Welcome Spring — Cricut Campin’ Critters

This little card is for the Spring is in the Air weekly challenge at Bitten by the Bug 2.   The seasons may be more subtle here in California than in other states, but I always look forward to spring.  I love seeing all the birds and listening as they fill the air with chirping.  Right now we have mockingbirds building nests in the trees outside our kitchen door.   And yesterday I watched a hummingbird in our orange tree as I sat at the dining table.

My card is whimsical — a little fox doing some bird watching on a beautiful spring day.  I printed the papers using my Imagine and the Nursery Tails cartridge.  I love that you can print to fit whatever you are making, as in the background.  I printed this at 5″.

Front2

I made the  “welcome spring” sentiment for the card using Photoshop.  I took the text and put it on an arc.  I printed it out on a piece of plain paper and put the background piece over top.  I held both up to a light so I could see where the sentiment was going to be and when I got it where I wanted it, I held it in place with a few pieces of the blue painter’s tape.  I just lightly pressed the tape down — I didn’t want it sticking too much and removing any of the color.  Then I ran both pieces through the printer.

The fox is from Campin’ Critters and cut at 2.5″.  I used chalk to give his body some definition and used pop-dots to attach him to the front.  I added Glossy Accents to the lenses in his binoculars.

Fox2

I cut an extra bird and layered it on the front.  For the inside I added another bird and a frog, also from Nursery Tails.

Inside

I hope you enjoy my spring card.

  • Cricut cartridges – Campin’ Critters, Imagine Nursery Tails
  • White cardstock – American Crafts
  • Chalk
  • Ranger Glossy Accents

Cricut Candy Corn Box and Totes

 

My goal this weekend was to make a candy corn box, but then I had an idea and soon had candy corn boxes all over my craft room.  I wanted to participate in two challenges, the 3D Halloween Treat Container challenge at Bitten by the Bug 2, and the 3D Treats challenge at Cooking with Cricut.

I have seen several versions of Cricut candy corn boxes using a cake box cut on the internet.  Using Cricut Craft Room, I chose the triangle box cut from Sweet Tooths cartridge.  I liked that it is a 2-piece box, with a separate top and bottom.  The paper is Michael’s Recollection brand.

I cut the bottom at 6″, from orange cardstock and cut the top from white cardstock.  Using George and Basic Shapes, I put a triangle on my mat and sized it to match the triangle on the top of the box.  I then cut that from white cardstock.

I laid out two more triangles in CCR, one in yellow and one in orange.  Using ovals from George and Basic Shapes to intersect the triangles, I got the shapes I wanted for the corresponding pieces.  I then glued the orange and yellow layers onto the white triangle.

Using my Cuttlebug and the spider web folder, I embossed the entire front piece after it was glued together.  I then adhered the piece onto the top of my box.

I sometimes forget about all the dies I have for my Cuttlebug, opting to cut with my Cricut instead.  But this time I remembered I had some cute Halloween dies and that is what I used for my spider and the tiny candy corns on the front of the box.  I used the 3″x3″ Cuttlebug Halloween die.

I painted the eyes on the spider and colored the candy corns using Copics.  Then then applied Glossy Accents on the candy corn to give them some shine.  I added pop-dots to the spider and candy corns and attached them on the top of the box.

The tags I used on all my candy corn boxes is a free printable I found on a website called HelloCuteness.com.  The printable is from their old website, but you can get to their new site with the link I am sharing.

I hand cut around the tags, glued them onto some orange cardstock and again hand cut around the orange cardstock. For the cake box candy corn, I tied some twine through the hole on the tag and pop-dotted it onto the top.

While I was working on the cake box version, I got an idea to create a different type of candy corn box —  one that is more like a tote.  Using CCR and George and Basic Shapes, I started laying out triangles and rectangles to get what I wanted.  It took a little time and several attempts, but I finally got it worked out.

Here is my final version, along with two of my better attempts.  They look pretty much the same — the main difference is in the tabs where they attach together and how I assembled them.  The base shape is cut from orange cardstock and then there is a yellow and white piece that attaches to the front and back.

I used a Peachy Keen face stamp, stamping just one side.  I thought about stamping both sides of the tote but decided I didn’t want any two-faced candy corns!  I used a black pen to add the stitch marks to the fronts and backs.

For the first tote, I put it all together and then realized it would be much easier to attach the white & yellow pieces, stamp the face, and punch the holes for the ribbon handle if the tote was still flat.  The next two totes were done flat and it was a lot easier.  I used Terrifically Tacky Tape to assemble the totes.

