Dotty Simple Best Wishes Card

Hi there and happy Sunday! I am so excited to be back as a guest blogger over at the Cricut is Close to My Heart Blog! Since I went complicated the last time I was there, I thought it would be appropriate to go super simple this time. Our very close family friend just graduated from Nursing school after a long program to go from an LPN to an RN. She has worked tirelessly and we are all so proud of her.

I wanted to create a pretty card that was also simple. I also wanted the sentiment to include the idea that she is going on to receive her Bachelor's of Science in Nursing as well. I thought that a Best Wishes ard would say everything there is to say. That considered, I have also been so excited to use my Dotty for You papers! I went super simple by forgoing my usual Cricut cuts and just using my trusty paper cutter and some mono adhesive.

Here's the recipe if you'd like to try this simple card:

Front of Card:

Card base - 5" x 10" scored at 5"
2nd layer - 4 3/4" x 4 3/4"
Top layer - 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"
Polka dot band -  4 1/2" x 1 1/4"
Stamped band - 4 1/2" x 1"
I stamped the band in Lagoon ink

Inside Card:
 2nd layer - 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"
Top Layer - 4" x 4"

Make sure you use a light color for your top layer inside to write on!!

I hope you'll try to recreate this simple card!

Panda Hugs!

Jamie (aka Glitter Panda)

I'm Back!

I feel as though I have been away from my blog forever! It has been crazy here at the Panda household, but things are finally getting back to normal. As I have said before, I am a teacher, and I am also the yearbook adviser. I was working on a very difficult end of year yearbook deadline and couldn't stop to "smell the roses" for even a moment. When I finally finished that, my body decided it would be a fabulous time to get very sick for a little while. This past week, I finally started feeling better but had to finish preparing for Cubby's basketball birthday bash! We had the party today and it was a blast. The kids had a great time and Cubby loved it!! I will post pics of the party favors shortly because they were too cute not to share. I know I missed a couple of holiday card posts as well, so you can be sure that as soon as I can create them, I will share them!! Have a wonderful week and talk to you soon!!
BIG Panda Hugs!
J-
Glitter Panda

Holocaust Remembance Day

Today is not the type of day to commemorate with a card. Rather, it is a day to think. To think about what happens when we forget that the person next to you is often similar to you on the inside, even if he or she does not look or sound entirely like you. It is a day to remember what can happen when one person is able to influence others to treat a person or group of people as though they are inferior. It is a day to remember to celebrate our differences, rather than vilifying them. Take a moment today to think about something positive to say, the next time you notice a difference. Think about how much better the world would be if we all did that, every day. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" ~George Santayana

Four Frame Shadowbox Mother's Day Card

Here is my Guest Blogger debut post on Cricut is Close to My Heart!

Hi there everyone! This is Jamie, more affectionately known as Glitter Panda.  I have a beautiful card to share with you today AND an awesome giveaway at the end of this post. Mother's day is right around the corner and I am fortunate enough to have MANY fabulous mommies who I love dearly. So, I realized I am going to have to start nice and early with my Mother's Day cards to make sure I have enough. I am sharing my very FIRST Mother's Day card with you today. Today's card is what I call the Four-Frame Shadowbox Card. I LOVE shadowbox cards and when I found this four-framed square on the Art Philosophy cartridge I knew I had to try it out!!  To make today's card, I used the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge for every cut!  I also used the new Stella 12 x 12 paper packet.

To create the card, I started with a 5" rounded edge square card (SQUARE1 cut on the card button) on page 23 of the Art Philosophy booklet. I sponged the edges of the card using the CTMH Olive Exclusive Ink Stamp Pad and Round Sponge.

Next, I added the 5" four square frame on top of the card base (SQUARE1 on p. 23 on the decorative layer button). I used dimensionals to do this. This creates a 3D effect and raises the "shadowbox" a little bit higher. I used the same ink to sponge the edges of this layer as well.

I like to put something different in each frame. On the top left, I used a 2" butterfly (BTTRFLY2 p. 55 cut on the regular button on shift for the bright blue base and the Layer button on shift for the pretty, decorative overlay. I edged only the base with the olive ink because the overlay is too delicate. I attached the overlay to the base using liquid glass only on the body of the butterfly. This allows the overlay to pop up as long as you gently roll the edges up. I added 3 tiny pearls to the body of the butterfly and then I added this to the card using two layers of dimensionals so it looks like it is about to fly off the card!

On the top right, I used the Stella Canvas Complements Canvas Shape Stickers for the two ladybugs and the button is attached using liquid glass and is from the Bohemian Assortment.

The bottom left square is where I added the sentiment. I used a 1 1/2" square shape with the corners cut out (SQUARE5 on p.63 for the base cut and then the same cut on the decorative layer button for the frame). I mounted the bright blue paper to one of the Dimensional Elements Mixed Shapes that matched. These are chipboard shapes and this set specifically coordinates with the cuts on the Art Philosophy cartridge if you cut them on the suggested size. I stamped the square with the Love sentiment using the CTMH Olive Exclusive Ink Stamp Pad.   

