HoneyBee Showcase ~ Christmas Cards to Die (cut) For!

Welcome to Christmas in April!  It's the HoneyBee Showcase, and time for the HoneyBees to share our Christmas cards to Die (cut) for!  We are very excited about our joint venture with Lauren and Stef, the JINGLE BELLES, and our opportunity to guest on each others' blogs this week! 

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Honeybee Courtney Lee reporting for Christmas inspiration!

Welcome to this fabulous Wednesday! 

Today we Honeybees are cross-pollinating (get it!?!) with the Jingle Belles thanks to June - our sweet Honeybee! They are a couple of ladies dedicated to making Christmas cards all year long so that it doesn't overwhelm you come holiday season! So they have a different challenge every week. This week's challenge is to use a die cut! Mine is, of course, Cricut made! Hop over to Jingle Belles to play along and play with us too! Two chances to win! :) 

I have been doing SO much crafting recently and just keep thinking about how blessed I am that I have such a supportive and encouraging group of friends and family! That includes YOU out there in bloggy world! 

Sorry! Out for publication! 

The picture above didn't show the Glossy Accents so I went to take another picture and accidentally hit the button and this picture resulted and for some reason I really like it! :) 

Sorry! Out for publication! 

ALL that you see that made up my card came from PUMPKIN SPICE except for the twine, glossy accents, liquid applique, cartridge, and embossing folder. But all of the paper and embellishments came from the two My Mind's Eye Christmas lines from last year and they are both on sale at Pumpkin Spice along with Meadowlark!

Sorry! Out for publication! 

I hope you play along with us! I thought I would have a hard time getting in the Christmas mood, but I had a blast making this card! I just might play along in the next few weeks with those Jingle Belles! :) 

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Rosemary

Happy Wednesday everyone!!..This is such an exciting week for us here at Betty Bee's Buzz!! Not only do we get to share with you our Christmas creations, but we get to be a part of a really cool site...Jingle Belles!!

Here is my Christmas card!!

....and when opened

Products used: My Mine's Eye cardstock

Stickles

Versafine ink

ColorBox chalk ink

Just Right stamp

Sizzix

Nestabilities

Joanne and Offray ribbon

Cricut Cartridges: Lacy Label and Paper Doll Dress Up

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This is my card for Lauren's guest designer spot from Jingle Belles Rock. I used SU Hunter Green Cardstock for the card base and the pocket. I used my cuttlebug to emboss the white background with Winter House folder. I used my Winter Wonderland Cartridge to make the adorable snowman. He is not attached in the pocket and is actually a gift certificate. On the back I've written "My treat to Dinner and a Movie"... the recipient can cash in the gift certificate and then the snowman can be used to embellish a scrapbook page of the event! I used my Martha Stewart Drippy Goo Punch to accent the card pocket. The glitter on the punch, house tops and snow in the sky is for Lauren, she LOVES glitter and is dragging me along with her...LOL This will be a great Christmas as I will have a bunch of bee-utiful cards done BEFORE the last minute rush!!! Judy Ford

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Beth Ullman

I love Christmas!  It has to be one of my favorite times of the year, so this challenge was so, so easy....... Thank you June and the Jingle Belles for this great opportunity to join in on your fun.

For my card I started off with Garden Green, Whisper White card stock from SU, then used Martha Stewart Christmas paper for the rest.  My die cut frame is a Nestabilitie and the snowflakes are a Cricuts Christmas cartridge. That sweet little image is a digi from Whoopsi Daisy.

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Betty Brett



 This is my first card for this week's challenge.  I must admit that it was a bit out of my comfort zone... this the "challenge" part... but I like it!  I was actually inspired by a commercially produced card that I saw a while back.  The papers are all from Echo Park's "Merry Christmas" collection.  The J and Y are cut from the Cricut StoryBook cartridge, manipulated with my Gypsy to make them fit the opening.  The festive ornament is from the coordinated sticker dies that come with the Echo Park paper pack, as is the sentiment.  The gems are from Studio 18. 

