Fab'n'Funky Challenges #164 - Boxed In

Hi Crafties,

We are on Wednesday again!  It'll be summer soon!  Okay, I've really jinxed it now!  I really feel for all the people who have been battling the snow.  We've been so lucky so far and are enjoying some sunshine this week.  It is ever so cold though. 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges are back with a brilliant new challenge.  We have announced last week's winner and Top 3 over on the blog if you fancy checking it out.

For this week, our host is the talented Ciska who always makes the inside count!  Click here to see her wonderful cards.  Ciska has chosen a great challenge and this week we are...

Boxed In

So, we would like you make a box for your project this week.  I'm sure you'll all have lots of fun with this one.  Our sponsors is the fabulous Stamp Fairy.  They have lots of cute digis over on the Stamp Fairy website - click here to head on over.

This is my boxed in project...

I've gone Christmassy!  I started by using the Tags, Bags, Boxes and More 2 Cricut cartridge and cut the box on page 47 in Coredinations cardstock at 11.5".  This one has an interlocking snowflake on top.  My image is from Stamp Fairy and is called Santa World 1.  I used ProMarkers to colour him up in Amethyst, Fuchsia Pink, Blossom, Blush, Satin, Gold and Cocoa.  For the sparkle I added Flower Soft Glitter Frosting and finally attached my image with foam pads.

I really hope you can join us at Fab'n'Funky Challenges to get Boxed In!  Be sure to take a look at my teamies creations.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Simple Christmas Tags

Hi All,

I made these tags to add to my craft stall in November.  I sold quite a few and thought I would share them with you all today as there is only a week left until the big day and these are really simple to make.

I used my Picturesque Cricut cartridge and cut the tags at 3.5" from Centura Pearl cardstock by Crafter's Companion. 

The tag on the left was stamped with Merry Christmas in silver ink and then I added a silver mirri-paper snowflake cut from Spellbinders Create a Flake Four on the Cuttlebug, topping with a blue gem.  I repeated this for the right-hand tag but changed direction and left off the gem.  I used Spellbinders 2012 Snowflake Pendant for this tag.

The centre tag was embossed on the Cuttlebug with a snowflake embossing folder on the bottom-half only to leave room to write on the back.  I used silver mirri-paper again for the snowflake from Spellbinders 2012 Snowflake Pendant.  I sure do like those snowflakes!

I used baker's twine from Creative Expressions for the ties in blue, red and green.  I'm off to add these to some parcels.  Happy wrapping!

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

The Cuttlebug Spot DT Card - Season Greetings

Hi Everyone,

I hope you've had a great week and avoided the dreaded ice.  It's been terrible here.  I don't know which is worse - the roads or the pavements! 

Thanks to those who joined us last week at The Cuttlebug Spot for our Scrap Sandwich challenge.  I loved that challenge and try to use scraps as much as possible - I certainly have enough! 

Now on to our new challenge for this week...

Season Greetings

We would like you to design a project featuring one of the four seasons - SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN/FALL or WINTER.  Simples!  We also have two great prizes this week...

First Prize:  $20.00 gift card to Joann's 

Second Prize:  $20.00 Stamps Alive online store

I did think about doing a winter themed card since I still have a ton of Christmas cards to make but then I found this super image on one of my new Cricut cartridges.  Yip, I went a bit mental and ordered 4 new cartridges - Baby Shower, December 25th, Nate's ABC and Ornamental Iron 2.  Very naughty so close to Christmas!

Anyway, enough rambling, here is my card

I started my making a stepper card on my Ultimate Pro and then attached a piece of cloudy paper to the back panel.  This was customised in Serif's Craft Artist Professional 2.  I used two different colours of Coredinations cardstock for the hills and just tore those by hand.  My sentiment stamp is from my stash.

My hot air balloons are from the Baby Shower Cricut cartridge.  I love the versatility of this cartridge as you can make so many projects that are not baby themed.  Although I love the 3-D pram on it too!  I cut one at 4", one at 3" and one at 2" from yellow cardstock and then added the banners in blue.  The two on the right were attacehd with a piece of acetate.  I attached the biggest one with Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue.  Although, I think I would have liked it on foam pads.  Hey ho!

And now for the inside...

I added another layer of the cloudy paper and Coredinations cardstock.  My sentiment layer is from Spellbinders Labels Twenty and I cut this out on my Cuttlebug.  I've left this blank for now as I don't have a recipient in mind yet.

Don't forget there are two great prizes on offer this week so why not give it a try and link up your creation.  Can't wait to see what you make.

Happy Crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenge #132 - Anything But A Card

Hi All,

I think these weeks are flying by even faster than normal just now.  Have you checked out the winner of our last challenge yet?  If not, head over to the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog.  We also have badges for the winner and Top 3 so make sure you pick one up if it's you. 

