Christmas Album / Wordbook

Good afternoon everyone
This is Pam at The Bug Bytes.

Myamagoo's E sadly died so I am posting today. If she gets hers up and running she will post too.
Something seems to be in the air affecting all Electronics!! Maybe they know they have worked enough and if they give in during Christmas we will replace?

And oops sorry for those subscribed by email. It published accidentally before I finished so posting again.
With me since I keep editing afterwards always a good idea to check my blog for the correct post I guess. :) . I know- but I am the impulsive sort!

Anyway my laptop is also almost toast between the hard drive full, AVG update mess up and the XP update mess. I spent days on it and rolled back XP update and atlast today  got my Photoshop working. No videos though. As my Premiere Elements 8 (nor PSE 8) will not open and neither does this laptop recognize my camcorder. So the video I made to post on Friday (for my Sat Bugbytes post) will have to wait till I get my new laptop!
Ok lets get to the project. I made a simple simple wordbook playing with the free cartridges Christmas Solutions. Since I already had the original cartridge I could plug it in my Imagine and use some patterns . But most of the main are paper I just ruffled through my paper stock (not stack but stock :) ) and added.
I had one packet of  Christmas stickers I had found at Tuesday Morning and some buttons lying around. So here is what I made. Other materials ink, anna griffin photo punch which I used throughout for the photo mat and Martha Stewart glitter and Diamond Glaze?Glossy Accents to seal in the Glitter and copic markers/sharpie. I have also used liquid paper for texture!

Now I figured ut the rectangle for 6 x 4 photos so I added quarter inch for the mat plus 2 inches -3 inches for sides and in the wider end I added couple of more inches for the punch holes.
Each inside page left side is like a pocket for tags.

Now this is the main gypsy page

I have grouped Christmas(Plantin - thick one - I think creative button 5) and the rectangle and welded. Then I added the punch holes and grouped it in with the rest . Note the weld button on the right - it should show half  white as the holes/circles should not be welded.
Now this page I copied across to 8 more pages and then just deleted in each page the rest of the letters ie in 1st page every other letter except C gets deleted. Just click on the letter - after it gets purple - hit delete!
And the way I cut the page
3 times each page! I cut the front pattern paper and then the middle  - not with cerealbox/chipboard but with cream/sand color paper.And then the back. I put the pattern side face down for this.I tried flipping but with welds like letters they act strange and do not align up. Make sure that your mat is not too new for this technique as then the paper might get stuck and rip.

Close up

I have added some glass beads and the pattern for the image is from Imagine - Snow Angels.
The charms are buttons. I welded 2010 to each other but not to the wreath not only because I used Imagine for the wreath but I wanted pop. So I just made it bigger.
Now before adding and cutting image in Imagine I sized it in G and noted the size and put the size in Imagine.
Also I set a basic rectangle well inside the punch holes and used this rectangle to size all images/cuts in all the pages.

Inside
Page H

Tree Imagine, Greetings pattern Imagine. Background paper from some stack  and mats are 5 x 7 bazill stack. I spent about 20 mins coordinating all colors and arranging them.  And the bazill 5 x 7 .I cut it to 6.5 x 4.5. I used the longer strip to paste it down and put the sticker on it. This can be used for adding brief titles or some journalling. The left side as I said is like a pocket for tags. I stuck front pattern paper and middle cream paper  and the back of the paper - remember how I put it pattern side down in the cricut mat I put glue to only 3 sides to make a pocket . I also punched a half circle using a circle punch so the tags can easily slide out.
Oh and for the tree I have finally used that Imaginisce whatever you call it bling thingy - iRock. Glenda hope you see this.As promised!!. I have used silver nail heads and colored it in with sharpie/copic!
And the star was a button I had.

Now page R

See the tag? And the strip in the right is clearly seen here.

The beard I have used liquid paper which gives the arches paper effect. I got it from cheapJoes. This is how we recover some whites in watercolor.But you can also use liquid paper eraser/Corrector whatever!
And yes I have had fun with MS glitters!
The tag I poured some Art Glitter dry clear glue in a paper plate ran the edges through it and sprinkled glitter. Then sealed it in with Glossy Accents. The bow banner I added some glue in spots for bow and flower and then added red glitter then glue to rest and green glitter. Sealed it too with GA.
Then inked some journaling stamp and added lines. Santa - is all cut with cream paper . Shadow is inked in edges with momento dew pads - I think cinnamon something.
Then copic'd /sharpied and liquid paper. and a pom pom added!

