12 Tags of Christmas - 2024

 Here we go again! I really do love this challenge. Each time I start it I tell myself I don't have to do all 12; even if I do five it's ok. But, in the end I normally get all 12 done. So, here we go.

Tag #1
I got this idea on Pinterest, then added the wording labels and snow falling. I made the holly berries with glossy accent with red glitter. The rest of the cuts were made with basic shapes in SCAL.

Tag #2
The middle image is from Creative Fabrica, with layered backgrounds.

Tag #3
Images from Creative Fabrica. 5 different layers print-2-cut. Merry Camping!

Tag #4
Another image from Creative Fabrica. The ornaments and the star on the tree are print-2-cut.

Tag #5
This one cam from the front of an SVG Cuts card.

Tag #6
Designed this one myself with images from Creative Fabrica. Digi paper from Carta Bella. Base of tag is from SCAL library.

Tag #7
This one is a Christmas cracker ornament. Panels made print-2-cut, and trees added on the top of them.

Tag #8
I made this tar from an oragami youtube I saw. I made it into a cut file, and then adhered the two four-point stars on top of each other.

Tag #9
This cute little cardinal cut file came from Simply Crafty SVGs (Critters Christmas Block Box Set). I made it a bit more narrow to make it more tag shaped.

Tag #10
This little gnome image cut file is from Creative Fabrica. I removed the trees in the background and added a separate svg strand of lights. I combined some of the svgs and ended up with about 5-6 pieces total.

Tag #11
I got the idea of this one from Pinterest. It's a simple one, but cute. The fern is cut from SVG Cuts' 3D Wintergreens.

Tag #12
This is another Pinterest inspired tag. Image in Circle is extracted from digi paper and designed in Affinity Photo, then saved as png and traced in SCAL. The  writing on the scalloped circle was typed on a path. Digi paper is from Sherry K Designs.

Merry, Merry Christmas!

 

A Couple of Christmas Crafts - 2024

This is what I made for 15 great nieces and nephews. It's a little tag that I designed in Affinity Photo, each with the kids names on them. I used one of the  plastic lipstick hang tag holders. I rolled cash in each one.

I bought some small muslin bags in a bunch of sizes to personalize for some Christmas gifts. This is a sample of the ones I made.

Merry Christmas, Kids!

It's Movie Night with EB!

 My early Christmas present was a TV that I could set up in our guest room (formerly our daughter's room) as a movie room for the grandboys. I made some fun elements to enhance our movie experience (that's a bit dramatic...ha ha).

I had some vintage movie images that I bought on Etsy. The first thing I made was this white board/marquee. We can write what we're watching when we have weekly movie nights with popcorn.

I made some fun signs to dress up the movie area. There's a clapper, movie camera, popcorn this way sign, concession stand, seating this way sign and a film strip with some of the series/movies we watched.

I got Emmett his own soft blanket because he was always trying to take mine. So, here we are with our reusable popcorn boxes with our cozy blankets ready for movie night.

This way to the restroom!

Our movie screen, with the marquee, some movie tickets and our Movie Night sign. Oh, and the movie film reel.

And, the goofy little man with our marquee sign showing the movie fare for the evening.

Just Go to the Movies, Just Go to a Picture Show Oh!

Halloween Lanterns - 2024-plus Simple Treat Boxes

Here are three simple Halloween lanterns that were made with free files from, I believe, Creative Fabrica. It doesn't require much glue, if any, but I did use some to prevent movement of the tabs.

Here are a few treat boxes I made just for fun. My printer was running out of ink, so printed in pink. I thought they were still cute so I left them. These were a free printable, but I can't remember from where. I converted it into an SVG print-2-cut file.

Happy Boo!

Summer Birthdays - 2024

The idea for this card, made for my  sis-in-law, came from Simply Simple Stamping. I'm not a stamper. I use Affinity Photo for designing images and then trace and cut them using my Solo cutting machine and SCAL6 software. 

This is a pretty easy pattern, and it was fun making the patterns.

This next card was made for another sis-in-law. She's an amazing crafter who makes gorgeous cards and incredible photo books. I put this card together without any pattern. All patterned paper I use (on most all cards on my blog) were made with digital paper that I printed myself.

