An Explosion with a Melody

My 6th box is for my other niece. She's a teenager, very into music and the twilight series. I created this box with the music theme in mind as I had several good paper options and some embellishments that went well. There are no Cricut cuts on this box. The silver flourish embellishments are from Making Memories and the bird tape at the bottom of the one picture is from the dollar bin at Michael's. On this box, I also made the lid a different base color than the base of the box and I liked how that looked as well.

MPS Design Team Challenge

Robyn, My Pink Stamper, is having a challenge over on her blog to pick two Design Team members for her blog, for the next term. The challenge is to make something using pink, green, brown and another color if you choose, along with your favorite Cricut cartridge. Check the challenge out and all the submissions, there are lots of great entries! The link is http://www.mypinkstamper.com/2011/01/my-pink-stamper-design-team-2011.html. You must have a blog and a Cricut to join the challenge/be picked as a Design Team member. Good Luck to all!

For my submission, I decided it was time to bust out with some Valentine's creations. Christmas is over and after making 10 explosion boxes for my family, I was ready to move on. :) My favorite cartridge (although so hard to choose) is Create-A-Critter so, I decided on the owl (second key) at 3 1/4" along with the accessory key branch and then I decided on a 5x7 easel card.

The paper I used is from the latest Martha Stewart V-Day stack. I embossed the pink base of the owl with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder and I added some craft paper behind the eyes to change the color, after I decided to use brads for eyes. I cut the beak by hand and then used Cotton Candy stickles on the beak and the inner ears and I used Star Dust stickles on the front, white feathers. The eye brads are from Eyelet Outlet. After I assembled it, I chalk inked the edges with Color Box pink pastel chalk. I also inked the brown branch with the Pink Pastel chalk and then embossed the leaves only with the Cuttlebug Floral Screen folder and then inked it with the Versa Ink 'tea leaves' chalk. I glued the branch down but pop dotted the owl.

The sentiment bubble was cut from the phrase function on the seal key at 1 1/2" and then I printed the sentiment on my computer. I border punched all three mat layers using the EK Success scallop border punch.

On the inside, I border punched the red mat and then mounted the sentiment on more craft paper and then the MS patterned stock and then the rest of the printed sentiment. The hearts are brads from a Recollections set. The sentiment was pop dotted so that it will stand up to create the easel.

I think the card turned out super cute and I know just who I will send it to when the time comes!! The challenge closes on Wednesday and Robyn will pick the two Design Team members on Friday. Good luck to everyone who enters the challenge!!

My sister's boyfriend Explosion Box

On to #5! My sister's Michigan loving boyfriend. There were no Cricut cuts on his becuase I was able to find a sheet of Michigan stickers that I used to embellish his. I tried to keep the Christmas theme but also incorporate things that each person loves. A couple things I liked best about his was the button snowman I made. I used a snowman punch to add the arms, scarf, and hat. I also love the blue glitter tree. It's actually just a piece of a decorative pick that I cut off. Love it!

Little Sis Explosion Box

Day 4 - My little sis's box. I did a silver, black and red theme. I did a few Cricut cuts on this one because she is new to paper crafting but, I always know that she will appreciate all the details! I cut the owl from Give a Hoot; the city skyline from Plantin Schoolbook; and the Eiffel Tower from Destinations.

On the mat with the owl, I cut the owl at 1" using cream and silver shimmer paper and then used gold stickles on the branch. I embossed velum using the snowflake Cuttlebug folder and then a piece of American Crafts ribbon.

On the city skyline mat, I cut the skyline using Core'dinations black glitter paper and then cut snowflakes out using the Martha Stewart snowflake border punch. I used silver and gunmetal stickles on them as well. The shimmery background paper is from the latest DCWV Luxury stack.

Last, the Eiffel tower. On the destinations cartridge, this cuts in a rectangle frame with 'Paris' at the bottom. I cut the city name off and used it on a gift tag for her. I also cut the remaining part of the frame off and added small scraps of black paper on the back to appear as a black out.

