Circle Blog Monthly Challenge Jan11: Scraplift A Circle Blog Project

For the January Circle Blog Monthly Challenge, you were to "scraplift" a project from the Circle Blog.  This is what had to be done:

Use 2 or more Cricut Cuts on the project.

Use a project you have seen on the Cricut Circle Blog as inspiration for your project.
Use products from atleast two of our Sponsors (Bazzill, Tattered Angels, Imaginisce, Cosmo Cricket, American Crafts, Creating Keepsakes, Echo Park Paper).

I scraplifted  "A Toast To The New Year" card  made by Shantaie Fowler.

Instead of a "New Year" card, I made it a Birthday card!  I used my Imagine and Kate's Kitchen to cut the toaster and all the parts, then  made the oval sentiment with George cartridge on my Expression.  I used Bazzill Paper and American Crafts Adhesive and Pens as my sponsor products.

This is the card made by Shantaie:

Circle Blog Weekly Challenge #17--B.A.B.Y. Challenge

This week the Circle Blog challenge was to create a scrapbook layout about me and include Brads, Aqua, Butterfly and You (me) as the subject:  Here's my layout:

I used three cuts 1) Butterfly--Paper Dolls for Everyday 2) Butterfly Border--Martha Stewart All Occasions Cake Art & 3) Me--Straight From the Nest.  I used Aqua Flower Brads and Aqua as my border background and it's about me.  I almost didn't enter because I couldn't find a picture of me because I'm the one always taking the pictures. 

This is the the exact challenge:  Weekly Challenge #17:  B.A.B.Y. Challenge!
At first glance, you may think this challenge is all about babies . . . but look again! We are usually the memory keepers in our households, but how often do you take the opportunity to step out from behind the camera and record something about yourself? This week we challenge you to create a scrapbook layout all about YOU. Your page must include the following:
(B) = Brads
(A) = Aqua
(B) = Butterfly
(Y) = You as the Subject
Project must be newly created for this challenge and must include atleast 2 different cuts from any Cricut cartridge to qualify.



Normal Monday morning, turned interesting with a surprise

This morning started out as normal, nothing much going on.  Then my daughter called at 7:15am and said that Keeley was still sick and running fever, could she stay with us? (us being my hubby and me--he's off recouping from gall bladder surgery) .  No problem with Keeley staying, she is such a good little girl and we love her so very much. 

After we have breakfast and get dressed, I make a dash to Wal-Mart because I have no children's tylenol nor any other "things" that I think Keeley will need today.  After I come back, I asked her if she wanted to make some valentines and she said yes.  I gave her some paper, glue and glitter glue and she got busy.  I checked my email and guess what??  There was an email from The BuyBytes saying I had won the blog hop random draw and would receive the Sweethearts Cricut Cartridge!!!  I was so excited to hear from Pam that I won!  Yay!  She also said she checked out my blog and liked my "creations" and I thank her for that. 

I also saw where she became a "follower", which was totally unexpected.  Then I noticed I also have another follower!  Wow!, I now have 2 followers!

Getting the email from Pam, made my normal Monday not so normal after all.

Circle Blog Weekly Challenge #16--Cute As a Button Sketch Challenge

This is my entry for the Cricle Blog Weekly Challenge:

The blog weekly challege from Friday, 1-14-11, was as follows:

Babies are definitely “cute as a button” with their sweet little faces and tiny features. In honor of our Baby Theme, this week we challenge you to create a SCRAPBOOK PAGE or CARD using the sketch below. Your project doesn’t need to follow the sketch exactly, but it should be apparent that you used it as inspiration. Feel free to turn it on it’s side or move elements to fit what you are doing. In addition to using the sketch, we also want you to incorporate STAMPING and BUTTONS (of course!).  Project must be newly created for this challenge and must include atleast 2 different cuts from any Cricut cartridge to qualify.

I used MS Cake Cartridge to cut the scallop trim and a small Inkadinkado snowflake stamp to stamp white and blue snowflakes all over it.  I then used the Winter Woodland cartridge to cut "Let it Snow" and the snowflake.  I used two buttons that resembled snowflakes and added a pink jewel in the middle.

We have had snow 2 years in a row!!  We hardly ever get snow, mostly we get ice.  January 9, 2011, we only got a few small flurries, but Keeley could hardly wait to get outside and "taste" it.  Last year on February 10, 2010, we got 4 inches and in soom places 6 inches!!  Keeley was able to get a good "taste" and she was able to build a ""tiny"" snowgirl! 

It was bitter cold today, only 31 when I went to pick Keeley up from school at 2:00pm and the wind was straight out of the north and blowing hard.  It's supposed to get down into the low 'teens tonight.  I really don't like cold weather!!!

Girl Scout Cookies

Keeley is selling Girl Scout Cookies!  She is a Brownie this year and wants to sell 1000 boxes! 

