Card Swap

Hi Everyone!

In August, I wandered into my local craft store and landed right smack dab in the middle of their monthly Stamp Club. Those ladies are one talented bunch! They have a monthly Card Swap that I decided to do. We make 5 identical cards and turn them in. One gets posted in the store, and four are given to other participants. I get 4 cards that others made. The category is "Sand and/or Sun". I started this eagerly. But I have gotten increasingly nervous about it. I like the card I made, but.... Like I said above, this is one talented group of ladies. I don't know how my simple card will look next to theirs. Here is what I came up with.

I like it, but it seemed too simplistic, and I did not like the large blank area. Thus, I agonized over it. I tried various remedies but didn't like any of them. Finally, I looked through my Imagine cartridge books and found what I was looking for in Best Friends. I like the resulting card much better.

Let me know what you think. I'll add a paragraph to this blog after I find out what the ladies at the Stamp Club think and let you know. Below are close-ups and cartridge particulars.

I chose this border from the Martha Stewart Elegant Cake cartridge. It is number 54 (fifth row, fourth column.) I welded three of them together at 0.91 inches high. The three together are 6.6 inches wide. It is cut out of a soft orange color of cardstock purchased from Craft Warehouse at one of their fantastic sales. 200 sheets variety color pack for only $9.99. Roughly 5 cents for a single 12X12 sheet. This was laid on a strip of bright yellow from the same pack. These colors and a bright orange were used for the sun. A brown checked ribbon was laid along the top of the paper border. It is from www.paperwishes.com in their Heritage Ribbon Pack.

I found this sun on the Wild Card cartridge. It is image 34 (row three, column 4) on the keypad with the icon key selected. Because this image is cut at a height relative to other images, I found it easier to focus on the width to adjust the size to use for the card. The bright orange layer was cut at a width of 2.75 inches with the center cut hid. The soft orange layer was cut at a width of 2.5 inches also with the center cut hid. For the bright yellow center, I hid the outside cut instead of the center. This cut was at 3.1 width.

The stamp is from the set "Labels & Frames" from Hot Off the Press and available at www.paperwishes.com, as well as other vendors that carry Hot Off the Press merchandise. I stamped it with VersaMark ink and chocolate embossing powder.

Here is the bird and branch from the Imagine cartridge Best Friends. I broke down the layered image and used just the branch and the bird. I wanted to print and cut the branch but just cut the bird. I found that if I touched the white square with the diagonal line, it removed the color from the bird but left the outside cutting line. I inserted the same bright yellow cardstock used elsewhere on the card. The edges of the bird were inked with "terra cotta" Page Craft ink from Clearsnap. Available from, of course, www.paperwishes.com.

If I were to make this same card again, I think I might ink the edge of the yellow part of the sun and also along the edges of the scalloped border the way I did the little bird.

Have a Scrappy Day!

Effie

I shouldn't have worried! They liked the card! Whew! Next month I hope I feel more confident! LOL

Monkey Birthday Card

Hi everyone!


My two oldest granddaughters came over to make a birthday card for their little sister's 4th  birthday. They chose the theme and all the elements. They had final say in everything even placement of each image and embellishments. They had a "little" help from grandma setting up the cutting mat and layering the images. I think we have two fine little scrappers in the making!

The background paper is printed vellum from www.paperwishes.com. They each chose a monkey. The monkey on the left is from Paper Dolls for Everyday. Bottom row, 8th from the left. The one on the right is from New Arrival. 4th row, second from the left. They decided to put the tummy layer from the right monkey onto the left one. We made two bananas from Create a Critter. Row three, third button from the left.

The "happy birthday" greeting is from Cake Basics Cricut cartridge. It is found in the bottom left corner with font and shift keys selected.


They found my stash of butterfly punches I made with the scraps from the You Are the Key cards and made ample use of them. One is on the inside of the card, and of course they had to decorate the envelope as well. LOL!

We found some Butterfly bling to add to a vacant spot on the top front of the card.

The girls were so proud of their creation. I hope you are too.

Have a "Scrappy Day!"

