Goodbye to The Cutting Cafe Design Team...

Hi all.  Well, it is with great sadness that I must say goodbye to Regina and all of my fellow design team members at The Cutting Cafe.  I have been a designer with them for 2 terms and that is the limit allowed.  I have learned so much and had such fun on this team.  Regina is such a great person!  She really cares about all of her designers.  I will miss you all!

For my last project, we were able to pick anything in the store!  I wanted to something that was not Christmasy and something that would be fun to create.  I found the perfect project!  It is called Fun With Owls and boy is it!  I spent a lot of time on this card and I really wanted it to be special.  Don't you just love the googly eyes?  Each Owl was colored and fussy cut and adhered with some tiny pop dots.  The branch was hand cut and the leaves were cut off of a die cut of a vine and I just cut the leaves off and glued them onto the tree.  I used a clear glitter pen, but unfortunately, you can't really tell so you will have to take my word for it.  Tee-hee.  I hope you enjoyed my farewell card.  Be sure to check out The Cutting Cafe and see what everyone else chose to do.  I am sure you will love all of the wonderful projects from the very talented design team!

Next week, I will be showcasing a card for Imagine That Digi Stamps.  We had most of the month off, but we will start doing our progressive challenge in the beginning of January.  Keep checking back to see what I have to show.

Happy New Year to all!

Till next time...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hi everyone.  Well, Christmas is over and now I can relax a bit.  I don't know about the rest of you, but it has been a struggle.   I have been sliding between busy and sick!  I absolutely LOVE Christmas, but it is a tough holiday to get through, especially if you are battling cancer and serving Christmas dinner at the same time!  I am feeling much better now, but I totally forgot to post my DT project for The Cutting Cafe!  I only have one more week until my 2 terms are up so I have decided to post it on the chance that Regina will forgive me and post it to the Cutting Cafe Blog site anyway.  We were suppose to make either a wine glass card or a wine bottle card.  Since I am spending New Year's Eve with my sister and brother-in-law, I decided to make them a wine bottle card.  They love wine and they even make their own, so I thought this was particularly fitting!  I made the file almost the whole page of my new Silhouette Cameo machine 12x12 mat.  I probably should have made it smaller, but now they will have a card that is almost the size of a real bottle of wine...tee hee!  I used a shiny burgundy card stock for the bottle and a cork designer paper for, well, the cork.  The bow is made with some pink seam binding that had a bit of a curl, which I really like.  Wish I had more colors!  The scalloped part of the label was cut from a glitter card stock.  Unfortunately, The picture does not show the bottle off very well.  It was very hard to find the right light without getting too much reflection from the light and from my face!  Anyway, I think you get the idea!  

This card has been entered in the following challenges:

The Crafter's Cafe

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge

Digi Darla's Challenges

Glitter n Sparkle

Next up is a card that I made for my next door neighbors who actually leave Florida for the winter for the great north east!  Crazy snowflakes!  The inside of this card says "there's no people like snow people".  I always wanted to give them a card with that sentiment!  They enjoyed it.

My last card in this post was made for my husband.  I finally got to use my Spellbinders Poinsettia die set!  I purchased it before I even started with the Silhouettes!  Again, it really looks better in real life.  It turned out beautifully.  I did have to go on YouTube to find out how to use this particular die set.  There are some pieces that I still am not able to figure out what to do with them.  Also, I think the Actual leaves are too big for the flower, itself.  I think that next time, I will not use the large leaves.  I will just make a smaller flower with the smaller dies.  Oh well, now I know...

I made several other cards that I needed to take to church on Sunday so I was up late on Sat. (sick and all), making cards.  Unfortunately, I never got to photograph them.  One of them was for my choir director who is a HUGE Duck Dynasty fan.  Needless to say, I had to make him a Duck Dynasty card.  It certainly was an original and he loved it!  Maybe some day, I can get him to bring it to church so I can photograph it.  It was very cute!

Well, next week will be my last project for The Cutting Cafe.  Tune in to see what project I pick to showcase for my farewell project!

Till next time...

Oh Christmas Tree...

This week's project for The Cutting Cafe was to make any of the Christmas tree files, including a box, a book, a goodie bag holder, sentiment stamps and a 3-D Christmas tree.  I decided to make the 3-D Christmas tree with some Christmas designer card stock .  It was easy to cut out with my Silhouette and easy to put together.  The hardest part was finding elements to decorate the tree!  That was also the most fun part.  I used Stickles, rhinestones, mini snowflakes, and mini candy canes and to top it off, I used a large, gold star brad that I cut the legs off.  My sister, who was visiting liked it so much that I gave it to her to take to her home!

