Sunday, December 30, 2012

Happy New Year!! Exploring Cricut Challenge

Gosh, can you believe that this year is ending tonight at midnight? Where has this year gone. Seems like we just rang in 2012!! Grandma always said that the older you are, the faster time flies by. Didn't believe then, but I sure do now!!!
To ring in the New Year, the Exploring Cricut Design Team have made "Happy New Year" projects to share with you. And we would so love for you to join in on the fun. Just create a new card, layout or papercraft project welcoming in 2013. You have until 10pm, EST on Saturday, January 5th to link.
I'm not one to make and send out New Year's cards, so this was a true challenge for me. I had to put a lot of thought into this one. I decided to go with the 'Happy New Year' sentiment cut from Celebrate With Flourish cartridge. It is in the #2 spot on the overlay. I cut it at 1.75 inches. I wanted something behind it and came up with the clock. I cut it from the Designer Calendar at 3.5 inches. It can be found on page 49. Using my Gypsy Girl, I hid the number cutouts on one of them so I would have a solid back to my clock. I hunted through my stash, and of course I didn't have anything that said or related to the New Year. I did find this fireworks paper. Hey, they shoot off fireworks to bring in the New Year, so it works. I popped up the sentiment with one thickness of foam tape. And that's it.
Head over to Exploring Cricut and check out what my DT Sisters and Brother and have created for inspiration. Awesomeness for sure!!! Then head to your crafty space and create something to share with us. Looking forward to seeing what 'cha create!
Hope you all have a very Happy and Safe New Year!!!!
Hope ya'll like my card!!!!!! :)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas



Merry Christmas My Wonderful Bloggie Friends!!

May God Bless Each and Every One Of You!!

Please Remember The Reason For The Season!!!


Saturday, December 22, 2012

the stockings were hung...

...by the chimney with care! Good morning all!! Are you ready for Christmas? I sure am. Well, in spirit and mind I am!! Still have a few little things to do, but those won't take long at all!
It is my turn to showcase the Daily Project at Exploring Cricut. I have a sweet friend that had a precious little girl earlier this year and I just had to make that baby a Christmas card. I once again used the Teresa Collins December 25th cartridge. I've been giving it a real workout this month!! I cut the stocking that can be found at the #9 and 19th spots on the overlay. I cut it out at 4.75 inches. I then cut a piece of white and used a Martha Stewart punch on the bottom to make the front of a mantel to hang the stocking from. I used my Sakura Clear Star gelly roll pen and did some faux stitching on the stocking and the mantel. I finished off the stocking with a couple of little heart buttons and a bling for the tack to hang it with. I popped it up on one thickness of foam tape and added some more bling in the corner. The sentiments are from the Christmas Joy stamp set from Mary-Cardz TV Stamps. And that's it for today! I sure hope you have been following our Daily Projects each day. If not, well you sure have missed out on some awesomeness for sure!!! Also, you still have time to whip up a new Christmas project for our current challenge. You have until 10pm, EST, tonight to link it. Hope ya'll like my card!!!! :)

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Paper Playtime-Say it with Sentiments-Winter Fun

Here it is, the second Monday of December. Bet ya know what that means. Well if you don't, I'll just have to tell ya then. It is time for the Paper Playtime Say it with Sentiments challenge. Our theme is Winter Fun. Well, winter fun for me this time of year is Christmas!!! So I made this cute card using the Teddy Bear Parade cartridge. I cut the darling Santa that can be found at the #48 spot on the overlay. I cut him at 3.5 inches. I coated the front of Santa's coat, the cuffs, the trim on his hat and the pompom in white flock. I love how it turned out. I used some Christmas Red Stickles on the package. Did a very small amount of doodling with my white gelly roll pen. The bg paper is from Hobby Lobby's open stock. The sentiments on the front and on the inside are from the Home for Christmas stamp set from Cardz TV Stamps.

 I totally forgot to tell ya. I put my Santa on an action wobble!! Yes I did!! If you don't have any of these wonderful little wobbling things just head over to The Scrapbooking Queen's Royal Shoppe and purchase some and see for yourself how much fun they are!
That is it. Head on over and take a look at what my fabulous DT Sisters have created. Awesomeness for sure!!! Then head to your carfty space and create a new project (no back links please) and come link it so we can come by and admire it. You have until noon, EST on Thursday, December 27th.
Hope ya'll like my card!!!! :)



"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!"

