LAYOUT

This 12"x12" layout was done focusing on the inking of the die cuts. I have added some close up pictures to get a better view of them (Remember you can click on the pictures to get a better close up view).
The Dies I have used for this layout are:-

QUICKUTZ GRASS BORDER,
QUICKUTZ HONEY BEE ALPHABET,
QUICKUTZ MONOGRAM SET 'C',
QUICKUTZ MUSHROOMS,
QUICKUTZ BUTTERFLY,
QUICKUTZ BEE,
COTTAGE CUTZ GIRAFFE,
COTTAGE CUTZ BEE,
SIZZIX FENCE,
SIZZIX PIG #2
TIM HOLTZ DISTRESSED INKS,
KAISER RHINESTONES,

Most of these dies are in stock at THE SCRAPPING COTTAGE. ALSO
Make sure you have a look at the fantastic COTTAGE CUTZ April release DIES. They are now available to pre-order at THE SCRAPPING COTTAGE- You don't want to miss out on these gorgeous newly released dies.

Happy Easter!

Easter is a wonderful time of the year!

It is a time of joyous celebration! QuicKutz can help you create fun, delightful decorations to adorn your walls and tables at Easter time and all throughout the year! Look for the myriad of QuicKutz I used to create this bright, cheerful display, at the Scrapping Cottage, your Die-Cutting Super Store!

Easter Egg KS-0414, Chick KS-0411, Jelly Beans RS-0077, Chick and Egg REV-0185, Dragonfly KS-0615, Daisy REV-0033

Little Birdie Hi card

These Anime Birds are perfect for adding a touch of whimsy to your paper crafting projects! I created this card using lots of Quickutz! The scalloped circle is made from the Quickutz Nesting Flowers. Then the bird is the smaller bird from the Rev-sized Anime Birds. The heart speech bubble is the Free Club this month just for purchasing $50 in Quickutz. Who doesn't love free?! I used Quickutz Lemonade Cookie Cutter for the sentiment and then added some stickles for a little bit of sparkle. I also used Black Diamond stickles to create the eye on the bird.

Watch For It Wednesdays! #3

Have you ever tried chalking your diecuts? If not, you are missing out on a FUN and EASY way to add depth and life to your diecuts. :) Look at my photo of the new Sizzix Easter Basket die to

see "before chalking" and "after chalking." All you do is take a Q-tip and rub it on the chalk and

then rub it on your diecut. You can add as much or as little color as you want. I did a card for you to see it finished and put together. The card is also a Sizzix die. It is the Sizzix Bigz XL

Scalloped Card.

A Star is Born Baby Card

For this baby card I used the new Quickutz Nesting Stars.

You get 5 different sizes of stars - I used the 2 smallest on this card and then used my ink pads to shade around the edges.

The ideas are endless when it comes to using stars - watch

for more cards in the coming days with these versatile dies.

Hello Card

For this Hello card I used the new Quickutz flower border #031 and inked the centers of the flowers and used Stickles on the leaves. For the sentiment I used the Maggie font which is on sale right now for the unbelievable price of $49.95 for the complete set. I also used the new double-sided adhesive chipboard sheets from Quickutz to make my title stand out. I put the 2x2 dies on my Revolution and then cut small pieces of the chipboard and placed them over the letters I wanted to cut.

I cut out the chipboard twice for each letter and then again in purple.

I used Hero Arts gemstones around the "O" for a sun with yellow Stickles for the rays.

Happy Birthday Panda Card

I guess Ruth Ellen and I were thinking alike, we

both love the new Quickutz Panda Revolution die.

On my card I ran my light pink cardstock through the Cuttlebug do get the embossed flower background. I chalked the panda and added a bow. The Happy Birthday stamp is from
Hero Arts and the nesting flowers from Quickutz.

Be sure to vote for your favorite die from this

new release for your chance to win a die of your choice.

Need a Hug?

I think this little Panda Bear is so cute!!! Doesn't he look like he is ready to give you a big bear hug?! Using a black pen, I added a simple smile which I felt was the finishing touch to this otherwise adorable shape. This card was created using some Sassafras Lass papers, Making Memories Tiny Alphas, and the new Rev sized Anime Panda Die.

