Friday, August 31, 2012

The September 100 Cartridge Hop!

Hello Friends!
Just a quick note in case you happened here as you were Hopping along with the My Cricut Craftroom 100 Cartridge Hop for September.  I am "on vacation"  from My Cricut Craftroom but will be back in full force the first week in September!  There was a bit of a mix up and I was originally included in the Hop line up. Please continue on to my sweet friend Heather's blog  ( http://heathernovinger.blogspot.com)  to continue to see some amazing projects!
PLEASE come back on Sept. 6th for my latest project!
Have a safe and Happy Labor Day weekend!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

A GRAND Give Away!

Hello Crafty Friends!
Exciting news!  My friend and leader of My Cricut Craftroom is offering some wonderful prizes on her blog.
Just follow this link to read all about it and see how you can enter to win!
If you love your Cricut, you will want to join in this activity!
So sign into your Facebook account then go to this page:
http://www.facebook.com/events/411667405559372/ to read all about it!
Then be sure to post here to let me know you entered!  I will cross my fingers that one of us win!
Thanks everyone!

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

It's Time for Cookies!!

It's Cookies or Milk Day at My Cricut Craftroom!
Hello Friends!
Thank you for stopping by to visit today!  Can I offer you a delicious chocolate crackle cookie? I sure wish I could!  Today one of the Design Team assignments was to create something featuring either Cookies or Milk.
Right away, I knew I wanted to create a scrapbook layout featuring one of my very favorite cookie recipes. This is a "MUST HAVE" at my house on Christmas morning!  I make it other times of the year as well.
Let me share with you a photo of the completed layout and then we'll get into the details of how I
created it!

I am featuring the Cricut Cartridge, From My Kitchen which as you can see, has so many adorable images that have to do with baking, cooking, and recipes.  I really like this cartridge.  If you don't own it and are interested, I noticed that Erica has it in her store for an Excellent price!  Here is where to find it:
As I began to create this layout, I discovered this adorable apron on page 51 of the handbook.  I frequently wear an apron when I am baking - - otherwise I would be sure to be covered in flour or confectioners sugar!
I cut this cute apron at 5.50 inches tall.  With the Gypsy, I selected the layers that I wanted to include.
I used the adorable paper I had that I received from Erica and discovered on this double sided paper, I could hand cut out a couple of hearts and foam dot them on the pockets for a cute little detail!  At the waistline, I added a pink ribbed ribbon as well to give more interest and texture to the layout!
I just LOVE this apron and wish I had one that looked like that in real life!

I then knew that making these cookies requires a mixing bowl and there was the perfect image on page 48 of the handbook!  I used the layers to add the silver mixing spoon as well as the batter layer, which I embossed with the Divine Swirl embossing folder on my Cuttlebug!  
To match my cute apron, I created this adorable oven mitt that has a cute little cuff on it!  I embossed the cuff with the Swiss Dots Embossing folder.  The oven mitt was cut at  2.90".
Next comes the measuring spoons.  I don't know about you, but when I am baking, I have to have a couple of sets of measuring spoons on hand.   I used the Gypsy again to cut only the measuring spoons, hiding the measuring cup that is on the same image.  
This is a pocket I created that has a hidden spot for either journaling or a photo.
My plan is to take a nice photo (with this wonderful new camera I have!!) of the chocolate crackle cookies the next time I bake them!  
You can see how my tag pulls out with the ribbon for easy access.

I used my favorite foam squares for "popping up" several elements on the page.
In the handbook on page 65, you will find a chocolate chip cookie and a gingerbread man image. Using my trusty Gypsy....I hid the gingerbread man as well as the "chips" on the cookie so I could create the look of the chocolate crackle cookie.  I crumpled the paper slightly and inked with white ink to resemble the confectioners sugar and the "crackles" that occur naturally in this recipe.
I typed up the recipe on the computer and printed it off in a brown ink. I inked the edges of most of my cuts in a coffee bean ink as well.  
I thought the oven mitt was perfect overlapping the recipe just slightly. I popped it up on foam squares for dimension.
I created a title for my layout using the oval shadow feature that is found throughout the booklet and typed the title on the computer, printing it off with brown ink.  (not an easy feat when your printer does not want to communicate with your computer!).

I had to end with one more shot of my cute little apron!  
I hope you enjoyed my layout and I wish I could share a cookie with each of you that took the time to visit today!
I appreciate and enjoy reading all of your comments...can you take a moment to leave one for me?
I am very excited that a friend that  I have not seen in many, many years coming to visit me at the end of this week.
Erica from My Cricut Craftroom was kind enough to allow me to take some time off to enjoy my visit with my friend, so I will not have a blog post for a couple of weeks.  I may have to sneak in some photos of some of the fun we are having!
Please check out all the great projects my design team "sisters" have created over at
Thanks for stopping by!!

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Friday, August 3, 2012

It's Time for the August Blog Hop at My Cricut Craftroom!


Welcome to Erica's Craft Room
100 Cricut Cartridge Blog Hop Day ONE


Collectively the design team uses over 100 different Cricut Cartridges in their projects during the two days of this hop. 

As special treat enjoy 10% off of your total purchase with Erica's Craft Room Store.
Use the code AUGUST to see 10% off of your total purchase (No exclusions!).


You should have started at    www.mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com-   if not please start at the beginning

so you do not miss any of the wonderful projects my fellow design team members have worked so hard to create!


