Lemonade Pitcher Tag

The ladies of "Team Chillin'" at BugBites' Grillin' & Chillin' Blog Hop are showcasing super-cute summertime projects today.  Their theme is anything you do to chill out in the summer.  My family has been chillin' by drinking lemonade this week, so I was inspired to "pretty up" our lemonade pitcher with a cute tag:

Project Details:

• Pitcher - purchased from Wal-Mart approximately three years ago -- I loved the colors!
• Lemonade - made earlier this week and "chillin'" in my fridge!
• Papers - cardstock from scraps
• Cricut Cuts - tag from "princess" cut on Playtime; lemon from Simply Charmed, page 48; ladybug from Doodlecharms, page 94 (blackout); letters from Opposites Attract (opposite feature)
• Cuttlebug Embossing - Spots & Dots on pink tag layer
• Other - doodling with white Gelly Roll pen and black pen; the ladybug was too tiny to cut circle details

I think this tag would be perfect for a party to identify types of drinks in similar containers.  But since it's back in my fridge now, I'll wait for my toddler son's reaction when he goes in for a snack.  He just recently learned how to open the fridge door, and he has many interesting reactions to the things he finds in there!

This project is being submitted to the following challenge:

BugBites' Grillin' & Chillin' Blog Hop Challenge: "Chillin'" Project with a Hidden Bug

Nice Buns Card

Memorial Day Weekend always feels like the start of summer to me.  This year is no exception -- especially after viewing all the summer-inspired projects on BugBites' "Grillin' & Chillin" Bug Hop.

I'm entering the hop's challenge with this card:

Card Details:

• Card Base - Studio G (5x5")
• Papers - plaid from KI Memories Heirloom Collection; blue and orange distressed papers and brown damask for patty from Simply Delightful: My Mind's Eye; gray textured cardstock from The Paper Studio; all others from scraps
• Cricut Cuts - hamburger from Simply Charmed, page 49; utensils from Playtime, third layer of "Jim" cut; bug from Doodlecharms, page 92; background in plaid from Elegant Edges, page 63.
• Cuttlebug Embossing - top hamburger bun with Swiss Dots; lettuce with D'vine Swirls; tomatoes with Dots & Spots; pickle with Distressed Stripes.
• Other - inking around plaid layer with brown ink pad by Stampabilities and lots of doodling with white gel pen; also highlighted sesame seeds on buns with yellow marker.

A few words about the hamburger patty -- it looks a lot browner in person.  In the photo it looks like a tasteless, gray burger you get at a school cafeteria!  Oh well. :)

I also wanted my critter to be one of the ants I saw on the blog hop, but I couldn't find an ant cut on any of my cartridges.  I settled on making the bug from Doodlecharms in black to represent the critter.

We often get together with friends for cookouts in the summer.  I thought this would be a neat -- and cheeky, haha! -- thank you card to send a host.