"Down on the Farm" Layout for Exploring Cricut Challenge!

Hello all and hope your Monday is going well so far!
Did you do anything special this weekend? I was able to do some cleaning, sorting and putting away of craft projects so that I could start some new ones!

This week's challenge over at Exploring Cricut is to create a card, layout or project using a Farm Animal and of course your Cricut machines.....

I picked up Nate's ABCs sometime ago and haven't used it much. As I was looking through the adorable images I just fell in love with the barn, phrase and little goat....(truth be told,, my oldest son Adam, now 25, used to show dairy goats in our local 4H, so this image brought back a ton of memories of County Fair)

Ok....enough reminiscing....I just can't help it sometimes.

I started with a couple of sheets of 12x12 paper from DCWV  The Crafty Stack. Very country feel, not just craft related.
I chose the barn image on page 64 of Nate's ABCs, cut it at 7.0" using all layers. I probably would have cut it a bit bigger if I had it to do over again. I used my Cuttle bug for the barn.

Next came the phrase feature and I cut that at 3.5". That cut also included a layer, which I ran through the Cuttlebug and both cut beautifully.

Finally the last cut was the sweet little goat on page 63. It is cut at 4.0" with all of the layers. I would also recommend cutting him a bit bigger. I started with 5.0" but the proportion was too large for the barn image I had already cut.... Lots of little layers to this image, but so worth it. It is always so relaxing putting the layers together and watching the project come to life! Don't ya think??
The edges were inked using some Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

All paper for the Cricut images are from my scraps... I have vowed to check there first for my projects....

I cut some simple  mats using scraps and "The Crafty Stack"

I stamped a sun and flowers using My Creative Time's Fun Pockets stamp set, and added  little bling to the flower centers.

Finally I added a journaling card using My Creative Time's Journal It! and 3x4 Stitched Journal Die. I finished the journaling card with a couple of twine bows.

I hope you will take a few moments to visit each Design Team Member's blog to see the wonderful projects they have all created.
I really do thank you for stopping by...
Please enter this week's challenge too!

And Kim....I still haven't heard from you for your address to claim your prize...

Camping Critters for Exploring Cricut

Hello Everyone and Happy Friday!
The weekend is here....any fun plans?  I am looking forward to spending a quiet weekend at home, maybe get some crafting time too.

Today's post is for my DT day over at Exploring Cricut. Each day a DT member creates a project using a Cricut Cartridge image. I love checking out their blogs too so I can see the details on how they created their card, or layout or crafting project. Please take a moment to visit.

Our family recently took a family camping trip with some dear friends and of course it goes without saying that there would be goodie bags involved!

First off I should say that there were 21 people attending this camping trip, so I knew whatever project I chose had to be fairly easy, not too time consuming and of course affordable..

So the supplies for my project were:

*regular lunch sacks
*$1 stamp: pine trees
*Momento Rich Cocoa Ink
*Camping Critters Cricut Cartridge

I started by stamping the  front and back of the lunch sacks with the pine tree stamp:

I decided to use the sign feature on the cartridge. So I chose 21 different sign phrases and cut them at 4.5" I cut the sign in black using Recollections paper. Then used the sign layer and shift sign layer to cut the phrases. Most of the paper was from Recollections and an older paper pad titled "Great Outdoors" from Jo-Anns online
I turned them into signs by just adding a craft stick and gluing to the bags.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

.

Winner! Exploring Cricut Christmas in July Blog Hop and Challenge.

Happy Monday everyone.


First of all thank you for stopping by my little blog today. I really appreciate you taking the time. Crafting and blogging are such fun outlets for busy moms like me. It's a little get-away each time I get to create and post.

Thank you also for playing along with us at Exploring Cricut! The challenge creations were wonderful and terrific inspiration for Christmas...which we all know we be here before we know it.

Announcing the winner of this little bit of Blog Candy.....



Kim from "Kim's Simply Cards"

Congratulations and thanks for your sweet comment!
Send me an email with your address and I will get your goodies in the mail.

Again, thanks everyone for taking the time to visit Exploring Cricut. I love this little blog where all things "Cricut" is the focus. Great projects, new images and cartridges to explore and of course a very talented group of ladies who love to creat Cricut projects!

Christmas in July! Exploring Cricut Blog Hop and Challenge!

Hello and happy Monday everyone!
Yes, you heard right....Christmas in July! I always say I need to get busy on my Christmas projects but never seem to do it.  Well Diane, our fearless leader at Exploring Cricut put together this amazing blog hop and challenge! Each Design Team Member Created a Project using her Cricut Machine so be sure to check out each blog!

