You Could Always... -- Paper Doll Dress Up, George and Basic Shapes

This card is being entered in the following challenges (please click on the links to visit them and see all the projects created by other participants...):  Cooking With Cricut -- C17 Challenge-Emboss It, Fantabulous Cricut -- Challenge #48-Emboss It!, and Creative Sisters Monday Challenge -- #21 Embossing.

First, let me start off by saying 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' to The-Girl-Child!!  For those of you who are following the events of the week...  Tonight we took her to Outback Steakhouse, and thankfully, we did NOT need a snowmobile to get there!!  Miraculously, all the snow melted from the roads today!!  YAY!!  :)  She was born in a blizzard, so I'm always reminded of that fun trek to the hospital when it snows within a WEEK of her birthday (Would ya believe we had to hike to the hospital that night with snowshoes???  Yeah, me neither!!  LOL...  We did make a few of our own roads though!!)  I have plenty of birthday stories to share, but I will save a few for other posts... ;)   On to my project of the evening...

This card was inspired by The-Boy-Child...  (And the fact that I was counting sheep myself and needed to finish some project quickly to motivate me to do more!!)  Several weeks ago he called me from school to say that he was having trouble sleeping...  I told him that maybe it was the weather.  He texted me a few days after that to tell me that he was still having trouble sleeping...  I told him maybe he just really missed being home.  I called him after that to see if it was getting any better -- He said that he'd had so much trouble falling asleep that he almost slept through class...  I told him...  "Well.  You could always count sheep!"...  {silence} followed by...  "What's THAT supposed to mean???"  {sigh}  Don't these kids see commercials?  Don't they know who the Serta Sheep are?  Are nursery rhymes foreign to them?  {sigh}  Sometimes that kid really makes me laugh.  Other times, well...  {sigh}  :)

(inside)

 So while I was working on my layout with all of these sheep I thought I'd make this card for him...  I even put one of those penny roller slide-y things in it so the sheep really jumps over the fence!!  Obviously this is lost in still pictures, but The-Girl-Child thought it was pretty neat!!  :)  She also insisted that I put her favorite number on the sheep (like the Serta Sheep!  See!  She knows them!)...  Which I thought was kinda amusing, so I did...  Now let's see if I get a phone call when he gets the card...  {sigh}

 See him jumping from left to right?  :)

I'm in the process of exploring the Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge...  There are sooooo many cuts on that cartridge that you may not have even realized are there!!  If you'd like to see what I've discovered so far, please CLICK HERE...  Anyway, tomorrow I'll be posting a two-page layout with these same sheep, so I hope you'll check back and see it!!  To see all of my current creations, please CLICK HERE! Thanks for stopping by -- Hope to see you here again soon!!

Birthday Banner -- Celebrations, Mickey Font -- And BIG NEWS!! :)

Woot-woot!!  There's a BRAND NEW Challenge Blog on the block and GUESS WHAT?!?!?!  I was recently selected for their Design Team!!  I couldn't be more thrilled than to join the ranks of some very talented folks!!  And ooooooohhhhhh, it was soooooo hard to keep it a secret until right now!!  So let's get to it...

If you haven't visited Celebrate The Occasion yet, what are ya waitin' for???  A personal invitation?  Okie-doke, then, here it is!!  I am personally inviting you to CLICK HERE and check it out!!  And while you're there, why don't you maybe think about adding a project of your own?  This week, to CELEBRATE and welcome the new Design Team members, CTO is having a 'Birthday -- Anything Goes' Challenge!!  So create a card, layout, or project to celebrate a Birthday...

This is my submission for the Design Team Call...  My two-page 12x12 layout is quick, easy, and FUN to create!!  I used the Cricut Celebrations Cartridge (how perfect is that?) for the banner and the Cricut Mickey Font Cartridge for the banner title (yep, those letters are shadowed)...  To create the flowers, I used my Creative Memories Scallop Circle Maker punch and a 3/4" circle punch...  A few quick scissor snips turns the scallop into petals...  My Cuttlebug Swiss Dots and Textiles embossing folders add texture to the banner and flowers...  Brown chalking inks for distress...  And, finally, my very favorite paper -- The Nancy O'Dell Paper Pack from Creative Memories -- I just love the soft colors of this set -- Every page is as beautiful as the next!!  Three simple cardstock colors (grape, mediterranean, and sea glass) add just the right touch...

