Wishin you all a very Happy New Year

Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year.

And of course there is blog candy but not here. You have to hop to my other blog - http://papillondigitaldesigns.com/2011/12/wishing-you-all-very-happy-new-year.html  .

Once again wishing you all a Very Happy New Year.

Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year - Blog Candy

Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year.

And of course what better way to celebrate than to have a blog candy. So the giveaway items to one lucky random winner will be a nestability - label 4 

 & Waltzing Mouse Stamp - Faux Fun Circles

I love Waltzing Mouse and Paper Trey ink stamps & since waltzing mouse stamps have to come all the way from U.K  - I decided to order one extra just for this purpose.

Winner will be chosen on  Jan 5th, Thursday. All you have to do to win is follow this blog and leave a comment with your contact email if possible so that I have a way to contact you.

Once again wishing you all a Very Happy New Year.

Coloring SMALL images on the Cheap - A Simple Tutorial

Hi ya everyone!  This is Melissa from Melissa Made and I'm going to share a very simple tutorial on what kind of images you can color cost effectively.  Thank you to the lovely Pam for letting me share with you today!  I enjoy my Copic markers so much and think that they are truly the best marker for coloring large images such as the Tiddly Ink Alice image above.  However, for smaller images like the tea cup a cheap pair of Crayola colored pencils will do.  Check out my video below!

Thanks for watching and I love to hear your comments!  For more fun projects don't forget to stop by Melissa Made!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas from all of us here at TheBugBytes.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas

Ringing in 2012 with Metal Embelishments

I'm excited to be visiting with Pam at the BugBytes yet once again! Thanks for having me!

This time of year always makes me a little sad...I love Christmas cards. But, 2011 is almost over and it is time to ring in 2012.

Downloadable files : New Year files

A-2 Card 

Aluminum tape

embossing tip

Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks/pads

Mojo Monday Sketch 218 by Teresa Kline

1. Prepare papers.

Unzip the files in the New Year files downloaded above. 

The papers are *.PNG format and will print from most graphic programs, including PSE. 

Print all but Subway art @ 6-8" sq. 

Print Subway art @ 2.5" 

Use background papers to cut mats and borders.

2. Emboss Tape
This is the stuff you want from the hardware department:

"2012 embossing tag" under Holidays in the MTC gallery

3. Assemble the card

4. Embellish as desired

I've enjoyed this time with you! I hope that you take away a few scraps that will add to your crafting gems! Oh! Happy New Year!

Christmas Card Holder

Hey Everyone,
LisaB here from Rather B Scrappin,

I wanted to share a simple project with you to hold your Christmas Cards. I found this idea on pinterest. I am very suprised that I was able to get off that website and actually create something I pinned.

I bought this wood plaque from Michaels. You can use any shape you like. When I bought this shape I thought it was very pretty. When I was covering this shape with paper, I wanted to throw it out the window.

I painted the outer edges white and covered the center part with Christmas paper.

I attached two strands of thick ribbon to the back of the plaque with hot glue.

I attached a ribbon to the back of the plaque to hang it on the wall. I attached it in the center across the center of the plaque.

All you need is a few clothes pins and you are done. Simple and easy.

I hope I was able to inspire you today! Thanks for stopping by and checking out the Bugbytes!

Until next time!

Another Snowglobe Ornament

Hello everyone! Allison from Goody Bag Diva here and I am going to share with you another snow globe ornament, like the one I made for the blog hop, but this one is a little more grown up. I also took a few more pictures so hopefully it is clearer how it all comes together!

 The details: 
So this is a very similar process to my previous post, I begin with a two piece ornament from Micheals and a  3.05 circle cut out of a recycled cartridge clamshell. Then I placed my scene on the acetate with black and white vinyl. The Santa (1 inch), trees (1.80 inch) and the church (1 inch) are from the Christmas solutions cartridge. I cut each image twice (once regular and once flipped) so that it looks the same from both sides. So this is what it looks like before I assemble it.

I filled the two halves with snowflake glitter and then I get ready to place the acetate inside. In this picture you can see there is an inner lip where the circle will fit (ignore badly manicured finger):

The circle fits in perfectly cut at that size and then I have one half of my ornament complete. 

And then I carefully slide the other side of the ornament in and add a ribbon to the top to keep it together. I didn't think it was necessary to add glue until I came home and saw what my two year old had done to it when my husband was "watching" her *SIGH* all that wasted glitter.

Apologies for the bad picture, but I think Yukon Jack is peeking out there to say hi! I hope these instructions help in understanding the process a little better and I really hope there are some of these left on clearance by the time I get to Michael's again! See you next month!

Holiday Blog Hop Winner

The winner of the Holiday Blog Hop is   Maria.

