celebrations

from the crafting room

The last birthday card for the month of August. A little more tactile because the recipient is sight impaired. He liked it enough to keep it visible on his dresser.

A sample of a possible Christmas card with a tatted wreath embellishment. Still working on it… but I like it for the most part. I do have 8 wreaths of the 20 or so that I will need. I see another day of tatting in my near future.

A Pinterest inspiration — I was able to use some digital papers I had in my collection. Lots of print 2 cut for this one, but definitely worth it. I made 20 of these and have mailed all but 3 of them.

Grateful for the “stash” of cards — they’ve definitely come in handy during the first half of this month. I’m sending a few more out in the next 10 days – and from the looks of the stash, I’m going to need to rebuild again! Just a few birthday, sympathy, and get well cards left.

I’ve seen a similar design available in the die – but thought I might try to make one of my own using circles and not ovals. It worked easily in SCAL 6 using the Duplicate command and adjusting the vertical and horizontal spacing. I really like it. A few cut strips woven through the spaces make for a fun card front.

Testing the original cut. I like the results. And it’s a good way to use up some scraps as well.

And with the embellishments. Half pearls from Queen and Company. Ribbon is from the stash (Stampin’ Up!)

I think that’s it for today. I do have a couple more projects underway — but not far enough along to share yet. Maybe by the end of the month! 🙂

Have a creative week! Enjoy your time in your space or thinking spot! Fall is arriving as the mountain’s colors are beginning to change – we can see some orange and golds today… The reds should start showing soon!

Paper Play – July and August

July and August were pretty busy – lots of cards to create and get in the mail and or hand-deliver. Even a challenge project and some tatting – for which I’m very grateful I haven’t forgotten how to do. So let’s just get started with a few of the many I’ve done over the course of the last month or so.



Print to cut – using SCAL 6 pro. I did use an old SU background stamp on the speech bubble. Cardstock from AC and Bazill. Delivered

Pinterest inspired — the happy birthday is printed on the colored cardstock, cut to size before printing. The 15 is stamped and inked along the edges for a little more interest and texture. Eyelets are from my stash and I used some crochet cotton as the strings. Delivered

File from Etsy – easy to create and while it’s an offsize, it wouldn’t be hard to resize to fit in an A2 envie. I did use some vinyl on the inside for the sentiment. This card has been delivered and he had to show it off to his brother before sharing it with his parents.

Vera Lane digi stamps. I love her quirky style and they’re just fun to color and play with. Background paper from Lasting Impressions. I hope it’s well received.

I found the pattern at LillianTatLace.com It’s a free pattern — you may need to do a search but you’re looking for the Wreath from 2013. It’s an easy piece, but I think I’m going to try to find a different size bead/pearl for the next practice. Maybe we can go do a looksie at the craft store later this week.

Pinterest inspired. Used an old, old stack of Valentine themed paper (more than 15 years old) to create 6 cards. 4 anniversary and 2 birthday cards. They have been delivered.

There’s more…. coming soon. I’ve been in the studio frequently in the past 45 days or so. It’s soothing to my soul — and with all that’s been going on, I really treasure my time in that space.

time for a creative update…

Rootbeer floats for a July hello card. These were lots of fun and using some heat and puff stuff really helped with the details on the float. Mod-Podge applied to the glass, straw and spoon.

A quick birthday card – images and paper from Lasting Impressions.

a little more fun!

Background paper, my own design. Dies from Spellbinders.

fun card size paper quilts. Digital papers from Nit Wit collections and Carta Bella. And old swirl texture plate from Sizzix for the embossing.

A thank you card — pickles for pickles! Pickle SVG download from Witchvector. Lots of inking!

one of four images from Sweet November Stamps colored with Rembrandt pencils on smooth 110 lb Neenah stock.

I think I’ll stop for now. I have a few more things to share — but they can wait until next my next post.

Have a creative week!

more paper fun

One thing I really appreciate about the SCAL software is that ability to resize things with a few clicks of the mouse. I can round corners, add or delete nodes. Play with fonts. Change colors and more. Designing is so much fun and rewarding!

I’ve been eyeing a card on Pinterest for a while, but my budget for purchasing dies and files is on hold for a few weeks. This was an idea that I really needed to get made — so opening SCAL was the first step. All the pieces with the exception of the “fish” were created in SCAL. The fish were a free download from freepik.com. More about them in a minute.

The original card I saw was a slider, but I decided I wanted a box card. Yes, I saw Julie Ebersole’s version of the card, but wanted to do something just a little different, so this is my version.

I traced the jpg version of the file in the software. Once the trace was completed, some of the elements were deleted and those remaining were set to print only. The outline was set to cut. Once the fish were cut, adding a little dimension with some Solar Paste and Nuvo Crystal Drops was all that needed to be done with fish. They were installed on a single insert with some foam tape between layers.

The rolled back top and key were a fun addition. Of course the “label” could be any design your want… I did like this sentiment and there’s plenty of room on the back to add a personalization.