As always, there is plenty of inspiration behind this layout...  TODAY is The-Girl-Child's Birthday!!  Funny how we were JUST talking about how we got a BLIZZARD on the eve of her birth...  And, once again, we are in the middle of another Winter Storm!!  I am VERY glad I don't have to leave to get to the hospital though...  I had kept this layout hidden from her, as my plan was to add some pictures from her Birthday Dinner (Will we have to take snowmobiles to get to downtown Pittsburgh for dinner??  Find out here later!!)...  BUT alas, she is sneaky, and she caught me with it...  {sigh}  I am comforted by the fact that she saw and it and said, "Oh...  Pretty!  Is that for me???"  LOL...  She's a pickle.  :)  Anyway, Happy Birthday, Princess!!  :)

Thanks so much for stopping by to see my layout up-close...  Please be sure to visit all of the other amazing members of the CTO Design Team and show 'em some love!!

If you simply LOVE the paper that I've used in this layout, please click on the above links to see more...  If you do not have a Creative Memories Consultant and would like to purchase any of these items, you can order one online and have it direct shipped (anywhere in the U.S.) by clicking and shopping HERE...  This includes the NEW exclusive Cricut Cartridge Stork's Delivery (read more about it HERE), scheduled to be released on March 1st!!  If you are interested in seeing the Creative Memories Cricut Cartridges that are currently available, please click HERE...

Remember to leave me a comment with your blog address so I can come and visit you too!!  Oh yeah...  One more thing!!  Be sure to stop back on FRIDAY when I announce my GREAT GIVEAWAY for followers!!  It's a surprise, and it sure is GOOD!!  :)  Until next time...

Buckaroo Birthday -- Paper Doll Dress Up, Old West

Yee-Haw!!  Time to saddle up them horsies and lasso in some cows, pardner!!  :)  It's also time to send a Cowgirl SHOUT-OUT to a very special person out there...  Please take a moment to visit Amanda of AT Home Ink...  I was the very lucky WINNER of a $20 Peachy Keen Stamps Gift Certificate from Amanda, and I would NOT have had as much fun adding faces to my Cowgirl and Cowboy (I was gonna call them 'Cowpeople'....  But that sounded like someone you'd meet in an advertisement for Chick-Fil-A...  yum.)...  Anyway, I had such a decision to make when I carefully selected my very first Peachy Keen Stamps...  Every time I use them, I will very fondly think of Amanda...  Thanks again, Amanda!!  :)

Well, I reckon I had a fantastic time workin' on this here two-page 12x12 layout...  The challenge over at Paper Cutz Challenge this week is to create a card, LO or craft project for a child's birthday, with a country or western theme, using any colors you’d like...  And I decided to Cowgirl Up and enter the challenge with this fun layout!!

My cowgirl, cowboy, cow, and horse were all cut at 4" (no gypsy today, pardner!)...  All the clothing and accessories for their darling outfits were also cut at 4"...  The mountains in the background were cut at 4.25" (love my 'Fit To Length' key!!) and the fences (three in all) were cut at 2.25"...  My white Signo pen got a workout on those outfits...  I used pink, chocolate, and black inks to distress edges and add color to my cow (who has some hand cut spots, by the way!)...

The 'Buckaroo Birthday' title is from the Old West Cricut Cartridge (I love all the fonts on this cart!!)... 

While I was creating this, I thought maybe some photos of The-Nephew could fill those photo boxes for his next birthday...  But then I found out that he got a new haircut and thinks he looks like Justin Bieber!!  He doesn't wanna be a Cowboy...  he wants to be a Heartthrob!!  {sigh}

Thanks so much for giddy-up-ing on over to see my Western-themed Birthday Layout...  I'd be mighty appreciative if ya left me some lines in the comment section below...  Remember to check back on FRIDAY to read about my Big Ole Awesome Giveaway for followers (ya wouldn't be so yella as to visit me and not follow, would ya???)...

To see all of my current creations, please CLICK HERE! Thanks for stopping by -- Hope to see you here again soon!!  Until next time, may your cup overflow with Cowboy Stew... 

