Paper Bows - Using up my stash!

Do you ever make New Year's resolutions? One of my goals for the New Year is to "shop my stash" more often and to make a dent in the enormous amount of scrapbooking paper and embellishments I have.  Of course, I hope to make lots of layouts and cards but I am also going to be more purposeful in looking for ways in which I can use my paper in other projects too. There are just some papers I have which are not my style anymore or which I bought in bulk and just need to use up. So I hope to share some of the projects I find every once in awhile and here is my first find.

I love this idea for using up my extra scrapbooking paper: http://aphradeedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/07/paper-bow-tutorial.html

I will need to practice but here are my first couple of attempts. My bows got a little squished because I am too cheap thrifty to use glue dots and I stapled through my bow layers.

I had enough leftovers to make a little gift card and of course it coordinates perfectly!

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All Decked Out - Snowman Card

I spent yesterday and today making a bunch of snowman cards using All Decked Out. It is such a fun stamp set to embellish! I thought about using different hats and scarves on each card to personalize them a bit, but in the end I decided that it would make the process faster and simpler to make them all with the same hat and the same scarf. I needed 9 cards to use as thank you cards for my students and then I wanted a few extras.

I started off by stamping a snowman with arms, a face, and snowflakes on a 3.5" x 5" piece of White Daisy cardstock. Then I repeated this about 12 more times. Sorry for the out of focus picture!

Then I stamped the hat I chose on a patterned piece of paper as well as on a solid piece of Sky cardstock multiple times. I also stamped the scarf on Sky cardstock and then I cut out the hats, hat bands, and scarves. I layered the Sky hat band onto the patterned paper hats.

Next, I "dressed" the snowmen in their hats and scarves and inked up the edges of the White Daisy cardstock pieces in Moonstruck ink. I also colored the carrot noses with an orange colored pencil.

I inked up the edges of some old patterned paper (from Twitterpated) in Moonstruck ink and attached them to card bases.Then I attached the White Daisy snowman stamped pieces to these card bases. I added some silver Glitz to some of the snowflakes and Liquid Glass to the carrot noses.

After the cards were dry, I added Sunset ink to some mini paper flowers and added mini sparkles to the middles. I added these flowers to the hats. I also added some ribbon to the card. Here is the final card.

Supplies used (all CTMH): (D1308) All Decked Out stamp set, Sky stamp pad, (Z2134) Moonstruck stamp set, (Z2124) Grey Flannel stamp pad, (Z2117) Crystal Blue Stamp pad, (Z2105) Black stamp pad, (Z2114) Cocoa stamp pad, (Z1482) Silver Glitz glitter gel, (Z679) Liquid Glass, blue ribbon, mini paper flowers, (retired) Sweet Home paper, (retired) Twitterpated paperPin It

Backyard Fun - Studio J Layout

Whew...I feel like I am just coming up for air! The fall is always really busy so I tried to be prepared this year but, as my workload increased, certain things (like my creative pursuits) had to make way. I really miss it when I can't craft!

Studio J has been such a wonderful way for me to sneak in some crafting time even when things are hectic. I don't have to worry about clearing out a space and getting out all of my materials out which all takes time (and then cleaning up after which takes even more time). I love working with actual paper and ink and stamps.  But it is nice when I have limited time to just turn on the computer, sign in, and start experimenting with my layouts. If I need to go do something in the middle, my project gets saved automatically. If I come back and don't like it, I can rearrange it or just start all over without having to worry about "ruining" my paper!

This layout is a 14 picture layout called Snappy and it's available to Studio J members. You could easily turn it into a 16 picture layout by converting the title box and the journaling box into photo wells. I deleted my title box and just used the letters from the Quick Title Tool in its place. I left my journaling box as is and I also added a small journaling box to the bottom right of the left page so I could include the date separately.

Here is the Love Your Layout video for December from Close to My Heart. It gives some great tips about how to personalize your layout including a different way to make a border by cropping Stickease. Click on the arrows in the bottom right of the embedded screen to expand the video.

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Love Your Layout: November 2011

 Here's a great video that shows some tips on layering embellishments, adding journaling, and adding a title in Studio J.

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Wonderland Wishing You Well

My poor sister-in-law suffers from terrible migraines and actually had to be hospitalized this week so I wanted to send some get well wishes to her. When I saw the colors at CR84FN, they struck me as being very soothing and I thought they would work nicely for my card. I actually like them for any type of card and I think I will try to use this design with a different sentiment for a couple of birthday cards I need to make. I also used the sketch at Mojo Monday for my card's layout.

