Gift "Bags"

Ok...so I haven't posted since Thanksgiving but that doesn't mean I have given up on crafting. Actually quite opposite. I was helping/loaning/giving supplies to my sister so she could do a scrapbook to send to her inlaws in Michigan for Christmas. I think there were about 25 pages by the time we were done. We ran out of time so I ended up giving her pages of her family that I had complete in my book so I will need to redo those eventually.

After watching Christmas with the Cricut Ustream event on 12/20/09 I decided I needed a 12x24 cricut mat to make larger purses & gift bags. (Check out their blog... http://cricutchristmas.blogspot.com/) I went to Michaels and Joann's seeking 12X24 mats and paper. Well I found the mats with no problem but no luck on paper. That didn't stop me...I just used two 12x12 pieces and taped the seam from the inside and viola bigger purses. I used the Tags, Bags, Boxes and More cartridge and my Design Studio to make them just a little taller...fit to page was good for some but others needed to be just a bit taller. **If you do edit the size of a box or bag in design studio in just one direction (like me--height) it will not line up perfectly when you go to fold and glue but it is do-able.

I can't tell you what is in the bags yet since it is before Christmas but I just had to share. Thanks for looking and hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!! Now I have to go work with the bigger gifts and actual wrapping paper :(













































































I am entering these in the following challenge:

Practical Scrappers: Anything Christmas
http://www.practicalscrappers.com/2009/12/this-weeks-challenge-is-anything_21.html

TCP Challenge #6: Place Cards & Napkin Rings

Here is the challenge for November from The Crafting Pot

http://tcpchallenge.blogspot.com/2009/11/tcp-challenge-6-place-cards-napkin.html

Your Mission:Create a Place Card -OR- napkin ring for your holiday table.

What qualifies as a place card or napkin ring?

Anything you would use to indicate location on a table (actual seating arrangements, signage for items placed on tables, etc) or any sort of napkin holder (napkin ring, tray, dispenser)

What should you make it with?These can be made from anything... paper, fabric, wire, wood, recycled materials, etc.

Deadline:Submission Deadline is Monday November 23rd by Midnight.

I made the napkin rings using my Mickey and Friends cartridge and my Cricut E. There is a leaf border for Chip n Dale; I cut the shadow and detail at 1 1/2". The shadow is a gold metalic paper and the detail is a brownish orange. I am using the decorative napkins for Thanksgiving but it was easier to see on a white napkin. Off the to right is one of the rings I haven't finished yet...just 4 welded leaves when folded it is a little square.

The placecards are just simple votive holders I got at the dollar store. I used Cricut vinyl in brown and my Design Studio to create the leaves. The leaf is from Stretch Your Imagination and the names are one of the wonderful fonts from Lyrical Letters welded together. As you can see my name is a little longer than my husbands so I had to do mine at an angle. The ribbon has been in my stash for years (after holiday clearance from Walmart). These are nice because the vinyl is temporary. If you wanted to do something more permanent you could use some etching cream to actually etch the glass. I intend to change these over for the next holiday and so on. I have two more to create but my design studio was giving me a hard time so I gave up for now.

Wonderful challenge TCP! Thanks for looking.

Peachy Keen Halloween Challenge

http://peachykeenstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2009/10/peachy-keen-halloween-challenge.html

THE CHALLENGE:
• create a card
• use a haunted house somehow in your card
• you will need a bat
• and a ghost
• include a Halloween greeting
• you can use die cuts, stamps, punches, images on papers... etc.. anything goes!

















I even got the hubby's input on this one! I asked him if I should put yellow behind the windows or an orange/yellow. He looked a few times and said put yellow on the lower and orange on the uppers. Can't really tell the difference in the picture but I liked his reason behind his choice; the yellow looks brighter and since you are closer to the lower windows when you walk up to a house than you are the upper ones the lower should be brighter.

Also a first on this project...I used my cricut markers to draw the face on the ghost and bat. Not to shabby for a first attempt. Thanks for looking and have a wonderful Halloween!!

Scrapsketch Friday Challenge 10/16/09 & Just Buggin' Challenge #7

http://www.scrapsketch.com/2009/10/friday-scrapsketch-challenge.html

Here is this weeks sketch from Scrapsketch...


I loved the set up of the sketch as soon as I saw it. I was planning to pre-do this years Halloween page for my niece but didn't know what I was going to do...this worked perfect. My sister told me she was going to be Minnie Mouse this year but the costume was pink not red. I made two identical pages (one for me and one for my sister--aka Brooke's Mommy). The black boxes are on the page temporarily until we get the pictures. I will post a follow up with the photo's added after Halloween.












