Fishing for Scraps

Happy Birthday Dad!

2011-12-19T09:00:00.000-06:00

Today, December 19th, is my dad's birthday! It was my turn to pick the challenge at BBTB2 this week, so of course I wanted to do something special for my dad's big day. I chose the candle from the Wrap it Up cartridge. Please go check out all the fabulous creations that my DT sisters have created, and post a link to your new project featuring this cut, or any other candle, and join me in wishing my dad a very special happy birthday!

Papers - My Mind's Eye
Candle - Wrap it Up (4.25")
Fancy scroll work - Storybook (3")

2011-11-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

Melissa chose the challenge for BBTB2 this week, and she picked the mouse. My little guy is in the giving mood, handing up his gift for you. Come join us for the challenge this week, there are mice on a lot of different cartridges you can use!

Mouse and sentiment - Winter Frolic cart
PP - BG cupcake

Woo Hoo, Witchy Woman...

2011-10-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

...See how high she flies.

Susan chose the witch from Happy Hauntings for this weeks challenge at BBTB2.
I love all things Halloween, so I really enjoyed this weeks cut.
Now normally, I'm an angel (cough cough), but I broke out my alter ego for this project :-)
Come join us this week with your witchy creation!

PP - BG Eerie, and BG Crude
Letters - My Little Shoebox
Charm - Frost Creek
Witch cut at 2.75"

What hill? I don't remember any hill.

2011-10-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

Agnes chose the cut at BBTB2 this week and she chose the vulture from Life's a Party.

I will be perfectly honest here and tell you, I will be the big 40 this year, so that was my inspiration for my party set.

I started with the tombstone, which I cut at 11”, and then decided to perch the vulture on top (cut at 5”). The skulls around the bottom of the tombstone weren’t part of that cut. They actually are in the section with the pirate party cuts, but that’s another great thing about this cartridge, you can mix and match different embellishments. The wording was cut from Plantin Schoolbook, set at ¾”.

The next thing I made was the invitation. I cut it at 5.5”. The brackets are actually from the “RIP” cupcake topper, but I thought they looked great on here also.

And what’s an over the hill party without a couple of jabs at the birthday girl/guy? The glasses were cut at 4” and the favor/gift box was cut at 10 ¾”.

See Spot....Disappear

2011-10-03T18:41:00.003-05:00

There was a stain on my son's carpet for over a year now. I have no idea what the stain was, but commercial carpet cleaners would not take it off. I made my own cleaner today, out of sheer desperation, to get this stain off. Well guess what. It worked. I'm amazed how something so simple could work so well.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Cleaner:
Take one tablespoon of Dawn dishwashing detergent (the original blue kind), and one tablespoon of white vinegar and mix into two cups of warm water. Apply this mixture to your stain using a damp washcloth. Rub until stain is gone. Rinse out your washcloth and dab area on carpet until it doesn't feel like there's any soap left. Take a paper towel and blot the spot to remove any excess moisture. Stand back and marvel at your clean carpet. :-)

How Corny!

2011-09-12T10:00:00.000-05:00

That's me, corny. Especially with my blog post titles ;-)
Jeri picked the challenge at BBTB2 this week, and she picked any 3-D box from Tags, Bags, and Boxes. I used the cake slice box, but since the cooler weather has me in a fall frame of mind, I turned it into a giant candy corn. Come join the challenge this week, we love seeing your work.

Play Ball!

2011-08-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

It was my turn to choose the cut at BBTB2 this week, and I chose the baseball from Life's A Party because I had my son's team pictures to scrapbook.
Come join the challenge this week. If you don't have this cartridge, you can use any baseball from any cartridge. You could win a blinkie for your own blog!

Cartridge - Life's a Party
Paper - Echo Park "Little Boy"
Stars - Pressed Petals Chip Chatter

Where's My Cape?

2011-08-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

When I found out my assignment was to use the Superman cartridge, I honestly thought I would have a tough time coming up with a layout to use it on. But, when it arrived and I looked though the handbook, I realized there’s so much more to it than just the man of steel. When I saw the Supergirl cut, my wheels started turning. What mom out there ISN’T a supermom? We all need our own cape!

Sweetie Pie!

2011-08-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

Krista chose the cut for BBTB2 this week, and she chose the pie from Paper Doll Dress Up. I modified the cut a little by making the top crust a lattice, and adding cherries that I made using a circle punch. Come join us this week and post your own pie project. We love it when you play along!

Cricut cart - Paper Doll Dress Up
Font - Minya Nouvelle 16
Flowers - Prima
Pearls - Queen and Co.

Three Dimensional Christmas ornaments, and a little tip.

2011-08-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

When I saw the lacy cuts on the Trim the Tree cartridge, I knew I wanted to create something elegant with them. To make each ornament, I cut the background four times, and the lacy portion 4 times. I adhered each lacy part to each background part. That gave me 4 complete cuts. I took each cut and folded it down the middle. I then took all four folded cuts and glued them together back to back, with a ribbon loop glued into the middle. I dry brushed the stickles over the ornaments for added sparkle and shine.

I just love the versatility of Stickles. Depending on how you use them, you can get glittery dimension, or you can get an all over soft sparkle.

For dimension, just apply the Stickles straight out of the bottle, like this:

For an all over soft sparkle, pour a bit of Stickles out of the bottle, then dry brush the Stickles over your project:

Now you have two totally different looks, using only one product:

Betty Lou Layout

2011-07-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

I love all things 50’s so this cartridge was a must-have for me! There are so many iconic images on this cart, I had trouble picking which ones I wanted to use, but when I decided to scrap a picture of my 57 Chevy, there was the perfect cut in the manual. This cartridge also has an awesome 50’s style font. That alone makes this cartridge worth having, the tons of other cuts are just an added bonus!

I started my layout by cutting two rectangles of the patterned paper and positioning them on my white background. Then I added the die cuts and title. I added the jewels in the corners because I just have to have some bling on almost every project. Lastly, I added the three stripes in the bottom corner because they somehow remind me of a car. (I don’t know how, but they do!)

