WELCOME!

WELCOME!

Hello everyone! I am thrilled to have you visit with me and I hope you enjoy your stay. I absolutely love company, sharing, and making new friends so I hope you find something here that inspires, motivates, or just pleases you in some way.

Of course, I love to visit and be inspired also. So if I don't already drop in on you, please let me know where I can find you and I'll hop on over to see what you're doing or to just say "hi".

Before you go, I would love it if you'd please leave me a comment letting me know you dropped in! Actually, I'd just love to hear from you -- comments, opinions, or questions you'd like me to answer.

In the meantime, relax and make yourselves at home... you're family here!!!

I'll be seeing you!


Friday, April 19, 2013

CARD WITH INTEGRATED STAND TUTORIAL

Hello, my sweet family-friends!  Today I'm the designer over at Pam's and I'm so happy to be back there -- and here -- with a monthly project tutorial.

Today my card project is a card-scraplift I found searching Google and I thought it was pretty cool -- it has it's own stand integrated at the bottom of the card!  Although I'll go step-by-step, you'll see this card is so simple and easy, and the basic card can be cut in just a matter of a few seconds!  Cathy Saxton is noted on Google as the creator of this design and the information I got she created it on a Silhouette.  When I saw her sample it looked simple enough not to need the use of a cutting machine, so anyone can do this with just a few scissor cuts.  It's probably one the easiest cards I've found and I'm going to share with you what I did to recreate Cathy Saxton's idea so you can do your own.

Here's my card:
FRONT VIEW
 
SIDE VIEW 
 
FLAT FOR MAILING 


To construct the card begin with a 4.25" x 11" sheet of cardstock; with the 11" side (lengthwise) across the top of the scoreboard, draw a pencil line at the 1" score mark and then score at 5.75"(I've drawn in lines only to give you a better visual so read carefully as they do not indicate fold, score, and/or cut lines);



Turn paper to have the 5.75" side (widthwise) across the scoreboard; score at 1.50" and 2.75" but only up to the 1" pencil line (this will be the stand at the bottom of the card):



Turn the paper again lengthwise (11" side) and draw a pencil line at 1/2" but only up to the first" score line and then repeat on the other end.  It should look like this:



Next, starting on the 1" line you drew, from each end, cut into the card about 3/8" then cut down to meet the 1/2 line; cut across the 1/2  line but only cut up to the 1.50" (or the 2.75" score line depending on which end you start at); repeat the same on the other end cutting up to the corresponding score line only; now bone-fold the tabs along the score lines to the inside.  Your bottom folds should look like the picture following the note before -- please read it:

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Do not fold the drawn 1" line, or the 1/2" drawn line, or fold down the top tabs at the end of the longer tabs which indicate where the cut for the 3/8" along the 1" line -- these are not fold lines, these lines were drawn for demonstration only for measurement and you'll erase them when you complete the base of your card.



Lastly, fold the score line at the 5.75 score line" (the middle of the card).  Now when you place the top of the card on the bottom stand it will look like this from the front and side:




All done!!!  Don't forget to erase those pencils lines and now you're ready to decorate your card however you please!  Wasn't that easy?!!!  And isn't it cool?!!!

Here's a picture of what my template looks like -- you can use it as a guideline if necessary:



Should you have a question, just leave me a comment and I'll get back to you.  It's been a pleasure sharing with you, and thank you so much for stopping by!

Hugs and I'll be seeing you!





Tuesday, April 16, 2013

SILHOUETTE CAMEO ENGRAVED TAGS

UPDATE:  Here's a direct link where you can order the engraving tool, if your interested:  www.http://amychomas.blogspot.com

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Hello, family-friends!  Happy Tuesday!  I wanted to get here yesterday but errands and chores kept me longer than planned; hope you all had a wonderful, happy and healthy weekend -- and Monday!

Before my share today, I'd like to address the tragic bombing at the Marathon in Boston.  My prayers and condolences to the family and friends of the victims and injured.  It just isn't justifiable!  I know we all have to feel the same way about this horrific incidence.

The weekend here was so beautiful!  Saturday I had some errands but Sunday the temps reached almost 75 degrees and it was a bright sunshiny day.  I just couldn't let the day get away from me without getting out to soak up some much desired great weather!  Len joined me and we spent a wonderful day together.  Yesterday, however, I HAD to get out and the temps had dropped into the 40's; it was windy, cold, and rainy -- a miserable day!  Wished I could have stayed in all day but, I had to do what I had to do -- so I dealt with it... lol!!!

