Fence Challenge using Heritage

Love on a half shell?

Happy Monday.  I have a new card, a Valentine, to share with you today.  The challenge cut for the week at the Bitten by the Bug 2 blog was selected by my sweet, sweet design team sister, Krista.  Krista selected the Armadillo from the Birthday Bash cartridge, but then decided to also include a bird option.  I did not have the chosen cartridge so I used George and Basic Shapes and built my Armadillo the old school way - using geometric shapes welded together in George.

I am going to confess that I had no idea what to do with the Armadillo cut - but the idea of the Armadillo was so cute that I had to go with it.  In the end I decided to create a pink Armadillo and put her on a Valentine card.  

I was away for the weekend, on one of our scrappy girl lake adventures.  My friends tried to come up with Valentine puns for my card, but they were mostly lacking..... "I shell always love you", You're a shell of a Valentine", etc.  I think we should all keep our day jobs and NOT go into comedy or pun writing.

So instead of a "punny" tag, I decided to use part of the valentine circle set from the Cutting Cafe.  I layered a 1 inch circle over a 2 inch circle, creating a new center, but using the REMEMBER circle.  I inked the circle edges and matted them on two layers of Spellbinder Nestabilities, a Lacey Circle and a Scalloped Circle.

I did manage to complete quite a few projects last weekend.  I have several cards and layouts to share in the coming days.  In the meantime do go by BBTB2 and check out all of the armadillo and bird projects.  Also, be sure to hope over to the Cutting Cafe and shop the extensive line of printable stamps.

Valentine Treat Box with Spellbinders

Yesterday I headed off to my scrap room with every intention of making my mom a birthday card.  However, I spotted my book of nesties sitting out from a previous project and decided to play instead.  I had a template that I picked up last February (!) at the annual Columbia stamp show, that I had never used.  I decided to use the template with my heart shaped nesties to create a Valentine box.

I took a sheet of 18 x18 inch cardstock, trimmed it down to 18 x 12 inches and laid the template over top.  Using small clips to secure the layers I then cut out the template and the box.  With the template still clipped to the cardstock, I used my Scor-Pal to score all of the fold lines on the template (see below).

Next I used my heart shaped Nestabilites and my grand Caliber and cut out the front heart shape on the box.  I used white sparkle cardstock and cut out the frame for the front heart. 

I found the pink box just a bit to plain so I covered it with Valentine paper, again cutting the heart out of the front.  The box was finished by adding ribbon at the top edge, removing the handles as I did not like them, and affixing the white scalloped heart frame around the acetate window.

I created an embellishment using the leftover white heart cut out with two smaller hearts and a Prima flower rose.  The pink heart was stamped with a "Hugs and Kisses" stamp and trimmed in glass bead trim.

Last Minute Valentine Card with Cut File

You still have four more days in which to craft a fabulous card for your Valentine(s).  My project at Custom Crops this week, Love Stamp Valentine, will make you a Valentine's Day superstar.  Follow this LINK for complete instructions and the cut file at Custom Crops. This card is actually easy to cut and assemble, but will look like you spent HOURS slaving over the craft table!!

Gypsy Spot Mini Mailbox Challenge

Happy Gypsy Spot Tuesday!  This week's challenge at the Gypsy Spot is to decorate a Target-like mini-mailbox.  As you can see, the mailbox matchs yesterday's BBTB2 card.  I will admit that the mailbox came first, then the card.

I began by covering the mailbox with a 4 x 12 inch strip of pink polk-a-dot cardstock.  I knew I wanted to use the Pink Paislee Cupid paper in some way, but I was not certain about how to incorporate the large flower print.  And then I remembered circle punches!!  I cut several of the flowers from the Pink Paislee paper using 1.25 inch and .75 inch circle punches.  I then raided my Prima floral and gem brad stashes and then I cut two mailbox door covers from the Pink Paislee paper.

I used cricut magnet material and cut two hearts, one for each end of the mailbox.  I cut two decorative hearts in pink cardstock and covered the magnet material.  I then cut the xoxo layers in cardstock.

