Cheryl Ann First Expressions: Silhouette

Showing posts with label Silhouette. Show all posts

May 3, 2014

Happy Anniversary to my Best Friend! :)

Hi, everyone!

This is my SECOND POST today, so if you are looking for my Bugaboo Stamps post, please scroll down. :)

Today is a special day for me! It is our 12th wedding anniversary, so I put together this shaker card for my hubby. I know it's feminine, but he doesn't mind. ;)

Click Image to Enlarge

I used some pretty papers from Recollections. I loved the color combo when I saw it! I grabbed these papers, and only these, on my recent trip to Michael's. For me to not have brought home an entire stack of sale papers is unheard of! lol! Purple happens to be both my and hubby's favorite color, so this HAD to have purple on it! I created the card as a 5" square. All of my cuts are from the Silhouette Store.

I did alter the scalloped frame, it was just a mat, but I added a square to it to create a frame, then made a second frame to offset it in white. I used some transparency film that has been in our stack of office supplies for decades (literally!).

This card was inspired by my recent dot-making from Pony Beads (see yesterdays post here). I needed a place to keep my new dots, and I have a TON of dew drops (one of my "regret buys" from "way back")! I didn't want to apply a bunch of them to a card front, so I used them as the shaker material, instead of seed beads or sequins, which I don't have. Talk about using up some old stuff quick! Love that! :)

The scalloped lattice inside the shaker box was put there in the hopes it would "catch" some of the dew drops. Success!

I punched five flower layers, and I used a brad to stack them for my little rose. The sentiment was intended to go on my card as a single layer, but one I had it cut out, it needed the lighter offset to make it pop. I'm happier with it, now!

Here's a closer look at the shaker "stuff".

Thanks for stopping by to visit today!

I hope to see you again, soon!

Please leave me a comment so I know you were here! I love to come by to see what you are creating on your blog, too!

Happy Crafting!

Silhouette Files Used:

Scallop Background/Template/Mask

You+Me=Happy Layered Phrase

Scallop Label (Sorry, I couldn't lovate this one in the store. It may have been one that came with the software).

Challenges Entered

Brown Sugar - Patterned Paper

Polkadoodles - Something Old/Something New

Simply Create Too - Stack 'Em High (2 or more layers)

April 24, 2014

An Oldie But Goodie and Another Studio Cutting File

Hi, everyone!

Thursday's are Oldie But Goodie Days at Catch the Bug Blog!

I love OBG day because I can break out some of my favorite Bugaboo Stamps to play with, and have an excuse to show them on my blog! lol! (As if I need an excuse, right?!)

Today I am using the Mini Set Spring Stuff from Bugaboo Stamps. I know you have seen me use images from this set before: it is definitely one of my favorite go-to sets for all things springy! These little bees and honeycomb are so cute, I think!

I am on a major spending freeze for craft stuff, and actually doing okay with that. It has forced me to learn to use my cutting machine more, as when I see new dies that are released, you know, the "must-haves-seldom-used".....well, I do my darndest to figure out a way to make them cut files. I love, love. love the Elizabeth Crafts dies that are pop-ups, and the Sizzix Flip-Its dies are awesome! I just can't fork over $20-$30 for a die (even when I'm NOT on a spending freeze!)

Anyhow, this is my card, which I created the card base cut file in my Silhouette Studio Software. (Visit my Cutting Files for Sale Tab to find out how you can purchase this). It is inspired by a Sizzix die. I actually thought I had this cut figured out, made a card base, and realized it had more cutting areas on it than needed, so I had to revamp it to get it right. It was a learning experience. It has been a while (three years) since leaving my job, so being able to use my mechanical skills was fun! :)

This is a tough card base shape to photograph, so here are a few pics to help you visualize what's going on with my images on this Z-Fold.

Click Image to Enlarge

It didn't help that I made the mistake of using two thick card stocks, layered, before adding my image layer. It made it difficult to lay the card completely flat (though I did manage, eventually).

