A Damask Decor Pumpkin Card

This is a card that I have been planning to make for quite some time.  I first spied this awesome pumpkin cut on the Damask Decor cartridge last spring and I just knew I had to use this cut to create a fall themed card.  And what a wait it has been!  There is a basic two layer Damask pumpkin cut and a four layer pumpkin without the Damask flourish on this cartridge.  I decided to merge the two pumpkin cuts for my card.

I used the basic Damask cut for the background - cream cardstock on rusty orange cardstock.  I then cut three of the four individual pumpkin layers and applied them over top of the cream pumpkin cut.

The three layered pumpkin was cut in a solid pumpkin color (bottom layer), a green print layer (middle layer - the stem and leaves show at the top), and a white and orange print (top layer).  I thought the pumpkin still needed something so I used pumpkin color smoochies on the orange cardstock on the bottom layer.  I painted smoochies around the edges and inside the cuts on the front. 

I finished the card with a brown ribbon behind the pumpkin and a second brown ribbon tied to the stem, and a smoochie painted tag.  I cut the tag with George and Basic Shapes.  I then painted it with two colors of smoochies.... pumpkin and bronze.  I used two Close to my Heart stamps, the word cherish and the star, on the tag.  I added white doodles to the tag and the damask layer. 

Thanks for stopping by today.  I will be back tomorrow to share a CLOSE TO MY HEART stamp and Art Philosophy project.  And the blog is going to change focus for the rest of the week and sneak in a few Christmas projects - since it will be here before we know it!!

She Turned Me Into A WHAT????

Happy Monday!  Today I am sharing this week's Bitten by the Bug 2 weekly challenge project.  The Cricut cartridge challenge cut of the week was selected by my design team sister, Carrie from DoubleClick Connections - AKA Abusybee Blog, who chose the cute frog from Cricut's Create a Critter cartridge. 

Given that today is the third day of October and OCTOBER brings constant thoughts of Halloween, I chose to go with a Halloween themed card. My theory is that every witch has a story that involves a frog. Perhaps the frog was a prince or perhaps he was a two legged human toad. Either way, the witch had a plan when she turned him into a frog. In my card, the frog was neither prince nor toad, but a nice man. And he is incredulous that he has been turned into a frog!  And yet, he is smiling because he is trying to make the best of the situation.

The crazy little witch (from Mini Monsters) is doing a happy dance with her arms and legs flying out, so thrilled is she that her frog spell worked.  Since she had planned to stay in and work today, the witch is not wearing her usual black outfit that she wears in public.  She is wearing her witch's "lounge at home" wear, hoping the color is becoming with her green complexion. 

In front of the background moon, I added the Have a Wicked Halloween tag.  I cut the tag using the Close to My Heart Art Philosophy cartridge and stamped the phrase with a stamp from the Close to my Heart September stamp of the month.  For more information on the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge, click on the name to go to Melanie's CTMH site. 

I used the Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge and cut a cauldron for my witch's use.  I added a bit of white foam to the top of the cauldron.  The pumpkins are from a chipboard sticker set. 

Inside the gate fold card (built with George and Basic Shapes) I added a grey journaling rectangle along with a line of pumpkins and a phrase strip.

I designed this project as a gate fold card with the Halloween scene on the front of the card.  I welded a circle, the witch, cauldron, and the frog shadow images together to create a scene background.  I attached the scene to the right side of the gate fold card. 

Before I close I want to share with you the cute decoration I purchased last Friday.  I found these eyeballs while waiting to have dinner at a Cracker Barrel in Conyers, Georgia.  I was on my way home from returning Ian to Atlanta.  I thought these eyeballs were just too cute.  They are actually salt and pepper shakers, but they were not sold in sets, but individually.  I grabbed a few (at $1.00 each!) and was quite pleased with my purchase!!

I will be back tomorrow to share a Man Card - a fall man card!!  Thanks for stopping by today!

