Celebrate - Child's birthday card

I made a birthday card to go along with the Jitterbuggin' sketch challenge #11. I used the Cricut Lite Cartridge, "Live Simply". I am really liking this cartridge and I hope my friend can part with it for a little while longer. :)

I used some really silly colors together: Purple, tangerine, green, and yellow. And black and white, too. I used some SU mini eyelets with my Crop-a-dile in the top right corner. Used a really nice border stamp and sentiment from Autumn Leaves. Hand stitched and doodled with my gel pens. Used SU Pumpkin Pie ink for shading on the froggie and filling in his spots. I used pastel chalk for his cheeks.

Thanks for looking and wish me luck!

Challenge:

Jitterbuggin' - Sketch 11

Treat Bag

Well, I guess I am in the mood to make a couple of things other than cards today. Here is a treat bag that I made for a dear friend. I'll fill it with some Dove chocolates since those are her favorite!



I got the treat bag tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers. The paper is from my stash but I am pretty sure it's DCWV. The solid cardstock is Bazill. I used a dollar stamp for the sentiment (studio G). It says, "you have my heart". I also used a border punch from SU. The ribbon is something I picked up a while back when it was on sale at Michael's.

This was really fun to make and I was surprised that I didn't squeeze in a Cricut something or other in it! :)

Challenge:
Paper Cutz - Color challenge (red, blue, yellow, black & white)

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Back to School Treat Bag Cover

I cannot believe that it is already here! My two boys start school next week. Wow, the summer really flew by. I recently was at Michael's with my mom and we were looking for some paper that had the back to school theme in mind. I picked up a few sheets of TPC's School Days paper because it was sooooo cute in a very masculine sort of way. I wanted to make a little something for my boys (who are still in elementary school) and thought that I'd make them a little treat bag for their first day back.

I got the tutorial for this treat bag cover off of Split Coast Stampers website. It was really simple to make.

Cartridge: Doodlecharms (cut the backpack out at 2 1/2")

MS punch - mini tag (I used this in the pocket of the backpack and wrote their name on it)

EK Success border punch - notebook

MS writing pen for stitching

hemp twine for the ribbon closure

Here is a close up of one of them:

Challenges:

ColourQ - color challenge # 43 (Peach Parfait, Bermuda Bay, Early Espresso, Old Olive, white)

Pastel Christmas

I don't know about you but I have a hard time making pastel cards. Period. I really like these challenges for Christmas in July and this one for Cupcake Cards Challenge was to make one in pastels. Here is my take on it:
Cartridge used: Joy of the Season
Ice skate cut at 2 1/2 "
Paper used from my stash. I used an EK success border punch. I "laced" the ice skate with some light pink thread and added some SU dimensionals on it. The snowflakes and the sentiment are from a Hero Arts stamp set. I used Platinum Dew Drop ink to stamp the snow flakes and SU's Close to Cocoa to stamp the sentiment.

Challenge:
Cupcake - Pastel Christmas


Thanks for looking!

Get Well Flower Power

A friend of mine is going through some testing for breast cancer. I wanted to send her something to cheer her up. I also wanted to use the new Live Simply Cricut Lite cartridge. It has so many cute and cheery cuts on it.

I cut these flowers at 3.5 inches. I used my button bits set from PTI for the sentiment and the polka dot petals in the background. I used my gel pens for the stitching and ribbons and button from my stash.

I also used a fiskars border punch and an EK success 3/4" square punch. I used a hero arts polka dot background on the green paper strip.

Challenges:

CCC- #35 Get Well

Thanks for looking!

Inked Inspirations Giveaway!

Hi there! Don't you just love giveaways? Jodi at Inked Inspirations is celebrating her birthday and is giving away 5 great blog candy bundles. They are some very generous prizes with all sorts of stamps, copics, etc. Go to the link below to check it out!


http://inkedinspirations.blogspot.com/2010/07/its-my-birthday.html

Good luck!

Shroomies!

I don't know about you but I just love cute mushrooms! I borrowed my girlfriend's new cricut lite cart, "Live Simply" and it has some really cute cuts on there.


