April Showers Blog Hop

Welcome to the

 

We're so glad you are hopping with us today.

We've got all kinds of great baby and bridal shower related crafts and ideas for you.

You should have arrived here from Miranda (AKA: "Nana") at Nana's Scrap Spot.
If you just stopped by, be sure to hop to the very beginning at Theresa's blog scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com to get started and not miss any of the great projects.

Now on with the projects.

Ok... first of all... So sorry I'm late. Believe it or not, I was totally going to be on time like yeah, dude. But... the hubs got in a car accident last week and blah blah blah and (yes, he and my 11yo are fine) but, long story short, we had to go get another car today after finding out the insurance was going to pay us off... (which isn't very much, when your car was a 2006 and had 213,000+ miles on it... ugh...) Did I say I hate car shopping? Anwyay... I got home after midnight (my time - PST), and here I am... Did I say he insisted I go... to read and look over documents? Finishing up and putting it all out there. So... during the sunset, this was my view:

Note - this is NO filter, and there is NO tint on the windows. It was breathtakingly spectacular. and windy as hell outside

 

Moving onto my project and be mindful of the blurriness of some, as I asked for help and/or suggestions, and no one has spoken/written up...

 

Above, you see Mike and Ike (yes... named them.) They are two failures, but I was almost out of flesh-colored cardstock and had to salvage one, so I chose Ike. My best buddy Cricut Explore Air kinda dropped the ball... The intricate cuts on the faces didn't cut out too well. So I gauged Ike's eye with a Cricut hook. It came out as best as can bee oh wait. that was a whole hop ago... (you'll see the result a couple more pics down...)

This is everything I cut on the Cricut. Other cuts turned out just fine. I guess I'll have to check my blade.

I went with a peach gingham-type patterned mat because I rarely mat, and wanted to show ya'll that I don't have to have everything naked on top of white cardstock. Sure. It looked clean enough... but that just wasn't enough for me. It needed something else. OMG! Do I have to say it every time? Guess so... It's staying.

So... I cropped all the corners of the mat and card with the "picture" Corner Chomper. And I loved it... but it still wasn't enough... and so...

I took my chalks out of retirement hiding since I couldn't find a peachy-type ink in my stash that wasn't too orange and wasn't too red and wasn't too pink.

and chalked the edges. Yes. I know it's blurry. See the note above regarding this issue and/or other posts asking for help and if you can help, then please do and if you can't then... well... YOU figure it out. Shhh... it really is there. It's subtle. If you look very closely, you can see the fine peach edge...

And then I was hungry... so I broke out the Gelatos... first in a nice pink sorbet... then in a purple... because? why?

Everyone now... "It just wasn't enough!"

I colored and glued it all down...

(Side note... um... SQUIRREL!!!! This reminded me of Batman, and I've been singing/humming the tune since I got home. My husband thinks I'm nuts!)

This is where I gauged Ike's eye out. It was kinda fun. I might want to do another gauging after tonight's car-buying non-adventures. Did I say I hate car shopping?

And here she is... (Is she a baby or a bride?) haha... We shall see! Whatever she is at this point, she's being "showered with love..."

Seriously. 6 attempts. SIX! to get the inking and embossing powder right. Ugh. You're so lucky I'm not posting pics of every single attempt! Right about now... I'm totally wishing and needing for a MISTI (Most Incredible Stamp Tool Invented). Check out this video and you'll want one, too!

Clap your hands, folks! I finally got it right!

And with that... I applied a little heat and was D-O-N-E with it. Woohoo!

I'm totally lovin' the facial expression. It's about how I felt when the embossing powder finally adhered the way I wanted it to.

And Voila! The finished project... In case you didn't get it... It's a B-A-B-Y! but not mine!!!!

Hope you enjoyed your April "Shower" and hope the showers aren't too bad in your area. I'm stepping on deck tomorrow (swim meet) in 80-degree weather!

Thanks for hopping with us today. Be sure to comment on each blog along the way
to be entered in today's giveaway for a $15 gift certificate to

Your next stop is... Um... (looking around...) All I can see is... ME! But... You can start back at the beginning. I'm sure Theresa would love to have you visit again! Or check out any of our wonderful projects by following the links in today's lineup: 

Theresa ~ scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com

Card A Day Challenge Blog Design Team ~ cardadaychallenge.blogspot.com
Kim ~ katydidcards.com
Anna ~ http://grumpygrandmacreations.blogspot.com
Sarah ~ www.sarahbiswabic.blogspot.com
Sharon ~ http://piece-ofheart.blogspot.com
Holli ~ Sunflowerholli.blogspot.com
Amanda ~ http://salnclts76.blogspot.com
Jearise ~ http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com
Alicia ~ http://goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com
Enclade ~ www.nanasscrapspot.com

Lisa ~ Lisa's Little Bits

See ya next time!!!! (*Waving frantically*)

12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop (Day Four)

First of all... I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful and you were able to enjoy your friends and family. I also hope you are not currently incurring injury from the Black Friday masses. And with that...

