Thanks, DCWV!

   I needed a couple of extra thank you cards for my daughters' birthday earlier this month.  I grabbed some DCWV glitter stacks and DCWV card bases for two quick cards.  This card is made with SU punches:  cupcake punch and scallop border punch.  The paper is DCWV "Garden Party."  The ribbon is from my scrap jar.  I am not sure where the sentiment is from.  I popped up the top of the cupcakes with dimensionals.

  For the second card I used my Cricut "Plantin Schoolbook" cartridge for the ric rac shapes and SU circle punches to create the flower.  The paper is DCWV "Spring."  I used my SU "Pink Passion" marker to doodle dots around the center of the flower.  I popped the flower up on dimensionals.  The sentiment is an American Crafts rub-on "Ginger" font.

Quick and easy.  What are you working on?  Betty Bee is having a linking party...share your projects with us at Betty Bee's Buzz.

Happy Friday!

A Sweet Celebration

  Today is our 20th wedding anniversary!  It still seems like we are on our honeymoon and hardly like two decades have gone by.  I made this card for this week's challenge at Betty Bee's Buzz:  Food, Glorious Food!  I actually used a doily from a local restaurant (rescued from under a bowl of fruit.)

I added a doodle with my white gel pen to the cherry and I added Glossy Accents to both the cherry and the spoon.  Yum!

Supplies:
Cricut cartridge:  Birthday Bash
embossing folders:  D'Vine Swirls, Swiss Dots, and Herringbone by Provo Craft
papers:  Echo Park "Life is Good"
my sewing machine
dimensionals by Stampin' Up!

Card for Dad - Happy Father's Day!

I recently shopped my stash for Father's Day inspiration and now I have a card that is perfect for my f-i-l, who is a pilot.

Supplies:
Cricut cartridge:  Wall Decor and More (airplane cut at 3")
Papers:  BasicGrey Hang 10 and map paper (manufacturer unknown)
Ribbon:  SU
metal brad:  Making Memories
Ribbon slide:  SU hodgepodge hardware aged copper
sentiment:  American Crafts rub-ons (Kate font)

Happy Father's Day!

Two More Pinwheel cards

 I was inspired to make more pinwheel cards by my dear friend, Court.  Court used a glazed brad on her card, and I thought, "I have some glazed brads!"  Today is the last day of school and I thought I would make cards for the two lovely secretaries in the front office.  Both of these ladies always greet everyone with a smile and are always helpful.  I wonder if they realize how much they brighten my day every time I visit the school?

  I prefer to make my pinwheels from double-sided paper, so I cut two 3" squares of BasicGrey paper (1 pattern and 1 solid) and xyron'd them together.  This does make the pinwheel sturdier.  The two sentiments were rub-ons that were just sitting on my work table.

Supplies:
paper:  BasicGrey "Lime Rickey"
glazed brads:  BasicGrey
rub-on sentiment:  American Crafts
my sewing machine

Happy Thursday!

Pinwheels are so cool!

  Our theme challenge this week at Betty Bee's Buzz is PINWHEELS.  On Monday my HoneyBee sister, Court, posted her card and a tutorial at Betty Bee's Buzz.  I used some Echo Park paper scraps and followed Court's step-by-step instructions.  This was fun!  Won't you give it a try and link your project at Betty Bee's Buzz?
Supplies:
papers:  Echo Park "a walk in the PARK"
stamp:  My Pink Stamper "Punnylicious"
mini brad:  Making Memories
I rolled text-weight paper (computer paper) to create the white handle
sewing machine zig-zag stitching

Peace on Earth

  Jingle Belles challenge blog has a Kirsty Vittetoe sketch this week.  Sketches are often quite challenging for me, but I often find Kirsty's sketches easy to work with:

  This card came together quickly and easily.  I stitched the layers together with my sewing machine.  It saves on adhesive and I really like the added dimension.  Thanks to Jingle Belles, I now have 23 Christmas cards made!

