Fireworks ATCs

The November theme for my Artist Trading Card swap group was "Fireworks."  It may seem an odd theme for this month.  One of the members of the group is from England and we chose it in connection with Guy Fawkes Night which is celebrated on the 5th of November.  This Wikipedia article will give you lots of information about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.  In 1605, Guy Fawkes was part of a plot to assassinate King James I by blowing up the House of Lords.  The plot was foiled and he was arrested and the event is commemorated with bonfires and fireworks on November 5th.

There is a well-known poem about Guy Fawkes Day - here is the first verse

Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot ;
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

I started with some photographs of fireworks that I took when our town had the 375th birthday celebration last year. You can see the photos in this post.

I chose three of my photos and layered them together in the Creative Memories StoryBook Creator program. Then I added some text (the first line of the poem) and a border of blue with the color sampled from the blue of the fireworks.

Then I softened the edges of the image and added a glitter effect to the blue border. I had set the size at 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches (the only requirement for an ATC is that it must be this size) and I could print eight on a sheet of letter sized matte photo paper.

I adhered the photo paper to dark blue cardstock. On the back of the card, I added a firework cut from the Stand and Salute Cricut cartridge cut in the Dazzle cardstock from DCWV (I am still enjoying this incredibly sparkly paper).

We were a very small group this month so I only needed to create five cards.

I haven't forgotten about the proposal to do a "virtual" ATC swap here on the blog. I'll be posting the details for the swap after Thanksgiving.

I hope you are having a nice weekend - we are enjoying our visit with Dad and admiring the cards that some of you sent him - thanks again for that!

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Creative Charms Kit of the Month Projects

Today is my day to post on the Creative Charms blog.  I usually post some additional information about my projects here but I think I got a bit carried away and wrote most of the details in the Creative Charms post.  So I'll show you a few photos and then you can click HERE to go to the blog and see the rest.  Be sure to scroll back through the posts if you haven't been there for a while - my fellow Design Team members have been making lots of great projects to share.

 

For the Fourth of July card I combined several items to make these patriotic rosettes.

I altered the "4th of July" cut slightly to make it more square to fit the available space better.  I did this on the Gypsy and also altered the shadow to fit.  The easiest way to do this on the Gypsy is to start a second layer and use the original cut as a template for checking the reshaped shadow.

The blue Braided Daisy Medley in the kit is a great match for the colors in the DCWV "Crafty" stack.  I cut a strip from one of the papers for the band on this card.

The original "hello" cut was a little dull - it needed some "spark" to stand out and get attention.

I used my white gel pen to add some stitching and make the sentiment "pop."

 

There is a red, white and blue theme to the Kit and Deal sets this month but there are plenty of other colors to work with in the Kit (the Deal really is just red, white and blue!)

 

 

The large scalloped circle was cut with a Spellbinders die and I raised the medallion with some foam squares.

The sentiment was cut with the Cuttlebug 'Everyday Greetings" combo set. I am not usually a "pink person" but I really like the sparkly and iridescent flowers.  They work very well with the glittered cardstock from the DCWV "Music" stack.

If you have any questions about any of these cards that were not answered here or on the Creative Charms blog post, please don't hesitate to leave a comment or email me.

I am still catching up with emails and getting things in shape for the party this weekend.  I will get back to the challenges - I haven't seen any posts for the latest one so I think maybe a lot of you are super busy right now too!  I extended the time to post your project via the linky to Monday the 6th, so if you were thinking about trying the Vintage Wallpaper challenge you have a few more days.

 

We have had some crazy weather here in Massachusetts - including thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes not very far away.  I don't know why the weather has been so unusual this year.  I hope things settle into dull and normal soon - stay safe!

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Friendship Card

Over a year ago, I was asked to do some cartridge previews for ProvoCraft.  Several bloggers were sent the original set of Cricut Ticket cartridges (Home Decor, Jubilee, Simply Sweet and Stand and Salute).  We all were first attracted to the Stand and Salute cartridge because it was very different from the existing cartridges and featured a much requested patriotic theme.  Some of my overseas readers said they were not very interested in this cartridge because it was "too American."

I am a firm believer that there are so many ways you can work with the images on a cartridge that nearly any cartridge will have some use to everyone.  By using Design Studio or the Gypsy you can totally transform the images and create something new.  I used a bunting image to create this design which can be varied in width to be a border or a full card topper.

 

Here is a LINK to the post with the files and a bit more explanation on how I created the design.