Can you believe that Christmas Eve is next Monday?! Just a week away!!! I'm excited!
And I'm also excited about and so love the theme of our challenge this week at Exploring Cricut. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!". We would love for you to create a new (no back links please) card, layout or papercraft of you favorite Christmas idea using a Cricut cut. I wasn't real sure exactly what Diane meant here, so I went with what I felt might be right. I decided to not make a card for this challenge. I Know!!! Cards are my most favorite things to make. But I needed another layout page for Christmas. We do have a few (okay-9) grands and I wanted a page for each family. For my layout, I used the Santa/Sleigh that can be found on the Teresa Collins December 25th cartridge. You can find it at the #23 spot on the overlay. I cut it at 4 inches. The trees are from the Christmas cartridge. They are at the #43 spot on the overlay. I cut them at 10 inches. I then coated the snow with Frosted Lace Stickles. I even dabbled some up the sides of the trees. The bg cardstock is from Making Memories-Postage Stripe Noel from 2010. I backed it with a piece of red cardstock to give it a little more stability.
I decided to not put a photo mat on it. I will just place a photo in the open space.
Head over and check out what my DT Sisters and Brother have created for inspiration. Awesomeness for sure!!! And then head to your crafty space and create a new Christmas project using a Cricut cut and link it so we can come by and admire it. You have until 10pm EST, Saturday, December 22nd. Hope ya'll like my layout!!!! :)

Thursday, December 13, 2012

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas!-Cardz TV Stamps Design Team Challenge #21


So glad you decided to stop by. This is our last challenge of the year for the Cardz TV Stamps Design Team. Our theme is "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas!". We sure hope you decide to join us for this challenge. Please create a new project be it a card, layout or craft project for Christmas with snow, snowflakes and/or snowman on it. Our challenge will run from Friday, Dec. 14 through noon, EST, Thursday, Dec. 20th. And one lucky ducky will win one of Mary's awesome stamp sets. Go here to check them out.
For my card I went with a standard A2 size. The bg designer paper is from Hobby Lobby's open stock. For my snowman, I used the Doodlecharms cartridge. I cut him at 3 inches. You can find him on page 82. This snowman cut doesn't have a hat, so I used the Teddy Bear Parade cart to cut one. It is the Baby New Year's hat. It is on the #3 spot on the overlay. I cut it at 2.25inches. Since I use my Gypsy Girl to design almost all of my projects, it was easy to size it just right. I hid the face features so I could use one of the Happy Lashes Assortment stamps from Peachy Keen. So cute. I used a couple of my Copics to color the carrot nose and his little tongue. I used some bling from studio g for his buttons and in the corner. The sentiment on the front is from the Christmas Joy stamp set and the one on the inside is from the Classic Christmas stamp set. You can purchase these from Mary.


Head on over to Mary's and check out the creations my DT Sisters have made for inspiration. Awesomeness for sure!!! Then head to your crafty spot and create a project to share with us. Lookiing forward to seeing what you make. Just remember you need to link by noon, EST, Thursday, Dec. 20th.
I always 'Dream of a White Christmas', but since I live in the south, that happens very rarely. So I hope your Christmas is just as you wish it to be. Merry Christmas Everyone!! The Cardz TV Stamps Design Team will see ya in the New Year!!!
Hope ya'll like my card!!!! :)


Monday, December 10, 2012

Click here for Paper Playtime's 'Tis The Season' Challenge
Click here for Scrapbooking Queen's Royal Digi Christmas Challenge

O Holy Night

Late Saturday night I got into my crafty room and made this card that I will be sending to my sister and brother-in-law. The stamp is a wooden stamp from Stampendous that I picked up at Hobby Lobby. They also have in cling on their website. I colored it using my Copics. Then I cut it out using a Spellbinders Scalloped Circle. I cut the sentiment piece using a Spellbinders Grommet Tag. I used a couple of pearl brads in the holes and then popped it up on one thickness of foam tape. The patterned paper is from graphic 45-Christmas Past Collection from 2010. The sentiment on the front is from the Classic Christmas stamp set and the one on the inside is from the Christmas Joy stamp set. These are Mary-Cardz TV Stamps. Head over and take a look at Mary's awesome stamp sets. The best around!!!
Well that's it for tonight.
I'm gonna enter my card in the 'It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas' challenge over at Little Scrap Pieces.
Hope ya'll like my card!!!! :)
It sure amazes me that you can take one picture right after another and just because you open the card up, the colors look totally different!! The first picture is the true color of the pattern paper, not the one below.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Exploring Cricut Blog Hop Candy Winner

