Exploring Cricut ~ Cricut Choice Challenge ~

Welcome to another fun bi-weekly challenge at
Exploring Cricut! 

 

The challenge this week....
 

 Make a card, layout, or paper craft using
1 pattern paper, 2 cricut cuts and 3 colors. 
It can be any
theme!

This week I chose to work with French Manor and Nursery Rhymes to create this cute thank you card!

I cut the rooster at 4.5 inches (Shadow and figure).  It came from Nursery Rhymes.  I then cut the sentiment at 1.5 inches. (From French Manor...)  The pattern paper I chose is actually from a Christmas paper pad.  But I really like the paisley design and thought it worked nicely with my theme.  I then used one red sequin to dot the I in Merci. 

Thanks for stopping by!  And until next time....

Blessings...

Supplies

Cartridges - Cricut French Manor and Nursery Rhymes
Papers - Bazzill, Georgia Pacific, K & Company
 

DS73 & TSTR136 ~ A Shabby Thank You ~

Welcome friends! It is so very nice to see you! Today, I am excited to be playing along with two challenges, The Shabby Tea Room AND The Deconstructed Sketch! I haven't had as much time to play along as of late... and this was a real treat! So here's the sketch...

the inspiration photo from The Shabby Tea Room...

 

a photo of the finished card...

 

 

and a closeup of it...

and the stamp set used...

So soft and shabby! :-) Behind the spray of roses you will find a beautiful die cut pale pink vellum heart. My new blogger friend Kathleen sent that my way! Isn't she just a dear? ***waving wildly Kathleen*** Thanks! She also sent me the most BEAUTIFUL fall card and I promise I will share a photo of it soon! You will love it as much as I do!

The challenge at The Tea Room... to combine rustic and elegant!  I embossed the wood panel DP with a Woodgrain Embossing Folder for added realism. I also threw in some pearls ***Don't I always*** and a bit of crystal embellished ribbon. Kinda reminds me of a chandelier. I also added some fun teardrop shaped gems by Recollections. Black CS matting defines the bottom layer on a kraft CS base. I also used a circle paper punch to cut and create the kraft scallop behind the icy trim. And of course all my edges are distressed and inked! So what do you think? I always love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for stopping in and don't forget to stop in later this week for my Mojo Monday entry PLUS a fun blog hop at Clear Dollar Stamps! It's gonna be SO fun! Blessings...

Lori

Card Recipe

Stamps - Our Daily Bread Designs - Thank You

Paper - Kraft - The Paper Studio; Georgia Pacific; My Mind's Eye - Blush; My Mind's Eye - Fiddlesticks

Ink - Versafine - Black Onyx; Ranger Distress Ink - Tattered Rose

Dies - Spellbinders - Standard Circles Large & Petite Scalloped Circles Large

Misc - Embossing Folder - Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Woodgrain; Stickpins - My Yellow Bicycle; Paper Punch - Martha Stewart Crafts & Creative Memories - Circle Punch; Pearl Flourish & Gemstones - Recollections; Crochet Embellie; Mulberry Roses

Challenges

The Shabby Tea Room - TSTR136 - Rustic Elegance

The Deconstructed Sketch - DS73
Twist of Faith #7 - Favorites (Pink & Embossing)

MOJO257 ~ Thanks a Bunch!

Good morning!  Hope all is well in your corner of the world!  Today, I have another thank you card to share.  I'm TRYING to work with traditional card sizes...  This one is an A2 or 5.5 x 4.25 inches.  I took the opportunity to pull the Mojo sketch and create a card perfect for that special teacher...

And the sketch that inspired it all...

I created the flower by stamping two flower images from Verve's Bloom & Grow set, cutting them out, molding them with a stylus and stacking them with dimensional foam. I finished them off with a vintage looking brad. The leaves are also a Verve stamp, individually hand cut and applied to embellish the blossom. A few punched circles create my scallop topped with adhesive lace by Recollection. A pearl flourish, cut and strategically placed add a bit of feminine flair. Both the leaves and sentiment may be found in Verve's Great Friend set.

Thanks for stopping by! See ya next time!

Lori

Card Recipe

Stamps - Verve - Great Friend & Bloom & Grow Sets

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black; Memento Tuxedo Black (flower); Close to My Heart - Olive (leaves)

Papers - Bazzill; We R Memory Keepers - Hall Pass

Misc. - Brad - Paper Studio Spare Parts; Pearls & Lace - Recollections

Challenges

MOJO257 - Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge

MOJO249 ~ Hospitality ~

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! Today's card is for the Mojo Monday Sketch challenge.

And my take on it...

I picked this paper pack up recently at Michaels. We had chickens on our farm when I was a child so this paper immediately grabbed my eye. I combined it with a deep red card stock, kraft paper and black to come up with a French Country feel. I even added a tiny bit of burlap to remind me of those old chicken feed sacks... Thanks for looking and until next time...

Blessings...

Lori

Card Recipe

Stamps - Our Daily Bread Designs - The Living Bread

Paper - Recollections - Rooster Provincial; Bazzill

Ink - Versafine - Onyx Black

Die - Sizzix - Tim Holtz Alterations - Tattered Foliage

Misc. - Flourish - Recollections; Flowers - Ashland; Microbeads - Recollections - Champagne; Paper Punches - Martha Stewart Crafts; Burlap

Challenges

Mojo Monday #249 Sketch - MOJO249

WT370 Windows & Doors ~ For All You Do ~

Today, I am sharing a card I created for Splitcoast Stamper's Ways To Use It Challenge.  This week participants were asked to create something with a window and/or door.  I wanted to do something a little different.  Most of the cards I see show a scene looking outside the window.  I wanted to create something that looked as if you were outside gazing in. 



To create the brick I embossed a white card stock panel with Tim Holtzs' Alteration Bricked folder. I then took my Memento London Fog ink pad and run it over the embossed paper until I achieved the desired look. I added some Ranger Distress Ink (Pumice Stone) with a inking sponge for depth. Once the panel was dry, I used a rectangular Spellbinder die to cut out the window opening. I placed a layer of DP beneath with dimensional foam. I looked for a pattern that reminded me of old wallpaper. I trimmed the brick panel with black card stock and then kraft. The window and window box die were added with dimensional foam. I layered on some liquid adhesive and added my greenery layer (Meadow). After it dried, I added more liquid glue and some Flowersoft in Sweet Pea. I stamped my sentiment from Our Daily Bread Designs' Serve the Lord set on the bottom of my white card stock base. I then added my bricked & matted panel. The final step... I added a few black rhinestone beads for interest. I promise the project is not nearly as complicated as it sounds! Thanks so much for stopping in and until next time...

Blessings...

Lori

Card Recipe

Stamps - Our Daily Bread Designs - Serve the Lord
Paper - Glitz - French Kiss; Paper Studio - kraft; Colorbok - black
Ink - Versafine - Onyx Black (sentiment); Memento - London Fog & Ranger Distress Ink - Pumice Stone (brick)
Dies - Memory Box - Grand Madison Window & Grand Flower Box; Spellbinders - Classic Rectangles Large
Embossing Folder - Sizzix - Tim Holtz Alterations - Bricked
Misc. - Rhinestones - Flourishes; Flowersoft - Meadow & Sweet Pea; Lace (curtains)

MOJO243 & TSTR116 ~ Thanks a Bunch

Hope everyone had a nice relaxing weekend! I know I spent a great deal of time catching up on the normal household chores. Hubby is scared silly because I actually cooked several times this weekend! :-) I did get a chance to catch a little nap or two plus I even got a few cards done! I've been in a sort of creative rut lately and absolutely NOTHING inspired me! :-( But I think the drought has broken... whew!!!

So today I am playing in a few challenges. The MOJO 243 sketch...

This week's challenge at The Shabby Tea Room asks participants to create something using white/cream, pink & blue plus flowers and a fabric element. The Shabby Tea Room inspiration photo "Color Me Pretty..."

And my interpretation...

The base is a scallop cut from Cricut's Winter Woodland cartridge. It is exactly 4.25 inches. I used the Spellbinders Standard Circles Large to cut the DP pink layer and trim the pattern strip to fit under the sentiment panel. The DP under the panel has touches of blue plus a hexagon with pink roses. It's kinda hard to see but it is there! I then layered on a white crochet medallion with the sentiment panel on top. The sentiment panel is actually a light blue doily fussy cut from one of the DP sheets in the Be Happy paper pad. I then stamped the sentiment (Verve) on it before adhering. For some sort touches I added a couple of pearl stick pins, one heart and one regular to the doily. I nestled a pink mulberry rose on a crochet piece and added a cream hemp bow before gluing it down. A few sprigs of greenery (MS paper punch) add s little zest. I also added some pearls (Recollections) to each scallop on the card. Very pretty and very tiny! The small cards are hard for a big handed girl like me to wrestle with!  Thanks so much for stopping by and until next time... blessings...

Card Recipe

Stamps - Verve - Bloom & Grow
Paper - Georgia Pacific, My Mind's Eye - Be Happy Paper Pad
Ink - Versafine - Onyx Black
Die Cuts - Cricut - Winter Woodland (scallop base, 2 cuts at 4.25 inches); Spellbinders Standard Circles Large
Misc. - Pearls - Recollections, Stick Pins - Little Yellow Bicycle, Paper Punch - Martha Stewart Crafts, Hemp Ribbon - Horizon, Crochet - Spare Parts


Challenges

The Shabby Tea Room - TSTR116 - Color Me Pretty
Mojo Monday - MOJO243 - Sketch Challenge

Your Service

So glad you could stop by for a few moments today! Things have been very quiet on the Ulrich front. John spent some time this past weekend visiting his youngest in Virginia while I puttered around the house. I did manage to get some household chores but very little crafting! Boo...hoo...

So bear with me as I get my crafting mojo back in full swing. I plan on getting some projects done this week! I hope to play along with Mojo Monday sometime soon. Those lovely sketches keep calling my name!

Don't forget about Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge this Saturday! It promised to be fun! And next week I will have a couple of Cricut projects plus a Love of Alumni hop project for ODBD. Should be a busy one! In the meantime, here is a simple project I whipped up last week...

The lace edging and sentiment can be found in ODBD's Serve the Lord set. I hand trimmed the lace edges for added dimension. The base and frame are a rich chocolate card stock and the ink is Memento's Rich Cocoa. I created the frame using Spellbinder's Large Ovals and Labels Twenty sets. I found the magnolia blossom and leaves in a Petaloo stash I had! Simple, fun and delightful! Until next time... blessings...

Card Recipe

Stamps - ODBD - Serve the Lord
Paper - Bazzill, Colorbok
Ink - Memento Rich Cocoa
Etc. - Blossom/Petals - Petaloo; Pearls - Recollections
Dies - Spellbinders - Standard Ovals Large, Labels Twenty

Tuesday Throwdown #96 - In the Garden (magnolia blossoms and leaves)
Clear it Our Challenge - Mother's Day/Card for a Mentor & Flowers from your stash

ODBD Alumni Love of Flowers Hop

Welcome to Our Daily Bread Design's Alumni Team's bi-monthly For the Love Blog Hop. This week the Alumni team along with some of the ODBD designers are featuring a hop for the For the Love of ODBD Flower Sets! Check out each link and leave a comment. If you get lost along the way, go to the ODBD blog for the full link list. One of the post is a hop hot spot and a name will be drawn from that list of comments to win a $15 ODBD store gift certificate. So, all you have to do is hop along and see all the creations and leave a little love! You have until Wednesday, May 9th at 6 pm. The winner will be announced May 10th! So, get hopping and enjoy all the Floral inspiration using For the Love of ODBD Flower Sets!

If you arrived here from Betty's blog you are in the right spot! If not, head over to the ODBD blog for a full link list.

I decided to work with the Serve the Lord Set pictured below...

And my project this week...

I began with a simple white card stock base, matting my DP with purple CS. The DP has been both dry embossed and all edges distressed. I stamped my image on Copic compatible paper coloring my Poppies lightly. I used the compatible ODBD die to cut my image out. Before finishing I created a bow with ODBD's Design Team Member Becca Feekan's new Peg Bow Maker. So easy and I love the final results dressed up with a lavender button and baker's twine bow.

Now next on the hop is Sandee. She has a beautiful project to share! Thanks so much for hopping along with us! Blessings!

Supplies
Stamps - ODBD Serve the Lord
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Memento Grape Jelly (sentiment)
Paper - Bazzill, Neenah, Prima's Meadow Lark
Dies - Our Daily Bread Designs ,Crocheted Circle Die; Spellbinders Ribbon Banners
Embossing Folder - Provocraft - Plum Blossoms
Seam Binding, Button, Baker's Twine, Pearls, Becca's Peg Bow Maker

When Life Hands You Lemons...

you make lemonade! With a record heat wave scorching the entire country, an ice cold glass of lemonade sounds pretty good! This card will go to a dear friend who recently opened her home to us. John and I had such a nice time visiting and her hospitality warmed our hearts!

And speaking of warming my heart, a big thank you to my dear friend Sabrina for sharing some lovely products I am using on today's card! Thanks girl! You rock!



I enjoyed pulling out the Cricut to make die cuts for this project! I had the lemon DP on hand but thought it needed some fun cuts! The glass is 3 1/2 inches and the lemon itself is 2. Both are on the Just Because cartridge. And isn't this ODBD stamp the perfect sentiment? You can find this on The Living Bread set. Thanks as always for reading... a complete product list follows...

See ya next time!

Recipe

5 1/4 x 4 1/4
Card Stock - Colorbok, Bazzill
Designer Paper - Kaisercraft - Nan's Collection
Stamp - ODBD - The Living Bread
Ink - Memento - Rich Cocoa; Desert Sand (inking around sentiment)
Die Cuts - Glass & Lemon (Provocraft - Just Because); Doily - Cheery Lynn Designs; Spellbinders - Small Labels
Paper Punch - EK Success
Ribbon


Challenges

Mojo Monday 200 - Sketch

Sunflower Thank You

Happy Thursday to you! So sorry it has taken this long to post. You know that old adage, lightning doesn't strike twice? WRONG! Early Monday morning a lightning bolt hit our home (for the second time in the last three months...) and it blew our satellite dish apart. And I do not kid when I say blew it apart... We found pieces scattered all OVER the backyard. We lost our telephone and telephone service, the dish, an alarm clock... I had no power in my scrap room! EEEKKKK... and my Cricut AND laptop took power surges... Thankfully both had built in surge protectors. I purchased a new cord for my computer today! ***Yeah, I can post!!*** And I am waiting on a replacement cord for my E2... Hopefully that will fix the problem as well!

To make things more chaotic, today we had to take dear hubs to Northern KY for a medical procedure. Prayers were answered! He is doing great and had a wonderful report! God is good all the time! Thanks to Chris Olsen over at ODBD who has been SO WONDERFUL! She has been a God send during this technologically challenged time! ***Big hugs if you are reading this Chris!***

Today's project was inspired by a lovely card in the August edition of Papercrafts. The design (by Julie Campbell) used a medallion. I decided to use the same technique to make a sunflower! It was easy and fun all at the same time! This card is also being featured over at Faithfully Yours. Please take a moment to hop over and see what other ideas Dawn has to share! Blessings to you and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Card Recipe

Card Stock - Bazzill, Colorbok
Designer Paper - stash (unknown)- 1 1/4" squares (12 pieces) folded into cones and glued together
Die - Spellbinders - Petite Scalloped Circles Large
Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug Swiss Dots (negative side of embossing turned up)
Stamp - Hero Arts
Ink - Versamark
Embossing Powder - Stampendous
Ribbon - Offray

Paper Pleating

Happy Wednesday to you! The weekend is almost here! And today I am jumping on the paper pleating bandwagon. That's right... paper pleating! Splitcoaststampers posted a fabulous tutorial today. And I could not wait to try it out! This card is a little different for me. It is definitely a cleaner look than what I am used to! But I love it and who knows... maybe this will be the next creative phase of my life... lol... (I really don't think I can give up lace...) Thanks as always for looking and I will see you soon! Happy crafting!

Lori
Saintsrule!

Card Recipe

Card Stock - Bazzill, Colorbok
Designer Paper - My Mind's Eye - Fine and Dandy - Tickled Pink "Cheery" Paper
Stamps - My Mind's Eye - Tickled Pink Stamps
Ink - Memento Lady Bug, Bamboo Leaves
Pearls - Recollections
Punch - Martha Stewart for EK Success
Baker's Twine

SSIC92 A Little Touch of Holland

Whew! I'm back! Things have finally settled down enough that I can return to the craft table! And the ladies at Stampin' Sisters in Christ have just the perfect recipe to challenge me! This week, participants can use something "new" to them. I chose both a new technique (Delft Tile) and product (stamps by My Mind's Eye)!

Recently I spotted a tutorial by Julie Warner about Delft Tile on Splitcoaststamper. Well, when I spotted a beautiful Delft ornament in Frankenmuth, Michigan, I was hooked! I had to come back and try this technique. Hope you get a chance to try something new this week in your papercrafting!

Blessings

Lori



Supplies

Card Stock - Bazzill, Neenah
Stamps - My Mind's Eye - Stella and Rose, Hazel "Memories" Stamps; Fine and Dandy, Tickled Pink Stamps
Ink - Memento Danube Blue; Stampin' Up Going Grey
Fiber - Offray Braid w/Pearl White
Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug
Scor-Pal
Sponge Dauber

A Special Thank You Card

Thank you cards are so fun to do! I love trying to pick the perfect image and sentiment to personalize the card. This card will go to a dear friend who loves animals and specifically cats! I think this image from Susana's Custom Art and Card Design will do just nicely! Hope you are having a wonderful day! I'm looking forward to doing some serious crafting in 2011!

Blessings

Lori

Card Design

5 x 7

Card Stock - Bazzill
Card Stock - Image - Gina K. Pure Luxury
Designer Paper - Bo Bunny - Olivia Stripe (reversible)
Stamps - Image - Susana's Custom Art and Card Design - Elisabeth Bell - Winter Emma
Stamps - Sentiment - Papertrey Ink - Mixed Media
Ink - Image - Memento Tuxedo Black
Ink - Sentiment - Memento Rich Cocoa
Ink - Background around image - Memento Desert Sand
Ink - Coloring - Copics

Die Cuts - Spellbinders - Eyelet Circles & Standard Circles Large
Ribbon - Offray - 5/8 Brown Satin

Boots - E35, E37, E39
Pants - E33, E35, E37
Hair - E33, Y11, Y15
Flesh - E00
Blush - R20
Sweater - G24, G28, G29
Collar and Trim - C1
Cat - C1
Bow - G24, G28

Many Thanks!

Gina K. Designs has done it again! They have created a stamp set that I can return to time and again for wonderful stamping options! A few posts back I used a pumpkin from this same stamp set, Autumn Splendor. As you can see, it is quickly becoming one of my new favs!

For me stamping is a great deal about things that make me smile. And just like my recent posts about the leaves of fall, I remember these little maple tree seed pods with fondness as well. I think it is so cool how these little seeds are designed with wings that assure they will get to just the right spot and then grow into strong trees on their own. But isn't that really the way with everything in creation? God designed such a perfectly complex world with each part working in such beautiful harmony. It makes sense that he thought of all the little details, including how this little seed would make it to the ground and have a chance to grow. Why wouldn't it be that way with us? After all every hair on our head is counted. Here's hoping you have a wonderful day and take some time to drink in the beauty of creation.

Lori



Card Design

5 X 7 Inches

Card Stock - Bazzill
Card Stock - Image - Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury
Designer Paper - Bo Bunny Roughin It In the Woods
Making Memories - Distressing Tool - used on edges of designer paper
Ink - Edging of designer paper - Memento - Desert Sand
Ink - Edging of image - Memento - Desert Sand
Ink - Image - Memento - Tuxedo Black
Ink - Coloring - Copics - YG23, YG25
Stamp - Image and Sentiment - Gina K. Designs - Autumn Splendor
Punch - Fiskars
Ribbon - Offray - Verano Tan - 1 1/8 in (cut to size desired)
Die Cuts - Standard Circles Large

Autumn Splendor

Well I'm off to teach at an all night crop tonight! Did I take a nap today? No. Did I rest on the couch? No. Did I do laundry? Yes. And did I run errands including 2 hours in the beauty shop getting my hair done? Yes. So this should be an interesting night! An almost forty year old woman trying to stay up all night and crop... I could do this in college and function but now? LOL... Me thinks it will be a long night... So in case I don't regain consciousness anytime tomorrow I thought I would go ahead and post! Pray for me ladies... It's going to be an interesting night! More details to come...

Lori



Card Recipe

Finished Card 5 X 5 inches

Card stock - Bazzill, Gina K. Pure Luxury
Designer Paper - Chatterbox - Sunny Plaid
Stamps - Image and Sentiment - Gina K. Designs - Autumn Splendor Stamp TV Kit
Ink - Image - Memento - Black
Ink - Sentiment - Memento - Rich Cocoa
Ink - Accent - Memento - Summer Sky - Sponged on edge
Ink - Coloring - Copics - YG17, YG67, E17, E29, Y17, Y18
Punch - Martha Stewart - Modern Garland
Die Cuts - Spellbinders - Labels 10, Petite Scalloped Circles Large, Fancy Tags

A Snowy Thank You

Kentucky has had it's fair share of cold and snowy weather in the last week. Hopefully, it will warm up soon... if you call 46 degrees warm! (Chuckle) I created this card as a special thank you. My hubby underwent a heart cath last week. Thankfully the doctor found nothing. The procedure required him to remain in the hospital until 7PM that evening. By that time we were under a winter weather advisory and our roads were nasty! Both vehicles were at the hospital and I was fearful to take him home and risk running off the road. Obviously he was not in any shape to trek home! I was stressing to say the least. And then God answered my prayers! The night before a wonderful couple from our church asked me if I was afraid of driving in bad weather. I told them no as it had never been an issue before. Then they told me "if anything happens please call us." They have a 4 wheel drive vehicle! Ron immediately answered and we made arrangements to meet! What wonderful people. The trip was treacherous in their vehicle and I shudder to think what could have happened if I had stubbornly thought I could do it on my own... A lesson I'm sure God needed to remind me of. I created this card to thank them for their kindness. Have a blessed day!

Card Recipe

Cricut Gypsy - welding images
Diecuts - Sentimentals - Thank You When It's Cold Outside - Snowflake
Spellbinders - Nestibilties - Pendant - Fleur De Lis
Pattern Paper - Moxxie Winter Wishes - Woodland Wonder
Memento Dew Drop Ink - Desert Sand - edging of pattern paper
Robin's Nest Dew Drops - Clear
Ribbon - Offray 5/8 inch white satin
Dress Pins - coated with clear finger nail polish and dipped in Martha Stewart Sterling Fine Glitter
Pop Dots