Maria said...

Beautiful card! Love the colors and all the detail.

Congrats Maria! Please email me your address sweetie and the blog candy will be on it's way to you.

Snow Day! Who Doesn't Love a White Christmas?

Good morning everyone!  Welcome to The Bugbytes, Sunday edition.  It's Sabrina from Sabriolet Designs here to share my latest scrapbook pages with you.  If you are a regular follower of mine, you know that when I scrapbook I usually make a double for a book I have been putting together for my Mom.  Well, this double layout is the LAST creation for my Mom's book.  It is full to the brim and DONE.  In fact, that baby is riding on a truck somewhere on its way to Colorado as I type.  It is such a glorious thing to be finished with a long term project!  This sketch is from one of my favorite places, Sketch Savvy.  Sherry Stringfield is a big fan of layering and borders, and well, that's probably why I like her sketches so much.  I tend to create very full and sometimes a little busy pages.  Her sketches have a lot of elements and I am always challenged to find new and creative ways to  make my page speak to me.  This double layout has a winter time theme.  In fact, these pictures were taken on Christmas Day 2010 when it snowed here in GA and we all went sledding on the golf court in back of our house.  I have so many fond memories of that day, mostly because it reminded me of my childhood in Colorado, and because for the first time ever, my children got to play in real snow.  It's a strict requirement for just about every complete childhood!  I printed these pictures out probably six months ago and just could never really think about how I wanted to put this together.   I went searching for a sketch not long ago, and it all came together.   

It's one of my favorite pages of all I time I think.  I used my Silhouette for most of the die cutting, but there are some Cricut cuts scattered throughout.  My cartridge library is so extensive that I don't know that I will ever totally put my Cricut away.  The Silhouette does things so well though, it does make it temping, or rather easy to work with just one system.

I also tried something new - stamping on a layout.  These stamps are from Papertrey Ink and I stamped directly onto the layout.  I was a bit nervous about it, but it turned out pretty well.

My favorite part of the page is this banner.  I adore, adore, ADORE how well my Silhouette Cameo cut out these snowflakes.  It handled the details with no problem and coming from the Cricut world this is nothing short of amazing.  This is an incredible machine, and if you are thinking about getting on you can't go wrong doing so.   Don't you like the sledders?  I think they are so cute!

Recipe:

Paper:  Echo Park Winter Park Collection, Bazzil Basics,  The Paper Company Color Translucent Iridescent White, DCWV Dazzle Stack

Silhouette:  circle border, bottom border, title (Snow & 2010), sledders, snowflakes

Cricut Cartridges:  French Manor (large scallop border on bottom); Accent Essentials (snowflakes), When It's Cold Outside (big snowflake)

Embellishments:  Making Memories Puffy Alphabet, October Afternoon word stickers, Heidi Grace epoxy stickers

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink Winter Swirls

Thanks for stopping by!

Merry Christmas to you....

Hello there! And Merry Christmas to all! This is Amylynne signing on for today.... Thanks Pam for letting me invade once again! I love Christmas time.....such a wonderful time of year. One of my favorite songs is "I wish everyday could be like Christmas"....sung by none other than the King himself!....Elvis Presley! Lol Any way I have that tune stuck in my head. Well I know everyone is busy trying to get everything prepared for the big day......it such a shame it does not last longer. Well I am always in need of that simple little gift to give that does not cost alot. Well I have a very simple "angel" that can be made in no time at all. Oh....sorry no cricut at all.....just used my cuttlebug to cut the tag out. Anyway I found these cute glittery ornaments in the $1 bin......gotta love the dollar bin!

Pretty on there own but I wanted to spruce them up a bit! So with a little ribbon, pearls, and a premade flower.......I made my "angels".

See.....very simple. Tie a bow....glue to the back and to the front add more skinny ribbon, pearls, and flower.....done! Then of course I added a tag with a sweet angel sentiment....then I will probably put "With Love at Christmas, The Smith Family".

And there you have pretty ornament to give to anyone! I made 10! Just like to have something to give that is ready! Well.....that is all for today.....my son comes home from college today. I have some things I want to finish before he gets home!

Have a Very Merry Christmas!!! See you in the new year!

Amylynne

OTHER Celebrations and Cultures

Ciao a tutti! Kymberlee here from The Paper Midwife

As we all scurry about trying to gather the perfect gift, or make the most perfect decor sometime it is hard to remember that other people celebrate differently. I love that there are so many different cultures and traditions blended into my very own family and all around me. Since we are adopting our foster children and my birth children have grown, left the nest and are making their way in the world with their own traditions, I have enjoyed exploring different religions and celebrations this holiday season. In my family and close circle of friends there are a LOT of December birthdays (including my own) so December is a very special month to me for many reasons.  I have always really thrown myself into projects and learning so my creations are as much about learning as they are a crafty outlet.