Cartridge used: Live Simply; mushrooms and flower frame cut at 2".

I inked the edges of them (SU Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie,More Mustard), added some gel stitching and some stickles (Cinnamon, Old Paper).

I used 2 embossing folders. For the frames in the middle of the card I used the distressed stripes folder (and inked those with SU chocolate chip). I embossed the red border at the top with the spots and dots folder and smeared Cinnamon stickles on it to give it some depth.


The paper punch used here is from SU (scallop border). The ribbon is Martha Stewart and I also added some hemp twine.


Challenges:
Peachy Keen Stamp Challenge - #33 Sketch
ColourQ- #42 Colour challenge (using Real Red, Tangerine Tango, So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, White)

Thanks for looking! Have a great day. :)

I WON!!!!

I am sooooo excited that I won the Jitterbuggin' Top 3 Challenge badge!! This is the first time that I have won a contest for one of my card creations and I am so thrilled. I think I have to pinch myself!

Here is the card that was picked:

I hope you are having a great day, too! Thanks for stopping by. :)

Christmas in July?!

My children are almost at the end of their summer break and I am having a hard time with the thought of them going back already (they start August 6th). So when I saw a challenge to make Christmas cards I thought to myself, "Already?!" I guess this is why I am always scrambling to get them mailed in time.... I'd better plan more this year. :}


Anyway, I made this card and I really like how it came out. It gave me an excuse to test out my new cartridge Joy of Seasons. I bought it and hadn't even used it. Isn't that a shame?! So here is what I came up with:

Cartridge: Joy of Seasons, Poinsettia cut at 2 1/2"

I cut the layer on the Poinsettia twice for each flower so that I could add some dimension to the them. I used an embossing folder on the background, inked the edges of it as well as the top to give some depth to the embossed paper. On the flowers I used Stickles in the center (gold and pink), inked the edges of the flower and used a color pencil to add some highlights. I added some gold organdy ribbon that I scooped up at JoAnn's. Paper was all solid cardstock from my stash and so was the cream button. The punch is a MS one that I picked up on sale.


Challenges:

Fantabulous Cricut- Christmas in July
Paper Playtime - Flower Power
Cardz TV- Christmas in July


Thanks for looking!

Country Friend

When I saw the Just Because Cards Cartridge I immediately fell in love with the rooster you can cut on it. I don't use country decor in my house but I really like the look of a country kitchen. I think it is because my grandma had cute stuff like that when I was growing up. She also had a chicken coop in her back yard and I'd go with her to collect the eggs.

I couldn't wait to make a card with that fun rooster in mind. I had never made one before this (even though it was one of the big reasons why I just "had to have it"). I used the Just Because Cartridge and a sketch challenge over at Card Patterns (sketch #73).

I pen stitched the rooster with some gell pens and used a MS punch on the large square in the center and on the corner tabs. I used a couple of embossing folders (swiss dots and SU lattice). I did a little inking, added some hemp twine, and added buttons in the corners.

I like the cheery and colorful look of this card but I'm just not sure who I'll end up giving it to. So I left it blank for now. I'm sure when the times comes it will hit me!

Thanks for looking!!!

Sweet Summer Treat!

Watermelon always reminds me of the summertime! Here is a card that I made using the Preserves Cartridge. My friend Raquel also let me borrow her Teardrop cart to make a sentiment.

Cricut cartridge used: Preserves and Teardrop.Watermelon cut at 3"; sentiment cut at 1". Card feature on Preserves cart cut a 4 1/4".

Inked and distressed edges, embossed background (lattice folder from Stampin Up), used a gel pen on the watermelon and the sentiment, added some stickles (black soot) and tied a white ribbon on the card.

Challenges:

CCC - use card feature

Fantabulous Cricut - Sweet Summer Treat

Thanks for looking!

New Arrival

There has been a bunch of babies born in our church lately! Mostly boys, too. So my good friend Raquel let me borrow her cricut cartridge "New Arrival". It is such a fun cartridge. I really had a good time making this card for a friend who had a baby recently while knocking out a couple of challenges at the same time!