I attached the xoxo's to the mailbox lower side egdges.  I created layered flowers using the prima flowers, circle punch flowers and centers, and gem brads.  Using large glue dots I affixed the flowers to the sides of the mailbox and the flag. 

I am really pleased with the end result of this set.  It is fun, sassy, and feminine!

BBTB 2 Heart Card - Yet Another Valentine Moment

Happy Monday!  It is, of course, time for the weekly BBTB2 challenge post.  This week's challenge cut is the Heart card from the Wild Card cartridge.  We could use this heart shaped card anyway we wanted. I went with the seasonal "go to" and created a Valentine card.

I cut the basic Wild Card Heart card in white cardstock.  I then used printed paper in colors of white, pink, green, blue and red and cut the card front only.  I switched cartridges at this point and cut the shadow scalloped heart from the Sweethearts cartridge in pink cardstock.  I affixed the printed heart to the front of the scalloped heart.  I then attached the scalloped card to the Wild Card Heart basic card.

I used red foil paper and cut assorted embellishments from Wild Card and Tie The Knot.  I cut the "Be My Valentine" phrase (from Wild Card) for the inside of the card from the red foil also.  I ran the foil cuts through the Xyron machine to apply adhesive, then I set them aside for later use.

My final Cricut cut was the sweet XOXO cut from Tie The Know.  I cut this is a Pink Paislee gingham, the reverse side of one of their "Cupid" cardstocks.  I cut the XOXO shadow in Core'dination cardstock and attached the two layers together.  I then affixed the cut to the lower third of the card front.

The flower embelishments on the front and inside of the card were made using prima white daisys, prima solid and gingham flowers and paper punches.  I used a 1 1/4 inch circle punch and cut the circle flowers from the opposite side of the gingham paper.  I then used a 3/4 inch circle punch and cut flower centers from the same paper. I hand trimmed a flower stem from the paper and attached it "growing" from the XOXO cut.  I used large glitter brads to affix the four layers of flowers together. I finished the card front by attaching the foil embellishments.

Inside the card is the red foil Valentine phrase, yet another of the layered flowers and a delicate green stamp to represent the stem.  All this card needs is a little note and a signature!

Please come back tomorrow for this week's Gypsy Spot challenge - today's card is part of a matching Valentine set which will be completely revealed tomorrow!! Sneak peek in the final photo in the this post.

Valentine Layout and Cut File - New Custom Crops Project

My l-o-n-g holiday break (December and January) officially ended last week.  I am back to submitting projects to both design teams AND to Custom Crops.  My latest Custom Crops project, complete with cut file, is titled Valentine Love Layout.  I truly like this layout and cannot wait to use it!!! 

For complete assembly directions and the cut file, please visit my page at Custom Crops.  In addition to the directions and the cut file, I also added links to the paper used in the project.  I just love this new line of SEI paper -  Juliette!!!

Gypsy Spot Challenge - 3M Adhesive Backed Paper

Hello bloggers, happy Tuesday.  This week at the Gypsy Spot we were challenged to use 3M's Post It brand paper, which has adhesive on the back with a peel off cover.   I received three 8.5 x 11 inch sheets of the 3M paper - red, pink and white.  So of course I immediately thought VALENTINE'S project. 

I used my Gypsy and five cricut cartridges to design and cut this card:  Sweethearts, Tie the Knot, George, Graphically Speaking and Winter Woodlands.  Since so much of the nation is experiencing winter weather this Valentine's day, I chose the heart snowflake cut on Tie the Knot as a primary accent cut. The tiny red hearts in the middle of the heart snowflakes were cut from George.  I added small snowflakes from Winter Woodlands to accent the three larger snowflakes.

The layered scalloped hearts are from the Sweethearts cartridge as is the word LOVE in the middle of the top heart.  The word YOU is from Graphically Speaking.  I wanted a plain font so as to not draw attention away from the word LOVE. 

