Christmas in July...Where did the Time Go??!!

Hey all my crafty peeps!!  Welcome to Michelle's Crafty Creations.

Welcome to Day 4 of Christmas in July over at Cooking With Cricut.

We have a week-long celebration of projects to get you all in the "holiday spirit".  This is just a lil' taste of our Annual 25 Days of Christmas Crafting Showcase held each December.  If you have missed any days, I HIGHLY recommend you go back and check them out!  Don't we all LOVE inspiration?!  (I do....and uh...need it too) 

Today is all about Home Decor, 3-D, Gifts, etc.  I made these CUTE boxes again...I have made in past.  They are super easy and you can make them for ANY occasion!   

For my project I was able to get all of my co-workers their goodie gifts for Christmas.  

I want to thank Okieladybug for the template she made on her DS.  You can find the link to the post HERE.  She has COMPLETE and EASY instructions on cutting and putting it together!  

LOVE the paper!  I used My Mind's Eye Oh Christmas Tree and Dear Santa

Plain paper is Colorbok.

The Sentiment and snowflake stamp is SU.  I used Stickles Diamond, Crystal, and Red for the snowflake.

I used Ranger Distress Ink Fired Brick,  Dew Drop Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue, and Color Box Chalk ink Chestnut for the edges.

The square with the snowflake was just cut on my paper slicer.  

Aren't they so cute???

These goodie boxes can fit 3 Ghiradelli chocolate squares.  I am waiting for the peppermint bark to come out and fill it up. (one of my FAVES that only comes around Christmas!)

What's your favorite Ghiradelli chocolate?

Hugs and Happy Crafting!

I am linking this to:

Jill's Sunday's are Lovely #11 + Giveaway

My Craft's Spot Challenge #63 Christmas in July

Bitten By the Bug 2 Christmas in July

2 Sisters Challenge #101 Christmas in July

A "Note" of Thanks..

Hey all my crafty friends!  Welcome to Michelle's Crafty Creations!

Over at Cooking With Cricut we are celebrating "National Card and Letter Writing" during the month of April.  In this day of texting and Face book, card and letter writing is really a lost art.  It is so easy and quick to send a quick text or e-card that basic sentiment seems like a lost art.   I LOVE making cards.  I don't make them JUST to enter a challenge.  Mine always have a purpose with someone intended for the card.  It gives meaning behind it to me.  It is personal.  For this card I made today it is personal.

I have SUCH a sweet friend who goes to my church.  I say friend, she is actually old enough to be my grandma.  She is ALWAYS caring and SO thoughtful.  Not to just me, but to everyone.  My husband was coughing one day in church and that evening she brought some natural cough drops for him! LOL  She is always bringing me coupon inserts {insert coupon addict for me here}, gift cards just because, over stocked items she has purchased from coupons, snacks for my kids....you get the picture!  I LOVE her.  Not because she does this for me, but because it shows her care and servant's spirit.  I admire her.  I hope to leave a legacy like hers.  So this is for her!

I LOVE the simplicity!  

I was actually going to write on the front of this card, but decided against it.  

To make this card: 

Cart~ Gypsy Wanderings for the flourish and Sentiment

Paper~ My Minds Eye Academy (LOVE the paper)

Misc. ~ SU hemp, button and bling from my stash,  Ranger Distress Ink Tea Dye around the sentiment. and Colorbox's Chestnut ink around the edge of the card.

Now it's your turn!!  

 Link up your project to the Cooking With Cricut challenge post.  There are some guidelines.

1.  Must follow the challenge topic.

2.  Must be a new project for this challenge

3.  No back dated posts please

4.  Must have a link back to this post on your blog

5.  Must link your project post through Inlinkz and not just your blog

6.  Must use your Cricut in some capacity

7.  Gotta HAVE FUN!!!

8.  You may combine challenges...we like to!

I am linking this card up to:

Jill's Sundays are Lovely #8 + giveaway

  

Hugs and Happy Crafting!

Warm Holiday WIshes

Hey all my crafty friends!!  Welcome to Michelle's Crafty Creations.

Over at Cooking with Cricut the design team was challenged to come up with the weekly themes for our challenges.  This week's challenge, Winter Warmth, is brought to you by Heather and Linda.  We were to challenged to make something "warm" ie scarves, mittens, fireplace, cocoa, etc.

