Christmas cards, neck warmers and tree skirt

Wow, I cannot believe it's been almost two months since my last post.  There have been a lot of things going on in my life for the past weeks, some good, some bad, so almost no time to be creative.   

Last week I decided it was time to go back to my craft room and start creating. Due to the time constraint, this year I only made one third the number of Christmas cards that I usually do, just for my closest friends and family.  I'm learning how to color with Copic Markers and wanted to use my brand new Magnolia Tilda stamp I bought last month.  For the card base I used Bazzill textured paper.  Patterned paper is from My Mind's Eyes (12 days of Christmas).

I also knitted a neck warmer for my sister and an infinity scarf for her fur baby (a tiny Chihuahua so into fashion), my niece Lola.  Hope they like them.  This is first time I make crochet flowers. I just followed the instructions from a Youtube video I found through Pinterest and I think they turned out okay.  Hope my sister and Lola like their presents.

Finally, I made a Christmas tree skirt using some felt for the base, some left over brown fabric, burlap in light brown, ivory and olive green, tons of hot glue, and some SU! Chocolate Chip felt ribbon (retired).  The tree skirt idea is not mine and I also found it on Pinterest. Can you tell I'm loving Pinterest?  I just modified it a little bit and instead of using 2" burlap strips, I used 3" strips. Isn't it pretty?

As you can see, it was a very productive week.  This week I will be getting ready for the Christmas Eve dinner (I'm cooking again this year) and want to make some baked goodies for my neighbors.  I will try to post pictures of all of it, but if I don't have a chance, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2012. Thanks for stopping by!

Cricut 360 Challenge No. 15

Hello my friends.  It's time for another challenge at the Cricut 360!  Cold weather is finally here (well at least were I live) and with Winter in mind, this week's challenge is to create a card or layout ALL in white, no other color are allowed at all and using any of the Cricut Cartridges.  

My take for this challenge was to create a card using cuts from the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge.   This cartridge is one of my favorites!! Cardstock is Georgia Pacific (Walmart) and glitter is from Martha Stewart Collection.  Since this card is all white I decided to used embossing to give dimension to it. Hope you like it!  To check out the amazing creations from the rest of the design team don't forget to stop by the Cricut 360 Challenge blog. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend.

Giveaway Winner!

Hello my friends!  Just wanted to announce the Winner of my giveaway, a 8x8 DCWV Latte cardstock pad.   I used random.org and the winner was:

Post No.9!!
 Kimberli said...

What a beautiful banner - your whole fireplace looks amazing all decorated for Halloween! I'm a new follower!

Kimberli
kimbean20 at gmail dot com
http://kimberliscreations.blogspot.com/

OCTOBER 14, 2011 11:24 AM


Congratulations Kimberli. Please send me your address to leiradcarrasco at gmail dot com and will send your prize right away.  To the rest, thanks for taking the time to visit my blog and participate in this giveaway.  Have a wonderful rest of the week!

Cricut 360 Challenge No. 14 - Blog Hop

Hello my friends!! It's time for another Challenge at the Cricut 360.  This week we have the Cricut 360’s Spooky Halloween Blog Hop!

The talented DT has created amazing projects for this week's challenge and blog hop.

If you've come from visiting Darlene at The Simple Southern Blessings' Blog, you are in the right place!

If my blog is your first stop and you would like to play along with our Spooky Halloween Blog  Hop, please start HERE.

Please, don't forget to visit the rest of the DT members' blog to check out their amazing creations for inspiration.  Also make sure you collect the key words that will reveal this week's challenge.  

There will be prizes along the way at some of the DT members' blogs, AND a grand prize, a  Freshly Picked Cricut cartridge.

If you want to play along, please link up your project over at Cricut 360.  

My take for this week's project was to create a Halloween banner to decorate the beautiful mantle my dear husband made (from scratch) for our fireplace. 