A Sweet Card

2011-07-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

This week's cut for BBTB2 was chosen by Maria. She chose the ice cream cone from Sweet Treats. Once again, I had to improvise because I don't have that particular cartridge. I used the ice cream cone from A Child's Year. Please come show us your new creations with this cut and you can win the BBTB2 Project of the Week blinkie for your blog!

Cricut cart - A Child's Year cut at 5"
Embossing folders:
Cuttlebug Divine Swirls and Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
Jewels - Doodlebug Limeade

Kid's Birthday Cards

2011-07-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Since my assignment was to make birthday cards for children, I knew I wanted to make them bright, cheery, and fun. I chose the dog and cat from the Create-A-Critter cartridge because they are so cute. I also used the dog dish and cupcake from the same cartridge so this little doggie would have a birthday treat. Since these were meant for kids, I didn’t want to make them too fussy. I stuck with simple shapes and bright colors, because that seems to appeal to children. (All cuts on both cards came from Create-A-Critter)

Mrs. Pinsonat's Penguins

2011-07-18T10:00:00.002-05:00

Actually, it's just one penguin! Melissa chose the challenge over at BBTB2 this week, and she chose the penguin from Jolly Holidays. I don't have that cartridge, but there was a cute little penguin on Create-A-Critter. My little guy is Just Chillin' by his igloo. Come join the challenge this week, we love to see everyone's work!

Cricut cartridge - Create-A-Critter
Cut sizes:
Penguin and words - 1.75"
Igloo - 2.25"
Patterned paper - BG Dasher
Snowflake - Making Memories

Children's Invitations

2011-07-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

I used the Old West cartridge for all of my cuts on both invitations. I love the great cuts on this cartridge and I knew they would make perfect kid’s invitations. On the Wanted invitation, I used the great cuts and fonts to make a “Wanted” poster for a western themed birthday party. I carried on that theme with the farm party invitation by using the great barn cut. When I saw those barn doors, I decided to make them actually open and find the wording inside the barn.

Winter Cards

2011-07-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

For my winter themed cards, I used only cuts from the Joys of the Season cartridge. When I saw the snow globe cut, I knew I wanted to use it. Then I thought, what goes better in a snow globe than a snow man? This cute little guy also needed some snow falling around him, but I wanted some sparkle too so I used jewels as the snowflakes. For the joy card, I chose the elegant snowflake cut because I thought it went so well with the basic grey papers I wanted to use. I added some sparkle to the snowflake by brushing stickles over it.

Winter Wonderland Layout

2011-06-29T08:00:00.001-05:00

For my assignment, I got to play with the Winter Frolic cartridge. This cart is jam packed with fun Christmas and winter themed cuts. When I saw the little boy cuts on this cartridge, they reminded me of my little boy, and I had just the pictures to go with them. I started my page by cutting the brown patterned paper to look like the ground, and placed it at the bottom of my page. Then using glue and the white flocking, I created “faux snow” along the edge of the ground. I cut the snowman at 3.25” and also covered him with the flocking. The sleigh boy was cut at 3.75”, and the snowball boy was cut at 4.75”. I cut the snowflake at 3.5” and added some sparkle with the glitter. The title was cut at 2” and raised with foam squares for dimension. I thought the mitten border was just precious, and I cut it at 1.25”. Whether you are scrapping Christmas photos or wintertime photos, this cartridge is a must have!

Creating a custom background

2011-06-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

For this project, my assignment was to use the Wall Decor cartridge and Design Studio to create a background for a layout. This is actually much easier than it sounds. First, decide which image you want to use and what size you want it. Open it in Design Studio, and place as many as you want to use onto your virtual mat. Next, use the nudge feature to position all of your images so that they are touching one another. Make sure you check the "welding" box for each image, then simply cut it out.

I chose the butterfly image, set at 1.5 inches. I layered this over the mustard colored paper, which was over another sheet of black cardstock. Then I matted my photos, positioned them on the page, and added the flowers. The title was cut from the Home Decor cartridge set at 2 1/8". The orange scalloped border was made using the Accent Essentials cartridge set at 1", and then manipulated and welded together using Design Studio.

Sunny Days

2011-06-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Susan chose the cut for the weekly challenge at BBTB2, and she chose to use the "Sunny Days" cut. I used the one off of the Create-A-Critter cartridge for my card, which was made entirely of scraps. I'm bad about saving little pieces of paper, and never using them. I have quite a collection now, so I definitely need to thin the herd.
Come join us at BBTB2 this week. If you don't have a cartridge with this phrase on it, you can always make your own!

My first fabric project using the Cricut

2011-06-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

I had the chance to work with the Fall Seasonal cartridge and my assignment was to make a tote bag. I was instantly drawn to the flamingo cut. I started by ironing Heat and Bond to the back of my fabric pieces. Next, I cut the white polka dots using the Accent Essentials cartridge set at 2", and cut the flamingo from the Fall Seasonal cartridge set at 11 1/2". Then I ironed them onto my tote bag. I added some pom pom trim around the top, and a pretty pink feather as his wing. It is so easy to make your own personalized tote bags with the cricut.

I have to admit, I was a little hesitant about cutting fabric in my cricut machine. I actually found out, it's quite easy! Just make sure you back your fabric with heat and bond to make it sturdier. Use a fresh blade and a fresh mat. I set my blade depth at 6, my pressure at 3, and my speed at 3. Also, use the multi cut feature set at 2, to make sure the cut goes completely through the fabric and the heat and bond. That's it! Easy enough, so don't be afraid to try it.

Over the Hill Party set

2011-05-31T12:25:00.008-05:00

I had no idea how many fun cuts were on the Life’s a Party cartridge until I started flipping through the book. This cartridge is awesome for just about any kind of party! There are so many cool projects you can create with it.

I will be perfectly honest here and tell you, I will be the big 40 this year, so that was my inspiration for my party set.

The next thing I made was the invitation. I cut it at 5.5”. The brackets are actually from the “RIP” cupcake topper, but I thought they looked great on here also.

And what’s an over the hill party without a couple of jabs at the birthday girl/guy? The glasses were cut at 4” and the favor/gift box was cut at 10 ¾”.

