Speedy Recovery

I wanted to make another card for my dad during his recovery from heart surgery (which was today and went well).  I had seen a card by All Scrapped Out during a challenge that was my inspiration.  Her card was very pretty and feminine.  I needed to make mine more manly since it was for my dad.  My intention was to use some of my scraps, but I just wasn't finding any color combos I liked in my scraps today.  This project just took way longer than it should have.  Here's what I ended up with:

The turtle is from Create a Critter.  His shoes are from Everyday Paper Dolls.  I used my Gypsy to make them the right size for the turtle.  The circles for the sentiment are from Graphically Speaking.

In addition to my inspiration from All Scrapped Out, I should thank Split Coast Stampers for giving the dimensions for a horizontal pedestal card.  The one measurement they didn't give is for the little card that gives the design something to rest against so the card doesn't close.  I made mine 2.5 x 5.25 inches.  I would also like to thank Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog for their clever idea on how to print on die cuts rather than using the Center Point feature on the Cricut.  (I've had my Cricut for a year and still haven't used that feature yet!)

This card will be entered in:
Flaunt it Friday challenge #4--using the turtle from Create a Critter
Paper Issues "New" challenge--Create a Critter is a new cart for me, and dad's got a new heart valve

Faulty valve? Well wishes for heart surgery

My dad will be having heart surgery on Dec. 27th.  He has never had any health problems, so he seems a bit nervous about such a big procedure.  One of his Christmas gifts is going to be a pair of comfy pants to wear during his recovery.  I decided to make him this card to give him a smile before surgery and let him know that everything will be alright.  I made it a pedestal card so he can display it in his hospital room if he wants.

Here's the basic info:  The background paper with the cars is from DCWV stack 6.  The circles and bolts are from Graphically Speaking (I have really used that cart a lot more than I ever anticipated when I bought it).  The mechanic and his hair and clothes are all from the race car driver from Everyday Paper Dolls.  His face is from Peachy Keen Stamps PK-570.  The wrench is from Indie Art (Thanks to the free Gypsy download!).  The green, blue, and brown squares were run through the Diamonds in the Rough Cuttlebug folder.

This card will be entered in Cute Card Thursday's sketch challenge #144.  It will also be shared at the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog.  Although there is no challenge there this week due to the holidays, they are inviting people to share what they are making.

Fabric Advent Calendar

I followed along on an advent calendar blog hop a few weeks ago.  The projects were beautiful, but were all made of paper.  I kept thinking that after spending that much time on a project, I'd sure want it to last a while.

I've had this fabric advent calendar, made by my aunt, for as long as I can remember 

Several years ago I made a similar one for my best friend's son.  (I wasn't taking pictures of my projects back then.)  When her second child came along, she asked if I'd make one for him too, which I gladly did.  This year, her daughter is three, and I made her this one.  This time I changed from a Christmas tree design to a wreath.

Here's the basic info:  The red background is corduroy.  The wreath is fleece.  The fabric strips at the bottom are divided into little pockets and hold the wooden discs, one of which is hung each day.  The wooden discs were purchased at the craft store and painted white.  One one side I glued on pictures I had cut from Christmas cards.  I always enjoyed the two discs on my calendar that had family pictures on them, so I asked my friend for a few pictures of her family for the ones I made.  The loops to hang the ornaments are made of ribbon and the ends of the ribbon are glued under the pictures.  On the other side of the discs are numbers.  My calendar has numbered white buttons to hang the "ornaments" on, so I had to match the number on the disc to the number on the buttons.  On the first two calendars that I made, I sewed on tiny jingle bells.  On this one, I sewed on red buttons.  The bow is store bought and is plastic.  I attached it to the wreath with velcro so it can be detached and won't get smashed when the calendar is folded up for storage.

I still enjoy hanging an ornament on my advent calendar each day.  I hope my friend's children enjoy theirs as much as I do.

Snowman Soup

I wanted to give a little something to some of my coworkers.  I first saw a Snowman Soup project on The Happy Stamper's blog during a blog hop.  There seem to be many versions all over the internet, so I don't know who the original author was.  Here is my take on it:

The mug shape, snowflake, circle, and tag are all from Gypsy Wanderings.  I welded two of the mugs together with my Gypsy to make the card.  The snowman stamp was free from Peachy Keen when I placed an order this fall.  Inside the card is the following poem, along with a packet of hot chocolate:

Was told that you've been good this year,

Always glad to hear it.

With freezing weather already here

You'll need to warm the spirit!

So, here's a little Snowman Soup

Complete with stirring stick.

Add hot water and sip it slow,

It's sure to do the trick!


I put the cards in a bag with some Hershey Kisses, a few marshmallows, and a mini candy cane.


This project will be entered in the following challenges:
Paper Playtime #29--snowmen
Paper Issues--Holiday project

Teacher gift

I made this stationery set to give to a volunteer teacher.  There are 8 cards in the box for her to use, and one that is for her telling her thanks for all her hard work.  The box is a recipe box from the $1 bin at Michaels that I covered in paper.  The idea for the box came from a video done by Momo.  The flower on the card is from Gypsy Wanderings.  The brown paper was run through the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder.

This will be entered in the following challenges:

Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge #42--use embossing

Cute Card Thursday challenge #142--floral frenzy

Snow!

I made this card for some friends who are fanatical snowboarders.  The words all came from the Graphically Speaking cartridge, from page 56 in the manual.  That is the requirement for M.A.G. Challenge by the Page's challenge #6.  I did manipulate the images a bit with my Gypsy.  I used the Hide Contour feature on the word "Powder."  I hid the outside line so the image would cut as solid letters rather than an outline of the word.  I also hid part of the image that would have cut with the word "SNOW."  I wanted to include the snowflakes that are on that page in the manual, but I found them to be so skinny at parts that they were a bit difficult to cut.  So, I settled for running the blue background through the Cuttlebug Snowflakes folder instead.  I plan on putting a sentiment inside that reads something like, "May all your holiday wishes come true."

Snowy Christmas Card

I used my new Winter Frolic cartridge for the snowman.  He's small enough that I don't think I could have done his face without my new Peachy Keen stamps from the Winter Faces Assortment (PK 520).  I used the Hide Contour on my Gypsy to hide the face on the cart so the Cricut wouldn't cut it.  The snowflake is from the Christmas Solutions cartridge.

I think this may be the most challenges I've combined into one card so far!  This card will be entered in:

Flaunt It Friday's challenge #1--use the snowman from p. 29 of the Winter Frolic Cartridge
Paper Cutz challenge #70--use 2 kinds of patterned papers
Paper Playtime challenge #28--a project with snowflakes
Cute Card Thursday challenge #141--blue theme
Mojo Monday challenge #168--sketch