Frog in my Pocket - Gift Card Holder

I finally got another one of my long awaited assignments completed.  This one I had to change up just a tad bit though.  The original assignment was to make a "card made with the animal kingdom cartridge. Maybe the frog...but have the card attached to or part of a thin box (cut from tags, bags, boxes, and more)for a gift card to go in"

I tried making a matchbox from TBBM but after two attempts I gave up.  I don't know if it was just me or what but it seemed like both matchbox cuts were either for the top or the inside of the box and when used together just didn't match up.  (no pun intended)

After two failed attempts I opted to go for an envelope style holder.   Other than TBBM and Animal Kingdom I also used Old West for the pocket.

For the matching gift tag I used a 2" square punch.

Father's Day Car

Today's Cricut Cardz Challenge was to create a card using the color red as the primary focus in conjunction with any cartridge/s we choose. 

I saw this as a perfect opportunity to also incorporate one of the assignments given to me during my last blog candy challenge as well.  The assignment in question was to create a masculine card using Graphically Speaking.

So merging both "challenges" into one card yielded this creation for Father's Day. 

For this card I cut the car at 3 1/2" and the trophy, from Graphically Speaking, was cut at 2" and designed as a pop-up on the inside of the card.

Graduating Hedgehog Notebook

I was so excited when dh took me to Michael's today to see what new cartridges they had in stock.  So we got there and went straight to the Cricut display to find a few new cartridges but not the one I really, really wanted.  They had Once Upon a Princess and as we were looking at it my dh just walked away.  I had no idea where he was going or what he was doing but after realizing that I just wouldn't get much use out of the Princes cartridge I put it up and started walking to the front of the store.

All of a sudden I saw my dh coming back towards me with a cartridge in his hands.....what did he have?  Did he find the one I really wanted????  Yup - he found Create a Critter!!!!!  W00t, W00t was I excited.  So I got to the register, paid and immediately asked the cashier if I could borrow her scissors so I could open the package.  I felt like a kid in the candy store and couldn't wait to get home so I could play.

For my debut project I decided to create a notebook as part of a Graduation Survival Kit for my daughter who's graduating from high school next month.  I love the way that it turned out.  What do you think?

Blog Award

This morning I have been honored with a blog award from Audrey and her fellow fairies over at the cuteandsome blogspot.  The other day one I received a comment telling me that I should enter my Belated Bday Robotz card into a showcase so I thought why not, what have I got to lose?

Then today I received this:

Thank you so much ladies for making my day......

Mother's Day Gifts - Altered Memory Games

I found the idea for these Memory games on the Cricut MB which in turn was found on one of new favorite sites to surf - the My Mind's Eye blog. This wonderful idea came from designer Amber Packer and the instructions can be found here.

I will say that when I first started this project I became easily frustrated because I had never used Mod Podge before.  My pictures weren't lying flat and they were drying with bubbles and streaks.  Truth be told, it wasn't until I was almost done with the second game set that I finally got the hang of it and everything started drying streak free.

Thank goodness that neither mom is going to care about the streaks......

Bottom line, no Cricut was used - just good ol' cardstock and pre-designed chipboard letters.  The pictures for each playing piece measured 1.75" x 1.5" so I was able to layout approximately 20 pictures (or 10 sets) to one 8.5" x 11" sheet of photo paper.

Mother's Day & Robotz

I know, I know.  I need to get off the Robotz kick and get back to playing with my other cartridges.  In all fairness though I did use Designer's Calendar along with Robotz on these cards.

Today's cards are part of the cricut cardz challenge for this week - week #22 to be exact.  Rather than being serious and elegant this year I opted to be more cutesy and fun.  Especially since the gifts I made for both mom's are altered Memory games.   But more of that coming in the next post......

Belated Birthday Robotz - Masculine

I love the way this robot is posed and thought he'd be perfect for a masculine birthday card.  And behind him is a set of gears created with one of the new Tim Holtz Alterations dies from Sizzix. 

I cut the robot at 5", glittered his little antenna dish and pop dotted for a more layered effect.  The gears were distressed (my first attempt) using Tim Holtz distress ink in tea dye and Colorbox black ink.

Another simple card that looks great - at least in my opinion.

The inside sentiment says, "I sent your birthday card late on purpose.  I figured why ruin your special day by reminding you of your age?"

On the suggestion of a fellow blogger I think I'll give this contributer's showcase a try and enter this card into Showcase #4.