Birthday Bash of a Card

I had gotten the Birthday Bash Cricut Cartridge before we left for Russia, so I had had some time to play with the cartridge. I would cut some words here and there, as we have seen in a previous post, but it was time to really dive into the full potential of this cartridge. I am only showing you the card today, but, I had also made a layout using this Imaginisce paper called All Kinds of Happy. With the leftover paper I made this fun card, good for boy or girl, with the cute dog in the party hat.

After I pieces the dog together, I thought, 'How Plain.' and leaving my Cuttlebug back home in Canada I had to improvise, so out came the stickles! The paper already had little shots of glitter everywhere...I was just improving the overall look of it! Pop that dog on a handstand up with 3D foam tape and we had the start of an awesome card.

To finish it off, I wanted the card to stay gender neutral, so ribbon was out. The coordinating pink dots was the back of another paper in that line and top it all off with a trio of buttons.

Let's not forget the inside of the card, this cartridge features a phrase function and it is awesome for all the words that say Celebrate! I choose the party hat to go with my dog and the little 'to' just cut right along with the phrase. As my Daughter would say 'Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy!'

A 'Bliss'ful Layout

Yesterday I caught up on my picture taking...I had sooo many layouts and cards that needed to be photographed that it took me most of the afternoon. But, now caught up, I have a load of pictures to post for you!!! I decided to start with a layout, lately while perusing the blogosphere, I realized that there seems to be a shortage of layouts posted. I still love to use Close to my Heart Scrapbook Layouts, they are clear and I DO always get a great layout, I am no longer a consultant but still love all things Close to my Heart. This layout is all CTMH except 6 little buttons and Tattered Angles Glimmer Mist.

A really sweet layout for either a B/W baby photos or Wedding pictures, it is dreamy and soft, perfect for those pictures. I did lots of different techniques on these pages,

I tried to layer lots, so I first took CTMH new Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge and cut a large Medallion, then I used that medallion as a mask for both pages, layering Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Coffee Shop/Creme de Chocolat/Pearl over the mask.

I used the same on a Tattered Angels Flourish Mask on a photo mat, punched my scalloped strips with a Martha Stewart punch, Inked all edges, added CTMH crochet ribbon and generic buttons, but it still needed something...

So I cut up the mask I used and used the pieces to embellish this great layout. I am not sure if I should classify this as Shabby Chic or Romantic, but I love this layout and will use my Cricut to make many more masks!!!!

Peachs' Art

March is here are we are ready for all our snow to melt...we have not been able to get out the back door of our house since last year. I know that was only three months ago but I am ready for a warmer change. I had a great coffee with some of the other expat wives here is Sakhalin and the day before I was looking at the spot between 2 light sconces where a previous Happy Birthday banner was hanging and decided that it is too open a space to have nothing in it, so the question is what do you do? Do you change it with the seasons? Do you find some art or make some? Do you leave it blank so it can stare at you day in and day out? While we were living in Denver I had a collage frame and wooden 'P' hanging on the wall, I really loved the 'P' but it did not make it in the shipment, I assume that it is in storage? Not quite Sure...So my solution was to whip up this peachy sign with my Cricut, something to fill the space and to bring more personality to our home, which till now has been kinda boring with out the Christmas stuff around.

I broke out my brand new Sophisticated by Teresa Collins cartridge out and cut out Font 2 with shadow to complete my wall art. I cut the shadows first as I have made the mistake before of cutting the regular font out as large as it will cut and then the shadow feature won't cut because the font is too big.

In this cartridge is also a welded 'The' which came in very handy that I didn't have to piece that together. I did have to use different patterned paper as I was running low on my other paper.

I added this key to the bottom, it is not completed yet but I will be putting an 'est. 2004' on the line of the key as soon as I get my new gypsy, so I can weld the words together. I used subdued metallic paper for the key from DCWV and 3D foam taped everything to get the dimension I was looking for.

This font is really awesome because it has this great scroll in the letters, one of that ladies at the coffee morning commented that it looked like wrought iron, which is a huge compliment as I decorated the house with wrought iron and it doesn't break when being moved 30, 000 miles away. The paper was all Close to my Heart, a discontinued paper pack called Silhouette, still one of the prettiest I think.

Do you see the great scroll in the 'P'! Even my husband was happy and impressed when he came home later that night, if he likes it then I hit a home run! Love to hear your thoughts,

Happy Birthday Little Guy

Even though the Christmas Bazaar is long gone, the Happy Hobby Craft Fair is just around the corner. This cards was originally made for the Bazaar but never sold, I am sure that it will this craft fair. I have some scrapbook supplies that I have been holding onto for 4 years or more, these papers are some of them, I bought them before I know what I should and shouldn't buy, I guess I was trying to mass an inventory. Now, being in Russia, I do not have access to any new papers and have chosen to either use it or sell it off at the end of this year. Out with the old, in with the new! I actually like the way that this card turned out, it's clean cut with a rugged edge to it, with all the buttons and sewing in and olive color it does scream boy, you know barely see the purple.

I had fun inking the edge of the card and cutting the sentiment out with the Birthday Bash Cartridge from Cricut. I added and sewed the cute buttons on the front. There was no circle originally but my 1 year old had a blast picking them off, did it turn out better...maybe! Just a little update, I am needing to do some more photographing, but I have been doing tons of projects lately. On my list this next week, taking photos and one more blog post before the end of the month, we'll see if that happens.

A Princess of a Birthday

Here we are just after Christmas and Valentines, just waiting for the other holidays creep up on us. I am one of those lucky people who in my own direct family, between Christmas and Valentine's day have 10 BIRTHDAY'S to celebrate. It's a good things I am in Russia or good bye Christmas Cards, Hello, Birthday Cards. One of those birthdays just happens to be my daughter's 6th birthday, I know, it's a big one! So to each girl in her class we send out one of this too cute Princess invitations. Everyone loved the invites and asked me where I bought them....I said 'bought?'. NO, my handy-dandy Cricut and I made these cards. All the cardstock was from Close to my Heart, absolutely the best cardstock and cuts like a dream. The Belle paper on the front of the card was from a Disney Mega pack I bought, the inside had all the need to know information! I actually used the cut out crowns on the edge of the cards as the 'for', 'when', 'where' and RSVP information, no waste here. Belle was a little difficult to piece together because her eyes would be easier in a larger size, I ended up adding the whites of the eyes with a white gel pen, it works too! We had lots of fun with Crowns I cut on the cricut and let the girls decorate, each girl had a blast putting ribbon, jewels and flowers on thier crowns. A good time for all the girls, here is a picture of the 11 girls we had at out house!

We also served my last box of Duncan Hines Chocolate cupcakes and I made these great cupcake toppers for them. They were really easy with just and oval, sihouette, toothpick and some Stickles for the glitter. Girls were choosing their favorite ones and taking the toppers home.

Our centerpiece of the party was this cute 3D castle that you can find near the end of 'Once upon a Princess' Cartridge. It didn't take me too long to make, and it was just the right height for our table. It is only about 10" wide by 7" deep by 12" high. The girls loved opening the door to see what was inside...nothing!

I also made a banner that says 'Happy Birthday' with Princess's at the beginning(Ariel), middle(Belle) and end(Jasmine). Each pennant is only 6" high, perfect for such a long word. I used Glitter paper for the letters, Disney Mega Pack paper for the toppers and Close to my Heart cardstock for the base. It was easy to make and the banner is still up to this day! My daughter passed from 5 to 6 with all the grace and beauty of a real princess. It was worth it!

Going strong in the New Year

Finally figured out how to add posts to my blog over here in Russia, I apparently need a new computer! I am back, full tilt in scrapbook/card making mode and have been pumping out some great cards and awesome layouts, but today I want to share a card I made last year, of course last year was only a couple of days ago but I digress, circle and shape cards are all the rage at the moment and thanks to my cricut, I am able to make them. I love the circle cards and even though in my ex-patriot community there aren't a lot of babies around, every so often a cute little baby does come home with some one, so this card is for them.

I have had this paper forever, it is Making Memories and I think it was called Animal Crackers (boy), I also used a Making Memories rub-on for the cute 'little one' sentiment and topped it off with a ribbon I had lying around.

The close up is of the paper and the buttons, the paper was flocked which is why I held onto it for so long. A fun, soft card for a cute, soft baby. The buttons were from Close to my Heart, which I am very sad but had to give up my consultant status when I moved over here! Still some of my favorite scrapbook items and my sister still sells it, so I can always get something. Just a little something to get you all by till I make my next post, I am hoping to keep up my blog with lots of new ideas and inspire some of you!