Birthday piggy

Howdy friends!  I hope you're all having a great Friday and are going to have fabulous weekends!  Today I have a fun little piggy to share.  He's one of the past freebies from Miss Kate Cuttables (don't worry, you can snag him for only $.50 if you missed him as a freebie), but the birthday hat I cut myself.  I have about a million birthday hat svgs and cricut cuts, but the bad thing about being in this little bitty craft room is that everything gets stashed away and then I don't want to get it all back out again, just for a triangle.  So, since I had already put my Cameo away to make room on my table for the actual crafting, scissors it was.  :)  I figured he was a birthday pig because I'm a firm believer that you can do whatever you want on your birthday, and I imagine splashing in the mud is just what a pig would like.

I got the background label svg from Bird's Cards- it was a freebie too!  Then I layered it on top of some MME paper and added three buttons in the top corner and a sentiment from Pink by Design in the bottom corner (btw, I love the Pink by Design "Artisan Tags 2" set that this is from because it's perfect for those times when  you want to add a sentiment but your cut ended up taking up more space on the card than you had planned.)

I added some Firefly stickles around the green part of the tag because I thought my pig needed some sparkle.  I like to put stickles on colors that are similar but slightly different to see what happens- this paper is actually a sea green, and I think it turned out looking nice with the brighter green of Firefly.  It muted the Firefly stickles a little bit but livened up the pastel-ness of the sea green.

This card is being entered into the following challenges:
Die Cuttin' Divas- Birthday with Three Embellishments
Craftin' Desert Divas- On the Farm
Simon Says Stamp Challenge- Anything Goes
All That Stickles- Firefly

A scrapbook page

I don't know why, but I've suddenly been really inspired by scrapbook sketches.  I've been working here and there on my "my childhood" album, but now I want to make a page every single day, it seems.  When I saw this month's challenge over at My Creative Sketches, I knew that it was going to be perfect for me.  I recently came to the realization that I had more paper than I had pictures, so I don't need to be so stingy on using it up, and this sketch had different paper and embellishments than I'm used to, so I wanted to go for it!

Be warned: when I showed this layout to my husband, he said "wow, that's a lot of polka dots and flowers."  I asked if that meant he didn't like it, and he said "no, I think it looks just like something you'd make."  So, I guess polka dots and flowers are pretty "me." I don't usually mix patterns so much, but this was really fun!

I tend to scrap 8x8 moreso than any other size, and so this entire album is 8x8.  Every page is based on a piece of off-white cardstock that I got in bulk at Joanns, so that is the common element throughout.  For this particular page, with a picture of me at the house my family lived at until I was almost 4, I used mainly Vintage Bliss from Simple Stories.  First I layered on a piece of the white butterfly pattern piece, then over that is the grey polka dots.  I used a piece of Amy Tangerine's Yes Please 6x6 pad for the coral paper with arrows and hearts (my favorite from that line!) and then went back to Vintage Bliss for the teal flowered paper, which is from a 6x6 pad too.  I cut it into a circle with my Cameo.

The title is made from a sticker from the Vintage Bliss line, and the butterfly is from the chipboard stickers pack.  Each embellishment cluster has a mustard colored MME enamel dot (or two, in the case of the butterfly).  The main parts of the other two embellishment clusters were cut out from journalling cards that I probably won't use on an 8x8 layout and then enhanced with stickers from the sticker sheet.

In case you would like to play along at My Creative Sketches, here's the sketch I used:

No place like home

Howdy everyone!  It's time for another challenge at Pause, Dream, Enjoy Challenges and it's one of everyone's favorites: Anything Goes!

I made this card using both my Cameo and my Cricut.  Using my Cameo, I cut the center step card, layers, and banner from a file from Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbons.  It was a free file, but now it's in the .99 store.  Well worth it! I mostly used plain cardstock, and the gingham paper is from the Basics stack from Paper Studio.

Next, I cut the mat with my Cricut from the Elegant Edges cartridge.  The same paper pack from Paper Studio had a piece of plain paper in the same color scheme as the gingham, so I used that for the shadow and plain white cardstock for the actual mat.  I cut the shoes from Wall Decor and More.  I used some burgandy Stickles to line the shadow of the shoe and filled the rest of the shoes in with Christmas red Stickles.  

To finish off the card, I stamped the saying "There's no place like home" with my Jessie's ABCs stamps from Lawn Fawn.

So...if you get a chance to make ANY crafts this week, link them up with us at Pause, Dream, Enjoy.  Anything goes!!!  This challenge will only be open for one week!

This will be my last challenge as a Design Team member with Pause, Dream, Enjoy Challenges.  I've very much enjoyed my time on the DT and getting to know the other fabulous crafters who I have worked with, and am so thankful for the opportunity to have worked with them all. They'll be continuing to have challenges under a different format, so I hope you continue to stop by and see all of the wonderful creations that they have for you!

