Finished the cards I was hired to make!

It's not as much fun as u would think! Now I get to do what I want to do! Actually, I'll be making cards for a friends fund-raising auction....but I feel this is what I need to do next.

So here are the cards I made. Dear hubby helped me with the birthday card for the guy in the Navy. Used the Stand and Salute cartridge on this one.



I had some wavy 'foil-like' paper that I just had to use--so found a boarder with little boats and water--and I think it works!

I like the way the frame looks and cut it in blue and white and just used the white hat--"lightly" inked around it so it wouldn't get lost in the phase. The button in the right top corner I pick up in a pack a long time ago. I came close several times to throwing it out--but it has and anchor on it and worked great.



The other birthday card is one for a guy that has a birthday on Halloween! I used the layout and cut-outs that Mary at Cardz TV made last year. The cartridge used was Paper Doll Dress-up. I added the google eyes in the background--thought that gave it a 'spooky' look too!



I don't remember where I got the 'happy birthday-the 50 candles or the cup cake' If I find them later I will update!.




Both these cards are made 8 1/2 x 5 1/2--and had to make lots of adjustments on my sizing.


Hint: Use cute buttons for accents--just use scissors or wire cutters to cut off the hooping thing on the back--and a extra tip--put your hand and button and scissors/wire cutters in a bag--so if it goes flying off--it's in the bag and you don't have to go looking for it! I use a large (gallon?) zip-lock top bag. Sometimes I have to use a nail file to smooth the back down to flat.

Remember--I thrive on comments!!!!

Until next time!!

Hugs--Storylady

I just save my hubby a boat load of money...

I learned how to make my words print in a cirlce! I just did a 'Happy Birthday to you' and 'Joy to the World' and Merry Christmas. I was just getting ready to order from 'JustRite Stampers' some really cool stuff--and will probably put it on my Christmas list, but so happy to do this cheaply on things I already have!!!!


Here are were I got the directions, but I had to 'tweek' it a little because I have Word 2003, very old--but I know how to use it and love it!

Here are my pix-sorry they are so bad, my batteries are dead in my camara so I took these with my new phone and had to figure out how to upload to the computer...so excited--when I get my Cricut Expression back--I can use my center cut and put decorations around it with the Gypsy or Design Studio!







Still tweeking them--going to make templates for size and shape! Lovin' it!


Great for my cardmaking!

Ideas flowing through my mind!

Hugs--Storylady (Linda)

I had an Epiphany!

Mom would be so proud that I spelled that correctly! I'm not a good speller. I once told my mother that I'm not that bad of a speller, my vocabulary was just too large--which she came back with, 'anybody smart enough to come up with that kind of an excuse can learn to spell'--but that never happened--thank goodness for spell-check!

Anyway, back to my epiphany--pizza boxes! Those of you following my blog, know I am Cricutless--not a place any of us want to go--but I have been sorting and organizing paper and supplies!

I started sorting my plain cardstock scraps in LARGE ziplock bags. I've been starting Christmas cards and hoarding Christmas paper and found I have quite a bit--and we had Pizza Hut pizza--the lights went on--I cleaned the bottom--taped down part of a plastic bag (just in case there was some oil--and there it was--would hold my 12x12 papers. So I will decorate one for Christmas papers and then travel on!

I also have an idea going through my head to store all my 8 1/2 x 11 color cardstock. The expandable file-folders! I'm going to be so organized!

I was going to.......

make some cards with some stamps I got at Michael's that Mary at Cardz TV made 2 cards Hand of a friend and Sweet Flowers Thank You with, but I was surfing through some of the wonderful blogs of ladies that make beautiful cards and give great hints and tips.

I stopped by Creations with Christina and saw a great storage tip on scraps that won a contest, so hubby got me some large zip lock bag and I started trimming and sorting! So I got alot of work done that I would not have gotten done if my Cricut had been here, but I still misssed it!