This is the first time I have used the Mickey and Friends cartridge for my Cricut. Wow--Minnie was difficult to do. Thank goodness for my Xyron X sticker maker. If you own a Cricut and don't have an X (like me until recently) you need to get one. Walmart carries them and their refills. Perfect for the little pieces!!!!! I used the Minnie Mouse signature from the same cartridge as Minnie and used the Mickey font for the rest of the letters. I utilized my Graphically Speaking cartridge to cut the half circle. I used the do not symbol (circle with the line drawn through it) to get two equal size circles...since I did two identical pages it worked perfectly.

I am also using this for Just Buggin' Challenge #7
http://justbugginchallenges.blogspot.com/search/label/Challenges
Anything but a card -make any project you want, as long as it isn't a card!
As always, you have to use your Cricut to make your project as well.

**Update: 10/23/09 I was chosen as one of the top 3 from Just Buggin' for this layout. Which is a total shocker since I didn't even know they had looked at my layout. (only comment here is from Viv at PeachyKeen.)

SP Color Combo #19

Here is the challenge from a wonderful blog: http://spcolorcombos.blogspot.com/2009/10/spcc-19.html



Use this color combo for your project -be it a card, scrapbook LO, 3D or altered item. You do NOT have to use Stampin' UP brand colors, but you do have to use colors close to these colors.

Entries are due on Monday, October 19th at Noon PST. Next Tuesday, I will showcase the winner and the SP Top Five.

Here is my card. I have some Stampin'Up markers, watercolor pencils and chalks that I purchased from someone who was moving and couldn't take all of their supplies with them. I actually had all of these colors in the markers. I don't have the exact color paper so I got as close as I could.












The stamp says 'there's no business like "snow business."'

Thanks for looking!

Peachy Keen Challenge #13

http://peachykeenstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2009/10/challenge-13.html

Here are the rules for this challenge:

Make a card

Use colors Blue and Purple in your design (can be subtle or bold)

Use a stamped image

Must include at least 3 snowflakes (can be more)

Must include a Greeting

Outside of the card:










Inside of the card:











I had this great paper with snowflakes on it that looked like it was spray painted blue and purple. Also from the same stack I had a deep purple that matched well. I added stickles to practically everything...the snowflakes and swirls, the borders of the cut portions, the penguin and the stars in the Merry Christmas. I attempted to emboss the snowflake stamp by the Merry Christmas with a clear glittery embossing powder...it didn't turn out exactly like I wanted but it looks fine. This is my first card with an opening from the front to the inside so thank goodness for my Cricut Design Studio I was able to line it up perfectly.

I wish I had some of Peachy Keen's wonderful winter stamps...they are definitely on the Christmas wish list! This is my second challenge from their blog and I am loving it!

**Update 10/20/09: I won!! Isn't this graphic the cutest!

Blog Hop Challenge #13

#13--ScrapbooksnStuff:

http://scrapbooksnstuff.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Again, using another sketch. I am starting to like this sketch thing. The most difficult part for me was creating the shape of the white background part...I realize it is a popular shape but I don't know where to get it from so this is my version from my Cricut Lyrical Letters cartridge. I like how it turned out. Again, another page checked off the list from my niece's 1st birthday party. A few more challenges and I should have that project done :)

Blog Hop Challenge #12

#12 The Crafting Pot:

http://thecraftingpot.blogspot.com/

Old school--no special tools. I used postcards, regular scissors, a few pictures and a brochure from the Coke museum in Georgia. I am really working to catch up on my books...these pictures and items are from 2001. I had it planned but never executed till now:

Blog Hop Challenge #11

#11--Scrapfit:

http://scrapfit.blogspot.com/

The challenge here is "Happy Fall". This is probably my favorite cricut image (the leaf) so I decided to use it along with some of my newer papers. The stripe paper and ivory behind the leaf is from the DCWV Rustic stack and the words and leaf are cut with my new metallic paper. The base of the card was scrap brown cardstock.

Blog Hop Challenge #10

#10--Creativity With A Twist:

http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com/

The challenge was to use the theme "Down and Dirty". I was having a hard time with this one since I don't have any kids nor is my husband a car mechanice or avid gardener. The only thing I could come up with (and I love how it turned out) is this picture of my niece from her birthday party playing with sidewalk chalk. She was at that age where she didn't want to touch sand/dirt so this is the closest I have to "Down and Dirty."

