NEWS ALERT - ENABLING ALERT!!

This is a quick post for those of you who liked my prototype Christmas tree card last week (above).  I *just* read that Oh My Crafts has their complete Sizzix line on sale again... This die is on sale for $8.99!!  Yes, that is $1.00 more than I paid, but much better than the $34.99 original price!!!  If you are interested in purchasing the die, this is a direct LINK to the product page.

I know I am MIA this week - I have been working on my banners for the Cricut Banner Contest.  All I can tell you is I am using unusual products in creating my banners!!!

I will try to get a project or two posted later in the week.....

Christmas Card Prototype with Scraps

My husband and I are "old school" in many ways. For all of our techno gadgets and computer sauvé, we still send out a lot of Christmas cards - using real mail - the post office - stamps and everything. In recent years I have cut the list down to about 70-75 cards. With that number in mind, and knowing that I like to make my cards myself, I have been looking for a simple Christmas card design that I can mass produce for the bulk of our Christmas card list

I recently ran across a die by Sizzix - Bigz XL Die : ALBUM, CHRISTMAS TREE BY RACHAEL BRIGHT. I found this die on a GREAT sale at Oh My Crafts. The normal price on this die is $34.95 but I found it on sale $8.00!! Seriously, $8.00!!  As I added the links to this post I found that the price of the die is now 3.5 times what I paid for it.  Guess I should have shared my find sooner!

This die actually cuts the pieces for an album, but I found that by not cutting any "pages" and just going with the front and back pieces I could use this as a Christmas card. I cut this sample card using scraps only and I would change the colors/prints in my final cards. With that said, tell me what you think of this as a Christmas card!! I could add a small nestability cut stamped with a "Merry Christmas" sentiment to the lower right edge of the tree. But overall, I am looking for feedback on what you think of this design.  I appreaciate any feedback.  Thanks

Blueberry Pie Recipe Card with BBTB2

It's a Bitten By the Bug 2 Monday here at Busy with the Cricky.  This week we are making pies!!!  My sweet design team sister Krista Norman chose this week's challenge cut, the pie from the Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge. 

What Krista could not know is that I will take pie any day over cake.  Don't get me wrong, I like cake, but pie is really my thing!!  I love the fattening flaky pie crust and the yummy fillings.  When I was at the lake last month  MFK, my friend Kathy, brought a gallon of blueberries from her yard for us to enjoy.  We had blueberries in yogurt, blueberries in cereal, blueberries in salad, Kathy's blueberry crisp, and finally, blueberry pie.  We found the recipe below on the Internet, but let me tell you, it is a keeper!!!  I have made it for Doug and I since returning home.

I decided to use the pie off of the Thanksgiving cartridge, but I hand trimmed the swirls of "steam" off of the pies.  I welded two pie cuts top to top so that they would open like a card.  I then cut the entire pie one more time in green gingham.  I cut just the pie top in a blue floral print and topped it with a lattice cute.  I used the lattice tag on French Manor to cut the pie lattice.

I used both Cindy Loo and Martha Steward Seasonal Art Cake cartridges for the fonts. I love these two font, Cindy Loo is so sweet and whimsical, while the MS Seasonal font is so versatile. 

Inside the card I printed the pie recipe into two rectangular text boxes, measured to fit the inside of the card.  I am not sure if I have shared this recipe previously, but you can copy it from the text below.

Blueberry Pie
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 4 cups fresh blueberries

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over blueberries.

3. Line pie dish with one pie crust. Pour berry mixture into the crust, and dot with butter. Cut remaining pastry into 1/2 - 3/4 inch wide strips, and make lattice top. Crimp and flute edges.

4. Bake pie on lower shelf of oven for about 50 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

I finished the card by adding a stamped expression to the front of the card.  The stamp is part of the all around sentiments set by Joy at Joy's Life.  I adore Joy's stamps and this all around set is awesome.  I used a round paper punch and a scalloped paper punch to create the stamped tag.

 

Be sure to stop by the Bitten by the Bug 2 blog and check out the design team members awesome pie projects.  Also, consider playing along and posting your project in the Mr. Linky spot at BBTB2.  Each week there is a play along winner who receives a special blog blinkie!.