Big Sis Explosion Box

Day 3, this is the gold and black themed box for my older sister. The only Cricut cut here was the steamy mug from the Child's First Year cartridge, it's an icon cut from one of the winter themed main cuts. I did emboss quite a bit and used some great papers for hers as well as snowflakes from the MS snowflake border punch.

Dad's Explosion Box

Day 2, here is the box I made for my father. His has some Slovak sentiments that I printed on my computer as I am first generation American on my father's side and he still is very heavily involved in the Slovak community. The only Cricut cuts on this one is the 'God Bless You' sentiment from the Wild Card cartridge and I cut the shadow function of the cross from the Easter cartridge, in two different colors.

Christmas Explosion Boxes

Merry after Christmas everyone!!! Christmas was great for me and my family! Right after Thanksgiving, I decided to make an explosion box for every member of my family that was going to be at my house on Christmas day for dinner. That was a total of 11 boxes in three weeks! A very ambitious project considering I also work full time and had other things going on with my son's school and other Christmas get together's. I was able to finish 10 of the boxes (my hubby didn't get one but, he did get a personalized calendar so, he was happy). So, I am going to start posting some pics of each one. The outside's weren't anything very special because I simply didn't have time to do more than the inside. I was happy with them though!

Here is the first....my mom's box. I didn't use any Cricut cuts on hers but, I did use a lot of these vintage cut outs from Making Memories

Christmas Goods

I love presents...giving them especially and always getting them from my husband! Along with all of my clothes, perfume, makeup, etc., I got new Cricut mats, blades, 3 Scrappy Moms stamp sets, a ribbon holder, the current DCWV mega stack and 10 cartridges!!! Woohoo! I have added Winter Frolic, Birthday Bash, Wrap it Up, Dinosaurs, Ornamental Iron, Winter Lace, Trim the Tree, Serenade, Lacy Labels, and B is for Boy, to my cartridge collection. Can you believe I have been trolling on line today, looking to buy Paper Lace??? It's now an addition!!! Merry Christmas all!

Ice Skate Snowflake

Ah, a winter card. I didn't make Christmas cards this year because it's very time consuming and I am working on some other things. I did, however, make a couple of cards for the 'special' people on my card list. The red snowflake paper is from The Paper Studio. The ice skate snowflake was cut using DCWV white glitter paper at 4" using the When It's Cold Outside cartridge. The sentiment was in a vintage set that I got at Archiver's from Making Memories and then I mounted it on a green sheet and pop dotted it on the snowflake.



Inside, I added a strip of the snowflake stock and then used the MS snowflake border punch at the bottom. The sentiment is a set I got from Archiver's as well.

Very Merry Deer

Christmas is almost here and I have been very busy with some projects that I am working on. Not to mention shopping and wrapping and getting everything ready. I love the holiday! I made today's card for my little sis. The red and black mounted paper is from the Paper Studio and then I embossed gray vellum with a Sizzex Christmas folder (not sure which one but, it came in a double pack). The reindeer was cut from Very Merry Tags and then I stickled the hoofs and horns. I added a black gem for the eye and a piece of ribbon across the top from Michael's. I LOVE the embossed vellum!
I stamped the sentiment on the inside and then punched the bottom with a MS border punch!

Gingerbread Snowflake

So, I thought I would try my luck at the CC Challenge this week with making a round Christmas card, not using red or green. Hmmm. I cut the brown base using the Wild Card cartridge, round card, blackout function. Then I cut the layers just a little smaller each time and cut them apart to use on the front and then on the inside. The snowflake is the Gingerbread man cut on When It's Cold Outside, cut at 4 1/4" in brown and then the blackout in pink. I decided it was too plain so, I added some candy cane stripes and eyes & buttons to the gingerbread men with pink G Studio glitter glue. It's not my favorite but, it's cute. ;)