I used a Crop-A-Dile to punch the holes in the side and 12″ of ribbon for the handle.  After threading the ribbon through the hole, I tied a knot and used some hot glue to glue the ends down inside.  The tags are hung using 1/8″ ribbon and I threaded it through the same hole as the handle before using the hot glue.  Again, I did this on the first tote after it was assembled.  For the next totes I added the ribbon before assembling the them.

  • Cricut Craft Room
  • Cricut cartrideges:  George and Basic Shapes, Sweet Tooth Boxes
  • Copics
  • Glossy Accents
  • Ribbon

Cricut Art Nouveau Hummingbird Birthday Card

 

I wanted to make a card to enter in a couple of challenges and this is what I came up with.  The first challenge is Things that Fly in Nature over at Bitten by the Bug 2. The second challenge is Texture at Cooking with Cricut.

I made a 5″ x 5″ card and the patterned paper was all printed on the Imagine using the Country Carnival cartridge.  I love the paper selection on this cartridge and have been wanting to use the design that is on the background of my card for some time.  The reason I bought this cartridge is because of the paper — and the very cool font that it has.

 I cut the hummingbird (at 3″) from watercolor paper using the Art Nouveau cartridge and colored him with Copics.  This is only my second time trying to color with Copics, and I have lots to learn.  I discovered I don’t have enough green markers — I didn’t have enough in the same color group to do any blending.

After I colored the hummingbird, I used a crystal glaze (something I got years ago) to go over sections of his body to try and simulate the iridescence you see in their feathers.

Oh, dear — after looking at the close-up I’m not too sure I should be posting it.  My coloring definitely leaves a lot to be desired!  The circle behind the hummingbird was embossed using the Forest Branches folder.

I recently got the Art Philosophy cartridge, mainly because of the flowers I have seen so many crafters make with it. The roses on this card represent my first time using this cartridge.  I cut them at 2″ and 2.5″ using some Recollections paper from Michaels.  I inked the edges with Tim Holtz Fired Brick Distress Ink.  I used a quilling tool from one of my Cuttlebug quilling kits to roll up the flowers.  I was surprised at how quickly they went together.  The greenery behind the roses is also from Art Philosophy.

I wanted the sentiment to be subtle, so I stamped it in the upper right hand corner (using distress ink) trying to make it look like it is part of the print on the paper.  I added a couple of pieces of lace across two corners and used my sewing machine to stitch around the card.

For the inside of the card, the white area is a shape cut using Art Philosophy.  The corners are a 2″ square of vellum, cut diagonally, embossed with the Swiss Dots folder, and trimmed with lace sewn across the top edges.  I then secured them to the card by stitching around the entire piece.

I originally planned on using the vellum corners on the front of the card, but when I laid everything out, I thought they hid too much of the paper on the front.  So they got moved inside, which worked out fine because I had no plans yet for the inside of the card.

  • Cricut cartridges:  Art Nouveau, Art Philosophy, Imagine Country Carnival
  • Cuttlebug embossing folders:  Forest Branches, Swiss Dots
  • Copics
  • Vellum, scraps of lace

Wee Wee Wee!! Pig With Pinwheels Shaped Card

I wanted to make a birthday card for my sister-in-law and I wanted to create one that was very whimsical — and I hope I succeeded.  I enjoy making shaped cards and when I found the All Shaped Up Challenge on Bitten by the Bug 2, the idea for my card was hatched.

I love the pig with the pinwheels in the Geico commercials.  You can’t help but smile when one comes on TV, and I have been wanting to do something along those lines for while now.   I decided to make my pig a girly girl and give her a fancy party dress, complete with a birthday party hat.

I started laying out my design in Cricut Craft Room.  Unfortunately, the program still has issues and I ran into some of them while creating this card — and ended up wasting time.  I find CCR so frustrating at times that bad words will just start popping out of my mouth.

When I got ready to cut my card, Cricut Craft Room was down and I could not log in.  I kept getting a message that the program couldn’t connect to the internet.   I kept trying and after an hour or so, I was able to log in and cut my layers.

All the solid color cardstock is from Bazzill, except for the glitter cardstock on the hat — that is from Core’dinations. The patterned paper I printed on the Imagine using the Blast Off cartridge.

I used Create a Critter for the pig and pinwheels and B is for Boy, a Lite cartridge, for the “wee” words.  I welded them all together to form the base of the card.  I used the Swiss Dots folder and my Cuttlebug to emboss the words.  I found some eyelash-type yarn at Joann’s that I used for her dress, layering it so it looks like a fringe dress — reminds me of a flapper dress.  I added some pearls at the neckline and a bow on both the dress and hat.  I used Stickles on the center of the pinwheels.

The inside of the card features a computer-generated sentiment.