And without further ado, we have another new challenge for you at Fab'n'Funky.  I'm your host for this week and I've chosen the following theme...

Anything But A Card

You can make any project you like but just make sure there are NO cards.  We also have a really exciting new sponsor - Flonzcraft, who are stamp manufacturers from New Zealand. 

They have an amazing offer for everyone who enters our challenge this week.  Be sure to click on our challenge blog to find out more.  The challenge winner, picked at random, will also receive a $20 voucher to spend and their order will qualify for FREE shipping!  Wooo!

I made a scrapbook layout using Vintage Girl Fashion - Fifties 03 and I absolutely love this stamp.  We were such a lucky DT to receive some stamps to play with ourselves.  This one had to jump into my basket as soon as I saw it.

My papers are from the Indigo Bleu range by Pink Paislee and I bought them from Create and Craft when they had their International Craft Event.  I have been putting off using them because they are so beautiful and every one is different.  

I used Spellbinders Labels One Scalloped to frame my stamp and Labels Four for my journalling.  I've not cracked the journalling yet but I'm trying to improve.  I don't know when the photo was taken but it shows my Granny and Grandad on the right and my Granny's sister and brother-in-law on the left.  I'll have to ask my Granny if she remembers getting this picture taken.

I cut several different sized strips and then ran the light grey strip through a paper crimper for texture.  The bunting was made using an American Crafts mask.  I drew around the shape and then cut it out by hand.  The "Sisters" lettering was cut using my Cricut Expression 2 and the Paper Lace 2 cartridge. 

And here is a close up of that gorgeous stamp.

I left it uncoloured as I thought it looked more like the old images of the Fifites.  I have a great idea for my next project using it though!

Have fun creating your projects and I can't wait to visit you all and see what you've done.

Do make sure you check out the other DT members' blogs.  Their projects are amazing, as always, and I want to thank them all for sharing their creativity and being such a lovely team.

Happy crafting,

Rachel x



Sneak Peek - Baby Barker

Hi Everyone,

I have a sneak peak of a card that I made with my Cricut Expression 2.  I made this for my friend's new baby who was only born a couple of weeks ago.  I'm going to visit them tomorrow - can't wait for baby cuddles.

Yip, you guessed it - his name is Noah.  I've seen a couple of pics and he is utterly adorable.  Hope I can get a good photo tomorrow.  If you fancy taking a better look at my card, check out my Cricut blog here.

Better get a move on and make some food, then I'm off out for a fun night at my friend's house.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Cricut Sneak Peek - Art Deco

Hi Crafty Friends,

Something a bit different from me this evening.  Do any of you own a Cricut cutting machine?  Have you cut out shapes from this cartridge and that but never made anything with all those cuts?  Well I'm here to give you some inspiration!  I hope! 

It's finally clicked for me.  The books that come with the cartridges are the key!  This is just a sneak peek of a card I have made with my new Art Deco cartridge. 

Why a sneak peek I hear you ask!  Well, I have another blog dedicated to all things Cricut and I would love you to take a look.  It's not brimming with card ideas just yet but with my new lease of Cricut life it soon will be!

Hope you are all enjoying your weekends.

Happy Cricut Crafting,
Rachel x

Challenge #110 - Leap into action...

We loved looking through your entries for the Green, White and Blue challenge last week over at Fab'n'Funky Challenges.  Who knew there were so many shades of green and blue!  Thanks to everyone who entered.  Pop over to the blog to see if you were our lucky winner.

As most of you will know, we have an extra day this month, making 2012 a Leap Year!  The theme this week is based around this and we want you to...

Leap into Action

You can choose anything that leaps or jumps and this theme is perfect to let your creative juices flow and see what you end up creating.  The lucky winner will receive crafty goodness from Joanna Sheen. 

I have chosen a frog and here is my card:-

Now, I know what you're thinking - "Last week was green, white and blue!"  Well, I didn't set out to make a card with these colours but this is how it turned out and I kinda like it!  I cut a piece of the Anna Stemplewska black and white dotty paper and attached with double sided sticky tape. 

To get the water effect, I crumpled up a piece of copy paper and then inked up my speedball brayer in Big and Juicy Waterfall and ran it over the crumpled paper.  Then I bayered over the bottom part of the card.  I waited a little while to let the ink dry and then put the top half of the card inside the Happy Birthday embossing folder and passed it through my Cuttlebug.  I attached this with foam tape.  The frog was cut with my Cricut Expression 2 from the Paisley cartridge and added using foam pads.  I coloured the American seam binding with my Cyan Promarker. 

Hope this challenge does send you all hopping mad!

Happy crafting,

Rachel x