Monsta Valentine - Eye (heart) U

I just got my cricut machine in November. I want to try to use it more often because I think it has so much capability. I decided I needed to try to find some cricut-related challenges..and I found a few! I made my card with an SU sentiment, word window punch, label punch, and card stock. The decorative paper is ancient KI Memories that I got in 2005.

Challenges:
Crazy 4 Challenges #71 - Sketch
Cricut Cardz # 59- Valentine for a child
Fantabulous Cricut #44 - Neglected cartridge (I used Mini Monsters for the first time...dh gave me for Christmas...does that count? I also used Plantain Schoolbook for all 4 hearts and for the "u".)
Charisma Cardz - Valentine / Love
Marks Finest Papers - Valentine card
Prairie Fairy Friday - For a sweetheart
Delightful Sketches Challenges - Include a heart

I am every shade of blue without you.

This is the sketch for this week's challenge a Clean & Simple challenge blog. I knew this would be a great way to use my Bazzill card stock scraps :)

My sentiment is computer-generated. I wanted to add a little bling, but I tend to take sketches literally (I am usually a rule follower...LOL).

Let it snow!

Just kidding. We already have 10.5" of snow on the ground and we may get a little more today. My dds have only been to school 2 days in the past 2 weeks. Our neighborhood streets have not been plowed, but we did venture out to the grocery store last night and the main roads are fine...dry even! I might as well make an appropriate card, right?

Amy Tsuruta (who is as talented as she is lovely) designed this sketch for this week's challenge at Jingle Belles challenge blog. It is so much fun to create one Christmas card each week without the stress of the holiday approaching. This is only my second time participating, but I hope to play as often as possible so I will have fewer cards to make when autumn nears.

This week's challenge at Stamp Something is Winter Somethings.
Today's challenge at 365- Pick 10: card base, blue base, embossed layer, oval, 2 brads, wire, ornament, ornament base (white cs), and pop dots.

Supplies:
BasicGrey Figgy Pudding collection
SU whisper white
Tim Holtz distress inks Broken China
Making Memories mini brads and wire
A Muse sentiment stamp

My new craft room!

Are you ready to enter my happy place? I have finished moving my craft room from an upstairs bedroom to a room in our basement. I opened one of the french doors for the purposes of taking this entrance picture. All of our new flooring has been installed; no more wall-to-wall carpet! I have not unpacked our dining room at all, but the rest of the house is mostly finished. Of course my craft room was a high priority. I'll get to that dining room eventually...
My work space...do you see my Making Memories jars on top of the bookcase? Last weekend I sorted all of my ribbon scraps by color and placed them in those jars. The closet door is open and you can see two of my stamp carts...we will peek in there in a minute...
The view from my work station: (left) cricut & Big Shot on dresser; shelf holds ribbons, primas, and buttons, etc.; corner cabinet stores rub-ons, cards, SU papers and on top is a tree of cards from blog friends; on floor 2 shelf cabinet is my Bazzill & BasicGrey 12x12; 4 paper sorters with my tv/dvd player on top (currently listening to the Elvis Presley radio station.)
...a peek inside my closet. Lots of stamps...yep, I got A LOT of schtuff...now to go make a mess creating something for Betty Bee's Buzz :) Wanna come play?

Love You Much, CAS

Clean& Simple has a fabulous sketch this week, but it was a challenge for me to get any idea I had to come together...then I could not get a decent picture. Some days are like that, right? *Things that make you go hmmmm...

*sorry if you now have C & C Music Factory stuck in your head today :)

A Cameo Appearance

I have been seeing cameos everywhere lately, so our Queen Bee herself, Mizz Betty, decided we would have a cameo & silhouette challenge this week at Betty Bee's Buzz. I found this lovely cameo by Blue Moon at Michael's. I knew this had to adorn an elegant card. My inspiration for the sketch came from two different cards in the Jan./Feb. 2011 issue of Paper Crafts magazine (pp.25 & 73); one of these is also at Moxie Fab World (Kim Kesti's card). I created my project for the The Appearance of Cameos Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.

The white doily is by Martha Stewart and sent to me by the uber-talented Kay of Robin Egg Ribbon. (Thank you, Kay!) I have wanted to use these and this was the perfect opportunity, don't you think? Look how fabulously Kay used a doily here.

Other supplies:
black linen card stock; Bazzill card stock (gold folded & cameo oval layer); white card stock, stamped sentiment, and black lace (SU!); gold ribbon (stash); Spellbinder's Nestibilities ovals.

