Monster Baby Shower

So, my brother's wife is expecting and is not finding out what she is having. We were throwing her a shower and didn't have a gender, a theme or any clue what we wanted to do. My sister Rebecca (at Crafting Misfit) and I decided to do a theme with a cartridge we both had since we'd be working on it while living a bit over 3 hours away from each other. Then we thought of Mini Monsters and came up with some really cute projects!

I made the invitations using a variety of multi-colored papers. I then just made color photocopies of the card to mail out. I love it, personally. Boy or Girl? LOL. Of course one guest did say they were "very cute owls". The title on the back was  "A Cute Little Monster is on the Way!"

Next came the fun part - decorating!!

For favor bags I made the monster bag from mini monsters (30 of them...I never want to make another one again!). We filled the adult ones with colorful Lindor Truffles and the kids got Skittles and Starbursts.

I also made my first banner (I made Rebecca string it, though - and it was totally her concept. It's just that her Gypsy broke so she was at a loss of how to actually use the buttons on her Cricut I think ;)

 

I was excited to get to use my Big Kick to emboss the letters :) I'm still getting the hang of it, but I love it.

Because I am a tad over-ambitious I also decorated the silverware (only did a single layer on these monster, though! lol)

Then, perhaps my favorite project was the poster where we made people guess what she was having!

Rebecca made some super-cute centerpieces as well. (It was actually amazing how long we hemmed and hawed over which faux-flowers to buy for them).

Then I made a cake. Ugh - what a disaster. I had such a cute vision, but who knew it would be so muggy in Maine on a September day! This was how it came out - I was totally disappointed but it was still a big hit. I've been waiting for the perfect occasion to make a rainbow layer cake so was super excited to do it this time!

Overall it was an awesome day and I had a lot of fun making the projects (even if it was exhausting!) I can't wait to meet my new niece or nephew, and knowing my brother it is sure to be a little monster!!

I'm entering this into the following challenges:
Scrappy Mom's Stamps (mini moster challenge)
Decorate to Celebrate (Baby party!)

Another baby card

Well, I did end up staying up the other night and making one more quick card. I know a dozen people having babies so this one is for a baby girl.

 The paper is Nana's Nursery (baby boy) and the bird is from my favorite - Create a Critter.

I'm entering this at Celebrate the Occasion for their sketch challenge.

Baby Boy Card

Well, with all the stress of life lately I have been feeling relatively uninspired. However, I have several cards to make  and finally had the time this evening to work on projects. I stumbled across a layout challenge at Peachy Keen Stamps and finally felt some inspiration! My sister (over at Crafting Misfit) and I are always looking at the stamps at Peachy Keen but neither of us has splurged on them quite yet.

It's amazing, but having the layout just got my creative juices flowing! Now it is nearing midnight and I don't want to stop crafting!

Whimsical Wednesday is having a challenge this week as well to use one of the inspirational words "fath", "hope", "love", "peace", or "believe":

I just freehanded the dashed line and wrote "love" which I think looks incredibly sweet and simple on this card that is so full of pattern already.

I don't usually outline my images, but where each image was only one layer I did (and I'm still not sure I should have done it). The onesie is from "B is for Boy" and the bear is from "Every Day Paper Dolls".

I wish the lighting was better in the photos, as alwasy I think it a hundred times cuter in person!
Well, off to either clean up my mess or make the next card. Not sure which to do!

Monkey Business

Well, we are all moved in to our new house and are so happy. My favorite part is a craft room! My husband just keeps starting at all of my stuff in awe that I had all of this hidden and stashed away in our small apartment. Anyway, a small mishap the day we moved in has left me with an ankle sprain and orders to sit and rest which I am absolutely no good at. So, last night we finished unpacking the craft room and today I just SAT and crafted. Such fun!

My son moved out of a toddler bed when we made the move and we bought him bedding from Kohl's that has sock monkeys on it.

I searched and searched for things to hang on his walls. Then, my clever sister over at Crafting Misfit told me that there is a sock monkey on B is for Boy. I went and got that and some cheap frames on clearance at K-Mart and this is what we came up with! (I let him pick all the colors and hats, he had so much fun!)

 Challenges:
1. Scrapalicious USA (anything but a card)
2. And for "show and tell" at my sister's blog Crafting Misfit

Home Decorating

So, I haven't had any time to do any projects lately as we have been house hunting. Now that we have found a house and will be moving in at the end of next month (fingers crossed that all goes as planned) I can't stop thinking about home decorating. We have been renting for 10 years and I've never been able to paint a single wall. So, I'm uber-excited.  Looking at art etc; in stores and online got me to thinking that maybe I can use my cricut to make some tasteful decorations for the house. I don't want it to look like a dorm room or a high school art project, but I am starting to brainstorm ideas.

Here is my first project. I think I'll hang it in my new craft room! (Yes, craft room! No more desk shoved into the living area! Have I mentioned that I am excited???)

It was so hard to get a picture because of the glare!

I used the dragonfly from Gypsy Wanderings (I am still surprised everytime I look for an image it always seems to be on Gypsy Wanderings! Quickly becoming one of my most used cartridges!) and the paper is from DCWV Mi Casa (I told my husband...okay now you know my color scheme for our house! lol. Love these bright colors!).

I cut a piece of black cardstock to 12x4.75 to fit the frame.
Using my gypsy I lined the dragonflies up just how I wanted them and cut it.
I saved the negative and tossed the actual butterflies.
I cut three pieces of paper from Mi Casa into 4.75x4 inch squares and adhered them to a 12x4.75 scrap. I then used a gluestick to adhered the black paper on top of the colored paper.

It was so easy and looks seamless (rather than cutting the dragonflies from printed paper and gluing them onto black. It eliminated any need to measure and space them out just right and looks great this way!

I'll enter this in the following challenges:
1. Anything Goes at Getting Cricky (check them out, my sister Rebecca H is a guest designer!)
2. Pick your poison at Cooking With Cricut
3.  There is no #3...lol...clearly I should have been less selfish and made a project for my husband or father if I wanted to enter challenges this week! ;)

I love this Stationary Box!

Well, for my Mother-in-Law for Mothers' Day I really wanted to make her something. I came across this tutorial to make a Stationary Box and adapted it to her taste and what I had for supplies. I absolutely love this and can't wait to make more of them!

I'm not putting any instructions here as they are all explained so clearly in the tutorial. I did make some adaptations, though. I didn't make an address book and put less pockets.

 

It has 6 cards, a book of stamps, a cute little pen and a bunch of clear stickers with greetings on them for her to add to the cards before she sends them out.

 

The box is made using 12x12 card stock. The original instructions use only two pieces, but I used some extra patterns.  I also added velcro dots to help keep the box closed better and they work very well.

The cover is also made of cardstock. I used Mother's Day Bouquet for the flower embellishment (as well as for all the cards). The cover sits on top of the box to help keep it closed.

Bouquet of Freshly Sharpened Pencils

My favorite line from you've got mail "I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address".

I have a fetish for school supplies. I love them. Really love them! The smell of pencils is intoxicating, lol. So, when I saw a friend post this project I had to do it too. It's teacher appreciation week and we're sending this in for my daughter's teacher in the morning.

The flowers are 2 inch flowers from Mother's Day Bouquet and the paper is a combination of random scraps. Then I just used a hole punch in the center and stuck the eraser through.  The projects cost me $2 ($1 for pencils and the bucket was from the $1 bin at Target).

I'm entering this at the Fantubulous Cricut Challenge to make a project with at least 3 flowers.
Also at Cooking with Cricut for a similar challenge that must include purple (I know you can't see it well, but there are at least 5 purple flowers in there, lol!. Also at Amber's Crafts and Stuff where the project is to make a project for a special lady (my daughter's teacher!).