My version of a Tulip card

I really wanted to make a card just to have, you know, one of those all purpose cards that you can use for everything. I saw something similar made from  a bunch of different punches, and thought I can do that with my Cricut Gypsy. So I did!

I used three ovals for the flower. and some leaves that I stretched out with my Gypsy. I chalked the edges of the flower petals and the leaves, and I folded over the top of one leaf. The scallop and the oval are from Gypsy Font.  A pretty good tulip if I do say so myself. And I didn't have to by a bunch of punches to do it.

Happy Crafting!

Warning about hiring a contractor - This post has nothing to do with crafting

Okay, I wanted to share my experience here because I hope that it will help other people when hiring a contractor. My brother, who is disabled hired a contractor, and was swindled out of a lot of money. I found out about it only after he gave them most of the money and was not able to stop any of the payments.

I don't really want to go into all of the messy details of my ordeal, but I will give you some warnings. First, a contractors license means very little! The contractor that ripped off my brother had a clear license, and it still looks clear today if you check out the contractor's state license board. However this contractor has been referred for prosecution, and it's recommended that they lose their license. You have to know to click on the correct link on the state license board page (that doesn't mention anything about disciplinary action BTW) to find this out.

Second, don't think that the state license board is going to do much to help you. I filed a complaint, went through their negotiator, and it still took several months for them to investigate anything. I was told that the investigators offices are flooded with complaints, and that the amount of money my brother (who is disabled, I forgot to mention) lost is minimal compared to some of the complaints they receive. Well, this money was not minimal to him. Even after the investigation, I was told that there was nothing the state license board could do to get his money back or fix his house. I also found out that the quality of the work they did matters very little to the contractors license board. Even though they used the cheapest products, installed them very poorly, AND tried to do the job without permits, they only thing the license board cared about was the permits.

Third, permit inspectors can't do much either! They can only make people do things to minimum code, and they don't care how much you paid a contractor to do it. My brother gave the contract over $20,000 in less than 7 days, all in checks under $5000, because that is what the contractor asked for. Why? So the bank would not put a hold on the check and there would be no waiting period to fund the checks.

Fourth, a bonded company means very little , if anything. In our state a contractor only has to have a bond for $12,500. That's total, not per job, not per contract either. $12,500 TOTAL for the whole company! So if they do a $50,000 job for you their bond is only for $12,500. If you file a claim against them you can only get $12,500 back, even if your claim is for $100,000. And if they do 10 jobs for ten people, and all ten of them file a claim, they all 10 have to get just a portion of the $12,500. And all the company has to do to get another bond is pay the bond company back the $12,500. No questions asked!

The Better Business Bureau is no better. This contractor had an A- rating, despite the fact that they had 4 complaints against them, and had only been in business 3 years. And I found out that they had 4 small claims lawsuits that they lost. And don't think that you can just hire a lawyer and sue the contractor. Lawyers cost about $300 per hour, and at that rate you could pay twice what you paid to the contractor to you lawyer just to sue them.

Bottom line is buyer be ware. Investigate your contractor and the laws in your state before you do anything.

Brave the Rapids

Okay, I have yet another scrapbook page from my trip to Walt Disney World. It was so long ago, but I'm not giving up on that scrapbook! At Animal Kingdom we went on Kali River Rapids. 

This is the story about our ride through the rapids:

 For this page I went fairly simple, because I noticed that it takes me forever for me to finish a page. I just want to get down my memories before I forget them!

Minnie Mouse

Here is another easy card for you! My friends love Minnie Mouse, and I had these two cute polka dot papers in my scrap pile so this was a no brainer. I used my  Martha Steward border punch  because I love it so much. It looks like lace! I used the Mickey and Friends Cricut cartridge to cut out Minnie.  

I think she came out pretty cute. Happy Crafting!

Thank you Teacher

It's June, and that means the end of school, so Thank You cards are in order! This paper is from MME, I I though it made the perfect car.d The apple is from Plantin Schoolbook, I used the spiral notebook border punch too. This card was super easy and super cute. 

Happy Crafting. 

Easter Layout

Here is a quick post. I had to snap it fast because I was giving this layout away. Isn't it cute? I used the Easter 2010 and Stretch your Imagination Cricut carts.  

New Sizzix Die

I got a new toy recently! The Sizzix pop-up cards die. I my first card with this die was a Mother's Day card. This adorable paper is from 3 Bugs in a Rug. I used the Mother's Day 2010 Cricut cart for the front of the card. Then I used the Apron Lace border Fiskars border punch for the white border.

