Getting to know Gypsy

I've had a few days to get acquainted with my Gypsy and I am really enjoying it! I haven't had much time in the craft room, but I did take her with me when I spent the day helping mom take care of dad yesterday. When I wasn't needed I designed a bit and figured out some of what I can do. I designed a chipboard book that I have been wanting to do for 2 years and was having trouble figuring out on Design Studio, designed a few cards and basically just had fun! I'm working a good bit this week, which means my crafting time will be decreased, but I should be able to make a few cards from my designs soon. I'm hoping to enter a few more challenges this week with the cards I've designed.
Danielle

Me and my Gypsy

Well, I didn't think it was going to so difficult to get the darn thing up and running, but it took about 10 tries on 3 computers before I got the Gypsy ready to go. I'm still running XP on my computer (and probably will for a while yet-I'm not ready to invest in a new computer and if I upgrade my OS I figure I might as well get a new one!), and I couldn't get the sync software to upload onto the gypsy properly. I tried Amy's old laptop, but that was worse, so finally I used her new laptop and got it to finish. Now I am ready to design and I have no idea what I want to do! I will play around and see what I come up with though!
Danielle

Valentines Day Card

I made this card for several challenges. The butterfly is cut with the Cricut from Once Upon a Princess cartridge. I cut it 3 times in graduated sizes in different patterened paper. Instead of adding the layers that were available on the cart, I just doodled on the top butterfly. I added pearls in graduated sizes for the body. The papers are all from the same stack by K & Co., called Smitten. This stack has such beautiful papers that I bought 2 of them when I saw them last year. The heart at the top is a stamp from the dollar bin at ACMoore that I bought years ago, but I still love it. I stamped on the same cream and white patterened paper that is under the butterfly in a pale pink, then added Stickles to the dots around the edge of the heart. On the inside I cut out the edged lace from a sheet of the Smitten cardstock and used another stamp from the dollar bin at ACMoore that I probably bought at the same time as the heart. I used a Cranberry Ink for that stamp. Simple card, but I like how it turned out.
The challenges I am entering with this card are:

Cricut Cardz challenge-    http://cricutcardzchallenge.blogspot.com/ Valentine for a child
Paper Cutz Challenge-   http://papercutzchallenge.blogspot.com/   Your Choice
Bitten By The Bug2-   http://heather-bittenbythebug2.blogspot.com/  Butterfly from Once Upon a Princess
Charisma Cardz Challenges-   http://charismacardz.blogspot.com/   Valentine/Love

DanielleP

ProvoCraft Gypsy

I ordered the Gypsy last week and it arrived today. I'm excited about learning to use it and hope I can figure it out. Soon I hope to be presenting the cards I've made with it. Wish me luck!
DanielleP

Challenges

Well, not all challenges are of the card making variety...tonight it is a challenge for me to stay awake. I have been having issues with my back for the past few days and it makes me tired! I was able to make one Valentine's Day card for a few challenges today, but I am too tired to take the time to photograph, upload, edit and post it. Hopefully I will get to it tomorrow.
Danielle

Bridal shower invitaion

Kristen hosted a bridal shower for a friend and these were the invitaions we made for it. Pink cardstock for the base, patterened paper from my stash. I cut the silouhette from New Arrival with my Cricut. It's a new Mom pushing a carriage, but I didn't cut the carriage. I modified her a bit, shortened her dress and changed the shoes a little and added a rhinestone to her hand for the "ring". The You're Invited was a stamp I got at the Dollar Tree, and I added some Stickles to add a little sparkle. I printed the details on vellum and just attached that to the inside.
Danielle

St. Patrick's Day card

I have exciting news! I am going to visit Ireland this summer! Rachel has been invited to join a soccer team that is going to Ireland in July for 10 days and playing matches with teams over there. Ron and Rachel will just be going on the trip that is being put together for the team, but my sister and her husband and I will be going over about a week earlier and doing some geneaology research and trying to find some of our relatives that still live there! I know it's a little early for St. Patrick's Day crds, but this has me in the mood for them. I used pale green cardstock from my stash, The patterened papers and the darker green cardstocks are also from my stash. The stamps are by Studio G. The scalloped circle cut is from the Cricut Mini Monograms cartridge. I added a piece of ribbon, because I love ribbon! I didn't take a pic of the inside, but I printed up an Irish prayer and put that for the inside sentiment.
Danielle

Birthday card for teen

My daughter, Rachel is going to a firend's tonight for a birthday party and needed a card. I wanted a really girlie, fun card for Nichole and this is what I came up with. Pink Bazzill card stock for the base. Patterened paper is from Doodlebug Design, Inc. The stamp is PSX. Colored it with pencils, added Stickles to the crown and put little rhinestones all over! The "Make a wish!" stamp and the sentiment stamps on the inside are from a clear stamp set by Cloud9 (Fiskars). I used an edge punch by EK Success. Rachel and I were both pleased with the results!
Danielle

