Let's Go Digital - Caardvarks Challenge

The new challenge at Caardvarks is to go digital.......use a digital image or sentiment on your card.  Before this challenge, I had never used a digital image (although I have printed out some journaling for my scrapbook pages before).  I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it really was to customize the digital images I got to use from the Hero Arts Digital Kits with any color or size I wanted.  Here are the things that I created from the Winged Friends, Polky Dots, and Great Card Messages digital kits.

If you would like to try out the challenge, be sure to go on by Caardvarks to check out all the details as well as leave a comment for a chance to win some awesome digital images from Hero Arts.

Winter Memories Window Mini Album and Blog Candy Winner

So, yesterday was a very snowy day at my house.  Today, we have about 7-8 inches of white glistening snow and bright blue sky.  As I type this, my husband is outside playing Fox and Geese in the yard with the older kids.  Baby is at the window wanting to join them outside.  I have had a cold and sore throat and so I am pretty much confined to the house.  Maybe I can get some scrapping time in today.

The view from my back porch

It is the perfect day for me to share with you the Winter Memories Window Mini Album that I created for the Cricut and Yourstory contest from a couple of weeks ago.  This will be a little bit of a lengthy post because there are a few pictures and I have also posted the directions on how I created this album.

Front Cover View

Front/Side Open View

Back View

First Page

Second Page

Eleventh Page

How I created this mini album that measures 5 1/4 inches:

Cartridges:
George, A Child's Year, Stretch Your Imagination, Graphically Speaking


Supplies:
Cricut Expression with Deep Cut blade and housing
Cricut DesignStudio software
Cartridges: George, A Child's Year, Stretch Your Imagination, Graphically Speaking
YourStory
Cuttlebug with Snowflakes and Swiss Dots embossing folders
12 x 12 piece of chipboard
Cardstock and patterned paper
Stamps of your choice
Ribbon
Craft knife and self healing mat
Scoring tool
Acrylic paint and/or glitter
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Rhinestones
Craft wire
Adhesive


Instructions:
Using the Cricut DesignStudio, place two 5 1/4 inch rounded corner squares from the George Cartridge 1/2 inch apart on the DesignStudio mat. Place a 5 1/4 inch tall rectangle between the squares and weld all the shapes together. Place a 3 1/2 inch rounded square inside one of the squares. Do not weld the smaller rounded corner square (this will serve as the window on the front cover). Cut the design out with the Cricut Expression from chipboard material with the deep cut blade and housing. The chipboard cover should measure 5 1/4 inches by 11 inches. Mark the cover in the middle at 5 1/2 inches. Score and fold the cover 1/4 inch on each side of this mark to create a 1/2 inch spine.


Cut four 5 1/4 inch rounded corner squares out of cardstock from the George cartridge with the Cricut Expression. These will be used to cover the chipboard album. Using the Cuttlebug and the A2 Snowflakes embossing folder, emboss two of the 5 1/4 inch square covers (you may need to run them through twice to completely emboss them). Paint the embossed snowflakes with white acrylic paint and/or glitter. Adhere these to the outside of the album. Using a craft knife and self healing mat, cut out the window area on the embossed cardstock. Leaving enough ribbon at the back of the album for tying a bow, wrap ribbon around the middle of the back side of the album to the front and tuck it inside the window to the spine and adhere. Wrap another smaller length of ribbon from the inside around to the outside edge of the window and adhere, being sure to leave a good length for tying a bow. Adhere the last two 5 1/4 inch pieces of cardstock to the inside of the chipboard cover. Cut out the front window with a craft knife and self healing mat (being careful to not cut the ribbon).


Cut a piece of cardstock at 5 1/4 inches by 2 1/2 inches and Score it at 7/8 inch in on each of the long sides making it ¾ inch between the scored lines and the sides at 7/8 inches. Emboss with the Cuttlebug and Swiss Dots embossing folder. Adhere to the spine and wrap around to cover 7/8 inch on each of the front and back covers.


Using A Child’s Year cartridge and the Cricut Expression, cut out the boy and snowman image from cardstock at 3 inches. Cut the desired number of snowflakes from cardstock in various sizes to decorate the front and inside the album. Cut “Winter” from the Stretch Your Imagination cartridge from cardstock at 2 3/4 inches. Cut “memories” with the Graphically Speaking cartridge from cardstock at 3/4 inch. With the George cartridge, cut out the desired number of pages from cardstock in the rounded square shape at 5 inches as well as a little tag a 1 1/4 inches and the year set on shadow and cut at 1/4 inch. Decorate the pages with stamps, patterned paper and the snowflakes. You may want to cut a couple of extras and adhesive on 3 sides (leaving the top or side open) and add to the back of some of the pages to create a pocket for a tag or pictures.


