Just Us Girls Challenge #114

Hi all!  I whipped up a project to play along with Just Us Girls this week, so I'm popping in to share real quick.  I'm getting up early to lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery so I need to get some zzzzzs (you'll probably be reading this while I'm laying wreaths :).  The oh-so-talented Kathryn is our hostess this week for a fun technique challenge (JUGS114).  She challenged us to create a Center Step Card, which I've never done so I thought I'd give it a stab.  I also needed a birthday card for a co-worker, so it worked out perfectly :0]

I wanted to use some of my new paper from the Amour collection, so I went with that color palette.  I recolored the leaves of my Happy Hallows tree to match, printed and cut with the Well Rounded Tag.  I cut my black layer by increasing the size of my tag by 10% and shaving off about 1/8th inch from the bottom.  I used a Recollections border punch on the side panel layers, and decorated the bottom with black sewing trim, ribbon, resin Recollections roses, and my sentiment.  The Happy Birthday comes from the So Sentimental set and is cut using the Lil Inker Designs Sentiment Flag.

For the inside, I printed my "Just For You" sentiment and a few colored leaves and cut them out using the Be-Dazzled cut file.  Simple, yet effective I think :] 

You can follow along with the very easy instructions HERE if you'd like to play along by making a Center Step Card this week!  Be sure to check out the DT's amazing projects for some additional inspiraton :] 

Andrea

Dana

Elise

Kathryn

Lisa

Lynn

Lenet ~ December Guest Designer

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

Just Us Girls {3-D/TEMPLATE} Challenge #99

Hi friends.  I'm popping in this morning to share the quick project I made for today's Just Us Girls challenge (JUGS99).  Lisa is our hostess, and she kept things easy for all of us!  Simply create a 3-D project that showcases a back to school theme!  Oh the possibilities!! 

I decided to use the MTME Cutesy Cover template to create a sweet little box to house some much needed hand sanitizer for anyone going back to school - student and teacher alike!  I didn't add a sentiment simply because I liked the way it looked without one and I haven't decided who I'll be giving this one to.  I printed 4 sheets of my MTME Academic Hodgepodge paper.  Two at full, 8.5" x 11" size, and the other two at 5" x 7".  I used to two full size sheets to line the interior and layer the exterior. 

The smaller sheets were what I used to create the Rosey Posey Rosette and the Steno Note sheet.  I always use hot glue on the rosette because it's the only adhesive that works every time for me.  I threaded my button and tied off some double looped hemp with a cute bow, then hot glued the button on my rosette.  I used the combination of the rosette and the steno note paper as a "latch" of sorts to hold my box closed.

This little template almost held a third hand sanitizer!  Not bad for one of the smaller MTME templates.  Especially considering this one only requires one sheet of cs to cut the template.  Oh, and I only used one strip of tape to adhere the template together!  Bonus if you ask me ;]  The REAL WIN is the fact that this little treasure is FREE in the MTME store!  Check it out and share with us on Facebook if you whip something up!!

Thanks for checking in today.  Please be sure to swing by the rest of our talented DT's blogs for a healthy dose of inspiration:

Elise

Kathryn

Lisa

Maria

Pam

Hope you and yours are staying dry and safe from the storm this weekend.  I don't know about those of you enduring the storm, but it sure makes me feel crafty!  Helps that we aren't taking a direct hit, I suppose, but I hope to take advantage of it!

Just Us Girls {3-D/TEMPLATE} Challenge #94

Hi friends.  I'm here to share my JUGS 3-D/Template project with you.  Dana is our hostess this week and she selected a fun challenge that hopefully anyone can play along with!  Check it out:

Don't we all have some sort of plain gift bag laying around?  I have a ton in my collection of wrapping paper and gift cards.  I found this little, dark brown gift sack and I knew it was perfect for my project!  I kept my bag ultra simple to show you how easy yet effective a quick decoration can be on a simple bag like this one.  I already had some of Lauren's Spring Is Here paper printed from my last project, so I took the 5x7 piece and used a scalloped border punch on each long side.  I cut the left and right edges of my double sided scalloped layer to about 5 1/4".  I then scored down the middle and cut in about 1/4" on each side about 1" from the edge.  I kept it folded and cut from one slit to the next.  That gave me the opening I needed to slide the panel over my handles. 

I simply added two matching buttons from my stash, after threading with green twine and adhering with glue dots.  I added a triple loooped bow to hold my panel down, and I was finished.  It really doesn't get much easier than that...and Lauren's fabulous paper didn't need much to make it sing on this project!  It's such a lovely contrast with the dark brown...I couldn't bring myself to muddy it up any further.  My three wick candle fits snugly inside ready to give to someone when the occasion arises.

Well, that's all I have for you today.  I sure hope you can play along this week!  If you do, please add a direct link to your post using Linky Tools over on the JUGS blog, and use keyword JUGS94 in any online galleries.

