Valentine's Day Canvas Blocks

WOW!

This project was quite the undertaking... I really enjoyed making it, but sheesh, it was a lot of work! I got my inspiration from Suzanne Surgi's blog, when I saw these blocks I immediately went out and bought supplies to make them. She got her inspiration from My Minds Eye's newsletter.

Make sure you start following both!

I wanted them to be different but still be tied together- hmmm, did that make sense?

I decided to use the paper from the Bo Bunny "Crazy Love" Collection. Since the canvas blocks are 4x4, I just bought the 6x6 paperpack and the sticker sheet.

I bought acrylic paint and painted the tops and sides of the blocks. Then while the second coat was wet, I put a heavy dusting of Martha Stewart's fine glitter on the top.

Then my creative juices started to flow to come up with each block.

I did try to do a cut from my Cricut/ Gypsy combo on every block. I mainly used the Sweethearts and Birthday Bash cartridges for the cuts.

This is my favorite one! I just love everything about it. The feathers add a lot of dimension and I love the way the flowers turned out when I spritzed them with "Iridescent Pearl Mist" from Maya Road. I cut the banner out using Birthday Bash and strung it with some baker's twine.

 All of the glittery hearts are Recollections from Micheal's

and the great thing is that the 2 packages were inexpensive.

The silver heart charm is from the jewelry clearance section (bargain!). It is hard to tell how much dimension this one has. I used so many pop dots, it's just hard to tell in the picture.

Isn't the rhinestone heart gorgeous!?!? It's Martha Stewart. For the ribbon, I made individual loops and glued them individually to the canvas block, and then tied the knot and glued it- simple idea that I actually got from another one of Suzanne's creations.

I do really like this block, too! Aimee, my scrappin' buddy over at Scrappin' With the Princess, gave me the queen card. So I inked it with Tim Holtz distress ink, and- wow- what a difference! I recently got into stamping and Copics, so the 'love' is stamped and colored in my new Copics!

I LOVED these pink flowers! They are metal (cool), and made by Making Memories. Do you see the glitter on the top?? It is so pretty in person!

I really wish you could see the dimension on each block, but the pictures aren't doing them justice- bummer! I hope you enjoy this project, and Happy Valentine's Day!!!

I am going to display these in my living room and hopefully we can enjoy these for a few years.

Happy Scrappin' and Cricuting and Crafting!!!

--Ash

Jinger's Card Challenge

Hey Everyone!

News through the grapevine is that Provo Craft is releasing a new product- Yudu Cardshop. It can screen print cards and so forth. Jinger will be doing the launch on HSN January 20th.

So, Jinger had a contest for all Cricut lovers. The contest is to create a card using either the Don Juan, Winter Lace, and or Wall Decor, and incorporate a product from Anna Griffin. I decided to participate, only because I love a good challenge.

I used the Wall Decor cartridge to cut out all of the heart shapes and the key, and two pieces of paper from the Anna Griffin Valentino collection. Of course I had to do a step card, becaue I LOVE these cards, I think they are very unique!

I also used some valentine stamps- the cute love bugs, the 'love' phrase and 'be mine' phrase. I used pop dots on the love bugs to give it some deminsion. I used my NEW Copic markers to color in the bugs and the love phrase. I sure do have a lot to learn with those things...

This is the inside of the card. I found this little bug stamp and had to use it- isn't he too cute!

These last two pictures are just closer up to show some of the details. I'm so sorry about the blurry-ness, I REALLY need to invest in a new camera (I'm kinda embarresed).



One final look! Oh- and if I win the challenge, if Jinger and her team pick me, I win the new Yudu product and the new Anna Griffin prodct!!! Wish me luck and thanks for lookin'!

Happy Scrappin'!!!

--Ash

An Awesome Giveaway- on another blog

Hey everyone!

I just found a new blog, and she is doing an awesome giveaway. Head on over to Sweet Manolia Rose for a chance at winning an expression and 3 cartridges!

Here's what she is giving away!

Exciting News!!!!

I am so excited that I get to go to the Dallas Cricut Swarm!!! YAY!!! The event is March 18-20 in Frisco, about 20-25 minutes from my house. I am so excited! On the circle forum, people from the area are going to meet up and sit together for the weekend. This will be nice, so I can meet some local scrappers. I hope to start going to crops again.

One thing that everyone does is make a 3x3 "calling card" to hand out to everyone there. I am already obsessing over this! I plan on making 100 to pass out and use for the door prize drawings. I've been trying to come up with an idea, but I have to remember, I need to make 100 of these so I can't over do them like I do my other projects. Stay tuned for my calling card plan...

If you are getting to go, please let me know! Here is a link to the event if you would like more information.

http://creativecritterzevents.homestead.com/tx-cricut-stampede.html

Happy cricuting!

--Ash

A Thank You Card!

Some people who know me, know that I have a small obsession with penguins! If it wasn't 100+ here in Texas, I might consider getting one... ya,  I wish! But since I can't have a real one, the next best thing is a penguin shaped card that had an itunes gift card in it. What a great gift for me!! One of my co-workers gave that to me as a Christmas present, but I didn't get it until I went back to work after the holidays.

I found a new card that I have been wanting to make,

so I made my co-worker this thank you card.

The paper is a pack of Recollections, from Michael's.

I used the Create a Critter cartridge for my penguins- only my favorite cartridge!

I have been using my Gypsy for all of the cutting, so I apologize for not knowing the size of them.

Can you believe that this was my first time to ever sew, much less thread a needle?? Yep, that's right, I've never learned to sew, but I did sew on these buttons. I think I'm a natural!

I also used yellow bakers twine from The Twinery. I love this stuff so much!

I cut the red rectangles and used my cuttlebug to emboss them. They added just enough.

Of course I had to put a little bit of bling on it, so I used some stickles in Christmas red on the penguins scarf. I also used wobbly eyes.

This is the inside of the card. I cut out a bigger penguin and then added some swirlies using a stamp from Stamps by Judith. I LOVE her stamps! I also embossed the red pieces on the inside of the card and then used some orange ribbon.

Here is a close up of the swirl stamps and my cute penguin!

(Sorry for the blurry pictures, but my camera isn't very good)

Here is how to create this kind of card:

Cut a piece of paper 4 1/2" inches by 11".

Score across at 3" and 8".

It will overlap a bit.

Pretty simple!!!

Thanks for looking and happy scrappin'!

--Ash