Alright....are you ready......for the mystery to be over????

Well, let's get started!!

Here's how it will work. All the videos are on this one post. You can watch them one at a time, or you can watch them all at once. Whatever you want to do. When one finishes, scroll down to the next.




*I didn't specify this in the video, but leave 2 pieces naked on one side, with one having a photo, the other having a piece of PP. On the remaining 3 pieces, each side should have a photo and a paper on the other.









Well, that's it! Thanks SO much for joining me.

Oh, and I said I had a small prize for someone who participates. So, if you do, leave a comment and I'll draw a random winner on Monday.

But I'm also going to give another prize randomly. So you have three more chance to win another prize. Here's how.

♥ Leave a comment

♥ Become a follower & leave a comment saying so (if you already are, I don't want to exclude you, leave a comment telling me so).

♥ Link the project to your blog (via a blog post) and leave me another comment saying so.

I'll draw this winner on Monday as well!

Thanks for playing along with me everyone! I had a lot of fun doing the project.

Mystery In The Making

Just because the anticipation is so much.......here's a teaser for the project!


I will be posting the videos tonight - they will go live later tonight, probably 5:30 PM Pacific. I should be able to field any questions between tonight & tomorrow morning.

Thanks everyone for joining me on the journey!

Mystery In The Making - Part 7

Alright - last video before we start to finally make something!!



You will need a paper trimmer (with an old blade if you have one) or a craft knife & ruler. You'll also need a pair of scissors and adhesive (high tack is better, like an ATG or such, if you don't have a good tacky adhesive, glue dots or double sided tape will work). Also you'll need an ink pad that matches the paper and other items you've chosen.

Still not sure if I'm putting the rest up Friday or Saturday. I think my Saturday plans may have changed a little, so I'll be around my computer for a while.

Check back tomorrow though and I'll let you know for sure. I'm leaning to putting the videos up first thing Saturday morning (like 6 am).

*Wanted to let you know also that 1 1/2" ribbon will work instead of 2" if you can't find 2"*

Mystery In The Making - Part 6

Almost there!!!!

Here's video #6.



Okay - so here is the list of everything so far that you need to gather or purchase.

♥ 1 sheet of 12x12 double sided patterned paper (or 2 sheet single sided)
♥ 1 sheet 12x12 chipboard (yes, matboard would work, anything you can cut with a craft knife - you might have to make a change come assembly time, but I'll talk about that then).
♥ 1 foot 2" ribbon
♥ 2 feet 3/4" or 1" ribbon
♥ 5 horizontal photos with the same theme or topic
♥ handful of various embellishments that coordinate & some alphas (of some form - die cuts, stickers, etc)

Mystery In The Making - Part 5

Round 5!!! I hope you all are enjoying this as much as me!

Today, I'm making the videos of how to complete the project, so I'm very excited!!! (You won't see them until Friday - I think I'm sharing them early since I'll be gone all day Sat).

Mystery in the Making - Part 4

Alright everyone. Sorry for the delay, I've been having a sinus headache for over a week now, and am finally getting into the doctor today, but since I had planned to re-shoot this video, well I'll quit rambling now. Here is the first one I did, doesn't end as I had planned!



So here's the list of what you need for now.

1 sheet of 12x12 double sided patterned paper (or 2 sheet single sided)
1 sheet 12x12 chipboard (yes, matboard would work, anything you can cut with a craft knife - you might have to make a change come assembly time, but I'll talk about that then).
1 foot 2" ribbon
2 feet 3/4" or 1" ribbon

The rest tomorrow & Wed will be in your stash already (if you call yourself a scrapbooker anyway). And the video Thursday will be the tools you need to round up (nothing special).

I think I'm going to put all the videos up Friday instead of Saturday because I will be gone all day Saturday so I won't be able to field any questions on Sat.

Thanks for following!

Mystery In The Making - Part 3

Hi everyone!! Welcome back to Mystery in the Making.

I just realized that I put the videos in different order than I had planned, so here is todays.



After the video tomorrow, I will have a little review of the 4 items you need to have. All should be easy to find, even if you have to shop for 3 of the 4.

