My first take...

Last December, I decided to go ahead and pay for the exclusive membership for Cricut Circle. Yeah, I am now an official Circlet! I got my kit for almost a month now and I've actually used already the Shall We Dance cartridge that came with it. Being a charter member, I have the access to the Cricut Circle blog and so far I've been browsing and reading it and so far so good.  I was actually overwhelmed with gorgeous creations from the DT as well as the members. Last month, I was thinking of joining the monthly challenge but because of the holidays, it was just impossible. Since departure for Europe will be set for next fall, I now have all the time in the world to do crafting after one project to another. Yehey for that, although I know it makes my DH sad.

I decided to take my first plunge on the Cricut Circle Monthly Challenge - Scraplift. There is a bit of few rules that requires from every participants. The fun part is they are giving away these awesome prizes:

1.) Cricut Cake machine
2.) Cricut Cake Chef Hat and Apron
3.) Creative Memories Seasons Cartdige
4.) Creative Memories Reminisce Cartridge

Rules are as follows:
1.) Scraplift a project seen in the Cricut Circle blog.
2.) Use two or more cuts in the project
3.) Use products from at least two of their sponsors.
4.) Challenge is open ONLY to Cricut Circle members.
5.) Deadline for entries will be on Jan 30th 2011, Sundat at 1159 MST.

As I was browsing the blog, the cookie pops of Nancy Damiano had caught my fancy. She posted the project in December 18 and she used Cricut Cake machine for the project. Here's a picture of what she made:

I didn't make cookie-pops but I hope my entry will be close enough to hers.  BTW, she makes awesome scrapbook LO's and love them!  She puts so much details into her work...

Here's my take for this challenge:

 I die-cut 3 circle shapes, from George Cartridge then dry embossed them using Cuttlebug machine and embossing folders.  Then I cut another 3 circle shaped with the dimention of 5 1/2 using George cartridge and then punched around the edges using MS corner craft punch. After which, I started die-cutting my heart images and its layer pieces using Love Struck 2010.  I matted them the hearts in a red foil doilies just to add some sparkle.  Once done, I adhered the replica cookies in a skewer.

I start looking for jars in the house and the next best thing I found are three empty clean mushroom jars. 

I was debating if I should use the lid or if I would just drill a hole or just let it be open like what Nancy did with her project.  In the end, I opted for the latter. 

Then I found some nice pink/purple Daisy D patterned paper that I used to dress-up the jars. Adhered it, added square diecut with "Dad" word on it and embellished it.   Next, I look for my clear goody bags, shoved it inside the jars, trimmed the excess using pinking scissors then filled it up with red M & M chocolate coated peanuts.  I used M & M's in replacement of the pebbles then I tied the bags with red twisty ties,

inserted the skewers with fake cookie-pop and added some curling ribbon.  Presto, I got myself an entry and sweet treat to send for my DH who misses his family so much.  But boy, I worked on this project all night.

 

BTW, I am also using this project too as an entry to Emma's Throwback Thursday Challenge - HEARTS. 

Please check her site and join in the fun. As an added note, I got a notice this morning informing me that my Creative Time stamps were already mailed!  Woot!  Woot! I can't wait to play with them..

This treat will be mailed to DH soon and it will come with this awesome gift that I'm sure he would love while killing time.

 

 

Happy Valentines Day in advance Hon!  Hope you like your gifts...

RECIPE:
PAPER: American Craft, Bazzill Basic Paper, Daisy D's, GP 110 white and PTI
TOOLS: Cricut Expression, Gypsy, Cuttlebug machine, embossing folder, MS Edge craft corner punch, PC paper trimmer, Making Memories acrylic paint, paintbrush, ATG, and Zig 2-way glue pen

CARTRIDGE: George (circles & squares) and Love Struck (hearts)

EMBELLISHMENT: Lace, curling ribbons, Recollection flat-back pearls, Recollection acrylic shapes and Heidi Swapp bare chipboards 

OTHERS: Skewers, clear goody bags, twisty ties and M & M's chocolate coated peanuts

Goodluck to everyone and if you are still not a member of the Cricut circle, I suggest you think about it really good.

For my Babe... my forever and my everything...

I am entering this card to Ms. Emma Aguilar's Throwback Thursday "Cricut-less" Challenge.  Woot! Woot! I am finally able to join her and her creative followers again.  Sometimes, it's really hard to push yourself when your muse suddenly disappears.  Well, thanks to my sweet darling daughter.  She was the one who pushed me to make cards.  Actually it was more of a selfish reasons since she really wants me to make her a card for Daddy. 
Going back to the challenge, the rule is so simple for this week.  She wants us to make a card entry that is Cricut-less, with some kind of a 'thank you' theme/sentiments and you gotta use old school tools.  Here's my take:

I used TGF Miss Anya Love stamp.  All these Miss Anya stamps are so sweet.  I colored the image with Copic then adhered the image to a die-cut doily mat.  I got the doily dies from MFT.  Then, I matted the image and diecut again on Wilton doilies. If you noticed the image is sitting in a sort of dried grass/leaves, which I hope represents the current season - Autumn. The dried grass/leaves was a homemade fluff (flower soft), which I will blog later..

Made the sentiments from a set of sentiments/words stamps from Stampendous. Then embellished the cards with some flowers, glittered ribbon and some flourish bling from Prima.

RECIPE:

PAPER: DCWV, GP 110 white and some unknown CS brand

STAMP: The Greeting Farm and Stampendous

INKPAD: Memento Tuxedo Black

OLD SCHOOL TOOLS: Cuttlebug machine, MFT doily die, MS edge punches, PC paper trimmer and ATG gun

COLORING: Copic markers

EMBELLISH: Glittered ribbons, Prima flowers and Prima bling

OTHERS: Doilies and homemade fluff (flower soft)

Hope my Baby will like the card I made for him.  I misses him so much...SAD, SAD, SAD

Throwback Thursday Challenge

For weeks now, I've been trying to play at  Ms. Emma Aguilar's Throwback Thursday Challenge  yet too  many things are going on with our lives and this was the first chance I get to play with her weekly challenges. 

Anyways, the rule for this week's challenge is to create a "SPORTS' theme project, using "Sportsmania" cartridge or any old cartridges that has sports relevance.  My little boy had been bugging me for weeks now to make a project using Disney - Pixie Cars.  But nothing would fit the images on the cart until now.  I made the design while being out yesterday afternoon and been cutting images and doing paper piecing almost the whole night.  With this design, I combined Pixie Cars and Everyday Paper Dolls cartridges.  I really had a hard time doing this card but I was so pleased with the result...

I am not really in the mood to ink the edges of the card so I decided to use my precision pen and white jelly roll pen.  I also added some bling, bunch of baker's twine from the Divine Twine and some stamp sentiments.  I also used Peachy Keen faces.

When my baby boy saw this card, he started chanting non-stop, "I want it for my birthday"...

RECIPE:

PAPER: Embassy, PTI, MS, Stampin up!, CTMH and DCWV

STAMPS: Peachy Keens, Autumn Leaves and Fiskars

INKPADS: Memento Tuxedo Back,  Versamark

TOOLS: Cricut Expression, Gypsy, MS Score board (scored the trophy just to give a little dimention), Fiskar circle punch, PC paper trimmer, Marvy Uchida heat tool, 

CARTRIDGE: Disney Pixie Cars, Everyday Paper Dolls

EMBELLISH: Baker's twine and metallic bling

OTHERS: Jelly roll pen, precision pen and white embossing powder

To note, lately, I've been joining some hard challenges and I think the harder the challenge, the more I am having fun!