Valentine Toppers!

Hello everyone!

I asked to make the Valentine goodie bags for my nephews preschool class.  Since he has a small class of only 5 kids plus himself I knew it was manageable.  I used to make them for my students with a class of 20+ and missed doing it.  Since his class is so small I decided to have fun with them and make every one different.  He LOVES animals and so I made that his theme. I then found and came up with animal puns to go on each bag.

Bee mine

You’re beary special!

You’re un-frog-ettable!

Whale you be my valentine?

Have tons of fun on Valentine’s Day!

Somebody wuffes you!

This may sound cheesy, but I like you.

You’re a purr-fect Friend!

Hope you all have a great Valentine's Day!!!   :-)

Cricut Weekly Contest Submission

Hello!  I have not been able to post for a bit but I have been busy and there has been some creating.  Tonight I completed a scrapbook page for the Circle weekly challenge.

Here is the contest description from the website:
Weekly Challenge #16: Cute As a Button Sketch Challenge!
Babies are definitely “cute as a button” with their sweet little faces and tiny features. In honor of our Baby Theme, this week we challenge you to create a SCRAPBOOK PAGE or CARD using the sketch below. Your project doesn’t need to follow the sketch exactly, but it should be apparent that you used it as inspiration. Feel free to turn it on it’s side or move elements to fit what you are doing. In addition to using the sketch, we also want you to incorporate STAMPING and BUTTONS (of course!).
Project must be newly created for this challenge and must include at least 2 different cuts from any Cricut cartridge to qualify.

Now, with my nephew being born last month this was the perfect contest.  I got to test myself to follow a sketch while getting a layout complete for my scrapbook.  I will also be eventually making a coordinating layout this weekend that will have his middle name.  Then, I just need to come up with some cute pictures that will be perfect to add.

The cartridges I used were Classic Cricut Font and Sugar and Spice.  I also used a CTMH stamp set for the bumble bee and Copic markers.  I truly love the sweetness of this layout and can't wait to add some pics.  I am thinking that some black and white pics of Andrew will add a priceless touch.  Can't wait to get it into my album!

My Pink Stamper Design Team Submission

Hi!
So, I have always thought it sounded fun to try for a design team.  So many people I know in the virtual world have been on design teams and I never really tried.  I was in some ways just too nervous to try for it and would talk myself out of it.  So it is with excitement that I at least take the first step by entering my work.  Since I now have a Blog I am actually able to enter.

I have followed Robyn "My Pink Stampers" blog for the last few years.  Her work is awesome and her blog is always so fun.  So she is now looking for 2 new design team members and they just have to make a project using pink, brown and green.  I decided to make a pop up card and then also made a purse to go with it that can hold a gift of a gift card for someone.

 So, I first used my Gypsy to get all of the layers laid out onto my mat.  I did each piece separate and then laid it out where all of the shapes of each color were laid out in strips next to one another.

I then cut out strips of paper and laid them out on the mat so that I could cut out all of the pieces at once.

 Then I connected my Gypsy to my Cricut and loaded the stripped mat.

 After all of the pieces are cut then remove the mat.  If a piece was not cut out correctly then you can add another strip in that place and pull off all the other strips on the Gypsy mat as well as the Cricut mat.

 Here you can see all of the cut out pieces laying out on the table before assembly.

 Next, I assembled all of the pieces and popped the different colors on the flowed in order to add some dimension.

 I added pop up tape on the back of the woman in order to pop that from the card.

 Now, I cut out a large purse to cut out to go with the card.  This is intended to hold a gift card to go along with the card.  After cutting it out with my Cricut I used my Ultimate Crafter's Companion to score the lines of the purse.

 I then used my Cuttlebug and the Floral Fantasy embossing folder.  I positioned it so that the entire front of the purse is embossed.

 I then used some dark pink Colored Coordinations paper to add to the sides of the purse.

 I then used CTMH Hollyhock ink to ink up the raised part of the embossed purse.

 Finally, glue together all of the flaps to assemble the purse and add the popped flower to the front flap.

 Next, it's time to assemble the card.  I didn't have the correct color ribbon so I used some white ribbon and colored them with a Dark Suntan Copic marker. I cut out brown and green paper to add as layers to the card.  I did not have a stamp set with a sentiment that I liked so instead I typed it into Microsoft Word and printed it out.

 Once I had all the layers completed and the front of the card embossed and inked I put it all together.  I then also added the ribbon across the top.

 I made this card into a pop up card and to do that I cut white paper the same size and at 4 inches from each end on the top I made a half inch cut.  I then popped that piece up towards the front to add a pop up dimension.  I decided I did not want it just plain white so I found some CTMH patterned paper and added it to cover the white and re cut the paper so that the pink would pop up as well.

I then glued the shopping bags to the front of the flap and also up above, glued to the card.  Before gluing the bags on I added tissue paper to the back in order to make the bags look full.  I then mounted the sentiment as well, inside the card.

 Here you can see the card with the gift purse.

Thanks so much for looking!  You will find the recipe below:

Cricut Expression

Gypsy

Cuttlebug

Forever Young Cartridge

Floral Fantasy Embossing Folder

Baby Pink and Blush CTMH Paper

CTMH patterned paper

Neutral Paper Company Paper

Color Coordinations glitter pink and dark pink paper

Color Coordinations Brown and Green paper

Hollyhock CTMH ink

Copic Dark Suntan Marker

Foam tape

ATG Tape

Wine Charms using Shrinky Dinks

Hello!
Sorry, it has been a few days since I posted.  I have been busy creating even if not sharing it on here.  So today and maybe tomorrow you will see a few different projects that I have been working on.
The first project I am sharing is a set of wine charms that I made for my brother's sister in law.  I used my Cricut and my Gypsy to create this.  I do not know where my deep cut blade is so I just used the multi cut feature to cut it 3 times in order to go all the way thru.
I used forever young to make the high heel, nail polish, purse and lip stick.