Cricut's Banner Contest - "Warm Up" Entry

Just as when I am playing a sport, I often need a warm up with a big project.  I know that sounds crazy, but I find that I do better on the second project if I "warm up" and get the creative mojo flowing.  The Cricut Banner Contest was no exception.  This is my warm up contest entry.

I began with with several sheets of acetate - clear plastic-like material - and using the Cricut Expression set on 4 multi cuts, I cut the bottom layer for my banner sections.  Three Cricut cartridges were used to create this banner:  Art Philosophy, Cricut Everyday, and George & Basic Shapes.

I used the new Art Philosophy cartridge to create the banner main structure pieces - the acetate base layer, the pennant shaped colored layers, the background shape under the rosettes, the scalloped topper, and the scalloped circles.

George and Basic Shapes contributed two shapes to the banner - the circles in the middle of the scalloped circles and the long rectangles used to create the rosettes.  The circles were sized to fit the middle of the scalloped circles and to be just a bit larger than the letters. 

To create the rosettes, I looked at my Tim Holtz Sizzix rosette die and decided to create a Cricut version.  After all I could not use a Sizzix die on my Provo Craft project!  Using Cricut Design Studio, I cut eight rectangles measuring 11.5 inches tall by 1.5 inches wide.  I place score marks (created by shrinking the rectangle down to a tiny dash) every 1/4 inch along the length of the rectangle.  After cutting the rectangles, I used my score pal and scored across the width of the rectangle on each hash mark.  I then folded on the scored lines and glued the ends together.

I assembled the banner in layers beginning with the acetate pennants, followed by the colored pennant, then the light green matting, followed by the rosettes, then the scalloped top piece and finally the scalloped circle, regular circle, and letters. 

I added Stickles to the bottom of each pennant section in colors to match the individual cuts and to all of the letters and Cricut heads. 

I completed the banner by with coordinating ribbons.  I used 1.5 inch white organza ribbon to tie the sections  together.  I then used green, pink and aqua ribbons tied to the organza ribbon to add additional festive colors. 

This banner was a lot of work as warm up projects go.  However I think it was worth it.  My second banner turned out really well.  And while it may not win, it is still very pretty and something that had fun creating.

Heritage Tree Halloween Scene with BBTB2

It's another Monday with another Bitten by the Bug 2 challenge and monthly blog hop!!  If you are following the blog hop you arrived here from Penny's blog, PenniAnne's.   Our adorable design team sister, Julie Huxter of Huxter's House, selected this week's challenge cut, Tree 1 from the Heritage cartridge.

When I first looked at the challenge cut, my first thought was “Family Tree”.  I designed a sweet heritage-family tree scrap layout, but I was never hugely excited about the page.  Last Thursday – Saturday I attended Creating Keepsake’s Charlotte Convention in Charlotte, NC and saw some really pretty heritage/family tree cardstock lines, but I did not purchase any.  Friday night while in bed at the Westin, it suddenly came to me.  The card was completely visualized in my head.  I was so afraid that I would forget the card idea before I arrived home!!

I began by cutting the tree, both the icon and shadow cuts at 4.25 inches. Using finger daubers and assorted brown, tan and black ink pads, I added shadows and highlights to the top layer of the tree. I then glued the two layers of trees together and added white pen highlights.

Next, using white card stock, I cut the base card. I welded two 5.5 x 4.25 inch rectangles together and then I welded a 5.5 x 2 inch rectangle to the two rectangles. I scored the card at 4.25 inches (middle fold), at 8.5 inches and at 9.5 inches (to create the fold on the lower front of the card).

Using the same cutting guide as above, I removed one of the two large rectangles and cut a rectangle in the dot cardstock for the front of the card. The dotted cut measured 5.5 x 6.25 inches. I scored at 1 inch and again at 2 inches (to cover the fold at on the bottom front of the card). The dot cardstock was then affixed to the card.