Welcome to the back to the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop (Day Four)! This hop will take place  November 24th through December 5th. Each of us will be posting something Christmas related each and every day at 8:00am, Eastern time (so for my Pacific Time Zone peeps... that's 5am... But don't worry, you can sleep in, and we'll all be here waiting for you, too!)... for 12 WHOLE DAYS! Let us inspire you to finish up that layout, make some special Christmas cards, or wrap that gift in a fun and festive way. If you've already started, you probably came from Barbara. She is so awesome, isn't she? Let's continue this 12-day crafting party!

As I've said in Day One, I'm starting my portion of the hop with paper things. Things that are simple and easy to do. As with Day Two and Day Three,  I took a cut from Design Space (covered by either my subscription or purchases -I don't remember!). Today, I created two cards. As usual, things didn't quite go my way, but if you know me... and you frequent here often, you knew that already. At this point, I've come to the conclusion that nothing will EVER go my way. And I fully intend to contact Cricut (both Customer Service and Tech Support) on another day, when the week isn't so hectic with all things Turkey-and-fixin's-cookin'. (btw... it was quite yummy at my house... How was yours?)

This one really truly brought out my frustration. Ugh. Ugh. I'm surprised I have any hair left.

I brought in a hexagon card from Design Space. I was going for super simple, no extra cutting, and just using the card cut and have Design Space do the writing of both the graphic and the sentiment on the front. Easy, right? Ugh. Ugh.

Let's start at the beginning... I added the hexagon card image and re-sized it according to what I wanted (5.5" wide, as I was going to duplicate it and get some more Christmas cards out of the way).

 Found an AWESOME "written" snowflake and added that and the sentiment in different colors, so the program would prompt me to change the pen, when it needed me to. I attached the snowflake to the sentiment...

Then placed that where I wanted and attached it all to the card...







It looks good, right?

 Sent it to the mat, changed the "1" to "2", clicked "Apply"... Still looks like it should....Wait for it...

And the writing stops...



The machine kept writing... It was "ghost writing". So I switched pens... Shouldn't have had to do that. It was a BRAND NEW PEN. And yes... they are all Cricut Explore Pens.

And it wrote again... Not in the same places, as it didn't line up. I don't know why. And kept skipping, as the pen kept popping up. Yes. I did make sure it was completely clicked down in the first place, the second place, the third place, the fourth place, the fifth place, and the sixth place. It popped up SIX times! And the dumb thing wouldn't even pause. And then it would (pause) when I hadn't even hit the pause button. BTW... when that happens... just hit the Cricut button on the machine, and it will (hopefully) resume. Mine did.



And if you look really close... it's not an illusion and doesn't change with the light! The color and pressure thickness look different. It really is. Why? This is WHY Customer Service and Tech Service will be getting a call! But hey! It cut just fine.

And now I had to do perform the Great Christmas Cover-Up... I added embellishments to both cover the blank spaces and distract the eye from the inconsistencies or massive lack of perfection.


Then I got over the major flaws (not really) and added Faber-Castell Gelatos in white to soften the effect and the harsh contours of the cut.

I blended the Gelatos with a finger sponge... and Voila!

Here are the end results... I'm not really happy with them... They will do...

I am hoping... the next time I decide to show my friend how "GREAT" the Cricut Explore Air is and all the wonderful things it can do, it will behave appropriately and do what it's supposed to...

There is more in store for you, so hop along and please comment on each and everybody. 'Cause you know we all love a little love... And BE SURE to check out the "other" Lisa, as she's the one with all the blog candy and sponsor info! Have a great time, and don't forget to come back tomorrow!

Here's the Line Up for Day 4:
  1. Lisa P. - http://honeybearzdesigns2011.blogspot.com <==== the "other" Lisa!
 ** Beth -  http://thecraftyscrapyard.blogspot.com  (Guest Designer)
  2. Madge - http://www.thescrappinlounge.com/blog
  3. Ashley - http://marinewifesscrappinlife.blogspot.com
  4. Sandy - https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/scrapbook-blessings-club-5722003
  5. Elizabeth - http://CraftsByHappyStamper.com
  6. Angela - www.crazy3monkeys.blogspot.com
  7. Alicia - www.goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com
  8. Miranda - www.nanasscrapspot.com
  9. Daphne - http://craftyscrapsofstuff.blogspot.com
10. Rhonda - craftingwithblue.blogspot.com
11. Charmagne - http://www.sanurascraps.blogspot.com
12. Barbara- http://barbarab3.blogspot.com/
13. Lisa F - http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com/ <=== You are HERE!
14. Sharondalyn - Http://www.clippingsbysharondalyn.blogspot.com <=== Next stop!
15. Jessi - http://www.mylifeinartsncrafts.co
16. Heather - Http://www.paper-junkie.blogspot.com