Our Little Sweetheart

I just entered this layout into a challenge over at the Sure Cuts A Lot forum.  You have to create a Valentine project (card, 3D, layout, etc) using SCAL and your cricut - you have to actually MAKE something in SCAL.  The prizes are great too!

Anyway, I haven't been using SCAL to it's fullest so basically I challenged myself to do this challenge using ONLY the shapes the program has.  Was it a challenge?  OMG!!  It sure was.  It has taken me hours and hours to complete this layout!  Believe me, I'm not exaggerating!

The only thing I didn't "make" was the tree, which is a silhouette I found using google images.  I brought it in using the "trace images" function, resized it and cut it out.  That was the easy part.  I then cut out and added all the hearts.  Another easy part.

Here's the hard part (or at least it was when I first started)......The bears, wagon and stems for the heart bouquet were made completely using circles, ovals, rectangles, etc. - shapes only.   I hadn't played much with 'nodes' and believe me I learned a few choice words the first few times (hours) I tried working with them.  I think I've gotten the hang of it though and feel way more comfortable working with them now.  After putting the layout together I realized that I probably should have done the wagon a little differently.  Oh well, it's done now and stuck down! LOL

I hope you like it.  I am so proud of myself  **grinning ear to ear**  for challenging myself and creating a 'keeper' in my mind LOL!

B I N G O!!!!

Everyone loves BINGO!!  If you want to play on Saturday, January 29th just go to Treasure Box Designs and click on Facebook to get all the details (in 'Notes'). They are holding a bingo game and you could win  a gift certificate - I guarantee you will spend it very quickly at their site........the cutting files there are superb!!  I purchased a TON of them this past week.  The only problem I  have with them is TIME!!  I don't have enough time to play with them all LOL!!!

Anyway, if you want to play, don't wait too long.  You need to make your card and get it in to them ASAP!!

Have fun!

Sophia

UPDATE:   I won!  I won!  I won!!  Yep, I was the 3rd player to call BINGO so I won a single file from Treasure Box Designs!  I chose "What a Doll".   She is the cutest little thing.....THOSE EYES!!!
Anyway, they are going to be playing again real soon and they also have a birthday draw now too.  Put your name in the month you were born and each month they are going to be choosing a winner to win a free cutting pattern!!

Dad..........You Rock!

My husband's birthday is today and while he was at work my daughter made him a card with the new "Rockin Randy" cut file from Treasure Box Designs (check them out......you'll love their files).

I think she did an awesome job on this card and he's gonna love it!  I do have to mention though, my husband wears black shoes with red laces so she had to make sure the laces on the card were also red!!

here's the inside......

Color, Card Sketch & Anything Goes Challenges

I wanted to make a card this evening and really liked three online challenges I found so decided to incorporate them!

  The two challenges I've entered this card into are:

1) Color Throwdown  - pear pizazz, kraft and blushing bride (aren't those colors so pretty?)

2) Clean & Simple Stamping - love this card sketch!

 

  3) Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog - anything goes!!


Have a wonderful, warm day, and thanks for looking!

Flower Challenge

2 Sisters Challenge Blog wants to see FLOWERS!

Cooking with Cricut also wants to see FLOWERS!

I've been wanting to scrapbook this picture for some time now and always knew I wanted to use flowers.  When I saw these challenges I knew it was time to create it!   I grabbed my supplies and went to town!

The picture is my daughter.  She's now 16 but was 15 in the photo.

Hope you like it.  I do! LOL  (click on picture for a close up)

BLOG CANDY!!!!

Scrapbooking by Leanne is giving away some blog candy!  To win a $30 gift certificate from Little Scraps of Heaven Designs, just go to Scrapbooking by Leanne and become a follower, leave a comment and post a pic of the blog candy on your own blog!  How easy is that?

While you're at it, be sure to check out both blogs!  One word.......beautiful!  You won't be disappointed.  Good Luck everyone!

Pink Orange Aqua Challenge

There's a color challenge going on over at The Pink Elephant!  Make a project using these three colors - PINK, ORANGE, AQUA.

I never would have thought to use those three colors together but once I pulled out the papers I loved the look of them!!

Here's a Valentine's card I made using the colors!  I stamped the "I" and "U" in aqua, cut them out then "stickled" them in orange stickles!  (My card is aqua but kinda looks green in the pic.  I think its because the card is glossy)

Enjoy!

Card for Charlie

I came across a blog today- Angela's blog -  that is sharing a story of a sweet little boy with a rare skin disease.  Charlie is only 4 years old but such a brave little boy!

Angela is asking anyone who wants to, to send a card to help brighten this little boy's world.

It was 6:00am when I saw her blog and I started on my card right away.  I was peeved that I had to go to work before I could finish it though, but as soon as I got home I went to work on it again.  I'm mailing it out tomorrow.

Sure hope it puts a smile on his face!!  My little piggy was made using a cut from I purchased from Treasure Box Designs.  Check them out.....you'll love their files!

Snow Cute Layout

Cooking with Cricut is having their first challenge of 2011 and it's called SNOW FUN!  Any kind of project as long as it has to do with snow!

I was checking out their new cutting files here , and couldn't resist purchasing a few of them!  If your name is picked, you will receive the whole set - FREE!  How cool is that!!!