My share today are several tags I made using the engraving tool I ordered to go with my Silhouette Cameo.  It came Saturday and I couldn't wait to use it last night. 

For my first time using the engraving tool, it was so easy and worked great although I heard it would only work on anodized aluminum.  The engraving did come out better on the anodized aluminum tag but it still did a pretty good job -- to me -- on the brass ones; too bad the brass will tarnish though. I'm considering all the jewelry I can do with this!!!  This tool also works in the Cricut machines, so Cricut users don't despair!!!  I had such a difficult time trying to get a decent picture of them because they're so shiny and that made it hard to get the engraving to look clear, but this one didn't turn out too bad although the picture doesn't do them justice:

 
The top 2 tags are birthday gifts and the one for "MrMan" is for my neighbor's dog who is extraordinary big but so sweet and friendly; you just wouldn't know by looking at him... lol!   My hubby thinks he has a cool name and wants to adopt it as a nickname for himself... silly!

I'll be pretty busy this week off and on with family matters and a few other appointments; also I have a DT project tutorial to prepare for Friday over at Pam's, so I'll probably be slow in getting around to visiting with you but I'll be there as soon as I can.  I really hate not being able to visit whenever I can because I just get so far behind -- and I hate missing anything!!!  Oh well, I suppose that's life!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed seeing my tags!  I have a few minutes so I'll go do a tag for my sweet Buster before I have to run out!

Thanks so much for stopping by, love you all, hugs, and...

I'll be seeing you!



Wednesday, April 10, 2013

MY CAMEO TRIPLE-TIER EASEL CARD PREVIEW...

Hello family-friends!!!  Happy Wednesday, and I hope you're all well and having fun!

Wow, I'm just consumed by my Silhouette Cameo so, if I'm tardy getting here and/or around the neighborhood, please excuse me -- I'm just like any other kid with a brand new toy! LOL!!!

For awhile I've wanted to do one of these triple-tier easel cards but every instruction I saw was in metric, so I told myself to forget it.  However, having my Cameo and taking as close a look as I could at ones on the internet, I ventured to do one on my own.  After wasting many sheets of paper and numerous cuts, I finally think I got it figured out -- how easy it ended up too!!!  I did them by welding doilies together in Silhouette Studio that I found on the internet.  I haven't finished this one yet, so I haven't added a sentiment or much embellishment; just a few bows, roses, and paper panels I embossed on colorbloc paper and sanded -- love how the white peaks through the embossing!!!  Once I decide the occasion and who it'll go to, I'll finish dressing it.  Well, tell me how I did -- here's your preview of the front of my card (click of enlarge, of course):

 
Here's what it looks like from the side:

 
And here's what it looks like folded and ready to be placed in a box or envie:

 
It may not be perfect like some of the others I've seen but I'm no pro; however, I love how it turned out!!!
 
Here a peek at another one I just finished cutting and putting together:

 
Well, I'm off again!!!  Hope you like my cards!
 
Hugs, love-love you all, have a happy day and...
 
I'll be seeing you!!!


Friday, April 5, 2013

A CARD SHARE AND NEW TOY INTRO

Hello, family-friends!

To those of you who visited me yesterday (either here or at She's a Sassy Lady) for my decoupage tutorial, thank you so much for stopping by.

As I've been detained again this week again (you'll know why in a sec), I'd like to wish everyone I haven't already, a very belated Easter and hope you enjoyed yourselves.  I can't even begin to tell you the surprise and excitement I had... not only was March 31 Easter Sunday, it was also Len's and my 42nd anniversary!!!  Our families and friends had a wonderful Easter dinner and a fun time celebrating both events.  AND..., and for my anniversary present from Leonard...  Well..., let's just first have a look at my card share:

 
The only embellishment on my cards is the Anna Griffin decorative tape on the side; I just didn't want to take all the attention away from the design, and I wanted to keep it simple.  I put the design low on the card just in case I wanted to add a sentiment and/or embellie for some special occasion. 

Okay, now I'll tell you that my anniversary present, and what I made these personalized notecards on, was...