I used my Silhouette machine to do some Print and Cut for the image layers and shapes. I didn't add any dp, or any bling. Amazing! Almost never happens for me! lol! The inside circles, which I didn't manage a great photo of - sorry, say "Just", "Buzzin'" & "By".

Please feel free to browse my blog, I'd love to be your inspiration for your next project! :0) If you're not already a follower, and like what I create, please consider following me! :0) ====>>

Pick up this cute Bugaboo image, and others, over at the Bugaboo Stamps Store, and make sure you also jump over to the Catch the Bug Challenge Blog: it's where you can find out all the lastest "dish" on what challenges are happening and what other challenge sites that Bugaboo is sponsoring (more chances to win some free Bugaboo!). It's also where you can check out all the other fantastic DT projects, including the OBG (Oldie But Goodie) stuff, the ABC (Anything But a Card) items, and the Tuesday New Releases......plus so much more!

One more thing before I wrap this up....be on the lookout for the upcoming Bugaboo Christmas in July Week Long Celebration! This is always a favorite, with lots of FREE images given away for participating in our challenges that week! I'll have more details on that as the date draws nearer.

Also, I am now assisting the DT Coordinator with some of the more routine things at Catch the Bug Blog to fill in some time for our wonderful Ms. Min, who is expecting Baby #1, and is happily preparing for the arrival! I'm helping out with some posting duties, and I'm also helping out by choosing a Bugaboo Stamps Fan of the Month! So......if you're a fan of Bugaboo Stamps (and who isn't, right?!), make sure you're posting your Bugaboo cards on your blog because I'm poking around Blog-land looking for YOU! :)

Happy Crafting!

Challenges Entered

4 Krafty Girlz - Anything Goes

Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes

Creative Moments - Anything Goes/Spring

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Things with Wings

March 8, 2014

It's a Lucky Day at Catch the Bug!

It's Saturday, which means a new challenge over at Catch the Bug today! This week's theme is definitely appropriate for the season!

It's all about

Luck!

We want to see you whip up a goodie

that has anything to do with Luck!

I was going to create something with one of my favorite cowboy images, and use some horseshoes to convey the "luck", but I decided to really stretch my cut-file-making skills for todays card. I have been drooling over the latest Elizabeth Crafts die release, and really want the Lots of Pops die! I love that it's so versatile; you can keep some of the pop-ups folded down should you not need them. Well, the cost for this die is not currently part of my budget plan (plus, I pormised hubby I'd try to NOT buy craft stuff this year....ugh! So tough!). I can maneuver my cutting program software quite well (right now, I use Silhouette Studio Designer Edition), so I went to work to create something similar to the die, but as a cutting file. I am quite happy with the way it turned out! It was a lot of fun to jazz up the inside of my card (not something I normally do)! I kept the outside of my card CAS, as you can see. :)
(If you'd like to purchase the file, available in Studio format for Silhouette machines only, please visit the "Cutting Files for Sale" Tab at the top of my blog for info).

My card features the adorable Bugaboo Stamps critter, Edward Elephant! I used the

Edward Elephant - St. Patrick's Day image on the inside of my card. The outside of my card, pictured first, has a sentiment on it that I created in my PSE program. A bit of embossing with a folder, a Martha Stewart punch and a strip of scrap paper is all it took for this part of the card.

Click Image to Enlarge

Now, here is the inside of my card! I have several pics for you, hoping to convey the dimension of the little scene I made. My Silhouette machine is a dream for printing and cutting my images!

Click Image to Enlarge

I made the mistake of glueing the insert into the card base after putting some of the embellishes on it, which made it VERY crooked! So, I had to trim my card edges down to clean it up. It was intended to be a 5" square, but now it's a 4-3/4" square. lol!

Here are some additional photos, at different angles.

Click Images to Enlarge

Here is a closer look at my image. I just love that little chick in the pot! :)

So, let's see your card this week! Whip up your project and hop on over to enter it into the Mr. Linky!

By entering, you could win up to TEN Bugaboo images!

Head on over to Catch the Bug to play along!

Please check out the rest of the Design Team goodies while you're there! These peeps are filled with talent, full of good tips and ideas......and loaded with eye-candy-inspiring ideas! I am so honored to be part of the group!