March Quickutz Release and Contest!!!!

The March Quickutz release is here! This is such a fun and whimsical release! The Scrapping Cottage Design Team has some great and innovative projects in store for you. We have had so much fun playing with these new dies so keep checking the Blog everyday and all day because when it is release time, you just never know when a new design is going to be posted!

Not only do we have a new Quickutz release today, but we are also having our Favorite Die contest again! Just like last month, all you need to do is leave a comment in this thread telling us which new die is your favorite and you will be entered in a drawing to win your choice of one of the new dies from the March Quickutz Release (alphabet is excluded). You have until Friday, March 27th to post your comment so get busy studying this release and tell us which die is your favorite!

Autumn Leaves Clear Stamps

Scrapping Cottage has

some beautiful stamps in case you have not checked them out. :) I'm

sharing two cards I made with Autumn Leaves clear stamps. These cards used the set called Mindy's Zoo. The first card I stamped the images with black ink and then colored them using

Prismacolor Pencils and Gamsol. On the second card, I stamped the images on

patterned papers and cut out to creat the "jungle scene." :) Be sure to check out

all the fabulous rubber stamps at Scrapping Cottage.

FORMAL INVITATION

Sorry, this is not a great photo, but no matter how many times I took it, I could not capture the true elegant look of this invitation. Remember that you can click on an image to enlarge it and It will give you a much more detailed & clearer image :-)

Keeping with the 'Formal' theme I used for my last layout, I have once again used the Quickutz Damask 12" border die and split it long ways through the centre to make the left side border for this invitation card. I cut the Quickutz Revolution Chandelier from textured cardstock and added Kaiser Pearls to give it a more formal & fancy look. The light shades are cut from Vellum paper and I inked around the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink. The Chandelier is attached to the card with adhesive foam dots to give it a 3D look and raise it off the Card.
I tore a piece of vellum paper and added the Invited title using the LIMITED EDITION SOPHISTICATE Alphabet set, and then attached it to the card using little silver brads. This invitation card would be great for a Black Tie event, Formal evening dinner, graduation, prize giving etc....

There is a limited quantity of this SOPHISTICATE ALPHABET set in stock at THE SCRAPPING COTTAGE. This limited edition gift set is GREAT VALUE for only $75 (The value of this gift set is worth over $175). Be sure to check out the item description to see all the BONUS exclusive QuicKutz products that are packaged with this alphabet set in a cloth-covered keepsake box. I Just wanted to let you know because I LOVE mine & I'm sure you would too :-)

Layouts using the DAMASK border

I have been working on 2 separate 12”x12” scrapbook layouts this week and for both of them I have focused on using the Quickutz DAMASK 12” border die, Kaiser Pearls, Kaiser Rhinestones & Two sided adhesive sheets. The Scrapping Cottage will be stocking these Kaiser products soon, so there is no need for you to miss out on this fantastic range of amazing products.
For both layouts I have also used the Two-sided adhesive sheets to adhere the borders & Titles to the pages. It’s so easy to use and a lot less messy and time consuming then trying to glue all around the back of fine and fiddly die cuts. You peel off the one side of the two-sided adhesive, place your card or paper face up onto the sticky side of the adhesive, cut out your die cut and there you have it!!! It turns your die cuts into stickers. When you’re ready to use your die cut, peel the paper off the back and stick to your layout or project. These and other great adhesive backed materials are in stock at The Scrapping Cottage.
The Damask border die is one of my ‘Just have to have' dies but did not know where I would use it. I’m sure we all have some of those ‘Just have to have’ dies that we have a quick look at when we get them and have most probably never even taken them out of the packaging. Yes, I am guilty of this, but don’t tell my husband. I still need to get him to understand that buying the die is equally as exciting as using it. I get very excited when I see the postman coming as its like Chrismas for me when I get my packages from The Scrapping Cottage.

