BLOGIVERSARY: Sketch Challenge!

Oh my....look what the winner will be receiving...

{their very own Cricut Imagine)

So this is a sketch challenge. Well...for me it was a MAJOR challenge. I have used sketches many times for all sorts of projects. This particular sketch threw me for a loop! It just wasn't a typical "flow" for me. I think I worked on at least 4 or 5 solid ideas before I almost gave up. Here is a look at the sketch:


What I came to realize is that I just needed to find the right fit for the sketch. I had to put aside the original images and layouts that I wanted to use. Once I stumbled upon the right combination...things went a bit smoother. Now here is my finished rendition of the sketch:

All the printed images are from the Lori's Garden Imagine cartridge. The background is the Butrfly2-oblong-S from...drum roll please....Elegant Edges! How did I ever live without this cart??? The "wonderful" is an Ali Edwards stamp from Technique Tuesday.

I used pop dots to give some dimension to the mat as well as the bird and cage. I ran the pink layer through the Cuddlebug with a damask folder. The little heart stick pins are Heidi Grace. I think they work well.  I also used my Copics to ink all the edges. I think it helps create a nice finish to the white card stock that I use to print the images on.

I had someone special in mind as I was making this. I think I will have to wait a little while before I send it. If you stopped by to see what I had happening here...I appreciate it. Now I am going to post this thing and take a break. I might get to finish the last one that I want to enter, but I am not going to beat myself up over it. This sketch did that enough.

Do you have a WONDERFUL in your life?

BLOGIVERSARY: Imagine Layer and Print Challenge!

It's another Challenge over at the Cricut Circle Blog!

Up for grabs.... a Cricut Cake Machine!

I have been back and forth on this one. So many possibilities! I almost always seem to use my Imagine when I create things these days. It makes things very quick and easy. That's why I got it. I wanted to be able to make something in a "jiffy." You know... the "OMG you need a gift for Who? When?" moments. Well, my Imagine has been my "go-to" tool to help make these moments a little less stress and a lot more fun and done!

So here is my entry:

Once again this is for one of my Circle Sisters as a little extra "somethin-somethin" for her package. I used the Imagine Yummy cartridge. I chose the image that looks to me like it's a little 2-bite brownie with yummy icing on top. It looks a little cuter in person. I don't have the lighting technique down pat yet.

I added a swirl from the bon-bon image and spiffed it up with some dimensional glaze. I ran the icing through the Cuddlebug using the swirls folder and added some "Sparkle" Shimmer Spritz from Tsukineko. The brownie got Swiss dots, why? I don't know. It was late and I think I was imagining the brownie was really a cup cake wrapper. The background is from the Yummy cart cut using a swirl cut from Elegant Edges. {Man...I love that cart!!!!}  The "sweet" stamp is an Ali Edwards Technique Tuesday stamp, Kids Are Cool set.

I used some Bling-Flat Broke cardstock as the base. I spritzed the other side to give it a little special treatment. Then I added a stamp cut, again Yummy paper and Elegant Edges cart. The stamp is from Tim Holtz.

So that's it. This is my little entry. I hope my Circle Sister likes it. I am very thankful for meeting her (and a few extraordinary others) almost a year ago. I love that my "Circle" keeps growing. Thanks Cricut Circle!!!!

Hope you enjoyed today's entry. Thanks for taking a peak.

"it's the little things that make life BIG"

BLOGIVERSARY CHALLENGE: Exclusive Circle Cartridge Challenge!

  The Cricut Circle Blog is turning ONE!

  

The Challenge: Create a project of your choice with one or more of the Cricut Circle Exclusive cartridges! (French Manor, Shall We Dance, Cricut Everyday, Pop-Up Neighborhood, or Sophie) Your project must include atleast 2 different Cricut Image Cuts. And YES! You can mix in other cartridges with your Circle Exclusive cartridges.

for the winner!!!!

Some of you may know about the newest craze to hit the Circle world...vinyl. Yup...that's 3" vinyl to be exact. I am talking about these little cuties:

{Series 1}

This little fad has started a trading frenzy as people try to complete their set or just get the ones that match their machines. They come sealed like trading cards so you don't know what you are going to get. There is even a "mystery" bug out there somewhere.