This is the inside. I love the pop up center. And Sizzix makes a die set to match the shape inside. 

It went over really well on for everyone I gave it to!

Happy Crafting. 

A good scrap card

Okay, I mostly misssed spring and it's already almost summer, but here is a great card to help you use up all of your scraps. If you are anything like me you save scraps. And I save them to a ridiculous (that's what hubby says) size. I have 4 accordian folders full of small scraps and 2 plastic cases full of larger scrap pages. So I finally decided to do something with the really small pieces. 

Basically I just put together a bunch of matching paper and cut it into strips. The biggest piece is 1.5" by 1. I managed to make 5 of these cars out of  8 little scraps of paper. I really liked them, but the were a little plain so I cut this butterfly from the Indy Art Cricut Cartridge and added some bling. What do you think?

Happy Crafting!

New Card

Wow, I haven't blogged in a while. What a shame because it's National Craft Month. But here goes. I finally got some time to make cards. Okay, I know this is a bad picture, but I took it with my cell phone. I made this card using the Cricut Handy Man Lite Cartridge. My coworker wanted something funny to give to her hubby for his birthday. 

This is what I came up with. It's a lot of pink, but that was the only wood grain paper I had. The pink paper is from American Crafts, and the rest is just random cardstock that I have. The font was printed on my computer.

You Make My Hearth Sing

More Valentines!

 Yes I am on a role with the Sweet Talk Postage Stamp paper. I paired this stamp with some music paper from My Minds Eye and some red patterned paper from Chatterbox. Then I added some chocolate brown cardstock and used a Martha Stewart edge punch. I cut some music notes from my Cricut using Gypsy Wanderings and added a bow of Maraschino Twine from The Twinery.

More Sweet Talk

Okay, I have yet another Sweet Talk paper card. This one is from the same paper as yesterday. I used two Pinecone Press patterned paper, and instead of pink and maroon, I went with brown and maroon cardstock I had a lot of it and I figured that it would be a good idea to try to use it up.

This time I used a Martha Stewart edge punch for the maroon cardstock. 

I like to make several different cards instead of making a bunch of the same one, so I will probably make a few more! Happy Crafting

Another Valentine

Okay, I am still working on those Sweet Talk Postage Stamps. This one is a very simple card, and I'm going for easy at the moment. I've only got a few days left to get these babies in the mail. I used this pattern paper from Pinecone Press and some Bazzil cardstock to go with it. I used a Fiskars edge punch for the scalloped edges, and some ribbon from Michaels to round it off. 

The only thing I used my Cricut for was the Stamp background, which makes this one super simple. 

Happy Crafting.

Lucky in Love

Yikes, it's already February. Where did the time go? I'd better get started on my Valentine's Day Cards.I have this Sweet Talk Postage Stamps paper from K & Co. that has been sitting in my pile of paper for a few years. So I decided to get started! Since I am so lucky in love I decided that I would use that stamp to make a card. My husband is the best, and I am truly lucky to have him. Plus he loves Vegas, so this is a great card for him.

 

 I cut out the stamp background with my Cricut, and the 4 card symbols, then added  the white paper punched with a Martha Steward edge punch. It's simple, but cute. Happy Crafting!

Tug at My Heart String

Okay, I'll admit I haven't been blogging much, but there are so many things going on right now. But I don't want ignore my blog so I though I would re-visit my favorite Valentine from last year. I made this one using Rock Princess and I thought it was adorable. Plus this is kind of how I feel right now. Broken heart-ed that someone would take advantage of my mentally disabled brother. People can shatter your faith sometimes.

The background paper is from Making Memories Love Notes line. I chalked the edges of the paper with both pink and brown chalk. I started with pink and wasn't too happy with the results, but I liked toe pink and  brown combo.

 The hear is cut at 3" and I  added rivets to it with my Crop-a-dile. One of my favorite tools, by the way. That thing can punch through almost any paper, love it! I used The Twinery's Pink Sorbet Twine to lace it up.

But I ran into a problem, the twine didn't show up well on the paper. So I added this piece of black cardstock to the back of the heart..

I used pop dots to adhere it so that the card would have some depth since I made it so simple.You can sort of see in this picture, although it's a little blurry.

I might have to revamp this idea a little for this year's cards. Happy Crafting!