A Grad Tag With Fabric

Hi!  As my title suggests, I'll be entering several challenges today.

I cut the tag at 3" (double thickness) from the Cricut Picturesque cartridge.  The grad cap came from the Cricut Create a Friend cartridge (I set the cap and gown at 4" and was able to stop the cut because the cap was cut first).  The yellow stars were cut at 1/2" from the George and Basic Shapes cartridge.  I just rolled a piece of paper and made the scroll.  I hand-made the rosette.

You can't see it here but I fringed the top and bottom of the blue fabric with the big star on it.  The challenge at Shopping Our Stash is to include fabric and I've had this piece around for ages.

The challenge at Bitten by the Bug 2 is Graduation.  The challenge at Die Cuttin' Divas is tags.
I started with the fabric and designed the rest so I could enter all three.

A happy side comment--I won the Cricut Air machine prize in the Fantabulous Cricut #300 Blog Hop.  I am thrilled!!!

Be sure to visit each of these blogs to see what everyone has done.  It takes a lot of work and coordinating to keep these challenges going and they need to be appreciated.

Thanks for stopping by.
Happy Creating!
Rae Ann

Tissue Box Cover for a Young Girl

Welcome.  I've decided to get back into cricut challenges again.  The challenge at Fantabulous Cricut is to make a Kid's theme project and this tissue box cover I just finished is just right for it.

 

The girl figures were cut from the Cricut Create a Friend cartridge, at 3 1/2 inches.  The corners on the top were cut at 1 inch from the Picturesque cartridge.  The vertical edges were made using a border punch on both sides of a 1 1/2 inch strip of paper.

The basic box was made from medium weight, acid-free cardstock which I purchased through Marcos Paper.

These boxes take a good bit of time but they come out so nice.  I also made one (minus the lace) for a young boy with sports figures from the same cartridge.

 

Thanks for checking it out.

Happy Creating.

Rae Ann

Another Monday for Exploring Cricut and More

Welcome!  I've been trying to use cuts that I've never used before from my Cricut cartridges.  As I thought about it, I realized that the Forever Young cartridge has a lot of stylized flower cuts that I've never made use of.  Here's what I did.

The flowers were cut at 1, 1 1/2, and 2 inches from the Forever Young cartridge.  The sentiment was cut at 1 1/4 inches from the Cricut Paper Lace 2 cartridge.  I really like the look of this and also the 'Happy Birthday'.  The corner in the lower left is my favorite from the Cricut Picturesque cartridge, cut at 1 inch.  The striped background piece was created with an Impression Obsession cover-a- cartd stamp.  I like how the card turned out.  I think I'll made more like this.

I'll have another card made from cuts I hadn't used before when I post my next blog in 2 weeks.  Don't forget; next week will be another chanllenge at Exploring Cricut and More

In the meantime, keep checking in with the daily design team projects for inspiration.
Happy creating.
Rae Ann

My Tissue Box Cover for Exploring Cricut and More

Hello!  Months ago I created some Alice in Wonderland cuts from the Cricut Disney Classics cartridge.  I said then that I would probably use them on a tissue box cover.  I FINALLY DID IT!  It seemed to take forever to make the cover and to cut the background sheets and the edgings.  But, now that I've done it I can go through the process fairly easily.

I used the directions and measurements from splitcoaststampers/.  That is a super website for all kinds of instruction.
The cuts from Cricut's Disney Classic cartridge (say that fast) range from 3.5 inches to 4 inches.  For the vertical edges I cut a strip of paper 1.5 inches wide and  used an edge punch on both sides of it.  I scored down the middle and folded it so it would 'hug' the corners of the bos.
On top of the box I used the top of an actual tissue box to trace the oval opening and cut it out by hand.  (Now I have an oval cutter.)  In the corners I put 1 inch corner designs that I made with the Cricut Picturesque cartridge.  I had the lace in my stash.

Now that I made this one I have all kinds of ideas.  Imagine a box with animals from Create a Critter for a toddlers room or the heads of princesses for a little girl.  There are so many possible figures in the Everyday Paper Doll cartridge - a pirate theme, sports. ...  Don't forget the Pixar cars for boys.
Oh, if only I had enough time.
I hope you like this and might try to do one of your own. It's addicting.
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Please continue to check in at Exploring Cricut and More to see what the rest of the design team has been doing.
Happy Creating

Rae Ann

Wedding Challenge at Exploring Cricut and More

Welcome to this week's challenge.  Make a card, layout, or papercraft with a wedding theme, using only black, white, and a splash of one color.

