I Can't Think of a Good Title for this Post. :)

Ever since I bought my Cricut, I can't seem to use a regular box or envelope when I have a small gift to give someone.  I made this cute little purse to hold a necklace and some other small notion.

The purse was cut (fit to page) from Forever Young pg. 44.

The flower is from Cindy Loo.  I cut it at 3" and doubled each layer for added dimension.  I attached it with a sparkly brad.

The butterfly can be found on the Hannah Montana cartridge.  Hannah Montana is a cartridge that I thought I'd never use- my 10 year old daughter wanted it- but it actually has some amazing images and fonts!

I am entering my purse in to a few challenges:

Frosted Designs- Birds or Butterflies

Flaunt it Fridays #20- Cindy Loo

MAG Challenge #23- Forever Young pg. 44

Paper Cutz #88- Pink, Blue, Green, Purple, and White

Tuesday Throwdown #46- Brads or Eyelets

Thanks for stopping by!

I Ordered an E2 Today!

Yes I did- and I'm more than a little excited about it!!

Altered Box

I recently updgraded to the Cuttlebug from the Sizzix Texture Boutique.  I love them both for embossing and can't wait to try the cutting feature on the Cuttlebug!  Of course when I buy something new, I have to buy more things to go with it.  I needed a place to store all of my Cuttlebug folders so I altered a recipe box.  I have seen this done a few times before and I can't remember where I've seen it. (If you've seen this done, or have done it yourself, please let me know who and where, so I can give the proper credit- since I would have never thought to do this myself!) 

The regular size folders fit in this perfectly- now I just need to figure out something for the larger ones.

I used the Black Currant stack from DCWV to cover the box, and Prima flowers for embellishments.  I added ribbon to cover some of the seams.  The ribbon was a bit difficult to attach- I used ATG but should have used the Xyron or hot glue.  I know better now for the next one.............

I am entering this into Try it on Tuesday's challenge- Go check them out!

Thanks for stopping by!

Easter Basket Gifts

Hi Everyone!  Happy Easter!!

I've been so busy lately! It's hard to find the time to do the things that I love to do, when I'm so busy doing the things I have to do.  I want to spend my days in my craft room being creative- but that just doesn't happen as often as I'd like.

I did get to do a couple projects today!  I made Easter cards and little purses to hold necklaces that I made for my daughters' Easter baskets.

The purses were cut from Forever Young at 4 inches.

I bought the bottlecap blank charms at Hobby Lobby and cut out a design from the Hippie Chic DCWV stack to fit it inside the cap.  I covered it completely with a thick coating of Glossy Accents.  When it was completely dry (24 hours later), I put the bottlecap and a Tim Holtz Word Sticks Tag onto a necklace "chain" (that I also bought at Hobby Lobby).

Now each of my girls has a new necklace!  

The other day I saw some bottlecap charms, in a local store, that were selling for $6 a piece (not including a "chain").  My total cost for both finished necklaces was about $3.50- and my girls Love them!!

Have a very blessed day.  Thanks for stopping by!

Recognizing You!!

Hi Everyone!  Welcome to all my new followers this week- Thanks for checking me out!  LOL!

Last week I decided that everyone needs some recognition!  SO.......................

It's time to add some more of your Buttons/Badges on my blog!

I love meeting new friends and want you all to meet them too!

I realize that not everyone has a Grab Button and it just so happens that some of my favorite friends don't.  

I definately want all of you to go say hello to the following people:

Diana- who was my first follower.  Diana, I'll always think of you that way.  :)

Amber- who I look forward to seeing.  You leave the sweetest comments and I think we would be great friends if we were ever to meet in "real life".  Maybe a camping trip sometime!

Jessica- who is amazing!  She makes a new project and posts EVERYDAY.  I don't know how you do it girl!

So what are you waiting for-- go check them out!!

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Ok- I know (last week) I said the "big bloggers" don't need the extra recognition, but I have to put KAndrew back on my sidebar.  She has been such an inspiration to me lately and I absolutely love her.  She's going on my right sidebar.  :)


Thanks for stopping by!

Camping Time!

I was finally able to get into my craft room today- it's been almost a week!!  

We are getting ready for summer time in our household.  The girls are out for softball- which means practice or games almost every night of the week.  Our weekends will be free- except for the occasional ones where I will have to work.  

Last year we received a camper as a gift from my husbands father.  It's a great starter camper especially since I will NOT sleep in a tent (unless it has a plush mattress, a lock on the door, and air conditioning).

Yesterday, Josh said he needs to get out in the camper and clean and air it out, so........

I was inspired today to use my new Campin' Critter cartridge!

I'm not sure if I will use this as a LO and put pictures up in the trees, or if I will frame it and hang it in the camper.  Hmmmm.......

The background trees were cut at 9".  The car and camper were cut at 3".  The deer behind the tree was cut at 5.5".

The grass is from Plantain Schoolbook and Kate's ABC's and cut at 1" and 1.5".

The Sun is 2.5" and cut from Wild Card.

I typed up the sentiment on my computer and printed it off (never tried that before but I liked how it turned out!).

A few challenges:
Crazy About Circut- Favorite Things

Getting Cricky with K Andrew- Simply Sunday Challenge- Let's get Campy!
Ambers Crafts and Stuff-#5- Favorite Things
Die Cuttin Divas-Challenge #10

Lexi's Creations- Anything but a Card

Pink Paper Paradise-Make it Monday #33- Anything Goes
Paper Playtime- Weather

An Award and Something for YOU!