Supplies:
paper:  BasicGrey 6x6 "Wassail"
crochet adhesive:  Hero Arts
sentiment:  Making Memories rub-on

Happy Tuesday!

Double Blog Candy Winners (2nd post today)

Today is the day I had to randomly choose two blog candy winners.  I actually had anxiety over it, and I asked dhDH (dear husband, Doug Houck) to use random.org and give me the numbers.  The computer turned up #4 and #33.

Imagine my shock when I counted the comments and #4 is my dear friend, Court, and #33 is a blogger that I have known for almost 4 years, Smilyn Stef!  And you know what else?  Today is Court's birthday too.  WOW.  Congratulations, Ladies!  Thank you to all who participated.

Cricut, Ewe Tickle Me Pink!

My daughters' birthday was earlier this week, so I needed to make a quick set of thank you notes for the presents they received. I enjoy the CAS style, and I found a this terrific sketch at Die Cuttin' Divas:

And this is what I came up with:

  When I have a plan in my head, the Cricut sure makes my life easier to do a little mass-production.

Supplies:

Cricut cartridge:  Create A Critter (cut @ 2 1/4")

stamps:  My Pink Stamper Punny-licious
papers:  Core'dinations (light grey & dark grey),  Bazzill bling (wool & pink bows), and black card stock
Cuttlebug embossing folder:  D'Vine Swirls by Provo Craft
fence:  Martha Stewart border punch

What are you working on?  There is a linking "Buzz in the Bizz" party every Friday at Betty Bee's Buzz...AND this week's Wednesday challenge is to use a chevron pattern on your card, LO, or project.

Echo Park Gift Card Holder

  I still have some of my "a walk in the PARK" Echo Park papers left...not much, but enough to make two of these gift card holders for my daughters' bus driver and her assistant.  We adore "Ms. Pam & Ms. Marie."  This is our third consecutive year with these two wonderful ladies (*fingers crossed* that we have them next year too!)  I had exactly two pieces of this yellow-orange ribbon in my scrap jar and exactly two "Thanks!" American Crafts rub-on sentiments on my work table.  I used the top note die by Stampin' Up! to cut my Echo Park double-sided papers, scored at 3", then taped with photo tape to create  pocket.  I zipped over to Starbucks for two gift cards...done!

Happy Thursday!

Birthday Treat Bags

  My daughters celebrated their birthday this week.  I have been inspired by the treat bags that Robyn Cardon makes for her children's classmates using her Cricut.  I chose BasicGrey "Color Me Silly" papers and this mouse-in-a-present image from the Cricut "Birthday Bash" cartridge (cut @ 2 3/4".)

  I started with a 5 1/4"x 6" rectangle of red card stock, scored in half @ 3".  I dry embossed with "Seeing Spots" by Provo Craft and stamped "Happy Day" by CC stamps.  I filled A2 bags from clearbags.com with organic candy, sealed the self-adhesive bags closed, then stapled the red flap to the top of the bag.

After the mouse image was assembled, I used foam tape (SU dimensionals) to cover the staple.

  Have I mentioned how much I love my Cricut?  In January of this year I set a personal goal to find Cricut-related challenge blogs to help me learn to use my machine.  One of the blogs I found is called Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog.  I made "top 5" there May 4th, and today I won :) 

My next goal is to be on the DT for Artful Delight and My Pink Stamper.

Reminder:  There is one more day to enter to win my double blog candy.  I have been fortunate to win recently, so I wanted to pay it forward by offering some blog candy to YOU.

Happy Wednesday!

Let it Sew, Let it Sew, Let it Sew! (& double Blog Candy reminder)

CAS-ual Fridays is one of my newest favorite finds.  I combined this lovely sketch (rotated 270 degrees), this week's "Let it Sew" challenge at Jingle Belles, and created a very scrappy oh-so-June Houck card.  Wanna see?

I used some *new stash, old stash, and very old stash, and my sewing machine.

