A long overdue gift…

If a law were to be passed that said we all had to change our names to highlight our hangups or weaknesses, my name would have to be, “I really meant to, had the best intentions, where did the day go, DeGruccio.”

I have a wonderful friend and co-worker.  I have had many plans over the 7 or so years I have known her to MAKE things for her.  Awhile ago I made her some cards and she loved them so much, she said she’d never use them..oops!  So, I knew the next time I made her something it’d have to be a gift that she did not need to give away. My lovely friend is a Krishna Devotee.  Now, before you think back on any movies you have seen with Hollywood’s version of the Hare Krishna’s, that is not Judy. 

 I tend to be somewhat open-minded when it comes to religion.  I mean that I think in this life we are living, there really needs to be more acceptance and love for the religions we have.  We were not put on this earth to judge one another or ones, beliefs, that is not our place.  Maybe I am more open to listen and appreciate other religions because I myself, belong to a church that the mainstream media loves to distort.  Goodness, I think there is even a HBO show that has tried to bring back the whole idea that our church still practices plural marriage!  ****ROLLING MY EYES!!!!*****  Since my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, tends to be a religion that some love to hate, I am very sympathetic and unwilling to believe stereotypes of others too easily.

Judy, has to be on of the most gracious, kind, peaceful, loving unselfish, (I could go on and on here..) people I know.  I would trust her with my life and would do anything to help her, or make her happy.  She is just GOOD! 

Keeping that in mind, and back to my LONG OVERDUE GIFT, I have had an idea of something to make for her for a while.  This is where one of other favorite people come in.  THERESE TRAVIS, the brilliant artist behind all my fairies and other creations, made an Angel for me, based on Judy.  I emailed her this picture of my friend:)

This is Judy at home in front of the Temple that she and her hubby built on their land.  It is truly beautiful and they welcome, any and all to come and visit. 

 Without further ado, here is the Angel Judy.  This is the DIGI STAMP version.

 

Here is another picture, I always love to try to photgraph the layers and detail.

 

Now, because Therese is just AWESOME, she also did a .svg file for me.  Here is a larger version of Angel Judy, done on my Cricut.  I thought I was done and then I realized I’d forgotten to put her earrings on!  OOPS!

 

Here she is with her earrings, some additional work to her hair and her wings!

 

Another close-up for you.

 

My little ones, seriously could not keep their little hands off the finished product!  My 6yo son looked at Angel Judy and said, “Mommy, you are just so good at making crafts!”  Is that sweet or what?

Lastly, Judy had asked if I knew how to make business cards.  So keeping that in mind while photographing Angel Judy, I was able to turn my creation into a Digital image to use over and over again.  I knew she wanted her name on the front(she thought I was going to use a photograph of her) and on the back she wanted her chant written.  As soon as I got done with her real gift, I whipped this business card up.  I told her we can fine tune it to suit her needs, but she just smiled and said, “I LOVE THEM!”

 

I hope I have kept your attention for this whole post.  I have some around me who do not understand why I make things.  It might seem like a waste of time and yes I have a house that could be much cleaner, if it were not for my hobbies.  But, the look on Judy’s face and the pure joy I knew she felt to look at and hold what I made for her, reminded me why I do this.  Not for freebies, not for money(although that’d be nice…right?)  I do it because, I love creating things and even more, I love creating things FOR others.  Might seem crazy, but that’s me!

Thanks for joining me again.  Remember to stop by THERSE’s PAPERFACES DESIGNS and of course check out RHINESTONE HUES  inventory while you are there.  This project would not have been possible without either one of them!

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One picture, SO MANY OPTIONS!!

Another of my top 10 people who have inspired me and has had a great impact on me is Therese Travis.  Therese’s Design Team for PAPER FACES DESIGNS, was the very 1st team I wan invited(or allowed) to be on.  I am proud to say I am still with her and she will have a hard time getting rid of me:)

The other day, I shared with you the tutorial of how to create a card with a Digital stamp and Digital Papers.  Todays techniques have some same steps, but are different in many ways.  To view the tutorial on Digital Stamps with Digital Papers you can click here to view the post.

Today, I am using Therse’s Angel Miriam.  You can purchase Miriam for your own personal use here.  I will show you how to use a .svg file and also how to use Miriam as a DIGI STAMP for 3 beautiful cards.

For my.svg card, I am using a version that Therese created for me so that I can cut it out on my Cricut.

You will start with your file opened up in your cutting software.

Please note, I have warped the pattern to hopefully protect Therese’s image. 🙂  The image will open up all grouped together.

