Paris ATC's at Vintage Graphics

I participated in a swap at Vintage Graphics.  I entered the Paris theme.  Go take a look here.
Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a marvelous holiday.  It's time to look forward to a New Year and great things.  I am now honored to be a part of the Design Team for Exploring Cricut.  The perfect place for me because that's what I love to do - explore cricut and its great potential.  Here's my first card for the New Year.

I used stamps for the chandelier and the timepieces on the side panels.  The dancers are from the cricut Art Deco cartridge.  "Happy New Year" was made from the Phrases cartridge, and the balloons were made from the George and Basic Shapes cartridge.

I wish you all many blessing this New Year and a world filled with more peace and joy.

Happy Creating!

Rae Ann



Christmas Tag

Christmas is getting closer and I'm still having fun with holiday projects.  Here is a tag that I made to enter in Twisted Tuesday Challenges and the Crafter's Cafe Chalenge.



The Twisted Tuesday Challenge calls for a tag with something that 'makes you smile'. My cat certainly does that and this stamp makes me smile whenever I see it. I got it at a Paper and Scrapbooking show; the vendor was Outline Rubber Stamps who said they were thinking of closing. They had some great stamps.



I added some gold snowflakes and dots all over the tage (that are hard to see so I took the photo you see next).  I used 'Snow Writer' by Darice and the dots came out a beautiful snow white, but then they dried clear and you only see the glitter.

Please go to these challenges to see other entries:
For Twisted Tuesday Challenge, click here.
For The Crafter's Cafe Challenge, click here.

Happy Holidays, everyone.  May you all be blessed this season and into the New Year.

Rae Ann

Top Tip Tuesday - 2 Entries

Here are a couple more cards that I made.  I've made lots of Christmas cards this year.  It's been fun.  Both of these are being entered in Top Tip Tuesday.

This was made with a stamp I bought at a Paper and Scrapbooking Show.  Unfortunately, the vendor said they were soon going out of business.  Too bad, they had really cute stamps.  I love this one.

I made this card by mistake.  I was aiming for the Digi Darla Challenge; this is one of their images.  However, I forgot to emboss the red sheet before I glued it down so I couldn't enter it there.  I'm glad it qualifies for Top Tip Tuesday.

 

To see other entries in the Top Tip Tuesday Challenge, .

 

Merry Christmas!

Rae Ann



Digi Darla Challenge - with Embossing

I decided to put this cute bear in her holiday finest for this challenge.  I actually made 2 cards because I glued down the paper in the first one, forgetting to emboss it.  Here's the correct version for this challenge:

There is snowy glitter on the ruffles at the ends of sleeves and pants.  The card's quite simple but she is definitely in the holiday spirit.

To see the entries in this challenge at Digi Darla's Challenges, click here.
Happy Holidays, everyone.

Rae Ann

A Shaped Card for Christmas

Two challenges this week call for shaped cards so I put on my thnking cap and this is what I came up with.  I'm very happy with it.

This cute little bird has lots of stability because I used the shadow cutout, made from a manila folder, for both the front and back.  Then I added the snow to stand in on the front.  The green scarf was embossed with the dotted swiss pattern, although the photo doesn't show it.  The bird, of course, is from the 3 Birds on Parade cricut cartridge; the snow is found on the last page of the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge.

I am entering this in the following challenges that both asked for shaped cards:
Fantabulous Cricut Challenges
My Craft Spot
I am also entering it in Exploring Cricut for the theme 'It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year'.

Please stop by these sites to see their DT projects and challenge entries.

Happy holidays, everyone.
Rae Ann

Christmas Mini-Album for Multiple Challenges

Hello, everyone.  I made a paper bag matchbook album based on the tutorials by Kathy Orta on You Tube.  I made it for my sister who will be spending her first Christmas in her new home in Florida with her 16-month old grandson nearby.

I am entering this album in the following challenges.  Click on the challenge to go to that site and see other entries.
Pile It On - Theme: embellishments.  My album has glitter and ribbon and a poinsetta I made and borders and cricut cut additions ...  I think this fits.
Bugaboo's Catch the Bug Challenges - A Bingo challenge.  I used a flower, red/green, and ribbon.
Little Scrap Pieces - Theme: A Holiday Project.
Come and Get It Chalenges - Theme: Anything Christmas.
Cupcake Inspiration - I focused on the red, green, and white cupcake.