Hello everyone!! I've been at work all day and have just now picked the winner of the blog candy that I was offering from the Exploring Cricut Christmas Card Blog Hop.
Thank you everyone that left me such wonderful comments.
I'm not gonna keep you guessing.
Congratulations to:



Gail said...
Hi Sharon -thanks for being on the hop. I like your card - just the right type of card for Christmas. Thanks for sharing - I am a follower and I would love to win your blog candy! Have a great week! Gail
http://ilikepaper01.blogspot.com/

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Peace, Love, Joy

Hello my Bloggy Friends!! I'm so very happy that you decided to stop by and see me today. I have a card that I want you to see. It is my day to present the Daily Project at Exploring Cricut. I decided to keep with our blog hop and challenge theme. Christmas cards. I once again used the Teresa Collins December 25th cartridge. This time I used the Christmas Tree that can be found at the #29 spot on the overlay. I cut it at 4.75 inches in Core'dinations Flower Power cardstock. I then sanded it a little bit. I really love how it turned out. Using my Gypsy Girl, I scooted the tree off the side of the screen so just the star a little bit of the top of the tree would cut so I could have the star in a different color. I then trimmed it so it would fit the star on the tree. I also coated the star in Star Dust Stickles. I then popped my tree up on one thickness of foam tape. The sentiment on the front is from the Home for Christmas stamp set. The inside sentiment is from the Christmas Joy stamp set. These sets are from Mary-Cardz TV Stamps. Well, that is all I have to show you today. Don't forget that you still have time to join us for our blog hop and challenge. You have until 10pm, EST, tonight to enter your new Christmas card. Also, I sure hope you have been checking out all of the daily projects everyday. If not, you are missing out on some awesomeness! My DT Sisters and Brother are so very talented. Have a wonderful weekend!! Hope ya'll like my card!!!! :)

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Christmas Gift Box and Tag

Hello Hello Hello!!!! Hope your week has gotten off to a great start. I've been doing some cleaning and plurging and then headed to my crafty room to get some creating done. I've made a gift box and tag to enter into the Bitten By The Bug 2's new challenge. It is to make a gift bag or gift tag using a Cricut cut. I needed a gift box for the gift I'm giving my Secret Sister at Church for Christmas. Our Christmas party will be the great reveal and I wanted to present her gift nicely. I bought Tags, Bags, Boxes & More 2 not realizing that I needed the scoring housing and tip to do the score lines. I finally got one so just had to make my box from this cart. I made the lipstick box on page 42. I cut it at 7 inches. I cut the box that was one piece. I first did it in white and then did it with pattern paper. I glued these together. This gave my box a little extra strength and gave me the white inside that I wanted. The pattern paper that I used is from the Paper Studio from Hobby Lobby. It is some of their open stock. That's all I did for the box. The tag is from the same page. I did use my Gypsy Girl so I could seperate the back and stripes so I could do different colors. I cut the tag at 3 inches. I then used Glossy Accents and Clear Rock Candy Stickles on it. On the back I stamped the 'To' and 'From' using the Christmas Joy stamp set and 'Merry Christmas' using the Tiny Tidings stamp set. Both of these are from Mary-Cardz TV Stamps. I think Mary has sold out of the Tiny Tidings set but she has Christmas Joy in stock. I finished off my tag by adding some Maraschino Twine from The Twinery. They have two new twines that I just got in the mail today. Platinum Shimmer and Gold Shimmer. Can't wait to use them. Pretty!!! No, I'm not a spokeperson for them. I just love their twine. I have to say that I'm sorry about the first picture. I wanted it as crisp as the second one, but realized that with the box opened, that just wasn't gonna happen!! And yes, that is the gift I'm giving my Secret Sister. She is a very special Lady. Hope ya'll like my gift box and tag!!!! :)