Finally, the bottom right square is a 3D Rosette. I LOVE these!! I created a tutorial to help you use the Art Philosophy cuts to create the Rosettes and embellish them. For this particular Rosette, I used a double layered approach by cutting two rosette shapes at 3" on the Cricut (p.68 on font layer in red and orange).  First I inked the edges in Olive, then I put them one on top of the other and staggered one slightly higher than the other. Finally, I rolled them up together and secured them with liquid glass. I added a clear jewel in the middle for a little bling! I put one of the canvas shape stickers down first to become a leaf for the rosette and to add a little more dimension.


I am so happy with the way this card came out, and all of the cuts were made on ONE cartridge. I love the way the papers in the Stella paper pack complement each other. it made it VERY easy to come up with a great color combo!! I hope you enjoy recreating this card as much as I enjoyed creating it in the first place.

Last, but not least, I have a CONTEST for you!! As a SPECIAL treat, Vicky from Good wil* Creations has generously donated a one-of-a-kind twirl skirt of your choice to one lucky person. You can even choose whether you want the child or adult skirt child! These adorable skirts are made using recycled t-shirts, so they are even good for the environment!!  To be eligible to win, just sign up for our new Close to My Heart monthly newsletter! Click here for the link to register, and please feel free to shop at my Close to My Heart store today! I will announce the winner of the skirt on my blog next Sunday, April 22. Good Luck!

Panda Hugs!

J-
Glitter Panda

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Little Scrap Pieces - Use a Flower Challenge 
Anything Goes - Challenge #64: Anything Goes at Anything Goes

I'm a Guest Designer

It has been a VERY long week, but it has been a lot of fun. Between being off for spring break and all the holiday celebrating, it will be hard to get back into the swing of things. This week, however, I am so excited about my guest designing spot on Use It Tuesday! The Anything Goes challenge is definitely a a favorite of mine. At first I thought it would be fitting to create something that reflects who I am as a crafter and I think I hit it right on the head with this Glitter Panda shaker easel card. I have been holding on to this adorable panda stamp for quite some time and this seemed like the perfect chance. I dipped into my extensive stash of paper for this one and then used my pearls, glitter and ribbon too. I even created the flower using a punch instead of my go to Cricut cartridges. Then, I needed to make an Easter card for my mother-in-law and fell in love with that one! So, I decided to post the Easter card on Use it Tuesday and here it is:

There are a few techniques I want to explain with this one, so I will create another post to explain how I made it, but wanted to include it here today :)


Panda hugs!
J-
Glitter Panda

Check out my posts on how to create an easel card and my video on how to create a shaker card to learn the techniques I used here!

Happy Passover!

Happy Passover to all who are celebrating!

Although we are busy getting ready with last minute preparations for Passover, I couldn't let the holiday go by without a card to share! My sister in law brought my shamrock easel card to Ireland and said it was a hit, AND they used it as the centerpiece on the table for St. Patrick's day, so this time, I made an easel card so we can use it for decoration on the table too! Needless to say, the Passover images are few and far between on my Cricut cartridges, so I used the "Passover" sentiment from Designer's Calendar and the Star of David from the same cartridge. The card base is an easel and I used my shaker card method to put the star in the background with the blue glitter my son, Cubby, picked out. The two rosettes are from the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge and the method for creating them can be found here.

Panda Hugs!

J-

Glitter Panda

The End of March Madness

With March Madness coming to a close, there is no better time to create a basketball card! My son was at a basketball clinic all day today and then came home for 30 minutes and turned around to go to basketball practice! So you can imagine basketball is pretty big around here. One of my son's travel team teammates is having a birthday party party this week, so I decided to create this basketball birthday card.  I specifically chose the black and white striped paper reminded me of a referees uniform! It is so much more masculine than the cards I usually make, so I am proud of myself for going outside my comfort zone!

 

To create the card, I used the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge for the banner and the border. The basketball is from two of the layers on the basketball image on the Cricut Best of 2008 cartridge. Here is a side view so you can see that the banner is added with 3D Foam Tape. I ran the orange ball through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots folder to make the texture more basketball-like. I sponged the edges of all of the layers and embellishments. I used the Close to my Heart "Celebrate" stamp for the first time and used Cocoa ink for the softer color. The little metal basketball is a brad I have been holding on to for a while. I thought that added just the right finishing touch!

Bye bye for now...Panda Hugs!

J-

Glitter Panda

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Mojo Monday Sketch Clallenge #235 (see sketch below)

  

Use it Tuesday Challenge #28 - Uninked Stamp - I used the Celebrate stamp that came with my CTMH Cricut collection (I also used the basketball brad I've been hoarding, the striped Recollections paper I have had but never used and my go to plain card stock that is taking over my dining room!)

Celebrate the Occasion - Challenge #57 - Child's Birthday