Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Watch for it Wednesday #10

I was sitting at my scrapbooking table the other day and I was dreaming of flowers! I wanted some simple, unique flowers that I could use with a project I was working on. I looked around in my store (LOL I bet a lot of us have own "store" at home!) and nothing was meeting my need. Then it came to me.....I could create my own flowers. I saw this package of stickers and was inspired! :O)

I took the stickers out of the package but I kept the plastic packaging that they came in. Then I started cutting!! I cut out several flowers (you could design any shape you desire!) in a few different sizes.

After I had all of the flowers cut out I couldn't wait to embellish them!


I took out my handy dandy Ranger Inkssentials™ White Opaque Pen and I started doodling. I outlined all of the flowers and on a couple of them I drew polka dots. I cut the centers out of different colored Bazzill paper and I outlined and doodled on them! I used the TSUKINEKO Lulu Lavender Memento Ink Pad to color the purple flower. I just blotted in on top of the cut flower and let it dry for a little while, then it was ready to go!


This is a fun, easy, and economical way to create a multitude of shapes. It is a wonderful way to get the perfect look that you are envisioning when you don't have it in your stash! :O)

Check back on Friday to see how I used these flowers on my project!!!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

CottageCutz Raccoon

This picture shows the raccoon die and the two different raccoon shapes you can cut from it.
I love the fact that the face just goes right over the top of the head to get that famous mask raccoons have. I have included my favorite Tombow glue that has two tips. I only use the small ended one for glueing smaller pieces on my diecuts.
I think the most common problem that card makers have is making masculine cards. There are so many cutesy stamps and diecuts out there it isn't too hard to make a card for a child or a female, but manly cards are another story. This month I will be focusing on manly cards which seems appropriate with Father's Day coming next month.


I really like this CottageCutz raccoon because he is cute but can be used for those manly cards we all seem to struggle with.
I also used the Quickutz Tree border and Pine Needles Distress Ink. For the ground I tore brown Bazzill cardstock and inked it with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink and then went along the bottom with my Copic marker and made some grass markings.
Keep an eye out in the store for COPIC markers coming soon.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Sizzix XL Bigz Card Dies

I love making cards so when I see a die that cuts the whole card (plus creates the "fold" line), I
get pretty excited. :) Sizzix has in their XL Bigz dies some great card making ones. The above
card used the Florish Flourish Card. You will need a 12 inch piece of cardstock that has been
trimmed the size of the die. When it is cut, you have a card with a beautiful design plus the die
has provided the scoring for you (where to fold). For my example, I only used black and white
cardstock. I also used the Sizzlits Flowers, Vine and Flourish Set (the white flower and flourish
on the card). The "For You" is from the Sizzix Cardmaking Rub-On package. I also added some
white pearls to the centers of the flowers. Be sure to check out all the great Sizzix card dies at
Scrapping Cottage.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Congratulations to the winners of our Little Miss Sunshine layout contest!!!!


We received so many beautiful, amazing layouts. Thank you to everyone who participated. It was a lot of fun and very inspiring to see what so many talented artists could do with a very challenging contest. It was a really difficult decision for us, but we are delighted to announce the three amazing winners:


1st Place: Gwen H. of Bloomingburg, Ohio
2nd Place: Ann B. of Rocklin, California
3rd Place: Kelly R. of Evansville, Indiana



Congratulations again to all three winners!! Please contact the Scrapping Cottage to claim your fantastic prizes!

Happy Mother's Day!


Saturday, May 09, 2009

Card and Tags


For my post this week I wanted to do something different to my usual layouts, so I decided to make a card and some tags.
For the “We Have Moved” announcement card I have used the adorable COTTAGE CUTZ HOUSE die. I loved making this little house so much that I cut it out in 4 different colours and am planning on making a row of houses to use as a border for a scrapbook layout.
When making this card I also used the GO KREATE ‘NORTON’ ALPHABET, QUICKUTZ TREES BORDER CC-BDR-018, QUICKUTZ ROCKS KS-0439, QUICKUTZ SIGN RS-0265, QUICKUTZ EXCLUSIVE PRINCESS CARRIAGE C-0118-D-REV and some TIM HOLTZ DISTRESS INKS.







Earlier in the year I altered a mini wooden crate giving it a ‘Farm’ theme – very similar to the theme that I have used for these tags. I was very happy with the way the crate turned out, so I have made 3 matching tags to be used in a layout when I have found the perfect photos to compliment them.

