CTO Challenge #89: Pumpkin Please

Hello everyone,

I probably won't post again before Thanksgiving so I hope you will have loads of family fun time and good food.  Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Our project for this week at Celebrate the Occasion is Pumpkin Please! We are challenging you to create a project with a pumpkin on it.

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog is having a Thank you card challenge so I an linking my card there.

I edited the Jack-O-Lantern card on the Wild Cards Cartridge with my Gypsy to make this card. I had to make the base cut a few times to make the layers.

What was used:

Cricut Wild Card

Cricut Gypsy

Inkadinkado Filigree Fall Stamp Set

We R Memory Keepers Cardstock

Basic Grey Mellow Equinox Pattern Paper

Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Recollection Bling

I hope you will find a few minutes out of your Thanksgiving Holiday to join in our challenge at CTO. Thanks for stopping by and have fun shopping on Black Friday!

Happy Scrapping!

Judy

CTO Challenge #79: Get in Shape!

Hello everyone,

If you are looking for my FCCB Trains, Planes and Automobiles Post click HERE.

Its Tuesday time for a new challenge up at Celebrate The Occasion. This week we our challenge is everything shape card! No squares or rectangles allowed! So 'Get Into Shape' with us!

I made a butterfly shaped card. I love butterflies! I popped up the wings on the front of the card.

What was used:
Cricut Gypsy
Cricut Birthday Cakes
Inkadinkado Kathy Davis Expressions Stamp set
MME Market 6X6 Paper Pad
Recollections cardstock
Twine
Butterfly Charm
Ranger Tattered Rose Distress Ink

I hope you will join us at Celebrate the Occasion this week for this challenge. The DT have made some really cute shape cards to wow you!

Happy Scrapping.

FCCB Challenge #128: Trains, Planes and Automobiles

Hello everyone,

I hope you are having a wonderful day! I had a crazy week last week with getting ready for a big promotion for the classes I teach and helping to plan our block party! Both on the same day! The block party was a huge success and I had loads of sign ups for my classes but I am so happy to be back to a little less stress.

Lets get into our challenge this week at Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog! This week we are challenging you to make a project with some sort of automobile (planes, trains, cars, bikes, etc). I used Everyday Pop Up Cards to make a pop-up card. I have had this card for  awhile, used it a few times but never did a pop-up.

I used my Gypsy to size the airplane onto the pop-up card so that I pop-up image would have the layers.

What was used:
Cricut Gypsy
Cricut Everyday Pop Up Cards
Recollections cardstock
DCWV Metallic cardstock
Ribbon from my stash
Ranger Broken China Distress Ink
Black Bling

Now that I am back on target I have to announce the winner of the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mask from the FCCB blog hop two weeks ago.

The winner by Random.org is......

....... The Busy Bucharoo! Congrats I will be contacting you for your mailing address.

I hope you will stop by FCCB and join in this weeks challenge.

Happy Scrapping!
Judy

CTO Challenge #73 - Ice Cream

Hello everyone,

Hope you are all having a wonderful week. I have been very bust trying to entertain my two little ones, I am still finding a tiny bit of time to sneak in a little card. Its Tuesday so there is another challenge up at Celebrate The Occasion. This week our theme is in honor of Ice Cream Month. We challenge you to use an ice cream somewhere in your project.

For this challenge I made my first Swing Card. I love the effect so since making this card I have made one other. This post is really heavy on pictures but I just wanted to show you the different sides to my card.

Closed View

Opened Slightly

Front Panel

 Fully Opened

Showing the swing panel

What was used:
Gypsy
Cricut American Alphabet
Cricut Elegant Edges
Sizzix Dots Embossing Folder
Authentique Free Bird Patterned Paper
We R Memory Keepers cardstock
Recollections Cardstock
My Pink Stamper Ittty Bitty-licious Stamp set
My Favorite Things Feeling Froggy Stamp set
Offay Stylish Accent Ribbon Rose
Inks and Bling for my stash

I hope you will visit Celebrate The Occasion this week and join in with our challenge. The DT have made some fabulous projects to inspire you.

Happy Scrapping!
Judy

CTO Challenge #72: Star Struck

Hello everyone,

If you are looking for my FCCB post please click HERE.

There is a new challenge up at Celebrate the Occasion. This week our theme is Star Struck. We are challenging you to create a project with at least three stars on it.