For this challenge I made something simple.....hot cocoa!!  Seriously, who doesn't like hot cocoa after coming in from making a snowman or having a snowball fight??!!  Such fond childhood memories that I have, and now I want to pass on to my kids!  Which we do all the time....when it snows! lol

I used foam dots to make the coffee cup "pop" from the saucer

I would have LOVED to have gotten better lighting for this, BUT trying to take it without natural light stinks... ;)

Yup, I made a shape card!  I LOOOOVE them!!  Of course, I used my gypsy.  

To make this I used:

Cart ~ Winter Frolic (I hid the snowflake cut and only used the shadow and 2 layers)

Paper ~ DCWV winter stack

Misc ~ Divine Swirls for cream and cocoa layer; Glossy Accent for cocoa; Sentiment from stamp set I got at craft store; Colorbox Chestnut chalk ink around tea pot and for sentiment.

Now it's your turn!!  create a project with anything with winter warmies.  Link up your project to the Cooking With Cricut challenge post.  There are some guidelines.

1.  Must follow the challenge topic.

2.  Must be a new project for this challenge

3.  No back dated posts please

4.  Must have a link back to this post on your blog

5.  Must link your project post through Inlinkz and not just your blog

6.  Must use your Cricut in some capacity

7.  Gotta HAVE FUN!!!

8.  You may combine challenges...we like to!

I am linking this up over at Jill's Linky party. Click the link below!

Happy Crafting!!!

Christmas Crafting Fun ~ Day 20

Hello all my crafting peeps!  Welcome to Michelle's Crafty Creations.

Today is day 20 of Christmas Crafting Fun hosted by Cooking With Cricut. We are having so much fun with all the creating going on.  I have been so impressed with my fellow designers and their talent!  I hope you have  been checking daily to get your free digi stamps and cutting files AND leaving a comment for your chance to win some pretty awesome goodies.

I can NOT believe Christmas is in FIVE days!!  Oh my....where has the time gone?  What's worse is I haven't even mailed out my Christmas cards! (my family would so not think this odd ;))  I will get that squared away tomorrow....gotta get my gifts out to the lil ones too!  Finally I will be able to take a breather, enjoy my son home from college, and make cookies! (He has already asked for some the past few days.  I guess I should be happy because he didn't say anything about "his" room being my craft room!)

Okay, for today's theme we are going back in time.  Not too far back....only one month!  Yep, thats' right....Turkey time!  Some of us have been working on calendar pages.  I have never done one before, and I really like them!   So I used the cutest little digi stamp from Paper Crafting World.  

To make this 6x6 lay out I used:

PCW turkey digi and month label

Paper ~ Fabric paper for tail of turkey, DCWV Holiday stack for solid and some from my stash

Misc. ~ glitter leaves from my stash, Kimberly watercolor pencils,  white gelly roll pen, Sizzix leaf embossing folder, foam dots for dimension, and gold distress stickles

Ink ~ Ranger Distress : tea dye, Colorbox Chalk in chestnut

Don't forget to become a follower of Cooking With Cricut and leave at least one comment during the 25 Days for your chance to win some pretty awesome goodies!!

Happy Crafting!!

Christmas Crafting Fun ~ Day 18

Hello my crafty friends and welcome to Michelle's Crafty Creations.

I hope you have been enjoying the 25 Days Of Christmas Crafting Fun over at Cooking With Cricut and checking daily for your free digi stamps and cutting files!  It has been SUCH a great time and the ladies on the DT are so talented.  What an honor to work with them!

The theme for today was Nativity, Angels rejoicing the good news, etc.  Of course with Christmas around the corner we are all preparing our house for guests, hopefully done decorating the house ;), sending Christmas cards, buying gifts, etc.  the list is truly long.  However, there is so much more to Christmas.  Christmas is all about Christ.  We focus a lot on His death, for without it we would have no salvation.  But without his birth there would be no death.  Jesus Christ left His home in glory, as a King, worshipped by angels, cherubims surround His throne singing, all to come to earth, in a lowly manger, with much humility, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and placed in a trough....for me...for you...for everyone!  his birth indeed was miraculous.  What a wonderful time to reflect and remember, let's just not forget to remember that more than once a year.  So with that said, I decided to make a card reflecting the stable scene.

Stair Step card

To Make this I used:

Cart ~ Paper Doll Dress Up.  I used my gypsy to size the people, animals, and manger.

Paper ~ Colorbok

Stamps ~ Misc stamp set from Hobby Lobby, Sentiment from Hobby Lobby, PKS for face

Ink ~ Colorbox chalk ink: chestnut, Ranger Distress: tea dye, Memnto black 

Misc~ gold distress stickles, MS pen for doodling, White gelly roll for eyes, black enamel paint, recollections brown and white flock, pink chalk for lamb, raffia for straw.

