Fantabulous Cricut: Challenge Me Monday #84 - For the Birds

Happy Halloween!  It may be the day for ghosts and goblins, but we're looking skyward at Fantabulous Cricut.  The theme for Challenge #84 is For the Birds, and you're encouraged to use a bird, birdhouse, or birdcage on your projects for this week.

It's also a new Design Team term at FCCB, and I'm so honored to be continuing on with this talented group of ladies.  Welcome to the new DT members, and best wishes to those who are moving on to other awesome things!

My project is a layout for my son's scrapbook of his preschool's annual Holiday Celebration last year.  The kids sing both Thanksgiving and Christmas songs, so that's why you see both turkeys and Baby Jesus in the photos!  There's also a photo of the turkey centerpiece he made out of handprints and bath tissue rolls.  Isn't it cute...?!?!

I actually made this page at my retreat in September, and I'm happy it features a turkey so I can share it for this challenge:

 

I'm really proud of the inking on the leaves and other details, so here's some close ups:

 Project Details:

• Papers - patterns by The Paper Studio; cardstock by Recollections
• Cricut Cuts - turkey from Simply Charmed, page 61; leaves from Creative Memories: Cheerful Seasons, page 56
• Embossing - turkey feathers with Cuttlebug's D'vine Swirls
• Other - sentiment sticker by The Paper Studio; inking with red, dark green, orange, and yellow Colorbox ink pads and brown Stampabilities ink pad

Are you ready to make a project for the birds?  If so, head over to Fantabulous Cricut and share your creation!

Scrappin' Saturdays at Fantabulous Cricut

Hi, crafty friends!  I just wanted to let you know I've started doing the Scrappin' Saturday posts over at Fantabulous Cricut.  Go check out today's post about Halloween mini-albums.

After seeing such wonderful inspiration, I want to make a mini-album of my own.  It may have to wait a few weeks, though, because I'm deep in a tablescape project.  It's a peacock theme with lots of sparkles, feathers, and jewels -- I'm so eager to post about it, but the event isn't until November 7.

Yep, I'm waiting impatiently... :)

Icky, Spooky, Creepy Halloween Wall Decor

Halloween is so much more fun as a parent -- I think that's why I've been really excited about decorating for the holiday this year.  My little guy is totally into spotting pumpkin and ghost decorations in neighbors' yards, so I decided to make a wall hanging to put on our front door:

 Here's some close-ups of each panel:

Project Details:

• Papers - patterned paper from ATD - Spookytown Collection; cardstocks by Recollections
• Cricut Cuts - background panels from Elegant Edges, page 25; all other cuts from Mini Monsters - spider, page 54; ghost, page 42; pumpkin, page 61; spider web, page 74; trees, page 73; fence, page 72; "icky", page 28; "spooky", page 42; "creepy", page 31
• Embossing - pumpkin with Cuttlebug's Distressed Stripes; spider belly with Cuttlebug's Spots & Dots; spider's bow with The Paper Studio's Doodle Borders
• Other - pre-made glitter bow by Momentum; inking with black Stampabilities ink pad, green and purple Colorbox ink pads, and ultramarine and butterscotch Le Plume II markers; buttons and petal embellishments by Recollections; googly eyes from Target $1 Spot; spider, spider's bow, ghost, and pumpkin on pop-dots

I hung the project on little man's bedroom door to get a good photo with a solid white background -- and now he thinks it belongs there!  I'll have to sneak it to the front door when he goes down for a nap.

I hope you like my project.  It's definitely the most ambitious Cricut adventure I've had since my retreat last month.  And now I'm in the Halloween spirit!

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

BBTB2:  Crafty Sprouts Contest - Halloween Project with Purple
Cooking with Cricut:  Challenge #56 - Purple and Green
Cricut 360º:  Spooky Halloween Blog Hop & Challenge
Decorate to Celebrate:  Challenge #11 - Halloween Party
My Sheri Crafts:  Challenge #71 - It's the Great Pumpkin!
Paper Playtime:  Challenge #58 - Say It with Sentiments - Use Buttons and Bows

Celebrate the Occasion: Challenge #35 - Masculine Birthday with Metal

Happy Tuesday!  I'm excited to share with you the card I made for Celebrate the Occasion's Challenge #35.  This week's theme is all about celebrating a guy's birthday with metal!  I think my project is perfect for any guy -- big or little -- who's into science and space.