 Now, this one is more my usual style :)  The Magnolia image is a stamp, and she is colored with Copics  and accented with Stickles.  The tree is cut from Cricut's Joys of the Season cartridge, first in shadow, and then in layer, and decorated with Studio 18 gems.  The beautiful Holly paper is Paper Studio, "Season's Greetings" from Hobby Lobby.  The etherial blue glittered swirl background is My Mind's Eye "Countdown to Christmas".  The snowflake is a die cut from Cuttlebug, finished off with a glittered brad in the center, and the vellum and rub-on sentiment are from my stash.

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As always, we are excited when you join in with us, and this week is especially fun, since we have Lauren and Stef, and their readers with us, too!  How about a fun prize!  Here is a bit of Christmas Cheer to get you motivated!  We will be choosing a random winner of these, and some more surprise Christmas goodies!  All YOU have to do is join us in our CHRISTMAS to DIE (cut) FOR challenge, and you could be the winner! 

Post your project here before 6:00 PM eastern time on Thursday, April 21st, and we will choose a winner that night.  The winner will be announced right here on Friday, April 22th during Buzz, Brag and Bee Happy!

 Start creating! The challenge begins now, and you have a chance to win at both blogs. Link your creations at Jingle Belles anytime between now and Wednesday, April 20 by 6pm EST. The Jingle Belles winner will be announced on Thursday, April 21st. For a chance to win here at Betty Bee's Buzz link your creations to our HoneyBee Showcase post starting on Wednesday, April 20th. Our winner will be announced on Friday, April 22nd; link your card before 6pm EST on Thursday, April 21st.

Here is the challenge:

Create a Christmas card to die (cut) for!

Your card must contain a die cut (Cricut, Pazzles, Silhouette, Sizzix, Stampin Up!, Spellbinders, etc., or a store-bought die cut (BasicGrey, K&Co., etc.) somewhere on your card.

, the HoneyBees, and the Jingle Belles! 

Monday Motivational, Spirelli Designs, March 7

Around and around and around she goes ..... It's National Craft Month!!! 

Rosemary

Welcome to our Monday Motivational!!

Today I will be showing you how to do Spirelli or 'string art'.

For some of you this may be a new technique and for some, just a reminder of a technique we sometimes forget to use.  This is such an easy technique allowing you to make various designs to work with your project.

The first thing you need is your template.  This can be cut with any cutting machine, manual or electric.  What also works well are Nestibilities.  Don't forget to do a search online for free templates.

For my sample I used a pattern from one of my Nestibilities. 

Tape the end of your string to the back of the template.  I keep the string on the spool since I have no idea how much I will need.

As you can see from the photo, you start by bringing the string to the front and depending on your design, bring it down and then under the cardstock from your point B.  Bring it up so you start again at the next groove to the starting point.  Bring that down to your new 'B' and go under and keep going.  You will notice the string crosses over.

 

When I do my design, I keep going until there are'diamond' shapes for each groove.  This also helps me keep track should I get distracted.

Depending where you bring your part A to meet part B will determine how much space you have in the middle.  By bringing the string from A to B close, you will have more space in the middle to add whatever you would like.

Here is a simple design where you put the string through each groove, still using the cross over from A to B.  How fun this would be for flowers by just adding stems or lollypops!!

Here is a different edged shape.

Here are two cards I made using a cut from my Lacy Labels cartridge.  By changing the size on my Design Studio, I was able to get an oval shape.

The center for this one was just big enough to fit the flowers in. The center was done using my I-Top!

Using the original shape, a circle, I designed this to have a larger opening.

I would like for you to notice that I cut little slits on this template to hold the string. This allowed me to use this super cool cut and not have my string move on me. 

Remember to use tape to hold your finished end string to the back of the card.

I sure hope my instructions were easy enough to follow, and please, if you have any questions let me know.  I would love to see your 'spirelli' on our Wednesday HoneyBee Showcase!!

Monday Motivational 2/28 ~ It's A Frame Up!

