2012 Halloween Costumes

As promised here are the costumes Dee and I created for our daughter, nephew and our friend's 2 year old daughter.

First up is Miss Lily, age 2, sporting a poodle skirt tutu with belt and monogrammed onesie that we created:

Next is our 10 month old nephew, Rett, in his "little monster" costume.  (We created the hat and the tail.):

And finally is Miss Demi's handcrafted costume that she wore to a school event and didn't make it to Halloween (she lost the apron at school and I managed to pull one of the hat ties out and didn't get it repaired in time).  My Mom, Dee and I spent three days and tons of hours putting this darned dress and bonnet together!  Also pictured is the gypsy costume we pulled together that she ended up wearing to Trick-or-Treat.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all had tons of Halloween treats!

~ Jen

Market Fresh Monday Cartridge Showcase

Happy Monday -- hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  Today I am one of the featured Designers at My Paper Crafting for the Market Fresh Monday Cartridge Showcase!  I used Cricut's Tags, Bags, Boxes and More cartridge for my projects -- this cartridge has been retired, but don't worry . . . Provo Craft has added a digital version to the Cricut Craft Room.

I decided to really challenge myself and create something using some of the tags and other elements on this cartridge -- you know, from the "pieces and parts!"  I studied the handbook and decided that the rounded-end rectangle (page 101) kind of looked like the parts of a basket . . .

The rim is cut at 11 1/2" long by 1 1/4" wide.  The four side wall pieces are cut at 9 1/2" long by 1 1/4" wide.  The handle is 11" long by 1" wide.  I inked the edges with a light brown ink pad and used antique brass colored brads to attach the handle and for decoration where the rim piece overlaps.

Then I decided I needed something to go in my little basket.  Hmmmm . . . strawberries!  I welded together five oval tags (page 83), the circle tag (page 82) and the pointy-topped tag (page 87) for my tab.  I scored between all the petals and used double-sided adhesive tape to close the box sides.  The top of each petal has a small hole which I threaded a piece of 1/4" green satin ribbon through.  I pulled the ribbon through a hole in my strawberry leaf and then tied a small bow.  These little berries are the perfect size to hold a single Hershey Kiss candy!

Next up:  Christmas gift boxes!  It is almost that time of year again . . . and I always love to package little things for my youngest daughter and my nieces and nephews in cute gift boxes.  My almost 2-year old nephew, Evan, was stacking some boxes on top of each other not too long ago and the light bulb went on and this little gift box was born!

This is the square box from page 119.  The top two boxes were cut at 8" wide by 6 1/2" tall (unassembled size); the third box was cut at 9 1/2" wide by 7 3/4" tall; the bottom box was cut at 11" wide by 9 1/4" tall.  The brim of the hat is the round tag (page 82) cut at 3 1/2".  The carrot nose is approximately 1" long and is one of the shapes on page 110.  Some black rhinestones, a bit of left over ribbon and a couple of holly leaves with a berry brad finish off this adorable gift box tower.  I used some strong double-sided adhesive tape to stick the box bottoms to the box tops.  Each box opens, it is just connected to the box on top of it.

And what child wouldn't love to open one of these cuties!

They are made using the cake slice box found on page 126.  The box is cut at 11 3/8" wide by 9 1/2" tall.  I used parts one of Melin's super cute cutting files -- Santa and Rudolph -- from PaperCraftingWorld.com.  Some ribbon scraps, rubber stamp ink and pen detailing finish off these cuties!

I hope you have enjoyed my showcase today!  Make sure you head over to My Paper Crafting to see what my fellow teammate, Janet, has created with the Tags, Bags, Boxes & More 2 cartridge.

~ Jen

CWC Challenge: 3-D Treats

Happy Wednesday!  

There have been a few changes . . . CookingWithCricut.com is now "My Paper Crafting" and our weekly challenge is now called "Craft With Cutters."  The powers that be at ProvoCraft sent Melin a letter saying that she could no longer use the trademarked "Cricut" in her blog/web site title.  Thus the changes -- still the same group of crafty ladies having a blast creating with their electronic die cutting machines!!

So our "Craft With Cutters" Challenge this week was to create a 3-D treat -- no cards, no layouts and no tricks!  Here is what I created:

My sweet little nephew, Rett, will be experiencing his very first Halloween this year.  And since his Mommy always calls him "my little monster" a cute little monster costume was in order.  (This was taken last week at our neighborhood pumpkin patch -- I know I'm biased, but isn't he just the cutest baby!!)

Because the weather in Florida this time of year is always so unpredictable, we didn't want to make him anything too hot to wear.  This cute little hat is made of lightweight fleece.  I used the Cricut Mini Monsters cartridge to cut the eyes, horns and teeth.  (Yes, your Cricut will cut lightweight fleece if you are very patient.)  It will be paired with a cute little monster shirt made by Garanimals and a pair of jeans.  I've also got a monster tail in the works -- however, it is not quite finished yet.

