CWC Thank you Melin Surprise Blog Hop

Welcome to Cooking With Cricut’s very special SURPRISE “Thank You” Blog Hop. Why is it so special? There are a couple of reasons! The first reason -- it is our 100th Cooking With Cricut challenge and the second (and most important) is to thank our wonderful leader and “Executive Chef” Melinda Beltran.

Melin started the Cooking With Cricut challenges in October 2010 to encourage crafters to find new and different ways to use their Cricut cartridges. And she has accomplished that and so much more! She has given scores of crafters a place on her Design Teams which quickly turned into a sisterhood of women, who care for each other; who encourage each other; who lift each other and their families up in prayer; and who have shared their hearts and their art through many outreach projects.

On a personal note I think Melin is uber talented and the most amazing supportive Christian woman.

 I am blessed to be on her design team and work with her and the other ladies.  

If you have arrived from my Design Team sisster Olivia at Orm Crafty Nights you are in the right place.  If not or to start at the beginning please go to Cooking with Cricut to start the hop.  

For my project I used the Imagine cart Word of Mouth and made a 6 x 6 twisted easel.  

The flowers are from the Cricut cart Flower Shoppe.  

I covered all the layers of the flower cuts with Glossy Accents.  Then after it dries used a bamboo skewer to curve the petals.  They stay really well that way and don't flatten out.  

Closed card 

Card standing up 

Blog Candy

Starting August 18th through August 31th I am going to draw one lucky winner by Random.org who leaves a comment and is a follower of my blog

 for a $10  Gift Card to Michaels.  

I will also draw one lucky new follower for a goody bag.  I now have 601 followers which is amazing to me.  So thank you all!

Thanks so much for hopping with us. We hope you’ll join us and leave your own “thank you” in the comment section for Melin at CWC! Now it’s time to head on over to my Design team sister Xochitl  at Cricut Critter Scrappin Heaven  she’s the next stop on this party train!  Thanks for joining us and Happy Craftin!

So excited to be selected for the Bitten by the Bug 2 Design Team

If you missed my post yesterday I made a brief announcement that I have been selected to be a design team member for BBTB2.  I am really excited and honored as this is one of the first blog challenges I ever entered.  I love the challenges each Monday and have entered many of them.  So now to be on the Design Team and work with these amazingly talented ladies is a  big thrill. I would like to congrat all the other new Design team members as well including my friend Brenda.  

  

So I thought you might like to see my Design Team Entry.  

We were asked to make a Mother's Day Project and I chose to make an explosion box. 

View of Box closed

Closeup of top 

Box open 

Closeup of flowers in teacup

Closeup of sentiment 

Recipe of Cricut Cuts:

The teacup was cut at 9 inches from Tags, Bags, Boxes and More 2.

The flower cuts are from Flower Shoppe pages 14, 18, 20 and 21.  

The Happy Mother's Day was cut from Holiday Cakes.  

The teacup tag is also fom TBBM2.  

All chalk inks are from Quick Quotes and I added doilies and pearls.  

I hope you enjoyed my project and will join the BBTB2 challenge this week which is an Ice Cream Cone Challenge.  So check it out and join the challenge.  

I am also entering this in the My Craft Spot- Mother's Day Challenge

Paper Lovin Gals- Picture challenge

 Paper Playtime Anything Goes Challenge

Also the Pink Cricut Link up party 

 The Paper Variety May Flowers challenge 

Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge-Mother's Day/Feminine Must use Ribbon 

Scrapfit-Use a doily

Decorate to Celebrate "All for the Teachers" Guest Designer Project

Hi everyone- I am so excited that Amy has asked me to be a Guest Designer at Decorate to Celebrate.  I have gotten to know both Amy and Rhonda through the blogging world and admire both of them and their talents.  I often participate in the Decorate to Celebrate challenges and find them a lot of fun. 

This week (starting April 18th) the challenge is "All for the Teachers!" (classroom parties, teacher gifts, etc.  I was really excited to be a guest designer for this challenge since  I was a teacher for 33 years before I retired.  I think it is really important to let teachers today know how much we appreciate all they do.  

Amy has graciously allowed me to post 

my project early as  Wednesdays are my Design Team day for Cooking with Cricut. So make sure you check out the Decorate to Celebrate post on Wed. 4/18 to see other ideas for the All for Teachers challenge.   

My project is a paper flower bouquet entitled "You were Mint to teach"  

The flowers were cut from Flower Shop page 20  at 4 inches which made 6 to a page.  

You could cut them 3.75 and get 9 to a page.  

I used all primary colors- several colors of yellow, red and blue.  There are two flowers per stem.  

