Little Critters with Doodle Pantry

Hello all and Happy Monday!  Guess what?  I already have my girls' Valentine's cards made!  Actually, I've been pretty good at making cards on time (or even early), but I seem to have a block when it comes to filling them out and putting them in the mail.

I'm featuring a new set from Doodle Pantry that is currently FREE with Purchase (through January 26, 2015 ONLY) - called Little Critters.

The hearts are Cricut George and Basic Shapes at 3.5" with shadow.  The sentiment comes with the set.  So, hopefully this year I will be much better at filling out cards and getting them in the mail!!  Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful week!  This meets the following challenges: Crafting From the Heart: Anything Goes, Craft Your Passion: Anything Goes, Cards Galore Encore: Anything Goes, and Sister Act Card Challenge: Anything Goes.

Patriotic Pillows

Hello all and Happy June 30th! I'm a little late on my Fourth of July projects, but I was finally able to put together a couple envelope style pillow cases.  I've been inspired by Flamingo Toes who is sewing her stash and decided I too could make some pillows with what I already have on hand!

I used Cricut's George and Basic Shapes for the stars at 3" and 6".  I had the bandana material with just enough for these two pillows.  There literally was nothing left.  The jean stars are from the cut off portion from pants turned into shorts.

These took less than an hour from start to end - I did have to re-thread my serger and that probably took two hours!  I love em!  I think I'll keep these out for the whole month.  I will be sharing these with the following linky parties: Keeping It Simple, Flamingo Toes, Free Pretty Things For You , Skip to my Lou and Make it and Love it.

Love Banner

Hello all and Happy Tuesday!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  I've never been big on Valentine's Day, but with two girls, I can't help but to decorate and do things for my girls.  I've seen these banners all over the web and I tell myself "I want to make one" and never do.  Well, this year I did it!!
I used Cricut Celebrations for the banner at 5", George hearts at 1 3/4", and Mickey Font at 1 3/4".  Using Beanie as my inspiration, I even went and got fine glitter for the letters.

I hate glitter, but she loved it.  Now, I don't know if there's a technique to these banners, but I'll tell ya, I used a LOT of glue.  But it'll never come apart!  So that is my share for today.  I thank you for stopping by and hope you have a wonderful day!

This meets the following challenges:

• All Crafts Challenge - Anything crafty
• Bitten By the Bug - Valentine with Cricut Cut Heart
• Crafting From the Heart - Anything Goes/Use Red
• Free Pretty Things For You - Link Party

Birthday Fishes with Bugaboo Stamps

Hello all and Happy Thursday.  The birthday celebration continues at Catch the Bug with today's challenge:  Just Kidding Around (birthday project for kids).  I'm featuring Make it Snappy - Birthday Fishes:

This is Sprout's birthday card.  Two balloons - since she will be two next month!  Like Bean, I keep her cards for her to read when she's 18.  I went super silly with hers since she makes me laugh so much.  The balloons are George and the numbers are Mickey Font.

This is the one I loving refer to as Monster.  She is more than a handful and the Lord knew what he was doing when he blessed me with her as a second child - if she were the first, she would be the only!!  Anyway, thanks for stopping by today!

Bugaboo Turns 4 Blog Hop

Hello all and welcome to the Bugaboo Stamps 4th Birthday Blog Hop!  If you came from

Laurie

then you're in the right place.  If you're just visiting little ol' me, then let me encourage you to hop with us from the BEGINNING.  To kick things off, the first challenge this week is:

Let me share my birthday card with you (no designer paper, bling (earrings) and Bugaboo Image:

This is for Beanie who will be 7 years old this year (there are a total of 7 balloons on her card).  Crazy!  I know time goes by fast, but I didn't realize it was a light speed!!  My baby is growing up and no matter what I do, I can't stop it.  I've considered withholding food, but it seems that's frowned upon.