The search of my Gypsy for stars brought up the border that I used on my card. I welded the shadow to  a rectangle to make the base of the card. I used some PP behind it to show it off. Then I cut the border in pink and adhere to the card base .

I really like the color combination of the card and I really tried to make the stars the main focus of the card.

What was used:
Cricut Gypsy
Cricut Georges and Basic Shape
Cricut Wall Decor and More
My Pink Stamper Lunchbox Thoughts stamp set
DCWV The Spring Stack
DCWV The Glitter Stack
American Craft Cardstock
Memento Rose Bud Ink
Twine

I know our DT have created some gorgeous project, so please stop by CTO and give them some love and I hope you will join us this week for our challenge.

Happy Scrapping!
Judy

FCCB Challenge #120: Sunny Days

Hello everyone,

Its another Monday so there is a new challenge up at Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog. We are challenging you to make a project with a yellow sun. Although its my week off from the DT this week I wanted to join in with the ladies for two reasons.

1) The theme Sunny Days. I still can't get over the weather in the Cali Bay Area it hasn't rained in months. It always Sunny Days here but we could use some rain.
2) I am celebrating a huge milestone in my weight loss journey. I have been on Weight Watchers for one year. I have lost 52 lbs and I have just reached the top end of my health weight range. I still have 9 lbs to go so my journey is not over just yet!

So I made this card to celebrate me! I have been enjoying the sunny days hiking in the Bay Area hills (with girlfriends).

 I also made the card interactive by making the sun a slider moving up over the hills.

I also used one of My Pink Stamper's sentiments from her Never Give Up set. When I saw this set I just had to have it because this particular sentiment has been my mantra throughout my journey. 

Here are some before and after photos of me. In the first photo I cutting from a Gypsy for the first time. The second was taken in December 2011 and the last photo shows me with one of my hiking girlfriends about a three weeks ago.

What was used:

Cricut Pink Journey (walker)

Don Juan (sun)

Everyday Paperdolls (grass, hills and path)

Stand and Salute (clouds)

Gypsy

My Pink Stamper Never Give Up Stamp set

Studio G $1 punches (for the flowers)

Inks and Stickles

Recollections Basics Light Blue Distressed Paper

Cardstock: Recollections and We R Memory Keepers

I hope you will join in with us this week. I can't wait to see what you will come up with.

Happy Scrapping!

Judy

FCCB #117 - B-B-Q Time

Hello everyone,

Its time for a new challenge at Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog. This is last 
challenge in my first term as a FCCB DT member. I said  first because I was 
chosen to continue on with the DT for a second term. I am really excited about
 that. Before I get into this week's post I would like to say goodbye to the ladies 
I served with in the over the past four months and say welcome to the ladies 
I will be working with for the next four months. 


This month's theme is B-B-Q Time. Make a project using hotdog, hamburger, 
etc (BBQ or Picnic foods). This month I was inspired by beautiful summer shape
cards in Paper Crafts Magazine. I made a hamburger shaped card.

 

Close up of patty

Close up of the flag

I could not keep it way from my son. He really does not like eating meat like 
most almost 5 year olds but it it is in the form of a hamburger he will 
happily eat it up! 

What was used: Cricut Gypsy
Paperdolls for Everyday (hamburger)
Simply Charmed (text)
Create A Critter (flag)
DCWV Summer Dream Stack
We R Memory Keepers cardstock
Recollections cardstock
Queen and Co Pearls
Inks 
Toothpick



Please visit FCCB and see the DT project and help to welcome the new DT 
members and say goodbye to the ladies leaving the team. Also please join 
in our challenge this week.


Happy Scrapping! 
Judy

FCCB Challenge #115: Father's Day

Hello everyone,

Its Monday! Time for a new challenge at Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog. This week our challenge to you is Make a cake using an outdoor theme; hunting, fishing, hiking etc. 


This theme is perfect for a Father's Day card for my husband. He has been so excited about hiking since our move to CA. I have also been loving our family hikes too. Its so nice to get out and move, its part of the reason my weight loss have been going so well. 

I love this cut! He looks almost as happy as my husband on his hikes.  Here is family shot of us on one of our hikes.

