Cooking With Cricut Guest Designer -- Traveler Cricut Cartridge: Layouts, Card, and More!! :)

Happy Terrific Tuesday to my WONDERFUL followers and NEW friends!! :) I've been bouncing in my seat to tell you -- I was asked to be a Guest Designer for Cooking With Cricut's "Guest Designer Tuesday"!! When I first received the email, I was speechless (yeah, me... speechless, how could that be???)... The chefs over at Cooking With Cricut are some of the most talented bloggie-land peeps I've ever met!! If you haven't had the chance to pop over there, I urge you to do so!! They always have a FUN and INTERESTING challenge going on there, and the Design Team picks "Top Chef" awards for the participants each week!! If you've got S'mores on your mind today, you still have a few hours to get a project in for the current challenge too!! :)

Okay, so enough about all of that!! My friend, Jen (who has an AWESOME blog called 'Musings of a Crafty Mom'), has been guiding me through this Guest Designer Spot, and I would like to thank her for helping me, answering all of my questions, and encouraging me on a regular basis... And thank you, Cooking With Cricut, for introducing me to Jen almost a year ago!! :)

**This post is picture-heavy as I have FOUR projects to show you using the Creative Memories Traveler Cricut Cartridge (available for purchase HERE)...  On my first 12x24 (12x12-times-two) layout, every single cut (including the photo mats) was done using the Traveler Cricut Cartridge!!  Gotta love a cartridge that has it all!!  TONS of images and TWO FULL fonts WITH a shadow feature!!  WOW!!

As we start this photo-fest, let me show you my very-most-favorite element on the entire page!!  This life preserver was cut at 11"...  In all the cruise pictures that I have to scrapbook, there's always a bunch of photos that you can see the life preservers in the background and they always have the name of the ship printed in big block letters...  So of course I had to add the 'Beach Bum' font (cut at 1.5") for the ship's name...

The photo mats are actually a 'layer' of the suitcase image on the cartridge, but I really loved the rounded corners for these mats!!  A 4x6 photo will fit nicely on each of these photo mats leaving an edge of color matted in black.  The sunglasses are cut at 2".  I added a touch of bling and little white reflections using my Signo pen.

What's a vacation-themed cartridge without a pair of FUN flip flops???  This pair was cut at 2.5" and I added a few adhesive gems for extra sparkle and FUN!!  The 'ribbon' across the photo mats is a thin strip of coordinating paper (ALL the paper for this layout is from the Creative Memories Cheerful Power Palette).  By adhering only the edges, I can slide my photos right in and under the paper strip easily. :)

Oh, I just LOVE this sun!!  There are at LEAST 3 different sun images on this cartridge, so you'll never be at a loss for a new sun!!  Wet, rainy day???  It's okay, cut yourself a NEW sun!!  hee hee...  I love the look of this one, so I cut it at 2.5" using all layers (base, shift, and base shadow)...

If you're gonna take me on vacation, please let there be a palm tree and a beach!!  I love the feel of sand under my feet (not a big fan of it in my mouth or my belly button, but it's a small price to pay for a day relaxing under a palm tree!)...  My palm tree is cut at 6".  The 'sand' is two strips of paper from my stash (already had the decorative edge from my Creative Memories Rotary Trimmer and decorative blade)...

The blue photo mat will accommodate a 5x7 photo (like they're always snapping when you're arriving on the boat with your hair sticking up -- which only distracts from your pasty-pale-skin and cardigan sweater inappropriate for the heat -- though this is what you wear when you leave 3 feet of snow, miss your flight, and get reassigned to a flight that arrives with only seconds to spare before the boat launches -- ask me how I know!)...  Does anyone really buy those photos as reminders of what they looked like BEFORE the vacation???  Oh, right, that's WHY I remember what I looked like BEFORE the vacation....

Those fun splash images would be perfect for SO MANY projects -- pool party layouts, baby's bath time, washing the dog, water balloon battles...  I cut mine at 3" and 3.5" using all of the layers and the 'flip' feature...