Don't forget to become a follower of Cooking With Cricut and leave at least one comment during the 25 Days for your chance to win some pretty awesome goodies!!

Happy Crafting!!

25 Days Of Christmas ~ Day 9

Welcome to Day 9 of Christmas crafting fun hosted by Cooking with Cricut.  What fun these past few days have been!  I hope you all have been checking out all the creations and free files Melin has been giving away daily.  They are SO darling!!  Don't forget to comment every day for your chance to win some awesome goodies!

Today is all about flowers and the month of May reminds me of Mother's Day!  I LOVE flowers!!  Who doesn't right??  For today I made a "pot of flowers"  I love this card cut and making them is so fun!!

To make this card I used:

Cart~ Simply Charmed: I used my gypsy to size my flower.

Paper: Colorbok

Misc: MS lacy punch, Green stickles to dress the leaves up, Colorbox Chestnut inking along the pot, SU flowers, bling for gems of flowers, and ribbon from my stash.

how cute is this for Mother's Day?!  Flowers that will NEVER die!! :)

Check out all that is available for your chance to win for week 2!!

Freshly Picked Cricut cartridge

$15 Gift Certificate to Quick Quotes

Quick Cut Embossing Folder and Dies

Snowflake embossing folder, Snowflake and Candy Cane Die

(These will work in other machines too)

$20 Download from Papercraftingworld.com

* Pazzles Craft Room 1 Yr Subscription

* The Twinery Ultimate Sampler Pack

* Cutters Creek $25 Gift Certificate

*  Stamp, Stamp pad, and Block set

* Indicates a prize that will be awarded at the conclusion of the 25 days event.

To win these awesome goodies you MUST:

1. Be a follower of Cooking With Cricut

2. Leave at least one comment on at least one of the posts during the 25 days

Happy Crafting!

"Giving Thanks" Blog Hop with Cooking With Cricut

Welcome to Michelle's Crafty Creations and the Cooking With Cricut “Giving Thanks” Blog Hop! 

This is my first blog hop and I am super excited!!

If you came from the talented Debbie at Workin Scrappin Mom of 4, you're in the right place! If you've just happened across my blog and would like to hop along with us, you can go to Cooking With Cricut and start at the beginning. 

Today’s hop is all about Thanksgiving decorations – for your home and table.   And on that note I tried my hand on a banner.  I LOVE the way it came out.  I only wish my camera would do it some justice.  I tell ya, I will get those settings right one day!! LOL  

It is actually hanging up on the window in front of my curtains in the dining room...horrible lighting in there....SO I took a picture of it on the kitchen floor! HA!

I LOVE this cut!

I absolutely LOVE the colors.  I wish they made a paper stack for the papers I used.

To make this Banner, I used:

Gypsy to size all my cuts.  

Carts: Gypsy Wanderings for the banner and resized for the layering effect; A Child's Year for the font; Create a Critter for the turkey.  

Paper: Solid card stock is Colorbok; banner layer is TPC Studio's Rustic Garden Fall Phrases; letters are TPC Studio's Rustic Garden Sunflower Toss; turkey "feathers" are from DCWV Harvest Gathering.

Misc: Argoyle embossing folder, PKS Create a Critter face stamp ( I only used the eyes), white gelly roll pen, colorbox chalk ink chestnut, Ranger distress ink tea dye, and ribbon from my stash.

Now what is a blog hop without blog candy??  I am offering.......

Here's what you need to do to have your chance at winning this cartridge:

1. Leave a comment to include your favorite thing about Thanksgiving

2.   Become a follower and tell me you did for an extra chance at winning. (if you are already a follower you can post that you already are! :))

3.  If you created a project for the link up, then post back here telling me you did.

4. Like my Facebook page HERE and tell me you did.

I will use Random.org to pick the winner.  

You have until MIDNIGHT Wednesday (Thanksgiving Eve ;))  That should give you enough time to get your projects in. Then I will choose the winners on Thanksgiving Day!!

Please leave your email addy on your comment so I can contact you if you win.

Now it's your turn! Link up your Thanksgiving project at CookingWithCricut.com. Here are a few guidelines: 

* Must follow the challenge topic and use one of the free files provided at CWC. 

* Must be a NEW project for this challenge. No back dated posts please. 

* Must have a link back to this post on your blog. 

* Must link your project post through Inlinkz and not just your blog. 

