Be Inspired

Good morning girls! I hope ya'll are having a wonderful day! I certainly am! I have a little bit of spending money and decided that I was going to pick up a set or two from Flourishes. I've been admiring their line for well over a year now. And God has just blessed me, let me tell ya! They have a weekly challenge and my sweet DT sister Linda pointed out that my Sugar Creek Hollow card fit their challenge. And I was the random winner this week. So I think I'll be able to get 3 sets -- or maybe just 2 and something else. Either way, I've already started shopping and trying to make up my mind (which we'll talk more about on Friday)!
Thank you so much Flourishes!!

ON a side note, I'm getting distracted by the TV; Food Network is showing Chopped and they were given Black Eyed Peas. Now, I'm a southern girl so I like Black Eyed Peas. I have fond memories of my grandmother cooking them for New Years and they tasted sooo good. The men in my household were less than thrilled. Didn't help that they didn't taste as good as my grandmother's!

The designers at Cuttlebug Challenge were asked to create something with pictures this week. My little man brought home a picture paperweight as a Mothers Day gift that he made in Sunday School. I decided to  gussy it up a bit, as one might say here in Texas!

I just punched a border, embossed it and adhered it with Red Liner Tape. A bit of ribbon and flower to add a little pretty without being too girly. I wanted to add some magnets to the back so I could hang it on my fridge but I can't find my good magnets. But I'll do that soon.

Oh how I love this boy! He has a hard time staying still for a picture and I just see him, captured here mid-sentence for all time.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I really appreciate each of you that do and your sweet comments too! Take a moment to visit the Cuttlebug Challenge blog and see what the other girls have come up with today! They are the BEST and every week just amaze me!

A Color Book with Texture

Happy Wonderful Wednesday girls! Be sure to scroll down for my Diedrich Dare card today too!

Up first is my Cuttlebug Challenge project for today. This week we were to supposed to make something with the kids in mind! I thought and thought and was coming up blank. And then I woke up early one morning and as I was dozing, hoping to go back to sleep, an idea came to me. I'm really, really happy with how it came out. And it was came together QUICK!

Here's a look at each page in case you are interested.

 I assembly-lined each step as much as I could. Cut the Kraft bases. Then cut the circles using my Cuttlebug and a Spellbinders die. Then embossed them all. Adhered and stamped the names. Attached the eyelets. Doing it that way made it much quicker than doing one page at a time.

I do think this would be a neat gift for a new mom or a 1st birthday present. I can absolutely see myself making some more of them, adding different themes as well. I do think in the future I will laminate them before adding the eyelets so that a little one could knaw on it without paper disintegrating --- ewww! We all know that it only takes a second with your back turned for them to do something like that!

Be sure to swing by the Cuttlebug Challenge and see what the other girls came up with!

Here are the embossing folders that I used:
Swiss Dots, Houndstooth, Argyle, Swirls, Spots & Dots, Owl Flourish, Perfectly Paisley, Allegro, Snowflakes, Oriental Weave, Heart Blocks

And don't forget to scroll down for my Diedrich Dare card today!

Cuttlebug Be Inspired: Mothers Day Card

Note: 2nd post today: Scroll down for my Diedrich Dare card!
Hello girls! I hope you are enjoying a great Wednesday morning. It's been so pretty around here the last week. A bit windy, but that's pretty much the norm here in the Texas Panhandle so I don't really think about it much. I've been enjoying the fact that some of my iris' actually sent out blooms this year. I have several that put out the leaf part, but not the bloom. They are HUGE too! Loving that. Although trying to explain the whole "bloom" process to a 3 year old has been a challenge. We are definitely in that "why" stage* and this mommy just doesn't have an answer most of the time! So my standard answer has become: "Well, buddy, I don't know. That's just the way God made it". *He doesn't actually ask just "why" though; it's always a more complete sentence or "what's _(insert any and every word you can think of here)_ mean?"

