Tippy Thursday - Overlaying images on frames

I have been really touched this week to have received even more messages of support and encouragement to continue with the Cupboard. When I started this blog back in January I had no idea that it would become so popular, or so needed by so many! I loved my Bug then and I still do, and now I also have you! So to all my blogging friends and followers a big thank you for being there when I needed you most. To all the new followers that have joined me this week - a very warm welcome - I hope you will enjoy and find interesting things here, but you may have to look at the back of the Cupboard because the shelves are getting pretty full - the labels will help you. Now, let's see where the Bug will take us.....?????

I have found fanastic tip for you this week and tutorials to boot! This is so clever! The original idea comes from Katharina. Katharina calls it "overlaying images on frames". You will also find other super crafting on this "out of bounds images with the nestability shapes" at Rachel's. These two ladies are very talented. Rachel also demonstrates using Copics...you really must pop over to these two great blogs.

That's all folks, because I know you will now be busy blog hopping.
Cuttlehugs to all,

Carry on Cupboard

Well, what can I say but thanks to all for your comments - I certainly got the message that you want me to continue!

I found in reading your posts that many of you voiced what was in my head, and these were questions that I needed to find an answer too. To those of you who asked if my dilemma was over family issues or health, then No this was not the reason for my uncertainty. "Sharing with the world" is also not a problem for me because sharing crafting ideas and skills is a pastime I enjoy. If you find my work an inspiration, I have no problem in you using the ideas in your own crafting, only that you do not enter the work as your own in any form of publication or challenge, and I would also add that if possible you link back to my blog so any new owners of the Bug can also find and share this information. So, my dilemma comes down then to TIME! At the moment, blogging is conflicting with my other hobbies and life in general, and I have fallen into the trap of routine and pressurized myself. My hobby has become a job! The pressure to find new ideas has actually brought my cuttling craft to a halt - mojo gone! Enjoyment restricted!

I have, however, decide that I do want to continue, but I have to change something. So I hope you will bear with me until my head and cuttling returns. I will be posting tutorials and tips, but for the immediate future I cannot guarantee that I will be able to do so on specific days (Monday and Thursday). If you are a regular visitor and blog owner, why not become a follower and this way you will know when I post. My head is full of ideas, but somehow I cannot sort them out and get on with them, NUT when I do, I would like to share them with you. AND, Christmas is coming and I have just received some Christmas Spellbinder Dies from my supplier that are just brill! So watch this space!!!!

Just a note to my many followers who are not blog owners and are unsure of how to leave comments. Knowing how to do this is a useful aid, so .... all you need to do is to look at the bottom of this post for the word "comment". Click and it will take you to another page where you can write your message or question. Below the comments box you will see various options to select - click annoymous and then post. You will not see the message immediately. There will be a note at the top of the page saying "waiting owners approval" (this is a way of preventing scam mails), when I receive the message I will post it. Hope this helps - why not try it now - you will not do any harm and when you have succeeded you will be more confident and do it again, and again. I hope!!!

I thought today I would show you these two cards which I made awhile ago. Christening and Naming day cards can give you a headache trying to find something appropriate. These are simple, but effective cards using the CB Swiss Dots folder embossed straight on to the card. This folder is particularly useful because you can emboss from the top, turn it and do it from the bottom, or sideways which is the way this is done. Then with a scoreboard you can add a couple to lines below the embossing to give a crisp, professional finish . The sentiment was done on the PC before the embossing, and the images are clipart just matted and layered. A double silver cord with the bow tied inside completed the cards. I have my blogging mate Barbara to thank for the first one - she used this image for a Mother's Day card - it was beautiful. I like the grey image the best, but both look good. What do you think?



Be back soon.....

News of Spellbinder Christmas Shapeability Dies

Hi Cuttlers, Just thought I'd inform you that my supplier has some of the new Christmas dies and also many of the new pendant and border dies now in stock. You will find a quick link on the side bar.

Many thanks to all who contacted me following my last post - I'm seriously thinking about your comments.

Should I or not?

I have a dilemma! Should I continue with this blog, or not? The fact that I have had over 65,000 visitors in 6 1/2 months tells me that crafters do visit the Cupboard, but do they make just one visit, or frequently return - I don't know! Do they find the tutorials interesting - well yes a few do - they have told me, but for the vast majority!?!??! I don't know! Can I continue? Well, yes I could, but perhaps with changes. However, should I continue is another question? What do you think? What would you like to see happen? Can you help me decide? As I said before "I have a dilemma!"

Tippy Thursday - Birthsigns

Hi everyone, My tip this week is based mainly on myself! Why, you may ask? Well, tomorrow is my birthday and I had this thought that if I was ever stuck with "what to do" for someone's birthday, I could use their birth sign as a guide! So, I started to do some research on the web and came up with some interesting and also amusing facts.
I discovered that:

"The Virgo motto could be "Perfect is almost good enough." On one hand, this trait makes you very employable, for you're not likely to do shabby work. On the other hand, you can be so finicky that you put limitations on your interactions and experiences before they happen. You'll be happier if you can learn to be selectively less critical, both of others and yourself." (I have to admit there is a lot of truth in this).

