Happy Birthday Card

Happy 14th Birthday to Jae's nephew! :)  Jae called me yesterday before I left the office and told me he needed a card asap -- I guess I got it done, but is it masculine enough?!  I worried about that last night after I finished...


I used the "Country Living" Cricut cartridge for the numbers; I used my heaviest cardstock and used it as a stencil on top of the purple grid paper with an off-white chalk inkpad and I think it came out really nice.  I have SO many ideas now that I've gone there.  I got the blue tag from a tag set from the Paper Source (I think I called it the Paper Place in an earlier post, that was wrong).  I used lavendar chalk ink on the photo corner thingies, and gave them a bit of pop with dimension dots.  Under it all lies a cute cupcake patterned paper, but you can't really see it... I hope he likes it. 


I visit all my favorite blogs on my way to work, and this morning I got a few tips and tricks that I need to try asap.  First, I have been wanting to try out the misting technique, but am SO hesitant to pay $6 on a little bottle -- it just kills me when I know there has to be a better, more economical way... well, I was RIGHT!  Somebody mentioned that she just gets little spray bottles (think trial sized hairspray in a pump bottle) and dilutes acrylic paint!!  EUREKA!  I'm going to go to the Sally Beauty Supply on my way home and see about some little bottles and steal some paint from Sam (heehee).  


Second tip I would like to try is cleaning up my paper hoard.  It's OUT OF CONTROL.  I use 12" x 12" sheets, usually, and when I use pieces, the left overs just go into a large, plastic storage bin where it's forgotten and buried under the next project's scraps.  Another blog buddy suggested that you go through all the old scraps, cut a uniform size and file them by color, season, etc.  GENIUS.  I'm going to do that, as well.  She said I'd be left with lots of strips, but there's an answer for that too: glue them onto cardstock and make your own patterned paper.  I think I may try this.  I HAVE to get things organized, because I have so much stuff that doesn't get used.  


I have my work cutout for me today!  Let's see how the spray paint stuff turns out... I have to make some pages for my scrapbook anyway.  I found some great photos that I'd like to scrap...


Things are busy, busy, busy... I must go. ;)


XO

What a week I'm having, and it's only MONDAY!

I made this card for my brother; since he had a beach party, I thought this was appropriate, if a bit hokey.  Who cares, I love it!  The fox, fire, phrase and waves were from my Cricut, but I just tore the paper at the bottom to look like sand.  Very simple, to the point and not at all complicated... that's how everything should be, huh? ;)  He liked it quite a bit, I think.

I made this little bee card last night; it began with the envelope which I saw on Scrapbooks, Etc. August issue.  I wanted to use paper that didn't really match, and see how that felt... result: good.  :)  I think so , anyway.  I love my critters, they just make everything more cheerful, and the cardstock pack I got at Michael's the other day (huuuuge pack) had so many colors, I don't even know what to do.  I LOVE this navy blue, it makes me think of sailboats, or water themed cards and page layouts.  The pack also had the blue that I used on the water of the fox card above, I love that also... it's funny how a new color will spark all kinds of new ideas.  

On the right side of the envelope, I used my score tool to make that end sort of like the bottom of a very skinny box; can you tell?  It began as a mistake, but afterwards, I felt it gave the envelope more dimension... do you see it at all?  This card is WAY better in person, the photo does it no justice.  I really want to give this card away! :)

Oh, and one more card:

I got this rubber stamp from this awesome store near the Promenade called Paper Place.  It was on sale, so I got it for like $3, or something... I couldn't resist!  When I checked out, the cashier said it could be for a forgotten birthday or something, I hadn't even thought of that.  :)  I'm sure I'll get lots of use out of this one, I was even thinking of making desk note sets for co-workers with it.  It would be fitting here, lord knows.  I used my glue ink pad and glitter, doesn't the word look better all shiny?  Haaaaaa... love it.

That's about it for now.  I'll have lots of stuff soon because I'm helping my cousin Jazmine with her baby shower, which is in October.  She asked me this weekend, after I offered, of course!  And I'm excited, because putting my sister's together was lots of fun.  I will begin trial runs of invites for her to look at.

I'm swamped at work, I'd better go.  This post literally took me all day, ten seconds here, twenty there... :)

XO

Cool Bella

My little angel behaved herself so well last week (Friday) when I babysat.  Her Daddy gave her to me as soon as I arrived in time for her late morning bottle and nap.  After an hour, she woke and we took a walk around the marina and talked -- she copied me when I said "Ahhhhh!"  She's so smart, only four months and she's trying to talk!  I don't know if this is normal, but I think it's pretty cool. 

