For Big Daddy

This is a card I made for my boyfriend's father... I did NOT think of this message, and am a little worried he's going to get a bad, smartass first impression of me!  He had better tell him it wasn't my idea! :)  So, how funny are those little pics?  The washboard & tub, the potbelly stove?  How freakin' funny is it that I have a Cricut cartridge that makes that?  Yep, I'm a farmer.  I can hear chickens in the morning (on weekends, they don't get up as early as ME during the week), and I milk the cows, aren't you jealous?  Just kidding about the cows.  So, here's the inside:

I am quite pleased with this card, and I loved the idea.  I also made a Christmas card for him, and here it is:

I am in LOVE with this card... I like it more each time I look at it.  I made a border with the Sew Easy tool, and stitched the holes with a light brown & white string.  I used my Winter Frolic Cricut cartridge for the candy border and sentiment.  The tree came from an eBay purchase years ago.  See how long I hang onto little pieces of paper?  Sheesh.  The background paper came from this new scrapbook store I found in the Howard Hughes mall, The Bridge... it's a little store with cute stuff, if a bit overpriced. 

I have been working on our new website, and it should be up at the start of the New Year, I'm pretty excited to see how things will turn out!  If I am working in a sweatshop, I'll need help, and I have my eye on somebody now.... ;)

That's all for now.
XO

Happy Holidays!

Well, I finally began Mom's holiday cards... I have been SERIOUSLY putting that off.  And why?  I'll tell you: I've had a block.  A card-maker's-block... it's been diagnosed as "treatable", or so they say.  We'll see.  Honestly, though, I used to have a surplus of ideas, I'd have two or three notebooks with sketches in them, ideas for sentiments, color combination ideas and layout plans... I don't know what happened!  I think it may be that I've just slowed down on it altogether, and so it's all slowed down.  I've gotta remedy that, and quick because we are getting my website going soon and I will be selling these puppies.  That's right, after I've thought about it for years, T has taken the initiative to get the ball rolling... wish us luck!

So, for the cards you see above, I began with the die cut.  I decided I wanted something colorful and festive, so the darn partridge in a pear tree is what you have.  I cut out the phrase that went with another die cut set and made it 2'... those babies weren't easy to take off my sticky Cricut mat, let me tell you!  I had to toss about three of them because they ripped.  It may be time for me to get one of those spatulas they sell that I always thought were a pointless ripoff.  Anyway, I used four different green patterned papers for the background, and did you notice that I didn't mat it over solid cardstock?!  For a 20 card order, this is what you get.  I used some dimension dots to raise the sun shape a bit and stapled the heart over it for some extra color.  I'll have used many different border on the bottoms of each card, all in non-traditional Christmas colors, what the heck do you THINK?!  I'm liking it...

As for my own holiday cards, I don't know what I'll do... I will probably just buy some, I don't have the time to make my own!  I am looking forward to my monthly Studio Calico kits to start coming... that will be inspiration for me, I'm sure. 

I will have cable tv tonight... I will have cable tv tonight... I will have cable tv tonight... (if I keep saying it, I might believe it, it might actually happen!)  Wish us luck, that the cable guy doesn't piss T off.  ;)

 

Inspired!!!

Not my design, I found this after I Googled "stitched cards", how beautiful is that?  I have been thinking about how I can incorporate something like this into my cards, after I did a border with my Sew Easy thing on that last snowman card, and I have SO many ideas.  I would love a sewing machine, both for my cards and so I can make little clothes, but I think I can do this with a pencil and needle!  Still, I think I'll get one soon.  Those cards above have inspired me and I want to try something different...  I like how adding stitching brings texture to the card, but what worries me is the weight, will it be too heavy to send?  I guess that's secondary when you have such a pretty card.  Must get Mom's card order done THIS weekend.

I have no new work to share, but feel like I have neglected my blog lately... I had my head in the clouds for a minute, but I am back. ;)  I hope to have some pretty stuff to share on Monday... HAPPY FRIDAY, woohoo!

Warm Holiday Wishes

I like this card, it is a simpleton. ;)  The most difficult part about it is the die cut, the owl... It probably took me about 15 minutes to make it, but when you think about it, that isn't that long... I've spent two hours on a card, you get me?  I can make a whole bunch of these babies and get some help (ahem, T) to put them together... that'll make things easier, maybe.  Anyway, I have to get my butt moving, I have a 20 Christmas card order that I need to get going, and that doesn't count the two (?) stores that I may be able to sell at.  I've GOT to stop sitting on my butt after work, and start working some more, on cards!  Once it becomes a second job, maybe I can go part time at the salt mine... we'll see. ;)

Oh, here's the table centerpiece I made for Thanksgiving, I actually made two, I think they are okay... could've been much nicer with more greens in there. 