When creating my tombstone centerpiece for my over the hill party set, the vulture gave me a bit of a problem. After I perched him on top, he started to droop forward. I came up with an easy fix for this. I simply cut two strips of cardstock, glued them together for strength, and adhered them to the back of my vulture and tombstone to act as a brace. No more drooping!

Flying High

2011-05-23T10:00:00.003-05:00

Donna chose the flying bird from Florals Embellished for the challenge at BBTB2 this week. I made something a little different than my usual card this week. It's still a card, but it comes in it's own coordinating gift box. It would be a great "dressed up" way to give a gift card. Come join us for the challenge at BBTB2 this week!

How to make a shaped card with your Cricut

2011-05-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Making a shaped card is so easy with your cricut and design studio.

First, decide which shape you want to use. I chose the pear from "Joys of the Season". Next, place your pear on your virtual mat in design studio and check the welding box.

Now place a second pear to the left of the first one on your mat:

Third, check the Flip Shapes box for your second pear:

Now drag the second pear so that it overlaps with the first pear:

Check the Welding box for you second pear:

Now cut out your welded card and this is what you get:

Score along the welded spot and fold over:

Now you can make your own shaped cards with pretty much any shape you want!

Farm Fun layout, and a little tip

2011-05-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

My assignment for CX was to use the Create a Critter cartridge. I was so excited to use this cartridge because it is FILLED with the most adorable critters of all types. I had these pictures of my son at the Old Farmer's Days festival, so they were just perfect for this assignment. I started my layout by cutting the animal print paper into a scalloped circle using the Accent Essentials cartridge set at 11.25". I cut the striped paper and adhered it to the right hand page, then adhered the scalloped circle on the left side. I placed my photos over that, then created my title using the Old West cartridge set at 2.5". Then came the fun part, the critters! Both the sheep and the chick were cut at 3". These were arranged over the silk flowers for contrast. The journaling tag and chunky brads were the finishing touches.

Many of your great Cricut cuts can be "lost" on your page if you are mounting them over patterned paper, or even a similar colored cardstock. A great way to make your cuts stand out is to mount them over a silk flower before mounting them to your page. It gives it great contrast and allows the eye to focus better on the cut.

Berry Sweet

2011-05-09T10:00:00.003-05:00

The challenge at BBTB2 this week was chosen by Jeri. She chose the strawberry from Simply Charmed. The closest thing I had was this strawberry from Country Life. I really like how this card turned out. Thanks Jeri for the great challenge!

Cowboy Up! (and a tutorial)

2011-05-04T11:28:00.004-05:00

I had the cutest picture of my youngest son dressed up as a cowboy for Halloween, so the Old West cartridge was the perfect thing for this page. This cartridge is absolutely filled with great western cuts. I started my layout by using the cartridge set at 1” to cut a stencil to be used with the glimmer mist along the bottom of the page. Then I layered my pieces of patterned paper and adhered my photo and ribbon. I cut the rope at 2 ¾”, the title at 3”, the hat at 1 ¾”, and the badge at 2”. Then I gave them a spray with the glimmer mist to give them a more aged appearance. I finished dressing my page with the epoxy brads.

We all know what great embellishments you can cut with your cricut, but you can also use that negative space to create stencils for glimmer mist, paint, chalk, etc.

I used the star cut from the Old West cartridge and cut a row of stars on my cardstock. Then I placed this stencil over my background paper, covered the rest of my background paper with another piece of cardstock, then sprayed my glimmer mist over the stencil.

What you end up with, is a perfect line of glimmer mist stars on your page.

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

2011-04-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

I've had that song running through my head ever since I started working on this card.
I guess I brought it upon myself though, because this week was my turn to pick the cut at BBTB2.
I chose the pineapple from the Wall Decor cartridge. Come join us for the challenge this week and you can win the BBTB2 blinkie for your blog.

PP - BG Origins
Border punch - Fiskars
Embossing folders - Cuttlebug

An Eggstra special challenge

2011-04-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

This week was Krista's turn to pick the challenge at BBTB2, and she picked the egg from the Easter Solution cartridge. That's a cartridge I don't have, so I used the egg from A Child's Year instead.
Come join is this week. You can use any egg from any cartridge.

PP - BG Marrakech
Pearls - Queen and Co.
Stick Pin - Making Memories

A new layout, and a couple of "Oops!"

2011-04-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

Oops moment number one: I totally forgot to do my blog post last week. No clue how I forgot that!
Oops moment number two: I also forgot to draw a winner from my blog hop post over a month ago! So sorry about that! Sooo, without any FURTHER ado, the winner I drew was Jamie. Jamie, please send me your address and I will get your BG paper pack right out to you!

Now, on with current events :-)
Lori chose the Mother's Day 2010 cartridge for the challenge at BBTB2 this week. This cartridge has so many elegant cuts on it, but since I recently had the opportunity to get a picture with my mom, I chose the "mom" cut. Come join us for the challenge this week, we love to see everybody's creations!

PP - BG Lemonade

Why did the chicken cross the road?

2011-03-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

To show the possum it could be done.
If you're not from Louisiana, you probably don't get that.

But, in keeping with the chicken theme, I bring you this weeks take on the BBTB2 challenge. We were to use the chicken from the Easter 2010 cart. Once again, I had to improvise. I found this chicken on the Just Because Cards cart that was pretty darn close.
Come join us at BBTB2 for this weeks challenge!
And feel free to share your chicken jokes with me. :-)

Birds of a Feather - And a Blog Hop!

2011-02-28T09:00:00.004-06:00

Carole chose the bird cage from "Straight from the Nest" for the challenge at BBTB2 this week. I just love this cut and the design for this page just fell into place with it. The picture is me and my neice. She reminds me so much of myself when I was her age.

Come join us for the challenge this week and you could win the blinkie for your blog.

pp - BG Sultry

Title and birdcage - Straight from the Nest Cricut cartridge
Bling swirl - Prima

I'm doing a give away this week for the blog hop, so if you leave me a comment on this post AND become a follower of my blog, you're name will go in the drawing. What's the prize? A full collection pack of Basic Grey Curio!

If you're following the BBTB2 blog hop, it's time for you to hop on over to Maria's blog for her fabulous take on this challenge!