I hope this little piggy card brings a smile to my sister-in-law’s face.  I need to make an envelope so I can get it in the mail.  Since it is a over-sized card, I will probably send it in a padded envelope.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Cricut Chirp Challenge #6 – Create a Critter Craft:  use any animal Cricut cut on your project

Scrappy Moms Stamps – Terrific Tuesday Challenge – Shape Up:  create a shape project

  • Cricut cartridges:   B is for Boy Lite, Blast Off (Imagine), Create a Critter
  • Cuttlebug:  Swiss Dots embossing folder
  • Bazzill cardstock
  • Stickles
  • Yarn, pearls, ribbon

Showering Thanks Elephant Card

 

This week I was able to make a card to enter into two challenges.  The first is over at Bitten by the Bug 2 for their Elephantly Speaking challenge. The requirement is to use an elephant from any Cricut cartridge — we can chose any theme we want.

The second challenge is at Cooking With Cricut, and this week it’s pretty special because they are celebrating their 100th challenge.  They are doing a surprise thank you for their leader, Melin, and ask that you submit a thank you card to enter the challenge.

My card is approximately 4″ x 9″, made to fit inside a #10 envelope.  All the paper and images for this card were printed and cut on the Imagine, using the Hey Diddle Diddle cartridge.  The only piece I did not cut on the Imagine is the scalloped border across the top, which I cut on my Expression.  I laid that piece out in Design Studio, welding together three scalloped pieces from Accent Essentials to form the border.

My card features an elephant from Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge.  I colored all the detail on my elephant with Copics. The eye is actually printed and then I hand cut it out.  I got the free file for the eyes from My Scrap Chick and was able to resize it small enough to fit.

The title is what lead to the inspiration for this card.  I found it on the Everyday Pop-Up cartridge and when I saw it, I thought of an elephant spraying water.  The style of the lettering reminded me of a circus-type font, so I thought it went well with my little pachyderm.

The spray of water is from the Cake Basics cartridge and the individual drops of water and the water splat are from Everyday Paper Dolls.  I added some Stickles to the water.  I kept the inside of the card simple, using some more water for accents.

  • Cricut cartridges:  Accent Essentials, Cake Basics, Everyday Paper Dolls, Everyday Pop-Up
  • Cricut Imagine:  Hey Diddle Diddle
  • Copics
  • Stickles

Pull the Udder One, You’re How Old?

What a stressful weekend — and we found out the hard way that stress can have an adverse effect on dogs too.  About two weeks ago we found an abandoned kitten in our backyard, and it had a cold.  We started feeding it and even got antibiotics from the vet to give it.  We also started contacting every cat rescue organization in our area and always got the same answer — they could not take in any more cats.

Yesterday around noon we took Fifi, our 10 year old rescue Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix, outside.  She does not like cats but we thought she had been tolerating the kitten being in the yard.  The kitten was becoming tame and yesterday it came up to Fifi and started wrapping itself around her.  I could instantly see that Fifi was stressing out.

We knew something was amiss because Fifi had been having some digestive issues.  Seeing her reaction to the cat, I was sure it was coming from stress.  After that incident, Fifi refused to go back in the backyard.  She would only go out in the front yard, which requires us taking her out on a leash.

When it came time for Fifi to eat, she did not finish her dinner.  We started keeping a close eye on her.  About an hour later she threw up.  Around 1 a.m. we knew something was seriously wrong so we took her to an emergency animal clinic.  Fifi had intestinal bleeding and a temperature of 105 (normal for dogs can be up to 102).   They started her on an IV, antibiotics and gave her some medication for her stomach.

The dr. said it is not uncommon for small dogs to get so stressed out that it causes intestinal bleeding.  We were able to talk to our regular vet today (even though it is Sunday) and she suggested we have the cat out of the yard when Fifi comes home.  We are hoping we get to bring her home around 7 p.m. tonight.

Luckily the animal shelter is open today and we planned on loading up the poor kitten and taking it in.  Steve called a rescue lady that he had talked with yesterday (before Fifi got so bad) and when she found out we were taking it to a shelter she came over and picked up the kitten.

So the kitten stressor is gone and we hope Fifi will come home and be able to recover completely.  I will be taking her to see her own vet tomorrow and hopefully gain some insight to keep this from happening again.  This has been such a huge ordeal on the whole family — we were trying so hard to find the kitten a home.  I had no idea we were harming our dog in the process.  I so wish everyone would spay and neuter their pets.

OK, now on to my card.  I was able to put this together but wasn’t sure I would get it posted in time for the challenge I am entering it in.  Luckily I made it with a few hours to spare.

