Soaring with Florals Embellished & BBTB2

Happy Monday!  I hope this Monday morning finds all of our Midwestern Cricut friends safe and sound.... The weather channel and news channels covered some horrid storms and tornadoes though the middle of the US last night.  That is especially horrid in those areas already suffering though flooding.  I hope that everyone is well.

My friend and design team sister, the incomparable Donna Mundinger, selected the challenge cut this week at Bitten by the Bug 2.  Donna selected this lovely bird from the new-ish Florals Embellished cartridge.  I must say, Hello Kitty and the Disney cartridges have nothing on this bird!  There were A LOT of cuts to assemble for this bird!

First, I have a story to share with you about the Florals Embellished cartridge.  Back in March when I attended the Cricut Circle Crop in Atlanta I actually won this cartridge.  Madge, the fabulous crafter sitting to my right, won a screen for the Yudu Card Shop, but did not have a card shop machine.  Later in the crop I won a Yudu Card Shop.  Madge was a honey and gave me her screen.  I, of course, immediately gave her my Florals Embellished cartridge so that we both had prizes.  I did not tell Madge, until now(!) , that I really coveted that cartridge. 

A few weeks ago when I found out that Donna had selected to use the Florals Embellished cartridge, I immediately searched my usual cartridge sources for the best price on FE.  I found a good price and purchased the cartridge - and I am quite pleased that I did so.  I think this cartridge is going to be fun.

I used four cartridge to create this card: Just Because Cards (base card), Florals Embellished (bird and medallion), Plantin Schoolbook (a welded rectangle), and Martha Stewart Elegant Art (the border on the lower front of the card).  Using design studio I welded a rectangle to one end of my base card and a MS border to the other end.  I made sure that the rectangle and border were the same height/width, that way the center score line on the card remained the same.  I cut the base card in white cardstock, and then I cut the card front only in Basic Grey cardstock. 

I think I am going to love my MS Elegant Cake Art cartridge.  The cartridge has a lot of MS border cuts and different shaped edged mats.  Using your Gypsy, Cricut Craft Room, or DS you can resize and weld the border cuts to your cards or layouts.  Think of all of the MS border possibilities that this cartridge provides.  I feel like even though I may have paid $40 for the cartridge, I saved a mint in MS punch costs!

I layered the bird onto the medallion with pop dot, and I also layered the medallion onto the card with pop dots.  I used Stampin' Up ribbon without a bow.  I like the texture and the color of the ribbon, but a bow would have distracted from the bird.

I finished the card by adding doodle dots to the bird and medallion.  I also added the "post card" scrap and the thin strip of cardstock to the lower front of the card.

My goal for this week is to learn to use my new E2 Cricut machine with both regular and Imagine cartridges.  I will keep you posted on my progress!

Please do take a few minutes and pop over to BBTB2 and check out the teams' projects.   And remember, we would love it if you should decide to play along with us!!

Cricut Birthday Bash - Third and Final Layout

Wow, was yesterday a fun day, or what?  Are all of you as tired as I am?  I am going to confess to taking a late afternoon half hour nap to get through the evening! 

I was super exited to have won an Expression II first thing yesterday morning!  I could not believe that I went to bed after 2:00 am and got up at 6:00 am to watch more HSN and interact with Provo Craft on FB.  Imagine my shock when they posted the 6:20 am winner and it was me?  I was on the phone with MFK (my friend Kathy), who I had just awakened.  She had been up until 3:00 am watching HSN!  I felt horrid for waking her - she is almost always up very early - but she says it was okay since she was talking to me when I won.  What a good sport and GREAT friend!!

Today's layout is the third of the three I entered into the Birthday Contest.  This design took a design from my data disc DVD set and incorporated a few changes to come up with the Cricut Birthday layout.  (So is anyone like me and wondering WHAT PC plans to do with almost 500 birthday layouts?).   I used Imaginesce Birthday Bash cardstock along with Bazzill and glitter cardstock to create this layout. 

The decorative background piece was created in Design Studio using a cut from Cindy Loo, welded together multiple times to form a square.  I used medium weight glitter cardstock and multi-cut the page two times.

Similar to my Cricut birthday layout, I had fun with a birthday hat.  I thought the number 5 needed a birthday hat topper.

I finished the layout with a few gemstones, doodles, ribbons, and Imaginesce birthday candles and chipboard circle.  I cut a flower and mounted the circle on top.  I used a thick line of zip-dry glue to hold the candles on the corners. 

Thanks for stopping by today and thank you for all of the kind wishes from yesterday!!  I will be back tomorrow with a new - NON-birthday project! 

I read yesterday now that the Expression II release is over we all have to move on to the Royal Wedding (both being historic events and all!!).  Well, more on this later in the week but.... MFK is having the girls over on Friday morning (arriving at her home between 4-6 am) for a royal wedding bash!  I'll keep you posted......

