CC - Color Challenge #2

Alright, this is the last one for tonight.  My second entry in the Cricut Circle Color Challenge.  Both image cuts (the dancer and the spot light) are from Twinkle Toes.

CC - Color Challenge

Hi -

This entry is for the Cricut Circle Color Challenge.  Details below:



The girl is from Forever Young and the frame is from Sophie.

CC - Scraps Only Challenge #3

So, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I am really liking this scrap only challenge.  What a great way to think outside the box and use up all of those beloved scraps.  Here's my 3rd take on that Challenge.  I've included some close up pics of the Cuttlebug details too.

Create a Critter was used to make the circle in various sizes for the tree and the 2 Clouds, April Showers was used for the Welcome Spring (which also was a scrap from the Scavenger Hunt) and the tree is from ZooBalloo (stretched on the gypsy to be tall and skinny).

 

CC - Scraps Only Challenge #2

Hi Everyone!

Here's my second entry for the Cricut Circle Scraps Only Challenge.

I really like how this challenge is getting me to use up some of the many scraps of paper I've been hanging on to.

The tag will be used for my journaling.

Here's the close up of my cuts that were embossed with the Cuttlebug - the signs, tuft of grass and the leaves on the flowers.

Signs are from Freshly Picked, tuft of grass from Pop-up Neighborhood; flowers and font are from Kate's ABCs.

Cricut Circle - Something Old, Something New #2

Hi Everyone!

Here's my second submission for the CC - Something Old, Something New Challenge.

The Something Old Cartridge is Paper Lace and the Something New is Sophie.

Me & My Craft Space

Here's a picture of me and my scrapbooking space, posted to enter for a cricut contest.  To the wall on the left side of the desk, I have more jetmax cubes and plastic storage drawers with shelving above them to house all of my stamps, ink pads, ribbons, punches, paper and some scrapping tools.  

Cricut Challenge - Something Old, Something New

In my head, this card turned out much better - LOL!  Anyway, I used Pop-up Neighborhood as the "Something New" and A Child's Year as the "Something Old."  I just might have to try to do this challenge a second time and hope I come up with a design I like better.

Cricut Circle - Scraps Challenge

For this challenge, I decided to use a layout I saw on the CTMH website as my inspiration.  The group of circle silhouettes was created on the gypsy and all of the circles, the photo frame, letters and the banner were cut from the cricut.

"LOVE" was cut out 4 times and glued together to give dimension.  It was also run through the cuttlebug "spots" folder.

All of the paper, except for the one full sheet of grayish blue background, was from my scraps.

Close up picture of the cuttlebug embossing on "LOVE"

Cricut Circle - Recipe Challenge

For the CC Recipe Challenge, I made a 5.5" square card.  The sunflower is cut at 3" from Stretch Your Imagination and the butterflies are at 1.5" from Lori's Garden Imagine Cartridge.

Patterned paper is from an old Hot Off the Press paper pack.  I decided it was time to start using those old patterned papers up.

Circut Circle Art Inspiration Challenge

Below is my project based on the inspiration.  I decided to use my Cricut Imagine for this one because it hasn't gotten much use.  I really liked the femininity of the rose and butterflies, so I stuck close to those in my design.  All of the cuts and papers are from Lori's Garden Imagine Cartridges.  My other favorite thing to do is to use Distressed Inks on the edges of the cuts for an extra pop.

Circut Circle - Silly Scavenger Hunt

My entry for the Cricut Circle Silly Scavenger Hunt.  They provided a list of 20 items and we were given 2 hours to use our cricut and cartridges to cut out each item. 

Even More Mexico Layouts

Hi Everyone!

Blogger is finally working for me again - yippee!  It's super slow, but at least I can post pictures now.

I have another layout to share with you from my Nov 2009 Mexico trip.  I know it doesn't look like it, but there is a Cricut cut on there. . . it's the red border cut from Paper Trimmings - a Cricut Circle Exclusive cart.

The paper is DCWV - I love the value of their stacks, especially when they're on sale at Joann's.

Since I had way too many pictures I wanted to scrap from this vacation, I really tried to narrow them down and maximize where I could.  I think I did pretty good by putting smaller sizes at the bottom of the page so that I could fit 13 total pictures on this 2-page layout.  My record is 19 photos. . . on one page, which I just realized I've never posted, so I've included it below.  That layout is also from my Nov 2009 Mexico Trip

I trimmed all of these into 1.5x1.5" squares.  Some day I'll have to learn how to work Photoshop and save myself some time.  All cricut cuts are from Pack Your Bags.  Paper is mostly DCWV.

Blogger Issues

Hi Everyone!

I was hoping to post a project or two, but unfortunately I can't get Blogger to upload any pics.  Hopefully it will be working this weekend.

Riviera Maya

Hi Everyone!

Sorry I've been MIA for a little while.  I was actually on vacation in Riviera Maya (Mexico) for 10 days.  It was great to relax in the warm weather, but by the end I felt like I was moving in slow motion and was ready to come home.

We stayed at 2 different resorts - Barcelo Maya Palace and Azul Sensatori - which really helps to break up the trip.

