Happy Birthday Tanner!!

At noon today, Tanner will be 5 years old!!  He was our surprise blessing and has kept us on our toes!  I made this card for the Gypsy Challenge that ended 11-5.  The Challenge was:

Theme: Birthday, Thanksgiving or Christmas ~ Birthday

1 Weld ~ Balloon, 5, words

1 Word ~ You Are

1 Stretch ~ Balloon

1 Flip or rotate ~ You

2 Pieces of art ~ balloon & 5

I used Fabulous Finds for the shape of the card.  I sized and copied the square and hid the cut out on the second square.  I used Celebrations for the balloon.  I did not want the stars so I hid them with Hide Contour.  I used Don Juan for the 5 and Cuttin' Up for the words.

When making a window card, I put the pieces where I need them in order to weld in the frame ~ but before I weld, I make a copy.  This way the size is exact for the top layer.

Here is the paper I used.  Tanner wanted blue and purple on his card as these are his current favorite colors!

Here he is playing on the computer while I am crafting!

And here is the card all put together!

Blog Hop Day 2: Thankful Mini Book

Welcome to Day 2 of the Thankful for Family, Friends, Freedom and Food Blog Hop!  You should have arrived here from Josy's BLOG.  If this is your first stop, hop on over to Amy's BLOG to get started.

Here is the order of the blog hop:

Amy

TheScrapbookGirl

Gigi

Josy

Here

FantabulouslyPink

JenniferHawkins2

Darcy 

 Bugaloo 

ScrappidyAshy

Mandy

Poohbearbaby

Buggin Out

WamFamily

I have some blog candy ~ details at the end of my post!!

I created a mini book for my second Thankful project.  I saw something similar at CKC Kansas City and created my own on my Gypsy.

Here is the file I created.  I have 4 Layers, one for each page in the book.  I used Locker Talk for the pages.  I used the Hide Contour feature to hide the hole punches and the window cut.

The last page is 12" long x 7" high, including 1 1/2" fold.  I lined up the rest of the pages staggered starting at the fold line.  The smallest page is 6 inches wide, the next page is 8 inches and the third page is 10 inches.

I used double sided paper all from the same collection.  I love these colors!!  I cut out the same words ("So Grateful", Freedom, Food, Family and Friends) from the tile project in yesterday's post.

I bound it together with a ribbon.  I might sneak this in with the blog candy....what do you think?!?

I am thankful that you stopped by our blog hop!!  I do have some blog candy that I am giving away.  There are just 2 things you need to do to be eligible, be or become a follower and leave me a comment with your favorite Thanksgiving memory.  I will pick one winner from today and yesterdays posts, so you can enter once each day.

Here is the Blog Candy!

My favorite Thanksgiving memory is gathering at our house every year before my mom died.  We always included our neighbors Art and Floris who did not have children and their family lived in another state.  They were a bonus set of grandparents to us kids!  Floris made the best home-made pumpkin pie in the world!!!  I miss her!

One last thing, I am pretty close to 300 (297 very early this morning) followers as I type this.  If I reach 300 by the end of the blog hop, I will be drawing a second winner for some yummy candy!!!

Your next stop is FantabulouslyPink!

Blog Hop: Thankful for Family, Friends, Freedom & Food Tile

Welcome to the Thankful for Family, Friends, Freedom and Food Blog Hop.  Here is a list of all of the Blog Hop participants.  If this is your first stop, please start at the beginning so you don't miss anything.  Also, this is a 2 Day Blog Hop so come back tomorrow for a second round of projects!

Some of us have Blog Candy as well!

1-TheScrapbookGirl
2-Gigi 
3-Josy
4-Here
5-Fantabulously Pink
6-Jennifer
7-Darcy 
8-Kelly
9-Bugaloo
10-ScrappidyAshy
11-Laura
12-MySimpleCraftyCreations 
13-Mandy
14-Poohbearbaby 
15-Buggin Out 
16-Bits-N-Pieces
17-WamFamily

You should have arrived here from Josy's BLOG.

I have blog candy that you will see below!

I chose to create a 12 x 12 tile decorated with vinyl for my first project of the blog hop this weekend.  I used my Gypsy to line up my three layers.  I wanted a true 12 inch title, so I started my title at the 1" mark and filled it up to the 13" mark.  In order to do this, you need to use a 12 x 24 mat.

Here are the three layers on my Gypsy screen ~ each layer will be cut in a different color.  The title will be yellow and can be found on the Creative Memories Reminisce Accents.  I used Hide Contour to erase the swirl between "this" and "day."  The Turkey can be found on Celebrate With Flourish and will be brown.  The top layer will be a rust red, and the font is from CM Reminisce Accents and the So Grateful is from Calligraphy Collection.

When cutting vinyl on your cricut, you want to remember 3~3~3.  That is Speed, Pressure and Blade settings.  This will give you a nice kiss cut (the blade will only cut through the vinyl, not the backing).

Here is the yellow vinyl for my 12" title. 

I love the dental tool for weeding the extra vinyl away.

You can poke vinyl and pull it right up.

It is helpful to roll up the excess vinyl so it doesn't stick to your design.  It is easy to lose the little pieces  (like dots for the i's) as you roll away.