Here are the colors for CR84FN:

...and here's the Mojo Monday sketch:

This is my first easel card and I used Beate's video to help me along. I also used my Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge for the flowers, the circles, and the ovals. I was in the mood to roll flowers today!

Supplies used(all CTMH): (G1031) Wonderland stamp set from Workshop on the Go, (D1283) Say it in Style stamp set, (Z2119) Dutch Blue stamp pad, (Z2194) Sky stamp pad, (Z308) Liquid Applique, (retired) Sweet Home Level 2 paper pack, Buttercup cardstock, Dutch Blue cardstock, Grey Wool Cardstock, (Z1336) Opaques Pearl Adhesive Gems, Buttercup Waxy Flax, (Z1686) Cricut Art Philosophy CartridgePin It

So Grateful - Heart 2 Heart Color Challenge

Happy November everyone! The last part of October just seemed to go by at lightning speed!

I unfortunately lost most of my files from my computer due to a virus (even though I do have an anti virus program). The main files I am really missing are my lesson plans from last year so I am having to take some time to rework those. I had just bought a memory stick to back up my files but, of course, didn't! Also some pictures of a couple of projects which I had hoped to post got lost as well. Sigh...I can retake them but I decided to move on and do something new!

This week the challenge at Heart 2 Heart is a color challenge: Terra Cotta, Juniper, Bamboo.

Captured Moments is one of my favorite stamp sets but I haven't pulled it out too much so I thought I would play with it today using these colors. I also used Harvest Happiness with the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge for the leaves up top. I decided to sponge the Colonial White panel, which has the main image stamped on it, in all three colors. What a nice palette for a fall themed card! 

 Supplies used: (C1423) Captured Moments stamp set, (C1463) Harvest Happiness stamp set, (X7139B) Typeset Level 2 paper pack, (Z1248) Juniper Waxy Flax, (Z1249) Sorbet Waxy Flax, (Z697) Round Sponge, (Z1686) Art Philosophy Cricut CartridgePin It

Treat Bag Leftovers

If you saw my post from Sunday and the one from last Wednesday, you'll understand why I had some leftover Kraft paper ovals!

So, I was looking at these ovals and thinking that I should use them somehow. After sponging them with Sunset ink and then a little Barn Red on the edges, I put three together like this...

...and got a pumpkin!

The stem is from Milepost Shapes. I just cut it in half and inked it with Cocoa to use as a stem.

Now I had a perfectly good pumpkin with no where to go! So I made a home for it. I thought a pumpkin carving layout might be appropriate. I'll have to wait for the pictures but I know I need to have about 4 pictures with a portrait orientation! What other type of layout would be good for a pumpkin besides this one, Halloween, or going to a pumpkin patch? Cute as a Pumkin?

I am almost done with my Dreamin' paper pack. I've gotten a lot of mileage from it but it is also nice not to have too much leftover. I think I am finally appreciating the new packaging for the Level 2 papers.

Here is the double layout side by side.

Here is the left side of the layout with the pumpkin.

Here is the right page of the layout. The blank Colonial White fancy square can be for journaling.

Supplies used (all CTMH): (X7142B) Dreamin' Level 2 paper pack, Leftover ovals from Kraft paper, (Z2191) Sunset stamp pad, (1245) Olive cardstock, (Z1464) Milepost Shapes, (Z697) Round Sponge

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Sit Back and Enjoy the Ride

I tend to create a lot of cards with floral themes which isn't necessarily the type of look I want when sending something to my dad or brother or someone male! So I've been trying to create more masculine types of cards just to keep on hand. I used two of my new stamp sets, Enjoy Life and Two Step Backgrounds on my card.

Enjoy Life:






















Two Step Backgrounds:






















I used the colors from The Play Date Cafe Challenge PDCC103 to help me along. I love that these colors can work for a masculine card yet there is no brown in them! It seems that I always revert to brown for masculine cards so it's nice to play with a brighter palette.


Here is the card I came up with.