Hair - Broadway Across America - Cars, Daisy Chain

Over at erin lee creative and Handmade by Angelica they've introduced a new challenge...  Music Monday Challenge.  Since they've started, I've wanted to create something for one of these nifty challenges.  I am FINALLY submitting something (just in the nick of time!).  Each week, either Erin or Angelica posts a video with the Music Monday inspiration...  This week, it's Adele's 'Rolling In The Deep'.....  Ah, this is a good one!!  :)  So Erin said... "So...the challenge this week is to create a project with a destroyed technique"

 I took a plain piece of navy blue cardstock and BLEACHED it...  Then I crumpled it, roughed it up, washed it, and dried it on the wood stove (I didn't think about how late it was when I started this, so nothing like a 400 degree surface to dry up some paper quick!)...  I didn't know what I was doing when I started, but I was happy with the result (too bad it doesn't show up so well in the pictures!) -- The bleach really did create a neat effect -- It still looks wet in some spots (it's not) and it resembles worn denim in other spots...  The Peace Sign can be found on the Disney/Pixar Cars Cricut Cartridge...  The daisies are cut in both yellow and white at 2" and can be found on the Daisy Chain Cricut Cartridge...  I also used some chocolate distress ink for the other elements (in addition to folding and crumpling my little daisies until they were unrecognizable!!)...

Now...  You may be wondering what on earth my little project involving the musical 'Hair' has to do with Adele and 'Rolling In The Deep'....  Well, I'm glad you asked!!  Cuz ya know how I love to go off on my little tangents and explain how I got to where I am with whatever it is I'm working on...  So...

The-Girl-Child and I have been blessed with Season Tickets to the Broadway Across America shows...  It's kinda like a rolling gift for everything from birthdays to Christmas to Mother's Day and Just Because. :)  So each month, we meet up with our performance 'benefactors' -- The-Grandparents -- for an evening of divine entertainment...  And this month was the musical 'Hair'...  And how fitting that the jeans they wore were destroyed, and their concept of love was destroyed, and then Claude was, well... destroyed too...  So I came home with the idea of destroyed heavy on my mind (I was also distressed cuz we hit an ice storm on our way home -- UNEXPECTED!!)...  And then I really wanted to create this Everyday Display for The-Girl-Child...  I have an amazing picture of her at the performance with a daisy in her hair (one of the performers came out into the audience and handed it to her during the show!) which I plan to add as soon as I have it printed...  I think she'll really like this daily reminder until next month, when we can change it to 'Shrek' if we want! :)

As usual, the production this month was top notch...  We are never disappointed with the quality of performance at the shows, and 'Hair' was no exception.

Funny side note...  I was channel-surfing a few days before the show and I happened upon the Cheers episode (Season 8, Episode 20, 'Fifty-fifty Carla') when Woody announces that he was selected for his theater's performance of 'Hair':

It was funny to see him learn about the infamous 'nude' scene...  It was also funny when The-Girl-Child bounced into the kitchen two days before the show and asked me incredulously if I already knew about it...  It was funnier still when Act 1 ended, and she turned to me and said, "I didn't even notice they were nude until they started walking off the stage...  Thank goodness!"

Well, I suppose that'll do it for the evening...  I hope you have enjoyed my bleached, crumpled, inked up project (which can quickly be transformed to a 12x12 layout when I'm ready to change it!)...  If you do not have a Creative Memories consultant, but you would like to create an Everyday Display of your own, you can order one online and have it direct shipped (anywhere in the U.S.) by clicking and shopping HERE...  I love to read your comments, so please leave one to let me know you were here. :)   To see all of my current creations, please CLICK HERE! Thanks for stopping by -- Hope to see you here again soon!! 

Birthday Boy -- Mini Monograms

This is the 2nd Challenge Week for Celebrate The Occasion!!  The requirement for this week was 'Masculine Birthday'...  Please hop on over to Celebrate The Occasion to check out all the wonderful projects created by the Design Team and challenge participants -- Maybe you'll even want to give the next challenge a try!!  :)

Since The-Girl-Child is finishing up her Senior Year, I haven't been focusing on too many 'masculine' pages lately (yeah, The-Boy-Child's pictures are just stackin' up!!!)...  This challenge forced me to pull out the boy colors and get creating!!  :)

The paper for my 12x12 layout is from the Creative Memories Discover Power Palette...  I love the distressed look of this paper, and I am sad to see that it is leaving the line -- But I am super excited about the NEW Rugged Power Palette that will be replacing it on March 1st!!  If you do not have a Creative Memories consultant and would like to order any of the CM products (including the Discover Power Palette line while supplies last), you can have them direct shipped (anywhere in the U.S.) by clicking and shopping HERE...