Just some little tips... tape the tree pieces together from the back so you can't see the tape.  It helped to glue the points on the top, together and then glue the brad on the top of the points.  Also, be sure to decorate it before you put it together.  It is much easier that way.  Trust me, I know...   ;-)

Be sure to check out the other designer's projects here.  You will surely be impressed!

Until next time...

Candy Cane Box

Hi everyone.  Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!  I have been gone for 2 weeks and finally was able to get back in the game.  I have been busy making cards and this candy cane box and I am finally able to post them.  The project that I made is from the candy cane holder box file.  I used a heavy weight card stock and had a great time decorating it.  Check out the other projects at The Cutting Cafe and see what wonderful projects the other designers have made!

I have filled the box with six candy canes.  I took the first picture with a couple of candy canes hanging out to give you an idea of what it will hold.  Enjoy!

  

This project has been added to the following challenges:

Love to Create Challenge Blog

Dream Valley Challenges

613 Avenue Create

Till next time...

Step in the Snow

Today's card for The Cutting Cafe Design Team is suppose to be a step card.  I have never made a step card before, so it was fun to try something new.  I used the single step template and cut it with my Silhouette.  I decided to use some images from other sets so that everything I used is available on The Cutting Cafe shop.  I used Winter White Flower Soft for the snowman and the snow and White Opal Liquid Pearls for the hat.  The rest was colored with Copic and Sharpie markers with designer paper for the backgrounds.  There are different step cards that come with this file.  Try doing each one and see what fun you can have, coming up with ideas to embellish them.

Be sure to check out the shop to see some of the wonderful projects that Regina

has come up with.  She really does an amazing job!

By the way, I have my new Zentangle site up and running, now.  Please check it out:

www.tilestanglesandstrings.blogspot.com

I would love for you to become a follower and don't forget to leave me a comment!

Thanks.

This card was entered into the following challenge:

Through the Craft Room Door

Till next time...

Christmas Box

Today, I am showcasing my creation for The Cutting Cafe design team.  We were to use the Pizza Box file.  I suppose you are able to size it any way that you want, if you have a cutting machine.  I decided to use it exactly as it showed up on my Silhouette mat.  I used a heavy designer card stock and added a whole bunch of elements that tied in with the "sweets" theme.  I didn't know that I had so much stuff that I could use!  They were packed away in photo boxes and I only open them at Christmas time.   I made the bow and used glue dots to hold it together.  I have a lot of Christmas themed buttons and I thought the wrapped candy button was the perfect topper for the bow.  I hope you enjoy my fun project.  Don't forget to leave a comment for me.  I LOVE hearing from you!

Close-up of bow and Merry Christmas element.

 While you are there, check out the other design team member's projects.

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

Created With Love Challenges

Through The Craft Room Door

Till next time...

Grateful!

Hi all.  For this week, our project for The Cutting Cafe design team was to use either the printable stamp set called "With Gratitude" or the "Grateful" word shaped card-cut file.  I chose the second one.  I have never made a word card before, so I thought it was time.  I used card stock and designer paper for the card.  I Printed the sentiment and added all of the elements.  Some of them are buttons, some are paper flowers and others are just things I found in my craft studio that I thought would compliment the card. On the inside top, I printed Happy Thanksgiving.

There are some wonderful holiday files on The Cutting Cafe's site.  Regina makes them user friendly.  Even if you don't have a cutting machine, she makes them easy to cut out by hand!  Don't forget to check out the other designer's cards while you are there.

This card has been entered into the following challenges:

Raisin Boat challenge

Through The Craft Room Door

Created with Love Challenges

Eureka Stamps Challenge

Have a happy Halloween!

Till next time...

Christmas Pillow Box

Hi all.  Today I am posting a pillow box for The Cutting Cafe design team.  This is the first time that I have made a pillow box, but it was really quite easy.  I chose my designer card stock and used the plain box svg file from the assorted pillow box set.  I added JOY from another Cutting Cafe file and placed it in the center of my template.  Before I glued it together, I added a piece of parchment paper behind the JOY cut-out.  Then, I taped it on the back.  The top and bottoms fold at the curved lines and that is what gives it that pillow shape.  I used a sentiment from another file and printed it on white card stock.  I sponged the edges and added the red bow.  That was all there was to it!  Regina has many pillow box files for different holidays and occasions, or do what I did and make your own cut-out design. 