Effie

You Are the Key Card for Teachers

Some of you know me, but others have just met me, so I'll tell you a bit to help you understand the card I made. I teach 1st grade at a public school for a small school district near Portland, OR. The staff at our school is a closely knit bunch and we feel like family. We all work very hard to help our students achieve and succeed. I have been trying to come up with a card to welcome them all back from summer break. When I saw the little gold keys being offered through Paper Wishes, I knew instantly what I wanted to do. I think they will each appreciate this card. I hope you will too.

First, I created a card base by welding two apples shapes together on my Gypsy and cut it out on my Cricut expression. This apple is from the Cricut Sampler cartridge. I used the same image to cut the front layer out of a pink plaid paper, also from Paper Wishes.com. I made the front layer just a wee bit smaller and trimmed the left edge so it would have a very small border around it. The card was cut at a height of 5 inches and the front layer at 4.95 inches. If I were to make this card again, I would use cream or ivory colored cardstock instead of white as the front layer has this color in it and I used ivory for the medallion because it looked better than the white. I already had all 36 cards cut out of white with the front layers adhered so....

I used an ink dauber and VersaMagic gingerbread ink to color the stems both front and inside. I used the side of the dauber at the top of the stem to give it dimension and interest. A blend of light bright green chalk and one a bit darker, both from Pebbles Inc. was used to color the leaf. Again, both inside and out.

For the medallion on the front, I printed the sentiment with my computer and HP printer using Harlow Solid Italic font at size 18. Because my HP ink is not stable and dissolves if it gets wet, I took it to Kinko’s and had it printed on ivory cardstock. Then I stamped an ornate frame around it with Labels & Frames stamp set, also from Paper Wishes.com. I used Paper Craft orchid ink. After trimming close (I cut through the teeny scalloped edge) I added the key and adhered the medallion to the card using foam pieces to give it dimension.

For the inside, I used my imagine. The WELCOME was cut at .6 inch true size from the All Wrapped Up imagine cartridge. The plan was to take individual letters from other sentiments on this cartridge for BACK, but when printed and cut, the K looked too much like an H so I had to punt. I ended up using Blast Off cartridge and printed just the inside layer of the letters cut at .6 inch true size. They are wider then the letters in WELCOME, but I think it looks OK. 

Some additional information:

For cards, instead of using expensive 12 X 12  cardstock, I almost always use 8 1/2 X 11 index cardstock available from office supply stores. 

www.paperwishes.com is my favorite paper craft supplier. I get NO remuneration for mentioning them. I just want to make you aware of them because they have great sales that run for 2 weeks at a time. The pink plaid paper, the little keys, the stamp set and the Pebbles Inc. chalk were all purchased from them. They have a VIP program for customers who spend $500 or more over time, not necessarily all at once. When you reach VIP status you get bumped to the top of the order fulfillment list and get your items very quickly. You also receive free items occasionally. If you give them a try, I hope you love them as much as I do.

Have a "Scrappy Day,"

Effie

First Cricut Imagine Card

Here is a card I made for my youngest grandchild's 1st birthday using the Cricut Imagine. I used two Cricut Imagine Cartirdges on this card and one regular Cricut Cartridge. The card was made with the Wild Card cart. The front of the card used the Nursery Tales Imagine Cartridge. The Inside and part of the front was made using the Blast Off Imagine Cart.

Have a "Scrappy Day!",
Effie

Welcome to my blog: A Mother's Love Creation

I have been viewing breathtakingly beautiful cards and scrapbook page layouts created by very talented people on their very own blogs for years now. I decided it was time to have a place to put my own creations. They may not be as lovely as many I see, but they are my own. I hope you will enjoy seeing what I have created, as I have enjoyed seeing that of my fellow crafters.

As the mother of two and grandmother of 8, I have ample opportunity to practice my hobby. As I am able to finish, photograph, and post them, you will see cards for birthdays, thank you, holidays and others. This summer I was privileged to take a trip from Vancouver USA to Southern California with my three oldest grandchildren and their mother. I plan to post pictures that journal our travels and the fun we had. I also accompanied my own mother to visit family in Florida. I hope to create layouts that depict that trip as well.

So, come along and join me on my creative adventures!

Have a "Scrappy Day!"
Effie