Silhouette Challenges CH#2 "Print N Cut"

It's time for another challenge over at

A blog dedicated to the Silhouette Cutting Machines.
You MUST use a Silhouette somehow in your project.

 Ch#2
Print N Cut
Begins: Saturday, June 1
Ends: Sunday, June 30

Sponsors this month are:

My Scrap Chick
Prize: GC

Tabitha Designs 
Digi Pack (Winner's Choice)

KaDoodle Bug Designs 
Prize: $15 GC

I thought for my first post with this design team, I would also do something else that was a first for me: an easel card!   I got this fabulous easel card cut set from My Scrap Chick.  There's a whole set of them that you can get when you sign up for their newsletter- and a new freebie comes every Friday in your inbox!  I cut the pieces at exactly the size they imported into my Cameo and it was a perfect size!  I did leave off one layer of the sentiment mat, because I wanted to stamp my sentiment (from My Craft Spot's "Birthday Wishes" set) directly onto the scalloped layer.  The patterned paper I used there is from a My Mind's Eye 6x6 pad.

The rhino is my print-and-cut portion of my card.  He is from Lettering Delights.  I thought he was so cute, and was perfect for a print-and-cut.  My printer is not the most awesome, but he still came out great.  One tip I've found for print-and-cut, at least for me, is to make sure that in Silhouette Studio you make your mat in letter size before printing. The times when I just left it 12x12 the registration marks weren't all there when it printed and it ended up cutting off-center because my Cameo couldn't tell exactly where it was supposed to cut.

I finished the card off with three skittles from Carri at DoubleClick AKA Abusybee.

The entire easel card.

Here's a closeup of my print-and-cut Rhino.

There's still plenty of time for you to create something for this challenge!  I hope you'll use your Silhouette and try a print-and-cut!  Visit us at Silhouette Challenges and play along!

Summer Watermelons

Ever since I got my Cameo, I've been really inspired to make more 3d kinds of projects.  I know that I could have done it with my Cricut too, but I didn't really have many cartridges that had those kind of projects.  But with my Cameo, there are cuts for 3d projects everywhere!  Today I have a summery themed fry box filled with candy to share with you.

I started out with a fry box from SVG Cutting Files.  The fry box file I had from them was a freebie from a blog hop awhile ago, and it had the word "hello" welded to the top of the box.  I just cut it out with my Cameo and then cut the word off with my scissors.   I made it orange because I realized that all of my two sided paper is 6x6 pads or else is for specific scrapbooking projects that I'm working on and so I had to use regular cardstock.  I thought the orange was a nice contrast, though.

Both of the watermelon cuties are also past freebies from SVG cutting files.  As soon as I decided I was going to buy a Cameo, I went straight over and joined the mailing list there so I could start accumulating some files.  She sends out Friday Freebies almost every week!  I also have quite a wish list growing there, because everything is so cute and cute is most definitely my style!

The little flag is a sticker from the Simple Stories Snap label stickers.  I just used some baby powder on the part of the back that wasn't stuck to the fry box and it made it become un-sticky.  I knew I was going to need some teeny tiny sentiments for the flag, so I pulled out a Stampendous set that I have that has all of the seasons.

I filled my fry box with some candy I found at my grocery store called Sour Punch Bits.  (and also a bit of tissue paper, because there was less candy when I opened the box than what I had been expecting.  I'm sneaky like that).

This project is being entered into the following challenges:

SVG Cutting Files- Heat wave (summer related)         

Die Cuttin Divas- Refreshing Summer
Simon Says Stamp Challenge- Summer Fruits

Wish you were here

Good morning!  Today I've got a clean-and-simple card to share with you that was inspired by two different challenges running right now (see the bottom of the post for links to the challenges so you can play along too!)  First, I saw the CAS-ual Friday's challenge that had to do with maps, and I immediately thought of the geotag stamp that I had just bought from Ormolu.  I thought it would be a cute twist on the "checking in" phenomenon to kind of say that you wished someone else could be checking in with you, so I got out my handy Paper Smooches alphabet.

I was also inspired by the Black and White challenge at the blog for Shop Pumpkin Spice, and I thought it went really nicely with the CAS feel I would need for my mapquest challenge, so I combined them!  I stamped out my sentiment and geotag in black ink and then added some black gems at the top corner for balance.  I matted that on some shiny black paper I had in my stash, and then put it all onto a white card base. 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

CAS-UAL Fridays- MapQuest

Pumpkin Spice Blog- Black and White

When life gives you...

Howdy friends!  No challenges for today, just a card I had an idea for and wanted to see through to fruition.

