Happy New Year!!

I am so happy to be posting after being AWOL for a few weeks. I have been crafting like mad, but I was in a bit of a frenzy and just couldn't post it all. I will save a few fun Christmas-y things for inspiration at the beginning of next Christmas season (sorry, I didn't mean to go to next Christmas already! Do forgive me!) Anyhow, I am having a New Year's Eve party this year and got the itch to decorate which is kind of funny since I never did get into the Christmas-decorating spirit too much this year. But, I am excited to show you what I created today.

I'd seen those banners everywhere last year and was so happy to use my Country Life cart for the font (already in the pennants). Now, I really wanted to use this glitter paper I got for cheap, but knew from experience that my cricut mat did not take kindly to the glitter shedding all over it, so I glued them onto the glitter paper and cut out with my "vintage" decorative-edge scissors! {tickled pink!} I also used the "happy" from Beyond Birthdays (I just wanted it pre-welded so I found the "O Happy Day" phrase and used that). The beautiful clock is from Graphically Speaking and I did glue a tiny rhinestone in the center. I also strung it all together with some sturdy ribbon and adhered the "2011" with removable adhesive so it will be re-usable, too!

Next, I got these pretty balls from Target today 50% off. Don't they match the banner perfectly?

There were 50 for $7.50 and they came with the silver ties! (I did have to tie them, but I have an excellent almost-7-yr-old helper for that!)

Here's how I used those:

That was in my dining room. My pretty mural that my mama painted may make them a bit hard to see.

And here:

That's whimsical to me and reminds me of the pom-pom trim you can sew on stuff. (Oh, my son just informed me one just fell...maybe I should have dusted before I taped them all up there!)

Well, I hope you have had a beautiful holiday thus far and enjoy a Happy and Safe New Year's, too! May God richly bless you and your home in 2011!

Wrap it Up - first try!

This is my first try with the Wrap it Up cart. I thought I would really enjoy the little boxes in particular. The princess castle is so sweet. I am not sure if I did something wrong, but I did have to trim a bit off one edge so it would not overlap into one of the windows. It's very small (only about 2.5 x 2.5") cut "Fit to Size" on 12 x 12 paper. I think it turned out pretty cute. :)

December Daily Albums

I have a couple of short videos to share with you.  The "December Daily Album" idea came from Ali Edwards' blog a couple of years ago.  They are some of my favorite albums because they record little, treasured moments from our daily lives.  I am not always great at journaling in my albums, so I try to really be free and relaxed and journal lots in these.  The trick to "keeping up" is to have the basic album done ahead of time (I add appropriate embellishments later) like the layouts with the numbers for each day.  I also write a few sentences at the end of each day so if I need to pick it up a few days later, I don't have to rack my poor brain trying to remember what we did that day.

Also, these are the first videos I've ever made like this, so I really hope they are okay.  Please ask questions if you have any.  I would love to do a "tour" of my craft room in the future and maybe some videos in response to requests, too.  Okay, hopefully this will inspire you to get scrappin' and get ready to record all of those Magical moments during this December!

Framed Name Art---Lots of Pics!

Here is the first of FIVE wall hangings I made for my little ones and other small children in my family.  Three are Princesses, but two are for boys.  What a great feeling to finally get them finished and framed and given away to the appropriate little loves in my life.  The original inspiration came from a post off of the old Cricut messageboards HERE.  I fell in love with this and had to go crazy with the idea.  This first one of Sleeping Beauty is the most similar to the post I saw on the mb.  On this one, I used glitter cardstock for the name in the Storybook font, Happily Ever After for most images, and Home Decor for the flourish under the name, and Serenade for the tree.  I also stamped the corners with CTMH acrylix stamps to add needed color.

Next, is my project from Life's A Beach!  Love that one.  All cuts on this piece of art are from LAB.  I stamped the bubbles and seaweed.  I also accented with gel pens and rhinestones in the treasure chest. 

My daughter said, "He has a big booty!"  I had to agree.  LOL

The little seahorse is tucked in among the coral.

I embossed the name and used the cricut markers to subtly ink brown around each letter.  (You can see it enlarged by clicking on the pic if you like.)

Next are my two princess nieces.  (They even have princess names!)

I love the colors.  Red is so crisp!  The birds and the dwarve's little chair are too sweet!

Bashful was the girliest dwarf with the pretty flowers.

Again, I stamped in the corners for lots of color.

Lots of stickles on Snow White's dress and the diamonds!

What did I tell you?  Do you get more princess-y than Juliet and Fiona as far as names go?

Again, lots of stickles on the dress and glass slipper.

This is a great cut for Thanksgiving, too!

White, coarse glitter on the underskirt.

These little mice might be my favorite cut of all.

Are you still with me?  Thanks, this is the longest post I've ever done by far!  Here is the one I made for my son...he loves basketball just like his daddy and needed something not too juvenile...

All images are from Basketball Solutions, except the bball corners which are from Sports Mania.  The font is from Opposites Attract.

