"Waiting for ther New Year"

Tuesday, December 28, 2010


Well, Christmas is over. The only thing left to do is stand in the returns lines, which is long and boring. I decided to skip that annual tradition and keep everything that I recieved. So, look out there might be some re-gifting.

The image I used for todays card is from "The Angel Company". It is the larger version of a stamp that I used previously. It is called "Who Loves Ya" TA-3324.The image resembles a "Magnolia" image.

Here is my rendition of the stamped image;


"Waiting for the New Year"


I of course used my Copic makers to color the image. The colors used were;
Face; E0000,E000, E00
Dress; R83,R85,R87
Bench; B01,B05 C1,C3
Hair; Y23,YR23,E13
The background papers used on this card are from a set called "Miss Moxie" from "The Angel Company". Very pretty paper setr and coordinates quite well. The base for the card is a heavy weight card stock in a dark brow from "The Angel Company".The flowers are from a small can of flowers that are from "Prima". I added a few stickles, of course, every card has to have some Stickles.
That's about all for now. Hope all of your return lines are short.
Please leave a comment if you enjoy this card. Your comments are always appreciated an welcome.
Have a GREAT DAY!!!
Bob L.

"Last Christmas Card" I promise

Tuesday, December 21, 2010


I promise this is the last Christmas card for the year. My wife asked me for two more cards, but only needed one. I guess this one will be saved for next year.

I used the "Merry Christmas Tilda" for this one. It's a cute image and fairly easy to color. Of course I colored it with my Copic markers. The colors used were;

Face; E0000,E000, E00
Dress;YG03,YG05,YG09
Stockings and Blouse; R22,R24,R27,R29
Letters; Spica Pens in Red,Yellow,Green


"Merry Christmas Tilda"


The Tilda image was cut out using a Spellbinder Nesstibility Scalloped Oval die.I used the undercut method to leave some of the image outside of the oval. Takes a little work, but well worth it.

The background paper used were from my scrap stash. The flower is from "Prima" and the snow flakes and brads are from my open draw stash. Sorry I don't keep track of where some of the items come from.

So, all and all I am pretty pleased with this card, although not very fancy I like it.

Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.

I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you and your families a very safe and happy holiday season. Looking forward to seeing all of your great work in the new year.

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L.

"Candy Cane Tilda"

Saturday, December 18, 2010


I thought I was done doing Christmas cards. Surprise, surprise, the wife needed two more. That makes 58 cards completed.


Todays card is called "Tilda with Candy Cane. It is a Magnolia stamp that I have had for awhile. But is very Christmasie, if that a word.


"Tilda with Candy Cane"


Copic colors used for this card were;

Face; E0000,E000,E0
Dress; R22,R24,R27,R29
Stockings; YG03,YG07,YG09
Shoes; C1,C3,C7

It is of course colored with Copic markers. The papers used for this card were scraps that I had in my stash. I never throw paper away, you never know when you will need it. The base card was embossed wit a Cuddlebug embossing folder. I cut out Tilda with a Spellbinder Scalloped Oval die using the over hang method to have the feet outside the oval.

Pretty simple card. Hopefully the last one for the year.

Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Bob L.

Scenic Cards and another Product Review

Tuesday, December 14, 2010


Well, we are about as ready as we are going to get for this Christmas, so on- wards we go.

Today I am presenting two cards that I made from a "Heartfelt Creations". The two scenes are made from a set called "Scenic Combo"HCP3355. It contains two different scenes. One is of a water mill on a pond and the other is a mountain scene. For about $15.00 it's a steal. They also sell Spellbinder dies that go with the images to give a window cut out and a window oval. Check them out they are very interesting.

Now for the cards. I call the first one "Mountain Cabin";

"Mountain Cabin"


The image was colored with Copic markers, of course. I cut out the image freehand following the outlines of the image. I edged the image with brown ink, got a little sloppy doing this as you can see. The scene was popped up along with the sentiment. The sentiment is from "The Angel Company" and is called "Life is Short". The mating was offset.

The second scene I used the "Window Die" HCD708 to frame the image;

"Out the Window"

This card was made using the second image in the set. I cut out the window frame using the die from "HeartfeltCreations" it is call "Fancy Window/Frame Die" HCD708. I used a paper from "The Paper Temptress" called "Gold Sparkle". Very nice gold sparkle paper. The background paper is from "The Angel Company" and is called "Winchester". The frame was popped up and a few copper glitter dots from "Jessie James" were adde to the corners. Niced touch with the frame.

I loved making these cards. Give it a try, and let me see what you come up with.

"Product Review of the Cricut Imagine"

I have a new toy, the new Cricut Imagine. My wife says I have to many toys, but as long as I have room, I'll probably keep buying them. When I get tired of them, someone gets a good buy.