I came across the largest sample cut in my craftroom.  I had never used it for a card.  I have many bits and pieces from trial cuts and projects that changed direction along the way.  I am trying to use some of these up so there will be less "creative clutter" in my workspace!  The cardstock is from the DCWV Luxury Stack and has a subtle sheen and a very pale blue design.  My card base is textured purple Bazzill cardstock.  I added some Creative Charms gradient gem stickers in a purple shade at the base of each scallop along the edges.

This butterfly was also in the "waiting area" on my craft island.  I have some old bowls and other containers where I stash pretty things to keep them handy when I need a finishing touch.  The sequin trimmed butterfly is also from Creative Charms.  It is a very large, dimensional embellishment and I would not send this through the mail without a padded envelope or other protection.

I used a foam square from Creative Memories to attach the butterfly to the card.  The adhesive is quite strong and seems to be able to handle the extra large item easily.

I thought of this card as something I might send a fellow crafter and I wouldn't mind at all if the recipient gently detached the butterfly and passed it along to someone else by including it in one of their cards.  I used the phrase "kindred spirit"  from the Cuttlebug "Friends Forever" combo set and I cut it from Core'dinations Couture glitter cardstock.  I planned to use the tiny gems to dot the "i"s so I didn't worry about retrieving them from the Cuttlebug die.

 This card will soon be on its way - on a mission to brighten the day of another crafter.  I wonder if the butterfly will travel from friend to friend on a new card each time - who knows where it might end up?!


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A Special Day - and some odds and ends...

I have an assortment of things to post about today - just skip the ones that don't apply to you! I am catching up on a variety of topics in one big post!

Camp Aunt Diane

Today was a special day because I had our nephew Scott here for "CAD" ( aka - Camp Aunt Diane).

Our twin niece and nephew were checking in for their sleep-away camp in Maine today so Scott visited me instead of spending the day riding back and forth to camp with his parents.  I took this photo of the twins before they left.  I'll let you in on a secret - I took two photos and in one Thomas shut his eyes and in the other Kathryn shut her eyes!  (remember, you can click on any photo to make it larger so you can see the details more clearly).

Digital photography came to the rescue!  I was able to use my Creative Memories Memory Manager 3.0 software to clone the face from Kathryn's "good" photo into the one where Thomas kept his eyes open.

Here is the "before" image...

and here is the "after" version.  Memory Manager is the photo editing and organization software that works as a great companion to the CM StoryBook digital scrapping software.

I have been watching the shipping notices and I think the last two people who ordered the StoryBook program through me during the sale should be receiving it shortly.  If you ordered the software through me, you should also look for an email from me in the next day or two with some proposed times for our live online help/demo session.  I am looking forward to helping you make the most of this software.

Cartridge Update for Design Studio and Gypsy

Updates to add cartridges to the Design Studio program and the Gypsy are available now.  You will notice that Celebrate with a Flourish is missing from the list of Lite cartridges.  However, it was included in the last update and when I did the newest update I did not lose Celebrate with a Flourish in my Design Studio  program.

To update your Design Studio program for the newest cartridges (Fall minis - H20, Pumpkin Carving and October 31st, 3 Birds on Parade and the Savory Cricut Lite cartridge that was missing from the last update) go to the Cricut.com site at THIS LINK and download the Font Pack update dated July 1, 2010.  You will need to log in to the site if you are not logged in.  Be sure to save and then run the update to be sure it will work properly.

To update your Gypsy, connect the Gypsy to your computer, turn it on and run the Gypsy Sync program.  Follow the prompts and don't be alarmed if it takes quite a while to finish - there is a lot of content to be added (all of the Cricut Lite cartridges and the new cartridges listed above).  Celebrate with a Flourish is missing from the Gypsy update and will be added soon.

French Manor (the new exclusive Cricut circle cartridge) will also be added to both programs soon.  You can get a good idea of the images by looking at the "European Decor" cartridge in Design Studio.

Lettering Delights Sale

If you are interested in trying some new digital content don't miss the secret sale going on right now at Lettering Delights. There are just a couple of days left to take 60% off any size order and some of the items are already on sale or in bundles which reduce the cost even further.



You can support my blog by clicking on the box above or in my left side bar to take you to the Lettering Delights site.  I will get credit for the referral.  The code to use is "Firecracker" and you can use it as many times as you like between now and midnight (MDT) July 9th to take 60% off your total order of any size.

