Wrapping up the Birthday Celebration with a Thank You card....

I wish I could tell you what has been keeping me so busy lately...the days are passing so quickly...

It really isn't one specific thing that's occupied my time......
its been a little bit of the upcoming Card-a-thon that will be happening on October 10th...
mixed in with 6 days of feeling like I was getting the flu...
a splash of "life in general"...
and some crafting and creating for Halloween...

and....this thank you card...that wraps up with a fantastic month long Birthday celebration over at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog

My theme during this month was "Garden Party"..and it's been lots of fun creating all sorts of things within that theme...

After creating invitations...centerpieces...cupcake holders...favors...goodie and treat holders..its time to end the party and create Thank You notes.. and so this is mine...(I LOVE this Sizzix Bigz Daisies #2 Die..and embossing the 3 layers makes it extra beautiful, I think)

And now..with the month long birthday party being behind me..it's time to look ahead to Fall..Autumn..and the upcoming Holidays..

Be sure to stop by tomorrow...when I share some great Blog Candy with you...(I got something at a SUPER DUPER BARGAIN OF THE CENTURY PRICE....and picked up and extra to offer here... as blog candy...

Wishing you a wonderfully creative day!

Garden Party Flower Pot Cupcake Holder

The First Birthday of the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog has been going on this month..and will continue thru the end of September....and I have been busy creating things for my chosen party theme: Garden Party

I've been sharing my Garden Party creations with you here on my blog......and this week...I've created a cupcake holder for my garden party theme...

The tutorial is posted at the Cuttelbug Challenge Bog...and you'll be amazed at how easy 9and affordable) these cupcake holders are to make.. And best of all..they double as table decorations and can even hold a name card for table seating..

I've had lots of fun creating all sorts of things for my Garden Party theme...and have been inspired by what everyone on the design team has come up with...and I'm sure that you will be too!

To see the Flower Pot Cupcake Holder tutorial you can visit the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog HERE

Tomorrow's Workshop Cards

Time is flying by...and it's already time for the monthly Workshop/Crop that I organize... and these are the cards that we will be doing during the evening "cards only" workshop

I feel like we were all just together...yet its been a month...

The monthly Workshop/Crop is lots of fun..and a nice way to spend a relaxing day scrapping and card making with a group of awesome ladies...
We start our day at 10...have a fast little bite to eat for breakfast (bagels..muffins...coffee..juice)...then its time for everyone to work independently on their own projects..we take a mid morning a break to do a small project...usually a card...
Then more independent work time...(we don't even bother to stop for lunch.....food schmood...who needs to eat!...when you're having a nice time AND creating...without phones ringing....doorbells ringing.....dogs to walk... errands to run...laundry to do...kids to drive here and there..dinner to cook etc)
In the afternoon we take another break for a "mini workshop" ....usually some sort of scrapbook related project..(a book..album..scrapbook page...)... then back to working independently until 3 when the daytime session ends..
Then there is a strategically planned "dinner break"..and as luck would have it...my town has a Michael's right down the road from the church hall that we rent... and so while some of us "eat in"...some of the ladies run down to Michael's "browse".. (aka "shop")

Then at 4:30 we start the evening session.....the "Cards only Workshop"...and when that is over at 7"30...we are often feeling like we'd like it to go on for another few hours... (*thus our "talking" about doing a "Pajama Party/All Nighter"...as well as thinking about a weekend get-a-way)

And as if the full Saturday once a month isn't quite a few hours to scrap and card make.. we have now started a weekday get together as well for Card Making.

It's hard to imagine that a year ago that I had just started a group via Meetup.com...and wondered if anyone would join... (none of us knew one another prior to last October)...
now...we not only share our love of scrapping and card making...but we have also been blessed in sharing such nice friendships with one another...

..and a nice bonus is that I get to share what I know and love...share my tools and little tricks of the trade...and favorite products etc... and teach others.
The greatest reward comes in seeing the ladies all progress and share a tremendous amount of enthusiasm for everything I share..as well as for what they share with one another.. (none were card makers a year ago...they were all scrappers)

Tomorrow I'll post a pic of the little mini album we will also be making..(like the pic posted below)

PS..i LOVE LOVE LOVE these Nesties" Autumn" (Leaves and acorn) dies...the embossing is fantastic ..the pic doesn't show the details very well..but the leaves are daubered with 3 different ink colors and look just like autumn leaves...

