Welcome Fall Log Cabin Wall Hanging - Accuquilt Go

While I'm still a relative newbie at piecing quilts, this lovely traditional art is fast becoming one of my favorite creative pass times.  Actually, it's a lot like my other obsession, paper crafting, because it involves a lot of the same techniques and skills.  Design, layout, color coordination...they're all there. And don't even get my started on the joys of die cutting.

The log cabin block for this wall hanging was a cinch to create using the Accuquilt  Go log cabin die and my Go Big electronic die cut machine. I can make several different size blocks with this one die just by adding additional strips,  but I chose to use a six-inch block for this quilt.

  

Accuquilt also makes an assortment of  fun applique dies like the pumpkins and leaves I used  for the 6-inch white blocks in this quilt. I purchased some really cute Etsy embroidery files  made specifically to spiff up the Go die cuts from VStitch Designs.

I promise I'm not an Accuquilt Go sales  rep, but I really love using die  cuts to make precise cuts for my quilts.  I'm not lazy...just rotary cutter impaired!

Thanks for visiting.
Go forth and be fabulous.
Nancy

Cricut Halloween Banner - Spooky

It's that scary time of year again when I  need something eerie to hang on my fireplace to get my spine a'chillin.   Okay, so this is as creepy as my crafty spirit gets.  I might be "spooky challenged" but I think making seasonal holiday banners is paper delight multiplied.  This Halloween banner was super quick and easy to design in Cricut Design Space. 

I chose my images from the Cricut Image Library and lucky for me they were all free with my monthly subscription. The banner shape comes from the Birthday Bash cartridge,  the fiendish spider and skull icons are from the Pumpkin Carvings cartridge and the  alphabet is from the Frightful Affair cartridge.

I used a variety of paper textures just because I could, since each panel is like a separate little piece of artwork.  The polka dot paper looks a little peachy in the pictures, but it's actually sheer vellum and I love how it looks on the card stock.  Since I chose metallic, glitter and vellum  papers,  I thought this banner "screamed" for a little bling, so I garnished each panel with a clear rhinestone.  Doesn't get much spookier than that!

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth and be fabulous.

Nancy

Stampendous Tutu Toad - Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside /Cricut CTMH Artfully Sent Pop Ups

This delightful little Tutu Toad from Stampendous has been staring at me everyday for five years from the shelf above my working desk and says, "please let me make someone smile today."  This week I finally had the opportunity to make her wish come true. My friend is recuperating from knee replacement surgery and I think this googly-eyed tiny dancer might be just the encouragement she needs to get her tip toeing through the tulips again soon.  Or at least doing some arabesques in rehab.  In my first attempt at this Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside scene, I created the pop up inside my card but I found my tulips were too floppy and I didn't like the way the pop up looked.  So I aborted my original plan, as I do so often, and created my scene on the front of my card sans the pop up.  I think my little lady and flowers are much sturdier raised with pop dots on this flatter surface.

I still had a vision of a cute pop up inside my card.  I discovered this perfect get well pop up on the Close to My Heart Artfully Sent Cartridge in Cricut Design Space. There's just enough space for me to write my "tip toe through the tulips" note.  Sometimes the best laid plans are replaced by even better ones.

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth and be fabulous.

Nancy

Playing along with:

        Creative Craft Cottage

        Sheepski Designs

        The Rubber Buggy Challenge

        Fab n Funky Challenges

        Scrapy Land Challenge

        Always Fun Challenges
        Retro Rubber - 2012 Stamp

Let's Par-Tee with a Cricut Box Card - Lori Whitlock SVG

When it comes to making masculine cards, I might be a tad challenged.  Or maybe I just really think ALL cards look better with flowers, gems and ribbons.  At my house, everyone gets elaborate cards for all occasions except for the person I love best in the world, my darling husband. For years I took a class at The Stamp Art Shoppe called "Masculine Cards,"  taught by one of my favorite artists, Susan Porter, and made enough cards to last me for the year.  But sadly, that shop has closed and I'm left to fend for myself.

 Lori Whitlock SVG cut files to the rescue!  I adore her incredible cut files so I downloaded a few with themes that apply to my husband's favorite hobbies.  Now I'm prepared to wow my husband with my mad "guy card making" skills.  I do have to sit on my hands when the card is finished to keep myself from adding "girlie" details.  The foreground in this z-fold box card came very close to exhibiting a colorful bed of  tulips because we all know the best golf courses do have lovely flower beds along the fairway. I'm so proud of myself for adorning this card  with Tim Holtz  metal embellies.  I think washers and gears do kind of look like coconuts and hubcaps if you squint your eyes enough.

