Fence Challenge using Heritage

Bitten By The Bug Winter Woodland Branch

Happy Monday - It's a Bitten by the Bug challenge day.  This is the last BBTB challenge of the year as the team will take a holiday until Monday, January 4th.  The challenge cut was to use the branch cut on the Winter Woodlands cartridge.

I cut the branch in Core'dination White Washed blue cardstock.  I lightly sanded the branch to reveal more of the blue base.  I used red metallic to cut the berries.  I used Core'dination White Washed white cardstock for the snow on the branch and added icicle Stickles for a frosty look.

I cut the bird in red Core'dination cardstock (shadow), followed by red Bazzill cardstock for the icon cut.  I used the red metallic paper to cut the bird's body and gold metallic to cut the bird face.  Poor little cold bird; I hope he enjoys the berries.

The tag on which the bird and branch are mounted was cut in SEI Winter Song paper (I love this line of paper).  Under the SEI tag is a tag shaped card cut in navy Bazzill cardstock.  Inside is a smaller white cardstock tag on which a greeting has been stamped.

Below the tag is a red silk ribbon and bow, accented with a smear of icicle Stickles.  The word Peace was from the Joys of the Season cartridge.  I used the red White Washed Core'dination cardstock to cut the word. 

Happy Monday!

Happy Post-Thanksgiving Monday!  Have you recovered from the turkey and stuffing feast?  I must tell you, with absolutely NO modesty, that I prepared the best turkey we have ever had!  Really.  I brined the turkey and stuffed it with lemons and oranges, onion and garlic, and finally fresh herbs.  It was THE BEST!  Next time I will use a bigger turkey... We ran out of meat far too soon.

As good as it was, and it WAS GOOD, the turkey was not the highlight of the holiday.  I had all three of my "children" home from their various locations.  Aaron, a teacher in another part of the state, was here for just two days due to a Basketball Tournament at his high school.  Bethany was in from the College of Charleston until Saturday night. And Ian went back to college in Atlanta on Sunday.  We also had our friends the Conrads and their new baby daughter Sophie over for Thanksgiving day.  Doug and I learned to play Catch Phrase and Apples to Apples.  We had so much fun that I purchased the lastest versions of both games at Target on Saturday.

Okay, so enough of my holiday.  The challenge cut at Bitten by the Bug this week is the telephone on the From My Kitchen cartridge.  I used various papers from the SEI Winter Song cardstock set to cut my telephone and accessories.  And WHO would I be calling at this time of year?  Hello, Santa?

I am hoping to put in my last minute orders with the big guy.

I added Prima poinsettias and leaves to my card, as well as Season's Greetings ribbons.  I also used my favorite black pen to add a few dots, as well as a copic red marker.  I used red metallic paper for a few of the embellishing cuts.  I also used the Mini Monograms cartridge to cut the scalloped circle tag. 

The good news about this card is IF Santa's line continues to be busy, the card will fit an A2 envelope so I can drop this cardin the post.  There is still plenty of time for a North Pole delivery before Santa's sleigh is packed..

One additional note, be sure to go by the Gypsy Spot.  Today is the last day to register for the Gypsy give-a-way!!  This is your chance to pick up a free Gypsy.  What a great pre-Christmas gift for yourself!!!!

Thankful For So Many Things....

Happy Thanksgiving Week!  This is sure to be a busy, family focused week for many of us, myself included.  I am going to apologize right up front if I do not post again for several days.

Today's Bitten by the Bug challenge is to use the cornucopia from Paper Doll Dress Up.  I, of course, made a simple Thanksgiving themed card.  I used three cartridges to complete this card, PDDU, Plantin Schoolbook, and Winter Woodlands. 

I welded a rectangle from PSB to two cornucopias from PDDU (one flipped).  The word Thankful was cut using Winter Woodlands, my current favorite font.  I then cut two additional cornucopias and used pop dots to layer them on the front of the card.  I cut the fruit in three colors of cardstock.  I then used copic markers on the cornucopia and fruit.

