Yummy Goodies in the Mail and a Happy Birthday Card for a Cool Chick!

Good morning!  And there are quite a few reasons why it is good:  my family is healthy, the sun is shining, the temperature is in the double digits, snow is not falling, dinner is in the slow cooker, a Paul Simon CD is playing, the house is clean (but a tad messy!), three loads of laundry are done and, last but not least, my husband returned home safely from his business trip last night.  Lots to be happy about today! 

I must also mention that I received an incredible package full of yummy, yummy goodies from the lovely and kind Stephanie from Always Crafting.  I was lucky enough to win an i-rock giveaway on her blog and not only did Stephanie send me an i-rock, but she included some i-rock jewels, some pretty handmade stick pins, an adorable card and a bag (beautifully packaged, I must say!) full of paper flowers she made herself.  They're so fabulous and the colors are just gorgeous!  She posted similar flowers on her blog not too long ago here.  Hey, I just realized that the stick pins she posted are the same ones she sent to me!!  Sneaky, sneaky, Stephanie!  I had no idea!  You'll be seeing these goodies on future creations...if I can bear to part with them!!  Thanks Stephanie, I LOVE everything!!

Today I'm posting a shaped card that I made for one of my niece's birthdays.  The chick and the birthday hat are from Simply Charmed (such a fun cartridge!) and the computer-generated sentiment is printed on two tags from Birthday Bash that I welded together.  I had quite a bit of fun making this card.  I embossed the chick with the D'vine Swirls folder (a personal favorite!) and tried to really do up the hat.  I made the fringe from textured green cardstock and added Martha Stewart micro beads to the band.  A circle of matching green felt made a fun topper.  A bit of black stitching and I have a hat worthy of a cool chick!  



Recipe

Chick from Simply Charmed; welded to make a shaped card; cut all layers and shadow

Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls embossing folder

Birthday hat from Simply Charmed

Birthday banner from Birthday Bash; welded two tags together & hid holes to form the banner

Patterned paper from Basic Grey Gypsy 6x6 paper pad

Green textured cardstock - DCWV

All other cardstock - Recollections

Martha Stewart micro beads

Green felt from stash

Googly eyes

Computer-generated sentiment

Black Creative Memories marker for stitching/doodling

EK Success dimensionals to pop up banner

I'm entering this card into three challenges:

Celebrate the Occasion: Challenge #1- Kid's Birthday - Create a card, layout or project with a kid's birthday theme.

Scrappy Moms Stamps: Terrific Tuesday Challenge - Simply Charmed - Create a project using the Cricut Simply Charmed cartridge.

Two Scraptastic Gals: Cricut Cartridge Chaos Challenge #5 - Country Life - Make a project using the Cricut Country Life cartridge, the cartridge chosen this week by the blog's followers.  If you don't have Country Life, use a similar cut from a different cartridge.  I don't have Country Life, but I did notice that it has a chicken and the word art 'Cool Chick'.  I used the chick from Simply Charmed and incorporated 'Cool Chick' into the sentiment on my card.  :-)

Enjoy the day!

~Sharon C.

Life is So Sweet - Baby Girl Layout

Hi there!  Today I'm posting a scrapbook page of my daughter at 8 months old (she's now 7 years!).  I'm always amazed when I look back at her (and her twin brother's) baby pictures.  They were just over 4 pounds each at birth, but within months they really put on some weight!  And that's a good thing!  This picture was taken outside during the early summer when she couldn't do much more than sit and reach...check out those chunky arms and cheeks...you'd never guess she was a preemie!  :-)

I have soooo many pictures to scrap, so I'm trying to focus on making layouts....with a few cards thrown in here and there!  This page was a fun one to make...I love the colors and the felt flowers and ribbon.  I'm getting better at using pretty embellishments, but with 3 boys at home too, it can be difficult!



Recipe

Patterned papers "borrowed" from my daughter's American Girl paper pad

Cardstock - Recollections

Stamp - Close to My Heart 'Kid Power' set; lilac ink from Michael's; black Marvy marker on bee

Tag cut from A Child's Year Cricut cartridge, p. 50; added a shadow; inked

Felt flowers - Target

Faux pearls - Recollections

Ribbon - Making Memories

EK Success dimensionals to pop up photo & tag/sentiment

White Gelly Roll pen for journaling

I'm entering this page into four challenges:

Abby's Scrappy Mom's Challenge: Anything Goes - Create any project, just be sure to use a stamp.

CropStop Challenge Blog: #5 Sketch! - Follow the sketch provided HERE to create a project of your choice...a card, layout or altered item.
Amanda's Crafts & More: Scrappy Saturday with the Bug - Challenge #1: Anything Goes! - Make a new layout using a Cricut or SVG cut...anything goes!

The Paper Variety: Yummy Hearts Challenge - Photo inspiration - Use the picture provided HERE to create a layout, card or other paper project.  As you can probably tell, I was inspired by the colors of those yummy candies!