Monday, December 3, 2012

Christmas Card Blog Hop with Exploring Cricut

Welcome to Exploring Cricut's Christmas Card Blog Hop!!! We are so happy that you decided to join us today. If you came from Diana's blog, you are headed in the right direction. Wasn't her card fabulous? If you just stopped in for a visit and would like to join us for our hop, just head over to Exploring Cricut and start from the beginning. We would also love it if you decided to join us for our challenge. Just make a new (no back links please) Christmas card, using a Cricut cut and link it by 10pm, EST on Saturday, December 8th.
Since we are so busy now days, the time gets away from us and before we know it, it's time to mail out our Christmas cards. Then we discover that we don't have nowhere near enough!!! That is what we are here to help you with. We are showcasing wonderful and easy cards for you to make and even mass produce so you can get them sent on out.
For my card today I used the Teresa Collins-December 25th cartridge. I've just gotten this one. And the main reason was for the cut that I used on my card. Is it not beautiful?! So simple but carries a huge message. The Reason For The Season!!! It can be found at the #4 and 14th spots on the overlay. I cut it at 4.75 inches. I added glossy accents to the star. The bg cardstock is open stock from Recollections (Michaels). I kept it simple. I did not want to take away from the message of the Manger. I put my sentiment on the inside. It is from the Classic Christmas stamp set from Mary-Cardz TV Stamps.
This card is going to be so easy to mass produce and will mail using only one stamp. I did no popping up or anything on this card. I Know!!! That's just not like me! :)
Now hop along over to Lori's blog and check out what she has to show you. Pretty amazing I can assure you!! And when you are finished with our hop, hop on into your crafty space and create a new Christmas card and join us for our challenge. So looking forward to seeing what you make.
Oh wait. What is a hop without some blog candy. The only thing I ask is for you to have a U.S. or Canadian address. I'm sorry, but with the cost of postage, I have to limit where I can mail to. You don't have to be a follower, but if you want to, I sure won't turn you away!!! See what I'm offering below the pictures of my card. Also, just below that will be a list of all of the stops on the hop. If you happen to get lost, just head back here and find you way. Hope ya'll like my card!!!! :)


Blog Candy



Sharon Swafford http://meemeescreations.blogspot.com You are here
Lori Ulrich http://scrappinsaints.blogspot.com  Next hop stop
Jessica Wilson http://craftinandstampin.blogspot.com
Georgiana Carson http://carsonscricutcreations.blogspot.com
Kim Wylie http://littleredshood.blogspot.com
Emily Evertz http://emilyqueenofallthingscrafty.blogspot.com
Annette Robertson http://mymindsdustbunnies.blogspot.com
Ian Dreger http://anewbiecrafter.blogspot.com
Michelle Pottie http://mumoftwoblog.blogspot.com
Diane Kielman http://happyscrapperdiane.blogspot.com

Sunday, December 2, 2012

'Tis The Season

Hello!! Happy Monday to you! Thank you so much for stopping by for a visit. Today is a new challenge at Paper Playtime. Since it is the first Monday of the month, it is Die Cut Creations time! And our theme is Christmas Colors. Our sponsor for this challenge is The Robin's Nest with a $15 gift certificate. Head over and check out the great things they have to offer.
For my card I decided to go with one of my most favorited cartridges. Teddy Bear Parade. I know I have been using it a lot, but how can I not?! It has some of the cutest bears around on it!! I decided to make the cute reindeer. It can be found at the very last spot on the overlay. I cut him at 3.5 inches. I did a little bit of doodling, used some glossy accents on his nose, eyes and holly berries. I used some Christmas Stickles on the wreath bow and on his scarf. I then popped him up on one thickness of foam tape. The bg paper is open stock from Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby). The sentiments are from the Holly Jolly stamp set from Cardz TV Stamps.
It is now your turn. Create a new project (no back links please) using a die cut and using Christmas colors. You have until noon, EST, Thursday, December 13th to link your project. So looking forward to seeing what you make. Please head over and take a look at what my fabulous DT Sisters have created for inspiration. Awesomeness for sure!! Hope ya'll like my card!!!! :)