Supplies used (all CTMH): (X7141B) Elemental Level 2 paper pack, (C1439) Enjoy Life stamp set, (D1473) Two-Step Background stamp set, (Z2125) Grey Wool stamp pad, (1447) Autumn Terracotta stamp pad, (Z2192) Pacifica stamp pad, (Z280) Natural Hemp, (1385) White Daisy cardstock, Scrap of Grey Wool cardstock, Scrap of orange paper from my stashPin It

Lucky Little Pumpkin Studio J Layout

I've been neglecting my Studio J layouts! I usually place an order every month but didn't have time to last month with school (and work) starting up. I finally had some time to play and I was inspired by the Heart 2 Heart Challenge Blog. The challenge was to do a layout and journal/tell a story about your pictures. I had this idea in my head since Monday but only got a chance to work on it today! Anyway, it's about a cute little pumpkin that actually survived and grew in our tiny, somewhat dim backyard garden. Click on the picture and it should enlarge for you so you can read the journaling. Enjoy!

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Fall Themed Treat Bag and Waxy Flax Quick Tip

During my last workshop, we made treat bags out of the Kraft Die-Cut Cards. This is what a card looks like without any embellishments.

Here is a card with an oval window cut out of the front with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.

Check out this post from last Wednesday for Pamela O'Connor's directions on how to make the treat bags. Here is the embellished treat bag with fall themed papers and die-cuts. I still need to add a ribbon to the top to tie the flap shut (or you could add velcro underneath).

I wanted to show you a quick tip about Waxy Flax. It's a great embellishment for cards and layouts which doesn't add a lot of weight or bulk. One neat thing about Waxy Flax is that it can keep it's shape. So if you twirl it around a toothpick like this:

...it will hold it's shape like this:

 Supplies used (all CTMH): (Z2135) New England Ivy stamp pad, (Z2191) Sunset stamp pad, (Z1686) Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge, (B1395) So Grateful stamp set, (X7142B) Dreamin' 2 paper pack, (1385) White Daisy cardstock, Olive Waxy Flax

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Happy Day

Wouldn't this sketch make a pretty card all on its own? I love it!

This sketch is from the Clean and Simple Stamping blog. I had a chance to stamp and make cards with Heather and Debbie today so that got me in the creative mood. It also helped that I had my stamping supplies out and that I got a new order of stamps and embellishments in the mail today! So exciting! Check out that corrugated star...it comes in the package of Milepost Shapes. I broke out my new Blue Ribbon stamp set to make my card.

My mom is so sweet and always sends cards for special days. It's not as easy as it used to be for her to go out and get cards from the store, so I try to send her a bunch of handmade cards every once in awhile. She always goes through them faster than I can make them though! Anyway, I'm hoping to make duplicates of this card to include in a package for her (along with some others).

Supplies used: (C1464) Blue Ribbon stamp set, (X7139B) Typeset paper pack, (Z2165) Juniper stamp pad, (Z2162) Honey stamp pad, (Z2114) Cocoa stamp pad, (Z1484) Milepost ShapesPin It

Happy Hauntings Card

Here's another project I created after being inspired by my scraps. I had a number of those fancy shaped white rectangles left over from experimenting with the Art Philosophy cartridge so I'm using them now! The orange paper on the card is very old CTMH paper and the gray ribbon is very old CTMH ribbon. And I think I've mentioned this before but I just adore that little fence that you can cut out with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. It's so intricate and detailed. I'm still a bit in awe at what the Cricut can do since I'm a new user. After every cut I have to show someone in my family and say, "Look at this! Isn't it amazing?"

Supplies used (all CTMH): (Z1686) Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge for fence and shaped rectangle, (C1423) Captured Moments stamp set, (Z2105) Black stamp pad, (Z726) Sponge Daubers, (1385) White Daisy cardstock, (Z1410) Antiqued Copper Designer Brads, (Z1263) Bitty Sparkles, Gray Organdy ribbonPin It

Fall 2005 Layouts

I spent some time organizing my scrap paper yesterday. I've had a variety of systems to keep scraps over the years. I started off with a file box and file folders. This worked for awhile but I needed the file box for something and by then I had acquired quite a lot of scraps. Then I switched to keeping them in the pocket dividers that came in a Cropper Hopper vertical paper holder. This was probably my worst system. It was very difficult to reach the small scraps that had fallen way down into the dividers. I couldn't open them up the way I could with a file folder. Most recently, I've been keeping them in two 12" x 12" plastic drawers...which was definitely not enough space. Yesterday, I cleaned out another drawer and divided my scraps between three drawers. Now, one drawer holds my neutral scraps (white, off-white, browns, blacks, and grays). One drawer holds my green and blue scraps while the last holds purples, pinks, reds, oranges, and yellows. I could probably benefit from using two or three more drawers but right now I can't expand anymore!