Family Name

Well, today is the first gift I have made using the Cricut and I am very pleased with the way that it turned out! My uncle and his family lost their home in March to a house fire and have just rebuilt and moved into their new home. The day after the fire, my mom found five bible pages outside, where their house was and she picked them up and kept them...for her, symbolizing the five people that were in the home at the time of the fire and all made it out safely. So, I got the pages from her to use in my gift for their new home. The frame was a Black Friday deal at Michaels that I got like 60% off. The only issue was the mat was black but, the frame was a PERFECT match to their decor. So, I cut down a piece of white 22x17 paper and then inked it with the Tim Holz antique ink pad. I used my ATG to glue each page to the paper...carefully because they are very delicate at this point with the burnt edges. Then, I used the font on Nursery Rhimes to cut the letters of their last name at 4 1/2" and adhered them to the bible pages. I was pleased with how it turned out and they were very touched. So happy for them to finally have a real home again!!!

Birthday Girl Corset

Today I decided on an easel birthday card. I used the corset cut on the Tie The Knot cartridge and cut it at 4" with the layers. The striped background paper is from Making Memories (I think) I pop dotted the corset on and added the bottom sentiment that is from Fiskars. I used a corner punch to make the sentiment mount a little prettier and added three black gems on each side.

On the inside, I used a different Fiskars sentiment along with some more black gems and a black and gray and silver glitter striped paper from the DCWV Alphabet stack. I entered this is the My Pink Stamper birthday challenge http://www.mypinkstamper.com/and then the Gaby Abby Challenge at http://www.gabycreates.com/2010/12/card-for-gaby-abby-sei-challenge-9.html

Wedding Monogram

I was asked to make a wedding card for a friend and I was really dying to use the new DCWV Street Lace so I made this 5x5 card. The mat sheet is from the DCWV Street Lace stack and the T monogram is cut from the Tie the Knot cartridge a 4", along with the shadow. The inside is a solid cream colored sheet with a mounted sticker sentiment from Making Memories. All of the corners are punched with Fiskars four way punch

Happy 18th!!!

Today I made a simple 5x7 card, no Cricut cuts. The paper is from the DCWV Alphabet stack which is really one of my favorites! The bottom is the 'A' sheet cut 5x5 and then mounted. The top polka dot piece is glittered polka dots from the same stack (I think the D monogram page). The black and white 'rings' ribbon across the seam of the two sheets is from American Crafts. I added a silver feathery ribbon across the top. The sentiment is from Fiskars and I mounted it on a silver glitter scrap piece and then a black.
On the inside, the sentiment is from a Scrappy Cat set and then I used a Martha Stewart border punch across the bottom and then the scrap striped piece from the front.

Give Thanks!

So I am a little late on my final Thanksgiving card for this year. It was a busy weekend! So, today's card was made using the Thanksgiving cartridge, and the 'Give Thanks' cut at 4". I then ran it through the flourish embossing folder. I can't recall where the brown paper is from but, the border punch is MS's Modern Garland punch and underneath, I have gold foil mounted. The leaves are silk craft leaves and the inside is an orange piece with the same border punch. I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday....now to get done with all of the Christmas cards and projects! Whew!

Stylish Blogger Award

How sweet that Robin over at http://thecricutscrapper.blogspot.com/ awarded me with a Stylish Blogger award!!! THANK YOU Robin!! I am honored! There are a couple of rules to receiving the award.
1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award
2. Share 8 things about yourself
3.Pay it forward to 8 bloggers who you have recently discovered
4. Contact those bloggers and tell them about their award

OK, so 8 things about myself.....
1. I love to wrap...I have about 50+ rolls of just Christmas paper
2. I love to shop and I am a stackaholic
3. I have four sisters
4. I am first generation American on my father's side
5. I love ancestry
6. I love photography
7. My favorite holiday is Christmas
8. My little sis is graduating with her Bachelor's in 2 weeks - WOOOHOO

Now, for the eight fantastic ladies who share their talents:
http://scrapntiantx.blogspot.com/
http://scrapsticklepop.blogspot.com/
http://naniwale.blogspot.com/
http://myscrappycupcake.blogspot.com/
http://raechelscards.blogspot.com/
http://jennyscards.blogspot.com/
http://sweetsweetharmony.blogspot.com/
http://laurenscreative.blogspot.com/

