Little Boy Wall Hanging

While attending the CK Convention in Portland this year, I fell in love with Keller's Creations mini license plates. I have used the full sized ones for a wall hanging in our house, but as soon as I was the mini's I knew I needed a new project! I bought six of them and decided to use them to create a wall hanging for my nephew Landon's room.

I also puchased a package of cute blue and khaki patterned paper and matching buttons at Keller's Creations as well.  I used those as the jumping off point for the solid papers that came from my stash.  It was perfect because Landon's room is a nice shade of light blue!

I cut Landon's name out using Jubilee, creating a shadow and the overlay.  I inked the edges to make sure that it showed on similar colored paper.  Landon's room is decorated in robots, but I don't have a robot cartridge!  I used George (my favorite cart!) to create this cute robot.  I then slightly expanded the size of it to create a black shadow. I was inking the edges of the robot when I dropped my ink pad on the grey robot!  It was awful.  Luckily, I was able to ink over the entire robot to give it a "rusty look."  That was a quick save!  I added a few Keller's buttons with cream fiber tied through.   (Hint:  I used glue dots for the buttons and googly eyes so they wouldn't fall off!)  I inked the edges of everything in brown ink for a cohesive look!

I attached each license plate together with a blue shaded fibers.  I cut the duck from Create a Critter!  (My brother and I are HUGE Oregon Duck fans!)  A couple more googly eyes for character!  Each mini license plate has a few buttons on it to add continuity.

What little boy doesn't like milk?  I used this from Locker Talk and cut the first layer (the milk and carton) in white craft foam!!!  It made the milk look like it had real dimension.  I then popped up the center part of the red milk carton with pop dots and inked the edges of everything.  I used a White Milky Pen to write "Milk."

The dog is cut from the last few remnants of my brown fuzzy paper.  (I think it's from Every Day Paper Dolls.)  I used a brown pen to add the accents and then layered on a cute pink nose and googly eyes.  I inked the edges again!

The balloon was a simple cut, but I cut off the string that was attached and tied on a real cream fiber.  I then flocked the patterned orange paper with orange flock to add a little interest.

Lastly, I added a car from Every Day Paper Dolls.  I used black brads for the tires and added a details with black paper (pop dots behind the windows!) and a black pen for details.  Lastly, I added a cute fabric tag with a curly q on it to mimic the "exhaust."

Hope you enjoy!

It's All About the Green Blog Hop Day #1

It's All About the Green Blog Hop

Day #1

You should have arrived from Melissa's page at http://disneydreamerdesigns.blogspot.com/  If not, please go back to the beginning at Kathryn's page  http://wamfamily.blogspot.com/ and enjoy all the great projects!

I knew with St. Patrick's Day approaching that I wanted to a make a St. Patrick's Day decoration for my house, especially since I'm partially Irish! :)  After searching through my Cricut cartridges, I realized I really didn't have any St. Patrick's Day items on my cartridges, so I had to make due.  In the end this project turned out really cute, and it's one of my favorite things I've created! 

Be sure to read to the bottom for a chance to win blog candy!

Everything seen here was cut by the Cricut! :)  I love my gypsy for this type of project!

First, since I didn't have any cartridges that had a four leaf clover, I used George and Basic shapes to layer 4 hearts, a rectangle and a circle (for the base of the stem) to create a four leaf clover.  I rotated the hearts and lined everything up to make it look like I wanted.  I cut it first in dark green.

Then I raided my recycling and I used a granola bar box to make some thin chipboard.  I wanted to have a stronger backing for the 4 leaf clover.  I broke open the box, removed any sticky areas and then made sure I stuck it to my mat really well.  I then changed the blade depth to 6, and put pressure on maximum.  I cut the 4 leaf clover again.  I then mounted the green cardstock clover to the cardboard clover to make it stiffer and stronger.

Next, I cut a banner from the Christmas Cartridge.  I stretched it larger than 12 inches and cut it once in the same dark green.  Then I scooted the banner to each edge of the mat so only the bows showed (There wasn't a layer for the bows alone.)  and then I cut the bows in light green.   

