CCI Design Team Call Out - My Application

One of my 2012 crafty goals was to muster up the courage to apply for and ultimately gain a 6-month spot on a blog design team. Soon after I decided on this goal, I received my daily email from one of my favorite blogs, Creative Critterz Imaginations, with a call out for new designers. I thought, this is my first chance to apply! The only problem was, I have been ill for weeks (one thing after another) and have not had a chance to craft at all. As the days of the call out rolled on, I wondered if I'd miss my chance. Today is the last day and the stars aligned! I feel well enough to attempt a submission and I need thank you cards for the many friends who have helped me get through the last 2 weeks by watching my kids, cooking me meals, sending me encouraging messages, etc. Wish me luck!

The CCI blog is run by Tammy Skinner and is all about using the Cricut Imagine machine to print and cut out designs for projects. To apply for the design team I simply had to create a project of my choice. This was a great challenge for me. I love my Imagine machine and wanted to challenge myself to use it in ways I had not used it before to create the perfect expression of thanks. I am really pleased with the results.

Card base

• I used the 12x12 Bazzill premium white cardstock for the card base because it is very heavyweight, a quality I require for my card bases, has a nice pattern in the cardstock and holds the printing very well from the Cricut Imagine.
  
  I decided to print on both sides of the paper for the first time. Both prints came from the Imagine More cart - the sheet music on page 38 and the dotted print on page 40. Once the printing was done I cut the card base to 5 3/4 x 9" and then folded it in half.
• 5 1/4 x 3 1/4 pink bazzill cardstock is the first layer on the front of the card. I used my Cuttlebug and folder from Indentz called Swirls. The second layer is a piece of the card base flipped over to the dotted side cut to 4 1/2 x 3 3/4.
  
  The main image is cut in layers and assembled with foam tape. Better Together cart pg 7. The heart is cut at 1.7 and the other at 2.7

 

Card inside

• at the top another piece of bazzill pink cuttlebugged and inked - size 5 x 4. Many thanks and all layers were cut at 1.7 from the Phrases Cricut cart pg 22 and flood filled with the patterns from Imagine More cart. The shadow is cut from the music print, the thanks from the dotted paper and many from a tan color from the same cart.
• the bottom has another piece of bazzill pink inked - size 5 x 4. It is adorned with musical notes that belong with the image on the card front. I decide to jazz up the inside with them instead. The border cut is from the Imagine More cart pg 26 and is cut at 1.3 - inking the edges gave it definition from the other patterns.

card back

In general/tips

• most edges were inked with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in either vintage photo or worn lipstick
• I used Smooch Pearlized Top Coat on the cheeks of the heart to give it a little shimmer
• I used Aleene's tacky spray to assemble the layers of the many thanks. I held the cut with my tattered angels tweezers in the trash can so that I wouldn't mess up anything. However, I sprayed too much and the cut got gluey. My tip for cleaning that up is using the EK Success powder tool. Once you poweder it - it will no longer be sticky!

I'm excited to be submitting this app! Wish me luck and please send me lots of comments on this one faithful followers!

La-Vie