My first impression of the Cricut Imagine is, "Boy is it Heavy". It weighs about 28 pounds is 23 1/2" long. Pretty hefty!!!

"Cricut Imagine Front View"


Nice looking machine. The Imagine is a hybrid between a printer and an Cricut Expression. It not only cuts out the image, but also prints it in color. So, all you need is 12"x12" white cardstock. What is really impressive is that the imagine can be cut out two ways.

  1. As a single flat image
  2. As a paper piecing image, with each element printed and cutout. This allowes you to pop up the seperate elements for a 3-D image.

The Image will use all of the original cartridges plus the new Image cartridges. There are two slots on the machine. The one to the right of the main screen is for the Imagine cartridge. The one on the left is for your original cartridges. One thing I have found out is to plug in the original cartridge after the Imagine cartridge and the machine has fully booted up.

Here is a view of the "Main Screen"

"Main Screen"







The main screen reminds me of of the "Gypsy". The more that you use it the more you are reminded of the "Gypsy".

The only problem that I had setting up the Imagine, was uploading the updates. The problem was that my virus software was running. Once I disabled the software, everything loaded properly.

One other thing. The mats for the Expression may look the same but they are not, as you will notice from the picture below.

"Cricut Imagine Mat"




As you will notice from the picture above, the Imagine mat has black lines around the border. These line allowe the Image to find and cut the images that you print. The mat that comes with the Imagine appears to not be very sticky, but it works. A suggestion to make the mat stickier is to take the Cricut Scrapper and rub the mat down hard. This worked for me.

All and All the Cricut Imagine is an impressive machine. I'm still working with it and will give you updates and suggestions as I come up with them.

I have not had any problems with the "Imagine"as reported on other blogs. But, the more I use it time will see.

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L.

"Last Christmas Card"

Wednesday, December 8, 2010


YaYaYa!!! The wife says I have made enough Christmas cards. It kind of surprised me because I only made 55 or 56.

The card I am posting today is the last version. It was made with a stamp set that I rented from "Raisinboat stamps" and it's called "Nature's Reflection". Very versatile stamp set. Here is the card;


"Musical Christmas"


The only thing that is unusual about the card make up is that the background paper used was printed on my new "Cricut Imagine". More about the Cricut Imagine at a later date when I'll do a product review. The musical notes background paper printed really well and comparatively quick.

The cardstock used for the card came from the "Papertemptress". I love doing business with her store, she is very custmer orientated and give great service.

The jewels on the trees are from I-Rock heat set jewels. I may have gone a little overboard with the jewels, but what the heck, "you can never have to much bling".

I know this is a short post, but I have to get to the Post Office and stand in line to mail some packages out.

Remember, your comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L.

"One More for Xmas" and a Review of Wizard Grand Calibur

Friday, December 3, 2010


I'm still working on Christmas cards. The more I make the simpler the design get. This one was done in about 15 minutes and it shows.

It's of one of my favorite xmas flowers. The poinsettia. I colored the image with Copic marker in the folowing colors;

Flower- R35,R37,R39

Leaves-G14,G16,G17

Shadows-G00,C1

Here is the card that I am presenting today;

"Xmas Flower"





I double stamped the poinsettia so that I could cut out the small part of the flower and pop it up. The background paper that I used was from "Design9 Studio" and was appropriately called "Poinsettia". The mat paper was from the Paper Temptress called "Gold Sparkle". A little ink was used around the edges of the image and some Stickles added.

Very simple and quick card . I hope you like it.

"Product Review of Wizard Grand Calibur"

The Grand Calibur by Spellbinder is a pretty hefty machine. It gives you the impression that it was built to last just like the original machine the Wizard, the older crank machine. From using this machine it proves to be very durable and strong. The Grand Calibur weighs about 10 pounds, but move and can be carried quit easy.



"Grand Calibur Front View"




The feed rollers in the machine are very large, and exsert a lot of pressure on what ever die or embossing folder that you feed through. The advantage to this is with the embossing folders you get very deep embossed results.


Have you ever had a Spellbinder die that would not cut completely? Not with this bad boy. I have tried every die that I have, my wife says to many, and they cut with ease. Also because of the size of the plates, 8 1/2" X 11", you can cut a few dies a the same time.


"Grand Calibur Plates"



All of the plates shown above come standard with the machine, no extras to buy. The package also includes a 8 1/2"X 11" embossing mat. Nice touch!!!

One other feature of the machine is that it has a vacuum securing function, it secures it to you work surface very tight so that it does not move around.

You are able to use a lot of the dies that you already have. I have used the Spellbinders, Quic-Kutz, and Sizzlets. One handy cap is that you can not use the larger dies, tickness wise.

All in all I would give it an "A-" rating

Well, that's all for today. Remember your comments are always welcome.

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Bob L.