Same story with next pages. On the right I have used stickers or buttons in the title/journal strip (as I like to call it)

Page I

Page S
Same - Buttons stickers and stickles

Page T

Page M

Page A

Some ink to pop up  the center and also to inside of Noel to differentiate the letters

Page S

And finally the back.
This tag was sent to me on my birthday from Agnes Flower Disco

So here is the special place for it

So that's my album. Gypsy files up in thebugbytes for both for this and for the card I made for sassy - bevy warm wishes is now up. Look under this  http://www.thebugbytes.com/p/gypsy-files.html

Simple Christmas Favors

SIMPLE is the key word here and so welcomed by your guests. This is Sheila from Shes A Sassy Lady and today I want to share this wonderful Christmas treat with you. These sour cream containers are filled with red and green M&M's. Yummy. You see I needed fast goodies to take to our Sunday School Christmas party that added a little color to the decor. Well I had seen Okie's video on making the sour cream containers but she adorned hers with scalloped tags stamped and stickled and I thought no way I didn't have time to be that creative sooo.... I used paper that said Merry Christmas and purchased a couple of sheets at my local Hobby Lobby for 50% off and went to work. I give you permission (sometimes we need someone to do that for us) to keep it simple too.

As soon as I got back from the store I cut all the paper into 4.25x5.50. So I got 4 per 8.50x11 sheets of paper.

Then I gathered all my supplies; my paper, M&M's, my Pink ATG, a crimper, and a little measurer for placing the M&Ms in the containers.

Place glue on three edges as shown; the 2 long and 1 narrow edge.

Now you make a little tube as shown.

Then you fold in half as shown closing the side evenly.

Then you place it in the crimper and turn 3 to 4 clicks. I like the look of the 4 click.

See how nice that edge looks. Now all you need to do is place your M&M's inside the container. I used a scoop and a half each of a coffee measure which I believe is a tablespoon. Then all you do is close the other side in the opposite direction and crimp that end.

Now isn't that adorable. Just perfect. Now all I need to do is keep going.

For the purpose of planning this is what 1 12.60 oz bag will make, 12 containers. So I made 3 dozen and it took just over an hour. No that is an easy project that is sure to put a smile on the receivers face and not much of your precious time. I really felt a sense of accomplishment when I finished.

That's all for today's little project. Now wasn't that easy and so much fun to do. I sure hope that I helped you today by giving you a simple project that can be used for so many different things. You have a great day and thanks for stopping by The Bug Bytes and Shes A Sassy Lady today.

Thank you for your sweet words of encouragement as they continue to inspire me to keep sharing with you.

Snowman Card

Hi Everyone!  It’s Wini from LooneyBugDesigns with a cute little Snowman Card for you today!  I was playing around with my new Jolly Holidays cart and saw this adorable ice skating snowman and just had to use him for my card. 

I started by placing the snowman base on my Gypsy mat.  I then took the aspect ratio link off and sized my cute little guy to the way I wanted him for my card.  Then with the snowman still highlighted I went back and added all the layers.  Doing it this way ensures that all the layers are the correct size.
After cutting out all my pieces – I just put them together (so easy with this cart).  I then decided that I didn’t care for the paper buttons very much so I added some Crystals with my I-Rock for his buttons instead. 

I made the cute snowflake background using my cuttlebug, some Brilliance Ink and the Snowflake Impressabilites.
I hope you enjoyed my quick Holiday Snowman Card today!

Happy Holidays!! 
Hugs, Wini

Sorry folks !

My computer has crashed! Things got horribly messed out
 I can do just basic things like email. No pics and no videos for a long while!
So I guess no posting much. Luckily I can check emails in my old old desktops (and my iphone) and post things like this - but sadly no photos or videos!!!

What caught my eye while I browsed blogs

Just check these two links out. Sigh!! I wish I had a grain of their talent. Well.. what is! Is!So I will just enjoy these

http://timeforscrappin.blogspot.com/2010/09/october-31st-mini.html

and

http://withglitteringeyes.blogspot.com/2010/11/flower-fairies.html

Bevy Warm Season's Greetings

Hello
My turn at Sassy lady's again. I am real glad to be up and creating again. It's been like forever. I have been working on a couple of projects and got so carried away working in my room that I lost track of time. Hopefully will have the other project in soon too. I like how the other one turned out too , simple but have been decorating and decorating and still needs to be done.
I wanted to make my own card with pocket to hold the beverage packets like tea bag or cocoa (or maybe even a small cookie).
So I played  and came up with this

Cartridges used were
1. Plantin for envelope
2) Christmas cheer - main one
3) Tags boxes and more for the pocket or rather small box (used the windows feature)
4) Martha Stewart seasonal cake (for the greetings and snowflakes border)

I have of course used paper and glue :) (ha ha how brilliant!)
pipe cleaner - yep wanted to try something other than ribbons and have had these golden and white ones for a while, blue button as shamefully I did not use hide and contour on the hole in the tag and since it was so big I could not use brad!! (Dang - this is what happens when one gets rusty!!) and my favorite pens - souffle opaque gel pens!! This is one of my best investments. I have used markers too. Oh and some plastic . I always cut the cartridge blister pack to flat rectangles (getting rid of the rest) and save them. And when I laminate in school the extra plain bit they throw away - I bring that home too. I have used that for the pocket window and also for the swirly smoke from the cup

Now I will share this file soon . (most probably will be up by the time this post is up) so you can see which cut is from which cartridge. (To do this select the image go to keypad and in the keypad layout menu hold your stylus over the image and the cartridge name will pop up mostly below your hand and tap on it and it will take you not only to the cartridge but also to the exact creative feature screen)

Here is first page - the card from christmas cheer.I have also added a rectangle for the envelope as the envelope goes out of the mat and I wanted to match up the card - just like in doe a deer card I made. Sometimes when you like an effect stick with it.