The base card was cut from Sweethearts and the rectangle on the top of the card was cut from George.  I used a new Valentine Cuttlebug embossing folder on the background rectangle to add texture.

The flower is a Prima product and can be purchased at Custom Crops. The ribbon was from my stash.  The brads are Stampin' Up brand. I hope that you and you Valentine snuggle up warmly this Valentine's Day!!

Note: The cut file has been added to the list of cut files at the right - 3M Love Valentine Card.

BBTB2 Love Stamp Cut

I am running a bit late today on getting my BBTB2 project loaded to both the BBTB2 site and to my blog.  The challenge this week was to use the Love Stamp cut from the Sweethearts cartridge.  I made this sweet valentine which includes cuts from five different cartridge:  Sweethearts, Calligraphy, Love Struck, Easter 2010 and Tie the Knot.

I used Bazzill pink bling cardstock, smooth white cardstock, one sheet of Basic Grey Sugared cardstock and two prints from SEI's Juliette line.  I love the shimmer in the SEI paper!!!

I finished off the front of the card with Prima flowers and American Crafts ribbon.  Inside I added the phrase "Be My Valentine" from the Calligraphy cartridge.  I also cut a an extra heart from Sweethearts and sweet border from Easter 2010. 

I love this couple on Love Struck.  Speaking of Love Struck, WHAT A GREAT CARTRIDGE!!!!  I am so enjoying the 2010 seasonal mini carts.  Be sure and get your before they are gone!!

It's Bitten by the Bug Monday!

I so enjoy turning on my computer on Monday morning and checking out the Bitten by the Bug blog. Each Monday Regina Easter posts the design team's projects which utilize the latest Cricut challenge cut. This week the design team had a two part assignment: use the LOVE cut from the Home Accents cartridge and LOVE had to be brown.

I used more of that yummy BasicGray Bittersweet paper line to cover my pink bazzill cardstock Tags, Bags, Boxes and More box cut. Pop dots were inserted to create more depth on the LOVE design. The top heart was covered with additional bazzill cardstock, a pink polka dot bow, and a crocheted heart. The box was tied closed with a valentine colored organza ribbon. I can't wait to use this box for gift giving!!

BBTB Doodlecharms Heart - Valentine Set

Happy Monday!! I had so much fun last weekend. First, as previously mentioned, I had Stamp Club. Then I worked on two week's worth of challenges for the Bitten by the Bug design team. Two week's worth of challenges, you ask (well pretend you did!)? I will be in Temple, GA next weekend at a scrapping retreat and wanted to complete next weekend's challenge ahead of time. So yes, two week's worth of challenges.

The challenge that Regina posted today involved using the scalloped heart from the Cricut Doodlecharms cartridge. We could use the heart any way we wanted to (not always the case). I used design studio and reworked a box from Tags, Bags, Boxes and More, adding a fold over tab at the top, and rotated the ribbon slips 90 degrees. I also added the heart cut out to the front of the box. I thought that the box needed a matching valentine card, so that too was created in design studio using the Doodlecharms heart.

I cut the box and top layer of the card in BasicGrey valentine paper - Bittersweet. The base of the card is cut in pink Bazzill cardstock. The valentine swirl embellies are from the Storybook cartridge. The little flowers are hand crocheted flowers. The circular Happy Valentine's Day tag is from the Cutting Cafe's wonderful line of print able stamps. I really like this set... Simple but sweet.

Valentine Heart Box - all George

I really like the Tags, Bags, Boxes, and More cartridge; there are some really cute boxes which can be cut and embellished numerous ways. I wanted to make a Valentine box for a special friend. I looked at the boxes and chose a basic bag/box, then rebuilt the it using George. I need to make edits to the entire top of the box, hence the George rebuild. I wanted the have a flip over lace edging. I know others on the cricut MB have created their own versions of this little valentine box, but I stubbornly wanted to do it on my own. My box still needs some bugs worked out on lace placement, but overall I am happy. These are photos of the trial cut.