My Pink Stamper Challenge

Last night, My Pink Stamper hosted a Pink Pajama Party on UStream. She and Karlee challenged the views to make a project in 30 minutes or less using the colors pink, purple, and green. I was feeling quite uninspired but these are the cards I ended up with.

My Fur Babies

Those of you know me, know I love my dogs! Sometimes my kids think I love my dogs more than I love them. Now, this is not true but sometimes I can see why they'd think that. LOL! Just kidding. :) One time I had to put my dog on a diet because I gave him too many treats. And other thinks she should sit up to the table when we sit down for a family meal. If all the chairs are taken, she just shares with someone.

So a little bit about my dogs: They are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Teddy (the white one) is older, about 11 years old. Lola (the black one) is only about 2 years old. I have to say, I think CKCS are the best dogs EVER! Erik, my husband, and I were looking into getting a dog when my dog started to get really old. We looked at just about every species imaginable. Erik really liked the Miniature Schnauzer. For some reason I didn't want one. But we kept going back to the Cavaliers. I wanted one so bad. So Erik broke down and we got Teddy. Best choice we could have ever made! When he was about 4, he was diagnosed with Addison's Disease. It has sometimes been a pain to deal with but we just mostly adore him and wouldn't trade him for anything. Since he's getting up there in years. Two years ago we decided to get Lola. She was supposed to be my present for graduating from college but I didn't want to wait. She is such a hoot! I don't know how we could have lived without her! :)

My dogs are a hoot and I pretty much laugh at them all day long. So without further adieu, here are Teddy (the white one) and Lola (the black one)

Wednesday Challenge

Hey... wassup?!?! :) Over on the Cricut Circle message boards one of the members posted a challenge to the other members. It was simply to use a circle in a project. I should have went more exciting but I just wanted to do a simple card using scraps. Sometimes, although I haven't posted anything to prove it, I want to do something extraordinary but I think sometimes the simple things can be beautiful (attractive/cute/sweet/whatever) and I am really trying to embrace that. What I'm trying to say is it is easy for me to go overboard and I'm trying to really contain myself.

As far as the card goes. I used the same products that I used in the butterfly card I made. It has a similar look. I used card stock from Stampin Up, Mini Monograms Cricut cartridge, cheap yellow ribbon from Joann's, a black glaze pen, a Hero Arts stamp set called Happy Hello, white craft stamp pad from Stampin' Up, Spots and Dots Cuddlebug embossing folder, Stampin' Up dimensionals and of course my LOVELY pink ATG! :)

Scraproom

Some of my most favorite posts of all time are when people let me into their space and show me where they create. Mine is a work in progress. It hasn't been very long that I have had my own room so I'm still trying to figure out what works and what doesn't. I have seen some very beautiful rooms and although I wouldn't say mine is ugly or anything it's just more simple and hodge podged together, for now. So welcome into my space...

If after you walk in and look to the right you see this wall of 2 book cases. I know the picture is small but on there I have many of my beloved pictures plus storage for what I have to scrap (on the bottom shelf), project kits (on the top shelf), my old Sizzix dies and machine that I gave to my sister (on the top shelf), my paper scraps and 8.5X11 paper, my albums, and some of my embellishments in the white drawers. Off to the right, you can see the "vanity room" of a Jack and Jill bathroom that the room shares with my boys' room.

Following is the view from my "vanity room". The table I use is our old kitchen room table. I like that it is counter height. It's not what I would have picked if I was were decorating the room but since I didn't have to buy anything special because we were replacing our kitchen room table I figured it was fine. :) Also, if you look closely, on the wall are my stamps. I don't have a lot, but I try to only keep what I use and pass the rest on. I have unmounted all my stamps and put them in clear DVD cases from Stampin' Up. I have used wall DVD storage from IKEA. I have two shown, they were only $6 a piece!

In this picture, to the left I have my Original Cricut machine which is on my 12X12 paper storage unit. Just to the right of that I have 2 3X3 cube storage units. I am in the process of replacing the really red boxes with the burgundy. On these cube units is where I tend to store almost everything. I have my Cuddle bug and supplies, my Sidekick and supplies, I have my radio, I have my Stampin' Up Stamps, embellishments, my ribbons and fibers, my Prima flowers, my circle cutter and much much more.

This is where I sit! I have my light sweatshirt draped over my chair when I get cold. It doesn't happen too often but when I'm crafting in the middle of the night I get chillier as I get more and more tired. I have my trash can to the left. Next to that I have a 3 drawer unit thing -- I love this. I got it at Walmart for $20! In the top drawer I keep miscellaneous supplies. Middle drawer I keep all my adhesives. I haven't assigned anything to the bottom drawer yet. :) On the top I have my two Tote-ally Cool pink and brown totes. I have one of the minis. It is too cute! :) I also have other odds and ends up there and a small sewing machine I got from HSN which I haven't used yet. On top of my table I have two mats, two little garbage cans and two red lights and now another desk light in black. Notice I have two of everything so that I can easily have guest over.