I hope you will try your hand at making these cute and easy pillow boxes.

Just a reminder that I will not be posting again until Oct. 26th.  See you then!

Till next time...

Chinese Take Out Anyone?

Boy, did I have fun last week!  I was working on a wonderful project from The Cutting Cafe.  We were to use the Chinese Take Out Box template which also included a template for making fortune cookies, fortunes and all!  I wanted to make mine rather authentic looking so I used a heavy base weight card stock to cut out the box on my Silouhette.  I followed the directions and folded and glued it.  I decided to stamp all four sides with some of my Oriental stamps (I have a lot!)  The one big mistake I made was stamping AFTER I put the box together instead of BEFORE!   Oops... It turned out fine, anyway.  I made the handle with some bling type ribbon that is stiff.  I wanted it to stay up like the wire handle on the real boxes.  By the way, this box is only 2 1/4 " high.  You can make it larger, but my Silhouette machine will only use paper up to 8 1/2 X 11" so I had to use what I had.  It could have also been cut by hand, but I wasn't into doing that so much.  To make the fortune cookies, I printed out the sayings that were included in the set and followed the directions on how to put them together.  After they were together, I sponged them to make them look real.

 Take out box front (opened)

Take out box side and back (closed)

If you want to have a great gift for someone who loves Chinese food, you simply must go to The Cutting Cafe and buy this set!   If you don't want to make your own,  I can take orders for these sets.

Please leave me a comment and tell me what you think!   

Till next time...

Acorn Shaped Card for The Cutting Cafe

This week, we are doing cards for fall at The Cutting Cafe.  We had a choice of  an Acorn Shaped Card, a Fall Shaped Card, or the Welcome Fall printable set.  I chose the Acorn Shaped card.  I cut the card base with my Silouhette and then cut out the top pieces out of 2 different designer papers.  I added the white "stitch" lines around the whole thing.  I used a die cut for the leaves and the vine.  The sentiment is cut from some designer paper and popped up with pop dots for added dimension.  I used glue dots to attach the orange bows to the stem, to match the leaves and the sentiment.

I hope you enjoy my card.  I love comments and would love to hear from you! 

Till next time...

Wrapped in Prayer

This week's Imagine That Inspiration Blog, design team inspiration is from a cute digi stamp set called Give a Hoot.  Kris, originally made it for Breast Cancer Awareness, but she added some extra digis in order to use it for other things.  For my card, I chose not to do a breast cancer awareness card.  Since I have Multiple Myeloma, I decided to use the burgundy colors for my cancer.  I printed the digi image twice.  One time on white card stock and the second time on a burgundy dotted pattern paper, cut it out and paper pieced  it to make the scarf.  I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers.  I added some Glossy Accents to the eyes and beak to give it more dimension.  I die cut the image and sponged it in a light blue.  I glued the image onto another piece of coordinating paper and glued it on to the green card base.  I added 3 sticky flowers that I colored with my markers.

Close up of face with Glossy

Another fun project from Imagine That Digis by Kris.

Until next time...

The Cutting Cafe Overalls Shaped Card

Hi Folks.  Today, I have the most adorable project to share with you from The Cutting Cafe.
We were to choose from:  

Overalls Shaped Card-Cutting File
or
All About Boys- Printable Stamp Set
or
Funny Car Treat Box and Shaped Card Set-Cutting File

I chose the overalls shaped card because I thought it was so darn cute.  At first, I didn't catch the entire information from our directions of what we were to do.  I didn't realize that we were just doing boy themes.  Duh, I should have read the whole thing!  Anyway, when I went to write and post this blog, that is when I figured out that I had messed up, because I made the girly version of the overalls.  Soooo, I made another pair for a boy.  The file is so easy to work with that I didn't mind doing another one.  So, I am going to show you both.  For the boy card, I used a thick, double sided card stock that was a plaid.  I wanted something in blue.  I cut out the overalls and the other pieces on my Silhouette machine.  I used 3 different card stock designs, cutting each color separately.  I glued on the pieces and used a white gel pen to make stitches.  I printed a digital frog image, that I made very small, to put on the pocket.  I colored it with Spectrum Noir markers and fussy cut it out and glued onto the pocket.

For the girly overalls, I did the same thing, but used a flower from the set, for the pocket.  I added some ribbon to tie in with the colors of the card stock.

Girly Overalls

Be sure to check out the The Cutting Cafe Blog  where Regina will be giving away sets, just for leaving comments.  You can also sign up for her weekly emails on the blog so you don't miss what's going on at The Cutting Cafe!