Edited to add that the plastic pumpkins (from Michaels) were hand-carved by my wonderful husband. I made the flowers arrangements for the pumpkins using flowers and ribbon I bought at Joann's.  

Tools:

• Cricut Expression
• Crop-a-dile
• CTMH Art Philosophy Cartridge
• Happy Huntings Cartridge
• Stretch Your Imagination Cartridge
• Doodlecharm Cricut Cartridge

Materials:

• Black cardstock from Joann's
• Whisper White cardstock
• Recollections Halloween 12x12 cardstock pad (2010)
• Black, orange, and green ribbon from Michaels
• Eyelets
• SU! brads
• Braided wire

As an special thank you for participating on this blog hop, I am giving away a Latte 8x8 DCWV paper pack. You just need to become a follower of my blog (if you aren't already) and leave a comment in this post.  The winner will be randomly selected and announced on Wednesday October 19th, 2011. 

My key word is: AND 

Hope you really like my project and now please go and stop by Lisa's blog, Beyond Beauty to check out what she has in store for you today... And when you're done, make sure to link up your project to Cricut 360 for a chance to win!

Make a wish B-day card

Hello my friends, hope you are having a wonderful weekend! Today I wanted to share with you a card I made for a good friend. Tomorrow is her B-day and I sent this card to her last week, so I hope it gets on time. For this card, I used sketch 207 from Mojo Monday. The butterfly was cut using my Cricut Expression and the Create a Critter cartridge.  All designer papers, cardstock, embellishments, and sentiment are SU! (most of them are retired). Thanks for looking!!

Cricut 360 Challenge No. 13

Hello, it's time for another challenge at Cricut 360.  This week's challenge is to create a Welcome Baby card or layout using white and pastel colors, any of the Cricut cartridges, and  your Cuttlebug (embossing).   This is my take for this challenge. Please visit the Cricut 360 blog to check out the design team amazing creations or to link up your own.  Thanks for looking!!!

Tools:

• Cricut Expression
• Stretch Your Imagination Cricut cartridge
• Stapler
• Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder
• SU! Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder 

Materials:

• SU! Whisper White cardstock
• SU! Love Stories Scrappin' Kit (retired)
• Pink/White ribbon from Michaels

Get Well Soon Card

Today I would like to share with you a Get Well card I created using a Sketch from I Heart 2 Stamp. I colored the image using Sketch Copic Markers.  Hope you like it!!Tools:

• SU! Pun Fun Stamp Set
• Sketch Copic Markers

Materials:

• GP White cardstock
• Bazzill Gray textured cardstock
• The Paper Source green cardstock (don't know the actual name of it)
• My Mind's Eye Happy Go Lucky 6x6 Designer Paper Pad (Lime Twist Collection)
• Aqua Rick Rack
• SU! Kiwi Kiss button
• SU! hemp twine

Tilda Birthday card

Hello my friends! Hope you are having a wonderful week now that Fall is finally here. I have always loved the look of images colored using Copic markers but thought they were on the expensive side.  Last July my sister gave me a Michaels' giftcard for my B-day and since Michaels started carrying Sketch Copic markers, I took advantage of their 45% off coupon for entire purchase on artists' markers and bought a bunch.  My husband saw how I was excited about the markers, so he gave me extra money to buy some more.  


I really wanted to play with my Copics right away but unfortunately my work kept me pretty busy  for the last two months, so I didn't have a chance to play.  Things at work have finally slowed down and decided to give it a try.  This is the first time I'm coloring a stamped image using Copics and really hope you like it.  I know I still have a lot to learn, but wanted to show you what I have been doing. I have also been working on a bunch of other projects that I'm planning to share with you this week.  Thanks for looking!!