Monday is my 28th wedding anniversary.  I will be going to Atlanta on Tuesday to pick up my younger son from college.  On Wednesday the older two children will come home. We may be having friends from work over on Thanksgiving... AND their new baby!!!  And at some point we may be seeing Crissie, Aaron's sweet, sweet girlfriend.  I am currently wrapping Christmas presents (to "hide" them in the office), and finalizing my menus for the week! And I am a sick, sick woman because I love it!!!  :-)

I hope that each of you has a lovely Thanksgiving!!!!!

Brrrrr - Poor Little Cold Penguin

Happy Monday readers!  It is a Bitten By The Bug Monday where the featured cut is the adorable little Penguin on the Joys of the Season cartridge.  If you have not been by BBTB you have to go check out all of the fabulous penguin projects.

My penguin is shivering in the cold... He is so cold he is blue!   The penguin rests on a large snowflake, also cut from Joys of the Season.  The word Brrrr is from Winter Woodlands and I thought it was a perfect addition.

I used icicle Stickles over the word Brrrr to enhance the frosty effect.  I also used Glossy Accents on the top layer of blue skin on the penguin.  He looks smooth and sleek, ready for a quick swim.

In addition ot BBTB, I have two other projects posting today.  Be sure to click the blinkies and visit Custom Crops for a fun project to make for the guys, and click the Gypsy Spot blinkie for the premier of the new design team.

Pumpkin Patch Farms

I really like the challenge cut for this weeks Bitten by the Bug projects.  It is the sign on the Christmas Noel cartridge.  I have long admired the adorable sign, but had yet to design a project which included this particular element.  I was excited when Regina chose this cut and asked us to use brown and "go fall." 

I decided to go whimpsical in my approach, pretty much abonding reality! I cut my center tree in a polkadots and I used a smaller polkadot for the pumpkin on the farm sign and the left page matting.  I cut extra leaves to scatter about using three different papers, two solds and more polkadots! 

I used two different Bazzill cardstocks for the pumpkins, the highlighting a few of the pumpkins with a bling cardstock.

I finished th project off with ribbons and white ink.....  My daughter and her college roommates usually to pumpkin picking; I can't wait to see this year's photos on this cute layout!!

Monster Mash Monday Madness

Happy Monday bloggers - it's time for this week's Bitten by the Bug project. The cut this week is the CUTE, cute, CUTE little monster on Paper Doll Dress Up. This should get everyone in a Halloweeny - sort of mood!

I made a two piece gift set using Paper Doll Dress Up (of course); Tags, Bags, Boxes & More; and George. The bottom section of the box was cut using TBBM. The wrap (or jacket) was made using George. The gift box has an acetate window with a spiderweb topper. Inside the box you will find eight of the new bigger fun size candy bars loosely resting nicely. I don't know about your neighborhood kids, but my pint sized neighbors will love 8 candy bars at one stop!!!

BBTB Monday Chandelier Challenge

Happy Monday! It is a rainy Bitten by the Bug Monday here in SC, but my scrap room is brightened by the addition of this beautiful Chandelier from the Home Decor cartridge. And while the chandelier may not be putting out huge amounts of light, it is brightening my spirits and my day!

I suspect that vinyl may not have been part of Regina's plan when she assigned the chandelier cut, but I had been hoping to add this cut to my scrap room for some time. Regina just gave me the push I needed to get started.

I used a 12.5 x 12. 5 WALL POP from Lowe's to cut the chandelier. The vinyl is slightly sticky/clingy so it attached to the wall with ease. I told my friend Kathy that if I was a woman who liked wall borders this would be adorable all the way around the room (especially with our tall ceilings).

I will add that the photos really do not do the project justice... which is often the case. And this time that is especially true.

