Sunday, March 31, 2013

I Want Candy!

Finished one more swap.  This one was for masculine candy and I chose the color Orange.  I thought it would be a challenge not only because of the color but because it was masculine.  Feminine candy is so much easier to work on.

Here are some photos!

I was thinking of doing something with a tie or bow tie, but it just didn't go that way.  

I made extra tickets so I can use them for my decorated tickets swap.  I love that beer mug stamp and of course the mustache brads that I purchased from the Scrapbook Expo.  

I used an assortment of stamps, paper and punches from my stash.  I really  need to purchase more of the screw brads.  I used all the tiny ones and have only a few left of the medium size ones. 



Monday, March 25, 2013

Happy Bird Day!

Another sketch challenge at Let's Scrap.  I'm telling you...I love these challenges.  I've been on other sites and this one has the best sketches and inspirations!

As you all know, I love using scraps and cards are perfect for using up the tons of scraps that I have.  The stamps are from Stampin' Up except the music notes.  I'm not sure where I got that stamp.

Love this simple sketch:


Saturday, March 23, 2013

Gift Bags Galore & A Little Silliness

Hello, my name is Dorlene Durham and I'm addicted to swaps.  Yes, I've relapsed!  I told myself I was not going to sign up for too many swaps at a time, but I am signed up for eight swaps.  But, the good news is I've mailed out one, and completed two.

The one I just completed was my three spots in decorated gift bags.  Here are two of the ones I've made:
The first one is medium size women/girls category and the second is for the medium size men/boy category.  All the paper used on the top bag were from very old CTMH coordinating patterned paper.  I used my Art Philosophy cricut cartridge to cut out all the spiral flowers.  Added a bright pink recycled ticket and a feather.  The sentiment is a stamp from Stampin' Up.  LOVE all the pinkness!

The second one is also old CTMH patterned paper except the solid cardstock which was just an assortment of scraps and full sheets I have.  The yellow mat, rocket and sentiment are from the Just Because cricut cartridge. 

I love how these bags turned out and it made me ask myself, "self...why do you buy gift bags when they are so fun and easy to make?"  I didn't wait to hear the answer because I'm pretty sure it would have been something like "because I'm lazy"!  LOL 

Y'all know I'm not crazy, well maybe just a little, but isn't it fact that creative people talk to themselves :).  If not, I just said it and I'm pretty sure my other self will second it!

Spring is in the air and I'm a little silly, but that's ok.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Here Comes Peter Cotton Tail

Easter is fast approaching and since "sending more cards" is my New Year's resolution, I thought I should get started on some Easter cards.  I'm going to send to my mom, sisters and nieces & nephews.  I just came back from the Scrapbook Expo yesterday and came home with lots of goodies including lots of paper and embellishments from the Crate Paper Story Teller line.  Very bright and vintagy (is that a word?). 

I took a class, well actually is was more like a lecture on what's new and some tips on using products.  A question came up about how to work with these wonderful and busy patterned papers that are coming out.  The instruction gave this advice:  work with the "busy" paper as if it is a solid piece.  In other words, lay the items you would normally put on a scrapbook page/card and the busy background will coordinate and compliment your work.  I don't know why, but that really took away the fear that I have with working with patterned paper.  Also, she said which makes so much sense...use papers from the same line - the manufacturers go to all the work to coordinate products so why redo the process?  The same idea with double sided paper...

Anyhow, here are my cards:
There are four patterned papers on each card.  The only solid pieces are the layered leg of the bunny and the card base.  I also received a package of wooden BINGO pieces which baffled me, but I was determined to put them to use.  They are a little random and the numbers have no meaning at all, but I like it :)

Products:
Cricut Cartridge:  Just Because Cards (bunny and floral mat)
All papers:  Crate Paper Story Teller line
Bingo Markers:  Crate Paper
Recycled tickets and miscellaneous ribbon
Oval Cutter:  Creative Memories

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Lucky!

Yes, I am LUCKY!

1.  Lucky in love - married for 26 years
2.  Lucky in business - great job and great boss for 13 years
3.  Lucky in friendship - amazing friends some old and some new but all wonderful
4.  Lucky in family - four beautiful children and so many nephews and nieces there are too many to count
5.  Lucky in health - so far so good (knock on wood)
6.  Lucky!

I made this banner using pretty much every green item I had in the Command Center.  The letters for "lucky" were cut using my Indie Art cricut cartridge.  The banner pieces were cut with my Art Philosophy cartridge and I used my George & Basic Shapes for the circles and scallop circles.

I used an old book for the paper fringes on the top of each banner piece.  The rest are tidbits of ribbons, buttons, brads, and paperclips.  This one is hanging up in the craft room and I made another to hang up in my cubicle at work.

I'm entering this in the Fantabulous Cricut blog and the Decorate to Celebrate blog.  I love this banner!  It was so fun to make!  Click on the blogspots to get to the sites.


Woo hoo!!  I won TOP HONORS for this banner on the Decorate to Celebrate challenge site!
Decorate To Celebrate! Top Honors

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Baby G

Another baby gift which are always my favorite.  I love getting the baby shower invitation and then deciding what I'm going to make from there.  I always love to make baby gifts whether it's a paper crafting or sewing project.  I think getting handmade gifts for newborns is the most awesome thing.

Kristina and Ray are going with a black nursery and I had the hardest time accepting that color theme.  It just didn't feel like "baby" to me.  So...knowing that they are San Francisco Giants fans and the team colors are black and orange, I came up with this...

I think my favorite thing about this alphabet is the backwards "K".  For all those scorekeepers out there, you know what I mean!  LOL

I gathered all my black or orange letters from my stash and then filled in with my cricut cartridges.  The ball, glove and bat are cut using my Everyday Paper Dolls Cartridge.  The stars are from the George and Basic Shapes cartridge and the SF letters were handcut since I didn't have a font even close to this style.
Cartridges I used:

Zoobaloo (b,d,j,q,z)
Life's a Beach (a,m,r)
Mini Monograms (c,e,l,n,y)
Nifty Fifties (g,x)
Suburbia (w)
Platin Schoolbook (f,h,p,u,v)
George & Basic Shapes (k)

The frame pictured fits the 11x14 page perfectly but I decided (after taking the photos) that I'm going to use a larger frame with a mat.  I think it will give it a more professional look.  The baby shower is in a few more weeks.  I hope they like it!