Appreciating Nurses

About a month ago a neighbor asked me to make a card for a family member who was a nurse.  She wanted it for Nurses' Day.  I had fun designing a card that used Cricut's  Everyday Paper Dolls, (and the mask came from Teddy Bear Parade at 1/2" smaller size than the dolls).  The stethoscope and med bag came from the doctor page.

After that I decided to make a thank-you card for the staff at my infusion center.

During these difficult times these modern day heroes deserve all the thanks we can give.
Have a great day! Stay safe!  Follow recommendations so this pandemic can be brought to an end.
Rae Ann

Teen Cards for Exploring Cricut and More

Welcome back.  Today I have two cards I made from the Cricut Paper Doll Teen Scene cartridge; each figure was cut at 4 inches..

To put this handsome guy in context I used an idea from the All Sports cartridge to place the green 'field' on the card.  Then, I found the accessories I wanted in the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge.  In the Teen Scene cartridge the player is wearing his helmut.  I decided to have him holding it so his face could be seen.  A birthday sentiment is inside.

The pretty miss this is intended for is into fashion so I thought I'd just put a couple of things to represent that.  I used the Forever Young cartridge to create the tiny purse.  The sunglasses in that cartridge came out way too large so I went to Everyday Paper Dolls and found eyeglasses for one of the outfits and that worked out just fine.
Because I hadn't used a background paper the card was looking very dull - somethng missing - so I added the dashed lines around the edge and then around the squares as well.  It made a big difference.

I haven't used the Teen cartridge much but it worked out very well for these cards.  Thanks for stopping by to see them.  Take a peak at Exploring Cricut and More each day for ideas and inspiration and join us next Monday for another challenge.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

What's Cooking Challenge at Exploring Cricut

Today's Challenge at Exploring Cricut is "What's Cooking"  Create a card, layout or paper craft with something from the kitchen.  It can be a recipe book, cards, or anything kitchen related.

For today's challenge I used Everyday Paper Dolls and the alphabet from Suburbia to create an A2 card (5 1/2 x 4 1/4) that will hold a recipe.

I put small slits in the corners so a recipe card could be slipped in.  I printed out a 3x5 recipe for 'Slow Cooker Pot Pie Stew'.  I got it from Allrecipes.com which is a great place to search.  Check it out.

Join us with your entry at Exploring Cricut.  We love to see what you do with the challenge.  You might be our prize winner.
Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

Back to School Challenge at Exploring Cricut

Where did the summer go?  A whole new season goes into swing with back-to-school time.  For this challenge, participants are asked to make a card, layout, or paper project with a 'Back to School' theme and including the colors red, green, white, black, orange, and yellow and a ribbon.

I decided to make a 5x7 step-card for mine.  The teen has 2 tiny books in her bag; the concept of school is shown in the little red schoolhouse and the apple tree beside it.  (You can't miss that it's not a modern school. LOL)

The teen is from Paper Doll Teen Scene; the tiny books are made from 3 Birds on Parade.  The school is from My Community.  The apple tree is from Freshly Picked.  The greenery is from Everyday Paper Dolls.

The yellow in mine is more of a mustard yellow.  The orange is the bow in her hair.  That was a lot of colors to account for

Let us see your interpretation of this challenge at Exploring Cricut and visit each day to see what design team members are doing.  Thanks for stopping by.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

A Cook-out Invitation for Exploring Cricut

I hope everyone is enjoying this last holiday of summer.  What better card than a invitation to a cook-out.  I used the Block Party cartridge for most of it.  The bush peeking over the wall and the cloud came from Everyday Paper Dolls.

The card is a 5 x 7, a little bigger than I usually make.  This way I was able to cut the chef at 4 inches and the tiny details were easier to work with.

Thanks for stopping by.  Please, check in at Exploring Cricut each day to see what the design team has made to inspire you.

Enjoy the holiday.
Rae Ann

Down on the Farm Challenge at Exploring Cricut

Hello!  This week we challenge you to create a card, layout, or papercraft project that includes at least one farm animal.  One of my favorites is the cow from the Create a Critter cartridge.