Please visit these sites.

Here comes a number of photos to show different views of the album.

This is the front of the album.  Note the tiny string of light I put around the tree trunk.

This is the first page you see when you open the matchbook flap.

As you flip sections forward you have room for pictures and/or journaling.  Note the tag on the top of the insert.  I cut 2 designs from one of the cardstock papers and glued them back-to-back at the top of the insert.

Another view of inside.

I put the album on its side to show the 6 bags, each with an insert.  The front flap is the red to the right of the picture.  Each section was made from a black bag bought at Michael's.

This shows one of the inserts and the tag I put on each one.  I alternated red and green designs for the inserts.  I placed the tags left, middle, right, left, middle, right in the 6 bags.

I wanted to show the glitter on the flower but it was hard to photograph  Here you see some of the diamond stickles on the flower as well as the green studio g glitter on the curls and as seams in the palm tree.

 

Because of Kathy Orta's tutorial this album went together easily and quickly.  It was the decorating that took the time.

Product info.:  I used Recollections Winter Whimsy collection and PebblesInc. Welcome Christmas for my cardstock.

Cricut cartridges that I used: Flower Shoppe, the flower, of course; Paper Doll Dress Up for the palm tree and little plant next to it; Holiday Cakes for "Christmas" on the cover and "Merry" and "Happy Day" on inner pages.  The numbers came from George and Basic Shapes.  I always seem to use Picturesque for the curls.  The tiny string of lights is in the 3 Birds on Parade cartridge.

Other than a few index cards, the journal cards and tags were found at free sources on the internet; I'm sorry I didn't write down their names.  I just searched for 'journaling tags'.

 

Wow!  This is a long entry for me.  I hope you like it.

Happy creating and Happy Holidays.

 

Rae Ann



Created With Love - Birthday card w/ wings

I had just made this little fairy to try out my new Tinker Bell and Friends cartridge so this challenge came at just the right time.  The flowers came from this cartridge, too.

I added glitter to the filligree wings and glued them on top of the white wings.  They look lovely in person.  There are touches of glitter on the flowers, too.

Check out Created With Love Challenges to see more entries of Birthday cards with wings.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Bugaboo Stamps Christmas Giviing

Link on the badge in the right column to see what's going on at bugaboo stamps!
Happy creating.
Rae Ann Ohlinger

An Unusual Christmas Card for DL.ART's Linky Party & Go Fish Challenge

My chiropractor loves Hawaii so I made this card especially for him.

I used an accessory key in Cricut's Paper Doll Dress-up cartridge to make the palm tree.  I cut it once in each color and pieced it: sand, trunk, and foliage.  Around the trunk are colored lights from the 'Deck the Halls' page in the 3 Birds on Parade cartridge.  I cut it at 2 inches to get the lights small enough.  Of course, the little hula bear is from the Teddy Bear Parade cartridge.  She's on a home-made wobble so she can really hula.  Luckily, the internet provided the correct spelling for 'Merry Christmas' in Hawaiian.  I'm tickled with it.

Please go to DL.ART and Go Fish Challenge Blog to see more entries.

Happy holidays and happy creating.
Rae Ann

A Christmas card for the Come & Get It Challenge

The Come and Get It Challenge theme is a card with more than one fold.  I had never made a twisted easel card so I made several to get the hang of it.  I found a tutorial on YouTube that explained how to do it with an A2 size card, which is what I usually make and I like the result.  Here's a close-up of the card front.  An open card picture follows, below.

 

 

 

Because the background is pretty lively I decided to do a silhouette style image.  I used the little girl and presents images from Cricut's A Quilted Christmas cartridge and a  $1 Greeting Stamp I found at AC Moore.  The holly that the easel rests on is a K&S embellishment.

 

 

 

 

 

To see other entries of cards with more than one fold at Come at Get It Challenge, click here.

 

I realized that this would be appropriate for the Little Scrap Pieces theme, too, so I am entering it in the 'use black' challenge. Click here to go to the Little Scrap Pieces challenge.

