"Snowman" Card

This card was created for the Cricut Cardz #58 Snowman Challenge and the My Sheri CRAFTS: #40 Bling Challenge.

This card looks so much prettier in person. The white paper is actually glitter paper so the card has a lot more sparkle and sheen in real life.

The card base is cut at 5"x7" and the snowman scene is cut from A Child's Year cartridge at 4".

The snowflakes are cut from the same cartridge at 1.25" and 1.2". 

The inside of the card is finished with matching papers and a few more snowflakes.

The sentiment is from My Sentiments Exactly Winter Sentiments stamp set. 

Products used:

Cricut cartridge: A Child's Year

Paper: K&Comapny - Best of K 

"Birthday Robot" Card

My niece and nephew are twins so I always have two cards to make when their birthday rolls around but it's fun to make a girly card and a boy card. For my nephew I chose this cute robot off the Cricut Robotz cartridge. I adore robots so I'm always really happy when I get to use this cartridge. 

I cut the robot and all layers at 5" and embossed the blue layers with my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. I added some black doodle stitching and some mis-matched googly eyes. The entire robot is popped up on foam.

Both sheets of pattern paper are from Recollections and I will definitely be going back for some more. I can't wait to make some robot themed 12"x12" layouts. The center piece is embossed with one of the Robotz companion folders.

I stamped and heat embossed a sentiment on the inside of the card and added a strip of coordinating paper. (Sorry for the crappy lighting in this photo. I took this photo right as the sun was going down.)

The gears were cut from the same cartridge at 5.5".

Products used:

Cricut cartridge: Robotz

Paper: Recollections 

"Birthday Piggie" Card

I made this card for my niece's eighth birthday. She loves pigs so I decided to use the Create a Critter cartridge. Everything that you've heard about this cartridge is true: it layers like a dream! Plus, it has a well-rounded variety of cuts so it's really easy to design a card. All of the cuts I used are from this one cartridge and I was able to make the whole card in under an hour.

I created a 6"x5" gatefold card and layered two pieces of 2.75"x4.75" patterned cardstock on the inner and outer folds. The key note and layer were cut at 3.75". The pinwheel is covering it but there are two heart-shaped cutouts on the keynote.

I cut the pig and all layers at 4" and embossed her dress with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder.

The party hat and pin wheel are cut at 2". I felt so smart for mixing-and-matching this critter with these accessories but once I finished and put my cartridge away, I realized the pig on the cartridge cover is wearing the same accessories. Great minds think alike I guess. Finally, I used the leftover hearts from the keynote layer to decorate her dress and pinwheel and added some pink doodle stitching.

I used the Martha Stewart Bubble Bath corner punch on the card liner, stamped and heat-embossed a birthday sentiment and used my last heart cutouts to finish off the inside.

Products used:
Cricut cartridge: Create a Critter
Martha Stewart Corner Punch - Bubble Bath
Paper: Martha Stewart - Playful Pink

"Just Keep Swimming" Card

Last night I played around with one of my new Cricut Lite cartridges, Four Legged Friends, which features a bunch of pets (both four-legged and otherwise), accessories and phrases. I had an idea to place two fish in the bowl and surround them with hearts in order to make a Valentines Day card but I could only fit one fish in the bowl so I altered the card accordingly. I do like the end result, though, so I guess that's all that matters.

I started off with a 6x6 card base and cut a scalloped square from the Accent Essentials cartridge at 5.5" and added a shadowed layer behind it. The fish bowl is cut from Four Legged Friends at 3.75" and the fish is cut at 1". I embossed the water with my Cuttlebug Divine Swirls embossing folder and added a good bit of doodle stitching. The fish bowl and bubbles are popped up on foam so the card looks a lot more dimensional in person.

I wrapped some twine around the card and added a button. I recently discovered twine and I can't seem to make a card without it anymore.