Anyway, looking at all of my scraps inspired me and that's what it's all about! I started cleaning up my desk just a bit and found some cute photos of my kids from 6 years ago (yes, I still have a lot of organizing to do). So I used these pictures, some scraps, some old embellishments, and some new stuff to make the layouts below. I love the background paper on that second layout and I didn't want to cover it up too much so I tried to keep my embellishments to a minimum.

 

Supplies used (all CTMH): (Z1686) Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge for leaves and shaped journaling blocks, (Z2114) Cocoa stamp pad, (Z726) Sponge Daubers, (X7142B) Dreamin' Level 2 paper pack, (Z1450) Color-Ready Alphabets Cork, (Z1127) Chocolate Designer Ribbon Rounds, (Z1333) Opaques Mocha Adhesive Gems, (Z1410) Antiqued Copper Designer Brads, Noteworthy stamp set for the lines on my journaling block, Foundry FlourishesPin It

Buttoned Up Card Set Video

This video shows how to make the cards on page 93 of the 2011 Autumn/Winter Idea book. It also gives some great tips on how to use your Cricut art Philosohy cartridge. Take a look.Pin It

Treat Bag Made from Kraft Die-Cut Card

Pamela O'Connor, an Independent Close To My Heart consultant from Texas was kind enough to share how she made some awesome treat bags using the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. I used her directions to make my treat bag below. She set her Expressions machine at Left/Right: 1-3/4" and In/Out: 11/16" to cut out oval (3) at 2-1/2" in the front of the card to make a window. You could also use the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge to cut out one of the many cards which already have a window in the front or you could use a die (like Nestabilities) and place it where you would like on the card. Score a line 1" on either side of the main fold of the card to make a mountain fold on what will become the bottom.

I love that intricate fence from the Art Philosophy cartridge! I also used my cartridge to make my letters for, "Boo!" Now here's a challenge for you. Do you know what retired CTMH paper pack the blue paper is from? I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but it is a B&T paper (a patterned piece of paper). It kind of has a bit of a mottled pattern on it. You can get the same effect by using Indian Corn Bue Cardstock and sponging it with Sunset. And it's old enough that there is no pattern on the back of it. What's your guess?

Supplies used: (Z2135) New England Ivy stamp pad, (Z2191) Sunset stamp pad, (1488) Black stamp pad, (Z1686) Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge, (B1395) So Grateful stamp set, (S1108) Wicked stamp set, (X7144B) Mischief Level 2 paper pack, (1385) White Daisy cardstock, (Z1248) Juniper Waxy Flax, (Z1249) Sorbet Waxy FlaxPin It

H2H 76 and CFC 22

This had the potential to be a relatively quick card, except that I was trying to help both of my kids with their homework at the same time! I think I prefer my 3rd grader's multiplication to my 8th grader's geometry!

Anyway, I combined the current Heart 2 Heart sketch challenge (H2H 76) and the current CAS-ual Fridays (CFC 22) challenge.


The CFC22 challenge is to "Create a Clean And Simple project using a ribbon tab or loop. Big loops, tiny loops...get creative but the loops on a bow don't count."

I thought that both challenges were good ones to help me use up some scraps, both of paper and of ribbon. I love it when I can do that! I also used one of my favorite techniques of having random squares and rectangles of scraps standing in to look like presents. Although my loops are supposed to look like bows, I didn't have to tie them into bows. Much easier!

Although the papers I used are "old" or retired, they just don't seem all that old to me! Didn't Close to My Heart just come out with these? The paper with the greens is from Veranda and the ones with the pinks and reds are from That's Amore. I still love them and for once, I'm glad I hoarded!

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Wishes - Cards from Greeting Card Workshop

September has been busy with school starting (for both me and my kids), my daughter starting at a new school, and my son breaking his wrist! Whew! Well, I finally had some time to create! My wonderful upline, Wendy Vineis, had sent me the Wishes Card Confidence book awhile back. What a great resource! It has a multitude of beautiful card designs. I modified the "Greeting Card Workshop," on page 111 to create these cards:

The "Greeting Card Workshop," uses just three sheets of paper plus card bases (one patterned paper and two sheets of coordinating cardstock). You can embellish as much or as little as you like; keep them simple or dress them up! This patterned paper is from the retired paper pack called Sarsaparilla and yes, of course, I have been hoarding it! I thought it would work well for cards which could have a more masculine bent to them. Look for this in an upcoming workshop! I have a lot of sheets of paper floating about which I love but won't necessarily use for scrapbooking. I think this cutting pattern will be a good way to use my hoarded paper and to build up my stash of homemade cards.

