100 New Cricut Cartridges/5 New Machines in 2010

The Craft & Hobby Association semi-annual event just took place last week! I can't wait to be able to buy all the beautiful retro paper, new Tim Holtz products, and awesome bling and accessories I've seen from different people's pictures from CHA.

However, I'm really blown away by the news I just read - ProvoCraft will be releasing at least 100 new Cricut Cartridges just this year!! Additionally, they will release 5 new Cricut cutting systems. The latest is the Cricut Cake that is the size of the Cricut Expression that cuts gum paste and frosting sheets using any Cricut cartridge already out there in addition to a selection of cartridges geared toward cake decorating.

Let the enabling begin!

My First Diaper Cake

It's been so long since I've posted; but I hope this great project makes up for the lapse in my posting! I made my first diaper cake for my friend and co-worker Jennifer! Her nursery colors for her baby girl are brown and pink and the pattern of the blanket, Love Bug, is brown and pink polka dots with pink and brown ladybugs, butterflies, and flowers!

The first pic is the diaper cake with just ribbons and cuts from my Cricut.



The next pics show the front and back of the cake after I added requested baby items and fun toys and accessories that we bought for the little sweetie! I hope you enjoy these pictures!

ProvoCraft Celebrates 100th Cartridge

Can you believe it?!?! ProvoCraft has created its 100th Cricut cartridge!! I can't imagine scrapbooking and cardmaking without my Bug! Winter Woodland is the 100th cartridge...to see more details and images from this whimsical cartridge, just follow this Internet link to: http://www.cricut.com/shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?id=361&s=1&sc=2

Thanks for the Award!

Sandy at http://detailsbysandy.blogspot.com is such an inspirational scrapper and sweet, sweet lady. Go check out her blog to be uplifted and "wow"d!

Thanks for the sweet award!

Embossing - I love it!!

I am super excited about some projects I worked on over the weekend as I was traveling! I especially love my embossing project! I have had pigment inks, embossing powder, and a heat gun forever; but I just never had the time to play around with these tools. Boy have I been missing out!

Check out my first card and envelope that I embossed this weekend!



I used a Studio G $1 stamp for the "Fall Colors" title and the leaf on the envelope along with Versamark's Watermark Ink Pad and Ranger Embossing powder in Red. I don't know who the basket stamp is designed by; however I love the Zing brown embossing powder that I used along with Verasamark's Watermark Ink Pad!

The leaves "falling" out of the basket are Primas I bought years ago. I also used some clearance silver brads on the basket. The striped paper is clearance paper that didn't have the designer's brand on it and the card is made from Coredinations paper.

Even though I hate the fact that the Summer has went by so fast, I love Fall and I definitely love the fall colors! Can't wait to make more embossed items and post them! Hope you enjoy!

Awareness Ribbon Artist Trading Cards (ATC)

It's been over six months since I've been involved in a swap on the Cricut Message Board, so I thought it was about time I got my creative "groove" back on! This is the first Artist Trading Card I have ever made. They are small (2.5" x 3.5") pieces of art that are made to share. I think this would be really cute to add to the front of a card and share with someone you love and want to remind to have their annual breast exam done. I intend to make more of these and make some notecard sets for the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk Kick-off/Breakfast that is scheduled in August.

I'm pretty happy with my first ATC - hope you enjoy!

Scrapbooking Inspiration

Sorry I haven't posted much lately. My husband's health has been very poor after his eighth surgery in 14 months! The good thing is, though, that his mood has really perked up since it's gotten warm and our hummingbirds are back and our yard is so green and full of life again!!

I bought some flowers this weekend to put near our hummingbird feeders - here are some pictures of some of the beautiful blooms! I hope you guys can use these pictures as inspiration for some beautiful layouts!

We will miss you Benji!

Our dear friends lost their 19 year old terrier, Benji, last Saturday! It is so hard to lose a pet, especially one that you have had that long. My family definitely shed tears for this tough little terrier - what a gift to have this sweet furbaby 19 years!

Here's the card I created for my friends. I really love the Paper Pup cartridge that is one of the original Cricut cartridges from a few years back. The angel dog image is perfect. I used the circle feature on the cartridge, for the first time, and I used the border feature for the angel dogs in the clouds. Now Benji is in heaven with his "brother" Buster running through the beautiful meadows.