 

 

For this card I used the Cricut cartridges Sweethearts and Picturesque.

 

The heart was cut at four inches.  It has diamond glitter (hard to see in the photo) all around the edge.  The ribbon on the bells has it, too.  The corners, from Picturesque, were cut at 1 inch.

 

Please join our challenge with your project.  Share it at Exploring Cricut and More and check in everyday to see what our design team has been up to.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Creating.

Rae Ann

Crafter's Choice Challenge at Exploring Cricut and More

Welcome, again.  For this crafter's choice challenge at least one pattern and solid cardstock must be used.  A sentiment stamp I haven't used was the inspiration for this card.  With a sentiment about wishes I had to make a genie.

The card itself is pre-cut and scored from The Paper Cut, a vendor that was here at the Heirloom Productions RubberStamping and Paper Arts Festival last weekend.  The genie and her accessories are all from Cricut's Paper Doll Dress Up.  You can't see her cute bare midriff because I folded her arm to make it look more like she is holding the lamp.  She was cut at 3 inches; the genie lamp was cut at 2 inches; and, the genie's bottle was cut at 2 1/2 inches.  The cityscape was cut at 1 1/4 inches.
Other Cricut cuts were from Paper Lace 2 (the rounded rectangle behind the genie), designs from Picturesque (cut at 1 inch) and the sentiment base (cut at 1 inch) from Phrases.

I added some gold glitter to her hair decoration and her necklace, some diamond glitter to the bottle and 2 little purple gems to the sentiment.

Even with the card all ready to fold it took a bit of time to put this together.  It was fun.

Please join our challenge with YOUR CHOICE (with at least one pattern paper and cardstock) and post it at Exploring Cricut and More.  Visit everyday to see all the great ideas our team comes up with.  I look forward to seeing your entry.
Thanks for stopping by.
Rae Ann

Count Your Blessings Challenge at Exploring Cricut

Welcome to another challenge.  The holiday stretch is approaching (as any store will demonstrate) and we are reminded by Thanksgiving of how much we have to be thankful for.  Our challenge is to create a card, layout, or any other paper craft with a Thanksgiving theme.
I love the Pilgrim Bird in the 3 Birds on Parade cartridge so I decided to showcase him.

I bought the background paper at A.C. Moore; I wanted something that expressed 'bounty' and this field of pumpkins was the closest to what I had in mind.  The pilgrim was cut at 4 inches.  I used the Phrases cartridge to cut the background for the stamped sentiment and cut it at 1 1/4 inches.  The corners (which are always great fillers) came from Picturesque and were cut at 1 Inch.  I even trimmed some off of the lower corner. I hope you like it.

Please join our challenge this week with your project with a Thanksgiving theme.  Enter them at Exploring Cricut and continue to visit us each day for ideas from the design team.

Thanks for stopping by.  Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Some Cards and ATC's

Wow! It seems like such a long time since I've posted. How does so much fit into so few days?
I finally had a chance to catch up with things I need for a Yahoo group swap that I'm in.  Here's a look:
This swap is anything with butterflies on it.  I made good use of my cricut , Picturesque and Phrases, to create this one.

This next card needed to use watercolors on it.  I rubbed distress inks on a sheet of plastic and used them as watercolors with a wet brush.

And, last but not least, these ATC's are based on a favorite quote as a focus:

If felt good to be working on these.
Thanks for stopping by.
Rae Ann

A Flower Challenge at Exploring Cricut

Hello Everyone!  Are you getting a taste of spring yet?  To keep you in the mood for spring our challenge asks you to create a card, layout, or project that contains a flower.  I created this tag.

I used Cricut Flower Shoppe to create the flowers, Picturesque to cut the tag (at 3 inches), the reinforcer for the hole and the leaves. and Cindy Loo for the swirls.  The quote is from a Close to My Heart set that I bought at the recent stamping show.  It's called Woman Quotes.  This one is Mae West who states, "Too much of a good thing is wonderful."  I think that applies to flowers.