Garden Party Mini Album ~ Cuttlebug Challenge #49...

The party is still going on over at the Cuttlebug Challenge blog....
Each week the Design Team, and challenge participants, have made different party items focusing on their chosen theme.
If you've been visiting me here..(or there!)...you know that I'm having a "Garden Party"!
This is the ideal theme for me being that I love working with paper flowers and butterflies..

This mini is SO easy to make...and I am loving the look of the Core'dinations Color Core Card Stock after its embossed and sanded
I've got a Workshop/Crop this weekend...and am thinking of bringing along the Sizzix Scallop (Circle) Die so that the ladies can each make one of their own...

When you have a sec...be sure to stop over at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog
H E R E to see the other "knock your sox off" minis that the DT has created this week...

Garden Party "Seed Pocket Party Favor"

I've been so busy working on themed party creations as our Design Team celebrates the Cuttlebug Challenge's first birthday during the month of September!

My theme is "Garden Party and Butterflies"...and so...I have been having fun creating party items and coordinates that all center around a "Garden Party and Butterfly" theme...Youve already seen the invitation... gift card gift bag...goodie "suitcases" and birthhday card I've created....

I've been putting my Score-It Scoreboard, Cuttlebug, Coredinations Card Stock, Sakura Souffle Pens, lots of super dies and Provocraft embossing folders through quite a workout these last few weeks!

Whenever I host a party or gathering... I always like to send my guests home with a little memento that's significant to the day...gathering or event. Sometimes it's a home baked item, sometimes it's something from my garden...a gift boxed set of my cards...and this little favor pocket is perfect for just that!

Today's tutorial project is a cute little "Seed Pocket" party favor that is ideal for a Garden Party
theme.
You'll love how easy and quick it is to make...
I'll bet that you already have all of the materials to create this versatile little favor pocket......

So join me H E R E to see see the video tutorial...and you'll see how easy it is to create a Party Favor Pocket that you can use for your next party....or even for Halloween!...and you'll also get to read about my lunch box plans for this pocket favor :o)

Envelope-Style Pocket card

I love making pocket cards..or a card that's not a traditional fold.

This card was yesterday's "Cards Only Workshop' card...and was a big hit with the ladies who attended.

It was exiting for me to see the ladies (all of whom are fairly new to card making) enjoy creating a card that ventured away from a traditional A2 card..and that kind of "kicked it up a notch" for them..and added a new style card to their repertoire.

This was a Razzleberry workshop....(at each workshop everyone receives a different color full sized ink pad (of their own...to keep)...and we work with the coordinates ( prints, card stock etc). At this workshop we used Rich Razzleberry as our primary color and added Crushed Curry for a little bit of zing and contrast!

I was a little worried that the ladies wouldn't like the color combo...but it was a big hit (whew!)..as was the DSP/print paper.

This was our first "Weekday" workshop..(we usually meet on Saturdays...)..and although we were a small group..it was a terrific time with these awesome ladies....and this fun card project.....and now... we hope to make a weekday get together a regular part of our monthly workshop calendar.

Garden Party Goodie "Bags" aka "Suitcases"

The Design Team at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog are having such fun creating the parts and pieces for our chosen birthday party themes...as we celebrate the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog's first birthday!...

You MUST take a peek ....the creativity and beautiful creations will knock your socks off!

I just love flowers and butterflies on my cards and paper crafting..and so I chose to have a "Garden Party...

I've already shared the spinner card invitation with you (in the post below) and today an sharing these adorable little "Goodie Suitcases "

These were FUN and E-Z to make... (you can see the tutorial and detailed info here: CUTTLEBUG CHALLENGE BLOG

...while you're there take a peek at this weeks Wednesday "Be Inspired" Challenge...and join us for a chance to win some super prizes!

Garden Party Invitation and the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog's First birthday!

FRONT OF CARD

INSIDE of OPENED CARD

INSIDE of CARD ~ SEMI-CLOSED

CARD in ALMOST FULLY COLLAPSED POSITION

Happy 1st Birthday to the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog!

This is an exciting and very busy month at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog as the 1st Birthday Celebration kicks off!