What a Catch

2011-02-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

Shelly chose the fishing boy from the "A Child's Year" cartridge as the challenge at BBTB2 this week. This cartridge is filled with tons of great silhouettes, which seem to be the "thing" right now. This cut went perfectly with this picture of the catch of the day. Poor little fish couldn't even fit the entire cricket in his mouth.

PP - BG Lime Rickey, and BG Origins
Title - Cricut Birthday Bash cartridge

Come join us this week for the challenge. If you don't have this cartridge, you can use any fish from any cartridge.

A "Lovely" challenge

2011-02-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

Susan chose the challenge at BBTB2 this week, and she chose to use a lacy heart and a heart border. I cut my lacy heart and used it as a mask with my glimmer mist. I have several bottles of the stuff and almost never use it, so I decided to give it another try. I've found the more I use it, the better I like it.
I dug deep into my stash to create this page. The number tiles, playing cards, brads, butterfly, and love letters are at least 9 years old. And lookie there, that is mulberry paper! I need to stop being such a scrapbooking hoarder and actually use up my huge stash of goodies. I challenge you to do the same!

A Vintage Valentine

2011-01-31T09:00:00.000-06:00

The challenge at BBTB2 this week was chosen by Maria. She chose the hearts from Love Struck, but I don't have that cartridge so I used the heart from Storybook. I haven't done a vintage project in a while, so I decided it was time. Come join us for the challenge this week. You could win a blinkie for your blog.

Heart and doily - Storybook
papers - BG Blush
Gold cardstock - American Crafts
Glitter - Stickles
Velvet ribbon - Making Memories
Key - Once Upon a Scribble

Flutter By, Butterfly

2011-01-24T09:00:00.001-06:00

Lori chose the butterfly from Once Upon A Princess for the challenge at BBTB2 this week. I don't have that cartridge, so I used the butterfly from Wall Decor and More. I decided to take a minimalist approach with my card, and I really like how it came out. Come join us for the challenge this week. There are plenty of cartridges with butterflies that you can use.

Butterflies - Wall Decor and More
Pearls - Queen and Co.
Embossing folder - Cuttlebug Swiss Dots

An interesting challenge!

2011-01-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

My DT sister, Krista, picked the challenge at BBTB2 this week. She chose the armadillo or the bird from the Birthday Bash cartridge. I went with the armadillo because it's not that often you use an armadillo in scrapbooking! Isn't she a charmer?

Trash to treasure

2011-01-15T12:28:00.002-06:00

I have been hanging on to this candy tin since February of 2008, thinking one day I would do something with it.

Well, Imaginisce is having a challenge this month to give an old item new life. I used the Sweet Cheri line to jazz up this little box. I think I'm going to use it this Valentine's Day and fill it with a "little sugar" for someone special.

Think Spring!

2011-01-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

After a two week break, the designers at BBTB2 are back with a new challenge for you. This week was my week to host, so I chose the hummingbird from Lyrical Letters. I love seeing the hummingbirds return to our feeders in the spring. Come join us for the challenge and show us what you create!

Season's Greetings!

2010-12-13T10:00:00.000-06:00

The DT at BBTB2 used the wreath cut from Joys of the Season this week. I decided to go very traditional with my card. Come join us for the weekly challenge, you can use any wreath from any cartridge.

Gold cardstock - American Crafts
Ribbon and Jewels - Doodlebug

Our Teacher Gifts

2010-12-12T14:53:00.005-06:00

I decided to make all three teacher gifts this year, since I had a little extra time. I bought bead boxes and filled the compartments with teacher necessities. (and yes, chocolate is a necessity).
Then I decorated the tops with the teacher's name. Now I just need to get them wrapped so I don't hear that chocolate calling my name.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2010-12-06T09:00:00.001-06:00

The DT at BBTB2 used the Santa cut from Winter Frolic this week. Here he is with five of his reindeer!
Come join the challenge this week. You can use any Santa from any cartridge. We love to see your creations.

PP - Basic Grey Fruitcake
Santa - Winter Frolic
Trim - Basic Grey Ribbon Doilies
Reindeer - Jesse James Buttons, Circa 2001 (dug in my stash for those!)

Hello Kitty Christmas

2010-11-22T09:00:00.003-06:00

The DT over at BBTB2 used the Santa Hello Kitty from the Hello Kitty Greetings cartridge. Once again, I improvised. I used the Hello Kitty from the Hello Kitty Font cartridge, and added a santa hat from Paper Doll Dress Up.

Hello Kitty Font
Paper Doll Dress Up
PP - Pebbles Inc
Stick Pin - Making Memories
Stickles by Ranger

"Thanks" challenge at BBTB2

2010-11-15T10:00:00.001-06:00

We were to use the Thanks cut from the new Thanksgiving cartridge this week at BBTB2. I don't have that cart, so I used the Thanks cut from Cindy Loo. When I saw this cut, I also spotted this great bird and tree cut on the same page of the handbook. I just couldn't pass it up!

pp - Basic Grey Indian Summer
CS - Bazzill
Thanks and background cut - Cindy Loo
Pink Bracket shape - Storybook
Jewels - Doodlebug

My new Etsy store

2010-11-11T17:28:00.003-06:00

I finally have my new Etsy store up and running. If you have ever seen a card on my blog that you thought you would like to have, go check out my shop. It's probably in there!

A Doggone birthday card

2010-11-08T10:00:00.001-06:00

The challenge at BBTB2 this week was to use the dalmation from the Create-A-Critter cartridge. I decided to make a birthday card with him. Go check out the BBTB2 blog to see all the cute and creative ways the design team used this cut.

Dog and Greeting - Create a Critter
Scalloped circle - Storybook
Circle - Accent Essentials
Banner - Bazzill Just the Edge

The Halloween spirit is alive and well in my house.

2010-10-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

As I've said before, I just love Halloween. And I love decorating for Halloween. Our challenge at BBTB2 this week was to use the banner from the Country Life cartridge. I thought it would make the perfect finishing touch to my spooky mantle decorations.

Banner - Country Life cart
Letters - Happy Hauntings cart
Spiders - Lyrical Letters cart
Spider web embossing folder - Cuttlebug
Glitter - Doodlebug

I also made these fun picture frames to add to the decor:

All cuts are from the Happy Hauntings cart

Enter....if you dare.