Welcome to the hive!  To highlight something very special you put it in a frame!   This week we will be looking at different ways to frame your favorite photos!  Here's Rosemary ....    

Rosemary

Welcome to Monday Motivational!!..So glad you are here to see what I have to share with you today.

Last week I spent several days with my HoneyBee sisters where we shared a 3 bedroom condo.  Each of us was asked to bring a project for all to do, and I thought of a picture frame.  I knew there would be a group photo and thought how fun it would be to design a frame to put that photo in. 

I found the perfect frame at Michael's and bought each HoneyBee one for their project.  I also brought with me a selection of different papers, punches, Nestabilities and my Mother's Day Bouquet cartridge, but the project was not restricted to use just those things I brought with me.  Each HoneyBee was to create their own frame to whatever design they wanted, and use whatever they needed to get the look they wanted.  I love how everyone brought so much to share.

For my frame, I used DCWV Linen Closet card stock.  The leaves were cut with my Sizzix die using paint chips I picked up at Home Depot.  The branches were punched with my Martha Stewart punch and I used my I-Top and card stock for the centers. Added flowers to the outside of the frame are from Wild Orchid.

Here is a close up of the corner cluster.

Don't you just love that paper?!! On the top of my list for favorite tools has got to be the I-Top

We had no idea where the time was going and we wanted to do as much as we could.  I had seen some beautiful frames getting worked on so I'm excited to check back on Wednesday to see the finished projects!  Please stop back and see what our HoneyBees have done!!

  ******Don't forget that we are looking for Guest Designer HoneyBees!  If you have an idea for a project to share, see the information on the sidebar, and send us the information at BettyBeesBuzz@hotmail.com.  You could be the next HoneyBee!! This is your last night to leave comments and participate in challenges and posts, so you can be entered in the February Blog Honey drawing.   The winner will be announced on March 2nd. 

Happy crafting ~

  

and the HoneyBees

Monday Motivational ~ Sweet Treats!

 Happy Valentine's Day from the HoneyBees!!  Today I have a sweet treat basket tutorial that you can make for lots of treat occasions!!!  And it's so easy you can whip up a bunch of 'em before the kids get home from school today!  (Or your hunny gets home from work!!!)   Maybe the kids would like to drop off some goodies to a neighbor.... I'll bet you can find lots of really fun ways to use this neat treat basket!  I hope you will leave me a comment telling me your ideas ♥

 The first step is to start with a piece of cardstock that is square, and divisible by three... I used a full sized 12 x 12, but you could use 9x9, 6x6, or even 3x3... or any other measurement, if you do the math :o)   You will score the paper evenly into nine even sections....   I scored at 4" and 8" and rotated the paper, and scored at 4" and 8" again.   (If you were using 9x9 you would score at 3" and 6", get it?)  Very easy!

 Next, you make four cuts... on the side panels as shown.  Then fold all the score lines.  Now it's time to fold up the sides of the basket.  It will not fold all the way up like a box... the sides will flare out.

 Fold the center section to the inside, and bring the two ends toward the center until they are even, as shown, and secure.  I decided a staple would work nicely, because I was going to cover it with a stamped image.  If you are not going to cover it, strong double sided tape will be necessary.  Rounding these top corners would be attractive, too!

 Next comes the handle.  I added a 12x 2 1/2 " handle, decorated with a Martha Stewart punch and designer paper.  The handle tucked down inside the inner wall of the basket, and another staple held it securely.  Strong adhesive or brads would also work well.

 Now I added a decorative medallion to cover the folded edge, and give my message.  This was made with Nestabilities, and stamps from JustRite Stampers.    It is secured with dimensional foam dots.  Add a lucious bow.

 Fill with sparkling grass and your favorite chocolates, and you have a very sweet treat! 


BettyBrett

 I hope you have enjoyed today's Monday Motivational, and will be back with us on Wednesday to see the Sweet Treats the rest of the HoneyBees will be sharing.  Thanks for coming to spend time with us here at the Hive... you mean a lot to us!

Happy Valentine's Day... and have a great week!!
and the HoneyBees