As always, I love your comments, so keep them coming!  You can also follow me by signing up on my site.  I am trying to get 50 followers and then I will have some blog candy for a lucky winner!

The boys overalls card has been entered in to the following challenges:

Totally Paper Crafts-birthday-boys

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge-men-boys

Lia Stampz-anything goes

Cutie Pie Challenge-a cute one for boys

Created With Love Challenge-anything goes

Till next time... 

Apple Box

Hi everyone.  Today, I am going to show you a cute project from The Cutting Cafe.  Our theme this week was school projects.  One of the choices was an apple box set.  This is a cut file that also has some  tags and background paper included.  I decided that I wanted to do something different.  I didn't want the apple on the front of the box to be see-through so when the file was cut with the apple opening, I just slipped a square piece of red card stock inside the box, behind the cut out and I had a red apple.  I made 2 red apple cuts and put a small piece of card stock, sticking out between the 2 pieces and glued them together.  Then, I made a slit in the box top and inserted the card stock piece into the slit so that the apple looked like it was sitting on top of the box.  I used a white gel pen to make the stitches around the front of the box and on the apple shapes.  I glued some punched leaves onto the apples, tied the lid of the box with raffia and I was done!

This is a really easy project to make and a lot of fun!  

Till next time...

Candy Corn Box

Well, it is a bit early for Halloween, but I thought that I would get a head start and if I am lucky, I might be able to sell some of my things.  I have added a few cards to my Etsy Store.  I will be adding some more soon.  This week, we were able to use any file from The Cutting Cafe because we have some new people on the design team as well as a few who have left.  (I have been asked to do another term.)  After December, I have to leave the team as we are only allowed to serve 2 consecutive terms in a row. Anyway, I decided to make this adorable candy corn box.  I cut out the pieces on my Silhouette Portrait  using different cards stocks.  I embossed the white top and the bottom is a glittery yellow.  I used Viva Decor ice white pearl pen and added some pearl dots for texture.  The tag was made on my computer. I punched it out and added a glittery black bow to make it stand out. I finished it off with some orange and white ribbon.  Hopefully you will be able to see the glittery areas.

Now I just need to figure out what to put in it and who to give it to!

Hope you enjoy this fun project!

Till next time...

The Cutting Cafe Blog Hop

Hi everyone.  Welcome to the Cutting Cafe Blog Hop.  You have probably arrived here from the blog of our wonderful Flowerdisco Agnes. The summer design team is coming to an end this week, but I have been asked to return for another season.  I will be on the team until the end of December.  However, there are some people leaving and some new ones coming, so, we are having a blog hop to mark the end of the season.  Each of the girls in the hop are giving away the same set that they used on their project!  My project is a flip card.  The files can be seen here.  In order to win this file set, you must leave a comment on my blog!  The hop will be from Wednesday, August 28th until Friday, August 30th at midnight.  I will randomly draw 1 winner on Saturday, August 31st. and will email you, if you are the lucky winner.  I will also post it here on my blog. 

Here is my card...

 This is the front of the card, partially opened.

 This is the inside of the card fully opened with the sentiment and

another design on the flip side of the piece in the window.

I have never made a card like this before, but I always wanted to learn how to do it.  

With these files, you can make it very easily!  If I pick your name, you could be making this card with your own embellishments and stamps!  

 The next person on the blog hop is Lisa Minkcler .  Check out her site, she has a wonderful 

project to show you!

Regina Easter

Rose Miller

Sheryl Wilder

Jeri Thomas
Rhonda Zmikly

Tmika Miller

Flowerdisco Agnes

Barbara Burgess  ******* you are here *******

Lisa Minkcler

Audrey Long

Leslie Foley
Mary Ann Guth
Tanya Alley
Melisa Waldorf
Krista Norman

Until next time...

A Vintage Purse from The Cutting Cafe and a Westie

Hi everyone.  Hope you are having a nice Sunday.  I am still sick, but I have been very busy, making cards, between naps!  The first card that I want to show you is the one that I made for The Cutting Cafe design team.  The subject this week is all about purse shaped cards and boxes.   I decided to make a card because I thought it would be more useful for me.  I did it a little differently than the picture on the blog.  I cut out the front and back panels with designer paper.  I had to cut and glue one of the flowers onto the front to make it more balanced.  I hand cut a card base and glued the front panel on.  Then, I cut out the front flap and ran it through a Cuttlebug embossing folder and glued it to the front.  Then, I cut out 2 handles and glued them together to make the handle more firm.  I glued it on the back of the card base and then glued on the back panel.  The handles have glitter sticky dots that I painted black with a Copic marker so that they wouldn't look so shiny.  (I was going for the vintage look after all!)  I found this beautiful button in my stash and glue dotted it on so it looked like the closure.  The tassel is made from some bakers twine that I tied in a knot and glued underneath the button.  The edges have been distressed on the inside and outside to make it look older.   Don't forget to check out all of the other designersand see their wonderful projects and please leave a comment! 

