3D Tree Tutorial

It's my turn to share a tutorial over at Cuttlebug Challenges, and I had so much fun creating this scene with these cute little deer standing beneath some really neat trees. The trees were cut with my new Designer Calendar Cricut cartridge that I scored at M's on Thanksgiving day. Thanks to my friend, Kristi, for telling me that they were matching JoAnn's price of 28.88, too!

This is a fun cart, and I got Pagoda, too!

Anyway, here is my little scene, and if you are interested in how to make one for yourself, please pop over to CBC and check out the tutorial. It is easy and very versatile.

Happy Birthday to my dear friend, and secretary (LOL) Wanda! Sending lots of hugs and best wishes your way today!! Check out her amazing work here!

Happy crafting ~

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you all a wonderful day of reflection about the blessings in your lives. I feel especially grateful to be going to have Thanksgiving dinner with my Mom today. It's not a perfect family day for us, because my hubby has to work, my SIL is sick, so my brother won't be there, my DIL is out west with her family, and our daughters are living out of state with their families now, BUT...there are phones, computers, blogs, and modern miracles that let us all be in touch, even if we aren't right together. Our family is quite traditional, and I know that there will be fordhook lima beans on tables all over today. What will your family do to keep the heartstrings tied?

This card features a favorite stamp set by Close To My Heart, colored by Copics, layered, and then accented with Liquid Glass. The edging is my new Martha Stewart Deep Cut punch. Those gorgeous leaves at the bottom are from JoAnn's dollar bin ~ aren't they great!!

Published!!
Santa is from Cricut Christmas Noel Solutions cartridge, and is colored with Copics. The background is wrapping paper on cardstock, and embossed with the new Countdown to Christmas Cuttlebug embossing folder.

I've been waiting for a month to share this one with you, as it was published in Scrapstreet Magazine this month, and I had to wait for it to come out before I could blog it!!

This Sizzix die cut box is also a published project from Scrapstreet Magazine! I covered the box with photos of the family, then trimmed it with cardstock edging for stability, and Mod Podged the whole thing, so there were no loose edges. It is for my baby grandson to carry around, especially when we talk with him on the phone, so he can see our faces, and make the connection between "Nana" and my voice. He loves it!! I must say, that "Grama" (my Mom) is his favorite! (Such a smart boy!!)

Again, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving, even if you don't celebrate the holiday in your country, take time to be Thankful, and enjoy your day! I'm so thankful for all of you!

Happy crafting ~

Be Inspired #59 Oh, My Crafts Folders!

It's time for another Cuttlebug Challenge, and this time we are showcasing the Oh, My Crafts! exclusive folders! There are four in the set, and I am using two today. There will be 15 folders given away this week!! Be sure to check out the blog, and create your own card, so you're in the contest!!!

The wreath is full, deeply embossed, and easy to use. This is a regular A2 size card, and I have cut out the wreath, and paper pieced the poinsettias from embossing it again in red. So easy, and so effective!

This little beauty is a digital image from Mo at DigitalPencilToo, and she was a delight to color with Copics. Have you checked out my Cuttlebug Challenge University Copics Classes?

This horizontal design is simple and elegant. It comes at the bottom edge of the folder, but I manipulated it, so that I could put some snowdrifts below, and added Martha Stewart Crystal Glitter to the whole scene to give it a beautiful shine. (Don't you wish the photos show that gorgeous shine like in real life?!!!) The "O Holy Night" was stamped first on the Versamark Pad, then once onto Heavenly Blue ink, then onto the card. I used Stampin' Up!'s Heat & Stick Powder, then sprinkled on the glitter.

I have some more goodies to share later today, so I'll be dashing into Studio Bee!

Happy Crafting (and cooking!) ~

Cricuteers in Paradise

The Cricuteers in Paradise certainly did show Christmas with a Heart this past weekend. The 32 ladies that were there were talented, fun, funny, generous, helpful, and outright amazing. They created and provided over 450 cards for the unit of one Cricuteer's Soldier Son whose unit is in Iraq, and over $225 to purchase shoes for Head Start children for Christmas. Newbies were helped to get started in this fantastic hobby, and lifetime friendships are forged. Every swarm gets better and better, and my heart just swells right along with them. I love my Cricut Sisters!