Willy Wonka!!

My son was just in the Springboro Junior High Schools' Show Choir presentation of Willy Wonka Junior. Zach was Grandpa Joe! What a delight it was to see my son sing and dance and act in this hour and 20 minute production! I was amazed how well all of the kids did!

Here is a picture of a scrapbook page I did for all 41 of the cast members - it's simple, but the kids really seemed to like the pages when I handed them out at the cast party after Saturday's performance.

Valentine's Day Cards

I recently participated in a swap where we created several Valentine's Day cards, a mailbox, Cricut cuts, title cuts, and some other fun "stuff" to swap with a partner. Here are some of the Valentine's Day cards I created for Christina!!










Here's the mailbox I "altered" to put her Valentine's Day cards in - I just love the paper!! It's sparkly and textured - looks like Victorian wallpaper!!

Shabby Chic Stamp Storage

I just had to share my "trash to treasure" stamp storage story. My husband, son, and I were out running errands when we saw this little cabinet at the end of someone's driveway with the trash. They were out in their yard and we asked if we could have it and they said "Of course!" This is so much like a full-size cabinet my great grandmother had!

It's a little rough, but I just love the shabby chic feel! We cleaned it up and left the paint "as is". You'd be amazed how much room there is to store items! As you can see in the picture, I have room to grow! My House Mouse and other wooden stamps are in the top, glassed in section. My stamp pads are in the drawer, and my clear stamp blocks, gamsol, and other supplies are in the lower portion. It's a real treasure to me!

Valentine Card Swap

Sorry I haven't been posting lately - lots of health problems with the hubby!

Here's a Valentine's Day Card that I did for the Cricut Message Board swap.

Coming Soon...pictures and video of my scrapping space!!

Hi guys and Happy New Year!! I have been busy being "not so busy" as I took care of my hubby after his fifth surgery in 2008! I also spent precious time with my son Zach during Christmas break. I didn't get to scrap or make cards as much as I wanted to; however I finally got to paint my scrapbook room and I got the last piece from the Pottery Barn Outlet to create my desk and crafting space!! It has taken me two years to get all of the pieces I wanted - some of them aren't even made anymore! It has been a long process, but it has been worth it because I have only paid 1/4 of what the retail price would have been if I had bought the pieces from the Pottery Barn retail store. I'm not quite done putting everythign in its place, but I've painted, gotten all of the shelves and pictures hung. I'll take pictures tonight and upload them by tomorrow! Most of my pieces are from the Bedford Collection. Here's a picture of my project table from the Pottery Barn website - can't wait to show you pictures of it in my room!

I have a sweet little 4 1/2' Christmas tree that I had in there by my project table so I'll definitely take a picture of it before I take it down! My son and husband both wanted to keep the trees up until this weekend!

I hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season! Blessings to all!

Album for my Christmas Poem Book!

Wow - the Christmas ABC Poem Book swap turned out so awesome! I just wanted to let you guys know that Michael's is having a sale this week on scrapbooks - 40% off! I got a red leather 6" x 6" American Craft scrapbook for less than $8! I decorated the front with several Christmas stickers that I had been saving for a special project! Didn't it turn out cute?!

Christmas ABC 6"x6" Swap

Hello - I am so excited to work on my second large Christmas project!

Below is picture of the page that I created for the ABC Christmas swap that is based on the anonymous poem The ABC's of Christmas. Obviously, I made the letter "G" page for everyone and it will be incorporated into each of their books. I got to use my Cricut, my Cricut Markers, my new EK Success Snowflake Border Punch, and the Cuttlebug die that looks like a postage stamp!! Gramma T from the Cricut Message Board is hosting the swap and making the cover, back, and several pages - what a peach!

The swap pages were due on the 15th of November and everyone got them done and mailed in a day ahead of time so they are already on the way!! If you want to see pictures of all the pages, go to: http://www.cricut.com/messageboard/tm.aspx?m=3160631&mpage=1 .



The ABC's of Christmas

A is for Angels
With halos so bright
Whose carols were heard
On that first Christmas Night

B is for Bells
So merrily ringing
Joy to the world
Is the message they're bringing

C is for Candles
That so brightly shine
To give a warm welcome
To your friends and mine

D is for Doorway
With garlands of green
To make Christmas merry
As far as they're seen

E is for Evergreens
With fragrance so rare
So plentiful at Christmas
Their scent fills the air

F is for Fun
The whole season long
From trimming the tree
To singing a song

G is for Greetings
A merry "hello"
With a heart full of love
For people we know

H is for Holly
With berries so red
To make into wreaths
To hang overhead

I is for Ice
On snow covered hills
Where sledding is fun
Along with the spills

J is for Jesus
The Christ child so dear
We honor his birth
On Christmas each year

K is for Kris Kringle
So merrily he stands
He is who they call Santa
In so many lands

L is for Lanterns
I am sure that their light
Helped Mary and Joseph
That first Christmas Night

M is for Mary
Her heart full of love
For her little son Jesus
Who came from above

N is for Noel
The angels did sing
To herald the birth
of Jesus, our King

O is for Ornaments
So shining and bright
With lights on the tree
To sparkle at night

P is for Packages
With ribbons so gay
All 'round the tree
For our Christmas Day

Q is for Quiet
Christmas Eve Night
With snow covered hills
Glistening so bright

R is for Reindeer
Who pull Santa's sleigh
To your house, to my house
They know the way

S is for Shepherds
Who first saw the star
Over Bethlehem's manger
And followed it far

T is for Trees
We decorate so gay
Then wait for ole Santa
To hurry our way

U is for Universe
Where Christmas brings joy
To all in the world
To each girl and each boy

V is for Visiting
Friends near and far
We travel by plane
Or by bus, or by car

W is for Wise Men
Who brought gifts so rare
And knelt down and worshiped
The child they found there

X is for X-mas
Or Christmas by full name
No matter the language
It all means the same

Y is for Yule Logs
Whose bright sparks fly high
To give a warm welcome
To friends passing by

Z is for Zeal
We show at this time
In giving to others
And loving mankind

Author Unknown

Christmas Cookie & Candy Swap

Here's my first 8"x8" Christmas Swap on the Cricut Message Board. I used sparkle paper from Doodlebug for the snowman - I love the glitter even though I'll be wearing it for a week! I also used Cinnamon Stickles for the arms and Orange Stickles for the nose! I'm not sure who the designer is for the paper, but I love it and hope that I can find more!

Sorry this picture is so fuzzy - I will try to scan it in at work before I mail it.

Fall 12" x 12" Swap

I got to use the Cricut markers for the first time on this layout! I didn't think I'd like them; however I think they gave great detail to the overturned basket of leaves! I was so glad I had the Cricut Design Studio, though, because if you don't, you have to create the marker image and cut the marker image in the "starting position" each time which wastes paper and time. With the Cricut Design Studio, you can create multiple images or letters that you want to outline with your markers, then hit "Load Paper" and then hit your scissor icon on your CDS and it will cut all of the images aligned with your marker lines.

Comment if you have any questions about creating and cutting with the Cricut Markers.

Sweetest Day - So Bittersweet!

My heart is broken and inconsolable - yesterday on Sweetest Day the sweetest animal and love of my life, my pet cat Dolly, took a turn for the worse with his battle with cancer and my husband and I had to make that horrible visit to the vet that no one, that loves animals, ever wants to make. I love my sweet Dolly so much!

Here is one of my favorite pictures of my sweet, sweet friend - just chilling beside me with his two paws over my leg letting me know he was there for me and content to just be with me!



I have written just a fraction of our story, and my sorrow, on the Cricut Message Board in a post about our 12" x 12" Pet Elements swap located at http://www.cricut.com/messageboard/tm.aspx?m=2999001&mpage=4&key=&#3154557 . Those ladies are so supportive - if you're not a member of the Cricut Message Board, you should sign up for an account. I've never met a group of people that are so giving and inspirational! The talent and the compassion are just bubbling over because there's so much over there!

For me, please give your special pet a big hug and some extra treats today!

Halloween 12" x 12" Swap

Here's my Halloween page swap that I created for another swap on the Cricut messageboard! I used the Paper Doll cartridge - it's one of my favorites!

Diabetic Recipe Swap on Cricut MB

Here's my latest 8" x 8" recipe swap. There's a group that's swapping diabetic-friendly recipes on the Cricut Message Board. This recipe is suprisingly low in carbs but high in flavor!