To make these tags I inked with TIM HOLTZ DISTRESS INKS and used the following dies:-
QUICKUTZ GRASS BORDER,
QUICKUTZ MUSHROOMS,
QUICKUTZ PUMPKIN,
QUICKUTZ FLOWERS,
SIZZIX ORIGINALS ROOSTER,
SIZZIX ORIGINALS FENCE,
QUICKUTZ EXCLUSIVE PRINCESS CARRIAGE.

I also needed a big Chunky Tag die, which I don’t have, So my friend was kind enough to lend me her large SIZZIX SUPER SCALLOP TAG die – Thanks Julie :-)
I think I need to find one of these large Tag dies for myself or a very simular alternative because the size is fantastic.

Friday, May 08, 2009

Everyday.......an Adventure!

"When you arise in the morning,
think of what a precious
privilege it is to be alive-
to breathe, to think,
to enjoy, to love."
Marcus Aurelius

Life is wonderful adventure!
QuicKutz and CottageCutz dies help us to express our
artistic imaginations as we live the adventure! They are
wonderful alone or all mixed up together! This layout
is a cluster of many QuicKutz that tell a story of a day in
the life of my two youngest children. I love the versatility of
the dies because no matter how you use them, your projects
will always be unique and sensational!
I chose a variety of fun shapes, most of which can be purchased at
The Scrapping Cottage for more than 40% off!!!!
There are several hearts (KS-0789 and RS-0010),
a fun swirl (0582), a delightful star (RS-0154), and some fantastic flowers (KS-0531-this one is more than 50% off!) (RS-0349) (RS-0015)!!
The sky is the limit! Treat yourself to a bundle of QuicKutz!
You can add to your collection as you save a lot of money!!



Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Watch For It Wednesdays #9


I get asked a lot of questions about my scrapbooking but the question I get asked the most is “How do I ink my die cuts and what do I use”? There are many different ways and products to ink with so not everyone will have the same equipment & style. The best way is to keep practising with different techniques until you find a style that works for you. There is no one set way of inking, and that is what makes this such a fun and exciting technique.
I am going to go through step by step the way that I do my inking so that you can see how I do it and hopefully get an idea of how to start inking your die cuts until you can build your own technique & style.
The above picture shows the Banner before and after it has been inked.


For this demonstration I have used:- The Quickutz Banner Border die for the die cut, Tim Holtz Distress Ink ‘Vintage Photo’ (medium brown), Tim Holtz Distress Ink ‘Walnut Stain’ (dark brown), Sponge cloth, Pencil and a Piece of scrap paper to work on when inking.


STEP 1- Cut a piece of Kitchen sponge cloth into a rectangle shape about 2”x4”. Cut 1 for each colour ink you will be using – This will keep your colours separate & stop your ink pads turning into a horrible mud colour.


STEP 2:- With a lead pencil, very lightly draw an outline where the banner looks like it’s going to fold back on itself. This will help you see where you need to add some shadow to give your banner a 3D look.


Step 3:- Fold your piece of Sponge Cloth in half and hold it with the open end towards the palm of your hand. Place your fingers on top and your thumb underneath. You are now ready to ink.



Step 4:- Using your lighter coloured ink first,(if you are using more than 1 shade of colour) ink the underneath front section of your sponge. The size of your die cut will determine the amount of ink needed. Because I am doing a long die cut, I have inked the entire length of the bottom of the sponge.



STEP 5:- Always start inking from the edge of your die cut working towards the centre so that the darker areas are on the edges and to avaid having solid lines in the middle of your die cuts where there shouldn't be any lines - It just give your inking a much smoother more flowing look. Press your sponge down firmly on the very edge of the of your die cut or just over onto the scrap paper you are working on and ‘flick’ the sponge upwards towards you (now pick the sponge up off the floor and try it again, but this time keep a hold onto the sponge and don’t let go :-) :-) :-) - sorry I couldn’t resist :-). This will help your ink gradually change from dark to light as it get closer to the middle of your die cut.



STEP 6:- Keep repeating step 5 until you have gone all the way around your die cut. You may need to do the same area a few times to get a look that you are happy with. Don’t forget to ink the area where you drew your pencil line for the Banners Shaded areas. For this area place your inked sponged along the pencil line as if that was the edge of your die cut and flick your sponge forwards towards where you would like your shadow to be.


STEP 7:- If you are using a second ink, this is where you would start the inking process again from the beginning using the darker shade of ink. You will now ink over the top of your other inking but this time you will ink very lightly still doing the flicking motion and not ink as much of the die cut area as you did with the lighter ink. This would be more of an outlined shadow area so you would stay more to the edges of your die cut.
Remember when you are inking with more than 1 Shade of a colour, always start with the lighter Shade first and then the darkest Shade last. Gradually add your colours because you can always add a darker colour on top of the lighter colours, but it gets very difficult when you are trying to do it the other way around.


