My Banner for the Cricut Expression 2 Design Challenge

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Hi Friends and Fellow Crafters!
Provo Craft is having a design contest for their HSN premiere of the new E-2 (not the anniversary edition) on Monday September 26th. They announced this contest way back in August, but I wasn't going to enter. On Saturday night, I decided that I was going to enter the contest. Nothing like waiting until the last minute! LOL! I worked on it most of Sunday and Monday, and here is my finished project. The only requirement was that the banner spell Cricut.
I sent it today by overnight, so at least it's on it way!

Here's the information on it.

 

Materials

 

Carts used:

Chic and Scary

Happy Hauntings

October 31st

CTMH Art Philosophy

Birthday Bash

Cricut Everyday

 

Extras:

Papers are from my stash (mostly K&Company and Recollections)

Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Frayed Burlap and Black Soot)

3D Crystal Lacquer

Martha Stewart Glitter

Stickles

Gauze

Feathers

Viva Decor Black Anthracite Pearl Pen

Tulle dyed with Tim Holtz Distress ink Spiced Marmalade refill

I-Rock and I-Rock Metallic Gems

Pop Dots, Terrifically Tacky Tape, Zots, Glue Dots and MS Decoupage Gel

For the first pennant, I used the Bug Head from Cricut Everyday and dressed him with a mask from Teresa Collins' Chic and Scary. I used a harlequin paper from K&Company, then added Metallic gems with my I-Rock. I added some feathers and used pop dots to raise the mask up on my little bugs face. I should note that before I packed the banner up, I added more feathers. I think it looked better, but I forgot to take a picture. The flower is from Close To My Heart Art Philosophy. If you haven't ordered this one yet, contact my good friend Belinda at CTMH . She is a great rep! I embellished the flower with two flowers from my Prima stash, some colored wire that I curled and a stick pin from my stash. I used some Black Soot Distress Ink on it, then put a dab of green stickles on my finger and rubbed it on the flower. The mat on this pennant and the last pennant is from Happy Hauntings. I used my Gypsy to hide the contours and cut the image on Recollections paper. I sponged some Frayed Burlap Distress Ink on to the paper. I also roughed up some tulle, then used Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink Refiller to dye it. I adhered it under the mat for some shabby goodness.

Next are the letter pennants to spell Cricut. I used Birthday Bash to cut all the pennants. I alternated two pennants that I chose on this banner. I distressed all the pennants using a Tim Holtz Tonic Distressing Tool. Since I have zero talent in the sewing department, I doodled some "faux" stitches on p;all the pennants. I used the bug font from Cricut Everyday for my letters. I matted each of the letters with the Spider Web from Chic and Scary. I glossed them with 3D Crystal Lacquer and added Martha Stewart Onyx Glitter to them. They are very sparkly!
For the first letter "C", I used the Jack O'Lantern from Chic and Scary. I added some black cardstock to the back of it and glossed the eyes and mouth with Cyrstal Lacquer. I colored accented the Jack O'Lantern with some YR copics, just for fun. I think it added a little more dimension to it. The flower is Art Philosophy. It's the spiky flower. I added a prima flower as a base for it. Since I was going for a shabby look, I sort of mashed the flower up a bit. Did I mention how much I love this cartridge?

The letter "R" has two Ghosts from Chic and Scary. I popped them up and added Diamond Stickles to them around the edges and on a few choice spots on them. I was planning on leaving it at that, but decided it needed a little something extra. I added the word " Beware" from Happy Hauntings. I used a red copic to give it some color around spots on the edges.

Of course the pennant needed a Black Cat, so I chose the Cat from Chic and Scary. I used Crystal Lacquer on him to make him nice and shiny! Where there is a Black Cat on Halloween, there has to be a Witch. My Witch must have left in a hurry because she forgot her hat! The Witch's Hat is from Happy Hauntings. I distressed the edges of the hat with the Tonic Distressing Tool. I added Martha Stewart Onyx Glitter to the hat's band using Crystal Lacquer and popped the Spider up with a Pop Dot.

On the next letter "C", I went with my favorite cut on the Happy Hauntings Cartridge. The Witch's Boot. To make it look like the boot was laced, I added some Divine Twine and tied a little twine bow on it. Another flower from Art Philosophy with some gauze and twine finish this pennant.

I used the Bat and Witch from Chic and Scary on the Letter "U". I popped them both up on the pennant. I only wanted a touch of glitter on the Bat, so I used Crystal Lacquer on the edges, then sprinkled some Martha Stewart Sugar Plum glitter on it. This glitter is from a Halloween set I picked up last year on clearance. It is purple in the container, but took on a green hue when applied to the black cardstock. Very cool. I wanted the Witch to really sparkle. so I used the Crystal Lacquer and 

Martha Stewart Hematite Glitter.

I went a little buggy for the letter "T".  I cut the Spider from Chic and Scary at various sizes and popped them on the pennant. I kept thinking they "needed" something but wasn't sure what it was until about an hour after I thought the banner was finished. These spiders needed eyes! I used my Viva Decor Pearl Pen to give them beady little eyes. Yuck! They look very cool with the paper.

The last pennant just may be my favorite. Since I dressed up the first bug, I wanted to do the same with the last one. I cut a bug head and another mask from Chic and Scary, but then decided I wanted something different for him. I took some gauze and dragged it across the top of my Frayed Burlap Distress Ink Pad. Using Martha Stewart Decoupage Gel, I wrapped my poor little bug up in the gauze. Boy was it messy! I tried to leave an opening so the mummy bug could see where he was going! I added some dimension to his eyes with the Viva Decor Anthracite Pearl Pen. The last flower is also my favorite, It's another Art Philosophy flower that I distressed with Black Soot ink and black stickles.

When it came time to string the pennants together, I wanted  to use gauze, but I was afraid it wouldn't be strong enough to hold the pieces, so I went with ribbon from my stash, and then tied some gauze in between the pennants. It came together nicely.

So that is my last minute Halloween Cricut banner. I had some fun creating it, but I have one last photo to share.

This is why you should never wait until last minute to enter a contest or challenge!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Crafting!

Colleen