Cool Cat Birthday Card

Guess what I got in the mail today...?!  My (somewhat) free cartridge from the Michaels / Provocraft rebate!  And I got Nifty Fifties -- my first choice!  I seriously did a happy dance when I opened the envelope.

I wanted this cartridge for two specific cuts -- the cat and the glasses.  So I couldn't resist cranking out a simple birthday card with the cat tonight:

Card Details:

• Card Base - Studio G (5x5")
• Papers - patterned paper from American Crafts - Play; all other cardstock from scraps
• Cricut Cuts - cat from Nifty Fifties, page 23; tag is <cute_s> and its coordinating layer from Playtime
• Cuttlebug Embossing - Dots & Spots on yellow shape behind cat
• Other - sentiment stamp by Hampton Ink

I love this retro look!  I also seem to be using a lot of orange lately, huh?

The Pink Stamper is having a birthday challenge today, so I'm submitting this card to her contest.  Check out her Birthday Crazy Card Challenge and play along!

Sweet Strawberry Card

My mom (also a newbie to the Cricut) is visiting this week, and we've planned lots of crafting and shopping.  In fact, my entire front room is filled with our cardmaking and scrapbooking goodies.  It's CRAZY -- and crazy-tempting to my toddler -- but I'm loving it.

She was too tired from the trip to make anything tonight, but I cranked out the following project:

Cartridges Used:
Birthday Bash
Create a Critter
Simply Charmed

The patterned papers are from my mom's stash, as is use of the Martha Stewart punch.  Isn't it great to share...well, uh, get to use...new tools?  I really need a few punches.  And this awesome stack of paper.  I'm making a list for our Hobby Lobby/Michaels/JoAnn expedition tomorrow.

I'm entering this project into the following challenges:

BBTB2:  Simply Charmed Strawberry Challenge
Cardz TV: National Scrapbooking Day Challenge - Fruit
Sassy Lil' Card Sketches:  May 7th Sketch
The Pink Stamper:  NSD Challenge #8 - Summer

Precious Puppy Farewell Card

My last project tonight is a farewell card to my co-teacher.  I'm not returning to school next year, so I wanted a nice way to show her appreciation for working with me.

We are the Precious Puppies class, so using a puppy on the card was almost required -- and a great way to enter The Pink Stamper's pet challenge.

Cartridges Used:
Boys Will Be Boys
Create a Critter

I haven't written a message inside yet, but I plan a play on words about life being "ruff" without the Puppies class.

My favorite thing about this card is the monochromatic background layers.  All those red patterns are from various scraps, and they just happened to mix well.  I love it when that happens.

I was also inspired by Card Patterns Sketch 114, so I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Card Patterns:  Sketch 114
The Pink Stamper:  NSD Challenge #10 - Pet Card or Layout

Mothers Day Gift Box

My second creation tonight is a Mothers Day gift box.

You might be thinking, Isn't this a little belated?, and I'd answer...well, maybe.  USPS didn't deliver my mom's gift, and I'm so perturbed!!   Especially after sending it by priority mail!  She leaves early tomorrow morning to drive here for a visit, so she may not receive her gift until she returns home later this week.  Just in case she can't pick it up tomorrow morning, I got her a few little things for her to open when she arrives.

Which means I needed a box to wrap it in -- a perfect item for The Pink Stamper's 3D challenge!

Cartridges Used:
Wrap It Up

This box was probably meant to be a gift card holder, but it's cut at 11.5" (fit to page) so it could hold larger items.  It did fairly well, but I think the simple design would look more better at the smaller size.  Oh well, you experiment and learn.  :)

I'm entering this project in the following challenge:


The Pink Stamper:  NSD Challenge #5 - Any 3D Item

Happy Cupcake Birthday Card

Happy Mothers Day!  I hope all you mothers and special ladies were honored by your loved ones with a special day.  My hubby and son took me out to lunch after church and gifted me with a new cartridge and embossing folder.  (They sure know how to support my addiction, huh?)

I'm also celebrating National Scrapbooking Day this evening, as -- more than anything else -- I wanted a "Mommy Timeout" so I could craft in peace for a few hours.  The result is a few projects from My Pink Stamper's NSD challenges combined with inspiration from sketch blogs.

My first creation tonight is a cupcake-themed birthday card made using my Mothers Day gift -- the Simply Charmed cartridge!  I love this cart already with all its happy faces and cute phrases.

 

Cartridges Used:

Lovely Floral

Simply Charmed

The cupcake is from Simply Charmed, and the side border scallop is clipped from a frame on Lovely Floral.  I printed the sentiment from my computer since I couldn't seem to find a phrase that looked good cut at such a small size.

I was also inspired by the Die Cuttin' Divas sketch this week, so I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Die Cuttin' Divas: May 1st Sketch Challenge
The Pink Stamper: NSD Challenge #1 - Anything Cupcake