Cricut Cartridge Used: New Arrival. Train cut at 2"; sentiment cut at 1" (I think?)

Paper used: DCWV - The Glitter Stack (patterned paper); stash (solid cardstock)

Embossing Folders - Swiss dots, lattice (new one from Stampin Up)

Inked edges, added some buttons, gel pen on sentiment, and used stickles on the bubbles coming out of the train.

Challenges:

Jitterbuggin- sketch, pastel colors, cricut cut sentiment, buttons

Paper Playtime - bubbles

Thanks for looking!

Thankful

I love everything about fall. I love the cooler temps, the crunchy leaves, the colors of the season. It also holds one of my very favorite holidays: Thanksgiving! I find that every day holds the opportunity to reflect on what I am thankful for but I love that there is a holiday to celebrate it.

Here is a card I made inspired by a card challenge over at My Creative Time with Emma. She picked the Wild Card cartridge as her Throwback Thursday challenge. This was my very first cricut cart purchase!!!! I was so excited to use it and then, once I did a couple of my favorite cards on there, it sat on a shelf for a while untouched. I just wasn't sure how to make the card the size I wanted and I didn't know how to add some extra flair to the simple style cards. This challenge was just what I needed to dust it off and take a look at it from a new perspective.

Cartridge used: Wild Card. Leaves, card, frame, and envelope cut out on the Wild Card at 4 3/4 ".

Inked edges, embossed the front of card (Tim Holtz Alterations folder-wood), and added stickles(brushed cordouroy, cinnamon). I also used some stamps and paper in my stash.

** One problem that I still have is cutting out the sentiments with my cricut. How do you cut out things like sentiments that have intricate/delicate pieces without tearing them to shreds? I'd like some advice on this because I have tried adjusting my pressure, speed, blade depth, changing my blade...and find that if it is small and delicate it tears up my paper. Any tips???***

Challenges:

My Creative Time: using Wild Card Cart, holiday theme

Shell-o

When I saw the challenge on Jitterbuggin' I couldn't wait to try it. I love sketches and this one was simple and had a beach theme. So here is my take on it:

Cricut cart used: PPDU; shell cut at 2 1/2 "

paper scraps, Ranger distress stickles (brushed cordouroy; brass), MS ink, some jewelry shells, MS mini tag punch, hemp twine

I inked the edges of everything except the tag. I paper pierced the lower right corner. I attached the tag to the twine and used glue dots to help hold down the twine in a topsy turvy pattern. the background squares were cut at 2".

Let me know what you think. Thanks for looking!

Challenges:

Jitterbuggin'

Talk is Cheep!

Hey, there! I made a card for Emma's throwback Thursday challenge #60. She asked us to use Zooballoo or to make something with an animal on it. Unfortunately, I don't own Zooballoo yet. I'm still pretty new and I only have a few carts and most of them are fairly recent. So I thought I'd pull out the Just Because Cards cart and make one of the cute animals on there.

Here is what I came up with:

Cart used: Just Because Cards
Ovals: cut at 5 1/4 and 5
Chick: cut at 5 1/4
Sentiment "Cheep talk": cut at 5 1/4

inked edges, distressed edges a bit, used some gel pens for highlights, ribbon from stash, papers from stash
I love my new Tim Holtz alterations embossing folder! It is a woodgrain one and I used it in the background of my card.
I am going to give this to one of my girlfriends who had a surgery and just got home this week. I think it will crack her up! She is quite a chatterbox. :)

Let me know what you think! Thanks for looking and I always appreciate your feedback.

Color me Pink!

I just love the new Cricut Lite Cartridge "Hoot n Holler"! I made this birthday card with K & Company paper and a really cute stamp set from Hampton Arts (sentiment). I also tried something new to me by making this an easel card. Yay! The colors used were pink, brown, green and orange. I also used stickles to add some sparkle to the owl.

Challenges:

The Pink Stamper - Color Challenge

BBTB2 - Owls