The cute little barn is one of the related cuts; I just added the white strips to the door and a little bling heart inside the heart shape on the barn.  The flowers came from elsewhere in the same cartridge, one cut at 1 inch and the other at 1 1/2.  The grass is actually from the last page of Everyday Paper Dolls.  It's the grass with cattails.  I cut it at one inch, then trimmed off the cattails which leaves a nice grassy looking strip.
Please join us with your own design for this challenge at Exploring Cricut.  Thanks for stopping by.
Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

It's Exploring Cricut Monday again

Hello, everyone.  Is this summer off to a quick start or what?  Time seems to be flying and there never seems to be enough of it.

I'm going to share some cards I made for specific requests.
The first was for a birthday card for someone who had a background in dance.





The cake came from The Best of 2007 Cartridge.

The little Dancer is from the Ole Cartridge and the lettering is from the Suburbia Cartridge.
.

The next request was for a man who just had knee surgery and owns a shop known for trophies, awards, etc.  I knew I had just the thing.

 

The little guy is from Everyday Paper Dolls; the crutches and wheelchair, and the trophy for the inside of the card were in the accessories sections.  "Built Tough" is a cut from the Graphically Speaking Cartridge. The medal came from the All Sports Cartridge.

I love the challenge of matching up cuts for the person who will be getting the card or layout.

There is so much available in cricut cartridges that can be used to "spice up" a card.  Many are tiny items that get overlooked so I occasionally look through handbooks just to see what items are included.  I find a lot a little treasures this way.

Have some fun of your own using accessory cuts and keep on visiting Exploring Cricut for lots of inspiration.

Happy Creating.
Rae Ann



Ice Cream Month Challenge at Exploring Cricut

Welcome.  Our challenge this week is based on the fact that it is Ice Cream Month.  Create a card, layout or project that fits the theme.

I remembered a shop that used to make "the kitchen sink".  It was a sundae for a party served in an actual kitchen sink-lots of flavors, toppings, fruit;  I think it served 25 people.  My sunday isn't that big, but big enough.

I used the Pagoda cartridge for the bowl (love this one) and the cutouts from it for a little decoration on the side.  I couldn't find the ice cream I wanted so the scoops, believe it or not, are turtle shells from Create a Critter.  The bananas came from there, too; I just trimmed off the sides that made it look like a peeling banana.  The 'whipped cream' is from the top of an ice cream cone in the Best of 2007 cartridge; and the spoon is from the baker accesories in Everyday Paper Dolls.  Some goodies from my stash (I forgot I had this ribbon) and here's my yummy celebration of Ice Cream Month.

Please come join us at Exploring Cricut to see more inspiration, then enter your interpretation of the theme to join in the fun.

Thanks for stopping by; keep cool.
Rae Ann

Exploring Cricut Challenge

Welcome to another challenge.  This time, create a card, layout, or project that shows something you are looking forward to this summer.  I love going to a pool, relaxing, refreshment nearby, so ...

I made the lounge chair, table, glass and pitcher from the Block Party cartridge.  The bathing beauty is from Suburbia.  I did some strips of grass for a little variety using Everyday Paper Dolls.  The rest I just played around with to appoximate the look of a pool and patio.

What do you look forward to this summer?  Check out other inspiring projects at Exploring Cricut and enter your project to join in the fun.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

It's a New Challenge at Exploring Cricut

Welcome to our newest challenge.  For this one we ask you to create a card, layout, or project that contains AT LEAST one button, two cricut cuts, and 3 colors of paper, with an emphasis on SPRING.

I created this step card.  Flowers were the first thing that came to mind, especially tulips, and then I thought of flying kites.

The button is the decoration in her hair.
I used cuts from 5 different cartridges:
     the girl is from Paper Doll Teen Scene
     the tulips are from Spring Cottage
     the fence is from Paper Doll Dress Up
     the grass and kite are from Everyday Paper Dolls
     and, the phrase "flying HIGH" is from 3 Birds on Parade.
Most of the papers are from Recollection packs.
The kite is on a piece of wire which I attached to the backs of the cuts with Glossy Accents.

I really like how it turned out.
I can't wait to see what your project will be.  Go to Exploring Cricut to see what the rest of the design team has done.  Then, enter your creation, too.
Have fun creating.
Rae Ann

My day at Exploring Cricut

Hi!  I've been ill this past week so instead of a new project I pulled out one I did over a year ago.
The cartridge, of course, is Everyday Paper Dolls.  It's a card I made for my doctor and his staff.  The front of the card is the holiday it was made for but I wanted the inside to be non-holiday in case they wanted to keep it.  They did.  Right away they said they were going to frame it and put in up in the office.  I got a pretty good match with the clothing styles and hair-dos.  Here is the result.