2010-10-11T10:00:00.002-05:00

This week at BBTB2, Susan picked the haunted house from the Happy Hauntings cartridge. This was a project and a half for me. I don't do well with tedious tasks, so it actually took me over 4 hours to make my haunted house. I do love how it turned out though. One word of advice if you are going to make your own house, glue the window panes in first. The book shows you gluing them in after you fold your pieces into the shapes. That would just be a hassle. Glue them in before you fold your shapes and the process will go much smoother.

I should be ashamed.

2010-10-04T10:00:00.002-05:00

The challenge this week at BBTB2 was to use the pointed hand from Graphically Speaking. When I first saw this cut, I thought to myself now what am I ever going to do with this? Then it popped in my head, and I decided to just go with it. I have no idea what you would ever use this card for, but it made me laugh, and my second grader thinks it's the best thing I've ever made. :-)

Hand cut - Graphically Speaking
Patterned papers - Scenic Route Cape Town
Sticker letters - Making Memories
Sticker Label - Jenni Bowlin

Layout share

2010-09-29T13:18:00.008-05:00

One of the things I dread about Christmas is decorating the tree, but I just love how it looks after I'm done. I had these pictures of our tree from last year, and decided I need to scrapbook them so I can look back later and see how our tree looked.

Die Cuts - Winter Frolic Cricut cartridge
Patterned paper - Kaiser Countdown
Embossing folders - Cuttlebug

Boo!

2010-09-20T10:00:00.004-05:00

I'm definitely getting into the Halloween mood! It's my favorite time of year and my favorite holiday, so when I got the Happy Hauntings cartridge, I couldn't wait to start playing. The design team at BBTB2 was challenged to use the candle from the October 31st cartridge. I don't have that cart, so I used the creepy candle from the Happy Hauntings cartridge.

I also have a fondness for vintage images. I have a great collection of them, but for some reason, I rarely use them. I decided to tap into my collection for this next card. As you can see, I used the same frame as the card above, but it's obviously wider. I used Design Studio to widen it so it would fit around my image.

All cuts - Happy Hauntings cart
Patterned paper - Basic Grey Eerie

Crayon Box Challenge

2010-09-13T10:00:00.001-05:00

Our challenge this week at BBTB2 was to use the crayon box from the Tags, Bags, and Boxes cartridge. I used this cut to create a boxed note card gift set for my son's teacher (whose name starts with V). Now I'm one step ahead of the game when teacher appreciation rolls around. :-)

Paper - Imaginisce To Love and Cherish line
Box - Cricut Tags, Bags, and Boxes
Letter and scalloped circle - Cricut Storybook
Flowers - Making Memories
Bling - Doodlebug

Winner of the blog hop prize

2010-09-10T08:11:00.002-05:00

Thank you to everyone who left comments on my retro card last week! A winner of the blog candy was chosen at random and the winner is Missjoanna! Congrats and I'll get your info to send out your prize. :-)

Let's Party!

2010-09-06T10:00:00.001-05:00

Our challenge this week at BBTB2 was to use a number and any creative feature from the Mini Monograms cartridge. I don't have that cartridge, so I improvised by using a number from the Tear Drop cartridge, and the dotted circle from Accent Essentials to mimic the creative feature from Mini Monograms.

Imaginisce Sketch Challenge

2010-09-01T13:03:00.003-05:00

They posted a great new sketch over at the Imaginisce blog today:

I thought their Shore Thing line would work great for this sketch and my pictures:

Imaginisce Shore Thing
Swim trunks - Cricut Life's a Beach
Splash - Cricut Create a Critter

A 50's inspired funny

2010-08-30T10:00:00.003-05:00

Our challenge at BBTB2 this week was to use the apron from "From My Kitchen". This apron just screamed 50's to me, so this is the direction my (warped) mind went!

apron and drink - From My Kitchen
patterned paper - KI Memories

This is blog hop week at BBTB2. I am offering a little blog candy to a lucky winner that will be chosen at random next week. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and become a follower, if you're not already. Here is the blog candy:

2 packs of Studio G clear stamps
2 packs of Button Sensations
1 package of Imaginisce Sahara Sliders
1 package of Imaginisce Eye of Newt Glitter Brads

If you arrived here from Carol's blog, then you need to hop on over to Susan next. If you came here first, go to BBTB2 and start hopping from the beginning. Happy Hopping!

CreativeXpress DT work

2010-08-27T08:18:00.005-05:00

These projects made it to the CreativeXpress blog, so I can post them here now.

Assignment was to use the Tie the Knot cartridge.

You can see my tutorial for making the roses HERE.

Assignment was to use the Superman cartridge.

Assignment: Mother's Day cartridge

Two new layouts

2010-08-27T08:09:00.007-05:00

I haven't had the opportunity to do a lot of scrapping for myself, with no DT stipulations, so it felt good to just do whatever I wanted on these layouts. :-)

Strawberries are actually the apple from the Locker Talk cartridge that I modified to look more like a strawberry.

Papers and stickers are BG Eerie.

The spider on the lower left is cut from the Lyrical Letters cartridge.

Thanks a Latte!

2010-08-16T10:00:00.001-05:00

We were challenged to use the cup from Joys of the Season this week at BBTB2. I thought this cup was a perfect cut for a shaped card.

Cup - Joys of the Season
patterned paper - BG Sultry

Feeling archaic?

2010-08-02T10:00:00.003-05:00

Our challenge at BBTB2 this week was to use a dinosaur. The idea for this card popped in my head as soon as I saw the cute dinosaur on the Create-a-Critter cartridge.

dino - Create-a-Critter
cake - Just Because Cards
patterned paper - BG Color me Silly
CS - Bazzill

A Treasure of a find!

