Monday, December 29, 2008

Wild Card Cart

I have just received my Wild Card Cartridge. I put off buying any new cartridges because I make most things with Inkscape and SCAL now. Just before Christmas I was ordering some mats though and I was tempted by Wild Card and Storybook. Still waiting on Storybook but that's another story. I have just sat and read through the Wild Card booklet and OMG! This cart is so much more than a card making cart. It has the funkiest icons that would look great on so many scrapping pages. I am so glad I bought this cart/ DO you know what the best thing is? Dh and dd #1 are "camping" (in the back yard) tonight and so I can cut away and play with the card styles and icons etc!! Look for some posts of cards in the not too distant future.

Eyelet Scalloped Square

You may remember my Pirate page from the other day. I used a piece of the eyelet scalloped Bazzill on it and really liked the effect. Last night I was playing around in Inkscape and decided to make an eyelet scalloped square. I have it available for downloading here As always these files are for cutting on the Cricut using SCAL.

Hope you all had a great Christmas. Ours was a family affair and it was great to catch up with people we rarely see. We spent Boxing Day up Mt Buffalo and I can't think of a better way to spend the day after Christmas - certainly better than the post Christmas retail frenzy.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Fiskars Finger Tip Knife

The January Scrapaholics technique is cutting by hand using the Fiskars Finger Tip Knife. This tool really helps you to cut well. I don't often use a craft knife because I'm really not that adept at cutting with one but this tool makes it much easier. The tool is included in the January kit along with some simply stunning Crate Paper from the Prudence Collection. The Temperance die cut paper is my favourite and so I stretched it across 3 layouts. I'm really happy with how these layouts turned out. I will be demonstrating this kit in Balldale on January 7th and Albury on January 30th. Email me for details.





These 3 layouts count as challenge 13.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Gift Cards

Challenge 13 is finally completed. Considering how straight forward it is I took a while. I decided to give my day care mum a set of cards. I thought that would be a gift that is useful but in a good way. I don't really know her interests enough to buy her a present that I know she will use and so I hope this present hits the spot. I know she has a mother and 2 daughters and a son so I tried to make cards to suit these people. I also included a couple of Christmas cards just in case she was caught short (or to start planning 09!). I am going to box them up in a nice sturdy box so they will be protected all year. The box is my next project!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Divine gift bags

Challenge 12 is here and at this rate I may be done well before my end of year time line. However, once again I have been side tracked. I was all set to finish my day care mum's gift when Dan posted this gorgeous purse shaped gift box on his blog. I made one and showed my daughter and she immediately had the great idea of making these for her little friends. So here they are:




The svg file is available as this week's freebie on Dan's blog. I don't have a 12x24 mat and so these are cut on my Cricut using a 12x12 inch mat. This is the largest box you could cut on this size mat but it is a perfect size for a few chocolates. Make them for your work mates and put in some ferrero rocher chocolates or some home made fudge, make them for the teen girls in the family and put in some lip gloss or nail polish. A great file and a nifty little bag which is so easy to put together.

I have used a range of papers, we chose ones that were heavier weight papers. These are mostly Basic Grey and American Crafts, the Christmas one is Kaisercraft.

Now to find an equally cool box to make something for the boys she is friends with, anyone got any great ideas? Then I really must finish the gift for my daughter's day care mum!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Challenge 11: An svg Christmas tree

I got side tracked again! I have been working on a gift for my daughter's daycare mum and that was to be my 11th challenge, but it isn't ready yet. If I had spent the night working on it, instead of designing in Inkscape, I would have had it ready. But lucky for those of you with Sure Cuts A Lot, I designed instead. I have an svg file of a Decorative Christmas tree. As you can see, it is certainly not your typical Christmas tree. This tree is made using a couple of dings and then modified in Inkscape. I am really happy with the final product, hope you like it.



If you would like to use it you will find the file available here. I think it would look good on a card - mmmmm haven't made cards this year {dropping my head in shame}

Now to get back to the Christmas present!

Monday, December 8, 2008

Advent treats

I have eventually got myself organised and made my little Advent packages. Here are a few photos of them hanging on our tree.





My 3 year old finds them to be very tempting but so far is showing great restraint. I only made 12 as Emily is already finding the wait for Christmas to be long. This way the excitement will be heightened in the last 12 days!

I made another set of these with cardstock weight scrapbooking paper and they kept popping open, so I decided to use light weight paper. The paper is Sandy Lion, London Town and it was in the December Scrapaholics kit.

The tenth challenge is complete so 5 more to go. I am starting to find it a bit harder to get to these projects as there are so many other things to be done. However, I have already decided what my next challenge will be.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Ahoy there

My daughter absolutely loves this local park which has some official boring name, after an ex mayor or some such. The first time we went there she christened it the 'Pirate Park'. Whenever we drive anywere in the vicinity of this park she asks if we can go to the 'Pirate Park' so this layout is for her.



The skull is from My Crafty Files and the font for the title is Windlass. I have only recently learnt about opening a true type font and using it in SCAL without actually installing it. Installing too many fonts really slows down your computer. Both the title and skull were cut on the Cricut using SCAL.The cardstock is Bazzill.

At times I spend hours on the detail in layouts but often I find simple is good. I have way too many photos to spend hours on every layout. This will mean project 9 is done!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Challenge 8: Girl gift album

I love these word albums from MOSD I posted a boy album back in October and I have eventually got around to doing my girl album. This is a gift for my mum, so I hope she isn't reading my blog or she won't be at all surprised.









Monday, December 1, 2008

Dec 1 and the countdown has begun

I have only managed 5 projects so far so I really must get busy. I do have a few half finished though so stay tuned.

I had a few dinosaur chipboard accents left over after making the Boy word book and I decided to make them into cards. These cute cards are very simple but they look so effective and I am sure any young boy would be thrilled to receive them as birthday cards.



I also decided to make a card for a teen male, a much harder audience. I went for something a bit grunge inspired.



My list so far then
1. Wreath
2. Kaisercraft Days Til Christmas Tree
3. Christmas Morning layout
4. Joy Layout
5. Happy Holidays Layout
6. Dinosaur cards
7. Grunge card

Dino card embellishments are Basic Grey Archaic, Guitar Embellishment is cut on the Cricut using a guitar svg I got from Denise's blog