A Sparkling Birthday Challenge at Exploring Cricut and More

Welcome to our challenge week.  Create a birthday card, layout, or paper project that contains sparkle or glistter.
Here's what I did.

'Sparkly' made me think fancy so I decided a formal occasion would be the way to go.  I used a pre-cut center stem card that I bought at the Paper Cut booth at a show.  It makes it so easy.  I used my Cricut and several cartridges to make this.
Paper lace 2 -- the phrase 'Happy Birthday', cut at 1 1/2 inches;
Paper Doll Dress Up -- the top hat, cut at real size 1 1/2 inches and the gloves, cut at real size 1 inch.
Simply Charmed --the champagne bottle, cut at 2 1/2 inches; the glasses cut at 1 1/4 inches; balloons cut at 1 1/2 and 2 inches; and a bunch of confetti, cut at 2 inches.

Materials used included a glittery paper from the DCWV Safari Kids pack, and Ranger's Diamond Glitter Glue pn the balloons and confetti.  For my solid papers I like to use the Recollection brand papers from Michael's.  A couple of rhinestones finish it off.

It took a while because I had to re-cut things to get sizes I liked, but I had fun making it.

Please, add your sparkly project to our challenge at Exploring Cricut and More.  We love to see the variety of responses to our theme.

Thsnks for stopping by.
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

Back to School Challenge at Exploring Cricut and More

Welcome to this week's challenge--Make a card, layout, or paper project using any cutting machine, and use  a 'back-to-school' theme.

I used the Cricut Create-a-Friend cartridge for my card.

I've fallen in love with this cartridge.  All of the figures come out so cute and they are easy to assemble.  I think I cut most at 2 1/2 inches, the boy at 2 inches.
The paper, which looks like the kind that was used to practice cursive, was in a pack of cardstock I have called Celebrations.

Let us see your version of a back to school project at Exploring Cricut and More and please continue to visit each day to see what our design team has to offer.  Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Creating.
Rae Ann

Another Birthday card for Exploring Cricut and More

Hello, again.  This week I've been trying out my new Cricut Happily Ever After cartridge.  I thought one of the fairy godmothers and this sentiment stamp would be a perfect match.

I cut the fairies at 3 1/2 inches.  The white banner came from Cricut's Small Talk and Frames cartridge.  The stars were in the Cricut Create a Friend cartridge with the little ballerina.
I still have one more fairy to do, a blue one.  I don't know which I like more; they're all so cute.

Inside is a simple "Happy Birthday" cut from the Cricut Create a Critter cartridge.  I didn't realize I used so many different cartridges until I started this list.  It's great to find the little accessories in different cut collections

Please continue to stop by Exploring Cricut and More  for daily inspirations from our design team.  And, join us next Monday for another challenge.

Happy creating.
Rae Ann

Christmas in July Blog Hop

Welcome to the Exploring Cricut and More Christmas in July Blog Hop.  If you are following the Hop you should have arrived from Donna'a blog, www.kindredcreations.blogspot.com.   If you just happened by and would like to atart at the beginning go to Exploring Cricut and More for the Blog Hop list.

 

The theme, as I said, is Christmas in July.  There is blog candy available for some lucky winner along the way if you are a follower of Exploring Cricut and More.

 

I wanted to make a shaped card for my project.  Except for the words, everything was cut at 5 inches.  The papers came from a Recollections pack called 'Botanical Noel' which I bought at Michaels.

 

I used the following Cricut cartridges to made this card:  Small Talk, Frames and Tags for the background shape;  Winter Wonderland for the snowflake; and, 3 Birds on Parade for the words.  (I ended up cutting the words once at 1 1/4 inches and once at 1 inch and using the words of similar size for this card.  Originally, one is smaller than the other.)

There is a crystal rhinestone in the center and I added silver lines along the snowflake to glitz it up.  I wish it showed up better in the photo because it looks great.

 

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the blog hop.  Your next stop is Emily at www.emilyqueenofallthingscrafty.blogspot.com.

 

Happy Creating

Rae Ann







A Cars Centerpiece for Exploring Cricut and More

Hello, again.  After the centerpiece I made with the Cricut Best of Pixar cartridge I thought of how cute the Disney Pixar Cars would look.  So, now I own that cartridge, too.  Here's what I made.

 

 

I try to use 4 inches as the size of the cuts for centerpieces (I have a Personal Cricut and the maximum cut is 5 1/2..  I think I had to reduce McQueen (the red one) to 3 1/2 inches because it cut so wide.  The road signs are 2 inches.  Some ultr-tiny pieces didn't get into the cut but it's not possible to see where and sometimes a fine marker can make up for it.  I love how this cme out.

 

Like the previous one, the long lollipop sticks come 20 to a pack at Michael's.  The pail and curly stuff came from the dollar store.

 

( I also made an Alice in Wonderland and a Nemo centerpiece.  These are so much fun to do.)

 

Thanks for stopping by.  Please, visit Exploring Cricut and More for new ideas each day.

 

Happy Creating.

Rae Ann



Crafter's Choice Challenge at Exploring Cricut and More

Welcome to another challenge week.  This time it's totally up to you.  The only condition, besides using a cutting machine, is to use two cuts in your project (card, layout, or paper project).

I've been searching the web for inspiration and saw the centerpieces that are made with die-cuts.  I just got the Cricut Best of Pixar cartridge and I thought this would be a great project for the Incredibles.

.The figures are cut at 4 inches, except for Dash; I think I did him at 3 1/2 inches.  The sticks were bought at Michael's.  They are long lollipop sticks from the cake and candy section.  The glitzy red is a bow I bought at the dollar store.  Also at the dollar store were bags of marbles in those net bags.  I just dropped a bag in the bucket (also a bargain) and eased the sticks through the netting and between the marbles.  The weight of the marbles adds to the stability, too.

This was a fun project and, like the tissue box cover, I have so many other ideas of what I can do to make really cute (and cheap) decorations.  With so many cricut cartridges the possibilities are endless.

Please share the project you choose to make with us at Exploring Cricut and More.  Visit each day to see what our design team has been up to.

Thanks for stopping by and, as always, Happy Creating.
Rae Ann