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!

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

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!

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!

Is it Spring Yet?!?

On Monday I did some yardwork- picked up sticks, worked on the flower bed, checked out the garden area.  

On Tuesday, it snowed (2 inches!) in the morning and was so cold that I had to wear a winter jacket all day.

Today, Wednesday, it was 65* and the sun was shining so bright that I had to wear sunglasses while I was driving and turn on the air conditioner in the car!  (I live in central Iowa)

 Tomorrow will be...... Who knows!  I'm setting out a pair shorts and flip flops and some ear muffs (just to be safe).  LOL!

I am so ready for Spring to be here once and for all!

I am ready for green grass, and blooming trees and flowers.  My allergies aren't ready- but I am!

I used K & Company paper for the background and Prima flowers with some blingy brads.

The stamp is Studio G.

Here a few challenges that this card fits right into!

Ambers Crafts and Stuff- Challenge #3 April Flowers

Fantabulous Cricut- #53 Looks Like Spring

Crafting with Cristina- #20 Cricutless/Stamping
Creative Cutter Room- Looks Like Spring

Thanks for stopping by!

Forever Young

I love making cards of all shapes and themes- but I really love doing projects that are 3-dimensional.  

I absolutely LOVE the Forever Young cartridge!  It has such girlie images- dresses, hats, high heels, lipstick, flowers, and purses- to name a few.  

This is by far my favorite cartridge and I am quickly making my way through it!

I used my Expression and used the "Fit to Page" for the purse.

The heels were cut at 2 inches.

I blinged it up with the I-Rock and Gelly Roll glitter pens.

I made the little notebook (to put inside the purse) by trimming regular copy paper for the inside, and using DCWV cardstock for the cover.

I cut the hat at 1.5 inches. 

I used my YourStory to bind it.

I plan to do a step-by-step photo or video on how to make your own books with the YourStory-

so watch for that!

I am entering this into a couple challenges:

CCCC # 11- Forever Young

DYSU Challenge #12- Shine On

My Craft Spot Monday Challenge #2- Bow

Thanks for stopping by!

Thank You

I made a Thank You card to send along to the winner of my giveaway going on through Friday March 18. 

(Check it out Here.) 

Thank you to everyone who has voted so far.  My husband and I really appreciate all of the help and kind words.  (He's a follower of my blog and gets excited everytime there's a new comment!  He can't believe how much encouragement he's received from people he's never even met!)

--Anyway--

When I was done with my card, I took a break and saw that it fit in nicely to a few challenges.

Cricut Cardz Challenge #66- a Thank You Card with a Cricut cut border, in Yellow, Blue, and White

Digi Doodles Challenge #51- Anything Goes

and

Amber's Crafts and Stuff (love the name of her blog!) Challenge #1- Anything Goes

This is an A2 sized card
The background paper is from GCD Studios
The image is a clear stamp from The Paper Company, Whimsy Greetings- stamped on to white cardstock and cut out with George and Basic Shapes.  I shaded the image with Le Plume markers.
The "ribbon" is a piece of scrap paper, cut to size and stamped with a flower border.

Thanks for letting me play along!

and 

Thanks for stopping by!

BookMark

Check out my Giveaway on my March 1, 2011 post!!

This project was done in about 15 minutes one night when my daughter needed a bookmark.  The whole thing was done with Plantain School book.  To make it sturdier (to hold up to the abuse of a 9 year old), I laminated it with the Xyron 510.  She liked it so much that we had to make one for each of her friends too!

Cricut Cardz Challenge #64 is all about bookmarks- check it out!

Thanks for checking in!

My Feathered Friend

Check out my Giveaway on my March 1, 2011 post!!

I went shopping yesterday and found some awesome deals at Tuesday Morning!  One of the paperstacks, by Heidi Grace, and one of the stamps, by Making Memories, were the inspiration for my Spring Time card (along with the nice Iowa weather we've been having the last few days!).  I just adore this bird from the Lovely Floral cartridge- puts a smile on my face every time I see it.

There are a couple of challenges that I am entering this into:

My Pink Stamper Challenge, any project using a feathered friend

**Cooking With Cricut** Challenge #19 Double Take

Celebrate the Occasion, Challenge #3, using the colors Green and White with another color of your choice.

Hope you enjoy!  Thanks for checking in!

Color Me Fantabulous

This weeks Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Me Monday #49 challenge is to make a shaped card.  I have never made a shape card-- until today!

I love using my Gypsy.  I used it all the time before I really learned all of the functions of the Cricut.  Since I've become more comfortable with my Expression, over the last month, my poor little Gypsy hasn't seen any action.  I think I heard little Gyp sing a happy song when I took her out of the box today.

I am always looking for a way to use my  Inkadinkado "Kid's Quotes" stamp set (since it is one of my favorites), and I am always looking for a way to use my Forever Young cartridge (also one of my favorites).

So....Put them all together and this is what you get!

Thanks for stopping by and for all of the encouraging comments!

Check out my Giveaway on my March 1 post!!

Emboss It Challenge

There are a couple of challenges this week centered around embossing.  I have a Sizzix Texture Boutique, which I LOVE (it looks like a cute purse!).

I am entering Creative Sisters Monday Challenge at http://lindascreativity.blogspot.com/ and
Challenge #48 Emboss it at  http://fantabulouscricut.blogspot.com/

I made a sweet little card that can be used for just about any occasion. 

I used a Sizzix embossing folder for the background flowers (Cuttlebug folders also work in the Sizzix).

The image is from Kate's ABCs.  This is such a fun cartridge with lots of layers.  I have a 6 month old black kitten, so when I saw this image, I had to do something with it!

I stamped it with Inkadinkado "Kid's Quotes" (which are adorable!)

The ribbon is from Michaels, and the jewels were done with the fabulous I-Rock.

Thanks for looking!!

Cricut Cardz Challenge

This is for the Cricut Cardz Challenge site, which was: For Challenge #62 we’d like to see your cards using a cup image from any cartridge. You may use any colors you’d like.

 I used the Graphically Speaking cartridge for the cup, yellow background, and the circle "good".  It is an A2 sized card.  The cup is cut at 2 3/4" and both background pieces are cut at 4".  I finished it by stamping the sentiment and little flower (on the cup), and using Gelly Roll pens for accents.  Hope you like it!

All About Spring Challenge

Cardz TV with Mary (http://cardztv.blogspot.com/2011/02/all-about-spring-challenge.html) is having a challenge to make a Spring themed card.
I made this card using some cardstock from Michael's, Prima flowers and Recollections brads.  I had some leftover ribbon that matched, so I put it across the bottom.  Somehow everything worked together and here is what I came up with.   :)

Someday I'll write down exactly how I make things- with measurements and everything.  Wow- how organized would that be!?!

My First Challenge

I have been following Inking It Up Crazy for a while and have been inspired by Kassidy.  She is having a Birthday Card challenge so I thought- "why not join in?".

I made this quick card in about 10 minutes with paper scraps and ribbon left over from other projects.  I stamped the Happy Birthday and Cheers and colored them in with some photo markers.  

Turned out pretty cute!