I embossed the letters and stamped silver bballs in the background.  I tried to use Orlando Magic colors for the most part as we are fans.

Well, thanks for staying with me for this very long post.  Hope something you've seen has inpired you.  Have a blessed day!

60th Anniversary Card and Gift

I will be away for the weekend, but wanted to show you how I used the leftover vinyl from the Etched Picture Frame on the gift wrap.  I just taped on the card and put the vinyl on above and below.  (The scrolls are from Storybook and they aren't on the frame, but the lettering and heart from Plantin Schoolbook is.)  The best gift-wrapping tip I ever heard is just to get a big roll of this brown kraft paper from the Office Supply Store and use it for everything.  It is just good all-purpose paper that is a nice weight and can then be decorated for any occasion and best of all, you only have to store one roll of wrapping paper!

I figured I would post the card here as well.  The cuts on the card are all from A Child's Year (a favorite, for sure).  I used design studio to hide the violin cutout on the image I used for a liner and the vellum... The paper is Amy Butler and it just reminds me of my grandma.  The sentiment is from Scrappy Moms Stamps (the button is on my sidebar).  Thanks for letting me share.  Have a blessed weekend!

Etched Picture Frame

My grandparents are celebrating their 60th Anniversary this Friday night.  Gifts are really hard at that point and most family will bring cards....but I thought a personalized frame would be a sweet momento for them.  My daughter thought she was funny putting bunny ears on the frame as I was photographing it...you gotta love a 6 year old's sense of humor!

Barn Challenge

This was a fun challenge on Bitten By The Bug 2 this week.  We were to use a barn on a project.  I am loving Create a Critter and that is where all of these images are from.  I used a Scrappy Moms Stamp and Ribbon on the Barn Door and fabric behind the heart cutout.  The barn is embossed with the cuttlebut and I machine-stitched around the red part of the barn.  The roof is inked and the cow's horn are metallic silver.  This is for my grandfather's bday this week.  He lived in WI, which of course, makes me think of cows!  LOL

Emboss on Your Pages Challenge

At Lasting Memories Layout Challenges, we were challenged to use embossing on our pages this time.  This is a layout I completed with notes from my kids to my Father-in-law to express their love to him for his 60th birthday.  He is a huge Gators fan, so I welded the title on design studio and used (I think it is "mesh") to mimic gator skin (you can see it up close if you click on the pic), then inked in brown.

Treat Bag Toppers

I'm new to these, but very excited, because I am always looking for ways to thank the awesome volunteers that I serve alongside in my church.  The little trees are from Serenade and the sentiment comes from my Scrappy Moms Stamps.  Last week, when I submitted something for the design team for Scrappy Moms Stamps, I could not think of anything to make other than a card or tag....here's something different, though.  :)  I can't wait to give these out tonight!

"Hang in There" Monkey Card

I created this card for the challenge at My Creative Time by using Zooballoo to cut the monkey and the vine.  The big leaf is from Life's A Beach.  I used a Scrappy Moms Stamp for the sentiment and stickles on the monkey's tummy, nose and leaf.  I also doodled with gel pens.  I hope this will lift my friend's spirits as she is going through a lot right now.  I thought it would be a fun twist to make the monkey purple.

Mother/Daughter Cricut-y Fun

Lately, I've been letting my daughter (6) pick something to cut out (I cut an extra for me).  She picks her own papers, etc.  It's like having a new challenge each time!  Here are some cards we made together.  Joy even drew a little face on the worm the momma bird is bringing to her baby.

"Eight" Layout

I had lots more fun than I expected from this challenge at Bitten by the Bug 2.  The challenge was to use the pointing hand cut from "Graphically Speaking".  This is a great cart, and lucky for me, my fellow scrappy sister gave it to me for my bday.  I am not terribly crazy about that particular image...it just isn't "pretty" to me.  But, I remembered this pic of my son on his 8th bday this Spring.  I took his pic that day and I don't know why he did this (maybe he was telling me he's #1...my children have never had any qualms with self-esteem.  :))  So I got to work.  I love, love the number borders and was thrilled to be able to use one on this layout.  I penstitched around the hand and machine-stitched the top and bottom of the page.  The sleeve on the hand is stamped.  So happy to have another page completed.  TFL!

Expression decorated with Vinyl

This was such an easy project and with almost-instant gratification, too!  (I saw the idea on the Cricut Messageboards several months ago with some beautiful butterflies.)  I used Design Studio to weld my name (Opposites Attract) and the images (Serenade).  Sooo much easier to apply!  I took it to a crop the next morning.  I just have to have it with me now every time I crop.  :)

Pink "Hope" Card

I made this card for the challenge at The Cuttlebug Spot.  I found the sentiment on my Home Decor cart along with the dragonfly/flower image in the background.  I inked the dots on the word and used an MS corner punch.  Hope you like it!

Stylin' Mama Card

Here is a very simple card with a base from A Child's Year (I feel like I use that one all the time) and this sweet, adorable mama from New Arrival.  I gave it to a girlfriend of mine who is just that cute!!