It's been several weeks since I've had a Cuttlebug Challenge project to share. So I'm VERY HAPPY to be participating this week! We were to create something for Mother's Day - anything goes - so I just made a card. And a blast doing it. I used my Cuttlebug this week for it's original purpose - to die cut! No embossing on this card. Crazy!!

As I was sitting at my desk, thinking of what to create, I knew that I wanted to make a flower of some sort and I wanted to use one of the free images from Sugar Creek Hollow last Friday. I noticed some crepe paper and doilies on one of my shelves and decided to use those too. That heart doily is 6" across so this card is BIG!! The only 12x12 cardstock I could find was a grey scrap - so I paired it with some black velvet flocked paper to work with the red.

The flower was sooo easy to create. I used my cuttlebug and one of the bonus dies from an alphabet set to cut out 12 small scalloped circles. I was able to cut 4 layers at a time - probably could've done even more layers. The big flower has 8 of the circles, stacked together. Then a brad in the middle and some scrunching up! The crepe paper is so thin that it scrunches easily! The little flower is just 4 circles, and I scrunched them much more as I wanted it to look like a bud, just starting to bloom. I finished it off with some gems and glitter Mom stickers!

Here's the inside of my card. I used some scraps along with the free Mother's Day Sentiment that Tracy posted on Friday at Sugar Creek Hollow. There is also a round image that I think would make a cute "envelope seal". Be sure to grab them by Thursday if you haven't already. You can view the store here too!

I hope you'll swing by the Cuttlebug Challenge blog to see all the other fabulous creations. They ladies on that team always create the most beautiful projects! And there's ALWAYS a contest of some sort going on to win great prizes!!

And be sure to scroll down for this week's Diedrich Dare challenge!

Kindness

Hello girls! Are you having a terrific day?!  Since it's Wednesday, there are a handful of challenges I am highlighting today.

Cuttlebug Challenge - Popups
The Diedrich Dare - sketch by Jack below
Flutterby Wednesday - use blue,green, white - oops! I did use butterflies, but the wrong colors! If you play along, be sure to link your direct blog POST. Danni's trying a new link system this week too.

I love this sketch and took some liberty to simplify it a little by eliminating a layer and using the fruits at the bottom of my image for the row of buttons in the sketch.

Pretty simple construction. I used some Coredinations cardstock for the coral layer and just distressed the edges. And that ribbon. Oh it's sooooo luxorious. It's the nicest ribbon I've ever owned. My fellow Daredevil Rebecca ordered some months and months ago; I shared some of the yardage with her of some skinnier ribbon and just a little of this. It's so nice I've been hoarding it but finally convinced myself to just use it. There is always more to get should i need it, right?

And then the popup on the inside is using the spiral popup method. This is the first popup I've created using this method. I left it off to the side so there would be plenty of room to write a message.

Take a spin over to the Diedrich Dare blog to see the featured team member this week. And check out the rest of the team members too! We have a new Daredevil this week - please be sure to visit Krista Vantol and welcome her to the team!

Andrea Murdock ♥ Darla Wilson (on hiatus)  ♥ Heather Schlatter 

 ♥ Jacquie Peifer ♥ Jessica Diedrich ♥ Kim Ross  

Kris Palakiko  ♥ Krista Vantol ♥ Randi Wall ♥

Rebecca Ednie ♥  Sara Henton ♥ Valerie Urtiaga

And be sure to visit the Cuttlebug Challenge blog too to see all the inspiration over there as well.

I hope you'll play along with us this week!

Cuttlebug Be Inspired 73: Embossing

Hello girls! I am so super excited to share this card with you today. This week our theme is embossing - use the cracked glass, faux metal, etc techniques in your project!

I love cracked glass - it's such a neat effect! And so that's what I used today! Check it out! Here's what I used on today's card:

I love those embossing powders - they are not a solid color and so the effect is really dimensional!

And here's some alternate shots:

 Be sure to stop by the Cuttlebug Challenge blog, your source for teaching and inspiration in addition to challenges, to see what the other designers came up with! Be sure to link up your creation incorporating wet embossing in Mr Linky over there!