Tools:

• SU! So Happy for You stamp set (2011 Sale-A-Bration)
• Tilda Playing Hopscotch stamp

Materials:

• GP White cardstock
• My Mind's Eye Happy Go Lucky 6x6 Designer Paper Pad (Lime Twist Collection)
• Aqua rick rack
• SU! Dimensionals

Cricut 360 Challenge No. 12

Hello my friends!  First of all, I would like to apologize for not posting anything for last week's challenge at the Cricut 360.  Things at work had been very hectic and I didn't have the time to design for last week's challenge. Still pretty busy but I hope that things start to slow down by next week so that I can have a little "me time" and start creating.
Anyway, this week's challenge at Cricut 360 is to create a card or layout to celebrate Native American Day (September 19).  This is my take for this challenge.  I decided to use a very well known Indian proverb as inspiration and hope you like it. 
If your would like to play along this week, please join us at Cricut 360!

Tools:

• Cricut Expression
• Cricut Give a Hoot cartridge
• Brother sewing machine
• SU! Scallop Edge paper punch

Materials:

• SU! Early Expresso cardstock
• SU! Early Expresso ribbon
• Kraft cardstock from Joanns
• My Mind's Eye Lime Twist 6x6 Happy Go Lucky and Fly a Kite designer cardstock pads
• SU! Dimensionals

Beautiful work of art by a friend

Hello my friends, today I just wanted to share with you the beautiful work of art my dear friend painted for our family room.  He is a great artist and have to say that I love every single detail of it!!  Thanks for stopping by.

Cricut 360 Challenge No. 10

Hi, today is the day for a new challenge at the Cricut 360 challenge blog.  This week's challenge is to create a card or layout to celebrate Grandparents Day using any of the Cricut cartridges. If you want to check out the amazing creations from the design team or to link up your creations, please stop by the Cricut 360 blog. 

For this week's challenge, I created a side step card.  Tutorials on how to make a side step card can be easily found online.  All the die cuts used are from the Cricut Car Decals cartridge.  The sentiment was computer generated. Thanks for stopping by!!!


Tools:

• Cricut Expression
• Cricut Design Studio software
• Crop-a-dile

Materials:

• Orange, pink and aqua twine
• Metallic eyelets
• Kraft cardstock from Joann's
• The Paper Source Chocolate chip cardstock
• The Paper Source Green cardstock
• GP Black cardstock
• SU! dimensionals
• K&Company Carolyn Gavin 12x12 Greenhouse specialty paper pad

Yay, my LO made the Cricut Chirp!

I'm so excited, one of my projects was featured on the Cricut Chirp!  The Cricut Chirp is a weekly online newsletter featuring projects using any of the Cricut machines.  

Last night I checked my email and while reading the Cricut Chirp newsletter, there it was, one of my projects made the Chirp.  I just couldn't believe it, so it took me a moment to realize it was my project, ha ha ha. My featured project was the First Day of School LO I made for the Cricut 360 Challenge No. 8.  More details about this LO can be found here. 

I feel so happy and honored, so I wanted to share the good news with my followers.  If you want to check out the rest of the amazing projects featured this week, you can find the Cricut Chirp HERE.  Thanks for stopping by!

Cricut 360 Challenge No. 9

Hello! Labor Day weekend is just around the corner which means we all get a chance to RELAX! This week at Cricut 360 the challenge is to create a card or layout with that in mind. The only requirement is to use any of the Cricut Cartridges.  For more details about this week's challenge, please visit the Cricut 360.

For this week's challenge I created a card using the very cute penguin from the Create a Critter cartridge.  The Just Chillin' sentiment is also from the Create a Critter cartridge.  Hope you like it!

Tools:

• Cricut Expression
• Create a Critter Cricut Cartridge
• Crop-a-dile
• Cuttlebug Spots and Dots Embossing folder

Materials:

• Paper Source Chocolatechip cardstock
• GP white cardstock
• Lime Green Twine
• Metallic eyelets
• SU! Designers Series Play Date paper pack
• Orange cardstock (Joanns)
• SU! Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack (retired)
• SU! Expresso marker

Cricut 360 Challenge No.8

Hello, today at Cricut 360 there is a new challenge!! School starts soon, so this week's Cricut 360 challenge is to create card or layout with that in mind using any Cricut Cartridge(s).  