I like the green berry things, whatever they are.  My parents brought a centerpiece, also, so we had three!  :)  How pretty are the roses?  Sigh...

That's all for now.

Three Card Long Weekend

This card is just a regular piece of cardstock, I used my score pal to make it a trifold and there you have it. I got this cute little snowman from a new Cricut cartridge and did the border with the Sew Easy thingy.  I keep trying to make a simple card, but I just can't do it!  The middle is just space for the greeting, and the last fold is where the gift card sits.  I like this one. :)

I made this card on Friday night... I was alone, so I took my time, and lots of it!  Took me two hours, now WHAT the heck is so complicated???  I guess it just isn't really coming so easy anymore... I'm not sure why. :(  Anyway, I stamped the greeting and used some real sheet music paper for the border, the bottom of the tag is stitched, as well.  Hmm, I like it, but it's not simple enough to mass produce -- rats!

Now, if you've followed Card Core from the beginning, you'll know that this is a throwback; yep, I made this card before, but this time I just used some different paper and threw on that snowflake.  I also stamped the To and From so that whoever gets this card (before Christmas) can actually USE the darn things on gifts.  Why not add utility to the things when you can?  Tonight I will attempt (again) to make a simple card... a simpleton, if you will. 

Happy Birthday x's 2

Happy birthday, right?!  Yes, this card is for a man, this is why it's so... dark.  I try to make them not girly, but jeez, it's tough.  I began this card a few times and just couldn't get it right; I'm even a little iffy about this.  Anyway, I finally got to use my new "Sew Easy" tool to stitch a bottom border.  I used some floss I already had -- it was a pack rat moment, I had that saved for a few years now!  I had some striped floss, but the black is better, don't you think?  I cut out the sentiment on a paint chip, I'm so sneaky! 

Now, this card I LOVE.  I have been really feeling lighter colors, a la Studio Calico, but felt the need to brighten it a bit with some red.  This card is also for a man, what are you gonna do?  I found that cute little placard from a Nantucket themed die cut set, LOVE it.  I should have distressed the edges of the alphabet paper, maybe ripped the sides a bit and inked the edges... next time.  These two cards took me about an hour for both! That isn't bad, I can take up an hour just planning a color scheme!  I have to get going on my holiday cards for the stores I may be selling at, plus, will we send out handmade cards this Christmas?  Many decisions to make.  I'm always nervous about showing my work to others; will they like it, will they think it's silly?  I guess what matters is that I'm having a lot of fun doing it, so hopefully that shows.

Thanksgiving coming up, I am planning on making two centerpieces for our table, and maybe some name cards for place settings, that's if I have time.  I have been combing the 'net looking for ideas, but I think hollowed out pumpkins with flowers in them is the way to go, for the centerpieces.  Plus, I think I have some fake cranberries that I can work with , as well... hmm.  We'll see what happens. ;)

XO

Soft colors, who knew?

Happy Birthday to Barb, my boyfriend's aunt... she's a cardmaker, so I felt like this one had to be good.  I am so pleased with it!  I looked around the Studio Calico blog for awhile before I even began, and got inspiration with all their soft colors and monochromatic themes... I don't usually favor pastels or soft colors, not that I don't like them, but I am loving them here.  I used all new paper for this card, and some of the colored baker's twine.  I have to say, the scraps I used for the top and bottom accents were from a project I did about a year ago, and can you believe I finally got to use some?!  I am such a pack rat, but I justify it with the fact that I'm saving money, how can you mess with that?  I went through my paper bin yesterday, also, and found that I have lots of stuff I just forgot about, their being buried under all the newer stuff.  I want to go through it this week and sort stuff out, maybe get over to a storage store and find a rack for paper.  My craft room/boyfriend's office is slowly changing, I hope I can keep it under control. ;)  BUT, the good thing about paper racks is that it'll keep my paper out of those bins and where I can see them, making them more accessible for projects.  I'll buy less paper!  (I should be a lawyer.)

My next project, after one last card for an order I have to fill, will be a small batch of holiday cards for a friend's parent's store.  I may try to sell my stuff again, and get my little side piece business going once more.  It's always good to have a little backup, don't you think?  It could very well be a second job, which I'm super okay with, being that the holidays are right around the corner.  I think it's a photo store, of some sort, so I'll play on that theme making cards with slots to slide Christmas photos in, or a window on the front for display.  I'll have to keep it simple so that I can make them in bulk; that's going to be my biggest challenge.  Good luck to me.

XO