Some new cards

I know, I've been a bad blogger this past week or so! With school out it's just been much harder to sit down at the computer for extended periods of time...already getting the "Mommy, I'm bored - play with me", lol! We're finally starting t settle down into more of a routine though and I've been planning lots of projects for Michael to do his own arts and crafts. So instead of that guilty feeling whenever I work on MY stuff, I get to share the time enjoying creating WITH him. It's a great thing, knowing my son enjoys getting crafty with mommy!

I have tons of things I've been working on the past few months to share as soon as I can get them all photographed and written up so stay tuned! To start, here are a couple of the cards I sat down and made recently (LOTS more, but most are for upcoming issues of Scrapbook News + Review!). Both were done with the Starr Brights II collection (designed by Jen Starr) from Zsiage. I have to admit - when I first saw this line I wondered how I would ever create anything with it! Totally out of my element (hello, I'm SCARED of orange, lol!). When I sat down with it to make the Scrap-O-Dex for my mom, I found myself falling in love with the line. Pulling out my Xacto knife opened up a whole new world for me with just this one sheet of paper (Dutch Garden). Taking that busy, busy sheet and pulling out elements one or two at a time gives sooooo much to work with!



This first card uses a background of Peony paper and just a few elements cut from the Dutch Garden paper. I cannot stress enough how much easier it is to make detailed cuts like this on a glass mat rather than a self-healing one! I used Zsiage chipboard letters (1.5" Monica font) covered in Frosted Lace Stickles from Ranger and added the Stickles also to anything white in the cutout pieces. Except for drying time, the card still only took about a half hour, with a lot of that time spent just rearranging the pieces until I liked the arrangement.



This next one used the Dutch Garden paper as the background, with a few elements from the Lida paper. I used my Making Memories ribbon slot punch to make the slots to run the strip of paper through. The chipboard letters are Zsiage again, in 1.5" Prim and Proper font. I covered them and also edged different elements using a Sakura glaze pen. It wasn't until it dried that I discovered how different of a purple it turned out though. I also used an Xacto to cut int the patterned paper to slide the smaller element right into the design.

Don't think you can use an Xacto knife? I promise - get a glass mat (or make one - I use a piece of glass I've covered the edges of with electrical tape!) and just play. You will NOT regret honing this skill once you find all the things you can do with it! All your patterned papers will take on a whole new meaning when you can cut big or small elements out to change things up. I am probably the only paper crafter in the world who has not yet given in to the home die cut machine craze, but having discovered the versatility my simple Xacto knife gives me I'm still not tempted! Oh! And one more tip - this is not the place to skimp on blades. Buy them in bulk (you can get 50 or 100 packs at most craft stores - check the drafting aisles) whenever you have a coupon to burn. I change my blades OFTEN. It really makes a difference to have a super sharp blade.