I'm in the process of creating a 12 x12 album for my neighbour's daughter, who was born just a few short months ago, and the 'snowman with snowballs' cutting file is so cute I knew I had to  use it right away.  Of course, it is no longer a snowman.......it's a snowgirl!

 Here it is.............

Mojo Monday

Check out Mojo Monday for some awesome card sketches/challenges.  You may even win some Verve Stamps!

Here's the sketch for this week:

Here's the card I created following the sketch.  I decided to make a masculine card as I find these most difficult to make but of course, we do need them right?

All papers are from Basic Grey's Ganola collection.

Enjoy!

Sophia

Saturday Sketch Challenge #185

The folks over at Stamping 411 are having another sketch challenge!  I just came across their blog last night - yay!!  You've got to check out their gorgeous cards - and of course, be sure to play along!


I really liked the tree card on their blog so when I came across a palm tree in the Cricut cartridge, Life is a Beach, I decided to put it on the card - dreaming of being some place nice and warm instead of this cold and snow!

Would be a cute card to give to my sister who recently just booked a cruise (unfortunately, she visits my blog so it wouldn't be a surprise - will have to make her a different one LOL!)

I used Life is a Beach cartridge for the palm tree and Beyond Birthdays for the "bon voyage".  All cardstock is Bazzill.  The cream cardstock is embossed with the Cuttlebug folder "distressed stripes".  (the sun in created with a circle punch and scissors)

NOTE:  I have a new laptop with Win7 (old laptop had XP).  For the life of me I can't figure out changing my pictures (aka cropping, etc.).  Once I figure this out my pictures will hopefully look better!

Have a wonderful day.


Sophia

Cricut Cartridge Giveaway & Fantastic Blog

Looking for a chance to win a new Cricut cartridge? Wanna check out an awesome blog with wonderful ideas?  Then head on over to Georgiana's blog http://carsonscricutcreations.blogspot.com/  for a chance to win the Indie Art cartridge and also to be inspired!!!  You won't be disappointed!

Sophia

Tip TIme

I was surfing the net late last night and wandered through a countless number of awesome blogs!  Wow, you people are just so creative!

I found a great tip and thought I'd give it a try this morning.  Unfortunately, I looked at so many blogs last night I can't find which one had the tip on it!  If you're reading this and realize it is from your blog, please let me know so I can give proper thanks!  It is so appreciated.


Have any of you gotten Stazon Ink on your acrylic blocks?  I have, and one in particular I thought was ruined forever!  Well, after trying out this tip you'll never have to worry about it again!

The tip is to use........

MR. CLEAN MAGIC ERASER

Check out my pictures and you'll see how awesome a tip this was!  I used the eraser 'dry' but will probably also work if you wet it.

Look at all the ink on my block! (don't laugh.....I know I was very messy)  None of the ink removers I tried would get any of it off!

As you can see in this next picture, the Magic Eraser is effortlessly removing the ink (which has been on this block for over a year now!)

Voila!  ALL the ink has been removed from my block and it looks brand new!  For those of you who are wondering.........the Magic Eraser had no effect on the stamps sticking to the block.  They stick just like they did before!

Happy Monday!

I still have a couple more days off before school re-opens so after I got all the decorations and Christmas tree put away, I decided to "play" for a bit!

I made this card using just scraps of papers I keep in folders (I don't part with my precious paper LOL).  I used the Beyond Birthdays cart for the mug of coffee, and the sentiment.  I used Accent Essentials for the scallop circle.  I love inking so I just had to ink that scallop circle.

Hope you like!

My Pink Stamper Design Team 2011 Challenge

My Pink Stamper is having a design team 2011 challenge!!

I've decided this is the wake-up call I need.  I've been in a slump and I'm treating this challenge as a kick in the 'you know where' to get me started again (thanks, Robyn)!

The challenge is to create a card, layout or other project using your favorite cricut cartridge AND Robyn's favorite colors - pink, green and brown.

Here's my 5x7 card. (sorry the quality isn't great....the lighting this time of night isn't so good - I'll see about posting a better pic in the morning)

Here's what I used:
5x7 white card (unknown brand)
Cricut New Arrival Cartridge (all-time fav of mine!)  The giraffe was cut at 4".  The "baby" blocks cut at 1".
Bazzill cardstock (green, white)  both strips were cut at 1" x 7"
KI Memories striped paper 5x7 to cover card front
Reminisce 100% Girl paper (dotted paper) 1/2" x 7"
Kaiser Craft pink pearls - placed on each of the letters
Martha Stewart Lace punch - punched both green/white cardstock above
VersaColor Evergreen ink -inked edges of "baby" squares
The "grass" was hand drawn and cut.  I'm sure it's on one of my carts but for the life of me couldn't find it.  If anyone knows, can you please jog my memory?  Thanks.

Hope you like it.  It was loads of fun to do!

Sophia

Happy New Year!

Another year over - and may I add, in lightning speed!  Did you accomplish everything you wanted to in 2010?  I know I didn't but that's okay LOL!

Did you make a New Years resolution?  I haven't "officially" made one but I am telling myself that I will eat more veggies, try to exercise more (well, that's what I'm telling myself) and try to do more things that make me happy!

May 2011 be all it can be for you.  Especially healthy and happy - and remember to be kind to others! 

Sophia