Can you believe it!!!  I've got a Silhouette Cameo!!!  I must've really been a good girl!  Okay, now do I really need to tell you why I was detained?!!!  LOL!!!  I've been playing all week with my new toy and got so irritated when I had to pause to do anything else, hee-hee.  For a long time I've been wanting notecards with our family initial with the name in the center; oooh you know, the ones you see in frames done with vinyl!!!  Unfortunately, I could never figure out a way to split the initial to do them.  But now, thanks to my Silhouette Cameo, I finally can.  Of course I have to play with it some more to get it cleaned up but didn't I do a pretty good job not being at all familiar with the software?

So what about this:



The eCraft machine I just got for Christmas?  Well, I "think" I'm done with it... lol!!!  Only got the paper cutting settings adjusted to cut only one type of card stock, and tore up loads of that and various other papers trying to figure out the correct adjustments!!!  I have to laugh because as it was the only machine I had to do svg's and other files with I was determined to beat the learning curve, and started believing I kind of liked it...  That was then, this is now... lol!!!

I'm absolutely already in love with this Cameo machine!  And thank God there're so many great tutorials out there to help me do other fabulous projects like this.  And, I did do one print and cut -- it was perfect the first time!!!  Yeaaa, maybe no more wasted paper!

Although I really am thoroughly consumed right now with my Silhouette I will be around to visit and see what you're up to...  I promise!!!

Hugs, thanks for stopping by, and...

I'll be seeing you.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

TUTORIAL: DECOUPAGE A SOAP CONTAINER/BOX

Happy Thursday!  Always so glad to be here with you!  I am so happy to be back with a monthly designer project over at Sheila's today, and I appreciate not only her patience but also for holding my monthly spot while I was away from blogging dealing with my family circumstances.

I'll be sharing a decoupage project with you that makes a wonderful gift!  This is a pretty lengthy post, so grab a cuppa and let's begin with my project:



I've used my box for soap, however, it can also be used to hold jewelry, candy, or whatever you choose to use it for.  What you'll need:
  • Plastic travel soap dish (got mine from Walmart)
  • Your choice:  tissue, paper, cloth material, etc. (less the size of 1/2 sheet of an 8.50" x 11" sheet of paper torn into pieces)
  • Decoupage glue (or 2 parts Elmer's glue to 1 part water mixed well will do too)
  • Small foam brush or paint brush
  • Old button or ear ring
  • Trim of your choice:  lace, beads, ric-rac, etc.
  • E6000 or other stong glue (for trim and button)
  • Fine glitter
Plastic soap container from Walmarts (some Dollar Stores)


Okay, if you've got all your materials together, cover your work area to protect it from the glue-mess and let's get to decoupaging!!!  I'll be using a metallic tissue (the kind used for gift bags), bling mesh ribbon for my trim, and a  gem instead of a button.  To begin, you'll first paint the top of your box with the glue:


Next, using your wet brush to pick up the tissue, begin carefully layering by painting the tissue onto the top of the box then apply a thin layer of glue over the paper:



Use your fingers to very carefully smooth out any air bubbles or wrinkles as you go (I actually like some wrinkles because it adds a nice texture).  Also, don't worry about any paper tears, just add another layer of the torn paper to cover the tear.  If the air bubbles are persistent, carefully press down on them with a damp cloth to release the excess air and/or glue trapped beneath the paper:



Continue layering and smoothing until the top is completely covered (do not worry about the sides as the trim will cover this).  To make certain you've covered your entire box top, open the box and look for any areas you can see through; cover those areas:



Once covered, your box should now look something like this:



Once the box is smooth and as wrinkle free as you'd like, use the damp cloth again to make sure air bubbles are removed (you will probably need to do this several times as glue dries and don't worry if it looks a bit funny, it'll turn out to be a beauty in the end); allow glue to set for about 30 minutes then brush an extra thin layer of the glue over the top tissued area then sprinkle the wet area with glitter and allow to dry completely:



Once completely dry trim away any lose excess paper from around the edges of the box, apply your trim, and using a strong glue like E6000 attach a button or piece of jewelry to the front of the box to use to open your box and cover up the slit that's the closure:


Any excess glue on the bottom of the box cleans up easily with a mild soap and water wipe down.  All done!!!  Now... isn't it pretty?!!! A bit messy but sooooo easy and so much fun to do..., and a great gift!!!  Here're a couple more I did:



Hope you enjoyed my project and tutorial!  Thanks for stopping by, and...

I'll be seeing you!