Thanks for joining me!!!!

Myster In the Making Part 2

Alright - here's part two!!

(And after reading all the very kind comments yesterday, please everyone lower your expectations ;) - I'm so far from the incredible Erin Lincoln)

Mystery In The Making - Part 1

Better late than never right??

Here's a video to explain what's going to happen on my blog over the next few days.



It will all complete on Saturday, May 1, National Scrapbooking Day. I'd love to have you join me on this adventure!

I will have a small prize for someone who participates. Be sure to come back on May 1 and leave a comment and you'll be entered.

Any questions, leave a comment or e-mail me at amandasherman@hughes.net

Little Birdie Card

Remember the ribbon tutorial I did a couple days ago? And I said I had a cut freebie? Well, here is the finished card and that freebie.

I used this stamp from Imaginisce. I stamped, then scanned the image. Using SCAL2, I traced the jpeg file to create an SCUT file for cutting on my cricut. Yeah, lots of technical stuff. Let me practice more, then I'll do a tutorial later.


So, I cut the birdie, then stamped it with purple ink on lavendar paper.


Stamped the sentiment, applied the bird to the card using foam dots, and Viola! Finished!

I love the dimension you get from foam dots!

Click here to download the file Birdie Download

Oh, and a little tidbit, one of the cards I had submitted for the Design Team trial I also posted on the Club Creating Keepsakes gallery. Well, it was highlighted today in the Club CK Gallery Picks by CK staff! How exciting!

Thanks for stopping by!

We interrupt this regularly scheduled blogging for BREAKING NEWS!

A few weeks ago I entered a contest for the Design Team for Craft Warehouse (think local chain of ~10 craft stores in WA, OR & ID, the design team are the people who make sample projects to display products available in use). Well, the had called all the winners by April 16 to notify them. I didn't make it.

But that's okay. I had decided that I wasn't going to stress about it, I was going to submit work I already had done because I didn't want it to be stressful. I ended up creating new projects for it all the submission. But I was very very happy with what I did. And I knew that my work had greatly improved from my submission last year. And that was enough success for me to feel good.

Well, today, as I said earlier, I had a horrible sinus headache. We went down to the mail to pick up the mail & a UPS package. I found an envelope I had no idea who it was from. When I opened it......


I had made the final cut of judging for the Design Team Competition! I received an Honorable Mention!!


I am so honored! Out of 71, my work was in the top 15. To be sure that I can say something at the moment, I looked online to see if they hand announced winners, and sure enough:



And I just noticed, that they listings are in alphabetical order, not by rank, so who knows what that means! I may have missed by just one spot!!! The Design Team last year was super talented, so I am so honored to have been amoung these girls :D

Now that I know the standings, I can share the work I submitted.

The other part of this that has me super excited is that half of the judging was based on cards. As you all know, cards are NOT my strength! So I am flattered that even with my weak cards, I was able to make the final round of judging (they judge in 3 rounds).

Thanks everyone, for listening! And thanks for all your support & encouragement to help me along in this fantastic hobby!

As Good As It Gets

We just got home from a fabulous 24 hours family get away. It's so nice to spend some time away from responsibilities and life, even if it is only 40 miles down the road and hang out as a family. Just us. Family Fun.

And of course, what fun is staying in a hotel if you don't get to do a little jumping on the bed.....LOL!!

That's all for today. I've had a horrible sinus headache from a cold we've been bouncing around. It's been coming and going for days now, and today, even Tylenol or ibuprofen are touching it. And to think, I have a house to get clean too! Ah, such is life.

And that's why those little reprieves and breaks are so nice. Have a great day!

(Check back later this week, I have a freebie download, a pattern for the cricut cover and possibly a how-to DIY video & a surprise project...lots in the work....if only I could shake this headache!)

Catching Up

Nothing special going on today. Just trying to post the last two pages I have on my harddrive so I can get current with the stack I have on my desk ready to be photographed!

Happy Scrapping :D

Straight Ribbon?

