World Card Making Day - and My Craft Spot Design Team Call!

I read on the Cricut Blog that tomorrow (Saturday) is World Card Making Day.  They are hosting a challenge to celebrate the occasion and I just had to participate!  

My very talented blogging friend, Jayne, of Jayne Designs, recently created a fabulous candle birthday card using the Wrap It Up cartridge.  You can see her original HERE.  Norma at Pink Bling Crafter also liked the idea so much that she made a candle card, too.  You can see Norma's card HERE.  I was also completely smitten by the card and I decided to try my own take on the design as well.

I created the card by welding two images of candle shape from Wrap It Up on my Gypsy.  (I flipped one of the images.)  I then cut the image again from some patterned cardstock.  I also cut the flame from coloured cardstock.  The bottom layer of the frame was run through the Cuttlebug using my Textured Script folder.  I welded a "1" charm from George and Basic Shapes to "today" letters from Tear Drop.  I added some crinkle ribbon from My Craft Spot, some gold fibre threads and made a little flower by layering some punched flowers from EK Success and adding a tiny bead and Glossy Accents to the middle.  I learned this flower technique from Nadia at With Glittering Eyes.  You can see her tutorial HERE.

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I also have VERY exciting news for you!  Kimberly at My Craft Spot is having a Design Team Call!  There are four openings available!  (Don't worry - I'm delighted to still be part of the team and will continue to showcase the fabulous products from My Craft Spot.)  If you'd like to try out for the team, please link up your project by October 10.  Here are the requirements:

1. Your project must be new for this design team call. 
2. You can't be currently serving on a design team that sells products similar to those of My Craft Spot (stamp sets and crinkle ribbon).
3. You must have a blog that you update regularly. 
4. No design team experience necessary!  :) 
5. You must be able to commit to a 6 month term. 
6. With the project you are submitting, please post on your blog:
• more pictures of your project
• instructions telling how you made your project (recipe)
• a link back to My Craft Spot to let everyone know you are trying out for this design team!

To try out for the My Craft Spot Design Team, link up your project HERE. 

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Watch for Falling Leaves!

As I went to make my card for this week's Fantabulous Cricut "Leaves are Falling" challenge, I realized that I don't have any paper packs specific to fall.  I've got a few loose bits of patterned paper but the pieces didn't really go well with each other.  I decided that the dull tones in my DCWV Bella Cafe stack seemed to fit the job and used them.  I'm glad I did!  The little trim at the bottom is actually part of the paper and I think it looks like a leaf-covered road.

I cut the tree from Create a Critter.  I hid the contours of all the little leaves and then cut them separately from a piece of coordinating paper.  The foliage portion of the tree is popped and I also popped each of the little leaves.  (I had to layer the tree a bit differently than it is "supposed" to be, in order to do the popping I wanted to do.)  The mat and shadow are from George and Basic Shapes.  The little squirrel is from Car Decals, cut once as a brown silhouette and then again with all but the outer contour hidden. I put the patterned image behind the silhouette.  I finished things off with a wonderful sentiment from My Craft Spot's Happy Fall set. 

I know that a lot of you have been busy making your own fall projects - so this is a perfect time to link up at FCCB.  Be sure to check out the creations made by the rest of the design team, too!  I'm always delighted to see the projects each week!

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Fall Leaves

It's time for another challenge at My Craft Spot!  This week, the theme is "Fall Leaves".  Here in central Ontario, the leaves are just starting to change colour - thanks to the cooler temperatures we have been having.

I created my little scene using Campin' Critters, adding some extra little leaves cut from Create a Critter.  The card base was created by welding a frame from Elegant Edges (with thanks to my husband for hitting almost every Michaels in the Greater Toronto Area with me in order to find this cartridge!) and George and Basic Shapes.  The banner is a parenthesis from Plantin' SchooolBook, with the ends cut with a punch from Creative Memories, and stamped with two stamps from My Craft Spot's Happy Fall set.  I did some inking and some drawing and then finished everything off with some glorious My Craft Spot marmalade crinkle ribbon.

If you haven't checked them out already, please head to My Craft Spot to see the other "Fall Leaves" projects created by the rest of the design team.  Then link your own project to be eligible for this week's prize!