Supplies used: (C1472) Bundled Buddies stamp set, (C1454) Horizon stamp set, (D1475) Card Chatter-Birthday stamp set, (D1444) A Little Thanks stamp set, (retired) In the Wild stamp set, (retired) Fanfare workshops on the go stamp set, Typeset stamp set, Lagoon cardstock, (1385) White Daisy cardstock, (Z2114) Cocoa stamp pad, (Z2103) Bamboo stamp pad, (Z2111) Chocolate stamp pad, (Z2195) Lagoon stamp pad, (Z2150) Sunflower stamp pad, (Z2125) Grey wool stamp pad, colored pencils, brads, (Z534) Micro-tip scissorsPin It

Woohoo!

I'm so excited! My airplane card was picked as one of the top ten for August over at the Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog! What a nice surprise! If you haven't ever visited the blog, you should take a look...there's a lot of beautiful artwork and wonderful inspiration there. Click on the cool badge on the right!

In celebration, I made this cute little owl treat box. The October issue of Scrapbooks Etc. magazine has a section on fun Halloween projects and one was making an owl out of a pillow box (thanks Heather!). So of course, I looked through my Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge images. I knew I had the pillow box shape but I also used my cartridge to make the flowers and circles for the eyes and the cute mini scalloped banner card for the 3-D beak! What a fun and simple project! You can play around with the eyes and position the black dots to make the eyes "look" up or sideways, etc. Hee hee! Now that I'm getting the hang of using my Cricut, I am feeling great about actually using up some of my scraps. Anyway, I can just imagine this little owl saying, "Woohoo!"

Supplies used: (X7139B) Typeset Level 2 paper pack, (Z1686) Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge, Sunflower cardstock, Colonial White Cardstock, Black Cardstock, (Z1151) Foam Tape

In other news, we are having a thunderstorm as I am typing this! We have had so much rain this past week with flooded roads actually causing schools to close. I really hope this is a fast moving storm!

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Base and Shade Stamping

Here's a quick video about base and shade stamping which showcases one of my favorite new stamps from the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book. I am working on getting my preschool classroom ready these days but I hope to be back to posting artwork soon!

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What's Your Favorite Tape Runner?

So, my favorite adhesive to use for scrapbooking and card making is a tape runner. I do use other types of adhesives while working on paper crafts once in awhile for specific jobs. Liquid Glass is great for those items that need extra "stickiness" like 3-D flowers or metal items or buttons. Tacky glue also works great for these situations as do Glue Dots. But in general, I want to try to have ONE adhesive on hand that I can use for most paper crafting needs. I've posted about this before, I know! I've tried some other tape runners since then so this is an update to that post. I used to love the old style Duck brand tape runners but they changed their tape runners in such a way that didn't work for me anymore. So I started my search. Here are my criteria:

• Portable and small
• Strong enough to keep items stuck onto my project but not so sticky that you can't move it at all once it's down
• Able to stick most ribbons down
• If you are applying it to a small piece or the edge of a piece of paper, it doesn't leave an overhang of adhesive...in other words, it dispenses an adhesive film not little squares or strips of adhesive
• Precise applicator (easy to see where you are applying your adhesive)
• Mostly invisible (such as under a sheer ribbon or vellum or a clear card)
• Easily obtained (getting them online is okay but I wanted to find something that I didn't have to get shipped to me all the time)
• Not too pricey
• Refillable is a plus but not a necessity
• Permanent

So I began my search (and just FYI, this was just a search for tape runners, not glue dot runners). I know many people use and love their Tombow Mono Adhesive tape runners but they just don't seem to stick well enough for me, especially for cards and 3-D projects which get handled a bit. One crafter blogged about how you just need to really make a good seal after adhering with Tombow (like running a bone folder or credit card over what you have adhered). I don't think you should have to take an extra step like that when you are creating and sometimes I can't do that because of the nature of the item I am making.