What was used:
Cricut Car Decals Cartridge
Gypsy (to hide contours to get a blackout cut)
Hero Arts Celebrate Everyday Stamps
American Crafts Rue Alphabet Stamps
DCWV The Guy Stack
Recollections Basics Light Blue Distressed Paper
Cardstock: Recollection and Bazzill
Colorbox Olive Pastel Chalk Inks


Hope you will join us this week for our challenge at FCCB. Stop by and see the fabulous DT projects. I can't wait to see your cards.


Happy Scrapping
Judy

Gypsy-less Update

Hello everyone,

I have been told to call Provocraft to report my problem with my Gypsy since my USB broke off.  I have received a couple of messages saying this is a known problem with the Gypsy.

Unfortunately for me my Gypsy is out of warranty for now 7 months over the year so they won't do anything for me. Instead I have to buy a new (or used) Gypsy, then I have to pay to mail it and the old one to Provocraft so that they can update the serial number on the new Gypsy and then they will send it back to me, should take about a month after they receive it.

So now I thought may I'll give Craftroom a try.
Problems:
1. I had 165 files in my Gyspy they are not alphabetized when imported into Craftroom. Can you imagine find one file?

2. All the carts that came free on my Gypsy: Wonderings, Smiley Cards, etc I can't access anymore! I called and ask them to if they can make them accessible to me in Craftroom, they said they can't (but you can buy digital copies of them if you want to!).

3. If you have linked your carts to your Gypsy you CANNOT link to Craftroom. This means changing carts in the machine every time I need to cut something.

4. All my files and anything to do with Craftroom is off in the WWW, so if I need to cut anything I MUST have internet connection! Lets hope their machines don't get corrupted!

I am not a happy Cricuteer! Hope you are having a better day!

Happy Scrapping!
Judy

I am Gypsy-less!

Hello everyone,

I am very sad today :-(

I sadly have to say goodbye to my Cricut Gypsy. The USB port where it connects to the computer and Cricut machine broke off. You can hear it rattling around inside. There is no way to connect it to anything so I can't use it. It is also out of warranty since I have had it for over a year and a half.

Luckily I had backed up my files in October last year so I imported them into Craftroom and I just recreated the files that were made since then. So now I have to learn to use Craftroom. I am surprised how  much of a learning curve it is, when I compare it to the services on my Gypsy, but I guess it still is a work in progress and they are always updating it.

I really don't think I will buy another Gypsy, although I will miss the freedom to create on the go (you have to have internet connection for Craftroom to design or cut).

So I put my Gypsy back into its box with all its accessories and gave it a nice burial in the back of my closet. If I am lucky to get another one then I will have to pull it out again and send to Provocraft for them to use the same serial number in the new one.

Anyways its goodbye to an old pal.
Gone too soon!

Happy Scrapping!
Judy

Celebrate the Occasion # 44: Christmas Shape Card

Hello everyone,

I would first like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year. This past year has been very good for my crafting. I served on a few DTs and shared a lot with you all. Thanks to all my followers new and old. Thanks for all the wonderful comments that you leave for me they are always inspiring. The last couple of months have been quite hectic for my and my family but I am slowly getting back into the swing of things so I promise to share more with you soon.

Let get onto this weeks Challenge from Celebrate the Occasion. We are still in a Christmas mood and we would love to see some cute Shape Cards. I thought I would made a snowman shaped card for the Challenge. I found two cute little guys and I couldn't decide between them. They are both cute, let me know what you think.

 

Side by side for comparison

What was used:
Cricut Hello Kitty Greetings
Cricut Winter Frolic
Cricut Gypsy
Heidi Grace Designs HG EG Jolly Cardstock
Cardstock: Recollections, We R Memory Keepers, DCWV Glitter, American Crafts Foil
Inks and Bling from stash
Background paper from DCWV The Homemade Christmas Stack

This project is also my last post as part of the DT for Celebrate the Occasion. I have served with them for a whole year and had a blast! We had a DT call which closes today so I hope you got your entries in. The new DT will be revealed on December 27. Good luck to everyone who submitted.

Happy Holidays and Happy Scrapping!
Judy

Celebrate The Occasion Challenge #36: Fall Theme

Hello Everyone,

My family and I have now moved into temporary housing in California. I am missing my old home and my friends terribly, but I am loving this CA warmth. We won't get our household stuff (and my scrapbook stuff ) until mid November. I am having weird withdrawal symptoms, but I am really excited because the home we will eventually move into will be walking distance to JoAnn's!