The first is a quick & easy Layout for those of us that don’t have a lot of spare time on our hands. It’s also great if you have a whole album to do and want to continue the same theme throughout and don’t want to spend years doing it.
I used the Quickutz Damask border die and then also used sections of this same border die on the right side of the page to give it a different look.
I have also used Two-sided adhesive sheets to stick the border die cuts & the ‘Blossom Grand Alphabet' Title to the page. I printed on Vellum sheets for the centre of the small frame & added Kaiser pearls for that little bit of extra detail as you can see in the close up picture.

For the 2nd layout I have used the Quickutz Damask border die, Aquarius 4x8 alphabet for the ‘Just Hatched’ Title, Rollerskate 4x8 alphabet for the date, Sizzix Bigz Decorative Accent w/flower, Quickutz Cosmopolitan alphabet for the name and the ‘J’ is from the Quickutz Monogram Set. Kaiser Pearls, buttons & press studs were used on the flowers, and Kaiser Rhinestones to decorate the initials of the name (as seen in close up photo).
Bosskut Dinosaur & Sizzix eggs were inked with Tim Holtz Distressed inks.
Don’t forget that you can click on the items in the post and a link will take you directly to that item in the The Scrapping Cottage store.

Whimsical Easter Topiary

Topiaries are traditionally a more formal piece that you might find in your home. Here at the Scrapping Cottage we don’t always follow tradition! This bright, whimsical tree is fun, playful and ANYTHING but formal. I used several of my favorite QuicKutz dies to create this festive holiday centerpiece. The peek-a-boo bunny (KS-0412) is quite charming and lovable as he peeks over flower pots and just about anything else you can imagine! The Easter egg (KS-0414) is an incredibly resourceful die. You can decorate it any way you like, adding many other QuicKutz shapes to create the perfect egg! I love the simplicity and versatility of the daisy (KS-0537).

I am enchanted by all of the flourish dies created by QuicKutz. This particular flourish (REV-0025) is so happy and conventional, it feels like home!
Butterflies flutter and dance in the garden, they are beautiful and shy all at the same time. This, my best-loved QuicKutz butterfly (KS-0172), is amusing two exclusive pals created especially for the Scrapping Cottage. The darling bee and the delightful ladybug are part of Scrapping Cottage’s custom Tea Set (C-0072-D-REV).

Just to put a SMILE on your pretty face, these dies can be found here at the Scrapping Cottage for all of your fanciful, inspiring designs!

Rain Check?

Just a fun little card you can put together quickly using the new Quickutz Rain Puddle Die. I love the boots cut from polka dot paper! Think how cute they would be cut from stripes, too. For the sentiment, I used the Quickutz Storybook and I borrowed the question mark from Aquarius.

Watch for it Wednesdays! #2

This week I would like to share a tip for a quick and easy way to make a folded shaped card. Cut your cardstock into the size card you want and fold it in half. Make sure your card is larger than the shaped die you plan to use. Next, place the folded edge of the card slightly below the cutting edge of your metal die.

Now, when you roll your card and die through your cutter, you will have a shaped card with the folded edge still intact. I used the Quickutz Cookie Cutter Nesting Flowers to create my scalloped edge card.

Beary Special layout

Here it is!!!!!! – The 12”x12” scrapbook page layout using the same SIZZIX BIGZ Teddy Bear #3 that I used for the ‘Miss you’ card earlier in the week. As you can see I L-O-V-E using a combination of different dies together and I have combined both Quickutz & Sizzix dies together to create this very ‘girly’ baby page of my daughter. I started by making up the Rose border by using the QUICKUTZ Vine Border 12" die and adding lots of little rose buds to it - (QUICKUTZ Rose Bud KS-0451)
For the Princess bear I used the QUICKUTZ Hat KS-0869 and the QUICKUTZ Swimsuit KS-0726 for her pants. The stem of the roses is a section of the QUICKUTZ Vine Border.
On the other side of the page I have used the SIZZIX BIGZ Decorative Accent #10 and added some of the same Quickutz rose buds. I have used the QUICKUTZ Squares & Dots Border die to frame the photo and threaded some ribbon through the slots to give it a much prettier ‘girly’ look..
The title was made with the QUICKUTZ Beauty Queen Grand Alphabet and I used TIM HOLTZ Distress Ink - antique linen for inking around the title & bear.
I have also used BASIC GREY background paper & 'Princess' title Rub on.

