Monday, August 29, 2011

Working on the art...

   I know I haven't posted many creative projects in the past few days but I have been super busy creating the new Workshop on the Goes.  So far I have Sonoma, Wonderland, Elemental, and Dreamin' all complete.  I just need to photograph them.  I also was able to create some cards and a scrapbook layout using the September stamp of the month.  That will be posted this week.  I am currently working on upcoming Biggby card classes for November and December.  So you may want to stay tuned for the art to be coming this week.
Hugs, Holly

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Life is a Zoo...

     When was the last time you took your family to the zoo?  What do you like about the zoo?  I enjoy the polar bears and watching the monkeys.  Do you have pictures from the zoo laying around your house?  Well, I have a layout for you then.  On September 15th., at the Allen Park Biggby coffee shop we will be making this darling "Don't Feed the Animals" layout.  This class is limited to 12, sorry!  You will need to be registered and prepaid ($10.00) by Monday, September 12th.
This layout uses now retired Animal Cookie paper from Close to My Heart.  We will be using the new Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge from Close to My Heart.  Supplies you will need for class will be scissors, adhesive, foam tape, and colored pencils.   I hope to see you in class soon!!!!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Sympathy Cards

     I have always had a hard time designing a card to send to a friend when they have had someone pass away.  Do you experience this challenge?  We don't like to send store bought cards and handmade cards do take time to make.  We know we need to send or give a card.  So what is the solution.  I have the answer.  Join me next week on Thursday for class at the Allen Park Biggby coffee shop card class.  We will be making 2 sympathy cards.  The only stipulation is you must be register and prepaid ($5.00) by Tuesday, Aug. 30 for class.  I cut everything we need and you simply show up with you class supplies.  The supplies you will need are: scissors, adhesive, and glue dots.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Pretty Storage

      Where do you put your pretty handmade cards?  Do you just put them in a box or a drawer?  I have a solution for you.  How about making a pretty card box to hold them?  Close to My Heart has 2 different types of boxes that you can decorate for any occasion or theme you would like.

This first card box measures 6 3/8" x 2 1/8" x 4 3/8".  It is made of a heavy-duty chipboard with a magnetic closure.  You can store a few standard size or smaller cards in it.  I decorated this box in the new "Dreamin'" paper pack, honey mini medley accent collection, and "Remarkable Wreath" (c1473) stamp set.


This second card box measures 6 3/8" x 4 3/4" x 3 3/4" and is also made from sturdy chipboard with a magnetic closure.  The box is perfect for photos, recipes, or cards that are 4 x 6.  I decorated this box using the now retired "Sweetheart" paper pack, pink collection ribbon, cream pearl opaques., and "Polka Dot Alphabet" (d1469) stamp set.


Both boxes are great for you or your loved ones.  Which one will you create today?  Let me know if you need help with your box.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Mini cards are so much fun

     Have you ever sat down with scraps of paper and a few left over embellishments and thought to yourself, "What am I going to do with these?"  I am going to tell you what you are going to do with those.  You are going to make some mini 3 x 3 cards.  These cards are perfect for those gifts that you put into bags.  These cards finish up the scraps and you don't feel guilty about it at all.
     When I was at convention back in July, this was one of our creative classes.  I fell in love with the idea of using up the left over stuff I had lying around my craft studio.  Granted corporate cut everything for me but on a normal basis I would have all of these little 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 scraps here.  So what mini cards are you going to create today?   We could even do a few mini cards at your next home gathering!!!  Wouldn't that be fun?

Monday, August 15, 2011

A special treat for you...

     After I had gone out to lunch with my dad today.  We sat down to look at my camera, to see why some of my photos are so blurry.  Well, come to find out there is a button that you can turn on called "macro".  So we turned it on and now my pictures are so much clearer and better.  Thanks dad!

     Yesterday, during the wonderful rainy day we had, I was working on designing for an upcoming party for my friend Patti.  She decided she would like to have her guests make something 3-D and a card.   I got to work right away on the paper flying around my studio and the cricut machine making its wonderful buzzing noise.  Such a great day!  Thanks Patti!

      This is the project I designed for her party. We will be making both the card and the pillow box with the rose.  I used the new "Cricut Art Philosophy" cartridge, grey wool and sunset cardstock, Mischief paperpack, Wicked and All Hallows Eve stamp sets, and the ink is black, grey wool, grey flannel, and barn red, and with a little bit of glitz on the witch's shoes for that added sparle. 



What do you think of this project?  When you book a home gathering with me, we work together to plan your project.  So you get what you want and what your friends like to make.  Call or email me to schedule your next party!!!!!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

"Enjoy" Scrapbook Page Pops with Flowers: Project Inspiration Autumn/Win...



This is a great demonstration of how to match up the die cuts from the new Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge with the matching stamp sets. Call or email me to get more information about the cartridge or how to use your cricut.   Didn't corporate do a fantastic job on this video??

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Up on the rooftop...

     The final card that I design for our unit swap is a Christmas card.  Christmas cards are my favorite to make!!  I already have mine made for this year :)  Woo Hoo!!!!  When you send out 50-80 cards you need to get started early.  Actually I had them made last year but ended up sending out special ones that Nathan had designed from a school contest.