I sometimes struggle with getting my ribbon to apply perfectly straight to my projects. Ribbon is afterall kinda, um, squiggly and flexible. And surely I can't be the only one who ever has this problem, right?

Well, this week I used my Making Memories Paper Trimmer with a magentic base to help me. (The Basic Grey or WRMK magnetic mats would work great as well, or any other magnetic mat).

For this, I was making cards. So I lined my card blank up with a grid line on my measuring board. (doesn't matter which line for this part).

Then, using the grids, carefully lay the magnetic ruler on the paper where you want the bottom of the ribbon to be.

Next, I ran my ATG along the ruler. You can use any adhesive applicator for this, it doesn't have to be the ATG (adhesive transfer gun).

Keeping your ruler in place still, gently apply the ribbon to the adhesive, lining it up again with the ruler.

Remove ruler and pick up card or paper.

Viola! A piece of ribbon applied in a straight line!

Tomorrow I'll show the finished card and have an SVG freebie for you!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cardriffic!

I'm pretty sure I've shared in the past how I struggle with cards. But a while ago, I made some I was pretty happy with. Just wanted to share those real quick today!

Supplies: K&Company (paper), Prima (flowers), misc ribbon

Have a happy Sunday afternoon! Thanks for stopping by.

Covered & Cozy

Well, I've been trying to get this posted for over 2 hours now. It's been a crazy morning around here! Little Miss hurt her arm this morning. After an hour of straight crying (with lots of screaming also), I went and got her dad again because I figured after that long, it must be really hurt. So after about 10 minutes on the phone trying to find a walk in clinic that was still open, we pretty much had succombed to the idea of either driving 40 miles, or taking her to the ER. We were just about ready to get her into the car.

We were really worried she had broken it. She wouldn't move it, screamed when we touched it or anything. She wouldn't even move her arm for M&Ms. Now, if you know the little princess, you know that indeed is reason to be concerned. The girl loves her chocolate.

Well, just about ready to put her in the car, she finally settles down. Now, this has been after about 20 minutes of snuggling on Daddy's lap, happy that he quit work just for her. And then, she moved it. Then, she slugged Daddy with it.

What? The crazy girl has been fine. 90 minutes of crying and meltdown, just because she wanted Daddy. Almost cost us a grand just so she could have some Daddy time.

Crazy girl. And now, she's happily playing on the floor with brother, two purple bandaids on her arm. Phew....she's worth every penny (and more), but nothing like an unnecessary trip to the ER.

But prior to that little event, I had made a little cover for my cricut this morning. I've been noticing how dusty it's getting because of where it is. Who am I kidding? I live on a ranch, in the dessert, with a woodshop next door. Of course it's going to get dusty!!!

I had this fabric in my stash from Christmas. I was hoping to use it for a photography backdrop. But it ended up being a little too busy. And I hadn't bought enough to really make anything with. I was about 1/2 a yard short to make a dress, and besides, white dress & me? Not usually a good match.

But I thought it was perfect for a cricut cover. So I made the pattern and whipped it out, all in about 20 minutes. Definitely not perfect, but DONE! And that's my motto!

Now, I'll share my pattern later if you wish, but um, no sewing help here. You see, it's sewing on a curve, and I was very very proud of myself for doing it as well as I did, but I am definitely far from being worthy or capable of sharing how to do anything that involves sewing on a curve.

Well, I'd better get back to the little faker. The things kids will do for attention.........

Thanks for stopping by!

Brads - Repurposed

One of my favorite tools in my craft area is my jewelry pliers. I use them for a lot of stuff. Opening those stubborn bottles, grabbing stuff when I just can't get a good enough grip. But better yet, I love the wire cutter part of the jaws. Let me explain why.

Because I use a lot of my double-sided paper to make a page on BOTH sides, (yeah, call me cheap, frugal, crazy, whatever you want to insert :p) I don't like to put brads through the paper. I really don't use a lot of brads, but when I do, nothing will usually substitute.

Now, enter my trusty pliers.

Using brad of choice,

open the prongs (if like this brad, or leave them closed if a normal brad)

Use the cutters to trim off the prong flush with body of brad.