Pick up this cute Bugaboo image, and others, over at the Bugaboo Stamps Store, and make sure you also jump over to the Catch the Bug Challenge Blog: it's where you can find out all the lastest "dish" on what challenges are happening and what other challenge sites that Bugaboo is sponsoring (more chances to win some free Bugaboo!). It's also where you can check out all the other fantastic DT projects, including the OBG (Oldie But Goodie) stuff, the ABC (Anything But a Card) items, and the Tuesday New Releases......plus so much more!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

If you enjoyed your visit, please consider following me ======>>

Card Recipe

Image: Bugaboo Stamps - Edward Elephant - St. Patrick's Day

Silhouette Cutting File: By Me! :)

Paper: From Stash and Scrap Box

Punches: Martha Stewart, Ek Success - Mini Banners

Dies: Impression Obsession - Grass Border, Spellbinders - Small Circles

Misc: Pop Dots

Challenges Entered

Silhouette Challenges - Create Your Own Scene Card

Craft for the Craic - Something Green

Cut It Up! - Green for Spring or St. Patty's Day

Digi Haven - Three Shades of Green

Get Inky - Green/St. Patty's Day

Pattie's Creations - Green for St Patty's Day

March 2, 2014

Another Spring Card

Hi, everyone! I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Hubby and I are relaxing around the house. The weather is beautiful, so the windows are open, and the birds are singing so pretty outside my window! I love it! I just hope this weather trend continues here. To show my love of the season, I put together this card.

Click to Enlarge

This is Hamlet PigWit Think Spring. This is the Stamp of the Month Set at From the Heart Digital Art Stamps. You may remember my card from a couple days ago....well, this is the free set I received for entering the challenge with that card! If you have this stamp, or purchase it, and enter a card using the image in their SOTM Challenge, then next month you will receive the Stamp of the Month Set for FREE! I just love how that works!

I colored in this adorable little critter, then added some Stickles Star Dust to the flowers and butterfly for some sparkle. I cut my sentiment from a Silhouette file with my Portrait, and added a tiny daisy, punched with a Marvy punch, to the letter 'i'. The center of that is colored with marker. The strips of dp are from my scrap box. I cut the bumpy border using Spellbinders On The Edge Borders die. Pretty CAS, but I like how he turned out. he'll mail well (he's an A2 size, and pretty flat), and I think he's on the way to some of my friends in MI: they just informed me that they have another, fresh 4" more of snow from last nights storm that came through their area. While I feel terrible for their long winter, I am so glad I don't have to deal with that! Yuck!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you'll leave a comment so I know you came by to visit!
Happy Crafting!

Challenges Entered
From the Heart - Stamp of the Month
Allsorts - Spring is Coming
Crafty Calendar Challenge - Animal Antics
HIMCR - Spring Colors
Open-Minded Crafting - Use Something Green
SAS4K - Spring or Easter

February 10, 2014

Anything But a Card - Love is in the Air

It's an ABC (Anything But a Card) Day over at Catch the Bug, and it's my turn to create something! :0) I always have a difficult time coming up with projects for ABC Day. I don't have any little ones at my house (my son is 20, and just does not appreciate good paper crafty stuff, ya' know?!). I never know what on earth to do with my goodies once I'm done with them. Hubby keeps every card I give him, and if I start giving him 3D paper objects.....well......I just have no idea where the man will pile them up! lol! Anyhow, it's always a tough day for me to create for my DT assignments, but I am giving it a go! (I have several ABC assignments this year, so I better get used to it, right?! lol!)

With Valentines Day just around the corner, I have seen so many of the cute little mailboxes on the web, and I wanted to give a try at making one.

I kept this one simple, using bold patterns to give interest to the body of the box. I used the

Bugaboo Stamps image called AKV Simple Stick - Stand. I have used her several times on my cards. I like her because she's simple, but still such a cutie! I used a heart-shaped brad for holding the flag (it does move up and down, which is so fun!). I added an adhesive tile to the box front as a sentiment.