink.  The purple background was made using the Faux Torn Mosaic technique from Splitcoast Stampers.  Found Here  I actually created this quite a while ago and then never used it the way I had intended.  I used Spellbinders Labels 8 to trim it to the size and shape you see.  The quote was printed using my Xyron Design Runner.  I then cut it out using Spellbinders Labels 10.  The butterfly is from Gypsy Wanderings.  The DP was from the bargain bin at Michaels.  I used Star Dust stickles in the cutouts on the butterfly.  The base layer was cut on plain white cardstock.  I don't remember the sizes of any of the cuts. I made this card long before I started this blog, and before I realized such details are important!  That's also the reason for the not so great photo.

If you are so inclined, leave me a comment and let me know what inspires you!


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      ((¸¸.·´  ..·´   -:¦:-
     -:¦:-   ((¸¸.·
 (¨`v´¨)
                        `v´
  Darlene