Shapes and Toppers

Well today's Less is More challenge of shaped cards was a bit of a curve ball!  I wasn't sure what to do but then I remembered that some of my cricut cartridges have cards on them.  They cut a shape just at the front though so I cut them and then traced the design from the front to the back and cut it out to make them properly shaped - I didn't think that through on my first one - a heart which really doesn't stand on it's point lol!  It will probably become a gift tag on a present I think.

 The butterfly was much more successful for a shaped card - the base is more stable and it was a more sensible size (both were cut to 3 inches on the cricut - I get very frustrated with the sizes that come out as they bear NO resemblance to the actual size you ask for!)   For both cards, the cricut eventually, after many sheets of wasted cardstock, cut both a base card and a topper (from Damask Decor cartridge) and I coloured the topper with distress inks and pearl spritzing.  The sentiment on the butterfly is by Paula Pascal and I hand wrote the one on the heart to follow the curve.

While the cricut was doing its stuff, I had a play and made another card - not for any challenge so I'm just sharing it before I go and to enjoy the sunshine.  This was made with a gorgeous topper I received in the post today from Tracy - the lovely lady behind Cardmakers Delights who was stalking me yesterday (private joke!)  She asked me if I'd like to try some of her toppers - for free (see told you she was lovely) the only catch was to make a card and blog it.  Well, it wasn't hard at all to agree to that, she has some gorgeous designs and now I have them in the flesh I can also vouch for the quality of the cardstock and printing.  I decided to be all "jubilicous" and make something patriotic with the lovely vintage keep calm topper included in the pack - I opted to keep it simple with an embossed flag behind, a blue mat and a matching regal bow.