4th of July Cricut Crawl–Red, White, & Blue Challenge!

Welcome to the 4th of July Fantabulous Cricut Crawl - Fantabulous Cricut's version of a Blog Hop!!

In honor of the 4th of July holiday, we're having a Red, White and Blue Crawl.  Each Design Team member has created a fabulous project using Red, White and Blue as the main colors, and of course at least one Cricut cut!

If you came from Amy’s blog at www.craftingwithamy.com, then you're in the right place!  If you've just happened across my blog and would like to see all the fabulous Design Team creations head on over to Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog to start at the beginning.

Make sure to check out each DT member's blog!  There will be Blog Candy along the way at some of our DT members' blogs, and there will be a Grand Prize up for grabs at FCCB for one participant who submits a "Red White and Blue" project at FCCB!

For my project I decided to create a scrapbook layout for my Grandsons first 4th of July! I can’t wait to take photos of him for this page!

I used 3 Cricut carts plus Cricut Craft Room Basics. You just can’t beat CCR for designing projects using multiple carts! The carts used on this layout are Stand & Salute, Independence Day, Plantin Schoolbook, and CCR Basics. I cut the exploding fireworks at the top from Stand & Salute in different sizes using glitter cardstock:

Plantin Schoolbook was used to cut out the title “My First Fourth”!

Independence Day was used to cut out the banners under the title above and the firecracker below:

To create the photo mats I resized a simple scalloped rectangle shape from CCR Basics, cut two and layered them with a piece of the patterned paper from the stack ‘Vintage Nation’ by The Paper Studio that I used throughout the layout.

After I added some ribbon to the mats I popped them up with foam tape on three sides and then added two more smaller mats behind them with stars attached so they can be taken out and used for additional photos or journaling. The stars were cut from Plantin Schoolbook.

I attached some red paper twine to the back of the banner and then attached it to both sides of the layout with my Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher. I love those tiny staples!

 

Thanks for coming by to see my new 4th of July layout for my Grandson! And for doing so, I am offering some Blog Candy – a 5x7 Anna Griffin embossing folder! All you need to do is leave some blog love (comment) below. If you decide to follow my blog, you’ll have an extra chance to win. Also, I’m just about 30 followers away from having 300 (YEA!!!) so if I reach 300 this week, I’ll be adding an extra surprise to the winner’s Blog Candy!!!

Now start hopping uh crawling to see what the rest of the talented FCCB Design Team has created for you! Your next stop is Catarina at http://blog.docerelashop.com/.  Make sure to visit all the stops along the way and when you get done, make sure you link up your project to FCCB's Fantabulous Cricut Crawl post!!

Happy Crawling!!

Here is the line up in case you get lost:

Amy HS  http://thestampingtree.blogspot.com/

Amy T   www.craftingwithamy.com

                                            Angie  http://angiespaperpassion.blogspot.com <<—You are here!

Catarina  http://blog.docerelashop.com/

Cindy  http://www.cindyvernon.blogspot.com

Connie  http://www.conniecancrop.blogspot.com

Emily  molliemugsblog.blogspot.com

Felicia  Sweetcreativemess.blogspot.com

Heather http://scrappingrunnercreations.blogspot.com/

Jackie  http://luv2scrappp.blogspot.com/

Jilliene  http://jillienedesigns.blogspot.com/

JoNeita  http://createwithjoneita.weebly.com/index.html

Kim  ogdendoll.blogspot.com

LB  http://www.coolbeansbylb.blogspot.com/

Lynn  http://mycardsnstuff.blogspot.com

Michelle  http://justanutterpapercrafter.blogspot.com/

Missy  http://www.quickchickdesigns.blogspot.com

Nikki  http://craftycalamities.blogspot.com/

Rebecca  craftingmisfit.blogspot.com

Robin  http://robinscreativecottage.blogspot.com/

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Oh Baby! Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #161

Good morning! It’s time for another challenge on the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog and the theme this week is “Oh Baby” – create something for a new baby. Well, my project, at first glance, doesn’t really look like it’s for a baby – no pastels, baby booties, stroller, etc. but it really is for a new baby! I created this for my new grandson, Charles! (Such a BIG name for such a little baby! LOL) And he is new – in fact, today he is exactly 4 months old! So this is what I made for his room -

It’s a framed split letter monogram with his name in the middle! I should have take a better photo because I don’t think that you can tell by this one that the vinyl is just on the glass and there is no back to the frame. I did it in a “big boy” color and frame so he could keep it in his room for several years.

I learned how to do this during NSD this month over on the Cricut message board. Our wonderful and talented Narelle did a tutorial on her blog. So please visit her blog here – The Non-Crafty Crafter – to learn exactly how to make this with your Cricut. Narelle did an excellent job of explaining how to do this and she even has a video! (Thanks, Narelle!) You’ll only need to use the Cricut Craft Room and the alphabet cartridge of your choice! I used the Plantin Schoolbook cart to recreate my Split Letter Monogram! But the possibilities are endless depending on your font and design. It’s very easy to do, too!

While I had my vinyl out, I continued to create a couple more projects with it – another gift for baby Charles and something for Memorial Day. I’ll post those this week so please stop by again!

Thanks for visiting and until next time, Happy Crafting!

A Quick Valentine’s Gift!