2nd page the envelope. Take care to have the smaller end of the envelope stick out while trying out this technique.

Then I wanted to cut the label and the pocket in blue and border for the envelope and inside of the card. As the label  shadow was in blue I named it label blue. I know I know- can do better but what works for me right :)

Here I want to mention 2 things
one I used two labels shadow as th pocket is thick and I am using double layering/tiering the pop darts I need the pocket on a blank label .
2nd is the swirl is part of the cup but I have used hide contour. I lined up the shadow on one page and the actual label on another leaving the page eye(open template) on first so that I can see between the pages to line up the cup as I wanted the swirls to coincide. Then I grouped the shadow and the swirl so that they move together. I did this to the next page too. Of course in the final file I moved it almost to the last and named it brown!! as that's what I wanted to cut the layer out of.
I wanted the swirl to cut as I wanted to sandwich a plastic in between the shadow and the label to give a smoke like effect. It kind of looks cool  - Live! But the camera doesn't capture it quite as well. You can see what I am talking about in the close up pics of the card.
Here is  page called brown (last  but one page  in the file)

Now the next two pages is what I have for using marker. I could have used similar technique to write directly on the card itself which I do many a times but here  I wanted it to cut separately . So what I have done is added the shadow on one page and using the template the word/phrase on another perfectly aligned (using the template feature ie eye at the top open between these two pages) . I write ie add the marker and cut with the 1st page (here even though I have named penbrown I have used a blue pen ). Then do not press Unload the mat but Return to Design and then go to the next page (or whichever page you have designed) and this time change the marker for the blade cartridge (careful - practice!!) and cut the shadow.

Here's close up of the line up - image zoomed. Can you see the outline in grey of the shadow. This is how you use the template feature and the same way I aligned the swirl (cup hidden afterwards) on the 2 labels.

Here's the shadow

zoomed

And lastly the cup itself. I did fatten it up a bit by unlinking the golden chain and using hide and contour for the swirl! as I did not want that to cut..

So here we go the close ups.

I have used the opague soufle marker to doodle the blue small stars/snowflakes or whatever design border that is on the brown label as it seemed kind of plain. The tiny snowflakes 6 of them - well what was left over cuts from the border of the envelope. I have also brushed the brown paper with gold foil pen a little here and there to give a shine. Looks nice and gives a texture like ones found in washi or ricepapers!

I have used the opaque marker on the button too to unite the composition and then tied a little bow with crochet thread. Well if I had hidden the hole to begin with I could have used a nice brad but well-sometimes accident happens and they do good.I like the country warm feel of button!!

I have sandwiched the plastic between the blue shadow (top layer as there are 2 blue shadows one with swirls and one plain for the pocket to sit on) of the label and the brown as you can see here

And the pocket itself

Here for the pocket I wanted it open so i cut of the closing cover. You will know when you assemble. But if you can leave it on. My pipe cleaner will block it falling out but you can leave it on. I have pushed the pocket/box as far back to the label (which I also scored so it opens easily) . As it is thick I needed to tier the pop dots to 2 layers and to make so that it does not show I butted the pocket far back and added glue to the top side of the pocket and stuck it to the top label flap. i have also added some gold foil pen here and there n the blue to blend and unite.

Here is the pipe cleaner also bent and attached at the top and the sides (with glue dots)

Well we are almost near the end
the inside

The greetings were first written in blue and then I felt the inside was empty so I wrote with brown copic

So that's for today the Bevy (Beveragy!! Season Greetings) card and envelope

File cane be downloaded from the gypsy file tab in the menu
Happy New Year and Merry Christmas to you' ll (said with same accent like Chief Brenda from The Closer ) !! Be sure to leave me some Luv' in the way of your comments. I love to read and I cherish them so much!! Makes me warmer than this beverage will ever do :)

woo hoo an blog award!

I received this award from 2 persons

Melody from http://asplashhereandthere.blogspot.com/
and Beth from http://217creations.blogspot.com/

Thank you!! Both of you. It is truly a honor!!
Now you all know a lot about me. Any more and you will start hating me :) if you do not already!!
And whom do I give it to
All the designer's in Tuesday Treats!!! and The Bug Bytes!!
It is not easy putting your work for inspection and sharing your dear creations!!  But you all do!! You brave souls!! So in turn I pass it to you all!! You so deserve it!