Priceless - Knowing Your True Worth

Happy Bitten by the Bug Monday! While I am not participating in the blog hop, I am happy that you hopped by. And speaking of hopping... Do you like my little frog Prince?

This week's BBTB challenge cut is to use the priceless cut from Graphically Speaking. I decided to use the tag with only a minor alteration; I added the word "is". Otherwise I used this adorable frog from the Sweethearts cartridge. And once again, I thought deeper than was necessary for the cut, but truly how many of us know our true worth. How wonderful if we could all appreciate ourselves!

Now on to why I did not participate in the blog hop... Because I am a horrid person and still have not gone to the post office and mailed my blog candy from the last blog hop... nor have I mailed the blog candy from the download guess. I have this big flaw in life.... I HATE going to the Post Office. But I DO PROMISE to get to the Post Office this week!!!!

So with the confessions being finished, I will get back to life... I have a busy week coming up. I will be finishing up the details for my husband's b-day party this Saturday. It is a casual event, but still requires a degree of planning and coordinating. And guess what? I have already designed the scrapbook pages in Design Studio!!!

BBTB Pooh Gift Box

Happy Labor Day! I hope all of you (at least in the US) are enjoying a day with your families and friends and not missing work at all!

This week's challenge cut at BBTB is the gift box on the Pooh and Friends cartridge. I have been in a Holiday mood, focusing a lot on Halloween and Christmas projects this week. So... I decided to use JOTS and make a Christmas card. Probably not too original, but as I said I have been rather single-minded in my Holiday themes of late.

Also while I have you here let me encourage you to stop back later in the week. I will have four new projects release this week at Custom Crops (which I will preview here) and also I have been working on a couple of projects just for me (which I will also preview here). I look forward to sharing those projects with you this week.

Bitten by the Bug Blog Hoppin' Monday (with CANDY!)

Welcome blog hoppers, to Busy with the Cricky. You probably arrived here from the blog of the fabulous Penny.

Today's BBTB challenge cut is the ribbon from Paper Pups. I combined the idea of a winner's ribbon with our sweet Pomeranian, Duncan, and my dh's approaching birthday. Duncan adores my husband so I know he will want to participate in the birthday festivities.

Duncan's card is bone shaped with the blue ribbon attached. I ran the dog collar through the spellbinder wizard to emboss a pattern. I then attached Duncan's faux tag. I used MS PowerPoint to create the birthday tag featuring the phrase, "Best Dad a dog can own". I also created Duncan's faux name tag in PowerPoint.

Inside the card I used a Stampin' Up birthday cake stamp and Happy Birthday stamp as well as a hand drawn puppy paw.

While you are here be sure to leave a comment to be registered to win today's blog candy. I will be drawing a name on Thursday. Also, be sure to view the previous blog post and guess at the number of times my cut files have been downloaded and a chance to win a small blog candy.

I know you must now move on to see what awaits you at the amazing Carole's blog. Thanks for stopping by today.

Owl Always Love You

It is Bitten by the Bug Monday and you know what that means: the challenges have posted and wow are they fabulous. In fact as I scrolled through the projects I kept thinking each one was so unique and so talented. The challenge cut for the week is the Owl from the Wild Card cartridge.

The Owl is actually a card unto himself, but I decided to use him as a front piece on a rectangular card. I chose the Wild Card cut with the cute "ripped" piece that attaches to the front. I also made my own circle tag using a Microsoft application and clip art.

I crafted my card using a new set of Crate paper I purchased at convention. The ink is a Technique Tuesday product, part of a class kit from the Creating Keepsakes Convention.

On a side note, I spent much of last evening trying to reorganize my scrap room. I had not unpacked my XXL rolling tote (which was in overflow mode) since the convention. I had a problem (which I had anticipated) dealing with printed paper storage. My storage method for prints was full and just could not handle any more product. I "macgyvered" a temporary fix and will have to decide on a long term fix in the near future. At least I bought myself a bit of time.