We went to the Ft. Worth Zoo and picked up her cookies for show & sell on Saturday, 1-8-11.  It was sooo cold.  It was supposed to get up to 56, but I don't think it made it before we left.  We arrived at about 9:15am and there was already a line--beginning time was supposed to be 10:00am.  We were met by a very nice lady who asked if we had a "fast track pass", I didn't know what that was.  She said that if Keeley sold over 50 items during the fall Nut and Candy sale, that she should have gotten a "fast track pass".  We told her that Keeley sold over 100 and she sent us over to the "fast" lane and we signed up, they found Keeley's name on their list and we got thru in about 5 minutes.  Yay!! 

Since we got finished so fast, we decided to go ahead and visit the Zoo.  There was supposed to be activities for the Scouts, but we only found one thing after the Zoo opened at 10.  The Zoo has changed a lot since the last time that we went.  It was still very cold when we left at 2:00, but we had a good time.

Circle Magazine Challenge Jan11 Thrift Store Find

This is my entry for the January '11 Cricut Circle Magazine Challenge (After & Before):

(After)

(Before)

This is the contest rules:

Find something from the thrift store to repurpose with your imagination and your Cricut Machine. Please use at least four Cricut cuts in your design. Upload before and after shots of your project to the blog under the Magazine Challenge Tab. Only one entry per person. Entry deadline is Friday, January 14th, 2011. Winner will receive a new April Showers cartridge!!  Prize will be shipped within 4 to 6 weeks after the announcementct challenge.

I found the kitchen hanger and thought it would make a good key holder--my husband has been asking me to get one for a while.  The cuts I made are:
House--Handy Man Cricut Lite.
Red Car--Paper Dolls Everyday Cartridge.
White Truck--Just Because Cards Cartridge.
Keys--Locker Talk Cartridge.
Yield Sign Banner--Disney/Pixar-Cars Cartridge.

Maybe I'll be the lucky winner, I would love to win the April Showers cartridge.

Card Making Contest on Jinger Adams' Facebook Page

This is the card I made for the Cricut Facebook Card Contest.

The contest is on Jinger Adams' facebook page.  You had to create a card using atleast one Anna Griffin product (it could be anything) and one or more of the following cartridges:
Don Juan Cartridge, Winter Lace Seasonal Cartridge or Wall Decor & More. 
The card then had to be mailed to Provo Craft and arrive no later than 1-18-11.

I used the Don Juan cartridge to cut the phrase "thanks", the Winter Lace cartridge to create the "stacked" flower.  For my Anna Griffin product, I used the floral and printed paper and the ribbon is an embellishment that was alread tied from Anna Griffin and last the butterfly is also an Anna Griffn embellisment.  I added small pearls to the center of the flower and down the side of "thanks".

Circle Blog Weekly Challenge #15--Feeling Frosty

I made a Winter Wishes card for the Friday, 1-07-11, challenge.

The Circle Blog challenge was as follows:
Brrrr! Winter is in full swing over many parts of the country . . . but even if it is warm where you are, you can use Winter-inspired elements to fuel your creative juices on your next Cricut project. We challenge you to incorporate white paint, metal, and a snowflake cut on your project this week.
Project must be newly created for this challenge and must include atleast 2 different cuts from any Cricut cartridge to qualify.

I used Jolly Holidays Lite cartridge to cut the cute little penguin and the phrase, I used Accent Essentials to cut the snowflakes.  I used white paint on the blue snowflakes and dusted the umbrella with white paint also.  I then drew white snow banks using the Snow Writer Paint pen.  For the metal, I used a small paper clip to make the handle on the umbrella and used white brads to make a pile of snowballs. 

Christmas Gift Bags

Everything has been so hectic here, that I didn't get a chance to post te custom gift bags that I made for Christmas.  Here are the 3 bags that I made and customized for 3 children 3, 5 & 7.

Circle Blog Weekly Challenge #14--Getting In Shape

Circle Blog Weekly Challenge #14--Getting In Shape
Let’s start the New Year off right by getting in shape . . . a shape other than a rectangle. We challenge you to create a project in a shape other than a square or rectangle. Your project must also include a number somewhere and bling of some kind (to go along with this week’s theme of “Blinging in the New Year”!  Must be newly created for this challenge and must include atleast 2 different cuts from any Cricut cartridge to qualify.  The winner will receive a Circle Scarf of their choice or $25 added to their Cricut.com account.

This is my entry for this week's challenge--I created a Valentine card using white cardstock with my Gypsy to weld two hearts together from Love Struck 2010 cart to form the base and used red and black chalk on the white cardstock, then used Designer's Calendar cart to cut "Feb 14" and Sweethearts cart to cut the Cupid.  I used my Imaginese I-Rock to add the "bling" to the small valentine heart and used glitter glue smeared around the edge and all over the card. 

The inside of the card reads:  "Be my Valentine!! xoxoxo.  I think I'll send this valentine to Keeley, she loves getting mail and she loves Valentine's Day!