Baking day treat box

Today was the first of two Christmas baking days at our home.  I started old fashioned over night yeast rolls that will be baked on Thursday morning (and they are heavenly), magic bars, and tea balls.  I had hoped to finish more baking but my older son and his lovely girlfriend arrived mid afternoon to visit for a few days.

I was thrilled to see Aaron and Crissie, but especially Crissie.  This is going to be a horrid holiday season for her and I knew she would need lots of hugs.  Crissie's father passed away unexpectedly last Monday (the 13th) and she is still in shock. Also her mom is too hurt to even consider Christmas at their home so I know this is the closest to real Christmas as she will get this year.

I have several things planned to keep Crissie busy, but also lots of quiet time so that she can talk.  Tomorrow (or is that later today?) we plan to have the annual cut out cookie decorating event.  It is an activity that we all enjoy - decorating the cut out cookies as crazy and funny as we can make them!  (I will post photos later in the week).  Tonight we went out for a lovely dinner at a nice restaurant followed by a short shopping trip.  Later Crissie and I talked for about two hours.  Tomorrow she will be helping me bake as well as seeing a bit more of the Aiken and meeting more of Aaron's old friends who are also home for the holidays.

In the meantime, I mentioned at the beginning of this post that today was day one of two baking days.  I am making the rolls to share with neighbors (in the decorated paint cans I posted recently), as well as a few friends.  I knew I would need a couple of small treat contains for our single neighbors.

I used the popcorn box from Tags, Bags, Boxes and More to cut my base box.  I welded the scallop from Plantin Schoolbook together in a pattern similar to the the angle of the popcorn box.  This allowed the cut scalloped trim to fit the popcorn box nicely.   I also made a matching flat strip to wrap the middle of the trim.

I cut a layered snowflake from Accent Essentials and tied it on to the corner of the box.  I added layered prima flowers in the corner as well.  I finished the popcorn box with holly peelies and green tissue.  I will be adding treats and a handmade card before delivering the box to my neighbor!

Hopefully I will be back tomorrow with photos of this annual crazy cut outs adventure to share!

Hello Kitty Thanksgiving Layout Revisit

It's time for a look back at my favorite Thanksgiving project from 2009.  I really loved this Hello Kitty Happy Thanksgiving layout!  Kitty as a Pilgrim - Kitty as a Native American... Kitty's Thanksgiving feast!  How fun!

 I created this project for Custom Crops and it is still available for free through their on-line store.  There is an article that contains complete cutting and assembly instructions, materials needed and the CUT FILE (!!) - again all for free.

You will need four Cricut cartridges to create this layout - Hello Kitty Greetings, Paper Doll Dress Up, Plantin Schoolbook, and Opposite Attract.  Follow this link to Custom Crops for all of the details.

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!!

Drop Dead Gorgeous Diva at Everyday Cricut

 

Happy Saturday!  It is my week as the Saturday designer at Everyday Cricut.  I was channeling Tim Burton this week as I created the Everyday Cricut layout, Drop Dead Gorgeous Diva.  I used three cartridges to cut the layout elements, Happy Hauntings, Rock Princess, and Plantin Schoolbook.  Complete details of the layout and products used are discussed at the Everyday Cricut blog.  The cut file is available in the left column of this blog or by following this LINK.  I hope you enjoy scrapping your divas!  

Speaking of divas - or in this case diva girlfriends - I will be spending the afternoon at the movies seeing Eat, Love, Pray with my friends Peggy, Suzanne and Kathy.  We will be celebrating My Friend Kathy's birthday, which is Sunday.   Happy Birthday Kathy!!!

Sugar & Spice - Really?

This week's BBTB2 challenge cut is the Gecko/Lizard from the Life's A Beach cartridge.  The design team could use the cut in any way we wanted so I decided to make a layout.  I found these two fun photos of a a sweet little girl playing with the lizard she found at the beach.  I remembered that girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice; boys are snakes and snails and puppy dog tails.  I had a difficult time visualizing sugar and spice for this little cutie with the lizard on her nose!

I used five cartridges to create this layout:  Designer Calendar for the grid (with some hide contour action), Life's A Beach, Plantin Schoolbook for the photo mats, Graphically Speaking for the second half of the phrase, and Once Upon a Princess for the Sugar & Spice title.

I used Amy Chomas' pen holder and mini pens to create the top half of the title.  I used a pink glitter pen in the holder and selected cut.  By replacing the blade housing on my cricut with the mini pen holder housing, the cricut wrote the words instead of cutting them.  I love Amy's products. You can purchase your own products by clicking here.  I will tell you that I also use Amy's embossing set on one of the DVD projects!