Recipe Request

Several people asked for the recipe for the quinoa (KEEN-wah) pilaf we had on the 4th of July.  It came from the Hannaford (a local supermarket) magazine.  I doubled the recipe, added summer squash and didn't use the almonds.

Lemon-Rosemary Quinoa Pilaf 
serves 4

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
2 tsp olive oil
1 bunch scallions
1 red bell pepper
1/2 lb. asparagus
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 (15 to 16 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 lemon
1/4 cup sliced almonds, divided

1.  Place water and quinoa in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to maintain a simmer.  Cover and cook until all the water is absorbed, about 10 - 12 minutes.

2.  While quinoa cooks, prepare the vegetables.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Thinly slice scallions, reserving 1 tablespoons of greens, and add the rest (including white slices) to the pan, stirring slightly.  Dice the bell pepper in 1/4 inch pieces, add to the pan, and stir to mix.  Break off woody asparagus ends and discard, chop stalks into 1 inch lengths.  Add to the bell pepper, stirring to mix.  Add garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary and stir to mix.

3.  Rinse and drain chickpeas, then stir into the pepper mixture.  Lower heat to medium and continue to saute.

4.  Check the quinoa.  When most of the water is absorbed, stir to fluff it slightly.  Remove from heat and grate the zest from the lemon into the quinoa.  Stir to mix, then add quinoa to the pan of vegetables.  Squeeze the juice from the lemon - there should be about 3 tablespoons of juice.  Add to the pan, stirring to distribute.  Stir in 3 tbsp of the almonds.

5.  To serve, transfer to a serving bowl.  Garnish with reserved scallion greens and remaining 1 tbsp almonds.  Serve hot, room temperature or cold.

something new...

My friend and fellow designer/blogger Susan Edwards is introducing a new DVD set with 18 of her fabulous layout designs.  She just announced this on her blog at THIS POST and has a special pre-release price so be sure to go check it out.

Back to Camp Aunt Diane

It was a record breaking hot day all over the East Coast.  Our temperature went over 100 (depending on which of the weather forecasters you listen to).  It was so hot that Scott wasn't even interested in taking a dip in the new pool our son bought on the 4th of July.  He told me "I'm not really an outdoor kind of person..." (!)

So we kept cool in the air conditioned house.  Scott played with the Duplos that we keep in the sunroom for young visitors and then moved on to the legos in the basement.

But no day at camp could be complete without Cricuting! With just a few simple directions from me, Scott was a whiz with the Cricut and he made some military vehicles from the Stand and Salute cartridge.  In some cases we cut an extra image so he could use it for making more layers for the cuts.

He created this poster with the cuts and some very detailed background drawing.  It was a lot of work and he told me "this should be on your blog after all of the hard work I did" so I wanted to share Scott's project with you!  If you'd like to leave comments for Scott, I will make sure he sees them.

Whew!  I have a few files from recent projects that need to be posted, however, I think I will save them for tomorrow.

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Martha Stewart Score Board - Review and Giveaway

I recently received an email asking if I would like to try the Martha Stewart Score Board.  I actually had one of the boards already - I bought it in New Jersey when I was visiting my sister.  Since I hadn't really used it much, this gave me a chance to take it out and investigate a bit.  I did accept the new board so I could send it on to one lucky blog follower!

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know that I often use a Scor-Pal scoring board.  I bought mine several years ago and at the time the price was $39.95.  I believe that they are now selling for $29.95.  The list price for the Martha Stewart board is $19.95 and when I checked today the board was available for $15.39 on the Martha Stewart site HERE.  I bought mine at Michael's with a 50% off coupon and paid $10.

I am a firm believer in scoring - I score everything.  I often see videos where people fold their cards on a flat surface and just smooth the fold with a bone folder but I prefer to actually score the line before folding.  I think this gives a crisper, more professional finish.  Whenever you score, remember that you always fold toward the "mountain" of the score (the bump that goes up).

The Martha Stewart Score Board come with a bone folder and a handy envelope making tool.  The plastic is ivory in color and there are scoring lines at 1/8 inch intervals all along the board.

The envelope making tool stores neatly in the base of the board.

On the left side the board is closed.  The edges are ruled in both directions at 1/8 inch increments to match the grooves.  There is a 1/16th mark to offset the paper when you need to make a slightly different type of score.  This mark helps you make a lid to fit a box with just enough room to slide over the base.

On the right side the board is open.  It is 12 1/2 inches wide which makes it a bit more versatile.

