Disney layout-The Liberty Inn (for BBTB2)

Well, I have returned from a few warm fabulous sunny days (which have been in short supply here in KC) in Florida seeing Universal Studios and DisneyWorld, so what better than a Disney themed layout?  As President's Day is this week, our challenge at BBTB2 is to make something with a patriotic theme.  I don't have any patriotic pictures waiting to be scrapped, but I did have some from our Disney trip last year that need presidential accents!  I made a layout for some pictures taken at the very patriotic themed Liberty Inn in the United States area of Epcott.  While we were eating lunch, a Colonial era band came marching through the eating area playing patriotic tunes on the fife and drums! (One of those totally random Disney magic moments.)  The silhouettes of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson are from the My World cartridge, along with the constitution scroll cuts.

Cricut:
Plaintain Schoolbook-circles, fonts
My World-presidents, scrolls
Paper-Creative Imaginations print of building, Reminisce Washington DC print, CTMH solids
brown and blue chalk ink
White Signo Uniball pen

I hope you'll join our challenge and can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Owl be Yours valentine layout (for Exploring Cricut)

Happy Valentine's Day!  It's sweet to be sharing the daily project at Exploring Cricut today, because I have a Valentine layout for Valentine's Day!  My layout will be for pictures of the elementary school Valentine's Day party, but it would be pretty adaptable for lots of occasions, by using a different stamp or subtitle on the journal box.  I used the Create A Critter 2 cartridge for all the cuts.  The print papers are from the Doodlebug Sweetheart collection (the photo mat print paper has valentine words on it).  The photo mats are sized for 4x6 pictures, like most of my layouts.

Cricut:
Create A Critter 2-title cut at 3 1/2 inches, owl cut at 3 inches, tree cut at 5 1/4 inch, apples cut at 2 1/2 inches, 2 inches, and 1 1/2 inches.
Paper-Doodlebug Sweetheart collection prints, CTMH solids
stamp-Stampabilities
brown chalk ink

Keep checking our daily projects each day at Exploring Cricut-let us know what you like!  I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day with lots of sweetness, hugs and good candy!  

I have two posts today...

Guess where I am on this Monday morning?  Soaking up some warmth and sunshine in Orlando!  I am having fun at Universal Studios today!  I promise I will drink some butterbeer for you while I'm seeing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which I'm TOTALLY excited about.  It has been super cold and snowy at home with below zero temperatures, so we decided on the spur of the moment to spend a couple of days at Universal and The Magic Kingdom riding roller coasters and hanging out with the Mouse!  But on to the topic of crafting! I am part of a Valentine blog hop for Exploring Cricut with my post just below.  If you scroll down one post, you will find a peek at my scrapping space for the BBTB2 craft room crawl.  Hope you have a marvelous Monday and stay warm!!!!  

Love valentine card (for Exploring Cricut)

It's almost Valentine's Day and we are having a blog hop at Exploring Cricut!  Can you feel the love?  You should have arrived here from my fabulous DT sister Julie's blog.   Our challenge this week is to make a Valentine project and include a jewel.   I love making Valentines and this is the perfect challenge to get you started on making one for that special person!  Because you only have 4 days left-tick-tock!  My card uses Create A Critter 2 (I heart that cartridge!) for the cloud raining hearts and the LOVE sentiment below.  As soon as I saw this Doodlebug print paper, I KNEW I wanted to make this.   It is just ridiculously cute (the whole 6x6 pack)!

Cricut:
Create A Critter 2-cloud with hearts, LOVE
Paper-Doodlebug print, CTMH solids
brown chalk ink
jewel from the stash
stamps

So here's the blog hop order, in case you get lost!  You will be headed to Liz's wonderful blog next, to see the cool project she has waiting for you!

Sharon http://meemeescreations.blogspot.com

Donna  http://wwwkindredkreations.blogspot.com

Faith   http://scrapbookerphd.blogspot.com

Rae Ann   http://joyinart.blogspot.com

Emily  http://emilyqueenofallthingscrafty.blogspot.com
  
Annette  http://mymindsdustbunnies.blogspot.com

Michelle N  http://justanutterpapercrafter.blogspot.com

Jen   http://javajencreation.blogspot.com

Julie      http://mylittlecorner-julie518.blogspot.com

Michelle S  http://cricutcrazyscrapper.blogspot.com  YOU ARE HERE

Liz  http://unikbyyes.blogspot.com  GO HERE NEXT

Rosa  http://enjoyingthebug.blogspot.com

Diane  http://happyscrapperdiane.blogspot.com

a peek at the scrap room (for BBTB2)

Instead of a challenge this week at BBTB2, we are sharing a peek into our scrapping areas where we create our projects.  I'll admit I'm kind of curious to see where everybody scraps!  I suspect they will mostly be way cooler than my space, since my spot is in a corner of the basement.  It's chief virtue is that it's out of the way so I can leave everything out since I'm SUPER messy.

I'm very visual in my creative process, so I like to have everything spread out where I can see it.  And yes, that frequently includes the floor!  My husband jokes that his half of the room gets smaller and smaller when I spread across the floor laying out a project, LOL!  He has his computers all set up in the other half of the room so we can hang out in the basement after the kids go to bed with our separate hobbies (he's a big computer gamer), but still be together.  So for the big reveal…..pretty basic, huh?  You notice I am keeping it real here-this is how my table usually looks (meaning not very tidy).

 I

I use an old kitchen table (that I bought long ago when I got out of college!) for my work area.  I keep all my scrapbook supplies in the armoire behind my table, plus a crate or two on the floor.  My husband added slide out shelves to the bottom 2/3 of the armoire for more paper storage space.  You can see my post it note to myself regarding supplies that are running low stuck to the door!  And then there's my trusty can of diet Coke-my other ESSENTIAL scrapping item (no creativity occurs without a steady supply)!  My cricut sits on the table beside me just out of the photo and my Big Kick embosser is on the floor under the table, close at hand.

My only cool organizational trick is that I've cut out all the fonts from all the cartridges I have and hung them on the wall in front of my table where I can quickly see them and decide what font I want for a project.  Knowing they are all cut at 1 1/4 inches lets me see whether the font is a big wide one or a narrow skinny one.

While I fantasize about super cool Ikea shelving units and countertops with slots for paper storage underneath and windows for lots of natural light…I'm actually pretty happy I have a spot that's all mine!   We had a small house when I first started scrapping and I had to use this same kitchen table BUT we also had to eat there, as it was the only table!  So I had to put everything away and get it all back out again any time I wanted to scrap.  Being able to leave my projects out is SO much better and I like being able to hang out with my hubby while I scrap.  I hope you enjoy seeing everyone else's space.  Really, it's all about making whatever you have work!

I Heart You Valentine card (for BBTB2)

Valentine's Day is coming!  This is one of my favorite holidays because you get things like chocolate and flowers and you can give kisses (chocolate or otherwise) to those you care about!  Plus you get to give cute little cards!  Our BBTB2 challenge this week is to make a Valentine project, including a heart, with your cricut.   The BBTB2 team has some great Valentines for you to see!

So for MY valentine, I used the Create A Critter 2 cartridge to cut my little bear with the heart and Elegant Edges to cut the scalloped ovals in the background.  I love the stamp "I Heart You", which went perfectly with my bear!  The cute heart bg paper is from Doodlebug.

Cricut:
Create A Critter 2-bear
Elegant Edges-scalloped ovals
Paper-Doodlebug prints, CTMH solids
Stamps-
ribbon-
Swiss dots and hearts embossing folders

We hope you'll join in on our challenge this week while you make some valentines for the special people in your life!

Party Time mini album with Artbooking (for Exploring Cricut)

Today is my day to share the daily project at Exploring Cricut and I have a really fun project to share!  I made a mini album using the Artbooking cartridge for pictures of my mom's big 70th birthday party.  (It was a Christmas gift for her!)  I used the 8x8 travel themed album for the base pages on the Artbooking cartridge.  I also used Artbooking for most of the decorative elements.  The title is from the Phrases cartridge.  The fabulous paper and stickers are from the Bo Bunny Surprise collection.

Cover:  title is from Phrases

Page 1:  cuts are all from Artbooking

Page 2:  cuts are from Artbooking

Page 3: no cricut cuts, just stickers

Page 4:  This is a half page cut from Artbooking

Page 5: other side of half page-forgot to photograph!

Page 6:  cuts from Artbooking

Page 7: just stickers

Page 8:  another cute little half page

Page 9:  other side of half page

Page 10:  stars from Artbooking

back cover

This actually came together pretty quickly!  I recommend using a coordinated paper pack that includes stickers to make things easier, like Echo Park and Bo Bunny make.  That way all the papers all look good together already and you already have some decorative elements ready to go!  I hope you enjoyed this and are inspired to make a mini!  Remember to check out our daily projects at Exploring Cricut each day (or on Facebook).

Cricut:

Artbooking-album and decorative elements

Phrases-title

Paper/Stickers-Bo Bunny Surprise collection, CTMH solids

brown chalk ink

ribbon-Stampin Up