Etsy Top 10 8/31/09

I almost forgot about this with the excitement of my brother being here for the past few days, but my "Birthday Celebrations" cards are featured on this week's Etsy Top 10 over at the blog of Timothy Adam Designs! If you sell handmade, you love his blogging tips as well as his Etsy traffic tips.

For all you paper crafters who have lots of scraps, come on, you KNOW you do, take a peek at today's DCRU DT blog post from Diane . She gives some great tips on how to actually use all your scraps and negatives (the leftovers from paper punches, cricut cuts and Nestie cuts.) And stop back tomorrow for Tuesday's Challenge. Any guesses on what the topic is?

And a big congratulations to the Die Cuts R Us Design Team Tuesday Challenge winners!!! Thanks for sharing your creativity with us!!

Top 3:
BrainyBairn
Kristen
SMK

Overall Winner:
Julia Moss

"Andrew's Notes" for the Bitten By the Bug School Theme Contest

Can you believe it's almost back to school time? Will you be smiling or crying when that bus pulls away? Such a bittersweet time...

I made this little journal for Andrew to replace the Lightening McQueen notebook I swiped (shhh...he hasn't noticed yet!) and it ties in perfectly with Regina's Bitten By Bug School Theme Contest. The contest requires that you create a school themed project and use 1 cut from any Cricut cartridge. I found Regina's site through my DT sister, Carole. Carole has some fabulous creations out there!!

Here's my supply list:

1 journal
Stampin' Up ribbons, stampin' dimensionals and cardstock
"Teacher's Pet-My New Pencil" double sided paper by Imaginisce
Making Memories-brads
Cricut cartridge-My Community
Unknown stickers
Dimensional Tape

Have a great weekend!! We're heading to the Yankees game tomorrow. Can't wait to see the new stadium!

Diorama Card Tutorial at DCRU DT blog

Thank God it's Friday, right?! It's hard catching up with things after vacation. And with my brother now visiting, we're back into vacation mode.

My first ever tutorial with the Die Cuts R Us Design Team is now available on their blog. See how you can make super cute and easy 3D Diorama Cards like the ones seen here.






If you like what you see and end up making a diorama card, leave me a comment and your link so I can admire it!! Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!!

Using a Date as Your Focus Challenge from DCRU DT

This week's challenge at the DCRU DT blog is hosted by Amber and she chose to use a date as your focus for her challenge. My intention was to complete the challenge before vacation but I didn't have any good ideas and not much time before we left. But while away, we visited cousins who are about to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary. Voila~a card is born! What do you think?

Check out the DCRU DT blog for more inspiration using a date as your focus and for the recipe of my card. This week's winner is going to get a special prize!!

Next week is my 1 year anniversary with Etsy! Sign on as a blog and Facebook follower for a chance at next week's giveaway and to keep up with sales and new products. It's easy to sign on, just click on the appropriate links on the right sidebar.

Happy Monday!

I'm baaaaack! Bet you didn't even miss me since I was able to schedule two posts before I left. Our dog Harley must have really missed me. He was actually knocking on the bathroom door while I showered this morning. No kidding!!

We definitely had a fun vacation in Williamsburg, VA and Ocean City, MD. I hadn't been to Busch Gardens since I was a teenager. It's still a blast. I didn't remember the Lorikeet Glen, a walk through aviary, but as soon as we walked in the birds were on our shoulders. One of the guira cuckoo birds nuzzled into the back of my neck and fell asleep. Isn't he cute? I like his punk rock look.

We hadn't been to Water Country USA before and that was awesome!! I could swim the Hubba Hubba Highway all day long. Now it's back to reality and getting ready for school.

Instead of me trying to catch up on all that's happened last week, I'll just start fresh with a reminder that tomorrow starts another challenge over at the Die Cuts R Us Design Team blog. Did you play last week? There were a lot of great entries. Check out the website to see the winning cards. And today there's Amber's wonderful tutorial on how to make an altered journal.
Happy Monday!!

Cara's Watermark by Dina Kowal

Taa daa! I want to send a big thank you out to Dina Kowal for my watermark! Isn't is awesome!!? If you are interested in a watermark you can check out Dina's blog for more examples. She did a great job matching my watermark to my banner, didn't she? I love it, many thanks, Dina!! (Now, if only I can figure out now to layer it over my photos...just kidding!)