There is so much in that cartridge I bet it could be adapted for anyone.  Give it a try.  And keep visiting Exploring Cricut.  There will be a new challenge next Monday.
Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

Goin' Fishin'

Hello everyone.  I won this Paper Crafting World digi at My Paper Crafting and I'm so glad I have a chance to use it so soon.

I just got this watermark from Digital Delights by loobylou.  I really like it but I struggle to put it in the phote each time; I'll get the hang of it soon.
I colored in the digi with distress markers used like watercolors on watercolor paper.  The cattails and grass, and the fish, were cut out from the cricut Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge.  The oval behind the fish was cut from the George and Basic Shapes cartridge.  I just used my Brother labelmaker for the words.
I am entering this in 2 challenges: Digi Desserts Fridaze at My Paper Crafting and My Sheri Crafts where the theme is Time to Go Fishing.

Thank you for stopping by.  Please click on the challenge name to see all the entries in these great challenges.

Happy Creating
Rae Ann

You Did It! Card

I was busy last night.  Here's another card I got made.  Our Creative Corner has a challenge to use woodgrain and a button on a card.  Woodgrain, hmmmm?  I happened to have a beaver ready from the cricut Create a Critter cartridge and I found woodgrain paper in my stash.  Eureka!

 



I imagined this little scene and found pieces for it in several carts.  The tree stump, believe it or not, is the cavegirl's dress from Paper Doll Dress Up.  The leaves on the stem are from that, too.  The clouds and the grass are from Everyday Paper Dolls.  The beaver and the fallen part of the tree are from Create a Critter.  The flowers are pieces of stickers from my stash, except for the one he is holding -- that's a button.  It's one of the cutesy buttons from Dress It Up; it has a shank on the back and instead of breaking it off I added the twine which evened the back to make it easier to glue down.  The sentiment was made on a Brother labelmaker.  Some distress ink and a leaf touch-up with colored pencil and it was done.  I really like it.

 

Please visit Our Creative Corner to see all the entries.

 

I am also entering this card in the Die Cuttin Divas challenge - Anything goes.  Visit that blog by clicking here.

 

Happy creating.

Rae Ann

 

 

 

Exploring Cricut Challenge

The theme this week at Exploring Cricut is 'Baby, It's Cold Outside.'  Think snow, winter, fun ...

My choice for this theme is from the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge.  I love how bundled up they are to have fun in the snow.

Head on over to Exploring Cricut  to see the projects made by the other designers and to enter your project by Jan.19, 10 PM eastern time.  See you there.

Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

A Manly Card

While doing some blog hopping I discovered  Tammy's Scrapin Corner.  The challenge there is a manly card and I have one ready for it.

 

 

The motorcycle is in the Everyday Paper Dolls Cricut cartridge.  I cut it out several times and paper pieced it to get the different color layers.

 

Visit Tammy's Scrapin Corner Weekly Chalenge and see other entries for these 'manly' cards.

 

Happy creating.

Rae Ann O.



Hot Tea Month

Hello!  This is my first individual posting as a member of the Exploring Cricut design team.  I am thrilled to be a part of this team.  To get an idea for something to make I looked up crazy holidays for January.  It turns out that January is hot tea month so that is my theme.

I used the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge for the tea set and the George & Basic Shapes cartridge for the oval they sit on.  The white piece was edged with a Martha Stewart punch.  The flowers were a great deal one day at the Dollar Tree; the company is Special Moments.  The sentiment is a Papertrey stamp.  All the papers I found in my scrap stash.  I hope you like it.  Now sit and relax with a cup of hot tea and be sure to visit Exploring Cricut again, tomorrow.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

A Shaped Card for Christmas

Two challenges this week call for shaped cards so I put on my thnking cap and this is what I came up with.  I'm very happy with it.

This cute little bird has lots of stability because I used the shadow cutout, made from a manila folder, for both the front and back.  Then I added the snow to stand in on the front.  The green scarf was embossed with the dotted swiss pattern, although the photo doesn't show it.  The bird, of course, is from the 3 Birds on Parade cricut cartridge; the snow is found on the last page of the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge.

I am entering this in the following challenges that both asked for shaped cards:
Fantabulous Cricut Challenges
My Craft Spot
I am also entering it in Exploring Cricut for the theme 'It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year'.

