Cricut Mother's Day Flower - and CCR cut file

I have not had time yet to email the five individuals to whom I will be supplying the the email address and code to receive a three month membership to the Cricut Circle - I will get to that this weekend.  I truly wish I had codes for everyone who asked to receive one.  But alas, I only received 12.  I will make sure that all 12 are used though.

Like my friend Diane (Capadia) who also received a bouquet, I too had requests to create a cut file or instructions (or both) to create the Mother's Day Flower Bouquets which we received from Cricut to help spread the joy of the Criuct Circle!  It is a bit funny but both Diane and I came up with the technique, though we used different cartridges. 

Upon examination and dissection of my bouquet I established that the individual flower cuts used to create the each 3D flower each had ten petals.  Using Cricut Craft Room's search image feature, I searched every flower linked into the database and discovered that my flowers were created using the Serenade cartridge.  You truly could use any of the multi-petal flowers on any of a multitude of cartridges - even Plantin Schoolbook or George.  I went with Serenade because I feel certain that this was the flower used by the designers at Cricut and because I like the cut.

The cut file is available to download here on my blog - see Cricut Craft Room files in the left column.

In the photo above you can see my "page 2" of the cut file.  I set this cut file up to cut six flower on each page, EXCEPT page 1.  On page 2 you see three areas that have been cut:  the upper left and right contain the cuts for the flower centers.  The bottom half of the mat contains the cuts for the back of the flowers. 

Pierce a hole in the smaller back flower and attach a floral stem.  Atop the floral smaller flower add one of the large background flowers from "page 3" of the cut file. 

The CCR cut file has a total of four pages - page 1 contains four 3.75 inch flowers - the flowers that will be folded into quarters and used under the smaller center flowers.  For each 3D flower you will need to fold all four of the flowers into quarters.

Fold the four flowers in half, then in half again, adding adhesive dots to hold the folds, yet leave a 3D effect.

Affix the four folded flowers to the background flower.

For each flower you will need two of the flowers from page two of the cut file, one each of the two smallest flowers.  And you will need a button or brad for the flower center.

Layer the flowers and together and top with the button or brad.

Affix the flower centers to the middle of the 3D flower.  If you have not already done so, attach the leaf to the back of the flower!

These flowers are really soooo easy to make - and they are a big visual bang for a little effort!  If possible use double-sided cardstock to cut the flower on page one of the cut file (the folded flowers),  You can see I used black and white double-sided cardstock.

I will be back tomorrow with a post for National Scrapbook Day!!

Red Velvet Merry Christmas with the Cricut Cake - and Blog Candy

Are you looking for a special cake to serve family and friends during Christmas week?  Let me suggest this Happy Christmas Red Velvet cake.

This cake was soooo good and looked so pretty when cut.  I thought the recipe sounded odd so I took a sample to our friend Bill.  Bill is a connoisseur of red velvet cake and he loved it.  Soooo, all of that oil and sugar baked up wonderfully.  This is NOT a weight watchers friendly cake.  It IS a special holiday treat for you, your family, and guests.


Red Velvet Cake 

Unsalted butter, softened, for pans
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
powder, plus more for dusting
5 cups cake flour, not self-rising
2 teaspoon salt
3 cups sugar
3 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons red food coloring
4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 teaspoons baking soda
4 teaspoons white vinegar

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 3 nine inch pans; line with parchment paper. Butter lining; dust with cocoa, tapping out excess. Set aside.

2.Whisk together flour, salt, and cocoa in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Mix sugar and oil on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk until combined. Add eggs one at a time; mix well after each addition. Mix in food coloring and vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with flour, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

4. Stir together baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl. Add baking-soda mixture to batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.

5. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, 30
to 35 minutes. Let cool completely in pans on wire racks.  You may split the layers in half vertically for a taller cake, though I did not split the layers on this cake.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,
softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 tablespoons sour cream
4 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla
Extract
2 (16 ounce) box confectioners' sugar

Beat cream cheese, softened butter, sour cream and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.  Cool cake completely.  Add frosting between all layers, on top and on the sides.  We like this frosting so I make a large batch.

 The frosted cake was covered with red Fondarific fondant.

In all cases I chilled the 1/8th inch thick rolled gum paste before cutting.  Immediately after cutting, before removing the cut from the mat, I return the mat to the 'frig for another 20 minutes.  I then remover the cut and added it to the cake.  During the chill time, cut the next mat.

Using Cake Basics I cut the large doily for the top of the cake in white Cricut gum paste.  I added Wilton blue food paste to Cricut white gum paste to create the blue gum paste.  I used Holiday Cakes and cut out the Happy Christmas phrase. 

I added Wilton evergreen food paste to the white Cricut gum past to create the green gum paste.  I used the Stretch Your Imagination cartridge to cut the holly leaves.

Using the left over red fondant, I made the holly berries by hand. I added a touch of white gum paste to each berry as a highlight.

Decorating this cake was truly pretty easy, just remember to chill all fondant/gum paste before cutting and after cutting before you remove them for the mats. 

Because I have not shared a cake in soooo long (darned weight watchers!), I am offering a special Christmas blog candy. ...A chance to win a $50 Merry Christmas Gift Voucher from Custom Crops!!!  Just become a blog follower and leave a comment telling me about your favorite flavor of cake and you will be entered. 

I will draw one winner (combining comments from both blogs) this Friday so that you may have time to get yourself a great holiday gift.  This will be open to both of my blogs!

One more thing - My friend Terri over at Stamps Alive - see the link in the right hand column - is having a sale on Copic Markers!!!  Go Terri!


Here is the deal: 
Copic Sketch Sale! Buy 10 @ $5.15 Pick 4 FREE!! Do the Math!
Must Order by Friday the 17th at Midnight (pacific time)
email Terri @ stampsalive@cox.net to order!

Technique Tuesday Sponsored BBTB2 Challenge

Happy Monday morning!  I like Mondays because I get to share my new BBTB2 project every Monday morning.  This week Technique Tuesday sponsored the challenge, providing each Design Team member with an adorable Deer stamp set to use on this weeks project.   

In addition to the Technique Tuesday stamp set we also had a challenge Cricut cut, flourish #3 from Stretch Your Imagination.  I used the the stretched version of the cut as a side embellishment on my card.  I also used the sunflower cut from SYI, giving my cute Deer an opportunity to "stop and smell the flowers". 

Details:  The base card was cut in smoth white cardstock.  The front of the card is another FABULOUS Bo Bunny paper mounted on blue Bazzill cardstock, which is mounted on rust Bazzill cardstock.  I added a 1.25 inch wide ribbon over the floral layer and topped that with a 3/8 inch ribbon trimmed in brown.  The deer stamp image was stamped and colored with Copic markers.  I cut the two label layers with nestabilities and dyed the top layer of label with Tattered Angel Glitter Mist.  I mounted the Deer on the top layer along with a gem centered flower and stamped the words "For A Deer Friend" which was part of the Technique Tuesday stamp set.   I added border gemstones to the labels and a bow to the ribbon.   I finished the card off with additional gems on the flourish and ramdon dots. 

I added a rectangle of light blue Bazzill to the inside with a decorative strip from the Bo Bunny paper to the inside of the card.  I did not stamp a inside sentiment because I thought I would wait until I use the card and personalize it then.  If you have not already done so, please do go by BBTB2 and check out the other desinger's Deer projects.