Step 8:- Finally, to ink the edge of the die cut pick it up and with your sponge, holding it the opposite way as before, this time with your thumb on top and fingers underneath, put the inked section of the sponge onto the side of the die cut and do the flicking motion away from you. Continue until you have gone around the entire edge of the die cut. You are now FINISHED and ready to use your die cut in a project.



This may sound complicated, but trust me IT’S NOT. Each time you try it, it will easier & easier. I believe that the best way to learn is by your mistakes so don’t be scared to experiment with different products, sponges & techniques. You will soon find out whether it’s your style or not. So go and experiment. You may be surprised at what you turn out with. Don’t worry if you make a mistake or 2 because they can always be covered up by some die cuts or pretty flowers etc. :-)

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Feelin' Groovy


Today I chose to highlight the CottageCutz Groovy Car. What a fun die to work with, doesn't it remind you of the Partridge Family TV show? I know some of you are too young to remember that far back.

Back in high school I had a friend who drove an old red beetle bug that didn't need a key to start it, she used a screw driver! Anyway, I added the flowers from an EK Success flower punch that I thought went great with this die and a few Hero Arts mini stamps for my background. For my windows I used Quickutz Vellum Adhesive sheets (which are on sale right now for $2.95!) and a gray marker. When using these vellum sheets make sure you know which side is vellum and which side is the tear off strip.

I cut a piece of the vellum and placed it vellum side to the diecut, ran it through my Revolution and then colored it with a gray marker, peeled it off and placed it on my Groovy car.
Natasha also used the Groovy Car in her post last Saturday. She even used distress ink to make it look great on the road in her cute layout .

Monday, May 04, 2009

Dry embossing is one of my favorite things to include on a card. Sizzix has made it SO much easier than in the past. Remember when we had to drag out the light box and do all the work by
hand with our brass stencils and stylus?? I loved the look but would rarely bother to do it. The
embossing folders have changed that though. Now dry embossing is super fast and easy. :) This wedding card uses the new Medallions, Frame & Damask Textured Impressions Folders.
You get four different designs with this set. I used the largest one on this card. It looks elegant
when done on white cardstock and is perfect for wedding cards. The card also has some Sizzix
Sizzlit Butterflies too. (Remember I have "butterfly fever.") :) If you haven't tried the new Sizzix textured impressions folders, I highly recommend them! :)

Friday, May 01, 2009

BEEP BEEP



Getting a 1 year old to sit and pose ‘Happily’ for photographs is almost impossible, so when Jacob happily sat and posed for me, I quickly took as many photo’s as I could until he decided that he’d had enough. It’s amazing how many photographs you can take in 2 minutes if they just sit still and co-operate:-) I managed to take some gorgeous photos of Jacob playing with his truck and could not wait to use them in a layout, So for this weeks project I decided to do a double page 12”x 12” layout with a boyish theme to it. I am happy with the way it turned out and just L-O-V-E the QUICKUTZ UNIVERSITY ALPHABET that I used as the size is Perfect for large titles.




For this layout I used the following Dies and products:-
COTTAGE CUTZ -LIMITED EDITION- GROOVEY CAR SC-CC4x4-025
QUICKUTZ UNIVERSITY COOKIE CUTTER GRAND ALPHABET
QUICKUTZ CLOUDS CC-BDR-032
QUICKUTZ TREE REV-0182-D
QUICKUTZ FILM STRIP CC-SHAPE-1-033
QUICKUTZ TRACTOR REV-0112-S (ON SALE AT THE MOMENT FOR $9.95 - WHAT A BARGAIN :-)
QUICKUTZ CEMENT MIXER REV-0111-S (ALSO ON SALE AT THE MOMENT FOR $9.95 - ANOTHER GREAT BARGAIN :-)
QUICKUTZ AIRPLANE REV-0109-S
QUICKUTZ ROADS REV-0053
QUICKUTZ SUN RS-0934 (ANOTHER GREAT DIE ON SALE FOR ONLY $3.95 :-)
QUICKUTZ FLOWERS KS-0535 (I LOVE THIS DIE AND IT IS ON SALE FOR AN AMAZING $2.95 - WOW:-)
SIZZIX PICKET FENCE 38-0213
TIM HOLTZ DISTRESS INKS

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE SCRAPPING COTTAGE FOR MORE AMAZING ITEMS ON SALE- DONT DELAY BECASUE YOU DONT WONT TO MISS OUT.

NSD Quickutz Gift Sets!!!!

