Saturday, July 27, 2013

Christmas In July Blog Hop ~ Anything Goes!

Welcome to the 4th and final Christmas In July Blog Hop! The theme for this week is Cricut Christmas~Anything Goes! We've got a lot of talented Cricut crafters who have created Christmas projects, using their Cricut, to inspire you! And don't forget the prizes! We have a Christmas Village cart to give away to one lucky blog hopper! Just follow my blog {use the Join This Site option so I can verify you are following} and leave a comment on this post to be entered to win. Also, you will get an additional entry for each blog in the hop that you leave a comment on. After the drawing for this week's cart, all the entries will be added to the entries from the first 3 weeks and a winner will be drawn for a Christmas {Noel} solutions cart! So be sure to follow, comment and hop!

My project for this week is a faux decorative "tray". Although it resembles the popular wood trays, it's all cut from paper!

First, cut the scallop circle and then the scallop with frames. I designed the frame in CCR using an image from the Stamped cart and rectangles from Craft Room Basics.


Use the cutouts from the frame to cut decorative pieces of paper and glue those to the large scallop circle. Use the frame piece as a guide. The papers do not have to be cut "exactly" to the opening size because all the edges will be covered when you glue on the frame.


Then glue the frame piece over the decorative papers and cut images or use photos to decorate your faux tray! I used Christmas images from a variety of Christmas carts. I had originally planned to add a ribbon to the back to hang the finished piece, but since my front door is metal, I decided to add a magnet to the back.


That's my project for this week. I hope you enjoyed it! Before you hop away, be sure to follow my blog and leave a comment if you want to be entered into the drawings for the Christmas Village cart and the Christmas solutions cart. Thanks for visiting!

Here's the blog hop line up:

Paulette at http://scrapalette.blogspot.com/  <<<START
Sis at http://papercraftscissors.com/ <<Go Here Next


The winner of the Trim the Tree cart from last week's hop is:
Sherri, send me an email to scrapalette@gmail.com with your address and I'll get your cart in the mail! Congratulations!


Thursday, July 25, 2013

New Cricut Circle Exclusive Cart Announced!

If you haven't gotten an email or been on the Circle forums, PC announced the new exclusive Circle cart for the coming year! It's Charmed and contains all sorts of cute and whimsical images as well as a full font!




Beginning August 1, you can choose this cart or several other options when you purchase a Circle membership.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Christmas In July Blog Hop ~ Ornaments Edition!

Welcome to the third Christmas in July Blog Hop! This week's projects are Christmas Ornaments! We have another terrific line-up of Cricut crafting bloggers for you to hop to their blogs and see their projects! And, we have another prize for this week. It's a Trim the Tree cart! All you have to do to be entered into the drawing is to become a follower of my blog {please use the Join this site option even if you want to follow by email, it's OK to do both} and leave a comment on this post. And, you can get additional entries by leaving comments on the other blogs in the hop! So be sure to leave those comments and good luck in the drawing!

For my project, I decided to make a mini play kitchen like the ones we had {or wanted to have} when we were kids! I took my inspiration from a new Hallmark Keepsake ornament and used my Cricut to cut all the pieces.

 I started with a box that I designed in CCR using the Craft Room Basics image set. From there, I used two 1 inch cubes to make the oven and the sink/cabinet. A smaller box, 3/4 inch by 1 inch, was used for the upper cabinet and a strip of 2 1/2 inch card stock was used to make the window valance/plate shelf {oops! the plates are missing!}. A piece of lace was used for the curtains. The handles, cabinet doors and stove burners were cut using Craft Room Basics. The faucet was the letter "J' turned upside down {I cut several and glued them together for thickness}.
.
The back of the ornament has "siding" made from 1/4 inch strips of paper. The window moulding was cut using Craft Room Basics and the flower box is from the Bloom cart.



I hope you enjoyed seeing my ornament! And, before you hop off to Angela's Blog be sure to follow and leave a comment to be entered into the drawing for the Trim the Tree cart. Here's the entire Blog Hop line up, in case you get lost along the way:

Paulette at http://scrapalette.blogspot.com/ <<<start
Angela at http://angiespaperpassion.blogspot.com/ <<<go here next
Colleen at http://scrappycol.blogspot.com/
Theresa at http://scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com/
Beth at http://seaswancreations.blogspot.com/
Laura at http://www.coolbeansbylb.blogspot.com/
Lori at http://singingshell.blogspot.com/

Thanks for joining us!

 
waidc is the winner of the Christmas Cards cart! Please send me an email {scrapalette@gmail.com} so I can send you the cart!


Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog ~ Winner!

My USA card won the Red, White and Blue Challenge over at the FCCB! If you've never entered their weekly challenges, you should go check them out! The winners are chosen by random draw and the Design Team also picks their favorites.

Fantabulous Cricut


Saturday, July 13, 2013

Christmas in July ~ Christmas Card Edition!

Welcome to the Christmas Cards Christmas in July Blog Hop! We hope you enjoyed last week's hop featuring Christmas Gift Card Holders and are glad you are joining us today! We have even more talented crafters ready to show you their Christmas Cards made using their Cricut. Again this week, we will give away a Christmas Cards cart to one lucky visitor. All you need to do is follow my blog and leave a comment on this post. You can get additional entries in the drawing by leaving comments on the other blogs in the hop. Each comment gets you one more entry!

Be sure to follow my blog using the Join this Site because I can see the followers and with the Follow by Email, I can only see the number. You can follow both methods if you want.  Now for my cards. . .

I thought I would make a shape card using the snow globe image on the Doodlecharms cart. But when I looked at the image, I saw something else! So my snow globe turned into a Christmas girl! The base of the card is the snow globe from Doodlecharms and the hair, collar and hair bows are from the Paper Doll cart. The cute little smile is from Feeling Groovy {it's the smiley face with the other features hidden}.


I also made a second card using the scallop edge on the Martha Stewart Elegant Cake cart. It was easy to size the layers and the sentiment in CCR. The parenthesis are from Baby Steps and the "merry" is from Celebrate with Flourish {it originally said Merry Christmas so I snipped away with my scissors!}.


Hope you enjoyed these cards! Before you head to the next stop, be sure to follow and comment for a chance to win the Christmas Cards cart! Thanks for stopping by!

Paulette at http://scrapalette.blogspot.com/  <<<you are here
Sis at http://papercraftscissors.com/ <<<go here next
Diane at http://dianesdribble.blogspot.com/
Lisa at http://addictedtothecricut.blogspot.com/
Linda at http://ladybuglair.blogspot.com/
Donna at http://carolinascreativecropper.blogspot.com/
Cindy at http://www.inlovewithpaper.blogspot.com/
Fran at http://lovebugtimme.blogspot.com/
Colleen at http://scrappycol.blogspot.com/
Theresa at http://scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com/
Beth at http://seaswancreations.blogspot.com/

Hope you enjoy the hop and see you again next week for Christmas Ornaments!

The winner of last week's Gingerbread Cart is
 Lori!!! Send me an email to scrapalette@gmail.com and I'll get your cart sent to you! Congratulations!

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Christmas Gift Card Holders Blog Hop

Welcome to the Christmas in July Blog Hop! I'm so glad you've joined us today. We have a great line-up of talented Cricut crafters who all have a Gift Card Holder project for you to enjoy. And, we have some prizes! On July 12, I will drawn a winner for the Cricut Gingerbread Cart. You can earn entry into the drawing by following my blog and leaving a comment on this post. You can earn additional entries by commenting on each of the blogs in the hops. One entry for each comment!

My project for the hop is a Gift Card Holder made from an envelope. I've seen several version of this holder on the internet, but they all used a pre-made envelope and involved a bit of cutting and snipping. Well, since I have a Cricut, I decided I could use one of the many envelope images on the Cricut carts, alter it a little in CCR and have my Cricut do the cutting! I could even add a decorative edge to the flap that conceals the gift card! So, here's my Gift Card Holder:



Once you cut all the pieces, you score the envelope and glue it together just like a regular envelope. The flap is already cut in half and you glue the plain edge down. {It doesn't matter that it's not pretty, you'll cover it with the decorative paper}.




Glue a piece of ribbon around the holder, leaving  2 inches or so on the open side so you can tie a bow.

Glue the decorative paper pieces on the envelope and embellish as desired.