Please join us with your project at Exploring Cricut.  We look forward to seeing your creations.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Luck of the Irish Challenge at Exploring Cricut

Hello, everyone.  We have a new challenge startring today at Exploring Cricut.  Make a card, layout, or papercraft using a shamrock for St. Patrick's Day.  Here's what I came up with:

The leprechaun is from Cricut's Paper Doll Dress Up; the shamrock is on that same page.  This is the first time I've used my Peachy Keen face stamps.  Isn't he cute.  The sentiment was cut using the Phrases cartridge; the flourish came from Picturesque.  I used vintage photo distress in to lightly edge the leprechaun.  On the shamrock I used the metallic gold from Ranger.  The papers, lace, and green rhinestones were found in my stash.

I can't wait to see what you do with this theme.  Join us at Exploring Cricut for this week's challenge.

Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

A Blue Angel

Hello, everyone.  I'm having fun learning (by trial and error) how to color digis.  This Sherri Baldy angel is so cute.  I made the background and embellishments more simple because I thought she should be the focus.  This seems to be my style - somewhere in-between 'clean and simple' and 'chunky'.  Here she is:

Her wings were edged with a light blue and then Diamond stickles were added.  They look great.  On the edge of her skirt I used a yellow glitter pen.  The patterned papers are from from current favorite pack from Recollections, Paisley and Damask.  The decorative corner for the inside is from cricut's picturesque.  The stamp was purchased at Michaels (I think).

I'm entering this in the following challenges.  Click on the name of the challenge to see all the entries.
Besties Challenge (Sherri Baldy)- 2 Shades of Blue
Created with Love Challenges - Things that Fly
Digi Makeover Challenge at the Paper Makeup Stamps Blog - Anything Goes
Alphabet Challenge Blog - Anything with Wings

Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

Here's Cupid

At Bitten by the Bug 2 the challenge is to include a cupid or a heart.  This gave me a reason to use the Cupid Bear in Teddy Bear Parade.  These bears are so cute!

A little bit of vintage photo distress ink helps to accent the cuts.  I used the Phrases cartridge to create the hearts.  I used the same one, 1/2 inch difference, on floral paper and white, then added the word 'love' from the same cartridge.  I'm using these corners a lot lately; I like their design and they make a nice filler.  They come from the Picturesque cartridge.  A couple of rhinestones from my stash and it was done.  I like the delicate look it has.

I am entering this card in Bitten by the Bug 2 (include a cupid or heart) and My Craft Spot (For your sweetheart).

Be sure to visit both challenges to see all the entries.

Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

Be My Valentine at Digi Darla's Challenges

As soon as I saw the theme I knew this little guy would be perfect.  Doesn't he look like he's going a-courtin'?



 

I've been experimenting with using distress markers as water colors.  I think I'm getting pretty good at it.  I used the cricut cartridge Create a Critter for the triple hearts and the cartridge Picturesque for my favorite corner shape.

To see all the entries at Digi Darla's Be My Valentine Challenge, click here..

 

 

Happy Creating,

Rae Ann















Be My Valentine Challenge at Exploring Cricut

Welcome.  Come join our challenge at  Exploring Cricut.  Make a card, layout, or any paper craft with the theme "Be My Valentine".  Here's my contribution as a design team member.

This is an easel card.  I'm in love with this little Queen of Hearts from Teddy Bear Parade.  I used the Picturesque cartridge for the decorative corners and a circle from the same cartridge for the message backing.  By accident, I found a description of how to write words in a circle on Microsoft Word - it's so easy and I never knew you could do it.  Click here for instructions.
On the circle I added a small, gathered piece of toulle,(if that's how you spell it, LOL) a glitter sticker heart, and 2 stickpins that I made.  Overall, I had a lot of fun with this.

Have some fun of your own and enter it in the challenge at Exploring Cricut .  I looking forward to seeing you there.

Rae Ann

Thank You

I saw a Saturated Canary digi on another blog site and it really caught my eye.  I ended up getting 2 of their images and this little miss Thank You is one.

 



I haven't been coloring digi people for long.  I used colored pencils to have a bit more control and I'm very happy with how she turned out.