 The title "Birthday Boy" was created with the DOTS feature (+shift) on the Cricut Cartridge Mini Monograms...  This cartridge is one of those 'under-used' ones I own.  This is also one of the ones I just 'HAD' to have after the BFF showed me how AWESOME it is!!  :)  Anyway, I am a very keyboard oriented person, so when I realized that the keypad is laid out alphabetically (instead of QWERTY), boy, was I confused!!  LOL...  It has some GREAT mix-and-match letters as well as this fabulous font that I think was created just to go with this paper!!  :)

I have a lovely 5x7 photograph that I plan to use on this page, so the photo mats are sized at 5.5"x7.5" for the brown and 6"x8" for the blue...  Since I'm all about the texture, I used my crimper for some added pizazz.  The dotted ribbon is again from the Discover Power Palette and is layered on a 3/4" strip of brown crimped cardstock and 1" cranberry crimped cardstock...  Two Discover buttons tied with raffia and some chocolate brown distressing ink top it all off for a quick and simple layout... 

Remember, there is a BRAND NEW Creative Memories Cricut Cartridge, Stork's Delivery, coming March 1st!!  To be added to my 'waiting list' for this cartridge, please email me -- scrapbookingwithamy (at) gmail (dot) com...  When you pre-pay for this cartridge with me, you are automatically entered into a drawing to receive another cartridge for FREE!!  If you are interested in seeing the available Creative Memories Cricut Cartridges, please click HERE...

Swag Saturdays at LeeLou Blogs... Enter to WIN!!

LeeLou Blogs has just announced 'Swag Saturdays'...  I was lucky enough to WIN some SWAG last December...  I won THIS, and THIS, and THIS!!  YIPPEE!!  Now, they are reviewing some "just can't live without it" stuff and giving it away every Saturday!!  YOU can win too -- So CLICK on over there and enter to WIN!!

This week's Swag is for some yummy delicious goodness from Plentiful Pantry...  A $50 Shopping Spree!!  If I don't win, I sure hope YOU do!!  Good luck, and let me know what you're sharing with me if you win!!  :)

Stork's Delivery Cricut Cartridge

*** UPDATE!!  I will be giving ONE LUCKY FABULOUS FOLLOWER a Creative Memories Stork's Delivery Cricut Cartridge on March 29th!!  Be sure to CLICK HERE and read all about it!! ***

Hi all!!  I just wanted to post a quick note to let you know that there is a BRAND NEW exclusive release cartridge from Creative Memories!!  It's called Stork's Delivery and it's chock-full of Baby Images; however, it's SUCH a versatile cartridge -- It can be used for sooooo many things!!  The best part is that it will coordinate with the new Power Palette lines being introduced March 1st!!  Here are some images from the cartridge:

There are ALSO three FONTS included on this cartridge (Sugar & Spice, Frogs & Snails, and Monogram)!!  You can download the handbook for this cartridge by clicking HERE...  Wait until you see all the fun images and options on this cartridge!!  I can't wait to start some projects with this one!!

If you are interested in seeing the available Creative Memories Cricut Cartridges (Stork Delivery will not be available until March 1), please click HERE...  If you do not have a Creative Memories consultant and would like to order any of the CM products, you can have them direct shipped (anywhere in the U.S.) by clicking and shopping HERE...  To be added to my 'waiting list' for this cartridge, please email me -- scrapbookingwithamy (at) gmail (dot) com...  When you pre-pay for this cartridge with me, you are automatically entered into a drawing to receive another cartridge for FREE!!

Thanks for checking in today!!  Have a GREAT day!!