     This card uses paper from the "Believe" paper pack and the stamp from the "Believe" workshop on the go.  I just fell in the love the Santa.  He is so jolly and fat, I knew I had to use him for one of my swaps.  I stamped santa in black onto a piece of sky blue paper.  Then colored his suit in holiday red with topiary gloves.  Then I followed up with using liquid applique to make his beard and suit fluffy looking.  The cardstock behind the sky blue piece is topiary green and the holiday red plaid is from the "Believe" paperpack.
    What do you think about this card?  Isn't he the jolliest santa you have seen?  Let me know if you want to get him too!!!

Friday, August 12, 2011

Along came a spider...

    The third card for our unit swap I designed is a Halloween card.  I was planning on having this card a tutorial for you but the photos are very blurry and not a great quality.  So I will have to plan another one for next week instead.  This card was a simple design from "Wishes".  I truly love that book for my ideas.
    The paper I used is the new "Mischief" B&T,  Bamboo and Grey Wool cardstock.  The stamp set is called "All Hallows Eve".  The ink colors are grey flannel, grey wool, black, and barn red.  I think I really like how it turned out!!!  Nice and Spooky :)
Wouldn't this set be great for your Halloween party invitations or your scrapbook layouts?????  Contact me to order yours.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

For a Special Teacher Card...

      When I was designing the next card for our unit's new idea book swap I fell in love with the stamp from set for the "Cricut"  bundle that had the "For a Special..." on it.  You could pick if it was for a teacher, friend, mom, dad, brother, or sister.  I chose to make this card for a special teacher.  There are many special teachers out there in the world that don't get recognized for all of there hard work and dedication to our children.  So I paired the stamp up with the new paper collection from the Typeset paperpack from Close to My Heart.
      I normally stamp my images onto daisy white or colonial white cardstock.  This time I stamped onto bamboo cardstock using vineyard berry ink.  Boy was I happy!  Between using the new Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge and the stampset I am so pleased with this card.  I just might be sending a few out to some of my teacher friends this year.  Or maybe to some of Nathan's teachers if he doesn't think that it is too corny for middle schoolers to do this.
What do you think of this card?  The stars are from a different set.  Can you tell me what set they are from?  Email or comment your answers. (hint it is a new set)


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Best wishes to you...

I designed this card for our unit card swap by looking at "Wishes".   The card pattern was origanally set for a larger card but a scaled it down to fit a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"  standard card.  The paper used for this card was the new "Wonderland".  The colors in this paperpack are amazing: chocolate, crystal blue, grey flannel, heavenly blue, twilight, white daisy, and believe it or not spring iris!!!!  The stamp is from one of the stamps that come from the "Cricut" collection.  The final touch is a little bit of bling with a sparkle added in the corner.  So what do you think of this card??


I am lovin' the new "Cricut" cartridge!!!!!!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Wicked Artwork

    After finally sitting down to play today, I am a happy, happy, happy camper.  Or should I say crafter!  Anyways, I have been working on my art board for the August Stamp of the Month.  It was so much fun to create these great projects.  I made 3 cards and a scrapbook layout using the stamp set called "Wicked".  You can order it only during the month of August for $17.95 or spend $50 and get it for $5. 

I also used paper from the Mischief paper pack and the ink colors are grey flannel, bamboo, sunset, grey wool, black, honey, and barn red.

    When my friends Patti and Sue were over last night we were talking about the August stamp of the month.  They were saying that they thought it was a nice stamp but really you only could use it for just Halloween.  We looked at the verbage on it "Hats off to you" and "Put your best foot forward" and decided that really you could use it for other types of cards such as (getting a new job, congratulations, graduation, or encouragement).  There were also some images that could be used throughout the year, such as the honeycomb, the cat, and the border.

A mini card 2" x 3 1/4"

The yellow card is 5" x 6 1/2"(cricut used) and the witchy card is 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".

The left side of the scrapbook layout shows the double circles from the "Cricut".

The right side of the scrapbook layout and uses another part from the "Cricut".

Maybe tomorrow I will share with you one of my swaps from the new Idea book.  I am in 4 rounds.  We will see what tomorrow will bring and what creating still is to come tonight!!!!!


Monday, August 8, 2011

Let the artwork begin....

Now that I am finally home from our mini family vacation at Disneyland,California, Convention and our other family vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida I think I better get to work on playing with some of those new stamps and paper from Close to My Heart that are featured in the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book.  The first big box arrived just one day before we left for Florida so I really didn't have time to play.  But now that I am home and I have cleaned my craft space I am READY!!!!!!!  I just don't know where to begin.  Should I start with artwork for the 6 new Stamp of the Months or begin on the 8 new Workshop on the Goes or just a free-for-all.  Well, later today will be the test.  So drop me a line and tell me the direction you think I should go.  I know you are excited to see some new artwork too!!!!

* If you need your new book email me.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Vacations

Vacations are great but they are alot of work.  We will be heading home in the early morning hours from Panama City Beach, Florida back to good old Allen Park, Michigan.  I wish I could put rockets on the van to make it move quicker so it won't take 16-18 hours.  But while we are in the van I will be working on my 4 rounds of card swaps and the new Idea Bookplates.  Are you ready for yours????? 


Speaking of vacations, the layout for August at Biggby will be a vacation inspired one.  Please make sure you are sign up and prepaid by Monday, August 15 and class will be on Thursday, Aug. 18th.  Supplies you will need to bring to class will be: scissors, adhesive, foam tape, colored pencils, and a brayer (if you have one).  See you in class.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Add Cricut® Flair to Any Workshop

Making these cards are super easy now using the new Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge. Call or email me to get yours today.