Virgo Greatest Strength: Your ability to focus your attention (with me mostly, but not always my head can wander off at times)

Virgo Possible Weakness: Need for perfection gets in the way of enjoyment (this trait is a bit annoying!)

Virgo's Lucky Number:
The lucky number for Virgo is five (also known as the Pentad).

Virgo Birthstone
Sapphire is the birthstone and also the gemstone given for anniversaries of the 5th and 45th years of marriage. (This took me by surprise - what a coincidence - my birthday gift from Dave is to be a ring, and we are celebrating our 45th wedding anniversary later this month!).

Virgo Compatability
In general, if people are typical of their zodiac sign, relationships between Virgo and other signs (including the complementary opposite sign, Pisces) are as shown below.

Virgo with Virgo:	Harmonious
Virgo with Libra:	Harmonious
Virgo with Scorpio:	Harmonious
Virgo with Sagittarius:	Difficult
Virgo with Capricorn:	Harmonious
Virgo with Aquarius:	Turbulent
Virgo with Pisces:	Difficult
Virgo with Aries:	Turbulent
Virgo with Taurus:	Harmonious
Virgo with Gemini:	Difficult
Virgo with Cancer:	Harmonious
Virgo with Leo:	Harmonious

No one told me this 45 years ago - but luckily Dave is Taurus - is there really some truth in this?

Virgo Snacks
"You won't find health-conscious Virgo tearing through a huge plate of nachos. This sign prefers a snack that is both wholesome and filling. Soy nuts are just the ticket for a hungry Virgin. Choose the kind with no artificial flavoring and preservatives, please. This sign treats their body like a temple, even when it comes to snacks!( from http://horoscopes.aol.com/)"
(Definiently not so - I just love a cream cake for a snack, so no truth here, or do you disagree?)

Virgo Birth Flower is the Aster also called starwort.
The meaning of the Aster flower is Love, Faith, Wisdom and symbolizes Valor

Lucky Numbers:5, 14, 23, 32, 41, 50 (might try this on the lottery this week)

Lucky Colours:Orange, White, Grey, Yellow, Mushroom (some say Green as well)

Lucky Stone : Topaz

Lucky Talisman:The Key, The Owl, The Tau, The bamboo and serpent

So if you were sending me a card or GIFT (joking but, if you like) could you use any of this info? We have Asters in the garden - so I could get a bunch of them perhaps wrapped with a Orange,white,yellow, mushroom(!) bow. The ring is a defo - but what - a sapphire or a topaz stone, I was thinking of a diamond myself! I would also love a cream cake, definitely not the nachos or a soya nut, but then I'm suppose to be on a diet so perhaps I should?

So birth signs could give you some ideas for using flowers, colours, charms on cards, but for the rest, although interesting reading, little use in crafting. However, the characteristics were certainly revealing and I'm defo a Virgo - have you looked up your sign, and more importantly did you find any truth there?

I have another tutorial lined up for Monday, but I'm struggling to get it spot on! (lol) I'm certainly one fusspot Virgo!!!

Cuttlebug - Baby Birth Cards

Hi Everyone, I have just returned from visiting my daughter and 2 granddaughters who live in Scotland and instead of coming back to blogging refreshed and ready to go...the opposite has happened. My head is in a 'no go' mode! Think I enjoyed myself too much, and ate too much, and played too much, and then there was the drink or two to celebrate Claire's birthday.

I have managed to make two cards for my friend's daughter, who has just given birth to the most beautiful little boy called Tommy.

On White Linen Cardstock, I have embossed with the Baby Folder and added three lines with my score board to make this base card.



Using the folder this way I've created a border on which to added little Tommy's name.



I next added a stamped image, ribbon, letters and corners from the Vintage set, and, of course, inked the edges in Baby Blue.










and this is my finished card.

A simple card, but I think quite cute.






Couldn't leave the Grandparents out, so another CB card using the Swiss Dots folder and a PB stamp.









I have just found out that at Stamping for the weekend the challenge is for a baby card, so I going to enter these cards (can you enter two?). Not sure which I like best...another decision!?!? Hope you have a great crafting week. Now I'm off the seek my mojo! If you should find it, please send it back asap!

Tippy Thursday #14

Hi, over the last couple of weeks gummed up scissors have been a subject in Tippy Thursday. I have been amazed at so many ways you can clean them, and the tips keep coming.

From Barb - Baby oil works and has a pleasant aroma as well.

and Clare D is in a chemical free zone, so here's her tip: "Use the magic Eraser! Just get it wet and scrub your scissors. It is also how I clean my Cricut spatula and I feel safer."
Thanks ladies. I wonder if there will be any more tips about this?

Today I thought I would share with you my lazy (easy) way of stamping. I'm quite a novice at this and find that after die cutting a small label, I have the problem of stamping in the middle of it. To save my frustration at getting sentiments squiffy, I found this was the way for me.

Chose your shape and draw round the outer edge in pencil.
Then you can see where you are stamping.
Then place your die inside the pencil line and cut. And, it's in the middle!

I realise that this is a bit basic for you experienced and confident stampers, but this may help others like myself who suffer with a shaking hand when stamping. And, that's before I have a drink!

This also helps if you have a number of small stamps you want to use to compose a picture.


Happy Cuttling,