Great tip and more work than you can imagine--but I do believe I'll reach for those scraps more often! (not that I have a huge shortage on paper!)

So, if I run across anymore great ideas, I'll post them!

Coughing cruds again....

but I have a pig card cut out and two Father's day cards cut out! Hubby actually asked me to make one for his father. My father is in heaven, but he is with our Father!

I'll post pictures later.

Just wanted to let you know, I'm still lerking around. Thanks for the visits--I love the comments and you wonderful ladies that share your videos, pictures and instructions.

I did have a nice lady give me a hint that I knew, but really haven't been doing.

HINT: Store your stamp-pads upside down and the ink will be brighter because it is all at the surface.

New projects....

In a pickle? I thought this was sooo cute...some didn't agree, but I'm sending it to my mom how is rehab for a broken hip! These are my fake buttons--going to use yarn and pop-dots next time. This is from the "Just Because" cards cartridge.

Getting there card is also from the Just Because cartridge....also a great card for my mom 'getting' through rehab for her broken hip...so she can get home!

This is going to have a flower added in the upper left hand corner--next time I'll make the dog bigger--sending this to Operation Write Home!

Yep--another one for my "Mudder"! She'll love it! We had a milk cow on the farm in Kentucky where I spent my early growing years! That old cow wouldn't stay out of our garden and she loaded Daddy's shot gun and shot her in the hind-quarters! She didn't get back in that garden for a L-O-N-G time! This is my favorite new cartridge- Create a Critter! So much fun!

This is a cool bird and will send this (plus several others similar to OWH). This is from my expensive new cartridge (normally order on Internet on sale or ebay) Straight from the Nest. It is an exclusive to HSN and must be bought on TV or their on line store. Love this cartridge.

Got some cute little stamps from Archiver's in St. Louis. I'm waiting for some from Pink Stamper!

Hint time again:

Go to 'Obsessed with Scrapbooking' and download and print out the 'Cricut cutting guide' that you can attach to the inside of the top of your Cricut! It works! Thanks Joy!

A Birthday Card...

for my dear friend. I made it into a 'gift card holder' (Michaels) with just a few slits! She scrapbooks, so I know she will appreciate the time it took!



Love you Shelly!

HINTEver search for the right words for a card. Click Here to go to a free website with Verses 4 Cards.

Another 8 cards for OWH.....

Operation Write Home....do something for our soldiers, they appreciate it. You can't see it, but I bought borders for the Cuttlebug. I love it--it says 'with love'.

Here is an update to the Major's post.

HINT:Ever have to play with the cutting blade pressure or depth to get the right cut for your cardstock or paper? Ever wasted any of your favorite paper? Well, if you go to Above Rubies Studio website and go to the upper righthand corner and download her Cricut Cutting Guide for free! While you're there, check out her website! Morgan is great--one of my favorite sites.

Ever wonder if what you do is silly or ...

are you really serving. I want to be obediant to God. He had me crocheting and knitting for a long time, but my arthritis has gotten very painful in my hand, so hubby got me a Cricut to help with my card ministry. Then I found out about OWH (Operation Write Home) and started making cards for soldiers.

Today on facebook, this was posted from the OWH site: click here

I must tell you I cried. So ladies---please send those cards---the soldiers DO appreciate them and I think God is smiling!

Another Hint!
HINT: This White 'shadow box' made a HUGE improvement in my picture quality of the cards I make. The directions are listed on OWH page. Click here.

Thank you Mary....

Look at 3 of the eight cards I made today! I did them like Mary's on Cardz Tv, but started changing things around a little.

These are going to our soldiers via OWH.

I'm going to start adding tips and hints of stuff that I have found that is useful.

Hint:On youtube a lady posted to use Baby Wipes to remove tiny bits of paper off of the Cricut Mat that hold our paper. I tried this to two I was about ready to pitch and it worked. In fact, that was about 6 weeks ago and I'm still using them (plus I use them to wipe off my stamps!)

Hope that helps! I'll add more next time!