It is Spring Gift Set time and Quickutz has released FOUR gifts sets!!! Each set includes a unique font plus coordinating shapes. Plus, the metal dies included in these gift sets are actually colored for even more fun! DO NOT DELAY!!! Quickutz has run out of these sets so if you were thinking of getting them, act fast!

Happy Shopping!!

Friday Fun - Quickutz Contact Card Projects


Here are a couple of projects I made using the new Quickutz Rounded Contact Card. This die makes a card that is the same shape as a standard rolodex card. Just think of all the cute rolodex cards you could make with it! How about your own birthday reminder rolodex?? Or an email address rolodex?? There are so many fun things you could do with it. This die would also be great used as a journaling block on a layout, too. Be sure to check it out along with all the other Back to Basics dies from the April Release!

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Snow Angels 101

This week I have been playing with the new Instant Photo Cookie Cutter Die from the April Quickutz release. This is such a fun die and really much more versatile than it seems at first. You will need the the 12" platform and 12" cutting mat to cut this die, though, because it is a little longer than 4". I wouldn't want you to get it home and then be disappointed you couldn't use your new Instant Photo Die right away - although this is a great excuse to get the 12" platform if you haven't already!!

I tried to do something a little different than just use it as an instant photo replica (although it is REALLY cute like that!) By turning it on its side and using colored cardstock instead of white, you get an entirely different look. I also used Diesel Classic and Lemonade skinni mini.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Watch For It Wednesdays #8

Sizzix has some very nice embossing folders. They come in packages of two large OR one large
and three smaller folders. I recently got the Spring Flowers and Paisley Set.
I opened the package and was heading to the garbage can when the "lightbulb" went off. :)
It seemed a shame to throw away such a large heavy weight piece of plastic. I cut a piece from
the plastic and ran it thru my Big Shot with the Sizzix Bigz Scalloped Square die.

What to do with the pretty scalloped plastic square now????? The "lightbulb" went off again
(wow, two times in one day). :) I put the scalloped square in the Sizzix Textured Impression
Paisley folder and ran it thru my Big Shot.


The clear embossed plastic was pretty but I still wanted more! :) So the "lightbulb" went off
a third time (amazing I know). :) I colored the back of the plastic with a new color of alcohol ink called Citrus. Now I had a pretty embossed colored embellishment for a card. :)


I cut another Scalloped Square from white cardstock to put behind the plastic piece (so it would
show up better). Cut another scalloped square from some paisley print paper, added a flower,
sticker and some brads for a quick and easy card. The best part though was my "fancy"
embellishment was FREE (so to speak). :) Now I'll have to get all the Sizzix Textured Impressions just to get the plastic wrapper. (Wink, wink!!!!!) :)



Tuesday, April 28, 2009

It's a Girl Giraffe Card

Have you noticed this past year that giraffes and other zoo type animals have become so popular for baby items? I just love this CottageCutz Giraffe, he is so cute! (I know I say this about all the CottageCutz dies I work with, but it's true) For this card I used some cute baby girl paper that had giraffes on it and copied the colors into my diecut giraffe. I shaded him with some chalk and used some Kaiser pearls for his.....what do they call those things??? LOL!
I used some mounting tape to pop him off the card and then used the smallest Quickutz nesting flower die for the "it's a girl".
If your a Quickutz fan and you haven't tried some of these CottageCutz dies you are missing out.
Check them out and order a few before they're gone because they go quickly!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Butterfly "Art" Card

Do you ever go thru "phases"? :) Right now I am in a "butterfly phase." I can' t get enough of
butterfly dies, stamps, etc.!!!! I guess you could say I have started a butterfly collection. :) Today's card is a fast and easy one (the best kind, right?). It uses the
Sizzlits Butterfly and Flower #2 Hello Kitty set. The quote in the center is a rub-on by Autumn
Leaves. For a fun look to your dies, add text from an old book (the butterfly centers and center
of the card). All right, who else is going to collect butterflies with me? (Wink, wink.) :)

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Birthday Card




I have been playing around with some of the COTTAGE CUTZ April release dies which I L-O-V-E and I have made this Birthday card using the
COTTAGE CUTZ CUPCAKE TIER 4x4 die and the GO KREATE ‘BOO, FOR YOU’ 4x4 die. I’ve also used the QUICKUTZ APRON KS-0559, QUICKUTZ CHEF’S HAT RS-0242 and the QUICKUTZ HAPPY BIRTHDAY REV-0157-S die for the title which I cut twice in black & green so that I could mount it and make it stand out a little. The little tongs are from the QUICKUTZ CHEF'S COSTUME revolution die. I have also inked my die cuts with TIM HOLTZ DISTRESS INKS and sprinkled some KAISERCRAFT RHINESTONES on top of the cupcakes to make them sparkle.