BBQ Invites and decor

Hi ya everyone! I'm sharing my project on the Creative Critterz Imaginations blog today.  I love this week's theme BBQ/Cookout - don't you?  It's sad to leave summer behind but before it ends how about one more Cookout!  I decided to make invitations and a bit of table decor to match.

 Recipe
Imagine
Gypsy
Imagine Cartridge Kate's Kitchen
Cricut Cartridge George and Basic Shapes
White Textured Card Stock
Foam Pop Dots - large and small
Printer
Adhesive

Thank you for checking out my tutorial today!

No Nestabilities - No Problem - A Tutorial

Hi ya everyone!
I am at She's A Sassy Lady again today to share a tutorial.  I love Sheila's blog because each day she has tutorials that help me learn new techniques.  I feel so honored to be part of her design team and want to give her a special thank you!  Thank you Sheila!  Now, on to my card for today.  I hear a number of people complain about the cost of Spellbinders Nestabilities.  I love them and am willing to pay the cost.  They make things so easy.  However, if you've invested in a Cricut you don't want to spend the extra money for more things that might not be necessary.  So today I've created a tutorial using your Gypsy and Expression - you could use Design Studio or SCAL too.
First I colored this sweet little bunny from Meljen's Designs in my Copics.  I cut her out using my paper trimmer to the size I wanted.  I'm not limited by a nestable size now. 

Next, I grabbed my Gypsy and using George and Basic Shapes created an exact match of the bunny rectangle using my Actual Size button.

I use this as a template only and will not cut this square on my Expressions.  Next, I find a shape I like to be a background edge to the bunny.  I like the scalloped square shape and chose this from Mini Monograms along with the shapes shadow.

I then lined each image together to make sure the desired measurements were accurate.

Then I separated the images and deleted the rectangle template.  I then laid each scalloped square out on my G like this.

I then chose papers that I liked to match my image.  These are left over scraps from a set of Stampin' Up paper (patterned) and solids from my Blues and Earth tone Cricut Stack.

I cut out my scalloped rectangles on my Expressions next and laid out my card.

I like this card already but thought some sweet embellishments would make it nicer.  I don't have a lot of flowers and pretty stickers laying around to match so I decided to use my cheap little punches to make some cute flowers and embellishments.

I simply punch out a few shapes in matching papers and layer them with a tiny bit of glue.  To the flowers I add small pearls to the center.

After finishing a number of these small embellishments I decide to use a bit of stitching on my card.

 I have brown thread already in my machine.  What I want to show you is how to make a nice corner with your sewing machine in case you don't already know how.  First, I adhere my pieces that I want to stitch with a single small swipe of ATG adhesive right in the middle.

 I don't want my needle to pass through adhesive.  Next I place my card in my machine and sew a stitch starting at one corner and feeding down to the next corner.  At this point I LEAVE my needle in the paper and gently twist the paper to the next side to stitch - never taking the needle out.  Your last stitch on one side is your next stitch on the next side.

Here is the final corner after stitching all the way around using this method.

I did the same to the small bunny image too.

After my stitching was complete I added all the layers and embellishments.  Now you have a look like you used the nestables from Spellbinders but you used what you might already have!

 Thanks for checking out my tutorial today!  If you have any questions please ask away in the comments section!  I also love to here your positive thoughts too!  Thanks for stopping by and you can find more fun projects and tutorial at She's A Sassy Lady!!

 

Forever Love - Masking Technique

Hi ya everyone! - I'm sharing a special little tutorial with you today at She's A Sassy Lady.  Thanks to the ever so sweet and talented Sheila for allowing me to take up her space!  This is really a simple little card but I love the technique of using Masking Fluid to protect certain elements of an image or page to allow some extra dimension.  This is just one way of using Masking Fluid but I'm sure your imagination will run wild with possibilities!
First, I started out with this ever so sweet Tiddly Ink digital image called Valentine Bugg.  I printed her and now I am using my Circle Nestable to cut her out.  Nestables are just wonderful for cutting out images because you can see the image right through the die cut.  I tape the circle around the image, carefully placing her in the middle.

Next, I place my A plate and C plate in the Cuddlebug layered as follows.

I flip the Nestable so the cutting piece is up and my image is face down.  You can no longer see the nestable but the tape is ensuring that the image remains in the middle.

I carefully place a B plate on top and run through the CuddleBug.

Next, I emboss the edges by placing the A plate down and my nestable with the cut out still inside.  I use my rubber embossing mat and three sheets of thick cardstock and TWO B plates.  I run this through my CuddleBug and get a very nice embossed edge.

Next, I take Masking Fluid and a paint brush and cover the entire image with the fluid.  A little goes a long way and you will be able to see what is covered.

After the image is entirely coated I rinse my brush in water.  Do this immediately to save your brush quality.  It rinses very easily if done right away.  Allow your image to dry.  This might take a bit of time - 10 minutes or so depending on the size of your image. 
I chose faded jeans Distress Ink by Tim Holtz and work in a circular pattern starting on my craft mat and working over the edges of my image.

Next, I chose a pink Tim Holtz ink called Worn Lipstick and a q-tip and color in the tiny heart as I did not mask this.

After the inking is dry I slowly peel off my masking fluid.  This can be done with an eraser or simply your finger.  Here you can see the fluid peeling away - be very careful - it can tear your paper.

I then colored my image with my Copic Markers.

I set this aside and used my Gypsy to cut out a heart shaped card.  I used Nifty Fifties for the Love font and you can choose any heart from a cartridge - I used George and Basic Shapes.

You can see that I welded the shadow of Love to the heart.  I also welded the letters in Love together to get one single cut.  I cut an additional heart too for a top layer and the regular letters of the word love.
UH OH - here I made a big mistake.  I wanted my card to fit in a 5x5 envelope.  As you can see my image is too big to fit on the heart.  

So a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do!!!

I cut her out removing all my inking!!  Well not all of it, the blue is still surrounding our sweet little Bugg and it looks as if she's floating in air.  Next, I adhere my heart to the card and I use pop dots to pop the love shadow off of my card.  Then I glue the letters to the popped love sentiment.

Then I run my Tiddly image through the Xyron and adhere her to my card.

I decide the card needs a little extra touch and I add a sentiment of forever using black ink.

Finally, I top my card off with a little doodle here and there and some of my favorite Stardust Stickles!

 And my card was finished!!!

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial on masking today.  Please feel free to ask questions and I always LOVE hearing your wonderful comments.  For more fun projects please visit Sheila's blog - She's A Sassy Lady!