Imagine this Teddy border on a mothers Day page or cut it shorter to make a mothers day or Baby girl card.

The Scrapping Cottage Design Team

Design Team Members are: Kay Norman, Ruth Ellen Yeager, Beverly Sizemore, Natasha Downing and Rochelle Larocca. You can learn more about our Design Team on the Scrapping Cottage website.

Congratulations Gold Crown Card

I used Hero Arts Regal Crown stamp, pearls and Cream flowers to make this Congratulations card. I also used a Cuttlebug embossing folder, gold cardstock and ink. Be sure to check out all the great stamps The Stamping Cottage has to offer.

Here is another card using the CottageCutz Birdcage & Bird. In case you haven't guessed by not, I am having FUN with this die. :)

I decided to pull out some of my dies that I have not had the opportunity to use - YET!!! I don't know why I didn't do it A LOT sooner because I had so much fun making this little bear that I wanted to Share him with you :-) This lovable bear and his frog would also look fantastic on a childs scrapbooking layout. I have made up an example of this same bear used in a 12" x 12" layout and will be Posting it to the blog later in the week, so be sure to check back as I'm sure you wont want to miss it :-)
Products used:-
SIZZIX BIGZ Teddy Bear #3 655360
QUICKUTZ Frog KS-0572
QUICKUTZ Storybook alphabet 4x8-STORYBK-M
TIM HOLTZ Distress Ink for inking around the bear
These are all in stock at THE SCRAPPING COTTAGE if you want to make one of these cute little bears for yourself.

This is a quick & easy card I made using my favourite COTTAGE CUTZ die - OWL SC-CC-001.

Cottage Cutz dies are custom made exclusively for THE SCRAPPING COTTAGE.

Here is another 12”x12” single page layout that I have done using the EXCLUSIVE QUICKUTZ SCARECROW die C-0076-D-REV.
There are a limited amount of these gorgeous dies is in stock at THE SCRAPPING COTTAGE, so don’t delay and get one before it’s too late. It’s never a nice feeling when you realize that you actually do want or need a die & they’re all sold out. This Scarecrow die is a Revolution 4”x4” double die set, so is great value for money.

I have also used-

QUICKUTZ Grass die RS-0024,

QUICKUTZ Monogram Set - 'C' -

QUICKUTZ Princess Carriage (the pumpkin) C-0118-D-REV

QUICKUTZ Chemistry Alpahbet set 4x8-CHEMISTR-MU

Here is a 12”x12” single page scrapbook layout that I made using a lot of my favorite Cottage Cutz & Quickutz dies. I just L-O-V-E the Cottage Cutz dies as they are so easy to use and the finished product looks amazing. They work exactly the same way as the Quickutz Revolution dies do so I can use them in my Revolution machine. If you haven’t tried the Cottage Cutz dies yet, you don’t know what you are missing!!! I have also used Tim Holtz Distress Ink on the Pig, Rabbit & Bird to try and give them a more realistic 3D look.

Have a look in THE SCRAPPING COTTAGE store to find all these items that I have used to make this magical layout-

QUICKUTZ grass border die CC-BDR-004

QUICKUTZ tree border die CC-BDR-021

COTTAGE CUTZ giraffe die SC-CC-007

COTTAGE CUTZ owl die SC-CC-001

COTTAGE CUTZ bunny die SC-CC-004

COTTAGE CUTZ pig die SC-CC-010

COTTAGE CUTZ fawn die SC-CC-002

COTTAGE CUTZ bee die SC-CC33-001

QUICKUTZ Bee die KS-0050

TIM HOLTZ Distress Ink – ‘Antique Linen’.

Clown Card

Think you missed out on the Quickutz Clown Die?? Think again! I created this fun card using the Revolution Scarecrow Die! I used the center of the flower as the clown's rubber nose and I used the tree top from the 2x2 tree die to create the clown wig. There's just no end to what you can create with Quickutz!

