I Heart GG Framed Photos

Happy Mother's Day!  The framed photo spread for my mom-in-law's gift came out so well, I decided to make another for my mom.  She was visiting this past week, so I was even able to give it to her in person!

 

Project Details:

• Papers - patterns by My Mind's Eye: Magnolia; cardstock by Recollections
• Cricut Cuts - font and heart bookplate from Doodletype
• Embossing - hearts with Cuttlebug's Swiss Dots
• Other - 8x10 frame from Big Lots; ribbon from stash

You might be wondering, who's GG?  That's actually what my little guys calls my mom, and it stands for Grandma Gwen.  Cute, huh? :)

I'm entering this project into the following challenge(s):

Celebrate the Occasion: Challenge #62 - Mother's Day
Cooking with Cricut: Challenge #85 - Mother's Day Gift Ideas
More Than Favors: Challenge #70 - Mother's Day
Tuesday Alchemy: Challenge #13 - Mother Dear
Stuck on U Sketches:  May 4 Challenge - In Celebration of Mothers

Birthday Train Card

It's because of my son that I have a social life -- seriously.  I feel like I'm always making birthday cards for the toddler crowd, but I really do love it.  One of his best buddies had his third birthday party today, so here's the card I made for him:

Card Details:

• Card Base - 8x4 inches
• Papers - Recollections
• Cricut Cuts - train from B Is for Boy
• Embossing - yellow train layer with Cuttlebug's Swiss Dots
• Other - sentiment stamp from Michaels $1 bin; doodling with white Gelly Roll pen; red and blue curling ribbon from stash; train on pop dots

The birthday boy is a huge train fanatic -- just like my son -- so choosing an inspiration piece wasn't difficult at all.  Although it is times like these that I wish for a Thomas & Friends Cricut cartridge.

I'm entering this card into the following challenge(s):

Celebrate the Occasion: Challenge #49 - Anything Goes Birthday

Seasons Greetings Mitten Card

I'm loving all the Christmas projects around the Cricut blogosphere this month.  I decided to join in the early celebration with a holiday card project:

Card Details:

• Card Base - shaped card created with <mitten> from Simply Charmed, page 65 (shadow) cut at 5.25 inches
• Papers - patterned papers from K&Company's Yuletide paperpack; solid cardstock from The Paper Studio
• Cricut Cuts - mitten from Simply Charmed, page 65; "Seasons Greetings" sentiment from Winter Woodland, page 63
• Cuttlebug Embossing - mitten cuff with D'vine Swirls; holly leaves with Victoria
• Other - inking with red Colorbox petal point ink pad and leaf green Le Plume II marker; brad by 7 Gypsies - Angelo; yarn from scraps

I love making shaped cards -- even with my antiquated "hold-it-together-with-a-brad" method.  But it actually works well for the mittens.  When fanned out to view the inside message, you get a pair of mittens!  I chose to use a simple piece of yarn as a bow to resemble the little pom-poms and shoe-string bows on mittens from my childhood.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

BBTB2 Challenge:  Mittens from "Joys of the Season"
Celebrate the Occasion:  Challenge #22 - Shaped Christmas Card

Gingerbread Christmas Card

Guess what..?  I made my first Christmas card with the Cricut last night...!!!  Now I want to make handmade cards for everyone on our Christmas card list -- and then I realize I just might be certifiably Cricut crazy.

I used two of my newest cartridges -- Winter Frolic and From My Kitchen -- for this card:

Card Details:

• Card Base - DCWV Brights (A2)
• Papers - green polka dot paper from K&Company Yuletide paperpack; textured cardstock with shimmer is Bazzil Bling; all other cardstock by The Paper Studio
• Cricut Cuts - gingerbread men and sentiment from Winter Frolic, page 61; spatula from From My Kitchen, page 44; holly leaves from Stretch Your Imagination, page 53
• Cuttlebug Embossing - holly leaves with Victoria embossing folder
• Other - pink gems from Michaels $1 bin; ribbon by Celebrate It! Basic Narrows; doodling with white Gelly Roll pen; inking with brown Stampabilities ink pad

I began following Sassy Lil' Card Sketches - July 7th Reveal exactly until I saw those nine gingerbread all in their rows.  I immediately thought they looked fresh out of the oven, so I made a cookie sheet with two layers of gray/silver cardstock and rounded the edges.  A spatula gives adds to the baking theme, and the holly makes it more Christmas-y since I did not use red per Celebrate the Occasion's Christmas in July (No Red) challenge.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Celebrate the Occasion:  Challenge #21 - Christmas in July (No Red)
Sassy Lil' Card Sketches:  July 7th Reveal

God Bless Texas Card

Fourth of July is nearing, but today I wanted to celebrate a place that's just like its own country -- TEXAS!

