Mojo Monday 253 - Happy Birthday Card

They say every cloud has a silver lining. I'm a firm believer in that perspective. I'm recovering from stomach flu so I couldn't babysit four grandchildren like I usually do on Mondays and Tuesdays. The plus side--I actually got to do Mojo Monday challenge on Monday!!  Here's their great sketch:

I never have enough masculine birthday cards, so I used my new Close To My Heart "Dakota" paper pack for all of the elements along with a Verve birthday greeting from Hope Blooms.

I cut the 2.5" circular image out of the patterned paper and mounted it on a 3" die cut from the Cricut Artiste cartridge, Accent 4 on the "5" key. The stamped star from CTMH "Stars Shine Bright" was just the right size for the circle.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Come and Get It Challenge - Adult Birthday Card
Dream Valley Challenge #38 - Die Cuts and punches
Mojo Monday Challenge #253 - sketch
The Corrosive Challenge #155 - Birthday card

Thank you for visiting and may God bless you!

Cricut Artiste Appreciation Party Favor Tutorial

Over the years I used to be amazed by the creativity of some of my leaders when I'd attend a meeting where lovely little gift favors were sitting at each persons place. Other times, the parent-teacher organization would show teacher appreciation by having a cute token given to each of us. I always wondered where these ladies got their fabulous ideas.

My new Cricut Artiste cartridge is so full of small containers that are perfect for party favors or small tokens of appreciation. I can't wait to try them all.  Here's my first one that was really quick once I figured out measurements. I'm sharing those measurements with you so you can quickly duplicate if desired. I used a two-sided paper from CTMH Avonlea paper pack.

It takes 1 sheet of cardstock to make one of these party favors. I cut the purse-shaped container using the Fit to Page feature on the Cricut Expression, which made it 4.5" tall when complete, 4.5" Accent 3 <3> (p. 33)  The front is decorated with a 2" black doily shaped element cut from the same cartridge which matches one of the Brocade Assortment pieces - 2" Accent 4 <h> (p. 56) . I cut the two bottom design elements from Chocolate cardstock, also 2" shift Accent3 <R> (p. 44). The edges are distressed with Chocolate ink sponged lightly on the scallops. The top is tied with black tulle ribbon that has been folded in half.

You can see through the side that it has an inner section that folds up and attaches so that whatever you put inside doesn't easily fall out.

I tied the tag on the back so that side isn't plain, but it could easily go on the front.

I cut the tag from black cardstock at 1.75" shift Accent 4 <3> (p. 33).  I used one of the Casual Expressions stamps and stamped it twice on the Avonlea off white cardstock. I colored the outer part and cut it out, then I colored the ring around the circle on the second one and punched out just that circle using a 1.25" circle punch. That circle was pop-dotted on the whole piece. I added pewter mini-brads and attached it to the black tag.

Now it's up to your imagination what you could put in a cute little purse of this design! Mmmm, chocolate sounds good right about now!

4.5" Party Favor Recipe:

Paper - Close To My Heart "Avonlea" paper pack, Black, Chocolate cardstock

Stamp -CTMH D1525 Casual Expressions

Ink - Black

Markers - CTMH water-based Chocolate, Olive, (dried up Lagoon which was lighter, more like Juniper)

Accents - All CTMH: Brocade Assortment, Black Tulle Ribbon, Black Hemp, bitty pewter brads, 1.25" circle punch, Cricut Artiste cartridge.

I'm entering this item in the following challenges:

Come and Get It - Anything but a card

Dutch Dare Card Challenge #176 - anything but a card

Hand Stamped Sentiments Anything But a Card Challenge #129 - party favor

MOJO Monday 245 Birthday Card with Flowers and Ribbon

Life has been so busy the past week that it was good to spend time in my craft room to create again. I made this card for my sister's birthday. Four of my siblings inherited a muscular dystrophy called Charcot Marie Tooth Disease. I am the oldest and feel quite fortunate that I was spared that malady that has put all but my brother in a wheel chair. One of those younger sisters died in her early 30's. I have my own muscle disease that is disabling at times, but seeing their problems helps me minimize my own. It's also a reminder that this body is temporary, but our soul will live on.

This birthday card is for Susan whose faith has remained strong. She has shown courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable problems at times. Her feet now look like skin wrapped around a pile of unconnected bones. The best foot surgeons in Kansas City say there's nothing they can do. And yet she stays vigilant in her wheelchair, always working to keep up her health after many surgeries on many parts of the body. I pray that God will give her strength and that she'll experience His mercy, grace and love for each new challenge. I chose this stamp set from Our Daily Bread Designs for the verse I put inside: 

Dear Friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even your soul is getting along well. 3 John 1:2

Here's the sketch from MOJO Monday that I used today.

I chose the color palette from Come and Get It Challenge for June: Colors of Spring:

Lexi's Creations challenged me to make a birthday card. Really Reasonable Ribbon inspired me to use the flowers stamp I hadn't tried yet, and of course, to embellish with ribbon.  Shopping Our Stash Weekly gave me the idea to use two different ribbons. That was perfect for the ribbon banners on the left side, but I also decided to try using those two ribbons to make my bow embellishment. I tied a piece of crochet thread around the middle of the larger grosgrain ribbon behind the satin bow to give it the dimensional appearance I wanted.

Thank you for looking, and may God bless you and encourage your heart today so you can in turn encourage others.

Challenges for this card:

Come and Get It - Colors of Spring

Lexi's Cerations Challenge #67 - Happy Birthday

MOJO Monday sketch #245

Really Reasonable Ribbons Challenge #49 - Flowers and Ribbon

Shopping Our Stash Weekly Challenge #55 - Double the Ribbon

5" x 6.5" Birthday Card Recipe:
Paper - All from scraps! Basic Grey pink scrap, Close To My Heart "Lucy" floral scrap, Colonial White, Creme Brulee, Lilac Mist, Spring Iris cardstock scraps
Stamps - Our Daily Bread Designs "Birthday Blessings"
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black, CTMH Creme Brulee
Accents and Tools - CTMH Creme Brulee Ribbon Collection; Copic Markers; 3" and 1.5" circle punches and corner rounder; Spellbinders Nestabilities " Lacey Circles" and "Heart Circles;"  Cuttlebug "Scalloped Edge" embossing folder