A New Creation

I wanted to take a moment and share my Cuttlebug project from last week with you. The Cuttlebug Challenge blog is much more than just a challenge blog - it's a teaching and inspiration blog too!

We were challenged to create a wall hanging and as I was thinking about what to create, the verse from 2 Corinthians 5:17 came to mind: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" And I thought of butterflies, who undergo a complete transformation in their lifetime. And how God is transforming me every day. Our family is certainly facing some trials right now and it's easy to get discouraged. But then I remember that He is guiding my path and I should trust Him. So I made a simple wall plaque to remind me that though I face failures, they are not the end of the world. That I am a new creation in Christ.

What do you think of that lime green swirl? It's some packing tape I picked up in the dollar section at Michaels. Very cool stuff. I adhered it to some white cardstock since my base was embossed. I love that shade of green paired with that deep red!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cuttlebug Challenge: Stitched Quilt

Good morning girls! So happy to be able to share this card with you this morning. This week the Cuttlebug Challenge is adding stitching to our cards.

I have used the quilt image from Sugar Creek Hollow again; I have so many ideas for this stamp so you'll be seeing some more of it! LOL! I used the Ring It In digital kit by Summer Driggs to piece the quilt and then adding faux stitching to the quilt and the background squares. It's a little hard to see the stitching on the quilt.

I also embossed each of the squares to get that puffy, quilt look.

The Sweet Sunday sketch was my inspiration for the layout although I omitted the circular layer on top. Thanks so much for stopping by today! Take a moment and head over to the Cuttlebug Challenge blog to see what the rest of the team has come up with!

Cuttlebug Be Inspired 58: Festival of Lights Premier

Welcome to our First ever Festival of Lights from the fabulous team at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog!

The party kicked off over on the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog with a map of the participating Design Team , if you get lost on the way no worries, just check the DT off the map.

In addition to the fabulous projects, we have decided to make this party the most fun ever, by hiding 2 treasures along the hop!

Two selected designers will draw a random winner from the comments left on her blog in the hop. But of course, it wouldn’t be a treasure hunt if you knew which blog is hiding the treasure, right?

The winner will receive a $30 gift certificate to Peachy Keen Stamps!

You will also get a free year subscription to Technique Junkie Sponsored by Pat Huntoon.

So as you hop, make sure you leave comments on every post so you have a chance to win, and add the Cuttlebug blinkie to your blog!!

Ps the more comments you leave the better chances you have at winning!

Above is a map of the park. This is not your traditional blog hop --- instead of going in a specific order, just make sure that you visit everyone on the hop.

To help you find your way, I have a list of the team and their blog links at the end of my post. Also, visit this link for a download that you can use to help you along the way as well! It has all the names of the team.

Cuttlebug Challenge Design Team List maximum downloads reached. Use this link instead!

And now I'd like to share my project with you. We were asked to incorporate the concept of light into our project.

I found this wooden tree on sale at Hobby Lobby and some battery operated lights at JoAnns. I embossed some green Coredinations paper with the new Winter Trees embossing folder and painted it lightly with some Metallic Celadon paint. 

Then I drilled some holes through the tree and traced out the paper to add to the front, creating "layers" for each level. The Crop-A-Dile helped punch holes in the cardstock for the lights to go through. Here's a close-up shot:

I added some jewels to match my decor in pinks and green and clear. Here is a shot with the lights on.

Thanks so much for visiting! I hope you enjoyed my project today - be sure to let me know what you think - you never know, I might be hiding some presents behind that tree!! Here is the links to the rest of the team!