Don't forget to visit our fab DT for some awesome inspiration!  Some of the girls are on break this week due to busy summer schedules, but please swing by and leave them some love anyway :]

Andrea

Dana

Elise

Kathryn

Lisa

Maria

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you stay cool this weekend and find time to get a little crafty.

Just Us Girls Challenges #91 & #92 :]

Ahhh...TGIF!  I'm back after several days of NO crafting :[  I've been engaged with lots of non-crafting stuff though, and it's all AMAZING, so I'm definitely not complaining.  I'll set aside crafting to enjoy life any day ♥  Maybe I'll share more on that another day...as things get even better...but for now, I'm going to share my JUGS92 card!  I'm your hostess this week for the Technique Challenge, and I'm challenging you to make a project showcasing your very own handmade paper buttons!

My button trial didn't work out so well initially, and I can't say I'm overly thrilled with this one but it is night and day better than the first!  I created my button using cut files instead of punches.  For this one, I used the MTME Elegant Curves - Circles cut file.  

I scaled the main layer to 1", and copied/pasted until I had five pieces.  I cut three out of SU Poppy Parade cs, and two out of white.  I added two small circles to the poppy pieces for my button holes, and added one larger interior circle to my white layers so that I would end up with a frame of sorts.  Here's a snapshot of what it looked like in SCAL:

After adhering the layers, I painted the sides with white acrylic paint to hide the poppy layers, and added a thick glaze (a little TOO thick) of Crystal Effects to the top.  Let it dry before touching the glaze otherwise you'll have to add another layer of glaze and you'll end up with the THICK layer I've got!

Check out the cutie-patootie rainbow and cloud pieces!!  These clever little images (and sentiment) are courtesy of Lil Inker - Rainbows and Clouds Dies and Stamps.  Laura is so talented...she never fails to amaze me with her new products.  Her eye for versatility and what the market is lacking, is phenomenal.  I love watching her humble company grow with each release and can't wait to see where this takes her :]  If you LOVE her products as much as I do, and you're looking for a temporary design team gig...check out her DT call!  You'll be a part of the very beginning if you get picked up AND you'll receive at least two of her current release products!  Win-win if you ask me!!

I cut my rainbow from four different sheets of my MTME School Plaid, and added a strip of the poppy to the top of my card.  I used Kathryn's sketch from last week's challenge (JUGS91) for my layout.

That's pretty much all there was too it other than some sponging and embossing.  Be sure to swing by the rest of the DT's blogs for a ton of inspiration this morning.  They turned out some gorgeous cards!!

Andrea

Dana

Elise

Kathryn

Maria

♥ Christina ~ July Featured Designer ♥

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hope you are enjoying this HOT summer and finding some time to get creative. Have a fab weekend.

Just Us Girls {3-D/Template} Challenge #90

Hi friends!  I'm here to share my JUGS project just a wee late this time.  I've been MIA this month with family in town, a college visit, and my daughter's graduation festivities...but I'm trying to get back in the saddle ;] Maria is our hostess this weekend and she challenged us to create a 3-D project or template with a patriotic theme.  I immediately leaned toward the MTME Star of the Show template for my project (as did Lisa, I noticed this morning!  Great minds, I tell ya!).  

I used some of my basic patterned paper from the Dotted Stripes Collection 2 and Collection 3 for my project.  My printer ink was waning, but I loved the rustic look it gave to my template so I went with it!  I'm so bad when it comes to enhancing a rustic, or vintage look because I refrain from distressing or sponging.  I probably should have done one of the two with my project, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it :]  So, it is what it is.

I adhered some white lace May Arts ribbon to the lid alone, and used some navy satin ribbon to tie my box closed.  My Killer Curves cut file came in handy once again for my sentiment.  I used the "Friends are like stars...you don't always have to see them to know they are there" sentiment from the MTME Keep Strong set for my focal point.  This will make for a fun way to package up some goodies for a friend who helped me out tremendously with Tia's graduation party!  I think I'll add some sugar free chocolate covered blueberries as my gift...just need to swing to Trader Joes and pick some up :]

If you're wondering how I was able to sponge the interior circle on my sentiment, it was really quite easy.  Just cut two center pieces of the Killer Curves cut file, but center a circle sized to your liking to one of them before cutting.  It'll look like this on your cutting mat:

Then, just layer the frame on the panel you want to sponge, hold it in place, and sponge away!  Easy stuff.  You can also store the frame for future sponging like I do to save paper.

Alright friends, that's all I have to share today, but swing by in the morning for another special projects :]  Be sure to check out the goodies that our JUGS gals came up with as well!  They made some CA-UTE projects today!

Andrea

Dana

Elise

Kathryn

Lisa

Maria

Pam

♥ Rosemary ~ June Featured Designer ♥

Thanks for swinging by today!  Hope your weekend is off to an awesome start!!