 

Happy Creating,

 

Rae Ann

Holiday Wishes for Fantabulous Cricut

 

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This card is entered in the Holiday Wishes theme at Fantabulous Cricut.
I used the Quilted Christmas cartridge to create this little  elf.  Even though it's only 3 inches, the cricut did a great job in cutting out the designs on the clothes.  The greeting is a $1 stamp I found at AC Moore.  This was my first twisted easel card.  It rests on a snowflake-shaped rhinestone.
To see more of the entries for this theme, click here.

I decided to use this as a second entry to the Come and Get It Challenge, more than one fold in a card.  Click here to see all the entries.

Happy Creating!
Rae Ann

Speaking of Christmas

Cardztv has a challenge called "Speaking of Christmas" and I just made a card that will fit in nicely.

I used the letters from the Art Deco cartridge which I just got and couldn't wait to try..  The flower and holly came from A Quilted Christmas.

Go see other entries at Cardztv.

Happy Holidays, everyone.

Rae Ann

Another 'Give Thanks' Card

There's a lot to say about this one: symbolism, cartridges used, and challenges entered.

While planning this card I decided to represent a number of things for which to be thankful.  The pumpkin stands for the autumn bounty that is associated with Thanksgiving as well as basic needs that we have satisfied.  The little silhouette stands for loved ones; the flag represents our country and those who are fighting to keep us free.  For all this and much more we give thanks.

Cartridges used: 
Phrases -- the phrase 'Give Thanks" and the brown background for the silhouette.
Everyday Paper Dolls -- the pumpkin and the red/orange leaves.
The Best of 2010 -- the silhouette which is part of the Little Miss Muffet from Nursery Rhymes.
Picturesque -- the green leaves.
Teddy Bear Parade -- the flag, from the patriotic girl Teddy Bear ( I printed it out in white and colored it with markers.

Challenges Entered: (Click on the challenge name to see the other entries at that site,)
Pile It On -- Orange, Yellow, Brown
My Craft Spot -- Thanksgiving
Bitten By The Bug2 -- Gratitude
Exploring Cricut -- Count Your Blessings
Die Cutting Divas -- Thanksgiving
Shopping Our Stash -- I'm leafing it up to you

I wish you all a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.

Rae Ann

Giveaway at Creating from the Heart

Melissa is having a very nice "Thankful for you" giveaway.  Check out the details by clicking on the Big Shot in the sidebar.  Thank you Melissa.
Rae Ann

I Feel the Love - Crafts with Cutters #112

I made this card just to play with my new Cricut Teddy Bear Parade Cartridge.  When I saw this 'Feel the Love' theme I knew it found its home.  It's on a home-made wobble to add some fun.

Check out the card outreach to this Children's Hospital at My Paper Crafting, Crafts with Cutters Challenge.

Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

Give Thanks

This is a very popular theme right now so I will be entering it in a number of challenges.  Check the list below and visit these sites for all the awesome entries.

This cute pilgrim came from the Cricut 3 Birds on Parade cartridge.  I got the little elements from 4 others - a benefit of having multiple cartridges.  The leaves and pumpkin came from Everyday Paper Dolls; the fruit by the pumpkin came from Paper Doll Dress Up; the banner for 'Give Thanks' came from the Phrases cartridge; and the swirls came from Picturesque.  I added glitter to the leaves and swirls which allows the pilgrim and fruit to stand out by contrast.  Those birds make me smile.  The little pieces were a great use for scraps and the background piece is from a pad of autumn papers I forgot I had.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

I'm entering this card in:

Pile It On - Let's Be Thankful - click here.
Little Scrap Pieces - Happy Thanksgiving - click here.
Fantabulous Cricut -1st Thanksgiving - click here.
DL.ART - Thanksgiving - click here.
Shopping Our Stash - Thanksgiving - click here.
My Sheri Crafts - Give Thanks - click here.

Happy Creating,
Rae Ann

Autumn Colors with Thanks

Hello!  I have a card that I will be entering in 4 challenges. Click on the name to see other entries.

Crafts with Cutters -- Anything, use your stash;
Go Fish  -- Yellow and Orange;
Crafter's Cafe -- Thank You;
Paper Playtime -- Autumn Colors.

To make this card I used 3 Cricut cartridges:  Phrases, Flower Shoppe, and Picturesque.  From my stash I found papers I forgot I had, the laser cut doily, and my rhinestone bling.  You can't see it but there's glitter along the top, on the center vein of the leaves, and at places along the swirls.  I hope you like it; I do.