The layers on this cartridge are really easy to piece together but it did take me a while to get used to the handbook. I cut a few of the layers in the wrong color before I realized how they would all fit together.

Since I was no longer going for a Valentines Day theme, I decided to use one of the phases on the Four Legged Friends cartridge for the inside of my card. I cut another scalloped square for the card liner at 5.5" on the shadowed feature. 

I added some more doodle stitching to the phrase...

...and I layered a few hearts from the George cartridge. The top heart is cut at 1" and the bottom heart is cut at 2".

Products used:
Cricut cartridges: Four Legged Friends, Accent Essentials, George and Basic Shapes
Paper: K&Company - Snuggle Bug and Recollections cardstock

"Love Birds" Card

This week, the challenge on Bitten by the Bug 2 was to create a card using a whimsical bird or armadillo cut from any cartridge. I just purchased the Cricut Lite Sugar and Spice cartridge this weekend so I was excited to use the sweet little lovebirds cut.  

I've been wanting this cartridge since it came out but I couldn't bring myself to pay forty dollars for a Lite cartridge when I can usually find full-sized cartridges online for less. However, I went to Walmart this weekend and (after speaking with four different managers and a very long and drawn-out process) they agreed to price match the Michael's $9.99 sale price. I was so happy! I went to two different stores and purchased six Lite cartridges for sixty bucks!

I cut the birds and all layers at 3.75" and added some stitching and googly eyes. The heart and shadow were cut from George and Basic Shapes at 1.25". The flowers in the corner of the card are also cut from George. 

I added some Recollections ribbons, a button and some twine. I also created a matching ticket using my Stampology Ticketed Stamp Set and Tim Holtz Distress ink in Aged Mahogany.

And, finally, I always like to finish the insides of my cards even if I don't add a sentiment.

Products Used:

Cricut cartridges: Sugar and Spice and George and Basic Shapes

Fiskars Punch: Threading Water 

Paper: K&Company - Itsy Bitsy and Recollections cardstock 

"Shabby Chic Nursery" 12x12 Double Layout

This is one of my favorite layouts! I used soft tones of peach and aqua to create this shabby chic style nursery and, even though there are a few girlish aspects, I think this layout could be used for either gender. 

The baby blocks, bottles and baby outfits are cut from New Arrival and the scroll (which is used as a shelf in this layout) and rocking horse are cut from Heritage. 

The booties, rattle, diaper pins and diaper bag are cut from New Arrival; the chair is cut from Sentimentals; and the teddy bear is cut from Heritage. For the changing table, I used the desk from the Sentimentals cartridge and then used a border punch and some creative cutting to create the back board.

I cut two cribs from the Everyday Paper Doll cartridge, popped one of them up on foam and staggered the cuts to create depth. The crib skirt was made with a border punch and the blanket was created using the towel cut from Everyday Paper Dolls. The mobile was created by using the umbrella from New Arrival (minus the handle) and a small heart punch.  

Products used:

Cricut Cartridges: New Arrival, Everyday Paper Dolls, Sentimentals and Heritage

Martha Stewart Punches: Doily Hearts and Eyelet Lace

EK Success Punch: Parisian Edger

K&Company - Best of K Paper Stack

"Vintage Memories" 12x12 Double Layout

This is a vintage inspired 12x12 layout using the Sentimentals, Heritage and Home Decor cartridges. I wanted to create an elegant parlour and the furniture on these carts was perfect.

The sentiment frame, sentiment, cameo, teapot and grandfather clock were all cut from Heritage. The chair was cut from Sentiments. I cut shadows for all the images to add dimension and added ribbons and bling for detail.

On the second page, the cameo and divan were from Heritage; the desk, lamp and phone were cut from Sentimentals; and the chandelier was cut from Home Decor. 

Products used:

Cricut Cartridges: Heritage, Sentimentals, and Home Decor

Paper: K&Company - The Best of K; Recollections Cardstock

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Mahogany