Bean won't actually receive this card until she's 18.  Inside I write my feelings, her accomplishments, any big adventures, and current likes in friends, music, and television.  Anyway, the sentiment is from Stampin' Up's Itty Bitty Banners, the balloons are Cricut Cart George at 1 1/4", and the numbers are Mickey Font at 1".  My adorable image is: KIDZ Girl Balloon.

So, don't stop here!  Keep going:

Melissa Sackman

Of course, blog hops are funner when prizes are involved.  You can get all the info at Catch the Bug, AND please leave me a comment for your chance to win the image I used on my card (I will pick one comment at random).

Thanks so much for hopping with us!!

Peek a Boo with Bugaboo Stamps

Hello all and Happy Tuesday!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  I got many things accomplished and just feel like it's a great start to this new year!!  For today, I'd like to share a new release by Bugaboo Stamps:
And just in time for "baby season."  The sentiment is Cricut cart Opposites Attract at 3/4" and the stars are George at 1/2" and 3/4".  Quick post today.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!!

Party Dino with Bugaboo Stamps

Hello and happy Wednesday.  Today I'm sharing a new release from Bugaboo Stamps:

I saw him and immediately saw a balloon in his hand.  Balloon is Cricut cart George cut at 1.5" and the sentiment is from Create with TLC.  Of course when all was said and done, I thought his "nails" looked like they were covered in blood.  Maybe I should of went with a pretty blue instead.

Witch on Moon with Bugaboo Stamps

Hello all and Happy Thursday!  Today I'm sharing a card for Catch the Bug's Oldie But Goodie.

I'm featuring AKV Witch Moon, which technically isn't THAT old.

The sentiment is Stampin' Up's Teeny Tiny wishes, and the Stars are from Cricut Cart George cut at 1" and 3/4".  Here's a side view to better show the image topping the card.

This meets the following challenges:

• Addicted to Stamps - Make Your Mark 
• Digi Galore - Halloween
• Ladybug Crafts - Halloween and/or Use your Die Cuts

Think Pink Pig with Bugaboo Stamps

Hello all and Happy Monday!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Today I'm sharing a card for this weeks Catch the Bug challenge:

Think Pink

So of course I thought of Pig-Flower.

Sentiment is Stampin' Up's Teeny Tiny Wishes, and the flowers are from Cricut Cart George and Basic Shapes cut at 1", 3/4" and 1/2".

Here's a side view of my step card (I think that's what this is called).  This is going out in the mail tomorrow - hopefully to bless someone's day.

This meets the following challenges:

• Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - All Creatures Great and Small
• That Craft Place - Think Pink
• 2 Sisters - Anything Goes
• Cut It Up - Think Pink

A Bug's Life

Hello and Happy Saturday.  The latest challenge at Catch the Bug is:

A BUG'S LIFE

And I attempted a fancy fold on this one:

My image is Birdhouse - Beehive, the grass is Cricut's Zooballoo (2.5"), the phrase is Create a Critter (2") with a George tag (2.75").

This was kind of fun to make.  Here's a side view to see the steps better.

This meets the following challenges:

• Digistamps4Joy - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Things with Wings
• Our Daily Bread - Other than a Square or Rectangle
• Tuesday Throwdown - Fancy Folds

Dino-mite Birthday with Bugaboo

Hello all and thanks for joining me for day 6 at Catch the Bug's Birthday Bash.  Today's theme is:

MASCULINE

I'm featuring Dinos - Sit for my "guy" card.  I guess this is more for a "little" guy, but I think it works.

Super simple image to color up, added a balloon from Cricut Cart George & Basic Shapes (1 1/4" plus shadow), and black thread.  This really is a LOT "happier" IRL....I think I used the wrong background color when taking my pic.  Live and learn.

The sentiment is computer generated - and attached if you'd like to grab it (aka FREEBIE).  Hopefully it works!

Just click for it to open, then right click to save.  Thanks again for stopping by and don't forget about all the mini challenges at Catch the Bug for chances to win!

This meets the following challenges:

• Stamp n Doodle - Anything Goes
• Bearly Mine - Anything Goes
• Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes
• Created with Love - Critter Birthday
• Digi Darla - Anything Goes
• Ooh-La-La Creations - Birthday

Polar Bear Tag

Hello and hope you're having a great weekend!

