Photography sessions!

My youngest daughter, Vanessa, is expecting her first baby next month and we wanted to do some maternity  photos.  We had wanted to shoot lots of outdoor ones, but the weather didn't cooperate.  It was quite cool (by Texas standards) and very windy.  So most of the shots were taken indoors by a window.  Here are my top 3 favorites.

Hey Dad, you'll hear me better soon!

Poor Vanessa got a bit chilled on this one.  We are hoping to do a few more before the baby comes.  This time outdoors and warmer weather!

This past weekend, I babysat my sweet granddaughter in the morning and then her mommy, Beth, helped me do some Fall photos.  These are my top 3 favorites.

My little pumpkin girl.

Love the apple!

No you can't have MY pumpkin!

CDAC Progressive Challenge #21

This is my third challenge from Crafter's Digital Art Center.  This image is from Doodle Pantry and when it first arrived in my email box, I was stumped!  I "slept on it" and here what happened!

   Pamper your PIGGIES!

The card base is from Bazzill's Hot Pink and the layers are from a paper pack that I picked up at a Scrapbook convention a couple of years back.  I folded the pink dot paper and cut it with Stampin' Up's Top Note die with the fold just inside the cutting area to form a card.  I cut the Piggy image with the Top Note die and then trimmed along the perforations.  The Piggy, background and blanket are colored with chalks from Pebbles Inc and her toes are done with Glaze Gel Pen.  The Hot Pink ribbon and the green photo turn are from my stash.

The inside sentiment was created in Word and printed mirror image onto Grafix Rub-onz.  It is great for things you don't have the rubber stamp for!  I created a "pocket" for the gift card.  I located a gift card by doing a Google Search for Pedicure Gift Card, printed and cut it out.

CDAC Progressive Challenge #20

This image is from PriscillaStyles and is part of the Progressive Challenge at (Crafter's Digital Art Center - http://priscillastyles.ning.com.  The kitty just looked so sad to me, like he forgot something important! 

Maybe it was an important person's birthday!

The "wallpaper" is cardstock from K & Company's "happy trails" pad and the sofa is paper from one of the Cricut 6 x 12 pads.  The cat and window are printed on white cardstock and colored with Prismacolor pencils.  The buttons are accented with Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink as is kitty's nose.  

The "OOPS" is from Red Rubber Designs' Savvy Sayings http://www.red-rubber-designs.com/savvy-sayings-rubber-stamp-set.html and the other stamps are from what was The Angel Company's Belated Birthday.  

Diaper Cake - First for Me

This coming Saturday is a baby shower for my daughter Vanessa.  The theme is "A little pumpkin is on the way!".  Her older sister, Beth, asked me to do a Diaper Cake.  I've looked at them, but never attempted one.  Then Beth asked if maybe I could do it in the shape of a pumpkin!

Several months ago I had purchased a box of Hawaiian Limited Edition Huggie Diapers.  Half of the 72 diapers are an orange color and the other half are blue.  So, half of the battle - pumpkin color is taken care of.  Now, how do do this?  I started with a 16" Wilton Cake Separator Plate, 2 spools of orange ribbon (10 ft each), a 13" apple basket, and the diapers.  I covered the basket with a plastic bag so that it wouldn't snag any of the diapers and I filled the inside of it with the blue ones to give it some weight.  Using the 2 different ribbons, I cut 15" pieces and taped them to the Cake Plate - 6 of the wider ribbon and 6 of the narrow - evenly around.

 
I added the first layer of diapers on the wider ribbon by laying 3 along the ribbon and then pulling it up and taping it to the top.

 I then repeated the process with laying 3 diapers on the narrow ribbon.  This gives the pumpkin ridges.  I added green felt leaves and topped with a cute teddy bear.

The small pumpkins are cut with my Cricut using the Creative Memories - Artiste cartridge.  They will be table decorations.

CDAC Progressive Challenge #19

I received this great digi from Tiffany Doodles (Crafter's Digital Art Center - cdacpc 19   http://priscillastyles.ning.com) with the challenge to create a paper craft project with it.  My youngest daughter loves surf boards and I wanted to work on something for her. So, Vanessa, if you are reading my blog, please close your eyes.  :)

The card structure was inspired by one I saw on Pinterest.  There are 4 layers and I cut the first 3 using my Cricut machine.  I layered on the different papers to look like the sand, the sea and they sky.  The digi is of the surf boars and the wavy line of sand that they are stuck into.  I printed the surf boards on white cardstock and then again on 3 different sheets of cardstock for the orange, green and red/orange print.

I added embellishments of flip flops, umbrella, shells and "Surfer Babe" from my stash. 

Inside the card are more embellishments and the Birthday verse from DRS Designs.   

The back side of the card along with a cute rubber stamp from "Hang Loose" in my The Angel Company stash.  I still am sad that they aren't around any more.  Red Rubber Designs has purchased their inventory, but this set isn't available - yet.  The stamp says, "Don't throw this away dude!  It's totally hand stamped!"

Red Rubber Designs Contest Entry

My entry for the July Just Because Challenge.  Here is the card sketch we were given to use:

And here is my card:

I used Amberly Grace paper pack from.Red Rubber Designs   The tags are also from Amberly Grace and are stamped with Niagra Mist and Oasis Green VersaMagic ink with the Fanciful Vintage Stamp set.  The shells are the Mini Shells set stamped with Wheat and Sahara Sand,  The shells were cut and popped up onto a background of Bazzill Hazel paper that had been sprayed with Tattered Angels Pearl Glimmer Mist, crumpled and pressed flat to dry.

Stay cool!

Cindie D

Graduation cards

I needed to make a couple of graduation cards, so I went to Pinterest for inspiration.  This first one was so cute, but the link was broken and therefore, no instructions.  Never fear - - - I worked it all out!

This is an A10 (4 x 9.25) card.  The black cardstock for the card base is 10 x 7.25.  To score the card, make sure the 10 inch side is across the top of your board and score at 1, 3, 7, & 9.  Fold the 3" and 7" scores toward each other and then the 1" and the 9" marks back to make the front pleats of the gown.  Glue them in place.  Cut 2 pieces of black at 2 7/8" square to form the cap.  I placed a brad in the middle before I glued them together.  I glued the cap to the left side of the card so that the total height equals 9.25".  I did have to add a 1" strip of black to the left side of the card flap as there was a small gap after the card was folded colosed.  I actually used a scrap of the black cut 1" x 7.25.  I like the added piece as it makes it look like the inset for the zipper of the gown.  The white cardstock center is 3 7/8" x 7 1/8".  You could do slots for money or a check.  Because it is an A10, it fits a business sized envelope.

I also another cute card on Pinterest that I wanted to try.  This one is courtesy of Dawn Olchefske at www.dostamping.typepad.com.  She has the size for an A2 (4.25 x 5.5) card, but I wanted it a bit larger, so I did an A6 (4.5 x 6.25).

 My black cardstock was cut 4.5" x 10.75".  Score the long side at 6.5" and then mark 2.25" ABOVE and BELOW your score.  Also mark at 2.25 across the short side.  Score an "X" from the marks on either side.  Cut the angle of the hat from the center mark at the top of the card to the top of the "X" on each side.  Fold along all score lines and fold the middle section inward to create the hat.  I set a brad in the middle of the "hat" and attached a faux tassel.  The white cardstock is cut 4" x 5 7/8" for the lower portion of the card.  I marked at 2" at the center of the top and 2" down on each side.  Cut the angle from the marks to form the inside layer.  The square layer of white for the underside of the "hat" is cut 3 1/8" square. 

Congradulations to all of the Class of 2012!