(Also, just a heads-up that My Cut Search is celebrating their one-year blogiversary this week.  Later this week, they will be offering special promo codes in their "News" section.  My Cut Search is a great way to find specific Cricut cuts.  Be sure to check it out!)

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A Note of Appreciation

It's time for another challenge at Fantabulous Cricut, and this week is all about making music!  My middle guy has been taking piano and guitar lessons for a few years but has decided to give it a break as he transitions to high school.  I made a card to go with the gift he gave his teacher to thank her for all she's done.

I used a Creative Memories corner rounder to punch the corners of my 5x5 square card as well as the corners of the mats.  The mats are stamped with a little line/dotted stamp that I received with a bunch of goodies from Heather of Princess' Paper Projects.  The guitar playing rabbit (who we think is singing some Aerosmith songs - my son's favourite!) is from Campin' Critters and the musical notes are from Stretch Your Imagination - all of which I inked.  I also added a bit of doodling.  The sentiment is from Stampin' Up and punched with a Stampin' Up window punch.  I added a button, some twine and a few copper pearls to finish things off. 

I can't imagine a life without music.  If I'm not listening to tunes, I'm singing them unaccompanied!  I'd love for you to head over to Fantabulous Cricut to check out the rest of the design team inspiration - and to enter your own creation.  This week's prize is the NEW Candy Corn Kisses stamp set from My Craft Spot!

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Adding a Counter to Number Your Blog Comments

I've had a few people ask me how I've added numbers beside each of the comments left for me in Blogger.  It's a simple process, which I've explained in this little video tutorial I put together:



Here is the code mentioned in the video.  You can also get the code HERE.

<style type="text/css">
.commentNumber {

  padding: 5px;
  /*Modify the comment number's style here*/
}
</style>
<script type="text/javascript">
(function () {
  var commentList, commentHeader, numBox, i, j;
  commentList = document.getElementById("comments-block");

  if (commentList) {
    commentHeader = commentList.getElementsByTagName("dt");
    for (i = 0, j = commentHeader.length; i < j; i++) {
      numBox = document.createElement("span");
      numBox.className = "commentNumber";
      numBox.appendChild(document.createTextNode(i + 1));
      commentHeader[i].insertBefore(numBox, commentHeader[i].firstChild);
    }
  }//end if (commentList)
}());
</script>>

I'll have another Fantabulous Cricut project to show you tomorrow morning.  See you then! 

16

Thanks for Being My Friend

I am truly blessed to have wonderful friends in this life.  I have friends that I can count on when times are tough and friends that I can laugh with until the tears are streaming down my face.  I have friends whose faces I see frequently and I have friends through the blogging world that I could pass right by on the street, not recognizing them!  Regardless of our connections, I am so thankful for all the friends that add to my life in so many ways.  Thank YOU for being a friend!

The challenge this week at My Craft Spot is "Friends are the best".  I made this card using one of the new stamps from the My Craft Spot Friends and Neighbors - Inside and Out set.  (I rounded the stamp by positioning it that way on my stamping block.)  I designed this card having been quite inspired by Tracey from Trace-Elementz.  She has such an amazing style and always has such a delightful combination of doilies, buttons, flowers, lace, etc.!

Please head over to My Craft Spot to see the fabulous creations by the rest of the design team and to enter your own "Friends are the best" project.

In addition, I'd like to let you know that Noor from Paperie Designs' Studio is having a fun giveaway to celebrate Eid.  You can check things out HERE.

I've also just learned of a devastating fire which burned down the home of the children of one of our fellow bloggers.  To see how you can help raise funds for this family, please go HERE.  


Card recipe:
Recollections kraft cardstock
Creative Memories patterned paper
Wilton doily
EK Success punches (flowers and border)
Michaels punch - flower centers
Cricut Expression with Gypsy (George and Basic Shapes - card base, mats and sentiment tag; Wall Decor and More - butterfly)
My Craft Spot - sentiment and vanilla bean crinkle ribbon
Dollarama Crafts - brown pearl halves
Loony Lizard - button
Tim Holtz - Tea Dye Distress Ink

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