 I had hand cut the edges connecting to the banner to make the bows stand alone.  I used a green gel pen to add detail lines.  I then cut "A Wee Bit Irish" in white with the same light green as a shadow.  I used the Simply Sweet font.  I also found a 3 leaf clover on Indie Art.  I cut it out in a matching pattern paper and inked the edges green.

Next, I made a leprechaun using bits and pieces from Every Day paper dolls.  Paper Doll Dress Up has a leprechaun, but of course, I don't have that cartridge.  First, I cut about a 6 inch body out of tan paper.  I then used the baseball players shirt and pants to cut the light green shirt and the striped pants. 

 I then cut the fisherman's vest and hat in dark green.  I unlocked the ratio lock on the hat and stretched it taller so it would look more like a top hat.  I hand cut the light green stripe across the hat and used the same Indie art 3 leaf clover for an accent.  On the vest I added 2 large orange brads at the pockets.  I popped the 3 leaf clover and the vest up with popdots for added dimension.  I used George and Basic Shapes to make the buckles for the hat and his boots.  I cut 3 rounded corner squares with the center removed.  I had gold seed beads, so I applied Zig pen glue and stick the seed beads to it.  (The are really cute in person!)  I cut the hair and bow tie in orange and adding orange ink to the edges and gel pen accents.  Lastly, I added two googly eyes and drew the smile on in black Zig marker.  Lastly, I stuck my finger in a red ink pad and used it to make cute little cheeks.  I love him!

Next, I used copper wire to attach the 4 leaf clover to the banner.  I was sure to punch the holes through the cardboard as well.  (I even added some small cardboard squares to the back of the banner to reinforce it as well!)  I also added copper wire to the top to make a hanger.

Here it is hanging on my front door!

Now, for BLOG CANDY! 

To qualify for blog candy:

1.  become a follower

2.  leave a comment on this project

3.  leave a way I can get in contact with you

4.  If you visit both days, and leave 2 comments, you will double your chances of winning!

I will choose a Blog Candy winner on Monday, March 7th.  

May the luck of the Irish be with you! 

Next Stop: 

Lisa's page at  http://www.cricutingwithlisa.blogspot.com/



Scamp! LID layout

The Cricut message boards have a great weekly challenge where someone posts a LID sketch (Laying It Down) and challenges other members to use it with their pictures!  I loved this weeks LID sketch and found a way to use it with the next set of pictures I needed to scrapbook.  The LID sketch called for flowers on the corners of some photos, instead I used small images from the cricut to match my theme and show what the kids did while we scrapbooked!  (The tent, bucket and swimsuit were to have been flowers!)

The two page spread features 8 photos!  I love layouts with lots of photos because I always take tons of pictures!

I used two pieces of patterned paper (unknown), a strip of brown scrap and two minty green colored papers.  I cut the brown paper to 4x12 and adhered it to a piece of patterned paper.  I then cut the minty green paper at 6x8 to fill the space to the left of the brown strip.  I then cut a 6" diameter bright blue circle for the title to go on.  I used the Campout cartridge and cut the sign and the tent. I created a shadow for both on black paper.

I continued the minty green paper on this side, cutting a piece 8x12.  I adhered it to the other patterned paper piece and then used EveryDay Paper Dolls to cut the bucket and swimsuit.  I used the same cream that the sign was in to create my journaling block and then matted the block in the same blue as the title circle. 

(Scamp is a 5 day camp out on our private land where 3 moms, 8 kids and 3 dogs go!  The kids play and play, and play while the Moms scrapbook!  The Dads then come up over the weekend!)

I'm in love with my Cricut!

I know, who isn't, right?  But since getting the Cricut Expression, I am loving its versatility!  I actually might be getting more scrapbooking done, but I am also saving money! I make my own cards and now I'm branching out into Halloween decorations!  Below are a few things I've been working on over the last few weeks.