Today at Catch the Bug, the new challenge is:

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

And yes, it sure has been! For my tag, I'm using Polar Bear from Bugaboo Stamps:

The tag is cut from the George Cricut cart at 4.5" (on regular and shadow), and the "JOY" is from Opposites Attract at 1" covered with glaze. I added sewing and fuzzy ribbon as well. I hope you'll click on the pic for an up-close (I like how this simple little tag turned out).

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend! Oh, and don't forget to join us this week at Catch the Bug!

This meets the following challenges:

• Cardmadfairies - #23 Tags
• Sweet & Sassy - #33 Tag You're It
• Pixie Dust Studio - #105 Stitching
• Paper Pretties - #184 White plus one other color

Party Animal

Hello and hope you are having a lovely Thursday. This week, Bugaboo Stamps is sponsoring the challenge over at For Your Inspiration.

What can I say? I found this to be a REAL challenge. I showed the "photo inspiration" to my husband. Then I showed him my party animal. He said "oh...you made a multi-colored monster." I tried to point out that I used the same colors that were in the photo to color up my little Birthday Monster.

He said "oh! I get it now." But I don't think he really did. Oh well, I tried. I used George Cricut Cart for the tag, and added a little sewing. Oh! And he's turning 40 this month, so this little guy will be attached to a nice big ol' cowboy hat he's been wanting!

Birthday Cupcake

Hello and Happy Wednesday! I hope you all are having a GREAT day. Today I hope to get back to my Sun Salutations (yoga) which I've missed dearly since hurting my back. But I'm on the mend.

Yesterday Bean went to pick up her shoes and said "oooh, my back hurts....I can't pick up my shoes." Well, that's Mama's girl for you!!

Thank goodness for quick cards (I can't sit for too long right now) and great layouts. I used Create a Critter Cricut cart for the cupcake (shift-Poodle at 3") and George and Basic Shapes for the word bubble (flipped at 1.5"). DP is Paper Studio's Poteeka Souffle, sewing and glaze.

Really, who DOESN'T love a cupcake?! I think this would be great for a kid...but it's also got a retro feel to it. Well, I'll stash it away and see who it ends up going to.

Thanks for visiting today!

This meets the following challenges:

• Birthday Sundaes - #1 Anything Goes Birthday Card
• Card Patterns - layout #107
• Paper Cutz - #83 It's Your Choice
• Fantabulous Cricut - #52 Happy Birthday
  

Thursday with AiFactory and Softpencil

Hello everyone. Today is Thursday and that means another great challenge from AiFactory Challenge Blog. This weeks challenge is to use: HEARTS and lots of them. With Valentines Day just around the corner, this is an easy one!

For this weeks challenge, we were given a super adorable digistamp by the talented Softpencil. Her digis are great, print nicely, and are easy to color. Not only that, but they really are just too cute.

Details: PTI, George Cricut Cart (for the hearts), rik-rak (hmmm, how do you spell that?), copics, round nesties in the Cuttlebug, Softpencil digi and computer generated sentiment, unknown patterned paper, and Ranger firebrick red ink.

This card meets the following challenges:

• Softpencil - Hearts
• AiFactory - Hearts
• Card Patterns - Sketch 50
• Crazy 4 Challenges - Be My Valentine
• Cupcake Craft Challenges - Red and White
• Double Dutch - Be My Valentine
• Incy Wincy Designs - Red and Black
• Pink Elephant - Mushy Gushy Valentine
• Creative Card Crew - Valentines

Wow, that's the most ever for me! So come play along at the challenge blog. You do not have to use an AiF image, but there are plenty of FREEBIES HERE if you would like to use one. Also, take a look at the rest of the DT for more inspiration: Carole, Cheri, Kerry, Angie, Penny, Erin, Monica, Fliss, Fink, Carlie, Laurie, Michelle

Long Balloons

Over at Splitcoaststampers, the Clean and Simple challenge CAS34 is a color challenge - pink, green, blue, chocolate, and white.