Thinking of You Gate-Fold Card -- Just Because Cards

Emma over at My Creative Time has issued another Throwback Thursday Challenge!!  The challenge guidelines are as follows:
     ***Use either "Just Because" OR "Wild Card" cartridge for this challenge
     *** Create a Card of your choice MUST include a "Stamped Sentiment"!
Additionally, The Cuttlebug Spot is having a challenge for Gate-Fold cards and CardCupids is having a Red,White, and Blue Challenge...
Please be sure to visit these sites to see the talented cards submitted by all the participants!!

While I have both of these cartridges, I have actually used the Wild Card Cartridge many times...  So I thought I should give my Just Because Cards cartridge a shot...  Interestingly enough, this cartridge was just the subject of debate between my BFF, Christi, and I...  Who had it first???  Well, I don't know if we ever settled that conversation, but that's the GREAT thing about BFFs...  Cuz when it comes down to it...  Who cares who had it first? :)  I'm a cartridge junkie...  She's very selective...  But there are a few cartridges that she has indeed had first (and this one very well may have been one of them), and I just HAVE to have it after she shows me how SUPER COOL it is (like the Cuttin' Up cartridge -- The font is identical to the Build-A-Bear font!!  So since she told me that, of course I have to have it!!)...  Anyway, I digress...  My stamped sentiment is from Stampin Up!'s Curly Cute set (thanks, Christi!)...

This card is inspired by my oh-so-great dad...  :)  If I have fond memories of sailing, it's thanks to him...  I have to say that some of my very best 'vacation' memories are from when we would spend a week or two (or so) on his sailboat...  I remember standing at the very tip of the bow of the boat so I could watch the dolphins swim along in front of us...  Leonardo DiCaprio wasn't the only one to feel like the King of the World!!  :)  Do you have a vacation or teenage memory that you really cherish?  Something fun you really enjoyed doing as a family?

This is a gate-fold card measuring 6"x6"...  The sailboat and all of the layers are cut at 4.25"...  The waves were cut with my Creative Memories Rotary Trimmer with the small wavy blade and embossed with Cuttlebug's D'Vine Swirls and Swiss Dots as well as Sizzix's Royal Flourishes...  The clouds were punched with Creative Memories Scallop Circle Punch and embossed with D'Vine Swirls...

 I finished off the inside of the card with a simple square of ivory, a wavy strip of blue, and the 'sticker' feature of the sailboat...

This was a super-fun challenge!!  I hope you enjoy my card -- It certainly made me happy to think about fun times!!  And speaking of FUN times...  I can't wait for my Winter Break Scrapbooking Retreat next week!!

Thank you so much for checking out my Sailboat Gate-Fold Card...  I love to read your comments, so please leave one to let me know you were here. :)   To see all of my current creations, please CLICK HERE! Thanks for stopping by -- Hope to see you here again soon!! 

Raggedy Ann & Andy 12x12 Layout -- Paper Doll Dress Up

Raise your hand if you had a Raggedy Ann and/or Raggedy Andy Doll when you were growing up...  I loved Raggedy Ann and Andy!!  I also loved Holly Hobbie...  My entire room was wallpapered with Holly Hobbie!!  How different things were then...

Anyway, this week over at Flaunt It Fridays, the FIF #11 challenge is to "make something with the PAPER DOLL DRESS UP cartridge and the cut choice this week is RAGGEDY ANN and/or ANDY on Page 36 and Page 37"... So I made a two-page 12x12 layout...

My inspiration for this layout was my wonderful mom (who I am soooooo happy is back from vacation now!!)...  I just know she will find something perfect to scrapbook about using this layout...  And I know she'll recreate this layout because it's one of the layouts I'm offering at my upcoming Cartridge Exploration Class at my Winter Break Scrapbooking Retreat next week!!

Although I used my Gypsy to create this layout, it's just as easy to create without the Gypsy (as we'll be doing during class)...  Every one of the 'toys' can be found on the Paper Dolls Dress Up cartridge, which is one of my favorites. :)

One of the great things about this layout is how you can really personalize things the way you want to -- Raggedy Andy doesn't have to have a blue navy suit...  You could make it purple or green if you wanted!!  

Raggedy Ann will probably always be one of my favorites...  And, ya know, I think she was one of my favorite costumes too -- Back in the day when my mom made all of my costumes (and costumes for my brother and sister too!)...  That really brings back some memories...