I made this birthday card for the On the Farm Challenge at Bitten by the Bug 2, which requires you to use any farm animal cut from any Cricut cartridge.  I selected the girl milking the cow from the Country Life cartridge.   My main reason for choosing this cut was that I had a sentiment stamp that I thought would be perfect with it.  The sentiment is from a set by Elzybell, who sadly is no longer making them.

I printed the checked background paper on my Imagine, using the Best Friends cartridge.  The fence and sun are from Pooh & Friends.  I printed the wood design on the fence, again with my Imagine, using the Snapshot: Nature cartridge. The girl milking the cow and the sunflowers are from the Country Life cartridge.  The thought balloon with the sentiment is from Cuttin’ Up.  All cuts, with the exception of those printed on the Imagine, were made using scrap cardstock. The girl and cow, sentiment and the flowers are popped up using foam dots.

And to show I learned something from this challenge, let me tell you about my cow.  She is a Brown Swiss.  The breed originated in the mountains of northeast Switzerland and was declared a dairy breed in the United States in 1906.  I’m not sure that the dark brown marking on her back is accurate, but if not then my Brown Swiss has a dark chocolate beauty mark on her.

After seeing the card assembled, it makes me wonder if there are many women working around cows who wear pink boots!  Well, my milk maid likes her stylish pink boots.

For the inside of the card, I printed another square of checked paper on my Imagine and added some sunflowers to the lower corner.

  • Cricut cartridges:  Best Friends (Imagine), Country Life, Cuttin’ Up, Pooh & Friends, Snapshot: Nature (Imagine)
  • Elzybells stamps

This is My Little Black Dress Onesie and Matching Card

 

Several months ago I bought some black onesies so I could decorate them using heat transfer vinyl.  I went on to other things and the onesies just sat — until Bitten by the Bug 2 posted their Fashion Challenge.  That was the push I needed to get the onesies done.  And when I finished with the onesies (I made a 6 mos size and a 12 mos size), I made a matching card.  Now I have a couple of gift sets ready when I need them.

 

I saw this phrase on a onesie on the Internet a long time ago and always thought it would be fun to do.  I cut all the vinyl with my Cricut, using Design Studio to lay out everything.  For the necklace, I brought a cut from the Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge into Design Studio to use as a guide.  I enlarged the design until it fit the neck of the onesie.  I then took circles from George and laid them along the contour of the necklace, making sure they touched so I could weld them. Once I had circles completely covering the necklace shape, I deleted the necklace so that all was left was a string of pearls.  I cut this from white flock vinyl, so it has a fuzzy feel to it.

I used a variety of cartridges for the letters — sort of felt like I was putting together a ransom note.  I used Don Juan for the “this is my” and “dress” cuts.  I used Forever Young for “black” and Graphically Speaking for “little”.  I cut these out of white and pink glitter vinyl.

When cutting heat transfer vinyl, you have to remember to mirror the images.  I had no problem mirroring the words  “little” and “black” —  just had to check the “flip shapes” button in Design Studio.  But because I was putting the other words together myself using individual letters, I was having issues getting the words to mirror.  I finally figured out if I typed the words in backwards and then checked the “flip shapes” button that it worked.

I used Life’s a Party for the onesie card.  I welded two of the shadow bases together at the shoulders.  I embossed the black layer using my Cuttlebug and a 5″ x 7″ folder from the Once Upon a Princess Companion Set that has little roses all over.

The label on the front of the onesie is from the Phrases cartridge.  Because the lettering is so thin, I cut it from pink vinyl and used transfer tape to put it on the scalloped ovals.  I added a couple of glittery flowers that I picked up at a Tuesday Morning store a while ago.  I used 3 white dot embellishments that I got in one of Joann’s $1 bins for the snaps on the onesie.

For the inside of the card, I cut a white layer and inked the edges and then I stamped an image from a stamp I have in my stash.

  • Cricut cartridges – Don Juan, Forever Young, George & Basic Shapes, Graphically Speaking, Life’s a Party, Phrases
  • Cuttlebug – Once Upon a Princess Companion Set
  • Heat transfer vinyl
  • Assorted embellishments

Bitten by the Bug 2

A few days ago I found out my most recent project, the Diorama/Luminaria card, was chosen as Project of the Week at Bitten by the Bug 2  in their Window to the World Challenge.  I am so thrilled.  Thank you so much!!

They have a great design team and list a new challenge every Monday, so be sure and check them out.  I just completed my project for their challenge that ends today, so I am off to get busy writing so I can post it here.

 

 

Enjoy the Season Winter Window Card Luminaria

I’m not sure what to call my latest project.  I like to think of it as a hybrid — a cross between a window and diorama card and a luminaria.

