Minc - ing!

She's here!   The Anna Griffin Minc machine.  Yahoo!     This is my first attempt at laser 'cut then print' images with Design Space and the Explore.  

Note to self: -  Handle cuts carefully as you take them off the mat
                       
                         Don't crowd cuts into the fold of the carrier

                         Throw out all white core cardstock!

                        Make sure letters are immediately glued straight because trying to move
                        them leaves GLUE smears on the foil!

DH objected to the Blackletter font.  But I like it!   What do you think?    Thanks for visiting today.   : )  Christine

Grad Gap Card

I am having such fun creating 'gap' cards in Design Space!  Welding the font shadow into the gap makes it so easy to glue the letters down and makes the card much more stable than the usual way.   Lovin' it!

Here's my grad card for a friend's son.  (Go Papermakers!) 

In this one I used the font from Winter Woodland and moved the gap further up the card so I could add the caps and the year.

Here's the inside showing the welded font.

This is my son's birthday card - the one that started the current obsession!  The font is '
Art Deco.'

Here's a Mother's Day card that I made with 'Folk Art.'  I didn't use this one 'cos I couldn't make it match the vision in my head. KWIM?

I have one more birthday card to make using this technique and then, I'm going to try a vertical split! 

I'm linking my grad card with the Craftin' Desert Diva's Graduation Linky Party.  Pop over and look at all the fun cards!   Thanks for visiting with me today and here's the link to DS for the grad card.  : )  Christine.

https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/27793210

Easy Peasy Scrapbooking with Design Space

Hi!  It's Christine from I am Cocoa's Mom sharing a layout with you today.  I have been inspired by Sheila (AKA Sassy Lady) to work on my scrapbooking again.  It is, as Sheila demonstrates, all about preserving those memories and that's what counts rather than fabulous pictures showcased by fabulous pages.  (Not that she doesn't do those too - check this page out!)

So, I started working on last year's Spring Break trip to the Oregon coast and 3 pages later, I discovered the joy and ease of scrapbooking with the ready made pages in Design Space.  Bingo!

As you can see, I started with a double page LO as my canvas and added the Happy Trails image from "Family Album" resized to fit the canvas.  Then I duplicated and mirrored the image and added it to the second page of the canvas.

The fun part was the adding and deleting images and making the basic LO work for the pictures that I wanted to add.

After syncing the colors, cutting and removing the pieces from the mats, it was soooo easy peasy to follow the Design Space screen and assemble my LO.  And yes, I did change things around a bit more before gluing!

Here's the first page

and the second.

 

When DH saw my pages he said,  "That was a great cache, wasn't it?  Took forever to find!"   And THAT'S the reaction I want for my pages.    I will be using "Family Album" for more LOs for inspiration and as the starting point for this scrapbooking novice.

If you've never tried geocaching, google it!   It's a great family activity, free, and fun!  Watch out for Muggles!

Thank you Sheila for inviting me to share on your blog today and for all the inspiring you do.   : ) Christine

Coloring - Not Just for the Grandchildren!

DH called up the stairs to the Craft Room "What's happening up there?"   "I'm coloring."  I told him and of course, he had to come and see what I was really doing!  I recently acquired the Spectrum Noir Aqua Markers and I just love their vibrant colors and the way they blend so easily.  I also love that they are limited in number and I am not paralyzed with the overwhelming choice of exactly which shade of alcohol marker to use!

I was coloring a cute little turtle guy from Craftin' Desert Diva's stamp store.  They come with an svg which I downloaded to Design Space, resized and cut (multiple times!) with the Explore.  Using my MISTI, of course, I stamped on the cut and then colored.  How much fun is that?

The turtle is popped up on an action wobble, and the background paper is part of the Harbor collection from Papercrafts that I brought back from England.   My DSIL should be very honored that I used this paper on his birthday card!

No bling! No twine! I was so pleased with this simple card.   Happy Birthday, Darius!   Thanks for visiting with me today and don't forget to pop back tomorrow for my DT spot on She's A Sassy Lady.  : ) Christine

Mother's Day Box Card

Yahoo!  I got three of my 'started and stalled projects' completed today including a Mother's Day card for my DD - the ever patient Mom of Master J.  I love this cherry blossom box card from SVG Cuts and it was a lot of fun to make.

I added a banner from the CTMH Artbooking cart to the tree branch to soften the ikebana effect.

The sentiment comes from the Mother's Day 2015 set of images and is included in my subscription.  It's very pretty and although quite delicate, cuts like a dream.  Since we are STILL waiting for the offset (shadow) feature to be added to Design Space, I cut the sentiment 4 times and stacked them on top of each other.  I slid the top pink image over slightly before the glue took hold to reveal the silver second layer.  This technique makes the die cut sentiment 'pop' don't you think?

I used some of my precious Japanese washi paper for the side panels.   The paper is just gorgeous!

I haven't entered any challenges for ages, but have been so inspired by the entries over on the BBTB blog and at Craftin Desert Diva's, that I am linking up my box card and hope you will pop over to see the cards.   Thanks for visiting with me today.   : )  Christine

More Mod Podging!

Our quiet lives have been totally disrupted this week by the passing of two wonderful people - my godmother and DH's favorite Aunt.  They were both such well loved and totally admirable ladies and will be sorely missed.  Sigh!

I retreated to the Craft Room and submerged my self in projects only one of which I managed to finish.  This month's challenge at my C and C Club involved lots of bits and pieces from the Graphic 45 Home Sweet Home collection, a magnet and a full size clothes pin.   Been there, used that - mod podging my new recipe box!  However, the thought of more mod podging got me thinking of a couple of accessories for my box and here they are.

  DH made the recipe holder from a couple of (the 700) pieces left over from the barn construction, and I glued on the clothes pin after painting the base and much cutting and collaging.

 The magnet was attached to a large metal button which was also collaged and mod podged.  It hangs on the 'fridge with a note reminding DH that we are having chicken pot pie for dinner. 

 Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go to the meeting, : (  but my menu planning is now SO coordinated!  : ) 
Thanks for visiting with me today.  Hopefully, I'll finish one of my Mother's Day cards to share tomorrow.   : ) Christine