Here is my mat after cutting.  I used a brown cricut marker first to draw the shapes and then cut it.

After taking the Shrinky Dinks off the mat I sanded the back of them and then colored them with my Copic markers.  I find that sanding them helps the ink stick to the plastic.  Since I just started using Copics for this I am not sure how long term they will stay colored.  If you have colored Sharpies or colored pencils those may last longer.  Then after coloring them be sure to hole punch them so that you have a hole for the jump ring.  But, be sure that you don't punch really close to the edge or it may break when heating it.

Next I used my embossing tool to heat and melt the Shrinky Dinks.  This can also be done in the oven or I have even seen mentioned in message boards that some use Crock Pots and Easy Bake Ovens.  Then when they are shrunk down I used earring hoops and put two beads on the earring hoops and the Shrinky Dinks were placed onto jump rings and then onto the ear wire.

Now we are done and have adorable wine charms.  You will notice that I have one on there that you did not see.  I made the girl shopping by using a Close to my Heart stamp with Staz on Ink and then colored it same as below.  But, be SURE to stamp and color on opposite sides if you use Staz On and Copics.  Copics cannot touch Staz On ink or it will destroy the tip.
Happy Crafting!

Wedding Album Beginnings

Good evening everyone!
I hope you are all enjoying the final moments of 2010.  I have started working on yet another album.  This album is being created for my brother and sister and law.  They were married back in October and I am going to be creating their album. 
So tonight I started working on it and made the cover page.  The heading is a chipboard title topper and I decided to create a date to go along.  I used my Gypsy and used Gypsy Font for the capital O and then welded together Opposites Attract for the rest of the word October.  The word was very long and so I also used my Gypsy to crunch it together.  I cut the date out from thin chipboard and then covered it with black Martha Stewart glitter.  The frame of the photo was created with my Gypsy as well welding together two scalloped squares.  I then added an inch onto both the length and width for the second border.
This layout was on the simple side but it did reintroduce my Gypsy and I.
Scrappy Hugs!

New Weekly Contest Entry

Hello Everyone!
So, I decided to give another contest a try today.  For the Cricut Circle Weekly contest we had to create a card using a piece of artwork as inspiration.  I looked at this artwork with cabins along the river and I saw what seemed to be stitching and then thought of quilts.
The first thing I did was cut 1" squares using George Basic Shapes.  I then glued these all down in a quilt like pattern.  I didn't want to have the grass be in a zig zag so I cut some green squares in half so that it would be straight across.  I then used a Copic Multiliner and a ruler to add little dashes where each piece met to give it the stitched look.  I then used My Community to cut out the brick house at 4 inches and the pine tree at 2.5 inches.  When I cut the brick house I traced each cut with the multiliner in order to help it pop more.  I popped the brick house from the card in order to add some dimension.  The pine tree was attached to the card and I added dashed lines in order to give the look that it was sewn on.  I then used Create a Critter to cut out the cloud for the card.  I glued that piece right to the card and again "stitched" around the image.  I then looked at the card and it needed a sentiment.  I used a CTMH "Hello" stamp and Cranberry ink to add the sentiment.
Thanks for looking and I hope my inspiration challenge may have inspired you.
Happy Crafting!

Cricut Circle Magazine Contest

Welcome back!  So, now that I have my Blog I want to do more contests and push myself even farther.  So, on Cricut Circle their monthly contest is to fix-up and alter something that you find at a second hand store.  So, this morning after bringing family to the airport I went to Good Will.  I saw some possibilities there but nothing that really jumped out as something that I had to have.  I had an idea but decided to try the Humane Society Thrift Shop down the street first and if I didn't find something, I would come back.  When I was at the Humane Society I again didn't see anything and was about to give up on the search.  Then I looked down on the floor and saw this cork board, mail sorter sitting on the ground and decided to give it a try.





So, right when I saw this I decided to do it in a Disney theme.  Our entire living room has Disney items throughout and it would be nice to have something for bills and keys.  Once I got home I went through the Disney fabric and found a fun bright Mickey Mouse fabric and decided to use those bright colors throughout the piece.

To alter this piece I covered a piece of cardstock with the fabric and then attached it on top of the cork board.  I then pulled off the clip on the board in order to cover the entire wood behind.  After attaching the paper I then put back on the clip.  Then I decided to take some white card stock and cut it up to make a note pad in which I stamped Mickey on each piece and then colored it with my Copics.  Then I continued to cover the wood with the bright blue and green papers and grabbed a set of post it notes and stamped a Mickey glove on each piece and then attached the pad to the board.  I then also added cup hooks to the bottom to hang keys from it as well.

Now, time for the Cricut!  I used my Mickey and friends cartridge to cut Mickey and Minnie at 4 inches and the Mickey star at 2.25 inches and I then adhered those items to the board.  Then, I needed some more cuts in order to meet the Cricut criteria of 4 cuts.  But, I did not want to overdo the board.  So, I decided to use my Cri-kits pens to draw some Mickey icons.  I then also cut out chip board icons to put behind it for extra support.  I adhered the card stock to the chip board and colored the card stock with my Copics.  Then I adhered those three icon Cricut cuts to thumb tacks for the cork board.








I really loved doing this project and hope you enjoyed it too!  It was a great way to do something I may not usually do and I loved the results.  Thanks for visiting my Blog!