Happy Cruisin' Card

My mother-in-law recently said good by to her trusty Lincoln town car, which she drove for over a decade. This was a traumatic experience for her as apparently town cars are no longer made. However, like the loyal Detroit auto girl she is, fortunately she found a new car--a Cadillac, at a Detroit dealership. Hopefully, she will find as much pleasure driving it as she did her old boat. Here's the card we sent this week wishing her happy cruising.


(Note: her new car looks nothing like this one)





Details
Wrap it Up cartridge
Papertrey Ink cardstock and ribbon/twine
Quick Quotes Paper - Good Times Collection (this is from my local scrapbook store)
Scrappy Moms Stamps - Sun-Kissed
My Pink Stamper - Happiest Moments
Seeing Spots Cuttlebug folder
Sizzix Sizzlits labels #2 (oval)
Distress Ink - Vintage Photo

10 year old Birthday Card

I made this shaped card using my Gypsy for a special ten year old. There are tons of cupcakes and butterflies, but I used Create a Critter for both. The font is from Pooh Font.







Details
Create a Critter (butterfly at ~2" and cupcake at 3.5"), Pooh Font (~2")
Martha Stewart Brights Mat Pad
Little Yellow Bicycle - Sweet Love Collection
Misc daisy punch
Scrappy Moms Stamps - Simple Sentiments

Jolly Holly Elves

One of the most identifiable image from the Jolly Holly cartridge is the elf. Actually, there are about 4 or 5 different ones. Something about the hat, I think. Anyway, this is the third of the three different Christmas cards I made in July. I also did a couple of winter layouts, but other than that am not as far along on my cards as I'd like. One of my close friends had their first baby early throwing my paper crafting schedule a little off :) I'm still using up holiday paper from last year. Actually, unless I do a ton of layouts and mini-albums, I won't have to buy new paper this year at all. Well, I won't have to buy any more paper. I bought a huge DCWV collection pack (180 sheets) from Joann's for $5 not too long ago, but I'm not really counting that. . . ;) Anyway, I hope everyone's having a great Sunday. Here's my card:











Details
Jolly Hollys Cricut Lite Cartridge (images cut at 3.5")
October Afternoon (not sure of the name, but it's a holiday stack from last year)
Papertrey Ink cardstock and twine
EK Success Large Slim Paper Punch - Journal Plate & Bracket
Distress Ink - Antique Linen
Scrappy Mom's Winter Wishes stamps
Peachy Keen Stamps - Wide-eyed kids
Stickles
Misc ribbon and embellishments

First Mickey Layout

As you may know, I bought both the Pooh and Friends cartridge, as well as the Mickey and Friends cartridge. Here's my first layout--a super simple Mickey. He's cut at 8" and the grass at 1.75". The fence appears on the My World cartridge, as well as the Potpourri cartridge (thank you Mycutsearch.com!) and is cut at 3.5".

Happy Fourth of July!

We're running out the door to my auntie's for a bbq, but I wanted to post the banner I made for her. I used the Stand and Salute and Cricut Essentials cartridges, K&Co Marines paper pack, Bazzil cardstock, My Pink Stamper and Scrappy Mom stamps (set names to be added later) and twine from Papertrey Ink.

Wrap it Up - Old Fashioned Car

Sorry for the delay in posting, but I wanted to make sure that the Father's Day card I sent to my husband's father made it on time before I posted it. Then the week zipped by. Hopefully he won't think that I'm implying that he's circa 1920 or whenever this car is from, but I really liked it so made it in a couple colors. For this card, I went with dark cards to make it more masculine despite the swirls. Actually, I'm almost positive that the decorative swirls are in the shape of peppers, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but oh well. The important thing is that it's cute. I lined the inside with white cardstock and stamped "Happy Father's Day" using the My Pink Stamper Happiest Moments stamp set. Here's his card:



Materials:
Cardstock: Paper Trey Ink, Stampin Up, misc
Paper: My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose collection
Cartridge: Wrap it Up
Ribbon: Paper Trey Ink
Stamp: My Pink Stamper Happiest Moments

Pooh Album Cover

Here's the cover and the final page of my first Pooh album. I had originally intended to cut out the big tree that serves as Pooh's house, but it didn't turn out well. Using the fit to page function, the larges I could cut the tree was at 8.25", however the door and other features were far too tine. This sign was much more simple and allowed me to include yet another Pooh! The font is from American Alphabet.







Next I'm not sure whether to make more pages or start filling our Disney pictures. All together, the Pooh & Friends pages offer about 11 photo mats, which may be couple more than I have of us with the characters. Stay tuned!

The Gang

When I started cutting names and faces, I had hoped to put a face with a name on separate pages. Then I realized that the names were cut too wide to fit with a head in most cases or just weren't proportionate even though cut at 4". However, the three of them fit together perfectly. I used stamps from the Pink by Design "Big Thoughts" collection and more paper from the My Mind's Eye Stella Rose collection.