I added pop dots to the back of the tree cuts and added the tree to the card.

Next I cut a 2.75 inch moon in golden orange cardstock.  I inked the edges of the circle with a golden brown ink and added a few black dots.  I affixed the moon to the card with my ATG runner. I then cut a small flying witch from Happy Hauntings and pop dotted her to the front of the moon. 

I cut a 5.5 inch wide iron fence from the Heritage cartridge. Using light blue ink, I added moon light highlights to the fence before affixing it to the front of the card. The bottom of the fence was covered with a Halloween ribbon.

Using punches, I created a triple layer HAPPY HALLOWEEN tag for the lower front edge of the card. Once again I added moon light "highlights" to the tag.

Inside the card I used my new Close to My Heart Halloween stamp set and added the sentiment, Have a Wicked Halloween.  The sentiment is stamped onto green drippy edged cardstock affixed to the same dot cardstock that was used on the front of the card.

I know I mentioned a blog hop….. And you know what that means, right? Blog Candy! I am once again offering FABULOUS blog candy provided by the continuing generosity of CUSTOM CROPS. Custom Crops is offering a $20 gift voucher to my blog candy winner. All you have to do to be registered for the blog candy is be a blog follower of my blog and leave a comment under this post. I will be drawing a winner on Friday.

Custom Crops is one of my favorite on-line scrap goods stores. For me they are a go to source for all things Cricut and paper crafting related. Right now there is a great Back to School sale as well as Sizzix sale at Custom Crops. The Heritage cartridge is one of the Cricut cartridges included in the Back to School sale.

Once you have become a follower and left a comment below, and you have checked out Custom Crops sale, you will be ready to continue on with the blog hop. Your next stop is at the lovely blog of my adorably sweet design team sister, Krista. Krista is sure to inspire you with her Heritage tree project!


Remember that the BBTB2 Design Team loves it when you decide to play along with us on the weekly challenge.  You have two weeks to create your own Tree project and post it under the Heritage Tree post at Bitten by the Bug 2!

Have a great Monday. I will be back tomorrow with details of my seven classes and other CKC experiences!

Dramatic Birthday Card

I know this is probably the oddest, least festive birthday card ever.... BUT.... My future daughter-in-law is a theater teacher and I am hopeful that this birthday card will appeal to the artsy, theatrical side of her personality.

I used Graphic45 papers on this card.  There are actually two lines of Graphic 45 represented here, but as both are black, white and tan, I felt that they worked well together.

I used Cricut Design Studio with George and Basic Shapes and Base Camp to create this card.  The Happy Birthday tag was created with Base Camp and stamped with a Stampin' Up stamp.  Otherwise, every other element on the card was created with geometric shapes in George.   

The theater comedy and tragedy masks are oval shapes from George with a moon shape cut out of the top.  I used a pen and craft knife to draw and cut the eyes and mouth shapes. I cut the mask bottoms in the mime print cardstock. I cut one mask in the white and black print cardstock, which I cut in half and fashioned the facial features for the masks.

I added a wide black ribbon with a bow around the card and then I added a smaller black print ribbon to attach the tag.  I like the tiny safety pin which attaches the tag to the bow.

Inside the card I used black ink and a generic Happy Birthday stamp I picked up at Hobby Lobby.   And below you can get one more view of the bottom front of the card.

Thanks for stopping by today.  It was nasty hot here today and I am sooo looking forward to the end of this summer and some cooler weather.  Ironically we had one of our coldest winters ever last winter and now this nasty-hot summer.  What can we say?  Thank you, La Nina. 

Pyramid Party Favor Boxes For Everyday Cricut

Happy Saturday everyone. As most of you know, I usually have a guest spot at Everyday Cricut on the third Saturday of the month. This month the schedule did not work out correctly so I opted for the fifth Saturday!

As you all know, half of my mind is constantly focused on weddings these days – between my friend Kathy’s son’s wedding, my friend Beth’s daughter’s wedding and of course, my older son’s wedding next year I seem to be constantly having wedding thoughts. This week’s project is favor box that would be great for a party or, yes, you guessed it – a wedding!

For all of the details on how to create these treat boxes for yourself, drop by Everyday Cricut. It is Melanie’s, Joy’s, and Everyday Cricut’s anniversary so be sure to check out the FABULOUS anniversary giveaways while you are there!!

Bridal Shower Card with Graphic45 and Cricut

A few years ago when so many of us began sharing our Cricut Design Studio cut files someone shared a card cut which she called “Anus Lace Edge Card”.  I adore this cut file and will get into more detail momentarily, but first I wanted to apologize – I have no idea who created the original cut file.  At first I thought perhaps it was Jen C., but her cut files usually contain her name.  If you happen to know who created this fabulous cut file PLEASE let me know so that I can thank her again.

Okay, back to today’s card. My friend Beth is preparing for a wedding in her family – her daughter Libby is getting married in a couple of months. I have been invited to a bridal shower for Libby this Saturday and SO unlike me, I have already purchased the gift, done the assigned homework (share a recipe) and now I have created the card!  It is quite unlike me to be this prepared!

I have had this sheet of Graphic45 bridal paper for sometime, but just recently realized that it is PERFECT for a bridal shower card!  With this cardstock in mind, I began looking for the perfect card design to use with this Graphic45 print.  This Anus Lace Card was Perfect base on which to build the Graphic45 card! 

I cut the base card on lightly textured vanilla colored cardstock.  The card front has slits cut for ribbon to run though the card, but I chose to cover that with my base layer of Graphic45.  I cut two rectangular images from the cardstock and using pop dots, I affixed the rectanglular images to the front of the card, building in layers.

I embellished the card with fabulous rose print flower trim.  I trimmed one rose from the strip and glued it to the lower left corner, then I trimmed a three rose section and glued it to the top image layer.  I added gems to the center of the flowers, as well as assorted corners on the Graphic45 cardstock.

The final touchs to the card include the ribbon and knotted "bow" to the middle top layer.  I used an Anna Griffin stamp to create the Best Wishes tag.  A pop dot was placed under the left side of the tag while the right side was pinned to the ribbon.  I just love those tiny pins!!

Here is one last peek at the card - which you click to enlarge.  I hope Libby likes her bridal shower card, I think it is fun and unusual!!!

Greetings from the Seashore

Happy July 4th - American Independence Day!  And, a bit late, happy Canada day to our neighbors to the north!  I am back with another Bitten by the Bug 2 weekly challenge.  Our design team leader, Heather, chose the cut of the week, the STARFISH from the Life's a Beach cartridge. 

Before I discuss today's BBTB2 layout I want to share my "vacation" week with you.  As I previously shared, Doug, Ian and I were planning a few days in Chattanooga to visit with Doug's family.  His sister  and brother-in-law were in from NM and we were excited to see them.  Well, the day before we planned to leave I woke up early in the morning ill.  I had a yucky tummy, headache, fever, body aches, etc.  At first I thought that I had one of those 24 hour viral deals that we have all had.  But no.... My virus turned out to be a three day ordeal...  In the meantime I had sent Doug and Ian on their way, promising to go the doctor is I did not feel better by the third day.  Thankfully the afternoon of the third day I realized that I was on the road to wellness!

I missed seeing everyone, and as heavenly as being home alone can be, this was not one of those times.  I was bored and was missing my family!  So I had a bit of pity party and then I got over it!!  Oh, and I did read three books last week so that was good!

As I stated above, today's BBTB2  challenge cut is the starfish from Life's a Beach.  I decided to create a girlie beach layout because I have TONS of photos from Bethany's years at the College of Charleston - I think she spent a lot of time on the beach!!!  I normally use blues and sand colors for the beach, but this time I went with topical pinks, salmon, etc.