Indian Corn

Today I have tried to make Indian corn the way I like to see it! I used the Thanksgiving cartridge to cut the indian corn at 3" using Desing Studio. I cut the first layer in a cream color and then the second layer in a shiny maroon and cut the 'stems' off of the top so that the cream color would show through the top. DS came into use when I used the layer option of the indian corn. I did a hide contour on the middle ear of corn when I cut layer three in a shiny gold paper. The fourth/top layer was cut on DS with a hide contour on the three ears together and just cut this single ear. I was glad I used DS to do this because these ears of corn take a while to cut because of the scalloped effect to make it look like corn. Once I glued all of the layers together, I inked the edges of the corn in brown.

I honestly can't remember where the paper came from but, I thought it went pretty well. The teal color on the bottom was stamped and then punched with the Martha Stewart modern garland border. I 'hung' the corn using brown ribbon and then stamped another sentiment inside along with a small piece of the patterned paper.

Birthday Presents

Another simple card day. The printed mat is from The Paper Studio Birthday Extravaganza stack and the EK Success candles border punch. The ribbon is from a Target dollar bin set. The present on the left was cut from Joys of the Season at 2" and then embossed using the Sizzex 'stripes and scallops' folder. The present on the right is just a cut I made once I stamped the sentiment. The bow on the top was cut using the layer, shift function of the present key. On the inside, I used the same border punch and a Hero Arts stamp.

The Pumpkin Patch

I made today's card business size with a craft paper base and then mounted green and a printed sheet from the DCWV Amber Autumn stack. I cut the pumpkin patch sign at 3" from Happy Hauntings and then trimmed off the jagged edges and added more brown paper to the post of the sign to make it taller. At 3" it cut bigger than I had expected so, I wanted to size it down a little more to scale. The vine, I cut at 2" from the October 31 cartridge and the pumpkins I cut in various sizes from 1/2" - 1 1/2" using the Pumpkin Carving cart.

Birthday Shopping Wishes

Today's card is for my bff and shopping partner! I used the My World cartridge to cut the shopping cart (or buggy as she would call it) using a mirror silver paper, at 2". I trimmed up the wheels a little to make them a little more proportionate to the girl. Now, here's a tricky one on making the girl. I cut two different girls from the Sweethearts cartridge, both at 3 1/4", and put them together. The top of her is the wedding dress girl with the dress and bouquet trimmed off and the bottom of her is the 'first kiss' girl with the top trimmed off. I trimmed the hair as well to make it look like a style closer to hers and added an arm on the side so that she looked normal. The paper on the side is from The Paper Studio Poteeka Souffle, the sentiment from Fiskars and the ribbon on each side is from a set of ribbon cards I found at Tuesday Morning.

Almost Turkey Day

Well the Fantabulous Cricut challenge has inspired me to start my Thanksgiving cards! So today is my turkey card. I cut the turkey from the Thanksgiving cartridge at 4". Once I put the layer on, I decided it was too plain. I gave him an eye with a tiny brad and then I used brown glitter on the entire flourish. After the glitter on the flourish dried, I decided I still needed more so I added some stripes of glitter glue (orange, yellow, and brown) to his tail feathers. Much better!

So the printed mat paper is from the DCWV Autumn Splendor value stack. The ribbon on the bottom is from the dollar bin at Joann's. It's a Christmas ribbon but, it's maroon and went very well with this paper. The sentiment is from a chip collection from the Target dollar bin. Loving those dollar bins! On the inside, I added another sheet from this stack and then a freshly cooked turkey stamp! It's already November and turkey day is soon coming!!!

Thinking of You

Today is a sympathy card that I did using the Branch1 Frame cut from the Cindy Loo cartridge, cut at 4". The mat paper is from DCWV Linen Closet stack. I stamped the 'Thinking of you' sentiment onto a light colored square and then mounted it onto blue and brown and then pop dotted it in the center of the frame. On the inside, I added the same strip of printed paper from the front and a piece of ribbon from Martha Stewart crafts.