I have been fortunate enough to trade with a few of my Circlets in order to complete my set and help them with theirs. As I was getting things gathered to send out...I thought that it would be nice to put a little something special in the box. Something other than just the little bug they were expecting. I had already included my calling card so I thought why not make a Halloween card the same size. I don't usually do much scrapbooking or card making for Halloween, but I have seen some really cool things out there on the blog and the MB. So here is what I came up with:

{Little witchy in a web}

{a little closer}

I chose the Circle icon because I thought it would look so cute with a little witchy hat on top. The Circle icon is from Cricut Everyday. I ran it through the Cuddlebug with the folder upside down. It made me think of witch warts but way cuter.  The hat is from Happy Hauntings. I am impressed that my Pink E cut the itsy bitsy spider so itsy bitsy. I used Martha Stewart Hydrangea Flocking for the collar and outlined it with a sparkle pen. I cut the bat from the Teresa Collins Chic & Scary seasonal cart. I used white cardstock, colored it with the sparkle pen, added Martha Stewart fine glitter and added some foam for dimension. The spiderweb is from Mini Monsters, the paper it from the JT Imagine cart. I used my brand new Elegant Edges to cut the background shape and printed it using the Enjoy the Seasons Imagine cart. 

I found a new use for my Copics...inking. I am not so hot at coloring images with the Copics yet...but I LOVE using them to ink up my Cricut cuts and any other edges I can get my hands on. They are great for getting into those tight corners. I have more color choices and they seem to blend so well with whatever project I am working on. You would be surprised what you can do with "Prawn." For one, it blends really well with Kate's Kitchen and Best Friends.

Once I was finished with that I wanted to add one more thing. I had these little bags left from another project. I have always thought they were great for collecting a few Cricut Circle Calling Cards (or protecting little 3" bugs). So I made my first project using... Heat Transfer Vinyl. I think I like it....I really like it. It's a lot less mess than the Yudu. But...the Yudu allows for multiples from one design.  Of course mine is still in the box. Shh....don't tell Nadia.

I hope my Circle Sister likes it.

Thanks for stopping by.

OCTOBER MONTHLY CHALLENGE: Halloween Home Decor Challenge!

October has brought signs of Fall to the countryside. Harvesting, Fall festivals, seasonal veggies and pumpkins! It has also brought another Monthly Challenge over at the Cricut Circle Blog. 



The Challenge: Create a Halloween Home Decor project! Your project must include atleast 2 different Cricut Image Cuts.
The WINNER of this challenge will receive:



When there is severe weather my house faces it head on. So my front porch takes a beating. I wanted to make something that would at least weather this season...and maybe more to come. So I thought vinyl, craft pumpkin and my favorite Fall Cricut images.


Here is what I have made so far:

I LOVE the silhouette of this witch with her broom from the Wrap it Up cartridge. I was also eager to use the spooky eyes from the seasonal October 31st cart. I welded it to the Beware from the same cart. Doesn't it make the "A" and the eyes look like a scary face?

 For these I used the seasonal Pumpkin Carving cartridge. The Boo! is the font from Winter Woodland. It took me a while to pick the font for this but I am pleased with the outcome.

I grabbed some planters from the barn and some raffia I had for gift baskets and ta-da!!! These should hold up pretty well for the season. I also like that I can easily remove the vinyl if I want another look for next year. I plan on bringing these to decorate our campsite. We always go camping with friends the last weekend in October for the Halloween celebration. I think my little pumpkins will add some festive cheer to our little campsite.


I have some plans to make other images to place on the opposite sides of the pumpkins. My 3 year old was watching me while I was creating these on my Gypsy and she told me no spiders, bats or scary stuff. I'll save that for the other side. I might go grab some more of these and add a few new faces when I can.


Thanks for stopping by!!!

Share Your Story...Studio AE celebrating 1st year anniversary

Hmmm...let's see...Technique Tuesday + Studio AE + a challenge = Count ME In!!!

I started buying Ali Edwards' products digitally when she first started to design for DD. Then I saw that she was teaming up with Technique Tuesday and I was in heaven. Of course I have most of her stuff in digi format...but to have physical stamps to carry with me...oh my!

Okay, I digress. So I eventually joined the Studio AE monthly stamp club and have been wondering why I didn't jump in from the start. Well last month TT sent out a nondescript 3x3 box with a note that a challenge was coming. Here it is:

We Would Like to Invite You to Share Your Story...

This month we are celebrating the 1 year anniversary of Studio AE. During the last couple weeks, we have shared some of our favorite projects that the Studio AE creative team made during the last year. Now we would like to invite you to share your projects here on our blog, too. You don't have to be a Studio AE subscriber to participate. All you need to do is create a new project using any Studio AE stamp set. 

and there is more....

Plus there is a bonus prize just for Studio AE members. Every Studio AE member received a folded box in their August shipment. If you add a link to a project that you made using the box and any Studio AE stamp set before midnight on October 5th, you'll be eligible for another $50 gift certificate. 

