July 26, 2008

Caardvarks Sketch Challenge--Laura's Sketch

I finally got a chance to make a card for Laura's sketch for the Caardvarks challenge. Here's Laura's great sketch--

Here's my card based on her sketch--


It didn't turn out exactly like what I had pictured, but I think it's kind of cute. I used sage green cardstock, floral patterned paper (me & my big ideas), and some silk flowers and a brad I had in my stash. I used some blue fabric from my fabric stash and made gathered strips from it. The frayed edges on the fabric is really out there for me--I always like a nice finished edge on everything! "Just a note" is stamped in brown ink. I really enjoyed making cards from the sketches and found a great new blog at 2 Sketches 4 You.

July 23, 2008

2 Sketches 4 You Weekly Sketch

I found the 2 Sketches 4 You blog through Caardvarks. I don't know if I'll be able to participate every week, but I love card sketches and am always looking for new challenges and ideas. This week, Kazan has this sketch--
Here's the card I made based on her sketch. I'm not completely happy with it (don't really like the flower die cuts I used), but overall it turned out okay.


I used dark brown cardstock, ivory linen cardstock, My Mind's Eye patterned paper, $1 Michael's "birthday wishes" stamp, die cut flowers embossed with Fiskars texture plate, Making Memories eyelets, and zig zag stitching on my sewing machine. Thanks for looking!

Caardvarks Sketch Challenge--Kazan's Sketch

Caardvarks is having a card sketch challenge with two fabulous sketches by Laura and Kazan from 2 Sketches 4 You. I LOVE their sketch challenge blog and now have a new site I'm addicted to. The prize for winning the Caardvark's challenge is awesome--a Guest Designer spot for the August 20th challenge. How cool would that be? Here is Kazan's sketch:


And here's my take on it:


I used dark brown cardstock, me & my big ideas patterned paper, embossed cardstock using Fiskars embossing plates and accented with light blue chalk, scrap ribbon and rik rak, Sizzix die cut heart using textured cardstock and attached with foam squares, and EK Success "loopy letters" rubber stamps. I'm definitely making a card based on Laura's sketch and hope to make a card for the 2S4Y challenge, too. Thanks for looking!

July 2, 2008

Cloth Grocery Bags

Awhile back I made mysef some cloth grocery bags using a thrifted Goodwill sheet and this Morsbags tutorial. It makes a nice, flat bag (perfect for 12x12 scrapbook paper), and I absolutely love my bags. My goal is to make cloth grocery bags for Christmas gifts for practically everybody I know. I made up a sample bag using a vintage pillowcase from Goodwill (I can't believe that something that is 30 years young can be desribed as "vintage") and this Craftster tutorial. It uses a plastic grocery bag as a template for making a fabric bag.


I made the lining using some fabric from my stash.

I used a Target bag as my template, so the bag holds quite a bit (four boxes of cereal and a box of graham crackers). I really like the way it turned out, so it's time to go into fabric bag production!

Caardvarks Think Pink Challenge



Caardvarks' current challenge is to make a pink card. My card is made with strips of pink patterned papers (from a slab, but I've had it so long I can't remember who made it) wrapped around the card so it looks nice on the inside, too. I used letter stamps to spell out "thanks" in pink ink and used the letter tags to cover up the seams in my paper. Thanks for looking!