This is an easel card.  The patterned paper on the base is from a Recollections pack called Paisley and Damask.  The curly corner was cut with the cricut Picturesque cartridge (I use that one a lot).  The oval came from that cart, too.  A Martha Stewart punch was used on both sides of a strip of paper for the band across the base.  The 'thank you' was a $1 stamp I found at one of my local craft shops and the flower stickers are Special Moments I got on a lucky day at the Dollar Tree.  A bit of leftover lace runs down the left side of the front.

I had trouble getting the free digi at My Paper Crafting and, although all the samples have hearts, I didn't see that the digi had to be a valentine.  (I am over-valentined at this point) soooooooo
I am entering this card in Digi Desserts Fridaze at My Paper Crafting.   Click here  to see all the entries.

I hope you like her, too.
Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 196

The inspiration photo for this challenge is a beautiful pink cupcake with the icing shaped as a rose.  The color plan is pink, cream, and kraft.  I wanted to try the triple stamped project from splitcoaststampers and this was a great opportunity.

 

 

It's an interesting technique; I wish my stamp had been a little bigger.  I'll be playing with this technique more to see what it can do.  The corner swirls are from the Cricut Picturesque cartridge.

 

Please visit the Cupcakes Inspiration Challenge Blog to see all the entries by clicking here.

 

Happy Creating.

Rae Ann



An Envelope Mini-Album

I'm beginning to think I'm psychic.  This is the 3rd time recently that I've been working on a project and it turns out to perfectly match a current challenge theme.  This one will be entered in the Fantabulous Cricut 'Get Organized' challenge.  (I'M ALSO GOOFY! I NAMED IT INCORRECTLY.  I USED GREEN BAGS I BOUGHT AT MICHAELS, NOT ENVELOPES.  ENVELOPES I'LL USE IN MY NEXT ONE. Sorry.for the error.)

My sister moved to Florida last summer.  Every so often she emails me pictures which I save on the computer or sometimes print out.  They're not too handy to look at that way so I decided to make a place to collect them.  I used the envelope mini-album demonstrated by Steph Miller on You Tube.  It's definitely a work-in-progress because I have more to add and more will be coming.

Jennifer Rzasa was kind enough to explain how she created a picture collage for her site (Our Change of Art) so I can save you from scrolling through 10 photos.  I didn't want to display faces on the internet without their permission so I made little post-it-note cover-ups.

I'm finding wonderful phrases appropriate to pictures throughout the cricut cartridges.  So far, I've used Phrase, 3 Birds on Parade, Graphically Speaking, Holiday Cakes and Picturesque.
I had a lot of trouble getting these pictures in here today.  But, here they are.  Please go to Fantabulous Cricut to see the other great organizational projects being entered in this challenge.

Happy creating.
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



Give Thanks

This is a very popular theme right now so I will be entering it in a number of challenges.  Check the list below and visit these sites for all the awesome entries.

This cute pilgrim came from the Cricut 3 Birds on Parade cartridge.  I got the little elements from 4 others - a benefit of having multiple cartridges.  The leaves and pumpkin came from Everyday Paper Dolls; the fruit by the pumpkin came from Paper Doll Dress Up; the banner for 'Give Thanks' came from the Phrases cartridge; and the swirls came from Picturesque.  I added glitter to the leaves and swirls which allows the pilgrim and fruit to stand out by contrast.  Those birds make me smile.  The little pieces were a great use for scraps and the background piece is from a pad of autumn papers I forgot I had.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

I'm entering this card in:

Pile It On - Let's Be Thankful - click here.
Little Scrap Pieces - Happy Thanksgiving - click here.
Fantabulous Cricut -1st Thanksgiving - click here.
DL.ART - Thanksgiving - click here.
Shopping Our Stash - Thanksgiving - click here.
My Sheri Crafts - Give Thanks - click here.

Happy Creating,
Rae Ann

Autumn Colors with Thanks

Hello!  I have a card that I will be entering in 4 challenges. Click on the name to see other entries.

Crafts with Cutters -- Anything, use your stash;
Go Fish  -- Yellow and Orange;
Crafter's Cafe -- Thank You;
Paper Playtime -- Autumn Colors.

To make this card I used 3 Cricut cartridges:  Phrases, Flower Shoppe, and Picturesque.  From my stash I found papers I forgot I had, the laser cut doily, and my rhinestone bling.  You can't see it but there's glitter along the top, on the center vein of the leaves, and at places along the swirls.  I hope you like it; I do.

Have a great day. 
Rae Ann