You should have arrived from, Sharon but if not be sure to start at the beginning at Exploring Cricut

Here is the schedule in case you lose your way!

Sharon http://meemeescreations.blogspot.com

Donna  http://wwwkindredkreations.blogspot.com

Georgiana  http://carsonscricutcreations.blogspot.com

Rae Ann   http://joyinart.blogspot.com

Emily  http://emilyqueenofallthingscrafty.blogspot.com

Annette  http://mymindsdustbunnies.blogspot.com

Michelle N  http://justanutterpapercrafter.blogspot.com

Kathy  http://kathy213-kathyscorner.blogspot.com

Michelle S  http://cricutcrazyscrapper.blogspot.com

Liz  http://unikbyyes.blogspot.com

Diane  http://happyscrapperdiane.blogspot.com

For my project I decided on some treat bags using Santa's Village Imagine Cartridge.

I LOVE the images and colors on this one... I used the treat box image found in the Bonus Feature section and print and cut it using the fit to page feature. This is a simple cut and would work great to fit several smaller boxes on a page . They were so super  easy to score and fold.  I love the little window cut out and used some acetate sheets left over from some packaging (great way to repurpose!) I used Glossy Accents to adhere it to the box.. A little inking and that was it.

Next I printed the tags. There are several to choose from. I know I can already think of some future projects using a few of them. I chose 3 tags that fit my theme and cut them at 2.0", 3.0" and 3.5". Since they were also found in the Bonus Feature section, there are no layers to these. I added some little details to dress them up a bit, but really they are so cute by themselves. I did ink the edges using some Distress Ink. A little Christmas ribbon and all done!

What do you think?

Now for the fun part!!!
BLOG  CANDY...
All you have to do is leave a comment and it would be great if you became a follower too. In your comment let me know if you have started any Christmas projects yet.
These little goodies are from K&Company. I just love their little embellishments don't you? I also added 5 little treat bags that are just dying to be decorated! I will pick a winner the following Monday so you have plenty of time to leave a comment, become a follower and enter the challenge.

Your next stop is Georgiana
Happy crafting and Merry Christmas in July....

Western Party Decor with Imagine Country Carnival Cartridge

Happy Friday my fellow crafters.
I bring to you today my projects for Exploring Cricut.
My dad celebrated his 70th birthday and and my sister and I hosted a little get together. He is a western fanatic to say the least, so the theme was easy!

Mason jars and decorated straws were first on the list of "to do"

Pint size mason jars
paper straws (I order mine from Cutetape.com
images:
Boot and Jar labels: Country Carnival Imagine Cartridge
Sentiments: Pink by Design

I simply print and cut the boot image and used a hole punch and added them to the straws.
For the labels I printed a page of coordinating paper from the cartridge and cut it in 1" strips. I cut the labels and added foam tape for dimension. I did add distress ink to all images.

Next up were the little treat sacks full of trail mix.

I continued to use the Country Carnival Cartridge for the patterned paper, but used the Old West Cartridge for the "happy trails" sentiment cut at 1.2" inches. I was really surprised how easy the Imagine cut that image so small.
 I made the "flags" using the patterned paper and another Pink by Design sentiment.

I also made a simple banner using the Country Carnival Cartridge. I used a label image for the banner itself cut at 6" and the letters were cut at 5". I wanted it to be more manly so I didn't use the layer feature.

I thought I would share a few pics of some of the other decor I used.

The bottles were another quick project too. I used printable vinyl and created some labels for the root beer.

 These cans of pork & beans were the party favors. I added some patterned paper and made a sentiment on my computer "it's bean a great 70 years". I thought it was pretty cheesy, just what I wanted!

Have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by. Don't forget to visit Exploring Cricut each day for some wonderful crafty inspiration. The design team has wonderful daily projects using all things Cricut!

"USA" Banner for Exploring Cricut Challenge

Good morning and happy Monday!

Today marks the start of a new challenge at Exploring Cricut.
We are using our Cricut machines to create a card, layout or project celebrating the 4th of July or Canada Day and must include a flag. 

I needed a banner for some home decor so I thought this would make a great challenge project.

Banner: Pretty Pennants banner 2 @ 6" both layers.
Font: Old West Cartridge cut at 5" including the shadow feature.
Flags: Enjoy the Seasons Imagine Cartridge cut at 4" using the layer feature.

I added some buttons and twine, white sheer ribbon and ran the layers through my Cuttlebug, foam tape for added dimension. All paper is from Recollections.

I really hope you will take some time to visit Exploring Cricut and see all of the projects the Design Team created for this challenge. And of course...create a project and enter.