Have a great day. 
Rae Ann

Created With Love Challenge #16 / DL. Art

The Created With Love Challenge theme is a Christmas card with no red or green.  I used the Cricut catridges "A Quilted Christmas" and "Picturesque" to create this snow globe.  There are stickles on the embossed dots which really adds to the snow globe look but they don't show up in the photo.

To see other entries at the Created With Love Challenge, click here.

I also entered this card in the DL. Art Challenge - Any holiday to the end of the year.
To see those entries, click here.

Have a great day!
Rae Ann

I'm Finally Back with some Halloween Cards

It's been a long stretch but I've finally gotten back to what I enjoy.  I decided to try the tri-shutter cards for Halloween.  Here's what I came up with.  There's 10 of them.  I hope you like them.
Rae Ann

Flashback Friday - First Butterfly Card

This card has always been one of my favorites.  I made it to try out the Picturesque cartridge which I had just bought.

The only thing I would change today would be some distress ink on the edge of the butterfly to hide the slivers of white.

To see other entries at Flashback Friday, click here.



I really don't like this new blogger format.

Happy Creating

Rae Ann

The Only Project I've Done This Week

I'm still not feeling too well so I haven't even been crafting.  However, a friend asked if I could help her with a sign.  Her friend was planning a "sprinkle" (not a shower). Here is what I came up with using the Digi Darla Garden Fairy, Cricut Picturesque, George and Basic Shaps,  and Flower Shoppe.

Happy Creating!
Rae Ann

Almost Back in Service

Sorry for the long time away from my blog.  I've been sick and I am still not quite back to full operation.
I hope to be posting again soon.

In the meantime, Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Song Inspired Card

I searched the web for song titles to get some ideas.  I found this picture of the songsheet cover with the words to the song.

The Eiffel Tower is from Free Vintage Digital Stamps; I hand cut it.  The face is a HamptonArts stamp.  For embellishment, I punched small circles in floral and white, cut out wedges, off-set them, and put them each on a red circle. Then I added a rhinestone in each center.  The roses are embellishments from Special Moments; I found them on sale at a dollar store.

I like the way it turned out.

This card is being entered in the Spring Song Inspired Challenge at Paper Crafting World.

Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

A Funny Birthday Card

I won some stamps from Tradefish Designs and knew they would be the best sentiments for this card.

The (not-so-old) lady was cut from the Cricut My Community cartridge.  Behind her, in a subtle way, is a cut of 6's from the Graphically Speaking cartridge.  I wanted to suggest an age range in the 60's.
I'm entering this card in two challenges: Cooking with Cricut - Make me laugh, and Birthday Sundaes - numbers.

Happy Creating
Rae Ann

Easter Card for Multiple Challenges

Wow!  It surely is the season.  Everyone is focusing on Spring/Easter.  Here's one of my contributions.

To simplify things I'll name the challenge, what it's theme is, and provide a link.

Die Cuttin Divas - Rosettes, Ribbon, and Rhinestones - click here.

Made Especially For You - Use distress inks (Each part of the bunny baby is edged with distress inks.) - click here.

Krafty Girls - Easter - click here

Anything Goes - Easter - click here.

Top Tip Challenge #73 - Easter and/or animal - (Tip - using distress inks on edges makes a big differnce in the appearance of a cut.) - click here.

Getting Cricky with K Andrews - An Easter Blessing - click here.

Happy Creating.

Rae Ann

Card with a flourish for Bitten by the Bug 2

Both the butterfly and the flourish come from the Cricut Picturesque cartridge.  I love these images.  I don't own the Cindy Loo cartridge.

To see other entries at Bitten by the Bug 2, click here.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Fairy and Buttons

I won this digi and couldn't wait to put it to use.

This is a Digi Darla image and is being entered in their challenge with buttons.  The Flutter By challenge calls for a butterfly, fairy, or angel with a good will sentiment (which came from Papertrey).

To see other entries for these blogs, click here to go to the Digi Darla Challenge.
Click here to go to the Flutter By Wednesday Challenge.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Celebrate Spring at Whimsical Designs and Exploring Cricut

I just received my new Spring Cottage Cartridge and these lovely spring flowers wanted to be seen.  They are edged with metallic gold which isn't very noticeable but looks good in person.  The pieces are edged with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink.
The sentiment is a free digi from the Digi Doodle Shop.
I'm pleased with the light and springy look the card has.