It all began with the Window to My World Challenge at Bitten by the Bug 2.  I knew immediately what window I wanted to use for this challenge — the cute little dog and cat looking out the window at the snow on the Enjoy the Seasons Cricut Imagine cartridge.    Then my brain started spinning with what I could do to make the card unique.  For a couple of days that’s all that happened — my brain spun and not one good idea.  Then it hit me — I wondered what it would look like if I printed the window part on vellum and lit it from the back.

That is where the diorama card comes into play, as it has sections.  I used the tutorial for a diorama card posted on splitcoaststampers.com as my guide.

I altered the measurements so that a battery operated tealight candle would fit in the back section.  My two print papers I used on the diorama were printed from the Elise Imagine cartridge.  I wanted a print that was not necessarily holiday looking and thought the prints on Elise went well with the cat and dog image.   My finished card/luminaria measures about 6″ x 6″x 2.5″.

I cut my print paper so that the two blue pieces (the outside) were 11″ x 6″, cutting an oval from George & Basic Shapes out of one section for the front.   I scored 2.5″ from each end and folded on those marks.   Because the oval takes a huge chunk out of the front of the card, I found I had to stabilize it.  I cut a  piece of plain white cardstock with the oval, this time a little under 6″ wide,  and glued it to the inside center to give it some strength.

The middle section was cut from the mocha print at 9″ x 6″ with a 2.5″ x 1.5″ window cut from the center.  I scored each end of this piece at 1.5″ and folded.  This is what my pieces looked like.

I printed the cat and dog on the Imagine at 4″, printing it on vellum and then in layers on regular white cardstock.  I took my craft knife and cut out the sky between the window panes from the cardstock piece, so that the vellum sky would show through.  This pictures shows both the vellum print and the piece with the sky cut out of it.

I added some Stickles to the snow on the vellum and let it dry.  I trimmed the vellum and glued it on the mocha piece, lining the sky up with the cut-out rectangle.  Then I attached the cardstock piece with the cut out sky over that.  I did two layers of the love seat and attached it, then layered the cat and dog twice and attached them with pop-dots.  I printed a little sign from Enjoy the Seasons to hang above the window and added a blue pearl on each side.

I started assembling my pieces, putting the mocha and back section together first.  Before attaching the front, I cut a snowflake frame from Lacy Labels that I adjusted in Design Studio to fit the oval on the front.  I cut two layers, the top layer from a glittery cardstock and attached the frame around the oval.  I cut extra stars and snowflakes and popped them up on the frame.  Then I attached the frame to the other sections.   I used a tealight with a white LED flame, which I ordered online.  All I could find at my local stores were tealights with amber flames and I didn’t want an amber cast to my snow.  This picture shows the card from above, showing the different sections.  The tealight sits right below the vellum window.  Because there is no bottom to the card, you just have to set it over top of the tealight.

This picture shows the card from the side, so you can see how the front and back overlap each other.

It was hard trying to take a picture showing the lit window, but I think this one gives you a good idea of what it looks like.  The card will fold up, but it doesn’t  go completely flat.  I think I stuffed it too much.  I would not send it in an envelope — it would have to hand delivered or sent in a box.  But this one I plan on keeping for myself!

I had a lot of fun creating this card — it’s a little different from what I usually do.  I am already thinking of other projects using this concept.

  • Cricut cartridges – George & Basic Shapes, Imagine Elise, Imagine Enjoy the Seasons, Lacy Labels
  • Glitter cardstock
  • Stickles
  • Battery operated tealight candle

So Happy For You! Card

OutForPublication

I think this is my first time making a card using the card feature on a Cricut cartridge.  I searched through the suns I had and found this cute shaped card on Something to Celebrate.  This is also one of the few times that I have used only one cartridge to make a card.

I cut the card base out of white cardstock and then started adding layers.  My colored cardstock is all from Stampin’ Up.  I added a layer of turquoise, three layers of the yellow/gold and two layers for the white cloud.  Inking was all done with Tim Holtz Distress Inks.

I used my Cuttlebug to emboss the sun, using a new folder called Charles.  It has a neat chevron pattern of small dots. I used Divine Swirls on the cloud and Swiss Dots on the pink “Happy”.  I traced the lines of the swirls on the clouds with Glossy Accents and sprinkled with Martha Stewart crystal glitter.  Then I used Glossy Accents around the edges of the cloud and sprinkled with MS coarse glitter.

  • Cricut cartridge – Something to Celebrate
  • Cuttlebug folders – Charles, Divine Swirl, Swiss Dots
  • Stampin’ Up cardstock
  • Martha Stewart glitter