I am a first grade teacher and I teach the intensive reading group at school.  The intensive reading group is comprised of children the furthest behind in reading; because of this, behavior can sometimes become a problem.  They loved it when I called them "Smart Cookies" and I kept referring to this imaginary cookie jar.  Well, one day while teaching I thought of the idea of making a "Smart Cookies" Cookie Jar and then making paper cookies to fill it with.  When the cookies are all in the jar, then the reading group will earn a "cookie party!" 

I love how this turned out!  I didn't have any of the cartridges with a jar, so I used George to make a rounded corner rectangle and then I welded one parenthesis from Gypsy Wanderings (I think).  They come in a set, so I hid the other one and then rotated it to make it look like a lid!  I cut two cookie jars, one in patterned paper with the words Smart Cookies cut out and then one in maroon that is just the outline.  I used George again to make the stripes across the jar and the knob at the top for added decoration.  I pieced it altogether and then decided it would be too flimsy as is, so then I adhered it to a piece of cardboard from an empty cereal box.  Now it doesn't flop and curl and it's a lot sturdier!

Well, you can't have a "Smart Cookie" Cookie Jar without cookies, right?  I used George again and make 1.75 inch (or so) circles.  I used the triangle feature and overlayed the triangles and then rotated them in different directions so it looked like chocolate chips.  I cut these out in cream paper.  I then cut the same circle size out of brown paper and layered it behind.  I though layering a circle was easier than gluing 4 chocolate chips per cookie!  I then cut as many as I could on a 12x12 paper and I ended up with 49 cookies!   I then inked the edges with dark brown to make them look more realistic!  Once again, George was the best investment!

Bosses Day October 16th, 2010

AAAKKK!  Bosses Day falls on a Saturday this year and I totally missed it on Friday.  My Principal is fabulous and he loves a strong cup of coffee.  He even hosts "A Cup of Joe with Joe" parent meetings, so coffee is his thing!  I used Gypsy Wanderings and cut out large coffee mugs and then Sweet Treats font for the phrase "Thanks a Latte Mr. Galati!".  I inked all the edges with chestnut brown for some definition from the white poster board.  Normally I would have decorated his door with this, but he gets to work about the same time I do, so I put it all on 2 pieces of poster board so I can literally slap them up and be done in case he's a little early!

"Too Cute To Spook"

Made by my 7 year old daughter!

We found glittery foam at the Dollar Tree and she just had to think of something to use it for.  She was clicking through scrapbooking/card making blogs that I had left open on my computer and she found one she liked that featured a Penguin, fangs and the phrase "Too Cute to Spook."  She found the cat on Paperdolls Everyday.  We cut it at 4 inches and used the #5 on the blade and max pressure.  We cut it twice and it was still not a clean cut, but we were able to see where to punch the cat out!  She added a hand cut witches hat and a pink nose.  The googly eyes and hand drawn mouth and whiskers truly make it too cute!  She mounted it all on yellow paper and then adhered it to a piece of patterned paper with a Halloween design!

The easiest cards in the world!  (Cricut not even needed, but shhh!  Don't tell anyone!)

I cut double sided Halloween paper to 9 inches long by 4 inches wide.  I folded it in half, and then folded down a 1 inch flap.  I wrapped a piece of ribbon around the flap and adhered it and the flap down.  I used a very thin piece of adhesive to glue the edges of the folded "envelope" on each side.  I then cut a 3.5x4 inch square of patterned paper to slip inside the "envelope" and voila! a quick and adorable Halloween card!

This is what it looks like once the card is removed!

"Dare To Enter"

My son (9 years old) complained that all of our Halloween decorations were not scary enough, so I was digging through the Cricut stuff and found I don't have any Halloween carts.  (I quickly ordered one and am still waiting, but that's another story!)  I used George, once again, and welded two ovals together, overlapping them slightly at the bottom by rotating them.  I cut these out of purple paper and fun foam.  (Much easier to cut than the glittery foam!)  I then welded two circles together for the "whites" of the eyes and cut them in yellow.  Then I took a black marker and colored in the pupils and then used stickles over the top to make them sparkly.  I love how they look!  I cut the Dare to Enter out as well and hung the whole thing on our front door.  Not knock down scary, but I love it!