This is the view from where I sit. I get to see all who enter... muhahaha! :) Actually, I adore visitors into my space! My 9 year old son comes to craft and play on my Cricut quite often. And as you can see my beloved companion (my Mac) is never too far away.

From where I sit, if I look to the right I see my cube storage. From the left there is a white drawer storage (want to get black... see a theme here? lol) in there I have my Stampin Up wheels, my embossing tools, extra envelops, stickers and other embellishments, my acrylic blocks for my stamps, and I think that's it. I have already told you what is in the rest of the picture, I think.

So there you have it, a peek into my world. :) I'm glad you could join me! I loved having you! If you have any specific questions, don't be afraid to ask. Can't wait to share more with you next time!!!

Oh, and PS -- sorry about the glare in the photos, I don't know how that happened! I tried to fix it but it wouldn't fix right and I didn't want to retake the pictures because I wanted to get this posted and move on to more crafting. Have a fantastic day!

Finally Creative!

On the Circut Circle Message boards someone posted a Thursday Challenge... The challenge was to use Swirls! So this is what I came up with.

And this was the aftermath:

My crafty weekend...

Since everyone was at CHA I was going to do some different challenges, but I didn't get that far... :(

However, I did get a new toy! :)

I have been waiting for my pink ATG from Custom Crops but since it was backordered I got impatient. I also heard on a blog or something that Michaels was carrying the pink ATG. I decided to go check out yesterday and lo and behold they had one left! IT WAS MINE! :) I have been using it all weekend. I LOVE IT!!! :) I would recommend it to anyone.

When I say I was using my ATG, I have been using it on some invitations that I made for my daughter, I forgot to get pictures of them. I used the Life's a Beach Cricut cartridge and just made the square cards available on there. It was quick and simple since they are invites to a little girl impromptu party I didn't want to go all out on them.

I did also make some of these cute little note cards. I used all Stampin' Up products. It was fun to just play around with what I had lying around. :)

Just wanted to share the picture I can't wait to scrap. I think it's going to be the front page of my house building scrapbook. We built our house about a year ago and I still haven't made my scrapbook.

Faith, Love & Mickey Mouse

Cricut Circle

It's open again... So I joined! YAY! I'm not a member. I'm so excited!

Birthday Party Decorations

Today has been a TON of fun! This is what I did all day. My friend told me she was having a birthday party for her 5 year old. I offered to make cupcake wrappers for her because they were too cute not to. She then asked me today if I could make letters for a sign. As I was digging through my cartridges for a font I found my Life's A Beach cartridge and I was so excited because she is having a beach themed party!

I couldn't pass up the cute little flower. I thought I would make a flower and leave it at that! HA!!! Then I saw the lizard, it was too cute to pass up. And of course since it's a beach themed party we need flip flops. Which I added cute little Prima Flowers and Stickles too. By this time, I was in for the long haul. I couldn't stop!!! I made a beach ball! Some small word signs that said Play, Happy Birthday and Fun in the Sun!

I made all of these items using Stampin Up card stock. I love how well it cuts on the Cricut, it's like butter!!! Since this was for a little girl, I added Stickls and Flowers! It was SO MUCH FUN!!!

Of course, I couldn't stop playing with this cartridge, I also made two cards!

Cupcakes!

For the last few years I have had this love for cupcakes! I love that they are just petite little cakes! I love that I don't have to cut cake when I serve it (less mess)! I love how cute they can be decorated. I love that you can easily have many different flavors for one event. The list of reasons to love cupcakes goes on and on. Well, a few short months ago, Cricut gave me one more reason to love cupcakes (and my Cricut) with the Cricut Lite cartridge, Cupcake Wrappers!

I offered to make some for my friend for her daughter's and brother-in-law's birthday party that she's hosting. I am making her brother-in-law's in Tempting Turquoise by Stampin' Up. Her daughter's I'm making Pink Passion by Stampin' Up. I am going to put a circle on the front of the turquoise ones with a monogrammed S in an orange color, I haven't decided which yet. And a scalloped circle with a C stamped in yellow on the pink.

I have included a picture of the start of the cupcake wrappers. When I get them done I will post another. The wrappers are super easy to make. The sizing is a little hard to figure out but that's what scraps are for. I have read on the Cricut forums that if you have the Expression it is WAY easier because you just have it fit to page. I just have the original Cricut at this point, therefore no fit to page button. :( Luckily I have enough scrap paper.

A quick card

This is what I spent a few minutes doing tonight. I know I feel a ton better when I get to do one thing creative a day. This wasn't much but just adhering pattern paper to plain paper and stamping a little greeting makes my day.