This is my take for this week's challenge.  I created a 3-photo layout.  I used the Robotz Cricut cartridge for the title (can you tell the font is one of my favorite?), the Doodlecharms Cricut cartridge and Design Studio software for the apple border. 

If you would like to participate in this challenge or to check out amazing samples created by the Cricut 360 design team, please go HERE.


Thanks for stopping by!


Tools:

• Cricut Expression
• Cricut Robotz cartridge
• Cricut Doodlecharms cartridge
• Cricut Design Studio software
• Crop-a-dile
• White Signo gel pen

Materials:

• Light blue Bazzil cardstock
• Red Bazzil cardstock
• 12X12 DCWV The Grade School cardstock stack
• Yellow twine
• SU! brads
• SU! Whisper White cardstock
• Black cardstock from Joanns
• SU! dimensionals

Cricut 360 Challenge No. 7

Hello, this week's challenge at Cricut 360 is to create some Old West type of card or layout using any of the Cricut cartridges.  For more details about this week's challenge at Cricut 360 and to link your creations, please go HERE.  


Last year my son's B-day party theme was Toy Story and since I hadn't had a chance to scrap all the pictures I took that day, I found this challenge to be the perfect time to start. I created this two page layout using Jessie and Woody cuts from the Cricut Toy Story cartridge.

Tools:

• Cricut Expression
• Cricut Toy Story cartridge
• Cricut Designer's Calendar cartridge
• Brother Sewing machine
• Crop-a-dile
• Cuttlebug
• Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder
• Sketch Copic Markers

Materials: 

• SU! So Saffron cardstock
• Blue, red, yellow, white, black, and brown cardtock from Joann's open stock
• SU! Designers Series Play Date paper pack
• SU! Blush Blossom cardstock (retired)
• SU! large brads (retired)
• SU! Hemp twine
• 12x12 kraft cardstock from Joanns

Don't forget to check out the amazing creations from the rest of the design team and I really hope you can join us this week!!

Buzz Lightyear in 3D

Hello my friends, The heat is unbearable here in North Texas, so we spend most of the time indoors and need to find ways to keep ourselves occupied.  So, I just wanted to make a quick post about the wonderful project my little son and I worked this afternoon.  My little one chose to play with HIS Cricut (yes, he thinks it's his toy) and he chose to make something from the Toy Story cartridge.  He picked the 3D Buzz Lightyear.  We used Provo Craft Design Studio software and a 24x12 mat.  My son picked the colors and I thing he did an amazing job since they are very close, don't you think?


I have to say it was not an easy task (it took us about 2.5 hrs to complete it) putting it together but with the help of my husband we completed it and it looked amazing.  More importantly, my son loved it!! Thanks for stopping by.


Tools:

• Cricut Expression
• Toy Story Cartridge
• Glue pen
• Spatula
• Tweezers (life savers!!)
• Patience, patience and more patience, hahahaha.

Materials:

• Assorted cardstock from Joann's open stock
• SU! Blossom Blush cardstock (retired, sadly)
• Light blue marker (for the eyes)

Cricut 360 Challenge No. 6

Hello!!  We are thrilled with the response to the New Cricut 360 Challenge Blog and I would like to thank all of you for joining us each week.  


Wow, this Summer has been the hottest I can recall here in Texas!!! We have been experiencing temperatures over 100 F for 34 consecutive days and counting.  Today was 108 F but with the heat index you could feel it as if it was above 110 F. 


With this heat wave in mind, this week's challenge is to create a Refreshing card or layout using any of the Cricut machines and any cartridge.  More details about this week's challenge and the amazing prize can be found HERE.


My take for this week's challenge at Cricut 360 was to create a layout with one of my favorite pictures taken during our 2009 vacations at La Riviera Maya in Mexico.    We went to the Xcaret water park and this photo was taking while we were in one of the two subterranean rivers there.  It was an amazing 10 days vacation and even though it was hot as hell, we spent most of the time in the water, and wasn't that bad.  Thanks for stopping by and hope you like my layout.

