BBTB Challenge; Sunflowers, Crows, and Scarecrows

Hey there! We have another fun challenge at the Bitten By The Bug (BBTB2) Cricut challenge site. The challenges run for two weeks and you are encouraged to create any project as long as you use your Cricut Machine.

When it's 98 degrees outside, you don't really feel like making fall projects so I focused on using a sunflower. The problem is that I couldn't find one cartridge that I own with a sunflower image. Finally, I looked at my Cricut Sampler cartridge. Yup, I received this when I ordered my very first Cricut machine over 15 years ago. Do you remember these? This machine uses a 6x12 mat! I still have it because it still works, but never use it.

Anyhow, whew, got a little sidetracked there! LOL

I cut the sunflower (although I used the Cricut Sampler cartridge, it is originally from the A Walk In My Garden cartridge) at 5.5". I was going to keep it simple but then I thought of trying the following background technique:

What I did is gather a bunch of washi tapes that had a fall color scheme. I added strips of washi to cover the 4x5.25" cardstock base. Once I did that, I adhered the layered and inked sunflower to the front.

 I love the way it turned out and hope to make more cards using this same method.

Be sure to click on over to the BBTB2 website and add your project to the link. Be sure to specify what cartridge you used or where your image came from in your blogpost.

TGIF; Thankful Friday #104

Friday! How I love thee...let me count thy ways.

1. Gateway to the weekend
2. Casual dress down/jeans day at work
3. Pizza for dinner - no dishes!
4. Everyone seems happier on a Friday
5. Did I mention, gateway to the weekend?
6. No early bed time
7. Catch up on our DVR'd shows
8. Thankful Friday post
9. One more time...gateway to the weekend!

I guess there's not too many ways I can count to show you how much I love Fridays.

This week has been busy since the baby shower is this weekend. Everything is purchased, it's just a matter of making the food and cleaning the house. The hard work is done.

What am I thankful for? I'm thankful for a busy week. I have been exhausted at bed time and I've been sleeping great!

Have a great weekend!

Catching Up; Year of the Pig

I can't believe in the midst of all the baby shower projects, I'm still finding time to do a layout here and there. I worked on this one based off a sketch challenge on one of the FaceBook groups I'm on.

I was able to get eight photos on this one page layout!

I attempted to make my own page kit using scraps and papers from my stash. The cameras were fussy cut from a scrap piece of patterned paper and what inspired the page kit.

I know it seems a little mixed matched, but I love it. It's pretty simple page but I love how it's filled with photos!

TGIF; Thankful Friday #103

Happy Friday! Isn't it wonderful when you go to work on a Friday and everyone greets you with a "happy Friday" greeting?!

My dad's birthday was yesterday and although it's been six years since he passed away, for some reason this year was a tough one. I think it's because of the upcoming grandbaby and knowing she will never meet him nor my dad meet her.

Ok...I better stop before I start crying.

I am thankful for many, many memories that help with the loss. Happy birthday dad!

WOYWW #537

Happy WOYWW! On Wednesdays I get to show off my desk area with a bunch of other deskers on the Stamping Ground blog. Everyone is welcome to join the fun. Click on over and check out the links and add a photo of your own work area.

Here's mine this morning:

Those cute little rolled things are diapers. I'm making a diaper cake for an upcoming co-ed baby shower we're hosting for our son and DIL.

Everything else on the desk is just "stuff". There's a layout that's still in the making on the top right corner. I don't think there's anything else worth noting on the desk top this week.

Have a crafty week!

Celebrating Grandparents; BBTB Challenge

It’s time for another challenge on the Bitten By The Bug challenge site! The current challenge is Celebrating Grandparents.

I decided to create a scrapbook layout for a photo of my mom with my son and DIL at their wedding.

I used the Ole Cricut cartridge for the word “abuela” and the floral embellishment on the top right. (In case you’re wondering, abuela is Spanish for grandmother.)

I didn’t plan exactly the colors I was going to use. These pieces of cardstock were on my desk so I decided to go bright...I mean, really bright!

I wasn’t sure about the rest of the layout and how to coordinate the colors, but then I saw this paper pack that I’ve had for awhile.

This is a Walmart product and it is so fun and bright! I didn’t do much to the layout except double mat it and then use scrap pieces of cardstock to anchor the photo, title and floral embellishment. I also added some splatter to the lower right and upper left corners with FSJ Color Silk in Bubblegum.

Your turn...click on over to BBTB2 to link your Cricut project or just to check out the DT projects!

TGIF; Thankful Friday #102

Happy Friday! I missed last week - not that I wasn't thankful for anything, I was just tired. LOL

This week I'm thankful for the cooler weather. It's been in the 80's all week and it's been so nice. I wish I could say that I'm also thankful that we didn't put on the A/C, but yesterday when I got home, it was on.