To see other entries at Whimsical Designs, click here.
To see entries at Exploring Cricut, click here.
Happy creating.
Rae Ann

"Welcome" at Bitten by the Bug 2

It's been days since I've had a chance to make something and post, but I'm back now.

When I first read the "Welcome" theme I immediately thought of 'welcome home'.  And who more appropriate to welcome home than our servicemen so that's what I decided to make.

This is a 5 x 7 card.  Most of the cuts comes from the Cricut Lite cartridge, Handy Man.  The home I modified by adding the window treatments.  The words were both part of other phrases but I cut them off to use them here.  The tree I also modified by cutting it down a little.  It comes from the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge.

Although I have a nephew in the service he is in the States at this time.  I feel for those whose loved ones are far away and missed.  I think the yellow ribbon, the flag, and the child peeking out the window summarize the pride and longing families have for their loved one to come home.  I hope they all come home safely.

To see more entries at Bitten by the Bug 2, click here.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Word Verification Apologies

I apologize for the word verification being on.  I didn't even realize it since I couldn't see it.  It's only because I was emailed and made aware of it that I know all of you have been struggling with it.  I REALLY DO NOT LIKE THAT VERIFICATION and was glad I didn't have it (so I thought).  For anyone else like me, go into your blog dashboard, select settings, and look under comments.  There you have the option of setting verification to 'no'.  Thanks to all of you who struggled through to leave comments.
Rae Ann

Chicks/Bunnies at Bitten by the Bug 2

I'm still enjoying my new cartridge, 3 Birds on Parade, so I had to include the bird-bunny here.

I used 4 cartridges to create this.  I love these chicks from Simply Charmed.  The bird-bunny, of course, is 3 Birds on Parade.  The phrase is from Holiday Cakes.  The grassy areas are from Everyday Paper Dolls.  You can hardly see the green glitter glue but it really brightens up the scene.

To see more entries in this fun challenge at Bitten by the Bug 2, click here.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Big Blog Candy Giveaway at Candy's Craft Corner

Candy is having this great giveaway to celebrate reaching 400 followers (although now it's more like 500).  The prize will be awarded on March 19.  Check it out.
Candy's Craft Corner 400 Follower Giveaway

Animals Challenge at Digi Doodle Shop

This little bunny was a freebie from the Stamping Boutique.  I'm ready to look ahead for spring and Easter.

To see other entries at Digi Doodle shop, click here.

Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

Die Cut Flowers - Paper Playtime Challenge #69

I enjoyed making this card.  Take a look and then I'll give you details.

From the bottom up:  The checked area is actually duct tape.  There were some fancy designs and colors on sale and I knew it would look good in something like this.

The 'basket' is woven using a craft yarn I bought at A.C.Moore.  It's like a loosely crocheted tube that flattens out.  I wove it around a piece of cardboard.  (I saw a card where someone used twine to create a basket look.  I'm sorry I don't remember who.  But, that was my inspiration.)

I wanted to do something non-Flower Shoppe.  All these flower cuts are from the Cricut Forever Young Cartridge.  I mixed colors and shapes and even stamped some print on a few.  Then I added pearls and rhinestones as centers.  All the leaves and curls were cut from Cricut's Picturesque Cartridge.  Everything was distressed with Tim Holtz's vintage photo distress ink.

If I remember correctly, the 'hello' sentiment came in a set of Papertrey stamps.

Other flower die-cut entries can be seen at Paper Playtime.

Thanks for looking.  Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Easel or Step Card at Little Miss Muffet Stamp and Release Challenge

Not long ago I was lucky enough to win blog candy from Leah Ann, The Hoosier Stamper.  It was the set of 4 Petites Dames by Little Miss Muffet Stamps.   I chose one for this challenge and colored it in with colored pencils, using the picture that came with them as a guide for shading.  I'm very happy with my result.

I used the Cricut Flower Shoppe cartridge to make the roses and the Picturesque cartridge to make the flourishes.  The sentiment is from Papertrey.  Those are all French stamps.

To see other easel or side step cards that were entered at Little Miss Muffet, click here.

Happy creating!

Rae Ann