I've never used metal on a project, so I was a little concerned about what I'd do for this challenge.  I've been trying to not buy many new craft supplies, and I'd already blown my weekly "allowance" when it was time to work on this card.  That's when my mind wandered to the aluminum foil in the kitchen...

Card Details:

• Card Base - DCWV Brights (A2)
• Papers - patterned paper from DCWV - Nana's Kitchen; textured cardstock by Bazzil Bling; non-textured cardstock by Recollections; Reynolds aluminum foil
• Cricut Cuts - rocket from Nifty Fifties, page 28
• Embossing - rocket with Cuttlebug's Spots & Dots; aluminum foil background with The Paper Studio's Mesh Texture
• Other - rocket on pop dots; inking with orange, green, and cyan Colorbox ink pads; sentiment stamp from Michaels $1 bin

Yes, there's an actual layer of the rocket cut from aluminum foil with my Cricut!  But I won't lie; it was hard!  I had the pressure and speed set as low as possible and my blade height was at 1 -- and I still had to cut that layer eight times to get a usable piece!  I think using a heavier-weight foil would help with those issues.  Or perhaps choosing a cut that doesn't have many intricate turns or narrow pieces.

My favorite thing about working with the foil was how great it looks when embossed.  I squealed with delight the first time I ran it through the Cuttlebug and saw the result!  Now I want to try foil in all my embossing folders!

I challenge you to head over to Celebrate the Occasion and participate in our male metal challenge.  And if you don't want to invest in specialty paper, consider giving aluminum foil a try -- I was very pleased with the result.

Fantabulous Cricut: Challenge Me Monday #82 - Purple People Eater

Are you hungry?  Well...the Purple People Eater -- this week's theme at Fantabulous Cricut -- is!

I made a fun Halloween card featuring a purple monster for this challenge -- and it was a challenge for me because this card is completely Cricut-less.  The monster is from this week's FCCB prize sponsor, SVG Attic.  Since I've never worked with these file types before, Amy Jo (my fellow design team member) cut and mailed this cute little guy to me.  Thanks, Amy Jo!

Card Details:

• Card Base - DCWV Brights (A2)
• Papers - ATD - Spookytown Collection
• Cut - monster by SVG Attic - Mommy's Monsters
• Embossing - monster with Cuttlebug's Spots & Dots; orange background with The Paper Studio's Doodle Borders
• Other - sentiment sticker from ATD - Spookytown Collection; googly eye from stash; pompoms by Recollections; doodling with white Gelly Roll pen; monster on pop dots; inking with purple Colorbox ink pad

I just love the sentiment sticker -- perfect for a purple people eater!

Now it's your turn to celebrate Halloween with a hungry, purple monster!  Head on over to FCCB to see more projects for inspiration and then link up your own creation!

Fantabulous Cricut: Challenge Me Monday #80 - Pumpkin Time

I'm finally recovering from a flu bug -- or something miserably enough like it -- long enough to show you one of the projects I did on my scrapbooking getaway at Rivendell Ranch.  This two-page layout is also my project for Fantabulous Cricut's Challenge Me Monday #80 - Pumpkin Time.

This time of year, pumpkins make me think...Halloween!  These scrapbook pages feature my son trick-or-treating last October:

 

Here's a few close-ups of my favorite Cricut cuts on the pages:

Project Details:

• Papers - patterned papers by ATD - Spookytown Collection; cardstocks by Recollections and The Paper Studio
• Cricut Cuts - pumpkin from Simply Charmed, page 60; bat from Simply Charmed, page 59; candy from Doodlecharms, page 63; spider from Doodlecharms, page 62; background shield from Elegant Edges, page 25
• Other - inking with Colorbox purple, lime, and orange ink pads; "trick or treat" sticker and "candy please" tag from ATD - Spookytown Collection; Cricut cuts elevated on pop dots

I've been holding onto these ATD Spookytown papers for almost six months -- and I love, love, love them!  They are just perfect for a toddler/kid Halloween layout and match so well with the Simply Charmed cartridge's styling.  I'm really pleased with how these pages turned out, and I hope they'll inspired you to have some "pumpkin time" too!

Remember to check out the other pumpkin creations over at FCCB.  My fellow design team gals have some AMAZING projects this week.  I can't wait to see what you create!

I'm also entering this project in the following challenge:

Paper Playtime: Challenge #57 - Black, Orange, & Purple