The last one was for my bff. It's a simple little enclosure card. You can find the free pattern on Simply Crafty SVGs, Perfect Together.  I altered it to read Happy Birthday. This birthday is actually not until November, but wanted to group it in here.

Happy 2024 Birthday! 

Gradulations 2024

Six graduations happening in 2024; three high school and three college. The pattern is by Simply Crafty SVGs. I did make an alteration, as the pattern is for a box card. Since I was mailing these out and wanted to keep them as sleak as possible, I converted these to a traditional single-fold card.

These were each and fun to make. I went online and got the logos (as many as I could find) for their respective schools and put that on the front of the card. I used the school colors for each as well.

Happy Future to You All!

Spring Tag Challenge 2024

Here we go again! Five tags with "spring" theme for the eCal, SCAL and Create Facebook page. 

Tag #1: First posted was a bee hive, the cut file being a portion of a design from Simply Crafty SVGs' Buzzing Bees Box Card. I added a little hang tag hole at the top.

Tag #2 - A real simple tag here, again by Simply Crafty SVGs.

Tag #3 - I made this one for my sis-in-law's birthday. Will finish off the back or make a folded open card for the sentiment. The printed flowers in the ovals were a font, as was the flower in the center of the tag.  Then print-2-cut on my cutting machine.

Tag #4 - The tag idea for this one came from Pinterest. However, I made the carrots myself. I used air-dry modeling clay and formed the carrot portion with little lines across. I cut some pine tree leaves and rolled them up and stuck them into the top of the carrot. I let the carrots dry for a full day. Painted them orange, and after dry I used to some light brown over the crevice area, then wiped the light brown off, leaving it only in the lines.

Tag #5 - Not sure where a saw a tag idea on this one, but redesigned all parts of it myself. Lots of layers and foam pop-outs. Background is layered with two different digi papers.

And, that's a wrap up for spring tags, 2024.

Happy Spring!

Sunny is 5!

 Can't believe my youngest grandson is 5 years old. And, a funnier or sweeter little guy I've never known.

He began to get very interested in Harry Potter, although he has not seen the movies or read the books. However, his older brother, age 9, finished all books and has now seen all the movies. My daughter has made both of them their own wizard capes. So, that's why I made him this card for the occasion.

This card has a double-walled front inside of which are chibitronics lights. These are made to work by negative/positive copper tape that engages with a battery and the small triangle-shaped lights. The battery is made so that where the copper tape is there is a flap (either paper or acetate) that is set so the copper tape does not engage until you push down in that area. For more info, you can check out You Tube tutorials for chibitronics. In the photo you can see the larger glitter star is the place where you push down to engage the copper and light the stars up. I added silver vellum behind the stars so it diffuses the light a bit.

All of the writing and the sun is done with gold htv, which I pressed onto the cardstock in my heat press. Yes, you can use htv on paper! Looks like embossing.

After I had purchased an HP-related gift, which I wrapped with HP paper, he changed the theme of his birthday to Spidey (baby Spiderman, I guess?). So, I made him a t-shirt to wear at his birthday party.  I altered the Spidey image and  added the balloon with the "5" to go along with it.

I also designed some digital paper to wrap his other gift and the gift bag for the t-shirt.

And, that's it! 

Happy Birthday, Sunshine!

A New Baby on the Way!

My daughter's dear friend, Rachel, had a baby shower, so I wanted to send something along for her since I could not make it.

I've made many of these onesie boxes over the years, which you can see if you scroll down the blog. It's been a while, but I was so happy to make it for her.

The cut file for the onesie box comes from SVG Cuts' 3D Numbers Party SVG Kit. It's the cupcake box, which holds four cupcakes. However, I made panels and added onesies which I decorated two with HTV and two with Jet Pro SoftStretch.

I make lots of reinforcements inside and out to make the box really strong. After opening the gift, they can take out the onesie insert, and use the box as a memory box or for anything they wish.

The darling deer, giraffe and elephant images were painted by our dear friend, Regina Benedetti. She's an amazing artist.

Here are the HTV onesies I decorated.

And, these are pressed using Jet Pro soft stretch.

Once the onesies are rolled up, I stick a baby sock into each one to act as "the cherry on top" of the cupcake.

We wish Rachel only the best, and can't wait to see baby Powell.♥

Happy, Happy Baby!