Here's another card using the CottageCutz Birdcage & Bird die. I cut the birdcage from gold foil board and left all the pieces in of the design. I was trying for a different "look" with the die. Did I succeed? :) I'm having so much fun with this die. Be on the lookout for another card coming soon using this die. :)

Here is a quick card using some Sizzix dies that are on sale 50% off. The set is the Butterflies & Flowers Set. The stamps on the card are from a set found at Scrapping Cottage too. They are the Tree, Bird and Messages by Hero Arts. (I colored the birds using colored pencils and Gamsol.)

WATCH FOR IT WEDNESDAY #1

Each Wednesday we will be posting a simple Tip or Technique to help you out on those scrappy related projects. We're calling it "Watch for it Wednesday"

This week I'd like to show you how to add just a little detail on your diecuts. I keep a bottle of white Acrylic paint handy to add little white dots in the center of the eyes. I shake up the paint and unscrew the lid and then dip the pointed end of my Quickstik in the little bit of paint in the lid and then dot it right on the diecut. This way there is no paint mess. I do this on almost all my diecuts that have eyes. It's quick and easy and makes the diecut come to life. On this owl I also took my Zig pen and detailed his nose just a bit to make it stand out as well.

Hoppy Birthday

Here is a card using the CottageCutz Frog. I stamped the background paper with a stamp and then made my frog diecut and detailed him with a white gel pen and a black Zig pen as well as some chalk. I used 2 black gems from Hero Arts for the eyes and 2 yellow and one olive for the crown. I used some mounting tape to make him pop of the page just a bit and added a Prima flower with a sparkly brad center.

Who loves a great 50% off sale? I know I do!!!! :) Here is a card using the Sizzix Sizzlits Butterfly and Flower Set. This set has the prettiest butterfly die. All I did for this card was cut the butterfly from patterned paper, fold the wings just a bit so that they look like they are perching and add some mint green pearls in the center of each. Easy! :)

Fun card using the CottageCutz Birdcage and Bird

I'm in love with this die. Be sure to watch the blog

for more samples with this die. :)

St. Patrick's Day Tag

Here's a fun idea for a tag. I turned the Shamrock into a balloon and I used the Pilgrim costume for the clothes on my Leprechaun Rev paper doll for something different. I love all the different costumes sets for the paper dolls! It gives you so many different possibilities! His hair and beard are cut from the Popcorn die.

Congratulations to the winners of our Cottage Contest!!!!

We received so many wonderful submissions of artwork. Thank you all that participated. If was a tough decision, but we finally narrowed it down to these three winners:

1st Place: Nadine B. of Auburn, Washington
2nd Place: Natasha D. of Cairns, Australia
3rd Place: Rochelle L. of Roseville, California

CONGRATULATIONS again to all three winners. Their projects will be added to our Gallery soon.

Do you know anyone who needs a hug because they're going through a difficult time? Then this card idea is just for you! This is made from the CottageCutz pig die. Isn't he cute?!

I took a printed diecut by Pebbles, Inc. that was

already in a circular shape and placed it over the

Sizzix Bigz Die Scalloped Circle. Now who says

it is not easy to cut a scalloped circle? :) This

is one of my favorite Sizzix dies!!!!

Here is a quick and easy card using the new Sizzix Bigz Eiffel Tower die. I love Paris! :)

Egg Cup

Here is simple and fun idea you can do with many of the dies from the February Quickutz release. I used the 2x2 Chick Die and glued him onto the green cardstock ring for a decorative Easter Egg holder. I chose sturdy cardstock for both the chick and the paper ring so it would hold the egg securely. I joined the two ends of the green cardstock ring with staples for a quick and secure hold. I added the google eye just for fun :)

***CORRECTION***
And the winner is.......................MARIA!!!!



Congratulations, Maria! You may contact The Scrapping Cottage to select your free Quickutz die from the February release. Thanks to everyone who participated in our first blog contest. We had so much fun that we can't wait to do it again!!