Exploring Cricut Challenge

The challenge over at Exploring Cricut for this week is to create a card, layout, or other papercraft using 2 cricut cuts and a monogram. So as a Close to my Heart Consultant I took the opportunity to use my new favorite cartridge Artiste to create a wreath.

To create my wreath I started with a styrofoam base from Michael's. I then created the rosettes using the image from page 50 from the Artiste cartridge. Each rosette is created using 2 cuts glued together. I then glued them onto a base so that they would keep their shape. To adhere the rosettes to the wreath I used stick pins through the center.

My second cuts were flowers from the Artiste cartridge. I chose 3 different flowers and once they were dry I glued them onto the rosettes. I added green buttons to the centers of the flowers and the rosettes.
I decided to add a paper ribbon instead of actual ribbon to the wreath. I used the ribbon on page 55 from the Artiste cartridge. Then glued a flower in the center. For the center of the flower I used a sparkle.
For my monogram I used the capital E from Opposites Attract. I glued it to the rosettes.
Thanks for taking the time to view my project. I hope you get to play along with us this week, but don't forget to link it to the Exploring Cricut blog!
Recipe:
pattern paper: Close To My Heart
Cardstock: Close To My Heart (Pear, Smoothie, Cotton Candy)
buttons: from stash
sparkles: Close To My Heart
Cricut Cuts:
Artiste:
rosettes (3D object-shift) page 50 (1.5")
flowers (Accent 1, Accent 1 - shift, Accent 2) page 54 (4")
ribbon (Accent 3) page 55 (1.82")
Opposites Attract:
E ( 4")

Daily Project: Sympathy

This summer has been a rough one for my family and several families I'm close to, and once again I proved my own saying "You never have a sympathy or birthday card made when you need one."

My daily project for this week over at Exploring Cricut is a sympathy card that I created for my friend and boss who lost her step-mother a week after I lost my dad. Both her step-mother and my dad had cancer and through her family I saw how blessed we truly were that Dad passed quickly.

I'm writing this post one month after my Dad passed, and this weekend has been extremely difficult eventhough I thought I was doing great. I do want to send a special S/O to the other design team members that sent cards, that was so unbelievably sweet and unexpected.

I try not to get preachy on my blog, so I'll make this real short so we can get to the card.

I've always believed that God always answers prayers, after all he's God and He's capable of all things and if he wanted to He could have spared my dad from dying. If we are to believe that God answers all prayers we have to be willing to accept that sometimes the answer is going to be "No", after all, as children we didn't get everything we asked our parents for, if we had we'd all be riding ponies! Through this though I learned that God can also answer prayers with a "but". It wasn't in His plan to save my dad from passing, but he saved him from suffering through a long and drawn out disease, He saved him from having to withstand chemotherapy, and He saved his family from having to watch a loved one suffer. This is truly a loving a merciful God. It is through this knowledge that I've been able to hold it together this month and help my mom move forward and find a "new normal". If I didn't have the belief that my dad was in a better place (we like to think he has a daily tee time with God) then this would be unbearable.

Now that my sermon is over; back to crafting. My card for today was created using the cartridge Indie Art. This is a cartridge I've had for years, but just never use. When I pulled it out I found it had some really cool designs on it. I especially loved the butterfly since to me butterflies are very peaceful.


I cut all pieces at 2.18 using my Gypsy. I used the butterfly - shadow, butterfly, and butterfly - shift. Once all pieces were cut I adhered them and then used diamond stickles on the wings and Close to My Heart sparkles on the antenea. I used a saying from the "4 my friend" stamp set also from Close to My Heart.

Pattern paper and cardstock are from my stash.

Recipe:

Indie Art: butterfly

diamond stickles

sparkles: CTMH

4 My Friend stamp set: CTMH

Disney Dreaming Challenge

Today's challenge over at Exploring Cricut is to create a card, layout, or paper craft of any Disney character, vacation, etc containing at least one character. I decided to create a card for a special princess's birthday. Diane's granddaughter Peyton celebrated her birthday the end of last month. Since I knew she was have a princess themed birthday party I decided to create her birthday card along the same lines.
It just so happened that I had taught my card class that same week using the Close to my Heart stamp set Life is Tweet which had the sayings "A little birdie told me" and "it's your birthday" which were perfect for this card.
I cut Snow White and the bird out using Disney Happily Ever After cartridge. Snow White was cut at 3.42, the layers for Snow White were cut at 4.05, and the bird was cut at 1.35. The frame was cut from Forever Young cartridge using the feature. It was cut at 2.18.

Recipe
Cardstock: CTMH White Daisy; Archival Black, Sunkiss Yellow, Cotton Candy, Pacifica, lagoon, Heavenly Blue, Colonial White
Cartridges: Disney - Happily Ever After, Forever Young
Stamp set: Life is Tweet

Keep on Truckin'

Hi all! I'm back to share with everyone another t-shirt from this summer's fun project. This shirt was made for sweet Aden who is about 30 months old and loves trucks...any type of truck.

This shirt was a little different than the robot shirt and a little more complicated in it's own way. for this shirt I had to be very careful about applying the paint after the first color because it would cover parts of what had alread been covered.

I started with the cab of the truck then main part of the truck. The wheels although small were slightly tricky just trying to avoid not covering the yellow centers.

Once the truck was painted and dried I decided to paint Aden's name on the truck instead of around it. This set it apart a little more from the other t-shirts that I've completed this summer. Two more painted t-shirts to show you from this summer. I can't wait for you to see what I have for you next month!!
cuts:
Beep Beep
semi at 3.0
semi-s at 3.0
semi-s layer at 3.0
Printing 101 at 1.24

Recipe:
Cartridges: Beep Beep and Printing 101
fabric paint
freezer paper

Christmas In July Challenge

Welcome to my blog For the Love of All Things Crafty for Christmas in July, the blog hop from Exploring Cricut. If you've arrived here from Jessica's blog (http://craftinandstampin.blogspot.com/) then you're in the right place.
This week our challenge at Exploring Cricut is to create a card, layout, or other paper craft with a Christmas theme.

I saw this gingerbread house used on a layout several months back and fell in love with it. I've always loved gingerbread houses, they're so whimsical. I decided then that I had to do at least one Christmas Card with a gingerbread house. I found this gingerbread house on My Community cartridge and I cut it as well as all layers at 4.41.
My first step was to spray the card base with vanilla smootch to give the frosty snow effect. I then added the gingerbread house and all the different layers.

I then added diamond stickles to the roof for the snow and Xmas red stickles for the candy cane and peppermint sticks.
I hope my project inspires you to creativity this week. Don't forget to post your project at Exploring Cricut.
I'm also giving away a prize for this challenge. A winner will be chosen at random (using randon.org)from all who leave a comment on my blog so don't forget to post a comment !

Thanks for visiting, your next hop will be to Michelle (http://mumoftwoblog.blogspot.com/)
If you get lost along the way the order of blogs:
Sharon
Annette
Jessica
Emily
Michelle
Lori
Kim
Ian
Diana
Georgiana
Diane

Happy Birthday to Roo!

I recently commented to a group of adults that one of the benefits of working with the youngsters of the church is that you see them growing up. One of our "little ones" had a birthday recently and eventhough she isn't one that I work with in the worship center she'll be up there soon. It seems like yesterday when her parents were bringing her to church in her baby carrier and now she's 2 years old. Time sure does fly!!

My project today is a card/postcard that I made for Claire's birthday. I used the cartridge Pooh and friends to cut Roo1. I cut Roo and all the layers at 3.5. I then cut the cake from the icon layer at 1.24. Added some yellow stickles by Ranger for the flame of the candle.

Recipe:
cardstock: desert sand, colonial white, black, sky, smoothie
ink: tuxedo black (memento)
pattern paper: cream from Footloose pack
Ranger: Yellow Stickles

4th of July Challenge

Today's challenge over at Exploring Cricut is to create a card, layout, or papercraft using red, white, and blue. My project for this challenge is a 5x7 card.
I decided to stay pretty simple with the design of my card. I started with a blue base which was the only blue I planned for on the card. I used Art Philosophy cartridge to cut 2 cupcakes (1 set in white, then the liner in cranberry). I then used the coordinating stamp set to stamp the detail on the cupcakes' frosting. For the final touch to the cupcakes I added diamond stickles by Ranger (cause who doesn't love "sprinkles" on their cupcakes!
My favorite part of the card are the firework burst that were cut using the Stand & Salute cartridge. Two burst were cut out in silver and two in cranberry. After running all four burst through the Xyron I layered them on the card to resemble a fireworks display.
I then cut the "title" for the card from the Independence Day cartridge.

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Cuts:
Independence Day: 4th of July (2.65)
Art Philosophy: 2 cupcakes (2.5)
Stand & Salute: 4 firework burst (2.18)
Recipe:
cardstock: Pacifica, Cranberry, White Daisy
ink: cranberry
stickles: Diamond