This week's challenge over at the Die Cuts R Us Design Team blog is a color challenge using teal, chocolate brown, white or ivory. This is my first attempt using my new Nesties and they were so easy to use I think I'm going to have to get me some more! Go see the DCRU DT blog for some inspiration designs in teal, chocolate brown, white or ivory! Another cupcake post? There's a theme going on this week.

What's going on...

Please note all orders placed at Cara's Scrap 'N Stamp Art between August 15 and August 23 will be promptly mailed out on Monday, August 24, 2009. For your patience, all shop items are 15% off during that time period! You can wait for an adjusted invoice or I can refund the difference via PayPay. Please note "Bday15" in the notes to seller for the discount!! Happy summer and happy birthday to me!! Discount not to be combined with any coupon.

Love Copics? Then you MUST check out the Die Cuts R Us store on August 17!! Can you believe the Copic Markers will be on sale for only $2.99!? Crazy! You better check that out early on Monday, August 17. Love giveaways? (Who doesn't!?) Then head over to the Die Cuts R Us store blog. Claudia is hosting a "mystery giveaway" but you'll have to read her blog to find out how to enter to win.

Have you been to the Die Cuts R Us Design Team blog yet? We've got challenges, tutorials, giveaways, and lots of fun stuff like making your own designer paper with bubbles! You have to see it to believe it!

A very big thank you to Diane, one sweet and talented lady, for giving me a blog award! I'll be sure to pass it along next week!! Please check out her blog to see the fabulous cards she makes!

Have a great weekend! I'm looking forward to the best week yet with my 3 favorite guys!

Organizing your Embellishments

I don't know about you but I'm always rearranging my studio space to make room for the new additions. This week, I need to find the perfect spot for my new Big Shot. Love it, by the way, it's so easy to use, even my 4 year old was cranking out circle Nesties and embossing like a pro! I had picked up a few things from the Die Cuts R Us store so when my Big Shot arrived, I was ready to use it.

One of my favorite things to organize my itty bitty parts (brads, eyelets, googlie eyes, acrylic jewels, hardware, etc.) is this goodie that I found at The Container Store.

It sits on my side table, backed against an armoire, doesn't take up a lot of space and all my itty bitty parts are easily accessible and labeled. Looking for some ideas to organize your embellishments? Head over to the Die Cuts R Us Design Team blog for some more creative ways to store your stuff! Leave a comment if you have a super way to organize and store your own goodies!

Have you played the DCRU DT challenge yet? This week's theme involves layering embellishments on your card, scrapbook page or project. There's still time to enter so come on and give it a try!

Layer It! - Tuesday's Challenge from the Die Cuts R Us Design Team!

Last week, Sammye Jo's Monogram Challenge at the DCRU DT blog was so much fun! If you missed it, here's a link to the post so you can see the many ways to use a monogram on your project.

A big congrats goes out to Donna, the winner of the Challenge!! Take a look at her entry...gorgeous!!

This week's challenge involves the use of layered embellishments on your card, layout or project. Here's my "Flowers for a Fabulous Friend" card. The supplies I used include: Dots, and 3D Dots White Adhesive Foam 1/8"from Die Cuts R Us store; Oval All stamp, markers, cardstock, silver cord and oval scallop stamp-Stampin' Up; Uniball White gel pen; Gelly Roll Glitter pen; acrylic jewels; Organdy ribbon.



To see more ways to use layered embellishments on your project, check out the DCRU DT blog. Hope you'll play along with us this week!

Die Cuts R Us Challenge and Giveaway!!

Check out the DCRU DT blog and enter our first ever challenge! You can enter up until midnight EST tonight. The winner will be announced Sunday. Good luck!!

Also, DCRU is having a giveaway! Check out the blog for details on how you can enter to win the cutest Just Rite stamps. Happy Saturday!!

Just right for your little goblins and giveaway news!

Halloween Photo Album
Originally uploaded by Cara's Scrap 'N Stamp Art

As I'm dreaming about my upcoming sunny summer vacation, I'm creating and making ghoulish treats for my shop for Halloween!! Eek!! This Halloween photo album holds 24 4x6 photos of your favorite ghosts and goblins. The cover features a die cut spider with googlie eyes on dimensional tape so he "pops" off the tag. "Halloween" in beaded letters dangles from 2 orange brads. Sweet, not scary!