This project I made a few weeks ago for our weekly challenge over at Celebrate the Occasion. Our theme this week is Fall! I made my first shaker card for this challenge. The idea is you are inside looking out of a window with a oak tree outside and the leaves blowing about.

I used my Gypsy to make the base of the card and used strips of pop-dots to keep the layers apart so that the little leaves can move around when you shake the card.

 

Inside

I found the cutest little poem on line that I printed and put on the inside of the card. I found it here.

Falling Leaves
Little leaves fall softly down
Red and yellow, orange and brown
Whirling, twirling round and round
Falling softly to the ground

Little leaves fall softly down
To make a carpet on the ground.
Then, swish, the wind comes whistling by
And sends them dancing to the sky.

What was used:
Cricut Gypsy
Cricut Christmas Solutions (Window)
Cricut Everyday Paper Dolls (Leaves)
Cricut Paper Dolls Dress Up (Tree)
Transparency
Recollections Basics Light Blue Paper
Cardstock: Recollections, The Paper Company

Please join us at CTO, see what the DT projects and wow us with your brilliance.

Happy Scrapping!
Judy

Breast Cancer Awareness Card

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share a card I made for Breast Cancer Awareness month. Celebrate the Occasion has Breast Cancer Awareness for their challenge this week but I also wanted to participate in the Link Up for Pink hosted by Celeste, Gaby and Yolie, I have had their button on my side bar for sometime now.

Click the link and join in too.

I made a tall card and cut the words on my Cricut using my Gypsy.

I am linking this card to:
Celebrate the Occasion: Breast Cancer Awareness
Touched By A Butterfly, Just Yolie and Gaby Creates: First Annual Link Up For Pink 
Create Me Pink: Pink White and Black Challenge

What was used?
Cricut Gypsy
Cricut Gypsy Font
Recollections Cardstock
Me & My Big Idea Breast Cancer Paper Pack
E.K. Success Chain Of Hearts Edger Punch
Ribbon from stash
Bling brad
Ink

I wanted to send out my support to all my sisters in the fight or have won their fight and love to the families of those who lost their fight. We should all do all we can to know more about this disease because it can easily be any one of us.

All my love XOXO
Happy Scrapping!
Judy

Animals Circle Accordion Card

Hello Everyone,

I have this idea for an accordion card and thought I would combine a couple of challenges in making it. I always like to support my girls over at Celebrate the Occasion on my week off and I thought that this would a perfect shape for my card. I have to admit I went a little picture crazy on this post but I am really proud of my card. I will have to try a square one in the future because this circle one doesn't easily stand my itself.

The scalloped circles are each 4 inches and they were welded together on my Gypsy then rotated on the page so that they could be cut. I used one of my new favorite carts for the images, Nate's ABCs. The trouble with a 4 inch working area is that the images have to be cut smaller to fit in the frame and that meant I had to cut at 1.75 to 2 inches and some of the pieces were so tiny that I could hardly see them on the mat so I had to use my markers to add details.

I am also liking the sun on each scene, which is made up of twine wrapped around a few times on a punched circle.

 

I am linking this card to:
Celebrate The Occasion:  Circle Shaped Card (Any Occasion)
Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Me Monday: #74 'Birthday Bash'
Cricut Cardz Challenge: #89 'Its a Jungle Out There'
Patches Of Pink: Thursday Link Up Party

What was used:
Gypsy
Cricut Nate's ABCs (Images form 1.75 to 2 inches)
Cricut Elegant Edges (Base scalloped circles)
Cricut Georges and Basic Shapes (circles)
Cricut Once Upon A Princess (clouds)
Recollections Basics Light Blue Paper
We R Memory Keepers Cardstock
Divine Twine Green Apple, Cotton Candy, Lemon, Aqua and Orange
Buttons from stash
Inks

I hope you will visit these blogs and see the wonderful creations all the DT have made.

Happy Scrapping!
Judy

My Pinkalicious Blog Hop Friday (August 2011)

Hello everyone,

The monthly blog hop at My Pink Stamper is back on with her new DT. I love participating in her hops and this month she will even have a drawing for a Cricut cart and one of her stamp sets.

Her Challenge this month is for you to show off your style. This one was a little hard for me my style is always to try something different. I do love blue as well so I thought I would incorporate that into the project. I love the Nursery Rhymes and A Child's Years carts so I thought I'd use a cut from one of those. I also love the versatility of the Elegant Edges cart especially if you have a Gypsy so I used that too. I do love nice clean lines though, I am not too good with grunge or vintage styles.