Here are a couple of quick projects for those last minute Valentine's Day gifts. The first one is a simple note card:

I cut the cardstock at 3x6 to make this into a 3x3 card and added a 3x3 piece of patterned paper to the front. The scalloped border is from my 'old faithful' cart - Plantin Schoolbook! Even with all of the newer carts around this one still is a wonderful cart with so many great images. I cut out about 10 borders in cardstock at 0.5". I also used Accent Essentials to cut out the heart in glitter paper at 2.25". After inking the edges of the scallops, I adhered them to the card by staggering the borders, added a piece of ribbon with glue dots, and the heart with small pop dots. Once finished I decided that it needed one more thing so I punched out a tag shape (Jewelry Tag) and stamped a Valentine's sentiment (Teeny Tiny Wishes) on it and adhered it to the heart with a tiny red brad. Both the the punch and the stamp are made by Stampin’ Up! Then I was satisfied that it was finally finished!

Next is a Tag Treat Holder:

Again, I used Plantin Schoolbook. This image is on page 71 (shift/Italic). It's one of those images that I often don't pay attention to and skip over but it makes a cute little treat holder by scoring it in the middle and folding in half. It was cut at 8" with the Fit to Length feature turned on with my Expression and scored at 3.75" and again at 4.5". I added two little hearts cut with the shift/Tall Ball feature (found on the same page) at 2.5", adhered them on to the tag, and tied it together with some twine. This would be great to give to someone with a piece of chocolate inside (think Ghirardelli chocolate squares! Yum!)

I think I will put both of these little gifts into this gift bag that was made with Plantin Schoolbook (see, I told you it was still a great cart!):

This was cut with the Fit to Page feature turned on. After putting it together with Scor-Tape, I adhered some ribbon and my flower on it. I cut three flowers out at 3” each, the leaves were cut out at 2”. After the flower was cut, I inked all the petals and rolled them towards the back with a paintbrush to give them some dimension. For the brad, I took a plain silver one and applied VersaMark ink to it and then a pink shade of ColorBox ink. I then dipped it into some Iridescent Ice embossing powder by Stampin’ Up! and used my heat gun to melt it on the brad. Instant color change! You can use this little trick to alter any metal brad to suit your needs. Now you don’t have to have every color of brad in your stash! (Or DO you?!?!)

  (Click on the photos to enlarge any of the images)

I also just want to say “Thank You” to Carolyn and Gena from The Crafty Scrapper in Waxahachie for inviting me to teach at the shop this past weekend. I had such a wonderful time and I can not wait to go back to teach (and shop) again! My students were the GREATEST and I now have 5 more crafty friends! Thanks to all of you for signing up! If you live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area (or coming to visit) and have never been to The Crafty Scrapper then get there as fast as you can! They have a wonderful and knowledgeable staff, great classes, and the shop carries everything that you need for scrapping & crafting.  It is THE place to go here in North Texas!

Today is also my day as Guest Designer over at Cricut FANatics! Please stop by to leave a comment and to see what the other designers have created!

So whatever you give (and receive) this Thursday, I hope that all of you have a sweet and happy Valentine's Day! Thanks for visiting and until next time, Happy Crafting!

Halloween Treat Box

I want to share a Halloween treat box that I designed in the Cricut Design Studio some time ago. This was before the CraftRoom and all of the wonderful cartridges that we have now with the boxes and bags. I used square, rectangle, and tag shapes from Plantin School cartridge to create this treat box that you can use for many, many more occasions other than Halloween. These would be cute for other holidays, birthdays, showers, and wedding favors just by changing the colors and adding an different topper. Oh, and of course, changing the treats inside! I will post the CDS file on my blog for anyone who’d like it.

(Don’t you just LOVE the purple M&M’s?)

This is the box after it is cut with the Cricut.

Now just score! Starting from the left (the side with the window) score at 1”, 3”, 4”, 6”, 7”  and 9”. Turn 90 degrees and score at 1” and 3”. (This cut was embossed with the Big Shot)

Place Scor-Tape on the ends on the 4 tabs.

Cut or punch out a square piece of transparency paper that is slightly larger than the window opening. I used a 1 3/4” punch. Use the Scor-Tape to adhere the transparency to the underside of the window opening.

(I tried to take a photo of the top to get the transparency but I can’t tell if you can see it or not)

Put it all together and you have a treat box!

Do not adhere the back flap. This is where you will add your treats!

Decorate the top….

and the inside and you’re done! I used Chic & Scary for the spider web on this one and I used Happy Hauntings for the tombstones in the first photo.

Here’s the link to download the Candy Box CDS file - Candy Box - CDS

I will be recreating the Treat Box in the Craftroom and will post the CCR file tomorrow!

Thank you visiting and I hope that you enjoyed today’s Treat Box! Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Until next time, Happy Crafting,

Cricut Info & Supplies Used:

Designed by: Angela Cromwell

Cartridges Used: Plantin SchoolBook, Happy Hauntings, Chic & Scary

Cricut Machines Used: Cricut Expression, Cricut Design Studio

Other Supplies Used: K&Co. cardstock, Sixxiz Big Shot, Tim Holtz Tattered Banners Die, gemstones, Scor-Tape, pop dots, transparency sheet, square punch, ink, stamp by Stampin’ Up, PC embossing folder, Scor-Pal