Tools:

• Cricut Expression
• Cricut Robotz cartridge
• Cricut Plantin SchoolBook cartridge
• Crop-a-dile
• ATG gun
• White Signo Gel pen
• Brother sewing machine

Materials:

• SU! Baja Breeze cardstock
• SU! Crumb Cake cardstock
• SU! Whisper White cardstock
• Bazzill gray textured cardstock
• My Mind's Eye Lime Twist 6x6 Happy Go Lucky and Fly a Kite designer cardstock pads
• SU! Sweet Pea designer paper pad (retired)
• SU! 1" ribbon
• SU! large (retired) and small brads
• Lime green twine from The Twinery

Cricut 360 Challenge No. 5

Hello! It's time for a challenge at the Cricut 360 blog.  Since many people travel in the month of August.This week's challenge is to create a card or layout about traveling.  You can find more details about this challenge or upload your creations please click HERE. 


As soon as I was informed about this week's theme,  I immediately knew I would scrap about the first time my little one rode a plane in 2009 when we went to La Riviera Maya in Mexico.   One thing I have to say is that technically, it was not the first time my little traveled on a plane.  Back in 2008, we took a plane to Mexico for my grandmother's funeral but my little one was too young and my mind was somewhere else, that I didn't take any pictures of it.  So, I considered our trip to La Riviera Maya to be his first official trip on a plane. Also this was the first time a stewardess gave him a pair of wings and he was very excited about it.

Tools:

• Cricut Expression
• Robotz, Mickey and Friends, Mickey Fonts, and Plantin SchoolBook Cricut Cartridges
• Brother Sewing Machine
• Paper Crimper
• SU! Top Note die
• Cuttlebug
• PC Design Studio Software
• White Signo Gel Pen
• Crop-a-dile
• ATG tape gun

Materials: 

• Bazzil gray cardstock
• SU! Baja Breeze cardstock
• SU! Crumb Cake cardstock
• SU! Baja Breeze ribbon
• SU! Expresso cardstock
• Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack (retired)
• SU! Dimensionals
• My Mind's Eye Lime Twist 6x6 Happy Go Lucky and Fly a Kite designer cardstock pads
• DCWV Latte solid cardstock stack
• SU! retired brads

To check out the wonderful creations of the rest of the design team and/or if you want to play along, stop by the Cricut 360 blog.  This week's prize is the amazing 6x6 Ambrosia paper pad by Basic Grey.  Thanks for stopping by!!

Cricut 360 Challenge No. 4

Hello! Thanks for joining us at the Cricut 360 weekly challenge.  This week's challenge is to create a layout or a card with the great outdoors in mind using any of the Cricut machines and cartridges.  While brainstorming the design of my card for this challenge, the first cartridge that came to my mind was Give a Hoot.  I consider myself a "tree hugger", so when this cart was released, I had to have it. Anyway,it is a pretty simple card and hope you like it.

Tools:

• Cricut Expression
• Give a Hoot Cricut Cartridge
• Crop-a-dile
• While Signo Gel pen 
• ATG tape gun
• My Pink Stamper More Punny-licious stamp set 

Materials:

• Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack (retired )
• SU! So Saffron cardstock
• SU! Crumb Cake cardstock
• SU! Expresso cardstock
• SU! Pumpkin Pie cardstock
• The Paper Source green cardstock
• SU! Old Olive brads
• SU! Hemp twine
• SU! dimensionals

If you would like to participate in this week's challenge, you can read more about it and link up your creation at the Cricut 360 Blog.  This week's prize is a cute 6" Cricut plush. Isn't he adorable?  Wish I could enter the contest since I don' have one of those little cuties.  Anyway, don't forget to submit your creations HERE. Thanks for stopping by and good luck!