Cuttin' Up Saturday! Happy Birthday

It's Cuttin' Up time again, and we're featuring Happy Birthday phrases cut from our choice of Cricut Cartridges...and since it's Cuttlebug Challenge's birthday, as well as my Grandson's birthday, I've chosen to make a really fun easel card. The phrase is cut from Cricut Cake Basics, and makes a perfect marquee for this Baseball Card.

My papers come from the L'il Man coordinated paper pack from Cosmo Cricket. It has ribbons, chip board, and several different styles of paper.

Happy Birthday, Tyler

Tyler watched a lot of Tampa Bay Rays, and even the Bradenton Marauders, baseball with us this summer, so this makes a great themed card for his 9th birthday.

I'm really fond of the new Polka Dots Cuttlebug folder - it's similar to everyone's favorite Swiss Dots - but the spots are bigger, and with Core'dinations paper, that means more color shows through. Love it!!

I hope you'll check out what the rest of the designers have created for this week, and also what was showcased on Wed. for the Be Inspired Challenge. You could be a winner this week.... we love to see what you make!

Check back on Monday... I have a big surprise!

Happy crafting ~

Cuttin' Up! Saturday

In honor of Robyn, My Pink Stamper, and Cuttin' Up Saturday, on Cuttlebug Challenges, I've pulled out one of my very favorite Christmas cuts. This is from the When It's Cold Outside Cricut limited edition solutions cartridge that came out last year, and it cuts the most elaborate snowflakes!

I think this scene is my very favorite one. Here it is cut at 4 inches, and I also cut the silver elliptical circle with the Cricut, using Plantain Schoolbook, and the Center Point feature, with a little adjustment. Cool, huh?!

The background was done with sponges, starting in the center, and working out, using CTMH Sunflower Yellow, then Bubblegum Pink, and finally Vineyard Berry. Blend, Blend Blend!!

I used Versamark ink and clear embossing powder to heat emboss the Holy Family part of the cut to make that part pop, as well as the stamped corner elements. Add Silver Stickles for a finishing touch on the stars.

In Robyn's "Family and Friends" set, there is the perfect sentiment..."Believe"...which I was able to slightly curve when I placed it on my acrylic block. Her stamps are great quality! Crisp, clean images, without sanding or prepping the stamps, good quality backing, and clear enough for stamping on ribbon!

Be sure to get over to Cuttlebug Challenge this week to create something PINK with a sentiment on it, and you could be the winner of a set of stamps, or a set of her DVD's.

Happy crafting ~

Cuttin' Up! Saturday

When I was in Colorado in May I saw an antique book made into a bird house, and that inspired me to create this for a special friend of mine for her classroom. She teaches French and Reading. Our theme for Cutting' Up! over at Cuttlebug Challenge is to do something book related, going along with the Cuttlebug Challenge for this week. Sometimes a book is damaged, or it's just plain for the birds, so this is my creation!

There are more photos and tutorial info over at Cuttlebug Challenge, but the basics are to use hot glue to roll the pages, creating the inside of the birdhouse. Paint the binding and edge of the book, if you want to change the color, then add designer paper for the roof. Add trim and embellishments, birds, a dowel for a perch, a ribbon for hanging, and voila' ~ one very chic home decor piece! Wouldn't it be darling with a Christmas theme?
For this one I used my new French Manor Cricut Cartridge that is exclusive to Cricut Circle members. The birds are from Straight from the Nest.

I hope you'll check out the projects of my design team mates, and also give the Cuttlebug Challenge a try!

So what book did you think is for the birds??? LOL

Happy crafting~

Cuttin' Up!!

Cuttin' Up! is a brand new segment over at Cuttlebug Challenge, where we will be featuring die cuts or projects made with the Cricut....but first, another vacation photo or two :) The National Cathedral in Washington, DC

The ribbon outlet, that everyone has heard us talk about so much! This place is totally overwhelming, as there are just bolts and bolts of every kind of ribbon....
in virtually every color and style! AND it's so inexpensive, that you think you have to have one of every kind!! Oh, the poor trunk of the car!!! I really do get overwhelmed, and don't know what to buy, and then later wish I'd gotten more...

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On to today's project!

GHOST IMAGES!!!!!

Our Cuttin' Up project was to cut acetate or acrylic with the Cricut. I decided to cut ghost images, which are clear acrylic images which often have a colored or inked edge. What better way to show this than with these darling GHOSTS? They are cut from the PAPER DOLL DRESS UP cartridge, using the REAL DIAL feature on the Cricut Expression, which makes them the actual size, rather than keeping them proportionate to the doll size.

Ghost images are usually edged in ink, marker, or some color to make them have some definition. I chose an irridescent Stickles, so these little guys would shimmer, and then using Beacon 3-IN-1 Glue just behind the Stickles, it was easy to adhere them without it showing.

The fence is a stamp, which I colored with Copics then cut out. The moon and witch are also a stamp, and the papers are from my stash... The purple background mat has been embossed with the Cuttlebug Herringbone folder. The orange ribbon is from the Offray ribbon outlet :)

This is the inside, which has a couple of Studio G stamps, and a Paper Doll Dress Up pumpkin, as well as another of our little GHOST friends! I hope you will give cutting acrylic with your Cricut a try. Check out the rest of the Cuttin' Up! projects at CUTTLEBUG CHALLENGE ! They are very different, and really neat, too!!

See you again soon, and in the meantime....

Happy crafting ~

BettyBee