Cinema Saturday Guest Designer -- Much Ado About Nothing

I was honored last week to find out that I had won the "Audrey" award over at Cinema Saturday for my Up card, and part of that was the opportunity to be a guest designer this week!  The movie this week is "Much Ado About Nothing" -- the movie version of the Shakespeare play with Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branaugh.

I hadn't seen it in years, so I found it on YouTube and had a fantastically nostalgic time watching  it.  It reminds me so much of my high school years, when I was a member of the Shakespeare team and did more than one scene from that very play.  Ah, good times.  I had forgotten how downright funny that movie is -- even if you don't think you're a Shakespeare fan, it's presented so well you'll forget to hate it. :)

Now, on to the cards.  Our assignment was to use parchment in some way, and I have to admit that it was a huge challenge for me!  The word parchment just brought to mind the old-school mottled paper that I used to print resumes on when I worked at OfficeMax in college -- so not my style now!  I thought about the challenge all week but just couldn't get any mojo going.  Then last night inspiration struck at last, and I ended up with not one but TWO cards that I really love!  They are both wedding cards, because what better theme for Much Ado About Nothing?!

For this first card, what inspired me while thinking about "parchment" was the rich texture of that paper.  I was also inspired by the costumes in the movie -- nearly everyone in the movie is dressed in some shade of white or ivory throughout.  I sprayed the base of the card with "Old Lace" Glimmer Mist, then layered on the pretty scroll-y layer cut from the same cardstock.  I love the white-on-white look, and that the glimmer mist gives it just enough sparkle to deepen that texture.

Other supplies: Punch and stamps -- Stampin Up; Flowers -- Making Memories; Brad -- Joann; Diecut -- Cricut Lyrical Letters cartridge

The second card was really inspired by the paper.  I thought the scripty writing on the ivory background was just perfect for the "parchment" theme, and the fact that the words are actually taken from A Midsummer Night's Dream (another Shakespeare play) was a great bonus. 

Supplies:  Patterned paper -- Scenic Route; Metallic gold paper -- Provo Craft; Punches and stamps -- Stampin Up; Diecut -- Cricut Storybook cartridge

I hope you'll all check out Cinema Saturday -- it's such a fun challenge blog, and Brooke and Sankari (the ladies who run it) are incredibly talented artists.  I can't wait to see what movie they pick next!

ScrapbookPal.com Design Team entry

Hey, y'all!  I'm posting this last minute because I just found out about a design team call for a really great online shop -- Scrapbookpal.com.  My friend Amy has always raved about them, and they really do have all sorts of great products, great deals, and great customer service.  They are a great resource for Cricut products, so I thought I'd post this layout because it uses my favorite new cartridge -- Give a Hoot!  I love the cute little critters on this cartridge.  I actually bought this paper specifically because I thought it worked so well with this cartridge. 

Cricut cartridges: Give a Hoot, Lyrical Letters, Plantin Schoolbook
Paper: Imaginisce
Brads: We R Memory Keepers

Great giveaway on Tea Rose Home!

One of my very most favorite blogs is Tea Rose Home -- her projects are so graceful and pretty, but she makes everything look so easy!  She's having a wonderful giveaway for Mother's Day, plus her post about the mothers in her life is very well worth the read.  Check it out here!

2S4Y Kazan #50!

Just a quick post to share the card I made to celebrate Kazan's 50th sketch at 2S4Y!  I liked the doodling I did on the last card so much I decided to try it out again, with some pretty Fancy Pants ribbon to liven things up. 

Materials:  Ribbons -- Fancy Pants; Flower -- Prima; Pearls -- Hero Arts

Hang in there!

I've been wanting to participate in a challenge over at Cinema Saturday forever, and when the movie of the week was Up!, I knew I couldn't let another week pass me by.  I love this movie so very much -- Carl (the little old man) looks so much like my Grandpa Neves, who passed away about 12 years ago.  He was so special to me, so of course the opening sequence of the movie made me start crying right away.  The whole movie is just uplifting and wonderful, and I LOVE it!  Phew.  Okay, my love fest is over.  The challenge was to use balloons on a project inspired by the movie.  The inside of this card says "Hang in there!"  I think about how Carl kept the memory of his wife alive and never gave up on their dreams together, and how my grandpa -- a real-life hero to me -- worked for 30 years at a job he hated (he worked for the IRS) so that he could support my grandma and their large number of children and ensure her a good retirement.  He knew how to "hang in there," and I think we can all use that kind of encouragement from time to time!

For this card, I just punched hearts from scraps of paper, added a few more diecuts for clouds, trees, and a little house, then doodled all around the edges and added the little guy hanging on for dear life.  The clouds, balloons, and the big tree are popped up on 3D foam.  I cut the card base a little smaller than usual so that all the elements could come out from the edges to add to the 3D effect and still fit in a regular envelope.  The 3D is another little shout-out to the movie!

Materials:  PP -- Scenic Route; Punch (heart) -- EKSuccess; Diecuts (little circles, clouds) -- Cricut

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, friends!  I hope your day is wonderful and that you take a moment to consider the great blessings our Savior Jesus Christ has brought into our lives.

Here's a little Easter treat I made yesterday for a little gift swap we were having for our girls' night last night.  I was inspired by this cute project over at my friend Tonya's blog.  Since I'm not eating any chocolate this Easter , this little guy will have to satisfy my cravings.  I found a picture of a chocolate bunny online and then turned him into this shape for SCAL.  He turned out so cute I hated to give him up!  I think I may make another one for myself next year!

Materials:  PP -- Crate Paper; ribbon -- Stampin' Up (wide) and Bazzill (narrow); button -- Sassafrass Lass; Diecuts -- Cricut George cartridge (flower and tag), SCAL (Fontleroy Brown font and my bunny shape)

Kazan's Sketch 49 at 2 Sketches 4 You, Caardvarks "Lacy Days" challenge

I love love love the sketch over at 2 Sketches 4 You this week -- it's simplicity really speaks to me, and I can tell this is one I'll come back to again and again.  I really love how this card turned out.  I think it always makes a difference when you have someone special in mind when you make a card -- this one is for my dh's grandma, who is going in for a major surgery in a few days.  I also had the Caardvarks "Lacy Days" challenge in mind when I made this card.

Materials:  PP -- Wild Asparagus; Stamps and corner punch -- Stampin' Up; pearls -- Hero Arts; label frame -- Joann's; lace -- Fancy Pants; brads -- Making Memories