Saturday, May 25, 2013

CKC Convention Fun!

Hello everyone!  

As promised, I have pictures from the Creating Keepsakes Convention for Scrapbooking and I had a great time.  My poor hubby (ya know, the one who lets me do any crazy thing I want) got  home from work at 6 am on Saturday morning, put our stuff in his car and drove me to Buffalo about 3 hours away from our home.  We got as far as LeRoy, just outside of Rochester, and he had to stop to stretch so we got out at a service area and grabbed something to eat.  When he got back in the car, he looked a little worse for wear, so I decided he needed a nap.  He kicked the seat back and promptly fell asleep.  It was ok though because we had a couple of hours before my first class started and we were only 45 minutes or so away from the Convention Center.  Anyway, so as he quickly fell fast asleep, I decided to pull out my NOOK that my daughter gave me for my birthday.  The night before I had thought about plugging it in to charge but didn't because I hadn't used it all week so I didn't think it would need it.  Well, guess what!  It wouldn't even turn on it was so dead.  So now what!  He's snoring in the drivers seat so I can't even finish the drive to Buffalo, and my MP3 player is in the trunk.  I might wake him if I open the door and I didn't want to turn on the acc on the key for the radio for fear of running down the battery.  So for the hour that he slept, I sat and people watched and came to one conclusion.  IT TAKES ALL KINDS!  I saw a trucker with 3 trucks hooked to his, two men who didn't know each other chatting while curbing their dogs, a young boys team of some kind all dressed in their spiffy red uniforms (Go Team!), many people of different ethnic backgrounds, and we were all here at this little service stop in LeRoy!  What a small world!

I know, it doesn't take much to amuse me!

Anyway, back to the pictures...(click on the pictures to see the detail)

     

These are four projects I made in a class sponsored by Lickity Split Scrapbooks.  The first one is a small 6x6 sun on a canvas frame.  The second is a pumpkin made from 12 x 1 inch strips of paper.  This could very easily be made with reds for a teacher!
A movie/ game wrap card!

a quick gift idea made from bar coasters and a binder clip!



                               















Lovely Layers Double Page Layout

Single Page Layout with Masking
 I won a prize!
The class I won this in was for Vellum.  The instructor was from Georgia and ssooooooo funny but she gave the most fabulous tips on how to use vellum, stamping and embossing on vellum, and how to adhere vellum without seeing the adhesive.  Great tips!

And I bought some goodies.  A place for my embossing folders.
Holds 40 and I filled it up.  I guess I should have purchased two of these.
Some Liquid Pearls, a Fantazstix, and some mini spoons I actually got for  my friend who makes fudge and  hasn't been able to find little spoons.  (If anyone has a clue where to get those little white spoons/knives that come in the fudge please drop me a message).

I had a great time, learned something new, met some new people (one of which tipped me off to a convention closer to my home, thank you very much) and came home with some cool stuff.  If you have a chance to attend one of these CKC Scrapbook Conventions, go at least once!  If not for the classes, at least for the shopping.

It is the long holiday weekend and it is cold and raining.  My poor husband just got home from work so I guess I will go to the Lowe's to purchase a second banquet table as I am going to the Dolgeville Violet Festival in June.  I am going to make a few shadow boxes and some cards and help sell my friends fudge (doesn't need help, it sells itself)!

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Reesey






                                                                 

Friday, May 17, 2013

CKC Buffalo!

I am heading out to Buffalo to the Creating Keepsakes Convention for scrapbooking.  
I went for the first time last year and had a great time!
I am taking three classes and taking lots of $ because the shopping is tremendous!


I will post some pictures and my class projects when I get back home.

Reesey

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Button, Button, Who knows how to make a button!

This post today is not a project but a question. 

 I see so many cool buttons on everyone's blog but I don't know the first thing about making one. 
 I pulled up a tutorial that said it was supposed to be easy but... maybe I am making a big deal out of the process.  

Is there anyone out there who can simplify this for me?  
I would really like a cool button!  

HELP PLEASE!

Reesey

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

I've been featured on Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog Spotlight Sunday!


I am sooooo tickled to say I've been Spotlighted!  Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blogspot is my favorite blog.  It gives me so much inspiration seeing all the wonderful projects everyone comes up with.  It amazes me that there are soooo many ideas out there.  So I have included the link to my spotlight and I hope you hop on over and check it out as well as the blog itself, but be careful!  You could be there all day and I think it is addicting!

