Friday, January 28, 2011

Apron Giveaway

Lena over at Lena's Crafts is giving away this adorable apron just in time for Valentine's Day.

Check out her blog for your chance to win.  The drawing will be February 6.

Birthday Card

Remember this envelope from a couple days ago?  I finally got the rest of the card completed and ready to share with you - just in time for my sister-in-law's birthday today.  Happy Birthday Erin!

I think that sometimes we are our own worst critics.  I really wasn't happy with this card when I completed it, but it is starting to grow on me.  In hindsight, I think I would have switch the solid yellow paper with the larger flower patterned paper.


This is a 5.5-inch square card.  The yellow square is 5.25-inches.  The next two layers are the tag and tag shadow from the cupcake button on Gypsy Wanderings cut at 5-inches.  The cupcake and shadow were cut just slightly smaller than 2.5-inches; I was simply trying to make it cover the cupcake outline in the tag, so I was resizing it with the Gypsy.

All paper for this project came from The Sorbet Stack by DCWV.  The edges of the cupcake were inked with jet black StazOn ink.  The frame and yellow square were inked with pastel pink Cat's Eye chalk ink.  I added dimension by using foam tape to attach the frame as well as the cupcake.

And, finally, the inside...There is another 5.25-inch square that is inked in black. with the Happy Birthday phrase and shadow  cut at 2-inches (I think).


So, there's my card.  It's the first I've created in awhile and definitely the first I've used my Gypsy to design. 

This card is being entered in My Pink Stamper's birthday challenge and the Craft Your Passion challenge #42 to use two patterned papers.

Hope you have a great crafty day!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Sneak Peak

I got started on my next project this evening.  I'm so excited; I designed/planned it completely on the Gypsy! 

This is (obviously, I hope) the envelope.  I'm not thrilled with the way the shadow and cut lined up, so I may have to tweak it a little.  I think my problem may have been making it "fit to width", but I'm not sure.

I'll be back later this week with the matching card.  

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Speedy Recovery Card and Gift

First of all, let me say THANK YOU to everyone for their suggestions over the last few days.  It was just what I was looking for...suggestions to jumpstart my creative juices.  I combined several responses I got both here on my blog and from the Cricut messageboard as well.  If you want the background story on this card, see my post HERE from January 23.

I just threw this card together, because I didn't get home until late last night and I wanted to get this to him.  I probably could have "done more" with it, but, for a teenage boy, it will do.

 
  • All of the paper came from my "scrap drawer", so I can't tell you who the paper is by. 
  • The words are cut on the Cricut using the Cuttin' Up cartridge at 1-inch. 
  • The card front words are the cartoon shadow feature and the inside words are cartoon.
  • The cookie, layer 1 and shadow were cut using Sesame Street and Friends at 3.75-inches.
  • I wasn't happy with the coloring of the top layer of the cookie, so I used a sponge dauber and a Chocolate Close To My Heart inkpad to shade it a little.
And, here's what he's getting with the card....
Cookies and cream muscle milk, a package of straws and vasoline intensive care lip therapy.


Thanks for stopping by to see what I've been up to.  Hopefully I'll have some more "creating time" this evening and be back again this week with another project.  Have a great day!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Need Some Help, Please

I am in need of some help...

At my son's wrestling tournament yesterday, one of his fellow wrestlers had a REALLY rough day. He got poked in the eye during his first match, and then thought he broke his jaw during the same match. Bless his heart, he wanted to continue wrestling the rest of his matches (his Dad's an EMT & present, so who were we to judge?). As the day went on, he continued to become more pale and complain of the pain in his face.

During his 4th match of the day, the coach "threw in the towel" and wouldn't let him continue. His parents wanted to leave right then to get him checked, but he convinced them to let him stay for his final match to "take a forfeit", so the team would get the points (no actual wrestling involved).

He ended up 4-1 on the day - his only loss being the match his coach made him quit. He went to the local ER to get checked and then was referred to the closest Children's Hospital. He does have a broken jaw & a scratched cornea (from the poke in the eye). They don't think they will have to wire his mouth shut, because it was a clean break & open fracture. They are giving him massive antibiotics as well as antibiotic eye drops. Now they are just waiting to see the specialist to see what he says.

Now, my question...
What can I make as a "get well soon" kind of gift. I know when my son had a really rough tournament, I made him a "That Sucks" sucker bouquet. My guess is that he won't be able to eat anything like a sucker even if his mouth isn't wired shut. He is so bummed that his season might be over.

Do any of you creative lurkers have any suggestions? Any help or ideas to help "springboard" my creative juices would be much appreciated.

Blog Candy from Skittles and Scrapbooks by Liz

Liz is celebrating her blog makeover at Skittles and Scrapbooks by Liz, and we're getting the presents!  She has three different prizes she's giving away (and one of them is a Cricut cartridge).

You have until January 31 to enter her drawing.  Click HERE to check out how to enter.

Skittles and Scrapbooks by Liz

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Superfish

My son has really "clicked" with his new wrestling teammates.  He has started a running joke among them, and many of them now call him Superfish ~ it's a long story.  Anyway, for Christmas, my son received a black t-shirt with a blue Superman logo on the front of it.  The first thing out of his mouth was that he wanted to put Superfish on the back of it.