Supplies:
paper:  kraft card stock & red linen card stock (XPEDX); My Mind's Eye Abbey Road
*die cut scallop semi-circle:  doodlebug design, inc. happy holidays cute cuts cardstock die cuts
scallop die (left side):  MFT Die-namics
scrabble tile alpha stickers:  Making Memories
black dots rub-ons:  Stampin' Up!

Happy Saturday!
* Reminder: Double blog candy up for grabs on this post.

Daddy, You're Toad-ally Fabulous! (& Double Blog candy reminder)

Today is dhDH's (dear husband Doug Houck) half birthday.  Yep, he is 44.5yo today.  To let him know how much we adore him, I thought it would be fun to make a card.

I combined two different sentiment stamp from Robyn's  Punny-licious set.  Did you know this set coordinates with the Create A Critter cartridge?  I used  the "YOU'RE" from "YOU'RE A HOOT" and the "Toad-ally Fabulous!" together to create my sentiment.

I am entering my card at My Craft Spot:  #10 Cute Critters challenge.

Supplies:
Cricut cartridge:  Create A Critter (cut @ 4 3/4")
stamps:  My Pink Stamper Punny-licious
papers:  BasicGrey Lime Rickey (frog & crown) & BasicGrey Urban Prairie (cheeks)
Cuttlebug embossing folder:  Spots & Dots by Provo Craft
bling:  Hero Arts and EK Success

* Reminder: Double blog candy up for grabs on this post.

Double BLOG CANDY

***THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.  THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED.***

My 4 year blogoversary sneaked by me yesterday.  How about some blog candy for two lucky winners?  Please leave a comment telling me:

1.  One fun fact that I may not know about you.
2.  Which blog candy you prefer; Cuttlebug/Sizzix/Colorbok or Cricut Dinosaur Tracks & Imaginisce Dino-Roar.

You do not have to be a follower to win this blog candy, but you do need to contact me if you win.  Contest closes on June 9th @ 11:59pm EST.  If I have not heard from the winner by June 15th, I will redraw.

Just for giggles, here is a fun fact about me:  I sort my M&Ms by color before eating them.  I eat my favorite color last (red.)  Yes, I know that there is no difference in flavor :)

Warm Wishes & Blog Awards

 I *love* making one Christmas card each week.  I regularly participate in the weekly challenges at Jingle Belles.  Won't you give it a try?  There is no stress, and you will avoid some of the holiday mayhem.  This week's challenge is "We Three Kings" (use 3 or more patterned papers.)  What's up for grabs?  Yummy Nikki Sivils papers!

Supplies:
Cricut catridge:  Winter Frolic
papers:  BasicGrey 6x6 Eskimo Kisses; XPEDX bordeau
sentiment stamp:  Savvy stamps
punches:  Border punch by SU and corner rounder by CM
pearl swirl:  Bazzill Borders template and adhesive haf-back pearls by Recollections
doily:  Martha Stewart tags

Paper crafting people are some of the most caring and thoughtful people, don't you agree?  The ladies at Jingle Belles (Lauren & Stef) and the Bellettes (Jingle Belles participants) are some of the nicest in the blogosphere.  And speaking of sweet people:

 BFB award from Trish

A Thing of Beauty award from Lisa

I am supposed to list 5 things you may not know about me, then pass on these awards:

• I have a 20 year old cat (our furry daughter) named Skeeziks
• We have fraternal twins girls who will be 9yo next week, both of whom are diagnosed with Autism
• I love food of all types, but my favorite is Indian cuisine
• I taught secondary math (grades 8-12, general math thru pre-calculus) for 14 years, and I miss it!
• I love to sing, but you probably wouldn't want to hear me :)

I would like to pass both of these awards to:

1.  Amber of  My 3 E Scrapbooking

2.  Courtney Lee of Court's Crafts

3.  R. Marina Sabina (Lollyrot) of Lollyrot Scrapbooking

4.  Rae Finke of Wahoo Crafts

5.  Stephanie Lanzalotto of my~ink~well