Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Cooking With Cricut Challenge: Father's Day

Our challenge this week at Cooking With Cricut was to whip up a Father's Day treat!  I have been a card-making fool this week -- with a Dad, Step-Dad and Father-in-Law all to create for. 
First up . . . Grandpa you're DINO-MITE!  This card measures 8 1/2" high x 5 1/2" wide.  The base card is plain white card stock and the mat is a patterned paper from my stash and it measures 8 1/4" x 5 1/4".  Here are the cartridges used and sizes --

Create-A-Critter:  Dinosaur cut at 3 1/2" high; Dino mite cut at 2 7/8" high; Star burst mat cut at 5" x 5"

"Just Because" Cards:  "you're" cut at 1 3/8" high

Calligraphy Collection:  Happy Father's Day (inside card) cut at 3" high

Mickey Font:  "Grandpa" cut at 1 1/4" high

Chalk, ink and some pen detailing finished off this super cute card.  I loved the way this turned out so much that I did a variation of it with different papers for my daughter's Papa and Gramps, too!

Next up . . . a Train Card.  My Dad loves trains.  For as long as I can remember we've always had a train running under our Christmas tree and one frequently taking up residence on the dining room table.  My Dad's life-long dream has been to have a "train room" -- one room dedicated to his collection, with room for permanent lay-outs and all of his train stuff.  Now that all my siblings have flown the coop, married and started their own families, he finally has space and has started construction.

The card measures 5 1/2" square and is made from a Bazzill card stock.  My World is the only cartridge I used on this card.  The train is cut at 4 1/4" wide.  I added some detailing with pen and then "antiqued" it a bit with a brown ink pad.  The blue strips are cut at 5 1/2" wide x 1/8" high.  The Kraft colored mat is cut at 5 1/2" wide x 3 1/2" high.  The pocket watch stamp is by The Moon Rose, Yaphank, NY.

Top Dog card.  This card is for my dog-loving Step-Dad.  Stan has two beautiful golden retrievers named Max and Moe.  They are affectionately referred to as "The Boys."  The card base is a 5 1/2" square Kraft card stock.  Here are the cartridges and cut sizes --

Easter 2010:  Blue mat cut at 5" and salmon mat cut at 4 1/2".

Create-A-Critter:  Crown cut at 1 1/2" high.

Doodlecharms:  Dog cut at 3 1/2" high.
The paw and bone rubber stamps are by Stamp Craft, San Rafael, CA.  The inside sentiment was printed from my computer.  Some chalk, pen detailing and a few gems finish off this card.

I have one more card to finish and then I'll post it for you.  I'll give you a hint of what is to come though . . .  my Father-in-Law loves Westerns -- Gunsmoke, Bonanza and anything with John Wayne!

Thanks for taking a look at my Father's Day creations.  I hope you'll  link up your Father's Day project at Cooking With Cricut!  Hop on over and take a look at what the rest of the Design Team whipped up!

~ Jen

P.S.  I have entered my cards in the following challenges: 

Whimsical Wednesday Father's Day Challenge
Crazy About Cricut's Thankful Thursday Challenge
My Craft Spot's Monday Challenge

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Cooking With Cricut Challenge: Pick Your Poison

It's Wednesday!  And that means it's Cooking With Cricut challenge time!  Melin's challenge to the Design Team this week was to use our favorite cartridge and our favorite color -- "pick your poison."

Paper Doll Dress Up and Everyday Paper Dolls are two of my all-time favorite cartridges.  I use them more than any other cartridge I own -- except maybe Create-A-Critter!  Those of you who have been "following" my blog for awhile will recall that I have made a perpetual calendar with a changeable 12" x 12" topper.  So I created a "June" topper for my calendar (here are links to March, April and May's toppers) using my favorite cartridges.  See if you can guess what my favorite color is!



All of the paper, with the exception of the 12" x 12" Bazzill Splash, are from my scrap stash.  Here are the cuts by cartridge:

Paper Doll Dress Up ~  Palm Tree cut at 7 1/4" tall.  Dolls cut at 4 1/2" tall with clothing and accessories cut to fit.

Everyday Paper Dolls ~  Waves cut at 12" wide.  Sandy beach cut at 12" wide.  Clouds cut at 1/2" tall and 1 1/2" tall.  Sandcastle cut at 1 1/2" tall.  Shovel and bucket cut at 1 3/4" tall.
 
Cindy Loo ~  Text and shadow cut at 2" tall. 
 
Chalk and various pens added the finishing touches.

So have you guess what my favorite color is yet?  I used five different shades of it!  If you guessed . . . .

BLUE . . .

then you guessed correctly!  Of course I'm kind of partial to orange, too!

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my project.  I hope you link up a project with your favorite cartridge and color at Cooking With Cricut ~ you could be this week's Top Chef! 

I hope you'll pop on over to Cooking With Cricut and check out the rest of the Design Team's projects.  Have a great week!

~ Jen



Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Cooking With Cricut Challenge: Use Tangerine or Yellow

Happy National Gingersnap Day!  Our challenge this week at Cooking With Cricut was to use these pictures for inspiration:













And use two of the following colors:  Tangerine, Yellow, Cream - Vanilla, Ginger - Brown, Green, and Kraft, White or Black as accents.

I created an autograph book for my daughter to take to school for her friends and teachers to sign during the last week of class.  She is part of a multi-age program and the 2nd graders in her class are "graduating", so I know she'll want to have them sign her little book.  And her teacher is getting married and moving to South Florida -- so of course she'll have to sign it too!  Demi's school mascot is a tiger -- however, there are no cute tigers on any of the cartridges I own, so T - I - double G - ER to the rescue! 



The book cover is mat board that I cut on my Cricut with the deep cut blade.  I then covered it with a scrapbook paper called Tangerine Tonal Stripe by Rob & Bob Studios - ProvoCraft (c) 2002.  The inside cover is covered with Chuck E Cheese Collection Stripe by Blue Sky Designs (c) 2004.  The pages are white card stock.  Both were cut using the Tags, Bags, Boxes & More cartridge.  The white lined paper is a freebie that I printed.  The text is from the Mickey Font cartridge and is cut at 1/2" high.  Tigger is cut at 4" wide and is from the Pooh Font cartridge.  The yellow ribbon with the orange stitching is from Michael's.



The "1st grade" sign is from the Locker Talk cartridge and is cut at 3 3/8" wide.  My daughter's name was cut from the Pooh Font cartridge at 3/4" high. 

There are approximately 15 pages in this autograph book.  I used cuts from Doodlecharms, Locker Talk, Hello Kitty Greetings and Sesame Street Friends cartridges to decorate the pages.  Making sure to leave plenty of room for the Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd graders to sign their names.




Thanks for stopping by!  Hop on over to Cooking With Cricut and see what the other Design Team members were inspired to create.  And I hope you'll link up your own Gingersnap-inspired creation!  You could be this week's "Top Chef!"

~ Jen