With the larger scoring area and missing right side, you can score large items like this bag from the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge which was cut at 11 inches on a 24 inch mat.

There is a compartment at the top of the board where you can store the scoring tool and a few other items.  There is also a chart with some basic card dimensions with instructions for cutting and folding.

 At the other side of the compartment the chart gives cutting and scoring information for basic boxes.  It is quite handy to have these references.

The envelope tool makes it easy to create traditional envelopes where the sides fold in to a point.  It slides into position at the top left corner of the board.  The standard envelope sizes are listed along with the size you need to cut the paper and the scoring lines for each envelope.

The board also comes with a pamphlet that gives the directions for a card, envelope and box.

The envelope making procedure is simple - you score at the listed dimensions and turn the paper 90 degrees to complete each score.

The score lines intersect to form triangles and you snip these away with scissors.

Here is the scored and snipped paper ready to fold into an envelope for an A2 card.

You apply adhesive to the flaps and fold up the envelope.   You need to be careful that you don't put any adhesive beyond the limits of the overlaps.

The envelope you make is large enough to accommodate a card with bulky embellishments like these buttons.

I followed the directions and made an envelope for a 6 inch square card.  The procedure is exactly the same but the paper will extend over the top edge of the scoring area.

The finished envelope leaves a bit of room all around the card - a very comfortable fit.

One of the main reasons I bought the Scoring Board was to have the ability to score in small even intervals as easily as possible.  The lines on the Scor-Pal are mostly 1/2 inch apart which is fine for some, but not all projects.

 I wanted to do some paper pleating to make rosettes.  I cut strips of paper about one inch by 12 inches.  I was able to make score marks at 3/8 inches and then every 6/8ths of an inch beyond that.  (I counted one, two, three, score, one, two, three, skip across the top.

Then I flipped the paper and scored in the opposite direction on all of the "skipped" lines.  This creates a pattern of "mountain" and "valley" fold lines.

Each strip is accordian folded as shown.   The scoring makes it quick and easy to get an accurate fold.

The two strips are adhered together with an "up" fold matching a "down" fold.

 When both ends are joined the circle looks like this.  You need to compress the folds and flatten the circle to form the rosette.

I cut a scrap piece of cardstock at 1 1 /2 inches square and added adhesive and a large glue dot.

I aligned the pleated paper and pressed the rosette into the glue.

This is the back side of the rosette.

You can add any decorative center that you like. The sequin cluster flower is from Creative Charms.

The score board is also helpful in making sure that your card has square corners and that your added layers are correctly aligned.

The scores and folds produce a nice crisp rosette or pleated flower.

The blue and white dotted paper is by Martha Stewart, the red gingham is discontinued Creative Memories paper and the center polka dot brad is from Creative Charms.  I added the "4th of July" cut at 2 1/2 inches from the Stand and Salute Cricut cartridge.

I found that the performance of the Martha Stewart Score Board was very similar to the Scor-Pal.  The folds did seem to be sharper and I think this is due to the thinner edge of the included bone folder.  You would need to be careful not to apply too much pressure and tear the paper if you were scoring lightweight paper.

The most used scoring lines (such as the 4 1/4 inch mark for a vertical A2 card) are not distinguished in any way.  You could add a dot or sharpie mark to help you find the lines you need on a regular basis.  I liked the envelope maker and the fact that all of the most used information is at your fingertips (no need to check a printed guide or look up measurements online).

I think that the Martha Stewart Score Board is a useful addition to the craftroom.  Even if you already have a Scor-Pal you will find the "extra" lines are very helpful and eliminate the need to shift the paper between scores. On a purely aesthetic note, I like the ivory color better than the gray of the Scor-Pal. The price is extremely reasonable and you are quite likely to be able to buy it using a coupon for an even better deal. 

GIVEAWAY:

I would like to send the brand new Martha Stewart Score Board that was sent to me to one of my readers.  All you need to do is to leave a comment on this post.  If you would like to follow my blog or become a subscriber and receive daily email updates please sign up at the top of the right side column.  Please leave only one comment and be sure that there is a way for me to contact you (message board name, blogger profile or email address with "at" and "dot" written out to help avoid the possibility of spam reaching you).  Thanks to Martha Stewart Crafts for providing the Score Board for the giveaway.

I will draw a winner on the 4th of July from all of the comments left before 11:59 p.m. July 3rd (Eastern Daylight Time).

I'll be sharing a few more projects using this tool during the next week or two.  The possibilities that the full set of score lines create are very interesting.


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