My next step is to discard what I won’t use.  Or to be safe HIDE what you do not need and at this point, I group them on my mat how I want them to cut.

I am pretty picky about trying to save paper.  So I go with the minimum of paper I can go with to cut my files.  You can see on the next image, I have divided the pieces up into what color I will cut them out on.

Next I measure my colored paper out to fit the image on my template and adhere the paper to the cutting mat. That is the next image you are seeing.

Next you will see my pieces are cut and ready to go!  Yes, I warped the picture again:)

Jeannie tip here…When working with certain files, such as Therese’s Fairies, angels, or anything with faces or cirles etc, as I am removing them from the cutting mat, I turn them over and put a small dot on the TOP so I know which is the top and the bottom.  Might sound silly, but it has really helped in my assembling process.

I have gathered all the supplies to complete this card.  In one place..it helps the picture taking process tremendously!!

It is always important to add some depth to you pieces by sponging them with a neutral color.

My next step is to emboss my background and assemble my word art on cardstock.  I sponge these with a dark color and edge with a gold stamp pad.

Here is Miriam all assembled and ready for her card.

Time for the bow.  I use an empty cup and tie a knot on the cup.

I then cut the ribbon on the opposite side of where I just tied my nice knot.

At this point I have a for tailed ribbon, take the ends that you cut and adhere them around an attach behind your card with tape.

At this point, I forgot I needed to mat Miriam with white paper, so find a scrap and “bubble cut” around her.

Next, put dimensional adhesive on the back of Miriam and the word art.

Assemble the rest of the items and that is how I use an .svg file.

Here is a comparison with a card that I did with the DIGI stamp and colored cardstock.  I love the way it looks..but with the .svg file, the CRICUT does the cutting, with the DIGI, I do the cutting.

I also tried a different techiique I can show you later if anyone is intrested.  It uses the DIGI stamp also.  Here is the final product.

Here are the TRIO.  Which do you like best?

Your favorite will be my FREEBIE today..that one lucky winner will receive.  To qualify for the freebie..here are my terms:

Please visit THERESE and if you do let her know that Jeannie sent you over!

Leave a comment and on next WEDNESDAY’s post, I will announce the winner!  Send you friend over and they mention your name..you get an EXTRA ENTRY!

• Leave a comment = One Entry
• Send a Friend = One Entry
• Follow my Blog = One Entry
• Visit THERESE and leave a comment = One Entry
• Fiskateer’s post your Fiskateer Number in comment = One Entry
• Co-Design Team Member of mine, on any team = One Entry  Just mention which DESIGN TEAM we are together on!

Be sure to let me know HOW MANY entries you qualify for and what card technique is your favorite.

The others will go on Etsy, and I will take special orders for these, if you need more than one.

Can you believe the art of Therese?

Lastly I leave you with a card and a scrapbook page made from another one of Therese’s lovely drawings.

CARD

SCRAPBOOK PAGE

I hope you liked this tutorial.  Let me know if there you have an intrest to see the other technique I used on the 3rd card.

I want to thank Therese Travis of http://www.etsy.com/shop/paperfacesdesigns for allowing me to use ANGEL MIRIAM  in this project.

Visit http://tuesdaytrio.blogspot.com/ to see what the sketch and challenge are for this weeks challenge.  Here is what I did with Theres’s Angel Cherie.  Let me know how you like her also.

Wow, what a post, right??

Another My Time Made Easy entry….

I was invited to be the DECEMBER GUEST DESIGNER for MY TIME MADE EASY.

I am sooo excited about this opportunity.

They are also looking to fill some PERMANENT DESIGN TEAM MEMBER slots and these projects are my entries to be considered for a PERM position.

I love to use SMILEBOX because I think it is a fun way to look at something and be entertained at the same time..  So I hope you enjoy this entry.  Sit back and enjoy the SHOW!!!

Free photo slideshow generated with Smilebox

Design Team Entry for My Time Made Easy, LLC

UPDATE!!!!  ~September 10, 2010 ~ HOOOORAY!!! I was chosen for MY TIME MADE EASY, LLC, as their Guest Designer for December!!  I am sooo excited!

Thanks Lauren for the opportunity to make some things for you!

Ok, wish me luck!  Here is another entry for a Design Team for a FABULOUS place, MY TIME MADE EASY, LLC.  I love this place, such great DIGI PAPERS, DIGI STAMPS and ACRYLIC STAMPS TOO!  Plus, my favorites, CUT FILES!!!  Hooray for the CUT FILES to use on my Cricut!!  Although I did not use any CUT FILES on this project, I will on another project due to them on Sept. 20, so be sure to come back and check out that entry too!  Hope you enjoy the little show!