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog




Reesey

Thursday, May 9, 2013

My new thing!

I had some wonderful comments from the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Bloggers (http://fantabulouscricut.blogspot.com/) about the flowers on my shadow box project.  

Thank you all!  I appreciate them so much.  

One of the lovely comments came from Connie from http://conniecancrop.blogspot.com/ so I hopped on over to her blog and checked it out.  SOOOOO COOL!.  Her blog layout is bright and clean and her projects are inspiring.  If you haven't left my blog already to peruse Connie's blog, then do so (after you look at mine).  You can spend hours on her blog just oooing and ahhhing and I have!

conniecancrop.blogspot

So now my new thing is to keep that mojo going and post a project at least once a month.  I know, it doesn't seem like much but with my busy schedule, it will be a challenge.  Which is another new thing I am incorporating into my monthly schedule. I am going to do at least one challenge every month also.  It might be the monthly project post or I might post two projects!  WOW, that is a big challenge for me.  Usually I do the project as I need it.  I am trying to  boost my production and get some projects done at the same time.  I have piles of pictures from when my kids were little and they are now in their 30's!

I have a ton of materials and some stuff I haven't even opened so now is the time!

May is the beginning of a new Spring and my new challenges!
Hope you stay with me to see how I progress and if you need a little mojo boost, then join me!






Wednesday, May 8, 2013

FANTABULOUS CRICUT CHALLENGE BLOG TOP 5 Winner!



Hello and I have some fun news to share today!  I am a top five Design Team Winner for 
Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog's Paper Roses Challenge #158.  
I love the challenges here and all the projects are so inspirational.  
If you have creators block like I did not so long ago, then this is the blog for you.  
So many talented people and I love that it still features the Cricut Machine.  
Hop on over and check it out.  
And while you are there, sign up for the email so you won't miss any challenges!

Posted: 08 May 2013 06:00 AM PDT
Good Morning Everyone !!
Welcome to this weeks 
WEDNESDAY WINNERS
Challenge #158 
Paper Roses

THIS WEEKS WINNER

Chosen by random.org 
with a prize from
Kimberley at
OF
1 stamp set 

...IS...

NO 8
Created with Flower Shoppe
Karen 

Congratulations Karen. To claim your prize please contact Janea at... recollection alley @ gmail . com (remove all spaces) 
You have two weeks to claim your prize.
Remember to grab your "FCCB Winner" blinky to display on your blog, you can find the blinky code in the right hand side bar.

DESIGN TEAM TOP 5

We had 29 amazing projects to choose from this week.
Thank you to every one who joined us 

No 11
Created with Pagoda
Erica

No 18
Created with Stretch your Imagination, Artiste and Celebrations
Reesey

No 20
Created with Mother's Day Bouquet and Home Decor
Glenda Boyd

No 22
Created with Happy Hauntings, Formal Occasion and Rock Princess
Evelyn

No 27
Created with Every day Pop Up Cards, Flower Shoppe and Sweethearts
Jenny
Congratulations ladies don't forget to grab your "FCCB Top 5" blinky to display on your blog! 
You can find the blinky code on our right-hand sidebar.  
  
We hope you are joining us for this week's challenge # 159 Mother's Day
As ever, please use a new project with at least one Cricut cut and tell us which cartridge(s) you have used.

Wishing everyone a Fantabulous Day !!


post signature
Posted: 07 May 2013 06:55 PM PDT


Hi Cricuteers!

Just wanted to let you know that the link is now working. 
Apparently our Linky was Wonky....LOL

Click here to link your Mother's Day cards today!

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Friday, May 3, 2013

CKC Scrapbook Conventions

     On my last post, I am working on a gray mat with orange grid lines and I thought you would like to know where I got that.  Last year, I attended a CKC Scrapbook Convention in Buffalo, NY.  It was my first ever convention and I loved it!  After taking several classes, I went to the shopping area where there were vendors representing companies I see on the blogs and YouTube videos all the time.  
There, I found this wonderful work mat (however, I can't remember what vendor it was). 
 It is 22 x 16 & 1/8 inch thick and covers my entire work surface.
The measurements go all the way around the mat.
I purchased this wonderful mat for $6.00.  I have seen this mat on various sites for as much as $36.00.  