This is WAY more decorative paper than I would usually use on a layout...  I usually stick to mostly plain cardstock with just a touch of decorative paper added in, but I wanted to try something new so that I could enter this layout in the challenge over at Lasting Memories Layout Challenges too (the challenge was to try something NEW)!!  For those of you who have followed me for a while, you might also notice that I don't usually use 'accent' embellishments next to my photos (the sunglasses at a corner, the flip flops at a corner, and the sun at a corner)...  Again, something NEW I was trying to break out of my usual pattern of doing things.  The large life preserver spread out over two pages is a pretty common technique for me, so while that doesn't count as 'new' - it sure did make it FUN!! :)

And, finally, the two page spread....  Oh, I almost forgot -- I inked almost all of the edges of my image cuts to give them some extra definition.  My distressing ink of choice?  Stampin' Up!'s Creamy Caramel adhered with a fingertip dauber!! :)

Whew!!  That was a LOT of pictures!! :)  After finishing this layout, I really wanted to make a card with a few of the images that I also liked, but couldn't fit on this layout (let's face it, I could have made 100 cards, cuz I love ALL the images on this cartridge!!)...

Aren't those fishies just the CUTEST???  Both of these fishies can be found on the Traveler Cricut Cartridge as well!! :)

The orange and pink fishie is cut at 3" using all layers (base, shift, and base shadow).  I added the white dots and white to his eye with my Signo pen and then added his eye with a black marker.

The yellow fishie is cut at 2.5" using all layers.  I used my white Signo pen on his fins and around the 'dots' on his body as well as for his eye (finished with the black marker).

This is one of the tags on the Traveler Cartridge (tag7).  I only cut two of the layers (base shift plus base shadow) at 1.25" so that I could use my sentiment stamp from the "Splashtastic Summer" Stamp Art Set from K Andrew Designs.

I embossed the background cardstock with my Sizzix "Splash" embossing folder, added some white stitching with my Signo pen, and added some iridescent Stickles to the raised embossing for sparkle (everything's better with a little sparkle!!).  I even found a little matching twine to use with the tag!!  Oh, both the sentiment and the yellow fishie are popped up a bit using squares of Fun Foam (my replacement for pop dots)...

Ready for another layout???  This 12x24 layout features the "Road Trip" font also found on the Creative Memories Traveler Cricut Cartridge!! :)   I have to say that this is one of my new FAVORITE fonts!! :)  Isn't it just FUN, FUN, FUN???

I cut the font at 2" (both the font and shadow).  The Lady of Liberty image is one of the Icon images you'll find on the cartridge...  Whether you're traveling in the states or visiting Paris, you'll find plenty of useful images for any travel album!!  This image is cut at 6 inches...  All of the paper and photo mats is from the Creative Memories Stars & Stripes Additions Kit.  Did you know you can get this kit in a digital version too???  If you scrapbook digitally, you can check out all of the wonderful designs available for immediate download HERE (yes, there's even some freebies!)...

The stars (which will double as journaling boxes) were the only thing cut from another cartridge -- I used Plantin SchoolBook (roly poly feature) for these fun stars to complete the layout...

Okay, if you've made it this far with me, THANK YOU!! :)  My fourth and final project using this cartridge is this FUN vinyl wall art that I'll be sending to someone out there reading this!! :)  If you like what you've seen here today, I'd LOVE for you to ***LEAVE ME A COMMENT*** on this post -- One person who does will receive this vinyl wall art!!  Since this is a very light item to mail, my friends from outside the US are welcome to participate as well!!  I'd love for you to be a follower, but only if you like what you see and want to visit again. :)  I'll announce the WINNER this Friday, so please leave a way for me to reach you, check back, or 'like' my Facebook page (click HERE) as I will post the winner there as well.

For those of you who want to make this wall art yourself...  The surfboard (all layers) was cut at 7" and the "Relax and unwind" was cut at 3.5" (all layers).

I hope you've enjoyed my Guest Designer Spot featuring the Creative Memories Traveler Cricut Cartridge (available for purchase HERE) today!!  I'd love for you to stop back often, so if there's something special you'd like to see (or another cartridge you'd like for me to feature, please be sure to leave me a comment and let me know!! :)

In addition to being featured HERE:



I'm also linking my first layout (the vacation one) to the challenge HERE:


And I'm joining my friend, Rebecca, for her her AWESOME Show & Tell Link Up Party!!



Please check out these FABULOUS sites!! :)  Have a WONDERFUL day!!

PS -- Wanna WIN your VERY OWN Creative Memories Traveler Cricut Cartridge?  I'm preparing for my next BIG GIVEAWAY and this cartridge is in the mix!!  Be sure to stop back on Friday for ALL the details!! :)
Until next time,