Back to the Basics Cricut Circle Weekly Challenge

Here's the Circle Blog weekly challenge:

Weekly Challenge #18: Back to the Basics Challenge!

For this challenge we want you to go “Back to the Basics” . . . by using ONLY the cartridge(s) that came with your machine or Gypsy! You must use THREE cuts on your project (the complete title or words counts as one cut). We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

The cart that came with my first bug was George and the Basic shapes.  I still use this cart quite often b/c of the simple shapes.  As I was looking through my handbook again I saw the balloons and knew I had to use them.  I used the cuttlebug quite a bit for the balloons and background pieces.  The "Happy Birthday" stamp is from Sizzix.  I hand stitched the balloon strings, which surprisingly, took less time than I thought it would.  I'm a sewer at heart, so that part was fun to add to my card.  

Stephen's new job

Stephen started his new job this week as the Director of Rehab for a lovely Nursing home here.  We are so proud of him and very excited!  Here are some pics of him getting his cookie bouquet delivered by US!

Another Vintage Valentine Card

Here's the 2nd card I promised to show you today.  I think my sweet husband will get this one!  Have a great day!

Vintage Valentine Cards

Red zig zag stitch

Stamp from the Stamps of Life

Inside paper covers the stitching and looks so elegant!

This card is so not typical of my style.  My Dad came across these vintage Valentine's at an estate sale and gave them to me.  I just loved them and knew I had to use them in my own card making.  I purchased some Anna Griffin paper that I thought corresponded with the old time look.  Adding the red stitching made the muted colors of the paper much more noticeable.  The stamp says it all- You're so sweet!  I thought it was perfect for these two little children.  Hope you enjoy this card.  I'll post another Vintage Valentine tomorrow.

Bead Organizer Box Valentine

Good Morning!  Today I wanted to share a little gift that I made for my 2 neices and nephew.  I know they will love it!  I took a plastic bead organizer box and decorated it and then filled it with all kinds of yummy Valentine treats.  I even put some things in it that aren't edible like: bouncy balls, rubber bracelets, and plastic heart slinkies.

Top of Box

Front of Box

Yummies inside of Box

Front again

Post-It Notes Valentine

Hey everyone!  I hope you had a great weekend.  We did.  Yesterday after church we got lots of snacky foods and just laid around and watched football games.  It was a little chilly and overcast here, so we lit the fire too.  It was just a nice, fun day with the family!  During the games I was able to work on a couple of projects.  The one I'll share today is a fantastic little Valentine for teachers or co-workers. I made 10 to give to my kids' teachers and some of the office staff and their school.  They are soooo easy to make and sooo cute!

Here's what you need to start:

- a 3X3 post it note pad

- 3 kinds of ribbon cut at 3 inches each

- red stickles

- Valentine's paper ( I used the K & Company KP Valentine 12X12 pad)

- red or pink hair elastics

- Martha Stuart heart punch

- Simply Charmed cart

- Martha Stuart Scoring Board

- My Pink Stamper stamps - Buggy Punnies

- Gelly Roll pen

Recipe:

Cut your 2 sided Valentine paper at 8 X 3 1/8.  With the inside of the paper facing you, place a score line at 3", 3 3/8", 6 1/2", and 6 7/8 ".  Fold along the score lines.  Use a punch or decorative scissors to trim the longest flap.  Center the post it note pad between the 3 3/8 and 6 1/2 scores.  Fold the paper around the pad so the decorative edge is on the outside.  Using your cut ribbon, tie the pieces onto the elastic band.  Once you have all three pieces of ribbon on the band, you can wrap it around the paper and post it pad.  You can stop there and it's pretty darn cute.  But if you want to add a little more, cut a cricut image out and find a corresponding stamp to make it extra darn cute!!!  I used the love bug image off the Simply Charmed cart and cut him at 1 3/4.  I used red stickles for his cheeks ( I don't like messing with the tee-tiny little circles that cut out for the cheeks!). I added some stitching with my Gelly Roll pen, then I pop dotted him on. Lastly I added  my stamp sentiment which came from My Pink Stamper's set  Buggy Punnies.  And wha-la, a nice treat for someone.  I think I'll get some Valentine pens to put with it!  Have a great day and happy crafting!

 What a cute LOVE BUG!

 Bug Hugs stamp from My Pink Stamper and deorative punch from Martha Stuart

Circle Magazine- My Sweet Valentine Contest

Valentine Pop Rock Slider Card

I was so excited about this contest because I had planned to make Valentines' anyway and they fit the bill! The requirements for the challenge are to use at least four Cricut cuts and include something edible in the design (even if it’s just candy inside).   I made a Valentine Slider card using Pop Rocks!  And with the Hannah Montana and Pop Princess carts it was a breeze.  In case you don't know what a slider card is, it's a card built around something (in this case Pop Rocks).  Using ribbon the Pop Rocks can be pulled out of the card, thus the slider part.  I have seen people use them for hot cocoa, garden seeds, and apple cidar packets.  The Pink Stamper has a great video tutorial if you need to see one being made.