Varoom! Valentine's Day Card for My Parents

Happy Saturday!  I've never been so happy to see a week come to an end.  Terrible weather, school cancellations, the kids stuck inside...thank goodness it's Saturday! 

I thought I'd share yet another Valentine's Day card with you all.  I made this one for my mom to give to my dad.  My dad works with cars so I thought a car would be a perfect image on a card for him.  Then I thought I could do two cars...one in black, one in hot pink, with 'Varoom!' to indicate how they still feel about each other after 45 years of marriage.  What do you think?  I think the 'Varoom' is really funny...I hope my dad will get a kick out of it!  :-)  And I love all the shiny, glittery papers...perfect for a Valentine.



Recipe

Patterned paper - My Mind's Eye Bloom & Grow stack

White glitter cardstock - DCWV Winter & Christmas combo glitter mat stack 

Black shiny cardstock - Recollections gemstones

Hot pink cardstock - Recollections

Heart and shadows cut from George & Basic Shapes; embossed with Sizzix Scallops & Lines folder

'Varoom' welded and cut with my Gypsy using Gypsy Font

Black ric rac - Michael's

Pink rhinestones - Joann's

White Gelly Roll pen for doodling

Martha Stewart corner rounder

EK Success dimensionals to pop up the cars

I'm entering this card into five challenges:
Always Crafting's Whimsical Wednesday  - Make a Valentine/love-inspired project, incorporating hearts and flowers and at least one Cricut cut.
Cricut Cardz Challenge #60 - Make a Valentine's Day card for a man, using any cartridge and any colors you'd like.
Cooking with Cricut: Shadow Challenge - Complete a new project with a shadow - shadowed letters, embellishments, etc.  I shadowed my heart twice.  :-)
Made by Momo's Tuesday Challenge #21 - Make something with the colors black, white and hot pink; it has to have at least one heart.
More Than Favors: Cricut Cartridge Chaos Challenge #4 - Nifty Fifties - Create a project using the cartridge chosen by the blog's followers, or a similar cartridge if you don't have that one.  This week's cartridge is Nifty Fifties...I don't have that one, so I used a car image from Holiday Cakes which is similar to a car on the Nifty Fifties cartridge.

Have a great weekend!
~Sharon C.

A VERY Quick, VERY Simple Birthday Card...Alien Sighting!

Wow...it's late!  Almost my bedtime, but I'm trying to get this one in before the day is over.  My 7 yr-old son needed a card for a birthday party for a classmate, so I thought I'd make a card and incorporate a couple of challenges too.  Double...or triple, really...duty!  So I decided to make a shaped card...a spaceship with an alien...fun stuff for that age group.  Lots of sparkle too.  I just LOVE the alien's face...too funny, isn't it?  It's the face from the star in the Nikkity Knack Cat Gang stamp set...I had to get real creative for this one!!  I used an Action Wobble on the alien too...first time using one...now that's fun!  The sentiment inside reads, "Hope your birthday is out of this world!"  Quick and easy, but mission accomplished!  :-)

Recipe

Spaceship from Everyday Paper Dolls

Alien from Paper Doll Dress Up (trimmed to fit)

Green and silver glitter cardstock - DCWV Christmas and Winter Combo Glitter Mat Stack (thanks Michelle @ Scrappin with my Bug!)

Blue cardstock - Recollection gemstone cardstock

Cuttlebug Distressed Stripes folder on alien

Peachy Keen stamp from PK-630 Nikkity Knack Cat Gang (used only the face of the star)

Black and green Bic Mark-ups, black Creative Memories marker and white Gelly Roll pen for stitching/doodling

Action Wobble

I'm entering this card into two challenges:

Cooking With Cricut: Peachy Keen Sponsor - Create a project to celebrate a birthday, using your Cricut and a Peachy Keen stamp, if possible.

My Creative Time with Emma's Throwback Thursday - Make a project using Paper Doll Dress Up or Everyday Paper Dolls and include either dry or heat embossing.

Have a good night!

~Sharon C.



Becoming Friends Scrapbook Page

Happy Monday!  It is a happy one here.  We survived a hectic but fun weekend with 7 basketball events, the kids are all healthy and in school, and there's no snow falling today.  It's a good day.  Come back tomorrow and Wednesday...two days, two snow storms.  I may not be too happy then!  :-)

Today I'd like to share with you a page I made this morning.  I'm so pleased with it....even more so because it didn't take me DAYS to put together.  This one just sort of fell into place...and it makes me smile when I look at it.  The picture is of my daughter and her cousin at her 1st birthday party.  My daughter is so happy to have a little girl cousin...one who wears dresses, likes to play in her pretend kitchen and loves Elmo.  When my sister announced she was pregnant, my daughter declared to all that this would be her SISTER.  Hmmm...not quite, but she insisted that if her own mommy wouldn't give her a sister (she has 3 brothers), her aunt would.  It took a while (months), but she finally understood that the baby would not be coming to live with us.  Thank goodness!  The girls have lots of fun together...my daughter loves to spend time with her younger cousin.