I used the girl from Once Upon A Princess cart and dressed her as an elf using a Santa hat, mittens and elf shoes from Paper Doll Dress Up. She is holding a present from the Birthday Bash cart. Add your message and gift card and tie it closed. That's it!



You can get the CCR file for the Gift Card Holder free until Friday, July 12. And, of course you can change the papers and embellishments and use the Gift Card Holder for any occasion.

CCR file . . .link expired
Gypsy file . . .link expired

Your next stop on the hop is Laura at http://www.coolbeansbylb.blogspot.com/. But before you go, be sure to follow my blog and leave a comment for a chance to win the Gingerbread Cart.

Here is the line-up for this week's Gift Card Holder Blog Hop:

Paulette at http://scrapalette.blogspot.com/    <<<you are here
Laura at http://www.coolbeansbylb.blogspot.com/    <<<go here next
Fran at http://lovebugtimme.blogspot.com/
Colleen at http://scrappycol.blogspot.com/
Theresa at http://scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com/
Beth at http://seaswancreations.blogspot.com/
Betsy at http://betsymcreates.blogspot.com/

Thanks again for stopping by and hopping along with us! Don't forget next Saturday we'll be featuring Christmas Cards. Merry Christmas in July!

Friday, July 5, 2013

Christmas in July Blog Hops start tomorrow!


The Christmas in July Blog Hops start tomorrow and the first theme is Christmas Gift Card Holders! There will be a different theme each Saturday in July and each week I'll have a prize as well as a big prize at the end of the month! You can earn entries into the prize drawings by leaving a comment on each of the blogs in the hop. Each comment is one more entry! Here is the schedule:

Week 1~July 6~Christmas Gift Card Holders~Prize is a Gingerbread Cart and winner drawn July 12
Week 2~July 13~Christmas Cards~Prize is a Christmas Cards Cart and winner drawn July 19
Week 3~July 20~Christmas Ornaments~Prize is a Trim The Tree Cart and winner drawn July 26
Week 4~July 27~Christmas Anything Goes~Prize is a Christmas Village Cart and winner drawn July 31

And also on July 31, a winner for a Christmas (Noel) Cart will be drawn from all the entries! All the carts are brand new and still in their sealed package! Plus, some of the blogs along the hop will have Blog Candy as well! Lots of projects for inspiration and lots of prizes to win!

So come back tomorrow for the first hop! Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas in July!

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy 4th of July!

Here are a couple of 4th of July cards I made using a variety of Cricut carts. It's so easy to use multiple images since my carts are linked to Cricut Craft Room. Not only was I able to search for the images, but I was able to size them in CCR. Hope you're having a great day! Thanks to all the men and women who have fought to give us the freedoms we have!


This was super easy with the USA image from 50 States and the new Chalkboard Font carts!

This one was easy with stars from Craft Room Basics, letters from Varsity Letters, pennants from Pretty Pennants and the star loopy thing was an image from Cupcake Wrappers that I copied 3 times, flipped one and welded them to make a border.

And don't forget to come visit on Saturday for the Christmas in July~Gift Card Holders Blog Hop!

I've had a few questions about the Santa scene and it's all Cricut images as well. Santa, his sandals, beard, mustache, hair and hat are from Paper Doll Dress Up. His sunglasses and swim trunks are from Everyday Paper Doll. And the drink, palm tree, island and tiki head are from Life's A Beach. The words were added in a photo editing program.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Elf Nugget Rockers~Kicking Off Christmas in July!

A while back, a Cricut Circle friend sent me a link to the Bird Nugget Rockers on SplitCoastStampers and they were so cute, I knew I had to make some! But instead of birds, I decided to use the Elf from the Jolly Holidays cart. When you tap the edge of the nugget, the elf rocks back and forth!


These were so easy to make. Wrap your Hershey nugget in some fun scrapbook paper. Fold a paper clip into an "L" shape and glue it to the flat side of the nugget. Add your image to the other part of the paper clip and you're done! The bird had the paper clip as one of the feet but for the elf, the paper clips seemed "off" as his feet, so I just attached him to the paper clip and taped on the nugget to make him rock!

And don't forget. . .Saturday starts the Christmas in July Blog Hop with Christmas Gift Card Holders and a giveaway!