On Saturday, we went to Uncle Chris' birthday party at Dockweiler Beach (below Playa Del Rey) where they are allowed bonfires; she behaved herself there too.  :)  Her cousin Mario III had these cute little shades, so we took some photos, she didn't try to take them off, so I went and got her some of her own yesterday. 

What a doll, words just can't describe how much I love that kid!

XO

Loving Support

I have to say, during the past few years, and the last year in particular, I have been so lucky to have so much loving support from my family and friends.  I would be LOST without my parents steps away, and it's so comforting just knowing they're there.  How did I make it in New York for so many years alone???  I am lucky... very lucky, and grateful indeed. 

This card is the product of a new paper packet I got from Target the other day; it's Colorbok, and came with a dozen sheets -- ALL super cute.  I needed gray to make the seal, and this color/design I think fit perfectly.  I didn't want to have all three pieces popping off the card, so I just chose to have the seal highlighted... I think it works.  After it all, I sort of wished I would have inked the edges of the baby blue paper (also from the paper packet), like distressing it, ageing it... but, next time.  I have discovered a few more blogs that have me BUZZING with inspiration, ideas up the waz.  I need to take my butt to get some cardstock, and figure out some handmade embellishments.

We'll see what happens. ;)  Oh, and happy birthday to me!  I have received SO many sweet birthday wishes from so many people -- I feel so blessed.  Tonight I'm having dinner with my family, and I'm taking Friday off to babysit my niece, which I can't WAIT for!  I never get to just sit and be with her, we have lots to talk about. :)  On Saturday I'll go to a club in Hollywood with the girls to celebrate, hopefully I will have some silly pics to post next week.

XO

Just look at this face!!

I believe she's going to get teeth very soon the way she's leaking from the mouth!! :)  I love her, how cute is she??? 

XO

Things

The other day I ordered a "Huge box of card making supplies" on eBay.  I thought, for $24 it wouldn't hurt to see what it was all about and possibly get some extra supplies.  I was shocked yesterday when I received a box (about 15lbs.) of hundreds of pre-scored cardstock cards in assorted sizes, colors, shapes, papers and some even embossed!  Score.  Score.  I will not have a need to buy actual cards OR envelopes for a very long time.  Anywway, I got many ideas, which inspired me to do a page for Anabella's scrapbook:

Doesn't she look cute?

I also cut out some cute dies out:

I originally cut this stuff out thinking I had a cute pic of Bella sleeping, but no such luck... I'll have to get some more, she's growing so fast.

Also, I have this pic of me and my sister from the other night... I forgot about it!

I will now leave this office and see how many hours of traffic I encounter on Wilshire Bl.  Yesterday it took an hour and a half to get about two miles... no joke... three hours home.  WTF?!  With "Carmegeddon" coming on Saturday (closing of two major freeways for construction of a toll lane) I expect things will be absolute mayhem on the streets with traffic.  I'll be inside all weekend, I suspect...

That's all folks!

Lotta Business!

This is my Anabella, just under four months old and look how CHUBBY she's gotten!  She is still on milk only, I can only imagine what solid food will do for her little body! :)  She's doing really well, she has started going in the pool at home with her Mama and Grandma (while her Mama's at work), and from what I hear, she likes it.  She smiles ALL the time, and barfs a lot, too.  I guess this is normal??

HOW CUTE IS SHE?????  I don't think I'm a bad judge, because I love her so much, I really think she's just too cute for words.

So, my cards have suffered lately for a few reasons: my Cricut cutting has taken over my LIFE at home after work, dinner and cleanup, and simply because I'm a little tapped out of ideas.  It happens, but I hate it.  Here's what I have made in the past week, or so:

This was made for a co-worker who has just lost her Dad :(  I said "condolence", is that wrong??? It occurred to me later... Hmm.

I made this card for my friend Vjera, she had her 34th birthday last weekend, and we celebrated, just us ladies; it was so much fun, I loved seeing all the girls and catching up.  She liked the card, and that night, I gave her the milk & apple "I love us" card.  She wanted to give it to Jasper.

I have been tied up with my Cricut, like I mentioned earlier, doing tons of die cuts.  I have four cartridges, but they've done okay keeping me busy; here's some of the dies I've made very recently:

The apples are four layers, but how cute are they?  The panda and bowl of noodles just made me fall over, I ended up making this set in 2, 3 and 4" each.  I'll figure out a way to use them all, somehow... hahah.  Wouldn't that be some crap if I just couldn't figure out how to use all the dies I have (collecting in a box on my desk)? 