Key to my Heart

I created this little valentine with scraps of paper, glittery chipboard bits, and scrap ribbon. I used my no-thinking-go-to sketch: designer paper across the middle, ribbon above, main image center (or there about!)

I had these elements out on my table last Saturday, but ended up with this Christmas card instead :) On that tangent, when a holiday is nearing (in this case, Valentine's Day), do you tire of the holiday a week or more before it actually arrives after creating cards/LOs/ gifts for that specific occasion? I think that is why I made the Christmas card...just to have a break from my current total focus on Valentine's Day.

I created this card for The Order of the Opus Gluei challenge #87- Key to your Heart.

Inchie Art Challenge - Happy & Caring

Inchie art is so much fun to create and play...whether your inchies are 1" squares, 1" circles, twinchies (2"), or thrinchies (3"), it is fun way to try new techniques. I made card from my inchies, 'cause that's what I like to do! I used a CM corner rounder on opposite corners for interest.

This weekend I have made an effort to use my extras and leftovers. When I stamp an image to put on a card, I will sometimes stamp an extra or two in case I make a mistake. The little heart button is a lonely leftover from an old kit, as are the Making Memories rub-ons I used "happy bliss HEART'S DESIRE." Yesterday my mosquito is an extra I had stamped for a card from March 27, 2009 and even the punched heart border was a leftover from my June 2, 2010 post. I have a pencil box full of little extras and I am sort of challenging myself to look through it before making a card :)

I combined three challenges for today's card:
Every Inchie Monday - Caring
365 - Word of the Day "Happy"
Design Divas Jan/Feb challenge - Inchies

Kirsty Vittetoe Sketch - BasicGrey Flower Power card

Have I mentioned how much I love this sketch by Kirsty of Pixie Dust Paperie?
The answer is "yes." I have used this sketch twice today. What's not to love...left brace, stitching, scallops, swirls....fun!!! And combine it with my love of BasicGrey and we have a valentine:
Supplies:
BasicGrey floral paper (Sugar Rush), BasicGrey ribbon (Oh, Baby Girl!), BasicGrey rub-on sentiment, pink Bazzill card stock, SU white card stock, heart and scallop border punches (EK Success & SU, respectively), SU top note die and stamp, Spellbinders square Nestibilities, and foam tape.

I made this for the flower power challenge at BasicGrey Challenges :)

Kirsty Vittetoe Sketch - Jingle Belles card

Check out this gorgeous sketch:
As usual, my LFL (lovely friend Lauren) has inspired me. Lauren is a Pixie at Pixie Dust Paperie and a Belle at Jingle Belles. Lauren made a card using this sketch by Kirsty Vittetoe for the Pixie Dust Paperie January challenge. I just had to play along too! I created my card using bits and bobs laying on my table that I had intended for a valentine, but I realized these colors would work for this week's color challenge at Jingle Belles.
I just added some rub-ons and voila! Thanks, LFL!

What A Character! (Disney World)

Our challenge for you this week at Betty Bee's Buzz is to feature a character (Disney or other theme) on your card, layout, or project. You may use a photo, die cut, sticker...use your creativity and share with us!
I chose Mickey Mouse and our first family trip to Disney World in 2008. These are our first pictures from that trip and what the magic we saw when walking down Main Street USA. I am on the left, the two princesses are my twin girls, and my in-laws.

How fun to finally get started on this scrapbook from 3 years ago! I hope this inspires you to start (or complete) a project of your own :)

Light at the end of the tunnel...

Happy Friday! This has been a super bizzy week in the Houck house. 8 days ago dh & I moved our entire bedroom and closet belongings into our girls' bedroom and the spare bedroom. Last Friday the workers arrived and pulled up our wall-to-wall carpet upstairs and put down wood laminate. I am so pleased! It looks better than I imagined judging from the small store sample I chose. Friday night dh & I had to move all our master furniture and the other bedrooms' furniture into our bedroom. Saturday the workers finished the entire upstairs. We spent Sunday putting the upstairs back together and moving everything in the basement (including closets) into one corner of the basement. Monday the workers pulled up the basement berber carpet and put down wood laminate in half of the basement. That night we had to move it all to the finished portion. Tuesday I had to clear the living room, Wednesday the dining room (they put in hardwood steps on the stairs that day), Thursday the kitchen. Yep, I'm a little achy and sore.

You may recall I am moving my entire craft room to the basement. My parents came on Tuesday to help. I could not have survived without their help that day! My mom packed my china cabinet while my dad and I moved all of my craft room stuff to the basement. We worked from 8:30am-2:30pm. Then they went home before the snow storm started.