Oh well. :)

Have a great week!

WOYWW #536

Happy Wednesday! Yay, the week is halfway done.

Every Wednesday, Julia at Stamping Ground opens a linkage for others to share their work space. This has been going on for 536 weeks! Be sure to click over to the Stamping Ground blog to read more about the linkage and take a peek into others' work spaces.

Here's my desk today:

I'm on the last layout for 2018. I know what I'm going to do, I just need to adhere everything to the base page.

Short and sweet! Have a great week!

Using My Scraps; Layout

Hi there,
I'm working diligently on party decorations for two upcoming parties that we are hosting but cannot forget to work on some scrapbooking layouts as well. I've joined a couple of scrapbooking FB groups and boy oh boy those members keep me inspired.

This is the latest layout that I made using scraps from a Christmas scrapbooking kit. Leave nothing behind!

I used a circle punch to punch out all these circles for this layout.

I also added some stickers and some pen doodles on a few of them. This was a very simple layout. I'll post the right side of this two pager once it's complete.

I'm almost done with 2018!

Getting Crafty - New DT

I’m excited to announce that I’ve been selected to be on the Love To Craft Challenge Blog design team.  My first project/entry will be on October 1st.

This challenge blog is for all things crafty. Which describes my lifestyle to a “T”. I’m really excited to share my crafty projects with you all...one month at a time!

Be sure to click back here on October 1st to see my first project!

Stick It Down Challenge; Christmas Layouts

I’m using the September 2-page sketch on Stick It Down to help complete my 2018 album. I’m finishing up my Christmas layouts and love the way they are turning out.

One of my scrappy friends also maintains a FB group that is so fun, interactive and very positive. If you’re looking for a fun group, go to Scrapbooking The Day Away and join. You will not be disappointed.

I also used the scraps and some of the kit to create front & back pocket page layouts to place between the 2-page spread.

Click on over to the Stick It Down for some 2-page, 1-page and card sketch inspiration.

BBTB2 Challenge: Go Outside!

The current challenge at Bitten By The Bug (BBTB2) is:

Go Outside!

I've wanted to make one of these for a long time and I finally did it just in time for my daughter and granddaughter's birthday party. Technically, they are called Camping Buckets. You see, you have it lit up so you can find your camping spot out in the darkened wilderness, but of course they can be used anywhere.

I purchased a 5 gallon bucket from Home Depot and the puck light from Amazon. The "relax" sentiment was a freebie from lovesvg.com and the "welcome" sentiment I created using an assortment of fonts in Cricut and my system. The beer mug was also from lovesvg.com.

I put vinyl on both sides of the bucket:

 Here it is on our stage that we call "Le LEAF":

 And all lit up:

It really is just for ambiance and we LOVE it! Fun, right!?!

Now it's your turn...create something with an outside/outdoor theme and link it to the BBTB2 challenge link. Click on over there for some DT inspiration!

(In case you're curious, we came up with Le LEAF because the "stage" was made for our granddaughter, LeAnna.  So...the first three are obvious and the F is her middle name initial. And adding "le" instead of "the" is just fun!)

Creative With Stamps; September Challenge

Can you believe it's already September? Autumn is just around the corner and hopefully some cooler weather! The monthly challenge at Creative With Stamps is:

For this month's card challenge, I made this:

Some close ups:

I used an old Stampin' Up leaf collection and some FSJ inks in Autumn colors. Have you made these cards before? It is so fun and so easy. I've done this before with three layers but liked it best with two. 

Basically, you cut your cardstock (kraft) into rectangle layers. For this card, the sizes are 4x5.25 and 3x4. Since my card base is white, I only needed to cut one more mat which was cut at 3.25 x 4.25. 

Stack the kraft layers on top of each other and then stamp as if it were one piece. (Use a removeable adhesive to hold them in place) Then you mat the pieces and adhere them as best as you can to line up the stamped images.

I added twine to the top layer and tied a double bow before popping on the sentiment.

The sentiment is one of those $1 stamps at Michaels that I purchased years ago too.

Now it's your turn, add your card to the link at Creative With Stamps. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

LTSCB September Challenge

The challenge this month at the Love To Scrap Challenge Blog is Anything Goes and this month's sponsor is:  CAS-ual Friday Stamps. One person will win a $25 Gift Code.

Here's the card I made:

My coloring is not the best, but practice makes perfect and I sure am practicing! The background papers for the card are actually PL cards. I have so many of these collections and I am determined to use them more.

Now it's your turn...be sure to read the challenge rules and then link your stamped creation to the Love To Scrap Challenge Blog for your chance to win!