Take a look at the cute Just Rite Stampers Halloween stamps I found in the Die Cuts R Us store. I can't wait to use them in for my Challenge next month. Speaking of challenges, have you entered the Die Cuts R Us Design Team Monogram Challenge yet? There's still time to enter. See the blog for details and for a peek at the beautiful cards that have been entered so far. There's a terrific giveaway for the winner!! Also, today on our blog, Jessica gave us all tips on how to "Nest your Nesties." That will come in handy as my supply begins to grow!

And speaking of giveaways, take a moment and go check out the EtsyGreetings team blog for a fantastic giveaway from Etsy shop owner, BrandedButterflyTwo. You'll have to go see for yourself what the giveaway all about but I will tell you that if you win, you'll be receiving goodies from her for 6 months! Cool beans!

Challenge 1 for DCRU - Monogram It!

Challenge 1 DCRU
Originally uploaded by Cara's Scrap 'N Stamp Art

Saturday I broke the exciting news of the first ever Design Team for the fabulous new online store, Die Cuts R Us. Today is the DT's first ever challenge! Today's challenge is to use a monogram on your card/layout/project. Give it a try and link your project to the DT blog.

If you have any products from the Die Cuts R Us store, USE THEM! If not, you can still join in and use what you have! You have until 7 PM on Saturday night to upload your projects to Mr. Linky. Winners will be announced on Sunday in the Sunday Buzz post! There just might be a fab prize for the winner!

**Remember to post a DIRECT LINK to your project from your blog or gallery. Also- post about this challenge on your blog and help us spread the word!

My project is a journal made for a dear cousin of mine. I used the following supplies: From the Downtown Collection-Coney Island and Gramercy Park Double Sided Paper from DCRU; Flowers and Acrylic Jewels-Prima; Scallop Square Punch-Fiskars; Stampin' Up grosgrain ribbon, Purely Pomegranate ink, Round Scallop Punch and rub-on; Cricut Expression with Accent Essentials Cartridge for 4" Circle; Just Rite Stampers -Damask Monogram Kit from DCRU.

Hope you'll visit the DCRU DT blog and play along in our first challenge! You never know, you could be this weeks big winner! Thanks for playing!

Introducing the First Ever Design Team for Die Cuts R Us!

Happy Saturday to all! Before I leave for a day of crafty fun at the Creating Keepsakes Convention-Valley Forge, I wanted to share with you some very exciting news! I’ve been selected to join the Die Cuts R Us Design Team. In case you haven’t heard, Die Cuts R Us is a new hip and trendy online store featuring lots of my favorites-Cricut, Spellbinders, Quickutz, Just Rite Stampers, Cuttlebug, EK Success, Copic Markers, an assortment of papers, adhesives, Scent My Cards-Woo! Lots of good stuff for your card making, scrapbooking and paper crafting. Go check it out!

Let me introduce you to the other Design Team members! You may already know some of these talented ladies:

Sammye Jo (Design Team Coordinator): http://www.62cards.blogspot.com/
Diane: http://www.1cardcreator.blogspot.com/
Margie: http://www.ohbumbleismemargie.blogspot.com/
Jessica: http://www.thewhimsicalbutterfly.blogspot.com/
Amber: http://www.thecountryscrapper.blogspot.com/
Gwen: http://www.gwensbusylittlehands.blogspot.com/
Carole: http://www.crayola58a.blogspot.com/

We look forward to the next 6 months of sharing unique creations that we hope will inspire your creativity and keep you coming back to visit the Die Cuts R Us Design Team (DCRU DT) blog and Die Cuts R Us (DCRU) online store. We’ve got a number of exciting, informative and fun things planned at the DCRU DT blog. Sign on! You wouldn’t want to miss out on the giveaways, product reviews, tutorials, and creative challenges every Tuesday. With DCRU, you’re sure to find great prices, super customer service, fast shipping and lots of your favorite card making and scrapbooking products. You’ll find that Claudia, the friendly and knowledgeable store owner, is there to make your shopping experience a good one.

What are you waiting for? Sign up as a follower of the DCRU DT blog and bring your friends! This is one party you don’t want to miss out on!