While out for our Valentine's Day lunch, The Husband and I were discussing how kids today are really missing out...  Remember when everyone would gather in front of the radio to hear the 'Top 8 at 8' countdown???  Now, they have ipods to deliver every imaginable song at exactly the moment they want to listen to it -- Where's the practice for patience in that???  I mean, The-Girl-Child never even wants to listen to the radio because she doesn't want to have to wait through commercials!!  And yet, back in the day, we would sit, glued to the radio, one finger on the record button (the other one on play, cuz ya know you had to press both at the same time to get it to record!) in case our favorite song made the countdown...  {sigh}  So I dedicate this layout to days gone by...  When we had such a plethora of music that we didn't hear Bruno Mars on every other song on the radio, when we didn't have DVRs to decide what we were watching tonight, and when after-school-specials meant my brother missed his after-school-soap-opera :)

Thank you so much for visiting and checking out my Raggedy Ann and Andy Layout...  I love to read your comments, so please leave one to let me know you were here. :)   To see all of my current creations, please CLICK HERE! Thanks for stopping by -- Hope to see you here again soon!!

Happy Birthday 12x12 Layout -- Elmo's Party

I was super excited to find a brand new challenge site this week...  I discovered it while I was 'visiting' a new blogger-buddy of mine (Gloria from Girlia's Cards)...  The new challenge site, Celebrate The Occasion, invites participants to create projects that celebrate special occasions throughout the year!!  I hope you'll stop over to see the amazing Design Team and participants creations!!  Here's my entry for CTO's Challenge #1 (create a project with the theme "Kid's Birthday")...

I created this colorful 2-page 12x12 layout using the Elmo's Party Cricut Cartridge...  I've had this cartridge for almost a year and I've never cut one thing with it until today!!  Since my goal is to use each and every cartridge I own this year :) I thought this was a great way to start!

My background paper is from the Creative Memories Cheerful Power Palette collection...  If you are interested in seeing more from this line, please click HERE...  If you do not have a Creative Memories consultant and would like to order any of the CM products I've used, you can have them direct shipped by clicking and shopping HERE...

I did use my Gypsy for this layout...  Elmo is cut at 6" -- I did cut all the layers, including the shadow since I wanted it to stand out from the pattern of the page.  The birthday cake was cut at 4"; however, I did not cut the layer to add the face.  I used my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder and Perfect Paisley folder to add some texture to the cake layers.  I also used my Sizzix Strips folder on the candles -- Since I cut the candles in white, I added some color with my Creative Memories markers.

My "Happy Birthday" banner was created by welding only the shadow...  After cutting the main letter (did I mention that this font is 'hidden' in the Elmo's Party cartridge???  How cool that EVERYTHING you need to create a whole project can be found in this ONE cartridge?!) in red, apple green, and royal blue, I used my Sizzix Polka Dots folder for texture (I also used this folder for my photo mats -- It's sized a little larger than most folders, so it's perfect for this!).  The banner itself is a little tricky...  Creative Memories used to have this fabulous decorative trimmer that I still love -- And this banner is cut by using the 'swell' edge of the trimmer on 2 strips of 3.5"x12" white cardstock and 2 strips of 4"x12" black cardstock.  After layering the white and black together, I folded one edge of each end to resemble the banner and finished it off by hand cutting the triangles from the edges...

The final touch was adding the circles all over -- They kind of remind me of the ball pit at Chuck E. Cheese's...  If you've ever had the pleasure of attending a birthday party there, then you know that the balls tend to fly everywhere!!  So Elmo is really enjoying all those colorful orbs bouncing around :)  My ball pit balls were created with my Creative Memories circle punches (both the small and large).

If you have any questions about this layout, please feel free to leave a comment or email me...  And if you have this cartridge and haven't used it in a while or at all -- Take a moment to pull it out and check out all the really cool party items you can make with this secret gem of a cartridge!!  I can't wait to cut more!!

 I would love to read your comments on my layout, so please be sure to let me know you were here. :)  If you live or visit the Western Pennsylvania area, I'd love to have you join us at one of our Scrapbooking Retreat Weekends!!  We have one coming up in just under two weeks with only a few spots still available...  You can read all about it HERE!!  To see all of my current creations, please CLICK HERE! Thanks for stopping by -- Hope to see you here again soon!!