I moved to Texas after college graduation, a common story in Houston.  It's a running joke in our city that it's hard to find a native Houstonian -- and it's true!  But as soon as I got here, I knew Texas was different.  I remember walking around Walmart soon after I arrived and finding an entire Texas-themed bathroom set -- shower curtain, rugs, toothbrush holder, soap dispenser!  You'd never find that sort of thing in my native Louisiana.  (I mean, seriously...pelican decor?  It just wouldn't happen.)  Texans have a unique pride in their state that's strongly rooted in individual freedom and personal responsibility.  I love Texas!

Here's my patriotic *Texas* card -- simple but fun!

Card Details:

• Card Base - DCWV Brights (A2)
• Papers - textured cardstock by The Paper Studio; non-textured cardstock from scraps; glittery star paper from The Paper Studio - Birthday Extravaganza stack
• Cricut Cuts - star from Simply Charmed, page 68; font for "TEXAS" from Birthday Bash (Font/Font Shadow)
• Cuttlebug Embossing - red, white, and blue flag sections with Distressed Stripes
• Other - doodling with white Gelly Roll pen; "God Bless" sentiment printed with computer

My design originally began as a Texas flag with the white lone star, but I had to move the star upward to accommodate the text.  Then I switched the white star for one with a little sparkle -- such a simple card needed a little pizzazz.  I used the Distressed Stripes embossing folder to make the flag look like it was made with old, wooden boards.  That rustic feel is totally Texas!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Amber's Crafts and Stuff:  Challenge #16 - Red, White, & Blue
Celebrate the Occasion:  Challenge #20 - 4th of July (Red, White, & Blue)
Fantabulous Cricut:  Challenge #66 - Happy 4th (Use Red, White, & Blue)
My Sheri Crafts:  Challenge #63 - Independence Day

Sunshine Hello Card

It's now officially summer -- even though we Texans have been sweating...er, "glowing"...in 100º+ F temps since May.  I do love sunshine, but sometimes I wish it would smile more gently on us -- kinda like this cute sun from Simply Charmed:

 

Card Details:

• Card Base - DCWV Brights (A2)
• Papers - textured cardstock by The Paper Studio; all other cardstock from scraps
• Cricut Cuts - sun from Simply Charmed, page 50 with shadow; tag is two <trap1> from Opposites Attract, page 119
• Cuttlebug Embossing - alternating Spots & Dots and Swiss Dots on background color blocks
• Other - inking with yellow and orange Colorbox ink pads; stamped sentiment by Hampton Ink

I used my new Colorbox ink pads on this project, and I'm in loooooove!  I had so much fun inking all the sun's edges.  It really makes him smile (and me too).

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Celebrate the Occasion:  Challenge #19 - Celebrating Summer (Sun)
Fantabulous Cricut:  Challenge #65 - Summer Sun

Flower & Vines Mothers Day Card

Yep, it's another Mothers Day card!  Inspiration for this card was Card Patterns Sketch #113:

I made a few adjustments, but the result is my favorite card to date:

Cartridges Used:
Birthday Bash
Lovely Floral

I need lots of practice on bows, huh?  But it was nice to challenge myself.

I also used the Cricut's centerpoint function for the first time with this card.  The sentiment is printed from my computer on white cardstock and then inserted into the Cricut to cut a circle around it.  I'm going to try this technique again soon with something more complex.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Celebrate the Occasion: Challenge #11 - Mothers Day
Die Cuttin' Divas: Challenge #12 - Mothers Day Is on the Way
Fantabulous Cricut: Challenge #57 - Mom's The Word
My Sheri Crafts:  Challenge #55 - Mothers Day