These little notes are just 3X4 or something but I like to give these with gifts over the 2X2 or whatever they are that you get in the gift wrap section of your local store. I also like to give them when I don't have much to say other than a quick thank you.

I'm not sure how these cards were cut or their dimensions because I got all the supplies from a Stampin' Up Stamp-a-Stack.

It was a few years ago now but I think I bought a few extra packs that were available. I think of it as a challenge to take these papers and come up with a project. And now that is has been so long I have no idea what the original idea was! I recommend trying it some time. :)

Using what I have

I am trying desperately to get this room just so. I have cleaned rooms before and it has taken me a lot less time but this time I want to make sure everything is in the right place. I will post a video once I have the whole thing done. It's not the fantastic and awesome place like some others have but it's mine and I love it.

As I put things away I was noticing I don't have things to put my pictures or momentos in so I figured I would try to find something. I looked at Target, Michael's, WalMart and Ikea. I couldn't find anything that was the right size. Then I had an even BETTER idea. I would cut down a card board box. There were many reason I like this idea: I got the perfect size bin for my belonging, I got to use up the paper that I probably wouldn't use for anything else, the price was PERFECT and I got to be creative (my favorite part!).

Normally I'm uber into matching everything but I wanted to use paper I already had that I haven't used in years. I like the paper but I didn't really have anything to use it on anymore.

I started with a bigger box. It turned out pretty cute. I am quite pleased with how it turned out. You can't see here but I covered all 4 sides. I had to cut this one down in the middle to make it fit just right. It was kind of fun to dissect a box and make it fit my space perfectly.

Then I moved on to a smaller one. I didn't have another box big enough for my space. I figured I would just make the smaller one work rather than trying to cut one up and add to it to make it bigger. This one turned out better for some reason. I did actually score the sides so it has crisper edges and things I learned on the other box I could use on this box. Again, it doesn't match of the first box but I love it! ;) Here are some pictures:

And here is what it looks like all finished. Like I said, it's not exactly what I would have put there if I would have spent money but there is a feel good feeling about using what I have and making free storage solutions.

Last night as I was waiting for dh to come home I decided to fiddle with some stuff that I had lying around. I have this knack for buying supplies for crafts that I leave laying around and not using. As I'm trying to clean up and organize my craft room I figured I'd make something.

I made the H to the right to hang on my wall. I love how plain and simple it is. There are things, as I look at it, that I could have done to it to add to it but I think the simplicity has it's benefit.

I was also pleased that I didn't have to buy anything special. I said earlier that I bought stuff for it, but really all I bought was the H, for $3.99 at JoAnn's. It is just a paper mache' letter that is about 12" high. I had the ribbon, paper and rub-ons just hanging out in my supplies.

I was thinking this could be a cute thing to give as a gift to pre-teen and teen aged girls. Who wouldn't love to have their initial hanging on their wall. Even if you give this with a little gift card. I do like the inexpensive gift ideas. :)

One of those days

Do you ever have one of those days where you just want to sit down and craft. Not you have anything particular in mind, you just want to be creative. Then you start and you are so uninspired and everything you do turns out kind of... well, not cute! That is the day I am having. I know I do better in a clean space and my craft room is still messy and unorganized. So I'm blaming it on the craft room. Guess I should organize rather than craft today.

Luckily, I did have one of those Simply Sent kits from Stampin' Up to finish. But even those looked so uninspired. When I get a Simply Sent kit I try to tweak them and make them my own using only the supplies they include. It is sort of my own little challenge. The kit I was working with today had three different cards. The first two I played with, ended up with nothing good. So with the last one I didn't stray too far and came up with something kind of cute.

---The inspiration from Stampin' Up---

--- The end result--

I kind of like my cute little monogramed card. The colors on here are Stampin' Up's Kraft, Ruby Red, Bashful Blue and Chocolate Chip. I used everything that came in the kit, pretty much as is except I added the monogram with my George Cricut Cartridge.

A beginning, sort of...

I have been crafting all my life. I would knit, crochet, needle point, paint, color, cut, and glue until my little heart was content. The truth it was never really content because I always longed for more!! Just after my first son was born I was introduced to "real" scrapbooking with Creative Memories. I loved it! Through the years I have had more and less time to scrapbook. My friend then turned me on to stamping and making cards. It was neat how hand and hand scrapbooking and stamping went together. It was easy to buy the supplies for one and they worked for the other. As a homeschooler it was also neat how the same supplies work for many of the projects we do. I was content scrapping and stamping! I would spend hours. Then I went back to school for elementary education... My crafting came to a SCREECHING halt! I graduated this past spring. And I have started a reorganization/redecoration of my craft room... hence the beginning! I hope you will join me!