* Must use your Cricut in some capacity. 

* Must HAVE FUN! 

* You may gladly combine challenges . . . we love to pile it on TOO! 

The Design Team will pick their three favorites and one lucky person will be chosen randomly to win one of the prizes being offered in this hop. There is also a prize for just leaving us a comment on the CWC blog. One catch, those leaving comments MUST be a CWC follower. Each prize winner will receive a $10 gift voucher-download from PaperCraftingWorld.com. 

Now head on over to the ever so talented Jen at Gator 4 Life to see what she's cooked up for you!

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

 Cooking With Cricut

I am entering this in the Die Cuttin Diva's Challenge #41 Turkey Time and More than Favor's Wacky Wednesday Challenge #59 - Thanksgiving Theme  and Whimsical Design's Whimsical Wednesday's Challenge Happy Turkey Day

GOBBLE GOBBLE

Hey crafty friends!!!  I hope you're having a great midweek so far!! :D

Over at Cooking with Cricut we were challenged to include a turkey on our card, layout, etc.  So I decided to make a turkey card.  Nothing says "Happy Thanksgiving" like Gobble!! ;)  Here is my card I made for my mom.

(I tried my hand at making rosettes...how FUN!  I cut them at 8 inches to do half the rosettes.  the size of the width is 1.5 and 2 inches)

To make this card:

I used my gypsy to size the turkey.  

Cart: Simply Charmed

Paper:  SCRAPS!!  I used all of my scraps to make this card.  Most of the scraps came from the DCWV Harvest blessing and Colorbok.  The rosette paper came from scraps of paper I bought individually from ACMoore. (I don't remember the name)

Misc: Embossed with argyle, computer generated sentiment, ribbon from my stash, and PKS for my turkey face.  Gelly roll pens for coloring and ranger distress ink tea dye and colorbox chalk ink chestnut for inking.

Now it's your turn.  Create a project following the guidelines and link it up over at Cooking With Cricut!  Can't wait to see what you make!!

Happy Crafting! =)

I am also entering this into the Fantabulous Cricut's Challenge Me Monday harvest blessing crawl and Crafty Sprouts Anything Goes Challenge

Happy Birthday to Choo!!

Hello everyone!

I endeavored to get this post earlier today...well yesterday now...but I got side tracked trying to finish another project.  Can I say I am SO behind on birthdays it's not even funny!!  Were talking 4 birthdays starting in July and up to October!!  HAHAHAHA!!  I will say that the first gift was sent on time...just lost in the mail :(  OKay okay, enough rambling.  My nephew Wyatt absolutely LOVES trains!  he always wants to go to "cargit" (Target) to look at their toy trains.  The kid is a RIOT!!  It only made sense to make him a train card!  So without further adieu  here it is. ( think it came out really cute!

This was designed on my gypsy using Everyday Paper Dolls for all the images except the "square",  that was Accent Essentials.  The paper I used, was Mariposa and Colorbok card stock.  I welded the train to a "square" base and then layered it with a gray card stock.  I distressed the train layer with my Tim Holtz hammer.  I doodled a bit (my doodling STINKS LOL).  I created the little engineer as well with the hide feature.  I created 2 images.  I needed to cut the hand off of one to make him wave.  I doodled on his hat, and distressed it with chestnut ink.  I also used black chalking ink to run over the top layer of the train to accent the distressed look.  I used a wide eyed Peachy Keen stamp.  (LOVE those)

Inside right:

I flipped the image and cut a train out to write a note to my cutie nephew.  If I had thought about it more, I would have used a contrasting color to accent the pole of the crossing sign! LOL  I cut out two images of the crossing sign to layer the top cross with grey.

The inside of the card.  I mirrored the image of the front to create a backing to cover up my engineer.  I liked how it came out.  I think next time I will use a layering style for the inside right.  I know he had a wonderful birthday!  Now to send him his card and gift tomorrow in the mail!!

Happy Crafting!

Falling for you...Challenge #57 CWC

Hello crafty friends!!

Oh my is this a busy part of the year..and it's not even Christmas!! LOL  I know I haven't posted, but I have SO many projects almost completed...I am gonna blow my blog up as soon as they're done!! hahaha  okay, okay, onto my post today.  Over at Cooking with Cricut we were challenged to make a card or lay out with scarecrows, hays, and or crows...of course following a sketch.  Let me just say, we have some talented ladies!!

I made TWO cards.  I had so much fun with this!

The first card I made for my dear sister to give to her husband who is currently serving in Afghanistan.

