Cuttlebug Frenzy

    Wow the blog-hop was really awesome. Just when I thought I had this card-makin' thing in the bag I realized I still have a LOT to learn... but what a fun craft to learn while at the same time supporting a great cause at Operation Write Home! That was my first time ever hopping and I got a few digital freebies and to my amazement I even won some blog candy from Dixie...my NC shipper! Woot Woot!

    So now on to my latest cards and  some tips for cuttlebug newbies like myself...
    On the hop I picked up this great image of a little turtle from Bugaboo Stamps (freebie)  I read somewhere the tell tale signs of a novice card maker is over-embellishing...so I added the buttons only after consulting with my daughter and her friend! lol.
     On Friday I got my cuttle bug, somehow I felt disadvantaged to "not" have one and I was so envious of everyone's textured papers and perfectly cut circles. It was definitely a case of design tool peer pressure! For the couple of card makers out there that still do not own one I have a few things to share with you. (in blue for those of you who'd like to skip this part.)

     The first time you try and emboss (which means "squish" a design onto your paper) you will be a little scared that the plate is going to crack because you will hear some creaking and squeaking of the plastic pieces. At first I was scared I might crack my B plate but I checked the internet and found out it is normal. I also had purchased one of the spellbinders nestabilities (other scrappers call them "nesties" ...basically they are those shapes that are cut perfectly with a little professional edge and sometimes you see that they are layered two or more high.) I was scared to use my nestie circles at first because on the spellbinder package it said you needed a "tan mat" to make them work with the cuttlebug. I later found out that you "can" use them anyways sandwiching them between the B and C plates but that your embossing may be "crisper" WITH the mat. The circles pictured in these cards , however were NOT done with the cuttlebug -these were traced using a fiskers template (pictured behind the cuttlebug) for the cost of about $3.20. The fisker template is WAY more economical than the cuttlebug system but I did not purchase the Fiskers "cutter" to go with the template so my ovals were hand-cut! I was a bit surprised at what the cuttlebug actually is... its basically just a squishing device; no motor or anything...in fact a very basic contraption for the price I paid of 67.99. Then considering the dies are a little pricey at around 14.99 (that was a sale of 40% off btw) for "each" die set which includes several different sizes of the same shape for layering - pricey! The folders are a bit more affordable at from $3-$5 depending if u catch a sale so this alone does add some dimension to your projects even if you're like me and it will be many months before you can collect up all the dies you'd like to have. I will say this about the cuttlebug -it IS a lot of fun to squish paper and see what it looks like on the other side as it turns out beautiful every time with this bug! Whether one really NEED'S it to make beautiful cards is in the eye of the beholder however because I have seen some beautiful cards with and without it!

This is a card I made using two of the cuttlebug embossing folders. The yellow was a circles design and the blue on top was swiss dots. This image was a freebie from Bugaboo Stamps (freebie) designs...so cute! I colored it in with a combo of colored pencils and sparkly gel pens in some areas. A lot of the card makers use copic markers but at this point I can't afford them at six dollars and change per marker so I opted for a box of 36 colored pencils at 6.99 instead! This was my daughters favorite card of the three I made this weekend.

This last card I made utilized Velda's sketch #6 from the OWH challenge I just liked this layout and wanted to try it along with the little clown image I got fromBugaboo Stamps (freebie) Here I used the swiss dots on the plaid pattern and the circles design with the circles paper.Thanks for stopping by!