I also used My Pink Stamper Everyday Life Stamp set which I received as a gift from Robyn for my Honorable Mention (for that post click here). Thanks so much Robyn.

 
What was used:
Cricut Nursery Rhymes (Pat-A-Cake cut at 2.5 inches)
Cricut Elegant Edges (Card base (with Gypsy) and topper at 4.25 inches)
My Pink Stamper Everyday Life Stamp set
DCWV Cotton Bloom Stack
American Craft Specialty Ribbon: Haute
Imaginisce I-Rock Hot Gems
Black Ink and Embossing powder

I have visited the stops on the hop and there are some really cute projects out there. Thanks for popping by.

Happy Scrapping!
Judy

Celebrate the Occasion Challenge #24: Kids Birthday

Hello everyone,

This is my first project for the new term on the Celebrate the Occasion's Design Team. There are so many wonderfully talented people on the two teams and I am humbled to be joining them.

As usual if you join in with our challenge you have a chance to be entered into our monthly drawing for an amazing prize. The theme this month is 'Kid's Birthday.'

This card is very special because I made it for my little friend Joshua Barry who is turning 3 years old today and he loves dragons! Unfortunately he is also moving way across the other side of the country with his family today. His mom and I are really good friends and great scrapbook pals. I am gonna miss them so much.

On the inside I stamped 'Have the HAPPIEST Birthday' from My Pink Stamper Fabulous Phrases Stamp set.

What was used:
Cricut Gypsy
Cricut Birthday Cakes (Castle cut at 2.5 inches, Dragon cut at 3.5 inches)
Cricut Everyday Paper Dolls (Sun cut at 3.75 inches
Cricut A Child's Year and George and Basic Shapes (grass welded on Gypsy)
Cuttlebug Polka Dots and Tiny Mosaic Texture Embossing Folders
Recollections Basics Light Blue Distressed
Cardstock: Recollections, DCWV, K&Company Recycled Grass Greens
My Pink Stamper Fabulous Phrases Stamp Set
Colorbox Chalk Inks

Please visit Celebrate the Occasion see the work fantastic work the ladies have produced to inspire you and share your own creations to inspire us.
Happy Scrapping!
Judy 

Nuts About Sketches # 168 and # 169

Hello Everyone,

I usually don't post my pages until Shawn has a chance to post on the Nuts About Sketches blog but she was away and had a little mishap with her scheduler for sketch 169 and I also have a little mishap with sketch 168 from the previous week. So sorry if I have kept you all waiting. So today you will you have two pages in this post and after Shawn has posted the new sketch for this Monday there will be another post.

Both pages are for my in-laws' book. I am working on a scrapbook for my in-laws, it has taken me almost three years but now I am 3 pages away from completing it. It is looking really good and I will have to hand it over by August 15 when my Mother-in-law take it back to Finland.

Sketch 168 (left side):

This page is of the sauna and the lake at the summer place. The Finns are crazy about their saunas. In the summer it is just beautiful by the summer place and evening are so relaxing to sweat in 100 degrees Celsius (that's 212 degrees Fahrenheit), then running to the lake to cool off. The title 'Mennaan Saunaan' means 'Let's go to the sauna.'

 

What was used:

Cricut Gypsy Font (Title 1 inch letters welded)

Cricut Cindy Loo (5 flourishes for branch stem at 1 inch)

Cricut Mother's Day Bouquet (60 leaves cut at 0.5 inch on double sided green paper)

SCAL for the bucket

Fiskars Embossing plate in my Cuttlebug

DCWV Playtime Stack

Cardstock: Recollection and TPC Studios, K&C Remake Grass Green

 Sketch 169

I have been putting my titles for their book in Finnish but this one I had the perfect letters to go with the paper and since my in-laws speak excellent English I decided to use English for this one. The picture is of them skiing, they are avid cross country skiers sometimes taking the grand kids with them. My kids haven't gone yet but they have something to look forward to.

 

What was used:
DCWV The Winter Wonder Stack
TPC Studio Winter Blues Sticker Stack
Colorbox Glitter Rub-ons
Felt snow flakes and other embellies from my stash.

You can still visit Nuts About Sketches to see the gorgeous layouts from the rest of the DT and check in later for my take on Sketch 170. 

Happy Scrapping!
Judy