We have our own Facebook Page now, too! Check out Flossie's Followers! Flossie the Flamingo (our mascot) was there in her Christmas hat, and brought Floyd, her tap dancing son! If you are ever in SW Florida during swarm time, check us out!

Happy Crafting ~

Video Blog Hop!

This is a fun new concept in blog hops! I hope you have a soda and popcorn ~ just like at the movies, so you can sit and enjoy the fun and exciting ideas the Designers have to present to you today!

I have created a "quilted" block lamp in very traditional colors for you. I used the Cricut Tags, Bags, Boxes and More cartridge, as well as the Cuttlebug foreign Holly and Berries folder, and the one that says Merry Christmas is from Sizzix.



Enjoy the video, and then off to visit the others! Please leave comments, and there will be prizes!

You could also win a Winter Woodland Cricut Cartridge! Leave a comment, and have our blinkie on your blog, and you could be a winner!!

Happy Crafting ~
Betty Bee

Festival of Light Celebration

Welcome to the Festival of Light Celebration, and my creation for your stop along the blog hop.

I fixed a yule log centerpiece for my lighted offering. I love candle light, and it is a tradition that I create a special floral arrangment for the table each year. I have been a decorator for almost 20 years now, and I love working with sprays, swags, wreaths, and especially candles. My husband cut the log, and drilled the holes for the candles.

Every year for 37 years now we host a Christmas party for our friends and family, and we love to decorate our home with traditional holly and poinsettias. We also have a tree in every room in the house! We put up a big Christmas Village, and every year it gets bigger and bigger. This year we added a quilt shop, another skating pond, and Bobby's gas station. It has about 30 buildings in it now! I still believe in Santa! When you stop believing, he stops coming.....and I
always want Santa to keep being a special part of our family traditions! Just ask my kids!!!



















I used the Christmas Noel Cartridge for the Cricut and cut out the Santa and his team of Reindeer. I cut them from gold paper, and then coated them with Ultimate Glitter paint from Plaid. Simply attaching them to a couple of green painted skewers allowed the height in the arrangement.
























My favorite feature of candle light is enjoying it in the dark. This will bring us a lot of enjoyment. I hope it does you, too.

Thanks for stopping by on your blog hop. Before you leave, be sure to leave a comment, because you don't know who the Design Team members are that have the treasures! Enjoy the Festival of Lights this week, and I'll see you on Friday with another video. Happy Holidays!

Cuttlebug Challenge University

Well, today is the first day that I have posted three videos in one day! I am teaching the Copics Intermediate classes, at CBC U, and to keep the videos under 10 minutes, so they can go on YouTube, I've had to do the lesson in three parts! Over on Cuttlebug Challenge, they will be posted at 7:00, noon and 6:00 pm. There are some great prizes over there...free digital images for five winners, and one winner will receive a set of 12 Sketch Copics from Hallmark Scrapbooks! WAHOO!!!!

This is one the images that was designed for us by Digital Delights by Louby Loo. Cindy had two last week, and I have one more to reveal next week. They will be for sale starting in December.

I hope you enjoy the videos! Please leave comments here and over at Cuttlebug Challenge, so you are in the running for the prizes! And DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!

Also, don't forget that the Festival of Lights starts on Wednesday, the 18th with a very special Blog Hop, with two of the DT having great prizes, and all you have to do is leave a comment to be in the running to win! Download the map of the stars, and visit all of them by Sunday to see all of the exciting projects the designers have created to celebrate the Festival of Lights.
Happy Crafting ~

Festival of Lights

This is going to be a very busy, and very exciting week! You don't want to miss one single day of the Festival of Lights Celebration over at Cuttlebug Challenge. We don't celebrate the Festival of Lights much in the US, but it is a big thing in many parts of the world. Here is a link that you might find very interesting.http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/light_festivals.php
On Wednesday, we will begin our own Festival of Lights and bring you many wonderful ideas for celebrating with lights! You start with this map, and take a walk in the park, among the twinkling, lighted trees, and see all of the amazing and wonderful things before you .... leave comments all along the way, and you could win awesome prizes!! You don't have to go in any particular order, just download your map, so you can circle the places that you've been, and you have until Sunday night to get everywhere!