The brad should now lay flush with the surface under it.

Use a glue dot to adhere to page!

Unfortunately, I'm not going to share this page right now. After I took the picture of it and looked at it on the computer, I decided I really didn't like the title. So I'm going to rework it and share it tomorrow, along with another technique I did on this page!

Thanks for visiting!

Beautiful You

This LO is of a picture I took at our Christmas Even Candlelight Service. It was by candle light and I just loved the lighting of it.


Supplies: My Minds Eye (paper), cardstock, cuttlebug texture plate, TGP (metal embellishment)

I have the title available for you as a freebie (it is a SCUT file - the file type written by SCAL).

Click here to download

Another Free Cut File

I love using SCAL to create my titles. And it's much more affordable than using stickers, where I often run out of, oh "e"s or "r"s.......

Click Here to Download

(This file is a SCUT file - the SCAL file. You can move the two words apart so you can cut them from different colored papers as I did).

An Engineer & A Winner

This morning after we finished school, I brought out paint, glue and the box of popsicle sticks for the kids to "build" with. I had to get a few things done, so I left them at the computer. Over the next few minutes I heard Cody rambling continually (nothing unusual :D) and he kept bringing one piece of paper to me telling me it was his trusses............and on and on.

Well, I went back to the table, and this is what I saw:


He had all these "walls" preassembled for the house he was building. He was simultaneously drawing blue prints for each wall he was building.

Yup, he's my little engineer. Love that kid.

Now for the contest information......we didn't quite hit 50, but after counting up everyones comments, links and followers, we were pretty close, so I'm going to give it away anyway. Using random.org, the winner is.....................................................................................

Congrats to Steff!!! (aka Brown eyed girl)

Thanks for playing everyone!

This Magical Moment

A few months ago we took a trip to "the city." We'd promised the kids a trip to a big toy store and they eagerly anticipated that trip to Toys R Us for weeks.

When I finally did my LO, I titled it "This Magical Moment"

Buttons! I love using buttons on pages for boys. Such an easy embellishment that's not foofey or feminine!

I have the cut file for this title available for free download as well.

Click here to download file

Thanks for stopping by! (and if you haven't already entered, be sure to scroll down and enter the contest, winner to be chosen tomorrow).

What exactly is SCAL?

Well, I know I talk about SCAL a lot. Okay, A LOT! And I think most of you know what it is, but for those of you who don't, it's a software program created by Craft Edge to use your cricut to cut the True Type fonts on your computer.

I did a little video to go over the basics, the very very basics, (if you're not interested in SCAL, don't waste your time on the video - it's not one of my better ones LOL).



I'm sharing this today is because I wanted to be sure everyone had a chance to get SCAL while it's on sale, until Monday (April 12) and to use the 10% off coupon.

Sure Cuts A Lot & use coupon code 8774959

(You don't need to purchase the cd, if you ever lose the program, you can download it again and use the original serial number (or e-mail craft edge if you need the serial number again).

If you have any questions, I'm more than happy to answer. Really. My e-mail is
over there ---->


Now.....I promised a freebie, so.....since it's spring and all the flowers are starting to bloom, I thought I'd share a little flower love. I grew up in the Skagit Valley, famous for it's tulips. So here's a tulip bouquet for you.

Click here for download

♥§♥§♥§♥§♥§♥

Now.....for the giveaway.......

Thanks to everyone, this is my 400th blog post! But I'd also like to thank you all because over the last week between when I was accepted to SCALTop50 to now, I have moved up the ranks 5 spaces. Thank you to all of you who visit my blog and make that happen!

Without you reading, my blog would be a very lonely place.

I'm giving away another MemoryWorks exclusive Life Documented kit. It is so yummy and makes getting an album done a breeze. (will also include 1 pkg WRMK PP the kit was designed for).

Here's the rules:

1) leave a comment (please include an e-mail or some way for me to contact you).

2) be/become a follower for an additional entry (If you already are, leave another comment saying so. If you become a follower, leave another comment saying you became a follower).

