Blog Hopping, Blog Candy, and a BBTB2 card... WOW

Happy blog hopping BBTB2 Monday!  I have a lot of information to share so I should get typing.  Welcome to the monthly BBTB2 Blog hop.  You probably arrived here from Karen's blog.  If not, think about jumping over to BBTB2 and starting the blog hop at the beginning (after you finish reading my post, of course!).  The challenge cut this week was selected by my wonderful design team sister, Penny Shuberg.  Penny chose the apron cut on the FROM MY KITCHEN cartridge. 

I decided to use a recipe card cut from the same cartridge as my base card.  I welded a rectangle to the recipe card and scored down the middle of the weld to create the card.  I used Basic Grey's kitchen line of paper.  Ironic, huh?  The base card was cut using the cupcake print.  This worked well because the back side of the paper is a nice solid medium pink - perfect for the inside of the card.  The base card was topped with two matting cuts and wrapped with a ribbon before the apron was attached with pop dots.  I printed a recipe for Pasta with Shrimp and Crabmeat that I am going to mail to my son's girlfriend.  Crissie is learning to cook and Aaron loves seafood!

 

In addition to the bow near the bottom of the card,  I also added a scalloped tag to the upper right corner of the card.  I used one of my favorite products to create the top layer of the tag - the Amy Chomas mini gel pen holder and glitter pen set!!  I love Amy's products, the gel pens and holder as well as her embossing kit.  Awesome products!!!  With the gel pens you simply remove the blade housing from your Cricut and replace it with Amy's gel pen holder loaded with a mini pen.  The Cricut will then write your image instead of cutting.  Cool, huh?

In addition to a new BBTB2 project here, I also have a new cake recipe to share on my sister blog, Busy with the Cricky Cake.  Be sure to check the cake blog today for the recipe and again tomorrow to see the completed decorated cake.

Did I mention BLOG CANDY?  Yes, indeed there will be blog candy this week!!!  Amy Chomas is sponsoring my blog hop this month and is providing  FABULOUS blog candy: an Amy Chomas Mini Gel Pen Holder and Pen set!!!  Seriously!  This is a great product and I love it.  Anything with Amy's name attached is sure to be fabulous!!

Leave a comment below to register for the blog candy.  You should go by Amy's site and see her fabulous projects using her products.

Now that you have left a comment (you did leave a comment didn't you?), your next stop on the blog hop is at the blog of the AMAZING Lori Warner.  Lori is a very gifted designer and a wonderfully nice woman - have fun at her blog!!!  Have a great day and remember to visit Amy's site!!

April Showers for Hello Kitty

Happy Monday!  It is a BBTB2 Monday and we have seven new Design Team members!!  Have you already been by the BBTB2 blog and checked out all of the amazing cards and layouts???  WOW, WOW, WOW!

This week's challenge cut is the little three flower card on the From My Kitchen cartridge.  I used the flower card and added two folds to each side, inserting it through the foundation card (a recipe card from FMK) so that it creates a panoramic card. 

I used HELLO KITTY to create the center section of my card, matted on a label from Sentimentals.   Kitty has her umbrella out because we are still having April Showers. The tag at the top of the card says April Showers, as if we had any doubts.  But what happens when we get April showers?  Yes!  May flowers!  See the three cute little button flowers growing in the rain?

 

And because I might want to actually add a note and sign this card, I made Kitty into a card.  The Hello Kitty section is the only part of this card that opens.  Cute, huh?

 Please do click the BBTB2 link in my left column if you have not already been by there today.  Also please leave a comment so that our new DT members will feel welcome and loved (they are ALL awesome designers). 

And finally, if you have not already visited my new sister blog, Busy with the Cricky Cake, please click the link in right column.  I am having so much fun with the Cricut Cake machine and I am enjoying sharing my adventures.

I will be back tomorrow with a new project for you.

Cooking Up Some Fun

Sorry for the delay but I am going to share another of my projects at Custom Crops this week. Is there a cookie exchange in your future???  I hosted a cookie exchange two weeks ago where we shared cookies and recipes.  I used the From My Kitchen cartridge and dressed my recipe up in this flip up oven door card. 

I used the oven cut, stretched a bit wider than normal, and welded two oven doors to create the flip up recipe-oven-door.  The pdf'ed recipe fits perfectly in the flip up area.