I used a large prima flower over the sun, which photographed dark.  It is not as "mustardy" as the photo implies.  I also used my trusty white pen to add dashes on the layout.

The lizards/geckos were cut in three different papers.  I placed them in four different positions inside the grids on the page.

Princess PJ Party with Once Upon a Princess & BBTB2

Happy BBTB2 Monday!  This week at BBTB2 we were challenged to use the rainbow cut from the Once Upon A Princess Cricut cartridge.  I am going to tell the truth and say that I was not thrilled with this cut.... UNTIL I designed my layout.  Then I decided this cut is adorable and has sooo many great uses.

I used Design Studio and designed a layout using several cuts from Once Upon a Princess.  I had never actually cut the cute castle on OUAP (GASP!) so I had a lot of fun with the layout.  I was especially excited to find the PJ cut, which includes adorable bunny slippers.  What a fun find.

I used the challenge cut to make a journaling card and attached the card to the upper left corner of the layout.  That way I still include journaling on a very full page, but also I get to include a cute decorative cut.  Sometimes all it takes is a little creativity to include the elements that we need.

In addition to my usual doodles and dots, I added a lot of gems to this layout.  I blinged the crowns at the bottom of the Pricess matting, as well as to the Princess PJ sets. 

I also added a bit of bling to the top of the castle.  The final touch was to add tiny ribbon bows to the corners of the photos, to the Pricess's hair, and to the top tower of the castle. 

I tried to video myself assembing this project. This video has a new camera position, which may or may not be an improvement.  I have found I quite like doing the videos and I will keep working on my skills.

My Saturday At Everyday Cricut - Lazy Summer Days

Happy Saturday everyone.  It is the third Saturday of the month and that means it is my day to share a project at Everyday Cricut.  I have a summertime project that is colorful and fun, made from the Cindy Loo cartridge.

I also have a cut file to share, Lazy Summer Days, located in the list of downloadable cut file in the left column of of this blog. The layout requires only two cartridges, Plantin Schoolbook and as stated above, Cindy Loo. 

If you have not already been by Everday Cricut today you may want to do so now.  There are more photos of the layout and the chance to win some great products if you leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great Saturday!!

Cindy Loo Circle Card - with Video & Cut File

Happy Monday everyone!  I did not have the correct cartridge for the weekly BBTB2 challenge so I am going to share a project I created for Custom Crops.  I used the new CINDY LOO cartridge and made cute circle card. 

Cindy Loo has loads of adorable doily cuts, florals, flourishes, trees and wildlife.  This one card covers several fo those areas listed:  doilly, wildlife, & trees. 

Go to my page at Custom Crops - just click the blinkie in the upper left column of this blog - and you can view the video as well as read the article and see photographs.  And did I mention that the cut file is at Custom Crops for free download?  Oh yes - Custom Crops has it all today!!!

Back To Vegas - More Scrapbook Pages

My trip to Las Vegas continues to be relived in my scraproom.  Sadly I do not think I am even halfway though the photos. Did I mention that I printed 300 photos???  I am going to be reliving Vegas and the Grand Canyon all summer long!

On the last day of our trip we went back to the Hard Rock Casino (dh and I had gone there the day before by ourselves) with MFK and her dh.  We at lunch ate Mr. Lucky's 24/7, and for those of you who know of the steak and shrimp (not on the menu) special.... YES WE DID!!!  It is not on the menu but you can order Mr. Lucky's special which is steak, large grilled shrimp, potato, & salad all for $7.77! 

There is a bit of a back story (don't I usually have a back story?) that goes with this layout.  The one show my dh wanted to see that we did not have prepurchased ticket for was Carlos Santana, who was performing while we were there.  The only night we had open (due to prior planning while at home) was Thursday. Thursday was Santana's off night.  We were sad but we went to the House of Blues and viewed a nice acoustic show over dinner.  And who walked in during our dinner?  Carlos Santana!  Seriously.

At lunch the next day at Mr. Lucky's dh and I were telling MFK and her dh about seeing Santana.  They were surprised and a bit green.  Until... WHO should walk by the table because he too was enjoying lunch at Mr. Lucky's??? Carlos!  (I figure after two near meetings we are on first name basis now).  We were all too stunned to grab the cameras.  We did, however, get his little post card sized show poster (thanks to Kathy).

For the right page, I enlarged the Beethoven guitar to an 8 x 10 inch photo and used it as a background image. I cut out a 4 x 6 inch photo of the "God gave rock & roll to us" guitar and used it between the photos on the left page.  I used a lot of gold metallic cardstock as background elements and as matting (forgive the glare).  I used Plantin Schoolbook and tried to create the Hard Rock Cafe title for my left page.

Between the metallic paper and the glossy photos these two pages had serious glare-factors while photographing.  The pages look really nice in real life.