Each flower is edged with white chalk.  A little hard to see in the photo but definitely turned my white chalk a little pink.  

I used kaboob skewers for the stems and using Glue Dots adhered the sticks in the center of two paper flowers.  I then secured the Mints to the center of the front flower.  

The apple for the sign is 4 inches cut from Doodlecharms and I added the sentiment with a white gel pen.  I also added an apple tag for the signature.  

For the container I used a pot from the $1 section at Target.  Added a little oasis and topped it off with raffia.  I also edged the pot with mints to give the teacher more candy.   You can make these bouquets any size you want  and just add flowers till you feel it is full enough.  

Flower bouquets are great for any occasion so I hope you will give them a try.  

I hope you enjoyed my project.  

I am also entering this in the Weekly Cricut Circle Challenge " Teacher's Rock Challenge "- Use primary colors and chalk your edges.  

I hope you will join Amy, Rhonda and all the Design Team this week and create a project for teachers and link it up to Deorate to Celebrate.  

19 Spring in Air FCCB

It is not my regular week to post for the Design Team for Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog but this project fit the challenge so I decided to add it this week. The challenge this week is "Spring is in the Air"- use a minimum of three flowers on your project. So I will be honest  I am totally addicted to making rolled flowers and made this initial for one of my granddaughters.  So of course I will be making two more now.  I made letters  for  Christmas gifts done in Christmas colors and then made a Valentine wreath in red and pinks.  This I wanted to use Spring Colors.  

Here is the completed letter

Closeup

The letter starts our like this.  There are a variety of letters 

in wood or  paper mache at any local craft store.

This one was already white but otherwise I would paint the letter white.  

These are the K and Company packs I used. They are double side bright papers.

I used four different center cuts from Flower Shoppe.  

I cut all the flowers at 3 inches and then roll them with a quilling tool.  

I glue them with the glue gun and then add them to the initial.  

I hope you will join us this week for the FCCB challenge- Spring is in the Air- use a minimum of three flowers on your project and link it up to FCCB.   I look forward to seeing what you create.  

Happy Craftin!

I am also entering this in the Cricut Circle Monthly Challenge- Creative Sharing Challenge which is to create some kind of wall decor using at least three colors and two different Cricut cuts. 

Love My Sister Layout for Challenges

Over the weekend I did some scrap booking. and decided to enter a couple challenges.  These are pictures of two of my granddaughters Katie and Brittany.  They are 18 months apart.  

This is the first page of my double page layout I am entering.  

I used Kraft paper and K and Company Life is a Journey paper.

The flowers were various cuts from the Cricut cart Flower Shoppe and an EK Success punch

Letters for title from my stash 

Doily was Glimmermisted with Tattered Angels 

Added a paper lace, pearls and punched out MS leaves.

Here is the sketch for the 

Blog Quick Quotes Sketch Challenge  

Also entering in the 

Frosted Design Use Kraft Paper Challenge 

I love using Kraft paper

Here is the double page layout completed.

Closeup of flowers

Another closeup

Love the way this all cam together and love the colors.  

My favorite project for LInkup Love Party with K Andrews

Getting Cricky With K Andrew is having a linkup love party this week through Sept. 27th.  The purpose of the linking party is to get to know other crafters and get lots of inspiration from fellow bloggers.  The theme is Fall/ Halloween.   So the Fall/Halloween project I have done this year that is my favorite is my Fall Topiary done with the new Flower Shoppe cartridge.

Here is a closeup

Full directions here

All About Fall Blog Hop Day 1 September 15th

Welcome to the "All About Fall" Blog Hop!!

We're so happy you could join us for this super-fun hop showcasing cards, layouts and projects that are All About Fall!!  You'll find an array of ideas throughout the hop -- From decorations to gift ideas and more, we hope you'll enjoy each and every project along the way!! This is a TWO-DAY hop, so be sure to catch both days for maximum ideas (you'll find the entire line-up below my post)!!