I used five cartridges to create this layout - Life's a Beach for the sea life, Kate's ABC's for the title cut - Seashore, Billionaire for the cursive phrase, George for the rectangles and French Manor for the stamp shaped cuts.

I used Cricut Design Studio to design my layered title and multi-layered bottom edge border. 

Please stop by Bitten by the Bug 2 and check out all of the great Starfish projects.  Also, please consider playing along with us this week - you could be our weekly winner!!!

I have a three day project to share with you Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - a Patriotic picnic enhanced with Cricut!!!

Gnome Birthday Fun with BBTB2

Happy Monday!  Welcome to another Bitten by the Bug 2 weekly challenge!  This week's challenge cut was selected by my design team sister, the lovely Theresa Kelly, and  is any Gnome from the Freshly Picked cartridge.  I decided to have a bit of birthday fun with the Gnomes - creating this Gnome Pyramid birthday card.  The design for this card was inspired (and by inspired I mean ripped-off) from my friend Donna Mundinger's FABULOUS Penguin Card, which can be found here at her blog and  here at Custom Crops with design studio cut file and complete instructions.  Donna is one of THE MOST AMAZING paper crafters E-V-E-R... and I am thrilled to be able to say I know her! 

This card features six Gnomes each dressed in his favorite summer party outfit!  And just as we women match our shoes and purses (in an ideal world!), the Gnomes have matching hats, belts and shoes.  The well dressed Gnome likes for his outfit to coordinate!  The Gnome faces were stamped in light brown ink with Peachy Keen stamps.  A cherry Copic marker was used to highlight their lips. Their beards were cut in white cardstock, then heat embossed with white with touches of grey embossing powder.  Their ensembles were finished with tiny pom-poms at the top of their hats.

I used three cartridges to cut this card, Freshly Picked, George and Basic Shapes, and Christmas Cheer.  The banner above was cut from Christmas Cheer, then stamped with a rubber stamp from Michaels. 
The photo below is a screen shot of the card top in Cricut Design Studio.  I welded the six Gnome shadows together in a pyramid shape, adding birthday gifts from Christmas cheer.  I cut this layer in red, affixed it to the base card, and built the card front on top of this layer.

Below is the inside of the card.  You can see the red base cut (above) is the upside down red layer in the photo below.  I attached the red layer to the open cut triangle top.

The base card was created using George and Basic Shapes.  I sized and welded to triangles together, then inserted a NON-welded triangle into the middle of the top layer.  This created the cut out so that the blue swirl print shows through the holes in the front of the card.

I used metallic cardstocks to cut the packages and the belt buckles.  I finished the card by using pop dots to attach Happy Birthday banner!
 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Be sure to head over to Bitten by the Bug 2 and check out all of the designer's awesome projects!  And, if you have time, please consider playing along with us this week!!

Make & Take Kits for Saturday's Girlie Get Together

I spent a big part of Thursday preparing Make and Take kits for my Girlfriend Get Together tomorrow.  I am having the scrappy girlfriends over for a girlie luncheon, a make and take, gossip and bonding.  All the elements of a perfect afternoon. 

I finished the demo of the make and take, but because the girls are also readers of my blog, I cannot share just yet.  I did photograph everything so you will not be left out.  I promise to take photos of the luncheon and get together too.

The kits were created using Lori's Garden, George and Basic Shapes, the Cricut Imagine, and the Cricut Craft Room.  I built a multi-page cut file in the CCR that created 4 x 6 double sided cardstock.  I set the file up so that I could flip the rectangles over and place them in the exact same spot to print the back sides. 
The make and takes have five double-sided pages for a total of ten pages.

I used my Yourstory to bind the make and take books.  Below is a photo of the book covers that we will be using for these projects.

Sneak Peeks - Cover

Sneak Peak - Page Ends

Sneak Peek - Die Cuts, ribbons and embellies kits