So I used the George cart for the balloons cut at 1 1/2", shaded lightly and on pop-dots. Got three of the colors there! Then I used my sewing machine for the strings in white and stamped the sentiment in chocolate chalk ink. All 5 colors!

I'm really liking the look of the long cards. It uses more CS but they also fit in a long envelope so no special envelope making required...so it's a trade off. I must admit, this was my second attempt. My first try, I put the balloons on chocolate CS (4.25" by 5.5" regular size card) and it was just a mess. I left it for the night and gave it some thought. The next morning, I woke up with this idea...yes, I often dream of paper (no lie). Either way, this layout is MUCH nicer.

I Love You.

Something a little different: a long card.

It's a long card that I cased from Tracy. Her card is absolutely adorable! It measures 8.5" by 4". I used kraft from PTI, and the patterned CS is from M (Just Chillin').

The heart is cut from George at 2". I cut two from the kraft (instead of using chipboard) and glued them together. I used my button hole punch on the kraft so that I could easily tie the hemp through both the heart and the button. A little sewing, ribbon, and the sentiment is Inkadinkado.

Challenge and Tutorial

There is a challenge over at Aifactory and the winner will receive a really cool set of digi-stamps. I used the digi-stamp set found here, and the challenge involves a color scheme that I attempted to use in my card here:

The card uses the oval frame from the Jasmine Cricut cart cut at 3" and the spider from Doodlecharms cut at 2.25 ". From this digi set, I also made a tag (using George), and a possible embellishment for a card, gift bag, or scrapbook (using Accent Essentials).

Tutorial - How to use digi-stamps with Cricut die-cuts:

First, cut out shapes using Cricut in size desired for card or embellishment. I know the Expressions has a "center" cut option, but it is not always exact when dealing with smaller or odd shaped digistamps or regular stamps.

I print images out to the size desired on a regular piece of printer paper (great way to use paper in your recycle bin) - I make sure they will fit on the diecut shapes.

Using double sided tape, cover images with diecuts and run through printer a second time. Make sure to load the sheet in the same direction.

Here, the images have printed exactly where I want them on my diecuts. From here, finish assembling your embellishments or project. For these stamped diecuts, I have used the Jasmine oval frame cut at 3", the triangle with rounded corner using George cut at 2.75", and the purple cut is from Accent Essentials cut at 2.75".

So I'm a Little Late

My little one turned two....in May. I know, I know, it's already August. I barely put together a party at the last minute and didn't even think about a card. I knew I needed to make her one, because my plan is that every year, I write on one side of the card about memories and feelings, and her Daddy writes on the other side - usually not as mushy as what I put on paper tho.

So when I saw the latest card sketch over at Splitcoaststampers SC240, I knew it was time to make her birthday card. And I also knew I wanted to use my Cricut on this one.

I used Stretch Your Imagination and cut the cake at 3" out of glitter CS - used multi cut 2. Wow, that stuff is messy and does a number on your cutting mat! I also cut the cake using the silhouette feature in pink. I tried it in glitter pink CS first, but didn't like the look. I think the regular pink CS, shaded with chalk inks and glazed, looks much better.

I used plenty of pop dots on this one. The circle is cut with George at 3.5", the DP is from my unknown stack, and the border strip is done with a Martha Stewart punch.

Stacked Presents

So this was made for me:

A stacked planter that inspired this card:

I used the stacked presents cut at 4 1/4" from the Celebrations cart. Once on shadow in black, and twice on DP (one orange and one purple) so I could have different color presents. I cut the "shift" for the orange strips, cut off the very top bow with my scissors and added a real ribbon bow instead.

Of course I used pop-dots, and added rhinestones at the tops of all the packages. The stamp is Stampin' Up using Ranger marmalade ink. The circle is George cut at 4 1/4" and zigzag stitched onto the orange background.

Can you believe we are already at the end of July? Don't be surprised if I start posting Christmas cards soon...yes, I'm already working on some now.