This is what I love about CKC Scrapbook Conventions.  
The shopping is tremendous!

       I have included the link to the website for the convention. 
Take a look at it and try to get to one in your area.  
Mine is four hours away so I get a hotel room and make a weekend out of it.  
I learn some cool techniques and do a little site seeing in the area at the same time.






MOJO is back! Shadow box project


Hello and thanks for hanging in there with me during my hiatus! 
I am back to normal (or as normal as I ever was) and have completed a few projects which I am very happy with.  
The first one is one I made for a benefit raffle and am entering on a couple blog challenges.  This was just what I needed to jump start my entrance back into paper crafting.  I put in the measurements and cartridges used when I wrote that information down but I change my mind often when doing a project so it may be a little lacking in specifics...

So without further ado (what exactly does that mean?) here is my project with lots of pics!  
Thanks for looking!

I had this frame from a different project that I had cut out of Lacey Labels (I think) and didn't end up using  but I thought it was perfect for this one.  I added stitching with a black fine line pen.

I printed a sentiment onto the cardstock with my computer in dark green.  Then I wrote over it with a Stardust glitter pen.  This makes everything glittery without the flakes coming off.  Plus you get good precision with a pen as apposed to Stickles.
I put foam tape on the back of the frame surrounding the opening and placed it over the top of the sentiment.
(You will see what this looks like in the end result)


This is the flower forming kit I put together.  
Stencil tips, burnishing tool, and a soft mat from a gum paste flower kit I had from when I did cakes. 


I cut several leaf clusters in two different sizes from the Stretch your Imagination Cartridge (pg. 76).  
Then I pressed the leaves into the mat to curl and give them some shape instead of laying flat on the paper.
Here I am holding certain areas down with my stencil tool so that it only touches the paper in those areas.
Great tip for making it look full and realistic.


I cut the purple filler flowers from the Celebrations cartridge (Pg. 121) and used the shift/shadow feature to make them without a hole in the middle.  I cut 1 set at 1" and 2 sets at 2".  
I used a stencil tool to shape the petals and cup the flower.  


  The blue and white daises were cut from the Nifty Fifties cartridge (page 68) as follows:
(2 at 2"), (2 at 1 1/2"), and (3 at 1").  
I then used the shift feature to make (2 at 2") and (2 at 1 1/2") white daisies for the center.


I placed the flower on the mat and using the burnishing tool, I rolled the petals to the center slightly
then flipping the flower over, I used the ball tool to cup the flower which made the petals stand up.

            

  I did the same with the white daisies and glued them to the center of the blue diasies.
I then added a glittered center.  I thought that would be too much, but I really liked how these turned out.


Next is the roses!  Would you even think you could make roses out of a five petal flower? 
I found this on FLOWER BUGS INK SPOT punch art blog.  She used a six petal but I chose to cut them from the Artiste cartridge (pg 54) at 2" using the shift/accent 3 feature.  Cut down between the petals to separate but not all the way.  Keep the petals intact.  I curled the petals using the end of a small paint brush (I knew I kept that for a reason).  This helps when forming the buds.


















Fold the petals into a cup to make the bud.  I used Elmer's glue and held it until it stuck.  You can also use hot glue but I don't like the stringy things that are left behind.  Then I stuck two flowers together, alternating the petals for fullness, then added the bud to the middle.


















Here I am burnishing the petals to make them more pliable. 
I used Coordinations cardstock which I thought was too stuff and I really had to work it to make them curl but the end result was B-E-A- utiful!  The bud becomes fuller as you add more flowers.  After making the first one, I didn't like my center so I did it again and I liked this one much better.


I then grouped the flowers together with the leaves onto the mat and added a lady bug on this corner...


and this corner with another grouping of a small rose and a daisy bud.


This is the finished project outside of the shadow box frame.  Here you can see the dimension from the foam tape around the opening of the frame.  I tried taking pics of it in the frame but the light kept flashing back and made it difficult to see how beautiful it is and the dimensions.  

I had made something similar for another benefit raffle last year (you can see it posted also) and have had several requests to make them. 

I will be entering this into the FANTABULOUS Cricut Challenge # 158 Paper Roses.

Below is the post of the other Shadow box project I did last year.


 I think this is my favorite thing to do with my CRICUT!

  Thanks for looking!
Reesey