Apply a thin bead of hot glue to the inside spine 1/2 inch from the top and bottom edges. Allow to cool. Place the pages inside the cover, being sure that they are even and 1/8 inch from both the top and bottom of the book. Place inside the prepared YourStory book binder and bind according to the directions. After it is finished, allow to cool completely. Apply the boy and snowman image that was cut with A Child’s Year through the window to the first page of the album for proper placement. Finish decorating the outside of the cover by layering the Winter and memories cuts. Apply ribbon near the spine on the front and attach the 1 1/4 inch tag to the ribbon. Add curled crafting wire to the front cover and decorate with layered snowflakes. Apply rhinestones to the centers of the snowflakes. Now you are ready for your family's winter photos.

Now, one more matter of business is the Birthday Blog Candy that I have had posted over the last week.  I would like to thank everyone for stopping by and offering me birthday wishes.  I have gone to random.org and the number it picked is #45.........
 
Sara Paschal said...

Amy, have a Wonderful Bday! Thanks for offering us the present;)
December 3, 2009 2:14 PM

Congrats Sara!!  Please EMAIL me your info so that I can get your package sent off to you.
 
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day!!
 

Birthday Card - Laura's Sketch 40 at 2S4Y

I would like to send a thank you to everyone who has left a comment for my birthday yesterday.  It is wonderful to have so many people think about me on that day.  I also want to remind everyone that today is the last day to enter for my birthday blog candy.  You can enter by clicking on the link or picture on the upper right column of my blog.  I think that the perfect way to end my birthday celebration is with a birthday card and this one is created from the sketch by Laura this week at 2 Sketches 4 You.  I just hate it when my sewing machine goes on the fritz right in the middle of sewing on a project.  I kind of had this happen with the stitching on this card and so I covered the 'mistake' with the flower.  Are there any other creative ways you cover up mistakes?? 

Cardstock, patterned paper, ink, embossing powder, stamps, border punch: Stampin' Up!

Other: sewing machine and thread and a button from my stash

I will be drawing a winner for my blog candy tomorrow.  Stop by to see if it is you.

Hugs,

Christmas Card Exchange

I am participating in a Christmas card exchange with some friends where we each make a dozen cards and exchange them with others and get a dozen back with two of everyone's designs.  This is the card that I made to exchange.  This card has a winter theme for the Cuttlebug Spot challenge this week.

Cardstock, patterned paper, stamps, ink ribbon, corner rounder: Stampin' Up!
Rhinestones: Creating Keepsakes
Embossing: Cuttlebug and Snowflakes embossing folder

Don't forget to click on the link in the upper right corner of my blog to enter for my blog candy....the last day to enter is Saturday December 5th.

Birthday Celebration Blog Candy Giveaway!!

Since my birthday is this week (December 4th), I wanted to celebrate with all of you in a wonderful way.  Instead of getting presents this year, I want to share some blog candy with one lucky blog reader. 

Here is what is included:

• All My Memories 6x6 accordion mini album
• 12 6x6 sheets of Making Memories patterned paper
• 4 rolls of ribbon
• Stampin' Up! Bermuda Bay ink pad
• Stampin' Up! Stampin' Around handle
• Sassafras "In A Stitch Pink Buttons"
• Assorted Stamping Bella stamped images
• Assorted Prima flowers

All you have to do to enter is post a comment under this post by Saturday December 5th (one comment per person please).  That is it.  If you would like to post about my giveaway on your blog, it would be appreciated, but not required.  Also, you can follow my blog if you would like, but it is not required.  I will pick a lucky winner on December 6th.  Winner has one week to contact me to claim their winning.  I will ship worldwide.

Thanks for stopping by....and don't forget to leave a comment.  =)

This Blog Candy is Now closed......See the post HERE to see who won.

Caardvarks Micro Challenge

This week, Caardvarks is having a Micro Challenge to use a certain color combination on a card.  Your Next Stamp is the sponsor and is offering a lovely stamp set to the winner, so hop on over to Caardvarks to check out the details.

Here is the color combination:

And here is my card:

Cardstock, stamps, ink, circle punch: Stampin' Up!
Flower: Prima
Button: Sasafrass
Other: Cuttlebug and embossing folder, sewing machine and thread

Also, I am a day late on getting blog candy posted, but I will have some up by the end of the day today.

Hugs,