Materials used:

cardstock - pink, black, white, blue, pink glitter, pink pattern, metallic silver

carts- Hannah Montana, Pop Princess

bling- adhesive backed pearls, hot pink rhinestones

stickles - silver

Pop Rocks packets

Ribbon - hot pink

Martha Stewart heart punch

Martha Stewart score board

Gypsy

Recipe:

The slider card itself was cut from pink cardstock at 8 X 5.  I scored the paper at 2 3/16 and 5 15/16 using the MS score board.  After creasing the scores you have a trifold.  Folding the two flaps together I used my ATG gun to tape the seam.  Next I took a piece of black cardstock cut at 3 X 5 and punch the 5 inch sides with the MS heart punch.  I attached the black to the front of the pink slider card.  Using the Hannah Montana cart and my gypsy I welded the words "You Rock" on silver cardstock.  The font was Daddy's Girl at 1inch.  The heart was cut at 1 3/4 and the music notes 1 1/4.  The guitar was cut from the Pop Princess cart at 3 1/4.  I added pearls and stickles to the guitar to jazz it up and rhinestones to "You Rock".  With everything cut out, I just added to the card using lots of pop dots.  I punched a small hole in the top center of the card and threaded a  20 inch piece of ribbon through.  Note:  I used a rather wide piece of ribbon.  I recommend using a smaller piece.  It will pull through much easier!  With the ribbon through both holes, you push the Pop Rocks and ribbon into the card until you can no longer see the candy.  Tie a knot or bow with the ribbon at the top of the card.  Now you can pull the candy out with the ribbon and push it back in.

Sweet Boy gets glasses

  This post is kind of off the subject of paper crafting but I had to share.  Our son who is 10 years old told us a few weeks ago that he had been seeing things blurry.  We waited a while to see if it would go away.  It didn't.  So we headed to the eye dr.  And the news was what I expected - Glasses!  The doc said he is still a little too young for contacts, so this was really our only option if he wanted to see better.  Cortland was shocked more than anything.  Cortland is a very athletic little boy and his greatest fear was that this would inhibit his playing ability.  Once I assured him that we would get him some sport's goggles and that he could still do anything he normally did, he was OK.  I think he was even a little excited to pick some out.  It's been a few days since he got them and all is going well.  The next big hurdle will be school.  Hopefully, no one will be insensitive to him and make a comment that would hurt his feelings.  I'll keep my fingers crossed and say a little prayer for that =).

Before

After What a handsome guy!

Sweet Pea - Circle Blog Weekly Challenge

 inside of card

                                                                        Hey everyone!  This is my card made for the Cricut Circle Blog's weekly challenge.  Here's what I had to do:

                 

 This week we challenge you to create a SCRAPBOOK PAGE or CARD using the sketch below. Your project doesn’t need to follow the sketch exactly, but it should be apparent that you used it as inspiration. Feel free to turn it on it’s side or move elements to fit what you are doing. In addition to using the sketch, we also want you to incorporate STAMPING and BUTTONS (of course!).

Materials Used:

Paper - Stampin Up

Cart - New Arrival

Ink - SU Green Galore, -Staz-On Black

Button Brads

Stamps - Michaels $ bin, The Stamps of Life by Stephanie Barnard

Punch - SU scallop 

Colored Pencils - Martha Stuart

Cuttlebug embossing folder - Swiss Dots

Stickles - Cotton Candy

Ribbon - Pink gingham

Pop Dots

Paper flowers

Recipe:

Using an A2 sized card I cut 2 strips of pink paper at 1 1/4 X 5 1/2 & 3/4 X 5 1/2 then embossed them with the Swiss Dots cuttlebug folder.  The larger piece was attached to the top of the card and the smaller to the bottom.  I then covered the seems with pink gingham ribbon.  The pea was cut at 3 inches from the New Arrival cart.  I put a creme shadow behind it with some pink stickles on the leaf of the pea. Then pink gingham brad buttons were added as "peas".  The words "sweet pea" were cut at 1 inch.  The 3 squares at the bottom of  the card were cut at 1 1/2 and 1 1/4.  Using the stamps from Michaels, I stamped and colored the blocks and rattle.  Then paper flowers and a brad finished off the squares.  Inside the card I added another piece of pink cuttlebugged  paper that is scalloped with the SU punch.  It really finished off the card well.  The last step was a stamp with "UR Cute as a button" inside.

Sweetie Pie - MPS Challenge

 

inside of card

It's Monday and I hope you had a nice weekend.  Ours was pretty low key.  I did have time to make a card for the Pink Stamper challenge using one of her stamps.  I used the "Sweetie Pie" stamp from her new Love-alicious set.  They are so great for Valentine's!  My pie was cut at 2 3/4 from the Simply Charmed cart.  I can't say enough about this cartridge - if you like cutesy images, this one  is for you.  And like Create a Critter, the layers are super easy.  The glitter paper I used was from DCWV and was cut at 2 1/4 X 5 1/2.  The heart paper was cut the same as the glitter and was from K & Company.  The bottom trim was done with a MS heart punch.  I also added the heart paper with heart trim on the inside of the card to add a little extra to the card.  Thanks for coming by and have a great day!