Christmas/Winter Blog Hop

Hello!!!  Welcome to the Winter/Christmas Themed Blog Hop celebrating our favorite time of the year. This Blog Hop is hosted by Paulette, from Around the Bock with Scrapalette. If you are following along with the Hop you should have arrived from Blingdazzler’s blog.  If not, you can start at the beginning of the hop at http://scrapalette.blogspot.com

Paulette and I will be following along with the blog hop from the Cricut Circle event in Greenville SC!!  My projects for today are serving dual purpose!  For those of you in the Circle you may know that these events for the Circlets typically include a theme, a swap and a contest.  Luckily for me the theme of today’s blog hop is also the theme for the Circle event (love killing two birds with one stone– YIPEE!!).  For information about joining the Cricut Circle please visit www.Cricut.com.  Now that all that stuff is out of the way…let’s get to the real reason you are here J!!

My first project for the hop is a simple card that will fit not only Christmas but Winter too.  It is the card I am entering into the contest at the Circle event.  I love the way it turned out.  I think this is going to be my stock Christmas card this year.  It was soooooo easy to put together, but yet I think it is simply stunning (maybe I am biased heeheehee).  I may decide to change it up a bit too…maybe a nativity scene, or a silhouette of an ice skater???  Who knows!! 

Materials Used for this project:

Stampin’ Up Cardstock & Ink – Basic Gray

Georgia Pacific Cardstock (Walmart) – White

PK Glitz Glitter – Crystal

Zig Two Way Glue Pen

EK Success 3D-Dots - 1/16” thick

EK Success 3D-Dots – 1/8” thick

Stampin’ Up Stamp Sets – Heard from the Heart  and  God’s Blessings

ATG gun

Gypsy (DS or CCR will probably work)

Cricut Cartridges:

Campin’ Critters – Bare Trees (layer 2 – button 42)

Celebrate with Flourish –Rabbit (layer - button 12)

Christmas – Snowy hill (shift  – button 43)

Don Juan – (Christmas) Pine (shift – button 33)

George and Basic Shapes – (shift – button 14; resized to a horizontal rectangle to weld to the snowy hill to provide a flat edge for the bottom of the card)

Live Simply – Squirrel (base – button 9; flipped right to left)

Wildlife – Deer family (base – button 39)

I designed this with my Gypsy.  First I opened a template I had created for a 4.25” x 5.50” landscape card.  This gives me a base to work from in making sure I have everything sized the way I want it.  There are three layers to the scene to give it the depth.  I started with the snowy hill from the Christmas cartridge.  I then welded a base using the square (resized) from George and Basic Shapes.  Then I added the Pine from Don Juan as well as several sets of the bare trees from Campin’ Critters, using the hide contour feature to space/organize the trees the way I wanted.  Next I began to add the animals; I wanted the deer family from Wildlife to be the main focus, then I placed the rabbit from Celebrate with Flourish and the squirrel from Live Simply (again using hide contour on both to avoid cutting the extras).  After I had my scene the way I thought I wanted it I copied it two times and then began to delete the items I didn’t want for each specific layer.  I welded and grouped the items on each layer and would occasionally place the layers back on top of one another to make sure I was getting everything I wanted in the right place.  Once I was satisfied I made my cuts.  Oh, in efforts to avoid wasting so much paper I flipped one of the layers down and moved the layers around so they would cut on one 8 ½ x 11 piece of cardstock (save the paper from the mat to use later on in the project). 

I used my zig two way glue pen to strategically place glue in the tree bends and on the ground where snow would lay and sprinkled with PK Glitz glitter.  I scored my card base and began by adhering the base layer directly to the cardstock with my ATG gun. I then added 1/16” 3D-Dots and attached the next layer carefully lining everything up and repeated with the top layer.  Then I used the leftovers from the Cricut cuts, and cut a piece to 5.5” by whatever I had to stamp my sentiment using Stampin’ Up’s Heard from the Heart “welcome Christmas into your heart” in basic gray.  I then carefully tore the paper to add another layer element, added a line of glue and sprinkled with PK Glitz glitter.  I attached directly to the top layer with my ATG gun. 