Although Pooh and Eeyore are my favorites, Piglet is right behind them. The Pooh and Friends cartridge has a number of fun cuts of the characters in all sorts of poses. I especially like this dancing one as it looks like Piglet is having so much fun. Piglet's cut at 8" and his name at 4". I continued to use paper from the My Mind's Eye Stella Rose paper collection. The gorgeous fuchsia ribbon came free with a purchase, possibly from Chicos.

I've now finished all the pages that will go in the Pooh section of my Disney album, except for the pictures, of course. I have two more to show you, so check back later today or tomorrow!

Tigger

I don't see the draw, but Tigger's my husband's favorite. I must say that this page came together quite nicely and I was even able to use an image that I had cut out some time ago. The swirly bracket is from American Alphabet, although I do not remember what size it is cut at. Tigger's face is cut at 4" and his name at 3.5". The twine is from Paper Trey Ink and the paper from the My Mind's Eye Stella Rose collection. I distressed the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and did some simple stitching around the letters. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Sunday!

Pooh

Here's the second layout I finished today. Pooh's cut at 8" and the title at 4". The ribbon is from Paper Trey Ink and the paper is more from the My Mind's Eye called Stella Rose.

Neglected Cartridges

Updated 10-5-11

When I updated the list of my collection last week, I felt quite guilty to realize that there are a number of cartridges that I have never used or have failed to give the serious attention that they deserve. Although it could be worse--no cartridge is still in its packaging because I love pouring over the handbooks--I must make a decided effort to spread the love around, especially to cartridges that have a ton of potential to become awesome projects. I hope to permanently link this post somewhere on the main page and update it as I make progress. Below I've divided my neglected cartridges into two categories. "New/Unused" means that I've never cut a single image. "Neglected" simply means that I haven't used them as much as I would like.

New/Used
1. Country Life
2. Preserves
3. 50 States
4. Mickey and Friends - As soon as I finish the Pooh pages, this will be used to complete my Disney trip album.
5. Better Together
6. Happy Hauntings - It's not too early to start preparing for Halloween, is it?
7. Best of Pixar - Like the Disney cartridges, I was a little intimidated by all the tiny pieces in this cart, but I know I can do it!
8. Cricut Lite - Yee Haw
9. Circut Lite - 9 Months
10. Locker Talk


Neglected
1. My Community
2. Sesame Street Seasons - I cut a ton of snowflakes from this cart, but no characters yet.
3. Cricut Lite - Savory - This is a perfect compliment to From My Kitchen and Preserves
4. Cricut Lite - Carousel - This contains really fun amusement park images; I can't believe I haven't done a ton with it. (Updated 9/15 - I started making an album but quit after finishing only a couple of pages).
5. Pack Your Bags - I have cut a number of images from this cart, but have a ton of ideas and am dying to use it more.
6. Boys Will be Boys - Between this and Beep Beep, I'm set for toy vehicles
7. Stand and Salute - Big projects in the planning for this one
8. Happily Ever After - Like Sesame Street, I've cut loads of accessories, but not Disney images. Now that my skills have improved and I have my Cutterbee tweezers, I should be up for the challenge.
9. Cricut Lite - Block Party - I made a single bbq card last summer. Must make more this year!
10. Nifty Fifties - I have a ton of ideas for this cart, but just haven't made them happen yet.
11. Baby Steps - I'm in love with this cartridge and must, must, must make time for it soon!


I'm not going to count the cartridges that were freebies or came with a machine such as Potpourri, Indie Art, Tags, Bags, Boxes and More, and Printing Press. All of those I have neglected, but don't feel too guilty about because I didn't specifically purchase them. As for the others, particularly those on my New/Unused, I will do my best to pay some attention to them soon as their cuteness deserves it!

Winnie the Pooh - Thinking of You

Here's the last layout I made over the weekend with the Pooh and Friends cartridge. Pooh's cut at 8" and the grass and worm are at 1.5 - 2". The butterfly is at 2.5". The sentiment is cut at 1.75" from American Alphabet.

My Collection

I just updated my "Cricut Owned" and my "Cricut Wish List" which can be found along the right side of my blog. I still need to go back and include some links, but I all my new cartridges are listed. Can you believe that I have purchased or otherwise received 3 new Cricut machines and 24 new cartridges since moving back to Hawaii a little over 6 months ago? Isn't that insane? To be fair, around Christmas time, Provocraft and all the online venors dropped their price dramatically in anticipation of Provocraft flooding the market not only with a new Expression but also with a ton of new cartridges. Prices have "stabilized" in the last few months (read: increased), but are still not quite at their average 2010 prices, which makes them generally more affordable. Additionally, instead of releasing new cartridges at a suggested retail price of 89.99, most cartridges seem to be priced at $55.99, which means a drop to the $30s, which is generally the max I'd pay for a cartridge, isn't too dramatic.

Some of the new cartridges I received last month include:



I do plan on eventually tagging projects with the cartridges for easy reference, but like many, that organizing project is a ways off. Thanks for visiting. Check back for another Pooh layout soon!