Faux leaves

Hello!  Here is a card I created for my hubby.  We are coming up on our 10th anniversary and are so excited to be going away for 3 days by ourselves for the first time ever!  I love how this card came out...the leaves look really cool!  Here is a quick video showing you how I made them (since I have had a few people ask ;) )

(I am pretty new to making videos.....so don't be too harsh :{

Back to School mini album.

Hello everyone.  Well...we are finally settling into a routine and I am hoping to be able to post fun projects more often!  Hopefully a couple of times a week at the least.

Today I have a cute little mini album that I am going to fill with photos from my daughters year at preschool.  My baby just turned 4 last week and she now goes to preschool 3 mornings a week.  I will be adding more embellishments when I add photos....but at least I have the album done and ready to add the photos and finishing touches as we go through the year! 

Check out more mini albums at our blog: Cricut Mini Albums

For this project I used Heidi Grace papers from the We are Family line and the cartridges Learning Curve and Plantin Schoolbook. (If you don't have those cartridges you could easily use George to recreate some of the details).  I also used Home Decor for the cute little bird that happens to match the bird in the papers quite well. :)

I have a .gypsy file for you to create this little backpack.  Please leave a comment if you grab my file and I would love to see your project!!!!

http://www.mediafire.com/file/5l17jrikx50od82/backpack%20mini%20album.gypsy

Season 2010 is over

Well the carnival season is over for this year and I made a layout with some pictures of the kids enjoying the last weekend.

I don't have the Carousel cartridge so I created this carousel using my Gypsy.  I love using my G to create images that I don't have on any of my cartridges.  I really like how my carousel turned out!


The cartridges I used are:
Fabulous Finds, Summer Vacation, Animal Kingdom, George and Basic Shapes, Happily Ever After, Plantin Schoolbook

Creating images with the Gypsy is lots of fun.  For the Carousel I used the Carousel from "Carousel" (does that make sense? LOL) as a template and then found images that I did have linked to recreate it.  I used the horses from Disney Happily Ever After.  Then I used some rectangles from George to create the elements of the base; the horse poles; and the canopy.  I used the border from Plantin Schoolbook.  I had fun using the skewing feature to transform some basic triangles from George into the perfect canopy.  

If you would like to grab the file; feel free to do so!  

Carousel

I figure I can create most any image that I want with all the cartridges I already purchased and once thought....I won't have to buy any more cartridges.  Ha.....I still buy them when it is something I really like or if it is at a price I can't pass up.  I love PC products!!!!!

If you have an image you would like me to try to create leave me a post and I would love to try my hand at it!!! 

A Beautiful Angel!

My mom asked me to create a mini album for her friends son and daughter who recently gave birth to a still born.  This was a difficult project for me....such a delicate subject.  I hope they enjoy this little book that captures their beautiful angel.

This week it is Dealers Choice over at Cricut Mini Albums so be sure to visit our blog for more great minis!


The cartridges I used for this project are Create a Critter and Everyday Paper Dolls.  I wanted the clouds to be glittery and I didn't have enough of the white glitter cardstock so I used some Glitter Glaze from lil' Davis Designs to coat the clouds front and back.  Then I brushed on some baby powder.  This worked great!  Any glitter glaze that was tacky was covered in powder and then it wasn't tacky anymore and it still looks great!  It also adds a hint of scent to the book (although I am not quite sure if that is a good or a bad thing in this situation :( )  I then used some Tim Holtz distress inks (tumbled glass) around the edge of the clouds to give them some depth.  


For the baby on the cover I used some chalk to pull out the cuts of the face and add some dimension to the outfit.  Then to finish off the album I added some flowers here and there.  I tried to keep it pretty simple and I didn't leave a lot of room for journaling as it is a sensitive subject.  There is a hidden pocket to slip in the obituary.


(I used a photo editing tool to cover up the photos; out of respect for the family)

(I found a fun and free photo editing tool called Picnik....I will have to play more with it!  www.picnik.com )

Why I should win an Imagine?

Of course, I, as much as anyone else would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to win Provo Crafts newest must have machine; the Cricut Imagine.  Have you seen this baby?  It does everything!!!!  Design; print; and cut.  It prints designs that will match your favorite paper companies colors...how cool is that?  I would be so extremely; jumping off the floor; excited if I would win an Imagine.  Such an amazing machine!!!!!  I would post videos and projects on my blog and share how much I love it.  I would share with my local friends and we would create amazing projects.  I would love to be able to save money by printing out all of my own patterned paper!  That is what it is all about right?  Provo Crafts machines are a bit pricey….but if you think about it….it is going to save you so much money in the long run!!!!!

I am lucky enough to have a husband that allows me to have this “addiction” for Provo Craft products.  But….at this moment in time….purchasing an Imagine is not going to fly!  The only way for me to get one is for one to drop out of the sky; the price to drastically drop; or to win one.  Chances of all 3 are slim to none…..but as they say; you can’t win the lottery if you don’t play; right? 

I am the mother of 4 beautiful children; but the only way I keep my sanity is to make time to craft.  I craft with the kids often and when the house is finally quiet at the end of the day….that is when I relieve my stress by creating a paper tornado.  If I win an Imagine……my family will be happy because…..If Mamma ain’t happy….ain’t nobody happy!  LOL

Now….I don’t have a heartfelt story to tell….I have been rather lucky I suppose; to have a pretty healthy family.  My 8 year old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 2….but that is a piece of cake compared to what many others have to deal with.  The grass is always greener…but really there is always someone out there that has it much worse than you.

I wish everyone who enters this contest the best of luck and may someone who truly deserves a pocket full of sunshine be blessed with this awesome prize!!!!

If you are reading this post and want a chance at this awesome prize (c'mon....who wouldn't?) then visit this blog: www.cricutimagine.net 

You don't want to miss this!!!!!!

Check out  http://obsessedwithscrapbooking.com/  for your chance to win an awesome Workbox! 

This month The Original Scrapbox has a shipment of Limited Edition Workbox.  Some really awesome styles!  For your chance to win visit Joy at: http://www.obsessedwithscrapbooking.com/2010/08/want-to-win-workbox-and-giant-cutting.html

Mini memory notebook

Today I have a little mini notebook that I made for my daugther.  We travel all summer on our family owned carvinal and my kids meet new friends in each town we visit.  We travel to the same towns each year and my kids make some friends that they get to know when we are in the neighborhood.  I thought my 8 year old would like a little notebook to help here remember all of her summer friends in.

I used Walk in my Garden to cut out the flowers and the word Friends.  I used foam dots to pop up the flowers inside this super cute little wooden flower pot.  I used a metallic marker to color the flower pot.  I attached the little bee with his wire under the paper strip.  I used a bind it all to create the pages.  A very simple and cute project for this week :)

I hope you enjoy!!!

Check out the other summer minis over at the cricut mini albums blog: www.cricutminialbums.blogspot.com

Do you like the little flower pot and bee?  Well then you might just like to leave me a comment!  I will be sending one blog reader a little baggie with a bee and pot.  You have until August 2nd to leave a comment and I will choose a random winner on August 3rd.