This year a co-worker of my husband asked me to make a card for his son's Coming of Age also known as Seijin no Hi [成人の日] In Japanese culture this is a HUGE deal and is celebrated country wide in a particular day for all who will be "coming of age" that year. Here in the U.S  it is usually on the persons actual birthday. My instructions for the card were very vague. Traditional Japanese look but plain. He likes clean lines and less is more. He also gave my husband this long verse out of a book that he wanted included......okay hmmmmm so my first thought was Koi because Koi Fish meaning in Japan is good fortune or luck they also are associated with perseverance in adversity and strength of purpose. So I broke out the Copics and crafted up a beautiful little card, or so I thought. That night at work my husband is telling him about it (because who KNOWS why) and he says simply "I don't care for Koi" UGH!! Strike one!

Here is the reject card:

(note that I took the Japanese lettering off the layering to the left and will add something else when I re purpose the card for a note card)

When I went back to the drawing board I started researching the verse and wording he gave me to include. It is from a book about raising a Samurai and traditional concepts to the Japanese culture. As I was researching and learning an idea started to formulate in my head. Here are the points that provided me with inspiration for the card:

~ the "Rising Sun"Japan is known as the land of the rising sun, and it also means new beginnings

~ A torii (鳥居・鳥栖・鶏栖^?, is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred.

~ The combination of red and white (kouhaku) is a symbol for auspicious or happy occasions.

~  kuro (black) is a symbol of  honor, nobility, age, and experience.

~  metal is a symbol of earth (often means gold or money) 地 Chi (sometimes ji) or tsuchi, meaning "Earth", represents the hard, solid objects of the world.

~  a coin with a round shape and a hole in the center (symbolizing heaven and earth) is regarded as lucky coin

~ The Japanese believe that the gods tie an invisible red string around the ankles of men and women who are destined to be soul mates and will one day marry each other

~ black cords/string tied to presents and other different sorts of packages is called the "musubi" meaning "ties"

~ Katanawa is is a loped knot or tie and symbols congratulations, it is used when it is necessary to "look at what is inside"

So taking all I learned this is the card I came up with:

 inside:

I really like what I came up with and if he doesn't..oh well. I am done with this project and moving on to other celebrations and projects that are overdue this month.
Whatever your traditions and celebrations are in your family, I wish you JOY and HAPPINESS always. 

Buon Natale e Buon Tutto
~ Kymberlee




 
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We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

We are coming off of a wonderful Bug Bytes Blog Hop and Linky Party weekend.  If you missed the hop and want to see the awesome projects please go HERE!  You can also play along and link up your Holiday project ~ any Cultural Holiday project OR any project using the colors RED or GREEN or SILVER or BLUE by December 17th at Midnight for a chance to win a prize!!

Lori here from ScrappinMyStressAway with a project that I started 2 years ago.  I am great at starting things, but not always great at finishing them!!  I was given a quilt years ago by my Mother-In-Law that had a similar design in it with these words.



I took a star from George and the font from A Child's Year and built this tree shape.  My original idea was to make this to put on a card so it was sized 6 inches tall.  I copied it onto another layer and enlarged it to fit on a plaque (7x9) that I bought at the dollar store.  The star is 1.55 x 1.39 and the letters are 1.46 inches tall.  I copied the star so I could cut it out in yellow.  I copied and flipped a second tree so I could cut out two at a time.



I cut out the tree and star in vinyl.  I set my cricut to 3~3~3 (speed, pressure and blade depth) to do a kiss cut.  I used my dental tool to weed away the extra vinyl.


I roll the vinyl to prevent it from sticking to my project.



I then weeded out the inside pieces.



Here are the word trees.  I am leaving them on the paper backing until I put the yellow star on the top.



I took some clear contact paper and dirtied it up a bit on my jeans to de-stick it a bit.  I put a small piece over the star and burnished it with my scraper.  I placed the star on the top of the tree, burnished it again and peeled off the contact paper.



I repeated the contact paper ~ this time covering the entire tree.



I covered a plaque with some Christmas paper and placed the tree in the center of the plaque.  Here you can see my awesome bandaid!!  I cut myself on my spatula (who knew how sharp the end was??).  I tried to hide it in my pictures!!



Here is the plaque, but it needs a little finishing...



I added a glitter ribbon trim, some gems and some ornament stickers (Recollections from Michaels).

Here is the other one I did with different paper and trim.



These will make nice little gifts! 

Thank you Pam for having me over today!!