2010-07-19T10:00:00.002-05:00

Part of our challenge this week at BBTB2 was to use a digi stamp from Shelly's Images. I chose this treasure chest because it's such a fabulously detailed stamp. The other part of our challenge was to use the hinge from Fabulous Finds. I thought the treasure chest would pair great with the hinge cut. The other ladies at BBTB2 have created some amazing projects with the digi stamps. Go check them out and join in our challenge this week!

stamp - Shelly's Images
Hinge - Fabulous finds cricut
boards - Old West cricut
scroll - My World cricut

A little monkey business

2010-07-14T12:39:00.002-05:00

I made this card for a cousin who is having a rough time after surgery. Hope it brightens her day a little!

card base - Just because cards
monkey and vine - Create a Critter

Whooo's ready for another card?

2010-07-12T10:00:00.002-05:00

You know I am! I have the pleasure of hosting the challenge at BBTB2 this week, so I chose the cute little owl from the Storybook cartridge. I just love this little guy because he reminds me of my childhood when my mom collected owls.

Come join us at BBTB2 and enter your owl project for your chance to win the BBTB2 blinkie for your blog!

Freebie Alert!

2010-07-06T09:07:00.002-05:00

How would you like to win a free Cricut Summer Vacation cartridge?

All you have to do is check out the post at BBTB2 and leave your embarrassing story in the comment section. You will be entered into the drawing to win this limited edition cartridge.

Good Luck!

Having a Ruff Day?

2010-07-05T10:00:00.004-05:00

The challenge at BBTB2 this week was to use the dog or cat cut from the Going Places cartridge. I don't have that cart, so I used the dog from Just Because Cards.
I think this little guy could brighten anyone's "Ruff Day"!

Dog - Just Because Cards
House - Create a Critter
Title - Plantain Schoolbook

A Sketch Challenge from Imaginisce

2010-07-02T15:24:00.006-05:00

Imaginisce has a great sketch on their blog this week:

I don't know if it's the bow tie on top or what, but this sketch had a formal feel to me. I chose the To Love and Cherish line for my card because of the elegant black and white color scheme.

Papers and flower petals - Imaginisce To Love and Cherish
Bonjour - Cricut Ashlyn's Alphabet cartridge

"I'm a Genie in a Bottle Baby..."

2010-06-28T10:00:00.001-05:00

"...come, come, come on and let me out."

That song has been playing in my head since I first started thinking about this project. If I had a genie lamp right now, my first wish would be to get that tune out of my brain.

But I digress. Our assignment this week at BBTB2 was to use the Genie Lamp from Paper Doll Dress Up. There are so many cute creations with this cut over on the blog! Go check it out!

It's a Sunshine Day!

2010-06-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

Our challenge at BBTB2 this week was to use a digi stamp from Sweet n' Sassy stamps, and to also use the sun cut from the Doodlecharms cartridge. I saw this mushroom digi stamp and my wheels started turning. Mushroom...70's...funky colors...Brady Bunch...Sun cut....Sunshine Day! So that's where this idea came from, my many years of being a Brady Bunch fan.

And for your viewing pleasure, here is my inspiration:

Groovy ;-)

Ready 2 Rock

2010-05-17T10:05:00.005-05:00

Our challenge at BBTB2 this week was to use the Ready 2 Rock cut from the Hannah Montana cartridge. It seems like a lot of us had the same idea with the guitar! Here's my card:

Check out the BBTB2 blog today to see all of the fabulous creations from the other designers, and check it again on Wednesday for your chance to win a cricut cartridge!

My dirty little secret

2010-05-10T13:56:00.005-05:00

Gotcha thinking?
It's nothing that juicy. I'm supposed to be cleaning my dirty house today, but I'm scrapping instead!
These pictures are from when we stopped at Battleship Park on our way home from Disney last summer.

pp - Doodlebug
Black border - Bazzill just the edge
die cuts - Cricut Stand and Salute
title - Cricut Plantain Schoolbook

This tag is on the BBTB2 blog this week. Our challenge was to use a vintage image from Peggy Loves Vintage, and a tag from the TBBM cartridge.

Two new layouts

2010-05-02T19:02:00.006-05:00

I feel like it's been forever since I created a layout instead of a card, so a couple of NSD challenges were just the bump I needed. I've had these pictures sitting on my scrap desk for QUITE a while. (along with a huge stack of photos).

Hey Batter Batter

PP - MME Penny Lane Free Bird "Content Beads"
CS - Bo Bunny Aquamarine Dot
Title - Cricut Ashlyn's Alphabet
Stars - Cricut Plantain Schoolbook

Tea for Three
PP - MME Penny Lane Feeling Groovy "Pure Posies"
CS - Bazzill Bling
Pearls - Queen & Co.
Scalloped circle - Cricut Storybook
Title - Cricut Calligraphy
Teapot and Cup - Cricut A Child's Year

A couple of new cards

2010-04-30T16:05:00.006-05:00

I made these cards for the weekly post at Bitten by the Bug 2.

The first one had to use the ice cream tab cut off of the "From My Kitchen" cartridge. It actually has no ice cream on it. It is the frame with the three flowers cut on the side.

papers - MME Penny Lane Feeling Groovy

The second one had to use a bee. Mine came from the "Home Decor" cartridge.papers - Basic Grey June Bug

Come join us every week at BBTB2 for a great challenge!

What is the plural of octopus?

2010-04-16T09:20:00.004-05:00

I actually looked this up because I always thought it was octopi. I found out I was wrong. The correct plural is octopodes. Huh. Learn something new every day.
I made this group of octopodes for Cooper's birthday at school. Not only is today his 9th birthday, it's also beach day at school, so I made some beachy cupcakes for him to take to class. These were so simple to make and I think they turned out pretty cute.

Good news!

2010-04-11T08:23:00.002-05:00

I have been selected to be on the Bitten By The Bug 2 Design Team! I just love their site, the challenges are always filled with inspiration, and the creations are always amazing.

I'm so excited to get started, and my first contribution will be on the site next Sunday. :-)

BBB2 Cake challenge

2010-03-28T10:54:00.004-05:00

Bitten by the Bug 2 has a challenge to create a project using a cake cricut cut. I made this card for my sister-in-law's birthday next week.

cake - Tie the Knot cartridge
card - Wild Card cartridge
paper - Basic Grey Sultry
pearls - Queen & Co., Kaiser Craft
flowers - Prima

These are a few of my favorite things...

2010-03-26T13:03:00.006-05:00

...raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.
Well, not really. :-)
But these are a few of my favorite Cricut projects:

all projects were made for CreativeXpress

Imaginisce Sketch Challenge

2010-03-24T13:39:00.005-05:00

Imaginisce has a fabulous sketch challenge on their blog. In my mind, I see this sketch as a card instead of a layout. I don't have a ton of Imaginisce product (hoping to change that soon!), so I mixed and matched different lines for my card.
Paper is A Shore Thing line
Stickers and rub ons are Sweet Cheri line

Grateful

2010-03-24T09:52:00.003-05:00

That's what I am.
Last week, I had the flu. I felt worse than I've felt in probably 30 years. On the positive side, it really reminded me how lucky I am to have such great kids. When I got back from the doctor, Turner asked me if I was OK. And kept asking.
Later that day, Derek and Turner were in the backyard. Cooper came up to me and asked if I wanted him to go outside and play, or if I wanted him to stay inside in case I needed anything. They are such sweethearts. And I am so grateful to have them.
Pagemaps is having a contest on their blog to create a project with the theme "appreciation". When I saw that, I knew exactly what I wanted to scrap about.

Papers, stickers, and flowers - Imaginisce Sweet Cheri collection
Letters - AC Thickers
Sketch - Pagemaps

Stamping...from me?

2010-03-24T09:44:00.004-05:00

Yep! Although, it took a contest to make me do it. Stamping just isn't my thing. I love the way it looks when other people do it, but when I stamp, it never looks right to me. BBB2 is having a contest on their blog to create a spring project that includes stamping and cricut cuts. That was the motivation I needed.

Stamp - Viva Las Vegas
Frame - Cricut Storybook cartridge
Markers - Copic
Paper - Basic Grey Wisteria

BBB2 Challenge

2010-01-22T09:51:00.005-06:00

There was a great challenge over at Bitten by the Bug 2.

The challenge was to make a Valentine's project using a cut from any cricut cartridge, and use the color purple.

I created these flower petals using the heart from the Hannah Montana cartridge:

A new, quick page

2010-01-16T12:31:00.005-06:00

I made this page for a 30 minute challenge at Organized Chaos.
I had to make a page in 30 minutes or less, and use Imaginisce products.
Let me tell you, it certainly doesn't look like much, but I was seriously rushing to complete it in 30 minutes!

I'm channeling Martha Stewart

2009-12-13T15:23:00.004-06:00

I've been busy in the kitchen lately, making goodies to share with friends and neighbors. I've also been busy in my scraproom making decorative labels for my goodies.

I have some homemade coffee mix and banana bread for one of my neighbors. I made the coffee container with the Cricut tags, bags, and boxes cartridge, and the labels are made with the Storybook cartridge.

In just 10 minutes, you can also create some beautiful packaging for your homemade goodies!

New Projects

2009-10-09T11:49:00.004-05:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks around here, but I managed to create a few new things.

yep, that's me, 31 years ago!

these two cards were inspired by my husband ;-)

Three more new projects (and more Halloween, as promised!)

2009-09-14T18:20:00.007-05:00

I decided to use up some scraps and break out my circle punch that has been collecting dust, and this is what I came up with:

And, in my last post, I said there would be more Halloween projects coming soon, so here they are! The first is a layout using pictures from last Halloween (yes, I'm that far behind and then some!). The second is a great little card that I think would be perfect as an invitation for a Halloween party. I used the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, and that magnificent chandelier is from the Cricut Home Decor cartridge.

A layout AND a card!

2009-09-09T13:54:00.005-05:00

I haven't had a lot of time to scrap for myself lately, but I did manage to create a layout and a card over the past week.

The layout was inspired by a sketch at PageMaps. (they always have the best sketches!)

I have been hanging on to that apple cut cardstock for quite a while now, so it felt good to actually use it, instead of just looking at it!

The card is for a halloween challenge on another site. In my feeble attempt to become a more frugal scrapper, I made this card entirely out of scraps.

Halloween is my favorite holiday, so be on the lookout for some more spooky creations in the coming weeks!

My latest CX projects

2009-07-31T15:47:00.008-05:00

My assignment last month for CreativeXpress was to use the new Teacher's Pet line of papers, ribbons and stamps. I just love the bright colors in these papers, they work well with all sorts of projects.

My first project is a layout I made with Turner's kindergarten graduation picture. This layout also includes cuts from the Locker Talk cricut cartridge, and the Hello Kitty font cartridge:

My second project was to make a couple of cards for a student to give his teacher. The first card features a hopscotch die cut from the Locker Talk cartridge. The second card uses the apple stamp and best teacher stamp from the Teacher's Pet line:

the Old & the New

2009-06-28T10:18:00.004-05:00

PageMaps is having another sketch challenge on their blog, and when I saw the sketch I knew exactly what I was going to do with it. I took these pictures on our latest excursion to the downtown area. I think the BG Boxer papers and the cuts from the Storybook Cricut cartridge really accentuate these photos.

DT Projects

2009-06-20T09:55:00.008-05:00

I meant to do this sooner, but you know how that goes!

These are my CreativeXpress projects from last month. My assignment was to use the new Cricut Lyrical Letters cartridge.

Mardi Gras:

I wanted this page to convey all the fun and excitement of Mardi Gras. I chose the lilac, bumblebee, and limeade paper packs because the traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple, yellow, and green. After cutting my papers in various sized strips and adhering them to my page, I used the Joys of the Season cartridge to make my beads along the top. I believe those beads were designed to be a Christmas tree garland, but they worked perfectly for Mardi Gras beads! The title letters were cut using the Lyrical Letters cartridge and were mounted on the frame shape from the Storybook cartridge. I used the Fleur de Lis from the Accent Essentials cartridge as my accents because the Fleur de Lis is a traditional symbol of Louisiana, and especially New Orleans. All of my elements were mounted on foam tape for dimension, and trimmed with lilac jewels for an extra touch of bling and fun.

It's Your Day Card:

The Lyrical Letters cartridge has several great images to use for cards. I chose this pear image because it makes me happy! I cut it at 6” real dial size and covered it with the glitter for some fabulous sparkle. The sentiment is also from the Lyrical Letters cartridge and was cut at 2”. I used a trio of eyelets for an added decorative element along the bottom. This cheery card would brighten anyone’s day!

Happy Halloween Card:

(Out for publication, be back soon!)

The Lyrical Letters is such a great cartridge to have because it has many greetings on it, in addition to the very versatile font. I chose the “Happy Halloween” greeting with the accompanying spider to make this card spooktacular! I created the pumpkin shaped card by using the pumpkin from the PDDU cartridge and welding it stem-to-stem using Design Studio. Then I cut a slightly smaller pumpkin out of my patterned paper and adhered it to my card. The web is from the Wild Card cartridge. I cut one web at 5”, and then cut it apart to use at two different spots on my card. The green ribbon was used to simulate the vine of the pumpkin. I used a tiny square of mounting tape under the spider to make it seem like he was really suspended on the web, and the jewels are there just because they are so much fun!

OOTF's 2nd Blog Hop!

2009-06-06T09:52:00.004-05:00

Welcome to the 2nd official blog hop of Out Of This Funk! There's plenty of creative goodness to check out today from all of the participants.

I have two birthday cards today. The first one is for anybody's birthday. The second one is for my niece's 16th birthday.

Now hop on over to Natalie's blog for some more great inspiration! http://www.getscatty.blogspot.com/

It's HOPPING today!

2009-04-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to OOTF's first blog hop! Everyone has some awesome projects to share today.
I couldn't decide what I wanted to post, so I have something masculine, and something feminine.

Basic Grey's Archaic line was MADE for these pictures:

And who can resist Hello Kitty? I think she's just precious:

Now hop on over to Wendy's blog at http://www.paperinkandsmiles.blogspot.com/ for a fantastic creation!

"Hoppy" Easter!

2009-04-13T19:20:00.011-05:00

I was elected to cook Easter dinner this year by my mother. Nobody in my immediate family likes the traditional Easter foods (ham, sweet potatoes, etc), so I made Aussie pies, Broccoli and Cauliflower au gratin, and honey ginger glazed carrots. But, the piece de resistance was the bunny cupcakes!

I also took a few nature shots while we were at my parents house.

Here is a swarm of termites on an old piece of wood:

A wolf spider literally walking on water:

The storks by the water garden:

A wisteria bloom:

And my two favorite wild animals:

I hope you had a great Easter too!

Another layout

2009-02-10T18:35:00.005-06:00

I've been tinkering around in my scraproom again!

I made this page for a challenge at the Page Maps blog. (they always have the BEST sketches!)

Valentine bags

2009-02-04T13:36:00.004-06:00

What was I thinking?? I could have just sent store-bought valentine cards like the other parents will probably do, and saved a lot of time and money. But no, I decided I would make some cute Valentines for the boys to take to school. I made 33 of them! It actually took several hours from start to finish. I sure hope they appreciate them.

I used the Tags, Bags, and Boxes Cricut cartridge. I made the red bags using the window function, and then took the heart that it cut out of the window and used it to embellish the pink bags. They are filled with different flavors of Hershey's Hugs and Kisses.

Next year, I'm probably going to WalMart instead!

Let it Sneaux!!

2008-12-12T06:37:00.004-06:00

It was a very rare occurance in southern Louisiana - four inches of snow! I have never seen so much snow here in my life, so it was a real treat for my kids to experience it at such a young age. We were definitely unprepared. We don't have waterproof pants or boots, so we got wet and cold, but we still had a blast.

Christmas Crunch!

2008-11-14T18:53:00.006-06:00

I'm so behind the eight ball this year! I usually have all my Christmas presents bought/made and wrapped by this time. So far, I only have ONE GIFT! I made this for my dh's grandmother. I plan on giving it to her before Christmas so she can actually use them on her gifts.

Oh, and here's a little sneak peek at my October CreativeXpress project :-)

The photo shoot

2008-11-09T21:22:00.007-06:00

I had my second photography gig today. The first was my sister's wedding; today was my sister's Christmas card pictures. I need all the practice I can get because I learn a little more each time. I took over 100 pictures today, here are just a few:

My first Design Team projects

2008-11-04T18:19:00.006-06:00

The September DT projects are up at CreativeXpress, so I can officially show them off now. My first month was quite hectic since I had to learn the Expression machine AND learn Design Studio for my assignment. Next month should be a lot less stressful.

For these projects, I had to use Basic Grey Granola papers, and the layout had to use the new Cricut Blackletter cartridge:

Whooooo's ready for Halloween?

2008-10-27T08:51:00.004-05:00

I am! Halloween is my favorite holiday. The weather, the costumes, the decorations, and especially the goodies!

I've never minded cooking, in fact I even like it most of the time, but I've never cared for baking until recently. I've been on a baking spree lately, usually making something every week. Now, it's Halloween cookies. I just couldn't resist making these cute little critters. Owls and black cats are the signs of the season around here this week!

PS: for those who were wondering, the homemade poptarts were AWESOME!

Lovin' from the Oven

2008-10-05T20:01:00.004-05:00

Since Kellogg's poptarts are a no-no in this household, and Whole Foods is so far away, I decided to make my own poptarts today. I got the idea from the Chez Pim blog. (GREAT foodie blog, btw). These are strawberry filled with raw sugar sprinkled on top. They definitely look like they would taste better than the store-bought variety. The proof will come at breakfast tomorrow!

National Card Making Day!

2008-10-04T13:13:00.005-05:00

In honor of the day (and a challenge on Meg's blog), a made this little diddy.

Now you go get busy and make something too! :-)

Back to Scrapping

2008-09-30T16:54:00.004-05:00

I'm finished with my first CX design team assignment! Well, the creating part is finished. I still have all the paperwork and uploading to do. But, now I am able to scrapbook what I want, without rules. (at least until the next dt assignment). Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being on the DT, and I'm absolutely honored and a little shocked that I'm even on it. It just feels good to scrap without having to make sure I included everything I was supposed to include.

Pagemaps is having another blog challenge, and it was just what I needed to get me jump started on this page. The map was for a landscape 8.5" x 11" page, but I adjusted it to meet my needs.

Now, I'm off to create something else!