3) post a link on your blog sharing the contest (be sure to leave another comment saying so)

The fine print: I must have 50, yes FIFTY!! comments for this to be given away.

I'll announce a winner on Tuesday, April 13!

:Swoon:

Oh, to be a socialite woman of a hundred years ago.....I would have definitely swooned over this.

I went into my favorite fabric store. Woven Threads in Chelan, WA (sorry, no website to share for them). Anyway, well, as most of you know, I'm becoming a fabric collector.



Yes.


I must admit it. I love the texture, colors and inspiration in a bolt of fabric.


Now, if only I could get motivated to use it, instead of just collecting LOL!


But, I found this very special package of fabric. I believe it's called a charm pack (forgive me you quilters if I'm wrong). It is a stack of 42 pieces of 5x5 cut fabric. What girl wouldn't love it!


But the best part, it was designed by Basic Grey! Yes, the people who design scrapbooking paper! Now, I've stayed strong before, but....but....but....but......THIS WAS BLUSH!!!! My favorite Basic Grey of any!!!!! I just had to buy it. So I did.



And now, I just have to use it. I bought it with specific intentions, but I'm having cold feet. For two reasons, first, I'm being selfish and not wanting to part with it. Secondly.....I'm not that good of a seamstress, and I'm a little intimated to give it to the person who I had intended. Not sure what to do. But I think I'm going to go for it.


Stay tuned to see what it becomes :)

Be sure to check back tomorrow, I have a couple things planned...........a giveaway and a freebie..........

Orange?

I must admit, I've never been a big fan of the color orange. But lately, I don't know why, I seem to be very attracted to it. Can't figure it out.


This is a new paper (from Reminisce I think, I can't really remember now, I only bought one sheet). Used some flowers & MME journaling cards, and of course, Thickers (the real ones).

I always love when my mom is around because then I'm sure to get some pictures of me with the kids. I'm usually the one behind the camera, and my husband is afraid of my camera (probably doesn't help that he's dropped it twice. Yes, he dropped it. Broke my favorite lens one time, took 30 minutes to get it put back together, but thank goodness it still works).

Thanks for visiting!

Something New

Well, aside from the new blog background....did you notice that little button over to the right???

I'm honored to say that my blog was accepted to the SCAL Top 50 website!! Thank you to all of you who follow and read my blog. It means a lot to me, really :D

And to celebrate, here's a simple LO I did, using My Minds Eye (one of my favorite companies).

Thanks for visiting!

I'm BRILLIANT

humble too :)

Saturday night I was using my cricut and SCAL (have I ever said how much I love SCAL?) to cut some titles for my pages.

I always design my titles to look on the screen how I want them to be on the page. But it's tedious to then realign everything to make it go right onto the page.

Then *FLASH* I had a great idea! Use the transfer paper designed for vinyl!!!!

It worked :D :D :D (can you see me doing a happy dance????)



Note: in the video I said "vinyl transfer paper". It is transfer paper for vinyl. If you go looking for transfer paper made of vinyl, you'll probably come to a dead end.

Oh, and if you want SCAL (I highly recommend it), it's on a special sale expiring April 12. Click here to get the details.

*After thinking on this for a while, I think you could do the same technique with 2" blue painters tape. Just overlap it over your bigger cuts as you put it down and it should work just fine. Blue painters tape is much more easily available as well.*

Happy Scrapping :^)

My Struggle with Cards

I struggle with making cards. I've always struggled. Funny thing is though, that's how I actually got started in scrapbooking. I had made cards (albiet, not very well) for a long time before I started scrapbooking. Now, making a card is like pouring molasses outside in January. Slow and difficult.

But I realized today why I have such a hard time. It's because there's no story to tell in a card. I love the creative process of scrapbooking, but it is the combination of the creative process with the storytelling that makes it click for me.

But a few weeks ago I had to make a sympathy card. I don't buy cards, just goes against everything in me to spend $5 on a card when I can make something heartfelt (funny thing is, I don't have a problem spending that much on supplies for a card, but it's from me then, so it's okay I guess).

Thanks for stopping by!