 By the way, there will be a surprise next week...stay tuned!

I have entered this card in the following challenges: 

The Glitter 'N Sparkle challenge - any thing but square

Patti's Creations design challenge - any kind of embossing

 The front of the card

A close-up of the button and tassel.  

Don't you just love the textured look of the designer paper?

My next card is one that I made just for the fun of it.  I cut a scrap of card stock and added washi tape 

in rows, in no particular order.  I wanted to keep it in the teals, green and purple shades.  I sued a Nestabilities die to cut out the shape.  The image is a digi that I have had for a while and can't remember where it came from.  Since I was sending this card to someone who had a Westie, I decided to use white fun flock to keep the white color.  I made a gate fold card base and added purple strips on to the front panels, after running through the Cricut embossing folder.  I sponged the edges of the image and put in a little grass color.  The main reason that I decided to do the washi tape was because I am doing a washi tape demo in my advanced stamping club and I wanted to try something new.  I really love the way it turned out!  Hope you do too!! 

Front of card

 Close-up of image and washi tape

I really had fun this week, in spite of being sick, making all of my cards.  

There will be more to come in a couple of days.

Until next time...

Vintage Shoe

Hi everyone.  Our project this week for The Cutting Cafe was to make either a vintage boot or high heel shaped card.  I chose the vintage boot because I already had ideas of what I wanted to do.  Luckily, I had everything I needed, at hand.  I cut the boot shape base and topper and the flap for buttons, on my Silhouette Portrait.   I used a piece of what is suppose to be a blue/green shiny paper for the flap and embossed it.  I cut the heel by hand.  I used some fancy trim for the top of the boot and 4 smooth buttons for the flap.  I added the flower by the heel and some rhinestones on the toe.  What a beautiful project this turned out to be.

I really love the way this turned out!

These files can be found at The Cutting Cafe under shaped cards.

Till next time...

Christmas in July

Hi everyone.  This week's card for The Cutting Cafe Design Team is from The Christmas Card Fun files.  When I originally made my card, I used ribbon under the cut out windows.  The whole thing buckled and I was not happy with it at all.  I was going to try doing another card with a different shape, when I found the 3 ornament pieces sitting on my desk.  I decided to do something different and I took the pieces and did some Zentangle on each one.  I pop dotted them onto a die cut, embossed paper.  I attached a little gold string on each one and framed them with a larger, green die cut paper.  I glued the whole thing onto red card stock.

Zentangle card

Original card with ribbon

Check out the other submissions by The Cutting Cafe's wonderful and talented design team.
The Cutting Cafe Blog

Be Blessed!
Until next time...

Nail Polish Anyone?

Hi.  I'm back again with my newest project from The Cutting Cafe.  Regina is so clever and makes wonderful designs to cut and print!  Today, I made a nail polish shaped card.  There are many great sentiments and it can be used as an invitation.  She even made printable, shaped invites to put inside.  There are even files for a couple of different  nail polish box holders.  Please check them out.

Nail Polish Shaped Card

I cut the image on my Silouhette Portrait.  First I cut out the card shape with white cards stock and then I cut the front piece with designer paper.  Then, I cut out the black top and heart in black and the shadow strip on the top, in white.  I glued the whole thing together and added the elements (flower and bling).  Lastly, I added white dots on the heart and around the bottom of the bottle.  

Be sure to check out the The Cutting Cafe blog and see all of the wonderful projects that the design team cooked up for you!

Until next time...

Card Box Organizer

I am on vacation right now and have been trying to post my latest creation for The Cutting Cafe.  We were to make either a Card Box Organizer Set or The Dresser Box Template.  Due to my time constraints, I decided to go the easy way and make the card box.  I really like the way it turned out.  I used 2 pieces of 12x12 designer card stock for this project.  After putting it together, I added some ribbon, silk flowers and leaves and also a vine from a MFT die.  Easy peasy!

Box & Lid



Top of Box

I won't be able to have anything for next week, due to my being away, but I will return with my next project in 2 weeks.

Until next time...