Sympathy card

I decided I needed to use some of my scraps and odds and ends of paper so I picked a few colors to work with and got all the papers I thought might work together out of the scrap file. There are several challenges that had color schemes this week so I am using those colors. I don't know who the manufacturers are for these papers since they are from my scraps. The card base is a dark brown cardstock. The birdhouse was cut with the Cricut from the Stretch You Imagination cartridge. It's a pale green with a shimmery finish. The roof, base and peg are a pale teal. I inked with a Walnut colored ink. The bird is cut from the Cricut cartridge, 50 States. I inked the edges of that, too. I used a Martha Stewart edge punch for the bottom strip of paper. The sentiment is from a Clearly Wordsworth clear set. I added some faux stitching to finish the front. On the inside I cut a piece of teal paper for the top and a piece of ivory patterened paper for the bottom and stamped both with stamps from the same Clearly Wordsworth set that I used on the outside. On the ivory I stamped twice, once in walnut and once in black. On the top I stamped in black and went over the stamping very lightly with a brown pencil. Used a bit of faux stitching on the bottom. I love the sentiment on the inside top. It says-"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul And sings the tunes without the words And never stops-at all"-I've had this stamp for several years and had never used it!
The challenges that I am entering with this card are:
1. A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge-http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/ Blue and Green Creations
2. Crafty Creations Challenges-http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com/ It's A Bird, but add polka dots and the color green
3. allsorts challenge blog-http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/ Teal blue and brown
4. crafty Catz Weekly Challenge-http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/ Forgotten stamp
5. Paper Cutz Challenge-http://papercutzchallenge.blogspot.com/ Your choice
6. Bitten By The Bug2-http://heather-bittenbythebug2.blogspot.com/ Birds and Armadillos
Danielle

Snowman Birthday Card

i made this card to enter in another batch of challenge. The card is 6"x6". The card base is made from Bazzill cardstock. The patterened papers I used for the background are by Colorbok. My daughter, Kristen saw them, thought I would like them and picked them up for me. She's such a sweetie! The marquee cuts are also the Bazzill cardstock. They were cut with my Cricut from the Storybook cartridge. The snowman was cut with the Cricut Winter Woodland cartridge. I inked the edges of the patterened paper and the marquee, added a couple of brads by Making Memories, put some Stickles on the snowman's hat band (I just had to add a bit of sparkle), and used a gel pen to put some faux stitching on the marquee and around the edge of the patterened aper and cardstock. On the inside I used the Bazzill cardstock and another patterened paper from the same set by Colorbok. The stamp on the inside is by Inkadinkadoo. Not sure who made the "birthday wishes" sentiment, I've had it for years.. I inked and added faux stitching on the inside too.
The challenges I'm entering are:
1. One Stop Craft Challenge- http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.com/ Card for a male
2. Creative Card Crew- http://creativecardcrew.blogspot.com/ For men!
3. CropStop- http://cropstop.blogspot.com/ Squares and Die cuts
4. Cricut Cardz Challenge- http://cricutcardzchallenge.blogspot.com/ Snowman
Danielle

Baby card

I made this card for a coworker's baby shower. Several of us pitched in and bought her a stroller/car seat combination, so I had my theme. The colors she was planning for the baby's room were lavender and green so those were the colors I used. I took the photos with my phone and the colors aren't very true. I used the trifold template. The papers were some I've had for several years and I don't remember who makes them. The stoller is cut with the Cricut from the New Arrival cartridge. I don't remember what cartridge I cut the florish for the flower stem with. I used stickles on the flourish and the "it's a girl" cut out.
Danielle

Knitting frenzy

Here are a few things I have been knitting lately. A few scarves in novelty yarns (eyelash yarn, boucle, pompom yarn and yarn with metallic thread), and a bunch of knitted dishcloths. I hadn't knitted any dishcloths in a while and my mother won't use any other kind any more and asked me to do some up for her. After I got started I just kept going! I've given a few to mom and my sisters and have yarn picked out to make some for my sisters-in-law.
Danielle

Pretty in Pink!

I made this birthday card for a few challenges. Last year one of my resolutions was to join in more challenges and I didn't follow through very well, so although I'm not making a resolution, I'm going to try to do a few challenges this year. The image I used is by Inkadinkadoo. I love this image. It can be used for so many types of cards, birthday, engagement, party invitations, wedding, anniversary, or just a fun girlfriends card. I colored with colored pencils and the "magic colored pencils technique" with oil. I sealed the image with hairspray and cut it out. The papers I used are from my stash-a very old pack and I can't remember the manufacturer. The cardstock is Bazzill. The ribbons are from DGI and Sweet Petites by Morex. The pearls are by Queen and Co. The Happy Birthday stamp is from PSX (and is 20 years old!). I finished it up with a chipboard butterfly from Amanda Blu.
The challenges I'm using this card for are:
1. 2Sketches4You-Kazan's Sketch- http://2sketches4you.blogspot.com/
2. Cute Card Thursday- http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/
3. Daring Cardmakers-
http://daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/
4. Papertake Weekly Challenge- http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/

The Daring Cardmakers challenge is being sponsered by Robyn's Fetish-a digi stamp company-http://ididitcreations.com/blog/?page_id=30
Danielle

Christmas isn't over until the last card is sent!

Just a few more Christmas cards to post...
Used a Cuttlebug embossing folder and inked it then added the stamped image (Stampin' Up, I think).


This card forms a pocket, and the insert pulls out. I can't remember what they are called right now-(old age catching up with me???). paper from DCWV. Ornament cut with the Cricut.



Danielle

Snowman card

I made this card using the trifold template. The card is scored, cut and folded from that template. I made this one into a Christmas card, using the Cricut to cut the snowman and snowflakes. The sentiment is stamped on vellum and is from Studio G. The papers are from a stack by DCWV from a few years ago. I added a bit of shading to the snowman with colored pencils and then used Stickles to add some sparkle. I really like how this card turned out.
Danielle