Complete directions and the cut file, along with the recipe for my favorite Christmas cookie, are available at Custom Crops.  Click HERE for all for the everything you need to create your own oven recipe cards.

Happy Monday!

Happy Post-Thanksgiving Monday!  Have you recovered from the turkey and stuffing feast?  I must tell you, with absolutely NO modesty, that I prepared the best turkey we have ever had!  Really.  I brined the turkey and stuffed it with lemons and oranges, onion and garlic, and finally fresh herbs.  It was THE BEST!  Next time I will use a bigger turkey... We ran out of meat far too soon.

As good as it was, and it WAS GOOD, the turkey was not the highlight of the holiday.  I had all three of my "children" home from their various locations.  Aaron, a teacher in another part of the state, was here for just two days due to a Basketball Tournament at his high school.  Bethany was in from the College of Charleston until Saturday night. And Ian went back to college in Atlanta on Sunday.  We also had our friends the Conrads and their new baby daughter Sophie over for Thanksgiving day.  Doug and I learned to play Catch Phrase and Apples to Apples.  We had so much fun that I purchased the lastest versions of both games at Target on Saturday.

Okay, so enough of my holiday.  The challenge cut at Bitten by the Bug this week is the telephone on the From My Kitchen cartridge.  I used various papers from the SEI Winter Song cardstock set to cut my telephone and accessories.  And WHO would I be calling at this time of year?  Hello, Santa?

I am hoping to put in my last minute orders with the big guy.

I added Prima poinsettias and leaves to my card, as well as Season's Greetings ribbons.  I also used my favorite black pen to add a few dots, as well as a copic red marker.  I used red metallic paper for a few of the embellishing cuts.  I also used the Mini Monograms cartridge to cut the scalloped circle tag. 

The good news about this card is IF Santa's line continues to be busy, the card will fit an A2 envelope so I can drop this cardin the post.  There is still plenty of time for a North Pole delivery before Santa's sleigh is packed..

One additional note, be sure to go by the Gypsy Spot.  Today is the last day to register for the Gypsy give-a-way!!  This is your chance to pick up a free Gypsy.  What a great pre-Christmas gift for yourself!!!!

CWTC Crafty Girl Saturday - Guest Designer

I am dreaming of a white Christmas, with every cupcake that I bite!!!!  It is Crafty Girl Saturday at Christmas with the Cricut and I have been busy in the kitchen AND in the scrap room!!!  Here in South Carolina the only snow we will see at Christmas will be cut with my cricut and wrapped around snowy white frosted cupcakes. 

These cupcake wrappers were so easy to make; I was disappointed that I had never thought of this before.  To create wrapper number one I placed a two inch circle from the From My Kitchen cartridge on the Design Studio mat and added evenly spaced  (1.9 inches wide and 2.3 inches high) snowflakes from the Winter Woodlands cartridge at evenly spaced intervals around the circle. 

To create snowflake number two I placed a two inch circle from the From My Kitchen cartridge and added five evenly spaced snowflakes (1.75 inches wide and 1.5 inches high) from Winter Woodlands.  I cut both of the snowflake cupcake wrappers in Bazzill Bling cardstock.

Assembling the cupcake wrappers is super-easy.  I affixed a tiny glue dot to one side of each snowflake and after folding the snowflakes toward the center, I overlapped the edges to seal. 

To create the embellishing sticks I cut scalloped circles from the FMK cartridge (two per stick).  I embellished the scalloped circles with snowflakes from the WW cartridge and cupcakes from FMK.  I chose chocolate brown cardstock to cut the cupcakes and white cardstock to cut the frosting - this could be especially useful if you are serving several flavors of cupcakes.  The sticks can be personalized to match the cupcake flavors.

I affixed the embellished circles to long plastic party sticks (near the toothpicks at your local store).  I made the ebellishment sticks double sided to ensure that the buffet table looks great from all angles.  Each cupcake was speared with two sticks, a flavor stick and a snowflake stick.

Have you been by Jeannie's blog, A Place For My Cards, yet today?  I can't wait to see Jeannie's Crafy Girl project - she is so amazing. I have to say that sharing our week as Guest Designers has been wonderful.  Jeannie is an amazing artist and a truly kind and caring woman.  I have so enjoyed having her as a team mate.  If you are not already a fan of her blog this would be a great time to sign up!

The cut file for the cupcake wrappers and embellishments has been added to the downloadable cut files section of my blog under the title of Snowflake Cupcake Set.  I hope that you enjoy these easy cupcake wrappers and that they look fabulous on your holiday buffet!

CWTC Fancy Card Friday - Guest Designer

It is Fancy Card Friday at Christmas With The Cricut!  I have to admit that I am not a fancy card maker... my cards are normally more in-line with Simple Card Monday.  But here goes:  today's card features multiple layers and multiple embossing techniques while showcasing cricut stamping and this week's two featured cartridges at CWTC, Winter Woodlands and From My Kitchen.

The A2 base card was cut in white cardstock with a light pink snowflake print cardstock topper.  An A2 frame was dry embossed with the Wizard and a Cuttlebug folder and then was attached to the card with pop dots.

The print layer cup shadow was attached to the light pink snowflake topper and layered with two additional light pink cardstock layers.  I hand trimmed the steam off of the top layer cup and then stamped the cup with a cricut cut stamp using Cricut's starter stamping kit.  A hint for using the cricut stamps - use a new mat on which to cut the stamp material.  Also, a simple design will cut better, hence my use of the holly cut.  I used Stampin' Up ink and hand edged the stamped images with Copic Markers.  I then applied Glossy Accents to the top layer of the cut to create a glass/china look.

The two pink snowflakes were cut at 2.25 inches in Core'dination cardstock.  I lightly sanded the cardstock and heat embossed.  First I applied embossing ink to the top of the snowflakes and added holographic embossing powder.  I then used the "melt and move" technique with the embossing gun to heat embossed the snowflakes.  I used pop dots to apply the snowflakes to the card.

The final cricut cut element was the round message tag.  I used red and pink cardstock to cut the scalloped circle and plain circle as well as the Warm Winter Wishes sentiment.  The cuts were assembled in layers and topped with white gel pen and Stickles.  I appled red Stickles to the words and icicle Stickles to the tag edges.  I also applied icicle Stickles to the steam coming from the cup.

If you have not already done so, be sure to head over to Jeannie Phillip's blog, A Place For My Cards, and check out her amazing Fancy Friday Card. Jeannie makes THE MOST beautiful cards so be prepared to be totally awed!!! 

The cut file for this card has been added to the Downloadable Cut Files list on the left of the blog under the title "Warm Winter Wishes - Fancy Card Friday".  Enjoy!

CWTC Layout Thursday - Guest Designer

Happy Layout Thursday at CWTC!   There is a bit of a story behind my Christmas Cookies layout.  A couple of Christmas's ago my older son helped my mom and I frost cut out snowman and Christmas tree cookies. The cookies that were created were some of the funniest, most imaginative, unothodox Christmas cookies in the history of cut out cookies... And it became an annual event!!!  Now there is a bit of an underlying contest as to who can create the best crazy cookie!

So yes, using Winter Woodlands and From My Kitchen was a perfect fit for my Christmas cookie layout.  I love all of the cuts on From My Kitchen and look how great the recipe cards work as photo mats, and how the mixer just fits right into the layout... and those oval label words!!!  Okay, I will calm down - but I do like this cartridge.  And not to be out done, Winter Woodlands has those great layered snowflakes that with a bit of Stickles became cut out cookie frosting!  I used scalloped squares and circles for the cookie layer. 

In my over the top enthusiasm I failed to mention that I used an assortment of printed cardstock, Bazzill cardstock, Silver metallic paper, and assorted ribbons.  One creative adjustment you may want to note is the word phrase from Winter Woodlands.  I changed the phrase and actually combined two different phrases together.  The two phrases on the cartridge are "the magic of WINTER" and "Family FUN".  I welded the two shadow pieces together and removed the word WINTER from the cut, creating "the magic of FAMILY fun."

In my usual  "too much pen" style, I finished the layout with lots and lots of white pen doodles.  I really like drawing on my layouts.  I feel it adds a personal touch and provides a finished look to the layout.  I cannot wait for crazy cookie night this year not only to see what is created, but also to add photos to this layout.

If you have not already done so, be sure to head over to Jeannie Phillip's blog, A Place For My Cards, and check out her amazing layout.  I do so wish Jeannie lived close enough to be in my regular scrapbook girlfriends group!!!

CWTC Gift Packaging Wednesday - Guest Designer

It's Gift Packaging Wednesday at CWTC!!!  In addition to the two required cartridges, Winter Woodlands and From My Kitchen, I also used Tags, Bags, Boxes, and More to create vellum gift bags with layered label and mini card sets. 