Down and Dirty with Sidewalk Chalk

Blog Hop Challenge #9

#9--Just Buggin:

http://justbugginchallenges.blogspot.com/

This challenge was another die cut challeng but it required you to dress up your images a bit. Nothing plain, don't just cut it and slap it on the page. Oh boy did I work on dressing these up. I added stickles, rhinestones, used plain and patterned paper, use my design studio to edit the tea pots to be used as frames for the pictures. I even used vellum to cut the steam coming out of the cup and wrote each person's name on a piece of steam as my way to caption the picture.

Blog Hop Challenge #8

#8--Practical Scrappers:

http://practicalscrappers.blogspot.com/

This challenge was to use diecuts...any kind, store bought or made from any machine. I used my cricut and cut star bursts to copy the ones in the designed paper. I added stickles, flowers and brad to dress it up a bit. These are engagement pictures of my husband and I about 3 weeks before our wedding.

#8--Practical Scrappers:

Blog Hop Challenge #7

#7--Peachy Keen:

http://peachykeenstampschallenge.blogspot.com/

I love these little faces!!!! I purchased the stamps when I purchased my Cricut Paper Dress-up Dolls cartridge because I was terrified about trying to draw faces. These are perfect because they tell you what size doll to use each stamp on. Only problem was that my supplies have been in boxes for about a year and my ink was almost dried up so I had to stamp twice...yes I sort of missed the second time so the mouth is double stamped. Oh well, got new ink yesterday so I will be better next time.

Blog Hop Challenge #6

#6--Chirper Challenge:

http://chirperchallenge.blogspot.com/

The challenge called for "sweet", a stamp somewhere and some glitter. The little foot prints is a stamp and the brad has glitter on it (hard to see in the picture). I was racking my brain to do a cupcake or something for a birthday card but while at the gym I was talking to my mom about my cousin's new baby boy and I thought that would be a more current card to make for the challenge that I would also be quick to send out. I think I am going to put slits on the inside to hold a gift card before I send it out.

Blog Hop Challenge #5

#5--Sew Many Cards:

http://www.digital.sewmanycards.com/
This giraffe is super cute. I loved looking at the different designs on this website. What a wonderful idea...digital stamp. I am just starting to do cards so this blog hop challenge is the most cards I have ever made (wow 4) I think this is my favorite and it was the most simple of them all.

Blog Hop Challenge #4

#4--for SPCC
http://spcolorcombos.blogspot.com/

This is a layout I completed about two weeks ago but I didn't think it was finished. When I saw this challenge to use the selected colors I knew I just needed to add the bright green on top of the dark green and it would give this the kick it was missing. The driving force behind this layout was the wonderful pictures. My niece with her cousins at her first ever pumpkin patch. I love the ribbon also...it had just the right touch of glitter and sparkle.

Blog Hop Challenge #3

#3--for Whimsical Scraps & Bugs:
http://whimsicalscrapsandbugs.blogspot.com/

This was completely out of my normal crafting mind. I have done a few non-layout, non-card projects but wow. Great Challenge!! I didn't have any cute festive ribbon so I grabbed what I could find and straw seemed appropriate. Thanks for looking.

Blog Hop Challenge #2

#2--All About Me Challenge (scraplift Miranda)
http://itsallaboutmechallenge.blogspot.com/

I had a hard time getting motivated to do this one. What color describes me??? HUH? Then all of a sudden, while in the shower, I remembered that I attended a training class when I first transferred to my current job called "True Colors". My driving force color is GREEN. The picture is of my husband and I at my sister's wedding. Our dresses were green so I thought the picture was appropriate. The story and picture have nothing in common except the color but oh well.

Blog Hop Challenge

#1 for Scrapsketch:

I think I am going to enjoy this blog.
http://www.scrapsketch.com/
This is one of my first layouts utilizing a sketch and it challenged me to get out of my comfort zone. I love the results. I have been needing to scrap my niece's 1st birthday party for a long time (she is 2 1/2 now) but I couldn't get very involved in my crafts until now...wedding, moving etc got in the way :)

Welcome!!

I am very very new to this so please be patient. I have created this blog to participate in a scrapbooking/crafting blog hop challenge. As I was looking into the challenge I discovered that participating in random challenges it probably going to be the best way to keep me on task when it comes to my scrapbooking hobby. I am hoping to expand to card making eventually but need to catch up on my personal scrapping projects.