Cassie Larson - You Are Here!

http://fortheartofit.blogspot.com/

Cindy Royal
http://royalthings.blogspot.com/

Karen Maldonado
http://reallifeinpictures.blogspot.com/

Mel McCarthy
http://melstampz.blogspot.com/

Maggie Lamarre
http://mphoinix.blogspot.com/

Nathalia Castellon
http://funkyphreshpapierkreations.blogspot.com/

Shantaie Fowler
http://inkingpink.blogspot.com/

Terrie Bailey
http://terriebaileys.blogspot.com/

Beth Ullman
http://beth714.blogspot.com/

Betty Brett
http://bettybrett.blogspot.com/

Meda Halmaciu
http://handmadebymeda.blogspot.com/

Danielle Wycough
http://lifeonelayoutatatime.blogspot.com/

Ingrid Danvers
http://scrapbookmaniaandmore.blogspot.com/

Jackie Gallagher
http://luv2scrappp.blogspot.com/

Jenn Koss
http://scrappinforlife.blogspot.com/

June Houck
http://simplyelegantpapercrafts.blogspot.com/

Ellen Sonoski
http://closeyourears.blogspot.com/

Cuttlebug Be Inspired 57: Operation Write Home

This is my 3rd post today - please scroll down for my Diedrach Dare and FlutterBy cards.

This week the Cuttlebug Challenge team has a sketch created by Cindy - on of our awesome teammates. We are creating cards for Operation Write Home and would like to invite you to join in as well. Here's my card that I created using the new Snowflakes embossing folder from Provo Craft. They weren't showing up at HSN the other day but I hear that you can search now and find them. There are 2 folders in the bundle that will only be offered at HSN.

Provo Craft is also our sponsor this week at Cuttlebug Challenge - 3 folders will be given away!
My image is Jack with Snowball from 2RedBananas. It's colored with a combination of copics and my prismascolor pencils then trimmed out. This is one of my favorite stamps that Mindy Baxter has designed.

Have a beautiful day girls!

Cuttlebug Be Inspired 55: An MFT Dare (flutters)!

Happy Wednesday everyone! It's the best day of the week on my blog!!

I have a TRIPLE challenge card for you today!

1. It's Cuttlebug Be Inspired #55 - our sponsor this week is the fabulous My Favorite Things. The main image is from one of the new sets she recently released. A fall card was requested - and so I used lots of brown tones --- I think it would be lovely to live somewhere on the beach that stays beautiful in the fall and would allow for walks along the shore even in October!

2. It's Whimsical Wednesdays - The Diedrich Dare - with another fabulous sketch this week by sweet Madelynn.

 

3. It's Flutter By Wednesday and it's another "open" week - If you look closely you'll see the sweet little butterflies on my patterned paper.

I embossed the paper using the sheet music embossing folder and then added some ink to highlight that. I also distressed the edges - I've been in a real shabby/vintage mood lately!

The image was stamped on some watercolor paper and then colored in completely with Copics. I've had some brown colors for a long time and recently took a copic coloring class as my local scrapbook store is now stocking them. You can't really see any blending --- I only blended her pants anyway --- but then I added ink on top of the image to distress it so it matched my paper better!

Please take a moment to:

1. Visit the Cuttlebug Challenge blog and see the other creations there --- scroll down enough to see a glimpse at the NEW CHRISTMAS embossing folders! They are being released on Nov 2nd on HSN! VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES so if you want them - order early! I'm just sayin'!!!!

2. Visit the Flutter By girls** to see their creations using butterflies, fairies or even an angel (Danni said angels get to flutter with us during the holidays!) We want to see your creations too so be sure to link them on her blog! **Lelia just celebrated a birthday so be sure to wish her Happy Birthday, K?

3. Tour the Daredevils** too to see how they interpreted the sketch this week. Yesterday I posted a little peek inside my head and Jessica DARED the rest of the team to share with you too - I can't wait to get to know them better!

**Debbie isn't able to play with us this week - we are missing her and sending her good wishes though!

Cuttlebug Be Inspired Challenge 42: National Friendship Day

It's Wednesday and time for another Be Inspired Challenge at Cuttlebug Challenge blog.

National Friendship Day is here! Create a gatefold card to celebrate your best friends. We were also asked to use our favorite folder from the new releases.

I adore the new Victoria folder - it appeals to the softer, romantic side of me. I also think the flourish frame is pretty darn fabulous!!