On the inside (not shown-sorry!) I cut down a piece of white cardstock and stamped my sentiment using Stampin’ Up’s God’s Blessings “May the miracle of Christmas find you Safe in the Peace of God, warm in the Light of Christ.”  I find this sentiment just beautiful!  While I respect the beliefs of others, I am a Christian and believe that there is no Christmas without Christ.  That is it.  The hardest thing about this card is the design.  Now that I have that out of the way I am excited about getting these made so I can mail them out after Thanksgiving.

I will be happy to share the gypsy file with you (leave a comment including your email), all I ask is for creative courtesy in that you do not share without my consent and please give credit where credit is due J!  If you do not have the cartridges required to make the cuts, I am sure you can find substitutions with cartridges you do have.  Just have fun with it!  I may be posting some additional versions in the future.     

For my next project I am showing you the tags I made for the Circle event tag swap.  These were soooo simple to make!!  You tend to want simple when you are making 50+ of the same thing LOL!!

Materials Used for this Project:

Stampin’ Up Cardstock & Ink – Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, and Cherry Cobbler

Staz-on Ink – Cotton White

(Unknown Brand) Cardstock - Vanilla

Caron Simply Soft Yarn (Walmart) – Off White #9702

Close To My Heart Stamp Set from the Art Philosophy Bundle – To: and From:

Studio G Clear Stamp Set ($1 Winter set) - Snowflake

Crop-a-dile

ATG gun

Gypsy

Cricut Cartridge:

Jolly Holidays – Mittens @ 2.75 (base & shift – button 29)

Again, designed with my Gypsy, I added as many sets of mittens I could to fit the paper I had; using 8 ½ x 11 paper I was able to cut 6 sets per sheet of cardstock.  On another layer I was able to add more of the shift layers, which was ok because I wanted all of the mitten “cuffs” to be vanilla for visibility on who the gift is to and from (I despise those sticker tags that are so dark sometimes you can’t find a pen that shows up or you can’t read when you are handing out presents!).  I cut the mittens in various colors, then cut the cuffs in vanilla.  I was careful to keep the cuffs for the left mittens together and the cuffs for the right mittens together…this way I knew which stamp should be used on them (to: stamped on the left cuff and from: stamped on the right cuff).  Using the ink color coordinating with the mittens, I stamped the to: and from: onto the cuffs and attached them to the mitten using the ATG gun.  I then stamped the snowflakes on the mittens; on the Cherry Cobbler mittens I used the Staz-on ink; on the Baja Breeze and Certainly Celery I used the coordinating ink.  Next I used my Crop-a-dile to punch holes for my yarn.  I used the smaller hole punch and placed the mitten set together by putting them face to face and lining up the thumb then punching the hole as close to the bottom and edge under the thumb as I could.  I simply inserted the yarn, tied a simple knot and cut the excess off!  That’s it!!  Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy!!

I love simple things.  Sometimes I want to get to elaborate and I realize that just isn’t my thing!  I have always liked clean lines, bright colors and cutesy images.  I do try to challenge myself every now and then to go  outside of my comfort zone, but when mass producing I just don’t have the patience…nope, not me hahaha!

Well I hope you have enjoyed my projects.  Please leave me a comment…all us bloggers just love comments.  If you like my projects please browse some of my other posts and become a follower.  You  never know, I may just randomly choose someone for a prize J….hmmmmmmmm…..???