The card folds nearly flat to place in a boxy envelope. It would cost more to mail, but this is a perfect card to hand deliver to a special recipient.

card frenzy!

It’s been a busy couple of weeks. June’s cards are nearly finished. The monthly stack (20) of cards went out in the mail last Friday along with those birthday cards happening in the first week of June (sorry, we have to wait on those to be delivered before I share).

The monthly stack is a hybrid card – digital images from Southern Creek Designs on Etsy (Postmarked) combining the pen (from the Greetery) and the hello (W Plus 9) dies used to add a little more interest and dimension. I’ve enjoyed putting these together. The digital collection was perfect for this one.

NOT A CARD! Memorial Day has come and gone, but we added a couple of new pieces to our home decor. Both will carry over for the 4th of July.

The heart is based on a felt ornament that came across my feed in both FB and on IG. Easy to replicate and add my own touch using SCAL and cutting the pieces on the Skycut. The poppy is from Abbi Kirsten. The hearts and stars were from the SCAL library. The ribbons are leftovers from a project we did a couple of years ago. Glad I held on to them.

Here’s a close up of the heart:

The second piece created used some files from Simply Crafty SVGs as shared in this post: https://greatitudes.com/2026/05/21/a-fun-idea/

One last card for this post: Sympathy cards are the most difficult for me to make, especially when there is a closeness to the family and their loss. This card was one that had a life of it’s own. We tried several things, but nothing seemed to work until I had a dream and saw what needed to be the focal piece in the metal frame we were adding to the card. The wax seal was a leftover from another project. It fit perfectly in the frame and was just what the card needed. The feedback was more than anticipated…

This card was made with things from my stash — all of the major elements are retired. You could, of course use other elements to achieve the same look and feel.

I guess that’s it for right now, just have to wait for a few more things to be delivered before posting… so a couple more posts coming up in the next couple of weeks.

Hoping your week is a creative one and your heart is nurtured along the way with good things and many memorable moments. ENJOY!

A fun idea

I have to admit, this wasn’t my first vision of this project, but I think this one turned out pretty good. Using the Halloween Books and Square Birthday Candle Box files from Simply Crafty SVGs – this decor piece was easy to put together and finish in a matter or a few hours after cutting. I think the cutting took longer since I was having issues with a blade and a new mat. They didn’t like each other, but that story is for another time.

The firecrackers/candles were easy to do. I did start by modifying the file and resized the main file pieces by 50%. The front panel is a combination of rectangles created using the SCAL software. All but the star is inked. Following the directions for assembly in the file, these are very easy to put together. To adjust for the other two, lengthening the box file (no changes in the width) and bottom pieces is pretty easy. There’s about an additional inch added to the middle cracker and another 1/4 inch added to the tallest. You will have to adapt the upper flap as it is too long to fit. Add another score line where the new fold should be. You can certainly glue this together after inserting the wick which is a piece of jute wrapping.

The books are cut using the file as is. I created another spine piece for each of the books — using the shadow layer feature in SCAL. Easy to do, just make sure you use the blackout box and the shadow is 0.00 – so it’s exactly the same size. There are other ways to do it, but this is just easy as well. Choose the words and font/s you want to use and create them in the software — leaving a small space at each end of the panel. Using some small rectangles or flourishes, place those to finish the spine as desired. The book paper panels are scored using a scoreboard and bone folder every 1/8 inch and inked.

Assembly videos can be found on Sandy’s YouTube channel.
Square Birthday Candles
Halloween Books

For this project you’ll need:
12 x 12 cardstock (red, white blue, off white)
gold vinyl (permanent)
glue
jute
ink (red, lt brown, black, dk blue, lt grey)
score board, bone folder
closure (optional)

Hoping you’ll have some fun doing some of your favorite creative hobbies. Enjoy the time and nurture your heart as well.

Tower Double Pinwheel card

This was a fun one to create. I basically followed the directions from Crystal Best’s YouTube video for this one. I chose some junk journal images I found on Creative Fabrica (loved the dimension on the images) and a couple of other files also from CF (lined vintage background images and Pastel Ombre images.)*

The finished tower is actually quite sturdy and there are quite a few options on how you use your images of choice on each of the “wings.”

I did turn the smaller layers sideways in my cutting file — my bad, but that’s an easy fix for future makes. This design would also make for a fun mini album or mini journal in a larger album. I made this one in the A2 size (4.25 x 5.50 inches). However, Crystal also has directions for a 5 x 7 design in the same video as shared above which would also be perfect for using some cherished photographs or other small artwork.

A couple of things I really like about the SCAL 6 software (basic or pro) is the option to fill shapes with images using the Pattern command or using a mask option in the software to fussy cut an image. And the Skycut C24 cuts spot on when using the Print 2 Cut option in the software when the calibration has been set. Even better is that regardless of updates to the software, you don’t need to recalibrate the camera/laser. The cutter is a fabulous machine. If the pricing is out of your budget, Skycut is also making a few other machines under different brands (SOLO by Starcraft, Juliet and Romeo by Siser). I’ve heard great things about them all and they can also use the SCAL software as well as the proprietary software sold with the machine.

