Thursday, June 30, 2016

Grad Day

As some of you may know, I work in a local high school in my hometown and since grad is on Wednesday, we are in the thick of graduation preparations!  With that in mind, the file I chose to create a couple of cards with the Graduation Bear CF Set from Paper Crafting World to make this cute little shaker card.  Love me some shakers!

Grad Bear Shaker PCW_apieceofheartblog

With the first card I used my Cricut to print then cut the cute bear a couple of times.  Then I did a basic decoupage and cut some parts of one bear to layer on top of the other bear to give it some depth.  If you look closely, you can see that the grad cap, diploma, sash, and all 4 paws are all layered. 

The shaker window was made in my Sure Cuts A Lot software by using the knockout effect to make a cut-out of a school house on a piece of patterned cardstock.  I adhered a piece of acetate to the backside and built a well using craft foam from the dollar store. I put the craft foam on my Cricut mat and used the Chipboard setting to cut 2 of the school house frames out.  I adhered them together to make the well a little deeper then adhered them to the back of the patterned paper.  I filled it with some sequins and beads and then finished it off by adhering a piece of Kraft cardstock as a base to keep the shaker pieces from falling out.  I cut out the word “Congrats” and adhered it to a white cardstock shadow and attached the whole thing to a card base that I had covered with some patterned paper.   I adhered the top of the bear to the shaker window using double-sided tape and used one dimensional dot on his bottom half to adhere him to the card base.

I realize now that I should have taken some pictures as I was making the card to explain the process better.  I will try to remember to do that next time.

And here’s a look at another card using the same file…

Grad Bear Scallop Circle PCW_apieceofheart

 

 

Bookworm Grad PCW_apieceofheart

 

 

 

 

The final card uses this cute little Bookworm grad.  I’m not sure that I really like the outcome of my card, but I spent the time making it so I thought I’d go ahead and share it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t forget to check out the Paper Crafting World store to find these files and many more.

Friday, June 17, 2016

Road Trip USA Blog Hop

Welcome to the

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Blog Hop

Today's hop is all about traveling this great country of ours and all the crafty projects are inspired by that travel theme.  We've got a bit of everything for you today, so be sure to stop by each blog and leave a little love in the form of a comment. One comment will be chosen from all those who comment between now and June 30th for a 

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prize pack, and the winner will be announced on next month's hop.

 

Smiles Across The Miles3_roadtrip_apieceofheartblog

 

 

I had fun with this one and managed to come up with 3 cards.  My first card features those crazy gals in the red convertible.  Looks like they are having fun, too, doesn’t it?!   When I heard the theme this month was all about road trips, I just knew these gals had to make an appearance.  I used Art Impressions T3568 – Shoppers stamp to send these gals on the road to who knows where, lol.  I colored with Copics and adhered a special license plate to the front of the car with a dimensional dot.  Nothing really spectacular about this card but I’m very happy with the outcome.

 

 

 

 

Road Trippin_roadtrip_apieceofheartblog

I used a piece of free clipart for this next card.  If you google images, make sure you filter the usage rights to “labeled for non-commercial resuse”.   I cut the image with my Cricut and colored it with my Copics.  I love how some of the items look like they are flying of the back of the speeding car.  The background (also a free clipart background) was perfect for this card.  I added the road separately.  Vroom, vroom boys.  Have fun at the beach!

 

Last but not least, I pulled the gals back out for another spin.  Sometimes a girl just needs “wide open spaces”, lol.  I found another free background perfect for this card and added the road sign on the side of the road.  I labeled it Madrid, London, Paris.  These gals really know how to travel, lol.  Once again, I colored it with my Copics and cut it out with my Cricut.  It’s hard to tell, but I added some glossy accents to their sunglasses.

Wide Open Spaces_roadtrip_apieceofheartblog

 

Next up is the incredibly talented Alicia!  Go show her a little love and don’t forget to comment for your chance to win the Stampin’ Up prize pack.

And please don’t forget to visit the rest of my friends.  Here’s today’s line up in case you get lost along the way:

Today’s Line Up:

BBQ Dad Step Card…

Hey there my crafty friends, I’m super excited to share my very first card as a new member of the Paper Crafting World Design Team.  Since Father’s Day is this weekend, I thought I’d share a card made just for the Dad’s out there.

My card features the King Of The Grill digi file.

BBQ Dad withoutVignette

 

I started out by cutting the center-step card base.  I used a template and my Cricut cutting machine to make it a little easier.  All the cut and score lines are already measured out and all I have to worry about is folding it. 

close up BBQ Dad

 

I printed the BBQ and Bear and then cut them with my Cricut. Easy Peesy!

I used Google’s advanced search (filtering the usage rights to images labeled for non-commercial reuse) and found a few pieces of clipart to add to the backyard scene.  Although the PCW pieces were already colored, I used my Copics to go over everything and added a little texture and highlights to some areas. 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed my first card as a new PCW DT member.  If you’d like to learn how to make a basic center-step card, click HERE for written directions.  If you are more of a visual learner, click HERE.

Check out this bonus card I made just for my blog.  I used the Bear Top Pop file for this card.

Top Pop_myblog_apieceofheartblog

 

Don’t forget to check out the Paper Crafting World store to find this and many more great files.

bear half for sign-50off-350

Friday, June 10, 2016

June Technique Blog Hop–Step Cards

Welcome to

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It's month six of our year long adventure into different card-making techniques, folds and paper crafting products.  We hope you got the chance to hop with us each month.  It's not too late to hop and comment to be entered into our prize drawing. 

If you missed any of the previous months, you can click on the month below to be taken directly to the start of that month's hop.

January
February
March
April

This month we will be creating step cards and you won't want to miss the amazing and fun cards we've got for you today.  We really love feedback, so please leave a comment on each of the blogs in today's hop. Each comment on the 12 hops throughout the year will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Blitsy.com or Stampin' Up gift certificate (Winner's Choice).  Now on with the projects.

I must admit, this technique had me stumped for quite a while so I sought out the interwebz to glean some inspiration.  I came across this center-step card from The Cutting Cafe and just had to try and CASE it for myself.  Here’s what I came up with:

 

Step House1_stepcards_apieceofheartblog

 

I found a house I liked in a folder of digital files that I purchased many years ago and printed it on cardstock.  Then I used my scissors to separate the roof from the base of the house so I could pop it up with some dimensionals.  I printed a second house and cut out the window and door so that I could pop those up exactly on top of the printed window and door on the base layer.  I drew a planter box, cut it out and adhered that beside the window. I cut some flowers out of white cardstock and colored them with my Copics and then added them to the planter box.  I also cut the trees from white cardstock and colored them with Copics as well and then I put some yummy red “apples” on them. The white picket fence was cut out of white cardstock and I gave it a weathered look by randomly coloring areas with some grey Copics and my colorless blender.  I added a few more flowers and the sentiment to the front of the fence to finish this card off.

 

Step House Side View1_stepcards_apieceofheartblog

 

Here’s a side view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Girl On Bench_stepcards_apieceofheartblog

My next card is a side-step card.  I stamped the Magnolia “Tilda With 3 Flowers” stamp on a blank sheet of white card stock and colored her in with my Copics.  Then I freehand drew the bench to sit her on.  I used the print then cut method with my Cricut and cut out the tree so that the branches and birdies would free hang over the side of the front panel.  I popped up a squirrel with a dimensional dot and sat him at the bottom of the tree.  I adhered some flowers and grass to the middle step and added the sentiment to the front step to finish off this card.

 

That’s it for me.  Next in line is the fabulous Lisa.

Don’t forget to visit the rest of my friends.  Here’s today’s line up in case you get lost along the way: