Dreamtime Designs Craft Challenge #2

Hello and welcome to the second craft challenge over at DDCC!  We are doing a great craft challenge this month that will be something you can use time and time again.  How about making your own "Light  Box" for taking pictures of your great creations!  There are many variations and designs for making one.  I researched a lot of designs on the web before doing mine.  For me, the main challenge was to make one that did not take up a lot of space.  I am living with my Dad and caring for him and my space is VERY limited.  I have NO PLACE to store a full light box.  So I decided to design one that collapses and can be put behind my dresser!  Here is how I did it:

Supplies 

Cardboard Box

 Old White Sheet

Sheet of White Poster Paper 22"x28"

Scissors

Ruler

Pencil

Sharp Knife

Tape

        

   

1)  Cut all top flaps from box                          

2) Cut at seams on three sides and cut off ONE top piece and save for later

3) On the two side flaps and saved piece, cut a "window" 2" in from each side

4) Cut three pieces of sheet one inch larger on each side than each window

5) Start with removed window piece.  Lay sheet piece flat, center window piece on top

6)  Cut diagonal slit at each corner for easy folding at corners

7)  Starting at bottom, pull up all edges of sheet and tape to the cardboard window.  Proceed to each side of window making sure your sheet is tight and tape to cardboard piece.

 

 Turned over it will look like this!

8)  Repeat this process on the two other sides making sure smooth finished side is to the INSIDE!

9)  Cut your poster paper the width of the inside of the box and insert into the inside of the box so that it is slightly curved - DO NOT CREASE in the back!

10)  Lay your top window piece across the top and 

you have the finished box!

To put it all away I removed the top and the poster paper, folded up the bottom, and then the sides inward.  I put all the pieces in a pile and it slides in behind my dresser!   So, VOILA, a collapsible light box!  It's not even two inches thick! 

To light my box I used my desk lamp.  I am taking my pictures inside, so I sat the box on top of my high dresser and put the lamp on the side.  I think having two lamps would be better, but I used what I had.

NOW FOR THE RESULTS!  

First I must tell you that I usually take pictures of my cards in my bedroom. I am lucky as there is a LOT of natural light in the room.

This first pic is IN THE LIGHT BOX.

My usual place:

It was a super project!  And I think for most people the light box would be the best option.  But for me, where I am now, I think I prefer my pics without the box.  Some day when I have my craft room back and have the room to set up the box permanently and use two lights, I think the results will be much better.

Jump on over to DDCC to see the other great light boxes the gals have made and see their results.  I think you will find it quite interesting!  Each of us had a great time doing this project.  Try one and see how it works out for you.  It is simple and didn't even take me an hour to complete!

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges #51

Hello everyone!  Time for another fun challenge at CC&CC.  We are celebrating the little things - Bugs and Little Critters!  That means things like ants, mice, bees, ladybugs, snails, etc.  But NOT little animals.  Our great sponsor is QKR Stampede, and they have the perfect images for this theme!  Be sure to check out their great variety of digis and rubber stamps! 

I've used this cute image supplied by QKR called "Dancing Ladybugs".  It is so adorable and was so fun to color!  I used my Copics, added a few buttons and the ticket sentiment.  I have to tell you that this super layout came from a great gal named Tammy.  I love her designs, and this was one of hers.  Drop by her blog and prepare to be inspired!

SO, what is your favorite little critter!?!  Be sure to show us at CC&CC!

Time for Halloween!

I know I've said before that Autumn is my favorite season, but it is!  I love decorating and making cards for friends for Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Here are a few Halloween cards that I have done for this year.

Hope you are have as much fun as I did doing your Halloween cards!

Chocolate Coffee & Cards Challenge #50

It's my favorite time of year, Autumn.  The leaves changing colors are so beautiful to see.  I must admit that it really hasn't started much here in Phoenix, but up north it has.  And that is where my sweetie and I are headed for a week.  Up to our fave place in Pinetop.  Walks in the pines, crispy cool weather and long talks by a lovely fire with a glass of wine, perfection!

ANYHOW, our theme for CC&CC is Autumn ~ NOT Halloween.  We want to celebrate this beautiful season and all its splendor!  And to help us along, we have 2 great sponsors which means 2 chances to win a fab prize!  The first is Bugaboo Stamps, (my fave) who will giving a lucky winner 7 free digis, and The Robin's Nest who will award a $10 gift certificate to use for crafting goodies in their store, nice!

On my card I used this sweet image called "Jar Autumn".  I kept it in more of the clean and simple design to really showcase the image.  I colored it with my Copics and added the sentiment from a stamp that I had and the little leaf brad for just a touch of sparkle.

We would love to have you join us for this fun challenge.  Our DT have done some lovely cards for you inspiration too.  Be sure to check them out and also take a look at the other great images they used!  Have fun and Happy Autumn!

Classic Birthday

My daughter-in-law had her birthday a few days ago, so it is now safe to post her card, lol.  She is into all kinds of classic cars as is her husband.  Her very favorite is the old woodies.  Last January when I was at our local scrapbook fair I found these two stamps.  I was saving them just for her to do her birthday card.  I decided to do an easel card so she could stand it up.  I didn't have to do much as the papers I used did all the talking for me!  The patterns were perfect with little adornment.  I used one of my new die sets by Spellbinders called "Imperial Gold", made a few die cut flowers and colored my image with my Copics.  Here is the end result:

Thanx so much for stopping by, hope the rest of your week is a good one!

Brand New & DIFFERENT Kind of Challenge Blog!!!

 Oooooooo, What Is This!?!

Ok ladies (and gents!), listen up!!!  Are you ready for some fun and a REAL challenge?!?  Well have I got some news for you!  I am on the DT for a great new challenge blog called Dreamtime Designs Craft Challenge!  It is a one of a kind challenge that will run for a month, starting on the first of every month. You can make all sorts of creations!.  It will be focusing on a particular theme for each challenge, and designed to showcase YOU as a designer and to make you think!  Our Design Team is a VERY talented group of ladies!  You HAVE to check out their blogs and see for yourself how amazing they are!  They are listed on my side bar under the logo for DDCC!

Our first challenge was just that for me!  I put quite a bit of thought into what I wanted to do.  Our first theme is:

Anything Goes About Me - The Designer Behind the Project

You must answer these questions and put those answers into your project!  It can be anything you want to create as long as it answers the questions:

1) Where do you live?

2) What do you love most about where you live?

3) Who do you share this special place with?

4) What is your favorite season there & why?

5) What is your most loved thing to do or place to visit & why?

There will be a prize of $20 cash to spend on any craft store of your choice
(Australian Dollars via PayPal!!!)

Since I am so comfortable with my paper carfts, I decided to do a scrapbook page.  It was still quite challenge for me to work all of my answers into my project.  I haven't done that many of them!  So here it is!

I live in the stated of Arizona in the USA, and love the northern part of the state, especially in winter!  I share it with my sweetie of 27 years, Paul.  Our favorite place is Pinetop in the snow.  I think if you read my journaling piece and look at the pics, you'll understand!

 

So come on, stretch your creative wings, put on your thinking cap, get your mojo working ~ you get the idea!  Please join us in celebrating YOU!  Be inspired by the FANTASTIC projects of our DT!!  It doesn't matter if you are an experienced crafter or just started yesterday, join the fun!  See you over at  DDCC and Happy Crafting!

Chocolate, Coffe & Cards Challenge #49 ~ FLOWERS

I think the current theme for our Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenge is one that everyone will enjoy.  I mean, who doesn't like flowers?!  We are being sponsored by Delicious Doodles, and they gave us some super images to use.  The one I am using is called "Floral Watering Can"  I really liked the watering can and the bouquet in it is so pretty.  I used a new set of dies to make the frame pieces around the image, and colored it with my Copics.

 

Please come join us at CC&CC for a fun challenge and a chance to win a great prize from Delicious Doodles!

Happy Card Making!

Time To Cruise!

This is another card for a man.  It's for a very dear friend who lives in Colorado now.  We met through playing golf when we both lived on the Big Island in Hawaii.  He is a super guy, just like a brother.  He is very into motor cycles, and has a great Harley (see the bottom picture he took of me on his bike!).  Anyhow, it is his birthday and I wanted to use a moto on his card.  I found this image on line and loved it.  It was printed from my computer and then I added a bit of shading.  I used a die cut shape for the image and to print my sentiment on. Then I did a bit of inking on the edges, used some nice paper to show it off, and I was very satisfied with the results!

Here's a pic of me on his bike before we went off on a great ride!

Enjoy your Sunday, and happy crafting!

Entered in the following challenge:

The Male Room ~ Sports and Hobbies
Whimsy Stamps Challenges ~ Masculine
Digitally "Sweet" Challenges - Anything Goes 
Jo's Scrap Shack ~ Anything Goes

POP CORN!

Happy Wednesday!  I am home from Oregon and back into the wretched heat of Phoenix - HATE IT!  I miss the cool weather so much!  Hopefully it will be cooling down here soon.  My daughter continues to have some unsolved medical issues, but we are still hoping that they will be resolved, or at least get to a point that she can live more easily with the issues.  But one bit of good news, she was cleared by her OBGYN that is is ok for them to try to get pregnant!  I am happy for them, but worry about her health and that of an unborn child.  The Dr. is ready to keep a very close eye on her and she trusts him completely.  I pray that they will be able to conceive and are blessed with a healthy little one.  I would love to be a Grandma!

OK, down to the business of card making!  I have not been able to create anything new for over a month!!!  I am so happy to be among all my supplies again!  This card is one I did before I left on my trip.  It is for a nephew of mine.  He is a teenager, and I have a bit of a hard time making cards for that age.  The images & sentiments I used on this I won in a card challenge.  I really had fun working with them!  I think that they fit pretty well for a teen birthday, what do you think?

Thanx so much for stopping by, enjoy the rest of your week!

Entered in the following challenges:

Basic Grey Challenges ~ Anything Goes
Ooh La La ~ Magnificent Men

4 Krafty Girlz ~ Anything Goes
Whimsy Stamps ~ Masculine

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges #48

Time for another challenge at CC&CC!  And this time I am sure that it will make a lot of you happy as it is the easiest of ALL challenges ~ Anything Goes!  So no excuses for not playing along, you can enter whatever you have made as long as it is a CARD

Our super sponsor is DRS Designs. They are offering a $10 gift certificate for our lucky randomly chosen winner.  So join in the fun and have a chance for this fab prize!

The image I used from DRS is called "Purr"fectly Comfortable Kitty.  I fell in love with her the instant I saw her!  She is sooooo adorable!  I used a new die cut file, colored her with my Copics, put a few tiny purple rhinestone sparkles around the oval frame and added the ribbon bow.

I sure hope you hop on over to CC&CC and enter this easy, fun challenge.  Be sure to look at the other great images our fab design team used for their lovely cards.  Good Luck on being our next winner!

A.R.T. Challenge #12 ~ Baby Girl

Babies!  We all adore them.  This challenge at A.R.T. we are showcasing "Baby Girl" creations for our challenge.  I had so many ideas, but finally settled on this card.  I used a paper piecing pattern from Silhouette called "Mary Jane Shoes".  I really thought it was adorable.  Then I was lucky enough to find paper with the same type little shoes on it!  It was a fun project.

So if you want to do something for a baby girl, A.R.T. is the place to be!  Drop by and enter your creation.  And while you are there, be sure to check out our DT's lovely cards.