Forgot this card that I made for Chrissy, she and her husband just had a baby girl; they named her Gianna... :)

I used a big piece of cardstock so that the actual card space (room for signing inside) would be larger than the average.  I think it's a bit too pink, but what can you do??? I needed to use the girl sentiments, so there you go.  We had a time figuring out how to NOT buy Anabella girly, pink clothes before she came... her Mama said NO PINK!  Anyway, that's it for today.  I have a meeting at 3pm and I'm off!

XO

Fish & Dear

How MF'n cute is that fish bowl, I ask?  I made a bigger piece last night, just to see it on a larger scale, and it is just too much.  What the heck will I do with it?  I guess I could make it the whole card... either way, I like that the Cricut gives you such range in die size, I mean, with the Expression I can cut up to 12" x 24" -- it's crazy!  That is about 4.5" all around.

That's the card I made for Vjera (her birthday is today) to give to her tonight... I messed up in making the sentiment color to similar to that of the patterned paper it's on top of.  Rats!  I love the dear, though, I am happy it turned out just as cute as can be.  I used yellow/orange cardstock for the outside, I should've gone that route with the words, but that's for next time.  I swear, all I have to do is sit at my desk and begin working for time to slip by unnoticed, I haven't been getting to sleep very early lately, and waking up RAGGED.  I need to get myself back on a good sleep schedule so I can be alive at work. 

Speaking of work, it's time for a vacation!!

Heading out of here soon, I'll post pix of Mateo's third birthday party next week, that's on Sunday, and hopefully have some of the newest Garcia: Lucca.  I'm ready to see my Anabella, so I'm gonna get the hell outta here!!!

XO

Recently...

I made this card the other day... I love my little cutie characters... sigh.  The milk could be made in brown for chocolate milk, I just realized!  :)  Green apple...  man, the possibilities.

This card was a bummer -- I tried to ink the edges of the "Happy" part, but it just didn't make a diff.  I even used TINY dimension dots to help the cause, but no diff.  I can still use this, it doesn't look so bad in person.  I love love LOVE the balloon, and am already thinking of an all balloon card now.....

Same goes here, I just adore the little birdie (croc is to die for, also), but I'm seeing projects with many birds, different colors.  The crocodile was fun, but I got really tripped up trying to get the size just right.  The Cricut measures from top to bottom, so when I entered in 3" for cutting him, it came out huge.  I had to try a few times, so I have many croc shapes that I'll have to find use for.  I have TONS of stuff cut out already, it's kind of like the honeymoon hasn't worn off yet.  And I'm glad, because I've gotten my eBay store up and running again, so I can justify all this paper cutting by buying more of it with the profits.  (Does that work? :))  I'm just accumulating piles and piles of paper scraps, and haven't yet figured out how to utilize the parts left over from when I cut all I could... I'm not throwing it out, I'll figure SOMEthing out.  Maybe confetti???  We'll see. 

I'm making it through each day better than I imagined, though it is hard.  When life changes so completely, you almost feel like a different person.... life can be so strange.....


XO - I know I asked for sun, but SHEESH! 

Get Well Soon, Stephanie!

I made this card last night for Stephanie who is still in the hospital, recovering from her back surgery.  I'll pass it around the office and then go and drop it off.  Hopefully she's doing well. :)

I used the Create-a-Critter carteridge for the octopus and sealion, and two others for the letters, sun and water.  I have to admit, the card making process isn't any faster with the Cricut, but it is more interesting and I have many more options.  I could have gone on and on with this whole underwater scene, thank goodness a card is only 5' x 6.5".  I had the idea to put shine marks on the waves (sort of like white curvy cutouts, highlighting the tops of each wave) but decided against it since it's so busy.  I maybe should've even left out the sun, but I couldn't help myself. :)  I've been working my way through the Critter cartridge, making all sets, so I must begin actually USING them.  I'll use some for Bella's scrapbook, some for cards and maybe try some gift bags. 

I have zero interest in keeping two of the cartridges I received in the bundle, Rocker Chick and Paper Dolls -- I feel I'd get more use out of other ones, so I'm going to post them on eBay today as one-day auctions just to get rid of them.  I must beware not to let the cartridge thing get to me too much, haha. 

TGIF.  Times a million.

XO