Isn't he ADORABLE??!!  This card was made using the scarecrow digi stamp from PWC-Paper Crafting World, the pumpkin was cut from PDDU and embossed with swiss dots.  I cut two of these and used the middle section of one to "pop" out the center for dimension.  The leaves were cut using Create A Critter.  The stamp is a $1 studio G stamp from WM...SO cute!!  Paper is from Mariposa and Colorbok.  I inked the edges with Chestnut chalk and ran it over the embossing.  I also embossed the sentiment with a clear embossing pearl lustre.  I think it came out so cute.

My next card is for my mom.  I wanted to brighten her day! :)

I used the Simply Charmed cart for all of the cuts.  I used PKS everyday faces for the pumkins and words.  I used Stickles for the leaves and vines of the pumpkins and some ribbon from my stash.  The paper is the harvest stack from DCWV.

Isn't he cute?!  I cut him out using my gypsy. (actually all of my card was designed on my gypsy)  I cut his hands and feet off.  I used rafia (painstakingly...lol) for his hands, feet, and hair.  I added brads for his "buttons".  I think this will make my mom happy!!

Now go on over and check out what the other talented design team ladies have created.  It will surely get your creativity flowing!  Don't forget to link up your project with us!

Happy crafting!

Thanksgiving shaker

Hey crafty friends!

I told you all I had been making some Thanksgiving cards and I wanted to share one.  I LOVE making shaker cards and this one came out cute!  I even made a mistake and I LOVED the results!!!

Sorry bout the lighting, but this paper is just gorgeous!!

My cute shaker tree with leaves!

Okay, here was the "mistake".  I used a very spongy ink pad (colorbox chestnut) on a clear stamp and when I stamped on the paper it gave it a faded/rustic look...SO "fallish"  I LOVED how it came out!

Here's what I used to make the card:

Carts: Give a Hoot for tree.  I used my gypsy to arrange the size just so.

Paper: K&CO Pumpkin Pie, DCWV Harvest Gathering, Colorbok for solid colors.

Stamp: Inkadinkadoo

Misc: chestnut colorbox inking, leaves from paper studio, ribbon from my stash.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Hugs,

Michelle

Thanks so much!

Hello crafty friends!

I hope you are all enjoying your Tuesday.  I was just finishing up a set of thank you cards Iw as working on.  My next project will be some happy birthday cards for my neices and nephews that are right around the corner.  Maybe I can enter those into a few challenges to.  I love to be inspired!!  With that said, thank you all for inspiring me!! <3

Heres what I used:

Paper ~ Paper Studio Oops A Daisy for the base, DCWV Natural stack for the 2nd layer, and colorbok for the pink top layer.

Stamp ~ SU Water color Trio for the sentiment; Friends are like Flowers for the flowers

Misc ~ various jelly roll pens for coloring the flower; button from Favorite Findings; linen thread from SU; inking from Color Box chestnut.

The card measures 4 x 51/2 

I loved how it came out!!  

Hugs and happy crafting,

Michelle

Linking up with :

I love you "Beary" Much

 My first ever Gypsy created card.  Done quickly and gave me so much more inspiration on how to make this card even better!  I think he came out cute and a base for what I envisioned.  Now to move on to making it better.  more pictures to come!

Standing up

Lying down

To make this card I used:

Carts:  To cut the bear I used Create a Critter.  I used my gypsy to weld and mirror him so he could be folded in half.  I cut a lighter tan for the layered front.  I also welded the heart in blackout to my base card bear.  I used  Sweethearts for the heart weld, and the pink heart layer.

Stamps:  Stampin Up I love you sentiment from Short and Sweet

Ink: Memento around the heart.  Chestnut color from Colorbox around the bear.

Doodling with my black jelly roll pen.

Thank you all for your lovely comments about my cards.  Also thank you for your inspiration to do more with my gypsy!  I can NOT wait to bling this bear up on another project!!  Stay tuned!!

My Pink Design Submission

I finally thought about trying out for My Pink Design team 2011. I created this blog just for that purpose. You could say it was my motivation. Anyway, the challenge was to make a card, scrapbook page, or other Cricut project using my favorite cartridge. We had to use her favorite colors of pink, green, and brown. The winners will be announced Friday!!! I am really excited!

For this card I used:

DCWV Mariposa Card Stock

Cuttlebug folder birds and swirls

Storybook Cart for the flowers

Stampin Up "Warm Words" for the sentiment

Inking Colorbox color chestnut

pink skittles

Foam Stickers for the flower and sentiment