Today we have to vacate the main level of our house for 4 days while they sand and re-stain our existing hardwood floors in the kitchen/foyer and stain the new hardwood floors in the living room and dining room to match. We are moving into our basement for the next four days (don't worry...we have a small shower down there). That should give me time to get my craft room in working order and dh to set up the computer; but I honestly think those boxes are multiplying every time I go down there :)

Faux embossing technique

We challenge you to faux emboss on your card, LO, or other paper craft project at Betty Bee's Buzz. Link your creation to be eligible for our monthly blog candy....yum!

I made this card due to triple inspiration from Creating Keepsakes, Paper Crafts, and Betty Bee. The front covers of the current issues of CK magazine and Paper Crafts magazine enabled me :) I love the faux embossing on the cover of CK magazine and the card on the cover of Paper Crafts magazine. It was our Queen Bee herself, Mizz Betty, who inspired me to create "stripes" (faux embossing technique).

I found this sheet of double-sided paper and I knew it would become my wall paper. The border is flocked ribbon from the dollar bins at Michael's. I mentioned last week that I am in love with my cricut...the chair and chandelier are from the French Manor cartridge. My sentiment is created from an SU punch and American Crafts rub-on alphas (Katie font.) I popped up the chair with foam tape and added Heidi Swapp gems to the chandelier. Should this be my valentine for my dh?

Sketch Inspiration at Artful Delight!

Trisha from Sketch Inspiration is inviting Artful Delight to play along with their sketch this week!  And a good one it is...wanna see?

  I knew I wanted to use the papers in my January Artful Delight Card kit to create a valentine.

That cool pink jute is included in the card kit as well as the hand-made button & flower embellishment.

Other supplies:
embossing folders:  Cuttlebug "Bloom Dots" and Cuttlebug "Heart Blocks"
white rub-on words:  Making Memories "Remember"

Artful Delight is sponsoring Sketch Inspiration this week.  Create your card or LO using the sketch above and link to Sketch Inspiration.  See you there!

Sweet Treats Cupcake Shape Card

I made this card on Wednesday using my new Cricut Sweet Treats cartridge that dh gave me for Christmas. (I just got my cricut in November and this is my 3rd time using it.) It took some trial and error learning how to get the different die cuts and what settings to use on various papers. I learned a lot and I am in love with my cricut!

What I learned: Multi Cut button and set blade on 4 to cut through textured card stock or 80 lb. card stock...at least this worked well for me. This did not mar my mat nor did I have bits of paper tears.
The next time I use my cricut will be much quicker and no mis-cuts :)

Happy Friday!!!

Coaster Calendar

This week at Betty Bee's Buzz our theme is "calendar." I made this coaster calendar just for ME to put in my craft room. This is a picture of me and my dd Julia snuggling last January. I love Julia snuggles :)
Pictured above are February (me & my sweet sweet sister), March (K&J), April (Kathryn) and May (Julia).
June (my dad &with K&J), July (Julia @ beach), August (K, me, J, and my Grandma), and September (Kathryn).
October (Kathryn), November (my family), and December (dh shoveling snow).

What does your new calendar look like? I hope YOUR New Year's resolution is to make something for yourself :) For more calendar ideas, head over to Betty Bee's Buzz!

We are moving...sort of...

Doug and I have spent the past couple of weeks purging closets. Beginning this Friday we are having our wall-to-wall carpeting removed on all three floors. It is so badly worn and stained from our children that it will not get clean any longer. The entire upstairs (bedrooms) and basement will have pergo (medium oak) hardwood laminate. The main floor (kitchen, foyer, living room, and dining room) and both staircases will be hard wood (medium oak). By Friday I have to have everything off of the walls and furniture moved out of the upstairs, including closets. When that is finished I have to move everything out of the basement, including closets. When all the pergo is in, I have to pack up the main floor (china cabinet...ugh) the workers will begin installing the hard woods on the main floor and we will have to move out of the house for 4 days! I am excited about these big changes. I am also moving my craft room from the small upstairs bedroom to a larger room in the basement. Right now my living room and dining room is full of crafty stuff...it is kind of embarrassing how much there is...the first step is to admit I have a problem, right? :)

I will try to post craft projects whenever possible...I do have a treat for you tomorrow! I hope you will bear with me and understand why I will not be able to craft or blog much for the next 3 weeks or so. If you come by my house, I may put you to work. If all goes well, I hope to be organizing my new craft room over MLK weekend. Any volunteers?