Off to the next blog you shall go…that would be Sharon at  Designs by Sharon

Here are the other participants:
1. Paulette at http://scrapalette.blogspot.com/
2. Debbie at http://bugginattheseams.blogspot.com/
3. Carolyn at http://cccscraproom.blogspot.com/
4. Brenda at http://happyscrapper64.blogspot.com/
5. Maria at http://stampcutcreate.blogspot.com/
6. Chris at http://scrappin-nanapuddin.blogspot.com/
7. Cindy at http://www.inlovewithpaper.blogspot.com/
8. Michele at http://www.michelegreen.com/
9. Lisa at http://addictedtothecricut.blogspot.com/
10. Dana at http://papermemories4u.blogspot.com/
11. Nancy at http://lanancyworkshop.blogspot.com/
12. Madylyn at http://inspiredbycolor.blogspot.com/
13. Wini at http://www.looneybugdesigns.com/
14. Renee at http://icameisawicreated.blogspot.com/
15. Tammy at http://www.scrapcavecreations.com/
16. Debbie at http://debbieduddles.blogspot.com/
17. Kim at http://blingdazzler.com/
18. Brandi at http://scubascrapperbrandi.blogspot.com/
19. Sharon at  http://designsbysharon.blogspot.com/
20. Liz at http://liz-lavendarandroses.blogspot.com/

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Congratulations!

I made this for a friend who is having a new baby boy.  He is absolutely excited and I am excited for him.  I did not take a picture of the inside sentiment, but it reads “Of all the blessings God sends from above, the one most precious is a boy to love.”

Materials Used:

SU! Cardstock (Bashful Blue, Blush Blossom, Marina Mist)

Bazzill Textured Cardstock

Paper Loft Patterned Paper

SU! Ink Early Espresso

Studio G Stamp – Congratulations Sentiment

Cloud 9 Stamp – Simple Thoughts – Boy (inside sentiment)

Peachy Keen Stamps – Funshine Face Parts & Basic Paper Doll Faces

Martha Stewart Flocking Powder – Swan

Cuttlebug Folder – Spots and Dots

Stickles - Stardust

Cricut Cartridges:

Elegant Edges

George and Basic Shapes

Simply Charmed

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Halloween Mini Album

I have never posted this because I was never impressed with it. I have this clear storage tote that I keep either test projects or projects I have made but don’t really know what to do with. This was my first attempt at a mini album and it is actually from a couple of years ago. Some of you may remember Bugjunkie; well, she inspired the idea and had a tutorial on her blog on how to create these mini albums in Design Studio. At the time I didn’t have a binding machine (I now have two that I have STILL never used – probably need to work on that huh?) so I had it bound at a local printing shop so I didn’t really have much of a say in the binding. Anyway, a month or so ago a good friend of mine was over trying to convince me to participate in a holiday sale. I pulled the box down to see what I had that I could sell and when I pulled the book out she went nuts for it and wanted to buy it. I hadn’t even taken pictures, so I told her that I needed to take pictures and she could have it. She asked me to teach her how to make one, so I told her to save some cereal boxes and then we could spend a day making mini albums. Every time I have seen her since she tells me she won’t let her husby throw away any cereal boxes LOL! I can’t wait to do this with her…I love spending time with her!!

If you are interested in the details of how I made it or would like the cut file let me know and I will email it to you. 

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Halloween Treat Boxes

Simple and cute treat boxes.  Frankenstein box idea came from one of my craft magazines.  I designed a file on my Gypsy for the eyes and hair using George.  I made them for my employees and they just loved them!

This Cookie Tower was designed by Kasey’s Creations and was very easy to make.  The cuts were from Happy Hauntings cart.  I made this for the girls I used to work with…they always loved my craftiness (I think one of them (Zhade) misses it ;)).   

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Picture perfect birthday...

So a really good friend (and fellow scrapper) of mine recently broke down and went on a cruise.  She also likes to take pictures.  While I was looking through them I noticed she commented on one she really liked but said it would’ve been better if there was a drink in it.  You know the picture I am talking about…a shot of the ocean from your lounge chair where you just see feet, ocean and a cool refreshing drink!  Well, that gave me the idea for her birthday card.  I had been wanting to try this technique that I found on the Split coast Stampers website.  Well, I changed it up a little to fit my needs.  Here is my interpretation…

Cartridges used for this card:

Paper Dolls for Everyday - cloud

Forever Young - legs

From My Kitchen – cup *note: straw was cut off

George and Basic Shapes - sun

Life’s a Beach – flip flops

My Community - feet

Preserves - lemon

Stand and Salute – clouds

So I started with a 6 x 6 square card and a 5 ¾ x 5 ¾ layer in which I used chalk to create the sea and sky.  I used my Gypsy to create all of my cuts.  Once completed, I assembled the layers and  chalked the vellum (cup) with red, orange and yellow, then added trimmed the top with a piece of ¼” wide Sticky Tape from PK Glitz and covered with PK Glitz Crystal glitter.  I decorated the lemon slice using a glitter pen and chalk ink to give it a little pizzazz.  I cut a straw down to a proportional size.  I cut the legs down to the size I wanted and inked them, then inked the feet and glued them together.  I then used Fruit Punch stickles to create the toenails.  I then used my Crop-a-dile to punch three holes in the flip flops so I could feed the ribbon through and then I inserted the feet.  I chalked the sun to the color I wanted and I laid the cloud cut outs down and chalked around them and then popped two of them off the paper.  I used a scrap piece of tan cardstock for the sand and tore it, then ran it through the Zyron twice (once on each side).  I put the card layers together and then added my cup and popped up the feet/flops.  Once all pieces were in place I took some sand and covered the tan cardstock….and there you have it…the picture perfect birthday card!

I know this doesn’t really go, but it is something she wanted after I sent her an email about a panda rescue effort in China after their most recent earthquake.  I just aim to please.  He is cut from Create a Critter.  I flocked him and used glossy accents on his nose and eyes.  Isn’t he super cute?!    

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Holy Mackerel...he's 19!

My oldest nephew just turned 19.  I had a card made for him that I just wasn’t loving.  It really is a challenge making cards for guys!  Then I saw it…the perfect card for him.  It was the customer spotlight card in the May 18^th issue of the Cricut Chirp Newsletter.  I HAD to scrap lift it, and as the rule goes…give credit where credit is due. You see my nephew eats, sleeps and breathes fishing; making this card a perfect fit.  Of course I changed it up a little and didn’t use some of the cartridges that Ms. Nooren Pierce used.  I decided to use a real fishing lure dangling from the rod, instead of the age she used.  I tried to get a more realistic look by using a silver shimmering ink pad I had (I hope you can see it in the pics).  I thought it turned out super cute and he loved it, which is all that mattered.

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Valentine Gifts for Co-workers

I made these chocolates and then bagged and tagged them for Valentine's Day to give to the girls I work with.  They loved them.  Oh, I also included a picture of the cards I gave them... 

The wording on the card was heat embossed using Versamark Dazzle (Frost) and Stamp 'n Stuff embossing powder (Kaleidescope) and says "all things grow with love". The card itself is embossed using the Cuttlebug Heart Blocks embossing folder and inked using fluid chalk.

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My blinged out BUG!!

So, I was on the Cricut message boards New Years Eve just browsing when I saw a post "I double dare you...". Well, who can turn away from a double dare?! Well, the challenge was to decorate (I would rather call it bling) your Cricut, aka Bug. Well! I LOVED the idea. As most of you know, my screen name is scubascrapper so I had to come up with something that would go with me and my personality. My two favorite hobbies are scrapping (of the paper kind, not the fighting kind, LOL) and diving, so I decided I needed a "diving bug". I designed this cute little guy on my Gypsy using GBS, LL, LAB and FF and cut him out of green vinyl and then brown for the layers. I blinged him out with some rhinestones (eyes) and stickles (bubbles, antenna, and mask). I used AMU for my name. I used three layers on the name, not sure if you can see that well, but I tried to get a close up... my shadow blackout layer is pink, then I did the shadow layer in brown and I used green for the internal pieces of the outline feature.

I hope you like it! Maybe you should consider blinging your bug :)!


OK, OK, I know that snorkeling and scuba diving are different, but do you know how hard it would've been to make a tank and a regulator?! I think this is just giving everyone the basic idea...LOL! It really doesn't matter as long as your bubbles go up, so....BUBBLES UP!

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