My first candidate was the Scotch Tape Runner:

I was able to find it easily both at Target and Walmart which are close to me. A bonus was that it was refillable. However, it often (as some other tape runners are prone to do) gets harder to dispense when it is closer to the end of it's tape and sometimes even before that. This makes you push down harder to try to dispense it and due to the way it is constructed, it can leave indentations on your project! Also, my local Target and Walmart stopped carrying this product which gave me no reason (like convenience) to keep buying it.

So my verdict on this tape runner was a definite NO.

Next up was the This To That Glue Runner:

I liked the fact that this was refillable also. It was less easy for me to find close by but I could purchase it at my local Michaels or A.C. Moore. I could also buy it online. This turned out to be too "goopy" for me. The edges of the tape runner tended to ball up and the glue didn't seems to go on smoothly on all surfaces--I had a difficult time using it on some ribbons. It was also more expensive than some of the other tape runners.

My verdict was that it's usable if I have nothing else but otherwise NO.

Next was the Pioneer Photo Memory Fix:

This was my favorite for quite a while. It isn't refillable unfortunately but I could live with that. It stuck items down well and worked great on ribbons. While it was inexpensive, it ran out of tape very quickly. This was not easily available in the stores near me all the time. I had to hunt for it or else buy it online. But what I started noticing more and more was that it also was harder to use as it got closer to the end of the tape (although it did not make those weird indentations like the Scotch brand did if you pushed down harder). It also seemed a bit more prone to getting pulled and then being unusable (especially if I provided it as the adhesive in a workshop I was doing).

My verdict was USABLE but KEEP LOOKING.

Next came the Ad tech Glue Runner:

This seemed to fit the bill! It was refillable and Walmart carried it. the price was great and the tape rolled out smoothly. It could get balled up on the edges but it wasn't too bad. So, Walmart stopped selling it! Arrgh!

My verdict was WHY IS IT SO HARD TO FIND WHAT I WANT?

I was getting despondent and missing my old Duck again when Heather comes to the rescue! She tells me about THIS --

Next up is the Staples Glue Tape:

So far this fits all my criteria. It goes on smoother than any of the other tape runners I've used, it lasts a long time and has a really good price (especially when it goes on sale). I have never had adhesive ball up on the edges. I have never had a workshop participant (even during the kid's camp I ran in the summer) accidentally pull the tape out. It does not get harder to dispense as it nears the end of the tape. It sticks ribbon down wonderfully. And a wonderful bonus is that it has a fold down attached cover right where the tape dispenses out of...not a separate cover to get lost. So my tape can stay clean without me having to keep track of the cover. The best part is that it is readily available for me at my local Staples...and if it is ever out, Staples has super fast shipping (even free to the store)! No more having to hunt it down!

My verdict is YES! It is my new favorite tape runner!

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Roxie Mojo 205

I fought my natural tendency to hoard and actually cut into my new pack of Roxie papers yesterday! I really like the Mojo Monday sketch for this week so this is what I used for inspiration.

I used Close To My Heart's 6" x 6" Kraft Die Cut cards for the first time as well. I mainly make standard sized cards but it was fun working with this size. So here's my take on the sketch.

The Kraft cards have a little scalloped edge that folds over the front. Here is a picture of the card with the scalloped edge showing.

And here's a closer view with it a little flatter.

I've been having fun with my new Cricut cartridge and cut out the "label" on which I stamped Happy Birthday with it as well as the spirals for the roses. Lisa Stenz has a great video tutorial about making the roses and rolling the edges down with a toothpick (it's a little easier if your flowers are larger). You can see her tutorial by clicking here. Anyway, in the midst of all this earthquake and hurricane hubbub, there I was yesterday, in my happy place, making paper roses! Very therapeutic!

I also cut my leaves with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge but I bent them here and there and then sponged ink on them to give the look of veins.

Supplies used: (Z1474) 6" X 6" Kraft Die-Cut Cards & Envelopes, (D1475) Card Chatter - Birthday stamp set, (X7140B) Roxie Level 2 Paper Packet, (Z1616) Designer Ribbon Green Collection, (Z1686) Cricut® Art Philosophy Collection, (Z1387) Wooden Designer Buttons, (Z1333) Opaques Mocha Adhesive Gems,(Z282) Black Hemp, (Z2105) Black stamp pad, (Z2111) Chocolate stamp pad for sponging, Green textured paper

I am happy to report that we were not woken up with an aftershock last night (for the first time since the earthquake occured). We were, of course, lucky that the earthquake did not cause any damage...as far as we can tell. I hope we can say the same for Hurricane Irene in a couple of days!

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