I trimmed out the center and inserted a white embossed piece as well. The "friend" was die cut with my Cuttlebug too! And isn't that butterfly the greatest! Mrs. J sent it to me all the way from across the ocean. Thanks so much!!

Thanks for stopping by today! Be sure to visit the Cuttlebug Challenge blog and see the rest of the team's creations. Then upload your own gatefold card so we can see it too!

Have a beautiful day!!

Cuttlebug Be Inspired Challenge 41: Anything But A Card

Good morning!! It's Wednesday and time for another terrific challenge by the Cuttlebug Challenge design team. It's been so much fun this month Counting Down to CHA and designing with the new embossing folders from Provo Craft. I'm incredibly thankful for the opportunity to create with them. I hope you've been enjoying all the inspiration too!

This week we were asked to use the new Victoria folder (which is one of my favorites!) and to create anything we wanted as long as it wasn't a card! Oh the possibilities!

I picked up these plant markers last year in the Target $pot, not sure why as I am not really a gardening kinda gal but I thought they were cool!

Here's how I altered them:

Here's a close-up shot:
I just wrapped some embossed paper around the metal plate, added some letter stickers and some buttons, gems and butterflies as decoration!

What's growing in my imaginary garden? All the things I think it would be lovely to have:

beans, peas, carrots, squash and rhubarb*.

*Don't knock it until you've tried it. I always thought rhubarb was icky (although I'm not sure what I based that on) until several summers ago when hubby and I traveled up north with his mom and visited family. His aunt had this Rhubarb Crisp that was DIVINE!! It's a tart taste and oh so yummy!

Be sure to visit the Cuttlebug Challenge blog and see what the rest of the team came up with. I've had some sneak peeks and they are stunning, as always!!

Also, be sure to scroll down for my Flutter By post today!

Cuttlebug Be Inspired Challenge 40: Beach Peace

Good morning girls!! So, so happy to see you today! It means so much that you take a minute or two to stop by my blog and see what I've created!

I'm very excited to share not just one but TWO cards with you for today's Cuttlebug Be Inspired Challenge. We had an awesome sketch to work with this week designed by the blog owner Maggie. Today we are highlighting the NEW Herringbone folder that Provo Craft has coming out at the end of the month. It's been such fun to have the new folders to showcase!! I know several of you were able to pick up the set recently on HSN and they are on the way to you --- I can't wait for you to get them so you can use them and play along in our Countdown to CHA celebration!!

I'm also excited because 2RedBananas is sponsoring a great prize this week for those participating in the sketch challenge. It is the Precious Bundle set designed by Jami Bova and released last month. Be sure to link up your creation on the Cuttlebug Challenge blog for your chance to win! Then be sure to head over to 2RedBananas to shop - TODAY is release day and all the July stamps are available!!

I used the July Journaling Spot on my card this week! Jeanette has such a neat concept for these journaling spot sets. And even though I don't scrapbook much, they make really great cards too! Especially this set as it has 2 quotes, 3 seashells, a grass stamp and the journaling spot.

The seashells in the set made me think of the beach. I can't imagine anything more peaceful than a quiet beach somewhere, with a vast expanse of blue and a cabana all to myself. Only the sound of the pounding surf.

Ah. Peace.

The cream panel was torn and inked with Creamy Caramel. The Baja Breeze (water) layer was torn, rolled and inked with Craft White and then the sky (which might be a scrap of Soft Sky?)

The Baja Breeze base panel was embossed with the Herringbone folder and boy do I LOVE the effect that it had on the paper. It's incredibly soft and supple. Twill ribbon and a few pearls keeps it neat and simple. I really wanted all the focus on the quote and the beach scene so kept the embellishments to the bare minimum.

I even decorated the inside with the grass stamp. Creamy Caramel on Kraft. A new favorite.

Be sure to visit the rest of The Banana Bunch - they played along in the sketch challenge this week too and their creations are beautiful too! Swing by their blogs and let them know how much you enjoyed their creations!