Just Us Girls {3-D/TEMPLATE} Challenge #86

Hello, my friends.  I took a short, unintentional break last week from both JUGS and the CTD, but I'm back today with the Just Us Girls challenge (JUGS86), sponsored by sweet, Andrea.  She challenged us to make a 3D project or template for Father's Day.  Easy, right?

I threw mine together fairly quickly for me.  I decided to use Lauren's Barrow of Blooms for my Father's Day template, and I filled it with dark chocolate Lindor truffles.  I used my MTME Autumn Leaves Collection 2 paper to decorate my side panels, and SU River Rock cs as my base.  I created my label cutting out my MTME Trendy Tags #4 cut file and layering my digital sentiment from the MTME For Dad set. 

There are a ton of different ways to format and print digi stamps, but I tend to use Microsoft Word for mine.  It's very easy to import the picture, crop and resize using the Format function.  I'm very familiar with graphic design programs, but Word is what I like to call "simple-stupid"...like, digi stamps for dummies :]  Perfect for this tired mind...  I'll show you another card with a digi sentiment this weekend that shares a few other options when working in Word.

I cut out an MTME Oak Leaf cut file to use as a tag for my bag of truffles.  I tied it down with a button and some black hemp twine.

That's really all there was to my project!  I will post my very late JUGS and CTD cards this weekend sometime...they're both finished, I just need to share them :]  Be sure to swing by the rest of the DTs' blogs for some fun Father's Day projects!  You'll just love what they've come up with!!

Just Us Girls







Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope you have a safe, relaxing, LONG Memorial Day weekend.  If you watch the National Memorial Day parade this weekend, keep an eye out for me ;]  I'll be marching ♥

SURPRISE Birthday Blog Hop for Lauren Meader!!

Hi friends!  I'm popping in real quick because the MTME gals decided to host a surprise blog hop for our lovely, Lauren Meader!  Today is her birthday and we couldn't let it slip by without sending LOTS of big wishes her way :] 

♥ HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAUREN ♥

I used the new Bee-Loved set designed by Catherine Doucette for my card.  I also incorporated the JUGS technique that Andrea selected for challenge #82 - emboss resist. 

Tulips are Lauren's favorite flower so this set was perfect for my project!  I sponged two tones of pink on my tulip petals (Pink Pirouette and Regal Rose) and I sponged Certainly Celery on my stem and leaves. 

It's a little hard to see beneath my vellum layer in the photo, so here's a better shot:

Not much more to it than some triple wrapped and looped ribbon tied off with a butterfly gem and my sentiment embossed in white on top of the vellum layer.  So, be sure to check out the main hop hosted on the MTME blog.  We would love for you to make a card for Lauren and join us on the hop!  You simply need to post your photo on the MTME blog so that everyone can hop along!  Once you're finished hopping, hop on over to Lauren's blog and leave her some birthday love! 

Just Us Girls {3-D/Template} Challenge #81

Hi friends!  I'm hosting the Just Us Girls challenge (JUGS81) this week!!  I chose to simply challenge you all to create a 3-D template/project that has a spring theme!  What an EASY challenge this Easter, huh? 

My mind was geared toward spring break and cutesy ;]  I've had this idea in my head for a week or so now, so I thought it was the perfect challenge to bring it to fruition.  I took Lauren's MTME SK8 Board Box template and turned it into a flip-flop!  Isn't it cute?!  I kept it pretty simple, but I love the clean, cute look.  It turned out just like I had imagined.  I have a young niece in mind who I want to send this little goody to ♥

To create my flip-flop, I simply punched two holes at each point where I wanted to thread the ribbon through.  I used my craft knife to cut an opening between each set of vertical holes. 



This is how I threaded my ribbon.  I snipped the ends and taped them to the inside of the box with Scor-Tape before assembling the rest of my template.

I took apart a carnation and used about 4 layers to assemble my bloom.  I wanted my flower to be functional, so I decided to adhere it to a little barrette that my niece can wear. 

I created my pearl center by following Becca Feeken's Becca Bit - Frugal Decorative Pearl Flower Center tutorial.  I BUTCHERED my pearl center, but I'm hoping it doesn't show that clearly in this photo!  LOL  I used flexible wire, and I clearly should have used very thin regular wire that I could form.  It's seriously not pretty in person, but I hid some of the eyesores with a glob of hot glue :] 

The barrette actually came in handy by pinching the crossed ribbon together.  Cute, ehh? 

I added a little tag at the back of my flip-flop, kind of like a label you might see on a real shoe.  The sentiment is from the MTME Sensational Sentiments set and it reads, "Sending you Sunshine!"  Totally appropriate for my spring-filled contents.

I fit everything you see here inside this template!  As you can see, it holds a LOT!  I'm sending my niece some sunblock, aloe, lotion, and sunglasses to use when she starts hitting the beach :]

That's all I have for you today.  Be sure to swing by our fab DT's blogs for a lovely variety of spring themed projects!  You will LOVE what everyone came up with this week :]  Start your journey with our amazing April featured designer, Ms. Teresa Kline! 

Happy Easter, my friends ♥