New Cindy Loo Cartridge

I broke down and purchased the new Cindy Loo cartridge today. I finished 3 cards using it. I am not sure these are really finished though. I think they still need something. Just not sure what that something is.

The owl is my fave but I have a thing for owls. The cat was surprisingly easy to put together, so were the mushrooms. I am going to have fun with this cart!

Ephalant Nose Card

I used Wall Decor and More for the elephant and the font. I may have overdone the stickles but I really like stickles. The color combination was completely by accident and it needed that extral that stickles provides.

I used Cuttlebug folders for the embossing and a Martha Stuart punch for the lattice pattern.

And yes, I know I miss spelled Elephant. I used to call my son "Ephalant Nose" and listen to him correct me on my pronunciation. Still do it with "Soduko".

Here is another view. I like how it turned out.

Never before

I have not had to make a card for someone who is going through a really rough time, till now. I made this card for a co-worker.

Since I had no experience at this I went to the experts on the Cricut Messageboard. I lifted the basic layout and expression from a thread on sympathy cards.

The daisy is from Walk in My Garden and all the shapes including the basic card are from Ashlyn's Alphabet. I colored in the daisy with chalks so it looks a little different from anything I have done before.

While I like how the card turned out, I hope I don't need to make another one for a long time.

Wall Decor and More, play time

I purchased Wall Decor and More today. While I was at the craft store the Cricut demonstrator, Tammy, cut out a few of the card function cuts. I am not so sure about those yet but when I got home I did some of the other cuts. I think my favorite is the row of books.

I also purchase one of the new Cricut Lite cartridges at Walmart. I have not played with it yet. That is tomorrows chore!

Butterfly Frame

Using my Design Studio I welded 2 inch butterfly cuts from Wall Decor and More into a frame for a co-worker. After I had the frame background I added 10 butterfly cuts with stickles accents on the wings to look like they are fluttering.

Here is a close up so you can see how I folded and attached them to the frame background.

Last card for tonight

Just one more card. This one was made using Sweethearts monkey and the Don Juan font. It is another nickname card for my son.

I am recovering my creativity

These are the cards I created tonight.

This first one is due to one of the nick names I have called my son for most of his life. The monster is from my newest cartridge, Mini Monsters. Just got it tonight. The font is from Billionair.

This one was inspired by a card on the Cricut Message Board. All I took from it was the saying. I printed it out on my computer. The rope and background shapes are from Old West. I just added a little chalk and ink to make the rope stand out.

measure twice cut once OOPS!

I did not follow this rule. But the results did not turn out too bad!

The cuts are from Walk in My Garden. The back ground was embossed using the Provo Craft Pagoda folder.

Two owl cards

I made these 2 similar owl cards just trying to jump start my creativity. Not excited about how they turned out but they are okay.

A use for the gnome

I thought of a use for the gnome I posted earlier. It says "Gnome one loves you like your mother!".

Company Picnic

I have been planning my company's annual picnic. We had to do it later in the month than I wanted and it is going to be HOT! So I am trying to make it a great picnic anyway.

These are some signs I made for it. The picnic signs (there are 2 and I need to make a 3rd) are 20x30 inches and I used vinyl for the lettering in Schoolbook. The Splenda sign is from Schoolbook also. The table is from Camp Out. All other cuts are from Preserves.

I still need to dress up the team awards for the games and do some last minute shopping. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day!

I did all my creating in the kitchen tonight.

I shockingly did not feel like crafting today. My sister-in-law is probably now very worried about me!

I did try my hand at making a Thai soup, Lemon Grass Coconut Soup. It's not perfect yet but it is pretty good.

The rest of my evening was spent putsing around the internet trying to find even a hint of what my son is up to at Army Basic Training. I know I should quit worrying but I don't see that happening anytime soon!

I made the mistake of watching some videos of the current basic training and it has changed so much since I went through it in 95. I think its worse since I know what he will be going through. Just 10 weeks until he comes home.

I cannot post what I crafted today so I am posting an old project.

I love altering items with vinyl! This is a small trinket box I found on the clearance rack. I used some vinyl and cut the bird and hearts from Inde Art and the music notes from Stretch Your Imagination. With the transfer tape using vinyl is a breeze. And it comes in so many beautiful colors. I purchased this vinyl from H&H Sign Supply.

Playing with Freshly Picked

In trying to get into my creative mode I tried the Gnome 1 on Freshly Picked. I also tried my new Peachy Keen Face Stamp.

I like him.

Old cuts I had stashed away

These 3 cards use some old embellishments that I had stashed away. I know I used Pagoda, Old West, and Ashlyn's Alphabet. As far as the sizes go I have no clue.

Another Bloom card

Another Bloom card. I am not sure about the background. I used an inking technique that I am not used to. The gate and shadow were cut at 4 inches.

Card made for my mother

I made this card for my mother. We live so far apart and I just wanted her to know how much I missed her.

I used Everyday Paper Dolls and Simply Sweet for the font.

The card ended up being so big I couldn't make an envelope for it!

Using Vinyl

I love using Cricut Vinyl to alter items. I took a simple wine glass purchased (on clearance) and decorated it to make it a great birthday gift for a co-worker. Inside the glass are fuzzy socks.

This is the card that I made to go with the glass. I used the Life is a Beach cartridge.

This is a card I made a few months ago using the Pagoda cartridge.

I used little pearls for the panda's eyes. My son thinks they look creepy! Unfortunately, the US Mail service lost this card.

My newest note card was made using the new Cricut Lite cartridge, Bloom. The birdcage is cut at 6 inches, the butterfly at 4.

Grunge Paper roses

At 2.5 inches, these are the largest grunge paper roses I have made so far. The gray piece beside the roses is the original grunge paper. For anyone who hasn't tried using grunge paper, it feels similar to leather when it is inked, very easy to manipulate, and takes color fantastically.

In the closer photo of the red rose you can see the texture of the paper. Even the look of the inked paper reminds me of leather.

I have been making notecards for my son. He is leaving for Army Basic Training on Monday and this has been helping me cope.

This one was cut from simple paper using the Walk In My Garden cartridge. It says "Simple moments make great memories".

This one used the Sentimentals Cartridge and says "I will always believe in you."

I forget which cart I used for the background shape but the fonts are Don Juan and calligraphy.

This is dry embossed and then colored with chalks. I really like the cuttlebug swirls on the frame.

This one is from Sentimentals with the background put through the cuttlebug for the diamond pattern.

Learning a new process

As my first post to learn this new process I am posting a picture of me and my son at the Precious Moments Chapel and Museum