Love Bug Easel Card

I'm really excited to show you the project I made today.  Not only is it my first easel card, but it's also my entry for the CRICUT 360º design team call.

The only stipulations for the call were to make a card or layout using lime green and a bug.  Here's my result:

Card Details:

• Card Base - easel card (5.5x5.5")
• Paper - all patterned paper from American Crafts Play Paperpack; solids from The Paper Studio cardstock and textured cardstock
• Cricut Cuts - bugs from Simply Charmed, page 31; "love bug" sentiment from Create a Critter, page 66 (phrase), heart embellishment from Create a Critter, page 64 (phrase).
• Cuttlebug Embossing - dark green layer of bugs with Distressed Stripes
• Other - ribbon by CelebrateIt Basic Narrows; doodling with white Gelly Roll pen; inking along dark pink edges with Le Plume II scarlet marker; inside sentiment created on my computer; pop-dots elevate the bugs, sentiment, and two layers of heart embellishment.

One additional detail is the hearts on the bugs' backs.  I added an extra, off-set heart layer (light pink) to the image.  Without it, the dark green would have been the highlight showing through the top heart, and it just didn't look right to me.

I thought a lot about my hubby while working on this card, and now it's sitting on the entryway table so he can see it as soon as he walks in from work!

Sonia and Nana, CRICUT 360º Hosts,
It would be an honor to participate on your design team.  I'm a newbie (got my Cricut Expression in March), but I've grown so much in my papercrafting skills by participating in challenge blogs.  Now I'd love to give back and inspire others -- especially others who are just getting started!  My work is completely Cricut and Cuttlebug-focused (no stamping), which I feel shows the complete range of what one can do with a Cricut and a little imagination.  I also love to do scrapbook layouts and would bring those types of projects to your forum.  Thank you for considering me!
Sincerely, Jessica

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.

Cricut-tastic Blog Award

Nita at Nifty Nita Notes has blessed me with another blog award -- thanks, Nita!  Even though I've only followed her blog for the past month or so, I feel such a kinship with Nita.  We both got our Cricut Expressions in March, are both new to blogging and challenges, and she homeschools (which is our plan when Jonathan reaches school age).

Upon receiving this award, one must:

• Wear the badge proudly on your Blog.
• Tell five Cricut-related things about yourself.
• Share this award with other Blogs you think are Cricut-tastic.

So here's five Cricut-related things about me:

1. I received my first Cricut machine, the Cricut Expression (in magenta), as a birthday gift from my parents in March 2011; hubby gave me cartridges, too!
2. Ten weeks into my obsession, I now own 12 cartridges.
3. My most frequently used cartridges are Birthday Bash (my favorite) and Lovely Floral.
4. I'm hoping Cricut Craft Room becomes available to the public soon -- hope is the only reason I haven't bought a Gypsy yet.
5. My mom bought an Expression after seeing how much fun it was -- now we can craft together when she visits!

I'd like to pass this award on to a few blogs I've recently found and enjoy following:

Dawn - SimplyDawn53
Jen - Jen's Happy Place
Susan - It's Me Susan P: Paper Crafting & More

Home Sweet Home Card

So, how's the housing market in your area?  Houston has been very fortunate, and home sales and foreclosures aren't nearly as bad here as elsewhere in the country.  I've seen two houses flip and be snatched up quickly in our neighborhood.  We're also watching a CVS and Kohls go up nearby.  And three -- yes, three -- couples we know are closing on houses soon.

So today's card is for friends who are moving into their first home this weekend:

Card Details:

• Card Base - Recollections (A6)
• Papers - Simply Delightful: My Mind's Eye for all patterned papers; red textured cardstock by The Paper Studio; yellow cardstock from scraps
• Cricut Cuts - "Home Sweet Home" sentiment and layered frame from Lovely Floral; house from Create a Critter, page 29 (accessory) with a second, larger house cut to make a shadow effect
• Charm - Metal Madness (clearance at Michaels -- yay!)
• Other - inking around yellow edges with brown ink pad by Stampabilities; inking around red edges with Le Plume II persimmon marker; doodling with white gel pen; pop-dots on sentiment frame and house.

This card followed the Sassy Lil' Card Sketches May 21st Reveal fairly closely until my toddler decided to do his own "doodling" with my white gel pen while I was away from the table.  ARRGHH!  I couldn't salvage the patterned pieces of the card, so I started over.  It still has the same elements as the sketch -- just moved around a little -- so I hope it's okay to submit it to their challenge.

Really, my son has gotten better about not touching "Mommy's Cricut" -- he's just too enamored with my markers these days.  It's too cute when he says "Mommy's Cricut," but it's soon followed by his saying, "Noooo...JonJon's Cricut."

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Paper Playtime:  Challenge #46 - Just for Fun / Add a Charm
Sassy Lil' Card Sketches:  May 21st Reveal

Flying Bird Birthday Card

I played with my newest cartridge today -- Florals Embellished.  Hubby gave me this cartridge last weekend as an end-of-school-year reward.  I can't imagine any better reward than Cricut goodies, can you?

And he had great timing, too -- BBTB2 is featuring one of the Florals Embellished birds for its challenge this week.  So, here's my resulting card:

I made the sentiment "Happy Birthday" since June is a big month for birthdays in our family.  My mom, dad, and hubby have birthdays.  But who's the recipient?  They'll just have to wait and see...

Card Details:

• Card Base - Studio G (5"x5")
• Papers - Simply Delightful: My Mind's Eye for all blue patterns; plain white cardstock and textured navy cardstock from scraps
• Cricut Cuts - bird from Florals Embellished, page 61, all six layers; clouds are the "joy" background from Playtime; "Happy Birthday" sentiment is from Birthday Bash, page 44 (card/tag)
• Cuttlebug Embossing - Kassie's Brocade for top layer of bird's body; D'vine Swirls for clouds
• Other - inking on top layers of bird with white gel pen and Le Plume II sky blue marker; pop-dots elevate bird above clouds

I'm entering this project into the following challenges:

BBTB2:  Challenge - Florals Embellished Flying Bird
Fantabulous Cricut: Challenge #61 - Blue Skies

FCCB #60 - Challenge Win!

I woke up this morning to "fantabulous" news -- my Bear 1st Birthday Card won first prize in Fantabulous Cricut's "Try This Angle" challenge!

I'm so honored to be recognized, especially as a Cricut newbie and among the beautiful projects featured this week.

Many thanks to the Fantabulous Cricut design team and their sponsor, The Treasure Box Club!

Gingerbread Joy Page

Have I mentioned lately how much I like Sassy Lil' Sketches?  Their layouts really inspire me to complete pages on my son's scrapbook -- and I need that push!

I'm progressing sequentially in his scrapbook (for now), so the page I worked on these past two nights is Christmas-themed.  It's hubby, son, and me at our church's annual gingerbread decorating party for Christmas 2009.  We started decorating gingerbread houses as a newlywed couple, and this year was Jonathan's first time decorating with us.

Here's the sketch from Sassy Lil' Sketches - May 14th Reveal:

And here's my resulting page:

Cartridges Used:
Birthday Bash
Playtime
Stretch Your Imagination
Wrap It Up

I did LOTS of doodling with a white gel pen and some with red and green pens.  Inking with a brown pad on the gingerbread men give them that "baked" look.  Or -- if coming from my kitchen -- that "almost-burned-to-a-crisp" look! :)

Working on a Christmas page sure made the hot Texas temperatures seem a little less oppressive -- hope you enjoy this latest project!