I'll see you back here on Tuesday for my Cuttlebug Challenge University class on Copics, and then on Wednesday for the first day of Festival of Lights!!

Happy crafting ~

Countdown Boxes

Here's a fun and easy project for the holidays! Let the kids help you make countdown blocks or boxes, covered with three of your favorite papers, and they can watch every day to see "How many more days????"

Step 1: Construct the boxes or use blocks, and adhere three co-ordinating papers on opposite sides.

Step 2: Ink the edges

Step 3: Add vinyl numbers 0-5 on block one and 0,1,2,6,7,8 on block two.

Step 4: Paint the base.

That's it! Wouldn't this be fun for Halloween, Birthday, Disney Cruise, school starting, new baby, wedding, or any other special event?

I'm off to create some fun video's for you...and a few surprises for my swarm sisters!

Happy Crafting ~

Shipping and Handling Department

Did someone order a large orange tabby cat? LOL

This is where Rusty and Dusty "watch" when I am in StudioBee working! They each have their own box, and they love it! At over 25 pounds each, it's nice that they prefer to be on the sidelines instead of laying on my projects!

Happy crafting ~

A Tribute to Veterans

As many of you know, I have been very busy completing a very special tribute album for all of the military veterans that live in our neighborhood. I am presenting it to them at a dinner in their honor on Friday night. It has been a HUGE project, but one that I am truly honored to have had the opportunity to have done. As I have read about them, and written their biography notes, it has brought such a closeness and understanding of the lives these gentlemen have lived. There are 65 pages in the album. I am only showing you one...my own hero....my husband, Bob. He served in the US Army for over 24 years, and I was privileged to be standing by his side for 15 of those active duty years. My Dad was a soldier, as was our son. God bless all who have served in the past, and most especially those who are serving today. Here's to Winston, Jenny, and Danny ~ niece and nephews serving now. And to your loved ones, wherever they may be. God bless them all.

I hope you are able to read the Tribute to Veterans that I wrote.

Each page is different, and each branch of the service has their own symbol...anchors, planes, parachutists, and globe and anchors. We even have two gentlemen from the Royal Canadian Air Force. I am extremely glad for the Stand and Salute cartridge for my Cricut. It was perfect for this project!

I'll be back soon with your regularly scheduled programming!! LOL

I've got some fun projects in the works, including a COPICS CLASS to share on Tuesday!

See you soon, and

Happy Crafting!

Fab Friday TV

It's been a while since I've posted a video here. Last week we were pre-empted with the sudden arrival of the new Cuttlebug Folders (which was so much fun!) and we have been re-doing some things on the Cuttlebug Challenge blog, so here we are! This was a fun project. I just wish I could get them under 10 minutes! LOL

Aren't these Annie Lang images the cutest? Thanks to my friend, Wanda, for bringing them to me. I used my Copics to color them, and used a Sakura clear glaze pen to make the veggies shine.

Speaking of Copics, have you heard about Cuttlebug Challenge University??? The very first class is going on right now, and Cindy Royal is teaching basic Copics! I will be doing two weeks of intermediate Copics on Tues., Nov. 17 and 24. If you complete all four weeks of "homework" you get a "Graduation Certificate" from CBC University! Be sure to check it out!

Okay, on to the video....I hope you enjoy the techniques, and will make some for yourself, and perhaps as fun, festive gifts for any occasion.

Happy Crafting ~

Hope Your Halloween Was Happy

Meet My Son - the Garbage Can!

This is one of the best Halloween Costumes - EVER! He made this three years ago, and it is still the best hit around. The small town of Punta Gorda, FL has a HUGE bunch of trick or treaters, and people of all ages walk around on Halloween, and Doug's favorite thing is to do this.....

And our favorite thing to do is watch!!!

Enjoy!

BettyBee