Hat's Off To You!!

Happy Monday!! I hope you had a wonderful weekend!! It's my turn to post on the Die-Versions blog and I have a card to share with you using the Straw Hat die from the newest release. I also have some information to share with you...I'll do that after I show you my card.

I wanted my new Whispers Straw Hat die to have some dimension, so I cut it four times and then cut the center circles out, popping each layer up with teeny-tiny bits of foam tape. I mounted the hat on a Whispers Heart Burst die so it looks like it has a lacy edge :)

I cut a few Whispers Daisy Flair dies and tucked them among the Wild Orchid Crafts flowers. The button on the bow is a Wee Petites Button die. Hat's off to you is from an old K Andrew Designs Fashionable Friends stamp set. Also, I've been sewing on most of my cards again. I had quit for a while because I was always having trouble with the thread. My Mom suggested that I get more expensive thread (I had like the cheapest you could get!) and it made all of the difference!!

This is the first time I've used the new Straw Hat die, so that qualifies for Darnell's NBUS Challenge!! If you aren't familiar with the amazing Darnell or her "Never Before Used Schtuff" challenge, head on over to her blog, DJKardKreations for all the details!! I'm also entering it in Diana's DLArt March Linky party.

NOW, about the info I want to share...I'm going to try something new this week. Real life is seriously cutting into my crafting time and I have less and less time to blog. I've pretty much given up Facebook except for DT commitments already, and I'm still cramped for time. Visiting your blogs is one of the highlights of my day...I love seeing what everyone is creating. However, commenting is taking up between 1 1/2 - 2 hours a day!! I'd been trying to leave comments both in the morning and evening when I get the chance but it is still taking up too much time. So I'm going to see if commenting once a week will work, probably on Sunday. I'll go back and hit all of the projects you've created during the week. I wanted to let you know since I won't be around as often, BUT I will still be around and still comment on your projects :) Thanks for your understanding!! Have a wonderful week - it's almost April :)

Jo's Scrap Shack Guest Designer

Hi everyone and happy Saturday!! I am taking over my sweet friend Jo's blog today!! I was so honored when she asked me to guest design and couldn't wait to create a project to share with you. I'd love for you to hop on over to Jo's Scrap Shack and say hi :)

Last week marked the first day of spring - yay!! So I've created a couple of easel box cards to celebrate the new season :) There are tons of tutorials on how to make these, but I just kind of winged it and created my own. I took a few pictures and threw together a quick tutorial. I wanted my card to be 5x5 and the depth of the box at 1", so using those measurements, you will need:

Box Base

• 1 - 5 x 11 cardstock
• 1 - 5 x 5 cardstock
• 1 - 7 x 7 cardstock
• 2 - 1 x 6 strips of patterned paper
• 2 - 1 x 5 strips of patterned paper
• 1 - 5 x 5 piece of patterned paper for inside of box (may have to trim slightly)

1) Start by scoring the 5 x 11 cardstock at 1 7/8", 3", 8" and 9 1/8". I added an eighth of an inch to each side so that the box would slide easily. Also, the reason I used 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock is because I have it in heavyweight...I don't have any 12 x 12 that I thought would be heavy enough to use as the base. I used Neenah Solar White Cardstock in 110lb. weight.

2) Fold at the score lines. It will look like the picture above. Apply glue and adhere the 5 x 5 piece of cardstock to the base.

3) It will look like this when you are done. This will be the sleeve for the box.

4) Score the 7 x  cardstock at 1" on all four sides.

5) Fold the score lines. Cut the lines pictured above. I always make the cuts a slight triangle so that the sides match up better when glued together.

6) Fold the end pieces up and adhere glue.

7) Glue the end pieces so that it forms a box.

8) The box will now slide easily into the sleeve.

9) To decorate the inside box, I used two pieces of 1 x 6 patterned paper and 2 of 1 x 5.

10) I scored the 1 x 6 pieces at 1/2" from each end and then wrapped them around each end of the box to add a little more strength to the corners of the box. I then adhered the 1 x 5 pieces on the other two sides. I did the same thing on the inside and then added the 5 x 5 patterned paper to the bottom.

Easel Card

• 1 5 x 5 cardstock
• 1 5 x 10 cardstock
• Embellishments

1) Score the 5 x 10 cardstock at 2 1/2" and 5".

2) Fold as shown with a mountain fold at 2 1/2" and valley fold at 5".

3) Adhere the 5" end to the top of the box. On the 2 1/2" end, apply adhesive and adhere the 5 x 5 cardstock.

4) Your easel box will now look like this. Time to decorate!!

The papers for both of my boxes are from Prima. The edged were distressed with a Zutter DIA. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I used heavy-duty burlap for the handle, and several dies for each box.

They are now ready to fill and give as gifts!! I want to sincerely thank Jo for having me guest design today!! Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend :)

My Sheri Crafts Guest Designer

Happy Saturday and happy spring!! Yay - spring is finally here!! I'm so excited to be a guest designer at My Sheri Crafts today!! The theme for the challenge #13 is Easter Wishes, featuring either a cross, bunnies or eggs.

For my card, I chose to use a cross. The papers are from Heartfelt Creations. The edges were distressed with a Zutter DIA. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. Memory Box Botanical Stems and Chloe Stems were tucked among the blooms. The gorgeous crinkle ribbon is from my sweet friend Karen of Little Scrap Pieces.

A Spellbinders Opulent Oval was used for the base with a La La Land Stitched Elements Oval on top. I hand-cut the cross from heavyweight watercolor paper. It was covered with Wendy Vecchi Black Embossing Paste. Once the paste dried, the cross was covered with Wendy Vecchi Crackle Texture Paste. After the cracks appeared, it was covered with Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Seedless Preserves, Dusty Concord and Shaded Lilac. It was then popped up with foam tape. The banner is from My Craft Spot. The letters for He is Risen were cut from a Die-Versions A Little Mint die set. I added a layer of double-sided tape when I cut the banner and after the letters were added, it was covered with sugar coating for a nice sparkle.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1) DL.Art - March Linky
2) Scrappin4Fun Challenges - Spring or Easter

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a great day :)

Scrapy Land Blog Challenge #14 - Spring/Easter

Happy Wednesday!! I hope you had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day :) It's time for a new challenge at Scrapy Land. The theme this week is Spring/Easter using a brand of die that Scrapy Land carries - there are over 40 brands to choose from!!

For this card, I've used papers from My Mind's Eye Tangerine stack. Happy is a Die-Versions Sweet Wordlet die. The letters for Easter are a Die-Versions A Little Mint alphabet die. The banner under Easter is a La-La Land Stitched Elements die. The circle was also cut with a La-La Land Stitched Elements die. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. The skittles on the top left are from Carri of Doubleclick - AKA ABusyBee.

The leaves in the background of the window are Memory Box Fresh Foliage dies. The eggs are Memory Box Classic Egg dies. They were covered with sugar coating for a pretty sparkle. The grass is a Poppystamps Grassland Border die.

A La-La Land Stitched Elements die was used on the inside, as were more Memory Box Classic Egg dies

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1) DL.Art - March Linky
2) Little Scrap Pieces - Show it off Saturday
3) DoubleClick Connections - Bunny, Basket or Easter

Now it's your turn!! Head on over to Scrapy Land to see the amazing projects my design team sisters have created for today's challenge!! Then link up your Spring/Easter project using a brand of die that Scrapy Land carries!! I can't wait to see what you create :)