Today's card is a little card I made with summer in mind.  On the front I put a lemonade die cut that was recently a freebie from KaDoodle Bug Designs.  It's on a piece of green denim paper from Recollections with some yellow Doodlebug polkadot washi tape and a typed sentiment that says "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."  The font that I used is one of my favorites, coincidentally called Strawberry Limeade.

Front

On the inside I put a margarita die cut from SVG cuts (it's from the Fruity Fiesta set).  It's on a piece of yellow denim paper from Recollections with some green Doodlebug polkadot washi tape and a typed sentiment that says "When life gives you limes, make margaritas."  I thought it was a funny play on the old saying.

Inside

Just a Reminder

For those of you using Google Reader, it only has a few more weeks before it retires.  Make sure that you have imported all of the blogs you follow (including mine!) into a new reader, so that you don't miss any blogging goodness! 

I chose to use Bloglovin to replace Google Reader, because if you import your account now it will automatically make sure you're following all of the blogs that you have on your Google Reader account. 

Birthday clipboard card

You all know that I can't resist a good "Inspired by Pinterest" challenge, right?  Well this week, that's exactly the challenge they're having at Krafty Girls.

For a long time, I've loved the look of cards or gifts that are made to look like clipboards, like this one over at Redheaded Crafter or this one from Stamp n Design, both of which I found on Pinterest. 

My card is just on an A2 card base with some background paper from a MME stack.  I cut the "clipboard" from kraft paper and rounded the edges.  The "paper" is stamped from List2Write by the Stamps of Life, and so are the check boxes and the check mark.  The words are all from Joy's Life stamp sets.  The metal part of the clipboard is stamped from Paper Smooches and cut with the matching die.  It's hard to tell from the picture, but that part is adhered with foam squares to give it some dimension.

The ice cream man is coming!

Remember that feeling of being outside playing with your friends and hearing that tinkling music and realizing that he was on his way?  I sure do. 

When I saw this ice cream truck svg at Miss Kate Cuttables, I knew I had to have it.  It's so cute and so summery!  I cut all of the pieces with my Cameo and it was really easy to assemble just by looking at the picture.  I used a cream card base for this card, with some dark pink paper from Recollections and then a piece of cream and pink paper from Echo Park.  In real life, the cream paper and the white of the ice cream truck contrast really well, but I'm definitely not a photography person and I can't seem to get a picture to represent that.  I used some grey washi tape as the road and then put some orange gems up in the top corners.  I decided to go with some Cotton Candy stickles on the ice cream cone.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Cameo Creations- Summertime

 Paper Playtime- Anything Goes

 Simon Says Stamp Challenge-Transport

Die Cuttin' Divas Guest Designer

Hello everyone!  I am so honored to be a guest designer for today's challenge at Die Cuttin' Divas!  This week's challenge is

Purple and Pearls

I love purple, but it's not a color that I go to often in crafting, so I was really excited for this challenge.  I started off with an A2 sized white card, and then put a piece of purple patterned paper on as a background.  I'm not sure where the paper is from, because I found it in my stash.  I used a piece of Doodlebug washi tape along the bottom as an accent.

I cut the oval from Elegant Edges using the Oblong and Shadow features.  Next, I cut the poodle from Once Upon a Princess.  Originally, she was very light lavender.  I found her too difficult to see against the white mat, so I just colored over her entire body with my Versapen.  It gave her just a slightly deeper tone, which I really like.  I made her bow and collar sparkly with some Stickles.  To finish off the card, I added three pearls that I got from Hobby Lobby in the top corner. 

Your challenge this week is to create a die-cut project using purple and pearls and link it up at Die Cuttin' Divas.  There's a ton of inspiration over there from their Design Team- go check it out!  I can't wait to see what you all come up with.  :)

PS- Kudos to anyone who can guess which Disney character my purple poodle reminded me of and the song she inspired me to belt out while I was creating this card. 

Video scrapbooking!

Ready for another challenge at Pause, Dream, Enjoy Challenges?  Our challenge this time is to create a layout.  You already know my favorite subject for layouts- my yorkie, Sophie!

See that pixelated area in the middle?  It's a QR code that links to a YouTube video I posted of Sophie playing.  I pixelated it on this photo to protect Sophie's privacy. (ok, actually because I didn't feel right posting a public video online of a house we don't own anymore, so the video is only accessible on YouTube if you have the direct link). I found a free QR generator online and just printed it out and used it as a part of my journaling.  Now all you have to do is scan the QR code with your phone, and it pulls up the video! I love that I can include movement and sound memories in my scrapbooks now.  I can't remember where I first heard of this idea (I didn't come up with it on my own, I'm sure), but I love it!