This weeks Wednesday Challenge starts it off with an invitation....and throughout the month...many projects and challenges will be presented...all dedicated to birthday celebrations!

I chose the theme "Garden Party"....and this is my invitation....a "spinner " card...that allows the basket of flowers to emerge as the card is opened...and then fold back into itself in the closed position.

I won't tell you that it was a fast card to make...
but I can tell you that it wasn't as difficult as it appears to be...
it was just a bit time consuming.... ONLY because it had numerous pieces (ie...the basket of flowers..and multiple layers of embossed and sanded Core'dinations card stock)...but the card itself is actually very simple to put together, once the pieces and die cuts are prepared.

I love how the basket of flowers pops out as you open the card...and then folds back into itself as the card is closed.... (I hope that the photos I've posted let you see this neat feature)

(This card measures 5 3/4 x 7 and requires a custom sized envelope)

If you're thinking that you might like to give it a try at home...these are the Sizzix and Nestabilties dies you''ll need:

*Sizzix XL Die: Spinner Card
*Sizzix XL Die: Basket and Blooms (used for the basket and tag)
*Sizzix BIGZ Die: Build a Flower (used for all flowers)
*Sizzix BIGZ Die: Lattice (used for lattice underlay on front of card)
*Nestabilities: Labels Four
*Nestabilities: Butterfly Die

All of the embossing ( flowers,, butterflies, lattice, label layers and green card stock inside of the card of the Core'dinations card stock were done with the Cuttlebug Victoria Embossing Folder... theDiamond Plate Embossing Folder was used on the basket and then then sanded to bring out the Core'dinations Color Core.

To simplify assembling the card, follow these steps (in this order)

1. Cut out and prepare inside of card (card stock layers only) * Cut to sizes that you'd like based on how much of the card base you'd like to show..and how much of mat edge you'd like
2 .Cut out Spinner Card Feature ...prefold on score lines as directed on pkg and set aside
3. Cut out, emboss, sand and assemble all flower parts.(I added button centers)
4. Hand cut 10-12 leaves and 6 flower stems from a piece of embossed green card stock
5. Cut out, emboss and sand 2 lattice die cuts and then cut each one in half diagonally to give 2 triangular pieces (I embossed and sanded after I cut out the die cut...but I am thinking it's wiser to emboss and sand first..THEN die cut...because this is a very fragile die cut)
6. Cut out, emboss and sand 2 butterflies from a die or punches of your choice( I used Nestabilties)
7. Cut out, emboss and sand 3 labels layers and assemble (using brads) after embossing and sanding
8. Assemble the basket of flowers, as you'd like

Now you're ready to assemble the card:

Cut card stock to 5 3/4 x 11...score and fold in half.
Card base will measure 5 3/4 x 5 1/2 (and will become 5 3/4 x 7 because the flowers extend beyond the edge of the card, forming a floral border on the right of the card, when the card is closed.

1. Stamp a Flourish style stamp randomly on the inside of the card to create a stamped background pattern
2. Layer plain (non-embossed card stock) first...then place next layer (embossed and sanded on top)
3. Assemble front of card as shown, using the 2 lattice die cuts that you've cut in half...as the 4 corners ...but do not attach the butterflies yet. *Add sentiment/greeting to smallest label
4. Fold, prepare, assemble and attach "Spinner Feature" as directed on pkg
5. Attach tag to basket (this is where I hand wrote the party and RSVP info)
6. Attach basket of flowers to "Spinner Feature"
7. Attach embossed and sanded butterflies to front of card

And DONE!

I created my own envelope from a pretty sheet of 12 x 12 paper for this custom sized card.

Don't be intimidated by this card...if you take it step by step..its really not a difficult card to make...


What to do if you don't own all of the dies I've used?
Well...If you don't have the Basket and Blooms die... you canuse some punches to create your flowers...
you can also hand cut a basket...and if you don't have a butterfly die or punch...you can put flowers on the front.
The lattice pieces can be replaced by using a piece of embossed card stock.
Labels can be replaced by using punches of various sizes...or matting multiple layers of card stock

YOU can create YOUR own variation of this fun card..

...and IF you do...please remember to come back...and leave a comment with a link to YOUR blog or gallery, where I can visit...see your card... and ooooo and ahhhhh over what YOU'VE created!