Recipe

Patterned papers from Crate Paper 'Lillian' collection

Bazzill cardstock

Recollections white gemstones cardstock

Crate Paper glitter die cuts (birds and birdhouse)

American Crafts Patchwork Thickers

Branch cut from Cricut Create A Critter cartridge, embossed with Cuttlebug Distressed Stripes folder

Photo mat embossed with Cuttlebug Spots and Dots folder

'becoming' cut from Gypsy Font Cricut cartridge

EK Success dimensionals

skittle a gift from and dyed by a friend   :-)

I'm entering this scrapbook page into two challenges:

CropStop: Challenge #4 - Make a Good Impression - Use more than one embossing folder or stylus embossing design on your project.

The Paper Variety: Friendship Challenge - Use the given quote about friendship as the theme of your project. 

Have a great Monday!  Guess I should start doing my 'no snow' dance now!

~Sharon C.

Chomping Critter-Shaped Valentine's Day Card

Another Valentine's Day card for one of my children...only one more to go!!  This one is for my 9 yr-old middle son Stephen, who we affectionately call Stephen Beaven or Beav.  (His football teammates call him "Stevie Nightmare", but that's a story for another day!)  What better to make for the Beav than a beaver-shaped card from Create A Critter!

With my Gypsy, I welded the log from Create A Critter to the bottom of the beaver so it appears that the little guy is sitting on it. I then duplicated that shape, flipped it and welded those two pieces together at the top of the head to make the shaped card. I also welded 'I *heart* U' to the top layer of the log...hoping to make it look like the toothy animal had cut the phrase himself. Oh, and I popped up a felt heart in his paws...need a pink heart on there somewhere for Valentine's Day!

Recipe

Beaver & log - welded and cut with my Gypsy to make a shaped card; cut all layers

Cardstock - Recollections; Recollections Kraft

Patterned paper - scrap from my stash

Cuttlebug Distressed Stripes folder on belly

Brown Creative Memories marker for stitching/doodling

White Gelly Roll pen for stitching/doodling

Pink felt heart from local dollar store

EK Success dimensionals

"Happy Valentine's Day" stamp from Michael's dollar bin (sentiment inside card)

I'm sure Stephen will enjoy my card.  He's very crafty and creative.  Just today, he asked me if he could start his own scrapbook to keep his sports pictures.  I'm very excited to have a new scrapping buddy!  :-)



I'm entering this card into two challenges:

More Than Favors: Wacky Wednesday #23: Color Challenge - Create any project using the colors brown, green and pink.

Two Scraptastic Gals: Cricut Cartridge Chaos Challenge #3 - Create A Critter - Make a project with Create A Critter, the cartridge chosen for this week by the blog's followers.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

~Sharon C.

Winnie the Pooh Valentine Shaped Card

Happy Friday!  Well, that forecasted 5-10 inches of snow turned into a foot...and I have pictures to prove it!  We haven't had snow like this in years.  I heard that this is the 3rd snowiest January on record in Boston...we KNOW snow!  :-) 

I've had a chance to continue working on Valentine's Day cards for my kids.  My 7 yr-old son ADORES Winnie the Pooh.  My brother gave Daniel a big ol' stuffed Pooh for his 2nd birthday and Pooh has pretty much become the 7th family member in our house.  He frequently joins us at the breakfast table, has to wear a seat belt in the car and somehow flew with us from Boston to DisneyWorld a few years ago.  And Pooh is not small....here he is with my Daniel at age 2...and again last winter at age 6...inseparable!

So it only took me a second to figure out what I'd make for Daniel for Valentine's Day...here it is.  :-)  The red cardstock is very shimmery...perfect for the larger heart.  And the yellow layer of the smaller heart is a felt heart I found in a package at our local dollar store.  The color was a perfect match to Pooh.  I used Glossy Accents on the honey...looks gooey, doesn't it?  The inside is stamped "Happy Valentine's Day".

Recipe

Pooh and honey pot - Disney Pooh & Friends

Scalloped hearts - Gypsy Wanderings; welded to form shaped card with my Gypsy

Smaller hearts - George & Basic Shapes
Cardstock - Recollections
Glossy Accents on the honey
Yellow felt heart - dollar store
EK Success dimensionals
Black, red Creative Memories markers for doodling/stitching
Sentiment printed on computer

I'm entering this card into four challenges:

Cricut Cardz Challenge #59 - Make a Valentine's Day card for a child, using any cartridges or colors.

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Me Monday #44 - Neglected Cartridge - Make a project using a Cricut cartridge you haven't used in over 6 months.  I've never used Pooh & Friends before!!

Scrapaholic by Abby: SEI Challenge with Abby #2 - All About Love!! - Any project, just make sure the theme is love.

Scrappy Moms Stamps: Terrific Tuesday Challenge - Sweethearts!! - Any project that uses a cut from the Cricut Sweethearts cartridge - or a similar cut.  Well, I don't have Sweethearts, but I noticed that it has a fantastic scalloped heart on it.  I used a similar scalloped heart from Gypsy Wanderings for my card.

Have a great weekend - and stay warm!

~Sharon C.