The blue logo on the front was not one that I thought I would be able to match with iron-on letters, so acrylic paint and my Cricut to the rescue.

I cut the "superfish" word at 1.5" from the shadow feature of Plantin Schoolbook font onto vinyl.  I put the vinyl onto the shirt to use as a template.  I used acrylic paint and covered it very lightly to "seal the edges" so paint didn't seep underneath.  Once that was dry, I gave it two more coats of paint.  Once they were all dry, I set it with the iron.

Voila!  Simple.  And one happy teenager.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Core'dinations Paper

I LOVE Core'dinations Paper!  You get such unique results from embossing and sanding it.  Right now, Core'dinations is giving away 50 new, unreleased Core Impressions packs!  Some of it is even embossed already - just sand for a unique look!  Click here to check out the new paper.  I can't wait to get my hands on some of this paper.
The contest runs through January 21, so hurry!

Love Ribbon?

If you are a ribbon lover, you've got to check out Really Reasonable Ribbon's blogoversary giveaway.  Entry ends Wednesday, January 26.  Check them out soon!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Wrestling Banners

The "wrestling moms" got together at the beginning of the season to "do some decorating" for the boys on both the middle and high school teams. In the cafeteria of each school, we hung a singlet for each wrestler with their name and weight class on it.

One of the moms made a singlet template and then we used the Cricut for the names, numbers and wrestlers. The wrestlers came from the Sports Mania cartridge, and I can't remember which font we used for the letters and numbers.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Halloween

For Halloween, my daughter wanted to be The Mad Hatter - you know the "Johnny Depp" one, not the cartoon one. I was going to buy her a costume since life has been hectic since the move, but she guilted me into making it - "You always make my costumes." I could have probably convinced her to buy one, but then I realized that soon (all too soon, I'm afraid), she won't want me to do these things for her.

So, off to the store we went. I made the jacket and pants and we accessorized with some items (including the hat) purchased from a costume store to bring the "authentic" feel to the costume.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Sparkles!!


What girl doesn't love sparkles??? I made this hoodie for my daughter using Swarovski hot fix rhinestones. I think it turned out pretty good for my first try. I can't wait to do some more sparkling!

I created this using Hot Fix Transfer Paper and an iron rather than a Bejeweler. Because I was jeweling such a large area, this seemed like a much easier application this time.

I purchased my rhinestones from the Crystal Rhinestone Boutique. Shipping was super-fast, the prices were great, AND they have easy to follow instructions on their website.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Cricut Lite Cartridge Up For Grabs - More Blog Candy

Melissa at Disney Dreamer Designs is having a second giveaway for hitting 400 followers.  Congratulations Melissa!  She will be giving away the Cricut Lite cartridge Cupcake Wrappers on January 22.



Check out her blog to sign up and while you're there check out her awesome projects as well.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Karens-Kakes-Krafts Blog Candy

Karen from Karens-Kakes-Krafts is giving away not one, but TWO "blog candies" for reaching 100 followers.  The drawing is this Friday, so stop by & check her out.


Sewing Project


Two days...
That's how long I had to create this skirt after my daughter came home and said, "I have a concert this week, and I need a long, black skirt". Black skirts aren't easy to find for tweens, but LONG, black skirts are nearly impossible to find.

Anyway, I decided that I would have less money and stress in making her a skirt than in trying to find one on the internet and hoping it actually showed up before the concert.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Expression & 3 Cartridge Giveaway

Sweet Magnolia Rose is giving everyone a chance to win a Cricut Expression and three cartridges in celebration of the grand opening of her new craft studio.  The winner will be announced on Valentine's Day.

She also has a chance to win a Cricut Cake, but you'll have to visit her for all the details.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Major Changes

I can't believe it has been so long since my last post. Since that time, I have had some major life changes. We decided to move back to our hometown, closer to family, and life has been completely hectic. Of course, it didn't help that we made this decision with less than a month left before school started, so we were scrambling to get school changes made, etc. Because it was such a last minute decision, we decided to let the kids keep some of their extra-curricular activities to help ease the transition, but that means driving nearly an hour each direction for the activities several times a week.


The good news has been that the kids love their new schools, we're closer to family and small-town life has been a good "life experience" for the kids. The downside is that all the driving for extra-curriculars leaves me little time for scrapbooking, family dinners or general "down-time". The crafting I do right now has to be portable, so I've been knitting quite a lot.

I'm still "repping" Close To My Heart, but I think I'm my own best customer right now. No time for workshops, clubs or gatherings.
Anyway, I have been creating, and I plan to take some time to post what I've been working on in the last few months. I'm going to start with the most recent creation that I gave away this week. A co-worker's wife had a baby early this week, so I gave this blanket to them.


Here's the card. It came from my "stash". If I remember correctly, I made it from a kit I got from the Paper Wishes catalog.

I'll be back soon with some more of my creations.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Blog Candy

Melissa at Disney Dreamer Designs is giving away some blog candy for her followers. She is giving away the 2010 Love Struck Cricut cartridge. Check her out if you are interested.

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