This digital slideshow made with Smilebox

A gift from a friend.

While my little one was in the hospital, I tried to send messages to keep in touch, when the hospital computer was behaving.  My design team leader, Therese Travis, was one I need to let know what was going on, because, I had assignments due and was missing the deadlines.  I let her know where I was and I told her that my little one needed and ANGEL to watch over her, thinking Therese would know I was asking her to pray for us.  The next day in my INBOX was an email with an attachment from Therese.  It was an ANGEL/FAIRY of my little one.  We will call it the Boo Angel Fairy.

Therese, a wonderful artist, has the wonderful knowledge of how to take a drawing of hers and turn it into a file that the computer can understand, and then I can cut the pattern on my CRICUT.  So below, I am showing off the Boo Angel Fairy on the cards I made for the wonderful, doctors, friends and family that helped us out through our scary time.

Here she is!!

Different lighting.

Oooh, different angle!

A close up of the Boo Angel Fairy.

All 10 cards that I made, whew!  A lot of love and work went into these!

Thank you Therese, from the bottom of my heart!

A very difficult Design Team Entry! BEWARE!

I am submitting yet, ANOTHER, entry for a Design Team.  This one is for an AMAZING blog called Dirty Scraps.  Now, before you go getting all up in a tizzy, this means DIRT, like LIFE’S NITTY GRITTIES.  Not dirty like YUCK/VILE!

Here was the Challenge:

“Challenge #13 (Lucky 13 LOL)

Love/Hate
Most people have a love hate relationship with their body, there are parts they LOVE and parts they HATE or both!
Maybe your toes are sweet as cherry pie, or your hair is less than model-rific?
Choose a topic and scrap your love/hate relationship. You will be surprised at how many others feel the same way or struggle with body/self esteem issues.”

You need to go visit the blog to see some of the Design Team pages already up and posted.  Here is my take on the challenge.  WARNING, not for the FAINT of HEART!

Upper Half of page:

Lower Half of Page:

One last look!

Well…what do you think?

Scrapbook Page for Pratical Scrappers: My 2nd Design Team Entry!

OK, this is really right on the wire. I wanted to enter 2 projects for the open DESIGN TEAM CALL for PRACTICAL SCRAPPERS. Here is my 2nd. Entries needed to be done by the 5th, and I MADE IT.

I needed to create my own page from their sketch. Here is their sketch:

Here is my interpretation of their sketch:

A close up of the bottom half:

Finally, a close up of the top half of the page:

One final look! I would love to have your opinion!

Practical Scrappers: Another Design Team ENTRY for me!

This card I am entering in the Practical Scrappers open call for a Design Team member. I have to submit one project today and then I need to get a Scrapbook page done by Monday and get that submitted too. I only need to enter one of their challenges, but I want to do two, maybe to DOUBLE my chances? Who knows! Any how the challenges was to show how I used a BORDER PUNCH in a project.

The BORDER PUNCH I have used is Martha Stewart’s SCALLOP WITH 2 DOTS EDGE PUNCH. I have used it all over. I have layered my Dress cutout with it. I have layered my background with it and I have used it on the card edge. I have also used a Stampin’ Up! SCALLOP border also.

What makes this card different is that I have used the holes in the punch to weave strips of paper in and out of to create a very nice effect. Can you see it?

Let me know how you like the card and hey if I get enough responses, I will randomly pick a winner to send this card to for your use! Good Luck and please leave your comments!

Happy 4th, Bless our Country and our Servicemen who protect our freedom!!

Here is a close up:

Here is an even closer up!

ECLIPSE Opening day is TODAY!!!!

In honor of ECLIPSE opening today, June 30, 2010, I have created a “TWILIGHT” project. The design team I am on for http://theresetravis.net/, is hosting a CHALLENGE. The challenge is to use the SVG, cut file for her box called the “FRYPOD” and one other of her files. I have use her FRYPOD and on of her FAIRY patterns. I used graphics and paper that reminded my of TWILIGHT type stuff and this is what I came up with! If you get to see the movie this week, I hope you enjoy it! Who knows when I will get to see it, but, I CAN’T WAIT!!

TWILIGHT ECLIPSE BELLA PROJECT

For your listening and viewing enjoyment, please watch my SMILEBOX creation!!

Customize your own digital slideshow

Yep, I guess you can say, I am on the TEAM EDWARD team!!

This project is dedicated to Colleen, my dear friend who LOVES TWILIGHT as much as me!