Please stop by these sites to see their DT projects and challenge entries.

Happy holidays, everyone.
Rae Ann

Christmas Mini-Album for Multiple Challenges

Hello, everyone.  I made a paper bag matchbook album based on the tutorials by Kathy Orta on You Tube.  I made it for my sister who will be spending her first Christmas in her new home in Florida with her 16-month old grandson nearby.

I am entering this album in the following challenges.  Click on the challenge to go to that site and see other entries.
Pile It On - Theme: embellishments.  My album has glitter and ribbon and a poinsetta I made and borders and cricut cut additions ...  I think this fits.
Bugaboo's Catch the Bug Challenges - A Bingo challenge.  I used a flower, red/green, and ribbon.
Little Scrap Pieces - Theme: A Holiday Project.
Come and Get It Chalenges - Theme: Anything Christmas.
Cupcake Inspiration - I focused on the red, green, and white cupcake.

Please visit these sites.

Here comes a number of photos to show different views of the album.

This is the front of the album.  Note the tiny string of light I put around the tree trunk.

This is the first page you see when you open the matchbook flap.

As you flip sections forward you have room for pictures and/or journaling.  Note the tag on the top of the insert.  I cut 2 designs from one of the cardstock papers and glued them back-to-back at the top of the insert.

Another view of inside.

I put the album on its side to show the 6 bags, each with an insert.  The front flap is the red to the right of the picture.  Each section was made from a black bag bought at Michael's.

This shows one of the inserts and the tag I put on each one.  I alternated red and green designs for the inserts.  I placed the tags left, middle, right, left, middle, right in the 6 bags.

I wanted to show the glitter on the flower but it was hard to photograph  Here you see some of the diamond stickles on the flower as well as the green studio g glitter on the curls and as seams in the palm tree.

 

Because of Kathy Orta's tutorial this album went together easily and quickly.  It was the decorating that took the time.

Product info.:  I used Recollections Winter Whimsy collection and PebblesInc. Welcome Christmas for my cardstock.

Cricut cartridges that I used: Flower Shoppe, the flower, of course; Paper Doll Dress Up for the palm tree and little plant next to it; Holiday Cakes for "Christmas" on the cover and "Merry" and "Happy Day" on inner pages.  The numbers came from George and Basic Shapes.  I always seem to use Picturesque for the curls.  The tiny string of lights is in the 3 Birds on Parade cartridge.

Other than a few index cards, the journal cards and tags were found at free sources on the internet; I'm sorry I didn't write down their names.  I just searched for 'journaling tags'.

 

Wow!  This is a long entry for me.  I hope you like it.

Happy creating and Happy Holidays.

 

Rae Ann



"Welcome" at Bitten by the Bug 2

It's been days since I've had a chance to make something and post, but I'm back now.

When I first read the "Welcome" theme I immediately thought of 'welcome home'.  And who more appropriate to welcome home than our servicemen so that's what I decided to make.

This is a 5 x 7 card.  Most of the cuts comes from the Cricut Lite cartridge, Handy Man.  The home I modified by adding the window treatments.  The words were both part of other phrases but I cut them off to use them here.  The tree I also modified by cutting it down a little.  It comes from the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge.

Although I have a nephew in the service he is in the States at this time.  I feel for those whose loved ones are far away and missed.  I think the yellow ribbon, the flag, and the child peeking out the window summarize the pride and longing families have for their loved one to come home.  I hope they all come home safely.

To see more entries at Bitten by the Bug 2, click here.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Pirate Theme at Getting Cricky with K Andrews

I was shopping today at A.C.Moore's and I was surprised to see that they had some Cricut cartridges on sale.  Only two of them interested me; I decided on '3 Birds on Parade.'  I wasn't familiar with this cartridge although I have seen a couple of cuts from it that I thought were cute.  When I saw all the costumed birds in this cartridge it made me laugh; this was the one.

So, I get home and think, "Hmmm, there's a pirate themed challenge:

I found a map facsimile among some travel themed paper.  I used the Best of 2007 Cartridge for the ship and the skull (It has the pirate from the Everyday Doll Dress Up Cartridge).  The pirate bird and the phrase are, of course, from 3 Birds on Parade.  And, the land is from the Everyday Paper Dolls Cartridge. The road, land, grass, and water that are included near the end of the choices really come in handy.

Visit Getting Cricky with K Andrews to see more of the entries in this challenge.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann