Spring in Bloom layout for spring equinox challenge

Happy Monday.....although I'm not sure how happy it is, as life is changing so rapidly in such unexpected ways with the coronavirus that I find myself anxiously starting every day to see what the news brings.  My college kids have all received word that they are not going back after spring break and switching to online classes.  It looks like our local high school may do that also.  My husband's company is also working from home.  So everyone in my house will be home except me.  As I am a critical care nurse, my work is expecting to soon be very busy.  I hope all of you stay well during these uncertain times.

Crafting may have to be my happy therapy to brighten up my day.  Our BBTB2 challenge in combination with Double Trouble is Spring Equinox using a die cut and can include a bee for an extra twist.  I have pictures from a trip to a botanical garden in Denver last spring that will go on this layout of Spring in Bloom with the bunch of tulips.  I have pictures of the gorgeous tulips at the garden that will go on here.  My bee is buzzing around the bunch of tulips, pollinating away!  You can see all the challenge rules and the design team projects over at BBTB2 and we hope you'll link up a project.

close up of the tulips and bee

Cricut:
CTMH Flower Market-tulips, bee
April Showers-title
Paper-CTMH solids, Echo Park Spring Market prints
brown chalk in for edging
square punch for photo corners
Stampin Up stitched circle die for circles

Umbrella card

Happy Monday!  Although it's the first day of April, it snowed yesterday!  My daffodils look very sad, covered in white stuff.  The good thing about April snows is they usually don't stick around long.  But WHERE is the spring, I ask you?  Obviously not here yet!  Everyone at church yesterday for Easter was bundled up!

Our BBTB2 challenge this week is to use an umbrella on a project, because April showers bring...apparently SNOW here in KC, lol!!!!  My umbrella card is for much happier weather, using the cute little umbrella with a butterfly from the Paisley cartridge on some bg paper with spring flowers.  I added a little Liquid Glass to the butterfly for some shine and sparkly glitter brads for some pizazz.  The rest of the BBTB2 team has umbrellas for any kind of weather that you can see over at the BBTB2 site and link up your project too.

Cricut:
Paisley-umbrella with butterfly
Paper-Doodlebug prints, CTMH solids
brown jumbo java chalk in for edging
Liquid Glass on butterfly
brads-Doodlebug
punches for sentiment-Stampin UP
stamp-CTMH

Flower thank you cards

Happy Monday!  Spring is in bloom and our BBTB2 challenge this week is spring flowers.  I've got two quick and easy flower thank you cards to share, using flowers from Doodlecharms and Flower Market.  Hope you will stop by BBTB2 this week and take a peek at the rest of the design team projects.  May your week be full of sunshine and flowers too!

Cricut:
Doodlecharms-flower
Paper-CTMH Kraft, Simple Stories prints

Cricut:
Flower Market-flower
Paper-CTMH Kraft base, Simple Stories prints
Stampin up ribbon and punches for sentiment
Swiss dots embossing folder

April Showers-umbrella

Happy Monday!  Our BBTB2 challenge this week to use an umbrella on a project, because April showers bring May flowers, right?  We have some showers forecast this week in my neck of the woods (in fact there were thunderstorms last night), so I'm definitely keeping my umbrella handy!  I bought a girly polka dotted umbrella for me this year to keep mine from mysteriously disappearing (into the boys' backpacks…none of them would be brave enough to rock the polka dots at school, LOL!  

I had fun putting together this layout of springy goodness, complete with the sunny side and the rainy side.  All the cuts are from the Artistry cartridge, although I jazzed up the sun with a center circle and cut some extra bows for the kite.  If you click on the layout, you can see the details better-it's raining heart stickers in the corner!  Go see the cute design team projects over at BBTB2 and you can create an umbrella project with one of the many cricut umbrella cuts to link up this week.

Cricut:
Artistry-all cuts
Paper-Doodlebug Springtime collection prints/stickers, CTMH solids
brown chalk ink

Hippity Hop layout

Happy Monday!  I'm in the middle of a 24 hour bus ride back to Kansas City from New York today with 65 high school band kids, so my happiness is a quart low today…MUCH diet Coke (along with my noise canceling headphones!) the rescue   I'm kinda wishing Kansas City was about two or three states closer to New York, LOL!  Looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight and seeing my hubby and other two boys.  But Son#2 and I have had much fun in New York City this week and I've taken many amazing pictures!

So our BBTB2 challenge is Spring Flings and Easter Things.  I'm looking forward to some Easter egg fun, as my teenage boys still get a kick out of dyeing eggs and having an egg hunt.  Last year we dyed about 3 dozen eggs!  My layout uses this great spring feeling paper from Doodlebug and all the cuts are from the Artistry cartridge.  I love the egg journal box on this cartridge!  The design team has some fresh spring and Easter things for you to see and you can link up a project over at BBTB2!

Cricut:
Artistry-rabbits, title, journal box
Paper-Doodlebug Springtime collection prints/stickers, CTMH solids
brown chalk ink

R is for Rabbit layout

It's leap day!  So our BBTB2 challenge this week is to have something leaping on a project!  Because, how can you resist?  In anticipation of Easter pictures, my imagination immediately went to rabbits leaping.  My R is for Rabbit layout uses both Nate and Kate's ABCs for the cute bunnies and title.  Mr. Rabbit is leaping through the grass. (in search of Easter chocolate, no doubt).  And sweet Ms. Rabbit is chasing dragonflies while smelling the flowers.  My layout is full of springy color and goodness, because I am SO ready for some spring!  Go check out the design team ideas for leaping over at BBTB2 and link up a project of your own.

Cricut:
Nate's ABCs-title, leaping rabbit
Kate's ABCs-rabbit in the flowers
Paper/stickers-Doodlebug Springtime collection prints, CTMH solids
brown chalk ink for edging
Stampin Up scallop border punch
square punch for photo corners

Rainy Day layout (for BBTB2)

Happy Monday!  My day is VERY happy because it is my 19th wedding anniversary today and my hubby and I are lounging on the deck of a cruise ship (probably drinking something featuring an umbrella).  Without the kids!!!!!  Who are home getting spoiled by Grandma's cooking and Papa's coffee so we can escape for a few days of tropical bliss.  But before you get too jealous, LOL, I'll switch over to crafty matters.

Our BBTB2 challenge is Rainy Days:  umbrellas, rain boots, etc.  I used the Create A Friend cartridge for my layout for some pictures of a rainy day touring Epcot a few years ago.  My title and cute kiddo are both from this cartridge.  I have some funny journaling to add about us being caught in the rain and the sudden appearance of a million clear plastic Disney ponchos, so I made sure to put space to write.  I loved this raindrop background paper from the Doodlebug Spring Time collection.

Cricut:

Create A Friend-title, kid with umbrella

Paper-Doodlebug Spring Time

brown chalk ink

Thought I'd show it to you with the pictures added:
(complete with our Disney ponchos, LOL)

Smile bee happy layout (for Exploring Cricut)

It's my day for the daily project at Exploring Cricut today and I have a bee-u-tiful layout for you for any   fun spring/summer occasion!  I used the Create A Critter cartridge for all the cuts.   The sun is cut at 2 inches, the bee at 1 1/2 inches, and the word smile at 2 1/2 inches. . The Create A Critter cartridge is so versatile that it's my go-to cartridge when I'm coming up with something on the fly, so when I was looking at the sunshine yellow background print paper, the sun and clouds and saw the pieces of cloud paper I had leftover from another project, it all came together in a happy flash of inspiration!  I used my layout for fun summer pictures from last year at Navy Pier in Chicago, but I think it would work for pics from almost any occasion.  Hope you enjoy!

Cricut:
Create A Critter-all cuts
Paper-Echo Park Here and Now collection prints, Stickers from the Echo Park Here Comes Summer collection, CTMH solids
brown chalk ink

Remember to check out the daily project each day at Exploring Cricut!  And there are a few more ays left to enter our Mother's Day challenge!

I'm also going to link this up with the patterned paper challenge going on at Fantabulous Cricut this week.

Happy Spring card (for Exploring Cricut and BBTB2)

Happy Monday!  Did you have a great Easter?  We had such a terrific day with beautiful music at church, a big cookout with the extended family, and lots of chocolate after the Easter egg hunt!  I think it's possible I actually ate too much chocolate (gasp!)!  The post-Easter diet is starting immediately.  So, on to more crafty type topics….

It looks like there will be some gorgeous spring days this week, so I have a springy card for you.  The BBTB2 challenge this week was to use a cricut bird and the Exploring Cricut challenge was "It's a Spring Thing", including a flower.  I used the Stretch Your Imagination cartridge for my sweet little singing bird, flower, and bee.  The print papers are from American Crafts.

Cricut:
Stretch Your Imagination-bird cut at 3 inches, flower cut at 3 1/4 inches
Paper-American Crafts Color Crush 6x6 pad for prints, CTMH solids
Ink-Stampin Up Lucky Limade, Versamark Jumbo Java chalk ink for edging
Ribbon-American Crafts
Stamp-Inky Antics Ducky's Eggs set

I hope you all have a wonderful week with some fun and craftiness in it.  Hope you make some projects to share with these fun challenges!  

April showers bring May flowers layout (for BBTB2)

Happy Monday!  Do you have any spring flowers yet?  I do, as my daffodils are all in bloom and it makes me happy every day to see these signs of spring!  Our BBTB2 challenge this week is perfect for this:  April showers-which make spring flowers, but you can also go with baby or wedding related showers.  It's pretty wide open for your creativity.  I went with april showers make may flowers for my layout, which uses one of my favorite cartridges, A Child's Year, for all the images.  I love the silhouettes on this cartridge, plus it has so many other terrific images!  I was struggling with the lighting (since I didn't get this photographed until after dark), so you can't really read the title, which is "april showers bring may flowers".

Cricut:
A Child's Year-all cuts
Paper-Fancy Pants prints, CTMH solids
brown chalk ink

I hope you'll link up a shower project with us at BBTB2 and check out all the marvelous design team projects!

Carnival Rides layout (for Exploring Cricut)

Today is my day for the daily project at Exploring Cricut!  Sorry I'm getting this up a little late!  Did you go to the carnival or county fair this summer?  Or maybe going to a fall festival with some rides?  If so, this layout is for you!  I can't resist snapping pics of my kids on the carnival rides.  It reminds me of carefree days when I was a girl, going to the Missouri State Fair!  My layout uses the Carousel Lite cartridge to document the fun!  The ticket booth, merry-go-round pony, and title are all from Carousel.  I added some embossing with my Swiss dots folder for some texture.  The colorful background paper is from TPC Studios.

Had to add some swiss dots for texture to the title

some more swiss dots on the horse-isn't that bg paper cool?

And the fun ticket booth cut (I should have added a little face peeping out....)

Cricut:
Carousel-all cuts
Paper-TPC studios bg paper, CTMH solids

You could change up the color scheme to adapt this for a fall festival layout very easily, and go with yellow and orange.  Check back to see the daily goodness at Exploring Cricut each day-we want to inspire you to use your Cricut!

Bloom and Grow layout

It's Monday and that means a new challenge at the BBTB2!  So what is in store for this week?  April showers bring May flowers!  The challenge is to make a new project using any cricut flower cut. I have made a layout for pictures of my flower garden, using the Kate's ABCs cartridge.  It has SO many beautiful flower images!  In fact, I got a little carried away and kept adding things!  The lovely print papers are from the Simple Stories Vintage Bliss collection.  I earmarked that flower paper for this layout as soon as I saw it!  The cute little bingo cards were cut from one of the papers in the collection.

Cricut:
Kate's ABCs-all cuts
Paper/Stickers-Simple Stories Vintage Bliss prints/stickers, solids are CTMH and CM
brown chalk ink

I hope you will join in and link up with a project-it's so fun to see all the things people create!   My DT sisters have made some beautiful projects for you to see over at BBTB2, so be sure to take a look!

Spring has Sprung Wall Hanging (for Exploring Cricut)

I hope you are enjoying some lovely spring weather!  I've been getting out my spring decorations.  In fact, I made a new wall hanging for the Exploring Cricut challenge this week!  The challenge theme is celebrating spring and including a flower.  I used the CM Cheerful Seasons cartridge to make my "Spring has Sprung" wall hanging.  Don't you love the sweet watering can and flowers?  (I wish my watering can was that pretty...but my daffodils and tulips sure are!)  I popped up some of the cuts with pop dots for some dimension.  The frame was a freebie from CM that I got a long time ago and the black pieces in the corners are magnets (so you can change out the display).

Cricut:
CM Cheerful Seasons-all cuts
Paper-Echo Park Be Happy
brown chalk ink/pop dots

We'd love to see your spring projects with a flower at Exploring Cricut, so link your project up there this week!  The rest of the design team has made some beautiful projects for inspiration, so go check them out :)  Have a great week!

Backyard Playtime layout (for Exploring Cricut)

It's finally feeling like spring!  My daffodils are blooming and I just want to be able to plant my flower garden (not quite warm enough for that just yet, but soon)!  My layout today is for the Exploring Cricut challenge Spring Thing-include at least 1 button, 2 cricut cuts, and 3 different papers.  It is all about being outside playing in the back yard.  My boys are ready to roam and dig in the dirt!  (At least until it's time to mow the grass, lol!  Then it will be a different story!)

I used Nate's ABCs for everything on this layout and I absolutely love how it turned out!  Such great spring cuts on this cartridge! The background paper and photo mats are from the Echo Park All About a Boy collection.

Cricut:
Nate's ABCs-all cuts
Paper-Echo Park All About a Boy prints, CTMH solids
brown chalk ink/pop dots

There are lots of great spring projects to inspire you on Exploring Cricut and we hope you will link up with a spring project of your own!

I'm going to link this up to the button challenge at Craftin Desert Divas!

Rainy Day Play Time layout (for the BBTB2)

April showers mean umbrellas, which is the theme for the BBTB2 challenge this week!  I got out one of my favorite cartridges, 3 Birds on Parade, and made my Rainy Day layout, for pics of the kids playing on a rainy day.  I love the bird in his cheery rain boots with his colorful umbrella-he's so darn cute!  I also have a ridiculous fondness for the font on this cart with the bird foot on each letter!!!

The background paper is from The Paper Studio and gave me that rainy day feel, but my bird has his happy umbrella and rain boots to perk him up (the rain also has helped the spring flowers bloom for Mr. Bird).  Plus, stomping in the puddles is very satisfying!  My kids still feel compelled to stomp in puddles, even as big as they are!

Cricut:
3 Birds on Parade-all cuts except puddle and flowers
Paisley-flowers
Everyday Paperdolls-rain puddle
Paper-background is The Paper Studio, CTMH for the solids
brown chalk ink, white gel pen

My DT sisters have some marvelous umbrella projects at the BBTB2, so check them out!  We'd love to see any new projects with a cricut umbrella-so link up :)

You're tweet! card

The big piles of snow have melted a bit today and I am wanting it to be spring!  I made a card for the Fantabulous Cricut challenge to use a bird that is making me feel spring-like at least (Hard to feel too much like spring when there is still a 2 foot tall pile of snow around my mailbox...but I digress.)  My card uses a cute little bird from Create A Critter and the sentiment is from a My Pink Stamper set.  The bird print paper is from an American Crafts 6x6 pad called Color Crush, full of soft pretty colors.  The fabric stickers on the inside are also from American Crafts.  The background paper with the birds just makes me happy :) today!

Cricut:
Create a Critter-bird cut at 3 inches
Paper-American Crafts prints, solids are CTMH
brown chalk ink
punches/ink-Stampin Up, Stampin Up Island Indigo ink for sentiment
buttons/fabric stickers-American Crafts

I am also going to link this to my Pause Dream Enjoy DT sister Tara's  Craftin Desert Diva's Craft it up Linky Party, where anything goes this week!  And there are cool prizes!

How does your garden grow? layout

The challenge this week at SOUS was to use a silhouette, which gave me another opportunity to break out my favorite cartridge, A Child's Year!  Love this cart and use it alot!  In addition to the beautiful silhouettes, there is a great font and lots of extra images that cover all the year's events.   I've got two pics of my flowers from last year on here already and I intend to take some pics of the flowers I added that will bloom this year.  The gardening silhouettes were perfect for my layout.

Cricut:
Nursery Rhyme-font
A Child's Year-all other cuts
Paper-The Paper Studio
Sticker-CM

Sweet Tweet card

The Fed Ex man arrived with a big box of Stampin Up goodies a few days ago-I felt like a little kid in a candy store!  What to open first?  This card uses paper and ribbon from my new stash of goodies.   The paper pack is called Everyday Enchanted and has a vintage, distressed look to it that is really pretty!  The ribbon is pool blue and has ruffles on the edges.  I think I'm in love!  The birdhouse and bird are from the CM Cheerful Seasons cartridge-I'm feeling like spring, since my daffodils have just started blooming!  I'm linking this to the My Craft Spot challenge this week "For the Birds".

I'm drawing for my blog candy winner tomorrow, so last chance to comment on the 50 followers post to win a My Pink Stamper set!

Cricut:
CM Cheerful Seasons-birdhouse cut at 2 in., bird at 1 1/2 in.
Paper-Stampin Up pool blue cardstock base, patterned paper all from the Everyday Enchanted paper pack
Stamps-all from My Pink Stamper's Tweetie-Hoo Puns set
ribbon and ink-Stampin Up pool blue
brown chalk inking for the edges
scallop oval punch and oval punch are Stampin Up

"Spring" wall hanging

I've been dying to really dive into my Nate's ABCs cartridge, so I made a wall hanging for my foyer with a spring theme.  It will be inside a frame, but the glass gave too much glare so I had to photograph it by itself without the frame.  I am also going to link to the BBTB2 challenge this week to do a project with boots from Nate's ABCs. 

Cricut:
Nate's ABCs-all cuts
Paper-Doodlbug Seasons Stack for the background papers, cardstock from my stash

Thought I'd add one more pic of it hanging up-sorry about the glare on the glass!