Before the leaves change color and fall... let's get hopping!!  If you've hopped over from Lisa - http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/, then you are in the right place!!  If you've just popped in to visit my blog or are reading this via email and you'd like to join our All-About-Fall FUN, then please CLICK HERE to start at the beginning with Lynda's blog because...  Starting at the start is always SMART!! :)  We have a WONDERFUL Grand Prize for one lucky hopper today -- A $25 Gift Certificate for Designs On Cloud 9!!  To be eligible, please visit each "Blog Hop Stop" and leave a comment!!  One random winner will be chosen on Wednesday, September 21st (giving you plenty of time to finish the hop)... For more details on what you could choose if YOU are the winner, please be sure to visit our sponsor:








For the hop today, I've created ....... a Fall Topiary  using the new Cricut Cart Flower Shoppe.  I am been so excited to finally be able to share my project.  I don't have an exact  recipe for you but let me tell you this was a fun, fun project and you can make one yourself.
How I made the topiary:
1.  I started with a 6 inch styrofoam ball which I painted (actually dabbed with a foam brush) with brown acrylic pain.  I recommend this so the green or white does not show through.  I then put flower foam in a pot (5 inch)  I had and  cut a dowel 14 inches. I also painted the dowel brown.   I then put the dowel into the foam and into the pot.
2.  The flowers are all cut from Flower Shoppe however you could use flowers from any cart.  The largest size cut is 3 inches down to 1 1/2 inches.  Each flower is 3 layers.  I used the DCWV Fall Stacks both pattern paper and plain cardstock.   I inked the flowers with Tim Holtz ink
3.  The first crafting session I cut out a bunch of different cuts at  3 " and 2 1/2 ".  That night I made the flowers and ended up with about 20.   On the second day  I glued them with the glue gun to the foam spreading similar flowers around the ball.   I had a lot of holes so I made more flowers  2 inches 1 1/2 inches to fill in spaces.  Many of the flowers centers are made with with spiral cuts and twisted with quilling tool.  I also added gems to some of smaller flowers.
4.  I decided to wrap ribbon around the dowel that I bought last year and then made a large bow.  I also dabbed the pot with a sea sponge with different Tim Holtz paint dabbers.  To cover the  foam in the pot I made a paper circle with dark orange and then added some fall leaves I had.
5.  The large thick felt leaves on the table I found this week at my Albertsons grocery store.

Closeup of flowers 

Another closeup

Pot and bow closeup

I hope you liked my project and have enjoyed all the great Fall projects.
I am entering this in the My Craft Spot Challenge and the Love to Crop Challenge.Happy Fall You All 

For my blog candy I  will choose a winner by Random.org on Monday September 19th.  To be in the drawing I ask that you leave a comment and that you are a follower of my blog. ( I love comments and followers !)  The winner will receive a $10 gift card from their choice of Michaels or Joanns.

Thank you again for checking out my project...  So glad you made it this far.  Remember tomorrow will be day 2 of the Fall Hop and you will start with Lynda again-- http://memoriesintyme.blogspot.com/ Remember to visit all the stops for more chances to WIN!!  Have fun and Happy craftin.

Here's a list of the entire hop, in case you get lost along the way or want to revisit anyone -- I've included BOTH days of the hop so you'll be sure not to miss a THING!!

DAY ONE (September 15)

1. Lynda - http://memoriesintyme.blogspot.com/
2. Amy - http://www.lovetocrop.com
3. Removed
4. Removed
5. Anita -http://www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com
6. Kari - http://purplefuntastickcreations.blogspot.com/
7. Lori - http://scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com
8. Removed
9. Indira - http://craftyhomemade.blogspot.com/
10. Kacee - http://youhadmeatscrap.blogspot.com
11. Bobbi Jo - http://sweetsassydiva.com
12. Rhonda - http://scraphappenswithrhonda.blogspot.com/
13. Susan - http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/
14. Lynne - http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/
15. Rhonda - http://craftingwithblue.blogspot.com
16. Sandy - http://thecraftycreationspot.blogspot.com/
17. Lisa - http://prettypaperprettyribbons.blogspot.com/
18. Deb - http://www.scrappingmamma.net/
19. Dawn - http://dawnsdesignsthatdelight.blogspot.com
20. Lisa - http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
21. Suzanne - http://www.cricutcraftingrammy.blogspot.com

DAY TWO (September 16)

1. Lynda -- http://memoriesintyme.blogspot.com/
2. Sylvia - http://www.bellascrapbookdesigns.blogspot.com
3. Nancy - http://blog.fancywithnancy.com
4. Jen- http://www.jenscraftcorner.com
5. Dana-- http://danascraftycorner.blogspot.com
6.Nicolette- http://www.beyondscrapin.blogspot.com
7. Vicki - http://mawmawsthoughts.blogspot.com/
8. Kathy - http://the3esblog.blogspot.com/
9. Deborah - http://www.scrappingmamma.net/
10. Lisa - http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
11. Mindy - http://cvceggen.blogspot.com/
12. Janet - http://ladyluvbug.blogspot.com/
13. Carol - http://huffandpuffscrap.blogspot.com/
14. Pam - http://www.pammejo-scrapbookflair.com/
15. Brenda http://createbyburffrau.blogspot.com