The following is my submission for this challenge. Since this has been a "challenging" year for my family I chose to focus on US. We have been in our new home for over four months now and I want to document that in some way. I thought I would take out this box on Thanksgiving this year and have each of us place a note of gratitude...of what we are thankful for at that time....in our new HOME...on our first Thanksgiving in this very special place. It will be a "time capsule" of sorts. I may decide to bring it out each Thanksgiving and repeat the steps...or it may remain on a display shelf, waiting to be opened 5...10...or more years from now. I don't know it's future but I know it's present looks a bit like this:

OUR everyday ordinary life is good...

SEPTEMBER MONTHLY CHALLENGE: Window Dressing Challenge!

And here go again! It's another challenge over at the Cricut Circle Blog. This time it was to make something with our interpretation of a "window." As soon as I read about that challenge I had ideas racing through my head. But in the end this is what I came up with.

It is a card I made using the acrylic from a report cover. I cut a card with a bracket type shape to one edge. I used my CTMH Art Philosophy (finally!) for the card shape.  I was able to get it to work in my Expression. But...since it won't sync to the Gypsy I actually had to use the keypad with the overlay! I think I have used an overlay maybe a handful of times since I got my Gypsy a year ago. Man...I LOVE my Gypsy!

I also used my new Lori's Garden Imagine cart. I grabbed it on super sale about a week ago. I cut the frame at 2 different sizes for a bit of added depth and interest. I had cut a few other images but they just didn't seem to be a good fit.

The stamp is from my favorite desginer, Ali Edwards. It's from one of her Technique Tuesday sets. I also have the image as part of a brush set from her Designer Digitals products. "You are a work of art" made me think of my oldest, Brooke. I had her in mind the entire time I was creating this.

Originally I was going in an entire different direction with this project. But due to a technicality...my JT Imagine cartridge being a dud...I had to scramble to find a suitable replacement. I wanted to use one of the images as a frame and then have a "mirror" on the other side of the open frame. Well, I also found out that aluminum foil is not as reflective as I had thought. I also could not find my alternative, stainless contact paper. That would probably have been a dud too. Oh well...I'm happy with the end product even if it wasn't what I had started out to make. Hmmm...where have I heard that before?

So you might have noticed my "models" helping hold up the card. I got my order today of my Cricut 3" collectibles. I now have 5 out of 6. I am missing the white Imagine one. I have some duplicates that I would be willing to trade, just  in case anyone is actually reading this and might be interested.

On a side note, it is definitely Fall in OHIO. We are looking forward to our first Fall in our new house. There are several festivals around. One I can see from my front yard. I could walk there in 5 minutes if I could cut through the corn and soy fields. I LOVE FALL!

Have a great weekend.

Cricut Circle Magazine Challenge: August Cosmo Cricket Contest

Well, it was about time for me to take on another one of the Circle challenges. This time I chose the Circle Magazine Challenge. I needed to make a thank you card for my parents and I thought this would give me a great     set of criteria to follow. It really helps me narrow down my options and keeps me moving along. I am very slow when it comes to my creative process. 

Here are the details:

AUGUST COSMO CRICKET CONTEST!

Cosmo Cricket has been with us from the beginning, so we are super excited about this contest. They always produce such fabulous product that fits perfectly with the Cricut and Cuttlebug machines. This month’s contest will be a fun way to put all of your favorite things together.

Contest Rules: Use any Cosmo Cricket product, at least three Cricut cuts, and any Cuttlebug folder. Contest will open on August 20th. Please upload a working link or picture of your project to the blog under the Magazine Challenge tab. One entry per person. Entry deadline is Friday, September 9th. The winner of this contest will receive $150.00 credit on Cricut.com! Don’t forget to take a high resolution picture so if you win, you can send it in for the Magazine!

For this challenge I made my parents a thank you card because, well...they are past due for one (along with a BUNCH of other family and friends). We just finished the first big section of our basement and my parents donated their family room furniture to the space. Now I was expecting to borrow the really old living room furniture and through on some slip covers until we could splurge for new stuff. But nope...my Dad wanted to keep that stuff. Why???? No clue. But I think it has something to do with the need to buy NEW stuff for them if they gave us the other set. NICE. I don't mind at all. Besides, the couch and love seat look pretty cozy in our new space.  


So this is the reason for the "theme" of my card. Plus the challenge was a Cosmo Cricket contest. Couldn't pass up am opportunity to use my Imagine cartridges from CC, one of my fave companies. So here it is, with a matching envie too. I might toss out some more pics later but I need to get this entered before the deadline. Now keep this in mind, this is a judged contest. NOT a random draw. So based on the other entries....I am toast. But I wanted to try just for the challenge aspect so I might as well enter anyway. 


Good luck to all the other Circlets!!!


Thanks for stopping by.