Ok, now on to the products!  I had an extra sheet of grey 8x8 paper, which I used for the background.  Then I used a scrap from the Deja Views Dog Days stack and then layered the photo on top of that.  The yellow behind the QR code is from the same Dog Days stack, as is the big yellow paw and the green flower.  The "Wanna Play" Sticker is from "It's a Dog's Life" by Reminisce and the flag is from Bella Blvd.  The title is just some extra thickers.  I was out of o's, so I cut apart some d's.  :)

Do you have some layouts that you've been meaning to get to?  No better time than the present!  Link up your project to Pause, Dream, Enjoy Challenges and play along with us!

Ice cream card

Is it finally starting to feel like summer where you are?  It is here!  In honor of summer, I've got a cute ice cream cone card to share with you today.  The ice cream cone was cut from Once Upon a Princess at 2 inches.  Remember, the size goes by the main image on the handbook, which in this case is the cone alone.  I didn't cut the face, although it was cute, because I didn't feel like having it anthropomorphized today.  I did, however, add a little sparkle with some Cotton Candy stickles.  I picked out some background paper that looked good behind the cone from a Recollections stack that I have and wrapped some ribbon around the bottom of it.  After adhering the ice cream cone, I decided that I needed one more bit of embellishment.  I used some twine in pink and some more in green and strung them both through a white button, then tied them in a bow. 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Exploring Cricut- Ice Cream       
 Paper Playtime- 2 or more ribbons (or other fibers)                                   

Fantabulous Cricut- Ruffles, Ribbon, and Bows

Father's Day Cards

Today I'm sharing this year's Father's Day Cards.  I used a dark blue card base layered with a piece of grey cardstock that I embossed with the Diamond Plate Cuttlebug folder.  I used three cut files from Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbons' "Tool Time" file- I love that you can either use the silly faces or not, if you want them to be more serious.  The tools I cut with my Cameo.

The ovals are cut with the Cricut from George and Basic Shapes.  I stamped both the orange oval and the inside paper with stamps from AmyR Stamps.

This card is being entered into the following challenges:

Pumpkin Spice Blog- Father      
 CardzTV- Father’s Day      

Cut it Up Challanges- Father’s Day

 Krafty Girls- Anything Goes              

 Simon Says Stamp Challenge- Masculine/Fathers Day

Congrats

Today's card is a nice CAS card (we know how I love those!) with a Congratulations sentiment.  The paper is from Recollections, and I stamped the letters with Paper Smooches stamps.  I cut the ladybug from the button feature of the Paisley cartridge at .5 inches and at .75 inches because I wasn't sure which one would look better in place of the o.  Once I had the sentiment done, I decided to put the bigger ladybug up at the top corner.  Then I just tied some red twine below the sentiment and tied a little bow on it. 

This card is being entered into the following challenges: 
Bitten by the Bug 2- She’s a lady (ladybug challenge)               

CAS-ual Fridays- Congratulations

Pineapple treat holder

When we moved to our apartment, we decided that it would be a good time to make a new start in some other ways, too.  One thing we did was not order cable TV, and instead just got Netflix so we could watch "the occasional movie."  That was working really well, until my husband went out of town to visit his friend for the weekend last month and I realized that you can stream entire seasons of TV shows on Netflix.  So, a month later I have watched almost the entire series of Psych, which, if you watch Psych, you know that one of the recurring jokes is anything pineapple related.  So, of course, when I bought the Fruity Fiesta svg's from SVG Cuts, I had to make this pineapple container.  I've been wanting to stretch myself anyway, now that I have two cutting machines, from making just cards and layouts to more gifty types of crafts.  All that was a long winded way of explaining why this super awesome, Jolly Rancher filled, pineapple box is now sitting in my dining room.  :)

It was really pretty simple to assemble.  I used my versapen to trace all of the lines on the pineapple for a little more definition, and then I tied a piece of twine around it in a knot.  I made the little tag with circles on my Cameo and cut them on some Recollections paper.  Then I stamped one of my favorite Jaded Blossom stamps from Simple Sayings- "Smile" on it and adhered it to the knot on the twine.  The cut file comes with its own tag that you can hang around it, but I wanted something a little smaller so I made my own.

Box with candies inside

Have some candies!

Here's what it looks like completely assembled

This project is being entered into the following challenges:
Jaded Blossom- Anything Food 
Craftin Desert Divas- Anything Goes with Ribbon or Twine

Exciting Announcement!

Hi everyone!  You may have noticed a new blinky under the "I design for" tab of my blog.  I'm so excited to tell you that as of today I've joined the design team for Silhouette Challenges!  We've got a new challenge every month and you can enter up to three times for a chance to win some great prizes.  My projects will be posted toward the end of the month to help everyone get some last minute inspiration.

If you have a Silhouette machine or if you're on the fence and want to see what kind of awesome projects you can make with them, I hope you'll stop by and check us out.  I think challenges are a really great way to stretch yourself as a crafter and I'm looking forward to learning new ways to use my Cameo!