*I have used affiliate links for all of the Creative Fabrica files I used in this project. If you choose to purchase the files, I will receive a small amount from the sale. Additional costs are not added to your purchase to cover that. AND a huge Thanks for using the links!

Triple Bridge card

This was a fun card to make — easier than I had originally thought and the inspiration came from a reel as I was scrolling a couple of weeks ago…. yep, I’m finding a few fun ideas here and there during some mindless time on my phone.

The sentiment (thank you) and the flower are from Stampin’ Up! sets long ago retired. *The flower was cut multiple times and then each “layer” was cut separately and inked for a little more volume and interest. The patterned paper is from a very old K&Co stack I purchased while we lived in another state — so it’s likely more than 11 years old.

A fun fact is that the base of the card can be cut from a single 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of cardstock. The panels almost fit on a 6 x 12 inch piece of double sided paper. And probably could if a few of the pieces were moved closer together or were cut by hand.

I enjoyed taking the template measurements and turning this into a SCUT file in SCAL 6 and using my Skycut to cut and save some time in the future when making this card and using digital paper for the panels when certain patterns require some finessing for printing. Only the base and panels were used in the SCUT file.

*The stamp images were not digitized.

You’ll need:
8.5 x 11 inch cardstock in your base color
12 x 12 double sided patterned paper
Scraps for flower and sentiment
Ink pad and blender tool
Glue or dry adhesive (I used Bearly Art Precision Craft glue for this sample, however, I think I’ll use some double sided tape for future makes)
SCAL 6
Skycut C24
Cutting and Scoring Template was found here. I altered the assembly slightly to put my own twist on the idea presented. However all measurements remained the same.
Floral stamp or other stamp for a focal piece
Sentiment stamp


Hoping you’re enjoying an awesome Spring day wherever you are and have inked in some creative time this week or for the upcoming weekend. Enjoy your time and keep nurturing your creative spirit.

where’s the cuckoo?

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks around our place… thus the cuckoo title. Me thinks the cuckoo flew the coop! Oh well, on with the make. I’ve gotten out of the habit of late taking pictures of the progress, so we’ll just have a couple.

I did add a sound module from Invite By Voice to this make from Emma Parrish – you can find her shop on Etsy — and it’s really kind of fun to listen to when you open the box and look through the flaps and pockets. I didn’t follow her design exactly, but pretty closely. The audio was a find on Pixabay… yep, they have audio files and video files too!

TIP: You do need to pre-print the backs of each sheet before cutting. I did have to do a little redraw on a few shapes for a clean cut in SCAL — the jpgs just didn’t trace well – and that is a drawback to SCAL on some things especially if there are light lines on the image. I chose not to do the preprint on the back, but did print a separate sheet and cut the shapes. It worked well and gave my box a little more stability in the base and on the side walls.

That birdhouse in the center of the base does stand on it’s own. I changed out the flowers in the kit and used a flower punch. You do need at least 2 layers on the flower for extra strength at the base of the post. While you can’t see it in the picture, there is a Nuvo drop center in the flower for a little extra detail. Each of the images in the pockets are provided in the kit. And there were a few extras left over.

Even on selecting BEST for printing, the colors are a bit muted and vintage looking. I like that. The design is well thought out. She has lots of printable designs in her shop.

I wonder if the cuckoo will find it’s way home again?

where’s the cuckoo?

Additional materials:
AC and Encore cardstock (textured white)
Printer
Bearly Art glue – fine tip applicator
bone folder
foam tape
Sound module (light activated) from Invite By Voice
mp3 audio file (freebie from Pixabay)
Distress Ink (Old Paper)
blending tool

Hoping you’ve got some creative time inked in on your agenda for the coming week. Have some fun and nurture your heart along the way.

scrapbooking – restart!

It’s been a long dry spell since I put a scrapbook page together. Nearly 10 years since I’ve created a page for one of the albums.

The heart shape in this layered title was the piece that I really needed to figure out since there didn’t seem to be a way to make the squiggly line in SCAL using techniques I was familiar with. I decided to try my hand creating something in Procreate and it worked! I was able to save the image I created as a png with a transparent background and trace it in SCAL to use as a cut file.

The letters are adapted from the Cookie font I found on Creative Fabrica. I cut all the shapes using the using the Skycut C24 using the SCAL 6 Pro software. I used some Kraft and white cardstock. Coloring in the shapes with Ohuhu markers and some additional inkpads for depth and texture. The font used is Cookie from Creative Fabrica.

The journaling sheet is a pullout from the pocket created by the cover photo. There’s enough room for several 4×6 inch prints to be tucked in there.

That’s it for the this post — I hope you have set aside some time for some creative endeavors today, tomorrow or in the near future. Nurture your soul!