I have another card using this sketch as well. It's a great sketch that really puts the focus on the image or sentiment that you want to use. I love those kind of cards. I spied this Caliope image (Paper Makeup Stamps) buried under some stamps and could not resist her calling out to me. I paperpieced her outfit and heart and handwrote my sentiment. My husband loves blue and so it was easy to use the same colors for this card as for my Beach Peace card. I hope he likes it!

We'd love to have you create a card using your Cuttlebug and the sketch too! Be sure to link up your card at the Cuttlebug Challenge blog for a chance to win the Precious Bundles stamp set from 2RedBananas.

Have a beautiful morning!

Cuttlebug Be Inspired Challenge 32: Butterflies & Hearts

Good morning everyone! It's Wednesday, one of my favorite days of the week!

The theme this week at the Cuttlebug Challenge is butterflies and hearts. ProvoCraft is our sponsor this week and will be providing the winning participant a prize pack! Cool, huh? I hope that you'll join in this week. Just use butterflies or hearts in your creation and then link it up in Mr Linky over on the Cuttlebug Challenge blog.


The butterfly combo set is one of my favorites. The butterfly is pretty fabulous on its own but then you can add even more with the matching embossing folders too! I opted to just go with plain die cuts this week.

Faith, Hope, Love

These traits have been on my heart for the last week or so and I really feel that this card came completely from the Holy Spirit. This card will be staying in my private collection.

That's it for me this morning! Be sure to visit the Cuttlebug Challenge blog to see the rest of the team's creations! Don't forget to read my Flutterby Wednesday post too! Have a beautiful day!

Cuttlebug Spa weekend: Relax, Rejuvenate, Be Inspired!

Happy Friday everyone!! It's finally time for the Cuttlebug Challenge Spa Retreat! We are kicking off the weekend with a blog hop! You've got all weekend to hop around so don't feel like you have to rush! Grab your beverage of choice, get comfy and enjoy. Do it all at once or space it out all weekend!

Here's what to do:
-- Grab the list of Blogs for the Hop found HERE
-- Leave a comment on each blog
-- "Follow" each blog
-- Each blog will have a spa weekend post with instructions, and a specific flower
-- Collect the names of all the Blog Hop Hosts and their flowers
-- Once done, email us at cuttlebugchallenge @ gmail. com to be entered to win one of the Spa Weekend prizes.


It's always good to take a moment to relax and rejuvenate! I chose Lavender as my flower because it is typically used to relieve stress and tension. And I think the fields of lavender growing in France are just lovely!



Ever since my little man was a baby, we have used the lavender scented bubble bath and lotion from Johnson & Johnson at bedtime. Lavender is believed to be soothing and relieve tension. I definitely think it helps him!

About 10 years ago I found some lavender scented linen mist and ever since then I love to spray my sheets with lavender scented linen spray/pillow mist. Just a light spray before crawling in bed. (It's a great trick for traveling too as I tend to have a hard time sleeping in a different bed.) That and a game or two of Sudoku and then I'm off to dreamland. You would think Sudoku would stimulate my brain; I think it's actually just a focused, easy activity and allows my mind to escape all the other stuff that builds up in it during the day! Without it I lay in bed thinking of all I wanted to get done and didn't and all that needs to be done the next day. And then of course I start stressing out about the sleep I'm losing!! LOL!!

You can find some more information here about other benefits of lavender.

Thanks for stopping by!! I do have a little treat to give away to TWO lucky readers!! Yep, TWO!! I love this stuff and want to share it with you! I'll be giving away a small bottle of Lavender-Vanilla Pillow Mist from Bath & Body Works and a small sachet of culinary grade lavendar, which you can cook with if you felt so inclined or use it in a craft project!

To win, all you have to do to win my prize is become a follower and leave a comment!

Cassie's Flower (that's me): Lavender (ETA: You only need the 30 flower names!)
Your next stop is: Jenyfur

Be sure to visit all the blogs - several of the design team have prizes to giveaway on their blogs and of course there are the big prizes over at the CBC blog!