I created two different projects today using three Cricut Cartridges.  Today I will be featuring 
the following Cricut Cartridges :
Art Nouveau
ZooBallo0
Holiday Cakes
Let's get started!
My first project I decided to step away from my card making or scrapbook layout  rut and create 
a  Home Decor item!
I started with a plain blank Canvas that is 8" x 8'.

I did not want the background of my project to be just off white, so I altered it by giving it a paint job!
Since I have company coming and I am doing some "sprucing up" of my home in preparation for her visit - I decided to go with a green color that will go with my updated kitchen paint job or can also
work well in my hall way or laundry room, all which are close together!  

This is the paint job in process....I did paint all the edges as well...it took two coats to give it a smooth, complete  finish. 
I then selected the Bee from the Art Nouveau cartridge.  You can find the bee on page 56 of the handbook.

This bee has plenty of layers and I decided to cut an extra "body" set to create a bit more depth on the wall hanging.
The bee and all the layers were cut at 5 inches.
I embossed the various layers on the bee's body using the Cuttlebug and the Scallops embossing folder.
I was careful where I placed those tiny layers of the bee so that I could get the pattern I wanted right where I wanted it - so I had the design just how I envisioned it!
Here is a great view of the layers, the wings I folded gently upward to seperate and the body of the bee.
(Thank you, new camera...for taking such great close up shots!!)
{In my mind, I hear Jimmy Fallon's piano as in his "thank you notes" segment on T.V. as I typed that!!}
I created the background for the bee to rest on from the Art Philosophy cartridge, page 53.  I used the Gypsy to eliminate the slots on the design ( it was originally designed to be a tag).
I cut two layers - one in tan ( cut at 6 1/4") , and one in gold -(cut at 6 inches).
I inked all edges of the base pieces as well as most of the bee.
I wanted to add a simple saying and after looking at all the rubber stamps and not finding what I was
satisfied with - I decided I would create and cut my own saying!
From the cartridge "Holiday Cakes" - I selected the appropriate letters and welded them together
to create the phrase "JUST BE".
I think that is a good reminder to myself as I have had quite a busy month and the upcoming week or so has  a lot going on in my "world"  - that sometimes we all need to S - L - O - W  Down and "JUST BE"! 
And HERE is the final project - my wall hanging!!  

 What do you think??  I am pretty happy with it and I can't wait for the kitchen and hallway to
be repainted so I can decide where to hang it!

Now, on to my next project for the hop....
This time it is a card featuring the ZooBalloo cartridge and again using the
Holiday Cakes cartridge!
I created this cute little kitty cat card that simply says
"Hello!"
I selected the ZooBalloo cartridge and cut my cats and their layers from page 84 of the handbook.
I used the Flip feature on the Cricut so that my kitties could face each other.
Each cat and their layers were cut at 4 inches.  I inked the edges of the cats
and then added Stickles for their eyes.  The black and white cat has green sparkly eyes and the brown and buff kitty has gold eyes!

I created my card base by cutting the card from page 119 on ZooBalloo as well.
This was cut at 5 1/4 inches.
The paper I selected for the front of my card was gifted to me from
our sweet store owner, Erica, from My Cricut Craftoom! 
I then free handed a little "hill" for the kitties to stand on and embossed that using my
trusty Cuttlebug.
Using my Gypsy and  the Holiday Cakes Cricut Cartridge, 
I made the word "Hello!" by welding the appropriate letters together.
I was then very excited to use the Brand Spanking New 
Close to My Heart /Cricut Cartridge called
Artiste to create a little base for the word "Hello" to sit on.
This was found in the Artiste handbook on page 33, Accent 2 shift key.
I inked the edges of the base cut as well as around the kitties!


I used foam layering tape to attach the "Hello" base as well as both of the cats to the front of my card.
I love giving dimension to the card with the layering squares.
And that is my LONG post for today!
I hope you enjoyed my projects and got some inspiration to get that Cricut machine out and create something fun yourself!
Please continue to Hop along by visiting my friend and design team sister,

In case you get lost along the way, here is the complete line up for today's hop:

 SATURDAY

  1. MCCR http://mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com/
  2. jenn lorist http://www.jennspapercrafts.blogspot.com
  3. Teresa http://www.createenjoyshare.blogspot.com
  4. Kathy http://3spoileddogs.blogspot.com
  5. shelley http://shelley-scrapbookingforfun.blogspot.com
  6. heather http://heathernovinger.blogspot.com
  7. Jessica S http://jessicascraftshaque.blogspot.com
  8. Tammy http://www.Cuttinandstampin.blogspot.com
  9. Jen L http://www.mybusycraftylife.blogspot.com
  10. Erica's Projects http://ericasprojects.blogspot.com/
  11. Samantha http://www.samanthascricutcreations.blogspot.com
  12. robin http://create-a-latte.blogspot.com/
  13. amy http://clayfulimagination.blogspot.com
  14. Miranda http://www.nanasscrapspot.com
  15. Angie http://crazyscraplady-angelpie.blogspot.com
  16. LB http://www.coolbeansbylb.blogspot.com
  17. Cathy http://cathyplus5.blogspot.com
  18. Claire http://threewaterscreations.blogspot.com
  19. Lisa Carrier http://ourcraftingcorner.blogspot.com
  20. Blog Candy http://ericasblogcandy.blogspot.com/
Thank you so much for visiting and have a lot of fun

Hopping and collecting ideas along the way!
THANK YOU!! 


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