One of the days we went to Maroma (rated one of the most beautiful beaches in the world) and did some snorkeling and drove the speed boats.  I was terrified during the speed boat, can you tell in the picture below how hard that I am holding on?  They said it could not possibly tip over, but with salt water splashing in my face during the sharp turns, my 6 y/o taking turns driving it and being jarred every time we hit a big ocean wave, I didn't believe them!

Hmm, for some reason Blogger won't let me add any more pictures. 

I hope to have some projects to share with you soon!

Jinger Adams Design Team Call

Hi Everyone!

I was super thrilled when a few weeks ago, I saw posted on the Cricut Circle MB that Jinger Adam's and The Scrapbooking Queen are having a design team call!  I decided to create the following layout as my entry.

Paper used is DCWV Cafe Mediterranean.  Cartridges used are Cindy Loo for the flourishes cut at 5" and Teresa Collins Sophisticated for the phrase cut at 1.5".  I thought about adding more to this layout, but decided I liked it a bit more simple with clean lines so that the picture is the main focus.

If you'd like to see more of my projects, click on the Project Gallary link at the top of the page.

Thanks for looking!

Cappuccino, Cappuccino!

Hi,

I have some more layouts from our Mexico trip from 2 years ago to share with you.  I need to either scrap faster or take less pictures; I still have the two trips after this one to scrapbook and we have yet another trip to Mexico coming up in a few weeks.

Anyway, a little bit about this layout:

With dessert every night, I would have a decaf cappuccino to drink.  I don't drink coffee normally and I never drink caffeinated beverages, but I can't pass up a good cappuccino ever since I was in Italy for my honeymoon.  I thought the cappuccinos we got at the restaurants in Mexico looked pretty, so I had to take a picture.  My daughter loves the foam and always asks to all of mine after I put the raw sugar on top.

Paper is DCWV and is based on a layout from their website.  Font is from Nate's ABCs and the cappuccino is the Love You a Latte Cricut Lite Cartridge with the edges inked with Ranger Distressed Ink.

St. Patricks Day Dessert

Friends of ours came over for dinner last night - just a low key evening.  For dessert, I made Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes - very yummy!  Since I wanted to have some green with it being St. Patrick's Day, I added Creme de Menthe over the vanilla ice cream.

I haven't had much time lately to play with my Cricut.  Just a few backpack notes for my daughter.  She loves getting these, but after making so many (she wanted one every school day), I'm getting a little burned out on them.  I've missed several days and keep forgetting to take pictures.

The owl is from Create a Critter and Liquid Pearls are on the beak and feet. 

Cricut Circle Weekly Challenge #53 - Wearing O' the Green Challenge

Hi Everyone!

This is for the Cricut Circle Weekly Challenge.  The Challenge: Create a pin, necklace, bracelet or something else that you can wear on St. Patrick’s Day that includes the color green. 


Rules and Guidelines: Circle Blog Challenges are open to Cricut Circle Members only. Your project must be newly created for this challenge and include at least 2 Cricut Image Cuts. You must submit a project to be entered into the Challenge Prize Drawing. One entry per person, please.

My project submission is a leprechaun pin.  I used Celebrate with Flourish for the clovers and Simply Charmed for the adorable little leprechaun.

He did turn out a little bigger than I envisioned, but the good news is that bold statement accessories are very trendy right now, so big is in!

Drinks in Mexico Layout

Good Evening!

Time for another layout from our trip to Mexico 2 years ago.  I didn't use the cricut very much on this one.  Pina colada is from Don Juan and H2O is from the H2O cartridge - my girlfriend cut this out too big for her layout and it seemed to work well for mine.  I inked the edges in blue.  Papers are DCWV Tahiti Stack. 

My First "Cricut Cake" Cake & Circle Blog Contest Entry

Well today was really a test in patience.  Not to mention lots of trial and error.  I started the day at 8:30A after having made the cake, buttercream frosting, marshmallow fondant and gum paste the night before.  I was finally done decorating the cake at 2:30P.

First off, some pictures from last night.  Mixing the marshmallow fondant, it was very sticky but a lot of fun to mix!

Here it's finally getting to the right consistency.

Our cake frosted first with a 1/4" layer of buttercream frosting that we made the night before.

The fondant colored a light blue and rolled out to about 1/8" thick.

I used a pizza cutter to cut off the excess fondant.

Everything went perfectly up to this point.  So, we moved on to the gumpaste.  I used the Linda McClure recipe and had watched all of the videos.  I'm not sure what went wrong, but it was not good.  The color wouldn't incorporate into the paste and it was very brittle.  Not to mention that the gum tex made it smell and taste like vinegar - yuck!  I know that Linda recommends a kitchenaid mixer, but I don't have one, so maybe that added to my string of bad luck.

So, into the garbage this went!

I decided at this point, to just try using the fondant in the Cricut Cake.  Hmm, the blade did not like the fondant - too soft.  Put the fondant on the mat and into the freezer for a half hour, this worked better but still not ideal.  I definitely need to find a better recipe for gum paste IF I ever try this again.

After several hours, here's what I finally ended up with.  I'm also entering this into the Cricut Circle MB February Monthly Challenge.

In the end, I was pretty happy with how my first attempt turned out.  Not sure when I'll try this again, since it took the majority of my weekend.  If anyone has a gum paste recipe that works in the cricut cake machine and doesn't taste horrible, please let me know.