How Do You Forget About Your Own Blog?!

As you can see, the last post I made was the first of what was to be 2 or 3 posts back in June 2010. For some reason, I never finished the series of posts and I managed to somehow forget all about this blog. How does that happen?!

The only thing I can think of is that there was a lot going on in my life and family at that time. In fact, it's only been these last two years that I've managed to figure out some stuff and get a handle on it all. That's a post for another day, though.

When I first started this blog, I used my Cricut Expression a lot. I still have it and it still works but it's been packed away for about two years or so. Last Christmas, the Hubster gave me a Cricut Explore. I was soooo excited to get it. I unpacked that sucker, set it all up, figured out how to use Design Space and import all my cartridges then...it just sat there. And sat. And sat. And sat some more. At least, until a few days ago. I finally fired that puppy up and used it for the first time. I absolutely LOVE IT! Design Space is awesome and the machine is super quiet compared to the Expression.

I've been itching to get back into papercrafting and swaps. I love swapping and was excited to see what was out there now that the Explore was out. I was saddened to see that there wasn't much activity. Or, at least not like there used to be. And what was out there didn't interest me.

During my googling of swaps and papercrafting, I came upon something called Pocket Letters. I'm hooked! I've created ten in the last 2-3 weeks and there is no end in sight. Check back after Thanksgiving because I can't wait to post about PLs and show a few that I've created. Until then, check this out: http://janettelane.blogspot.com/2015/02/what-are-pocket-letters.html

Weeks 1-4 of the Twilight Swap

Week 1 - ATC

I made two ATCs because I couldn't decide on one. :) The first is called "Bound". I chose the title because Edward and Bella would forever be together. I absolutely LOVE the pic I used. I didn't do much embellishing because I wanted the emphasis to be on the picture and the quote.

I printed the picture and the quote on glossy photo paper. The photo was cropped at shorter width than a typical trading card so that I could use the patterned paper behind it. The picture is adhered to the paper with 4 small brads. The quote was printed in a script-y font and reads:

"The bond forged between us was not one that could be broken by absence, distance, or time. And no matter how much more special or beautiful or brilliant or perfect than me he might be, he was as irreversibly altered as I was. As I would always belong to him, so would he always be mine."
Bella Swan, New Moon, Chapter 24, p.527

I pop-dotted that up above the photo to give the card some depth, then added 3 skittles in Currant (can be purchased from Jamie) along the top.

The second ATC, entitled "Two Thoughts", didn't turn out quite like I imagined. I liked the idea behind it so Erica received it anyway. :)

The pic is printed at full ATC size (2.5 x 3.5 inches) and the quotes are printed at...I can't remember! The pic is of the Cullens in the cafeteria. As you can see, Edward is staring (or glaring according to Bella), at Bella. The quote on the left is from Twilight and says:

"He was glaring down at me again, his black eyes full of revulsion. As I flinched away from him, shrinking against my chair, the phrase if looks could kill suddenly ran through my mind."
Bella Swan, Twilight, Chapter 1, p.24

The quote on the right if from Midnight Sun and says:

"I could hear nothing but silence from the place she was sitting. Nothing at all. I felt a moment of unease."
Edward Cullen, Midnight Sun, Chapter 1, p.6
Download file from www.stepheniemeyers.com

The quotes are pop-dotted up and a red, sheer ribbon between the quotes. Two sets of three red-colored skittles finish it off. (I think the skittles are a color called Chili Pepper and are also from Jamie.)

I really like the contrast of Edward and Bella's thoughts at this particular moment in time. He is frowning because he can't "hear" her while she thinks he is glaring at her.

I sure wish Stephenie would finish Midnight Sun!

Week 2 - Altered Item

My altered item for Erica was a wooden box that I purchased from Hobby Lobby.

I took all the hardware off of the box and painted it with a couple of coats of dark red acrylic hobby paint - inside and out. The hardware received a coat of flat black spray paint. After the box dried, I wrapped it in a length of lace material (also from HL), tied it in a knot at the bottom, then spray painted through the lace with the flat black spray paint. Some areas I applied the paint heavier, others lighter. You can see the detail in the above pic. I then coated it with a couple of coats of a clear spray paint, the reattached all the hardware.

The inside bottom and top of the lid is lined in a cranberry felt that I purchased from Hobby Lobby. I added a chipboard swirl and Erica's initials to the lid, then lined the perimeter of the lid in a a length of this jeweled-like stuff I bought from Hobby Lobby. It doesn't have a name on the spool. The bottom of the box is lined with ribbon as well.



Erica's initials were cut out of a manila file folder using the Winter Woodlands cartridge. I painted the letters with a black acrylic paint with a little pearl paint additive mixed in. After that dried, I used the same pearl additive as ink to stamp the swirly pattern on top. The E & M are adhered directly to the lid, but the K is pop-dotted so that it sits above the E & M. I used extra glue on the pop dots.

I finished the box off by adding the black lace around the lip and adding the swirled rhinestones to the top.