I use clear contact paper as my transfer sheet.  It is very sticky, so I stick it on my jeans once or twice to take away a little stick!

I use my little scraper from my Cricut tool kit to burnish the design onto the transfer sheet and gently pull it up.

I use the same scraper to burnish the image and transfer sheet to the tile.  Just peel it up slowly, rolling the transfer sheet as you go.

Repeat the process for layer #2.  I use my Fiskars cutting mat to help center my title.

Here is the tile with all four layers on.  This will make a great addition to my living room where my "every day" tile usually sits.

Now on to the Candy!!!  In order to qualify you need to do 2 things.....#1 be or become a follower and #2 leave me a comment that includes at least one thing you are thankful for this year.  I will combine the comments from today's post and tomorrow's post (so you can enter once each day) and draw a winner.

If I reach 300 followers, I will pick 2 winners (I am currently at 285).

Next on the hop is: FantabulouslyPink

Frosted Designs Debut ~ Generations

I am so excited to be a Designer for Frosted Designs!!!  This week's challenge is using an Oversized Photo or Oversized Image on a Card.  Please take a moment to visit Frosted Designs and enter a project of your own!!

I chose a photo of my mom as a little girl with her mom and grandma.  My grandpa (her daddy) was supposed to be home from the War by her 1st Birthday on December 16th.  He did not make it home until New Year's Eve.

I love how this photo has so many details in it:  the chalk board with a message, the dolls at the table, the table set for tea and the Christmas tree!

I made a copy of the original photo.  I really liked this pinkish pointsettia paper even though my mom's favorite color was blue and NOT pink!

I found the frame on Ashlyn's Alphabet on the Icon Function.  I hid the inner cut to create a solid mat for my photo.  I found the word "Generations" on Creative Memories Reminisce Accents.

I used silver flowers, pearls, pink ribbon, silver ribbon and a silver charm to embellish my layout.

I put a little bling on the top left hand corner as well.

And here is my final layout once again.  As a mom of 3 boys, I don't get to use "pretties" often.  This was fun!  Let me know what you think!

Textured Flower Layout

I made the page on the left at CKC Kansas City last month.  Except the flower I made there turned out too green, so I took it off.  I also put a sticker (I know ~ yuck) on the top left corner of the page.  Well, I can't really do much with a one-page layout so I purchased a couple pieces of paper and took everything home.

The first thing I did was make new flowers.  I used Walk In My Garden and white card stock to make these daisies.  I then ran them through my Cuttlebug and embossed them with Swiss Dots.

I took some Distress Ink and sponged over the top of it.  I layered three flowers (the same size) and glued them together.  I bent the petals up just a bit.

I replaced the sticker in the center of the larger daisy and put a flat pearl in the smaller ones.

For the smaller flower on this page, I cut out the smaller flower to stick on top of the same flower.  I cut out some 4 1/4 x 6 1/4 mats and matted again with green.  I added a spot for journaling.  This page can be turned either way, I kind of like the big flower on the top but I usually don't take many vertical photos.

Here is my two page layout....now I just need to find some photos that will work and add a title.  What do you think?

Gypsy Registration Extended through Today

If you purchased a Gypsy and had trouble registering online due to server issues, you can still register it today to qualify for the free carts.  This information is from AdminBecky on the Cricut MB:

Gypsy Content Update available for ALL




· Free cartridges include:

 Smiley Cards (new and exclusive to this promotion)

 Tags, Bags, Boxes and More (not available in retail)

 Christmas (not available in retail)

 Blackletter (not available in retail)

 Printing Press (not available in retail)

 Indie Art (not available in retail)



· Extended thru end of TODAY due to weekend server issues



· If you registered TODAY you will get the content first thing tomorrow the morning (approximately 10:00 AM MDT)



· You will need to use CricutSync not GypsySync



· You can download CricutSync (Version 2.0.2.7) by launching GypsySync. Doing this will automatically direct to a web page to download CricutSync



· Gypsy Firmware needs to be Version 1.4 (0206:0206)

Sweet Sophie!

I am a Guest Designer today on Sassy's BLOG!  My project today is making your own templates to use with alcohol ink.  I brought along my beautiful niece Sophie to assist me!!

I found this Blue Stencil Film at Michaels.  I cut it on my cricut using my Deep Cut Blade and multicut 2 times.

I found my swirl on the Creative Memories Reminisce Accents cartridge.  I sized it and moved it to one side as the stencil page is 9 x 12.

This was my first time cutting stencil film and I was very pleased with how it cut!

I took a piece of lavendar cardstock and put it in a box.  Thank goodness I have been shopping online a lot lately...I have several boxes to choose from!!

I used Tim Holtz Purple Twilight alcohol ink that I found at Michaels.  I added rubbing alcohol (of course you can purchase the official alcohol blending solution at Michaels) to the Mini Mister.  My test spray was too light, so I added more purple.

Here is the first swirl spray....

and after I removed the template!

I wanted a small swirl on the opposite corner to help balance out my project.

Here is my custom swirl paper!!

I added some ribbon, silver flowers, pearls, gems, a photo of Sophie and her name.  I used Songbird for the font ~ love that cartridge.  The letters weld so nice!!  Sophie is 8 going on 18!  I am going to frame this and give it to Sophie for her room!