We have been very busy making costumes (a pink poodle skirt tutu for a friend's 2 year old, a "Little House on the Prairie" dress, bonnet and apron for our 8 year old daughter and  Rett's monster costume) and getting everything ready for my daughter's class Fall Party next week.  The sewing machine and the Cricut have been getting a work-out!

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my 3-D project.  I hope you'll head on over to My Paper Crafting and check out the fabulous treats the other Designers made!

~ Jen

P.S.  Make sure you bookmark the new My Paper Crafting web site.  Oh, and I will definitely be posting pictures of the costumed cuties in the near future!

Cooking With Cricut Challenge: Pumpkins & Polka Dots

Happy Wednesday and welcome to challenge day at Melinda's Paper Craft World!  Melin challenged the Design Team to use polka dots or circles and pumpkins on our projects this week.  I made these cute and oh-so-easy lollipop holders for my 8 year old daughter's class.  

Here's the recipe:

• The little holder is cut at 6 1/2" x 2 1/4" and is scored at 2 1/2" and 4". 
• All of the pumpkins are cut at 2 1/2" wide.
• I used a ribbon punch at the top and added some 3/8" grosgrain ribbon to secure the lollipop and keep the holder closed.
• All of the paper is from my scrap stash.

Simply Charmed cartridge

Smiley Cards cartridge

Gypsy Wanderings cartridge

Digi Stamp from
PaperCraftingWorld.com

I created the back tag on my computer
using Microsoft Publisher.

Four down, twelve to go!!  Now it's your turn!  I hope you will link up your dotty pumpkin project over at Melinda's Paper Craft World . . . you might just be our next Top Chef!  Head on over and see what the other Design Team members whipped up.

~ Jen

Cooking With Cricut Challenge: Thanksgiving Card

This week our challenge at Cooking With Cricut was to create cards for the "I Feel the Love" Project founded by our teammate, Madison.  This month's outreach is to the residents of Surrey Place Care Center in Live Oak, Florida.  Madison hopes to receive enough Thanksgiving cards for each of the residents at Surrey Place.  Please click on the links for more information about the "I Feel the Love" Project and Surrey Place Care Center.

I found these beautiful canvases online and "scraplifted" the look for my cards.  Here is what I created:

And here is the recipe:

• Cricut's Celebrate With Flourish cartridge:  Turkey, Cornucopia, and Pilgrim's Hat each cut at 4" wide (all papers from the scrap stash).
• Cricut's Fabulous Finds cartridge:  text frame cut at 3" wide.
• The cards measure 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and are a rust-colored card stock.
• The mats for each card measure 5 1/4" x 4".  The 12" x 12" paper is by Recollections and is called "Script Cream."
• The ribbon is 3/8" wide grosgrain from Michaels.
• I used 3-D Crystal Lacquer on the flourishes to make them stand out.
• Shading was done using rubber stamp ink pads.

Now it's your turn!  Link up your Thanksgiving card at Cooking With Cricut for a chance at becoming our next Top Chef.  I hope you'll join us and link up your card at "I Feel the Love" and brighten the day of one the Surrey Place residents.

~ Jen

IFTL: Thanksgiving Card #3

IFTL: Thanksgiving Card #2

IFTL - Thanksgiving Card #1

It's Smorgasbord Saturday!

What is "Smorgasbord Saturday" you might ask?  It is anything-goes-Saturdays, twice a month at Cooking With Cricut.  It can be anything -- Cricut cuts, digi stamps, cutting files . . . anything crafty that is over the top or out of the box!  (You know -- anything but a card!)

I saw these cute little hay bales at Michaels not too long ago and knew they would figure in somewhere around the house in our Fall decorating.  I used two of Melin's super cute cutting files from PaperCraftingWorld.com and the Cricut Create-A-Critter cartridge.  The best thing of all -- all of the paper came from my scrap stash!!  That's right, no full sheets of cards stock were harmed in the creation of this decoration.  

Here is what I created:

And here is the recipe:

• Cutting files from PaperCraftingWorld.com -- Scarecrow Boy Sitting, assembled size 6 1/2" tall and Crow #1 from Crows, Silly Crows Set, assembled size 2 1/4" tall.  I created "backs" for both items and hot glued them to wooden skewers so they would sit up on the hay bale.  I used mini-pewter brads for the overall and cuff buttons; shading was done using rubber stamp ink pads; details added with various pens and markers.

• Pumpkins - instructions can be found all over the web for these cute little paper pumpkins (I got mine from MarthaStewart.com.).  The paper strips measure 1" wide by 6" long; there are twelve of them for each pumpkin.  The leaves were cut at 2 1/2" wide using the Cricut Create-A-Critter cartridge.  The vine curlicues were created with 1/4" wide strips of scrapbook paper; I wound them around a pencil to make the curls.

I have one more hay bale and Melin's Scarecrow Girl Sitting will grace it as soon as I get a chance to put her together! 

These little decorations turned out soooooooooo cute!!!  My Mom has claimed them for her Garden Circle meeting later in the month and my 8 year old has already said she's taking them for her class' Fall party!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend.

~ Jen