 What a wonderful award and such a gracious friend to share it with me.  Thanks  Diana!  I really appreciate you visiting my blog as well as thinking enough of this blog to pass it on.  Please make sure you stop by her blog and show her some love.

I love to receive these blog awards and be recognized for the things that I do, but I really love to recognize other crafters and bloggers for the things that they do.  

I have had an idea since I made my blog button.....

I see all of these new blogs out here that are wonderful-- and I want everyone to see them (just like I'd like everyone to see mine!).

I've noticed that everyone displays the "big blog names" buttons on their sidebars - I have had them too-- (you know- the same 4 or 5 that you see everywhere- almost to the point that you don't even see them anymore.) 

My new goal is to recognize the "little" or "new" bloggers who have worked so hard to make their little corner of the cyber world a thing of beauty. (And by little or new, I mean those of us under 1000 followers.  LOL!)

So....every week, you will see a new set of Blog Buttons or Blinkies on the left sidebar of my blog.

Please take time to stop by each of their blogs and tell them how wonderful they are.  If you don't have a button/blinkie I'll still recognize you- it will just be in a different way!  :)

And- if you'd like me to put yours up (before I do)- please let me know!

Thanks for stopping by!

Girlie Birthdays!

I'm finally getting around to posting my special project(s) for my daughters' birthdays a few weeks ago.

10 year old girls have very serious ideas and want things the way they want them.

My daughters spent weeks deciding how they wanted their cakes to be- what flavor, what color, how it was to be decorated, the exact placement of each candy sprinkle (you get the picture?)

Well....I took their ideas under advisement, and put in a few ideas of my own.

Since my girlies were 5, they have had two birthday parties each year.  One party was for friends, the other party was for family.  5yr thru 9yr= 5 years x 2 girls x 2 parties/year = 20 cakes!! (plus 2 more this year!) (plus 2 each year for ages 1-4!)

This year, after much persuasion, I convinced them that a "friend party" would be sufficient.

With all the extra time I had, I was able to make a "paper cake" and fill the slices with candy for each girl to take home.

If you haven't checked out My Pink Stamper's blog hop this month (and who hasn't!), make sure that you do.  It's all about birthdays!!

And- if you haven't been to Getting Cricky with K Andrew (again- who hasn't) and seen this post- you must!

A Different Technique

Ambers Crafts and Stuff has a challenge right now to try a new technique.  I thought I would challenge myself and try to make a card using technique,s or products, that I've never used before- or use them in a different way.

A challenge it was!  I felt completely out of my comfort zone and got a little frustrated at times.  

I usually use my Cricut and make traditional style folded cards.  I usually use colors that I love like pink, green, and black, and I tend to over glitz sometimes because I love the bling!

Today however...............................

I made a shutter fold card that is yellow (I've never attemped a shutter fold, and I very rarely use yellow- except for a background).  All the paper is from the DCWV Lemon Flower Stack.

I used distressed ink and a distressing tool on the square paper (Never tried that before!  Don't even know if I used the ink right!)

I also used the distressed ink to water-color the flower (It started out white).

I used a circle hat pin and free-handed the "hope shape".  I put an EK Success clear round sticker over the word Hope to enhance it.

The stamps are from Pink by Design and the ribbon is from JoAnns (OK- I've used these before!)

And I HAD to use a little bling with the brad in the center of the flower.

I am entering this into a few challenges:

The inspiration challenge-

Ambers Crafts and Stuff #4- Use a different Technique

Creative Cutter Room- Yellow, Ribbon, Circle, Glitter

DYSU #14- Yellow

Thanks for stopping by!

Link Up Love Party

Link Your Blog Here!! Visit www.gettingcricky.com for details!

Thanks for stopping by!

Challenge Inspiration

I finally got to do some crafting this morning!  I went through some of the different challenges that were posted today to get some inspiration- and here is the cutesy card that I came up with!!

This is an A6 sized card

The background paper is  GCD Studios

I used the Create A Critter cartridge to cut the Bunny at 2.5", the Caterpillar at 2", the Mushroom at 1", and the Flowers at 1".

The Umbrella is cut from DCWV paper at 3.5" from Forever Young.

The Grass was cut from Plantian Schoolbook at 1".

The sentiment is from Pink By Design "Our Kids"

I used Stickles and Gelly Roll pens to sparkle everything up!

The Challenges that inspired me today are:

Creative Sisters Challenge #5- Bunnies

My Craft Spot Challenge #2- Cute as a Bug

Fantabulous Cricut #54- April Showers

My Sheri Crafts Challenge #51- April Showers
Jen's Craft Corner- Bunnies

Thanks for Stopping By!

From My Kitchen- Birthday Card

A very special friend of mine, who owns a home decor store named "The Chicken Shed", had a birthday recently.  I wanted to make a card that would have some meaning to her.  I saw the rooster from the From My Kitchen cartridge and instantly knew what I was going to do!

This is an A2 size card

All of the paper is DCWV

The rooster is cut at 2.5 inches

More Than Favors is having a challenge to use the From My Kitchen Cartridge.  Go check it out!

Thanks for stopping by!