Week 3 - 2 ITTs

2 inchies, 2 twinchies and 2 trinchies - I used Photoshop to create all of these. Each has a quote from the books or saying associated with Twilight. All of the hearts and the apple are pop-dotted.

Week 4 - Paper Bag Album

This was one of my favorite items!! This is a waterfall paper bag album. I really didn't know what I was doing, and I can't remember exactly what I did! I couldn't really find directions on the web for one, so I winged it. Hopefully, I'll be able to recreate it.

I'll let the pictures do the talking:












Weeks 5-8 will be posted sometime soon.

Twilight Swap!!!

Did I have fun completing this partner swap hosted by TheSilentScrapper from the Cricut message board!!

I'll post details of the individual items later. For now, here is a list of what we had to make:

* An ATC (Artist Trading Card)
* Alter an item
* 2 each of ITTs (Inchies, Twinchies, Trinchies)
* Paper bag album
* Charm bracelet
* 5 cut outs or embellishments
* T-shirt
* 5 greeting cards
* A game
* A journal
* 2 bookmarks
* A surprise item

Mo Manning "Bat Cat" Card

I joined a Mo Manning card swap on the Cricut messageboard a couple of months ago. I had to make 10 identical A2 cards using one of Mo Mannings digital stamps. When I saw Bat Cat, I knew I had to have it! I love cats and I love Halloween!

So, I purchased Bat Cat along with about 3 other stamps of hers. Her work is incredible. The purchase and download went super easy.

I used Photoshop Elements to resize the image to around 3x3 inches, then placed four on one 8.5x11 blank template. I printed on cardstock and then used my circle cutter to cut the cats out at 4".





I used watercolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits to color and blend the image. I wanted to give the image a spooky, nighttime feel. I didn't quite accomplish what I had envisioned, but it came close. After it was completely colored, I inked the edge of the circle.




While in Photoshop, I also cropped the mask only from one of the resized bat cats. I placed 12 of these on a blank 8.5x11 template and printed. I colored each of the masks black using the OMS and watercolor pencils. I cut them out, leaving a small tab with which to hold onto the mask. I applied a layer of my favorite glue and covered them in black glitter. After dry, I cut the tab off, then adhered the masks to the top of the colored image using pop dots.




To make the card, I cut an 8.5x11" sheet of black card stock in half, then folded both ends in to the middle. I cut the patterned paper to fit the front folds of the card, inked the edges and glued it down. I glued the image to the right side, the "Happy Halloween" sentiment on the left, then tied the ribbon around the right flap.

The sentiment was printed on 4x6 glossy photo paper using a Halloween font called Eency Weency Spider. The font is white on a dark purple background.




I'm not quite sure if this type of card has a name, but it is my spin on a joy fold card. The inside sentiment is a poem I found online but I can't find the site again to link to it.

I had so much fun making these cards!

Sweet "Rwinchies"

A lady on the Cricut message board hosted a "rwinchie" swap. She had different groups and the only one I was able to sign up for was the sweet group. Rwinchies are just round twinchies! :) (I had to ask what a rwinchie was.)

I had originally signed up with the intentions of doing something with cupcakes. However, I came across this SVG file and knew that I HAD to use it for the sweet group. Isn't it just sweet?! The kids are cut at around 1.25".

The scalloped circle is also an SVG file.

I used a pink Sharpie and faux stitched around the circle. I then adhered the kids with the teeniest, tiniest little pop dots I have ever seen and will never work with again!

After putting the kids on, it still looked plain. Soooo...they sat for awhile...

And a little longer...

And a little longer...

Then, one day I was digging around and the pink ribbon fell on top of the rwinchies that were sitting on my desk. And voila! A bow tied from pink ribbon and attached with a tiny, red heart brad as the finishing touch.

So sweet...


(I laid my faithful laptop's hard drive to rest a few weeks ago, and with it went ALL of my SVG and SCUT files. So, I have no idea where the boy & girl and scalloped circle cuts came from.)

Another Birthday Paint Can

I love making these! This is the fourth one that I have done, and I look forward to making many, many more.

This can is for Ethan. He just turned 3. He is so stinkin' cute! His mom was going to make a volcano cake, but ended up making a present cake instead. I went ahead and made the can as I had originally planned.






All cuts are from Paper Doll Dress Up except for him name, which is from Plantin Schoolbook.

'Thanks' Card

My mom wanted to give a couple of ladies in her office 'thank you' cards. Of course, being the crafty, do-it-all person that I am, I volunteered to make them for her. Oh, I had a number of days to make them, but what did I do? Yep, I waited until the last minute.

Here's what I came up with:



The cloud background was a high-res image that I found through a google search. I printed it on 4x6 glossy photo paper which I cut down to fit on, yep - you guessed it, a Paper Studios kraft card.

The branch is from Winter Woodland and the flowers are from Walk In My Garden. I cut the flowers in two different sizes, curled the petals inward and glued one on top of the other. These were glued on top of the branch.





The 'thanks' is from Walk In My Garden as well and is cut from the same red and yellow that the flowers are cut from.

Simple. Fast. Quick. Procrastination.