I used some of my regular die cuts for the sun, clouds, grass and palm tree. I like how this idyllic little golf scene turned out and I think my husband will be very impressed with his birthday card this year.  He'll laugh at the metal embellies for sure! At lease I tried...

Thanks for visiting.
Go forth and be fabulous.
Nancy


Playing along with:
        Die Cut Divas
        Happy Little Stampers - Dies
        Cards 4 Guyz
        Crafty Sentiments
        Fairytale Challenge
        Water Cooler Challenge

Pretty Little Pagoda Girl - Mo Manning and Cricut

                             

I couldn't wait to use my Copics to color this sweet little Mo Manning digi girl in her kimono. I knew the Pagoda cartridge in the Cricut Design Space would create the perfect home for her. I absolutely love designing little scenes for my stamped images to live in.  Paper dolls and doll houses...what's not to love!!!

My friend's birthday is next week and she adores all things Asian.  What a perfect opportunity for me to spend some time creating this Lori Whitlock shutter card.  This is the first time I've used this svg file and I just love it.  So many surfaces to decorate!  It's an A7 size card, so there's oodles of room for me  to go crazy adding die cuts. And I can size and stretch them in Design Space to fit my card panels perfectly.

I can imagine so many fun scenarios for using this shutter card.  I'm glad I've taken the time to become familiar with the Cricut Design Space, even if my head does explode occasionally. It's well worth the effort! There are lots of excellent YouTube videos that teach you all the ins and outs of this use friendly program. If you're a Cricut lover like I am and aren't familiar with all the fun tricks it has to offer, you should definitely take a peak.

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth and be fabulous.

Nancy

Playing along with:

        Simon Says Wednesday Challenge

        Word Art Wednesday Challenge

        Glitter and Sparkle Challenge

        Crafty Gals Corner Challenge

        Cute Card Thursday Challenge

        

Looking Gorjuss in Lavender and Blue

I was reminded of how much I love these Gorjuss Girl stamps when I spotted a display of them at a stamping convention a couple of weeks ago and had to fight off an enthusiastic mob of ladies to buy the ones I wanted. After risking life and limb, I came home and discovered I had purchased one I already have!!! Oh well, we all  know how that goes.  I managed to buy some really cute new ones though, and I can't wait to start coloring.

While searching through my Gorguss images, I found this little girl that I had already colored and couldn't resist creating a quick card.  Lavender and blue is one of my favorite color combos and it was easy to find matching paper and embellies. I layered a Spellbinders die frame with a Lawn Fawn pierced oval die frame and attached my fussy cut image. My coordinating background paper is layered with a black striped panel and edged with a purple peel off sticker border. I also added purple peel off gem flowers to my little lady's hair, and the centers of the border flowers. (I found lots of colored Starform peel off stickers at the convention and now I'm obsessed with them.  I think eventually it might pass, but I do love them.)  I added a paper rose to the center my focal flower to make it fuller.  A little drop of stickles added to my flower with a paint brush was the final touch. Is a card really finished if it doesn't have a touch of glitter for punctuation... like a sentence?  Not in my world.

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth and be fabulous.

Nancy 

Playing along with these challenges:

        Just Add Ink

        Sketch Saturday

        Crafty Creations

        Scrapy Land

Riley Blake Rag Lap Quilt - Embroidered Heart Detail

A beautiful pieced embroidered heart in the corner of this lap quilt is one way I can subtly tell my recipient I love her.  This machine embroidered heart is an Anita Goodesign design and I have "signed" several of my quilts this way.  One half of the heart is applique and the other half is a beautiful filigree pattern. I like the fact that the applique blends right into my quilt..

 

If I had to choose a fabric line that I'm drawn to the most, it would have to be Riley Blake Designs.  Her bright, whimsical designs always catch my eye.

"Quilt-as-you-go" rag quilts are simple and sew up so easily, they are my first choice for quick gifts.  But lately I'm getting in the mood to do some more detailed piecing with my ever growing stash. I'm excited to embark on an anniversary trip Scandinavia soon and I'm sure I will come home inspired to do some cozy, winter quilting. 

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth and be fabulous.

Nancy