I have always struggled with cutting vellum on my Cricut but I believe I have solved my previous issues:  I needed to use a very, very sticky mat!!!  That was all it took to cut these adorable boxes using the inch box cut on TBBM. 

To create the mini cards and labels I used tag shapes from WW and added ovals as cut outs from FMK.  I welded two of the tags together to create the base mini card.  I used additonal cuts from each of the two cartridges and finished by adding touches of Stickles. 

I finished the gift package sets off by running ribbon through holes at the top of the boxes and tied them closed with matching Christmas Ribbons. My gift bags and mini cards are all set to go under the tree or be delivered to friends!

If you have not already done so, be sure to visit Jeannie's blog, A Place for my Cards and check out her Gift Packaging Wednesday project ....  Note to self - ask Jeannie to help me with all of my holiday packaging as she is amazingly talented!!!

Cut Files for Recipe Box and Simple Card Monday

I have just posted the cut files for the Recipe Box - Home Decor Tuesday and Whip Up Some Fun - Simple Card Monday to my blog.  Feel free to download if you are interested.

CWTC Home Decor Tuesday - Guest Designer Spot

Happy Home Decor Tuesday!  Over at the Christmas With The Cricut the ladies are celebrating Home Deco Tuesday so I made this adorable recipe box complete with section dividers and matching recipe cards.

The box is made by Bare Elements and is actually a chest.  Bare Elements does produce a rectangular recipe box but is lacks the cute curved top of the treasure chest.  To get started on the recipe box, I painted all of the edges with red ink.  I wanted any "white" that might peek through to be red to match the trim.  I then used Inaginisece Polar Bear Expressions cardstock to cover the chest (with careful measuring and placement it took a little less than two 12 x 12 inch sheets).

I used a combination of Core'dination cardstock, Bazzill cardstock, and additional Inaginisece Polar Bear Expressions cardstock to cut the mittens, shadows, and Recipe label and shadow.  I chose the mitten cut from Winter Woodlands to embellish the top of the box because of the mitten sets in the background of the polar bear paper.

The band around the edge of the lid was created using a snowflake from Winter Woodland welded together over and over to create a decorative band.  I will admit that I worried if the flakes would cut cleanly since they were so timy.  But never fear, they came out perfect.  Oh my Cricut makes me so happy sometimes!!!

I used From My Kitchen to create labels and food images as well as the basic cards for my section dividers.  I used more of the lovely tags from Winter Woodlands as backgrounds for the food cuts, which were, of course, cut with the FMY cartridge.

And finally a rear view!  Oh to look that good from the rear!!! LOL.

If you have not already done so, be sure to visit Jeannie's blog, A Place for my Cards and check out her Home Decor Tuesday project.  She is sure to knock your socks off so you'd better be sitting down!!!

Christmas With The Cricut Simple Card Monday - Guest Designer

Happy Simple Card Monday at Christmas With the Cricut!  I am so excited to be sharing the Guest Designer Spots this week with Jeannie Phillips.  Jeannie is an amazing artist and paper crafter - I am in awe of her work.  Jeannie and I will be using two Cricut cartridges this week to create all of our projects:  Winter Woodlands and From My Kitchen.

For Simple Card Monday I went simple!  I used Basic Grey's Eskimo Kisses printed cardstock, Core'dination White Washed Cardstock, silver metallic cardstock, swiss dot Bazzill cardstock, Bazzill buttons, pink ribbon, and pop dots to create my card.

I cut an A2 base card in pink Bazzill, and then added a rectangle of Eskimo Kisses to the front.  I then cut one of the amazing tags on Winter Woodlands in Swiss Dot Bazzill and used it as a mat.  I cut my words and the word shadows in Core'dinations White Washed cardstock and sanded the Winter Fun phrase to make it POP visually.  I also used pop dots under the word shadow and the between the whisk and its shadow.

I added a second ribbon around the Eskimo Kisses layer and tied through a button.  I finished th card off with doodling in white and navy.  

Inside the card I left room to add an invitation for girlfriends to come over for a cookie baking day!

If you have not already done so, be sure to visit Jeannie's blog, A Place for my Cards and check out her Simple Card Monday project.  Be prepared to OOOH and AAHHH a lot - I always do when looking at Jeannie's work!!!